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In this paper, the oxidation–exfoliation process of graphite is studied experimentally by the mixed-solvent method, the oxidation–exfoliation process of graphite is simulated theoretically, and it is found that Graphene Oxide (GO) is a Janus structure with inconsistent oxidation on both surfaces; hydrophilic on one side and hydrophobic on the other side. This layer structure and layer spacing are due to the inconsistent oxidation on both sides which changes with the polarity of different solvent mixtures. We used a two-phase system of benzyl alcohol and water, as well as controlling the polarity of the surface of the substrate, to achieve (using a mixed solution of GO which has a selectivity more inclined to the oil phase when the aqueous phase is present) the preparation of reduced graphene oxide patterns. We also used a complex solution of hydrogen iodide and a sodium–iodide complex solution for secondary reduction to enhance its conductivity to 8653 S/m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective pollutant removal with environmentally friendly materials has attracted considerable attention. Herein, macroporous polyHIPE-g-poly(glycidyl methacrylate)-β-cyclodextrin (a) was prepared via a combination of high-internal-phase emulsion (HIPE) polymerization, atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), and ring-opening addition reaction techniques. Based on the PGMA brush, β-CD molecules were successfully grafted onto the surface of PHIPE. Characterization of the obtained material demonstrated a hierarchical porous structure and the successful grafting of β-CD. Attributed to the large surface area of the monolith and the host–guest molecular recognition between β-CD and BPA, the prepared PHIPE-g-PGMA-β-CD as a robust macroporous complex could effectively remove BPA from water. The removal efficiency was systematically investigated with varying the time and concentration. Moreover, the monolith could be reused by simply leaching and washing in methanol to elute BPA, displaying comparative regeneration efficiency after six cycles. The newly fabricated macroporous PHIPE-g-PGMA-β-CD has great potential application in BPA-contaminated water treatment and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene‐based electromagnetic absorbing materials have attracted growing attention, due to their great absorption efficiency and light weight. One common design principle is to load magnetic particles onto graphene. However, the agglomeration of magnetic nanoparticles on the graphene sheets limits further improvement in their electromagnetic absorption performances. In this work, polyaniline/nano‐Fe3O4/graphene ternary hybrids with regulated multi‐interfaces are designed by simply adjusting the adding order of graphene. The dispersion of nano‐Fe3O4 on graphene and the interactions among the ternary interfaces are synchronously controlled, which are considered to be the key factors restricting the hybrids' performances. The polyaniline/nano‐Fe3O4/graphene ternary composites show ultra‐broadband electromagnetic absorption, with the optimal reflection loss peak reaching −57.2 dB at 11.4 GHz, and the effective bandwidth achieves 13.2 GHz, covering 4.8–18 GHz. It is found that the well dispersion of nano‐Fe3O4 can enhance the overall ferromagnetism and magnetic losses, while the modulation of the multi‐interfaces can further ameliorate the interfacial and dipole polarization, synergistically making the ultra‐broadband electromagnetic absorption. This work provides areferencing path for the design of subsequent multi‐interfacing electromagnetic absorbing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the bottleneck constraining the development of electrode materials for all-vanadium flow batteries lies in their poor performances at high current densities. Pertinently, we propose a high-stability hierarchical N and S co-doped carbon chain network 'armor' strategy to achieve long-term stability enhancement for electrodes. It is found that hierarchical carbon chain network can effectively enhance the voltage efficiency, energy efficiency, and long-term cycling stability for all-vanadium flow batteries. The modified electrode presents superior long-term stability over 1900 cycles, and the energy efficiency is maintained at about 80 % at 180 mA cm−2. In addition, the energy efficiency can also reach over 70 % at 320 mA cm−2, while at 280 mA cm−2 the modified electrode can circulate stably for over 800 turns. It is proved that the bridging effect of polydopamine facilitates the stable carbon chain network, and effectively regulates the N and S co-doping, further constructing the N and S co-doping sites to assemble electrochemical catalytic network. More importantly, the carbon chain network 'armor' design can effectively prevent electrode breakage. This work provides a reference way for the design of long-term stable electrodes, which is of great significance for advancing commercial applications of all-vanadium flow batteries. [Display omitted] • Hierarchical N, S co-doped carbon felt electrodes were synthesized. • The modified electrode stabilized for over 1900 cycles. • 'Armor-like' carbon chain network strategy realized high-stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring metal-free ultrabroad-band electromagnetic absorption materials is of great significance in practical application and theoretical research, which is, however, still challenging. Constructing hierarchical structures and seeking metal-free magnetic materials could be feasible ways to realizing stable, lightweight and metal-free ultrabroad-band electromagnetic absorption. In this work, pomegranate like polypyrrole/nanodiamond hierarchical structures, which could achieve metal-free ultrabroad-band electromagnetic absorptions, are synthesized through in situ polymerization. The optimal reflection loss peak reaches −53 dB at 10.5 GHz and the effective bandwidth below −10 dB could achieve 12.2 GHz, realizing 5.8–18 GHz full-coverage at a single thickness