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Highlights • BaCo 0.7 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.1 O 3−δ (BCNT) cathode were prepared was prepared by solid phase reaction method. • The stability evaluation of the cathode showed the BCNT had sufficient stability during the operation. • Maximum power density of SDC electrolyte-supported cell reaches 626.41 mW·cm−2 at 800 °C. Abstract The BaCo 0.7 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.1 O 3−δ (BCNT) perovskite-type oxide was prepared by the conventional solid phase reaction method as a potential electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction. Its electrochemical properties were characterized. The results indicated that the BCNT oxide sintered at 1100 °C for 10 h had formed a single-phase cubic perovskite structure. And the BCNT–Sm 0.2 Ce 0.8 O 1.9 (SDC) mixture co-sintered at the same conditions showed good chemical compatibility and stability between BCNT and SDC. The BCNT cathode sintered at 1000 °C for 4 h on SDC electrolyte exhibited the lowest the polarization resistance (about 0.0495 Ω·cm2 at 800 °C). Moreover, with a 351 μm-thick SDC as electrolyte and BCNT as the cathode, maximum power densities of the single cell reached 466.81 and 626.41 mW·cm−2 at 750 and 800 °C, respectively, and the corresponding total interface polarization resistance of the cell were 0.0913 Ω·cm2 and 0.0552 Ω·cm2. Short-term stability of the cell showed that the cell was quite stable at 750 °C for 15 h. This suggested that BCNT was a very promising cathode material for IT-SOFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Recently it was demonstrated that silica assimilating brackish water diatoms can remove the reactive silica and inorganic scalants from the reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate. Photobiologically treated RO concentrate can be further treated using a secondary RO for improved permeate recovery and minimal brine generation. Here, the factors influencing reactive silica uptake from a brackish groundwater RO concentrate containing 93 mg/L of reactive silica and 338 mg/L of calcium, by a brackish water diatom Pseudostaurosira trainorii PEWL001 are discussed. Several semi-batch experiments revealed that P. trainorii PEWL001 could remove >85% of reactive silica and 50% of calcium within 28 h. Externally supplemented orthophosphate and nitrate-N were found to be the preferred sources of nutrients, whereas ammonia-N inhibited the growth of the diatom. Vigorous mixing negatively affected the reactive silica uptake by the diatom, possibly by causing mechanical damage to the cells. Carbon dioxide addition reduced the pH of brackish groundwater RO concentrate from 8.21 to 6.8, did not enhance the reactive silica uptake but drastically decreased the efficiency of calcium removal. Reactive silica uptake rate was slower under the direct sunlight than under the LED light. The results of this study have important implications in advancing the photobiological treatment process. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Photobiological process to remove reactive silica and calcium from brackish groundwater RO concentrate • Diatom Pseudostaurosira trainorii removed >85% of reactive silica and 50% of calcium within 28 h • Diatom growth was promoted by orthophosphate and nitrate-N, but inhibited by ammonia-N • Addition of CO 2 did not enhance reactive silica uptake but decrease calcium removal • Sunlight with sufficient cover can be used as the energy source [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Three properties (POPs characteristics, practicability and risk) were simultaneously considered for derivatives screening. • 5 modified derivatives are selected as environmentally friendly PCN derivatives, remaining insulativity and flame retardancy. • Unlike before, the emission concentrations of the modified PCN derivatives in a multimedia environment are simulated. • Mechanisms analysis indicated that the screening methods of low toxicity and risk can complement and verify each other. Abstract A complete design and screening system for environmental-friendly polychlorinated naphthalene (PCN) derivatives was established through three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (3D-QSAR), molecular docking, density functional theory (DFT) methods and health-based risk assessment based on dynamic multimedia fugacity model. Two types of 3D-QSAR models were established for PCNs using the experimental biological toxicity (log EC 50) of 14 PCNs to carry out a modification to lower the log EC 50 of CN-70. Consequently, 67 new monosubstituted and disubstituted derivatives with a lower biological toxicity than CN-70 were designed. Furthermore, 21 new CN-70 derivatives were selected through the evaluation of their persistent organic pollutant properties (biological toxicity, bio-concentration, long-range transport potential, biodegradability) and practicability (stability, insulativity, flame retardancy) using 3D-QSAR, molecular docking and DFT methods. Finally, the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of 19 new CN-70 derivatives in different exposure pathways were reduced, and 5 derivatives with a significant decrease both in biological toxicity (amplitude reduction: 12.73%–32.51%) and risk (amplitude reduction: 32.18%–59.19%) were selected as environmental-friendly PCN derivatives, which had been screened using the health-based risk assessment system associated with dynamic multimedia fugacity model. This study provides a theoretical basis for the design of environmental-friendly flame retardants and insulating materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We present the HBM for solving the 1D convention–diffusion equation. • We present the results of steady and unsteady convection–diffusion problems. • We present the results of nonlinear 1D convection–diffusion problems. • The unknown variables only exist on half of the boundaries by using HBM. • The internal storage is small and the computing time is less by using HBM. Abstract Solving convection diffusion equation is widely required in many fields of science, technology and engineering. The calculation is usually difficult and time-consuming. In this paper, a highly efficient method, the half boundary method (HBM), is proposed to solve the convection diffusion equation. The main idea of HBM is to reduce the order of the convection–diffusion equations by introducing a new variable and constructing the relations of the variables between the nodes inside the area and the nodes on half of the boundaries. Using the relations, the temperature and heat flux at any point can be calculated simultaneously, after obtaining the variables on the half of the boundaries. Because the unknown variables exist on only half of the boundaries, the computing matrix is reduced to only second order regardless of the number of nodes, the internal storage in the HBM is even less than that required