Exosome-mediated delivery of artificial circular RNAs for gene therapy of bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer (BCa) is one of the most common malignancies affecting men. Oncogenic transcription factors function as an important regulator in the progression of human cancer. In our study, we aimed to construct artificial circular non-coding RNAs (acircRNAs) consisting of three functional units that mimic the CRISPR-Cas system and elucidate its therapeutic role in bladder cancer. Additionally, the compare of the efficiency in regulating gene expression between acircRNA and CRISPR-dCas systems was performed. We connected the cDNA sequences of TFs aptamer and constructed a circRNA. To demonstrate the platform's practicality, ß-catenin and NF-κB were chosen as functional targets, while T24 and 5637 cell lines served as test models. Real-time Quantitative PCR (qPCR), double luciferase assay and related phenotype assay were used to detect the expression of related genes and the therapeutic effect. To elucidate the functionality of acircRNAs, luciferase vectors capable of detecting ß-catenin and NF-κB expression were employed to assess the inhibitory impact of acircRNA on ß-catenin and NF-κB. Consequently, the optimal combination involving acircRNA-3 was determined. Next, qPCR assay was employed to assess the relative expression levels of target downstream genes following acircRNA treatment. The expression of c-myc and cyclin D1 were used to determine the function of ß-catenin, while Bcl-XL and TRAF1 were used to determine that of NF-κB. The acircRNAs inhibited the ß-catenin and NF-κB related signaling in BCa cells specifically. CD63-HuR fusion protein was used to loading acircRNA into exosomes. The results showed that acircRNA could inhibit the activity of the target transcription factors, and the inhibitory effect was better than that of CRIPSR-dCas9-KRAB. Furthermore, functional experiments demonstrated that the transfection of acircRNA in bladder cells resulted in decreased proliferation, enhanced apoptosis, and suppressed migration. In conclusion, our synthetic gene device exhibited anti-tumor regulatory capabilities and showed greater efficiency in tumor suppression compared to the CRISPR-dCas9-KRAB system. Therefore, our device provides a new strategy for cancer treatment and could be a useful strategy for cancer cells.

Gain equalization for a few-mode erbium-doped fiber amplifier supporting eight spatial modes.

A trench-assisted ring few-mode erbium-doped fiber amplifier (FM-EDFA) supporting eight spatial modes is designed and proposed in this work. The gain equalization for the FM-EDFA is achieved by selecting the appropriate doping radius and concentration using a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm when only the pump in the fundamental mode (L P 01) is applied. When the signals in the eight spatial modes are simultaneously amplified, the average modal gain is about 20 dB, and the DMG is less than 0.3 dB for a signal at 1550 nm. Considering the gain competition of six wavelength signals, the modal gain and DMG are more than 20 and 1 dB, respectively. In addition, the tolerance analysis for manufacturing with this design is also discussed. For a fluctuation in the refractive index, the average modal gain is about 19.5 dB, and the DMG is 0.77 dB, indicating that the structure has good fabrication tolerance.

A novel yttrium stabilized zirconia and ceria composite electrolyte lowering solid oxide fuel cells working temperature to 400 °C.

Reducing the working temperature and improving the ionic conductivity of electrolytes have been the critical challenges for the gradual development of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) in practical applications. The researchers all over the world attempt to develop alternative electrolyte materials with sufficient ionic conductivity. In this work, YSZ-CeO2 composite material was used as electrolytes in the construction of symmetrical SOFCs. The maximum power densities (Pmax) of YSZ-CeO2 based fuel cell can reach 680 mW cm-2 at 450 °C, 510 mW cm-2 at 430 °C, 330 mW cm-2 at 410 °C and even 200 mW cm-2 as the operational temperature was reduced to 390 °C. A series of characterizations indicates that the activation energy of the YSZ-CeO2 composite is significantly decreased, and the enhancement effect for ion conduction comes from interface transport. Our findings indicate the YSZ-CeO2 composite material can be a highly promising candidate for advanced low-temperature SOFC.

Enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of NiS-modified TiO2 nanorods with a surface charge accumulation facet.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting for hydrogen production technology is considered as one of the most promising solutions to energy shortage and environmental remediation. TiO2/NiS nanorod arrays were successfully prepared using hydrothermal deposition followed by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra characterization studies indicate the successful deposition of NiS on TiO2 NRs. The NiS deposition on TiO2 was optimized by controlling the impregnation cycle. The optimal sample exhibits a photocurrent density of 1.16 mA cm-2 at 0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl, which is a 1.9-fold enhancement over that of pristine TiO2 nanorod arrays. The enhanced photoelectrochemical performance can be attributed to two aspects. On the one hand, the (101) crystal plane of rutile TiO2 is the facet where photogenerated holes accumulate and is an efficient active plane for the oxygen evolution reaction; on the other hand, NiS is a narrow band gap semiconductor, and its deposition on TiO2 nanorods can further promote the separation and transport of photogenerated charge carriers.

Experimental Study on Long-Term Mechanical Properties and Durability of Waste Glass Added to OPC Concrete.

This study aims to achieve the sustainable utilization of waste glass resources through an investigation into the influence of three types of admixtures, namely waste glass powder (WGP) (G), waste glass powder-slag (G-S), and waste glass powder-fly ash (G-F), on the mechanical properties and durability performance of waste glass concrete. The experimental results demonstrate that the exclusive use of WGP as an admixture led to the relatively poor early compressive strength of the concrete, which decreased with an increase in dosage. However, at medium to long curing ages, the strength of the waste glass concrete could equal or even surpass that of ordinary concrete. When dual admixtures were employed, the G-S group exhibited higher compressive strength compared to the G-F group. Specifically, within the G-S group, a glass powder dosage of 15% yielded higher compressive strength, and after 180 days, the dual admixture groups exhibited greater strength than ordinary concrete (G0); the compressive strength of the tG1S1 group was 44.57 MPa, and that of the G0 group was 40.07 MPa. The chloride ion diffusion coefficient showed a varying trend with an increase in WGP dosage, initially decreasing and then increasing. The concrete's resistance to erosion was maximized when the glass powder dosage reached 30%. As the WGP dosage increased, the overall frost resistance decreased. For a total dosage of 30%, the optimal glass powder dosage in both G-S and G-F groups was found to be 15%.

In Situ Formation of Ba3CoNb2O9/Ba5Nb4O15 Heterostructure in Electrolytes for Enhancing Proton Conductivity and SOFC Performance.

The in situ formation of a heterostructure delivers superior electrochemical properties as compared to the mechanical mixing, which shows great promise for developing new electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Herein, in an SOFC constructed by the Ba5Nb4O15 electrolyte and Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05LiO2-δ anode, an in situ formation of Ba3CoNb2O9/Ba5Nb4O15 heterostructure is designed by Co-ion diffusion from the anode to the electrolyte during cell operation, resulting in improved ion conductivity and fuel cell performance. An abnormal phenomenon is observed that the SOFC based on the Ba3CoNb2O9/Ba5Nb4O15 electrolyte delivered a peak power density of 703 mW/cm2 at 510 °C, which is higher than that at 550 °C. Characterization in terms of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction verifies that the operating temperature affected the Co doping concentrations, leading to different conducting behaviors of the heterostructure. Furthermore, it is found that the heterojunction of Ba3CoNb2O9 and Ba5Nb4O15 can restrict the electron migration to avoid current leakage of the cell and simultaneously enhance the proton conductivity. These findings manifest the developed in situ Ba3CoNb2O9/Ba5Nb4O15 heterostructure as a promising electrolyte for SOFCs.

Composite electrolyte used for low temperature SOFCs to work at 390°C.

A combination of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and Ba(NO3)2 commercial powders was used as electrolytes in the construction of symmetrical SOFC. As X-ray diffraction pattern and Raman spectra revealed, the YSZ-Ba(NO3)2 electrolyte in situ converted into YSZ and yttrium-doped barium zirconate (BZY) composite at 450°C in hydrogen atmosphere. The power maximum (Pmax) of YSZ-BZY based fuel cell can reach 634.06 mW cm-2 at 450°C. Notly, the Pmax can evenly maintain at 300 mW cm-2 as the operational temperature reduced to 390°C. The outstanding cell performance at low temperature indicate the excellent ion conductivity of the composite electrolyte. The promising ion conductivity is originated from the proton conduction of BZY, the oxygen conductivity of YSZ, and the enhanced ion conduction through interface transport. Our work demonstrates that the developed YSZ-BZY electrolyte holds enormous potential for LT-SOFCs.

