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Ensemble representations are efficient codes that the brain generates effortlessly even under noisy conditions. However, the role of visual awareness for computing ensemble representations remains unclear. We present two psychophysical experiments (N = 15 × 2) using a bias-free paradigm to investigate the contribution of conscious and unconscious processing to ensemble perception. Here, we show that ensemble perception can unfold without awareness of the relevant features that define the ensemble. Computational modeling of the type-1 and type-2 drift-rates further suggest that awareness lags well behind the categorization processes that support ensemble perception. Additional evidence indicates that the dissociation between type-1 from type-2 sensitivity, was not driven by the type-2 inefficiency or a systematic disadvantage in type-2 decision making. The present study demonstrates the utility of robust measures for studying the role of visual consciousness and metacognition in stimuli and tasks of increasing complexity, crucially, without underestimating the contribution of unconscious processing in an otherwise visible stimulus. Public Significance Statement: Psychologists have been studying the contribution of conscious and unconscious processes in human perception, but previous research mainly looked at how we recognize simple single objects. However, our conscious experience involves a lot of different and complex things happening at the same time. We created a way to study how visual awareness affects our perception of groups of things (i.e., ensembles), without underestimating the role of the unconscious mind. We found that human observers can still understand and process the big picture of a group, even when they are not consciously aware of the critical information defining the ensemble. This discovery can help us better understand how we perceive complex things and the scope of nonconscious processes in visual perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the interior of hairy black holes has received significant attention recently. This paper builds upon our recent analytical approach to investigate the internal dynamics of charged black holes with scalar hair in general spacetime dimensions. The geometries of these hairy balck holes end at a spacelike singularity. We investigate the alternation of Kasner epoch at later interior times and obtain the analytic expression for two kinds of transformation, namely Kasner inversion and Kasner transition. Moreover, we classify three different types of Kasner alternations for a large class of Einstein-Maxwell-scalar theory. Our analytical results are corroborated by numerical solutions to the full equations of motion, including a top-down model from supergravity. For general interactions, more complicated behaviors beyond our analytical description are also found and discussed, including the presence of non-Kasner epochs and the random change of the amplitude of the Kasner exponent at late interior times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is mainly used as a food additive due to its antioxidant properties, which prevent or delay oxidation reactions and extend the storage life of products. The widespread use of BHA has led to its extensive presence in various environmental matrices and human tissues. Food intake is the main route of human exposure to BHA. Under different conditions, BHA can produce different metabolites, with tert‐butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) being one of the major products. Several studies have shown that BHA could cause thyroid system damage, metabolic and growth disorders, neurotoxicity, and carcinogenesis. Mechanisms such as endocrine disruption, genotoxicity, disturbances of energy metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, signaling pathways, and imbalances in calcium homeostasis appear to be associated with the toxic effects of BHA. Avoiding the toxic effects of BHA to the maximum extent possible is a top priority. Finding safe, non‐toxic and environmentally friendly alternatives to BHA should be the focus of subsequent research. In all, this review summarized the current situation related to BHA and might make recommendations for future research directions. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our perceptual system appears hardwired to exploit regularities of input features across space and time in seemingly stable environments. This can lead to serial dependence effects whereby recent perceptual representations bias current perception. Serial dependence has also been demonstrated for more abstract representations, such as perceptual confidence. Here, we ask whether temporal patterns in the generation of confidence judgments across trials generalize across observers and different cognitive domains. Data from the Confidence Database across perceptual, memory, and cognitive paradigms was reanalyzed. Machine learning classifiers were used to predict the confidence on the current trial based on the history of confidence judgments on the previous trials. Cross-observer and cross-domain decoding results showed that a model trained to predict confidence in the perceptual domain generalized across observers to predict confidence across the different cognitive domains. The recent history of confidence was the most critical factor. The history of accuracy or Type 1 reaction time alone, or in combination with confidence, did not improve the prediction of the current confidence. We also observed that confidence predictions generalized across correct and incorrect trials, indicating that serial dependence effects in confidence generation are uncoupled to metacognition (i.e., how we evaluate the precision of our own behavior). We discuss the ramifications of these findings for the ongoing debate on domain-generality versus domain-specificity of metacognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer, a highly malignant disease, greatly affects patients' quality of life. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the most common posttranscriptional modifications of various RNAs, including mRNAs and ncRNAs. Emerging studies have demonstrated that m6A participates in normal physiological processes and that its dysregulation is involved in many diseases, especially pulmonary tumorigenesis and progression. Among these, regulators including m6A writers, readers and erasers mediate m6A modification of lung cancer-related molecular RNAs to regulate their expression. Furthermore, the imbalance of this regulatory effect adversely affects signalling pathways related to lung cancer cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis and other biological behaviours. Based on the close association between m6A and lung cancer, various prognostic risk models have been established and novel drugs have been developed. Overall, this review comprehensively elaborates the mechanism of m6A regulation in the development of lung cancer, suggesting its potential for clinical application in the therapy and prognostic assessment of lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significantly decreased H3K4 methylation in oocytes from aged mice indicates the important roles of H3K4 methylation in female reproduction. However, how H3K4 methylation regulates oocyte development remains largely unexplored. In this study, it is demonstrated that oocyte‐specific expression of dominant negative mutant H3.3‐K4M led to a decrease of the level of H3K4 methylation in mouse oocytes, resulting in reduced transcriptional activity and increased DNA methylation in oocytes, disturbed oocyte developmental potency, and fertility of female mice. The impaired expression of genes regulating mitochondrial functions in H3.3‐K4M oocytes, accompanied by mitochondrial abnormalities, is further noticed. Moreover, early embryos from H3.3‐K4M oocytes show developmental arrest and reduced zygotic genome activation. Collectively, these results show that H3K4 methylation in oocytes is critical to orchestrating gene expression profile, driving the oocyte developmental program, and ensuring oocyte quality. This study also improves understanding of how histone modifications regulate organelle dynamics in oocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metacognition can be deployed retrospectively -to reflect on the correctness of our behavior- or prospectively -to make predictions of success in one's future behavior or make decisions about strategies to solve future problems. We investigated the factors that determine prospective decision making. Human participants performed a visual discrimination task followed by ratings of visibility and response confidence. Prior to each trial, participants made prospective judgments. In Experiment 1, they rated their belief of future success. In Experiment 2, they rated their decision to adopt a focused attention state. Prospective beliefs of success were associated with no performance changes while prospective decisions to engage attention were followed by better self-evaluation of the correctness of behavioral responses. Using standard machine learning classifiers we found that the current prospective decision could be predicted from information concerning task-correctness, stimulus visibility and response confidence from previous trials. In both Experiments, awareness and confidence were more diagnostic of the prospective decision than task correctness. Notably, classifiers trained with prospective beliefs of success in Experiment 1 predicted decisions to engage in Experiment 2 and vice-versa. These results indicate that the formation of these seemingly different prospective decisions share a common, dynamic representational structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a solid–gas–liquid phase double slip model for flat plate was established by correcting the boundary conditions with the boundary layer slip velocity. According to Karman boundary layer momentum theorem, the velocity distributions both in the solid–gas boundary layer and in the gas–liquid boundary layer were deduced. The boundary layer thickness, displacement thickness and momentum loss thickness, as well as friction coefficient were also obtained, which offer an understanding for the laminar boundary layer characteristic. The theoretical results indicate that the flow field velocity near the solid surface can be increased by the micro-bubbles on the solid surface. In the case of low Reynolds number, the boundary slip phenomenon occurs in the bubble surface boundary layer, which can lead to the resistance reduction effect. The bubble with higher height offers a longer boundary ship length, and also a more significant resistance reduction. Experimental research was also made by establishing a holographic optical experiment system and the results show that there is higher flow velocity distribution in the bubble surface