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It remains a challenge to explore economical, high-effective and long term stability electrocatalysts toward large-scale hydrogen production. This work utilizes surface engineering strategy to in-situ CoFe-Prussian Blue Analogues on NiCo-layered double hydroxides to obtain 3D hierarchical heterostructure precursor (NiCo–CoFe-PBA). After phosphatization, this precursor can be further transform into tri-metallic phosphide (NiCoP/CoFeP@NF) and directly act as efficient self-supported electrode for Water and Urea Electrolysis. Impressively, the obtained NiCoP/CoFeP@NF-12 (±) electrode shows excellent catalytic performance with only requires the cell voltage of 1.61 and 1.46 V to deliver 10 mA cm−2 in overall water splitting and urea electrolysis, respectively, which benefiting from the porous Ni foam (NF) substrate, large catalytic activity area, remarkable mass/electron transfer property, the synergistic effect of components as well as superhydrophilicity and superaerophobicity of electrode surface. In addition, the experimental results also confirm that urea-assisted system has energy saving advantage superior than traditional water splitting in alkaline electrolyte. Moreover, the hierarchical strategy can also be introduced to the construction of other intricate composites for the utilization in energy conversion and storage. 3D hierarchical heterostructure NiCoP/CoFeP@NF self-supported eletrocatalyst for overall Water and Urea Electrolysis. [Display omitted] • Combining CoFe-PBA with NiCo-LDH on Ni foam to form hierarchical NiCoP/CoFeP@NF. • The electrode surface exhibits superhydrophilic and superaerophobicity. • NiCoP/CoFeP@NF shows excellent overall water and urea electrolysis performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the relationship between the Comprehensive Nutritional Index (CNI) and survival in older patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to compare the prognostic performance of three nutritional indicators (CNI, Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), and Nutritional Risk Index (NRI)) for overall survival (OS). Methods: This retrospective study involved 309 older NPC patients in Guangzhou (China) from November 2006 to November 2017. The CNI comprised five parameters: the body mass index (BMI), usual body weight percentage (UBW%), hemoglobin (Hb) level, albumin level, and total lymphocyte count (TLC). All single nutritional indicators were evaluated before and immediately after treatment. The principal component analysis (PCA) was used for calculation of the CNI by single nutritional indicators after treatment. The cutoff point for the CNI was evaluated and logistic regression used to explore the risk factors for the CNI. Univariable, multivariable Cox regression, and Kaplan–Meier methods were applied for OS and disease-free survival (DFS) analyses. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare the prognostic value of the CNI, PNI, and NRI for OS. Results: All single nutritional indicators decreased significantly after treatment (P < 0.05). The CNI cutoff point for mortality was 0.027, and the logistic regression indicated more complex treatments or higher cancer stage for NPC was associated with a low CNI (HR = 0.179; 95% CI: 0.037–0.856; 0.545, 0.367–0.811, respectively). In multivariable Cox regression, the CNI remained an independent prognostic factor of OS and DFS (HR = 0.468, 95% CI: 0.263–0.832; 0.527, 0.284–0.977, respectively). Kaplan–Meier curves showed that a low CNI was associated with worse OS and DFS (P = 0.001 and 0.013, respectively). The prognostic predictive performance of the CNI was superior to that of the PNI or NRI. Conclusions: The CNI can be recommended as an appropriate indicator reflecting the integrated nutritional status of older NPC patients. A low CNI predicted a poor survival outcome and the prognostic performance of CNI was superior to PNI or NRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a huge controversy about whether xenograft or allograft in the "immune-privileged" brain needs immunosuppression. In animal studies, the prevailing sophisticated use of immunosuppression or immunodeficient animal is detrimental for the recipients, which results in a short lifespan of animals, confounds functional behavioral readout of the graft benefits, and discourages long-term follow-up. Methods: Neuron-restricted neural progenitor cells (NPCs) were derived from human embryonic stem cells (ESCs, including H1, its gene-modified cell lines for better visualization, and HN4), propagated for different passages, and then transplanted into the brain of immunocompetent rats without immunosuppressants. The graft survivals, their cell fates, and HLA expression levels were examined over time (up to 4 months after transplantation). We compared the survival capability of NPCs from different passages and in different transplantation sites (intra-parenchyma vs. para- and intra-cerebroventricle). The host responses to the grafts were also investigated. Results: Our results show that human ESC-derived neuron-restricted NPCs survive extendedly in adult rat brain parenchyma with no need of immunosuppression whereas a late-onset graft rejection seems inevitable. Both donor HLA antigens and host MHC-II expression level remain relatively low with little change over time and cannot predict the late-onset rejection. The intra-/para-cerebroventricular human grafts are more vulnerable to the immune attack than the intrastriatal counterparts. Prevention of graft hyperplasia by using hypoproliferative late passaged human NPCs further significantly extends the graft survival time. Our new data also shows that a subpopulation of host microglia upregulate MHC-II expression in response to the human graft, but fail to present the human antigen to the host immune system, suggestive of the immune-isolation role of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Conclusions: The present study confirms the "immune privilege" of the brain parenchyma and, more importantly, unveils that choosing hypoproliferative NPCs for transplantation can benefit graft outcome in terms of both lower tumor-genic risk and the prolonged survival time without immunosuppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In insects, the cytochrome P450 CYP6B family plays key roles in the detoxification of toxic plant substances. However, the function of CYP6 family genes in degrading plant toxicants in Tribolium castaneum , an extremely destructive global storage pest, have yet to be elucidated. In this study, a T. castaneum CYP gene, TcCYP6BQ7 , was characterized. TcCYP6BQ7 expression was significantly induced after exposure to essential oil of the plant Artemisia vulgaris (EOAV). Spatiotemporal expression profiling revealed that TcCYP6BQ7 expression was higher in larval and adult stages of T. castaneum than in other developmental stages, and that TcCYP6BQ7 was predominantly expressed in the brain and hemolymph from the late larval stage. TcCYP6BQ7 silencing by RNA interference increased larvae mortality in response to EOAV from 49.67% to 71.67%, suggesting that this gene is associated with plant toxicant detoxification. Combined results from this study indicate that the CYP6 family gene TcCYP6BQ7 likely plays a pivotal role in influencing the susceptibility of T. castaneum to plant toxicants. These findings may have implications for the development of novel therapeutics to control this agriculturally important pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes is a common and complex endocrine disorder that often results in hyperglycemia, which has been strongly implicated in several cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events that cause disability. Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is a vascular emergency with high mortality rates. We conducted a population-based cohort study that utilizes data from medical claims databases to investigate whether diabetes increases the risk of AMI. Using claims data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance program, 66,624 diabetic patients were enrolled from 1998 to 2009, and a comparison group of 266,496 individually matched subjects without diabetes was selected. The two groups were followed up until diagnosis of AMI, death, or the end of 2011. Incidence rates of AMI were assessed in both groups. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratios of diabetes for AMI. The diabetes cohort had a higher incidence rate than the comparison cohort for AMI (0.56 vs. 0.29 per 1,000 person-years). After adjusting for sex, age, comorbidity, and health system utilization, the adjusted hazard ratio of diabetes was 1.32 (95% confidence interval 1.11–1.56) for AMI. The risk of AMI associated with diabetes was greater in men (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.48, 95% confidence interval 1.17–1.87) than in women (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.17, 95% confidence interval 0.92–1.49). There was an increased risk of AMI in patients with diabetes. However, further research is required to understand whether this association is causal or due to a common set of risk factors. Image 1 • Patients with diabetes had a higher incidence of acute mesenteric ischemia than those without (0.56 vs. 0.29 per 1,000 PY). • The risk of acute mesenteric ischemia associated with diabetes was greater in men than in women. • Our findings provide clinical implications for early-detection of acute mesenteric ischemia in emergency situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Haemonchus contortus, a blood-feeding parasite, is constantly surrounded by large quantities of heme released from the catabolism of host red blood cells. To cope with the toxicity of free heme, H. contortus needs to uptake and detoxify the heme, a process believed to be paramount for parasite survival. Methods: A heme-responsive gene Hc-hrg-2 was identified which is the homologue of Ce-hrg-2. The transcriptional levels in all developmental stages and heme-responsive ability of Hc-hrg-2 were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Immunofluorescence analysis and cell transfections were performed to analyze the expression pattern of Hc-HGR-2. Statistical analyses were performed with GraghPad Prism 6.0 using Student's t-test. Results: To investigate the heme homeostasis of H. contortus, we first identified a heme-responsive gene Hc-hrg-2, a homolog of Ce-hrg-2 that is involved in heme transport in the hypodermis of Caenorhabditis elegans. Using qRT-PCR, we showed that Hc-hrg-2 mRNA was expressed throughout all life-cycle stages of H. contortus with the highest level in the third-stage larvae (L3s). Notably, transcription of Hc-hrg-2 in the exsheathed L3s was significantly upregulated in the presence of high concentration of heme. We found that Hc-HRG-2 protein was mainly located in the hypodermal tissues of adult H. contortus in vivo and the endoplasmic reticulum in the transfected mammalian cells. Our in vitro assay demonstrated that Hc-HRG-2 is a heme-binding protein with glutathione S-transferase activity and heme had a significant effect on its enzymatic activity when a model substrate 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) was used. Conclusions: Hc-hrg-2 is a heme-responsive gene and engaged in heme homeostasis regulation in hypodermal tissues during the free-living stages of H. contortus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strong nonlinear dynamics of tail-sitter vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have consistently constrained their applications. Particularly, the widely-varying flight speed and attitude during the transition flights pose substantial challenges for the controller design. In order to gain a clear understanding of the nonlinear transition flights, the long- and short- period dynamic characteristics of tail-sitter UAVs are investigated for the first time. The results reveal that the short-period mode exhibits either sluggish response or excessive overshoot in different transition stages, primarily due to the widely-varying damping ratio and natural angular frequency. Even worse, the long-period mode can diverge due to positive poles. To address these issues, a systematic controller is proposed. First, the transition trajectory is optimized and the optimal control inputs are employed in a feedforward manner to trim the nominal forces and moments. On this basis, a discrete-time linear quadratic regulation (LQR) controller with a predefined decay rate is developed to position the desired poles, and a novel angular acceleration estimation method is introduced to compensate for unmodeled dynamics. Simulations under different uncertainties indicate that the proposed control method performs better in both transition trajectory tracking and uncertainty suppression, compared to the PID and incremental nonlinear dynamic inversion (INDI) controllers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aligned steel fiber ultra-high performance concrete (ASF-UHPC) demonstrates transverse isotropic mechanical properties. Specifically, when subjected to compressive stress perpendicular to the fiber orientation, surface cracks emerge proximate to the fiber tips, resulting in a significant enhancement of the material's compressive strength. Conversely, under compressive stress applied parallel to the fiber direction, fissures manifest along the fiber orientation, leading to a notable reduction in compressive strength. Consequently, the primary contributory factor underlying augmented compressive strength is the lateral restraint effectuated by the fibers. The optimization of fiber distribution for the aim of altering