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In this paper, we propose a gate recurrent unit (GRU) method to forecast ionospheric the total electron content (TEC) at different latitudes and longitudes. This method aims to address the issues of low accuracy in traditional neural networks and the challenges faced in training long-term time series. We construct a GRU model using TEC data from the European Orbit Determination Center (CODE) for the years 2016 to 2018, geomagnetic indices, and solar activity indices (16 points along the latitude and longitude lines of 120°E and 30°N). Comparative experiments are carried out with the international reference ionosphere (IRI) model and the long short-term memory (LSTM) model. The results show that the GRU model outperforms other models in terms of accuracy. On geomagnetic quiet days, the 5-day predicted average residual can reach 0.51 TECU, while on storm days it can reach 0.72 TECU. The root mean square error (RMSE) for these days is 0.64 TECU and 1.01 TECU, respectively. The correlation coefficients are 0.98 and 0.93, respectively. The RMSE of the GRU model ranges from 0.60 TECU to 2.62 TECU for both geomagnetic quiet days and storm days. In terms of TEC forecast accuracy in 2018, the RMSE of the GRU model is 1.6 TECU, which is smaller than that of the IRI model and LSTM model. These results demonstrate that the GRU model performs better than the IRI model and LSTM model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total electron content (TEC) of the ionosphere is an important parameter to describe the ionosphere, and it is a great significance to monitor and predict it accurately. In this paper, a hybrid ionospheric TEC prediction model based on the least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) and the Moth-Flame Optimization (MFO) algorithm is proposed. The parameters of the LSSVM model are optimized by the MFO algorithm. We use observation data of 15 GNSS stations from the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (CMONOC) to extract ionospheric TEC from 2012 to 2019. The ionospheric TEC is forecasted using solar and geomagnetic activity indices in both the low solar activity year (2019) and the high solar activity year (2015). The results show that the prediction performance of the MFO_LSSVM model is significantly better than that of the IRI model, SVM model, and LSSVM model. Compared with the other three models, there are more stable prediction results in the low and high solar activity years. At the same time, the predicted value of the MFO_LSSVM model has a good correlation with the measured value, and it also has good prediction potential in areas with active geomagnetic activity. The comparison with the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model shows that the MFO_LSSVM model has better performance than the single LSTM model. In conclusion, the MFO_LSSVM model can accurately predict ionospheric TEC in China, and has better accuracy than traditional long-term and short-term models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epoxidation of styrene is an important route to synthesize organic intermediate, but how to effectively promote the formation of target superoxide radicals and then regulate the production of styrene oxide in two-phase reaction system remains an urgent challenge. In this study, MnO x nanocatalysts with abundant oxygen vacancies were fabricated using reverse-micelle as template, and then were endowed with an amphiphilic surface through post-modification. With such MnO x catalysts, Pickering emulsion could be formulated, in which numerous compartmentalized droplet microreactors were created for the epoxidation of styrene. The rich oxygen defects on MnO x were found to be useful to improve the chemisorption of t -butylhydroperoxide, and the active complexes formed by coordination of Mn3+ with N, N-dimethylformamide favored the generation of preferable superoxide radicals for the synthesis of styrene oxide. Moreover, it was also found that compartmentalization effects arising from Pickering emulsion droplets modifies the radicals reaction path, significantly improving the catalytic efficiency and selectivity. As a result, in the Pickering emulsion system, 90.0% selectivity towards styrene oxide and a turnover frequency of 581 h−1 could be obtained, which were higher than ever reported results. The Pickering emulsion-based compartmentalized microreactors can provide versatile platforms to efficiently control the epoxidation of styrene involving free radicals. [Display omitted] • MnO x with rich oxygen vacancies were fabricated by a reverse-micelle method. • Abundant oxygen vacancies was found to promote the chemisorption of TBHP. • The complexes of Mn3+/DMF favor the generation of HO 2 ∙ for epoxidation of styrene. • 90% SO yield was obtained by the compartmentalization effect of Pickering emulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic materials have attracted the considerable attentions owing to their remarkable tribological potentials, rendering them indispensable in the fields of manufacturing, aerospace, medical, and daily life. In the future, their utilization is poised to extend into electronic devices, energy storage, sensors, catalysts and other realms in order to enhance performance metrics, bolster stability and reduce costs. Notwithstanding various research have been undertaken on metal-based composites, the important influencing factors and wear mechanisms of metal-base friction interfaces have not been comprehensively reviewed. Therefore, this review summarizes these main influencing factors (e.g., material properties, service conditions, additives and energy effects) on tribological behaviors of metal interfaces, subsequently generalizes their wear mechanisms such as abrasion, adhesion, corrosion and fatigue. Finally, their development prospects and difficulties of the interface tribology are discussed in detail, thereby providing the in-depth insight of these fields for enriching actual applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The MRT LB equations describing two-phase flows are modified to eliminate error terms. • Two wetting boundary schemes are developed for simulating contact-line motions of two-phase flows with large density ratios. • The requirement of virtual nodes in wetting boundary scheme is removed by a local scheme. • The developed wetting boundary schemes are validated by steady and dynamic simulations. • The contact angle hysteresis with large density and viscosity ratios can be successfully simulated. In this work, wetting boundary schemes in a modified phase-field lattice Boltzmann (LB) method are developed to simulate the contact-line motion and contact angle hysteresis of binary fluids with large density ratios. In the modified phase-field LB method, two multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) LB equations are utilized, one with a nondiagonal relaxation matrix used to solve the conserved Allen-Cahn (A-C) equation and the other with a modified discrete source term used to solve the incompressible Navier-Stokes (N-S) equations. Based on the idea of geometric formulation, two wetting boundary schemes corresponding to the modified phase-field LB model are proposed. In the first scheme, a layer of virtual nodes is utilized to realize the geometric formulation. The values of the order parameter at the virtual nodes are determined by the central difference method. In the second scheme, the geometric formulation is realized through a local scheme for the gradient terms of the order parameter where the nonequilibrium parts of the distribution function are utilized. Compared with the first wetting boundary scheme and some previous models, the second wetting boundary scheme does not require the virtual nodes and simplifies the numerical implementation. The developed two schemes are validated through a series of benchmark simulations, including droplet spreading on idea substrate, capillary intrusion and droplet shearing on nonideal substrate. It is found that satisfactory accuracy can be achieved by both two schemes, and the second scheme can obtain better