in the finite volume method, making the HBM extremely fast and efficient. The validity and accuracy of the proposed method are investigated. Numerical studies for steady and unsteady, as well as nonlinear convection–diffusion equations, were carried out. The results show that HBM is more accurate than the finite volume method under identical grids conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Root is the first part directly in contact with Se and Cd in growth medium. Polysaccharides (such as hemicellulose and pectin) are critical components of cell wall, and they could bind Cd ions and limit the transport of Cd through cytomembrane. After getting through root cell walls, Se affects the subcellular distribution and chemical forms of Cd in root, which is related to the Cd translocation from root to shoot. The cell wall binding capacity and the production of Cd complexes with low mobility might be in connection with reducing Cd concentration in root and further in seed of rape. Highlights • Cd concentration in rapeseed was reduced by exogenous Se application. • Se increased the Cd concentration in root cell wall of rape. • Se improved the contents of pectin and hemicellulose 2 in root cell wall of rape. • Se increased the proportion of Cd with low movability within rape root. Abstract Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in edible part of crop threatens human health. The beneficial effects of selenium (Se) have been established in improving plant growth and reducing Cd accumulation in plant under Cd stress. This study investigated the effect of Se in reducing Cd concentration in seed, and revealed the underlying regulating mechanisms in root of rape. Results showed that when plants were grown in Cd contaminated soil, the application of exogenous Se significantly reduced Cd concentration in seed. Under 5 μmol L−1 Cd stress, the photosynthesis and photosynthetic pigment contents in leaf tissue were improved with the addition of Se; Se reduced Cd concentration in root, while root morphology showed little variation by comparison with Cd treated alone. Further studies on root revealed that Se addition increased the concentration of Cd with inactive forms. Except that, Se increased the contents of pectin and hemicellulose 2, which was consistent with the elevated Cd concentration in root cell walls. Findings in this study may indicate that with the application of Se, the proportion of less mobile Cd-complex is enhanced, and the Cd binding to root cell wall increases along with the elevated contents of pectin and hemicellulose 2; all of these contribute to the reduction of Cd uptake in root and therefore transportation to stem, pod, and finally seed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary cell type responsible for liver fibrogenesis. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are key profibrotic cytokines that regulate HSC activation and proliferation with functional convergence. Dual RNA interference against their receptors may achieve therapeutic effects. A novel RNAi strategy based on HSC-specific GFAP promoter-driven and lentiviral-expressed artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) was devised that consists of an microRNA-30a backbone and effective shRNAs against mouse Pdgfrβ and Tgfbr2. Then, its antifibrotic efficacy was tested in primary and cultured HSCs and in mice affected with carbon tetrachloride–induced hepatic fibrosis. The study shows that amiRNA-mediated Pdgfrβ and Tgfbr2 co-silencing inhibits HSC activation and proliferation. After recombinant lentiviral particles were delivered into the liver via tail-vein injection, therapeutic amiRNAs were preferentially expressed in HSCs and efficiently co-knocked down in situTgfbr2 and Pdgfrβ expression, which correlates with downregulated expression of target or effector genes of their signaling, which include Pai-1, P70S6K, and D-cyclins. amiRNA-based HSC-specific co-silencing of Tgfbr2 and Pdgfrβ significantly suppressed hepatic expression of fibrotic markers α-Sma and Col1a1, extracellular matrix regulators Mmps and Timp1, and phenotypically ameliorated liver fibrosis, as indicated by reductions in serum alanine aminotransferase activity, collagen deposition, and α-Sma-positive staining. The findings provide proof of concept for the use of amiRNA-mediated co-silencing of two profibrogenic pathways in liver fibrosis treatment and highlight the therapeutic potential of concatenated amiRNAs for gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The co-sensitization of mesoscopic TiO 2 anode is a promising solution to wide-spectra dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with improved power conversion efficiency. Quantum dots are featured with tunable bandgaps, small sizes and high absorption coefficients, therefore they are always combined with state-of-the-art organic dyes for co-sensitized solar cells. We present here the sonochemistry-assisted synthesis of hybrid black/red phosphorus quantum dots (BP/RPQDs) for DSSC applications. The preliminary results demonstrate that hybrid BP/RPQDs have prolonged recombination lifetime of photogenerated carriers and light-response from ultraviolet to visible and even near-infrared (NIR) region. Upon assembly into liquid-junction DSSCs, the devices with BP/RPQDs-only and BP/RPQDs-N719 co-sensitizer achieve efficiencies of 0.12% and 8.02% in comparison with 7.60% for N719-only solar cell. Using photofluorescent photoanode from mesoscopic TiO 2 and long-persistence phosphor (LPP), the new-typed DSSC presents persistent power generation performances after ceasing simulated sunlight irradiation. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Hybrid BP/RPQDs are made by a sonochemistry-assisted method. • The hybrid BP/RPQDs show wide light-response in light-harvesters of DSSCs. • BP/RPQDs-only solar cells show a PCE of 0.12%. • An efficiency as high as 8.02% is achieved for BP/RPQDs tailored DSSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Mitochondrial dysfunction manifests in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (HD), a fatal and inherited neurodegenerative disease. Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) is the primary component of mitochondrial fission and becomes hyperactivated in various models of HD. We previously reported that inhibition of Drp1 hyperactivation by P110, a rationally designed peptide inhibitor of Drp1-Fis1 interaction, is protective in the HD R6/2 mouse model, which expresses a fragment of mutant Huntingtin (mHtt). In this study, we expand our work to test the effect of P110 treatment in HD knock-in (zQ175 KI) mice that express full-length mtHtt and exhibit progressive disease symptoms, reminiscent of human HD. We find that subcutaneously sustained treatment with P110 reduces movement deficits of mice. Moreover, the treatment attenuates striatal neuronal loss, microglial hyperactivity and white matter disorganization in zQ175 KI mice. These findings provide an additional line of evidence that inhibition of Drp1 hyperactivation is sufficient to reduce HD-associated neuropathology and behavioral deficits. We propose that manipulation of Drp1 hyperactivation might be a useful strategy to develop therapeutics for treating HD. Highlights • Inhibition of Drp1 hyperactivation reduces behavioral deficits in zQ175 knock-in mice. • Inhibition of Drp1 hyperactivation attenuates striatal cell death in HD mice. • Suppression of Drp1 hyperactivation reduces white matter disorganization in HD mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the optimal activity region of the dopachrome tautomerase gene (DCT) promoter in sheep skin melanocytes, five eukaryotic expression vectors were constructed containing DCT promoter fragments of different lengths (441 bp, 652 bp, 834 bp, 1155 bp, and 1504 bp) ligated to the pLV.ExSi.P/Puro-mouse DCT-eGFP vector. These constructs were transiently transfected into sheep skin melanocytes using liposome transfection technology. GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) expression varied among the groups transfected with different constructs as follows: 652 bp > 834 bp > 441 bp > 1504 bp > 1155 bp. GFP expression was significantly higher in the 652 bp and 834 bp groups than in the 1155 bp group (p < 0.01), while expression in the 652 bp group was significantly higher than in the 1504 bp group (p < 0.05). Additionally, we identified elements participating in the initiation of gene transcription (a CAAT box), cell type-specific expression (M-box), and the regulation of gene expression (E-box) in the sheep DCT promoter. In conclusion, the optimal active region of the sheep DCT promoter is located between -593 bp and + 41 bp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite-structured cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3) halide provides new opportunities for promoting the commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSC) due to its high carrier mobility and light absorption coefficient as well as remarkable environmental stability at high humidity and high temperatures. Herein, all-carbon electrodes from multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and carbon black (CB) were prepared for all-inorganic CsPbBr3 PSCs with the configuration of FTO/c-TiO2/m-TiO2/CsPbBr3/carbon. The as-prepared electrodes were free of hole-transporting layers and precious metals. The work function and electrical conductivity of the carbon electrode were tuned by changing the MWCNT/CB ratio to reduce charge recombination at the perovskite/carbon interface. The optimal all-inorganic PSC achieves a maximum power conversion efficiency of 7.62% using the MWCNT (75 wt%)/CB (25 wt%) electrode in comparison with 6.24% for the pure MWCNT-based device. Upon persistent attack by 80% RH in air atmosphere, the solar cell retains 95% of its initial efficiency over 1100 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercapacitors have attracted great attention as advanced energy storage devices. However, the low energy density and high cost of electrode materials are the downsides for their practical applications. Here, we introduce a facile and low-cost strategy to develop honeycomb-like Ni 3 S 2 nanosheet arrays (NSAs) as a redox-type electrode for aqueous hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs). Owing to the porous structure of NSAs, the Ni 3 S 2 electrode can show excellent electrochemical performance in 2 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. A high specific capacity of 151.2 mAh g −1  has been achieved at the current density of 3 A g −1 . To demonstrate their further applications, HSCs have been assembled with activated carbon (AC) as negative electrode and the assembled devices can successfully work within a large voltage range of 0–1.6 V and deliver a maximum energy density of 35.2 Wh kg −1 at the power density of 491 W kg −1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (3D-QSAR) models were established for polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) using the logarithms of experimental bioconcentration factors of 10 PCNs in fish as the dependent variable and their molecular structures as the independent variable. The models were used to design PCN derivatives with lower bioconcentration than the parent compounds. The contour maps from the 3D-QSAR models were used to evaluate sites and different substituents for monosubstitution. A full factorial experiment based on the target molecule (1,3,5,7-tetraCN, CN-42) was used to evaluate sites for disubstitution. The established 3D-QSAR models had good predictive abilities for the remaining 65 PCN congeners. Comparative molecular field analysis and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis models showed that PCN bioconcentration was dominated by the electrostatic field. Taking CN-42 as a template, 15 new monosubstituted compounds and 19 new disubstituted compounds with lower bioconcentration than CN-42 were designed using the 3D-QSAR model and full factorial design, respectively. Furthermore, the persistent organic pollutant properties and the practicability of these compounds were evaluated using Gaussian 09. The new compounds were less toxic than CN-42 but showed similar migration, stability, insulation, and flame retardancy. Molecular docking was used to screen for CN-42 derivatives that showed lower bioconcentration than CN-42 in specific tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of self-powered monoelectrodes for clean energy harvest is a promising solution to meet the growing energy demands for modern electronic device applications. To address this issue, a category of self-powered monoelectrodes are made from cost-effective graphene composite films to harvest rain energy. Periodic current and voltage signals are recorded under rain stimulation to evaluate their rain-to-electricity efficiency. The mechanism behind rain energy harvest arises from charging/discharging cycles of electric π-electron (graphene)|cation (rain) double-layer pseudocapacitances at graphene film/raindrop interface. The maximized current of 2.15 μA/raindrop, voltage of 129.83 μV/raindrop and power of 295.48 pW/raindrop are yielded in the optimized conversion devices. The present work may provide new insights on harvesting waste energies in rain-enriched regions by designing electron-enriched monoelectrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) have narrow spectral response and serious electron-hole recombination, which are two burdens for photovoltaic performance enhancement. In order to make high-performance DSSCs featured by wide-spectral absorption and fast charge extraction, we present here experimental realization of co-sensitization of nitrogen (N)-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) with N719 dye. Arising from up-conversion and hole extraction behaviors of N-CQDs, a maximized power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as 