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Background: Studies had suggested increased risk of death of residents was associated with typhoons, particularly coastal regions. However, these findings ignored the impact of inland typhoons on the health of residents, especially the indirect death risk caused by typhoons. This study aimed to investigate the acute death risk of residents during inland typhoon Lekima in Jinan, further identify vulnerable populations and areas. Methods: We selected the daily death from 11 to 27th August 2019 in Jinan as case period, and conducted a time-stratified case-crossover design to match the contemporaneous data from 2016 to 2018 as control period. We used the generalized linear Poisson models to estimate the related effects of death risk during typhoon Lekima and lag days. Results: During the Lekima typhoon month, there were 3,366 deaths occurred in Jinan. Compared to unexposed periods, the acute death risk of non-accidental diseases (especially circulatory diseases), female and the older adults increased significantly in the second week after the typhoon. The maximum significant effect of circulatory disease deaths, female and older adult deaths were appeared on lag9, lag9, and lag13 respectively. And the typhoon-associated RR were 1.19 (95%CI:1.05,1.34), 1.28 (95%CI:1.08,1.52), and 1.22 (95%CI:1.06,1.42) respectively. The acute death risk of residents living in TQ and CQ increased significantly on Lag2 and Lag6 after the typhoon, respectively, while those living in LX, LC, HY, JY, and SH occurred from Lag 8 to Lag 13 after the typhoon. LC lasted the longest days. Conclusions: Typhoons would increase the vulnerability of residents living in Jinan which mainly occurred from the seventh day after the typhoon. Residents suffering from non-accidental diseases (circulatory diseases), female and the older adults were more vulnerable. The vulnerability of TQ and CQ occurred on Lag2 and Lag6 after typhoon Lekima, respectively, and the other areas except ZQ and PY occurred from Lag 8 to Lag 13. LC lasted the longest duration. Our findings emphasized the importance of the emergency response, which would help policymakers to identify vulnerable regions and populations accurately during typhoons and formulate the emergency response plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So-called Z-scheme systems permit overall water splitting using narrow-bandgap photocatalysts. To boost the performance of such systems, it is necessary to enhance the intrinsic activities of the hydrogen evolution photocatalyst and oxygen evolution photocatalyst, promote electron transfer from the oxygen evolution photocatalyst to the hydrogen evolution photocatalyst, and suppress back reactions. The present work develop a high-performance oxysulfide photocatalyst, Sm2Ti2O5S2, as an hydrogen evolution photocatalyst for use in a Z-scheme overall water splitting system in combination with BiVO4 as the oxygen evolution photocatalyst and reduced graphene oxide as the solid-state electron mediator. After surface modifications of the photocatalysts to promote charge separation and redox reactions, this system is able to split water into hydrogen and oxygen for more than 100 hours with a solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency of 0.22%. In contrast to many existing photocatalytic systems, the water splitting activity of the present system is only minimally reduced by increasing the background pressure to 90 kPa. These results suggest characteristics suitable for applications under practical operating conditions.Photocatalytic water splitting systems using Sm2Ti2O5S2, a visible light-active oxysulfide, exhibited low efficiencies due to low intrinsic photoactivity and rapid back reaction. Here, the efficiency was greatly improved by refining the preparation of photocatalysts and electron mediators [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic water splitting is an ideal means of producing hydrogen in a sustainable manner, and developing highly efficient photocatalysts is a vital aspect of realizing this process. The photocatalyst Y2Ti2O5S2 (YTOS) is capable of absorbing at wavelengths up to 650 nm and exhibits outstanding thermal and chemical durability compared with other oxysulfides. However, the photocatalytic performance of YTOS synthesized using the conventional solid‐state reaction (SSR) process is limited owing to the large particle sizes and structural defects associated with this synthetic method. Herein, we report the synthesis of YTOS particles by a flux‐assisted technique. The enhanced mass transfer efficiency in the flux significantly reduced the preparation time compared with the SSR method. In addition, the resulting YTOS showed improved photocatalytic H2 and O2 evolution activity when loaded with Rh and Co3O4 co‐catalysts, respectively. These improvements are attributed to the reduced particle size and enhanced crystallinity of the material as well as the slower decay of photogenerated carriers on a nanosecond to sub‐microsecond time range. Further optimization of this flux‐assisted method together with suitable surface modification is expected to produce high‐quality YTOS crystals with superior photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical carbon monoxide (CO) reduction to high-energy-density fuels provides a potential way for chemical production and intermittent energy storage. As a valuable C3 species, n-propanol still suffers from a relatively low Faradaic efficiency (FE), sluggish conversion rate and poor stability. Herein, we introduce an "atomic size misfit" strategy to modulate active sites, and report a facile synthesis of a Pb-doped Cu catalyst with numerous atomic Pb-concentrated grain boundaries. Operando spectroscopy studies demonstrate that these Pb-rich Cu-grain boundary sites exhibit stable low coordination and can achieve a stronger CO adsorption for a higher surface CO coverage. Using this Pb-Cu catalyst, we achieve a CO-to-n-propanol FE (FEpropanol) of 47 ± 3% and a half-cell energy conversion efficiency (EE) of 25% in a flow cell. When applied in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) device, a stable FEpropanol above 30% and the corresponding full-cell EE of over 16% are maintained for over 100 h with the n-propanol partial current above 300 mA (5 cm2 electrode). Furthermore, operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy and theoretical studies reveal that the structurally-flexible Pb-Cu surface can adaptively stabilize the key intermediates, which strengthens the *CO binding while maintaining the C–C coupling ability, thus promoting the CO-to-n-propanol conversion. CO electroreduction to valuable high-energy content fuels is