Search

[Display omitted] • Oxidizing reagents are the most prevalent and exhibit a high recovery rate. • The recycling and composting processes significantly impact the generation of microplastics. • Studies prove microplastic leakage from landfills into surrounding environment. • Acid rain can intensify microplastic dispersion from unmanaged ash piles. • Closed loop device proposed to enhance microplastic extraction efficiency. Numerous studies have reported the presence of microplastics (MPs) in waste collection and disposal systems. However, current scientific studies on measuring MP occurrence in a waste management context are not comparable due to a lack of standardized methodologies. Consequently, the impact of MPs on ecosystems and human health remains largely unclear. To address the inconsistencies, present in published studies, this review thoroughly examines sample preparation techniques for transfer stations, landfill leachate, recycling, compost, and incineration ash samples. Furthermore, various analytical approaches such as flotation, filtration, and organic matter digestion, as well as morphological categorization, identification, and quantification, are subsequently rigorously assessed. The benefits and limitations of each methodology are evaluated to facilitate the development of accurate and effective methods for detecting and characterizing nanoplastics. Recent research suggests that plastic recycling and composting facilities are the primary environmental sources of microplastic pollution among different waste treatment methods. The most prevalent microplastic types discovered in waste management were polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), with fragment and fiber being the most frequently reported morphologies. The review highlights a number of tactics that could be integrated into the methodology development for detecting microplastics in waste management systems (WMS), ultimately leading to better consistency and reliability of data across different studies. In essence, this will advance our comprehension of potential risks associated with microplastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firstly, four types of BeiDou dual-frequency combined common-view time transferring modes were briefly introduced. The software rnx2cgg, supporting the new signals in BeiDou-3 not included in CGGTTS V2E (Common GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Generic Time Transfer Standard Version 2 Extended), was developed for converting RINEX (Receiver Independent Exchange Format) to CGGTTS. Secondly, the BeiDou timing error models were comprehensively analyzed, including SISRE (Signal-In-Space Ranging Error), pseudorange measurement noise, and DCB (Differential Code Bias). Then, the common-view weighting function was mathematically determined based on the error modes. Finally, the performances of single-station timing and between-station common-view were analyzed with the time transfer experiments between BSNC (Beijing Satellite Navigation Center) and MGEX (The Multi-GNSS Experiment and Pilot Project) stations. The experiments show that, the closure error of the whole link from ground to space is better than 2 ns. The BeiDou common-view noise is about 0.7 ns, corresponding to the time transferring stability of 1 × 10 − 9 / τ in short and medium term over long distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The typical combustion mode of underground coal fires (UCFs) is smoldering during which the reaction zone is not exposed to a constant oxygen concentration. Understanding the macro-kinetics of coal-oxygen reactions under varying oxygen concentrations, especially the extremely oxygen-depleted condition, is of both theoretical importance and practical relevance to the control and extinguishment of UCFs. Considering the actual conditions of UCFs, thermal analysis tests under four oxygen concentrations (from 21% to 3%) and three heating rates (1,2 and 5 °C/min) were carried out. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results were obtained for a bituminous coal sample from Inner Mongolia, China. With the global reaction assumption, the macro-kinetics parameters (the apparent activation energy, the pre-exponential factor and the kinetics model function) were determined. On the profiles of the apparent activation energy (Ea), three peak values were observed, physically interpreted as the depiction of volatiles, the formation of plastic mass and the depiction of char, respectively. This interpretation was verified by characteristic temperatures extracted from the experimental data. With the decrease of the oxygen concentration from 21% to 9%, two peak values diminish gradually. The case with 3% oxygen concentration gives a nearly monotonically declining Ea, indicating that under that particular condition, oxygen diffusion stands as the only limiting factor across all stages of coal-oxygen reactions. The best-fit kinetics model functions suggest that the char oxidation stage fal[s into the kinetics-controlled regime when the oxygen concentration is as low as 9%. For the volatiles burning stage, the universal ignition index (Fz) is found to be effectively related to the reaction regime for a variety of coal ranks. The quantitative results obtained can be integrated into any CFD multi-physics models as a sub-model for chemical kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsidies are used to further control the propagation of epidemic security risks as they offer users incentives to practice security investment behaviors. However, previously proposed subsidy policies have typically been studied without insurance, and it is still challenging to build effective subsidy strategies when users can transfer some of the infection loss to the insurer by purchasing insurance, because these external incentives may alter users' decisions to purchase insurance. To this end, we designed three subsidy policies in a scenario where purchasing insurance is one of the available strategies to users: under S P I n s and S P I n s p , the subsidies are used as the insurance funds and the risk precaution aspect of the insurance funds, respectively, and under S P I n s d , a fraction of the subsidies are used to support some free-riding users with high node importance in their purchase of insurance, and the remaining subsidies are used as the precaution aspect of the insurance funds. The subsidy policies are studied with a formulated security investment game model on scale-free networks from the perspectives of the public and insurer. The results show that S P I n s d can always work effectively and outperforms others in limiting the extent of an epidemic outbreak with similar or lower social costs, and without a reduction in profit for the insurer. More importantly, an interesting phenomenon emerges in the S P I n s p scenario: under specific insurance parameters, the increase in subsidy funding has a negative impact on preventing the risk spread, leading to larger final epidemic sizes. In addition, the effectiveness of S P I n s d on scale-free networks with larger average degree or network size and random networks are also studied. We anticipate this work can provide useful insights for policy makers with respect to design and implementation of optimal subsidy policies related to the control of epidemic security risks under an insurance scenario. • A modified security investment game model that integrates the subsidy policy in the insurance scenario is formulated. • Three novel subsidy policies against the PDPI (precaution and dynamic post-indemnity) insurance are proposed. • The effectiveness of proposed subsidy policies are studied from perspectives of the public and insurer. • A larger amount of subsidies degrades the performance of subsidy policies against risk precaution funds in some scenarios. • The dynamic allocation based subsidy policy can always work effectively while not reducing the profit of the insurer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yi Qi Chu Tan Formula (YQCTF), a prescription consisting of eight traditional Chinese medicine for treating lung cancer, has been clinically proven to be effective in improving the life quality and prolonging the survival time of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of YQCTF on NSCLC mice model and further explore its therapeutic targets by using network pharmacology, proteomics and pharmacodynamic methodologies. The network pharmacology analysis was firstly conducted to screen out the potential active ingredients and therapeutic targets of YQCTF against NSCLC. Three kinds of extracts, i.e. the water extract (WE), water extraction-alcohol precipitation (WEAP) and alcohol extract (AE) of YQCTF were prepared, which