Improving the electrochemical energy conversion of solid oxide fuel cells through the interface effect in La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ-BaTiO3-δ electrolyte.

Herein, we present a heterostructure electrolyte with considerable potential for application in low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs). Heterostructure electrolytes are advantageous because the multiphase interfaces in their heterostructures are superior for ion conduction than for bulk conduction. Most previous studies on heterostructure electrolytes explained the influence of interfacial parameters on ion conduction in terms of the space charge zones and lattice mismatch, neglecting the characterization of the interface. In this study, a series of heterostructure electrolytes comprising La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ (LSCF) and BaTiO3-δ (BTO) with different composition ratios was developed. Further, the lattice mismatch due to thermal stress in this system was evaluated by thermal expansion and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analyses. Results indicated that 7LSCF-3BTO produced the narrowest interface and the most surface oxygen vacancies, suggesting that the stress generated by thermal expansion increased the density of the interface. The cell with the optimal 7LSCF-3BTO composition delivered a peak power density of 910mW cm-2 and an open circuit voltage of 1.07 V at 550 °C. The heterojunction effect was studied to elucidate the prevention of short circuiting in the LSCF-BTO cell, considering the Femi level and barrier energy height. This study provides novel ideas for the design of electrolytes for LT-SOFCs from the interface perspective.

Nb-doped La0.6Sr0.4FeO3-δ as an electrolyte for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells.

It is one of the effective strategies to develop intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) by looking for alternative electrolyte materials that can maintain or even improve current cell efficiencies while reducing operating temperature. In this study, by rationally introducing pentavalent Nb on the B-site of La0.6Sr0.4FeO3-δ (LSFO), a serial of novel perovskite La0.6Sr0.4Fe1-xNbxO3-δ (LSFNbx, x = 0.1, 0.2) with mixed electron-ion conduction is successfully prepared. The electrochemical mechanism and performance of the symmetrical IT-SOFCs with a single LSFNbx perovskite oxide as electrolyte are investigated. With the Nb doping, the structure stability of the LSFO is improved and the electronic conductivity decreases. La0.6Sr0.4Fe0.8Nb0.2O3-δ (LSFNb20) is the most promising electrolyte of the three candidates as it has the best performance (735 mW cm-2 at 550 °C in a dry H2/Air atmosphere) and no short-circuiting problem. The applied voltage-response current curves demonstrate that the interface between the Ni-Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05LiO2-δ anode and LSFNb20 electrolyte can block electron conduction more efficiently and has a better promoting effect on protons, which is fundamentally due to the band energy alignment of the interface heterojunction. Our work highlights that LSFNb20 is a high-performance perovskite alternative to monolayer electrolytes.

LSCF-WO3 semiconductor composite electrolytes for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells.

The La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ (LSCF)-WO3 semiconductor composite was applied as an electrolyte for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LTSOFCs). The study results revealed that the fuel cell could output a maximum power density (P max) of 812 mW cm-2 when the weight ratio of LSCF to WO3 was 8 : 2 (8LSCF-2WO3), and its open-circuit voltage (OCV) was higher than 1.0 V. This indicated that there was no short circuit problem in this fuel cell device and 80 wt% LSCF existed in the electrolyte layer. This was mainly due to the suppressed electronic conductivity and increased ionic conductivity of the composite as compared with LSCF due to the introduction of the WO3 wide band semiconductor. The oxygen ionic conductivity of the 8LSCF-2WO3 electrolyte was 0.337 S cm-1, which is much higher than that of the pure LSCF material. According to the XPS analysis results, a higher oxygen vacancy content at the heterointerface between LSCF and WO3 contributed to the increased ionic conductivity.

Investigation of Utilizing Industrial Waste Residue Proportion on Concrete Structure: Computer Finite Element Analysis.

To study the influence of different proportions and amounts of admixtures on the structural performance of concrete, increase the utilization rate of waste material, and finally reduce the cost and environmental pollution, a computer-based finite element analysis method is proposed to investigate the structural performance of concrete composing of waste residue. Firstly, the available types of industrial waste residue and their application in concrete cementitious materials are researched. Secondly, the fly ash in the industrial waste residue is utilized as an example to design an experiment composed of material selection and mixed design set up to determine factors. Finally, the finite element analysis method is proposed and conducted. This model is employed to calculate early shrinkage stress and temperature deformation of concrete with varying contents of fly ash. The results suggest that when the content of fly ash reaches more than 40%, the compressive strength of concrete decreases gradually with the increase of the content, and the decrease is consistent with the increase of the content. Besides, different amounts of fly ash have a certain effect on the hydrated reaction and stress reduction of concrete. The effect becomes more obvious when an increase in dosage is observed.