desired yet improving multicarbon C3 selectivity remains challenging. Here, authors enhance the n-propanol formation on a Cu-based electrocatalyst by introducing Pb atoms into the Cu lattice to induce Pb-rich Cu grain boundary sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 is a promising strategy to realize clean energy and a balanced carbon cycle. However, a critical challenge for this approach is to develop effective electrocatalysts with high current density and selectivity. Here, we report the facile synthesis of a highly efficient carbon coated silver (Ag/C) catalyst for CO2 reduction through a simple ultrasonic pyrolysis method. The obtained Ag/C exhibits high CO faradaic efficiency of up to 95% at a high current density of 800 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH, which is far superior to the performance of state-of-the-art Ag-based catalysts. Mechanistic investigations combined with surface spectroscopic studies reveal that the amorphous carbon shell can boost the CO2 adsorption in the catalytic layer during CO2 electroreduction, favoring the formation of highly active solid–liquid–gas interfacial environments. The findings of this study contribute to the design and synthesis of highly active Ag-based catalysts for industrial-level applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic water splitting has been widely studied as a means of converting solar energy into hydrogen as an ideal energy carrier in the future. Systems for photocatalytic water splitting can be divided into one-step excitation and two-step excitation processes. The former uses a single photocatalyst while the latter uses a pair of photocatalysts to separately generate hydrogen and oxygen. Significant progress has been made in each type of photocatalytic water splitting system in recent years, although improving the solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency and constructing practical technologies remain important tasks. This perspective summarizes recent advances in the field of photocatalytic overall water splitting, with a focus on the design of photocatalysts, co-catalysts and reaction systems. The associated challenges and potential approaches to practical solar hydrogen production via photocatalytic water splitting are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer‐related deaths after lung cancer. Metastasis of the central nervous system is a terrible event for breast cancer patients, affecting their survival and quality of life. Compared with hormone receptor‐positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2‐negative breast cancer patients, brain metastases are more likely to affect patients with triple‐negative breast cancer and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2‐positive breast cancer. The treatment of breast cancer has improved greatly in the last two decades. However, brain metastases from breast cancer remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Patients with breast cancer brain metastasis have been in an inferior position due to the lack of clinical research in this field, and they are often explicitly excluded from almost all clinical trials. The occurrence and progression of brain metastases will result in severe cognitive impairment and adverse physical consequences, so we must have a good understanding of the molecular mechanisms of breast cancer brain metastasis. In this article, we have retrieved the latest literature of molecules and pathways associated with breast cancer brain metastasis, summarized common therapy strategies, and discussed the prospects and clinical implications of targeting the molecules involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Y2Ti2O5S2 (YTOS), an oxysulfide material, has attracted attention as a photocatalyst due to its optical absorption at wavelengths up to 650 nm, and its ability to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. However, the performance of YTOS in photocatalytic water splitting has remained low. One important factor accounting for this poor activity is the absence of highly efficient active sites. Surface modification with oxygen‐evolution co‐catalysts is indispensable for enhancing the activity and durability of non‐oxide narrow‐bandgap photocatalysts. Herein, we report the preparation of cobalt oxide (Co3O4)‐loaded YTOS for photocatalytic oxygen evolution. The Co3O4 co‐catalyst was loaded by thermal decomposition of cobalt nitrate. The as‐obtained sample showed significantly enhanced activity in the oxygen evolution reaction compared with unmodified or IrO2‐loaded YTOS. Transient absorption spectroscopy revealed that the Co3O4 co‐catalyst captured holes and promoted charge separation, which accounted for the enhanced activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The imagery captured by cameras provides important information for wildlife research and conservation. Deep learning technology can assist ecologists in automatically identifying and processing imagery captured from camera traps, improving research capabilities and efficiency. Currently, many general deep learning architectures have been proposed but few have evaluated their applicability for use in real camera trap scenarios. Our study constructed the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park wildlife dataset (NTLNP dataset) for the first time and compared the real-world application performance of three currently mainstream object detection models. We hope this study provides a reference on the applicability of the AI technique in wild real-life scenarios and truly help ecologists to conduct wildlife conservation, management, and research more effectively. Camera traps are widely used in wildlife surveys and biodiversity monitoring. Depending on its triggering mechanism, a large number of images or videos are sometimes accumulated. Some literature has proposed the application of deep learning techniques to automatically identify wildlife in camera trap imagery, which can significantly reduce manual work and speed up analysis processes. However, there are few studies validating and comparing the applicability of different models for object detection in real field monitoring scenarios. In this study, we firstly constructed a wildlife image dataset of the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park (NTLNP dataset). Furthermore, we evaluated the recognition performance of three currently mainstream object detection architectures and compared the performance of training models on day and night data separately versus together. In this experiment, we selected YOLOv5 series models (anchor-based one-stage), Cascade R-CNN under feature extractor HRNet32 (anchor-based two-stage), and FCOS under