compressive strength is subject to the influence of the qualities of the UHPC matrix. Moreover, a comprehensive analysis extends to the examination of pertinent parameters, encompassing fiber volume fractions, fiber lengths, and fiber shapes. Investigation of these facets reveals an optimal range of fiber volume fraction, approximately 1.0% to 1.5%, which imparts maximal compressive strength in ASF-UHPC subjected to compressive stress perpendicular to the fiber orientation. When forces are applied parallel to the fiber direction, the incorporation of longer fibers or hooked-end fibers mitigates the reduction in compressive strength perpendicular to the applied stress. The consideration of the transverse mechanical attributes exhibited by aligned steel fibers, coupled with the optimization of fiber distribution characteristics, not only attenuates steel fiber consumption but also underscores a sustainable approach by curtailing CO 2 emissions. • Aligned steel fiber UHPCs (ASF-UHPCs) were developed that exhibited transverse isotropy behavior. • Compared to the traditional UHPC, the compressive strengths of ASF-UHPC were seen to be enhanced or decreased when the pressure was applied perpendicular or parallel to the direction of the fiber. • The compressive strengths of ASF-UHPC were influenced by the fiber length, volume fraction, and form, but the matrix's properties also had a major effect. • A predictor model was established to provide a practical basis for materials design of ASF-UHPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing evidence on the contextual influence of the availability of local facilities for physical activity on the cognitive health of elderly residents is sparse. This study examined the association between neighborhood physical activity facilities and cognitive health in older individuals. A cohort study of community-dwelling older adults was performed using baseline data and follow-up data from the Taiwan Biobank. Cognitive health was measured in 32,396 individuals aged 60–70 years using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) with follow-up information on 8025 participants. The district was used as the proxy for local neighborhood. To determine neighborhood physical activity facilities, school campuses, parks, activity centers, gyms, swimming pools, and stadiums were included. Multilevel linear regression models were applied to examine the associations of neighborhood physical activity facilities with baseline MMSE and MMSE decline during follow-up, with adjustment for individual factors and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics. Multilevel analyses revealed that there was a neighborhood-level effect on cognitive health among older adults. After adjusting for compositional and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics, baseline MMSE was higher in individuals living in the middle- (beta = 0.12, p -value = 0.140) and high-density facility (beta = 0.22, p -value = 0.025) groups than in the low-density group (p -value for trend-test = 0.031). MMSE decline during follow-up was slower in the middle- (beta = 0.15, p -value = 0.114) and high-density facility (beta = 0.27, p-value = 0.052) groups than in the low-density group (p-value for trend-test = 0.032). Greater neighborhood availability of physical activity facilities was associated with better cognitive health among older residents. These findings have implications for designing communities and developing strategies to support cognitive health of an aging population. • There was a community-level effect on cognitive health among elderly residents. • 6.3% of the variance in the cognitive performance occurs at the local community. • Higher community physical activity facility was associated with better cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromagnetic field aligning steel fibre technology mainly focuses on the properties of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) without considering the interference of reinforcement. In this study, an electromagnetic field was used to align steel fibres in UHPC reinforced beams, which verified the feasibility of this method for reinforced structures. The results indicated that the steel fibres could be magnetised automatically parallel to the direction of the magnetic line. The computed tomography (CT) image shows that the distribution of the steel fibres is uniform, and their orientation in the matrix is clear. The interference effects of the reinforcement were concentrated at the end, and the fibres in the beam span were parallel to the beam length. This approach can significantly improve the flexural capacity of the beams, and the increase in amplitude is positively correlated with the fibre content. In addition, the aligned steel fibre UHPC beams exhibited good plastic deformation and excellent energy dissipation capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper titanate (CaCu 3 Ti 4 O 12 , or CCTO) ceramics sintered in oxygen and vacuum at 1100°C for 12 h have been treated by thermobaric treatment (TBT) at 9 GPa and 1000°C for 10 min and then quenched in liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ). Pure cubic body-centered perovskite-related structure was confirmed from XRD results. Besides, after TBT and quenching, additional minor peaks of TiO 2 and Cu were indexed, as well as a little cell volume expansion. A little reduction of the grain size as well as fuzzy grain boundaries can be observed in FE-SEM after TBT. The dielectric constant ε ' of CCTO ceramics sintered in oxygen (∼4600 @ 100 Hz) were a half of those treated by TBT and quenching (∼9600 @ 100 Hz), whereas the value decreased almost by an order of magnitude (from 10 5 to 10 4 ) after TBT and quenching for the samples sintered in vacuum. The complex impedance spectra at high temperature showed three semicircles so a three RC model was used to explain the different relaxation regions consisting of grain, grain boundary and domain boundary. Besides, two relaxation peaks appeared in the frequency dependence of the imaginary part of the electric modulus formalism M ⁎ and the complex impedance Z ⁎ . Moreover, the contributions of grain boundaries can be figured out by the relaxation activation energy E r e (338–629 meV) and the conduction one E d c (396–823 meV) fitted by M ⁎ and Z ⁎ plots separately. As a result, the disorder and heterogeneity typical of grain boundaries should be responsible for the giant dielectric relaxation characteristics of CCTO ceramics, which can be affected by the sintering atmosphere as well as the extreme treating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Universal antenatal education with depression screening in taiwan was launched in 2014. • More evidence is needed to know the effect on perinatal depression. • More than 80% of pregnant women receive antenatal education in