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While one subspecies of chestnut tiger butterfly (Parantica sita, Lepitoptera: Nymphalidae) undertakes seasonal migration between Taiwan and Japan, it is still unknown whether the nominate subspecies, P. s. sita, migrates seasonally in southwest China. To understand the potential migration of P. s. sita, it is necessary to investigate the genetic differentiation among populations. In our study, we developed 18 novel microsatellite markers from the transcriptome using next-generation sequencing methods. These polymorphic markers were tested on 89 individuals from 4 populations of P. sita. The allele numbers ranged from 2 to 19. The average polymorphism information content values in each population ranged from 0.34 to 0.40. The observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosity of each locus in each population ranged from 0.043 to 0.870 and 0.043 to 0.833, respectively. These informative microsatellite markers would be helpful for discovering the facts of P. sitalong-distance migration in China.

Background/Objectives: To determine the relationship between corneal stress-strain index (SSI) and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness. Subjects/Methods: 1645 healthy university students from a university-based study contributed to the analysis. The RNFL thickness was measured by high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT), axial length (AL) was measured by IOL Master, and corneal biomechanics including SSI, biomechanical corrected intraocular pressure (bIOP), and central corneal thickness (CCT) were measured by Corvis ST. Multivariate linear regression was performed to evaluate the relationship between the SSI and RNFL thickness after adjusting for potential covariates. Results: The mean age of the participants was 19.0$\pm$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\pm $$\end{document}0.9 years, and 1132 (68.8%) were women. Lower SSI was significantly associated with thinner RNFL thickness ($\beta$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\beta $$\end{document}=8.601, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.999–14.203, $P$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$P$$\end{document}= 0.003) after adjusting for age, CCT, bIOP, and AL. No significant association between SSI and RNFL was found in men, while the association was significant in women in the fully adjusted model. The association was significant in the nonhigh myopic group ($P$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$P$$\end{document}for trend = 0.021) but not in the highly myopic group. Eyes with greater bIOP and lower SSI had significantly thinner RNFL thickness. Conclusions: Eyes with lower SSI had thinner RNFL thickness after adjusting for potential covariates, especially those with higher bIOP. Our findings add novel evidence of the relationship between corneal biomechanics and retinal ganglion cell damage.

Herein, we demonstrate an optical thermometer based on single Eu2+doped Ca9Mg1.5(PO4)7phosphors, which were prepared by traditional solid-state reaction technique under a reduction atmosphere. Considerations on the bond length obtained by the crystal structure refinement and the dependent photoluminescence performances allow to assign the two distinct emission bands to Eu2+ions occupied Ca1–Ca3 and Mg2 sites. Moreover, the blue and red emitting bands perfectly match with the photosynthetic action spectrum, which can enhance the indoor plant photosynthesis. The optimal doping content of Eu2+ions in this Ca9Mg1.5(PO4)7system is 3 mol%. The corresponding concentration quenching effect is verified as dipole–dipole interaction with the critical distance of 3.315 nm. Furthermore, by exploiting the fluorescence intensity technique, the optical thermal resistance properties of Ca9Mg1.5(PO4)7:Eu2+are identified based on the temperature dependent emission spectra in a range of 303–523 K. In detail, the maximum absolute and relative sensitivity Saand Srof Ca9Mg1.5(PO4)7:Eu2+thermometer are as high as 0.637%/K and 0.3155 K–1, respectively. Consequently, the Eu2+doped Ca9Mg1.5(PO4)7phosphors establish a bifunctional platform for both optical thermometer and plant growth lighting via multi-site occupancies.

Background/Objectives: Smoking and alcohol consumption are important risk factors for several ocular disorders, but their effects on corneal biomechanics remain unclear. Our study aims to explore the association between smoking and alcohol consumption with corneal biomechanical parameters measured by Corvis-ST (CST) among university students. Subjects/Methods: A total of 1645 healthy university students from a university-based study were included, and all participants underwent corneal biomechanical parameters measurement by CST. We selected 10 reliable parameters that can reflect the corneal deformation response. All participants had a standardised interview to determine their smoking and alcohol consumption status. Results: The mean age of the participants was 19.0 ± 0.9 years, and 1132 (68.8%) were women. Smoking was significantly associated with stiffer corneas. Smokers showed significantly slower second applanation velocity (A2v) (β= 0.007 m/s, 95% confidence interval 0.001 to 0.014, P= 0.032) and lower integrated radius (IR) (β= −0.214 mm−1, 95% confidence interval −0.420 to −0.007, P= 0.043) than non-smokers after adjusting for age, gender, eye-rubbing, myopia, and body mass index (BMI). Smokers with BMI no less than 24.0 showed slower A2v and lower IR. Alcohol consumption and passive smoking were found no significant association with corneal biomechanics. Conclusion: Smokers had less deformable corneas, especially those with BMI no less than 24.0. Our findings provide new evidence for the association between smoking and ocular disorders associated with corneal biomechanics like glaucoma.

The proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a fast growing next-generation energy conversion technology, which has broad application prospects in electric vehicles, such as portable power supplies, fixed power supplies, and the military industry. The development of PEMFCs has attracted much attention due to their high energy conversion efficiency, good low-temperature startup performance, no pollution, no noise, and other advantages. However, the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics in fuel cells is slow. It is therefore necessary that we use a large number of carbon-supported platinum (Pt)-based catalysts in order to speed up the reaction. As a result, the current problems of high cost and low durability of carbon-supported Pt-based catalysts have become a major reason for limiting the successful commercialization of fuel cells. To meet the requirements of high catalytic activity and high stability of carbon-supported Pt-based catalysts, this review summarizes the research progress and methods for optimizing the performance of carbon-supported Pt-based catalysts for PEMFCs. In addition, this review highlights the current progress in improving the performance of carbon-supported Pt-based catalysts in terms of the reduction of particle size, exposure of highly active crystal surfaces, control of Pt particle morphology, and preparation of Pt–M alloys as well as some support characteristics and preparation technologies. Furthermore, the development of carbon-supported Pt-based catalysts in the direction of fuel cells and the main challenges they will face in practical applications are also proposed in this review. In summary, the carbon-supported Pt-based catalysts optimized using the above methods show great potential in the ORR. With continuous improvement of preparation and characterization technologies, carbon-supported Pt-based catalysts have broad applications and market prospects.

Plant growth can be controlled and freed from natural environmental interference through indoor plant cultivation. Artificial light sources with better quality are required to promote indoor plant growth. In this study, we used a simple high-temperature solid-state reaction to synthesize high-efficiency Ce3+-activated NaGdSiO4(NGSO) phosphors. X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement were performed to determine the detailed crystal structure of the

• A high-tortuosity holey graphene was successfully prepared based on the unique flake structure and chemical composition of cytomembrane and cytoderm. • Benefiting from the unique nanoholes shortening the ion-diffusion length, the synergy of wrinkled and holey structure stabilizing volume fluctuation, the enhanced electronic conductivity and specific surface area. • The anode achieves excellent reversible capacity, and exceptional rate capability with an ultra-long cycle lifespan in PIBs. • The anode exhibits a high energy density as well as considerable cycling stability for potassium-ion full cells. The sluggish K+ kinetics and structural instability of the generally-used graphite and other carbon-based materials hinder the development of potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) for high-rate capability and long-term cycling. Herein, inspired by the unique flake structure and chemical composition of cytomembrane and cytoderm, we design high-tortuosity holey graphene as a highly efficient anode for PIBs. The flake cytomembrane and cytoderm shrink into wrinkled morphology during drying and sintering and then convert into high-tortuosity graphene after oxidative exfoliating and thermal reducing process. Meanwhile, the proteins, sugars, and glycolipids embedded in cytomembrane and cytoderm can in-situ form nanoholes with highly abundant oxygenic groups and heteroatoms around, which can be easily removed and finally the high-tortuosity holey graphene is obtained after a thermal reducing process. The stress distribution after K+ intercalation confirms the optimized release of strain caused by the volume change through the finite element method. Benefiting from the unique nanoholes shortening the ion-diffusion length, the synergy of wrinkled and holey structure stabilizing volume fluctuation, and the enhanced electronic conductivity and specific surface area, the high-tortuosity holey graphene demonstrates high reversible capacities of 410 mAh g–1 at 25 mA g–1 after 150 cycles and retains 91.5% at 2 A g–1 after 2500 cycles. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semiconductor heterojunction plays a pivotal role in photocatalysis. However, the construction of a heterojunction with a fine microstructure usually requires complex synthetic procedures. Herein, a pH-adjusted one-step method was employed to controllably synthesize Ag4V2O7/Ag3VO4heterojunction with a well-tuned 0D/1D hierarchical structure for the first time. It is noteworthy that the ordered stacking of vanadium oxide tetrahedron (VO3−)guided by the pH value wisely realizes the in-situgrowth of Ag4V2O7nanoparticles on the surface of Ag3VO4nanorods. Furthermore, comprehensive characterization and calculation decipher the electronic structures of Ag4V2O7and Ag3VO4and the formation of Z-scheme heterojunction, benefiting the visible light harvesting and carrier utilization. Such a new Ag4V2O7/Ag3VO4heterojunction exhibits remarkable photocatalytic activity and excellent stability. Complete degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) can be achieved in 10 min by the Ag4V2O7/Ag3VO4heterojunction under visible light irradiation, demonstrating an outstanding reaction rate of 0.35 min−1that is up to 84-fold higher than those of other silver vanadates. More importantly, this integration of synthesis technology and heterojunction design, based on the intrinsic crystal and electronic structures, could be inspiring for developing novel heterostructured materials with advanced performance.

