A membrane-free flow electrolyzer operating at high current density using earth-abundant catalysts for water splitting.

Electrochemical water splitting is one of the most sustainable approaches for generating hydrogen. Because of the inherent constraints associated with the architecture and materials, the conventional alkaline water electrolyzer and the emerging proton exchange membrane electrolyzer are suffering from low efficiency and high materials/operation costs, respectively. Herein, we design a membrane-free flow electrolyzer, featuring a sandwich-like architecture and a cyclic operation mode, for decoupled overall water splitting.

A regulatory network involving Rpo, Gac and Rsm for nitrogen-fixing biofilm formation by Pseudomonas stutzeri.

Biofilm and nitrogen fixation are two competitive strategies used by many plant-associated bacteria; however, the mechanisms underlying the formation of nitrogen-fixing biofilms remain largely unknown. Here, we examined the roles of multiple signalling systems in the regulation of biofilm formation by root-associated diazotrophic P. stutzeri A1501.

Role of Long Noncoding RNAs ZlMSTRG.11348 and UeMSTRG.02678 in Temperature-Dependent Culm Swelling in .

Temperature influences the physiological processes and ecology of both hosts and endophytes; however, it remains unclear how long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) modulate the consequences of temperature-dependent changes in host-pathogen interactions. To explore the role of lncRNAs in culm gall formation induced by the smut fungus in , we employed RNA sequencing to identify lncRNAs and their potential -targets in and under different temperatures. In and , we identified 3194 and 173 lncRNAs as well as 126 and four potential target genes for differentially expressed lncRNAs, respectively.

Description method with automatically configurable Gaussian radial basis function for complex freeform surface.

The description of deformable mirror (DM) surface, which is usually a complex freeform surface, affects the measurement speed and accuracy in a real-time interferometric measurement system with a DM as the dynamic compensator. We propose an accurate and fast description method with automatically configurable Gaussian radial basis function. The distribution and shape factors of GRBFs are related to the complexity of the surface with sufficient flexibility to improve the accuracy, and the fitting results are automatically obtained using a traversal optimization algorithm, which can improve the fitting speed by reducing the number of time-consuming calculations.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Kernel Traits in .

is the diploid progenitor of the D subgenome of hexaploid wheat (ivum L.). Here, the phenotypic data of kernel length (KL), kernel width (KW), kernel volume (KV), kernel surface area (KSA), kernel width to length ratio (KWL), and hundred-kernel weight (HKW) for 223 accessions were gathered across three continuous years.

An air-stable, reusable Ni@Ni(OH) nanocatalyst for CO/bicarbonate hydrogenation to formate.

Production of formate via CO2/bicarbonate hydrogenation using cheap metal-based heterogeneous catalysts is attractive. Herein, we report the organometallic synthesis of a foam-like Ni@Ni(OH)2 composite nanomaterial which exhibited remarkable air stability and over 2 times higher catalytic activity than commercial RANEY® Ni catalyst in formate synthesis. Formate generation was achieved with an optimal rate of 6.

Comparison of Phenolic and Flavonoid Compound Profiles and Antioxidant and α-Glucosidase Inhibition Properties of Cultivated Soybean () and Wild Soybean ().

Wild soybean ( Sieb.et WS) has been used as a traditional food in China for many years and contains significantly higher levels of isoflavones than cultivated soybean (; CS), but the secondary metabolites, including flavonoids and the phenolic composition differences between them, remain unclear. The results showed that WS possessed significantly higher total phenolic and flavonoid content and exhibited better antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibition activities as well as excellent protective effects against HO-induced oxidative injury in a human endothelial cell line.

Proton-Assisted Reconstruction of Perovskite Oxides: Toward Improved Electrocatalytic Activity.

Electrocatalysis is indispensable to various emerging energy conversion and storage devices such as fuel cells and water electrolyzers. Owing to their unique physicochemical properties, perovskite oxide materials are one of the most promising water oxidation (OER) catalysts solely comprising earth-abundant elements. Nonetheless, many perovskite oxide catalysts suffer from a number of inherent problems such as the A-site cation segregation on the surface, coarse particles due to agglomeration/sintering, and surface decomposition during catalytic reactions.

LncRNA PlncRNA-1 accelerates the progression of prostate cancer by regulating PTEN/Akt axis.

Long non-coding RNAs are key regulators of tumor development and progression, with the potential to be biomarkers of tumors. This study aimed to explore the role of PlncRNA-1 in the progression of prostate cancer (PCa). We found that PlncRNA-1 was up-regulated in 85.

Recovery of the nitrifying ability of acclimated biomass exposed to para-nitrophenol.

Para-nitrophenol (PNP) is often detected in industrial wastewater that is discharged into municipal wastewater treatment plants. Intermittent discharge of PNP into municipal treatment facilities puts their biological process at risk of inhibition, and the risk is especially great for nitrification. In this work, nitrifying biomass was acclimated to PNP.

Circadian variations in the occurrence of first-ever intracerebral hemorrhage from different sources of income: a hospital-based cross-sectional study.

Background: The onset time of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) may be closely related to the working style and living habits of people, which are determined by different income sources in China. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to investigate the Circadian Variations in the occurrence of ICH from different sources of income.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 4,327 patients with first-ever ICH.

Evaluation and revision of core postoperative nursing outcomes for laryngeal carcinoma in China.

Background: The core nursing outcomes for laryngeal carcinoma in China needed further screening and revision. This study aimed to evaluate and revise a questionnaire according to the "Core Nursing Outcomes for Otorhinolaryngology Head-Neck" of the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC, 5th Edition), and determine suitable postoperative nursing outcomes for patients with laryngeal carcinoma in China.

