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Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is a globally significant economic crop. However, its widely cultivated varieties are highly susceptible to white rot disease. To elucidate the mechanisms of resistance in grapevine against this disease, we utilized time-ordered gene co-expression network (TO-GCN) analysis to investigate the molecular responses in the grapevine varieties 'Guifeimeigui' (GF) and 'Red Globe' (RG). An assessment of their resistance demonstrated that GF is highly resistant to white rot, whereas RG is highly susceptible. We conducted transcriptome sequencing and a TO-GCN analysis on leaf samples from GF and RG at seven time points post-infection. Although a significant portion of the differentially expressed genes related to disease resistance were shared between GF and RG, the GF variety rapidly activated its defense mechanisms through the regulation of transcription factors during the early stages of infection. Notably, the gene VvLOX3, which is a key enzyme in the jasmonic acid biosynthetic pathway, was significantly upregulated in GF. Its upstream regulator, Vitvi08g01752, encoding a HD-ZIP family transcription factor, was identified through TO-GCN and yeast one-hybrid analyses. This study provides new molecular insights into the mechanisms of grapevine disease resistance and offers a foundation for breeding strategies aimed at enhancing resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) are essential transcription factors in eukaryotes, particularly the extensively studied C2H2 family, which is known for its involvement in various biological processes. This research provides a thorough examination and analysis of the C2H2-ZFP gene family in Flammulina filiformis. Using bioinformatics tools, 58 FfC2H2-ZFP genes spread across 11 chromosomes were identified and scrutinized in detail for their gene structures, protein characteristics, and phylogenetic relationships. The study of phylogenetics and synteny sheds light on the evolutionary relationships among C2H2-ZFPs in F. filiformis and other fungi, revealing a complex evolutionary past. The identification of conserved cis-regulatory elements in the gene promoter regions suggests intricate functionalities, particularly in the developmental and stress response pathways. By utilizing RNA-seq and qRT-PCR techniques, the expression patterns of these genes were explored across different developmental stages and tissues of F. filiformis, unveiling distinct expression profiles. Notably, significant expression variations were observed in the stipe elongation region and pilei of various sizes, indicating potential roles in fruiting body morphogenesis. This study enhances our knowledge of the C2H2-ZFP gene family in F. filiformis and lays the groundwork for future investigations into their regulatory mechanisms and applications in fungal biology and biotechnology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic structures and optical properties of tetraborides RB4 (R = Nd , Tb, Dy, and Er) are systematically investigated through the first-principles technique. The band structure and density of states (DOS) show that RM4 has metal and magnetic characteristics. The DOS near the Fermi is dominated by R-4f states, which are responsible for the magnetic moments. The optical properties including refractive index, conductivity, absorptivity, reflectivity, and loss function are obtained based on the complex dielectric functions. The static dielectric constants and static refractive are presented. The absorptivity results indicate that tetraborides exhibit excellent optical absorption in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) regions. The reflectivity shows that RB4 is an ideal near-infrared reflective material. This study provides theoretical insights into the optical applications of tetraborides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPulsed laser cladding provides a periodical thermal accumulation, enabling a greater temperature gradient and cooling rate inside the substrate, which can efficiently ameliorate the microstructure of the cladding layer. It is crucial to quantitatively investigate the mechanism of the interaction for the cladding process parameters on the transient evolution of the multi-field coupling to improve the cladding quality. In this paper, a 3-D model during the single-channel multilayer pulsed laser cladding process was constructed which is grounded on the temperature-variable physical properties parameters of the material. The integrated consideration in the masking impact of the molten powder waist beam on the pulsed laser beam, the molten pool liquid metal surface tension, the influence of buoyancy on the flow, and the transient evolution of the molten pool edge morphology. The temperature, flow, and stress fields of the single-channel multilayer cladding process were computed and resolved. The mechanism in multi-field coupling impact of laser pulse frequency, laser power, and pulse duty cycle on the single-channel multilayer cladding process was emphasized. The response surface equations between each influencing factor and the cladding temperature, temperature change gradient, and thermal stress were determined according to the response surface method, and the sensitivity of each parameter was attained from the Monte Carlo method. Using SEM to observe the profile and microstructure of the cladding layer, the material hardness distribution was measured experimentally, and the effectiveness of the model was confirmed. This research supplies an essential rationale for upgrading the quality of pulsed laser cladding layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) are widely used in lighting and display applications. Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), which have high biocompatibility, high resistance to photobleaching, and full‐spectrum luminescence, have inherent advantages as fluorescent materials for LED devices. Herein, multicolor CQDs are prepared by a new reagent engineering strategy due to the difference of effective conjugate length and the surface electron‐withdrawing groups of CQDs. White CQDs are realized by mixing blue, green, and red CQDs proportionally. Then, the aggregation‐caused quenching phenomenon of CQDs is suppressed through the hydrogen‐bonding network of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs). Multicolor fluorescent films are prepared from CQDs and CNFs by simple mixing and casting methods. Finally, thin‐film encapsulation based on the photosensitive resin ABPE‐10 coating can be realized and rapidly assembles into fluorescent films with different light‐emitting colors into LED devices, leading to have superior thermal performance compared with conventional LEDs. White LEDs have excellent white‐light illumination performance, with Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage color coordinates of (0.33, 0.37), a correlated color temperature of 5688 K, and a color rendering index of 86. This strategy provides a convenient and scalable pathway for low‐cost, environmentally friendly, and high‐performance CQDs‐based LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address one of the main challenges restricting the development of global viticulture, it is imperative to breed high-quality and cold-resistant grape varieties. In this study, intraspecific cross-breeding was carried out between two cold resistance and four high-quality varieties for eight populations, including six reciprocal crosses and two crossing combinations. The cold-resistance of six hybrid parents and 481 hybrid F1 progeny was determined by differential thermal analysis, and the cold-resistance grade and frequency distribution were analyzed from the 14 crossing combinations. Bioinformatics and statistical methods were used to mine and design SSR marker primers for 40 cold-resistance related genes. Agarose gel electrophoresis and cold-resistance measurement were used to screen molecular markers of the tested materials. The results showed that varying cold resistance for different populations, with a continuous distribution of cold resistance of intraspecific hybrid progenies of different crossing combinations. The screening and verification of molecular markers revealed that OMT2.1-211, SIRT276, UBC317-800, S238-854, and S241-717 can be used as standard markers to determine cold-resistance of intraspecific hybrid progenies of Ecolly or Meili and Marselan, and P5CS173, P5CS240, and SIRT276 could be used to rapidly screen intraspecific hybrid progenies of Ecolly or Meili and Cabernet Sauvignon. Intraspecific cross-breeding of V. vinifera can be applied to breed suitable intermediate materials or new cold-resistant materials. This work also provides a reference method for the development of SSR molecular markers to target specific genes of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The TC18 titanium alloy as an aviation landing gear material is famous for its high strength and hardenability. However, under the influence of the harsh service environment, its corrosion resistance is relatively poor. WC–12Co ceramic material is one of the most widely used surface strengthening materials, and the coatings are often produced by high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying. In the spraying, the deposition state of particles directly affects the