Recent advances of bioaerogels in medicine: Preparation, property and application.

Bioaerogels represent a type of three-dimensional porous materials fabricated from natural biopolymers, and show a significant potential for medical application due to their characteristics of extremely low density, high specific surface area, excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. The preparation method and parameters of bioaerogels are focused on, and their influence on the structure and properties of bioaerogels are discussed in detail. Then, to match the properties of bioaerogels with the medical applications, this work emphasizes the main properties (including biocompatibility, degradability, and mechanical properties), structural parameters (such as suitable porosity, pore size and high specific surface area), and further summarizes the influence of single-component and composite bioaerogels on their properties.

Construction of antibacterial silicone rubber catheter modified with the biomass carbon dots and its properties.

To endow silicone rubber (SR) catheter with antibacterial property, the SR catheter was modified with a new kind of biomass carbon dots (CDs) by the bulk modification to obtabin the SR/CDs catheter. The antimicrobial behavior and biocompatibility of SR/CDs catheter were analyzed by plate counting method, cytotoxicity test and in vivo animal experiments. The results showed that, SR/CDs catheter possessed antimicrobial properties, and the minimum inhibitory concentration of SR/CDs catheter was 20 mg/ml against Escherichia coli (E.

Cooperative Effect of Ni-Decorated Monolayer WS, NiO, and AC on Improving the Flame Retardancy and Mechanical Property of Polypropylene Blends.

Improving the residual char of polypropylene (PP) is difficult due to the preferential complete combustion. Here, we designed a combination catalyst that not only provides physical barrier effects, but also dramatically promotes catalytic charring activity. We successfully synthesized WS monolayer sheets decorated with isolated Ni atoms that bond covalently to sulfur vacancies on the basal planes via thiourea.

The U-box ubiquitin ligase TUD1 promotes brassinosteroid-induced GSK2 degradation in rice.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a class of steroid hormones with great potential for use in crop improvement. De-repression is usually one of the key events in hormone signaling. However, how the stability of GSK2, the central negative regulator of BR signaling in rice (Oryza sativa), is regulated by BRs remains elusive.

Rice DWARF AND LOW-TILLERING and the homeodomain protein OSH15 interact to regulate internode elongation via orchestrating brassinosteroid signaling and metabolism.

Brassinosteroid (BR) phytohormones play crucial roles in regulating internode elongation in rice (Oryza sativa). However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unclear. The dwarf and low-tillering (dlt) mutant is a mild BR-signaling-defective mutant.

The divergence of brassinosteroid sensitivity between rice subspecies involves natural variation conferring altered internal auto-binding of OsBSK2.

Japonica/geng and indica/xian are two major rice (Oryza sativa) subspecies with multiple divergent traits, but how these traits are related and interact within each subspecies remains elusive. Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a class of steroid phytohormones that modulate many important agronomic traits in rice. Here, using different physiological assays, we revealed that japonica rice exhibits an overall lower BR sensitivity than indica.

Regulation of Brassinosteroid Signaling and Salt Resistance by SERK2 and Potential Utilization for Crop Improvement in Rice.

The complex roles of the steroid hormone brassinosteroids (BRs) in many different yield- and stress-related traits make it difficult to utilize the hormones for crop improvement. Here, we show that SERK2 as a BR signaling component is a potentially useful candidate for BR manipulation in rice. We generated multiple mutant alleles of by CRISPR/Cas9 editing and show that knockout of results in a compact structure accompanied with increased grain size.

The CYB5R3 and G6PD A alleles modify severity of anemia in malaria and sickle cell disease.

Genetic modifiers of anemia in Plasmodium falciparum infection and sickle cell disease (SCD) are not fully known. Both conditions are associated with oxidative stress, hemolysis and anemia. The CYB5R3 gene encodes cytochrome b5 reductase 3, which converts methemoglobin to hemoglobin through oxidation of NADH.

ARGONAUTE2 Enhances Grain Length and Salt Tolerance by Activating to Modulate Cytokinin Distribution in Rice.

Maintaining stable, high yields under fluctuating environmental conditions is a long-standing goal of crop improvement but is challenging due to internal trade-off mechanisms, which are poorly understood. Here, we identify ARGONAUTE2 (AGO2) as a candidate target for achieving this goal in rice (). Overexpressing led to a simultaneous increase in salt tolerance and grain length.

GSK2 stabilizes OFP3 to suppress brassinosteroid responses in rice.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a class of phytohormones that modulate several important agronomic traits in rice (Oryza sativa). GSK2 is one of the critical suppressors of BR signalling and targets transcription factors such as OsBZR1 and DLT to regulate BR responses. Here, we identified OFP3 (OVATE FAMILY PROTEIN 3) as an interactor of both GSK2 and DLT by yeast-two-hybrid screening and demonstrated that OFP3 plays a distinctly negative role in BR responses.

Construction of Carbon Microspheres-Based Silane Melamine Phosphate Hybrids for Flame Retardant Poly(ethylene Terephthalate).

