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Gliosarcoma (GSM) is a highly aggressive variant of brain cancer with an extremely unfavorable prognosis. Prognosis is not feasible by traditional methods because of a lack of staging criteria, and the present study aims to screen more detailed demographic factors to predict the prognostic factors of the tumors. For this study, we extracted data of patients diagnosed with GSM from the SEER (Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results) database between 2000 and 2019. To account for the influence of competing risks, we used a Cumulative Incidence Function. Subsequently, univariate analysis was conducted to evaluate the individual variables under investigation. Specifically for patients with GSM, we generated cumulative risk curves for specific mortality outcomes and events related to competing risks. In addition, we used both univariate and multivariate Cox analysis to account for non–GSM-related deaths that may confound our research. The competing risk model showed that age, marital status, tumor size, and adjuvant therapy were prognostic factors in GSM-related death. The analysis results showed that older age (60–70 years, ≥71 years) and larger tumor size (≥5.3 cm) significantly increased the risk of GSM-related death. Conversely, surgical intervention, chemotherapy, and being single were identified as protective factors against GSM-related death. Our study using a competing risk model provided valuable insights into the prognostic factors associated with GSM-related death. Further research and clinical interventions targeted at minimizing these risk factors and promoting the use of protective measures may contribute to improved outcomes and reduced mortality for patients with GSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of mortality worldwide, primarily attributed to the restricted regenerative potential of the adult human heart following injury. In contrast to their adult counterparts, many neonatal mammals can spontaneously regenerate their myocardium in the first few days of life via extensive proliferation of the pre-existing cardiomyocytes. Reasons for the decline in regenerative capacity during postnatal development, and how to control it, remain largely unexplored. Accumulated evidence suggests that the preservation of regenerative potential depends on a conducive metabolic state in the embryonic and neonatal heart. Along with the postnatal increase in oxygenation and workload, the mammalian heart undergoes a metabolic transition, shifting its primary metabolic substrate from glucose to fatty acids shortly after birth for energy advantage. This metabolic switch causes cardiomyocyte cell-cycle arrest, which is widely regarded as a key mechanism for the loss of regenerative capacity. Beyond energy provision, emerging studies have suggested a link between this intracellular metabolism dynamics and postnatal epigenetic remodeling of the mammalian heart that reshapes the expression of many genes important for cardiomyocyte proliferation and cardiac regeneration, since many epigenetic enzymes utilize kinds of metabolites as obligate cofactors or substrates. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of metabolism and metabolite-mediated epigenetic modifications in cardiomyocyte proliferation, with a particular focus on highlighting the potential therapeutic targets that hold promise to treat human heart failure via metabolic and epigenetic regulations. • Mammalian heart switches its main metabolic substrate from glucose to fatty acids shortly after birth for energy advantage. • The metabolic switch is regarded as a key mechanism for the loss of regenerative capacity. • Metabolites can mediate cardiomyocyte proliferation through regulating epigenetic modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel Z-scheme rGO/Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /InVO 4 ternary heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully prepared using reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as the electronic medium. The optimum sample 0.3% rGO/Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /InVO 4 can degrade 99.1% Rhodamine B (RhB) and 77.48% tetracycline (TC) in 75 min, and can inactivate Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) within 30 min under the LED light. The crystal structure, morphology, composition, specific surface area, photoelectric chemical properties, and photodegradation properties were studied. Compared with binary Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /InVO 4 and single photocatalyst, rGO/Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /InVO 4 ternary heterojunction photocatalyst presented the best degradation and antibacterial performance, which is mainly due to the introduction of rGO, which can enhance the absorption of photons, and the separation and migration efficiency of photoexcited carriers. The capture experiment of active substances showed that both h+ and •O 2 − were the main active substances in the photocatalytic process. The probable photocatalytic degradation pathway of TC was proposed by mass spectrometry (MS) determination of the intermediate. The experimental results show that Z-scheme rGO/Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /InVO 4 is a promising photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the high randomness and volatility of renewable energy sources such as wind energy, the traditional thermal unit commitment (UC) model is no longer applicable. In this paper, in order to reduce the possible negative effects of an inaccurate wind energy forecast, the chance-constrained programming (CCP) method is used to study the UC problem with uncertainty wind power generation, and chance constraints such as power balance and spinning reserve are satisfied with a predetermined probability. In order to effectively solve the CCP problem, first, we used the sample average approximation (SAA) method to transform the chance constraints into deterministic constraints and to obtain a mixed-integer quadratic programming (MIQP) model. Then, the quadratic terms were incorporated into the constraints by introducing some auxiliary variables, and some second-order cone constraints were formed by combining them with the output characteristics of thermal unit; therefore, a tighter mixed-integer second-order cone programming (MISOCP) formulation was obtained. Finally, we applied this method to some systems including 10 to 100 thermal units and 1 to 2 wind units, and we invoked MOSEK in MATLAB to solve the MISOCP formulation. The numerical results obtained within 24 h confirm that not only is the MISOCP formulation a successful reformulation that can achieve better suboptimal solutions, but it is also a suitable method for solving the large-scale uncertain UC problem. In addition, for systems of up to 40 units within 24 h that do not consider wind power and pollution emissions, the numerical results were compared with those of previously published methods, showing that the MISOCP formulation is very promising, given its excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous progress of urbanization and the rapid development of building facade floodlighting, problems such as excessive lighting, serious light pollution, and high energy consumption are becoming increasingly prominent. In this paper, three methods comprising field measurement, questionnaire survey, and energy-efficiency simulation were integrated to develop the floodlighting luminance control curve of a building facade at night and also to carry out an energy-efficiency analysis. Through the field measurement of the floodlighting of the building facade, combined with the method of scene simulation, several virtual combined scene pictures with different sky luminance and different floodlighting luminance of the building facade were made. Furthermore, the optimal floodlighting luminance range as the sky luminance varies was obtained in the form of a questionnaire when the virtual scene pictures were presented on a computer. Then, the floodlighting luminance control curve with the decrease of the sky luminance was developed to achieve the purpose of reducing energy consumption. Finally, energy efficiency analysis of the lighting control curve was undertaken. The result revealed that when the sky background luminance is 8.98–0.51 cd/m2, the recommended floodlighting luminance range of the building facade is 6.13–4.44 cd/m2. What is particularly interesting is that the energy-saving effect is remarkable, and the energy-saving rate at each time is greater than 15%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Z-scheme heterostructure of Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /InVO 4 composite was synthesized by a hydrothermal and calcination process. The composite exhibited excellent degradation and antibacterial properties against TC, RhB, E. coli , and S. aureus under LED light. The synergistic effect of Z-scheme heterostructure played an important role in photocatalytic process. h+, •OH and •O 2 − are all active species in the photocatalytic reaction. The synthesis of Z-scheme Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /InVO 4 heterojunction provides a new idea with great potential for application in environmental governance. [Display omitted] The design of a photocatalytic system with Z-scheme heterojunction is the key to charge separation. In this paper, a simple synthesis method was used to prepare Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /InVO 4 photocatalyst. The synthesized photocatalyst can effectively degrade pollutants, and inactivate bacteria under LED light irradiation. The optimal ratio of 30% Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /InVO 4 material effectively degraded 78.85% of TC and 97.83% of RhB within 90 min and inactivated Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in 40 min. This improvement in photocatalytic performance is mainly due to the formation of a Z-scheme heterojunction between Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 and InVO 4 , which produces effective charge separation and improves photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial activity. The capture experiment revealed the main active substances. The effects of catalyst dosage and pollutant concentration were investigated in details. The intermediates of TC degradation were identified by mass spectrometry (MS), and the possible photocatalytic degradation pathway was proposed. Capture experiment and related measurements proposed the Z-scheme mechanism. This work emphasizes the importance of heterogeneous structure construction and proposes feasible solutions for the rational design of catalysts with photodegradation and antibacterial properties under LED light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The stabilization of oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsions has long been explored. Assembly of polymer networks is an effective method for stabilizing O/W emulsions. Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a plant polysaccharide and the network of KGM gel is a good candidate for stabilizing O/W emulsions based on its high viscosity and thickening properties. However, natural KGM has strong hydrophilicity and is not able to offer interfacial activity. Octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) is a hydrophobic molecule, which is widely used as thickener and stabilizer in food emulsions. In this work, the amphiphilic biopolymer (OSA‐KGM) was fabricated by modifying the KGM with OSA. Furthermore, OSA‐KGM biopolymer was used to prepare O/W emulsions, which were then freeze‐dried and used to prepare oleogels as fat substitute for bakery products. RESULTS: OSA‐KGM had advanced hydrophobicity with water contact angle 81.13° and adsorption behavior at the oil–water interface, with interfacial tension decreasing from 18.52 to 13.57 mN m−1 within 1 h. The emulsification of OSA‐KGM remarkably improved the stability of emulsions without phase separation during storage for 31 days. Oleogels with OSA‐KGM showed good thixotropic and structure recovery properties (approximately 100%) and low oil loss (from 69.5% to 50.4%). Cakes made from oleogels had a softer texture than cakes made from peanut oil and margarine. CONCLUSION: Amphiphilic biopolymer OSA‐KGM shows advanced interfacial activity and hydrophobicity. This paper provides an insight into preparing stable O/W emulsions with a new biopolymer and oleogels potentially applied as fat substitute in bakery products. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study corrosion effects on real structures, three prestressed concrete (PC) girders salvaged from a decommissioned 27-year-old bridge in Alberta, Canada, were studied numerically and compared to experimental tests. Nonlinear finite element (FE) models were developed to simulate the degraded flexural and shear behaviour of PC girders. The FE models were used to infer the possible unknown deterioration conditions (i.e., forensic analysis) by comparing FE-predicted and experimental behaviour of the girders. Based on the developed FE models, comprehensive parametric studies considering various corrosion-induced deteriorations at a wide range of corrosion levels were also conducted. Insights gained from the parametric study assisted assessing other girders under similar conditions. It was found that corrosion defects, such as reinforcement area loss, prestress force loss, and bonding loss in the end anchorage, affect PC girder behaviour significantly and the developed FE models of corroded PC girders can assist girder condition assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel S-scheme CuBi 2 O 4 /Bi 4 O 5 I 2 heterojunction was synthesized by hydrothermal and following calcination route. The photocatalytic performance was estimated by removing four different pollutants (TC, BPA, RhB, and MO) and two kinds of bacteria (E. coli and S. aureus) under LED light. The optimum sample 37% CuBi 2 O 4 /Bi 4 O 5 I 2 can degrade 81% tetracycline (TC) within 90 min, and can inactivate 100% E. coli in 20 min and S. aureus in 40 min. h+, •OH and •O 2 − are active species in the photocatalytic process. The synergistic effect of S-scheme heterojunction makes it possess excellent photocatalytic activity. [Display omitted] The CuBi 2 O 4 /Bi 4 O 5 I 2 S-scheme heterojunction structure was constructed by a hydrothermal and subsequent calcination route. The combination of CuBi 2 O 4 and Bi 4 O 5 I 2 produced excellent photocatalytic performance under an LED light. A series of technical characterizations, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were used to determine the successful construction of S-scheme CuBi 2 O 4 /Bi 4 O 5 I 2 composites. The improvement of photogenerated carrier separation efficiency helped to achieve the best photocatalytic performance of 37% CuBi 2 O 4 /Bi 4 O 5 I 2 , which can degrade tetracycline (TC) to 81.67% in 90 min, and completely inactivate Escherichia coli (E. coli) in 20 min and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in 40 min. The effects of some key parameters (such as the concentration of pollutants, the amount of catalyst, pH value of a solution, various inorganic anions and various water substrates) and the possible degradation path of tetracycline were systematically studied. Finally, the removal of pollutants and inactivation of bacterial mechanisms based on the S-scheme heterojunction (CuBi 2 O 4 /Bi 4 O 5 I 2) was proposed. This study provides insight into the synthesis of S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts, which can efficiently degrade organic pollutants and inactivate bacteria under LED light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yield potential has been significantly increased through hybrid rice breeding in the past, however, the genetic gain in grain yield is becoming marginal in recent years, especially in farmers' field. The increase in climate variability is one potential reason for the stagnant rice grain yield. Moreover, overuse of nitrogen fertilizer and poor grain quality of hybrid rice reduce its advantage over inbred rice. The present study evaluated seventy‐eight elite hybrid varieties in 2014–2018 aiming to determine the climate variability and its influences on grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and grain protein content of the newly bred rice hybrid varieties simultaneously. It was found that daily maximum and minimum temperature, daily radiation varied significantly across planting years. The extreme differences for Tmax, Tmin, and radiation were 2.0°C, 1.5°C, and 3.6 MJ m−2 d−1, respectively. Overall, grain yield of 22 varieties was significantly increased in comparison to that of the control cultivar Yangliangyou6 (YLY6), which was closely dependent on the planting year. Grain yield of these elite varieties ranged from 9.69 to 11.97 t ha−1, and NUE for grain production (NUEg) from 47.3 to 60.9 kg kg−1. The inter‐annual variation in grain yield, NUEg, and grain protein content was significantly related to the average daily minimum temperature (Tmin), due to its effects on grain filling percentage and harvest index. Moreover, these three properties are mutually correlated for all varieties across five years: grain yield positively correlated with NUEg (R2 = 0.46) and negatively correlated with protein content (R2 = 0.32), whereas NUEg negatively related to protein content (R2 = 0.49). These results suggest that enhancing the adaptation to climate variability in hybrid rice breeding is essential and urgent for sustainable rice production in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Novel oxygen vacancy assisted Z-scheme BiO 2−x /BiOBr heterojunction was obtained by an in-situ generation process. The catalyst showed good performance in removing RhB, TC, E. coli and S. aureus under LED light. The synergistic effects of oxygen vacancy and Z-scheme improve the redox ability of photocatalyst. h+, OH and O 2 − are active species in the photocatalytic reaction. It is well known that the most important task of photocatalytic technology is to synthesize photocatalysts with compact heterojunction structure and high redox ability. To achieve the goal, a novel Z-scheme BiO 2−x /BiOBr heterojunction containing oxygen vacancy was synthesized by an in-situ generation process. Several techniques, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have verified the BiO 2−x /BiOBr heterojunction. XPS and electron spin resonance (ESR) reveals the presence of oxygen vacancy in the BiO 2−x /BiOBr composite. As expected, the BiO 2−x /BiOBr composite showed good performance in removing Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Rhodamine B (RhB) and tetracycline (TC). The effects of inorganic ions, pH value and water matrix were investigated with many details. The active species and proposed mechanism were revealed by trapping experiment and related characterizations. The synergistic effect of oxygen vacancy and Z-scheme heterojunction makes the BiO 2−x /BiOBr composite possess excellent photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolonged seedling age (PS) caused by delayed transplanting frequently occurs in double‐season rice (Oryza sativa L.), leading to a significant grain yield loss. However, it is not clear whether optimizing the seeding rate in the nursery and planting density in the field could compensate for this yield loss. Field experiments with two seedling age, two planting density, and two seeding rate treatments were conducted in the early and late growing seasons of 2013 and 2014 in Wuxue County, Hubei Province, China. Increasing the planting density significantly increased grain yield but couldn't completely alleviate the negative effect of PS on grain yield in both early and late growing seasons. Reducing the seeding rate in the nursery significantly increased the grain yield in both seedling age treatments in