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Water electrolysis is the most promising method to produce non-fossil fuel derived H 2. The medium temperature (100–350 °C) water (steam) electrolysis is highly promising technology because it can not only reduce energy consumption but also utilize the low-grade waste heat. However, it is challenged by the proton conductive membrane performance. Herein, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) - polyethyleneimine (PEI) hybrid membrane was realized by a simple cross-linking of PVC and PEI. The intercalated nitrogen-containing groups of PEI promote the adsorption and loading rate of phosphoric acid, which offers the proton conductivity for hybrid membrane. The optimized PVC-PEI with content ratio of 1:4 exhibits a maximum proton conductivity of 4.3 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 180 °C and a long-term conductivity stability for 200 h at 140 °C. The PVC-PEI membrane electrode assembly with commercial IrO 2 anode and Pt/C cathode posts high water electrolysis reactivity in the range of 100–180 °C and reliable stability for the water electrolysis at 140 °C. • Proton conductive PVC-PEI membrane was realized by cross-linking of PVC and PEI. • PVC-PEI membrane displays high temperature stability at 100–180 °C. • The intercalated N-containing groups promote the loading rate of H 3 PO 4. • PVC-PEI membrane exhibits a proton conductivity of 4.3 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 180 °C. • PVC-PEI membrane presents a long-term conductivity stability for 200 h at 140 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • COF-MT provides spatial structure and grafting sites for magnetic materials. • The amino functional group in PPy served as an adsorption site for Cr(VI). • Fe 3 O 4 @COF-MT@PPy has good magnetic properties and recyclability. • Fe 3 O 4 @COF-MT@PPy showed efficient selectivity for Cr(VI). • Electrostatic attraction, redox and chelation as mechanisms for Cr(VI) removal. Cr(VI) as a toxic heavy metal can endanger human physical and mental health. The adsorption method has been widely used for Cr(VI) removal due to its advantages of cost-effectiveness and simplicity of operation. However, the key to Cr(VI) removal by adsorption lies in the construction of adsorption active sites. In this study, Fe 3 O 4 @COF-MT@PPy magnetic composites were prepared by the Schiff base method and in situ polymerisation to construct adsorbents with high specific surface area and abundant amino active sites for the removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater. The TEM and BET results showed that PPy was successfully encapsulated on the Fe 3 O 4 @COF-MT material, and the COF layer provided sites for the polymerisation of PPy, which resulted in a large specific surface area (400.93 m2/g) for Fe 3 O 4 @COF-MT@PPy, thus providing more adsorption sites. The VSM results showed that the prepared composites have good magnetic properties (13.8 emu/g) and are easy to separate from aqueous solutions. Encouragingly, the Fe 3 O 4 @COF-MT@PPy composites showed excellent adsorption performance for Cr(VI) in aqueous solution. The maximum adsorption capacity of the material for Cr(VI) was 429.18 mg/g at 298 K, which was much higher than Fe 3 O 4 @COF-MT with Fe 3 O 4 @PPy. Adsorption kinetics and isotherm analyses showed that the adsorption process was more in line with the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models. The Fe 3 O 4 @COF-MT@PPy composites were able to maintain high adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) after five regenerations, which showed good reusability. In addition, interfering ion experiments demonstrated the selective adsorption of Fe 3 O 4 @COF-MT@PPy on Cr(VI). Using XPS for the analysis, it can be speculated that the adsorption mechanism is due to the abundant amino groups on the surface of the adsorbent firstly exerting electrostatic attraction and ion-exchange effect on the anion Cr(VI), and then the protonated amino groups reduce part of the Cr(VI) to Cr(III), and finally adsorb the Cr(III) on the surface of the material by chelation. Therefore, the recyclable Fe 3 O 4 @COF-MT@PPy has a good potential for adsorption of Cr-containing wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we propose a new phase-field formulation with dynamic JH2 constitutive model in the updated Lagrangian finite element framework for capturing the blasting-induced failure and breakage phenomena in rock masses. We innovatively formulate phase-field evolution by taking mechanical strengths and failure/breakage characteristics of rock materials at intact and residual states under dynamic loading conditions. We further develop new free energy decomposition strategy thermodynamically consistent with the known classical JH2 constitutive model for rock dynamic failure and breakage analysis. To obtain the stable solutions, we employ the staggered time integration strategy in dynamic equations of linear momentum balance and phase-field evolution. Several numerical examples are performed not only for quantitative and qualitative validation, but also for providing deep insights into the blasting-induced dynamic failure and breakage mechanisms of rock masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A theoretical scaled-model strain rate effect correction method is proposed. • Quantitative evaluation of strain rate effect on mid-span displacement similarity. • The proposed method reduces the need for extensive model tests of blast loading. Conducting experiments using scaled models is a highly efficient and cost-effective approach to predicting structural dynamic responses to blast loads. However, accurate representation of the prototype in a scaled model is hindered by the strain rate effect of the materials, thus limiting the application of scaled model tests. To address this issue, this paper proposes a theoretical correction method for scaling the dynamic response of steel beams subjected to blast loads. This method allows for direct and quantitative evaluation of the error caused by the strain rate effect on the similarity of the maximum mid-span displacement of the beam without the need to modify the charge mass or stand-off distance. In addition, the proposed method eliminates the need for extensive model tests. The accuracy of the proposed method is verified through numerical simulations. The results demonstrate that the strain rate effect scarcely influences the geometric similarity of the maximum mid-span displacement of the beam in the elastic response stage. However, in the plastic response stage, the maximum mid-span displacement of the beam does not conform to geometric similarity. Accordingly, the similarity of the maximum mid-span displacement of the beam can be expressed as the product of the geometric scale factor and calculated strain rate correction coefficient. These theoretical innovations can significantly enhance the reliability of scaled-model tests, help extrapolate scaled-model test results back to the prototype, and reduce the difficulty and consumption of field blast tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to study the changes in platelet function and their underlying mechanisms in iron deficiency anemia. Initially, we evaluated platelet function in an IDA mice model. Due to the inability to accurately reduce intracellular Fe2+ concentrations, we investigated the impact of Fe2+ on platelet function by introducing varying concentrations of Fe2+. To probe the underlying mechanism, we simultaneously examined the dynamics of calcium in the cytosol, and integrin αIIbβ3 activation in Fe2+-treated platelets. Ferroptosis inhibitors Lip-1 and Fer-1 were applied to determine whether ferroptosis was involved in this process. Our study revealed that platelet function was suppressed in IDA mice. Fe2+ concentration-dependently facilitated platelet activation and function in vitro. Mechanistically, Fe2+ promoted calcium mobilization, integrin αIIbβ3 activation, and its downstream outside-in signaling. Additionally, we also demonstrated that ferroptosis might play a role in this process. Our data suggest an association between iron and platelet activation, with iron deficiency resulting in impaired platelet function, while high concentrations of Fe2+ contribute to platelet activation and function by promoting calcium mobilization, αIIbβ3 activation, and ferroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Crack-free monolithic Al 2 O 3 Y 2 O 3 SiO 2 ternary aerogel was successfully synthesized by synchronous sol-gel method. • Al 2 O 3 Y 2 O 3 SiO 2 aerogel exhibited low density of 0.071 g/cm3 and high specific area up to 675.7 m²/g. • Mullite fiber reinforced Al 2 O 3 Y 2 O 3 SiO 2 aerogel showed excellent thermal insulation performance, the thermal conductivity at 1000 °C is only 0.079 W·m−1·K−1. Against the background of global energy shortages and the need for long-term flight safety of aerospace vehicles, traditional silica aerogels have the problems of insufficient temperature resistance and poor thermal insulation at high-temperatures, and are no longer able to meet the demand. In this study, a series of monolithic Al 2 O 3 Y 2 O 3 SiO 2 ternary aerogels were successfully synthesized via synchronous sol–gel and ethanol supercritical drying. Both the prepared aerogels and the calcined samples at 1000 °C exhibited a complete three-dimensional network structure and a high specific surface area (up to 675.7 m2/g and 214.4 m2/g), which was attributed to the supporting effect of the