stability while the first scheme shows better performance in simulating contact angle hysteresis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart energy plays an important role in alleviating energy poverty in China in the context of the new technological revolution and industrial change. This paper uses China's smart pilot policy as a quasi-natural experiment, employing China's provincial panel data from 2011 to 2022, measuring energy poverty indices based on a projection pursuit evaluation model, and conducting a quasi-natural experiment using a synthetic control method to assess the effect of smart energy on energy poverty and specific mechanisms of action. The study found that smart energy has a specific and significant impact on energy poverty, but the effect differs in different regions depending on the construction cycle and energy endowment. In the mechanism test, smart energy significantly alleviates energy poverty through the mechanisms of improving energy supply capacity, improving energy payment capacity, and improving energy cleanliness. The results of the study provide empirical references for regional solutions to energy poverty and the planning of smart energy construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Electrons are redistributed as Mg&MoP/CN loaded at a reverse interfacial position. • Interfacial MoP behaves as the electron collecting sites to improve the activity. • Exterior Mg functions as the catalyzing sites to tackle the selectivity challenge. • Selective and efficient CH 4 evolution are achieved by a Z-scheme reaction pathway. Constructing photocatalysts with dual-function active sites can coordinate the photogenerated electrons transfer and the adsorption energy of key intermediates, thereby converting CO 2 into valuable methane with high efficiency. However, the role that the interfacial position of functional catalysts played in determining the activity and selectivity of CO 2 photoreduction remains unclear. Herein, we regulated the action interface and synergistic effect of magnesium nitrate hydroxide and molybdenum phosphide (Mg & MoP) to modify polymeric carbon nitride (PCN), and found the function-oriented Mg-MoP/PCN exhibits superior performance for catalyzing CO 2 -to-CH 4 in pure water, with a rate of 24.45 μmol h−1 g−1 and 95.3 % selectivity. Theoretical and experimental studies reveal that interfacial layer of MoP promotes the evolutionary activity by facilitating the electron transfer while exterior layer of Mg functions as the catalyzing sites to tackle the selectivity challenge by promoting CO 2 adsorption and CO* stabilization. The synergistic interaction of function-oriented Mg&MoP realizes selective CH 4 evolution with high efficiency via a Z-scheme pathway. The interfacial position of bifunctional catalysts is vital for regulating CO 2 photoreduction activity and product selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total electron content (TEC) is a critical parameter of ionosphere morphology. Precise modeling and prediction of the TEC time series can significantly aid the functioning of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), satellite as well as shortwave communications. An improved Transformer-based TEC prediction model (ITM) is proposed in this study, in response to the high noise characteristics of the temporal data for TEC in the global ionosphere. The ITM model forecasts the global ionospheric TEC data provided by the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) for the year 2018. Experimental results indicate that the model obtains an annual average root mean square error of 1.4 TECU, which represents a 6.67 % advancement over the daily forecast product C1PG published by the CODE center. The model also attains an annual average mean absolute error of 1 TECU, representing a 9.09 % improvement over the accuracy of C1PG. The annual average correlation coefficient is 0.98, which indicates a 0.62 % upgrade in C1PG's accuracy. Additionally, the model exhibits a maximum increase of 23.53 % in monthly average root mean square error over C1PG, a maximum increase of 25 % in monthly average mean absolute error, and a maximum increase of 1.55 % in monthly average correlation coefficient. During the more geomagnetically active phases of 2018, the ITM model's forecast accuracy exhibited an overall improvement of 5 % in RMSE, 7.14 % in MAE, and 0.83 % in correlation coefficient R compared to the C1PG product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous studies showed that S100A9 was overexpressed in glioma and promoted tumor growth. However, S100A9 can also be secreted by tumor cells to regulate the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this study, we aimed to explore the functions of glioma derived-S100A9 in microglial M2 polarization, resulting in inhibition of CD8+ T lymphocytes and promotion of immunosuppression. We first showed that glioma exhibited higher expression and secretion of S100A9 than astrocytes. After knocking down S100A9 in two glioma cell lines, the secretion of S100A9 was repressed. Then, the medium was collected and considered as conditioned medium (CM), which was incubated with microglia. We found that glioma-derived S100A9 drove microglial M2 polarization and increased TGFβ1 secretion. These molecular mechanisms were related to the interaction of S100A9 with αvβ3 integrin and the subsequent activation of AKT1 in microglia. Furthermore, we demonstrated that S100A9-induced M2 microglia negatively affected cell viability, IL-2 and IFN-γ secretion, together with increased early apoptosis in CD8+T lymphocytes via TGFβ1. Additionally, glioma cells were implanted into mouse brains, and we confirmed that S100A9 stimulated microglial M2 polarization, enhanced TGFβ1 levels and repressed CD8+ T lymphocytes in orthotopically transplanted tumors. In human glioma samples, S100A9 expression was positively associated with CD206 expression, but negatively correlated with CD8+T lymphocyte accumulation in the TME. Our data indicated that glioma-derived S100A9 has a promising ability to manipulate non-malignant cells and promote immune evasion in the TME, providing valuable insight into the mechanism by which S100A9 participates in the progression of glioma. • Glioma-derived S100A9 polarizes microglia toward M2 via αvβ3 integrin/AKT1. • M2 microglia secretes TGFβ1 to inhibit immunocompetence of CD8+T lymphocyte. • Crosstalk among glioma, M2 microglia and CD8+T lymphocytes for immunosuppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-timescale dynamics are common in chemical processes. These processes are often difficult to model and pose challenges in control system design. In this paper, we propose a data-based control approach for linear multi-timescale systems using a system behavioural framework. A data resampling method coupled with a novel data predictive control (DPC) design with multi-level optimisation horizons is developed to handle different timescales. To deal with the dynamics of different timescales, the optimisation horizons with small to large time intervals are used to predict and optimise control actions from near to distant future. Computational complexity wise, the multi-level structure allows horizon length to expand exponentially with optimisation steps. A trajectory-based dissipativity condition is also developed to ensure stability of the proposed DPC, while achieving disturbance rejection and tracking control. An example of controlling a multi-timescale reactive distillation column is presented to illustrate the proposed approach. • A novel multi-timescale Data-Predictive Control (DPC) approach is developed. • This approach is based on a system behavioural framework. • A data resampling approach is developed to capture multi-timescale dynamics. • A multi-level DPC approach is developed to control multi-timescale processes. • A trajectory-based dissipativity condition ensures stability of the proposed DPC. • Tracking control is achieved together with disturbance rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Tungsten alloys with high strength, high toughness and high-temperature stability are