Mixed halide perovskites CH3NH3PbBr3-xClx (x = 0.6-1.2) with different compositions of halogens exhibit drastically changed optical properties. In particular, the thin films prepared with these perovskites demonstrate extraordinary photoluminescence emission intensities and prolonged recombination lifetimes up to 446 ns, which are desirable for light emitting and photovoltaic applications.

BackgroundSedentary behavior is ubiquitous in modern adults' daily lives and it has been suggested to be associated with incident cancer. However, the results have been inconsistent. In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to clarify the association between sedentary behavior and incident cancer.MethodPubMed and Embase databases were searched up to March 2014. All prospective cohort studies on the association between sedentary behavior and incident cancer were included. The summary relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using random effect model.ResultsA total of 17 prospective studies from 14 articles, including a total of 857,581 participants and 18,553 cases, were included in the analysis for sedentary behavior and risk of incident cancer. The overall meta-analysis suggested that sedentary behavior increased risk of cancer (RR = 1.20, 95%CI = 1.12–1.28), with no evidence of heterogeneity between studies (I 2 = 7.3%, P = 0.368). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that there were statistical associations between sedentary behavior and some cancer types (endometrial cancer: RR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.08–1.53; colorectal cancer: RR = 1.30, 95%CI = 1.12–1.49; breast cancer: RR = 1.17, 95%CI = 1.03–1.33; lung cancer: RR = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.06–1.52). However, there was no association of sedentary behavior with ovarian cancer (RR = 1.26, 95%CI = 0.87–1.82), renal cell carcinoma (RR = 1.11, 95%CI = 0.87–1.41) or non-Hodgkin lymphoid neoplasms (RR = 1.09, 95%CI = 0.82–1.43).ConclusionThe present meta-analysis suggested that prolonged sedentary behavior was independently associated with an increased risk of incident endometrial, colorectal, breast, and lung cancers, but not with ovarian cancer, renal cell carcinoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoid neoplasms.

Considering the resistance-dependent inhibition in the ethylene biosynthetic pathway, the mechanisms of resistance to quinclorac in E. crusgalli var. zelayensis involved alteration(s) in the ethylene response pathway, consisting of at least alteration in induction of the enzymes activity of ACC synthase and ACC oxidase.

Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) proliferation seriously threatens rice production worldwide. Whole-plant bioassays were conducted in order to test the sensitivity to penoxsulam of 52 barnyardgrass populations and the resistance of six penoxsulam-resistant populations to 12 other herbicides that are commonly used in rice fields. Among the 48 populations that had escaped penoxsulam control in the rice fields, 8.3% showed a very high level of resistance, 58.3% showed a high level of resistance and 10.4% showed a moderate level of resistance. Multiple resistance was confirmed in all six penoxsulam-resistant populations that were tested further. They exhibited at least a moderate level of resistance; that is, to 6-10 of the total of 13 herbicides that was tested. Most of the six penoxsulam-resistant populations showed at least a moderate level of resistance to bispyribac-sodium, quinclorac, metamifop, cyhalofop-butyl and oxadiazon, three populations held at least a moderate level of resistance to oxyfluorfen and pretilachlor, two populations also held at least a moderate level of resistance to pyrazosulfuronethyl, pyribenzoxim and fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, but the resistance indices of the six populations to pendimethalin were all low. This study has confirmed resistance to pretilachlor and oxadiazon in weeds for the first time.

A narrowband tunable antireflection optical filter is proposed and numerically studied. The structure is a metasurface based on plasmonic nanoparticles on an electro-optic film in a three-layer configuration of metaldielectric-metal (MDM) in the visible near-infrared range. By tuning the voltage and thus tuning the refractive index of the dielectric LiNbO 3 , one can shift the wavelength of minimum reflection as desired. The parameters of gold nanoparticles and other elements used for the filter design and refractive index of the dielectric are obtained by the finite-element method (FEM). An analytical theory is presented to explain the FEM simulation results, and they agree well with each other. It is found that the frequency of the plasmonic resonance wave on the metasurface should be equal to that of the Fabry-Perot resonator formed by the MDM to have a good filtering property. Theoretical spectra obtained by FEM simulation show that the structure has extensive potential for the design of tunable narrow-band filters for modulators, displayers, and color extraction for imaging.