of 4.2 mm. The ultrabroad-band electromagnetic absorption results mainly from the π-p hybridization induced nanodiamond surface defect state, the multiple polarizations and interfaces, as well as the biomimetic pomegranate like hierarchical structures leading to the synergistic magnetic and dielectric dissipations. This work provides referencing path for designing metal-free ultrabroad-band electromagnetic absorption materials. Image 1 • Pomegranate like PPy/ND hierarchical structures are synthesized through an in situ polymerization. • The metal-free PPy/ND shows ultrabroad-band EM absorption, realizing 5-18 GHz full-coverage. • This work opens new path for the design of metal-free ultrabroad-band EMAMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon materials stood out for electromagnetic absorption due to the lightweight, high-stability and well designability. At present, the research bottleneck lied in achieving broadband absorption and versatility. Novel nanodiamond@hollow carbon sphere architectures were designed in this work, involved with all‑carbon hollow structures and the multiple heterophase interfaces. Bifunctional improvement was realized through the all‑carbon architectures design. Superior electromagnetic wave absorption performance was obtained at an extremely low loading ratio of 5 wt% of the nanodiamond@hollow carbon sphere architectures. With a thickness of 2.15 mm, the optimal reflection loss peak could be −47.1 dB, and the specific absorbing value achieved 438 dBmm−1. Meanwhile, the nanodiamond@hollow carbon sphere architectures exhibited significantly improved thermal insulation characteristics. The simultaneously enhanced electromagnetic absorption and thermal insulation performances were proved to be benefited from the multiple C N hybridizations and the novel all‑carbon hollow hierarchical structures with controllable interfaces. This work serves as a referencing significance for the development of lightweight multi-functional electromagnetic absorbing materials. [Display omitted] • Nanodiamond@hollow carbon sphere architectures were synthesized. • The optimal electromagnetic specific absorbing value achieved 438 dB mm−1. • Bifunctional improvement was realized through the all‑carbon architectures design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface properties of carbon materials are very important since many complex physical and chemical reactions take place on their surfaces. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) test is one of the most significant characterization methods to analyze the surfaces. The carbon species and banding energies for several typical kinds of carbon materials (graphite, carbon black, graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbides, and polymers) were summarized with typical XPS spectra. It can be found that carbon materials with different preparation methods, analytical methods or storage times possess quite different carbon species and banding energies. Meanwhile, classical XPS figures and analysis results of every carbon material were illustrated, which provides the researchers an intuitive understanding of the related analytical method. Therefore, much more accurate results of XPS spectra for related carbon materials can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For conventional design of the electromagnetic absorption materials, introduction of magnetic materials into dielectric materials has been found to achieve better impedance matching, but lead to increase in weight and decrease in chemical stability, therefore limiting their practical applications. In this work, metal-free electromagnetic coupling was achieved by the design of nitrogen-doped nanodiamond/graphene hybrids. Polyaniline is used to self-assembled bridge the nanodiamond and graphene, and the carbonization is carried out for construction and regulation of the C•••N polarization and nitrogen doping. The carbonized hybrid exhibits remarkably enhanced broadband electromagnetic absorption with the optimal reflection loss value around −47.7 dB at 13.8 GHz with an ultrathin thickness of 1.8 mm. The enhancement in electromagnetic absorption is confirmed to result from nitrogen doped ND induced magnetic dissipation and the C•••N multi-polarization modes, as well as the multiple interfacial structures. This work opens a new route realizing lightweight electromagnetic absorption through constructing nitrogen doped carbon nanomaterial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonized polyaniline/nanodiamond hybrids were synthesized using an in situ polymerization and carbonization method, in which polyaniline aided to stabilize nanodiamond and prevent it from re-aggregation. Polyaniline also acted as nitrogen source, constructing nanodiamond interface/surface C⋯N hybridization during the carbonization. Q = N and C⋯N = Q groups, which could enhance the dielectric polarization, were proved to exist in the carbonized hybrids. On the other hand, doping nitrogen into nanodiamond resulted in ferromagnetism, which could couple the dielectric and magnetic dissipation. The carbonized hybrids exhibited remarkable ultrabroad-band electromagnetic absorption. The optimal reflection loss peak could reach −46.0 dB at 12.2 GHz and the bandwidth below −10 dB was 12 GHz covering 6–18 GHz. The broadband and high electromagnetic absorption were mainly attributed to the Q = N and C⋯N = Q groups' dual polarization enhancement, nitrogen-doping induced magnetic effects, as well as the collaborative nitrogen-doped interface network. This work provides novel referencing path for the design of broadband electromagnetic absorption materials, especially for heteroatom doped carbon nanomaterials. Image 1 • Nitrogen doped ND were realized through in situ polymerization and carbonization of PANi/ND. • Metal-free carbonized PANi/ND showed clear ferromagnetic behaviour. • The optimal reflection loss reached − 46.0 dB at 12.2 GHz and the bandwidth below − 10 dB was 12 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Intellectual disability (ID) is