9.29% under one sun illumination is achieved for N 300 -CQDs/N719 co-sensitized DSSC in comparison with 8.09% for N 300 -CQDs-free device. Due to light storing and emitting characteristics of photofluorescent long persistence phosphors in mesoscopic titanium dioxide/long persistence phosphor ( m -TiO 2 /LPP) photoanode, electricity is persistently generated when ceasing sunlight illumination. This work is far from optimization, but the physical proof-of-concept co-sensitization and fast charge extraction may remarkably widen light-response windows and promote electron-hole separation for advanced photovoltaic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaics are regarded as the promising solution to resolve energy and environmental problems owing to their high power conversion efficiency and zero emissions. However, the narrow-spectra absorption range and serious recombination reactions at electrode/electrolyte interfaces are two major drawbacks for high-performance solar cells. Herein, a new way of synthesizing organic-inorganic hybrid CH 3 NH 3 PbX 3 (X = Cl, Br or I) perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) is demonstrated by dropping perovskite precursor solution into anhydrous toluene. After a systematic study, the results demonstrate that the energy levels of PQDs can be tuned through optimizing the stoichiometric ratio of halide ions, showing good optical properties for photovoltaic applications. A quasi-solid-state sensitized solar cell with configuration of FTO/ m -TiO 2 /PQDs/dye/long persistence phosphor/gel electrolyte/Pt/FTO is fabricated, yielding an impressive power conversion efficiency as high as 7.91%, which is higher than 7.26% for referenced device free of PQDs. The improved performances are mainly attributed to the increased light absorption as well as reduced recombination upon the incorporation of PQDs and long persistence phosphor into devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radioresistance is a major obstacle in radiotherapy for cancer, and strategies are needed to overcome this problem. Currently, radiotherapy combined with targeted therapy such as inhibitors of phosphoinosotide 3-kinase/Akt and epidermal growth factor receptor signaling have become the focus of studies on radiosensitization. Apart from these two signaling pathways, which promote radioresistance, deregulation of Wnt signaling is also associated with the radioresistance of multiple cancers. Wnts, as important messengers in the tumor microenvironment, are involved in cancer progression mainly via canonical Wnt signaling. Their role in promoting DNA damage repair and inhibiting apoptosis facilitates cancer resistance to radiation. Thus, it seems reasonable to target Wnt signaling as a method for overcoming radioresistance. Many small-molecule inhibitors that target the Wnt signaling pathway have been identified and shown to promote radiosensitization. Therefore, a Wnt signaling inhibitor may help to overcome radioresistance in cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are regarded as promising photovoltaics to harvest solar energy from both front and rear sides because of their significantly increased total power outputs. Transparent counter electrodes (CEs) with cost-effectiveness and high electrocatalytic activity are crucial to make these high-performance bifacial devices. Herein, a category of transparent CEs from ternary alloys [(CoM) 0.85 Se, M = Ni, Ru, Fe] are synthesized by a mild solution method. Upon careful optimization on optical behaviors, electrocatalytic activity and photovoltaic performances, the bifacial DSSCs with (CoNi) 0.85 Se, (CoRu) 0.85 Se, (CoFe) 0.85 Se CEs achieve front power conversion efficiencies of 9.14%, 8.09%, 7.58% and rear efficiencies of 3.86%, 3.31%, 3.51% in comparison with 6.72% and 3.16% for state-of-the-art Pt CE based solar cell, respectively. Moreover, these bifacial DSSCs devices display high multiple on/off capability and relatively good stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study a compressible MHD model for one-dimensional non-Newtonian fluids. Strong nonlinearities are addressed using the consistent estimation method of approximate solutions. The existence and uniqueness of positive density local solutions are obtained under the compatibility condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite-structured CsPbBr 3 halide is an emerging light-harvester for all-inorganic solar cells due to its superior stability against moisture and heat. However, the wide bandgap of CsPbBr 3 (2.3 eV) calls for serious charge recombination and low efficiency in its photovoltaics. We present here all-inorganic CsPbBr 3 perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by modifying TiO 2 /CsPbBr 3 and CsPbBr 3 /carbon interfaces with carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and phosphorus quantum dots (PQDs), respectively. The electron and hole extractions are markedly enhanced by setting intermediate energy levels, and the optimized PSC achieves a power conversion efficiency of 7.93% in comparison with 6.05% for the device free of CQDs and PQDs. Moreover, the unsealed PSCs are highlighted by long-term stability in high humidity over 1400 h. This work may provide new opportunities of promoting charge extraction at CsPbBr 3 /charge-transporting material interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bifacial light-harvesting technology is regarded as one effective strategy to enhance the power output of photovoltaic devices, in which the transparent electrode is crucial to determine the power conversion efficiency when illuminated from rear side. To date, the efficiency enhancement of the state-of-the-art bifacial mesoscopic solar cells is mainly focused on the rational design of high catalytic counter electrode without sacrificing the transparency. The cell performance maximum through increasing electron density at counter electrode surface to enhance its catalytic ability is still a challenging problem. In the current work, bi-tandem carbon quantum dots are made to tailor transparent CoSe counter electrode for bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells, achieving a maximized front power conversion efficiency of 8.54% and a rear efficiency of 6.55% in comparison with 7.87% and 5.03% for carbon quantum dots-free device, respectively. The mechanism behind this increment is stemmed from the photo-excited electrons of bi-tandem carbon quantum dots and therefore realizing the electron accumulation on the counter electrode surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is a promising solution to relieve global energy crisis and environmental issues because of its superiority in low cost, easy fabrication procedures and relatively high efficiency. The decrease of fabrication cost without sacrifice of power conversion efficiency of the DSSCs can doubtlessly contribute to its commercial application. Here we report a new Pt-free RuCoSe ternary