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Chemical looping ammonia generation (CLAG), including the N-sorption/desorption steps of the N-carrier, is increasingly important due to the high demand for formation of carbon-free fuel. The N-sorption step, the synthesis of aluminum nitride (AlN) by the carbothermal reduction, has been widely studied for improving the purity and stability of aluminum nitride. However, there are few studies on how to enhance the porosity and thus N-desorption reactivity of AlN, one of the key issues for the CLAG. Therefore, in this paper, a supported Al-based nitrogen carrier (AlN/Al 2 O 3) with mesoporous structure, in which 5% of Y 2 O 3 was added as a catalyst, was developed with excess aluminum oxide (γ-Al 2 O 3) and the corresponding N-desorption of the generated N-carrier was studied with a stationary bed reactor, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunner-Emmet-Teller (BET) measurements, Raman spectra and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that using the excess aluminum oxide in N-sorption step significantly led to the significant improvement in N-carrier's porosity and thus N-desorption reactivity, which did not vary with change in carbon types. Also, the N-sorption performance of γ-Al 2 O 3 with carbon black was better than that with graphite due to their different carbon crystal structures. In addition, the effect of other parameters including the mole ratio of Al 2 O 3 :C, reaction temperature on the N-sorption performance of the N-carrier were studied. It was found that the specific surface area of the mesoporous structured Al-based AlN, synthesized with mole ratio of Al 2 O 3 : C being 3:3 at 1200 °C, reached to>70 m2/g, which was the best one for good NH 3 synthesis performance. • A porous Al-based N-carrier with good N-desorption performances was generated from N-sorption reaction. • The reactivity of the disordered carbon is better than that of the ordered carbon in the N-sorption reaction. • Pore structure and specific surface area of the generated N-carrier plays an important role in the N-desorption reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Towering in many gorges of reservoirs and coastal zones, pillar rock masses may collapse and fall due to foundation crushing, and the impact on water by debris leads to impulse waves. In this study, the process of impulse wave induction by the gravitational collapse of granular piles was investigated using particle image velocimetry. The experimental results showed that the collapse process of partially submerged particles was significantly different from that of dry particles. Near the water surface, particles moved outward in a reversed "S" shape. In the presence of water at the slope foot, the time and the distance traveled by the particles were reduced. The hydraulic effects such as water entrainment, vortex, rolling, and viscous drag exacerbated the energy dissipation of the granular piles, thus reducing particle mobility. Thirty five experiments suggested that the impulse waves induced by granular piles could be categorized as bores, solitary waves and nonlinear transition waves according to the functional inequality, which consisted of the aspect ratio and the relative thickness. The fitted formula for the run-out of partially submerged granular piles and the corresponding maximum wave amplitudes was derived by nonlinear regression of the experimental data. In comparison with previous formulas, these formulas are power functions consisting of aspect ratio and relative thickness and are highly suitable for predicting the collapse of granular piles and the impulse waves induced as the correlation coefficients of calculated results by these formulas and the measured values exceeded 0.93. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antiretroviral adherence is essential to HIV treatment efficacy. Various self-reported measures are commonly used for assessing antiretroviral adherence. Limited data are available regarding the validity of those self-reported measures in comparison with long-term objective biomarkers of adherence measures such as hair measures. Methods: Self-reported adherence (frequency, percentage, and visual analog scale [VAS]) and hair tenofovir concentration were evaluated at a single time point from 268 people living with HIV in China. The responses to each of three self-reported measures were converted into percentage and then dichotomized as "optimal" (100%) vs. "suboptimal" (less than 100%) adherence. Two composite adherence scores (CAS) were created from the three self-reported measures: (1) an overall adherence was the average percentage of the three self-reported measures; (2) responses were termed optimal adherence if participants reporting optimal adherence in all three self-reported measures, while were termed suboptimal adherence. Hair tenofovir concentration was also dichotomized as "optimal" (above the limit of quantitation, 36 pg/mg) vs. "suboptimal" adherence (blow 36 pg/mg). Spearman correlation, kappa statistics, and logistic regression analysis were used to calculate the correlations, agreements, and predictions of self-reported measures with hair measure, respectively. Results: Overall adherence, but any of the three self-reported adherence, was correlated with hair tenofovir concentration (r = 0.13, p < 0.05). Self-reported optimal adherence in VAS and CAS measures were agreed with and predicted optimal adherence assessed by hair measure (Kappa = 0.107, adjusted OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.03–3.45; Kappa = 0.109, adjusted OR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.02–3.18; all p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion: VAS may be a good individual self-reported measure for antiretroviral adherence, and CAS may be a good composite self-reported measure for antiretroviral adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision simulations are performed to investigate the effects of using realistic models for secondary electron emission induced by different plasma species on the discharge characteristics in direct current (DC) superposed radio-frequency (RF) capacitively coupled plasmas (CCPs). A dual-frequency (DF, 60/2 MHz) source is applied on one of the electrodes to sustain the discharge, and an auxiliary DC source is fixed on the opposite electrode to generate energetic secondary electrons (SEs). Realistic models are employed to calculate the secondary electron yields (SEYs) induced by electrons and heavy particles (i.e. ions and fast neutrals) impacting the 'dirty' surfaces (e.g. oxidized metal), respectively, in argon discharge at a fixed pressure of 1.5 Pa. The results are compared to those obtained by assuming a constant ion-induced SEYs of γ = 0.1, and a constant elastic reflected electron yield of ηel. = 0.2. As the effective SEY γ* (arising from heavy particle impact) calculated from the realistic model is enhanced at the DC electrode, numerous γ-electrons can be induced under the effect of the DC-bias. These γ-electrons then bombard the opposite RF electrode with mean energies corresponding to the value of DC-bias, which further induce significant emission of δ-electrons (i.e. electron-induced SEs). Moreover, the δ-electrons originating from the RF electrode can be trapped and bounced back by the opposite DC sheath toward the RF electrode, inducing δ-electron emission once more. Consequently, this positive-feedback source of δ-electrons, leads to an enhanced ionization in the first half-cycle of the low frequency period, and a further growth in plasma density in hybrid DC/RF discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring a cheap and clean renewable energy has become a common destination round the world with the depletion of oil resources and the concerns of increasing energy demands. Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant renewable resource in the biosphere, and the total biomass formed by plant photosynthesis reached more than 200 billion tons every year. Cellulase and hemicellulose and lignin degradation enzymes, the efficient biocatalyst, could efficiently convert the lignocellulosic biomass into sugars that could be further processed into biofuels, biochemical, and biomaterial for human requirement. The utilization and conversion of cellulosic biomass has great significance to solve the problems such as environmental pollution and energy crisis. Lignocellulosic materials are widely considered as important sources to produce sugar streams that can be fermented into ethanol and other organic chemicals. Pretreatment is a necessary step to overcome its intrinsic recalcitrant nature prior to the production of important biomaterial that has been investigated for nearly 200 years. Emerging research has focused in order of economical, eco-friendly, and time-effective solutions, for large-scale operational approach. These new mentioned technologies are promising for lignocellulosic biomass degradation in a huge scale biorefinery. This review article has briefly explained the emerging technologies especially the consolidated bioprocessing, chemistry, and physical base pretreatment and their importance in the valorization of lignocellulosic biomass conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yellow-feather broiler is a popular poultry breed in Asia, particularly in China. In this study, we performed RNA-seq analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (deGs) in the liver of yellow-feather broilers that had been subjected to acute heat stress treatment (38±1°C for 4 h, recovery 2 h) and determine the response of the liver to high temperature and its effects on