The Research Self-Efficacy of Elementary Teachers:Current status,Factors,and Strategies for Improvement

Research self-efficacy is of great significance for teachers to improve their interest and achievements in scientific research.In this study,261 elementary teachers were surveyed through online questionnaires to understand their research self-efficacy.The results showed that most elementary teachers have good research self-efficacy;education background,years of teaching,research environment,and attitude toward research all had influence on the research self-efficacy of elementary teachers.Based on this situation,schools should make efforts,such as improving communication,providing financial support,establishing a scientific research support center,and helping teachers under unfavorable situations.For elementary teachers,they should realize the importance of education research and improve their research literacy。

An Assessment Scale for Evaluating the Experimental Design Ability of Elementary Science Teachers Based on Primary Trait Analysis

In this study,an assessment scale for evaluating the experimental design ability of elementary science teachers was constructed based on primary trait analysis.This assessment scale contains three first-level indexes and eleven second-level indexes.The corresponding weights of indexes were determined by the objective weighting method.The scores of all the descriptions of the indexes were also assigned.After a trial test,this assessment scale was verified to be reliable and valid for evaluating the experimental design ability of elementary science teachers.

Herbal small RNAs in patients with COVID-19 linked to reduced DEG expression

In China,more than 80%of patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)received traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)as a treatment and their clinical efficacy have been reported.However,the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear.Previous studies have identified herbal small RNAs(s RNAs)as novel functional components.In this study,a cohort of 22patients with COVID-19 treated with Toujie Quwen(TQ)granules was analyzed.We observed thousands of herbal small RNAs that entered the blood cells of patients after the consumption of TQ granules.In response to this treatment,the reduced differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were highly correlated with the predicted target genes of the most prevalent herbal s RNAs detected in the blood.Moreover,the predicted target genes of the top 30 s RNAs from each of the 245 TCMs in the Bencao s RNA Atlas overlapped with 337 upregulated DEGs in patients with mild COVID-19,and 33 TCMs,with more than 50%overlapping genes were identified as effective TCMs.These predicted target genes of top 30 s RNAs from Juhong,Gualoupi and Foshou were confirmed experimentally.Our results not only elucidated a novel molecular mechanism of TCM potential clinical efficacy for COVID-19 patients,but also provided 33 effective COVID-19 TCMs for prescription optimization.

Plant-derived phosphocholine facilitates cellular uptake of anti-pulmonary fibrotic HJT-sRNA-m7

Pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive chronic disease with a high mortality rate, has limited treatment options. Currently, lung transplantation remains the only effective treatment. Here we report that a small RNA, HJT-sRNA-m7, from a Chinese herbal medicine Hong Jing Tian(HJT, RHODIOHAE CRENULATAE RADIX ET RHIZOMA, Rhodiola crenulata) can effectively reduce the expressions of fibrotic hallmark genes and proteins both in alveolar in vitro and in mouse lung tissues in vivo. We also discovered over one hundred oil-soluble chemicals from HJT decoctions, most of which are found in lipid extracts from other Chinese herbals decoctions, including Pu Gong Ying(PGY, TARAXACI HERBA, Taraxacum mongolicum), Chuan Xin Lian(CXL, changed to "ANDROGRAPHIS HERBA, Andrographis paniculata"), and Jin Yin Hua(JYH, lonicera japonica or Honeysuckle). We identified the active component in these decoctions as two forms of phosphocholines, PC(18:0/18:2) and PC(16:0/18:2). These PCs potentially could form liposomes with small RNAs to enter human alveolar and gastric cells. Our experimental results suggest an unprecendent lipid complex route through which botanic small RNA can enter human bodies.Our results provide an innovative treatment strategy for oral delivery of siRNAs as therapeutic medication.

Herbal decoctosome is a novel form of medicine

Traditionally, herbal medicine is consumed by drinking decoctions produced by boiling herbs with water. The functional components of the decoction are heat stable. Small RNAs(sRNAs) were reported as a new class of functional components in decoctions. However, the mechanisms by which sRNAs survive heat treatment of the decoction and enter cells are unclear.Previous studies showed that plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles(ELNs), which we call botanosomes, could deliver therapeutic reagents in vivo. Here, we report that heat-stable decoctosomes(ELNs) from decoctions have more therapeutic effects than the decoctions in vitro and demonstrate therapeutic efficacy in vivo. Furthermore, sRNAs, such as HJT-sRNA-m7 and PGY-sRNA-6, in the decoctosome exhibit potent anti-fibrosis and anti-inflammatory effects, respectively. Decoctosome is comprised of lipids, chemical compounds, proteins, and s RNAs. A medical decoctosome mimic is called bencaosome. A single lipid sphinganine(d22:0) identified in the decoctosome was mixed and heated with the synthesized sRNAs to form the simplest bencaosome. This simple bencaosome structure was identified by critical micelle concentration(cmc) assay that sRNAs coassembled with sphinganine(d22:0) to form the lipid layers of vesicles. The heating process facilitates co-assembly of sRNAs and sphinganine(d22:0) until a steady state is reached. The artificially produced sphinganine-HJT-sRNA-m7 and sphinganinePGY-sRNA-6 bencaosomes could ameliorate bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis and poly(I:C)-induced lung inflammation, respectively, following oral administration in mice. Our study not only demonstrates that the herbal decoctosome may represent a combinatory remedy in precision medicine but also provides an effective oral delivery route for nucleic acid therapy.

