Self-catalyzed formation of strongly interconnected multiphase molybdenum-based composites for efficient hydrogen evolution

Molybdenum carbide(MoxC)with variable phase structure possesses flexible hydrogen-binding energy(HBE),which is a promising hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)catalyst.Herein,a hybrid multiphase MoxC freestanding film coupled with Co3Mo(CM/MoxC@NC)is synthesized through the electrospinning method supplemented by the heteroatom incorporation.CM/MoxC@NC surpasses its pure phase counterparts and exhibits remarkable catalytic activity at 114mV to deliver a current density of 10mA cm^(−2) in acid,which is among the first-rate level performance reported for MoxC-based catalysts.The subsequent ex situ and in situ characterizations reveal a phase transition mechanism based on self-catalysis that CoOx depletes the coordinated C ofα-MoC via the interaction,which realizes the assembly of weak HBEα-MoC and strong HBEβ-Mo2C,and the enhanced utilization of active materials as well.The multiple structures with optimal HBE are in favor of the stepwise reactions of HER,as the study of the correlation between HBE and phase structure revealed.This study discloses the underlying phase transition mechanism and highlights the HBE–structure relationship that should be considered for catalyst design.

Variation in egg and clutch size of the Black Redstart(Phoenicurus ochruros) at the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Background: In birds, the trade-off between the quality and number of nestlings is one of the most important theories of the evolution of life history of birds, which is closely related with climate. We investigated variation in egg and clutch size of the Black Redstart(Phoenicurus ochruros) on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in order to explore and test the relation between egg size and clutch size and the rules governing the variation in these two components with climate change.Methods: We monitored each located nest daily to determine the exact laying order of the eggs and measured their sizes. The variations in egg volume and clutch size between 2008 and 2009 were studied by independent sample t tests. The difference in egg volume in the sequence of the laying order was tested by Kendall's W test and we employed Pearson correlations to investigate the relation between egg size and laying order. All statistical analyses were performed with IBM SPSS Statistics, version 19.0Results: In 2008, the mean egg volume of the Black Redstart was 2.40 and clutch size wer± 0.20 cm^3(n e 2.26 = 50), and the mean clutch size 4.90 ± 0.57(n = 11). In 2009, the mean egg volumeation between eg± 0.18 cm^3(n g size and layin= 74) and 5.20 g order(r ± 0.26(n = 15) respectively. We found a significantly positive correl, while egg size was strongly and negatively correlated with clutch size(r = 0.397, p = 0.030) smaller eggs but a larger clutch in a brood in a resource-rich year, w= h-0.274, p ereas large= 0.002). Black Redstarts tend to layr eggs but smaller clutches are produced in a harsh year.Conclusions: The Black Redstart adopted a "brood survival strategy" to ensure that more offspring could survive. The Black Redstart' trade-off in egg volume and clutch size would guarantee that it will gain maximum benefit in any case.

A survey of ictal physical examination during VEEG monitoring in a tertiary epilepsy center

Background Ictal examination based on video-based electroencephalography(EEG)is crucial for locating and lat-eralizing seizures.In this study,we aimed to evaluate the quality of ictal examination in the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center of West China Hospital,Sichuan University,in order to provide information for quality improvement in daily clinical practice.Methods Video recordings of 100 patients with epilepsy were retrospectively reviewed.The performance of the ictal examination was independently reviewed by two epileptologists using an ictal examination protocol.Results In this retrospective analysis,589 seizure episodes from 100 patients with epilepsy were reviewed.The ages of the patients ranged from 3 to 77 years,with a mean age of 25.8±12.8 years.Among the 589 seizure episodes,a majority(93.7%)were focal seizures.For 226(38.4%)seizures,the medical staff arrived at the bedside.Among them,153(153/226,64.7%)seizure episodes,the medical staff arrival at the bedside within 30 s of onset,and 120(120/226,53.1%)seizures were tested by the medical staff.The compliance rates for"safety"and"visibility"reached 80%or higher while"naming","retelling",and“memory testing”only reach less than 3%.Conclusions Our survey identified the main problems in ictal assessments.It is challenging to complete a standard-ized examination for new trainees at Epilepsy Monitoring Units.Regularly strengthening training in ictal examination and understanding of semiology may improve patients’examination ability.However,further study of the implemen-tation of training is necessary.

