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[Display omitted] • Biochar could reduce 6% CO 2 , 66% CH 4 and 32% NH 3 emissions. • Particle size distributions of compost tend to be smaller. • Wheat straw biochar improves proportion of < 200 μm size distributions. • Wheat straw biochar improves aerobic layer thickness (Lp) and oxygen infiltration. • Along the compost material to biochar, aromatic compounds are gradually increasing. In recent research, biochar has been proven to reduce the greenhouse gases and promote organic matter during the composting. However, gas degradation may be related to the microstructure of compost. To investigate the mechanism of biochar additive, composting was performed using swine manure, wheat straw and biochar and representative solid compost samples were analyzed to characterize the mixed biochar and compost particles. We focused on the microscale, such as the particle size distributions, surface morphologies, aerobic layer thicknesses and the functional groups. The biochar and compost particle agglomerations gradually became weaker and the predominant particle size in the experiment group was < 200 μm. The aerobic layer thickness (Lp) was determined by infrared spectroscopy using the wavenumbers 2856 and 1568 cm−1, which was 0–50 μm increased as composting proceeded in both groups. The biochar increased Lp and facilitated oxygen penetrating the compost particle cores. Besides, in the biochar-swine manure particle interface, the aliphatic compound in the organic components degraded and the content of aromaticity increased with the composting process, which was indicated by the absorption intensity at 2856 cm−1 decreasing trend and the absorption intensity at 1568 cm−1 increasing trend. In summary, biochar performed well in the microscale of compost pile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Densely packed scenes contain a multitude of similar or even identical objects positioned closely, which brings about difficulties in object-detecting. In such scenes, people usually embed the feature pyramid network module into Faster R-CNN for multi-scale detection. However, we find it is not necessary. It is observed that there exists a waste of ground-truth boxes during training, causing the imbalance of training samples and the poor performance of Faster R-CNN. Therefore, we propose an online multiple-step sampling method to increase the utilization of ground truth. Besides, we propose a novel IoU-aware feature fusion R-CNN to take place of the feature pyramid network. It could effectively improve the detection accuracy of Faster R-CNN while simplifying the structure of the feature pyramid network. Our approach improves the base detector and the detection results on SKU-110 k benchmarks indicate that our approach offers a good trade-off between accuracy and speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During urgent-start peritoneal dialysis (USPD) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, both adequate dialysis and skill training for fluid exchange are essential. However, automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) alone or manual fluid exchange peritoneal dialysis (MPD) alone could meet the above demands. Therefore, our study combined APD with MPD (A-MPD), and compared A-MPD with MPD, aiming to find the most appropriate treatment mode. This was a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled study. All eligible patients were randomized into the MPD and A-MPD groups. All patients underwent a five-day USPD treatment 48 h after catheter implantation, and they were followed up for six months after discharge. Overall, 74 patients were enrolled in this study. Among these, 14 and 60 patients quit due to complications during USPD and completed the study (A-MPD = 31, MPD = 29), respectively. Compared with MPD, the A-MPD treatment mode had a better effect on removing serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and potassium and improving serum carbon dioxide combining power levels; it had less time expenditure on the fluid exchange by nurses (p < 0.05). In addition, patients in the A-MPD group had higher scores on the skill tests than those in the MPD group (p = 0.002). However, no significant differences in short-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) complications, PD technical survival rate, or mortality were found between the two groups. Therefore, the A-MPD mode could be recommended as an adoptable and suitable PD modality for USPD in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most difficult challenges in neurodevelopmental diseases, because of the unclear pathogenesis research and low brain-lesion targeting efficiency. Besides, maternal immune activation has been reported as the most mature and widely used model of ASD and aspirin-triggered lipoxin A4 is a potent anti-inflammatory mediator being involved in the resolution of neuroinflammation in ASD. Therefore, an aspirin encapsulated cascade drug delivery system (Asp@TMNPs) is established, which can successively target the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and microglial cells and response to the acid microenvironment in lysosome. As a result, the mitochondrial oxidative stress, DNA damage, and inflammation of microglial cells are prominently alleviated. After the treatment of Asp@TMNPs, the social interaction, stereotype behavior, and anxious condition of ASD mice are notably improved and the activation of microglial cells is inhibited. Overall, this system successively penetrates the BBB and targets microglial cells, therefore, it significantly enhances the intracephalic drug accumulation and improves anti-neuroinflammatory efficacy of aspirin, providing a promising strategy for ASD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent nanomaterials open up new avenues for realizing safer and more effective combination immunotherapy. Herein, a kind of simple enzymatically cleavable self‐delivery nanoparticles (MA‐pepA‐Ce6 NPs) is developed by conjugating acidic‐sensitive small‐molecule programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) inhibitor (Metformin, MET) with photosensitizer (chlorin e6, Ce6) through matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2) cleavable peptide (GPLGVRGDK, pepA). Noticeably, these self‐delivery peptide‐based NPs can circumvent the controversial biosafety facing nanomaterials. Moreover, MA‐pepA‐Ce6 NPs are degraded by overexpressed MMP‐2 in tumor microenvironment (TME) and expose the VRGDK‐Ce6. The exposed VRGDK‐Ce6 shows superior targeting ability towards integrin αvβ3 receptor, ensuring sufficient accumulation and laser‐activated robust antitumor immune effects. Remarkably, the released MET in tumor microenvironment hampers the PD‐L1 expression and augments the antitumor immune response elicited by photodynamics therapy (PDT), thus significantly improving therapeutic outcomes. Overall, this study offers a potential appealing paradigm of synergistic PDT‐triggered immunotherapy by revealing MET‐mediated PD‐L1 downregulation to achieve tumor eradication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study investigated the effect of rice straw biochar (RSB) on methane production during mainstream large-scale aerobic composting by using high-throughput sequencing and quantitative PCR. A 55-day large-scale aerobic composting experiment under cyclical forced-turning with aeration was conducted with control (CK) and experimental groups (BC), namely, without and with 10% RSB. The methanogen/methanotroph and microbial community of samples were analyzed by mcrA/pmoA and 16S rRNA/internal transcribed spacer region, respectively. The pore methane concentration had a positive relationship with mcrA and mcrA/pmoA. RSB accelerated methane production, which was reflected by an increase in mcrA. The diversity of bacteria and fungi increased by addition of RSB. Addition of RSB contributed to increasing