Feather, as a by-product of the poultry industry, has long been treated as a solid waste, which causes environ- mental and economic problems. In this work, the hydrolyzed feather keratin （HFK） was extracted from the...Feather, as a by-product of the poultry industry, has long been treated as a solid waste, which causes environ- mental and economic problems. In this work, the hydrolyzed feather keratin （HFK） was extracted from the chicken feather using a cost-effective method of alkali-extraction and acid-precipitation by applying urea and sodium sulfide. The aim was development and characterization of the eco-friendly films based on the HFK with variable glycerol contents by a thermoplastic process. The thermal analysis showed that high temperature and high pres- sure improved the compatibility between the glycerol and the HFI（ molecules. Also it was shown that the addi- tion of water is necessary in the hot-pressing process of films, The FT-IR analysis indicated that the formation of the new hydrogen bonds between HFK and glycerol. By increasing the glycerol content, the film tensile strength （orb ） decreases from 10,5 MPa to 5.7 MPa and the solubility increases from 15.3% to 20.9%, while the elongation at break （εb） achieves the maximum value of 63,8% for the film with 35% glycerol. The swelling was just below 16.9% at 25 ℃ for 24 h, suggesting a good stability of the films in water. The water vapor permeability （WVP） varied between 3.02 x 10 ^10g. m 2. s-1 . pa-1 and 4.11 x 10-10g · m-2 · s-1 · Pa-1 for the films with 20%and 40% glycerol, respectively. The HFK film was uniform, translucent and tough, which could be used in packaging and agricultural field.展开更多
The development of self-powered flexible multicolor electrochromic(EC)systems that could switch different color without an external power supply has remained extremely challenging.Here,a new trilayer film structure fo...The development of self-powered flexible multicolor electrochromic(EC)systems that could switch different color without an external power supply has remained extremely challenging.Here,a new trilayer film structure for achieving self-powered flexible multicolor EC displays based on self-charging/discharging mechanism is proposed,which is simply assembled by sandwiching an ionic gel film between 2 cathodic nickel hexacyanoferrate(NiHCF)and Prussian blue(PB)nanoparticle films on indium tin oxide substrates.The display exhibits independent self-powered color switching of NiHCF and PB films with fast responsive time and high reversibility by selectively connecting the Al wire as anodes with the 2 EC films.Multicolor switching is thus achieved through a color overlay effect by superimposing the 2 EC films,including green,blue,yellow,and colorless.The bleaching/coloration process of the displays is driven by the discharging/self-charging mechanism for NiHCF and PB films,respectively,ensuring the self-powered color switching of the displays reversibly without an external power supply.It is further demonstrated that patterns can be easily created in the self-powered EC displays by the spray-coating method,allowing multicolor changing to convey specific information.Moreover,a self-powered ionic writing board is demonstrated based on the self-powered EC displays that can be repeatedly written freehand without the need of an external power source.We believe that the design concept may provide new insights into the development of self-powered flexible multicolor EC displays with self-recovered energy for widespread applications.展开更多
Background and Aims:The impact of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)on the treatment outcome of chronic hepatitis B(CHB)is undefined and deserves an in-depth investigation.Methods:Histologically-proven CHB receiv...Background and Aims:The impact of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)on the treatment outcome of chronic hepatitis B(CHB)is undefined and deserves an in-depth investigation.Methods:Histologically-proven CHB receiving first-line antiviral regimens as initial therapy was enrolled and grouped by the concurrence of NAFLD,and followed up at six monthly intervals.Therapeutic response related data were recorded and compared at multiple time points.Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were utilized to estimate the impact of NAFLD on complete virological response(CVR).Results:We enrolled 267 patients(CHB:164;CHB with NAFLD:103)with comparable follow-up durations.They were also comparable in baseline HBV DNA levels and HBeAg positivity.Patients with concomitant NAFLD showed less significant decline in HBV DNA,qHBsAg,pgRNA,and liver enzyme levels over time;moreover,their cumulative incidences of CVR were significantly lower and that of low-level viremia(LLV)were significantly higher at 6,12,18,24 months.First CVR of CHB was delayed with the presence NAFLD(11.0 vs.7.0 months,p<0.001)and further prolonged with higher grade of liver steatosis(Grade 2–3 vs.1:13.0 vs.9.0 months).On multivariate analysis,HBeAg positivity(HR:0.650,p=0.036),grade of steatosis(G2[HR:0.447,p=0.004];G3[HR:0.085,p=0.002])and HBV DNA(log10 IU/mL)(HR:0.687,p<0.001)were significantly associated with delayed CVR,whereas grade of necroinflammation(HR:1.758,p<0.001)accelerated the CVR.Conclusions:In CHB patients receiving initial antiviral therapy,NAFLD was associated with higher levels of HBV DNA,pgRNA,and liver enzymes,and higher incidence of LLV and delayed CVR.展开更多
Sodium carbonate （Na2CO3） presents a huge challenge to plants by the combined damaging effects of Na＋, high pH, and CO32. Little is known about the cellular responses to Na2CO3 stress. In this study, the transcript...Sodium carbonate （Na2CO3） presents a huge challenge to plants by the combined damaging effects of Na＋, high pH, and CO32. Little is known about the cellular responses to Na2CO3 stress. In this study, the transcriptome of maize （Zea mays L. cv. B73） roots exposed to Na2CO3 stress for 5 h was compared with those of NaCI and NaOH stresses. The expression of 8,319 genes, representing over a quarter of the total number of genes in the maize genome, was altered by Na2CO3 stress, and the downregulated genes （5,232） outnumbered the upregulated genes （3,087）. The effects of Na2CO3 differed from those of NaCI and NaOH, primarily by downregulating different categories of genes. Pathways commonly altered by Na2CO3, NaCI, and NaOH were enriched in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids, ATP- binding cassette （ABC） transporters, as well as the metabolism of secondary metabolites. Genes for brassinosteroid biosynthesis were specifically upregulated by Na2CO3, while genes involved in ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum and by N-glycosylation, fatty acid biosynthesis, and the circadian rhythm were downregulated. This work provides the first holistic picture of early transcriptomic adaptation to Na2CO3 stress, and highlights potential molecular pathways that could be manipulated to improve tolerance in maize.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21176269,31371880,31401526)Higher School Science and Technology Innovation Project of Guangdong Province(2013KJCX0102)Science and Technology Plan Project of Guangdong Province(2013B010403029)
文摘Feather, as a by-product of the poultry industry, has long been treated as a solid waste, which causes environ- mental and economic problems. In this work, the hydrolyzed feather keratin （HFK） was extracted from the chicken feather using a cost-effective method of alkali-extraction and acid-precipitation by applying urea and sodium sulfide. The aim was development and characterization of the eco-friendly films based on the HFK with variable glycerol contents by a thermoplastic process. The thermal analysis showed that high temperature and high pres- sure improved the compatibility between the glycerol and the HFI（ molecules. Also it was shown that the addi- tion of water is necessary in the hot-pressing process of films, The FT-IR analysis indicated that the formation of the new hydrogen bonds between HFK and glycerol. By increasing the glycerol content, the film tensile strength （orb ） decreases from 10,5 MPa to 5.7 MPa and the solubility increases from 15.3% to 20.9%, while the elongation at break （εb） achieves the maximum value of 63,8% for the film with 35% glycerol. The swelling was just below 16.9% at 25 ℃ for 24 h, suggesting a good stability of the films in water. The water vapor permeability （WVP） varied between 3.02 x 10 ^10g. m 2. s-1 . pa-1 and 4.11 x 10-10g · m-2 · s-1 · Pa-1 for the films with 20%and 40% glycerol, respectively. The HFK film was uniform, translucent and tough, which could be used in packaging and agricultural field.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant no.51972199)Taishan Scholars Program(tstp20221131)Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(nos.ZR2019JQ15 and ZR2022QB078).
