The study is intended to find a more effective farming practice for improving proso millet production in semi-arid regions of China and a fast real-time method of estimating effects of ridging ...treatments on the growth and yield of proso millet. An experiment was conducted to investigate soil water contents (SWCs), soil temperatures, water use efficiencies (WUEs), growths and grain yields of proso millet in 2014 and 2015 in Yulin, Shaanxi, China. In the experiment, a control treatment (CK, a convention farming without mulching) and six ridging and mulching combined treatments were tested. The ridging treatments mostly improved the soil moistures, WUEs, growths and grain yields of proso millet compared with the CK. The highest grain yields of proso millet appeared in the ridging treatment with hills and furrows plastic film mulched (RHFPFM) in both of the years. Because of its beneficial effects in SWC, WUE and leaf area index (LAI), RHFPFM improved the growth of proso millet and increased its yield by 31.3%-35.3% in the experimental years. These benefits mostly intensified with the extensions of the corresponding mulched areas. The LAI was shown to have close relations with the aboveground dry matter, crop growth rate and yield of proso millet. The LAI regression formulae developed in the study would provide useful information for growth monitoring and yield estimation of proso millet in the ridging treatments. In this study, the RHFPFM was recommended as an effective farming practice for improving the growth and yield of proso millet in semi-arid regions of China.
Fitting (nanoparticles) to a T: Single‐stranded DNA poly T (blue, see scheme) was found to be a template for the formation of fluorescent copper nanoparticles (CuNPs, red spheres). The size and ...fluorescence of these CuNPs could be regulated by altering the length of poly T. Other ssDNAs (green) failed to act as a template for CuNPs and were used to create alternating metallized and non‐metallized nanostructures.
Metal‐coordination‐directed biomolecule crosslinking in nature has been used for synthesizing various biopolymers, including DNA, peptides, proteins, and polysaccharides. However, the RNA biopolymer ...has been avoided so far, as due to the poor stability of the RNA molecules, the formation of a biopolymer may alter the biological function of the molecules. Herein, for the first time, we report Zn2+‐driven RNA self‐assembly forming spherical nanoparticles while retaining the integrity and biological function of RNA. Various functional RNAs of different compositions, shapes, and lengths from 20 to nearly 1000 nucleotides were used, highlighting the versatility of this approach. The assembled nanospheres possess a superior RNA‐loading efficiency, pharmacokinetics, and bioavailability. In‐vitro and in‐vivo evaluation demonstrated mRNA delivery for expressing GFP proteins, and microRNA delivery to triple‐negative breast cancer. This coordination‐directed self‐assembly behavior amplifies the horizons of RNA coordination chemistry and the application scope of RNA‐based therapeutics.
Zn2+‐driven RNA self‐assembly forming spherical nanoparticles while retaining the integrity and biological functions of RNA was reported. Various functional RNAs of different compositions, shapes, and lengths from 20 to nearly 1000 nucleotides can be used.
Narrow bandwidths are a general bottleneck for applications relying on passive, linear, subwavelength resonators. In the past decades, several efforts have been devoted to overcoming this challenge, ...broadening the bandwidth of small resonators by the means of analog non-Foster matching networks for radiators, antennas and metamaterials. However, most non-Foster approaches present challenges in terms of tunability, stability and power limitations. Here, by tuning a subwavelength acoustic transducer with digital non-Foster-inspired electronics, we demonstrate five-fold bandwidth enhancement compared to conventional analog non-Foster matching. Long-distance transmission over airborne acoustic channels, with approximately three orders of magnitude increase in power level, validates the performance of the proposed approach. We also demonstrate convenient reconfigurability of our non-Foster-inspired electronics. This implementation provides a viable solution to enhance the bandwidth of sub-wavelength resonance-based systems, extendable to the electromagnetic domain, and enables the practical implementation of airborne and underwater acoustic radiators.