Histone Lysine Methyltransferase SDG8 Is Involved in Brassinosteroid-Regulated Gene Expression in Arabidopsis thaliana

The plant steroid hormones, brassinosteroids （BRs）, play important roles in plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stresses. BRs signal through receptors localized to the plasma membrane and other signaling components to regulate the BES1/BZR1 family of transcription factors, which modulates the expression of thousands of genes. How BESl/BZR1 and their interacting proteins function to regulate the large number of genes are not com- pletely understood. Here we report that histone lysine methyltransferase SDG8, implicated in histone 3 lysine 36 diand trimethylation （H3K36me2 and me3）, is involved in BR-regulated gene expression. BES1 interacts with SDG8, directly or indirectly through IWSl, a transcription elongation factor involved in BR-regulated gene expression. The knockout mutant sdg8 displays a reduced growth phenotype with compromised BR responses. Global gene expression studies demonstrated that, while BR regulates about 5000 genes in wild-type plants, the hormone regulates fewer than 700 genes in sdg8 mutant. In addition, more than half of BR-regulated genes are differentially affected in sdg8 mutant. A Chromatin Immunoprecipitation （CHIP） experiment showed that H3K36me3 is reduced in BR-regulated genes in the sdg8 mutant. Based on these results, we propose that SDG8 plays an essential role in mediating BR-regulated gene expression. Our results thus reveal a major mechanism by which histone modifications dictate hormonal regulation of gene expression.

Distinct Recovery Process of Consciousness and Cognition After Anesthesia

The biological basis of consciousness is one of the hardest questions in Science[1].To understand how consciousness arises from physical components,the brain has been studied systematically for decades.Damage to some structures of the brainstem leads to temporary or persistent loss of consciousness,yet damage to other parts of the brain may lead to limited deficits in certain aspects of awareness.

Are cognition and personality related in budgerigars?

In recent years,researchers have been attempting to relate differences in personality(e.g.,boldness,aggressiveness,exploration tendency)to variation in cognition(performances in tasks that require learning,reasoning,attention,or memory,etc.)both theoretically and empirically.However,it is unclear on what basis personality and cognition might be associated with each other.Previous theory suggests a connection between fast–slow personality types and cognitive speed–accuracy tradeoffs.In this study,we tested this hypothesis in budgerigars and found that,in their 1st associative learning,birds with fast personality(less fearful of handling stress)were fast learners in the beginning,while slow personality individuals improved faster,but both types of birds did not differ in accuracy.However,these relationships were context-dependent.No significant relationship was found in subsequent learning tasks(reversal learning and a 2nd associative learning)in the familiar context(task setup and apparatus similar to the 1st associative learning).We then conducted a problem-solving experiment with novel setup and apparatus to test 1 possible explanation that the association between personality and cognition in the 1st associative learning might be caused by noncognitive constraint,such as fearfulness when facing novel task setup and apparatus.We found that fast individuals interacted more with the problem box and solved it,whereas the slow birds were not.We suggest that personalities can influence cognitive performances and trigger a cognitive speed-improvement tradeoff under the novel context.However,there are no consistent cognitive styles that co-varied with different personalities.

Proteomics profiling of colorectal cancer progression identifies PLOD2 as a potential therapeutic target

Dear editors,Colorectal cancer(CRC)is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in developed countries[1].The malignant transformation from small clumps to cancer takes about 10 years[2].This study aimed to characterize proteomic dynamics associated with CRC development and progres-sion,and identify novel therapeutic targets for intercepting the underlying oncogenic processes.We have optimized pressure cycling technology(PCT)coupled with data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry(DIA-MS)for robust and reproducible proteomic analysis of biopsy-level formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded(FFPE)tissues[3].