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Abstract Objective This study aimed to discuss the distinctive features of the intestinal microbiota in neonates with hyperbilirubinemia and to comprehensively analyse the composition of the intestinal microbiota as well as the levels of free amino acids and acylcarnitines in the peripheral blood of neonates experiencing hyperbilirubinemia. Results At the phylum level, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Chloroflexi were the five predominant microbial groups identified in both the hyperbilirubinemia and control groups. Alpha diversity analysis, encompassing seven indices, showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups. However, Beta diversity analysis revealed a significant difference in intestinal microbiota structure between the groups. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) indicated a significant reduction in the abundance of Gammaproteobacteria and Enterobacteriaceae within the hyperbilirubinemia group compared to that in the control group. The heatmap revealed that the control group exhibited increased abundances of Escherichia and Bifidobacterium, while the hyperbilirubinemia group exhibited increased levels of Enterococcus and Streptococcus. Regarding blood amino acids and acylcarnitines, there were greater concentrations of citrulline (Cit), arginine (Arg), ornithine (Orn), and valine (Val) in the hyperbilirubinemia group than in the control group. The hyperbilirubinemia group also exhibited significant increases in medium-chain fatty acids (C6, C8), long-chain fatty acids (C18), and free carnitine (C0). Conclusion By comparing neonates with hyperbilirubinemia to those without, a significant disparity in the community structure of the intestinal microbiota was observed. The intestinal microbiota plays a crucial role in the bilirubin metabolism process. The intestinal microbiota of neonates with hyperbilirubinemia exhibited a certain degree of dysbiosis. The abundances of Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium were negatively correlated with the bilirubin concentration. Therefore, the fact that neonates with hyperbilirubinemia exhibit some variations in blood amino acid and acylcarnitine levels may provide, to a certain degree, a theoretical basis for clinical treatment and diagnosis.

This study explored the influence of Cr interfacial segregation on the precipitation mechanism and mechanical properties of MC carbides in high-carbon chromium bearing steels. The precipitation of Cr-doped MC carbides at different concentrations was investigated using microscopic morphological characterization (SEM, EDS and HR-TEM) alongside first principles calculations. The results indicated that both the austenite matrix and MC carbides exhibited, FCC structures, and the following orientation relationships of crystal planes in high-carbon chromium bearing steels were as follows: MC (010)//FCC-Fe (100) and MC (111)//FCC-Fe (111). Initially, Cr atoms adsorbed on the Fe-top site of the MC carbide (010) crystal plane, maintaining a distance of 2.5 Å from the Fe atom. Notably, when the Cr atom doping amount was 0.5, the Cr–Fe metallic bond exhibited a long bond length, large bond angle and low bond strength in the MC transition state (TS), resulting in a reduced, reaction barrier (908.08 kcal/mol), thus promoting the precipitation of MC carbide in bearing steel. However, at a Cr atom doping amount level of 1, the shorter bond length, small bond angle, and higher bonding strength of the Cr–Fe metallic bond in the MC TS, elevated the reaction barrier (49709.72 kcal/mol), inhibiting the precipitation of MC carbide in bearing steel. Additionally, this study quantitatively analyzed the effect of Cr atom content on the brittle plastic properties and hardness of MC carbides. At Cr atom contents of 0.23 and 1, the MC carbide hardness reached a minimum value of 3.0 GPa and a maximum value of 17.1 GPa, respectively. This investigation not only elucidated the atomic scale effects of Cr interfacial segregation on the precipitation mechanism and mechanical properties of MC carbides but also provided new ideas for controlling carbide precipitation in high-carbon chromium bearing steels.

