晶格失配诱导的过渡金属二硫族化物可调维度转变

低维材料的低维特征使其具有许多优异的性质.然而,其从二维三角形到一维纳米条带可调维度转变背后的机理仍然未被认识.本文建立了一个过渡金属二硫族化物生长的一般性动力学蒙特卡洛模型,该模型能够很好地重现过渡金属二硫族化物生长实验的几个关键现象,并发现过渡金属二硫族化物的维度主要是由过渡金属二硫族化物-基底之间的晶格失配以及一定强度的相互作用导致的,其维度可以通过相互作用强度和基底的几何性质调节.本工作深入认识了低维材料可调维度的机理,有望为设计具有期望维度的材料提供新思路.

Nanobody-based immunosensing methods for safeguarding public health

Immunosensing methods are biosensing techniques based on specific recognition of an antigen-antibody immunocomplex,which have become commonly used in safeguarding public health.Taking advantage of antibody-related biotechnological advances,the utilization of an antigen-binding fragment of a heavy-chain-only antibody termed as'nanobody'holds significant biomedical potential.Compared with the conventional full-length antibody,a single-domain nanobody retaining cognate antigen specificity possesses remarkable physicochemical stability and structural adaptability,which enables a flexible and efficient molecular design of the immunosensing strategy.This minireview aims to summarize the recent progress in immunosensing methods using nanobody targeting tumor markers,environmental pollutants,and foodborne microbes.

The Endosperm-Specific Expression of YUCCA Genes Enhances Rice Grain Filling

Grain filling is a crucial process that affects yield in rice(Oryza sativa L.).Auxin biosynthesis and signaling are closely related to rice yield;therefore,it is important to understand the effects of auxin biosynthesis on rice grain filling to improve crop yield.In this study,we used physiological and molecular strategies to identify the roles of auxin in rice grain filling.Exogenous application of auxin(IAA)or auxin analogues(2,4-D)to young spikelets and flag leaves improved the seed-setting rate and yield per spike.Furthermore,real-time quantitative PCR assays confirmed that nine members of the OsYUCCA family of auxin biosynthetic genes were upregulated during grain filling,implication that auxin biosynthesis plays a major role in grain development.The specific expression of either Arabidopsis AtYUCCA1 or OsYUCCA2 in the endosperm or leaves resulted in increased expression of OsIAA genes and auxin content of seeds,as well as increased grain filling and seed-setting rate.This result establishes that the auxin content in grains and leaves is important for grain development.Our findings further highlight the potential applications for improving rice yield by elevating targeted gene expression in specific tissues.

Schiff-base silver nanocomplexes formation on natural biopolymer coated mesoporous silica contributed to the improved curative effect on infectious microbes

Infectious microbes that spread easily in healthcare facilities remain as the severe threat for the public health,especially among immunocompromised populations.Given the intricate problem of dramatic increase in resistance to common biocides,the development of safe and efficient biocide formulated agents to alleviate drug resistance is highly demanding.In this study,Schiff-base ligands were successfully formed on natural biopolymer of epsilon-poly-L-lysine(ε-PL)decorated aldehyde functionalized mesoporous silica SBA-15(CHO-SBA-15)for the selective coordination of silver ions,which was affirmed by various physicochemical methods.Besides the identified broad-spectrum antibacterial activities,the as-prepared Schiff-base silver nanocomplex(CHO-SBA-15/ε-PL/Ag,CLA-1)exhibited an improved inhibitory effect on infectious pathogen growth typified by Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in comparison with two control silver complexes without Schiff-base conjugates,SBA-15/ε-PL/Ag and CHO-SBA-15/Ag,respectively.In addition,CLA-1 remarkably inhibited the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis due to the excellent antimicrobial activity of silver species.Significantly,CLA-1 kills Candida albicans cells,inhibits biofilm formation,and eliminates preformed biofilms,with no development of resistance during continuous serial passaging.The antifungal activity is connected to disruption of bacterial cell membranes and increased levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species.In mouse models of multidrug-resistant C.albicans infection,CLA-1 exhibited efficient in vivo fungicidal efficacy superior to two antifungal drugs,amphotericin B and fluconazole.Moreover,CLA-1 treatment induces negligible toxicity against normal tissues with safety.Therefore,this study reveals the pivotal role of the molecular design of Schiff-base silver nanocomplex formation on biopolymer surface-functionalized silica mesopores as a green and efficient nanoplatform to tackle infectious microbes.

Nonequilibrium Dynamics of Chemically Active Particles

Chemically active motion is ubiquitous in many nature and artificial systems where each unit can move directionally by converting chemical energy into kinetic energy.Since the systems are driven by activity far from equilibrium,many dynamical behaviors forbidden in equilibrium systems may be induced.Nonequilibrium dynamics of such systems is then a hot multidisciplinary topic with great challenges.Here,we review our recent theoretical advances in some fundamental problems at the single active particle level,the collective behavior level,as well as in systems where active particles act as baths.