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• Water mercury dynamics from rainfall to runoff were investigated. • The fate and transformation of runoff Hg can be accurately traced by Hg isotopes. • Terrestrial Hg is the major source of DHg in runoff water. • Photochemical and microbial reduction significantly affect DHg in runoff water. Mercury (Hg) in runoff water poses significant ecological risks to aquatic ecosystems that can affect organisms. However, accurately identifying the sources and transformation processes of Hg in runoff water is challenging due to complex natural conditions. This study provides a comprehensive investigation of Hg dynamics in water from rainfall to runoff. The Hg isotope fractionation in water was characterized, which allows accurate quantification of Hg sources, transport, and transformations in rainfall-runoff processes. Δ200Hg and corrected Δ199Hg values can serve as reliable tracers for identifying Hg sources in the runoff water and the variation of δ202Hg can be explained by Hg transformation processes. During runoff migration processes, Hg from rainfall is rapidly absorbed on the land surface, while terrestrial Hg entering the water by the dissolution process becomes the primary component of dissolved mercury (DHg). Besides the dissolution and adsorption, microbial Hg(II) reduction and demethylation of MeHg were dominant processes for DHg in the runoff water that flows through the rice paddies, while photochemical Hg(II) reduction was the dominant process for DHg in the runoff water with low water exchange rates. Particulate Hg (PHg) in runoff water is dominantly originated by the terrestrial material and derived from the dissolution and adsorption process. Tracking sources and transformations of Hg in runoff water during the rainfall-runoff process provides a basis for studying Hg pollution in larger water bodies under complex environmental factors. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated the concentration of heavy metals (HMs) in human hair associated with fish and rice consumption in Wuhan City, central China. The mean values of As in 8/10 fish species exceeded the food safety standard of 0.015 mg/kg. The mean values (mg/kg) of HMs in rice followed a descending order of Zn (13.7)> Cu (1.9)>Cr (0.51)>As (0.11) >Cd (0.08) >Pb (0.04). The ascending order of HMs for male hair was Cd < As < Cr < Pb < Cu < Zn, while As < Cd < Cr < Pb < Cu < Zn for female. 30% of hair Cr and 22% of hair Zn contents exceeded the recommended values. The middle age (19–44) and adult (45–59) groups were the most vulnerable group, as the concentration for most elements was high in these age groups. A significant correlation was found between fish-eating frequency and hair Zn (r = 0.213; p < 0.05), and As (r = 0.204; p < 0.05). High odd ratios were found in a population with high fish-eating frequency, especially for Pb (7.19), As (3.1), Zn (3.83), and Cd (3.7). A significant non-carcinogenic risk was associated with Cr exposure through consuming herbivores, filter feeders, and omnivorous fish. The cancer risk values of Cd exposure (1.54E-04) via rice consumption and As exposure (1.25E-04) via consumption of omnivores fish indicate precautionary measures. [Display omitted] • As contents in 8/10 fish species exceeded the food safety standards. • Hair Cr (30%) and Zn (22%) concentrations exceeded the recommended values. • Hair heavy metals were generally high in the 19–44 and 45–49 age groups. • A significant correlation was found between fish-eating frequency and hair Zn, and As. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is one of the major origination for Vitis species, especially Chinese wild Vitis species. However, the leaf shape diversity among Chinese wild Vitis species remains unclear. Digital morphometric analysis was used to study the morphological variability in leaves of 59 Chinese wild grape accessions. Leaves were scanned and images were analyzed using normalized Elliptic Fourier Descriptors (EFD) and principal component analysis. The ampelometric traits of these leaves revealed a high degree of diversity within Chinese wild Vitis species. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the first three principal components accounted for 71% of the variation. Elliptic Fourier Descriptors and Generalised Procruste Analysis (GPA) were used to provide a global analysis of leaf outlines and lobe positioning and to describe differences in relative vein positions, respectively. A dendrogram was constructed based on the shape traits, in which almost all of the individuals were clearly distinguished. These findings suggest that digital morphometrics is a powerful tool for assessing leaf shape variations among grape species and would be of great use for the conservation and utilization of Chinese wild Vitis species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of cattiite (Mg 3 (PO4) 2 ·22 H 2 O) coprecipitate with K-struvite on the purity of K-struvite, K-struvite crystallization in aqueous solution was performed at different pHs and the initial Mg2+ concentrations. The coprecipitation was quantified by Simultaneous Thermal