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• Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 NPs restrained As(V) release, and stimulated As(III) release. • The released As co-precipitated with Fe after Fe 2 O 3 NPs addition. • The released As adsorbed on TiO 2 NPs after TiO 2 NPs addition. • NPs additions changed the relative abundance of soil bacterial community. • NPs additions had a negative impact on soil microbial population in a long term. Environmental effects of nano remediation engineering of arsenic (As) pollution need to be considered. In this study, the roles of Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) on the microbial mediated As mobilization from As contaminated soil were investigated. The addition of Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 NPs restrained As(V) release, and stimulated As(III) release. As(V) concentration decreased by 94% and 93% after Fe 2 O 3 addition, and decreased by 89% and 45% after TiO 2 addition compared to the Biotic and Biotic+Acetate (amended with sodium acetate) controls, respectively. The maximum values of As(III) were 20.5 and 27.1 µg/L at 48 d after Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 NPs addition, respectively, and were higher than that in Biotic+Acetate control (12.9 µg/L). The released As co-precipitated with Fe in soils in the presence of Fe 2 O 3 NPs, but adsorbed on TiO 2 NPs in the presence of TiO 2 NPs. Moreover, the addition of NPs amended with sodium acetate as the electron donor clearly promoted As(V) reduction induced by microbes. The NPs addition changed the relative abundance of soil bacterial community, while Proteobacteria (42.8%-70.4%), Planctomycetes (2.6%-14.3%), and Firmicutes (3.5%-25.4%) were the dominant microorganisms in soils. Several potential As/Fe reducing bacteria were related to Pseudomonas, Geobacter, Desulfuromonas , and Thiobacillus. The addition of Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 NPs induced to the decrease of arrA gene. The results indicated that the addition of NPs had a negative impact on soil microbial population in a long term. The findings offer a relatively comprehensive assessment of Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 NPs effects on As mobilization and soil bacterial communities. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the work described here was to investigate the relative contribution of subtotal ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) to amplifying programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibition in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Between April 2019 and December 2021, advanced HCC patient demographics, tumor response, survival data, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and peripheral lymphocyte profiles were retrospectively collected and analyzed. In hepa1–6 tumor-bearing C57BL/6J mice, RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry staining and cytokine tests were also performed. Twenty-nine HCC patients were enrolled, with a median follow-up duration of 15.1 mo. Compared with the ablation rate (AR) ≤50% group (n = 10), the AR >50% group (n = 19) had a higher disease control rate, a longer time to progression and a longer overall survival. More patients in the AR >50% group had an early decrease in NLR and better immune activation. RNA sequencing of murine tumors subjected to MWA >50% AR showed that immune-related gene expression upregulated. CD8+ T cells, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were also increased, indicating that MWA >50% AR boosted the immunomodulatory effect of PD-1 inhibitors. More MWA could induce superior antitumor immunity by enhancing immune-related gene expression, priming CD8+ T cells and thereby boosting PD-1 inhibition. It is advisable that eradication of tumors to the degree possible should be considered within technical access to obtain a better prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferrochrome slag (FS) contains a large number of glass phase, which cannot be effectively transformed into crystalline phases during the reutilization for fabricating ceramic materials. In this study, cordierite with a low expansion coefficient was successfully prepared from FS and quartz. The composition and structural characteristics of FS were analyzed. The phase evolution, microstructure, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and material properties were studied. With 34 wt% quartz and maximum cordierite crystal content of 75.1 wt%, the glass phase decreased from 78.7 to 12.7 wt%. The melted quartz generated silica-rich microdomains with high viscosity during heating. Subsequently, the nuclear dynamic conditions were improved to promote the formation of cordierite crystals. Appropriate sintering temperature and holding time can boost the crystallization rate of the glass phase. Further, the diffusion of silica-rich microdomains was beneficial for the formation of cordierite crystals. Finally, the optimal cordierite ceramic material was obtained at 1300 °C for 2 h with a flexural strength of 38.3 MPa and CTE of 3.01 × 10−6/°C. These studies provide an effective way of re-utilizing large volumes of FS, and suggest a new method for preparing ceramic materials using high-temperature silicate waste residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time optical sensing of mercury has been developed rapidly in recent years but remains challenging such as bearing background interference. Herein, a Hg2+ and base dual-activatable ultrasensitive chemiluminescent probe CL-Hg based on benzothiazole-phenoxyl-dioxetane with profits of excitation light-free and minimal interference is presented. The photophysical properties study and sensing performance verified CL-Hg is coupled with unique advantages of long-term detection (more than 400 min), ultrahigh sensitivity (LOD = 0.52 nM), and high specificity to Hg2+, and visualization detection by the paper-based test strips. More importantly, CL-Hg showed the qualitative and quantitative detection capability for Hg2+ with great recyclability in real samples of water, seafood, and beverages, holding great potential for on-site monitoring of Hg2+ levels in the actual samples. To our knowledge, this is the first work achieving the detection of Hg2+ by chemiluminescence. Overall, the Hg2+-activated visualization platform offers a practical method for detecting Hg2+ in various application scenarios. [Display omitted] • CL-Hg was designed to detect Hg2+ based on chemiluminescence. • CL-Hg showed an ultralong luminescence lifetime for Hg2+ more than 400 min. • CL-Hg was ultrasensitive for Hg2+ with a detection limit of 0.52 nM. • CL-Hg can be applied for the quantitative detection of Hg2+ in complex samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the as-quenched Mn 55 Fe 15 Si 20 B 7 EM 3 (EM = Zr, Nb, V) amorphous ribbons were produced by the melt spinning technique. The crystallization behavior, nanoprecipitate phase evolution, and magnetic properties of the Mn-Fe-Si-B-EM (EM = Zr, Nb, V) amorphous alloys were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and the quantum design dynacool-9 physical property measurement system (PPMS). The Mn 55 Fe 15 Si 20 B 7 EM 3 (EM = Zr, Nb, V) amorphous alloys show two-stage crystallization behavior. In the first stage, the primary crystallization results in the formation of α-Mn + Mn 6 Si/Mn 3 Si precipitates, while in the second stage, the secondary crystallization leads to the formation of the Mn 2 B phase. The Mn 55 Fe 15 Si 20 B 7 Zr 3 (FZ) amorphous sample shows a most significant two-stage phase transformation, which the onset temperature of the primary and that of the secondary crystallization are 625.7 °C and 681.2 °C, respectively. The FZ amorphous sample undergoes a magnetic phase transformation from the spin glass (SG) state to a paramagnetic (PM) state at approximately 28 K. As the temperature increases, the magnetic phase transition can be expressed as: SG → PM. The annealed FZ nanocrystalline sample with α-Mn + Mn 6 Si nano phases enters the ferromagnetic (FM) state at 27∼70 K after undergoing spin glass transformation, and the magnetic phase transition is: SG → FM → PM. The annealed Mn 55 Fe 15 Si 20 B 7 V 3 nanocrystalline sample containing nano α-Mn and Mn 3 Si phases shows two Curie transitions at 57 K and 130 K, respectively. The magnetic phase transition behavior can be expressed as: SG → FMΙ → FMΙΙ → PM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a commonly used anthracycline in cancer chemotherapy. The clinical application of DOX is constrained by its cardiotoxicity. Myricetin (MYR) is a natural flavonoid widely present in many plants with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, MYR's beneficial effects and mechanisms in alleviating DOX-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC) remain unknown. C57BL/6 mice were injected with 15 mg/kg of DOX to