Search

In the process of the development of the ceramic industry, a large amount of ceramic solid waste is generated, and how to make high‐value reuse of ceramic solid waste has also become a problem of common concern. In this article, a new method of making porous thermal insulation materials reusing waste electric porcelain was successfully developed. In this work, a porous light refractory with bulk density of 0.99 g/cm3 and apparent porosity of 59% was prepared by the novel method. Which room temperature flexural and compressive strengths are 11.52 MPa and 1.84 MPa, respectively. These properties makes the waste electric porcelain‐based porous light refractory can be applicated as lightweight heat insulation materials for high‐temperature kilns, high‐temperature catalyst carriers, high‐temperature phase‐change heat storage support materials, etc. which will create higher application value and research significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near‐infrared (NIR) light powdered CO2 photoreduction reaction is generally restricted to the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers and the supply of active hydrogen (*H). Herein, the study reports a retrofitting hydrogenated MoO3‐x (H‐MoO3‐x) nanosheet photocatalysts with Ru single atom substitution (Ru@H‐MoO3‐x) fabricated by one‐step solvothermal method. Experiments together with theoretical calculations demonstrate that the synergistic effect of Ru substitution and oxygen vacancy can not only inhibit the recombination of photogenerated carriers, but also facilitate the CO2 adsorption/activation as well as the supply of *H. Compared with H‐MoO3‐x, the Ru@H‐MoO3‐x exhibit more favorable formation of *CHO in the process of *CO conversion due to the fast *H generation on electron‐rich Ru sites and transfer to *CO intermediates, leading to the preferential photoreduction of CO2 to CH4 with high selectivity. The optimized Ru@H‐MoO3‐x exhibits a superior CO2 photoreduction activity with CH4 evolution rate of 111.6 and 39.0 µmol gcatalyst−1 under full spectrum and NIR light irradiation, respectively, which is 8.8 and 15.0 times much higher than that of H‐MoO3‐x. This work provides an in‐depth understanding at the atomic level on the design of NIR responsive photocatalyst for achieving the goal of carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber‐reinforced polymers composites (FRPs) are widely used in the industrial field, but their failure mechanism in extreme environments is usually unclear. In this work, the effect of high‐temperature, high‐pressure and H2S/CO2 extreme environment, similar to oil and gas field conditions, on raw fibers and unidirectional FRPs was investigated. The results showed that the glass fibers (GFs) suffered extensive degradation with the presence of metal sulfides in the precipitate, whereas basalt fibers (BFs) showed localized degradation. The flexural modulus of glass fiber reinforced polymer composite (GFRP) after degradation decreased by 28.8% compared to 25.6% for the basalt fiber reinforced polymer composite (BFRP). The interlaminar shear strength and flexural strength of the BFRP decreased by 20.3% and 24.7% respectively. In contrast, the GFRP had a reduction of 55.2% in flexural strength after degradation. Finite element method (FEM) analysis showed that the GFRP exhibited severe cohesive interface damage, while the primary failure mode of BFRP remained essentially unchanged with a combination of fiber damage and cohesive interface damage. This study confirms the superior degradation resistance of BF/BFRP over GF/GFRP in the simulated environment and highlights its promising application potential in oil and gas field service. Highlights: Filament winding was used to fabricate the GFRP and BFRP.Revealed distinct surface morphology changes in GFs and BFs under simulated oil and gas field conditions.Superior degradation resistance of BFRP over GFRP was found in the extreme environment.Demonstrated superior chemical stability and mechanical properties of BFRP over GFRP.Used FEM to investigate the failure modes of FRPs before and after exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchical porous carbon exhibits enormous application potential in the field of energy storage. In this paper, we develop a facile method to prepare hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) derived from wood powder and using KMnO4 as the activator. The optimized HPC‐600 samples possess the large specific surface area with hierarchical porous structure and massive oxygen–containing functional groups. The HPC‐600 electrode shows a specific capacitance of 362.7 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and a capacitance retention of 101.5 % after 10, 000 cycles. In addition, the assembled HPC‐600//HPC‐600 symmetric supercapacitor delivers an energy density of 18.4 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 600 W kg−1. This paper provides a new and convenient method for the preparation of hierarchical porous carbon for high performance supercapacitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metal surfaces tend to be oxidized in air through dissociation of the O−O bond of oxygen to reduce the performances in various fields. Although several ligand modification routes have alleviated the oxidation of bulky metal surfaces, it is still a challenge for the oxidation resistance of small‐size metal nanoparticles. Herein, we fixed the small‐size Pd nanoparticles in tin‐contained MFI zeolite crystals, where the tin acts as an electron donor to efficiently hinder the oxidation of Pd by weakening the adsorption of molecular oxygen and suppressing the O−O cleavage. This oxidation‐resistant Pd catalyst exhibited superior performance in directly synthesizing hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen, with the productivity of hydrogen peroxide at ≈10,170 mmol gPd−1 h−1, steadily outperforming the catalysts tested previously. This work leads to the hypothesis that tin is an electron donor to realize oxidation‐resistant Pd within zeolite crystals for efficient catalysis to overcome the limitation of generally supported Pd catalysts and further motivates the use of oxidation‐resistant metal nanoparticles in various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin is a waste product in the paper industry and lignocellulosic biorefineries, in addition to being the second most abundant renewable biopolymer on Earth. Valorization of useless lignin into high value‐added advanced materials not only helps address the environmentally detrimental biowaste but also satisfies the societal need for energy. While lignin has been converted into porous carbon, made into slurry, and pasted onto metal forms as an electrode for lithium‐ion batteries and supercapacitors, there remains issues with how to scale up the process while achieving great area and mass capacitances in the fabricated lignin‐carbon electrodes. In this work, a thick freestanding electrode coupled by lignin carbon and sodium without any binder and additives was fabricated demonstrating a specific area capacitance of 19.7 F cm−2 at a current density of 1 mA cm−2, which is the highest among to date reported freestanding lignin carbon electrodes with similar thickness. This excellent electrochemical performance originates from high electro‐positivity and oxygen content promoted by the sodium. This work brings a new strategy towards lignin utilization and energy storage through coupling lignin carbon and alkali metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Down syndrome (DS), which is characterized by various malfunctions, is the most common chromosomal disorder. As the DS population continues to grow and most of those with DS live beyond puberty, early‐onset health problems have become apparent. However, the cellular landscape and molecular alterations have not been thoroughly studied. Methods: This study utilized single‐cell resolution techniques to examine DS in humans and mice, spanning seven distinct organs. A total of 71 934 mouse and 98 207 human cells were analyzed to uncover the molecular alterations occurring in different cell types and organs related to DS, specifically starting from the fetal stage. Additionally, SA‐β‐Gal staining, western blot, and histological study were employed to verify the alterations. Results: In this study, we firstly established the transcriptomic profile of the mammalian DS, deciphering the cellular map and molecular mechanism. Our analysis indicated that DS cells across various types and organs experienced senescence stresses from as early as the fetal stage. This was marked by elevated SA‐β‐Gal activity, overexpression of cell cycle inhibitors, augmented inflammatory responses, and a loss of cellular identity. Furthermore, we found evidence of mitochondrial disturbance, an increase in ribosomal protein transcription, and heightened apoptosis in fetal DS cells. This investigation also unearthed a regulatory network driven by an HSA21 gene, which leads to genome‐wide expression changes. Conclusion: The findings from this study offer significant insights into the molecular alterations that occur in DS, shedding light on the pathological processes underlying this disorder. These results can potentially guide future research and treatment development for DS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid‐liquid swirling flow is directly affected by the dynamic behavior of discrete droplets. Large eddy simulation combined with the volume‐of‐fluid model (LES‐VOF) was adopted to simulate the dynamic behavior of a CCl4 single droplet under water in a concave‐wall jet. There were three modes of droplets: non‐breakup, binary‐breakup, and multiple‐breakup droplets. The binary‐breakup droplet was sheared by the layer between the jet and the main flow, and the multiple‐breakup droplet was sheared by the boundary layer of the wall. Deformation and breakup were the processes of balancing the internal and external droplet vorticity. The largest pressure difference between the internal and external side of the liquid film was the primary reason for droplet breakup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature history of samples and maximum palaeogeothermal profiles of boreholes were reconstructed based on low‐temperature thermochronology and vitrinite reflectance data, and the results provide limits for the timescale and amount of uplift–denudation of the eastern Sichuan Basin. The thermal history showed that the uplifting and cooling of eastern Sichuan Basin began around the Late Cretaceous (approximately 100–80 Ma). The region had experienced a continuous cooling process from the Late Cretaceous until the present, with the geothermal gradient decreasing from 32–36 °C/km to 20–23 °C/km. The amount of denudation at the Puguang region in north‐eastern Sichuan was approximately 2.3 km, whereas that at south‐eastern Sichuan was 1.9 km, and the erosion thickness in the eastern Sichuan fold belt that was revealed via the field samples is 2.3 ± 0.3–2.6 ± 0.3 km. The north‐eastern Sichuan experienced sustained cooling with inconspicuous fluctuations, whereas the thrust belt and the south‐eastern Sichuan Basin presented 2–4 stages with different cooling rates. It may indicate that the eastern Sichuan fold belt experienced a complex structural evolution, characterized by episodic upliftings and deformations since Late Cretaceous, while a different and gentle deformation took place in the northeastern Sichuan Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: lignin carbon; sodium; supercapacitors; areal capacitance EN lignin carbon sodium supercapacitors areal capacitance 1 1 1 09/11/23 20230901 NES 230901 B The Cover Feature b illustrates valorization of biowaste lignin into free-standing porous carbon block coupled with alkali metals for supercapacitors to satisfy the societal need for energy. Lignin carbon, sodium, supercapacitors, areal capacitance Cover Feature: Sodium-Dictated Free-Standing Lignin-Carbon Electrode towards Ultrahigh Capacitance (Batteries & Supercaps 9/2023). [Extracted from the article]

