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Acoustic tomography is a widely used non-contact method for visualizing temperature distribution. A temperature distribution reconstruction algorithm based on an improved sparse reconstruction model and multi-scale feature fusion network is proposed. First, the acoustic temperature measurement sparse reconstruction model is improved by combining the error function (ERF) and the iterative reweighting algorithm, and the alternating direction method of multipliers algorithm (ADMM) is used to solve the model to obtain the initial temperature distribution. Then the feature extraction network is constructed to extract multi-scale features of acoustic time of flight (TOF) as prior information. Finally, the feature fusion reconstruction network is constructed to fuse and reconstruct the initial temperature distribution and multi-scale features to obtain a high-precision temperature distribution. Simulation and experimental tests were conducted respectively, and compared with other algorithms. The results show that the average relative error and root mean square error of the simulated temperature distribution reconstruction are 0.073% and 0.1% respectively, the average reconstruction error of the temperature points set in the experimental test is 0.38%, and the reconstruction errors are lower than other algorithms. The proposed method effectively utilizes prior information to correct sparse reconstruction temperature distribution reconstruction results, significantly improving the quality of temperature distribution reconstruction. [Display omitted] • Acoustic tomography technology is used for temperature distribution reconstruction. • The improved sparse reconstruction model can improve the accuracy of initial temperature distribution reconstruction. • The feature extraction network can perform multi-scale feature extraction on the time-of-flight of acoustic waves. • The feature fusion reconstruction network can improve the utilization of prior information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic tomography is a widely used non-contact method for visualizing temperature distribution. A temperature distribution reconstruction algorithm based on an improved sparse reconstruction model and multi-scale feature fusion network is proposed. First, the acoustic temperature measurement sparse reconstruction model is improved by combining the error function (ERF) and the iterative reweighting algorithm, and the alternating direction method of multipliers algorithm (ADMM) is used to solve the model to obtain the initial temperature distribution. Then the feature extraction network is constructed to extract multi-scale features of acoustic time of flight (TOF) as prior information. Finally, the feature fusion reconstruction network is constructed to fuse and reconstruct the initial temperature distribution and multi-scale features to obtain a high-precision temperature distribution. Simulation and experimental tests were conducted respectively, and compared with other algorithms. The results show that the average relative error and root mean square error of the simulated temperature distribution reconstruction are 0.073% and 0.1% respectively, the average reconstruction error of the temperature points set in the experimental test is 0.38%, and the reconstruction errors are lower than other algorithms. The proposed method effectively utilizes prior information to correct sparse reconstruction temperature distribution reconstruction results, significantly improving the quality of temperature distribution reconstruction. [Display omitted] • Acoustic tomography technology is used for temperature distribution reconstruction. • The improved sparse reconstruction model can improve the accuracy of initial temperature distribution reconstruction. • The feature extraction network can perform multi-scale feature extraction on the time-of-flight of acoustic waves. • The feature fusion reconstruction network can improve the utilization of prior information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Ta addition on characterization of primary MC carbides with regard to their morphology, composition, and size in Ti-Nb-Mo-W-alloyed Ni-based superalloy were investigated. Several tools including automated scanning electron microscopy as well as electrolytic etching technology were used for broad characterization of carbides including three-dimensional morphology. The addition of Ta significantly influences the composition and morphology of primary MC carbides. Large dendrite (Ti,Nb,W,Mo)C carbides were changed to smaller (Ta,Ti,Nb)C carbides. The hardness of both MC primary carbides and the matrix were increased. MC carbides in the studied superalloys were developed dendrite in three-dimensional morphology, which was much larger than that in two-dimensional morphology. The formation mechanism of carbides was clarified by thermodynamic calculation. • Ta addition changed the composition and size of primary carbides significantly. • Ta addition increased the hardness of both MC primary carbides and the matrix. • Automated SEM was used to automatically analyze the characteristic of carbides. • Electrolytic etching technology was used for 3D characterization of carbides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-strength concrete (HSC) suffers severe shrinkage, which deteriorates the structural safety of buildings over time. Therefore, this study aims to search for indexes that could reflect the development of early drying shrinkage in HSC with different types/quantities of minerals. The influences of minerals on the internal pore structure and water evaporation of HSC were investigated by experimental work, whose correlation with early drying shrinkage was clarified. The results indicated that pore size distribution (PSD) and water evaporation of HSC should be taken into account simultaneously, facilitating the proposal of a two-factor parameter, r s , and a smaller r s was accompanied by greater drying shrinkage of samples. In addition, only partial mesopore lost water that led to drying shrinkage of HSC instead of water in all mesopores. Finally, an early drying shrinkage model of HSC based on r s was established correspondingly, which was in line with the experimental data, showing great accuracy, suitability and values in practice in reflecting early drying shrinkage behaviors of the HSC selected in this study. However, the current model is based on pore structure parameters obtained from mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). The backscattered electron image analysis (BSE-IA) measurement of pore structure indicates that MIP underestimates the content of pores larger than 200 nm. Therefore, the actual parameter r s should be greater than the currently calculated value. In the future, with the development of pore structure testing techniques, a more accurate r s value that closely represents the true value should be obtained, and a more universal model that considers several factors should be established. • Influences of different types/quantities of minerals on HSC were studied. • Correlation between pore structures and water evaporation of HSC were investigated. • The pore structure of HSC was investigated using both MIP and BSE-IA. • A two-factor parameter, r s in HSC was proposed to characterize shrinkage of HSC. • The early drying shrinkage model of HSC based on r s fitted well with the test results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wound of diabetes has long-term excessive inflammation leading to wound fibrosis and scar formation. In the process of diabetic wound healing, good wound dressing is required for intervention. In this study, we designed a dihydromyricetin-loaded hydrogel (PCD) based on phellinus igniarius polysaccharide and l-arginine modified chitosan as an alternative material to promote diabetes wound healing. PCD had a uniform porous structure, good thermal stability, excellent mechanical properties, high water absorption, excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and good biocompatibility and biodegradability. In addition, in the full-thickness skin trauma model of diabetes, PCD significantly inhibited the JNK signaling pathway to reduce inflammatory response, and significantly down-regulated the expression of TGF-β1, Smad2, Smad3 and Smad4 to directly inhibit the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway to accelerate wound healing and slow down scar formation in diabetes mice. Therefore, PCD has a broad application prospect in promoting diabetes wound healing. