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In case of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI), mitophagy is induced by multiple pathways such as PINK1/Parkin and mitophagy receptor, which is closely related to mitochondrial dynamic related protein. Mitophagy is a double-edged sword. Moderate mitophagy is effective in reducing the oxidative stress and maintaining mitochondria homeostasis, thereby reducing hepatocyte apoptosis and necrosis, inhibiting inflammation response and mitigating HIRI. However excessive mitophagy will aggravate HIRI. So research on the role and mechanism of mitophagy may facilitate the development of new strategy for prevention and clinical treatment of HIRI.

Background: Brachydactyly type E (BDE) is a general term characterized by variable shortening of metacarpals and metatarsals, with phalanges affected frequently. It can occur as an isolated form or part of syndromes and manifest a high degree of phenotypic variability. In this study, we have identified the clinical characteristics and pathogenic causes of a four‐generation pedigree with 10 members affected by BDE and short stature. Methods: After the informed consent was signed, clinical data and peripheral blood samples were collected from available family members. Karyotype analysis, array‐CGH, next‐generation sequencing, and Sanger sequencing were employed to identity the pathogenic candidate gene. Results: No translocation or microdeletion/duplication was found in karyotype analysis and array‐CGH; hence, a novel heterozygous mutation, c.146dupA. p.S50Vfs*22, was detected by next‐generation sequencing in PTHLH gene, leading to a premature stop codon. Subsequently, the mutation was confirmed by Sanger sequencing and co‐segregation analysis. Conclusion: In this study, we described a novel heterozygous mutation (c.146dupA. p.S50Vfs*22) of gene PTHLH in a Chinese family. The mutation could induce a premature stop codon leading to a truncation of the protein. Our study broadened the mutation spectrum of PTHLH in BDE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capacitive deionization (CDI) based on the theory of a double electric layer has received much attention in the past two decades as a highly promising desalination technology, and carbon nanospheres are considered promising carbon-based electrode materials for CDI, which have been investigated by a large number of researchers. However, the isolation between the spheres greatly increases the contact resistance, limiting their application in CDI. To understand the effect of structure on the performance of CDI and to obtain a better CDI performance, solid carbon spheres and monodisperse hollow carbon spheres were prepared and compared with interconnected hollow carbon spheres (IHCSs). The resulting IHCSs, with their unique cavity structure and interconnected carbon walls, exhibited superior electrochemical performance and electrosorption capacity. In addition, we improved the electrical conductivity, surface wettability, and adsorption properties of the carbon nanospheres by incorporating nitrogen doping. By adjusting the amount of nitrogen functional groups in the carbon nanosphere precursors, we produced interconnected hollow carbon nanospheres with similar structures (particle size, specific surface area, and porosity) but different nitrogen contents and investigated the effects of different nitrogen contents on the CDI properties of hollow carbon nanospheres. The results indicated that interconnected hollow carbon nanospheres with a high nitrogen content (designated as NFs-2) demonstrated the best CDI performance, achieving an electrochemical adsorption capacity of 20.43 mg g–1 in a NaCl solution with a concentration of 500 mg L–1. Additionally, NFs-2 exhibited the largest specific surface area of 728 m2 g–1. Furthermore, NFs-2 displayed excellent cycle stability in a desalination cycle using a 100 mg L–1 NaCl solution, retaining up to 97.17% of its initial desalination capacity after 25 sorption–desorption cycles. These findings highlight the promising applications of NFs-2 in CDI technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries possess significant potential to replace conventional lead-acid batteries due to their high level of safety and low cost. However, because of the surface corrosion and dendrite growth of Zn anode during cycle process, its practical application is greatly limited. In this work, a cationic organic compound tetramethylammonium chloride (TMAC) was added into aqueous zinc-ion batteries. TMAC can provide steric hindrance and electrostatic shielding, protect the Zn anode surface, hinder