chemical compositions were subsequently analyzed by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and which anti-neoplastic efficacy was examined on NSCLC mice model. Mice tumor tissues were collected for proteomics analysis, and the immunomodulatory effects of YQCTF extracts on the tumor microenvironment (TME) were further validated by using flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, ELISA and Western blot. Network pharmacology identified 60 conjunct genes and ample cancer-related signaling pathways as potential therapeutic targets of YQCTF. Protein-protein interaction (PPI), Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that YQCTF might negatively regulate cancer-related inflammation. UPLC-MS/MS analysis showed that the main components of YQCTF include at least ginsenosides, solasodine, solamargine, solasonine, peimisine, peiminine, peimine and sipeimine-3β-D-glucosihde. All kinds of YQCTF extracts significantly inhibited the growth of lung cancer allograft and regulated the ratio of immune cells in tumor tissues, i.e. upregulated the fractions of T cells, promoted the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs), increased the M1/M2 ratio of tumor-related macrophages, but reduced the number of Tregs and immunosuppressive neutrophils. Proteomics identified neutrophils to be the most prominently enriched target linked to NETs formation in mice tumor tissue, which is verified by the downregulation of neutrophil recruiting factors involving IL-6, HIF-1α and IL-8, as well as the decreases of NETs-related biomarkers including H3cit, MPO, CD18, MMP9 and ICAM-1 in immunofluorescence, ELISA and Western blot analysis. YQCTF inhibited the progress of mice NSCLC allograft, suppressed the pro-tumorigenic tumor-associated neutrophils and improved the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). [Display omitted] • YQCTF improves the tumor immune microenvironment. • YQCTF inhibits the progress of lung cancer via regulating tumor-associated neutrophils. • The main components of YQCTF include ginsenosides, solasodine, solamargine, solasonine, peimisine, peiminine, peimine and sipeimine-3β-D-glucosihde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time series spectral imaging facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the underlying dynamics of multi-component systems and processes. Most existing classification strategies focus exclusively on the spectral features and they tend to fail when spectra between classes closely resemble each other. This work proposes a hybrid approach of principal component analysis (PCA) and deep learning (i.e., long short-term memory (LSTM) model) for incorporating and utilizing the combined multi-temporal and spectral information from time series spectral imaging datasets. An example data, consisting of times series spectral images of casein-based biopolymers, was used to illustrate and evaluate the proposed hybrid approach. Compared to using partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA), the proposed PCA-LSTM method applying the same spectral pretreatment achieved substantial improvement in the pixel-wise classification (i.e., accuracy increased from 59.97% of PLSDA to 85.73% of PCA-LSTM). When projecting the pixel-wise model to object-based classification, the PCA-LSTM approach produced an accuracy of 100%, correctly classifying the whole 21 film samples in the independent test set, while PLSDA only led to an accuracy of 80.95%. The proposed method is powerful and versatile in utilizing distinctive characteristics of time dependencies from multivariate time series dataset, which could be adapted to suit non-congruent images over time sequences as well as spectroscopic data. Image 1 • PCA-LSTM was proposed for classification of time series spectral images. • PCA-LSTM approach enables to incorporate joint multi-temporal and spectral features. • PCA-LSTM (CCR = 86%) outperformed PLSDA (CCR = 60%) for pixel-wise classification. • PCA-LSTM (CCR = 100%) outperformed PLSDA (CCR = 81%) for object-wise classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the deteriorated positive definite and skew-Hermitian splitting (DPSS) preconditioner, we develop a parameterized DPSS (PDPSS) preconditioner for the nonsymmetric saddle point linear systems. The spectral properties of the PDPSS preconditioned coefficient matrix are analyzed. Moreover, an upper bound of the degree of the minimal polynomial of the PDPSS preconditioned matrix is also obtained. Inasmuch as the efficiency of the PDPSS preconditioner depends on the values of its parameters, we further derive a fast and effective method to compute the optimal parameter values of the PDPSS preconditioner. Finally, numerical examples are employed to illustrate the feasibility and the efficiency of the PDPSS preconditioner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neuropilin and tolloid-like (Neto) proteins Neto1 and Neto2 are auxiliary subunits of kainate-type glutamate receptors (KARs) that regulate KAR trafficking and gating. However, how Netos bind and regulate the biophysical functions of KARs remains unclear. Here, we found that the N-terminal domain (NTD) of glutamate receptor ionotropic kainate 2 (GluK2) binds the first complement C1r/C1s-Uegf-BMP (CUB) domain of Neto proteins (i.e. NTD-CUB1 interaction) and that the core of GluK2 (GluK2ΔNTD) binds Netos through domains other than CUB1s (core-Neto interaction). Using electrophysiological analysis in HEK293T cells, we examined the effects of these interactions on GluK2 gating, including deactivation, desensitization, and recovery from desensitization. We found that NTD deletion does not affect GluK2 fast gating kinetics, the desensitization, and the deactivation. Wealso observed that Neto1 and Neto2 differentially regulate GluK2 fast gating kinetics, which largely rely on the NTDCUB1 interactions. NTD removal facilitated GluK2 recovery from desensitization, indicating that the NTD stabilizes the GluK2 desensitization state. Co-expression with Neto1 or Neto2 also accelerated GluK2 recovery from desensitization, which fully relied on the NTD-CUB1 interactions. Moreover, we demonstrate that the NTD-CUB1 interaction involves electric attraction between positively charged residues in the GluK2_NTD and negatively charged ones in the CUB1 domains. Neutralization of these charges eliminated the regulatory effects of the NTD-CUB1 interaction on GluK2 gating. We conclude that KARs bind Netos through at least two sites and that the NTD-CUB1 interaction critically regulates Neto-mediated GluK2 gating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are defined as RNA transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides that do not encode proteins. LncRNAs have been documented to exhibit aberrant expression in various types of cancer, including prostate cancer. Currently, screening for prostate cancer results in overdiagnosis. The consequent overtreatment of patients with indolent disease in the clinic is due to the lack of appropriately sensitive and specific biomarkers. Thus, the identification of lncRNAs as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for prostate cancer is promising. In the present review, we attempt to summarize the current knowledge of lncRNA expression patterns and mechanisms in prostate cancer. In particular, we focus on lncRNAs regulated by the androgen receptor and the specific molecular mechanism of lncRNAs in prostate cancer to provide a potential clinical therapeutic strategy for prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Casing shear deformation has become a serious problem in the development of shale gas fields, which is believed to relate to fault slipping caused by multistage fracturing. This paper presents a new investigation aiming at understanding the reduction of casing inner diameter after fault slipping under different conditions, according to microseism data and calliper surveys. A mathematical model, which was verified by measurement results, was established to build a relationship between microseism moment magnitude and slip distance. A 3D numerical model, which was verified by physical model experiments, was developed to quantify the relationships between slip distance and the reduction of casing inner diameter. And then the relationships among microseism moment magnitude, slip distance and the reduction of casing inner diameter were established. The influence of casing internal pressure, slip distance, mechanical parameters of cement sheath, and casing thickness on the reduction of casing inner diameter was analyzed. The mathematical calculation results showed that with the increase of the degree of moment magnitude, the radius and slip distance increase, and with the increase of stress