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NDVI time series predictions for the Yellow River Basin, China. • Proposed multivariate Long-Short Term Memory neural network incorporating climate elements. • The common constraining effects of multiple climatic factors on NDVI are fully accounted for in the model proposed in the study. Accurate prediction of the trend of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) is crucial for the assessment of the hydrological and ecological environment in this region. Currently, the NDVI time series prediction model is primarily based on traditional models and single-variable neural network models. Nevertheless, these models present challenges in considering the limitations of multiple factors, causing the NDVI time series prediction results to lack reliability. To predict NDVI time-series in the YRB of China, this study constructed a multilayer multivariate Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) neural network model including climatic components. The initial important climatic elements in this region were identified using GeoDetector. Then, the relationship between NDVI and climatic factors in the YRB of China is established. Finally, numerical scale data are used to train and predict a multilayer multivariate LSTM model with climatic components. According to the results, the three-layer multivariate LSTM neural network NDVI time series prediction model developed in this study has the best performance among the evaluated indices. When compared to existing time series prediction models, the proposed model in this study takes into account the common constraint effect of various climate factors on NDVI. This leads to a significantly improved prediction accuracy, presenting new opportunities for enhancing the prediction model. By analyzing the NDVI time series prediction outcomes for the YRB, it has been determined that the ecological environment of the area will continuously improve in the future. This study offers significant technological and theoretical backing for assessing the hydrological and ecological environment of the YRB and comparable ecologically vulnerable regions in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional computational model, coupled with the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) model and Volume of Fluid (VOF) multiphase model, was established to investigate the two-phase flow and slag entrainment during steel bloom continuous casting. The influence of the in-mold electromagnetic stirring (M-EMS), casting speed, and submerged entry nozzle (SEN) immersion depth on the flow pattern and slag entrainment were evaluated. The number, size, velocity, and spatial distribution of slag droplets were counted and the location, velocity and probability of the slag entrainment on the meniscus were exported in real time through a user defined function. The result shows that the slag entrainment mainly occurred around the 1/4 width of the mold. The equivalent diameter of most slag droplets was 2–6 mm under the current casting condition. A formula for the equivalent diameter distribution of slag droplets was proposed according to the statistical result. [Display omitted] • Transient two-phase flow and slag entrainment in steel bloom continuous casting. • Number, size, velocity, and spatial distribution of slag droplets. • Quantitative study on slag entrapment and liquid level fluctuation. • Location, velocity and probability of the slag entrainment on the meniscus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas-liquid two-phase flow is closely related to the production and transportation of energy industries. A flow pattern analysis and identification method based on multi-scale power spectral entropy (MPSE) with pseudo-image encoding (PIE) is proposed. The resistance sensor array is used to collect gas-liquid two-phase flow information from the vertical upward pipeline, and the data is dimensionally reduced to simplify analysis. The MPSE is derived from the power spectrum of reduced-dimensional sequences to characterize the frequency domain complexity of the flow system at different scales. The optimal scale for spectral entropy analysis is further calculated to investigate the transition mechanism of gas-liquid two-phase flow patterns. In addition, the PIE algorithm is used to map the power spectrum into two-dimensional grayscale images to visualize the differences in frequency domain features of flow patterns. Combined with the deep learning model ResNeXt, the flow patterns are classified and compared with the traditional identification scheme. Results show that the proposed method can reveal the dynamic evolution behavior of gas-liquid two-phase flow from the frequency domain and achieve accurate identification of the flow patterns. • Gas/liquid two-phase flow information is collected using a resistance sensor array. • The multi-scale power spectral entropy can effectively reveal the transition mechanism of flow patterns. • Pseudo-image encoding can highlight the differences in frequency domain features between flow patterns. • The ResNeXt model can well distinguish the four patterns of gas/liquid two-phase flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• FA is not effective in reducing early-age shrinkage under wind speed conditions. • Wind speed and FA enhance water evaporation at different stages. • r s can characterizes early shrinkage changes in cement paste with FA and wind speed. • BSE-IA can intuitively characterize pore size distribution above 200 nm. • The current r s obtained based on MIP may be smaller than the actual value. While laboratory studies have shown that fly ash (FA) can reduce shrinkage in cement-based materials in the absence of wind, its impact on cement-based materials under wind speed conditions has not been extensively studied. This research investigates the influence of FA on the early-age shrinkage of cement paste under various wind speeds. The corresponding changes in pore structure were tested using mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and backscattered electron image analysis (BSE-IA). The results show that under wind speed conditions, FA is not effective in reducing early-age shrinkage of cement paste. In fact, high levels of FA content can increase shrinkage values under wind speed conditions. Both wind speed and FA increase water evaporation, but they have different impact times. Although both wind speed and FA decrease mesopore content below 50 nm and increase water evaporation, they have opposite effects on early-age shrinkage. This suggests that mesopore content and water evaporation alone cannot fully characterize the change trend of early drying shrinkage. The two-factor parameter r s , which combines water evaporation and MIP-based pore size distribution, can effectively characterize drying shrinkage trends under the combined effects of wind speed and FA. BSE-IA can intuitively characterize pore size distribution above 200 nm, while the results of MIP underestimate the distribution of large capillary pores. Therefore, the current r s obtained based on MIP may be smaller than the actual value. With the advancement of testing technology in the future, r s can be further optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green and efficient machining of composites is a research focus. In this paper, the high-speed cutting performance of CFRP was investigated using a diamond-coated end mill and regular 24-sided polygonal trajectory side milling method. The effects of fiber orientation angle, cooling and lubrication conditions, milling style, and cutting speed on cutting forces, surface quality, cutting temperature, and tool wear were studied in detail. A material removal model was proposed for typical fiber orientation angles. The results showed that Gr-NMQL can reduce cutting forces by 15–25%, surface roughness (Sa) by up to 25%, cutting temperature by about 40%, and tool wear by approximately 55% compared to dry cutting. Cryogenic cutting lowered surface roughness by 40%, cutting temperature by 55%, and tool wear by 65%. Additionally, a specific pattern was observed in the cutting forces and surface roughness with a 15° fiber orientation angle increment. High-speed cutting in the up milling style was beneficial for improving the machining performance. Up milling improved cutting performance, reducing cutting forces (30%−40%), surface roughness (25%), and tool wear (15%−30%) compared to down milling. Chip analysis confirmed the transverse brittle fracture mode of fiber removal without plastic deformation. These findings are significant for sustainable machining of CFRP. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inadequate angiogenesis and inflammation at the wound site have always been a major threat to skin wounds, especially for diabetic wounds that are difficult to heal. Therefore, hydrogel dressings with angiogenesis and antibacterial properties are very necessary in practical applications. This study reported a hydrogel (PCA) based on L-arginine conjugated chitosan (CA) and aldehyde functionalized polysaccharides of Phellinus igniarius (OPPI) as an antibacterial and pro-angiogenesis dressing for wound repair in diabetes for the first time. and discussed its possible mechanism for promoting wound healing. The results showed that PCA had good antioxidant, antibacterial, biological safety and other characteristics, and effectively promoted the healing course of diabetic wound model. In detail, the H&E and Masson staining results showed that PCA promoted normal epithelial formation and collagen deposition. The Western blot results confirmed that PCA decreased the inflammation by inhibiting the IKBα/NF-κB signaling pathway and enhanced angiogenesis by adjusting the level of HIF-1α. In conclusion, PCA is a promising candidate for promoting wound healing in diabetes. Graphic abstract. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing flexible and binder-free electrodes with superior electrochemical performance is the critical key for flexible electronics and wearable devices. MoTe 2 , a typical two-dimensional (2D) layered material, has emerged as an attractive anode material for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) because its abundant active sites and rapid Na+ transfer and storage. In this work, a series of flexible MoTe 2 /C nanofibers (NFs) are successfully synthesized via a facile electrospinning process with tellurization treatment. As binder and current collector-free anodes, the optimized MoTe 2 /C-600 shows significantly enhanced Na+ storage performance, which delivers a high reversible capacity of 294 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1 and an ultra-long time cycling performance of 5000 cycles at 1.0 A g−1. The as-prepared MoTe 2 /C NFs possess double merits of well 1D conductive paths and 3D ion diffusion channels, which effectively boost the electron/Na+ transfer. Meanwhile, its excellent flexibility and mechanical strength greatly enhance the cycling stability. More importantly, in-situ X-ray diffraction and ex-situ transmission electron microscope were employed to demonstrate its structure evolution, revealing that the high capacity of MoTe 2 /C-600 results from the cooperation of Na+ intercalation and conversion reaction. The findings of this study provide a better understanding on the sodium storage mechanism of MoTe 2 -based flexible electrodes. [Display omitted] • Flexible MoTe 2 /C nanofibers are successfully employed as binder-free anodes. • Freestanding MoTe 2 /C nanofibers exhibit excellent Na+ storage performance. • In situ XRD and ex situ HRTEM analyses reveal the Na+ storage mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the depletion of river sand and the rising price of quartz sand, more and more researchers are trying to use manufactured sand to prepare ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). However, due to the large amount of fine particles and high water demand, few studies are available to directly use the manufactured sand in its original state to prepare UHPC. To overcome the above problems, in this study, two locally available recycled manufactured sands are used as aggregates, and an attempt is made to maximize the use of their original gradation to prepare a cleaner construction production integrating high flowability, excellent mechanical performance, high cost-effective and environmentally-friendly property that meets the engineering requirements. The properties of workability, mechanical strengths, volume stability, hydration degree, pore structures, morphology of interfacial transition zone (ITZ), carbon emission and production cost are evaluated and discussed. Results indicate that all the mixtures prepared in this study can be considered to have high flowability except when granite sand is completely used. The mixture containing 75% tuff sand can even reach a compressive strength of 166.2 MPa, which is 10.5% higher than the reference one. A reduction of 28.9% can be observed in the early-age autogenous shrinkage of tuff sand UHPC as compared to the reference specimen. The mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and X-ray computed tomography (X-CT) results demonstrate that the micropore volume, porosity and number of mesopores of UHPC increase to a certain extent when manufactured sand is utilized. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation reveals the most compact ITZ between cement paste and waste tuff sand. Additionally, the recycled manufactured sand UHPC can diminish the carbon emission of 19 kg and the cost of 27.4% (granite sand) and 25.5% (tuff sand) per cubic meter, showing excellent environmental and economical benefits. • Two locally available recycled manufactured sands were used to replace the refined quartz sand. • An attempt was made to maximize the use of the original gradation of the recycled sands. • The CO 2 emission was diminished by 19 kg and the prices were lowered by at least 25.5% to produce 1 m3 manufactured sands UHPC. • The prepared cleaner production integrated high flowability, advanced mechanical properties and excellent environmental and economical benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hierarchical MoTe 2 /C nanoflowers are successfully fabricated. • Effects of tellurization temperature and raw material ratio are systematically investigated. • MoTe 2 /C nanoflowers exhibit excellent sodium storage performance. • MoTe 2 /C nanoflowers can be successfully applied in an electronic watch. Developing a suitable anode material for rapid sodium ion transfer and storage is a common challenge for application of sodium ion batteries (SIBs). As a typical two-dimensional (2D) layered material, some potential advantages can be discovered from MoTe 2 such as unique structural feature, abundant active sites and rapid Na+ intercalation/de-intercalation. However, the stacking of layers, collapse of structure and large volume expansion still affect the Na+ storage performance of MoTe 2 anode material. In this work, we report a nanoflower like MoTe 2 /C as an excellent anode material for SIBs, which is synthesized via a simple method containing chelation, preoxidation and tellurization from Mo-PDA, MoO x /C to MoTe 2 /C. Through controlling the reasonable tellurization temperatures and suitable mass proportion between Mo raw material and dopamine hydrochloride, the best performance of MoTe 2 /C-600 can be obtained, which shows a higher initial capacity of 580 mAh/g and 250 mAh/g after 100 cycles at 0.1A/g compared with other tested samples. Besides, MoTe 2 /C-600 delivers an ultra-long time cycling performance of 3000 cycles and the capacity still retains 190 mAh/g at 1.0 A/g. After assembled with Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 (NVP), a full-cell retains 109 mAh/g after 50 cycles at 0.1A/g. The 3D connected network between petals of flower like MoTe 2 /C can effectively suppress the volume expansion or pulverization to the boost the Na+ storage performance. This work offers new clues to construct MoTe 2 -based composites with unique and robust nanostructures for electrochemical energy-storage application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the challenges in satellite data assimilation involving cloud and precipitation processes, an all-sky radiance assimilation scheme (referred to as the 'scheme') that includes hydrometeor analysis is constructed based on the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD)-3DEnVar method. Three key elements of the scheme are: (1) four hydrometeor mixing ratios for cloud-water, cloud-ice, rain, and snow in the control variables of the POD-3DEnVar method; (2) an extension of the Community Radiative Transfer Model interface to include hydrometeor profiles; and (3) multiple physical process model forecasts that use multiple microphysical and cumulus parameterization schemes as ensemble samples to estimate the flow-dependent background error covariance of the control variables, including those for hydrometeors. To evaluate the performance of the scheme, single-observation experiments and observation system simulation experiments (OSSEs) were designed for a binary typhoon case. Results for the single observation experiments show that the scheme can accurately assimilate satellite radiance near typhoon centers and produce reasonable increments for the hydrometeor variables. The background error covariances of the hydrometeor variables have reasonable flow-dependent characteristics. Results for the OSSEs have root-mean-square errors for all control variables of the assimilation analysis field with respect to the 'true' field that are lower than those obtained without assimilation. This indicates that the scheme effectively reduces error for all control variables, including those for hydrometeors. Forecasting experiments reveal that these improvements in the assimilation of control variables result in improved forecasts. However, improvements in the hydrometeor variables are of shorter duration than are those of the other control variables. The impact of improvements in the assimilation on typhoon track and intensity are obvious in the forecasting field. • An all-sky radiance assimilation scheme is constructed based on the POD-3DEnVar method. • The OSSEs indicate that the scheme reduces error for all control variables, including those for hydrometeors. • The impact of improvements in the assimilation on typhoon track and intensity are obvious in the forecasting field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials could promote cement hydration that leads to better strength development, but their impacts on early shrinkage (up to 72 h) are rarely comprehensively researched. This study aims to investigate the effects of nano-CaCO 3 (NC) on early shrinkage and the tensile properties of cement paste, which contains various contents of NC. Before the shrinkage modeling, early shrinkage, water losses, bound water contents (BWC) and pore size distributions (PSD) of cement paste were obtained first. In addition, the tensile strength and tensile strain capacity of the samples were also measured. Results show that the addition of NC increased early total/autogenous shrinkage of cement paste, but revealed different impacts on drying shrinkage. Meanwhile, a parameter r s calculated from PSD and water losses was proposed, and greater drying shrinkage of cement paste was seen with the reduction of r s. Further, a quantitative relationship between r s and early drying shrinkage was built based on experimental results and the theoretical derivation, and a total shrinkage model for 1-day was also built relied on r s as well as the relationship between BWC and autogenous shrinkage. Finally, the use of NC may slightly enhance the tensile properties of cement paste, but it may also raise its cracking risk due to its greater early total shrinkage as measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Chargeability of pulse particles (protein isolate, starch, and flours) was focused. • Tribocharging of three materials (copper, stainless steel, and PTFE) were compared. • The specific charge decreased with decreasing the protein content for flour samples. • The ideal candidate of the vortex tribocharging separation was metallic material. • A "wave