boundary layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a subcritical/transcritical Rankine cycle for subsea power system is investigated. By balancing the pressure between the inner and outer side of the rotary seal, the dynamic sealing problem for the subsea power system is minimized. This Rankine cycle is electrical heated and utilizes the surrounding deep seawater as the cooling source. The mathematical model was established based on the first and second law of thermodynamics and the simulation validation was made. Water–steam, CO 2 , C 9 H 20 , C 10 H 22 and C 12 H 26 are selected as the working fluid and the comparison was made. The results show that the subsea Rankine cycle can obtain a higher thermal efficiency as the working depth increases between 1000 and 5000 m. The thermal efficiencies are obtained as: 19.4–26.7% for water–steam cycle, 9.6–31.2% for CO 2 cycle, 9.1–14.7% for C 9 H 20 cycle, 8.0–13.5% for C 10 H 22 cycle and 6.3–11.8% for C 12 H 26 cycle, depending on the working depth. With the same working depth, the water–steam cycle has a higher thermal efficiency, exergy efficiency and turbine power output but requires higher total energy input; while the CO 2 cycle can obtain a high thermal efficiency, exergy efficiency with lower energy consumption but produces less turbine power output. In addition, it is found exergy destruction mainly occur in the boiler and condenser, accounting for more than 90% in total. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An absorption power cycle with two ejectors is proposed for ocean thermal energy conversion. The ammonia–water is used as the working fluid. The ejectors are driven by vapor and solution from the sub-generator. Based on the first and second law, the mathematical model for this cycle is developed and theoretical analysis is conducted to evaluate the effects of thermodynamic parameters on the performance of this cycle. Results show that the absorption temperature is increased by 2.0–6.5 °C by employing the two-stage ejector sub-cycle, which indicates that this proposed cycle can be driven with a lower temperature difference. Further, the thermal efficiency, net thermal efficiency and exergy efficiency of this cycle can reach to 4.17%, 3.10% and 39.92% respectively. Besides, the generation pressure, the heating source temperature, the solution concentration, and the expansion ratio, as well as the entrainment ratio of the first stage ejector have significant effects on the absorption temperature, the thermal efficiency, the exergy efficiency and the exergy loss of this cycle. In addition, 49.80% of exergy loss in this proposed cycle occurs in the generators and reheater, followed by the ejectors of 36.12%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the flow behavior and relative permeability ( k r ) curve of the immiscible two-phase flow accompanied by icing in a horizontal channel were studied using the lattice Boltzmann method-phase field method (LBM-PFM) coupling model at the pore-scale. A novel LBM-PFM coupled model is proposed and tested by comparison with analytical and experimental results, and good agreement is achieved in general. Then, the model is used for simulating two-phase fluids (brine water–oil) flow during icing. In addition, the effects of initial phase distribution, capillary number, and heat flux are numerically discussed. The results show that, the distribution characteristics of the relative permeability curves of the immiscible fluids during the crystallization process are determined by the initial phase distribution. The Ca number is a positive correlation function of k r , while the k r curve is not sensitive to the change of heat flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (rs-EPI) with simultaneous multislice (SMS) technology has been successfully applied to tumor research in many organs, but no feasibility study in rectal cancer has been reported, and the optimal acceleration of SMS with rs-EPI in rectal cancer has not been well determined yet. Objective: To investigate the feasibility of SMS rs-EPI of rectal cancer with different acceleration factors (AFs) and its influence on image quality, acquisition time and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) in comparison to conventional sequences. Methods: All patients underwent rs-EPI and SMS rs-EPI with AFs of 2 and 3 (2 × SMS rs-EPI and 3 × SMS rs-EPI, respectively) using a 3T scanner. Acquisition times of the three rs-EPI sequences were measured. Image qualitative parameters (5-point Likert scale), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), geometric distortion, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the three sequences were compared. Results: A total of eighty-three patients were enrolled in our study. rs-EPI and 2 × SMS rs-EPI offered equivalently high overall image quality with a scan time reduction to nearly half (rs-EPI: 137 s, 2 × SM rs-EPI: 60 s). 