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Bumblebees are important pollinators for many wild plants and crops. To explore gene expression characteristics in depth, stable reference genes will be essential across different developmental stages. In this context, we evaluated the stability of eight common reference genes at ten developmental stages in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris (B. terrestris) with four algorithms and two rank approaches. The results showed that all the primers for the reference genes exhibited high specificity, linear correlation (R2-value 0.9917~0.9978) and a good PCR amplification efficiency (E-value 95.4~108.6%). The combined use of RPL13 and RP49 was suggested to be the most suitable reference genes. Our candidate reference genes will help to improve the precision of the detection of gene expression at different developmental stages of bumblebee species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mo-doping is introduced to synchronously improve the electro catalytic activity and anti-chlorine corrosion of Ni 3 s 2 toward the efficient overall seawater splitting, thanks to the enhanced binding with *OH but the weakened one with *CL. [Display omitted] Designing highly active electrocatalysts that can resist chloride ion (Cl-) corrosion during seawater electrolysis is still a challenge. Here, Mo-doping is introduced to synchronously improve the electrocatalytic activity and anti-chlorine corrosion of Ni 3 S 2 toward the efficient overall seawater splitting. With commercial nickel-molybdenum foam (NMF) as the reactive substrates, Mo-doped Ni 3 S 2 columnar arrays (Mo-Ni 3 S 2 /NMF) are fabricated via a one-step hydrothermal process, which expose abundant active sites with the ameliorated surface electronic configurations toward the enhanced binding with *OH (* denotes an active site) but the weakened one with *Cl. As expected, they afford the excellent bi-functionality for both oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions (OER and HER), with the remarkably improved anti-corrosion to Cl- at anode as compared to pristine Ni 3 S 2. In alkaline mimic seawater (1.0 M NaOH + 0.5 M NaCl), Mo-Ni 3 S 2 /NMF requires 330 mV (for OER) and 209 mV (for HER) overpotentials at the current density of ±100 mA cm−2, and a low cell voltage of 1.52 V at 10 mA cm−2 for overall seawater splitting. This work highlights a feasible strategy to explore highly active and stable electrocatalysts for sustainable H 2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The combination of MgO and fly ash effectively solidifies salt-bearing clay in areas subjected to seasonal freeze–thaw cycles. • The substitution of conventional solidifying materials with fly ash constitutes a sustainable and ecologically responsible approach to consolidating clay soils. • The cementation of soil particles is efficiently accomplished by the carbonate compounds generated from magnesium and calcium. This paper presents an innovative method for improving the strength of salt-bearing clay under freeze–thaw cycles. The active magnesium oxide (MgO) and industrial waste fly ash were employed as primary solidifying materials in the seasonal freezing soil reinforcement process, and the reinforcement effect is achieved through carbonate crystals generated through carbonization tests. The solidification effect was investigated with varying ratios of solidifying materials, salt content, and freeze–thaw cycles. The experiment results revealed that the combination of active MgO and fly ash effectively enhances the strength of salt-bearing clay. Specifically, compared to unsolidified soil, the soil solidified with 8 % active MgO (8M0F) and a combination of 4 % active MgO and 4 % fly ash (4M4F) demonstrated a significant increase in ultimate strength by 14 and 12 times, respectively. Moreover, the number of freeze–thaw cycles exhibited a negative correlation with ultimate strength, whereas the salt content demonstrated a similar negative correlation. Microscopic analysis revealed that the 8M0F sample produced mainly magnesium carbonates and hydrogen and oxygen compounds, whereas the 4M4F sample generated primarily magnesium and calcium carbonates. The resulting compound crystals efficiently filled the internal pores and cemented the soil particles, leading to a substantial increase in strength. Overall, these results indicate that the active MgO combined with fly ash solidifying method can offer a viable and sustainable solution for improving the strength of salt-bearing clay in areas with seasonal freeze–thaw cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A stoichiometric Sr 3 Tb 2 (BO 3) 4 crystal was successfully grown by the Czochralski method. Polarized absorption and fluorescence spectra of the crystal were measured at room temperature. The peak absorption cross-section at 486 nm corresponding to the 7F 6 →5D 4 transition of Tb3+ ions for the E // Z polarization is 1.32 × 10–22 cm2. Based on the Judd-Ofelt theory, fluorescence branching ratios of the 5D 4 →7F 5 and 5D 4 →7F 4 transitions of Tb3+ ions were calculated to be 64.86% and 7.69%, respectively. The radiative lifetime of the 5D 4 multiplet was calculated to be 2.93 ms. The yellow fluorescence band centered at 586 nm corresponding to the 5D 4 →7F 4 transition is flat and the full width at half the maximum of this band is 8.5 nm. The fluorescence lifetime of the 5D 4 multiplet was measured to be 2 ms and the fluorescence quantum efficiency was estimated to be 69%. Above results show that the Sr 3 Tb 2 (BO 3) 4 crystal is a potential gain medium for yellow laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is an important bottleneck for large-scale acidic water splitting applications due to its sluggish reaction kinetics. Therefore, the development of highly active, stable, and inexpensive electrocatalysts for OER remains a challenge. Herein, we develop the iridium doped Co 3 O 4 (Ir–Co 3 O 4) with low Ir content of 2.88 wt% for efficient acidic OER. Considering systemic characterizations, it is probably concluded that Ir can be uniformly doped into the lattice of Co 3 O 4 and induce a certain distortion. The electrochemical results reveal that Ir–Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles demonstrate significantly enhanced electrocatalytic OER activity and stability in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 