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Sulfur poisoning of cathode materials is one of the important factors to cause cathode performance degradation resulting in shortening lifetime of SOFC. The sulfur attacks alkali earth components of the rare earth-transition metal perovskite oxides, such as Ba, Ca, Sr, which reacts with SO 2 to form sulfates. In this work, the La(Ni 0.6 Fe 0.4)O 3 (LNF) cathode material without alkali earth elements was employed to investigate the sulfur poisoning behavior by flowing 30 ppm SO 2 at different temperatures of 500 °C–800 °C. It was found that SO 2 readily reacts with the La 2 O 3 component in LNF to form La 2 O 2 SO 4 at 700 °C and 800 °C. The extent of the chemical reaction is temperature dependent. These results confirm that sulfur poisoning also occurs in cathode materials free of alkali earth components. The study prompts the exploration of new materials and new strategies for the developing new cathode materials with high sulfur tolerance. • La 2 O 3 component in LNF reacts with SO 2 to form La 2 O 2 SO 4. • Sulfur deposition occurs even though LNF is free of alkali earth dopant. • Oxygen surface exchange coefficient of LNF decreases after sulfur deposition. • Serious chemical reaction between La and SO 2 cannot be negligible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LIM‐domain proteins have been shown to be associated with heart development and diseases. Systematic studies of LIM family members at the genome‐wide level, which are crucial to further understand their functions in cardiac hypertrophy, are currently lacking. Here, 70 LIM genes were identified and characterised in mice. The expression patterns of LIM genes differ greatly during cardiac development and in the case of hypertrophy. Both Crip2 and Xirp2 are differentially expressed in cardiac hypertrophy and during heart failure. In addition, the hypertrophic state of cardiomyocytes is controlled by the relative expression levels of Crip2 and Xirp2. This study provides a foundation for further understanding of the special roles of LIM proteins in mammalian cardiac development and hypertrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relaxor ferroelectric PbMg 1/3 Nb 2/3 O 3 -PbTiO 3 (PMN-PT) ceramics are high-performance piezoelectric materials that are widely used in many electronic devices. However, it is extremely difficult to manufacture thin piezoelectric components dozens of micrometers in size using commercial coarse-grained PMN-PT ceramics. This limits the application of PMN-PT ceramics to high-frequency ultrasonic devices. In this work, we prepared a dense, fine-grained PMN-PT ceramic at low temperature using a hot-press sintering (HPS) method. The HPS ceramic had small grains with an average size of 1 μm and maintained high performance with a large permittivity (ε r = 4500), piezoelectricity (d 33 = 650 pC/N), and electrostrain (S E = 0.14% at 20 kV/cm). The large volume fraction of grain boundaries led to stronger relaxor behavior of the fine-grained PMN-PT ceramic than of the normal coarse-grained one. Owing to its small grains and high piezoelectric performance, this fine-grained PMN-PT ceramic meets the strict requirements of manufacturing thin piezoelectric components. Our results demonstrate that PMN-PT ceramics have great potential for developing low-cost, high-frequency ultrasonic devices by replacing expensive piezoelectric single crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes are cell-derived membrane-enclosed biological nanoparticles that carry lots of parental molecular information, and are recognized as an ideal biomarker for non-invasive diagnosis. However, due to the low abundance of exosomes in plasma samples and the interferences from complex biological matrices, the sensitive and direct detection of exosomes still remains a challenge. Here, by combining the direct magnetic isolation with in situ fluorescence imaging, we developed a Single Microbead-based Fluorescent Aptasensor (SMFA) for specific enrichment and sensitive quantification of exosomes from plasma. In the SMFA, a single aptamer-modified microbead (MB) served as the reaction carrier so that the specific exosomes inserted with a fluorescent anchor will be highly enriched on the single MB. By in situ fluorescence imaging to monitor the fluorescence signals on the single MB, sensitive detection of exosomes can be realized without the requirement of any signal amplification routes, and as low as 4.9 × 104 particles per μL of exosomes could be simply detected. More importantly, the SMFA could be applied for direct detection of the exosomes from small amounts of clinical plasma samples without prior purification procedures, indicating its great potential applications in clinical diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the association of circadian rhythm disruption with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the potential underlying mechanism in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs).Design: Multicenter questionnaire-based survey, in vivo and ex vivo studies.Setting: Twelve hospitals in China, animal research center, and research laboratory of a women's hospital.Patients/animals: A total of 436 PCOS case subjects and 715 control subjects were recruited for the survey. In vivo and ex vivo studies were conducted in PCOS-model rats and on ovarian GCs collected from women with PCOS and control subjects.Intervention(s): The PCOS rat model was established with the use of testosterone propionate.Main Outcome Measure(s): Assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq), RNA sequencing, rhythmicity analysis, functional enrichment analysis.Result(s): There was a significant correlation between night shift work and PCOS. PCOS-model rats presented distinct differences in the circadian variation of corticotropin-releasing hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, prolactin, and a 4-h phase delay in thyrotropic hormone levels. The motif enrichment analysis of ATAC-seq revealed the absence of clock-related transcription factors in specific peaks of PCOS group, and RNA sequencing ex vivo at various time points over 24 hours demonstrated the differential rhythmic expression patterns of women with PCOS. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis further highlighted metabolic dysfunction, including both carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid cycle.Conclusion(s): There is a significant association of night shift work with PCOS, and genome-wide chronodisruption exists in ovarian GCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposed an optimal prepositive distance of crosswalk warning markings for unsignalized road section under three different design speeds based on the mathematical modelling and driving simulation. To set up the most efficient mathematical modelling for calculating the layout interval of prepositive distance, the vehicles slowing down behaviour characteristics in front of crosswalk were explored. According to the layout interval, the simulation experiment was carried out in the UC-win/Road version 13.0 driving simulator. The rate of speed reduction and the times of maximum deceleration obtained from simulation experiments were selected as evaluation indicators to compare and analyse the deceleration effect related with the prepositive distances of the crosswalk warning markings under three design speeds. The results show that when the design speeds are 30 km/h, 40 km/h, and 50 km/h, the optimal prepositive distances of the crosswalk warning markings are 30 m, 40 m, and 60 m, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is at present an acute need for the construction of biopolymer-based smart packaging material that can be applied for the real-time visual monitoring of food freshness. Herein, a nano-sized substituted imidazolate material (SIM-1) with ammonia-sensitive