Rate Of Water Loss Research Articles

Influence of the molecular structure of amylopectin from waxy and sweet waxy corn on the properties of corn flour and the quality of sweet dumplings

In this study, the chain length distribution (CLD) of amylopectin in eight varieties of corn, the properties of corn flour, and the quality of the corresponding sweet dumplings were analyzed, with commercially available waxy corn (CAWC) and waxy rice (CAWR) as controls. Three test samples (Feng nuo 168, Feng nuo 211, and Feng nuo 10) exhibited significant differences (P < 0.05) in the pasting properties of the whole flours from the other samples, with Feng nuo 10 exhibiting lower viscosity, breakdown, and setback, while Feng nuo 211 exhibited the highest viscosity and breakdown. The quality of sweet dumplings varied markedly: The sweet dumpling of Feng Nuo 211 showed the highest springiness, gumminess, and chewiness. All of the corn sweet dumplings had a water loss rate lower than CAWR. Feng Nuo 211 and Wan Nuo 2000 sweet dumplings displayed the lowest cooking loss rates of 0.61 % and 0.58 %, respectively. Correlation analysis indicated that CLD play a pivotal role in both whole flour characteristics and sweet dumpling quality. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the relationship between amylopectin structure and both whole flour characteristics and product quality, and provided reference for the development of corn sweet dumplings.

Fixing active sand dune by native grasses in the desert of Northwest China

BackgroundDesertification is the most severe environmental problem in arid and semi-arid regions and has caused great economic loss every year. However, artificial sand fixation barriers function on sand fixation for only 10–20 years. Searching for a native species with long-term sand fixation effect and strong environmental adaptive capacity, and low water consumption is needed. In this study, we investigated the environmental adaption and sand fixation effect of a grass from Poaceae family (Psammochloa villosa) that is indigenous to the desert of Northwest China.ResultsThe results showed that P. villosa has a streamlined leaf form, strong mechanical strength, and flexibility to adapt to wind. Leaf curling of P. villosa under drought decreased water loss rate through decreased evaporation area to adapt to drought. Significant negative relationship between adventitious root length and horizontal root burial depth indicates that adventitious roots help P. villosa absorb water and nutrients from soil under shallow sand burial condition, which enables P. villosa to adapt to different sand burial conditions. P. villosa fixed sand dunes through the distribution of the population at the top of the dune and the vertical relationship between the direction of windblown sand and the direction of growth of P. villosa, which stopped the expansion of the dune.ConclusionsGrowth characteristics of wind and drought tolerant leaf traits and adventitious roots under sand burial indicate that P. villosa is well adapted to dry sandy desert conditions and burial by sand. The distribution of the P. villosa population on the sand dune is a “brake” on its expansion. These findings provide new insight for active sand dune fixation and desertification control using native grass in the desertified regions.

Assessing the water metabolism of coastal urban areas based on the water mass balance framework across time periods: A case study of Cape Town, South Africa

The status of water resources in many coastal cities has become increasingly fragile. In a changing climate, the amount and intensity of rainfall have continued to decline, causing some coastal regions to experience severe drought and deteriorated water supply situation. This article presents a comprehensive study of the urban water metabolism of Cape Town, South Africa. A water mass balance framework was utilized to examine the city's water system across four distinct periods. In addition, the water-energy nexus before and after the drought crisis was evaluated. The key findings include a large amount of surface runoff in the Cape Town area that was not utilized before the drought crisis, resulting in a natural loss potential of water supply that is 2.54 times greater than water used for supply systems. During the drought, per capita water consumption dropped by a substantial 25%; at the same time, the total rate of water loss experienced a substantial decrease of approximately 21%. Since the pandemic, Cape Town's water resources policy has shifted to diversifying water sources, and the use of wastewater and natural water losses will be optimized by more than 32% in 2040 to achieve a water-sensitive city. Future research should explore the temporal and spatial dynamics of urban water flows, the impact of socioeconomic factors, and the integration of water system optimization models for enhanced urban water management.