establish the DIC, and MYR solutions were administrated by gavage to investigate its cardioprotective potentials. Histopathological analysis, physiological indicators assessment, transcriptomics analysis, and RT-qPCR were used to elucidate the potential mechanism of MYR in DIC treatment. MYR reduced cardiac injury produced by DOX, decreased levels of cTnI, AST, LDH, and BNP, and improved myocardial injury and fibrosis. MYR effectively prevented DOX-induced oxidative stress, such as lowered MDA levels and elevated SOD, CAT, and GSH activities. MYR effectively suppressed NLRP3 and ASC gene expression levels to inhibit pyroptosis while regulating Caspase1 and Bax levels to reduce cardiac cell apoptosis. According to the transcriptomic analysis, glucose and fatty acid metabolism were associated with differential gene expression. KEGG pathway analysis revealed differential gene enrichment in PPAR and AMPK pathways, among others. Following validation, MYR was found to alleviate DIC by regulating glycolipid metabolism and AMPK pathway-related genes. Our findings demonstrated that MYR could mitigate DIC by regulating the processes of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and pyroptosis. MYR is critical in improving DOX-induced myocardial energy metabolism abnormalities mediated by the AMPK signaling pathway. In conclusion, MYR holds promise as a therapeutic strategy for DIC. [Display omitted] • MYR holds protective potentials for DOX-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). • MYR improves the energy metabolism disorder of DIC. • MYR alleviates the DIC by regulating the AMPK signaling pathway • MYR may have therapeutic value for DIC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodic floods and ebb tides driven by seawater affect arsenic (As) behavior in coastal wetlands, which is not fully understood. In this study, we combined DGT, high-throughput sequencing, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) techniques for the first time to investigate the effects of flood and ebb tide on As transformation and mobility in a typical coastal tidal flat wetland by laboratory experiments. In the flood-tide stage, more As was released into the water solution, and As(III) concentration in water solution was notably higher (51 μg/L) than in the ebb-tide stage, especially in SA (sodium acetate addition) treatment. As-methylation also occurred in this stage. The release of As was attributed to the reductive dissolution of amorphous and crystalline Fe oxides bound As induced by microbes. Fusibacter , Sva1033 , Bradyrhizobium , Ralstonia , and Desulfobacter were primarily involved in the reduction of As, Fe, and S. The copy numbers of arsC were 20–148 times higher than arrA , suggesting that the detoxification reduction pathway was the primary mechanism of direct As-reduction in the flood-tide stage. However, 2-D high-resolution DGT techniques revealed that the concentrations of As(III) and total As in pore water of sediments in the ebb-tide stage were higher than those in the flood-tide stage. The detected aioA gene indicated that As was oxidized in the sediment surface, resulting in As stabilization by crystalline iron minerals, whereas more As(III) were accumulated in pore water. The reduction pathway mediated by arrA may play a prominent role in the ebb-tide stage. This study provides new insights into As release processes in coastal wetlands in seawater environments, which further deepens our understanding of As biogeochemical cycling behavior in different natural environments. [Display omitted] • As Reduction and methylation occurred in coastal tidal flat sediments. • As(III) release in water solution was higher in the flood tide stage. • As Detoxification reduction was the primary mechanism in flood tide stage. • As(III) release in pore water of coastal sediments was higher in ebb tide stage. • As Reduction pathway mediated by arrA played a prominent role in the ebb tide stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in fruits and vegetables pose public health risks via the food chain, attracting increased attention. Antibiotics such as streptomycin, used directly on seedless grapes or introduced into vineyard soil through organic fertilizers. However, extensive data supporting the risk assessment of antibiotic residues and resistance in these produce remains lacking. Utilizing metagenomic sequencing, we characterized Shine Muscat grape antibiotic resistome and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Abundant MGEs and ARGs were found in grapes, with 174 ARGs on the grape surface and 32 in the fruit. Furthermore, our data indicated that soil is not the primary source of these MGEs and ARGs. Escherichia was identified as an essential carrier and potential transmitter of ARGs. In our previous study, streptomycin residue was identified in grapes. Further short-term exposure experiments in mice revealed no severe physiological or histological damage at several environment-related concentrations. However, with increased exposure, some ARGs levels in mouse gut microbes increased, indicating a potential threat to animal health. Overall, this study provides comprehensive insights into the resistance genome and potential hosts in grapes, supporting the risk assessment of antibiotic resistance in fruits and vegetables. [Display omitted] • Diverse ARGs and MGEs were detected on the grape surface. • Soil is not a major source of ARGs and MGEs in grape fruits. • Escherichia primarily contribute to the antibiotic resistome of the grapes. • Streptomycin residue in grape had limited effect on the health of mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasion involves tumor cells altering their cell-matrix interactions and acquiring motility for metastatic spread. Invasive tumor cells exhibit dysregulated metabolism and enhanced aerobic glycolysis, leading to nutrient depletion, hypoxia, and lactic acid production. Lactic acid is a byproduct of glycolysis capable of promoting oncogenic progression, but its role in tumor invasion is unclear. A growing number of studies have demonstrated that lactic acid regulates the degradation of collagen Ⅳ, collagen Ⅶ, and glycoprotein; the synthesis of collagen Ⅰ; and multiple signaling pathways, including TGF-β/Smad, Wnt/β-catenin, IL-6/STAT3, and HGF/MET, which are associated with basement membrane (BM) remodeling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), two hallmarks of the tumor invasive process. In the present review, we summarize BM remodeling and EMT in tumor invasion, discuss the emerging roles and molecular mechanisms of lactic acid in these processes, and provide insights for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon-based materials with designed morphology and composite structure have received increasing interest in recent years due to the potential wide application for energy storage devices. However, these Si-based nanocomposites were usually synthesized and functionalized with other materials at a high temperature. Herein, one flocculent carbon network-twined C/Si/SiC nanocomposites were synthesized by a novel in-situ laser irradiation method using SiC targets as both a template and the source of C and Si. The fragmentation, decomposition and reshaping processes of bulk SiC to flocculent C/Si/SiC are simultaneously accomplished in one step, which can provide a more stable structure between epitaxial Si layer and C layer. What is more, due to the distinct laser-induced loose microstructure and flocculated carbon nanosheets, such nanocomposites exhibit a high specific surface area and hierarchically porous structure. Image 1 • Flocculent carbon network-twined C/Si/SiC composite structure was synthesized. • Bulk SiC were changed to flocculent carbon network-twined C/Si/SiC. • The composites were fabricated by simple in-situ laser irradiation in nature. • Such unique flocculent network structures exhibit a high specific surface area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our purpose was to compare the diagnostic performances of strain elastography (SE) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) in differentiating breast lesions by combining with conventional ultrasound (US). A total of 198 patients with 203 breast lesions underwent conventional US, SE and SWE examination using MyLab 90 and Aixplorer US systems. The SE parameters were SEscore, fat-to-lesion ratio, gland-to-lesion ratio, muscle-to-lesion ratio and SEmean, and the SWE parameters were Emax, Emean, Emin and Esd. Conventional US had the best diagnostic performance, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.896. Among all SE parameters, the AUCs of SEscore, fat-to-lesion ratio and SEmean were 0.802, 0.810 and 0.833. For SWE parameters, they were 0.845, 0.746 and 0.845, respectively, for Emax, Emean and Esd. When combined with US, the sensitivity and AUC of SWE seemed to be better than those of SE (96.55% vs. 93.10%, 0.958 