Analyzer, Scanning Electron Microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy as well as Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer. Genetic algorithm-back propagation artificial neural network model (GA-BPANN) was also innovatively employed to simulate and predict K-struvite purity. The results revealed that cattiite coprecipitated with K-struvite rather than bobierrite (Mg 3 (PO4) 2 ·8 H 2 O) in the solution. The low initial Mg2+ concentration and high pH were more conducive to K-struvite crystallization, thereby inhibiting the cattiite co-precipitation with K-struvite. Specifically, K-struvite crystals with the purity of 93.88% were achieved at pH 11 and initial Mg2+ concentration of 3 mmol/L, whereas cattiite crystals with the purity of 98.99% were observed at pH 9 and the initial Mg2+ concentration of 50 mmol/L. Notably, K-struvite and cattiite crystals have obvious differences in morphology and particle size, separately exhibiting small rod-like and large plate-like structures. Interestingly, GA-BPANN accurately simulated and predicted K-struvite purity at various pHs and initial Mg2+ concentrations. The findings herein provide a theoretical foundation for obtaining high-purity K-struvite from waste streams at industrial scale, which also provide a reference for exploring the coprecipitation of multiple minerals in waste streams. [Display omitted] • Cattiite coprecipitates with K-struvite rather than bobierrite in synthetic urine. • The cattiite coprecipitation with K-struvite is sensitive to pH and initial Mg2+ concentration. • The cattiite coprecipitation with K-struvite was identified and quantified. • GA-BPANN model was employed to simulate and predict K-struvite purity. • K-struvite purity was illustrated by response surface plot and two-dimensional contour plot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a particle-based smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) framework for simulating hyperelastic materials with anisotropic stiffness models. While most elastic simulations predominantly rely on mesh-based approaches, such as the Finite Element method, the relationship between Lamé's first parameter and Poisson's ratio complicates the strict enforcement of volume conservation, making it challenging to stabilize simulations for common biological tissues like fat and muscle. In this paper, we couple an implicit divergence-free SPH solver with particle-based deformation gradient computation and apply various elastic energy functions to achieve incompressible elastic simulations. The incompressibility of elastic objects and collisions between different bodies are managed by the implicit SPH algorithm. We further incorporate anisotropic energy functions, constructed from the extrapolation of Cauchy–Green invariants, to introduce anisotropic properties to the objects. By integrating activation and contraction coefficients into the energy functions, particles can simulate muscle contractions and lift heavy objects. Our method can effectively represent elastic objects with varying mechanical properties across different directions and be further employed to mimic muscle contractions. Experiments demonstrate that our approach provides realistic simulations for a wide range of animal and human body movements. [Display omitted] • Leveraging a Lagrangian-based approach for the simulation of anisotropic elasticity. • Integration of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics with anisotropic energy functions for advanced modeling. • Adaptable simulation of muscle contraction, effectively mimicking a diverse range of movement behaviors. • Enforcing strict incompressibility in the simulation of muscle-like tissues, ensuring highly accurate representations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The catalyst enhances hydrogen production and NO elimination. • The mixed Zr/Ti-oxo clusters can enhance electron transfer rate. • The uniformly in-situ generated Pt NPs can promote carrier separation. • The synergistic effects between Pt NPs and Zr/Ti-oxo clusters enhance activity. • The photocatalytic NO elimination process was monitored by in-situ DRIFTS. An efficient bifunctional porphyrin-based MOF is fabricated for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and NO removal, in which the mixed Zr/Ti-oxo clusters are the metal nodes and uniformly distributed Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) are the co-catalysts. It is worth noting that the optimal Zr-MOF-s(Pt)(Zr/Ti)-R is obtained through replacing partial Zr(IV) with Ti(IV) in the original Zr-based porphyrin MOFs and in-situ generating confined Pt NPs with a relatively small size within the internal cavities. Compared with the majority of reported Zr-based porphyrin MOFs, the Zr-MOF-s(Pt)(Zr/Ti)-R exhibits an extremely high hydrogen evolution activity (2545.11 μmol·g−1·h−1) and NO removal rate (46.6 %) under visible light irradiation. The excellent photocatalytic performance should be ascribed to the reason that the mixed Zr/Ti-oxo cluster and the in-situ generated Pt NPs significantly promote the rate of charge transfer and separation. Moreover, the