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Thin film lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI), as an emerging photonic material, provides a promising platform to realize compact, high-speed, and high-efficient electro-optic (EO) modulators. However, due to the large coupling loss caused by the large mode field mismatch between standard single mode fibers and the LNOI waveguides, edge or grating couplers are indispensable to LNOI modulators. In this paper, we propose a novel edge coupler employing staircase structure. The proposed coupler is feasible with i-line lithography and avoids high precise alignment. Moreover, such coupler can be applied to wafer-scale manufacture with low cost. The simulation results show that a low input/output coupling loss of 1.14 dB/1.62 dB can be achieved at 1.55 m wavelength for transverse electric (TE) polarized light signals. Specifically, benefited from the novel staircase design, the proposed edge coupler shows a unique property of polarization extinction ratio larger than 10 dB, which will further improve the modulation efficiency and depth of the EO modulators based on X-cut LNOI.

Nlrp3 is a vital integration point of diverse extracellular stimuli and cellular stress. However, inappropriate activation of Nlrp3 results in progression of autoinflammatory and metabolic disorders. Atrazine, using widely in agricultural sector, is a toxic environmental factor for human. Here, this study found that atrazine could induce oxidative stress and the expression of Nfkb and IRF1 in spleen, promoting the ox-mtDNA formation. And production and release of ox-mtDNA stimulated the Nlrp3 inflammasome. Lastly, atrazine induced the pyroptosis in spleen mediating the activation of Nlrp3 inflammasome. Additionally, lycopene, a kind of carotenoid, is natural bioactive component in fruits and vegetables, which is applied towards reducing oxidative stress. It was found that lycopene could ameliorate the pyroptosis induced by atrazine via inhibition of the ox-mtDNA production. The results also provided evidence that lycopene had the potential role in prevention Nlrp3 inflammasome activation by depleting the ox-mtDNA.

Uranium (U) is difficult to be transported from roots to leaves, but it has been reported to inhabit photosynthesis in leaves, so how does this work? In the present study, the effects of U (0-25 μM) on the development and photosynthesis in V. faba seedlings were studied under hydroponics. The results showed that U significantly inhibited the growth and development of V. faba plants, including decreased biomass, water content, lateral root number and root activity. U also led to a large accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the leaves which affects leaf structural traits (e.g., decreased leaf area and chlorophyll a content). When U concentration was 25 μM, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and transpiration rate (Tr) were inhibited, which were only 66.53% and 41.89% of the control, respectively. Further analysis showed that the stomatal density of leaves increased with the increase of U concentration, while the stomatal aperture and stomatal conductance (Gs) were on the contrary. The results of chlorophyll fluorescence showed that the non-photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ) increased and the electron transfer rate (ETR) decreased after U exposure, but fortunately, photosystem II (PSII) suffered little damage overall. In conclusion, the accumulation of U in the roots inhibited the root activity, resulting in water shortage in the plants. To prevent water loss, leaves have to regulated stomatal closure at the cost of weakening photosynthesis. These results provide a new insight into the mechanism by which U affects plant photosynthesis.

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is an environmentally persistent and bioaccumulative plasticizer. Accumulation of DEHP in the body can eventually cause kidney damage. As a type of natural carotenoid, lycopene (LYC) has a potential protective effect on renal cells, but the protective mechanism has not yet been elucidated. The major goal of this study was to see how effective LYC was at treating DEHP-induced nephrotoxicity in mice. ICR mice were treated with DEHP (500 mg/kg BW/day or 1000 mg/kg BW/day) or LYC (5 mg/kg BW/day) for 28 days. Through histopathology and ultrastructure, we found that LYC attenuated DEHP-induced renal tubular cell and glomerular damage. LYC relieved DEHP-induced kidney injury evidenced by lower levels of blood urea nitrogen (Bun), creatinine (Cre), and uric acid (Uric). Meanwhile, the reduced expression of kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1) also supported it. Notably, LYC can alleviate the activity or content of cytochrome P450 system (CYP450s) interfered with by DEHP. In addition, LYC treatment reduced nuclear accumulation of DEHP-induced aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and AhR nuclear transporter (Arnt), and its downstream target genes such as cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase (CYP) 1A1, 1A2, and 1B1 expression significantly decreased to normal in the LYC treatment group. In summary, LYC can mediate the AhR/Arnt signaling system to prevent kidney toxicity in mice caused by DEHP exposure.

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the second most deadly cancer worldwide. Therapies that take advantage of DNA repair defects have been explored in various tumors but not yet systematically in CRC. Here, we found that Diphosphoinositol Pentakisphosphate Kinase 2 (PPIP5K2), an inositol pyrophosphate kinase, was highly expressed in CRC and associated with a poor prognosis of CRC patients. In vitro and in vivo functional studies demonstrated that PPIP5K2 could promote the proliferation and migration ability of CRC cells independent of its inositol pyrophosphate kinase activity. Mechanically, S1006 dephosphorylation of PPIP5K2 could accelerate its dissociation with 14-3-3 in the cytoplasm, resulting in more nuclear distribution. Moreover, DNA damage treatments such as doxorubicin (DOX) or irradiation (IR) could induce nuclear translocation of PPIP5K2, which subsequently promoted homologous recombination (HR) repair by binding and recruiting RPA70 to the DNA damage site as a novel scaffold protein. Importantly, we verified that S1006 dephosphorylation of PPIP5K2 could significantly enhance the DNA repair ability of CRC cells through a series of DNA repair phenotype assays. In conclusion, PPIP5K2 is critical for enhancing the survival of CRC cells via facilitating DNA HR repair. Our findings revealed an unrecognized biological function and mechanism model of PPIP5K2 dependent on S1006 phosphorylation and provided a potential therapeutic target for CRC patients.

