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Proper consolidation of concrete is critical to the long-term strength of concrete structures. Vibration is a commonly used method to make concrete flowable and to remove the excessive entrapped air, therefore contributing to proper concrete consolidation. To introduce vibrations to freshly placed concrete, various tools such as internal vibrators are widely used in the construction industry. Producing a dense concrete without segregation with these tools requires an experienced vibrator operator. Inexperienced vibrator operators tend to over-consolidate or under-consolidate concrete. Many of these quality problems have their roots in the lack of quality control methods that can provide real-time feedback on the quality of concrete consolidation to vibrator operators. A real-time wireless sensing-based internal vibrator tip tracking system was developed and validated in this research to support intelligent concrete consolidation operations. More specifically, the research explored the use of an ultra wideband (UWB) tracking system to realize precise localization of the tip of an internal vibrator. A series of indoor and outdoor experiments are conducted to validate and model the tracking accuracy. A novel visualization program was developed to visualize operators' vibration effort in real-time. The program is capable of displaying vibration location and time in real-time. A vibrator operator can leverage such information to visualize the distribution of his vibration effort, and spot areas that may need mitigation actions. This also provides an innovative construction inspection practice to owners and resident engineers. The new concrete consolidation tool will allow contractors to proactively address concrete consolidation issues, a problem common to many concrete construction projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction of 2-hydroxy-5-chlorobenzenesulfonic acid (H 2 L1), 2-hydroxy-5-chloro-1,3-benzenedisulfonic acid (H 3 L2), N -heterocyclic auxiliaries and CdX 2 (X = NO 3 − and Ac − ) salts leads to the formation of five new Cd(II) complexes, namely [Cd 2 (L1) 2 (phen) 2 ] ( 1 ), [Cd 2 (L1) 2 (2,2′-bipy) 2 ] ( 2 ), [Cd(HL1) 2 (2,2′-bipy) 2 ] ( 3 ), [Cd 1.5 (L2) 2 (phen) 2 (H 2 O)] n ·2 n H 2 O ( 4 ) and [Cd(HL2)(2,2′-bipy) 2 ] n ·3 n H 2 O ( 5 ), which have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, TG, PL (photoluminescence), powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Adjacent dinuclear units in complexes 1 and 2 are extended by extensive π⋯π and anion⋯π interactions to generate layer and chain motifs. Mononuclear units in complex 3 are interconnected by anion⋯π and hydrogen bonding interactions to form a 3-D supramolecular network which contains 1-D guest-free hydrophobic channels. In contrast, the Cd(II) cations in complexes 4 and 5 are joined by tri- and dianions to form chain structures, which are further extended by π⋯π interactions to give rise to 3-D supramolecular frameworks and chain structures. The different mono-, di- and trianions in the five complexes present diverse monodentate, μ 2 ( κ 1 O: κ 1 O′: κ 2 O″), μ 3 ( κ 1 O1: κ 2 O6: κ 2 O7) and μ 2 ( κ 1 O2: κ 1 O3) modes, respectively. Moreover, solid-state luminescent properties of the five complexes were also investigated at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to examine how seat surface inclination affects Boccia ball throwing movement and postural stability among children with cerebral palsy (CP). Twelve children with bilateral spastic CP (3 with gross motor function classification system Level I, 5 with Level II, and 4 with Level III) participated in this study. All participants underwent pediatric reach tests and ball throwing performance analyses while seated on 15° anterior- or posterior-inclined, and horizontal surfaces. An electromagnetic motion analysis system was synchronized with a force plate to assess throwing motion and postural stability. The results of the pediatric reach test ( p = 0.026), the amplitude of elbow movement ( p = 0.036), peak vertical ground reaction force (PVGRF) ( p < 0.001), and movement range of the center of pressure (COP) ( p < 0.020) were significantly affected by seat inclination during throwing. Post hoc comparisons showed that anterior inclination allowed greater amplitude of elbow movement and PVGRF, and less COP movement range compared with the other inclines. Posterior inclination yielded less reaching distance and PVGRF, and greater COP movement range compared with the other inclines. The anterior-inclined seat yielded superior postural stability for throwing Boccia balls among children with bilateral spastic CP, whereas the posterior-inclined seat caused difficulty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We employ a classic molecular dynamics method to investigate the dissolution and diffusion properties of hydrogen (H) in a Σ5(3 1 0) tilt grain boundary (GB). A maximum binding energy of 2.5 eV and a diffusion barrier of 1.65 eV indicate that GB plays an important role in H trapping. Dynamic simulations with temperature ranging from 600 K to 1200 K verify the diffusion and the aggregation of H in the GB are closely associated with the temperature. Pair radius distribution function analysis suggests a high local GB concentration of H such as 30% at 900 K can lead to a disordered GB structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A Refined Smart Cold Chain System (RSCCS) was proposed in which the semi-passive tags are replaced with the passive tags. [•] A new type of RFID application named 2G-RFID-Sys is applied to RSCCS. [•] 2G-RFID-Sys can continue to provide services, even if the backend system is disconnected or unavailable. [•] Our protocol can prevent the malicious competitor from spoiling the food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a large-scale and green method is reported for the facile synthesis of octahedral flower-like CuO nanocrystals via a coordination-deposition route by using Fehling regents. Not any harmful organic chemicals were used during the reaction period. The obtained hierarchical nanostructure can be rationally tailored by varying the concentration of tartrate ions and reaction time. The typical flower-like CuO nanocrystals in the range of 200–250 nm are consisted of numerous small crystalline whiskers, which present a porous surface with a specific surface area of 32.12 m 2 /g and a narrow band gap of 1.5 eV. Importantly, the flower-like CuO nanocrystals show an enhanced photocatalytic activity toward decomposing Rhodamine B (RhB) molecules. The degradation rate is about 87.9% in 40 min under visible light irradiation, which is about 2.5 times for the commercial CuO powers (35.2%). Moreover, the uniform flower-like monolayered CuO film exhibits an excellent photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance with a maximum photocurrent density of 58.8 μA/cm 2 , which is nearly five times higher than the commercial CuO film. This novel synthesis approach provides a large-scale and green protocol for synthesizing hierarchical metal oxide nanocrystals that are useful for photocatalysis, PEC water splitting and photovoltaic device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined procedure of catheter ablation and left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) aims to simultaneously control the heart rhythm and reduce the risk of strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The study aims to evaluate the procedural safety and long-term outcome of the combined procedure in a large patient cohort. Clinical data of AF patients who underwent the combined procedure was retrospectively analyzed. Procedural and imaging follow-up parameters were compared between the transesophageal echocardiography-guided standard process and fluoroscopy-guided modified process, and between the single-seal WATCHMAN and dual-seal LACBES devices. Long-term outcomes included all-cause mortality, thromboembolic events, major bleeding, and recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias. A total of 1114 patients were included. The rates of procedure-related major complications were comparable between the standard and modified processes (3.7% vs. 2.2%, p = 0.219), except for a higher incidence of respiratory depression in standard process group (0.9% vs 0%, p = 0.037), and between WATCHMAN and LACBES devices (2.4% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.535). The follow-up imaging evaluation revealed a high rate of satisfactory seals (99.7%) and a low rate of device related thrombus (1.9%), which were similar between two process groups and devices. The follow-up of over 1960 patient-years revealed low rates of mortality, thromboembolism, and nonprocedural major bleeding (1.8, 3.2, and 0.9 per 100 patient-years, respectively). Recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmias was observed in 23.9% patients. The results supported the safety and long-term efficacy of the combined procedure of catheter ablation and LAAC. Fluoroscopy-guided LAAC device implantation may be considered in experienced centers. • The safety of the combined procedure of catheter ablation and left atrial appendage closure was acceptable. • Despite a longer fluoroscopy time, the fluoroscopy-guided process had lower risks of respiratory depression and a shorter procedure time and required less workers than the transesophageal echocardiography-guided process. • Long-term event rates of the combined procedure were low, including mortality, thromboembolic events, and major bleeding events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Morphology and rheological behavior of CO 2 hydrate slurry in flow-loop are studied. • Tween-80′s effect in flow assurance depends greatly on shear-thinning behavior and bubble. • Defoamer(BK601) has negative effects in preventing hydrates aggregation. • The mechanism of Tween-80 in preventing hydrates aggregation is summarized. In this work, the flow of carbon dioxide (CO 2) hydrate slurry is systematically investigated by analyzing its rheological behavior, apparent viscosity, and crystal shape. The results show that blocking is easy to occur in the pure water system, while no blockage is observed from the system containing Tween-80. Besides, we confirm that the hydrate slurry formed in the pure water system is a dilatant fluid with shear-thickening behavior. However, that obtained from the system containing Tween-80 are pseudoplastic fluids with shear-thinning behavior. The time development of hydrate slurry flow in the system with or without Tween-80 showed that the shear-thinning behavior is a key factor in preventing the hydrate slurry from blockage. In addition, in the presence of Tween-80, hydrates will form on the surface of the bubble. These hydrates are easily dispersed on top of the liquid phase and will not adhere to the top wall of the pipeline. However, in pure water, a dense adhesive layer is observed on the top of the pipeline, which will reduce the flow area in the pipeline, increasing the flow resistance. Overall, the main role of Tween-80 in preventing hydrates from aggregation includes two aspects, (1) changing the type of fluid from dilatant to pseudoplastic; (2) providing bubbles for hydrate formation. The addition of defoamer(BK601) will reduce the Tween-80′s effects in preventing hydrates by reducing shear-thinning behavior and the amount of bubbles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring traffic states of urban road networks is essential to relieving traffic burdens and designing traffic management strategies. However, most traffic state estimation methods are data-driven and barely consider the traffic network topology characteristics. In this paper, we propose a model-driven approach to partition the network into several traffic clusters, providing a macro-perspective for traffic state monitoring and potential support for perimeter controls. Traffic state and network topology information are both considered in the approach. We obtain the traffic state index of each segment with license plate recognition data and traffic network topology information, considering the heterogeneity and direction of segments. The road graph is constructed based on graph theory, and we modify the RatioCut algorithm and turn hyper-parameters automatically to identify traffic clusters in the road graph. We verified the proposed approach by a large-scale urban network in Hangzhou, China. The visualization and comparison results with conventional spectral clustering, DBSCAN, and K-means demonstrate the superiority and application value of the proposed approach. • Present an accurate road graph construction framework considering the segment's hierarchy and topology. • Give out a new similarity function by optimizing the similarity between different states segments. • Propose an applicable traffic cluster identification approach with the integration of network topology and graph theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The nanozymes activities of single-atom dopped MOF is presented. • Theoretical calculation screens the optimal oxidase-like single-atom dopped MOF. • The PCN-222-Pt has a strong dual enzyme-like activity and ROS generation ability. • The PCN-222-Pt shows excellent anti-biofilm performance within 1 h. • Periodontitis can be efficiently treated by injectable PCN-222-Pt nanozymes ointment. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the bacteria infection in dental plaque, which can lead to gingival recession and tooth loss, seriously endangering human oral health. Current treatments through the combination of mechanical debridement and antibiotics therapy still have the problems of gingival trauma, low treatment efficiency, long treatment cycle and bacterial resistance. Herein, we prepare an injectable ointment based on MOF-based single-atom catalysis systems with good biocompatibility and high anti-biofilm activity, which consists of PEG-400/PEG-4000 and Pt single-atom doped porphyrin metal−organic framework (PCN-222-Pt). Through theoretical screening, we find that all the metal single atoms (Pt, Au, Cu, Ru) can improve the oxidase-like activity of PCN-222, which reduce the adsorption and activation energy of O 2. Among them, PCN-222-Pt shows strong oxidase-like and peroxidase-like activities and can produce reactive oxygen species spontaneously, which shows an excellent anti-biofilm performance (98.69% against S. aureus biofilm, 99.91% against E. coli biofilm) in vitro within 1 h. In the treatment of biofilm-induced periodontitis, the injectable PCN-222-Pt ointment showed alleviative inflammation response, reduced bone destruction and healthier gum tissue, which is superior to the clinical used Periocline. This work provides a rapid, effective, non-invasive and convenient strategy for the treatment of periodontitis without antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wrought magnesium alloys have anisotropy, therefore, it can be inferred that the ratcheting effect will also be anisotropic. In this paper, three kinds of modified layers (LSP, MAO and LSP/MAO) were prepared on the surfaces of two orientations (ED and TD) specimens processed using an extruded ZK60 magnesium alloy. The the ratcheting deformation behavior of different specimens under stress-controlled loadings was investigated. The results show that the ratcheting deformation under different loading conditions comes from the deformation mechanism of four modes: dislocation slip (Mode 1), twinning/detwinning transfer to dislocation slip (Mode 2), residual dislocation-retwinning collaboration (Mode 3), and residual twins-dislocation slip interaction (Mode 4). Considering the multi-mode ratcheting effect, a modified energy-based fatigue model is used to predict the fatigue life. The modified total strain energy (Δ W *) model can better predict the fatigue life of surface treated magnesium alloy under various loading conditions. [Display omitted] • Three modified layers were prepared on the surface of ZK60 magnesium alloys. • Initial texture and modified layers on effect of ratcheting deformation was investigated. • Four deformation mechanisms were used to evaluate the ratcheting behavior. • A modified total strain energy model was used to predict the fatigue life. Three surface treatment methods, laser shock penning (LSP), micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and a composition of LSP and MAO, are used