Extracting vanadium (V) from vanadium slag (VS) by the traditional roasting-leaching process has disadvantages of high energy consumption and high poisonous gases emission. In this work, a green and efficient route was developed to extract V from VS without roasting by electro-oxidation combined with ultrasound cavitation (EOUC) intensification in sulfuric acid solution. The leaching parameters (e.g., leaching temperature, sulfuric acid concentration, anodic current density, ultrasound power, liquid to solid ratio, leaching time and particle size) were optimized. The leaching mechanism was explored by comparing the leaching behavior and mineralogical evolution of the direct sulfuric acidic leaching (DSL), electro-oxidation-assisted sulfuric acidic leaching (EOSL), ultrasound cavitation-assisted sulfuric acidic leaching (UCSL) and EOUC methods. The results show that introducing electric field strengthens the ultrasound cavitation effect on slag particles in sulfuric acid solution. Under the optimum parameter of EOUC method, the leaching rate of V from VS is as high as 94.64 %. Using EOUC method can open the silicate-wrapped structure of the spinel, increase pore volume of VS from 0.00127 cm3 g−1 to 0.01124 cm3 g−1, decrease slag particle size from 26.8 μm to 16.4 μm and improve specific surface area from 0.508 m2 g−1 to 10.855 m2 g−1, which significantly accelerate V leaching process. The exposed spinel was oxidized by both electrochemical route and chemical route, forming a mixture of V3+ ion and VO2+ ion after leaching.

Because of its high moisture content, alkali metal and alkaline earth metal concentration, and low energy density, banana pseudo-stem with huge reserves is difficult to be utilized as fuel. The high pressure CO2 hydrothermal treatment, a non-evaporative wet conversion process, has a greater drying efficiency, as well as a higher removal rate of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals. In addition, the heat value of samples after this treatment are increased. In this study, the SEM, BET, XRD, FTIR, and TG were used to investigate the evolution of physicochemical properties and combustion characteristics of banana pseudo-stem. The results revealed that the hydrochar yield decreases with increasing hydrothermal temperature. In addition, the higher heating value of samples increases from 13.02 to 25.76 MJ/kg with increasing hydrothermal temperature. With increasing hydrothermal temperature, the spatial structure of samples changes from irregular and highly distributed interconnected hierarchically to sheet structure, followed by new three-dimensional configuration porous microstructures. As a result, the specific surface area of the samples firstly increases, then decreases and finally increases with increasing hydrothermal temperature. This phenomenon may improve the combustion performance of the samples. Moreover, the ignition temperature and combustion character index of hydrochar increase at 120−200 ℃ due to the hydrolysis of the hemicellulose and amorphous cellulose. At 200−280 ℃, the ignition temperature and combustion character index of hydrochar decrease due to the transition from cellulose I to cellulose II. Furthermore, the burnout temperature increases with increasing hydrothermal temperature. According to the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method, the average activation energy of samples are higher than raw samples, except for hydrochar at 280 ℃. Combining the energy recovery rate, ignition temperature, burnout temperature and combustion character index, the optimal temperature for banana pseudo-stem by the high pressure CO2 hydrothermal treatment is found to be 240 ℃.

The occurrence of an axlebox bearing ring raceway defect is an inevitable and commonly observed phenomenon in railway wheels. It not only leads to surface damage but also poses the potential threat of further damage and degradation, thereby increasing the risks associated with running safety and maintenance costs. Hence, it becomes imperative to detect raceway defects at an early stage to mitigate safety hazards and reduce maintenance efforts. In this study, the focus lies in investigating the effectiveness of vibration-based detection techniques for identifying raceway defects in high-speed train axlebox bearing systems. To achieve this, a dynamic model that accurately represents the coupling dynamics between the vehicle and the track is developed. This model incorporates various dynamic factors, such as traction transmission, gear transmission, and track geometry irregularities. By using the comprehensive dynamic model, the dynamic responses of the axlebox can be accurately calculated. The proposed methodology primarily revolves around analysing the vertical vibrations of the axlebox caused by raceway defects in both the time and frequency domains. Additionally, an envelope analysis using a developed band-pass filter is also employed. The results obtained from this study clearly demonstrate the successful detection of raceway defects in a more realistic vehicle model, thereby providing an efficient approach for the detection of axlebox bearing raceway defects. Consequently, this research contributes significantly to the field of high-speed train systems and paves the way for enhanced safety and maintenance practices.

