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[Display omitted] • Four pyrenyl-based iridium(III) complexes modulated by -CF 3 , -F, and -CH 3 were presented and their structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. • The photophysical properties were discussed in detail by ultraviolet–visible absorption and photoluminescence studies. • The substituent effect on modulating the electronic structure of deep-red or near-infrared iridium(III) complexes cyclometalated by pyrenyl-containing ligand was elucidated by density functional theory calculation and cyclic voltammetry. The extension of π -conjugation and the introduction of substituents are efficient channel for achieving low-energy emitting phosphors. To investigate the influence of substituent effect on the deep-red or near-infrared iridium(III) complexes containing great π -conjugation cyclometalating ligands, we synthesized four pyrenyl-based heteroleptic Ir(III) complexes bearing electron-withdrawing or -donating groups. The four Ir(III) complexes comprise 5-R-2-(1-pyrenyl)pyridine (R = H, CF 3 , F, CH 3) as the main ligands and 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-heptane-3,5-dione as ancillary ligands. Their structures and coordination geometries are determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. It is found that the emission profiles of four complexes are located on deep red to near-infrared region and -CF 3 substitution leads to a bathochromic shift of 11 nm relative to the unsubstituted complex. From density functional theory calculation results as well as electrochemical analysis, their HOMO and LUMO energy levels fall in the order of substituents -CF 3 < -F < -H < -CH 3. Intriguingly, the electron density distributions of LUMOs of both -CF 3 and -CH 3 substituted complexes are more susceptible than their HOMOs, while the HOMO of the -F substituted complex is more susceptible. Our work showcases the vital significance of substituent effect on modulating the electronic structure of deep-red or near-infrared iridium complexes cyclometalated by great π -conjugation cyclometalating ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calreticulin (CRT) on the cell surface that acts as an "eat me" signal is vital for macrophage-mediated programmed cell removal. The polyhydroxylated fullerenol nanoparticle (FNP) has appeared as an effective inducer to cause CRT exposure on cancer cell surface, but it failed in treating some cancer cells such as MCF-7 cells based on previous findings. Here, we carried out the 3D culture of MCF-7 cells, and interestingly found that the FNP induced CRT exposure on cells in 3D spheres via re-distributing CRT from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to cell surface. Phagocytosis experiments in vitro and in vivo illustrated the combination of FNP and anti-CD47 monoclonal antibody (mAb) further enhanced macrophage-mediated phagocytosis to cancer cells. The maximal phagocytic index in vivo was about three times higher than that of the control group. Moreover, in vivo tumorigenesis experiments in mice proved that FNP could regulate the progress of MCF-7 cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). These findings expand the application of FNP in tumor therapy of anti-CD47 mAb and 3D culture can be used as a screening tool for nanomedicine. [Display omitted] • Fullerenol nanoparticle (FNP) reduces the toxicity of anti-CD47 antibodies therapy. • 3D culture enhances the sensitivity of MCF-7 cells to FNP. • FNP inhibits the progression of MCF-7 cancer stem cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical solution is presented to study a plane solitary wave propagating past a concentric segmented arc-shaped breakwater using the matched eigenfunction and separation of variable methods. The undetermined potential coefficients are obtained based on matching conditions. The numerical results of this study are found to agree well with previous calculation results. The major factors (including the number of arc-shaped breakwaters, opening angle, incident angle, and gap width) that affecting the hydrodynamic loads and diffracted wave surface are discussed. The results indicate that the shielding effect of a segmented two-arc breakwater with a small gap width is better than that of an unsegmented arc-shaped breakwater. However, the arrangement of the segmented arc impacts the sheltering effect. Numerical results provide a valuable reference for the hydrodynamic analyses and structural design of segmented arc-shaped breakwaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NiMn2O4/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite material was in situ grown on the surface of a nickel foam 3D skeleton by combining the solvent method with the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method and annealing; then, its performance was investigated as a superior supercapacitor electrode material. When nickel foam was soaked in GO aqueous or treated in nickel ion and manganese ion solution by the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method and annealing, gauze GO film or flower-spherical NiMn2O4 was formed on the nickel foam surface. If the two processes were combined in a different order, the final products on the nickel surface had a remarkably different morphology and phase structure. When GO film was first formed, the final products on the nickel surface were the composite of NiO and Mn3O4, while NiMn2O4/GO nanocomposite material can be obtained if NiMn2O4 was first formed (immersed in 2.5 mg/L GO solution). In a 6M KOH solution, the specific capacitance of the latter reached 700 F/g at 1 A/g which was superior to that of the former (only 35 F/g). However, the latter's specific capacitance was still inferior to that of in-situ grown NiMn2O4 on nickel foam (802 F/g). Though the gauze-formed GO film, almost covering the preformed flower-spherical NiMn2O4, can also contribute a certain specific capacitance, it also restricted the electrolyte diffusion and contact with NiMn2O4, accounting for the performance decrease of the NiMn2O4/GO nanocomposite. A convenient method was raised to fabricate the nanocomposite of carbon and double metal oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4 )-based materials have been extensively investigated as efficient electrocatalysts for non-enzymatic glucose biosensing. The proper tuning the structure of Co 3 O 4 -based materials could improve sensing performances for glucose detection. Herein, we have developed a combined self-assembly and calcination method to prepare nanoparticles-assembled Co 3 O 4 nanosheets, which exhibit good sensing performances for glucose biosensing. The Co 3 O 4 nanosheets were prepared by the following three steps: (i) the Co 2+ modified graphene oxide (GO) was prepared by the self-assembly of Co 2+ and GO in aqueous solution firstly, and then Co 2+ modified GO film was obtained by vacuum filtration method; (ii) after calcination of Co 2+ modified GO film in N 2 atmosphere, Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles modified reduced GO (RGO) was obtained; (iii) finally, nanoparticles-assembled Co 3 O 4 nanosheets were obtained by calcination of Co 3 O 4 modified RGO in air to remove RGO template. Most importantly, Co 3 O 4 nanosheets exhibit good electrocatalytic activity for oxidation of glucose, leading to high-performance glucose sensor. The detection limit and linear range of Co 3 O 4 nanosheets-based glucose sensor in the present work are 0.15 μM, and 1–50 μM, respectively. Furthermore, such sensor also shows excellent selectivity for glucose detection, compared to the commonly interfering species including dopamine, and uric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles-assembled NiO nanosheets have been successfully prepared using graphene oxide (GO) film as template, where the Ni 2+ ion was firstly adsorbed in GO film, followed by calcination in N 2 to form NiO-based materials and calcination in air to remove carbon-based template. The morphology, structure, and electrochemical activities of these NiO nanosheets were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and electrochemical techniques, respectively. It is found that the NiO nanosheets thus obtained could electrochemically catalyze glucose oxidation in 0.1 M NaOH, leading to fabrication of non-enzymatic glucose sensor. The glucose sensor based on NiO nanosheets exhibits detection limit of 0.18 μM, and linear range from 1 μM to 0.4 mM with the sensitivity of 1138 μA mM −2 cm −2 . Furthermore, such glucose sensor also shows excellent selectivity for detection of glucose, compared to the commonly interfering species, such as ascorbic acid, dopamine, and uric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) plays an essential role in biogeochemical processes, but is still poorly characterized in the river system. This study addressed the biogenic silica (BSi) composition, origin and variation in the Changjiang River, and estimated the impacts of natural processes and human activities on the river Si cycling. Our results indicate that phytoliths comprised 14%–64% of BSi, while diatoms accounted for 34%–85% of BSi. The Changjiang River transported 620 Gg yr − 1 of BSi and 2100 Gg yr − 1 of dissolved