taiwan. • Attending antenatal education increased the likelihood of a psychiatrist visit. • The antenatal education attenders had a lower rate of perinatal depression. Universal antenatal education has been offered to expectant mothers in Taiwan since 2014. Depression screening is included in the offered education sessions. This study aimed to examine the association of antennal education and depression screening with mental health outcomes, including perinatal depression diagnosis and psychiatrist visits. Data was obtained from the antenatal education records and Taiwan's National Health Insurance claims database. A total of 789,763 eligible pregnant women were included in the current study. The psychiatric-related outcomes were measured between antenatal education and the six-month after delivery. It was found that the antenatal education was widely used in Taiwan, and the attendance rate has increased to 82.6% since its launch. The attenders were more likely to be from disadvantaged backgrounds, and 5.3% of them were screened positive for depressive symptoms. They were also more likely to visit a psychiatrist but less likely to be diagnosed with depression than the non-attenders. Factors including young age, high healthcare utilization, and comorbid psychiatric disorder history were consistently associated with depression symptoms, perinatal depression diagnoses and psychiatrist visits. Further research is needed to understand the reasons for the nonattendance at antenatal education programmes and the barriers to utilizing mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac dysfunction caused by sepsis is the predominant reason for death in patients with sepsis. However, the effective drugs for its prevention and the molecular mechanisms remain elusive. 1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), a natural iminopyranose, exhibits various biological properties, such as hypoglycemic, antitumor, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, whether DNJ can mediate biological activity resistance in sepsis-induced myocardial injury and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Janus kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling is an important pathway for the signal transduction of several key cytokines in the pathogenesis of sepsis, which can transcribe and modulate the host immune response. This study was conducted to confirm whether DNJ mediates oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation in cardiomyocytes, thereby alleviating myocardial injury in sepsis via the JAK2/STAT6 signaling pathway. Septic cardiomyopathy was induced in mice using lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and they were then treated with DNJ. The results showed that DNJ markedly improved sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction, attenuated reactive oxygen species generation, reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and mitigated inflammation. Mechanistically, increased JAK2/STAT6 phosphorylation was observed in the mouse sepsis models, which decreased significantly after DNJ oral treatment. To further confirm whether DNJ mediates the JAK2/STAT6 pathway, the selective inhibitor fedratinib was used to block the JAK2 signaling pathway in vitro, which enhanced the protective effects of DNJ against the sepsis-induced cardiac damage. Collectively, these findings suggest that DNJ attenuates sepsis-induced myocardial injury by decreasing myocardial oxidative damage, apoptosis, and inflammation via the regulation of the JAK2/STAT6 signaling pathway. [Display omitted] • 1-Deoxynojirimycin ameliorated sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction and cardiomyocyte morphology. • 1-Deoxynojirimycin markedly attenuated oxidative stress injury, reduced cardiomyocytes apoptosis and inflammation in septic cardiomyopathy. • The JAK2/STAT6 signaling pathway mediated the protective effects of DNJ against sepsis-induced myocardial injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Dual superlyophobicity was achieved on a nanoscale hydrophilic-hydrophobic heterojunction system. • This work offers new and universal theoretical guidance for facile preparing the dual superlyophobicity surface. • DLVO theory helps explain the wettability change of the heterogeneous surface. • Lossless transfer of droplets under both water and oil can be realized on the membrane. • The membrane can separate both oil-in-water emulsion and water-in-oil emulsion. Recently, many superwetting materials have emerged to deal with environmental problems. Among them, the under-liquid dual superlyophobic superwetting surface has attracted widespread attention due to the possessing of underwater superoleophobicity and underoil superhydrophobicity at the same time, and without the requirement of any energy stimulation when compared to conventional or responsive superwetting surfaces. However, A rational design of this deliciated surface state still lacking. Herein, a novel dual superlyophobic surface was achieved by simply modulating the relative proportion of a nanoscale hydrophilic-hydrophobic heterojunction system - cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and graphited multiwalled carbon nanotubes (gMWCNTs), and without any additional chemical modification. Besides, the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory or extended-DLVO (EDLVO) theory was introduced first to help understand the wettability variation of such a heterogeneous surface, which is mainly attributed to the changing stability of oil or water film covering the membrane surface. Additionally, this novel nanoscale hydrophilic-hydrophobic heterojunction system with dual superlyophobicity and excellent flexibility can not only separate both oil-in-water emulsion and water-in-oil emulsion simultaneously, but also achieve the lossless transfer in the droplet-based microreactor system under both water and oil environments. This may bring novel applications to the field of dual superlyophobicity. Moreover, this nanoscale hydrophilic-hydrophobic heterojunction system offers new and universal theoretical guidance for facile preparation of dual superlyophobic surfaces, owing to the richness in the functionality of low dimensional nanomaterials, it is foreseeable that more potential applications in various fields can be coupled with such an adaptable platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, we demonstrated large-scale Er2O3@ZnO core-shell nanorods with great photoelectrochemical water splitting ability, which were successfully fabricated by a simple and facile electrodeposition. These Er2O3@ZnO core-shell nanorods exhibited improved photocurrent under the light irradiation, which can be attributed to the enhanced donor density by the covered Er2O3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Multi-functional filtration membranes, with