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Ordered lamellar superstructured zirconia (OLSZ) was successfully synthesized via a reflux-hydrothermal method. ZrOCl2, NaOH and methanol were used as zirconium source, precipitant and template, respectively. Methanol induced and directed the hierarchical structures: 0.57-nm thick ultrathin crystal framework, 1.14-nm periodic lamellar superstructure, several nanometers thick petal-like multilayered nanosheets, and flowers-like higher-level structure. OLSZ presented outstanding hierarchical thermostabilities up to 800 °C. The synthetic mechanism was proposed based on Gibbs theory and calculations. Compared with surfactant method, methanol template route presents many advantages, such as green, facile, efficient and low-cost, moreover the template is very easy to remove. This novel small molecule template strategy will be of great significance for the synthesis of other superstructured materials.

The process of phloem unloading and post-unloading transport of photoassimilate is critical to crop output. Xanthoceras sorbifolia is a woody oil species with great biomass energy prospects in China; however, underproduction of seeds seriously restricts its development. Here, our cytological studies by ultrastructural observation revealed that the sieve element-companion cell complex in carpellary bundle was symplasmically interconnected with surrounding parenchyma cells at the early and late fruit developmental stages, whereas it was symplasmically isolated at middle stage. Consistently, real-time imaging showed that fluorescent tracer 6(5)carboxyfluorescein was confined to phloem strands at middle stage but released into surrounding parenchymal cells at early and late stages. Enzymatic assay showed that sucrose synthase act as the key enzyme catalyzing the progress of Suc degradation post-unloading pathway whether in pericarp or in seed, while vacuolar acid invertase and neutral invertase play compensation roles in sucrose decomposition. Sugar transporter XsSWEET10 had a high expression profile in fruit, especially at middle stage. XsSWEET10 is a plasma membrane-localized protein and heterologous expression in SUC2-deficient yeast strain SUSY7/ura3 confirmed its ability to uptake sucrose. These findings approved the transition from symplasmic to apoplasmic phloem unloading in Xanthoceras sorbifolia fruit and XsSWEET10 as a key candidate in sugar transport.

An extracellular organic solvent-tolerant lipase-producing bacterium was isolated from oil-contaminated soil samples and was identified taxonomically as Pseudomonas stutzeri, from which the lipase was purified and exhibited maximal activity at temperature of 50 °C and pH of 9.0. Meanwhile, the lipase was stable below or at 30 °C and over an alkaline pH range (7.5-11.0). Ca2+ could significantly improve the lipase thermal stability which prompts a promising application in biocatalysis through convenient medium engineering. The lipase demonstrated striking features such as distinct stability to the most tested hydrophilic and hydrophobic solvents (25 %, v/v), and DMSO could activate the lipase dramatically. In the enzyme-catalyzed resolution, lipase ZS04 manifested excellent enantioselective esterification toward the (R)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-ethanol (MOPE), a crucial chiral intermediate in pharmaceuticals as well as in other analogs with strict substrate specificity and theoretical highest conversion yield. This strong advantage over other related schemes made lipase ZS04 a promising biocatalyst in organic synthesis and pharmaceutical applications.

A novel surface patterning nanorod (hydroxyapatite nano labyrinth, HANL), covered with labyrinthine nanogrooves on surface, was successfully synthesized with the assistance of tetrahydrofuran (THF). THF as the sole organic molecule not only promoted HA crystal growth, but also induced and stabilized the hierarchical nanorod. XRD results indicated that HANLs were of high phase purity and were well crystallized. SEM and TEM images showed that HANLs were of the length of 75–425 nm and the width of 20–85 nm, and were of 1-9-nm wide grooves covering over the surface which were also confirmed by the N2 adsorption analysis. The synthetic mechanism was proposed and explained in thermodynamics combined with theoretic calculations. This novel hierarchical HANLs may have great potential applications in bone replacement materials, composites, adsorbents, carriers, etc. This THF assisted synthetic strategy is green, low-cost, efficiently and surfactant-free, and may be useful in surface patterning other functional materials.

Transformed hairy roots had been efficiently induced from the seedlings of Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn. due to the infection of Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Hairy roots were able to display active elongation with high root branching in 1/2 MS medium without growth regulators. The stable introduction of rolB and aux1 genes of A. rhizogenes WT strain 15834 into F. tataricum plants was confirmed by PCR analysis. Besides, the absence of virD gene confirmed hairy root was bacteria-free. After six different media and different sources of concentration were tested, the culturing of TB7 hairy root line in 1/2 MS liquid medium supplemented with 30 g l(-1) sucrose for 20 days resulted in a maximal biomass accumulation (13.5 g l(-1) fresh weight, 1.78 g l(-1) dry weight) and rutin content (0.85 mg g(-1)). The suspension culture of hairy roots led to a 45-fold biomass increase and a 4.11-fold rutin content increase in comparison with the suspension culture of non-transformed roots. The transformation frequency was enhanced through preculturing for 2 days followed by infection for 20 min. The UV-B stress treatment of hairy roots resulted in a striking increase of rutin and quercetin production. Furthermore, the hairy root lines of TB3, TB7, and TB28 were chosen to study the specific effects of UV-B on flavonoid accumulation and flavonoid biosynthetic gene expression by qRT-PCR. This study has demonstrated that the UV-B radiation was an effective elicitor that dramatically changed in the transcript abundance of ftpAL, FtCHI, FtCHS, FtF3H, and FtFLS-1 in F. tataricum hairy roots.

Domestic sewage was treated with subsurface wastewater infiltration system covered by two different turf grass, namely, Festuca aroundinaces Schres and Zoysiajaponica Steud to study the removal effects of N and P. The result show that TN concentration of Festuca around inaces Schres varied from 46.8 to 52.7 gi¤kg-1 and it was significantly higher than that of Zoysia japonica Steud. The TP concentration of Festuca aroundinaces Schres varied from 4.64to 5.89 g i¤ kg-1 and there were no prominent differences between the two turf grass. The average nitrogen amount taken out by Festuca aroundinaces Schres are 0.237gi¤m-2i¤d-1, 0.180 gi¤m-2i¤d-1 and 0.118 gi¤m-2i¤d-1 in different month which are significantly higher than that of Zoysia japonicaSteud. The nitrogen removal rates of Festuca aroundinacesSchres clippings are 21.4%, 13.1% and 11.8% in September, November and December respectively. The average phosphorous amount taken out by Festuca aroundinacesSchres are 23.4 mg i¤ m-2 i¤ d-1, 15.1 mg i¤ m-2 i¤ d-1 and 13.8mgi¤m-2i¤d-1 in different month which are significantly higher than that of Zoysia japonica Steud. The phosphorous removal rates of Festuca aroundinaces Schres clippings are 30.2%,24.4% and 22.4% in September, October and November respectively.