文摘The development of self-powered flexible multicolor electrochromic(EC)systems that could switch different color without an external power supply has remained extremely challenging.Here,a new trilayer film structure for achieving self-powered flexible multicolor EC displays based on self-charging/discharging mechanism is proposed,which is simply assembled by sandwiching an ionic gel film between 2 cathodic nickel hexacyanoferrate(NiHCF)and Prussian blue(PB)nanoparticle films on indium tin oxide substrates.The display exhibits independent self-powered color switching of NiHCF and PB films with fast responsive time and high reversibility by selectively connecting the Al wire as anodes with the 2 EC films.Multicolor switching is thus achieved through a color overlay effect by superimposing the 2 EC films,including green,blue,yellow,and colorless.The bleaching/coloration process of the displays is driven by the discharging/self-charging mechanism for NiHCF and PB films,respectively,ensuring the self-powered color switching of the displays reversibly without an external power supply.It is further demonstrated that patterns can be easily created in the self-powered EC displays by the spray-coating method,allowing multicolor changing to convey specific information.Moreover,a self-powered ionic writing board is demonstrated based on the self-powered EC displays that can be repeatedly written freehand without the need of an external power source.We believe that the design concept may provide new insights into the development of self-powered flexible multicolor EC displays with self-recovered energy for widespread applications.
基金supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Hebei Province (No.19277779D)the Program of Introduce International Intelligence of Hebei Province,Medical technology tracking in Hebei Province (No.2019009)the Forth Batch of Top-talents of Hebei Province.
文摘Background and Aims:The impact of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)on the treatment outcome of chronic hepatitis B(CHB)is undefined and deserves an in-depth investigation.Methods:Histologically-proven CHB receiving first-line antiviral regimens as initial therapy was enrolled and grouped by the concurrence of NAFLD,and followed up at six monthly intervals.Therapeutic response related data were recorded and compared at multiple time points.Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were utilized to estimate the impact of NAFLD on complete virological response(CVR).Results:We enrolled 267 patients(CHB:164;CHB with NAFLD:103)with comparable follow-up durations.They were also comparable in baseline HBV DNA levels and HBeAg positivity.Patients with concomitant NAFLD showed less significant decline in HBV DNA,qHBsAg,pgRNA,and liver enzyme levels over time;moreover,their cumulative incidences of CVR were significantly lower and that of low-level viremia(LLV)were significantly higher at 6,12,18,24 months.First CVR of CHB was delayed with the presence NAFLD(11.0 vs.7.0 months,p<0.001)and further prolonged with higher grade of liver steatosis(Grade 2–3 vs.1:13.0 vs.9.0 months).On multivariate analysis,HBeAg positivity(HR:0.650,p=0.036),grade of steatosis(G2[HR:0.447,p=0.004];G3[HR:0.085,p=0.002])and HBV DNA(log10 IU/mL)(HR:0.687,p<0.001)were significantly associated with delayed CVR,whereas grade of necroinflammation(HR:1.758,p<0.001)accelerated the CVR.Conclusions:In CHB patients receiving initial antiviral therapy,NAFLD was associated with higher levels of HBV DNA,pgRNA,and liver enzymes,and higher incidence of LLV and delayed CVR.
基金fnancially supported in part by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31170731)National Special Program-New Varieties Breeding of GM maize (No. 2011ZX08003-005) to Dongyun Haosupported by a grant of National Science & Technology Support Program to Hai-Chun Jing (2013BAD22B01)
文摘Sodium carbonate （Na2CO3） presents a huge challenge to plants by the combined damaging effects of Na＋, high pH, and CO32. Little is known about the cellular responses to Na2CO3 stress. In this study, the transcriptome of maize （Zea mays L. cv. B73） roots exposed to Na2CO3 stress for 5 h was compared with those of NaCI and NaOH stresses. The expression of 8,319 genes, representing over a quarter of the total number of genes in the maize genome, was altered by Na2CO3 stress, and the downregulated genes （5,232） outnumbered the upregulated genes （3,087）. The effects of Na2CO3 differed from those of NaCI and NaOH, primarily by downregulating different categories of genes. Pathways commonly altered by Na2CO3, NaCI, and NaOH were enriched in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids, ATP- binding cassette （ABC） transporters, as well as the metabolism of secondary metabolites. Genes for brassinosteroid biosynthesis were specifically upregulated by Na2CO3, while genes involved in ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum and by N-glycosylation, fatty acid biosynthesis, and the circadian rhythm were downregulated. This work provides the first holistic picture of early transcriptomic adaptation to Na2CO3 stress, and highlights potential molecular pathways that could be manipulated to improve tolerance in maize.
