A hydroxyapatite-biochar nanocomposite (HAP-BC) was successfully fabricated and its physicochemical properties characterized. The analyses showed that HAP nanoparticles were successfully loaded on ...the biochar surface. The adsorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) by HAP-BC was systematically studied in single and ternary metal systems. The results demonstrated that pH affects the adsorption of heavy metals onto HAP-BC. Regarding the adsorption kinetics, the pseudo-second-order model showed the best fit for all three heavy metal ions on HAP-BC. In both single and ternary metal ion systems, the adsorption isotherm of Pb(II) by HAP-BC followed Langmuir model, while those of Cu(II) and Zn(II) fitted well with Freundlich model. The maximum adsorption capacity for each tested metal by HAP-BC was higher than that of pristine rice straw biochar (especially for Pb(II)) or those of other reported adsorbents. Therefore, HAP-BC could explore as a new material for future application in heavy metal removal.
A novel hydroxyapatite-biochar nanocomposite was synthesized and used for Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) removal in solutions. Display omitted
•A novel hydroxyapatite-biochar nanocomposite (HAP-BC) was synthesized.•The HAP-BC was tested for the adsorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II).•The HAP-BC showed enhanced sorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II).•The adsorbed HAP-BC can be effectively regenerated by using HCl solution.•The HAP-BC can be used to remove heavy metals from wastewater.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging is an emerging noninvasive imaging modality, with unique advantages in guiding tumor resection surgery, thanks to its high sensitivity and instantaneity. In ...the past decade, studies on the conventional NIR window (NIR‐I, 750–900 nm) have gradually focused on the second NIR window (NIR‐II, 1000–1700 nm). With its reduced light scattering, photon absorption, and auto‐fluorescence qualities, NIR‐II fluorescence imaging significantly improves penetration depths and signal‐to‐noise ratios in bio‐imaging. Recently, several studies have applied NIR‐II imaging to navigating cancer surgery, including localizing cancers, assessing surgical margins, tracing lymph nodes, and mapping important anatomical structures. These studies have exemplified the significant prospects of this new approach. In this review, several NIR‐II fluorescence agents and some of the complex applications for guiding cancer surgeries are summarized. Future prospects and the challenges of clinical translation are also discussed.
Compared with traditional near‐infrared (NIR‐I) fluorescence imaging, NIR‐II imaging modality can significantly improve imaging penetration depth, spatial resolution, and inadequate signal‐to‐noise ratios. A variety of NIR‐II luminescent materials and imaging systems are developed, and widely applied to guide the surgery for malignancies in preclinical stage. Also, preliminary clinical translation is achieved, showing promising application prospects.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
In this study, a jacobsite–biochar nanocomposite (MnFe2O4–BC) was fabricated and used to simultaneously remove Sb(iii) and Cd(ii) from water via adsorption. The MnFe2O4–BC nanocomposite was prepared ...via a co-precipitation method and analyzed using various techniques. The results confirm the successful decoration of the biochar surface with MnFe2O4 nanoparticles. The maximum Sb(iii) removal efficiency was found to be higher from bi-solute solutions containing Cd(ii) than from single-solute systems, suggesting that the presence of Cd(ii) enhances the removal of Sb(iii). The Langmuir isotherm model describes well Sb(iii) and Cd(ii) removal via adsorption onto the MnFe2O4–BC nanocomposite. The maximum adsorption capacities are 237.53 and 181.49 mg g−1 for Sb(iii) and Cd(ii), respectively, in a bi-solute system. Thus, the prepared MnFe2O4–BC nanocomposite is demonstrated to be a potential adsorbent for simultaneously removing Sb(iii) and Cd(ii) ions from aqueous solutions.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, UL, UM, UPUK
Chrysosplenium L. (Saxifragaceae) is a genus of plants widely distributed in Northern Hemisphere and usually found in moist, shaded valleys and mountain slopes. This genus is ideal for studying plant ...adaptation to low light conditions. Although some progress has been made in the systematics and biogeography of Chrysosplenium, its chloroplast genome evolution remains to be investigated.