for the preparation of modified layers at the surface of two orientation (ED and TD) specimens made by extruded ZK60 magnesium alloy. The ratcheting deformation behavior of different specimens under various stress-controlled loading was investigated. The results show that the ratcheting deformation under different loading conditions comes from the deformation mechanism of four modes: dislocation slip, twinning/detwinning transfer to dislocation slip, residual dislocation-retwinning collaboration, and residual twins-dislocation slip interaction. Considering the multi-mode ratcheting effect, a modified energy-based fatigue model is used to predict the fatigue life under various loading conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deep learning elucidates the shape factor in EMT for thermal conductivity estimates. • The ratio of an inclusion's projected areas is closely related to the shape factor. • Transfer learning extends the original EMT for new thermal transport problems. The effective medium theories (EMTs) can reliably approximate the property of a composite using properties of the inclusion and matrix phase. However, their inherent assumptions and the availability of mathematical forms for describing the inclusion structure limit their accuracy and applicability. In this work, we utilize the capabilities of a deep learning method to ameliorate the latter restriction for a particular EMT formulation. Our deep learning models elucidate the inclusion structure using several physics-based descriptors and can be easily adapted for other inclusion shapes through transfer learning. Using our models, we shed light on the interpretation of the shape factor in the chosen EMT. More importantly, we extend, not replace, the EMT for cases beyond its original formulation. Our proposed transfer learning approach requires relatively low computation cost and a small sample number, making it especially useful when new data is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thermal hydraulic analysis on the supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO 2) cOoled lithium-lead (COOL) blanket is performed, including the blanket segment and shield layer. • The blanket can achieve outlet temperature of 600 °C and 700 °C, respectively, in which the temperature of all materials satisfy with the requirements. • The shield layer can be cooled sufficiently only relying on the manifold, without internal cooling system. The supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO 2) cOoled Lithium-Lead (COOL) blanket is under development for Chinese Fusion Engineering and Test Reactor (CFETR). This paper presents the preliminary results of thermal hydraulics on the blanket and shield layer, without considering the MagnetoHydroDynamics (MHD). The mass flow rate in each channel is iteratively adjusted to achieve the outlet temperature of 600 °C and 700 °C, respectively, and the temperature of all materials satisfy with the requirements. The effects of buoyancy-driven at the lower velocity is preliminary observed in the inboard blanket, where occurs the clumps of vortices in the channels. Furthermore, the outlet temperature can further reach 800 °C if the TC is decreased to 2 W/(m·K). At the TC of 28 W/(m·K), the outlet temperature can reach 610.2 °C, respectively, approaching the design edge (600∼700 °C). Moreover, when the TC of co-based cemented tungsten carbide (WC) in the shield layer is 90 W/(m·K), the maximum temperature of WC is 504 °C, and there is a margin of 991 °C far away from the upper limit. It demonstrates that the shield layer can be cooled sufficiently only relying on the manifold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three alkaline metal carbonates of MgCO 3 , CaCO 3 and BaCO 3 with different morphology, surface basicity and thermal stability were used as templates to find the template effect towards the morphology, oxygen species as well as supercapacitor performance of the derived nanocarbons. [Display omitted] • Three alkaline carbonates were adopted as catalytic templates for the fabrication of nanocarbons. • Residual oxygen and morphology of nanocarbons are greatly influenced by the nature of templates. • Residual oxygen in final products mainly exists in forms of redox-active carbonyl and hydroxyl. • The derived MgC displays superior surface area and supercapacitor performance. Nanocasting techniques are widely adopted for the fabrication of nanocarbons. However, there is little research on the effect of template nature on the physicochemical properties and performances of the nanocarbons. Herein, we investigated how the morphology, oxygen species as well as supercapacitor performance of the derived nanocarbons were governed by the morphology, surface basicity and thermal stability of MgCO 3 , CaCO 3 and BaCO 3 when the alkaline metal carbonates were used as templates. Using MgCO 3 as catalytic template, the MgC973 produced after carbonization at 973 K has ultrathin nanosheet morphology (∼20 nm), large specific surface area (952 m2/g), and superior supercapacitor performances, showing high capacitance of 421F/g@1.0 A/g (maintaining 306F/g@20 A/g), and large energy density of 31.1 Wh/kg@1000 W/kg. The superiority can be ascribed to the ultrathin morphology and thermal instability of the MgCO 3 template, which upon decomposition generates CO 2 and in situ activates the carbon skeleton. Moreover, the surface alkalinity of templates is conducive to the retention of electrochemically active oxygen, and BaC973 is with oxygen content (9.1 atom%) higher than MgC973 (7.9 atom%) and CaC973 (8.8 atom%). The present work provides insightful ideas for the synthesis of unique carbon materials with specific functionalities through the selection of suitable templates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral nerve regeneration following injury is often incomplete, resulting in significant personal and socioeconomic costs. Nerve conduits have been developed to complement or replace autologous nerve grafts. In this study, repairing injured peripheral nerves in rats is investigated by fabricating poly(D, l -lactic acid) (PDLLA)/ β -tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) nerve conduits filled by injectable chitosan (CS)-hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels featuring sustained release of nerve growth factor (NGF). All CS-HA hydrogels have porosities higher than 80%. The mass loss of the CS-HA hydrogels reaches 70% in 8 weeks. In vitro experiments suggest that the CS-HA/NGF hydrogels are suitable for the adhesion, spreading, and differentiation of neuronal cells, which also allow for sustained release of NGF. In vivo studies on the repair of 10-mm sciatic nerve defects in rats are used to assess nerve repair rate through walking track analysis, gastrocnemius weight analysis, and histological analysis. It is shown that the PDLLA/ β -TCP nerve conduits laden with CS-HA/NGF hydrogels have a significant positive effect on the axon regeneration and myelination, compared to the PDLLA/ β -TCP hollow nerve conduits and the autograft group. These results show that the CS-HA/NGF injectable hydrogel can effectively promote nerve regeneration making it a good candidate in the field of neural tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-based electrodes are usually poor in volumetric supercapacitor performance in terms of volumetric capacitance (<200 F/cm3) and energy density (usually <10 Wh/L) resulted from low packing density. Herein, we propose a strategy for the preparation of nanocarbon electrodes that are ultrahigh in volumetric supercapacitor performance by creating nanocarbon with high packing density and rich pseudocapacitive nitrogen doping, in which the nitrogen doping is to provide extra capacitance. The derived nanocarbons (ZHNCs) have not only large packing density of 1.14–1.49 g/cm3 and rich nitrogen content (12.3–24.8 atom%), but also homogeneous element distribution. Benefited from the synergetic effect of the above characteristics, the ZHNCs-based electrodes exhibit superior volumetric performances of ultrahigh capacitance of 528 F/cm3 in 1.0 M H 2 SO 4 and 465 F/cm3 in 6.0 M KOH, large energy density of 26.8 Wh/L at 2682 W/L, and impressive cycling