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Mandating domestic waste separation is essential for solving the urban waste crisis, but it remains unclear what kind of mandatory policy in detail is more effective or counterproductive. This current study described the mandatory policy of waste separation as a configuration of five attributes, i.e. economic punishment, social punishment, supervision, charges, and community governance. Based on data mining and text analysis of the messages from Sina Weibo, the concurrent effects of those attributes were analysed by a qualitative comparative analysis from 44 pilot cities in China. The study found three configurations of high willingness by residents to separate waste, which all require different mandatory policy attributes working together. Specifically, H1a is the combination of supervision, community governance, and economic punishment; and H1b is a combination of social punishment, community governance, and economic punishment. In configuration H2, supervision and community governance are core conditions, while charges and economic punishment are not necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trimethylamine- N -oxide (TMAO) is derived from the gut microbiome and tissues metabolism of dietary choline and betaine. These molecules are closely related to the development of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. A rapid, sensitive and accurate method has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of trimethylamine N -oxide (TMAO), choline and betaine in human plasma using d9-trimethylamine N -oxide (TMAO), d9-choline, d9-betaine as the internal standard (IS). After methanol precipitation with 10 μL plasma samples, the analytes were extracted and then separated on Amide column (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.7 μm, waters) with an isocratic elution program consisting of acetonitrile-water (containing 10 mM ammonium formate pH = 3.0) at a flow of 400 μL/min. The detection was achieved under the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) scan using positive electrospray ionization (ESI+) in 3 min. The mass transitions monitored were as follows: m / z 76.3 → 58.4 for TMAO, m / z 104.2 → 60.3 for choline, m / z 118.1 → 58.3 for betaine, m / z 85.1 → 66.3 for d9-TMAO, m / z 113.2 → 69.3 for d9-choline, and m / z 127.1 → 67.2 for d9-betaine, respectively. The method has been fully validated for specificity, lower limit of quantification, linearity, stability, intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision. This assay combines simple sample processing with a short run time and small plasma volumes, making it well suited for high-throughput routine clinical or research purposes. The newly developed method was successfully applied to the patients ( n  = 220) suffered from acute stroke, and the concentration of choline was firstly found to be closely related with the prognosis of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis of cyclic carbonates by the cycloaddition of CO2 in flue gas offers a promising path to valorize CO2. Here we demonstrate that the PP1,4Br/ZnCl2 catalytic system can efficiently capture CO2 from flue gas and in situ catalyze the cycloaddition reaction to form cyclic carbonates. Under optimized conditions, up to 98% yield of cyclic carbonates is achieved. This catalytic system displays good tolerance to substrates with oxygen- and silicon-based functional groups, and exhibits excellent recyclability and water resistance for potential applications. In addition, the results of scale-up experiments (750 mmol) show that the PP1,4Br/ZnCl2 system has outstanding CO2 capture and conversion ability. The residual content of CO2 in the system after the reaction was 600 ppm, which realizes the integration of CO2 capture and transformation into value-added chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of legume green manure (LGM) is a traditional and valuable practice for agroecosystem management. In the present study, we conducted a meta-analysis to explore the effect of LGM on the yields of three major grain crops in China under different cropping systems and environmental conditions based on 315 field trial datasets. LGM application increased the yield of the three major grain crops significantly by 12.60% compared to those under no LGM application, with wheat, maize, and rice yields increasing significantly by 9.49%, 16.70%, and 19.22%, respectively. In addition, yield increases were significant under crop rotation with grain crops but not under intercropping. The amount of LGM returned to the field (dry weight) at only 2000–3000 kg/ha and 3000–4000 kg/ha increased yield significantly by 12.32% and 11.94%, respectively. The greatest yield increases were observed when annual precipitation was higher than 600 mm, while annual average temperature was higher than 10 °C, and when soil organic matter content was 0–10 g/kg, with 19.64%, 14.11%, and 32.63% increases, respectively. All regions in China, excluding North China, had significant yield increases, with the largest yield increase, 27.12%, observed in Northeast China. The results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that LGM increases yield of all the three major grain crops in China. Additionally, the benefits were also observed under appropriate planting system, green manure biomass, and environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since electromagnetic pollution is becoming more and more serious, novel composite microwave absorbents are gaining much attention. Here, Co 3 Fe 7 /C core–shell microspheres for microwave absorption were synthesized for the first time. At first, hollow CoFe 2 O 4 microspheres were prepared via a solvothermal method at 200 °C for 15 h. Then CoFe 2 O 4 -hydrochar microspheres were synthesized by hydrothermal method in an aqueous glucose solution containing hollow CoFe 2 O 4 microspheres. After annealed under Ar atmosphere at 500 °C, the CoFe 2 O 4 -hydrochar microspheres were converted into CoFe 2 O 4 –Co 3 Fe 7 /C microspheres. Co 3 Fe 7 /C core–shell microspheres came into being after annealed at 600 °C. Both the CoFe 2 O 4 –Co 3 Fe 7 nanoparticles and Co 3 Fe 7 nanoparticles were encapsulated in the carbon shells, and the microsphere morphology could be retained during the carbothermal process. Especially, the core–shell structure caused that the density of the Co 3 Fe 7 /C microspheres was below 2 g/cm 3 . Resulting from the synergistic effect of Co 3 Fe 7 nanoparticles and partially graphitized carbon, the minimum reflection loss (RL) of Co 3 Fe 7 /C microspheres was as low as −44.4 dB obtained with 1.6 mm thickness. Owing to the characteristics of low density and good microwave absorption, the Co 3 Fe 7 /C core–shell microspheres could be used as a lightweight and highly efficient microwave absorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To cut the cost of microwave absorption materials (MAMs) and achieve the recycling of semicoke (SC), the by‐product in coal hydrogasification process, SC was applied to prepare composite MAMs. The facile synthesis process involves liquid‐phase impregnation, and then in situ carbothermal reduction treatment. Champion sample prepared under 800 °C (FeSC800) exhibits the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −39.3 dB under a coating thickness of 2.5 mm, and the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) can reach 3.9 GHz (14.1–18 GHz) at a coating thickness of 1.5 mm. The enhancement of interfacial and dipole polarization, as well as the synergistic effect between the dielectric properties of SC matrix and the magnetic properties of Fe particles, can account for the excellent microwave absorption (MA) performance. In view of the source of SC matrix, the prepared FeSC800 was not only expected to become a candidate in the field of MAMs, but also presented a promising approach for the resource utilization of SC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramics with aluminum borate whiskers (ABWs) were prepared from H3BO3 and Al2O3 reagent, with and without 6 wt% MnO2 used as an addition. The microstructures, phase composition, and crystal structure of the ceramics were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction, respectively. The results show that MnO2 is an effective addition for enhancing the flexural strength of ceramics. The MnO2 could lead to the distortion of lattice, and improve the mechanical strength via a solid solution strengthening mechanism. Moreover, the content of H3BO3 and the sintering temperature were also key factors in the manufacture of optimal ceramics. The ceramic made from 6 wt% MnO2 addition, 25 wt% H3BO3, and sintered at 1200°C, showed the highest flexural strength of 88.5 (±1.9) MPa, and had a bulk density of 1.64 g/cm3 and porosity of 44.2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since electromagnetic pollution is becoming more and more serious, the lightweight and highly efficient microwave absorbents are urgently needed to absorb unwanted electromagnetic microwaves. In this work, single-crystal octahedral CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles with the diameter of about 20–25 nm were successfully incorporated into the porous carbon balls (CB) via a one-step hydrothermal method. The incorporation of the CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles into CB reduced the dielectric loss and increased the magnetic loss, resulting in better impedance matching. When the CoFe 2 O 4 content in CoFe 2 O 4 /CB composites was 10 wt.