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Flexible electronic products, with their characteristics of flexibility and wearability, have attracted significant attention and have become an important direction in the research and development of the electronics industry. Planar micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) with flexible composite electrodes can provide reliable energy support for these products, propelling their further development. The research employed a quick, effective, and environmentally friendly method of laser scribing to create shape-controllable flexible composite electrodes on composite films of Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and graphene oxide (PEDOT/GO), which were subsequently assembled into MSCs. An analysis of the composite electrode morphology, structure, and elemental distribution was conducted through the utilization of SEM, TEM, and XPS techniques. Following this, a comprehensive evaluation of the electrochemical performance of the flexible MSCs was carried out, which included cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), and assessment of cyclic stability. The analysis of the CV results indicated that the MSCs achieved the areal capacitance of 5.78 mF/cm2 at 5 mV/s. After 5000 cycles at a current density of 0.05 mA/cm2, the capacitance retention rate was 85.4%. The high areal capacitance and strong cycle stability of MSCs highlight the potential of PEDOT/reduced graphene oxide (PEDOT/rGO) electrodes in electrode applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precise molecular mechanism behind fetal growth restriction (FGR) is still unclear, although there is a strong connection between placental dysfunction, inadequate trophoblast invasion, and its etiology and pathogenesis. As a new type of non‐coding RNA, circRNA has been shown to play a crucial role in the development of FGR. This investigation identified the downregulation of hsa_circ_0034533 (circTHBS1) in FGR placentas through high‐sequencing analysis and confirmed this finding in 25 clinical placenta samples using qRT‐PCR. Subsequent in vitro functional assays demonstrated that silencing circTHBS1 inhibited trophoblast proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression and promoted apoptosis. Furthermore, when circTHBS1 was overexpressed, cell function experiments showed the opposite result. Analysis using fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed that circTHBS1 was primarily found in the cytoplasmic region. Through bioinformatics analysis, we anticipated the involvement of miR‐136‐3p and IGF2R in downstream processes, which was subsequently validated through qRT‐PCR and dual‐luciferase assays. Moreover, the inhibition of miR‐136‐3p or the overexpression of IGF2R partially reinstated proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities following the silencing of circTHBS1. In summary, the circTHBS1/miR‐136‐3p/IGF2R axis plays a crucial role in the progression and development of FGR, offering potential avenues for the exploration of biological indicators and treatment targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expansive soil exhibits remarkable characteristics of water absorption expansion and water loss shrinkage, rendering it susceptible to cracking under the alternating dry–wet environments of nature. The generation and development of cracks in expansive soil can result in catastrophic engineering accidents such as landslides. Vegetation protection is an important approach to stabilizing expansive soil slopes and fulfilling ecological protection requirements. In this study, through indoor experiments and theoretical analysis methods, the effects of Cynodon dactylon roots on the crack development and shear strength of expansive soil subjected to dry–wet cycles were analyzed, and the relationship between the crack development and shear strength decay in root-doped expansive soil was explored. Furthermore, the mechanism of vegetative root system action was elucidated. The results show that the Cynodon dactylon root system exerts a significant inhibitory effect on crack development in expansive soil. The crack indexes of root-doped expansive soil exhibit significant phase characteristics during the process of dry–wet cycles. The crack-blocking and reinforcing effect of the root system becomes pronounced as the root-to-soil mass ratio increases and the root diameter decreased. Moreover, the process of crack development in expansive soil is accompanied by a decrease in soil shear strength. The quantitative relationship between crack development and shear strength decay can serve as a basis for predicting the stability of slope soil. Overall, the results highlight the potential of vegetation-based approaches in protecting slopes with expansive soils and have practical implications for ecological protection and engineering design in areas with expansive soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective combination of polyoxometalates (POMs) and porous materials is a feasible method to solve the homogeneity of POMs and synthesize extremely stable POM-based catalysts. Herein, by using simple mechanochemical synthesis, we fabricated a series of composites constructed by Keggin-POMs, p-phenylenediamine (Pa-1), and 1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol (Tp), which in situ form a stable covalent organic framework (Keggin-POMs@TpPa-1). Notably, the different Keggin-POMs@TpPa-1 composites showed different catalytic effects on thioether oxidation reaction under mild conditions. From the comparison, the catalytic effect of PW12@TpPa-1 with its added amount of 27% H3PW12O40 is superior to that of other composites, whose catalytic efficiency can reach 99%. This study provides some inspiration for designing diverse POM-modified catalysts with outstanding stability and efficiency using COFs as supports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expansive soil exhibits remarkable characteristics of water absorption expansion and water loss shrinkage, rendering it susceptible to cracking under the alternating dry–wet environments of nature. The generation and development of cracks in expansive soil can result in catastrophic engineering accidents such as landslides. Vegetation protection is an important approach to stabilizing expansive soil slopes and fulfilling ecological protection requirements. In this study, through indoor experiments and theoretical analysis methods, the effects of Cynodon dactylon roots on the crack development and shear strength of expansive soil subjected to dry–wet cycles were analyzed, and the relationship between the crack development and shear strength decay in root-doped expansive soil was explored. Furthermore, the mechanism of vegetative root system action was elucidated. The results show that the Cynodon dactylon root system exerts a significant inhibitory effect on crack development in expansive soil. The crack indexes of root-doped expansive soil exhibit significant phase characteristics during the process of dry–wet cycles. The crack-blocking and reinforcing effect of the root system becomes pronounced as the root-to-soil mass ratio increases and the root diameter decreased. Moreover, the process of crack development in expansive soil is accompanied by a decrease in soil shear strength. The quantitative relationship between crack development and shear strength decay can serve as a basis for predicting the stability of slope soil. Overall, the results highlight the potential of vegetation-based approaches in protecting slopes with expansive soils and have practical implications for ecological protection and engineering design in areas with expansive soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) abnormalities are associated with many diseases. Previous attempts have been made to introduce various chemical groups such as alkynes, unsaturated olefins and alkyl halides to the