propagation" mode was proposed to explore the tribo-charging mechanism. Triboelectrostatic separation (TES) has shown its great potential in dry fractionation of food ingredients. The principle of the TES technique is straightforward, i.e., charging particles through interactions of particle–particle and/or particle–wall of the contact material, followed by the effect of an electric field. However, optimization of TES efficiency is complex due to obscure understandings, unknowns, and inconsistencies in the charging mechanism between the tribocharger and the agro-food materials. To broaden the design and applications of the TES technique and shed some light on the charging mechanism, experiments were conducted in a vortex flow tribocharger made of three different materials (Copper, Stainless Steel, and PTFE) to investigate the chargeability of five type of selected pulses particles. A Faraday cup measurement system was applied to measure the electric charge of the particles collected at the core and wall regions of the tribocharger. The charges of the pulse particles induced by the vibratory feeder were also measured to verify the chargeability of the particles. Ideal charging material was suggested by comparing the specific charge of particles using the three vessels. A simple "wave propagation" mode based on the vortex flow dynamics has been proposed with an attempt to explore the role of particle–particle and particle–wall interactions on the triboelectrostatic charging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A full 3D numerical model for transient flow field, temperature, solidification, and segregation during slab continuous casting. • An improved capture criterion for inclusion entrapment that including the primary dendrite arm spacing, solute concentration, force analysis, and critical capture speed is proposed. • Prediction on the number, size, and spatial distribution of inclusions on the entire cross section of the CC slab. • Four accumulation zones of inclusions along the thickness of the CC slab are predicted. In the current study, the LES turbulent model, heat transfer, solidification, species transport model, and discrete phase model (DPM) were coupled to investigate the three-dimensional transient flow, temperature, solidification, segregation, and inclusion transport during the slab continuous casting (CC) process. The number, size, and spatial distribution of inclusions on the entire cross section of the CC slab were successfully predicted using the coupled full solidification model, DPM, and capture criteria at the solidification front. The improved capture criteria that considering the primary dendrite arm spacing (PDAS), different forces acting on inclusions, and the critical capture speed, successfully eliminated the banded distribution characteristics of inclusions under the simple capture criterion. The prediction results were in good agreement with the detection results. Four accumulation zones of inclusions along the thickness of the CC slab were predicted, including the 1/4 thickness and 3/4 thickness from the loose side, and the layer beneath the surface of the CC slab. Two accumulation zones near the layer beneath the surface of the CC slab were issued from the double roll flow pattern in the CC strand. The probability of inclusions contacting the solidification front in the upper recirculation zone increased, increasing the entrapment rate. The accumulation zones near the 1/4 thickness and 3/4 thickness from the loose side were corresponded to the peak value of the Marangoni force on inclusions at the 1/4 thickness and 3/4 thickness from the loose side. The Marangoni force increased the probability of inclusions being pushed to the solidification front. In addition, the accumulation near the 1/4 thickness from the loose side became more severe as the diameter of the inclusions increased due to the buoyancy. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hierarchical MnMoO 4 /C nanocauliflowers are successfully fabricated. • Structure engineering and surface modification are simultaneously achieved. • MnMoO 4 /C nanocauliflowers exhibit excellent lithium/sodium storage performance. • MnMoO 4 /C nanocauliflowers can be successfully applied to Li/Na ion full cells. [Display omitted] Metal molybdates inherit the characteristics of polyoxometalates (POMs) and have been widely used in the fields of catalysis, photoluminescence and energy storage. However, well construction of hierarchical molybdate nanostructures towards superior performance has still retained a critical challenge. Herein, hierarchical manganese molybdate (MnMoO 4) nanocauliflowers are tailored from aggregated microrods utilizing dopamine as a scissor at room temperature. Meanwhile, a uniform and robust carbon coating layer can be introduced after a simple calcination. The fabricated MnMoO 4 /C nanocauliflowers exhibit excellent electrochemical properties as anodes for both lithium/sodium ion half/full batteries. The boosted discharge specific capacities and rate capabilities of MnMoO 4 /C (994 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and 487 mAh g−1 at 2.0 A g−1 for lithium ion battery and 296 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and 148 mAh g−1 at 2.0 A g−1 for sodium ion battery) are better than those of bare MnMoO 4. Notably, the stable and sustainable cyclic property with 1500 times for lithium ion battery and 5000 times for sodium ion battery without obvious capacity fading is much superior to the state-of-art results of many other reported molybdates. This simple yet effective strategy demonstrates the feasibility of simultaneous structure engineering and surface modification of molybdates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new nanocomposite accelerator (NCA) was proposed. • The influences of NCA on fresh and hardened concrete cured in low-temperatures were studied. • The use of NCA revealed benefits in workability and early strength development. • The durability of samples with NCA also meet the requirements of the standard. • The proposed NCA could enhance the overall performances of high strength concrete cured in low temperatures. Although revealed with some benefits, the use of traditional accelerators in concrete indeed encounter some issues such as the deterioration of concrete durability. Therefore, this study proposed a new nanocomposite accelerator (NCA), whose influences on the fresh (e.g., workability) and hardened properties (e.g., strength and durability) of C60 high-strength concrete (HSC) under low temperature curing (i.e., 16 °C and 6 °C) were studied. The experimental results revealed that although low curing temperatures damage the overall fresh and hardened performances of concrete, their performances were compensated via the use of the proposed NCA. The slump and slump flow were increased and the workability loss over time was reduced. The setting time was significantly shortened whereas negligible effects were revealed by NCA on the air content of fresh concrete. The addition of NCA significantly enhanced the compressive strength of HSC under low-temperature curing, especially in an early age (i.e., 3 days). The HSC with NCA could reach the standard of impermeable concrete, and no visible cracks were found in the annular crack resistance test. It belonged to low-permeability concrete and could be applied to extreme chloride ion environments. The content of chloride ion and alkali also met the design specifications. The enhanced workability, strength development and durability of concretes with NCA enabled the overall indicators of the high strength concretes to meet the corresponding requirements even when they were cured in low-temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (h-PEI) functioned with terminal amine groups is synthesized to remove oil from O/W emulsion. The demulsifier dehydration rate of h-PEI is systematically evaluated with the subsidiary facilities of DLS analysis, digital tensiometer and UV–vis spectrophotometer. The results indicate that h-PEI demulsifier displays satisfactory demulsification (the oil removal rate＞90%) with small dosage (＜80 mg L−1) and short settling time (＜30 min). The relatively short equilibrium time and great demulsification are ascribed to the amine groups and the molecular weight. On one hand, the hyperbranched macromolecules with amine groups can rapidly diffuse and adsorb to the oil-water interface, on the other hand, the molecules with adequate molecular weight are apt to flocculate, coalesce oil droplets, and then obtain high-efficient demulsification. The exceptional demulsification performance of h-PEI exhibits a potential role application in industrial water treatment or the petroleum demulsification industry. • A convenient synthetic process for h-PEI is developed. • Hyperbranched polymer h-PEI is an effective demulsifier for O/W emulsions of microdroplets with 90% of oil removal rate. • The combination of DLS observation and UV–vis analysis provides a new evidence to explore the demulsification mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The formulation of a non-convex large-scale MINLP model for the multi-period planning operations of an industrial integrated refinery-petrochemical complex. • The derivation of the affinely adjustable robust counterpart to model the uncertain product demand for the planning operations. • The introduction of the dynamic uncertainty set to update the formulated ARO model. • The evaluation of the ARO model with a fixed uncertainty set, and the ARO model with a dynamic uncertainty set. This paper concentrates on the formulation of a large-scale