%, the minimum reflection loss (RL) was as low as −37.2 dB, and the frequency band of RL below −10 dB was 12.9–17.1 GHz obtained with 1.5 mm thickness. This excellent microwave absorption performance was much better than that of the pure octahedral CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles, CB, and CoFe 2 O 4 /CB composites with CoFe 2 O 4 content of 8.5 wt.%. Owing to the low density of 1.1–1.2 g/cm 3 and good microwave absorption, the CoFe 2 O 4 /CB composite can meet the multiple requirements of microwave absorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, monodisperse hollow cobalt ferrite (CoFe 2 O 4 ) microspheres with mean diameter of 150 nm and shell thickness of 50 nm have been successfully prepared via a one-pot solvothermal method. In order to improve the microwave absorption, a thermal reduction process was designed to synthesize hollow CoFe 2 O 4 –Co 3 Fe 7 microspheres. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images showed that the CoFe 2 O 4 –Co 3 Fe 7 microspheres retained hollow structure. Microwave absorption results revealed that hollow CoFe 2 O 4 –Co 3 Fe 7 microspheres exhibited much stronger electromagnetic absorption than the original hollow CoFe 2 O 4 microspheres. Most importantly, when the sample thickness was 1.3 mm, the reflection loss (RL) less than −10 dB was obtained in the frequency range of 12.5–17.7 GHz, which nearly covered the entire Ku-band. When the sample thickness increased to 2 mm, the minimum RL was as high as −41.6 dB with the effective bandwidth (the bandwidth of RL at −10 dB) of 3 GHz. The enhanced microwave absorption was attributed to efficient complement between dielectric loss and magnetic loss. These results indicated that the hollow CoFe 2 O 4 –Co 3 Fe 7 microspheres could be used as a new candidate for microwave absorbents, especially in Ku-band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer (PCa) as competitive endogenous RNA. The present study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 16 (SNHG16) in the proliferation and metastasis of PCa cells. Cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues were collected from 80 patients with PCa who did not receive any treatment. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis was performed to detect the expression levels of SNHG16, hsa-microRNA (miRNA/miR)-373-3p and transforming growth factor-β receptor type 2 (TGF-β-R2), and Spearman's correlation coefficient analysis was performed to assess the correlations between these molecules. Furthermore, the effects of SNHG16 knockdown and overexpression on the biological functions of DU-145 PCa cells and TGF-β-R2/SMAD signaling were analyzed. The dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to assess the associations between SNHG16 and miR-373-3p, and TGF-β-R2 and miR-373-3p, the effects of which were verified via rescue experiments. The results demonstrated that the expression levels of SNHG16 and TGF-β-R2 were significantly upregulated in PCa tissues, whereas miR-373-3p expression was significantly downregulated (P<0.001). In addition, negative correlations were observed between SNHG16 and miR-373-3p (rho, −0.631) and miR-373-3p and TGF-β-R2 (rho, −0.516). Overexpression of SNHG16 significantly promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of PCa cells (P<0.05), and significantly increased the protein expression levels of TGF-β-R2, phosphorylated (p)-SMAD2, p-SMAD3, c-Myc and E2F4 (P<0.001). Notably, the results revealed that miR-373-3p is a target of SNHG16, and miR-373-3p knockdown rescued short hairpin (sh)-SNHG16-suppressed cellular functions by promoting TGF-β-R2/SMAD signaling. The results also revealed that miR-373-3p targets TGF-β-R2. Notably, transfection with miR-373-3p inhibitor rescued sh-TGF-β-R2-suppressed cell proliferation and migration. Taken together, the results of the present study suggest that SNHG16 promotes the proliferation and migration of PCa cells by targeting the miR-373-3p/TGF-β-R2/SMAD axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The regulatory mechanism of BCAAs in microorganisms were described. • The advances of engineering strategies for improving the BCAAs titer was provided. • The challenges and countermeasures of the BCAAs synthesis were discussed. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) such as L-valine, L-leucine, and L-isoleucine are widely used in food and feed. To comply with sustainable development goals, commercial production of BCAAs has been completely replaced with microbial fermentation. However, the efficient production of BCAAs by microorganisms remains a serious challenge due to their staggered metabolic networks and cell growth. To overcome these difficulties, systemic metabolic engineering has emerged as an effective and feasible strategy for the biosynthesis of BCAA. This review firstly summarizes the research advances in the microbial synthesis of BCAAs and representative engineering strategies. Second, systematic methods, such as high-throughput screening, adaptive laboratory evolution, and omics analysis, can be used to analyses the synthesis of BCAAs at the whole-cell level and further improve the titer of target chemicals. Finally, new tools and engineering strategies that may increase the production output and development direction of the microbial production of BCAAs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Relying on mutual orthogonality between subcarriers of different users in orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems and mutual orthogonality between spreading codes in code-division multiple-access (CDMA) systems, a novel transmitter design is proposed for group layered space–frequency block code (GLSFBC)–OFDM–CDMA communication systems over frequency-selective fading channels. The proposed method is based on a three-level design of user codes: the top level (based on OFDMA) deals with group interference and intersymbol interference (ISI), the middle level (based on space–frequency block coding) results in space–frequency diversity, and the lower level (based on CDMA) handles multiuser interference. The new approach only needs one receive antenna to distinguish multiple users and suppress group interference simultaneously, so the complexity of the receiver decreases remarkably. Simulation results confirm the validity of the proposed technique. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An asymmetric hydrophobic microporous membrane from the copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and vinyliden fluoride (F2.4) has been fabricated by phase inversion process. Some characteristics, such as mechanical properties and hydrophobicity, have been examined and compared with polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) membrane. Experimental data exhibit F2.4 membrane excellent mechanical properties and hydrophobicity. F2.4 microporous membrane was approximately 6–8 times as high as PVDF membrane in stretching strain and extension ratio at break, and contact angle to distilled water of the fore (88.5°) was larger than the latter (80.0°), too. The results from membrane distillation (MD) process were well agreed with the fundamental laws of membrane distillation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Flat-sheet microporous membranes from F2.4 for membrane distillation (MD) were prepared by phase inversion process. Dimethylacetamide (DMAC) and LiClO4·3H2O/trimethyl phosphate (TMP) were, respectively, used as solvent and pore-forming additives. The effects of casting solution composition, exposure time prior to coagulation and temperature of precipitation bath on F2.4 membrane structure were investigated. The morphology of resultant porous membrane was observed by scanning electron microcopy. Some natures of F2.4 porous membrane after drying in air, such as mechanical properties and hydrophobicity, were exhibited and compared with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane prepared by the same ways. Stress-at-break and strength stress of F2.4 microporous membrane are higher than that of PVDF membrane, and elongation percentage of F2.4 membrane at break is about eight-fold as great as that of PVDF membrane. Contact angle of F2.4 microporous membrane to water (86.6±0.51°) was also larger than that of