For the first time, we report the electrochemical activity of anatase TiO2 nanorods in a Na cell. The anatase TiO2 nanorods were synthesized by a hydrothermal method, and their surfaces were coated ...by carbon to improve the electric conductivity through carbonization of pitch at 700 °C for 2 h in Ar flow. The resulting structure does not change before and after the carbon coating, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Transmission electron microscopic images confirm the presence of a carbon coating on the anatase TiO2 nanorods. In cell tests, anodes of bare and carbon-coated anatase TiO2 nanorods exhibit stable cycling performance and attain a capacity of about 172 and 193 mAh g–1 on the first charge, respectively, in the voltage range of 3–0 V. With the help of the conductive carbon layers, the carbon-coated anatase TiO2 delivers more capacity at high rates, 104 mAh g–1 at the 10 C-rate (3.3 A g–1), 82 mAh g–1 at the 30 C-rate (10 A g–1), and 53 mAh g–1 at the 100 C-rate (33 A g–1). By contrast, the anode of bare anatase TiO2 nanorods delivers only about 38 mAh g–1 at the 10 C-rate (3.3 A g–1). The excellent cyclability and high-rate capability are the result of a Na+ insertion and extraction reaction into the host structure coupled with Ti4+/3+ redox reaction, as revealed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy.
Rice blast is one of the most destructive diseases of rice and is caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. The disease causes enormous yield losses in rice production worldwide. The rice blast fungus ...delivers effector proteins into rice cells. The effector proteins play an essential role in fungal virulence by manipulating and controlling host cellular pathways and inhibiting host immune responses to enhance pathogenicity. An effector gene, AvrPi9, which corresponds to the resistance gene Pi9, was cloned and characterized. However, a regulatory molecular mechanism for AvrPi9 gene expression has not been determined. In this study, the genetic variation of the AvrPi9 and its promoter function were characterized. The results showed that 98% (116/118) of the samples carried the AvrPi9 gene without any sequence variation, whilst two isolates, 10576 from Kalasin and NYK56003 from Nakhon Nayok, lacked the AvrPi9 gene. A homeobox domain‐containing protein (MoHOX6) was identified as a candidate transcription factor. The AvrPi9 gene expression was delayed in the MoHOX6 knockout mutant. Moreover, the AvrPi9 promoter was able to drive the expression of a luciferase gene in rice protoplasts. This study provides the first insight into the function and regulation of the AvrPi9 promoter of rice blast fungus.
MoHox6, a transcription factor, binds to the AvrPi9 promoter and helps the expression of the AvrPi9 gene in the rice blast fungus during infection and in rice protoplasts.
We recorded and analyzed the atmospheric dimethyl sulfide (DMS) mixing ratios at a remote Arctic location (Svalbard; 78.5°N, 11.8°E) during phytoplankton bloom periods in the years 2010, 2014, and ...2015 and found varying regional relationships between the atmospheric DMS and the extent of exposure of the air mass to the phytoplankton biomass in the ocean surrounding the observation site. The DMS production capacity of the Greenland Sea was estimated to be a factor of 3 greater than that of the Barents Sea, whereas the phytoplankton biomass in the Barents Sea was more than twofold than that in the Greenland Sea. These apparently contradictory results may be induced by the occurrence of a greater abundance of DMS‐producing phytoplankton in the Greenland Sea than in the Barents Sea during the phytoplankton bloom periods.
Key Points
We found regionally and temporally varying relationships between atmospheric DMS and air mass exposure to phytoplankton in the Arctic Ocean
The DMS production capacity of the Greenland Sea was 3 times greater than that of the Barents Sea
There is a higher abundance of DMS‐producing phytoplankton in the Greenland Sea than in the Barents Sea during the phytoplankton bloom period
As the western North Pacific Ocean is located downwind of the source regions for spring Asian dust, it is an ideal location for determining the response of open waters to these events. Spatial ...analysis of spring Asian dust events from source regions to the western North Pacific, using long‐term daily aerosol index data, revealed three different transport pathways supported by the westerly wind system: one passing across the northern East/Japan Sea (40°N–50°N), a second moving over the entire East/Japan Sea (35°N–55°N), and a third flowing predominantly over the Siberian continent (>50°N). Our results indicate that strong spring Asian dust events can increase ocean primary productivity by more than 70% (>2‐fold increase in chlorophyll‐a concentrations) compared to weak/nondust conditions. Therefore, attention should be paid to the recent downturn in the number of spring Asian dust events and to the response of primary production in the western North Pacific to this change.