the RAs of Methanobrevibacter and Methylobacterium. Methanobrevibacter was related to CH 4 production, and Methylobacterium related to CH 4 consumption through the metabolism of methyl material. Thus, the biochar has always increased the diversity of bacteria, including Methanobrevibacter and Methylobacterium. The optimal way to control CH 4 production is to reduce the number of mcrA/pmoA. Meanwhile, RSB contributed to methane production because of its small particle size in this study. The biochar particle size could be further optimized during large-scale aerobic composting process. Highlights • RSB increased the pore methane concentration during aerobic composting. • The mcrA / pmoA ratio is increased by addition of RSB. • RSB increased the richness of Methanobrevibacter and Methylobacterium. • Methanobrevibacter and Methylobacterium showed some correlation with total OM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Granular-biochar improved pore volume and was benefit to methanotrophs activities. • Higher aromatic compounds on surface of bamboo biochar and NO 3 − formed π–π EDA. • Rice straw biochar is rich in reactive functional groups to adsorb NH 4 +. • Powder bamboo biochar was most suitable for controlling GHG and ammonia emissions. Abstract Greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions during composting with different biochar types and particle sizes were investigated. Compared with powder-biochar, granular-biochar improved pore connectivity and was benefit to methanotrophs activities, like Methylococcaceae , reducing CH 4 emissions. At the same particle size, bamboo biochar (BB) had a higher pore volume and more aerobic microenvironment within the compost than rice straw biochar (RSB), reducing GHG emissions. Bamboo biochar had high aromatic compound and NO 3 − concentrations and therefore surface π–π electron donor/acceptor interactions, causing low N 2 O emissions and inhibiting denitrifying bacteria (e.g., Bacteroidales). More C O and C O bonds in rice straw biochar than bamboo biochar caused lower NH 3 emissions using rice straw than bamboo biochar. Powdered biochar had more exposed reactive functional groups and decreased NH 3 production better than granular biochar. Powdered bamboo biochar controls gaseous emissions better than other biochars during aerobic pig manure/wheat straw composting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Effects of rice straw biochar (RSB) on manure composting were investigated. • Addition of powdered RSB caused methane emissions to increase by 56.84%. • Addition of granular RSB caused methane emissions to decrease by 22.15%. • Granular RSB increased both the pore volume and connectivity of initial samples. • RSB reduced the methanogen to methanotroph ratio in initial samples. Abstract This study explored the effects of different particle sizes of rice straw biochar (RSB) on the methane emissions of pig manure/wheat straw aerobic composting experiments to provide a theoretical suggestion for biochar application. The experiments were conducted with a control group, powder (<1 mm) group, and granular (4 mm–1 cm) group. Methane emissions increased by 56.84% in the powder group but decreased by 22.15% in the granular group during the aerobic composting. Methane was generated by methanogens and methanotrophs in the specific anaerobic micro-environment characterized by X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). The porosity of initial composting samples increased by 4.02% in the granular group but decreased by 3.88% in the powder group. RSB additives typically reduced the mcrA/pmoA ratio and increased the diversity of Bacteria and Archaea. Conclusively, granular biochar benefits to aerobic composting to alleviate the CH 4 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study establishes an optimal mathematical modelling to rationally describe the dynamic changes and spatial distribution of temperature and oxygen concentration in the aerobic composting process using coupling mass-heat-momentum transfer based on the microbial mechanism. Two different conditional composting experiments, namely continuous aeration and intermittent aeration, were performed to verify the proposed model. The results show that the model accurately predicted the dynamic changes in temperature (case I: R 2  = 0.93, RMSE = 1.95 K; case II: R 2  = 0.86, RMSE = 4.69 K) and oxygen concentration (case I: R 2  = 0.90, RMSE = 1.26%; case II: R 2  = 0.75, RMSE = 2.93%) in the central point of compost substrates. It also systematically simulated fluctuations in oxygen concentration caused by boundary conditions and the spatial distribution of the actual temperature and oxygen concentration. The proposed model exhibits good applicability in simulating the actual working conditions of aerobic composting process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of biochar powder on oxygen supply efficiency and global warming potential (GWP) in the large-scale aerobic composting pattern which includes cyclical forced-turning with aeration at the bottom of composting tanks in China. A 55-day large-scale aerobic composting experiment was conducted in two different groups without and with 10% biochar powder addition (by weight). The results show that biochar powder improves the holding ability of oxygen, and the duration time (O 2 >5%) is around 80%. The composting process with above pattern significantly reduce CH 4 and N 2 O emissions compared to the static or turning-only styles. Considering the average GWP of the BC group was 19.82% lower than that of the CK group, it suggests that rational addition of biochar powder has the potential to reduce the energy consumption of turning, improve effectiveness of the oxygen supply, and reduce comprehensive greenhouse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Y2O2S:Dy3+, Mg2+, Ti4+ white-light long-lasting phosphors were synthesized by the sol–gel method. The effect of Dy3+ doping concentration on the luminescence properties was investigated. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence spectroscopy and thermally stimulated spectrometry. The samples doped with different concentrations of Dy3+ ions were composed of the pure Y2O2S phase. Under 359nm UV excitation, the phosphor presented white luminescence due to mixing of the dominating emissions centered at 488nm (blue) and 579nm (yellow), corresponding to 4F9/2→6H15/2 and 4F9/2→6H13/2 transitions of Dy3+, respectively. When Dy3+ concentration was 1mol%, the CIE chromaticity diagram was (0.375,0.374), and the decay time could last for over 65min (≥1mcd/m2). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Y2O2S:Dy3+, Mg2+, Ti4+ white-light long-lasting phosphors were synthesized by sol–gel method. Y2O2S:Dy3+, Mg2+, Ti4+ phosphors were characterized by X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence spectroscopy and thermally stimulated spectrometry. The results showed that the samples calcined at different temperatures from 900°C to 1200°C were composed of the pure Y2O2S phase. Under 359nm UV excitation, the phosphor presented white luminescence due to mixing of the dominating emissions centered at 488nm (blue) and 579nm (yellow), corresponding to 4F9/2→6H15/2 and 4F9/2→6H13/2 transitions of Dy3+, respectively. Both the fluorescence intensity and afterglow time reached the largest values in the phosphor calcined at 1200°C and the afterglow time could last for over 65min (≥1mcd/m2) when the excited source was cut off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Biochar can promote the degradation process of TCs during aerobic composting. • ARGs were transferred from Firmicutes to Actinobacteria at the phylum level. • The RA of ARGs in the biochar group was reduced by 16.83 ± 4.10%. • Biochar facilitates the removal of sav186 6, ImrD , efrA , tetB(P), and tetL. This study investigated the effect of biochar on antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during