Super-Transparent Soil for In Situ Observation of Root Phenotypes.

Transparent soil (TS) presents immense potential for root phenotyping due to its ability to facilitate high-resolution imaging. However, challenges related to transparency, mechanical properties, and cost hinder its development. Herein, we introduce super-transparent soil (s-TS) prepared via the droplet method using low acyl gellan gum and hydroxyethyl cellulose crosslinked with magnesium ions. The refractive index of the hydroxyethyl cellulose solution (1.345) closely aligns with that of water (1.333) and the low acyl gellan gum solution (1.340), thereby significantly enhancing the transmittance of hydrogel-based transparent soil. Optimal transmittance (98.45%) is achieved with polymer concentrations ranging from 0.8 to 1.6 wt.% and ion concentrations between 0.01 and 0.09 mol·L-1. After 60 days of plant cultivation, s-TS maintains a transmittance exceeding 89.5%, enabling the detailed visualization of root growth dynamics. Furthermore, s-TS exhibits remarkable mechanical properties, withstanding a maximum compressive stress of 477 kPa and supporting a maximum load-bearing depth of 186 cm. This innovative approach holds promising implications for advanced root phenotyping studies, fostering the investigation of root heterogeneity and the development of selective expression under controlled conditions.

Engineering Rapeseed Germination and Root Growth with Mechanical Strength of Polysaccharide Hydrogel.

Plant roots are highly sensitive to physical stress in the soil, with appropriate mechanical impedance promoting root elongation and lateral root growth. However, few studies have quantitatively explored the relationship between the mechanical impedance of the growth medium and the phenotypes of plant roots. In this study, we used a tensile machine equipped with a self-made steel needle mimicking the root tip to measure the force needed to penetrate the hydrogel medium (agar, low acyl gellan gum, and κ-carrageenan), providing insights into the force required for the rapeseed root tip to enter the medium following germination. These findings indicate that root penetration length is inversely associated with the mechanical strength of the growth medium, with variations observed in the root system adaptability across different substrates. Specifically, when the gel puncture resistance of the culture medium without adding MS reached approximately 18.4 mN, root penetration and growth were significantly hindered. With the addition of 1/2 MS medium, the polysaccharide concentration is 1.0 wt %, which is more suitable for cultivating rapeseed. This research not only offers a method for quantifying root phenotypes and medium mechanical impedance but also presents an approach for plant growth regulation and crop breeding.

Three novel species of Aquapteridospora (Distoseptisporales, Aquapteridosporaceae) from freshwater habitats in Tibetan Plateau, China.

During an investigation of lignicolous freshwater fungi in the Tibetan Plateau, three Aquapteridospora taxa were collected from freshwater habitats in Xizang, China. The new species possess polyblastic, sympodial, denticles conidiogenous cells and fusiform, septate, with or without sheath conidial, that fit within the generic concept of Aquapteridospora, and multi-gene phylogeny placed these species within Aquapteridospora. Detailed morphological observations clearly demarcate three of these from extant species and are hence described as new taxa. The multi-gene phylogeny of the combined LSU, TEF1-α, and ITS sequence data to infer phylogenetic relationships and discuss phylogenetic affinities with morphologically similar species. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses, three new species viz. A.linzhiensis, A.yadongensis, and A.submersa are introduced. Details of asexual morphs are described, and justifications for establishing these new species are also provided in this study.

3D Printing of Individualized Microfluidic Chips with DLP-Based Printer.

Microfluidic chips have shown their potential for applications in fields such as chemistry and biology, and 3D printing is increasingly utilized as the fabrication method for microfluidic chips. To address key issues such as the long printing time for conventional 3D printing of a single chip and the demand for rapid response in individualized microfluidic chip customization, we have optimized the use of DLP (digital light processing) technology, which offers faster printing speeds due to its surface exposure method. In this study, we specifically focused on developing a fast-manufacturing process for directly printing microfluidic chips, addressing the high cost of traditional microfabrication processes and the lengthy production times associated with other 3D printing methods for microfluidic chips. Based on the designed three-dimensional chip model, we utilized a DLP-based printer to directly print two-dimensional and three-dimensional microfluidic chips with photosensitive resin. To overcome the challenge of clogging in printing microchannels, we proposed a printing method that combined an open-channel design with transparent adhesive tape sealing. This method enables the rapid printing of microfluidic chips with complex and intricate microstructures. This research provides a crucial foundation for the development of microfluidic chips in biomedical research.