quality and strengthening ability of coating. This study combined the correlation of flow field calculation and impact process of particles, and the particle flight characteristics were analyzed in the three‐dimensional HVOF spraying. The change law for temperature and velocity of particles was explored by changing the spraying distance, oxygen/fuel (O/F) ratio, and particle size. Based on the calculation results of flow field, a three‐dimensional random deposition model of WC–12Co multiparticle was established by the coupled Euler–Lagrange method, and the crystal inhomogeneity was introduced by the Voronoi method. Compared the flattening rate and spreading degree of particles deposition, the evolution law of temperature and stress–strain fields for coating and substrate during the deposition was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the effects of temperature variations on animals plays an important role in understanding the threat of climate warming. The effects of developmental temperature on offspring performance are critical in evaluating the effects of warming temperatures on the fitness of oviparous species, but the physiological and biochemical basis of this developmental plasticity is largely unknown. In this study, we incubated eggs of the turtle Pelodiscus sinensis at low (24 °C), medium (28 °C), and high (32 °C) temperatures, and evaluated the effects of developmental temperature on offspring fitness, and metabolic enzymes in the neck and limb muscles of hatchlings. The hatchlings from eggs incubated at the medium temperature showed better fitness-related performance (righting response and swimming capacity) and higher activities of metabolic enzymes (hexokinase, HK; lactate dehydrogenase, LDH) than hatchlings from the eggs incubated at high or low temperatures. In addition, the swimming speed and righting response were significantly correlated with the HK activities in limb (swimming speed) and neck (righting response) muscles, suggesting that the developmental plasticity of energy metabolic pathway might play a role in determining the way incubation temperature affects offspring phenotypes. Integrating the fitness-related performance and the activities of metabolic enzymes, we predict that the P. sinensis from high latitude would not face the detrimental effects of climate warming until the average nest temperatures reach 32 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleotide substitutions have played an important role in molecular evolution, and understanding their dynamics would contribute to genetic studies. Related research with defined DNA sequences lasted for decades until whole-genome sequencing arose. UV radiation (UVR) can generate base changes and other genetic variations in a short period of time, so it would be more meaningful to explore mutations caused by UVR from a genomic perspective. The monokaryon enoki strain WT583 was selected as the experimental material in this study because it can spontaneously produce large amounts of oidia on PDA plates, and the monokaryons originating from oidia have the same genotype as their mother monokaryon. After exposure to UV radiation, 100 randomly selected mutants, with WT583 as the reference genome, were sent for genome sequencing. BWA, samtools, and GATK software were employed for SNP calling, and the R package CMplot was used to visualize the distribution of the SNPs on the contigs of the reference genome. Furthermore, a k-mer-based method was used to detect DNA fragment deletion. Moreover, the non-synonymous genes were functionally annotated. A total of 3707 single-base substitutions and 228 tandem mutations were analyzed. The immediate adjacent bases showed different effects on the mutation frequencies of adenine and cytosine. For adenine, the overall effects of the immediate 5′-side and 3′-side bases were T > A > C > G and A > T > G > C, respectively; for cytosine, the overall effects of the immediate 5′-side and 3′-side bases were T > C > A > G and C > T > A > G, respectively. Regarding tandem mutations, the mutation frequencies of double-transition, double-transversion, 3′-side transition, and 5′-side transition were 131, 8, 72, and 17, respectively. Transitions at the 3′-side with a high mutation frequency shared a common feature, where they held transversions at the 5′-side of A→T or T→A without covalent bond changes, suggesting that the sequence context of tandem motifs might be related to their mutation frequency. In total, 3707 mutation sites were non-randomly distributed on the contigs of the reference genome. In addition, pyrimidines at the 3′-side of adenine promoted its transversion frequency, and UVR generated DNA fragment deletions over 200 bp with a low frequency in the enoki genome. The functional annotation of the genes with non-synonymous mutation indicated that UVR could produce abundant mutations in a short period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change often includes increases in the occurrence of extreme environmental events. Among these, heatwaves affect the pace of life and performance of wildlife, particularly ectothermic animals, owing to their low thermoregulatory abilities. However, the underlying mechanisms by which this occurs remain unclear. Evidence shows that heatwaves alter the redox balance of ectotherms, and oxidative stress is a major mediator of life-history trade-offs. Therefore, oxidative stress may mediate the effect of extreme thermal conditions on the life histories of ectotherms. To test this hypothesis, a 2 × 2 experiment was conducted to manipulate the redox balance (through a mitochondrial uncoupler that alleviates oxidative stress) of the desert toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus przewalskii) exposed to heatwave conditions. We recorded lizard growth and survival rates and quantified their redox and immune statuses. In control lizards (unmanipulated redox balance), heatwave conditions decreased growth and survival and induced oxidative damage and immune responses. By contrast, lizards with alleviated oxidative stress showed close-to-normal growth, survival, and immune status when challenged with heatwaves. These results provide mechanistic insight into the role of oxidative stress in mediating the effects of extreme temperatures on ectothermic vertebrates, which may have major eco-evolutionary implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change often includes increases in the occurrence of extreme environmental events. Among these, heatwaves affect the pace of life and performance of wildlife, particularly ectothermic animals, owing to their low thermoregulatory abilities. However, the underlying mechanisms by which this occurs remain unclear. Evidence shows that heatwaves alter the redox balance of ectotherms, and oxidative stress is a major mediator of life-history trade-offs. Therefore, oxidative stress may mediate the effect of extreme thermal conditions on the life histories of ectotherms. To test this hypothesis, a 2 × 2 experiment was conducted to manipulate the redox balance (through a mitochondrial uncoupler that alleviates oxidative stress) of the desert toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus przewalskii) exposed to heatwave conditions. We recorded lizard growth and survival rates and quantified their redox and immune statuses. In control lizards (unmanipulated redox balance), heatwave conditions decreased growth and survival and induced oxidative damage and immune responses. By contrast, lizards with alleviated oxidative stress showed close-to-normal growth, survival, and immune status when challenged with heatwaves. These results provide mechanistic insight into the role of oxidative stress in mediating the effects of extreme temperatures on ectothermic vertebrates, which may have major eco-evolutionary implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic flow forecasting is a basic function of intelligent transportation systems, and the accuracy of prediction is of great significance for traffic management and urban planning. The main difficulty of traffic flow predictions is that there is complex underlying spatiotemporal dependence in traffic flow; thus, the existing spatiotemporal graph neural network (STGNN) models need to model both temporal dependence and spatial dependence. Graph neural networks (GNNs) are adopted to capture the spatial dependence in traffic flow, which can model the symmetric or asymmetric spatial relations between nodes in the traffic network. The transmission process of traffic features in GNNs is guided by the node-to-node relationship (e.g., adjacency or spatial distance) between nodes, ignoring the spatial dependence caused by local topological constraints in the road network. To further consider the influence of local topology on the spatial dependence of road networks, in this paper, we introduce Ollivier–Ricci curvature information between connected edges in the road network, which is based on optimal transport theory and makes comprehensive use of the neighborhood-to-neighborhood relationship to guide the transmission process of traffic features between nodes in STGNNs. Experiments on real-world traffic datasets show that the models with Ollivier–Ricci curvature information outperforms those based on only node-to-node relationships between nodes by ten percent on average in the RMSE metric. This study indicates that by