aerobic composting of pig manure. First, the composition and content of antibiotics in the manure were determined qualitatively and quantitatively. Biochar promoted the degradation of these antibiotics (oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, and tetracycline). The relative abundance (RA) of antibiotic-resistant bacteria carrying ARGs accounted for about 29.32% of the total bacteria. Firmicutes and Actinomycetes were dominant phylum-level bacteria at the early and late stages of composting, respectively. Biochar decreased the total RA of ARGs by 16.83%±4.10%. tetW and tetL , closely related to tetracycline resistance, were significantly diminished during aerobic composting, and biochar was able to promote this removal. Biochar enhanced RAs of Mycobacterium tuberculosis kasA mutant. RAs of ARGs related to antibiotic efflux pumps, such as baeS and arlS , remained at a high level. Conclusively, biochar promotes degradation of antibiotics and removal of ARGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental problems in China are intensifying and it is vital to evaluate the environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of the generation poised to inherit their management. This study examines a survey of environmental awareness among Chinese students (aged between 16 and 20 years). Considering the contrasting levels of regional economic development and environmental problems in the eastern/coastal and western/inland regions of China, we examine how environmental differences affect university students' environmental awareness. Data were analyzed statistically using nonparametric tests to compare a population of urban residents from a developed region against a similar population of urbanites from a less-developed region. Students in the samples possessed rather low levels of environmental knowledge, but had positive environmental attitudes and were willing to commit to environment-friendly behaviors. Students growing up in developed versus less-developed settings had significantly different levels of general environmental awareness despite their shared exposure to institutionalized environmental education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• nirK and nosZ are the most abundant denitrifying gene in samples. • PBB reduced ammonia-oxidizing species' abundance: Nitrosomonas & Nitrosococcus. • PBB significantly affected nitrogen metabolism (KO00910) (p < 0.05). • PBB inhibited the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase to reduce NH 3 emission. To investigate the emission mechanism of ammonia (NH 3) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) during aerobic composting and the influence of powder bamboo biochar (PBB) on this process, this paper conducted a systematic study on the nitrogen-transforming functional microbial community, including functional genes, microbial structure and metabolism pathways. PBB reduced N 2 O and NH 3 emissions by 1.25%–8.72% and 10.4%–11.8%, respectively. The quantitative PCR results indicated that the reduced N 2 O emission by PBB were mainly related to denitrifying genes (nirS , nirK , nosZ , and narG). The metagenome results demonstrated that Nitrosococcus was the main genus that could oxidize ammonia to nitrite decreased by PBB. The PBB significantly affected the nitrogen metabolism pathway, reduced the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase to inhibit the formation of NH 4 + to reduce NH 3 emission. The higher N 2 O emission in the control group was also related to the higher relative contents of hydroxylamine reductase and nitrite reductase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulative composting variables, like aeration, turning and additive, are critical factors for low-emission and eco-friendly aerobic composting. The main variables (aeration, turning, and additive) on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission rates and spatial GHG concentrations in the pores of composting piles during the large-scale composting were investigated under a typical trough composting system. An engineering model combined momentum transfer was built to simulate the airflow, temperature, and oxygen concentration distribution; thus, the composting equipment parameters could be preliminarily ensured. The aeration period emitted more carbon dioxide per unit time than the non-aeration period. Over 83% of methane was emitted during nonaeration period. GHG emissions in after-turning period were lower than those both in the nonaeration and aeration periods. Through modeling, momentum lost around 34% by frictional resistance when air flows in pipes. The difference of inlet oxygen velocity distribution of pipe's pores was not over 10%, because high pressure provided by a fan could slow down the frictional resistance along the pipeline. The temperature distribution simulation followed the rules of heat diffusion and convection. The oxygen concentration in piles was transferred by its concentration condition fitting Fick law. Model well simulated the actual condition and composting routine could provide support for composting system design and composting management. Because of the complex condition of large-scale composting, modeling of the airflow simulation on GHG emissions should be further investigated. Image 1 • Aeration promotes GHGs overflow from pores and inhibits the anaerobic environment. • Per unit time, more CO 2 and less CH 4 and emitted during the aeration period. • Model simulated airflow and velocity distribution in the pipes and compost piles. • Momentum lost near 34% by resistance when air flows in pipes by modeling. • Distribution of temperature and oxygen concentration were simulated by model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, photodynamic therapy (PDT) emerges as a promising way to initiate immune response and being used in combination with chemotherapy. However, the antitumor effect is restricted due to the poor tumor penetration and retention, premature drug release and immunosuppressive environment of tumor sites. And as the size of nanoparticles plays a key role in drug delivery, series of hyaluronidase-responsive size-reducible biomimetic nanoparticles (mCAuNCs@HA) with different initial sizes are synthesized, and the optimal size of 150 nm is screened out because of the best blood circulation, tumor penetration and retention. Then the photosensitizer pheophorbide A and ROS-responsive paclitaxel dimer prodrug (PXTK) are co-loaded to facilitate on-demand drug release. The hydrolysis byproduct cinnamaldehyde in turn stimulates the ROS production by mitochondria, which compensates for the ROS consumed in the hydrolysis process. Anti-PD-L1 peptide (dPPA) is furthered loaded to alleviate the immunosuppressive environment of tumor and enhance the function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes activated by PDT-induced immunogenic cell death. The combination therapy activates CD4+, CD8+ T cells and NK cells and enhances secretion of cytokines (TNF-α and IL-12) with tumor inhibition rate increased to 84.2% and no metastasis is observed, providing a viable combination therapy for better anti-tumor and anti-metastasis efficacy. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Some biomarkers in drained dialyzate or peritoneal membrane have been found related to the dialyzate/plasma ratio of creatinine at 4 h (D/P Cr) in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). But so far, there is no report on serum markers. Some biomarkers are associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Chemerin is a multifunctional chemoattractant adipokine which plays important roles in inflammation, adipogenesis, and metabolism. We intended to investigate the role of chemerin in the peritoneal membrane transport function and CVDs in incident PD patients. Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted in our PD center. The patients underwent initial standardized peritoneal equilibration test after PD for 4–6 weeks. Level of serum chemerin was determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The patients' CVDs were recorded during the follow-up period. Results: 151 eligible patients with a mean age of 46.59 ± 13.52 years were enrolled, and the median duration of PD was 25.0 months. The median concentration of serum chemerin was 29.09 ng/mL. Baseline D/P Cr was positively correlated with serum chemerin (r = 0.244, p = 0.003). The multivariate analyses revealed that serum chemerin (p = 0.002), age (p = 0.041), albumin (p = 0.000), and high-density lipoprotein (p = 0.022) were independent factors of D/P Cr. The serum chemerin level was significantly higher in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients than that of patients without DM (36.45 ng/mL vs. 27.37 ng/mL, p = 0.000), and there was a significant statistical difference in CVDs between the high chemerin group (≥29.09 ng/mL) and low chemerin group (<29.09 ng/mL) (42 vs. 21%, p = 0.009). Conclusions: Serum chemerin has a positive correlation with baseline D/P Cr in incident PD patients. It may be a biomarker that can predict the baseline transport function of the peritoneal membrane, and serum chemerin may be a risk factor of CVDs for incident PD patients. Multicenter studies with a larger sample size are warranted in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There is little information on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of sacubitril/valsartan (SV) in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) complicated with hypertension or heart failure (HF). This study was designed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of SV in PD patients with complications of hypertension or HF. Methods This was an open-label and cross-sectional study investigating PD patients diagnosed with hypertension or New York Heart Association Class II–IV HF. The concentrations of valsartan, sacubitril and sacubitrilat (LBQ657) were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in plasma, urine and peritoneal dialysate samples. Pharmacodynamics were evaluated by comparing changes in mean sitting systolic blood pressure (msSBP), mean sitting diastolic blood pressure (msDBP), mean sitting heart rate, N-terminal-pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Results Forty patients with PD were enrolled including 27 (67.5%) patients with hypertension, 4 (10%) patients with HF and 9 (22.5%) patients with both hypertension and HF. This study included three treatment cohorts: 50 mg twice daily (BID), 100 mg once daily and 100 mg BID. The plasma maximum drug concentrations in the 100 mg BID group were 1995 ± 1499 ng/mL for valsartan, 171 ± 148 ng/mL for sacubitril and 13 686 ± 7418 ng/mL for LBQ657. The 24-h recovery rate of LBQ657 was 3.77% in urine and 2.23% in peritoneal dialysate. After taking SV, msSBP and msDBP decreased by 19.25 ± 10.32 mmHg and 10.10 ± 8.00 mmHg from baseline, respectively. NT-proBNP decreased by 1436.50 (0.00–18 198.00) from baseline, while LVEF increased by 5.00 (–0.25 to 9.25) from baseline after SV treatment. Conclusions PD and residual renal function contributed only to a minor degree to the elimination of LBQ657. Additionally, a dose of 100 mg BID SV is safe and effective in patients with PD with complications of hypertension or HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is one of the most important supporting therapies for patients with severe cardiopulmonary failure, and the core component of ECMO is the membrane oxygenator. However, in clinical application, the membrane oxygenator faces a dilemma in balancing anticoagulation and hemorrhage risks, which restrains the service life of membrane oxygenator and affects patients' safety seriously. In this work, we introduce poly (1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) and poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) into polyethersulfone (PES) membranes simply by in-situ crosslinking polymerization and nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method. All the modified membranes exhibit favorable hemocompatibility with prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) (>10 s). Besides, the introduction of PAA can improve CO 2 and O 2 permeabilities simultaneously (increased by 36.57% and 30.86% at maximum, respectively, compared with pristine PES membrane). Finally, an ECMO-simulated gas-liquid contactor circulation device is designed, and the modified membranes show better oxygenation performance and CO 2 removal performance. The membrane modification and fabrication methods in this work are simple, low-cost, and easily industrialized. The work has practical guiding significance for the subsequent membrane research and application toward oxygenators. [Display omitted] • The membrane preparation method is easily industrialized and also suitable for hollow fiber membranes. • A normalized ECMO-simulated circulation device is built. • Better comprehensive properties of anticoagulation, antifouling and gas permeability are obtained for the modified membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Functional membrane-covered aerobic composting (FMCAC) reduced CH 4 and N 2 O emissions. • FMCAC promoted O 2 uptake, thereby enhancing substrate degradation and NH 3 production. • FMCAC decreased carbon losses by 7.97%–11.24% and nitrogen losses by 15.43%–34.00%. • Different membranes had different effects on fermentation and gas emissions. • Bacteria and fungi together affected carbon- and nitrogen-containing gas emissions. Carbon and nitrogen evolution and bacteria and fungi succession in two functional membrane-covered aerobic composting (FMCAC) systems and a conventional aerobic composting system were investigated. The micro-positive pressure in each FMCAC system altered the composting microenvironment, significantly increased the oxygen uptake rates of microbes (p < 0.05), and increased the abundance of cellulose- and hemicellulose-degrading microorganisms. Bacteria and fungi together influenced the conversion between carbon and nitrogen forms. FMCAC made the systems less anaerobic and decreased CH 4 production and emissions by 22.16 %–23.37 % and N 2 O production and emissions by 41.34 %–45.37 % but increased organic matter degradation and NH 3 production and emissions by 16.91 %–90.13 %. FMCAC decreased carbon losses, nitrogen losses, and the global warming potential by 7.97 %–11.24 %, 15.43 %–34.00 %, and 39.45 %–42.16 %, respectively. The functional membrane properties (pore size distribution and air permeability) affected fermentation process and gaseous emissions. A comprehensive assessment indicated that FMCAC has excellent prospects for application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomechanical behavior is a fundamental property for the efficient utilization of wheat straw in such applications as fuel and renewable materials. Tensile experiments and lignocellulose analyses were performed on three types of wheat straw. A multi-scale finite element model composed of the microscopic model of the microfibril equivalent volume element and the macroscopic model of straw tissue was proposed based on the physiological structure and lignocellulose components of wheat straw. The tensile properties of wheat straw were simulated by ANSYS software. The predicted stress–strain data were compared with the observed data, and good correspondence was achieved for all three types of wheat straw. The validated multi-scale finite-element (FE) model was then used to investigate the effect of the lignocellulose components on the biomechanical properties of wheat straw. More than 80% of stress is carried by the cellulose fiber, whereas the strain is mainly carried by the amorphous cellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Functional-membrane covering (FMC) increased O 2 utilization and pile temperature. • FMC significantly affected functional