Photo-thermal conversion phase-change composite energy storage materials (PTCPCESMs) are widely used in various industries because of their high thermal conductivity, high photo-thermal conversion efficiency, high latent heat storage capacity, stable physicochemical properties, and energy saving effect. PTCPCESMs are a novel type material that can harness solar energy for heat storage and energy conversion, exhibiting high efficiency in energy conversion, storage, and the use of clean, renewable energy. Organic phase-change materials can absorb or release a large amount of latent heat during the solid-liquid phase transition, whereas a functional carrier material can enhance the efficiency and stability of the photo-thermal conversion. Furthermore, a functional carrier material confers the composite material with various properties. PTCPCESMs can facilitate the conversion and storage of solar energy and can overcome the limitations of structural stability, thermal conductivity, light absorption capacity, photo-thermal conversion performance, and thermal energy storage efficiency of the phase-change materials (PCMs) themselves. This paper reviews the research on PTCPCESMs from China and other abroad, which can improve the utilization and conversion rate of full-spectrum sunlight, address the problem of matching energy supply with demand, and broaden the practical application of PCMs. This paper summarizes the research progress of PTCPCESMs and their applications in various fields at home and abroad, and provide an outlook on their future research directions.

Silver vanadates are promising visible-light-responded photocatalysts with suitable bandgap for solar absorption. However, the easy recombination of photogenerated carriers limits their performance. To overcome this obstacle, a novel 2D graphene oxide (GO) modified α-AgVO3nanorods (GO/α-AgVO3) photocatalyst was designed herein to improve the separation of photocarriers. The GO/α-AgVO3was fabricated through a facile in-situcoprecipitation method at room temperature. It was found that the as-prepared 0.5 wt% GO/α-AgVO3exhibited the most excellent performance for rhodamine B (RhB) decomposition, with an apparent reaction rate constant 18 times higher than that of pure α-AgVO3under visible-light irradiation. In light of the first-principles calculations and the hetero junction analysis, the mechanism underpinned the enhanced photocatalytic performance was proposed. The enhanced photocatalytic performance was ascribed to the appropriate bandgap of α-AgVO3nanorods for visible-light response and efficient separation of photocarriers through GO nanosheets. This work demonstrates the feasibility of overcoming the easy recombination of photogenerated carriers and provides a valuable GO/α-AgVO3photocatalyst for pollutant degradation.

In this work, cathode materials of spent lithium-ion ternary batteries are recovered and used as metal precursor to prepare multi-metal oxides MnOx(SY) and GdMnO3(SY) viacombustion method and sol–gel method, respectively. Furthermore, a series of MnOx(SY)-n and GdMnO3(SY)-n(n = 0.05, 0.10, 1.00, 4.00, nrepresents the dilute HNO3concentration) catalysts are fabricated by acid treatment of MnOx(SY) and GdMnO3(SY) samples and catalytic activities of oxygenated VOCs oxidation over all the prepared catalysts are investigated. Catalytic evaluation results show that acid-treated MnOx(SY)-0.10 and GdMnO3(SY)-0.05 samples perform the optimum VOCs removal efficiency respectively, which may be attributed to their obvious enhancement of physicochemical properties. In detail, MnOx(SY)-0.10 and GdMnO3(SY)-0.05 samples exhibit the larger specific surface area, bigger amount of surface high-valence metal ions (Mn4+, Co3+, Ni3+), more abundant adsorbed oxygen species and better low-temperature reducibility, which can play a crucial role in the significant improvement of VOCs oxidation. In situDRIFTS results imply that the possible main intermediates are -OCO, -COO and -C-O species produced during VOCs oxidation. Possible by-products are further determined viaTD/GC–MS analysis.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) has been wildly used in clinical practice for artificial implants. However, due to its inherent properties and preparation process, it is limited by low strength in practical applications. Therefore, highly porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds reinforced with 0 to 30 wt% doped wollastonite (WS) (HA/WS) were prepared by freeze-drying in combination with pressureless sintering method. The results demonstrated that WS could consistently improve the compressive properties of HA/WS scaffolds. The HA/WS scaffolds have optimal total porosity with good open pores and internal interconnections when the WS doping is 10%. In vitro osteoclast attachment experiments indicated that the HA/WS scaffolds had good biocompatibility. The findings of this study provide theoretical guidance for the application of HA in the field of artificial implants.