stability with about 95% capacitance retention after continual charge/discharge of 20 000 cycles at current density of 20 A/g, indicative of potential applications in the fields of energy storage. [Display omitted] • Nanocarbons (ZHNCs) with high density and rich nitrogen (24.3 atom%) were fabricated. • ZHNCs achieves large gravimetric- (464 F/g) and ultrahigh volumetric capacitances (528 F/cm3). • The ZHNCs based electrode shows a large energy density of 26.8 Wh/L at 2682 W/L. • ZHNCs electrode exhibits superior stability with about 95% capacitance retention after 20 000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars have become increasingly popular as internal reinforcement in reinforced concrete (RC) structures due to their excellent corrosion resistance. However, the compressive strength of FRP bars is generally much inferior to their tensile strength due to fibre micro-buckling under compression, and their transverse shear performance is much inferior to that of steel bars with the same diameter. To this end, a novel form of steel-free hybrid bars, which consist of an outer FRP confining tube, a central FRP bar and a layer of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) (without steel fibres) in the annular space between them (referred to as FRP-UHPC hybrid bars), have been proposed. In this study, compressive and transverse shear behaviour of FRP-UHPC hybrid bars have been investigated via experimentation. The key test variables include fibre winding angles of the FRP tube, fibre types of the FRP tube, the FRP tube thickness and the diameter of the central FRP bar. The test results confirm the validation of the novel hybrid bars: i) the compressive stress-strain curves of hybrid bars exhibit a ductile behaviour with a strain hardening segment, and the compressive behaviour of the central FRP bar in hybrid bars is superior to that of FRP bars in isolation; ii) the stress-strain response of hybrid bars can be designed to meet an elastic-plastic response with a post-yielding strain-hardening response; and iii) the transverse shear performance of hybrid bars is much better than that of FRP bars in isolation due to the contribution of FRP-confined UHPC section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three modified coating was prepared on the surface of ZK60 magnesium alloys. • Cyclic deformation of non-corroded and pre-corroded specimens was studied. • A parameter was proposed to evaluate the fatigue behavior. • A modified total strain energy model was used to predict the fatigue life. Three kinds of modified layers were prepared on the surface of ZK60 magnesium alloy (BM) by micro-arc oxidation (MAO), laser shock penning (LSP), and composite of LSP and MAO method. Four kinds of specimens (BM, MAO, LSP, LSP / MAO) were pre-corroded in a simulated body fluid (SBF) with pH7.4 for 12 h. Fatigue tests were performed for non-corroded and pre-corroded specimens under stress-controlled cyclic loading. The cyclic deformation behavior of the specimens at different stress ratios and different stress amplitudes involves four deformation mechanisms: dislocation slip, twinnig-detwinning transfer to dislocation slip, partial twinning-partial detwinning, complete twinning-complete detwinning. The correlation between the cyclic deformation mechanism and fatigue life is discussed using a proposed evaluation parameter, β. The fatigue life of the material decreases with the β values increasing when cyclic deformation is dominated by twinning-detwinning. The proposed total strain energy model can better predict the fatigue life of modified magnesium alloys under different loading conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The descending sequence of the interface strength is as follows: PdCu(110)-Mo2C(001) → PdCu(110)-Mo2C(100) → PdCu(112)-Mo2C(010). • Mo 2 C(001)/PdCu(110), Mo 2 C(100)/PdCu(110), and Mo 2 C(010)/PdCu(112) interfaces possess lower energy of formation and are energetically favorable to deposit on the corresponding PdCu substrates. • Formation of PdCu(110)-Mo 2 C(001), PdCu(110)-Mo 2 C(100), and PdCu(112)-Mo 2 C(010) interfaces based on PdCu substrate should be energetically easier due to the lower strain energies. • Present results agree well with similar experimental observations in the literature. The various PdCu-Mo 2 C interfaces are used to find out the interface stability and interface strength by means of first-principle calculations. It is revealed that the interface orientation plays an important role in interface strength of PdCu-Mo 2 C interfaces, i.e., the Mo 2 C(001)/PdCu(110) interface possesses higher interface strength with higher work of separation than the corresponding Mo 2 C(100)/PdCu(110) and Mo 2 C(010)/PdCu(112) interfaces. Calculations also reveal that the formation of PdCu(110)-Mo 2 C(001), PdCu(110)-Mo 2 C(100), and PdCu(112)-Mo 2 C(010) interfaces based on PdCu substrate is more effective and could be thermodynamically stable, suggesting the three interfaces could be formed in the actual samples. Furthermore, the electronic structure would give a further understanding of the cohesion properties of various PdCu-Mo 2 C interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High performance of FeCoNiCuPd high-entropy alloy for nitrogen reduction reaction were identified. • Ni 0.3 (FeCoCuPd) 0.175 features excellent performance of electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction with the lowest overpotential of 0.34 eV. • Catalytically kinetic mechanism calculations reveal that Ni 0.3 (FeCoCuPd) 0.175 thermodynamically follows the distal pathway with the rate-determining step of *N 2 →*NNH with the barrier of 0.50 eV. • The dependence between catalytic activity and d -band center, involving in the critical role of ni element ratio, is uncovered. To search excellent catalyst for electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) is of great importance for the alternative to the traditional Haber-Bosch process. Herein, based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we systematically investigated the catalytic mechanism of eNRR on different-proportions high-entropy alloy (HEA) FeCoNiCuPd. The calculation of formation energy shown the dependence of structural stability on the ratio of constituents. Meanwhile, it is found that Ni 0.3 (FeCoCuPd) 0.175 features high thermal stability. The Ni 0.3 (FeCoCuPd) 0.175 with exposed crystal plane (111) exhibited excellent performance of eNRR with the lowest overpotential of 0.34 eV. Catalytically kinetic results demonstrated that Ni 0.3 (FeCoCuPd) 0.175 follows the distal reaction pathway and the rate-determining step (RDS) was found to be *N 2 →*NNH with the barrier of 0.50 eV. Relative to the secondary reaction of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), such catalyst achieves the excellent selectivity of 99%. Detailed electronical calculations results indicated the connection between catalytic activity and d -band center, shedding light on the critical role of Ni element ratio in the catalytic performance. A new FeCoNiCuPd high-entropy alloy with excellent electrocatalytic property for nitrogen reduction reaction was theoretical designed. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We proposed and demonstrated a 100km hybrid C+L band fiber amplifier in the bridge-type scheme. It is composed of a C-band erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) and an L-band Raman fiber amplifier (RFA) using double-pass dispersion compensators in a loop-back scheme. Dispersion slope mismatch is compensated precisely for all C+L band channels by writing fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) at appropriate locations. Gain variation among multiple channels can be reduced to ±0.2dB. The pump efficiency is improved by recycling the residual pump power. The C/L band WDM coupler which at merged point rejects C band amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) using L band coupler and vice versa. Both the simulation results and experimental measurements are realized in this paper. The hybrid EDFA/RFA may find vast applications in WDM long-haul systems and optical networks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Azoreductase (AZR) has been found to be an effective enzyme for azo dye removal. However, NAD(P)H is required as electron donor for the cleavage of the azo bond by AZR. Due to the high cost of the reduced nicotinamide coenzyme, the large scale application of AZR is impractical. In this study, an artificial fusion enzyme of azoreductase and alkaline-resistant NAD(P)-dependent glucose 1-dehydrogenase (LsGDH) called GFA was constructed for NAD(P)H regeneration and cyclic utilization. The purified fusion enzyme migrated as a single protein band on SDS–PAGE with a molecular weight of ∼55 kDa, exhibiting both azoreductase and glucose 1-dehydrogenase activities. The azoreductase moiety of the fusion enzyme exhibited high enzyme activities towards Methyl Red (160.62 U mg−1), which was slightly higher than parental azoreductase (153.16 U mg−1). Compared with parental enzymes, the azoreductase moiety was characterized by kinetic parameters of decreased K m (0.52-fold) and increased K cat (1.25-fold). These indicate a 2.41-fold net increase in catalytic efficiency (K cat/K m ) of the azoreductase moiety. The highest enzymatic degradation was achieved at the temperature of 45 °C and pH of 7.0, respectively. Mg2+ and Ca2+ enhanced the fusion enzyme activity, while Cr2+, Mn2+and Zn2+ inhibited the activity to varying extents. The enzyme activity of the fusion enzyme was enhanced by low concentrations of dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB) and cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) but inhibited by high concentrations of surfactants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Grouping-proof security analysis. [•] Real-time verifiable grouping-proof. [•] Suitable for safe drug administration and drug package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The combination of optical fiber and honeycomb significantly enhanced the performance of VOCs photodegradation. [•] The removal efficiency of m-xylene is enhanced to 96.5% as compared to 22.0% for UV irradiation alone. [•] Fiber-illuminated honeycomb reactor is the first step toward an industrial-scale technology on the removal of xylene. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• 39 significantly altered DEPs between HCs and TB patients at different treatment stages were identified via DIA. • ALB, HP, OAF and RBP4 can be used as potential biomarkers for evaluating the efficacy of cured TB. • The findings may provide experimental data for establishing the laboratory indicators of clinical TB cure. Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease that lacks robust blood-based biomarkers to identify cured TB. Some discharged patients are not fully cured and may relapse or even develop multidrug-resistant TB. This study is committed to finding proteomic-based plasma biomarkers to support establishing laboratory standards for clinical TB cure. Data-independent acquisition (DIA) was used to obtain the plasma protein expression profiles of TB patients at different treatment stages compared with healthy controls. Multivariate statistical methods and bioinformatics were used to analyze the data. Bioinformatic analysis suggests coagulation dysfunction and vitamin and lipid metabolism disturbances in TB. Albumin (ALB), haptoglobin (HP), out at first protein homolog (OAF), and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) can be used to establish a diagnostic model for the efficacy evaluation of TB with an area under the curve of 0.963, which could effectively distinguish untreated TB patients from cured patients. Our research demonstrated that ALB, HP, OAF and RBP4 can be potential biomarkers for evaluating the efficacy of TB. These findings may provide experimental data for establishing the laboratory indicators of clinical TB cure and providing clinicians with new targets for exploring the underlying mechanisms of TB pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we employed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to improve the performance of flow-electrode capacitive deionization (FCDI) for wastewater desalination in isolated closed-cycle (ICC) mode. The effects of CNTs loading and initial salt concentration on FCDI desalination were evaluated with energetic performance analysis. FCDI was carried out for the desalination with real wastewater for technology demonstration. The addition of CNTs significantly improved the average salt removal rate (ASRR), associated with a decrease in the flow-electrode flowability. FCDI with 0.25 wt% CNTs had an ASRR of 1.59 μmol/cm2–min, which was 1.7-fold higher than that without CNTs. This was attributed to the bridging effect of CNTs for more rapid charge transfer. Increasing the initial salt concentration from 0.05 to 0.30 M led to a higher ASRR, resulting from a reduction in the electrical resistance in the cell. After further increasing the salt concentration to 0.50 M, the charge efficiency was relatively decreased due to co-ion leakage. Notably, FCDI for the desalination of real saline wastewater achieved a high decrease in conductivity (94%), a high charge efficiency (>99%), and low energy consumption (0.034 kWh/mol). Our results demonstrated that adding CNTs is a feasible approach to achieve high-performance FCDI for sustainable wastewater desalination. [Display omitted] • CNTs were employed to enhance the desalination performance of the FCDI process. • CNTs improved the salt removal rate and energy performance of ICC-mode FCDI. • FCDI can desalinate saline water with a wider concentration range. • FCDI exhibits great potential for real wastewater desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entire routing planning is a prerequisite to ensuring the appropriate navigation, especially for pedestrians with visual impairments. This paper focuses on optimizing the initial indoor route selection before micro-navigation. A new travel utility schema is defined to represent a user's travel confidence with regard to different types of obstacles and a user's acceptable level of travel difficulty. The applicability of the model is evaluated using the layout data from a real bus terminal. The results show that the pedestrian doesn't always select the shortest path as assumed in existing papers, and will make detours to destinations to cut down the travel difficulties. Although the current use case focused on people with visual impairment, the framework is generable to support other users such as users with wheel chairs and users with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to use public facilities independently. • A systematic indoor routing optimization model is developed for people with travel difficulties in large public facilities. • The optimization model integrates building semantics, human factors, and user constraints. • The model can assist users with both fixed and random orders of activities. • The model is generable to other type of users with travel challenges, contributing to smart city solutions for equitable use of public facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to optimize the fabrication parameters of nickel‑iron phosphate (NiFe-P) electrode to achieve a high areal capacity electrode for supercapattery. The fabrication of binder-free NiFe-P electrode on nickel foam (NF) employs a one-step hydrothermal synthesis method. Further, central composite design (CCD) under the response surface methodology (RSM) is used to optimize the electrode's performance. The factors evaluated are synthesis temperature (60 to 180 °C), time (6 to 24 h), and the molar ratio of precursor solution (1:3, 1:1, 3:1 of Fe: Ni), whereas the response is the areal capacity of NiFe-P electrode at the scan rate of 3 mV/s in a standard three-electrode cell system. The optimal temperature, time, and molar ratio (Fe:Ni) are determined to be 100 °C, 14 h, and 3:1, respectively. The model is confirmed within the confidence interval and prediction as well as comparable with a 10% percentage error between the experimental and predicted specific capacity. The specific capacity of the optimized electrode is 446 C/g at a scan rate of 3 mV/s using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and 413.75 C/g at a current density of 1 A/g in 1 M KOH using a standard three-electrode cell system. Supercapattery is