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The diffusion of e-commerce has played a significant role in recent rural economic development in China. E-commerce is also considered as an efficient channel to alleviate poverty in rural China. Voluminous studies have investigated the contribution of e-commerce to agricultural development, yet it is lacking empirical evidence as to the effects of e-commerce on rural poverty alleviation. Since the year of 2014, in order to develop rural e-commerce, Chinese government launched the National Rural E-commerce Comprehensive Demonstration Project. This gradual involvement policy offered a natural experiment for evaluation of e-commerce. Based on village-level survey data from rural China and Heckit method, our study finds that rural e-commerce has a significantly positive effect on rural income. Moreover, the effect is inverted U-shaped for the relative-poverty villages. The estimation of the propensity scores matching model confirms that the results are robust. The following policy recommendations are proposed: (1) policy support to rural e-commerce should prioritize the poverty-stricken villages. By doing so, the marginal income effects of e-commerce will be maximized. (2) Investment in internet infrastructure and establishment of human resources for e-commerce in rural areas will have spillover effects, increasing rural income through the “digital dividend”.

Mizoroki-Heck reaction of unstrained aryl ketone with acrylate/styrene is accomplished via palladium-catalyzed ligand-promoted C-C bond cleavage. Various (hetero)aryl ketones are compatible in the reaction, affording the alkene product in good to excellent yields. Further applications in the late-stage olefination of some drugs, natural products, and fragrance-derived aryl ketones demonstrate the synthetic utility of this protocol. By employing ketone as both the directing group and the leaving group, 1,2-bifunctionalization is achieved via sequential ortho-C-H alkylation/ipso-Heck olefination.

Wetland is an important carbon pool, and the degradation of wetlands causes the loss of organic carbon and total nitrogen. This study aims to explore how wetland degradation succession affects soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in alpine wetland. A field survey of 180 soil-sampling profiles was conducted in an alpine wetland that has been classified into three degradation succession stages. The SOC and TN contents of soil layers from 0 to 200 cm depth were studied, including their distribution characteristics and the relationship between soil water content (SWC) and microtopography. The results showed that SOC and TN of different degradation succession gradients followed the ranked order of Non Degradation (ND) > Light Degradation (LD) > Heavy Degradation (HD). SWC was positively correlated with SOC and TN (p

Conversion of the numerous aryl ketones into aryl electrophiles via Ar–C(O) cleavage remains a challenging yet highly desirable transformation in Sonogashira-type coupling. Herein, we report a pall...

Soft actuators with perception capability are essential for robots to intelligently interact with humans and the environment. However, existing perceptive soft actuators require complex integration and coupling between the discrete functional units to achieve autonomy. Here, we report entirely soft actuators with embodied sensing, actuation, and control at the single-unit level. This is achieved by synergistically harnessing the mechanosensing and electrothermal properties of liquid metal (LM) to actuate the thermally responsive liquid crystal elastomer (LCE). We create multifunctional LM circuits on the LCE surface using a simple and facile methodology based on magnetic printing. The fluidic LM circuit can not only be utilized as a conformable resistive heater but also as a sensory skin to perceive its own deformation. Moreover, the rational design of the LM circuits makes it possible to achieve biomimetic autonomous actuation in response to mechanical stimuli such as pressure or strain. In addition, the intrinsic stretchability of LM allows us to create 3D spring-like actuators via a simple prestretch step, and complex helical motions can be obtained upon mechanical stimulation. This work provides a unique and simple design for autonomous soft robotics with embodied intelligence.

Liquid metal (LM) has shown potential values in different areas. Attempts to implement LM are tending to develop new functions and make it versatile to improve its performance for practical applications. Here, we present an unprecedented LM-integrated ultra-elastic microfiber with distinctive features for wearable electronics. The microfiber with a polyurethane shell and an LM core was continuously generated by using a sequenced microfluidic spinning and injection method. Due to the precise fluid manipulation of microfluidics, the resultant microfiber could be tailored with tunable morphologies and responsive conductivities. We have demonstrated that the microfiber could act as dynamic force sensor and motion indicator when it was embedded into elastic films. In addition, the values of the LM-integrated ultra-elastic microfiber on energy conversions such as electro-magnetic or electro-thermal conversions have also been realized. These features indicate that LM-integrated microfiber will open up new frontiers in LM-integrated materials and the wearable electronics field.

We revisit faithfully balanced modules. These are faithful modules having the double centralizer property. For finite-dimensional algebras our main tool is the category ${\rm cogen}^1(M)$ of modules with a copresentation by summands of finite sums of $M$ on which ${\rm Hom}(-,M)$ is exact. For a faithfully balanced module $M$ the functor ${\rm Hom}(-,M)$ is a duality on these categories - for cotilting modules this is the Brenner-Butler theorem. We also study new classes of faithfully balanced modules combining cogenerators and cotilting modules. Then we turn to relative homological algebra in the sense of Auslander-Solberg and define a relative version of faithfully balancedness which we call $1$-$\mathbf{F}$-faithful. We find relative versions of the best known classes of faithfully balanced modules (including (co)generators ,(co)tilting and cluster tilting modules). Here we characterize the corresponding modules over the endomorphism ring of the faithfully balanced module - this is what we call a \emph{correspondence}. Two highlights are the relative (higher) Auslander correspondence and the relative cotilting correspondence - the second is a generalization of a relative cotilting correspondence of Auslander-Solberg to an involution (as the usual cotilting correspondence is)., Comment: 37 pages. v2: Some typos have been fixed, including the incorrect statements in Theorem 1.3 and Theorem 1.4

A one-step synthesis of visible light responsive diatomite/g-C3N4 composite material was prepared by impregnation-calcination method. The products were characterized by Scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffractometer, Ultraviolet diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, and Photoluminescence spectrometer. The SEM results showed that g-C3N4 was successfully attached onto the surface of the diatomite. Also the composite materials were more light-responsive compared with the single phase material. The composite materials had a maximum degradation efficiency up to nearly 91.79%. The significant improvement in photocatalytic performance was due to the porous structure of diatomite, increase of contact area of carbon nitride.

