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Iron accumulates with age in mammals, and its possible implications in altering metabolic responses are not fully understood. Here, we report that both high-iron diet and advanced age in mice consistently altered gene expression of many pathways, including those governing the oxidative stress response and the circadian clock. We used a metabolomic approach to reveal similarities between metabolic profiles and the daily oscillation of clock genes in old and iron-overloaded mouse livers. In addition, we show that phlebotomy decreased iron accumulation in old mice, partially restoring the metabolic patterns and amplitudes of the oscillatory expression of clock genes Per1 and Per2. We further identified that the transcriptional regulation of iron occurred through a reduction in AMPmodulated methylation of histone H3K9 in the Per1 and H3K4 in the Per2 promoters, respectively. Taken together, our results indicate that iron accumulation with age can affect metabolic patterns and the circadian clock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microleakage, frequently arising from aging or inadequate installation, significantly affects the performance and longevity of refrigeration systems. The presence of microleakages, while not precipitating an immediate system failure, results in the gradual deterioration of components and escalates the energy consumption within buildings. Nonetheless, identifying these microleakages through conventional methodologies poses significant challenges. This study introduced a dynamic model specifically designed for detecting microleakages in multi-connected air conditioning systems, particularly in variable refrigerant volume (VRV) systems. Experiments performed under standard operating conditions were integral to enhancing the model's accuracy and furthering its validation. The model integrates the structural and thermophysical attributes of various components, thereby addressing the issues related to data acquisition in standard VRV during instances of microleakage. The analysis of dynamic parameter shifts during system microleakage led to the generation of a comprehensive dataset, which proves invaluable for machine learning and fault detection tasks. A detection and alerting protocol is written in Python presented, chiefly anchored on pressure deviations, augmented by temperature shifts and refrigeration and heating capacities, all represented as virtual volumetric alterations. The findings indicate a delayed transmission of the leakage signal from the leakage point to the system's detection points, with the maximal delay occurring at the compressor inlet under refrigeration conditions, amounting to 239 s. Evaluation under prescribed conditions indicated variances in pressure, temperature, and refrigeration and heating capacities by up to 13.2 %, thereby validating the model's precision and reliability. The program, tested with the generated dataset, accurately identifies leakage states within an average time of 20 min. This model and detection strategy provide a new perspective on microleakage in refrigeration systems, suggesting a robust strategy for their sustained and secure operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When performing data classification tasks, it often occurs to them the curse of dimensionality problem. To address the issue, a manifold learning method termed locally conjugated orthogonal subspace (LCOS) is put forward for dimensionality reduction or feature extraction in this paper. Note that point to feature space (P2S) distance contributes to mining local geometry information, both a local margin characterizing data apartness and a locally conjugated orthogonal constraint beneficial to removing data redundancy are well studied from the P2S distance metric. They are all exploited to model the proposed LCOS. Then, a low dimensional subspace can be explored by maximizing the P2S distance induced local margin under the constraint. Compared with some other related dimensionality reduction methods, experimental results on benchmark face and object data sets validate the performance of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hibernation is an example of extreme hypometabolic behavior. How mammals achieve such a state of suspended animation remains unclear. Here we show that several strains of type 2 diabetic mice spontaneously enter into hibernationlike suspended animation (HLSA) in cold temperatures. Nondiabetic mice injected with ATP mimic the severe hypothermia analogous to that observed in diabetic mice. We identified that uric acid, an ATP metabolite, is a key molecular in the entry of HLSA. Uric acid binds to the Na+ binding pocket of the Na+/H+ exchanger protein and inhibits its activity, acidifying the cytoplasm and triggering a drop in metabolic rate. The suppression of uric acid biosynthesis blocks the occurrence of HLSA, and hyperuricemic mice induced by treatment with an uricase inhibitor can spontaneously enter into HLSA similar to that observed in type 2 diabetic mice. In rats and dogs, injection of ATP induces a reversible state of HLSA similar to that seen in mice. However, ATP injection fails to induce HLSA in pigs due to the lack of their ability to accumulate uric acid. Our results raise the possibility that nonhibernating mammals could spontaneously undergo HLSA upon accumulation of ATP metabolite, uric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic gluconeogenesis is the major contributor to the hyperglycemia observed in both patients and animals with type 2 diabetes. The transcription factor FOXO1 plays a dominant role in stimulating hepatic gluconeogenesis. FOXO1 is mainly regulated by insulin under physiological conditions, but liverspecific disruption of Foxo1 transcription restores normal gluconeogenesis in mice in which insulin signaling has been blocked, suggesting that additional regulatory mechanisms exist. Understanding the transcriptional regulation of Foxo1 may be conducive to the development of insulin-independent strategies for the control of hepatic gluconeogenesis. Here, we found that elevated plasma levels of adenine nucleotide in type 2 diabetes are the major regulators of Foxo1 transcription. We treated lean mice with 50-AMP and examined their transcriptional profiles using RNA-seq. KEGG analysis revealed that the 50-AMP treatment led to shifted profiles that were similar to db/db mice. Many of the upregulated genes were in pathways associated with the pathology of type 2 diabetes including Foxo1 signaling. As observed in diabetic db/db mice, lean mice treated with 50-AMP displayed enhanced Foxo1 transcription, involving an increase in cellular adenosine levels and a decrease in the S-adenosylmethionine to S-adenosylhomocysteine ratio. This reduced methylation potential resulted in declining histone H3K9 methylation in the promoters of Foxo1, G6Pc, and Pepck. In mouse livers and cultured cells, 50-AMP induced expression of more FOXO1 protein, which was found to be localized in the nucleus, where it could promote gluconeogenesis. Our results revealed that adenine nucleotidedriven Foxo1 transcription is crucial for excessive glucose production in type 2 diabetic mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studied the role of layered bimodal structure in the strength-ductility balance of Mg-8Gd-4Y-0.4Zr (wt%) alloys under as-extruded conditions. The various bimodal microstructure, consisting of fine dynamically recrystallized grains and elongated un-dynamically recrystallized grains along extrusion direction, were controlled by different extrusion ratios. The mechanical properties were then discussed in detail. The local strain evolution was investigated in the alloys based on in situ testing and analyzed with electron backscattered diffraction and digital image correlation. The fracture behavior of the alloys was characterized by 3-Dimensional X-Ray Microscopy. The alloys with an extrusion ratio of 7.5 exhibited high tensile yield strength of 338 MPa and ductility of 13.2%, resulting from grain boundary strengthening of fine DRXed grains, and dislocation strengthening of elongated un-DRXed grains and Mg 5 RE particles. The strain evolution analysis showed that the slips and rotations of DRXed grains contributed to relieving strain localization at the interface. Additionally, the layered structure assisted local strain dispersion and uniformed strain distribution, improving the strength and ductility of alloys. The microcracks primarily nucleated and propagated at the un-DRXed regions. The DRXed regions can refine microcracks and enhance deformation compatibility. • Layered structure assists local strain dispersion and uniforms strain distribution. • Slips and rotations of DRXed grains contribute to relieving strain localization. • Microcracks in DRXed regions enhance homogenous deformation by relieving stress concentration. • A layer-structured Mg-Gd-Y-Zr alloys with excellent strength-ductility balance is designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • False-negative diagnosis is a grave reason for lung cancer associated fatalities. • Exosome is highly sensitive biomarker for non-invasive screening of lung cancer. • Combined sequencing of exosomal components