Al 2 O 3 component on the overall skeleton and the inhibiting effect of the Y 2 O 3 component on the crystal transformation. Mullite fiber reinforced Al 2 O 3 Y 2 O 3 SiO 2 aerogel composites were synthesized by vacuum impregnation using mullite fiber felt as a matrix. The prepared sample exhibit very low thermal conductivity (as low as 0.079 W⋅m−1·K−1 at 1000 °C). In summary, the good structural stability and high temperature thermal insulation performance make Al 2 O 3 Y 2 O 3 SiO 2 ternary aerogel have the potential of efficient service in more application scenarios. This study provides a product optimization reference idea for the thermal insulation material industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pectinase plays a crucial role in ramie degumming. A gene encoding a putative pectate lyase from Bacillus sp. strain B58–2 was cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. The amplified gene BvelPL1 encoded a mature protein of 400 amino acids. BvelPL1 shared the highest amino acid sequence identity (78.75%) with the enzymatically characterized pectate lyase Pel from Bacillus subtilis strain RCK (GenBank: AFH66771.1). The purified recombinant enzyme rBvelPL1-Ec exhibited a maximum specific activity of 2433.26 U/mg at pH 8.5 and 50 °C towards polygalacturonic acid. This specific activity was higher than that of most reported pectate lyases. Remarkably, the enzymatic activity of rBvelPL1-Ec increased by 23.28 times in the presence of 0.4 mM calcium ion. The effect of calcium ion on promoting the enzymatic activity of rBvelPL1-Ec was greater than that for all reported pectate lyases. After degumming with rBvelPL1-Ec, a weight loss of 21.27 ± 1.17% of circled ramie fibers was obtained, and the surfaces of the ramie fibers became smoother. Moreover, a weight loss of 30.47 ± 0.46% was obtained through enzymatic treated and subsequent NaOH treated circled ramie fibers. The excellent performance in degumming suggests that rBvelPL1-Ec may serve as a promising biocatalyst in the textile industry. • BvelPL1 shared highest amino acid sequence identity of 78.75% with a reported Pel. • The specific enzyme activity of rBvelPL1-Ec was higher than most reported Pels. • Ca2+ increased the enzyme activity by 23.28 times and improved the thermo-stability. • rBvelPL1-Ec caused highest weight loss of 21.27% and smoother surface of ramie fibers. • Enzyme-NaOH treatment caused highest weight loss of 30.47% of ramie fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the feasibility of preparing a carbon-capture cementitious material by combining γ-C 2 S with red mud (RM), the physicochemical features of bulk red mud specimens with γ-C 2 S content of 20%, 40%, and 60% were investigated after carbonation curing. The carbonation mechanism was analyzed using x-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetric analysis (TG-DSC), mercury-pressure porosimetry (MIP), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The results show that the compressive strength of RM specimens containing 60% γ-C 2 S carbonized for 28 d can be increased by 180% compared with hydrated samples. The introduction of γ-C 2 S promotes the transformation of the carbonation products aragonite and vaterite to calcite, which is able to fill the pores, resulting in a decrease in the porosity of the samples and an increase in the strength. In addition, the expected CO 2 uptake ability of RM powder is higher than the experimental results due to the precipitation of calcite on the surface of γ-C 2 S to form a dense layer, which hinders the dissolution of calcium ions and further diffusion of CO 2 inside. A conceptual model is proposed to explore the mechanism of the influence of γ-C 2 S on the performance of RM. Such a study provides an alternative solution for the RM recycling and zero carbon cementitious material preparation. • The introduction of γ-C 2 S improves CO 2 uptake and compressive strength of RM system. • The main carbonation products of RM samples fill the internal pores. • The CO 2 emissions reduced by combined γ-C 2 S with RM. • The actual CO 2 uptake of RM system is smaller than the theoretical CO 2 uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a type of mental disorder with a significant and persistent low mood as the main clinical feature. It is often accompanied by symptoms such as slow thinking, decreased will, loss of appetite, and weight loss. The current treatment methods for depression are mainly medical treatment, psychotherapy, and physical therapy. These treatments are dependent on the patient's autonomy and the patients may suspend treatment due to forgetting or refusing. Therefore, an anti-depressant intelligent drug release system was designed, which can achieve autonomously controlled doses for the treatment of depression by transdermal drug delivery system. The work of this study is as follows: (1) The first module: the electrothermal material heating layer. Several preparation methods were screened, and multiple sets of graphene (GE) electric thermogenic layers were successfully prepared. After increasing the actual energization area to 1 cm × 1 cm, the GE electric thermogenic layer is used as the heating layer of the electrothermal material of the system, and can reach a uniform surface temperature of (45 ± 0.5) °C within 15 s at a voltage of 6 V keeping the temperature fluctuation range not exceeding ±0.03 °C, and the resistance fluctuation range not exceeding ±20 Ω, which plays a role in controlling the temperature and heat treatment of the drug loaded gel layer. (2) The second module: the drug-loaded gel layer. Based on the L16 (45) orthogonal test, the best formulation and process of N-Isopropyl acrylamide-Acrylamide copolymer (P(NIPAAm- co -AAm)) hydrogel was determined. Then, the percutaneous permeability of Selegiline liposome was studied in vitro. (3) A rat model of depression was established using chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) combined with separation. From the aspects of behavior (body weight, sucrose preference test, forced swimming test, open field test) and biochemical indexes (serum proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α), hippocampus HE staining observation), the therapeutic effect of hyperthermia, Selegiline oral administration and transdermal administration was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Atom-planting incorporation of Sn in MWW zeolite structure with hydroxyl group. • Zeolite embed Sn well distributes cubic Pt increases dehydrogenation activity. • Extracted SnO 2 with Pt forms core–shell and increases stability and selectivity. • Pt@Sn catalyze CO 2 oxidative dehydrogenation with reverse water–gas shift reaction. The Pt@Sn core–shell structure was generated in MWW zeolite catalysts prepared by atom-planting incorporated Sn and deposition–precipitation (DP) loaded Pt for direct dehydrogenation of ethane or propane and CO 2 oxidative dehydrogenation. The introduced Sn species can immobilize cubic structure Pt nanoparticle with well dispersed particles by DP method through the charge's attraction. The stronger charge transfer between Pt-Sn improves the catalyst activity for the C-H band breaking of alkane. The zeolite skeleton incoporated Sn formed Sn-O-Si bond and can be broken to be extracted from the zeolite structure as SnO 2 under the dehydrogenation process. The extracted SnO 2 in the 'half-cup' external supercage encapsulates the Pt nanoparticle and forms the gold and jade type core–shell structure, which reduces the Pt agglomeration and modifies the Pt nanoparticle crystal edge and corner active sites and reduced the C-C band cleavage to side products and coke formation, thus improving the dehydrogenation selectivity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The management of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients requires the knowledge of risk factors associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD). SCD risk factors such as syncope and family history of SCD (FH-SCD) as well as family history of HCM (FH-HCM) are documented in electronic health records (EHRs) as clinical narratives. Automated extraction of risk factors from clinical narratives by natural language processing (NLP) may expedite management workflow of HCM patients. The aim of this study was to develop and deploy NLP algorithms for automated extraction of syncope, FH-SCD, and FH-HCM from clinical narratives.Methods and Results: We randomly selected 200 patients from the Mayo HCM registry for development (n = 100) and testing (n = 100) of NLP algorithms for extraction of syncope, FH-SCD as well as FH-HCM from clinical narratives of EHRs. The clinical reference standard was manually abstracted by 2 independent annotators. Performance of NLP algorithms was compared to aggregation and summarization of data entries in the HCM registry for syncope, FH-SCD, and FH-HCM. We also compared the NLP algorithms with billing codes for syncope as well as responses to patient survey questions for FH-SCD and FH-HCM. These analyses demonstrated NLP had superior sensitivity (0.96 vs 0.39, p < 0.001) and comparable specificity (0.90 vs 0.92, p = 0.74) and PPV (0.90 vs 0.83, p = 0.37) compared to billing codes for syncope. For FH-SCD, NLP outperformed survey responses for all parameters (sensitivity: 0.91 vs 0.59, p = 0.002; specificity: 0.98 vs 0.50, p < 0.001; PPV: 0.97 vs 0.38, p < 0.001). NLP also achieved superior sensitivity (0.95 vs 0.24, p < 0.001) with comparable specificity (0.95 vs 1.0, p-value not calculable) and positive predictive value (PPV) (0.92 vs 1.0, p = 0.09) compared to survey responses for FH-HCM.Conclusions: Automated extraction of syncope, FH-SCD and FH-HCM using NLP is feasible and has promise to increase efficiency of workflow for providers managing HCM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We formulate a modified phase-field model for cohesive interface failure in quasi-brittle solids. Our model has two novel features: (i) a traction–separation-damage law for damage process; (ii) an energetic degradation function controlled by critical gap ratio. This modification offers an attractive approach to simulate the cohesive interface failure process. We also provide a robust numerical solution strategy to treat the spatio-temporal evolution of cohesive interface failure. Our model is validated by two benchmark problems including the constant strain patch test and mode-I delamination test. The numerical simulations are compared with some published data. We proceed to apply this model to study the complex failure mechanism of a peeling test on bi-material plates and crack impinging on interfaces in different scenarios, where the effects of critical gap ratios and interface inclination angles are discussed. [Display omitted] • A modified phase-field model is developed for cohesive interface failure analysis. • A traction–separation-damage law for interface failure process is proposed. • An energetic degradation function is developed by controlling critical gap ratio. • Staggered time integration strategy is proposed for stable solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive use of sacrificial agents and the low carrier separation and utilization efficiency remain important factors limiting the development of photocatalytic hydrogen production. We report a three-layered, dual-functional photocatalysts of Cu atomics@UiO-66-NH 2 (U6N)/ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets (ZIS), for the simultaneous production of photocatalytic hydrogen and degradation of organic pollutants. When common and highly toxic organic pollutants (phenolic compounds and antibiotics) were substituted for the sacrificial agents, Cu@U6N/ZIS exhibited superior sustained hydrogen production, approximately 28 times greater than that of pure ZIS. The experimental results suggested that the window size of U6N (< organic pollutants molecular size) separates the reaction sites of organic pollutants oxidation and reduction of hydrogen ions (H+), thereby achieving spatial separation of redox sites. Besides, the structure of Cu@U6N/ZIS, which was anchored Cu within U6N and encapsulated by ZIS nanosheets, forming Z-type heterojunctions, achieved the control of the directional transfer of photogenerated electrons. And the coupled system can effectively enhance water quality by reducing the biological toxicity of the wastewater. This study suggests new avenues for environmental restoration and non-fossil fuel production. [Display omitted] • Cu internally anchoring and ZIS externally wrapping greatly facilitated targeted e--h+ migration. • U6N window screening realized sites spatial separation of H 2 production and pollutant degradation. • Cu anchored on U6N/ZIS provided abundant active sites for H 2 evolution. • Cu@U6N/ZIS exhibited superior efficiency of recovering H 2 from wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is undergoing a wet-warming transition, which could affect the survival of the native fish. However, the tolerance and physiological response to thermal stress is rarely studied in Gymnocypris przewalskii , a rare native fish in the Tibetan plateau. In this study, first, we detected the thermal tolerance of five groups of six-month G. przewalskii which acclimated at 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 °C for two weeks, respectively, by critical thermal methodology. Then, through heat challenge, we detected the metabolites, key enzyme activities, and gene expressions involved in metabolism and antioxidant in the hepatopancreas when the temperatures increased from 16 °C to 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 °C for 12 h, respectively. The results showed that although the fish are sensitive to high temperatures, the quick acclimation at mild high temperatures could significantly improve the tolerance to acute high-temperature stress in juvenile G. przewalskii. During the heat challenge study, blood glucose significantly increased at heat stress (P < 0.05). At the same time, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and free fatty acid (FFA) significantly decreased when the temperature rose continuously to 20 °C. Metabolic enzyme activities of carnitine palmityl transferase I (CPT-Ⅰ), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) significantly decreased at 20 °C (P < 0.05). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) significantly increased at 20 °C (P < 0.05). The relative transcript levels of genes involved in antioxidant and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis were markedly higher than the control at 20–26 °C (P < 0.05). The genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis or metabolism showed different expression patterns under heat stress. Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and Hsp90 were significantly higher than the control at 18 °C and 26 °C, respectively. These results confirmed the prediction that G. przewalskii is sensitive to high temperatures, so conservation efforts should pay more attention to the warming damage. • The fatty acid metabolism of G. przewalskii were suppressed due to the increase in temperature and heat treatment duration. • Hsp70 could be a reliable molecular biological indicator for determining the temperature stress state in G. przewalskii. • The conservation efforts for G. przewalskii should focus more on monitoring the water temperature in the wild environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we present the phase-field formulations for simulating the loading–unloading mechanical responses and failure behavior of brittle rock and rock-like materials. To describing the initial high stress states of rocks in unloading tests, we propose a new stress-based energy density threshold bridging the gap between phase-field evolution and specific failure criteria in geomechanics. This threshold function leads to the novel constitutive failure driving force contributing to phase-field evolution of geomaterials under unloading conditions. We employ the specific Mohr–Coulomb failure driving force in our phase-field model for unloading failure analysis, which enables to demonstrate the pressure- and stress-path-dependency behaviors in rock and rock-like materials. Then, we show two benchmark problems for numerical validation by comparing numerical results with reported experimental data. Furthermore, several fissured rock samples are simulated to study the effects of confining pressures and fissure arrangements on the unloading failure characteristics. Our model provides an alternative computational tool for a better understanding of the unloading failure mechanism, which will be beneficial to study the excavation damage zones and other geohazards in rock engineering. • A dual-dissipation phase-field model is developed to simulate the rock unloading failure. • The new phase-field model enables to describe the pressure-sensitivity and stress-path dependency of geomaterials. • Several numerical examples are performed for numerical validation. • Effects of confining pressures, inclination angles and unloading stress paths are numerically explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Mixing system of uranium pebbles and thorium pebbles is compared with thorium blanket system to utilize thorium in Pebble Bed Fluoride Salt-cooled High Temperature Reactor (PB-FHR). A random modeling method is introduced to simulate the pebble mixing system. Cases with different volume fractions of uranium pebbles are researched to find the optimal utilization of uranium and the lower power nonuniformity. It indicates that using thorium in pebble mixing system with 80 vol% uranium pebbles can improve uranium utilization by 10%, while in thorium blanket system it can be increased by 20%. The radial power peak factor in pebble mixing system is about 1.48 while in thorium blanket system is about 1.83. In-pile residence time of thorium pebbles in pebble mixing system is only 4.7 year, while in thorium blanket system is 9 year. Thorium utilization with pebble mixing system in PB-FHR shows a little lower fuel utilization but higher safety and technical feasibility. Highlights • Pseudorandom distribution models of different pebbles are successfully established. • We find the optimal utilization of uranium under 80 vol% uranium pebble. • The radial power peak factor and in-pile residence time of thorium pebble significantly decrease in pebble mixing system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A comprehensive concept for coal conversion is proposed in this work, from which a series of products generated including light volatiles, liquid oils, and pyrolysis chars. The result indicates the optimal temperature for the pyrolysis from organic solvent extraction residue is between 700 °C to 900 °C, producing largest amount of liquid oils and giving rise to a chemically stable pyrolysis char sample with considerable BET specific surface area. The pyrolysis chars are then utilized as an alternative material for the fabrication of heat-insulating building material (char clay plaster-CCP, char brick-CB and foam glass-FA). Due