Hollow carbon spheres have garnered great interest owing to their high surface area, large surface-tovolume ratio and reduced transmission lengths. Herein, we overview hollow carbon sphere-based materials and their noble metal-free hybrids in catalysis. Firstly, we summarize the key fabrication techniques for various kinds of hollow carbon spheres, with a particular emphasis on controlling pore structure and surface morphology, and then heterogeneous doping as well as their metal-free/ containing hybrids are presented; next, possible applications for non-noble metal/hollow carbon sphere hybrids in the area of energy-related catalysis, including oxygen reduction reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, water splitting, rechargeable Zn-air batteries and pollutant degradation are discussed; finally, we introduce the various challenges and opportunities offered by hollow carbon spheres from the perspective of synthesis and catalysis.

Increased understanding of the interactions between endophytic fungi and plants has led to the discovery of a new generation of chemical compounds and processes between endophytic fungi and plants. Due to the long-term co-evolution between fungal endophytes and host plants, endophytes have evolved special biotransformation abilities, which can have critical consequences on plant metabolic processes and their composition. Biotransformation or bioconversion can impact the synthesis and decomposition of hormones, sugars, amino acids, vitamins, lipids, proteins, and various secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, polysaccharides, and terpenes. Endophytic fungi produce enzymes and various bioactive secondary metabolites with industrial value and can degrade or sequester inorganic and organic small molecules and macromolecules (e.g., toxins, pollutants, heavy metals). These fungi also have the ability to cause highly selective catalytic conversion of high-value compounds in an environmentally friendly manner, which can be important for the production/innovation of bioactive molecules, food and nutrition, agriculture, and environment. This work mainly summarized recent research progress in this field, providing a reference for further research and application of fungal endophytes. Key points •The industrial value of degradation of endophytes was summarized. • The commercial value for the pharmaceutical industry is reviewed. Graphical abstract

The volume change and shuttle effect of sulfur are detrimental to the stability and electrochemical performance of the sulfur cathode in lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. In this study, a triple cro...

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) were widespread in diverse organisms to attenuate UV radiation. We recently characterized the large, complicated MAA mycosporine-2-(4-deoxygadusolyl-ornithine) in desert cyanobacterium Nostoc flagelliforme. Synthesis of this MAA requires the five-gene cluster mysABDC2C3. Here, bioinformatic analysis indicated that mysC duplication within five-gene mys clusters is strictly limited to drought-tolerant cyanobacteria. Phylogenic analysis distinguished these duplicated MysCs into two clades that separated from canonical MysCs. Heterologous expression of N. flagelliforme mys genes in Escherichia coli showed that MysAB produces 4-deoxygadusol. The ATP-grasp ligase of MysC3 catalyses the linkage of the δ- or ε-amino group of ornithine/lysine to 4-deoxygadusol, yielding mycosporine-ornithine or mycosporine-lysine respectively. The ATP-grasp ligase of MysC2 strictly condenses the α-amino group of mycosporine-ornithine to another 4-deoxygadusol. MysD (D-Ala-D-Ala ligase) functions following MysC2 to catalyse the formation of mycosporine-2-(4-deoxygadusolyl-ornithine). High arginine content likely provides a greater pool of ornithine over other amino acids during rehydration of desiccated N. flagelliforme. Duplication of ATP-grasp ligases is specific for the use of substrates that have two amino groups (such as ornithine) for the production of complicated MAAs with multiple chromophores. This five-enzyme biosynthesis pathway for complicated MAAs is a novel adaptation of cyanobacteria for UV tolerance in drought environments.

In recent years, an increasing number of different types of japonica rice cultivars have been released in the southern rice region of China. The grain yield and quality of these new cultivars showed significant differences in large scale planting. However, the causes of the differences remain little known. Therefore, three typical types of japonica rice cultivars were used in this study to investigate their grain yield and quality. A scanning calorimeter (DSC), X-ray powder diffractometer (XRD), rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA) and taste analyzer were used to evaluate the cooking and eating properties. The results showed that the yield of non-soft hybrid japonica rice cultivars was significantly higher than that of non-soft inbred japonica rice cultivars and soft inbred japonica rice cultivars. Soft inbred japonica rice cultivars had a low amylose content and moderate protein content, which are the main reasons for the superior cooking and eating quality. In addition, the relative crystallinity of soft inbred japonica rice cultivars was significantly higher than that of non-soft inbred and non-soft hybrid japonica rice cultivars, which is considered the major factor resulting in higher transition temperature and gelatinization enthalpy (ΔHgel). Non-soft hybrid japonica rice cultivars had a higher number of large starch granules than soft inbred and non-soft inbred japonica rice cultivars. The setback value (SB) and breakdown value (BD), indirectly reflecting the cooking and eating quality of the three types of japonica rice cultivars, also confirmed that soft inbred japonica rice cultivars with a low SB value and a high BD value had better palatability than the other two types. This study provides guidance for future plantation of different types of japonica rice cultivars in large rice-producing areas.

The kinetics of electrode reactions including mass transfer and surface reaction is essential in electrocatalysis, as it strongly determines the apparent reaction rates, especially on nanostructured electrocatalysts. However, important challenges still remain in optimizing the kinetics of given catalysts with suitable constituents, morphology, and crystalline design to maximize the electrocatalytic performances. We propose a comprehensive kinetic model coupling mass transfer and surface reaction on the nanocatalyst-modified electrode surface to explore and shed light on the kinetic optimization in electrocatalysis. Moreover, a theory-guided microchemical engineering (MCE) strategy has been demonstrated to rationally redesign the catalysts with optimized kinetics. Experimental measurements for methanol oxidation reaction in a 3D ordered channel with tunable channel sizes confirm the calculation prediction. Under the optimized channel size, mass transfer and surface reaction in the channeled microreactor are both well regulated. This MCE strategy will bring about a significant leap forward in structured catalyst design and kinetic modulation.

