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Benzotriazole ultraviolet absorbers (BUVs), as emerging contaminants of extensive use, especially in plastic sports fields, have aroused increasing concern due to their potential human and environmental impacts. However, BUV exposure from plastic sports field dust is still unknown. This study compared BUVs in plastic sports field dust and indoor dust for the first time. The order of the geometric mean concentrations of the total BUVs (ΣBUVs) in plastic sports field dust was indoor badminton courts (11023 ng g–1) > basketball courts (4777 ng g–1) > plastic tracks (3779 ng g–1) > synthetic turf (1920 ng g–1) > tennis courts (689 ng g–1). The geometric mean concentrations of ΣBUVs in indoor dust (1150 ng g–1) were lower than those in most plastic sports field dust. The dominant BUV was 2-hydroxy-4-(octyloxy)benzophenone (UV-531) in plastic sports field dust, while 2,2′-methylenebis[4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-6-2H-benzotriazole-2-yl)phenol] (UV-360) was the dominant BUV in indoor dust. Releases from plastic track materials, sneaker soles, and friction between them might be important BUV sources in plastic track dust. The average estimated daily intakes of ΣBUVs from plastic sports field dust for general exercisers were lower than those from indoor dust, but those for exercisers with long time or professional athletes might be higher, potentially posing health risks.

A K–Eu bimetallic ammonium metal-nitrate three-dimensional (3D) framework incorporating R-N-methyl-3-hydroxyquinuclidine, (RM3HQ)2KEu(NO3)6(RM3HQ = R-N-methyl-3-hydroxyquinuclidine, 1), was characterized and reported. Distinguishing from the former hybrid rare-earth double perovskites, 1adopts a mixed corner- and face-sharing K+/Eu3+-centered polyhedral connectivity to form a 3D inorganic framework, showing a rare (6, 6)-connected ion topology with a 66framework. Notably, 1exhibits clear phase transition, and the switchable thermodynamic behavior is confirmed by variable-temperature dielectric measurements and second-harmonic generation response. Moreover, 1also shows photoluminescence properties. The activator Eu3+plays a crucial role in this process, leading to a significant narrow emission at 592 nm with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 20.76%. The fluorescence lifetime (FLT) of 1is 4.32 ms. This finding enriches the bimetallic hybrid system for potential electronic and/or luminescence applications.

Selective synthesis of chiral bridged (hetero)bicyclic scaffolds via asymmetric C–H activation constitutes substantial challenges due to the multiple reactivities of strained bicyclic structures. Herein, we develop the domino transformations through an unprecedented cobalt-catalyzed enantioselective C–H activation/nucleophilic [3 + 2] annulation with symmetrical bicyclic alkenes. The methods offer straightforward access to a wide range of chiral molecules bearing [2.2.1]-bridged bicyclic cores with four and five consecutive stereocenters in a single step. Two elaborate salicyloxazoline (Salox) ligands were synthesized based on the rational design and mechanistic understanding. The well-defined chiral pockets generated from asymmetric coordination around the trivalent cobalt catalyst direct the orientation of bicyclic alkenes, leading to excellent enantioselectivity.

Electro-optical synergy has recently been targeted to improve the separation of hot carriers and thereby further improve the efficiency of plasmon-mediated chemical reactions (PMCRs). However, the electro-optical synergy in PMCRs needs to be more deeply understood, and its contribution to bond dissociation and product selectivity needs to be clarified. Herein, the electro-optical synergy in plasmon-mediated reduction of p-bromothiophenol (PBTP) was studied on a plasmonic nanostructured silver electrode using in situ Raman spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. It was found that the electro-optical synergy-induced enhancements in the cleavage of carbon–bromine bonds, reaction rate, and product selectivity (4,4′-biphenyl dithiol vs thiophenol) were largely affected by the applied bias, laser wavelength, and laser power. The theoretical simulation further clarified that the strong electro-optical synergy is attributed to the matching of energy band diagrams of the plasmonic silver with those of the adsorbed PBTP molecules. A deep understanding of the electro-optical synergy in PBTP reduction and the clarification of the mechanism will be highly beneficial for the development of other highly efficient PMCRs.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) tend to accumulate in cold regions by cold condensationand global distillation. Soil organic matter is the main storage compartment for POPs in terrestrial ecosystems due to deposition and repeated air–surface exchange processes. Here, physicochemical properties and environmental factors were investigated for their role in influencing POPs accumulation in soils of the Tibetan Plateau and Antarctic and Arctic regions. The results showed that the soil burden of most POPs was closely coupled to stable mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC). Combining the proportion of MAOC and physicochemical properties can explain much of the soil distribution characteristics of the POPs. The background levels of POPs were estimated in conjunction with the global soil database. It led to the proposition that the stable soil carbon pools are key controlling factors affecting the ultimate global distribution of POPs, so that the dynamic cycling of soil carbon acts to counteract the cold-trappingeffects. In the future, soil carbon pool composition should be fully considered in a multimedia environmental model of POPs, and the risk of secondary release of POPs in soils under conditions such as climate change can be further assessed with soil organic carbon models.