yellow-feather broiler physiology. We found that the cloacal temperature and respiratory rate of yellow-feather chickens were significantly increased immediately after the initiation of acute heat stress (38°c) treatment. And after recovery for 2 h, there was no difference in the cloacal temperature and respiratory rate between the acute heat stress and control groups. A total of 834 DEGs were observed in response to heat stress by RNA-seq. Almost half of the DEGs were involved in the lipid and energy metabolism, including fatty acid metabolism (ACOX1, ACACA, ACSL1, ACSL6, ACAA1, ACAA2, HADHB, and FASN) and propanoate metabolism (ACSS2, ALDH2, ACACA, DLAT, ALDH7A1, MDH1, ME1, ABAT, SUCLG2, and ACSS3). Our findings provide the context for RNA-seq studies in the liver of yellow-feather chickens and suggest that the liver of yellow-feather broilers has the lipid and energy metabolism physiological mechanisms activated in response to heat stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To classify radiation necrosis versus recurrence in glioma patients using a radiomics model based on combinational features and multimodality MRI images. Methods. Fifty-one glioma patients who underwent radiation treatments after surgery were enrolled in this study. Sixteen patients revealed radiation necrosis while 35 patients showed tumor recurrence during the follow-up period. After treatment, all patients underwent T1-weighted, T1-weighted postcontrast, T2-weighted, and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery scans. A total of 41,284 handcrafted and 24,576 deep features were extracted for each patient. The 0.623 + bootstrap method and the area under the curve (denoted as 0.632 + bootstrap AUC) metric were used to select the features. The stepwise forward method was applied to construct 10 logistic regression models based on different combinations of image features. Results. For handcrafted features on multimodality MRI, model 7 with seven features yielded the highest AUC of 0.9624, sensitivity of 0.8497, and specificity of 0.9083 in the validation set. These values were higher than the accuracy of using handcrafted features on single-modality MRI (paired t-test, p<0.05, except sensitivity). For combined handcrafted and AlexNet features on multimodality MRI, model 6 with six features achieved the highest AUC of 0.9982, sensitivity of 0.9941, and specificity of 0.9755 in the validation set. These values were higher than the accuracy of using handcrafted features on multimodality MRI (paired t-test, p<0.05). Conclusions. Handcrafted and deep features extracted from multimodality MRI images reflecting the heterogeneity of gliomas can provide useful information for glioma necrosis/recurrence classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional data envelopment analysis (DEA) model is widely used for efficiency evaluation of decision making unit composed of past or current input–output data in production system. We propose a new efficiency prediction model which for the first time combines information granulation (IG) and support vector machine (SVM) with DEA model, to evaluate the future efficiency of decision making unit in this paper. The model first uses fuzzy information granulation to granulate the input–output data over time series and then describe the characteristics of the data within each time window by the minimum, average and maximum values and establish the IG–SVM model based on the fuzzy information granulation and support vector machine. After training by time series data, the optimal model of regression is built. Based on this model, the minimum, average and maximum values of the next window in the future are predicted, and finally the future efficiency of the decision making unit can be calculated by the DEA model. Case studies show the feasibility and applicability of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the competitive market environment, the game between manufacturers comes down to the competitive multiattribute group decision-making problem. In this study, the evaluation information of experts is given in the form of 2-dimension 2-tuple linguistic variables, and an approach is proposed for the competitive multiattribute group decision-making problem based on game theory and evidence theory. Firstly, based on the evidence theory, the attribute values of each situation are obtained by aggregating the 2-dimension 2-tuple linguistic evaluation information given by experts. Secondly, according to the attribute values of every situation, the evidence theory is applied for the second aggregation to obtain the overall values of every situation, and then the game matrix of competitive multiattribute group decision problem is formed. Then, according to the bivariate game matrix, the Nash equilibrium point of competitive multiattribute group decision-making problem is determined based on game theory. Finally, a practical case about the alternative selections for a duopoly problem is used to illustrate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed approach for the competitive multiattribute group decision-making problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolyl aminopeptidase (PAP) is an important exopeptidase which might be a biomarker for pathogen infection and a potential therapeutic target. However, very few fluorescent probes have been developed for detecting PAP activity. Here we report the development of the first near infrared (NIR) turn-on fluorescent probe (NIR-PAP) for detecting and imaging PAP in living cells. The probe is prepared by reacting a cysteine–proline dipeptide with an acryloylated NIR fluorophore via a facile thiol-Michael addition reaction. NIR-PAP exhibits a dynamic response toward PAP in the range of 0.02–2.5 U mL−1 with an estimated limit of detection of 0.013 U mL−1. In vitro studies also reveal that the probe displays high specificity and robust responses toward PAP under physiological pH and temperature conditions. Moreover, NIR-PAP is successfully introduced to detect and differentiate PAP activity in four different cell lines via both confocal fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry. Therefore, our probe may hold great promise in diagnosing infectious diseases caused by pathogens and screening therapeutic drugs in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The abstract were revised to clearly explain the proposed improvement method. • The general role of Allan variance in the application of GNSS/INS was revised. • The matrices used in the optimal estimation were explained in detail. GNSS/INS relative accuracy representing navigation error variation or instability on different time scales has been increasingly required in precision measurement. However, research on the effect of GNSS sampling rate on GNSS/INS relative accuracy is limited. We mainly focus on the assessment of the effect of GNSS sampling rate on GNSS/INS relative accuracy on different time scales through Allan variance, and propose to improve the relative accuracy by adjusting GNSS sampling rate and applying backward smoothing. The field test results show that the time-correlation of GNSS measurement noise caused by high-rate sampling should be dealt with; increasing the GNSS sampling rate can improve the short-term position accuracy in the real-time mode; the backward smoothing can mitigate the weakness of low-rate GNSS sampling in the post-processing mode. This work can provide guidance for the reasonable selection of GNSS sampling rates to meet the demands of GNSS/INS relative accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Series of Er3+/Yb3+/Fe3+-tridoped NaBiF 4 nanoparticles were synthesized through a simple precipitation reaction method at room temperature. The effect of the Fe3+ ions on the microstructure and upconversion (UC) luminescence properties of the developed samples were studied in detail. Through the Fe3+ ions doping engineering, the enhancement in both green and red UC emission intensities were observed and the optimal doping concentration for Fe3+ ions was revealed to be 30 mol%. Owing to the fluorescence intensity ratio technology, the optical thermometric performances of the resultant products in the temperature range of 303–543 K were investigated and the maximum sensor sensitivity of the studied nanoparticles was 0.0053 K−1 at 543 K. Moreover, the internal heating behaviors of the obtained nanoparticles were investigated and the product temperature was improved to 399 K when the pump power was set at 260 mW. Our systematic and complementary studies suggested that the Er3+/Yb3+/Fe3+-tridoped NaBiF 4 nanoparticles with splendid UC behaviors were poised as next-generation promising candidates for nanothermometer and optical heaters. • The Er3+/Yb3+/Fe3+-tridoped NaBiF 4 nanoparticles were successfully prepared at room temperature. • With introducing of Fe3+, both microstructure and UC emission performance of studied samples were tailored. • The maximum sensor sensitivity of the synthesized nanoparticles as high as 0.0053 K−1 at 543 K. • The prepared nanoparticles can convert the excitation light source into heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the mechanisms on how water management can minimize the concentrations of heavy metals in rice grains is important. Two water managements were concerned in our studies, including continuously flooding and alternate wetting and drying (AWD). Compared to AWD, a continuously flooded culture reduces the concentration of cadmium and other metals in the rice grains by reducing the root-to-shoot translocation and the availability of metals in rhizosphere. In a flooded environment, the rice rhizosphere was