Two pairs of cycloneolignane enantiomers, piperhancins A and B (1 and 2, respectively), along with two enantiomeric pairs of biosynthetic related neolignanes, hancinone C (3) and piperhancin C (4), were isolated from the stems of Piper hancei. Compound 1 is an unprecedented 1',2:1,2'-dicyclo-8,3'-neolignane. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, X-ray diffraction, and electronic circular dichroism calculations. Among all of the isolates, compounds (+)-1, (-)-1, (+)-2, (-)-2, and (+)-3 could significantly inhibit the production of nitric oxide secreted by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation in BV-2 microglial cells, with IC50 values of 1.1-26.3 μM. In addition, compound (-)-1 could decrease the mRNA levels of iNOS, IL-6, and TNF-α induced by LPS in BV-2 microglial cells.

Donor–acceptor (D–A)-type photocatalysts containing the polycyclic aromatic donor (BTT-CPP) and nonpolycyclic aromatic donor (TTB-CPP) are designed and synthesized. Their physicochemical properties are thoroughly investigated. The photocatalytic hydrogen generation experiments show that both polymers exhibit distinct photocatalytic performance. BTT-CPP displays an attractive hydrogen evolution rate (HER) of 37,866 μmol g–¹ h–¹ without further addition of the metal co-catalyst, one of the highest values reported for organic photocatalysts. The optimal HER of TTB-CPP is 8466 μmol g–¹ h–¹. These results highlight the important role of the donor unit on the performance of D–A-type photocatalysts and demonstrate that thiophene-contained polycyclic aromatic unit BTT is an excellent donor unit for high HER photocatalysts.

The condensation of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) with small amounts of hyperbranched poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) resulted in the dual cross-linked network cxPAA-PEI(x) (x: wt % of PEI, x = 1, 3, and 5), ...

Lycopene (LYC) is a potent antioxidant synthesized by red vegetables or plants. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is frequently detected in many diverse agricultural environments and considered a reproductive toxicant. The present research was designed to assess the potential mechanisms of DEHP-induced testicular toxicity and the treatment efficacy of LYC. In this study, after oral administration of LYC treatment at the dose of 5mg/kg b.w./day, mice were given 500 or 1000 mg/kg b.w./day of DEHP. This research suggested that LYC prevented DEHP-induced disorder in levels of activity and content of CYP450 enzymes. LYC attenuated DEHP-caused enhancement in nuclear xenobiotic receptors (NXRs) and the phase I metabolizing enzymes (CYP1, CYP2, CYP3, etc.) levels. Furthermore, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was induced by DEHP and triggered unfolded protein response (UPR). Interestingly, LYC could effectively ameliorate these “hit”. The present study suggested that LYC prevents DEHP-induced ER stress in testis via regulating NXRs and UPRER.

Atrazine (ATR), a ubiquitous environmental contaminant in water and soil, causes environmental nephrosis. To reveal the toxic effect of ATR on the kidney and the potential chemical nephroprotective effect of lycopene (LYC), Kun-Ming mice of specific pathogen-free (SPF) grade were treated with LYC (5 mg kg-1) and/or ATR (50 mg kg-1 or 200 mg kg-1) for 21 days. The degree of renal injury was evaluated by measuring the ion concentration, ATPase activities and the mRNA expressions/levels of associated ATPase subunits. In addition, the expression of renal aquaporins (AQPs) was analyzed. The results showed that the renal tubular epithelial cells of ATR-exposed mice were swollen, the glomeruli were significantly atrophied, and the ion concentrations were obviously changed. The activity of Na+-K+-ATPase and the transcription of its subunits were downregulated. The activity of Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase and the transcription of its subunits were upregulated. The expression of AQPs, especially the critical AQP2, was affected. Notably, ATR-induced nephrotoxicity was significantly improved by LYC supplementation. Therefore, LYC could protect the kidney against ATR-induced nephrotoxicity via maintaining ionic homeostasis, reversing the changes in ATPase activity and controlling the expression of AQPs on the cell membrane. These results suggested that AQP2 was a target of LYC and protected against ATR-induced renal ionic homeostasis disturbance.

MYB12 promotes flavonol biosynthesis in plants by targeting several early biosynthesis genes (EBGs) of this pathway. The transcriptions of these EBGs are also induced by sucrose signal. However, whether MYB12 is activated by sucrose signal and what the other roles MYB12 has in regulating plant metabolism are poorly understood. In this study, two NtMYB12 genes were cloned from Nicotiana tabacum. Both NtMYB12a and NtMYB12b are involved in regulating flavonoids biosynthesis in tobacco. NtMYB12a is further shown to inhibit the accumulation of fatty acid (FA) in tobacco leaves and seeds. Post-translational activation and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrate that NtMYB12a directly promotes the transcriptions of NtLOX6, NtLOX5, NtSFAR4 and NtGDSL2, which encode lipoxygenase (LOX) or SFAR enzymes catalyzing the degradation of FA. NtLOX6 and NtLOX5 are shown to prevent the accumulation of FA in the mature seeds and significantly reduced the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in tobacco. Sucrose stimulates the transcription of NtMYB12a, and loss function of NtMYB12a partially suppresses the decrease of FA content in tobacco seedlings caused by sucrose treatment. The regulation of sucrose on the expression of NtLOX6 and NtGDSL2 genes is mediated by NtMYB12a, whereas those of NtLOX5 and NtSFAR4 genes are independent of sucrose.

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a hypoglycemic polysaccharide with a wide range of molecular weights. But study on hypoglycemic effects of KGMs relate to molecular weight is limited. In this study, KGMs with high and medium molecular weights, and the degraded KGMs were analyzed with physicochemical properties, hypoglycemic effects and mechanisms. Results showed that as the molecular weight KGMs decreased, the viscosity decreased, molecular flexibility increased, while chemical groups, crystal structures and main chains showed little change. KGMs with medium molecular weights (KGM-M1, KGM-M2) showed better effects on increasing body weight, decreasing levels of fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and enhancing integrity of pancreas and colon, than KGMs with high or low molecular weights (KGM-H, KGM-L) in type 2 diabetic rats. Mechanism analysis suggested that KGM-M1 and KGM-M2 had higher antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities on elevating superoxide dismutase, decreasing malondialdehyde and tumor necrosis factor-α levels. Moreover, KGM-M1 and KGM-M2 increased gut microbiota diversity, Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio and Muribaculaceae, decreased Romboutsia and Klebsiella, and improved 6 diabetic related metabolites. Combined, KGM-M1 and KGM-M2 showed higher hypoglycemic effects, due to regulatory activities of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, intestinal microbiota, and relieved metabolic disorders.

