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Light-driven photothermocatalytic oxidation is a promising method for the elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Co 3 O 4 , 0.46 Pt/Co 3 O 4 and 0.97 Pt/Co 3 O 4 catalysts were fabricated via the simple molten salt and incipient wetness impregnation method. Compared with Co 3 O 4 and 0.46 Pt/Co 3 O 4 , the 0.97 Pt/Co 3 O 4 catalyst showed higher photothermocatalytic performance for toluene oxidation under simulated solar irradiation intensity of 900 ​mW ​cm−2, with the toluene conversion and CO 2 yield being up to 98.3 % and 96.0 %, respectively. The better activity was ascribed to its outstanding strong light absorption and low temperature reducibility. Meanwhile, 0.97 Pt/Co 3 O 4 also exhibited an excellent photothermocatalytic stability and H 2 O resistance. The Vis−IR light played a key role in the photothermocatalytic oxidation of toluene in the whole solar spectrum. This work benefited the synthesis of catalysts with good photothermocatalytic activity for environment friendly treatment of VOCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with aortic dissection (AD) may present acute lung injury (ALI) that may affect the prognosis. In this study, we aim to investigate the roles and mechanism of IL-22 in the pathogenesis of AD complicated with ALI. Six hundred and twenty-one AD patients were included, and the incidence of ALI and pulmonary CT findings were analyzed. Mouse ALI model was established through AngII, and then IL-22 injection and AG490 were given. The pathological changes, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and expression of STAT3 were determined. For the in vitro experiment, cultivated pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were treated by angiotensin II (AngII), followed by treating with IL-22 and/or AG490. The expression and migration of STAT3 was determined. Flow cytometry was carried out to evaluate the apoptosis. IL-22 contributed to the expression of STAT3 in lung tissues and attenuation of ALI. IL-22 obviously inhibited the apoptosis of PMVECs mediated by AngII and downregulated the expression and intranuclear transmission of STAT3. Such phenomenon was completely inhibited upon administration of AG490, an inhibitor of JAK2. Our data showed IL-22 contributed to the inhibition of PMVEC apoptosis mediated by AngII through activating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, which may attenuate the ALI induced by AngII. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strontium carbonate (SrCO 3 ) owning an urchin-like morphology with a hierarchical nanostructure was synthesized by the reactants of strontium nitrate and urea via a facilitative, green initiative hydrothermal route. Samples characterization results of the structure showed that the surface of urchin-like SrCO 3 was evenly distributed with nanorods with a diameter of about 50 nm and lengths of 1–2 μm. It was also found that the hydrothermal reaction time and reactants of trace concentrations changes will have an impact on the size and morphology. For these reasons we presented the crystal growth mechanism of “nuclear aggregates–nanorods embellishment–urchin-like” during the process of fabricating urchin-like SrCO 3 crystal. Specific capacitance was enhanced more than 6 times, which dug out the optimal urchin-like SrCO 3 influenced by a growth of surface nanorods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapeseed ( Brassica napus ) is an important cash crop considered as the third largest oil crop worldwide. Rapeseed oil contains various saturation or unsaturation fatty acids, these fatty acids, whose could incorporation with TAG form into lipids stored in seeds play various roles in the metabolic activity. The different fatty acids in B. napus seeds determine oil quality, define if the oil is edible or must be used as industrial material. miRNAs are kind of non-coding sRNAs that could regulate gene expressions through post-transcriptional modification to their target transcripts playing important roles in plant metabolic activities. We employed high-throughput sequencing to identify the miRNAs and their target transcripts involved in fatty acids and lipids metabolism in different development of B. napus seeds. As a result, we identified 826 miRNA sequences, including 523 conserved and 303 newly miRNAs. From the degradome sequencing, we found 589 mRNA could be targeted by 236 miRNAs, it includes 49 novel miRNAs and 187 conserved miRNAs. The miRNA-target couple suggests that bna-5p-163957_18, bna-5p-396192_7, miR9563a-p3, miR9563b-p5, miR838-p3, miR156e-p3, miR159c and miR1134 could target PDP, LACS9, MFPA, ADSL1, ACO32, C0401, GDL73, PlCD6, OLEO3 and WSD1. These target transcripts are involving in acetyl-CoA generate and carbon chain desaturase, regulating the levels of very long chain fatty acids, β-oxidation and lipids transport and metabolism process. At the same, we employed the q-PCR to valid the expression of miRNAs and their target transcripts that involve in fatty acid and lipid metabolism, the result suggested that the miRNA and their transcript expression are negative correlation, which in accord with the expression of miRNA and its target transcript. The study findings suggest that the identified miRNA may play important role in the fatty acids and lipids metabolism in seeds of B. napus . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stretchable superlyophobic films based on ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) were fabricated, which possess excellent flexible, transparent, stretchable and adhesive characteristics. They can be decorated on various complex surfaces, and provide ordinary surfaces with universal omniphobic performances. Note that adhesion of the EVA superlyophobic film can also be tuned through stretching, we demonstrated the use of stretchable superlyophobic EVA as a novel “droplet tweezer” for nearly- lossless water as well as oil droplet transfer, which enables many potential applications as a surface microfluidic platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal behavior of the cylindrical battery was examined with composite paraffin and fin structure through experimental measurements and benchmarking with other thermal management techniques. The mock-up cylindrical battery, made of aluminum, had vertical straight fins as enlarged heat transfer area to submerge in the paraffin wax as phase change material (PCM) with a maximum melting temperature of 44 °C. For the pure PCM case, the melting process could be divided into AB segment with battery temperature ramp-up, BC segment with a clear-cut temperature plateau, and CE segment to reach complete melting, which is also basically represented in the evolutionary trend for the battery top to bottom temperature variation. The instantaneous Nusselt number would increase around the CE segment with a small portion of unmelted PCM as visualized by the numerical analysis, but the battery temperature would ramp up from the plateau in spite of the incomplete melt. Thermal enhancement with the PCM-fin cases was examined experimentally and the logarithmic dependence of the time-averaged Nusselt number is correlated with the heat transfer area ratio. In addition, the effective thermal control point C is found to relate to the melting front intersecting the bottom of the metal housing, and the corresponding thermal resistance is used to benchmark the thermal performance of PCM based thermal management systems. Independent of heating power, such a parameter can be correlated with the melting temperature to the ambient temperature difference for existing thermal management systems. It is found that the present composite PCM-fin system had the advantages of good thermal performance with prolonged work time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of agricultural residues to produce biomass briquette fuel (BBF) can reduce waste of resources and consumption of fossil fuels. We report the first detailed environmental impact assessment of cornstalk-based BBF in China using a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA). The LCA study was conducted based on a typical large-scale cornstalk BBF demonstration project in China with an integrated and automated production system. The key life cycle stages such as cornstalk growth, cornstalk transportation, BBF production, transportation and utilisation were investigated. Our results suggest that cornstalk BBF in China is much more environmentally friendly than coal and is favourable when compared with other types of solid fuels produced from different biomass feedstock. For example, the climate change and fossil depletion impacts of cornstalk BBF in China (11 g CO 2 eq./MJ and 2 g oil eq./MJ, respectively) are an order of magnitude lower than those of coal (146 g CO 2 eq./MJ and 26 g oil eq./MJ, respectively). The results of this study can assist policy makers in evaluating the potential benefits of the large scale use of BBF made from agricultural residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an approach developed for deriving 3D structural information of 2D membrane folds based on the recently-established quantitative transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in combination with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Systematic multislice simulations reveal that the membrane folding leads to sufficiently strong electron scattering which enables a precise determination of bending radius. The image contrast depends also on the folding angles of 2D materials due to the variation of projection potentials, which however exerts much smaller effect compared with the bending radii. DFT calculations show that folded edges are typically characteristic of (fractional) nanotubes with the same curvature retained after energy optimization. Owing to the exclusion of Stobbs factor issue, numerical simulations were directly used in comparison with the experimental measurements on an absolute contrast scale, which results in a successful determination of bending radius of folded monolayer MoS 2 films. The method should be applicable to characterizing all 2D membranes with 3D folding features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) hold a great potential in preparing low-fouling and robust membranes for water and wastewater treatment due to their hierarchical structures and multiple functionalities. In this work, a facile approach was proposed for in-situ preparation of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and carbon nanosphere (CNS) MMMs (PVDF/CNS MMMs) during phase-inversion process for enhancing anti-fouling ability. This protocol, dipping casted films into various dosages of CNS sol as coagulation bath, allowed the formation of membranes and immobilization of CNS onto membrane surfaces simultaneously. Results showed that MMMs had enhanced surface physicochemical properties such as decreased contact angle and increased negatively-charged potential with the increase of CNS dosages from 0 mg/L to 400 mg/L. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis and electrochemical measurements confirmed the immobilization of CNS on MMMs. However, the further increase of CNS dosage to 800 mg/L resulted in an evident decrease in porosity and permeability for MMMs. The extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory evaluation and batch filtration experiments demonstrated improved anti-fouling behaviors for MMMs, which was further confirmed by the long-term membrane bioreactor (MBR) tests, with the best anti-fouling performance for MMM at a CNS dosage of 400 mg/L. XPS analysis also showed that the immobilized CNS on membrane surfaces had satisfactory stability (no significant release) during the long-term operation in MBR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous CoCr 2 O 4 (3DOM CoCr 2 O 4 ) and its supported Au–Pd alloy ( x AuPd y /3DOM CoCr 2 O 4 ; x = 0.98 and 1.93 wt%; Pd/Au molar ratio ( y ) = 1.93–1.96) nanocatalysts were prepared using the polymethyl methacrylate-templating and polyvinyl alcohol-protected reduction methods, respectively. Physicochemical properties of the samples were characterized by means of a number of techniques, and their catalytic activities were evaluated for methane combustion. The 3DOM CoCr 2 O 4 and x AuPd y /3DOM CoCr 2 O 4 samples possessed a high-quality 3DOM structure and a surface area of 33–36 m 2 /g. The Au–Pd alloy nanoparticles (NPs) with an average size of 3.3 nm were uniformly dispersed on the surface of the samples. The 1.93AuPd 1.95 /3DOM CoCr 2 O 4 sample showed the best catalytic performance: the T 10% , T 50% , and T 90% (temperatures required for achieving methane conversion of 10, 50, and 90%, respectively) were 305, 353, and 394 °C at a space velocity (SV) of 20,000 mL/(g h). The effects of SV, water vapor, and sulfur dioxide on the catalytic activity of the 1.93AuPd 1.95 /3DOM CoCr 2 O 4 sample were also examined. It is concluded that the excellent catalytic performance of 1.93AuPd 1.95 /3DOM CoCr 2 O 4 was associated with the higher surface area and adsorbed oxygen species concentration, better low-temperature reducibility, and strong interaction between Au–Pd alloy NPs and 3DOM CoCr 2 O 4 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we introduce, for the first time in the literature, a three-stages two-step method. The new algorithm has the following characteristics: (1) it is a two-step algorithm, (2) it is a symmetric method, (3) it is an eight-algebraic order method (i.e of high algebraic order), (4) it is a three-stages method, (5) the approximation of its first layer is done on the point $$x_{n-1}$$ and not on the usual point $$x_{n}$$ , (6) it has eliminated the phase-lag and its derivatives up to order two, (7) it has good stability properties (i.e. interval of periodicity equal to $$\left( 0, 22 \right) $$ . For this method we present a detailed analysis : development, errorand stability analysis. The new proposed algorithm is applied to systems of differential equations of the Schrödinger type in order to examine its efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Widespread applications of membrane technology call for the development of antifouling membranes, and preparation of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) by mixing nanoparticles (NPs) into polymeric membrane matrix has attracted much attention. In this work, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) MMMs were prepared by two TiO 2 sols with different NPs size (one from hydrolysis and condensation with an average size of 5 nm, and the other from dispersion of TiO 2 nanoparticles with a particle size of 21 nm), and comparison of their antifouling behaviours was conducted. Compared to the pristine PVDF membrane (N0) and membrane (N1) modified by TiO 2 sol from dispersion of TiO 2 NPs, the surface pore size, porosity and permeability of modified membrane (N2) by TiO 2 sol from hydrolysis and condensation were slightly decreased, while the hydrophilicity and the absolute value of Zeta potential were obviously improved. Moreover, the N2 membrane showed a higher surface energy barrier, smaller frequency shift in quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring, and higher relative flux than N1, indicating a better antifouling performance. The abundant hydroxyl groups and the increased Ti and O elements on the membrane surface accounted for the enhanced hydrophilicity and antifouling ability. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images clearly show that TiO 2 particles were uniformly distributed for N2; however, the severe agglomeration and sedimentation were observed for N1. Multiple light scattering spectroscopy (MLiSSP) analysis showed that N2 casting solution had a higher stability as revealed by the negligible backscattering change, decreased demixing thickness and low turbiscan stability index (TSI) value. The different stability of casting solutions might result in the different NPs’ behaviours during membrane formation process, accounting for the discrepancy in the physicochemical properties and antifouling ability between N1 and N2 membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying the fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) techniques to chillers is beneficial to reduce building energy consumption and to enhance the energy efficiency of buildings. The purpose of this study is to propose a chiller FDD method with better performance for field implementation. The technological paths are as follows: (i) in order to identify new types of faults and to update the FDD fault libraries, a distance rejection (DR) technique is merged into the Bayesian network (BN) by transforming the chiller FDD problem into a single-class classification problem. Furthermore, the DR can be tuned to obtain an adjustable false alarm rate (FAR); (ii) to increase the diagnostic accuracies of known (or existing) faults and the identification accuracies of new types of faults, multi-source non-sensor information (MI) is merged into the BN, i.e., maintenance records and repair service history, healthy states of related equipment and on-site observed information. A novel chiller FDD method based on BN merged DR and MI (DR-MI-BN) is proposed in this study. The performance of this proposed method is evaluated by using the experimental data from ASHRAE RP-1043. Test results show that the FAR can be tuned for different users’ requirements, and that merging the MI significantly improves the diagnostic accuracies of known faults from 77.2% to 99.8% at most (for refrigerant leakage) and the identification accuracies of new types of faults from 56.6% to 99.6% at most (for NF7). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) contains the largest permafrost area in a high-altitude region in the world, and the unique hydrothermal environments of the active layers in this region have an important impact on vegetation growth. Geographical locations present different climatic conditions, and in combination with the permafrost environments, these conditions comprehensively affect the local vegetation activity. Therefore, the responses of vegetation to climate change in the permafrost region of the QTP may be varied differently by geographical location and vegetation condition. In this study, using the latest Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) product based on turning points (TPs), which were calculated using a piecewise linear model, 9 areas within the permafrost region of the QTP were selected to investigate the effect of geographical location and vegetation type on vegetation growth from 1982 to 2012. The following 4 vegetation types were observed in the 9 selected study areas: alpine swamp meadow, alpine meadow, alpine steppe and alpine desert. The research results show that, in these study areas, TPs mainly appeared in 2000 and 2001, and almost 55.1% and 35.0% of the TPs were located in 2000 and 2001. The global standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and 7 meteorological variables were selected to analyze their correlations with NDVI. We found that the main correlative variables to vegetation productivity in study areas from 1982 to 2012 were precipitation, surface downward long-wave radiation and temperature. Furthermore, NDVI changes exhibited by different vegetation types within the same study area followed similar trends. The results show that regional effects rather than vegetation type had a larger impact on changes in vegetation growth in the permafrost regions of the QTP, indicating that climatic factors had a larger impact in the permafrost regions than the environmental factors (including permafrost) related to the underlying surface conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While microalgae have been suggested as a promising substitute to conventional fossil fuels, their cost effective cultivation and harvesting constitutes a major challenge. In the work described here, a novel photosynthetic microbial fuel cell (PMFC) in which a stainless steel mesh with biofilm formed on it serves as both the cathode and filtration material has been developed. Results of this study reveal that, in addition to inducing oxygen reduction reactions under illumination, the biocathode is effective in preventing the washout of algae during continuous operation, resulting in retained biomass concentrations reaching 3.5–6.5 g L −1 . The maximum output current density reached ∼200 mA m −2 under irradiation, which is comparable with recent PMFC studies. Microbial diversity analyses targeting 16S and 18S rRNA genes indicated that the eukaryotic species belonging to the genus Chlorella was able to sustain its community dominance (>96%) over other competing species over the course of the studies. In the absence of catalysts such as Pt, a consortium of photosynthetic organisms including plant growth-promoting bacteria such as Azospirillum and Rhizobium were overrepresented in the biofilm, with these organisms most likely contributing to cathodic electron transfer. Energy flow analysis suggested that the PMFC system held the potential to achieve theoretical energy balance in simultaneous algae production and wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-speed train braking system with the disc–pad sliding friction pair and the wheel–rail rolling friction pair is a classic torsional system. By adopting a developed braking system torsional dynamics model, the influences of dry and wet rail surface conditions on system dynamic responses were investigated. Further, the system stability under different disc–pad friction and wheel–rail adhesion characteristics was explored and the interaction mechanism between the disc–pad and the wheel–rail sub-systems was revealed. The results indicated that the wheel–disc torsional vibration was more complicated under the wet rail surface condition. Moreover, the braking system had worse stability when the negative slope characteristics of disc–pad friction and wheel–rail adhesion were interacted. • Disc–pad friction and wheel–rail adhesion characteristics were analyzed when braking. • Torsional vibrations in the wheel stick and slip states were explored. • Braking system stability affected by negative friction-velocity slope was investigated. • Interaction mechanism between the disc–pad and wheel–rail sub-systems was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Four UHPC joint types (unbolted, straight, inclined, and curved bolted) are designed. • Axial force increases the bending stiffness of the joint with better elastic performance. • Stiffness of the straight bolt joint is the highest under positive bending moment. • Joints reinforced by curved bolt bear secondary loading better. This study used ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) to design joints reinforced by various bolt types: straight, inclined, and curved bolts. Full-scale samples were prepared in the laboratory. Loading tests on these joints and the unbolted one were carried out based the actual stress state of the tunnel, and various axial force magnitudes and bending moments were combined to obtain the deformation characteristics. The fitting law of the bending stiffness of joints was presented. It is found that axial force increases the bending stiffness of the joint with better elastic performance. The bending stiffness of the straight bolt joint is the highest under positive bending moment during the first loading process, while that of the curved bolt joint is the greatest under negative bending moment during the second loading process. The test results indicate that joints made using UHPC (especially the curved bolt joint) can be used to build a more resilient prefabricated tunneling system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiotensin II (AngII) caused pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier injury, which induced acute aortic dissection (AAD) combined with acute lung injury (ALI). However, the exact mechanism is unclear. We investigated the role of dephosphorylation of Y685-VE-cadherin in the AngII induced pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier injury. Mice or pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were divided into control group, AngII group, AngII+PP2 (Src kinase inhibitor) group, and PP2 group. PP2 was used to inhibit the phosphorylation of Y685-VE-cadherin. Pathological changes, infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils, and pulmonary microvascular permeability were used to determine the pulmonary microvascular endothelial barrier function. Flow cytometry was used to determine the apoptosis of PMVECs, and immunofluorescence was used to determine the skeletal arrangement. Transendothelial resistance was used to detect the permeability of endothelial barrier. Phosphorylation of Y685-VE-cadherin was significantly reduced after AngII stimulation (P<0.05), together with skeletal rearrangement, and elevation of endothelial permeability which finally induced endothelial barrier injury. After PP2 interference, the phosphorylation of Y685-VE-cadherin was further reduced and the endothelial permeability was further elevated. These data indicated that AngII could induce pulmonary injury by triggering endothelial barrier injury, and such process may be related to the dephosphorylation of Y685-VE-cadherin and the endothelial skeletal rearrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofouling is one of the major obstacles to the widespread application of membrane technology in water and wastewater treatment, and use of anti-biofouling membrane materials is an effective approach to suppress biofouling. In this study, anti-biofouling polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes were prepared by blending quaternary ammonium compound (QAC). Effects of QAC dosages on the physicochemical properties and anti-biofouling behaviours of the modified membranes were systematically investigated. The results showed that QAC was successfully present on the membrane surfaces, as revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Zeta potential and contact angle analyses. Anti-fouling tests using individual organic model foulants showed that the modified membranes had higher membrane fouling rate against organic matters, which is consistent with the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory. In contrast, the modified membranes demonstrated evident anti-bacterial behaviours when individual model bacteria were used, which cannot be evaluated by this theory. Interestingly, the modified membrane showed a clear anti-fouling activity in a membrane bioreactor (the sludge mixture contained both organic foulant and microorganisms), suggesting its concurrent efficiency in controlling fouling induced by both organic matters and bacteria. This might be attributed to the contact-killing effects of QAC and the dual interactions between bacteria and organic foulants in the mixed liquor of membrane bioreactor. The study offers an effective way to enhance membrane anti-biofouling ability through the addition of antibacterial agent QAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analysed the sustainability of fuel-ethyl levulinate (EL) production along with furfural, as a by-product, from cornstalk in China. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted using the SimaPro software to evaluate the energy consumption (EC), greenhouse gas (GHG) and criteria emissions, from cornstalk growth to EL utilisation. The total life cycle EC was found to be 4.54 MJ/MJ EL, of which 94.7% was biomass energy. EC in the EL production stage was the highest, accounting for 96.8% of total EC. Fossil EC in this stage was estimated to be 0.095 MJ/MJ, which also represents the highest fossil EC throughout the life cycle (39.5% of the total). The ratio of biomass to fossil EC over the life cycle was 17.9, indicating good utilisation of renewable energy in cornstalk-based EL production. The net life cycle GHG emissions were 96.6 g CO 2 -eq/MJ. The EL production stage demonstrated the highest GHG emissions, representing 53.4% of the total positive amount. Criteria emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulates ⩽10 μm (PM10) showed negative values, of −3.15 and −0.72 g/MJ, respectively. Nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) emissions showed positive values of 0.33 and 0.28 g/MJ, respectively, mainly arising from the EL production stage. According to the sensitivity analysis, increasing or removing the cornstalk revenue in the LCA leads to an increase or decrease in the EC and environmental emissions while burning cornstalk directly in the field results in large increases in emissions of NMVOC, CO, NO x and PM10 but decreases in fossil EC, and SO 2 and GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new series of 4,5-diaryl-3 H -1,2-dithiole-3-thiones and related compounds were designed and synthesised as combretastatin A-4/oltipraz hybrids. We evaluated the antiproliferative activities, inhibition of tubulin polymerization, and cell-cycle effects of these compounds. Several compounds in this series, such as 4d and 5c , displayed significant activity against SGC-7901, KB and HT-1080 cell lines, as determined using MTT assays. The most active compound, 4d , markedly inhibited tubulin polymerization, with an IC 50 value of 4.44 μM being observed. In mechanistic studies, 4d caused cell arrest in G2/M phase, induced apoptotic cell death, and disrupted microtubule formation. Molecular docking studies revealed that 4d interacts and binds efficiently with the tubulin protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysregulation of autophagy in endothelial cells plays a vital role in cardiovascular dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Accumulating evidence shows that miRNAs regulate autophagy in various cell types by targeting autophagy-related genes. In the present study, we found that a co-culture of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with human aortic smooth muscle cells (HAoSMCs) inhibited autophagy activity in HUVECs. Furthermore, we isolated exosomes secreted by HAoSMCs, and confirmed that the exosomes contain miR-221/222. We investigated the role of miR-221/222 transferred by HAoSMC-derived exosomes in HUVECs. These exosomes induced an increase of miR-221/222 expression and a down-regulation of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) in HUVECs. Dual luciferase reporter assays revealed that miR-221/222 could bind to the 3′UTR of PTEN, which implied that PTEN was a direct target of miR-221/222. The expression of PTEN could be down-regulated by miR-221/222 over-expression. Then, we detected the expression of PTEN, LC3, ATG5, SQSTM1/p62, Beclin-1, Akt, and phospho-Akt in HUVECs transfected with miR-221/222 mimics and inhibitors. Our results demonstrated that miR-221/222 overexpression inhibited the expression of PTEN and subsequently activated Akt signaling, and eventually down-regulated the expression of LC3II, ATG5 and Beclin-1, and elevated the expression of SQSTM1/p62. This phenomenon can be reversed by the transfection of miR-221/222 inhibitors. These data suggested that miR-221/222 from HAoSMC-derived exosomes inhibited autophagy in HUVECs by modulating PTEN/Akt signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

VEGF signaling pathway is first discovered in mammals and proved to play important roles in the biological processes of angiogenesis, tumor migration, cell differentiation, apoptosis, host-virus interaction etc. Three members in the VEGF signaling pathway, including LvVEGFR , LvVEGF1 and LvVEGF2 in shrimp have been proved to be related with WSSV infection in our previous studies. Currently, another member of VEGF family, LvVEGF3 , was isolated and its function during the WSSV infection of shrimp was studied. The deduced amino acid sequence of LvVEGF3 contained a signal peptide, a typical PDGF/VEGF domain and a cysteine-knot motif (CXCXC). Tissue distribution analysis showed that LvVEGF3 was predominantly expressed in hemocytes. The transcriptional level of LvVEGF3 in hemocytes was apparently up-regulated during WSSV infection. Silencing of LvVEGF3 with double-stranded RNA caused a reduction of the cumulative mortality rate of shrimp during WSSV infection. The expression of LvVEGFR was apparently down-regulated after LvVEGF3 silencing and up-regulated after injection of recombinant LvVEGF3 protein, suggesting an interaction between LvVEGF3 and LvVEGFR. Furthermore, the interaction between LvVEGFR and LvVEGF3 was confirmed using the yeast two-hybrid system. The results provided new insights into understanding the role of VEGF signaling pathway during virus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the mechanism underlying the liver damage induced by deep-fried oil (DO) consumption and the beneficial effects from resistant starch (RS) supplement, differential gene expression and pathway network were analyzed based on RNA sequencing data from rats. The up/down regulated genes and corresponding signaling pathways were used to construct a novel local gene network (LGN). The topology of the network showed characteristics of small-world network, with some pathways demonstrating a high degree. Some changes in genes led to a larger probability occurrence of disease or infection with DO intake. More importantly, the main pathways were found to be almost the same between the two LGNs (30 pathways overlapped in total 48) with gene expression profile. This finding may indicate that RS supplement in DO-containing diet may mainly regulate the genes that related to DO damage, and RS in the diet may provide direct signals to the liver cells and modulate its effect through a network involving complex gene regulatory events. It is the first attempt to reveal the mechanism of the attenuation of liver dysfunction from RS supplement in the DO-containing diet using differential gene expression and pathway network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cu 2 S can be directly one-step desulfurized to pure polycrystalline nano-Cu in ChCl-EG DES. • The current efficiency is 96.58% at 2.5 V, 353 K and 40% NH 4 HCO 3 for 10 h. • Ch+ is unbroken and the main existence form of Cu(I) is CuCl 2 −. • The reduction of Cu 2 S to Cu is step-by-step. Cuprous sulfide (Cu 2 S) is the main composition of chalcocite and widely used in the catalyst. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are eco-friendly electrolytes for the separation and recycling of metals and their compounds in addition to environmental protection. In this work, choline chloride-ethylene glycol (ChCl-EG) DES is innovatively used towards one-step desulfurize cuprous sulfide to recycle copper for the first time. Cyclic voltammetry is employed to investigate the effect of initial potential, scan rate and temperature on the electrochemical behavior of Cu(I) in ChCl-EG DES. The effect of essential parameters (applied voltage, temperature and NH 4 HCO 3 ratio) on the chemical composition and microstructure of the product are discussed. Pure polycrystalline nano-Cu with an average size of ≈16.15 nm can be obtained with the current efficiency of 96.58% at the optimized parameters of 2.5 V, 353 K, 40% NH 4 HCO 3 and 10 h. The structure of Ch+ is unbroken and the main existence form of Cu(I) is CuCl 2 − in the electrolyte. Mechanism analysis indicates the reduction of Cu 2 S to Cu is step-by-step with the feasible process of Cu 2 S→Cu 1.96 S→Cu 7.2 S 4 ...→Cu. The S element is possibly converted and stabilized as the sulfate (SO 4 2−) in the DES. All these findings are expected to provide new feasibility for the direct extraction and recycling of Cu from Cu 2 S with high current efficiency and less hazardous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese herbal residue (CHR) is an association of renewable resource and hazardous waste, and high nitrogen content and low energy density are two primary obstacles to its efficient and clean thermal utilization. In this paper, acid-promoted hydrothermal was employed to probe the feasibility on CHR toward enhanced solid biofuel concerning upgradation and denitrogenation. A more excellent hydrothermal promoter (H 2 SO 4) was demonstrated to upgrade and denitrogenate CHR with better energy (1.125) and nitrogen densities (0.586) at optimal conditions (160 °C, 0.5 N H 2 SO 4), which could be attributed to the improved removal of oxygen, amino and ash during acid-promoted hydrothermal. Compared to raw feedstock or the conventional hydrochar, the acid-promoted hydrochar had enhanced compositional characteristics with higher heating value (21.00 kJ·mol−1), lower nitrogen (1.44 wt%) and ash (11.03 wt%) contents, thus showing more stable combustion flame with a higher comprehensive combustion index of 4.861 × 10−8, a higher combustion stability index of 4979.342, lower combustion alkali index