[Effect of collagen sponge on the healing process of alveolar fossa after tooth extraction in rats].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of collagen sponge on early bone healing process of alveolar fossa after tooth extraction in rats. METHODS: A total of 16 healthy female SD rats were selected. Animal models with tooth extraction were established. The right alveolar fossa inserted with collagen sponge was as the experimental group, and the left alveolar fossa was as the control group with treatment. The rats were sacrificed 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after tooth extraction, and the osteogenesis of alveolar fossa was observed. Real-time quantitative PCR (qt-PCR) was used to detect the changes of osteogenesis related gene expression. SPSS 19.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: After surgery, alveolar cavity healing was significantly better in the experimental group than in the control group. Osterix, Runx2 and Vegf genes were expressed in the experimental group and the control group, and the expression levels of related genes in the experimental group were significantly higher than the control group 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after surgery(P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Collagen sponge could promote early alveolar bone healing, possibly related to the expression level of osteogenic genes regulated by collagen sponge.

Lithium-ion battery multi-scale modeling coupled with simplified electrochemical model and kinetic Monte Carlo model.

The multi-scale modeling of lithium-ion battery (LIB) is difficult and necessary due to its complexity. However, it is difficult to capture the aging behavior of batteries, and the coupling mechanism between multiple scales is still incomplete. In this paper, a simplified electrochemical model (SEM) and a kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC)-based solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film growth model are used to study the multi-scale characteristics of LIBs. The single-particle SEM (SP-SEM) is described for macro scale, and a simple and self-consistent multi-particle SEM (MP-SEM) is developed. Then, the KMC-based SEI model is established for micro-scale molecular evolution. And, the two models are coupled to construct the full-cycle multi-scale model. After modeling, validation is performed by using a commercial 18650-type LIB. Finally, the effect of parameters on the SEI model is studied, including qualitative trend analysis and quantitative sensitivity analysis. The growth of SEI film with different particle sizes is studied by MP-SEM coupling simulation.

Preparation and Magnetic Manipulation of Fe3O4/Acrylic Resin Core-Shell Microspheres.

Core-shell microspheres refer to duo-layer or multilayer microspheres, which are widely used in drug delivery, microreactors, etc. Accurate manipulation of microspheres is a research hot spot, while traditional manipulation methods including ultrasonic manipulation and laser manipulation still face some limitations. In this study, magnetic core-shell microspheres were adopted to realize the accurate manipulation of microspheres. Combined with microfluidic technology, polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSSA)/Fe3O4 magnetic fluid was utilized as the core material and photosensitive acrylic resin became the shell material. After UV curing, a magnetic core-shell microsphere with an average size of 55 µm could be achieved, and the diameter was uniform and controllable. By adjusting the flow rate of the dispersed phase, the dual-core microspheres with different core particle sizes that ranged from 9.3 to 28.4 µm could be prepared. Experimental results showed that the prepared Fe3O4/acrylic resin core-shell microspheres can be used as functionalized microspheres that have good magnetic response properties and self-assembly ability. In addition, the magnetic manipulation and self-assembly of the prepared core-shell microspheres were presented with different external magnetic fields. The magnetic core-shell microspheres have shown great potential in the fields of biomedical engineering and targeted delivery of drugs.

Carbon risk and green transition: evidence from China.

Carbon risk may have potential influences on the green transition of enterprises. This paper thoroughly investigates the effect and mechanism of carbon risk on the transition towards sustainability. We use quantitative regression models and a panel of Chinese manufactural listed companies from 2011-2020. There is strong evidence manifesting that the effect of carbon risk on corporate green transition is positive and statistically significant. The green transition is marked by the overall encouragement of exploratory, exploitable, autonomous, and collaborative green innovation. The mechanism test indicates that the enhancement of internal R&D transformation and the pressure of external stakeholders are two fundamental pathways by which carbon risk influences the green transition. Additional examination reveals that the beneficial impact is particularly noticeable for companies that have limited capital intensity, minimal governmental assistance, reduced financial limitations, and are state-owned enterprises. These results are robust to resolve the problem of endogeneity by means of instrumental variables, Heckman two-step, placebo test, propensity score matching and difference-in-difference ways. Against the background of carbon neutrality, it is of great significance to examine the relationship between carbon risk and corporate green transition. The conclusion complements the knowledge of carbon risk and green transition, as well as provides theoretical insights and practical enlightenment for the green transition of manufacturing enterprises in emerging economies.