In this paper, the finite element (FE) method was used to investigate the axial compressive behaviors of circular and square concrete filled aluminum tubes (CFAT). Firstly, the simulational results were compared with the experimental results and the accuracy of the proposed FE model was verified. On this basis, the FE model was further applied to compare the mechanical properties of both circular and square CFATs under axial compression. It was found that the circular CFATs have a better effect on restraining the core concrete than square CFATs. The parametric analysis was also conducted based on the proposed FE model. It was noticed that the mechanical differences of the two kinds of CFATs gradually decreased with the increase of the aluminum ratio, aluminum strength and concrete strength.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a widespread pollutant that badly affects animals and human health. Lycopene (LYC) has been used as a dietary supplement that has effective antioxidant and antiobesity functions. The present goal was to understand the molecular mechanisms of LYC preventing DEHP-induced lipid metabolism of the liver. The mice were intragastrically administered with LYC (5 mg/kg) and/or DEHP (500 mg/kg or 1000 mg/kg). Here, we found that LYC attenuated DEHP-caused hepatic histopathological lesions including steatosis. Hematological and biochemical analyses revealed that LYC ameliorated DEHP-caused liver function and lipid metabolism disorders. DEHP caused lipid metabolism disorders via activating the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α/γ (PPARα/γ) signal transducer and Farnesoid X receptor (FXR)/liver X receptor (LXR) signaling pathway. As a major regulator of lipid metabolism, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) system was elevated with increased fatty degeneration under DEHP exposure. However, LYC could decrease the levels of HIF-1α/PPARα/PPARγ/FXR/LXR signaling pathway-related factors. Our research indicated that LYC could prevent DEHP-induced lipid metabolism disorders via inhibiting the HIF-1α-mediated PPARα/PPARγ/FXR/LXR system. This study may provide a possible molecular mechanism for fatty liver induced by DEHP.

The reaction of copper and nickel salts with the O,N-donor Schiff base 5-bromo-2-((2-hydroxyethylimino)methyl)phenol (HL) in methanol provides two new complexes [CuL2] (1) and [Ni2L2(N3)2(CH3OH)2]·...

The reactions of Ni(OAc)2 2H2O with Schiff base ligands 5-bromo-2-((cyclopentylimino)methyl)phenol (HL1) and 5-bromo-2-(((2-(isopropylamino)ethyl)imino)methyl)phenol (HL2) in methanol afforded two discrete trinuclear com-plexes [Ni3(L1)2(?2-?1:?1-OAc)2(DMF)2(BrSal)2] (1) and [Ni3(L2)2(?2-?1:?1-OAc)2(?2-?2:?1-OAc)2] (2), where BrSal is the monoanionic form of 4-bromosalicylaldehyde. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The crystal structures of the complexes have been determined by X-ray crystallography. In both com-plexes, the nickel atoms are in octahedral coordination geometries. The L1 ligand coordinates to the nickel atoms through the phenolate O and imino N atoms, and the L2 ligand coordinates to the nickel atoms through the phenolate O, imino N and amino N atoms. The antimicrobial activities of the complexes were assayed.

Icariside II (ICAII) is a bioflavonoid compound which has demonstrated anti‑oxidative, anti‑inflammatory and anti‑apoptotic biological activities. However, to the best of our knowledge, whether ICAII can alleviate myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury (MIRI) remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine whether ICAII exerted a protective effect on MIRI and to investigate the potential underlying mechanism of action. A rat MIRI model was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 30 min, followed by a 24 h reperfusion. Pretreatment with ICAII with or without a PI3K/AKT inhibitor was administered at the beginning of reperfusion. Morphological and histological analyses were detected using hematoxylin and eosin staining; the infarct size was measured using Evans blue and 2,3,5‑triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining; and plasma levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase‑myocardial band (CK‑MB) were analyzed using commercialized assay kits. In addition, the cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography and the levels of cardiomyocyte apoptosis were determined using a TUNEL staining. The protein expression levels of Bax, Bcl‑2, cleaved caspase‑3, interleukin‑6, tumor necrosis factor‑α, PI3K, phosphorylated (p)‑PI3K, AKT and p‑AKT were analyzed using western blotting analysis. ICAII significantly reduced the infarct size, decreased the release of LDH and CK‑MB and improved the cardiac function induced by IR injury. Moreover, ICAII pretreatment significantly inhibited myocardial apoptosis and the inflammatory response. ICAII also upregulated the expression levels of p‑PI3K and p‑AKT. However, the protective effects of ICAII were abolished by an inhibitor (LY294002) of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In conclusion, the findings of the present study suggested that ICAII may mitigate MIRI by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Precious metal Pd are widely used in high-tech industries due to their scarcity and special properties. In this paper, 2-methylimidazole zinc salt (ZIF-8)/PVDF hybrid membrane was successfully synthesized by self-assemble method. The effect of polyarcylic acid sodium (PAAS) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) as complexing agents was investigated. The rejection rate of hybrid membrane under different polyelectrolyte-metal complexing ratios and their extraction performance under different concentration were examined.

Dispersion of large amounts of carbon fillers, such as graphene, mesocarbon microbeads, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes, in water provides a route to yield nanocomposites with superior mechanical properties and high conductivities for academic studies and practical applications. In this aspect, a self-healable polymer blend of poly­(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly­(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is an excellent dispersant for carbon fillers, rendering nanocomposites with a large filler content (up to 90 wt %). As the carbon filler content increases from 10 to 90 wt %, the nanocomposites transfer from healable elastomers with a high fracture strain (up to 700%) into hard plastics with outstanding conductivities (up to 1.1 × 106 S m–1). Morphological investigations by scanning electron microscopy suggested the homogeneous dispersion of the carbon fillers in the PEO/PAA polymer blend. The experimental mechanical modulus and the conductivity of the nanocomposites as functions of the filler content can be approached by the theoretical Kolarik model and the scaling law, respectively, based on a co-continuous distribution of the carbon filler and the polymer blend. A theoretical evaluation provided in this study thereby lays the ground for future development in practical application fields.