to the inherent large specific surface area and ample pore channels, the water could be absorbed and stored in these pores, resulting in the effects of regulating indoor humidity and also low thermal conductivity. The char-based building material makes the exterior walls good breathing properties, able to maintain a proper humidity level. The building energy saving will be benefited from the excellent insulation property of these building products. Graphical abstract Schematic illustration of pyrolysis char derived building materials. Image 1004 Highlights • A clean production technique of coal conversion into building material is investigated. • Optimal pyrolysis temperature when producing chars for better performance is determined. • The enhanced property is attributed to the inherent porosity nature of pyrolysis chars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Paracetamol altered the expression of Nrf1 and antioxidant related genes in Daphnia magna. • Prx expression showed typical concentration-dependent negative response. • Paracetamol exposure disturbed the redox homeostasis and caused oxidative stress in Daphnia magna. Paracetamol (APAP) is one of the most widely used anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs in human being health care and has been universally detected in various aquatic environments. However, its potential adverse effects and toxic mechanisms on freshwater invertebrates still remain unclear. In the present study, the effects of APAP on the expressions of Nrf1 and the antioxidant related genes including GCLC , GST , GPX , CAT , TRX , TrxR and Prx1 in Daphnia magna (D. magna) were evaluated after 24, 48 and 96 h, and the changes of GPX, GST and CAT enzyme activities, as well as the GSH and MDA content under APAP exposure for 48 h were also determined. Results showed that paracetamol affected the expressions of Nrf1 and antioxidant related genes in D. magna , which were related to the exposure time and concentration of APAP. Nrf1 was inhibited at 48 h, but induced at 96 h under the APAP exposure, being about two fold of the control in 5.0 μg/L. CAT were significantly induced in all treatments. But Prx decreased in an concentration-dependent manner in all treatments. In comparison with the mRNA expression, antioxidant enzymes activity displayed less changes in D. magna. Overall, APAP exposure altered the expression of Nrf1 and genes related to antioxidant system and disturbed the redox homeostasis of D. magna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Lithium-ion batteries with Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (LTO) negative electrodes have been recognized as a promising candidate over graphite-based batteries for the future energy storage systems (ESS), due to its excellent performance in rate capability, cycle life and inherent safety. Accurate identification of battery degradation mechanisms is of great significance for reliable management and sustainable capability of ESS. Unfortunately, only a few quantitative analysis regarding LTO batteries are drawn at extreme conditions including designed overcharge and cycling at high temperatures. In this paper, cyclic aging behaviors of commercial LTO batteries are investigated at room temperature (RT) by applying incremental capacity and differential voltage techniques. A typical sketch of regional divisions among the voltage curve of a LTO battery is presented to explain the effects induced by different degradation modes on battery performance. The results imply that the loss of active material in the positive electrode occupies at least 83% and 81% of the total capacity loss under cycling at 10C and 5C respectively, while pure loss of lithium inventory is detectable when cycling at 5C rather than at 10C. Depth of discharge is further considered as the dominant stress of LTO batteries during the high-rate operation at RT. Highlights • Study of cyclic aging of commercial 10 Ah LTO batteries at room temperature. • Illustration of LTO batteries performance upon high-rate cycling. • Impact analysis of different aging mechanisms on battery behaviors. • Identification and quantitative analysis of major mechanism for capacity fade of battery. • Detailed discussion of C-rate effect on battery aging phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of Ni promoter on Mo-S/CNT catalyst towards hydrodesulfurization (HDS) and hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) were studied. Ni promoter was introduced into Mo-S/CNT catalyst by one-step or mechanical mixing method, and Ni species presented in the form of Ni-Mo-S or Ni 3 S 4 , respectively. Catalytic assessments indicated that Ni-Mo-S structure had obviously better HDS and HER activities than MoS 2 at the same time, while Ni 3 S 4 could not improve the activity of MoS 2 towards HDS or HER. The density functional theory (DFT) was also used to simulate and calculate the activation energies needed for HDS and HER on MoS 2 structure and Ni-Mo-S structure, respectively. It was found that the required activation energies for C–S bond breaking and H 2 generation on Ni-Mo-S structure were both significantly lower than that of MoS 2 structure. Therefore, it was proved theoretically that compared with MoS 2 structure, Ni-Mo-S structure had better catalytic activities for both HDS and HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Foam concrete reinforced silica aerogel (FC-SA) has been prepared using a combined sol-gel route, vacuum impregnation method and fast ethanol supercritical drying technique. • The foam concrete reinforced silica aerogel has a surface area of 405.3 m2/g. • The thermal conductivities of FC-SA is as low as 0.049 W•m−1 K−1 (30°C). • In cold and hot areas, the use of FC-SA to replace traditional concrete materials can greatly reduce both of space heating/cooling energy consumption and cooling water consumption. Abstract With the increasing number of commercial buildings in the United States, the energy consumption for space air conditioning is continuously rising. Considering the external building envelope an important role to generate cooling and heating loads, we developed a new high performance building material for building envelope application. Hence, a novel foam concrete reinforced SiO 2 aerogel (FC-SA) material was synthesized via sol-gel technique, vacuum impregnation method and rapid supercritical drying process. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric / differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), N 2 adsorption-desorption test (BET) and transient plane source method (TPS). The prepared composite had a high degree of aerogel filling (74% volume of matrix) and the aerogel component still maintained a porous nanostructure. Besides, FC-SA showed a large specific surface area of 405.3 m2/g and high pore volume of 1.28 cm3/g. Meanwhile, the introduction of aerogel has little effect on the mechanical strength of the matrix material. According to the test results, the thermal insulation performance of foam concrete has been found greatly improved with silica aerogel composition. The thermal conductivity of FC-SA composite was measured as low as 0.049 W m−1 K−1 at room temperature (30°C), which was a 48.4% decrease from foam concrete. Finally, the energy saving simulation results showed that in cold and hot areas, the use of FC-SA to replace traditional concrete materials can greatly reduce both of energy consumption and cooling water consumption. Graphical abstract Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are widely distributed in the environment due to breakdown of widespread plastic wastes through physicochemical and biological processes. Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) might be generated as intermediates when MPs are further fragmented and decomposed under ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Formation of EPFRs is highly depended upon the radiation energy level. This study was designed to establish the correlation between EPFRs concentrations and UV energy. Polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE) were employed to investigate the generation of EPFRs under the irradiation of three ultraviolet light sources (long-wave UVA, medium-wave UVB and short-wave UVC). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed that free radical signals were detected on PS irradiated by UVC and UVB and PE irradiated by UVC, which may be due to the difference in the MPs structure and UV energy. The g-factor and ΔH p-p of EPR suggested that three different types of EPFRs may be formed on PS while two types of EPFR may be formed on PE. Meanwhile, EPFRs were detected within shorter time under UVC radiation than UVB and UVA, indicating that UVC radiation could lead to faster generation of free radicals. Results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy revealed that tertiary alkyl radicals, peroxy radicals and tertiary alkoxy radicals were dominant in PS whereas alkoxy radicals and keto radicals for PE. The study provides insight to the mechanisms for EPFRs formation on ubiquitously found microplastic particles. Our finding is of great significance as EPFRs may not only play important roles in decomposition of MPs and abiotic reactions of MPs-bound pollutants, but also affect physicochemical properties of MPs and MPs toxicity to aquatic organisms, hence possessing broad impacts on MPs fate and transport in aquatic environmental systems. [Display omitted] • UV energy is the main factor affecting EPFRs formation on MPs surface. • The breakage of covalent bond on MPs leads to the formation of EPFRs. • The EPFRs formed on PS is mainly tertiary alkyl, peroxy and tertiary alkoxy radicals. • The EPFRs formed on PE is mainly alkoxy and keto radicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel heterojunction coupled via thiol-linkage facilitated the charge carrier transfer. • Dispersed MCS nanoparticles exposed more active sites and captured more visible light. • Matching rate of H+ reduction and sulfide oxidation enhanced the synergistic redox reaction. • UiOS-MCS exhibited excellent performance in the simultaneous recovery of H 2 and S0 from wastewater. The worldwide environmental pollution and energy crisis have become two main challenges currently. To this end, we aim to build a win–win strategy of clean hydrogen energy recovery with simultaneous environmental detoxification by treating sulfide-containing wastewater in a non-hazardous manner. In this study, we designed a heterostructure photocatalyst with in situ growth of MnCdS nanoparticles on thiol-functionalized UiO-66-based materials (UiOS-MCS). A series of characterization analyses showed that UiOS-MCS nanocomposites held favorable properties of efficient charge separation and migration, which thanked to well-matched band structure and tight interfacial contacts via thiol-linked bonds that greatly facilitated the transfer of photogenerated charge carriers. The optimal nanocomposite of 0.5UiOS-MCS exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation, with an impressive hydrogen evolution of 3179.36 μmol g−1 h−1 and a significant removal of sulfide contaminants in the wastewater of about 90%, selectively generating valuable oxidation product of monomeric sulfur. The mechanism analysis demonstrated that the main photoactive species required for hydrogen production by photoreduction (electrons) and sulfide removal by photooxidation (holes) were independent of each other, and that the electron-hole division of collaboration ensured an efficient and synergistic redox reaction. This work offers a promising strategy for the recovery of energy stored in wastewater and environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of three-dimensional inward-turning inlets, the V-shaped blunt leading edge model has attracted increasing attention. In the current study, an approach of using opposing jets for heat flux reduction on the V-shaped blunt leading edge is put forward. The flow structures of the V-shaped model and the model with opposing jets are further analyzed. The mechanism of heat flux generation and heat flux reduction are pointed out. By utilizing the point-collocation non-intrusive polynomial chaos (NIPC) method, the uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis are carried out for the parameters of the freestream and opposing jet. When calculating the uncertainty intervals, it is recommended to use the Monto Carlo method to generate massive samples for the surrogate model instead of directly using the general confidence interval. Results show that the uncertainty for heat flux is much more severe than pressure. The most contributions of the input parameters come from the freestream Mach number M a ∞ and the freestream temperature T i n f. The heat flux reduction approach proposed in this work proves to be effective for heat flux reduction and has potential application for engineering practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • EWM was used to construct a composite index of antioxidant enzymes in Tan mutton. • 2D-COS was developed to resolve featured peaks and the change of chemical bonds. • Data fusion of spectra-texture features improved the reliability of models. • A prediction map of the antioxidant enzyme activity in samples was obtained. The antioxidant enzymes play the crucial role in inhibiting mutton spoilage. In this study, visible near-infrared (Vis-NIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) combined with entropy weight method (EWM) was developed for the first time to evaluate the antioxidant properties of Tan mutton. The comprehensive index of antioxidant enzymes (AECI) consisting of peroxidase (49.34%), catalase (37.97%) and superoxidase (12.69%) was constructed by the EWM. Partial least squares regression, least squares support vector machine and artificial neural networks (ANN) were developed based on characteristic wavelengths extracted by successful projections algorithm, uninformative variable selection, iteratively retains informative variables (IRIV), regression coefficient and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS). The textural features (TF) were extracted by the gray level co-occurrence matrix and fused with the spectral data to establish models. Visualization of the changes in antioxidant enzyme activity was constructed from the optimal model. In addition, two-dimensional correlation spectra (2D-COS) with AECI as a perturbation variable was used to identify spectral features, revealing chemical bond changes order under the characteristic peaks at 612–799–473–708–559 nm. The results showed that the IRIV-CARS-TF-ANN model performed the best, with prediction set coefficient of determination (R P 2) of 0.8813, which improved 2.12%, 1.11% and 2.77% over the R P 2 of full band, IRIV and IRIV-CARS, respectively. It was suggested that fusion data of HSI may effectively predict the activity of antioxidant enzymes in Tan mutton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regret is a common negative emotion in daily life, and long-term immersion in regret affects mental health. Therefore, to regulate and reduce regret is of wide concern. The current fMRI study aimed to investigate whether outcome anticipation before decision-making could reduce regret and its neural correlates. In the task, participants were asked to anticipate the possible poor outcomes of subsequent decisions, such as missing rewards and meeting punishment, and then made sequential risk-taking decisions. Behavioral results showed that outcome anticipation before decision-making could decrease the intensity of regret, that is, participants felt less regret when they anticipated the outcome before decision-making (anticipation condition, Ant), compared to making sequential risk-taking decisions without any anticipation of the outcome in advance (non-anticipation condition, NAnt). Consistently, at the neural level, stronger activities of ventral striatum (VS) and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and greater VS-dmPFC functional connectivity were observed in Ant relative to NAnt. Moreover, the activity of dmPFC was negatively correlated with the intensity of regret in Ant. The current study highlighted that outcome anticipation before decision-making could regulate regret effectively, and dmPFC played a vital role in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain-type Creatine kinase (CK-BB), which has a high affinity for Aluminum (Al), and its abnormality is closely related to neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, the comparative effect of Al speciation on the bioactivity of CK-BB has been studied by the inhibition kinetics method, molecular docking, cellular experiment, and mouse model study. Results showed that the half-inhibitory concentration of AlCl 3 was 0.67 mM, while Al(mal) 3 was 3.81 mM. Fluorescence spectra showed that Al(mal) 3 had a more substantial effect on the endogenous fluorescence of CK-BB than AlCl 3. Molecular docking showed that AlCl 3 was closer to the active site of CK-BB. C6 cells were used to explore the enzyme activity and intracellular distribution of CK-BB by AlCl 3 or Al(mal) 3. AlCl 3 treatment may directly affect CK-BB activity and cause insufficient local ATP supply in cells which affected the formation of F-actin and cell morphology. The change in the hydrophobicity of CK-BB induced by Al(mal) 3 affected the movement of CK-BB, which subsequently activated thecytochrome C (Cyt C)/Caspase 9/Caspase 3 pathway. Similar results have been found in vivo experiments. This study demonstrated that interaction between Al and CK-BB might be related to the process of Al-induced energy metabolism disorders, in which the Al speciation revealed differentiated toxicity mechanisms. The effect of Al on the biological activity of CK-BB was investigated by inhibition kinetics methods, molecular docking, cellular and mouse models. It is suggested that the interaction between Al and CK-BB may be related to the Al-induced energy metabolism disorder process, and the Al morphology reveals different toxicity mechanisms. [Display omitted] • Brain-type creatine kinase (CK-BB) is an important factor in Al-induced energy metabolism disorder. • AlCl 3 decreased CK-BB activity, which resulted in morphological changes in C6 cells. • Speciation of Al largely determines the F-actin formation and morphology in C6 cells. • Al(mal) 3 increased the hydrophobicity of CK-BB and caused mitochondrial dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a further step towards popularizing the proposed Butler-Volmer (BV) equation-based model and its implementation on state of power (SOP) prediction at various temperatures, which is based on the relationship between state of charge and state of useful charge. The actual 10 s SOP of battery is obtained using the constant current pulse when the restriction of voltage is exactly managed. The COMPLEX method is taken to determine the coefficients of the simplified form of BV equation, enabling online estimation of battery states. Robustness analysis of the proposed model and algorithm on