Preparation of Polyvinyl Alcohol–Chitosan Nanocellulose–Biochar Nanosilver Composite Hydrogel and Its Antibacterial Property and Dye Removal Capacity

In this research, silver-loaded biochar (C-Ag) was acquired from a waste fish scale, and nanocellulose (CNF) was prepared from the waste wheat stalk. Then C-Ag was loaded into chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel (CTS-PVA) with CNC as a reinforcement agent, and a novel nanocomposite material was acquired, which could be efficiently applied for antibacterial and dye removal. By plate diffusion analysis, the inhibition areas of C-Ag-CTS-PVA-CNF (C/CTS/PVA/CNF) hydrogel against E. coli ATCC25922, S. aureus ATCC6538, and P. aeruginosa ATCC9027 could reach 22.5 mm, 22.0 mm, and 24.0 mm, respectively. It was found that the antibacterial rate was 100% in the water antibacterial experiment for 2 h, and the antibacterial activity was more than 90% within 35 days after preparation, and the antibacterial rate was more than 90% after repeated antibacterial tests for five times. Through swelling, water adsorption, water loss rate, and water content tests, the hydrogel manifested good moisturizing properties and could effectually block the loss of water and improve the stability of the C/CTS/PVA/CNF hydrogel. The pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models were built, and the adsorption capacity of hydrogel to dye was analyzed, and the dye removal was more consistent with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The best removal effect for Congo red was 96.3 mg/g. The C/CTS/PVA/CNF hydrogel had a remarkable removal efficacy on Malachite green, Methyl orange, Congo red, and Methylene blue. As a result, the C/CTS/PVA/CNF hydrogels had robust antibacterial properties and reusability. In addition, the present research developed a facile strategy for effectual dyes removal from the aqueous medium.

Application of Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (QMRI) to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Ultrasonic Atomization of Water in Truffle Preservation.

Truffles of the Tuber genus (Pezizales, Ascomycetes) are among the most valuable and expensive foods, but their shelf life is limited to 7-10 days when stored at 4 °C. Alternative preservation methods have been proposed to extend their shelf life, though they may alter certain quality parameters. Recently, a hypogeal display case equipped with an ultrasonic humidity system (HDC) was developed, extending the shelf life to 2-3 weeks, depending on the truffle species. This study assesses the efficacy of HDC in preserving Tuber melanosporum and Tuber borchii ascomata over 16 days, using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (QMRI) to monitor water content and other parameters. Sixteen T. melanosporum and six T. borchii ascomata were stored at 4 °C in an HDC or a static fridge (SF) as controls. QMRI confirmed that T. borchii has a shorter shelf life than T. melanosporum under all conditions. HDC reduced the rate of shrinkage, water, and mass loss in both species. Additionally, the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC), longitudinal relaxation time (T1), and transverse relaxation time (T2), which reflect molecular changes, decreased more slowly in HDC than SF. QMRI proves useful for studying water-rich samples and assessing truffle preservation technologies. Further optimization of this method for industrial use is needed.

Pear performance as affected by the application of some nano fertilizers in combination with biochar as a biostimulant under drought conditions

Drought is an environmental stress that can negatively influence growth and productivity of fruit trees because it decreases the photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance and raises the rate of water loss from the plant surfaces. Therefore, this study investigated the soil application of biochar individually or in combination with the spraying of boron, silicon, and molybdenum relative to the growth attributes, fruit drop percentages, yield, and fruit quality of Le Conte pear trees grown under drought stress. The trees were fertilized by biochar at 0, 1, and 2 kg per tree individually or in combination with the foliar spraying with 0 mg B2O3 + 0 mg SiO2 + 0 mg MoO2, 10 mg B2O3 + 25 mg SiO2 + 25 mg MoO2, 20 mg B2O3 + 50 mg SiO2 + 50 mg MoO2 and 30 mg B2O3 + 75 mg SiO2 + 75 mg MoO2 at start of February, start of March and start of April, compared to untreated trees (control). The results showed that the soil addition of biochar or spraying of nano fertilizers individually or in combinations improved the vegetive growth, productivity and fruit quality, and leaf mineral content, meanwhile they reduced the fruit drop. The best results were obtained by the application of 2 kg biochar combined with 30 mg B2O3 + 75 mg SiO2 + 75 mg MoO2, which was superior to other applied treatments in the two seasons.