alloy counter electrode (CE) by electrodepositing. The DSSC device with RuCoSe ternary alloy CE achieves a power conversion efficiency of 9.07%, which is higher than 7.03% from Pt-only CE based DSSC. The easy preparation method and promising results provide a new method for decreasing cost but enhancing photovoltaic performance of DSSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mapping the spatial distribution of bamboo in East Africa is necessary for biodiversity conservation, resource management and policy making for rural poverty reduction. In this study, we produced a contemporary bamboo cover map of Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda for the year 2016 using multi-temporal Landsat imagery series at 30 m spatial resolution. This is the first bamboo map generated using remotely sensed data for these three East African countries that possess most of the African bamboo resource. The producer's and user's accuracies of bamboos are 79.2% and 84.0%, respectively. The hotspots with large amounts of bamboo were identified and the area of bamboo coverage for each region was estimated according to the map. The seasonal growth status of two typical bamboo zones (one highland bamboo and one lowland bamboo) were analyzed and the multi-temporal imagery proved to be useful in differentiating bamboo from other vegetation classes. The images acquired in September to February are less contaminated by clouds and shadows, and the image series cover the dying back process of lowland bamboo, which were helpful for bamboo identification in East Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: All‐inorganic perovskite solar cells with high efficiency and improved stability are promising for commercialization. A multistep solution‐processing method was developed to fabricate high‐purity inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite films for use in efficient solar cells. By tuning the number of deposition cycles (n) of a CsBr solution, the phase conversion from CsPb2Br5 (n ≤3), to CsPbBr3 (n=4), and Cs4PbBr6 (n≥5) was optimized to achieve vertical‐ and monolayer‐aligned grains. Upon interfacial modification with graphene quantum dots, the all‐inorganic perovskite solar cell (without a hole‐transporting layer) achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as 9.72 % under standard solar illumination conditions. Under challenging conditions, such as 90 % relative humidity (RH) at 25 °C or 80 °C at zero humidity, the optimized device retained 87 % PCE over 130 days or 95 % over 40 days, compared to the initial efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: All‐inorganic perovskite solar cells with high efficiency and improved stability are promising for commercialization. A multistep solution‐processing method was developed to fabricate high‐purity inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite films for use in efficient solar cells. By tuning the number of deposition cycles (n) of a CsBr solution, the phase conversion from CsPb2Br5 (n ≤3), to CsPbBr3 (n=4), and Cs4PbBr6 (n≥5) was optimized to achieve vertical‐ and monolayer‐aligned grains. Upon interfacial modification with graphene quantum dots, the all‐inorganic perovskite solar cell (without a hole‐transporting layer) achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as 9.72 % under standard solar illumination conditions. Under challenging conditions, such as 90 % relative humidity (RH) at 25 °C or 80 °C at zero humidity, the optimized device retained 87 % PCE over 130 days or 95 % over 40 days, compared to the initial efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young adolescents who experience stress may also exhibit negative behaviors at school. Students whose misbehavior causes an interruption to classroom learning may be sent to the office and, as a result, lose instructional time and learning. The goal of this quasi-experimental pilot study was to determine if mindfulness training would decrease the number of office discipline referrals for middle grades students with a high number of office discipline referrals. The treatment required students to use a Muse brain-sensing headband paired with an app to train them to focus on calming and self-regulating behaviors. Data analysis indicated a statistically significant correlation between using the headband for 3 min a week and a lower number of times students were sent to the office for behavior redirection. Research with a larger sample size is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a nitrogen-containing bidentate ligand named 5,50-(9-octyl-9H-carbazole- 2,7-diyl)bis(1,10-phenanthroline) (OCBP) was synthesized as a nitrogen precursor for making an oxygen reduction catalyst. The 1,10-phenanthroline unit provides a coordination site for copper ions, and the resulting Cu-Nx unit may be responsible for the catalytic activities of the catalyst. Carbon black was selected as a support to improve the electroconductibility of the resulting catalyst. The metallo-supramolecule (Cu-SOCBP) was dispersed on the surface of Vulcan XC-72 carbon and was used as a catalyst (designated as Cu-SOCBP/C) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The microscope structure and surface components of the catalyst were acquired via scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as X-ray powder diffraction. The electrochemical property and ORR mechanism of Cu-SOCBP/C were analyzed using a variety of electroanalytical methods including cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and linear sweep voltammetry. These results show that Cu-SOCBP/C was successfully synthesized and that ORR was achieved mainly via a four-electron transfer process to water. Thus, Cu-SOCBP/C was an effective catalyst and might have potential application as a cathodic catalyst in microbial fuel cells, which operate in an aqueous medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bifacial photovoltaics are promising devices for significantly harvesting solar energy and generating power from either front or rear side. We present here the fabrication of new category of high-performance bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) tailored with transparent S-doped carbon quantum dots (S-CQDs)/metal selenide counter electrodes. Arising from photoexcitation of S-CQDs and therefore increased electron density at electrode surfaces, the catalytic ability of S-CQDs tailored counter electrodes is markedly enhanced under solar irradiation. The bifacial DSSCs yield maximized front and rear efficiencies of 9.15% and 6.26%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Casparian strip, a barrier to the apoplastic movement of solutes from the cortex to the stele, is essential for the exclusion of salts, selective nutrient uptake, and many other processes. To date, extensive studies have focused on the physiological functions of endodermal Casparian strips. However, the chemical deposition nature of Casparian strips, as well as its relevance with respect to diffusion barrier functions, remains to be further elucidated. Here, we revealed three developmental stages of Casparian strips in maize primary roots using a traditional fluorescent staining method. Apoplastic permeability tests demonstrated that the barrier function of Casparian strips is largely related to their developmental stage and the pattern of lignin and suberin deposits. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis showed that the Casparian strips from the roots exhibited significant absorption bands characteristic of lignin and suberin, implying that the Casparian strips in maize primary roots consist largely of lignin and suberin. Furthermore, we developed a new method for label-free, in vivo structural, and biochemical analysis of Casparian strips based on stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy. Using SRS microscopy, we found that lignin and suberin accumulate simultaneously during the Casparian strip formation process. Based on these results, we propose a potential application of SRS for the chemical composition analysis of plant Casparian strips in situ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of two cross-linking agents (genipin and polyphenol) on the physical properties of gelatin hydrogels were studied to determine the more effective natural cross-linking agent. The highest gel strength obtained with polyphenols was 136.9 N/mm2 at concentrations up to 360 μg polyphenols/g gelatin, whereas the highest strength of samples cross-linked with genipin was 98.4 N/mm2 with 300 mg genipin/g dry gelatin. Scanning electron microscopy showed that gelatin modified by polyphenols at 360 μg/g gelatin had the most compact surface. Cross-linked gelatin-polyphenol exhibited a markedly enhanced denaturation temperature and greater thermal stability than gelatin-genipin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial robots (IRs) are the important driving force to enable the production activities more automotive and highly efficient in modern manufacturing systems. However, in order to realize the effective employment and intelligent configuration of IRs in cloud manufacturing environment, it is required that the sustainable manufacturing capabilities of IRs can be described in a unified and formal manner. In this paper, a unified sustainable manufacturing capability (SMC) of the IR model is constructed in terms of functional attributes, structural information, activities and process condition. A hybrid logic description method integrating Ontology Web Language with dynamic description logic (DLL) is adopted to provide a semantical representation to both the static and dynamic characteristics of SMC. An interval-state description method is proposed to present energy consumption during the IR's process in sections. Based on the constructed model, three types of rules are defined to reason the capability of IRs, including stability, energy consumption and production capacity. Finally, a cloud-based prototype system architecture is illustrated. An IR service platform is developed and implemented to verify the proposed model and the defined rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is often reported that pseudocapacitive electrodes’ mechanical stability seriously limited their cycling performances in supercapacitors due to their quick fall off the electrode matrix during frequent fast charge/discharge process. In this work, we have demonstrated the mechanical enhancement in hierarchical NiMoO 4 nanosheet arrays (NSAs) on free-standing substrates after introducing Co 3 O 4 hierarchies. Under sonication vibration environment, the mechanical stability of Co 3 O 4 @NiMoO 4 NSAs was enhanced by ∼70% compared to that of the pure NiMoO 4 ones. Moreover, the Co 3 O 4 @NiMoO 4 NSAs can display a high specific capacitance of 1476 F g −1 at the current density of 1 A g −1 , and an excellent rate capability (keeping 81% at 20 A g −1 ). And after 2000 cycles, high capacitance retention of 96% was achieved for the Co 3 O 4 @NiMoO 4 core/shell NSAs, while only 70% for the pure NiMoO 4 ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present here a carbon quantum dot (CQD) tailored counter electrode (CE) for a bifacial dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Arising from wide spectral absorption, high optical transmission and the electron-enriched surface of the CE, the final bifacial DSSC device yields front and rear efficiencies of 9.08% and 7.01%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new time-dependentreliability optimization framework for piezoelectric vibration controlsystems is proposed. • An efficientnon-probabilistic time-dependentreliability assessmentapproachis proposed. • An effective uncertainty propagation method (subinterval dimension-wise method) is proposed. • Theproposedmethodcan greatly improve the computational efficiencyand accuracy. Piezoelectric system is widely used in vibration control, but due to the influence of uncertainty in the system, the control rate designed for determined system may not meet the design requirements in practical application. In order to solve the uncertainty problems in the system, a set of NTDR reliability optimization framework for piezoelectric active control system is proposed in this paper. Taking the most widely used PID controller as an example, a new controller design method is proposed: the response interval of the closed-loop system is calculated by the novel SDWM. Based on the first crossing theory, a new time-dependent reliability index is defined to calculate the time-dependent reliability of the piezoelectric system. Through an example of piezoelectric laminate, the layout of different piezoelectric materials is compared. Then, taking piezoelectric curved shell as an example, the influence of piezoelectric uncertainty and uncertainty parameter radius on vibration control of piezoelectric system is studied. Finally, the accuracy of the method is verified by Monte Carlo algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creation of robust and stable electrocatalysts is a persistent objective for high-efficiency hydrogen evolution by water splitting. We present here the experimental realization of one-dimensional Mo incorporated W 18 O 49 nanofibers (NFs) by a template-free solvothermal method. When utilized as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution through water splitting, the preliminary results demonstrate that the optimized catalytic electrode from 1 at% Mo doped W 18 O 49 NFs yields an onset overpotential of 89 mV and Tafel slope of 49 mV dec −1 as well as maximal exchange current density up to 1.60 × 10 −2 mA cm −2 . An overpotential as low as 462 mV is required to attain current density of 50 mA cm −2 in comparison with 587 mV for pristine W 18 O 49 NFs. Moreover, the Mo doped W 18 O 49 NFs display relative stability by applying a potential of 503 mV and a current density of 80 mA cm −2 