To fill this gap, we sequenced the chloroplast genomes of six Chrysosplenium species and analyzed their genome structure, GC content, and nucleotide diversity. Moreover, we performed a phylogenetic analysis and calculated non-synonymous (Ka) /synonymous (Ks) substitution ratios using the combined protein-coding genes of 29 species within Saxifragales and two additional species as outgroups, as well as a pair-wise estimation for each gene within Chrysosplenium. Compared with the outgroups in Saxifragaceae, the six Chrysosplenium chloroplast genomes had lower GC contents; they also had conserved boundary regions and gene contents, as only the rpl32 gene was lost in four of the Chrysosplenium chloroplast genomes. Phylogenetic analyses suggested that the Chrysosplenium separated to two major clades (the opposite group and the alternate group). The selection pressure estimation (Ka/Ks ratios) of genes in the Chrysosplenium species showed that matK and ycf2 were subjected to positive selection.
This study provides genetic resources for exploring the phylogeny of Chrysosplenium and sheds light on plant adaptation to low light conditions. The lower average GC content and the lacking gene of rpl32 indicated selective pressure in their unique habitats. Different from results previously reported, our selective pressure estimation suggested that the genes related to photosynthesis (such as ycf2) were under positive selection at sites in the coding region.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The CRISPR/Cas9 system is becoming an important genome editing tool for crop breeding. Although it has been demonstrated that target mutations can be transmitted to the next generation, their ...inheritance pattern has not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we describe the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing of four different rice genes with the help of online target-design tools. High-frequency mutagenesis and a large percentage of putative biallelic mutations were observed in T0 generations. Nonetheless, our results also indicate that the progeny genotypes of biallelic T0 lines are frequently difficult to predict and that the transmission of mutations largely does not conform to classical genetic laws, which suggests that the mutations in T0 transgenic rice are mainly somatic mutations. Next, we followed the inheritance pattern of T1 plants. Regardless of the presence of the CRISPR/Cas9 transgene, the mutations in T1 lines were stably transmitted to later generations, indicating a standard germline transmission pattern. Off-target effects were also evaluated, and our results indicate that with careful target selection, off-target mutations are rare in CRISPR/Cas9-mediated rice gene editing. Taken together, our results indicate the promising production of inheritable and "transgene clean" targeted genome-modified rice in the T1 generation using the CRISPR/Cas9 system.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study investigates the roles of atmospheric moisture transport under the influence of topography for summer extreme precipitation over North China (NC) during 1979–2016. Based on rain gauge ...precipitation data and a reanalysis, 38 extreme precipitation days in NC during the 38 years were selected and associated moisture fluxes estimated. The results show that there is a dominant moisture influx of 311.8 kg m
−1
s
−1
into NC along its southern boundary from tropical oceans, and a secondary influx of 107.9 kg m
−1
s
−1
across its western boundary carried by mid-latitude westerlies. The outflux across the eastern boundary is 206.9 kg m
−1
s
−1
and across the northern boundary is 76.0 kg m
−1
s
−1
, giving a net moisture gain over NC of 136.8 kg m
−1
s
−1
. During extreme precipitation days, the moisture flux convergence (MFC) was much larger, exceeding 4 × 10
−5
kg m
−1
s
−1
. The MFC maximum core, the pronounced moisture transport, and the striking extreme precipitation zone over NC are all anchored to the east of the steep slopes of the surrounding topography. Moreover, a remarkably high humidity and strong upward motion also occur near steep slopes, indicating the critical role of the adjacent topography on the extreme precipitations. Simulations with and without the topography in NC using the Weather and Research Forecasting model for six selected out of the 38 extreme precipitation days demonstrate that the surrounding topography reinforces the MFC over NC by 16% relative to the case without terrain, primarily through enhanced wind convergence and higher moisture content, as well as stronger vertical motion induced by diabatic heating. The interactions between moisture convergence and topographic settings strengthen the extreme precipitation over NC.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Positive resection margin frequently exists in breast‐conserving treatment (BCT) of early‐stage breast cancer, and insufficient therapeutic efficacy is common during radiotherapy (RT) in advanced ...breast cancer patients. Moreover, a multimodal nanotherapy platform is urgently required for precision cancer medicine. Therefore, a biodegradable cyclic RGD pentapeptide/hollow virus‐like gadolinium (Gd)‐based indocyanine green (R&HV‐Gd@ICG) nanoprobe is developed to improve fluorescence image‐guided surgery and breast cancer RT efficacy. R&HV‐Gd exhibits remarkably improved aqueous stability, tumor retention, and target specificity of ICG, and achieves outstanding magnetic resonance/second near‐infrared (NIR‐II) window multimodal imaging in vivo. The nanoprobe‐based NIR‐II fluorescence image guidance facilitates complete tumor resection, improves the overall mouse survival rate, and effectively discriminates between benign and malignant breast tissues in spontaneous breast cancer transgenic mice (area under the curve = 0.978; 95% confidence interval: 0.952, 1.0). Moreover, introducing the nanoprobe to tumors generated more reactive oxygen species under X‐ray irradiation, improved RT sensitivity, and reduced mouse tumor progression. Notably, the nanoprobe is biodegradable in vivo and exhibits accelerated bodily clearance, which is expected to reduce the potential long‐term inorganic nanoparticle toxicity. Overall, the nanoprobe provides a basis for developing precision breast cancer treatment strategies.