photocatalytic NO oxidation process was also monitored by in - situ DRIFTS, which indicates the Zr-MOF-s(Pt)(Zr/Ti)-R could realize the effective oxidation of NO and intermediates to the final product (NO 3 –). This work provides us with a practical route to further improve the photocatalytic performance by synergistically modifying the original metal clusters to adjust the ligand-to-metal charge transfer efficiency and in-situ introducing metal nanoparticles to form Schottky junctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mercury (Hg) flux from the remediated mine wastes reduced an order of magnitude. • Rainfall elevated Hg levels in surface water through erosion and leaching effect. • Rainfall governed Hg isotopic partitioning between water DHg and PHg. • A consistent large offset of δ202Hg was observed between water DHg and PHg in LFP. • Mine waste is still an important Hg pollution source proved by Hg isotope approach. Mine waste (MW) in historical mercury (Hg) mining areas continuously emits Hg into local environment, including aquatic ecosystems. Tracing Hg migration process from MW and determining its relative contribution to Hg pollution is critical for understanding the environmental impact of MW remediation. In this study, we combined data of Hg concentration, speciation, and isotope to address this issue in the Wanshan Hg mining area in southwest China. We found that rainfall can elevate Hg concentrations in river water and control the partitioning and transport of Hg in karst fissure zones through changing the hydrological conditions. A consistently large offset of δ202Hg (1.24‰) was observed between dissolved Hg (DHg) and particulate Hg (PHg) in surface water during the low-flow period (LFP), which may have been related to the relatively stable hydrologic conditions and unique geological background (karst fissure zones) of the karst region (KR). Results from the ternary Hg isotopic mixing model showed that, despite an order of magnitude reduction in Hg concentration and flux in river water after remediation, the remediated MW is still a significant source of Hg pollution to local aquatic ecosystems, accounting for 49.3 ± 11.9% and 37.8 ± 11.8% of river DHg in high flow period (HFP) and LFP, respectively. This study provides new insights into Hg migration and transportation in aquatic ecosystem and pollution source apportionment in Hg polluted area, which can be used for making polices for future remediation actions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing municipal solid waste (MSW) has caused severe environmental pollution and social problems, which require effective treatment and resource utilization. Therefore, combined with advanced sustainable gasification technology, a classified MSW collection, transportation, and treatment process was established in this study. To optimize MSW management, a mathematical multi-objective model was established to optimize the revenue from the value-added energy electricity products and control greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was introduced into the objective evaluation to quantitatively evaluate the environmental greenhouse effect caused by gasification technology. Then, to further explore regional variations in gasification implementation, four practical case studies were presented to demonstrate the applicability and efficiency of the proposed model in selecting the disposal processes, determining volumes, generating income, and controlling GHG emissions. The sensitivity analysis of the gasification ratio (GR) in different cases shows that an increase in GR will improve economic benefits and reduce GHG emissions. In addition, the optimal GR varies in countries; for example, it was 0.6–0.7 in China, 0.9 in the USA, 0.6–0.8 in the UK and Japan. Therefore, a practical and effective management method for MSW gasification based on LCA is proposed, which can assist in the development of targeted, valid emission reduction measures for MSW gasification to reduce the environmental impact and provide practical guidance for the MSW gasification implementation. • A multi-objective model was built to optimize sustainable MSW gasification system. • Life cycle assessment is validly applied to the normalized evaluation of environmental objective. • The balance between economic and environmental benefits was achieved. • Different technical configurations can be set up to adapt to more real and universal situations. • Practical guidance is provided in sustainable MSW management from real life case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from electronic industry may pose severe problems to human health and the environment. In the present study, the VOCs adsorption on commercial activated carbon fibers (ACFs) in a fixed-bed column was investigated by continuous mode as a function of inlet flow rate (100–500 L/h), inlet VOCs concentration (200–400 mg/m3), adsorption temperature (15–35 °C) and bed height (120–240 mm). Afterwards, the adsorption behavior and mechanism of VOCs on ACFs were quantified by the adsorption kinetic, equilibrium, thermodynamic models. To further quantify the adsorption