Application of graphene-based materials for detection of nitrate and nitrite in water—a review

Nitrite and nitrate are widely found in various water environments but the potential toxicity of nitrite and nitrate poses a great threat to human health. Recently, many methods have been developed to detect nitrate and nitrite in water. One of them is to use graphene-based materials. Graphene is a two-dimensional carbon nano-material with sp2 hybrid orbital, which has a large surface area and excellent conductivity and electron transfer ability. It is widely used for modifying electrodes for electrochemical sensors. Graphene based electrochemical sensors have the advantages of being low cost, effective and efficient for nitrite and nitrate detection. This paper reviews the application of graphene-based nanomaterials for electrochemical detection of nitrate and nitrite in water. The properties and advantages of the electrodes were modified by graphene, graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite in the development of nitrite sensors are discussed in detail. Based on the review, the paper summarizes the working conditions and performance of different sensors, including working potential, pH, detection range, detection limit, sensitivity, reproducibility, repeatability and long-term stability. Furthermore, the challenges and suggestions for future research on the application of graphene-based nanocomposite electrochemical sensors for nitrite detection are also highlighted

Deep-Time Marine Sedimentary Element Database

Geochemical data from ancient marine sediments are crucial for studying palaeoenvironments, palaeoclimates, and elements’ cycles. With increased accessibility to geochemical data, many databases have emerged. However, there remains a need for a more comprehensive database that focuses on deep-time marine sediment records. Here, we introduce the “Deep-Time Marine Sedimentary Element Database” (DM-SED). The DM-SED has been built upon the “Sedimentary Geochemistry and Paleoenvironments Project” (SGP) database with the new compilation of 34,938 data entries from 433 studies, totalling 63,691 entries. The DM-SED contains 2,412,085 discrete marine sedimentary data points, including major and trace elements and some isotopes. It includes 9,271 entries from the Precambrian and 54,420 entries from the Phanerozoic, thus providing significant references for reconstructing deep-time Earth system evolution. The data files described in this paper are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13898366 (Lai et al., 2024)

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of AUX/LAX family genes in Chinese hickory (Carya cathayensis Sarg.) Under various abiotic stresses and grafting

Auxin is essential for regulating plant growth and development as well as the response of plants to abiotic stresses. AUX/LAX proteins are auxin influx transporters belonging to the amino acid permease family of proton-driven transporters, and are involved in the transport of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). However, how AUX/LAX genes respond to abiotic stresses in Chinese hickory is less studied. For the first time identification, structural characteristics as well as gene expression analysis of the AUX/LAX gene family in Chinese hickory were conducted by using techniques of gene cloning and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. Eight CcAUX/LAXs were identified in Chinese hickory, all of which had the conserved structural characteristics of AUX/LAXs. CcAUX/LAXs were most closely related to their homologous proteins in Populus trichocarpa , which was in consistence with their common taxonomic character of woody trees. CcAUX/LAXs exhibited different expression profiles in different tissues, indicating their varying roles during growth and development. A number of light-, hormone-, and abiotic stress responsive cis-acting regulatory elements were detected on the promoters of CcAUX/LAX genes. CcAUX/LAX genes responded differently to drought and salt stress treatments to varying degrees. Furthermore, CcAUX/LAX genes exhibited complex expression changes during Chinese hickory grafting. These findings not only provide a valuable resource for further functional validation of CcAUX/LAXs, but also contribute to a better understanding of their potential regulatory functions during grafting and abiotic stress treatments in Chinese hickory

Exogenous spermidine improved drought tolerance in Ilex verticillata seedlings

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata (L.) A. Gray) is a recently introduced ornamental tree species in China that has not been closely investigated for its drought resistance. In this study, we used two-year-old cuttings from I. verticillata (L.) A. Gray and two representative varieties derived from it, I. verticillata ‘Oosterwijk’ and I. verticillata ‘Jim Dandy’, as materials to investigate how this plant responds to drought stress and whether exogenous spermidine (SPD) can alleviate the negative effects caused by drought stress. The results showed that as the degree of drought stress increased, the leaves of winterberry seedlings became chlorotic, and their edges became dry. Similarly, the relative water content, specific leaf weight, chlorophyll content, leaf nitrogen content, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were significantly reduced, whereas the content of malondialdehyde continuously increased with the degree of drought stress. The activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase increased under moderate drought stress and then decreased under severe drought stress. The levels of soluble sugar and abscisic acid continued to increase, while those of auxin and gibberellic acid decreased. When compared with individual drought stress, an increase in the amount of external SPD clearly alleviated the effect of drought stress on winterberry seedlings. The combined phenotypes and physiological indices of the winterberry leaves under drought stress conditions revealed that the drought resistance of the native species was significantly higher than its two varieties. This finding serves as an important theoretical foundation for the popularization and application of I. verticillata (L.) A. Gray and the two varieties