often sporadic, and its complex etiology makes clinical diagnosis extremely difficult.Objective: The aims of this study were to detect copy number variations (CNVs) in patients with ID and to analyze the correlation between pathogenic CNVs and clinical phenotype.Methods: After cases of ID caused by metabolic dysfunction or environmental factors were excluded, 64 patients with moderate to severe ID were enrolled. Karyotype and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array analyses were performed for all patients. The relationship between CNVs and phenotype was identified with genotype-phenotype comparisons and by searching CNV databases.Results: Karyotype analysis showed four patients with chromosomal aneuploidy and seven with chromosomal structural abnormality. After excluding the four cases with chromosomal aneuploidy, the remaining 60 cases were analyzed using SNP array. The results revealed 87 CNVs in 45 cases, including 16 pathogenic CNVs in 12 individuals, with a diagnostic yield of 20.0% (12/60). We found large deletions at 16q22.2q23.1 and 3q24q25.32 in two patients, respectively, in whom specific syndromes had not been defined. Our array analysis showed one case carried a 210 kb deletion at 1p21.2p21.3, which included only one coding gene LPPR4, which might be a candidate gene for ID phenotype.Conclusions: Use of the genome-wide array method can improve the detection rate of CNVs, reveal chromosomal abnormalities that have not been well-characterized by cytology, and provide a new way to locate genes for patients with the ID phenotype. Interpretation of CNVs remains a major challenge. Sharing of CNVs and phenotype information from different laboratories in public databases is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino-functional macroporous polyHIPE-NH2 monoliths were surface modified with 2-bromo-2-methylpropionyl bromide and used as initiators to initiate atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of the d-gluconamidoethyl methacrylate glycol-monomer (GAMA), resulting in a dense coating of polymers on the polyHIPE surface. PolyHIPE-PGAMA has plenty of –OH groups that can form a strong complex and can be used for boron removal. Different ratios of macroporous polymeric monoliths could be prepared through changing the amount of Span 80 and the oil/water ratio. The porosity, pore structure, mechanical properties and adsorption properties could also be changed. PolyHIPE-PGAMA exhibited rapid removal of boron at low boron concentration. The regeneration investigations showed that the monoliths could be reused by simply leaching and washing under acidic conditions to remove boron. The materials and methods to form the monoliths were simple and efficient, thus, opening up new possibilities for the adsorption of highly porous polyHIPE for separation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The groundbreaking works in graphene and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) over the past decade, and the very recent discovery of borophene naturally draw attention to the yet-to-be-explored borophene nanoribbons (BNRs). We herein report a density functional theory (DFT) study of the electronic and magnetic properties of BNRs. The foci are the impact of orientation (denoted as BxNRs and ByNRs with their respective periodic orientations along x- and y-axis), ribbon width ( N x , N y =4–15), and hydrogenation effects on the geometric, electronic and magnetic properties of BNRs. We found that the anisotropic quasi-planar geometric structure of BNR and the edge states largely govern its electronic and magnetic properties. In particular, pristine ByNRs adopt a magnetic ground state, either anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) or ferromagnetic (FM) depending on the ribbon width, while pristine BxNRs are non-magnetic (NM). Upon hydrogenation, all BNRs exhibit NM. Interestingly, both pristine and hydrogenated ByNRs undergo a metal-semiconductor-metal transition at N y =7, while all BxNRs remain metallic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene is often used to improve the thermal conductivity of polymers but usually with high amount. The key factor that limits the thermal conductivity is graphene agglomeration as well as the incompatible interface between graphene and polymer. Here, we report super-high thermal conductivity of polyamide-6 (PA6) composites achieved by adding small amounts of graphene oxide (GO)-stabilized graphene dispersions (graphene-GO). The introduction of GO not only acts as an effective dispersant for graphene due to the non-covalent π-stacking interactions but also participates in PA6 polymerization. Therefore, the issues associated with graphene dispersion in PA6 can be resolved and the interface adhesion enhanced by adding small amounts of graphene-GO. Furthermore, this approach reduces the tendency for decreased crystallinity. All these factors enhance the formation of heat conducting pathways among the graphene sheets. Thus, compared with graphene, graphene-GO enhances thermal conductivity at lower filler loading levels by enhancing graphene dispersion and interface adhesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchical graphene oxide/polypyrrole composites were fabricated by initiating an in situ intercalation polymerization of pyrrole into the interlayers of graphite oxide. It was interesting that a chemical hybridizing group of HN–CO could be verified inside the graphene oxide layers during the exfoliation of graphite oxide, resulting in a new kind of graphene oxide based composites with highly crumpled structures. This intercalation compounding technique made the composite display much stronger polarization, leading to notable enhancement in electromagnetic loss with broadband responses. As an example of the 2.96 mm thickness sample, the rock-bottom on the reflection loss curve was low to −58.1 dB at 12.4 GHz and the bandwidth below −10.0 dB could be as wide as 6.2 GHz, which was remarkable superior to those of the pure graphite oxide as well as other hybrids of graphene