Vulnerability of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer to Saponin Formosanin C-Induced Ferroptosis.

Targeting ferritin via autophagy (ferritinophagy) to induce ferroptosis, an iron- and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent cell death, provides novel strategies for cancer therapy. Using a ferroptosis-specific inhibitor and iron chelator, the vulnerability of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) MDA-MB-231 cells to ferroptosis was identified and compared to that of luminal A MCF-7 cells. Saponin formosanin C (FC) was revealed as a potent ferroptosis inducer characterized by superior induction in cytosolic and lipid ROS formation as well as GPX4 depletion in MDA-MB-231 cells. The FC-induced ferroptosis was paralleled by downregulation of ferroportin and xCT expressions. Immunoprecipitation and electron microscopy demonstrated the involvement of ferritinophagy in FC-treated MDA-MB-231 cells. The association of FC with ferroptosis was strengthened by the results that observed an enriched pathway with differentially expressed genes from FC-treated cells. FC sensitized cisplatin-induced ferroptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells. Through integrated analysis of differentially expressed genes and pathways using the METABRIC patients' database, we confirmed that autophagy and ferroptosis were discrepant between TNBC and luminal A and that TNBC was hypersensitive to ferroptosis. Our data suggest a therapeutic strategy by ferroptosis against TNBC, an aggressive subtype with a poor prognosis.

Designing High Interfacial Conduction beyond Bulk via Engineering the Semiconductor-Ionic Heterostructure CeO2-δ/BaZr0.8Y0.2O3 for Superior Proton Conductive Fuel Cell and Water Electrolysis Applications.

Proton ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) are an emerging clean energy technology; however, a key challenge persists in improving the electrolyte proton conductivity, e.g., around 10-3-10-2 S cm-1 at 600 °C for the well-known BaZr0.8Y0.2O3 (BZY), that is far below the required 0.1 S cm-1. Herein, we report an approach for tuning BZY from low bulk to high interfacial conduction by introducing a semiconductor CeO2-δ forming a semiconductor-ionic heterostructure CeO2-δ/BZY. The interfacial conduction was identified by a significantly higher conductivity obtained from the BZY grain boundary than that of the bulk and a further improvement from the CeO2-δ/BZY which achieved a remarkably high proton conductivity of 0.23 S cm-1. This enabled a high peak power of 845 mW cm-2 at 520 °C from a PCFC using the CeO2-δ/BZY as the electrolyte, in strong contrast to the BZY bulk conduction electrolyte with only 229 mW cm-2. Furthermore, the CeO2-δ/BZY fuel cell was operated under water electrolysis mode, exhibiting a very high current density output of 3.2 A cm-2 corresponding to a high H2 production rate, under 2.0 V at 520 °C. The band structure and a built-in-field-assisted proton transport mechanism have been proposed and explained. This work demonstrates an efficient way of tuning the electrolyte from low bulk to high interfacial proton conduction to attain sufficient conductivity required for PCFCs, electrolyzers, and other advanced electrochemical energy technologies.

Tunable magneto-optical and interfacial defects of Nd and Cr-doped bismuth ferrite nanoparticles for microwave absorber applications.

Tunable microwave absorption characteristics are highly desirable for industrial applications such as antenna, absorber, and biomedical diagnostics. Here, we report BiNdxCrxFe1-2xO3 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15) nanoparticles (NPs) with electromagnetic matching, which exhibit tunable magneto-optical and feasible microwave absorption characteristics for microwave absorber applications. The experimental results and theoretical calculations demonstrate the original bismuth ferrite (BFO) crystal structure, while Nd and Cr injection in the BFO structure may cause to minimize dielectric losses and enhance magnetization by producing interfacial defects in the spinel structure. Nd and Cr co-doping plays a key role in ordering the BFO crystal structure, resulting in improved microwave absorption characteristics. The BiNd0.10Cr0.10Fe1.8O3 (BNCF2) sample exhibits a remarkable reflection loss (RL) of -37.7 dB with a 3-mm thickness in the 10.15 GHz-10.30 GHz frequency region. Therefore, Nd and Cr doping in BFO nanoparticles opens a new pathway to construct highly efficient BFO-based materials for tunable frequency, stealth, and microwave absorber applications.