utilizing complex topological features in road networks, spatial dependence can be captured more sufficiently, further improving the predictive ability of traffic forecasting models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported the realization of superhydrophobic layered double hydroxide (LDH) coating with the double‐anticorrosion mechanism on magnesium alloys. This coating was prepared via in‐situ growth of LDHs on the etched AZ31 alloy and the modification was caused by 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H‐perfluorooctyltrimethoxysilane. The water contact angle on the coating was as large as 161°, possessing the two‐scale rough structure consisting of microislands and LDH crystal nanosheets. The excellent corrosion resistance properties of the superhydrophobic LDH coating can be attributed to the double‐anticorrosion mechanism associated with LDH coating and superhydrophobic structure. In addition to the active protection of LDH coating, the passive protection of superhydrophobic coating can suppress the occurrence of ion‐exchange reactions, leading to excellent corrosion resistance stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuzzy rough sets and multi-granularity rough sets are essential extensions of Pawlak rough sets, which have become artificial intelligence research hotspots. Previous studies of the rough sets based on the fuzzy T-equivalence relation did not take the multi-granularity into account. The multi-granularity data is typically the multi-view cognition obtained by different granularity of the data, and its distinctive feature is that the data can be presented in different granularity spaces. In this paper, we integrate the idea of multi-granularity and propose four new models of "optimistic," "pessimistic," "optimistic-pessimistic," and "pessimistic-optimistic" decision-theoretic rough sets based on the fuzzy T-equivalence relation for the first time, followed by a preliminary analysis of the intrinsic relations and properties of these new decision-theoretic rough set models by a concrete example. At last, we use experiments to show the effectiveness of suggested models, proving that they are both rational and practical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low temperature is an important factor limiting plant growth. Most cultivars of Vitis vinifera L. are sensitive to low temperatures and are at risk of freezing injury or even plant death during winter. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome of branches of dormant cv. Cabernet Sauvignon exposed to several low-temperature conditions to identify differentially expressed genes and determine their function based on Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG)enrichment analyses. Our results indicated that exposure to subzero low temperatures resulted in damage to plant cell membranes and extravasation of intracellular electrolytes, and that this damage increased with decreasing temperature or increasing duration. The number of differential genes increased as the duration of stress increased, but most of the common differentially expressed genes reached their highest expression at 6 h of stress, indicating that 6 h may be a turning point for vines to tolerate extreme low temperatures. Several pathways play key roles in the response of Cabernet Sauvignon to low-temperature injury, namely: (1) the role of calcium/calmodulin-mediated signaling; (2) carbohydrate metabolism, including the hydrolysis of cell wall pectin and cellulose, decomposition of sucrose, synthesis of raffinose, and inhibition of glycolytic processes; (3) the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and metabolism of linolenic acid; and (4) the synthesis of secondary metabolites, especially flavonoids. In addition, pathogenesis-related protein may also play a role in plant cold resistance, but the mechanism is not yet clear. This study reveals possible pathways for the freezing response and leads to new insights into the molecular basis of the tolerance to low temperature in grapevine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To avoid and eliminate cracks on the surface of a workpiece, it is very important to quantitatively analyse the temperature field, stress field, and flow field during the laser cladding process. This paper uses the finite element method to establish a multiphysics coupling model based on the laser cladding process of a disc laser. The thermophysical parameters of the base material ASTM 1045 and the powder material Fe60 are calculated by the CALPHAD method. In the modelling, the mutual influence between the light powder is considered but also the influence of the surface tension and buoyancy of the liquid metal in the molten pool on the flow of the molten pool and the dynamic change of the cladding layer morphology are considered. In the laser cladding process, the distribution and change law of the temperature field, flow field, and stress field are obtained. An infrared thermometer was used to measure the temperature during the cladding process, and a Zeiss-ƩIGMA HD scanning electron microscope was used to observe the outline of the cladding layer, which verified the accuracy of the mathematical model. The response surface model was established by the CCD method, and the influence law of the process parameters on the cladding layer was determined. The influence of laser power, beam radius, and scanning speed process parameters on the changes of temperature field, flow field, and stress field in the cladding process was analysed, providing an effective way to reduce residual stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nodular cast iron is widely used in the industrial field, but its wear resistance and corrosion resistance are poor. Laser cladding technology is an effective way to strengthen its surface. The cladding layer is formed by multi-track sequential overlapping. The thermal-elastic–plastic-flow coupling evolution behaviors among different cladding channels have a direct interaction. Quantitatively revealing the multi-field coupling correlation is significant for optimizing process parameters and effectively improving the quality of cladding layer. In this paper, a multi-field coupling model of nodular cast iron with multi-track overlapping in laser cladding is established, which reveals the instantaneous evolution law and correlation effects. The calculation shows that the maximum temperature of the first cladding is 2500 K, the maximum stress is 417 MPa, the stress area presents a shrinkage band distribution, and the maximum flow velocity of the molten pool is 0.24 m/s. Under the influence of active elements, the Marangoni flow direction will be reversed. The two cladding mechanisms of sequential overlapping cladding and the second cladding after air cooling to room temperature were compared and analyzed. The result shows that the energy accumulation is greater under the first cladding mechanism; the temperature and the steady-state flow rate are relatively high. Under the second cladding mechanism, the change of flow velocity is not obvious. The size and micromorphology of the cladding layer were observed by the Therom Scientific Apreo 2S field emission SEM, and the cladding temperature at different positions was measured by the Testo 885 thermal imager, verified the validity of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to further understand the economic data management system and technology, in-depth research was conducted in the state of people's nervous system feeling. The method of building open platform algorithm to optimize and modify weight rule 2BP grid construction was used to study. According to the basic principle, the BP neural network which is more suitable for economic data management system was constructed. At the same time, to construct economic database resources, neural network system was mainly to simplify and abstract or simulate the human brain nervous system, which is not completely the same, but can also map the basic characteristics of many functions of the human brain. Through the analysis of the economic data of the neural network, the neural network is widely used in the economic data management, which not only improves the management level of enterprises, but also improves the benefits and profits of enterprises. Besides, it has application effect in predicting economic early warning risk analysis cost control strategy management enterprise credit evaluation and enterprise competitiveness evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Y 2 Fe 16-x Co x Si/paraffin composites were prepared by three different orientation methods. • Orientation tuning improved the electromagnetic parameters and microwave absorption properties. • The permittivity and permeability of these composites could be enhanced by orientation methods a and c. • The (EAB) max of 8.4 GHz (2.1 mm) was obtained for the Y 2 Fe 16 Si/paraffin composites with method c. • These composites exhibited huge potential for microwave absorption in the X-Ku band. Y 2 Fe 16-x Co x Si/paraffin composites were prepared by three different orientation methods. The effect of these orientation methods and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of Y 2 Fe 16‒x Co x Si alloys on the electromagnetic parameters and the microwave absorption properties were investigated. The results demonstrated that orientation tuning