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Noise pollution from wind turbines has been receiving significant attention with the rapid increase in global wind power installation, especially in urban environments where population density is high. Several countries tried to quantify the relation between wind turbine design characteristics and noise impact levels. To date, no quantitative results have been presented, while it is believed that the vertical axis wind turbine has advantages compared to horizontal axis wind turbines in certain applications. With the purpose to enhance understanding of noise pollution caused by vertical axis wind turbines in the urban environment, a systematic experimental test campaign in an anechoic wind tunnel was conducted. The results demonstrate that low-frequency noise increasingly affects humans when the wind speed increases. The blade-passing frequency is identified as a major parameter in the generation of low-frequency noise. More importantly, the noise pollution from various designs is discussed to analyze the impacts on humans and various animals. These designs are analyzed according to national standards from different countries. It is found that an optimal design of a vertical axis wind turbine is suitable for the urban environment with minimal noise impact. • Noise of vertical axis wind turbines is studied experimentally in a systematic way. • The impact level of low-frequency noise increases as the wind speed increases. • The blade-passing frequency is a major parameter in the low-frequency noise. • Optimal design philosophies are recommended based on different urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious and disabling central nervous system injury. Its complex pathological mechanism can lead to sensory and motor dysfunction. It has been reported that signaling pathway plays a key role in the pathological process and neuronal recovery mechanism of SCI. Such as PI3K/Akt, MAPK, NF-κB, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. According to reports, various stimuli and cytokines activate these signaling pathways related to SCI pathology, thereby participating in the regulation of pathological processes such as inflammation response, cell apoptosis, oxidative stress, and glial scar formation after injury. Activation or inhibition of relevant pathways can delay inflammatory response, reduce neuronal apoptosis, prevent glial scar formation, improve the microenvironment after SCI, and promote neural function recovery. Based on the role of signaling pathways in SCI, they may be potential targets for the treatment of SCI. Therefore, understanding the signaling pathway and its inhibitors may be beneficial to the development of SCI therapeutic targets and new drugs. This paper mainly summarizes the pathophysiological process of SCI, the signaling pathways involved in SCI pathogenesis, and the potential role of specific inhibitors/activators in its treatment. In addition, this review also discusses the deficiencies and defects of signaling pathways in SCI research. It is hoped that this study can provide reference for future research on signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of SCI and provide theoretical basis for SCI biotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The magnetic PDA-Fe 3 O 4 -MXene nanohybrids were obtained by PDA-mediated and co-precipitation. • The synthesized hydrogels demonstrate both anisotropic mechanical performance and conductivity. • The conductive hydrogel-based sensors showcased a broad working range (3–300%). • The MXene-based hydrogel sensor not only monitor human body movements but also recognize written content. In recent years, conductive hydrogel-based flexible electronic sensor devices have gained widespread attention in the fields of flexible wearable devices, human-machine interaction interfaces, medical monitoring, etc. However, conventional conductive hydrogels struggle to concurrently achieve exceptional mechanical properties and high conductivity, often exhibiting isotropic mechanical performance and sensing characteristics. In contrast, biological tissues typically demonstrate anisotropic mechanical properties and sensing capabilities due to their ordered microstructure. Drawing inspiration from the ordered structures of biological tissues, this study proposed a simple strategy to fabricate high-strength anisotropic MXene-based conductive hydrogels. Initially, a magnetic and conductive two-dimensional nanohybrid material (PDA-Fe 3 O 4 -MXene) was synthesized via acid etching and PDA-mediated co-precipitation methods. Secondly, a magnetic field-induced orientation strategy was employed to induce the oriented arrangement of PDA-Fe 3 O 4 -MXene within a dual-network polyvinyl alcohol/polyacrylamide (PAAm/PVA) hydrogel. Subsequently, the oriented PDA-Fe 3 O 4 -MXene structure was fixed in the dual-network hydrogel by the photopolymerization and freezing-thawing methods. The anisotropic conductive hydrogel exhibited a highly oriented structure, conferring its anisotropic mechanical properties and conductivity. Its mechanical and conductive performances were enhanced in an anisotropic manner, demonstrating outstanding tensile strength (156 KPa) and good conductivity (1.10 mS/cm). Moreover, the conductive hydrogel-based sensors showcased a broad working range (3 %–300 %), rapid response time (290 ms), high sensitivity, and exceptional stability. This work presents a novel approach for constructing flexible electronic devices based on anisotropic hydrogels, offering promising prospects for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-based materials are important to mitigate the concern on solvent-based products. Incorporation of reactive isocyanate-based crosslinking agents is key to improve material performance, while intense, nonhomogeneous reaction causes short operation duration and uncontrollable product quality. Herein, this study proposes a H w -H o -NCO (hydrophilic part-hydrophobic segment-NCO group) structural model to overcome such issue by forming water-compatible isocyanate emulsions via self-emulsification of castor oil-modified water-dispersible isocyanate (WDI). The properties of WDI and obtained emulsions were analyzed through visual appearance, titration of -NCO content, droplet size determination, microstructure, etc. Aggregation and sedimentation of the isocyanate emulsions upon storage occur owing to lack of hydrophilic groups on droplet surface, while sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-assisted secondary emulsification improves the emulsion stability. The emulsions are used as crosslinking agents to formulate composite waterborne adhesives with the white latex (EVA-102), reaching maximal pot life of 8 h. The plywood specimens manufactured using the composite adhesive show enhanced adhesion performances, particularly for wet strength I and II, exceeding the Chinese national standard (GB/T 9846–2015). This study confirms the capability of using the structural model to create stable isocyanate emulsions that can target to formulate high-performance waterborne adhesives for clean and green production in wood industry. [Display omitted] • Stable isocyanate emulsions were constructed using castor oil-modified PAPI. • The SDS-assisted stability of the isocyanate emulsion was extended up to 10 h. • The maximal pot life of composite adhesive with isocyanate emulsion was 8 h. • The plywood bonded with composite adhesive exhibited enhanced wet strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1) A triboelectric series of polymers based on the measurement of triboelectrification with a conductive solution (3.5 wt% NaCl solution) was established, which can be used to rank the triboelectric properties of polymers rubbing with NaCl solution. In the triboelectric series, carbon chain polymers generally demonstrate more significant triboelectric performance than the heterocatenary polymers. In addition, the fluoropolymers show more significant triboelectric performance than other carbon chain polymers. 2) Electron transfer is the main mechanism of triboelectric charge transfer between polymers and aqueous solutions, and ion transfer and liquid molecular transfer are less significant than electron transfer. [Display omitted] • A triboelectric series of polymers based on the measurement of triboelectrification with a conductive solution (3.5 wt% NaCl solution) was established. • Mechanisms of the effects of the electronegativity of the functional groups, EDL, and wettability on the triboelectrification properties were analyzed. • Electron transfer is the main mechanism of triboelectric charge transfer between polymers and aqueous solutions. • A term called triboelectronegativity was proposed, which refers to the triboelectric properties of polymers rubbing with NaCl solution. Triboelectrification between polymers and aqueous solutions has received much attention in energy harvesting, self-powerful sensing, and other fields. However, the triboelectric series between commonly used polymers and aqueous solutions have not been systematically measured and studied. Based on the established solid–liquid triboelectric charge measurement method, we quantitatively measured the charge density caused by the triboelectric charge transfer among 14 common polymers and established a triboelectric series of polymers rubbing with sodium chloride solution. The influence mechanisms of the electronegativity of the functional groups, structures of the electric double layer, and wettability on the triboelectrification between polymer and aqueous solution were discussed in detail. And it was found that electron transfer is the main mechanism of triboelectric charge transfer between polymers and aqueous solutions. This work provides a new perspective for the quantitative study of polymer triboelectric series, helps to deeply understand the nature of the triboelectrification phenomenon of polymers, and may serve as guidance for designing and preparing new polymer materials with excellent triboelectric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction is the most common form of acute coronary syndrome. Blockage of a coronary artery due to blood clotting leads to ischemia and subsequent cell death in the form of necrosis, apoptosis, necroptosis and ferroptosis. Revascularization by coronary artery bypass graft surgery or non-surgical percutaneous coronary intervention combined with pharmacotherapy is effective in relieving symptoms and decreasing