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Obesity has long been thought to be a main cause of hyperlipidemia. As a systemic disease, the impact of obesity on organs, tissues and cells is almost entirely negative. However, the relationship between obesity and bone loss is highly controversial. On the one hand, obesity has long been thought to have a positive effect on bone due to increased mechanical loading on the skeleton, conducive to increasing bone mass to accommodate the extra weight. On the other hand, obesity-related metabolic oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in vivo causes a gradual increase of oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) in the bone marrow microenvironment. We have reported that low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) acts as a receptor of ox-LDL and mediates the bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) uptake of ox-LDL. We detected elevated serum ox-LDL in obese mice. We found that ox-LDL uptake by LRP6 led to an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in BMSCs, and N -acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) alleviated the cellular senescence and impairment of osteogenesis induced by ox-LDL. Moreover, LRP6 is a co-receptor of Wnt signaling. We found that LRP6 preferentially binds to ox-LDL rather than dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1), both inhibiting Wnt signaling and promoting BMSCs senescence. Mesoderm development LRP chaperone (MESD) overexpression inhibits ox-LDL binding to LRP6, attenuating oxidative stress and BMSCs senescence, eventually rescuing bone phenotype. • Obesity induces BMSCs senescence via ox-LDL and decreases osteogenic differentiation. • LRP6 promotes BMSCs senescence by uptake of ox-LDL. • Excessive intracellular ox-LDL disrupts cellular redox homeostasis, leading to the senescence of BMSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing a high‐quality interface with strong coupling interaction is highly desirable in composite photocatalysts for the efficient interfacial charge transfer. Herein, we prepared black phosphorus quantum dots/CdS (BPQDs/CdS) binary composites with tight interfacial contact via a facile electrostatic self‐assembly approach for efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution. The optimized H2 evolution rate of 3 wt % BPQDs/CdS can reach up to 9.9 mmol g−1 h−1 in lactic acid aqueous solution, 99 and 5.5 times greater than that of pristine BPQDs and CdS, respectively. Benefiting from the strong interface interaction between CdS and BPQDs in well‐contacted BPQDs/CdS composites, efficient charge separation can be achieved, leading to enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution activity. Notably, the rapid transfer of photogenerated electrons from CdS to BPQDs was unambiguously confirmed by time‐resolved transient absorption spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loading metal cocatalyst on semiconductor nanoparticles is a general strategy to enhance photocatalytic efficiency, while the consensus of selecting metal cocatalyst matching with semiconductor is still unclear. Herein, we investigated the charge transfer and separation efficiency between ZnO and cocatalysts Ag, Au, and Pt nanoparticles respectively using ultrafast mid‐IR transient absorption spectroscopy. We found that Ohmic contact of Ag with ZnO favoring electron transfer and charge separation, while Schottky junction of Pt or Au with ZnO preventing electron transfer from ZnO to metal. Thus Ohmic contact would be better than Schottky contact. Since photocatalytic efficiency is also determined by chemical catalytic efficiency, we proposed a dual metal cocatalyst strategy for improving the overall photocatalytic efficiency, with the inner metal forming Ohmic contact for efficient charge separation and shuttling electrons and the outer‐layer metal cocatalyst for optimizing the chemical reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Key features and challenges of polyaniline (PANI)-based adsorbents are summarized; • Mechanisms of adsorption/desorption on PANI-based adsorbents are discussed; • Roles of low-cost materials and 2D nanosheets in PANI-based adsorbents are highlighted; • We offer perspectives and future directions in developing PANI-based adsorbents. Access to clean water and sanitization is crucial to all life on Earth, and has been listed among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Adsorption is a simple and economical technology for water purification. However, conventional adsorbents, such as zeolites, biochar, activated carbon and clay minerals, have some limitations, particularly their unsatisfactory adsorption efficiencies. Polyaniline (PANI), a stable conducting polymer with facile synthesis, nitrogen-rich functional groups, and tuneable morphology, is a promising candidate for adsorbing various pollutants. This review attempts to critically assess PANI-based adsorbents in terms of their advantages, disadvantages, and separation mechanisms in pollutant removal. Low-cost natural and waste materials, and emerging ultrathin 2D nanosheets can also be promising adsorbents. We highlight the significant roles of low-cost materials as well as emerging 2D nanosheets in enhancing the performance of PANI-based adsorbents. Combining PANI-based adsorbents and low-cost materials or 2D nanosheets can not only address the challenges of PANI-based adsorbents (e.g., low surface areas and thus low adsorption efficiencies), but also employ the synergistic effects of these adsorptive materials. As a result, the PANI-based hybrid adsorbents have enhanced functionality, and improved pollutant removal performance. Finally, we offer insightful perspectives and future research directions in developing PANI-based adsorbents with low-cost and 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phycocyanin 620 (PC620) is the outermost light-harvesting complex in phycobilisome of cyanobacteria, engaged in light collection and energy transfer to the core antenna, allophycocyanin. Recently, long-lived exciton–vibrational coherences have been observed in allophycocyanin, accounting for the coherent energy transfer [Zhu et al., Nat. Commun. 