SOP prediction over a large temperature range is analyzed and verified, showing their reliability and accuracy in estimating the terminal voltage and predicting power capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elongase of the very long-chain fatty acids (Elovls) gene family in fish has more diversity than in other vertebrates, which plays several critical roles in fatty acid synthesis and low-temperature stress adaptation. Gymnocypris przewalskii settles in plateau lakes with cold and resource-poor settings, and the evolution and function of Elovl genes in this fish are unknown. In the study, to identify the Elovl genes in G. przewalskii , the genome-wide identification and phylogenetic analysis of the gene members have been conducted with the expression profile of different tissues under cold stress. Fatty acid compositions, meanwhile, were detected in both the hepatopancreas and skeletal muscle during cold adaptation. A total of 21 Elovl members have been identified from the genome of G. przewalskii , belonging to Elovl1 , Elovl2 , Elovl4 , Elovl5 , Elovl6 , Elovl7 , and Elovl8 subgroups, with conserved ELO domain and four common motifs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that subfamilies Elovl1 and Elovl7 , Elov2 , and Elovl5 have a closer genetic relationship, while the Elovl6 class was classed into an independent clade. Synteny analysis showed that whole-genome duplication, tandem duplicates, and gene conversion could drive the Elovls family expansion in G. przewalskii. The Ka/Ks and RELAX analysis showed distinguishing positive selection traces in ORF sequences of gpElovl2. Transcriptional data showed that different gpElovl subtypes exhibited a tissue-specific expression. Subtypes gpElovl1a , gpElovl2 and gpElovl6l were highly expressed induced by cold stress, as well as fatty acid metabolism-related genes, including Acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain gene (Ascl1a-1) and Stearyl-CoA desaturase gene (Scd1a-1). In addition, monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents of the hepatopancreas and skeletal muscle were significantly increased under 15-day cold stress. These results provide a better understanding of fish Elovl genes and their roles in cold adaptation. [Display omitted] • A total of 21 Elovl gene family members were identified from the Tibetan naked carps, Gymnocypris przewalskii. • Elovl genes of G.przewalskii are highly diverse in sequence and motif. • Positive selection pressure in the Elovl2 subtype in G.przewalskii was discussed. • The expression levels of Elovl subtypes in G.przewalskii were regulated by cold stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the widespread presence of plastic wastes, knowledge about the potential environmental risks and bioavailability of micro- or nanoplastics fragmented from large analogs is of utmost importance. As the particle size matters in mediating endocytic mechanism and particle internalization, we first studied the effects of polystyrene microparticles (PS-MPs, 1 μm) and polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs, 100 nm) of two different sizes at varying concentrations of 5, 25 and 75 μg/mL on the mouse hippocampal neuronal HT22 cells. The in vitro study showed efficient cellular uptake of PS-MPs and PS-NPs of both sizes. The adverse effects of cellular metabolic activity as reflective of excess Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and cell cycle S phase arresting were observed especially at the greater concentration of smaller-sized PS particles, consequently leading to mild cytotoxicity. We further evaluated the dynamic particle-cell interaction with a continuous supply of PS particles using a microfluidic device. By recapitulating the in vivo mechanical microenvironments while allowing homogeneous distribution of PS particles, the dynamic exposure to PS particles of both sizes under flowing conditions resulted in much lesser viability of neural cells than the traditional static exposure. As the flowing dynamics may avoid the gravitational settling of particles and allow more efficient cellular uptake, the size distribution, together with the exposure configurations, contributed significantly to the determination of the PS particle cytotoxicity. The on-chip investigation and a better understanding of particle translocation mechanisms would offer very much to the risk assessment of PS particles on human health. [Display omitted] • Size-dependent effects of 1 μm and 100 nm polystyrene particles on HT22 neural cells were investigated. • PS-NPs at high concentration induced more noticeable cytotoxicity than PS-MPs upon static exposure. • The size effects were linked with overgeneration of ROS and cell cycle S phase arresting. • The dynamic cell-particle interaction was studied in a microfluidic device. • Increased PS particle cytotoxicity was found by exposing cells under flow conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An explicit phase-field model is developed to simulate the blasting fracture phenomena in granites. • A new fracture driving forces for rock/rock-like materials that considers pure tensile crack, pure shear cracks and other mixed-mode tensile/compressive-shear cracks is incorporated into the phase-field model. • Two benchmarked examples, i.e., a Kalthoff–Winkler test and a laboratory borehole blasting experiment, are performed and numerical predictions are well consistent with previous studies. • The effects of blast loading parameters and mineral components on the dynamic failure characteristics of granites are systematically investigated. In this study, an explicit phase-field model with new mixed-mode fracture driving forces is developed to simulate the blasting fracture phenomena in granites. The new fracture driving forces make our new phase-field model able to capture pure tensile crack, pure shear cracks and other mixed-mode tensile/compressive-shear cracks in rock/rock-like materials. To validate the correctness and accuracy of our new dynamic phase-field framework, two benchmarked examples, i.e., a Kalthoff–Winkler test and a laboratory borehole blasting experiment, are performed by the qualitative and quantitative comparisons. Furthermore, a series of borehole blasting tests of granites are simulated by our new numerical model. The effects of blast loading parameters (i.e., peak pressure, loading rate and blasting attenuation) and mineral components on the dynamic failure characteristics of granites, including ultimate failure patterns, breakage ratio, energy evolution, peak particle velocity, are systematically investigated. Overall, this study not only offers a useful computational tool to the researchers in rock mechanics, but also provides deep insights on the dynamic rock fracture to the engineers in rock engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway regulates diverse cellular processes. It signals via serine/threonine kinase receptors and intracellular Smad and non-Smad effector proteins. In cancer cells, aberrant TGF-β signalling can lead to loss of growth inhibition and an increase in invasion, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis. Therapeutic targeting of the pro-oncogenic TGF-β responses is currently being explored as a potential therapy against certain invasive and metastatic cancer types. The ubiquitin post-translational regulation system is emerging as a key regulatory mechanism for the control of TGF-β pathway components. In this review, we focus on the role of deubiquitinases (DUBs), which counteract the activity of E3 ubiquitin ligases. We will discuss the mechanisms by which specific DUBs control Smad and non-Smad TGF-β signalling routes, and how perturbation of the expression and function of DUBs contributes to misregulation of TGF-β signalling in cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thermodynamically consistent phase field model with new crack driving forces is proposed to simulate the mixed-mode fracture phenomena in rock-like materials. The governing equations are derived using the volumetric and deviatoric strain split. Based on the Benzeggagh–Kenane failure criterion, our model captures the salient features of different fracture modes, e.g., pure tensile dominated fracture, pure shear dominated fracture, and mixed tensile-shear fracture and mixed compressive-shear fracture phenomena. The fully monolithic algorithm enables our new phase field model to obtain stable numerical results with fast numerical convergence. The three-point bending test of concrete beam is considered for validation. The numerical results are collaborated by test results from the literature. Afterwards, the numerical model is applied to study crack propagation and coalescence in rock-like specimens under uniaxial compression. • A new thermodynamically consistent phase field model for mixed-mode fractures in rock-like materials. • Benzeggagh–Kenane Semi-empirical failure criterion allows to capture different fracture in a unified framework. • A fully monolithic solution strategy with fast convergence is proposed. • The proposed approach is applied successfully to the simulation of complex crack coalescence in geomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, expanded graphite (EG)/paraffin (PA)/silica (SiO 2) composite phase change materials (PCM), with good thermal conductivity and impermeability, were fabricated for potential applications in solar energy. The EG-PA was first prepared by vacuum adsorption and then encapsulated by SiO 2 through solid-phase wet grinding in the presence of