effective purification capacity against diverse emulsified-oils, high adsorption ability for soluble organic dyes in aquatic system, good physical/chemical stability, and strong Photocatalysis induced anti oil/dye fouling functions, are highly desirable for the complex oily sewage purification, but still a challenge to be realized. Herein, a ternary beta-iron oxyhydroxide (β-FeOOH)/halloysite-nanotubes (HNTs)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) porous membrane has been designed to address this challenge. The resultant membrane exhibits effective separation efficiency towards various oil-water emulsions and high soluble pollutants adsorption by filtration during the rapid oily wastewater purification. Interestingly, it also displays high flux (~6500 L∙m−2∙h−1), good cycling stability (after 5 cycles the flux recovery rate is still closed to 100%), and strong chemical/physical stability. Given the robust photo-Fenton catalytic activity of β-FeOOH, the permeation flux and adsorption capacity of the fouled membrane could be quickly restored (recovery: higher than 99%) within 10 min under visible light irradiation. Our results open an alternative and effective route to solve the oil/dye fouling issue for complex wastewater remedy. [Display omitted] • Highly flux and excellent efficiency for separating different oil/water emulsions. • Great adsorption capacity for soluble dyes in wastewater by simply filtering. • Strong physical and chemical stability. • Outstanding photocatalytic self-cleaning property and recyclability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new supermolecular assembly crystal, [C6H8N2]6H3[PW12O40]·2H2O (DMB–PWA), was synthesized with phosphotungstic acid (PWA) and 1,2-diaminobenzene (DMB) under hydrothermal conditions and was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. DMB–PWA could effectively catalyze oxidative degradation of chitosan with H2O2 in the heterogeneous phase. The optimum degradation conditions were determined by orthogonal tests as follows: amount of chitosan 1.00g, 30% (wt %); H2O2, 3.0mL; dosage of catalyst, 0.06g; reaction temperature, 85°C; and reaction time, 30min. The water-soluble chitosan with a viscosity-average molecular weight (M v) of 4900 was obtained under the optimum degradation conditions and was characterized by FTIR, ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflection spectra (UV–vis DRS), and X-ray powder diffraction analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • A novel MOFs derived Fenton-like catalyst was successfully fabricated. • Both radical and nonradical species have been involved in the catalytic process. • The composite membrane provides a confined environment for the reaction. • The composite membrane can effectively treat various types of organic pollutants. As a typical advanced oxidation process, persulfate-based heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction has gained widespread attention in removing persistent harmful organic pollutants via the generation of reactive radicals. Nevertheless, persulfate having an inefficient decomposition of the target contaminants and common powdery counterparts causing secondary pollution. Herein, we first design and fabricate a novel metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) derived cobalt-carbon based heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst (Co@NCNT-MS) with hierarchical structure, the systematic characterization demonstrated that powder catalysts were successfully prepared and the catalyst possessed a favorable degradation capacity of tetracycline (TC), which could be contributed by its particular hierarchical urchin-like structure with abundant active sites and that both radical (·SO 4 −, ·OH, and ·O 2 −) and nonradical (1O 2) species have been involved in the process. Then, this hierarchical heterogeneous catalyst was encapsulated in Graphene oxide (GO) by facile vacuum filtration to form a robust composite membrane. And the obtained membrane shows good application prospects as it exhibits excellent separation and catalytic degradation properties in removal of anionic dye, cationic dye, and persistent refractory tetracycline. It is speculated that these excellent results could be primarily attributed to the domain effect of micro-nano channels in the membrane on low-life active components, pollutions, and PMS. More than that, the as-prepared membrane displayed excellent stability with continuous removal of TC with high efficiency above 90% and a steady flux around 40 L·m−2·h−1 under 24 h sequential filtration mode. It is promising that this membrane could potentially be used for effectually treating complex wastewater systems with persistent organic contaminants in environmental pollution cleaning up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials with superwettability have attracted much research interest over the last few decades in the field of water-oil separation. Distinct from other superwetting materials, dual superlyophobic materials that have superoleophobicity in water and superhydrophobicity in oil can perform on-demand oil/water separation without requiring extra energy. However, obtaining such a dual superlyophobic membrane with multifunctionality for application in a complicated wastewater environment remains a challenge. Taking advantage of both ZnO and polydopamine, a multifunctional PDA/SC/KFs@ZnO freestanding membrane was prepared in our study. This novel material displays dual superlyophobicity and has potential application for rapid and simultaneous separation of light and heavy oil-water mixtures, oil-in-water emulsions with soluble dye, and water-in-oil emulsions, as well as a good adsorption-catalysis performance for removing soluble dyes in water under visible light. Our work presents a facial and economic method that uses natural kapok fibers to fabricate a special multifunctional superwetting membrane that is promising for future applications. A dual superlyophobic ZnO and polydopamine decorated kapok fiber membrane (200/PDA/SC/KFs@ZnO) was fabricated for multifunctional oil/water separation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superaerophobic and Core-shell structured NiMoSe@NiMoO 4 micro-cuboids array for highly efficient hydrogen production. [Display omitted] • The core–shell NiMoSe@NiMoO 4 micro-cuboids was in-situ grown on nickel foam. • The electrode surface exhibits superhydrophilic and superaerophobicity. • Se doping can improve the conductivity and catalytic activity of NiMoO 4. • NiMoSe@NiMoO 4 shows excellent HER performance. Developing cost-effective and earth-abundant metal catalysts to act as noble metal-based catalysts substitute for highly efficient hydrogen production remain challenges. Herein, Superaerophobic and core–shell structured NiMoSe@NiMoO 4 micro-cuboids were successfully synthesized on 3D