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Abstract: Co1−xLaxOy catalysts were synthesized by citric acid complex method and their catalytic activities for soot combustion in air were investigated in this study. The best performance was observed over Co0.93La0.07 oxide catalysts with T50 =402°C. Co4+ in the surface of LaCoO3 leads to the formation of more oxygen vacancies, thus contributing to the activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Multilayered composites consisting of silica, carbon nanotubes ( CNTs), and continuous carbon fibers (Cf) were prepared by hot-pressing technique. Microstructures of different layer presented few pores of the composites. The thermal stability of the composites was analyzed by TG/ DTA measurement. After being heat treated at 400°C for 10 h, the composites retained the equivalent shielding property compared to room temperature, and the impedance matching property at material/wave interface was improved slightly. The multilayer CNTs/Cf/silica composites have not only the excellent absorbing properties but also the outstanding thermal stability, and it can be a promising candidate for high-temperature electromagnetic interference shielding applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing shortage of water resources has led to the development and adoption of aerobic rice system, which saves water input and increases water productivity by reducing water use during land preparation and limiting seepage, percolation, and evaporation. Aerobic rice also reduces labor requirement and greenhouse gaseous emission from rice field. In an aerobic rice system, the crop can be dry direct-seeded or transplanted and soils are kept aerobic throughout the growing season. Supplemental irrigation is applied as necessary. Aerobic rice cultivars are adapted to aerobic soils and have higher yield potential than traditional upland cultivars. Grain yields of 5-6 t ha can be reached in aerobic rice system. However, yield decline or even complete failure of aerobic rice under continuous monocropping threatens the widespread adoption of aerobic rice technology. Here, we review research findings on possible causes responsible for yield decline of continuous aerobic rice. Our main findings are: (1) both biotic and abiotic factors are involved in the continuous cropping obstacle of aerobic rice; (2) recent research focused on abiotic factors related to the continuous cropping obstacle, such as soil pH increase, ammonia toxicity, and nutrient deficiencies; and (3) strategies which will help in mitigating the continuous cropping obstacle of aerobic rice include selection of new aerobic rice cultivars, nutrient management practice, crop rotation, and soil acidification. Identifying the causes responsible for continuous cropping obstacle of aerobic rice and adopting effective strategies are crucial to achieve sustainability of aerobic rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Two lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains, Pediococcus pentosaceus SC1 and Lactobacillus paraplantarum SC2 isolated from king grass silage, were characterized and their effectiveness to improve the silage fermentation quality of stylo ( Stylosanthes guianensis Sw.) was studied. Strain SC1 was able to grow at a high temperature of 45°C, while SC2 did not. SC2 normally grew at a low pH of 4.0, while SC1 could not. These two strains and a commercial inoculant of LAB ( L. plantarum, LP) were used as additives to stylo silage preparation at various temperatures (20°C, 30°C and 40°C). All LAB inoculants significantly ( P < 0.05) reduced the pH value and ammonia-N content, and increased the ratio of lactic acid to acetic acid and quality score compared with the control. In addition, inoculating LAB strains markedly ( P < 0.05) reduced butyric acid content at the temperatures of 30°C and 40°C. Compared to SC2 and LP strains, strain SC1 was the most effective for improving stylo silage quality at 20°C, indicated by the increase in lactic acid, ratio of lactic acid to acetic acid and quality score. At 30°C and 40°C, there were no significant differences among SC1, SC2 and LP treatments in pH values, contents of acetic acid, butyric acid and ammonia-N ( P > 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Multilayered carbon nanotubes/silicon dioxide (CNTs/SiO2) electromagnetic wave absorbing ceramic matrix composite material was fabricated by hot-pressed sintering. The gradient layer structure was designed to improve its absorbing properties. The multilayered CNTs/SiO2 composite was shaped by adding five kinds of mixed powders with different CNTs contents (0wt%, 2.5wt%, 5wt%, 7.5wt% and 10wt%) to the graphite die in turn, and its average CNTs content was 5wt%. Meanwhile, a single layered composite with the same content of CNTs (5wt%) was fabricated as a contrast sample. The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) and reflecting effectiveness (RE) were studied with insertion loss (IL) and return loss (RL) measurements in the range of 8–12GHz. The results showed that the gradient multilayered sample had a better absorbing effectiveness and its absorbance was 1.5 times as high as the single layered sample’s, while their SEs were almost the same. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of TiO2 supported catalysts with 0.5wt% noble metal (Pt, Pd, Rh and Ru) were used for the low-temperature selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO with propylene in the presence of excess oxygen. Under an atmosphere of 150ppm NO, 150ppm C3H6 and 18vol% O2 (GHSV 72,000h−1), the Pt/TiO2 was found to be the most active catalyst giving a complete C3H6 conversion and 63% NO x reduction simultaneously at 140°C. The enhanced activity of Pt/TiO2 may be associated to its outstanding activities in the temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO) of NO to NO2 and C3H6 to CO2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The simultaneous catalytic removal of NOx and soot over the rare earth element (REE) oxide-based mixture oxides loaded with potassium and transition nanosized metal oxide (designated as M/K/REE oxide) was investigated by using temperature-programmed reaction (TPR). The influence of the type of REE oxides together with the type and amount of transitional metal oxides on the catalytic removal activity was discussed. K/Nd2O3 was found to be the most