Understanding the molecular pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with well-defined genomic abnormalities has facilitated the development of targeted therapeutics. Patients with t(8;21) AML frequently harbor a fusion gene RUNX1-RUNX1T1and KITmutations as “secondary hit”, making the disease one of the ideal models for exploring targeted treatment options in AML. In this study we investigated the combination therapy of agents targeting RUNX1-RUNX1T1 and KIT in the treatment of t(8;21) AML with KITmutations. We showed that the combination of eriocalyxin B (EriB) and homoharringtonine (HHT) exerted synergistic therapeutic effects by dual inhibition of RUNX1-RUNX1T1 and KIT proteins in Kasumi-1 and SKNO-1 cells in vitro. In Kasumi-1 cells, the combination of EriB and HHT could perturb the RUNX1-RUNX1T1-responsible transcriptional network by destabilizing RUNX1-RUNX1T1 transcription factor complex (AETFC), forcing RUNX1-RUNX1T1 leaving from the chromatin, triggering cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Meanwhile, EriB combined with HHT activated JNK signaling, resulting in the eventual degradation of RUNX1-RUNX1T1 by caspase-3. In addition, HHT and EriB inhibited NF-κB pathway through blocking p65 nuclear translocation in two different manners, to synergistically interfere with the transcription of KIT. In mice co-expressing RUNX1-RUNX1T1and KITN822K, co-administration of EriB and HHT significantly prolonged survival of the mice by targeting CD34+CD38−leukemic cells. The synergistic effects of the two drugs were also observed in bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) of t(8;21) AML patients. Collectively, this study reveals the synergistic mechanism of the combination regimen of EriB and HHT in t(8;21) AML, providing new insight into optimizing targeted treatment of AML.

Electrochemical CO2reduction reaction (CO2RR) in acid can solve alkalinity issues while highly corrosive and reductive acidic electrolytes usually cause catalyst degradation. Inhibiting catalyst degradation is crucial for the stability of acidic CO2RR. Here, we reveal the microenvironment changes of dynamic Bi-based catalysts and develop a pulse chronoamperometry (CA) strategy to improve the stability of acidic CO2RR. In situfluorescence mappings show that the local pH changes from neutral to acid, and the in situRaman spectra reveal the dynamic evolution of interfacial water structures in the microenvironment. We propose that the surface charge properties of dynamic catalysts affect the competitive adsorption of K+and protons, thereby causing the differences in local pH and CO2RR intermediate adsorption. We also develop a pulse CA strategy to reactivate catalysts, and the stability of acidic CO2RR is improved by 2 orders of magnitude for 100 h operation, which is higher than most reports on the stability of acidic CO2RR. This work gives insights on how microenvironment changes affecting the stability of acidic CO2RR, and provides guidance for designing stable catalysts in acidic electrolytes.

Microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology has gained significant traction as an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and intelligent self-healing method for concrete cracks. The harsh service environment and high alkalinity of cement matrices have posed a significant challenge to the survival and growth of bacteria, which is crucial for the success of MICP technologies in concrete components. This article aims to present an up-to-date overview of the current research status of self-healing concrete cracks utilizing MICP technology. Specifically, it comprehensively reviews the selection of mineralization repair systems, encompassing repair mechanisms, effects, processes, nutrient addition sequences, and carrier selection. Furthermore, various characterization methods for evaluating the self-healing ability of concrete are explored, accompanied by an in-depth analysis of practical applications of self-healing concrete. Finally, this paper highlights the pressing issues facing this technology while outlining promising directions for future advancement.