A novel free-standing electrode consisting of nickel phosphide (Ni2P) nanoparticles on nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped porous carbon (NPC) are synthesized on carbon cloth (CC). Polyaniline (PANI) and nickel (Ni) are sequentially electro-deposited on the surface of CC, which are then transformed into NPC and Ni2P by an in-situ carbonization-phosphorization combined process. The electrode surface is distributed with large amounts of uniform macropores, which could expose more active sites and enhance the interfacial exchange with the electrolyte. The Ni2P@NPC@CC electrode delivers early overpotentials of 92 and 280 mV vs. Reversible Hydrogen Electrode (RHE) at 10 mA cm−2 for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline condition, respectively. The electrolytic cell with Ni2P@NPC@CC electrode both as anode and cathode can achieve 10 mA cm−2 at a small bias of 1.54 V for the overall water splitting. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation indicates that combination with Ni2P and NPC can decrease Gibbs free energy for H* adsorption (ΔGH*) and increase charge density on the interface, thus could lead to the enhanced activity for water splitting. The free-standing and noble-metal free Ni2P@NPC@CC electrode is stable, highly active and cost effective, thus have great potential for the hydrogen production.

Ethylene plays important roles in plant growth and development, but the regulation of ethylene signaling is largely unclear, especially in crops such as rice (Oryza sativa). Here, by analysis of the ethylene-insensitive mutant mao huzi 11 (mhz11), we identified the GDSL lipase MHZ11, which modulates ethylene signaling in rice roots. MHZ11 localized to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and has acyl-hydrolyzing activity. This activity affects the homeostasis of sterols in rice roots and is required for root ethylene response. MHZ11 overexpression caused constitutive ethylene response in roots. Genetically, MHZ11 acts with the ethylene receptor ETHYLENE RESPONSE SENSOR2 (OsERS2) upstream of CONSTITUTIVE TRIPLE RESPONSE2 (OsCTR2) and ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE2 (OsEIN2). The mhz11 mutant maintains more OsCTR2 in the phosphorylated form whereas MHZ11 overexpression promotes ethylene-mediated inhibition of OsCTR2 phosphorylation. MHZ11 colocalized with the ethylene receptor OsERS2, and its effect on OsCTR2 phosphorylation requires ethylene perception and initiation of ethylene signaling. The mhz11 mutant overaccumulated sterols and blocking sterol biosynthesis partially rescued the mhz11 ethylene response, likely by reducing receptor-OsCTR2 interaction and OsCTR2 phosphorylation. We propose that MHZ11 reduces sterol levels to impair receptor-OsCTR2 interactions and OsCTR2 phosphorylation for triggering ethylene signaling. Our study reveals a mechanism by which MHZ11 participates in ethylene signaling for regulation of root growth in rice.

Purpose Ferulic acid (FA) is a natural compound which is used to treat insomnia. However, its use is limited because of its poor oral bioavailability caused by extremely rapid elimination. The current study aimed to develop a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) to improve the oral delivery of FA and to enhance its hypnotic efficacy. Methods FA-SMEDDS was prepared, and its morphology and storage stability were characterized. The formulation was also subjected to pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies in rats. The hypnotic efficacy of FA-SMEDDS was evaluated in p-chlorophenylalanine-induced insomnia mice. Results FA-loaded SMEDDS exhibited a small droplet size (15.24 nm) and good stability. Oral administration of FA-SMEDDS yielded relative bioavailability of 185.96%. In the kidney, SMEDDS decreased the distribution percentage of FA from 76.1% to 59.4% and significantly reduced its metabolic conversion, indicating a reduction in renal elimination. Interestingly, FA-SMEDDS showed a higher distribution in the brain and enhanced serotonin levels in the brain, which extended the sleep time by 2-fold in insomnia mice. Conclusion This is the first study to show that FA-loaded SMEDDS decreased renal elimination, enhanced oral bioavailability, increased brain distribution, and improved hypnotic efficacy. Thus, we have demonstrated that SMEDDS is a promising carrier which can be employed to improve the oral delivery of FA and facilitate product development for the therapy of insomnia.

A “one stop” thermal stabilizer, zinc arginine complex (Zn(Arg) 2 ), with excellent excellent initial whiteness, whiteness retention and long-term thermal stability time for PVC, was conveniently synthesized in water solution. The successful synthesis of Zn(Arg) 2 was confirmed by FTIR, TGA and element analysis. Besides the longer Congo red and static thermal stability time than nitrogen-containing thermal stabilizer reported, Zn(Arg) 2 also had better initial whiteness, whiteness retention and dynamic thermal stability time showed by Congo red test, discoloration test and torque rheology test. Especially, the static thermal stability time was more than 150 min, and the dynamic thermal stability time reached 78 min. The excellent thermal stability effect of Zn(Arg) 2 on PVC was ascribed to the simultaneous possession of three mechanisms: absorbing HCl, replacing labile chlorine atoms and complexing ZnCl 2 . Moreover, PVC with Zn(Arg) 2 also showed excellent transmittance tested by vis-uv-near infrared spectrophotometer. Therefore, Zn(Arg) 2 is a “one stop” thermal stabilizer with good application prospects in transparent PVC.

A totally new theory of “two-step stabilization mechanism” for triazole-based zinc-containing complex (abbreviated as [Zn(ttr)(OAc)]) was proposed through several designed experiments. [Zn(ttr)(OAc)] strongly absorbed HCl at the beginning, and then broke down into 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole which could further stabilized PVC. The structure of [Zn(ttr)(OAc)] was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and SEM. Then, Congo red tests and discoloration tests verified [Zn(ttr)(OAc)] could absorb HCl effectively, but PVC showed poor initial whiteness, which further proved above-mentioned stabilization mechanism. Moreover, [Zn(ttr)(OAc)] combined with ZnSt2 and dibenzoyl methane (DBM) effectively improved the initial color of PVC samples and provided PVC with shorter plasticizing time and longer dynamic thermal stability time than commercial stabilizer 1086F, confirmed by discoloration tests and dynamic thermal stability analysis. We believe [Zn(ttr)(OAc)]/ZnSt2/DBM stabilizer system can be used as a commercial stabilizer and the stabilization mechanism of [Zn(ttr)(OAc)] may provide a new way to stabilize PVC.