strongly desired in extreme conditions. The nanoengineering of potassium bubbles (5–50 nm) is a fascinating strategy to strengthen these properties. However, such nano potassium bubbles can only be acquired in tungsten wires through swaging and drawing process till now. Here, we report an intra- and inter-potassium nano-bubbles strengthened bulk tungsten fabricated via an industrially applicable process combining aluminum-potassium-silicon (AKS) doping and spark plasma sintering (SPS), which exhibits desirable strength and remarkable toughness, as well as high thermal-shock resistance. The AKS-doping incorporated the K-Al-Si-O particles inside the W grains and the rapid high-temperature sintering of SPS produced the nanometer K bubbles from the K-Al-Si-O particles and kept the K bubbles inside the W grains. Our K-bubble strengthened tungsten material displays high potential in high-temperature applications. This strategy is also potentially applicable to other refractory metals such as molybdenum. Highlights • Nanoscaled potassium-bubbles strengthened bulk tungsten alloy is prepared. • This alloy exhibits highly desirable mechanical and thermal properties. • Those properties further lead to a high thermal-shock resistance. • This nanostructuring strategy helps guide endeavors to design other metal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We report an ultrafast in-situ laser reduction process of graphene oxides (GO) in LiFePO 4 electrodes, where the selective laser reduction of GO sheets is conducted after coating LiFePO 4 on current collector. This novel process technique avoids the solvophobicity and agglomeration problems of graphene in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) or other solvents for the electrode material slurry preparation because of GO's solvophilicity in various solvents. Under the optimized laser reduction condition, a hierarchical structure of graphene conductive network is formed without wrapping the LiFePO 4 surface, which can greatly improve the rate capability and cycle performance. The battery capacity remains 84.5% after 1000 cycles and 72.9% when the charge/discharge current density increases from 0.5C to 20C. The method developed in this work is also applicable for other material systems to selectively reduce GO for performance enhancement. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • An in-situ laser reduction of GO technique is developed without damaging LiFePO 4. • In-situ laser rGO shows hierarchical structure for fast electron and ion transport. • LiFePO 4 with in-situ laser rGO as conductive additive shows high rate capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The rapid uptake of SDZ by C. riparius was observed after short-term exposure. • SDZ decreased the activity of superoxide dismutase in C. riparius. • SDZ up-regulated mRNA levels of EcR , E74 , Hsp70 and Hsp27 genes in C. riparius. Abstract Although sulfadiazine (SDZ) is widespread in aquatic environments, information regarding the effects of SDZ on aquatic insects is still limited. In the present study, the bioconcentration and the effects of SDZ on the antioxidant system and the expression of endocrine and stress-related genes in Chironomus riparius larvae were investigated. The larvae were exposed to SDZ at the nominal concentrations of 2, 20 and 200 μg/L for 48 h. The results showed that SDZ was taken up by C. riparius despite presenting low bioconcentration factor values (0.99–3.92). In addition, superoxide dismutase activity was markedly reduced compared with the control group, whereas the levels of malondialdehyde were not significantly affected by SDZ. Moreover, the mRNA expression of genes related to heat shock proteins (Hsp70 and Hsp27) and ecdysone pathway (EcR and E74) were significantly up-regulated following all SDZ treatments. In aggregate, our work provides novel and interesting results regarding the potential biochemical and genetic effects of SDZ on freshwater insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ball-flower like NiO/g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction composite was synthesized via a hydrothermal deposition method combined with subsequent calcination route. The NiO/g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction exhibited a superior performance in CO 2 photoreduction. A maximum CO yields of 4.17 μmol/(h g-cat) had been obtained on 40% NiO/g-C 3 N 4 composite, which was 2.5 and 7.6 times as high as the pure g-C 3 N 4 and NiO respectively. The promotion mechanism could be ascribed to the perfect band matching and efficient internal charge transfer within the p-n junction, which results in high-efficiency separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, strong visible-light response and high specific surface area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of improving in-situ nitrate removal was demonstrated in a CdS nanoparticles (NPs)-assisted periphyton bioelectrochemical system (PCdS-BES). Compared to the control (periphyton bioelectrochemical system, P-BES), nitrate reduction to nitrogen gas by the PCdS-BES was enhanced by 1.5 times on day 7 under stimulated sunlight irradiation (20 W m −2 ), avoiding nitrous oxide emission. The presence of CdS NPs optimized the community structure of periphyton, enhanced its activities (represented by ATPase), stimulated more extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production and increased the relative abundance of electroactive bacteria strains (e.g. Family Xanthomonadaceae , Hyphomonadaceae and Sphingobacteriales ). The enhancement of nitrate reduction under irradiation was primarily attributed to the synergistic effect of EPS, electroactive bacteria strains and CdS NPs. Specifically, CdS NPs provided photoexcited electrons under light irradiation. The EPS facilitated the stability of CdS NPs in the periphyton matrix and separation of photo-induced electron-hole on the surface of CdS NPs. EPS served as extracellular electron transfer mediators for electron transfer from CdS NPs to microorganisms. The electroactive bacteria were beneficial to the acquisition of electrons produced by CdS NPs under irradiation, promoting catalytic nitrate reduction. This study gives an insight into the mechanism of nitrate reduction via the synergistic action of photoexcited electrons, EPS and electroactive bacteria. The successful combination of photocatalyst (i.e. CdS NP) and microbial community in BES also provides a promising approach for nitrate removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of flaked Mg/g-C 3 N 4 catalysts were synthesized via an in-situ hydrothermal deposition method and measured their photocatalytic activity for CO 2 reduction. The characterization results indicated that the obtained Mg/pCN catalysts had high surface area and massive active sites for CO 2 absorption. The introduction of Mg species had a positive effect to extend the spectral response property and increased the separation rate of photogenerated electron-holes pairs. Mg-doped g-C 3 N 4 catalysts showed much higher photocatalytic performance than pCN. The maximum CH 4 and CO yields of 17.09 and 4.13 μmol/g-cat, respectively, had been obtained for CO 2 reduction after 6 h reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is a specialized type of dialysis. However, the characteristics and factors associated with nosocomial pneumonia in patients undergoing CRRT have received little attention to date. Therefore, this study investigated the characteristics of and factors contributing to nosocomial pneumonia in patients receiving CRRT. Methods The clinical data of 1160 patients undergoing CRRT during the period January 2008 to December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Of these 1160 cases, 145 (12.5%) were included in the nosocomial pneumonia group, while 1015 were included in the control group. Results The primary pathogen in the 145 cases of nosocomial pneumonia in the CRRT patients was Staphylococcus aureus (58.57%); the morbidity rate was 12.5%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age (odds ratio (OR) 2.209), initial curative time (OR 1.960), underlying