of 0.026, and less nitrogen gaseous pollutant emission. Thus, acid-promoted hydrothermal would be a promising way to convert CHR into much cleaner and higher-grade solid biofuel. [Display omitted] • Upgradation and denitrogenation on CHR were probed by acid-promoted hydrothermal. • Temperature and acid concentration at hydrolysis stage had the main combined effects. • H 2 SO 4 was a best promoter ensuring an expected solid product (E d : 1.125, N d : 0.586). • Target hydrochar had enhanced compositional properties & better combustion behaviors. • A promising way to convert CHR into cleaner and higher-grade biofuel was suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River flow characteristics in permafrost regions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) have changed rapidly with the intensification of global warming. However, the specific change characteristics and their responses to changes in influencing factors remain unclear. Based on the multi-year flow data of several typical basins in the QTP permafrost regions, combined with the flow duration curve and percentile flow, this study analyzed the variability of annual peak discharge, Q5, Q10, and Q30 (5%, 10%, and 30% percentile flows in the flow duration curve, respectively) and their response relationships with different climate change factors. In addition, the corresponding relationships between different percentile high flows and annual hydrographs were analyzed. The results indicate that, in the context of global warming, changes in the high flows in permafrost regions are bidirectional, either rising or falling, or both. Moreover, the responses of different percentile high flows to climate change are seasonally distinct. Spring high flows are more sensitive to changes in air temperature and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and summer and autumn high flows are more susceptible to corresponding changes in seasonal average precipitation and rainfall intensity. In addition, different percentile high flows can be used to predetermine the level of annual flood events. Among them, the largest, the larger, and all other general flood events during the annual flood season, can be defined by Q5, Q10, and Q30, respectively. The analysis of different high flows combined with the flow duration curve is essential for the further clarification of the hydrological processes in permafrost regions. The prudent utilization of water resources benefits the sustainable development of human society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A two-phase viscosity regulator was synthesized. • It can increase aqueous solution viscosity and emulsify crude oil simultaneously. • The adjustment mechanism of the two-phase viscosity was analyzed and discussed. For enhanced heavy oil recovery, either a conventional polymer for thickening water or a surfactant for emulsifying heavy oil has its limitation when each of two is used alone. The former can not effectively drive oil out while the latter could be inefficient in the low swept area. So, a Polymer surfactant with both good viscoelasticity and emulsification of heavy oil is of great significance. Here, by means of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) grafting with acrylamide (AM) and 2-acrylamide-2-methyl propanesulfonic acid (AMPS), a novel polymeric surfactant PVA-g-P(AM-co-AMPS) was synthesized and the viscosity of PVA-g-P(AM-co-AMPS) aqueous solution can be as much as 27 times more than that of unmodified PVA. The degree of viscosity reduction for the four typical heavy oils can reach to above 85%. The "quasi crosslinking" structure formed by hydrophobic combination with the original hydrophilic groups may be the reason for such a result. The findings of this study can help for better understanding to a construct two-phase viscosity regulator. This polymeric surfactant could be applied in enhanced heavy oil recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper concentrates on the problem of distributed Multi-sensor Multi-target Tracking (DMMT) in the trajectory random finite set filtering framework. The trajectory probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter and the trajectory cardinality PHD are performed locally in different sensors for DMMT. • However, it is not convenient to use fusion techniques for the sets of targets directly to sets of trajectories. The reason is that optimal assignment among different trajectories in different sensors may change across time, and we should account for this in a fusion algorithm. • We pursue the trajectory association algorithm based on Clustering and Linear programming, which is one of the key ingredients of trajectories fusion. The trajectory association solves a joint optimization problem such that the cost of localization and switching over all time steps is minimized. • This paper proposes two cardinality consensus algorithms to fuse unassociated and covariance intersection (CI) fused trajectories. We also calculate the crucial parameters in CI fusion via unitary decomposition and eigenvalue decomposition. • The filters of DMMT developed by this paper can widely accommodate cardinality inconsistency between local multi-trajectory, limited computing and communication resources of nodes, various fields of view. This paper concentrates on the distributed Multi-sensor Multi-target Tracking (DMMT) in the trajectory random finite set (TRFS) filtering framework. The trajectory probability hypothesis density (TPHD) filter and the trajectory cardinality PHD (TCPHD) are performed locally in different sensors for DMMT. Our analysis shows that standard generalized covariance intersection (GCI) and weighted arithmetic average (WAA) fusion with the posterior multitrajectory densities of the TPHD and TCPHD filters rely heavily on the proper association of trajectories estimated from various sensor nodes. Then, inspired by the analysis, we develop two novel distributed fusion algorithms for the Gaussian mixture TPHD and TCPHD filters. First, we obtain the associated and unassociated trajectories at different sensors via clustering and Linear programming (LP). Second, the associated trajectories are fused via covariance intersection (CI) parallelly. Third, two principle cardinality consensus algorithms are proposed to fuse unassociated and CI fused trajectories. Moreover, two analytical expressions, which are crucial for fusion weight in CI fusion, are provided. Finally, numerical experiments demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed approaches in computational efficiency and accuracy, compared with the state-of-the-art solutions in challenging scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CE-QUAL-W2 is a valid module to research carbon cycle in Wujiangdu Reservoir. • CO 2 flux of reservoir in the cold season was higher than that in the warm season. • CO 2 flux varied much along the reservoir, positively correlated with water flow. • As withdrawal elevation increased 30 m, reservoir's CO 2 emission increased by 39.31 %. • As withdrawal elevation decreased 30 m, reservoir's carbon flux increased by 1.44 %. Carbon emissions from aquatic ecosystems, including reservoirs, play an important role in the global carbon budget, while the carbon cycle in reservoirs is still far from clearly understood. In this study, a vertical two-dimensional quality-hydrodynamic model (CE-QUAL-W2) was established to simulate CO 2 fluxes and carbon transport in the Wujiangdu Reservoir in Southwest China, verified by field measurement in 2017. Thanks to overall good accuracy of multi-indicator simulation of the model (mean RRE = 23.4 %, mean NES = 0.67), CE-QUAL-W2 is considered as a valid module to simulate carbon flux in the reservoir. Based on the model, the average CO 2 flux across the air–water interface of the reservoir was 4.37 mmol m−2 d-1. Temporally, CO 2 fluxes in the cold season were higher than those in the warm season, indicating the important effect of seasonal temperature change on CO 2 flux, as well as the effect of other parameters, such as DO, Chla, TN, TP and pH. Spatially, CO 2 emission fluxes were lower in the water inlet area of the reservoir (2.74 mmol m−2 d-1) and in front of the dam (3.40 mmol m−2 d-1), but higher in the middle part of the reservoir (highest 5.42 mmol m−2 d-1 at Segment 54). Different discharge elevation scenarios were set up to model the influences of hydrodynamics on CO 2 emission fluxes. When the water discharge elevation increased by 30 m, CO 2 emission increased by 39.31 % and discharged downstream carbon decreased by 1.90 % compared with the actual working condition. Finally, the total mass of carbon released by the reservoir (the combination of carbon diffused into the atmosphere and carbon in released water) decreased by 1.85 % compared with the actual working condition. When the water discharge elevation decreased by 30 m, no obvious change of CO 2 emission happened, but the total mass of carbon released by the reservoir increased by 1.44 %. This research confirmed the validity of CE-QUAL-W2 in simulating carbon flux in reservoirs. Our modelling results shed light on the influence of hydrodynamics on carbon emission in reservoirs, and optimizing water discharge