A decline in atmospheric oxygen concentration is projected in the 21st century given the background of global warming. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is located at a high altitude, and thus, it faces a hypoxia challenge; however, knowledge of the factors contributing to its atmospheric oxygen concentration is still lacking. Here, we conducted joint observations of ecosystem oxygen production and carbon sinks and near-surface atmospheric oxygen concentrations on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and meteorological elements at Beijing Fangshan Station. Using seasonal differences and statistical methods, we calculated the relative contribution rates of vegetation to changes in atmospheric oxygen concentration. Our results indicate that solar radiation, atmospheric humidity, and ecosystem oxygen consumption and production have a significant impact on the atmospheric oxygen concentration, and the impact shows temporal and spatial differences. Vegetation significantly impacts the oxygen concentration, with a contribution rate of 16.7%–24.5%, which is underestimated in existing research. Our findings provide important insights into the factors that influence atmospheric oxygen concentration and highlight the contribution of vegetation. To better understand the oxygen dynamics of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we recommend further field observations of soil respiration and vegetation photosynthesis to clarify the contributions of carbon storage, carbon sinks and other factors to the near-surface atmospheric oxygen concentration.

Aim: The present study aimed to map publication trends and explore research hotspots of treatment for NAFLD study by bibliometric analysis.Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multi-system metabolic disorder involving the liver. Thousands of papers have been published on the treatment of NAFLD, but no comprehensive statistical and intuitive analysis has been made. The present study aimed to map publication trends and explore research hotspots of treatment for NAFLD study by bibliometric analysis.Objective: (1) The pathogenesis of NAFLD and the possible treatment mechanism; (2) prevalence, risk factors, and traditional therapies for NAFLD; (3) frontier therapies for NAFLD.Method; This paper conducted a bibliometric analysis based on the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). The knowledge map was constructed by VOS viewer v.1.6.10 to visualize the annual publication number, the distribution of countries, international collaborations, author productivity, source journals, cited references, and keywords in this field.Results: From 2012 to 2021, 2,437 peer-reviewed publications on the treatment of NAFLD were retrieved. China contributed the most publications, while the United States received the most citations. Journal of Hepatology was the most prolific journal in this field. Prof. Rohit Loomba.Conclusion: Our study provides a comprehensive and objective analysis of NAFLD treatment that allows researchers to quickly locate research hotspots in a large number of relevant literatures. Meanwhile, it may also provide valuable information for researchers looking for potential partners and institutions.

On 6 February 2023, two 7.8 magnitude earthquakes consecutively hit south-central Türkiye, causing great concern from all governments, the United Nations, academia, and all sectors of society. Analyses indicate that there is also a high possibility of strong earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.8 or above occurring in the western region of China in the coming years. China is a country that is highly susceptible to catastrophic disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and other natural calamities, which can cause significant damages to both human life and property, as well as widespread impacts on the society. Currently, China’s capacity for disaster prevention and control is still limited. In order to effectively reduce the impact of catastrophic disasters, ensure the safety of people’s lives and property to the greatest extent possible, maintain social stability in high-risk areas, and ensure high-quality and sustainable regional development, it is urgent to improve the seismic resistance level of houses and critical infrastructure in high earthquake risk zones and increase the earthquake-resistant design level of houses in high-risk fault areas with frequent seismic activities; significantly enhance the ability to defend against extreme weather and ocean disasters in economically developed areas along the southeastern coast, as well as the level of fortification in response to extreme meteorological and hydrological disasters of coastal towns/cities and key infrastructure; vigorously enhance the emergency response capacity and disaster risk prevention level in western and ethnic minority regions; comprehensively improve the defense level of residential areas and major infrastructure in high geological hazard risk zones with flash floods, landslides, and mudslides; systematically promote national disaster prevention and mitigation education; and greatly enhance the societal disaster risk reduction ability, including catastrophic insurance.

Intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD) is a common hepatobiliary complication resulting from long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) in patients with intestinal failure. The spectrum of IFALD ranges from cholestasis, steatosis, portal fibrosis, to cirrhosis. Development of IFALD is a multifactorial process, in which gut dysbiosis plays a critical role in its initiation and progression in conjunction with increased intestinal permeability, activation of hepatic immune responses, and administration of lipid emulsion. Gut microbiota manipulation including pre/probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, and antibiotics has been studied in IFALD with varying success. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the taxonomic and functional changes of gut microbiota in preclinical and clinical studies of IFALD. We also review the function of microbial metabolites and associated signalings in the context of IFALD. By providing microbiota-targeted interventions aiming to optimize PN-induced liver injury, our review provides perspectives for future basic and translational investigations in the field.

