Preparation of 6-Amino-N-hydroxyhexanamide-Modified Porous Chelating Resin for Adsorption of Heavy Metal Ions.

The pollution of water bodies by heavy metal ions has recently become a global concern. In this experiment, a novel chelating resin, D851-6-AHHA, was synthesized by grafting 6-amino-N-hydroxyhexanamide (6-AHHA) onto the (-CH2N-(CH2COOH)2) group of the D851 resin, which contained a hydroxamic acid group, amide group, and some carboxyl groups. This resin was developed for the purpose of removing heavy metal ions, such as Cr(III) and Pb(II), from water. The findings from static adsorption experiments demonstrated the remarkable adsorption effectiveness of D851-6-AHHA resin towards Cr(III) and Pb(II). Specifically, the maximum adsorption capacities for Cr(III) and Pb(II) were determined to be 91.50 mg/g and 611.92 mg/g, respectively. Furthermore, the adsorption kinetics of heavy metal ions by D851-6-AHHA resin followed the quasi-second-order kinetic model, while the adsorption isotherms followed the Langmuir model. These findings suggest that the adsorption process was characterized by monolayer chemisorption. The adsorption mechanism of D851-6-AHHA resin was comprehensively investigated through SEM, XRD, FT-IR, and XPS analyses, revealing a high efficiency of D851-6-AHHA resin in adsorbing Cr(III) and Pb(II). Specifically, the (-C(=O)NHOH) group exhibited a notable affinity for Cr(III) and Pb(II), forming stable multi-elemental ring structures with them. Additionally, dynamic adsorption experiments conducted using fixed-bed setups further validated the effectiveness of D851-6-AHHA resin in removing heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. In conclusion, the experimental findings underscored the efficacy of D851-6-AHHA resin as a highly efficient adsorbent for remediating water bodies contaminated by heavy metal ions.

Dimension-Controlled VO2 Film for Optoelectronic Logic Gates and Information Encryption.

As the fields of photonics and information technology develop, a lot of novel applications based on VO2 material, such as optoelectronic computing and information encryption, have been developed. While the performance of these devices was not only closely associated with the VO2 phase transition properties but also depended on their dimensional characteristics. In the current study, we conducted the dimension-controlled vanadium dioxide (VO2) film growth, resulting in the epitaxial 2-dimensional (2D) VO2 film and well-distributed 3-dimensional (3D) VO2 crystal film deposition, respectively. It was revealed that, unlike the 2D film, the pronounced localized surface plasmon resonance dominated the near-infrared spectrum across the phase transition for the 3D VO2 film due to the naturally formed meta-surface structure, which showed a transmittance valley in the infrared spectrum after metallization. Based on this distinct infrared spectrum feature in the 3D VO2 film, we proposed an optoelectronic logic gate controlled by the input voltage and the probing Vis/IR light. By detecting the transmittance states of the probing light with different wavelengths, we achieved multistate encoding functions and demonstrated the information encryption application. This new conception device also showed great potential for some other applications such as optoelectronic coupled computing, information encryption, and optical near-field sensing computing.

Protocol for observing lipid droplet dynamics in chicken cone cells.

Chicken cone cells are an excellent model for studying the regulation of lipid droplet dynamics. Here, we present a protocol for studying cone cell lipid droplets from in vivo and ex vitro cultured retinas of chicken embryos. We describe steps for dissecting chicken retinas, electroporating retinas, culturing retinas ex vivo and in vitro, and staining lipid droplets with neutral lipid dye. This protocol is also applicable to investigating other organelles in retinas. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Pan et al.1.

Sustainable All-Day Thermoelectric Power Generation From the Hot Sun and Cold Universe.

Energy conversion from the environment into electricity is the most direct and effective electricity source to sustainably power off-grid electronics, once the electricity requirement exceeds the capability of traditional centralized power supply systems. Normally photovoltaic cells have enabled distributed power generation during the day, but do not work at night. Thus, efficient electricity generation technologies for a sustainable all-day power supply with no necessity for energy storage remain a challenge. Herein, an innovative all-day power generation strategy is reported, which self-adaptively integrates the diurnal photothermal and nocturnal radiative cooling processes into the thermoelectric generator (TEG) via the spectrally dynamic modulated coating, to continuously harvest the energy from the hot sun and the cold universe for power generation. Synergistic with the optimized latent heat phase change material, the electricity generation performance of the TEG is dramatically enhanced, with a maximum power density exceeding 1000 mW m-2 during the daytime and up to 25 mW m-2 during the nighttime, corresponding to an improvement of 123.1% and 249.1%, compared with the conventional strategy. This work maximizes the utilization of ambient energy resources to provide an environmentally friendly and uninterrupted power generation strategy. This opens up new possibilities for sustained power generation both daytime and nighttime.

Multiple trait comparison and global intestine transcriptional provide new insights into bases of heterosis in hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus × Oreochromis aureus).