As a major greenhouse gas, the rational conversion and utilization of CO2can help reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the greenhouse effect. In this study, mesoporous SiO2as a carrier, with CuO and NiO employed to construct a binary metal composite silica-based catalyst, coupled with dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma, for the conversion of CO2. Physicochemical analysis confirmed the successful introduction of CuO into the mesoporous SiO2. NiO and CuO bimetals were dispersed on SiO2surfaces with large specific surface areas, ensuring an optimal distribution of metal oxide. Gas chromatography was utilized to investigate the performance of DBD-coupled x%CuO-3%NiO/Si for CO2conversion. The results indicated that the CuO-NiO binary composite silica catalysts significantly improved CO2conversion, CO yield, and energy efficiency compared to the monometallic 3%NiO/Si materials. Further microstructural analysis of the 9%CuO-3%NiO/Si catalyst revealed near-elliptic particles with dimensions of 200 by 500nm and a large number of irregular fine particles attached to the surface. When the CuO loading reached an optimal level and the input power was set at 30W, the energy efficiency of the 9%CuO-3%NiO/Si catalyst increased by 119.6%. The CuO-NiO binary composite Si-based catalyst developed in this study boasts simple operation and environmental friendliness, making it highly significant for CO2treatment.

•HT played a protective role in PTC.•Blood flow was a risk factor of aggressiveness in PTC.•A nomogram for predicting the aggressiveness of PTC.

The applications of phase change materials (PCMs) in solar energy utilization, wearable thermal management and electro-thermal energy storage make it urgent to develop flexible PCMs with high thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, morphological stability, and solar absorption capacity. Herein, we successfully fabricated a flexible multi-functional composite PCM film by adopting interwoven carbonized bamboo fibers (CBF) as the electrical and thermal conductive framework, with the introduction of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as the binder to enhance strength and flexibility and flexibility and paraffin as the thermal storage material. Besides, the introduction of Ti3C2Txas a photon capturer and heating molecule further improved the solar-thermal conversion capability. The composite PCM films exhibited considerable flexibility, favorable thermal storage capacity (>103.6 J/g), and excellent long-term cycling stability. The interwoven electrical and thermal conductive skeleton endowed the flexible phase change films with satisfying electro-thermal conversion capacity and improving thermal conductivity, which further resulted in a promising solar-thermal conversion performance and remarkable Joule heating effect. The as-prepared flexible composite PCM films with excellent solar/electro-thermal conversion responses would be suitable smart materials for future wearable thermal management application.

The application of phase-change materials (PCMs) for solar energy utilization and thermal energy storage is limited by their low thermal conductivity, undesirable solar-thermal conversion efficiency, and poor shape stability. Here, the novel paraffin/Ti3C2Tx@gelatin (PA/T@G) composite PCMs were successfully obtained by encapsulating paraffin (PA) into gelatin aerogels modified by Ti3C2Txnanosheets. Three-dimensional (3D) porous gelatin aerogel acted as a favorable supporting material for PA with large enthalpy, while the Ti3C2Txnanosheets contributed to enhancing the thermal conductivity and converting solar energy into thermal energy by trapping photons and heating molecules. The results exhibited that the composite PCMs had high load rates (96.3–97.7%) and large melting enthalpies (184.7–199.9 J/g). The thermal conductivity of PA/T-30@G was 0.919 W/(m·K), which reached up to 3.48 times that of PA, and the solar-thermal conversion efficiency of the composite PCMs was greatly improved via the introduction of Ti3C2Txnanosheets. Notably, the composite PCMs with good shape and thermal stability is a promising material for solar-thermal energy storage applications.