the corrosion reaction, and inhibit the dendrite growth of zinc. The zinc anode, immersed in the electrolyte with TMAC additive, did not show corrosion and the formation of basic zinc sulfate (ZSOH) as a by-product after 7 days, while a large number of ZSOH by-products appeared without TMAC additive. The zinc deposition/stripping testing was carried out in the symmetrical battery (Zn||Zn). When TMAC was added into the electrolyte, short circuit did not occur for more than 200 h, while short circuit occurred in the electrolyte without addition for 120 h. In the full battery (V2O5||Zn) testing, the specific capacity of the battery with TMAC exceeded that of the battery without TMAC, and the cycle performance was also better than that of the battery without TMAC. Therefore, adding TMAC is a simple and effective way to improve the electrochemical performance of zinc anode and improve the stability of aqueous zinc-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a special type of lung cancer sensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy but is prone to drug resistance and recurrence and has a very poor prognosis. This study aimed to explore the potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for SCLC. Methods: After batch normalization of GSE40275, GSE1037, and GSE44447 datasets, R was used to screen SCLC's differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and hub genes. We used immunohistochemistry (IHC) to assess the tissue's expression level of the hub gene. The clinical value of the hub gene was further evaluated based on the collected clinical-pathological data. Results: In this study, a total of 230 DEGs (133 upregulated and 97 downregulated) were screened by the R package. The IHC showed that the expression of CCNA2 and CCNE2 in SCLC tissues was significantly higher than that in normal tissues (p < 0.01). Overexpression of CCNA2 was closely associated with the extensive period of NCCN (p = 0.004), tumor position (p = 0.046), and clinical stage (p = 0.002). The high expression levels of CCNE2 were related to high survival in chemotherapy patients (p = 0.019). Conclusion: CCNA2 and CCNE2 may serve as potential biomarkers of diagnosis and treatment for SCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is an appealing matrix for solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) due to its superior lithium salt dissolution ability. However, while such PEO‐based SPEs generally exhibit high crystallinity at room temperatures (∼30 °C), which severely hinders the application of SPEs. In this work, a Polymer‐In‐Salt solid electrolyte with a three‐dimensional frame structure was designed and fabricated with PVDF membrane as the frame and PEO‐in‐LiTFSI as a filler (PPIS). PPIS exhibits high ionic conductivity of 4.5×10−5 S m−1 and lithium transference number of 0.53 at room temperature with a wide electrochemical window beyond 5.5 V. Meanwhile, it exhibits excellent interfacial stability which can effectively suppress the growth of lithium dendrite. The assembled LFP/PPIS/Li solid‐state battery exhibits excellent rate performance and cycling stability at 30 °C and 60 °C. In addition, LFP/PPIS/Li pouch cell displays significant safety and functional flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiNixCoyMn1−x−yO2 (x ≥ 0.6, NCM) has attracted much attention due to its high specific capacity and energy density. However, capacity attenuation caused by Li+/Ni2+ mixing and structural instability inhibit its development and application. In order to solve these problems, we report a simple method to synthesize NCM cathodes via a one-step Ce4+-doping and CeO2-coating technique, which can reduce the degree of Li+/Ni2+ mixing and improve the structural stability. The Ce4+-doping not only effectively reduces the degree of Li+/Ni2+ mixing, but also enhances the (001) interplanar distance of NCM and improves Li+ diffusion. Furthermore, the CeO2-coating can reduce the direct contact between the NCM particles and electrolyte, which can reduce the harmful interface reaction, thus making the impedance increase more slowly. The Ce4+-doping and CeO2-coating of NCM particles led to a capacity retention of 96.3% at 1C (1C = 280 mA g−1) after 100 cycles. Therefore, the synthesis of NCM cathodes via a one-step Ce4+-doping and CeO2-coating technique is a superb way to improve the electrochemical properties of the NCM cathode in lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased adipocyte and decreased osteoblast differentiation, combined with the ectopic proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), represent the primary causes of