diseases (OR 1.820), consciousness disorder (OR 1.616), organ failure (OR 2.154), the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (APACHE II) (OR 1.186), and the Charlson Comorbidity Index score (CCI) (OR 1.278) were risk factors for nosocomial pneumonia (all p < 0.05). Conversely, the serum white blood cell count (OR 0.585), albumin (OR 0.673), and hemoglobin (OR 0.712) levels were protective factors (all p < 0.05). Conclusions Results from this study indicate that by modifying risk factors, such as providing adequate nutrition, earlier treatment of underlying diseases, and controlling organ failure, the risks associated with nosocomial pneumonia may be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization limits plant growth and threatens crop production. Research on salt response in plants, especially halophytes, is imperative. WRKY transcription factors (TFs) have critical regulatory roles in plant alkaline metal (sodium) salt stress response. Iris lactea var. chinensis is an ornamental and perennial herbaceous halophyte. In this study, a new WRKY TF gene IlWRKY1 was firstly cloned from I. lactea var. chinensis . IlWRKY1 cDNA sequence contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 1083 bp, which encodes a protein (Mw: 38.77 kDa; pI: 5.22) of 361 amino acids. Analysis of the conserved domains of protein sequence indicated that IlWRKY1 belonged to the Group Ⅲ WRKY TFs. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the IlWRKY1 was much closer to AoWRKY41 from Asparagus officinalis and MaWRKY41 from Musa acuminata subsp. malaccensis . Furthermore, analysis of mRNA transcriptional levels revealed that the expression of IlWRKY1 was notably increased under NaCl stress in I. lactea var. chinensis shoots, and achieved the highest level after 24 h of NaCl stress, suggesting that IlWRKY1 may be involved in I. lactea var. chinensis sodium salt responses. This work will conduce to the research on the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of the sodium salt tolerance in I. lactea var. chinensis by IlWRKY1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The charge/discharge mechanism and electrochemical performance of Zn 3 V 3 O 8 as anode for Li-ion batteries are systematically studied. Theoretical calculation predicts that Zn 3 V 3 O 8 can act as a host for Li storage, and a possible diffusion way of Li-ions within the crystal structure is calculated via first principle methods. Experimentally, Zn 3 V 3 O 8 nanosheets with porous architecture are fabricated via a facile hydrothermal pretreatment and subsequent sintering. The Zn 3 V 3 O 8 shows superior electrochemical performance with graphite electric additive, exhibiting discharge/charge capacity of 541/537 mAh g −1 after 200 cycles at a specific current of 120 mA g −1 . The Li-storage mechanism is also studied via ex-situ XRD, and the maintenance of main diffraction peaks during lithiation/delithiation process suggests a possible intercalation/extraction mechanism of the Zn 3 V 3 O 8 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature dependent fabrication of NiCr 2 O 4 is studied and the application of the as-prepared NiCr 2 O 4 in both half-cell with Li metal anode and full-cell with LiFePO 4 cathode are assessed. When mixing with natural graphite (NG), the NiCr 2 O 4 obtained at 550 °C can deliver initial charge and discharge capacities of 795 and 1275.5 mAh g −1 at a specific current of 150 mA g −1 , maintaining of 939 and 955 mAh g −1 after 140 cycles. In contrast, after 140 cycles at the same specific current, the NiCr 2 O 4 obtained at 450 °C and 650 °C can maintain charge/discharge capacities of 800/814 and 523/528 mAh g −1 , respectively. When matching with a LiFePO 4 cathode, The NiCr 2 O 4 /NG (obtained at 550 °C) electrode delivers initial discharge capacity of 285 mAh g −1 , which maintains of 106 mAh g −1 after 50 cycles at a specific current of 100 mA g −1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal vegetation can reduce long wave run-up on beaches and inland propagation distances and thus mitigate these hazards. This paper investigates periodic long wave run-up on coastal rigid vegetation sloping beaches via a numerical study. Rigid vegetation is approximated as rigid sticks, and the numerical model is based on an implementation of Morison's formulation [21] for rigid structures induced inertia and drag stresses in the nonlinear shallow water equations. The numerical model is solved via a finite volume method on a Cartesian cut cell mesh. The accuracy of the numerical model is validated by comparison with experimental results. The model is then applied to simulate various hypothetical cases of long periodic wave run-up on a sloping vegetated beach with different plant diameters and densities, and incident long waves with different periods. The sensitivity of long wave run-up to plant diameter, stem density and wave period is investigated by comparison of the numerical results for different vegetation characteristics and different wave periods. The numerical results show that rigid vegetation can effectively reduce long wave run-up and that wave run-up is decreased with increase of plant diameter and stem density. Moreover, the attenuation of long periodic wave run-up due to vegetation is sensitive to the variation of the incident wave period, and the attenuation of wave run-up is not increased or decreased monotonically with incident wave period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, cemented carbides with gradient surface enriched in Co phase and depleted of cubic phases were prepared by one-step vacuum sintering. The gradient cemented carbides of different WC grain size were used as the substrates of CVD coatings. The effects of WC particle size on the formation of gradient layer, microstructure and properties of the gradient cemented carbides were investigated. Besides, the influence of WC grain size and gradient layer on microstructure, growth and adhesion strength of the coatings were studied. The results showed that the thickness of surface gradient layer decreased with increasing WC particle size, which was attributed to the decreased diffusion paths and the increased diffusion distance. The interface between the surface gradient layer and the bulk was disordered due to abnormal grain growth of WC in ultrafine cemented carbide. The microhardness across the direction of the fcc-free (Face Center Cubic Free) surface layer to the bulk were similar in the three gradient cemented carbides, and could be expressed as: from the surface to the inner, the microhardness decreased firstly, then increased sharply around the interface, and subsequently dropped to the bulk level. The coating on the fcc-free surface layer was thicker than that on bulk, and the coating on the substrate with fine-sized WC grains is the thickest. The increase of the WC grain size in the substrate could improve the bonding strength of the coating. Furthermore, the presence of Co-rich layer could improve the bonding strength. However, bonding strength was poor for the grain size of ultrafine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct melt infiltration does not produce sintered closed holes and considerably reduces the time required for preparation compared with pre-sintered WC skeleton followed by melt infiltration of Co. However, it may lead to alloy collapsing and deformation. In this study, WC and Co green parts were prepared via binder jet 3D printing. The two parts were stacked layer by layer then subjected to melt infiltration to prepare a WC–Co series of cemented carbides. The aim was to investigate the shape retention, infiltration conditions, and properties of the alloy after the equal distribution of Co and the direct infiltration of the Co melt into the WC green parts without pre-sintering. The effect of different Co amounts on the product was also studied. Results showed that the carbide prepared through direct melt infiltration of WC green parts without pre-sintered skeletons displayed excellent shrinkage and properties. The shrinkage of the prepared cemented carbide with a Co content of about 25 wt% was within 3% in