silicate (DSi) loadings, respectively; 55% of the BSi and 51% of the DSi fluxes are transported during the high discharge period from June to September. The Changjiang River carried phytolith BSi mostly comes from the middle and lower reaches area. The ratio of BSi/(BSi + DSi) has decreased from 0.47 before 1980 to 0.19 in 2013–2014 due to the direct retention of BSi. The BSi sedimentation in the Three Gorges Reservoir would cause a decrease of total reactive silica, but contribute to approximately 4%–16% of the DSi loading at the Jiangyin station due to its dissolution. This study demonstrates that phytoliths represent a significant contribution to the biogeochemical cycle of silica in coastal waters, and in-stream process exerts a great influence on the river Si loading and cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal reclamation can result in considerable changes in the quality and quantity of submarine groundwater at the land/sea interface. In this study, submarine groundwater monitoring wells and water samples were designed and implemented to get data of groundwater level, electrical conductivity, temperature, and hydrochemistry data to examine the responses of silty-sand submarine groundwater in different sedimentary strata to reclamation in south of Laizhou Bay. The submarine groundwater is mainly saline water and its salinity in the deep aquifer is higher than that of seawater and close to brine. It was formed in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Drilling core data indicates that there is a stratigraphic boundary at a depth of 18.58 m, with Holocene strata above, and Late Pleistocene strata below, this level. Continuous electrical conductivity data indicates that the submarine groundwater properties are stratigraphically distributed in this study area. And there is an interface at a depth of 38 m. Above the 38 m depth, the water quantity of submarine ground-saline water is freshening. The major ions showed a tendency to change continually above 25 m, but the tended to stabilize below 25 m depth. Freshwater is the major recharge source in the upper section of the Holocene strata, between the surface and 8.00 m depth, and the hydrochemical type has changed from Cl Na to Cl·HCO 3 Na. In the lower section of Holocene strata (8.00–23.00 m) and upper section of late Late Pleistocene strata (23.00–38.00 m), groundwater is influenced by seawater and groundwater of upper aquifer. The freshwater, seawater, and groundwater recharge in the upper aquifer has no influence on the groundwater in the section below the late Late Pleistocene (between 38.00 and 49.15 m) and the early Late Pleistocene strata (between 49.15 and 75.00 m). The filling layer, added in the coastal reclamation project, is comprised of clayey silt and fine sand, and its high porosity means that it is suitable for water storage. After the reclamation, meteoric water was stored in the filling layer that became the stable recharge resource. The recharge resource and the filling layer can improve the properties of the confined aquifer to increase the groundwater level. They may also influence the groundwater quantity and the flow direction. The groundwater in the Holocene strata is clearly influenced by recharge and the previously saline water aquifers receive freshwater on an on-going basis, such that the water is now becoming fresh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved fast screening method, i.e. the multiple fast screening method, was developed to quickly screen high efficiency solvents for post combustion CO 2 capture, especially for the existing amine-based CO 2 capture processes. The method was based on an integrated CO 2 absorption-desorption process, where the absorption process was performed at 40 °C with a certain initial lean loading, obtained by a pretreatment process, and desorption process is done at the temperature of 80 °C. The duration of each of the two processes was set to be 60 min. This screening method, taking into account the CO 2 absorption capacity as well as the absorption and desorption efficiency, was tested on five single alkanolamines in aqueous solutions with concentration of 30 wt%, and blended MEA/DEEA solutions with different ratio at a certain total molar concentration of 5 mole/L. The repeatable screening results of the single amines by this improved method show that the cyclic capacities of the amines are different from the experimental results obtained by using the equilibrium-based screening method, the experimental results of single amine solutions were finally further validated by a simulation process in Aspen Plus and show good agreement. For the blended amine systems screening, the molar ratio of MEA/DEEA of 2.5:2.5 presents the highest cyclic capacity, while no optimal ratio is found by using traditional equilibrium-based screening method. The absolute average difference (AAD) of mass balance between gas and liquid phases for both the single and blended amines screening experiments was calculated, and it turns out to be reliable with the value of 2.65% and 2.80%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of phytoliths to total biogenic silica (BSi) volumes in rivers worldwide, and the associated implications for the biogeochemical cycle, require in-depth study. Based on samples from rivers in Peninsular Malaysia, this project investigated the source and characteristics of BSi found in Asian tropical rivers, as well as the process of reverse weathering taking place in these fluvial systems. Results indicated that BSi samples collected in sediments consisted of phytolith, diatom and sponge spicules. Phytoliths, predominantly of the elongate form, comprised 92.8%-98.3% of BSi in the Pahang River. Diatom BSi in this river consisted mainly of pennatae diatoms, but represented a relatively small proportion of the total BSi volume. However, diatom BSi (predominantly of the Centricae form) was more prevalent in the Pontian and Endau Rivers with shares of 68.8% and 79.3% of the total BSi volumes, respectively, than Pahang River. Carbon contents of the BSi particulates ranged from 1.85% to 10.8% with an average of 4.79%. These values are higher than those recorded in other studies to date, and indicate that BSi plays a major role in controlling permanent carbon burial. This study suggests that phytoliths from terrestrial plants are the primary constituents of BSi in the rivers of Peninsular Malaysia, and therefore represent a significant proportion of the coastal silica budget. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud computing technology has become increasingly popular and can deliver a host of benefits. However, there are various kinds of cloud providers in the market and firms need scientific decision tools to judge which cloud computing vendor should be chosen. Studies in how a firm should select an appropriate cloud vendor have just started. However, existing studies are mainly from the technology and cost perspective, and neglect other influence factors, such as competitive pressure and managerial skills, etc. Hence, this paper proposes a multi-attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) based scientific decision tool to help firms to judge which cloud computing vendor is more suitable for their need by considering more comprehensive influence factors. It is argued that objective attributes, i.e., cost, as well as subjective attributes, such as TOE factors (Technology, Organization, and Environment) should be considered for the decision making in cloud computing services, and presents a new subjective/objective integrated MAGDM approach for solving decision problems. The proposed approach integrates statistical variance (SV), improved techniques for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS), simple additive weighting (SAW), and Delphi–AHP to determine the integrated weights of the attributes and decision-makers (DMs). The method considers both the objective weights of the attributes and DMs, as well as the subjective preferences of the DMs and their identity differences, thereby making the decision results more accurate and theoretically reasonable. A numerical example is given to illustrate the practicability and usefulness of the approach and its suitability as a decision-making tool for a firm using of cloud computing services. This paper enriches the theory and methodology of the selection problem of cloud computing vendoring and MAGDM analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of exogenous lipase supplementation on the growth performance, intestinal growth and function, immune response and physical barrier function, and related signaling molecules mRNA expression of young grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella ). A total of 450 grass carp (255.02 ± 0.34 g) were fed five diets for 60 days. There were 5 dietary treatments that included a normal protein and lipid diet containing 30% crude protein (CP) with 5% ether extract (EE), and the low-protein and high-lipid diets (28% CP, 6% EE) supplemented with graded levels of exogenous lipase supplementation activity at 0, 1193, 2560 and 3730 U/kg diet. The results indicated that compared with a normal protein and lipid diet (30% CP, 5% EE), a low-protein and high-lipid