performance in the fixed bed column, an axial dispersion model was proposed to model the breakthrough curves. The results indicated that the adsorption process conformed to the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-first-order kinetic equation, indicative of physical adsorption. Moreover, the adsorption capacity increased with the increase of VOCs concentration and bed height, but decreased with the increase of inlet flow rate and adsorption temperature. Interestingly, the axial dispersion model can well predict the breakthrough curve and visualize the temporal and axial distribution of VOCs adsorption in the fixed-bed column by integrating Matlab ode15s solver with lsqcurvefit function, from which both the overall mass transfer and axial dispersion coefficient were also derived. The model herein may facilitate the process design of VOCs adsorption and precisely predict the adsorption performance of a scaled-up adsorption fixed bed. [Display omitted] • The VOCs adsorption on commercial activated carbon fibers in a fixed bed column was investigated. • The adsorption process conforms to the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-first-order kinetic equation. • The effect of inlet VOCs concentration, inlet flow rate, adsorption temperature and bed height were evaluated. • Matlab ode15s solver with Lsqcurvefit function were employed to model the breakthrough curves. • The temporal and axial distribution of the adsorption performance were predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ecological remediation reduced human MeHg exposure and produced huge economic benefits. • Planting structure adjustment generated rapid and substantial economic benefits with no cost. • Flooding caused negative effect and pollution source treatment can offset this effect. • Risk assessment model of human MeHg exposure via rice consumption was established. Methylmercury (MeHg) exposure via rice consumption poses health risk to residents in mercury contaminated areas, such as the Wanshan Hg mining area (WSMA) in southwest China. Making use of the published data for WSMA, this study developed a database of rice MeHg concentrations for different villages in this region for the years of 2007, 2012, 2017, and 2019. The temporal changes of human MeHg exposure, health effects, and economic benefits under different ecological remediation measures were then assessed. Results from this study revealed a decrease of 3.88 μg/kg in rice MeHg concentration and a corresponding reduction of 0.039 μg/kg/d in probable daily intake of MeHg in 2019 compared to 2007 on regional average in the WSMA. Ecological remediation measures in this region resulted in the accumulated economic benefits of $38.7 million during 2007–2022, of which 84 % was from pollution source treatment and 16 % from planting structure adjustment. However, a flooding event in 2016 led to an economic loss of $2.43 million (0.38 % of regional total Gross Domestic Product). Planting structure adjustment generates the greatest economic benefits in the short term, whereas pollution source treatment maximizes economic benefits in the long term and prevents the perturbations from flooding event. These findings demonstrate the importance of ecological remediation measures in Hg polluted areas and provide the foundation for risk assessment of human MeHg exposure via rice consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The regulator retained in the metal node can improve the MOF conductivity. • The porphyrin-centered Pd as an electron bridge to accelerate carrier separation and transfer. • The role of Pd as an electron bridge was further confirmed by DFT calculations. • The MOF prepared by alkyl monocarboxylic acid has excellent photocatalytic activity and stability. The technology of photolysis water hydrogen evolution driven by solar energy is considered promising to alleviate the energy crisis. However, the low separation and transfer efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers is still one of the challenges leading to the inferior efficiency of photocatalysis. In this paper, alkyl n-hexanoic acid (HA) and aryl benzoic acid (BA) were used as modulators to synthesize HA-PCN-224 and BA-PCN-224 by solvothermal method, in which TCPP linker was coordinated with Zr-O clusters in accompany with part of reserved modulators, respectively. The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of HA-PCN-224 (225.29 μmol·g−1·h−1) was 2.86 times as that of BA-PCN-224 (78.78 μmol·g−1·h−1), which should be ascribed to the higher conductivity confirmed by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Subsequently, the sample HA-PCN-224(Pd) was synthesized by introducing PdⅡ into the porphyrin center. The Photoluminescence (PL), photocurrent response (i-t), Mott-Schottky characterization, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that HA-PCN-224(Pd) has excellent electrical conductivity and unique PdⅡ electron bridge, which can significantly accelerate the carrier separation and transfer efficiency. Surprisingly, with the help of PdⅡ as an electron bridge, the photocatalytic hydrogen production activity