V-Based MXene/MAX Heterostructure Composites with Enhancing Dielectric Loss for Broadband Microwave Absorption.

Electromagnetic wave absorption performance is strictly dependent on attenuation and impedance matching, which are directly influenced by the ratio of MXene/MAX in the multilayer structured MXene/MAX composites. However, there is still a challenge to achieve collaborative optimization of dielectric loss and impedance matching by precisely regulating the proportional relationship of MXene/MAX. Herein, V-based MXene/MAX heterostructure composites with different V2C/V2AlC ratios were successfully synthesized by rationally controlling the temperature and time of the hydrothermal reaction. Experimental results indicated that V2C-100 °C-1 harvested the balance between reduced impedance matching and enhanced dielectric losses, which was attributed to the mildly enhanced conduction loss and polarization loss. The first principles indicated that abundant electrons migrate from the V atoms of the MXene to the C atoms of the MAX phase. The charge redistributed and accumulated at the interface, exciting the increase in the dielectric loss of V2C-100 °C-1. As a result, the V2C-100 °C-1 heterostructure composite had an excellent electromagnetic absorption effect with a minimum reflection loss of -50.06 dB and a wide effective absorption bandwidth of 4.0 GHz (12.72-16.72 GHz). This work provides a valuable experience for the development of efficient MXene-based microwave absorbing materials.

Analysis of comb-gnawing behavior in Apis cerana cerana (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Apis cerana cerana exhibits a prominent biological trait known as comb gnawing. In this study, gnawed combs from colonies during different seasons were collected, investigating the comb age and locations of gnawing. Patterns of comb gnawing were recorded, and the effects of 2 factors, namely, comb type and season, on the mass of wax residues and the gnawed surface area were measured. The results revealed that A. c. cerana predominantly gnaws combs that have been used for over 6 months, with gnawing concentrated in the brood-rearing area. In the first 3 seasons, significantly higher masses of wax residues and larger gnawed surface areas were found in greater wax moth larvae (GWML)-infested combs compared to newly built and old combs. Also, there were significantly higher masses and areas gnawed by A. c. cerana in old combs compared to newly built combs in all 4 seasons. Compared to other seasons, it exhibited significantly higher masses and areas resulting from comb-gnawing in newly built or old combs in winter. However, there were no significant differences in the masses of wax residues and surface areas gnawed in GWML-infested combs across the first 3 seasons. In conclusion, this study documented the impact of comb type and season on the comb-gnawing behavior of A. c. cerana, contributing to beekeeping management practices and the current understanding of bee biology.

The OpenFlexure Block Stage: sub-100 nm fibre alignment with a monolithic plastic flexure stage.

As 3D printers become more widely available, researchers are able to rapidly produce components that may have previously taken weeks to have machined. The resulting plastic components, having high surface roughness, are often not suitable for high-precision optomechanics. However, by playing to the strengths of 3D printing-namely the ability to print complex internal geometries-it is possible to design monolithic mechanisms that do not rely on tight integration of high-precision parts. Here we present a motorised monolithic 3D-printed plastic flexure stage with sub-100 nm resolution that can perform automated optical fibre alignment.

Spatial specificity in attentional modulation of prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex in rats.

Prepulse inhibition (PPI), the suppression of the startle reflex when the startling stimulus is shortly preceded by a weaker non-startling sensory stimulus (prepulse), can be enhanced by selective attention to the prepulse with a marked prepulse-feature specificity. To determine if the attentional modulation of PPI in rats can also be perceptual location specific, this study investigated whether fear-conditioning of a prepulse perceived at a location can enhance PPI only when the conditioned prepulse is perceived at that conditioned location. A continuous narrowband noise (NBN) was delivered by each of the two spatially separated loudspeakers in the frontal azimuth with a silent gap embedded in each NBN. The inter-loudspeaker interval was 1 ms (either left or right loudspeaker leading). Due to the precedence effect, both the NBN and gap images were perceived at the leading loudspeaker. The perceptually fused gap was used as the prepulse. To fear-condition one gap prepulse, which was perceived at one loudspeaker, the prepulse was paired with footshock in a temporally precise manner and the other gap (the conditioning-control prepulse) perceived at the other (opposite) loudspeaker was paired with footshock in a random manner. Compared to PPI before conditioning, PPI induced by the fear-conditioned gap perceived at the fear-conditioned loudspeaker, but not that by the conditioning-control gap, was significantly enhanced. Thus, attentional modulation of PPI can be not only prepulse-feature specific, but also perceptual location specific, and involves combined central processes for content and location information.

