Protein assays show great importance in medical research and disease diagnoses.Liquid crystals(LCs),as a branch of sensitive materials,offer promising applicability in the field of biosensing.Herein,we developed an ul...Protein assays show great importance in medical research and disease diagnoses.Liquid crystals(LCs),as a branch of sensitive materials,offer promising applicability in the field of biosensing.Herein,we developed an ultrasensitive biosensor for the detection of low-concentration protein molecules,employing LC-amplified optofluidic resonators.In this design,the orientation of LCs was disturbed by immobilized protein molecules through the reduction of the vertical anchoring force from the alignment layer.A biosensing platform based on the whispering-gallery mode(WGM)from the LC-amplified optofluidic resonator was developed and explored,in which the spectral wavelength shift was monitored as the sensing parameter.The microbubble structure provided a stable and reliable WGM resonator with a high Q factor for LCs.It is demonstrated that the wall thickness of the microbubble played a key role in enhancing the sensitivity of the LC-amplified WGM microcavity.It is also found that protein molecules coated on the internal surface of microbubble led to their interactions with laser beams and the orientation transition of LCs.Both effects amplified the target information and triggered a sensitive wavelength shift in WGM spectra.A detection limit of 1 fM for bovine serum albumin(BSA)was achieved to demonstrate the high-sensitivity of our sensing platform in protein assays.Compared to the detection using a conventional polarized optical microscope(POM),the sensitivity was improved by seven orders of magnitude.Furthermore,multiple types of proteins and specific biosensing were also investigated to verify the potential of LC-amplified optofluidic resonators in the biomolecular detection.Our studies indicate that LC-amplified optofluidic resonators offer a new solution for the ultrasensitive real-time biosensing and the characterization of biomolecular interactions.展开更多
We proposed and demonstrated a flexible,endoscopic,and minimally invasive coherent anti-Raman Stokes scattering(CARS)measurement method for single-cell application,employing a tapered optical fiber probe.A few-mode fi...We proposed and demonstrated a flexible,endoscopic,and minimally invasive coherent anti-Raman Stokes scattering(CARS)measurement method for single-cell application,employing a tapered optical fiber probe.A few-mode fiber(FMF),whose generated four-wave mixing band is out of CARS signals,was selected to fabricate tapered optical fiber probes,deliver CARS excitation pulses,and collect CARS signals.The adiabatic tapered fiber probe with a diameter of 11.61μm can focus CARS excitation lights without mismatch at the focal point.The measurements for proof-of-concept were made with methanol,ethanol,cyclohexane,and acetone injected into simulated cells.The experimental results show that the tapered optical fiber probe can detect carbon-hydrogen(C-H)bond-rich substances and their concentration.To our best knowledge,this optical fiber probe provides the minimum size among probes for detecting CARS signals.These results pave the way for minimally invasive live-cell detection in the future.展开更多
Agricultural production by smallholders is crucial for ensuring food provision in China.However,smallholders face a series of challenges on their farms including high-to-excess resource inputs,low use efficiency,as we...Agricultural production by smallholders is crucial for ensuring food provision in China.However,smallholders face a series of challenges on their farms including high-to-excess resource inputs,low use efficiency,as well as negative environmental impacts,which may be unfavorable for sustainable agriculture production.This study developed a county-level sustainability assessment of maize production in Hebei,China,by applying multiple data sources in combination with emergy,carbon footprint,nitrogen footprint and costbenefit analyses.Scenario analysis was applied to explore the localized implementation strategies to achieve the sustainable farming system.The results show that the average emergy sustainability index(ESI)of maize at 2.31 is relatively low.The average greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions and reactive nitrogen(Nr)losses are 0.15 g·kcal^(−1) CO_(2)-eq and 3.75 mg·kcal^(−1) N,respectively.The average cost and net income are 12,700 and 4340 CNY·ha^(−1),respectively.These results indicate a great potential to improve the environmental-economic sustainability of the maize production system of smallholders.In addition,the environmental and economic indicators calculated from the maize production