over 24 h in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 aqueous solution, making them promising in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here robust electrocatalysts from metal doped W18O49 nanofibers (NFs) for high-efficiency hydrogen evolution. By tuning Pd dosages, the optimal 5 at% Pd doped W18O49 NFs yield an onset overpotential of only 65 mV and exchange current densities up to 2.36 × 10−3 mA cm−2. Moreover, the resultant electrocatalyst is relatively stable during persistent operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design and synthesis of ZnO@TiO2 core-shell nanorod arrays as promising photocatalysts have been widely reported. However, it remains a challenge to develop a low-temperature, low-cost, and environmentally friendly method to prepare ZnO@TiO2 core-shell nanorod arrays over a large area for future device applications. Here, a facile, green, and efficient route is designed to prepare the ZnO@TiO2 nanorod arrays with a highly uniform core-shell structure over a large area on Zn wafer via a vapor-thermal method at relatively low temperature. The growth mechanism is proposed as a layer-by-layer assembly. The photocatalytic decomposition reaction of methylene blue (MB) reveals that the ZnO@TiO2 core-shell nanorod arrays have excellent photocatalytic activities when compared with the performance of the ZnO nanorod arrays. The improved photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the core-shell structure, which can effectively reduce the recombination rate of electron-hole pairs, significantly increase the optical absorption range, and offer a high density of surface active catalytic sites for the decomposition of organic pollutants. In addition, it is very easy to separate or recover ZnO@TiO2 core-shell nanorod array catalysts when they are used in water purification processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A novel aqueous silica removal process using naturally occurring diatoms for water and wastewater treatment, in particular water reuse and desalination, was developed. Brackish agricultural drainage water containing 39 mg L of total silica and 10 g L of total dissolved solids was used as a source of silica-assimilating diatoms. The drainage water was statically incubated in 500-mL and 7.5-L photobioreactors at 27 ± 2 °C under continuous illumination using two 13-W compact fluorescent light bulbs as a light source. After 10 days, brown algal biomass became noticeable and silica removal started to occur. Silica removal accelerated as algal biomass accumulated. In the fourth semi-batch cycle, more than 95 % of molybdate reactive silica was removed within 28 h. Removal of nonreactive silica was also confirmed. Reverse osmosis concentrate samples from advanced water reclamation facilities with high silica concentration (>120 mg L) were also tested. More than 75 % of silica was removed within 6 days. Microscopic analysis revealed the presence of Pseudostaurosira, Nitzschia, and Halamphora species in the photobioreactors. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of diatoms for aqueous silica removal in water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the N-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were applied to combine with Ag 3 PO 4 and form N-CQDs/Ag 3 PO 4 hybrid materials with improved photocatalytic activity and stability toward organic dyes degradation under visible light irradiation. The efficiency of 2%N-CQDs/Ag 3 PO 4 is improved by 20.8% higher than that of pure Ag 3 PO 4 for the degradation MB and is retained fairly high levels after 4 successive recycling experiments. The improved photocatalytic activity and superior cycle performance are mainly ascribed to the N-CQDs as the electron acceptor enhanced the spatial separation of photogenerated charge carriers and inhibited the reduction of silver ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug combination forms the close link with multi targets and multi rings in the treatment of complex diseases, the treatment effect is better than that of the single medicine. Each single drug in drug combination with different functions is more effective after combined, suggesting there may be some kind of relationships between the corresponding diseases. By studying the association of diseases, it's possible to find a new target for the treatment of certain diseases, so as to make new progress in the development of new drugs. This paper is based on the network of drug combination constructed with data source from DCDB (combination drug database) and gets 33 drug modules through the network clustering algorithm. There are 7 groups of drug modules among them are used to treat two or more diseases, suggesting a certain correlation between these diseases. Demonstrate these relationships, the result shows that the construction of drug combination network is an effective method to find association relationships between diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are limited data on serum total light chain (sTLC) in lymphoma and its relative role on the outcome of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. Blood samples from 46 cases newly diagnosed with DLBCL were collected consecutively during chemotherapy to detect sTLC, IgG, IgA, and IgM levels. Clinical data and survival outcomes were analyzed according to the results of sTLC measurements. In summary, 22 patients (47.8 %) had abnormal k or λ light chain, respectively, and 6 patients (13.0 %) had both abnormal k and λ light chains before chemotherapy. Patients with elevated k light chain more frequently displayed multiple extra-nodal organ involvement (P = 0.01) and had an inferior overall survival (OS) (P = 0.041) and progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.044) compared to patients with normal level of k light chain. Furthermore, patients with elevated level of both k and λ also exhibited significant association with shorter OS (P = 0.002) and PFS (P = 0.009). Both elevated k alone and concurrent elevated k and λ had independent adverse effects on PFS (P = 0.031 and P = 0.019, respectively). sTLC level was reduced gradually by treatment in this study and reached the lowest point after the fourth cycle of chemotherapy, which was consistent with the disease behavior during chemotherapy. Considering the small sample size of this study, these results should be confirmed in a larger prospective study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane was modified with graphene oxide (GO) via phase inversion method to improve its hydrophilicity and mechanical properties. The GO presented a large amount of hydrophilic groups after the modification through the modified Hummers method. It was observed that with the addition of low fraction of GO powder, the GO/PVC hybrid membranes exhibited a significant enhancement in hydrophilicity, water flux, and mechanical properties. With optimal dosage (0.1 wt%), the pure water flux of GO/PVC