and antibacterial ability was effectively manufactured and then anchored within corn starch/polyvinyl alcohol (CS/PVA) blend to construct biopolymeric smart active packaging material. The structure, physical and functional performances of CS/PVA-based films with different content of SIM-1 (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 wt% on CS/PVA basis) were then explored in detail. Results revealed that the incorporated SIM-1 nanocrystals were equally anchored within the CS/PVA matrix owing to the establishment of potent hydrogen-bonding interactions, which produced an obvious improvement in the compatibility of CS/PVA blend film, as well as its mechanical strength, water/oxygen barrier and UV-screening performances. The constructed CS/PVA/SIM-1 blend films further demonstrated superior long-term color stability property, ammonia-sensitive and antibacterial functions. Furthermore, the CS/PVA/SIM-1 blend films were utilized for effectively monitoring the deterioration of shrimp via observable color alteration. The above findings suggested the potential applications of CS/PVA/SIM-1 blend films in smart active packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medium/High entropy alloys (M/HEAs) based on the FeCoNi system have gained significant attention due to their outstanding magnetic and electrical properties. In this study, the FeCoNiZr x (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1) MEA films were prepared using the magnetron sputtering method. The effect of Zr on the structure and soft magnetic properties is studied. As the Zr content increases, the films transform from the face-centered cubic (FCC) phase to the amorphous phase. This study shows that FeCoNiZr 0.4 film exhibits excellent combined properties, including a high magnetization saturation (Ms) of 1127.8 emu/cm3, a minimum coercivity (Hc) of 0.96 Oe, and a high resistivity of 147 μΩ·cm, which is superior to the Permalloy and soft magnetic materials reported in other articles. Combined structural analyses show that the FeCoNiZr 0.4 film has the finest particle size, amorphous structure, and continuous and uniform magnetic domains, decreasing the pinning effect on magnetic domains. These results enhance the magnetic properties of FeCoNiZr 0.4 film. • The soft magnetic FeCoNiZr x medium entropy alloy films were developed. • The Zr lead to the transition from FCC phase to amorphous in the FeCoNiZr x films. • The formation mechanism of the amorphous films was analyzed by the AIMD simulation. • The FeCoNiZr 0.4 amorphous film showed the best comprehensive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study fabricates wear-resistant composite layers (WRCLs) strengthened with in situ vanadium carbide (VC) ceramics on the surface of carbon steel via casting infiltration technology. The abrasive and impact wear properties are evaluated accordingly. The action mechanism of VC ceramics of different scales in the wear process is clarified. The VC ceramics used in WRCLs include microscale primary VC and nanoscale secondary VC. Vanadium content exerts a considerable effect on the wear resistance of composite layers. The optimal vanadium contents for resisting abrasive and impact wear are 5.5 wt% and 5.1 wt%, respectively. The abrasive and impact wear resistance of the WRCLs are 2.5 and 1.9 times that of Cr20 cast iron as the vanadium content reaches the optimal amount. The improved wear resistance of the WRCLs is attributed to the synergy of the dual-scale VC ceramics. The microscale VC ceramics resist scratch efficiently while the nanoscale VC ceramics strengthen the matrix. Therefore, dual-scale VC ceramics work synergistically to reduce wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The photosynthetic bacterial phycobiliprotein lyases, also called CpcT lyases, catalyze the biogenesis of phycobilisome, a light‐harvesting antenna complex, through the covalent attachment of chromophores to the antenna proteins. The Arabidopsis CRUMPLED LEAF (CRL) protein is a homolog of the cyanobacterial CpcT lyase. Loss of CRL leads to multiple lesions, including localized foliar cell death, constitutive expression of stress‐related nuclear genes, abnormal cell cycle, and impaired plastid division. Notwithstanding the apparent phenotypes, the function of CRL still remains elusive. To gain insight into the function of CRL, we examined whether CRL still retains the capacity to bind with the bacterial chromophore phycocyanobilin (PCB) and its plant analog phytochromobilin (PΦB). The revealed structure of the CpcT domain of CRL is comparable to that of the CpcT lyase, despite the low sequence identity. The subsequent in vitro biochemical assays found, as shown for the CpcT lyase, that PCB/PΦB binds to the CRL dimer. However, some mutant forms of CRL, substantially compromised in their bilin‐binding ability, still restore the crl‐induced multiple lesions. These results suggest that although CRL retains the bilin‐binding pocket, it seems not functionally associated with the crl‐induced multiple lesions. Significance Statement: Our study revealed that the Arabidopsis CRUMPLED LEAF (CRL) protein retains a bilin‐binding pocket similar to its homolog cyanobacterial bilin lyase. The subsequent reverse genetic approach establishes that the retained bilin‐binding aptitude is not essential for CRL function in Arabidopsis, assuring that CRL evolved with a different function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Arabidopsis thaliana ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3) is a transcription factor in the B3 domain family. ABI3, along with B3 domain transcription factors LEAFY COTYLEDON2 (LEC2) and FUSCA3 (FUS3), and LEC1, a subunit of the CCAAT box‐binding complex, form the so‐called LAFL network to control various aspects of seed development and maturation. ABI3 also contributes to the abscisic acid (ABA) response. We report on chromatin immunoprecipitation‐tiling array experiments to map binding sites for ABI3 globally. We also assessed transcriptomes in response to ABI3 by comparing developing abi3‐5 and wild‐type seeds and combined this information to ascertain direct and indirect responsive ABI3 target genes. ABI3 can induce and repress its transcription of target genes directly and some intriguing differences exist in cis motifs between these groups of genes. Directly regulated targets reflect the role of ABI3 in seed maturation, desiccation tolerance, entry into a quiescent state and longevity. Interestingly, ABI3 directly represses a gene encoding a microRNA (MIR160B) that targets AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF)10 and ARF16 that are involved in establishment of dormancy. In addition, ABI3, like FUS3, regulates genes encoding MIR156 but while FUS3 only induces genes encoding this product, ABI3 induces these genes during the early stages of seed development, but represses these genes during late development. The interplay between ABI3, the other LAFL genes, and the VP1/ABI3‐LIKE (VAL) genes, which are involved in the transition to seedling development are examined and reveal complex interactions controlling development. Significance Statement: Genome‐wide determination of ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3) targets reveals that not only does ABI3 show the expected direct induction of expression of target genes, but surprisingly also directly represses some targets, and instances exist where the influence of ABI3 changes depending on developmental stage. Intriguing differences in cis motifs exist between the directly induced and repressed genes, as well as between binding sites for ABI3 and the related B3 domain embryo transcription factor FUS3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the role of CXXC5 and the CD40/CD40L pathway in lung fibrosis. Methods. (1) We constructed mouse models of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and