Additions to the Inventory of the Genus Alternaria Section Alternaria (Pleosporaceae, Pleosporales) in Italy.

The genus Alternaria is comprised of well-known plant pathogens causing various important diseases in plants, as well as being common allergens in animals and humans. Species of Alternaria can be found as saprobes associated with various dead plant materials. This research aims to enhance the taxonomy of saprobic species in the genus Alternaria found on grasses and herbaceous plants from Italy, based on multi-locus phylogenetic analyses of a concatenated ITS, LSU, SSU, tef1-α, rpb2, gapdh and Alt-a1 DNA sequence dataset combined with morphological characteristics. Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses demonstrated six novel species belonging to the genus Alternaria sect. Alternaria as: A. muriformispora sp. nov., A. obpyriconidia sp. nov., A. ovoidea sp. nov., A. pseudoinfectoria sp. nov., A. rostroconidia sp. nov. and A. torilis sp. nov. Detailed morphological descriptions, illustrations and an updated phylogenetic relationship of taxa in the genus Alternaria sect. Alternaria are provided herein.

Parallel battery pack charging strategy under various ambient temperatures based on minimum lithium plating overpotential control.

With the aggravation of environmental pollution and energy crisis, lithium-ion batteries are widely regarded as promising. However, the current distribution in the parallel battery pack branches is highly heterogeneous. Charging strategies based on the models can be adopted to prevent side reactions that may lead to severe degradation or even thermal runaway under various ambient temperatures. In this study, a battery model for a single cell is established by coupling a single particle model with electrolyte, degradation model, and thermal model. Besides, considering the contact resistance and wire resistance, the circuit model of a battery pack is established. A charging strategy based on minimum Li plating overpotential control is then adopted, and the effectiveness under high C-rate and low temperature to reduce capacity loss is verified by simulation. This study provides a low-loss charging strategy that can reduce the safety risk of battery packs with better performance under various ambient temperatures.

Significant Change of Metal Cations in Geometric Sites by Magnetic-Field Annealing FeCo2 O4 for Enhanced Oxygen Catalytic Activity.

The application of magnetic fields in the oxygen reduction/evolution reaction (ORR/OER) testing for electrocatalysts has attracted increasing interest, but it is difficult to characterize on-site surface reconstruction. Here, a strategy is developed for annealing-treated FeCo2 O4 nanofibers at a magnetic field of 2500 Oe, named FeCo2 O4 -M, showing a right-shifted half-wave potential of 20 mV for the ORR and a left-shifted overpotential of 60 mV at 10 mV cm-2 for the OER as compared with its counterpart. Magnetic characterizations indicate that FeCo2 O4 -M shows the spin-state transition of cations from a low-spin state to an intermediate-spin state compared with FeCo2 O4 . Mössbauer spectra show that the Fe3+ ion in the octahedral site (0.76) of FeCo2 O4 -M is more than that of FeCo2 O4 (0.71), indicating the effective stimulus of metal cations in geometric sites by magnetic-field annealing. Furthermore, theoretical calculations demonstrate that the d-band centers (εd ) of Co 3d and Fe 3d in the tetrahedral and octahedral sites of the FeCo2 O4 -M nanofibers shift close to the Fermi level, revealing the enhanced mechanism of the ORR/OER activity.

Analysis of Cosmetic Effect of Nanocomposite Resin on Anterior Teeth.