Biochar reduces nutrient loss and improves microbial biomass of composted cattle manure and maize straw.

In this study, nutrient loss, the direct and indirect relationship between period, compost types, temperature, total nitrogen (TN), nitrate nitrogen (NO3 - -N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4 + -N), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) were investigated during composting of cattle manure-maize straw mixture. This study findings revealed that biochar addition lowered NH4 + -N but did not increase NO3 - -N concentrations unlike no biochar piles during composting. The first-order kinetic models showed that biochar accelerated organic matter (OM) degradation and improved nitrogen mineralization, consequently reducing TN losses by 13.6% and OM losses by 12.66%. Transformation ratio of MBC/MBN, coupled with other chemical components of the entire microbial community, suggested a shift in the microbial succession and diversity during composting from the dominant bacteria and actinomycetes to fungi. The structural equation model and path coefficient revealed temperature to be the main factor mediating the evolution of MBC and MBN in composting. The physicochemical variables, phytotoxicity, and final product quality revealed that biochar incorporation to the composting feedstock is an ideal material for mitigating problems of TN and OM losses in composting and ultimately enhancing the fertility potential of the final compost product.

Differences in distribution of functional microorganism at DNA and cDNA levels in cow manure composting.

Denitrification and nitrification processes are the two prominent pathways of nitrogen (N) transformation in composting matrix. This study explored the dynamics of denitrifying and nitrifying bacteria at different composting stages of cow manure and corn straw using functional gene sequencing at DNA and cDNA levels. Corresponding agreement among OTUs, NMDS, mental test and network analyses revealed that functional bacteria community compositions and responses to physicochemical factors were different at DNA and cDNA levels. Specifically, some OTUs were detected at the DNA level but were not observed at cDNA level, differences were also found in the distribution patterns of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria communities at both levels. Furthermore, co-occurrence network analysis indicated that Pseudomonas, Paracoccus and Nitrosomonas were identified as the keystone OTUs at the DNA level, while Paracoccus, Agrobacterium and Nitrosospira were keystone OTUs at the cDNA level. Mantel test revealed that TN, C/N and moisture content significantly influenced both the denitrifying bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) communities at the DNA level. NO3--N, NH4+-N, TN, C/N, and moisture content only registered significant correlation with the nosZ-type denitrifiers and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) communities at the cDNA level. Structural equation model (SEM) showed that TN, NH4+-N, and pH were direct and significantly influenced the gene abundance of denitrifying bacteria. Howbeit, TN, NH4+-N, and NO3--N had significant direct effects on amoA gene abundance.

Bacterial community succession in dairy manure composting with a static composting technique.

This study applied high-throughput sequencing technology and PICRUSt (phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved state) to examine the microbial population dynamics during the composting of dairy manure and rice straw in a static (without turning) composting system. The results showed that the composition of the bacterial community varied significantly during the composting process. The dominant phyla included Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Chloroflexi. Biodiversity indices showed that bacterial community diversity had the peak value during the mesophilic phase. Redundancy analysis indicated that nitrogen was the most important factor in the distribution of genera during the composting process. Finally, the Pearson correlation results suggested that Thermomonospora and Thermopolyspora could be the biomarkers of the composting maturation phase. The metabolic characteristics of the bacterial communities were predicted by PICRUSt. The result showed that metabolism of amino acids, lipids, and most of the carbohydrates increased during the whole composting treatment. However, methane metabolism, carbon fixation pathways in prokaryotes, and nucleotide metabolism decreased after the thermophilic phase. The present study provides a better understanding for bacterial community composition and function succession in dairy manure composting.

Correlation between ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms and environmental factors during cattle manure composting.