Remarkable Ionic Conductivity in a LZO-SDC Composite for Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells.

Recently, appreciable ionic conduction has been frequently observed in multifunctional semiconductors, pointing out an unconventional way to develop electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Among them, ZnO and Li-doped ZnO (LZO) have shown great potential. In this study, to further improve the electrolyte capability of LZO, a typical ionic conductor Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (SDC) is introduced to form semiconductor-ionic composites with LZO. The designed LZO-SDC composites with various mass ratios are successfully demonstrated in SOFCs at low operating temperatures, exhibiting a peak power density of 713 mW cm-2 and high open circuit voltages (OCVs) of 1.04 V at 550 °C by the best-performing sample 5LZO-5SDC, which is superior to that of simplex LZO electrolyte SOFC. Our electrochemical and electrical analysis reveals that the composite samples have attained enhanced ionic conduction as compared to pure LZO and SDC, reaching a remarkable ionic conductivity of 0.16 S cm-1 at 550 °C, and shows hybrid H+/O2- conducting capability with predominant H+ conduction. Further investigation in terms of interface inspection manifests that oxygen vacancies are enriched at the hetero-interface between LZO and SDC, which gives rise to the high ionic conductivity of 5LZO-5SDC. Our study thus suggests the tremendous potentials of semiconductor ionic materials and indicates an effective way to develop fast ionic transport in electrolytes for low-temperature SOFCs.

A Bulk-Heterostructure Nanocomposite Electrolyte of Ce0.8Sm0.2O2-δ-SrTiO3 for Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells.

Since colossal ionic conductivity was detected in the planar heterostructures consisting of fluorite and perovskite, heterostructures have drawn great research interest as potential electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). However, so far, the practical uses of such promising material have failed to materialize in SOFCs due to the short circuit risk caused by SrTiO3. In this study, a series of fluorite/perovskite heterostructures made of Sm-doped CeO2 and SrTiO3 (SDC-STO) are developed in a new bulk-heterostructure form and evaluated as electrolytes. The prepared cells exhibit a peak power density of 892 mW cm-2 along with open circuit voltage of 1.1 V at 550 °C for the optimal composition of 4SDC-6STO. Further electrical studies reveal a high ionic conductivity of 0.05-0.14 S cm-1 at 450-550 °C, which shows remarkable enhancement compared to that of simplex SDC. Via AC impedance analysis, it has been shown that the small grain-boundary and electrode polarization resistances play the major roles in resulting in the superior performance. Furthermore, a Schottky junction effect is proposed by considering the work functions and electronic affinities to interpret the avoidance of short circuit in the SDC-STO cell. Our findings thus indicate a new insight to design electrolytes for low-temperature SOFCs.

Layered LiCoO2-LiFeO2 Heterostructure Composite for Semiconductor-Based Fuel Cells.

Enabling fast ionic transport at a low-temperature range (400-600 °C) is of great importance to promoting the development of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). In this study, a layer-structured LiCoO2-LiFeO2 heterostructure composite is explored for the low-temperature (LT) SOFCs. Fuel cell devices with different configurations are fabricated to investigate the multifunction property of LiCoO2-LiFeO2 heterostructure composites. The LiCoO2-LiFeO2 composite is employed as a cathode in conventional SOFCs and as a semiconductor membrane layer in semiconductor-based fuel cells (SBFCs). Enhanced ionic conductivity is realized by a composite of LiCoO2-LiFeO2 and Sm3+ doped ceria (SDC) electrolyte in SBFC. All these designed fuel cell devices display high open-circuit voltages (OCVs), along with promising cell performance. An improved power density of 714 mW cm-2 is achieved from the new SBFC device, compared to the conventional fuel cell configuration with LiCoO2-LiFeO2 as the cathode (162 mW cm-2 at 550 °C). These findings reveal promising multifunctional layered oxides for developing high-performance LT-SOFCs.

