A broadband substrate integrated cavity (SIC) antenna array based on high‐order mode is proposed for low‐temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) integrated systems in W‐band. To improve the gain of ...antenna element, a large SIC is adopted to work in high‐order mode, which also avoid using excessive vias and reduce the process complexity. Two parasitic patches are loaded on the high‐order mode SIC to remove the reverse E‐field in the open aperture, leading to a high‐gain broadside radiation. The high‐order‐mode SIC antenna element is fed by high‐order TE20‐mode substrate integrated waveguide (SIW), rather than regular TE10‐mode SIW. The simplified feeding network with TE20‐mode SIW is also designed with wideband performance, further enhancing the fabrication robustness of antenna array. To validate the proposed high‐order mode‐based antenna element and feeding network, a W‐band 2 × 4 antenna array is designed as an example using LTCC technology. The measured return loss is better than 10 dB from 81.1 to 98.1 GHz (19% bandwidth) with a maximum gain of 18.3 dB at 94 GHz. The proposed antenna array has great potential in millimetre‐wave and terahertz LTCC integrated applications.
A broadband SIC antenna array based on high‐order‐mode radiator element and feeding network is proposed for W‐band applications. The large SIC is adopted to work in high‐order mode for reducing the process complexity. The low complexity and good performance make it greatly potential in millimetre‐wave and terahertz LTCC integrated applications.
A lack of available phosphorus (P) minerals and their very localized regional distribution threatens world food production. Traditional farming methods that recycle various biological wastes and ...manure for localized fertilization of farmland are our model but come with risks such as hygiene, water toxification, and passed-on diseases. Here, we present a brand-new hydrothermal process which turns animal bones of kitchen waste into secondary P sources for fertilization, showing that this hydrothermal humification (HTH) process under 200 °C for 24 h completely disintegrates the chemical structure of the biomass, while the simultaneously in-situ-prepared artificial humic acid (A-HA) etches even macroscopic bones. Notably, A-HA can solubilize the insoluble P existing in animal bones partly as directly dissolved phosphorus (DP), accounting for 6.36% of total phosphorus (TP) in the bone wastes. Characterization methods indicate that oxygen-containing functional groups (i.e., −COOH and phenolic–OH) of A-HA can help to corrode bones, causing Ca5(PO4)3(OH) to be decomposed into a large number of more active P minerals, furthermore, leading to a high DP (96.79 mg/L) content and formation of new P-based species. Pot-planting experiments show that the resulting liquids were applied as a fertilizer and led to a significant promotion of the growth of seedlings.
Meroterpenoids discovered in Rhododendrons species possess unique chemical structures and biological activities and are expected to become new drug targets for Alzheimer's disease, metabolic ...disorders, and chronic kidney disease, and these compounds have attracted increasing attention in recent years. In this study, Rhododendron meroterpenoids and their structures, classifications, racemate distribution, biosynthetic pathways, chemical synthesis, and bioactivities are reviewed prior to 2023.
The specialised meroterpenoid structures, classifications, distribution of racemates, biosynthetic pathways, chemical synthesis, and bioactivities of Rhododendron genus before 2023 are reviewed. Select representative structures and make a diagram of their sources and bioactivities. Display omitted
•Seventy-two specialised meroterpenoids are reviewed from medicinal plant Rhododendron species.•The structures, biosynthetic pathways, chemical synthesis, and bioactivities of RMs are described before 2023.•Thirty-two enantiomeric pairs of Rhododendron meroterpenoids are reported.•It is expected to become a source of natural drugs for the treatment of various diseases.
Effective control of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains clinically challenging, especially during advanced stages of the disease. This study developed an adoptive T-cell treatment through ...expression of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) to target human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in NSCLC. We optimized the non-viral piggyBac transposon system to engineer human T cells for the expression of EGFR-CAR, consisting of EGFR scFv, transmembrane domain, and intracellular 4-1BB-CD3ζ signaling domains. The modified CAR T cells exhibited expansion capability and anticancer efficacy in a time- and antigen-dependent manner in vitro as well as regression of EGFR-positive human lung cancer xenografts in vivo. EGFR-CAR T therapy is a promising strategy to improve the efficacy and potency of the adoptive immunotherapy in NSCLC. Moreover, EGFR-CAR T therapy could become a clinical application for NSCLC patients in the future.