A rhodium(III)-catalyzed domino annulation of simple olefins with diazo oxindoles to give spirooxindole pyrrolone products is described. This reaction can be formally viewed as the result of an anomalous tandem C-H activation, carbene insertion, Lossen rearrangement, and a nucleophilic addition process. The potential utility of this reaction was further demonstrated by the late-stage diversification of drug molecules.

WRKY transcription factors play important roles in response to various abiotic stresses. Previous study have proved that soybean GmWRKY54 can improve stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis. Here, we generated soybean transgenic plants and further investigated roles and biological mechanisms of GmWRKY54 in response to drought stress. We demonstrated that expression of GmWRKY54, driven by either a constitutive promoter (pCm) or a drought-induced promoter (RD29a), confers drought tolerance. GmWRKY54 is a transcriptional activator and affects a large number of stress-related genes as revealed by RNA sequencing. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment and co-expression network analysis, together with measurement of physiological parameters, supported the idea that GmWRKY54 enhances stomatal closure to reduce water loss, and therefore confers drought tolerance in soybean. GmWRKY54 directly binds to the promoter regions of genes including PYL8, SRK2A, CIPK11 and CPK3 and activates them. Therefore GmWRKY54 achieves its function through abscisic acid (ABA) and Ca2+ signaling pathways. It is valuable that GmWRKY54 activates an ABA receptor and an SnRK2 kinase in the upstream position, unlike other WRKY proteins that regulate downstream genes in the ABA pathway. Our study revealed the role of GmWRKY54 in drought tolerance and further manipulation of this gene should improve growth and production in soybean and other legumes/crops under unfavorable conditions.

Early Triassic marine ecosystems experienced multiple environmental perturbations and a delayed biotic recovery following the end-Permian mass extinction. The Smithian–Spathian boundary (SSB), in the late Early Triassic, marks a major shift toward a less intensely warm climate, ameliorated marine environmental conditions, and the onset of a more sustained recovery of marine faunas. Accumulating geochemical evidence indicates that these developments were accompanied by large changes in global-ocean circulation during the Smithian–Spathian (S–S) transition. In the present study, tandem carbon and sulfur isotopic records were used to investigate changes in the marine carbon and sulfur cycles across the SSB and their potential relationship to global-ocean circulation changes. First, we conducted a carbon‑sulfur isotope study at two deepwater SSB sections (West Pingdingshan and Jiarong) in South China. High-resolution δ13Ccarb-δ34SCAS profiles show large positive excursions and strong correlations through the S–S transition, suggesting control by co-burial of organic matter and pyrite. Second, we reviewed global carbon‑sulfur isotope studies through the Smithian and Spathian substages. Similar to carbonate carbon isotopes, sulfate sulfur isotopes also show vertical gradient changes during the S–S transition. We link these changes to an expansion of oceanic oxygen-minimum zones (OMZs) in response to a cooling-driven re-invigoration of global-ocean circulation that triggered enhanced productivity on platform margins. OMZ expansion may have contributed to a second-order extinction among conodonts and ammonoids at the SSB, but the long-term shift toward more vigorous ocean circulation and better-ventilated watermasses is likely to have facilitated the overall recovery of marine biotas during the Spathian Substage of the late Early Triassic.

In this work, Ti-Sn-Sb/γ-Al2O3 particle electrodes were prepared and employed for the degradation of oxytetracycline (OTC) by three-dimensional electrocatalytic technology. Factors associated with the preparation of Ti-Sn-Sb/γ-Al2O3 particle electrodes were investigated. The effects of initial concentration, conductivity, pH value, aeration intensity, current density, plate spacing, and particle electrode dosage on OTC removal were studied. The removal rate of OTC and total organic carbon were achieved approximately 92.0% and 41.0% under the optimal operating condition, respectively. In addition, Ti-Sn-Sb/γ-Al2O3 particle electrode was analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectrum analysis (EDX), X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF), and X Ray Diffraction analysis (XRD), which indicated that a significant amount of TiO2, SnO2, and Sb2O3 were formed on the surface of Ti-Sn-Sb/γ-Al2O3 particle electrode. It was also observed that the primary function of Ti-Sn-Sb/γ-Al2O3 particle electrode in the three-dimensional electrode electrolysis process is the strong oxidizing function of ·OH for degrading OTC. Consequently, the analysis of degradation products of oxytetracycline (OTC) demonstrates. In addition, the results and conclusions of this study provide a methodological basis and engineering practice basis for removing the low concentration of antibiotics in water.

This study explored the performance of unbound aggregate materials (UAM). Repeated load tests of single-size, two-size mixed, and three-size mixed gravels were conducted using the precision unbounded material analyzer (PUMA) in single-stage loading mode (SSLM) and multi-stage loading mode (MSLM). The permanent deformation and elastic modulus of the first 400 loading cycles were analyzed under the two loading modes. The modulus of PUMA repeated load tests was compared with modulus models of the repeated CBR test and with constant confining pressure (CCP) and variable confining pressure (VCP) models of the repeated load triaxial test. The results of MSLM showed that the permanent deformation of single-size gravel increased rapidly when the loading strength was lower than 340 kPa and then decreased. The maximum permanent deformation of the mixed gravels appeared as the loading strength was lower than 200 kPa. The increment of permanent deformation tended to single-peak with the large-size aggregate. The loading strength only slightly affected the permanent deformation once it reached a certain extent. The initial-stage permanent deformation of SSLM was the main part of the total, and the proportion increased with the increase in loading strength. A slight difference was observed between the single-size and mixed gravel when the loading strength was under 240 kPa. Then, the permanent deformation of single-size gravel increased rapidly. The permanent deformation of MSLM was smaller than that of SSLM. MSLM can improve the carrying capacity of the unbound materials and reveal the principle of three-stage compaction for UAM. Although the calculated equivalent modulus of the full-friction model was lower than those of the existing studies, it presented the same tendency and was appropriate for the calculation of modulus. The elastic modulus of CCP model was the largest among the four models, and the growth rate of elastic modulus was the highest for VCP model. The effect of confining pressure on the modulus increased with increasing loading strength.