diet (28% CP, 6% EE) (un-supplemented lipase) improved lysozyme activities and complement component 3 contents in the distal intestine (DI), interleukin 10 mRNA expression in the proximal intestine (PI), and glutathione S-transferases activity and glutathione content in the intestine of young grass carp. In addition, in low-protein and high-lipid diets, optimal exogenous lipase supplementation significantly increased acid phosphatase (ACP) activities and complement component 3 (C3) contents ( P < 0.05), up-regulated the relative mRNA levels of antimicrobial peptides (liver expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 and hepcidin) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 10 and transforming growth factor β1) and signaling molecules inhibitor protein-κBα (IκBα) and target of rapamycin (TOR) ( P < 0.05), down-regulated the mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 8, interferon γ2, and interleukin 1β), and signaling molecules (nuclear factor kappa B p65, IκB kinase β, IκB kinase γ) ( P < 0.05) in the intestine of young grass carp. Moreover, optimal exogenous lipase supplementation significantly decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PC) contents ( P < 0.05), improved the activities of anti-superoxide anion (ASA) and anti-hydroxyl radical (AHR), glutathione content, and the activities and mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes (copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, manganese superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferases and glutathione reductase) ( P < 0.05), up-regulated signaling molecule NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) ( P < 0.05), down-regulated signaling molecules (Kelch-like-ECH-associated protein 1a, Kelch-like-ECH-associated protein 1b) ( P < 0.05) in the intestine of young grass carp. Furthermore, optimal exogenous lipase supplementation significantly elevated the mRNA levels of tight junction proteins (Occludin, zonula occludens 1, Claudin b, Claudin c and Claudin 3) ( P < 0.05), down-regulated the mRNA levels of tight junction proteins (Claudin 12 and Claudin 15a) ( P < 0.05), down-regulated signaling molecules myosin light chain kinase ( P < 0.05) in the intestine of young grass carp. In conclusion, dietary lipid could partially spare protein, and the low-protein and high-lipid diet could improve growth, intestinal growth and function, immune response and antioxidant capability of fish. Meanwhile, in high-fat and low-protein diets, optimal exogenous lipase supplementation improved growth, intestinal growth and function, intestinal immunity, physical barrier, and regulated the mRNA expression of related signal molecules of fish. The optimal level of exogenous lipase supplementation in young grass carp (255–771 g) was estimated to be 1193 U kg −1 diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of C–C bonds and degradation of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) are two central organic conversions for future sustainable development. Herein, two remarkable silver-containing polyoxomolybdates-based hybrids (Ag-POMos), [Ag(L)(H 2 O) 2 ] 2 [HPMo 12 O 40 ] (1) and [Ag 2 (L) 2 ] 2 [HPMo 10 V 2 O 40 ]·4DMSO (2) (L ​= ​4,6-bis(2-pyridyl)-2-aminopyrimidine) were designed and prepared by using silver cation, polyoxomolybdates and multiple N-donors ligand (L). The structure of compound 1 is constructed from an independent Ag center and a keggin-type POMs; compound 2 is composed of two independent Ag centers and a keggin-type POMs, which displays intriguing POM-incorporated 1-D chain structure with hydrogen bonding. Additionally, Ag-POMos catalysts can be severed as the efficient bifunctional catalysts for the three-component Mannich reaction to achieve the construction of C–C bonds and decontamination of sulfur mustard 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES). As bifunctional heterogeneous catalyst, particularly compound 2 , exhibits satisfying catalytic performances in the Mannich reaction (conv. 99%; sele. 99%) and the oxidation of CEES (conv. 96%; sele. 96%). Notedly, after three runs, compound 2 maintains excellent catalytic properties, demonstrating its remarkable cycling stability. 1. Two novel inorganic-organic silver-polyoxomolybdates hybrids were synthesized for the first time and routinely characterized.2. The compounds can be severed as efficient bifunctional catalysts (functions of Lewis acid catalysis and oxidation catalysis) for the construction of the C–C bond and decontamination of sulfur mustard 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES).3. The molecular compound 2 has good cycling stability, after three continuous runs, the conversion and selectivity have no obvious decrease. [Display omitted] • Designed and synthesis of four- and five-coordinate silver-polyoxomolybdate clusters with bifunctional catalytic properties. • These bifunctional catalysts can efficiently catalyze both Mannich reaction and degradation of sulfur mustard simulant under mild conditions. • The bifunctional catalysts have wide substrate applicability and good catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns two-dimensional incompressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations with damping only in the vertical component of velocity equations and horizontal diffusion in magnetic equations. If the magnetic field is not taken into consideration the system is reduced to Euler-like equations with an extra Riesz transform-type term. The global well-posedness of Euler-like equations remains an open problem in the whole plane R 2 . When coupled with the magnetic field, the global well-posedness and the stability for the MHD system in R 2 have yet to be settled too. This paper here focuses on the space domain T × R , with T being a 1D periodic box. We establish the global well-posedness of the 2D anisotropic MHD system. In addition, the algebraic decay rate in the H2-setting has also been obtained. We solve this by decomposing the physical quantity into the horizontal average and its corresponding oscillation portion, establishing strong Poincaré-type inequalities and some anisotropic inequalities and combining the symmetry conditions imposed on the initial data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystal plane engineering and defect engineering are feasible approaches to tune the electrochemical performance of nanocmaterials. Herein, a carambola-like CoWO 4 microsphere with preferred crystal planes and oxygen vacancies is synthesized by a microwave-assisted hydrothermal process together with post annealing treatment. The in-depth observation on microstructure and electrochemical tests suggest that it is the new preferred crystal planes and oxygen vacancies in CoWO 4 that improves conductivity and reaction activity to lead to a much higher capacity. Further density functional theory (DFT) analysis reveals that tuning the preferred crystal plane and introduction of oxygen vacancy into CoWO 4 not only effectively enhance electronic conductivity, but also promote OH− adsorption/desorption, and reduce electronic transmission barrier. As a result, the as-obtained carambola-like CoWO 4 microsphere with preferred crystal planes and oxygen vacancies delivers high specific capacity (493.7 C g−1/137.1 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1) with superior rate capability (148.6 C g−1/41.3 mA h g−1 at 15 A g−1). Moreover, the cycling-induced morphology evolution lead to unconventional capacity increasing during cycling. The as-fabricated A-CoWO 4 //6 M KOH//activated carbon (AC) BSH device exhibits a maximum energy density of 27.5 Wh kg−1 at 1031.4 W kg−1 and 95.7% capacity retention after 12000 cycles. This work provides a possible way to improve the electrochemical performances of other metal oxide electrodes with low-capacity and irreversibility. [Display omitted] • ●CoWO 4 with preferred crystal planes and oxygen vacancies was synthesized. • ●A-CoWO 4 electrode exhibits improved conductivity and reaction activity. • ●DFT reveals the effect of preferred orientation and oxygen vacancies. • ●The morphology remolding lead to an increased cycling capacity phenomenon. • ●BSH devices deliver 27.5 Wh kg−1 energy density at a power density of 1031.4 W kg−1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new MCGDM model combined with a bidirectional influence relationship is proposed. • The decision-making process takes different psychological attitudes into account. • The IBCSMDM method is developed to accommodate emergency environments. • An extended IT2FS way is implemented for reflecting the uncertainty in assessments. The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak spread rapidly worldwide, posing a severe threat to human life. Due to its unpredictability and destructiveness, the emergency has aroused great common in society. At the same time, the selection of emergency medical supplier is one of the critical links in emergency decision-making, so undertaking appropriate decision-making using scientific tools becomes the primary challenge when an emergency outbreak occurs. The multi criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) method is an applicable and common method for choosing supplier. Nevertheless, because