The problems of anterior teeth include dental plaque, dental caries, and fracture, which are usually treated with common composite resin clinically. Although good repair effect can be achieved, patients are prone to anterior tooth sensitivity after surgery. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the cosmetic effect of nanocomposite resin on anterior teeth. Up to 176 patients (176 teeth) undergoing anterior dental cosmetic restoration in our hospital were selected and assigned to the LR group (n = 88) and the NR group (n = 88) according to patients' voluntary choice of prosthetic materials. The LR group was cured with light-cured composite resin, while the NR group was cured with nanocomposite resin. By comparing the related indexes of patients in the two groups, it was discovered that in the NR group, the excellent and good rate and patients' evaluation of the repair effect were higher, while the periodontal attachment, gingival index, dental plaque index, VAS score, and the incidence of tooth sensitivity were lower, all P < 0.05. The results indicated that the nanocomposite resin had significant cosmetic effect on anterior teeth and had application value.

Surface-Electronic-Structure Reconstruction of Perovskite via Double-Cation Gradient Etching for Superior Water Oxidation.

Reconstructing the surface-electronic-structure of catalysts for efficient electrocatalytic activity is crucial but still under intense exploration. Herein, we introduce a double-cation gradient etching technique to manipulate the electronic structure of perovskite LaCoO3. With the gradient dissolution of cations, the surface was reconstructed, and the perovskite/spinel heterostructure V-LCO/Co3O4 (V-LCO refers to LaCoO3 with La and Co vacancies) can be realized. Its surface-electronic-structure is effectively regulated due to the heterogeneous interface effect and abundant vacancies, resulting in a significantly enhanced activity for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The V-LCO/Co3O4 exhibits low electrochemical activation energy and 2 orders of magnitude higher carrier concentrations (1.36 × 1021 cm-3) compared with LCO (6.03 × 1019 cm-3). Density functional theory (DFT) calculation unveils that the directional reconstruction of surface-electronic-structure enables the d-band center of V-LCO/Co3O4 to a moderate position, endowing perfect adsorption strength for oxo groups and thus promoting the electrocatalytic activity.

Tunable ferromagnetic ordering in phosphorus adsorbed ReS2 nanosheets.

Layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are considered as promising materials for electronic, optoelectronic and spintronic devices due to their outstanding properties. Herein, based on rhenium disulfide (ReS2) nanosheets, we realized the intrinsic room temperature ferromagnetism with the adsorption of P adatoms (P-ReS2). Experiments indicate that the saturation magnetization (Ms ) can be tuned by the P ratios, where the maximum Ms can reach up to 0.0174 emu g-1. Besides, density functional theory (DFT) calculation results demonstrate that the strong hybridization between Re d and P p orbitals is the main reason of inducing ferromagnetism in P-ReS2 system. This work provides a novel method to engineer the magnetism of TMDs, endowing them with the possibility of spintronic applications.

Interfacial Engineering of NiO/NiCo2O4 Porous Nanofibers as Efficient Bifunctional Catalysts for Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries.

To meet the crucial demand of regenerative Zn-air (ZA) batteries, low cost, highly efficient, and durable electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are needed to replace the noble metal. Herein, porous NiO/NiCo2O4 nanofibers with superior electrocatalytic performance are synthesized by a facile electrospinning strategy with precursor transition metal salts in nonstoichiometric ratio, which confers the heterostructured NiO/NiCo2O4 with abundant interface-related active sites and electronic transmission channels. Density functional calculation results reveal the chemical bonds easily form between NiO and NiCo2O4 to facilitate the charge transfer, while X-ray absorption fine spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results demonstrate there are abundant Ni3+ and Co3+ species in NiO/NiCo2O4 due to the interfacial engineering. As a result, the NiO/NiCo2O4 porous nanofibers exhibit highly efficient and durable performances of OER and ORR in KOH solution, including a lower overpotential of 357 mV at 10 mA cm-2 (OER) and half-wave potential of 0.73 V (ORR) than that of the individual. What's more, the NiO/NiCo2O4-based ZA battery displays excellent specific capacities of 814.4 mA h g-1, and good cycling stability of 175 h. Additionally, the flexible ZA battery displays a long cycling life of 14 h and decent flexibility. This work shows that construction of the heterostructure could provide a feasible method to optimize their electrocatalytic performance and make them widely used in power source devices.

Multigene phylogeny and taxonomy of Dendryphion hydei and Torula hydei spp. nov. from herbaceous litter in northern Thailand.