Integration of Transcriptome and Metabolome Reveals Wax Serves a Key Role in Preventing Leaf Water Loss in Goji (Lycium barbarum)

Drought stress is one of the main abiotic stresses that limit plant growth and affect fruit quality and yield. Plants primarily lose water through leaf transpiration, and wax effectively reduces the rate of water loss from the leaves. However, the relationship between water loss and the wax formation mechanism in goji (Lycium barbarum) leaves remains unclear. ‘Ningqi I’ goji and ‘Huangguo’ goji are two common varieties. In this study, ‘Ningqi I’ goji and ‘Huangguo’ goji were used as samples of leaf material to detect the differences in the water loss rate, chlorophyll leaching rate, wax phenotype, wax content, and components of the two materials. The differences in wax-synthesis-related pathways were analyzed using the transcriptome and metabolome methods, and the correlation among the wax components, wax synthesis genes, and transcription factors was analyzed. The results show that the leaf permeability of ‘Ningqi I’ goji was significantly lower than that of ‘Huangguo’ goji. The total wax content of the ‘Ningqi I’ goji leaves was 2.32 times that of the ‘Huangguo’ goji leaves, and the epidermal wax membrane was dense. The main components of the wax of ‘Ningqi I’ goji were alkanes, alcohols, esters, and fatty acids, the amounts of which were 191.65%, 153.01%, 6.09%, and 9.56% higher than those of ‘Huangguo’ goji, respectively. In the transcriptome analysis, twenty-two differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and six transcription factors (TFs) were screened for wax synthesis; during the metabolomics analysis, 11 differential metabolites were screened, which were dominated by lipids, some of which, like D-Glucaro-1, 4-Lactone, phosphatidic acid (PA), and phosphatidylcholine (PE), serve as prerequisites for wax synthesis, and were significantly positively correlated with wax components such as alkanes by the correlation analysis. A combined omics analysis showed that DEGs such as LbaWSD1, LbaKCS1, and LbaFAR2, and transcription factors such as LbaMYB306, LbaMYB60, and LbaMYBS3 were strongly correlated with wax components such as alkanes and alcohols. The high expression of DEGs and transcription factors is an important reason for the high wax content in the leaf epidermis of ‘Ningqi I’ goji plants. Therefore, by regulating the expression of wax-synthesis-related genes, the accumulation of leaf epidermal wax can be promoted, and the epidermal permeability of goji leaves can be weakened, thereby reducing the water loss rate of goji leaves. The research results can lay a foundation for cultivating drought-tolerant goji varieties.

A WUSCHEL-related homeobox transcription factor, SlWOX4, negatively regulates drought tolerance in tomato.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of SlWOX4 gene in tomato enhances tolerance to drought stress. Drought stress is one of the major abiotic factors that seriously affects plant growth and crop yield. WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) transcription factors are involved in plant growth, development and stress response. However, little is known about the role of WOX genes in drought tolerance in tomato. Here, SlWOX4, a member of the WOX family in tomato, was functionally characterized in mediating drought tolerance. SlWOX4 was homologous to Nicotiana tabacum NtWOX4 with a conserved HD domain, and was localized in the nucleus. SlWOX4 was significantly down-regulated by drought and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. The loss-of-functionmutations of SlWOX4 produced using the CRISPR-Cas9 system in tomato improved drought tolerance by reducing water loss rate and enhancing stomatal closure. In addition, the wox4 lines exhibited reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), increased antioxidant enzyme activity, proline contents and ABA contents under drought stress. Moreover, gene editing of SlWOX4 in tomato enhanced drought tolerance by regulating the expression of genes encoding antioxidants and ABA signaling molecules. In summary, SlWOX4 gene might negatively regulate drought stress tolerance in tomato and has great potential as a drought-resistant crop-breeding target genes.

Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase-hydrolase 1 is a negative regulator of drought tolerance in barley via modulating lignin biosynthesis and stomatal closure

The projected increase in drought severity and duration worldwide poses a significant threat to crop growth and sustainable food production. Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolases (XTHs) family is essential in cell wall modification through the construction and restructuring of xyloglucan cross-links, but their role in drought tolerance and stomatal regulation is still illusive. We cloned and functionally characterized HvXTH1 using genetic, physiological, biochemical, transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches in barley. Evolutionary bioinformatics showed that orthologues of XTH1 was originated from Streptophyte algae (e.g. some species in the Zygnematales) the closest clade to land plants based on OneKP database. HvXTH1 is highly expressed in leaves and HvXTH1 is localized to the plasma membrane. Under drought conditions, silencing HvXTH1 in drought-tolerant Tibetan wild barley XZ5 induced a significant reduction in water loss rate and increase in biomass, however overexpressing HvXTH1 exhibited drought sensitivity with significantly less drought-responsive stomata, lower lignin content and a thicker cell wall. Transcriptome profile of the wild type Golden Promise and HvXTH1-OX demonstrated that drought-induced differentially expressed genes in leaves are related to cell wall biosynthesis, abscisic acid and stomatal signaling, and stress response. Furthermore, overexpressing HvXTH1 suppressed both genes and metabolites in the phenylpropanoid pathway for lignin biosynthesis, leading to drought sensitivity of HvXTH1-OX. We provide new insight by deciphering the function of a novel protein HvXTH1 for drought tolerance in cell wall modification, stomatal regulation, and phenylpropanoid pathway for lignin biosynthesis in barley. The function of HvXTH1 in drought response will be beneficial to develop crop varieties adapted to drought.