PVDF membrane (80.0±0.78°). MD experiment was carried out using a direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) configuration as final test to permeate performance of resultant microporous membrane. The permeate flux of F2.4 experimental membrane was higher than that of PVDF membrane under the same operational conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To develop a novel utilization avenue for fly ash (FA), the Co‐loaded FA (CoFA) was constructed utilizing FA as raw material to acquire the enhanced microwave absorption (MA) performance. In this study, the CoFA composites were fabricated by a two‐step method, including the construction of FA‐based ceramic matrix and a subsequent loading of magnetic components. The results of XRD, SEM, and elemental mapping images revealed that Co particles generated from the carbothermal reduction were well dispersed over the interior and surface of matrix. Compared with pure FA, the as‐prepared CoFA composites demonstrated the impressive MA performances, which were attributed to the good impedance matching, conduction loss, and interfacial polarization effect between the matrix and Co. When the annealing temperature kept at 700°C, the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of as‐prepared CoFA700 reached up to −40.5 dB and the broad absorption band was measured to be 4.7 GHz with a thickness of 2.0 mm, which was superior to pure FA. Our strategy might provide a new direction to the fabrication of high‐efficient MA materials derived from FA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The zeolite with 10 % addition reduced 28 % NH 3 and 55 % N 2 O emissions in total. • The NO 3 − content in 10 % zeolite group was 17 % higher than that in CK group. • More NO 2 − formed NH 3 , rather than being converted to NOx by denitrification in zeolite groups. • The abundance of nitrification genes amoA and hao increased except nxrA in zeolite groups. • Zeolite decreased the abundance of denitrification genes narG , nirK and nosZ at 20 d. Co-composting of chicken manure, straw and zeolite was investigated in a water bath heating system to estimate the effect of zeolite on physicochemical properties and metabolic functions related to nitrogen conversion. The results indicated that NH 3 catches by zeolite was concentrated in the early stage and zeolite with 10 % addition reduced 28 % NH 3 and 55 % N 2 O emissions as compost ended. The nitrate content in 10 % zeolite group was 17 % higher than that in control group. There was no significant increase of NO 2 − in zeolite group. More NO 2 − formed NH 3 , rather than being converted to NOx through denitrification. The abundance of nitrification genes amoA and hao increased except nxrA in zeolite groups. Denitrification was the most obvious at 20 d and zeolite decreased the abundance of denitrification genes narG , nirK and nosZ at this time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An industrial-strength erythritol hyperproducer was obtained by CRISPR/Cas9 system. • Eleven target genes and one high-strength promoter were obtained and verified. • The optimized pentose phosphate pathway increased erythritol titer by 12.5-fold. • The highest erythritol titer of 256 g/L was reached in a 5-L bioreactor. In recent times, there has been a growing interest in exploring microbial strains that exhibit enhanced erythritol productivity. Nonetheless, the lack of advanced synthetic biology tools has limited rapid strain development. In this study, the CRISPR/Cas9 system was employed to genetically modify Yarrowia lipolytica at the chromosomal level, which could improve the production of erythritol while saving the time required to markers recovery, and realizing the rapid construction of high-erythritol strains. Firstly, the basic strain E004 was generated by increasing the efficiency of homologous recombination and regulating the erythritol degradation pathway. Secondly, eleven key gene targets and a strong promoter 8UAS1B XPR2 -P TEFin was obtained by target screening and promoter engineering. Finally, based on modular pathway engineering and morphological engineering, the high production of erythritol was achieved successfully. The best-engineered strain E326 produced 256 g/L erythritol in a 5-L bioreactor, which is the highest production level reported so far in Y. lipolytica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dependence of the economic development of a region on its energy consumption is a major challenge for developing countries. The aggregate embodied energy intensity (AEI) based on an input-output framework reflects the interaction between regional economy and energy consumption driven by final demand. Studying the change in AEI from the perspective of sector production and final demand can effectively control the source and trend of energy intensity change in order to control the growth of energy intensity. However, there is a relative lack of studies determining the causes of AEI changes from the perspective of sectors and final demands. This study attempted to identify the influencing factors of AEI changes and establish an AEI-based environmental policy in China. A multiplicative structural decomposition analysis and a structural path analysis were used to study the AEI under conditions of different final demands, sectors, and transmission layers, along with the factors influencing AEI changes in China from 2012 to 2017. Our results indicate that the final demand category of gross fixed capital formation made the largest contribution to AEI changes in 2012 and 2017, and the multiplicative intensity factor significantly inhibited the decrease in AEI. Among the sectors studied, only a few were found to significantly affect the change in AEI, with "S11-Processing of petroleum, coking, and nuclear fuel", "S12-Chemical industry", and "S14-Smelting and rolling of metals" being the key sectors that input high-energy-consumption products to other sectors. Image 1 • Multiplicative SDA and Structural Path Analysis are applied to I-O model. • Key sectors for the decrease of aggregate embodied energy intensity are identified. • Aggregate embodied energy intensity changes of transmission layers are decomposed. • Key transmission paths of embodied energy flows among sectors are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous density‐functional theory (DFT) calculations show that sub‐nanometric Cu clusters (i.e. 13 atoms) favorably generate CH4 from the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), but experimental evidence is lacking. Herein, a facile impregnation‐calcination route towards Cu clusters, having a diameter of about 1.0 nm with about 10 atoms, was developed by double confinement of carbon defects and micropores. These Cu clusters enable high selectivity for the CO2RR with a maximum Faraday efficiency of 81.7 % for CH4. Calculations and experimental results show that the Cu clusters enhance the adsorption of *H and *CO intermediates, thus promoting generation of CH4 rather than H2 and CO. The strong interactions between the Cu clusters and defective carbon optimize the electronic structure of the Cu clusters for selectivity and stability towards generation of CH4. Provided here is the first experimental evidence that sub‐nanometric Cu clusters facilitate the production of CH4 from the CO2RR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous density‐functional theory (DFT) calculations show that sub‐nanometric Cu clusters (i.e. 13 atoms) favorably generate CH4 from the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), but experimental evidence is lacking. Herein, a facile impregnation‐calcination route towards Cu clusters, having a diameter of about 1.0 nm with about 10 atoms, was developed by double confinement of carbon defects and micropores. These Cu clusters enable high selectivity for the CO2RR with a maximum Faraday efficiency of 81.7 % for CH4. Calculations and experimental results show that the Cu clusters enhance the adsorption of *H and *CO intermediates, thus promoting generation of CH4 rather than H2 and CO. The strong interactions between the Cu clusters and defective carbon optimize the electronic structure of the Cu clusters for selectivity and stability towards generation of CH4. Provided here is the first experimental evidence that sub‐nanometric Cu clusters facilitate the production of CH4 from the CO2RR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyimide (PI) fibers containing pyrimidine and amide moieties were fabricated by the copolymerization of 2,5-bis(4-aminophenyl)pyrimidine (PRM) and 4,4′-diaminobenzanilide (DABA) with 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA) via a two-step method. The effects of chemical structure of PI fibers, i.e., various molar ratios of PRM/DABA, on their thermal property, crystallinity, orientation factor, microvoid defects, and mechanical property, were investigated in detail. The glass