To improve the flame retardancy and inhibit the smoke of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), carbon microspheres (CMSs)-based melamine phosphate (MP) hybrids (MP-CMSs) were constructed in situ with the introduction of CMSs into the hydrothermal reaction system of MP. The integrated MP-CMSs were modified by 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) to obtain the silane MP-CMSs (SiMP-CMSs) to strengthen the interface binding between the MP-CMSs and PET matrix. The results showed that the SiMP layer was loaded on the CMSs surface.

Overexpression of OsbHLH107, a member of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor family, enhances grain size in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Background: Grain size, which is determined by grain length, grain width, and grain thickness, is an important determinant for grain yield in rice. Identification and characterization of new genes that are associated with grain size will be helpful for the improvement of grain yield in rice.

Results: We characterized the grain size mutant, larger grain size 1 (lgs1), derived from rice activation-tagged T-DNA insertion lines.

ALR encoding dCMP deaminase is critical for DNA damage repair, cell cycle progression and plant development in rice.

Deoxycytidine monophosphate deaminase (dCMP deaminase, DCD) is crucial to the production of dTTP needed for DNA replication and damage repair. However, the effect of DCD deficiency and its molecular mechanism are poorly understood in plants. Here, we isolated and characterized a rice albinic leaf and growth retardation (alr) mutant that is manifested by albinic leaves, dwarf stature and necrotic lesions.

SGD1, a key enzyme in tocopherol biosynthesis, is essential for plant development and cold tolerance in rice.

Tocopherols, a group of Vitamin E compounds, are essential components of the human diet. In contrast to well documented roles in animals, the functions of tocopherols in plants are less understood. In this study, we characterized two allelic rice dwarf mutant lines designated sgd1-1 and sgd1-2 (small grain and dwarf1).

Isolation and characterization of a spotted leaf 32 mutant with early leaf senescence and enhanced defense response in rice.

Leaf senescence is a complex biological process and defense responses play vital role for rice development, their molecular mechanisms, however, remain elusive in rice. We herein reported a rice mutant spotted leaf 32 (spl32) derived from a rice cultivar 9311 by radiation. The spl32 plants displayed early leaf senescence, identified by disintegration of chloroplasts as cellular evidence, dramatically decreased contents of chlorophyll, up-regulation of superoxide dismutase enzyme activity and malondialdehyde, as physiological characteristic, and both up-regulation of senescence-induced STAY GREEN gene and senescence-associated transcription factors, and down-regulation of photosynthesis-associated genes, as molecular indicators.

Experience and nursing needs of school-age children undergoing lumbar puncture during the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a descriptive and qualitative study.

Aims And Objectives: To describe experiences and nursing needs of school-age Chinese children undergoing lumbar puncture for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Background: Lumbar puncture is an invasive procedure, causing psychological changes and physical discomfort in patients. In a previous study, it was proved that distraction intervention, such as music therapy, relieves pain and anxiety.

WSL3, a component of the plastid-encoded plastid RNA polymerase, is essential for early chloroplast development in rice.

Plastid-encoded plastid RNA polymerase (PEP), a dominant RNA polymerase in mature chloroplasts, consists of core subunits and peripheral subunits. Despite the importance of the peripheral subunits in control of PEP activity it is unclear how they interact with one another to exert physiological effects on chloroplast development and plant growth, especially in rice. Here, we report a mutant, designated wsl3 that lacks a peripheral subunit in rice.

CRL6, a member of the CHD protein family, is required for crown root development in rice.

The root system in monocotyledonous plants is largely composed of postembryonic shoot-borne roots named crown roots, which are important for nutrients and water uptake. The molecular mechanism underlying regulation of crown root development is not fully explored. In this study, we characterized a rice (Oryza sativa) mutant defective in crown root formation, designated as crown rootless6 (crl6).

WHITE PANICLE1, a Val-tRNA Synthetase Regulating Chloroplast Ribosome Biogenesis in Rice, Is Essential for Early Chloroplast Development.

Chloroplasts and mitochondria contain their own genomes and transcriptional and translational systems. Establishing these genetic systems is essential for plant growth and development. Here we characterized a mutant form of a Val-tRNA synthetase (OsValRS2) from Oryza sativa that is targeted to both chloroplasts and mitochondria.

Molecular structure and properties of wool fiber surface-grafted with nano-antibacterial materials.

Wool fiber was modified by ultraviolet irradiation (UV) and functionalized by grafting antibacterial agent. The structure and properties of antibacterial wool fiber were discussed in detail. The secondary structure changes and crystal structure were analyzed based on Fourier Transformation Raman Spectrometry (FTR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Rovibrational structure of the Xe-CO complex based on a new three-dimensional ab initio potential.

The first three-dimensional interaction potential energy surface of the Xe-CO complex is developed using the single and double excitation coupled cluster theory with noniterative treatment of triple excitations. Mixed basis sets, aug-cc-pVQZ for the C and O atoms and aug-cc-pVQZ-PP for the Xe atom, including an additional (3s3p2d2f1g) set of midbond functions are used. The calculated single point energies at five fixed r(co) values are fitted to an analytic two-dimensional potential model, and further the five model potentials are used to construct the three-dimensional potential energy surface by interpolating along (r-r(e)).