C-terminus of ubiquitin (Ub) to capture the active-site cysteine residue in DUBs for structural and biochemical studies. Here, we find that a Ub C-terminal acyl azide can capture DUBs, thereby forming thioester bonds in buffers and cell lysates. This finding not only makes ubiquitin acyl azide a chemical probe for capturing DUBs, but also extends the utility of azide groups in biological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proenvironmental behavior of Sea Foods Enterprises is the microfoundation for the transformation and upgrading of the traditional marine aquatic industry. Integrating institutional theory and strategic cognitive theory, we use 221 marine aquaculture companies as research samples to explore the driving effect of strategic flexibility (resource flexibility and coordination flexibility) and institutional pressure (regulatory pressure and normative pressure) on proenvironmental behavior, and the mediating role of paradoxical cognition. The conclusion is as follows: (1) strategic flexibility and institutional pressure jointly drive Sea Food Enterprises to adopt proenvironmental behaviors, of which regulatory pressure has the most significant impact. (2) Paradox cognition plays a partial mediating role in the interaction between resource flexibility, coordination flexibility, regulatory pressure, and proenvironmental behavior. There is no mediating effect in the interaction between normative pressure and proenvironmental behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN), the leading cause of death in diabetic patients, is an important issue in preventing and reducing the disease burden for patients and the healthcare system. In this study, we aimed at investigating the value of color doppler ultrasonography in the diagnosis of early diabetic nephropathy (DN).Methods: Two hundred and thirty-eight diabetic patients, were enrolled in this study and were categorized into, either control (n = 109) or study group (n = 129), according to 24 hours urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), from January 2015 to March 2021. The morphologic findings of the kidneys were observed and compared, in both groups, by color doppler ultrasound technique, and blood flow of renal arteries was also measured, at all levels. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), uric acid, homocysteine, beta-2- microglobulin, cystatin C, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and CRP were also extracted from their laboratory results.Results: Compared to the control group, the study group had lower intrarenal arterial end-diastolic blood flow velocity (EDV) and higher arterial resistance index (RI) (P ~ < .05). A significant diagnostic value of intrarenal arterial EDV and RI was found for early detection of DN (P ~ < .05). Intrarenal arterial RI and EDV showed positive correlations with UAER, FPG, uric acid, homocysteine, beta-2-microglobulin, cystatin C, HbA1c, and CRP (P ~ < .05).Conclusion: Color doppler ultrasound markers of renal and intrarenal arteries has a high diagnostic value for DN at its early stage.  DOI: 10.52547/ijkd.7246. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Phosphomolybdate-containing compounds, as emblematic representatives of polyoxometalate-based functional materials, have garnered significant interest in recent years owing to their unique multi functionality properties in various fields. A multifunctional nickel-containing phosphomolybdate compound (H 3 DETA) 4 {Ni[Mo 6 O 12 (PO 4) 2 (OH) 3 (HPO 4) 2 ] 2 }·3H 2 O (1) (DETA = diethylenetriamine) was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized for its unique multifunctionality. The three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular networks of compound 1 is composed of {Ni[P 4 Mo 6 VO 31 ] 2 }22− polyanions and protonated organic cations (DETA) interacting by hydrogen bonds, exhibit excellent catalytic and electrochemical properties. Compound 1 serves as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the catalytic oxidation of sulfides to their corresponding sulfoxides, achieving a 99 % yield in 90 min. Simultaneously, compound 1 functions as electrocatalytic sensor for the electrochemical detection of Cr(VI), ascorbic acid (AA), and Fe(III), demonstrating excellent catalytic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wheat bran was passed through an 80-mesh sieve, and it was modified enzymatically with cellulase. The modification process conditions were optimized through single factor test and orthogonal test. The modified wheat bran was added to the flour and the farinographical property of the flour and the extensographical properties of the dough were explored. The results showed that the optimal process conditions for the enzymatic modification of wheat bran were cellulase addition 1. 0%, reaction temperature 65 °C reaction time 4.0 h, and pH value 4.0. Under these conditions, the extraction rate of SDF was 12.59%. With the increase of modified wheat bran addition, the water absorption rate of the flour increased, the dough formation time and weakening degree increased slowly, the stabilization time extensibility and tensile area of the dough decreased, and the tensile resistance and tensile ratio showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. After waking 90 and 135 min, the tensile resistance and tensile ratio of the dough increased with the addition of modified wheat bran, reaching the highest values at 4% and 8%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the reaction mechanism of 2-ethylanthraquinone (eAQ) and Tetrahydro-2-ethyl anthraquinone (H4eAQ) hydrogenation over Pd and Pd-M bimetallic catalysts (M = Ni and Cu) was first investigated by density functional theory (DFT) using VASP software. The simulation results showed that the reaction mechanism of eAQ and H4eAQ over different catalysts is similar. The three benzene rings of eAQ or H4eAQ are on bridge sites over the surface of Pd(111) or PdM(111). Dihydrogen is preferentially adsorbed on the top site of a Pd atom in Pd-eAQ or Pd-H4eAQ model, and then the hydrogen atoms dissociated from dihydrogen are located at two neighboring threefold hollow fcc positions. The two carbonyl oxygen atoms of eAQ and H4eAQ successively react with the hydrogen atoms on the surface of Pd(111) or PdM to produce anthrahydroquinone (eAQ) and tetrahydroanthrahydroquinone (H4eAQ), respectively. Moreover, the simulation results showed that the reaction activation energy for the hydrogenation of H4eAQ and eAQ over Pd-Ni bimetallic catalyst is lower than those over other catalysts, which is attributed to the better synergy of Pd and Ni on the surface of Pd-Ni bimetallic catalyst. The reaction activation energy of the hydrogenation of H4eAQ is lower than that of the hydrogenation of eAQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various pathogenic microorganisms present in municipal solid waste (MSW) can pose significant hazards to both the environment and public health. Spraying Slightly Acidic Electrolyzed Water (SAEW) is an effective method for decontaminating microorganisms in the air and on surfaces in the waste sorting rooms. SAEW treatment, with an effective chlorine concentration (ECC) of 28.4–44.5 mg/L and a pH range of 5.0–6.5, was conducted in the waste sorting rooms of the old, high-rise, and villa residential communities in Shanghai, China. The efficacy of SAEW treatment was assessed by examining the microbial population in the air, on waste containers, on sanitation workers' hands, and the microbial community structure of MSW samples. SAEW treatment resulted in the total bacterial reduction ranging from 0.07 to 1.70 log 10 colony-forming units (CFU)/cm2 on waste containers, with corresponding reduction efficiencies between 15.7% and 98.0%. Additionally, the positive rates of coliforms were decreased by 18.7%–95.2%. Furthermore, the application of SAEW demonstrated a significant impact on reducing airborne