osteoporosis. The dysregulation of numerous intracellular bioactive factors is responsible for the aberrant differentiation and growth of BM-MSCs. In this study, we focused on a new stimulative factor, integrator complex subunit 7 (INTS7), and its cooperative protein ATP-binding cassette subfamily D member 3 (ABCD3)/high-density lipoprotein-binding protein (HDLBP) in mouse BM-MSCs. We aimed to uncover the effects of the INTS7–ABCD3/HDLBP interaction on BM-MSC biological behaviors and the potential mechanism underlying these effects. Functional in vitro experiments showed that the suppression of the INTS7–ABCD3 interaction rather than HDLBP could impair BM-MSC proliferation and induce cell apoptosis. Moreover, Alizarin Red S and Oil Red O staining, respectively, revealed that INTS7 and ABCD3 knockdown but not HDLBP knockdown could decrease osteoblastic differentiation and accelerate the adipogenic differentiation of BM-MSCs. Mechanistically, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and histone γ-H2AX quantities significantly increased, whereas the levels of antioxidants declined due to INTS7 and ABCD3 inhibition in BM-MSCs. These findings indicated that the suppression of oxidative stress could be involved in the INTS7/ABCD3 co-regulatory mechanisms for BM-MSC proliferation and differentiation, identifying new potential candidates for osteoporosis therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur doping in carbonaceous materials is an effective approach to improve the performance of Li‐ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, sulfur‐implanted carbon dots‐embedded graphene (S‐CDs/rGO) as an anode material for LIBs is reported. A facile method is used to prepare S‐CDs/rGO by annealing the mixture of benzyl disulfide (BDS) and graphene oxide (GO). Herein, BDS serves as both the sulfur source and precursor of CDs. S‐CDs/rGO as an anode material for LIB delivers initial specific capacities of 938.8 mAh g−1 (first cycle) and 598.6 mAh g−1 (second cycle) at a current density of 100 mA g−1. S‐CDs/rGO exhibits superior cycling performance with good capacity retentions of 78.8% (500 cycles), 61.5% (2000 cycles), and 75.7% (2000 cycles) at higher current densities of 1000, 2000, and 3000 mA g−1, respectively. Moreover, the full cell assembly of the prepared S‐CDs/rGO as an anode and commercial LiFePO4 as a cathode in the voltage range of 1.5–3.9 V delivers a high reversible capacity of 203.3 mAh g−1 after extensive 1000 cycles at 500 mA g−1 with 51.8% retention (a low fading rate of 0.049% per cycle), rendering it as a promising anode material for application in high‐performance LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is closely linked to asbestos exposure and is an extremely aggressive tumor with poor prognosis. Objective: Our study aimed to elucidate hub genes and potential drugs in MPM by integrated bioinformatics analysis. Methods: GSE42977 was download from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database; the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with adj.p value <0.05 and |logFC| ≥2 were identified. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed by DAVID database. The STRING database was used to construct a protein-protein interaction network, and modules analysis and hub genes acquisition were performed by Cytoscape. The Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database was used to assess the impact of hub genes on the prognosis of MPM patients. The Drug-Gene Interaction database (DGIdb) was used to select the related drugs. Results: A total of 169 upregulated and 70 downregulated DEGs were identified. These DEGs are enriched in the pathway of extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and PPAR signaling pathway. Finally, 10 hub genes (CDC20, CDK1, UBE2C, TOP2A, CCNB2, NUSAP1, KIF20A, AURKA, CEP55, and ASPM) were identified, which are considered to be closely related to the poor prognosis of MPM. In addition, 119 related drugs that may have a therapeutic effect on MPM were filtered out. Conclusion: These discovered genes and small-molecule drugs provide some new ideas for further research on MPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid‐state poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) electrolyte exhibits a low ionic conductivity at ambient conditions, and large interfacial resistance between PEO and electrodes obstructs its applications in lithium metal batteries. Heterogeneous solid electrolytes (HSEs) are an alluring solution for the exploitation of PEO. Herein, PEO/poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP)/micron‐sized Li1.4Al0.4Ti1.6(PO4)3 (LATP) heterogeneous solid electrolytes are originally prepared to decrease the crystallinity of PEO and interfacial resistance between HSEs and electrodes. Heterogeneous solid electrolyte composed of PEO/PVDF‐HFP/5% micron‐sized LATP (PPL‐5) exhibits superior electrochemical properties in ionic conductivity (3.01 × 10−5 S cm−1), lithium transference number (0.55) at 30 °C, and a broad potential window (5.31 V). Li/PPL‐5/Li symmetric cell displays a relatively stable potential response during 800 h cycling, authenticating long‐term compatibility between the as‐prepared electrolyte and lithium metal. LiFePO4 (LFP) is used as a cathode to test the chemical and electrochemical stability of PPL‐5. The discharge capacity of LFP/PPL‐5/Li coin cell maintains 97.9 mAh g−1 at 0.8 C after 500 cycles with capacity retention of 86.7%. Such excellent performance of PPL‐5 can be ascribed to the reduction of crystallinity of PEO and the improvement of the interfacial contact between electrolyte and electrodes, when PVDF‐HFP and micron‐sized LATP are simultaneously incorporated with PEO electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searching for new materials and battery architecture is highly essential for developing scalable energy storage systems with good reliability, low cost, long cycle life, and high power density. Here, we report the fabrication of a simple and cheap aqueous battery with potential for low‐cost energy storage. In this battery, a quinoid‐modified activated carbon (AC‐AQS) electrode is adopted as the anode and a porous carbon felt is exploited as the current collector in the cathode for reversible MnO2 deposition (MnO2‐C) from Mn2+ in the electrolyte. This MnO2‐C/AC‐AQS battery delivers an outstanding power density (4.4 kW kg−1), excellent cycling stability (99.9 % of the maximum discharge capacity is maintained after 10 000 cycles), and limited self‐discharging. A maximum energy density of 102.5 Wh kg−1 under the charging capacity of 1.2 mAh cm−2 is achieved. Moreover, owing to the ultrafast redox kinetics of cathode and anode, it can be charged to 0.8 mAh cm−2 within 57.6 s, demonstrating excellent rate capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanisms by which interleukin (IL)-22 regulates cisplatin (DDP) sensitivity in osteosarcoma cells. Firstly, reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q) PCR and western blotting demonstrated that IL-22 expression was significantly increased in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines compared with the adjacent normal tissues and the normal osteoblast hFOB1.19 cells. Subsequently, the MG63 osteosarcoma cell line and cisplatin-resistant MG63/DDP osteosarcoma cell line were treated with different concentrations of cisplatin (2.5, 5.0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 µg/ml), and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was calculated based on the MTT assay. The results showed that the IC50 of DDP in MG63/DDP cells was significantly higher than that in MG63 cells. Furthermore, IL-22 expression was higher in MG63/DDP cells compared with MG63 cells. Subsequently, the effects of IL-22 downregulation and overexpression on MG63/DDP and MG63 cells were assessed using the MTT assay, flow cytometry, RT-qPCR and western blotting. The IL-22 small interfering (si) RNA in MG63/DDP cells significantly decreased the IC50 of DDP and decreased the cell viability of MG63/DDP cells. Furthermore, IL-22 RNA interference decreased BCl-2 expression and phosphorylation of STAT3, induced apoptosis, and increased the expression of Bax and cleaved caspase-3. The IL-22 overexpression plasmid had opposite effects to the observations in IL-22 siRNA-transfected MG63 cells. Overall, the present study indicated that IL-22 regulated the cell viability and apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells by regulating the activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway and affecting the expression of apoptosis-associated genes, and thereby mediating the sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells to cisplatin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to compare the effects of adding sodium butyrate (SB), medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), or n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) to the diet of sows during late gestation and lactation on the reproductive performance of sows and the growth performance and intestinal health of suckling piglets. Twenty-four sows (Landrace × Large-White hybrid; third parity; 200 ± 15 kg) were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 4 diets: basal