The Kamura section, located in the Chichibu Belt of Kyushu Island in southern Japan, contains a succession of uppermost Permian to Upper Triassic shallow-marine atoll sediments from the mid-Panthalassic Ocean. In the present study, carbonate microfacies, conodont biostratigraphy, and carbonate carbon isotopes were analyzed, making it possible to construct a detailed biochronological framework for the Triassic of the central Panthalassic region. A total of 14 conodont zones are recognized from the uppermost Changhsingian to the upper Norian. The Lower Triassic contains the Hindeodus parvus, Isarcicella isarcica, and H. postparvus zones (Griesbachian), the Neospathodus dieneri Zone (Dienerian), and the Novispathodus ex gr. waageni-Parachirognathus Zone (Smithian), while no evidence of the upper Lower Triassic Spathian substage was recovered at Kamura. The overlying Middle Triassic section consists of the Chiosella ex gr. timorensis-Cratognathus, ‘Paragondolella’ ex gr. alpina-Pg. ex gr. excelsa, Budurovignathus hungaricus, and B. mungoensis zones, followed in the Upper Triassic by the Quadralella tadpole-Gladigondolella malayensis, Q. lobata-Q. carpathica, Primatella cf. orchardi-Pr. permica, Epigondolella rigoi-‘Pg.’ hallstattensis, and E. ex gr. bidentata-Norigondolella steinbergensis zones. The exact stratigraphic intervals present at Kamura were refined through intercalibration of the conodont biozonation data with its δ13Ccarb profile, which shows a characteristic series of negative and positive excursions that correspond to well-established global reference profiles. The Permian–Triassic boundary is placed 0.20 m above the Mitai-Kamura formation contact (a reference datum corresponding to the end-Permian extinction horizon, = 0 m) based on the first appearance of H. parvus, and the Olenekian–Anisian boundary is placed 17.60 m above the reference datum based on the first appearance of Ch. ex gr. timorensis. Kamura carbonates were assigned to six fabric types and 17 microfacies. The microfacies succession records a deepening immediately following the end-Permian mass extinction, a strong shallowing during the mid to late Smithian, development of an unconformity spanning the entire Spathian, and minor sea-level fluctuations during the Middle and Late Triassic. The Spathian unconformity is attributed to a eustatic fall related to a sharp cooling event at or close to the Smithian–Spathian boundary that exposed the Kamura atoll. The subsequent resumption of shallow-marine sedimentation in the earliest Middle Triassic was probably due to continued thermal subsidence of the oceanic crustal basement beneath the atoll. The present work is the most complete analysis to date of the conodont biostratigraphic, carbon isotope chemostratigraphic, and eustatic records of the Triassic System in the central Panthalassic Ocean and should serve as a regional reference standard in the future.

Bronze is one of copper alloy materials that have been widely used not only in the Bronze Age, but also nowadays because they are hard, easy to cast and resistant against corrosion. For bronze, tin is commonly used as the major non-copper ingredient of bronze because of many highly desirable characteristics including the fact that metallic tin is not toxic. We find that the tin bronze is a suitable electrode material for non-enzymatic electrochemical glucose sensing in saliva. For electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose on the bronze electrode, a negative potential is applied for proton reduction which creates a temporary alkaline condition. The sensor has a linear range from 0 to 320 μM with the regression equation: i = 11 + 0.015 C (i is the current in μA and C is the concentration in μM) with a correlation coefficient of 0.994. The sensitivity is found to be 480 μA mM−1 cm-2, and the detection limit is 6.6 μM with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The electrode is found to be highly selective towards glucose oxidation in the presence of interfering species such as ascorbic acid and uric acid. The electrochemical senor is integrated into a smart toothbrush for monitoring of saliva glucose, which is potentially useful for non-invasive screening of diabetes. Compared with other electrochemical glucose sensors, a naked bronze electrode is used as the working electrode to ensure the robustness of the sensor. No additional reagent is involved for the electrochemical determination of saliva glucose and the electrode can be regenerated simply by mechanically polishing for long-term uses.

Herein, a chip imitating the desert beetle shell was presented for naked eye nucleic acid quantification. The hydrophobic photonic crystal substrate treated by ultraviolet local irradiation could effectively disperse the sample into hundreds of droplets for digital loop-mediated isothermal amplification (dLAMP). Pyrophosphate (PPI), a by-product of the LAMP reaction, combined with magnesium ions to form a poorly soluble precipitate. It could be fixed on a silica substrate due to complexation, resulting in the disappearance of the structural color of the photonic crystals. The number of points without structural color contains the information of the copy number of nucleic acids in the sample. This chip could achieve the naked eye quantitative detection of Salmonella DNA without fluorescence or other chromogenic reagents. Thus, the chip designed in this study can help the development of digital nucleic acid detection under limited resource settings (LRS) and can be suitable for POCT (point of care test) standards.