Heterosis has been utilized in aquaculture for many years, yet its molecular basis remains elusive. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of heterosis was conducted by comparing growth, digestion and biochemistry indices, as well as the intestinal gene expression profiles of Nile tilapia, blue tilapia and their hybrids. The results revealed that hybrid tilapia demonstrated an enhanced growth traits and elevated digestive enzyme activity compared to Nile and blue tilapia. Additionally, the hybrid tilapia displayed superior antioxidants and non-specific immune levels, with increased levels of catalase (CAT), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), acid phosphatase (ACP), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), lysozyme, and immunoglobulin M (IgM) relative to Nile and blue tilapia. Moreover, 3392, 2470 and 1261 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the intestinal tissues when comparing Nile tilapia to blue tilapia, hybrid tilapia to blue tilapia, and hybrid tilapia to Nile tilapia. Upon classifying the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), non-additively expressed DEGs accounted for 68.1 % of the total DEGs, with dominant and over-dominant expressed DEGs comprising 63.7 % and 4.4 % in the intestines, respectively. These non-additively expressed DEGs were primarily associated with metabolic, digestive, growth, and developmental pathways. This enrichment enhances our comprehension of the molecular underpinnings of growth heterosis in aquatic species.

Multifield-Modulated Spintronic Terahertz Emitter Based on a Vanadium Dioxide Phase Transition.

The efficient generation and active modulation of terahertz (THz) waves are strongly required for the development of various THz applications such as THz imaging/spectroscopy and THz communication. In addition, due to the increasing degree of integration for the THz optoelectronic devices, miniaturizing the complex THz system into a compact unit is also important and necessary. Today, integrating the THz source with the modulator to develop a powerful, easy-to-adjust, and scalable or on-chip THz emitter is still a challenge. As a new type of THz emitter, a spintronic THz emitter has attracted a great deal of attention due to its advantages of high efficiency, ultrawide band, low cost, and easy integration. In this study, we have proposed a multifield-modulated spintronic THz emitter based on the VO2/Ni/Pt multilayer film structure with a wide band region of 0-3 THz. Because of the pronounced phase transition of the integrated VO2 layer, the fabricated THz emitter can be efficiently modulated via thermal or electric stimuli with a modulation depth of about one order of magnitude; the modulation depths under thermal stimulation and electrical stimulation were 91.8% and 97.3%, respectively. It is believed that this multifield modulated spintronic THz emitter will provide various possibilities for the integration of next-generation on-chip THz sources and THz modulators.

Bromide triggers efficient peroxymonosulfate activation for phosphonate degradation.

Phosphonates have received a widespread attention in wastewater treatment due to their potential threat to the water environment. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are feasible methods to degrade phosphonates, and most of the coexisting substances in water show a negative factor during their oxidation. However, the effect of bromide (Br-) on the degradation of phosphonates in peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation is still unclear. Herein, using 1-hydroxyethane 1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP) as a target phosphonate, Br- could remarkably enhance the degradation of HEDP in PMS activation compared to the PMS alone. Under the condition of pH = 7.0, the optimal degradation efficiency of HEDP is 84.8% in the PMS/Br- process after 30-min reaction, whereas no significant oxidation is obtained in the PMS/I- and PMS/Cl- processes. Multiple experiments (i.e., electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), radical quenching experiments and chemical probs) confirm that free bromine, SO4•- and HO• paly a minor role in HEDP removal, and bromine radical species make a dominant responsible for HEDP oxidation. Additionally, NO3-, SO42-, Cl-, and HCO3- have a little effect on the degradation of HEDP, but the HEDP removal is greatly inhibited in the presence of humic acid (HA). However, the degradation efficiency of HEDP using PMS/Br- process in river and sewage is a much higher than UV/persulfate (PDS) and UV/H2O2 processes. This study provides a new sight into the effect of Br- on the degradation phosphonates in PMS activation process.

Enhancing Fat Graft Survival via Upregulating Autophagy of Adipocytes.