emergency medical supplier selection should consider regarding many aspects, it is difficult for decision makers (DMs) to develop a comprehensive assessment method for emergency medical supplier. Therefore, few academics have focused on emergency situation research by the MCGDM method, and the existing MCGDM method has some areas for improvement. In view of this situation, in this study, we propose a new MCGDM method, which considers the bidirectional influence relation of the criteria, consensus and the psychological factors of DMs. It providers a good aid in emergency decision-making and it could apply to other types of MCGDM research. Firstly, DMs give their assessment in interval type-2 fuzzy sets (IT2FSs). Secondly, an extended IT2FSs assessment method and a novel ISM-BWM-Cosine Similarity-Max Deviation Method (IBCSMDM) are used for weighing all alternatives. The TODIM (an acronym for interactive and multi-criteria decision-making in Portuguese) can obtain the ranking results under different risk attenuation factors. Eventually, this extended IT2FSs-IBCSMDM-TODIM method is applied in a real case in Wuhan in the context of COVID-19 to illustrate the practicability and usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To establish an Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse model, investigate the behavioral performance changes and intracerebral molecular changes induced by bilateral intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin (STZ/I.C.V), and explore the potential pathogenesis of AD. An AD mouse model was established by STZ/I.C.V. The behavioral performance was observed via the open field test (OFT), novel object recognition test (NOR), and tail suspension test (TST). The mRNA and protein expressions of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the hippocampus were measured via qPCR and Western blot. The expression of β-amyloid 1–42 (Aβ 1–42), phosphorylated Tau protein (p-Tau (Ser396)), Tau5, β-site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme (BACE), insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), Copine6, synaptotagmin-1 (Syt-1), synapsin-1, phosphoinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), serine/threonine kinase (Akt), phosphorylated serine/threonine kinase (p-Akt (Ser473)), triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1/2 (TREM1/2) were detected using Western blot, and the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA1), Aβ 1–42 , p-Tau(Ser396), Syt-1, BDNF were measured via immunofluorescence staining. STZ/I.C.V induced AD-like neuropsychiatric behaviors in mice, as indicated by the impairment of learning and memory, together with the reduced spontaneous movement and exploratory behavior. The expression of BACE, Aβ 1–42 , p-Tau(Ser396), and TREM2 were significantly increased in the hippocampus of model mice, while the expression of IRS1, BDNF, Copine6, Syt-1, synapsin-1, PI3K, p-Akt(Ser473), and TREM1 were decreased as compared with that of the controls. Furthermore, the model mice presented a hyperactivation of astrocytes and microglia in the hippocampus, accompanied by the increased mRNA and protein expressions of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. STZ/I.C.V is an effective way to induce AD mice model, with not only AD-like neuropsychiatric behaviors, but also typic AD-like neuropathological features including neurofibrillary tangles, deposit of β-amyloid (Aβ), neuroinflammation, and imbalanced synaptic plasticity. [Display omitted] • Injection of streptozotocin into the intracerebral or intracerebroventricular in rodents is a mature animal model for extensive studies of Alzheimer's disease. • Bilateral intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin induced AD-like neuropsychiatric behavior in mice. • The formation of neurofibrillary tangles, deposit of β-amyloid, neuroinflammation, and imbalanced synaptic plasticity were induced in the hippocampus of mice by bilateral intracerebroventricular injection ofstreptozotocin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The influence of dynamic disturbance on population self-healing was analyzed. • Medium disturbance restoration rate is more conducive to population self-healing. • Global dispersal is not always better than local dispersal. • Some suggestions are provided for ecological restoration. The stability of ecological system is inseparable from the self-healing ability of population. Therefore, exploring the self-healing of population after disturbance is of great significance to deeply understand the ecological stability. By constructing a pair approximation model, the special explicit dynamics of one population on disturbance is studied in this paper. In which, dynamic disturbance (which can be gradually restored) is used, and the self-healing time of the population is investigated. Through a mass of simulations, some interesting results are obtained. At a lower disturbance restoration rate, the population self-healing time will not be affected by the spatial correlation of disturbance, regardless of the dispersal mode of population and the existence of competition. Compared with local dispersal, global dispersal has more obvious advantages at medium disturbance restoration rate. The increase of disturbance restoration rate is not always conducive to the self-healing of population, and a higher disturbance restoration rate will increase the self-healing time. The results can give us some insights on ecological conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to traditional RNN-based models, abstractive summarization systems based on Pre-trained Language Models (PTMs) achieve dramatic improvements in readability. Thus, in the field of abstractive summarization, more attention should be devoted to the faithfulness issue that predicted summaries are not factually consistent with source texts. To alleviate this disadvantage, we propose a novel S yntax- E nriched A bstractive Sum marization (SEASum) framework, which utilizes graph attention networks (GATs) to introduce syntactic features of source texts to generate faithful summaries. In the SEASum framework, the PTM-based semantic encoder encodes word sequence, while the GAT-based syntactic encoder captures explicit syntax, i.e., part-of-speech tags, parse trees, and dependency-based relative positions of source documents. A feature fusion module is introduced to incorporate encoded syntactic features into the summarization framework. Based on the proposed SEASum framework, we develop two summarization models: 1) parallel SEASum model, in which the semantic encoder and syntactic encoder work in parallel, a multi-head attention module fused two-stream features for the following decoding process; 2) cascaded SEASum model, which takes contextual word embeddings from semantic encoder as node embeddings for the syntactic encoder and employs highway networks to regulate information flow. Experimental results on CNN/DailyMail and Reddit-TIFU (short) datasets show our parallel SEASum model and cascaded SEASum model outperform state-of-the-art abstractive summarization approaches in the faithfulness measurement. The results also demonstrate that cascaded SEASum model is more effective than parallel SEASum model in boosting faithfulness. • A syntax-enhanced abstractive summarization framework, SEASum, is proposed. • SEASum incorporates syntactic features, i.e. dependency parse trees, POS tags, etc. • A parallel and a cascaded model are developed based on the SEASum framework. • Two SEASum-based models are tested on CNN/DM and Reddit-TIFU (short) datasets. • Both SEASum models achieve improvements on ROUGE and faithfulness metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An entrapped particle on the slider air bearings damages the surface of the slider or the disk. The study of particle movement on and the particle adhesion mechanism onto the slider surface is critical to reduce entrapped particle-induced damage. This paper investigates the interaction between the particles and slider surface. The particle trajectories in the far-field region are calculated using the classical Runge-Kutta method. In the near-field region, where the distance between the particle and slider surface is less than the mesh size, a new model was applied to predict the particle trajectory and whether the particle will be captured or rebound from the slider surface after the collision. A rebound model was employed to calculate the particle rebound velocity and its corresponding rebound trajectory. It was found that the particle critical velocity for rebound increases as the particle size decreases. The velocity ratio decreases as the incident velocity decreases for the same particle diameter, and it is sensitive to the particle size at a low incident velocity. For the particle collides with and rebounds from the slider surface, the negative rebound velocity makes the particles bounce a small distance away from the pad surface. The force acting on the particles also changes from negative to positive values, and they possibly undergo secondary impacts on the slider surface following air flow, which further lower the particles' velocity and increases the possibility of particles adhere to the slider surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of graphene-based room temperature gas sensors has drawn massive attention due to their unique advantage of gas sensing at room temperature. In this paper, in pursuit of developing high-performance graphene-based gas sensors, a NO 2 gas sensor has been successfully fabricated using sulfonated reduced graphene oxide (S-rGO) anchoring with SnO 2 nanoparticles as sensing materials. The SnO 2 nanoparticles modified S-rGO (SnO 2 /S-rGO) hybrids were prepared by deposition of SnO 2 nanoparticles on the surface of S-rGO through hydrothermal synthesis method. The combined characterizations of X-ray diffraction, UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, as well as N 2 sorption isotherm indicate the successful preparation of SnO 2 /S-rGO hybrids with porous structure. Most importantly, SnO 2 /S-rGO hybrids exhibit good sensing performances for detection of NO 2 at room temperature, such as high response, fast response and recovery rate, and good selectivity. The sensor based on SnO 2 /S-rGO hybrids exhibits better sensing performances than the previously reported rGO-based gas sensors. Furthermore, the excellent sensing performances of sensor based on SnO 2 /S-rGO also render it suitable for development of high performance gas sensors operated at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Low back pain (LBP) is a common health problem and many LBP are caused by lumbar disc degeneration (LDD). ADAMTS-4 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin motifs-4), also known as aggrecanse-1, plays a core role in degeneration of extracellular matrix in LDD. To investigate the association between ADAMTS-4 genetic polymorphism and LDD, we genotyped SNPs in and around ADAMTS-4. We recruited 482 sporadic cases of LDD and 496 healthy controls from Chinese Han population. Five SNPs were selected and phenotyped by the Sequenom MassARRAY system. Allelic, genotypic, and haplotypic association was performed. Rs4233367 (c.1877 C>T), which located in exon of ADAMTS-4 showed significant association with LDD. The T allele conferred a lower risk of LDD with an OR of 0.69 and TT genotype is at nearly one-fifth of the risk compared to CC genotype. Other tested SNPs didn't show significant difference between the case and control groups. The SNP rs4233367 in the exon of ADAMTS-4 gene may be associated with lumbar disc degeneration. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:860-864, 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban public transportation hubs are the key nodes of the public transportation system. The location of such hubs is a combinatorial problem. Many factors can affect the decision-making of location, including both quantitative and qualitative factors; however, most current research focuses solely on either the quantitative or the qualitative factors. Little has been done to combine these two approaches. To fulfill this gap in the research, this paper proposes a novel approach to the public transportation hub location problem, which takes both quantitative and qualitative factors into account. In this paper, an improved multiple attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) method based on TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) and deviation is proposed to convert the qualitative factors of each hub into quantitative evaluation values. A location model with stochastic passenger flows is then established based on the above evaluation values. Finally, stochastic programming theory is applied to solve the model and to determine the location result. A numerical study shows that this approach is applicable and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a numerical method to simulate the particle trajectory in the head–disk interface (HDI). The simulator solves the reduced Navier–Stokes equation with the second-slip boundary conditions to get the air velocity distribution, then solves the motion equations of particles and obtains the trajectories of the particles in the HDI using the binary Lagrange interpolation and the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. The calculated trajectories of particles follow well with the air streamlines in the recessed regions. The particle density, diameter, and initial entering velocity have different effects on particle movement. Furthermore, particle velocity behaviors in the recessed regions are investigated for the first time. The particle is accelerated or decelerated by the action of the drag force and becomes close to the velocity of local air flow. Such effects are more obvious for small particles than large particles. The particle velocity becomes very small when it is close to the leading edge of the trailing pad. The numerical results also show that the particle goes up when it crosses the transition regions, and the particle moves upward more sharply with higher initial entrance height due to the larger vertical velocity of the local air flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: The malignancy of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is largely due to its fast growth and invasion. WNT/β-catenin signaling plays a critical role in regulating NSCLC carcinogenesis. Hence, suppression of β-catenin signal transduction in NSCLC cells may improve the therapeutic outcome. Methods: We analyzed the levels of β-catenin and miR-3619-5p in NSCLC specimens, compared to paired non-tumor normal lung tissue (NT). We did Bioinformatics analyses on the binding sites of 3'-UTR of β-catenin mRNA by miR-3619-5p. We modified the levels of miR-3619-5p in NSCLC cells and examined their effects on β-catenin levels, and on the growth and invasion of NSCLC cells in an MTT assay and a transwell cell migration assay, respectively. Results: NSCLC specimens had significant higher levels of β-catenin, and significantly lower levels of miR-3619-5p, compared to NT. The levels of β-catenin and miR-3619-5p were inversely correlated in NSCLC specimens. Bioinformatics analyses showed that miR-3619-5p bound to 3'-UTR of β-catenin mRNA in NSCLC cells to inhibit its translation. Overexpression of miR-3619-5p decreased β-catenin protein, while depletion of miR-3619-5p increased β-catenin protein in NSCLC cells, without altering β-catenin mRNA levels. Overexpression of miR-3619-5p in NSCLC cells inhibited cell growth and invasion, while depletion of miR-3619-5p in NSCLC lines increased cell growth and invasion. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate a previously unappreciated role for miR-3619-5p in suppression of β-catenin-mediated cancer growth and invasion in NSCLC cells, and highlight miR-3619-5p as a novel cancer suppressor in NSCLC. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. It has been reported that the defect in the NTRK1 gene encoding tropomyosin-related kinase A (TrkA) can cause congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. Nerve growth factor (NGF), the product of NGFB, mediates biological effects by binding to and activating tropomyosin-related kinase A. In addition, necdin (encoded by NDN) is also essential in nerve growth factor–tropomyosin-related kinase A pathway. We performed mutation analysis in NTRK1, NGFB, and NDN genes in a Chinese Han 17-year-old female patient with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis and her healthy family members. As a result, the patient was found to have a novel insertion in exon 7 (c.727insT) of NTRK1, which causes premature termination, and a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs2192206 G>A) in NDN. Our findings imply that the genetic variations of the nerve growth factor–tropomyosin-related kinase A pathway play an important role in congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraphrasing is used as a language activity to train students' comprehensive language use. Although its positive role has been commonly recognized, there is a lack of research on the construct and rating scale for paraphrase tasks. This study developed a five-level analytic rating scale and applied the scale to score one hundred and forty-three examinees' paraphrase responses. To validate the scale using an argument-based approach, the scores were analyzed by generalizability analysis and many-facets Rasch analysis, and the responses were coded by construct-related linguistic features. The results show that: (1) The analytic scores explained 35.5% of the variance, and the relative Coef_G met the confidence requirements for a rating scale validation study; (2) The task distinguished examinees' performance into different levels, the rater severity was consistent, and the rating dimensions were relatively independent with significant differences; (3) Construct components are reflected in the examinees' responses; (4) The rating scale is appropriate for score reporting and decision making, and has a positive effect on teaching and learning. The study will facilitate language teachers' assessment of students' performance and provision of effective feedback on paraphrase tasks. • Paraphrase task can be rated by restatement, meaning consistency and accuracy. • The analytic rating scale is feasible in rating practice. • Three rating dimensions are relatively independent without overlapping. • The rating