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Macrophage is a kind of immune cell which is closely related to atherosclerosis (As). With the change of internal environment, macrophage can polarize into different phenotype. Under the physiological environment, the polarization of macrophages is in dynamic balance. In the As state, the polarization balance is destroyed and the corresponding phenotypic macrophages are differentiated, which play different roles in each stage of As. The debate between Zheng and Xie exists in the whole process of As formation and development, while macrophage polarization runs through the whole stage of As syndrome differentiation and change. On account of this, this paper discusses the relationship between macrophage polarization and As based on the theory of Zheng and Xie, and propose that attention should be paid to the combination of macro and micro in the clinical prevention and treatment of As, and it can control the inflammatory response and stabilize plaque by regulating the macrophage polarization, thus providing an emerging target for the treatment of As with traditional Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean residue has caused pollution to the environment due to high output. Herein, in order to reutilization soybean residue, a novel soybean hulls residue based hierarchically porous carbon was prepared by one‐step carbonization‐activation, and its structure and micromorphology were characterized by SEM, FT‐IR, Raman, TEM, BET and XPS. Based on results of characterization, which illustrated typical hierarchically pore structure with pore sizes are 1000 nm, 300 nm and 1.4 nm. The specific surface area and total pore volume were corresponded to 1455.41 m2/g and 0.731 cm3/g, respectively. And the pore‐forming mechanism was discussed in raw materials is a pyrolysis process. Furthermore, it was found that adsorption capacity of dye could got to 625 mg/g in 30 min when the adsorbent was 0.05 g. In summary, the soybean hulls residue based hierarchically pore material with large surface area and rich in pore structure, which will exhibit excellent performance towards wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking maize seedlings as the object, the implementation of crops 3D reconstruction based on RGB-D binocular vision and the selection of some key parameters are investigated in this research. First, multiple images are taken from different angles around the target. By mapping the maize seedling region coordinate values after the Otsu algorithm and global threshold segmentation to the corresponding depth image, the depth data of the maize seedling region can be obtained accurately. An improved mean filter is proposed to adaptively fill the holes in the depth image. Then, the different point clouds with the fixed step angle of the maize seedling are registered and fuzed. Finally, after the fusion point cloud is simplified, the 3D model of crops can be reconstructed. Experimental results show that the simplification effect of the octree algorithm is better than that of the voxel grid filter. Among all the step angles, the reconstruction error of the step angle with 60° is the smallest. Under this condition, the height error between the model and the maize seedling is 2.22%, and the error in stem diameter is 11.67%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-performance low-humidity sensor and moisture-enabled electric generator are prepared through a mesoporous silica-mediated polymerizable deep eutectic solvent platform. The strong hydrophilicity and high ionic conductivity of ionogels are the main reasons for realizing dual-function devices. This work provides a novel approach for the combination of humidity detection and utilization. [Display omitted] • Mesoporous silica/polymerizable deep eutectic solvent functionalized ionogels were prepared by UV light stimulation. • Mesoporous silica containing abundant hydroxyl groups can regulate the intermolecular forces in polymer networks. • Low-humidity sensing and moisture-enabled electric generation can be realized simultaneously through functionalized ionogels. Although technologies related to humidity detection and utilization, such as humidity sensors, atmospheric water harvesting, energy collection, and moisture-enabled electrical generation technologies, have been widely reported, there is still an urgent need for effective monitoring and utilization of humidity in low-humidity places. An ideal low-humidity sensor requires a high response, fast response time and low humidity hysteresis. Soft ion power supplies inspired by electric eels convert the chemical potential energy of ion gradients into electrical energy by utilizing humidity, but their production is challenging. This paper reports a new strategy for developing functionalized ionogels based on mesoporous silica and a polymerizable deep eutectic solvent (SiO 2 @PDES). Due to their strong hydrophilicity, high ionic conductivity, excellent adhesion, flexibility and mechanical strength, SiO 2 @PDES ionogels can not only detect low humidity but also generate electric power through a reasonably designed device structure. In the 5–30% RH