characterized by an increased soil pH, reduced fluorescein diacetate (FDA) activity, and lower metal bioavailability. In addition, flooding significantly decreased the iron plaque on the root surface and reduced the affinity for metals in rhizosphere. Water managements significantly changed soil microbial diversity, especially the proportion of anaerobic bacteria, including the iron-reducing bacteria Latescibacteria , Desulfuromonadales, and Geobacteraceae. Interestingly, these bacteria exhibited a significant correlation with cadmium that was adsorbed on the root. This study revealed that continuously flooded culture is a valuable strategy for minimizing heavy metal accumulation in rice grains. By increasing the abundance of unique bacterial community, iron plaque formation and the affinity of metals in rhizosphere were reduced, and the uptake and accumulation of heavy metals in rice plants was finally mitigated. Unlabelled Image • Flooding decreased rice grain metals through reducing root-to-shoot translocation and availability of metals in rhizosphere. • Flooding inhibited the iron plaque formation and reduced Cd contents on the root surface. • Cd adsorbed in iron plaque negatively correlated with the unique bacterial communities in flooded condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The electric field in a packed bed DBD reactor is enhanced near the contact points. • Plasma streamers in a packed bed DBD behave as surface or filamentary discharges. • Plasma streamer propagation in 3D fiber structures is calculated. • Plasma streamers can penetrate in catalyst pores for diameters above Debye length. • Filamentary discharges allow plasma penetration into pores of a few 100 nm. Plasma catalysis is promising for various environmental, energy and chemical synthesis applications, but the underlying mechanisms are far from understood. Modeling can help to obtain a better insight in these mechanisms. Some burning questions relate to the plasma behavior inside packed bed reactors and whether plasma can penetrate into catalyst pores. In this paper, we try to provide answers to these questions, by means of both fluid modeling and particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision simulations. We present a short overview of recent findings obtained in our group by means of modeling, i.e., the enhanced electric field near the contact points and the streamer propagation through the packing in packed bed reactors, as well as the plasma behavior in catalyst pores, to determine the minimum pore size in which plasma streamers can penetrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have prepared a novel (K0.5Na0.5)0.99‐xPrxYb0.01NbO3 (abbreviated as KNN:xPr3+/0.01Yb3+, x = 0.0006, 0.0008, 0.001, 0.002, 0.003, and 0.004) ceramics, which possess visible UC emissions, photochromic (PC) and optical thermometric properties. Under the excitation of a 980‐nm diode laser, all the samples show the featured emissions of Pr3+ ions and the UC emission intensity is greatly dependent on the Pr3+ doping content. The optimal UC luminescence intensity is obtained at x = 0.001. All the prepared samples show a strong PC reaction, and a large luminescence quenching degree (ΔRt) of 74.94% is found. The optical thermometric properties of both the irradiated and unirradiated KNN:0.001Pr3+/0.01Yb3+ ceramics in the temperature range of 123‐573 K have been investigated via measuring the temperature‐dependent UC emission spectra of green emissions, which originate from the two 3P1 and 3P0 thermally coupled levels. It has been found that the prepared samples have both excellent PC behaviors and temperature‐sensing performances. These results suggest that the KNN:xPr3+/0.01Yb3+ ceramics are promising candidates for the applications in PC reaction and thermometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study evaluates the efficacy and patient satisfaction of intravitreal conbercept (IVC) as adjunctive treatment before panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) for Chinese proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) with or without clinically significant macular edema. Methods: We enrolled 94 patients and categorized them into 2 groups: eyes that received PRP with single-dose IVC (0.5 mg/0.05 mL) 1 week before PRP (Plus group) or PRP only (PRP group). We measured the central macular thickness (CMT) by optical coherence tomography and best-corrected visual acuity. Satisfaction of PRP after 3 months was evaluated by a satisfaction questionnaire. Results: Single-dose IVC 1 week before PRP significantly increased the PRP completion rate and satisfaction of treatment after 3 months in PDR patients. The average CMT significantly decreased in the Plus group but increased in the PRP group. No average visual changes were detected in the Plus group, but significant average visual loss was detected in the PPR group. The most important factors that determined satisfaction were the PRP completion rate in the short term and better vision gain after PRP. Conclusions: IVC is a promising adjunctive treatment to PRP in the treatment of PDR. Single-dose IVC 1 week before PRP was suggested to improve PRP completion rate and patient satisfaction in the short term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

W/W2C heterostructured nanoparticles encapsulated by N,P dual-doped carbon (W/W2C@NPC) fabricated by the carbonization of in situ polymerized polyaniline (PANI) and phosphotungstic acid require low overpotentials of 55 mV and 82 mV vs. RHE to achieve a cathodic current density of 10 mA cm−2 in acidic and alkaline electrolytes, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EMT (Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition) is one of the factors in the pathogenesis of adenomyosis. FMNL2 induced invasion of cancer cell through promoting EMT, but it is unclear the role of FMNL2 in the adenomyosis. By IHC staining, we found the expression level of FMNL2 was significantly higher in the ectopic endometrial stromal cells from women with adenomyosis when compared with normal endometrial stromal cells. Knockdown of FMNL2 inhibited the invasion and migration of ectopic endometrial stromal cells and promoted the protein levels of E-cadherin and Vimentin. Meanwhile, inhibition of FMNL2 could induce the cell membrane localization of E-cadherin. Our findings reveal that the aberrant activation of FMNL2 promotes the pathogenesis of adenomyosis through inducing the EMT process. On the contrary, inhibition of FMNL2 promotes the transition of ectopic endometrial stromal cells to epithelial cells in adenomyosis through a MET-like process. • FMNL2 was overexpressed in adenomyosis. • Inhibition of FMNL2 decreased the invasion and migration of Y14 cells. • Both E-cadherin and Vimentin were upregulated by knocking down FMNL2. • Knockdown of FMNL2 induced MET-like process in adenomyosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organosolv pretreatment is a promising method for enhancing the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass and the production of value-added chemicals. However, information on solvents and their interactions with biomass—specifically, their effects on residues and isolated lignin—is limited, hindering the effective utilization of biomass. Herein, the effects of organosolvs (including γ-valerolactone (GVL), tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA), ethanol and acetone) on enzymatic saccharification and lignin isolation of hybrid Pennisetum (HP) under 100 °C for 2 h were investigated. Compared with water, organic solvents can significantly enhance delignification, reducing the crystallinity of cellulose, thereby improving the enzymatic digestibility and lignin recovery. The enzymatic digestibility of substrates reached 87.5% (about 80.8% of the raw HP glucan was recovered) for the THFA pretreatment, which was 38.7% higher than water-treated material and 131.5% higher than untreated raw material. Moreover, Hansen solubility parameters (HSP) was used to evaluate the effects of solvents, which showed a strong correlation between lignin removal and the molecular weight distribution of isolated lignins, suggesting that HSP can aid in finding appropriate organic solvents for pretreatment. Finally, the chemical structures and thermal properties of solid residues and precipitated lignins were analyzed via SEM, XRD, FTIR and thermogravimetric analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper studies the potential application of ventilation systems with thermal energy storage (TES) using phase change materials (PCMs) for space cooling in air conditioned buildings during the summer. A south-facing middle office room located in Beijing, China is considered for study. To simulate the indoor thermal environment and energy consumption of the room, a dynamic computational model which consists of a building thermal model, a heat transfer model of a TES unit and the performance curve of an air conditioner (AC) is built and validated. The time lag to switch on AC, the cooling energy provided by AC, PCMs and structure elements, the runtime of AC and fan, and the overall electricity energy consumption of the TES system are calculated and compared to a base case without night ventilation (NV) and a case with conventional NV system. The results indicate that the higher the indoor temperature set point, the higher the cooling energy contributions of PCMs and structure elements and therefore the higher the potential application of the TES system. The electricity energy saving ratio (ESR) by using the TES system over the base case is found to be 16.9%–50.8%, while that against the conventional NV system is 9.2%–33.6%. Highlights • Potential of ventilation systems using PCMs in air conditioned offices is studied. • A dynamic computational model is developed and validated. • Higher indoor temperature set point has higher potential application of the system. • ESR over the base case without night ventilation is 16.9%–50.8%. • ESR against the conventional night ventilation system is 9.2%–33.