all directions. The relative density, hardness, and fracture toughness of the alloy reached 96.65%, 11.5 GPa, and 23.5 Mpa m1/2, respectively. This work provides a simplified, and high-shape-retention method for other alloys that can be prepared through melt infiltration. • WC and Co green parts were prepared by binder jet 3D printing, and WC-Co was successfully prepared by melt infiltration method. • The melt infiltration after layering and stacking two green parts resulted in an alloy with good properties and shrinkage of less than 3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensification mechanism of aqueous/organic phase reaction by the addition of magnetic polymer nanoparticles was investigated. To understand how nanoparticles intensify the liquid–liquid (L–L) reaction, three reaction enhancement strategies of mechanical agitation (MA), the addition of magnetic polymer nanoparticles (MPN) or phase transfer catalyst (PTC) were compared in Montanari oxidation system. A mass transfer mathematical model was established to describe the oxidation reaction process owing to its inherently fast characteristic of the oxidation of selected substrate (benzyl alcohol). Moreover, the influence of the nanoparticles concentration on the biphasic reaction was explored. The results indicate that the emulsification of nanoparticles is the main reason to intensify the L–L reaction, and the mass transfer specific surface area ( a ow ) is a crucial factor to accelerate the reaction rate. In addition, the emulsion type also plays a significant role to influence the overall mass transfer coefficient ( K ) of substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal mining under a body of water introduces a potential risk of water inrush to the mine. Based on the practice of coal mining near the Jinsha river in Gansu province, China, and focused on the seepage prevention of the mining-disturbed riverbed, the surface movement, failure characteristics of the overburden strata, and water percolation induced by mining underneath the river have been investigated by means of in situ monitoring, physical modeling, and discrete element numerical simulation. A flexible anti-seepage scheme, Four Element Structure (FES), is put forward to protect the riverbed from seepage, and the structure can harmonize and buffer the mining-induced deformation of the surface land. Upward from the bottom of the riverbed, FES is composed respectively of: Reinforcement layer , which plays the roles of strengthening the riverbed, buffering the deformation, and enhancing the integrity of the riverbed; Bedding course layer , which prevents the anti-seepage layer from folding damage due to dislocation and sharpness in the riverbed, meanwhile it can absorb localized deformation; Anti-seepage layer , which is a major anti-seepage texture made by geo-membrane with the properties of water proof, a high strength, good flexibility and ductility; Protective layer , which covers the geo-membrane by a layer of precast reinforced concrete bricks to fix and protect the anti-seepage layer. In addition, treatment principles are proposed for reshipping of the river path in plane, the stream gradient along the longitude and the shape of cross section of the riverbed, and a comprehensive seepage prevention system is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of wave propagation on coastal vegetation field is fundamental to assessing the effectiveness and limitations of vegetation in coastal protection. This paper presents a refraction–diffraction wave model for the investigation of wave propagation through a coastal mild slope zone in the presence of rigid vegetation via numerical simulation. The model is based on the implementation of a module for vegetation-induced wave energy dissipation in the parabolic mild slope equation. The model is capable of simulating both wave refraction and diffraction and economical in computation and may bridge the gap between the wave energy spectrum and the phase-resolved models for wave propagation through coastal vegetation fields. The model is validated through by comparison with experimental results. The model is subsequently applied to a simulation of a wave propagating on a plane in the presence of different patterns of rigid vegetation. The sensitivity of the wave height to the plant height, the diameter and the stem density is investigated by comparison of the numerical results for wave height attenuation that results from different patterns of rigid vegetation. The numerical results show that wave height attenuation due to rigid vegetation has a higher variability for the different rigid plant conditions and that the attenuation of the wave height due to the rigid vegetation increases alongside the plant height under water as well as the diameter and plant stem density. The results further indicate that for wave propagates through coastal rigid vegetation zones with a high plant height under water, large diameter and high stem density, the wave height along the propagating direction is decreased nonlinearly with the increase of the wave propagating distance, and nonlinearity is more obvious for the plant with a higher height under water as well as a larger diameter and higher stem density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution and seasonal variation of fifteen antibiotics belonging to three classes (sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines) were investigated in Lake Chaohu, China. The concentrations of the selected antibiotics in the surface water, eight major inflowing rivers and sewage treatment plant (STP) samples were analyzed by UPLC–MS/MS. The results indicated that sulfamethoxazole and ofloxacin were the predominant antibiotics, with maximum concentrations of 95.6 and 383.4 ng L −1 , respectively, in the river samples. In Lake Chaohu, the western inflowing rivers (the Nanfei and Shiwuli Rivers) were the primary import routes for the antibiotics, and the domestic effluent from four STPs were considered the primary source of the antibiotics. The level of antibiotics in Lake Chaohu clearly varied with seasonal changes, and the highest detectable frequencies and mean concentrations were found during the winter. The quality of water downstream of Lake Chaohu was influenced by the lake, and the results of risk assessment of the antibiotics on aquatic organisms suggested that sulfamethoxazole, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin in the surface water of Lake Chaohu and inflowing rivers might pose a high risk to algae and plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Sinusoidal perturbed Al foil was prepared by single-point diamond turning. [•] Perturbed Al foil was measured by surface profiler and white light interferometer. [•] Perturbed Al foil and CH layer adhered with each other via a hot-press process. [•] Parameters and cross-section of the CH–Al perturbation target was characterized. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Reconstructing ionospheric electron density (IED) is an ill-posed inverse problem, with classical Tikhonov regularization tending to smooth IED structures. By contrast, total variation (TV) regularization effectively resists noise and preserves discontinuities of the IED. In this paper, we regularize the inverse problem by incorporating both Tikhonov and TV regularization. A specific formulation of the proposed method, called hybrid regularization, is introduced and investigated. The method is then tested using simulated data for the actual positions of the GPS satellites and ground receivers, and also applied to the analysis of real observation data under quiescent and disturbed ionospheric conditions. Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness, and illustrate the validity and reliability of the proposed method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Bismuth telluride-based materials are well known for their excellent thermoelectric (TE) properties within the near-room temperature range. However, the poor thermoelectric performance of their n-type counterparts has posed a major hindrance to the application of bismuth telluride-based thermoelectric generator (TEG). In this study, a dual optimization approach was implemented. Specifically, 2D ceramic nano-sized hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) was introduced into n-type Bi 2 Te 2.7 Se 0.3 (BTS) to enhance its performance, aligning it with p-type materials. It is indicated that ceramic h-BN decoration leads to the emergence of a high density of dislocations, which boosts the phonon scattering and reduces lattice thermal conductivity significantly. Meanwhile, a high carrier mobility is maintained to ensure an improved power factor. With the addition of moderate ceramic h-BN, the composite material achieved a ZT value of 1.1 at 400 K. The geometric configuration of TEG was optimized using finite element methods to strike the optimal balance between output power (P o u t ) and efficiency (η). Based on the structure optimization results, the predicted P o u t and η increased by 48 % and 36 %, respectively. The fabricated TEG demonstrated to achieve an efficiency of 6.4 %. This work allows the evolution from bismuth telluride-based prototype to a functional TEG advanced in room-temperature heat recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Vegetation damping effects on propagating water waves have been investigated by many researchers. This paper investigates the effects of damping due to vegetation on solitary water wave run-up via numerical simulation. The numerical model is based on an implementation of Morison''s formulation for vegetation induced inertia and drag stresses in the nonlinear shallow water equations. The numerical model is solved via a finite volume method on a Cartesian cut cell mesh. The accuracy of the numerical scheme and the effects of the vegetation terms in the present model are validated by comparison with experiment results. The model is then applied to simulate a solitary wave propagating on a plane slope with vegetation. The sensitivity of solitary wave run-up to plant height, diameter and stem density is investigated by comparison of the numerical results for different patterns of vegetation. The numerical results show that vegetation can effectively reduce solitary wave propagation velocity and that solitary wave run-up is decreased with increase of plant height in water and also diameter and stem density. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The high-purity oxygen production from ambient air through the dense one end-dead perovskite hollow fiber membrane based on Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ prepared by a phase inversion spinning process is reported. High oxygen purity up to 99.7vol% and high oxygen permeation flux of 1.74ml/mincm2 are obtained after 2-h activation in the initial stage at 950°C under the vacuum degree of 99.0kPa on the core side and the ambient air of 1.0atm on the feed side. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy spectrum analysis (EDS) show that the carbonate appears in the spent hollow fiber membrane after 24-h oxygen permeation in the ambient air, which leads to the decline of the oxygen permeation flux. However, the pure oxygen can be produced in one step through the one end-dead hollow fiber membrane without any inert gas, so the second separation is not necessary any more and it is beneficial to the industrial application for high-purity oxygen production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The microscopic mechanisms of inhibit plutonium hydriding with different oxide overlayers were revealed. • The PuO 2 inhibits plutonium hydriding mainly due to the formation of hydroxyl groups. • The α-Pu 2 O 3 could inhibit plutonium hydriding at low hydrogen concentration conditions. • Plutonium hydriding could not be effectively resisted with α-Pu 2 O 3 when hydrogen concentration is high. The hydriding corrosion of metallic plutonium (Pu) is a crucial issue for its actual applications. The current work performs systematic ab initio molecular dynamics calculations to reveal the microscopic mechanism of Pu oxides over metallic Pu in resisting hydriding reaction. The results show that Pu hydriding is inhibited by PuO 2 because hydrogen atoms are captured by lattice oxygen to form hydroxyl groups. In α-Pu 2 O 3 the hydrogen attack could be prevented when hydrogen concentration is low because oxygen vacancy acts as a trap for hydrogen migration. Whereas, when the hydrogen concentration is high enough the hydriding corrosion could not be effectively resisted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) acts as an essential adaptor in host RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) mediated antiviral signaling pathway. In the present study, two MAVS transcript variants, the typical form and a splicing variant, namely Lc-MAVS_tv1 and Lc-MAVS_tv2 were characterized in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). The putative Lc -MAVS_tv1 protein contains 512 aa, with an N-terminal CARD domain, a central proline-rich region, and a C-terminal transmembrane (TM) domain, whereas Lc -MAVS_tv2 contains 302 aa and lacks the C-terminal TM domain due to a premature stop in the 102 bp intron fragment insertion. Lc -MAVS_tv1 was identified as a mitochondrion localized protein whereas Lc -MAVS_tv2 exhibited an entire cytosolic distribution. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that Lc-MAVS_tv1 mRNA was broadly expressed in examined organs/tissues and showed extremely higher level than that of Lc-MAVS_tv2 , and both of them could be up-regulated under poly I:C, LPS, PGN, and Pseudomonas plecoglossicida stimulation in vivo. Interestingly, overexpression of Lc -MAVS_tv2 could induce the activation of NF-κB but not IRF3, and Lc -MAVS_tv2 co-transfected with Lc -MAVS_tv1 induced a significantly higher level of NF-κB and IRF3 promoter activity. In addition, Lc -MAVS_tv2 overexpression could enhance TRAF3 and TRAF6 mediated NF-κB activation, but suppress TRAF3 and TRAF6 mediated IRF3 activation, implying that the splicing variant Lc -MAVS_tv2 may function as an important regulator in MAVS mediated signaling pathway. • A novel MAVS splicing variant Lc -MAVS_tv2 was characterized. • Lc-MAVS_tv1 and Lc-MAVS_tv2 can be induced by both viral and bacterial PAMPs. • Lc -MAVS_tv2 induces NF-κB but not IRF3 activation. • Lc -MAVS_tv2 enhances TRAF3 and TRAF6 mediated NF-κB activation. • Lc -MAVS_tv2 suppresses TRAF3 and TRAF6 mediated IRF3 activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fipronil (5-amino-1-[2,6-dichloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4-[(trifluoromethyl)sulfinyl]-1H-pyrazole-3-carbonitrile) is a highly active, broad spectrum insecticide from the phenyl pyrazole family, which targets the γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) receptor. Although fipronil is presently widely used as an insecticide and acaricide, little information is available with respect to its metabolic fate and disposition in mammals. This study was designed to investigate the in vitro human metabolism of fipronil and to examine possible metabolic interactions that fipronil may have with other substrates. Fipronil was incubated with human liver microsomes (HLM) and several recombinant cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms obtained from BD Biosciences. HPLC was used for metabolite identification and quantification. Fipronil sulfone was the predominant metabolite via CYP oxidation. The Km and Vmax values for human liver microsomes are 27.2 μM and 0.11 nmol/mg protein min, respectively; for rat liver microsomes (RLM) the Km and Vmax are 19.9 μM and 0.39 nmol/mg protein min, respectively. CYP3A4 is the major isoform responsible for fipronil oxidation in humans while CYP2C19 is considerably less active. Other human CYP isoforms have minimal or no activity toward fipronil. Co-expression of cytochrome b5 (b5) is essential for CYP3A4 to manifest high activity toward fipronil. Ketoconazole, a specific inhibitor of CYP3A4, inhibits 78% of the HLM activity toward fipronil at a concentration of 2 μM. Oxidative activity toward fipronil in 19 single-donor HLMs correlated well with their ability to oxidize testosterone. The interactions of