sodium silicate. Our results show that the EG-PA-SiO 2 composite have optimal properties when the mass ratio of raw material is PA: sodium silicate: H 2 O = 1:9:2:8. The latent heat of melting of the EG-PA-SiO 2 composite prepared at this mass ratio is 106.2 J/g. The core material loss ratio, after washing with petroleum ether, is 4.79%. The thermal conductivity is 2.053 W/m·K, which is 8.5 times higher than that of pure paraffin wax, and the melt permeability is 9.35% after 120 min at 60 °C. Under simulated sunlight, the time required for the composite material to change from 30 °C to 65 °C is reduced by 70.78% compared to PA and the heat absorption and release times are nearly unchanged under multiple cycles. These results indicate that the material has a stable photothermal conversion efficiency. [Display omitted] • Expanded graphite, paraffin and silica composites were made by solid-phase wet grinding method. • Silica encapsulated the composite, reducing leakage. • Composites showed improved thermal conductivity and impermeability. • The composite has stable photothermal conversion, and there is no obvious leaking sign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Multi-functional plasmonic cotton gauze was fabricated by in-situ growth method. • The encoding information of anti-counterfeiting SERS security labels are tunable easily. • The plasmonic cotton show excellent performance in anti-counterfeiting and SERS sensing. Multi-functional plasmonic fabric comprised of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and cotton gauze was fabricated through an in-situ growth method. Ag NPs with high density were immobilized on the surface of cotton fibers. The plasmonic cotton gauze exhibits excellent flexible features, temporal stability and SERS enhancement factors close to 105 ×. The plasmonic cotton gauze was labelled with multiplexed Raman probes and used for anti-counterfeiting applications. The encoding information could be readily changed by adjusting the ratio between components in the mixture of Raman probe molecules. This novel strategy could create rich Raman information based on the combination of a few Raman probes, which significantly increases the security levels in anti-counterfeiting. The plasmonic cotton gauze was also employed as a flexible SERS substrate for sensing pesticide from irregular surfaces of orange by a simple swiping process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Multifunctional absorbent cotton-Ag composite was fabricated via electroless deposition Ag NPs on surface of cotton fiber. • The high absorbency of cotton could enrich the analyte on the SERS substrate. • SERS performance depending on the concentration of AgNO 3 in growth media. • The plasmonic absorbent cotton were used for adsorption and detection of pesticide residue by SERS with good selectivity. We report on a simple method for fabricating plasmonic absorbent cotton fibers conformally dyeing with Ag NPs to be used as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. The Ag NPs were integrated on the surface of cotton by a process in which Ag-NP seeds were immobilized on cotton via electroless deposition. Scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy imaging as well as elemental mapping analysis provided evidence that the Ag NPs were densely immobilized on the surface of cotton. By controlling the amount of AgNO 3 in growth media, the optimal SERS absorbent cotton-Ag was obtained by using 20 mM of AgNO 3. The high absorbency of cotton could enrich the analyte concentration within 3 min, which brings additional enhancement sensitivity in SERS sensing. In addition, the mechanical flexibility of plasmonic cotton-Ag SERS substrate makes it suitable for swiping the SERS substrate on the surface of apple, the limit of detection of thiram from apple was lower than 0.1 ppm. Finally, the multiplex sensing capability of the plasmonic cotton was demonstrated by identifying pesticides from their mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zn-containing HMCM-22 samples with different zinc species were prepared and characterized to discriminate the influence of zinc species on the ethane activation by the initial C-H bond cleavage or the β -H cleavage dehydrogenation step of alkyl zinc species (Zn-C 2 H 5) through the propane co-dehydroaromatization and CO 2 reduction process. The synergistic effect of zinc species types with the Brønsted acid sites (BAS) of the parent zeolite HMCM-22 had a significant effect on the ethane dehydroaromatization. The synergistic effect between ZnO species and BAS had better ethane conversion and aromatics selectivity in ethane dehydrogenation, while the poor synergistic effect between ZnOH+ species and BAS was not conducive to the formation of aromatics, and ZnOH+ species was more conducive to ethane dehydrogenation. The ZnOH+ has better catalytic performance in CO 2 activated ethane and promote the β -H desorption of Zn-C 2 H 5 in ethane dehydrogenation. The synergetic effect of ZnO species and BAS in the zeolite facilitates the hydride transfer activation of ethane by propylene carbenium ions thus enhancing the ethane conversion through ethane-propane co-aromatization. [Display omitted] • Synergistic effect of ZnO with Brönsted acid (BAS) improve ethane aromatization. • ZnOH+ promotes ethane dehydrogenation by CO 2 through RWGS reaction. • ZnO and BAS promote hydride transfer active ethane with propane co-aromatization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We have constructed a global predictive model for LC-SFAs, utilizing hyperspectral imaging data from various red meat varieties and muscle types. • Utilizing a self-learning approach within artificial intelligence, this study enhances the model's generalization by expanding the sample dataset. • Explored the impact of various generative models on sample training. • This work offers fresh insights for related research, shifting the focus from modeling techniques to the intrinsic nature of the sample dataset. In the field of the food industry, establishing a global predictive model for the content of long-chain saturated fatty acids (LC-SFAs) in red meat is of profound significance. However, this work requires the accumulation of a large number of diverse samples for model calibration. To address these formidable challenges, the Generative Inference Adversarial Autoencoder (GI-AAE) was adopted to enhance the model training process. Through multiple iterations, GI-AAE successfully generated simulated samples of higher quality than traditional generative adversarial networks and autoencoders. After incorporating these generated samples into the training dataset, multiple sets of models showed significant improvements. These results clearly demonstrated that our approach can effectively overcome the challenges posed by generative models in the regression domain, greatly enhancing the model's generalization ability. This advancement holds significant potential for applications in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The cation/proton antiporter (CPA) superfamily in the tomato genome consists of 18 cation/H+ exchangers (SlCHXs), 7 Na+/H+ exchangers (SlNHXs), and 6 K+ efflux antiporters (SlKEAs). • Collinearity and phylogenetic analyses unveiled that duplication events frequently lead to potential functional redundancy. • SlCHXs exhibited predominant expression during early flower and fruit development, whereas SlNHXs and SlKEAs demonstrated expression across multiple developmental stages. • SlSOS1 and Solyc04g056600 are likely to play pivotal roles in responding to salt and drought stress. The cation/proton antiporter (CPA) superfamily, crucial for regulating Na+, K+, and pH equilibrium in plant cells, plays an essential role in plant growth and stress adaptation. However, limited research has been conducted on the CPA gene superfamily in tomatoes. In this study, a total of 31 SlCPA members were identified in the tomato genome, comprising 18 cation/H+ exchangers (SlCHXs), 7 Na+/H+ exchangers (SlNHXs), and 6 K+ efflux antiporters (SlKEAs). A comprehensive analysis encompassing their chromosomal locations, gene structures, phylogenetic relationships, collinearity, tissue-specific expression profiles, and responses to abiotic stress was undertaken. Collinearity and phylogenetic analyses unveiled two groups, represented by Solyc08g081810, Solyc01g008190, Solyc12g056160 , and Solyc06g060630, Solyc08g078880 , suggesting potential redundancy resulting from duplication events. Tissue-specific expression analysis revealed SlNHXs and SlKEAs expression at multiple developmental stages, while SlCHXs were predominantly expressed during early flower and fruit development, indicating their likely involvement in these processes. Salt treatment notably induced the expression of SlSOS1 (Solyc01g005020) and Solyc04g056600 , implicating their role in responding to salt stress. Under drought stress, the expression of Solyc01g005020 and Solyc08g081820 was also significantly induced, supported by promoter element analyses indicating the presence of drought response-related cis-elements like ABRE and MYB binding sites. This study establishes a foundation for further elucidating the gene functions of individual members within the tomato SlCPA family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nanostructure TiO2-reduced graphene oxide composite aerogels (rGO-TA) were synthesized. • The rod-like TiO 2 with a width of 10–20 nm and length of 100–150 nm are decorated on the network structure of rGO aerogel. • In-situ rGO-TA