Legume cultivars affect N uptake, component crop growth, and soil physical and chemical characteristics in maize–legume intercropping systems. However, how belowground interactions mediate root ...growth, N fixation, and nodulation of different legumes to affect N uptake is still unclear. Hence, a two-year experiment was conducted with five planting patterns, i.e., maize–soybean strip intercropping (IMS), maize–peanut strip intercropping (IMP), and corresponding monocultures (monoculture maize (MM), monoculture soybean (MS), and monoculture peanut (MP)), and two N application rates, i.e., no N fertilizer (N–) and conventional N fertilizer (N+), to examine relationships between N uptake and root distribution of crops, legume nodulation and soil N availability. Results showed that the averaged N uptake per unit area of intercrops was significantly lower than the corresponding monocultures. Compared with the monoculture system, the N uptake of the intercropping systems increased by 31.7–45.4％ in IMS and by 7.4–12.2％ in IMP, respectively. The N uptake per plant of intercropped maize and soybean significantly increased by 61.6 and 31.8％, and that of intercropped peanuts significantly decreased by 46.6％ compared with the corresponding monocultures. Maize and soybean showed asymmetrical distribution of roots in strip intercropping systems. The root length density (RLD) and root surface area density (RSAD) of intercropped maize and soybean were significantly greater than that of the corresponding monocultures. The roots of intercropped peanuts were confined, which resulted in decreased RLD and RSAD compared with the monoculture. The nodule number and nodule fresh weight of soybean were significantly greater in IMS than in MS, and those of peanut were significantly lower in IMP than in MP. The soil protease, urease, and nitrate reductase activities of maize and soybean were significantly greater in IMS and IMP than in the corresponding monoculture, while the enzyme activities of peanut were significantly lower in IMP than in MP. The soil available N of maize and soybean was significantly greater increased in IMS and IMP than in the corresponding monocultures, while that of IMP was significantly lower than in MP. In summary, the IMS system was more beneficial to N uptake than the IMP system. The intercropping of maize and legumes can promote the N uptake of maize, thus reducing the need for N application and improving agricultural sustainability.
•Water removal and transport in a novel PEMFC flow channel is analyzed numerically.•The novel flow channel consists of a hydrophilic plate in the flow channel.•Water removal is facilitated ...significantly by the hydrophilic plate.•The plate should have a contact angle larger than bottom channel but less than MEA.•Optimal surface contact angle, length and height of the plate are investigated.
Effective removal and transport of water in the flow channel of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell (PEMFC) is significantly important to the critical water management in PEMFCs. In this study, the process of water removal and transport is investigated numerically by using the volume-of-fluid method for a flow channel having a hydrophilic plate in the middle of the channel. The results show that the liquid water droplet on the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) surface can be removed effectively, and the removal process is facilitated significantly by the hydrophilic plate which should have a surface contact angle larger than the bottom channel surface but less than the MEA surface. Once the liquid water contacts the plate, it is detached from the MEA surface, and transported to the channel surface along the plate surface; whereas without the plate the water droplet is transported along the MEA surface under the same flow condition. The pressure drop associated with the flow in the channel can be reduced substantially by the presence of the plate due to a characteristic change in the water removal and transport process, when compared to the pressure drop in a conventional flow channel or a channel with a needle shown in literature. The wettability, the length and the height of the plate all can have an impact on the water transport and dynamics as well as the associated pressure drop in the flow channel. A parametric study is carried out to determine the optimal values for the surface contact angle, the length and height of the plate.
Cell/stack assembly force can strongly affect the transport characteristics and performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) through causing the structural deformation. In this study, ...a mathematical model has been developed to investigate the effect of the assembly force for different gas diffusion layers (GDL) and membranes. The results indicate that the predominant deformation of the cell structure occurs in the porous GDL due to its weak mechanical strength. Thicker GDLs result into lower water content in the GDL structure, and can sustain a larger assembly force without the risk of “electrode flooding”; while thinner GDLs have higher water content, can maintain the hydration required for the membrane, and yield a better cell performance with less sensitivity to the variations in the assembly force. Thinner membranes yield better cell performance, but the cell performance is more sensitive to the changes in the assembly force. A combination of thin GDL and membrane is beneficial for better cell performance with reasonable sensitivity to the assembly force. For thinner GDLs, an optimal assembly force exists beyond which the cell performance is reduced; and practical cell assembly force will limit the GDL thickness.