drop, the radius decreases and the slip distance increases. The numerical analysis results showed maintaining high pressure, increasing the elasticity modulus and decreasing the Passion ratio of cement sheath and increasing the casing thickness were beneficial to decrease the reduction of casing inner diameter. Keeping the designed horizontal segment of well trajectory away from the fracture-developed area, or be parallel to natural fracture can decrease the slip distance of fault, which can decrease the reduction of casing inner diameter. Finally, some effective measures to reduce or prevent casing shear deformation were recommended. • The relationship between moment magnitude and slip distance was established. • The reduction of casing inner diameter after fault slipping was quantified. • Decreasing slip distance and increasing the casing thickness benefited protecting the casing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newborn ear deformity can be performed through Earwell infant ear correction system as a non-surgical treatment to avoid plastic surgery. In the newborn period, the auricle is soft and the cartilage is plastic, the deformed auricle shape can be treated by mechanical action. From April 2016 to December 2018, we selected the patients who underwent Earwell non-invasive correction system in Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University for newborn ear deformities, and analyze the treatment age, treatment time, efficiency and complication of these patients. There were 105 patients with 141 ears underwent Earwell non-invasive correction system for newborn ear deformities. The average age for treatment is 2.16 ± 2.28 months (0.23–12.0 months). The average treatment time is 1.14 ± 0.57 months (0.33–4.0 months). The treatment outcomes show 109 ears get excellent results, 27 ears good results and 5 ears poor results. For complications, there were 6 patients had localized skin rash and 5 had skin lesion which were cured after 3–5 days. Nine patients had different degree of recurrence. The treatment age less than 6 weeks had a better results than treatment age old than 6 weeks (χ2 = 4.48, p < 0.05). Except 5 poor results patients, the treatment efficiency is 96.4% (136/141) in this study. The Earwell infant ear correction system is proven to be a simple, non-invasive, high-efficiency, low-cost treatment method, which is more effective than traditional plastic surgery, and treatment efficiency of different types ear deformities can reach more than 95% in China. It is important to ensure the early treatment during the first 6 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a poisonous metal that is toxic for male reproduction. Cyanidin-3- O -glucoside (C3G) as typical anthocyanin benefits many organs. In this study, we investigated the protective effects and associated underlying mechanisms of C3G against the toxicity of Cd on male reproduction in rat Leydig cell line R2C cells. Cells were pre-protected with C3G (5–160 μmol/L) for 2 h and then treated with cadmium sulfate (CdSO 4) (10–160 μmol/L) for 24 h. The results showed that cytotoxicity, mitochondrial damage, superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in CdSO 4 -treated R2C cells were significantly reduced with C3G pre-treatment. Moreover, C3G pre-treatment led to upregulated expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein and progesterone production. Our study suggests that C3G may be a potential therapeutic agent against Cd-induced reproductive toxicity. • C3G improved cell morphological changes in CdSO 4 -treated R2C cells. • C3G enhanced progesterone synthesis by modulating MMP and StAR expression. • C3G protected against Cd-caused reproductive injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Five new sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the rhizomes of Homalomena occulta. • Compound 5 represented the first example of 1,4-oxa-oppositane sesquiterpenoid. • Compounds 5 , 18 , 19 showed potent anti-inflammatory activity. Abstract The rhizomes of Homalomena occulta are called Qian-nian-jian in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which is widely consumed in China owing to its health benefits for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and for strengthening tendons and bones. A phytochemical investigation on this famous TCM yielded 19 sesquiterpenoids (1 – 19) with various carbocyclic skeletons including isodaucane (2 , 8 , and 9), guaiane (3), eudesmane (4 and 10 – 15), oppositane (5 , 16 , and 17), and aromadendrane (18 and 19) types. The structures of new compounds, Homalomenins A-E (1 – 5), were determined by diverse spectroscopic data. Compound 1 possessed a rare sesquiterpenoid skeleton and compound 5 represented the first example of 1,4-oxa-oppositane sesquiterpenoid. These isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on COX-2 mRNA, COX-2 protein expression, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in Raw264.7 cells, which demonstrated that compounds 5 , 18 , 19 showed potent anti-inflammatory activity by suppressing LPS-induced COX-2 expression and PGE2 production in a dose-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A polarized-HSI system (400–1000 nm) was developed for agricultural application. • Superficial information contributes more in discriminating sunflower varieties. • Both surface and subsurface features are equally important in classification. • R ⊥ is most important in detecting diseases (PM and/or SLS) on sunflower leaves. • Best classification model for disease detection had CCR of 0.963 for prediction. Abstract This study aims to investigate the potential of an original polarized hyperspectral imaging (HSI) setup in the spectral domain of 400–1000 nm for sunflower leaves in real-world. Dataset 1 includes hypercubes of sunflower leaves in two varieties with different life growth stages, while Dataset 2 is comprised of healthy and contaminated sunflower leaves suffering from powdery mildew (PM) and/or septoria leaf spot (SLS). Cross polarised (R ⊥), parallel polarised (R | |) reflectance signals, R BS (R | | + R ⊥) and R SS (R | | - R ⊥) spectra were obtained and used to develop partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models. Surface information played an important role in separating two varieties of leaves due to the fact that the best model performance was achieved by using R SS mean spectra, while both surface and subsurface were equally important in classifying leaves between two major growth stages because model of R BS mean spectra outperformed other models. The best classification model for disease detection was achieved by using pixel R ⊥ spectra with the correct classification rate (CCR) of 0.963 for both cross validation and prediction, meaning that subsurface spectral features were the most important to detect infected leaves. The resulting classification maps were also displayed to visualize the distribution of the infected regions on the leaf samples. The overall results obtained in this research showed that the developed polarized-HSI system coupled with multivariate analysis has considerable promise in agricultural real-world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Circulating exosomal microRNAs provide new opportunities to unlock the secrets of hepatocellular carcinoma. • Both serum exosomes-encapsulated microRNAs and combined with traditional biomarkers improve diagnosis methods. • Strategies target exosomal microRNAs offer new tactics for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-associated deaths each year. Due to the invasive, fast growth and insidious onset of HCC, most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, reducing the effectiveness of radical surgery. Therefore, effective early detection and diagnostic methods are crucial for improving the treatment and prognosis of HCC patients. Exosomes are 40- to 100-nm-sized vesicles that are released from many cell types into the extracellular space, and extensive evidence has suggested that exosomes are involved in the occurrence and development of HCC. Recently, the presence of microRNAs (miRNAs) in exosomes has been verified. Such miRNAs can be internalized by neighboring or distant cells to subsequently regulate multiple target genes in recipient cells at the posttranscriptional level and affect the processes of cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Herein, we summarize the current knowledge about the potential utility of serum exosomal miRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, effects of icariin (Ica) on were examined in a mouse model of d -galactose (D-gal)-induced ovarian aging. Kunming white mice were divided into three groups: aging group induced with D-gal, experiment