elevation can be helpful to mitigate carbon emission from reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 954, 929–841 Ma igeneou rocks formed Precambrian basement of Songliao Block. • Songliao Block experienced a collision event before 954 Ma. • Advancing subduction occurred at 0.95–0.85 Ga along blocks in NE China. • Retreating subduction scince 0.85 Ga led to subsequent rifting of these blocks. • Blocks in NE China recorded assembly and breakup of Rodinia. As the core of NE China blocks (i.e., Songliao, Jiamusi-Khanka, Erguna, Xing'an), the Songliao Block plays an important role in understanding the Precambrian evolutionary history of the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), as well as the linkage with reconstructions of Rodinia supercontinent. In this work, we present sedimentological, whole-rock geochemical, and zircon U–Pb–Hf isotopic data for the Neoproterozoic-early Cambrian igneous and sedimentary rocks in eastern Songliao Block. The newly identified 954 ± 2 Ma gneissic syenogranite pluton，916 ± 5 Ma meta -basaltic andesite, and the reported 929–841 Ma intrusive rocks formed the Precambrian crystalline basement of the eastern Songliao Block, which was overlain by the late early Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian stable sedimentary cover. The early Neoproterozoic (954 Ma) gneissic syenogranite was likely the product of muscovite dehydration melting of sedimentary rocks in deep crust during the post-collisional setting, probably associated with the collision between the Songliao and Jiamusi-Khanka blocks. The late Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian Chenming Formation displays characteristics of passive margin deposition, which formed after the opening of Paleo-Mudanjiang Ocean at 777 Ma. Integration of the spatial and temporal distributions of Neoproterozoic magmatism and sedimentation in the Songliao, Erguna, Xing'an and Jiamusi-Khanka blocks, as well as the geochemical variations from 0.96 to 0.73 Ga, we suggest that the blocks in NE China have experienced a similar two-stage Neoproterozoic tectonic evolutionary history associated with the Rodinia assembly and breakup. An early advancing subduction along peripheral Rodinia led to the collision and collapse extension between the Songliao and Jiamusi-Khanka blocks before 954 Ma, and the generation of 929–880 Ma syenites and granitoids in compressional continental arc setting. Then the retreating subduction formed the 850–737 Ma mafic and felsic rocks in Songliao, Erguna and Jiamusi-Khanka blocks, and caused breakup of the joint continent and opening of the Paleo-Mudanjiang and Paleo-Xinlin oceans, two branches of Paleo-Asian Ocean, since 777 Ma. In response to the oceanic spreading, the passive continental margin sedimentation developed in these blocks during 750–520 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aortic dissection (AD) is a macrovascular disease which is pathologically characterized by aortic media degeneration (AMD). Our team's previous research found that iron deficiency (ID) promoted the formation of AMD through presentative research. In this study, we aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism of ID promoting AMD formation. The human aortic tissues were harvested from AD patients and organ donors. ApoE-/- mice were simultaneously given AngII infusion and low-iron feed to investigate the relationship between ID and AD. The IRE1-XBP1-CHOP signal axis of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was selectively inhibited with 4μ8C. Iron contents were detected by Perls staining. The expression of iron metabolism and ER stress-relative proteins were analyzed by IF and western blotting. Apoptosis rates of aortic tissue and ASMCs were detected by TUNEL staining and flow cytometry, and ROS content was also measured by the flow cytometry. ID was accompanied by ER stress in patients with AD. Among the three signaling pathways of ER stress in ID-induced AMD, proteins of IRE1, PERK and ATF6 signaling pathways were up-regulated by 2.65 times, 1.14 times and 1.24 times, respectively. ID was positively related to ER stress, mitochondrial oxidative stress and aortic media apoptosis in vivo and in vitro assays, while 4μ8C reversed the severity of ER stress and AMD. ID could activate ER stress by eliciting mitochondrial oxidative stress to activate the IRE1-XBP1-CHOP signaling pathway in the ER, which accelerated the apoptosis of ASMCs in aortic media, thus promoting the formation of AMD. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equal-height-difference passive heat removal system (EHDPHRS) via natural circulation driving and utilizes ocean as infinite heat sink for heat dissipation, showing broad application prospect in ocean nuclear power field; but the heat removal pipe normally encounters the reverse flow of cool seawater into the pipe, leading to operation instability and even condensation-induced water hammer. In this study, the integration of volume of fluid model and condensation model based on surface renewal theory is used to simulate the reverse flow characteristics in the heat removal pipe under single-and two-phase natural circulation conditions. The interfacial heat and mass transfer are calculated by user-defined functions (UDF). The numerical results reveal that the buoyancy force (F b) and condensation driving force (F Δ P ) both accelerate the reverse flow, while the inertial force (F i) restrains the reverse flow; the reverse flow length presents monotonous decrease with increasing the flow velocity under single-phase conditions and parabolic-like trend for two-phase flow. A prediction correlation for the reverse flow length is developed using dimensionless Reynolds number, Grashof number and vapor volume fraction, covering single- and two-phase conditions. The predicted reverse flow length by the correlation agrees with 94% of the results within deviations of ± 15%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several different types of seeds have been introduced into the organic template-free synthesis of zeolite ECR-1. The corresponding crystallization process was affected by the structural properties of added seeds. A radicalized seeds-assist route for the rapid synthesis of zeolite ECR-1 in the absence of organic templates is demonstrated. The radicalized zeolite ECR-1 seeds can accelerate the induction and growth period of crystallization simultaneously. The crystalized zeolite ECR-1 products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, nitrogen adsorption-desorption and temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia. Compared with those synthesized in the presence of normal seeds, the zeolite ECR-1 products obtained via radicalized seeds-assist route exhibited higher crystallinity, consumed shorter crystallization time and presented a better catalytic performance in iso-butane cracking reaction. When radicalized ECR-1 seeds are introduced into the initial mixture, the induction and growth period of crystallization process could be accelerated simultaneously. [Display omitted] • Structure directing effect of different seeds for the synthesis of zeolite ECR-1 was investigated. • Induction and growth period of crystallization process could be accelerated by radicalized seed. • Zeolite ECR-1 obtained with assist of radicalized seed presented a better catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Tin could be efficiently electrodeposited from ChCl-EG DES without any additives. • The nucleation mechanism and kinetics were assessed from j - t plots. • Homogeneous tin powders with dendritic structure could be obtained with the current efficiency of 96.4%. Tin is one of the vital substances in the material and chemical industry. Deep eutectic solvent (DES) possesses excellent physicochemical properties for metal preparation. In this study, the electrochemical behavior of Sn(II) and metallic tin preparation in choline chloride-ethylene glycol (ChCl-EG) DES were investigated. Linear sweep voltammetry is carried out to study the effects of substrate material (Ni, Cu, Pt, C, Fe, Al, W, glassy carbon (GC) and Ti), temperature (313–353 K) and SnCl 2 concentration (10–100 mM) on the electrochemical behavior of Sn(II)/Sn. Results demonstrate that metallic tin is easier to be prepared on the Ni electrode, and increasing temperature and SnCl 2 concentration both facilitate the reduction of Sn(II). Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) shows that the main form of Sn(II) is [SnCl 3 ]-. Chronoamperometric tests indicate that with the increase of applied potential, the nucleation of Sn(II) on the nickel electrode becomes close to the instantaneous nucleation. Simultaneously, the nucleation rate and the number of active sites on the electrode surface increase significantly. Pure tin with a dendritic structure could be prepared with higher current efficiency of 96.4% and lower energy consumption of 320.5 kW·h·t−1 without any additives. All these studies provide a fundamental basis for the preparation of tin powders in ChCl-EG DES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metagenomic sequencing was used to investigate the microbial structures, functional potentials, and biofouling-related genes in a membrane bioreactor (MBR). The results showed that the microbial community in the MBR was highly diverse. Notably, function analysis of the dominant genera indicated that common genes from different phylotypes were identified for important functional potentials with the observation of variation of abundances of genes in a certain taxon (e.g., Dechloromonas). Despite maintaining similar metabolic functional potentials with a parallel full-scale conventional activated sludge (CAS) system due to treating the identical wastewater, the MBR had more abundant nitrification-related bacteria and coding genes of ammonia monooxygenase, which could well explain its excellent ammonia removal in the low-temperature period. Furthermore, according to quantification of the genes involved in exopolysaccharide and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) protein metabolism, the MBR did not show a much different potential in producing EPS compared to the CAS system, and bacteria from the membrane biofilm had lower abundances of genes associated with EPS biosynthesis and transport compared to the activated sludge in the MBR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