Fungal endophytic communities and metabolite profiles in the aerial and underground parts of plants differ exerting complex influences on each other through mechanisms that largely remain unknown. Ephedra sinica is a model for studying the interactions between endophytic fungi in different plant tissues that exhibit contrasting pharmacological activities. In this study, the endophytic fungal community and metabolites in the stems (Ea) and roots (Eb) of E. sinica were systematically investigated using metagenomic and metabolomic approaches, and their relationships were further analyzed. Results showed that OTU48 and OTU30589 were endophytic fungi shared by Ea and Eb, respectively. The genera of Phyllosticta fungi were specifically and abundantly present in Ea, whereas Talaromyces, Aporospora, and Aspergillus fungi were specific and abundant in Eb. A total of 17 significant differential metabolites were observed between Ea and Eb. Ephedrine and methylephedrine were mainly present in Ea, whereas ephedrannin A and mahuannin A were present in Eb. Nine endophytic fungi significantly (P

Significant improvement of compatibility in PET/PA6 blends is essential to obtain fibers having enough mechanical strength as well as the comprehensive performance. In this article, copoly (ester-amide 6) was used as compatibilizer to improve the compatibility of PET and PA6. Three copoly (ester-amide 6) s with 5, 10% content of PA6 were prepared by co-polymerization from PTA , EG, as well as PA6 or caprolactam (A6), i.e. polyamide was incorporated both in the form of polymer and monomer, respectively. The sequence length of PET in the copoly (ester-amide 6) s is 33.4, 16.5 and 38.4 for PET-PA6-5%, PET-PA6-10% and PET-A6-5%, respectively, calculated by 13C NMR. Then PET/PA6 blend fibers were fabricated by melting spinning of PET and PA6 with 20 %wt addition of PET-PA6-5%, PET-PA6-10% and PET-A6-5%, respectively, to explore the effect of copoly (ester-amide 6) s on compatibility of PET/PA6 blend fibers, where the mass ratio of PET and PA6 is 85/15. DSC results show that the crystallization peaks of PET and PA6 during cooling from the blend melt become adjacent each other with increasing addition of copoly (ester-amide 6) s, even forming fused crystallization of them. It was found from SEM that the size of PA6 phase decreased and the phase boundary became indistinct due to the presence of copoly (ester-amide 6) s. Further more, the glass transition temperatures (Tg) of PET and PA6 closed to each other based on DMA result. Among these three copoly (ester-amide 6) s, PET-A6-5% display the best effect on the compatibility of PET and PA6 blend fiber, suggesting copoly (ester-amide 6) s could play important role in raise the compatibility of PET and PA6 blend.

The sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinase 2s (SnRK2s) have been shown to play critical roles in the response to environmental stresses in higher plants. Although the SnRK2 genes family has been identified in various plants, little is reported regarding SnRK2s in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), which is one of the most important crops for both food and sugar production. In the current study, the SnRK2s genes are identified in the sugar beet genome by bioinformatics, and their expression patterns under salinity conditions are tested by the qRT-PCR method. Results showed that a total of six BvSnRK2 genes are identified and characterized from the genome of sugar beet and are further classified into three distinct groups (Group 1, 2, and 3). All BvSnRK2s contained a highly conserved N-terminal kinase region and a greatly divergent C-terminal region. Except for BvSnRK2.4, most of the BvSnRK2 genes were disrupted by eight introns with size ranging from 82 to 2164 bp. Moreover, the expression levels of the BvSnRK2s genes were strongly enhanced by salt treatments, which may be an indicator of potential roles in the response to salinity. The present work is the first systematic analysis of the SnRK2 family genes in sugar beet. The results from this study provide a novel insight for the functional exploration and application of the SnRK2s genes for crop improvement, especially in sugar crops.

In this work, an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor was fabricated for the selective detection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF165). g-C3N4/PDDA/CdSe nanocomposites were used as the ECL substrate. Then, DNA labeled at the 5′ end with amino groups (DNA1) was immobilized on the surface of g-C3N4/PDDA/CdSe nanocomposite-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by amido linkage. AuNP-labeled target DNA (Au-DNA2) could hybridize with DNA1 to form a double strand. The ECL of the g-C3N4/PDDA/CdSe nanocomposite was efficiently quenched due to the resonance energy transfer between CdSe QDs and Au NPs. After VEGF165 was recognized and bound by Au-DNA2, the double helix was disrupted, and the energy transfer was broken. In this case, Au-DNA2 was released from the electrode surface, and the ECL intensity recovered to a higher level. Under optimal conditions, this ECL biosensor possesses excellent selectivity, accuracy, and stability for VEGF165 detection in a linear range of 2 pg mL−1 to 2 ng mL−1 with a detection limit of 0.68 pg mL−1. In addition, this assay has been successfully applied to the determination of VEGF165 in serum samples.

Confronting the complexity of marine biofouling, no single ecofriendly technology has been reported for efficient anti-biofouling. Combination of multiple antifouling factors should be one of the strategies for strengthening the anti-biofouling performance. Here we synthesized quaternary ammonium modified SiO2 nanoparticles (QAS-SiO2) and incorporated them into self-polishing polymer (SP) to get the coatings combining self-renewal ability, micro-nano structured topography, and bactericidal function. The coatings acquired underwater superoleophobic surface after immersion in artificial seawater due to their micro-nano structured surface together with the hydrolyzed SP. In comparison with unmodified SiO2, QAS-SiO2 had better compatibility with SP and caused less increment of self-polishing rate. Synergistic antifouling effect was interestingly observed between self-renewal ability and bactericidal function in both the laboratory assay based on the adhesion of Shewanella loihicas and natural field trial. The micro-nano structured topography contributed to underwater superoleophobicity but did not exhibit its impact on antifouling performance. QAS-SiO2 can also slightly inhibit the adhesion of diatoms and reduce the settlement of plantigrades of the mussel. In addition, we also demonstrated the coatings with lower quantity of biofilm exhibited less settlement of plantigrades of mussel.