Erratum to:Herbal decoctosome is a novel form of medicine

Following the published article,we noticed an error duplication in Figure 5G“control”and“PGY-6”that was introduced during the revised process,with an attempt to replace it with higher-resolution images.Here we provide the original data in the first submitted manuscript(Figure 5G).

Diversity of hydrogen sulfide concentration in plant:a little spark to start a prairie fire

The ubiquitous and versatile signal-transduction role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S)has been revealed in mammals and plants in recent years [1-5].It is very important to grasp the physiological concentrations of H2S in vivo because of its toxic characteristics at high concentrations.However,the reported data fail to reach an agreement owing to the use of different methods and technique limitations. In fact,this is a common problem for gasotransmitters.What is the exact boundary between the physiological and toxicological concentration?What is the accurate endogenous content?These problems have been plaguing us even though there are a great number of research papers that explore H2S signals.

具有尺寸依赖性的全无机Cu12Sb4S13量子点的阻变存储性能

全无机零维Cu12Sb4S13量子点因其优异的光学性能、带隙可调性和载流子迁移率而受到广泛关注.本文首次报道了Cu12Sb4S13量子点的阻变存储特性,构建的FTO/Cu12Sb4S13QDs/Au阻变存储器具有良好的可再现性和可靠的双极性电阻开关特性.量子点的写入/擦除电压具有尺寸依赖性,通过控制Cu12Sb4S13量子点的尺寸调控其能带结构进而调控写入/擦除电压,实现了器件的写入/擦除电压的有效调控.同时,器件具有较大开/关比(大于104),优异的保持性和耐久性.在保持1.4×10^6s和经过104次快速读取后,阻变性能变化率小于0.1%.性能稳定性的提升也得益于更加均一的量子点尺寸,因此可通过制备尺寸均匀的量子点来提升器件稳定性.理论计算表明Cu12Sb4S13量子点的阻变机理由空间电荷限制电流机制占主导,在电场作用下,Cu 3d、Cu 3p和S 3p作为电子自俘获中心进行电子的俘获与去俘获,从而改变了Cu12Sb4S13量子点的阻值.结果表明,Cu12Sb4S13量子点可作为一种新型的阻性开关材料,在数据存储器件中具有巨大的应用潜力,有望促进下一代非易失性存储器的发展与应用.

Regular diet is non-inferior to restricted diet after polypectomy with decreased hospitalization length of stay and cost:a randomized–controlled trial

Background There are no data comparing a regular diet with a restricted diet after endoscopic polypectomy in patients with colorectal polyps.The current guidelines also did not provide the detailed information of dietary patterns after polypectomy.In this study,we aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of different diets on post-polypectomy outcomes.Methods A total of 302 patients with colorectal polyps who underwent polypectomy were prospectively enrolled between March 2019 and December 2019 in Nanfang Hospital(Guangzhou,China).Enrolled patients were then randomly assigned to a regular diet group or a restricted diet group after polypectomy.The study is a non-inferior design and the primary end point was the post-operative adverse events(AE)rate.Secondary end points included length of stay(LOS)and hospitalization cost.Results Among all the included patients,148 patients received a restricted diet and 154 patients received a regular diet after polypectomy.A total of 376 polyps were removed,with 183 polyps in the restricted diet group and 193 polyps in the regular diet group.Shorter LOS(4.0±1.4 vs 4.8±1.7,P<0.001)and lower hospitalization costs(7,701.63±2,579.07 vs 8,656.05±3,138.53,P=0.001)were observed in the regular diet group.In particular,there was no significant difference in 3-day AE rates between the restricted diet and the regular diet group(1.35%[2/148]vs 2.60%[4/154],P=0.685).Subgroup analysis looking at the number of polyps removed in each patient and different treatmentmodalities also showed similar findings.Conclusion Regular diet should be recommended after polypectomy for polyps<20mm as it can shorten LOS and save hospitalization costs.