of HA-PCN-224(Pd) is as high as 20411.32 μmol·g−1·h−1, which is about 90.60 times as that of the original HA-PCN-224. This work provides us with a novel avenue to modulate the conductivity of MOFs via adjusting monocarboxylic acid regulators and introduce unique PdⅡ as the effective electron bridge to promote excellent separation and transfer efficiency of charge carriers for the application in solar energy-related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of chalcone derivatives bearing benzamide or benzenesulfonamide moieties were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-tumor effect on HCT116, MCF7 and 143B cell lines in vitro . SAR analysis showed that compounds bearing a benzenesulfonamide group had greater potency than those bearing a benzamide group. It was also shown that compounds with a mono-methyl or mono-halogen group at the 3-position on the terminal phenyl ring were more effective than those with trifluoromethyl or methoxy groups. Compound 8e exhibited the most potent anti-tumor activities against HCT116, MCF7 and 143B cell lines, with IC 50 values of 0.597, 0.886 and 0.791 μM, respectively. Molecular docking studies and enzymatic assays demonstrated that the anti-tumor activity of compound 8e might be regulated by Cat L and Cat K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The anti-tumor properties of Alpinia oxyphylla Miquel (A. oxyphylla) extracts and their petroleum ether (PE) fractions have long attracted scientific attention. These extracts' anti-tumor activity and mechanisms in viv o are still unclear. This study was designed to investigate the anti-tumor activity and the underlying mechanism of PE's effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vitro and in vivo. Materials and method The anti-tumor activity of PE was evaluated by MTT assay and xenograft study. Mechanistic studies of PE were analyzed by Hoechst 33342 staining, Annexin V-FITC/PI double-staining assay, immunohistochemical staining and western blot assay. The toxicity of the PE treatment was verified by the levels of liver and kidney function in nude mice and the H&E staining of their liver and kidney tissues. Result PE significantly inhibited the growth of HepG2, BEL-7402, SMMC-7721 and Hep3B cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Specifically, PE inhibited the growth of Hep3B cells by inducing apoptosis. PE treatment at the doses of 0.25, 0.5 and 1 g/kg for 21 days caused a respective 35.7 percent, 49.3 percent and 58.8 percent inhibition of the tumor volume, and a 14.8 percent, 40.2 percent and 55.6 percent decrease in the tumor weight, respectively, as compared with the vehicle group in tumor-loaded mice in vivo. PE promoted the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol in a concentration-dependent manner. The expression levels of BAX (p < 0.01), cleaved caspase-9 (p < 0.01) and cleaved caspase-3 (p < 0.05) were increased significantly in the PE-treated group at the dose of 1 g/kg; the expression level of BAX (p < 0.05) was increased significantly in the PE-treated group at the dose of 0.5 g/kg, and the expression level of Bcl-2 (p < 0.01) was decreased significantly in the PE-treated group in a concentration-dependent manner. Apoptosis was induced by PE through up-regulating the expression of PTEN, down-regulating the expression of PI3K and inhibiting the phosphorylation of Akt. The liver and kidney function of the plasma and the morphology of the liver and kidney were normal in each group. Conclusion These findings suggested that PE exhibited anti-cancer efficacy on Hep3B cell in vitro and in vivo. The induction of apoptosis might be one mechanism that underlies PE's ability to combat cancer by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt pathway. PE has no obvious toxicity in vivo when it exerts anti-tumor effects and has the potential to develop into an alternative anti-cancer drug for HCC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase ( h DHODH) is an inner mitochondrial membrane enzyme that involves in the fourth step of the biosynthesis of pyrimidine base. Inhibitors of h DHODH have been proven efficacy for the treatments of inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and cancer. In the present study, ascochlorin (ASC) and its derivatives, natural compounds from fungal metabolites, were discovered as h DHODH inhibitors by high-throughput screening. Enzyme kinetics studies showed that ASC competitively binds to h DHODH at the site of coenzyme Q substrate. In ex vivo study, ASC significantly inhibited the ConA-stimulated T lymphocytes proliferation and interleukin-2, interferon-γ production. Furthermore, ASC showed significant in vivo anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects on the mice ears swelling, allogenic skin grafts and rat collagen-induced arthritis animal disease models. ASC significantly reduced ears edema level of mice, increased the survival time of allogenic skin implanted on the mice and attenuated arthritis severity of rat model. In conclusion, ASC was identified as a new structural class of h DHODH inhibitors with efficient anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive activity, and may be a promising candidate for the development of new therapy in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcareous root tubes are widely distributed across the Badain Jaran Desert and the Tengger Desert of the Alashan Plateau in northwest China. However, the reliability of their 14 C dating results and their environmental significance remain unclear. In this study, the conventional 14 C ages of 31 calcareous root tube samples and one aquatic mollusc shell sample, which were all collected from the Badain Jaran Desert and the Tengger Desert, were measured. The results reveal that nine of the 14 calcareous root tube samples from the Badain Jaran Desert were from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, while two samples were from MIS 2. The other three samples were dated to the mid-Holocene, one of which is consistent with the aquatic mollusc shell sample collected from the shoreline of Zhunzhahanjilin Lake in the Badain Jaran Desert. Moreover, the 17 calcareous root tube samples from the Tengger Desert were all dated to the mid- and late-Holocene, most of which were from the mid-Holocene. The results demonstrate that calcareous root tubes can be used as 14 C dating materials and that the accuracy of their 14 C dating depends on the time scale. The dating results were reliable at the millennial scale. However, the reliability of the ages from MIS 3a is lower than that of the Holocene ages, though the ages were reliable in tens of thousands years. Based on the statistical analysis, the overwhelming majority of calcareous root tubes collected from the deserts of the Alashan Plateau were formed during MIS 3a and the mid-Holocene. The concentrated emergence of calcareous root tubes in phases implies that they were formed during periods of relatively humid environments in desert areas, arid regions. Moreover, the results indicate that the effectivity of the moisture level probably affects the formation of calcareous root tubes, and the presence of calcareous root tubes indicates the occurrence of periods of relatively humid environments in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuously increasing municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, which has resulted in serious environmental pollution, resource consumption, and health problems, requires a disposal stream for improved recycling and reuse. In this study, a novel methodology is proposed that combines advanced "hard path" technologies and "soft path" policy to facilitate an effective and sustainable waste-to-energy approach. Multiple tech-economic MSW cascaded systems were established and combined for MSW terminal treatment, and a subsidy policy was applied to waste source management. Furthermore, an MSW reverse supply chain (MSWRSC) was proposed that integrates waste source and end treatment management, and a multi-objective mixed-integer dynamic model was established to optimize the MSW treatment process by achieving cost control, carbon emission reduction, and job creation. A practical case study was then conducted to provide the analysis paradigm including the system deployment and facilities operation. Further, some important conclusions and suggestions are summarized for reference by the local government and facilities. Therefore, the methodology that combines the cascade treatment systems with policy instruments shows important theoretical and pragmatic significance for the multi-dimensional sustainable development of MSW management. • Reverse supply chain is proposed for municipal solid waste treatment. • Dynamic planning is employed to address uncertainties in waste management. • Advanced cascaded systems are established and combined for targeted waste treatment. • Sorting subsidy is validly applied and examined towards waste management. • Equilibrium optimization between economy, environment and society is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the antagonism and synergy among environmental factors in the poultry house, the influence process becomes extremely complex. As a result, it is difficult to predict and evaluate the degree of such influence accurately. In this paper, we study the poultry house environment factor and its relationship with poultry production performance, using the gray relation analysis (GRA) to filtrate the main factors that influence the evaluation of the poultry house environment. Put forward using the gray relation degree (GRD) to improve the method for structuring the judgment matrix, and weights are more objective and reasonable. The evaluation index system and evaluation model are constructed through the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). It is expected that the comprehensive evaluation of the indoor environment status of the poultry house can guide the optimization of the environmental control in the poultry house and obtain better production indicators of the poultry. In this study, the experimental broiler house was enclosed in autumn. Because of the ventilation system, the indoor environment is still affected by the outdoor environment. The top 3 in the calculation of weights were outdoor environment (0.4315), indoor temperature (0.2384), and indoor air quality (0.1687), which were consistent with experience. From October 24 to 27, the environmental evaluation values of the experimental broiler house were {2.4367, 2.8149, 2.3857, 2.5669}, that is, the evaluation results were {good, good, good, good}; consistent with the expert manual judgment. The correctness and practicability of the proposed method were verified. This paper provides a scientific basis for environmental evaluation and environmental control in the poultry house. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dealing with waste acid generated in phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4) production has always been a problem due to the lack of cost-effective and environment-friendly disposal technology. This study introduces a novel method of utilizing the waste acid as a depressant in collophane flotation aiming at reusing waste acid and reducing the consumption of sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4) in flotation plants. Its effectiveness was confirmed by flotation test in lab- and industrial-scale test. The depression mechanism is investigated via solution chemistry calculation and scanning electron microscope analysis. Laboratory-scale flotation results indicate that the utilization of waste acid coupled with H 2 SO 4 can strengthen depression performance on collophane, improving recovery efficiency compared with the use of H 2 SO 4 alone as depressant. Results demonstrate that H 2 PO 4 − is the effective species in waste acid. It depresses the flotation of collophane by reacting with active Ca sites on the surface to form CaHPO 4 and Ca(H 2 PO 4) 2 , thus preventing collector adsorption and reducing collophane surface hydrophobicity. The application of waste acid in industrial test shows the flotation recovery increases by 1% accompanied with the reduced consumption of H 2 SO 4 by 30.03% (from 15.5 kg/t to 10.8 kg/t). An increased profit of 890,043 RMB in a month is achieved due to the application of waste acid. Notably, approximately 197,000 t waste acid is consumed for a month, which brings considerable environmental benefits. In summary, the application of waste acid in collophane flotation is an efficient, economical, and eco-friendly alternative for the treatment of waste acid. • Waste acid could be applied on collophane flotation as depressant without disposing. • The industrial application indicates waste acid could replace part of H 2 SO 4 steadily. • Consumption of plenty waste acid brings considerable economic environmental benefits. • Depression mechanism was studied by solution chemistry calculation and SEM analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a known intractable chronic inflammatory disease of synovial joints characterized by hyperplasia and consecutive inflammation with a high prevalence. Guizhi-Shaoyao-Zhimu (GSZD) is the first choice for clinical treatment of RA in Chinese traditional medicine. This study is aimed to explore the possible pharmacological mechanisms of anti-arthritic effect of GSZD. Type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model was used to study the anti-arthritic activity of GSZD in vivo , and toe swelling & arthritis score, serum levels of cytokines, and pathological examinations were carried out. In vitro , TNF-α induced MH7A cells were used to study the possible mechanisms of GSZD. The anti-proliferative effects of GSZD were determined by MMT assay, and pro-apoptotic activity of GSZD in MH7A cells was determined by flow cytometry analysis & DAPI staining. Furthermore, the adhesive and invasive abilities of MH7A cells were determined using cell adhesion and transwell assays. MMPs levels were determined by ELISA assays, and mRNA expressions of Caspase-3, -9, Bax, SOCS1, Bcl-2, JAK2, STAT-3 and -5 were determined using qRT-PCR analysis. Besides, the major chemical components in GSZD were analyzed by HPLC-QqQ-MS analysis. Our results showed GSZD reduced the toe swelling & arthritis score, and serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 & IL-17a in CIA rats; pathological examination results indicated GSZD improved ankle joint injury in CIA rats. In vitro , GSZD showed significant anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on TNF-α stimulated MH7A cells. After GSZD treatment, the adhesive and invasive abilities of MH7A cells were reduced, and secretions of MMPs, IL-6 and IL-8 were also reduced. GSZD decreased the releases of TNF-α and IL-1β in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Further studies showed GSZD up-regulated mRNA expressions of Caspase-3, -9, Bax, and SOCS1, whereas down-regulated mRNA expressions of Bcl-2, JAK2, STAT3 and STAT5. Besides, 13 major chemical components were identified in GSZD extracts through HPLC-QqQ-MS analysis. Our results suggested GSZD possesses an anti-rheumatic effect on CIA rats, and the possible mechanism is related to inhibiting inflammatory response, inhibiting invasion and migration of synovial fibroblasts, and inducing apoptosis in synovial fibroblasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]