Maintaining the structural integrity of the photosynthetic apparatus during dehydration is critical for effective recovery of photosynthetic activity upon rehydration in a variety of desiccation-tolerant plants, but the underlying molecular mechanism is largely unclear. The subaerial cyanobacterium Nostoc flagelliforme can survive extreme dehydration conditions and quickly recovers its photosynthetic activity upon rehydration. In this study, we found that the expression of the molecular chaperone NfDnaK2 was substantially induced by dehydration, and NfDnaK2 proteins were primarily localized in the thylakoid membrane. NfDnaJ9 was identified to be the cochaperone partner of NfDnaK2, and their encoding genes shared similar transcriptional responses to dehydration. NfDnaJ9 interacted with the NfFtsH2 protease involved in the degradation of damaged D1 protein. Heterologous expression of NfdnaK2 enhanced PSII repair and drought tolerance in transgenic Nostoc sp. PCC 7120. Furthermore, the nitrate reduction (NarL)/nitrogen fixation (FixJ) family transcription factors response regulator (NfRre1) and photosynthetic electron transport-dependent regulator (NfPedR) were identified as putative positive regulators capable of binding to the promoter region of NfdnaK2 and they may mediate dehydration-induced expression of NfdnaK2 in N. flagelliforme Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of desiccation tolerance in some xerotolerant microorganisms, which could facilitate future synthetic approaches to the creation of extremophiles in microorganisms and plants.

Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is widely used as a plasticizer to improve product flexibility and workability. Lycopene (LYC) is a natural compound and has promising preventive potentials, especially antireproductive toxicity, but the specific underlying mechanism is yet to be fully defined. Our study investigated the effect of LYC on DEHP-induced spermatogenesis disorders. Male ICR mice were treated with DEHP (500 or 1000 mg/kg BW/day) and/or LYC (5 mg/kg BW/day) for 28 days. Our results indicated that LYC could relieve the DEHP-induced injury of seminiferous tubules and spermatogenic cells, swelling of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and an increase of mitochondria. LYC prevented increased levels of nuclear damage to DNA and the deformity rate and decreased values of sperm motility, number, and density. Moreover, LYC treatment decreased DEHP-induced nuclear accumulation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and AHR nuclear translocator (ARNT), and the expressions of their downstream target genes such as cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases (CYP) 1A1, 1A2, and 1B1 were markedly reduced to normal in the LYC treatment group. Our study showed that LYC can prevent DEHP-induced spermatogenic disorders via an AHR/ARNT signaling system. This study provided new evidence of AHR as a target for LYC, which can prevent DEHP-induced toxicity.

Novel high-performance non-labeled fluoro-sensing micro/nano-optics require lithographically fabricable stimuli-fluorescence transductive materials well-tailored in molecular levels, towards superior processibility, stability, sensitivity, on-chip integration and portability, and real-time and in situ analysis. Here, aggregation-induced-emission fluorophores with oxetane groups (AIEoxes) and their covalently co-crosslinkable epoxy composites are customized for the fabrication of micro/nano-devices via single/multi-photon lithography. The oxetane modification increases the AIEoxe miscibility in the epoxy matrix (doping ratio up to 10 wt%), and consequently improves the as-formed devices’ quality, stability, and fluorescence intensity and sensitivity. The multi-color-AIEoxe polymeric micro/nano-devices allow fluorescence-resonance-energy-transfer among AIEoxes, which enables sensitive and specifically spectral detection of VOCs. With the micro/nano-waveguide configuration, solvent-responsive AIE fluorescence and evanescent-field/refractive-index sensing enhance the AIE-fluorescent detection of trace organic solvents in aqueous solutions (detection limit, ∼0.004% v/v, tetrahydrofuran/water) and their facile integration in functional micro/nano-systems like optofluidics.

Marine fouling that is caused by oily and biological pollutants is an urgent issue globally. To improve the static antifouling (AF) performance of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coatings, a strategy of zwitterionic group introduction has been proposed. Two new analogues of seawater-responsive silanes, (N-methoxyacylethyl)-3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (MAPS) and bis(N-methoxyacylethyl)-3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (BMAPS) were synthesized by aza-Michael addition with cost-efficient agents, and grafted onto SiO2 nanoparticles by silanization to achieve modified-SiO2 (M-SiO2 and BM-SiO2). The modified-SiO2 was embedded into PDMS to construct biomimetic heteroarchitecture coatings that could transform from superhydrophobicity in air to underwater superoleophobicity. The coatings could self-regenerate underwater superoleophobicity after mechanical abrasion. The hierarchical structure and oil tolerance can be maintained after field-exposure trials or five months of immersion in artificial seawater. The synergy of the hydrated barrier layers and the intrinsic nature of the zwitterions that gave rise to the AF capability of the PDMS/modified-SiO2 coatings was demonstrated by laboratory assays and marine field trials. Little difference existed between the M-SiO2- and BM-SiO2-based coatings. The PDMS/modified-SiO2 coatings with a comprehensive durability and AF capability show potential for application in practical marine fouling, and provide options for other superwettable applications.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a widespread environmental contaminant, which is mainly used as a plasticizer to improve the flexibility of products; however, its extensive use causes male reproductive damage. Lycopene (LYC) has a protective effect on male reproductive toxicity. Nevertheless, the underlying role of LYC in DEHP-induced spermatogenic cell damage remains unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the role of LYC in DEHP-induced spermatogenic cell damage and its underlying mechanism. Male ICR mice were treated with LYC (5 mg kg-1) and/or DEHP (500 mg kg-1 or 1000 mg kg-1) for 28 days. The results showed that LYC alleviated the DEHP-induced decrease in mitochondria volume density and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). Subsequently, LYC prevented the DEHP-induced PGC-1α-mediated reduction in mitochondrial biogenesis in spermatogenic cells. LYC exhibited a potential preventive effect against DEHP-induced mitophagy caused by mitochondrial dynamics disorder in the spermatogenic cells. Meanwhile, LYC relieved DEHP-induced mitochondrial stress in the spermatogenic cells by activating UPRmt. These results proved that mitochondrial quality control may be related to the beneficial role of LYC in preventing DEHP-induced mitophagy in spermatogenic cells. This study provides new evidence of mitochondrial quality control as a target for LYC treatment, which can prevent DEHP-induced toxicity.