fipronil and other CYP3A4 substrates, such as testosterone and diazepam, were also investigated. Fipronil metabolism was activated by testosterone in HLM but not in CYP3A4 Supersomes®. Testosterone 6β-hydroxylation in HLM was inhibited by fipronil. Fipronil inhibited diazepam demethylation but had little effect on diazepam hydroxylation. The results suggest that fipronil has the potential to interact with a wide range of xenobiotics or endogenous chemicals that are CYP3A4 substrates and that fipronil may be a useful substrate for the characterization of CYP3A4 in HLM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The mild slope equation is used to describe wave propagating in the near shore region. In this paper, the finite difference method is used to discretize the governing elliptic equation and the discretized linear equation is solved using GPBiCG (m, n) method. Two cases of wave propagating are used to test the model, and reasonable agreements have been achieved. It is shown that the present algorithm: GPBiCG (m, n) with a flexible and diverse form, has a fast and relatively robust convergence rate, and can be efficiently and economically run in either the linear or nonlinear wave model and easily used to a complicated region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Carbaryl is a widely used anticholinesterase carbamate insecticide. Although previous studies have demonstrated that carbaryl can be metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP), the identification and characterization of CYP isoforms involved in metabolism have not been described either in humans or in experimental animals. The in vitro metabolic activities of human liver microsomes (HLM) and human cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms toward carbaryl were investigated in this study. The three major metabolites, i.e. 5-hydroxycarbaryl, 4-hydroxycarbaryl and carbaryl methylol, were identified after incubation of carbaryl with HLM or individual CYP isoforms and analysis by HPLC. Most of the 16 human CYP isoforms studied showed some metabolic activity toward carbaryl. CYP1A1 and 1A2 had the greatest ability to form 5-hydroxycarbaryl, while CYP3A4 and CYP1A1 were the most active in generation of 4-hydroxycarbaryl. The production of carbaryl methylol was primarily the result of metabolism by CYP2B6. Differential activities toward carbaryl were observed among five selected individual HLM samples with the largest difference occurring in the production of carbaryl methylol. Co-incubations of carbaryl and chlorpyrifos in HLM greatly inhibited carbaryl metabolism. The ability of HLM to metabolize carbaryl was also reduced by pre-incubation of HLM with chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos inhibited the generation of carbaryl methylol, catalyzed predominately by CYP2B6, more than other pathways, correlating with an earlier observation that chlorpyrifos is metabolized to its oxon primarily by CYP2B6. Therefore, carbaryl metabolism in humans and its interaction with other chemicals is reflected by the concentration of CYP isoforms in HLM and their activities in the metabolic pathways for carbaryl. (Supported by NCDA Environmental Trust Fund) [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Through utilizing the different photoluminescence properties of the Eu3+-activated NaLuF 4 nanoparticles and g-C 3 N 4 , the versatile applications of white light-emitting diode and ratiometric optical thermometer are realized. • NaLuF 4 : x Eu3+ nanoparticles can emit dazzling red emission with optimal doping content of 15 mol%. • NaLuF 4 : x Eu3+ nanoparticles have superior thermal stability and its IQE is 35.3%. • White-LED with high CRI (80.2), low CCT (5014 K) and proper LE (12.1 lm/W) is obtained. • The maximum S a and S r values of the designed composites are 0.0057 K−1 and 0.455% K−1, respectively. • The sensor sensitivities of the prepared composites can be modified by composition regulation. To overcome the existence challenge of the luminescent materials in versatile applications, NaLuF 4 : x Eu3+ nanopariticles and NaLuF 4 :0.15Eu3+@ y g-C 3 N 4 composites were designed. Under irradiation of 394 nm, dazzling red emissions with high color purity of 87.6% are observed in the NaLuF 4 : x Eu3+ nanoparticles and the optimizing content of the dopants is 15 mol%. The electric dipole-dipole interaction leads to the concentration dependent quenching effect. Through assessing the resistance performance of the resultant nanoparticles to the temperature, the studied samples are certified to show high thermal stability. Furthermore, the proper color rendering index (80.2), low correlated color temperature (5014 K) and suitable luminous efficiency (12.1 lm/W) of packaged white light-emitting diode reveal that the NaLuF 4 :0.15Eu3+ nanoparticles can be employed as the red component for white light-emitting diode. On account of the inconsistent photoluminescence performances of the NaLuF 4 :0.15Eu3+ nanoparticles and g-C 3 N 4 , the thermometric properties of the NaLuF 4 :0.15Eu3+@ y g-C 3 N 4 composites are explored. The maximum absolute and relative sensitivities of the designed composites are 0.0057 K−1 and 0.455% K−1, respectively, and their values are able to be manipulated via composition regulation. This work proposes a new sight into the exploitation of diverse photoluminescence behaviors of the g-C 3 N 4 and NaLuF 4 : x Eu3+ nanoparticles to realize versatile applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the plutonium (Pu) oxides are the crucial issue of the Pu surface and corrosion science and some impurities like hydrogen (H) are virtually impossible to exclude from them in realistic environments, understanding the dynamical behaviors of hydrogen (H) in Pu oxides is essential for the protections and applications of Pu. Here we perform systematic ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) calculations to reveal the diffusion behaviors of impurity H in the oxygen saturated (OS) and oxygen unsaturated (OU) Pu dioxide (PuO 2). The considered variation ranges of the concentration of interstitial H (θ: H to Pu ratio), the concentration of oxygen vacancy (OV) (n ov : OV to O ratio), and the temperature were 1 32 ∼ 14 32 , 0 ∼ 8 64 , and 300 ∼ 800 K, respectively. The root mean square displacements, radial distribution functions, Bader charge, electronic density of states, and the three-dimensional diffusion coefficients were extracted and analyzed in detail. Results indicate that the H diffusion is inhibited mainly due to the formation of hydroxyl with the host O both in the OS and OU PuO 2. In the OU PuO 2 the O atoms will transport due to the presence of large concentration of H. The octahedral interstitial site in the OS PuO 2 and the OV in the OU PuO 2 provide a metastable and favorable capturing effect to the interstitial H, respectively. The diffusion coefficient in the OU PuO 2 is smaller than that of in the OS PuO 2 and decreases with n ov essentially as the OV plays the role of a trap for H diffusion. Our conclusions may provide potential guidance for Pu surface and corrosion science. • The mechanisms of inhibit hydrogen diffusion in different plutonium dioxides were confirmed. • Two different capturing effects to hydrogen in saturated and unsaturated PuO 2 were found. • The diffusion coefficients of hydrogen in different plutonium dioxides were obtained. • The variation tendencies of the hydrogen diffusion coefficients were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fiber layer failure is vital for the tensile behavior of interlayer hybrid carbon fiber (CF)/self-reinforced polypropylene (SRPP) composites. Introducing cuts, termed here as discontinuities, into the carbon layer is a promising way to tailor its failure behavior. Inspired by structural features of biological composites, we designed and produced hybrid composites with hierarchical and polygonal arrangements of discontinuities in the carbon layer. Increasing the number of levels in the hierarchical patterns delayed the onset of carbon layer failure, hence improving the damage resistance of the hybrid composites. A progressive carbon