15, 3171 (2024)]. PC620 has a nearly identical spatial location of three α84–β84 phycocyanobilin pigment pairs to those in allophycocyanin, inferring an existence of possible coherent energy transfer pathways. However, whether PC620 undergoes coherent or incoherent energy transfer remains debated. Furthermore, accurate determination of energy transfer rates in PC620 is still necessary owing to the spectral overlap and broadening in conventional time-resolved spectroscopic measurements. In this work, the energy transfer process within PC620 was directly resolved by polarization-controlled two dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) and global analysis. The results show that the energy transfer from α84 to the adjacent β84 has a lifetime constant of 400 fs, from β155 to β84 of 6–8 ps, and from β155 to α84 of 66 ps, fully conforming to the Förster resonance energy transfer mechanism. The circular dichroism spectrum also reveals that the α84–β84 pigment pair does not form excitonic dimer, and the observed oscillatory signals are confirmed to be vibrational coherence, excluding the exciton–vibrational coupling. Nodal line slope analysis of 2DES further reveals that all the vibrational modes participate in the energy dissipation of the excited states. Our results consolidate that the ultrafast energy transfer process in PC620 is incoherent, where the twisted conformation of α84 is suggested as the main cause for preventing the formation of α84–β84 excitonic dimer in contrast to allophycocyanin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parametric superfluorescence (PSF), which originated from the optical amplification of vacuum quantum noise, is the primary noise source of femtosecond fluorescence non-collinear optical parametric amplification spectroscopy (FNOPAS). It severely affects the detection limit of FNOPAS to collect the femtosecond time-resolved spectra of extremely weak fluorescence. Here, we report the development of femtosecond fluorescence conical optical parametric amplification spectroscopy (FCOPAS), aimed at effectively suppressing the noise fluctuation from the PSF background. In contrast to traditional FNOPAS configurations utilizing lateral fluorescence collection and dot-like parametric amplification, FCOPAS employs an innovative conical fluorescence collection and ring-like amplification setup. This design enables effective cancellation of noise fluctuation across the entire PSF ring, resulting in an approximate order of magnitude reduction in PSF noise compared to prior FNOPAS outcomes. This advancement enables the resolution of transient fluorescence spectra of 4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6-p-dimethylaminostyryl-4H-pyran (DCM) dye molecules in ethanol, even at an optically dilute concentration of 10−6 mol/l, with significantly enhanced signal-to-noise ratios. This improvement will be significant for extremely weak fluorescence detection on the femtosecond time scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the dynamics of excited-state vibrational energy relaxation in photosynthetic pigments is crucial for elucidating the mechanisms underlying energy transfer processes in light-harvesting complexes. Utilizing advanced femtosecond broadband transient fluorescence (TF) spectroscopy, we explored the excited-state vibrational dynamics of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) both in solution and within the light-harvesting complex II (LHCII). We discovered a vibrational cooling (VC) process occurring over ∼6 ps in Chl-a in ethanol solution following Soret band excitation, marked by a notable ultrafast TF blueshift and spectral narrowing. This VC process, crucial for regulating the vibronic lifetimes, was further elucidated through the direct observation of the population dynamics of higher vibrational states within the Qy electronic state. Notably, Chl-a within LHCII demonstrated significantly faster VC dynamics, unfolding within a few hundred femtoseconds and aligning with the ultrafast energy transfer processes observed within the complex. Our findings shed light on the complex interaction between electronic and vibrational states in photosynthetic pigments, underscoring the pivotal role of vibrational dynamics in enabling efficient energy transfer within light-harvesting complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low vibrational modes in a range of 80–400 cm −1 for bacteriochlorophyll a are excited and observed as beating dynamics in two-dimensional electronic spectra. A coupled multi-vibrational mode displaced oscillator model is proposed to account for the vibronic coherence. We found that these low frequency vibrational modes are coupled. By comparing the fitted lifetime of the vibrational modes appearing in the beating dynamics for bacteriochlorophyll a and a protein-bound bacteriochlorophyll a dimer B820 probed by transient grating method, it is suggested that the protein scaffold provides a protection effect on the vibronic coherence where no excitonic coherence has be excited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical cutting depth for lapping process is very important because it influences the mode of material removal. In this paper, a serial of microscopic indentation experiments were carried out for measuring spinel wafers’ hardness and crack length in different lapping slurries. Their critical cutting depth and fracture toughness were calculated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was also employed to study the surface chemical composition and softened layer thickness of wafers in different slurries. Experimental results indicate that the softened layers of spinel wafers are formed due to the corrosion of lapping slurries, which leads to a lower hardness and a larger fracture toughness of samples, and increases the critical cutting depth. Among them, the critical cutting depth in ethylene glycol solution is the largest and up to 21.8 nm. The increase of critical cutting depth is helpful to modify the surface quality of the work-piece being lapped via ductile removal mode instead of brittle fracture mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A new spinneret with Teflon nozzle for implementing electrospinning. [•] The Teflon nozzle facilitates energy transfer to the working fluid. [•] New knowledge about the interfacial interactions between Teflon/metal and fluids. [•] Producing quercetin-loaded composite fibers with higher quality. [•] Nanofibers from the new protocols provide better sustained drug release profile. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Ultrathin γ-Fe 2 O 3 magnetic nanosheets (2.0 nm) rich in oxygen vacancies were synthesized by a facile NaBH 4 reduction-low temperature calcination method. • γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanosheets show superior photocatalytic performance and cycle performance for water oxidation. • The mechanism of O V -assisted carrier separation in the Ru(bpy) 3 2+/S 2 O 8 2− photocatalytic water oxidation system was proposed reasonably. • This work provides an idea for the design and construction of defect-rich metal oxide nanosheets. Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is the bottleneck of photocatalytic water splitting due to the slow four-electron transfer kinetics, and the construction of ultrathin materials is considered to be an effective means to solve the above problem. Herein, ultrathin γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanosheets (Fe 2 O 3 -NS) were prepared by a facile solution reduction-low temperature calcination method. The prepared photocatalyst has a leaf-like morphology with an average thickness of 2.0 nm and a large number of slit-like pores. Compared with γ-Fe 2 O 3 bulk, Fe 2 O 3 -NS exhibits excellent photocatalytic OER activity. The apparent quantum yield (AQE) and oxygen yield (measured at 420 nm) are 12.95% and 57.04%, respectively. The OER efficiency is superior to those reported iron oxide photocatalysts. This excellent performance may benefit from the ultrathin porous structure, appropriately narrow bandgap, and abundant oxygen vacancies. In addition, the photocatalyst shows good cycling stability, retaining 91.5% of the initial capacity in the fifth cycle test, which may be attributed to the magnetic cycling capability and good structural stability. This study confirms that Fe 2 O 3 -NS is a competitive candidate material for photocatalytic oxygen evolution and provides ideas for the design and construction of other defect-rich metal oxide nanosheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this investigation was to find a simple method for the production of phenolic-rich products and sugar derivatives via separation of liquefied lignocellulosic materials. After liquefaction, the liquefied products were separated by addition of a sufficient amount of water. It was found that those hydrophobic phenolics could be largely separated from aqueous solutions. Preparation of polyurethane foams using biopolyol and isocyanate was studied. Water was used as an environmentally friendly blowing agent. The factors influencing the cell structure of foams such as catalyst, dosage of blowing agent, and mass ratio of biopolyol to PEG were studied. The microstructure of synthesized foams was characterized by SEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been proved to be a powerful analytical tool in different fields. However, because of the low sensitivity in near infrared region, it is a significant challenge to detect trace analytes with normal NIRS technique. A novel enrichment technique called fluidized bed enrichment has been developed recently to improve sensitivity of NIRS which allows a large volume solution to pass through within a short time. In this paper, fluidized bed enrichment method was applied in the determination of trace dimethyl fumarate in milk. Macroporous styrene resin HZ-816 was used as adsorbent material, and 1 L solution of dimethyl fumarate was run to pass through the material for concentration. The milk sample was pretreated to remove interference matters such as protein, fat, and then passed through the material for enrichment; after that, diffuse reflection NIR spectra were measured for the analyte concentrated on the material directly without any elution process. The enrichment and spectral measurement procedures were easy to operate. NIR spectra in 900-1,700 nm were collected for dimethyl fumarate solutions in the concentration range of 0.506-5.060 μg/mL and then used for multivariate calibration with partial least squares (PLS) regression. Spectral pretreatment methods such as multiplicative scatter correction, first derivative, second derivative, and their combinations were carried out to select the optimal PLS model. Root mean square error of cross-validation calculated by leave-one-out cross-validation is 0.430 μg/mL with ten PLS factors. Ten samples in an independent test set were predicted by the model with the mean relative error of 5.33 %. From the results shown in this work, it can be concluded that the NIR technique coupled with on-line enrichment method can be expanded for the determination of trace analytes, and its applications in real liquid samples like milk and juice may also be feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A rutin hydrolyzing enzyme (RHE) was isolated from Fagopyrum tataricum Moench seeds by using ammonium sulphate fractionation, anion exchange and size exclusion chromatography. The purified RHE has an apparent molecular weight of about 70kDa determined by SDS–PAGE, with an isoelectric point (pI) (determined by isoelectric focusing) of 6.7. RHE has a specific catalytic activity toward rutin when incubated together with rutin at 37°C for 30min in the presence of 20% ethanol, and its K m value for rutin is 1.04×10−3 M. The RHE catalytic product analyzed by HPLC displayed high similarity with quercetin and this is confirmed by 1H NMR spectroscopy and LC-ESI-MS/MS, suggesting that the RHE hydrolysis product is quercetin. These results suggest that the RHE from tartary buckwheat seeds is a specific rutin-hydrolyzing enzyme, providing a new enzymatic preparation method for quercetin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new cadmium coordination polymer based on imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid (H3IDC) and 4,4'-bipyridine (Bipy), {[Cd9(IDC)2(HIDC)6(Bipy)4] · 2N(CH3)(CH2CH3)2 · 2DMF}n, has been synthesized under solvothermal conditions and characterized by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pnnm with a = 20.530(2) Å, b = 15.5957(14) Å, c = 16.3846(15) Å, α = β = γ = 90°, V = 5245.9(9) Å3, and Z = 2. The complex exhibits a 3-D structure with channels along the c-axis, in which the free N,N-dimethylformamide and methyl-diethyl-amine molecules are located. The thermal behavior and luminescence of this complex have also been studied in the solid state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fast and convenient analytical technique has been suggested to detect dihydroxybenzene (DHB) isomers directly and simultaneously. In 0.1 M HAc-NaAc buffer solution (pH 5.6), the reduction peaks of p -DHB and o -DHB were partly separated by differential pulse voltammetry at the glassy carbon electrode. By adding a surfactant (cetyl pyridinium chloride) to enhance the detection sensitivity and using a semi-derivative technique to improve the separation, p-DHB and o-DHB were detected simultaneously. The linear calibration ranges were 1.2 × 10−6 to 1.0 × 10−4 M for p -DHB and 8.2 × 10−7 to 1.0 × 10−4 M for o -DHB, with detection limits of 3.6 × 10−7 and 2.4 × 10−7 M, respectively. The proposed method has been applied to the direct determination of DHB isomers in water sample, and the results were excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several vibrational modes impulsively excited by 6.7fs pulses were observed in a quinoid thiophene. From the amplitude decay time and the phase of vibration, the modulation mechanism of the electronic transition by the wave packet motion is discussed and classified in terms of vibronic coupling. Modes with wavenumbers of 1343 and 1420cm−1 are attributed to the wave packet motions on the potential surface of the excited and ground state, respectively, and a mode with 1539cm−1 is due to those of both states. The apparent low-frequency modulation of these three modes is ascribed to the artificial interference effect in the calculation of the spectrogram. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A Ti:sapphire oscillator emitting an octave-spanning spectrum that ranges from 460 to 1000nm is demonstrated. To our knowledge, it is the first time that a supercontinuum as a whole measured after the output coupler extending beyond 500nm in the blue end is generated from a femtosecond Ti:sapphire oscillator. In the Ti:sapphire oscillator operating in self-Q-switched and self-mode locked mode, two chirped mirrors and a prism pair were used for dispersion compensation. These experimental results would open a new option for the construction of simple continuum sources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fourier transformation of the real-time trace of sub-5fs pump-induced molecular vibration in quinoidal thiophene in solution revealed coupled modes to the electronic excitation at 206, 447, and 1466cm−1. Spectrogram analysis of 1466cm−1 (Cing) mode showed that the amplitude and frequency of the mode are modulated with another low-frequency mode at about 220cm−1, which is down chirped being induced by the coupling with modes of even lower frequency, resulting in the irreversible relaxation due to high mode density in the low-frequency range. This Letter thus reports on observation of the modulation of vibrational frequency with a chirped frequency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The preconditioner for solving the linear system introduced in [D.J. Evans, M.M. Martins, M.E. Trigo, The AOR iterative method for new preconditioned linear systems, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 132 (2001) 461–466] is generalized. Results obtained in this paper show that the convergence rate of Jacobi and Gauss–Seidel type methods can be increased by using the preconditioned method when is an -matrix. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Some comparison results between Jacobi iterative method with the modified preconditioned simultaneous displacement (MPSD) iteration and other iterations, for solving nonsingular linear systems, are presented. It is showed that spectral radius of Jacobi iteration matrix B is less than that of several iteration matrices introduced in Liu (J. Numer. Methods Comput. Appl. 1 (1992) 58) under some conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This work was designed to observe the effects of nociceptin(13–17), one of the main metabolites of nociceptin (also termed orphanin FQ), in pain modulation at supraspinal level in mice. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of nociceptin/orphanin FQ(13–17) (N/OFQ(13–17)) (5, 0.5, 0.05, 0.005 nmol/mouse) dose-dependently induced potent hyperalgesic effects in the 48 °C warm-water tail-flick test in mice. I.c.v. pretreatment with N/OFQ(13–17) (5, 0.5, 0.05 nmol/mouse) potentiated the analgesic effects induced by morphine (i.p., 2 mg/kg) and reversed the hyperalgesic effects induced by N/OFQ (i.c.v., 5 nmol/mouse). The hyperalgesic effects induced by N/OFQ(13–17) could not be antagonized by [Nphe1]N/OFQ(1–13)NH2 or naloxone. These findings suggest that N/OFQ(13–17) may play important roles in pain modulation at supraspinal level in mice and elicits these effects through a novel mechanism independent of the N/OFQ receptor and the μ, δ and κ opioid receptors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polylactic acid (PLA) has attracted increasing interest as a sustainable plastic because it can be degraded into CO2 and H2O in nature. However, this process is sluggish, and even worse, it is a CO2‐emitting and carbon resource waste process. Therefore, it is highly urgent to develop a novel strategy for recycling post‐consumer PLA to achieve a circular plastic economy. Herein, we report a one‐pot photoreforming route for the efficient and selective amination of PLA waste into value‐added alanine using CoP/CdS catalysts under mild conditions. Results show the alanine production rate can reach up to 2.4 mmol gcat−1 h−1, with a high selectivity (>75 %) and excellent stability. Time‐resolved transient absorption spectra (TAS) reveal that CoP can rapidly extract photogenerated electrons from CdS to accelerate proton reduction, favoring hole‐dominated PLA oxidation to coproduce alanine. This study offers an appealing way for upcycling PLA waste and creates new opportunities for green synthesis of amino acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polylactic acid (PLA) has attracted increasing interest as a sustainable plastic because it can be degraded into CO2 and H2O in nature. However, this process is sluggish, and even worse, it is a CO2‐emitting and carbon resource waste process. Therefore, it is highly urgent to develop a novel strategy for recycling post‐consumer PLA to achieve a circular plastic economy. Herein, we report a one‐pot photoreforming route for the efficient and selective amination of PLA waste into value‐added alanine using CoP/CdS catalysts under mild conditions. Results show the alanine production rate can reach up to 2.4 mmol gcat−1 h−1, with a high selectivity (>75 %) and excellent stability. Time‐resolved transient absorption spectra (TAS) reveal that CoP can rapidly extract photogenerated electrons from CdS to accelerate proton reduction, favoring hole‐dominated PLA oxidation to coproduce alanine. This study offers an appealing way for upcycling PLA waste and creates new opportunities for green synthesis of amino acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) has been proposed to provide guidance for the improved postoperative rehabilitation of patients with occipitocervical region disease (ORD). Methods: This study retrospectively investigated 208 consecutive patients (116 men and 92 women) ranging in age from 22 to 76 years with ORD between July 2014 and June 2017 in our medical center, who were divided into three groups that received different preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative management plans: traditional group (n = 73), ameliorated group (n = 70), and ERAS group (n = 65). We compiled a range of data relating to demographics and postoperative changes in hemoglobin and albumin, surgery duration, intraoperative blood loss, number of postoperative hospitalization days and expenses, readmission rates, and visual analog scale pain symptoms. Data were statistically evaluated using one‐way analysis of variance with Student–Newman–Keuls‐q post hoc tests or chi‐square tests. Results: There were no significant differences in terms of age (P = 0.235), gender (P = 0.691), body mass index (P = 0.723), American Society of Anesthesiologists grade (0.747), lesion character (P = 0.337) and lesion site (P = 0.957) between the three groups. Within a 6 months follow‐up period, there was no significant difference between the three groups in terms of surgery duration (P = 0.225), blood loss (P = 0.172), changes in hemoglobin (P = 0.255) and albumin (P = 0.178). However, postoperative hospitalization days (P = 0.000), postoperative costs (P = 0.019) and improvement of pain symptoms (P = 0.000) in ERAS group were significantly lower or higher than those in traditional group or ameliorated group, respectively. There were 29 (39.73%), 22 (31.43%), and 13 (20.00%), recorded cases of postoperative complications in traditional group, ameliorated group and ERAS group, respectively; complications in ERAS group were significantly lower than those in other two groups (P = 0.043). Moreover, all of the complications were mitigated effectively by the infusion of fluid, analgesia, treatment of infections, or antiemetic medications. There were 2 (2.74%), 3 (4.29%) and 2 (3.08%), recorded cases of re‐admission in traditional group, ameliorated group and ERAS group, respectively, but there were no statistically significant differences when compared across the three groups (P = 0.866). Conclusions: ERAS can provide benefits when it applied to patients undergoing ORD surgery mainly in terms of reducing postoperative complications, however, ERAS does not increase the economic burden of patients or decrease the risk of readmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fundamentals of polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) are discussed; • Ionic liquids are desirable carriers for PIMs due to their stability enhancement; • Ionic liquid-based PIMs are used for water purification and resource recovery; • We offer perspectives and future directions for metal recovery by ionic liquid-based PIMs. Heavy metal removal from wastewater and valuable metal recovery from electronic waste are of critical environmental and economic significance. Separation based on the use of polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) with the advantage of simultaneous extraction and stripping has emerged as a promising approach for efficient and selective metal ion removal and/or recovery from wastewaters or electronic waste. However, the conventional extractants used in PIMs are often not selective to certain metal ions, and are highly volatile and toxic, leading to low extraction efficiency and significant environmental concerns. Ionic liquids (ILs) have negligible vapor pressure and can be purposely designed for extraction of specific ions. In addition, ILs can be multifunctional by purpose design, for instance, having the functions of both extractants and plasticizers. Therefore, the marriage of PIMs and ILs (i.e., IL-based PIMs) has been highly attractive for selective extraction and recovery of various metal ions. In this review, we discuss the fundamentals of PIMs, explore the key considerations of ILs for PIMs, and provide an overview of IL-based PIMs for different applications. By leveraging the advantages of ILs, the marriage of PIMs and ILs offers new possibilities for efficient and sustainable metal ion extraction and recovery. This review offers a state-of-the-art assessment of the previous efforts and strategies as well as future research directions for the recovery of metal ions through the application of ILs-based PIMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of quantum coherence in light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) as a mechanism to understand the efficiency of the light-harvesting function in natural photosynthetic systems is still debated due to its structural complexity and weak-amplitude coherent oscillations. Here, we revisit the coherent dynamics and clarify different types of coherences in the energy transfer processes of LHCII using a joint method of the high-S/N transient grating and two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy. We find that the electronic coherence decays completely within 50 fs at room temperature. The vibrational coherences of chlorophyll a dominate over oscillations within 1 ps, whereas a low-frequency mode of 340 cm−1 with a vibronic mixing character may participate in vibrationally assisted energy transfer between chlorophylls a. Our results may suggest that vibronic mixing is relevant for rapid energy transfer processes among chlorophylls in LHCII. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By virtue of the quantum confinement effect, the junction between black phosphorus and red phosphorus changes from a type I heterostructure for bulk materials to a Z-scheme system for quantum dots. The Z-scheme system of black/red phosphorus quantum dots (BP/RP-QD) achieves H2 evolution from water splitting in the absence of sacrificial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black phosphorus (BP) has recently drawn attention in photocatalysis for its optical properties. However, limited by the rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers, the use of BP for photocatalytic water splitting still remains a huge challenge. Herein, we prepare a black/red phosphorus (BP/RP) hetero‐phase junction photocatalyst by a wet‐chemistry method to promote the interfacial charge separation and thus achieve Z‐scheme photocatalytic water splitting without using sacrificial agents. The Z‐scheme mechanism was confirmed by time‐resolved transient absorption spectroscopy. This work provides a novel insight into the interface design of hetero‐phase junction with atomic precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black phosphorus (BP) has recently drawn attention in photocatalysis for its optical properties. However, limited by the rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers, the use of BP for photocatalytic water splitting still remains a huge challenge. Herein, we prepare a