Anthurium is the second largest tropical flower crop in the world. The international market has urgent demand for anthurium varieties with different spathe colors, which mainly arises from the types and contents of anthocyanin. The flavonoid 3-O-glycosyltransferase (UF3GT) gene is the key enzyme involved in promoting anthocyanin accumulation through glycosylation downstream of the anthocyanin synthesis pathway (ASP). Abnormal functioning of UFGT usually results in a reduction in or loss of anthocyanins. The aim of this study was to reveal the role of one anthurium UFGT gene (AnUFGT1) in ‘Xueyu’ (X), an anthocyanin-deficient mutant of ‘Alabama’. Metabolome analysis was used to analyze the metabolic products in the ASP to determine the possible key link of the anthocyanin deletion mutation. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Arabidopsis UFGT functionally deficient mutant (ufgt) and ‘X’ validated the function of AnUFGT1. The results of comparative metabolome analysis of ‘X’ and ‘Alabama’ showed that there was no significant difference in product levels upstream of ASP. The expression levels of AnUFGT1 were significantly greater in ‘Alabama’ than in ‘X’. The overexpression of AnUFGT1 in ufgt significantly increased its anthocyanin contents. The overexpression of AnUFGT1 in ‘X’, mediated by a new injection method, can only promote the synthesis of trace anthocyanins. These results showed that AnUFGT1 could fully compensate the phenotype of ufgt, but only partially compensate the anthocyanidin-deficient phenotype of anthurium mutant X. This difference suggested that anthocyanin-deletion mutations in anthurium ‘X’ are associated with AnUFGT1, but AnUFGT1 is not the only factor. There should be other factors interacting with AnUFGT1 that cause anthocyanin deficiency.

The distribution of second phase particles in the microstructure of composite ceramics affects the mechanical properties, and the intragranular structures often result in better properties compared to the intergranular structures. However, it is difficult to obtain composite ceramics with intragranular structure by conventional route. To produce composite ceramics with an intragranular structure in a simpler route. In this work, starting powders with different phase compositions were obtained by the co-precipitation method, and zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) composite ceramics were prepared with these starting powders by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The results show that it is easier to fabricate ZTA composite ceramics with an intragranular structure by using composite powders containing amorphous or transition phase Al2O3 as starting materials. The phase composition of the powder prepared by the co-precipitation method after calcination at 1100 °C is θ-Al2O3 and t-ZrO2, and the average grain size after sintering at 1500 °C is 1.04 ± 0.28 µm, and the maximum Vickers hardness and fracture toughness of the specimens reach 19.37 ± 0.43 GPa and 6.18 ± 0.06 MPa·m1/2, respectively. The ZrO2 particles were the core of crystallization and grow together with the Al2O3 matrix, forming the intragranular structure of ZTA ceramics. This work may provide a new idea for preparing composite ceramics with intragranular structure.

The bearing steel’s high-temperature brittle zone (1250 °C–1100 °C), second brittle zone (1100 °C–950 °C), and low-temperature brittle zone (800 °C–600 °C) were determined by the reduction in area and true fracture toughness. The crack sensitivity was strongest at temperatures of 1200 °C, 1000 °C, and 600 °C, respectively. Various experimental and computational methods were used to establish the phase type, microstructure, size, and mechanical properties of carbides in bearing steel. The critical conditions for crack initiation in the matrix (FCC-Fe, FCC-Fe, and BCC-Fe)/carbides (striped Fe0.875Cr0.125C, netted Fe2.36Cr0.64C, and spherical Fe5.25Cr1.75C3) were also investigated. The values for the high-temperature brittle zone, the second brittle zone, and the low-temperature brittle zone were 13.85 MPa and 8.21 × 10−3, 4.64 MPa and 6.52 × 10−3, and 17.86 MPa and 1.86 × 10−2, respectively. These were calculated using Eshelby’s theory and ABAQUS 2021 version software. The ability of the three carbides to cause crack propagation was measured quantitatively by energy diffusion: M3C > MC > M7C3. This study analyzed the mechanism of carbide precipitation on the formation of high-temperature cracks in bearing steel casting. It also provided the critical conditions for carbide/matrix interface cracks in bearing steel continuous casting, thus providing effective support for improving the quality of bearing steel casting.