vs. 0.947), but no statistically significant difference existed between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a common chronic brain disease. Despite the availability of various anti-seizure drugs, approximately 30 % of patients do not respond to treatment. Recent research suggests that Kalirin plays a role in regulating neurological function. However, the pathogenesis of Kalirin in epileptic seizures remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the role and mechanism of Kalirin in epileptogenesis. An epileptic model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). Endogenous Kalirin was inhibited using shRNA. The expression of Kalirin, Rac1, and Cdc42 in the hippocampal CA1 region was measured using Western blotting. Spine and synaptic structures were examined using Golgi staining and electron microscopy. Moreover, the necrotic neurons in CA1 were examined using HE staining. The results indicated that the epileptic score increased in epileptic animals, while inhibition of Kalirin decreased the epileptic scores and increased the latent period of the first seizure attack. Inhibition of Kalirin attenuated the increases in Rac1 expression, dendritic spine density, and synaptic vesicle number in the CA1 region induced by PTZ. However, the increase in Cdc42 expression was not affected by the inhibition of Kalirin. This study suggests that Kalirin is involved in the development of seizures by modulating the activity of Rac1, providing a novel anti-epileptic target. • Epilepsy as a common and serious brain disorder affecting the patient's quality of life and public health. • Some studies found that Kalirin is widely expressed in the CNS and is involved in the regulation of neurological function. • We verified that Kalirin is involved in epileptogenesis by modulating the activity of Rac1. • This study suggests that Kalirin providing a novel anti-epileptic target by modulating the activity of Rac1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Scientometric method is used to review the low carbon building research. • The knowledge base, knowledge domain and knowledge structure of low carbon building research are identified. • The predominant research areas and gaps in low carbon building research are confirmed. • The knowledge roadmap of low carbon building research is formulated. Due to global climate change, carbon reduction has become a critical issue for the construction industry. Low carbon building has been adopted as a strategic objective, and its implementation demonstrates the enormous potential of reducing carbon emissions. Despite much research, some important research areas or gaps have not been identified, while simultaneously, few studies describe the knowledge roadmap for low carbon building research necessary to guide scholars and practitioners. The purpose in this paper is to provide a comprehensive and objective analysis of research areas regarding low carbon building using the scientometrics method. A total of 378 low carbon building-related publications were reviewed. Based on the keyword co-word analysis, document co-citation analysis and clustering analysis, the results show that 100 research keywords, 3 research hotspots and 5 research domains are extremely important for the advancement of low carbon building. Based on the in-depth analysis of the findings, the knowledge structure with different prominences was developed, which grouped LCB research into five themes and various sub-topics. Significantly, this paper provides the knowledge roadmap needed to facilitate further research and applications for both academia and industry stakeholders to improve low carbon building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Microplastics (MPs) has gradually become a global environmental pollution problem and may harm human and animal health. In recent years, a large number of studies had shown that MPs had various toxicological effects on different organisms. At the same time, a number of studies had also shown that gut microbiota was closely related to host health and as a toxicity target for certain environmental pollutants including MPs. The fact is that more and more studies proved that MPs not only could interact with microorganism directly but also serve as a carrier for other pollutants and interacted with microorganism indirectly. In this review, we summarized the interactions between MPs and microorganisms as well as gut microbiota, and considered the possible impacts of MPs on environmental animal and human health, suggesting that the environmental microorganisms and the gut microbiota of animals were also the very important target for MPs. We hope that more studies pay more attention to focus on the relationship between MPs, gut microbiota, and environmental animals and human health in the future. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Microplastics could interact with microorganisms as well as gut microbiota. • Microplastics may affect host health through effects on gut microbiota. • Effects of microplastics on gut microbiota need more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract New cathode LiVPO 4 F/C with high-performance was synthesized by using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as carbon source although there is no benzene ring in it. Compared with other carbon sources, the plateau, rate and cyclic performance of LiVPO 4 F/C are greatly enhanced when PVDF is used. The specific capacity of LiVPO 4 F/C containing 8 wt% carbon at 0.1 C, 1 C and 5 C are 148.1 mAh·g−1, 144.9 mAh·g−1 and 135.8 mAh·g−1, which is nearly the best reported results. Moreover, the TG-MS analysis is used to detect the gases released by different carbon sources in the sintering process. It shows that the Li 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 /C impurity is greatly inhibited. This is because that HF gas released by PVDF can prevent the volatilization of fluorine and compensate the losses of fluorine. By contrast, the hydrogen free radicals released by other carbon sources can combine with fluorine and accelerate the volatilization of fluorine, resulting in the increasing of Li 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 /C impurity. Then, the performance of LiVPO 4 F/C cathode containing more Li 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 /C is greatly deteriorated. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • High-performance LiVPO 4 F/C with few impurity Li 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 /C is constructed by PVDF. • The capacity of LVPF-PV8 at 5C (135.8 mAh g−1) is nearly the best reported results. • HF released in the pyrolytic process of PVDF is proved by our designed experiment. • HF can prevent the volatilization of fluorine and compensate the loss of fluorine. • Li 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 /C is formed and the capacity is deteriorated by other carbon sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A novel robust HDR color image watermarking method is presented. • The Tucker decomposition is used to divide the HDR color image along the three color channels so that feature maps are extracted for watermark embedding to balance the distortion of each channel. • The first feature map consists of RGB correlations, which is transformed by using Schur to build the stable size relation between pair-wise coefficients to obtain robustness. • The experimental results show the proposed method can resist most of TMOs effectively. Abstract In order to protect the copyright of high dynamic range (HDR) images, a novel watermarking method based on feature map extraction is proposed. Since the HDR image provides wide dynamic ranges of visible luminance, the correlations of the three RGB channels are much stronger than those of neighbor pixels. In order to preserve strong relationships of the three color channels, the Tucker decomposition is used to divide the HDR color image along the three color channels so that three feature maps are extracted. The first feature map of the three feature maps is employed to embed watermark for robustness, because it contains most of the energies in the HDR image. The first feature map is divided into non-overlapping blocks, and the Schur decomposition is operated on each block to generate a unitary matrix. Since the texture or edge remains after the tone mapping operation (TMO) of the HDR image, the stable size relation between the pair-wise coefficients in the unitary matrix is established to embed watermark. The experimental results show that the proposed method can efficiently resist different TMOs and common image attacks, outperforming other existing HDR image watermarking methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The product sustainability assessment is a progress to evaluate sustainability with indicators for product sustainability in the whole product life cycle. However, the current approaches