Flying vertebrates exhibit sophisticated wingbeat kinematics. Their specialized forelimbs allow for the wing morphing motion to couple with the flapping motion during their level flight. Previous ...flyable bionic platforms have successfully applied bioinspired wing morphing but cannot yet be propelled by the morphing-coupled wingbeat pattern. Spurred by this, we develop a bioinspired flapping-wing aerial vehicle entitled RoboFalcon, which is equipped with a novel mechanism to drive the bat-style morphing wings, performs a morphing-coupled wingbeat pattern, and overall manages an appealing flight. The novel mechanism of RoboFalcon allows coupling the morphing and flapping during level flight and decoupling these when maneuvering is required, producing a bilateral asymmetric downstroke affording high rolling agility. The bat-style morphing wing is designed with a tilted mounting angle around the radius at the wrist joint to mimic the wrist supination and pronation effect of flying vertebrates' forelimbs. Wind tunnel tests indicate that the rolling moment of the asymmetric downstroke is correlated with the flapping frequency, and the wrist mounting angle can be used for tuning the angle of attack, lift-thrust configuration, and power consumption of the equilibrium flight state. The agility of RoboFalcon is assessed through several tethered rolling maneuvers and outdoor free flight tests, and we present a concise analysis of the vehicle's lateral dynamics model based on system identification. We believe that this article yields a well-performing bionic platform and provides a new actuation strategy for the morphing-coupled flapping flight.
The giant panda evolved from omnivorous bears. It lives on a bamboo-dominated diet at present, but it still retains a typical carnivorous digestive system and is genetically deficient in ...cellulose-digesting enzymes. To find out whether this endangered mammalian species, like other herbivores, has successfully developed a gut microbiota adapted to its fiber-rich diet, we conducted a 16S rRNA gene-based large-scale structural profiling of the giant panda fecal microbiota. Forty-five captive individuals were sampled in spring, summer, and late autumn within 1 year. Significant intraindividual variations in the diversity and structure of gut microbiota across seasons were observed in this population, which were even greater than the variations between individuals. Compared with published data sets involving 124 gut microbiota profiles from 54 mammalian species, these giant pandas, together with 9 captive and 7 wild individuals investigated previously, showed extremely low gut microbiota diversity and an overall structure that diverged from those of nonpanda herbivores but converged with those of carnivorous and omnivorous bears. The giant panda did not harbor putative cellulose-degrading phylotypes such as Ruminococcaceae and Bacteroides bacteria that are typically enriched in other herbivores, but instead, its microbiota was dominated by Escherichia/Shigella and Streptococcus bacteria. Members of the class Clostridia were common and abundant in the giant panda gut microbiota, but most of the members present were absent in other herbivores and were not phylogenetically related with known cellulolytic lineages. Therefore, the giant panda appears not to have evolved a gut microbiota compatible with its newly adopted diet, which may adversely influence the coevolutionary fitness of this herbivore.
The giant panda, an endangered mammalian species endemic to western China, is well known for its unique bamboo diet. Unlike other herbivores that have successfully evolved anatomically specialized digestive systems to efficiently deconstruct fibrous plant matter, the giant panda still retains a gastrointestinal tract typical of carnivores. We characterized the fecal bacterial communities from a giant panda population to determine whether this animal relies on its symbiotic gut microbiota to cope with the complex carbohydrates that dominate its diet, as is common in other herbivores. We found that the giant panda gut microbiota is low in diversity and highly variable across seasons. It also shows an overall composition typical of bears and entirely differentiated from other herbivores, with low levels of putative cellulose-digesting bacteria. The gut microbiota of this herbivore, therefore, may not have well adapted to its highly fibrous diet, suggesting a potential link with its poor digestive efficiency.
•A casein-derived angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptide, YQKFPQYLQY (YQK) was purified and identified, with its IC50 value of 11.068 μM.•The inhibitory mode of YQK was competitive.•YQK ...was stable against heat, pH and the gastrointestinal enzymes pepsin and trypsin.•Significant decreases of systolic blood pressure induced by oral YQK in SHR rats support its antihypertensive effect.