Protein-drug binding mode prediction from the apo-protein structure is challenging because drug binding often induces significant protein conformational changes. Here, the authors report a computational workflow that incorporates a novel pocket generation method. First, the closed protein pocket is expanded by repeatedly filling virtual atoms during molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Second, after ligand docking toward the prepared pocket structures, binding mode candidates are ranked by MD/Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area. The authors validated our workflow using CDK2 kinase, which has an especially-closed ATP-binding pocket in the apo-form, and several inhibitors. The crystallographic pose coincided with the top-ranked docking pose for 59% (34/58) of the compounds and was within the top five-ranked ones for 88% (51/58), while those estimated by a conventional prediction protocol were 9% (5/58) and 50% (29/58), respectively. Our study demonstrates that the prediction accuracy is significantly improved by preceding pocket expansion, leading to generation of conformationally-diverse binding mode candidates. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Minimizing potential environmental risks of toxic metals is a prerequisite for recycling crop straw from contaminated farmlands. In this study, feedstocks of wheat straw were collected from paddy fields with low and high level of metal contamination and pyrolysed at temperature of 350 °C and of 550 °C, respectively. The produced biochars were subsequently extracted with hot water and potassium hydroxide solution. Contents of potentially toxic metals (PTEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and mineral nutrients were analyzed both of the biochars and their extracts. To test the effect of the biochar extracts on plant growth and quality, a pot experiment was carried out with foliar amendment to Chinese cabbage. The results showed that contents of nutrients, PTEs and PAHs of both the biochars and their extracts differed significantly both between feedstocks and between pyrolysis temperatures. Total concentrations of PTEs and PAHs of the biochars were well under the recommended quality limits with their negligible presence in the biochar extracts. The pot experiment revealed a very significant promotion for cabbage yield and quality by the extracts of biochar pyrolysed at 350 °C, regardless of the feedstock. Thus, pyrolysing crop straw from metal contaminated fields at 350 °C could be an option to stabilize toxic metals in biochar as soil amendment but to recycle the biochar extract as foliar fertilizer to off-site crop production. Therefore, a viable mechanism is urged to develop in China where direct crop residue return has been state-funded under a policy of strict ban of straw burning.

Friction and wear performance is one of the key mechanical properties of accident tolerant fuel cladding coatings. In this study, reciprocating sliding wear tests had performed on two types of CrAl and CrAlN coatings with two different Al content ratios and Zr-4. The coefficient of friction, wear depth, and abrasion loss were measured and compared. The results indicated that the CrAl-based coatings improve the wear behavior significantly and nitrogen has an obvious improvement on the wear resistance of the coating. The friction and wear performance was also studied in a water environment. The results show that the presence of water degrade the wear performance of Zr-4 and CrAl coatings but ameliorates the friction and wear performance of CrAlN coatings. The feasibility of depositing ATF coating on conventional Zr-4 substrates to mitigate the influence of grid-to-rod fretting was demonstrated.

Ethylene is a gaseous hormone which plays important roles in both plant growth and development and stress responses. Based on studies in the dicot model plant species Arabidopsis, a linear ethylene signaling pathway has been established, according to which ethylene is perceived by ethylene receptors and transduced through CONSTITUTIVE TRIPLE RESPONSE 1 (CTR1) and ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE 2 (EIN2) to activate transcriptional reprogramming. In addition to this canonical signaling pathway, an alternative ethylene receptor-mediated phosphor-relay pathway has also been proposed to participate in ethylene signaling. In contrast to Arabidopsis, rice, a monocot, grows in semiaquatic environments and has a distinct plant structure. Several novel regulators and/or mechanisms of the rice ethylene signaling pathway have recently been identified, indicating that the ethylene signaling pathway in rice has its own unique features. In this review, we summarize the latest progress and compare the conserved and divergent aspects of the ethylene signaling pathway between Arabidopsis and rice. The crosstalk between ethylene and other plant hormones is also reviewed. Finally, we discuss how ethylene regulates plant growth, stress responses and agronomic traits. These analyses should help expand our knowledge of the ethylene signaling mechanism and could further be applied for agricultural purposes.

Biomolecular imaging using X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) has been successfully applied to serial femtosecond crystallography. However, the application of single-particle analysis for structure determination using XFELs with 100 nm or smaller biomolecules has two practical problems: the incomplete diffraction data sets for reconstructing 3D assembled structures and the heterogeneous conformational states of samples. A new diffraction template matching method is thus presented here to retrieve a plausible 3D structural model based on single noisy target diffraction patterns, assuming candidate structures. Two concepts are introduced here: prompt candidate diffraction, generated by enhanced sampled coarse-grain (CG) candidate structures, and efficient molecular orientation searching for matching based on Bayesian optimization. A CG model-based diffraction-matching protocol is proposed that achieves a 100-fold speed increase compared to exhaustive diffraction matching using an all-atom model. The conditions that enable multiconformational analysis were also investigated by simulated diffraction data for various conformational states of chromatin and ribosomes. The proposed method can enable multiconformational analysis, with a structural resolution of at least 20 A for 270-800 A flexible biomolecules, in experimental single-particle structure analyses that employ XFELs.

The coupling of aromatic electrophiles (aryl halides, aryl ethers, aryl acids, aryl nitriles etc.) with nucleophiles is a core methodology for the synthesis of aryl compounds. Transformations of aryl ketones in an analogous manner via carbon-carbon bond activation could greatly expand the toolbox for the synthesis of aryl compounds due to the abundance of aryl ketones. An exploratory study of this approach is typically based on carbon-carbon cleavage triggered by ring-strain release and chelation assistance, and the products are also limited to a specific structural motif. Here we report a ligand-promoted β-carbon elimination strategy to activate the carbon-carbon bonds, which results in a range of transformations of aryl ketones, leading to useful aryl borates, and also to biaryls, aryl nitriles, and aryl alkenes. The use of a pyridine-oxazoline ligand is crucial for this catalytic transformation. A gram-scale borylation reaction of an aryl ketone via a simple one-pot operation is reported. The potential utility of this strategy is also demonstrated by the late-stage diversification of drug molecules probenecid, adapalene, and desoxyestrone, the fragrance tonalid as well as the natural product apocynin.

Lateral organ boundaries (LOB) domain (LBD) genes, a gene family encoding plant-specific transcription factors, play important roles in plant growth and development. At present, though there have been a number of genome-wide analyses on LBD gene families and functional studies on individual LBD proteins, the diverse functions of LBD family members still confuse researchers and an effective strategy is required to summarize their functional diversity. To further integrate and improve our understanding of the phylogenetic classification, functional characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of LBD proteins, we review and discuss the functional characteristics of LBD proteins according to their classifications under a phylogenetic framework. It is proved that this strategy is effective in the anatomy of diverse functions of LBD family members. Additionally, by phylogenetic analysis, one monocot-specific and one eudicot-specific subclade of LBD proteins were found and their biological significance in monocot and eudicot development were also discussed separately. The review will help us better understand the functional diversity of LBD proteins and facilitate further studies on this plant-specific transcription factor family.