black/red phosphorus (BP/RP) hetero‐phase junction photocatalyst by a wet‐chemistry method to promote the interfacial charge separation and thus achieve Z‐scheme photocatalytic water splitting without using sacrificial agents. The Z‐scheme mechanism was confirmed by time‐resolved transient absorption spectroscopy. This work provides a novel insight into the interface design of hetero‐phase junction with atomic precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black phosphorus (BP) has recently drawn attention in photocatalysis for its optical properties. However, limited by the rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers, the use of BP for photocatalytic water splitting still remains a huge challenge. Herein, we prepare a black/red phosphorus (BP/RP) hetero‐phase junction photocatalyst by a wet‐chemistry method to promote the interfacial charge separation and thus achieve Z‐scheme photocatalytic water splitting without using sacrificial agents. The Z‐scheme mechanism was confirmed by time‐resolved transient absorption spectroscopy. This work provides a novel insight into the interface design of hetero‐phase junction with atomic precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, ultrafast carrier dynamics of mechanically exfoliated 1T-TiSe2 flakes from the high-quality single crystals with self-intercalated Ti atoms are investigated by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The observed coherent acoustic and optical phonon oscillations after ultrafast photoexcitation reveal the strong electron–phonon coupling in 1T-TiSe2. The ultrafast carrier dynamics probed in both visible and mid-infrared regions indicate that some photogenerated carriers localize near the intercalated Ti atoms and form small polarons rapidly within several picoseconds after photoexcitation due to the strong and short-range electron–phonon coupling. The formation of polarons leads to a reduction of carrier mobility and a long-time relaxation process of photoexcited carriers for several nanoseconds. The formation and dissociation rates of the photoinduced polarons are dependent on both the pump fluence and the thickness of TiSe2 sample. This work offers new insights into the photogenerated carrier dynamics of 1T-TiSe2, and emphasizes the effects of intercalated atoms on the electron and lattice dynamics after photoexcitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic generation of •OH from O3 is an intriguing avenue for aqueous organics degradation due to the high utilization of photogenerated electrons, but ambiguous information about charge transfer and surface‐active sites hinders the optimization of photocatalysts. In this work, a series of cobalt single‐atom catalysts (SACs) anchored on graphitic carbon nitride to improve •OH generation from O3 via electron reduction and catalytic activation dual pathway is synthesized. Various characterization and density functional theory calculations reveal that cobalt single atoms can introduce trap states for holes, which improve the light‐harvesting ability and accelerate the transfer of electrons and holes. Meanwhile, Co single atoms can also act as active sites to accelerate ozone decomposition and produce •OH directly. Particularly, the influence of different surface densities of Co single atoms on photogenerated electron supply and surface reaction is disclosed. A higher density of Co provided more active sites for O3 catalytic activation, but the narrowed distance between oxidation and reduction centers reduces the supply of available electrons by worsening the charge recombination. This work offers an atomic‐level correlation of the isolated metal density and photocatalytic properties, and can scientifically guide the design of high‐performance photocatalysts for organic synthesis and water purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐solid‐state Z‐Scheme photocatalysts have attracted significant attention due to their great potential for solar fuel production. However, delicately coupling two individual semiconductors with a charge shuttle by a material strategy remains a challenge. Herein, we demonstrate a new protocol of natural Z‐Scheme heterostructures by strategically engineering the component and interfacial structure of red mud bauxite waste. Advanced characterizations elucidated that the hydrogen‐induced formation of metallic Fe enabled the effective Z‐Scheme electron transfer from γ‐Fe2O3 to TiO2, leading to the significantly boosted spatial separation of photo‐generated carriers for overall water splitting. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first Z‐Scheme heterojunction based on natural minerals for solar fuel production. Thus our work provides a new avenue toward the utilization of natural minerals for advanced catalysis applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐solid‐state Z‐Scheme photocatalysts have attracted significant attention due to their great potential for solar fuel production. However, delicately coupling two individual semiconductors with a charge shuttle by a material strategy remains a challenge. Herein, we demonstrate a new protocol of natural Z‐Scheme heterostructures by strategically engineering the component and interfacial structure of red mud bauxite waste. Advanced characterizations elucidated that the hydrogen‐induced formation of metallic Fe enabled the effective Z‐Scheme electron transfer from γ‐Fe2O3 to TiO2, leading to the significantly boosted spatial separation of photo‐generated carriers for overall water splitting. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first Z‐Scheme heterojunction based on natural minerals for solar fuel production. Thus our work provides a new avenue toward the utilization of natural minerals for advanced catalysis applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrate is an important raw material for chemical fertilizers, but it is industrially manufactured in multiple steps at high temperature and pressure, urgently motivating the design of a green and sustainable strategy for nitrate production. We report the photosynthesis of nitrate from N2 and O2 on commercial TiO2 in a flow reactor under ambient conditions. The TiO2 photocatalyst offered a high nitrate yield of 1.85 μmol h−1 as well as a solar‐to‐nitrate energy conversion efficiency up to 0.13 %. We combined reactivity and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to elucidate the mechanism of nitrate formation and unveil the special role of O2 in N≡N bond dissociation. The mechanistic insight into charge‐involved N2 oxidation was further demonstrated by in situ transient absorption spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance. This work exhibits the mechanistic origin of N2 photooxidation and initiates a potential method for triggering inert catalytic reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrate is an important raw material for chemical fertilizers, but it is industrially manufactured in multiple steps at high temperature and pressure, urgently motivating the design of a green and sustainable strategy for nitrate production. We report the photosynthesis of nitrate from N2 and O2 on commercial TiO2 in a flow reactor under ambient conditions. The TiO2 photocatalyst offered a high nitrate yield of 1.85 μmol h−1 as well as a solar‐to‐nitrate energy conversion efficiency up to 0.13 %. We combined reactivity and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to elucidate the mechanism of nitrate formation and unveil the special role of O2 in N≡N bond dissociation. The mechanistic insight into charge‐involved N2 oxidation was further demonstrated by in situ transient absorption spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance. This work exhibits the mechanistic origin of N2 photooxidation and initiates a potential method for triggering inert catalytic reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A series of new dyes with bright colors have been synthesized and exhibit excellent dyeing performance for PLA fabrics. • Dye with lower polarity generally having higher exhaustions on PLA fabrics. • Dyes having long alkyl groups and minimal steric hindrance during its adsorption facilitate the dye-PLA interaction, increasing dye exhaustion on PLA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic ozonation offers a potential approach for highly efficient organic degradation by in-situ generation of reactive •OH via electron reduction of ozone. Herein, we synthesized a Mn single atom photocatalyst for promoting the •OH generation from O 3 activation under visible light irradiation. Theoretical calculation and experimental studies reveal that Mn single atoms on carbon nitride significantly promote the excitation and transfer of photo-generated electrons, making charge carriers enriched around MnN 4 sites and shortening their migration path to participate in surface reactions. Meanwhile, Mn single atoms serve as adsorption and catalytic sites for O 3 , favoring a fast one-electron-reduction reaction kinetics. More importantly, the trade-off between the number of available electrons and active sites in photocatalytic performance was observed from regulating the density of Mn single atoms. This work offers an intriguing regulation strategy for enriching surface charges on single atom catalyst interface toward efficient •OH production and removal of aqueous organics. [Display omitted] • Mn single atom catalysts demonstrate high performance in photocatalytic ozonation. • The anchored Mn single atoms enrich photo charge carriers for promoting O 3 adsorption. • One-electron reduction path ensures efficient O 3 activation to hydroxyl radicals. • A higher Mn single atom density favors higher photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Letbe two Hermitian matrices. We propose new perturbation bounds on the differences between the eigenvalues ofandby the bounds of the eigenvector components. These results extend those of Nakatsukasa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A molecular probe BNP based on 2,3-modified boron-dipyrromethene (Bodipy) derivatives toward copper ion was synthesized. [•] The probe BNP treated with Cu2+ in H2O/DMSO displays remarkable solution color change from the light yellow to purple, which is further confirmed by TD-DFT calculations. [•] The low naked-eye detection limit (2.5μM) and real-time detection for Cu2+ give the possibly direct detection by the naked eyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to compare the agronomic characteristics, crop quality, water use efficiency (WUE), and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) of tomato (Lycopersicon esculintum Mill.) between drip fertigation (DI) and negative-pressure fertigation (NPI). Four treatments were evaluated in a greenhouse plot experiment for their effects on soil moisture and soil available nitrogen and plant photosynthetic, nitrogen uptake, fruit quality, yield, irrigation water use efficiency (WUEi), and FUE: (1) NPI fertigation with no nitrogen fertilization (NPI-F0.00); (2) NPI fertigation with 75% conventional fertilization (NPI-F0.75); (3) DI fertigation with no nitrogen fertilization (DI-F0.00); and (4) DI fertigation with 100% conventional fertilization (DI-F1.00). Compared with those under NPI fertigation, the sugar-acid ratio (30%), vitamin C content (34%), soluble solids content (20%), and nitrate concentration (34%) of tomato fruits under DI fertigation decreased. In addition, the WUE across treatments significantly decreased in the order of NPI-F0.75 > NPI-F0.00 > DI-F1.00 > DI-F0.00; notably, compared with NPI, water consumption increased twofold-fold, and WUE decreased by 47% under DI. The apparent recovery efficiency of applied nitrogen, partial factor productivity from applied nitrogen, and agronomic efficiency of applied nitrogen under NPI-F0.75 were greater than those under DI-F1.00. Both DI and NPI were able to maintain a relatively high tomato yield, but NPI performed slightly better. The yield percentage increase from the soil fertility contribution under NPI and DI was greater than 90%. Compared with DI fertigation, NPI fertigation reduced the amount of fertilizer needed without reducing yield or fruit quality and improved WUE and FUE, resulting in better overall use of soil nutrients by tomato plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The molecular mechanisms and the possible effects of a recombinant buckwheat trypsin inhibitor (rBTI) on the induction of apoptosis in the human solid tumor cells (EC9706, HepG2 and HeLa) were investigated. An MTT assay showed that rBTI could specifically inhibit the growth of solid tumor cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Analysis by flow cytometry indicated that the apoptosis of several tumor cells increased after treatment with rBTI in range of 6.25–50μg/ml. DNA electrophoresis analysis showed the ‘DNA ladder’, typical of apoptosis. rBTI-induced apoptosis was shown to involve Bax and Bak up-regulation, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl down-regulation, release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol, activation of caspase-3 and -9 and disruption of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψ m). The z-DEVD-fmk caspase-3 inhibitor significantly