Regulated Interfacial Proton and Water Activity Enhances Mn2+/MnO2 Platform Voltage and Energy Efficiency

Electrolytic MnO2 batteries store charges via the Mn2+/MnO2 two-electron transfer process with higher capacity and voltage than conventional one-electron (Zn2+ or H+) intercalation reactions. Yet, the opposite effect of interfacial H+ on the dissolution/deposition processes and the role of interfacial H2O are rarely discussed. Here we introduce tetrafluoroborate (BF4-) into the sulfate-based electrolyte to regulate interfacial H+ and H2O activity. First, BF4- hydrolysis increases the electrolyte’s acidity, promoting MnO2 dissolution. Second, BF4- forms H-bond networks with interfacial H2O that assist H+ diffusion while retaining a sufficient H2O supply to facilitate MnO2 deposition. As a result, the cathode-free Zn//MnO2 electrolytic cell achieves a high platform of ∼1.92 V and energy efficiency of ∼84.23%. Significantly, the cell delivers 1000 cycles at 1 C with ∼100% Coulombic efficiency and a high energy efficiency retention of 93.65%. Our findings disclose a new strategy to promote Mn2+/MnO2 platform voltage and energy efficiency

A Novel 5-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-Phosphate Synthase Shows High Glyphosate Tolerance in Escherichia coli and Tobacco Plants

A key enzyme in the shikimate pathway, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) is the primary target of the broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate. Identification of new aroA genes coding for EPSPS with a high level of glyphosate tolerance is essential for the development of glyphosate-tolerant crops. In the present study, the glyphosate tolerance of five bacterial aroA genes was evaluated in the E. coli aroA-defective strain ER2799 and in transgenic tobacco plants. All five aroA genes could complement the aroA-defective strain ER2799, and AM79 aroA showed the highest glyphosate tolerance. Although glyphosate treatment inhibited the growth of both WT and transgenic tobacco plants, transgenic plants expressing AM79 aroA tolerated higher concentration of glyphosate and had a higher fresh weight and survival rate than plants expressing other aroA genes. When treated with high concentration of glyphosate, lower shikimate content was detected in the leaves of transgenic plants expressing AM79 aroA than transgenic plants expressing other aroA genes. These results suggest that AM79 aroA could be a good candidate for the development of transgenic glyphosate-tolerant crops

Study on an SIHRS Model of COVID-19 Pandemic With Impulse and Time Delay Under Media Coverage

Media coverage plays an important role in prevention and control the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic. In this paper, an SIHRS model of COVID-19 pandemic with impulse and time delay under media coverage is established. The positive and negative emotions of public are considered by the impact of confirmed cases and medical resources. In order to restrain the negative information of public, the factor of policies and regulations with impulse and time delay is introduced. Furthermore, the system model is simulated and verified by the reported data of COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan. The main results are as follows: (1) When the implementation rate of the negative information generated by the confirmed cases gradually reduced to 0.4 times, the cumulative confirmed cases will be significantly reduced to about 37000, indicating that the popularization of pandemic related media information should be broad; (2) When the implementation rate affected by the amount of policies and regulations information gradually increases to 3 times, the cumulative confirmed cases will be significantly reduced to about 28000, indicating that the policies and regulations information should be continuously and incrementally reported; (3) When the inhibition rate of policies and regulation information on negative information gradually increases to 3 times, the cumulative confirmed cases will also be significantly reduced to about 27000 cases, indicating that the targeted policies and regulations information has a significant impact on inhibiting the corresponding negative emotions

Molecular Epidemiology of Astrovirus Infection in Infants in Wuhan, China

We report the molecular epidemiology of astrovirus infection in 335 infants with diarrhea in Wuhan City, China. Astrovirus RNA was detected in the stool specimens of 33 children (9.87%). Genotyping analysis indicated that 23 out of 24 astroviruses identified were classified as belonging to genotype 1, with highest identity (>98%) to a Mongolian strain

Morphological, Phaneroptic, Habitat and Population Description of Three Muntjac Species in a Tibetan Nature Reserve

Researchers have proposed a variety of classification schemes for the species in the genus Muntiacus (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) based on morphological, molecular, and other evidence, but disputes remain. The Tibetan Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon National Nature Reserve in the Eastern Himalayas is an area with a rich diversity of muntjac species. The habitats of many species overlap in this area, but systematic research in this area is lacking. To clarify the species, population and habitat size of muntjac species in the study area, we used camera-traps to monitor muntjacs in the nature reserve from 2013 to 2021 and described and compared morphological characteristics of the muntjac species. Subsequently, we used the MaxEnt model to simulate the habitats of the muntjac species and the Random Encounter Model to estimate the population density and numbers of muntjacs. Three muntjac species were found in the area, namely Muntiacus vaginalis (n = 7788 ± 3866), Muntiacus gongshanensis (n = 6673 ± 2121), and Muntiacus feae (n = 3142 ± 942). The red muntjac has the largest habitat area, the highest population density, and largest size, followed by Gongshan muntjac and Fea’s muntjac. This study provides basic data for improving the background knowledge of the animal diversity in the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, as well as detailed information and references required by wildlife workers for species identification

Mycophenolic acid inhibits migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells via multiple molecular pathways.

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) is the metabolized product and active element of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) that has been widely used for the prevention of acute graft rejection. MPA potently inhibits inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) that is up-regulated in many tumors and MPA is known to inhibit cancer cell proliferation as well as fibroblast and endothelial cell migration. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time MPA's antimigratory and anti-invasion abilities of MPA-sensitive AGS (gastric cancer) cells. Genome-wide expression analyses using Illumina whole genome microarrays identified 50 genes with ≥2 fold changes and 15 genes with > 4 fold alterations and multiple molecular pathways implicated in cell migration. Real-time RT-PCR analyses of selected genes also confirmed the expression differences. Furthermore, targeted proteomic analyses identified several proteins altered by MPA treatment. Our results indicate that MPA modulates gastric cancer cell migration through down-regulation of a large number of genes (PRKCA, DOCK1, INF2, HSPA5, LRP8 and PDGFRA) and proteins (PRKCA, AKT, SRC, CD147 and MMP1) with promigratory functions as well as up-regulation of a number of genes with antimigratory functions (ATF3, SMAD3, CITED2 and CEAMCAM1). However, a few genes that may promote migration (CYR61 and NOS3) were up-regulated. Therefore, MPA's overall antimigratory role on cancer cells reflects a balance between promigratory and antimigratory signals influenced by MPA treatment

Allelochemicals from the Rhizosphere Soil of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and Their Interactions with the Soilborne Pathogens

To reveal the allelopathic effects of potato, seven compounds were isolated from the rhizosphere soil: 7-methoxycoumarin (1), palmitic acid (2), caffeic acid (3), chlorogenic acid (4), quercetin dehydrate (5), quercitrin (6), and rutin (7). Bioassays showed that compounds 1, 2, 4, and 6 had inhibitory effects on the growth of L. sativa and tissue culture seedlings of potato. The existence of the allelochemicals was confirmed by HPLC, and their contents were quantified with a total concentration of 9.02 μg/g in the rhizosphere soil of replanted potato. Approaches on the interactions of the allelochemicals and pathogens of potato including A. solani, B. cinerea, F. solani, F. oxysporum, C. coccodes, and V. dahlia revealed that compound 1 had inhibitory effects but compounds 2–4 promoted the colony growth of the pathogens. These findings demonstrated that the autotoxic allelopathy and enhancement of the pathogens caused by the accumulation of the allelochemicals in the continuously cropped soil should be one of the main reasons for the replant problems of potato