The development of flexible smart phase change fibers has been limited because of the low production rate and safety concerns of electrospinning. Therefore, a novel centrifugal spinning technology, which is a safe and large-scale fabrication approach, is employed to extrude flexible smart phase change fibers using polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Nano-Al2O3was employed to enhance the thermal conductivity of flexible smart PEG/PVP phase change fibers. The flexible smart PEG/PVP/Nano-Al2O3phase change fibers have a clear cylindrical fiber shape, no cross-linking, and uniform fiber axial distribution. The interactions in flexible smart PEG/PVP/Nano-Al2O3phase change fibers involve physical loading in PEG, PVP, and Nano-Al2O3. The flexible smart PEG/PVP/Nano-Al2O39.0% phase change fibers have a latent heat of 50.7 J/g at the melting point of 46.7 °C. The flexible fibers have ideal thermal stability and thermal cycle stability, and the shape of flexible fibers remained stable during the phase-change process. The thermal conductivity of flexible smart PEG/PVP/Nano-Al2O39.0% phase change fibers was 3.05 times greater than that of PEG/PVP fibers. The flexible smart fibers are promising for applications in the field of thermal insulation.

In this paper,effect of the different forging processes on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the flat flat billets of TA15 titanium alloy was investigated.The flat billiets of 80 mm×150 mm×L sizes of TA15 titanium alloy are produced by four different forging processes.Then the different microstrure and properties of the flat billiets were obtained by heat treatment of 800 °C~850 °C×1 h~4h.The results show that, adopting the first forging temperature at T1 °C、slow cooling and the second forging temperature at T2°C 、quick cooling, the primary αphases content is just 10%, and there are lots of thin aciculate phases on the base. This microstructure has both high strength at room temperature and high temperature, while the properties between the cross and lengthwise directions are just the same. So the hot processing of the first forging temperature at T1 °C、slow cooling and the second forging temperature at T2°C 、quick cooling is choosed as the ideal processing for production of aircraft frame parts.

Digital microfluidics (DMF) is a promising lab-on-a-chip technology which has been applied in a wide variety of fields, including chemical sensing, biological detection, and even mechanical transportation. However, the appearance and functions of current DMF have been limited within two-dimensional planar space because of the conventional fabrication methods, such as photolithography or screen printing. In this paper, we report a DMF system which utilizes the advantage of three-dimensional (3D) printing to develop the novel form factor of electrodes and conversion of channels from planar to 3D forms. Vertical channels have been fabricated through combined 3D printing methods to facilitate stable and controlled movement of water droplets. The interfaces among liquid, gas, and solid were analyzed through Young–Lippmann law. We calculated the actuation force in a series of different configurations to enable us to optimize the system. Inspired by xylem structures in plants, the vertical movement and pumping of droplets are demonstrated by a programmable control system with a built-in boost converter for a real-time operating and portable DMF system. This work validates the promise of 3D printing to make 3D vertical DMF devices and the potential of the artificial xylem chip for micropumping applications.

The structural characteristics and differences of coal tar and petroleum C7-asphaltenes were studied, such as chemical composition, functional groups and molecular structure, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), improved B-L method and other methods. Furthermore, the association behavior and aggregation size of two different types of asphaltenes as well as the hydrogen bonds and acidic-basic interaction were analyzed by asphaltenes solubility parameters in polar solvents. The experiment results showed that the coal tar asphaltenes (CT-asp) was mainly composed of less aromatic rings with short alkyl branched chains and possessed a high aromaticity degree. The higher content oxygen heteroatoms of CT-asp were mostly presented as aromatic ether bonds and phenolic hydroxyl groups. The aromatic nucleus size and the average relative molecular weight of petroleum asphaltenes (M-asp) were larger than that of CT-asp. The M-asp consisted primarily of more aromatic rings with long alkyl branched chains and possessed a low aromaticity degree. The association and aggregation degree between CT-asp and M-asp was associated with the amount of substance ratio (nCT-asp/nM-asp) and their molecular structure characteristics. The association force of two types mainly was the hydrogen bonds and the acidic-basic interaction from heteroatomic functional groups.