diet (control group), basal diet + 1 g SB/kg (SB group), basal diet + 7.75 g MCFA/kg (MCFA group), or basal diet + 68.2 g n-3 PUFA/kg (n-3 PUFA group). The experiment began on day 85 of gestation and ended day 22 of lactation. Colostrum samples were collected from each sow. After the experiment, blood and tissue samples were collected from 1 randomly selected piglet. The results showed that the weaning-to-estrus interval of sows in the SB, MCFA, and n-3 PUFA groups was shorter than that of sows in the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of diarrhea in suckling piglets in the SB, MCFA, and n-3 PUFA groups was lower than that of piglets in the control group (P < 0.05). The fat, protein, IgA, IgG, and IgM concentration in colostrum from sows increased following dietary supplementation with SB, MCFA, or n-3 PUFA (P < 0.05). Comparison with the control group, the mRNA expression of claudin-1, zona occludens 1, and interleukin-10 increased in the jejunum mucosa of suckling piglets in the SB, MCFA, and n-3 PUFA groups, while that of TLR4 decreased (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the Chao1 and ACE indexes of microbial flora in the colon contents of piglets in the SB, MCFA, and MCFA groups increased (P < 0.05), while the relative abundance of Firmicutes , Actinobacteria , and Synergistetes decreased at the phylum level (P < 0.05). In conclusion, during late pregnancy and lactation, dietary SB supplementation had a greater effect on intestinal health and caused a greater decrease in preweaning mortality of suckling piglets than did dietary MCFA or n-3 PUFA supplementation; dietary MCFA supplementation shortened the weaning-to-estrus interval of sows to a greater extent than did dietary SB or n-3 PUFA supplementation; and dietary n-3 PUFA supplementation increased the fat and protein content in the colostrum to the greatest extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was performed to determine if pyruvate, which acts as a critical intermediate in energy metabolism, can substitute the role of glutamate as a metabolic fuel and effectively reduce nitrogen excretion in pigs. First, the experiment in vitro was carried out to investigate the effects of culturing porcine small intestinal epithelial cell line with pyruvate on the oxidation. Then, barrows weighing 40 kg were used in the experiment investigating the changes of nitrogen balance in response to addition of pyruvate to low-protein diets. Last, barrows (40 kg), which were surgically fitted with permanent catheters in the mesenteric vein, portal vein, hepatic vein, and carotid artery, were used to investigate the effects of supplementing low-protein diets with calcium pyruvate on the net portal fluxes of amino acids (AAs) and the consumption of AAs in the liver. The results showed that culturing cells with sodium pyruvate significantly reduced the number of glutamate oxidation (P < 0.05). Addition of calcium pyruvate to low-protein diets significantly reduced urinary nitrogen excretion from 13.2 g/d (18.0% crude protein, CP) to 10.3 g/d (15.0% CP) or 7.80 g/d (13.5% CP) and total nitrogen excretion from 22.5 g/d (18.0% CP) to 17.8 g/d (15.0% CP) or 14.2 g/d (13.5% CP) (P < 0.05), without obviously negative effects on the nitrogen retention (P > 0.05). Addition of calcium pyruvate to low-protein diets significantly decreased essential AA consumption rate in the liver (P < 0.05). This diet modification reduced the net portal fluxes of NH3, glycine, and alanine, as well as urea production rate in the liver (P < 0.05). The results indicated that pyruvate is an effective substitute for glutamate as a supplement in low-protein diets, reducing porcine nitrogen excretion and nitrogen consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We performed geochronological and geochemical analyses of the A‐type granite in the Hongol area, central Inner Mongolia, to determine its age, petrogenesis and tectonic setting, which are significant for clarifying the Late Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Xing'an Mongolian Orogenic Belt (XMOB). The rock type of the A‐type granite in the Hongol area is alkali‐feldspar granite, and it constitutes a western part of the Baiyinwula–Dongujimqin A‐type granite belt. Zircon U–Pb geochronology yields 206Pb/238U ages ranging from 293 to 286 Ma for the alkali‐feldspar granite, indicating this granitic pluton formed in the Early Permian. The alkali‐feldspar granite is high in silica (SiO2=75.13wt%–80.17wt%), aluminum (Al2O3=10.59wt%–13.17wt%) and alkali (Na2O+K2O=7.33wt%–9.11wt%), and low in MgO (0.08wt%–0.39wt%) and CaO (0.19wt%–0.70wt%). It is obviously