transition temperatures (Tg) of all PI fibers ranged from 282 to 310 °C, and the temperatures at 5% weight loss (T5%) under N2 and air atmosphere were respectively within 548–584 °C and 482–540 °C, demonstrating the excellent thermal stability and thermal oxidation stability of all fibers. The wide-angle X-ray diffraction data illustrated that the co-PI fibers had lower crystallinity than the homo-PI fibers due to a marked decrease in molecular order packing by copolymerization. However, the co-PI fibers possessed higher degrees of orientation relative to the homo-PI fibers. In particular, the co-PI fiber with PRM/DABA = 5/5 showed the highest orientation factor, fc = 0.872. Moreover, the small-angle X-ray scattering results, i.e., decrease in microvoid size, revealed that DABA incorporation helps to reduce the defects in PI fibers. When the PRM/DABA molar ratio was 5/5, the co-PI fiber possessed an optimal tensile strength and initial modulus of 3.43 and 136.92 GPa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal Gas Aphron drilling fluids have been successfully applied in petroleum industry to drill low pressure formations and depleted reservoirs. As the increase of drilling depth and reservoir temperature, characteristics of CGA drilling fluids at high temperature are more concerned, yet less investigated. In this paper, attapulgite with better performance at high temperatures was selected to prepare CGA drilling fluids and the bubbles size distribution, rheological and fluid loss performance at 25 °C/90 °C/120 °C/150 °C/180 °C were studied. CGA fluid with Xanthan gum and 3% bentonite were prepared and tested as control group. Result indicates that: 1) The addition of attapulgite significantly reduces the average diameter of aphrons and improves the bubble size distribution of CGA fluids, which is conducive to the stability of CGA fluids; 2) Attapulgite effectively increases low shear rate viscosity (LSRV) of CGA fluid at room temperature, which will help to carry cuttings and seal formation. Power law model is the optimal model to describe the rheological behaviors of attapulgite-based CGA drilling fluids. Rheological parameters of Power law model show that the tested fluids have a shear thinning behavior at all temperatures and the flow behavior index can be controlled to an appropriate range by adjusting the amount of attapulgite; 3) Attapulgite greatly reduces the fluid loss of CGA drilling fluid, especially at high temperature. The attapulgite-based CGA drilling fluids can maintain an acceptable fluid loss (within 15 mL) for drilling operations at 120 °C. At 150/180 °C, 3% attapulgite exhibited the lowest fluid loss volume, which is reduced by 46.7%/25% as compared to 3% bentonite. In addition, the mechanism of attapulgite-based CGA fluid loss control was studied and can be concluded as the "embedded" mud cake structure composed by aphrons and attapulgite. • Attapulgite can effectively improve aphrons stability, rheology and filtration properties of CGA fluid at high temperatures. • The mechanism of attapulgite-based CGA fluid loss control can be concluded as the "embedded" mud cake structure. • The viscosity loss of XG at high temperature is a main reason for the increase in fluid loss at 150 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to develop bifunctional electrocatalysts for concurrent CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is the key to the practical application of CO2 splitting to produce CO. However, this remains a grand challenge. Herein, a robust strategy to rationally craft hierarchical structured bifunctional electrocatalysts composed of 3D CoS2 nanocages interconnected on 2D CoS2 nanosheet arrays (denoted hierarchical CoS2 nanocages) for high‐performance CO2 splitting is developed. The subsequent calcination removes the partial S edges of CoS2, thereby strongly suppressing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of CoS2. By combining theoretic and experimental results, for the first time, it is discovered that the plane S of CoS2, instead of S edges, are highly active for CO2RR but inactive for HER, rendering the plane S as ideal active sites for CO2RR. Intriguingly, the composition tuning via calcination and the presence of a hierarchical architecture confer hierarchical CoS2 nanocages respective outstanding CO2RR and OER performance. Notably, the hierarchical CoS2 nanocages can be exploited as bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall CO2 splitting to yield the current density of 1 mA cm−2 at a small cell voltage of 1.92 V, much lower than the widely reported values (>2.5 V). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corundum‐mullite ceramic proppants have been successfully synthesized using raw materials of natural bauxite and solid waste coal gangue, CaCO3, as additive. The influences of calcium carbonate additive on phase composition, microstructure, and mechanical performances were systematically investigated. The results indicate that the addition of CaCO3 promotes the formation of liquid phase at lower temperature during sintering process, which is beneficial to the densification of the samples and the reduction of sintering temperature. Moreover, the mullite grains become finer and finer with the content of CaCO3 additive increasing, which improves the toughness and strength of the samples via a grain refinement strengthening mechanism. The ceramic proppants exhibit optimal performances with additive of 5 wt.% at 1350°C, and the breakage ratio under 52 MPa closed pressure is the lowest. Additionally, the sintering temperature is dropped by 150°C compared with the samples without adding calcium carbonate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the approaches and diagnostic yield of genetic testing for renal disease in children, we describe the genotype and phenotype of the national cohort of children with renal disease from 13 different regions of China recruited from 2014 to 2018 by building up the multicenter registration system (Chinese Children Genetic Kidney Disease Database, CCGKDD). Genetic diagnosis was confirmed in 42.1% of our cohort of 1001 pediatric patients with clinical suspicion of a genetic renal disease. Of the 106 distinct monogenetic disorders detected, 15 accounted for 60.7% of genetic diagnoses. The diagnostic yield was 29.1% in steroid resistant nephritic syndrome (SRNS), 61.4% in cystic renal disease, 17.0% in congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT), 62.3% in renal tubular disease/renal calcinosis, and 23.9% for chronic kidney disease (CKD) 3 to 5 stage with unknown origin. Genetic approaches of target gene sequence (TGS), singleton whole‐exome sequencing (WES) and trio‐WES were performed with diagnostic rates of 44.8%, 36.2%, and 42.6%, respectively. The early use of trio‐WES could improve the diagnostic rate especially in renal tubular disease and calcinosis. We report the genetic spectrum of Chinese children with renal disease. Establishment of the CCGKDD will improve the genetic work on renal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protonated polyaniline prepared by protonated electropolymerization exhibited a higher density of states at the Fermi energy level. Then, by depositing silver on the electrode surface, high electrocatalytic activity and good stability of silver/protonated polyaniline-titanium (Ag/H-PANI-Ti) electrodes were produced. The degradation efficiency of the Ag/H-PANI-Ti electrode for doxycycline hydrochloride (DOX) reached 83.33 % in 120 min under optimal parameters and in accordance with the pseudo primary reaction kinetics. The energy consumption was only 15.84 kWh/kg. The mechanism of DOX degradation through cathodic and anodic co-catalysis was put forth, and the degradation pathway was deduced. It should be highlighted that toxicology tests and toxicological evaluation based on ecological conformational relationships (ECOSAR) revealed that the biological toxicity of DOX was greatly decreased following degradation by the Ag/H-PANI-Ti electrode. Finally, the mechanism of enhanced Ag/H-PANI-Ti performance was illustrated by DFT first-nature principle calculations. The results showed that this study provides a viable option for the electrocatalytic degradation of antibiotics. [Display omitted] • Protonic acid-doped polyaniline enhances conjugation and improves conductivity. • Ag/H-PANI-Ti electrode exhibited good reusability and low energy consumption. • The degradation pathway of DOX by Ag/H-PANI-Ti electrode was inferred. • •OH and reactive atomic H* play a role in the degradation of DOX. • The degradation products of DOX are less toxic to E. coli and aquatic organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ceramics with mullite whiskers were prepared from coal fly ash and Al 2 O 3 raw materials, with AlF 3 used as an additive. The phase structures and microstructures of the ceramics were identified via