provides better prognosis. • Unique functionality of exosome warrants specific delivery of chemotherapeutics. • Exosomal nanotherapeutics mitigate cancer progression and metastasis. Despite enormous evolution in oncopharmacology, the non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is still among the most aggressive and prevalent types of cancer. Late diagnosis and poor prognosis are among the various predisposing factors associated with low disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates in NSCLC patients. Being a stable source of tumor-derived antigens, exosomes and exosomal components (e.g., miRNAs, lnRNAs, circRNAs, cDNA, or proteins) can be actualized as a next-generation diagnostic/prognostic marker for early diagnosis and prognosis of NSCLC. Extensive research has been done on invasive screening of NSCLC through solid biopsy, but the prime focus of this review is non-invasive screening of NSCLC through liquid biopsy. The genetic and proteomic dysregulation of exosomal components in various biofluids precisely correlates with cancer growth, metastasis, stagging, chemoresistance, recurrence, low DFS and OS rates, and poor prognosis of NSCLC. Owing to their unique functionalities inherited from the source cells, protection of drug(s) from degradation, and nanoscaled dimensions (50–150 nm), exosomes have also been exploited for targeted delivery of a variety of drugs to NSCLC cells/tissues. Exosomal nanotherapeutics have shown exceptional anticancer efficacy against NSCLC due to enhanced cell uptake, higher cytotoxicity, mitigated proliferation and migration, prolonged plasma half-life, specific biodistribution, and controlled release of antineoplastic agents. Despite holding great promise, more research needs to be done before translating the exosome-mediated diagnosis/prognosis and treatment of NSCLC to clinical settings. In addition, standard guidelines/protocols for isolation, purification, production, and quality control of exosomes need to be formalized for manufacturing of clinical-grade exosomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon supported Ru-Sn bimetallic catalyst shows excellent performance in room-temperature hydrogenation of acetone, 100% acetone conversion with 100% product selectivity to isopropyl alcohol can be achieved within a short reaction time. Catalyst structure-function relationship reveals a synergetic behavior between Ru and Sn sites, demonstrating the essential correlation between Sn/Ru atomic ratio and the resultant variation in catalytic performance. Room temperature hydrogenation of 4-heptanone was also studied, verifying the consistency of the established structure-function relationship in ketones hydrogenation reactions. [Display omitted] • Ru-Sn/C catalyst shows excellent performance in hydrogenation of acetone. • Catalytic properties can be regulated by adjusting the atomic ratio of Sn to Ru. • The synergy between Ru and Sn sites plays a significant role in catalysis. • Similar catalysis behavior is found in 4-heptanone hydrogenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the key part of the refrigeration systems, heat pump systems, and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems, most working fluids with low global warming potential (GWP) are flammable. This paper proposed a novel method called indirect inhibition to mitigate their flammability to enhance the applicability of low-GWP working fluids. Firstly, the effect of lubricants oil, indirect flame retardants (IFR), and mixtures of the two on the flammability of propane were investigated. The experimental results showed that lubricating oil promoted the combustion of propane to a certain extent. The introduction of indirect flame retardant (CP-52) weakened the combustion intensity of propane. The lubricating oil, in conjunction with a flame retardant, could inhibit the combustion of propane. Secondly, the effects of the indirect flame retardant and mineral oil on the flammability of propane were theoretically analyzed using density functional theory (DFT). The theoretical calculation results showed that the ability of IFR to capture reactive free radicals was comparable to that of traditional flame retardants. The research results are of great significance for improving the safety of the cycle system and reducing the risk of accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Indigenous soil bacterial communities exhibited HBCD biotransformation abilities. • Soil bacterial communities demonstrate a diastereomer-specific response. • Acinetobacter hemolyticum strain HW-2 with excellent HBCD transformation ability was isolated. • Bioaugmentation promotes biotransformation and expedites isomer selection. For decades, the brominated fire retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) has been extensively used to reduce fire risk. Due to the inherent properties associated with environmental and biological persistence of HBCD, the legacy environmental problems caused by HBCD require investigation. In particular, the stereoisomer-specific biochemical processes that occur during microbial transformation of HBCD remain unclear. In this study, biotransformation of HBCD isomers by soil bacterial communities was systematically investigated. After 30 days, the removal rate of technical HBCD was 57.0%, and the composition of diastereomers changed due to the preference for β-HBCD transformation. The removal rates of each isomer were in the order β-HBCD > γ-HBCD > α-HBCD. High-throughput Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes revealed that soil bacterial communities responded to the stress of α-HBCD and β-HBCD by increasing Proteobacteria dominance, while they responded to the stress of γ-HBCD by enhancing species diversity. Moreover, Acinetobacter hemolyticum strain HW-2 was isolated and demonstrated the same isomer specificity, attributed to the differential expression of the four key genes (had1, had1, had1, dehH). The strain successfully colonized the soil bacterial communities during bioaugmentation and enhanced the HBCD removal rates. These findings reveal that the diastereomer-specific biotransformation process is expedited by bioaugmentation with strain HW-2, minimizing ecotoxicities caused by HBCD. These results improve our understanding of the HBCD biotransformation process and provide a theoretical basis for the control of HBCD in ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-performance Mg-8Gd-4Y-0.5Mn-0.2Sc (wt%) alloy was fabricated by the combination of homogenization, hot extrusion and ageing. The microstructure evolution during the homogenization at 550 °C was investigated, and the optimum time of 18 h was obtained to minimize the volume fraction of second phase particles and to keep fine grain structure. The alloy was extruded after the optimized homogenization, and the mechanical properties were investigated with the detailed characterization of the strengthening mechanisms. A typical bimodal microstructure with coarse deformed un-DRXed grains and fine DRXed grains was fabricated. The as-extruded alloy contains amounts of fine precipitated particles as well as dense nano-scale γ' precipitates. After peak-aged treatment, the alloy exhibited excellent age-hardenability and strength with a tensile yield stress of 441 MPa and an ultimate tensile strength of 506 MPa. The high yield strength was attributed to the co-existing of the bimodal microstructure, fine DRXed grains, dense dynamically precipitated particles, and nano-scale precipitated phases. The co-existing β' precipitates and γ' precipitates are the largest contributor to the strength of the peak-aged alloy, the dominant strengthening mechanism is revealed as precipitation strengthening. • The optimized homogenization parameters for the Mg-Gd-Y-Mn-Sc alloy are determined as 550 °C for 18 h. • The as-extruded alloy contains amounts of fine precipitated particles as well as dense nano-scale γ' precipitates. • Co-existing of β' precipitates and γ' precipitates is the main hardening phase of the peak-aged alloy. • High age-hardenability and strength are obtained in peak-aged Mg-Gd-Y-Mn-Sc alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Self-assembled CdS nanorods were synthesized and used as photo-Fenton catalyst. • CdS nanorods had excellent catalytic performance and stability. • CdS/Fe2+ photo-Fenton system can degrade various pollutants at wide pH range. The large-scale application of the conventional Fenton process is restricted by the strict acidic working pH and the demand for externally supplying hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2). To conquer these disadvantages, an efficient visible-light-driven photo-Fenton system which can in-situ produce and apply H 2 O 2 was investigated and developed, based on self-assembled CdS nanorods capable of converting dissolved O 2 to H 2 O 2. The self-assembled CdS nanorods had high purity and good crystallinity with a pine-leaf-like structure. Highly effective degradation of sulfamethazine (SMT) was achieved by the CdS/Fe2+ photo-Fenton system under visible light irradiation and 20 mg/L SMT was almost completely degraded within 90 min over a broad pH range from 4 to 8. It was attributed that self-assembled CdS nanorods with excellent photocatalytic