Time-varying moisture characteristics and C-S-H gel properties of concrete in dry and hot environments

The construction of deeply buried tunnels has intensified concerns regarding shrinkage cracking and the long-term performance deterioration of lining concrete in dry-hot environments. These issues are related to the dynamic interconversion of internal moisture states, the changing moisture behavior over time, and the evolution of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) properties. However, the mechanisms underlying these phenomena are not fully understood. This study investigates the dynamics of moisture content across different states, the source and composition of evaporated water, as well as the mechanism of change in the microscopic properties of C-S-H in concrete subjected to dry-hot conditions (40℃ and 60℃) and standard curing environments through tests on water loss rates, chemically bound water, and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance. The findings reveal that at 40℃ and 60℃, hydration products were generated rapidly before mold removal, leading to significant increases in chemically bound water, interlayer water, and gel water, while capillary water was notably consumed. After mold removal, the rate of chemically bound water increase slowed, while interlayer water, gel water, and capillary water evaporated significantly, with gel water comprising 87.27 % and 83.51 % of the evaporated water at 40℃ and 60℃, respectively. From day 1 to day 28, interlayer water, gel water, and capillary water contents decreased significantly, with reductions of up to 85.98 % at 60℃. In dry-hot environments, moisture primarily exists as chemically bound water and gel water, contrasting with standard curing conditions where capillary water is also present. The study concludes that drying of C-S-H gels leads to both positive effects, such as interlayer space compression and increased indentation modulus, and negative effects, including increased microporosity and reduced matric densification, ultimately contributing to the deterioration of long-term mechanical properties.

Enhancement of the formation and stability of low-fat Pickering emulsion gels stabilized with egg yolk granules-chitosan complex: Insights into the development of mayonnaise substitutes

This study employed egg yolk granules (EYG) in combination with chitosan (CS) to evaluate the feasibility of constructing low-fat Pickering emulsion gels and investigated the properties of emulsion gels with different oil volume fractions (0–50 %) to address the stability issue. The results showed that the self-supporting structure of the emulsion gels gradually increased at 0–40 % oil phase, and the oil droplet sizes were all smaller than 10 μm. However, when the oil phase reached 50 %, the emulsion showed water-oil phase separation. The addition of oil modified the state and movement of water molecules in the emulsion system, which in turn affected the water and oil loss rates. Notably, the emulsion gels exhibited similar rheological and textural characteristics to mayonnaise at 30 % oil phase. Furthermore, the emulsion gels demonstrated promising centrifugation and freeze-thaw stability. This study suggests an innovative and efficient approach to low-fat mayonnaise substitution with consistent quality.

A Saturation Correction Method Based on Static and Dynamic Parameters

Abstract The saturation analysis date of sealed coring wells can provide the most direct quantitative data for studying remaining oil distribution. However, the oil/water saturation values measured in laboratory test usually deviate form the true values of underground conditions due to multiple factors, and they must be corrected for exact data. Most existing calibration methods consider the changes in pressure and pore conditions during the coring process, ignoring the differences in the oil/water saturation values caused by lithology and electrical properties. In this paper, well J2-6-A145 is selected as the study object. Firstly, the lithology and oil water loss rate are determined as the main influencing factors of oil water saturation by using the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Then a classification statistical correction chart based on lithology and oil-water loss rate is established in sequence, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.92 to 0.97. Finally, based on the Electrical Property Water Content Relationship Chart of mining production statistics, considered the differences in oil water volatilization under different content levels. The oil-water saturation under different Oiliness is corrected by combining production dynamics chart and permeability curve. A saturation correction method based on statistical regression is obtained by considering multiple factors such as lithology, oil-water loss rate, oiliness, permeability and production dynamics. This method improves correlation after segmented regression, better reflects the oil content of the formation by considering dynamic factors, and provides an accurate data foundation for understanding and evaluating the distribution pattern of remaining oil.