Carbides (MC, M3C and M7C3 at different Cr doping concentrations), as important influencing factors for the properties of high-carbon chromium bearing steel, their molecular transformation processes, structural stability, mechanical properties and electronic properties were calculated by first-principles. The results showed that the doping of Cr contributed to the movement of metal atoms change from translation to rotation during the transformation of carbide molecules, increased the reaction barrier of MC→M3C→M7C3 transformation, and inhibited the intermolecular transformation of carbides. Meanwhile, the doping of Cr affected the structural stability and mechanical stability of the three kinds of carbide. It was also found that the orientation of Fe–C covalent bond was reduced to weaken the strength of covalent bond in carbides by doping Cr atoms, that contributed to improving the plasticity of carbides, and the Cr–Fe metal bond was formed to enhance the strength of the covalent bond in the carbide by doping Cr atoms, that helped improve the hardness of the carbide. Therefore, in MC-type carbide, the carbide plasticity was best at the Cr doping concentration of 0.25 (vs. 0.75 for M3C-type and 0 for M7C3-type) and the hardness reached a maximum of 17.7 GPa at the Cr doping concentration of 1.0 (vs. 0.5 with 51.9 GPa for M3C-type and 0.75 with 11.0 GPa for M7C3-type). This study provided a new research idea for analyzing the carbide properties of bearing steel.

This study aimed to estimate the effects of extrusion variables on extruded aquafeed water solubility using a starch gelatinization model. A new equation was derived from a classical starch gelatinization degree model to calculate aquafeed water solubility. After considering the data of five formulations, the average absolute deviation (AAD) of the new equation was 7.97% for the extrudate water solubility and 2.24% for the water solubility index. In the most cases, water solubility and water solubility index increased with an increase in the process screw speed and temperature but decreased with a decrease in water content. On the other hand, when the moisture content increased from 0.2 to 0.3 kg/kg, the water solubility increased from 4.91 to 5.22% (wt) for a typical recipe in the low moisture content extrusion process. The new equation established a way to quantitatively elaborate the relationship between the extrudate water solubility and extrusion process variables.

Highly efficient, economic feasible and environmentally friendly adsorbents have been a research hotspot for Cd(Ⅱ) sequestration. In this study, various nonliving marine diatom biomass were prepared for Cd(Ⅱ) removal. The Cd(Ⅱ) adsorption properties of the diatom biomass was unveiled by adsorption kinetic, isotherm and thermodynamic analysis, and the adsorption mechanism was revealed using spectrometric identification methods. Results suggested that nonliving marine diatom biomass (Chaetoceros, Nitzschia, and Thalassiosira sp.) could efficiently remove Cd(Ⅱ) from aqueous solution, with nonliving Nitzschia possessing the highest adsorption capacity. The adsorption capacity of nonliving Nitzschia was 289–430 mg g−1 (288–308 K) in the absence of ionic competition and under low turbidity conditions, which was much higher than that of most of adsorbents of great concern. The kinetic, isotherm and thermodynamic analysis suggested the adsorption of Cd(Ⅱ) was a spontaneous, endothermic and chemisorption involved process. Moreover, inorganic salts and turbidity showed negative effects on Cd(Ⅱ) adsorption, whereas humic acid showed a positive effect. Adsorption mechanism analysis demonstrated that amine and pyrrolic nitrogen groups were responsible for Cd(Ⅱ) adsorption. It is also worth noting that organics leaching during adsorption would also affect chemical bonds distribution on the biomass, which should be taken into account when elucidating the heavy metal adsorption mechanism of bio-adsorbents.