nickel foam (NF) via two-step hydrothermal method. Benefiting from the porous NF substrate, large catalytic activity area, numerous lattice defects generated in selenization process as well as superwetting and superaerophobic properties of electrode surfaces, the obtained self-supported hybrids, especially the NiMoSe@Ni 0.33 Mo 0.67 O 4 electrode presented excellent hydrogen generation performance that merely requires small overpotentials of 82.1 mV and 120.3 mV at a low and high current density of 10 mA⋅cm−2 and 50 mA⋅cm−2 in alkaline electrolyte, respectively, which is also competitive with other transition metal selenides reported literatures. Besides, the low Tafel slope of 35.23 mV⋅dec-1 and long term stability for 20 h suggesting the fast hydrogen evolution reaction kinetics and outstanding durability of electrode. This work provides a cost-effective and facile synthesis of transition metal selenides for renewable energy system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acinetobacter baumannii is the main cause of nosocomial infections, which are increasingly difficult to treat due to the emergence of carbapenem resistance. This study focused on major carbapenemase genes and explored the association between carbapenemase genes, sequence types (ST types), and capsular types (K types). A total of 98 carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) strains were collected from two hospitals, the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Lin Kou branch (LCGMH) in northern Taiwan and the CGMH-Kaohsiung branch (KCGMH) in southern Taiwan, from 2015 to 2017. Major carbapenemase genes of class A, B, and D β-lactamases were detected by polymerase chain reaction. All strains except 1 were positive for bla OXA-51-like , 76 strains (77.6%) carried bla OXA-23-like , and 25 strains (25.5%) carried bla OXA-24-like. The regional distribution showed that bla OXA-23-like was more common than bla OXA-24-like in both hospitals (85.3% and 60% in LCGMH and KCGMH, respectively); however, the percentage of bla OXA-24-like was much higher in KCGMH (46.7%) than in LCGMH (16.2%). Oxford multilocus sequence typing and global optimal eBURST analysis were conducted for 59 strains. The results of this study showed the association between bla OXA gene patterns, ST types, and K types and demonstrated that four major K types, KL2, KL10, KL22, and KL52, which were associated with specific ST types, were mainly clustered into clonal complexes CC208 and CC549 (a unique clonal complex found in Taiwan). These findings provide important information for monitoring the epidemiology and dissemination of this pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intelligent lithology identification method is proposed based on the deep learning of rock images. The lithology information and position information in rock images can be predicted using the Faster R–CNN architecture through the RPN proposal generation algorithm and the Fast R–CNN detector. To obtain more rock features, the rock detection model is built on the ResNet structure, and the residual learning is used to retain as much as possible detailed information in the original input image. The four-step alternating training is used to fine-tuned end-to-end, and the prediction results are optimized by the cross-entropy loss and the regression loss. To speed up the model and improve the identification accuracy, data augmentation and pre-training are used to train the model. The mAP, P, R and F 1 score are used as evaluation indexes of the accuracy, and the Faster R–CNN model is compared with the YOLO v4 model. Results indicate that the mAP of the rock detection model based on the Faster R–CNN is 99.19% and the F 1 score is 96.6%. Compared with the YOLO v4 model, the accuracy is higher and the identification ability is more stable. The proposed rock detection model has good identification ability for different rocks in rock images, and the model is of good robustness and generalization performance, which is suitable for rapid intelligent lithology identification in practical geological and logging engineering. • A rock detection model is built on the Faster R–CNN for position and lithology prediction. • The ResNet-50 is applied to build the Fast R–CNN detector and to extract more rock deep features. • Case study is carried out to verify the intelligent lithology identification method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional filtration membranes (MFMs), which can both effectively separate oil and selectively remove dyes from polluted aquatic system with robust anti-viscous-oil-fouling capacity, strong chemical/physical resistance, and long cycled stability, are highly required but still a challenge to be realized. Herein, a simple route has been demonstrated to address this challenge aforementioned by decorating both halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) and zwitterionic poly (sulfobetaine methyl methacrylate) (PSBMA) on the microporous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane surface via modified polydopamine (PDA) coating route. The as-prepared membrane exhibits super-hydrophilic/underwater super-oleophobic performance and high water permeation flux (32529 ± 278 L m−2 h−1 at 0.85 bar) to purify the diverse viscous oil-in-water emulsions from oily wastewater accompanying with good cycled stability (the recovery rate of permeate flux is close to 100% after 5 cycles). Moreover, the as-prepared MFM possesses not only strong chemical resistance under wide range of pH value (from 1 to 12) and high saline (NaCl: 10 wt%) environment, but also physical resistance against ultrasound bath for 30 min. Given the presence of HNTs, PDA, and PSBMA, our MFM shows enough active sites to adsorb the soluble dyes and metallic ions in wastewater. These excellent properties endow our MFM with great potential for the remediation of complex wastewater. [Display omitted] • Multifunctional PSBMA/HNTs/PVDF membrane was presented via modified PDA coating route. • High water permeation flux (32,529 ± 278 L m−2 h−1 at 0.85 bar) was realized. • Our MFM exhibits robust antifouling performances even against viscous crude oil and soybean oil. • Our MFM possesses good adsorption of soluble dyes and heavy metal ions in wastewater by simply filtering. • Our MFM maintained its performance under physical stress and chemical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Uniformly Ni-nanowires have been successfully fabricated under magnetic field. • The Ni-NNF provides excellent conductivity and large specific surface area. • The Ni-NNF exhibits outstanding HER activity and long-term durability in alkaline electrolyte. The self-supporting electrocatalysts have been demonstrated more advantages than powder catalysts. Both metal-support interaction and support effect further exhibit that the substrate material has significant