enzymes and nitrogen metabolism (p < 0.05). • FMC down-regulated nitrification and denitrification gene abundances. • Coupling of functional genes affected the nitrogen succession process. • FMC increased NH 3 emissions by 14%–73% and decreased N 2 O emissions by 16%–41%. This study investigated and assessed the effect of the functional-membrane covering technique (FMCT) on nitrogen succession during aerobic composting. By comparative experiments involving high-throughput sequencing and qPCR, nitrogen metabolism (including the ko00910 pathway and functional enzyme and gene abundances) was analyzed, and the nitrogen succession mechanism was identified. The FMCT created a micro-positive pressure, improved the aerobic conditions, and increased the oxygen utilization rate and temperature. This strongly affected the nitrogen metabolism pathway and down-regulated the nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria abundances. The FMCT up-regulated the relative abundance of glutamate dehydrogenase and down-regulated the absolute abundances of AOB and nxrA. This and the high temperature increased NH 3 emissions by 13.78%–73.37%. The FMCT down-regulated the abundances of denitrifying gene groups (nirS + nirK)/ nosZ and nitric oxide reductase associated with N 2 O emissions and decreased N 2 O emissions by 16.44%–41.15%. The results improve the understanding of the mechanism involved in nitrogen succession using the FMCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Lead (Pb) poisoning causes permanent neurologic and developmental disorders and remains an important environmental health problem for US children, despite removal of Pb from gasoline and household paints. To better understand the contribution of Pb from historical traffic and residential Pb based paint to soil Pb concentrations in Los Angeles, we analyzed 550 soil Pb samples from south central Los Angeles County, CA, in relation to land-use patterns (commercial, industrial, residential, and parks and open areas) and proximity to freeways, highways, and major arterials. House age variables (surrogates of historical Pb-based paint) and traffic index variables (surrogates of historical traffic) were created at different buffer distances (10–5000m). Total and bioavailable Pb concentrations near freeways and major arterials were significantly higher than those collected elsewhere. Total and bioavailable Pb concentrations were highly correlated (r=0.96) after the removal of one outlier. Both parcel-age related variables and traffic variables were important predictors of current soil bioavailable Pb concentrations. Average age of parcels within 30m and length of small streets within 3000m explained 57% and 38% of the variance, respectively, in soil bioavailable Pb concentrations in residential areas away from freeways and major arterials (N=44). Road length of freeways within 750m explained 28% of bioavailable Pb concentrations in parks and open areas (N=26). Multi-variable regression models predicted 16–61% of the variances in bioavailable Pb concentrations, depending on land-use type and spatial relationship to roadways. Based on these models a map of spatial distributions of soil Pb concentrations was created for the Los Angeles area that shows promise as a screening tool to evaluate continued Pb poisoning in children. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • FMC increased pile temperature and promoted compost maturity. • FMC decreased NH 3 and N 2 O emissions by 7.34% and 26.27%, respectively. • Micro-positive pressure promoted aerobic composting and decreased gas emissions. • FMC up-regulated the amoA and nosZ genes and down-regulated the nirK and nirS genes. • FMC clearly affected the evolution of nitrogen and related functional genes. The effects of functional membrane covering (FMC) on nitrogen transformation and related functional genes during aerobic composting were investigated by performing a comparable experiment. The FMC increased the pile temperature, promoted compost maturity, and decreased nitrogen loss. The FMC reduced NH 3 and N 2 O emissions by 7.34% and 26.27%, respectively. The water film and the micro-positive pressure environment under the membrane effectively prevented NH 3 escaping. The FMC up-regulated the amoA gene copy number (promoting NH 3 /NH 4 + oxidation). The reduction of N 2 O emission by the FMC was mainly related to denitrifying genes (nirK, nirS, and nosZ). The FMC down-regulated the nirK and nirS gene copy numbers, but up-regulated the nosZ gene copy number. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that the functional membrane characteristics and differences between the composting pile environments caused by the FMC significantly affected the nitrogen forms and the related functional genes. The FMC strongly decreased nitrogen emissions and therefore conserved nitrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Membrane coverage technology (CT) was suitable for dairy manure aerobic composting. • CH 4 and N 2 O emission decreased by 99.89% and 60.48% in the CT group. • The total greenhouse gas emission decreased by 70.76% in the CT group. • Intermittent aeration promoted the greenhouse gas emission reduction performance. • Aeration period repaired the water layer to reduce NH 3 emission. In this study, the effects of covering the compost pile with a semi-permeable membrane in combination with intermittent aeration on the gas emissions during aerobic composting from the solid fraction of dairy manure at industrial scale were investigated. A large-scale composting experiment was carried out to compare a membrane-covered (CT) group with a control (CK) group. The results indicated that the CT group could maintain a suitable aerobic and positive micro-pressure environment. The carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ammonia emissions outside the membrane during the aeration interval were reduced by 64.23%, 70.07%, 54.87%, and 11.32%, respectively, compared with that inside the membrane. It was also determined that the methane and nitrous oxide emissions from the CT group were reduced by 99.89% and 60.48% relative to the CK group, confirming that the combined process represented a novel strategy for reducing gas emissions during dairy manure composting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current olivine structure LiFePO4 possesses poor conductivity, which makes it unsuitable for unparalleled battery applications. This issue can be solved by improved design concepts of binder systems. Herein, an original waterborne binder polymer with efficient functional groups is designed and fabricated for LiFePO4 cathodes of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Compared to universal lithiated ionomer binders, the introduction of the zwitterionic structure of the ionomer enhances the ionic conductivity by nearly 100-fold. LiFePO4 cathodes assembled with limited 1.5 wt% lithiated zwitterionic ionomer (LZI) maintain markedly stable cycling performances with 95.62% retention at 1C after 250 cycles. Also, LZI-cathodes preserve good integrity structures after cycling, as confirmed by morphology analysis. In sum, LZI-cathodes look promising for potential applications in LIBs due to their numerous advantageous characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of micro-positive pressure formed by covering with a semipermeable membrane in the heating phase of dairy manure composting on greenhouse gas emissions and the mechanism of reducing methane emissions by the archaeal community were investigated. A large-scale experiment was conducted with semipermeable membrane-covered composting (SMC), forced aeration composting (FAC), and traditional static composting (TSC) groups. The results showed that the oxygen concentration and methanogen abundance were key factors in regulating methane emissions. In the heating phase of SMC, the micro-positive pressure could enhance the O 2 utilization