enriched in LILEs such as Rb, Th and K, depleted in HFSEs such as Nb, Ti, La and Ce, with pronounced negative anomalies of Nb, Ti, P, Eu, Sr and Ba. Its Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic compositions show positive εNd(t) (+0.72–+3.08), low TDM2 (805–997 Ma), and high radioactive Pb with (206Pb/204Pb)i of 18.710–19.304, (207Pb/204Pb)i of 15.557–15.604 and (208Pb/204Pb)i of 37.887–38.330. Petrological characteristics and geochemical data suggest that the alkali‐feldspar granite in the Hongol area belongs to aluminous A‐type granite. This A‐type granite formed in a post‐collisional extensional setting and was generated by the partial melting of felsic rocks in the middle‐lower crust resulting from post‐collisional slab breakoff. It is suggested that the Paleo‐Asian Ocean was closed before the Permian in central Inner Mongolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We undertook zircon U-Pb dating and geochemical analyses of volcanic rocks from the Manitu Formation in the Hongol area, northeastern Inner Mongolia, to determine their age, petrogenesis and sources, which are important for understanding the Late Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the Great Xing'an Range. The volcanic rocks of the Manitu Formation from the Hongol area consist primarily of trachyandesite, based on their chemical compositions. The zircons from two of these trachyandesites are euhedral-subhedral in shape, display clear oscillatory growth zoning and have high Th/U ratios (0.31-1.15), indicating a magmatic origin. The results of LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating indicate that the volcanic rocks from the Manitu Formation in the Hongol area formed during the early Early Cretaceous with ages of 138.9-140.5 Ma. The volcanic rocks are high in alkali (Na2O + K2O = 6.22-8.26 wt%), potassium (K2O = 2.49-4.58 wt%) and aluminium (Al2O3 = 14.27-15.88 wt%), whereas they are low in iron (total Fe2O3 = 3.76-6.53 wt%) and titanium (TiO2 = 1.02-1.61 wt%). These volcanic rocks are obviously enriched in large ion lithophile elements, such as Rb, Ba, Th and U, and light rare earth elements, and are depleted in high field strength elements, such as Nb, Ta and Ti with pronounced negative anomalies. Their Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions show positive ∊Nd( t) (+0.16‰ to+1.64‰) and low TDM( t) (694-767 Ma). The geochemical characteristics of these volcanic rocks suggest that they belong to a shoshonitic series and were likely generated from the partial melting of an enriched lithospheric mantle that was metasomatised by fluids released from a subducted slab during the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean. Elemental and isotopic features reveal that fractional crystallization with the removal of ferromagnesian minerals, plagioclase, ilmenite, magnetite and apatite played an important role during the evolution of the magma. These shoshonitic rocks were produced by the partial melting of the enriched lithospheric mantle in an extensional regime, which resulted from the gravitational collapse following the final closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean in the Middle-Late Jurassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on a study to perform geochronologicaland geochemical investigations of the Chagangnuer mafic intrusion in central Inner Mongolia and mentions the formation of Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) by the progressive subduction of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. Topics discussed include enrichment in large ionlithophile elements, the tectonic regime of the central Inner Mongolia region, and Cathodoluminescence images of the zircon grains.

In this paper, we report the anisotropic optical and catalytic properties of wurtzite-type hexagonal CoO (h-CoO) nanocrystals, an unusual nanosized indirect semiconductor material. h-CoO nanoplates and nanorods with a divided morphology have been synthesized via facile solution methods. The employment of flash-heating and surfactant tri-n-octylphosphine favors the formation of plate-like morphology, whereas the utilization of cobalt stearate as a precursor is critical for the synthesis of nanorods. Structural analyses indicate that the basal plane of the nanoplates is (001) face and the growth direction of the nanorods is along the c axis. Moreover, the UV–vis absorption spectra, the corresponding energy gap and the catalytic properties are found to vary with the crystal shape and the dimensions of the as-prepared h-CoO nanocrystals. Furthermore, remarkable catalytic activities for H2 generation from