impact on the electrochemical performance of the catalysts. Herein, we introduce a nickel nanowires film (Ni-NNF), synthesized via hydrazine reduction under a magnetic field, as a conductive substrate. By comparing with common substrates (Ni foam, carbon cloth and carbon fiber paper), the as-fabricated Ni-NNF exhibits higher conductivity and provides more active sites, resulting in better hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activities and excellent durability. Thus, employing this type of metal nanowires as substrate is expected to synthesize better electrocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopting a facile two-step hydrothermal method to fabricate an efficient hierarchical transition metal selenide MoSe 2 /CoSe 2 nano-flakes (NFs) anchored on carbon fiber paper (CFP) as a high-efficiency electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The morphology shows that the surface of CFP is uniformly covered by the abundant nanosheets. Benefitting from the hydrophilic, the nano-catalysts on the MoSe 2 /CoSe 2 @CFP can fully contact with water molecules and accelerate the electron transfer, therefore promoting the water splitting. The electrochemical measurement suggests that on condition that current density of 10 ​mA ​cm−2, this nanometer electrocatalytic material has only an overpotential of 137 ​mV (vs. the RHE), which is lower as compared to CoSe 2 (398 ​mV), MoSe 2 (461 ​mV) and CFP (595 ​mV). The Tafel slope of the nanocomposite is 55.9 ​mV dec−1, which is lower than CoSe 2 (138.1 ​mV dec−1) and MoSe 2 (175.9 ​mV dec−1). Furthermore, the self-supporting nanocomposite exhibits outstanding stability in alkaline solution. MoSe 2 /CoSe 2 @CFP nanosheet was synthesized by a facile two-step hydrothermal method. The fabricated electrocatalysts exhibited great electrocatalysis activity, with overpotentials of 137 ​mV for HER drive current density of 10 ​mA/cm2 in 1.0 ​M KOH. [Display omitted] • MoSe 2 /CoSe 2 @CFP nano-flakes electrocatalyst was successfully prepared. • Self-supporting catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction. • Excellent hydrophilic and hydrogen evolution performance. • Outstanding stability in alkaline solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, In-situ conversional mycelium-like metal phosphides-encapsulated N, P co-doped carbon nanotubes coating on the stainless steel mesh (PSD-SM) as self-supporting electrocatalyst was fabricated via solid-diffusion and phosphorization process, which was the first time to fabricated the "chainmail for catalysts" use stainless steel mesh worked as self-reaction template and electrode-base materilas. The in-situ transformational mycelium-like CNTs array structure greatly enhanced the specific surface area of steel mesh and the graphitized carbon layer coating with high capacitance increases the electrochemical active sites. And the subsequent phosphorization treatment further improved the intrinsic catalytic activity of the material. The PSD-SM exhibits the low overpotential of 231 mV at 10 mA·cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 88 mV·dec−1 for OER and 172 mV at 10 mA·cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 125 mV·dec−1 for HER. [Display omitted] • In-situ conversional mycelium-like metal phosphides-encapsulated N, P co-doped CNTs coating on the stainless steel mesh (PSD-SM). • Implemented the necessary physical and chemical characterization to test PSD-SM. • PSD-SM show excellent catalytic performance, and its electrocatalytic mechanism is investigated in detail. • The synergistic effect of multiple catalytic active centers results in superior catalytic performance. Herein, In-situ conversional mycelium-like metal phosphides-encapsulated N, P co-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) coating on the stainless steel mesh (PSD-SM) as self-supporting electrocatalyst was fabricated via solid-diffusion (SD) and phosphorization process, which was the first time to fabricated the "chainmail for catalysts" use stainless steel mesh worked as self-reaction template and electrode-base materilas. The in-situ transformational mycelium-like CNTs array structure greatly enhanced the specific surface area of steel mesh and the graphitized carbon layer coating with high capacitance increases the electrochemical active sites. And the subsequent phosphorization treatment further improved the intrinsic catalytic activity of the material. PSD-SM exhibits the low overpotential of 231 mV at 10 mA·cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 88 mV·dec−1 for OER and 172 mV at 10 mA·cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 125 mV·dec−1 for HER. Further more, there are only 1.77 V deliver potential for water electrolysis of PSD-SM at 10 mA·cm−2 and the kinetic mechanism of as-fabricated samples for HER and OER was analyzed by Tafel slope and other measurement. This report provides an promising method to prepare efficient and robust electrocatalytic materials based on steel mesh for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the effect of water on the structure and mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blends with different ratios of a high and low hardness TPU composition was explored by experiment and simulation. The decrease of modulus of the TPU blends after immersion in water (softening of TPU), and the interesting increase of modulus of wet samples after losing some free water (hardening of TPU) compared to the dry samples, were observed in this work. By analyzing the change of glass transition temperature, the degree of phase separation of samples after immersion in water, and the types of water and hydrogen bond in samples, the possible mechanism behind the above softening and hardening of wet TPU samples was proposed. The softening and hardening of wet TPU samples were attributed to the change of structure in the interface between hard and soft domains in TPU, which is a combined effect including the plasticization of free water, breakage and/or decreasing the strength of original hydrogen bond by water, and formation of new hydrogen bond (elastic active cross-linking point) by free carbonyl groups in TPU and water etc. Image 1 • Softening and hardening of TPU by water absorbed. • Change of structure in TPU. • Mechanism behind softening and hardening of TPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore high-efficiency, 1ow-cost and durable non-precious metal electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media, the binder free molybdenum carbide@ nickel foam (Mo 2 C@NF-x, x represents the calcination temperature) electrodes were synthesized by the hydrothermal and calcination process. Using glucose as the carbon source for the fabrication of Mo 2 C is not only environmental friendly but also promotes the formation of nanospheres and improves the dispersibility