Development of a Superhydrophobic Protection Mechanism and Coating Materials for Cement Concrete Surfaces.

In order to further enhance the erosion resistance of cement concrete pavement materials, this study constructed an apparent rough hydrophobic structure layer by spraying a micro-nano substrate coating on the surface layer of the cement concrete pavement. This was followed by a secondary spray of a hydroxy-silicone oil-modified epoxy resin and a low surface energy-modified substance paste, which combine to form a superhydrophobic coating. The hydrophobic mechanism of the coating was then analysed. Firstly, the effects of different types and ratios of micro-nano substrates on the apparent morphology and hydrophobic performance of the rough structure layer were explored through contact angle testing and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Subsequently, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and permeation gel chromatography were employed to ascertain the optimal modification ratio, temperature, and reaction mechanism of hydroxy-silicone oil with E51 type epoxy resin. Additionally, the mechanical properties of the modified epoxy resin-low surface energy-modified substance paste were evaluated through tensile tests. Finally, the erosion resistance of the superhydrophobic coating was tested under a range of conditions, including acidic, alkaline, de-icer, UV ageing, freeze-thaw cycles and wet wheel wear. The results demonstrate that relying solely on the rough structure of the concrete surface makes it challenging to achieve superhydrophobic performance. A rough structure layer constructed with diamond micropowder and hydrophobic nano-silica is less prone to cracking and can form more "air chamber" structures on the surface, with better wear resistance and hydrophobic performance. The ring-opening reaction products that occur during the preparation of modified epoxy resin will severely affect its mechanical strength after curing. Controlling the reaction temperature and reactant ratio can effectively push the modification reaction of epoxy resin through dehydration condensation, which produces more grafted polymer. It is noteworthy that the grafted polymer content is positively correlated with the hydrophobicity of the modified epoxy resin. The superhydrophobic coating exhibited enhanced erosion resistance (based on hydrochloric acid), UV ageing resistance, abrasion resistance, and freeze-thaw damage resistance to de-icers by 19.41%, 18.36%, 43.17% and 87.47%, respectively, in comparison to the conventional silane-based surface treatment.

Age affects vascular morphology and predictiveness of anatomical landmarks for aortic zones in trauma patients: implications for resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta.

PURPOSE: Understanding the vascular morphology is fundamental for resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of aging on length and diameter of aorta and iliac arteries in trauma patients, and to investigate the predictiveness of anatomical landmarks for aortic zones. METHODS: A total of 235 patients in a regional trauma center registry from September 1, 2018, to January 3, 2024, participated in the study. Reconstruction of computed tomography was applied to the torso area. The marginal diameter and length of aorta and iliac arteries were measured. Anatomical landmark distances and aortic marginal lengths were compared. RESULTS: The length and diameter of aorta and iliac arteries increased with age, and a tortuous and enlarged morphology was observed in older patients. There was a good regression between age and diameter of the aorta. Neither the jugular notch, the xiphisternal joint, nor the umbilicus could reliably represent specific margins of aortic zones. The distance between the mid-sternum and femoral artery (427 ± 25 to 442 ± 25 mm for right, and 425 ± 28 to 440 ± 26 mm for left) was predictive for zone 1 in all groups. The distance between the lower one-third junction of the xiphisternum to the umbilicus and femoral artery (232 ± 19 to 240 ± 17 mm for right, and 229 ± 20 to 237 ± 19 mm for left) was predictive for zone 3 aorta. CONCLUSION: Aging increases the length and diameter of aorta and iliac arteries, with a tortuous and enlarged morphology in geriatric populations. The mid-sternum and the lower one-third junction of the xiphisternum to the umbilicus were predictive landmarks for zone 1 and zone 3, respectively.

A comparative full-length transcriptomic resource provides insight into the perennial monocarpic mass flowering.