is reliable and the rater severity is consistent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twin vertical axis helical hydrokinetic turbines (VAHHTs) are a type of renewable energy conversion device that can generate electricity from the kinetic energy of free flowing water. To optimize its hydrodynamic performance, a typical twin VAHHTs model with a NACA0020 blade profile, diameter (D) of 0.2 m, height (H) of 0.45 m, solidity ratio (σ) of 0.38, and enwinding ratio (ϖ) of 1.25 was tested. Based on the controllable open channel velocity, a test platform was built to study the effect of different rotational direction, spacing, inflow direction, and phase difference on the efficiency of twin VAHHTs. The results show that the torque measurement platform can accurately measure the torque (T), water velocity (V), and rotational speed (ω) simultaneously. When the rotational direction of the twin VAHHTs is not outward opposite (-+), the efficiency is more than 9.52% higher than that of a single VAHHT. The efficiency increases first, and then decreases with an increase of the spacing between the two turbines. The change of inflow direction angle has a large influence on the efficiency of the twin VAHHTs. The initial phase difference has little effect on the performance of the twin VAHHTs. The highest average efficiency of the twin VAHHTs is 0.2315, which is 10.24% higher than that of a single VAHHT. The results supplement the deficiencies of the measured data at high velocity and provide validation for the numerical calculation of the efficiency of twin VAHHTs. • Field tests on model efficiency of twin helical turbines are carried out. • The test can synchronously measure torque, water velocity, and rotational speed. • The influence of the factors on the efficiency of twin helical turbines is tested. • The efficiency of the twin helical turbines is 10.24% higher than that of single. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The α-MoO 3 -based materials have been intensively investigated as chemiresistive-type gas sensors due to their excellent sensing performances for gas sensing applications. However, there still remains formidable challenges for developing a simple and scalable approach to synthesize α-MoO 3 with controllable structures. Herein, we demonstrated a glucose-assisted combustion synthesis strategy for the synthesis of α-MoO 3 materials with controllable structures. They were obtained by heat treatment of the gels containing ammonium heptamolybdate tetrahydrate and glucose. Owing to the coordination interactions between glucose and heptamolybdate, α-MoO 3 -2 sample obtained by adding 1.8 g of glucose featured the highest oxygen vacancy concentration with an O/Mo atomic ratio of 2.61. The gas sensing measurements indicated that α-MoO 3 -2 had excellent sensing performances for detecting ethanol. Such ethanol sensor displayed the lowest detection concentration of 5 ppm ethanol, high response of 3.86 toward 20 ppm ethanol, and wide detection range of 5–100 ppm. This study sheds light on preparation of metal oxides with controllable structures on a scalable way for various applications. • A glucose-assisted combustion synthesis method have been developed to preparation of MoO3 samples. • The MoO3 sample thus obtained possesses high oxygen vacancy concentration and surface chemical-adsorbed oxygen species. • The MoO3 sample exhibits excellent sensing performances for ethanol sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructures and formation mechanism of the interface between pure aluminum and graphite were studied when performed the active brazing in atmospheric conditions using assistive ultrasonic vibration. At the C/solder interface, the active component (Ti) in the Sn5Ag5Ti active solder can reduce the surface tension on the surface of graphite through the interface reaction between Ti and C atoms, which is the dominant driving force during wetting process on the surface of graphite; at the Al/solder interface, Ag and Al atoms can form a type of substitutional solid solution due to occupy the positions of diffused Al atoms and affect the diffusion path between Al and Ti atoms under the brazing temperature, which can reduce the surface tension, lowering the energy of whole system and improving the wetting behavior of the liquid solder on the aluminum surface. The application of ultrasonic vibration can remove the surface oxidation films of the base metals and molten solders; hence, ultrasonic vibration can enhance the wettability of liquid solder on the surface of the base metals and accelerate the element diffusion rates of interfacial reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of non-invasive assay for the accurate diagnosis of progressive liver diseases (e.g., fatty liver and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)) is of great clinical significance and remains to be a big challenge. Herein, we reported the synthesis of strawberry-like Fe 3 O 4 -Au hybrid nanoparticles at room temperature that simultaneously exhibited fluorescence, enhanced X-ray attenuation, and magnetic properties. The results of in vitro fluorescence assay showed that the nanoparticles had significant photo-stability and could avoid the endosome degradation in cells. The in vivo imaging of normal mice demonstrated that the Fe 3 O 4 -Au nanoparticles provided 34.61-fold contrast enhancement under magnetic resonance (MR) guidance 15 min post the administration. Computed tomography (CT) measurements showed that the highest Hounsfield Unit (HU) was 174 at 30 min post the injection of Fe 3 O 4 -Au nanoparticles. In vivo performance of the Fe 3 O 4 -Au nanoparticles was further evaluated in rat models bearing three different liver diseases. For the fatty liver model, nearly homogeneous contrast enhancement was observed under both MR (highest contrast ratio 47.33) and CT (from 19 HU to 72 HU) guidances without the occurrences of focal nodules or dysfunction. For the cirrhotic liver and HCC, pronounced enhancement under MR and CT guidance could be seen in liver parenchyma with highlighted lesions after Fe 3 O 4 -Au injection. Furthermore, pathological, hematological and biochemical analysis revealed the absence of acute and chronic toxicity, confirming the biocompatibility of our platform for in vivo applications. Collectively, These Fe 3 O 4 -Au nanoparticles showed great promise as a candidate for multi-modality bio-imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium chloride (LiCl)-loaded 3D cubic mesoporous silica KIT-6 (LiCl-KIT-6) composites were prepared as resistance-type humidity-sensitive materials. The structures of the resultant composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N 2 adsorption–desorption, and transmission electron microscopy. The humidity sensors based on LiCl-KIT-6 composites were fabricated and the sensing properties were investigated. Results indicate the uniform pore distribution of KIT-6 contributes to the rapid hydrone transport in mesoporous channels. The impedance of optimized 3 wt% LiCl-KIT-6 sensor changed by more than three orders of magnitude over the relative humidity range of 11–95%. The response and recovery times of the sensor were 15 s and 28 s, respectively. Finally, the complex impedance method was used to analyze the humidity sensing mechanism of the sensor based on LiCl-KIT-6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile and effective strategy has been successfully developed to synthesize reduced graphene oxide-multiwalled carbon nanotubes-tin oxide nanoparticles (rGO-CNT-SnO 2 ) hybrids by hydrothermal method. The combined characterizations of X-ray diffraction, Raman spectrum and Transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the samples thus obtained, indicating the successful preparation of rGO-CNT-SnO 2 hybrids. A room temperature NO 2 sensor was fabricated by dropping the dispersion of rGO-CNT-SnO 2 hybrids on the surface of ceramic substrate previously printed Au electrodes. Most importantly, the sensor based on rGO-CNT-SnO 2 hybrids shows high response, fast response and recovery rate, high selectivity and good stability, which are much better than NO 2 sensors based on pure rGO and rGO-SnO 2 hybrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoporous SnO 2 has been successfully prepared by the solvent-free infiltration method using SiO 2 nanoparticles as template. The combined characterizations of X-ray diffraction pattern, nitrogen sorption isothermal, and transmission electron microscopy indicate the successful preparation of mesoporous SnO 2 . It is found that the mesoporous SnO 2 exhibits high response, good selectivity, fast response and recovery rate for detection of ethanol, which are much better than that of bulky SnO 2 prepared in the absence of SiO 2 nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-sectional area is an important parameter for spacecraft breakup debris as it is the directly measured data in space observation. It is significant for observing and analysing the spacecraft breakup event to accurately modelling the area distribution of the breakup debris. In this paper, experimental study has been performed on debris area distribution characteristics of spacecraft under hypervelocity impact. The