F-box proteins, subunits of SKP1-cullin 1-F-box protein (SCF) type of E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes, have been validated to play a crucial role in governing various cellular processes such as cell cycle, cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and metastasis. Recently, a wealth of evidence has emerged that F-box proteins is critically involved in tumorigenesis in part through governing the ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of cell cycle proteins, and dysregulation of this process leads to aberrant cell cycle progression and ultimately, tumorigenesis. Therefore, in this review, we describe the critical role of F-box proteins in the timely regulation of cell cycle. Moreover, we discuss how F-box proteins involve in tumorigenesis via targeting cell cycle-related proteins using biochemistry studies, engineered mouse models, and pathological gene alternations. We conclude that inhibitors of F-box proteins could have promising therapeutic potentials in part through controlling of aberrant cell cycle progression for cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research was to observe the effect of areca-nut aqueous water on BMD (bone mineral density) and oxidative stress status of mice with osteoporosis, and made a preliminary discussion on its mechanism. 24 KunMing mice were divided into 3 groups randomly with 8 each group. With the removal of ovary, the osteoporosis model was built up for the osteoporosis group and the areca-nut group. 6 months later, mice weight and BMD were measured, the content of H2O2, MDA (malondialdehyde), GSH (glutathione) and CAT (catalase) were determined in the blood, as well as the content of OPG (osteoprotegerin) and RANKL (Receptor activator of NF-κB ligand). Compared with the osteoporosis group, the areca-nut group witnesses that weight (p < 0.05), BMD (p < 0.05), GSH (p < 0.05) increases significantly while MDA decreases (p < 0.05) significantly 6 months after surgery. Compared with the areca-nut group, the content of CAT in the osteoporosis group drops significantly (p < 0.05). However, the difference between CAT content in the areca-nut group and the control group has no statistical significance (p > 0.05). It was concluded that areca-nuts can inhibit the worsening of mice osteoporosis effectively, whose mechanism may be related to the effective inhibition of OPG decrease, RANKL increase and oxidative stress status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) is a promising process to recover energy and water resource from domestic wastewater; however, its energy-efficiency needs substantial improvement for real applications. In this study, based on the methanogenic activity batch tests and critical flux determination, an optimization protocol for AnMBRs is reported and a flux-centered energy balance analysis is conducted. The results demonstrate that organic loading rate by sludge (OLR sludge ) should be controlled within 0.43–0.90 kgCOD/(kgVSS·d), and the corresponding sludge retention time (SRT) should be in the range of 50 d to infinity. Energy balance analysis shows that the AnMBR systems at the temperature of 35 °C and 25 °C could achieve net energy recovery. For realizing energy-neutral operation, the corresponding fluxes should range from 8.3 to 9.5 L/(m 2 ·h) at 35 °C and 6.0 to 6.7 L/(m 2 ·h) at 25 °C, respectively. In the process design and operation, a relatively short hydraulic retention time (HRT) and an SRT close to 50 d should be considered in order to achieve an energy-efficient AnMBR performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABE provides a good way for access controlling in cloud computing. However, in many application scenarios, access policies for encryption also should be protected since they may directly contain sensitive information. For example, in smart grid, the access policies may contain the private information about underlying data, data owner or the data recipients, and disclosing some sensitive access policies could result in negative publicity, or loss of market revenue. In this paper, we present a CP-ABE scheme with hidden policy from Waters efficient construction. In our scheme, the access policy is hidden by using the composite order bilinear groups and can be expressed with LSSS. Our scheme is proved CPA secure under four statics assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, biomass-based EL (ethyl levulinate) was evaluated as an additional fuel to biodiesel and diesel. Physical and chemical properties, including intersolubility, cold flow properties, spray evaporation, oxidation stability, anti-corrosive property, cleanliness, fire reliability and heating value of twelve different EL–biodiesel–diesel blends were analyzed. The results show that the fuel blends that were in line with China's national standard for biodiesel blend fuel (B5) have similar physical and chemical properties to pure diesel with improved cold flow properties. Optimized fuel blends based on grey relational analysis and analytic hierarchy process were selected to evaluate engine performance and emissions using an unmodified diesel engine test bench. The results show that engine power and torque with the fuel blends were in general similar to those with diesel (less than 3% differences). Both brake specific fuel and energy consumption were lower with the fuel blends than with diesel, suggesting higher fuel conversion efficiencies for the fuel blends. HC (Hydrocarbon) and CO (carbon monoxide) emissions and smoke opacity reduced significantly with the fuel blends compared with diesel while NO x (nitrogen oxides) and CO 2 (carbon dioxide) emissions increased. Our study suggests that EL produced from lignocellulosic biomass could be used as a blending component with biodiesel and diesel for use in unmodified diesel engines and could potentially be a promising environment-friendly fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) is a commonly used reagent for membrane cleaning in membrane bioreactors (MBRs), while it, being a kind of disinfectant (oxidant), may impair viability of microbes or even totally inactivate them upon its diffusion into mixed liquor during membrane cleaning. In this study, we systematically examine the effects of NaClO on microorganisms in terms of microbial cell integrity, metabolism behaviours (key enzymes), and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) under various NaClO concentrations. Different proportions of microbial cells in activated sludge were damaged within several minutes dependent on NaClO dosages (5–50 mg/g-SS), and correspondingly organic matters were released to bulk solution. Inhibition of key enzymes involved in organic matter biodegradation, nitrification and denitrification was observed in the presence of NaClO above 1 mg/g-SS, and thus organic matter and nitrogen removal efficiencies were decreased. It was also demonstrated that intracellular ROS production was increased with the NaClO dosage higher than 1 mg/g-SS, which likely induced further damage to microbial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) are important signaling proteins in VEGF signaling pathway which play key roles in inducing endothelial cell proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, vascular permeability, inhibition of apoptosis and virus infection. In the present study, we isolated and characterized two VEGF genes, LvVEGF1 and LvVEGF2 from Litopenaeus vannamei . The deduced amino acid sequences of both LvVEGF1 and LvVEGF2 contained a signal peptide, a typical PDGF/VEGF domain and a cysteine knot motif (CXCXC). Tissue distribution analysis showed that LvVEGF1 was predominantly expressed in lymphoid organ (Oka) while LvVEGF2 was mainly detected in gill and hemocytes. The transcriptional levels of LvVEGF1 in Oka and LvVEGF2 in gill or hemocytes were apparently up-regulated during WSSV infection. Double-stranded RNA interference was used for further functional studies. The data showed that silencing of LvVEGF1 and LvVEGF2 caused a decrease of