could not deal with the relationships of those closed-loop indicators. This paper is devoted to a graph theory-based product sustainability assessment approach to avoid those closed loops of the evaluation indicators. The hierarchical evaluation system for mechanical product sustainability assessment with energy, environmental, resource, technical, and economic indicators is proposed. The product sustainability assessment approach is proposed with five steps: rationalization of the directed graph of the evaluation system, construction of the hierarchical structure, transformation from reachability matrix to judgment matrix, consistency check and adjustment of judgment matrix, and indicator weight determination and comprehensive assessment of evaluation system. The product sustainability assessment of an underactuated exoskeleton robot is given as an example to demonstrate the proposed methodology. Highlights • Product sustainability assessment with closed-loop indicators is proposed. • Product sustainability assessment method based on graph theory is proposed. • Product sustainability indicator for product sustainability assessment is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • We investigate equilibrium isotope effect on 2, 4-dihydroxybenzaldehyade by the program THERMISTP to predict the equilibrium constant. • Using the NMR to measure the equilibrium isotope effect for H-D exchange of 2, 4-dihydroxybenzaldehyade. • The agreement between the calculated values and the NMR results is quite good. Abstract The mono deuterium equilibrium isotope effect (EIE) for the exchange of hydroxyl deuterons and protons on 2-hydroxyl and 4-hydroxyl of 2, 4-dihydroxybenzaldehyade were calculated theoretically and also measured with NMR. The equilibrium constant (K eq = 1.108) was predicted using the geometry and vibrational force constants derived from electronic structure theory followed by the program THERMISTP, which is highly consistent with the NMR results (experimental K eq = 1.081 and K eq = 1.066), indicating the formation of the strong hydrogen bond between 2-hydroxyl and the aldehyde group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Surgery induces neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) activation in the hippocampus. • NK-1R antagonist improves cognitive decline after surgery. • NK-1R antagonist reduces surgery-induced neuroinflammation. • NK-1R antagonist attenuates blood-brain barrier disruption after surgery. Abstract Postoperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is a major complication in surgical patients, especially the elderly, leading to mild memory impairment after surgery. The underlying pathophysiology remains unknown, although neuroinflammation and blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption have been increasingly implicated in PND. Emerging evidence suggests that neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R), the principal target of proinflammatory neuropeptide substance P (SP), plays a pivotal role in modulating neuroinflammation and BBB integrity. In this study, we used an established mouse model for PND to investigate the effects of a selective NK-1R antagonist L-733,060 on PND-like features after peripheral surgery. Hippocampal SP started to increase at 6 h, peaked at 1 day, and returned to baseline at 3 days after surgery. At 1 day after surgery, NK-1R expression was increased in the hippocampus. At this time point, NK-1R antagonist pretreatment attenuated microgliosis and prevented neutrophil infiltration after surgery. Similarly, proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6 were reduced in the hippocampus in NK-1R antagonist-treated mice at 6 h after surgery. Furthermore, surgery-induced BBB disruption, assessed by albumin deposition and expression of tight junction protein claudin-5, was attenuated by NK-1R antagonism at postoperative day 1. Finally, trace fear conditioning test revealed NK-1R antagonism reversed surgery-induced cognitive impairment at 3 days after surgery. Our findings suggest that inhibition of NK-1R signaling protects hippocampus-dependent memory from surgical insult, probably through modulations of neuroinflammation and BBB integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propamocarb (PM) is a widely used fungicide that affects lipid biosynthesis in fungi. In this study, we explored the effects of PM on mouse metabolism and gut microbiota-related pathways by exposing C57BL/6J mice to 1, 3, and 10 mg/L PM through drinking water for a duration of 10 weeks. We found that hepatic bile acids (BAs) were considerably increased in the PM-treated group. The transcription of genes related to BA synthesis and transportation were also markedly altered in the liver and the ileum; accordingly, serous BA profiles were changed. BAs are tightly associated with energy metabolism and the gut microbiota; as expected, we observed that hepatic glycolysis; β-oxidation; fatty acid transportation, release and synthesis; and triacylglycerol synthesis and transportation were significantly altered at the transcriptional level. Gut microbial community structures were significantly changed both in cecal contents and feces. Using Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe), we found that Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria phyla; Prevotellaceae, Odoribacteraceae and Porphyromonadaceae families; and Butyricimonas, Oscillospira, Parabacteroides, Prevotella and Dorea genera enriched in PM-treated mice. Fecal metabolites involved in energy metabolism were likewise altered. In addition, the atherosclerosis-promoting molecule trimethylamine was significantly increased in feces, which induced a disturbance in the cardiac NO/NOS pathway and an increase in NF-κB transcriptional levels. Our findings indicated that chronic PM exposure induced disorders in enterohepatic metabolism and had potential to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbides with high strength and chemically inert have unique optical and electrical properties, but widely used and controllable wet chemical methods are unsuitable for the synthesis of their nanocomposites because of the ultrahigh melting point. In this paper, we demonstrate one novel, simple and ultrafast laser irradiation method to synthesize ultrafine SiC@graphene nanocomposites. Both the fragmentation and spheroidization of bulk SiC flakes and surface covered by 1–3 graphene layers are accomplished in the one-step laser irradiation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, it is successfully achieved to synthesize the three-dimensional flowerlike Ni (1-x) Mn x Fe 2 O 4 (x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1) by an environmental hydrothermal method. The morphology and structure of as-prepared Ni (1-x) Mn x Fe 2 O 4 are characterized via X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, besides, the magnetic properties of the samples is revealed by vibrating sample magnetometer. The results show that the Ni (1-x) Mn x Fe 2 O 4 are cubic spinel phase with three-dimensional flowerlike microspheres structure assembled by nanosheets, which is exhibited the good performance to remove Congo red (CR). Besides, the samples with good magnetic properties facilitates magnetic separation for CR solution. The kinetics and isotherm of adsorption process are studied via a UV–visible spectrophotometer. The adsorption process is found to fit the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich isotherm model better. Moreover, the adsorption capability of CR on Ni (1-x) Mn x Fe 2 O 4 has a great enhancement by the appropriate doping of Mn 2+ ions. In order to research the mechanism of the CR adsorption process, the effect of pH value and the surface group of the samples and CR are measured. Due to the doping of Mn 2+ ions, the surface activity of Ni (1-x) Mn x Fe 2 O 4 has been changed and the adsorption capability (231.74546 mg g −1 ) of CR on Ni 0.98 Mn 0.02 Fe 2 O 4 is maximum in the all samples at pH 5. This research suggests that appropriate doping of Mn 2+ ions could enhance the adsorption performance for CR, which provides a new idea for the development of adsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The imbalance of S&D was aggravating in CCUA. • The ESs balance had significant dependence. • The cold spots were in the urban areas of Chengdu and Chongqing. • Optimal parametric geographical detector for detecting ESs balance driving mechanisms. • The forest land proportion significantly affected the pattern of ESs balance. Rapid urbanization in China's urban agglomerations has severely disrupted the relationship between supply and demand for ecosystem services (ESs). Exploring the spatial and temporal variation characteristics of ESs balance and its driving mechanisms is crucial for the high-quality development of urban agglomerations. However, few studies have explored the pattern of ESs balance and its