range, the response of the SiO 2 @PDES humidity sensor reaches 1600%, with negligible humidity hysteresis (0.8% RH). As a biomimetic soft ion power supply, SiO 2 @PDES ionogels generate a high open-circuit voltage of ∼600 mV at 33% RH, which expands the environmental adaptability of moisture-enabled electrical generation equipment. In addition, the excellent moisture-enabled electrical generation performance endows portable wearable power supplies with high potential for applications such as charging capacitors and lighting LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low humidity detection has been a great challenge in the field of humidity sensing. In recent years, polyelectrolytes have been proven to be promising materials for highly sensitive humidity sensors. In this work, cross-linked poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) were prepared for low humidity detection. The strong hydrophilicity of PILs contributes to humidity sensing while the cross-linked structure guarantees the stability of the sensing film. The optimized sensor shows high response (48.0) in 5–35% RH, with short response/recovery time (1 s/10 s) and a small humidity hysteresis (0.2% RH). The possible sensing mechanism of the sensors was discussed. • Cross-linked poly(ionic liquid)s were used as low humidity sensitive materials. • The optimized sensor shows high response in 5–35% RH. • The optimized sensor has short recovery time and small humidity hysteresis. • The introduction of glycerol could reduce the impedance of the sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, fluorescence properties and binding interaction of benzazaborole derivatives 1-hydroxy-2-(α-methyl) benzyl-1,2-benzo boron nitrogen heterocyclic-3-phosphate diethyl ester (PADE) and 1-hydroxy-2-(2-chloro) benzyl-1,2-benzo boron nitrogen heterocyclic-3-phosphate diethyl ester (PADC) with iodide ion have been investigated utilizing density functional theory (DFT) and Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) method, in which the PADE and PADC showed strong emission in aqueous solution and fluorescence quenching was observed upon addition of iodide ion. The theoretical study indicates that the strong hydrogen-bond (O-H...I) between benzazaborole derivatives and iodide ion leads to the formation of the benzazaborole-iodide ion complexes. The excited state properties have been explored by theoretical calculation to understand the fluorescent quenching upon introduction of iodide ion. The strong fluorescent emission is originated by the electron transfer from benzyl and phosphate moieties to benzo boron nitrogen fused heterocycle moiety, while the fluorescence quenching is attributed to the electron transfer between the PADE (PADC) and iodide ion. The density difference (EDD) maps and the frontier molecular orbitals diagrams during excitation and de-excitation process demonstrate that the photoinduced electron transfer process between PADE (PADC) and iodide ion leads to fluorescence quenching after a significant internal conversion. Image 1 • The ground state and excited state properties of benzazaborole fluorescence derivatives PADE and PADC were investigated by DFT and TD-DFT methods. • The conformation searching and the Boltzmann distribution calculation were carried out to figure out the [PADE-I] and [PADC-I] structures respectively. • ELF and RDG methods were adopted to confirm the interaction types and region between fluorescence derivatives (PADE and PADC) and iodide. • The fluorescence generation and quenching mechanism were investigated by electron density difference (EDD) maps according to the NPA charge given by NBO analysis in excited and de-excited process, and the PET process was proposed to explain fluorescence quenching. • It was also confirmed from the MO analysis that the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process between PADE (PADC) and iodide causes fluorescence quenching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Au-loaded mesoporous silica/gelatin hydrogel was used the excellent humidity sensing film. • The prepared sensor could detect NH 3 by utilizing the outstanding ability to adsorb water molecules. • An egg storage scenario was simulated, and the water loss in eggs was monitored by the humidity sensor. • The sensing mechanism and contribution of each component in the sensing process were analyzed. In this paper, a composite hydrogel film (Au/Me-SiO 2 /G) based on Au nanoparticles, mesoporous silica and gelatin was prepared, which can be used for low relative humidity (RH) detection. Au-1%/Me-SiO 2 /G exhibits a response of 423% in the range of 0.4–30% RH, a short response time of 28 s, a linearity of R2 = 0.997, and good long-term stability. With the outstanding ability to adsorb water molecules, the sensor can detect NH 3 at room temperature and low humidity environment. The response of the sensor to NH 3 significantly increases with the humidity. At 30% RH, the initial impedance value of the sensor is as low as ∼6.6 MΩ, and the response to 50 ppm NH 3 is 78%. In addition, an egg storage scenario was simulated, and the water loss in eggs was monitored simultaneously by the prepared