feature extractors ResNet50 and ResNet101 (anchor-free one-stage). The experimental results showed that performance of the object detection models of the day-night joint training is satisfying. Specifically, the average result of our models was 0.98 mAP (mean average precision) in the animal image detection and 88% accuracy in the animal video classification. One-stage YOLOv5m achieved the best recognition accuracy. With the help of AI technology, ecologists can extract information from masses of imagery potentially quickly and efficiently, saving much time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining hydrogen energy from photocatalytic water splitting driven by solar energy is a promising strategy to solve the global energy crisis. Herein, by taking the photoinduced activation effects of TiO2, we obtained a Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 (Ti3+–TiO2). In situ characterization revealed that the presence of Ti3+ is attributed to the reduction reaction of Ti4+ on the TiO2 surface under UV light irradiation. The research results prove that the optical properties of TiO2 are modified by the active species Ti3+; the recombination rate of the photogenerated carriers is significantly decreased, and Ti3+–TiO2 exhibits a hydrogen production rate which is 1.7 times superior than that of pristine TiO2. To further enhance the self-activation effect of TiO2, we constructed a type II heterojunction TiO2/UiO-66-NH2 structure to transfer photoexcited electrons to TiO2, which gives a higher concentration and duration of the active species Ti3+. Ti3+–TiO2/UiO-66-NH2 shows improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity with a rate 3.2 times better than that of pristine TiO2 due to the synergistic function of oxygen vacancies and Ti3+. A novel perspective was adopted in this work to observe the dynamic variation of active species and electron transfer pathways during TiO2 photocatalytic reactions. Since Ti3+ is generated on the TiO2in situ, this work could be extended to TiO2-based photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns the following magnetic Schrödinger–Poisson system - (∇ + i A (x)) 2 u + (λ V (x) + Z (x)) u + ϕ u = f (u 2) u , in R 3 , - Δ ϕ = u 2 , in R 3 , where λ is a positive parameter, f has subcritical growth, the potentials V, Z : R 3 → R are continuous functions verifying some conditions, the magnetic potential A ∈ L loc 2 (R 3 , R 3) . Assuming that the zero set of V(x) has several isolated connected components Ω 1 , ... , Ω k such that the interior of Ω j is non-empty and ∂ Ω j is smooth, where j ∈ 1 , ... , k , then for λ > 0 large enough, we show that the above system has at least 2 k - 1 multi-bump solutions by using variational methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional sensor materials for detecting gaseous and volatile compounds still have relatively low sensitivity and high price, which limits their large-scale applications. It is critical to improve the changes of sensor resistance vs. the amount of adsorbed target gas by promoting the designed surface reaction. Herein, an atomically deposited Ag on tungsten oxide nanoplate (AD-Ag-WO3) sensor is synthesized by a low temperature deposition method to tackle the existing problems. It is found that the AD-Ag-WO3 is very sensitive when exposed to triethylamine (TEA). Meanwhile, the films showed an unexpectedly high response and low operating temperature due to the deposition of the single-atom silver. Among all of the synthesized materials, 0.01 M AD-Ag-WO3 sensors exhibited far superior gas sensing performance (5150 for 50 ppm at 175 °C) to TEA, which is enhanced 50 times compared with that of pure WO3 (110 for 50 ppm at 250 °C). Simultaneously, the AD-Ag-WO3 sensor also showed an extremely low limit of detection (LLD) (1.7 ppb, far superior to that of traditional materials) and an ultrahigh selectivity for TEA. Such an excellent performance can be ascribed to the presence of single-atom Ag. The synthetic method of loading metal single atoms onto gas-sensitive materials can be extended to other similar composite materials, which opens the way for the industrial application of gas-sensitive sensors induced by designed single-atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased emission of CO2 has negative impacts on the environment. Among the strategies, photocatalytic reduction is promising to convert the CO2 into chemicals. In this report, CoOx nanoparticles were loaded in the channels of MIL‐101(Cr), a kind of metal‐organic frameworks (MOF), to construct a novel CoOx/MIL‐101(Cr) system to facilitate CO2 photoreduction. Under the optimal conditions, the CoOx/MIL‐101(Cr) showed a significantly enhanced performance for photocatalytic CO2 reduction compared with bare CoOx and MIL‐101(Cr). Our findings provide a pathway for a rational design of efficient MOF systems for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemia reperfusion (IR) can lead to acute kidney injury and can be complicated by acute lung injury, which is one of the leading causes of acute kidney injury-related death. Peptidyl arginine deiminase-4 (PAD4) is a member of the PAD enzyme family and plays a critical role in inflammatory reactions and neutrophil extracellular trap formation in a variety of pathological conditions. It has been reported that PAD4 inhibition can protect certain organs from ischemic injury. In this study, we aimed to understand the mode of action of PAD4 in renal ischemia-reperfusion-mediated acute lung injury. Bilateral renal pedicle occlusion was induced for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 24 h. A specific inhibitor of PAD4, GSK484, was delivered via intraperitoneal injection to alter the PAD4 activity. The pulmonary PAD4 expression, pulmonary impairment, neutrophil infiltration, Cit-H3 expression, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, inflammatory cytokine secretion, and pulmonary apoptosis were analyzed. We found that renal ischemia reperfusion was associated with pulmonary pathological changes and increases in neutrophil infiltration, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, and inflammatory cytokine secretion in the lungs of the recipient animals. Suppression of PAD4 by GSK484 reduced remote lung injury by mitigating neutrophil infiltration, neutrophil extracellular trap formation, apoptosis, and inflammatory factor secretion. Our findings demonstrate that specific PAD4 inhibition by GSK484 may be an effective strategy to attenuate distant lung injury complicating renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A study about parameters influencing solar energy received by greenhouse. • Comparison of the captured global solar radiation in the six