fabricated by combining NiFe-P and activated carbon electrodes (NiFe-P//AC) as positive and negative electrodes, respectively, to evaluate the two-electrode cell system. The results show the maximum power density of NiFe-P//AC supercapattery is 2250 W/kg at an energy density of 45.6 Wh/kg. Furthermore, the NiFe-P//AC supercapattery demonstrated excellent stability and coulombic efficiency by retaining 87.6% and 98.7% of the initial specific capacity values and coulombic efficiency, respectively. • Binder-free NiFe-P electrode was prepared using hydrothermal synthesis. • The fabrication parameters of the electrode were optimized using DOE. • The electrochemical performance of the electrodes was investigated. • Maximum power density of NiFe-P//AC supercapattery is 2250 W/kg at an energy density of 45.6 Wh/kg. • NiFe-P//AC supercapattery retained 87.6% and 98.7% of the initial specific capacity values and coulombic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, lignite-fired boilers often feature low thermal efficiency, difficult coal pulverizing and poor combustion stability owing to lignite having high water content. A novel lignite-fired power generation process is proposed in this paper with using a superheated-steam-drying open-pulverizing-system boiler (SSD-OPSB) and a deep utilization of waste heat from the steam for coal drying. Through using an open pulverizing system, the problems of low furnace temperature and low boiler efficiency are resolved. Meanwhile, the operation safety of the coal pulverizing system is ensured by using superheated steam as the drying agent. This paper described the working principle and engineering feasibility of the SSD-OPSB process, and established analysis model for its thermo-economic performance. Energy savings and environmental benefits of applying the process were calculated and discussed based on an in-service 600 MW supercritical power unit firing lignite with water content of 39.5% at its turbine heat acceptance condition. The result shows that for the power unit, applying the SSD-OPSB process can decrease coal consumption by 6.86% under the same power supply, meanwhile recovering water by 132.2 t/h and reducing CO 2 emission by 27.78 t/h. It indicates that the SSD-OPSB process would significantly benefit lignite-fired power plants regarding energy-saving and environmental protection. • Lignite-fired boilers can benefit greatly from applying open coal pulverizing systems. • The benefits include marked coal-savings, enhanced coal combustion and water recovery. • A novel superheated-steam-drying open-pulverizing-system was proposed for applications. • Waste heat and water recovery system was designed to the new power generation process. • The model of analyzing thermo-economic performance of this process has been developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudouridine is the most abundant post-transcriptionally modified nucleotide in various stable RNAs of all organisms. Pseudouridine is derived from uridine via base-specific isomerization, resulting in an extra hydrogen-bond donor that distinguishes it from other nucleotides. In eukaryotes, uridine-to-pseudouridine isomerization is catalyzed primarily by box H/ACA RNPs, ribonucleoproteins that act as pseudouridylases. When introduced into RNA, pseudouridine contributes significantly to RNA-mediated cellular processes. It was recently discovered that pseudouridylation can be induced by stress, suggesting a regulatory role for pseudouridine. It has also been reported that pseudouridine can be artificially introduced into mRNA by box H/ACA RNPs and that such introduction can mediate nonsense-to-sense codon conversion, thus demonstrating a new means of generating coding or protein diversity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The photocatalytic methods for nitrogen oxides removal were recently very intense areas of scientific research. Photo-deNO x processes offer interesting ways for abatement of these harmful gases. This review describes several methods for removing NO by photocatalytic reactions. These methods can be classified into three major groups: photo selective catalytic reduction (photo-SCR), photo-oxidation and photo-decomposition. The application of photocatalysts and photo-processes for NO x abatement in real-scale cases are presented. The fast-growing development of these methods is revealed by the large number of issued patents in photo-deNO x applications. The mechanism of NO creation and the traditional methods (primary and secondary) of NO x removal are summarized and discussed. A cooperative system that combines the traditional (thermal) process and a photo-process is then proposed for improving NO x removal efficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High electrical conductive films were prepared by blending silver nanowires (AgNws) with hydrophilic and hydrophobic resins. 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) silane was utilized to modify the surface of AgNws. The electrical properties, SEM morphological observation and weathering resistance of AgNws based conductive films were compared with those of silver nanoparticles (AgNps) conductive films. Due to the high aspect ratio of AgNws, the silver content in the conductive film could be reduced significantly by adding AgNws. Therefore, with increasing of binder ratio the conductive film possessed better mechanical stability. With the increasing of the silver content, the shielding effectiveness (SE) of electromagnetic interference (EMI) of the silver nanomaterial conductive film was increased. When the SE was under −20 dB (>99%) for all frequency ranging between 3 and 17 GHz, AgNws showed better efficiency in EMI shielding than AgNps, as a result of less requirement in content, which is of critical importance for the potential of silver based materials in enhancing electrical conductivity and EMI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Current distribution during the gas starvation and shutdown processes is investigated in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with an active area of 184 cm2. The cell features a segmented cathode current collector. The response characteristics of the segmented single cell under different degrees of hydrogen and air starvation are explored. The current responses of the segment cells at different positions under a dummy load in the shutdown process are reported for various operating conditions, such as different dummy loads, cell temperatures, and gas humidities under no back pressure. The results show that applying a dummy load during the cell shutdown process can quickly reduce the cell potential and thereby avoid the performance degradation caused by high potentials. The currents of all the segment cells decrease with time, but the rate of decrease varies with the segment cell positions. The rate for the segment cells near the gas outlet is much higher than that of the segment cells near the gas inlet. The current of the segment cells decreases much more quickly at a lower gas humidity and high temperature. This study provides insights in the development of mitigation strategies for the degradation caused by starvation and shutdown process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives: We compared the accuracy of shorter-time dual-phase 18F-FDG PET/CT in evaluating 94 different lung nodules classified as solid or ground-glass nodules (GGNs). Materials and Methods: Early and delayed maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) as well as the retention index (RI) of each nodule were determined in 75 solid nodules and 19 GGNs. Results: In solid nodules, early SUVmax, delayed SUVmax, and RI were higher in malignant than in benign lesions. In GGNs, these values were not significantly lower in the malignant than in the benign lesions. Conclusion: In the patient group with solid nodules, shorter-time dual-phase 18F-FDG PET/CT could significantly differentiate the malignant from the benign ones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Turbidity such as fog, mist, haze, and smoke progressively reduces image contrast and visibility with increasing distance. In this paper, we propose an algorithm to degrade the turbid degree from