bacterial and fungal levels. SAEW was proven effective on object surfaces, in the air and on human skin, achieving disinfection efficiencies ranging from 22.7% to 54.3% on sanitation workers' hands. And the most significant inhibition of microbial growth was observed in the waste sorting room of the villa residential community. The microbial diversity and structure of MSW samples exhibited noticeable differences before and after the SAEW application. These findings suggest that SAEW holds significant potential as an ideal, environmentally friendly broad-spectrum disinfectant for preventing and controlling microbial contamination in the waste sorting rooms. [Display omitted] • Microbial contamination was reduced with SAEW in waste sorting rooms. • SAEW was proven effective on object surfaces, in the air and on human skin. • SAEW changed the microbial diversity and structure of MSW samples. • The bacterial reduction efficiencies of SAEW on waste containers were 15.7%–98.0%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal protein malnutrition leads to liver dysfunction and increases susceptibility to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adult fetal growth restriction (FGR) offspring, yet the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Peroxisomes play vital roles in fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) and detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Using a well-defined rat model, the peroxins (PEXs), fatty acid metabolic enzymes, and oxidase stress regulators were investigated in the liver of FGR offspring. The results revealed that PEX3, 11b, 14, and 19 were obviously reduced in the fetal liver and lasted to adulthood, suggesting a decrease in the biogenesis and division of peroxisomes. FA metabolism enzymes and ferroptosis regulators were deregulated. To further investigate this association, small interfering RNA was employed to achieve knockdown (KD) of PEX14 in BRL cells (a rat hepatocyte line). PEX14 KD led to dysregulation of PEXs and long-chain FAs accumulation. PEX14 deficiency caused ROS accumulation and lipid peroxidation, finally induced regulated cell death (including apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis). Double knock down (DKD) of PEX14 and fatty acyl-CoA reductase 1 (FAR1) revealed that PEX14 KD-induced ferroptosis was related with enhanced FAR1 level. DKD of PEX14 and Atg5 further confirmed that PEX14 KD-induced cell death was partly autophagy-dependent. Overall, these data demonstrate a vital role for PEX14 in maintaining peroxisome function and liver physiology, and suggest that hepatocyte peroxisome defects partly explain liver dysplasia and lipid metabolism disorders in fetal original liver disease. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are closely related to the occurrence of cancer, but its mechanism in gastric cancer (GC) is still largely unclear.Aims: This study aimed to reveal the underlying mechanism of LncRNA ANCR in GC.Methods: The expression of LncRNA ANCR was detected by qRT-PCR. ELISA was used to identify THP-1 cells into macrophage M1 type polarization. After macrophages overexpressing LncRNA ANCR were co-cultured with GC cell HGC-27, the invasion and metastasis of GC were analyzed by Transwell assay. The targeted regulation of FoxO1 by LncRNA ANCR was analyzed by RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and Western blot. The BALB/c nude mouse model of GC was established to analyze the effect of LncRNA ANCR on tumor growth.Results: LncRNA ANCR was highly expressed in GC. The overexpression of LncRNA ANCR in macrophages reduced the concentrations of M1 macrophage polarized marker molecules IL-1β and IL-6 in the supernatant of cells, and inhibited the polarization of macrophages to M1, while the knockdown of LncRNA ANCR produced the opposite effect. The co-culture of macrophages overexpressing LncRNA ANCR with GC cells promoted the invasion and migration of cells. LncRNA ANCR targeted FoxO1 and inhibited the expression of FoxO1 in THP-1 cells by promoting FoxO1 ubiquitination degradation. In addition, the overexpression of LncRNA ANCR promoted tumor growth in a BALB/c nude mouse model of GC, while the knockdown of LncRNA ANCR produced the opposite effect.Conclusions: Based on these results, the overexpression of LncRNA ANCR promoted the invasion and metastasis of GC cells via down-regulating FoxO1 to inhibit macrophage polarization to M1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzyme mimics have been widely used as alternatives to natural enzymes, owing to their high stability and low cost. However, the activity and atom economy of enzyme mimics still need to be improved. Herein, we report the boosting effects of amino acids, peptides and proteins on the peroxidase‐like activity of Co2+. Among 20 amino acids, tryptophan (Trp) enhanced the activity of Co2+ approximately 8 times and was identified as the best stimulator. The study revealed the synergy of amino acids‐based species and HCO3− for efficient catalysis. Co2+ is proposed to bind simultaneously to HCO3− and Trp, and to form a ternary catalyst which facilitates the generation of reactive oxygen species. Based on the selective boosting by Trp, a simple and low‐cost Co2+ sensor with high sensitivity was developed, which showed a linear range of 10–300 μM and a limit of detection of 0.4 μM for Co2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional machine learning methods have certain limitations in constructing high-precision estimation models and improving generalization ability, but ensemble learning that combines multiple different single models into one model is significantly better than that obtained by a single machine learning model. When the types of data sets are diversified and the scale is increasing, the ensemble learning algorithm has the problem of incomplete representation of features. At this time, convolutional neural network (CNN) with excellent feature learning ability makes up for the shortcomings of ensemble learning. In this paper, an ensemble learning framework for convolutional neural network based on multiple classifiers is proposed. First, this method mainly classifies UCI data sets using the ensemble learning algorithms based on multiple classifiers. Then, feature extraction is performed on the image data set MNIST using a convolutional neural network, and the extracted features are applied as input to be classified using an ensemble learning framework. The experimental results show that the accuracy of ensemble learning is higher than the accuracy of a single classifier and the accuracy of CNN + ensemble learning framework is higher than the accuracy of ensemble learning framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Y2O3:Er3+ translucent ceramics was fabricated with addition of La(OH)3 nanopowder as a sintering aid. The influence of La(OH)3 addition on the microstructure, transmittance and upconversion luminescence of Y2O3:Er3+ ceramics was investigated in detail. The results show that the ceramics sample with 5 mol % La(OH)3 additives exhibits finer microstructure with fewer pores and higher optical transmittance than others. It was proved that La(OH)3 additives could greatly reduce the porosity and improve the transparency of Y2O3:Er3+ ceramics. By using a 980 nm diode laser as a pumping source, the Y2O3:Er3+ ceramics gave bright visible upconversion luminescence, which was ascribed to the radiative transitions of 2H11/2,4S3/2 →4I15/2 and 4F9/2 →4I15/2 of Er3+ ions, respectively. The possible upconversion mechanism has been proposed accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence suggests that fetal growth restriction (FGR) leads to the development of diabetes mellitus in adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of protein malnutrition in utero on the pancreatic unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway in FGR offspring. An FGR model was developed by feeding