transfected them with a CXXC5 overexpression vector to evaluate the severity of pulmonary fibrosis. (2) Mouse lung fibroblast (MLF) models stably overexpressed or knockout of CXXC5 vector were constructed. After transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) stimulation, we examined the proliferation and apoptosis of the MLF model and evaluated the expression of mesenchymal markers and the CXXC5/CD40/CD40L pathway. Results. (1) Compared with other groups, the overexpressed CXXC5 group had less alveolar structure destruction, thinner alveolar septum, and lower Ashcroft score. (2) In bleomycin-induced mice, the expression of CD40 and CD40L increased at both transcriptional and protein levels, and the same changes were observed in α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen type I (Colla I). After upregulation of CXXC5, the increase in CD40, CD40L, α-SMA, and Colla I was attenuated. (3) Stimulated with TGF-β1, MLF proliferation was activated, apoptosis was suppressed, and the expression of CD40, CD40L, α-SMA, and Colla I was increased at both transcriptional and protein levels. After upregulation of CXXC5, these changes were attenuated. Conclusion. CXXC5 inhibits pulmonary fibrosis and transformation to myofibroblasts by negative feedback regulation of the CD40/CD40L pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) models were developed in an attempt to predict the key features of bitter-tasting tripeptides. The 3D-QSAR models were carried out by comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) methods and the corresponding statistical correlation coefficients R2cv for the training set are 0.534 and 0.547, respectively, the predicted correlation coefficients R2pred for the test set are found to be 0.7162 and 0.5792, respectively. The information obtained from the QSAR contour maps enables the interpretation of the structure-activity relationship. In addition, molecular docking was also employed to investigate the interaction between bitter-tasting peptides and related receptor hTAS2R1, results indicate that the Lys76, Pro188 and His243 were significant for binding to the peptides, and some essential features were identified to deduce some interesting structure-activity relationships. The present QSAR models along with information contour maps and molecular docking study may be used for designing and predicting novel bitter-tasting peptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation methods of thin films of solid oxide fuel cells are summarised and reviewed. Generally, SOFC is a high-efficiency energy conversion technology, which is in the face of the difficulties of operation temperature and thickness which can be solved by the methods mentioned in this paper. The specific features and examples of several chemical preparation methods, physical preparation methods, and ceramic powder processing methods are given and the excellences and defects of these are compared. The deposition methods are qualified for fabricating high-quality thin films, even if the cost is far more than the ceramic powder processing which is suitable for complex chemical compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La/ZrO2 catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation method. The physical and chemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption method, X-ray diffraction and temperature programmed desorption. The selective conversions of ethanol to propylene over these synthesized La/ZrO2 catalysts were also investigated. The optimum propylene yield reached 42.3% over La(1)/ZrO2 catalyst. A coordination of redox and acid–base properties accounts for the remarkable improvement of reaction performance over La/ZrO2 catalysts. On the basis of calculation results, the introduction of oxygen vacancy or La results in significant charge transfer. The Lewis acid–base (Zr–O) pair sites become more active as a result of charge transfer over La/ZrO2 catalysts. Furthermore, the formation of O vacancies over La/ZrO2 (101) is easier than that over t-ZrO2(101). Therefore, La modification improves the performance of ZrO2 on conversion of ethanol to propylene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reepithelialization is an important step of wound healing, which is mainly completed by proliferation and migration of epidermal cells. Akermanite is a Ca‐, Mg‐, and Si‐containing bioceramic. This study evaluated the effects of Akermanite on wound healing and investigated the mechanisms. Using scald burn mice models, we demonstrated that local Akermanite treatment significantly accelerated wound healing by increasing reepithelialization and the stemness of epidermal cells. Epidermal cells were cultured in medium containing Akermanite extracts to explore the cellular mechanism of reepithelialization. Akermanite promoted the cell proliferation and migration, maintaining more cells in the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle. An additional study showed that Akermanite enhanced the expressions of integrinβ1, Lgr4, Lgr5, and Lgr6, which are specific molecular markers of epidermal stem cells, accompanied by the activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway. These results suggested that Akermanite accelerated reepithelialization by increasing the proliferation, migration, and stemness of epidermal cells in a manner related to the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway, which might contribute, at least partially, to accelerated wound healing by Akermanite therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the phase structure evolution is important for developing high performance lead-free piezoelectric materials. In this work, the effects of A-site ionic size of monovalent ions on the phase transition behaviors for the lead-free niobate ceramics ANbO 3 (A = Li, Na, Ag, and K) are investigated using XRD analysis and dielectric measurement. The iso-valent ionic doping restrains the relaxation behavior that usually appears in the hetero-valent ionic-doped niobate ceramics. The A-site average ionic size of R A and its ionic radius differences of ΔR A are found to be crucial influence factors on the phase transition behaviors of the ANbO 3 ceramics. Small Li+ doping stabilize tetragonal phase of the ANbO 3 ceramics with R A > 1.47 Å, but stabilize rhombohedral phase of the ones with R A < 1.47 Å. On the other hand, The ANbO 3 ceramics without Li+ doping prefer to orthorhombic phase due to indistinctive ionic size differences (ΔR A < 0.25 Å). Our results suggest that a certain phase and phase transition boundary could be designed by appropriate ionic doping for developing the niobate-based lead free piezoelectric ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a Ru(II) complex [Ru(bpy) 2 (pip-CO 2 H)]2+ (Ru 1) and its hexaarginine peptide conjugate [Ru(bpy) 2 (pic-Arg 6)]8+ (Ru 2) have been synthesized and characterized. The binding of Ru 1 and Ru 2 with poly(U)•poly(A)*poly(U) triplex has been studied. Results suggest that Ru 1 binds in the surface of the minor groove while Ru 2 binds to the minor groove of the triplex. Consequently, the triplex stabilization is barely affected by Ru 1 , while with Ru 2 the triplex stabilizing effect is so strong that that dissociation of the triplex shows an overlapping of both melting processes with the melting temperature increased to a maximum of 56.1 °C at the C Ru 2 / C UAU ratio of 0.05, where Δ T m1 and Δ T m2 are 19.6 and 10.1 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of Ru 2 stabilizing the third strand at such a low binding ratio of 0.05 is more marked than what obsereved for flavone luteolin and [Ru(bpy) 2 (mdpz)]2+, which are so far the strongest triplex stabilizers in the reported organic small molecules and metal complexes, respectively. Considering the structure natures of Ru 2 , conceivably except for electrostatic