A biodegradable diagnostic and therapeutic integrated nanoprobe is constructed for precise breast cancer treatment. The nanoprobe achieves accurate second near‐infrared (NIR‐II) fluorescence image‐guided surgical tumor resection and can be a radiotherapy (RT) sensitizer to enhance breast cancer RT efficacy. In addition, the nanoprobe exhibits in vivo biocompatibility and biodegradation.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
First-principles calculations show a self-isomerization process of the nearly planar superatom, in which the maximum energy difference between different extreme points is below 0.1 eV and a crossing ...between singlet and triplet states is also involved. Further UV-Vis spectra reveal a correlation between the spectra and structures caused by self-isomerization.
Self-isomerization, a special isomerization commonly found in systems with symmetry planes, is generally easy to occur without breaking chemical bonds and has important implications for the electronic structures and optical spectra.
Construction of BVOac-BVOal homojunction without incorporating other heteroatoms promoted an increase of photocurrent density to 3.6 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode with 0.1 M ...sodium sulfite as the hole scavenger under the illumination.
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The photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) suffers from sluggish charge mobility and substantial charge recombination losses due to its intrinsic defect. To rectify the problem, we developed a novel approach to prepare an n-n+ type II BVOac-BVOal homojunction with staggered band alignment. This architecture involves a built-in electric field that facilitating the electron-hole separation at the BVOac/BVOal interface. As a result, the BVOac-BVOal homojunction shows superior photocurrent density up to 3.6 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) with 0.1 M sodium sulfite as the hole scavenger, which is 3 times higher than that of the single-layer BiVO4 photoanode. Unlike the previous efforts that modifying the PEC performance of BiVO4 photoanodes through incorporating heteroatoms, the highly-efficient BVOac-BVOal homojunction was achieved without incorporating any heteroatoms in this work. The remarkable PEC activity of the BVOac-BVOal homojunction highlights the tremendous importance of reducing the charge recombination rate at the interface by constructing the homojunction and offers an effective strategy to form the heteroatoms-free BiVO4 thin film as an efficient photoanode material for practical PEC applications.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Purpose
High myopia can lead to blindness. Genipin is a collagen cross-linking agent that may be used to treat myopia. However, the mechanism of action of genipin for the treatment of myopia is ...unclear. This study investigated the effect of genipin on the scleral expression of the miR-29 cluster, matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), and collagen alpha1 chain of type I (COL1A1) in a guinea pig model of myopia.
Methods
The model of myopia was established by treating guinea pigs with a − 8D lens on both eyes for 21 days, and eyes with a refractive error of − 6D or greater were included. Quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot were used to examine the mRNA and protein expression, respectively. A dual-luciferase assay was used to determine the direct targeting of the miR-29 cluster on the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of the COL1A1 gene.
Results
The scleral expression of miR-29a, miR-29b, and miR-29c as well as MMP2 was significantly increased, and the scleral expression of COL1A1 was significantly decreased in the myopia group. Genipin treatment reversed these effects in myopic eyes. The dual-luciferase assay showed that the luciferase activities were significantly decreased in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells transfected with miR-29a and miR-29b, but not miR-29c, compared with those transfected with control miRNAs.
Conclusions
Genipin inhibits the scleral expression of the miR-29 cluster and MMP2 and promotes COL1A1 expression in a guinea pig model of myopia. Thus, genipin may promote COL1A1 expression by reducing the expression of the miR-29 cluster.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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