active oxide among the REE oxides to simultaneous remove the NOx and soot under lean conditions. Chromium oxide was more active than the other transition metal oxides on enhancing the activity of soot oxidation of Nd2O3 loaded with potassium. The optimum loading level of chromium was about 10 wt%, with ignition temperature at about 237°C and the conversion ratio NO → N2 about 24.1%. The Mn-loading on K/Nd2O3 resulted in the biggest conversion efficiency of NO to N2 at about 30.2%. The increasing catalytic reaction of NOx–soot activities is attributed to the formation of complex crystalline phase in the catalyst together with the improving contacting between catalysts and soot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interval graphs play important roles in analysis of DNA chains in Benzer [S. Benzer, On the topology of the genetic fine structure, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 45 (1959) 1607–1620], restriction maps of DNA in Waterman and Griggs [M.S. Waterman, J.R. Griggs, Interval graphs and maps of DNA, Bulletin of Mathematical Biology 48 (2) (1986) 189–195] and other related areas. In this paper, we study a new combinatorial optimization problem, named the minimum clique partition problem with constrained bounds, in weighted interval graphs. For a weighted interval graph and a bound , partition the weighted intervals of this graph into the smallest number of cliques, such that each clique, consisting of some intervals whose intersection on a real line is not empty, has its weight not beyond . We obtain the following results: (1) this problem is-hard in a strong sense, and it cannot be approximated within a factor in polynomial time for any ; (2) we design three approximation algorithms with different constant factors for this problem; (3) for the version where all intervals have the same weights, we design an optimal algorithm to solve the problem in linear time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to investigate the impairment of mitochondrial membrane phospholipid localization and DNA3867 (mtDNA3867) deletion and the correlation between cardiac and skeletal muscle cells in mice with viral myocarditis, 50 BALB/c mice were divided into two groups randomly. In experimental group ( n=40), the mice were intraperitoneally injected with 0.1 mL Eagle liquid with CVB3(TCID50=108), while in the control group ( n=10), the mice were subjected to equal volume of Eagle liquid. The impairment of mitochondrial membrane phospholipid localization and mtDNA3867 deletion rate of cardiac and skeletal muscle were detected separately at day 3, 11 and 24 after injection. The correlation of mitochondrial membrane phospholipid localization and mtDNA3867 deletion rate between cardiac and skeletal muscle cells cells was analyzed using Spearman method. At the day 3 after injection, in both cardiac and skeletal muscle cells, mtDNA3867 deletion rate was significantly higher in experimental group than in control group ( P<0.05), but the localization of mitochondrial membrane phospholipid showed no difference between two groups ( P>0.05). At day 11 after injection, the mtDNA3867 deletion rate of both cells in experimental group was increased to the peak level ( P<0.05), and the impairment of mitochondrial membrane phospholipid localization of both cells also increased markedly in experimental group as compared with control group ( P>0.05). At the day 24 after injection, the impairment of mitochondrial membrane phospholipid localization and mtDNA3867 deletion of both cells showed a recovery tendency, but still severer than those at the day 3 after injection ( P<0.05). The impairment of mitochondrial membrane phospholipid localization and mtDNA3867 deletion were consistent and synchronistic between cardiac and skeletal muscle cells, and showed good correlations ( P<0.05). The impairment of mitochondria plays an important role in the pathogenesis of viral myocarditis, and the skeletal muscle cells might act as a peripheral “window” to reflect the mitochondrial damage of cardiac myocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A magnetically separable photocatalyst Bi12TiO20/SiO2/NiFe2O4 (BSN) with a typical ferromagnetic hysteresis was prepared by a simple process: the magnetic 200wt% SiO2/NiFe2O4 (SN) dispersion prepared by a liquid catalytic phase transformation method and the visible-light-active photocatalyst Bi12TiO20 prepared by a simple coprecipitation processing were mixed, sonificated, dried, and calcined at 550°C. The prepared photocatalyst showed high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange in water under UV irradiation and visible-light irradiation (λ>400nm), and it was easy to be separated from a slurry-type photoreactor under the application of an external magnetic field, being one of promising photocatalysts for wastewater treatment. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) were used to characterize the structure of the photocatalyst, indicating that the magnetic SN particles adhered to the surface of the Bi12TiO20 congeries. SiO2 layer round the surface of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles prevented effectively the injection of charges from TiO2 particles to NiFe2O4, which gave rise to the increase in photocatalytic activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nitrogen (N)-doped TiO2 samples with high specific surface areas were directly prepared by heating the mixture of urea and TiO2, where the TiO2 was obtained with titanium tetrachloride as precursor. The absorption spectrum of the N-doped TiO2 shifted to wavelength up to 600nm with increasing urea contents. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements showed that the N presented in TiO2 was in the state of both molecularly chemisorbed N2 and substituted N. While both of them contribute to the response to visible light, the latter gave the prepared samples with hydrogen evolution under visible light. The apparent photocatalytic activity of water splitting demonstrated as high amount of H2 evolution was partly due to the phase transformation from anatase to rutile for the N-doped TiO2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Analyzes the concentration and flux transportation of bioaerosol in Nanjign, China. Cycle of the solar radiation and atmospheric turbulent intensity; Factors affecting the bioaerosol concentration; Use of Bowen ration method.