nonconvex mixed-integer nonlinear programming model and the application of robust optimization for the multi-period operational planning of real-world integrated refinery-petrochemical site in China under uncertain product demands and crude oil price. To avoid excessive conservativeness resulting from classical static robust optimization, an adjustable robust counterpart incorporating resource decisions via an affinely adjustable linear decision rule is first derived. On the basis of a proposed polyhedral dynamic uncertainty set that mimics the dynamic behavior of the product demand over time, an adjustable robust counterpart with a dynamic uncertainty set is further formulated. Classical static robust optimization, adjustable robust optimization, and adjustable robust optimization with dynamic uncertainty sets are systematically compared for case studies. The results clearly illustrate the advantages of the affinely adjustable robust optimization with a dynamic uncertainty set over the classic robust optimization in decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), a life-threatening disease, is commonly diagnosed among people with risk factors, including increasing age, male gender, and smoking. The apoptosis of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) has been reported to disrupt the vascular structural integrity, which causes AAA. Thus, we sought to characterize the potential role of microRNA (miR)-144-3p in SMC apoptosis, and to outline the molecular mechanisms involved in this pathway. We collected pathological abdominal aortic tissues and adjacent normal aortic biopsy specimens from 18 patients undergoing AAA repair surgery. The relationship between miR-144-3p expression and SMC proliferation was assessed by transfecting mimic/inhibitor of miR-144-3p in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). Anti-growth effect of miR-144-3p and related genes was evaluated in a murine AAA model. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay was adopted to validate the targeting relationship between miR-144-3p and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), and the enrichment of EZH2 in the p21 promoter region was determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. MiR-144-3p was highly expressed in AAA tissues. Enhanced miR-144-3p diminished SMC proliferation by binding to the EZH2 3′-untranslated region and thereby inhibiting EZH2 expression. In addition, EZH2 was highly enriched in the promoter region of p21, and knockdown of p21 expression could rescue the effect of miR-144-3p on SMC proliferation and apoptosis. miR-144-3p serves as a promoter for the apoptosis of SMCs, which contributes to the occurrence and progression of AAA. This observation will serve as the basis for further investigations into potential p21-based therapies for AAA treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Flexible Sb/Sb 2 O 3 -C nanofibers films were successfully fabricated. • Well 3D network structure and excellent mechanical flexibility were achieved. • The films were directly used as binder and current collector-free anodes for SIBs. • Fabricated integrated electrodes exhibited excellent sodium storage performance. [Display omitted] Antimony-based electrode materials with conventional slurry-casting process still face great challenges such as tedious preparation process and unsatisfying cycling stability for sodium ion batteries (SIBs). Therefore, the design and fabrication of integrated electrodes with binder-free and even current collector-free are highly significant. Herein, we fabricated flexible Sb/Sb 2 O 3 -C nanofibers (NFs) films utilizing a facile combination of electrospinning technique and carbonization. Sb/Sb 2 O 3 nanoparticles are well embedded in carbon NFs with a fiber diameter of ca. 340 nm. The fabricated NFs films can be directly used as binder and current collector-free anodes for SIBs and exhibited high-capacity and long-lifetime cycles (385.6 mAh g−1 over 500 cycles). Ex situ SEM and TEM observations re-appear their intact fibrous network morphology and stable one-dimensional composite structures after hundreds of discharging-charging cycles, demonstrating that Sb/Sb 2 O 3 -C NFs film is a promising binder-free electrode for SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) is a visualization measurement method for two-phase flow. Imaging permittivity distributions using electrical capacitance tomography has always been one of the most significant issues studied by scholars, and the algorithm will have a great impact on the accuracy of image reconstruction result. This paper applies simulated annealing (SA) algorithm to image reconstruction in ECT. However, some parameters of SA algorithm need to be optimized in order to obtain better reconstructed images in ECT. The influence of different parameter values in SA algorithm for image reconstruction in ECT is studied, and a set of optimal parameters of the SA algorithm is obtained based on the orthogonal experimental design method in this paper. At the same time, simulation and static experiments are conducted. Reconstructed images by SA algorithm with optimized parameter are compared with the linear back projection (LBP) and Landweber iterative algorithms. The results show that better images can be obtained for typical oil-gas two-phase flow using SA algorithm. The quality and shape fidelity of reconstructed image for the central object are obviously improved. • Proposing a novel ECT image reconstruction algorithm. • Studying the effect of parameters selection on the accuracy of reconstructed images. • Getting the optimal parameter combination based on orthogonal experimental design. • Performing simulation and static experiments to verify the effect of the algorithm. • Comparing the accuracy of the images reconstructed by three algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that the hydrodynamics of dense gas–particle flows depends heavily on inter-particle and particle–wall collisions; however, the subtleties of these interactions are not always fully recognized or appreciated. In this study, the two-fluid model is used to systematically examine the effects of collision parameters, i.e., particle–particle restitution coefficient, particle–wall restitution coefficient, and wall specularity coefficient, on simulations of the hydrodynamics of a pseudo two-dimensional bubbling fluidized bed. The utilization of high-resolution Eulerian simulations facilitates the representation of meso-scale structures without the use of a sub-grid scale model, while qualitatively reflecting the experimental data. To ensure statistically robust results and increase confidence in the simulations, a careful assessment of the time-averaging interval was first undertaken to smooth out the fluctuations that persist even after the bed reaches steady state. A quantitative analysis was then performed to analyze important facets of the flow, including bubble characteristics, particle velocity fields, and granular temperature. The underlying physical formulation was employed to elucidate how collision parameters impact the hydrodynamics of the flow. The notable findings of this study are threefold. First, the specific details of the collisions between particles are shown to significantly influence the bubble characteristics and overall flow pattern. However, the effect of the particle–particle restitution coefficient turns out to be minimal on the bed circulation time except in the limit of particle elastic collisions. It is also found that the elastic collision of particles highly affects the bubble count and unexpectedly changes the role of the wall from a source to a sink of granular temperature. Second, the effect of the particle–wall restitution coefficient is appreciable on the granular temperature while having a minimal effect on the flow hydrodynamics. Third, the effect of the wall specularity coefficient is felt across the bed such that an increase in this parameter increases the bed circulation time. The results of this systematic study enhance the understanding of how collision parameters impact flow characteristics while also providing insight into the selection of their values in simulations. • Rigorous time-averaging suggests an intermittent flow behavior. • Bubble count is mostly unaffected unless inter-particle collisions are elastic. • The wall specularity coefficient can reverse the flow direction in the core region. • The particle–wall restitution coefficient highly affects the granular temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Drying behavior of potash particles was studied in a pulsation assisted fluidized bed. • The effect of inlet gas temperature and pulsation frequency was investigated on the drying behavior of potash particles. • Thin layer model was employed to correlate the experimental data of drying. • A comprehensive energy and exergy analysis of potash drying at different operating conditions was developed. Potash particles exhibit cohesiveness and hygroscopic behavior in the presence of moisture. During the drying of wet potash particles, solid bridges form, and the agglomeration behavior of such particles reduces the efficiency of drying. In this work, pulsed airflow was employed to break agglomeration and eliminate channeling in a fluidized bed with wet potash particles. The effect of different operating conditions including inlet drying gas temperature (40 °C, 50 °C, and 60 °C) and pulsation frequency (1.0 Hz and 2.0 Hz) on the energy and exergy efficiency of fluidized bed drying of potash particles was investigated. A drying model based on the thin-layer theory was employed to correlate the experimental data of drying of potash particles. The results showed that the highest energy and exergy efficiency of potash drying, 28.6% and 27.8%, respectively, was achieved when the fluidized drying of potash particles was operated at lower temperatures and close to the natural frequency of the fluidized bed system. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano- and micro-sized silicon and its low valence oxide show as one of the potentially promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with high energy density. Even so, the high price of nanosized silicon and poor tolerance against mechanical stress of microsized silicon limit their practical applications as silicon anode materials. Herein, using diatomite, a naturally occurring siliceous sedimentary rock, as a precursor, a series of porous Si/SiO x micronplates are synthesized through magnesiothermic reduction followed by an acid etching process. When evaluated as LIB anodes, the Si/SiO x micronplates exhibit significant improvement of cycle stability compared to commercial silicon anodes. Moreover, etched Si/SiO x micronplates achieve a highly reversible lithium storage capacity of 980 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1 after 100 cycles, which is over two times as high as unetched Si/SiO x anodes. The boosting lithium storage performance is attributed to the rational regulations of composition, morphology, and crystalline structures of microsized Si/SiO x , which demonstrate that the as-prepared Si/SiO x micronplates should be a series of promising anode materials for high energy density LIBs. [Display omitted] • A series of porous micron-scale Si/SiO x anodes are successfully synthesized. • Si/SiO x can retain the micro disk shape during the lithiation/dilithation cycles. • Rational regulation of crystalline structure boosts the lithium storage properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the world's natural gas industry, LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) has received widespread attention as a clean energy source. However, the leakage accidents of LNG are usually accompanied by safety hazards such as explosions, low temperatures, and phase transitions. In this study, the field experiment is carried out to cover LNG leakage pool with HEF (High-Expansion Foam). In the process of LNG leakage, when the ambient temperature at the bottom of the reservoir drops to about − 82.3 °C (the critical temperature of LNG), the ambient temperature would rise briefly due to the effect of phase transition. Meanwhile, the temperature distribution of different vertical and horizontal positions in the reservoir during the process of leakage is analyzed. Besides, it is also found that the density of the spilled vapor is much lower than that of the air, but the water in the surrounding air encounters the cryogenic vapor to condense into small droplets, the small droplets entrap part of the flammable gas during the process of settling to the ground, therefore, the flammable vapor still shows a heavy gas effect. During the initial period of HEF coverage, evaporation from the liquid pools accelerates, resulting in a 386% increase in peak concentration of methane above the reservoir. Nevertheless, when HEF application is maintained an effective thickness, it can effectively reduce the methane vapor concentration downstream of the reservoir near the surface to less than 1/2 LFL (1/2 of the Lower Flammability Limit). In general, the large-scale field experiments have far-reaching engineering significance and reference value for the occurrence and emergency treatment of LNG leakage accidents under actual working conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, tin dioxide/zinc oxide nanocomposite (SnO 2 /ZnO) was synthesize using Acroptilon repens flower extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. Structure properties and morphology of the fabricated nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicated that the fine nanoparticles with an acceptable particle size distribution and purity were achieved using this green method. In addition, the performance of the photocatalytic degradation of an organic dye, namely, eriochrome black T (EBT) by using the synthesized composite was examined. The results showed a high capability of this nanocomposite to degrade this organic dye in an aqueous solution with the degradation efficiency and total organic carbon (TOC) removal percentage being more than 98% and 74%, respectively, after 3 h of photocatalytic reaction under sunlight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drying behavior of potash particles was experimentally investigated in a convective packed bed dryer under different operating conditions, including inlet gas temperature of 40 °C, 50 °C, and 60 °C, moisture content of 2.8 wt%, and superficial gas velocity of 0.3 m/s. When the temperature increased from 40 °C to 50 °C and then to 60 °C, the drying time decreased from 930 s to 870 s and then to 720 s, respectively. The thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of potash particles as a function of moisture content and porosity of the packed bed was determined at a 95 % confidence interval to have R 2 values of 0.94 and 0.91, respectively. During drying of potash particles, solid bridges form, and the whole bed behaves like a porous medium with void spaces that expand. In this work, a conjugate heat and mass transfer model was developed for batch packed bed drying of wet potash particles. Computational fluid dynamics was used to simulate the momentum, mass, and energy transport in a porous medium based on the physical properties of potash particles. The model successfully correlated the experimental particle moisture content versus time with average absolute deviation percentage values of 14.8, 3.2, and 14.7 for the inlet gas temperatures of 40 °C, 50 °C, and 60 °C, respectively. [Display omitted] • Drying behavior of potash particles was investigated in a packed bed. • Heat, mass, and momentum transport equations were solved in a porous bed. • The evolution of temperature and relative humidity in the outlet air was studied. • Product temperature and moisture content versus drying time were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of artificial intelligence, the most representative deep learning has been applied to various fields, which is greatly influencing human society. However, deep neural networks (DNNs) are still a black-box model, and the process how they make decisions internally is still difficult to understand and control. At the same time, DNNs take up more hardware resources, resulting in high energy consumption. Therefore, it is significant to study the characteristics of deep AI models and deeply understand the interactions between parameters within AI models so as to improve the interpretability of DNNs, optimize their structure and increase their computational efficiency. In this paper, we propose a graph-based interpretability method for deep neural networks (GIMDNN). The running parameters of DNNs are modeled as a graph by using a kernel function or the Graph Transformer Networks (GTN), where the nodes of the graph are obtained by dimensional mapping of the parameters of the DNNs, and the edges are calculated by the Gaussian kernel function. The generated graphs are classified by a graph convolutional network (GCN). The association relationship between the adjacent layers and the running mechanism of DNNs are analyzed, and the importance of the parameters of each layer in the DNNs for the final classification result can be obtained. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are one of the most representative models in DNNs. The proposed method is experimentally evaluated on the CNNs. The experimental results show that the proposed method can interpret the associations among the weight parameters as well as the correlation between two adjacent layers. Therefore, the DNNs for special tasks, such as portable applications, edge computing, and so on, can be customized, the number of parameters can be reduced. It is valuable to interpret the operation and principle of CNNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, the low SiO 2 mold flux for the continuous casting of the transformation-induced plasticity steel was studied to avoid the interface reaction between the dissolved aluminum in the molten steel and silica in the mold flux. The viscometer, Raman spectra, and X-ray disproportion were employed to study the viscosity, melt structure, and crystalline phase of the mold flux, respectively. The viscosity of the mold flux decreased with the replacement of MgO by BaO due to the balance of the melt structure and the precipitation phase. The aluminosilicate and silicate structures were depolymerized to simpler units with the replacement of MgO by BaO in the mold flux since a preference that Ba2+ tended to act as a charge compensator. The viscosity of the mold flux roughly increased with the addition of the total BaO and MgO content due to the formation of the MgAl 2 O 4 phase in the pure liquid phase. The substantial precipitation of the MgAl 2 O 4 phase in the liquid melt caused a sharp increase in the viscosity of the mold flux, which should be avoided by lowering the MgO content to less than 3 wt%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysregulation of immune infiltration critically contributes to the tumorigenesis and progression of meningiomas. However, the landscape of immune microenvironment and key genes correlated with immune cell infiltration remains unclear. Four Gene