Background: Bis(indolyl)methane derivatives are widely found in nature with a broad range of biological and pharmacological activities. The development of techniques for the synthesis and functionalization of bis(indolyl)methanes have attracted more and more attention in recent years. Objective: To study the synthesis and biological activity of heterocyclic substituted bis(indolyl)methanes. Materials and Methods: A series of heterocyclic substituted bis(indolyl)methanes (3a-3p) have been prepared by condensation reaction of indole and heterocyclic aldehydes catalyzed by boron trifluoride etherate with high yields. Preliminary in vitro anti-inflammatory in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW-264.7 macrophages and cytotoxic activity against human tumor cell lines (A549, Hela and SGC7901) by MTT assay were tested. Results: The result indicated that heterocyclic substituted bis(indolyl)methanes showed good antiinflammatory and selective cytotoxic activity. Especially, compounds 3o, 3p and 3q displayed similar inhibitory effect on the generation of NO to positive control dexamethasone, and compound 3q displayed similar selective cytotoxic activity to 5-FU. Conclusion: Heterocyclic substituted bis(indolyl)methanes may be used as potential anti-inflammatory and anticancer leads.

Background: Infection is a global threat to human health, and there is an urgent need to develop new effective antibacterial drugs to treat bacterial infections. Objective: To study the antibacterial activity of piperazine substituted chalcone sulphonamides. Materials and Methods: A series of novel piperazine substituted chalcone sulphonamides have been prepared, and in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli strains were evaluated. Results: The results showed that derivatives 6a, 6c and 6h displayed good antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis with MIC values of 4.0-8.0 mg/mL. Conclusion: Piperazine substituted chalcone sulphonamides may be used as potential antibacterial agents.

A cobalt-based oxide catalyst is prepared using recovered metals, such as cobalt, copper, manganese, and nickel, from spent lithium-ion cobaltate batteries, and its catalytic performance in toluene oxidation is investigated. The characterization results imply that the catalyst owns larger specific surface area, abundant mesopores, better reductivity at low temperature, stronger intensity of weak acid sites, and high concentrations of Co3+ions and lattice oxygen species in comparison with a pure cobalt oxide. Furthermore, the catalytic evaluation tests indicate that the introduction of lithium can inhibit the catalytic activity, while the introduction of copper or manganese into pure cobalt oxide can improve the catalytic performance of toluene conversion. The in-situ diffuse reflectance Infrared Fourier transformations (DRIFT) study and thermal desorption/gas chromatography–mass spectrometry results indicate that benzaldehyde is the main byproduct derived during toluene oxidation over the as-prepared catalysts from waste at lower temperature, and the possible reaction pathway is investigated.

The Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt (EKOB) has a complex geological structure and diverse magmatic activities, which are closely related to the Qaidam Basin and the Tethys tectonic evolution. There are at least 3 stages mafic-ultramafic rocks occurred in the Early Paleozoic in EKOB. The first stage is the Later-Silurian to Early Devonian, represented by the giant Xiarihamu super large magmatic Cu-Ni deposit, containing about 1.18 million metric tons (Mt) of nickel with average grades of 0.65% Ni, and its age of ore-forming pyroxene peridotite is 411 Ma; The second stage is the Early Carboniferous, represented by the large Shitoukengde magmatic Cu-Ni sulfide deposit, and its ore-forming age of the olivine websterite is 334 Ma; The third stage of mafic-ultramafic rocks occurred mainly during the Middle-Late Triassic, represented by Xiaojianshan, Lalinggaoli, and Kaimuqi complexes, and no economical ore bodies have been found in this period. The authors summarized the difference between the ore-bearing and the nonmineralized mafic-ultramafic rocks in the EKOB. The olivine of the ore-bearing complexes contains higher MgO and SiO2content but lower FeO and CaO contents, and the clinopyroxene of ore-bearing complexes contains lower FeO and CaO contents. Crustal sulfur contamination is key to the formation of the giant Xiarihamu Ni deposit, and crustal sulfur contamination degree of the giant magmatic Ni deposit is higher than that of large Ni deposit. The above indicators could guide the exploration and evaluation of similar deposits in the EKOB.

Abstract

Bismuth (Bi)-based photocatalytic materials are widely used in the field of photocatalytic degradation of wastewater. In this study, β-Bi2O3/BiOBr heterojunction photocatalysts were prepared by an in situ chemical transformation method. BiOBr molecules are arrayed to cross each other to form a pore around β-Bi2O3. The prepared photocatalyst had a large specific surface area and excellent adsorption and photocatalytic properties. The β-Bi2O3/BiOBr with a molecular ratio of 11.1% had the highest catalytic activity. The result of a degradation experiment, performed with Rhodamine B (RhB) as the target pollutant, revealed that the degradation rate reached 99.85% after 25 min under visible light irradiation. The pore structure can adsorb contaminants and the heterojunction facilitates the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs to enhance the photocatalytic properties. The high adsorption performance and heterojunction achieved higher photocatalytic efficiency. This semiconductor photocatalyst with high adsorption performance provides a new approach to control water pollution.