interaction, the forces stabilizing the triplex should also involve hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bingding. To our knowledge, this work represents a first example of improving the triplex stabilization by a metallopeptide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the adsorption of gas molecules onto complex materials. We explore the mapping of the traditional soft-core lattice gas model to the Blume–Capel model, investigating the phase transition and critical phenomena of the Blume–Capel model on complex networks. Additionally, we discuss the impact of cross rewiring links on the network structure. Through Monte Carlo simulation, we obtain thermodynamic properties of different network structures and determine the critical temperatures of these quantities via finite-size analysis. The results reveal the following. As the control parameter r increases, the transition temperature increases. With an increase in the crystal field strength, the transition temperature decreases. Tri-critical phenomena are observed at various control parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) with tremendous toxic effects has caused a serious threat to food security. Accurate quantification of AFB1 in food can effectively prevent the risk of human intake of AFB1. Herein, a colorimetric and fluorescent dual-mode aptasensor for accurate and sensitive detection of AFB1 has been developed based on MnO 2 nanoflowers (MnO 2 NFs) for the first time. MnO 2 NFs could catalyze the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into blue oxidation product (TMBox) by H 2 O 2 , which would be used for visible detection of AFB1. Simultaneously, MnO 2 NFs can be served as a signal amplifier and reduced by ascorbic acid to generate lots of Mn2+ which would quench the fluorescence of calcein for fluorescent detection of AFB1. Both colorimetric and fluorescent methods have been successfully applied for determination of AFB1 in milk samples with satisfactory results. The proposed dual-mode detection method with high detection sensitivity and accuracy showed great promise for monitoring AFB1 in food. [Display omitted] • A dual-mode aptasensor was proposed for accurate and sensitive detection of AFB1. • Colorimetric method was developed based on the peroxidase-like activity of MnO 2 NFs. • Ultrasensitive fluorescent method utilized MnO 2 NFs as a signal amplifier. • Dual-mode aptasensor exhibited the merit of both colorimetric and fluorescent method. • Dual-mode aptasensor showed promising applicability in monitoring AFB1 in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Amorphous Mo-Fe-Ni-S nanospheres were electrochemically deposited on Ni foam at room temperature. • The as-obtained Mo-Fe-Ni-S/NF electrode exhibited excellent OER electrocatalytic activity. • A low overpotential of 275 mV was required to reach a current density of 100 mA cm−2 for OER. • The Mo-Fe-Ni-S/NF electrode exhibited good long-term stability at the low or high current density. Exploiting non-noble metal oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts with adequate electrocatalytic activity and long durability has become one of keys to realize the overall water splitting to generate hydrogen with a low cost. Here, a cost-effective and straightforward electrodeposition approach was adopted for fast preparation of Mo-incorporated iron-nickel-sulfide amorphous nanospheres on nickel foam (labeled as Mo-Fe-Ni-S/NF) at room temperature. It was found that in 1.0 M KOH solution, the as-deposited Mo-Fe-Ni-S/NF electrode required overpotentials of 230/257/275 mV to launch the current densities of 10/50/100 mA cm−2, respectively, displaying high catalytic activity for OER. Furthermore, at the current densities of 10 or 500 mA cm−2, the as-obtained Mo-Fe-Ni-S/NF electrode could continuously work for more than 260 h without iR compensation, indicating good long-term stability at the low or high current density. The above excellent OER electrocatalytic performances were primarily ascribed to the synergistic impact of diverse components. Amorphous Ni-Fe-Mo-S nanospheres was electrochemically deposited on nickel foam as an electrocatalyst for water oxidation reaction. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Label-free gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) plasmonic sensors are limited in the biological assay for weak expansibility. Here, a novel H 2 O 2 -sensing AuNPs plasmonic sensor was proposed using 3, 3′, 5, 5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) redox catalysis of H 2 O 2 -indcued cysteine oxidation for AuNPs coloration (TreHOAuC), and the application of TreHOAuC was examined by combining H 2 O 2 -generating oxidase. In the TreHOAuC platform, TMB is transformed into oxidized TMB (oxTMB) by horseradish peroxidase in the presence of H 2 O 2 , and oxTMB is restored into TMB after oxidizing cysteine into cystine. The redox cycling of TMB boosts H 2 O 2 -induced cysteine oxidation, and the cysteine oxidation is visualized by AuNPs. Critical parameters of the TreHOAuC platform were optimized such as concentration, time, pH, and buffer. Using the TreHOAuC system, H 2 O 2 can be specifically sensed by naked eyes within 2 min, and the detection limit was less than 0.5 μM. As a proof-in-conception, a cholesterol oxidase-paired TreHOAuC system was used to detect cholesterol in serum samples, indicating a linear range of 2–40 μM and great preciseness. In summary, our proposed TreHOAuC method provided a novel and more comprehensive application for biological sensing. [Display omitted] • A label-free plasmonic sensor was fabricated by cysteine-induced AuNPs clustering. • H 2 O 2 initiated cysteine oxidation was catalyzed by HRP-assisted TMB redox cycle. • TreHOAuC system rapidly and specifically senses H 2 O 2 within 2 min (LOD: 0.5 μM). • TreHOAuC system assays more molecules by coupling with H 2 O 2 -generating oxidases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the properties of ℓ 1 -symmetric vector random fields in R d , whose direct/cross covariances are functions of ℓ 1 -norm. The spectral representation and a turning bands expression of the covariance matrix function are derived for an ℓ 1 -symmetric vector random field that is mean square continuous. We also establish an integral relationship between an ℓ 1 -symmetric covariance matrix function and an isotropic one. In addition, a simple but efficient approach is proposed to construct the ℓ 1 -symmetric random field in R d , whose univariate marginal distributions may be taken as arbitrary infinitely divisible distribution with finite variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat shock cognate 70-kDa protein (RH-Hsc70) was identified from a cDNA library synthesized from the sialotranscriptomes of unfed and fed Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. The RH-Hsc70 open reading frame is 1950 bp long and encodes a protein that is 649 amino acids in length, with a predicted molecular weight of 71.1 kDa and a theoretical pI of 5.43. RH-Hsc70 exhibits 98% amino acid identity with Hsc70 in Haemaphysalis flava and 83% identity with Hsc70 in arthropods and mammals. RH-Hsc70 was mainly expressed in nymphs and adult ticks, not in larvae. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis indicated that RH-Hsc70 mRNA expression was induced by blood feeding in adult ticks. In addition, RH-Hsc70 gene expression was higher in the ovaries of fed adult ticks than that in the midguts, salivary glands, and fat bodies of unfed or fed adult ticks. RH-Hsc70 gene knockdown inhibited tick blood feeding, significantly decreased tick engorgement rate, and increased tick death rate. These data illustrate the importance of RH-Hsc70 in tick blood feeding and aging, which makes it a promising candidate for the development of anti-tick vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroelectric aging is a phenomenon that is generally observed in acceptor‐doped ferroelectrics and usually produces a large recoverable electrostrain. In this work, using an oxide ionic conducting material, a Gd‐modified ceria solution (GDC), as a dopant, we find that GDC‐doped BaTiO3 ceramics exhibit ferroelectric aging behaviors at room temperature. These ceramics show double polarization hysteresis (P‐E) loops and sprout‐shaped recoverable strain vs electric field (S‐E) curves. GDC‐doped BT ceramic (3 mol%) produces a large recoverable electrostrain of 0.12% at 3 kV/cm. The large ions of Ce3+ and Gd3+, which have small electronegativity, lead to the high mobility of oxygen vacancies and a rapid symmetry conformation for short range ordering (SC‐SRO) of points defects, which appear as fast aging effects and a large electrostrain in GDC‐doped BT ceramics at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon black was prepared by pyrolysis of propane under different plasma conditions. The effects of the flow ratio of the carbon precursor, discharge current, and plasma gases (including argon, nitrogen, and hydrogen) on the morphology and structure of carbon black were investigated by a series of physical characterizations. The equilibrium components were computed based on the minimization of the Gibbs free energy. The theoretical analysis and experimental results confirmed that HCN is the inevitable byproduct in the tail gas from the nitrogen plasma process, indicating that nitrogen is inappropriate as the carrier gas for the preparation of carbon black. The effects of discharging current, discharging spacing, and proportions of propane were also symmetrically studied by the evaluation of HCN concentration. Moreover, the graphene was generated when using argon as the plasma gas mixed with a small amount of hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shikonin is a natural compound isolated from herbs and traditional medicines that have been used in a number of countries to treat various illnesses including inflammation, virus infection and cancer for centuries. Recent studies have shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying these biological activities of Shikonin. Here we review the latest advances in our understanding of this compound class in the anti-cancer regimen. We focus on signaling pathways and cellular targets involved in the anticancer activity of Shikonin. We also briefly discuss approaches in evaluating the in vivo bioactivity and drug delivery of Shikonin in the anti-cancer treatment. Subsequently, we highlight recently developed strategies in the chemical and biogenic synthesis of Shikonin and summarize the structure-activity relationship studies of Shikonin. We anticipate that these lines of information would facilitate the functional identification and future clinical development of Shikonin and its derivatives in the combat against cancer. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Two Ru(II) complexes [Ru(phen) 2 dicnq]2+ and [Ru(bpy) 2 dicnq]2+ have been synthesized and characterized. Binding properties of the two complexes with poly(U)·poly(A)*poly(U) triplex have been studied. Results indicate that the two stabilize the triplex by the stacking interaction, while they prefer to bind with the Watson-Crick base-paired duplex instead of the Hoogsteen base-paired strand of the triplex under the same conditions. Therefore, the two complexes stabilize the Watson-Crick base-paired duplex of the triplex almost without affecting the stability of third-strand. Abstract Using phen or bpy (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) as ancillary ligands and dicnq (dicnq = 6,7-dicyanodipyrido[2,2- d :2′,3′- f ]quinoxaline) as the main ligand, two new Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes containing cyano groups, [Ru(phen) 2 dicnq]2+ (Ru 1) and [Ru(bpy) 2 dicnq]2+ (Ru 2) have been synthesized as binders for poly(U)·poly(A)*poly(U) triplex. The binding properties of Ru 1 and Ru 2 with the triplex has been studied by spectroscopic methods and viscosity measurements. Analysis of the electronic absorption spectra suggests that the binding of intercalating Ru 1 with the triplex is greater than that of Ru 2 , which is also supported by spectroscopic titrations and viscosity measurements. Thermal denaturation studies suggest that the two complexes stabilize the Watson-Crick base-paired duplex of the triplex structure almost without affecting the stability of the Hoogsteen base-paired third strand, suggesting that the electron-withdrawing effect of cyano group hardly increases the binding strengths of the third strand and the template duplex of the triplex under study here. Changes in the CD (CD = circular dichroism) spectra of the triplex indicate that the binding-induced CD perturbation of the triplex structure is more marked with Ru 1. The main results obtained here indicate that small differences in the ancillary ligands play important roles in the triplex binding when ruthenium(II) complexes contain the same intercalative ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The additive manufacturing technique of micro-stereolithography (µSL) is applied to fabricate alkaline niobate (K 0.48 Na 0.52 NbO 3, KNN) based lead-free piezoceramics. Complex KNN-based piezoceramic green parts with fine dimensional characteristics, such as a piezoceramic transducer array and a hollow hemisphere, have been printed. The two-step debinding and sintering processes are employed to obtain crack-free dense KNN ceramics with complex shapes. These printed KNN ceramics exhibit superior piezoelectric and ferroelectric performance (ε r = 2150, d 33 = 170 pC/N, P r = 12.1 μC/cm2, E C = 6.1 kV/cm, and T C = 230 °C), which are comparable to those of KNN piezoceramics made by traditional methods. These results suggest that the µSL technique may serve as an alternative method to manufacture KNN lead-free piezoceramic components, especially for the application with complex architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thicker layer of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/waterborne polyurethane (WPU) anticorrosive and conductive coating was respectively prepared on the Q235 steel substrate by brushing (Br) and electrostatic spraying (ES) in this work. The effect of coating process on the dispersion of the MWCNTs and the electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, and bond strength of the coating was investigated. It was shown that the coating prepared by ES (ES coating) had a smooth surface, few defects and evenly dispersed MWCNTs. The coating prepared by Br (Br coating) had a rough surface, some defects and obviously agglomerated MWCNTs. The electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, and bond strength of the ES coating were higher than those of the Br coating with the same MWCNT content. As the MWCNT content increased, the electrical conductivity of the ES coating increased, however, its corrosion resistance and bond strength first increased and then decreased. The resistivity of ES 0.3 wt% MWCNTs/WPU coating (12808.4 Ω·m) met the standard requirement of the conductive coating. Its corrosion rate was 3.50×10-5 mm/a immersed in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. Its bond strength to the Q235 steel substrate was higher than that of ES pure WPU coating. As the MWCNT content increased, the electrical conductivity of the Br coating increased, however, its corrosion resistance and bond strength decreased. When the MWCNT content was 0.6 wt%, the Br coating would conduct electricity. Its corrosion rate was 5.24×10-2 mm/a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at assessing the effects of urokinase (UK) in combination with ultrasound and microbubbles in in vitro and in vivo thrombolytic therapy for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Thrombi with formation times of 