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Previous research has shown that using foreign languages reduces cognitive biases. Here, we investigate whether this foreign-language effect extends to self-related cognition – in particular, the self-positivity bias, which refers to automatic association of oneself with positive information and has a facilitation role in maintaining mental health. We applied event-related brain potentials and oscillations in the implicit association test where Chinese–English bilinguals responded to category words (self vs. others) and attribute words (positive vs. negative) in either their native language Chinese or their foreign language English. In response to Chinese words, a self-positivity bias occurred, indexed by a positive D -score in reaction times as well as by smaller N200, larger P3-like/LPC responses, and lower alpha desynchronization when self words were associated with positive relative to negative traits. However, the bias was diminished in the English context. Overall, our findings provide important implications for language choices when self-protective mechanisms should be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The interface and hollow structure synergistic regulation strategy is proposed to solve the limited active sites of Co 3 O 4. • The charge rearrangement at heterointerface could improve the catalytic activity of nanozymes. • The hollow nanocube structure could increase specific surface area and provide rich active sites. • This work provides a novel method for the rapid and sensitive detection of AA. The development of oxidase mimic with favorable catalytic activity is of great significance for the rapid and convenient detection of ascorbic acid (AA). Herein, in this work, a synergistic regulation strategy of heterogeneous interface and hollow structure is proposed to effectively solve the problem of limited active sites obtained with Co 3 O 4. The charge rearrangement at heterointerface could improve the catalytic activity of oxidase mimic. Moreover, the hollow nanocubes structure could increase specific surface area and provide rich active sites. As a result, the target material possesses enhanced oxidase-like catalytic activity and desirable stability compared to bare Co 3 O 4 and MnO 2 , which also catalyze the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to form a blue product (ox-TMB) even without hydrogen peroxide. Ox-TMB is reduced to TMB owing to the strong reducibility of AA, which represents a decrease in absorbance at 652 nm and a colorless solution. Moreover, an efficient biosensing method for the detection of AA is developed. The relative absorbance (∆A) of the sensing platform is linearly related to the concentration of AA in the range of 0–200 μM, and the detection limit is 0.11 μM. This work provides a novel method for the rapid, cost-effective and sensitive detection of AA, and possesses a wide range of potential application value. A synergistic regulation strategy of heterogeneous interface and hollow structure is proposed to effectively solve the problem of limited active sites obtained with Co 3 O 4. This work provides a novel method for the rapid, cost-effective and sensitive detection of AA, and possesses a wide range of potential application value. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The CeO 2 /Co 3 O 4 hollow nanocubes with exceptional peroxidase-like activity have been successfully constructed. • The charge rearrangement at the heterointerface enhances the catalytic activity of nanozymes. • The hollow structure offers rich active sites available for enzymatic reactions. • This work establishes an effortless, cost-effective, and highly efficient "On-Off" colorimetric sensor for H 2 O 2 and ascorbic acid. The development of artificial nanostructured enzymes has garnered significant interest in the field of nanobiotechnology due to the distinct advantages. In this work, CeO 2 /Co 3 O 4 hollow nanocubes (named as CeO 2 /Co 3 O 4 HNs) with exceptional peroxidase-like activity have been prepared employing ion exchange and subsequent calcination process. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2), the CeO 2 /Co 3 O 4 HNs display high peroxidase-like activity, catalyzing the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and resulting in a color change from transparent to blue. The oxidized TMB (ox-TMB) is subsequently reduced to TMB due to the reducibility of ascorbic acid (AA), restoring the original color of solution. Consequently, a straightforward and efficient "On-Off" colorimetric sensor has been established for the accurate detection of H 2 O 2 and AA, with detection limits (LOD) of 3.56 and 0.179 μM, respectively. In summary, the prepared colorimetric sensor offers numerous advantages, including ease of operation, cost-effectiveness, rapid response, and effective visual monitoring, which holds substantial promise for applications in detection of hydrogen peroxide and ascorbic acid. [Display omitted] The CeO 2 /Co 3 O 4 hollow nanocubes with exceptional peroxidase-like activity have been successfully synthesized by employing ion exchange process and subsequent calcination method. This work establishes an effortless, cost-effective, and highly efficient "On-Off" colorimetric sensor for H 2 O 2 and ascorbic acid, with color changes serving as the basis for monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone defects are characterized by a hypoxic environment, which affects bone tissue repair. However, the role of hypoxia in the repair of alveolar bone defects remains unclear. Human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) are high‐quality seed cells for repairing alveolar bone defects, whose behavior changes under hypoxia. However, their mechanism of action is not known and needs to be elucidated. We hypothesized that hypoxia might be beneficial to alveolar bone defect repair and the osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs. To test this hypothesis, cobalt chloride (CoCl2) was used to create a hypoxic environment, both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro study, the best osteogenic effect was observed after 48 h of hypoxia in hPDLSCs, and the AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin/eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4e‐binding protein 1 (AKT/mTOR/4EBP‐1) signaling pathway was significantly upregulated. Inhibition of the AKT/mTOR/4EBP‐1 signaling pathway decreased the osteogenic ability of hPDLSCs under hypoxia and hypoxia‐inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF‐1α) expression. The inhibition of HIF‐1α also decreased the osteogenic capacity of hPDLSCs under hypoxia without significantly affecting the level of phosphorylation of AKT/mTOR/4EBP‐1. In vitro study, Micro‐CT and tissue staining results show better bone regeneration in hypoxic group than control group. These results suggested that hypoxia promoted alveolar bone defect repair and osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs, probably through AKT/mTOR/4EBP‐1/HIF‐1α signaling. These findings provided important insights into the regulatory mechanism of hypoxia in hPDLSCs and elucidated the effect of hypoxia on the healing of alveolar bone defects. This study highlighted the importance of physiological oxygen conditions for tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery potential