Objective We investigated the risk of acute and late toxicities of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and radiotherapy alone in patients with nasopharynx carcinoma (NPC).Methods In this meta-analysis, we searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases for eligible randomized clinical trials (RCTs). In addition to the incidence of specific toxicities, risk ratios (RRs) or odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained using fixed-effect or random-effects models.Results In total, 11 RCTs involving 2801 patients with NPC were included in this analysis. For grade ≥3 adverse events, patients who received CCRT treatment had a higher proportion of acute mucositis (39.9% vs. 30.5%, RR=1.30, 95%CI, 1.16–1.46) acute nausea and vomiting (RR=6.26, 95% CI: 2.01–19.45), and neutropenia (RR=30.86, 95% CI: 7.36 to 129.35). For late severe toxicities, CCRT treatment was significantly associated with higher incidence of hearing loss (116.56% vs. 411.43%, RR=1.461, 95%CI, 1.043–21.095). The incidence of acute nausea and vomiting was more frequent in patients receiving CCRT.Conclusion Compared with radiotherapy alone, CCRT increases the risk of severe acute toxicities (mucositis, nausea/vomiting, and neutropenia) and severe late toxicity (hearing loss) in patients with NPC. However, larger studies are needed to confirm this finding.

Auditory function in vertebrates depends on the transduction of sound vibrations into electrical signals by inner ear hair cells. In general, hearing loss resulting from hair cell damage is irreversible because the human ear has been considered to be incapable of regenerating or repairing these sensory elements following severe injury. Therefore, regeneration and protection of inner ear hair cells have become an exciting, rapidly evolving field of research during the last decade. However, mammalian auditory hair cells are few in number, experimentally inaccessible, and barely proliferate postnatally in vitro. Various in vitro primary culture systems of inner ear hair cells have been established by different groups, although many challenges remain unresolved. Here, we briefly explain the structure of the inner ear, summarize the published methods of in vitro hair cell cultures, and propose a feasible protocol for culturing these cells, which gave satisfactory results in our study. A better understanding of in vitro hair cell cultures will substantially facilitate research involving auditory functions, drug development, and the isolation of critical molecules involved in hair cell biology. 由于内耳的血脑屏障作用, 药物渗入到内耳比较困难。 新生小鼠内耳毛细胞的体外培养体系的建立, 为体外进行支持细胞转分化机制的研究和进 行体外药物损伤毛细胞实验等提供实验技术的前提。 为了避免毛细胞体外培养过程中污染杂菌, 解剖内耳耳蜗的整个过程十分重要。 处死小鼠后, 将其浸泡在 75%酒精中 1~3 分钟, 防止鼠毛污染培养基。 打开内耳耳蜗之前, 选用添加了青霉素的磷酸盐缓冲液 (1× PBS) ; 培养过程中使用的是仅仅添加青霉素的培养基来减少对毛细胞的损伤。 在基底膜培养的第一步, 选用 DMEM (包含 5%马血清体积比和 5%胎牛血清) 作为组织粘附培养的培养基, 保证足够的营养, 同时更好地维持整个基底膜培养状态下的形态。 在之后的培养中, 选用 DMEM (添加了 10%胎牛血清、 1%N2 和 1%B27) 作为长期的培养基。 使用含有表皮生长因子的 N2 和 B27 的培养基进行基底膜以及椭圆囊之后的培养, 有助于维持毛细胞的体外生长时间。 选用鼠尾胶包被盖玻片后培养,可以增加基底膜和椭圆囊的粘附作用, 保证毛细胞静纤毛的向上生长。 该文章展现了哺乳动物毛细胞的体外培养的具体方法, 能够较好地维持耳蜗基底膜在体外培养的形态, 并增加毛细胞体外培养的存活时间。