X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The results show that pickling of coal fly ash is an effective method for enhancing the flexural strength of ceramics. Sintering temperature and AlF 3 addition were also key factors influencing the creation of ideal ceramics. The ceramic made from pickled coal fly ash, 6 wt% AlF 3 , and sintered at 1200 °C, exhibited the highest flexural strength of 59.1 MPa, and had a bulk density of 1.32 g/cm3 and porosity of 26.8%. The results show that ceramic materials made under these conditions are ideal candidates for manufacturing ceramic proppants for the exploitation of unconventional oil and gas resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabricating heterointerfaces with optimized electronic structures is a robust strategy to boost the activity of electrocatalysts. Herein, for the first time, we demonstrate that the heterointerfaces of metallic Ag and NiFe-oxides on hierarchical nanoarrays facilitate the charge transfer during the OER and optimize the electronic state of NiFe-oxides, thereby significantly boosting the activity for the OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient and sustainable production of high-purity hydrogen gas through electrochemical water splitting calls for robust and bifunctional catalysts to accelerate the two half reactions of water splitting. Herein, we in-situ craft ultrathin CoNi-sulfides nanosheet (∼2.2 nm in thickness) arrays-anchored MnO 2 nanoparticles (∼3.2 nm in diameter) (denoted U-CoNi-S-NSA/MnO 2 ) via a spontaneous redox process between CoNi-sulfides nanosheet and MnO 4 − anions at ambient temperature. The hierarchical U-CoNi-S-NSA/MnO 2 nanocomposites are then directly employed as self-supported catalysts for the two half reactions of water splitting, showing excellent activity with small overpotentials of 170 mV for oxygen evolution reaction and 67 mV for hydrogen evolution reaction to achieve 10 mA cm −2 , respectively. Moreover, an efficient water electrolyzer through using U-CoNi-S-NSA/MnO 2 as both anodic and cathodic catalysts is fabricated, which achieves current density of 10 mA cm -2  at a small voltage of 1.51 V over a long-time operation of 20 h. This outstanding performance is markedly superior than that of precious Pt/C//RuO 2 counterpart (1.61 V). Therefore, the as-synthesized hierarchical nanocomposites are promising candidates for cheap and efficient water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal gangue (CG) undergoes rapid resource utilization to assist in the fulfilment of carbon peak and carbon neutralization. Herein, CG–derived Ni–loaded coal gangue composites (NiCG) with suitable microwave absorption (MA) performance are designed and prepared using a facile one-pot method and subsequent annealing treatment. The annealing temperature and precursor solution concentration substantially impact the MA properties. As the annealing temperature rises to 700 ºC, the minimum reflection loss (RL min) of the NiCG700 is measured to be − 28.5 dB with a coating thickness of 3.0 mm. Moreover, the effective absorption bandwidth reaches 4.7 GHz at a coating thickness of 2.0 mm. The competitive performance of NiCG700 is attributed to the effective coordination of magnetic loss and dielectric loss resulting from Ni particles loading on the CG matrix. Therefore, it has broad prospects as an attractive alternative to lightweight and low-cost absorbing materials. Similarly, it also provides a novel way for recycling CG. [Display omitted] • A new coal gangue-derived matrix has been developed for microwave absorption. • Low cost and environment-friendly processing. • The light-weight absorber is synthesized by the facile one-pot method. • Insightful absorption mechanisms reveal how heterostructure enhances MA properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The p.R63W mutation in hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 alpha (HNF4A) leads to a heterogeneous group of disorders with various clinical presentations. Recently, patients with congenital hyperinsulinism and Fanconi syndrome due to the p.R63W mutation in HNF4A have been described. Although other clinical variations such as liver dysfunction have been associated with HNF4A mutations, hearing impairment has not previously been associated. We report the case of a patient with Fanconi syndrome and hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia caused by the mutation of HNF4A presenting with additional auditory phenotypes.Case Presentation: We present a case report of a 10-year-old girl of Chinese Han ethnicity who presented with renal Fanconi syndrome, infantile hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, and transient cholestasis. In addition, she presented with bilateral severe hearing loss. Gene analysis showed a heterozygous p.R63W mutation in the HNF4A gene that is responsible for Fanconi syndrome and hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia.Conclusions: This is the first case of HNF4A mutation associated with an auditory phenotype. It expands the clinical phenotypes and supports speculation in the literature that HNF4A may be a candidate gene for deafness. In conclusion, hearing loss may be found in children with HNF4A-related Fanconi syndrome, and auditory function should be assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic upgrading of anisole and guaiacol in an atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor was studied. Compared to thermal upgrading in a fixed bed, the DBD plasma method can convert the model compound to benzene and toluene with high selectivity under relatively low temperature. The synergistic effect between H 2 plasma and Ni-Mo/SiO 2 catalyst is crucial to the high deoxygenation rate. The primary reactions occurring during the DBD upgrading process include demethylation, methyl transfer, and hydrogenolysis. XRD spectra indicate that phase change should not be the primary reason for catalyst deactivation; GC–MS, NH 3 -TPD, and regeneration experiments show that carbon deposition is the cause for deactivation. NH 3 -TPD analysis reveals that a combination of medium and strong acid sites plays an important role in the hydrogenolysis of phenols to benzenes. The present work shows DBD catalytic upgrading as a promising route for the C O bond hydrogenolysis reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embodied carbon emissions have an important role in China's "dual carbon" target and carbon reduction policy. Our study applied a multiregional input–output (MRIO) model and structural decomposition analysis (SDA) to examine the spatiotemporal evolution and driving forces of embodied carbon emissions in the specific region of Shanxi Province, an energy-rich region in China, in the empirical study using MRIO data. First, we found that Shanxi had considerable net embodied carbon outflow in interprovincial trade, with outflow increasing from 216.18 Mt in 2012 to 221.60 Mt in 2017. Second, the main driving forces of embodied carbon outflow include technological level and trade demand. We then classified 29 sectors into six categories, including mainly developed, controlled, moderately guided, moderately controlled, cost guided, and maintained to describe the relationship between the net transfer of embodied carbon emissions and value added, and formulated proposed sectoral development policies. Third, the sectors with the highest net embodied carbon outflow include electricity and heat production and supply; metal smelting and rolling processing; and petroleum processing, coking, and nuclear fuel processing. We constructed a coupled relationship model to adjust the technology and scale of interprovincial trade to reduce carbon emissions with lower cost and higher equity. The results can be used as a reference for formulating carbon reduction policies in energy-rich regions. [Display omitted] • We calculate the amount of net embodied carbon transferred from Shanxi. • We estimate the sectors' embodied carbon emissions in inter-provincial trade. • Driving forces are decomposed of embodied carbon outflowed from Shanxi. • A classification model is constructed to identify sectoral characteristics. • The key sectors are identified and then trade relationships are adjusted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase evolution, microstructure, dielectric performance, polarization, breakdown strength as well as energy-storage behaviors for the lead-free niobates glass-ceramics with Sm 2 O 3 were systematically investigated. Two crystallographic structures of tetragonal tungsten bronze and orthorhombic perovskite complex phases were obtained and Sm 3+ entered into the crystalline phases. The optimal microstructure of the glass-ceramic was obtained with Sm 2 O 3 of 2 mol%. Both dielectric constant and polarizability were enhanced with increasing Sm 2 O 3 . The breakdown strength and energy-storage behaviors of the glass-ceramics were also improved