The addition of tungsten can improve the high-temperature oxidation resistance of titanium alloys. However, as its applications continue to expand, new demands are being placed on its room temperature strength. Here, we provide a dense titanium alloy with high strength by introducing proper W powders into the Ti6Al4V powders under direct energy deposition. The effect of tungsten addition on the microstructure and tensile properties of the Ti6Al4V alloy was investigated. Compared to pure Ti6Al4V, the titanium alloy with tungsten addition exhibited refined α′ martensite and β grains, which is attributable to the effect of tungsten on the structural subcooling of titanium and on the formation temperature of the α′ martensite. Owing to the synergistic strengthening effects of grain refinement and solid solution strengthening, the W-containing alloy shows a high tensile strength of 1333 MPa and yield strength of 1219 MPa, which are significantly higher than Ti6Al4V alloy’s tensile strength of 940 MPa and yield strength of 860 MPa. This approach provides a pathway for design and preparation of high-strength titanium alloys by additive manufacturing.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of the new single-cell protein Clostridium autoethanogenum protein (CAP) on growth performance, plasma biochemical indexes, liver histology, lipid metabolism, and gut microbiota in Cobb broilers. According to the randomized block experimental design, 960 Cobb broilers (1d old) were divided into six treatments with eight replicates of 20 birds each. Six isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated with different contents of CAP (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5%) to replace soybean meal (SBM). The results showed that the addition of CAP did not influence liver health when it exceeded 2%. The protein metabolism markers and feed conversion rate increased (P < 0.05), significantly improving the growth performance. When the content of CAP was greater than 4%, it could promote lipolysis without affecting lipogenesis, decreasing the abdominal fat rate. There was no significant difference in MDA between these groups (P = 0.948). The increase of SOD and GSH-Px indicated the enhancement of antioxidant response. Alpha diversity did not significantly differ between groups (P > 0.05). Inclusion of 4% or less CAP led to the increase in beneficial microbiota, the concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid (P < 0.05), and the concentration of primary bile acids such as cholic acid and goose deoxycholic acid (P < 0.05). While the concentration of secondary bile acids such as taurocholic acid and taurine goose deoxycholic acid was decreased (P < 0.05). These results illustrated that the CAP had a high potential for application in poultry nutrition. In terms of improving growth performance and antioxidant capacity and reducing fat deposition rate, 4% CAP content is recommended.

Objective: The study was conducted to assess the effect of supplementation with Lactobacillus lactis (LL) on growth performance, hematological parameters, meat quality and intestinal flora in pigs from growing until slaughter. Methods: A total of 72 growing pigs (30.46 ± 3.08 kg) were randomly assigned to 3 groups (including 3 pens for each group, with 8 pigs in each pen). The three treatments comprised a basal diet (O-0) and two experimental diets supplemented for 14 weeks with 0.01% (O-100) and 0.03% (O-300) LL, respectively. Results: The final body weights of the pigs in the O-100 and O-300 groups were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of the O-0 group. In the grower phase, the average daily weight gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) of pigs fed the O-300 diet were higher (p < 0.05) than those of pigs fed the O-0 diet during the grower phase. BUN and MDA were significantly higher (p < 0.05 for all) in the O-0 group than in the O-100 and O-300 groups during the grower phase. No difference (p > 0.05) was observed in the hematological parameters among the three groups during the finisher phase. Counts of LL in the stomach were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the O-300 group than in the O-0 group. Counts of Escherichia coli in the jejunum were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the O-0 group than in the O-300 group. Furthermore, the hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess and resilience of longissimus dorsi muscle collected from pigs fed the O-300 diet were higher (p < 0.01; p = 0.024; p = 0.003; p = 0.014, respectively) than those of tissue collected from pigs fed the O-0 diet. Conclusion: Dietary LL supplementation increased final body weight, increased ADG in the grower phase and enhanced meat quality.

Clostridium autoethanogenum protein (CAP, RichMore®, China) is a safe and effective alternative protein source. However, the physicochemical properties of CAP and the effects of CAP inclusion on the physical properties of extruded fish feed are still unclear. The extrusion trials were performed to investigate the effects of graded CAP substitution levels (replacing 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of fishmeal in the diet), preconditioning moisture content (28% and 32%) and screw speed (200 rpm and 300 rpm) on the physical qualities of low-starch extruded floating feed. The results showed that CAP had high crude protein content (832 g/kg), low crude lipid content (19.0 g/kg) and low ash content (35.0 g/kg). The water-holding capacity, foaming capacity and foaming stability of CAP were significantly higher than those of low-temperature steam dried fish meal (LTFM) (P

The enantioselective adsorption, degradation, and transformation of flumequine (FLU) enantiomers in sediment were investigated to elucidate the enantioselective environmental behaviors. The results of adsorption test showed that stereoselective differences of FLU enantiomers in sediment samples and the adsorbing capacity of S-(−)-FLU and R-(+)-FLU are higher than the racemate, and the pH values of the sediment determined the adsorption capacity. Enantioselective degradation behaviors were found under nonsterilized conditions and followed pseudo-first-order kinetic. The R-(+)-FLU was preferentially degraded, and there was significant enantioselectivity of the degradation of FLU. It can be concluded that the microorganism was the main reason for the stereoselective degradation in sediments. The physicochemical property of sediments, such as pH value and organic matter content, can affect the degradation rate of FLU. In addition, the process of transformation of FLU enantiomers in water-sediment system had enantioselective behavior, and R-(+)-FLU was preferential transformed. Meanwhile, the main metabolites of FLU in the sediment were decarboxylate and dihydroxylation products. This study contributes the evidence of comprehensively assessing the fate and risk of chiral FLU antibiotic and enantioselective behavior in the environment.