Summary: Objective: Any benefit of oestradiol supplementation with progesterone for luteal support after fresh embryo transfer in in vitro fertilisation/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles remains controversial. In this study, we further addressed this question in cycles using gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist for ovarian stimulation. Design: A retrospective cohort study in a tertiary teaching and research hospital. Patient(s): A total of 1602 patients were given oestradiol valerate (E) in addition to progesterone (P) as luteal support. One thousand six hundred and two patients receiving progesterone alone were selected as the control group. Main outcome measure(s): Live birth rate. Secondary measures included clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate and premature birth rate. Result(s): Clinical pregnancy and live birth rates were similar for the P alone vs the P+E group. In cycles with oestradiol (E2) levels less than 5000 pmol/L on the day of hCG trigger, E supplementation resulted in a significantly higher live birth rate (23.44% vs 32.92%, OR = 1.60 [95% CI 1.05 to 2.46]). In cycles with oestradiol levels 5000 to 10 000 pmol/L on the day of hCG trigger, E supplementation did not increase the live birth rate (34.43% vs 35.42%, OR = 0.90 [95% CI 0.80 to 1.01]). In cycles with oestradiol levels over 10 000 pmol/L on the day of hCG trigger, the live birth rate was significantly lower (36.83% vs 31.37%, OR = 0.78 [95% CI 0.62 to 0.99]) and the premature birth rate was significantly higher (19.66% vs 28.73%,OR = 1.65 [95% CI 1.05 to 2.59]) in the E supplementation group. Conclusion(s): Any benefit of oestradiol supplementation for luteal phase support appears to correlate with the serum oestradiol level on the day of hCG trigger. Oestradiol supplementation is beneficial for improving live birth rate in cycles with oestradiol levels less than 5000 pmol/L, but is not recommended in cycles with oestradiol levels over 10 000 pmol/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abundant gas condensates have been proven in the Ordovician carbonate reservoirs in the Tazhong area, the centre of the Tarim Basin, where complicated geological evolution and multiple hydrocarbon accumulations have occurred. Property, geochemistry, and stable carbon isotopes of the Ordovician condensate are characterized to identify the oil and gas origins in the Tazhong area. Fluid inclusion data, combined with numerical modelling methods was used to determine petroleum accumulation processes. Our results suggest that oils are characterized by mixed sources, with 64% of contributions from the Middle‐Upper Ordovician (O2+3) source rocks and 36% of contributions from the Lower‐Middle Cambrian (Є1+2) source rocks. Gases are primarily generated from the thermal cracking of pre‐existing oils in the underlying strata, with a small amount derived from kerogen cracking accompanied with oil generation. Three petroleum filling stages are determined, including the filling of the Є1+2‐derived oils during the Late Hercynian period, filling of the O2+3‐derived oils during the Yanshan period and oil‐cracking‐gas charge during the Himalayan period. The accumulation processes and relative contribution ratios of the two source rocks vary among the reservoirs and are mainly related to the transport system. Due to the lack of faults in the regions away from the No. 1 Fault Belt, the Є1+2‐derived oils are difficult to fill into the Ordovician reservoirs through the gypsolyte, and thus the accumulated oils are mainly from the O2+3 source rocks. The percentage of the O2+3‐derived oils is high in the southeast and northwest segments of the No. 1 Fault Belt, but relatively low in the middle segment and the vicinity of the No. 10 Structure Belt. Likewise, the late gas charge intensity is controlled by regionally varying conduit systems. Gas condensate formed in reservoirs with high gas/oil ratios. Otherwise, light oil retains with respect to low gas/oil ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Western Yunnan is composed of several extruded continental microblocks that were generated by the oblique collision between the Indian and Asian continents during the Cenozoic. In this study, the magmatic and tectonic frameworks of western Yunnan in the Cenozoic were analyzed based on geochemistry, Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes, and apatite/zircon fission track dating. Magmatism during the Cenozoic in western Yunnan was then divided into three distinctive episodes: alkali granite rocks produced from 55 to 46 Ma were derived from the anatexis of crustal materials; bimodal igneous rocks formed between 37 and 24 Ma were possibly derived from an EMII mantle with a contribution from continental materials; and intermediate-basic volcanic rocks produced in the Tengchong microblocks since ∼16 Ma are considered to be generated by the partial melting of the upper mantle that was induced by the pulling apart of the dextral Gaoligong strike-slip fault system. Moreover, fission track analysis of apatite and zircon indicates that the regional crustal uplift in western Yunnan possibly began at ∼34 Ma, with accelerated annealing occurring at ∼24 Ma, ∼13 