by increased Sm 2 O 3 . The highest breakdown field of 21.2 kV/mm, the highest charged (0.74 J/cm 3 ) and discharged energy density (0.45 J/cm 3 ) were obtained in the glass-ceramic with 2 mol% Sm 2 O 3 . It is due to the reduced interfacial polarization in this particular composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the concept of sustainable development, magnetic particles/C-based composite microwave absorbing materials were prepared through reactions between two solid wastes: coal hydrogasification residue (CHR) and red mud (RM). At a fixed mass ratio of CHR to RM of 0.6:1, Fe 3 O 4 /C- and Fe/C-based composites could be obtained at 700 and 900 °C, respectively. A minimum microwave reflection loss of −48.3 dB and a largest effective absorption bandwidth of 4.5 GHz were achieved for the Fe/C-based composite with a simulated thickness of 1.5 mm. The Fe 3 O 4 /C-based composite exhibited slightly poorer performance because the fixed initial system could not guarantee impedance matching for both products. The strong intrinsic attenuation capacity of the materials mainly resulted from the dielectric loss, including conduction loss caused by graphite carbon as well as interfacial polarization relaxation loss arising from the numerous phase boundaries. [Display omitted] • Solid wastes were recycled to construct materials to control microwave pollution. • Fe 3 O 4 /C- and Fe/C-based composites both possess excellent absorption performance. • Impedance matching and dielectric loss play a key role to performance. • Graphite carbon and phase boundaries give rise to dielectric loss. • Reactions among Na 2 O, SiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 can weaken the alkalinity from red mud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper numerically investigated the flow-induced rotation response of an elastically mounted circular cylinder fitted with a detached rear splitter plate in laminar flow. With the help of ANSYS-FLUENT, the fluid governing equations were solved with the finite volume method, and the fluid-structure interaction was achieved with user-defined functions. Three different gap ratios of G * = 0, 0.25, and 0.5 were examined in the computations that carried out for a reduced velocity range of U r = 3–18. For the typical case of G * = 0.25, a symmetry-breaking bifurcation, i.e., the structure's equilibrium position deflects to a position which is not parallel to the free stream, occurs at U r > 15. Before bifurcation, there is only one stable flapping motion. However, two extra rotary processes are observed when bifurcation appears, including a negatively-directional deflection and the 2nd flapping motion. For G * = 0, the bifurcation is found at U r > 12, while it is absent for G * = 0.5. The varying tendencies of the root-mean-squared rotary angle for all considered cases show a VIV rotary response. The smaller gap distance leads to the larger rotary angles at U r ≤ 12, while the opposite tendency is observed at U r > 12. The hydrodynamic coefficients of the rotary cylinder-plate body are significantly reduced, as compared with a bare cylinder. The drag- and lift-reduction are mainly due to the recovery of base pressure behind the cylinder and the delayed vortex formation. The global vortex shedding is identified to be 2S mode for both cases with and without bifurcation, although the vortex formation and the shedding pattern in the near wake vary with gap distance and reduced velocity. Due to the deflection, reattachment behavior is more likely to appear and its position shifts from the plate surface or tail to the leading edge of the splitter plate with increasing gap ratio. • The occurrence of bifurcation is dependent on the reduced velocity and gap distance. • The rotary VIV responses are observed. • Hydrodynamic forces are significantly smaller than those of a bare cylinder. • Vortices are shed from different positions, depending on the existence of bifurcation. • The reattachment behaviors are related with the gap distance and bifurcation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal hydrogasification semi-coke (CHSC for short) is a coal-based solid waste with high content of carbon and well-developed porous structures. With CHSC as the carbonaceous matrix, Co/carbon-based composite microwave absorption (MA) materials were prepared by a liquid-phase impregnation and then an in-situ carbothermal reduction. And the MA performance of these composites were further optimized by altering the Co content. At the proper carbothermal temperature of 700 °C and concentration of Co(NO 3) 2 solution of 0.69 M, the composite CoSC700–20 demonstrated the optimal MA performance with the lowest reflection loss value of −40.2 dB and the maximum absorption bandwidth up to 5.0 GHz at a coating thickness of 2 mm. Both the graphitized carbon and porous structure inherited form CHSC serve important roles in this exceptional MA performance, as they are essential to the formation of uniformly dispersed conductive network and the estabilishments of multiple reflections and scattering of microwaves. The high dispersion of Co particles on CHSC surface not only enhances the polarization losses but also facilitates impedance matching. This study will provide inspirations for either the low-cost construction of carbon-based MA materials or the facile recycling of carbon and the cobalt-based catalyst in the residue of coal catalytic hydrogasification. [Display omitted] • The coal hydrogasification residue was easily obtained. • The coal hydrogasification residue was recycled to construct Co/SC composites for MA. • The structural diversity of coal hydrogasification residue provides the possibility for MA. • The introduction of cobalt can effectively adjust the input impedance. • Abundant interfacial effects yield better MA performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris has been regarded as the main hazardous factor causing the spoilage of commercially pasteurized fruit juice due to its unique thermo-acidophilic properties. p -Coumaric acid, primarily isolated from plants and having high biological activity, is supposed to be a viable food additive. Herein, the antibacterial activity and mechanism of p -coumaric acid against A. acidoterrestris and its application in apple juice were investigated. The results showed that p -coumaric acid had an active inhibition against A. acidoterrestris vegetative cells, and both minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were 0.2 mg/mL. MIC of p -coumaric acid against spores was also 0.2 mg/mL, while MBC was >1.6 mg/mL. Treatment of p -coumaric acid caused significant damage of cell integrity, decrease of intracellular ATP, hyperpolarization of cell membrane, degradation of whole cell protein, and malformation of cell morphology. Agarose gel retardation and fluorescence spectroscopy assays revealed that p -coumaric acid could interact with DNA and intercalate into the groove of DNA double helix to disturb normal cellular functions. Furthermore, the addition of p -coumaric acid at MIC caused 2.07 log drop in A. acidoterrestris vegetative cells and effectively inhibited the germination of spores in apple juice storage at 20 °C for 7 days. The low-temperature storage (4 °C) could inactivate A. acidoterrestris cells in apple juice, but the addition of p -coumaric acid further accelerated degradation of vegetative cells and the inactivation time was shortened from 5 days to 3 days compared with control. Importantly, the addition of p -coumaric acid could increase total phenolic content and ABTS radical scavenging activity and had no remarkable influence on pH, total soluble solids, color and sensory qualities of apple juice, regardless of storage temperature. These results revealed that p -coumaric acid could be expected to serve as an alternative or supplement agent for inhibiting the development of A. acidoterrestris in fruit juice. • p -Coumaric acid inhibited A. acidoterrestris cell growth and spore germination. • p -Coumaric acid disrupted cell membrane integrity and altered cell morphology. • p -Coumaric acid bound to genomic DNA and degraded proteins. • p -Coumaric acid suppressed the contamination of A. acidoterrestris in apple juice. • p -Coumaric acid increased antioxidation and not affected color of apple juice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured NiO/C composite particles with controlled carbon content for lithium-ion battery anode were prepared via a one-pot hydrothermal approach and subsequent calcination in a high purity nitrogen atmosphere. The composites were composed of amorphous carbon and nanocrystalline NiO. The structure of the NiO crystals was determined with X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and the content of carbon was calculated from the energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) results. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed a relatively narrow distribution of particle size for both the neat NiO and NiO/C nanoparticles. Electrochemical performance measurements demonstrated that, after 50 cycles, NiO/C nanocomposites maintained a high reversible capacity of 585.9 mAh g −1 , much higher than that of 356.1 mAh g −1 of the neat NiO nanoparticles without carbon. The NiO/C nanoparticles also exhibited a remarkable discharge capacity, a high charge/discharge rate and an excellent cycle stability. The improvements can be attributed to the even carbon coating on the NiO particles, which significantly enhances the conductivity and improves the structural stability of the electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of polyaniline/polyimide (PANi/PI) composite fibers was prepared via dry-jet wet spinning followed by in situ polymerization growth. The resultant composite fibers showed good mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 0.90 GPa, a tensile modulus of 6.79 GPa, and an elongation at break of 14.63%. Thermogravimetric and thermal mechanical analyses revealed that the composite fibers had considerably good thermal stabilities in air and nitrogen atmospheres, as well as good size stabilities at 50–150 °C. Current–voltage curves indicated the transformation from electric insulation to electrical conductivity along the fiber axial direction. The composite fibers exhibited a sensitive response to immersion in solutions with different pH values. This work provides a simple approach to fabricate PANi/PI composite fibers that could be applied in the antistatic textile and military industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-based composite microwave absorption (MA) materials have been regarded as promising light and high-efficient microwave absorbers, but the cumbersome synthesis procedures of carbon matrix have hindered its large-scale application. Thus, it is necessary to find another environmentally friendly, reproducible and low-cost carrier for replacing these carbon materials, further tackling these issues. Herein, with coal gangue (CG) as the relatively low-quality carbon-contained matrix, starch as the cheap supplementary carbon source, CoCG composite was constructed by a solution impregnation and then a carbothermal reduction process at different temperatures. It was found that the state of carbon and Co species in these composites were strongly determined by carbothermal temperature further determining the electromagnetic properties, especially the dielectric properties. The optimal sample CoCG-600 obtained the best MA properties, which possesses the minimum reflection loss of −39.8 dB at 11.8 GHz, the effect absorption bandwidth of 4.7 GHz with the thickness of 2.5 mm. And the widest effective absorption bandwidth of 5.5 GHz can be achieved as decreasing the thickness to 2 mm. Compared with the Fe/C/CG composite in our previous work, Co/C/CG composite exhibited the dual-enhancement MA performance, due to the magnetic and conductive Co phase can be wholly preserved at the relatively high temperature. The dominant MA mechanism, dielectric loss, was mainly included the conductive loss caused by nono-crystalline graphite and Co particles. Finally, the superior selection principle of magnetic component for constructing another MA composite based other impure low- and high-quality carbon-contained matrix was reasonably conjectured. [Display omitted] • The waste of gangue is recycled to prepare ceramic-based microwave absorbents. • Starch is utilized as a cheap carbon source. • Compared with our previous work, this study achieves dual-enhancement MA performance. • The superior selection principle of magnetic component for MA composite was conjectured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unique structure of benzene ring and chloride ion makes chlorophenol pollutants have a great influence on biology and ecology. Due to its environmental friendliness, electrochemical methods have been widely used to degrade chlorophenol pollutants. Herein, the palladium/polyaniline/titanium (Pd/PANI/Ti) composite electrodes were prepared by the constant current method due to the high catalytic activity of palladium and the high specific surface area of polyaniline. The morphology, crystal structure, element valence, and functional groups of the composite electrodes were observed and analyzed by SEM, XRD, XPS, and FT-IR. The degradation efficiency of 2, 4-DCP in NaCl solution was up to 96.54% for 8 min and 100% for 10 min, respectively. The results show that the best removal efficiency of 2, 4-DCP by Pd/PANI/Ti electrode is as follows: the aniline concentration is 5 mL/L, the preparation voltage is 20 V, the concentration of PdCl 2 is 10 μmol/L, the pH is 3, and the electrolyte NaCl concentration is 0.20 mol/L. The kinetics of the 2, 4-DCP degraded by Pd/PANI/Ti electrode was found to be pseudo-first-order kinetics and was fitted to the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model. The degradation products were analyzed by LC-EIS-MS. The removal efficiency of 2,4-DCP remained basically unchanged after 20 times of continuous use. The good removal efficiency of 2, 4-DCP indicates that this electrode is a promising material in the practical application of removing chlorophenol pollutants from water. Finally, the degradation pathway of 2,4-DCP was put forward. [Display omitted] • A trace palladium and polyaniline anode are fabricated successfully. • The degradation processes follow an apparent first-order kinetic model. • The electrode has high degradation efficiency for 2, 4-DCP. • The electrode has good stability in degrading 2,4- DCP. • The degradation process of 2,4-DCP is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The composite microwave absorbents was prepared by recovering the residue of coal hydrogasification. • The Co/SC composites possess excellent performance. • Impedance matching and interfacial polarization play a key role to MA property. • This method realizes the recycling of coal hydrogasification residue and reduces the cost of carbon based carrier. A coal hydrogasification residue, semi-coke (SC), was recycled to prepare SC-based composites for microwave absorption by a facile method. This mainly involved loading an ethanol solution of cobalt nitrate onto SC and then conducting in-situ carbothermal reduction. The results showed that, a Co/SC composite could be obtained at a carbothermal temperature of 700 ℃ (denoted by CoSC700). The CoSC700 composite exhibited excellent performance with a minimum reflection loss value of − 40.1 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth of 5.0 GHz at a coating thickness of 2 mm. This is the combined effect of good impedance matching and strong intrinsic dissipation capacity, which benefit from the effective adjustment of input impedance by Co as well as strong conduction and interfacial polarization relaxation losses caused by the effects of graphite carbon and SC-Co interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platinum-rare earth metal (Pt-RE) nanoalloys are the most promising candidates for fuel cells because of their superior activity and stability for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). However, the preparation of Pt-RE nanoalloys with chemical method is still challenge due to their huge standard reduction potential differences and the oxophilicity of the latter. Herein, this work provides a novel and facile strategy for the chemical synthesis of Pt 5 La nanoalloys to apply in both ORR and MOR. Pt 5 La nanoalloys are synthesized by co-reduction of Pt2+ and La3+ in LaCl 3 and H 2 PtCl 6 solution containing carbon powder and C 2 H 4 N 4 by first heating at 550 °C for 2 h under N 2 , and then heating to 700 °C under H 2 /Ar for 2 h. The as-synthesized Pt 5 La nanoalloys present a high alloying degree at 700 °C, with the average particle size of 7.8 nm. The results indicate Pt 5 La nanoalloys lead to a significant enhancement in ORR and MOR performances related to the commercial JM-Pt/C catalyst. • Pt 5 La nanoalloys with the average particle size of 7.8 nm were successfully synthesized in LaCl 3 and H 2 PtCl 6 solution containing carbon powder and C 2 H 2 N 4 by H 2 reduction at 700 °C. • The formation process of Pt 5 La nanoalloys was discussed and proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The gangue is recycled to prepare ceramic-based microwave absorbents. • The Fe 3 O 4 /C/CG and Fe/C/CG composites possess excellent performance. • Impedance matching and interfacial polarization play a key role to MA property. • The novel method realizes the recycling of gangue and cuts the cost of absorbents. Pollution is a pressing problem in the context of sustainable development, a solution to which is to reutilize waste resources. Herein, coal gangue was recycled to prepare Fe 3 O 4 /C/CG and Fe/C/CG composites for microwave absorption via a facile method. The synthesis process involves loading a precursor solution of starch and ferric nitrate onto coal gangue matrix and then conducting the in-situ carbothermal reduction. The initial starch mass and carbothermal temperature significantly affect the dielectric and magnetic properties, further affect microwave absorption performance of the composites. For the Fe 3 O 4 /C/CG and Fe/C/CG composite, the minimum reflection loss could reach −45.1 dB and −27.8 dB, respectively. And the maximum effective absorption bandwidth of Fe/C/CG was 4.7 GHz. The strong microwave attenuation and impedance matching, which stemmed from the conductive graphitized carbon, the abundant interfaces of the highly dispersed carbon and iron species on the matrix, must account for the excellent performance. Coal gangue, solid waste, was recycled to prepare Fe 3 O 4 /C/CG and Fe/C/CG composites for microwave absorption via a facile method. These graphs showed the microwave absorption performance of Coal Gangue, Fe 3 O 4 /C/CG and Fe/C/CG composites. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