Key Points
There were three different transport pathways for spring Asian dust events in the study area
Ocean primary productivity was significantly increased by the spring Asian dust events
There has been a recent decrease in spring Asian dust events in the western North Pacific Ocean
Oceanic dimethyl sulfide (DMS) emissions have been recognized as a biological regulator of climate by contributing to cloud formation. Despite decades of research, the climatic role of DMS remains ...ambiguous largely because of limited observational evidence for DMS‐induced cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) enhancement. Here, we report concurrent measurement of DMS, physiochemical properties of aerosol particles, and CCN in the Arctic atmosphere during the phytoplankton bloom period of 2010. We encountered multiple episodes of new particle formation (NPF) and particle growth when DMS mixing ratios were both low and high. The growth of particles to sizes at which they can act as CCN accelerated in response to an increase in atmospheric DMS. Explicitly, the sequential increase in all relevant parameters (including the source rate of condensable vapor, the growth rate of particles, Aitken mode particles, hygroscopicity, and CCN) was pronounced at the DMS‐derived NPF and particle growth events. This field study unequivocally demonstrates the previously unconfirmed roles of DMS in the growth of particles into climate‐relevant size and eventual CCN activation.
Plain Language Summary
Marine phytoplankton can produce gaseous dimethyl sulfide (DMS), which is the most abundant form of sulfur released into the atmosphere through sea‐air gas exchange. The polar oceans are known to be the most productive ocean in terms of DMS due to the high abundance of DMS‐producing phytoplankton. The oceanic emission of DMS into the marine atmosphere has received substantial attention during the last 30 years because of its contribution to cloud formation and its subsequent impact on climate. However, the climate feedback role of DMS remains uncertain due to insufficient evidence supporting DMS‐derived formation of aerosol particles and their subsequent activation into cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), in turn affecting the Earth's radiation budget. In this study, we analyzed atmospheric DMS mixing ratios, and concentrations of aerosol particles and CCN in the Arctic atmosphere during the phytoplankton bloom period. Our results show that atmospheric DMS affects the formation and growth of aerosol particles and significantly contributes to CCN populations.
Key Points
Dimethyl sulfide (DMS), aerosol particle numbers, and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) were measured in the Arctic atmosphere
Multiple episodes of new particle formation and particle growth with both high and low DMS mixing ratios were observed
An increase in CCN was observed when the formation and growth of aerosol particles derived from DMS occurred
TGFam-Finder Kim, Seungill; Cheong, Kyeongchae; Park, Jieun ...
New phytologist,
September 2020, Volume:
227, Issue:
5
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Whole-genome annotation error that omits essential protein-coding genes hinders further research.
We developed Target Gene Family Finder (TGFam-Finder), an alternative tool for the structural ...annotation of protein-coding genes containing target domain(s) of interest in plant genomes. TGFam-Finder took considerably reduced annotation run-time and improved accuracy compared to conventional annotation tools.
Large-scale re-annotation of 50 plant genomes identified an average of 150, 166 and 86 additional far-red-impaired response 1, nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich-repeat, and cytochrome P450 genes, respectively, that were missed in previous annotations. We detected significantly higher number of translated genes in the new annotations using mass spectrometry data from seven plant species compared to previous annotations.
TGFam-Finder along with the new gene models can provide an optimized platform for comprehensive functional, comparative, and evolutionary studies in plants.