mortality. However, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated from damaged mitochondria, NADPH oxidases, xanthine oxidase, and inflammation. Impairment of mitochondria is shown as decreased metabolic activity, increased ROS production, membrane permeability transition, and release of mitochondrial proteins into the cytoplasm. Oxidative stress activates Nrf2 transcription factor, which in turn mediates the expression of mitofusin 2 (Mfn 2) and proteasomal genes. Increased expression of Mfn2 and inhibition of mitochondrial fission due to decreased Drp1 protein by proteasomal degradation contribute to mitochondrial hyperfusion. Damaged mitochondria can be removed by mitophagy via Parkin or p62 mediated ubiquitination. Mitochondrial biogenesis compensates for the loss of mitochondria, but requires mitochondrial DNA replication and initiation of transcription or translation of mitochondrial genes. Experimental evidence supports a role of Nrf2 in mitophagy, via up-regulation of PINK1 or p62 gene expression; and in mitochondrial biogenesis, by influencing the expression of PGC-1α, NResF1, NResF2, TFAM and mitochondrial genes. Oxidative stress causes Nrf2 activation via Keap1 dissociation, de novo protein translation, and nuclear translocation related to inactivation of GSK3β. The mechanism of Keap 1 mediated Nrf2 activation has been hijacked for Nrf2 activation by small molecules derived from natural products, some of which have been shown capable of mitochondrial protection. Multiple lines of evidence support the importance of Nrf2 in protecting mitochondria and preserving or renewing energy metabolism following tissue injury. [Display omitted] • Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion produce ROS via mitochondria and oxidases. • ROS activates Nrf2 transcript factor by protein translation or protein stabilization. • Nrf2 increases Mfn2, PINK1, p62, PGC-1α, NResF1 and mitochondrial gene expression. • Nrf2 aids in regulation of mitochondrial hyerfusion, mitophagy and biogenesis. • Nrf2 inducers show mitochondrial protection in animal models of cardiac injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant tumor is still a leading threat to human health. Despite the rapid development of targeted therapeutic strategies, any treatment specifically acting on single target would inevitably suffer from tumor resistance, largely due to the genetic instability and variability of tumor cells. Thus, traditional therapies such as broad-spectrum chemotherapy would certainly occupy an important position in clinical cancer therapy. Nevertheless, most chemotherapeutic drugs have long been criticized for unsatisfactory therapeutic efficacy with severe off-target toxicity. Although several chemotherapeutic nanomedicines with improved therapeutic safety have been applied in clinics, the therapeutic outcomes still do not fulfill expectation. To address this challenge, enormous efforts have been devoted to developing novel nano-formulations for efficient delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs. Herein, we aim to outline the latest progression in the emerging nanomedicines of paclitaxel (PTX), with special attention to the functional nanocarriers, self-delivering prodrug-nanoassemblies and combination nanotherapeutics of PTX. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of these functional PTX nanomedicines in clinical translation are spotlighted. [Display omitted] • Biomedical nanotechnology significantly facilitates PTX delivery. • Smart PTX delivery can be realized by designing functional nanocarriers. • Emerging prodrug-nanoassemblies of PTX shows promising application prospects. • Combination nanotherapeutics of PTX boost multimodal cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginsenoside F1 has high medicinal values, which is a kind of rare triterpene saponin isolated from Panax plants. The extremely low content of ginsenoside F1 in herbs has limited its research and application in medical field. In this work, we constructed a pathway in tobacco for the biosynthesis of ginsenoside F1 by metabolic engineering. Four enzyme genes (PnDDS , CYP716A47, CYP716S1 and UGT71A56) isolated from Panax notoginseng were introduced into tobacco. Thus, a biosynthetic pathway for ginsenoside F1 synthesis was artificially constructed in tobacco cells; moreover, the four exogenous genes could be expressed in the roots, stems and leaves of transgenic plants. Consequently, ginsenoside F1 and its precursors were successfully synthesized in the transgenic tobacco, compared with Panax plants, the content of ginsenoside F1 in transgenic tobacco was doubled. In addition, accumulation of ginsenoside F1 and its precursors in transgenic tobacco shows organ specificity. Based on these results, a new approach was established to produce rare ginsenoside F1; meanwhile, such strategy could also be employed in plant hosts for the heterologous synthesis of other important or rare natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-healing technology based on microcapsules (MCs) holds great promise for preventing material performance deterioration, extending material lifespan, and reducing maintenance costs. In this study, a novel pH-responsive MC with a vanillin-based Schiff base polyurea shell and an isocyanate core was successfully prepared using interfacial polymerization. Vanillin-based Schiff base-containing triamines were synthesized, and their existence was confirmed through ATR-FTIR and 1H NMR analyses. The core-shell structures of the MCs were identified using FTIR and TGA. Additionally, the excellent response of the MCs to acid rain was demonstrated by determining the core content and recording optical images of the healing agent release process, with the fastest release rate observed at a pH of 2.98. According to the FTIR and TGA results, the release of the healing agent was continuous rather than occurring at once. The MCs were incorporated into outdoor building materials (OBMs) (carbon steel, concrete, and wood) as a coating in conjunction with paint or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The pressure response, hydrogen bonding response, and hydrophobicity of the composite coating were assessed using SEM and water contact angle measurements. After subjecting the materials to 50 cycles of acid rain wet-dry tests (pH = 5.03), the carbon steel remained largely rust-free, whereas untreated carbon steel could only withstand a single cycle. Consequently, this study highlights a novel green structure and scalable manufacturing process for functional self-healing MCs, with significant implications for the advancement of stimulus-responsive composite materials and the realization of a sustainable and environmentally friendly economy. [Display omitted] • Vanillin-based Schiff base triamine was first prepared successfully. • Schiff base structure was first introduced to self-healing microcapsule shells. • The microcapsules exhibited a sensitive acid rain response capability. • The microcapsules containing smart coating achieved multiple protective mechanisms. • The coated metal kept rust-free after 50 cycles of acid rain (pH = 5.03) tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fibers are promising as enhancements for gypsum. Herein, the effect of using untreated, NaOH-modified, and dual-modified hemp fibers on enhancing performances of gypsum composites is examined. The dual-modification strategy applies secondary treatment on NaOH-treated fibers with NaClO, polyoxyethylene, or Tween-80. The fibers and composites are characterized by SEM, ATR-FTIR, XRD, mechanical strength, etc. The secondary modification enhances interfacial compatibility between gypsum and fibers. Compared with pure gypsum, the elastic modulus and bending strength of the composites with dual-modified fibers increase by 56% and 42%, respectively. Hydration process reveals that dual-modification using polyoxyethylene contributes to form dense, compact composite structures. • Hemp fibers were used as green additives to improve mechanical property of gypsum. • NaOH treatment of fibers enhanced compatibility by removing surface impurities. • The dual-modified composite using PEO exhibited the optimal performances. • The reinforcing mechanism of hemp fibers involved formation of denser structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A comprehensive review of g-C 3 N 4 -based membranes for ionic resource recovery. • The design strategies of g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets for membranes are highlighted. • Two types of g-C 3 N 4 -based membranes are reviewed based on their preparation method. • Membranes extract/separate valuable ions, metal ions, radionuclides, and desalinate. Resource recovery from wastewater, seawater and salt lakes has attracted significant attention due to its economic and environmental benefits. Recent achievements in membrane technology have allowed efficient recovery of ionic resources from water, and various membranes have been developed to selectively reject, and recover salts and metals in water steams. With the requirement of high ion selectivity, a wide range of nanomaterials are employed in these membranes. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4), as two-dimensional nanosheets, with an abundant and intrinsically uniform pore structure network, tunable interlayer spaces, easy and low-cost synthesis, tailored functionality and promising stability, shows high prospects for ion-selective separation. This comprehensive review outlines the development of advanced g-C 3 N 4 -based membranes for ionic resource recovery. First, design strategies of g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets for membranes are highlighted in terms of experimental characteristics and molecular dynamic simulations. Next, g-C 3 N 4 -based membranes made as lamellar membranes and mixed matrix membranes are emphasized, based on their preparation method. Finally, current applications of g-C 3 N 4 -based membranes in ionic resource recovery are presented: valuable ion extraction, metal ion separation, radionuclide capture and desalination. This tutorial review provides insightful guidance on the design strategies, fabrication methods and ionic resource recovery applications of g-C 3 N 4 -based membranes for resource sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial ischemia or reperfusion increases the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from damaged mitochondria, NADPH oxidases, xanthine oxidase, and inflammation. ROS can be removed by eight endogenous antioxidant and redox systems, many components of which are expressed under the influence of the activated Nrf2 transcription factor. Transcriptomic profiling, sequencing of Nrf2-bound DNA, and Nrf2 gene knockout studies have revealed the power of Nrf2 beyond the antioxidant and detoxification response, from tissue recovery, repair, and remodeling, mitochondrial turnover, and metabolic reprogramming to the suppression of proinflammatory cytokines. Multifaceted regulatory mechanisms for Nrf2 protein levels or activity have been mapped to its functional domains, Nrf2-ECH homology (Neh)1–7. Oxidative stress activates Nrf2 via nuclear translocation, de novo protein translation, and increased protein stability due to removal of the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) checkpoint, or the inactivation of β-transducin repeat-containing protein (β-TrCP), or Hmg-CoA reductase degradation protein 1 (Hrd1). The promise of small-molecule Nrf2 inducers from natural products or derivatives is discussed here. Experimental evidence is presented to support Nrf2 as a lead target for drug development to further improve the treatment outcome for myocardial infarction (MI). Myocardial ischemic reperfusion leads to increased oxidative stress and cell death by necrosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis. During oxidative stress, the activity of Nrf2 as a transcription factor is regulated by protein stability, translation, nuclear localization, and protein–protein interactions. The Nrf2 transcription factor controls the expression of key components in eight antioxidant and redox systems for the removal of reactive oxygen species. The genes under the influence of Nrf2 status suggest its involvement in mitochondrial turnover, tissue recovery, repair, or remodeling, metabolic reprogramming, and the limitation of proinflammatory cytokines. Small-molecule Nrf2 inducers have shown promise in eliciting cardiac protection and inhibiting inflammation in experimental animals, suggesting a future direction for the development of nontoxic Nrf2 inducers using modern technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are a promising candidate as the next-generation power sources for portable, transportation, and stationary applications. Gas diffusion layers (GDL) coated with microporous layers (MPL) are a vital component of PEM fuel cells, providing multiple functions of mechanical support, reactant transport, liquid water removal, waste heat removal, and electron conductance. In this review, we explain several most important aspects in the research and development (R&D) of this fuel cell component, including material characterization, liquid water detection/quantitation, structure reconstruction, fundamental modeling, transport properties, and durability. Specially, the commonly used microstructure reconstruction methods for GDLs are presented and discussed. Visualization techniques for liquid water detection in the GDL and MPL microstructures are described. Major modeling approaches, such as the multiphase mixture (M2) formulation, pore networks model (PNM), lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) and volume of fluid (VOF) approach, are reviewed and explained. Important material properties and parameters that greatly influence two-phase flow and fuel cell performance, and GDL-related material degradation issues are discussed and summarized to further advance on the GDL material design and development. • GDLs play multiple important functions for fuel cell operation. • Visualization of GDL microstructure and two-phase flow is summarized. • GDL reconstruction and two-phase flow models are reviewed. • Material properties, parameters, and durability are discussed to advance GDLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sirtuins (SIRT1-SIRT7), as a family of NAD+-dependent protein modifying enzymes, have various catalytic functions, such as deacetylases, dealkalylases, and deribonucleases. The Sirtuins family is directly or indirectly involved in pathophysiological processes such as glucolipid metabolism, oxidative stress, DNA repair and inflammatory response through various pathways and assumes an important role in several cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, hypertension and heart failure. A growing number of studies supports that metabolic and bioenergetic reprogramming directs the sequential process of inflammation. Failure of homeostatic restoration leads to many inflammatory diseases, and that macrophages are the central cells involving the inflammatory response and are the main source of inflammatory cytokines. Regulation of cellular metabolism has emerged as a fundamental process controlling macrophage function, but its exact signaling mechanisms remain to be revealed. Understanding the precise molecular basis of metabolic control of macrophage inflammatory processes may provide new approaches for targeting immune metabolism and inflammation. Here, we provide an update of studies in cardiovascular disease on the function and role of sirtuins in macrophage inflammation and metabolism, as well as drug candidates that may interfere with sirtuins, pointing to future prospects in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The supported Rh 4 cluster promotes the CO 2 adsorption and H 2 dissociation. • Rh 4 cluster and H 2 reduction are conducive to the formation of oxygen vacancy. • The TOF value for CH 3 OH formation on Rh 4 /In 2 O 3 (1 1 1)_D v1 is 3.02 × 10−5 s−1. The turnover frequency of CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol on the surface of Rh 4 cluster supported In 2 O 3 (1 1 1) is investigated using the first-principles calculation. The Rh 4 cluster and H 2 promote oxygen vacancy formation, which facilitates the interaction between the Rh 4 cluster and the In 2 O 3 (1 1 1) carrier and improves the stability of catalyst. The adsorption behavior of CO 2 and H 2 on catalyst is predicted by electrostatic potential and Fukui(−) index. The loading of Rh 4 cluster promotes the adsorption of CO 2 and allows easier dissociation of H 2 compared to the In 2 O 3 (1 1 1)_D surface. Afterwards, Gibbs free energy diagrams of three hydrogenation pathways are established and the turnover frequencies of all possible routes are calculated based on the energetic span model. The results reveal that the HCOO pathway is regarded as the optimum hydrogenation mechanism due to its greatest turnover frequency (3.02 × 10−5 s−1), higher than that of In 2 O 3 (1 1 1)_D and other reported catalysts. The specific process is CO 2 (g) + 6H → HCOO* + 5H → HCOOH* + 4H → H 2 COOH* + 3H → H 2 CO* + 2H + H 2 O(g) → H 2 COH* + H + H 2 O(g) → CH 3 OH(g) + H 2 O(g), while the RWGS pathway and by-products are effectively inhibited, thus enhancing the selectivity of methanol. The improvement in catalytic activity may result from the loaded Rh 4 cluster facilitating the adsorption of CO 2 and the dissociation of H 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • OVA and cereal phenolic acids could form powder complex observable by SEM. • The presence of cereal phenolic acids led to the conformation changes on OVA. • Hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interactions were the main driving forces. • Cereal phenolic acids increased emulsifying and antioxidant properties of OVA. • The adding of cereal phenolic acids could improve the digestion property of OVA. Ovalbumin (OVA) has been considered as a nutrient carrier for bioactive, which has high nutrition value and multiple properties. Recently, proteins-phenolic acids composite delivery systems have received widespread attention. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the interaction between OVA and cereal phenolic acids (CPA) to establish delivery systems for bioactive. Spectroscopy results have found that CPA generated complexes with OVA, causing the microenvironment changes of OVA. Ferulic acid (FA), p -coumaric acid (CA), vanillic acid (VA), syringic acid (SY), sinapic acid (SI), and protocatechuic acid (PA) not only quenched the intrinsic fluorescence of OVA, but also altered protein microenvironment. Further investigation showed these complexes were formed by static quenching mode, while hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction were dominant binding forces. Meanwhile, the interaction decreased α -helix contents and increased β -sheet contents, leading to conformational changes in OVA. Besides, OVA/CPA complexes displayed an increase in hydrophobicity with a reduce in free-SH. After combination with FA, SY, CA, VA, SI, PA, it was found that all formed complexes had superior solubility, emulsifying and antioxidant activities than native OVA. Among them, OVA-PA exhibited the highest emulsifying activity index and emulsion stability index values (36.4 ± 0.39 m2/g and 60.4 ± 0.94 min) and stronger antioxidant activities. Finally, the combination with phenolic acids further improved the digestion efficiency in vitro of OVA. The OVA-CPA complexes showed improved properties for excellent delivery systems. Overall, OVA-CPA complexes could be a good carrier for bioactive, which provided valuable avenues in target delivery system application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• UHPLC-MS/MS method was applied to detect casein glycomacropeptide in dairy products. • Characteristic peptide was qualitatively confirmed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. • Labeled amino acid condensation method was used to get isotope-labeled characteristic peptides. • The oxidation conditions (oxidant concentration, temperature, and time) were optimized. The ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) method was built to quantify the casein glycomacropeptide (CGMP) in bovine dairy products accurately based on targeted proteomics. Qualitative analysis of theoretical peptides was carried out using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and protein software. Isotope-labeled characteristic peptides were acquired via the labeled amino acid condensation method to correct the matrix effects. Peptide MAIPPK was the representative characteristic peptide for distinguishing the CGMP from κ -casein through trypsin digestion. After optimizing the pre-treatment conditions, the final 8% oxidant concentration was selected and the 10% formic acid concentration with 2.5 h oxidation time. Moreover, the results of methodological verification showed that the recovery rate was 103.7%, meanwhile the precision of inter-day and intra-day was less than 5%. In conclusion, the research demonstrated the characteristic peptide MAIPPK could quantitatively applied to detect CGMP in dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Field observations of wave transformation along living shorelines in a high energy environment are presented. • LSTM models were developed to predict wave parameters and energy spectra. • The novel models are capable of estimating long-term wave characteristics using short-term measurements. • The transfer learning method accelerated the training process and improved the model skills. Living shorelines as a nature-based solution for climate change adaptation were constructed in many places around the world. The success of this type of projects requires long-term monitoring for adaptive management. The paper presents a novel framework leveraging scientific machine learning methods for accurate and rapid prediction of long-term hydrodynamic forcing impacting living shorelines using short-term measurements of water levels and wind waves in the largest estuary in the U.S. Different from existing data-driven wave prediction models focusing on significant wave heights, this study is focused on the prediction of wave energy spectra in shallow water using winds and tides as the input feature and short-term measurements of wave spectra and water depths as the label. Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models were developed using four-month wave measurements in the stormy seasons to predict integral wave parameters and energy spectra for multiple years. The developed models accurately predicted wave heights, peak periods, and energy spectra around the living shorelines, capturing complex wave dynamics, such as wave generation by wind, nonlinear wave-wave interactions, and depth-limited wave breaking in the shallow water of a large estuary. The validated models were then used to determine the long-term wave forcing impacting the living shorelines based on the modeled wave characteristics and spectra. Model results show that the surrogate models utilizing LSTM to predict wave spectra in the frequency domain enable long-term predictions of spectral wave evolution with a minimal computational cost. Our findings provide valuable insights into the efficacy of living shorelines in attenuating wave energy and demonstrate the utility of this approach in assessing the effectiveness of such living shoreline structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate land losses in the Mississippi River Delta, sediment diversions are being employed to enable the flow of river water and sediments into wetlands experiencing degradation. A two-dimensional coupled flow-wave Delft3D model was used in this study to explore the hydrodynamics and sediment transport in Fourleague Bay (FLB), Louisiana, USA, which has been considered an analog site for studying the efficiency of sediment diversion projects. In-situ measurements of sediment accretion and hydrodynamic characteristics from 2015 to 2016 were utilized to calibrate and validate the morphodynamic model. The validated model was then applied to quantify sediment transport in FLB and surrounding marshes between May 2015 and May 2016. The results show that more sediment could be deposited to the surrounding marshes with high river discharges and strong winds. Thus, by strategically aligning the timing of pulses of river water from the diversion with the seasonal intensification of atmospheric forcing, it is possible to sustain and promote the growth of the surrounding wetlands. Moreover, we found that multiple sediment transport processes occurred during the entire study period, including the deposition of riverine sediment into the bay floor, direct deposition of riverine sediment in the surrounding marshes, resuspension of bay floor sediment, and redistribution of resuspended sediment to adjacent marshes and the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). The results indicate that the riverine sediment tended to be directly deposited in the marshes when the river discharge was high. During calm weather conditions and normal river discharge, FLB acted as a reservoir, storing sediment from the upper river, and later acted as a sediment source to the nearby wetlands and the GoM during energetic atmospheric conditions. This suggests that using the bay floor as a reservoir can extend the distance over which wetlands can benefit from the sediment diversions, as the supply of sediment to the wetlands becomes a multi-step process. Thus, it is important to retain sediments from river diversions in shallow bays and allow storms to redistribute them to adjacent wetlands. • A morphodynamic model was developed to understand the fine sediment dispersal process from a river to coastal wetlands. • The model was calibrated and validated using unique measurements of hydrodynamics and sediment accretion rates. • More sediment could be deposited to the surrounding marshes with high river discharges and strong winds. • Sediment deposited on the surrounding marshes was primarily from the river and bay floor. • Riverine sediment tends to be directly deposited onto the marshes during high discharge stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have drawn much attention recently because of their outstanding photo-electrical performance, especially lead halide perovskites. However, the high toxicity of lead contained in perovskite severely hinders further development of the devices in industrial production and commercial applications. As a result, Tin, as one of the non-toxic metal elements exhibiting similar electronic properties with Pb, has been considered as the most suitable ions to substitute toxic Pb in PSCs. However, Sn-based PSCs also face serious challenges such as high intrinsic defects density which mainly originates from Sn2+ oxidation and fast crystallization which will cause poor film morphology, serious recombination and result in poor Voc and FF. To overcome these defects, additive engineering is introduced into the fabrication of Sn-based perovskites and has already achieved remarkable progress in improving opto-electrical performance through film morphology modification, crystallinity enhancement, defect passivation and band gap optimization. This review discussed the corresponding researches on additives which show outstanding efficacy to optimize the Voc and FF of Sn-based PSCs and it can be concluded that additives engineering has indispensable effect on achieving high performance Sn-based devices and the future development of Sn-based PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers have received increasing attention for renewable hydrogen production through water splitting. In present work, a two-dimensional (2-D) multi-physics model is established for PEM electrolyzer to describe the two-phase flow, electron/proton transfer, mass transport, and water electrolysis kinetics with focus on the porous transport layer (PTL) and the channel-land structure. After comparing four sets of experimental data, the model is employed to investigate PTL thickness impact on liquid water saturation and local current density. It is found that the PTL under the land may have much lower liquid saturation than that under the channel due to land blockage. The PTL thickness may significantly impact liquid water access to the catalyst layer (CL) under the land. Specifically, the 100 μm thick PTL shows less than 1% liquid saturation at the CL-PTL interface under 4–5 A/cm2, leading to water starvation and electrolyzer voltage increase. As the operating current density decreases under 2–3.5 A/cm2, the liquid saturation recovers and increases to about 10–20%. In thicker PTLs, the liquid saturation is higher under the land reaching 30–40% at the CL-PTL interface under 5 A/cm2 for 200 and 500 μm thick PTLs. For the 100 μm thick PTL, the local current density drops to below 0.5 A/cm2 under the land with 5 A/cm2 average current density. For the 200 and 500 μm thick PTLs, the local current is almost uniform in the in-plane direction. The numerical model is extremely valuable to investigate PTL properties and dimensions to optimize channel-land design and configuration for high performing electrolyzers. • 2-D multi-physics PEM electrolyzer model is developed. • Model predictions are compared with four sets of experimental data under 0-5 A/cm2. • Severe water starvation is observed under land for the 100 μm thick PTL @ 5 A/cm2. • Water starvation causes ~0.2V increase and a large variation in local current density. • In 200/500 μm PTLs, water saturation is >0.3 @ 5 A/cm2 with nearly uniform current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss-of-function mutations in the progranulin gene (GRN) are one of the major causes of familial frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Our objective was to determine the rates and trajectories of lobar cortical atrophy from longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging in both asymptomatic and symptomatic GRN mutation carriers. Individuals in this study were from the ADRC and LEFFTDS studies at the Mayo Clinic. We identified 13 GRN mutation carriers (8 asymptomatic, 5 symptomatic) and noncarriers (n = 10) who had at least 2 serial T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance images and were followed annually with a median of 3 years (range 1.0–9.8 years). Longitudinal changes in lobar cortical volume were analyzed using the tensor-based morphometry with symmetric normalization (TBM-SyN) algorithm. Linear mixed-effect models were used to model cortical volume change over time among 3 groups. The annual rates of frontal (p < 0.05) and parietal (p < 0.01) lobe cortical atrophy were higher in asymptomatic GRN mutation carriers than noncarriers. The symptomatic GRN mutation carriers also had increased rates of atrophy in the frontal (p < 0.01) and parietal lobe (p < 0.01) cortices than noncarriers. In addition, greater rates of cortical atrophy were observed in the temporal lobe cortices of symptomatic GRN mutation carriers than noncarriers (p < 0.001). We found that a decline in frontal and parietal lobar cortical volume occurs in asymptomatic GRN mutation carriers and continues in the symptomatic GRN mutation carriers, whereas an increased rate of temporal lobe cortical atrophy is observed only in symptomatic GRN mutation carriers. This sequential pattern of cortical involvement in GRN mutation carriers has important implications for using