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 d were used for thrombolysis. Forty-five adult mongrel dogs were used to evaluate thrombosis in vivo. Both in vitro and in vivo analyses revealed that UK + microbubbles had the best effect among the combinations. Thrombolysis <7 d was more effective at a thrombolysis rate of about 50%, but the thrombolytic effect of thrombi >7 d was poor at thrombolysis rates <30%. Ultrasound + UK significantly increased the thrombolysis rate of thrombi <7 d. These results suggest that the combination of ultrasound with microbubble contrast agents and UK may have a synergistic effect on thrombolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The modified model is developed to predict condensation phenomenon. • Two novel dehumidification structures are presented. • The PICS with the φ = 5° presents the best dehumidification effect. • The PICS with the φ = 5° succeeds in reducing the wetness loss to 3.06 kJ/kg. Abstract Nowadays, the vast majority of electricity is extracted from the steam turbine, while the non-equilibrium condensation will take place because of the high steam velocity and low superheat temperature in steam low-pressure stage, which will not only reduce the efficiency but endanger the safety of the steam turbine by corroding the blade. The aim of this work is to optimize the novel dehumidification structure to reduce the wetness loss and increase the efficiency of steam turbine. Firstly, the modified model is developed to predict the non-equilibrium condensation flow. The modified model is validated in stator cascade, which shows a greater agreement with the experimental data compared with original model, especially the Wilson point and pressure rise caused by the non-equilibrium condensation. Secondly, two novel dehumidification structures are presented on the basis of my previous study, and the dehumidification effect is checked using the modified model. With the passage outlet diameter increasing in the PICS, the reduction of the outlet average liquid mass fraction and wetness loss in cascade has the same tendency, and the more the passage outlet diameter, the lower the outlet average liquid mass fraction, the less the wetness loss caused by the non-equilibrium condensation in cascade. Thirdly, compared with the original cascade, the PICS with the φ = 5 ° having the divergence nozzle characteristic and larger outlet diameter presents the best dehumidification effect and succeeds in reducing the average liquid mass fraction and wetness loss to 3% and 3.06 kJ/kg, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Elevated hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) level is closely associated with various diseases. So the sensing of H 2 S is noteworthy for divulging its role in diagnosing these diseases. Herein, we proposed poly(acrylic acid)-modified upconversion nanoparticles assembled with cationic near-infrared cyanine chromophores (Cy7-Cl) as the nanoprobe (Cy7-UCNPs) for monitoring H 2 S based on thiolation reactions. The presence of H 2 S resulted into about five-fold enhancement in the luminescence intensity of Cy7-UCNPs and the nanoprobe showed a good linearity (R2 =0.9952) over the range of 1.0 − 90 μM. Furthermore, Cy7-UCNPs were successfully employed in sensing and imaging of exogenous and endogenous H 2 S in live cells and zebrafish. The system shows great potential in the field of nanobiomedicine because of the many excellent properties including high sensitivity, good selectivity, and low cytotoxicity. Highlights • A turn-on nanoprobe was developed using Cy7-Cl assembled with core–shell upconversion nanoparticles. • The nanoprobe with NIR input-to-NIR output feature has been applied for highly sensitive and selective detection of H 2 S. • The nanoprobe had been successfully used in exogenous and endogenous H 2 S bioimaging in living cells. • The nanoprobe was capable of distinguishing normal and tumor-bearing zebrafish through in vivo imaging of H 2 S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns a generalized Sel’kov–Schnakenberg reaction–diffusion system. Criteria for the stability and instability of the unique constant steady state solution are given. Various conditions on the existence and nonexistence of nonconstant steady state solutions are established. In particular, it is proved that the system admits no nonconstant steady state solution provided that d 2 is large enough and 0 < p ≤ 1 , while it has nonconstant steady state solution if d 2 is large enough and p > 1 . This implies, when d 2 is large enough, the index p = 1 is the critical value of generating spatial pattern (especially, Turing pattern). Our main results essentially improve those in previous works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the peakedness comparison between two Gaussian random fields about their mean functions, a necessary and sufficient condition is derived in this paper in terms of their covariance functions. Interestingly, such a condition is also necessary and sufficient for the convex ordering between the two Gaussian random fields having identical mean functions. The relation to the equivalence of two Gaussian random fields is illustrated through some parametric examples. Necessary and/or sufficient conditions are given for the peakedness comparison and convex ordering between two elliptically contoured random fields. These conditions are applied to examine how certain parameters affect the peakedness of some Gaussian or elliptically contoured random fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • UCNPs-MoS 2 nanoassemblies were developed to detect reactive oxygen species (ROS) with a fast response time. • The nanoprobe had been successfully applied in the imaging of exogenous and endogenous ROS in living cells. • The nanoprobe was employed in in vivo visualization of ROS level in zebrafish. Abstract Nanoassemblies for bioimaging in living cells have attracted much attention. In this work, an efficient and sensitive turn-on fluorescent detection platform for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in living cells has been constructed using the nanoassemblies of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs)-MoS 2 nanoflakes. In this nanostructure, the positively charged UCNPs could assemble with negatively charged poly(acrylic acid) modified MoS 2 nanoflakes by electrostatic force, which led to the remarkable fluorescence quenching of UCNPs owing to the excellent quenching ability of MoS 2 nanoflakes. In contrast, in the presence of ROS, the fluorescence recovery of UCNPs is successfully realized owing to the decomposition of MoS 2 nanoflakes through the chemical reaction with ROS. The ROS-mediated disassembly of the nanoarchitecture display excellent fluorescent response toward ROS. Furthermore, the disassembly of UCNPs-MoS 2 nanoflakes has been successfully used for ROS bioimaging in cells and zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ideal Li-ion battery materials should have a low Li-ion diffusion barrier and a suitable binding energy. Here, first-principles calculations were performed to investigate the potential of SnS monolayer as a Li-ion battery material. Our study reveals that Li ions can be strongly bonded on the SnS monolayer with a binding energy of around 2 eV, and donate electrons into the SnS monolayer. Consequently, Li intercalation of SnS monolayer gives rise to a semiconducting to metallic transition, and leads to a good electrical conductivity. Interestingly, in spite of the existence of strong chemical interaction, the energy barrier (0.45 eV) of Li diffusion on the SnS monolayer is quite low. Moreover, the estimated open circuit voltage is about 1.98 V, which is much better than that of commercial graphite. Thus, given these advantages, it is expected that SnS monolayer will be a promising anode material for Li ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Zirconia catalysts doped with Si were prepared by co-precipitation method. The effects of zirconium precursor, precipitant and Si on the selective conversion of ethanol to ethylene over zirconia catalysts were investigated. The addition of Si afforded high surface area and enlarged amount of acidic sites. Higher ethanol conversion and ethylene yield were obtained over SiO2-ZrO2 catalysts. The highest yield of ethylene reached 95.9% over SiO2-ZrO2 synthesized by ZrO(NO3)2·2H2O and (NH2CH2)2.Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, carbon ions implanted chromium coating deposited on CSS-42L aerospace bearing steel by using the filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition- metal evaporation vacuum arc duplex technique had been investigated. Film structure and properties after carbon implantation have been characterized by glancing incident XRD, AFM, SEM, TEM, AES, XPS and potentiodynamic polarization test. Carbon ions implanted chromium coating showed an increase in the pitting potential, promoting higher pitting corrosion resistance. The improvement was attributed to the reduction of surface roughness, the irradiated amorphous phase, the inert graphitic solid state carbon and the formation of nanocrystalline Cr 2 C and CrC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Ghosh input-output model. • Structural decomposition analysis of air pollutant emissions. • Covering China, India, USA, and Japan. • Key role of adjusting allocation structures. Abstract China’s air quality has become a major issue affecting people’s livelihood and continues to deteriorate in recent times. It is an important issue of common concern for economists and policymakers to explore the drivers of the growth of air pollution emissions and the deteriorating environmental quality in China. From the perspective of supply-side structures, this paper adopts Ghosh input-output model to decompose the factors affecting the changes of air pollutant emissions into economic activities, economic structures, allocation structures and emission intensity. Using this model, we conduct a structural decomposition analysis of air pollutant emissions in China, India, USA, and Japan for 1995–2009. The results reveal that China’s economic structure initially promoted air pollutant emissions, but later played a role in reducing them. Further, whereas in Japan and particularly, China, allocation structures were found to be a key factor in increasing air pollutant emissions, in America and India, it played a critical role in reducing emissions. Our findings suggest that adjusting the distribution structure of intermediate products is crucial to reduce air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The extraction effect of supercritical CO 2 is proportional to the deformation damage of coal. • The weak polar or nonpolar functional groups in coal change obviously after extraction. • Aromatics extracts are proportional to the degree of coal damage, while aliphatics are opposite. • The effects of minerals and organic matter on coal pores were verified. The interaction between carbon dioxide (CO 2) and coal plays a vital role in CO 2 geological storage enhanced coalbed methane recovery (CO 2 -ECBM). To investigate the mechanism of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO 2) extraction in technically deformed coals under deep coal seam conditions, the chemical composition and structure of technically deformed coals before and after SC-CO 2 treatment were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that, after SC-CO 2 extraction, the absorption peak intensities of weakly polar and non-polar compounds in coal are weakened. With the increase in tectonic deformation degree, the dissolution effect of aromatic compounds increases, while aliphatic compounds show a complementary evolution trend. The dissolution effect of SC-CO 2 on carbonate minerals is the most significant, with the highest dissolution amount of 100 %, followed by clay minerals, with the dissolution amount between 1.3 % and 30.5 %, while oxide minerals are relatively stable and hardly react. With the increasing degree of tectonic deformation, the solubility of various minerals tends to increase. In summary, SC-CO 2 has a dissolution effect on the organic functional groups and minerals of technically deformed coal, and the effect tends to be significant with the increase of coal tectonic deformation degrees. In view of the important role of mineral and organic composition on the porosity and adsorption of coal, when CO 2 is injected into deep coal seams, the response characteristics of porosity, permeability and adsorption caused by the change in mineral and organic composition should also be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High chromium cast irons (HCCIs) have excellent wear resistance because of high hardness chromium carbides (M 7 C 3). However, the hardness of M 7 C 3 is relatively low compared with MC-type carbides, such as VC, NbC and TiC. To improve wear resistance of HCCI, a new HCCI, named HCCI-VN, was fabricated by replacing wt.5.0% chromium with 5.0 wt% vanadium and adding 0.1 wt% nitrogen in traditional HCCI with 20 wt% Cr, and the abrasive wear properties of HCCI-VN were researched under different abrasive size and load conditions. Results show that the microstructure of HCCI-VN was characterized by many V(C, N) carbides besides chromium and molybdenum carbides (M 7 C 3 , M 23 C 6 , M 2 C), which were distributed in the matrix composed of martensite and austenite. The new HCCI-VN has excellent wear resistance. The relative wear resistance HCCI-VN is 2.2–9.1 times that of HCCI with 23 wt% Cr under different abrasive size and wear load. Among them, the reduction of abrasive size or the increase of wear load will bring better wear resistance. The excellent wear resistance of HCCI-VN is attributed to high hardness V(C, N), which cooperates with multi-scale and multi-type chromium and molybdenum carbides to resist abrasive scratch efficiently. • A new high chromium cast irons HCCI with vanadium and nitrogen (HCCI-VN) was fabricated. • The relative wear resistance HCCI-VN is 2.2–9.1 times that of HCCI. • The wear resistance mechanism of HCCI-VN is clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The applications of traditional statistical feature selection methods to high-dimension, low-sample-size data often struggle and encounter challenging problems, such as overfitting, curse of dimensionality, computational infeasibility, and strong model assumptions. In this paper, we propose a novel two-step nonparametric approach called Deep Feature Screening (DeepFS) that can overcome these problems and identify significant features with high precision for ultra high-dimensional, low-sample-size data. This approach first extracts a low-dimensional representation of input data and then applies feature screening on the original input feature space based on multivariate rank distance correlation recently developed by Deb and Sen (2021). This approach combines the strengths of both deep neural networks and feature screening, thereby having the following appealing features in addition to its ability of handling ultra high-dimensional data with small number of samples: (1) it is model free and distribution free; (2) it can be used for both supervised and unsupervised feature selection; and (3) it is capable of recovering the original input data. The superiority of DeepFS is demonstrated via extensive simulation studies and real data analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational construction of advanced non-noble metal-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is extremely significant in promoting hydrogen energy from theory to practical application. Herein, we designed a connected preparation route to successfully construct Ni foam-supported porous nickel (labeled as Ni/NF) and FeOOH/porous nickel (labeled as FeOOH/Ni/NF) microstructures. It was found that the as-constructed Ni/NF and FeOOH/Ni/NF integral electrodes separately presented superb HER and OER electrocatalytic activities. In 1 M KOH solution, the Ni/NF and FeOOH/Ni/NF electrodes required overpotentials of 48 mV for HER and 191 mV for OER to deliver the current density of 10 mA cm−2, respectively. At the same time, the chronopotentiometry measurements showed that as-constructed Ni/NF and FeOOH/Ni/NF integral electrodes could continuously work over 180 h at 50 mA cm−2 for HER (Ni/NF) and 300 h at 100 mA cm−2 for OER (FeOOH/Ni/NF), exhibiting excellent long-term stability. In a two-electrodes system employing the Ni/NF as the cathode and the FeOOH/Ni/NF as the anode, more importantly, only a voltage of 1.49 V was required to reach the current density of 10 mA cm−2 with outstanding durability of 200 h at 50 mA cm−2 and high Faradaic efficiency. The present work provides a simple and relied technique to construct connected non-noble metal-based HER and OER electrocatalysts for practical applications. • A connected route is designed to prepare Ni foam supported porous Ni and FeOOH/porous Ni electrodes. • The as-constructed Ni/NF integral electrode presented superb HER electrocatalytic activity. • The as-obtained FeOOH/Ni/NF electrode displayed outstanding OER electrocatalytic activity. • As-constructed Ni/NF and FeOOH/Ni/NF integral electrodes owned excellent long-term stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, a new wave of scientific and technological advancements has significantly reshaped the global economic structure. This shift has redefined the role of regional innovation, particularly in its contribution to developing the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay area (GBA) into a renowned center for science, technology, and innovation. This study constructs a comprehensive evaluation system for the Regional Innovation Ecosystem (RIE). By applying the coupling coordination degree model and social network analysis, we have extensively analyzed the spatial structure and network attributes of the coupled and coordinated innovation ecosystem in the GBA from 2010 to 2019. Our findings reveal several key developments: (1) There has been a noticeable rightward shift in the kernel density curve, indicating an ongoing optimization of the overall coupling coordination level. Notably, the center of gravity for coupling coordination has progressively moved southeast. This shift has led to a reduction in the elliptical area each year, while the trend surface consistently shows a convex orientation toward the center. The most significant development is observed along the 'Guangdong–Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Macao Science and Technology Innovation Corridor', where the level of coupling coordination has become increasingly pronounced. (2) The spatial linkages within the GBA have been strengthening. There are significant spatial transaction costs in the regional innovation ecological network. In the context of the 2019 US-China trade war, the cities of Jiangmen and Zhaoqing experienced a notable decrease in connectivity with other cities, raising concerns about their potential marginalization. (3) Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong have emerged as core nodes within the network. The network exhibits a distinctive "core–edge" spatial structure, characterized by both robustness and vulnerability in various aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a mechanical separation and thermal treatment process is developed to recover valuable metals and graphite from the −0.25 mm crushed products of spent lithium-ion batteries (LiBs). Effect of key parameters for roasting such as the temperature and roasting time are investigated to determine the most efficient conditions for surface modification of the mixed electrode materials by roasting. The roasted mixed electrode materials are separated by flotation operation to recover the cathode material and anode materials respectively. The results show that most of the organic outer layer coated on the surface of the mixed electrode materials can be removed at the temperature of 450 °C for 15 min. After roasting treatment, the original wettability of LiCoO 2 and graphite is regained. The −0.25 mm crushed products of spent LiBs can be separated into LiCoO 2 concentrate and graphite concentrate by flotation process efficiently. The enrichment ratios of Co, Mn, Cu and Al are 1.35, 1.29, 1.25 and 1.19, their recovery rates are 97.66%, 93.66%, 90.14% and 86.29%, respectively. This process proposed for the recovery of valuable materials is simple and of high efficient for the spent lithium-ion batteries recycling industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The selectivity of propylene was constant at 20% during continuous experiments for 8 h on HZSM-5. However, HLEV catalysts produced almost no C3H6 after 2 h. The rapid change is probably due to coke deposition. Excessive adsorption of ethanol on HLEV leads to coke deposition. Lower adsorption energy of ethylene on HLEV makes ethylene desorb quickly after formation.Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZrO 2 -based catalysts doped with Y were prepared by co-precipitation method. The effect of yttrium modification on the selective conversion of bio-ethanol to propylene over ZrO 2 catalysts was investigated. The physical and chemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by N 2 adsorption-desorption method, temperature programmed desorption and X-ray diffraction. The maximum yield of propylene reached 44.0% over 0.03Y/ZrO 2 catalyst. A coordination of acid-base properties accounts for the remarkable improvement of reaction activities over Y-doped ZrO 2 catalysts in this investigation. On the basis of calculation results, it can be concluded that significant charge transfer occurs as a result of introduction of Y or O-vacancy. The adsorption of ethanol and propylene on perfect t-ZrO 2 (1 0 1), defect t-ZrO 2 (1 0 1) and Y/ZrO 2 (1 0 1) surfaces were investigated with density functional theory (DFT). The adsorption for ethanol on Y/ZrO 2 (1 0 1) and defect t-ZrO 2 (1 0 1) surfaces are more stable than that on perfect t-ZrO 2 (1 0 1). On the defect t-ZrO 2 (1 0 1) surface, ethanol dominantly absorbs at the O-vacancy site, indicating that O-vacancy becomes the favorable adsorption site. On the Y/ZrO 2 (1 0 1) and defect t-ZrO 2 (1 0 1) surfaces, the adsorption energy of propylene decreases, which makes propylene desorb quickly after formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is an intracellular non-receptor phosphatase that is implicated in signal transduction of insulin and leptin pathways, thus PTP1B is considered as potential target for treating type II diabetes and obesity. The present article is an attempt to formulate the three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) modeling of a series of compounds possessing PTP1B inhibitory activities using comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) techniques. The optimum template ligand-based models are statistically significant with great CoMFA (R 2 cv  = 0.600, R 2 pred  = 0.6760) and CoMSIA (R 2 cv  = 0.624, R 2 pred  = 0.8068) values. Molecular docking was employed to elucidate the inhibitory mechanisms of this series of compounds against PTP1B. In addition, the CoMFA and CoMSIA field contour maps agree well with the structural characteristics of the binding pocket of PTP1B active site. The knowledge of structure-activity relationship and ligand-receptor interactions from 3D-QSAR model and molecular docking will be useful for better understanding the mechanism of ligand-receptor interaction and facilitating development of novel compounds as potent PTP1B inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]