Wheat end-use quality mainly derives from two interrelated characteristics: the compositions of gluten proteins and grain hardness. The composition of gluten proteins determines dough rheological properties and thus confers the unique viscoelastic property on dough. One group of gluten proteins, high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS), plays an important role in dough functional properties. On the other hand, grain hardness, which influences the milling process of flour, is controlled by Puroindoline a (Pina) and Puroindoline b (Pinb) genes. However, little is known about the combined effects of HMW-GS and PINs on dough functional properties. In this study, we crossed a Pina-expressing transgenic line with a 1Ax1-expressing line of durum wheat and screened out lines coexpressing 1Ax1 and Pina or lines expressing either 1Ax1 or Pina. Dough mixing analysis of these lines demonstrated that expression of 1Ax1 improved both dough strength and over-mixing tolerance, while expression of PINA detrimentally affected the dough resistance to extension. In lines coexpressing 1Ax1 and Pina, faster hydration of flour during mixing was observed possibly due to the lower water absorption and damaged starch caused by PINA expression. In addition, expression of 1Ax1 appeared to compensate the detrimental effect of PINA on dough resistance to extension. Consequently, coexpression of 1Ax1 and PINA in durum wheat had combined effects on dough mixing behaviors with a better dough strength and resistance to extension than those from lines expressing either 1Ax1 or Pina. The results in our study suggest that simultaneous modulation of dough strength and grain hardness in durum wheat could significantly improve its breadmaking quality and may not even impair its pastamaking potential. Therefore, coexpression of 1Ax1 and PINA in durum wheat has useful implications for breeding durum wheat with dual functionality (for pasta and bread) and may improve the economic values of durum wheat.

Promoter methylation of the O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) gene has been considered a prognostic marker and has become more important in the treatment of glioblastoma. However, reports on the correlation between MGMT and clinical outcomes in Chinese glioblastoma patients are very scarce. In this study, quantitative methylation data were obtained by the pyrosequencing of tumor tissues from 128 GBM patients. The median overall survival (OS) was 13.1 months, with a 1-year survival of 45.3%. The pyrosequencing data were reproducible based on archived samples yielding data for all glioblastomas. MGMT promoter methylation was detected in 75/128 cases (58.6%), whereas 53/128 (41.4%) cases were unmethylated. Further survival analysis also revealed that methylation was an independent prognostic factor associated with prolonged OS but not with progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.029 and p = 0.112, respectively); the hazard radios were 0.63 (95% CI: 0.42–0.96) and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.48–1.09), respectively. These data indicated that MGMT methylation has prognostic significance in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade glioblastoma undergoing alkylating agent-based chemotherapy after surgical resection.

Capillary‐force‐driven self‐assembly is emerging as a significant approach for the massive manufacture of advanced materials with novel wetting, adhesion, optical, mechanical, or electrical properties. However, academic value and practical applications of the self‐assembly are greatly restricted because traditional micropillar self‐assembly is always unidirectional. In this work, two‐photon‐lithography‐based 4D microprinting is introduced to realize the reversible and bidirectional self‐assembly of microstructures. With asymmetric crosslinking densities, the printed vertical microstructures can switch to a curved state with controlled thickness, curvature, and smooth morphology that are impossible to replicate by traditional 3D‐printing technology. In different evaporating solvents, the 4D‐printed microstructures can experience three states: (I) coalesce into clusters from original vertical states via traditional self‐assembly, (II) remain curved, or (III) arbitrarily self‐assemble (4D self‐assembly) toward the curving directions. Compared to conventional approaches, this 4D self‐assembly is distance‐independent, which can generate varieties of assemblies with a yield as high as 100%. More importantly, the three states can be reversibly switched, allowing the development of many promising applications such as reversible micropatterns, switchable wetting, and dynamic actuation of microrobots, origami, and encapsulation.