The transcription factor MfbHLH104 from Myrothamnus flabellifolia promotes drought tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana by enhancing stability of the photosynthesis system

The resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia can survive extreme drought and desiccation conditions, and quickly recover after rewatering. However, little is known about the mechanism underlying the drought tolerance of M. flabellifolia. In this study, MfbHLH104 was cloned and introduced into Arabidopsis thaliana due to the lack of a transgenic system for M. flabellifolia. MfbHLH104 is localized in the nucleus. Its N-terminal region has transactivation ability in yeast, and the C-terminal region may inhibit the transactivation ability. Overexpressing MfbHLH104 significantly increased drought and salt tolerance of A. thaliana at both seedling and adult stages. It enhanced leaf water retention capacity by decreasing water loss rate and increasing drought- and abscisic acid (ABA) -induced stomatal closure. Additionally, it boosted osmolyte accumulation and ROS scavenging ability by up-regulating genes associated with osmolyte biosynthesis and antioxidant enzymes, and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities. The expression of ABA-responsive genes were also promoted by MfbHLH104. Remarkably, RNA-seq analysis indicated that MfbHLH104 significantly up-regulated 32 genes (FDR < 0.05 and fold change ≥1.5) involved in photosynthesis related pathways (KEGG pathway No: ko00195, ko00196) under drought, which account for 18.7 % of the total up-regulated genes and the most enriched KEGG pathways. This result suggested that it may help to maintain the stability of the photosynthesis system under drought conditions.

Expression and drought functional analysis of one circRNA PecircCDPK from moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis).

Drought stress can affect the growth of bamboo. Circle RNAs (CircRNAs) have been found to play a role in drought stress in plants, but their function in moso bamboo is not well understood. In previous studies, we observed that under drought stress, the expression of some circRNAs were altered and predicted to be involved in calcium-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation, as indicated by KEGG enrichment analysis. In this study, we cloned a circRNA called PecircCDPK in moso bamboo that is responsive to drought stress. To further investigate its function, we constructed an overexpression vector using flanking intron sequences supplemented by reverse complementary sequences. When this vector was transferred to Arabidopsis plants, we observed that the roots of the transgenic lines were more developed, the water loss rate decreased, the stomata became smaller, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes increased under drought stress. These findings suggest that overexpression of PecircCDPK can enhance the drought resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana, providing valuable insights for the breeding of moso bamboo with improved resistance to drought.

Ionic Liquid-Based Grapeseed Oil Emulsion for Enhanced Anti-Wrinkle Treatment.

To address the poor efficacy and percutaneous penetration of grape seed oil, ionic liquids and nanotechnology were combined to prepare a grape seed oil emulsion. A novel Menthol-CoQ10 ionic liquid and ionic liquid based grapeseed oil emulsion were prepared and confirmed. The average size of the grapeseed oil emulsion was 218 nm, and its zeta potential was -33.5 mV. The ionic liquid-based grape seed oil emulsion exhibited a transdermal penetration effect 4.63-fold higher than that of ordinary grape seed oil emulsion. Ionic liquid also displayed enhanced efficiency both in vitro and in vivo. It significantly inhibited the production of DPPH free radicals and tyrosinase, inhibited melanin and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) produced by cells, and promoted type I collagen expression in fibroblasts. After 28 days of continuous use, the grapeseed oil emulsion improved the water content of the stratum corneum and the rate of transepidermal water loss, enhanced the firmness and elasticity of the skin, and significantly improved the total number and length of under-eye lines, tail lines, nasolabial folds, and marionette lines on the face. Menthol-CoQ10 ionic liquid is a promising functional excipient for both transdermal delivery increase and efficient enhancement. Ionic liquid and nanotechnology for grape seed oil facial mask displayed significantly enhanced efficacy and permeability.