Cattle manure composting was performed in an aerated vessel. Community structure and diversity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) were investigated using polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) techniques targeting the ammonia monooxygenase alpha subunit (amoA) gene and the correlation between AOB and AOA communities and environmental factors was explored. Thirteen (13) AOB sequences were obtained, which were closely related to Nitrosomonas spp., Nitrosomonas eutropha, and Nitrosospira spp. and uncultured bacteria, among which Nitrosomonas spp. were predominant. Excessively high temperature and high ammonium concentration were not favorable for AOB growth. Five AOA sequences, belonging to CandidatusNitrososphaera gargensis and to an uncultured archaeon, were obtained. During composting, community diversity of AOB and AOA fluctuated, with AOA showing a higher Shannon-Wiener index. The AOB community changed more dramatically in the mesophilic stage and the early thermophilic stage, whereas the most obvious AOA community succession occurred in the late thermophilic stage, the cooling stage and the maturity stage. Water content, total nitrogen (TN) and ammonium concentration were more relevant to the AOB community structure, while higher correlations were observed between ammonia, nitrate and TN and the AOA community. AOB community diversity was negatively correlated with pH (r = -0.938, p < 0.01) and water content (r = -0.765, p < 0.05), while positively correlated with TN (r = 0.894, p < 0.01). AOA community diversity was negatively correlated with ammonium concentration (r = -0.901, p < 0.01). Ammonium concentration played an important role in the succession of AOB and AOA communities during composting.

Diversity and abundance of denitrifiers during cow manure composting.

Diversity and abundance of the denitrifying genes nirK, nirS and nosZ were investigated in cow manure compost using polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), respectively. These three genes were detected in all the stages of the composting process. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the nirK gene was closely related to Rhizobiales, Burkholderiales, the nirS gene was closely related to Pseudomonadales and Burkholderiales, and the nosZ gene was closely related to Rhodospirillales, Rhizobiales, Pseudomonadales, and Alteromonadales. qPCR results showed that the abundance of these three genes (nirK, nirS and nosZ) reached the peak value in the late thermophilic stage of composting and abundance of the nirK gene was higher than that of the nosZ gene and the nirS gene. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that the diversity of the nirK and nirS genes was significantly correlated with ammonium (p<0.05), the diversity of the nosZ gene was significantly correlated with pH (p<0.05) and the abundance of the nirK nirS and nosZ genes was significantly correlated with temperature (p<0.05).

Aliibacillus thermotolerans gen. nov., sp. nov.: a thermophilic and heterotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacterium from compost.

A novel moderately thermophilic and heterotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacterium, designated strain BM62T, was isolated from compost in the thermophilic stage in Harbin, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene indicated that strain BM62T belongs to the family Bacillaceae within the class Bacilli and was most closely related to Alteribacillus iranensis X5BT (only 94.6% sequence similarity). Cells of strain BM62T were Gram-positive, rod-shaped, motile by periflagella, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Growth of strain BM62T was observed at salinities of 0-4% (optimum 2-3%), temperatures of 35-65 °C (optimum 50 °C) and pH values of 5-9 (optimum pH 7). The major cellular fatty acid was iso-C16:0, and the predominant ubiquinone was MK-7. The peptidoglycan type is A1γ, and meso-diaminopimelic acid was the diagnostic diamino acid. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phospholipid and phosphatidylglycerol. The G + C content of its genomic DNA was 36.5 mol%. Data from this polyphasic taxonomy study suggested that strain BM62T should be classified as the type strain of the type species of a new genus within the family Bacillaceae for which the name Aliibacillus thermotolerans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the species Aliibacillus thermotolerans sp. nov. is BM62T (= DSM 101851T = CGMCC 1.15790T). The respective DPD Taxon Number is GA00057.

Randomized, Controlled Trial: Efficacy of Ultrasound and Exercise in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis.

CONTEXT: The aim in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is to reduce patients' symptoms, including pain, stiffness, and fatigue; to correct their posture; and to improve their quality of life. Currently, no definitive therapy is available for treating AS. Previous studies have reported positive results regarding the efficacy of exercise. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of ultrasound, combined with exercise, in patients with AS. DESIGN: The research team designed a randomized, double-blind, 2-arm parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: The study took place at the Affiliated Hongqi Hospital of Mudanjiang Medical University (Mudanjiang, China). PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 62 individuals with AS who were patients at the hospital. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly assigned to one of 2 groups: (1) the intervention group, who received exercise and ultrasound therapy; or (2) the control group, who received exercise and placebo ultrasound therapy, without an active probe, both for 8 wk. OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome measures included (1) the numerical rating scale (NRS), (2) the Bath ankylosing spondylitis metrology index (BASMI), (3) the Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI), (4) the Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI), and (5) the ankylosing spondylitis quality of life (ASQoL) questionnaire. All outcomes were measured at baseline and at the end of 4 and 8 wk of treatment. RESULT: Fifty-seven patients fulfilled the requirements of the study. Ultrasound and exercise therapy showed greater efficacy than the placebo ultrasound and exercise in decreasing the scores for the NRS, daily and at night; the BASMI; the BASDAI; the BASFI; and the ASQoL, at the end of both 4 and 8 wk of treatment. No adverse events were noted in either group. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that 8 wk of ultrasound and exercise therapy was efficacious in patients with AS.