a low-protein diet to pregnant rats throughout gestation. Eighty-four UPR pathway components in the pancreas were investigated by quantitative PCR arrays and confirmed by qPCR and western blotting. Activating transcription factor (Atf4 and Atf6), herpud1, protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (Perk), X-box binding protein 1 (Xbp1), and the phosphorylation of eIF2α were upregulated, while cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein 3-like protein was markedly downregulated in FGR fetuses compared with controls. Investigation in adult offspring revealed temporal changes, for most UPR factors restored to normal, except that dysregulation of Atf6 and Creb3l3 maintained until adulthood. Moreover, autophagy was suppressed in FGR fetal pancreas and may be associated with decreased activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (Ampk). Apoptosis regulators Bax and cleaved-caspase 3 and 9 were upregulated in FGR fetal pancreas. Given that islet size and number were decreased in FGR fetus, we speculated that the aberrant intrauterine milieu impaired UPR signaling in fetal pancreas development. Whether these alterations early in life contribute to the predisposition of FGR fetuses to adult metabolic disorders invites further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2.7 μm emission properties and energy transfer mechanism of Nd3+/Er3+ co-doped sodium tellurite glasses are investigated in present paper. Absorption and emission spectra were tested to characterize the 2.7 μm emission properties of Nd3+/Er3+ co-doped sodium tellurite glasses and a reasonable energy transfer mechanism of 2.7 μm emission between Er3+ and Nd3+ ions was proposed. Intense 2.7 μm emission was obtained from Nd3+/Er3+ co-doped sodium tellurite glasses due to the efficient energy transfer from Nd3+ to Er3+ ions under 808 nm LD pumping. Meanwhile, strongly decreased 545 nm up-conversion and 1.5 μm emissions were observed. Additionally, to obtain efficient 2.7 μm emission, the optimized concentration ratio of Nd3+ to Er3+ was found to be 0.5:1 in present glass system. Our results suggest that the present Nd3+/Er3+ co-doped sodium tellurite glass might have potential application in mid-infrared lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Several clinical studies have shown an association between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and asthma; however, the molecular link between these conditions remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a reanalysis and repurposing of existing databases in order to depict the common key genes, related signaling pathways, and similarity of the immune microenvironment between PCOS and asthma. Methods: PCOS and asthma data sets were downloaded, and common signal pathways were identified by using gene set enrichment analysis. Identified common susceptibility genes were explored by intersecting the weighted gene coexpression network analysis module genes for both diseases. Then, we performed protein–protein interaction, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses of the common susceptibility genes. Finally, we analyzed the immune environment of PCOS and asthma. Results: We identified five hub genes, namely, MMP9, CDC42, CD44, CD19, and BCL2L1, and uncovered that these five hub genes showed a tendency to be upregulated in both PCOS and asthma and possessed good diagnostic ability. In addition, we revealed that both PCOS and asthma were significantly enriched in the FcεRI‐mediated signaling pathway. Moreover, we found that both PCOS and asthma exhibited infiltration of similar types of immune cells, such as monocytes, suggesting that the two diseases have similar pathological features. Conclusion: PCOS and asthma share common causative genes with a similar immune environment. Taken together, we uncovered previously unsuspected traits for comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of PCOS and asthma in the future. Synopsis: Polycystic ovary syndrome and asthma share common characteristic genes and related signaling pathways and have a similar immune microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes induces vascular endothelial cell apoptosis and subsequent vasculopathy. The aim of the current study was to investigate the pathological mechanism of hyperglycemia-induced endothelial cell apoptosis and vasculopathy using human umbilical vein endothelial cells. As high glucose-induced apoptosis is caused by elevated mitochondrial permeability-mediated release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, the current study examined voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC1), the controller of mitochondrial permeability, and its regulators, hexokinase2 (HK2), Bcl-2 and Bax. The current study demonstrated that HK2 may be involved in high glucose-induced cell apoptosis, as HK2 overexpression partially reversed high glucose-induced downregulation of mitochondrial/cellular HK2 and Bcl-2 as well as upregulation of mitochondrial Bax. These results suggest that HK2 overexpression partially reversed the reduced binding of HK2 and Bcl-2 and the enhanced binding of Bax to VDAC1, which reduced the high mitochondrial permeability observed under high-glucose conditions. Furthermore, high glucose reduced HK2 transcription via down-regulation of the HK2 transcriptional factor, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ). Taken together, these results suggest that PPARγ/HK2 may be novel targets for the prevention of diabetic vasculopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cobalt oxide supported ordered mesoporous carbon (CoO-OMC) facilely prepared. • CoO-OMC exhibited excellent peroxidase-like activity. • Coupled with glucose oxidase, a simple colorimetric glucose sensor developed. • The as-prepared sensor applicable to detect glucose in human serums accurately. Nano-based mimetic enzymes have been widely used for catalysis due to their large specific surface area, high stability and activity. Herein a new nanocomposite cobalt oxide (CoO) assembled onto ordered-mesoporous carbon (CoO-OMC) is reported, which shows good peroxidase-like activity upon the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2). The apparent maximum velocity (V max) and apparent Michaelis–Menten constant (K m) were 2.66 × 10−7 M s−1 and 3.29 mM, respectively. Since the glucose oxidation and TMB oxidation can be bridged by the quantitation of H 2 O 2 , therefore, coupled with glucose oxidase, the as-prepared CoO-OMC nanocomposite was applied for the colorimetric detection of glucose in the linear range of 0.1–5.0 mM and the limit of detection of 68 μM glucose. Further, the nanozyme catalyzing platform was used to detect glucose in human serums with good accuracy and reproducibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3% Er3+ dope tungsten-tellurite glass exhibits an intense 2.7 μm emission as well as a short lifetime of 1.5 μm emission, which is beneficial for mid-infrared laser. • A strong 2.7 μm emission is obtained in highly Er3+ doped tungsten-tellurite glasses. • The excited-state absorption (ESA) from Er3+: 4I 13/2 level is beneficial for 2.7 μm emission. • The lifetime of Er3+: 4I 13/2 level is decreased with the concentration of Er3+ ions. • The best concentration of Er3+ ions for 2.7 μm emission in TWL glass is 3 mol%. With 980 nm laser diode (LD) pumping sources, 2.7 µm emission of Er3+-doped tungsten-tellurite (TWL) glasses were investigated. Absorption spectra were measured and an irregularly increased absorption predicted the phenomena of concentration quenching or clustering at 4 mol% Er 2 O 3 concentration. Emission properties of 2.7 µm, 1.5 µm and visible regions were tested to evaluate the energy transfer process of Er3+ ions. With the increment of Er3+ ions, the excited-state absorption (ESA) from Er3+: 4I 13/2 level was becoming more apparent and the lifetime of 1.5 µm emission was decreased. At the same time, the up-conversion emissions at green and red regions were decreased. These phenomena gave the evidence of concentration quenching or clustering. Thus, the best concentration of Er3+ ions in this tungsten-tellurite glass was about 3 mol%. Based on its advantages on high solubility of Er3+ ions, strong emission and good thermal stability, tungsten-tellurite glass is a good candidate for mid-infrared laser matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expression of potassium ion channel subunit 1.2 (Kv1.2) in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) influences the excitability of neurons, which contributes to the induction and development of neuropathic pain (NPP); however, the molecular mechanisms underlying the downregulation of Kv1.2 in NPP remain unknown. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are reported to attenuate the development of pain hypersensitivity in rats with NPP. Whether HDAC inhibitors contribute to regulation of Kv1.2 expression, and which specific HDAC subunit is involved in NPP, remain unexplored. In this study we established a chronic constrictive injury (CCI) model and used western blot, quantitative real-time PCR, immunostaining, intrathecal injection, and siRNA methods to explore which HDAC subunit is involved in regulating Kv1.2 expression to mediate NPP. Our results demonstrated that nerve injury led to upregulation of HDAC1 expression in the DRG, and of HDAC2 in the DRG and spinal cord. Double-labeling immunofluorescence histochemistry showed that Kv1.2 principally co-localized with HDAC2, but not HDAC1, in NF200-positive large neurons of the DRG. Intrathecal injection with the HDAC inhibitor, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, attenuated mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity and reversed the decreased expression of Kv1.2 in rats with CCI. Furthermore, treatment with HDAC2, but not HDAC1, siRNA also relieved mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity and upregulated the Kv1.2 expression in this model. In vitro transfection of PC12 cells with HDAC2 and HDAC1 siRNA confirmed that only HDAC2 siRNA could regulate the expression of Kv1.2. These findings suggest that HDAC2, but not HDAC1, is involved in NPP through regulation of Kv1.2 expression. • The HDAC inhibitor increased Kv1.2 expression after nerve injury. • Kv1.2 co-localized with HDAC2, but not HDAC1, in the rat DRG. • Treatment with HDAC2 siRNA relieved pain and upregulated Kv1.2 expression. • Nerve injury induces the higher binding between histone H3 and Kcna2 in rat DRG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract 0.8% Pd-0.4% La/SiO 2 /cordierite monolithic catalyst exhibits the highest H 2 O 2 yield (7.7 g·L−1) and selectivity (95%) for the hydrogenation of 2-ethylanthraquinone with anthraquinone method. Highlights • A series of Pd-La(Zn)/SiO 2 /cordierite bimetallic monolithic catalysts were prepared. • 0.8%Pd-0.4%La/SiO 2 /COR catalyst is superior to 1.2%Pd/SiO 2 /COR due to synergistic effect. • The mechanism of eAQ-PdM (M = La and Zn) surface interactions was explored by DFT calculations. Abstract A series of Pd-La/SiO 2 /cordierite (cordierite = COR) and Pd-Zn/SiO 2 /COR bimetallic monolithic catalysts were prepared, characterized, and tested for the hydrogenation of 2-ethylanthraquinone (eAQ) as the key step of anthraquinone method for production of H 2 O 2. It was found that the metal particle size is remarkably dependent on the Pd/M (M = La, and Zn) mass ratio of bimetallic monolithic catalysts. By virtue of its small metal particle size and the strong interaction, the 0.8% Pd-0.4% La/SiO 2 /COR monolithic catalyst presents the highest H 2 O 2 yield (7.7 g L−1) and selectivity toward active quinones (95%), which is attributed to the addition of La leading to the synergistic effect between Pd and La. Moreover, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations for the adsorption of eAQ over the surface of Pd-La/SiO 2 /COR and Pd-Zn/SiO 2 /COR bimetallic monolithic catalysts have been conducted to further understand the mechanism of molecule–surface interactions between eAQ and the PdM(1 1 1) or Pd(1 1 1) surfaces. Detailed studies showed that the high catalytic activity of Pd-La/SiO 2 /COR bimetallic monolithic catalyst is attributed to the stronger adsorption between Pd 3 La 1 (1 1 1) and the carbonyl group of eAQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel YOF:Er,Yb ceramic was successfully fabricated by vacuum hot-press sintering method for the first time, and its phase, microstructure and upconversion luminescence were investigated. It was found that the ceramic showed very dense microstructure with few pores. Under 980 nm excitation, strong green (526 nm and 546 nm) and red (668 nm) upconversion emissions of Er 3+ ions in the ceramic were observed. The upconversion mechanism was proposed based on the power dependence of the upconverted emissions. In addition, the temperature sensing behavior of the YOF:Er,Yb ceramic was investigated from 293 K to 873 K by using the fluorescence intensity ratio technique, and the maximum absolute sensitivity is 0.00882 K −1 at 873 K and the maximum relative sensitivity is 1.35% K −1 at 293 K. These results indicate that the fabricated YOF:Er,Yb ceramic is promising host material for optical temperature sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluoride glasses with introduced TeO 2 were investigated in present study to develop efficient glass host for Er 3+ : 2.7  μm laser materials. The physicochemical properties, emission properties, as well as local structure surrounding erbium ions were discussed successively. In spite of little effects on thermal stability and refractive index with the introduced TeO 2 , it is clear in the emission spectra that 2.7 and 1.5  μm emission intensities were improved with the increase of TeO 2 until 4  mol %. According to the XRD data, it can be concluded that there is no crystal phase in these samples. Based on the analysis of XPS spectra, it was found that the introduced oxygen anions participate in the network forming of glass. Thus, the increased 2.7  μm emission can be summarized as the changed symmetrical characteristic surrounding erbium ions. This result indicates that the main factor for 2.7  μm emission is local structure surrounding Er 3+ ions, especially the bonds connected with erbium cations (Er―F and Er―O). Based on above analysis, ZBLAN glass with TeO 2 (4  mol %) might be a new potential choice for 2.7  μm solid-state laser materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible/foldable energy storage devices with high gravimetric energy density are highly desired due to the development of wearable electronic equipment. In this work, highly flexible/foldable MnO-based lithium-ion battery anode composed of MnO nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon nanofibers (MnO nanoparticles@CNFs) are fabricated by hydrothermal, electrospinning and subsequently thermal treatment. The freestanding, foldable carbon nanofibers membrane with sufficient void space in carbon nanofibers and containing over 50 wt % of MnO can be directly used as a freestanding anode for LIBs. This hybrid membrane electrode exhibites remarkable reversible capacity (773 mA h g -1 at 0.2 A g −1 after 100 cycles). It also shows outstanding rate capability (407 mA h g -1 at 2 A g −1 ) and robust long cycling stability with specific capacity (400 mA h g -1 at 1 A g −1 after 500 cycles). This work proposes a simple, low-cost and environmental friendly method for preparing free-standing and binder-free composite membrane electrodes with sufficient buffer space, high loading and remarkable electrochemical properties used in lithium ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the hydrodynamic and mass transfer performances in multiphase monolithic reactor with different distributors by the combination of experiments and CFD simulation. The