oxide that had ever been reported. The improvement in absorbing capacity arose from the unsymmetrical groups generated from the chemical hybridization, which could lead to multi-scaled polarization relaxations. In addition, the three-dimensional intercalated network would lead to synergistically benefit of impedance matching and interfacial relaxation loss. These results provided a new strategy to prepare graphene-like composites for functional design such as high-efficient microwave absorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transboundary water resources are an important part of freshwater resources. With the rapid development of the world' s population and economy, the demand for water resources in various countries is increasing. Climate change makes the changing situation of water resources uncertain, which intensifies countries' demands for water resource security. Fair and reasonable allocation of transboundary water resources is of great significance for alleviating water conflicts among basin countries and realizing sustainable utilization of these resources. From the perspective of cooperation, we proposed an 'initial allocation to clarify ownership + optimal redistribution to realize efficient utilization' two-level composite allocation mode to improve the rationality and utilization efficiency of transboundary water resources. First, based on the perspective of negotiation, a mechanism of consultation and negotiation using the bargaining game model among basin countries was developed to obtain the initial allocation scheme. Subsequently, based on the concept of benefit sharing, a cooperative game model with fuzzy payment and double fuzzy elements was constructed to discuss the optimal reallocation under different fuzzy scenarios. The Lancang-Mekong River Basin (LMRB) was used to demonstrate the availability of the proposed framework and optimization model. The results indicated that: 1 Seeking the optimal solution based on negotiation could improve the acceptability of the allocation schemes. 2 Initial allocation was the basis for the development and utilization of transboundary water resources, but it was difficult to adapt to environmental change and the change in water demand of basin countries for a long time. 3 When global cooperation was difficult to form, all basin countries could form fuzzy alliances with different participation rates, which could obtain greater basin system benefits compared with clear alliance cooperation. This paper aims to provide references for transboundary water resource allocation to protect the rights and interests of basin countries, alleviate water resource conflicts, and lay the foundation for the establishment of an integrated management mode of transboundary water resources and the construction of 'a community of shared future' for transboundary rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polypyrrole/nano-exfoliated graphite composites were synthesized using an in situ intercalation polymerization of pyrrole into the layers of expanded graphites. The morphologies and nanostructures of obtained composites were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. Results showed that the in situ intercalation polymerization of pyrrole cation into the layers of expanded graphites could separate graphite into nano-exfoliated graphite sheets. The interactions between polypyrrole and the graphite sheet were also confirmed by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. The fabricated nanocomposites polypyrrole/nano-exfoliated graphite-1.5 showed obvious improvement in microwave absorption compared with those of the polypyrrole or the expanded graphite itself. With a thickness of 2.7 mm, the optimal absorption peak reached −48 dB at 13.4 GHz and the bandwidth corresponding to the reflection loss at −10 dB was 3.4 GHz (from 13.2 to 16.6 GHz). The minimum RL reached −34 dB with a thickness of 2.5 mm for Polypyrrole/nano-exfoliated graphite-1.5. Moreover, it could be observed that the absorption bandwidth with RL below −10 dB was obtained in the frequency range of 5–18 GHz for polypyrrole/nano-exfoliated graphite-1.5 with a thickness of 2–5 mm. This would open a path toward the fabrication of microwave absorption materials of light-weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of ZnO nanograss films grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide coated glass substrates were synthesized via hydrothermal method by using polyethyleneimine (PEI) as adjusting agent. The films were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that the PEI not only affected the aspect ratios of ZnO nanograss but also changed the geometrical shape of ZnO nanograss. A possible mechanism based on PEI adsorbed on the non-polar facets of ZnO that governed the growth rate of different directions were proposed to elucidate the effect of PEI on morphology of ZnO. The ZnO nanograss films were applied to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The results showed that the photocurrent density significantly enhanced, and the power conversion efficiency increased by 55% based on ZnO nanograss synthesized in a growth solution containing 7mmol/L PEI, resulting from the dye loading properties related to the different morphologies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hypothermia is highly common in patients undergoing gynecological surgeries under general anesthesia, so the length of hospitalization and even the risk of mortality are substantially increased. Our aim was to develop a simple and practical model to preoperatively identify gynecological surgery patients at risk of intraoperative hypothermia. In this retrospective study, we collected data from 802 patients who underwent gynecological surgery at three medical centers from June 2022 to August 2023. We further allocated the patients to a training group, an internal validation group, or an external validation group. The preliminary predictive factors for intraoperative hypothermia in gynecological patients were determined