upuncture has exhibited therapeutic effects on vascular dementia in our previous research. The mechanism of its anti-dementia effects involves energy metabolism. For brain cells, glucose metabolism is almost the only source of energy, and glucose metabolism disorders are early signs of dementia. In addition, glucose metabolism associates closely with glycometabolic enzymes, thereby maintains normal energy supply in brains and neurological and mental activities. In order to investigate its anti-dementia mechanism, we studied the effects of acupuncture on behavior of multi-infarct dementia (MID) rats and glycometabolic enzymes protein expression and activities in their brains. Results showed acupuncture improved the cognitive disorder, and increased the activities of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, and glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase. Accordingly, it suggests that the anti-dementia effects of acupuncture may be mediated by up regulation of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, and glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase activities, influencing energy metabolic system and thus overcoming the dysfunctional cognition of MID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel surface morphology of linear pore pattern on poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoro propylene) (PVDF–HFP) flat-sheet porous membrane surfaces prepared by phase inversion technique has been observed. This interesting morphology was repeatedly captured from various casting systems, such as PVDF–HFP/N-methyl pyrrolidone(NMP)/glycol, PVDF–HFP/NMP/diethylene glycol, PVDF–HFP/NMP/glycerol and PVDF–HFP/NMP/glucose, with distilled water as a coagulant. The formation of the linear pore pattern was thought to be associated with the orientation of the macromolecular conglomerations in the casting solution, which occurred during the casting process. Thus, relevant experiments were designed and performed to support the hypothesis. The clearly observed linear pore pattern formed with less than 30s of exposure time before immersing into water bath became faded in 300s and completely disappeared in 600s of exposure time, which was in good accordance with the relaxation degree of orientated macromolecular conglomeration. In contrast, the membrane without experiencing the casting process showed a conventional surface morphology, which also demonstrated the effect of the casting process on the membrane surface morphology. In addition, a clearer image of the linear pore pattern was captured when lower concentration polymer dopes were used. In contrast, this phenomenon was invisible for the membrane formed by a higher concentration dope, which is in agreement with the reduction of orientation degree with increasing polymer concentration. Moreover, the systems containing additives with lower viscosity, such as glycerol, glycol, diethylene glycol and glucose, seem to be easier to form a linear pore pattern than the one containing distilled water, the latter produced a nearly elliptical pore pattern on the membrane surface instead. The investigation on this feature may provide more information for a complete description of the initiation and growth of the porous membrane. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to realize the sustainable development of turning waste into treasure and treating pollution with waste, the feasibility of resource utilization of fly ash (FA) to solve electromagnetic pollution was investigated. In this study, FeCo/carbon-loaded FA composites (FeCo/C/FA) were successfully synthesized via a facile one-pot method using solid waste FA as the raw material. Such ingenious design endowed FA enhanced microwave absorption (MA) capacity, and the MA mechanism derived from conductivity loss, multiple interface polarization and impedance matching. As expected, the FeCo/C/FA composites exhibited the excellent MA performance, its minimum reflection loss (RL min) reached − 32.5 dB with the coating thickness of 1.5 mm. When the coating thickness was adjusted to 2.0 mm, the maximum value of effective absorption band was measured to be 4.7 GHz. This work confirms that FA can be directly recycled to construct a low-cost microwave absorber in the treatment of electromagnetic pollution. A facile one-pot method is put forward to construct FeCo/C/FA composites with outstanding microwave absorption performances. [Display omitted] • The low-cost absorber is synthesized by the facile one-pot method. • The novel method realizes the recycling of FA and solves electromagnetic pollution. • The FeCo/C/FA composites are lightweight and possess excellent performance. • Impedance matching and interfacial polarization play a key role to performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Traumatic brain injury activates NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis in microglia. • Traumatic brain injury upregulates HIF-1α expression in microglia. • HIF-1α blockade attenuates traumatic brain injury. Hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) is involved in regulating the biological functions of neuronal death after traumatic brain injury (TBI), and attaches importance in the inflammatory response, but its potential mechanism is still unknown. Our study aimed to explore the regulatory mechanism between HIF-1α and NLRP3 inflammasome after TBI. Male mice underwent controlled cortical impact (CCI) or sham-operated procedures. Brain water content and blood-brain barrier permeability were measured at the indicated time after TBI. The behavioral performance, ELISA, immunofluorescence, and western blot analysis were used to determine whether HIF-1α specifically targeted TBI-induced pyroptosis. We discovered that TBI-induced brain injury caused by external mechanical forces is characterized by edema and blood-brain barrier disorder, and the release of IL-1β, IL-18, and LDH and upregulation of HIF-1α expression, reaching the peak on the third day post-TBI. In addition, HIF-1α accumulated NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and activation of microglia. The protein expressions of NLRP3, GSDMD, GSDMD-N, pro-caspase 1, and cleaved caspase 1 were markedly increased in the injured cortex, which were restored to normal levels by the interference of HIF-1α. The inactivation of HIF-1α conferred neuroprotection and alleviated brain injury after TBI. HIF-1α was implicated in TBI-induced brain injury, aggravated NLRP3 inflammasome -mediated pyroptosis, and the activation of microglia, which provided a potential target for treating TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Preparation of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoro propylene) (F2.6) flat-sheet asymmetric porous membrane has been studied for the first time. Factors affecting F2.6 membrane pore structure and permeate performance, such as macromolecule pore formers (polyethylene glycol-400, 1000, 1540, 2000 and 6000), the small molecule former (glycerol), swelling agent (trimethyl phosphate) in casting solution, precipitating bath component and temperature, exposure time and ambient humidity, were investigated in detail. Average pore radius and porosity were used to characterize F2.6 membrane structure, and respectively, determined by ultrafiltration and gravimetric method for the wet membrane. Morphology of the resultant membranes was observed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Final test on permeate performance of F2.6 porous membrane was carried out by a direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) setup. The experimental F2.6 membrane exhibits a higher distilled flux than PVDF membrane under the same operational situations. The determination of contact angle to distilled water also reveals higher hydrophobic nature than that of PVDF membrane. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]