driving mechanisms at multiple scales in urban agglomerations, which constrains the formulation of regional ecological protection and land use policies. In this study, we attempted to characterize the ESs balance pattern and its spatio-temporal variation from 2000 to 2020 at multiple scales in the Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomerations (CCUA), using ESs matrix and hotspot analysis tools. We then introduced the optimal parametric geographic detector to detect the formation mechanism of the spatial differentiation pattern of ESs balance. The results show that the overall ESs supply index for CCUA was greater than the demand index. The ESs were in short supply in Chengdu and Chongqing. The pattern of ESs balance had significant scale dependence. The hot spots of the ESs balance index were mainly in the western, southern, and eastern mountainous regions, while the cold spots were concentrated in urban areas of Chengdu and Chongqing, with significant differences in characteristics at different scales. The spatial distribution of the ESs balance was mainly affected by the forest land proportion, slope, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), elevation, cultivated land proportion, and temperature. The interaction of natural, land use, and socio-economic factors significantly enhanced the spatial differentiation of ESs balance. The interaction of different types of factors highlights the importance of topography, NDVI, cultivated land, forest land, and population. The results of this study can provide scientific references for the sustainable management of ESs and the construction of ecological civilization in CCUA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Defect-free high-strength Mg-RE alloy were obtained via force-controlled AFSD. • A coarse grain zone (average size of 12.8 μm) was discovered on advancing side. • Heterogeneity in properties along width direction of final deposits was revealed. Multi-layer single-pass deposits of high-performance Mg-8Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloy were successfully prepared using force-controlled additive friction stir deposition (AFSD) with a high deposition rate. The microstructure and mechanical properties heterogeneity along the build direction and transverse direction of the final deposits were investigated. The grain size of the coarse grain zone (CGZ) formed on advancing side (AS) is roughly 11–17 μm, two to three times larger than that of the other regions. Because of the evident grain refinement during deposition, the tensile properties in the center and retreating side (RS) regions of as-deposited final deposits are superior to those of the extruded Mg-8Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tremendous mechanical energy loss on friction and serious mechanical failures caused by wear are attracting more and more researchers studying on friction and lubrication to ease the situation of energy shortage. We demonstrate a novel and green laser-assisted solution growth strategy for ideal fullerene-like MoS 2 nanospheres, in which both the morphology reshaping and bond reconstructing processes of MoS 2 nanoflakes are involved in the one-step laser irradiation under ambient conditions. Due to the spherical shape, solid structure, and improved chemical stability, such MoS 2 nanospheres as additives in paraffin liquid can effectively reduce the friction coefficient (∼47% reduction) and enhance the extreme pressure property (>2.24 GPa). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the experimental feasibility of using VO 2 (B) nanomaterial as a high-capacity, high-voltage, and promising performance cathode material for magnesium-ion battery. Recent research on monoclinic VO 2 (B) material in the prevailing lithium-ion batteries has attracted more and more interest, primarily due to the layered structure and large charge/discharge capacity of the material. We synthesized VO 2 (B) in both forms of nanorods and nanosheets via a facile hydrothermal method to use as the cathode for an Mg ion battery, and investigated their properties, and electrochemical performance and mechanism with SEM, FT-IR, XRD, XPS, ICP and the electrochemical technique. . An encouraging performance is achieved with VO 2 (B) in the form of nanorods instead of nanosheets. The VO 2 (B) nanorods are capable of operation with a high discharge voltage at 2.17 V vs. Mg 2+ /Mg and a high initial discharge specific capacity of 391 mAh/g at a voltage ranging from −1.00 V to 0.30 V vs. Ag + /Ag, corresponding to 0.61 mol Mg per unit at a current density of 25 mA/g at 20 °C. Even at 12 °C, the first discharge specific capacity of 394 mAh/g is obtained with a capacity retention ratio up to 52.2% after 60 cycles at 50 mA/g, showing a better cyclability and capability. Significantly, the VO 2 (B) nanorods are confirmed to be a promising cathode material for use in Mg rechargeable batteries of a high capacity and a high voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the work, 3-dimensional (3D) flower-like NiFe 2 O 4 was prepared for the removal of water contaminants via a facile hydrothermal method and using Ni foam as substrate. The as-prepared NiFe 2 O 4 was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Nitrogen adsorption-desorption, vibrating sample magnetometer and Fourier transformed infrared. The as-prepared NiFe 2 O 4 owns a high specific surface which is favorable for adsorption of water contaminants. And the magnetic property of the as-prepared material, which is also preferred in wastewater treatment, makes it easy to be separated from the water. To investigate adsorption behavior, UV–visible spectrophotometer, adsorption isotherm and adsorption kinetics were studied. It is demonstrated that the adsorption process fits well with the Langmuir model and the pseudo-second-order model. The maximum adsorbing capacity ( q m ) of the 3D flower-like NiFe 2 O 4 for Congo red adsorption was 229.89 mg g −1 , and the adsorption capacity reached 80% in 10 min. The enhanced results suggest that the as-prepared 3D flower-like NiFe 2 O 4 is a potential adsorbent for industrial wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduction of surface-bound arsenate [As(V)] and subsequent release into the aqueous phase contribute to elevated As in groundwater. However, this natural process is not fully understood, especially in the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Gaining mechanistic insights into solid-As(V)-SRB interactions motivated our molecular level study on the fate of nano-TiO 2 bound As(V) in the presence of Desulfovibrio vulgaris DP4, a strain of SRB, using incubation and in situ ATR-FTIR experiments. The incubation results clearly revealed the reduction of As(V), either adsorbed on nano-TiO 2 or dissolved, in the presence of SRB. In contrast, this As(V) reduction was not observed in abiotic control experiments where sulfide was used as the reductant. Moreover, the reduction was faster for surface-bound As(V) than for dissolved As(V), as evidenced by the appearance of As(III) at 45 h and 75 h, respectively. ATR-FTIR results provided direct evidence that the surface-bound As(V) was reduced to As(III) on TiO 2 surfaces in the presence of SRB. In addition, the As(V) desorption from nano-TiO 2 was promoted by SRB relative to abiotic sulfide, due to the competition between As(V) and bacterial phosphate groups for TiO 2 surface sites. This competition was corroborated by the ATR-FTIR analysis, which showed inner-sphere surface complex formation by bacterial phosphate groups on TiO 2 surfaces. The results from this study highlight the importance of indirect bacteria-mediated As(V) reduction and release in geochemical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of non-coding RNA involved in biological processes has become apparent in recent years and the mechanism of transcriptional regulation has also been identified. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small regulatory non-coding RNAs of 22 bp in length that mediate gene silencing by identifying specific sequences in the target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Many miRNAs are highly expressed in the central nervous system in a spatially and temporally controlled manner in normal physiology, as well as in certain pathological conditions. There is growing evidence that a considerable number of specific miRNAs play important roles in synaptic plasticity, learning and memory function. In addition, the dysfunction of these molecules may also contribute to the etiology of several neurodegenerative diseases. Here we provide an overview of the current literatures, which support non-coding RNA-mediated gene function regulation represents an important but underappreciated, layer of epigenetic control that facilitates learning and memory functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fungicide imazalil (IMZ) is used extensively to preserve freshness, prevent decay and control fungal infections in fruits, vegetables or other plants. Recently, some studies have reported that the real in aquatic systems have reached very high levels. Here, male adult zebrafish were exposed to 100 and 1000 μg/L IMZ for 1, 7, 21 days, and the gut microbiota and hepatic metabolism were evaluated. Exposure to a high concentration of IMZ for 21 days decreased mucin secretion in the gut. Sequencing of the V3–V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene revealed a significant increase in the diversity of gut microbiota in male zebrafish. At the phylum level, the composition of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes was decreased, while those Fusobacteria and Firmicutes increased in the gut after exposure to 1000 μg/L IMZ for 21 days. At the genus level, 29 species of microorganisms were significantly changed after IMZ exposure. Based on GC/MS metabolomics analysis, 101 metabolites were observably significantly altered in the 1000 μg/L IMZ-treatment group. These changed metabolites were mainly associated with the pathway of glycolysis, amino acid metabolism, and lipid metabolism. In addition, the transcription of some genes related to glycolysis and lipid metabolism, including Aco , Cpt1 , Acc1 , Srebp1a and Fas , was decreased significantly in the liver of zebrafish when exposed to 100 and 1000 μg/L IMZ for 7 or 21 days. These results indicated that exposure to IMZ could cause gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolic disorders in adult zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective and concise electrophilic cyclization of 1,4-butynediols, 4-aminobut-2-yn-1-ols, pent-2-yne-1,5-diols, 2-propynolphenols and 2-propynolanilines with N -halo succinimides and trimethylsilyl halides opens a one-pot synthetic access to five- and six-membered dihalogenated heterocycles in moderate to good yields. The optimized cyclization conditions are tolerated with many functional groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ZSV was characterized using both shear rate sweep test and frequency sweep test. • The cox-merz rule is valid for plain asphalt but not for SBSMA, especially highly modified ones. • SBSMA must be pure viscous (δ = 90°) to obtain a strict η* plateau. • A pseudo-plateau for η* was observed in the master curve. The Zero-shear viscosity (ZSV) of asphalt is frequently measured using shear rate sweep test (η) or frequency sweep test (η*), whose correlation is often established via the cox-merz rule. However, the applicability of cox-merz rule upon SBS modified asphalt (SBSMA) is still debatable. This study aims to characterize ZSV of SBSMA using both shear rate sweep test and frequency sweep test and examine the cox-merz rule for SBSMAs with different SBS contents. The testing temperature is fixed at 60 °C and to enlarge the η* testing frequency range, master curve is created based on a novel double sigmoidal model. Results indicate that cox-merz rule is valid for plain asphalt but not for SBSMA, and the deviation is more evident for highly modified SBSMA (the deviation increases from 0.8 % to 13.2 %). Based on Kramers-Kronig relations, SBSMA must be pure viscous (phase angle δ = 90°) to obtain a strict η* plateau for ZSV measurement, which is quite difficult because SBSMA can only be pure viscous above the SBS polymer glass transition temperature (100 °C). Therefore, it is theoretically impossible to obtain an SBSMA η* plateau at 60 °C that resembles the η plateau, hence the cox-merz rule fails. A η* Newtonian plateau was observed in the master curve, but it was obtained at temperatures higher than 100 °C and cannot be used for 60 °C ZSV measurement either. With reduced frequency, the η* master curve of SBSMA shows 4 stages including a "pseudo-plateau". The pseudo-plateau should be treated with care and cannot be used for ZSV measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-step and multi-step nanoindentation experiments were conducted to investigate the mechanical response of an Al-Mg-Li alloy. Opposite to the strain hardening effect observed in the coarse-grained (CG) alloy, the nanograined (NG) alloy exhibits strain softening. Compared with multi-step nanoindentation experiments, the ultralow dislocation density and the grain boundary (GB) segregation promote a higher stress level during one-step nanoindentation experiments. Residual perfect dislocations induced by a previous loading and unloading during multi-step nanoindentation experiments lower the stress required for further plastic deformation. In addition, the storage of partial dislocations also serves to render plastic flow to commence at lower stresses. This work provides new insights for the fabrication and property optimization of NG alloys. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2 H-MoS 2 nanoparticles with excellent structural characteristics has become one of the main research objects of lubricating additives. Herein, one crumpled MoS 2 submicrosphere staggered by ultrafine nanosheet was successfully synthesized by clean and fast laser irradiation in liquids at ambient conditions. Such crumpled sphere exhibits good wettability on steel surface in water. As water additives, the crumpled MoS 2 submicrosphere can significantly improve the lubrication performance. Notably, the crumpled MoS 2 submicrosphere have remarkable anti-friction with 80% reduction of COF compared with the pure water. The enhanced lubrication performance benefits from the lamella structure, microbearing and protective tribofilm of crumpled submicrosphere. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new phase inversion tape casting method is explored to fabricate the “porous|dense|porous” La 0.9 Sr 0.1 Ga 0.8 Mg 0.2 O 3 (LSGM) with aligned straight pores. Symmetrical fuel cells are obtained by impregnating nano-scale SrFe 0.75 Mo 0.25 O 3-δ (SFMO) catalysts into both porous LSGM scaffolds. Operation on hydrogen and air oxidants produces 401, 521, 602 and 703 mW cm −2 at 650, 700, 750 and 800 °C, respectively. Impedance measurements show that the overall interfacial polarization resistances are 0.17, 0.20, 0.25 and 0.36 Ω cm 2 for such symmetrical fuel cells at 800, 750, 700 and 650 °C, respectively. Impedance analysis under varied oxygen partial pressures indicates that the symmetrical SFMO-LSGM electrodes exhibit lower polarization resistances for phase-inversion casted LSGM scaffolds than for the traditionally casted LSGM scaffolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing new amphiphilic polymers with natural product moieties has been regarded as a promising way to achieve biocompatibility and certain biological functions. In prior work, we developed some natural ( l )-arginine modified cationic polymers (PAHMAA-Rs) as cationic gene carriers. For the sake of continuing optimize the gene delivery performance, herein, a new series of ( l )-arginine and ( l )-histidine co-modified cationic poly (ω-aminohexyl methacrylamide)s (PAHMAA-R-H) were synthesized and characterized with 1 H NMR, GPC-SLS and FT-IR. Their proton buffering capacities were studied by acid-base titration assay. pDNA binding affinity and self-assembly properties of the polyplexes were analyzed by agarose gel retardation assay, DLS and AFM, respectively. In vitro cytotoxicity of the PAHMAA-R-H was determined by MTT and LDH assays in H1299 cells, the gene transfection efficacy and intracellular uptake capability were evaluated by luciferase assay and FACS, respectively. Moreover, the endocytosis pathways and intracellular distribution of the polyplexes were investigated by using specific endocytic inhibitors and fluorescent co-localization techniques. The results demonstrated that co-modification of ( l )-arginine and ( l )-histidine onto the PAHMAA polymer could enhance proton buffering capacity, shield surface charge, decrease cytotoxicity, and improve gene transfection efficiency and serum-compatibility. Moreover, the gene transfection and intracellular uptake behaviors were disclosed strongly rely on the ( l )-arginine/( l )-histidine modification ratios. The polyplexes tend to be internalized through caveolae-mediated endocytosis gateway and localized with endosomes/lysosomes in H1299 cells. Notably, among the polymers, the PAHMAA-R 18 -H 6 exhibited remarkable gene delivery efficiency and serum compatibility, which made it promising gene transfection agent for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nanostructured (NS) Al–Mg–Li alloy with an average grain size of ∼ 26 nm was prepared via laser inert-gas condensation (laser-IGC) method. By integrating in-situ synchrotron-based high-energy X-ray diffraction, atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy, unconventional structure evolution (grain boundary segregation and ordered precipitates → Guinier–Preston (GP) zones) during annealing process was captured in this NS Al–Mg–Li alloy, which is contradictory to that of bulk counterparts (GP zones → ordered phases). The segregation and room temperature relaxation give rise to an ultrahigh specific strength by enhancing the stress level required for dislocation emission from interfaces in the alloy. Intriguingly, the highest specific strength can be maintained even thermally exposed at 200 °C, which benefits from GP zones, sub-structures and retained intragranular nanoprecipitation. Hitherto the unconventional structure evolution was unrecognized in any experimental observations in NS Al alloys, and is proved to be a reliable way to improve mechanical properties of NS Al alloys. This work provides insights into the relationship between modulated microstructure and superior mechanical properties, paving the road to the development of high-performance lightweight Al–Mg–Li alloys for diverse applications. • A nanostructured (NS) Al–Mg–Li alloy was fabricated by Insert Gas Condensation. • Ultrahigh specific strength (542 kN m kg−1) is obtained in the NS Al–Mg–Li alloy. • Unconventional structure evolution (segregation & precipitates.