imaging biomarkers of neurodegeneration as an outcome measure in potential treatment trials involving GRN mutation carriers. • The frontoparietal lobe cortical volume decline started in asymptomatic GRN mutation carriers. • Symptomatic GRN mutation carriers had the fastest rate of cortical atrophy in the temporal lobe. • The composite of frontoparietal lobe volume is a potential biomarker in future clinical trials. • Our data indicate a sequential pattern of regional cortical atrophy rates related to GRN mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to investigate the patterns and trajectories of white matter (WM) diffusion abnormalities in microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) mutations carriers. We studied 22 MAPT mutation carriers (12 asymptomatic, 10 symptomatic) and 20 noncarriers from 8 families, who underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and a subset (10 asymptomatic, 6 symptomatic MAPT mutation carriers, and 10 noncarriers) were followed annually (median = 4 years). Cross-sectional and longitudinal changes in mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy were analyzed. Asymptomatic MAPT mutation carriers had higher MD in entorhinal WM, which propagated to the limbic tracts and frontotemporal projections in the symptomatic stage compared with noncarriers. Reduced fractional anisotropy and increased MD in the entorhinal WM were associated with the proximity to estimated and actual age of symptom onset. The annualized change of entorhinal MD on serial DTI was accelerated in MAPT mutation carriers compared with noncarriers. Entorhinal WM diffusion abnormalities precede the symptom onset and track with disease progression in MAPT mutation carriers. Our cross-sectional and longitudinal data showed a potential clinical utility for DTI to track neurodegenerative disease progression for MAPT mutation carriers in clinical trials. • Elevated mean diffusivity (MD) in the entorhinal white matter (WM) is present in asymptomatic MAPT mutation carriers. • Higher MD and lower fractional anisotropy in the entorhinal WM are associated with the proximity to symptom onset. • Longitudinal increase of MD in the entorhinal WM accelerates with aging in MAPT mutation carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant with dual-stage Selexol™ for carbon capture is compared to pressure swing adsorption (PSA)-based warm gas CO 2 capture. Capture with Selexol™ was limited to 83.4% due to high syngas CH 4 content while the efficiency was 31.11% HHV resulting in a 1st year cost of electricity (COE) of 148.6 $/MWh. Carbon capture can be increased to 88.6% and efficiency to 33.76% HHV with warm gas CO 2 removal. When holding the same carbon capture level as the Selexol™ case, efficiency is increased to 34.20% HHV and after further optimization of the water gas shift (WGS) reactors to 35.63% HHV leading to a lower COE of 127.2 $/MWh. Reaction kinetic models are developed and applied for optimization of WGS reactors to convert syngas CO to CO 2. Cost for warm gas carbon capture reduced to 47.5 $/tonne from 66.0 $/tonne for IGCC without carbon capture while CO 2 avoided cost reduced from 89.4 $/tonne to 54.3 $/tonne. Carbon capture cost dropped from 88.0 $/tonne to 72.7 $/tonne while the CO 2 avoided cost decreased from 112.2 $/tonne to 78.3 $/tonne over supercritical boiler plant without carbon capture. Furthermore, warm gas cleanup lowered the specific net water withdrawal/usage by 13.4%. • Thermo-economics of sub-bituminous coal TRIG™ IGCC with cold and warm gas cleanup. • Syngas desulfurization/decarbonization with Selexol™ versus ZnO sorbent/CO 2 PSA. • Shift reactor optimization using reaction kinetics and thermodynamic gas stability. • Selexol™ based IGCC efficiency of 31.11% resulted in electricity cost of $149/MWh. • Warm gas cleanup improved efficiency to 35.63% and electricity cost to $127/MWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress has a serious impact on the growth and development of cotton. To explore the relevant molecular mechanism of the drought stress response in cotton, gene mapping based on the QTL interval mapped by simplified genome BSA-seq of the drought-resistance-related RIL population was performed. A QTL region spanning 2.02 Mb on chromosome D07 was selected, and 201 resource materials were genotyped using 9 KASP markers in the interval. After local interval haplotype association analysis, the overlap of the 110 kb peak region confirmed the reliability of this region, and at the same time, the role of GhGF14–30 , the only gene in the overlapping region, was modeled in the response of cotton to drought stress. qRT PCR analysis of the materials and population parents proved that this gene plays a role in the drought stress response in cotton. Virus-induced gene silencing proved the importance of this gene in drought-sensitive materials, and drought-resistance-related marker genes also proved that the GhGF14–30 gene may play an important role in the ABA and SOS signaling pathways. This study provides a basis for mining drought stress response functional genes in cotton and lays the foundation for the molecular mechanism of the GhGF14–30 gene in response to drought stress in cotton. • Combine genetic populations with natural populations to quickly and accurately mine key genes. • Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) marker-assisted interval localization of key genes was performed. • Genes that are key in the response to drought stress in cotton were characterized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living shorelines gain increasing attention because they stabilize shorelines and reduce erosion. This study leverages physics-based models and bagged regression tree (BRT) machine learning algorithm to simulate wave dynamics at a living shoreline composed of constructed oyster reefs (CORs) in upper Delaware Bay. The physics-based models consist of coupled Delft3D-FLOW and SWAN in four-level nested domains. The model accuracy converges with increasing mesh resolution. The simulated wave-induced current circulation substantiates the effectiveness of CORs in trapping sediments. The simulated yearly-averaged wave power correlates qualitatively with historical shoreline retreat rates. BRT is adopted to improve the model accuracy, identify key processes responsible for simulation errors in wave height (H s) and wave period (T p), and quantify their importance. In the CORs sheltered area, BRT reveals that simulation errors of wind seas mainly arise from wind forcing, wave breaking and wave triad interactions. Wave breaking is seven times more important than wind forcing for simulating H s , while wind forcing and triad interactions are of equal importance for simulating T p. Simulation errors of swells mostly stem from bottom friction and offshore wave boundary conditions. Results from this study can help the assessment and adaptive management of CORs-based living shoreline restoration projects under climate change. • Delft3D and SWAN are coupled for long-term wave simulations at a living shoreline. • Bagged regression tree (BRT) improves accuracy of physics-based hydrodynamic models. • BRT identifies key processes that cause errors in physics-based hydrodynamic models. • Modeled wave power is qualitatively correlated with measured shoreline retreat rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) to simultaneously determine nearshore water depths and wave height fields based on remote sensing of the ocean surface with limited or sparse measurements. Two methods that integrate the knowledge of water wave mechanics and fully connected neural networks are introduced. The first method utilizes observed wave celerity fields and scarce measurements of wave height as training data. The model performance was examined with linear waves over an alongshore varying barred beach and nonlinear waves over an alongshore uniform barred beach. The second method uses scarce wave height and water depth measurements as training points, and the model performance was investigated with water waves over a circular shoal and the alongshore varying barred beach. One advantage of applying PINNs to solve bathymetry inversion problems is that wave height and bathymetry can be simultaneously estimated by PINN models. Thus, the impact of wave amplitude dispersion on depth inversion in nonlinear wave systems can be considered without measuring the entire wave height field. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of the inverse PINN model as a promising tool for estimating nearshore bathymetry and reconstructing wave fields using observations from different remote sensing platforms. • Inverse PINN models were developed by integrating the knowledge of wave mechanics and fully connected neural networks. • The developed PINN models can map bathymetry and wave fields with limited field observations as training data. • The effect of wave nonlinearity can be embedded in PINNs to solve depth inversion problems. • Physics-informed deep learning is a promising tool for bathymetry retrieval from remote sensing data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Computational fluid dynamics was applied to CO 2 adsorption and its auxiliary steps. • Adsorption model was incorporated into simulation by User Defined Functions. • Model successfully simulated cyclic process of adsorption in demonstration reactor. • Simulation showed only half of sorbent was effectively utilized for CO 2 adsorption. • Model is useful in correctly sizing adsorption bed and studying design tradeoffs. Abstract CO 2 adsorption is one of the warm gas cleanup technologies under development for integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) applications. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can be a practical and powerful tool for reactor design for and optimization of the CO 2 adsorption process. In this present work, CFD simulation was developed in commercially available ANSYS Fluent software and validated for solid sorbent CO 2 capture to investigate pressure swing adsorption (PSA) for CO 2 separation from syngas with all the auxiliary operating steps. The adsorption equilibrium and kinetics were incorporated into ANSYS by user defined functions (UDFs) for source terms in Navier–Stokes equations. The CFD model well predicted the CO 2 breakthrough curve and temperature change. It was shown that in demo reactor operation, at the end of adsorption step, only half of the sorbent was loaded with CO 2 , while most of the loaded CO 2 was released during the desorption step. Further optimization of sorbent packing and cycle operation can be done with assistance of this CFD model to maximize bed loading, and used to design the commercial size reactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract CD3+CD20+ T cells are a population of CD3+ T cells co-expressing CD20 that make up to ∼3–5% of the CD3+ T-cell compartment in the peripheral blood of human beings. In healthy individuals, CD3+CD20+ T cells are heterogeneous for containing a lower proportion of CD4+ cells, but produce higher levels of IL-17A and/or IFN-γ than those of CD3+CD20− T cells. Recently, emerging studies have shown a pathogenic behavior of CD3+CD20+ T cells in autoimmune diseases and CD20+ T-cell malignancies, and patients with the diseases may benefit from anti-CD20 immunotherapy to deplete these cells. However, CD3+CD20+ T cells may also play a protective role in ovarian cancer and HIV infection for their strong propensity to IFN-γ production. In this review, we will describe the current knowledge about CD3+CD20+ T-cell biology, and discuss their functional roles in autoimmune diseases as well as cancer and infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Evaluating with a standard transformer is not suit for the electronic transformer. • A new evaluation standard is established based on the correlation analyzed. • The evaluation standard is calculated by the VN-MWPCA based on the measured data. • The field application shows that the abnormal can be effectively detected. Abstract Electronic transformers are used to measure the voltage and current signals, which are used to sense the state of the transmission networks. The deterioration of their metering error will affect the stable operation of the power system. The traditional method of evaluating the metering error of electronic transformers is to compare them with the standard transformer. There are outstanding problems such as over inspection and under inspection of the traditional method, which cannot be used for evaluating the metering error for a large number of electronic transformers on-line in a long-term. In this article, the correlation between primary transmission networks is analyzed to establish a new evaluation standard without a standard transformer. The standard can be calculated as a characteristic statistics, by using the measured data based on the VN-MWPCA proposed. Then the metering error of electronic transformers is evaluated by analyzing the abnormal change of the statistics. The field application analysis shows that the method proposed can be used to evaluate the metering abnormal of a Class 0.2 electronic transformer on-line accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first peanut oil reference materials in naturally contaminated aflatoxins was developed, because of the high consumption of this product and the potential risk associated herewith. Based on liquid chromatographic method, homogeneity, short-term of 60 °C for seven days and long-term of 25 °C for twelve months’ stability studies of candidates were assessed. The obtained data and statistical results showed a successful feasibility study, without any significant trend. Nine selected expert laboratories were invited to certify the contents of candidates using distinguish quantitative liquid chromatographic method. The certified values and expanded uncertainties ( k  = 2) for these two batches were 6.5 ± 1.6 μg/kg, 29.3 ± 5.3 μg/kg for aflatoxin B 1 ; 1.2 ± 0.3 μg/kg, 5.2 ± 0.9 μg/kg for aflatoxin B 2 ; 5.0 ± 0.4 μg/kg, 8.4 ± 0.7 μg/kg for aflatoxin G 1 ; and 2.1 ± 0.2 μg/kg, 3.5 ± 0.2 μg/kg for aflatoxin G 2 , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our objective is to investigate the prevalence, pathology and prognosis of uterine sarcomas in laparoscopic hysterectomy/myomectomy with electric power morcellation for presumed leiomyomas.Study Design: We retrospectively reviewed patients with laparoscopic power morcellation (LPM) for presumed leiomyomas in a Chinese tertiary institution by chart review from September 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016.Results: Twenty-four in 4478 patients (0.54%) with LPM for presumed leiomyomas had unexpected cancers. The patients showed the highest frequency of occult cancers (10/375, 2.6%) at 51-60 years and lowest (0/255) before 30 years. The pathology included 14 endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS) (low-grade 12 and high-grade 2), 9 leiomyosarcomas, and 1 malignant mixed mesodermal tumor. The patients underwent abdominal re-exploration including total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and staging surgery. Three patients were at advanced FIGO stage (IIIb-IVb) and 21 at stage I. Seven patients recurred within 1-25 (mean 6.29) months including 5 leiomyosarcomas, 1 high-grade and 1 low-grade ESS. Four recurrent patients with leiomyosarcomas and one with high-grade ESS died of disease in 1-3 months. Seventeen patients had no relapse and were alive for 6-41 (mean 24) months.Conclusions: Our study suggests that patients with LPM for presumed leiomyomas appear to have a considerable risk of unexpected cancers. Moreover, morcellation is potentially associated with adverse prognosis in patients with high-grade sarcomas. Informed consent on unexpected cancers that should be discussed before morcellation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Precambrian origin and evolution of the Lhasa Terrane remain unclear. Here, we present new zircon U–Pb isotopic and whole-rock geochemical data for the RenTso gabbros of the central Lhasa Terrane. These data indicate that these gabbros formed during the early Neoproterozoic (∼925 Ma) and have affinities with high-Fe–Ti basaltic rocks, given that they contain low concentrations of SiO 2 (39.8–49.0 wt%) and high concentrations of FeO T (11.3–23.5 wt%), TiO 2 (2.19–5.70 wt%), and V (333–1204 ppm). These gabbros also have N-MORB-like trace element features such as low (La/Sm) N ratios (0.50–0.57) and the absence of negative Nb–Ta anomalies. Combining these features with the high whole-rock ε Nd (t) (+5.04 to +7.55) and zircon ε Hf (t) (+7.8 to +13.0) values for these samples indicate that the RenTso gabbros formed by the partial melting of depleted asthenospheric mantle. The Fe–Ti enrichment in these gabbros reflects conditions of low oxygen fugacity during magma fractionation. These gabbros are spatially associated with troctolite and peridotite units, indicating that together these units form a typical ophiolitic lithological assemblage. These geochemical and field observations suggest that the study area contains a subduction-unrelated-type ophiolite that most likely represents the embryonic crust of the Mozambique Ocean following continental rifting and breakup. The results therefore indicate that the Lhasa Terrane has a Precambrian affinity with the East African orogen and occupied a different position to the Qiangtang Terrane within the Rodinia supercontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress significantly affect plant growth and development, which is an important factor contributing to crop yield loss. However, heat shock proteins (HSPs) in plants can effectively alleviate cell damage caused by heat stress. In order to rapidly and accurately cultivate heat-tolerant cotton varieties, this study conducted correlation analysis between heat tolerance index and insertion/deletion (In/Del) sites of GhHSP70-26 promoter in 39 cotton materials, so as to find markers related to heat tolerance function of cotton, which can be used in molecular marker-assisted breeding. The results showed the natural variation allele (Del22 bp) type at −1590 bp upstream of GhHSP70-26 promoter (haplotype2, Hap2) in cotton (Gossypium spp.) promoted GhHSP70-26 expression under heat stress. The relative expression level of GhHSP70-26 of M−1590−Del22 cotton materials were significantly higher than that of M−1590−In type cotton materials under heat stress (40 ℃). Also, M−1590−Del22 material had lower conductivity and less cell damage after heat stress, indicating that it is a heat resistant cotton material. The Hap1 (M−1590−In) promoter was mutated into Hap1del22, and Hap1 and Hap1del22 were fused with GUS to transform Arabidopsis thaliana. Furthermore, Hap1del22 promoter had higher induction activity than Hap1 under heat stress and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana. Further analysis confirmed that M−1590−Del22 was the dominant heat-resistant allele. In summary, these results identify a key and previously unknown natural variation in GhHSP70-26 with respect to heat tolerance, providing a valuable functional molecular marker for genetic breeding of cotton and other crops with heat tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developed data-driven models to estimate wave parameters and spectra near the CBBT. • Provided a framework to predict wave spectra in the frequency domain near bay entrances. • Used the developed models to hindcast wave spectra during the Halloween storm. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) was designed in the early 1960s and first opened on April 15, 1964. It is a 28.3-km bridge-tunnel system that crosses the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. Because there is a lack of reliable long-term observations of surface waves near the Chesapeake Bay entrance, accurate forecasts and hindcasts of wave conditions are essential for maintaining and expanding the bridge-tunnel infrastructure. To estimate wave parameters and energy spectra near the CBBT, novel composite data-driven models were developed using the wind, water level, and offshore wave data as input. The developed models provide satisfactory predictions of both integral wave parameters and energy density spectra of sea and swell waves at the Chesapeake Bay entrance. The developed models can rapidly hindcast the wave characteristics and spectra during an extreme event (i.e., the Halloween storm in 1991). This paper provides a novel framework for developing surrogate models to predict wave spectra in the frequency domain and hindcast historical wave climate, which can be applied to other sea-crossing bridges and/or tunnel sites near bay entrances. The data-driven models, based on deep neural networks, allow for estimating waves without a high demand for computational resources, and thus serve as a useful tool for the characterization and simulation of the complex wave environment at the interface of estuary and ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The violent and uncontrolled reaction of using isocyanates as waterborne additives limits the operation and product quality. Herein, castor oil-based isocyanates (polymethylene polyphenyl polyisocyanate, PAPI) that are protected by different strategies (hydrophobic, emulsified and solid powder) to enable water compatibility are developed and compared, targeting to mitigate these shortcomings. The effectiveness of these approaches is explored by a battery of characterization methods, including chemical titration, optical microscope, FTIR, TG, DSC, and wood adhesion performance. The storage stability of composite adhesives consisting of modified PAPI extends by at least eight times. The use of emulsified PAPI achieves the optimal bonding performance, resulting in increase of the wet strength I up to 240 % compared with pure PAPI when the dosage is 25 wt %. The underlying mechanism relates to high initial value of -NCO, uniform dispersion of isocyanate droplets in the emulsion, and slow post-curing process. These strategies offer effective and affordable routes to prepare and select proper isocyanates on design and construction of environmentally-friendly, low-cost and high-performance waterborne composite materials. [Display omitted] • Three protection strategies for PAPI using castor oil modification were developed. • The storage stability of modified PAPI was prolonged at least eight times. • The waterborne adhesive containing emulsifiable PAPI achieved best adhesion. • The wet strength I for emulsifiable PAPI increased up to 240 % of standard value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The catalytic activity for CH 3 OH synthesis on Rh(211) and In/Rh(211) is studied. • The charge transfer between catalyst and CO 2 determines activation degree of CO 2. • The HCOO pathway dominates the CH 3 OH synthesis on In/Rh(211). • The reduced work function causes the ultrahigh catalytic activity of In/Rh(211). The doping of foreign metals can modify the electronic properties of the original catalyst surfaces, thereby changing the catalytic activity. Realistic surfaces possess many defects, such as step sites. Herein, the first-principles calculation is implemented to research how indium doping on stepped Rh(211) alters the catalytic activity for methanol synthesis. The calculated substitution energy shows that the indium atom tends to be doped at the step edge of Rh(211). Almost all species prefer to adsorb at the step-edge sites because the surface atoms at the step-edge possess the lowest coordination number. The electronic structure analysis demonstrates that the activation degree of CO 2 * chiefly relies on the charge transfer between CO 2 * and catalyst. Furthermore, the doped indium atoms make In/Rh(211) expose more H* adsorption sites and promote the relative stability of adsorbed species on In/Rh(211). Besides, the doping of indium significantly inhibits the generation of by-product CO*, and enables the activation barrier to be as low as 0.98 eV for the rate-determining step on In/Rh(211), which is much lower than that of some reported catalysts. The ultrahigh catalytic activity of In/Rh(211) might be attributed to the decrease of the work function induced by the doping of indium, enhancing the relative stability of reaction species and CO 2 * activation degree. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PEGylation is widely applied as a surface modification method for nanoparticles in biomedical applications to improve their biological properties, including biocompatibility and immunogenicity. In most of its biomedical applications, nanoparticles are served as optical or thermal contrast agents. Therefore, the impact of poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) coating thickness on the optical and thermal properties of nanoparticles needs to be further investigated. In the present work, we studied two kinds of commonly used nanoparticles, including nanosphere and nanorod. The temperature and electric fields are obtained for nanoparticles with different PEG coating thicknesses. It is found that the change of PEG coating thickness on gold nanospheres only has impact on the absolute value of maximum absorption and scattering efficiencies, which barely influences the LSPR wavelength λ max and other optical and thermal characteristics. In contrast, for nanorod, the maximum efficiencies are barely influenced by the variation of PEG coating thickness. On the other hand, the localized surface plasmon resonance wavelength has an evident red shift with the increasing of PEG coating thickness. The maximum absorption efficiency is a way to evaluate the energy dissipation rate, which decides the scale of the heat source induced by nanoparticles. These findings are crucial for the accurate prediction of optical and thermal properties of nanoparticles in biomedical application. The present work also presents a possible way to manipulate the optical and thermal behaviors of nanoparticles in the application of biomedicine without changing the morphology of nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hurricanes have long been recognized as a strong forcing in shaping the coastal morphology, especially by redistributing sediments among coastal wetlands, bays and inner continental shelves. However, the contribution of hurricane-induced sediment transport to the sediment budget of a shelf – bay – wetland system has not been evaluated using a physics-based numerical model. There is a particular confusion on how sediment transport to coastal wetlands contributes to sediment accretion in wetlands and thus wetland adaptation to sea level rise. In this paper, we present a coupled modeling system for hurricane winds, storm surge, waves and sediment transport on the Louisiana coast, and use it to investigate two fundamental questions: (1) How much sediment is transported and deposited on coastal wetlands during a major hurricane event like Hurricane Gustav (2008), and (2) where is the source of the deposited sediment on the wetland soil surface. Our model successfully reproduced the measured basin-averaged sediment accretion in the Terrebonne and Barataria Basins after Gustav, and estimated that Hurricane Gustav imported approximately 27 million metric tons of sediment on wetlands in that area. The estimated deposition was mainly made up of mud suspended from the coastal bays, and the contribution of this sediment to wetland deposition was 88.7% in Terrebonne Bay and 98.2% in Barataria Bay within the tested range of sediment properties. This paper demonstrates a useful tool to help understand how sediment dynamics in the coastal zone during hurricane events play a significant role in the sediment budget of a deltaic coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embryonic stem cell pathways such as hedgehog and Wnt pathways are central to the tumorigenic properties of cancer stem cells (CSC). Since CSCs are characterized by their ability to self-renew, form differentiated progeny, and develop resistance to anticancer therapies, targeting the Wnt and hedgehog signaling pathways has been an important strategy for cancer treatment. Although molecules targeting either Wnt or hedgehog are common, to the best of our knowledge, those targeting both pathways have not been documented. Here we report a small molecule (compound 1 ) that inhibits both Wnt (IC 50  = 0.5 nM) and hedgehog (IC 50  = 71 nM) pathways based on reporter gene assays. We further identified that the molecular target of 1 for Wnt pathway inhibition was porcupine (a member of the membrane-bound O-acyltransferase family of proteins), a post-translational modification node in Wnt signaling; while the target of 1 mitigating hedgehog pathway was Smoothened, a key G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) mediating hedgehog signal transduction. Preliminary analysis of structure-activity-relationship identified key functional elements for hedgehog/Wnt inhibition. In in vivo studies, compound 1 demonstrated good oral exposure and bioavailability while eliciting no overt toxicity in mice. An important consideration in cancer treatment is the potential therapeutic escape through compensatory activation of an interconnected pathway when only one signaling pathway is inhibited. Toward this end, compound 1 may not only lead to the development of new therapeutics for Wnt and hedgehog related cancers, but may also help to develop potential cancer treatment which needs to target Wnt and hedgehog signaling simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are promising biotechnologies tool to harvest electricity by decomposing organic matter in waste water, and the anode material is a critical factor in determining the performance of MFCs. In this study, chestnut shell is proposed as a novel anode material with mesoporous and microporous structure prepared via a simple carbonization procedure followed by an activation process. The chemical activation process successfully modified the macroporous structure, created more mesoporous and microporous structure and decreased the O−content and pyridinic/pyrrolic N groups on the biomass anode, which were beneficial for improving charge transfer efficiency between the anode surface and microbial biofilm. The MFC with activated biomass anode achieved a maximum power density (23.6 W m −3 ) 2.3 times higher than carbon cloth anode (10.4 W m −3 ). This study introduces a promising and feasible strategy for the fabrication of high performance anodes for MFCs derived from cost-effective, sustainable natural materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The salt marshes of Jamaica Bay serve as a recreational outlet for New York City residents, mitigate wave impacts during coastal storms, and provide habitat for critical wildlife species. Hurricanes have been recognized as one of the critical drivers of coastal wetland morphology due to their effects on hydrodynamics and sediment transport, deposition, and erosion processes. In this study, the Delft3D modeling suite was utilized to examine the effects of Hurricane Sandy (2012) on salt marsh morphology in Jamaica Bay. Observed marsh elevation change and accretion from rod Surface Elevation Tables and feldspar Marker Horizons (SET-MH) and hydrodynamic measurements during Hurricane Sandy were used to calibrate and validate the wind-waves-surge-sediment transport-morphology coupled model. The model results agreed well with in situ field measurements. The