3 × SMS rs-EPI showed significantly poorer image quality (p < 0.05). ADC values were significantly lower in 3 × SMS rs-EPI compared to rs-EPI in rectal tumors and normal tissue (tumor tissue: rs-EPI 1.19 ± 0.21 × 10−3 mm2/s, 3 × SMS rs-EPI 1.10 ± 0.26 × 10−3 mm2/s, p < 0.001; normal tissue: rs-EPI 1.68 ± 0.13 × 10−3 mm2/s, 3 × SMS rs-EPI 1.54 ± 0.20 × 10−3 mm2/s, p < 0.001). Conclusions: SMS rs-EPI using an AF of 2 is feasible for rectal MRI resulting in substantial reductions in acquisition time while maintaining diagnostic image quality and similar ADC values to those of rs-EPI when the slice distance and number of shots are the same among three rs-EPI sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Feedstock for biofuel synthesis is transitioning to lignocelluosic biomass to address criticism over competition between first generation biofuels and food production. As microbial catalysis is increasingly applied for the conversion of biomass to biofuels, increased import has been placed on the development of novel enzymes. With revolutionary advances in sequencer technology and metagenomic sequencing, mining enzymes from microbial communities for biofuel synthesis is becoming more and more practical. The present article highlights the latest research progress on the special characteristics of metagenomic sequencing, which has been a powerful tool for new enzyme discovery and gene functional analysis in the biomass energy field. Critical enzymes recently developed for the pretreatment and conversion of lignocellulosic materials are evaluated with respect to their activity and stability, with additional explorations into xylanase, laccase, amylase, chitinase, and lipolytic biocatalysts for other biomass feedstocks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To investigate the effect of chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) on drug-metabolizing enzymes in rat liver and kidneys, male Spraque–Dawley rats were fed a diet containing 1% or 3% COS for 5weeks. The activities of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, UDP-glucurosyltransferase (UGT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in the liver and kidneys were determined. Significant decreases in microsomal CYP3A-catalyzed testosterone 6β-hydroxylation, CYP2C-catalyzed diclofenac 4-hydroxylation, and CYP4A-catalyzed lauric acid 12-hydroxylation in the liver of rats fed the COS diets were observed compared with those rats fed the control diet. Immunoblot analyses of CYP proteins showed the same trend as with enzyme activities. Increased glutathione content in liver was found in rats fed the 1% COS diet. Increased hepatic NADPH: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) activity was found in rats fed the COS diets. In kidneys, COS had little or no effect on CYP enzyme activities. However, increased GST activity was observed in rats fed the COS diets. Moreover, a higher UGT activity was found in rats fed the 1% COS diet. Our results indicate that COS may suppress hepatic CYP enzymes and induce phase II detoxifying reactions in the liver and kidneys of rats. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A letter to the editor is presented which discusses a research regarding the relationship between vascular dementia (VaD) and Alzheimer's disease in Chinese population.

Background: With ever increasing amount of available data on biological networks, modeling and understanding the structure of these large networks is an important problem with profound biological implications. Cellular functions and biochemical events are coordinately carried out by groups of proteins interacting each other in biological modules. Identifying of such modules in protein interaction networks is very important for understanding the structure and function of these fundamental cellular networks. Therefore, developing an effective computational method to uncover biological modules should be highly challenging and indispensable. Results: The purpose of this study is to introduce a new quantitative measure modularity density into the field of biomolecular networks and develop new algorithms for detecting functional modules in protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. Specifically, we adopt the simulated annealing (SA) to maximize the modularity density and evaluate its efficiency on simulated networks. In order to address the computational complexity of SA procedure, we devise a spectral method for optimizing the index and apply it to a yeast PPI network. Conclusions: Our analysis of detected modules by the present method suggests that most of these modules have well biological significance in context of protein complexes. Comparison with the MCL and the modularity based methods shows the efficiency of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this work is to study the thermodynamic mechanism and performance of an engine exhaust-powered adsorption refrigeration system using CaCl2 as adsorbent and NH3 as refrigerant. A 6 kW nominal refrigerating capacity adsorption refrigerator was developed. The working performance of the refrigerator is presented. It is concluded that the refrigerating capacity at constant evaporating temperatures varies with the input heat into the generator, and the heat transfer affects strongly the mass transfer in the adsorbent, making it work in different mean generation and adsorption temperatures. A conventional test bed was developed for investigating the properties of CaCl2–NH3 adsorption/desorption unit tube. A mathematical model based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics was developed to describe the performances of the adsorption refrigerating system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG) releases significant cooling potential, but improper usage can easily lead to wastage of resources and environmental pollution. The study developed an integrated air separation system and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power generation system to effectively