Methods: The commonly used postoperative nursing outcomes for laryngeal carcinoma were screened using a questionnaire given to 93 nurses.

Characteristics of denitrification in a vertical baffled bioreactor.

A vertical baffled bioreactor (VBBR) was employed for tertiary denitrification. Its features were designed to minimize the demand for externally supplied electron donor by minimizing net biomass synthesis and oxygen respiration. Over a two-year period, complete denitrification was realized routinely in the VBBR.

Simultaneous phase-shifting interferometer with a monitored spatial light modulator flexible reference mirror.

A simultaneous phase-shifting interferometer with a monitored spatial light modulator (SLM) flexible reference mirror is proposed to balance the flexibility and accuracy of aspheric-surface in-process measurements. In this method, polarization simultaneous phase-shifting camera systems are applied to reduce the influence of environmental vibrations on the in-process measurements. An SLM reference mirror is employed to improve the flexibility of in-process measurements.

Stachydrine inhibits TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through the TGF-β/Smad and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways.

Stachydrine is a bioactive alkaloid that has been found to exert tumor-suppressive potential. However, the effect of stachydrine on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been previously investigated. In the present study, we investigated the effect of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HepG2 cells.

Downregulated mRNA Expression of ZNF385B Is an Independent Predictor of Breast Cancer.

Background: ZNF385B, a zinc finger protein, has been known as a potential biomarker in some neurological and hematological studies recently. Although numerous studies have demonstrated the potential function of zinc finger proteins in tumor progression, the effects of ZNF385B in breast cancer (BC) are less studied.

Methods: The Oncomine database and "ESurv" tool were used to explore the differential expression of ZNF385B in pan-cancer.

Synergy of strains that accelerate biodegradation of pyridine and quinoline.

Three bacterial strains were isolated from activated sludge acclimated to biodegrade pyridine and quinoline simultaneously. The strains were identified as Bacillus tropicus, Bacillus aquimaris, and Rhodococcus ruber. When the isolated bacteria were used for pyridine and quinoline biodegradation in separate or combined modes, R.

Expanding the Boundary of Biorefinery: Organonitrogen Chemicals from Biomass.

Organonitrogen chemicals are essential in many aspects of modern life. Over 80% of the top 200 prescribed pharmaceutical products contain at least one nitrogen atom in the molecule, while all top 10 agrochemicals contain nitrogen, just to name a few. At present, the prevailing industrial processes for manufacturing organonitrogen chemicals start from nonrenewable fossil resources, but eventually we have to make these chemicals in a more sustainable manner.

Multiple hydrogen bonding self-assembly tailored electrospun polyimide hybrid filter for efficient air pollution control.

Air pollutions are extremely serious threats to human health and the functional hybrid filter is able to remove complicated pollutants with great potential. However, the stable structure design of hybrid filter to provide efficient filtration and adsorption performance for high temperature applications still remains a challenge. In this study, electrospun polyimide (PI) based hybrid filter was fabricated via multiple hydrogen bonding self-assembly for high-temperature air purification.

Transformation of Corn Lignin into Sun Cream Ingredients.

Production of value-added chemicals from lignocellulose is one of the key strands of the emerging bio-economy. A synthetic approach has been developed to produce p-methoxy coumarate esters from waste corn stover and corn bran, and further transform these compounds into consumer products. In the first step, p-coumaric acid (pCA) and ferulic acid (FA) are released through mild alkaline hydrolysis of corn waste, in more than 20 mg g yield (10 wt % based on lignin content).

The Adsorption Ability of NCFM to Benzo(a)pyrene in PM.

The objective of this work was to explore the ability of lactic acid bacteria strains to bind benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) existing in PM. In this study, we examined the ability of NCFM to bind B(a)P in the simulated PM environment. Among the tested 5 strains, NCFM exhibited the best capacity to bind B(a)P, and its B(a)P binding percentage was 60.

More rapid dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenol using acclimated bacteria.

The key step for anaerobic biodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) is an initial dechlorination reaction, but Cl in the para-position is more difficult to remove than Cl in the ortho-position using normal 2,4-DCP-acclimated bacteria. In this work, a bacterial community previously acclimated to biodegrading 2,4-DCP slowly dechlorinated 4-chlorophenol (4-CP Cl only in the para-position), which limited mineralization. That community was exposed to the selective pressure of having 4-CP as its only organic substrate in order to generate a 4-CP-dechlorinating community.

Modeling and Analysis of System Error for Highly Curved Freeform Surface Measurement by Noncontact Dual-Axis Rotary Scanning.

Profile measurement is a key technical enabler in the manufacturing of highly curved freeform surfaces due to their complex geometrical shape. A current optical probe was used to measure nearly rotary freeform surfaces with the help of one rotation axis, because the probe needs to measure along the normal vector of the surface under the limitation of the numerical aperture (NA). This kind of measuring system generally has a high cost due to the high-precision, multi-axis platform.

Different Benzendicarboxylate-Directed Structural Variations and Properties of Four New Porous Cd(II)-Pyridyl-Triazole Coordination Polymers.

Four new different porous crystalline Cd(II)-based coordination polymers (CPs), i. e., [Cd(mdpt)]·2HO (), [Cd(mdpt)(-bdc)(HO)] (), [Cd(Hmdpt)(-bdc)]·2HO (), and [Cd(mdpt)(bpdc)]·2.