solution compared with pure Co 3 O 4 , in which the overpotential at the current density of 10 mA cm−2 decreases from 382 mV to 225 mV and the value of Tafel slope decreases from 101.7 mV dec−1 to 64.1 mV dec−1. Besides, Ir–Co 3 O 4 exhibits excellent electrocatalytic durability for continuous 130 h's test without any activity attenuation. Moreover, this work provides a kind of high-performance acidic OER electrocatalyst for the development of hydrogen energy. [Display omitted] • Ir doped Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles are successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method. • Ir doping effectively regulates the electronic structure of Co 3 O 4. • Ir–Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles exhibit excellent acidic oxygen evolution performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum silicides are promising electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution in acidic environment due to their dual characteristics of metal and ceramics as well as high electrical conductivity and acid resistance. At present, most of the transition metal silicides were synthesized at high temperature, resulting in large particle size and small specific surface area, which seriously limits their electrocatalytic applications. Herein, we report a low temperature strategy for the synthesis of ultrafine Mo 5 Si 3 and MoSi 2 nanoparticles with diameter of ∼5 nm by molten salt method. Results show that both of them demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity and stability in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 solution, in which the overpotentials of Mo 5 Si 3 and MoSi 2 nanoparticles at 10 mA cm−2 are 80 mV and 94 mV, respectively. This general strategy may light up the preparation of ultrafine transition metal silicides nanoparticles and facilitate their applications in electrocatalytic areas. [Display omitted] • Ultrafine Mo 5 Si 3 and MoSi 2 nanoparticles with diameter of ∼5 nm were synthesized by molten salt reduction method. • The nanoparticles demonstrate large specific surface area and fully exposed electrocatalytic active sites. • Mo 5 Si 3 show electrocatalytic HER activity in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 with potential of −80 mV (η10) and Tafel slope of 65.1 mV dec−1. • MoSi 2 show electrocatalytic HER activity in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 with potential of −94 mV (η10) and Tafel slope of 71.2 mV dec−1. • Mo 5 Si 3 and MoSi 2 reveal outstanding electrochemical stability for 6000 cycles of CV and 15 h of chronopotentiometry test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stoichiometric NaTb(WO 4) 2 crystal was grown by the Czochralski method and polarized spectroscopic properties of the crystal were investigated at room temperature. The peak absorption cross-sections at 487 nm of the crystal, corresponding to the 7F 6 →5D 4 transition of Tb3+ ions, are 9.28 × 10−22 and 4.94 × 10−22 cm2 for the π and σ polarizations, respectively. The radiative lifetime of the 5D 4 multiplet is 611 μs? The crystal exhibits intense green emission around 548 nm under excitation at 487 nm. The peak emission cross-sections at 548 nm of the crystal, corresponding to the 5D 4 →7F 5 transition of Tb3+ ions, are 8.36 × 10−21 and 5.10 × 10−21 cm2 for π and σ polarizations, respectively. The fluorescence lifetime of the 5D 4 multiplet is 575 μs, and quantum efficiency reaches to 94%. Above results show that the NaTb(WO 4) 2 crystal is a potential gain medium for visible laser. • A stoichiometric NaTb(WO 4) 2 crystal has been grown. • The crystal takes on large absorption cross-section at pumping wavelength. • The crystal exhibits large emission cross-section. • The crystal shows the potential as a visible laser gain medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although statins are the cornerstone of lipid management, hardly any of the existing studies on statin treatment of dyslipidemia in nephrotic syndrome (NS) addressed patient‐centered outcomes of cardiovascular events. Objective: To evaluate whether statin treatment impacts the outcomes of cardiovascular events in patients with NS. Design: A single‐center, retrospective, nested case–control study analyzed data from the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University. Patients: Patients diagnosed with NS from January 1, 1999, to November 30, 2014, were selected and followed up for 5 years. Measurements and Main Results: A total of 2706 patients with NS were enrolled in this study cohort. Among these, 115 patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (CVD) at the end of the observational period and 235 CVD‐free controls enrolled by 1:2 matching with gender, age, and index time were included in the study. Propensity score matching was used to match (1:1) the baseline characteristics of the cases and controls. The chi‐square test was performed based on whether the patient used a statin as an exposure factor, and binary logistic regression analysis of the association between cardiovascular events and statin therapy duration was conducted. Subgroup analyses for relevant variables were also performed. The chi‐square test showed that statin therapy was significantly associated with a reduction in CVD risk in patients with NS (p = 0.002). Furthermore, the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with NS decreased as the length of statin treatment increased (OR = 0.82 [95% CI 0.73–0.89], p < 0.001). Conclusions: For NS patients with dyslipidemia, statin therapy may be used to decrease CVD risk, and extended treatment was associated with more significant risk reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnNb 2 O 6 powders were prepared by solid state reaction method and doped into BT. The doped cation ions diffused into the BT crystal lattice, inducing diffuse phase transition and leading to broadened and flattened dielectric constant peaks especially in the low-temperature zone. When the doping concentration was below 6 wt.%, ceramics showed regular microstructures; when it reached 7.5wt.%, the Ba 2 Ti 5 O 12 phase was found and it showed flake structure. With further increase of ZnNb 2 O 6 , the flake structure disappeared and the grain size markedly decreased. The decreased grain size was very effective to improve the breakdown strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]