In this work, we present a true 3D 128 Gb 2 bit/cell vertical-NAND (V-NAND) Flash product for the first time. The use of barrier-engineered materials and gate all-around structure in the 3D V-NAND ...cell exhibits advantages over 1 × nm planar NAND, such as small Vth shift due to small cell coupling and narrow natural Vth distribution. Also, a negative counter-pulse scheme realizes a tightly programmed cell distribution. In order to reduce the effect of a large WL coupling, a glitch-canceling discharge scheme and a pre-offset control scheme is implemented. Furthermore, an external high-voltage supply scheme along with the proper protection scheme for a high-voltage failure is used to achieve low power consumption. The chip accomplishes 50 MB/s write throughput with 3 K endurance for typical embedded applications. Also, extended endurance of 35 K is achieved with 36 MB/s of write throughput for data center and enterprise SSD applications.
The high refractive index of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a‐Si:H) at optical frequencies is an essential property for the efficient modulation of the phase and amplitude of light. However, ...substantial optical loss represented by its high extinction coefficient prevents it from being utilized widely. Here, the bonding configurations of a‐Si:H are investigated, in order to manipulate the extinction coefficient and produce a material that is competitive with conventional transparent materials, such as titanium dioxide and gallium nitride. This is achieved by controlling the hydrogenation and silicon disorder by adjusting the chemical deposition conditions. The extinction coefficient of the low‐loss a‐Si:H reaches a minimum of 0.082 at the wavelength of 450 nm, which is lower than that of crystalline silicon (0.13). Beam‐steering metasurfaces are demonstrated to validate the low‐loss optical properties, reaching measured efficiencies of 42%, 62%, and 75% at the wavelengths of 450, 532, and 635 nm, respectively. Considering its compatibility with mature complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor processes, the low‐loss a‐Si:H will provide a platform for efficient photonic operating in the full visible regime.
The atomic bonding networks of hydrogenated amorphous silicon are revealed to reduce its optical loss in the visible region. Atomic bonding networks are manipulated by controlling the process conditions of plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The optimal atomic configuration demonstrates the low‐loss hydrogenated amorphous silicon as being an efficient photonic platform by expanding the working frequencies from the infrared to the visible spectrum.
Primary liver cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Liver cancer metabolism includes both the reprogramming of intracellular metabolism to enable cancer cells to proliferate inappropriately and adapt to ...the tumor microenvironment and fluctuations in regular tissue metabolism. Currently, metabolomics and metabolite profiling in liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been in the spotlight in terms of cancer diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy. Metabolomics is the global analysis of small molecules, chemicals, and metabolites. Metabolomics technologies can provide critical information about the liver cancer state. Here, we review how liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and HCC therapies interact with metabolism at the cellular and systemic levels. An overview of liver metabolomics is provided, with a focus on currently available technologies and how they have been used in clinical and translational research. We also list scalable methods, including chemometrics, followed by pathway processing in liver cancer. We conclude that important drivers of metabolomics science and scientific technologies are novel therapeutic tools and liver cancer biomarker analysis.
Amorphous WO3 thin films with a nanoparticulated morphology were fabricated using a combination of electrodeposition and electrophoretic deposition via the precipitation reaction of a peroxotungstic ...acid (PTA) solution. Due to the presence of the precipitated WO3 nanoparticles in the aged PTA solution, the electrophoretic deposition and electrodeposition occur simultaneously, which results in a grainy surface morphology in which nano-sized WO3 particles are embedded on a smooth WO3 thin film. The WAT-5 sample prepared with a PTA solution aged for 5 days exhibited faster ion intercalation/de-intercalation kinetics (coloration time of 3 s and bleaching time of 1 s), a greater transmittance modulation (68.36%), and a higher coloration efficiency (41.29 cm2/C) with better cyclic stability (91% retention during 300 cycles) than a WO3 thin film fabricated using the PTA solution without the aging process. The nanoparticulated morphology enhanced the active reaction area by expanding the interface between the electrolyte and the electrochromic material. Such results indicate that the electrochromic characteristics of WO3 thin films can be improved simply by adjusting the aging period of the PTA solution.
•Nanoparticulated WO3 thin films were prepared by a precipitation of a PTA solution.•Surface morphology was controlled by adjusting the aging period of the PTA solution.•Electrophoretic and electrodeposition occur simultaneously in the aged PTA solution.•The WAT-5 sample showed high transmittance modulation value of 68.36%.•The WAT-5 sample exhibited high coloration efficiency value of 45.3 cm2/C.
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