activity could produce numerous photoelectrons, which could not only reduce dissolved O 2 to H 2 O 2 via a direct two-electron reduction route but also accelerate the conversion of Fe3+ to Fe2+. Moreover, the self-assembled CdS nanorods possessed excellent reusability and the constructed photo-Fenton system exhibited widespread suitability for degradation of different pollutants, demonstrating potential applications in wastewater treatment. It is expected that this study can provide new ideas for improving the conventional Fenton process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realgar, as a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, exerts both pharmacological and biological effects. However, the mechanism by which it causes nervous system injury remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the specific mechanism underlying the hippocampal neurotoxicity caused by realgar. Nrf2 is an important receptor of exogenous toxic substances and oxidative stress. We utilized a p38-specific inhibitor (SB20358), ERK1/2-specific inhibitor (PD98059), JNK-specific inhibitor (SP600125) and AKT-specific inhibitor (LY249002) to establish the corresponding animal models and explore how realgar activates Nrf2. We established an Nrf2- sh RNA gene silencing model in rats and an autophagy-specific inhibitor treatment model to further explore realgar-induced neurotoxicity and the role of Nrf2 in realgar-induced damage to the hippocampus. The results showed that realgar passed through the blood–brain barrier and accumulated in brain tissue to induce central nervous system toxicity. The specific mechanism was that realgar activated MAPKs and AKT signaling molecules to activate the Nrf2-Keap1-p62 positive feedback signaling axis, induced abnormal autophagy initiation and degradation, and promoted oxidative damage and apoptosis in neurons. Effective measures should be taken to prevent and control the arsenic poisoning caused by realgar in the early stage, and this study provides a theoretical and practical basis for the rational use of drugs in the clinic. Synopsis of the model of realgar-induced hippocampal neurotoxicity [Display omitted] • Neurotoxicity by realgar was linked to MAPKs, AKT, autophagy and redox homeostasis. • Realgar disturbs the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway rat hippocampal neurons. • Realgar activates the Nrf2-Keap1-p62 signaling axis via MAPKs and AKT. • Initiation and formation of autophagy were regularlated by Nrf2 in neurotoxicity. • Realgar-induced neurotoxicity was still exacerbated after inhibition of autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral analysis of amino acids (AAs) is of great importance in medical science due to the distinctive effect of AA isomers on human health. Although various chiral recognition techniques have been developed, the quantitative chiral recognition of low-level AA isomers remains challenging. Here, we combined the fiber optic SPR with an enzyme-substrate recognition mechanism to construct a direct-assay-type chiral AA biosensor. As a proof-of-concept attempt, a recently discovered Rasamsonia emersonii D-amino acid oxidase (ReDAAO) with a wide substrate spectrum and high stability was immobilized on the graphene oxide and gold nanorods composites (GO-AuNRs), using both EDC/NHS coupling and the gold-binding peptide (GBP) method. Such a biosensor can distinguish two AA isomers at the same concentration. It achieved specific detection of D-amino acids (D-AAs) with a linear range from 5x10-4 mM to 30 mM. Furthermore, it showed good resistance to enantiomeric interference. When the percentage of D-AA increases in the isomer mixture, a good linear relationship between the D/(D + L)-AA ratio and SPR spectral shift was obtained. This unique combination of the enzyme, nanocomposite, and SPR taps into the rich reservoir of proteins for chiral receptors. It lays the foundation for protein-based chiral recognition of other clinically important small molecules in future biosensor designs. • A direct-assay-type SPR biosensor was constructed to detect chiral amino acids (AAs). • An enzyme (D-amino acid oxidase) was used as the receptor for catching the specific enantiomer. • The LOD of this biosensor (1.09 × 10-9 mM) is lower than that of the existing D-AA sensor. • It achieved specific detection of D-Val with a linear range from 5x10-4 mM to 30 mM. • All-fiber configuration contributed to the stability and portability of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel mesoporous carbon hybrid loaded zero-valent copper (Cu0/C) was prepared. • The performance of Cu0/C for the activation of molecular oxygen was evaluated. • Cu0/C composite showed high SMT removal efficiency over a broad pH range. • Cupryl species (Cu3+) rather than OH was major active species for SMT degradation. • The possible mechanism of Cu0/C activating oxygen was tentatively proposed. Zero-valent copper (ZVC) has shown potential as an oxygen activator for the degradation of organic pollutants from aqueous solution. Nevertheless, the high leaching of copper ions and the demand for acidic condition limited its application. In this study, a novel mesoporous carbon hybrid loaded zero-valent copper (Cu0/C) was successfully synthesized from Cu-based metal–organic framework (Cu 3 (BTC) 2) through a pyrolysis method and applied to efficiently degrade sulfamethazine (SMT) at neutral pH under aeration condition. The performance of Cu0/C composite for the activation of molecular oxygen was evaluated based on the effect of different reaction parameters, such as, initial SMT concentration, initial pH, activator dosage and reaction temperature. The results showed a high efficiency for SMT removal over a broad pH range (3.0–7.0). Moreover, the Cu0/C composite exhibited excellent stability and reusability for SMT degradation, and a 96.7% SMT removal and a 68.8% total organic carbon (TOC) conversion were achieved at pH 5.8 after continuous three cycles. Combined with the determination results of reactive oxidizing species and physical-chemical characterization, cupryl species (Cu3+) rather than OH produced by the reaction of the in-situ generated H 2 O 2 with Cu+ were the major reactive species. Additionally, the possible reaction mechanism of Cu0/C activated oxygen was tentatively proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Natural Manganese ore-cornstalk biochar catalyst (MCC) was an efficient PMS activator. • Nonradical pathway with catalyst-mediated electron transfer was in the MCC/PMS system. • The mineral effectively improved the electrochemical properties of the catalyst. • Bisphenol A degradation by MCC/PMS system suffered less influence from (in)organics. • Microtox test showed that the toxicity of reaction solution was significantly reduced. Designing efficient, low-cost and eco-friendly catalysts is important for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to remediate the water environment. Hence, two eco-friendly substances, natural manganese ore and agricultural waste cornstalks, were selected as raw materials to prepare biochar-based composite catalyst (MCC) for removing bisphenol A by activating PMS. Quenching studies, electron paramagnetic resonance analysis, and electrochemical measurements were used to elucidate the activation mechanism, indicating the nonradical pathway with catalyst bridging-mediated electron transfer resulted in BPA degradation. In addition, the loading of natural manganese ore in MCC greatly enhanced the electrochemical properties of biochar and improved the electron transfer capacity of the composite, thus promoting the degradation of pollutants. Peculiarly, the excellent degradation rate in actual water demonstrated that the MCC/PMS system was highly resistant to surrounding organic or inorganic compounds. Meanwhile, toxicology experiments also showed the extremely high practical application potential of the MCC/PMS system. Overall, the study developed a PMS activator with low cost, excellent performance and high practical potential, which gave a new direction for the application of natural minerals and agricultural waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, silicon suboxide (SiO) attracts much attention as a promising anode material for high energy density lithium-ion batteries due to its high specific capacity. However, the active particle pulverization together with repeated rupture/reconstruction of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film upon lithiation/delithiation process has been a critical issue that deteriorates the electrode cycling stability and therefore impedes its deployment in commercial batteries. To address this challenge, herein, vinylene carbonate (VC) and lithium nitrate (LiNO 3) are employed as synergistic additives to improve the electrode-electrolyte interface property. To circumvent the low solubility in carbonate solvent, LiNO 3 is incorporated directly into the electrode while VC still into the electrolyte solution. The synergistic addition of LiNO 3 and VC enhances the electrode reaction kinetics and improves significantly the cycling stability of the SiO anode. The SiO electrode with simultaneous addition of LiNO 3 and VC delivers a high reversible capacity of 1062.3 mA h g−1 and an