Amelioration of melittin on adjuvant-induced rheumatoid arthritis: Integrated transcriptome and metabolome.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease lacking a definitive cure. Although conventional treatments such as dexamethasone and methotrexate are prevalent, their usage is constrained by potential adverse effects. Melittin (MLT) has emerged as a promising natural anti-rheumatic drug; however, studies focusing on the role of MLT in modulating the expression and metabolism of RA-related genes are scarce. METHOD: Arthritis was induced in rats using Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA), followed by MLT injections for treatment. Post-treatment, the inflammatory status of each group was assessed, and the mechanistic underpinnings of MLT's ameliorative effects on RA were elucidated through transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. Additionally, this study conducted qRT-PCR validation of key therapeutic genes and characterized the molecular docking interactions of MLT with key receptor proteins (TNF-α and IL-1ß) using the AutoDock Vina software. RESULT: MLT significantly diminished redness and swelling in affected joints, ameliorated inflammatory cell infiltration, and mitigated joint damage. Integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic data revealed that MLT predominantly regulated the transcription levels of pathways and genes related to cytokines and immune responses, and the metabolic biomarkers of Sphingomyelin, fatty acid, and flavonoid. qRT-PCR confirmed MLT's downregulation of inflammation-related genes such as Il6, Jak2, Stat3, and Ptx3. Molecular docking simulations demonstrated the stable binding of MLT to TNF-α and IL-1ß. CONCLUSION: MLT demonstrated significant efficacy in alleviating RA. This study provides a comprehensive summary of MLT's impact on gene expression and metabolic processes associated with RA.

Impact of Brood Cell Cocoons on Metal Accumulation and CYP450 Detoxification Gene Expression in Apis cerana cerana.

Honey bees play a critical role as pollinators. However, their reproduction success and survival face severe threats due to the deterioration of their living environment. Notably, environmental conditions during their preimaginal stage inside brood cells can influence their immune capabilities and overall health after emergence. During the in-cell developmental stage, workers are in close contact with cocoons, which can become a source of stress due to accumulated metals. To investigate this potential threat, experiments were conducted to examine the impact of cocoons in brood cells used to rear different generations on the metal content and detoxification gene expression levels in Apis cerana cerana. Our findings indicated significant differences in the layers, weight, base thickness, and metal contents like Cr, Cd, Pb, Mn, Ni, and As of cocoons in multi-generation brood cells compared to single-generation brood cells. These increases led to significant elevations in metal levels and upregulations of the four CYP450 detoxification genes in both six-day-old larvae and newly emerged workers. In conclusion, this study highlights the negative impact of cocoons in multi-generation brood cells on bee health and provides evidence supporting the development of rational apiculture management strategies for ecosystem stability.

Effective Control Method Based on Trajectory Optimization for Three-Link Vertical Underactuated Manipulators With Only One Active Joint.

For a three-link vertical underactuated manipulator (TVUM) with only one active joint, the control target is to swing up its endpoint from the straight-down equilibrium point (SDEP) and to stabilize the endpoint at the straight-up equilibrium point (SUEP) eventually. Up to now, there are few effective control strategies to achieve the above control target. In this article, we propose an effective control method based on the trajectory optimization to realize the system control target, and the main steps of this article are: 1) a continuous trajectory that consists of two segments with design parameters is planned for the actuated link, along which the actuated link can be swung up from the initial states to the final states; 2) the design parameters are optimized by using the intelligent optimization algorithm to guarantee that the states of the underactuated links are continuous at the junction. In this way, the underactuated links are also moved to their final states with the actuated link simultaneously; 3) a tracking controller is designed by using the sliding-mode method to track the trajectory with optimized design parameters, so the endpoint is swung up from the SDEP to the SUEP directly; and 4) a stabilizing controller is further devised through the LQR method to keep the endpoint being stable at the SUEP. Finally, simulation results show that the proposed control method achieves the swing-up and stable control target of the system, and the control performance of the proposed method is superior than that of the existing control methods through the comparisons.

Case Study on Prestressed CFRP Plates Applied for Strengthening Hollow-Section Beam Removed from an Old Bridge.