show a substantial spatial heterogeneity among counties,indicating a requirement for different optimization strategies to improve the environment-economy sustainability at a finer scale.Based on the multiple scenario analysis,optimal strategies targeting each county are proposed.By adopting the optimal strategies,the average ESI and net income could increase by 32%and 83%,respectively,and the average GHG emissions and Nr losses reduce by 33%and 35%,respectively.These findings provide an important reference for adopting different strategies to achieve environmenteconomy sustainability for smallholders production systems with diverse landscapes in North China and propose a transition pathway toward achieving agriculture sustainability for smallholders worldwide.展开更多
The transformation and gene editing of the woody species kiwifruit are difficult and time-consuming.The fast and marker-free genetic modification system for kiwifruit has not been developed yet.Here,we establish a rap...The transformation and gene editing of the woody species kiwifruit are difficult and time-consuming.The fast and marker-free genetic modification system for kiwifruit has not been developed yet.Here,we establish a rapid and efficient marker-free transformation and gene editing system mediated by Agrobacterium rhizogenes for kiwifruit.Moreover,a removing-root-tip method was developed to significantly increase the regeneration efficiency of transgenic hairy roots.Through A.rhizogenes-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing,the editing efficiencies of CEN4 and AeCBL3 achieved 55 and 50%,respectively.And several homozygous knockout lines for both genes were obtained.Our method has been successfully applied in the transformation of two different species of kiwifruit(Acti-nidia chinensis‘Hongyang’and A.eriantha‘White’).Next,we used the method to study the formation of calcium oxalate(CaOx)crystals in kiwifruit.To date,little is known about how CaOx crystal is formed in plants.Our results indicated that AeCBL3 overexpression enhanced CaOx crystal formation,but its knockout via CRISPR/Cas9 significantly impaired crystal formation in kiwifruit.Together,we developed a fast maker-free transformation and highly efficient CRISPRCas9 gene editing system for kiwifruit.Moreover,our work revealed a novel gene mediating CaOx crystal formation and provided a clue to elaborate the underlying mechanisms.展开更多
基金Nation Science Foundation of China(Grant No.61735011).
文摘Protein assays show great importance in medical research and disease diagnoses.Liquid crystals(LCs),as a branch of sensitive materials,offer promising applicability in the field of biosensing.Herein,we developed an ultrasensitive biosensor for the detection of low-concentration protein molecules,employing LC-amplified optofluidic resonators.In this design,the orientation of LCs was disturbed by immobilized protein molecules through the reduction of the vertical anchoring force from the alignment layer.A biosensing platform based on the whispering-gallery mode(WGM)from the LC-amplified optofluidic resonator was developed and explored,in which the spectral wavelength shift was monitored as the sensing parameter.The microbubble structure provided a stable and reliable WGM resonator with a high Q factor for LCs.It is demonstrated that the wall thickness of the microbubble played a key role in enhancing the sensitivity of the LC-amplified WGM microcavity.It is also found that protein molecules coated on the internal surface of microbubble led to their interactions with laser beams and the orientation transition of LCs.Both effects amplified the target information and triggered a sensitive wavelength shift in WGM spectra.A detection limit of 1 fM for bovine serum albumin(BSA)was achieved to demonstrate the high-sensitivity of our sensing platform in protein assays.Compared to the detection using a conventional polarized optical microscope(POM),the sensitivity was improved by seven orders of magnitude.Furthermore,multiple types of proteins and specific biosensing were also investigated to verify the potential of LC-amplified optofluidic resonators in the biomolecular detection.Our studies indicate that LC-amplified optofluidic resonators offer a new solution for the ultrasensitive real-time biosensing and the characterization of biomolecular interactions.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NO.61735011)National Key Scientific Instrument and Equipment Development Projects of China(NO.2013YQ030915)+1 种基金State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications(NO.2021KFKT006)Tianjin Talent Development Special Plan for High Level Innovation and Entrepreneurship Team,and the first rank of Tianjin 131 Innovation Talent Development Program.