shapes of greenhouse in winter. • The optimal orientation for greenhouses at different latitudes. • The E-W orientation sawtooth greenhouse per square meter to save heating costs 46.2$/(m2 swason). In this study, we calculated the amount of global solar radiation captured by the greenhouses at different latitudes. The energy can be used to heat the greenhouses in winter, hence reducing the consumption of fossil energy for greenhouse heating. A script developed in Matlab was used to calculate the captured amount of global solar radiation from 1 November to 1 March of the next year for all the selected greenhouse shapes. The mathematical model of the greenhouse global solar radiation is applicable not only to different regions of the world but also to other types of buildings. This analysis compared six typical greenhouse shapes commonly found in southern China (even span, uneven span, ellipse, arch, sawtooth, and vinery) to select the most suitable type for maximum solar radiation capture. The latitudes ranged from 20° N to 30.6° N. In addition, we considered the orientation of the greenhouse and calculated the cost savings per square meter regarding greenhouse heating in winter. The results showed that sawtooth captured the highest amount of global solar radiation in winter at all latitudes. E-W orientation greenhouses captured the maximum amount of global solar radiation in winter at all latitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur accurate determination plays a vital role in the evaluation of coal quality. In this work, double-pulse laser-induced breakdown (DP-LIBS) in a helium atmosphere was presented and applied in the sulfur concentration quantification of coal. The ablation plasma generated from the sample surface by the first laser (Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm, 50 mJ per pulse) was re-excited orthogonally by the second laser pulse (Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm, 120 mJ per pulse). The intensity of sulfur spectral lines has been enhanced with DP-LIBS and the interference from O I 926.6 has been weakened in the helium atmosphere. The calibration curves of S I 921.3 nm, S I 922.8 nm and S I 923.8 nm have been established for 10 coal samples with S concentration ranging from 0.28 wt% to 4.01 wt%. The best result was achieved with R2 = 0.992, LoD = 0.038 wt%, and RMSECV = 0.143 wt%. The overall results adequately demonstrate that DP-LIBS combined with a helium atmosphere has excellent analytical performance for sulfur determination in coal and enormous potential for on-line detection in the coal industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have established that proteinase- activated receptor 2 (PAR2) activation protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI). However, the role of PAR2 deficiency in MI/RI remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of PAR2 deficiency on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and to clarify the potential molecular mechanisms for its protective effect against MI/RI. Using a mouse model of MI/RI, cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography, infarct size was assessed by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, and myocardial cell apoptosis was measured by terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling staining. Annexin V/propidium iodide staining, and expression of Bcl-2 and cleaved PARP were determined to assess apoptosis in myocardial H9c2 cells exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury-simulating MI/RI. Phosphorylated ERK1/2, JNK, and p38 MAPK protein expression levels were analyzed by western blotting. The findings indicated that PAR2 deficiency markedly reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis in the MI/RI mouse model, as well as in myocardial H9c2 cells exposed to H/R. Furthermore, PAR2 knockdown clearly prevented phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK in myocardial H9c2 cells. The results revealed that PAR2 deficiency alleviated MI/RI-associated apoptosis by inhibiting phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK. Therefore, targeted PAR2 silencing may be a potential therapeutic approach for alleviation of MI/RI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco smoke is a complex mixture consisting of hundreds of toxic and carcinogenic chemicals, which may cause many diseases once inhaled. Among these toxic substances, radioactive and non-radioactive heavy metals present great health concerns to both active and passive smokers. However, conventional methodologies for characterizing heavy metals in smoke require intensive and time-consuming preparation procedures, and thus prevent their on-line applications. We report here a portable laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (PLIBS) device for on-line detection of radioactive and non-radioactive heavy metals in tobacco smoke with ultra-high sensitivity. Two local cigarette brands were investigated, and a number of heavy metals were detected. In particular, several radioactive metals show very strong atomic emissions, and a limit of detection down to parts per trillion was obtained by single-shot PLIBS. The linear dependencies of their spectral intensities on the smoke concentrations were revealed, suggesting that the PLIBS is a promising tool for high-throughput and quantitative analysis of heavy metals in tobacco smoke. Tobacco emission dynamics were also investigated, and the results suggest the potential applications of the PLIBS in smoke risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospinning using biocompatible polymer scaffolds, seeded with or without stem cells, is considered a promising technique for producing fibrous scaffolds with therapeutic possibilities for ischemic heart disease. However, no optimal scaffolds for treating ischemic heart disease have been identified thus far. In the present study, it was evaluated whether electrospun silk fibroin (SF)-blended poly(L-lactic acid-co-ε-caprolactone) [P(LLA-CL)] scaffolds that were seeded with cluster of differentiation 117 (c-kit)+ bone marrow (BM) cells may serve a protective role in cardiac remodeling following myocardial infarction (MI). Mechanical characteristics and cytocompatibility were compared between SF/P(LLA-CL) and P(LLA-CL) electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds in vitro. It was observed that MI led to a significant increase of the c-kit+ BM cell subpopulation in mice. Magnetic activated cell sorting was performed to harvest the c-kit+ cell population from the BM of mice following MI. c-kit+ BM cells were seeded on SF/P(LLA-CL) and P(LLA-CL) electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds. Results