During our studies on asexual fungi colonizing herbaceous litter in northern Thailand, we discovered two new fungal species, viz. Dendryphion hydei and Torula hydei spp. nov. The latter are examined, and their morphological characters are described as well as their DNA sequences from ribosomal and protein coding genes are analysed to infer their phylogenetic relationships with extant fungi. Torula hydei is different from other similar Torula species in having tiny and catenate conidia. Dendryphion hydei can be distinguished from other similar Dendryphion species in having large conidiophores and subhyaline to pale olivaceous brown, 2-4(-5)-septate conidia. Multigene phylogenetic analyses of a combined LSU, SSU, TEF1-α, RPB2 and ITS DNA sequence dataset generated from maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses indicate that T. hydei forms a distinct lineage and basal to T. fici. Dendryphion hydei forms a distinct lineage and basal to D. europaeum, D. comosum, D. aquaticum and D. fluminicola within Torulaceae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes).

Robust ferromagnetism in Cr-doped ReS2 nanosheets demonstrated by experiments and density functional theory calculations.

As one of the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), ReS2 displays several outstanding properties, while the intrinsically nonmagnetic property limits its applications in spin-related devices. In this study, we selected Cr as the dopant to realize the robust room-temperature ferromagnetism in Cr-doped ReS2 (Cr-ReS2) nanosheets. The saturation magnetization (M s ) of the samples can be tuned by changing the Cr concentration. Density functional theory calculation results reveal that Cr dopant can provide the magnetic moments and stable ferromagnetic coupling in Cr-doped ReS2 system. This finding provides an effective approach for designing the new magnetic TMDs in spintronics devices.

Correlation between PTEN gene polymorphism and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Correlation between phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) gene polymorphism and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) was investigated. A total of 33 OSCC patients were studied and 33 healthy individuals were included as the control group. Correlation between PTEN gene and OSCC was explored via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. The PTEN gene polymorphism was detected via PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and its correlation with OSCC was explored. The immunohistochemical assay showed that the PTEN protein expression level significantly declined in OSCC patients (2.37±1.01 µg/l) compared with that in healthy subjects (3.09±0.95 µg/l). There was no significant difference in the rs2943773 genotype between control and experimental group (χ2=0.863, P=0.712), but there was a significant difference in the rs9651495 genotype between the two groups (P<0.05). The C/C genotype frequency of rs9651495 in OSCC patients (50.15%) was significantly higher than that in healthy subjects (23.71%) (P<0.05). The C/T genotype frequency of rs9651495 had no significant difference between the two groups (18.52 vs. 19.01%) (P>0.05). The T/T genotype frequency of rs9651495 in OSCC patients (31.33%) was obviously lower than that in healthy subjects (57.19%) (P<0.05). According to statistics, the PTEN protein expression level in patients with C/C genotype was remarkably lower than that in patients with other genotypes. There is a correlation between PTEN gene polymorphism and OSCC. Thereby, the higher C/C genotype frequency corresponds to the lower PTEN protein expression level, thus inducing OSCC.

miR-184 promotes cell proliferation in tongue squamous cell carcinoma by targeting SOX7.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the miR-184 could regulate the proliferation of the tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) through sex-determining region Y-box 7 (SOX7) gene. miR-184 expression was upregulated in TSCC cell lines and tissues. MTT assay revealed that overexpression of miR-184 significantly promoted the proliferation of the TSCC cells in vitro. SOX7 was the direct target of miR-184 and luciferase reporter assay confirmed that miR-184 downregulated the expression of SOX7. MTT assay verified that knockdown of SOX7 remarkably promoted the proliferation of TSCC cells in vitro. miR-184 promoted the proliferation of TSCC by targeting SOX7. Taken together, our results provided a new potential therapeutic target for TSCC treatment.

Faradaic processes beyond Nernst's law: density functional theory assisted modelling of partial electron delocalisation and pseudocapacitance in graphene oxides.

The study of electron delocalisation in oxygen atom segregated zones in graphene, aided by the first-principles density functional theory, has revealed extra energy bands of ≥2 eV wide around the Fermi level, predicting Faradaic charge storage occurring in a wide range of potentials, which disagrees with Nernst's law but accounts well for the so called pseudocapacitance of heteroatom-modified graphene based electrode materials in supercapacitors.