harness the inherent cold energy within LNG. Two distinct optimization algorithms, the Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) and the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), were employed to determine the optimal operational parameters. The results showed the superior performance of PSO over NSGA-II, as demonstrated by the exergy efficiency, net output power, and levelized cost of energy at 78.12 %, 2.29*1011 kW, and 0.0665 $/kWh, respectively. Additionally, an assessment of various factors influencing the system's performance was conducted. The performance of both conventional and proposed systems was studied under varying regasification rates. The findings indicated that incorporating the cold recovery and storage unit enhanced the efficient utilization of LNG cold energy, resulting in an increased valley-to-peak ratio of the total power output from 0.03 in the conventional system to 0.5. The proposed system exhibits alignment with the energy consumption demands of users, and this study is anticipated to furnish a theoretical foundation for harnessing the cooling capacity of liquid hydrogen. [Display omitted] • The novel utilization of LNG cold energy by combining air separation with ORC. • PSO is superior than NSGA-II for optimization: 14.4 % decrement in LCOE. • PSO: 17.9 % and 7.0 % increment in the exergy efficiency and net output power. • Both LNG steady state and fluctuating in regasification rates were investigated. • The valley-to-peak ratio of the system's power output was increased to 0.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive functions, for example speech processing, are distributed asymmetrically in the two hemispheres that mostly have homologous anatomical structures. Dichotic listening is a well-established paradigm to investigate hemispherical lateralization of speech. However, the mixed results of dichotic listening, especially when using tonal languages as stimuli, complicates the investigation of functional lateralization. We hypothesized that the inconsistent results in dichotic listening are due to an interaction in processing a mixture of acoustic and linguistic attributes that are differentially processed over the two hemispheres. In this study, a within-subject dichotic listening paradigm was designed, in which different levels of speech and linguistic information was incrementally included in different conditions that required the same tone identification task. A left ear advantage (LEA), in contrast with the commonly found right ear advantage (REA) in dichotic listening, was observed in the hummed tones condition, where only the slow frequency modulation of tones was included. However, when phonemic and lexical information was added in simple vowel tone conditions, the LEA became unstable. Furthermore, ear preference became balanced when phonological and lexical-semantic attributes were included in the consonant-vowel (CV), pseudo-word, and word conditions. Compared with the existing REA results that use complex vowel word tones, a complete pattern emerged gradually shifting from LEA to REA. These results support the hypothesis that an acoustic analysis of suprasegmental information of tones is preferably processed in the right hemisphere, but is influenced by phonological and lexical semantic processes residing in the left hemisphere. The ear preference in dichotic listening depends on the levels of speech and linguistic analysis and preferentially lateralizes across the different hemispheres. That is, the manifestation of functional lateralization depends on the integration of information across the two hemispheres. • The content of speech changes the ear advantage in dichotic listening. • A left ear advantage was observed when listening to the hummed tones. • Phonological and lexical-semantic processes balanced the ear preference. • Our observations contrast with the common right ear advantage in speech processing. • Integration across the two hemispheres determines functional lateralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The energy spectrum test showed that silicone accumulated in the interface region of the silicone oil-water mixture. • The interface associated matter exhibits a loose network structure. • Different compression directions will cause the interface pressure to vary differently. • The associated matter has a stronger tendency to migrate to silicone oil. In this manuscript, taking into account the dispersion mass transfer reported in the previous article, the main features of the associated matter in the interface region during the mass transfer process were further investigated (In the study of dispersion mass transfer, the interface associated matter is considered to be a mixture containing both water and silicone oil components. It has a loosely network-like microstructure and exists in the mesoscopic interface region between silicone oil and water.). Especially the structural characteristics of interface associated matter, the transfer and distribution characteristics of associated matter in the interface region, and the influence of the distribution characteristics of the associated matter on the interface pressure were investigated. For the structural characteristics of the associated matter, a structural observation experiment was carried out using a Cryo-scanning electron microscope (Cryo-SEM) to observe its microstructure characteristics, and the intrinsic composition of the interface associated