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We report the magnetic field-enabled propagation of solitary waves. • We propose to exploit the unique magneto-mechanical coupling of hard-magnetic active elastomers to remotely tune the width, amplitude, and velocity of the nonlinear solitary waves propagating within. • This work provide a fundamental understanding of the effects of magneto-mechanical coupling on the unusual nonlinear vector solitary wave phenomenon. We propose a design of a metamaterial for magnetically tunable propagation of nonlinear vector solitary waves. The metamaterial consists of a periodic array of units of hard-magnetic inclusion embedded in a soft matrix. The units are connected via thin and highly deformable ligaments. Our theoretical and numerical modeling results show that the configuration of the metamaterial undergoes drastic transformations when activated by a magnetic field. These controllable microstructural transformations significantly influence the propagation of vector solitary waves in the proposed metamaterial system. We report the magnetic field-enabled propagation of solitary waves. We show that the proposed soft magnetoactive metamaterial allows us to tune the key characteristics of the enabled nonlinear solitary waves, including their pulse width and amplitude. Our findings also highlight the potential of magneto-mechanical coupling in the development of untethered mechanical metamaterial systems for applications in nondestructive testing, energy harvesting, and smart soft wave devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The clarifying boundaries of HIFU lesions is important for ultrasound surgery. • Conventional B-mode imaging, with a low contrast of the boundary of HIFU lesions that is affected by cavitation and boiling bubbles, is difficulty for precision treatment of tumor tissue. • A method combining gamma mixture model (GΓMM) with Bayesian framework is proposed to segment lesion areas to evaluate the effect of therapeutic ultrasound. • The boundaries of HIFU lesions can be recognized using the proposed method. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of combined segmentation for the separation of lesions from non-ablated regions, which allows surgeons to easily distinguish, measure, and evaluate the lesion area, thereby improving the quality of high-intensity focused-ultrasound (HIFU) surgery used for the non-invasive tumor treatment. Given that the flexible shape of the Gamma mixture model (GΓMM) fits the complex statistical distribution of samples, a method combining the GΓMM and Bayes framework is constructed for the classification of samples to obtain the segmentation result. An appropriate normalization range and parameters can be used to rapidly obtain a good performance of GΓMM segmentation. The performance values of the proposed method under four metrics (Dice score: 85%, Jaccard coefficient: 75%, recall: 86%, and accuracy: 96%) are better than those of conventional approaches including Otsu and Region growing. Furthermore, the statistical result of sample intensity indicates that the finding of the GΓMM is similar to that obtained by the manual method. These results indicate the stability and reliability of the GΓMM combined with the Bayes framework for the segmentation of HIFU lesions in ultrasound images. The experimental results show the possibility of combining the GΓMM with the Bayes framework to segment lesion areas and evaluate the effect of therapeutic ultrasound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem respiration (R e) is the largest terrestrial carbon flux into the atmosphere; thus, investigating its characteristics is a prerequisite for understanding the global carbon balance. Croplands are important in regulating regional and global carbon cycles, given their unique role as humans' food source. The widely used film-mulched and drip-irrigation (FMDI) for the water-saving purpose has clear benefits for promoting crop production, but the impact of FMDI on R e and its components remains rarely explored. The objective of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of R e and its above-ground autotrophic (R aa), below-ground autotrophic (R ab), and heterotrophic (R h) components in an FMDI cotton field in an oasis of Northwest China. To achieve this, we measured Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) with the atmosphere using the eddy covariance from 2012 through 2016 and partitioned it into Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and R e using the nighttime method; in 2016, we used chamber-based technique to measure R h and total soil respiration (R s), and used their relationships with soil temperature and moisture to construct continuous records to estimate the annual soil CO 2 effluxes for the five years. Results showed that the mean annual R e was 1340 g C m−2 yr−1, with R aa , R ab , and R h accounting for 24%, 24%, and 52%, respectively. R s was the dominant part of R e compared with the R aa ; R h accounted for 68% of R s , and R ab accounted for only 32% of R s due to the low root ratio. Our results suggested that the unique soil temperature and moisture conditions generated by FMDI generally stimulate heterotrophic respiration more than autotrophic respiration. This study contributes important knowledge of R e and its components in the FMDI cotton field and helps better understand how FMDI may impact the regional carbon balance. • Ecosystem respiration components are distinguished for a FMDI cotton field. • Soil temperature and moisture largely explain the variations in soil respiration. • FMDI tillage style greatly stimulates soil heterotrophic respiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide (CO), are generated by roof-cutting blasting (RCB) in the automatically formed roadway without coal pillars (AFRCP). To eliminate potential hazards in time, a ventilation model was established based on field data from Dianping Coal Mine. The spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of CO under different conditions after roof-cutting by shaped-charge blasting (SCB) and shaped-charge hydraulic blasting (SCHB), respectively, were investigated by using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method. The results demonstrate that the CO gas cloud presents the coupling effect of movement and dilution under ventilation. The charge mainly affects the peak value of CO concentration (PVC). The air velocity affects the PVC and the CO gas cloud's over-limit time (OLT) and migration velocity. Roadway cross-sectional area and corner structure affect the PVC by influencing local air velocity. The CO hazard potential functions of the roadway after RCB were established, indicating a Gaussian-like distribution. The maximum hazard potential of SCHB was found to be 60% lower than that of SCB, and the re-entry time for personnel reduced by 36%. This study can serve as a guide for optimizing the ventilation design of roadways after RCB and contribute to the promotion of AFRCP. • A ventilation model for the variation of CO concentration after roof-cutting blasting is developed. • The CO hazard potential functions after roof-cutting blasting are established. • The main factors of CO concentration in roadway under ventilation are obtained. • The effectiveness of shaped-charge hydraulic blasting in reducing the hazard of CO is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process has the advantages of a high nitrogen removal rate, low operational cost, and small footprint and has been successfully implemented to treat high-content ammonium wastewater. However, very little is known about the toxicity of the heavy metal element Ni(II) to the anammox process. In this study, the short- and long-term effects of Ni(II) on the anammox process in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor were revealed. The results of the short-term batch test showed that the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50) of Ni(II) on anammox biomass was 14.6 mg L−1. A continuous-flow experiment was performed for 150 days of operation, and the results illustrated that after domestication, the achieved nitrogen removal efficiency was up to 93±0.03% at 10 mg L−1 Ni(II). The settling velocity, specific anammox activity and EPS content decreased as the Ni(II) concentration increased. Nevertheless, the content of heme c increased as the Ni(II) increased. These results indicate that short-term exposure to Ni(II) has an adverse impact on anammox process, but the anammox system could tolerate 10 mg L−1 Ni(II) stress after acclimation during continuous-flow operation for 150 days. High-throughput sequencing results indicated that the presence of Ni(II) had an impact on the microbial community composition in the anammox reactor, especially Candidatus Kuenenia. At Ni(II) concentrations of 0-10 mg L−1, the relative abundance of Candidatus Kuenenia decreased from 36.23% to 28.46%. • The IC50 of Ni(II) on anammox biomass was 14.64 mg L−1 in short-term assay. • The effect of Ni(II) on substrate removal kinetic behavior of anammox was studied. • The long-term effects of Ni(II) in anammox UASB reactor were evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic variability of transcription factors (TFs) and their binding sites makes it challenging