humidity sensor and a commercial sensor. The results demonstrate the practical application detection ability of the prepared humidity sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spray drying and pyrolysis synthesis route was developed and it successfully prepared boron nitride (BN) nanoparticles with high dispersivity. During the experiment, the extremely rapid drying of the boric acid/urea solution during the spray-drying process resulted in the formation of homogeneous precursors, which was the key for the final pyrolysis synthesis of BN nanoparticles with high dispersibility and uniform diameters (~20 nm). Compared with boron nitride synthesized without using spray drying, the as-prepared BN nanoparticles possess higher specific surface area (145.01 m 2 g −1 ) and larger pore volume (0.41 cm 3 g −1 ). Especially, we used the BN nanoparticles as lubricant and incorporated it into the liquid paraffin (LP). The experiment results show that the LP presents outstanding antifriction properties for a BN content of 1.5 wt%. These results suggest that the h-BN nanoparticles have significant potential applications in the field of tribology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humidity is a physical quantity that evaluates the concentration of water vapor in the air. The detection of humidity has received extensive attention in various fields such as industry, agriculture, meteorology, and national defense. Among the many reported humidity detection methods, humidity sensors stand out due to their advantages of portability, easy fabrication, low cost, high sensitivity, and fast response. It is worth noting that the humidity detection limit is becoming more and more stringent in some special industries, and the dynamic range of humidity measurement can be extended from low relative humidity to ppm or ppb or even ppt level. However, the development of high-performance low humidity sensors still faces great challenges due to the very small amount of water molecules that the sensor can adsorb and the limitation of some harsh environments. So far, the literature on low humidity sensors is scarce, and there is no review on its research progress. In this case, a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the research progress of low humidity sensors is of great significance, and it may provide new insights to promote the development of low humidity sensors. Therefore, this paper reviewed the research progress of low humidity sensors for nearly three decades. Firstly, the necessity of low humidity detection, trace moisture generators and various low humidity measurement methods were introduced. Then, the research status of different types of low humidity sensors was highlighted, including capacitance, resistance, QCM, MCL, SAW, optical fiber, fluorescence and other types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humidity is a physical quantity that evaluates the concentration of water vapor in the air. The detection of humidity has received extensive attention in various fields such as industry, agriculture, meteorology, and national defense. Among the many reported humidity detection methods, humidity sensors stand out due to their advantages of portability, easy fabrication, low cost, high sensitivity, and fast response. It is worth noting that the humidity detection limit is becoming more and more stringent in some special industries, and the dynamic range of humidity measurement can be extended from low relative humidity to ppm or ppb or even ppt level. However, the development of high-performance low humidity sensors still faces great challenges due to the very small amount of water molecules that the sensor can adsorb and the limitation of some harsh environments. So far, the literature on low humidity sensors is scarce, and there is no review on its research progress. In this case, a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the research progress of low humidity sensors is of great significance, and it may provide new insights to promote the development of low humidity sensors. Therefore, this paper reviewed the research progress of low humidity sensors for nearly three decades. Firstly, the necessity of low humidity detection, trace moisture generators and various low humidity measurement methods were introduced. Then, the research status of different types of low humidity sensors was highlighted, including capacitance, resistance, QCM, MCL, SAW, optical fiber, fluorescence and other types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The research activities in the development of recyclable and reprocessable covalently crosslinked networks, and the construction of polymers from renewable resources are both stemmed from the economical and environmental problems associated with traditional thermosets. However, there is little effort in combination of these two attractive strategies in material designs. This article reported a bio-based vitrimer constructed from isosorbide-derived epoxy and aromatic diamines containing disulfide bonds. The resulted dynamic epoxy resins showed comparable thermomechanical properties as compared to similar epoxy networks cured by traditional curing agent. Rheological tests demonstrated the fast stress relaxation of the dynamic network due to the rapid metathesis of disulfide bonds at temperature higher than glass transition temperature. This feature permitted the recycling and reprocessing of the fragmented samples for several times by hot press. The dynamic epoxy resins also exhibited shape-memory effect, and it is demonstrated that the shape recovery ratio could be readily adjusted by controlling the stress relaxation in the temporary state at programming temperature. Moreover, the degradability of the dynamic epoxy resins in alkaline aqueous solution was also demonstrated. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 1790-1799 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three clathrochelate complexes, [( p -OHCC 6 H 4 B) 2 (chdd) 3 Fe II ]·0.5CH 2 Cl 2 ( 1 ·0.5CH 2 Cl 2 , H 2 chdd = 1,2-cyclohexanedione-1,2-dioxime), [( p -OHCC 6 H 4 B) 2 (hmbd) 3 Mn II 2 ]}·Et 3 NH·0.5CH 3 OH·0.5H 2 O ( 2 ·0.5CH 3 OH·0.5H 2 O, H 3 hmbd = 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-1,3-benzenedicarboxaldehyde-1,3-dioxime), and [( p -OHCC 6 H 4 B) 2 (hmbd) 3 Co II 2 ]·Et 3 NH·H 2 O ( 3 ·H 2 O), were synthesized through template macrobicyclization using metal-oximates as building blocks. These complexes contained reactive apical formyl substituents. Fe II in mononuclear complex 1 was wrapped in the cavity formed by condensation of H 2 chdd with 4-formylphenylboron acid. The organic frameworks of anion unit of binuclear Mn II complex 2 and that of binuclear Co II complex 3 were combined by H 3 hmbd with 4-formylphenylboronic acid. Spectroscopic, electrochemical characterizations of complexes 1 – 3 were exploited. DFT calculation of 1 and 2 was also done for better understanding of the electronic property and charge carrier mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mesoporous CuO materials with different pore size and specific surface area were synthesized by one-pot hydrothermal method. • The effect of sensing film thickness on the gas-sensing performance was studied. • The correlation between pore size, specific surface area and gas sensing performance was discussed in detail. • The corresponding gas sensing mechanism was proposed. Mesoporous CuO materials with adjustable pore size and high specific surface area were successfully synthesized by a simple and economical one-pot hydrothermal method. The structure and morphology of mesoporous CuO materials were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, Scanning electron microscope, Electron energy spectrometer, Nitrogen adsorption and desorption, Transmission electron microscope, Fourier infrared spectrometer. The effect of thickness of the sensing film on gas-sensing performance was studied, and it was found that the best sensing performance was shown when the film thickness was about 71 μm. Under the optimal film thickness, the influence of the pore size and specific surface area of the mesoporous CuO materials on the gas-sensing performance was further studied in detail. Analysis of gas sensing results reveled that the mesoporous CuO material with higher specific surface area and suitable pore size distribution showed enhanced acetic acid sensing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A strategy to design different CuO morphologies via a simple self-assemble method by the similar nanorods is proposed. • The effect of morphologies on gas sensing performance of CuO was studied. • The sensing mechanism was discussed from a new perspective. Materials with special microstructures provide excellent properties. In this study, three types of CuO microstructures with shrimp, flower, and urchin-like morphologies were synthesized via self-assembly of nanorods with a diameter of 30-50 nm using one-step hydrothermal synthesis method simply by adjusting the experimental parameters. At the same time, structural properties of the obtained materials were characterized using SEM, XRD, TEM, XPS, TGA and N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. The self-assembly mechanism was studied in detail, and a corresponding self-assembly strategy was proposed, which could guide the synthesis of other materials and may improve the potential of self-assembled crystalline materials in practical applications. Meanwhile, the gas sensing characteristics of three different gas sensors for volatile organic gases (methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, formaldehyde, ethyl acetate, acetone and triethylamine) were studied. The shrimp-like CuO sensor showed a higher sensitivity, shorter response time (21 s) and recovery time (19 s) than other sensors due to its higher specific surface area and special surface structure. At 200 °C, its response was upto 8.9 for 100 ppm triethylamine. This material has good application in the field of sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A metal-containing clathrochelate complex [Mn 2 I I (hmbd) 3 [(5–ftba) 2 ·Et 3 NH·CH 3 OH has been synthesized with 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-1,3-benzenedicarboxaldehyde dioxime (abbreviated as H 3 hmbd) and 5-formyl-2-thiopheneboronic acid (abbreviated as 5-ftba) by template method and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectra, MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed to further understand the geometry, electronic structure and nature of electron transfer under various electric fields. Mayer bond order (MBO) analysis, electron localization function (ELF) analysis and atoms in molecules (AIM) analysis were carried out to study the electronic structure and the structural stability under applied electric fields. The deviation of natural population analysis (NPA) charge together with the charge density difference (CDD) plots in various electric fields was plotted to research the electron transfer process under applied electric fields. The density of states (DOS) analysis, distribution of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), the energy of the HOMO-LUMO gap (HLG) analysis were investigated to reveal the nature of electron transfer under the applied electric field. Image 1 • A boron-capped cage manganese(II) clathrochelate complex was synthesized. • Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out to study the crystal structure. • MBO, ELF, AIM analysis under applied electric fields. • CDD, DOS, HOMO, LUMO, and HOMO-LUMO gap analysis under the applied electric fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel self-assembled octahedral Cu 2 O was synthesized via a simple, fast and template-free method. • The OH− ion plays an important role in the morphological evolution. • A growth mode for the assembly of Cu 2 O crystals is proposed. • The hollow octahedral CuO was obtained after the heat-treatment of the octahedral Cu 2 O. • The octahedral CuO can be used as gas sensing material for the detection of triethylamine. Cu 2 O with series adjustable octahedral morphologies was prepared via a simple, fast, and template-free method. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used to characterize the structure and morphology. The evolution and formation mechanism of these morphologies is discussed in detail. An assembly mode of this morphology is proposed. The hollow octahedral CuO was obtained after the heat-treatment of the octahedral Cu 2 O. Analysis of gas sensing properties revealed that hollow octahedral CuO shows a high response to triethylamine with a low detection limit (10 ppm), good selectivity, and long-term stability. Finally, the gas sensing mechanism is also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is one of the main abiotic stresses adversely affecting maize growth and grain yield. Identifying drought tolerance‐related genes and breeding varieties with enhanced tolerance are effective strategies for minimizing the effects of drought stress. In this study, the leaf relative water content (LRWC) was used for evaluating drought tolerance. QTL‐seq analysis of 419 F2 individuals from a cross between ZhengT22 (the drought‐tolerant line with high LRWC) and ZhengA88 (the drought‐sensitive line with low LRWC) revealed four LRWC‐related QTLs (qLRWC2, qLRWC10a, qLRWC10b, and qLRWC10c) in maize seedlings under water deficit. Of these QTLs, qLRWC2 was located in a 2.03‐Mb interval on chromosome 2, whereas qLRWC10a, qLRWC10b, and qLRWC10c were located in 2.85‐, 3.99‐, and 2.05‐Mb intervals, respectively, on chromosome 10, and the 93 genes contained the variation loci locating in the four QTLs regions. To identify the candidate genes within the QTLs, an RNA‐seq analysis was performed for the parents exposed to water deficit. Seven genes with effective variation loci showed significant difference in expression either in ZhengA88 or ZhengT22 in response to water deficit. Moreover, among the genes, ZmPrx64, ZmCIPK, HSP90, and ABCG34 have all been shown to be related to water stress in the previous studies. Thus, they are primary considered as the potential candidate genes controlling LRWC under water deficit at the seeding stage of maize in this study. These findings will help clarify the molecular basis of drought tolerance in maize seedlings and may be relevant for future functional analysis and for breeding drought‐tolerant maize varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to mitigate hazard of harmful microbes, the development of innovative antibacterial agents and materials became increasingly imperative. In this work, using acrylic thiazole (AcT) as hydrophobic/antibacterial monomer, zwitterionic betaine sulfonate (SBMA) as hydrophilic/antifouling groups, benzyl methacrylate (BM) as comonomer, and N , N -methylenebisacrylamide (NMBA) as cross-linking monomer, a novel thiazole-zwitterionic copolymer nanospheres (TZPNs) containing iso-bifunctional groups was designed and successfully synthesized through one-pot emulsion copolymerization in the system of dispersing agent (polyvinyl alcohol: PVA). The obtained nanospheres (TZPNs) were characterized by FT-IR, XPS, SEM, and DLS. Its antibacterial performance against Gram-positive of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Gram-negative of Escherichia coli (E. coli) was systematically evaluated. It indicated TZPNs exhibits excellent antibacterial performance, and the inhibition rate was more than 99.9 % and the