indicated that SF/P(LLA-CL) electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds were superior to P(LLA-CL) electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds in improving c-kit+ BM cell proliferation. Additionally, compared with pure SF/P(LLA-CL) electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds, SF/P(LLA-CL) scaffolds seeded with c-kit+ BM cells resulted in lower levels of MI markers and reduced infarct size, leading to greater global heart function improvement in vivo. The findings of the present study indicated that SF/P(LLA-CL) electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds seeded with c-kit+ BM cells exert a protective effect against MI and may be a promising approach for cardiac regeneration after ischemic heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel method to estimate chromatic dispersion with ultra-low sampling rate based on training sequence. The under-sampling can be equivalent to over-sampling by splicing points with periodic sequence. The functional relationship between equivalent over-sampling rate and symbol rate, actual sampling rate and sequence period is deduced. To demonstrate the feasibility of the method, the simulation of a 28 GBaud QPSK optical fiber communication system is carried, in which 76 MSa/s sampling rate is equivalent to 66.5 GSa/s sampling rate. The results show that maximum estimation error is less than 160 ps/nm after 100 km to 2300 km SSMF transmission. We also demonstrate the robustness of the proposed method to amplified spontaneous emission and nonlinear noise in a three-channel optical fiber communication system. Moreover, the proposed method has been experimentally verified with a 20.5 GBaud QPSK system, 1.25 GSa/s sampling rate is equivalent to 51.25 GSa/s sampling rate, and estimation error is less than 100 ps/nm and 150 ps/nm after 100 km and 200 km SSMF transmission, respectively. The proposed method eliminates the requirement of high speed ADC and is cost effective, which can be used for optical performance monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic oxidation desulfurization using chelated iron catalyst is an effective method to remove H2S from various gas streams including biogas. However, the ligand of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), which is usually adopted to prepare chelated iron catalyst, is liable to be oxidative degraded, and leads to the loss of desulfurization performance. In order to improve the degradation stability of the iron chelate, a series of iron chelates composed of two ligands including citric acid (CA) and EDTA were prepared and the oxidative degradation stability as well as desulfurization performance of these chelated iron catalysts were studied. Results show that the iron chelate of Fe-CA is more stable than Fe-EDTA, while for the desulfurization performance, the situation is converse. For the dual-ligand iron chelates of Fe-EDTA/CA, with the increase of mol ratio of CA to EDTA in the iron chelate solution, the oxidative degradation stability increased while the desulfurization performance decreased. The results of this work showed that Fe-EDTA/CA with a mol ratio of CA:EDTA = 1:1 presents a relative high oxidative degradation stability and an acceptable desulfurization performance with over 90% of H2S removal efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have received increasing attention in the field of photoredox catalysis, mainly due to the advantages of the highly porous nanostructure and tunable semiconducting properties. Thus, the essential roles of photocatalysis by MOF can be conventionally optimized toward addressing the environment and energy issues. In this review, the fundamental of the photocatalytic MOF is initially discussed. A range of the solar-driven applications by photocatalytic MOF are highlighted, including water contamination degradation, water splitting, CO 2 reduction and organosynthesis. In each chapter, a series of systematic investigations is presented, also involving a few recent results and unique phenomena that bestowed by the photocatalytic MOFs. The future prospects and challenges to use MOFs for each photocatalysis application are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) photosensitizers are proposed replacements for their inorganic counterparts in solar‐to‐fuel conversion via photoelectrochemical water splitting. However, intense charge recombination, primarily because of surface defects, limits the use of PCN in PEC systems. Now, photoanodes are designed by coating PCN films onto highly conductive yttrium‐doped zinc oxide (Y:ZnO) nanorods (NRs) serving as charge collectors. The generation of charge carriers can therefore be promoted by this type II alignment. The charge collectors would be kept nearby for charge separation and transport to be used in the interfacial redox reactions. The photocurrent density of the polymer electrode is improved to 0.4 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode in a Na2SO4 electrolyte solution under AM 1.5 illumination. The result reveals a more than 50‐fold enhancement over the PCN films achieved by powder; the efficiency can be preserved at 95 % for 160 minutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the different characteristics of cow manure and rice straw, liquid- and solid-state coupling anaerobic digestion (L-SS-AD) is designed in this study. In detail, cow dung was fermented in liquid anaerobic digestion (L-AD) process, while rice straw was treated in SS-AD process with L-AD digestate as inoculums to get the benefit of both the process. Optimization experiments were systematically performed in both two processes. The results showed that organic loading rate (OLR) of 10.0 kg VS/(m3 d) was possible during the L-AD process, and the average specific methane production (SMP) was 225.2 mL CH4/g VS at a steady state. In addition, in batch test of SS-AD, the lower substrate-to-inoculum ratios (S0/I0) favored the reaction rate and the optimal S0/I0 of 0.9 was selected for further leach-bed experiment. Furthermore, a leach-bed reactor for SS-AD process was operated stably at the average OLRS of 2.17 kg VS/m3 d with the feed interval of 2 weeks. The maximum SMP was 216.13 mL CH4/g VS. Finally, the total energy yield values of 15.45 kJ/g VS can be obtained from the integrated process. L-SS-AD process can improve the efficiency of methane production and provide data preference for full-scale industrial biogas project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Metadherin (MTDH) is overexpressed in some malignancies and enhances drug resistance; however, its role in gastric cancer (GC) and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Here, we explore the