excellent cycling performance with 94.5% capacity retention and 99.80% Coulombic efficiency for 160 cycles, demonstrating the superior effectiveness of VC and LiNO 3 in modulating the interface chemistry and structure of SiO anode. [Display omitted] • VC and LiNO 3 as electrolyte and electrode additives construct durable SEI film. • High capacity and excellent cycling stability are achieved for submicro-SiO. • The synergistic mechanism of VC and LiNO 3 additives is elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PFAS exposures are associated with dysregulated lipid and sterol homeostasis. • A mixture of 5 PFAS increased cholesterol and bile acids in mice. • Female mice displayed increased liver injury. • Circulating PFOA were increased in exposed females compared to males. Epidemiological studies have shown Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to be associated with diseases of dysregulated lipid and sterol homeostasis such as steatosis and cardiometabolic disorders. However, the majority of mechanistic studies rely on single chemical exposures instead of identifying mechanisms related to the toxicity of PFAS mixtures. The goal of the current study is to investigate mechanisms linking exposure to a PFAS mixture with alterations in lipid metabolism, including increased circulating cholesterol and bile acids. Male and female wild-type C57BL/6J mice were fed an atherogenic diet used in previous studies of pollutant-accelerated atherosclerosis and exposed to water containing a mixture of 5 PFAS representing legacy, replacement, and alternative subtypes (i.e., PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and GenX), each at a concentration of 2 mg/L, for 12 weeks. Changes at the transcriptome and metabolome level were determined by RNA-seq and high-resolution mass spectrometry, respectively. We observed increased circulating cholesterol, sterol metabolites, and bile acids due to PFAS exposure, with some sexual dimorphic effects. PFAS exposure increased hepatic injury, demonstrated by increased liver weight, hepatic inflammation, and plasma alanine aminotransferase levels. Females displayed increased lobular and portal inflammation compared to the male PFAS-exposed mice. Hepatic transcriptomics analysis revealed PFAS exposure modulated multiple metabolic pathways, including those related to sterols, bile acids, and acyl carnitines, with multiple sex-specific differences observed. Finally, we show that hepatic and circulating levels of PFOA were increased in exposed females compared to males, but this sexual dimorphism was not the same for other PFAS examined. Exposure of mice to a mixture of PFAS results in PFAS-mediated modulation of cholesterol levels, possibly through disruption of enterohepatic circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To secure the stable driving characteristics of photodetector, the durability of perovskite photosensitive layer is required to be improved. In this paper, a stabilizing strategy with anti-solvent additive is proposed via 1,8-octanedithiol as Lewis acid-base interaction accelerator. It includes the rapid perovskite phase conversion, which induces the coordination bond between double thiol ends of the additive and Pb2+ of MAPbI 3. The stabilized film has a narrow roughness deviation, increased average grain size of ∼228.33 nm, and the least hydrophilic surface energy of 62.26 mJ/m2. Based on the synergic effect of it, the perovskite photodetector is fabricated with ∼252 nm MAPbI 3 layer. The optimized photodetector has a dark current density of 2.00 × 10−7 A/cm2 under −0.1 V bias. Also, a responsivity of 0.366 A/W and detectivity of 1.45 × 1012 cmHz1/2W−1 is found under 680 nm. The ∼90% maintained detectivity after ∼260 h suggest the possibility of the durable perovskite photodetector operation. [Display omitted] • Novel additive engineering method was introduced for durable and efficient photodetectors. • High-quality perovskite photosensitive layer was fabricated due to the ODT effect. • Chemical coordination bond was induced by incorporating a Lewis base additive. • Interface of perovskite photosensitive layer was passivated by hydrophobicity of ODT. • Stable device durability with ODT was proven based on the data of XPS stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) is a complex biological process in which endothelial cells are transformed into mesenchymal cells, and dysregulated EndoMT causes a variety of pathological processes. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) signaling effectively induces the EndoMT process in endothelial cells, and Smad2 is the critical protein of the TGF-ß signaling pathway. However, whether small ubiquitin-like modifier modification (SUMOylation) is involved in EndoMT remains unclear. Here, we show that Smad2 is predominantly modified by SUMO1 at two major SUMOylation sites with PIAS2a as the primary E3 ligase, whereas SENP1 (sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 1) mediates the deSUMOylation of Smad2. In addition, we identified that SUMOylation significantly enhances the transcriptional activity and protein stability of Smad2, regulating the expression of downstream target genes. SUMOylation increases the phosphorylation of Smad2 and the formation of the Smad2-Smad4 complex, thus promoting the nuclear translocation of Smad2. Ultimately, the wildtype, but not SUMOylation site mutant Smad2 facilitated the EndoMT process. More importantly, TGF-ß enhances the nuclear translocation of Smad2 by enhancing its SUMOylation and promoting the EndoMT process. These results demonstrate that SUMOylation of Smad2 plays a critical role in the TGF-ß-mediated EndoMT process, providing a new theoretical basis for the treatment and potential drug targets of EndoMT-related clinical diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effects of the Tesla valve intake structure with or without bypass manifold on suppressing pressure feedback and combustion product backflow in rotating detonation engine fueled by kerosene and enriched air with 29% oxygen content are investigated, with the configuration of convergent–divergent intake without bypass manifold being used for comparison. The working range, detonation wave propagation characteristics, and propulsion performance for the three configurations are evaluated. It is found that the Tesla valve intake structure can effectively improve the suppression of pressure feedback and combustion product backflow through the diversion function of the Tesla valve bypass channel and that the addition of the bypass manifold further improves the suppression of pressure feedback. The Tesla valve intake with bypass manifold configuration has the best ability to suppress pressure feedback, with a minimum value of pressure feedback percentage of about 6.5% and a minimum value of air plenum pressure fluctuation percentage of about 6.7%. By comparison, the minimum value of pressure feedback percentage of the convergent–divergent intake without bypass manifold configuration is about 29.8%, and its minimum value of pressure feedback percentage is about 7.8%. The Tesla valve intake without bypass manifold configuration is most effective in suppressing combustion product backflow, with the effective inlet area ratio of about 95.7%. Under the same conditions, the minimum effective inlet area ratio of the convergent–divergent intake without bypass manifold configuration is about 90.2%. Ultimately, optimizing the engine structure leads to a broader working range and higher propulsion performance. The Tesla valve intake structure broadens the working range by suppressing the generation of the longitudinal pulsed detonation mode. When the bypass manifold is incorporated, some combustible reactants directly enter the rear of the combustion chamber from the head of the chamber, and the working range is reduced. Compared with the convergent–divergent intake without bypass manifold configuration, the working range of the Tesla valve intake with bypass manifold configuration is widened by 383.3%, and that of the without bypass manifold configuration by 700%. Both the Tesla valve intake and bypass manifold increase the strength of detonation waves and improve propulsion performance. The Tesla valve intake with bypass manifold configuration has the highest specific thrust, at about 90.1 N s3/(kg·m). This is increased by an average of 10% compared with the Tesla valve intake without bypass manifold configuration, and by an average of 30.1% compared with the convergent–divergent intake configuration. • Tesla valve inlet and bypass manifold are used to suppress feedback. • Two quantitative evaluation parameters of pressure feedback are established. • The degree of combustion product backflow is evaluated. • The optimized structure can effectively improve the propulsion performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymers have been widely applied for membrane separations; however, most polymer membranes lack adjustable pores and cannot serve in multiple separations once fabricated. Here, a novel block copolymer, polyarylene sulfide sulfone/amide tertiary amine (PASS/ATA), containing tertiary amine and thioether groups was designed for membrane fabrication as it can be self-assembled into a well-defined, uniform, and