探究 MARVELD2在中国非综合征耳聋 (NSHL) 人群中的突变频谱和突变频率。 发现 MARVELD2突变频谱具有明显种族特异性。 中国 NSHL 人群中的突变位点及频率不同于已报道的其他人群, 并首次筛选到新致聋候选突变 MARVELD2c.730G>A。 本研究有助于进一步阐释 MARVELD2在 NSHL 中的作用。 收集 283 例 NSHL 患者外周血, 提取基因组 DNA, 涉及 9 对引物覆盖 MARVELD2基因编码区, 经聚合酶链反应 (PCR) 扩增后 Sanger 测序。 测序结果与参考序列比对, 获得的 MARVELD2变异位点通过正常人群频率比较、 氨基酸保守性分析、 氨基酸性质分析、 SIFT 和 PolyPhen 有害性预测及蛋白结构功能预测分析等进一步筛选得到耳聋候选突变位点。 中国 NSHL 人群的 MARVELD2突变位点与巴基斯坦人群, 以及斯洛伐克、 匈牙利和捷克罗马人群不同, 具有明显的种族特异性。 本研究在 283 个 NSHL 病例中共鉴定了 11 个变异位点。 其中, c.730G>A 突变可能影响 MARVELD2 蛋白的正常功能, 与 NSHL 致病有较高的相关性, 是一个候选致聋突变。

The Zn1–xAl2O4:xEu2+phosphor powders were synthesized by the solid-state reaction method. The synthesis temperature for ZnAl2O4was optimized, whereas the phase structure, TEM images, photoluminescence (PL) properties, the concentration quenching mechanism, the fluorescence decay curves, as well as the CIE chromaticity coordinates of the samples were investigated in details. Under the excitation at 379 nm, the phosphor exhibits an asymmetric broad-band green emission with a peak at 532 nm, which is ascribed to the 5d–4f transition of Eu2+. When the doping concentration of Eu2+ions is 0.01, the luminescence intensity of the sample reaches the maximum value. It is further proved that the exchange interaction results in the concentration quenching of Eu2+in the Zn1–xAl2O4:xEu2+phosphor powders. The thermal quenching property of ZnAl2O4:Eu2+phosphor was investigated and the quantum efficiency (QE) values of the selected Zn0.99Al2O4:0.01Eu2+phosphor was measured and determined as 54.85%. The lifetime of the optimized sample Zn0.99Al2O4:0.01Eu2+is 3.0852 μs and the CIE coordinate of the sample was calculated as (0.3323, 0.5538) with high-color-purity green emission. All properties indicate that the green-emitting ZnAl2O4:Eu2+phosphor powder has potential application in white LEDs.

Al2O3-SiC composite powders are prepared by carbothermal reduction method using coal gangue as raw material and carbonaceous materials (such as coke, anthracite, and carbon black) as reducing agents. The optimum conditions are as follows: when the addition of coke or anthracite is 50%, the temperature is at 1600 °C for 5 h, and adding 50% carbon black’s best temperature is at 1600 °C for 4 h. Based on the formula of stemming used in an iron and steel factory, Al2O3-SiC-C series blast furnace stemming refractory was prepared by adding Al2O3-SiC composite powder. The results show that the addition of Al2O3-SiC composite powders has a positive influence on the apparent porosity, volume density, and bending strength of the refractory. The effect of the amount of Al2O3-SiC composite powder on the slag corrosion resistance of the blast furnace stemming refractory was also studied by the static crucible method.

It is highly desirable to red shift the emission of Y3Al5O12:Ce3+phosphor to obtain a warmer correlated color temperature (CCT) in applications for blue-light pumped white-light emitting diodes (w-LEDs) with high color rendering index (CRI). In this paper, we report the red-shifted emission of Y3MgSiAl3O12:Ce3+garnet phosphor for w-LEDs through a chemical unit cosubstituting in a solid solution design strategy. The fabrication temperature of the Y3MgSiAl3O12:Ce3+powder was optimized at 1600 °C, and its structure, photoluminescence property, micromorphology, decay curve, quantum yield, as well as the thermal stability of the samples are investigated in detail. The as-prepared Y3MgSiAl3O12:Ce3+phosphors display a broad excitation band ranging from 300 to 520 nm (centered at 450 nm) and present an intense Ce3+5d–4f emission band in the yellow light region (λem= 564 nm, obviously red-shifted away from Y3Al5O12:Ce3+). This can be explained by the increase of the crystal-field splitting in the Ce3+5d levels owing to the chemical unit cosubstitution of Al3+(I) and Al3+(II) ions by Mg2+and Si4+ions. The quantum yield of the Y2.92MgSiAl3O12:0.08Ce3+phosphor is measured as 61.8%. Further investigation on a lamp packaged w-LEDs combining Y2.92MgSiAl3O12:0.08Ce3+phosphors on a blue InGaN chip shows it to exhibits a lower CCT and higher CRI compared to those of the commercial Y3Al5O12:Ce3+-based devices, indicating their appealing strengths for potential applications in w-LEDs.