the late season with an average of 4.4% across treatments and years. There was a significant interaction effect between seedling age and seeding rate on grain yield in the early season, suggesting that yield loss could be significantly mitigated by reducing seeding rate. In conclusion, optimizing seeding rate and planting density could partially compensate for the yield loss caused by PS. Core Ideas: Prolonged seedling age resulted in significant yield loss which was greater in late season.Increasing the planting density couldn't completely mitigate yield losses in both years.Lowering the seeding rate significantly compensated for yield loss in early season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, pullulan (PUL) nanofibrous films incorporated with water-in-oil emulsions (PE) were prepared by microfluidic blowing spinning (MBS). The microstructures of nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). With the addition of W/O emulsions, the thermal stability, mechanical, and water barrier properties of PUL nanofibers were improved. Increases in emulsion content significantly affected the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of nanofibrous films. ABTS and DPPH free radical scavenging rates increased from 10.26 % and 8.57 % to 60.66 % and 57.54 %, respectively. The inhibition zone of PE nanofibers against E. coli and S. aureus increased from 11.00 to 20.00 and from 15.67 to 21.17 mm, respectively. In addition, we investigated the freshness effectiveness of PE nanofibrous films on fresh-cut apples. PE nanofibrous films significantly maintained the firmness, and reduced the weight loss and browning index of the fresh-cut apple, throughout the 4 days of storage. Thus, the PE nanofibrous films exhibited good potential to prolong the shelf life of fresh-cut fruit and promote the development of active food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel S-scheme photocatalyst InVO 4 /Bi 5 O 7 I with a compact heterojunction structure was prepared by hydrothermal combined calcination method, which exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance at low dose and low energy consumption. The antimicrobial and degradation properties of the photocatalysts were evaluated by inactivating E. coli and S. aureus and degrading pollutants (TC and BPA) under LED light irradiation. The best sample was able to completely inactivate E. coli and S. aureus in 30 min, and the degradation rate of TC reached 76.0% in 60 min and that of BPA reached 93.0% in 90 min, and the active species produced in this process were e−, h+, O 2 − and OH. The synergistic effect of S-scheme heterojunction makes it possess excellent photocatalytic activity. [Display omitted] The low efficiency of charge carrier separation is a major limitation hindering the application of photocatalytic technology. Constructing S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts not only effectively promotes the separation of charge carriers, but also maximizes the oxidative and reductive capabilities of the two monomers. In this study S-scheme heterogeneous InVO 4 /Bi 5 O 7 I photocatalyst was synthesized by hydrothermal method combined with calcination. The optimal sample 20 % InVO 4 /Bi 5 O 7 I can completely deactivate Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in 30 min, remove 20 mg/L TC 76.0 % in 60 min and 20 mg/L BPA 93.0 % in 90 min. Intermediate products of TC and BPA degradation were detected using LC-MS, and possible degradation pathways were proposed. The photocurrent and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests confirm that InVO 4 /Bi 5 O 7 I exhibits excellent photocurrent intensity and photocarrier migration ability, which are crucial reasons for the enhancement of the photocatalytic performance of the InVO 4 /Bi 5 O 7 I composite. Capture experiments indicate that OH, O 2 −, h+ and e−are reactive species. EPR further confirms the generation of OH and O 2 −. Combined with Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and band structure analysis, it is proposed that InVO 4 /Bi 5 O 7 I has an S-scheme charge transfer mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friction stir processing (FSP) and subsequent aging heat treatment were used to modify the microstructure of AZ80 magnesium alloy. The influence of FSP and aging heat treatment on the corrosion behavior was systematically studied by using potentiodynamic polarization, immersion, and slow strain rate tensile tests. The results revealed that FSP led to grain refinement, rapid dissolution of β‐phase, and the deflection of c‐axis from transverse direction (TD) and processing direction (PD) by approximately 55° and 25°, respectively, improving the static corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance. The aging heat treatment rendered a little influence on the grain size and slightly affected the grain orientation. The content of β‐phase in FSP‐5 and FSP‐24 samples was 8.1 and 21.8 wt.%, respectively. Static corrosion and SCC resistance of FSP‐5 and FSP‐24 samples were lower than those of the FSP samples. Compared with FSP‐5 sample, the amount of β‐phase and the proportion of Al2O3 increased in FSP‐24 sample, leading to enhanced static corrosion and SCC resistance. SCC behavior was controlled by anodic dissolution, whereas the presence of hydrogen accelerated the SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary cervical cancer screening and treating precancerous lesions are effective ways to prevent cervical cancer. However, the coverage rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and routine screening are low in most developing countries and even some developed countries. This study aimed to explore the benefit of an artificial intelligence-assisted cytology (AI) system in a screening program for a cervical cancer high-risk population in China. Methods: A total of 1231 liquid-based cytology (LBC) slides from women who underwent colposcopy at the Chinese PLA General Hospital from 2018 to 2020 were collected. All women had received a histological diagnosis based on the results of colposcopy and biopsy. The sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), false-positive rate (FPR), false-negative rate (FNR), overall accuracy (OA), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR) and Youden index (YI) of the AI, LBC, HPV, LBC + HPV, AI + LBC, AI + HPV and HPV Seq LBC screening strategies at low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) thresholds were calculated to assess their effectiveness. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to assess the diagnostic values of the different screening strategies. Results: The Se and Sp of the primary AI-alone strategy at the LSIL and HSIL thresholds were superior to those of the LBC + HPV cotesting strategy. Among the screening strategies, the YIs of the AI strategy at the LSIL + threshold and HSIL + threshold were the highest. At the HSIL + threshold, the AI strategy achieved the best result, with an AUC value of 0.621 (95% CI, 0.587–0.654), whereas HPV testing achieved the worst result, with an AUC value of 0.521 (95% CI, 0.484–0.559). Similarly, at the LSIL + threshold, the LBC-based strategy achieved the best result, with an AUC of 0.637 (95% CI, 0.606–0.668), whereas HPV testing achieved the worst result, with an AUC of 0.524 (95% CI, 0.491–0.557). Moreover, the AUCs of the AI and LBC strategies at this threshold were similar (0.631 and 0.637, respectively). Conclusions: These results confirmed that AI-only screening was the most authoritative method for diagnosing HSILs and LSILs, improving the accuracy of colposcopy diagnosis, and was more beneficial for patients than traditional LBC + HPV cotesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient In3+ doped Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /In 2 O 3 photocatalyst was synthesized by simple solvothermal and calcination routes. Rhodamine B (RhB), tetracycline (TC) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were evaluated as model pollutants for the photocatalytic measurement. Under LED light, the optimum sample BIN-2 can kill E. coli in 30 min, 78% of tetracycline (TC) in 75 min, and degrade 100% of RhB in 75 min. The trapping test proved that the superoxide anion radicals (•O 2 -) and holes (h+) played an important role in the photocatalytic process. The intermediates were revealed by mass spectrometry analysis (MS), and the proposed pathway of TC degradation was given. By trapping experiment and related characterizations, a tight Z-scheme was produced, in which In3+ doped Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /In 2 O 3 hybrid structure is realized with a more negative conduction band and a more positive valence band, facilitating the production of active substances and photocatalytic redox reaction. The enhanced photocatalytic activities could be attributed to the well visible light absorption, tight hybrid interface, and efficient separation of photo-generated charges. • A novel In3+ doped Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /In 2 O 3 photocatalyst was prepared. • In3+ doped Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /In 2 O 3 can effectively remove RhB, E. coli , and TC in LED light. • h+and •O 2 - played an important role in the degradation of photocatalytic process. • Tight heterojunction formed between In3+-doped Bi 4 O 5 I 2 porous nanosheets and In 2 O 3 nanoflowers. • A Z-scheme route promoted the separation and transition of charges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) is a promising photocatalyst for photocatalytic field, but how to construct an efficient g-C 3 N 4 nanosheet-based heterostructure is still a challenge by one-step method. In this study, we prepared WO 3-x /2D g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure by one-step calcination approach, which simultaneously produced g-C 3 N 4 nanosheet, heterostructure and oxygen vacancy. The photoactivity of WO 3-x /2D g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure was tested by removing Rhodamine B (RhB), tetracycline (TC) and S. aureus under LED light illumination. The enhanced photoactivity is attributed to the promoted transfer of charge carriers, the broadened light absorption and the increased surface area of composite, which arose from heterostructure, oxygen vacancy and g-C 3 N 4 nanosheet, respectively. This study offers insights into one-step preparation for new photocatalysts in environmental field. • WO 3-x /2D g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure was prepared by one-step calcination. • WO 3-x /2D g-C 3 N 4 can remove RhB, TC and S. aureus under a LED light. • Oxygen vacancy, 2D g-C 3 N 4 and heterostructure are beneficial for the photoactivity. • Oxygen vacancy assisted Z-scheme mechanism was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Novel N-doped BiOIO 3 was synthesized by calcining BiOIO 3 and urea. • N-BiOIO 3 exhibited good visible-light absorption. • N-BiOIO 3 showed good electron-hole separation efficiency. • BiOIO 3 can photodegrade Rhodamine B, bisphenol A, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin. • N-BiOIO 3 showed higher photocatalytic activity than BiOIO 3 under LED light. Abstract Novel LED-light-active N-doped BiOIO 3 was synthesized successfully by calcination treatment of the mixture of BiOIO 3 and urea. It gave a fairly easy way to coordinate the control of bandgap engineering. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the incorporation of nitrogen into the BiOIO 3. In UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (UV–vis), photocurrent-time measurement (PT) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), the N-doped BiOIO 3 exhibits enhanced visible-light absorption and improved photocurrent response compared to pure-BiOIO 3. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated via photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB), bisphenol A (BPA), tetracycline (TC) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) under LED light irradiation. The N-doped BiOIO 3 showed higher photocatalytic activity than pure BiOIO 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis has been intensively used for wastewater remediation, but suffers from unsatisfactory efficiency for treating complex wastewater system, which includes antibiotic, organic dye and bacteria. Herein, we prepared novel SnO2−x/g-C3N4 photocatalysts and introduced oxygen vacancy by partial oxidation of Sn2+ under solvothermal condition. The oxygen vacancy was demonstrated by the X-ray photoelectron and electron spin resonance spectra. Compared with pure SnO2−x, g-C3N4 and stoichiometric SnO2/g-C3N4 composite, the optimum SnO2−x/g-C3N4 composite exhibited higher photoactivity for removing antibiotic (tetracycline hydrochloride) and organic dye (rhodamine B) under light-emitting diode (LED) track light irradiation. Furthermore, the optimum SnO2−x/g-C3N4 composite could completely inactivate Escherichia coli within 30 min. The remarkable performance of SnO2−x/g-C3N4 was mainly ascribed to oxygen vacancy: (i) enhanced the separation efficiency of photo-induced charge carriers between SnO2−x and g-C3N4; (ii) broadened light absorption range due to the formation of SnO2−x with narrow band gap. This work provides a new idea for designing g-C3N4-based photocatalyst with oxygen vacancy toward wastewater remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an important demand for cheap and efficient photocatalysts for dual functional applications. In the study, we report novel 1D MoO3−x/g-C3N4 composite using ethanol as a reducing agent to introduce oxygen vacancy (Ov). The presence of oxygen vacancy has been confirmed by X-ray photoelectron (XPS), electron spin resonance spectra and redox experiments. Compared with MoO3−x, g-C3N4 and fully oxidized MoO3/g-C3N4, the proposed MoO3−x/g-C3N4 composite exhibited a higher photoactivity, effectively degrading methyl orange in 100 min and completely inactivating Escherichia coli in 15 min under visible light-emitting diode irradiation. Trapping experiments demonstrated that holes (h+) and superoxide radicals (·O2−) were the major active species involved in the photocatalytic process. The enhanced photoactivity was attributed to: (1) broadening of the light absorption range associated with the oxygen vacancy, which also served as electron mediators, facilitating the separation of electron-hole pairs, and (2) the 1D nanostructure of MoO3−x, which increased the lifetime of charge carriers. The results provide evidence of the advantages of the introduction of oxygen vacancy with a view to broadening the applications of this photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The variety with large sink size had higher yield and NUE than the medium and small sink size varieties. • High number of spikelets per unit of dry weight, N and accumulation temperature coordinated high grain yield and NUE. • Higher biomass and N accumulation after flowering were one of the reasons for higher NUE of large sink size variety. • Variety with large sink size had high post-heading RUE resulted from improved canopy structure. Abstract Breeding green varieties that have high yield potential and require less resource input is the ideal way to cope with the challenges that human is facing with respect to food security and environmental pollution. However, few studies have focused on how high yield and high resource use efficiency is coordinated in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Here three varieties with different sink size, namely Yongyou4949 (YY4949) with large sink size, Yangliangyou6 (YLY6) with medium sink size, and Huanghuazhan (HHZ) with small sink size, were used in field and pot experiments in 2015–2017. The objective was to examine how enlarged sink size coordinate high yield and high nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE). It was found that YY4949 produced a grain yield of 9.60-11.79 t ha−1 in 2015–2017, which was higher than that of YLY6 by 0.3-1.75 t ha−1, and that of HHZ by 1.3-2.18 t ha−1. N use efficiency for grain production (NUEg) of YY4949 reached 47.7-58.3 kg kg−1 depending on the weather condition, which was 5.3–12.8% higher than that of YLY6 and 15.8–20.7% higher than that of HHZ. The concomitantly higher grain yield and NUEg of YY4949 were due to: (1) higher efficiency of spikelet production in respect of dry matter, N, accumulated temperature and radiation; (2) higher biomass production and N accumulation after flowering; (3) higher RUE after flowering due to the better canopy structure. In conclusion, rice breeding in the future should continue to enlarge the sink size especially through the improvement in production efficiency of sink size, while simultaneously increase the post-heading biomass production capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure, mechanical properties, static and electrochemical corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of friction stir processed AZ80 magnesium alloy were investigated, and the effects of grain size and texture on the SCC were analyzed. The results showed that fine-grained (FG) and coarse-grained (CG) specimens with the average grain size of 2.7 and 7.1 μm was obtained via friction stir processing (FSP) underwater and in air, respectively. Both specimens exhibited the similar characteristics of basal texture. The average microhardness of FG specimen (75.3 HV) was higher than that of CG specimen (69.4 HV) in the stir zone. Grain refinement enhanced both the corrosion and stress corrosion resistances in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. The FG specimen exhibited obvious anisotropy in SCC susceptibility when tested along the processing and transverse directions during slow strain rate tensile test. Texture softening effect accelerated the formation of pitting corrosion, and decreased the SCC performance. Fracture surface of SCC exhibited transgranular brittle fracture. SCC behavior was controlled by anodic dissolution, and the hydrogen accelerated the SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submerged friction stir processing (SFSP), that is, the entire process was carried out underwater, was successfully conducted on low carbon steel. The microstructure, electrochemical corrosion, and salt fog corrosion properties of SFSP low carbon steel were investigated. The results indicated that phase transformation and dynamic recrystallization occurred during SFSP and finally resulted in a dual phase fine grain microstructure in the processed zone (PZ), which consisted of ferrite and homogenous martensite phase. The grain size of ferrite was refined to 5.7 µm, and the width of martensite phase was 650 nm, respectively. In addition to changing the microstructure of low carbon steel, SFSP could also affect its corrosion property. SFSP samples exhibited better resistance against electrochemical corrosion and salt fog corrosion than BM samples. The reason was that, grain refinement and martensite formation induced by SFSP were conducive to forming dense protective layer, which effectively hindered the electrochemical corrosion and salt fog corrosion of the SFSP low carbon steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Producing higher grain yield with less environmental impact is a challenge for the future of agriculture. Breeding green super rice (GSR) varieties is one of the promising ways to meet this challenge. Green super rice is supposed to have better performance than super hybrid rice (SHR) under reduced input condition. In the present study, seven elite candidate GSR varieties and five representative SHR varieties were planted under the farmers’ practice (FP) and the simplified and reduced input practice (SRIP) in 2015 and 2016. The objectives were to compare the grain yield and NUE of the candidate GSR and SHR under FP and SRIP, and investigate the agronomic and physiological traits of GSR. Averaged across all varieties, the reduction in grain yield at SRIP