[Display omitted] • Particle agglomerate behavior under electric field is quantitatively analyzed. • Agglomerate' 3D twist visualization was realized under flow-electric field. • Action mechanism of dipole moment on particle agglomerate was further developed. The research developed a new mechanism for particle agglomeration growth and fracture in the flow-electric coupling field. Microscopic visualization experiments reveal an optimum voltage range for controlling agglomerate growth dynamics. Additionally, we observed, for the first time, twisting behaviors of particle agglomerates during the growth and fracture process under the influence of the flow-electric field. A correlation between twist and fracture, varying with the increase in applied voltage, was identified. Moreover, we identified two distinct agglomeration modes: dendritic and chain agglomerates, each exhibiting unique growth characteristics. We discovered that the growth, twisting, and fracture of inclined dendritic agglomerates are influenced by two components of the electric dipole moment: the axial (P g) and radial (P t) components, with the aid of numerical simulation. Chain-like agglomerates exhibit growth followed by fracture. Our findings offer insights into the controlled growth of submicron particle agglomerates in gas phases using electric fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important part of atmospheric aerosol, airborne bacteria have major impacts on human health. However, variations of airborne community structure due to human-induced activities and their possible impact on human health have not been well understood. In this study, we sampled atmospheric microbial aerosols in three Chinese cities (Shanghai, Xiamen, and Zhangzhou) with contrasting social-economic levels and analyzed the bacterial composition using high-throughput sequencing methods. A high similarity of the predominant phyla was observed in three cities but the relative abundances were quite different. At the genus level, the most dominant genus in Shanghai and Xiamen was Deinococcus while the most dominant genus in Zhangzhou was Clostridium. The different characteristics of airborne bacterial in the three cities above may be ascribed to the environmental variables affected by human over-activities such as the vehicle exhausts and coal-burning emissions in Shanghai, the tourist aggregation and construction works in Xiamen, the extensive uses of chemical fertilizers, and agricultural activities in Zhangzhou. The variation of the bacterial community and the pathogenic bacteria detected in three cities would have a potential threat to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the swiftly progressing landscape of wearable electronics and the Internet of Things (IoTs), there is a burgeoning demand for devices that are lightweight, cost‐effective, and self‐powered. In this study, a self‐powered bidirectional knee joint motion monitoring system is introduced, leveraging a dual ratchet sensing (DRS) system fabricated using 3D printing technology. This approach offers substantial economic and portability benefits. The DRS system is engineered to harness the negative work generated from knee joint movements to power commercial electronic devices, obviating the need for additional metabolic energy from the human body. By synergizing the DRS with virtual reality technology, it becomes feasible to monitor knee joint movements in real‐time with remarkable accuracy, presenting a novel avenue for the integration of digital twin technology. Through the amalgamation of convolutional neural network machine learning algorithms with Bayesian optimization techniques, the DRS system can discern up to 97% of knee joint movements, paving the way for innovative applications in smart rehabilitation and healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self‐disclosure (SD) is a common psychological intervention that involves expressing the patient's feelings and thoughts. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of different themes of SD on cancer patients. We searched eight databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library Trials, Web of Science, CINAHL, Medline, EMBASE, CNKI and Wanfang from inception to July 2022. Other sources included clinical data registers. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. RevMan Analysis software 5.3 was used for data analysis. The protocol of this meta‐analysis has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022339661). Twenty‐two RCTs studies were included. The pooled results demonstrated that self‐regulation self‐disclosure (SRD) had significant effects on patients' sleep quality, benefit‐finding, anxiety and quality of life (QOL), whereas emotional disclosure (ED) did not. Furthermore, enhanced self‐regulation self‐disclosure (ESRD) or cancer‐related self‐disclosure (CD) significantly improved patients' QOL, although health education self‐disclosure (HED) and positive self‐disclosure (PD) did not. Our study suggests that different themes of SD have varied effects on patients, but it remains unclear which themes to use at what point in time. Future research should investigate what themes of SD are adopted at different points in time and the duration of different periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]