With the wide application of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) plate, used for strengthening existed concrete structures, the prestressing technology of CFRP plate is becoming a hot topic, in order to sufficiently develop its high-strength peculiarity. In this paper, a full-scale hollow-section beam with length of 16 m taken from an old bridge which was in service for about 20 years was first examined for existed cracks and repaired by filling epoxy adhesive, and then the beam was strengthened with prestressed CFRP plates. The CFRP plates were tensioned and fixed with flat-plate anchorages at ends and bonded with adhesive on the bottom surface of the beam. The strengthened beam was experimentally studied using a four-point test to measure the concrete strain along the height of the mid-span section and the mid-span deflection. The finite element model of the strengthened beam was verified by the comparison of test results and used for an extending study of parametric analysis considering the effect of the length and amount of CFRP plates. Results indicated that with an increase in the length and amount of CFRP plates, the mid-span deflection of the beam decreases with the increased cracking resistance and bearing capacity, while the ultimate failure mode transfers from the under-reinforcement to the over-reinforcement.

[Sinomenine ameliorates bleomycin A5-induced pulmonary fibrosis by blocking the miR-21/ADAMTS-1 signaling pathway in rats].

Objective To explore the impact of sinomenine on bleomycin A5-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF) in rats and the underlying mechanism. Methods MRC-5 cells were cultured and treated with sinomenine to determine its optimal concentration and time through the MTT assay. Subsequently, MRC-5 cells were incubated with 80 µmol/L sinomenine for 48 hours or transfected with miR-21 mimic/a disintegrin-like and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motif (ADAMTS-1) siRNA prior to sinomenine treatment. The expression of miR-21, ADAMTS-1, collagen type 1 (Col1) and collagen type 3 (Col3) was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and/or Western blot analysis. Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into control group, sinomenine group and sinomenine combined with miR-21 agomir group, with 10 animals in each group. Bleomycin A5 were intratracheally administered to establish the PF model. Then, rats in control group, sinomenine group and sinomenine +miR-21 agomir group were treated with 9 g/L sodium chloride solution, sinomenine and sinomenine+miR-21 agomir, respectively. On day 28, all rats were sacrificed. HE and Masson staining was performed in pulmonary tissue. The expression of ADAMTS-1, Col1 and Col3 in pulmonary tissue were detected by qRT-PCR and/or Western blot analysis. ELISA was used to measure serum procollagen type 1 carboxyterminal propeptide (P1CP) and procollagen type 3 aminoterminal propeptide (P3NP) levels. Results Administration of sinomenine decreased miR-21 levels, up-regulated ADAMTS-1 expression, and promoted Col1 and Col3 degradation in MRC-5 cells. Importantly, interfering with the miR-21/ADAMTS-1 signaling pathway partially reversed the promotive effect of sinomenine on Col1 and Col3 degradation. Treatment of SD rats with sinomenine reduced alveolitis and PF scores, decreased serum P1CP and P3NP levels, up-regulated pulmonary ADAMTS-1 expression, and down-regulated Col1 and Col3 expression. However, these effects were reversed by miR-21 agomir. Conclusion Sinomenine promotes Col1 and Col3 degradation and inhibits PF in rats by miR-21/ADAMTS-1 pathway.

Comb Cell Structure and Morphological Characteristics of the Chinese Honey Bee, Apis cerana cerana (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Under Successive Generations.

This study investigated the changes in comb cell structure and external morphological characteristics of the Chinese honey bee under ten successive generations to determine the optimal time to replace the old combs. Accordingly, ten Chinese honey bee experimental colonies were established, and natural combs were constructed for continuous rearing of workers for 1-10 generations. The brood comb thickness, brood cell structure, birth weight, and morphological characteristics of workers were determined. Pearson correlation analyses between brood comb structure and morphological characteristics of workers were carried out. The results revealed that under ten successive generations, the color of the brood comb deepens from white or light yellow to brown and finally to black. Also, concerning the brood cell shape, the cell base changes from the three-rhomboid structure to the hemisphere, and the cell body changes from the hexagonal prism structure to the cylinder. The brood cell depth increases with an increase in brood comb thickness. The cell volume reduces with the hexagonal cell's decreasing inner circumference side length, and diameter. A smaller cell volume leads to a decrease in the birth weight and body size of the worker, in addition, the Chinese honey bee has gnawed off the comb cells that have been cultivated for eight generations. This study suggests that the combs of Chinese honey bees should be replaced after eight generations to improve colony strength and production performance.

The co-occurrence network patterns and keystone species of microbial communities in cattle manure-corn straw composting.