layer failure was achieved with the polygonal patterns by creating a transition from fiber bundle pull-out to fiber bundle fracture. Spreading the polygonal patterns throughout the specimen resulted in a unique diffused delamination distribution that has not been reported in the literature. Pseudo-ductile behavior was achieved by creating dispersed fiber bundle pull-out with the fully dispersed polygonal patterns. The resulting hybrid CF/SRPP composites demonstrated a rare combination of stiffness (10 GPa) and ductility (~16% failure strain) with a pseudo-ductile strain over 14%. This paper delivers and proves the concept of utilizing discontinuities to engineer the tensile behavior of hybrid composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Dazomet fumigation boosted the diversity and relative abundance of ARGs. • A "inhibition-recovery" trend was occurred in the absolute abundance of ARGs. • Major hosts of ARGs shifted from Proteobacteria to Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. • Dazomet exposure increased the incidence of MGEs and stimulated conjugation of ARGs. • Fumigant dazomet was implicated in the emergence and spread of ARGs in agroecosystem. Agrochemicals are emergingly being implicated in the widespread dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in agroecosystems. However, minimal research exists on the disturbance of fumigant on soil ARGs. Focusing on a typical fumigant dazomet in a simulated soil microcosm, we characterized the dazomet-triggered timely response and longstanding dynamic of ARGs at one-fold and two-fold field recommended doses using metagenome and quantitative PCR. Dazomet treatments reduced 13.17%-69.98% of absolute abundance of 16S rRNA gene and targeted ARGs, but, awfully, boosted diversity and relative abundance of ARGs up to 1.33–1.60 and 1.62–1.90 folds, respectively. Approximately 77.28% of changes in relative abundance of ARGs could be explained by bacterial community and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Mechanistically, primary hosts of ARGs shifted from Proteobacteria (control) to Firmicutes and Actinobacteria (treatments) accompanied with corresponding changes in their abundance by combining community analysis, host tracking analysis and antibiotic resistant bacteria assay. Meanwhile, dazomet exposure significantly increased the incidence of MGEs and stimulated the conjugation of antibiotic-resistant plasmid. In addition, absolute abundance of targeted ARGs gradually recovered in the post-fumigation stage. Collectively, our results elucidate the dazomet-triggered emergence and spread of soil ARGs and highlight the importance of navigating toward rational use of fumigant in agricultural fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting quality indicators is essential in process production, process production often involves multiple processes. However, modeling the prediction model for quality indicators faces challenges due to frequent fluctuations in raw material composition and the control system's automatic adjustment of process parameters. Additionally, due to the mutual influence between processes, the problem of predicting quality indicators in process production is a systematic prediction problem. In order to deal with the challenges, firstly, the physical control relationships are transformed into graph data, which is input into GNN to calculate the spatial characteristics of process parameters on quality indicators under physical information constraints. GRU captures the temporal features of quality indicator data. Based on above study, a combination network GGRU integrating quality indicators' spatial and temporal characteristics was proposed. Finally, each GGRU is then connected based on the material flow between each process, and path information between processes is converted to the calculation flow between GGRU models to form the S-GGRU prediction model. Experimental results show that the proposed S-GGRU model, a multi-process prediction model based on GRU and GNN, outperforms the recurrent neural network model and the graphical neural network model in solving the quality prediction problem for multi-process and multi-metrics in-process production. Therefore, both the time-series information of quality metrics and the influencing factors among variables should be considered to achieve better predictions, and the S-GGRU performance better in predicting quality indicators for a 5-process process line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Few epidemiological studies have investigated associations of exposure to multiple metals with thyroid hormone homeostasis, especially for the pregnant women. Methods Among all the 1644 participants enrolled in Hangzhou Birth Cohort Study (HBCS) at baseline, a total of 915 pregnant women with complete data of interest were analyzed. Eleven metals were measured in blood samples collected around 25 weeks gestation. Serum levels of thyroid hormones including free triiodothyronine (FT3), total triiodothyronine (TT3), free thyroxine (FT4), total thyroxine (TT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were abstracted from the medical records. Relationships between tertiles of metal levels (setting the lowest tertile as the reference) and percent changes in thyroid hormones were estimated by multivariable adjusted linear regression models. Results Five metals [arsenic (As), selenium (Se), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), antimony (Sb)] were significantly linked to decreased levels of one or more thyroid hormones based on trend tests in the single-metal models. Percent changes [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] in thyroid hormones for the third tertiles of metals remained significant between FT3 and As [−3.53% (−5.48%, −1.54%)]; and between TT3 and As [−4.19% (−7.00%, −1.31%)]; and between FT4 and Mn [−2.05% (−3.49%, −0.58%)], Sb [−1.99% (−3.44%, −0.52%)] in the multiple-metal models. Conclusions Thyroid hormone concentrations were reversely related to the levels of blood metals of As, Mn and Sb among Chinese pregnant women. Additional prospective studies are warranted to confirm the causality. Paper capsule: Exposure to multiple metals was reversely associated with one or more thyroid hormones in the Chinese pregnant women. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Associations of multiple metals with thyroid hormones were examined at pregnancy. • Both single- and multiple-metal models were employed for data analyses. • Blood metals of As, Mn and Sb were reversely linked to thyroid hormones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The impinging stream reactor was added to the baffle to get a new reactor. It is named the Baffle-type Impinging Stream Reactor. • Baffle-type Impinging Stream Reactor has better mixing effect than traditional impinging stream reactor. • The optimal structural parameters are obtained by studying its internal flow characteristics. The impinging stream reactor is an efficient equipment for fluid mixing that strengthens the mass and heat transfer in two fluids mixing processes, with potential for many chemical engineering and industrial applications. In this paper, the flow characteristics and concentration distribution of baffle-type impinging stream reactor are analyzed by numerical simulation to optimize the reactor. The influence of different baffle spacing W and baffle aspect ratio λ on the velocity, turbulent kinetic energy and mixing effect of the reactor are explored. It is indicated that the flow regime changed with the inserted baffle in reactor. With the decrease of the baffle spacing and the baffle aspect ratio, the velocity, turbulent kinetic energy and the fluid mixing intensity firstly increase and then decrease. The mixing intensity of the flow field with different baffle spacing is compared, it is found that W = 40mm> W = 60mm> W = 30mm> W = 80 mm. The mixing intensity with different baffle aspect ratios are found that λ =1> λ =1.5> λ =0.75. The baffle-type impinging stream reactors with W = 40 mm and λ =1 have the best mixing effect. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]