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The construction sector is known for its dynamic nature, and numerous construction projects have failed to reach completion due to inadequate development of leadership. As a widely recognized leadership, transformational leadership has shown the positive relationship with project success. However, the mechanisms driving this relationship remain unclear in the context of construction projects. In response to this topic, by adopting the Input-Mediator-Outcome model, this study seeks to investigate the mediating effect of team flexibility and team agility between transformational leadership and project success in the context of construction projects. Data were collected through a survey from 306 construction project members. The Structural Equation Modeling method was employed to test the proposed model. The findings demonstrate that (1) transformational leadership positively impacts team flexibility and team agility; (2) team flexibility and team agility positively impact project success; (3) team flexibility shows a positive mediating effect between transformational leadership and project success; (4) team agility shows no mediating effect between transformational leadership and project success; and (5) team flexibility and team agility play serial mediating roles between transformational leadership and project success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Gravitropism is an adaptive response that orients plant growth parallel to the gravity vector. Asymmetric distribution of the phytohormone auxin is a necessary prerequisite to the tropic bending both in roots and shoots. During hypocotyl gravitropic response, the PIN3 auxin transporter polarizes within gravity‐sensing cells to redirect intercellular auxin fluxes. First gravity‐induced PIN3 polarization to the bottom cell membranes leads to the auxin accumulation at the lower side of the organ, initiating bending and, later, auxin feedback‐mediated repolarization restores symmetric auxin distribution to terminate bending. Here, we performed a forward genetic screen to identify regulators of both PIN3 polarization events during gravitropic response. We searched for mutants with defective PIN3 polarizations based on easy‐to‐score morphological outputs of decreased or increased gravity‐induced hypocotyl bending. We identified the number of hypocotyl reduced bending (hrb) and hypocotyl hyperbending (hhb) mutants, revealing that reduced bending correlated typically with defective gravity‐induced PIN3 relocation whereas all analyzed hhb mutants showed defects in the second, auxin‐mediated PIN3 relocation. Next‐generation sequencing‐aided mutation mapping identified several candidate genes, including SCARECROW and ACTIN2, revealing roles of endodermis specification and actin cytoskeleton in the respective gravity‐ and auxin‐induced PIN polarization events. The hypocotyl gravitropism screen thus promises to provide novel insights into mechanisms underlying cell polarity and plant adaptive development. Significance Statement: Plant gravitropism involves two distinct cellular polarizations of PIN3 auxin transporter to redirect intercellular auxin fluxes for the bending response. Here we identified a number of Arabidopsis mutants defective specifically in the PIN3 polarization events, establishing that gravity‐induced polarization is required for bending initiation and auxin feedback‐mediated second polarization for its termination. Molecular analysis of selected mutants revealed a crucial role of SCARECROW‐mediated endodermis specification and actin cytoskeleton in these polarization events during gravitropism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational hydrophobic anode has been considered as a promising approach for water pollution remediation. However, the construction method of the hydrophobic electrode is limited, such as adding hydrophobic polymer materials. Herein, we address this limitation by developing Ce-modified Ti-PbO2 electrodes with distinctive micro/nanostructures and surface hydrophobicity by the typical electro-deposition process. The Pb ions in the lattice of PbO2 crystals can be substituted by cerium ions and the PbO2 crystal grains were refined when the concentration of cerium ions is low. Specifically, as further increase of the cerium content in plating solution, the CeO2 gradually precipitated on the surface of PbO2 and the PbO2 phase was becoming more and more amorphous. Namely, the pyramid structure converted to surface outshoots with outward oriented-growth, and then evolved gradually to branched projections, until the coral-like architecture was constructed by assembling of small particles. More importantly, the micro/nanostructures and surface hydrophobic PbO2 coatings can significantly enhance generating and utilizing efficiency of hydroxyl radicals, charge transfer rate, and electrochemical active area. The excellent electrochemical performance is mainly attributed to superior catalytic activity arises from synergetic effects between cerium and PbO2 and distinctive micro/nanostructures hydrophobicity surface of Ce-modified Ti-PbO2 electrodes.Graphical abstractA novel Ce-modified Ti-PbO2 electrode with distinctive micro/nanostructures and surface hydrophobicity was fabricated by the typical electro-deposition process. The as-prepared Ce-modified Ti-PbO2 electrode possesses high generating and utilizing efficiency of hydroxyl radicals, fast charge transfer, and large electrochemical active area due to its higher OEP, lower charge transfer resistance, higher carrier density (ND value), and stronger surface hydrophobicity. Consequently, the Ce-modified Ti-PbO2 electrode exhibited better electro-oxidation performance for removing reactive brilliant blue KN-R, as compared with that of Ti-PbO2-reference (without Ce modifying). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Drawing from social learning theory, this study aims to explore the mediating effects of team learning orientation and team agility on the relationship between servant leadership and project success in the context of construction projects. Based on data collected from 306 construction project members in China, the findings reveal that servant leadership exerts a positive influence on project success. Additionally, servant leadership significantly enhances both team learning orientation and team agility, which in turn contribute to project success. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the serial and parallel mediating roles of team learning orientation and team agility between servant leadership and project success. Theoretical and practical implications were also provided based on the findings., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Han and Zhang.)

Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

CLE peptides have been implicated in various developmental processes of plants and mediate their responses to environmental stimuli. However, the biological relevance of most CLE genes remains to be functionally characterized. Here, we report that CLE9, which is expressed in stomata, acts as an essential regulator in the induction of stomatal closure. Exogenous application of CLE9 peptides or overexpression of CLE9 effectively led to stomatal closure and enhanced drought tolerance, whereas CLE9 loss-of-function mutants were sensitivity to drought stress. CLE9-induced stomatal closure was impaired in abscisic acid (ABA)-deficient mutants, indicating that ABA is required for CLE9-medaited guard cell signalling. We further deciphered that two guard cell ABA-signalling components, OST1 and SLAC1, were responsible for CLE9-induced stomatal closure. MPK3 and MPK6 were activated by the CLE9 peptide, and CLE9 peptides failed to close stomata in mpk3 and mpk6 mutants. In addition, CLE9 peptides stimulated the induction of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis associated with stomatal closure, which was abolished in the NADPH oxidase-deficient mutants or nitric reductase mutants, respectively. Collectively, our results reveal a novel ABA-dependent function of CLE9 in the regulation of stomatal apertures, thereby suggesting a potential role of CLE9 in the stress acclimatization of plants., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Herein, black TiO 2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) were fabricated using electrochemical self-doping approaches, and characterized systemically by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The as-obtained black TiO 2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) exhibited stronger absorption in the visible-light region, a better separation rate of light-induced carriers, and higher electrical conductivity than TiO 2 nanotube arrays (NTAs). These characteristics cause black TiO 2 nanotube array (NTA) electrodes to have higher photoelectrocatalytic activity for degrading anthraquinone dye (reactive brilliant blue KN-R) than the TiO 2 nanotube array (NTA) electrode. Furthermore, a synergetic action between photocatalysis and electrocatalysis was also observed. The black TiO 2 nanotube array (NTA) electrode is considered to be a promising photoanode for the treatment of organic pollutants., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)