to conduct genome-wide transcription regulation research. The silkworm Bombyx mori , which produces silk, is one of the most valuable model insects in the order Lepidoptera. The "opening" and "closing" of chromatin in different silk yield strains is associated with changes in silk production, making this insect a good model for studying the transcriptional regulation of genes. However, few studies have examined the open chromatin regions (OCRs) of silkworms, and studying OCR synergism and their function in silk production remains challenging. Here, we performed formaldehyde-assisted isolation of regulatory elements (FAIRE) to isolate OCRs from the silk glands of fifth-instar larvae of the DaZao and D872 strains. In total, 128,908 high confidence OCRs were identified and approximately 80% of OCRs were located in non-coding regions. OCRs upregulated adjacent genes and showed signal-dependent vulnerability to single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Mid- and low-signal OCRs were more likely to have single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). Further, OCRs interacted with each other within a distance of 5 kb. We named the OCR interaction complex as the "cluster of related regions" (COREs). The functions of the CORE and its harbored OCRs showed some differences. Additionally, COREs enriched many silk protein synthesis-associated genes, some of which were upregulated. This study identified numerous high confidence regulation sites and synergistic regulatory modes of OCRs that affect adjacent genes. These results provide insight into silkworm transcriptional regulation and improve our understanding of cis -element cooperation. Image 1 • OCRs were widely present and associated with transcriptional regulation. • The effect of SNPs to OCRs depends on the signal intensity of OCRs. • OCRs synergistically regulated genes transcription by clustering as CORE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The change of metal ions induced by pH value was different. • Iron plaque was closely related to absorption and uptake of heavy metals. • The uptake of heavy metals showed a pH-dependent manner by regulating the expression of metal transporters. The uptake of metal ions in soil depends primarily on the soil pH, but the effects of pH on individual heavy metals are not well understood. We found the effects of pH on rice uptake of heavy metals were quite different and the behavior of Zn and Cd were comparable, similar to Mn, but opposite of Fe. The concentration of Zn and Cd increased in plants when the pH was raised from 4.5 to 6.5, and then decreased at a pH of 7.5. Concentrations of Mn increased significantly when the pH was increased to 7.5. Iron plaque on root surfaces induced by high pH was likely related to the absorption and uptake of heavy metal elements, such as Cd and Zn, by the plant. Shoot Cd, Mn, and Zn concentrations were strongly positively correlated with DCB-extractable Cd (R2 = 0.98), Mn (R2 = 0.97), and Zn (R2 = 0.76) on the root surface. By contrast, Fe deposition on the root surface inhibited Fe uptake. Additionally, the pH-dependent expression of OsZIPs and OsNRAMPs affected metal uptake under different pH conditions, including OsZIP1 , OsIRT1 and OsNRAMP5. Using a genetic approach that used Osnramp 5 mutants, we revealed the regulation of OsNRAMP 5 expression is the primary factor affecting the concentration of Cd and Mn in rice under different pH. Collectively, our research indicates that the uptake of heavy metals was regulated by pH-depended iron plaque formation and expression of metal transporter genes in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Although the systemic property of neonicotinoid (neonics) has become the most widely used insecticide worldwide since late 1990s, the current literature offers limited information about the human dietary intake and the potential risks of neonics. In this study, we aimed to assess the cumulative risk of total neonics intakes through fruit and vegetable consumption in 58 children ages 8–12 participated in the Hangzhou China (HZC) study over 5 consecutive weekends. Individual neonic residues in each food item were aggregated using the relative potency factor approach into a single metric (IMI RPF), representing dietary intakes of imidacloprid-equivalent total neonics. We then estimated the average daily intake (ADI) of total neonics through fruit and vegetable consumption and evaluated the cumulative dietary risk of neonics. All of the 123 samples were detected with at least one neonic. Commonly consumed foods, such as carrots, green vegetables, baby cabbage, and apple were found with more than 6 neonics. The estimated ADIs of total neonics vegetable and fruit consumption using the mean IMI RPF for apples and green vegetables, two most consumed food items, were 237.1*10−6 and 106.8*10−6 mg/kg/day, respectively. Although the estimated ADIs were below the current chronic reference dose (cRfD) of imidacloprid, we have stipulated the possible future downward revision of cRfD. The potential health risk of neonics to children via dietary exposure should raise more public concern considering the increase use of neonics and the ubiquitous presence in fruits and vegetables. Highlights • We aimed to assess the dietary risk of total neonicotinoids through fruit and vegetable consumption in school-aged children. • We used the relative potency factor approach to integrate all neonicotinoid residues in each food sample into a single metric. • The cumulative dietary risk of neonicotinoids through fruit and vegetable consumption was evaluated using the average daily intakes. • The estimated average daily intakes were not exceeded the chronic reference dose for imidacloprid, regardless the ubiquity of neonicotinoids in fruits and vegetables. • We have stipulated the possible future downward revision of the chronic reference dose for neonicotinoids for protecting public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Enhance the coupling between velocity and pressure in a segregated manner. • A new method to treat the boundary condition is introduced and verified. • Numerical tests are performed and results are consistent with references. • For low/high-Re/Ra, coarse/fine-mesh cases, efficiency can be improved. Abstract This paper introduces a newly developed segregated algorithm (named SIMPLERR algorithm) to overcome two major drawbacks in the SIMPLE-family algorithm. The full coupling between velocity and pressure is ensured in an easy segregated manner. Comprehensive comparisons among the SIMPLER algorithm, the IDEAL algorithm and the SIMPLERR algorithm are carried out via four benchmark incompressible fluid flow and heat transfer problems analyzed with unstructured grids. The results demonstrate that the IDEAL algorithm and the SIMPLERR algorithm have substantial advantages over the SIMPLER algorithm in both convergence rate and robustness, moreover, compared with the IDEAL algorithm, the SIMPLERR algorithm can offer a higher computational efficiency for its simplicity, especially for high- Re / Ra and fine-mesh cases; the computational results given by the present algorithm agree very well with benchmark data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Three new diterpenoids with an unusual capnosane skeleton named lobophytrols A–C (1 – 3) were isolated from the South China Sea soft coral Lobophytum sp. along with one known related diterpene, (11 S ,12 S ,1 E ,3 E ,7 E)-11,12-epoxycembra-1,3,7-triene (7). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with those reported in the literature. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increment in methanol concentration can logically improve the fuel cell performance of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) to address the sluggish methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). Thus, development in anodic electrocatalyst for concentrated methanol oxidation becomes highly important. Here, we report a facile method to promote the PtRu electrocatalyst's catalytic activity in concentrated methanol by polymer coating, which affords a higher CO tolerance and thus leads to a better MOR activity. As a consequence, the fuel cell performance is 2.5 times higher relative to benchmark CB/PtRu if 4 M methanol is used. Superior stability and CO tolerance are simultaneously achieved thanks to the PBI coating. Thus, the polymer decorated PtRu electrocatalyst can potentially utilized as anodic electrocatalyst for concentrated DMFC application. Being CO tolerant: Polymer coating on PtRu nanoparticles induced better electrocatalytic activity toward concentrated methanol oxidation, which resulted in a boosted fuel cell performance with increment in methanol concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microgrid (MG) usually operates in medium/low-voltage systems, where the line impedance parameters are mainly resistive, and traditional P–f/Q–U droop control is no longer applicable. When the virtual complex impedance method is adopted, the resistance component of line impedance can be counteracted by a virtual negative resistance. Unfortunately, the improper design of the virtual negative resistance will result in an unstable system due to the problem of line impedance parameter drift and estimation error. According to the line parameters characteristics of the off-grid MG with medium/low voltage, the P–U/Q–f droop control is adopted in this study, where the virtual complex impedance composed of a virtual negative inductance and a virtual resistance is introduced in the control loop. The virtual negative inductance is used to reduce the power coupling caused by the inductive component