antibacterial mechanism with iso-bifunctional groups was also discussed. More importantly, its applications were extended to common materials, such as coatings, ink and dye. In summary, TZPNs was an excellent candidate for minimizing bacteria-infection in different functional materials and could be applied in different fields. [Display omitted] • A novel thiazole-zwitterionic copolymer nanosphere (TZPNs) was constructed by monomers with different functions. • TZPNs with iso-bifunctional groups could rapidly and effectively inhibit bacteria. • The inhibition rate was more than 99.9 % towards bacteria, and actual application. • The obtained TZPNs could be used as antibacterial agent in different fields including coating, dye and ink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogels are promising materials for electronic skin due to their flexibility and modifiability. Reported hydrogel electronic skins can recognize stimulations and output signals, but the single output signal and the requirement of external power source limit their further applications. In this study, inspired by the neuron system, the self‐powered neuron system‐like hydrogels based on gelatin, water/glycerin and ionic liquid modified metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are prepared. The optimized hydrogel exhibits excellent adhesion (40 kPa), stretchability (0%–100%), water retention (>92% at 0% relative humidity (RH) atmosphere), ionic conductivity (>10−3 S m−1) and stability (>30 days). Besides, the neuron system‐like hydrogels are highly sensitive to pressure (0—10 N) and humidity (0%–75% RH) with dual‐modal output, without external power source. Finally, the optimized hydrogel ionic skin is applied in human motion detection, energy harvesting, and low humidity sensing. This study provides a preliminary exploration of self‐powered ionic skin for multi‐application scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal‐free and Selectfluor‐mediated C–S bond cleavage is described. This novel strategy provides a facile and efficient method to access important N‐substituted acrylamide and β‐aminopropanamide derivatives with good functional group tolerance and yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterosis, known as one of the most successful strategies for increasing grain yield and abiotic/biotic stress tolerance, has been widely exploited in maize breeding. However, the underlying molecular processes are still to be elucidated. The maize hybrid "Zhengdan538" shows high tolerance to drought stress. The transcriptomes of the seedling leaves of its parents, "ZhengA88" and "ZhengT22" and their reciprocal F1 hybrid under well‐watered and water deficit conditions, were analyzed by RNA sequencing (RNA‐Seq). Transcriptome profiling of the reciprocal hybrid revealed 2994–4692 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under well‐watered and water‐deficit conditions, which were identified by comparing with their parents. The reciprocal hybrid was more closely related to the parental line "ZhengT22" than to the parental line "ZhengA88" in terms of gene expression patterns under water‐deficit condition. Furthermore, genes showed expression level dominance (ELD), especially the high‐parental ELD (Class 3 and 5), accounted for the largest proportion of DEGs between the reciprocal F1 hybrid and their parental lines under water deficit. These ELD genes mainly participated in photosynthesis, energy biosynthesis, and metabolism processes. The results indicated that ELD genes played important roles in hybrid tolerance to water deficit. Moreover, a set of important drought‐responsive transcription factors were found to be encoded by the identified ELD genes and are thought to function in improving drought tolerance in maize hybrid plants. Our results provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of drought tolerance in hybrid maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overused of antibiotics had led to major environmental issues and drug-resistant bacteria, which inevitably harmed the environment and public health. In this work, in order to obtain environmentally friendly bi-functional materials to combat with residual antibiotics and bacterial contamination, ZIF-8, a typical Zn based zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZnZIF) with excellent chemical stability, was conjugated to hydroxyapatite nanowire bundles (HAnBs) by a simple in-situ synthesis. The obtained ZnZIFs@HAnBs was characterized by SEM, EDS, XPS, FT-IR, XRD and BET. The effects of catalysts, catalyst dosage, TC initial concentration, PMS concentration and pH on TC degradation were investigated. Notably, ZnZIFs@HAnBs (94.0 %) exhibited excellent degradation effect of tetracycline (TC) within 15 min, which was 1.7 and 5.2 times than that of ZIF-8 (55.9 %) and HAnBs (18.1 %) under optimal conditions, respectively. Moreover, after recycling 10 times, the degradation rate still more than 86.8 %. The degradation mechanism was confirmed by free radical quenching experiment coupling with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and the 1O 2 and O 2 •- were the major reactive oxygen species in TC