•Effect of assembly force on PEMFC deformation, transport and performance is studied.•Deformed GDL with uneven structural and transport properties is included.•Combinations of various membranes, GDLs and assembly forces are investigated.•Thin GDL yields a cell performance less sensitive to assembly force variation.•Thin membrane yields a cell performance more sensitive to assembly force variation.
Salvia miltiorrhiza is one of the most widely used traditional medicines. Natural antisense transcripts (NATs) are a class of long noncoding RNAs that can regulate gene expression. Here, we ...identified 812 NATs, including 168 cis-NATs and 644 trans-NATs from twelve root, flower, and leaf samples of S. miltiorrhiza using RNA-seq. The expression profiles for 41 of 50 NATs and their sense transcripts (STs) obtained from RNA-Seq were validated using qRT-PCR. The expression profiles of 17 NATs positively correlated with their STs. GO and KEGG pathway analyses mapped the STs for cis-NATs to pathways for biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. We characterized four NATs in detail, including NAT0001, NAT0002, NAT0004, and NAT00023. Their STs are kaurene synthase-like 1 and the homologs of UDP-glucose flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase 6, UDP-glycosyltransferase 90A1, and beta-glucosidase 40, respectively. The first gene is involved in the biosynthesis of bioactive tanshinones, the next two are involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, whereas the last is involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Besides, we found seven STs that are potential targets of miRNAs. And we found two miRNAs including miR156a and miR7208, might originate from NATs, NAT0112 and NAT0086. The results suggest that S. miltiorrhiza NATs might interact with STs, produce miRNAs, and be regulated by miRNAs. They potentially play significant regulatory roles in the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds.
Abstract
The high vapor pressure deficit (VPD) in some arid and semi-arid climates creates undesirable conditions for the growth of tomato plants (
Solanum lycopersicum
L., cv. Jinpeng). The global ...CO
2
concentration (CO
2
) has also risen in recent years to levels above 400 μmol·mol
−1
. However, the coordinated effect of VPD and CO
2
on tomato plant growth remains unclear, especially at VPDs of 5–6 kPa or even higher that are extremely detrimental to plant growth. Here, we explore the interaction of VPD and CO
2
on plant water status, stomatal characteristics, and gas exchange parameters in summer greenhouses in a semi-arid area. Plants were grown in four adjacent glass greenhouses with different environmental conditions: (i) high VPD + low CO
2
representing natural/control conditions; (ii) high VPD + high CO
2
representing enriched CO
2
; (iii) low VPD + low CO
2
representing reduced VPD; and (iv) low VPD + high CO
2
representing reduced VPD and enriched CO
2
. Reducing the VPD alleviated the water stress of the plant and increased the gas exchange area of the leaf, which was beneficial to the entry of CO
2
into the leaf. At this time, the increase of CO
2
was more beneficial to promote the photosynthetic rate and then improve the water use efficiency and yield.
Fusarium meridionale is one of the pathogens causing maize ear rot, it produce bioactive secondary metabolites may threaten humans food safty, however, the production mechanism of the secondary ...metabolites and their interaction with maize ear remains poorly understood. To facilitate related studies, we sequenced and assembled the genome of F. meridionale strain JX18-4. The size of F. meridionale JX18-4 genome is 37.11 Mbp, include four nuclear chromosome contigs that consists of 11920 coding genes and one mitochondrial contig. 95.64% gene synteny collinearity was found between the assembly and the reference genomes F. graminearum strain PH-1. Compared to the sequences of seconary matabolism gene clusters sequences reported previously, the stain JX18-4 was predicted potential producing 8 clusters, including nivalenol, zearalenone, aurofusarin, fusarielin, fusaristatin A, fusarin, fusarubin and butenolide. This study aims to reveal the molecular mechanism of secondary metabolites producing, and the genomic information of JX18-4 will provide resources for the study of biological control mechanisms and plant-microbe interactions.
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