The Effects of the Content of NiO on the Microstructure and Photocatalytic Activity of the NiO/TiO2 Composite Film

The NiO/TiO2 composite films with the NiO content of 3 %, 5 %, 10 %, 13 %, 15 % and 20 % were prepared by mechanical coating technology and subsequent oxidation process. The composition and microstructure of the films were analyzed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The photocatalytic activity was evaluated and the effects of the content of NiO on microstructure and photocatalytic activity of the films were studied. The results show that NiO particles are dispersed in the Ti coatings, and the NiO concentration in the inner layer of the coatings is higher than in the outer layer. With the addition of NiO in the NiO/Ti coating, the ductility is deteriorated and the thickness is reduced of the NiO/Ti coatings. The films with NiO/TiO2/Ti composite microstructure are obtained by the oxidation of NiO/Ti coatings. Photocatalytic efficiency of the films is obviously enhanced with the help of the p-n junction heterostructure in the NiO/TiO2 films. The optimum content of NiO is about 13 %, and the degradation rate of methyl orange solution reaches the maximum value of 88.44 %. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.24.4.19266</p

Self‐Sacrificial Template‐Directed Synthesis of Metal–Organic Framework‐Derived Porous Carbon for Energy‐Storage Devices

Metal–organic framework (MOF)‐derived carbon materials exhibit large surface areas, but dominant micropore characteristics and uncontrollable dimensions. Herein, we propose a self‐sacrificial template‐directed synthesis method to engineer the porous structure and dimensions of MOF‐derived carbon materials. A porous zinc oxide (ZnO) nanosheet solid is selected as the self‐sacrificial template and two‐dimensional (2D) nanostructure‐directing agent to prepare 2D ZIF‐8‐derived carbon nanosheets (ZCNs). The as‐prepared ZCN materials exhibit a large surface area with hierarchical porosity. These intriguing features render ZCN materials advanced electrode materials for electrochemical energy‐storage devices, demonstrating large ion‐accessible surface area and high ion‐/electron‐transport rates. This self‐sacrificial template‐directed synthesis method offers new avenues for rational engineering of the porous structure and dimensions of MOF‐derived porous carbon materials, thus exploiting their full potential for electrochemical energy‐storage devices.On the surface: A self‐sacrificial template‐directed synthesis method is proposed to engineer the porosity and dimensions of MOF‐derived carbon materials. By using a porous nanosheet solid as the self‐sacrificial template and two‐dimensional (2D) nanostructure‐directing agent, 2D ZIF‐8‐derived carbon nanosheets are prepared, which exhibit a large ion‐accessible surface area and rapid ion transport as the electrode materials for electrochemical energy‐storage devices.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137193/1/celc201500536-sup-0001-misc_information.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137193/2/celc201500536.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137193/3/celc201500536_am.pd

Analysis of risk factors of recurrence in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients after initial transurethral resection of bladder tumor

Background and purpose: The recurrence rate of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) after transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) is high. There are few studies on the risk factors of recurrence in NMIBC patients after initial TURBT. Our study aimed to screen the high-risk population and take corresponding preventive intervention measures by analyzing the risk factors of recurrence in NMIBC patients after initial TURBT. Methods: A total of 197 NMIBC patients who received initial TURBT in The Cancer Hospital of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China from December 2015 to May 2020 were selected and followed up for 24 to 77 months. Patients were divided into recurrence group (48 cases) and non-recurrence group (149 cases) according to the results. Univariate analysis was performed on the clinical data of the two groups, and the indicators with statistical significance were included in the multivariate logistic regression analysis to screen the possible risk factors of recurrence. Results: Univariate analysis showed that the difference was statistically significant between two groups in gross hematuria, secondary resection, T1 stage, high grade tumor, multiple tumor and lack of immediate intravesical therapy (P &lt;0.05).There was no significant difference in gender, age, family history of tumor, smoking history, tumor size and subsequent intravesical therapy between two groups (P&gt;0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes and the ratio of neutrophils and hemoglobin to lymphocytes showed no statistically significant difference between two groups (P&gt;0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that T1 stage, high grade tumor, multiple tumor and lack of immediate intravesical therapy were independent risk factors of recurrence in NMIBC patients after initial TURBT (P&lt;0.05, OR &gt; 1). Conclusion: The recurrence of NMIBC patients after initial TURBT is closely related to tumor stage, tumor grade, tumor number and immediate intravesical therapy. Corresponding intervention measures can be taken to reduce the postoperative recurrence rate in initial NMIBC patients

Preparation of Copper Oxide/TiO2 Composite Films by Mechanical Ball Milling and Investigated Photocatalytic Activity