group treated with Ica at low (50 mg/kg), middle (100 mg/kg) and high (200 mg/kg) concentrations, and control group with no treatment. Ovarian histomorphology, serum FSH, LH and E 2 levels, and reproductive function were compared among the groups. Ovarian expression of Amh, Bax and Bcl-2 was examined by qPCR and western blotting. Our results showed that diameters of secondary and tertiary follicles were significantly reduced in the aging group when compared with control group (P < 0.01), and were restored to normal in Ica 100 and Ica 200 treatment groups. The diameter of atretic follicles was significantly smaller in the aging group compared with control group and Ica 200 treatment group (P < 0.05). The proportion of secondary and atretic follicles was higher in the aging group compared with control group, Ica 100 and 200 treatment groups, whereas the proportion of tertiary and mature follicles was reduced in the aging group versus control, Ica 100 and 200 groups. The aging group lacked mature follicles, whereas Ica treatment induced mature follicle development. Primary and secondary follicles exhibited similar theca cell numbers and theca interna and externa cell layers in all groups examined, whereas theca interna and externa cell layers were decreased and increased, respectively, in tertiary follicles of aging group compared with control and I 200 groups. In the aging group, FSH and LH levels were significantly higher than those in control and Ica 200 groups (P < 0.05), and the E 2 level was significantly reduced compared with control (P < 0.01), Ica 200 (P < 0.01), and Ica 100 (P < 0.05) groups. Serum hormone levels were equivalent in the control, Ica 100 and Ica 200 groups. The pregnancy rate was reduced in the aging group compared with other groups. The average litter size per birth, birth litter weight, and weaning weight of litters were all significantly lower in the aging group compared with control, Ica 100 and 200 groups (P < 0.05). The ovarian expression of AMH and Bcl-2 mRNA was significantly reduced in the aging group compared with those in control and Ica-treated groups (P < 0.01). In contrast, Bax expression was significantly higher in the aging group compared with all other groups (P < 0.01), and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio was markedly reduced in aging group compared with control, Ica 100 and 200 groups (P < 0.01), and Ica 50 group (P < 0.05). Ovarian expression of AMH protein was elevated in the Ica 100 group compared with the aging, control and Ica 50 groups (P < 0.01) and Ica 200 group (P < 0.05). Ovarian Bcl-2 protein levels and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio were significantly higher in the Ica 100 group than those in the Ica 50, 200 and aging groups (P < 0.05), and were similar or reduced (P < 0.05), respectively, compared to those in control group. Ovarian Bax expression was similar in each group. These findings suggest that Ica can improve ovarian follicular development, inhibit follicular atresia, decrease FSH and LH levels and increase E 2 , upregulate ovarian AMH expression and increase the Bcl-2/Bax ratio in aging mice. Therefore, Ica can partially restore ovarian function of aging mice and enhance their fertility. Optimal reproductive effects were obtained with the Ica 100 group. Highlights • Icariin can improve follicular development, inhibit follicular atresia, thereby alleviating the ovarian hypofunction. • Icariin can decrease FSH and LH levels and increase E 2 , upregulate AMH and Bcl-2/Bax expression in aging female mice. • Icariin can partially restore ovarian function of aging mice and enhance their fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This work aims to investigate the emergence of aggregates caused by redundant plasticizers in the protein matrix of casein based biopolymers using chemical imaging techniques. Near infrared (NIR) images (950–1671 nm) were first acquired and the spatial variations on macroscale with a pixel size of 0.4 mm × 0.5 mm were visualized. The introduction of plasticizers resulted in a strong hydrogen bonding matrix in the protein polymeric film as evidenced by analysis of Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectral profiles in the range of 7500–4000 cm−1. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) images (4000–650 cm−1) coupled with principal components analysis (PCA) and multivariate curve resolution alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) analysis suggested the existence of sorbitol re-crystallization after 5 months storage in the ambient condition. Raman images with a higher pixel size of 1.2 µm × 1.2 µm indicated an uneven film surface caused by sorbitol migration and re-crystallization. A partial least squares (PLS) regression model was developed to predict plasticizer concentration based on the mean spectra of FT-NIR hypercubes, producing coefficient of determination in calibration ( R 2 Cal) of 0.93, cross-validation ( R 2 CV) of 0.92 and prediction ( R 2 P) of 0.89. Visualization of aggregates in the image field was obtained by applying the developed PLS model in a pixel-wise manner using single-element and array detectors. The combined information from NIR and FT-NIR evidenced the occurrence of high plasticizer-concentrated regions in the film sample, while the combined information from FT-NIR and ATR-FTIR further confirms the phenomenon of sorbitol re-crystallization. Graphical abstract fx1 Highlights • Plasticizer led to strong hydrogen bonding matrix as revealed by FT-NIR and ATR-FTIR; • ATR-FTIR and Raman imaging suggested the existence of sorbitol re-crystallization; • Visualization of aggregates was obtained by applying PLS model on FT-NIR images; • Combined NIR and FT-NIR information proves the emergence of plasticizer aggregates; • Combined FT-NIR and ATR-FTIR information confirms sorbitol re-crystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • MPC coating can effectively prevent the invasion of the sulfate solution and protect the concrete. • MPC coating has a stable performance in the sulfate environment. Abstract The resistance to sulfate attacks of uncoated, magnesium phosphate cement (MPC)-coated, and epoxy-coated concretes has been studied by comparing changes in their compressive strengths, appearances, and ultrasonic velocities. XRD and scanning electron microscopy microanalysis have been conducted for the MPC-coated concrete before and after etching, and the intrinsic mechanism of the effect of MPC coating on the resistance of concrete to sulfate has been investigated. Results show that the structure and composition of MPC coating change in a sulfate erosion environment. And the coating is more closely bonded to the concrete and the structure is more compact than in other environments. MPC coating can significantly improve the erosion resistance of the concrete to sulfate in a manner that is superior to epoxy coating. So MPC coating has a significant protective effect on concrete against sulfate corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Malus micromalus Makino fruit wine was used as a raw material and a water soluble polysaccharide (MWP-2) was successfully separated from it by fractionated extraction, alcohol precipitation, macroporous resin purification, cellulose column purification, running water dialysis, and vacuum freeze drying. The structure of MWP-2 was preliminarily analyzed by high performance gel-permeation chromatography (HPGPC), ion chromatograph (IC) and FT-IR. The anti-oxidation and the anti-aging activity of MWP were studied. Results showed that the relative molecular mass of MWP-2 was 1 × 105 Da and it was composed of galactose, glucose, mannose and fructose in the mole ratio of 1:33.2:8.4:7.2. Antioxidant experiments in vitro showed that MWP had different degrees of scavenging effects on the hydroxyl radicals, DPPH (1,1-two phenyl-2-bitter hydrazine radical) free radical, and superoxide radicals, presenting a certain dose effect relationship. However, the anti-aging experiments in vivo showed that MWP could significantly inhibit the apoptosis of cerebral cortex cells and the formation of lipid peroxide in the cerebral cortex of aging model mice, improve the activity of the antioxidant enzyme system, and exert a certain anti-aging effect. Highlights • A water soluble polysaccharide (MWP-2) was separated from a fruit wine. • MWP-2 was composed of galactose, glucose, mannose and fructose. • MWP had scavenging effects on the hydroxyl radicals, DPPH free radical, and superoxide radicals. • MWP could inhibit the apoptosis of cerebral cortex cells and the formation of lipid peroxide in the aging model mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract A phase-field modeling code with Calphad-based free