BACKGROUND: Autophagy is a cellular self-protection mechanism. The upregulation of adipose-derived stem cells' (ADSCs) autophagy can promote fat graft survival. However, the effect of interfering with adipocyte autophagy on graft survival is still unknown. In addition, autophagy is involved in adipocyte dedifferentiation. We investigated the effect of autophagy on adipocyte dedifferentiation and fat graft survival. METHODS: The classic autophagy regulatory drugs rapamycin (100 nM) and 3-methyladenine (3-MA; 10 mM) were used to treat adipocytes, adipocyte dedifferentiation was observed, and their effects on ADSCs were detected. In our experiments, 100 nM rapamycin, 10 mM 3-MA and saline were mixed with human adipose tissue and transplanted into nude mice. At 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively, the grafts were harvested for histological and immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS: Rapamycin and 3-MA can promote and inhibit adipocyte dedifferentiation by regulating autophagy. Both drugs can inhibit ADSC proliferation, and 10 mM 3-MA can inhibit ADSC adipogenesis. At weeks 8 and 12, the volume retention rate of the rapamycin group (8 weeks, 64.77% ± 6.36%; 12 weeks, 56.13% ± 4.73%) was higher than the control group (8 weeks, 52.62% ± 4.04%; P < 0.05; 12 weeks, 43.17% ± 6.02%; P < 0.05) and the rapamycin group had more viable adipocytes and better vascularization. Compared with the control group, the volume retention rate, viable adipocytes and vascularization of the 3-MA group decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Rapamycin can promote adipocyte dedifferentiation by upregulating autophagy to promote fat graft survival. 3-MA can inhibit graft survival, but its mechanism includes the inhibition of adipocyte dedifferentiation and ADSC proliferation and adipogenesis. NO LEVEL ASSIGNED: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the MRFs gene family associated with growth in Nile tilapia.

BACKGROUND: Muscle occupies most of the fish body, promoting the proliferation of fish muscle fibers can facilitate rapid growth and increase the body weight of fish. Some studiesSeveral previous suggest that Myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) play an important role in the growth of fish. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between the polymorphism of MRFs gene family and growth traits in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), get more molecular markers for growth. METHODS: Amplified the Nile tilapia MRFs family gene, including Myogenic determination 1 (Myod1), Myogenic determination 2 (Myod2), Myogenin (Myog), Myogenic factor 5 (Myf5), and Myogenic factor 6 (Myf6), single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) were screened by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: A total of 16 SNP loci were screened, including six for Myf5, six for Myf6, one for Myog, one for Myod1 and two for Myod2. The growth traits were analyzed in relation to these 16 SNP loci, and the results indicated significant associations between all 16 SNP loci and the growth traits (P < 0.05). The linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed that D1 and D2 diplotypes of Myf5 gene, E1, E2, E3 and E4 of Myf6 gene, and F1 diplotype of Myod2 gene were significantly associated with superior growth traits. CONCLUSION: There were 6, 6, 1, 1 and 2 growth-related molecular markers in Myf5, Myf6, Myog, Myod1 and Myod2 genes, respectively, which could be applied to the breeding of Nile tilapia.

Non-Additive and Asymmetric Allelic Expression of p38 mapk in Hybrid Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus ♀ × O. aureus ♂).

Hybridization is a widely used breeding technique in fish species that enhances desirable traits in cultured species through heterosis. However, the mechanism by which hybrids alter gene expression to form heterosis remains unclear. In this study, a group of hybrid tilapia was used to elucidate heterosis through interspecies crossing. Specifically, p38 was analyzed to describe the regulation of gene expression variation in hybrid tilapia. Transcripts from the Nile tilapia allele were found to be significantly higher than those from the blue tilapia allele in hybrid individuals, indicating that the expression of p38 was dominated by Nile tilapia sub-genomic alleles. The study also found a compensatory interaction of cis- and trans-acting elements of the Nile tilapia and blue tilapia sub-genomes, inducing a non-additive expression of p38 in hybrids. Eight specific SNPs were identified in the p38 promoter regions of Nile tilapia and blue tilapia, and were found to be promoter differences leading to differences in gene expression efficiencies between parental alleles using a dual-luciferase reporter system. This study provides insights into the non-additive expression patterns of key functional genes in fish hybrids related to growth and immunity response.

A Retrospective Analysis of Upper Arm Rejuvenation Surgery in 50 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Upper arm aesthetics often suffer from aging effects such as skin laxity and sagging due to collagen and elastin depletion. Fat loss, obesity, and weight fluctuations further exacerbate these issues. Existing classification systems for upper arm excess are complex and have practical limitations. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop a more concise and clearer classification of upper arm excess that can guide surgical interventions effectively and assess clinical outcomes. METHODS: Patients undergoing upper arm rejuvenation surgery from January 2020 to January 2023 were categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. Mild cases underwent suction-assisted liposuction (SAL), moderate cases underwent radiofrequency-assisted liposuction combined with SAL, and severe cases underwent brachioplasty combined with SAL. Arm circumferences and BODY-Q questionnaires were collected pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: The study included 50 female patients, aged 21 to 49 years. The average follow-up time was 7.5 [2.2] months. Arm circumference reduction rates were 6.8% in mild cases, 15.1% in moderate cases, and 17.3% in severe cases. Regarding the BODY-Q questionnaire for upper arms, the average score increased by 0.9 for mild, 2.1 for moderate, and 2.9 for severe cases. Complications were minimal, including 1 seroma and 2 cases of scar widening. CONCLUSIONS: The revised classification system for upper arm excess proved effective in guiding surgical decisions. Selecting the surgical approach based on severity resulted in satisfactory outcomes based on BODY-Q scores. This system offers a concise, objective, and practical tool for plastic surgeons.