membrane increased from 232.6 L/(m 2 h bar) to 430.0 L/(m 2 h bar) and the tensile strength increased from 231.3 cN to 305.3 cN. The improved properties of the PVC/GO hybrid membranes are mainly attributed to the strong hydrophilicity of functional groups on the GO surface, indicating that GO has a promising candidate for modification of PVC ultrafiltration membranes in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new African land-cover data set has been developed using multi-seasonal Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI) imagery mainly acquired around 2014, supplemented by Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+). Each path/row location was covered by five images, including one in the growing season of vegetation and the others in four meteorological seasons (i.e. spring, summer, autumn, and winter), choosing the image with the least cloud coverage. The data set has two classification schemes, i.e. Finer Resolution Observation and Monitoring – Global Land Cover (FROM-GLC) and Global Land Cover 2000 (GLC2000), providing greater flexibility in product comparisons and applications. Random forest was used as the classifier in this project. Overall accuracies were 71% and 67% for the maps in the FROM-GLC classification scheme at level 1 and level 2, respectively, and 70% for the map in the GLC2000 classification scheme. The newly developed African land-cover map achieved a greater improvement in accuracy compared to previous products in the FROM-GLC project. Multi-seasonal imagery helped increase the mapping accuracy by better differentiating vegetation types with similar spectral features in one specific season and identifying vegetation with a shorter growing season. Night light data with 1 km resolution was used to identify the potential area of impervious surfaces to avoid overestimating the distribution of impervious surfaces without decreasing the spatial resolution. Stacking multi-seasonal mapping results could adequately minimize the disturbance of cloud and shade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stretching over 4300 km north to south, Chile is a special country with complicated landscapes and rich biodiversity. Accurate and timely updated land cover map of Chile in detailed classification categories is highly demanded for many applications. A conclusive land cover map integrated from multi-seasonal mapping results and a seasonal dynamic map series were produced using Landsat 8 imagery mainly acquired in 2013 and 2014, supplemented by MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index data, high resolution imagery on Google Earth, and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission DEM data. The overall accuracy is 80% for the integrated map at level 1 and 73% for level 2 based on independent validation data. Accuracies for seasonal map series were also assessed, which is around 70% for each season, greatly improved by integrated use of seasonal information. The importance of growing season imagery was proved in our analysis. The analysis of the spatial variation of accuracies among various ecoregions indicates that the accuracy for land cover mapping decreases gradually from central Chile to both north and south. More mapping efforts for those ecoregions are needed. In addition, the training dataset includes sample points spatially distributed in the whole country, temporally distributed throughout the year, and categorically encompassing all land cover types. This training dataset constitutes a universal sample set allowing us to map land cover from any Landsat 8 image acquired in Chile without additional ad hoc training sample collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance and microbial community profiles in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treating saline wastewater were studied over 300 days from 0 wt% to 3.0 wt% salinity. The experimental results indicated that the activated sludge had high sensitivity to salinity variations in terms of pollutants removal and sedimentation. At 2.0 wt% salinity, the system retained a good performance, and 95% removal rate of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), NH 4 + -N and total phosphorus (TP) could be achieved. Operation before addition salinity revealed the optimal performance and the most microbial diversity indicated by 16S rRNA gene clone library. Sequence analyses illustrated that Candidate_division_TM7 (TM7) was predominant at 2.0 wt% salinity; however, Actinobacteria was more abundant at 3.0 wt% salinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder and the leading cause of anovulatory infertility in women of reproductive age. Chronic low-grade inflammation is considered to be the major contributors to ovarian dysfunction. Human umbilical mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (hUC-MSC-exos) have been proven to exhibit highly effective anti-inflammatory ability. However, its ability to protect against inflammatory response in PCOS remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the effect and underlying mechanisms of hUC-MSC-exos on inflammatory response of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) in PCOS. In this study, we demonstrated that hUC-MSC-exos enhanced the expression of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 and inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α and IFN-γ. Moreover, hUC-MSC-exos had the effects of inhibiting apoptosis and promoting progesterone production. Mechanistically, exposure to hUC-MSC-exos inhibited NF-κB signaling through significantly decreased the levels of the phosphorylation IκB and p65 in GCs. Moreover, the nuclear translocation of p65 was inhibited. Taken together, these results indicate that hUC-MSC-exos ameliorates the inflammation of granulosa cells in patients with PCOS by inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway. ● HUC-MSC-derived exosomes could be absorbed by PCOS granulosa cells. ● HUC-MSC-derived exosomes inhibit PCOS granulosa cells inflammatory response. ● HUC-MSC-derived exosomes suppress NF-κB signaling pathway. ● HUC-MSC-derived exosomes have the effects of inhibiting apoptosis and promoting progesterone production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an color image encryption algorithm using alternate chaotic mapping structure. Initially, we use the R, G and B components to form a matrix. Then one-dimension logistic and two-dimension logistic mapping is used to generate a chaotic matrix, then iterate two chaotic mappings alternately to permute the matrix. For every iteration, XOR operation is adopted to encrypt plain-image matrix, then make further transformation to diffuse the matrix. At last, the encrypted color image is obtained from the confused matrix. Theoretical analysis and experimental results has proved the cryptosystem is secure and practical, and it is suitable for encrypting color images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]