composite exhibited highest visible light absorption. • Anchoring of oxygen vacancies and C-O-Ti bond contribute to the enhanced activity. • The highest carbon conversion of composite aerogel was 15.7 times than that of P25. ga1 In response to the worldwide over-standard carbon dioxide emission problem, this work synthesized a series of titanium dioxide/reduced graphene oxide composite aerogels (TiO 2 -rGO) for photoconversion of CO 2 by a one-step hydrothermal and freeze-drying method. The prepared composite aerogel presents a high specific surface area of 287.3 m2/g and pore volume of 0.72 cm3/g, contributing to remarkable absorption capability of reactants and fast intraparticle molecular transfer. In the three-dimensional structure of rGO aerogel, TiO 2 with nano-rod shape (10–20 nm × 100–150 nm) is uniformly interspersed. Through applying the composite catalytic aerogel for the photocatalysis reaction, CO 2 was efficiently converted to MeOH, CH 4 , and EtOH, etc. The total yield of carbon generated by G-25Ti (TiO 2 -rGO with 25 mmol Ti4+) was found 15.7 times higher than that of the pure P25. The corresponding characteristic analysis demonstrated that the photocatalytic performance of TiO 2 -rGO composite aerogel has been highly improved, originated from two folds: (1) the introduction of 3-D rGO to nano-rod shape TiO 2 promoted its light absorption efficiency, and more significantly (2) the specific chemical bonding sites and strong O˭C‒O‒Ti group between rGO and TiO 2 effectively mitigate the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. In this work, rod-like TiO 2 -rGO composite aerogels prepared by using TiCl 4 as precursor for the first time have been found a new application in CO 2 reduction using visible sunlight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A controllable method of Na 2 SiO 3 based silica MPCMs was proposed. • The encapsulation efficiency of modified microcapsules was higher. • The mechanical strength of prepared microcapsules was significant improved. Preparing silica/paraffin phase-change microcapsules using sodium silicate as a substrate is an inexpensive and nontoxic process. However, the sodium silicate is easily self-polymerized during the preparation of microcapsules; this results in low encapsulation ratio and poor toughness. In this study, in order to obtain better controllability and encapsulation performance, we prepared silica-paraffin phase change microcapsules by introducing different silane coupling agents and Na 2 SiO 3 co-condensation. The micromorphology and phase-change characteristics of microcapsules were investigated using Scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. The results demonstrated that the melting enthalpy of the microcapsules modified by propyltriethoxysilane reached 136.1 J g−1, and its encapsulation ratio was 92.59 %, which was 35.93 % higher than that of the unmodified microcapsules. Moreover, the melt permeability of microcapsules modified by methyltriethoxysilane can be as low as 12.35 % under pressure (5 MPa, 30 s), which was 20.53 % less than that of the unmodified microcapsules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The transcriptome of the reproductive axis tissue associated with reproductive capacity was analyzed in different FecB genotype. • The ovarian steroidogenesis, cAMP-signaling, TGF-signaling, and dopaminergic synapse pathways were involved in the reproduction process. • FecB-genotype-specific co-expression networks are increasingly used to explore the interactions of genes controlling fecundity. In the present study, there were 128, 263, and 139 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from the ovary, pituitary, and hypothalamus, respectively, with the FecB B+/FecB ++ genotype. Results indicated that there was a synchronized, and differential increase in mRNA transcript abundances for genes encoding for ovarian steroidogenesis-signaling proteins in the ovary, TGF-β-signaling in hypothalamus, cAMP-signaling-transduction, and dopaminergic-synapse pathways in the pituitary. The values for these variables were associated with mean prolificacy in indigenous sheep and results provided indications for candidate regulator proteins that coordinate processes related to prolificacy in ewes. Furthermore, the results when there was evaluation of the FecB -genotype-specific co-expression modules implied that CYP17 was the hub gene connecting the pathways and for modulation of folliculogenesis and ovulation in the ewe with the FecB B+ genotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 3-D particle-based discrete element methodology (DEM) is applied to investigate the mechanical and failure characteristics of fissured marble specimens in true triaxial compression with a new loading stress path. The new loading stress path is controlled by two loading parameters: the initial confining pressure σ 0 and the loading stress ratio b. In the numerical investigation, eighty-eight numerical fissured marble specimens are designed based on fissure arrangements, such as the fissure length 2 a , fissure inclination angle α , fissure ligament length 2 L , loading stress ratio b and initial confining pressure σ 0 . The mechanical properties, including the peak strength and effective elastic modulus, and the associated failure characteristics are quantitatively analyzed. Three different ultimate failure modes of the fissured marble specimens in true triaxial compression are summarized by numerical simulations. Numerical results indicate that the peak strength and equivalent elastic modulus are enhanced with increases in the loading stress ratio and initial confining pressure. It can be found from the numerical results that the influence of the initial confining pressures is more significant. The present numerical investigations on fissured marble specimens under true triaxial compression can provide a deep understanding of mechanical and failure behaviors of rock masses in underground construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophilic SPEEK was applied to fabricate dense composite membrane. The polyethersulfone supported SPEEK membranes show competitive desalination performance. The water flux is up to 6 L/m2/h and the salt retention is larger than 99.9%) for different salt concentrations, indicating that the dense SPEEK/PES composite membrane has the potential in pervaporative desalination. • SPEEK was used as a material for pervaporation desalination. • Dense composite membranes of polyether sulfone supported SPEEK (SPEEK/PES) were prepared. • Influences of preparation conditions and pervaporation conditions on desalination were investigated. Ion-exchange polymer SPEEK has been used as membrane material in proton exchange membranes and microfiltration/ultrafiltration /nanofiltration membranes. In the present study, SPEEK was synthesized by sulfonating of PEEK, afterward the SPEEKs were applied to prepare dense SPEEK/PES composite membranes for pervaporative desalination. Properties of the SPEEKs including thermal stability, ion exchange capacity and water uptake were measured. The SPEEK/PES membrane morphology and hydrophilicity were characterized. Influences of membrane prepare conditions (polymer concentration in supporting membrane, thickness of supporting membrane, sulfonation degree of SPEEK, coating layers and SPEEK concentration) and the pervaporation parameters (NaCl concentration and feed temperature) on the pervaporative desalination performance were studied. The SPEEK/PES composite membranes show high water flux up to 6 L/m2*h and salt rejection > 99.9%. During 40 h pervaporation for different NaCl concentrations (10–100 g/L) and temperatures (50–70 °C), the rejection maintains >99.9%. The permeate flux ranges to 2–6 L/m2 * h, depending on feed concentration and temperature. The total salt rejection of composite membranes is not affected by temperature and feed concentration, attributing to the supper hydrophilicity and stability of SPEEK. The results indicate that SPEEK could be considered as a candidate material for pervaporative desalination membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a dual-mode readout sensing mechanism that can effectively distinguish true and false-positive signals of melamine in milk by combining colorimetric analysis and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The colorimetry analysis takes advantage of color change of plasmonic nanoparticles upon the presence of melamine. We discovered that Ag colloids with 20 nm diameter was suitable for both colorimetric and SERS methods. However, the colorimetric method may present false-positive signals with the presence of interfering compounds. SERS spectroscopy can overcome this limitation and directly obtain signature spectra from the same plasmonic NPs used for the colorimetric assay without any modification. Melamine/s-triazine can be reliably differentiated by probing the SERS spectra based on surface-selection rules. The limit of detection of sensing melamine from milk by this method could reached to 0.05 ppm. Therefore, the combination of colorimetric and SERS method not only allows for rapid preliminary screening of melamine by naked eyes, but also greatly reduces false-positive signals by surface selection rules in SERS. Unlabelled Image • A colorimetric and SERS dual-readout biosensor base on plasmonic Ag NPs • Distinguishing true and false-positive results by surface selection rules in SERS • Successful application for monitoring melamine in milk [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]