tests are carried out at the ballistic ranges of CARDC. Aluminium projectiles are launched to normally impact the simulated spacecrafts at about 3.0 km/s. The simulated spacecrafts are made up of aluminium plates, filled with some simulated electronics boxes, each of which was installed with a circuit board. “Soft-catch” devices are used to recover the breakup fragments. The test results show that: 1) the relationship between the cross-sectional area and the characteristic length of debris, which can be obtained in the logarithmic coordinates by linear fitting, represents the debris shape characteristic in a certain extent; 2) the area-to-mass ratios of fragments show normal distributions in the logarithmic coordinates; 3) debris made of different materials can be distinguished by different peaks on the distribution curves; 4) the area-to-mass ratio distributions can be expressed by a linear superimposition of several normal functions which represent the main materials of the spacecraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme (TACE) is a proteinase that releases over eighty soluble proteins from their membrane-bound forms, and it has long been an intriguing therapeutic target in auto-immune diseases, and recently, in cancers. However, a haunting question is how TACE recognizes its substrates. In this work, we applied computational and experimental methods to study the role of the P2 site and the P2′ site of the substrate peptide in the substrate cleavage of TACE. In the computational complex model, the sidechains of these residues do not form key interactions with TACE, but experimentally, the mutations at these two positions largely affect the peptide cleavage efficiency in the enzymatic assay. We then showed that the P2/P2′ sites could affect the efficiency of the conformation search for the correct peptide orientation, which in turn affects the substrate cleavage efficiency. Our result provides new information to the better understanding of the enzymatic mechanism of TACE, and could be useful in the design of novel TACE inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nitrogen-doped carbon (N-carbon) materials have been prepared by low temperature (300°C) heat treatment of hexamethylenetetramine in air. The combined characterizations of X-ray diffraction pattern, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicate the successful preparation of N-carbon materials. Most importantly, the N-carbon exhibits catalytic activity toward electrochemical reduction of H2O2, leading to a novel metal-free non-enzymatic H2O2 sensor. The linear detection range is estimated to be from 0.1mM to 40mM (r =0.996), and the detection limit is estimated to be 90μM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Au-loading SnO 2 hollow microtubes (Au-SnO 2 -MTs) have been successfully prepared by the coaxial electrospinning method, where the sol solution containing poly-vinylpyrrolidone and metal salts were used as outer solution and paraffin was used as inner solution, respectively. The combined characterizations of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction indicating the successful preparation of Au-SnO 2 -MTs with the diameter of MTs about 500-600 nm, and the thickness of the hollow MTs about 70-80 nm. It is also found that the Au-SnO 2 -MTs exhibit catalytic activity for electrochemical reduction of H 2 O 2 , leading to a non-enzymatic H 2 O 2 sensor. The H 2 O 2 sensor thus obtained shows the linear detection range from 10 μM to 1 mM ( r = 0 . 997), and the detection limit about 0.60 μM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. Furthermore, the H 2 O 2 sensor also exhibits excellent selectivity for H 2 O 2 in comparison to other normally co-existing electroactive species (such as dopamine, ascorbic acid, uric acid and glucose) and inorganic anions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hairpin fluorescence probe assisted isothermal amplification strategy was used for microRNAs (miRNAs) detection. The fluorescence hairpin probe was rationally designed by software NUPACK to reduce background signal. This isothermal amplification method consisted of two circuits. The amplification strategy not only could detect miRNA, but also amplified and reversely transcribed miRNA into DNA to enhance the stability of the target. The approach was ultrasensitive and as low as 8.5×10−15 mol/L miR-Let-7a, corresponding to 8.5×10−20 mol miR-Let-7a in 10µL, was able to be detected within 20min at 37°C. Moreover, successful detection of miR-Let-7a in a total RNA sample was also achieved. Thus, the rapid, simple, isothermal, and highly sensitive approach should be a promising tool for on-the-spot detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the rapid development of the lithium-ion battery industry, the massive upstream consumption of mineral raw materials has led to great crises and challenges in balancing global supply and demand. A diversity of trading partners can effectively alleviate the pressure of supply and demand for raw materials; so, it is particularly important for trading countries to find suitable trading partners. This study takes nine important minerals contained in the main element raw materials of lithium-ion batteries as the research object, and the international trade data range from 2011 to 2020. The study combines complex networks and motifs and links prediction methods to predict the potential international trade relations of the nine minerals based on the actual network topology. We summarize three trade link rules as follows. (1) The predicted links have a timeliness requirement, and they generally turn into actual trade links within 3 years. (2) When looking for trading partners, trading countries tend to establish long-term and stable trade relations. (3) The existing trade relations will promote the establishment of predicted trade relations. In addition, we find that successfully predicted links will promote the formation of important motifs in the network. This study can provide a theoretical basis for trading countries to find suitable trading partners and can strengthen the safety of trading countries in the trade of the main element minerals for lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, with cognitive decline as the primary clinical feature. According to epidemiological statistics, 50 million people worldwide are currently affected by Alzheimer's disease. Although new drugs such as aducanumab have been approved for use in the treatment of AD, none of them have reversed the progression of AD. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small molecule RNAs that exert their biological functions by regulating the expression of intracellular proteins, and differential abundance and varieties are found between the central and peripheral tissues of AD patients and healthy controls. This article will summarise the changes of miRNAs in the AD process, and the potential role of diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets in AD will be explored. [Display omitted] • MicroRNAs regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally responsible for regulating more than 70% of human genes. • In Alzheimer's disease, microRNAs in serum, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain tissue have been studied. • MicroRNAs are involved in the pathological process of Alzheimer's disease. • MicroRNAs are innovative treatment and diagnosis markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel expansion and super long plasma plume at low vacuum conditions (200 Pa–10000 Pa) has been developed to deposit the ceramic thermal barrier coating (TBC) for aircraft engines. The maximum length of the Ar–He plasma plume is 1900 mm when the plasma torch operates at a chamber pressure of 200 Pa and an input power of 64 kW (I = 2000 A). Meanwhile, the radial expansion of the plasma plume is 90 mm in an axisymmetric plane at the same condition. The maximum substrate temperature ranges from 1100 °C to 1250 °C when the plasma plume impinges perpendicularly on the graphite substrate at the distance from 800 mm to 1500 mm. It is also found that the Mach number of the plasma flow is 3.4. The numerical simulation predicts the maximum velocity and temperature of the plasma plume are 6474.8 m/s and 12823.7 K, respectively. • A novel expansion and super long plasma plume at low vacuum are studied. • The maximum length of the Ar–He plasma plume is 1900 mm. • The length of the plasma plume increases with the decreasing of chamber pressure. • Mach number of the plasma flow at 200 Pa is 3.4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly sensitive and selective toluene sensors based on ordered mesoporous Co3O4 have been successfully developed. The combined characterizations of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isothermal, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicate that mesoporous Co3O4 with ordered mesoporous structure and high surface area has been successfully prepared by the nanocasting method using mesoporous silica (SBA-15) as hard template and Co(NO3)2·6H2O as cobalt source. It is also found that mesoporous Co3O4 thus obtained shows good response toward toluene with the concentrations ranging from 1ppm to 