文摘We proposed and demonstrated a flexible,endoscopic,and minimally invasive coherent anti-Raman Stokes scattering(CARS)measurement method for single-cell application,employing a tapered optical fiber probe.A few-mode fiber(FMF),whose generated four-wave mixing band is out of CARS signals,was selected to fabricate tapered optical fiber probes,deliver CARS excitation pulses,and collect CARS signals.The adiabatic tapered fiber probe with a diameter of 11.61μm can focus CARS excitation lights without mismatch at the focal point.The measurements for proof-of-concept were made with methanol,ethanol,cyclohexane,and acetone injected into simulated cells.The experimental results show that the tapered optical fiber probe can detect carbon-hydrogen(C-H)bond-rich substances and their concentration.To our best knowledge,this optical fiber probe provides the minimum size among probes for detecting CARS signals.These results pave the way for minimally invasive live-cell detection in the future.
基金funded by State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex(SCAPC202102)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71904189).
文摘Agricultural production by smallholders is crucial for ensuring food provision in China.However,smallholders face a series of challenges on their farms including high-to-excess resource inputs,low use efficiency,as well as negative environmental impacts,which may be unfavorable for sustainable agriculture production.This study developed a county-level sustainability assessment of maize production in Hebei,China,by applying multiple data sources in combination with emergy,carbon footprint,nitrogen footprint and costbenefit analyses.Scenario analysis was applied to explore the localized implementation strategies to achieve the sustainable farming system.The results show that the average emergy sustainability index(ESI)of maize at 2.31 is relatively low.The average greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions and reactive nitrogen(Nr)losses are 0.15 g·kcal^(−1) CO_(2)-eq and 3.75 mg·kcal^(−1) N,respectively.The average cost and net income are 12,700 and 4340 CNY·ha^(−1),respectively.These results indicate a great potential to improve the environmental-economic sustainability of the maize production system of smallholders.In addition,the environmental and economic indicators calculated from the maize production show a substantial spatial heterogeneity among counties,indicating a requirement for different optimization strategies to improve the environment-economy sustainability at a finer scale.Based on the multiple scenario analysis,optimal strategies targeting each county are proposed.By adopting the optimal strategies,the average ESI and net income could increase by 32%and 83%,respectively,and the average GHG emissions and Nr losses reduce by 33%and 35%,respectively.These findings provide an important reference for adopting different strategies to achieve environmenteconomy sustainability for smallholders production systems with diverse landscapes in North China and propose a transition pathway toward achieving agriculture sustainability for smallholders worldwide.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U23A20204),Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Quality Biology,Startup Funding from Anhui Agricultural University,and the“Wanjiang Scholar”Program(Anhui Province).
文摘The transformation and gene editing of the woody species kiwifruit are difficult and time-consuming.The fast and marker-free genetic modification system for kiwifruit has not been developed yet.Here,we establish a rapid and efficient marker-free transformation and gene editing system mediated by Agrobacterium rhizogenes for kiwifruit.Moreover,a removing-root-tip method was developed to significantly increase the regeneration efficiency of transgenic hairy roots.Through A.rhizogenes-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing,the editing efficiencies of CEN4 and AeCBL3 achieved 55 and 50%,respectively.And several homozygous knockout lines for both genes were obtained.Our method has been successfully applied in the transformation of two different species of kiwifruit(Acti-nidia chinensis‘Hongyang’and A.eriantha‘White’).Next,we used the method to study the formation of calcium oxalate(CaOx)crystals in kiwifruit.To date,little is known about how CaOx crystal is formed in plants.Our results indicated that AeCBL3 overexpression enhanced CaOx crystal formation,but its knockout via CRISPR/Cas9 significantly impaired crystal formation in kiwifruit.Together,we developed a fast maker-free transformation and highly efficient CRISPRCas9 gene editing system for kiwifruit.Moreover,our work revealed a novel gene mediating CaOx crystal formation and provided a clue to elaborate the underlying mechanisms.