using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method. The final predictive factors were subsequently identified through multivariate logistic regression analysis, and a nomogram for predicting the occurrence of hypothermia was established. A total of 802 patients were included, with 314 patients in the training cohort (mean age 48.5 ± 12.6 years), 130 patients in the internal validation cohort (mean age 49.9 ± 12.5 years), and 358 patients in the external validation cohort (mean age 47.6 ± 14.0 years). LASSO regression and multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that body mass index, minimally invasive surgery, baseline heart rate, baseline body temperature, history of previous surgery, and aspartate aminotransferase level were associated with intraoperative hypothermia in gynecological surgery patients. This nomogram was constructed based on these six variables, with a C-index of 0.712 for the training cohort. We established a practical predictive model that can be used to preoperatively predict the occurrence of hypothermia in gynecological surgery patients. Clinical trial registration: chictr.org.cn , identifier ChiCTR2300071859. • How can the occurrence of intraoperative hypothermia be predicted before surgery in gynecological surgery patients? • To address this issue, we conducted a multicenter cohort study of 802 patients who underwent gynecological surgery. • A powerful model was established for the early identification of patients prone to intraoperative hypothermia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of development and utilization of mine resources, the damp-heat environment has always been a difficult problem for mining. An enormous amount of research effort has gone into analyzing the underground operating environment. By summarizing the existing research theories on the damp-heat environment in the mine, this paper analyzed the influence of the wall rock, wind flow parameters, groundwater seepage, and other factors on the damp-heat environment and summarizes the determination of heat transfer coefficient (h) and mass transfer coefficient (m), which provided the theoretical basis for the improved technology of the damp-heat environment of mines. The field synergy theory (FST) reveals the essence of enhancing heat transfer performance and mass transfer performance and has been widely applied in engineering practice; based on the commonality between the research model of the FST and the damp-heat environment of the mine, we put forward a novel approach by using the FST to study the mine’s damp-heat problem and gave the research models based on the FST under the form of bifurcation and turning wall rock, which can be used to guide the design and layout of the mine wind flow deflector. Finally, considering the actual economic benefits of mine engineering, the FST and ventilation system power consumption are used as comprehensive evaluation indicators to guide the design of ventilation systems, which provided fresh concepts and approaches for improving the subterranean damp-heat environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Online First version of this article was made available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The persistence of HPV infection is a significant etiological factor in the development of cervical cancer. The present study investigated the prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) in a cohort of 164,137 unvaccinated women from Wenzhou, aiming to provide guidance for clinics in the cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination strategies. Methods: The present retrospective study included a total of 164,137 women, comprising 118,484 outpatients and 45,653 healthy female subjects recruited from 2015 to 2020. Cervical exfoliated cells were collected from these participants for subsequent DNA extraction. The extracted DNA samples were underwent analysis using a fluorescence in situ hybridization method, encompassing the detection of 27 HPV genotypes. Results: The overall prevalence of HPV was 17.35%; this corresponded to a prevalence of 19.10% in the outpatient group and 12.82% in the healthy female group. Among the outpatient group, the five most prevalent HPV genotypes were identified as HPV 52, 58, 16, 53, and 61. In the healthy female group, the five most common HPV genotypes were found to be HPV 52, 53, 58, 61, and 81. Additionally, it was estimated that the highest rate of HPV infection occurred among individuals aged between 10 and 19 years old (44.65%) and those aged between 60 and 69 years old (27.35%). Conclusions: The prevalence of HPV in this region is substantial; therefore, it is imperative to implement scientifically sound and rational clinical interventions such as vaccination. Routine cervical screening should be performed to prevent the development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia resulting from persistent infection with high-risk HPV, particularly in women with gynecological diseases and those over 60 years old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptide P7 specifically binds with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) to inhibit the proliferation and invasion of numerous types of cancer cell. However, this effect has remained to be demonstrated in ovarian cancer-derived cell lines. In the present study, the protein P7 was used treat bFGF-stimulated SKOV3 epithelial ovarian cancer cells to explore the therapeutic potential of P7. An MTT and a scratch wound assay were used to respectively evaluate the proliferation and migration of bFGF-stimulated SKOV3 cells treated with P7. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to detect the gene expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), as well as matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-2 and −9, which have a role in cell migration/invasion. The morphology and proliferation of SKOV3 cells were not significantly affected by different concentrations of P7. However, P7 had an obvious inhibitory effect on the proliferation and migration of bFGF-stimulated SKOV3 cells. Treatment with P7 significantly lowered the gene expression of uPA, MMP-2 and MMP-9 compared with that in the control group. In conclusion, the present results suggested that P7, which, at least in part, acts through inhibition of bFGF, may have a potential therapeutic application in epithelial ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) have been commercially used for decades owing to their distinct rheological properties. New EPSs with special traits are being explored continuously. The strain Paenibacillus edaphicus NUST16 was isolated in this study. NUST16 produces 12.5 g/L EPS after 72 h cultivation in shaker flask. Moreover, the purified EPS, POS16, has the molecular weight of 1.2 × 10 7 Da and consists of five types of glycosides, namely, D-Glc, D-Man, L-Fuc, D-GlcA, and D-Gal. Methylation, NMR, and FT-IR results indicate that three glucosides and three mannosides make up the main chain of POS16 via 1 → 3 linkage. The Gal(1 → 3)Fuc(1 → 3)Fuc(1→ and GlcA(1→ branches link to the C6 positions of two mannosides, respectively. The other mannoside is partially derivatized by the acetyl group at C2 position. Rheological analysis shows that POS16 has typical shear-thinning pattern which fits the Hershel-Bulkley model well. More importantly, POS16 shows ideal saline tolerance as the apparent viscosity keeps high in solutions containing 100 g/L salts, such as NaCl, KCl, MgCl 2 , and CaCl 2 . Furthermore, POS16 behaves more viscous than xanthan gum and sodium carboxymethylcellulose in divalent ion solutions. The results suggest that POS16 is a potential rheological modulator that can be used in operations where high concentrations of salts exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow batteries (FBs) have been demonstrated in several large‐scale energy storage projects, and are considered to be the preferred technique for large‐scale long‐term energy storage in terms of their high safety, environmental friendliness, and long life, including all‐vanadium flow batteries (VFBs) and Fe‐Cr flow batteries (ICFBs). As the electrochemical reaction site, the electrode parameters, such as the specific surface area, active site, and so on, have a significant impact on the flow battery performance and reliability. Extensive research has been carried out on electrode modification to improve the current density and energy efficiency of the FBs. In this review, the reaction mechanisms of VFBs and ICFBs are discussed in detail firstly, and then the electrodes modification methods are overviewed and summarized from four aspects: self‐modification, carbon‐based electrocatalysts, metal‐based electrocatalysts and composite electrocatalysts. Finally, the recent catalytic mechanism, in situ characterization technology, and future research directions are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the usefulness of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array for prenatal genetic diagnosis of congenital heart defect (CHD), we used this approach to detect clinically significant copy number variants (CNVs) in fetuses with CHDs.Methods: A HumanCytoSNP-12 array was used to detect genomic samples obtained from 39 fetuses that exhibited cardiovascular abnormalities on ultrasound and had a normal karyotype. The relationship between CNVs and CHDs was identified by using genotype-phenotype comparisons and searching of chromosomal databases. All clinically significant CNVs were confirmed by real-time PCR.Results: CNVs were detected in 38/39 (97.4%) fetuses: variants of unknown significance were detected in 2/39 (5.1%), and clinically significant CNVs were identified in 7/39 (17.9%). In 3 of the 7 fetuses with clinically significant CNVs, 3 rare and previously undescribed CNVs were detected, and these CNVs encompassed the CHD candidate genes FLNA (Xq28 dup), BCOR (Xp11.4 dup), and RBL2 (16q12.2 del).Conclusion: Compared with conventional cytogenetic genomics, SNP array analysis provides significantly improved detection of submicroscopic genomic aberrations in pregnancies with CHDs. Based on these results, we propose that genomic SNP array is an effective method which could be used in the prenatal diagnostic test to assist genetic counseling for pregnancies with CHDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing application of heat exchangers, the research has become increasingly comprehensive. Previous studies mainly focused on comparing the amplitudes to investigate the performance of heat exchangers, while the study of variable amplitude channel structures was limited. This study investigated the thermal-hydraulic performance of seven different sinusoidal channels with inclination angles of 20° and 30°, and their combinations. Using the CFD solver, simulations were conducted to assess the heat transfer capabilities of sinusoidal channels under various Reynolds numbers and different amplitude conditions, compared to straight channels and single amplitude sinusoidal channels. The results indicated that within one period, both the pressure drop and temperature difference exhibited a ripple trend of gradually decreasing amplitude. When evaluating the comprehensive performance of the channels, three trends emerged across the seven models, with the performance of the cold fluid and the hot fluid within the same group showing opposite trends. This suggested that more variations could enhance the overall performance of the hot fluid while reducing the performance of the cold fluid. For structures with the same amplitude, in terms of amplitude variation frequency, models with six periods per group exhibited higher overall heat transfer performance than those with three periods per group, with an average increase of 36.37%. For the arrangement of amplitudes (taking the hot fluid inlet as an example), configurations with a smaller amplitude at the inlet outperformed those with a larger amplitude, indicating that in combined amplitude models, a structure with a larger group and a smaller amplitude at the inlet (taking the hot fluid as an example) should be designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave-absorbing materials are widely used in numerous fields, including the military, daily protection, etc. Currently, in addition to being lightweight and highly efficient, good film-forming processing characteristics and environmental stability are also required for the practical application of microwave-absorbing materials, which, in general, are difficult to make compatible. In this paper, a mulberry-like PDA/PPy/ND hierarchical structure was prepared by in situ polymerization. The hierarchical structure showed remarkably enhanced microwave absorption, as well as better flexible film-forming characteristics, thanks to the multiple roles PDA played in the system. The optimal RL peak for PDA/PPy/ND could reach −43.6 dB at 7.58 GHz, which is mainly attributed to the multiple dielectric loss paths and significantly improved impedance-matching characteristics. Furthermore, given the H-bond crosslink, the introduction of PDA also promoted the film formation and dispersion of PDA/PPy/ND in the PVA matrix, forming a water-resistant and flexible film. This work provides a referencing path for the design and practical applications of lightweight microwave-absorbing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polyaniline (PANI) hybridized ZnO photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) was primarily prepared via a two-step process which involved hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanograss on the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate and subsequently chemisorption of PANI on the surfaces of the ZnO nanorods. The PANI hybridized ZnO nanograss films were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), and the results indicated that there were chemical interactions between PANI and ZnO. Both pure ZnO nanograss and PANI hybridized ZnO nanograss were applied to DSSC. The results of photoelectrochemical measurement showed that the photocurrent density of PANI (100mg/L) hybridized ZnO nanograss photoanode was significantly enhanced, and the overall light-conversion efficiency increased by 60%. The electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) displayed that the electron densities in photoanodes of PANI hybridized ZnO nanograss were larger than that in pure ZnO nanograss. This is ascribed to more effective charge separation and faster interfacial charge transferring occurred in the hybrid photoanode. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The use of morphine in clinical medicine is severely constrained by tolerance. Therefore, it is essential to examine pharmacological therapies that suppress the development of morphine tolerance. Amiloride suppressed the expression of inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting microglial activation. Microglia play a crucial role in the establishment of morphine tolerance. Thus, we anticipated that amiloride might suppress the development of morphine tolerance. During this investigation, we assessed the impact of amiloride on mouse morphine tolerance. Mice received morphine (10 mg/kg, s.c.) twice daily with intrathecally injected amiloride (0.3 μg/5 μl, 1 μg/5 μl, and 3 μg/5 μl) for nine continuous days. To assess morphine tolerance, mice underwent the tail-flick and hot plate tests. BV-2 cells were used to investigate the mechanism of amiloride. By using Western blotting, real-time PCR, and immunofluorescence labeling methods, the levels of acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) p65, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) proteins, and neuroinflammation-related cytokines were determined. The levels of ASIC3 in the spinal cord were considerably increased after long-term morphine administration. Amiloride was found to delay the development of tolerance to chronic morphine assessed via tail-flick and hot plate tests. Amiloride reduced microglial activation and downregulated the cytokines IL-1β and TNF-a by inhibiting ASIC3 in response to morphine. Furthermore, amiloride reduced p38 MAPK phosphorylation and inhibited NF-κB expression. Amiloride effectively reduces chronic morphine tolerance by suppressing microglial activation caused by morphine by inhibiting ASIC3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electricity consumption forecasting problem is especially important for policy making in developing region. To properly formulate policies, it is necessary to have reliable forecasts. Electricity consumption forecasting is influenced by some factors, such as economic, population and so on. Considering all factors is a difficult task since it requires much detailed study in which many factors significantly influence on electricity forecasting whereas too many data are unavailable. Grey convex relational analysis is used to describe the relationship between the electricity consumption and its related factors. A novel multi-variable grey forecasting model which considered the total population is developed to forecast the electricity consumption in Shandong Province. The GMC(1,N) model with fractional order accumulation is optimized by changing the order number and the effectiveness of the first pair of original data by the model is proven. The results of practical numerical examples demonstrate that the model provides remarkable prediction performances compared with the traditional grey forecasting model. The forecasted results showed that the increase of electricity consumption will speed up in Shandong Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional polymer composites generally present limited thermal conductivity (TC) even highly loaded with highly thermally conductive fillers due to the lack of large interfacial thermal resistance between the fillers and the surrounding polymers. In this work, polyamide-6/graphite nanoflakes (PA6/GnF) composites with high TC can be obtained through a one-step in situ intercalation polymerization. The caprolactam onium ion (CL ⊕ ) catalysted by 6-aminocaproic acid can effectively intercalate into the interlayer of expanded graphite (EG) and lead to the separation of EG into GnF after in situ polymerization. Thereafter the homogeneous dispersions of GnF with ordered arrangement and strong interfacial interactions between PA6 and GnF can be formed within the PA6/GnF composites, which can favor the formation of the consecutive thermal conductive pathways or networks at a relatively low EG loading. The obtained composites, at only EG loading of 12 wt%, exhibit a high TC (2.49 W/mK), corresponding to an enhancement of 678% compared to that of neat PA6. This strategy offers new insights into the fabrication of graphene based composites, and provides a straightforward and highly industrializable process for fabrication of high-performance GnF-based thermally conductive composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring effective microwave absorption materials is always a challenge especially in the relatively low frequency range of 2–8 GHz and broad absorption band. Here we developed a Fe 3 C/helical carbon nanotube (HCNT) hybrid structures synthesized via catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) using Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles as catalyst. The microwave-absorbing characteristics of such hybrid nanomaterials were investigated based on the transmission line theory through the evaluation of the experimental data including complex permittivity and permeability. Considering the reaction temperature range of 400–750 °C, the as-prepared hybrid synthesized at 700 °C can be adjusted to have effective performance of RL value less than −10 dB in the relatively lower frequency ranged from 2.9 GHz to 9.9 GHz at the thickness range of 2–5 mm. Furthermore, the hybrid in case of 750 °C bears bandwidths with RL lower than −10 dB from 7.3 GHz to 18 GHz and the minimum RL is about −21 dB. The observed advantageous reflection loss was attributed to the pronounced impedance match owing to the reasonable synergistic effect between magnetic nanoparticles and HCNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A stable ethanol spray tubular flame is obtained with wide operation ranges and low emissions of CO and NO x. • The ethanol spray and flame structures are characterized by laser diameter analyzing and OH-PLIF imaging. • The flame lift-off characteristics are investigated under various tangential velocities, atomizing gases and ethanol flow rates. • The Damköhler numbers are theoretically assessed to analyze the flame lift-off behavior. This study proposes an efficient technique to burn ethanol spray in an intense swirling air flow and investigates the mechanism of flame lift-off. On the basis of typical tubular burners for gaseous fuels, ethanol spray was axially induced and mixed with the tangentially injected air under room temperature, yielding the ethanol spray tubular flames under various operating conditions. The results show that from an ultra-lean condition of global equivalence ratio of 0.1 to the rich condition, two typical flames, namely attached and lifted tubular flames, were established. Then, the structure of the ethanol spray tubular flame was specified by temperature measurements, OH-PLIF imaging, indicating its overwhelming aerodynamic and thermal stability with low pollutant emissions. Meanwhile, a flue gas analyzer was used to characterize the gas composition in the hot exhaust. It is found that the burner can achieve very low emissions of both CO and NO x , illustrating high combustion completeness under both attached and lifted flame conditions. To give a better understanding and make fully utilization of spray tubular flames, a parametric study was carried out to investigate the effects of the tangentially swirling air flow, the flow rate and oxygen concentration of atomizing gas, and the flow rate of liquid ethanol. Generally, an attached flame is lifted under a higher tangential velocity of air flow; increasing oxygen concentration of the atomizing gas flow leads to the height decrease of the flame lift-off, even the reattachment of the lifted flame; by raising the ethanol flow rate to exceed a critical value, the flame also lifts off. Furthermore, the evaporation time of droplets, residence time and chemical reaction time were calculated to quantify the flame lift-off behavior. The lifted flame can be established only when the evaporation time is larger than both the reaction time and the residence time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neuropeptide 26RFa plays important roles in the regulation of many physiological functions. 26RFa has been recognized as an endogenous ligand for receptor GPR103. In the present study, we demonstrate that GPR103 dually couples to Gαq and Gαi/o proteins. However, two naturally occurring missense mutations were identified from a young male patient. In the first, Y68H, induction of Ca2+ mobilization was noted without detection of ERK1/2 activation. In the second, R371W, the potential to activate ERK1/2 signaling was retained but with failure to evoke Ca2+ mobilization. Further analysis provides evidence that Gαq, L-type Ca2+ channel and PKCβI and βII are involved in the Y68H-mediated signaling pathway, whereas Gαi/o, Gβγ, and PKCζ are implicated in the R371W-induced signaling. Our results demonstrate that two point mutations, Y68H and R371W, affect the equilibrium between the different receptor conformations, leading to alteration of G protein-coupling preferences. Importantly, these findings provide a foundation for future elucidation of GPCR-mediated biased signaling and the physiological implications of their bias. • Upon challenge with 26RFa, human GPR103 dually couples to Gαq and Gαi/o proteins. • Human GPR103-mediated activation of ERK1/2 signaling is dominantly dependent on Gαi/o and Gβγ-coupled pathway. • Y68H, a naturally occurring GPR103 mutant, displays unique Gαq-functional bias, leading to an intracellular Ca2+ increase. • R371W, another naturally occurring GPR103 mutant, selectively activates Gαi/o and Gβγ-dependent ERK1/2 signaling cascade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]