the copy numbers of the virus in WSSV infected shrimp and a reduction of the cumulative mortality rate of shrimp during WSSV infection. The present study indicated that LvVEGF1 and LvVEGF2 might facilitate WSSV infection, which provided new evidence to understand the function of VEGF signaling pathway during WSSV infection in shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthesis-irradiance (PI) curves are extensively used in field and laboratory research to evaluate the photon-use efficiency of plants. However, most existing models for PI curves focus on the relationship between the photosynthetic rate (Pn) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and do not take account of the influence of environmental factors on the curve. In the present study, we used a new non-competitive inhibited Michaelis-Menten model (NIMM) to predict the co-variation of Pn, PAR, and the relative pollution index (I). We then evaluated the model with published data and our own experimental data. The results indicate that the Pn of plants decreased with increasing I in the environment and, as predicted, were all fitted well by the NIMM model. Therefore, our model provides a robust basis to evaluate and understand the influence of environmental pollution on plant photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass, such as agricultural straw, can be converted into briquette fuel using technology to expand the possible applications of biomass and improve biomass utilization efficiency. The major machines required in a briquette fuel system, such as those used for drying, chopping, briquetting, and cooling, have become more efficient. However, a biomass briquetting fuel system requires special machines to reach a high character index, and all units in the system must match and be combined to produce an optimum system that satisfies multiple objectives, such as economy, environmental protection, stability, and large-scale operation. In this paper, a mathematical model for a synthesized evaluation was established according to theories of grey relational analysis (GRA) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). This model was used to select a biomass briquette fuel (BBF) system scheme considering hierarchies of economy, cleanliness and environmental protection, production capacity, product quality, and production stability, along with 20 other indices, including capital investment, dust content, drying capability, briquette rate, and the machine repair cycle. The most significant factors influencing each hierarchy were analyzed using a sensitivity analysis. Based on the GRA and AHP theories, an optimal scheme was selected for a fully operational 2 × 10 4 t/a cornstalk briquette fuel plant in China. The optimum scheme included six sets of briquetting machines with a capacity of 2 t/h + three sets of chopping machines with a capacity of 5 t/h + six sets of drying machines with a capability of 2 t/h + 1 set of cooling machines with a capacity of 12 t/h. The evaluated indices and weight coefficients were chosen objectively, and the comprehensive and technical performances of the selected BBF system scheme improved. These results provide a reference for the scheme selection and operation of large-scale BBF systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors describe magnetite (FeO) nanoparticles modified with 3-(N,N-diethylamino) propyltrimethoxysilane (FeO-PSA NPs) for use as a sorbent for dispersive solid phase extraction of pesticide residues. The FeO-PSA NPs were prepared by silanizing FeO NPs and modifying them with 3-(N,N-diethylamino) propyltrimethoxysilane. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy, FTIR and zeta potential measurements were employed to characterize the modified NPs. They were then used as an adsorbent to remove acidic interferences (such as malic acid and succinic acid), which are major interferences in LC-MS/MS analysis in causing ion suppression in the MS spectra of pesticides. In addition, graphitized carbon black (GCB) was used as an adsorbent to eliminate interferences by pigments. The use of FeO-PSA NPs can replace time-consuming centrifugation as used in the so-called QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) method. This improvement is particularly significant in high-throughput analysis. Following the optimization of the quantities of FeO-PSA NPs and GCB, the method was applied to the determination of 56 pesticides in (spiked) fruits (apple, kiwi, orange and pear) by ultra-HPLC-MS/MS. The analytical ranges typically extend from 1 to 200 ng∙mL, and recoveries range from 60.2 to 130 % at different concentrations of all four kinds of fruits. The LOQs for the pesticides are 10 ng∙kg, which makes the method a viable tool for pesticide monitoring in fruits. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic membrane (DM) formation in dynamic membrane bioreactors plays an important role in achieving efficient solid-liquid separation. In order to study the contribution of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) to DM formation in anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor (AnDMBR) processes, EPS extraction from and re-addition to bulk sludge were carried out in short-term filtration tests. DM formation behaviors could be well simulated by cake filtration model, and sludge with EPS re-addition showed the highest resistance coefficient, followed by sludge after EPS extraction. The DM layers exhibited a higher resistance and a lower porosity for the sludge sample after EPS extraction and for the sludge with EPS re-addition. Particle size of sludge flocs decreased after EPS extraction, and changed little with EPS re-addition, which was confirmed by interaction energy analysis. Further investigations by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analysis and batch tests suggested that the removal of in-situ EPS stimulated release of soluble EPS, and re-added EPS were present as soluble EPS rather than bound EPS, which thus improved the formation of DM. The present work revealed the role of EPS in anaerobic DM formation, and could facilitate the operation of AnDMBR processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for carbon–carbon triple bond cleavage based on palladium/copper tandem catalysis is developed. In this chemistry, anilines and diaryl acetylenes were converted into benzamides through cascade transformations combining palladium-catalyzed hydroamination of alkyne with copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative C–C bond cleavage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk assessments of the fungicides pyraclostrobin, iprodione, tebuconazole and cyprodinil were carried after determining their persistence on strawberries following two applications by spraying in a greenhouse. The Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) method was used for sample preparation, and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were used for sample analysis. The range for the average recoveries of the four fungicides was 86.2–105.4 %, and the relative standard deviation range was 2.7–6.1 %. The half-lives of pyraclostrobin, iprodione, tebuconazole and cyprodinil after a single application were 3.7, 3.6, 3.3 and 2.8 d, respectively. Compared with a single application, a second application of the fungicides increased the average concentrations of residues left on the strawberries. Risk assessments of the four fungicides were conducted by comparing national estimated daily intakes against acceptable daily intakes under good agricultural practice conditions. With application at the recommended dosage, strawberries sprayed with pyraclostrobin, iprodione and tebuconazole were safe for consumption after two applications. By contrast, while the first application of cyprodinil was safe, the second presented a high health risk. Even at the recommended dosage (720 a. i. g ha-1), repeat applications of cyprodinil should be banned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles/polyethylene glycol (PEG) mixture was used to modify polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes aiming to improve their antifouling ability. The use of PEG could improve the dispersion of nanoparticles thanks to steric hindrance effects. Test results showed that compared to the original PVDF membrane, the modified membranes had higher hydrophilicity and lower negative Zeta potential, facilitating membrane fouling control. The extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) analysis indicated that the addition of TiO 2 nanoparticles improved their electron donor monopolarity, i.e., enhanced electron-donating ability. The interaction energy barrier between soluble microbial products (SMP) and membrane surfaces was also improved, indicating that anti-fouling ability of the modified membrane was elevated. The optimal dosage of nano-TiO 2 was found to be 0.15%, and further increase of dosage resulted in the aggregation of nanoparticles which consequently impaired the modification efficiency. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) monitoring and SMP filtration tests confirmed the antifouling ability of the modified membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]