improved the electromagnetic parameters and microwave absorption properties. Anisotropy in dielectric properties and magnetic properties of Y 2 Fe 16-x Co x Si/paraffin composites were achieved by tuning the orientation of Y 2 Fe 16-x Co x Si powders. The planar and conical anisotropic materials had superior microwave absorption properties than uniaxial anisotropic materials for the same orientation method. The Y 2 Fe 16‒x Co x Si/paraffin composite had an effective absorption bandwidth of 8.4 GHz (9.6–18 GHz) and a reflection loss of ‒59.6 dB which can almost cover the X–Ku bands and exceed the performance of many reported absorbing materials, showing its great prospects for microwave absorption in the X–Ku bands. Y 2 Fe 16-x Co x Si/paraffin composites were prepared by method A, method C or method R (a); Electromagnetic parameters of Y 2 Fe 16-x Co x Si/paraffin (x = 0) composites with methods A, C, R at 0.5‒18 GHz (b–e); The effective absorption bandwidth of the Y 2 Fe 16-x Co x Si/paraffin (x = 0) composites with methods A, C and R at different thicknesses (f). [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, titled "Synthesis of Red, Green, and Blue Carbon Quantum Dots and Construction of Multicolor Cellulose-Based Light-Emitting Diodes," discusses the synthesis of red, green, and blue carbon quantum dots (CQDs) using a new reagent engineering strategy. The authors successfully suppress the aggregation-caused quenching phenomenon of CQDs by utilizing the hydrogen bonding network of CQDs and nanocellulose. They also achieve high-performance multicolor LEDs through fast thin-film encapsulation and obtain high-performance white LEDs. The research was conducted by Xueping Song and a team of authors. [Extracted from the article]

Although exogenous calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) protects against hyperoxia-induced lung injury (HILI), the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The present study attempted to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which CGRP protects against hyperoxia-induced alveolar cell injury. Human alveolar A549 cells were treated with 95% hyperoxia to establish a hyperoxic cell injury model. ELISA was performed to detect the CGRP secretion. Immunofluorescence, quantitative (q)PCR, and western blotting were used to detect the expression and localization of CGRP receptor (CGRPR) and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). Cell counting kit-8 and flow cytometry were used to examine the proliferation and apoptosis of treated cells. Digital calcium imaging and patch clamp were used to analyze the changes in intracellular Ca2+ signaling and membrane currents induced by CGRP in A549 cells. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Cyclin D1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Bcl-2 and Bax were detected by qPCR and western blotting. The expression levels of CGRPR and TRPV1 in A549 cells were significantly downregulated by hyperoxic treatment, but there was no significant difference in CGRP release between cells cultured under normal air and hyperoxic conditions. CGRP promoted cell proliferation and inhibited apoptosis in hyperoxia, but selective inhibitors of CGRPR and TRPV1 channels could effectively attenuate these effects; TRPV1 knockdown also attenuated this effect. CGRP induced Ca2+ entry via the TRPV1 channels and enhanced the membrane non-selective currents through TRPV1 channels. The CGRP-induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ was reduced by inhibiting the phospholipase C (PLC)/protein kinase C (PKC) pathway. Moreover, PLC and PKC inhibitors attenuated the effects of CGRP in promoting cell proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. In conclusion, exogenous CGRP acted by inversely regulating the function of TRPV1 channels in alveolar cells. Importantly, CGRP protected alveolar cells from hyperoxia-induced injury via the CGRPR/TRPV1/Ca2+ axis, which may be a potential target for the prevention and treatment of the HILI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a CT method integrated with image inpainting to reconstruct the three-dimensional distribution of argon ion light intensity in Helicon and Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) modes. The reconstructed intensity distribution was validated by comparing it with theoretical radiation intensity derived from probe measurements and argon CR model. Results demonstrate that the method accurately reconstructs the three-dimensional distribution of argon ion light intensity and reveals the spatial distribution patterns of ion intensity under Helicon and ICP modes. The Helicon mode has a concentration of intensity in the central region (Radial cross-section dispersion > 84 %) and while the ICP mode exhibiting a more dispersed distribution (< 55 %). The presence of a magnetic field showed a strong correlation with the intensity dispersion on the cross-section. This study provides an effective measurement method and data reference for understanding discharge mode characteristics and plasma behavior in Helicon plasma sources. • A computerized tomography (CT) method integrated with image inpainting is used to reconstruct the three-dimensional distribution of argon ion light intensity for helicon plasma source. • The Helicon mode demonstrates concentrated intensity in the central region (> 84% radial cross-section dispersion), while the ICP mode exhibits a more dispersed distribution (< 55%), with a strong correlation between the presence of a magnetic field and intensity dispersion on the cross-section. • This research provides an effective measurement method and data reference for understanding discharge mode characteristics and plasma behavior in Helicon plasma sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the recognition accuracy of underwater acoustic targets by artificial neural network, this study presents a new recognition method that integrates a one-dimensional convolutional neural network and a long short-term memory network. This new network framework is constructed and applied to underwater acoustic target recognition for the first time. Ship acoustic data are used as input to evaluate the network performance. A visual analysis of the recognition results is performed. The results show that this method can realize the recognition and classification of underwater acoustic targets. Compared with a single neural network, the relevant indices, such as the recognition accuracy of the joint network are considerably higher. This provides a new direction for the application of deep learning in the field of underwater acoustic target recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of three metal (Ag(I) and Hg(II)) complexes based on bis‐carbene ligands and correlative three precursors H2Ln·(PF6)2 (n = 1–3) were reported. In each cationic moiety of complexes 1 and 2 and the monomer of complex 3, two Ag+ (or Hg2+) ions and two Ln (n = 1–3) formed one 36‐membered macrometallocycle. There existed π–π interactions between two naphthalenes in each cationic moiety of 1 and 2. The monomers of 3 were connected together through HgO bonds to form 1D chain. In the crystal packings of 1–3, two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional supramolecular structures were formed through CH˙˙˙π contacts and CH˙˙˙F H bonds. Additionally, the recognition capacity of 1 for H2PO4− was studied via fluorescence spectra, UV/Vis spectra, HRMS, 1H NMR titrations, and infrared (IR) spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The quality of end-of-life care services directly affects the end-of-life quality of life of patients and their families. At present, there are no standard tools in China for assessing the quality of dying and death (QODD) of critical intensive care unit (ICU) patients.Objectives: This study aimed to introduce the Chinese version of the QODD questionnaire for family members of ICU patients, after transcultural adaptation and validation, to provide an effective instrument for assessing the quality of end-of-life care of ICU patients in China, fill the gap in the evaluation of the quality of end-of-life care of critical ICU patients in China, and offer a theoretical basis and practical guidance during purposeful intervention.Methods: This study involved the main adult caregivers or principal family members of 149 dying critically ill patients. The original QODD scale was translated using the double forward and backward method. Nine cultural adaptation experts adapted the Chinese version of the QODD scale for completion by family members of ICU patients. Then, we carried out content validity, structural validity, internal consistency, confirmatory factors, and item correlation analysis of the modified scale.Results: The Chinese version of the QODD for family members of ICU patients was developed after some items were deleted or modified. The content validity index was 0.93, indicating that all items were correlated with the measurement of death quality. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value was 0.797, suggesting that the correlations between items were high. The Cronbach's α was 0.865, indicating good internal consistency. In confirmatory factor analysis, the fit indices were χ2 = 207.327, non-normed fit index = 0.916, root mean square error of approximation = 0.033, and comparative fit index = 0.93, indicating a good fit of the five-factor model of the Chinese version of the QODD questionnaire for family members of ICU patients.Conclusion: The Chinese version of the QODD questionnaire for family members of ICU patients is a reliable and effective instrument for evaluating the quality of death among patients who die in the ICU and can be applied to clinical practice and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The O vacancy in BaAl 1+y Si 5-y O 2-y/2 N 7 :Eu2+ were effectively regulated. • The regulation method includes control of Eu2+ content and Al/Si ratio. • The defects can effectively regulate the spectra and thermal stability of samples. • The mechanism of oxygen vacancy is analyzed and discussed in detail. • The assembled WLED exhibits lower color temperature and higher color rendering. Targeted control of the luminescent properties of phosphors for white-light-emitting diode (WLED) applications, particularly spectral position and thermal stability, is crucial. In this study, a newly developed Eu2+-doped sialon S-phase BaAl 1+y Si 5-y O 2-y/2 N 7 with intrinsic O vacancy (V o) defects was synthesised using a special raw material ratio with an O deficiency. A series of structure–performance characterisations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed. It was found that the spectral position and thermal stability of the samples could be realised by defect regulation using two approaches: regulation of the Eu2+ content and Al/Si ratio. Consequently, the emitting colour of the samples could be adjusted from green to yellow, leading to a lower colour temperature and higher colour rendering in the assembled WLED. The abnormal thermal quenching effect can also be suppressed with less variation in the emission intensity and colour purity at high temperatures. The defect regulation process investigated in this study will hopefully offer novel ideas for improving the luminescence properties of phosphors for extensive WLED applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work selected the planar molecule hexabenzo [a,c,k,m,u,w]trinaphthylene (HBTN) with electron donor and acceptor, and introduced static electric field perpendicular to the conjugation plane for its control over molecular physical properties. With the guidance of electron donor and acceptor, controllable chirality, charge polarization, obvious charge transfer transition, Cotton effect and large NLO coefficients of molecule were obtained. The necessity of substituents to realize the control of static electric field to molecular chirality and optical properties was further confirmed by their locations and species. The direction of static electric field was also tested, and the importance of perpendicular field component was stressed. At last, the conclusion obtained via the discussion of monomer could also be applied to both homodimer and heterodimer, where same or different fragments were stacked via π-π interaction respectively. Especially for heterodimer, the completely different optical properties such as UV–Vis absorption spectra, ECD spectra and NLO coefficients between P - and M -type conformations were observed, and made it easier to recognize the chirality of heterodimer. All above results were meaningful to promote the application of molecules as chiral photovoltaic devices. [Display omitted] • Static electric field and substituents synergistically control molecular chirality. • The synergistic effect could be applied to monomer, homodimer and heterodimer. • There were different optical properties between P - and M-type heterodimers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Until now, the influential factors associated with pleural adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity among children remain unclear. This retrospective study was therefore conducted aiming to investigate the factors associated with negative pleural ADA results in the diagnosis of childhood pleural tuberculosis (TB).Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2019, children patients with definite or possible pleural TB were recruited for potential analysis. Then, patients were stratified into two categories: negative pleural ADA results group (experimental group, ≤40 U/L) and positive pleural ADA results group (control group, > 40 U/L). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate risk factors for negative pleural ADA results.Results: A total of 84 patients with pleural TB were recruited and subsequently classified as experimental (n = 17) and control groups (n = 67). Multivariate analysis (Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test: χ2 = 1.881, df = 6, P = 0.930) revealed that variables, such as chest pain (age-adjusted OR = 0.0510, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.583), pleural total protein (≤45.3 g/L, age-adjusted OR = 27.7, 95% CI: 2.5, 307.7), pleural lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, ≤505 U/L, age-adjusted OR = 59.9, 95% CI: 4.2, 857.2) and blood urea nitrogen (≤3.2 mmol/L, age-adjusted OR = 32.0, 95% CI: 2.4, 426.9), were associated with negative pleural ADA results when diagnosing childhood pleural TB.Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that chest pain, pleural total protein, pleural LDH, and blood urea nitrogen were associated with a negative pleural ADA result for the diagnosis of pleural TB among children. When interpreting pleural ADA levels in children with these characteristics, a careful clinical assessment is required for the pleural TB diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method based on image reconstruction is proposed for measuring the electron temperature () and density () distribution of the axisymmetric low-temperature argon plasma plume of applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters (AF-MPDTs). The method uses a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor camera with narrowband filters of 460 and 500 nm to obtain the raw projection images in specific wavelength ranges. An image reconstruction method is developed to construct relative emission intensity profiles. The electron temperature distribution can be obtained by combining the relative emission intensity ratio of two profiles with a simple argon kinetic model. The electron density distribution can be calculated by constructing a function of relative emission intensity containing and. To verify the feasibility of this method, we diagnosed a very near field plume of a 15 kW AF-MPDT and obtained the distribution of parameters with a spatial resolution of 0.23 mm. The results show that the maximum and are located on the centerline near the exit plane of the thruster and decrease with both radial and axial distances. The second peak appears in the radial direction of both the and distributions, while their zones do not overlap. A comparative analysis of measurement results obtained by this method and the Langmuir probe method is performed to prove its accuracy. Moreover, this measurement method has the advantages of high spatial resolution and the ability to diagnose high-density and magnetized plasma. This method can be also applied to other optically thin axisymmetric low-temperature argon plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulsed laser deposition produces heat in an alternating fashion, which allows for more cooling time and accumulates significantly less heat than continuous laser deposition. This is conducive to heat dissipation, leading to the formation of a larger temperature gradient in the cladding layer, a fine-grained structure and good mechanical properties. There are extremely complex heat transfer and thermal-elastic–plastic-flow coupling changes that occur during a pulsed laser deposition process from a disk laser. Quantitatively revealing the multifield coupling mechanism in a pulsed laser deposition process is a key to process optimization. In this paper, a numerical model of pulsed laser deposition from a disk laser was established for cladding Fe60 powder on an ASTM 1045 matrix. In the model, the interactions between the powder flow and the pulse laser beam and the influence of surface tension and buoyancy on the Marangoni fluid flow in the molten pool were considered. The model was solved, and the distribution states and evolution laws were obtained for the temperature, velocity, and stress fields in the pulsed laser deposition process. On this basis, a comparative analysis of pulsed laser cladding and continuous laser cladding was carried out from the perspective of numerical simulations and experiments, revealing the influence of pulse parameters on the multiphysics of laser cladding. The microstructure of the pulsed cladding specimen was analyzed by a Zeiss-ƩIGMA HD field emission-scanning electron microscope. The experimental results were in good agreement with the calculated results, and the accuracy of the model was verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are constructed using reticular chemistry with the building blocks being connected via covalent bonds and have emerged as a new series of porous materials for multitudinous applications. Most COFs reported to date are achiral, and only a small fraction of COFs with chiral nature are reported. This review covers the recent advances in the field of chiral COFs (CCOFs), including their design principles and synthetic strategies, structural studies, and potential applications in asymmetric catalysis, enantioselective separation, and chiral recognition. Finally, we illustrate the remaining challenges and future opportunities in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zwitterionic modification can prolong the blood circulation time of nanocarrier in vivo, but zwitterionic content will affect the functions of nanocarrier such as enzyme-responsive and intracellular or extracellular delivery. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the relationship between the zwitterionic content and circulation time of nanocarrier so as to figure out what content of zwitterion can enable the nanocarrier to obtain both the long blood circulation ability and other functions mentioned above. Herein, using nanocapsule as a research model, we investigated the nanocapsule modified with zwitterion of phosphorylcholine (PC) or carboxybetaine (CB) respectively, and through 1H-NMR quantification we determined the zwitterionic surface content, so as to study the effect of PC or CB surface content on blood circulation performance of nanocapsule. In vivo study showed that the nanocapsule possessed an optimal surface filling ratios range for blood circulation of 43–68% for PC and of 20–68% for CB, with the longest t1/2=37.35 h for PC-nanocapsule and t1/2=45.27 h for CB-nanocapsule. Furthermore, the protein adsorption and macrophage endocytosis experiments indicated that when the surface filling ratio reached 43% for PC-nanocapsule and 20% for CB-nanocapsule, it could effectively reduce the protein adsorption and weaken macrophage endocytosis, thus explaining the phenomenon of long circulation time of nanocapsules from the point of protein adsorption and interaction with immune cells. This study proposes a new direction for designing long-circulating nanocarrier, and provides basis for constructing enzyme-responsive and intracellular or extracellular delivery platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many sophisticated chemical and physical properties of porous materials strongly rely on the presence of the metal ions within the structures. Whereas homogeneous distribution of metals is conveniently realized in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), the limited stability potentially restricts their practical implementation. From that perspective, the development of metal–covalent organic frameworks (MCOFs) may address these shortcomings by incorporating active metal species atop highly stable COF backbones. This Minireview highlights examples of MCOFs that tackle important issues from their design, synthesis, characterization to cutting‐edge applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many sophisticated chemical and physical properties of porous materials strongly rely on the presence of the metal ions within the structures. Whereas homogeneous distribution of metals is conveniently realized in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), the limited stability potentially restricts their practical implementation. From that perspective, the development of metal–covalent organic frameworks (MCOFs) may address these shortcomings by incorporating active metal species atop highly stable COF backbones. This Minireview highlights examples of MCOFs that tackle important issues from their design, synthesis, characterization to cutting‐edge applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ growth of naked Ag nanoparticles on graphene oxide was achieved following a simple, green, and environment-friendly one-step stirring method. In the absence of extra reductant and stabilizer, the naked Ag nanoparticles formed on the surface of GO via a spontaneous redox reaction between Ag+ and GO at room temperature. The morphology and microstructure of the resultant heterogeneous nanostructures were characterized by various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques systematically. The characterization results showed that the naked metallic Ag nanoparticles with an average diameter of 4.31 ± 0.13 nm distribute homogeneously and tend to "stand" in line on GO. The well-known catalytic hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol by NaBH4 was carried out to investigate the potential catalytic activity of the obtained heterogeneous Ag/GO nanocomposite. The obtained Ag/GO nanocomposite exhibited high catalytic ability with the apparent kinetics constant of 1.856 min−1 and high turnover frequency of 2131.6 h−1 and high structural and performance stability. It is believed that the small size and naked surface of the Ag nanoparticles, which provide abundant exposed catalytically active sites, facilitate greatly in improving the catalytic performance of Ag/GO. It is anticipated that the proposed green method is extendible to prepare other efficient noble-metal/GO nanocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering and synthesis of high-efficiency adsorbent is imperative for water purification. Herein, γ-AlOOH nanoflakes were in-situ decorated onto 3D-reduced graphene oxide (3D-rGO) with the intention of augmenting the specific surface area and ameliorating the adsorption capacity of 3D-rGO in virtue of a facile one-step hydrothermal method. The detailed morphological and structural information of γ-AlOOH/3D-rGO nanocomposite were captured via various instruments. γ-AlOOH/3D-rGO exhibited outstanding removal efficiency towards methylene blue (MB) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) due to its abundant mesopores, increased specific surface area and 3D macro structure. The MB model could well describe the MB adsorption behavior and CIP adsorption process can be fitted by the Elovich model. Isotherm fitting results proclaim that MB adsorption and CIP adsorption followed the Langmuir model; and γ-AlOOH/3D-rGO possessed outstanding adsorption for MB and CIP with the maximum adsorption capacity of 930.0889 mg/g at 288 K and 353.9148 mg/g at 318 K, respectively. The MB and CIP adsorption onto γ-AlOOH/3D-rGO should be the results of the joint action of hydrogen bonds, π-π interaction and complexation. γ-AlOOH/3D-rGO also exhibited excellent reusability after five cycles owing to its 3D macro structure. [Display omitted] • γ-AlOOH/3D-reduce graphene oxide was prepared by one-step hydrothermal method. • γ-AlOOH/3D-rGO exhibits outstanding adsorption for methylene blue (MB) and ciprofloxacin (CIP). • The maximum adsorption capacity for MB and CIP were 930.0889 mg/g at 288 K and 353.9148 mg/g at 318 K. • Hydrogen bonds, π-π interaction and complexation make for the adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The jeopardy of toxic dyes and antibiotics posed on human health and water ecosystem is escalating day by day. Herein, three-dimensional Mg Al layered double hydroxide decorated reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite (3D (Mg Al) LDH/rGO) was engineered and fabricated via a one-pot in-situ hydrothermal strategy. The hierarchical interconnected (Mg Al) LDH sheets grew on the surface of rGO vertically, forming a continuous 3D porous network on the surface of rGO. The favorable abundant mesoporous structure and increased specific surface area endowed the nanocomposite with high adsorption towards methylene blue (MB) and ciprofloxacin (CIP). The adsorption kinetics fitting results demonstrated that pseudo-second order model fitted both of MB and CIP adsorption processes better. Langmuir and Freundlich model provided better description for MB and CIP adsorption, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity of MB and CIP estimated from Langmuir model were 487.8 mg/g at 318 K and 775.2 mg/g at 288 K, which outperformed most of the currently-available adsorbents. The relative adsorption mechanism concerned with π-π interaction, hydrogen bonds, complexation and pore-filling. The macro 3D structure makes it easy to be recycled and the regeneration tests showed that the obtained nanocomposite possess excellent stability. • 3D Mg Al layered double hydroxide was decorated onto reduced graphene oxide. • 3D (Mg Al) LDH/rGO possesses high adsorption capacity towards methylene blue and ciprofloxacin. • The maximum adsorption capacity for MB and CIP were 487.8 mg/g and 775.2 mg/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Known as solid tumors of intermediate malignant potential, most inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are treatable as long as the tumor is en-bloc resected. However, in some cases, the tumors have recurred and grown rapidly after successful surgery. Some of these tumors were classified as an epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma (EIMS). Most previously reported EIMSs have been caused by RANBP2-ALK fusion gene. We herein report an EIMS case caused by an EML4-ALK fusion gene.Methods: RNAseq was conducted to find out the new ALK fusion gene which could not be detected following previously reported RT-PCR methods for EIMS cases with RANBP2-ALK fusion gene. After that, RT-PCR was also conducted to further prove the newly found fusion gene. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) test were applied to find out the unique morphological characters compared with the previous reported EIMS cases.Results: We found an EIMS case who was suffering from a rapid recurrence after cytoreducyive surgery was done to relieve the exacerbating symptoms. The patient finally died for tumor lysis syndrome after the application of crizotinib. Distinctive ALK staining under the membrane and relatively weak ALK staining in the cytoplasm could also be observed. RNAseq and RT-PCR further revealed that the tumor harbored an EML4-ALK fusion gene.Conclusion: In conclusion, this is the first EIMS demonstrated to have been caused by the formation of an EML4-ALK fusion gene. This enriches the spectrum of EIMS and enlarges the horizon for the study of EIMS. The experience we shared in managing this kind of disease by discussing aspects of its success and failure could be of great value for surgeons and pathologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• (Ni,Mg,Cu)Fe 2 O 4 nanoparticles were synthesized from nickel sulfide concentrate. • The as-prepared (Ni,Mg,Cu)Fe 2 O 4 exhibited excellent Fenton-like catalytic activity. • Degradation and TOC removal efficiencies could achieve 97.2% and 85.6% in 90 min. • Fe3+ ions in octahedral sites mainly determined the activity of the catalyst. • The cost-effective prepared catalyst has competitiveness in industrial application. Metal-doped nickel ferrite ((Ni,Mg,Cu)Fe 2 O 4) was synthesized through a coprecipitation method by using nickel sulfide concentrate as a raw material. The as-prepared (Ni,Mg,Cu)Fe 2 O 4 exhibited excellent catalytic activity in the system of visible-light/(Ni,Mg,Cu)Fe 2 O 4 /oxalic acid for degrading Rhodamine B, confirming it could be used as an efficient heterogeneous photo-Fenton-like catalyst. The octahedral occupation of Fe3+ ions on the surface of spinel ferrite mainly determined the activity of (Ni,Mg,Cu)Fe 2 O 4. Under the optimum conditions, the as-prepared catalyst demonstrated high degradation and total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiencies up to 97.2% and 85.6% in 90 min, respectively. The excellent activity and reusability make the catalyst from nickel sulfide concentrate possess competitiveness in industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the high catalytic activity of Ag nanopartilces (NPs) as well as N-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO), the heterogeneous nanostructure comprised of Ag NPs and N-rGO is expected to be an excellent catalyst. Herein, heterogeneous nanostructures of N-rGO decorated with well-dispersed Ag NPs were synthesized via a simple one-pot hydrothermal route. The doping of nitrogen atoms, formation of Ag NPs and reduction of graphene oxide were completed simutaneously. The average diameter of the spherical Ag NPs with a narrow size distribution is determined to be 15 nm. The as-synthesized catalyst exhibited outstanding high catalytic activity with a full transformation of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol within 45 s and good stability up to ten cycles. The catalytic reduction reaction has a pseudo-first-order rate constant of 7.7 × 10−2 s-1, which is significantly higher than the other reported graphene based heterogeneous nanostructures thus far at room temperature. Moreover, the resultant nanocomposites displayed superior surface enhanced Raman scattering effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Metal-doped magnesium ferrites (Mg, Ni)(Fe, Al) 2 O 4 were prepared by a hydrothermal method from saprolitic nickel laterite leaching solution. The effects of the hydrothermal reaction temperature (140–220 °C) and post calcination on the microstructure and catalytic performance of the as-prepared samples were investigated in detail. It is shown that higher hydrothermal temperature combined with calcination could promote the migration of Fe3+ from tetrahedral to octahedral sites almost exclusively located at the surface of the solid spinel ferrites, which was beneficial to improve the activity of formed MgFe 2 O 4 catalysts. In addition, the calcined samples (hydrothermal synthesized at 180, 200 and 220 °C, then calcined at 500 °C (H 180 C, H 200 C and H 220 C)) exhibited excellent heterogeneous Fenton-like catalytic activity for decomposing Rhodamine B (about 97.0% degradation efficiency in 120 min). Moreover, reusability test results show that the reduction of degradation efficiency was less than 1.0% for the sample H 200 C, implying the as-prepared catalyst had good catalytic activity and excellent reusability. This study may provide a better understanding of relationships between microstructure and heterogeneous Fenton-like catalytic performance of spinel ferrites synthesized from natural minerals containing transition metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Vine burial in winter followed by vine excavation and straightening in spring are difficult and expensive tasks, posing risks to the plants and the environment. • The goal of this work was to identify a biodegradable liquid film (BLF) suitable for grapevine application to replace vine burial as an alternate strategy to protect against winter chill. • The results showed that BLF application can protect some cultivars from winter chill in Heyang and delays bud germination date in cold years. • BLF treatment has the opposite trend of reducing sugar and titratable acid content for Cabernet Sauvignon and Italian Riesling, causes higher polyphenols content of berries under most conditions, and requires lower winter vineyard operations costs than VB treatment. Abstract In China, according to the climatic zoning, more than 90% Vitis vinifera are distributed in areas where the vines must be buried under a layer of soil during winter (vine burial) to protect them from severe winter chill (Li et al., 2006; Wang et al., 2018). Vine burial in winter followed by vine excavation and straightening in spring are difficult and expensive tasks, posing risks to the plants and the environment. Therefore, the goal of this work was to identify a biodegradable liquid film (BLF) suitable for grapevine application to replace vine burial as an alternate strategy to protect against winter chill. We evaluated the influence of BLF spraying on vines after being trained in winter (BLF spraying treatment) and compared it with vine burial (VB). The study evaluated the grapevine death rate of BLF treatment following freezing events in January 2016, and compared germination date, yields, berry quality, and a cost analysis of the two treatments during the winter of 2015 to the spring of 2017 at Heyang Station of Viticulture, NWAFU, in China. The results showed that BLF application can protect some cultivars from winter chill in Heyang and delays bud germination date in cold years. BLF treatment has the opposite trend of reducing sugar and titratable acid content for Cabernet Sauvignon and Italian Riesling, causes higher polyphenols content of berries under most conditions, and requires lower winter vineyard operations costs than VB treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the pulsed laser cladding process, complex thermal accumulation occurs between powder and beam due to the pulsed laser periodic change. The selection of process parameters affects the cladding layer quality, and the correlation between the parameters is high. It is of great significance to obtain high quality cladding layer to determine the influence of the powder-carrying gas nitrogen velocity, powder feeding port diameter, and powder feeding angle on the powder flow, as well as the optimal powder shading rate and the mechanism of powder interaction with pulsed laser beam. In this paper, a gas–solid coupling model during the pulsed laser cladding process of three-beam coaxial powder feeder was established, and the rotating Gaussian heat source function of pulsed laser was written to calculate the temperature, flow velocity, and concentration distribution considering the interaction between laser and powder. The orthogonal test method was used to optimize the process parameters in order to reduce the shading rate of powder and improve the laser energy utilization. On this basis, a full cycle three-dimensional multi-field coupling numerical model for pulsed laser cladding process was established, and the temperature, flow, stress fields, and multi-component heat and mass transfer behaviors were calculated under different powder shading rates. The flow temperature of powder was collected by infrared thermometer and compared with the numerical results, the reliability of the model was verified. This study provides a significant theoretical basis for the full-cycle optimization of process parameters and the improvement of cladding layer quality during pulsed laser cladding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HVOF has unique advantages as spraying metal carbides and alloys and is widely used in the aerospace, national defense industry, iron and steel metallurgy, petrochemical industry and other fields. The WC-Co coating prepared by HVOF has the characteristics of low oxide content, high bonding strength, low porosity and high temperature resistance and is the most ideal surface strengthening technology to replace surface chrome plating. In this study, a three-dimensional model of HVOF spraying was established and the flame flow characteristics in the spraying were analyzed. Combined with the discrete phase model (DPM), the influence of spraying distance, particle size and O/F ratio on temperature and velocity for particle flight were revealed. Based on the birth and death unit method, a three-dimensional thermodynamic coupling model of multi-layer coating growth was established. The stress-strain