As a plasticizer, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the most usually used phthalate. Leydig cell is a male-specific cell, which plays a principal role in spermatogenesis and masculinization by the androgens of synthesis and secretion. Numerous researchers have indicated that DEHP can result in testicular toxicity by inducing oxidative stress. Lycopene (LYC) is a possible treatment option for male infertility due to its natural antioxidant properties. Our study was aimed to investigate whether LYC could rescue DEHP-induced Leydig cell damage. The mice were treated with DEHP (500 mg/kg BW/day or 1000 mg/kg BW/day) and/or LYC (5 mg/kg BW/day) for 28 days. We found that LYC attenuated DEHP-induced Leydig cell damage. Moreover, the protective role of LYC was verified by the histopathological and ultrastructural analysis of the Leydig cell. LYC suppressed oxidative stress that was induced by DEHP. In the Leydig cell, the expressions of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream target genes were improved through LYC-mediated protection in DEHP-induced Leydig cell damage. Our findings indicated that LYC could increase the antioxidant capacity via mediating Nrf2 signaling pathway, thereby attenuating DEHP-induced Leydig cell damage.

The lowest-energy structures of the noble metal atoms (NM=Cu, Ag, Au) doped into medium-scale Nin (n = 19–23) are obtained at the DFT-PBE level. The relative stability, electronic and magnetic properties of Nin-1NM clusters, in comparison with pure Nin clusters have been systematically investigated. The relative stability and chemical activity are analyzed based on the binding energy per atom, embedding energy and dissociation energy for the most stable clusters. It is found that only doping of Au atom can enhance the stability of Ni clusters. The weakening in the magnetic moment is obtained for Nin-1NM clusters compared to that of pure Ni clusters. The stability and the total magnetic moments of Nin-1NM are found to increase as a function of cluster size. And the charge transfer occurs from Ni clusters to the NM impurity. The Nin-1Au clusters both have larger AEA and AIP, which is due to the strong relativistic effects for Au clusters.

Ethylene is very important in the process of plant development and regulates the biosynthesis of a lot of secondary metabolites. In these regulatory mechanisms, transcription factors that mediate ethylene signals play a very important role. Capsaicinoids (CAPs) only synthesized and accumulated in Capsicum species, causing their fruit to have a special pungent taste, which can protect against attack from herbivores and pathogens. In this study, we identified the transcription factor CcERF2, which is induced by ethylene, and demonstrated its regulatory effect on CAPs biosynthesis. Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed the expression patterns of CcERF2 and multiple genes associated to CAPs biosynthesis were basically the same. The spatiotemporal expression results showed CcERF2 was preferentially expressed in the placenta of the spicy fruit. Ethylene can induce the expression of CcERF2 and CAPs biosynthesis genes (CBGs). CcERF2 gene silenced, 1-MCP and PZA treatments caused a decrease in expression of CBGs and a sharp decrease in content of CAPs. The results indicated CcERF2 was associated with the CAPs biosynthesis.

Atrazine (ATR) is a commercial herbicide, which is widely used worldwide. Diaminochlorotriazine (DACT) is the main metabolite of ATR, which poses potential risks to ecosystem and health. However, the mechanism of ATR and DACT on ovarian granulocyte cells (GCs) is still not clear. To investigate the toxic effect of ATR and DACT in quail ovarian GCs. We established primary ovarian GCs as models. GCs were cultured with ATR (20, 100, and 250 µM) and DACT (20, 100 and 200 µM). Which showed normal morphology and uniform size in GCs of the control group, ovarian GCs are specifically identified, in which cell purity was above 90%. The half-inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of ATR and DACT were 261.20 µM and 214.17 µM, respectively. High doses of ATR and DACT caused changes in the ultrastructure of mitochondria, leading to oxidative stressand changes in apoptosis-related indicators, ATR and DACT activated Nrf2-mediated defense system-related factors. Our research showed that ATR and DACT are cytotoxic to GCs. ATR induced oxidative stress in ovarian GCs and activated Nrf2-mediated antioxidant signaling pathway to alleviate the toxicity of ATR. These results suggested useful evidence to investigate the female reproductive toxicity of ATR and DACT.

Selenium (Se), a nutritionally essential mineral for human and animals, has a significant antagonistic effect on heavy metal cadmium (Cd) biotoxicity. Still, the impact of different Se source on alleviating Cd toxicity has received only limited attention. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to assess the mitigation level of Cd-induced cardiotoxicity by different sources such as nanoparticles of selenium (Nano-Se), selenium-rich yeast (SY) and sodium selenite (SS). Two hundred of male, 1-day old Hy-Line Variety White chickens were randomly, equally divided into five groups (n = 25). These chicken groups were assigned to (1) basal diet (Con), (2) 140 mg/kg CdCl[2] of basal diet Cd (Cd), (3) 1 mg/kg Nano-Se plus 140 mg/kg CdCl[2] of basal diet (Nano-Se + Cd), (4) 3 mg/kg selenium-enriched yeast plus 140 mg/kg CdCl[2] of basal diet (SY + Cd group), and (5) 3 mg/kg sodium selenite plus 140 mg/kg CdCl[2] of basal diet (SS+ Cd group). The results evidenced that presence of Cd led to a significant increase in biochemical parameters such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK), as well as histopathological lesions in the heart of chickens. Cd exposure also resulted in more extensive effects on phase I metabolism enzymes and transcript CYP isoforms, elevated the levels of MDA and H[2]O[2] and depressed total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), Cu-Zn SOD, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and catalase (CAT) activities. The expression of nuclear receptors (NRs), AHR, CAR and PXR was declined, down-regulated Nrf2 and its downstream targets in the Cd-treat group. Notably, Se sources application alleviated Cd toxicity by triggering AHR/CAR/PXR/Nrf2 signaling pathway to promote restoring antioxidant defense system and phase I metabolism enzymes system. However, when compared the effectiveness of antagonism, the Nano-Se was superior in relieving Cd-induced cardiotoxicity via AHR/CAR/PXR/Nrf2 pathway activation than other Se- sources.