Ethylene plays essential roles during adaptive responses to water-saturating environments in rice, but knowledge of its signaling mechanism remains limited. Here, through an analysis of a rice ethylene-response mutant mhz1, we show that MHZ1 positively modulates root ethylene responses. MHZ1 encodes the rice histidine kinase OsHK1. MHZ1/OsHK1 is autophosphorylated at a conserved histidine residue and can transfer the phosphoryl signal to the response regulator OsRR21 via the phosphotransfer proteins OsAHP1/2. This phosphorelay pathway is required for root ethylene responses. Ethylene receptor OsERS2, via its GAF domain, physically interacts with MHZ1/OsHK1 and inhibits its kinase activity. Genetic analyses suggest that MHZ1/OsHK1 acts at the level of ethylene perception and works together with the OsEIN2-mediated pathway to regulate root growth. Our results suggest that MHZ1/OsHK1 mediates the ethylene response partially independently of OsEIN2, and is directly inhibited by ethylene receptors, thus revealing mechanistic details of ethylene signaling for root growth regulation., Ethylene regulates adaptive root growth during waterlogging in rice. Here, the authors identify MHZ1 (aka OsHK1), a histidine kinase that positively regulates the root ethylene response by interacting with the ethylene receptor ERS2 and promoting phosphorylation of the response regulator, OsRR21.

Perspiration contains valuable information indicating physiological health. For most wearable perspiration sensors, the sensing element contacts with skin directly. Yet lack of precise fluidic manipulation unit limits accurate and continuous analysis considering perspiration aggregation, evaporation loss and electrolyte reabsorption by sweat glands. The potential skin irritation caused by the chemicals in the sensor is also a safety concern. In this work, we report a wearable microfluidic device with fluidic manipulation unit based on capillary force to address these issues. Inspired by wicking materials for wiping perspiration in our daily life, herein, we use biocompatible threads to collect perspiration by capillary absorption. Then the collected perspiration was spontaneously delivered to a hydrophilic microfluidic channel, forming a continuous flow. Electrodes were embedded in the microfluidic channel for continuous electrochemical analysis and to avoid the direct skin contact. On-body tests demonstrated that continuous perspiration collection, transportation and analysis of Na+ as a proof-of-concept analyte can be achieved using the pump-free epidermal microfluidic device.

Significance Auxin signaling components participate in ethylene-mediated inhibition of root elongation. However, the interplay between TIR1/AFB2-auxin-Aux/indole acetic acid (IAA) signaling and ethylene response remains to be elucidated in detail. In this study, we report an E3 ubiquitin ligase soil-surface rooting 1 (SOR1), which targets a noncanonical Aux/IAA protein OsIAA26 for 26S proteasome-mediated degradation. The E3 ligase activity of SOR1 can be repressed by the canonical Aux/IAA protein OsIAA9, which is the target of OsTIR1/AFB2. Our study identifies a potential regulator that modulates auxin-mediated ethylene response at the auxin signaling level., Plant hormones ethylene and auxin synergistically regulate plant root growth and development. Ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis of Aux/IAA transcriptional repressors by the E3 ubiquitin ligase SCFTIR1/AFB triggers a transcription-based auxin signaling. Here we show that rice (Oryza sativa L.) soil-surface rooting 1 (SOR1), which is a RING finger E3 ubiquitin ligase identified from analysis of a rice ethylene-insensitive mutant mhz2/sor1-2, controls root-specific ethylene responses by modulating Aux/IAA protein stability. SOR1 physically interacts with OsIAA26 and OsIAA9, which are atypical and canonical Aux/IAA proteins, respectively. SOR1 targets OsIAA26 for ubiquitin/26S proteasome-mediated degradation, whereas OsIAA9 protects the OsIAA26 protein from degradation by inhibiting the E3 activity of SOR1. Auxin promotes SOR1-dependent degradation of OsIAA26 by facilitating SCFOsTIR1/AFB2-mediated and SOR1-assisted destabilization of OsIAA9 protein. Our study provides a candidate mechanism by which the SOR1-OsIAA26 module acts downstream of the OsTIR1/AFB2-auxin-OsIAA9 signaling to modulate ethylene inhibition of root growth in rice seedlings.

Successful hydraulic fracturing (HF) operation requires an accurate model for simulating the propagation of fractures. In this paper, a novel mechanism for the formation of T-shaped fractures and a three-dimensional propagation simulation for predicting their dimensional parameters prior to HF treatment are presented. Furthermore, a pressure decline analysis model (PDA) is also developed for calculating the dimensional parameters after HF treatment. Experimental results show that the two models can accurately simulate the T-shaped fractures and provide a valid data for the optimization and evaluation of HF treatments.

Here we report an efficient Cu(i)-mediated C–H amination reaction with oximes as amino donors to introduce NH2 groups directly., Here we report an efficient Cu(i)-mediated C–H amination reaction with oximes as amino donors to introduce NH2 groups directly. Various strongly coordinating heterocycles including quinoline, pyrimidine, pyrazine, pyrazole and triazole were tolerated well. The potential utility was further demonstrated in a late-stage modification of telmisartan (an antagonist for the angiotensin II receptor).

Here we report a bio-inspired photonic nitrocellulose array for ultrasensitive nucleic-acid detection. The patterned photonic nitrocellulose array is inspired by the Stenocara beetle living in the desert, which can collect water on its bumpy back surface from early morning fogs so that spontaneous generation of separated reaction droplets for loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-based detection is enabled. Owing to the slow-photon effect of the photonic nitrocellulose, the fluorescence signal of calcein produced during the LAMP reaction can be effectively enhanced (up to 32 fold), which results in dramatically improved sensitivity for the detection of single nucleic acids in 40 min. We demonstrate that Staphylococcus aureus (SA) DNA can be quantitatively detected with a limit-of-detection of 0.60 copy per μL. The consumption of reagents and sample is also remarkably reduced owing to the highly decreased dead volume of the nitrocellulose substrate. Therefore, this bio-inspired photonic nitrocellulose array is promising for carrying out inexpensive, ultrasensitive, and high-throughput nucleic-acid detection under resource-limited settings.