→GP zones) is observed for the first time • Unconventional structure evolution stabilizes ultrahigh specific strength despite grain growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New water-soluble Aβ probes based on AIE mechanism were developed. • The probes showed more remarkable affinity to Aβ aggregates than commercial ThT. • The probes possessed rapid staining and washing-free imaging to Aβ plaques. • An efficient approach for mapping of Aβ plaques in whole brain was developed. Rapid verification and three-dimensional (3D) mapping of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques in mouse whole brain is of great significance in early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to the intricate relationship of Aβ plaques with their surrounding microenvironment. Previously reported fluorescent labelling to locate Aβ plaques usually require lengthy permeation/staining/washing procedures to eliminate non-specific binding and improve fluorescence signal-to-noise ratio, which is inaccessible to automatic brain wide 3D imaging. Here we report a kind of water-soluble fluorescent probes with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) activities, named AIEgens, which can rapidly permeate and stain Aβ plaques of transgenic (Tg) mouse brain sections into 8 μm of depth within 1 min. The excellent water-solubility, specificity and sensitivity of AIEgens for Aβ plaques enable rapid staining and washing-free imaging of brain sections. The automatic 3D mapping of Aβ plaques in Tg mouse's whole brain is implemented through the cycling process of in situ real-time mechanical sectioning, staining and imaging with AIEgens in fluorescent micro-optical sectioning tomography (fMOST) system. The AIE-based fMOST, which integrates the in-situ staining/imaging/sectioning steps of Tg mouse's whole brain, provides an automatic 3D mapping solution to access the size, morphology and 3D distribution of Aβ plaques in mouse whole brain, which would help to explore the correlation between Aβ structure and neurodegenerative activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New water-soluble Aβ probes based on AIE mechanism were developed. • The probes showed more remarkable affinity to Aβ aggregates than commercial ThT. • The probes possessed rapid staining and washing-free imaging to Aβ plaques. • An efficient approach for mapping of Aβ plaques in whole brain was developed. Rapid verification and three-dimensional (3D) mapping of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques in mouse whole brain is of great significance in early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to the intricate relationship of Aβ plaques with their surrounding microenvironment. Previously reported fluorescent labelling to locate Aβ plaques usually require lengthy permeation/staining/washing procedures to eliminate non-specific binding and improve fluorescence signal-to-noise ratio, which is inaccessible to automatic brain wide 3D imaging. Here we report a kind of water-soluble fluorescent probes with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) activities, named AIEgens, which can rapidly permeate and stain Aβ plaques of transgenic (Tg) mouse brain sections into 8 μm of depth within 1 min. The excellent water-solubility, specificity and sensitivity of AIEgens for Aβ plaques enable rapid staining and washing-free imaging of brain sections. The automatic 3D mapping of Aβ plaques in Tg mouse's whole brain is implemented through the cycling process of in situ real-time mechanical sectioning, staining and imaging with AIEgens in fluorescent micro-optical sectioning tomography (fMOST) system. The AIE-based fMOST, which integrates the in-situ staining/imaging/sectioning steps of Tg mouse's whole brain, provides an automatic 3D mapping solution to access the size, morphology and 3D distribution of Aβ plaques in mouse whole brain, which would help to explore the correlation between Aβ structure and neurodegenerative activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-area (12×12 cm2) symmetrical protonic ceramic cells are fabricated and tested for electrochemical hydrogen pumping, showing good performance and durability. [Display omitted] • Large-area (12 × 12 cm2) symmetrical PCCs was successfully fabricated. • Low polarization resistance of 0.13 Ω cm2 in 3% humidified 50H 2 /50 N 2 at 650 °C. • A hydrogen flux of 8.7 mL⋅cm−2⋅min−1 at 650 °C. • Ni migration away from the electrolyte–electrode interface in the Ni-BZCY cathode. Large-area symmetrical protonic ceramic cells (PCCs) are fabricated and tested for electrochemical hydrogen pumping (EHP) applications. BaZr 0.1 Ce 0.7 Y 0.2 O 3-δ (BZCY), one of the most popular proton-conducting materials, is selected as the electrolyte material. Two identical Ni(O)-BZCY electrodes are applied to either side of the electrolyte as the anode and cathode. The PCCs are characterized both in single-atmosphere at open circuit voltage (OCV, symmetrical cell testing) and in dual-atmosphere under current (EHP mode). The electrode polarization resistance (R P) (per single electrode) under single-atmosphere testing is measured to be as low as 0.13, 0.07, 0.065 and 0.06 Ω cm2 in 3% humidified 50H 2 /50 N 2 at 650, 700, 750 and 800 °C, respectively. The distribution of relaxation times (DRT) analyses of the measured impedance spectra reveal that the cell resistance is dominated by the resistance of the dissociative adsorption of hydrogen processes at 650–700 °C or by that of the hydrogen diffusion at 750–800 °C. The cell shows good electrochemical performance and durability in EHP mode, demonstrating a hydrogen flux of 8.7 mL cm−2 min−1 at 1.33 A cm−2 with a Faradaic efficiency of 90% for pumping pure hydrogen out of 3% humidified 50H 2 /50 N 2 at 650 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glass formation, crystallization behavior, phase precipitation, and magnetic properties for a series of melt-spun Mn 93−x Si x B 7 (x = 15, 20, 25, 30) amorphous ribbons were investigated. For x = 15 and 20 amorphous alloys, the crystallization shows one-stage behavior but different precipitated phases. For x = 25 amorphous alloy, a two-stage crystallization behavior occurs, in which the first and second crystallized peaks precipitate the Mn 5 Si 3 and Mn 2 B, respectively. The broad maximum peak emerges at the temperature-dependent magnetization M (T) curves, indicating the amorphous alloys' spin glass (SG) behavior. Furthermore, the nanocrystalline and amorphous composite structure (NACS) consisting of the single nanocrystalline Mn 5 Si 3 and amorphous phase can be achieved for the amorphous Mn 93−x Si x B 7 alloy with x = 25 by controlling the annealing temperature and duration. The magnetic transitions of the NACS sample significantly differ from the counterpart of its amorphous state. The amorphous alloy undergoes the magnetic phase transition from SG into a paramagnetic state at about 20 K. In comparison, the annealed NACS sample first transforms the SG into a ferromagnetic state at about 15 K and then into a paramagnetic state around 300 K. The difference could attribute to the coupling effect between the nanocrystalline Mn 5 Si 3 with the amorphous phase. • A novel ternary manganese-based Mn-Si-B amorphous ribbons were produced by melt spinning technique. • The Mn 93−x Si x B 7 (x = 15, 20) alloys show one-stage crystallization behavior while x = 25 alloy presents two-stage. • Si composition have noticeable influence on phase formation for Mn-Si-B amorphous alloys during the crystallized annealing. • The Mn 5 Si 3 nanocrystalline and amorphous composite structure (NACS) can be achieved after annealing for x = 25 alloy. • The annealed NACS sample shows great different in magnetic phase transition from the counterpart of amorphous state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Family