energy functions, Hyrax, has been used to model the hydrogen solvus in alpha-zirconium solution and the formation of the zirconium-hydride phase in the zirconium matrix. The modeled hydrogen solvus was compared against published experimental data; this is considered the first direct validation of Hyrax output. The effect of external stress on hydrogen solvus and hydride formation has also been modeled. A tensile stress was uniformly applied to a single zirconium crystal and a bi-crystal system. We observed that the stress does not affect hydrogen solvus but does cause hydride to accumulate in the crystalline which has the c-axis parallel to the stress direction. Abstract Zirconium-based alloys are common materials for light water reactor (LWR) fuel cladding. These alloys readily absorb hydrogen and are subjected to lose ductility due to hydride accumulation. A phase-field modeling code with Calphad-based free energy functions, Hyrax, has been used to model the hydrogen solvus in α -zirconium solution and the formation of the δ zirconium-hydride phase in the α -zirconium matrix. The modeled hydrogen solvus was compared against published experimental data; this is considered the first direct validation of Hyrax output. The effect of external stress on hydrogen solvus and hydride formation has also been modeled. A tensile stress was uniformly applied to a single zirconium crystal and a bi-crystal system. We observed that the stress does not affect hydrogen solvus but does cause hydride to accumulate in the crystalline which has the c-axis parallel to the stress direction. This is because the external stress creates a strain energy gradient across the system; the δ -hydride preferentially precipitates in the low strain energy region which yields more lattice misfit strain to compensate the gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In organisms, the over ingesting of Cu2+ and Zn2+ will result in the poisoning of living cells, which severely damages the human body. Meanwhile, endogenous Histidine (His) can cause metabolic disorders like Histidinemia (His). Therefore, it is a pressing matter to design an effective method that accurately detects the amount of Cu2+, Zn2+, and His. In our study, through the nucleophilic addition and substitution reactions synthesis methods, a novel multifunctional probe, Rhodamine derivatives with vinyl functional groups at the end (RHDA) was designed and synthesized. The probe RHDA can recognize Cu2+ and Zn2+ separately, and the experiment further substantiates that the RHDA probe can demonstrate various turn-on colorimetric and fluorescent signals, i.e., selectively detecting Cu2+ in DMSO/H 2 O solution (v/v=4/6) with the "naked-eye" show evident and significant color change from colorless to pink and Zn2+ with strong green fluorescence in DMF/H 2 O (v/v=1/1). Under optimal conditions, they could be identified under the low detection limit of 0.10 μmol·L−1 and 16.0 nmol·L−1 for Cu2+ and Zn2+, respectively. Furthermore, Histidine (His) was recognized by the formed RHDA-Zn2+ with a fluorescence "turn-off" range of 0.03–10.0 μM and a detection limit of 230.0 nmol L−1. This article performed an extensive study of the sensing mechanisms of RHDA toward two metal ions and the ensemble RHDA-Zn2+ toward His. The practical application experiments in DMF/H 2 O (v/v=1/1) further established that the chemosensor RHDA exhibits good cell permeability and could be employed to monitor free Zn2+. Finally, the complex RHDA-Zn2+ could be applied to assay His in the living HeLa cells and zebrafishes, respectively. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diamond/boron/diamond/SrTiO 3 composite film (BDDSCF) electroluminescent (EL) devices were deposited by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) technology and vacuum electron beam vapor deposition (EBVD) technology. The samples were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDXS). The current-voltage (I–V) characteristic of the sample was measured by an adjustable direct current power supply. The EL spectra of the samples obviously exhibit three emission peaks, which are centered at 440 nm (blue area), 592 nm (yellow area) and 736 nm (red area). In the indoor environment, it can be observed by the naked eye that the surface of the sample will emit uniform and high brightness white light. The blue peak is from the recombination of the conduction band electron in SrTiO 3 film and the quasi-acceptor (trapped hole) associated with oxygen vacancy, the yellow peak is caused by the self-trapping exciton (STE) recombination caused by oxygen vacancies in SrTiO 3 , and the red peak is attributed to the silicon impurity centers or carbon neutral vacancy in diamond films. • Diamond/boron/diamond/SrTiO 3 composite film high-brightness white light-emitting device was made for the first time. • The emission peaks in EL spectrum were found at 436 nm, 592 nm and 708 nm, respectively. • This study provides a promising new idea for the development of other non-GaN based white electroluminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chondrocyte hypertrophy is the terminal step in chondrocyte differentiation and is crucial for endochondral bone formation. Howsignaling pathways regulate chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation remains incompletely understood. In this study, using a Tbx18:Cre (Tbx18Cre/) gene-deletion approach, we selectively deleted the gene for the signaling protein SMAD family member 4 (Smad4f/f) in the limbs of mice.Wefound that theSmad4-deficient mice develop a prominent shortened limb, with decreased expression of chondrocyte differentiation markers, including Col2a1 and Acan, in the humerus at mid-to-late gestation. The most striking defects in these mice were the absence of stylopod elements and failure of chondrocyte hypertrophy in the humerus. Moreover, expression levels of the chondrocyte hypertrophy-related markers Col10a1 and Panx3 were significantly decreased. Of note, we also observed that the expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), a critical mediator of chondrocyte hypertrophy, was also down-regulated in Smad4-deficient limbs. To determine how the skeletal defects arose in the mouse mutants, we performed RNASeq with ChIP-Seq analysesandfound thatSmad4directly binds to regulatory elements in the Runx2 promoter. Our results suggest a new mechanism whereby Smad4 controls chondrocyte hypertrophy by up-regulating Runx2 expression during skeletal development. The regulatory mechanism involving Smad4-mediated Runx2 activation uncovered here provides critical insights into bone development and pathogenesis of chondrodysplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A concise synthetic approach to the marine natural product (+)-aureol has been achieved from readily available starting materials using obviously fewer steps in comparison to the related report in literature (6 steps versus 12 steps from (+)-sclareolide). Key steps of this protocol include a boron trifluoride-catalyzed domino 1,2-H and 1,2-methyl shifts and a nickel(II)-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between an alkyl iodide and an aryl Grignard reagent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This present work aims to provide new insights into the spectral variations associated with water and plasticizers in the protein matrix of casein based biopolymers by conducting time series hyperspectral chemical imaging (HCI). Near infrared (NIR) hyperspectral images (880–1720 nm) of sodium caseinate film were acquired at different periods during film forming process. Second derivative spectra revealed a red shift (from lower to higher wavelength) in the region of 1410–1492 nm during drying, indicating that hydrogen bond distribution converted from free toward associated hydroxyl groups. The introduction of plasticizers resulted in a strong hydrogen bonding matrix in the caseinate polymeric film as evidenced by analysis of second derivative spectra and curve fitting results. Moisture content (MC) of film samples were predicted with coefficient of determination in prediction ( R P r e d 2 ) of 0.96 and 0.97, and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.067 and 0.056 by conducting partial least squares (PLS) and support vector machine (SVM), respectively. SVM model was further used to visualize water distribution within the film samples over drying time and the time-evolution of water migration into a dried film. A novel time series spectral angle mapper (SAM) was also proposed to elucidate water penetration pattern in film material. Time series principal components analysis (PCA) and K-means analysis exhibited temporal variation of film samples during drying steps of film formation. The results