mechanism by which MTDH induces drug resistance in GC. Methods: We analysed the level of MTDH in GC and adjacent normal gastric mucosal tissues by real-time quantitative PCR (q-PCR). We also analysed the level of autophagy by western blot analysis, confocal microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy after MTDH knockdown and overexpression, and examined fluorouracil (5-FU) resistance by Cell Counting Kit-8 at the same time. Finally, GC patient-derived xenograft tumours were used to demonstrate 5-FU resistance. An AMPK pathway inhibitor was applied to determine the molecular mechanisms of autophagy. Results: MTDH expression was significantly increased in the GC specimens compared with that in the adjacent normal gastric mucosal tissues. Further study showed a positive correlation between the expression level of MTDH and 5-FU resistance. MTDH overexpression in MKN45 cells increased the levels of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and promoted 5-FU resistance, while inhibition of MTDH showed the opposite result. The simultaneous inhibition of autophagy and overexpression of MTDH decreased the levels of P-gp and inhibited 5-FU resistance. Moreover, MTDH induced AMPK phosphorylation, regulated ATG5 expression, and finally influenced autophagy, suggesting that MTDH may activate autophagy via the AMPK/ATG5 signalling pathway. Our findings reveal a unique mechanism by which MTDH promotes GC chemoresistance and show that MTDH is a potential target for improved chemotherapeutic sensitivity and GC patient survival. Conclusions: MTDH-stimulated cancer resistance to 5-FU may be mediated through autophagy activated by the AMPK/ATG5 pathway in GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) signaling pathway is frequently deregulated in many malignancies. Therefore, targeting the EGFR pathway is regarded as a promising strategy for anticancer drug discovery. Herein, we identified a 2-amino-nicotinonitrile compound (w09) as a novel autophagy enhancer, which potently induced macroautophagy/autophagy and consequent apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that EGFR-mediated activation of the RAS-RAF1-MAP2K-MAPK1/3 signaling pathway played a critical role in w09-induced autophagy and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. Inhibition of the MAPK1/3 pathway with U0126 or blockade of autophagy by specific chemical inhibitors markedly attenuated the effect of w09-mediated growth inhibition and caspase-dependent apoptosis. Furthermore, these conclusions were supported by knockdown ofATG5or knockout ofATG5and/orATG7. Notably, w09 increased the expression of SQSTM1 by transcription, and knockout ofSQSTM1or deleting the LC3-interaction region domain of SQSTM1, significantly inhibited w09-induced PARP1 cleavage, suggesting the central role played by SQSTM1 in w09-induced apoptosis. In addition, in vivo administration of w09 effectively inhibited tumor growth of SGC-7901 xenografts. Hence, our findings not only suggested that activation of the EGFR-RAS-RAF1-MAP2K-MAPK1/3 signaling pathway may play a critical role in w09-induced autophagy and apoptosis, but also imply that induction of autophagic cancer cell death through activation of the EGFR pathway may be a potential therapeutic strategy for EGFR-disregulated gastric tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

H 2 S is a detrimental impurity that must be removed for upgrading biogas to biomethane. H 2 S removal selectivity over CO 2 employing catalytic oxidative absorption method and its influence factors were studied in this work. The desulfurization experiments were performed in a laboratory apparatus using EDTA-Fe as the catalyst and metered mixture of 60% (v/v) CH 4 , 33% (v/v) CO 2 and 2000–3000 ppmv H 2 S balanced by N 2 as the simulated biogas. It was found that for a given catalytic oxidative desulfurization system, it exists a critical pH, at which desulfurization selectivity achieves the highest. It was also observed that desulfurization selectivity increased along with the increase of chelated iron concentration, gas flow rate, and ratio of gas flow rate to liquid flow rate (G/L). This demonstrated that high selectivity and high efficiency for biogas desulfurization could both be achieved through optimizing these parameters. Specific to the desulfurization system of this work, when the gas flow rate was set as 1.1 L/min, after optimizing the above mentioned parameters, i.e. EDTA-Fe concentration of 0.084 mol/L, absorption solution pH of 7.8, and G/L of 55, the desulfurization selectivity factor reached 142.1 with H 2 S removal efficiency attained 96.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Pruritus, also known as itch, is a common, unpleasant sensation that can be difficult to treat. Frequently, chronic itch is associated with the development of neuropathic pain resulting from nerve injury or insult. Previous studies have shown the involvement of spinal microglia in the development of neuropathic pain, but their role in chronic pruritus is unclear. Methods: For this study, we constructed a model of chronic pruritus in mice using repeated applications of 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) and showed prolonged scratching behavior in treated mice that continued for at least 7 d after the final DNFB treatment. Results:Scratching was accompanied by activation of spinal microglia and both were reduced by an inhibitor of microglial activity. We also showed that microglial activation entailed increased signaling in the p38 MAPK pathway, and treatment with a p38 inhibitor reduced scratching in DNFB-treated mice. We also examined the role of fractalkine/CX3CR1 signaling in the development of DNFB-induced pruritus and showed that intrathecal administration of antiserum against either CX3CR1or FKN inhibited p38 activity and decreased scratching. Conclusion:Our results suggest that microglia are involved in pruritus induced by DNFB via FKN/CX3CR1/p38MAPK pathways similar to those participating in the development of neuropathic pain. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising for catalysis, adsorption, separation, etc. owing to unprecedented combination of the large surface area, high crystallinity, tunable pore size, and unique molecular architecture of COFs. Just because of the above-mentioned merits, COFs can be ideal support for quite a few kinds of small materials with unstable nature, such as nanoparticles, ions, quantum dots, single atoms and so on. With COF support, those species can not only exist stably, but also readily be applied in various fields. Herein, the recent advances in the design and synthesis of COF-support hybrids for various applications are presented. Also, future research directions and perspectives are discussed for the development of efficient COF-support hybrid materials. [Display omitted] • Introduce the effect on the nanomaterial with modification of COFs. • Describe the application and development of COF-loaded metal nanoparticles, metal ions and compounds in recent COF reports. • Briefly Describe the possible development direction of COF-based hybrids in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The structure and dynamics of cellular solidification fronts produced during the directional solidification of dilute binary alloys are studied by phase-field simulations. A quantitative phase-field model in conjunction with a multi-scale simulation algorithm allows us to simulate arrays with 10–40 cells in three dimensions on time scales that are long enough to allow for a significant reorganization of the array. We analyze the geometry of the complex two-phase structure (mushy zone) and extract the fraction of solid and the connectivity of the two phases as a function of depth. We find a transition from stable arrays at high values of the crystalline anisotropy to unsteady arrays at low anisotropy that continuously exhibit tip splitting and cell elimination events. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The spatial distributions of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in surface sediments are of great significance in studying the ecological process of nutrient cycling in intertidal flats. However, little is known about N and P's spatial distribution in intertidal flats of the Yellow River Delta (YRD). We analyzed the N and P contents in surface sediments and Suaeda glauca density at the low-tidal level to identify the spatial distributions of nutrients and their influencing factors in coastal tidal flat sediments. The results showed that the total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in this study were both lower than the background values of China's shallow sea sediments. The spatial distributions of N and P had significantly spatial heterogeneity, while those of the nutrients at different distances from the low-tidal level to the coastline showed no significant distance effects. The spatial distribution of S. glauca in coastal tidal flats had significant location characteristics and was closely related to the distribution of TN and pH. The TN in non-estuarine intertidal flats was less than that in estuaries; in contrast, the TP was higher in non-estuaries. There are some differences of N and P between estuary and non-estuary areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of efficient, non-precious metal electrocatalysts is still the hot topic for water oxidation. However, the reported transition metal-based electrocatalysts usually exhibit far lower activity, compared with precious metals. In this work, we report the excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance of Mo x C-FeNi@ NC (NC, nitrogen-doped carbon) by a simple pyrolytic method. To reach the current density of 10 mA cm−2, Mo x C-FeNi@NC only needs a low overpotential of 306 mV. Surprisingly, the Mo x C-FeNi@NC even showed lower overpotential than those of noble metal oxides, e.g. RuO 2 (~320 mV), IrO 2 /C (360 mV). The excellent OER activity is mainly ascribed to the unique FeNi electron configuration, efficient electron transfer and higher surface area. Compared with FeCo and CoNi, FeNi alloy possesses half-filling *π3d electron configuration, leading to suitable adsorption for OH−; and Mo x C has effectively improved electrical conductance of Mo x C-FeNi@NC, thus greatly improving the OER reaction kinetics. This work provides an earth-abundant, efficient electrocatalyst for water oxidation. Image 1 • Mo x C-alloy@NC shows a lower overpotential than RuO 2 and IrO 2 /C. • The half-filling *π3d orbit of FeNi favors for appropriate adsorption for OH−. • The improved electrical conductance by Mo x C improves OER kinetics. • This work provides an efficient, earth-abundant electrocatalyst for water oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urate in the fingernails of gout patients and healthy volunteers was successfully detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) in our previous research. This study aimed to further investigate whether nail urate could be a proxy for the burden of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals deposits in gout. To this end, we conducted a study in two parts. Firstly, we successfully detected urate in the nail by HPLC–UV and evaluated nail urate concentrations in control subjects and patients with gout. As expected, we found that levels of nail urate were significantly higher in patients with gout than in healthy controls, and the nail urate level was significantly correlated with the volume of MSU crystals deposits measured by dual-energy CT (DECT). Secondly, we found that nail urate can reflect changes in urate levels in the body during urate lowering therapy through a 3-month follow-up study. Our results provide the possibility of quantification of urate in human fingernails as a non-invasive alternative for assessing MSU crystals deposits in gout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Myocardial ischaemia reperfusion injury (MIRI) is a difficult problem in clinical practice, and it may involve various microRNAs. This study investigated the role that endogenous microRNA-146a plays in myocardial ischaemia reperfusion and explored the possible target genes. Methods: MIRI models were established in microRNA-146a deficient (KO) and wild type (WT) mice. MicroRNA-146a expression was evaluated in the myocardium of WT mice after reperfusion. The heart function, area of myocardium infarction and in situ apoptosis were compared between the KO and WT mice. Microarray was used to explore possible target genes of microRNA-146a, while qRT-PCR and dual luciferase reporter assays were used for verification. Western blotting was performed to detect the expression levels of the target gene and related signalling molecules. A rescue study was used for further testing. Results: MicroRNA-146a was upregulated 1 h after reperfusion. MicroRNA-146a deficiency decreased heart function and increased myocardial infarction and apoptosis. Microarray detected 19 apoptosis genes upregulated in the KO mice compared with the WT mice. qRT-PCR and dual luciferase verified that Med1 was one target gene of microRNA-146a. TRAP220, encoded by Med1 in the KO mice, was upregulated, accompanied by an amplified ratio of Bax/Bcl2 and increased cleaved caspase-3. Inhibition of microRNA-146a in H9C2 cells caused increased TRAP220 expression and more apoptosis under the stimulus of hypoxia and re-oxygenation, while knockdown of the increased TRAP220 expression led to decreased cell apoptosis. Conclusions: MicroRNA-146a exerts a protective effect against MIRI, which might be partially mediated by the target gene Med1 and related to the apoptosis signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emission Spectroscopy: Amplified Emissions Spectroscopy for Sensing Applications (Ann. The theme of amplified emission, which involves complicated chemical reactions and physical processes, such as spontaneous emission, stimulation, and variation of potential energy surface is visualized here. As reviewed in article number 1900210 by Zhenhui Du and co-workers, it potentially indicates the amplified emission spectroscopy developing to a new generation of promising analytical techniques and remote sensing. [Extracted from the article]