Ma, and ∼4 Ma. During the past 24 Ma, the average denudation rate was ∼0.32 mm/yr for the faulted block controlled by the Chongshan-Lancang River fault However, crustal uplift has been relatively gentle in places lacking influence from strike-slip shear zones, with an average denudation rate of ∼0.2 mm/yr. Combined with strike-slip shear and block rotation in the Cenozoic, the tectonic evolution of western Yunnan since ∼45 Ma can thus be divided into four stages occurring at 45-37 Ma, 37-24 Ma, 24-13 Ma, and 13-0 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely believed that endometrial atrophy in postmenopausal women is due to an age-related reduction in estrogen level. But the role of high circulating follicle-stimulating hormone ( FSH) in postmenopausal syndrome is not clear. Here, we explored the role of high circulating FSH in physiological endometrial atrophy. We found that FSH exacerbated post- OVX endometrial atrophy in mice, and this effect was ameliorated by lowering FSH with Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (Gn RHa). In vitro, FSH inhibited endometrial proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of primary cultured endometrial cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, upregulation of caspase3, caspase8, caspase9, autophagy-related proteins ( ATG3, ATG5, ATG7, ATG12 and LC3) and downregulation of c-Jun were also observed in endometrial adenocytes. Furthermore, smad2 and smad3 showed a time-dependent activation in endometrial cells which can be partly inhibited by blocking the transforming growth factor beta receptor II (Tβ RII). In conclusion, FSH regulated endometrial atrophy by affecting the proliferation, autophagy and apoptosis of endometrial cells partly through activation of the transforming growth factor beta ( TGFβ) pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We deal with dynamic revenue management (RM) under competition using the nonatomic-game approach. Here, a continuum of heterogeneous sellers try to sell the same product over a given time horizon. Each seller can lower his price once at the time of his own choosing, and faces Poisson demand arrival with a rate that is the product of a price-sensitive term and a market-dependent term. Different types of sellers interact, and their respective prices help shape the overall market in which they operate, thereby influencing the behavior of all sellers. Using the infinite-seller approximation, which deprives any individual seller of his influence over the entire market, we show the existence of a certain pattern of seller behaviors that collectively produce an environment to which the behavior pattern forms a best response. Such equilibrium behaviors point to the suitability of threshold-like pricing policies. Our computational study yields insights to RM under competition, such as profound ways in which consumer and competitor types influence seller behaviors and market conditions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 61: 365-385, 2014 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift of cytokine profile from anti‐ to pro‐inflammatory is the most recognizable sign of labor, although the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we report that the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is upregulated and activated in the uterus at labor in mice. Mechanical activation of ENaC results in phosphorylation of CREB and upregulation of pro‐inflammatory cytokines as well as COX‐2/PGE2 in uterine epithelial cells. ENaC expression is also upregulated in mice with RU486‐induced preterm labor as well as in women with preterm labor. Interference with ENaC attenuates mechanically stimulated uterine contractions and significantly delays the RU486‐induced preterm labor in mice. Analysis of a human transcriptome database for maternal–fetus tissue/blood collected at onset of human term and preterm births reveals significant and positive correlation of ENaC with labor‐associated pro‐inflammatory factors in labored birth groups (both term and preterm), but not in non‐labored birth groups. Taken together, the present finding reveals a pro‐inflammatory role of ENaC in labor at term and preterm, suggesting it as a potential target for the prevention and treatment of preterm labor. Synopsis: This study reveals a novel role for the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) in transducing the mechanical signal from uterine contractions that results in production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines during labor. ENaC has the potential to be targeted for the prevention and treatment of preterm labor. ENaC expression is increased and its channel function is activated in the uterus during labor in mice.Mechanical stimulation activates ENaC, which leads to activation of the transcription factor CREB, and subsequent production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines/factors in uterine epithelial cells.ENaC expression is also increased in mice with RU486‐induced preterm labor as well as in women with preterm labor.Interference with ENaC attenuates mechanically stimulated uterine contractions and significantly delays the RU486‐induced preterm labor in mice.ENaC is significantly and positively correlated with labor‐associated pro‐inflammatory factors in human maternal‐fetus tissue/blood collected at onset of birth in women in labor only. This study reveals a novel role for the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) in transducing the mechanical signal from uterine contractions that results in production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines during labor. ENaC has the potential to be targeted for the prevention and treatment of preterm labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]