Phytic acid-based super antifreeze multifunctional conductive hydrogel for human motion monitoring and energy harvesting devices

Conductive hydrogels have broad application prospects in the field of self-powered sensors and energy harvesting devices due to their good electrical conductivity and flexibility. However, at low temperatures, conductive hydrogels are usually frozen, resulting in problems such as poor electrical conductivity and flexibility, which seriously hinder the application of these fields. To address these challenges, phytic acid (PA) was employed as the crosslinker and antifreezing agent in this study. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS), chitosan (CS), and PA were used as raw materials to successfully synthesize PVA/AMPS/CS/PA (PACP) multifunctional conductive hydrogels with outstanding antifreeze and water retention properties (freezing point below −80 °C, 30-day water loss rate of 3.5%). In addition, PACP hydrogels exhibit exceptional electrical conductivity of up to 9.4 S/m, along with antibacterial and biocompatible properties, enabling their utilization as wearable sensors on human skin tissue. Notably, the PACP hydrogel-based triboelectric nanogenerator (PACP-TENG) excels in accurately monitoring human motion and powering small electronic devices, facilitating remote control of small light switches. The resulting open circuit voltage is as high as 314 V at 25 °C and about 110 V at low temperature. Therefore, PACP hydrogels with excellent properties are expected to expand their applications in these fields.

Habitat type controls microarthropod community changes across a Magellanic sub-Antarctic elevation gradient

IntroductionElevation gradients are often used as a proxy for climate change as they allow comparisons of ecological responses over much larger temporal and spatial scales than is possible through experimental manipulations.MethodsHere, we tested how microarthropod communities (Collembola and Acari) are affected by climatic differences between sea level and 600 m a.s.l. on Navarino Island, in the Magellanic sub-Antarctic ecoregion of southern Chile (mean annual temperatures of 5.6 vs 3.1°C, respectively). We quantified microarthropod abundance, richness and community trait characteristics in dominant moss (Racomitrium lanuginosum and Polytrichum strictum) and lichen (Usnea trachycarpa, Pseudocyphellaria freycinetii and Stereocaulon alpinum) vegetation growing at both elevations. These moss and lichen genera are characterized by large morphological differences and allow testing of how habitat characteristics affect microarthropod community response across elevation gradients.ResultsCollembola and Acari community composition differed between the low and high elevation sites. Total abundance levels of Acari were maintained in each habitat across elevation, whereas Collembola richness strongly declined (50%) at high elevation in the moss habitats. Acari community differences across elevation were driven by relative abundance changes whereas the Collembola community lost species at higher elevation. An anticipated decline of smaller eudaphic Collembola at high elevation was only observed in the moss Racomitrium, reflecting potentially lower temperature buffering capacity and shelter options compared to Polytrichum. Lichens mostly supported larger epigeic species irrespective of elevation. There were no consistent patterns linking microarthropod communities with habitat water holding capacity or water loss rates across the studied habitats and elevation.DiscussionHabitat type and the genus of moss or lichen were associated with microarthropod community changes across elevation, including examples of declines, increases and no change. These findings highlight that community responses across gradients may not always relate to the generally hypothesized environmental variables (e.g. temperature variability) and that habitat characteristics should be taken into account when using elevation as a proxy for climate change.

Multifunctional double network hydrogel with multi-directional actuation and high-precision sensing

Conductive hydrogels have gained great attention for applications in flexible electronics, electronic skins, and as human-machine interfaces. However, poor environmental tolerance of traditional hydrogels and defects in hydrogel actuator make them unfit for use in certain environments. Herein, a small natural molecule, proline (ZP), was introduced into the PAA/CS dual network system to prepare multifunctional hydrogel materials with high concentration of physically crosslinked metal coordination points. The elongation at break and mechanical strength of the hydrogel with optimized structure were 1277 % and 202 kPa, respectively. The effect of ZP on the destruction of hydrogen bonds of free water in the hydrogel provided the hydrogel with excellent temperature resistance. Multiple reversible interactions endowed the PAA/CS/Al0.5/ZP8 hydrogel with excellent self-healing properties at room temperature and even at −40 ℃. The PAA/CS/Al0.5/ZP8 hydrogel sensor with excellent comprehensive performance could be applied for the monitoring of a variety of human motions, small shape changes of flexible objects, and detection of vibrations in rigid pipes. The interactions between Fe3+, ascorbic acid, and -COOH groups on the hydrogel surface were used to record information and erase it repeatedly at low temperature and showed excellent shape memory. Based on the self-healing property, the hydrogel with gradients of swelling rates and water loss rates was assembled into a double-layer actuator, which could complete the actuation process in opposite directions in air and also underwater. This work provides a new idea for the design of soft robots and intelligent switches.