In this study, we identified a novel angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide, YQKFPQYLQY (YQK), derived from bovine casein. Casein was hydrolyzed using pepsin and trypsin. The target peptide, YQK, was separated from the hydrolysate by ultrafiltration and Sephadex G-15chromatography. The IC50 value of YQK was 11.1μM. YQK retained its ACE inhibitory activity under various temperature and pH conditions. It was also stable against the digestive enzymes pepsin and trypsin. The Lineweaver–Burk plot suggested that the inhibitory mode of YQK was competitive. Furthermore, its antihypertensive effects in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) also revealed that oral administration of YQK can significantly decrease systolic blood pressure. These results suggested that YQK may have potential applications in functional foods or pharmaceuticals as an antihypertensive agent.
For both professional and amateur athletes, perspiration analysis technique is considered as a powerful tool for real-time monitoring the athletes’ physiological status during sports. This study ...presents an innovative self-powered wireless sweat-analysis patch worn on the skin for real-time monitoring chloride concentration and pH levels in perspiration. The patch consists of two main components: self-powered unit and sensing unit. The power unit, made of piezoelectric ceramic materials, converts mechanical energy during exercise into electrical energy to drive the whole system. The sensing unit has the functions of sampling and analyzing the sweat, and wireless communication. Through an exactly designed hydrophobic and hydrophilic composite microchannel structure, sweat is effectively guided to the storage chamber. The colorimetric fabrics embedded in the chamber respond to the presence of chloride ions and pH levels in the sweat, producing a color-changing reaction. Color sensors above the fabrics detects these color changes for analyzing the sweat, while Near Field Communication (NFC) technology wirelessly transmits this information to outside mobile devices or data-collection cloud. This system not only provides a new avenue for real-time monitoring of athletes’ health status but also offers a scientific basis for adjusting training plans.
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•The patch converts mechanical energy into electrical energy offers a new way to work for longer periods.•The patch can monitor chloride levels and pH in sweat in real-time.•The combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic microchannel structure directs the sweat.•Color sensors and NFC technology improve the convenience and efficiency of data transmission.
An innovative morphing scheme, i.e., dynamical chordwise retracting and stretching, has been proposed for flapping wings. Its aerodynamic effects have been investigated based on a plunging ...two-dimensional flat wing. The conclusive results suggest that the novel morphing scheme can help to enhance the power utilization efficiency of flapping wings in forward motions. Plunging wings equipped with the novel morphing scheme can generate more thrust for a given power consumption or consume less power for a given thrust generation compared with their non-morphing counterparts. Moreover, the morphing scheme tends to function more positively as the defined morphing amplitude increases. In the currently covered parameter spaces, the largest peak propulsive efficiency improvements induced by the morphing scheme are 12.3% at Re = 15 × 104 and 10.8% at Re = 5 × 104, respectively. Examination of the flow structures around the plunging wings reveals that dynamical chordwise retracting and stretching of the wing can ameliorate the vortex distribution, which could account for the propulsive property changes caused by the morphing scheme. The current study may have yielded an inspiring and prospective scheme for enhancing the propulsive capacity of micro-flapping-wing aerial and underwater robots.
Abstract Photodynamic therapy (PDT) presents a promising approach for combating periodontitis, an infectious disease triggered by bacteria. However, the hypoxic environment within periodontal pockets ...poses challenges for PDT efficacy. In this study, novel purine‐based C^N ligands are utilized to develop Ir(III) complexes with enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capacity for periodontitis treatment. The type I/II PDT performance of Ir(III) is greatly enhanced by the purine ligands, which leads to potent bactericidal and biofilm elimination efficacy. In a rat model of periodontitis, local application of these purine‐based Ir(III) complexes effectively achieves antibacterial and anti‐inflammatory effects while promoting tissue repair under clinical luminaire exposure. This PDT strategy utilizing purine‐based Ir(III) complexes circumvents the need for antibiotics and surgical intervention, emerging as a promising, non‐invasive approach for managing periodontitis.
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