of the catalysts. The carbon shell formed by calcination also can improve the electron transfer between Ni foam substrate and nanospheres. Furthermore, the carbon shell can act as "armour for catalyst", protecting the Mo 2 C from the harsh conditions (e.g., strong acidity or alkalinity) and improving the stability of the catalysts during electrocatalysis. The optimal electrocatalyst is Mo 2 C@NF-850, which only needs overpotential of 42 ​mV for hydrogen evolution reaction to reach 10 ​mA ​cm−2, a small Tafel slope of 76 ​mV·dec−1, as well as satisfactory durability in 1.0 ​M KOH electrolyte for HER. The Mo 2 C nanospheres are attached to the Ni foam as binder-free HER electrode, combining the outstanding conductivity and high specific surface area of Ni foam, and the protective effect of the carbon shell formed after carbonization, the self-supported Mo 2 C@NF-850 exhibits excellent HER activities. Image 1 • The self-supported Mo 2 C@NF electrodes have been successfully fabricated. • Using glucose as the carbon source can promote the generation of nanospheres. • The "armour protection" strategy effectively improves the stability of electrode. • The Mo 2 C@NF-850 exhibits excellent HER activity in alkaline electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen generation by water splitting in alkaline solution is a key candidate to product sustainable alternative energy in the 21st century. In this article, we fabricated the self-standing N-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) array encapsulated NiFe alloy nanoparticles (NPs) via facile solid-diffusion method as effective hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts (NiFe/CNTs composites). As-prepared NiFe/CNTs-900 exhibited great electrocatalysis activity, with overpotentials of 149 ​mV for HER and 257 ​mV for OER to drive current density of 10 ​mA/cm2, and also displayed superior electrochemical stability, which are mainly due to the synergistic effect between the bimetallic transition metals and N-doped carbon and the large number of active sites generated during the products preparation process. In this article, we fabricated the self-standing N-doped CNTs array encapsulated NiFe alloy nanoparticles via facile solid-diffusion method as effective HER and OER electrocatalysts. As-prepared NiFe/CNTs composites exhibited great electrocatalysis activity, with overpotentials of 149 ​mV for HER and 257 ​mV for OER to drive current density of 10 ​mA/cm2, and also displayed superior electrochemical stability, which are mainly due to the synergistic effect between the bimetallic transition metals and N-doped carbon and the large number of active sites generated during the products preparation process. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The male reproductive system may provide significant evidence for the taxonomic and phylogenetic analyses of insects. However, current knowledge of the male reproductive system in Mecoptera is mainly concentrated on the external genitalia, and is rarely involved in the internal reproductive system. Here, we investigated the morphology and the fine structure of the vasa deferentia and associated structures of the male reproductive system of Panorpodes kuandianensis Zhong et al., 2011 (Panorpodidae) using light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. The male reproductive system of P. kuandianensis consists of a pair of symmetrical testes with three tubular testicular follicles, two epididymides, two distinctly partitioned vasa deferentia, a pair of mesadenia, one ejaculatory sac, and the external genitalia. A pair of expanded seminal vesicles are modified from the median part of the vasa deferentia, and evolve into secretory organs. The seminal vesicles have elongated cylindrical epithelial cells, which contain abundant secretory materials in the cytoplasm and form a small central lumen, likely serving a secretory function rather than provisionally storing sperm as in most other insects. Alternatively, the sperm are stored temporarily in the epididymis, the greatly coiled portion of the vasa deferentia. The morphology of the male reproductive system supports the close relationships of Panorpidae and Panorpodidae. • The male reproductive system of Panorpodes is first reported. • The seminal vesicles of Panorpodes are modified into secretory organs, not provisionally storing sperm. • The modifications of the male reproductive system are important adaptations in Mecoptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials with superwettability are promising for oil/water separation, yet the requirement for on demand separation of various types of oil/water system is still a challenge. In this work, we present that the polypyrrole-coated cellulose membrane was fabricated via in situ polymerization of pyrrole on a filter paper (PPy@FP) or a mixed cellulose acetate membrane (PPy@CA). The roughness of the PPy@FP membrane was controlled by adjusting the polymerization time, and corresponding morphology of the membrane was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which shows that the PPy@FP-50 membrane has nanoscale rough structure. Meanwhile, attenuated total reflections Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), and conductivity tests confirmed that polypyrrole was coated on the filter paper successfully. Contact angle tests displayed that the surface of modified membrane has dual superlyophobicity. The green and renewable cellulose and chemical stable polypyrrole endow this novel material with outstanding properties of chemical resistance to acid, mild alkali (pH = 1–11) and salty environment. Besides, the modified membranes also obtain high flux (over 3000 L∙ m−2∙h−1 for mixtures, over 1000 L∙ m−2∙h−1 for oil-in-water emulsions and over 100 L∙ m−2∙h−1 for water-in-oil emulsions) and good separation efficiency (around 99%)). Besides, it also shows good recyclability towards different oil/water system. • Polypyrrole-cellulose membranes were obtained via in situ polymerization of pyrrole on the filter paper and CA membrane. • The surface of the modified membrane exhibits unusual dual superlyophobic wettability. • The PPy@FP-50 membrane can realize selective separation of light/heavy oil-water mixture under gravity. • The PPy@CA-50 membrane can separate both two types of emulsions at low applied pressure difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colourless crystals of the title compound, catena-poly[hemi­(piperazine-1,4-diium) [boron-di-μ-hydrogenphosphato-κ4 O: O′]], [C4H12N22+·B2(HPO4)4] n or [C4H12N22+·H8B4O32P8] n, were prepared under solvothermal conditions. The structure contains infinite borophosphate double chains, which are inter­connected by piperazinium cations via a complex hydrogen-bond network to form a three-dimensional supra­molecular network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]