Perennial monocarpic mass flowering represents as a key developmental innovation in flowering time diversity in several biological and economical essential families, such as the woody bamboos and the shrubby Strobilanthes. However, molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying this important biodiversity remain poorly investigated. Here, we generated a full-length transcriptome resource incorporated into the BlueOmics database (http://blueomics.iflora.cn) for two Strobilanthes species, which feature contrasting flowering time behaviors. Using about 112 and 104 Gb Iso-seq reads together with ~185 and ~75 Gb strand-specific RNA seq data, we annotated 80 971 and 79 985 non-redundant full-length transcripts for the perennial polycarpic Strobilanthes tetrasperma and the perennial monocarpic Strobilanthes biocullata, respectively. In S. tetrasperma, we identified 8794 transcripts showing spatiotemporal expression in nine tissues. In leaves and shoot apical meristems at two developmental stages, 977 and 1121 transcripts were differentially accumulated in S. tetrasperma and S. biocullata, respectively. Interestingly, among the 33 transcription factors showing differential expression in S. tetrasperma but without differential expression in S. biocullata, three were involved potentially in the photoperiod and circadian-clock pathway of flowering time regulation (FAR1 RELATED SEQUENCE 12, FRS12; NUCLEAR FACTOR Y A1, NFYA1; PSEUDO-RESPONSE REGULATOR 5, PRR5), hence provides an important clue in deciphering the flowering diversity mechanisms. Our data serve as a key resource for further dissection of molecular and genetic mechanisms underpinning key biological innovations, here, the perennial monocarpic mass flowering.

Complex and reticulate origin of edible roses (Rosa, Rosaceae) in China.

While roses are today among the most popular ornamental plants, the petals and fruits of some cultivars have flavored foods for millennia. The genetic origins of these edible cultivars remain poorly investigated. We collected the major varieties of edible roses available in China, assembled their plastome sequences, and phased the haplotypes for internal transcribed spacers (ITS1/ITS2) of the 18S-5.8S-26S nuclear ribosomal cistron. Our phylogenetic reconstruction using 88 plastid genomes, of primarily maternal origin, uncovered well-supported genetic relationships within Rosa, including all sections and all subgenera. We phased the ITS sequences to identify potential donor species ancestral to the development of known edible cultivars. The tri-parental Middle-Eastern origin of R. × damascena, the species most widely used in perfume products and food additives, was confirmed as a descendent of past hybridizations among R. moschata, R. gallica, and R. majalis/R. fedtschenkoana/R. davurica. In contrast, R. chinensis, R. rugosa, and R. gallica, in association with six other wild species, were the main donors for fifteen varieties of edible roses. The domesticated R. rugosa 'Plena' was shown to be a hybrid between R. rugosa and R. davurica, sharing a common origin with R. 'Fenghua'. Only R. 'Jinbian' and R. 'Crimson Glory' featured continuous flowering. All remaining cultivars of edible roses bloomed only once a year. Our study provides important resources for clarifying the origin of edible roses and suggests a future for breeding new cultivars with unique traits, such as continuous flowering.

A Review of Characteristics of Bio-Oils and Their Utilization as Additives of Asphalts.

Transforming waste biomass materials into bio-oils in order to partially substitute petroleum asphalt can reduce environmental pollution and fossil energy consumption and has economic benefits. The characteristics of bio-oils and their utilization as additives of asphalts are the focus of this review. First, physicochemical properties of various bio-oils are characterized. Then, conventional, rheological, and chemical properties of bio-oil modified asphalt binders are synthetically reviewed, as well as road performance of bio-oil modified asphalt mixtures. Finally, performance optimization is discussed for bio-asphalt binders and mixtures. This review indicates that bio-oils are highly complex materials that contain various compounds. Moreover, bio-oils are source-depending materials for which its properties vary with different sources. Most bio-oils have a favorable stimulus upon the low temperature performance of asphalt binders and mixtures but exhibit a negative impact on their high-temperature performance. Moreover, a large amount of oxygen element, oxygen-comprising functional groups, and light components in plant-based bio-oils result in higher sensitivity to ageing of bio-oil modified asphalts. In order to increase the performance of bio-asphalts, most research has been limited to adding additive agents to bio-asphalts; therefore, more reasonable optimization methods need to be proposed. Furthermore, upcoming exploration is also needed to identify reasonable evaluation indicators of bio-oils, modification mechanisms of bio-asphalts, and long-term performance tracking in field applications of bio-asphalts during pavement service life.

Rose without prickle: genomic insights linked to moisture adaptation.

Prickles act against herbivores, pathogens or mechanical injury, while also preventing water loss. However, whether prickles have new function and the molecular genetics of prickle patterning remain poorly explored. Here, we generated a high-quality reference genome assembly for 'Basye's Thornless' (BT), a prickle-free cultivar of Rosa wichuraiana, to identify genetic elements related to stem prickle development. The BT genome harbors a high level of sequence diversity in itself and with cultivar 'Old Blush' (R. chinensis), a founder genotype in rose domestication. Inheritance of stem prickle density was determined and two QTL were identified. Differentially expressed genes in QTL were involved in water-related functions, suggesting that prickle density may hitchhike with adaptations to moist environments. While the prickle-related gene-regulatory-network (GRN) was highly conserved, the expression variation of key candidate genes was associated with prickle density. Our study provides fundamental resources and insights for genome evolution in the Rosaceae. Ongoing efforts on identification of the molecular bases for key rose traits may lead to improvements for horticultural markets.