We report on water desalination on fabric based on ion concentration polarization (ICP). The use of fabric as the substrate reduces the cost and simplifies the fabrication procedure for water desalination. On the fabric, water is transported and recovered by capillary force without any external pump. Filtration based on the porous structure of the fabric and electrocoagulation purification induced by anodic electrochemical reaction are also integrated. By the fabric-based water desalination, 85% salt in 50 mM NaCl solution is rejected with an applied voltage of 15 V, which demonstrates its potential in water desalination for remote or underdeveloped areas.

Regulating the folding state by denaturants is essential for the structure and function of proteins. Poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) is usually regarded as a model for protein denaturation. The effects of urea, as a denaturant, on the aggregations of PNIPAM was studied by temperature-dependent near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, and particularly the variation of water structures was analyzed. The NIR spectra of the polymer-urea solutions containing different polymer concentrations were measured at different temperatures. N-way principal component analysis (NPCA) was performed to observe the spectral information. Three principal components (PCs) containing the spectral information of CH groups were obtained, showing three kinds of CH in the system. Obvious dehydration of the three CH groups occurs at 27.5 °C in solution, but the temperature turns to 27 °C for two kinds of the CH and 26.5 °C for the third one, respectively, in the urea-add solution. The effect of urea on the formation of the intramolecular hydrogen bonds that promotes polymer folding is suggested. The spectral information of NH in urea molecule indicates that the direct interaction of urea and polymer facilitates the stability of the polymer globule state. Furthermore, the spectral information of OH shows that the release of the water molecules with three hydrogen bonds (S3), which may connect the NH and CO groups in PNIPAM in solution, leads to the phase transition. When urea is added, urea may reduce the content of the S3 water to facilitate the release, making the phase transition at a low temperature.

A bis-uracil derivative with a long aliphatic chain of 11 carbon atoms, USU-C, was synthesized by an optimized method. The migration rate test indicated that USU-C had better migration resistance compared to OSU. This advantage enabled the PVC samples containing USU-C to maintain good transparency and low haze for a long time. It had also been proven USU-C has better thermal stability and whiteness retention than OSU by the thermal stability tests. Based on summarizing this work and our previous studies, a new design method was proposed to enhance the transparency and thermal stability effect of thermal stabilizers on PVC based on Hansen solubility parameters (HSP) theory. Impressively, the quantitative mathematical function between the HSP and the carbon atom number in the long aliphatic chain of bis-uracil derivatives was also derived, which could be used to guide the structure design of new bis-uracil derivatives with long term migration resistance, preeminent transparency, and high thermal stability for PVC in the follow-up study, even other organic thermal stabilizers.

Deformation and recrystallization microtextures during the asymmetrical hot rolling (ASHR) process were investigated for a high-Mn austenitic steel by means of electron backscattered diffraction. The effects of velocity ratio and rolling reduction on the texture evolution were also analyzed. It was found that with the increase in velocity ratio and rolling reduction, the surface layer of 60% rolled ASHR plate develops a shear texture containing the γ-fiber, rotated cube and rotated copper components, but in the central layer is still a fcc rolling texture with a minor rotation around the transverse direction. The formation of surface shear texture could be understood as a consequence of the increased shear strain level, and it followed some certain crystallographic rotational relationships with the fcc rolling texture components. Additionally, the change of deformation texture under ASHR condition had an influence on the recrystallization texture, in which the proportion of {112} and {113} orientations was slightly improved, due to their rapid growth advantage and the orientation heredity of rotated copper shear texture.

Although photocatalysts are enormously explored for solar energy utilization, it remains a challenge to construct a highly efficient photocatalytic system by successfully steering the charge separation, transportation and consumption. Here we designed a novel photocatalyst by rationally constructing the photoelectron-trapped/accumulated site and electron transportation path via assembling TiO 2 , Ag and SrSO 4 nanoparticle together, where TiO 2 nanoparticles work as a solar energy harvester to generate electron-hole pairs, Ag nanoparticles conduct as electrons trapped and accumulated sites, and SrSO 4 nanoparticles are used to build coherent electron transportation paths and consumption sites. Our work provides a general bottom-up route for designing and preparing novel photocatalysts with ultrafast charge separation and highly catalytic activates.

Cultivated soybeans may lose some useful genetic loci during domestication. Introgression of genes from wild soybeans could broaden the genetic background and improve soybean agronomic traits. In this study, through whole-genome sequencing of a recombinant inbred line population derived from a cross between a wild soybean ZYD7 and a cultivated soybean HN44, and mapping of quantitative trait loci for seed weight, we discovered that a phosphatase 2C-1 (PP2C-1) allele from wild soybean ZYD7 contributes to the increase in seed weight/size. PP2C-1 may achieve this function by enhancing cell size of integument and activating a subset of seed trait-related genes. We found that PP2C-1 is associated with GmBZR1, a soybean ortholog of Arabidopsis BZR1, one of key transcription factors in brassinosteroid (BR) signaling, and facilitate accumulation of dephosphorylated GmBZR1. In contrast, the PP2C-2 allele with variations of a few amino acids at the N-terminus did not exhibit this function. Moreover, we showed that GmBZR1 could promote seed weight/size in transgenic plants. Through analysis of cultivated soybean accessions, we found that 40% of the examined accessions do not have the PP2C-1 allele, suggesting that these accessions can be improved by introduction of this allele. Taken together, our study identifies an elite allele PP2C-1, which can enhance seed weight and/or size in soybean, and pinpoints that manipulation of this allele by molecular-assisted breeding may increase production in soybean and other legumes/crops.