The failure of tube heat exchangers is an acute problem in industry and, in most cases, is due to the solid particle erosion of a few tubes. Identifying the critical erosion surfaces and thereafter changing the particle impingement pattern on the surfaces is one of the solutions to increase the lifetime of heat exchangers. In this work the fluid flow, solid particle motion and metal erosion of different two-pass copper-tube heat exchangers were simulated with a refined model and the sophisticated RANS-SST approach. The results showed the importance of the model in capturing the asymmetrical flow, uneven fluid distribution through tube bundle and other flow features for better erosion prediction. The erosion characteristics of three heat exchangers were compared to evaluate their structure with respect to producing low erosion. The simulations provided basic data for identifying the critical areas and damage locations of each heat exchanger. It was found that the particle separation in the inlet header altered the critical erosion locations but did not significantly affect the erosion rate. Theerosion rates at critical areas were also predicted. The results can be applied for predicting the service life and improving the structure of tube heat exchangers.

Metabolic fatty liver disease caused by high-starch diet restricted the intensive and sustainable development of carnivorous fish such as largemouth bass. In this study, the combination liver proteomic and lipidomic approach was employed to investigate the key signaling pathways and identify the critical biomarkers of fatty liver in largemouth bass. Joint analysis of the correlated differential proteins and lipids revealed nine common metabolic pathways; it was determined that FABP1 were significantly up-regulated in terms of transporting more triglycerides into the liver, while ABCA1 and VDAC1 proteins were significantly down-regulated in terms of preventing the transport of lipids and cholesterol out of the liver, leading to triglyceride accumulation in hepatocyte, eventually resulting in metabolic fatty liver disease. The results indicate that FABP1, ABCA1 and VDAC1 could be potential biomarkers for treating metabolic fatty liver disease of largemouth bass.

The reliable mechanical properties of ceramizable silicone rubber composites during pyrolysis are necessary for their application in the fire-resistant fields. The effects of liquid-phase amount on the mechanical properties of silicone rubber composites are investigated. The results show a positive correlation between the liquid-phase amount and the flexural strength of the residual products pyrolysis below 800 °C. The nano-γ-Al2O3 in the fillers reacts with liquid B2O3 to form aluminum borate above 800 °C, which consumes the liquid phase and strengthens the residual products to a certain extent. Increasing the B2O3 addition and introducing nano-γ-Al2O3 can control the liquid-phase amount in the range of 15% to 30%, which makes the composites have better residual strength and support performance. The residual strength of composites pyrolysis at 500 °C to 1000 °C is higher than 2.50 MPa, and the maximum is up to 18.7 MPa at 1000 °C.

In this work, a novel amphoteric copolymer named Poly(sodium p-styrenesulfonate–co-acrylic acid-co-diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC)) was synthesized via free radical polymerization. Afterwards, P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) was explored for use as a dispersant in coal water slurry (CWS) preparation. The structure of P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) was verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. The synthetic conditions were optimized as the feed ratio of AA to SS was 1 : 1 (for Yulin coal) or 1.5 : 1 (for Yili coal), and DMDAAC dosage was 4.0 wt% (for Yulin coal) and 6.0 wt% (for Yili coal) toward total monomers. The performances of P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) as a dispersant for CWS were evaluated by various technologies, such as apparent viscosity, zeta potential, static stability and contact angle measurements. The results revealed that the optimized dosage of P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) in CWS preparation was 0.3 and 0.4 wt% for Yulin coal and Yili coal respectively. In this optimum condition, CWS prepared using P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) as dispersant showed a typical shear thinning behaviour and excellent stability, which are desired in industries. The rheological models also confirmed the pseudo-plastic characteristics of CWS. Finally, compared with the widely used anionic dispersant naphthalene sulphonate formaldehyde condensate (NSF) and poly(sodium p-styrenesulfonate) (PSS), P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) developed in this work exhibited better slurry making performance. The introduction of cationic functional groups promoted the adsorption of the dispersant, which further enhanced the electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance among coal particles. Accordingly, the viscosity of CWS decreased and static stability enhanced.