continuous pores. Via a facile oxidization procedure, the tertiary amine and thioether groups in the membrane molecular chains were converted into amine oxide and sulfone groups, respectively, which dramatically narrows down the pores of the membranes and greatly improves dye rejection, altering the application of the membranes from ultrafiltration (UF) to nanofiltration (NF). Furthermore, after the thioether units were oxidized into sulfone groups, the solvent resistance of the membranes was greatly increased, ensuring the application of the oxidized membranes in organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN). Dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulation was applied to shed insight on the formation mechanisms and transformation processes, as well as to explain the decrease of pore size combined with the enhancement of solvent resistance. As a result, combing tertiary amines with thioether groups in polymer chains endows the membrane with multiple functionalities, allowing for multiple separations including UF, NF, and OSN. [Display omitted] • A novel copolymer membrane was fabricated in this study. • The membranes have changeable pore size and chemical properties via oxidization. • The oxidizable membrane can serve in multiple separation processes. • These membranes have a high water permeability and reasonable dye rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a serious disease with high mortality and morbidity, and effective treatment is limited. A large amount of evidence suggests that the inflammatory response contributes to secondary brain damage following ICH. TIPE2 is an essential negative regulator of both innate and adaptive immunity, and depletion of TIPE2 causes inflammatory disease. However, the possible role of TIPE2 following ICH has not been reported. In this study, we investigated TIPE2 levels and inflammation in microglia treated with erythrocyte lysate in vitro. In addition, we analyzed the role of Bcl-2/Bax/cleaved caspase-3 apoptotic pathways in ICH mice. Furthermore, we observed proinflammatory cytokine production, BBB disruption, cerebral water content and neurological damage in ICH mice. We found that TIPE2 levels were significantly decreased in erythrocyte lysate-treated microglia compared to control microglia.Upregulation of TIPE2 decreased microglia activation and cytokine production and accelerated brain damage in ICH mice. Furthermore, upregulation of TIPE2 decreased the higher ratio of Blc-2/Bax and increased cleaved caspase-3 levels in ICH mice. In addition, upregulation of TIPE2 attenuated proinflammatory cytokine production, BBB disruption, and severe brain inflammation after ICH. These results demonstrated that TIPE2 was negatively correlated with the pathogenesis of ICH, which prevented brain injury and attenuated deleterious inflammatory responses following ICH. TIPE2 might serve as a novel target for ICH therapy. • TIPE2 levels were significantly decreased in erythrocyte lysate-treated macrophages compared to control macrophages. • Upregulation of TIPE2decreased macrophage activation and cytokine production and accelerated braindamage in ICH mice. • Upregulation of TIPE2attenuated proinflammatory cytokine production, BBB disruption, and severe brain inflammation after ICH. • TIPE2 was negativelycorrelated with the pathogenesis of ICH, and might serve as a novel target forICH therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gap between Neural Architecture Search (NAS) and hardware embedded accelerators degrades the deployment efficiency, due to the absent of rethinking the applicability of the searched network layer characteristics and hardware mapping. Therefore, this work proposes a novel hardware-aware NAS framework in consideration of a deduced efficiency metric. Beside, a layer adaptive scheduler and a coarse-grained reconfigurable computing architecture are developed to deploy the searched networks by selecting the most appropriate dataflow pattern layer-by-layer. Evaluation results show that the proposed NAS framework can search networks with high accuracy and low inference latency, and the proposed architecture provides power-efficiency improvement. • Bridge the applicability gap between NAS networks and hardware embedded accelerators. • A novel hardware-aware NAS framework that incorporates a deduced efficiency metric. • A layer adaptive scheduler that generates the optimal dataflow and control sequence. • A flexible coarse-grained reconfigurable architecture to deploy searched networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a water solution and with a low reaction temperature of 85 °C, the green preparation of lanthanum-modulated MOF-808 (Zr) was realized, the obtained La-MOF-808 have smaller grain size, larger specific surface area, higher pore volume and larger average pore diameter. When the molar ratio of La: Zr=1:1, 1L-MOF-808 had the best fluoride ion removal performance, and its maximum adsorption capacity for F- reached 101.4 mg/g, which was higher than that of the unmodulated MOF-808 and some other reported fluorine adsorbents. Meanwhile, the regeneration experiment demonstrated that even after five cycles, 1L-MOF-808 retained 73.8 % of its initial adsorption capacity, highlighting its commendable reusability. In addition, when 1L-MOF-808 was applied to actual fluorine-containing wastewater, with the fluoride ion concentration of 25.3 mg/L and an adsorbent dosage of 0.6 g/L, 1L-MOF-808 exhibited excellent resistance to anionic interference (SO 4 2-, Cl-), the concentration of fluoride ions in effluent was lower than 10 mg/L, meeting the stipulations of fluoride ion discharge outlined in GB39371–2020. Further adsorption mechanism investigation revealed that 1L-MOF-808's affinity for F- was attributed to electrostatic interaction and ligand exchange. Overall, the as-synthesized 1L-MOF-808 not only presents an environmentally friendly approach to producing MOF materials without organic solvents but also develops a new strategy for the design of high-performance adsorbent for effectively removing fluoride ions from wastewater. [Display omitted] • La-modulated MOF-808(Zr) was prepared for the first time and used to remove F-. • The adsorption mechanism involved electrostatic interaction and ligand exchange. • The maximum adsorption of 1LMOF-808 for F- was 101.4 mg/g. • La modulating provided additional active sites and improved the adsorption effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-view graph to sequence learning method is built to predict metro ridership. • The AW-MV-G2S model can uncover spatiotemporal dependencies between stations. • Three different types of adjacency matrixes are designed in the developed model. • The developed AW-MV-G2S model shows great transferability in other metro system. • The developed AW-MV-G2S model outperforms some state-of-the-art benchmark models. The primary objective of this study is to forecast network-wide multi-step metro ridership with a novel attention-weighted multi-view graph to sequence learning approach (AW-MV-G2S). The developed AW-MV-G2S model employs multiple graph convolutional neural networks to capture spatial heterogeneous correlations between stations from geographic distance view, functional similarity view and demand pattern view, respectively. A bidirectional LSTM neural network and the attention mechanism is utilized to encode the long-range temporal dependencies in multiple time steps. A three-month trip record of 64 stations on four metro lines is collected from Nanjing Metro System to validate the model. The results indicate that the developed AW-MV-G2S model can fully encode the spatiotemporal characteristics in network-wide metro ridership data, and achieve better prediction accuracy and more robust performance than other compared models when making predictions across multiple look-ahead time steps for all three metro station types. Moreover, the model transferability result also reveals that the developed multi-view graph-to-sequence learning framework can be well transferred to other metro systems with various network structures. The results of this study can help the metro system authorities to dynamically modify the operation plans according to the fluctuation of passenger flow, such as adjusting the headway and train dispatching schedule to ensure the service quality of the entire metro system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An adaptive event-triggered controller is designed for attitude tracking of RLV. • A novel event-triggered mechanism is designed to determine the update frequency of controller. • The proposed event-triggered mechanism reduces the consumption of transmission resources. • The PPC method is introduced to ensure the finite-time convergence of tracking errors. This paper is devoted to address the attitude tracking problem for reusable launch vehicle (RLV) with uncertain aerodynamic parameters, input saturation and limited transmission resources. Based on the framework of the backstepping technique, a novel event-triggered adaptive prescribed performance control protocol is presented. Firstly, an extended state observer is used to provide the estimation for the whole system uncertainties. Then, an event-triggered mechanism