members share genes, environment, and microbial communities. If there is a strong effect of family on the salivary microbiota, controlling for family will enhance identification of microbial communities associated with cariogenesis. The present study was designed to assess the similarity of the salivary microbiome among families and the association between the salivary microbiome and dental decay taking age into account.Methods: We selected families (n = 49) participating in the cohort study of oral health conducted by the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia. All families where at least two children and at least one parent gave a saliva sample (n = 173) were included. Saliva samples were collected at least 1 hour after eating or drinking. After DNA extraction, the V6 region of the 16s rRNA gene was sequenced. Paired ends were joined using fast length adjustment of short reads, sequences were demultiplexed and filtered using Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology 1.9.0, and taxonomy was assigned using the Ribosomal Database Project (RDP; http://rdp.cme.msu.edu/) classifier and sequences aligned with the CORE database using PyNAST.Results: The salivary microbiome changed with age and was more similar within families than between families. There was no difference in the diversity of the salivary microbiome by dental decay. After taking into account age and family, signals of dental decay were weak in the saliva, whether examined at the phyla, genus, or operational taxonomic level.Conclusions: The salivary microbiome does not appear to be a good indicator of dental caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report the use of LaNi 0.6 Fe 0.4 O 3−δ /carbon nanotube (LNF/CNT) hybrids as novel and robust anode catalysts that are in situ fabricated by exposure of nano-scale LNF perovskite oxide catalysts to slightly humidified methane. TEM observations confirm the formation of CNTs with the inner diameter and the wall thickness both at ≈15 nm. Combined XRD and EDX analyses show that LNF oxides decompose into a mixture of La 2 O 3 , FeNi 3 alloy and LaFeO 3 , where FeNi 3 alloy particles have an average diameter of 45 nm, largely exist outside of these CNTs and are surrounded by nano-scale La 2 O 3 and LaFeO 3 oxides. The LNF/CNT hybrids exhibit superior catalytic activities for methane oxidation reactions, yielding low anode polarization resistances of 0.22 Ω cm 2 at 800 °C and 0.44 Ω cm 2 at 750 °C. Impregnated fuel cells with such hybrid anodes display stable and excellent power densities in methane fuels. e.g. , 1.00 W cm −2 at 800 °C and 0.73 W cm −2 at 750 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing and quantifying the carbon footprint (CF) of livestock production would offer insights into how livestock production contributes to climate change and help to establish potential greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation options. In Sichuan, one of the largest provinces for livestock production in China, a questionnaire farm survey was performed in 2012. CFs of livestock and poultry production were quantified using a dataset encompassing 20 farms for egg production, 25 farms for milk production, 20 farms for chicken production, and 32 farms for pork production, including both household and aggregated farms. The results revealed that over both farm types, emissions from manure treatment accounted for 70% and 74% of the total CFs in egg and chicken production, respectively. On average, 39% of the total CF in milk production was contributed by enteric fermentation; meanwhile, emissions by fodder production contributed on average 75% to the total CF of pork production. In general, egg, milk, chicken and pork production in Sichuan were associated with CFs of 3.70, 1.01, 20.02 and 5.42 kg CO 2 -eq/kg production for household farms, and 3.46, 1.13, 7.86 and 4.29 kg CO 2 -eq/kg for aggregated farm, respectively. Statistically, egg, chicken and pork production on household farms was characterized by higher CFs than that on aggregated farms. This study highlights that aggregated farm management could be an efficient option to mitigate the GHG emission in China's livestock production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Al2O3/TiO2 nanocomposites with an average size of 75nm were synthesized via an in-situ surface modification method. The nanoparticles were analyzed by scanning electron microscope and Zeta potential analyzer. Results showed that modified Al2O3/TiO2 nanoparticles have significantly improved dispersion stability in lubricating oil due to the introduction of grafted polymers onto the surface of the nanoparticles. The friction and wear properties of lubricating oil with added Al2O3/TiO2 nanocomposites were investigated on a MMU-10G friction-abrasion tester. It was found that the use of modified Al2O3/TiO2 nanocomposites provided a much better tribological performance of the lubricating oil. The anti-friction mechanism is based on the formation of a protective film on the worn surface and the wear behavior changing from sliding friction to rolling friction during the friction process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Underwater images suffer from color casts and low contrast degraded due to wavelength-dependent light scatter and abortion of the underwater environment, which impacts the application of high-level computer vision tasks. Considering the characteristics of uneven degradation and loss of color channel of underwater images, a novel dual attention transformer-based underwater image enhancement method, called UDAformer, is proposed. Specifically, Dual Attention Transformer Block (DATB) combining Channel Self-Attention Transformer (CSAT) with Pixel Self-Attention Transformer is proposed for efficient encoding and decoding of underwater image features. Then, the shifted window method for the pixel self-attention (SW-PSAT) is proposed to improve computational efficiency. Finally, the underwater images are recovered through the design of residual connections based on the underwater imaging model. Experimental results demonstrate the proposed UDAformer surpasses previous state-of-the-art methods, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The code is publicly available at: https://github.com/ShenZhen0502/UDAformer. [Display omitted] • Considering the severe and uneven degradation of underwater images, the SW-PSAT is proposed to model local pixel relationships to restore more image details. Besides, considering the loss of color channels, the CSAT is proposed to extract important features from the different channels of the underwater image. • Considering that a single self-attention mechanism cannot enhance the underwater image well, DATB combined with SW-PSAT and CSAT is proposed to replace the convolution operation of the U-Net architecture. • UDAformer, an encoder–decoder U-shape Transformer for underwater image enhancement, is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unclear whether tea infusions with or without sucrose supplementation alter oral biofilm development, so we evaluated the effect of unsweetened and sucrose-sweetened black and green tea infusions on in vitro saliva-derived biofilms. Biofilms were developed from human saliva for 20 h in cell-free 25% human saliva within static glass-bottom microplates. During biofilm development, biofilms were treated with either (i) unsweetened black tea, (ii) unsweetened green tea, (iii) 10% sucrose-sweetened black tea, (iv) 10% sucrose-sweetened green tea (v) deionized water (negative control), or (vi) 10% sucrose (positive control). Biofilms were incubated at 37 °C in 5% CO 2. After 20 h of development, biofilms were imaged using a CLSM, and biofilm architecture and viability were evaluated. All the tea infusions reduced biofilm biomass and altered some other biofilm architectural outcomes (e.g., biofilm surface area) compared to the control groups. Statistically significant differences in biofilm biomass, number of objects, surface area, and convex-hull porosity were observed between biofilms treated with green and black tea. The addition of sugar to tea did not significantly modify the ability of tea to alter biofilm architecture. Only the treatment of biofilms with unsweetened black tea significantly reduced bacterial viability. While both teas reduced biofilm biomass and altered biofilm architecture, black tea had an enhanced effect that may relate to this tea's observed antimicrobial activity. The addition of sucrose to tea infusions did not appear to reduce the impact of either tea in modifying oral biofilm architecture • Black and green tea infusions reduced biofilm biomass and altered biofilm architecture. • Only black tea infusions were inferred to have antimicrobial activity. • Tea infusions appeared to alter biofilm architecture, even when containing sucrose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]