matter was analyzed using Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS). According to the distribution characteristics of the associated matter in the interface region, a Cryo-SEM was used to observe the higher magnification and measure the distance between the silicone oil phase and the water phase in the interface region, that is, the distribution characteristics. According to the distribution characteristics of the associated matter in the interface region, the influence degree of the compression directions on the interface pressure is different when the associated matter is compressed, and an upgraded dual interface pressure synchronous measuring device (DIMD) is designed and fabricated to simultaneously measure interface pressures in different compression directions. The results show that the associated matter of the interface region exhibits obvious network structure characteristic which is significantly different from water and silicone oil, and the EDS test shows that the silicone component has accumulated in the interface region. When the associated matter is formed in the interface region, it will be closer to the silicone oil under the attraction, which indicates that the associated matter is more likely to migrate to the silicone oil in the interface region to alienate the water. The measured interface pressure in different compression directions is different, and the interface pressure of the compressed water -silicone oil is greater than the interface pressure of the compressed silicone oil - water. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the feasibility of the golden-angle radial sparse parallel (GRASP) dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique in predicting the intraoperative bleeding risk of scar pregnancy. Methods: A total of 49 patients with cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) who underwent curettage and GRASP-MRI imaging were retrospectively selected between January 2021 and July 2022. The pharmacokinetic parameters, including Wash-in, Wash-out, time to peck (TTP), initial area under the curve (iAUC), the transfer rate constant (Ktrans), constant flow rate (Kep), and volume of extracellular space (Ve), were calculated. The amount of intraoperative bleeding was recorded by a gynecologist who performed surgery, after which patients were divided into non-hemorrhage (blood loss ≤ 200 mL) and hemorrhage (blood loss > 200 mL) groups. The measured pharmacokinetic parameters were statistically compared using the t-test or Mann–Whitney U test with a significant level set to be p < 0.05. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate each parameter's capability in intraoperative hemorrhage subgroup classification. Results: Twenty patients had intraoperative hemorrhage (blood loss > 200 mL) during curettage. The hemorrhage group had larger Wash-in, iAUC, Ktrans, Ve, and shorter TTP than the non-hemorrhage group (all P > 0.05). Wash-in had the highest AUC value (0.90), while Ktrans had the lowest value (0.67). Wash-out and Kep were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: GRASP DCE-MRI has the potential to forecast intraoperative hemorrhage during curettage treatment of CSP, with Wash-in exhibiting the highest predictive performance. This data holds promise for advancing personalized treatment. However, further study is required to compare its effectiveness with other risk factors identified through anatomical MRI and ultrasound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a novel extraction–ejection combined power and refrigeration cycle for ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC). Ammonia-water is utilized as the working fluid. By introducing a steam-turbine extraction-gas-driven ejector between the evaporator and the absorber, the gas flows into the absorber after it is cooled, thereby enabling the cycle to recover pressure-difference energy and produce both power and cooling outputs. A mathematical model is established for the energy and exergy analyses, and a genetic-algorithm-based optimal design was developed to determine the maximum exergy efficiency. Furthermore, a comparative study of traditional OTEC cycles is conducted. The results showed that at seawater temperatures of 30 °C and 5 °C, the refrigeration temperature reached −20 °C. Although the power efficiency of the proposed cycle was 0.85%, which is 3% lower than that of the traditional OTEC power cycles, the coefficient of performance and comprehensive efficiency, which represents the utilisation of exergy, reached up to 29.10% and 66.14%, respectively, which indicates its high energy utilisation performance. This novel cycle shows potential for OTEC, as it can satisfy both electricity and refrigeration demands. • An extraction-ejection OTEC cycle for power and refrigeration is proposed. • The comprehensive efficiency of the proposed combined OTEC cycle reaches up to 60%. • The refrigeration temperature of the combined OTEC cycle reaches up to −20 °C. • The combined cycle can be driven by a temperature difference of merely 25 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Naringin is a flavonoid derived from Chinese herbs. According to earlier studies, naringin may have the potential to alleviate aging-induced cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, this study attempted to explore the protective effect and underlying mechanism of naringin on aging rats with cognitive dysfunction. Methods. After the construction of