Amplified emission spectroscopy is promising for applications of qualitative and quantitative sensing of elements and their states. This technique has the characteristics of a narrow spectral line, high spectral resolution, and high signal‐to‐noise ratio. Recently, this technology has advanced tremendously with progress in excitation methods, that is, resonance multiphoton absorption and filamentation with ultrafast lasers. The mechanism, conditions, excitation, signal processing, and applications of amplified emission spectroscopy are reviewed herein. In particular, the different formation patterns of the amplified emission spectra produced by an ultrafast laser are analyzed in detail. In addition, a brief introduction is given to the existing applications of amplified emission. Finally, both a conclusion and a perspective of the future for amplified emission are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a mid-infrared dimethyl sulfide (CH3SCH3, DMS) sensor based on tunable laser absorption spectroscopy with a distributed feedback interband cascade laser to measure DMS in the atmosphere. Different from previous work, in which only DMS was tested and under pure nitrogen conditions, we measured DMS mixed by common air to establish the actual atmospheric measurement environment. Moreover, we used tunable laser absorption spectroscopy with spectral fitting to enable multi-species (i.e., DMS, CH4, and H2O) measurement simultaneously. Meanwhile, we used empirical mode decomposition and greatly reduced the interference of optical fringes and noise. The sensor performances were evaluated with atmospheric mixture in laboratory conditions. The sensor's measurement uncertainties of DMS, CH4, and H2O were as low as 80 ppb, 20 ppb, and 0.01% with an integration time 1 s, respectively. The sensor possessed a very low detection limit of 9.6 ppb with an integration time of 164 s for DMS, corresponding to an absorbance of 7.4 × 10−6, which showed a good anti-interference ability and stable performance after optical interference removal. We demonstrated that the sensor can be used for DMS measurement, as well as multi-species atmospheric measurements of DMS, H2O, and CH4 simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A narrow bandgap BaTaO 2 N photocatalyst was utilized to Z-scheme water splitting. • Surface modification using Cr 2 O 3 inhibited reverse reactions effectively. • H 2 and O 2 are evolved from H 2 O under argon at nearly atmospheric pressure. • The efficiency of producing H 2 from H 2 O containing redox couples was improved. • A design concept for photocatalytic green H 2 production was demonstrated. The present work demonstrates a Z-scheme overall water splitting (ZOWS) system for the photocatalytic production of H 2 capable of operating under Ar at near-atmospheric pressure using a narrow-bandgap Zr-doped BaTaO 2 N photocatalyst. Reverse reactions are suppressed in this system as a consequence of a surface modification of the Pt-loaded, Zr-doped BaTaO 2 N (Pt/BaTaO 2 N:Zr) photocatalyst with Cr 2 O 3. The introduction of a Cr 2 O 3 shell was found to effectively inhibit the reduction of [Fe(CN) 6 ]3- that otherwise competes with the H 2 evolution reaction, resulting in an improved apparent quantum yield of 1.1 % at 420 nm. By combining this H 2 evolution photocatalyst with an O 2 evolution photocatalyst based on BiVO 4 , ZOWS was achieved at near-atmospheric pressure with a solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency of 0.08 %. This work demonstrates the importance of suppressing reverse reactions during ZOWS at atmospheric pressure and provides valuable guidance for the design and construction of practical green H 2 production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the acute effect of extreme cold weather on circulatory disease mortality of older adults in Jinan, with individual and regional-scale characteristics as subgroup analyses to further identify vulnerable populations. This study contained the death data of Jinan from 2011 to 2020 (Nov–Mar). A time-stratified case-crossover method was used to estimate the effects of extreme cold weather and lags 0–8 days, controlling for holiday and relative humidity. To evaluate the impact of different durations and thresholds of extreme cold weather, we considered 4 cold day and 12 cold wave definitions Our results showed an increase in circulatory disease deaths under several definitions. The number of older adults died of circulatory diseases totaled 92,119 during the study period. In the definitions of cold day, the maximum significant effect ranging from 1.08 (95% CI: 1.03,1.14) to 1.13 (95% CI: 1.04,1.24) and appeared on Lag5 or Lag6. In the definitions of cold wave, the maximum significant effect ranging from 1.07 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.12) to 1.14 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.25). The cold effect is mainly attributable to cold day rather than an added effect related to the duration. Our research confirmed that extreme cold weather had a stronger impact on women [maximum effects with an OR of 1.21 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.36) in P1, 1.19 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.36) in M12)], and the effect gradient increased with age. Our findings support the evidence on the impact of extreme cold weather on circulatory disease mortality and provide a basis for policymakers to select target groups to develop policies and reduce the public health burden. • Extreme cold weather increased the death risk of older adults from circulatory diseases. • The cold effect on death risk of circulatory diseases was mainly attribute to "main effect". • Maximum significant estimates mostly appeared on the Lag5 or Lag6. • Stronger effect estimates were observed in women, and the effect gradient of vulnerability increased with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]