clearly demonstrated the occurrence of strong hydrogen-bonded aggregates in the film samples, which was more likely due to the congregation of redundant plasticizers. The overall results confirmed that time series NIR HCI is a powerful and versatile tool to investigate water and plasticizer interactions in the protein-based polymeric film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, microstructure, magnetic and microwave absorbing properties of Nd x Fe 85−x Co 4 B 11 nanocomposites (x = 3, 5, 7, 9) flaky-shaped particles prepared by melt spun were investigated. The analyses of XRD spectra suggest that all samples only have the single α -Fe phase. With the increase of the Nd content, the complex permittivity-frequency and permeability-frequency were increased at first, and then decreased with higher Nd content. The resin composites of 70 wt% of these nanocomposite powders showed excellent electromagnetic wave absorption properties in GHz range. A minimum reflection loss of −23.1 dB is obtained at 9.8 GHz for composite Nd 9 Fe 76 Co 4 B 11 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution neutron radiography has been used to image bulk circumferential hydride lens particles in unirradiated Zircaloy 4 tubing cross section specimens. Zircaloy 4 is a common light water nuclear reactor (LWR) fuel cladding; hydrogen pickup, hydride formation, and the concomitant effect on the mechanical response are important for LWR applications. Ring cross section specimens with three hydrogen concentrations (460, 950, and 2830 parts per million by weight) and an as-received reference specimen were imaged. Azimuthally anisotropic hydride lens particles were observed at 950 and 2830 wppm. The BISON finite element analysis nuclear fuel performance code was used to model the system elastic response induced by hydride volumetric dilatation. The compressive hoop stress within the lens structure becomes azimuthally anisotropic at high hydrogen concentrations or high hydride phase fraction. This compressive stress anisotropy matches the observed lens anisotropy, implicating the effect of stress on hydride formation as the cause of the observed lens azimuthal asymmetry. The cause and effect relation between compressive stress and hydride lens anisotropy represents an indirect validation of a key BISON output, the evolved hoop stress associated with hydride formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the transport properties in a ferromagnetic silicene sheet in the presence of a velocity barrier, defining the region in which the Fermi velocity v F is tunable compared to other regions. It is shown that the valley and spin transports could be modulated by a pure velocity barrier. To achieve the high spin and valley polarization more efficiently, a local gate voltage is considered in the velocity barrier region, to induce a on-site potential difference between two sublattices of the silicene sheet. For the Fermi velocity inside the barrier smaller than the other regions, it is found that a velocity barrier induces a strong oscillation in the conductance and the valley and spin polarizations are strongly enhanced. In the opposite case, the valley and spin polarizations are suppressed by the velocity barrier. In particular, there exists a sharp transition of the polarizations by varying the Fermi velocity in this case, which has a potential application in the spin- and valley-polarized devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To find PTP1B inhibitors from natural products, two new compounds ( 1 and 2 ), along with nine known compounds ( 3 – 11 ), were isolated from a methanol-soluble extract of Iris sanguinea seeds. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were determined based on extensive spectroscopic data analysis including UV, IR, NMR, and MS. The IC 50 value of compound 5 on protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activity is 7.30 ± 0.88 µM with a little activity compared to the IC 50 values of the tested positive compound. Compound 5 significantly enhanced glucose uptake and activation of pACC, pAMPK and partially Erk1/2 signaling. These results suggest that compound 5 from Iris sanguinea seeds are utilized as both PTP1B inhibitors and regulators of glucose uptake. These beneficial effects could be applied to treat metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spectral element model is presented for analyzing thermal effect on free vibration and buckling behaviors of generally laminated composite beams subjected to uniform temperature distribution. Coupled differential equations of motion for the generally layered composite beams are derived on the basis of trigonometric shear deformation theory, in which temperature-dependent material properties, temperature change and Poisson effect are incorporated in the mathematical formulation. A spectral element matrix is formulated from the exact analytical solutions of the governing differential equations of the composite beams in free vibration. The spectral element method together with the Wittrick–Williams algorithm is employed to obtain the natural frequencies and buckling temperature change of the generally layered composite beams with various boundary conditions. Comparison of the natural frequencies and/or buckling temperature changes with the ANSYS solutions and/or corresponding results in literature validates the derived spectral element formulation. The effects of temperature change, Poisson effect, boundary condition, material anisotropy and thermal expansion coefficient on the natural frequencies and/or buckling temperature changes of the composite beams are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mononuclear complex {Fe(L) 2 [N(CN) 2 ] 2 } ( 1 ) has been synthesized through the reaction of (naphth-1-yl)-N-(3,5-di(pyridin-2-yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)methanimine (L) with Fe[N(CN) 2 ] 2 . Magnetic measurement reveals that 1 exhibits a thermal induced one-step spin crossover behavior with transition temperature T 1/2 of 75 K. Furthermore, the light induced excited spin state trapping effect is observed on 1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermophilic microbial fuel cell (TMFC) offers many benefits, but the investigations on the diversity of exoelectrogenic bacteria are scarce. In this study, a two-chamber TMFC was constructed using ethanol as an electron donor, and the microbial dynamics were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing and 16S rRNA clone-library sequencing. The open-circuit potential of TMFC was approximately 650 mV, while the maximum voltage was around 550 mV. The maximum power density was 437 mW/m 2 , and the columbic efficiency in this work was 20.5 ± 6.0%. The Firmicutes bacteria, related to the uncultured bacterium clone A55_D21_H_B_C01 with a similarity of 99%, accounted for 90.9% of all bacteria in the TMFC biofilm. This unknown bacterium has the potential to become a new thermophilic exoelectrogenic bacterium that is yet to be cultured. The development of TMFC-involved biotechnologies will be beneficial for the production of valuable chemicals and generation of energy in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unsteadiness of ramp-induced shock wave/boundary layer interaction under the disturbance of an array of plasma jets was experimentally investigated using high-speed Schlieren imaging. The plasma jet was created by arc discharge in a confined small cavity, with a volume of 50 mm 3 . The boundary layer thickness at the position where the upstream array of the actuators locates is δ =  2.11 mm. Two jet orifices with a diameter of D  = 1 mm, 2 mm ( δ / D =  2.11, 1.05) are designed. The multichannel discharge circuit was used to extend the spanwise disturbance region of the jets. The size of separation zone was reduced when interacting with the plasma jet plume. Meawhile, an upstream motion of the separation shock and reattachment shock is observed during the recompression process caused by the obstruction and accumulation of the jets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the recalcitrance of lignocellulose structures that hinders the robust bioconversion of biomass for bioethanol and lignin-coproduct productions, efficient approaches are needed to remove hemicelluloses. In this study, a microwave-induced hydrothermal pretreatment of corncob was developed to improve xylo -sugars (xylose, xylooligosaccharides and xylan) yields and to reduce the hemicelluloses loss by controlling NaOH and the severity factor. During this process, the severity factor ranged from 2.30 to 4.30 and the low concentration of NaOH below 0.32% were considered. The results showed that NaOH had a significant impact on xylo -sugars yields as