Shandong Normal University

About: Shandong Normal University is a education organization based out in Jinan, Shandong, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Laser & Catalysis. The organization has 12378 authors who have published 12576 publications receiving 174572 citations.

Sodium chloride improves seed vigour of the euhalophyte Suaeda salsa.

Abstract: Suaeda salsa is an annual herbaceous euhalophyte in the family Chenopodiaceae that produces dimorphic seeds on the same plant under natural conditions. In order to determine the effect of salinity on seed quality traits during seed formation, seeds from plants grown under control conditions and on 200 mM NaCl were used to investigate the effect of NaCl on seed production and seed germination. Results showed that size and weight of both black and brown seeds generated from 200 mM NaCl-treated plants were markedly greater than those from controls. The germination percentage of brown seeds from both control and NaCl-treated plants was higher than that of black seeds. Furthermore, the germination percentage of the black seeds generated from 200 mM NaCl-treated plants was significantly higher than that of the control at different concentrations of NaCl, although germination percentage declined with the increase NaCl concentration. Surprisingly, NaCl did not affect germination of the brown seeds. The germination index and vigour index of both black and brown seeds from the control plants were significantly lower than those of seeds from the different NaCl treatments. Seed starch, soluble sugar, protein and lipid content of both black and brown seeds generated from the 200 mM NaCl-treated plants were significantly higher than those from the control. These results suggest that a certain concentration of NaCl plays a pivotal role in seed vitality of the euhalophyte S. salsa through increasing seed weight and contents of storage compounds such as protein, starch and fatty acids.

Sensitive Quantification of MicroRNAs by Isothermal Helicase-Dependent Amplification

Abstract: Dysregulation of microRNA expression levels is closely associated with a variety of human diseases, and their rapid and sensitive quantification is essential to clinical diagnosis and therapy. Because of their poor sensitivity, conventional quantification methods are unable to detect low-abundance microRNAs. Alternatively, nucleic acid amplification approaches have been introduced to improve the detection sensitivity, but most of them involve complicated probe design and time-consuming procedures. Herein, we report a simple, rapid, and sensitive fluorescent method for label-free detection of low-abundance microRNAs based on isothermal helicase-dependent amplification. In this assay, the target microRNA may specifically hybridize with the 3′-terminus of the linear probe to form a DNA-microRNA heteroduplex, protecting the probes from exonuclease I digestion. The remaining probes may be subsequently amplified by helicase-dependent amplification, generating an ultrahigh fluorescence signal within 30 min. This...

Rational design of Au/Co3O4-functionalized W18O49 hollow heterostructures with high sensitivity and ultralow limit for triethylamine detection

Abstract: The rational design of heterostructures is highly important for innovative sensor technology to acquire efficient gas detection with optimized gas sensing properties. In the present work, a novel heterostructure of Au/Co3O4/W18O49 hollow spheres is constructed and applied for gas sensor application. The structure-property correlation has been studied by means of X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscope and Transmission electron microscope, as well as comprehensive gas sensing tests. Experiments demonstrate that the Au/Co3O4/W18O49 heterostructure delivers outstanding performances in terms of high sensitivity, fast response-recovery, good selectivity, and very low limit of detection against pristine W18O49 and Co3O4/W18O49. Notably, a very high response (16.7) to 2 ppm triethylamine and a state-of-the-art limit of detection (81 ppb) are obtained. The superior gas sensing properties are attributed to a synergistic combination of the unique porous structure, the p-n heterojunctions between Co3O4/W18O49, and the catalytic spillover effect of Au nanoparticles.