In this paper, a thiacalix[4]arene complex [Zn2(TIT4A)L2]·4DMF·2CH3OH (H2L = 4,4′-oxybisbenzoic acid) (Zn-TIT4A-L) was synthesized by a solvothermal method. The composites were prepared by combining Zn-TIT4A-L with reduced graphene oxide (RGO), mesoporous carbon (MC), and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), respectively. Three representative composites are Zn-TIT4A-L@RGO(1:1), Zn-TIT4A-L@MC(1:2), and Zn-TIT4A-L@MWCNT(1:2). X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy characterized their structures and morphologies. The results showed that three composites were successfully prepared, and the crystals of the complex remained in the composites. The electrochemical properties of the composites were characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated that they had good electrocatalytic activity and conductivity. Among them, Zn-TIT4A-L@RGO(1:1) had the best performance and was used for the quantitative detection of flutamide (FTA). The linear range of detection is 0.1–200 μM, and the limit of detection is 0.015 μM. At the same time, the sensor also had good reproducibility, anti-interference, and stability. The sensor was also used for the detection of FTA in lake water, human urine, and serum with a satisfactory recovery rate. The possible mechanism of electrochemical detection of FTA was also discussed.

A novel hybrid alloy, designed for plastic injection dies, was fabricated by depositing M789 steel on wrought N709 steel through laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The M789–N709 interface (with a thickness of about 300 μm) is characterized by the variation of titanium content from 0 wt% in the N709 section to about 1 wt% near the M789 region. A thermodynamic and kinetic simulation after aging treatment was performed to reveal the precipitation behavior in the M789–N709 interface. Different sizes and amounts of ETA-Ni3(Ti,Al) strengthening precipitates exist, with a maximum volume fraction and radius of about 5% and 5 nm, respectively (near the M789 region). Moreover, the volume fraction of precipitates significantly increases with Ti additions of up to 0.6 wt% (i.e., 100 μm from the N709 region); however, beyond this threshold, the increase in the amount of precipitation becomes gradual. The thermodynamic and kinetic simulations performed in the interface are validated by electron diffraction spectroscopy (EDS), electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) and atomic probe tomography (APT) results; the measured precipitate size from the APT analysis is consistent with the simulation results. Two morphologies of precipitates were detected: elongated and spherical; both contribute to the robustness of the interface. The robust M789–N709 interface formed during the process shows good compatibility between the alloys, which is critical for extended tool life. These new insights about the precipitation at the interface of M789–N709 alloy are crucial in assessing the feasibility of N709 as a cost-effective base material to minimize the use of M789 when printing plastic injection dies.

New pollutants in remote regions have become a global issue of concern. This study collected soil, lichen, moss, and air samples from the high mountain area of southeastern Tibet to analyze the altitude pollution distribution of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) and the related influencing factors. The results revealed that the average levels of Σ6PAH in soil, moss, lichen, and air samples were 46.8 ng/g dry weight(dw), 140.6 ng/g dw, 712.0 ng/g dw, and 60.1 ng/m3, respectively. Naphthalene and phenanthrene were the most abundant individual isomers, and 2–4 rings PAHs accounted for approximately 90% of the total ΣPAH concentration in the samples. Source apportionment analysis highlighted the impact of atmospheric PAH inputs on this region. Octanol/air distribution factor(Koa), altitude, plant coverage, and soil organic matter were the key determinants of PAH concentration along the altitudinal gradient. Across all the soil sampling sites, the average contribution of the forest filter effect (FFE) was greater than that of the mountain cold trapping effect based on the principal component analysis and multiple linear regression. The findings of this study strengthened the reasons for the preferential accumulation of organic pollutants in the high-altitude mountainous area, and provided important insights for effective environmental strategies of new pollutants.

Glacier-retreated areas are ideal areas to study soil biogeochemical processes during vegetation succession, because of the limited effect of other environmental and climatic factors. In this study, the changes of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its relationship with microbial communities along the Hailuogou Glacier forefield chronosequence were investigated. Both microbial diversity and DOM molecular chemodiversity recovered rapidly at the initial stage, indicating the pioneering role of microorganisms in soil formation and development. The chemical stability of soil organic matter enhanced with vegetation succession due to the retaining of compounds with high oxidation state and aromaticity. The molecular composition of DOM affected microbial communities, while microorganisms tended to utilize labile components to form refractory components. This complex relationship network between microorganisms and DOM components played an important role in the development of soil organic matter as well as the formation of stable soil carbon pool in glacier-retreated areas.