Microbes often form complex ecological networks in various habitats. Co-occurrence network analysis allows exploring the complex community interactions beyond the community diversities. This study explores the interspecific relationships within and between bacterial and fungal communities during composting of cow manure using co-occurrence network analysis. Furthermore, the keystone taxa that potentially exert a considerable impact on the microbiome were revealed by network analysis. The networks in the present study harbored more positive links. Specifically, the interactions/coupling within bacterial communities was tighter and the response to changes in external environmental conditions was more quickly during the composting process, while the fungal network had a better buffer capacity for changes in external environmental conditions. Interestingly, this result was authenticated in the bacterial-fungal (BF) network and the Mantel test of major modules and environmental variables. More than that, the Zi-Pi plot revealed that the keystone taxa including "module hubs" and "connectors" were all detected in these networks, which could prevent the dissociation of modules and networks.

Investigation of underlying links between nitrogen transformation and microorganisms' network modularity in the novel static aerobic composting of dairy manure by "stepwise verification interaction analysis".

Conventional composting is a viable method treating agricultural solid waste, and microorganisms and nitrogen transformation are the two major components of this proces. Unfortunately, conventional composting is time-consuming and laborious, and limited efforts have been made to mitigate these problems. Herein, a novel static aerobic composting technology (NSACT) was developed and employed for the composting of cow manure and rice straw mixtures. During the composting process, physicochemical parameters were analyzed to evaluate the quality of compost products, and microbial abundance dynamics were determined using high-throughput sequencing technique. The results showed that NSACT achieved compost maturity within 17 days as the thermophilic stage (≥55 °C) lasted for 11 days. GI, pH, and C/N were 98.71 %, 8.38, and 19.67 in the top layer, 92.32 %, 8.24, and 22.38 in the middle layer, 102.08 %, 8.33, and 19.95 in the bottom layer. These observations indicate compost products maturated and met the requirements of current legislation. Compared with fungi, bacterial communities dominated NSACT composting system. Based on the stepwise verification interaction analysis (SVIA), the novel combination utilization of multiple statistical analyses (Spearman, RDA/CCA, Network modularity, and Path analyses), bacterial genera Norank Anaerolineaceae (-0.9279*), norank Gemmatimonadetes (1.1959*), norank Acidobacteria (0.6137**) and unclassified Proteobacteria (-0.7998*), and fungi genera Myriococcum thermophilum (-0.0445), unclassified Sordariales (-0.0828*), unclassified Lasiosphaeriaceae (-0.4174**), and Coprinopsis calospora (-0.3453*) were the identified key microbial taxa affecting NH4+-N, NO3--N, TKN and C/N transformation in the NSACT composting matrix respectively. This work revealed that NSACT successfully managed cow manure-rice straw wastes and significantly shorten the composting period. Interestingly, most microorganisms observed in this composting matrix acted in a synergistic manner, promoting nitrogen transformation.

In situ gel-to-crystal transition and synthesis of metal nanoparticles obtained by fluorination of a cyclic ß-aminoalcohol gelator.

A new fluorinated version of a cyclic ß-aminoalcohol gelator derived from 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline is presented. The gelator is able to gel various nonprotic solvents through OH⋅⋅⋅N hydrogen bonds and additional CH⋅⋅⋅F interactions due to the introduction of fluorine. A bimolecular lamellar structure is formed in the gel phase, which partly preserves the pattern of molecular organization in the single crystal. The racemate of the chiral gelator shows lower gelation ability than its enantiomer because of a higher tendency to form microcrystals, as shown by X-ray diffraction analysis. The influence of fluorination on the self-assembly of the gelator and the properties of the gel was investigated in comparison to the original fluorine-free gel system. The introduction of fluorine brings two new features. The first is good recognition of o-xylene by the gelator, which induces an in situ transition from gels of o-xylene and of an o-xylene/toluene mixture to identical single crystals with unique tubular architecture. The second is the enhanced stability of the toluene gel towards ions, including quaternary ammonium salts, which enables the preparation of a stable toluene gel in the presence of chloroaurate or chloroplatinate. The gel system can be used as a template for the synthesis of spherical gold nanoparticles with a diameter of 5 to 9 nm and wormlike platinum nanostructures with a diameter of 2 to 3 nm and a length of 5 to 12 nm. This is the first example of a synthesis of platinum nanoparticles in an organogel medium. Therefore, the appropriate introduction of a fluorine atom and corresponding nonbonding interactions into a known gelator to tune the properties and functions of a gel is a simple and effective tactic for design of a gel system with specific targets.