rate and heating rate, resulting in Methanobrevibacter and Methanobacterium greatly decreasing, and the abundance of mcrA decreased by 90.03%, while that of pmoA did not increase. Compared with FAC and TSC, the cumulative methane emissions in SMC decreased by 51.75% and 96.04%, respectively. Therefore, the micro-positive pressure could effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by inhibiting the growth of methanogens. [Display omitted] • Covering a functional membrane in the heating phase decreased GHG emissions. • The micro-positive pressure reduced GHG emissions by inhibiting CH 4 emissions. • Methanobrevibacter and Methanobacterium were inhibited in the heating phase. • The abundance of mcrA decreased by 90.03% during membrane-covered period. • Inactivation of methanogens was the key to decreased CH 4 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Construction of robust polymer coating for micro-sized SiO x based a polydopamine-mediated strategy. • Interfacial effect of polymer coating for micro-sized SiO x to suppress electrolyte corrosion and stable solid-electrolyte interface layer. • Remarkable improvement in cycling performance of pouch-cells with the functional polymer-coated SiO x. Functional polymer coating is one of effective strategies to achieve high performance Si-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Unfortunately, many functional polymers are incompatible with carbon layer which are important for electrical conductivity of Si-based composites, especially for carbon-coated SiO x microparticles (SiOC). Here, we present a polydopamine (PDA)-mediated strategy that enables a robust polyacrylamide (PAM) polymer to effectively couple with SiOC microparticles through the PDA bridge. As a robust barrier, the PDA-PAM coating effectively inhibits electrolyte corrosion while promoting the formation of a stable solid electrolyte interface layer. The resulting SiOC@PDA-PAM microparticles display enhanced cycling stability without sacrificing their rate performance. The pouch cell incorporated with 10 wt% SiOC@PDA-PAM in graphite anode has a superior capacity retention of 85.1% after 800 cycles and an improved storage performance due to the stable interfacial chemistry of SiOC@PDA-PAM. Considering the strong adhesion and easy functionalization of PDA for surface modification, this work spotlights the prospect of developing more functional polymer coating to extend the cycling life of Si-based anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among biological fluids, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) not only protects and support brain, but also plays a pivotal role in intracerebral interaction of various nano-drug carriers. However, it is still uncertain how protein corona from CSF affects the targeting capability of functionalized nanoparticles (NPs). So, two types of polystyrene NPs, including PEGylated polystyrene NPs (PN) and transferrin (Tf)-modified PN (PT), were used to obtain protein corona-coated NPs, by incubating with CSF in vivo and in vitro. Strikingly, both the corona-coated NPs recovered in vivo and in vitro completely lost their active targeting characteristics towards bEnd.3 and C6 cells. Charge-, clathrin- and energy-mediated endocytosis contributed to the improved uptake efficiency of PT, whereas this enhancement in uptake of PT was disappeared after the formation of CSF protein corona. Moreover, serum albumin, which were found both in vivo and in vitro CSF corona, could mediate and facilitate the internalization of corona-coated NPs. Overall, these results have distinctly confirmed that the formation of CSF protein corona could cause the loss of active targeting specificity by shielding the targeting groups on the surface of polystyrene NPs and alter their cellular uptake by other non-specific internalization pathways. [Display omitted] • CSF readily interacts with NPs and influences their properties. • CSF protein corona could cause the loss of active targeting specificity • CSF protein corona could alter their cellular uptake [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is hindered due to the hard blood–brain barrier (BBB) penetration and non‐selective distribution of drugs in the brain. Moreover, the complicated pathological mechanism of AD involves various pathway dysfunctions that limit the effectiveness of a single therapeutic drug. Herein, a dendrigraft poly‐l‐lysines (DGL)‐based siRNA and D peptide (Dp) loaded nanoparticle is designed that could target and penetrate through the BBB, enter the brain parenchyma, and further accumulate at the AD lesion. In this system, T7 peptide, which specifically targets transferrin receptors on the BBB, is linked to DGL via acid‐cleavable long polyethylene glycol (PEG) to achieve high internalization, quick escape from endo/lysosome, and effective transcytosis. Then, the Tet1, which specifically targets diseased neurons, is modified onto DGL by short PEG. After being exposed, Tet1 could drive the nanoparticles to the AD lesion and release the drugs. As a result, the production of β amyloid plaques (Aβ) is inhibited. Neurotoxicity induced by Aβ plaques and tau proten phosphorylation (p‐tau) tangle is also alleviated, and the cognition of AD mice is significantly improved. Overall, this system programmatically targets BBB and neurons, thus, significantly enhances the intracephalic drug accumulation and AD treatment efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Membrane-covered coupled with aeration effectively reduced GHG emissions. • Membrane-covered coupled with aeration could create a stable aerobic environment. • Membrane-covered coupled with aeration enhanced metabolism function. • O 2 concentration was key to affecting bacterial community function and CH 4 emission. • GHG emissions were regulated by anaerobic bacteria during aerobic composting. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from manure management processes deserve more attention. Using three industrial-scale experiments, this study comprehensively evaluated the effects of different aeration coupled with semi-permeable membrane-covered strategies on the structure and function of bacterial communities and their impact on GHG emissions during dairy manure aerobic composting. The succession of the bacterial communities tended to be consistent for similar aeration strategies. Ruminiclostridium and norank_f__MBA03 were significantly positively correlated with the methane emission rate, and forced aeration coupled with semi-permeable membrane-covered decreased GHG emissions by inhibiting these taxa. Metabolism was the most active function of the bacterial communities, and its relative abundance accounted for 75.69%–80.23%. The combined process also enhanced carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism. Therefore, forced aeration coupled with semi-permeable membrane-covered represented a novel strategy for reducing global warming potential by regulating the structure and function of the bacterial communities during aerobic composting of dairy manure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Membrane-covered aerobic composting (MCAC) reduces 7.11%-12.42% of NH 3 being released. • MCAC upregulated relative abundances of CAZymes and improved carbon source use. • MCAC upregulated relative abundances of deaminases and enhanced ammonification. • MCAC accelerated organic degradation in the outer layer (∼25 μm) of compost particles. • MCAC promoted synergistic carbon–nitrogen degradation. Ammonia (NH 3) emissions accompanying aerobic composting cause significant atmospheric pollution and nitrogen losses. Understanding the mechanisms of NH 3 production and emission can help optimize composting strategies. Here, environmental parameters, microbial communities, microbial metabolism, and organic component degradation were characterized at the pile and particle scales during atmospheric aerobic composting and in two