Semiconductor–Cocatalyst Interfacial Electron Transfer Dominates Photocatalytic Reaction

In photocatalytic systems, the transfer of electrons from semiconductor nanostructures to the reduction cocatalysts is the key electronic process, which determines the effective separation of photogenerated charge carriers, and is sensitively influenced by the band structures of the contacts. Due to improper adoption of cocatalysts, interfacial charge transfer is usually suffering from excessive energy dissipation by thermionic emission, which kinetically prevents this electronic process and eventually aggravates the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. Unfortunately, this issue has hardly been consciously considered. The formed potential barriers, which are mainly determined by the adoption of cocatalyst, kinetically predominates the interfacial charge transfer as well as the whole photocatalytic reaction. In this work, inspired by theoretical simulation, we adopt platinum and MoS2 that deposited on semiconductor nanostructures as the models to demonstrate the energy dissipation that kinetically influences the interfacial charge transfer. Despite high catalytic activity, the intolerably high energy dissipation for interfacial charge transfer hides the superiority of platinum, resulting in an inferior photocatalytic performance to that of MoS2. Our work rationally unfastens the deliberative consideration of intrinsic activity and prompts the exploration of cocatalysts for photocatalyst designing

Genome annotation of Trilophysa bleekeri

These are the gene structure and function annotation file of Trilophysa bleekeri

Synthesis and gelation property of amino acids-based dendronised oligomers

<div><p>The first- and second-generation dendrons constructed from alanine and aspartic acids were synthesised and further modified with a polymerisable acrylamide group at the focal point (MG1 and MG2). The corresponding dendronised oligomers were obtained by polymerisation, and then hydrolysed to afford them with multi-carboxyl groups on the periphery of branched side chains (PG1-COOH and PG2-COOH). The structures of the oligomers were characterised by ¹H NMR, Fourier transform infrared and gel permeation chromatograph, and their gelation behaviour was examined. It was found that PG1-COOH and PG2-COOH could form two-component gels, especially, PG1-COOH showed better gelation property. For example, it could gel with aliphatic primary or secondary amines in dimethylformamide and with melamine in acidic aqueous solution. Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images showed that the gelators self-assembled into the fibrous networks.</p></div

DataSheet_1_Factors limiting the spread of middle- and low-altitude fishes to the Qinghai-Tibet plateau.pdf

The distribution pattern of species is determined by the environment and their adaptability to the environment. Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has become a natural laboratory for studying adaptive evolution due to its extreme environmental characteristics such as low temperature, low oxygen, high salinity and high ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Fish are sensitive to the environmental stress, so they are ideal materials for studying high-altitude adaptation of animals. Previous studies have mainly focused on the adaptability of plateau species, but the reasons why plain species cannot spread to the plateau have been ignored. In this study, stress experiments and histological experiments were used to compare the tolerance of six Barbini fishes (family: Cyprinidae) distributed at different altitudes and regions to low temperature, low oxygen, salinity and UVR. Results showed that the tolerance of fishes to high-altitude environmental stress factors was closely related to the environmental stress of their main habitats. The high-altitude fish Gymnocypris eckloni had strong tolerance to all stress factors, while the other five fishes from middle and low altitudes could not adapt to single or multiple stress factors, with significant interspecific differences. Among these factors, middle- and low-altitude fishes showed common low tolerance to UVR, suggesting that high UVR, the factor lacking at low altitude areas, plays an important role. Moreover, during the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Schizothorax fish disappeared from the middle of the plateau. We speculate that this was caused by its intolerance to the increasingly extreme plateau environment, especially salinity.</p

The relative expression of <i>Helicoverpa armigera</i> HMGR (HaHMGR) and vitellogenin mRNA in female pupae.

<p>(A) The expression pattern of HaHMGR at different ages (day 1 to day 9). (B) The expression pattern of vitellogenin at different ages (day 1 to day 9). The mean and SD values were obtained using SPSS version 16.0. Values with the same letter are not significantly different at the <i>P</i>>0.05 level (ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post-hoc test).</p

PCR primers for HaHMGR cDNA cloning from <i>Helicoverpa armigera</i>.

<p>PCR primers for HaHMGR cDNA cloning from <i>Helicoverpa armigera</i>.</p

RNAi Silencing of the HaHMG-CoA Reductase Gene Inhibits Oviposition in the <i>Helicoverpa armigera</i> Cotton Bollworm

<div><p>RNA interference (RNAi) has considerable promise for developing novel pest control techniques, especially because of the threat of the development of resistance against current strategies. For this purpose, the key is to select pest control genes with the greatest potential for developing effective pest control treatments. The present study demonstrated that the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase; HMGR) gene is a potential target for insect control using RNAi. HMGR is a key enzyme in the mevalonate pathway in insects. A complete cDNA encoding full length HMGR (encoding an 837-aa protein) was cloned from <i>Helicoverpa armigera</i> (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The HaHMGR (<i>H. armigera</i> HMGR) knockdown using systemic RNAi <i>in vivo</i> inhibited the fecundity of the females, effectively inhibited ovipostion, and significantly reduced vitellogenin (Vg) mRNA levels. Moreover, the oviposition rate of the female moths was reduced by 98% by silencing HaHMGR compared to the control groups. One-pair experiments showed that both the proportions of valid mating and fecundity were zero. Furthermore, the HaHMGR-silenced females failed to lay eggs (approximate 99% decrease in oviposition) in the semi-field cage performance. The present study demonstrated the potential implications for developing novel pest management strategies using HaHMGR RNAi in the control of <i>H. armigera</i> and other insect pests.</p></div

Neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree of the amino acid sequences of HMGR by Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis Software Version 4.0 (MEGA4).

<p>The branches were statistically evaluated by bootstrap analysis. All sequences were from GenBank.</p

Effect of dsHaHMGR on fecundity, larval production and number of spermatophores in <i>Helicoverpa armigera</i>.

<p>Two-day-old female pupae were treated with 1 µg of HaHMGR double-stranded RNA (dsHaHMGR) or enhanced green fluorescent protein double-stranded RNA (dsEGFP) (negative control). One female treated with dsRNA (dsHaHMGR or dsEGFP) was paired with an untreated male in a small cage (N = 30). Values are expressed in absolute terms as a percentage or as the mean ± SD. Values with the same letter are not significantly different at the <i>P</i>>0.05 level (ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post-hoc test).</p

APN derived from PVAT protects mice from atherosclerosis.

<p>A, HE staining of arteria carotis sections from mice after perivascular collar placement for 12 weeks. B, Quantitative analysis of intimal surface area in arteria carotis of each groups (n = 6 per group). *P<0.05 versus sham. C, Analysis of intima/media ratio in arteriacarotis with each groups (n = 6 per group). D, Bar graph shows quantification of lumen stenosis in arteria carotis with each groups (n = 6 per group). *P<0.05 versus sham. E, HE staining of arteria carotis sections from ApoE-/- mice transplanted with WT or APN-/- PVAT 12 weeks after atherosclerosis established. F, Quantitative analysis of intimal surface area in arteria carotis with WT or APN-/- PVAT (n = 6 per group). *P<0.05 versus (WT) PVAT. G, Bar graph shows quantification of lumen stenosis in arteria carotis with WT or APN-/- PVAT (n = 6 per group). *P<0.05 versus (WT) PVAT. H, HE staining of atherosclerotic plaques from the indicated mice. I, plaque disruption rate of he indicated mice (n = 6 per group). *P<0.05 versus surgery control.</p