the turbid image. The turbidity can be considered as a kind of noise. The basic assumption of the proposed algorithm is that an image consists of a reference intensity level and a characteristic intensity level. The reference intensity level is considered as general or background intensity level and it can be obtained by a low pass filter. The characteristic intensity level can be calculated by subtracting the reference intensity level from the original intensity level in the given image. The human eye has a logarithmic intensity response so the target intensity level will be created by the adaptive logarithmic function to approach the human vision. The turbid image will be degraded by transforming the characteristic intensity level into the target intensity level according to the proportion of the reference intensity level to the chosen target intensity level. The experimental results show the varied degraded turbid image as well as compared with other algorithms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: During the past few decades, wave energy has received significant attention for harnessing ocean energy. Industry has proposed many technologies and, based on their working principle, these technologies generally can be categorized into oscillating water columns, point absorbers, overtopping systems, and bottom-hinged systems. In particular, many researchers have focused on modeling the point absorber, which is thought to be the most cost-efficient technology to extract wave energy. To model such devices, several modeling methods have been used such as analytical methods, boundary integral equation methods and Navier–Stokes equation methods. The first two are generally combined with the use of empirical solution to represent the viscous damping effect, while the last one is directly included in the solution. To assist the development of wave energy conversion (WEC) technologies, this paper extensively reviews the methods for modeling point absorbers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An approximate model for the delactonization of tri-sialic acid lactone is presented with two water-layers that led to neutral hydrolysis of δ-lactone. The hydrolytic reactivity was studied with a 10-ns in-solution molecular dynamics simulation. The initial step of this hydrolysis involves a reactant water nucleophile complex via a proton transfer with another water molecule. Therefore, the probability of water molecules localized at the hydrolytic center correlates to the hydrolysis of δ-lactone. The stepwise delactonization of α2,8-(NeuAc)3 lactone results/resulted from water concentration discrepancy near the carbonyl carbon of lactones in two water oxygen⋯carbonyl carbon shells, and the distances of OOwater layers were 2.8Å and 5.1Å. Based on in-solution molecular dynamics study, the motion of water molecules over the re-face of the carbonyl groups was used for the quantitative description of the residence probability, p, whose value is 0.11 for lactone I and 0.33 for lactone II. The geometric criteria used to determine the residence statistics are (1) the distance of water–oxygen⋯carbonyl carbon in less than 5.1Å and (2) the cone angle, θ, of carbonyl OOwater in the range of 85–115°. As expected, a higher residence probability at lactone II led to its faster hydrolysis. Both the radial g(r) and angular p(θ) pair distribution functions of water oxygen and carbonyl groups of lactones ensure a better surrounding hydration encounter for lactone II. In contrast, water molecules around lactone I are deduced due to a steric hindrance by the turn structure of α2,8-(NeuAc)3 lactone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, the effect of shutoff sequences of hydrogen and air on the degradation behaviours of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is investigated with two different shutdown procedures. After one of the gases is shut off, the dummy load is applied to consume the residual gas in the flow field. Theoretical analysis and experimental tests indicate that different gas shutoff sequences have great effect on the oxygen permeation rate across the membrane during introducing the dummy load, resulting in producing the H2/O2 interface at the anode in the next startup process. Electrochemical techniques, including the measurement of polarization curves, cyclic voltammetry, and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of Pt/C catalyst are employed to evaluate the performance decay of PEMFCs after 1500 startup and shutdown cycles. The results show that the case if air is shut off firstly would significantly alleviate both the performance decay and the decrease in the electrochemically active surface area, resulting in an improvement in the durability of PEMFCs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Performance degradation during startup and shutdown is considered an important issue affecting the durability and lifetime of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Due to the high potentials experienced by the cathode during startup and shutdown, the conventional carbon support for the cathode catalyst is prone to oxidation by reacting with oxygen or water. This paper presents an overview of the causes and consequences of performance degradation after frequent startup–shutdown cycles. Mitigation strategies are also summarized, including the use of novel catalyst supports and the application of system strategies to prevent performance degradation in PEMFCs. It is found from the literature review that improvements in catalyst supports to prevent oxidation come at the expense of high cost, and the novel supports developed to date are not sufficient to completely prevent carbon oxidation in fuel cell engines. System strategies, including potential control and reaction gas control, have been developed and applied in fuel cell engines to alleviate or even avoid performance decay. This review aims to provide a clear understanding of the mechanisms related to degradation behaviors during the startup and shutdown processes, thereby helping fuel cell material or system developers in their efforts to prevent performance degradation and prolong the lifetime of PEMFCs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of biaryl-based chalcones were designed as a combination of the natural chalcone and biphenyl moieties, and synthesized by two step chemistry involving Knoevenagel reaction and microwave assistant Suzuki coupling. Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay was performed to evaluate the cell viability inhibitory abilities of these compounds against five cancer cell lines (A549, CNE2, SW480, MCF-7, and HepG2) from different tissues. Their Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) nuclear translocation inhibitory activities were further investigated by High Content Analysis (HCA) based assay. Most of the compounds showed moderate to strong anticancer and NF-κB nuclear translocation inhibition activities and potent compounds were found. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Single orthorhombic phase Bi2−x Ag x S3 (x =0–0.07) bulk materials were prepared by combining mechanical alloying (MA) with spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The microstructure and electrical transport properties were investigated with a special emphasis on the influence of Ag content. All the samples have a high density (91.1–95.9%) and homogeneous grains of about 100–500nm. Optimizing the Ag content greatly improves the electrical conductivity and leads to a peak value of 2.8×103 Sm−1 at 523K for the Bi1.99Ag0.01S3 composition. The absolute value of Seebeck coefficient shows an inversely varying trend to the electrical conductivity with Ag content, whereby a power factor at 523K by adjusting Ag content is enhanced from 91μWmK−2 for Bi2S3 to 235μWmK−2 for Bi1.99Ag0.01S3. The thermal conductivity of Bi2−x Ag x S3 ranges from 0.48 to 0.73WmK−1, which is lower than the reported values of Bi2S3 compounds. An enhanced maximum ZT value 0.25 is achieved at 573K for the Bi1.99Ag0.01S3 sample, which is the highest value in Bi2S3 system in literature. The present work reveals that the non-toxic and cheap Bi2S3 based compound is a promising candidate for the thermoelectric applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cp3Fe4(CO)4(4′-C5H4-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine) (abbreviated as Fe4tpyH) reacts with Os3(CO)10(NCMe)2 in hot methylcyclohexane to generate the double cluster (μ-H)Os3(μ,η 2-Fe4tpy)(CO)10 (1) and (μ-H)Os3(μ,η 3-Fe4tpy)(CO)9 (2). Similar reaction of 4′-(p-FC6H4)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (abbreviated as FtpyH) and Os3(CO)10(NCMe)2 affords (μ-H)Os3(μ,η 2-Ftpy)(CO)10 (3) and (μ-H)Os3(μ,η 3-Ftpy)(CO)9 (4). On the other hand, treating the pristine molecule 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (abbreviated as TpyH) with Os3(CO)10(NCMe)2 only isolates (μ-H)Os3(μ,η 2-Tpy)(CO)10 (5). These compounds are generated by complexation and C–H bond activation of pyridyl groups on triosmium framework, and have been characterized by IR, NMR, and mass spectroscopies. The structure of 4 is determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Photocatalytic reduction of nitric oxide was studied on a PtO x PdO y /TiO2-coated monolith photoreactor using propane as the reducing agent. The performance of NO reduction was compared under three reaction conditions including NO/propane, NO/propane/O2 and NO/propane/H2O at three reaction temperatures, 25, 70 and 120°C. The NO/propane system showed the best performance of near 90% conversion at 25°C. The NO conversion decreased slightly as temperature increased in NO/propane system, however, NO/propane/O2 and NO/propane/H2O systems showed an opposite trend. Oxygen and water significantly inhibited the reduction of NO because oxygen competed with NO as oxidant, and water interfered the adsorption of both NO and propane. TiO2 became super-hydrophilic under UV-light irradiation thus the catalyst surface was easily covered by water in moisture condition. By increasing the reaction temperature, water tended to desorb from the catalyst surface thus released more active sites for NO photoreduction. An in situ FTIR was also performed to study the intermediate species of the NO/propane and NO/propane/O2 systems under UV-light irradiation. The results indicated that NO went through both oxidation and reduction with C3H8 on PtO x PdO y /TiO2. The reaction path of NO might change with increasing temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: Betel quid (BQ) components induce the secretion of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in oral keratinocytes, which promotes oral mucosal inflammation and oral cancer. This study was carried out to evaluate the association of TNFA genetic variants (−308G>A and −238G>A) with the risk and prognosis of BQ-related oral and pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Design: A total of 403 subjects (205 cancer cases and 198 healthy controls) who habitually chewed BQ were recruited. The genotypes were determined by TaqMan real-time assays. Results: G allele and G/G genotype at TNFA −308 were associated with a 1.95-fold (95%CI: 1.16–3.28, p corrected =0.024) and 2.28-fold (95%CI: 1.30–4.00, p corrected =0.008) increased risk of cancer as compared to those with A allele or A/A+A/G genotypes, respectively. In addition, G allele (p =0.080) and G/G genotype (p =0.076) at TNFA −238 were associated with a borderline but statistically significant increased risk of OPSCC. The combined G/G+G/G genotype at both loci had a 2.37-fold increased risk of OPSCC as compared to those with other combined genotypes (95%CI: 1.41–4.00, p =0.001). Interactions between combined genotypes and smoking status were also found to contribute to risk of BQ-related OPSCC. There was no association of TNFA genotypes with clinicopathologic findings or the survival of OPSCC patients. Conclusions: BQ-chewers who carry the G allele or G/G genotype in TNFA −308 may have an increased risk of OPSCC. The intensity of cigarette smoking modulates the effect of the combined TNFA genotypes on risk of BQ-related OPSCC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As catalyst support materials, the oxidation of carbon materials is considered one of the major factors for performance decay during the startup and shutdown process of proton exchange membrane fuel cells, which must be mitigated to achieve acceptable durability. In this paper, the effect of cathode exhaust conditions on the degradation behaviors of fuel cells is investigated using two single cells named the open-ended and closed cells. The cathode inlet pressure during the introduction of the dummy load is an important factor in analyzing the performance decay of membrane electrode assemblies under different conditions. Electrochemical techniques, including the measurement of polarization curves, cyclic and linear sweep voltammetry, and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy of tested membrane electrode assemblies, are employed to evaluate the performance decay of fuel cells. The results show that a closed cathode exhaust valve during the introduction of the dummy load would significantly alleviate both the performance decay and the decrease in the electrochemically active surface area, resulting in an improvement in fuel cell durability. No significant deterioration of the membranes is observed for both the open-ended and the closed cells during frequent startup and shutdown processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A multi-section circuit model of quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifier is proposed by employing the standard rate equations. Using this model, gain spectra, saturation property, and occupation probability of quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifier are analyzed by PSPICE simulation. An integrated circuit subsystem of quantum dot semiconductor optical amplifier cascaded with electro-absorption modulator is also derived to investigate the patterning effect reduction in wavelength conversion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Due to share the route of transmission, the prevalence of co-infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) is high with chronic HBV infection affecting nearly 10% of HIV-infected patient world wide, which has become a significant global health problem. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with HBV/HIV-1 co-infection are largely unclear. In this study, we provided evidence that HBV induces HIV-1 transcription through its X protein (HBx). We further explored the mechanism by which HBx activates HIV-1 transcription. Our results showed that C/EBP and CRE cis-regulatory elements in the long terminal repeats (LTR) of HIV-1 are required for the activation of HIV-1 transcription mediated by HBx. We also demonstrated that HBx regulates HIV-1 transcription through stimulating the binding of transcriptional regulatory proteins C/EBPβ, CREB1, and CREB2 to HIV-1 LTR and that co-activator CBP is required for such regulation. These findings provide new insights into our understanding the effect of HBx on the activation of HIV-1 transcription and also provide evidence of the potential role of HBV in HIV-1 replication during the course of HBV/HIV-1 co-infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Dopamine (DA) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) stimulate goldfish growth hormone (GH) release via cAMP- and Ca2+-dependent pathways while DA also utilizes NO. In this study, identified goldfish somatotropes responded to sequential applications of PACAP and the DA D1 agonist SKF38393 with increased intracellular Ca2+ levels ([Ca2+]i), indicating that PACAP and DA D1 receptors were present on the same cell. A native goldfish brain somatostatin (gbSS-28) reduced SKF38393-stimulated cAMP production and PACAP- and NO donor-elicited GH and [Ca2+]i increases, but not PACAP-induced cAMP production nor the GH and [Ca2+]i responses to forskolin, 8-bromo-cAMP and SKF38393. gbSS-28 might inhibit PACAP-induced GH release by interfering with PACAP''s ability to increase [Ca2+]i in a non-cAMP-dependent manner. However, DA D1 receptor activation bypassed gbSS-28 inhibitory effects on cAMP production and NO actions via unknown mechanisms to maintain a normal [Ca2+]i response leading to unhampered GH release. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]