Application of a Triple-Conducting Heterostructure Electrolyte of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.1Fe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1O3-δ and Ca0.04Ce0.80Sm0.16O2-δ in a High-Performance Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell.

Dual-ion electrolytes with oxygen ion and proton-conducting properties are among the innovative solid oxide electrolytes, which exhibit a low Ohmic resistance at temperatures below 550 °C. BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.1Y0.1O3-δ with a perovskite-phase cathode has demonstrated efficient triple-charge conduction (H+/O2-/e-) in a high-performance low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (LT-SOFC). Here, we designed another type of triple-charge conducting perovskite oxide based on Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.1Fe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1O3-δ (BSCFZY), which formed a heterostructure with ionic conductor Ca0.04Ce0.80Sm0.16O2-δ (SCDC), showing both a high ionic conductivity of 0.22 S cm-1 and an excellent power output of 900 mW cm-2 in a hybrid-ion LT-SOFC. In addition to demonstrating that a heterostructure BSCFZY-SCDC can be a good functional electrolyte, the existence of hybrid H+/O2- conducting species in BSCFZY-SCDC was confirmed. The heterointerface formation between BSCFZY and SCDC can be explained by energy band alignment, which was verified through UV-vis spectroscopy and UV photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). The interface may help in providing a pathway to enhance the ionic conductivities and to avoid short-circuiting. Various characterization techniques are used to probe the electrochemical and physical properties of the material containing dual-ion characteristics. The results indicate that the triple-charge conducting electrolyte is a potential candidate to further reduce the operating temperature of SOFC while simultaneously maintaining high performance.

Comparative study of alleviation effects of DMTU and PCIB on root growth inhibition in two tall fescue varieties under cadmium stress.

In plants, tolerance to cadmium (Cd) stress is closely related to indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). However, it is unclear whether Cd-resistant and -sensitive varieties respond differently to Cd stress. In this study, the effects of dimethylthiourea (DMTU, a H2O2 scavenger) and p-chlorophenoxy isobutyric acid (PCIB, an IAA signaling inhibitor) on root growth, endogenous hormones and antioxidant system were investigated to decipher how DMTU and PCIB treatments alleviate the inhibition of root elongation in Cd-resistant (Commander) and -sensitive (Crossfire III) tall fescue varieties under Cd stress. Both varieties subjected to 10 µM Cd treatments for 12 h presented a substantial decrease in root elongation coupled with a reduction in brassinosteroid (BR) and zeatin riboside (ZR) contents, but the changes in IAA and abscisic acid (ABA) contents under Cd stress were opposite in the two varieties. In addition, the H2O2 content and antioxidant enzyme activities significantly increased in both varieties. However, pretreatment with PCIB or DMTU mitigated the inhibition of root elongation caused by Cd, accompanied by the significant changes of aforementioned physiological parameters. PCIB significantly reduced the IAA content in 'Commander', while DMTU significantly increased the IAA content in 'Crossfire III' and effectively relieved the inhibition of root elongation. But both treatments decreased the Cd-induced H2O2 accumulation. These results indicated that DMTU or PCIB can alleviate the Cd-inhibited root elongation in two varieties whose resistance differed under Cd stress, but they presented differences in the response of hormones, especially IAA, which may be due to the different adaptation mechanisms of two varieties in response to Cd stress.

Real-time Burst Photo Selection Using a Light-Head Adversarial Network.

We present an automatic moment capture system that runs in real-time on mobile cameras. The system is designed to run in the viewfinder mode and capture a burst sequence of frames before and after the shutter is pressed. For each frame, the system predicts in real-time a goodness score, based on which the best moment in the burst can be selected immediately after the shutter is released. We develop a highly efficient deep neural network ranking model, which implicitly learns a latent relative attribute space to capture subtle visual differences within a sequence of burst images. The overall goodness is computed as a linear aggregation of the goodnesses of all the latent attributes. To obtain a compact model which can run on mobile devices in real-time, we have explored and evaluated a wide range of network design choices, taking into account the constraints of model size, computational cost, and accuracy. Extensive studies show that the best frame predicted by our model hit users' top-1 (out of 11 on average) choice for 64.1% cases and top-3 choices for 86.2% cases. Moreover, the model (only 0.47M Bytes) can run in real time on mobile devices, e.g. 13ms on iPhone 7.