Expression Omnibus data sets were included. CIBERSORT algorithm was utilized to analyze the immune cell infiltration in samples. Wilcoxon test, Random Forest algorithm, and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator regression were adopted in identifying significantly different infiltrating immune cells and differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Functional enrichment analysis was performed by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology. The correlation between genes and immune cells was evaluated via Spearman's correlation analysis. Receiver Operator Characteristic curve analysis evaluated the markers' diagnostic effectiveness. The mRNA-miRNA and Drug-Gene-Immune cell interaction networks were constructed to identify potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Plasma cells, M1 macrophages, M2 macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils, and activated NK cells were the significantly different infiltrating immune cells in meningioma. A total of 951 DEGs, associated with synaptic function and structure, ion transport regulation, brain function, and immune-related pathways, were identified. Among 11 hub DEGs, RYR2 and TTR were correlated with plasma cells; SNCG was associated with NK cells; ADCY1 exhibited excellent diagnostic effectiveness; and ADCY1, BMX, KCNA5, SLCO4A1, and TTR could be considered as therapeutic targets. ADCY1 can be identified as a diagnostic marker; ADCY1, BMX, KCNA5, SLCO4A1, and TTR are potential therapeutic targets, and their associations with macrophages, neutrophils, NK cells, and plasma cells might impact the tumorigenesis of meningiomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of pharmaceutical powders were measured. • Effects of moisture content and porosity on the thermal properties were investigated. • Effects of binary mixtures on the thermal properties of the pharmaceutics were determined. • Models were developed to predict thermal properties. Thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity are two important parameters for the drying process of pharmaceutical materials during methods such as wet granulation that can be observed in the overall tablet manufacturing process. In this study, a transient line heat source method was used for the first time to determine the thermal conductivity and volumetric specific heat capacity of common pharmaceutical components and binary mixtures, with moisture content ranging from 0 % to 30 % w.b and active ingredient loading between 0 % and 50 % by weight. A three-parameter least squares regression model relating the thermal properties to moisture content and porosity was evaluated at a 95 % confidence interval, with R2 values ranging from 0.832 to 0.997. Relationships were established between thermal conductivity, volumetric specific heat capacity, porosity, and moisture content for pharmaceutical ingredients including acetaminophen, microcrystalline cellulose, and lactose monohydrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The co-catalyst role of ZnIn 2 S 4 /Cu 2 S is played due to hole capture and storage of enhanced surface states. • The photoinduced carrier utilization efficiency of ZnIn 2 S 4 /Cu 2 S/NiFe-LDH is improved due to enhances amount of iss. • The photoinduced carrier recombination is suppressed due to generation of built-in electric filed. • The water oxidation photocurrent density of 1.56 mA/cm2 is achieved by ZnIn 2 S 4 /Cu 2 S/NiFe-LDH. The more comprehensive investigation of ZnIn 2 S 4 -based heterojunction mechanism is beneficial for rationalizing the PEC performances enhancement mechanism and optimizing the application of heterojunction. Herein, Cu 2 S is for the first time synthesized on ZnIn 2 S 4 as a novel co-catalyst through in-situ ion exchange techniques. The holes are extracted and stored in ZnIn 2 S 4 /Cu 2 S through enhanced surface states (ss) due to the decreased holes transfer resistance to ss and improved ss capacitance, which improve the carrier separation efficiencies with the effect of built-in electric filed. With the sequential deposition of NiFe-LDH, despite the inevitable carrier recombination is caused by the conflicting chemical potentials between Cu and Ni ions at the Cu 2 S/NiFe-LDH interface, the carrier injection efficiency is increased to 71.60% due to the exposure of more intermediate surface states (iss). The highest photocurrent density of 1.56 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V (vs. RHE) is achieved by ZnIn 2 S 4 /Cu 2 S/NiFe-LDH when influence of the interface carrier recombination is counteracted by the synergistic effect containing extended light absorption, the construction of ZnIn 2 S 4 /Cu 2 S heterojunction and changed ss, which is 10.4 times higher than that of pristine ZnIn 2 S 4. The work provides a more comprehensive approach to investigate the mechanism for enhanced PEC performances of ZnIn 2 S 4 -based heterojunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a near infrared heptamethine cyanine dye of BK-Cy for boron trifluoride (BF 3) detection was developed based on the Lewis acid-base reaction mechanism. BF 3 bounded to the diphenylamine group in the middle of the heptamethine backbone structure forming Lewis acid-base complexes with decreasing fluorescence at λem = 830 nm (λex = 780 nm) and increased absorbance between 500 and 700 nm, making obvious color changes from light green to dark blue. BK-Cy showed excellent properties including rapid response (<1 min), lowest detection limit (1.73 nM), excellent linearity (R2 = 0.9903) and specific selectivity. Meanwhile, a functionalized recyclable flexible cotton fabric platform of BK-Cy @ cotton was fabricated and assembled with a smartphone to form a portable detecting platform to monitor the color changes of BK-Cy for quantitative BF 3 detecting in gas phase under visible light. The real-time visualization of the remodeling BK-Cy @ cotton platform from BK-Cy through dynamic covalent bonding was completely recyclable, environmentally friendly and had the possibility for future practicability applications. [Display omitted] • A BF 3 probe based on Cyanine dyes was designed and synthesized. • The BK-Cy@cotton was completely recyclable, environmentally friendly. • Smartphone analysis platform can quantitative detection of BF 3 gas by visual color changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light olefins such as ethylene, propylene, and butylene are key compounds in the chemical industry. Iron catalyst supported on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is an appropriate candidate for light olefins production using synthesis gas in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS). First, catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) method was applied to synthesize CNTs using Fe/CaCO 3 and acetylene as catalyst and hydrocarbon source, respectively. Applying response surface methodology, the optimum operating conditions were determined in CVD reactor for maximal yield and purity of CNTs. The effects of reaction time (30–60 min), reaction temperature (700–800 °C), and loading of the catalyst (10–30 wt% Fe) were investigated. The synthesized CNTs was characterized by Raman spectroscopy for its graphitic structure and purity. After acid-treatment of the synthesized CNTs, Fe/CNTs-synthesized catalyst was successfully fabricated by ultrasonic-assisted wet impregnation method. 20Fe/CNTs-synthesized, 20Fe/CNTs-commercial, and 20Fe/Al 2 O 3 were analyzed in terms of physio-chemical properties and FTS catalytic performance. Comparison of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and CO-chemisorption results showed that 20Fe/CNTs-synthesized reduces iron oxide agglomeration resulting in metal particles well-dispersed among the studied Fe-based catalysts. The catalytic performance of Fe-based catalysts was investigated using a fixed-bed reactor at 280 °C under 290 psi. 20Fe/CNTs-synthesized exhibited a lower rate of water-gas-shift (WGS) reaction compared with 20Fe/CNTs-commercial, with C 2 -C 4 selectivity of 23.6% which is slightly less than that of its commercial counterpart. Analysis of FTS liquid products revealed that 20Fe/CNTs-synthesized provides liquid hydrocarbons in the range of C 8 -C 18 , while 20Fe/CNTs-commercial and 20Fe/Al 2 O 3 obtained C 9 -C 52 and C 10 -C 20 , respectively. After 120 h time on stream under steady state condition, higher activity had been maintained by the 20Fe/CNTs-synthesized catalyst compared to the 20Fe/CNTs-Commercial and 20Fe/Al 2 O 3 catalysts. [Display omitted] • Evaluation of the effects of growth parameters on carbon nanotubes yield and purity. • High CO conversion obtained by Fe-synthesised CNTs. • Higher iron time yields obtained by Fe-synthesised CNTs. • Lighter hydrocarbons production via Fe-synthesised CNTs compared to reference catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although rumination and social support are regarded as essential predictors of posttraumatic growth (PTG), few studies have explored the associations among PTG, rumination, and social support in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examined whether social support mediates the relationship between rumination and PTG. Cross-sectional questionnaire data were collected from 385 parents of children with ASD from September 2019 to November 2020 by convenience sampling. Participants completed the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Event Related Rumination Inventory, and Social Support Rating Scale. Path analyses showed that subjective support partially mediates the relationship between deliberate rumination and PTG (β = 0.073, P < 0.001), and indirect effects account for 15.30% of the total effects. In addition, a negative direct path was found between intrusive and PTG because of the suppression effect of subjective support (β = −0.110, P < 0.01), and indirect effects accounted for 80% of the direct effects. For future studies, it underscores the essential role of subjective support and rumination in promoting PTG in parents of children with ASD. • Subjective support partially mediated the relationship between deliberate rumination and PTG. • Intrusive rumination had a significant direct effect and indirect effect on PTG under the suppression of subjective support. • Subjective social support and rumination were essential in promoting PTG in parents of children with autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 25 wt%Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 –CaO inclusion with high basicity has the characteristics of high melting point and strong crystallization tendency. The effect of Na 2 O addition on the crystallization behavior and properties of 25 wt%Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 –CaO non-metallic inclusion-type oxides was systematically investigated in the current study. The time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagrams and continuous-cooling-transformation (CCT) diagrams were constructed introducing the single hot thermocouple technology (SHTT). The crystallization temperature decreased from 1640.15 K to 1514.15 K with the Na 2 O content increased from 0 to 6.92 wt%, then rose to 1564.15 K when the content of Na 2 O was equal to 11.81 wt%. Above 1473.15 K, the incubation time was first prolonged and then shortened with the increase of Na 2 O content. The crystallization tendency was first inhibited and then promoted with increasing the Na 2 O addition. The XRD result showed that the precipitated crystals of the oxide system transformed from Ca 2 Al(AlSiO 7) to NaCaAlSi 2 O 7 when the content of Na 2 O exceeded 6.92 wt%. The FESEM micrograph showed that the morphology of crystals from all samples demonstrated spherical or rod-like. The calculated melting point decreased from 1840.81 to 1680.29 K then rose to 1755.56 K with the increase of Na 2 O content. The crystallization tendency or ability of the oxide system could be predicted by the initial crystallization potential, the viscosity at the melting point, the rate of change of viscosity with temperature as well as the activation energy of crystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To alleviate skull defects and enhance the biological activity of taxifolin, this study utilized the thin-film dispersion method to prepare paclitaxel liposomes (TL). Thiolated chitosan (CSSH)-modified TL (CTL) was synthesized through charge interactions. Injectable hydrogels (BLG) were then prepared as hydrogel scaffolds loaded with TAX (TG), TL (TLG), and CTL (CTLG) using a Schiff base reaction involving oxidized dextran and carboxymethyl chitosan. The study investigated the bone reparative properties of CTLG through molecular docking, western blot techniques, and transcriptome analysis. The particle sizes of CTL were measured at 248.90 ± 14.03 nm, respectively, with zeta potentials of +36.68 ± 5.43 mV, respectively. CTLG showed excellent antioxidant capacity in vitro. It also has a good inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus , with inhibition rates of 93.88 ± 1.59 % and 88.56 ± 2.83 % respectively. The results of 5-ethynyl-2 ′-deoxyuridine staining, alkaline phosphatase staining and alizarin red staining showed that CTLG also had the potential to promote the proliferation and differentiation of mouse embryonic osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1). The study revealed that CTLG enhances the expression of osteogenic proteins by regulating the Wnt signaling pathway, shedding light on the potential application of TAX and bone regeneration mechanisms. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small extracellular vesicle-associated microRNAs (sEV-miRNAs) have emerged as critical biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, yet the rapid detection of these low-abundance molecules in clinical samples remains a formidable challenge. Herein, a simple turbo-like localized catalytic hairpin assembly (TL-CHA) was proposed for sEV-miR-1246 measurement. This electrochemical sensor achieves dual localization through the ingeniously use of AuNPs and DNA nanowires, which provides rich sites for CHA cascade amplification, significantly enhancing the effective reaction and amplify the detection response. Leveraging this innovative design, this biosensor demonstrated the ability to detect sEV-miRNA at concentrations as low as 5.24 aM in a time frame of 30 min. The precision of the measurements was validated through reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the sensor was used for analyzing plasma samples from gastric cancer patients yielded AUC values of 0.973 for all stages and 0.945 for early stages. This demonstrates the sensor's robust performance in both the staging diagnosis and early screening of gastric cancer. Therefore, this platform has great potential for the clinical cancer diagnosis. [Display omitted] • This work achieves dual localisation by using AuNPs and DNA nanotechnology, providing a simple tool for cancer screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Y 2 O 3 /TiN interface of main complex inclusions in T4003 stainless steel with rare earth element Yttrium (Y) content of 0.014 wt% was studied. The chemical composition and morphology of composite inclusions were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), the formation process of Y 2 O 3 /TiN composite inclusions was calculated by the first-principles calculations of the Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP). Compared with Fe matrix, TiN is more likely to grow in an uneven state, and tends to exist in stainless steel in the form of Y 2 O 3 (100)/TiN(110). The main reason for the stability of the interface system is that the p orbitals of the O atoms at the interface forms covalent bonds with the d orbitals of the Ti atoms. It provides a new idea for improving the properties of stainless steel effectively by using heterogeneous nucleation of inclusions in steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorella polysaccharides have been gaining increasing attention because of their high yield from dried Chlorella powder and their remarkable immunomodulatory activity. In this study, the major polysaccharide fraction, CPP-3a, in Chlorella pyrenoidosa , was isolated, and its detailed structure was investigated by analyzing the low-molecular-weight product prepared via free radical depolymerization. The results indicated that CPP-3a with a molecular weight of 195.2 kDa was formed by →2)-α-L-Ara f -(1→, →2)-α-D-Rha p -(1→, →5)-α-L-Ara f -(1→, →3)-β-D-Glc p- (1→, →4)-α-D-Glc p- (1→, →4)-α-D-Glc p A-(1→, →2,3)-α-D-Man p- (1→, →3,4)-α-D-Man p- (1→, →3,4)-β-D-Gal p- (1→, →3,6)-β-D-Gal p- (1→, and →2,3,6)-α-D-Gal p- (1→ residues, branched at C2, C3, C4, or C6 of α/β-D-Gal p and α-D-Man p , and terminated by α/β-L-Ara f , α-L-Ara p , α-D-Gal p , and β-D-Glc p. Biological assays showed that CPP-3a significantly altered the dendritic morphology of immature dendritic cells (DCs). Enhanced CD80, CD86, and MHC I expression on the cell surface and decreased phagocytic ability indicated that CPP-3a could induce the maturation of DCs. Furthermore, CPP-3a-stimulated DCs not only stimulated the proliferation of allogeneic naïve CD4+ T cells and the secretion of IFN-γ, but also directly stimulated the activation and proliferation of CD8+ T cells through cross-antigen presentation. These findings indicate that CPP-3a can promote human DC maturation and T-cell stimulation and may be a novel DC maturation inducer with potential developmental value in DC immunotherapy. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel nitrogenous Fe-TPPE metal-organic-framework (MOF) with excellent visible light catalytic activity was successfully prepared, and a magnetic composite (Fe 3 O 4 @Fe-TPPE) with Z-type heterojunction structure was designed to synergistically treat organic pollutants and Cr(Ⅵ). The materials were carefully characterized by powder X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared analysis, UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, etc. The characterizations of photoelectric properties showed that the novel Fe-TPPE MOF exhibited strong response to visible light and Fe 3 O 4 @Fe-TPPE had even stronger response. Furthermore, the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation capabilities of Fe-TPPE and Fe 3 O 4 @Fe-TPPE, and the versatility as photocatalysts for aqueous pollutants were assessed through removal studies of the model pollutants tetracycline, rhodamine, methyl blue and Cr (VI). Additionally, the removal mechanism of the Fe 3 O 4 @Fe-TPPE for the above pollutants was explored. The high removal efficiency, fast magnetic separation, great recycling stability and minimal leak during application all demonstrate the good potential of Fe 3 O 4 @Fe-TPPE for practical and sustainable treatment of aqueous pollutants. [Display omitted] • A novel Fe-TPPE MOF is prepared using polynitrogen conjugated molecules as ligands. • A novel Fe 3 O 4 @Fe-TPPE composite with slice-ball intercalation structure is prepared. • Fe 3 O 4 @Fe-TPPE has excellent visible light catalytic performance and stability. • Fe 3 O 4 @Fe-TPPE has good reusability, applicability and environmental friendliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]