Background The urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) is commonly used in current clinical practice. However, there are only few published clinical data on UPCR from large cohorts of Chinese adults. This study aimed to determine the overall and age‐ and sex‐specific UPCR reference values for healthy Dalian adults. Methods According to the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute EP28‐A3c guidelines, 1321 healthy Dalian adults (646 men and 675 women) aged 20–69 years were enrolled. Urine protein and creatinine levels were analyzed in the random morning spot urine samples, and UPCR was calculated. The 95th percentile of the UPCR was used as the normal upper limit. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to test differences among groups. Results The UPCR reference value was 141.7 mg/g for the entire cohort, 128.7 mg/g for men, and 150.8 mg/g for women. In addition, women had relatively higher UPCR values than men in the same age group. We also compared the UPCR reference values between different estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) groups and found that women had significantly higher UPCR values than men in the normal eGFR groups. Conclusions This study provides the overall and age‐ and sex‐specific UPCR reference values for healthy Dalian adults., The urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) reference value was 141.7 mg/g for the entire cohort, 128.7 mg/g for men, and 150.8 mg/g for women. In addition, women had relatively higher UPCR values than men in the same age group.

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a hazardous compound used as a plasticizer in plastic products. As a natural carotenoid, lycopene (LYC) is considered an effective protective agent against various types of organ damage. The present study aimed to investigate the role of mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) coupling in LYC preventing DEHP-induced hepatotoxicity. The mice were treated with LYC (5 mg kg-1) and/or DEHP (500 or 1000 mg kg-1). In the present study, LYC prevented DEHP-induced histopathological changes including fibrosis and glycogen storage in the liver. Additionally, LYC alleviated DEHP-induced ultrastructural injury of mitochondria and ER. LYC had the underlying preventability against DEHP-induced mitochondrial dynamics imbalance including an increase in fission and a decrease in fusion. Furthermore, DEHP induced mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane (MAM) disorder-induced ER stress through the ER unfolded protein response (UPRER), but LYC alleviated these alterations. Therefore, LYC prevented DEHP-induced hepatic mitochondrial dynamics and MAM disorder, leading to ER stress. The present study provides novel evidence of mitochondria-ER coupling as a target for LYC that prevents DEHP-induced hepatotoxicity.

Natural gas production in the Sichuan Basin reached 30 billion m3 in 2020, but the gap between this and the production goal of 50 billion m3 in 2025 requires further exploration. The complex mineralogy and low porosity in tight carbonate reservoirs lower the accuracy of formation water saturation calculation from Archie's equation, which brings uncertainties to the reservoir characterization. It is, therefore, necessary to incorporate other methods as supplements to methods based on resistivities. This paper outlines a method that incorporates wireline induced gamma spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), array dielectric, and borehole images. Spectroscopy is not only utilized to estimate the mineralogy of the reservoir, but it also provides non-electric measurements, such as chlorine concentration and thermal neutron capture cross-section (sigma). The amount of chlorine in the formation is proportional to the water volume in the reservoir, thus formation water saturation. Sigma is also an indicator of the formation water saturation. It enables formation water saturation calculation without resistivities. Case studies are presented from carbonate reservoirs in the Sichuan Basin, China. A robust and comprehensive petrophysical description of mineralogy, porosity, pore geometry, free fluid volume, rock type, and formation water saturation is presented. Calculation of formation water saturation from chlorine and sigma proves to be successful in both water-based mud and oil-based mud environments. The depth of investigation (DOI) of chlorine from spectroscopy is about 8 to 10 in. for 90% of the signal. The various DOI of different measurements must be considered when performing the fluid identification. Bound fluid saturation could reach more than 50% in tight carbonate reservoirs. Formation water saturation is not the only factor that determines the fluid type. Free fluid saturation from NMR must be incorporated. Finally, a robust methodology integrating formation water saturation derived from dielectric and spectroscopy, and free fluid saturation derived from NMR shows great advantage in fluid identification in tight carbonate reservoirs. This paper discusses a novel combination of wireline logging tools for the fluid identification of tight carbonate reservoir in Sichuan Basin. It lowers the uncertainty in the estimation of formation water saturation when application of resistivities is limited in oil-based mud environments. The gas zones identified by the new method have promising gas productions. The workflow can also be applied to other tight carbonate plays in China.

Lignocellulose, as the most abundant type of inedible biomass, is considered as a promising renewable feedstock for making fuels, chemicals, and materials. However, its complex structure makes most of current biorefinery processes suffer from low resource utilization rates, high energy consumption or ill-defined market orientation of the obtained products. Here, we propose and evaluate the EXA (Ethanol, Xylose, Adhesive) biorefinery strategy based on current xylose industry. This process integrates four conversion and separation stages to consecutively produce ethanol, xylose, and adhesive with total carbon utilization of 79.6%. The key innovation is the establishment of an easy-to-operate process for direct production of high-quality adhesive from a lignin-rich liquid fraction that makes the overall process significantly more sustainable. Techno-economic analysis (TEA) shows that the revenue of proposed EXA process increases more than 110 times compares with the current process and life cycle assessment (LCA) demonstrates a much lower CO2 footprint from an environmental burden per unit of revenue perspective.