compared to FP was 1.04 t ha −1 in 2015 (10.37%) and 0.50 t ha −1 in 2016 (5.55%). The average grain yield of GSR varieties was similar to that of SHR in 2015, but SHR had significantly greater (7.42%) average grain yield than GSR in 2016. In comparison to FP, yield reduction at SRIP for the candidate GSR and SHR varieties was 9.27% and 11.48% respectively in 2015, and 4.74% and 5.85% respectively in 2016. Grain yield of FP was significantly correlated with that of SRIP (R 2  = 0.73). Averaged across varieties, total aboveground nitrogen uptake and nitrogen use efficiency for grain production between GSR and SHR were comparable. Among the GSR varieties, 9Y6H exhibited relative high yield stability and NUEg across treatments and planting years; however, SHR varieties showed consistently better yield stability than most of the GSR varieties. Overall, candidate GSR varieties had similar response to SRIP with the SHR varieties. In addition to breeding GSR varieties, future studies should also focus on the green traits of the SHR varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of ordinary hybrid rice and super hybrid rice significantly increased the grain yield under non-limited nitrogen (N) fertilizer condition, however, the information on direct comparison of grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) among the high-yielding super hybrid, ordinary hybrid, and inbred rice under low and moderate N rates is limited. Therefore, field experiments with two representative cultivars of each these types were conducted under N0 (0 kg N ha −1 ) and N90 (90 kg N ha −1 ) treatments in 2014 and 2015 in Wuxue County, Hubei Province, China. Grain yield of the super hybrid rice was higher than that of the inbred rice by 3.33-7.41% at N0 and 5.94-10.87% at N90. Similarly, the ordinary hybrid rice outyielded the inbred rice by 4.53-6.17% and 4.35-4.69% at N0 and N90, respectively. The yield advantage of the ordinary hybrid rice over the inbred rice was mainly due to higher aboveground total dry weight (TDW), while for the super hybrid rice, higher grain yield was mainly attributed to higher harvest index (HI) at N0, and both high HI and TDW at N90. Larger leaf area index (LAI) at heading stage and higher crop growth rate (CGR) contributed to higher TDW of the ordinary hybrid rice. Total N uptake at maturity was consistently higher in the ordinary hybrid rice, while the super hybrid rice had significantly higher nitrogen use efficiency for grain production (NUEg) than the inbred rice, which was associated with higher N harvest index (NHI) and lower leaf N concentration of the super hybrid rice. In conclusion, it was found that the super and ordinary hybrid rice exhibited higher yield over the inbred rice at low and moderate N rates, but the physiological mechanisms underlying the yield advantage were different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary hypertension is associated with higher risks of target organ damage and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease events. Early aetiology identification can eliminate aetiologies and control blood pressure. However, inexperienced doctors often fail to diagnose secondary hypertension, and comprehensively screening for all causes of high blood pressure increases health care costs. To date, deep learning has rarely been involved in the differential diagnosis of secondary hypertension. Relevant machine learning methods cannot combine textual information such as chief complaints with numerical information such as the laboratory examination results in electronic health records (EHRs), and the use of all features increases health care costs. To reduce redundant examinations and accurately identify secondary hypertension, we propose a two-stage framework that follows clinical procedures. The framework carries out an initial diagnosis process in the first stage, on which basis patients are recommended for disease-related examinations, followed by differential diagnoses of different diseases based on the different characteristics observed in the second stage. We convert the numerical examination results into descriptive sentences, thus blending textual and numerical characteristics. Medical guidelines are introduced through label embedding and attention mechanisms to obtain interactive features. Our model was trained and evaluated using a cross-sectional dataset containing 11,961 patients with hypertension from January 2013 to December 2019. The F1 scores of our model were 0.912, 0.921, 0.869 and 0.894 for primary aldosteronism, thyroid disease, nephritis and nephrotic syndrome and chronic kidney disease, respectively, which are four kinds of secondary hypertension with high incidence rates. The experimental results show that our model can powerfully use the textual and numerical data contained in EHRs to provide effective decision support for the differential diagnosis of secondary hypertension. [Display omitted] According to the chief complaints (CCs) and history of present illness (HPI) of a patient, our model makes an initial diagnosis as one of 3 kinds of hypertension. Combining the CCs, HPI and recommended examination results, our model makes a differential diagnosis as one of 5 kinds of hypertension. • We build a two-stage model to diagnose of secondary hypertension, which conforms to clinical process. • We use NLP technology to take advantage of the rich information in unstructured text data and effectively integrate it with numerical data. • By converting numerical features into natural language, our model reduces the influence of missing values. • We obtain interactive characteristics of EHR text and medical guidelines through label embedding and attention mechanism. • Based on real-world data, our model exceed the baseline method and doctor team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we prepared polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) microfibers incorporated water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions. The W/O emulsions were fabricated by hexadecyl konjac glucomannan (HKGM, emulsifier), corn oil (oil phase) and purple corn anthocyanins (PCAs, water phase). The structures and functions of emulsions and microfibers were characterized by confocal laser scanning (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The results showed that W/O emulsions exhibited good storage stability for 30 d. Microfibers presented ordered and uniform arrays. Compared with pure PVP microfiber films, the addition of W/O emulsions with PCAs improved the water resistance (WVP from 1.28 to 0.76 g mm/m2 day kPa), mechanical strength (Elongation at break from 18.35 % to 49.83 %), antioxidation (free radical scavenging rate from 2.58 % to 16.37 %), and antibacterial activity (inhibition zone against E. coli : 27.33 mm and inhibition zone against S. aureus : 28.33 mm) of microfiber films. Results showed that microfiber film exhibited controlled release of PCAs in W/O emulsions, and about 32 % of the PCAs were released from the microfiber film after 340 min. The as-prepared microfiber films exhibited potential applications for food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scheme: The mechanism of Z-type Bi 3 O 4 Cl/Bi 4 O 5 I 2 heterojunction is proposed. The tight Z-type heterojunction is formed by the combination of Bi 3 O 4 Cl and Bi 4 O 5 I 2 nanosheets. h+, e- and •OH are the active species in removing E. coli, S. aureus, B. subtilis, P. aeruginosa, TC and RhB. Due to the close contact between Bi 3 O 4 Cl and Bi 4 O 5 I 2 and the unique Z-type transfer mechanism, the transfer and separation of photogenerated carriers are more effectively promoted, resulting in superb photocatalytic performance in antibacterial and degradation. [Display omitted] At present, the sustainable development of humans is facing health problems and ecological imbalance caused by environmental pollution. To solve the bacteria, antibiotics and other pollutants in wastewater, Bi 3 O 4 Cl and Bi 4 O 5 I 2 with appropriate bandgap width were selected to prepare Z-type heterojunction Bi 3 O 4 Cl/Bi 4 O 5 I 2 photocatalytic materials by calcination method. Under LED light, the best sample Bi 3 O 4 Cl/Bi 4 O 5 I 2 -4 could completely inactivate Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in 30 min, Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) in 20 min, and degrade 70.6% of tetracycline (TC) and 97.4% of Rhodamine B (RhB). Photocurrent and electrochemical impedance tests (EIS) confirmed the high photocurrent response and low charge transfer resistance in the Bi 3 O 4 Cl/Bi 4 O 5 I 2. The photocatalytic antibacterial and degradation mechanism of Z-type Bi 3 O 4 Cl/Bi 4 O 5 I 2 heterojunction was verified by capture experiments. Thus, this study provides a compact and efficient photocatalyst with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and degradation properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dark orange montmorillonite/g-C 3 N 4 composites were prepared through a conventional calcination route. The obtained samples were analyzed by XRD, TEM, TG, XPS, FT-IR, DRS, Photocurrent-time and PL measurements. The photocatalytic performance of montmorillonite/g-C 3 N 4 composites was assessed by the methylene blue (MB) degradation. Compared to pure g-C 3 N 4 , the obtained photocatalysts displayed outstanding photocatalytic activity. The improved photocatalytic activity was ascribed to the improved absorbance in the visible light range and favorable adsorptive capacity to MB dye. The electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis and trapping experiment showed that •O 2 − and h + played a major role in the decomposition of MB. In addition, it was found that montmorillonite/g-C 3 N 4 (0.5) composite had a new property, which showed that it can be applied as a sensor in the photoelectrochemical detection of trace amount of Cu 2+ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene-like MoS2 photocatalysts were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The obtained graphene-like MoS2/Ag3VO4 composites were characterized using a series of techniques to determine their structures and properties. Due to elevated photogenerated electron separation and strong hole oxidizability as well as light harvesting, the obtained graphene-like MoS2/Ag3VO4 composites display enhanced properties for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB) in comparison with pure Ag3VO4 under visible light illumination. The degradation kinetics of the graphene-like MoS2/Ag3VO4 composites for MB and RhB were calculated to demonstrate their excellent photocatalytic activities. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) Nyquist plots were obtained to determine the electron transfer and recombination processes of the graphene-like MoS2/Ag3VO4 composite. The possible photocatalytic mechanism of the graphene-like MoS2/Ag3VO4 composites is proposed based on active species trapping experiments. Results show that the formative interface between graphene-like MoS2 and Ag3VO4 accelerates the electron transfer performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biopolymers, such as polysaccharides are increasingly concern in preparation of food packaging. However, those materials have weakness in properties of mechanics, hydrophobicity, and antibacterial, which limit their applications. In this work, we prepared emulsion (K-PL-CEOs) films with double network (DN) matrix by using konjac glucomannan (KGM) and Pullulan (PL), and incorporated with cellulose nanofibrils (CNF)-stabilized tea tree essential oil (TTEO) Pickering emulsions (CEOs). The effect of CEOs content on the structural and physicochemical properties of K-PL films was investigated. The results showed that CEOs were well dispersed in K-PL film forming matrix. The addition of CEOs could improve the thermal stability, UV-shielding, water resistance and mechanical properties of K-PL-CEOs films. Moreover, K-PL-CEOs films exhibited good antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. This paper demonstrated that K-PL-CEOs films can be potentially applied as food packaging. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane bioreactor (MBR) has been widely applied worldwide in full scale. Recent research and development trends of MBR technology has been shifted from process optimization and economic evaluation to installation of new process architecture to enrich functional strains like nitrifiers or providing assisted field for performance enhancement, to incorporation of affordable adsorbents or scouring agent for membrane fouling mitigation, and to applying MBR hybrid systems for achieving simultaneous removals of nutrients and other pollutants. This mini-review summarized the recent works, principally in 2014–2015, on the above aspects, and provided a discussion on the osmotic MBR based on forward osmosis on its use of high-osmotic-pressure draw solution and the pre-treatment needed, and the reverse solute leakage that affects the MBR efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite photocatalyst of blue MoO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 (denoted as MoO 3 –C 3 N 4 ) was prepared by a simple mixing-calcination method. The obtained MoO 3 –C 3 N 4 composite contains a low amount of molybdenum blue and shows remarkably enhanced absorption of visible light and high efficiency for the degradation of methylene blue dye (MB) under visible light. The enhancement of visible light photocatalytic activity in MoO 3 –C 3 N 4 is attributed to the synergetic effect: (i) the strong and wide absorption of visible light, (ii) the high separation and easy transfer of photogenerated electron–hole pairs at the heterojunction interfaces derived from the match of band position between the g-C 3 N 4 and MoO 3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bifunctional fusion protein, VAS-TRAIL, was designed for superior therapeutic efficacy by combining anti-angiogenesis activity with tumor-selective apoptosis activity. The protein was expressed as inclusion body (IB) in Escherichia coli . To enhance refolding yield and bioactivity, four fusions were constructed with different linkers (no linker, flexible linker, rigid linker, and helix-forming linker). A novel linker selection strategy based on IB conformational quality and activity was applied to predict the suitable linker. The conformational quality and activity of VAS-TRAIL IBs were analyzed by ATR-FTIR and cytotoxicity assay, respectively. Results demonstrated that aggregated VRT (fusion with rigid linker) contained the highest native-like β structure content and retained part of the expected activity, namely, cytotoxicity activity on tumor cells. This finding suggested that the rigid linker was the most suitable candidate. Further results of in vitro refolding and subsequent circular dichroism and activity assay of four refolded fusions were significantly correlated with the predictions. Refolding of VRT yielded more soluble proteins containing the expected secondary structure and the highest bioactivity compared with that of other fusions. Our research may offer an efficient method for the high-throughput design of aggregated-prone therapeutic fusion protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Available evidence has demonstrated that osteocalcin may play a role in pathogenesis of cancer, and mutation of the osteocalcin gene may be involved in the cancer development. The aim of this study is to determine whether osteocalcin gene polymorphisms are associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among Chinese population. Methods: A total of 515 subjects were divided into four groups: 129 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 62 patients with HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC), 154 patients with HBV-related HCC, and 170 healthy controls. The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism strategy was used to detect osteocalcin gene rs1800247 and rs1543297 polymorphisms. Results: Compared with healthy controls, the rs1800247 HH and Hh genotypes were associated with a significantly increased susceptibility to HCC (HH versus hh: OR = 6.828, 95% CI 2.620–17.795, P <0.001; Hh versus hh: OR = 6.306, 95% CI 3.480–11.423, P <0.001, respectively). Similarly, the subjects bearing the H allele of rs1800247 had more than a 2.4-fold increased risk for development of HCC (OR = 2.484, 95% CI 1.747–3.532, P <0.001) compared with those bearing the h allele. In addition, we found significant decreased serum osteocalcin levels in HBV-related HCC patients (11.73±8.18 ng/mL) compared with healthy controls (15.3±6.06 ng/mL). Furthermore, the serum osteocalcin levels were significantly lower in HCC patients than healthy controls among the individuals with heterozygous Hh genotype (P = 0.003) and CT genotype (P <0.001). In contrast, there were no significant differences in the genotype and allele of rs1543297 polymorphisms between the groups of patients and healthy controls. Conclusions: These findings for the first time suggest that genetic variant in osteocalcin gene rs1800247 polymorphisms may be a risk factor for HBV-related HCC. We also find an inverse association of serum osteocalcin levels with HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is still a great challenge to design efficient and stable photocatalysts to effectively remove organic pollution in water. A new type Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /SnO 2−x Z-scheme heterojunction was successfully constructed. The best sample 30% Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /SnO 2−x can degrade 86.7% TC within 90 min and 99.7% RhB within 75 min under LED light. The morphology, structure, optical and electrochemical properties of the photocatalyst were characterized by using different testing techniques. Efficient photoinduced charge transfer and separation efficiency was confirmed by photocurrent and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) in Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /SnO 2−x structure. The active substances, intermediate product and photodegradation pathway in degradation process were revealed by capture test and mass spectrometry (MS) measurement. In photocatalytic process, h+, •O 2 − and •OH are the main active species, and h+ is the most important active substance. In addition, the photocatalytic mechanism of charge separation is also proposed, which provides a new opportunity for the construction of photocatalysts and the degradation of organic pollutants in the water environment. • A novel Z-scheme Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /SnO 2−x heterojunction containing oxygen vacancy was prepared. • Degradation activity of Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /SnO 2−x on TC and RhB was significantly increased in LED light. • h+, •O 2 - and •OH are active species in photocatalytic process, and h+ is the main active substance. • The introduction of SnO 2−x enhances the transition of electrons and the absorption of light. • Z-scheme system promote the charge transfer and redox ability of Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /SnO 2−x. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the influence of host and home country institutional conditions on foreign institutional investment. Utilizing longitudinal and multilevel data on foreign institutional investment in Chinese listed firms between 2004 and 2017, we document that foreign institutional investment decreases with increasing economic policy uncertainty in the host nation. We also find that foreign institutional investors respond more strongly to local economic policy uncertainty when their home nations are closer to China, are culturally and administratively similar to China, operate a smaller domestic stock market, and have weaker minority shareholder protection. The impact of economic policy uncertainty on foreign institutional investment is also stronger when the host nation institution is more developed and open.. Moreover, we reveal the mediating role of stock market volatility on this relationship. Overall, we document that foreign institutional investment is not only shaped by institutional conditions in the host country but also influenced by home country characteristics that define geographical and institutional distance between home and host nations. • Foreign institutional investors reduce investment when the host nation's economic policy uncertainty is high. • This relationship is moderated by geographical and institutional distance between home and host nations. • The relationship is also moderated by institutional conditions in the host country. • Stock market volatility mediates the response of foreign institutional investors to economic policy uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel Z-scheme CQDs/g-C 3 N 4 /BiOBr was prepared. • CQDs/g-C 3 N 4 /BiOBr can effectively remove RhB, BPA, TC and E. coli under LED light. • h+, •O 2 - and •OH are all active substances in photocatalytic reactions. • Z-scheme in CQDs/g-C 3 N 4 /BiOBr produces a strong redox ability. • CQDs are favorable for transfer of charge carriers and light absorption ability. The photocatalytic mechanism was shown for Z-scheme CQDS/g-C 3 N 4 /BiOBr composite. h+, •O 2 - and •OH are all active substances in the removing of RhB, BPA, TC and inactivating E. coli under LED light. The addition of CQDs in the Z-scheme structure will promote the transition of electrons, enhance the absorption of light and improve the utilization rate of light absorption of the material. [Display omitted] To improve the photocatalytic performance, it is necessary to reduce the combination of photo-induced charges and improve the absorbance intensity of visible light. Herein, we have reported novel heterojunctions of indirect Z-scheme CQDs/g-C 3 N 4 /BiOBr composites (noted as CN@BOB-CQDs). Various techniques proved the successful preparation of heterojunction structure between CQDs, g-C 3 N 4 and BiOBr. Compared with g-C 3 N 4 and BiOBr, the composites presented excellent performance in removing Rhodamine B (RhB), bisphenol A (BPA) and tetracycline (TC) and E. coli by LED light illumination. The improvement of photocatalytic properties was assigned to its good separation efficiency of generated charges and strong redox ability of its photo-excited electrons (e) and holes (h+), which realized from the Z-type photo-excited charges transition in CN@BOB-CQDs composite. Besides, CQDs could promote the transmission of electrons and enhance the absorbance intensity of visible light. Finally based on the radicals' trapping experiments and the semiconductor energy band position, the photocatalytic mechanism on the degradation of RhB was illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Visible-light driven g-C3N4/MoO3 photocatalyst has been synthesized. [•] The optimal photoactivity of g-C3N4/MoO3 is 4.2 times as high as that of MoO3. [•] The heterojunction is favorable to improve the separation of electron and hole. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The synthesized WO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 /BiOI photocatalyst followed a double S-scheme transfer process. The active species in the photocatalytic antibacterial process were h+, e−, OH and O2− under LED light. The double S-scheme structure promotes the separation efficiency of electron-hole pairs and increases the redox capacity of the heterojunction, which further improves the antibacterial performance for E. coli and S. aureus. [Display omitted] • Novel double S-scheme WO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 /BiOI photocatalyst was synthesized. • WO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 /BiOI can remove E. coli in 12 min and S. aureus in 20 min. • The active species are h+, e−, OH and O 2 −. • Double S-scheme promotes the electrons and holes separation. • Double S- scheme increases the redox capacity of the heterojunction. In recent years, the threat to human health from bacteria in wastewater has attracted attention, and photocatalytic technology has emerged as a promising strategy for inactivating bacteria in water. Therefore, it is of great research value to develop a novel high-efficiency photocatalytic system with the visible light response. We successfully designed a double S-scheme heterojunction composite WO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 /BiOI (WCB) in this paper. The preparation of WCB composites was demonstrated by a series of characterizations, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The antibacterial effects of photocatalysts against representative Gram-negative strain Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive strain Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were tested under LED light irradiation. The novel photocatalyst presented excellent antibacterial properties, inactivating E. coli in 12 min and S. aureus in 20 min. The bacterial cell inactivation process was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM). Active species capture experiments show that the active species present in the WCB composites in the process of inactivating bacteria are h+, e−, OH and O 2 −. In conclusion, the synthesized double S-scheme WCB photocatalyst exhibits remarkable photocatalytic antibacterial activity under LED light and has broad prospects for practical application in water antibacterial treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New core/shell Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /BiOI hybrid junction was prepared by a facile in-situ generation method. • Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /BiOI can effectively remove MO, TC and E.coli under LED light. • h+, •O 2 - and •OH are all active substances in photocatalytic reactions and possible degradation pathway of TC was proposed. • Fermi level reached new equilibrium between p-type BiOI and n-type Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6. • The core-shell structure and n-p junction effectively promote the separation and migration of photogenic carriers. The construction of composite photocatalytic materials with compact heterojunction is of great significance for improving the properties of materials. To achieve this goal, novel core/shell Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /BiOI photocatalyst, with n-p junction heterojunction, was prepared by using p-type BiOI nanosheet coating with lamellar n-type Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6. A series of techniques including XRD, TEM, HRTEM and BET confirmed the structure of Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /BiOI. As expected, methyl orange (MO), tetracycline (TC) and E. coli can be effectively removed by the novel photocatalyst under LED light illumination. The optimal sample Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /BiOI can degrade 90.3% MO in 90 min, degrade 75.5% TC in 180 min, and completely destroy E. coli in 40 min. Photocurrent and electrochemical impedance analysis (EIS) show that the separation efficiency of photo-excited electron-hole pairs in the composite material is significantly improved. Between n-type Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 and p-type BiOI semiconductor, a Fermi level movement produced a more negative conduction band position and a more positive valence band position, which is conducive to the production of active species and the photocatalytic redox reaction. Moreover, the effects of catalyst dosage and pollutant concentration on the degradation of MO and TC were systematically investigated. The capture experiment proved that the superoxide anion radicals (•O 2 −) and holes (h+) are main active species in photocatalytic reaction. The intermediates were identified by mass spectrometry analysis (MS), and the possible photocatalytic degradation pathway of TC was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new fiber beam element considering coupled flexure and shear is developed. • The new element can be used as a reliable numerical apparatus for concrete beams. • MCFT is integrated with the new element for concrete beams. • Shear capacity of concrete beams can be adequately predicted. In order to consider the interactive behavior of flexure and shear, an enhanced displacement-based fiber beam element is developed by utilizing multi-axial material constitutive models for fibers, in particular, with the Modified Compression Field Theory (MCFT) for fibers representing concrete with smeared stirrups in RC/PC beams/girders. The potential shear-locking problem is avoided by adopting a mixed interpolation form with a bubble term for the displacement field, and the validity of the approach is verified by a classic example. The proposed element is first validated through a classic test series of shear-critical RC beams from the literature and then applied to a PC girder recently tested under both shear-critical and flexure-dominated scenarios. It is shown that the proposed element can be used to predict the structural behavior of RC beams and PC girders satisfactorily, after enhancing the conventional fiber beam element by considering the coupling of flexure and shear. In addition, the proposed element provides a tool to predict both flexure and shear capacities of concrete beams with adequate accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Quercetin is a major phenolic compound in the Chinese medicinal herb. It has been proved to have many important pharmacological active compounds. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper to report that quertin exists in Anoectochilu roxburghii (wall) Lindl. The high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was successfully applied to purify quercetin from the extracts of A. roxburghii (wall) Lindl after ultrasound–microwave assisted extraction. The two-phase solvent system used in HSCCC was n-hexane–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (4:6:3:3, v/v/v/v). The purity of the obtained quercetin was over 96.8%, i.e. 30.8mg quercetin was obtained from 6.02g of the crude extract. Its chemical structure was identified by using UV spectra, FT-IR, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and 1H NMR. The results showed that ultrasound–microwave assisted extraction was a promising method for extracting quercetin, and HSCCC was a feasible method to be used in the purification of quercetin from the herb. This separation method was more effective than some conventional techniques. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ZrS3 nanocrystallites have been synthesized via a solvothermal route by the reaction between ZrCl4 and thiourea at relatively low temperature. The product was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope, X-ray fluorescence, Raman spectrum, and photoluminescence (PL). X-ray diffraction pattern shows the monoclinic cell of ZrS3 with the lattice constants a=5.128 Å, b=3.611 Å, c=9.012 Å, β=97.13°. The result of X-ray fluorescence gives a Zr(Hf):S mole ratio 1:2.97. The Raman spectrum of the ZrS3 nanocrystallites has a slightly red shift in comparison with that of ZrS3 single crystals. The room temperature photoluminescence of ZrS3 nanocrystallites is also reported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this work, chitosan (CS) emulsion films were prepared with grapefruit essential oil (GEO) Pickering emulsions (OGEOs) stabilized by amphiphilic octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) konjac glucomannan (OSA-KGM) network. The droplet size of emulsion was regulated by altering oil content in OGEOs (10 %, 20 %, 30 % and 40 %, w/w). The structural and physicochemical properties of CS films with tunable emulsion droplets (OGEOs) were investigated. The droplet size of OGEOs increased with the increasing content of GEO. FT-IR revealed that the formation of CS-OGEOs films was attributed to hydrogen bonding. CS-OGEOs films with large droplets presented smoother surface, enhanced water resistance, UV-shielding property, mechanical properties, but increased water vapor permeability (WVP) compared with CS-OGEOs films with small droplets. In addition, CS-OGEOs films with large droplets also presented compact film structure, controlled release of GEO, high efficiency of DPPH free radical scavenging and antibacterial activity. To sum up, incorporation of emulsion droplets was a good strategy for improving the structural and physicochemical properties of CS films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ratoon rice is characterized by higher production combined with enhanced rice quality. However, the relationship between the differences in the structure and properties of the starch and variations in the ratoon season and rice quality is still unclear. In this study, we conducted a field experiment in 2023 to assess the relationship between rice quality differences and starch characteristics of four different hybrid rice varieties (Longjingyou1212: LJY1212; Taoyouxiangzhan: TYXZ; Liangyou6326: LY6326; Fengliangyouxiang1: FLYX1) in the ratoon season. In terms of appearance, the chalkiness degrees and chalky grain percentage of LJY1212 (0.6%, 2.3%) and TYXZ (1.2%, 6.0%) were 53.5% and 53.9% lower than those of LY6326 (2.4%, 10.0%) and FLYX1 (1.6%, 7.8%), indicating that the appearances of LJY1212 and TYXZ were better than those of LY6326 and FLYX1. The average amylose contents of LJY1212 (18.5%) and TYXZ (19.0%) were 10.8% higher than those of LY6326 (17.7%) and FLYX1 (15.7%), and there was no significant difference in protein content between the varieties in the ratoon season. Regarding the starch microstructure, the starch granules of LJY1212 and TYXZ in the ratoon season were arranged more closely. The average ratios of 1045/1022 cm−1 of LJY1212 (0.77) and TYXZ (0.76) were 7.0% higher than those of LY6326 (0.71) and FLYX1 (0.72), indicating that the internal orders of LJY1212 and TYXZ's starch were better than those of LY6326 and FLYX1. The average relative crystallinities of LJY1212 (24.8%) and TYXZ (24.5%) were 5.2% lower than those of LY6326 (25.7%) and FLYX1 (26.6%). The relative crystallinity of starch decreased with the increase in amylose content, while the short-range order degree, gelatinization temperature, and gelatinization enthalpy increased with the increase in amylose content. Therefore, the LJY1212 and TYXZ varieties, with better rice qualities, are recommended for planting in southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photocatalytic mechanism was shown for the novel BiO 2-x /BiOI photocatalyst. h+, •O 2 – and •OH are all active substances in removing RhB, MO, TC, E. coli and S. aureus under LED light. The introduction of oxygen defects and the construction of Z-scheme heterojunction extremely increase the performance of photocatalytic materials. [Display omitted] • Novel BiO 2-x /BiOI hybrid junction was prepared by a stirring route. • BiO 2-x /BiOI can effectively remove RhB, MO, TC, E. coli and S. aureus. • h+, •O 2 – and •OH are active substances in photocatalytic process. • Z-scheme in BiO 2-x /BiOI can induce a strong redox ability of electrons and holes. • The oxygen vacancies in BiO 2-x are conducive to the separation of photoexcited charges. Facing water pollution problems, developing a photocatalyst that can remove multiple pollutants with high redox ability is necessary. In this study, novel BiO 2-x /BiOI with Z-scheme heterojunction and oxygen vacancies was synthesized by room temperature stirring process. A series of techniques including TEM, Raman, XPS and ESR confirmed BiO 2-x /BiOI structure was successfully formed. Photocurrent, EIS impedance indicated the high separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes between two semiconductors. The optimum sample 30% BiO 2-x /BiOI can degrade 96.4% rhodamine B (RhB), 88.7% methyl orange (MO) and 74.5% tetracycline (TC) within 90 min, respectively, and can inactivate 100% E. coli and S. aureus in 15 min and 20 min, respectively. These performance was realized under lower energy consumption light source (LED light), smaller amount of catalyst and shorter reaction time compared with related BiOI-based composites. The excellent photocatalytic performance was mainly attributed to the Z-scheme BiO 2-x /BiOI heterojunction with oxygen vacancy: (i) Z-scheme between BiO 2-x and BiOI can induce a strong redox ability of its photo-induced electrons and holes, (ii) the oxygen vacancies in BiO 2-x are conductive to the separation of photoexcited charges. This work offers a new example in improving the performance of composite semiconductor systems to be high and multiple efficiency photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesian suite (Mg-suite) rocks represent plutonic materials from the lunar crust, and their global distribution can provide critical information for the early magmatic differentiation and crustal asymmetries of the Moon. Visible and near-infrared (VNIR) spectrometers mounted on orbiters and rovers have been proven to be powerful approaches for planetary mineral mapping, which are instrumental in diagnosing Mg-suite rocks. However, due to the scarcity and diversity of Mg-suite samples, laboratory measurements with variable proportions of minerals are imperative for spectral characterization. In this study, spectroscopic investigation and petrographic study were conducted on lunar Mg-suite meteorite Northwest Africa 8687. We classify the sample as a pink spinel-bearing anorthositic norite through spectral and petrographic characteristics. The ground-truth information of the Mg-suite rock is provided for future exploration. Meanwhile, the results imply that the VNIR technique has the potential to identify highland rock types by mineral modal abundance and could further be applied in extraterrestrial samples for primary examination due to its advantage of being fast and non-destructive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photocatalytic mechanism is shown for the novel BiOI/Bi 3 O 4 Cl photocatalyst. h+, •O 2 – and •OH are all active species, and h+ plays an important role in the removing of MO, BPA, TC and E.coli under LED light. The Fermi level reachs new equilibrium between p-type BiOI and n-Bi 3 O 4 Cl, which is favorable for the charge separation and enhancement of photoactivity. • New p-n BiOI/Bi 3 O 4 Cl hybrid junction was prepared by a facile ultrasonic route. • BiOI/Bi 3 O 4 Cl can effectively remove MO, BPA, TC and E.coli under LED light. • h+, •O 2 – and •OH are all active species, and h+ plays an important role. • The Fermi level reachs new equilibrium between p-type BiOI and n-Bi 3 O 4 Cl. • The p-n hybrid structure facilitates the separation of photoexcited charges. It is urgent to design highly efficient and broad-spectrum photocatalysts for wastewater treatment. In this work, a new p-n BiOI/Bi 3 O 4 Cl hybrid junction was prepared by a simple ultrasonication method. The optimal BiOI/Bi 3 O 4 Cl 30% composite could degrade 85.5% methyl orange in 90 min, 92.8% bisphenol A in 120 min and 73.5% antibiotic tetracycline in 180 min and thoroughly disinfect E. coli within 40 min. The results of transmission electron microscopy, photocurrent and electrochemical impedance spectrum confirmed the hybrid structure between BiOI and Bi 3 O 4 Cl, which promoted the separation of photoexcited electrons and holes in the semiconductor. Trapping experiments showed that holes (h+), superoxide anion radicals (•O 2 –) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) were active species for photocatalytic reaction, and h+ played a more important role compared with •O 2 – and •OH. The mechanism revealed that the Fermi level reached new equilibrium between p-type BiOI and n-Bi 3 O 4 Cl, which is favorable for the charge separation and enhancement of photoactivity. The enlarged surface area of BiOI/Bi 3 O 4 Cl composite and efficient charge separation contributed to the enhanced photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]