Regulation of miR-155 affects the invasion and migration of gastric carcinoma cells by modulating the STAT3 signaling pathway.

Studies investigating the effects of microRNA (miR)-155 on the behavior of tumor cells have concentrated primarily on proliferation and apoptosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of miR-155 inhibitor on the metastatic and invasive ability of gastric carcinoma cells and whether this effect is mediated via the signal transduction and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway. The miR-155 inhibitor and miR-155 negative control (NC) were transfected into the AGs and MKN-45 cell lines. The migratory and invasive abilities of the cells were analyzed. The level of phosphorylated (p-)STAT3 and the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) were also detected. For the AGS cell line, the cell counts (mean ± standard deviation) for the Transwell migration assay were 98.99±9.13 in the miR-155 NC group and 45.32±4.32 in the miR-155 inhibitor group (P<0.01). For the MKN-45 cell line, the cell counts for the migration assay were 129.99±10.12 and 50.36±5.2 in the miR-155 NC and miR-155 inhibitor groups, respectively (P<0.01). The cell counts of the AGS cell line for the invasion assay were 70.25±7.94 in the miR-155 NC group and 40.68±4.73 in the miR-155 inhibitor group (P<0.05). For the MKN-45 cell line, the cell counts for the invasion assay were 84.63±8.12 and 40.35±4.29 in the miR-155 NC and miR-155 inhibitor groups, respectively (P<0.05). Transfection with the miR-155 inhibitor was able to significantly decrease the level of p-STAT3 in the AGS and MKN-45 cell lines compared with the negative control group (all P<0.05). The levels of MMP2 and MMP9 expression were decreased following transfection with miR-155 in AGS and MKN-45 cells (both P<0.05). Notably, transfection with the miR-155 inhibitor was able to decrease the level of VEGF expression, whilst increasing the SOCS1 expression level compared with the negative control group (both P<0.05). Additionally, the downregulation of miR-155 expression in gastric carcinoma cell lines was able to significantly decrease the expression of VEGF, MMP2 and MMP9, thereby inhibiting the invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma cells.

Knockdown of HOXA5 inhibits the tumorigenesis in esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Homeobox A5 (HOXA5) is a member of the homeobox (HOX) family and was upregulated in many types of tumors. However, its expression and role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain unclear. In this study, the aim of this study was to investigate the expression and function of HOXA5 in ESCC. Our results showed that HOXA5 was highly expressed in ESCC cell lines. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that knockdown of HOXA5 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of ESCC cells. Furthermore, the in vivo experiments showed that knockdown of HOXA5 significantly inhibited the tumor growth of ESCC in mice xenograft model. Finally, sh-HOXA5 inhibited the expression of ß-catenin, cyclin D1 and c-Myc in ESCC cells. Taken together, these data revealed that knockdown of HOXA5 suppressed the proliferation and metastasis partly by interfering with Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway in ESCC cells. Therefore, these findings suggest that HOXA5 may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ESCC.

[Dynamic changes of content of salvianolic acid in vegetative organs of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the content of total salvianolic acid in different vegetative organs of Salvia miltiorrhiza and discover the dynamic change rules of tanshinol, protocatechuic aldehyde, caffeic acid and total salvianolic acid during the whole process of grwth. METHODS: HPLC-ECD was used. The separation was performed on Zorbax SB-C18 (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5.0 microm) column by gradient elution. The mobile phase consisted of CH3OH-0.4% aqueous phosphoric acid. The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min. The detection was done at 0.7 V and the column temperature was 30 degrees C. RESULTS: The highest content of total salvianolic acid in leaf was in June and gradually dropped off till the lowest in December; The content of total salvianolic acid in leaf gradually decreased along with the growing of the leaf. The content of total salvianolic acid in root was high and consistent from July to September, but gradually dropped off till the lowest in November. CONCLUSION: The leaves of Salvia miltiorrhiza can be harvested in strong growth period to achieve the comprehensive use of the herb.