1000ppm. Furthermore, mesoporous Co3O4 also exhibits high selectivity for detection of toluene, compared to other interferences, such as ethanol, formaldehyde, ethanol, acetone, methanol and ammonia. Most importantly, mesoporous Co3O4 exhibits better sensing performance than that of non-porous Co3O4 obtained by direct calcination of Co(NO3)2·6H2O in the absence of any templates, which can be attributed to unique properties of mesopotous Co3O4, such as high surface area, open mesoporous structure as well as relatively small crystal size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Phenylpropanoids are widely distributed within the Rosaceae family. In this study, 14 phenylpropanoids, including a new phenol, 7,8-erythro-7-methoxysyringylglycerol (7), and a new sesquilignan, pinnatifidanin A I (14), were isolated and identified from the seeds of Crataegus pinnatifida. The biosynthetic relationships among the compounds 1–14 are proposed. The presence of these congenetic phenylpropanoids and their biosynthetic relationships may be used for identification of species of Crataegus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gao, M.; Liu, S.; Zhao, G.; Yuan, H.; Wei, C.; Wu, Y., and Tang, J., 2014. Vulnerability of eco-hydrological environment in the Yellow River delta wetland. We investigated the relationship between groundwater head and oceanic tidal fluctuations in the Yellow River Delta wetland through on-site hydrological monitoring. Shallow groundwater heads were obviously affected by oceanic tide along the coastal zone. The ranges of the wetland zone can be readily assessed by measuring fluctuation amplitudes or lags. The results show that the influence radius is approximately 12 km to 18 km (when the correlation coefficient is 0.7 to 0.8) under the joint actions of oceanic tide and shallow groundwater seepage flow in clayey silt coastal wetland. A cross-sectional sketch of the coastal wetland model is developed based on monitoring data of groundwater and oceanic tidal fluctuations to study the vulnerability of the eco-hydrological environment in the Yellow River Delta wetland. The coastal wetland consists of three zones (the groundwater seepage zone, the tidal-induced transitional zone, and the tidal zone) with distinctly different hydraulic properties. Analytical solutions are used to estimate the vulnerability of the eco-hydrological environment in the wetland aquifer located in the NE part of the Yellow River Delta wetland, Shandong Province, China. Our results show that changes in the shallow groundwater quality of the wetland are significantly affected by natural factors, such as strong cutoff in the lower reaches, storm tides, and human engineering activities. The northern coastal wetland may be submerged without damp proof when the height of a storm tide reaches 2.4 m. The depth of shallow groundwater and the salinity gradient are key factors that contribute to the vulnerability of the ecological environment. The vulnerability of the eco-hydrological environment is derived from the joint actions of groundwater dynamics, hydrochemistry, and tidal-induced processes under sedimentary stress and water pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We synthesize a series of carboxylated hydrogels based on β-cyclodextrin. [•] It can induce in situ biomineralization in the simulated body fluid. [•] It can release anti-inflammatory drug during the biomineralization process (28 days). [•] It has low cytotoxicity. [•] It is promising for the application of bone tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: With respect to group decision-making problems with multi-granularity linguistic assessment information, a new approach is proposed. Firstly, the computational formulae are given in order to transform and unify the multi-granularity linguistic comparison matrices. Secondly, the method of standard and mean deviation is applied to determine the unknown attribute weights, and the weights of the decision makers will be determined by using the extended TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution) method. Finally, based on the LWAA (linguistic weighted arithmetic averaging) operator, information on the preference provided by each decision maker is aggregated into the comprehensive evaluation value of each alternative, and the most desirable alternative is selected. The proposed approach expands the research in multi-attribute group decision-making with multi-granularity linguistic assessment information by both considering the weights of the attributes and decision makers, and objective weighting for them. A numerical example is given to illustrate the practicability and usefulness of the proposed approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mobile service providers and manufacturers continue to provide services and devices that take advantage of the location information associated with devices to provide a more personalized experience for users. For many such services, the user experience can be dramatically improved if a mobile device can predict how long a mobile user will stay at the current location. In this paper, we propose to take advantage of contextual information for predicting the stay time of mobile users. Specially, we investigate two strategies for modeling the relevance between it and contextual information, i.e., Stay Status Prediction (SSP) and Stay Time Prediction (STP). SSP is to predict whether a mobile user will stay at the current location at time point ti+n according to the contextual information at ti, while STP is to directly predict how long a mobile user will stay at the current location. Moreover, we study several typical machine learning models which can be extended for implementing SSP and STP and evaluate their performance with respect to prediction accuracy. We also conduct extensive experiments on real data sets to evaluate several implementations of the proposed strategies in terms of both effectiveness and efficiency for STP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Long laminar plasma jet can reach and heat the substrate in-situ. • Fracture toughness is used to explain the erosion performance. • Coatings after in-situ heat treatment show bulk-like erosion performance. Laminar plasma has the characteristics of a long plasma jet, low velocity, and high temperature, which make it able to cover and heat the substrate during the spraying process. The results show that when the standoff distance is short, the coating is strengthened by in-situ heating of the plasma jet and shows higher erosion resistance at high erosion angles and bulk-like material tendency. When the standoff distance is long, the substrate temperature is low, the coating shows higher erosion resistance at a lower erosion angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a special ecosystem in cities, urban wetland parks have important environmental regulation and social service functions. This paper proposes a new methodology of urban wetland planning and management based on the vulnerability of the ecological environment. The Jixi National Wetland Park (JNWP) was taken as the research area to analyze the ecological, geological and environmental factors that affect urban wetlands. A remote sensing image, digital elevation model, and environmental quality interpolation processing were used to generate the factor layer, and a comprehensive evaluation index system was established. The fuzzy Delphi analytic hierarchy process (FDAHP) method was used to calculate the comprehensive weight of each evaluation factor. A model to evaluate the ecological environment vulnerability of the JNWP was established. Then, an improved k-means clustering algorithm was used to classify the ecological environment of the study area. The ecological environment vulnerability of the wetland was evaluated. The results showed that the vulnerability of the ecological environment in the study area could be divided into five levels, including very low, low, medium, high and very high vulnerability areas. According to the vulnerability level and the results of k-means++ cluster analysis, the JNWP is divided into five areas. The wetland buffer zone is the main factor that determines the distribution of ecological environment vulnerability in urban wetlands. However, cultivated land development and ecological environmental restoration are the main factors that determine the evolution of ecological environment vulnerability in urban wetlands. The FDAHP and geographic information systems (GIS), combined with cluster analysis, are effective methods to evaluate the vulnerability of the ecological environment of urban wetlands, which provides a scientific and accurate methodology for the management and sustainable development of urban wetlands. [Display omitted] • A new methodology was developed to quantify the vulnerability of urban wetlands. • Multi-sources data were used to extract vulnerability factors. • The vulnerability assessment considers ecological, geological and environmental aspects. • Urban planning affects vulnerability more than geological conditions and natural environment. • Different vulnerable areas and ecological environment types have different planning strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]