inhibited rBTI-induced apoptosis. We concluded that rBTI can induce the apoptosis in several types of human solid tumor cells and promotes apoptosis through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In general, a continuous network design problem (CNDP) is formulated as a bi-level program. The objective function at the upper level is defined as the total travel time on the network, plus total investment costs of link capacity expansions. The lower level problem is formulated as a certain traffic assignment model. It is well known that such bi-level program is non-convex and non-differentiable and algorithms for finding global optimal solutions are preferable to be used in solving it. Simulated annealing (SA) and genetic algorithm (GA) are two global methods and can then be used to determine the optimal solution of CNDP. Since application of SA and GA on continuous network design on real transportation network requires solving traffic assignment model many times at each iteration of the algorithm, computation time needed is tremendous. It is important to compare the efficacy of the two methods and choose the more efficient one as reference method in practice. In this paper, the continuous network design problem has been studied using SA and GA on a simulated network. The lower level program is formulated as user equilibrium traffic assignment model and Frank–Wolf method is used to solve it. It is found that when demand is large, SA is more efficient than GA in solving CNDP, and much more computational effort is needed for GA to achieve the same optimal solution as SA. However, when demand is light, GA can reach a more optimal solution at the expense of more computation time. It is also found that increasing the iteration number at each temperature in SA does not necessarily improve solution. The finding in this example is different from [Karoonsoontawong, A., & Waller, S. T. (2006). Dynamic continuous network design problem – Linear bilevel programming and metaheuristic approaches. Network Modeling 2006 Transportation Research Record (1964) (pp. 104–117)]. The reason might be the bi-level model in this example is nonlinear while the bi-level model in their study is linear. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Real-time energy exchange among the three vibrational modes forming a triplet with frequencies ω 1, ω 2, and ω 3 satisfying a ‘circa sum-frequency relation’, namely ω 1 + ω 2 ≅ ω 3 in a cyanine dye molecule has been studied with a 7-fs pulse laser. There are two triplets with average frequencies of the components of (146, 279, 432cm−1) and (279, 432, 738cm−1). Even though the circa sum-frequency relation is satisfied, circa-conservation of the vibrational energy holds among the three components only in the latter triplet. The difference between the two is ascribed to the symmetry of the molecular vibrational modes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper has adopted a fast and convenient analytical technique to detect dinitrophenol isomers directly and simultaneously. In 0.1molL−1 HAc–NaAc buffer solution (pH 5.8), 2,4- and 2,5-dinitrophenol exhibited good resolution by DPV at the GC electrode. By using the surfactant of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, the reduction peaks currents were enhanced and the detection sensitivity was improved dramatically. The action mechanism was investigated in detail and some valuable message has been found. The linear calibration ranges from 1.0×10−6 to 8.0×10−4 molL−1 for both 2,4- and 2,5-dinitrophenol, with detection limits of 2.4×10−7 for 2,4- and 1.5×10−7 molL−1 for 2,5-dinitrophenol. This method was applied in the determination of dinitrophenol isomers in model water sample, and the recovery was from 98% to 103%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Sub-5-fs spectroscopy of a thiophene derivative with an electron donative and an acceptive moieties and quinoid structure provided the experimental evidence of dynamic mode coupling. It was shown that two out-of-plane bending modes mediate the dynamic mode coupling between 1469 and 1379cm−1 and between 1603 and 1469cm−1. These couplings are considered to be associated with geometrical relaxation relevant to the neutral bipolaron formation in all-s-trans polyacetylene. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Integration of a transgene into a C-genome chromosome plays an important role in reducing ecological risk of transgenic Brassica napus. To obtain C-genome transgenic B. napus, herbicide-resistant bar gene was firstly transferred into B. oleracea var. alboglabra mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404. Then using the transgenic B. oleracea as paternal plants and 8 non-transgenic varieties of B. rapa as maternal plants, C-genome transgenic B. napus with bar gene was artificially resynthesized by means of ovary culture and chromosome doubling. Among 67 lines of the resynthesized B. napus, 31 were positive, and 36 were negative according to PCR test for bar gene. At least 2 plants from each line were kept for PPT spray confirmation. The result was in consistence with the PCR test. Genomic Southern blotting of three randomly chosen lines also showed that bar gene had been integrated into the genome of resynthesized B. napus lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of air pollution on research and development (R&D) in China on the basis of province-level data for the period 2007—2016. The study discovers a significant adverse impact of air pollution on both R&D input and output in China. The estimation results in this study are robust to the different indicators used to measure R&D input and output and control for possible endogeneity problems via the instrumental variable approach. According to our estimates, if the concentration of particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM 2.5) increases by 1%, then the scales of annual R&D personnel, expenditures, and new patents will decline by 0.359%, 0.169%, and 0.293%, respectively. The findings indicate that air pollution is a considerable threat to innovation and technological progress in China. Unlabelled Image • The study discovers a significant adverse impact of air pollution on both R&D input and output in China. • The empirical analysis is based on a panel data regression model using province-level data for the period 2007—2016. • The scales of annual R&D personnel, expenditures, and new patents all decline, in response to the increase in air pollution. • Air pollution is a considerable threat to innovation and technological progress in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]