The Cu/Ti composite coatings were prepared by the mechanical ball milling, the CuO/TiO2 and Cu2O/TiO2 composite photocatalytic films were obtained by the subsequent oxidation process. The microstructure of the composite films was analyzed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD）and scanning election microscope (SEM). The photocatalytic activity was evaluated, the effects of ball milling time on the formation of the Cu/Ti coatings were investigated, and the effects of the oxidation temperature and oxidation atmosphere on microstructure and photocatalytic activity of the films were studied. The results illustrate that the ball milling time has significant effects on the formation of the coatings and the coatings are continuous and compact by ball milling for 15 h. The photocatalytic activity of the CuO/TiO2 composite films is increased first and then decreased with the oxidation temperature increases, and the photocatalytic activity is the best at 500 °C. The CuO/TiO2 composite films are obtained by the oxidation of Cu/Ti coatings at 500 °C for 15 h in the air, while the Cu2O/TiO2 composite films are oxidized in carbon atmosphere. Photocatalysis efficiency of the films is obviously enhanced with the help of the p-n junction heterostructure in the Cu2O/TiO2 composite films

Identification of SNPs and Candidate Genes Associated With Salt Tolerance at the Seedling Stage in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Salt tolerance in cotton is highly imperative for improvement in the response to decreasing farmland and soil salinization. However, little is known about the genetic basis underlying salt tolerance in cotton, especially the seedling stage. In this study, we evaluated two salt-tolerance-related traits of a natural population comprising 713 upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) accessions worldwide at the seedling stage and performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify marker-trait associations under salt stress using the Illumina Infinium CottonSNP63K array. A total of 23 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that represented seven genomic regions on chromosomes A01, A10, D02, D08, D09, D10, and D11 were significantly associated with the two salt-tolerance-related traits, relative survival rate (RSR) and salt tolerance level (STL). Of these, the two SNPs i46598Gh and i47388Gh on D09 were simultaneously associated with the two traits. Based on all loci, we screened 280 possible candidate genes showing different expression levels under salt stress. Most of these genes were involved in transcription factors, transporters and enzymes and were previously reported as being involved in plant salt tolerance, such as NAC, MYB, NXH, WD40, CDPK, LEA, and CIPK. We further validated six putative candidate genes by qRT-PCR and found a differential expression level between salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive varieties. Our findings provide valuable information for enhancing the understanding of complicated mechanisms of salt tolerance in G. hirsutum seedlings and cotton salt tolerance breeding by molecular marker-assisted selection

Identification of a cellular senescence-related-lncRNA (SRlncRNA) signature to predict the overall survival of glioma patients and the tumor immune microenvironment

Background: Gliomas are brain tumors that arise from glial cells, and they are the most common primary intracranial tumors with a poor prognosis. Cellular senescence plays a critical role in cancer, especially in glioma. In this study, we constructed a senescence-related lncRNA (SRlncRNA) signature to assess the prognosis of glioma.Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas was used to collect SRlncRNA transcriptome profiles and clinical data about glioma. Patients were randomized to training, testing, and whole cohorts. LASSO and Cox regression analyses were employed to construct the SRlncRNA signature, and Kaplan–Meier (K-M) analysis was performed to determine each cohort’s survival. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied to verify the accuracy of this signature. Gene set enrichment analysis was used to visualize functional enrichment (GSEA). The CIBERSORT algorithm, ESTIMATE and TIMER databases were utilized to evaluate the differences in the infiltration of 22 types of immune cells and their association with the signature. RT–qPCR and IHC were used to identify the consistency of the signature in tumor tissue.Results: An SRlncRNA signature consisting of six long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) was constructed, and patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups by the median of their riskscore. The KM analysis showed that the high-risk group had worse overall survival, and the ROC curve confirmed that the riskscore had more accurate predictive power. A multivariate Cox analysis and its scatter plot with clinical characteristics confirmed the riskscore as an independent risk factor for overall survival. GSEA showed that the GO and KEGG pathways were mainly enriched in the immune response to tumor cells, p53 signaling pathway, mTOR signaling pathway, and Wnt signaling pathway. Further validation also yielded significant differences in the risk signature in terms of immune cell infiltration, which may be closely related to prognostic differences, and qRT–PCR and IHC confirmed the consistency of the expression differences in the major lncRNAs with those in the prediction model.Conclusion Our findings indicated that the SRlncRNA signature might be used as a predictive biomarker and that there is a link between it and immune infiltration. This discovery is consistent with the present categorization system and may open new avenues for research and personalized therapy

Genome sequence of the cultivated cotton <i>Gossypium arboreum</i>

The complex allotetraploid nature of the cotton genome (AADD; 2n = 52) makes genetic, genomic and functional analyses extremely challenging. Here we sequenced and assembled the Gossypium arboreum (AA; 2n = 26) genome, a putative contributor of the A subgenome. A total of 193.6 Gb of clean sequence covering the genome by 112.6-fold was obtained by paired-end sequencing. We further anchored and oriented 90.4% of the assembly on 13 pseudochromosomes and found that 68.5% of the genome is occupied by repetitive DNA sequences. We predicted 41,330 protein-coding genes in G. arboreum. Two whole-genome duplications were shared by G. arboreum and Gossypium raimondii before speciation. Insertions of long terminal repeats in the past 5 million years are responsible for the twofold difference in the sizes of these genomes. Comparative transcriptome studies showed the key role of the nucleotide binding site (NBS)-encoding gene family in resistance to Verticillium dahliae and the involvement of ethylene in the development of cotton fiber cells.Genetics &amp; HereditySCI(E)[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]