Research on humidity field and freezing resistance of green recycled ceramic internal cured concrete at early age

In cold and drought environment, concrete shrinkage cracking caused by water loss is serious, and thus the freezing resistance of concrete is deteriorated. The waste ceramic particles were used as internal curing materials to prepare concrete, based on this background. Then, the influence of internal curing with ceramic particles on humidity field and temperature of concrete is analyzed by using temperature and humidity sensor. Based on the change mechanism of the internal humidity of concrete, the relationship between the curvature radius of liquid surface and the relative humidity is revealed. Taking water loss and water loss rate as the index, the water transfer law of concrete surface under ceramic particle internal curing was defined. Through the drying shrinkage test, the mechanism of improving the drying shrinkage of concrete by internal curing in ceramic particles was mastered. Finally, the effects of ceramic internal curing on cement hydration, interfacial transition zone (ITZ) and freezing resistance of concrete were studied. The results show that the relative humidity, water loss and water loss rate of concrete increase with the increase of ceramic particle content, and the dry shrinkage value decreases with the increase of ceramic particle content. Compared with ordinary concrete, when the ceramic particle content is 10 %, 15 %, 20 %, 25 % and 30 %, and the test period is 10 days, the internal relative humidity of concrete increases by 0.52 %, 0.67 %, 1.55 %, 2.55 % and 3.05 %, respectively. The drying shrinkage values decreased by 3.42 %, 7.69 %, 10.26 %, 15.17 % and 30.13 %, respectively. When the test period was 1032 h, the water loss increased by 1.08 %, 5.15 %, 7.90 %, 12.69 % and 14.49 %, respectively. Furthermore, when the ceramic particle content is 20 %, the initial normalized heat flow of concrete increases by 2.74 mW/g, and the normalized heat flow minimum increases by 0.324 mW/g. The minimum ITZ microhardness increased by 2.64 MPa, the ITZ width decreased by 5 μm, and the maximum crack width at the contact between ITZ and aggregate decreased by 0.89 μm. At the same time, when the ceramic particle content is less than 20 %, the effect of internal curing on the freezing resistance of concrete increases with an increase in ceramic particle content.

FaTEDT1L of Octoploid Cultivated Strawberry Functions as a Transcriptional Activator and Enhances Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis.

Plants may encounter abiotic stresses, such as drought, flooding, salinity, and extreme temperatures, thereby negatively affecting their growth, development, and reproduction. In order to enhance their tolerance to such stresses, plants have developed intricate signaling networks that regulate stress-responsive gene expression. For example, Arabidopsis Enhanced Drought Tolerance1/HOMEODOMAIN GLABROUS 11 (AtEDT1/HDG11), one of the transcription factor genes from the group IV of homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-ZIP) gene family, has been shown to increase drought tolerance in various transgenic plants. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of enhanced stress tolerance remain unclear. In this study, we identified a homologous gene related to AtEDT1/HDG11, named FaTEDT1L, from the transcriptome sequencing database of cultivated strawberry. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the close relationship of FaTEDT1L with AtEDT1/HDG11, which is one of the group IV members of the HD-ZIP gene family. Yeast one-hybrid analysis showed that FaTEDT1L functions as a transcriptional activator. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing FaTEDT1L under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter exhibited significantly enhanced tolerance to osmotic stress (both drought and salinity) when compared to the wild-type (WT) plants. Under osmotic stress, the average root length was 3.63 ± 0.83 cm, 4.20 ± 1.03 cm, and 4.60 ± 1.14 cm for WT, 35S::FaTEDT1L T2 #3, and 35S:: FaTEDT1L T2 #5, respectively. Substantially increased root length in 35S::FaTEDT1L T2 #3 and 35S::FaTEDT1L T2 #5 was noted when compared to the WT. In addition, the average water loss rates were 64%, 57.1%, and 55.6% for WT, 35S::FaTEDT1L T2 #3, and 35S::FaTEDT1L T2 #5, respectively, after drought treatment, indicating a significant decrease in water loss rate of 35S:: FaTEDT1L T2 #3 and 35S::FaTEDT1L T2 #5 is a critical factor in enhancing plant drought resistance. These findings thus highlight the crucial role of FaTEDT1L in mitigating drought and salt stresses and regulating plant osmotic stress tolerance. Altogether, FaTEDT1L shows its potential usage as a candidate gene for strawberry breeding in improving crop resilience and increasing agricultural productivity under adverse environmental conditions.