In this paper, the microstructural evolution and deformation mechanism of the cryorolled Fe–36%Ni alloy was investigated. Deformation twinning was confirmed to be activated at the early stage of cryorolling (CR) and subsequently suppressed due to microstructure refinement. The existence of and peaks revealed that the (α′-M) phase transformation was induced during the CR process. The stress-assisted martensite and strain-induced martensite were detected to be transformed at the grain boundary and intersection of deformation twins, respectively. Owing to the co-effect of the temperature raise and mechanical stabilisation, the α′-M phase transformation was suppressed during the CR process. Therefore, the amount of the α′-M was limited in the tested alloy.

Asymmetric hot rolling (ASHR) with a mismatch speed ratio of 1.15 in a single pass was applied to Fe-18Mn-18Cr-0.5N steel and was compared with symmetric hot rolling (SHR). The results indicated that a through-thickness microstructure gradient was formed in the plate due to the shear strain (0.36) introduced by ASHR. A fine-grained layer with the average size of ~3 μm was achieved at the top surface of ASHR plate, while numerous elongated grains with a few recrystallized grains were presented at the center layer. The texture was distributed randomly at the top surface of ASHR plate, and a weaker intensity of typical hot-rolled texture in austenitic steel was obtained at the center layer of ASHR plate compared to SHR plate. An excellent combination of microhardness, strength and ductility was obtained in the ASHR plate, which was attributed to gradient microstructure induced by ASHR.

To enhance surface properties of biomedical Mg-based alloys, tin (Sn) ions were introduced into Mg-Gd-Zn-Zr alloy by ion implantation. An approximately 90 nm thick Sn-implanted layer was detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). After ion implantation, the corrosion resistance was enhanced as demonstrated by polarization curves and immersion tests; besides, the implanted alloy exhibited better mechanical properties.

A crucial challenge in development of robust paper-based analytical devices (PADs) is the lack of sensitivity. Electrokinetic stacking is a kind of unique sample preconcentration for low-abundant charged species, which can be integrated to PADs to enhance the sensitivity. In this work, we bring new insights into the mechanism underlying an electrokinetic stacking technique based on a field amplified stacking (FAS) effect implemented on a simple paper fluidic channel. Here, we reveal that the acid–base titration reaction between the cations/anions in the background electrolyte (BGE) and the OH−/H+ ions from water electrolysis plays an essential role in the development of the electric field gradient. This was experimentally confirmed by changing the BGE type, monitoring the current variation and pH characterization. Based on the new knowledge, the paper-based FAS was successfully extended to stack cationic analytes. Eventually, a model protein of bovine hemoglobin (BHb) in its anion form was 150-fold stacked within 60 s. This work shows that the sensitivity of PADs can be greatly enhanced with effective use of this simple and low cost electrokinetic stacking technique.

A highly crystallized tetragonal β-In2S3 was synthesized with a partial ordering of In3 + vacancy confirmed by Rietveld refinements, which was therefore considered as an intermediate phase between conversional cubic and tetragonal β-In2S3. Benefiting from the high crystallinity and hierarchical morphology, it exhibited an intrinsic visible light photocatalytic activity in both water and nitrate reduction. The optimized H2 evolution rate was 442 μmol/h/g and the nitrate conversion rate was as high as 3.26 mg N/h. Apparent quantum yields of water splitting were also studied from 400 to 650 nm with an optimal value of 1.45% at 400 nm.

In this report, we introduced an electrokinetic strategy for simultaneous concentration and separation of charged analytes in an open and free standing paper fluidic channel. This was achieved by taking advantage of the field amplified sample stacking (FASS) effect. An electric field gradient was developed in the channel due to the conductivity difference between the background electrolyte (BGE) and sample solution. Through adjustment of the electroosmotic flow level and BGE concentration, charged analytes were not only stacked but also separated in the gradient based on their difference in electrophoretic mobility. Proof of concept was demonstrated firstly by two food dyes, brilliant blue and amaranth, and each dye was about 100-fold concentrated within 300 s. Simultaneous stacking and separation of two colored proteins, bovine hemoglobin and cytochrome c, was also demonstrated visually with the proposed method. Sample consumption was reduced to 5 μL by directly loading the sample onto the open channel, and the separation was completed within 30 s. This method is simple, rapid and easy to operate, which is particularly beneficial to the development of sensitive and multifunctional paper-based analytical devices (PADs) for field testing.

Direct γ→α′ martensitic transformation during cold rolling deformation was investigated for a high-Mn non-magnetic steel. Its influence on magnetic property was also analyzed. The magnetization under rolling reduction less than 50% almost presents a linear increase with the applied magnetic field. With deformation up to 73% and 93% thickness reductions, strain induced α′-martensite transformation starts to occur, causing the steel to be slightly magnetized. The α′-martensite prefers to nucleate directly at either microband–microband or microband-twin intersections without participation of intermediate e-martensite. The volume fraction of α′-martensite is estimated as 0.070% and 0.17%, respectively, based on the magnetic hysteresis loops. Such a small fraction of ferromagnetic α′-martensite shows little influence on the magnetic induction intensity and low relative permeability.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), involved in many diseases and pathophysiological processes, have emerged as potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. However, efficient isolation and detection of EVs still remain challenging. Here, we report an integrated chip for isolation of EVs with a double-filtration unit and ultrasensitive detection using photonic crystal (PC) nanostructure. Nanofiltration membranes were integrated into the device to isolate and enrich the EVs of 20-200 nm in size based on size-exclusion. Then, CD63 aptamers were used to combine the EVs on the nanofiltration membrane with a pore size of 20 nm, and excess aptamers passed through the membrane to bind with CD63 immobilized on the PC nanostructure. Benefitting from the fluorescence enhancement effect of the PC nanostructure in competition assays, the EVs could be quantified sensitively by analyzing the concentration of excess aptamers. Due to the high sensitivity, the limit of detection was as low as 8.9 × 103 EVs per mL with a low sample consumption of only 20 μL. Furthermore, serum samples from breast cancer patients and healthy donors could be successfully distinguished. Thus, this microfluidic chip provides an effective method for pre-screening of cancer in clinical samples.

We consider the constant Q-curvature metric problem in the given conformal class on conic 4-manifolds and study related differential equations., Accepted to Advances in Calculus of Variations