is applied to exactly determine when control signals should be updated, which successfully eliminates the unnecessary periodic/continuous sampling in time-triggered researches and creates less waste of transmission resources. To compensate the negative effects induced by the aperiodic updating of control signals in event-triggered mechanism, an appointed-time prescribed performance controller is devised. In this way, the stability and tracking performance for the attitude system of the RLV can be guaranteed simultaneously. Moreover, the detailed theoretical analysis confirms that Zeno-free triggering is completely guaranteed along with stability. Finally, extensive simulations are carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photocatalytic oxidative carboxylation to yield cyclic carbonates was a promising approach for value-added utilization of olefins. Herein, various ZnFe 2 O 4 (ZFO) based catalysts with different morphologies and supports were successfully prepared. Layered ZFO exposed highly active (422) crystal planes, which endowed the catalyst with narrow band gap and favorable electron transfer and charge separation, thereby promoting photocatalytic styrene epoxidation. Consequently, a 95 % selectivity for styrene oxide along with the complete conversion of styrene was achieved. Graphene with excellent electrical and thermal conductivity was compounded into ZFO based catalysts. On the one hand, ZFO/Graphene hybrids composed of 50 wt% graphene promoted fast charge transport in oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and the OER performance was comparable to the commercial RuO 2 electrocatalyst. On the other, it exhibited significant photothermal effect and used into CO 2 cycloaddition, delivering 95 % selectivity for styrene carbonate at a styrene oxide conversion of 95 %. As a result, a coupled photo-electro-heterogeneous catalytic system was proposed to yield styrene carbonate over ZFO based catalysts, including OER, styrene epoxidation and CO 2 cycloaddition. This study provided an effective avenue for designing and fabricating ZFO based catalysts by crystal plane and support control. An integrated photo-electro-heterogeneous catalytic system was proposed for the production of styrene carbonate over ZFO based catalysts. [Display omitted] • Catalytic property of ZFO catalysts was affected by morphologies and compositions. • Layered ZFO with strong (422) crystal plane showed an enhanced activity for styrene epoxidation. • Graphene-supported ZFO hybrids promoted OER and CO 2 cycloaddition. • A coupled photo-electro- catalytic system was proposed to yield styrene carbonate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holmium doped BaTiO 3 ceramics were prepared by a solid-state reaction. Colossal dielectric permittivity (≥105) and a very low loss tangent (<1.5%) at 10 kHz were achieved. Furthermore, the ceramics exhibit excellent temperature stability with a broad operating temperature range (25–400 °C). The evolution of the concentrations of oxygen vacancies and reduced Ti3+ was estimated by the XPS. Defect dipole complexes, coupled between the negatively and positively charged defects, are responsible for the observed huge dielectric permittivity. Temperature dependence of dc conductivity demonstrates that the stability of the defect dipole complexes matches the temperature range of stable dielectric properties. The result bridges a relationship between defect dipoles and dielectric behavior to understand the huge permittivity response and low loss mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Dongguashan porphyry-skarn-stratabound deposit were formed in Early Cretaceous magmatic-hydrothermal system. • Pyrite Re-Os dating yielded ages of 135.8 ± 2.8 Ma, which provide constraints on the mineralization of stratabound orebodies. • Formation mechanism and hydrothermal fluids for Dongguashan pyrite were constrained. Stratabound deposits are widely distributed along the Middle-Lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt (Eastern China). The stratabound mineralization system in these stratabound deposits remains enigmatic as to whether it is associated with late Mesozoic intrusions or late Carboniferous sedimentary exhalative processes. Dongguashan is a typical stratabound deposit and is characterized by pyrite that formed in porphyry-skarn-stratabound orebodies, which makes it ideal for comparing porphyry, skarn, and stratabound mineralization systems by pyrite study. We classify pyrite types according to occurrence and generation. Specifically, the pyrite in the porphyry orebodies is composed of Py-p1 (potassic zone) and Py-p2 (propylitic and phyllic zone). Py-s, among garnet grains, occurs in the skarn orebodies. From top to bottom, the pyrite in the stratabound orebodies is composed of macrocrystalline pyrite (Py-m) in the massive mineralization zone, Py-l in the laminated mineralization zone, and coarse-grained pyrite (Py-v1) and microcrystalline pyrite (Py-v2) in the vein-like mineralization zone. Co, Ni, Se, As, and Au are most likely to occur as solid solutions in the Dongguashan pyrite. Pb and Bi are likely distributed in Dongguashan pyrite homogeneously as nanoinclusions. The Zn, Cu, and Mo in Dongguashan pyrite indicate that these elements occur as micromineral inclusions. The positive correlation between S and Fe, high Co/Ni ratios (mostly > 2), and coexistence with hydrothermal minerals imply a magmatic-hydrothermal origin for the Dongguashan pyrite. Py-m yields a Re–Os isochron age of 135.8 ± 2.8 Ma (MSWD = 1.8), which is interpreted as the stratabound ore-forming age. Combined with previous results, the porphyry-skarn-stratabound mineralization is the product of the same hydrothermal fluid system related to Early Cretaceous magmatic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat transfer between contacting surfaces, is a key factor affecting the thermal performance of heat exchangers in power plants and other applications. Double-walled pipes, used in the heat exchangers, can significantly improve the safety factor of the system. In this research work, the thermal contact conductions (TCC) at the interfaces of double-walled stainless steel 316 L pipes under various contact pressures were investigated. These pipes were manufactured with the shrink-fitting method using servo-hydraulic universal testing machine. A numerical model, verified by X-ray diffraction analysis, was developed to investigate the contact pressure variation at the interfaces according to loading conditions. The contact pressure between the inner and outer walls was controlled in the range of 22.78 MPa to 25.70 MPa, by varying the tensile loading conditions. A phase-sensitive transient thermal method was developed to measure the thermal conductivity (TC) and TCC of double-walled pipes. TC was observed to be in the range of 15.13 W / mK to 15.84 W / mK while TCC at the interface was observed to increase sharply with the contact pressure, reaching 17 × 103 W / m 2 K under 25.70 MPa contact pressure. • Double-walled pipes are manufactured through shrink-fitting method at controlled loading conditions. • Numerical model and x-ray diffraction evaluates interface contact pressure. • Phase-sensitive transient thermal method is used to find the thermal contact conductance. • Thermal contact conductance is directly proportional to contact pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand for electric vehicles has led to an urgent need for higher-energy-density batteries. Silicon (Si) has been regarded as an alternative to graphite as an anode material owing to its high theoretical capacity. Nevertheless, the large volume change in Si during repeated charge/discharge causes serious particle fracture, leading to rapid capacity degradation. Silicon suboxide (SiO x) anodes show better cycling performance than Si because of their alleviated volume variation, yet still have unsatisfactory electrode reaction kinetics. Herein, fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC)-based electrolyte is proposed to enhance the electrochemical properties of SiO x anodes. A higher specific capacity of ∼1500 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and an excellent rate capability of ∼1050 mAh g−1 at 4 A g−1 are obtained for the SiO x anode, which ensures an 83.5% capacity retention of SiO x ||LiFePO 4 cells after 300 cycles. The theoretical calculations and experimental studies reveal that FEC forms a weakly solvating electrolyte, enabling easier Li-ion desolvation and fast electrode reaction kinetics. Moreover, FEC reinforces the Li+-anion coordination owing to its weak solvating capability, thus a LiF-rich electrode/electrolyte interphase is formed through the co-decomposition of FEC and PF 6 − anions, leading to a tough SEI film formation with rapid ionic conductivity and good mechanical property. [Display omitted] • Excellent rate performance and cycling stability are achieved for microsized SiO x. • Constructing weak solvation structure by FEC to reduce Li+ desolvation energy. • Anion-derived SEI film is promoted by FEC-driven solvation sheath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COF-C 4 N, an effective oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalyst with a low overpotential, has ideal N-edge cavities for anchoring transition metal (TM) sites to achieve single atom catalysts (SACs) with higher OER activity. To screen out the optimal TM, two descriptors for characterizing the OER activities are proposed based on systematic density-functional theory calculations for two different classes of COF, TM-COF-C 4 N and TM-Aza-CMP. Among them, Co-COF-C 4 N and Ni-COF-C 4 N are theoretically suggested to be highly active and low-cost OER SACs for target synthesis. Followed by a series of structural characterizations (PXRD, XPS, FT-IR, EXAFS, ICP, TEM and SEM) as well as OER performance measurement, it is confirmed that Co-COF-C 4 N exhibits excellent OER activity with an overpotential of 280 mV at 10 mA cm−2, more active than most of previously reported OER electrocatalysts. The molecular mechanism underlying the high activity is explored. [Display omitted] • Two descriptors for characterizing OER activities were developed for SACs TM-COF-C 4 N. • Descriptors are generalized to other nanosheets with N-edge cavities like TM-Aza-CMP. • Co/Ni-COF-C 4 N are targeted synthesized as predicted low-cost efficient OER catalysts • Co-COF-C 4 N is verified with a very low OER overpotential of 280 mV at 10 mA cm−2. • The molecular mechanism is explored based on computed electronic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon suboxide (SiO x , 0