experimental results showed that the pressure drop in the monolithic bed with packed bed distributor is lower than that with other distributors, and that the liquid holdup follows the trend of packed bed distributor > foam distributor > porcelain ring distributor. Moreover, the gas-liquid mass transfer coefficients increase with the increase of superficial velocities of both gas and liquid phases, and mainly depend on the superficial liquid velocity. The CFD simulation showed that the gas-liquid phase distribution is mainly dependent on the superficial velocity of liquid phase, and the changes of superficial gas velocity don’t have an obvious effect on the gas-liquid phase distribution. Furthermore, the experimental and simulated results showed that the mass transfer coefficients in the monolithic bed with packed bed distributor is much higher than those with foam distributor and porcelain ring distributor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“Aggregation-caused signal change”, a well-established mechanism, should not be ignored for sensing, while small molecule based on self-assembly and disaggregation has been studied and used for protein detection. In this work, we have synthesized a novel fluorescent chemosensor SQ with a polyether chain to enhance water solubility, and this has been used for the detection of human serum albumin (HSA) in aqueous solution with excellent sensitivity and selectivity. SQ was aggregated into nanoparticles with an average particle size of 458 nm in neutral solution and showed fluorescence silent due to the aggregation-induced quenching. However, addition of HSA decreased the average particle size of SQ to 295 nm and released the fluorescence because of the reassembly of the SQ -HSA complex. More importantly, HSA could be selectively detected in the presence of other biological proteins and the main physiological inorganic anions and cations with the detection limit estimated as 15.6 nM according to 3σ/ k . This versatile strategy suggests that squaraine dyes can be used as fluorescence-enhanced probes for the quantitative detection of HSA as well as in applications for the detection of HSA in urine samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Pd/zeolite/cordierite (zeolite = MCM-41, SBA-15, Beta, or MCM-22; cordierite = COR) monolithic catalysts, as well as Pd/ZIF-8/COR, Pd/Al 2 O 3 /COR, and Pd/SiO 2 /COR, were prepared, characterized, and evaluated for the hydrogenation of 2-ethylanthraquinone (eAQ) to 2-ethyl-9,10-anthrahydroquinone (eAQH 2 ). We found that a 0.8% Pd/MCM-41/COR catalyst exhibited the highest H 2 O 2 yield (7.54 g L −1 ) and selectivity (85.3%) toward active quinones for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) production using the anthraquinone method. Notably, the Pd efficiency (1573 gH 2 O 2 g −1 Pd h −1 ) for the 0.8% Pd/MCM-41/COR monolithic catalyst was much higher than that of a commercial pellet catalyst (500 gH 2 O 2 g −1 Pd h −1 ). The intrinsic kinetics of hydrogenation of eAQ over 0.8% Pd/MCM-41/COR was measured, and the kinetic equation parameters were incorporated into a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. The mass transfer coefficients for the monolithic catalysts are 5–20 times higher than the pelleted catalyst. In addition, we found that the gas-liquid mass transfer is the controlling step, showing the unique advantages of monolithic catalysts for process intensification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel erbium ion doped zinc fluoride glass was prepared. 2.7 μm emission and transmittance properties together with thermal ability were investigated. An enhanced 2.7 μm emission was observed by introducing ZnF 2 in the ZrF 4 -based fluoride glass. Meanwhile, the J-O parameters and branching ratios (β) of Er 3 + -doped zinc fluoride glass were calculated and analyzed. The present Er 3+ -doped zinc fluoride glass with large emission cross-section (0.92 × 10 − 20 cm 2 ) and long decay lifetime (2.05 ms) at 2.7 μm indicates that it have very promising applications for solid state lasers around 3 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel fabrication of Y 2 O 3 :Tm,Yb translucent ceramics by sintering method using synthetic YF 3 :Tm,Yb microtube powders was reported for the first time. The experimental results showed that the full dense microstructure could be obtained with grain size of about 2 μm. The obtained Y 2 O 3 :Tm,Yb ceramics had less pores and high optical transparency. By using a 980 nm diode laser as the pumping source, the Y 2 O 3 :Tm,Yb ceramics gave intense blue and red upconversion luminescence emissions, which were ascribed to the radiative transitions of 1 G 4 → 3 H 6, 1 G 4 → 3 F 4 and 3 F 2,3 → 3 H 6 of Tm 3+ ions, respectively. The dependence of upconversion emission intensity on the excitation power was examined, and the possible upconversion mechanisms had been proposed accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the gas-liquid two-phase flow patterns and characteristics in Taylor flow regime in monolith channel were simulated by means of volume of fluid (VOF) method taking benzene and propylene as model system. Four types of flow patterns (i.e., bubbly flow, Taylor flow, Taylor-annular flow, and annular flow) were first identified in the range of gas velocity from 0.01 to 3.0 m s −1 and liquid velocity from 0.01 to 0.05 m s −1 . Then, the effect of contact angle and superficial velocity on hydrodynamic performance was investigated, confirming that the angle 0° is more appropriate. The hydrodynamic performance was intensified in the region of thin liquid film between gas bubble and the wall as well as the interface between gas bubble caps and liquid slug. Finally, the mass transfer performance of two-phase flow in monolith channel was investigated using one Taylor unit cell model. It was found that the mass transfer coefficients for monolith catalyst in Taylor flow regime is at least one order of magnitude higher than those for both structured catalytic packings and traditional pellet catalyst, exhibiting the advantage of monolith catalyst for process intensification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a series of Pd/SiO 2 /COR (cordierite) catalysts with different Pd contents were successfully prepared by impregnation method. The obtained Pd/SiO 2 /COR catalyst samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), BET, hydrogen temperature programmed reduction (H 2 -TPR), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) show that Pd element is mainly in the state of PdO, and 1.5% Pd/SiO 2 /COR catalyst with the theoretical Pd content of 1.5% has the most PdO content on the monolith channel surface when compared to other Pd content monolith catalysts in this paper. Then in the experiment it was found the optimum catalyst is 1.5% Pd/SiO 2 /COR, which is consistent with XPS results. The STY can achieve 793.2 g H 2 O 2 g −1 Pd h −1 over 1.5% Pd/SiO 2 /COR catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular endothelial cells can survive under hypoxic and inflammatory conditions by alterations of the cellular energy metabolism. In addition to high rates of glycolysis, glutaminolysis is another important way of providing the required energy to support cellular sprouting in such situations. However, the exact mechanism in which endothelial cells upregulate glutaminolysis remains unclear. Here we demonstrated that protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)-mediated Raf-MEK-ERK signaling was involved in glutaminolysis in endothelial cells. Using models of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), we observed a dramatic induction in cellular glutamate levels accompanied by Raf-MEK-ERK activation. By addition of U0126, the specific inhibitor of MEK1/2, the expression of kidney-type glutaminase (KGA, a critical glutaminase in glutaminolysis) was significantly decreased. Moreover, inhibition of PP2A by okadaic acid (OA), a specific inhibitor of PP2A phosphatase activity or by depletion of its catalytic subunit (PP2Ac), led to a significant inactivation of Raf-MEK-ERK signaling and reduced glutaminolysis in endothelial cells. Taken together, these results indicated that PP2A-dependent Raf-MEK-ERK activation was involved in glutaminolysis and inhibition of PP2A signals was sufficient to block Raf-MEK-ERK pathway and reduced glutamine metabolism in endothelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 :Yb 3+ /Ln 3+ (Ln = Ho, Er, Tm) translucent ceramics were successfully fabricated by sintering method using synthetic nano-sized Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 :5% Yb 3+ , 1% Ln 3+ powders for the first time. The effect of pressure and grinding on the microstructure, light transmission of the three ceramics samples was investigated. It was demonstrated that less microscopic flaws (micro-cracks and internal pores) and higher light transmission in the Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 :Yb 3+ /Ln 3+ ceramics could be obtained by increasing the compacting pressure and powder grinding time. The upconversion luminescence was studied on the Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 :Yb 3+ /Ho 3+ , Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 :Yb 3+ /Er 3+ and Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 :Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ ceramics pumped by a 980 nm diode laser, intense green, yellow and blue upconversion emissions were observed, respectively. The dependence of upconversion emission intensity on the excitation power was examined, and the possible upconversion mechanisms had been proposed accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The coupling of catalysis and extraction for PODEn showed excellent activity from FA. • Stronger extraction ability of extractant for FA generated higher yield of PODE 3-8. • The PODE 3-8 yield enhanced from 6.12% to 55.86% significantly with the addition of EDC. • Low-cost FA as raw material is more conducive to industrial production of PODE 3-8. The coupling of catalysis and extraction for the synthesis of polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (PODEn) was investigated from low-cost formaldehyde (FA) and dimethoxymethane (DMM). The process used sulfonic acid resins as catalysts and suitable organic solvents as the extractant. The effects of resin acidity, acid content, and pore structure on the catalytic performance were investigated. The correlation between the partition coefficient of FA and catalytic activity for preparation of PODEn was studied. It was found that the yield of PODE 3-8 was significantly higher than that without the use of extractant. Dimethoxymethane (EDC) exhibited the highest performance. The effect of various factors on the catalytic reaction, such as the amount of catalyst, the molar ratio of FA to DMM, reaction temperature, reaction time and the types and dosage of different extractants, were explored. Under the optimal conditions of n FA :n DMM = 2:1, 80 °C, 4 wt% D002 catalyst, v EDC:DMM+FA = 1:1 and 8 h, the PODE 3-8 yield enhanced from 6.12% to 55.86%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Flue gas was utilized towards MSWI-FA for immobilizing Pb and neutralizing alkalis. • A maximum 95.66% of Pb leaching toxicity was reduced after 4.5 h carbonation. • A standardized leaching pH of 8.80 was realized after 4.5 h carbonation. • The co-treatment was mainly attributed to the protection from CaCO 3 boundary layer. • The reduction of carbon emission and operation cost were achieved in this study. Immobilizing heavy metal lead (Pb) and controlling alkalinity are crucial for municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWI-FA) while carbon emission from incineration flue gas has hardly peaked yet. In this study, an actual flue gas from biogas plant was used for stabilizing Pb and neutralizing alkalis in MSWI-FA. Results indicated that carbonation process further incremented the Pb immobilization rate by 58.99%–95.66% based on agent treatment. With increasing carbonation time to 4.5 h, the unstable exchangeable fraction tended to zero, contributing to a leaching decrease of Pb correlated with pH, except in a strongly acidic environment. The formation of calcium carbonate boundary layer made Pb leachability less susceptible to the influence from curing time, while reduced the leaching pH to standard-satisfied 8.80. After the carbonation, 0.13 g CO2 /g MSWI-FA was calculated as the theoretical carbon dioxide (CO 2) capture capacity, with a cost reduction of 5.5% compared to direct agent treatment. All the results demonstrated that the flue gas carbonation combined with agent stabilization was a promising choice for MSWI-FA treatment due to the upgrade of economy and downgrade of carbon emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CeO 2 :1%Er, CeO 2 :1%Er, 5%Li and CeO 2 :1%Er, 10%Li translucent ceramics were fabricated for the first time. Under the 980 nm diode laser excitation, the ceramics gave intense green (520–570 nm) and red (640–680 nm) upconversion luminescence, which were ascribed to the radiative transitions of 2 H 11/2 , 4 S 3/2 → 4 I 15/2 and 4 F 9/2 → 4 I 15/2 of Er 3+ ions, respectively. It was worthy to point out that the above upconversion luminescence intensity of CeO 2 :Er, Li ceramics was greatly enhanced, and the preliminary observation suggests that the transmittance of CeO 2 :Er, Li ceramics in the visible spectral region was improved when Li + ions were introduced as ceramics fluxing agent. The effect of Li + ions doping on microstructure and upconversion emission of CeO 2 :Er translucent ceramics was investigated and the possible reasons for these results were presented, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgenic corn producing Cry1Ac toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) provides effective control of Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée), and thus reduces insecticide applications. However, whether Bt corn exerts undesirable effects on non-target arthropods (NTAs) is still controversial. We conducted a 2-yr study in Shangzhuang Agricultural Experiment Station to assess the potential impact of Bt corn on field population density, biodiversity, community composition and structure of NTAs. On each sampling date, the total abundance, Shannon's diversity index, Pielou's evenness index and Simpson's diversity index were not significantly affected by Bt corn as compared to non-Bt corn. The “sampling dates” had a significant effect on these indices, but no clear tendencies related to “Bt corn” or “sampling dates X corn variety” interaction were recorded. Principal response curve analysis of variance indicated that Bt corn did not alter the distribution of NTAs communities. Bray-Curtis dissimilarity and distance analysis showed that Cry1Ac toxin exposure did not increase community dissimilarities between Bt and non-Bt corn plots and that the evolution of non-target arthropod community was similar on the two corn varieties. The cultivation of Bt corn failed to show any detrimental evidence on the density of non-target herbivores, predators and parasitoids. The composition of herbivores, predators and parasitoids was identical in Bt and non-Bt corn plots. Taken together, results from the present work support that Bt corn producing Cry1Ac toxins does not adversely affect NTAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been demonstrated that fingerprint recognition systems are susceptible to spoofing by presenting a well-duplicated synthetic such as a gummy finger. This paper proposes a novel software-based liveness detection approach using multiple static features. Given a fingerprint image, the static features, including fingerprint coarseness, first-order statistics and intensity-based features, are extracted. Unlike previous methods, the fingerprint coarseness is modeled as