degradation. Furthermore, it presented excellent antibacterial activity (95.0 %) against E. coli and S. aureus , which was attributed to the synergistic effect of sustained release of Zn2+ and phosphate in ZnZIF@HAnBs. In summary, an eco-friendly bi-functional materials of HA nanowire bundles could be synthesized by simple strategy, and it could be applied in the fields of environmental remediation, as well as in treatment of antibiotic and bacterial pollution. [Display omitted] • ZnZIF@HAnBs was successfully synthesized by a simple in-situ synthesis method. • It could quickly degrade tetracycline, and the degradation rate got to 94.0 %. • The catalyst has excellent reusability, stability and degradation universality. • It formed a Zn3+/Zn2+ cycling system, which 1O 2 and O 2 •- play an important role. • The antibacterial rates of ZnZIF@HAnBs against bacteria reached 95.0 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three novel complexes, namely [Nd·L1·HCOO·(H2O)4] (1), [Pr·L1·HCOO·(H2O)4] (2) and [In·L2·Cl·(H2O)2] (3) (L1 = 1,1‐bis(5‐(pyrazin‐2‐yl)‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐yl)methane, L2 = 1,1‐bis(5‐(pyrazin‐2‐yl)‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐yl)ketone), were synthesized and characterized. The molecular structures of 1–3 were confirmed using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. All three obtained complexes are zero‐dimensional and connected to each other by hydrogen bonds. In 1 and 2 the metal is surrounded by nine donors and 3 has seven coordination sites. The interaction of 1–3 with calf thymus DNA (CT‐DNA) was explored using UV absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra. The intrinsic binding constants of 1–3 with CT‐DNA are about 1.9 × 104, 1.4 × 104 and 1.1 × 104, respectively. Stern–Volmer quenching plots of 1–3 have slopes of 0.1508, 0.134 and 0.1205, respectively. The ability of these complexes to cleave pBR322 plasmid DNA was demonstrated using gel electrophoresis assay. Apoptosis studies of the three novel complexes showed a significant inhibitory effect on HeLa cells. Furthermore, MTT assays were used to evaluate the anticancer activity of the three complexes. The cytotoxicity study indicated that complex 1 possesses a higher inhibitory rate of HeLa cells than the other complexes. Especially, the efficacy of 1 was shown to be the highest for cisplatin at 24 h. A further molecular docking technique was introduced to understand the binding of the complexes toward the target DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beauveria bassiana is a potential candidate for use as an environmentally friendly bio-pesticide. We studied the infection process and histopathology of B. bassiana strain NDBJJ-BFG infection of the Colorado potato beetle ( Leptinotarsa decemlineata ) using scanning electron microscopy and hematoxylin-eosin staining of tissue sections. The results show that the fungus penetrated the insect epidermis through germ tubes and appressoria after spraying the larvae with conidial suspensions. The conidia began to germinate after 24 h and invade the epidermis. After 48 h, the conidia invaded the larvae with germ tubes and began to enter the haemocoel. By 72 h, hyphae had covered the host surface and had colonized the body cavity. The dermal layer was dissolved, muscle tissues were ruptured and adipose tissue was removed. The mycelium had damaged the intestinal wall muscles, and invaded into intestinal wall and midfield cells resulting in cell separation and tracheal deformation. After 96 h of inoculation, the internal structure of the larvae was destroyed. The research shows that B. bassiana NDBJJ-BFG surface inoculation resulted in a series of histopathological changes to the potato beetle larvae that proved lethal within 72 h. This indicated that this fungus has a high pathogenicity to Colorado potato beetle larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Locoism threatens the sustainable development of animal husbandry in areas around the world with intensified desertification, especially in the western United States, western China, Canada, and Mexico, among other countries. This study was conducted to discover potential serum biomarkers in locoweed-poisoned rabbits and lay a foundation for early diagnosis of locoism. We performed iTRAQ labeling coupled with two-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (2D LC-MS/MS), comparing locoweed-poisoned rabbits and healthy controls. A total of 78 differentially-expressed proteins (fold change > 1.5 or < 0.67) were identified in the locoweed-poisoned rabbits compared to healthy controls. We found that 57.70% of differentially-expressed proteins were functionally related, and through bioinformatics analysis, we were able to construct a network mainly in complement and coagulation cascades. Significant differences in thrombospondin 4 (THBS4), kininogen 1 (KNG1), hemoglobin (HBB), and complement factor I (CFI) between locoweed poisoned animals and controls were found ( P < 0.05) and validated by western blotting. These results suggested that locoweed could damage neurocytes, lower immunity, and form thrombi in rabbits. Our study proposes potential