the hydrolysis of alkaline NaBH4 solutions have been observed for the as-prepared h-CoO nanocrystals. The calculated Arrhenius activation energies show a decreasing trend with increasing extension degree along the 〈001〉 direction, which is in agreement with the variation of the charge-transfer energy gap. Finally the maximum hydrogen generation rate of the h-CoO nanoplates exceeds most of the reported values of transition metal or noble metal containing catalysts performing in the same reaction system, which makes them a low-cost alternative to commonly used noble metal catalysts in H2 generation from the hydrolysis of borohydrides, and might find potential applications in the field of green energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Co3O4/AAO composite with novel morphology was successfully prepared by the solution-dipping method and the calcination of cobalt acetate precursor at 400°C for 2h in air. Porous anodic alumina (AAO) thin film was selected as new substrate to support colloidal monolayer template. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis indicated that the morphology of the as-prepared product could be controlled by changing the concentration of precursor. Catalytic test shows that the obtained Co3O4/AAO composite has a high decolorization ratio in the degradation of methylene blue (MB), which reaches 97.79% in 140min in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH4). Comparative experiments show that this nanomaterial has enhanced catalytic performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Northwestern Fujian contains abundant well-studied Precambrian basement, and was a composite terrane in Cathaysia during the Neoproterozoic; however, its magmatic activity, petrogenesis, and tectonic evolution remain controversial. This article focuses on the geochronology and geochemistry of the Neoproterozoic Group in order to resolve the above problems. We provide new SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating for the Mamianshan Group: 851.9 ± 9.2 to 825.5 ± 9.8 Ma for the Longbeixi Formation, 796.5 ± 9.3 Ma for the Dongyan Formation, and 756.2 ± 7.2 Ma for the Daling Formation. These ages document the existence of Neoproterozoic magmatism in the northwestern Cathaysia Block. Dongyan Nd-Sr isotopic data show that mafic amphibolite schists, mafic greenschists, and quartzofeldspathic schists were derived from a more depleted mantle (initial εNd˜ +5.5 and87Sr/86Sr ratio 0.703409643), a mixture of depleted mantle and crustal components (initial εNd˜ −1 and87Sr/86Sr ratio 0.702045282–0.704147714), and late Palaeoproterozoic continental crustal materials (initial εNd< −1 and87Sr/86Sr ratio 0.71083603), respectively. These new data, together with previous studies, suggest a bi-subduction-collision orogenic model for the Neoproterozoic evolution of the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks. Our plate tectonic scenario involves earlier NW-dipping subduction during 1.0 Ga–860 Ma along the southeastern margin of the Yangtze Block and later NW-dipping subduction near the northwestern margin of the Cathaysia Block starting at ca. 850 Ma. The 796.5 ± 9.3 Ma age of the volcanic Dongyan Formation suggests that the final assembly of the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks probably occurred after ca. 800 Ma. The 756.2 ± 7.2 Ma age of the Daling Formation indicates that post-orogenic extensional magmatism took place after 800 Ma along the northwestern margin of Cathaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The micro-mechanical properties of hardened cement paste can be obtained by nanoindentation. Phases at different locations can generally be determined by using the Gaussian mixture model (GMM) method and the K-means clustering (KM) method. However, there are differences between analysis methods. In this study, pore structure and porosity of hardened cement paste aged three, seven, and 28 days were obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), and their micro-mechanical properties were obtained by the nanoindentation method. A new method, GMM-MIP and KM-MIP, was proposed to determine the phase of hardened cement paste based on the pore structure and nanoindentation results. The results show that GMM-MIP and KM-MIP methods are more reasonable than GMM and KM methods in determining the phase of hardened cement paste. GMM-MIP can be used to obtain reasonable phase distribution. If the micro-mechanical properties of each phase in hardened cement paste do not satisfy the normal distribution, the GMM method has significant defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]