of the system impedance. The virtual resistance is implemented to enhance the resistive component and adjust the impedance matching degree for raising the accuracy of power sharing. However, the power sharing is still affected by the system hardware parameters; meanwhile, the voltage deviation caused by the droop control and the virtual impedance exists. In this study, a novel voltage stabilization and power sharing control method based on the virtual complex impedance is investigated to achieve accurate power sharing without the impact of hardware parameters variations and to improve the voltage quality. Moreover, the small-signal model of the inverter-based off-grid MG with the proposed controller is established, which can be utilized to analyze the stability and dynamic performance of the system. Meanwhile, the control parameters can be sequentially determined. Analysis shows that the strategy is robust against the line-impedance parameter drift and the estimation error and has a large stability margin and fast dynamic-response speed. Finally, numerical simulations and experimental results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control method in comparison with traditional frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A complete CFD model of evaporator terminal of micro-channel separate heat pipe was established. • The thermal and flow characteristics of the evaporation terminal was investigated and validated with experiment. • The thermal and flow distribution under different filling ratios and outlet configurations were analyzed. Abstract This study focuses on the flow distribution and heat transfer characteristics of the evaporation terminal of a micro-channel separate heat pipe (MCSHP) used in data center. A complete CFD model for the parallel tubes with simplified louvered fins of the evaporator structure was established to consider the thermal enhancement while reduce the computing costs. The CFD model was validated by comparing the cooling capacity and outlet temperature of MSCSHP with experiments. The transformation process from bubble flow to slug flow was visualized using VOF model. The simulations reveal that the maximum cooling capacity of the studied MCSHP system could reach 9610 W when the corresponding optimal refrigerant filling ratio is 65.27%. The generation and motion of vapor bubbles influence the height of liquid pool in the evaporation terminal, thus leaded to the change of effective heat transfer area. Moreover, it is found that configurations of inlet and outlet have great impacts on the distribution of mass flow and heat flux under low filling ratios. While under higher filling ratios, the heat flux distribution is not affected by these factors due to the flat tubes filled with two-phase refrigerant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yellow-feather broiler is a popular poultry breed in Asia, particularly in China. In this study, we performed RNA-seq analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the heart of yellow-feather broilers that had been subjected to heat stress treatment (38 ± 1 °C for 8 h, over 7 d) and determine the response of the heart to high temperature and its effects on yellow-feather broiler physiology. We found that body weight (BW) of the heat stress treatment group (BW28 = 354.8 ± 34.8 g) was significantly decreased (p =.033) compared with that of the control group (BW28 = 384.8 ± 58.9 g). However, there was no significant reduction in the heart relative weight (HRW) (p =.538). A total of 37 DEGs related to energy metabolism responded to heat stress in the heart of yellow-feather broiler. The results of KEGG pathways analysis indicated that these genes are involved in oxidative phosphorylation (KO: 00190), cardiac muscle contraction (KO: 04260) and carbon metabolism (KO: 01200). Analysis of the cardiac transcriptome of yellow-feather broilers subjected to heat stress indicated that the heart of these birds has specific physiological mechanisms for regulating body growth in response to high-temperature environments. Yellow-feather broilers, a popular poultry breed in Asia, were used to determine how the heart responds to heat stress. A total of 37 genes in the heart of yellow-feather broilers showed differential expression in response to heat stress. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are associated with oxidative phosphorylation, cardiac muscle contraction and carbon metabolism pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Designing versatile materials for radiation protection is of great significance to the rapid development of nuclear technology. Here, BN@PbWO 4 core-shell particles are successfully prepared via a facile sol-gel method. The structure and morphology of products are determined by XRD, SEM, TEM and FTIR techniques. Compared with PbWO 4 and h-BN, BN@PbWO 4 exhibits much more excellent photocatalytic ability to degrade the organic dye Rhodamine B (RhB). Furthermore, it also has a good ability to jointly shield neutron and gamma radiations, especially better gamma radiation shielding in comparison with PbWO 4. This work provides an integrated solution with the material that could deal with organic wastes and shield complex radiations in nuclear industry. Graphical abstract fx1 Highlights • h-BN@PbWO 4 structures are prepared via sol-gel method. • h-BN@PbWO 4 could shield mixed neutron and gamma radiations. • h-BN@PbWO 4 shows much better photocatalytic activity than PbWO 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Mechanisms by which soil pH affects rice growth await further elucidation.Methods: We have used a Systems Biology approach to elucidate the nature of the damage caused by extreme pH to plant growth and iron homeostasis, and the adaptive plant responses elicited.Results: Optimum pH for rice growth was pH 6. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that 83% of 1318 DEGs were down-regulated at pH 4, while 73% among of 1168 DEGs were up-regulated at pH 8. GO enrichment analysis showed significant enhancement of oxidation-reduction and oxidative stress responses. Environmental pH regulated cellular oxidation-reduction processes and metabolic pathways controlling rice growth. Additionally, pH affected cellular iron-homeostasis by regulating root apoplastic iron deposition. Low pH enhanced iron mobilization from root apoplast and accumulation in plant tissues, and down-regulated iron transport related genes to prevent iron toxicity. Conversely,high pH induced blockage of iron mobilization from root apoplast. Rhizosphere pH affected aerenchyma formation and exodermis-apoplastic barriers under control of ROS, already weakened and enhanced by low pH and high pH, respectively.Conclusions: ROS-mediated redox signaling plays an important role in regulating rice growth under varying pH conditions. Cellular iron homeostasis was disturbed through regulation of iron plaque formation and apoplastic iron mobilization in rice roots under acidic and alkaline conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Four new polyhydroxylated steroids lobophysterols A–D (1 – 4), were isolated from the South Chinese Sea soft coral Lobophytum sp. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with those reported in the literature. In bioassay, compound 4 showed weak cytotoxicities against HT-29, SNU-398, and Capan-1 cells. Highlights • Four new polyhydroxylated steroids were isolated from a Chinese soft coral Lobophytum sp. • Lobophysterols A and B with a hydroperoxyl group have been rarely found in the genus Lobophytum. • Lobophysterol D showed weak cytotoxicities against HT-29, SNU-398, and Capan-1 cells. Abstract Four new polyhydroxylated steroids lobophysterols A–D (1 – 4), together with two known related compounds sarcophytosterol (5) and klyflaccisteroid B (6), were isolated from the South China Sea soft coral Lobophytum sp. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with those reported in the literature. In bioassay, compound 4 showed weak cytotoxicities against HT-29, SNU-398, and Capan-1 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, AlTiN and AlTiN/AlCrSiN coatings have been synthesized using arc ion plating for high-speed yet dry cutting applications. The effects of modulation period (from 17.8 to 4.2 nm) on microstructure, mechanical properties as well as high-temperature tribological and oxidation behavior of AlTiN/AlCrSiN multilayer coatings were investigated. AlTiN/AlCrSiN multilayer coatings exhibit a single-phase face-centered cubic structure with fine columnar grain morphologies. With the optimal modulation period of 8.3 nm, the multilayer coating can possess the highest hardness, the ratio of hardness to effective modulus and adhesion strength, thus exhibits the best wear resistance at elevated temperatures. Besides, the introduction of AlCrSiN sublayers significantly improves the oxidation resistance of AlTiN, which was oxidized entirely after heating up to 1000 °C in the air. Whereas, AlTiN/AlCrSiN multilayer coatings remain most of the nitride structure uninfluenced with a dense oxide scale (~0.3 μm thick) above. Comparing with AlTiN, the AlTiN/AlCrSiN (Λ = 8.3 nm) coated cemented carbide insert shows a notably longer lifetime during the process of high-speed yet dry machining SKD11, where the primary failure mode is the flank wear resulting from abrasive, adhesive and oxide wear. Highlights • Epitaxially grown of AlTiN on AlCrSiN interlayers was achieved. • AlTiN/AlCrSiN with a Λ of 8.3 nm shows superior mechanical properties and wear resistance. • Adding AlCrSiN interlayers significantly improves the resistance of AlTiN to oxidation. • Superior wear and oxidation resistance promote turning ability of AlTiN/AlCrSiN (Λ = 8.3 nm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A very low concentration of thermoplastic polybenzimidazole (PBI) film interleaved bismaleimide/diallyl bisphenol A (BMI/DBA) system with sandwich structure was designed for the outstanding impact resistance. The effects of PBI film layers (0∼5) on the mechanical, thermal, dielectric properties and flame retardancy of BMI/DBA were investigated. BMI/DBA interleaved with 5‐layer PBI film demonstrates a 274% increase in impact strength relative to BMI/DBA, and exhibits higher fracture toughness, flexural strength and modulus than BMI/DBA. The improvement in the mechanical property for PBI film interleaved BMI/DBA system is mainly attributed to the combined effects of the effective energy dissipation of the sandwich structure and the good interfacial bonding between PBI film and the matrix. Due to the high thermal stability of PBI, the effective thermal insulation and electromagnetic field barrier of PBI film in the sandwich structure and the increase of the reacted CC in resin system, PBI film interleaved BMI/DBA shows better thermal property, much higher flame retardancy and lower dielectric constant compared to BMI/DBA. In addition, when the same amount of PBI is applied, BMI/DBA interleaved with PBI film exhibits much better comprehensive properties than BMI/DBA with PBI particles for the sandwich structure. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:4569–4580, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As well known, heteroatom doped carbon material served as metal‐free electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution (HER) and oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) particularly relies on the heteroatom doping level. Here, we report a 3D porous nitrogen doped carbon (PNC) electrocatalyst with superior HER and ORR electrocatalytic activities derived from the calcination of the discarded cigarette butt and dicyandiamide possessing a high nitrogen content (20 at%). PNC electrocatalyst only demands 143 mV versus RHE to achieve 10 mA cm−2 ascribed to the high nitrogen percentile in PNC electrocatalyst favorable for constructing successive active centers contributing to efficiently catalyzing HER. Ignorable degradation in HER activity observed after 10000 potential cycles as well as undetectable decay in HER performance recorded after 12 h operation indicate high stability of PNC electrocatalyst. Meanwhile, half‐wave potential of PNC electrocatalyst reaches 0.81 V versus RHE in 1 M KOH electrolyte. Additionally, stable ORR activity attained after 1000 potential cycles is indicative of high stability. A comparably high zinc‐air battery performance with maximum power density of 66 mW cm−2 is achieved by PNC electrocatalyst. This study highlights the importance of nitrogen doping level in metal‐free electrocatalyst for boosting HER and ORR activities. What? No metal! A 3D porous nitrogen doped carbon (PNC) electrocatalyst with superior HER and ORR electrocatalytic activities derived from the calcination of the discarded cigarette butt and dicyandiamide possessing a high nitrogen content (20 at%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of importance to establish stable and well‐connected proton path in the catalyst layer to promote the fuel cell performance. Here, we describe a novel method to fabricate stable and efficient proton path for high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells (HT‐PEFCs), in which the ionic liquid is doped into the platinum electrocatalyst. The electrochemical results depict that ionic liquid doped electrocatalyst exhibits comparable electrochemical surface area (ESA) and enhanced durability indicating that ionic liquid negligibly affects the hydrogen adsorption/desorption process and protects the electrocatalyst from carbon corrosion. Interestingly, the catalyzing activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of Pt electrocatalyst is boosted after doping with ionic liquid mainly due to the modified electronic structures of Pt atoms induced by nitrogen atoms from ionic liquid resulting in weak interaction between Pt atoms and intermediates. The fuel cell performance of ionic liquid doped electrocatalyst is much improved ascribed to the homogeneously dispersed ionic liquid on the surface of Pt electrocatalyst facilitating the fabrication of triple phase boundaries (TPBs) as a result of efficient proton conduction in the catalyst layer. The fuel cell performance only decreases 10 % after 100,000 potential cycles from 1.0 to 1.5 V versus RHE suggesting that ionic liquid forms a stable proton path in the catalyst layer. Thus, the ionic liquid doped Pt electrocatalyst is applicable for the real HT‐PEFC operation. Layer up. Coating the Pt electrocatalyst with ionic liquid facilitates the formation of well‐connect and stable proton path for high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Meanwhile, the intrinsic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of Pt electrocatalyst is also boosted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The adsorption of a gaseous (MoO 3) 3 cluster on a graphene ribbon and subsequent generation of CO x was studied by density functional theory (DFT) method and compared with experimental results. The (MoO 3) n -graphene complexes show interesting magnetic properties and potentials for nanodevices. A comprehensive analysis of plausible reaction mechanisms of CO and CO 2 generation was conducted. Multiple routes to CO and CO 2 formation were identified. The (MoO 3) 3 cluster shows negative catalytic effect for CO formation but does not increase the energy barrier for CO 2 formation. CO 2 is the primary product of the gaseous MoO 3 -carbon reaction. Mechanism of the homogenous MoO 3 - CO reaction was studied and showed relatively low energy barriers. The DFT result accounts for key experimental observations of activation energy and product selectivity. The combined theoretical and experimental approach contributes to the understanding of the mechanism of reactions between carbon and metal oxide clusters. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. (called Baizhu in China) is a medicinal plant that has long been used as a tonic agent in various ethno-medical systems in East Asia, especially in China, for the treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity, and fetal irritability. Aim of the review This review aims to provide a systematic summary on the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology of A. macrocephala to explore the future therapeutic potential and scientific potential of this plant. Materials and methods A literature search was performed on A. macrocephala using scientific databases including Web of Science, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, Springer, PubMed, SciFinder, and ScienceDirect. Information was also collected from classic books of Chinese herbal medicine, Ph.D. and M.Sc. dissertations, unpublished materials, and local conference papers on toxicology. Plant taxonomy was confirmed to the database “The Plant List” ( www.theplantlist.org ). Results More than 79 chemical compounds have been isolated from A. macrocephala , including sesquiterpenoids, triterpenoids, polyacetylenes, coumarins, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides, steroids, benzoquinones, and polysaccharides. Crude extracts and pure compounds of A. macrocephala are used to treat gastrointestinal hypofunction, cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, splenic asthenia, abnormal fetal movement, Alzheimer disease, and obesity. These extracts have various pharmacological effects, including anti-tumor activity, anti-inflammatory activity, anti-aging activity, anti-oxidative activity, anti-osteoporotic activity, neuroprotective activity, and immunomodulatory activity, as well as improving gastrointestinal function and gonadal hormone regulation. Conclusions A. macrocephala is a valuable traditional Chinese medicinal herb with multiple pharmacological activities. Pharmacological investigations support the traditional use of A. macrocephala , and may validate the folk medicinal use of A. macrocephala to treat many chronic diseases. The available literature shows that much of the activity of A. macrocephala can be attributed to sesquiterpenoids, polysaccharides and polyacetylenes. However, there is a need to further understand the molecular mechanisms and the structure-function relationship of these constituents, as well as their potential synergistic and antagonistic effects. Further research on the comprehensive evaluation of medicinal quality, the understanding of multi-target network pharmacology of A. macrocephala , as well as its long-term in vivo toxicity and clinical efficacy is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A new metallic superhard carbon allotrope C 5 with five carbon atoms per unit cell is theoretically predicted to be stable at ambient pressure through first-principles calculations combined with unbiased swarm structure searching techniques. This novel carbon allotrope consisting of a mixture of sp 2 and sp 3 carbon network exhibits excellent mechanical properties with claimed hardness of 58.5 GPa. Results from our calculated strain-stress relationship reveals that the failure mode of crystal lattice for C 5 is dominated by shear type in the (010)[101] direction with shear stress magnitude of 74.3 GPa. The calculated electronic band structure of C 5 suggests its metallic nature. Detailed analyses of band decomposed charge density show that the metallic nature is contributed by the sp 2 carbon atoms, which form conducting pathways along the a- and b -axes. Highlights • A new metallic superhard carbon allotrope C 5 is theoretically predicted. • The Vickers hardness of C 5 is 58.5 GPa. • The conducting directions are along a - and b -axes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palladium phosphide electrocatalyst supported on carbon black (PdP2@CB) shows efficient water splitting in both alkaline and neutral electrolytes. Significantly lower overpotentials are required for PdP2@CB (27.5 mV in 0.5 m H2SO4; 35.4 mV in 1 m KOH; 84.6 mV in 1 m PBS) to achieve a HER electrocatalytic current density of 10 mA cm−2 compared to commercial Pt/CB (30.1 mV in 0.5 m H2SO4; 46.6 mV in 1 m KOH; 122.7 mV in 1 m PBS). Moreover, no loss in HER activity is detectable after 5000 potential sweeps. Only 270 mV and 277 mV overpotentials are required to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for PdP2@CB to catalyze OER in 1 m KOH and 1 m PBS electrolytes, which is better OER activity than the benchmark IrO2 electrocatalyst (301 mV and 313 mV to drive a current density of 10 mA cm−2). 