biomarkers for locoism diagnosis and also provides a new experimental basis to understand the pathogenesis of locoism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation and development of maize kernel is a complex dynamic physiological and biochemical process that involves the temporal and spatial expression of many proteins and the regulation of metabolic pathways. In this study, the protein profiles of the endosperm and pericarp at three important developmental stages were analyzed by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) labeling coupled with LC-MS/MS in popcorn inbred N04. Comparative quantitative proteomic analyses among developmental stages and between tissues were performed, and the protein networks were integrated. A total of 6,876 proteins were identified, of which 1,396 were nonredundant. Specific proteins and different expression patterns were observed across developmental stages and tissues. The functional annotation of the identified proteins revealed the importance of metabolic and cellular processes, and binding and catalytic activities for the development of the tissues. The whole, endosperm-specific and pericarp-specific protein networks integrated 125, 9 and 77 proteins, respectively, which were involved in 54 KEGG pathways and reflected their complex metabolic interactions. Confirmation for the iTRAQ endosperm proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that 44.44% proteins were commonly found. However, the concordance between mRNA level and the protein abundance varied across different proteins, stages, tissues and inbred lines, according to the gene cloning and expression analyses of four relevant proteins with important functions and different expression levels. But the result by western blot showed their same expression tendency for the four proteins as by iTRAQ. These results could provide new insights into the developmental mechanisms of endosperm and pericarp, and grain formation in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This complex has a specific recognition for nitrofuran antibiotics, and is a fluorescent sensor with high sensitivity, high selectivity, recovery and good anti-interference ability. This work will expand the application of MOCs in chemical sensing and inspire other researchers to explore this direction. [Display omitted] • Improvement and research of complex. • The complex as a fluorescent sensor has the ability to specifically recognize nitrofuran antibiotics. • The complex has low detection limit and high sensitivity for nitrofuran antibiotics. • The complex as a fluorescent sensor has high selectivity, fast response, anti-interference ability, cycle ability and so on. The abuse of antibiotics is harmful to human body and environment, so the detection and identification of antibiotics in water has become a hot issue. In this experiment, cadmium metal-organic complexes (MOCs) with high selectivity, stability and low detection limit is used to detect nitrofuran antibiotics in aqueous solution. The detection limits of Furazolidone (FZD), Nitrofurazone (NFZ) are 0.066 μM and 0.051 μM, respectively. The sensing mechanism of Cd2+ complex is systematically analyzed and the results showed that the complex exhibited high sensitivity, strong stability and circulation ability to nitrofuran antibiotics because of energy competitive absorption and electron transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A water-stable metal–organic framework (MOF), [Tb(L) 2 NO 3 ] n (HL=3.5-bis(triazol-1-yl)benzoic acid), has been prepared under the solvothemal condition and characterized. The application of ratio fluorescence eliminates many interference factors. Tb-MOF is an ideal fluorescence material that can detect glyphosate with high selectivity, sensitivity and excellent recyclability. And the limit of detection of glyphosate is 0.0144 μM. This work provides a valuable platform for further detection and identification of the pesticide. [Display omitted] • 3D MOF was successfully synthesized and characterized. • The fluorescence intensity of the Tb-MOF is enhanced after adding glyphosate. • The application of 2D and 3D recognition system improves the accuracy of detection. • The ratio fluorescence eliminates various interference factors. • Tb-MOF has low detection limit for glyphosate (0.0144 μM) and excellent recyclability. Developing an excellent recognition detector to pesticides is important and challenging. Herein, a water-stable 3D metal–organic framework (MOF), namely [Tb(L) 2 NO 3 ] n (HL = 3.5-bis (triazol-1-yl) benzoic acid), has been prepared under the solvothemal condition and characterized by element analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and thermogravimetric analysis. Under 2D decoded map with ratio fluorescence, various pesticides are distinguished. Tb-MOF is an ideal fluorescence material that can detect glyphosate with high selectivity, sensitivity and excellent recyclability. And the limit of detection of glyphosate is 0.0144 μM in the range of 0–630 μM. This work provides a valuable platform for further detection and identification of the pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]