Dicalcium silicate is one of the main mineral phases of steel slag. Ascribed to the characteristics of hydration and carbonation, the application of slag in cement production and carbon dioxide sequestration has been confirmed as feasible. In the current study, the precipitation process of the dicalcium silicate phase in steel slag was discussed. Meanwhile, the study put emphasis on the influence of different crystal forms of dicalcium silicate on the hydration activity and carbonation characteristics of steel slag. It indicates that most of the dicalcium silicate phase in steel slag is the γ phase with the weakest hydration activity. The hydration activity of γ-C2S is improved to a certain extent by means of mechanical, high temperature, and chemical activation. However, the carbonation activity of γ-C2S is about two times higher than that of β-C2S. Direct and indirect carbonation can effectively capture carbon dioxide. This paper also summarizes the research status of the application of steel slag in cement production and carbon dioxide sequestration. Further development of the potential of dicalcium silicate hydration activity and simplifying the carbonation process are important focuses for the future.

The effects of Ca2+ in converter slag and electric arc furnace slag leaching solutions on CO2 content, the effects of CO2 content in solutions on the accumulation of chlorophyll a of Nannochloropsis sp., and the mechanisms were studied. Results showed that addition of 50 mg/L converter slag leaching solution and 400 mg/L electric arc furnace slag leaching solution (lower than 50 vol% concentration) promoted the accumulation of chlorophyll a of Nannochloropsis sp., while an increased concentration of 70 vol% inhibited its accumulation. The highest concentration of chlorophyll a was obtained on the addition of 10 vol%. With 10 vol% leaching solutions added, chlorophyll a concentration for converter slag reached 4.2 mg/L, 1.45 times as much as that of pure F/2 medium, and chlorophyll a concentration for electric arc slag reached 3.2 mg/L, 1.10 times as much as that of pure F/2 medium. Under the same addition proportion, the promoting or inhibiting effect from converter slag on the accumulation of chlorophyll a of Nannochloropsis sp. was more obvious than that for electric arc furnace slag. The reason for the promotion of chlorophyll a accumulation of Nannochloropsis sp. was that an increase of Ca2+ in the solutions led to an increase of CO2, thereby promoting the photosynthetic rate of microalgae. The study provided new ideas for the green application of solid waste and industrial production of microalgae.

Steel slag is the solid waste produced by the steelmaking process. At present, there are differences in the treatment and utilization of this waste among countries around the world. The massive accumulation of steel slag not only occupies land, but also the heavy metal elements in steel slag leached by rainwater cause serious pollution to the soil and groundwater, both which threaten the life and survival of the surrounding residents. More and more attention has been paid to the resource utilization of slag because of the gradual promotion of energy saving and emission reduction all over the world. Currently, the fields that utilize slag focus on recycling of steel waste, acting as sinter raw material, dephosphorization of hot metal, road and water conservancy project construction, wastewater treatment material, application of CO2 capture and flue gas desulfurization or agriculture. Many researchers have carried out research and explorations on the effects of slag on microalgae’s growth and found that slag has enormous potential algal biomasses and huge advantages for promoting microalgae’s growth and the accumulation of metabolites. Under suitable conditions, slag can effectively promote microalgae’s growth and reproduction, as well as promote microalgae’s accumulation of metabolites, especially lipid accumulation. Thus, slag can be used as an ideal nutrient for microalgae. Culturing microalgae with slag can lower the cost and solve the problem of lacking Fe during the process of marine microalgae’s growth. Meanwhile, it can alleviate the phenomenon of the substantial stacking of slag. This study provides new methods for slag’s resource utilization.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common and aggressive malignancies. Both bacterial virulence factors and host chronic inflammation are thought to promote gastric cancer development. In this study, we investigated the potential involvement of follicular helper T cells in gastric cancer. Functions of follicular helper T subsets were examined in Helicobacter pylori –infected gastric cancer patients and H. pylori –infected but asymptomatic individuals. We found that the follicular helper T cells in gastric cancer individuals were skewed toward the Th1 and Th17 subsets compared to those in H. pylori –infected but asymptomatic individuals. In a naive B cell–follicular helper T cell coculture, the Th1–follicular helper T cells by themselves were ineffective at stimulating a robust antibody response, unlike the Th2–follicular helper T and Th17–follicular helper T cells. However, Th1–follicular helper T cells significantly promoted the immunoglobulin G response in collaboration with other follicular helper T subsets, through the secretion of interferon gamma. We also found that Th1–follicular helper T cells suppressed the development of interleukin-10 + regulatory B cells, a cell type previously thought to protect H. pylori –infected individuals from tissue damage. In addition, the frequency of Th1–follicular helper T cells in gastric cancer patients was negatively correlated with the disease-free survival of gastric cancer patients after tumor resection. These results suggested that dysregulation of follicular helper T subsets in gastric cancer patients, characterized by increased Th1–follicular helper T cells, contributed to inflammation and tumor development.