membrane-covered aerobic composting (MCAC) systems. Pile-scale results showed that NH 3 emission was concentrated in the thermophilic phase; MCAC significantly increased the relative abundances of aerobic lignocellulose-degrading bacteria, carbohydrate-degrading enzymes, and deaminases (P < 0.05); MCAC increased microbial ammonification and carbon source use. The degradation and distribution of organic components in compost particles were visualized for the first time by Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy: MCAC increased the degradation of polysaccharide-like substances and glycoside-like substances in the particles, and accelerated the degradation of proteins to amide-like substances within the outer layer ∼ 25 μm of particles. We speculated that the micro-positive pressure (∼500 Pa) created by MCAC enhanced the dissolution–diffusion of oxygen into compost particles, thereby facilitating aerobic degradation of organic components. Taken together, micro-positive pressure in the MCAC systems promoted the co-degradation of carbon and nitrogen substrates, which probably increased NH 3 production potential, while the water films attached to the inside and outside of the semi-permeable membrane in MCAC were effective in reducing NH 3 release by 7.11 %–12.42 %. These findings provide new insights for MCAC improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerobic composting is a promising technology for converting manure into organic fertilizer with low capital investment and easy operation. However, the large nitrogen losses in conventional aerobic composting impede its development. Interconversion of nitrogen species was studied during membrane-covered aerobic composting (MCAC) and conventional aerobic composting, and solid-, liquid-, and gas-phase nitrogen migration pathways were identified by performing nitrogen balance measurements. During the thermophilic phase, nitrogenous organic matter degradation and therefore NH 3 production were faster during MCAC than uncovered composting. However, the water films inside and outside the membrane decreased NH 3 release by 13.92%–22.91%. The micro-positive pressure environment during MCAC decreased N 2 O production and emission by 20.35%–27.01%. Less leachate was produced and therefore less nitrogen and other pollutants were released during MCAC than uncovered composting. The nitrogen succession patterns during MCAC and uncovered composting were different and NH 4 + storage in organic nitrogen fractions was better facilitated during MCAC than uncovered composting. Overall, MCAC decreased total nitrogen losses by 33.24%–50.07% and effectively decreased environmental pollution and increased the nitrogen content of the produced compost. [Display omitted] • Membrane-covered aerobic composting (MCAC) decreased total N loss by 33.24%–50.07%. • MCAC decreased N 2 O but increased NH 3 production and emissions. • The water film in the MCAC system prevented 13.92%–22.91% of NH 3 emissions. • MCAC promoted conversion of NH 4 + into organic N and therefore decreased N losses. • MCAC significantly decreased leachate production during composting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is very important to reduce methane production and emission during aerobic composting. In this study, the effects of covering with a semi-permeable membrane during pig manure and wheat straw composting were investigated. Two laboratory-scale composting reactors were used: the membrane covered treatment (treatment A) and the control treatment (treatment B). Composting in treatment A effectively improved the oxygen utilization rate and decreased methane emissions by 22.42% relative to the control treatment. Quantification of functional genes and Pearson rank correlations showed that the mcrA and mcrA/pmoA gene abundances were significantly positively correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with the interstitial oxygen concentration, and that the pmoA gene abundance was positively correlated with the carbon: nitrogen ratio and moisture content. Therefore, increasing the aeration rate and optimizing the carbon: nitrogen ratio and moisture content will decrease methane emissions. Together, the results demonstrate that coverage membrane could be a novel strategy for reducing methane emissions during composting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria play an important role in organic matter degradation and maturity during aerobic composting. This study analyzed composting with or without a membrane cover in laboratory-scale aerobic composting reactor systems. 16S rRNA gene analysis was used to study the bacterial community succession during composting. The richness of the bacterial community decreased and the diversity increased after covering with a semi-permeable membrane and applying a slight positive pressure. Principal components analysis based on operational taxonomic units could distinguish the main composting phases. Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size analysis indicated that covering with a semi-permeable membrane reduced the relative abundance of anaerobic Clostridiales and pathogenic Pseudomonas and increased the abundance of Cellvibrionales . In membrane-covered aerobic composting systems, the relative abundance of some bacteria could be affected, especially anaerobic bacteria. Covering could effectively promote fermentation, reduce emissions and ensure organic fertilizer quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commercial application of silicon anodes in Li-ion batteries has been seriously hindered by their poor cycling stability because of their huge volume changes during cycling. In this paper a self-healing ionomer binder, as a crosslinked lithiated polymer, is designed and synthesized for Si/graphite anodes with a low binder content of 1.8 wt%. The self-healing ionomer binder can form hydrogen bonds with Si and graphite particles, which can effectively control the swelling of the electrodes and retain the integrity of the electrodes upon cycling. In addition, Li+ in molecule chains can shorten the pathway to the surface of active materials. After cycling, the thickness of the electrodes using a self-healing ionomer binder increases by only about 30%. The self-healing ionomer binder enables enhanced cycling retention and can be used as a significant potential candidate for Si/graphite anodes with a commercial areal capacity of 3 mA h cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollutants in livestock manure have a compound effect during aerobic composting, but research to date has focused more on single factors. This study investigated the effects of adding amoxicillin (AMX), copper (Cu) and both (ACu) on nitrogen transformation and the microbial mechanisms in cow manure aerobic composting with wheat straw. In this study, compared with CK, AMX, Cu, and ACu increased NH 3 cumulative emissions by 32.32%, 41.78% and 8.32%, respectively, due to their inhibition of ammonia oxidation. Coexisting AMX and Cu decreased the absolute abundances of amoA/ nxrA genes and increased the absolute abundances of nirS / nosZ genes, but they had an antagonistic effect on the changes in functional gene abundances. Pseudomonas and Luteimonas were enriched during the thermophilic and cooling periods due to the addition of AMX and ACu, which enhanced denitrification in these two groups. Moreover, adding AMX and/or Cu led to more complex bacterial networks, but the effect of the two pollutants was lower than those of the individual pollutants. These findings provide theoretical and experimental support for controlling typical combined pollution with antibiotics and heavy metals in livestock manure. [Display omitted] • Pseudomonas and Luteimonas were the main contributors to enhance denitrification. • Coexisting AMX and Cu decreased amoA / nxrA genes and increased nirS / nosZ genes. • AMX and Cu had an antagonistic effect on amoA , nxrA , nirS , and nosZ genes. • Coexisting AMX and Cu increased complexity of bacterial network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Micro-aerobic conditions improved compost product quality. • Micro-aerobic conditions were conducive to DOC generation and retention. • Aromatic polymerization was greater under micro-aerobic than static conditions. • Mycothermus dominated the composting process. • The proportion of soil saprotrophs was 5.18% higher after micro-aerobic composting. This study investigated the effects of micro-aerobic conditions on fungal community succession and dissolved organic matter transformation during dairy manure membrane-covered composting. The results showed that lignocellulose degradation in the micro-aerobic composting group (AC: oxygen concentration < 5 %) was slower than that in the static composting group (SC: oxygen concentration < 1 %), but the dissolved organic carbon in AC was greatly increased. The degree of aromatic polymerization was higher in AC than in SC. But the carboxyl carbon and alcohol/ether biodegradations were faster in SC than in AC, which promoted carbon dioxide and methane emissions, respectively. The relative abundances of pathogenic and dung saprotrophic fungi in AC were 44.6 % and 10.59 % lower than those in SC on day 30, respectively. Moreover, the relative abundance of soil saprotrophs increased by 5.18 % after micro-aerobic composting. Therefore, micro-aerobic conditions improved the quality of compost products by influencing fungal community evolution and dissolved organic matter transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Membrane-covered composting (MC + AC) effectively reduced methane production. • Average methane concentration in MC + AC was 27.48% lower than that in SC. • Methanobacteriales was inhibited in the early stage of aerobic composting. • Restricting acetoclastic pathway was key to inhibiting methanogenesis. • ACSS and cdhC were the key genes regulating the acetoclastic pathway. In this study, the microbial mechanism of reducing methanogenesis during membrane-covered aerobic composting from solid dairy manure was investigated. An industrial-scale experiment was carried out to compare a static composting group (SC) and a forced aeration composting group (AC) with a semipermeable membrane-covered composting group (MC + AC). The results showed that the semipermeable membrane-covered could improve the oxygen utilization rate and inhibit the anaerobic bacterial genus Hydrogenispora and archaea order Methanobacteriales. During the membrane-covered period, the acetoclastic methanogenesis module in MC + AC, AC and SC decreased by 0.58%, 0.05% and 0.04%, respectively, and the cdhC gene in the acetoclastic pathway was found to be decreased by 65.51% only in MC + AC. Changes in methane metabolism pathways resulted in a 27.48% lower average methane concentration in MC + AC than in SC. Therefore, the semipermeable membrane-covered strategy can effectively reduce methane production during dairy manure aerobic composting by restricting the methanogenesis of the acetoclastic pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer binders are critical auxiliary additives to Li-ion batteries that provide adhesion and cohesion for electrodes to maintain conductive networks upon charge/discharge processes. Therefore, polymer binders become interconnected electrode structures affecting electrochemical performances, especially in LiFePO4 cathodes with one-dimensional Li+ channels. In this paper, recent improvements in the polymer binders used in the LiFePO4 cathodes of Li-ion batteries are reviewed in terms of structural design, synthetic methods, and working mechanisms. The polymer binders were classified into three types depending on their effects on the performances of LiFePO4 cathodes. The first consisted of PVDF and related composites, and the second relied on waterborne and conductive binders. Profound insights into the ability of binder structures to enhance cathode performance were discovered. Overcoming the bottleneck shortage originating from olivine structure LiFePO4 using efficient polymer structures is discussed. We forecast design principles for the polymer binders used in the high-performance LiFePO4 cathodes of Li-ion batteries. Finally, perspectives on the application of future binder designs for electrodes with poor conductivity are presented to provide possible design directions for chemical structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A chemical vapor deposition method to deposit Si uniformly on the MOF is achieved. • An ingenious core-shell structure with the outer thin carbon shell, homogeneous deposition of Si and inner porous graphitized network. • The inner porous network is favorable for the diffusion kinetics of lithium-ion. • The integrity of structure, especially the stability of the SEI film, is investigated in detail. • The CoMOF-D@Si@C composite exhibits an outstanding rate capacity and excellent ultralong cycling at a larger current density. Silicon (Si) is considered as the most promising candidate for anode materials in the next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Regulating the morphology and structure of Si plays a vital role in alleviating the volume expansion and improving electronic conductivity. Herein, an ingenious core-shell structure (denoted as CoMOF-D@Si@C) is synthesized by depositing Si uniformly on the pyrolytic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and then encapsulated with a carbon shell. The CoMOF-D@Si@C exhibits excellent rate capability and cycle performance, which delivers a high-rate capability of ~957 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1 and a reversible capacity of 1493 mAh g−1 after 400 cycles. In particular, the capacity is maintained at 648 mAh g−1 after 1200 cycles at a high current density of 4 A g−1 with a rapid increase of the Coulombic efficiency (CE) to 99.8% after only 5 cycles and the average CE (99.7%) in the whole cycling at 4 A g−1. Profiting from the outer carbon shell, uniform Si deposition and inner porous pyrolytic MOF structure, this architecture can maintain structural stability and provide constructive conductivity during cycling processes. The superior electrochemical performance of the CoMOF-D@Si@C composite makes it a promising anode material for LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modification of targeting ligands on nanoparticles (NPs) is anticipated to enhance the delivery of therapeutics to diseased tissues. However, once exposed to the blood stream, NPs can immediately adsorb proteins to form the "protein corona," which may greatly hinder the targeting ligand from binding to its receptor. For brain-targeting delivery, nanotherapeutics must traverse the blood–brain barrier (BBB) to enter the brain parenchyma and then target the diseased cells. However, it remains elusive whether, apart from receptor recognition, the protein corona can affect other processes involved in BBB transcytosis, such as endocytosis, intracellular trafficking, and exocytosis. Furthermore, the targeting ability of NPs toward diseased cells after transcytosis remains unclear. Herein, transferrin (Tf), a brain-targeting ligand, was coupled to NPs to evaluate BBB transcytosis and brain tumor targeting ability. Different impacts of the in vitro and in vivo protein corona on receptor targeting, lysosomal escape, and BBB transcytosis were found. The in vitro protein corona abolished the Tf-mediated effects of the abovementioned processes, whereas the in vivo protein corona attenuated these effects. After crossing the BBB, Tf retained its targeting specificity towards brain tumor cells. Together, these results revealed that several bound apolipoproteins, especially apolipoprotein A-I, may help NPs traverse the BBB, thereby providing novel insights into the development of brain-targeted delivery. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]