1.59 V and 1.72 V are needed for PdP2@CB to achieve stable water splitting catalytic current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1 m PBS and 50 mA cm−2 in 1 m KOH for 10 h, respectively. Low‐voltage splitting: A palladium phosphide electrocatalyst supported on carbon black (PdP2@CB) exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity toward water splitting in alkaline and neutral electrolytes. Significantly lower overpotential is required for PdP2@CB to achieve a water splitting electrocatalytic current density of 10 mA cm−2 compared to commercial Pt/CB||IrO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palladium phosphide electrocatalyst supported on carbon black (PdP2@CB) shows efficient water splitting in both alkaline and neutral electrolytes. Significantly lower overpotentials are required for PdP2@CB (27.5 mV in 0.5 m H2SO4; 35.4 mV in 1 m KOH; 84.6 mV in 1 m PBS) to achieve a HER electrocatalytic current density of 10 mA cm−2 compared to commercial Pt/CB (30.1 mV in 0.5 m H2SO4; 46.6 mV in 1 m KOH; 122.7 mV in 1 m PBS). Moreover, no loss in HER activity is detectable after 5000 potential sweeps. Only 270 mV and 277 mV overpotentials are required to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for PdP2@CB to catalyze OER in 1 m KOH and 1 m PBS electrolytes, which is better OER activity than the benchmark IrO2 electrocatalyst (301 mV and 313 mV to drive a current density of 10 mA cm−2). 1.59 V and 1.72 V are needed for PdP2@CB to achieve stable water splitting catalytic current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1 m PBS and 50 mA cm−2 in 1 m KOH for 10 h, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The interaction of widely recognized causes of eelgrass decline (high seawater temperature and limited light intensity) on photosynthetic electron transport was investigated via chlorophyll fluorescence technique. High seawater temperature combined light intensity significantly increasing the relative maximum electron transport rate (rETR max); at critical temperature of 30 °C, the rETR max increased with the enhancement of light intensity, indicating the elevation of overall photosynthetic performance. Based on the magnitude of effect size (η 2), light intensity was the predominant factor affecting the performance index (PI ABS), indicating that photosystem II (PSII) was sensitive to light intensity. Moreover, the donor side was severely damaged as evidenced by the higher decrease amplitude of fast component and its subsequent incomplete recovery. The reaction center exhibited limited flexibility due to the slight decrease amplitude in maximum photochemical quantum yield. In contrast with PSII, photosystem I (PSI) was more sensitive to high seawater temperature, based on the magnitude of η 2 derived from the maximal decrease in slope. High seawater temperature significantly increased PSI activity, plastoquinol reoxidation capacity, and probability for electron transfer to final PSI electron acceptors. Moreover, it combined elevated light intensity significantly stimulated the activity of cyclic electron flow (CEF) around PSI. Higher activity of both PSI and CEF contributed to balancing the linear electron transport via alleviating the over-reduction of the plastoquinone pool, exhibiting flexible regulation of photosynthetic electron transport at critical temperature. Therefore, limited light intensity decreased the tolerance of eelgrass to critical temperature, which might be a factor contributing factor in the observed decline. Highlights • High seawater temperature combined with light intensity significantly influenced the photosynthetic electron transport. • In the course of PSII damage, the donor side was severely damaged whereas the reaction center presented limited flexibility. • The interaction of both factors contributed to the enhancement of PSI activity and the stimulation of CEF around PSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Intramural hematomas (IMHs) are reported to dynamically evolve into different clinical outcomes ranging from regression to aortic rupture, but no practice guidelines are available in China. Objective To determine the evolution of IMHs after long-term follow-up and to identify the predictive factors of IMH outcomes in the Chinese population. Methods A total of 123 IMH patients with clinical and imaging follow-up data were retrospectively studied. The primary endpoints were aortic disease-related death, aortic dissection, penetrating aortic ulcer (PAU), thickening of the aortic hematoma and aortic complications requiring surgical or endovascular treatment. Results All 123 IMH patients were monitored clinically. The follow-up duration ranged from 1.4 to 107 months (median, 20 months). Thirty-nine patients had type A IMH, and 84 had type B. The multivariate analysis showed that a baseline MAD ≥ 44.75 mm (2.9% vs 61.4%, P < 0.001) and acute PAUs (2.9% vs 34.1%, P = 0.008) were independent predictors of aorta-related events. Conclusions Medication and short-term imaging are recommended for Chinese IMH patients with a hematoma thickness < 10.45 mm and a baseline MAD < 44.75 mm. Rigorous medical observation should also be performed during the acute phase of IMH. Graphical abstract Figure legend IMH evolution to AD over a 12-day period. A, C, E, and G, in the acute phase, MDCT shows a high signal intensity suggestive of IMH. B, Twelve days later, MDCT reveals a typical dissection; D, at 8 days of follow-up, MDCT shows an atherosclerotic ulcerated plaque (arrow) with IMH in the upper part of the descending aorta; F, at 2 months of follow-up, a CT scan shows that the intima has almost completely disappeared; H, 15 days later, the intima became enlarged. Unlabelled Image Highlights • Most adverse aorta-related events occur within 30 days in Chinese aortic intramural hematomas patients • The cutoff values for predicting aorta-related events are a hematoma thickness of 10.45 mm and a baseline maximal aorta diameter of 44.75 mm • An acute penetrating aortic ulcer and a maximal aorta diameter ≥44.75 mm in aortic intramural hematoma patients predict a poor prognosis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assembling anisotropic structures with versatility such as good thermal conductivity and mechanical loading for radiation shielding has recently attracted widespread attention. Herein, a facile strategy with (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (KH590) as a surfactant is used to synthesize one-dimensional (1D) PbWO4 structures. Their morphology evolution and crystal phase transition are traced during the growth process by SEM, TEM, and XRD techniques, respectively. The results show that monoclinic PbWO4 nanofibers with typical single-crystal attributes and high production are obtained with the addition of 5 wt% KH590. In addition, although PbWO4 nanoparticles display a slightly high attenuation coefficient for gamma radiation, 1D PbWO4 structures exhibit better thermal conductivity, tensile strength and elongation at break. These findings indicate that the prepared 1D PbWO4 structures have a very promising prospect in the application of state-of-the-art shielding materials for gamma radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platinum-ruthenium (PtRu) electrocatalyst is traditionally used in the direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) as anodic electrocatalyst since Ru promotes the CO anti-poisoning of the neighbored Pt; however, Ru is dissolvable in acid media resulting in low stability of PtRu electrocatalyst. Here, we report a facile method to decelerate the Ru dissolution and to enhance the CO anti-poisoning by coating PtRu nanoparticles with cerium oxide (CeO 2 ). C/PtRu@CeO 2 exhibits only 30% loss in electrochemical surface area (ECSA) after 4200 potential cycles; in contrast, ECSA loss reaches 55% for the bare PtRu electrocatalyst. Meanwhile, the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) activity is 2.8 fold higher by comparison with bare electrocatalyst. The enhanced MOR activity is attributed to the high oxygen storage capacity of CeO 2 promoting the complete methanol oxidation. And the CO stripping voltammetry result shows that the CO oxidation peaks of C/PtRu@CeO 2 negatively shift by 60 mV and 250 mV before and after stability test compared to those of C/PtRu electrocatalyst, respectively, suggesting an enhanced CO anti-positioning for C/PtRu@CeO 2 . Moreover, the fuel cell performance of C/PtRu@CeO 2 reaches 49 mW cm −2 ; while, power density of C/PtRu is 45 mW cm −2 at 80 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]