[Display omitted] • GS and ALN were sustainably released using the water absorption pathways. • SDBCs provided favorable expansion and mechanical properties. • SDBCs had excellent in vitro cellular activity and in vivo biocompatibility. Although drug-loaded polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement had been widely used in the vertebroplasty and arthroplasty, the mismatch between the drug release cycle and clinical demand, as well as low drug release rate and single therapeutic effect restricted the use of PMMA bone cement as the drug carrier in clinical applications. In this study, poly(methyl methacrylate-acrylic acid)-alendronate [P(MMA-AA)-ALN] drug-loaded nanoparticles with anti-osteoporosis function were synthesized and introduced into the gentamicin sulfate (GS) loaded PMMA bone cement. The rapidly expandable bone cement with water absorption pathways was constructed by adjusting the particle size of P(MMA-AA)-ALN nanoparticles. More importantly, the sustained release of GS and ALN were creatively achieved by their migration through the water absorption pathways composed of P(MMA-AA)-ALN nanoparticles. The results showed that the cumulative release ratios of GS and ALN in the composites were up to 74.67 ± 1.02 % and 75.23 ± 1.96 %. Meanwhile, the release cycles of GS and ALN were extended to 4 weeks and 15 weeks, effectively preventing infection, and matching the normal bone healing cycle. In addition, the swelling and dual drug release bone cement (SDBC) displayed superior antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The high accuracy 2D transient heat transfer model is established by machine learning. • A surface heat transfer estimation for the moving cooling process is proposed. • The effects of experimental conditions on the heat transfer process are revealed. • A high-precision open-source heat flux prediction software is developed. The heat transfer model plays a significant role in improving the steel quality during quench cooling by water jet impingement. However, the available models are still incapable of accurately modeling the heat transfer process. In this work, we perform the multiple impingements of jet on high-temperature steel plate surface experimentally and reveal the effects of surface temperatures, jet velocity, moving speed, and equalization time on the heat transfer behaviors. Then, we propose a time-constrained surface heat flux calculation method to measure the transient heat flux more accurately. Even in the case of lower temperature measurement frequency and larger heat conduction delay, precise calculation results can also be predicted. Importantly, a machine learning method is employed to fit and analyze a large number of experimental data, the machine learning model can predict two-dimensional (2D) transient heat flux in the moving cooling process and the accuracy can be continuously reinforced with the increase of experimental data. Based on the well-trained machine learning model, a heat flux prediction software is developed and open access at GitHub. This work provides an accurate heat transfer model for numerical analysis and shows great application potential in the steel industry, and the results will help deepen the understanding of the heat transfer mechanism. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CoFe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 p-n heterojunction photocatalysts have been successfully synthesized. The formation of p-n heterojunction and the unique morphology of g-C 3 N 4 enhanced electron transfer and charge separation, leading to a significant improvement in photocatalytic efficiency. 5-CoFe 2 O 4 /CNS not only had a high photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 18.9 mmol·g−1·h−1, but also possessed an efficient photocatalytic fluoroquinolone antibiotics removal efficiency. A smaller band gap in 5-CoFe 2 O 4 /CNS photocatalyst promoted more light generated electrons under visible light irradiation. An internal electric field at the contact interface accelerated the accumulation of electrons and holes in the valence band of g-C 3 N 4 and conduction band of CoFe 2 O 4 , thereby revealing a higher separation efficiency and noticeable inhibited recombination rate of the photoinduced electrons and holes. Also, improved removal efficiency for fluoroquinolone antibiotics was attained in the self-designed acousto-optic microreactor, which was 7.2 and 30 times higher than quartz glass tube and batch experiment, respectively. [Display omitted] • The formation of p-n heterojunction with internal electric field showed an activity superior to individual constituents. • Photocatalytic activity of CoFe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 p-n heterojunctions was affected by composition ratio and morphologies. • The formation of p-n heterojunctions was associated with the morphology of g-C 3 N 4. • 5-CoFe 2 O 4 /CNS possessed a larger specific surface area, more photo-generated electrons, excellent separation efficiency • A novel acousto-optic microreactor further improved the removal efficiency with 30-fold higher than the batch experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Graphite layer coated Ni-Fe foam was prepared by CVD as negative current collector. • Graphite@Ni-Fe (GNF) foam shows good lithiophilicity and high corrosion resistance. • The Li/GNF||Bi batteries exhibit excellent cycling stability and rate capability. [Display omitted] Negative current collectors play vital roles in the electrochemical performance of liquid metal batteries (LMBs). Employing a three-dimensional (3D) current collector is an effective approach to host molten lithium and reduce the effective current density. The Ni-Fe foam is a frequently used 3D current collector for the negative electrode. However, the corrosion of molten lithium towards the Ni-Fe foam skeleton devastates the 3D structure of the current collector and so deteriorates seriously the electrochemical performance of LMB. To enhance the corrosion resistivity, herein, the graphite layer coated Ni-Fe foam (Graphite@Ni-Fe) is prepared by the chemical vapor deposition method. The prepared scaly-like graphite layer plays a bifunctional role in chemistry, preventing corrosion as an effective barrier and improving remarkably the surface lithiophilicity of Ni-Fe foam. The assembled Li||Bi batteries with Graphite@Ni-Fe foam as negative current collector exhibit stable cycling performance with capacity retention of 98.10% and high Coulombic efficiencies over 98.3% at 0.4 A cm−2 over 100 cycles at 500 °C. More importantly, outstanding rate capability is achieved and almost no capacity degradation is observed upon current density change from 0.2 to 2.0 A cm−2. This work highlights the importance of the lithiophilicity and the corrosion resistance ability of the negative current collectors for LMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical reduction of nitrogen (NRR) is emerging as a promising strategy for energy-efficient and low-emission synthesis of NH 3 under ambient conditions. However, the large-scale application of this technology is hindered by the poor N 2 adsorption, sluggish reaction kinetics and strong competition from the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this work, the Re-doped TiO 2 nanofibers (Re-TiO 2 NFs) with abundant grain boundaries and oxygen vacancies were prepared by electrospinning technology. The Re-doping can significant improve the NRR activity of TiO 2 NFs with higher NH 3 yield rate (from 14.1 to 22.7 µg h−1 mg cat. −1) and Faradaic efficiency (from 9.4 % to 18.1%). This work not only reveals fundamental insights on the doping effect of Re on TiO 2 as NRR electrocatalyst and provides a brand new avenue to explore efficient electrocatalysts for NRR. [Display omitted] • The Re-doped TiO 2 nanofibers are constructed for the first time. • Rhenium doping promotes