A widely used dough viscosity model in food extrusion was adopted and employed for the analysis and prediction of extruded aquafeed physical quality parameters. The data for the analysis were collected from previously published articles. The analysis was based on the assumption that pellet physical quality parameters, such as bulk density, oil adsorption, hardness, and durability, are correlated to the dough viscosity property changes in the extrusion process. The physical qualities of feed were modeled using the modified viscosity model. The model was evaluated using the data collected from experiments conducted in three different pilot extrusion systems. The results showed that the new model has the capability to predict the physical quality parameters of extruded aquafeed pellets in the three studied scenarios. The absolute average deviations of the model regression for the pellet qualities were 8.5% for hardness, 4.8% for bulk density, 6.5% for oil adsorption, 15.7% for Holmen durability, and 0.7% for pellet diameter. The new model can correlate the physical qualities of aquafeed pellets across different recipes, extruder configurations, and systems. Practical Applications Food or aquatic feed extrusion process operation heavily depends on the operator's experiences and is still a black-box process. In this study, a dough viscosity model was applied to explain the relationship between extrusion variables and extruded pellet physical qualities. The new model can be used for a quantitative description of a feed formulation extrusion process and feed pellet quality optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem degradation is one of the critical constraints for the sustainable development of our planet. However, recovering an ecosystem to a pre-impairment condition is often not practical. The International Restoration Standards provide the first framework for practical guidance on what constitutes the process of ecological repair and how this repair process can be influenced to improve net ecological benefits. In these Standards, Restorative Continuum is highlighted and it recognises that many do not, yet there is still value in aspiring to improvements to the highest extent possible, with some sites potentially being able to be improved in a stepwise manner. Here we elaborate on these Standards by providing a cross-ecosystem theoretical framework of Stepwise Ecological Restoration (STERE) for promoting higher environmental benefits. STERE allows the selection of suitable restorative modes by considering the degree of degradation while encouraging a transition to a higher state. These models include environmental remediation for completely modified and degraded ecosystems, ecological rehabilitation for highly modified and degraded ecosystems, and ecological restoration for degraded native ecosystems. STERE requires selecting tailored restorative modes, setting clear restorative targets and reference ecosystems, applying a systematic-thinking approach, and implementing a continuous monitoring program at all process stages to achieve a resilient trajectory. STERE allows adaptive management in the context of climate change, and when the evidence is available, to “adapt to the future” to ensure climate resilience. The STERE framework could assist in initiating and implementing restoration projects worldwide, especially in developing countries.

Abstract In the context of China’s freshwater crisis high-resolution data are critical for sustainable water management and economic growth. Yet there is a dearth of data on water withdrawal and scarcity regardless of whether total or subsector amount, for prefectural cities. In administrative and territorial scope, we accounted for water withdrawal of all 63 economic-socio-environmental sectors for all 343 prefectural cities in China, based on a general framework and 2015 data. Spatial and economic-sector resolution is improved compared with previous studies by partitioning general sectors into industrial and agricultural sub-sectors. Construction of these datasets was based on selection of 16 driving forces. We connected a size indicator with corresponding water-withdrawal efficiency. We further accounted for total blue-water withdrawal and quantitative water scarcity status. Then we compared different scopes and methods of official accounts and statistics from various water datasets. These disaggregated and complete data could be used in input-output models for municipal design and governmental planning to help gain in-depth insights into subsector water-saving priorities from local economic activities.