well as the severity factor. The highest xylo -sugars yield of 88.71% was achieved when 0.005% NaOH was employed as the deacetylation agent and the severity factor was 4.00. Meanwhile, the unknown loss of hemicelluloses was limited to 1.51% (based on the total hemicelluloses in corncob) and the formation of furfural was also limited at the low level (1.72%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferulic acid (FA) has an important effect on scavenging free radicals, which is related to the alleviation of various neurodegenerative diseases. However, there are few studies about its effects on vascular dementia. In this study, we demonstrated the effect of FA on oxidative damage of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) which underwent oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) for 2 h. Our data showed that FA significantly reversed the oxidative stress state of OGD-treated BMECs and reduced mitochondrial dysfunction. In further study, we found that FA upregulated the expression of LC3-II, a marker of autophagy. Besides, mitophagy was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The mechanism of FA inducing autophagy was found to be related to mitochondrial fission, according to the effects of siRNA and inhibitor of dynamin-related protein 1, which was responsible for fission. All above suggested that FA mitigated OGD-induced mitochondrial oxidative damage by punctate-mitochondria-dependent autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA replication in eukaryotic cells is performed by a multiprotein complex called the replisome, which consists of helicases, polymerases, and adaptor molecules. Human acidic nucleoplasmic DNA-binding protein 1 (AND-1), also known as WD repeat and high mobility group (HMG)-box DNA-binding protein 1 (WDHD1), is an adaptor molecule crucial for DNA replication. Although structural information for the AND-1 yeast ortholog is available, the mechanistic details for how human AND-1 protein anchors the lagging-strand DNA polymerase α (pol α) to the DNA helicase complex (Cdc45-MCM2-7-GINS, CMG) await elucidation. Here, we report the structures of the N-terminal WD40 and SepB domains of human AND-1, as well as a biochemical analysis of the C-terminal HMG domain. We show that AND-1 exists as a homotrimer mediated by the SepB domain. Mutant study results suggested that a positively charged groove within the SepB domain provides binding sites for pol α. Different from its ortholog protein in budding yeast, human AND-1 is recruited to the CMG complex, mediated by unknown participants other than Go Ichi Ni San. In addition, we show that AND-1 binds to DNA in vitro, using its C-terminal HMG domain. In conclusion, our findings provide important insights into the mechanistic details of human AND-1 function, advancing our understanding of replisome formation during eukaryotic replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation of Fe and Pd co-doped g-C3N4 was described, using dicyandiamide monomer, and [1, 1'-Bis (diphenylphosphino) ferrocene] dichloropalladium (II) as precursor. X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectra, Raman spectra and transmission electron microscopy were used to confirm the formation of bulk Fe-Pd/C3N4, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to analysis the chemical states and element content of Fe-Pd/C3N4. N2 adsorption and desorption isotherms, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, photoluminescence and Mott-Schottky capacitance measurement were used to further investigate the semiconducting properties of Fe-Pd/C3N4. The results indicated that the addition of dopants enriched the nitrogen content of graphitic carbon nitride, induced more structural defects, expanded the surface area, decreased the band gap energy, reduced the charge-transfer resistance, raised the flat band potential and restrained the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes. Consequently, Fe and Pd co-doped g-C3N4 exhibited higher Rhodamine B photodegradation rate than raw g-C3N4. The most possible coordination sites of Fe and Pd were inferred as the CNHC defect sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A great deal of researches have been dedicated to achieve thin, lightweight, and flexible energy storage devices for wearable electronics. However, the electrodes used for flexible supercapacitors usually have poor electronic and ionic conductivities, resulting in their limited performance in power density and cycling stability. Herein, we developed a flexible, high-performance and low-cost electrode based on PEDOT:PSS wrapped MWNT/MnO 2 composite for the high performance supercapacitor applications. Triton X-100 was used to improve the wettability of the MWNT surface and achieve better dispersion effect in the solution. PEDOT:PSS can further penetrate into the Triton X-100 wrapped MWNTs with enhanced electric conductivity and electrochemical stability. A high specific capacitance of 428.2 F/g, with a high energy density of 63.8 Wh kg −1 and good cycle stability can be obtained. These results demonstrated the great potential of the as-fabricated PEDOT:PSS wrapped MWCNT/MnO 2 composite for flexible, low-cost, high-performance energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We investigated the relationship between serum bilirubin and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods We included a total of 173 consecutive RA patients without steroid treatment and 346 healthy subjects; the disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) was used to assess disease activity in patients with RA. Results Serum bilirubin concentrations were significantly lower in RA patients than in controls. Serum bilirubin was found to be negatively correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) ( r = − 0.165, P = 0.030; r = − 192, P = 0.012) in patients with RA. There was a negative correlation between the serum bilirubin and DAS28 score ( r = − 0.331, P < 0.001). Serum bilirubin was independently associated with the DAS28 score (b = − 0.225, P = 0.001) in the multiple linear regression analysis. Conclusions Serum bilirubin concentrations are lower in patients with RA compared to controls and correlate with disease activity in patients with RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ neutron diffraction is utilized to study the deuteride (hydride) precipitation behavior in a cold-worked stress-relieved (CWSR) Zircaloy-4 material upon cooling from 420 °C to room temperature with a 78 MPa external stress applied along the rolling direction (RD) of the material. Two banks detector capture the diffraction signal from two principal directions of the specimen, the normal direction (ND) and the rolling direction (RD). The evolution of deuterium concentration in zirconium solid solution along the two specimen directions is measured by studying the δ -(220) peak intensity, applying the Rietveld refinement method to the diffraction data and using the measured zirconium c-axis lattice distortion. The deuterium concentration is observed to be higher for zirconium grains in the ND than the RD. The terminal solid solubility of precipitation (TSSp) for deuterium in the solution is then described using the Arrhenius equation. It is observed that the applied stress reduces the energy term Q in the Arrhenius equation when compared with the unstressed Q values from the work of others. A model by Puls is applied to study the effect of stress on deuterium solubility, with polycrystalline hydride precipitation strain calculated using the Kearns factor representative of the studied material. The experimental result does not agree with the model prediction of Puls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to explore the potential of computer vision system (CVS) and two hyperspectral imaging (HSI) systems covering the visible and short-wave near infrared range (400–1000 nm) and the long-wave near infrared range (897–1753 nm), respectively, for differentiation of organic and conventional farm-raised salmon fillets in fresh and chill-stored conditions. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), support vector machine (SVM) and random forests (RF) classifiers were used to build classification models for recognition and authentication of the tested samples. The results suggested that hyperspectral discrimination performed much better than CVS. For the same validation set, the highest correct classification rate (CCR) equivalent to 98.2% was presented in two SVM models, one was built from full spectral variables in the 400–1000 nm and the other from four optimal wavelengths in the same spectral region. The best prediction for CVS was obtained by using PLS-DA with CCR of 83.6% for validation, while the most satisfying results for HSI in 897–1753 nm were achieved by applying SVM algorithm on full spectral region as well as 10 important wavelengths with both CCRs of 92.7% for validation. In a nutshell, hyperspectral imaging in the 400–1000 nm has presented the best predictive ability to differentiate between organic and conventional salmon fillets, while SVM classifier has been confirmed to be very powerful for multivariable analysis in our case. Overall, the outcome achieved from this research strongly suggested the capability of the hyperspectral imaging for objective and rapid categorization of the two salmon varieties under circumstances of fresh and chill-stored conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) activity of simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox and denitrification (SNAD) biofilm with different substrate concentrations and pH values. Kaldnes rings taken from the SNAD biofilm reactor were incubated in batch tests to determine the anammox activity. Haldane model was applied to investigate the ammonium inhibition on anammox process. As for nitrite inhibition, the NH4+-N removal rate of anammox process remained 87.4% of the maximum rate with the NO2--N concentration of 100 mg/L. Based on the results of Haldane model, no obvious difference in kinetic coefficients was observed under high or low free ammonia (FA) conditions, indicating that ammonium rather than FA was the true inhibitor for anammox process of SNAD biofilm. With the pH value of 7.0, the rmax, Ks and KI of ammonium were 0.209 kg NO2--N/kg VSS/day, 9.5 mg/L and 422 mg/L, respectively. The suitable pH ranges for anammox process were 5.0 to 9.0. These results indicate that the SNAD biofilm performs excellent tolerance to adverse conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Networks of silver nanowires (AgNW) have been shown to facilitate high transparency, high conductivity, and good mechanical stability. However，the loose characteristic and local insulation problems due to gaps between the nanowires limit their application as electrodes. This study investigates an inkjet-printed Ag grid combined with AgNW to form a transparent hybrid electrode. The printed Ag grid on AgNW film connects the gaps between the Ag nanowires to increase the overall electric conductivity. The printed Ag-grid/AgNW hybrid electrodes have low resistivity (22.5 Ω/□) while maintaining a high transmittance (87.5%). These values are similar to standard indium tin oxide (ITO) on glass which has resistivity of 20Ω/□ and transmittance of 89% at 550 nm. In addition, these hybrid electrodes are also very flexible when fabricated on a photopolymer substrate. A spin-coating process combined with a peel-off process enable the fabrication of flexible ultra-smooth Ag-grid/AgNW electrodes. We tested the transparent and flexible electrode as the anode of a flexible organic light emitting diode (F-OLED). The light emitting layer of the F-OLED is 35 nm thick tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum doped with 0.5% 10-(2-benzothiazolyl)-2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-1,1,7,7-tetramethyl-1H,5H,11H-(1)-benzopyropyrano(6,7-8-I,j)quinolizin-11-one. The maximum brightness and current efficiency of the F-OLED are 10000 cd/m 2 and 12 cd/A, respectively, even when bent around a radius of 2 mm. The good performance of the device with Ag-grid/AgNW hybrid electrodes show that enhanced conductive inkjet-printed Ag nanoparticles combined with Ag nanowires can produce high quality electrodes for flexible organic optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tetranuclear cluster {[(Tp)Fe(CN) 3 ]Co(pp)H 2 O} 2 ·[(Tp)Fe(CN) 3 ] 2 ⋅ 6H 2 O ( 1 ; Tp = hydrotris(pyrazoly)borate, pp = 2,6-bis(N-pyrazolyl)pyridine) and a hexanuclear cluster {[(pzTp)Fe(CN) 3 ] 2 Co(pp)} 2 ·2H 2 O ( 2 ; pzTp = tetrakis(pyrazoly)borate) have been synthesized via rational assembly of the same (ppCo II ) 2 + unit and different tricyanometalate building blocks with varying proportions of sterically hindered groups. Magnetic measurements reveal that 1 exhibits the dominant antiferromagnetic interactions between Fe(III) and Co(II) ions, while 2 exhibits the dominant ferromagnetic interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the potential of computer vision system (CVS) and hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technique covering spectral range of 900–1700 nm for identifying freezer burnt salmon fillets after frozen storage. Local binary pattern (LBP) descriptor was applied for the RGB image classification. Reflectance spectra were obtained from various positions surface and pretreated using the standard normal variate (SNV) transformation. TreeBagger classifier was used to build classification models for recognition and authentication of the freezer burnt flesh. The results suggested that hyperspectral discrimination performed much better than CVS with the correct classification rate (CCR) of 0.905 in validation and CCR of 0.945 in cross-validation. The effective wavelengths were selected based upon the feature importance in the TreeBagger model and the corresponding optimized model yielded CCR of 0.914 in validation and 0.978 in cross-validation. Overall, the outcome suggested the capability of HSI for rapid categorization of damaged regions on frozen salmon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasonic cell grinder extraction (UCGE), using water as the solvent, was firstly applied to extract anthocyanins from blueberry. Extraction yield was related with four variables, including ratio of solution to solid, extraction power, buffer time, and extraction time. On the basis of response surface methodology (RSM), the optimal conditions were determined to be the ratio of solution to solid as 25:1 (mL/g), the extraction power as 1500 W, the buffer time as 3.0 s, and the extraction time as 40 min. The experimental yield of anthocyanins using UCGE was 2.89 mg/g higher than that of conventional ultrasound-assisted extraction (CUAE). This study indicated that UCGE was an innovative, efficient, and environment friendly method in ultrasonic extraction fields, and had a potential to effectively extract other bioactive constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quaternary ammonium salts (QASs) such as tetrabutyl ammonium bromide (TBAB) and fluoride (TBAF) can form semiclathrate hydrates with water molecules at atmospheric pressure. Recently, the semiclathrate hydrates have attracted more and more interests for their wide applications, such as the storage and transportation of natural gas or coal bed methane, separation of low-boiling gases and carbon dioxide sequestration at mild conditions. In this work, the modeling investigations were conducted for the TBAB and TBAF semiclathrate hydrates with different gases such as CH 4 , CO 2 , N 2 , and their mixtures. The Chen-Guo hydrate model was extended to the semiclathrate hydrate systems. The thermodynamic properties of the gas phase were described with the Patel-Teja equation of state (PT EOS). The PT EOS combined with a Debye-Huckel electrostatic contribution term was chosen to describe the thermodynamic properties of the electrolyte solution. The parameters in the EOS for ions were determined by fitting the thermodynamic properties of the electrolyte solution. The parameters of TBAB and TBAF in the hydrate model were obtained from correlating the equilibrium data of semiclathrate hydrates. The extensive tests show that the proposed model results are in acceptable agreement with the experimental data on phase equilibria of semiclathrate hydrate systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop an alternative technique for rapid, accurate and non-invasive determination of gross energy density values of salmon fillets based on hyperspectral imaging (900–1700 nm). Spectral data were extracted from the hyperspectral images with outlier pixels removed. Good performances were achieved with r P of 0.906 and 0.909, and normalized RMSEP of 6.768% and 7.064% for partial least squares regression (PLSR) and epsilon-support vector regression (epsilon-SVR) analysis, respectively. The optimized stepwise-PLS model built with four wavelengths (931, 1001, 1135 and 1168 nm) yielded good results with r P of 0.908 and normalized RMSEP of 6.871%. The distribution maps for visualizing energy density indices in all portions of the salmon fillet were subsequently generated. The overall results confirmed the successful development of a rapid and non-destructive technique using hyperspectral imaging for determining energy value of salmon fillets, and the provision of an alternative method for caloric density measurement for the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]