Design, Synthesis and Characterization of Bitumen Emulsifiers Based on Molecular Simulation

Under the guidance of molecular simulation technology, the Monte Carlo molecular mechanics simulation was used to calculate the compatibility of different lipophilic groups with each component of bitumen, and the compatibility of different hydrophilic groups with water. Based on the calculated results of interaction parameters Chi and mixture energy Emix, the preferred structures of lipophilic and hydrophilic groups of bitumen emulsifier were determined. The target bitumen emulsifier was then synthesized by the reaction of organic acid and polyamine. The molecular simulation results showed that the compatibility of lipophilic group T11 with the bitumen was the best, and the mixing ability of the hydrophilic group H5 with water was excellent. The experimental results show that the preferred structures T11H5 had a good emulsifying performance to prepare emulsified bitumen with good storage stability, consistent with the results of the molecular simulation

Integrative analysis of ferroptosis-related genes reveals that ABHD12 is a novel prognostic biomarker and facilitates hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly heterogeneous disease, making the prognostic prediction challenging. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death, is a key regulator in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of HCC. However, the expression and function of ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) in HCC remained largely unclear. In this study, we analyzed TCGA datasets and identified 58 survival-related deferentially expressed FRGs (DE-FRGs). Then, based on the results of LASSO analysis, we developed a novel prognostic model based on 12 survival-related DE-FRGs. Survival assays indicated a strong prognostic ability of this new model in predicting clinical prognosis of HCC patients. In addition, we conducted an exploration of molecular subtypes related to HCC and delved into the associated immune characteristics and gene expression patterns. Among the 12 survival-related DE-FRGs, our attention focused on ABHD12 (abhydrolase domain containing 12) which was highly expressed in HCC and associated with advanced clinical stages. Multivariate assays confirmed that ABHD12 was a significant prognostic factor for HCC patients. Immune analysis revealed that ABHD12 may play an important role in tumor microenvironment. Finally, we performed RT-PCR and confirmed that ABHD12 was highly expressed in HCC cells. Functional experiments revealed that ABHD12 knockdown may suppress the proliferation and migration of HCC cells. These findings emphasized the significance of ABHD12 as a potential prognostic marker for HCC and its crucial role in the field of tumor biology. Additionally, the study introduces a novel survival model that holds promise for enhancing prognostic predictions in HCC patients. Overall, this research provided valuable insights for a deeper comprehension of the complexity of HCC and the development of personalized treatment strategies

Ultra-fast charge-discharge and high-energy storage performance realized in KNaNbO3-Bi(MnNi)O3 ceramics

Lead-free relaxor ceramics (1 − [Formula: see text])K[Formula: see text]Na[Formula: see text]NbO3 − [Formula: see text]Bi(Mn[Formula: see text]Ni[Formula: see text])O3 ((1 − [Formula: see text] )KNN- [Formula: see text]BMN) with considerable charge–discharge characteristics and energy storage properties were prepared by a solid state method. Remarkable, a BMN doping level of 0.04, 0.96KNN–0.04BMN ceramic obtained good energy storage performance with acceptable energy storage density [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] of 1.826 J/cm3 and energy storage efficiency [Formula: see text] of 77.4%, as well as good frequency stability (1–500 Hz) and fatigue resistance (1–5000 cycles). Meanwhile, a satisfactory charge–discharge performance with power density [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] 98.90 MW/cm3, discharge time [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] < 70 ns and temperature stability (30–180∘C) was obtained in 0.96KNN–0.04BMN ceramic. The small grain size ([Formula: see text]150 nm) and the high polarizability of Bi[Formula: see text] are directly related to its good energy storage capacity. This work proposes a feasible approach for lead-free KNN-based ceramics to achieve high-energy storage and ultra-fast charge–discharge performance as well as candidate materials for the application of advanced high-temperature pulse capacitors

GL9 from Oryza glumaepatula controls grain size and chalkiness in rice

Grain size is a key factor influencing grain yield and appearance quality in rice. We identified twelve quantitative trait loci (QTL) for grain length (GL), nine for grain width (GW), and nine for 1000-kernel weight (TKW) using GLU-SSSLs, which are single-segment substitution lines with Oryza glumaepatula as donor parent and Huajingxian 74 (HJX74) as recipient parent. Among the QTL, qGL1-2, qGL1-4, qGL9-2, qGW2-2, qGW9-1 and qTKW9-2 contributed to high grain yield. GL9 was identified as a candidate gene for qGL9-2 by map-based cloning and sequencing, and is a novel allele of GS9. The kernel of NIL-gl9 was slenderer and longer than that of HJX74, and the TKW and grain yield per plant of NIL-gl9 were higher than those of HJX74. The proportion of grain chalkiness of NIL-gl9 was much lower than that of HJX74. Thus, gl9 increased grain yield and appearance quality simultaneously. Three pyramid lines, NIL-gs3/gl9, NIL-GW7/gl9 and NIL-gw8/gl9, were developed and the kernel of each was longer than that of the corresponding recipient parent lines. The gl9 allele may be beneficial for breeding rice varieties with high grain yield and good appearance quality