validated model was then used to detect salt marsh morphological change due to Sandy across Jamaica Bay. Model results indicate that the island-wide morphological changes in the bay's salt marshes due to Sandy were in the range of −30 mm (erosion) to +15 mm (deposition), and spatially complex and heterogeneous. The storm generated paired deposition and erosion patches at local scales. Salt marshes inside the west section of the bay showed erosion overall while marshes inside the east section showed deposition from Sandy. The net sediment amount that Sandy brought into the bay is only about 1% of the total amount of reworked sediment within the bay during the storm. Numerical experiments show that waves and vegetation played a critical role in sediment transport and associated wetland morphological change in Jamaica Bay. Furthermore, without the protection of vegetation, the marsh islands of Jamaica Bay would experience both more erosion and less accretion in coastal storms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ZnO/g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst was prepared by ball milling and demonstrated enhanced photocatalytic degradation of RhB under visible light irradiation. The photocatalyst is consisted of ZnO and g-C 3 N 4 heterojunctions formed by the shear stress during the mechanical treatment. The addition of g-C 3 N 4 can improve the photocatalytic performance of ZnO under visible light. The heterojunction formed between ZnO and g-C 3 N 4 decreased the recombination rate of photogenerated carriers and improved the photocatalytic activity of the ZnO/g-C 3 N 4 hybrids. The optimal ZnO/g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst with 10 wt% g-C 3 N 4 showed a degradation efficiency of 51.3% for RhB under visible light, which is 2.1 times higher than that of pristine ZnO. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurement showed that the OH radicals are the dominant active species in photocatalytic process under both full solar spectrum and visible light irradiation. And the OH radical generation is much more efficient under full solar spectrum than that under visible light due to the UV response of ZnO. This work provides a simple method for the design and preparation of novel heterojunction photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tumor microenvironment (TME) has profound impacts on cancer progression and remodeling of the TME has emerged as a strategy to facilitate cancer therapy. Recently, great progress in TME modulation has been made, especially with the rapid developments in nanomedicine. In this review we outline the latest advances in remodeling of the TME based on nanotherapeutics. First, novel strategies developed to modulate the tumor extracellular matrix (ECM) are discussed, including disruption, mimicking, and intervening in tumor ECM fabrication. Then, emerging tumor-associated fibroblast (TAF)-based nanotherapeutics are reviewed, including disruption and targeting of TAFs. Furthermore, recent developments in tumor vessel disruption and normalization are discussed. Finally, emerging approaches in response to tumor hypoxia are presented, with special emphasis on delivering oxygen, generating oxygen, and targeting tumor hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are a number of well established methods in the literature describing how to assess and analyze measured wind wave data. However, obtaining reliable results from these methods requires adequate knowledge on their behavior, strengths and weaknesses. A proper implementation of these methods requires a series of procedures including a pretreatment of the raw measurements, and adjustment and refinement of the processed data to provide quality assurance of the outcomes, otherwise it can lead to untrustworthy results. This paper discusses potential issues in these procedures, explains what parameters are influential for the outcomes and suggests practical solutions to avoid and minimize the errors in the wave results. The procedure of converting the water pressure data into the water surface elevation data, treating the high frequency data with a low signal-to-noise ratio, partitioning swell energy from wind sea, and estimating the peak wave frequency from the weighted integral of the wave power spectrum are described. Conversion and recovery of the data acquired by a pressure transducer, particularly in depth-limited water like estuaries and lakes, are explained in detail. To provide researchers with tools for a reliable estimation of wind wave parameters, the Ocean Wave Analyzing toolbox, OCEANLYZ, is introduced. The toolbox contains a number of MATLAB functions for estimation of the wave properties in time and frequency domains. The toolbox has been developed and examined during a number of the field study projects in Louisiana’s estuaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal regions are susceptible to increasing flood risks amid climate change. Coastal wetlands play an important role in mitigating coastal hazards. Vegetation exerts a drag force to the flow and dampens storm surges and wind waves. The prediction of wave attenuation by vegetation typically relies on a pre-determined drag coefficient C D. Existing C D formulas are subject to vegetation biomechanical properties, especially the flexibility. Accounting for vegetation flexibility through the effective plant height (EPH), we propose and validate a species-independent relationship between C D and the Reynolds number R e based on three independent datasets that cover a wide range of hydrodynamic conditions and vegetation traits. The proposed C D − R e relationship, used together with EPH, allows for predicting wave attenuation in salt marshes with high accuracy. Furthermore, a total of 308,000 numerical experiments with diverse wave conditions are conducted using the proposed C D − R e relationship and EPH to quantify the wave attenuation capacity of two typical salt mash species: Elymus athericus (highly flexible) and Spartina alterniflora (relatively rigid). It is found that wave attenuation is controlled by wave height to water depth ratio and EPH to water depth ratio. When swaying in large waves in shallow to intermediate water depth, a 50-m-long Elymus athericus field may lose up to 30% capacity for wave attenuation. As wave height increases, highly flexible vegetation causes reduced wave attenuation, whereas relatively rigid vegetation induces increased wave attenuation. The leaf contribution to wave attenuation is highly dependent on the leaf rigidity. It is recommended that leaf properties, especially its Young's modulus be collected in future field experiments. • A drag coefficient (Cd) formula unifying four datasets is proposed for modeling wave decay in saltmarshes. • This Cd formula helps quantify the capacity of deformable vegetation for wave attenuation. • Wave decay is controlled by wave height, effective plant height, and water depth. • Leaf contribution to wave decay relies on its Young's modulus and should be included when it is large. • Collecting both stem and leaf biophysical properties is highly recommended in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginsenoside Rh2, a kind of rare triterpene saponin isolated from Panax plants, has high medicinal values. But the extremely low content of ginsenoside Rh2 in ginseng herbs has limited its clinical application. In this work, we achieved a plant cell factory for biosynthesis of rare ginsenoside Rh2 in an industrial crop, tobacco, by metabolic engineering. Three enzyme genes (PnDDS , CYP12H and UGTPn3) isolated from Panax notoginseng were introduced into tobacco. Thus, a biosynthetic pathway for ginsenoside Rh2 synthesis was artificially constructed in tobacco, moreover, the three exogenous genes could be expressed in the roots, stems and leaves of transgenic plants. Consequently, ginsenoside Rh2 and its precursors were successfully synthesized in transgenic tobacco. Based on these results, a sustainable and efficient approach was established to produce ginsenoside Rh2, meanwhile, such strategy could also be employed for the heterologous synthesis of other important or rare natural products in plant hosts. [Display omitted] • Biosynthesis of ginsenoside Rh2 in tobacco by metabolic engineering. • 2,3-oxidosqualene in tobacco was used to synthesis ginsenoside Rh2. • Three genes of Panax notoginseng were introduced into tobacco. • Tobacco is a suitable plant host for the heterologous synthesis of bioproducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in soils has become a serious issue of sustainable crop production and food safety. Here, HvVPE3 , a γ-type VPE (vacuolar processing enzyme) gene, is firstly reported to regulate Cd uptake/tolerance. We isolated and functionally characterized HvVPE3 using genetic transformation coupled with physio-biochemical assay of Cd tolerance in barley. HvVPE3 was mainly expressed in leaves and being inducible by Cd stress. Subcellular localization verified that HvVPE3 is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Silencing of HvVPE3 by RNA interfering (RNAi) significantly decreased Cd concentration in barley and improved tolerance to Cd stress, whereas HvVPE3 overexpression resulted in increased Cd concentration and hypersensitivity to Cd stress. Compared with the transformation-free wild-type (WT), HvVPE3- RNAi lines recorded significantly higher plant height and shoot biomass after two weeks 10 μM Cd exposure, but exhibited inhibited root net Cd2+ influx, suppressed Cd-induced increase in caspase-1, -8-like activities, and enhanced anti-oxidative activities such as catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), glutathione reductase (GR) and ascorbic acid oxidase (APX) thus mitigated Cd-induced oxidative stress and programmed cell death (PCD) to improve Cd tolerance in barley. Evolutionary bioinformatic confirms that VPE3s are highly conserved in green plants and may have evolved from the Order of Huperzia in Lycophytes. Our findings reveal a promising functional gene for breeding in developing barley varieties with low Cd accumulation and high Cd tolerance. • First report a γ-type VPE gene HvVPE3 regulates Cd uptake/tolerance. • VPE3 are evolved from the Order of Huperzia in Lycophytes. • HvVPE3 -RNAi curbed root net Cd2+ influx and Cd accumulation in barley. • HvVPE3 -RNAi suppressed Cd-induced PCD and ROS accumulation. • Novel genetic resource for Cd-tolerance/accumulation was verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]