137Cs and other radionuclides in the wastewater of nuclear energy have caused great harm to the environment and human body. Removed of these radionuclides has become one of focuses of research. Prussian blue (PB), as an excellent adsorbent for cesium ion, faces the difficulty in recovery from water after adsorption. In this article, PB powder was packed in tube-in-tube hollow fiber membranes to eliminate the problems of recovery and secondary pollution. The effects of one pass-through adsorption and cyclic adsorption in the adsorption of cesium ion were explored. In the one pass-through adsorption, the solution contacts with the adsorbent layer for a short time, resulting in a low adsorption capacity. For the cyclic adsorption, the adsorption capacity can reach 36.26 mg g–1. With the increase of PES inner hollow fiber membranes, the flux increases while the adsorption capacity decreases. The permeation of solution through the PB layer favors the mass transfer of ion to the adsorbent. The tube-in-tube adsorption can solve the recovery problem of PB powder and also improve the adsorption efficiency.

Good toilet hygiene can reduce the risk of pathogenic transmission. During flushing, pathogenic bacteria can be spread by the water droplets, especially in the toilet seat. Escherichia coli(E. coli) is one of the frequently occurring Gram-negative bacterial pathogens found in the toilet seats. In this study, we investigated the potential anti-E. coliactivity of some azobenzene compounds. Among them, compound 2, with the heterocyclic nitrogen in both phenyl rings, showed the strongest antibacterial effect on E. coli, with the minimum inhibitory concentration of 80 µg/mL and the minimum bactericidal concentration of 320 µg/mL Compound 2displayed a comparative zone of clearance [(14.50±2.29) mm] to that of ampicillin [(13.17±1.76) mm]. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay suggested that compound 2might induce the loss of bacteria viathe oxidative stress by eliciting the generation of intracellular ROS. We further examined the potential cytotoxicity of compound 2to the human skin HaCaT cells. Compound 2-treated skin cells showed a good maintenance of cellular morphology and a clear definition of cell nuclei, with a satisfactory cell viability (ca.90%) at 80 µg/mL Overall, compound 2would be a possible antibacterial coating agent for the surface sanitizer of the toilet seats to inhibit the growth of E. coli.

Image captioning aims at automatically describing images by sentences. It often requires lots of paired image-sentence data for training. However, trained captioning models can hardly be applied to new domains in which some novel words exist. In this paper, we introduce the zero-shot novel object captioning task, where the machine generates descriptions about novel objects without extra training sentences. To tackle the challenging task, we mimic the way that babies talk about something unknown, i.e., using the word of a similar known object. Following this motivation, we build a key-value object memory by detection models, containing visual information and corresponding words for objects in the image. For those novel objects, we use words of most similar seen objects as proxy visual words to solve the out-of-vocabulary issue. We then propose a Switchable LSTM that incorporates knowledge from the object memory into sentence generation. The model has two switchable working modes, i.e., 1) generating the sentences like standard LSTMs and 2) retrieving proper nouns from the key-value memory. Thus our model is learned to fully disentangle language generation from training objects, and requires zero training sentence in describing novel objects. Experiments on three large-scale datasets demonstrate the ability of our method to describe novel concepts.

Stable operation of the sintering process is critical to ensuring the final quality of ternary cathode materials. However, the strong nonlinearity and dynamics, resulting from the process feedback control, coupled temperature zones, and the unstable external environment, often lead to the traditional process-monitoring methods monitoring poor performance. To this end, this article proposes a recurrent variational autoencoder (RVAE)-based industrial process-monitoring method. First, the variational autoencoder-based nonlinear dynamic system (NDS) model of the sintering process is learned, which can fully extract the process nonlinearity. Then, the autoregressive equation among the latent variables (LVs) is established according to a recurrent neural network (RNN), and the weights to samples at various times are assigned by the weighted moving average method. On this basis, the dynamic characteristics among the LVs can be excavated effectively. Subsequently, some appropriate monitoring statistics are designed based on principal component analysis (PCA), which are more sensitive to faults than indicators based on reconstruction errors. Correspondingly, the RVAE-based process-monitoring strategy is proposed. Finally, the proposed method has been verified to be effective and superior by the industrial application of the sintering process.