oxygen vacancies and grain boundaries formation. • The Re substitutions lead to electronic structure rearrangement. • Rhenium doping can significant improve the NRR activity of TiO 2 NFs. • The NH 3 yield rate and FE reach 22.7 µg h−1 mg cat. −1 and 18.1%, respectively. To improve the electrocatalytic activity of catalysts, tailoring the electronic structures of catalysts by transition metal doping and defect engineering is an efficient method. Herein, two methods are skillfully combined to modulate the structure of TiO 2 toward the electrochemical N 2 reduction reaction through rhenium doping, which concurrently induced the generation of abundant grain boundaries and oxygen vacancies. The prepared Re-doped TiO 2 nanofibers exhibited a considerable average ammonia yield rate (22.7 µg h−1 mg cat. −1) and Faradaic efficiency (18.1 %) at an applied potential of -0.3 V vs. RHE. Experimental results, combined with theoretical calculations, reveal that rhenium doping is beneficial to improving the reducibility and conductivity of TiO 2 , thus favoring the NRR process. All these results prove that this work can provide a new avenue to design the next generation of electrocatalysts for NRR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time shield tail clearance measurement and monitoring is a key task during shield tunneling construction. The shield tail clearance measurement and monitoring technology development is still in its infancy, the current methods are mainly designed manually based on intuition. In order to fill the gap between the requirement of shield tail clearance measurement and monitoring and the limitations of the current methods, this paper systematically studies the existing mechanisms related to shield tail clearance measurement and monitoring, and develops a high-precision intelligent monitoring system for shield tail clearance. The proposed monitoring system includes four components: 1) two types of shield tail clearance calculation models, 2) the integrated hardware of the monitoring system which is composed of a data acquisition unit, a signal transmission unit and a control unit, 3) the region of interest (ROI) extraction method based on deep neural network, and the image processing algorithms for image enhancement and feature extraction, 4) the custom-developed software built on mature integrated development environment (IDE). After the calculation model of shield tail clearance is established, the system uses monitoring devices equipped with industrial cameras to obtain the on-site image, and then applies image processing technologies along with deep learning approach to extract the key features, which are brought into the model to calculate the values of shield tail clearance, finally displays these values and simulates the current tunneling attitude of the shield machine in real time. The experimental results show that the system proposed in this paper achieves the goal of high precision measuring and real-time monitoring of the shield tail clearance. • A high-precision intelligent monitoring system for shield tail clearance is proposed and invented. • Two types of shield tail clearance calculation models are presented. • The ROI extraction is taken as an object detection problem and solved by an end-to-end solution. • Comprehensive algorithms of image processing are used for image enhancement and feature extraction. • The high accuracy, stability and real-time performance of the system have been confirmed through experimental testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model can be used to diagnose regional land-atmosphere (L-A) coupling strength in the absence of sufficient observations but subjected to uncertainties associated with model physical parameterizations. In this study, we propose a framework to quantify and reduce model physical parameterization uncertainties associated with surface fluxes and L-A coupling. An ensemble of WRF simulations with different physical schemes is used to simulate surface fluxes and land-atmosphere coupling strength over the Amazon region. The physical parameterizations investigated include cloud microphysics (MP), land surface processes (LSM), planetary boundary layer (PBL), surface layer (SL), and cumulus (CU). We perform 120 ensemble simulations using the WRF model and different combinations of six MPs, three LSMs, six PBLs and SLs and three CUs. The measurements from the GoAMAZON field campaign and satellite data are used to evaluate model performance. A Multi-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) approach is applied to quantify the relative importance of different physics processes on L-A coupling. The Tukey's test is used to sort schemes that have no significant differences into one group. The suite of physics that result in the best simulations of the corresponding variables are selected based on the Taylor skill score. Results show that the relative importance of processes and their interaction vary with the variables of interest. For example, CU was the most important process in modulating soil moisture, 2 m-humidity, latent heat, and net radiation. LSM showed dominant effects on 2 m-temperature and also has the largest impact on sensible heat and the lifting condensation level. The best physical parameterization ensembles show much narrower ranges of the variables of interest than the priori ensemble. Results of this study show the roles of different physical processes in modulating L-A interactions, quantify model uncertainties from physical processes, and provide insights for improving the model physics parameterizations. • A framework for quantifying physical parameterization uncertainties is proposed. • Results show that the relative importance of processes and their interaction vary with the variables of interest. • Cumulus parameterization is the most important process for soil moisture, surface humidity, latent heat and net radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Static tests and fatigue tests were performed on Al-Li alloy stiffened panels under shear loading. • The curvature is defined to capture the critical buckling load. • The fatigue failure modes of stiffened panels can be summarized as bolt falling off, skin tearing and small cracks. • A simplified analysis process was proposed to predict the fatigue life of stiffener panels under shear loading. In order to study buckling fatigue behavior and failure modes of 2A97 Al-Li alloy stiffened panels under shear loading, 1.2 mm and 1.5 mm thick 2A97 Al-Li alloy stiffened panels were designed and manufactured. The static and fatigue tests were performed under shear loading. The results indicate that the shear failure modes of stiffened panels are global buckling wave, skin cracks and rivets falling off. The effect of skin thickness on the buckling load is greater than that on the ultimate load. The fatigue failure processes of stiffened panels include gradual failure and catastrophic failure. The fatigue failure modes are complex and rivet falling off is most dangerous. Panels with cracks or broken rivets still has residual life. Once the skin tears, the panel will immediately fail. The total fatigue life and initial fatigue life of 1.5 mm stiffened panel are 28.87% and 59.88% higher than those of 1.2 mm stiffened panel respectively, while the residual life is 87.68% lower. The finite element models were established to simulate the buckling and post-buckling process of the stiffened panels, and the local stress spectrum of the fatigue dangerous point was obtained. Goodman's theory and nominal stress method was combined to predict the fatigue life and to explain the experimental findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A non-continuous two-step foaming process was reported to prepare microcellular epoxy/carbon nanofiber (EP/CNF) composite foams. This approach involved firstly limited-foaming epoxy tablets in a mold with a fixed cavity to obtain preformed foams with designed anisotropic cellular structure and following by free-foaming them in a heating oven. The evolution of cell morphology, rearrangement of carbon nanofibers, and changes of the mechanical and electrical properties in epoxy composite foams during the two-step foaming process were systematically investigated. Although the anisotropic cellular structure tended to become isotropic after reheating, the final composite foams (Two-step foam) still exhibited an anisotropy in the electrically conductive and mechanical properties. This result was attributed to that the further growth of anisotropic bubbles cannot completely disrupt the vertical alignment of CNF. The oriented CNF, in turn, significantly hindered the expansion in that direction, leading to an anisotropic expansion of the preformed foams during reheating, which could inevitably affect the evolution of cell morphology. In addition, the two-step foaming process effectively eliminated the negative effect of compressed gas occurring during the limited-foaming process, enhancing the glass transition temperature nearly to that of the foams prepared through the free-foaming process. This work opens a potential avenue to realign the nanofillers and prepare composite foams with tunable properties. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]