Optimal Waveform Design for Smart Jamming Focused on CA-CFAR

Focused on CA-CFAR anti-jamming mechanism, the method of optimal waveform design is studied to increase detection threshold for reducing true target detection, which can also improve the detection rate of false targets. Based on the relationship of signal to interference (ISR) and reference distance, the amplitude of jamming waveform is designed to follow Rayleigh distribution and finite interval random, and the interval is designed as random interval based on minimum interval. In addition, the interference region is designed as dense false targets region and sparse false targets region. Through modeling and simulation of CA-CFAR and smart jamming, the method of designing optimal waveform is explored, which will provide reference for other related waveform design

TOWARDS DEVELOPING AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR CUCUMBER DISEASES FOR GREENHOUSE IN CHINA

Abstract: The integrated management of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) diseases play a key role in guaranteeing the high quality and security of cucumber production in greenhouse, moreover, the early warning of cucumber diseases is the chief precondition for IPM (Integrated Pest Management). This paper describes an attempt to develop an early warning system for cucumber diseases in greenhouse. By analysing plant disease epidemiology and early warning theory, the conceptual model of early warning on cucumber disease of greenhouse is developed. The data collection, data transfer system, database system, forecast system, warning system, and so on are integrated and an early warning system for cucumber diseases in greenhouse has been designed

An On-Line Oxygen Forecasting System for Waterless Live Transportation of Flatfish Based on Feature Clustering

Accurate prediction of forthcoming oxygen concentration during waterless live fish transportation plays a key role in reducing the abnormal occurrence, increasing the survival rate in delivery operations, and optimizing manufacturing costs. The most effective ambient monitoring techniques that are based on the analysis of historical process data when performing forecasting operations do not fully consider current ambient influence. This is likely lead to a greater deviation in on-line oxygen level forecasting in real situations. Therefore, it is not advisable for the system to perform early warning and on-line air adjustment in delivery. In this paper, we propose a hybrid method and its implementation system that combines a gray model (GM (1, 1)) with least squares support vector machines (LSSVM) that can be used effectively as a forecasting model to perform early warning effectively according to the dynamic changes of oxygen in a closed system. For accurately forecasting of the oxygen level, the fuzzy C-means clustering (FCM) algorithm was utilized for classification according to the flatfish’s physical features—i.e., length and weight—for more pertinent training. The performance of the gray model-particle swarm optimization-least squares support vector machines (GM-PSO-LSSVM) model was compared with the traditional modeling approaches of GM (1, 1) and LSSVM by applying it to predict on-line oxygen level, and the results showed that its predictions were more accurate than those of the LSSVM and grey model. Therefore, it is a suitable and effective method for abnormal condition forecasting and timely control in the waterless live transportation of flatfish

AcdS gene of Bacillus cereus enhances salt tolerance of seedlings in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.)

AbstractPrevious studies show that 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase can facilitate the growth and stress tolerance of hosts by reducing ethylene levels. In this study, the acdS gene encoding ACC deaminase from Bacillus cereus (HK012) was cloned and transformed into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) by the leaf disc method using Agrobacterium. Molecular detection and physiological analysis of the transgenic tobacco plants were performed. Our results showed the acdS gene was integrated into the tobacco genome and fluorescence microscopy showed that the fusion protein was located on the cell membrane of tobacco root. Compared with control, the transgenic plants showed increases in plant height, root length, dry weight, fresh weight and chlorophyll content; and significant increases in the concentration of proline of 55.15% and 42.7% under salt stress conditions (150 mmol L−1 and 300 mmol L−1 NaCl, respectively). The superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase and ACC deaminase activities of transgenic tobacco were higher than those of control tobacco at 150 and 300 mmol L−1 salt concentrations. Transgenic tobacco seedlings expressing the acdS gene of B. cereus HK012 showed higher salt tolerance than the control plants. The obtained results suggest that the acdS gene of B. cereus can be used to promote salt tolerance in glycophytes by using biotechnology strategies