for waste energy from major Chinese industries is significant. For example, the estimated waste energy recovery potential is 40 million tons of coal equivalent in the iron and steel industry, accounting for ∼10% of the total energy use in the industry. A detailed overview is presented of existing waste energy recovery Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in China. These projects have been developed predominantly in large enterprises and rarely in small or medium-sized companies. The chance of waste energy projects being reviewed or rejected by the Executive Board is slightly higher and delivery rates of certified emission reductions are generally lower than other types of CDM projects. Several major barriers that inhibit project development are identified, such as the lack of CDM awareness or development capacity among many small or medium enterprises, low internal rates of return of the projects, increasing review risk and long delays in the registration process, the varying quality of intermediary buyers, a lack of local Chinese Designated Operational Entities, and policy implementation inconsistency at different levels. Suggestions are put forward to address these problems and such critical issues as additionality are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

How many NGOs were there in the climate change field in the United States? Who were they? And what was the relationship between them? In the United States, climate change was only a branch of environmental issues at the beginning; therefore there were no specific quantitative statistics and network analysis of NGOs in climate change. Diversity was an important feature of NGOs in American climate change fields, and it showed a complex organizational ecology through varieties of networks and interaction among organizations. In order to make a difference in climate field, Chinese NGOs firstly needed to improve and enhance their own abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of research has provided evidence for the foreign language effect on thinking, notably decision-making. Our prior work found reduction of recency effect following positive feedback in a foreign language as compared to the native tongue during even-probability gambling. However, the fundamental mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. The present study, therefore, aims to probe into this by engaging Chinese-English bilinguals in a functional magnetic resonance imaging version of our gambling task, which required participants to make decisions between playing and leaving equal-odds bets whilst manipulating language and valence of feedback. Results showed fewer ‘play’ choices following positive feedback presented in English relative to Chinese while no cross-language differences were observed after negative feedback. This valence-dependent language effect on risk-taking behaviour was supported by a language-emotion-decision neural circuit involving interplay between the right lingual gyrus, left fusiform gyrus, and right inferior frontal gyrus. Overall, our findings suggest valence-differential mechanisms of the foreign language effect in the risky decision. That is, the use of a foreign language in feedback presentation attenuates emotional reaction to positive feedback and thus diminishes subsequent risk-taking behaviour. Differently, negative counterparts seem to trigger detachment from negative emotion, leading to dissociation between feedback-encoding and decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanically twisting a yarn is a useful and important method for creating internal stress, changing macromolecular orientation, and affording interesting fiber properties, including mechanical, structural, physical and chemical properties. Bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers are a new type of highly crystalline bionanofibers exhibiting excellent intrinsic mechanical properties. Herein, BC macrofibers with a diameter of 0.35–0.53 mm were prepared from BC hydrogel films using a two-step technique involving drying and twisting processes. Moreover, the effects of the drying method (oven- and freeze-drying) and those of the processing steps on the morphologies, structures, and physicochemical properties of the macrofibers were investigated. Results indicated that only the wet twisting–first process affords continuous macrofibers with a compact and uniform structure. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the macrofibers were 199 MPa and 24%, respectively. Furthermore, by introducing graphene oxide (GO) to the macrofibers, a photothermal and moisture actuator was facilely constructed, which could produce a twisting motion of 0.39 rpm and an untwisting motion of 0.6 rpm. This study provides insights into methods to easily alter the properties of BC macrofibers, which is pivotal for the macrofiber's potential application in intelligent devices. [Display omitted] • The surface of T-OD macrofibers is smooth and flat, and the tensile stress can reach 199 MPa. • The GO-T-OD macrofiber can produce reversible motion under moisture and NIR light stimulation, and the rotation angle can be increased to 121°/cm in 25 s • Reversible twisting artificial muscles offer unlimited possibilities for future applications in artificial muscles and other intelligent drives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The management of the big amount of fly ash as hazardous waste from the municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) has encountered many problems in China. In this study, a feasibility research on MSWI fly ash utilization as partial cement substitute in cement mortars was therefore carried out. MSWI fly ash was subjected to washing process to reduce its chlorine content (from 10.16% to 1.28%). Consequently, it was used in cement mortars. Ten percent and 20% replacement of cement by washed ash showed acceptable strength properties. In TCLP and 180-day monolithic tests, the mortars with washed ash presented a little stronger heavy metal leachability, but this fell to the blank level (mortar without washed ash) with the addition of 0.25% chelate. Therefore, this method is proposed as an environment-friendly technology to achieve a satisfactory solution for MSWI fly ash management. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in fly ash from municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) by sodium hypophosphite was carried out in a lab scale experiment. The MSWI fly ash with high concentrations of CaO and Fe2O3 and also trace metals such as Cu, Pb and Zn has the catalytic potential in dechlorinating PCDD/Fs at about 250–450°C under oxygen deficient conditions. Sodium hypophosphite generates reducing agents (PH3 and H2) at about 300°C, which can increase the detoxification efficiency and accelerate the dechlorination reaction. The reductive dechlorination with 10% (w/w) sodium hypophosphite has shown high detoxification efficiencies of 99.4% and 99.3% at 350°C and 450°C, respectively, and as well as the dechlorination efficiencies about 98.7%. The reductive dechlorination is about the same efficiency as the melting process. In this study it is also shown that the bioassay method combined with HRGC/MS method as a reference is a feasible and low-cost technology for determining PCDD/Fs in environmental matrices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]