law of each coating unit in the growth process of WC-12Co coating was explored. The optimal particle parameters were obtained by calculating the flow field. The calculation shows that the optimal temperature and velocity of the sprayed particles are 1402 K and 535 m/s, respectively. The temperature of each coating unit gradually increases from the center to the outer ring and decreases under the action of air cooling with the spread time. The difference of temperature is obvious between the coating and the substrate, resulting in a relatively large stress value at the junction of the two and a relatively concentrated stress between adjacent elements. The maximum tensile stress in the X-axis direction reaches 1908 MPa and distributes in an elliptical shape at the center position of the coating unit. The shear stress in the XY direction is concentrated at the edge of each element for the coating, and the maximum reaches 1285 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal gasification fine slag (CGFS) is a significant source of solid waste requiring improved treatment methods. This study primarily investigates the mechanism of ultrasonic treatment in optimising flotation-based decarbonization of CGFS and its impact on CGFS modified with surfactants. The objective is to maximise the carbon ash separation effect to support the clean and efficient utilisation of CGFS. Flotation experiments revealed optimal conditions at an ultrasonication power of 180 W for 2 min and a slurry concentration of 60 g/L, resulting in a residual ash content of 82.59%. Particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Brunner−Emmet−Teller (BET) measurements demonstrate the efficacy of ultrasound in extracting inorganic minerals from the surface and pores of residual carbon, consequently reducing both pore and particle sizes. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analyses indicate alterations in the surface chemistry of CGFS induced by ultrasound treatment. The content of hydrophilic groups decreased from 31.64% to 29.88%, whereas the COO- group content decreased from 13.13% to 8.43%, consequently enhancing hydrophobicity. Adsorption experiments demonstrate an increase in surfactant adsorption capacity following ultrasonic treatment. Furthermore, ultrasonic treatment facilitates the desorption of surfactants previously adsorbed onto the surfaces of CGFS residue. Therefore, optimal flotation is obtained by applying ultrasonic pretreatment to CGFS before adding flotation chemicals. Upon the addition of Polysorbate (Tween-80), the residual ash content increased 90.17%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A measurement method of the high-resolution atom and ion density distributions based on the image reconstruction and collisional-radiative model is presented and could apply to the parameters measurement of the axisymmetric argon plasma plume. The projection integral signals of two-band ion spectral lines and one-band atom spectral line are acquired, and the spatial distribution of the light intensity signals are obtained by the image reconstruction technique. The collisional-radiative model includes the major atomic levels and singly ionized argon levels, taking into account electron-impact excitation and ionization, electron-impact deexcitation, and three-body recombination processes to obtain the theoretical signal intensity in the wavelength bands as a function of electron temperature, electron density, and atom density. The plasma parameters are determined by the theoretical signal intensity and spatial light intensity with the three filters, and the common coefficient is calibrated by the known parameters of some positions. The method was applied to the plume region of an applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thruster to verify the feasibility of this method in comparison with the electrostatic probe, and the plasma parameters with a spatial resolution of 0.81 mm/pixel were obtained finally. • A measurement method, based on the image reconstruction and collisional-radiative model, can measure plasma parameters of axisymmetric argon plasma plume with high-resolution and convenience. • An extensive collisional radiative (CR) model for the neutral argon and single ionized argon plasma is developed to estimate the key properties of the high-ionization-rate equilibrium plasma. • The detailed distributions of atom density and ion density with the spatial resolution of 0.81 mm/pixel are obtained when diagnosing the plume of a 15 kW applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thruster as an example to verify the feasibility of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement of tungsten density during the start-up process plays a vital role in monitoring real-time cathode mass loss in the study of plasma discharge instrument structure optimization. The relative intensity of the W II 239.71 nm spectral line, collected at the exit by the monochromator, is used to estimate the W II density in combination with the collision radiative model. The model of a small amount of tungsten in high-density plasma takes into account the main kinetic processes including the electron impact excitation process, electron impact de-excitation process, and electron impact ionization process. Additionally, A two-dimensional axisymmetric quasi-neutral fluid model, coupled with a thermal model of the cathode into a self-consistent model, is also constructed to analyze the mass loss mechanism of tungsten cathode during the start-up process. In the initial stage, the cold-state cathode has a large potential drop in the sheath region to accelerate the ion bombardment of the cathode for the requirement of electron emission, and a large number of tungsten atoms removal from the cathode surface due to sputtering and evaporation. In the steady-state operating phase, the primary reason for the mass loss of tungsten cathodes is attributed to thermal evaporation. Both experimental and simulation results indicate that the mass loss rate during the start-up phase is higher than that during steady-state operation phase by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude. • A method for determining the W II density based on the CR model was proposed. • A fluid model was constructed to study the mass loss mechanism of tungsten cathode. • The main mechanisms of material loss at different phases have been identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Metal-doped magnesium ferrite (MgFe 2 O 4) with cubic spinel structure, large specific surface area and medium saturation magnetic strength was synthesized from saprolite laterite leaching solution through hydrothermal-calcination method and used as a heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst. The influence of reaction temperature on the catalytic process was centrally discussed based on the hydroxyl radical theory. The as-prepared MgFe 2 O 4 exhibited favorable catalytic activity for degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB), achieving 97.8% degradation efficiency of 10 mg·L−1 RhB within 300 min (90.0% degradation, 180 min) at the conditions of 45 °C, pH 6.44, 0.625 g·L−1 catalyst dosage and 1.00 vol% H 2 O 2 concentration. And the TOC removal efficiency could reach 77.8%. After five consecutive degradation cycles, the reduction of degradation and TOC removal efficiencies were <3.0% and 8.0%, respectively, suggesting the metal-doped MgFe 2 O 4 had high catalytic activity, good stability and excellent reusability. More importantly, the formed catalyst may broaden the application of saprolite laterite and provide a promising way for other natural minerals which contain transition metal elements in the treatment of organic dye wastewater. Graphical abstract Metal-doped magnesium ferrite synthesized from saprolite laterite is an effective and stable heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst for organic dye removal. Unlabelled Image Highlights • Metal-doped MgFe 2 O 4 was synthesized from saprolite laterite. • The as-prepared MgFe 2 O 4 is an effective heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst. • The rise of temperature could promote the formation of OH radicals in as-prepared MgFe 2 O 4 /H 2 O 2 system. • The catalyst exhibited high stability and excellent reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A Brønsted acid enabled nickel‐catalyzed hydroalkenylation of aldehydes and styrene derivatives has been developed. The Brønsted acid acts as a proton shuttle to transfer a proton from the alkene to the aldehyde, thereby leading to an economical and byproduct‐free coupling. A series of synthetically useful allylic alcohols were obtained through one‐step reactions from readily available styrene derivatives and aliphatic aldehydes in up to 88 % yield and with high linear selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Brønsted acid enabled nickel-catalyzed hydroalkenylation of aldehydes and styrene derivatives has been developed. The Brønsted acid acts as a proton shuttle to transfer a proton from the alkene to the aldehyde, thereby leading to an economical and byproduct-free coupling. A series of synthetically useful allylic alcohols were obtained through one-step reactions from readily available styrene derivatives and aliphatic aldehydes in up to 88% yield and with high linear selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]