multiplicative noise rather than additive noise and is extracted by cepstral analysis. A random forest classifier is employed to select effective features among the extracted features and to differentiate fake from live fingerprints. The proposed method has been evaluated on the standard database provided in the Fingerprint Liveness Detection Competition 2009 (LivDet2009). Compared with other state-of-the-art methods, the proposed method reduces the average classification error rate by more than 20%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two key issues in the area of waste management: one is stabilizing heavy metal, lead (Pb), in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWI-FA), the other is enhancing nitrogen utilization efficiency from organic waste. However, the connection between both issues was limited. In this study, a novel organic chelating agent based on food waste, FW-CA, was produced for immobilizing Pb. A maximum 86.22% of polypeptide in hydrolysis liquid of FW was utilized for preparing FW-CA with a yield of 8.22 g/L. Results indicated that FW-CA-stabilized fly ash satisfied the criteria of GB 18598–2019 with a dosage of 4.6%, lower than the demand of pure chemicals and industrially applied chelating agents. After treating with FW-CA, the exchangeable and bound to carbonate fraction of Pb decreased by 5.08% and 18.57%, respectively, contributing to a low environmental risk class of the Pb assessment code. FW-CA effectively chelated Pb at a wider range of leaching pH (3.19–11.24), and the leachability was hardly affected by curing time, which were attributed to the presence of dithiocarbamate group and formation of cross-linked structure between Pb and sulfur. Overall, the unique waste-utilized chelating agent was a suitable alternative for Pb stabilization in MSWI-FA. [Display omitted] • FW-CA was prepared for the waste utilization and stabilization of heavy metal Pb. • Pb Leaching toxicity of FW-CA and other conventional CA stabilized FA were studied. • The physicochemical properties of FW-CA and stabilized FA were characterized. • A circular complexing structure between Pb and S enhanced the chelation performance. • Preparing FW-CA provides a new idea for nitrogen utilization from organic waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorozirconate glass, considered as the most stable heavy metal fluoride glass and excellent host for rare earth ions, has been extensively used for 2.7 μm laser materials due to its low intrinsic loss, wide transparency window, and small phonon energy. In this paper, a novel erbium ion doped fluorozirconate glass was prepared, 2.7 μm emission properties, thermal stability and Raman spectra were investigated and the spontaneous transition probability and branching ratio were calculated and analyzed. It was found that the thermal stability was greatly improved due to the ΔT increased from 59 to 89°C after introducing YF on the basis of ZBLA(ZrF-BaF-LaF-AlF). In addition, intensive 2.7 μm emission was observed and the present sample with the addition of Y possessed larger 2.7 μm emission cross section (1.12 × 10 cm) which indicated that this kind of fluoride glasses could potentially be used as an efficient gain media in the 2.7 μm fiber laser system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autoimmune processes have been implicated in the development of rheumatoid arthritis ( RA); however, specific autoantigens that play a role in the aetiology of RA have been lacking. In this study, we found that sera from RA patients were particularly immunoreactive against the protein tryptase. Compared with osteoarthritis ( OA) patients and healthy controls, RA patients had relatively higher levels of tryptase and concomitant anti-tryptase antibodies in their synovial tissues and sera. Similarly, synovial fluid from RA patients, but not from OA patients, contained antibodies that recognized tryptase in vitro. In addition, serum tryptase levels in both early and late RA patients significantly correlated with clinical indices usually used to diagnose RA, such as rheumatoid factor, Disease Activity Score using 28 joint counts and autoantibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptide. Our results identify tryptase as a candidate autoantigen involved in the pathogenesis of RA and monitoring its levels may have diagnostic and prognostic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“PEG-like Nanoprobes” (PN’s) are pharmacokinetically and optically tunable nanomaterials whose disposition in biological systems can be determined by fluorescence or radioactivity. PN’s feature a unique design where a single PEG polymer surrounds a short fluorochrome and radiometal bearing peptide, and endows the resulting nanoprobe with pharmacokinetic control (based on molecular weight of the PEG selected) and optical tunability (based on the fluorochrome selected), while the chelate provides a radiolabeling option. PN’s were used to image brain capillary angiography (intravital 2-photon microscopy), tumor capillary permeability (intravital fluorescent microscopy), and the tumor enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect (111In-PN and SPECT). Clinical applications of PN’s include use as long blood half-life fluorochromes for intraoperative angiography, for measurements of capillary permeability in breast cancer lesions, and to image EPR by SPECT, for stratifying patient candidates for long-circulating nanomedicines that may utilize the EPR mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work reports the effect of different modifiers (ZnO/WO3) on the thermal properties and mid-infrared emission of 2.7μm in Er3+-doped tellurite glasses. The Judd–Ofelt parameters, radiative transition probability, radiative lifetime and branching ratio of prepared samples are calculated and discussed. It is found that the present tungsten-modified tellurite glass doped with Er3+ possesses large calculated emission cross section around 2.7μm (2.03×10–20 cm2). The advantageous spectroscopic characteristics as well as good thermal stability suggest that the present glasses have potential applications for 2.7μm laser materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mid-infrared 2.7μm emission properties in Er3+-doped bismuthate and tellurite glasses were comparatively investigated. Emission characteristic and energy transfer upon excitation of a conventional 980nm laser diode in bismuthate and tellurite glasses were analyzed. It is found that bismuthate glass possesses larger spontaneous transition probability A (65.26s−1) and 2.7μm emission cross section σem (9.53×10−21 cm2) corresponding to the Er3+: 4I11/2 → 4I13/2 transition. Based on the analysis of Raman, IR spectra and XPS spectra in bismuthate and tellurite glasses, it is found that different phonon energies and local configurations of Er3+ ions are the main causes of different emission properties in Er3+-doped bismuthate and tellurite glasses. Our results suggest that the Er3+ doped bismuthate glass might be potential to the application in mid-infrared 2.7μm laser materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A Tm 3+ /Ho 3+ co-doped silicate glass with good thermal stability is prepared by the melt-quenching method. Efficient ∼2 μm emission is observed under 808 nm laser excitation. The infrared emission characteristics and energy transfer mechanism are investigated. To obtain efficient ∼2 μm emission, the optimized concentration ratio of Tm 3+ to Ho 3+ is found to be 0.75:0.4 in the present silicate glass system. Additionally, the energy transfer between Tm 3+ and Ho 3+ plays an important role in the luminescence mechanism and energy transfer efficiency from Tm 3+ to Ho 3+ reaches 88%. The emission property together with good thermal property indicates that Tm 3+ /Ho 3+ co-doped silicate glass is a potential kind of laser glass for efficient 2 μm laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]