a model of aging rats with cognitive dysfunction through subcutaneous injection of D-galactose (D-gal; 150 mg/kg), intragastric administration of naringin (100 mg/kg) was performed for treatment. Behavioral tests, including Morris water maze test (MWM), novel object recognition test (NORT), and fear conditioning test, were used to measure the cognitive function; ELISA and biochemical tests were used to determine the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the hippocampus of rats in each group, respectively; H&E staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the hippocampus; Western blot was used to examine the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/NF-κB pathway-related proteins and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related proteins in the hippocampus. Results. The model was successfully constructed by subcutaneous injection of D-gal (150 mg/kg). The behavioral test results showed that naringin could ameliorate the cognitive dysfunction and alleviate the histopathological damage of hippocampus. Moreover, naringin significantly improve the inflammatory response (the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and MCP-1 were decreased), oxidative stress response (MDA level was increased while GSH-Px activity was decreased), and ER stress (the expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), C/-EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and transcription factor 6 (ATF6) expression was downregulated), and increased the levels of neurotrophic factors BDNF and NGF in D-gal rats. Besides, further mechanistic studies revealed the downregulation of naringin on TLR4/NF-κB pathway activity. Conclusion. Naringin may inhibit inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and ER stress by downregulating TLR4/NF-κB pathway activity, thereby improving cognitive dysfunction and alleviating histopathological damage of hippocampus in aging rats. Briefly, naringin is an effective drug for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ballast sediments deposit not only provide the breeding ground for the survival organisms, but also affect the weight balance of the ship and even accelerate the corrosion of the ballast tank. In this work the performance of a ballast water flushing system for the 138,000 m 3 LNGC (Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier) double bottom cargo ship is studied. A simulation model of the ballast tank was made to conduct the numerical analysis. Besides, a scaled experimental setup was established on basis of the similarity principle. With different injecting velocities at the flushing inlet, the sediments distribution in the ballast tank is investigated and the energy consumption of the circulating pump is studied. The results show that by flushing the ballast water on the bottom, the sediments first accumulate at the far end, with the sediments volume fraction climbs up to 10–30%, before gradually getting removed over time. Further, higher inlet velocity leads to a more rapid decrease of average sediments proportion in the ballast tank over time, but the energy consumption in circulating pump significantly increases as well. The required power for this proposed ballast water flushing system is within the common range and thus applicable in the cargo ship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The output of the absorption refrigeration system driven by exhaust gas is unstable and the efficiency is low. Therefore, it is necessary to keep the performance of absorption refrigeration systems in a stable state. This will help predict the dynamic parameters of the system and thus control the output of the system. This paper presents a machine-learning algorithm for predicting the key parameters of an ammonia–water absorption refrigeration system. Three new machine-learning algorithms, Elman, BP neural network (BPNN), and extreme learning machine (ELM), are tested to predict the system parameters. The key control parameters of the system are predicted according to the exhaust gas parameters, and the cooling system is adjusted according to the predicted values to achieve the goal of stable cooling output. After comparison, the ELM algorithm has a fast learning speed, good generalization performance, and small test set error sum, so it is selected as the final optimal prediction algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the interface characteristics during the two-phase invasion of silicon oil and water were investigated using high-precision optical experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. An experimental system composed of a CCD (charge coupled device) industrial camera and an optical microscope was designed to observe the interface state between the dispersed phase at the silicone oil-water interface. At the same time, the microscopic image and energy spectrum results of the silicone oil-water mixture were obtained using a cryo-scanning electron microscope (Cryo-SEM). The molecular dynamics method was also used to simulate the dynamic process of the mass transfer of the silicone oil-water mixture. Through experimental results and molecular dynamics simulations, the phenomenon of diffuse mass transfer during the phase invasion and the existence of silicon oil-water associations were confirmed. The results showed that the silicone oil and water molecules were associated with each other due to the hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions, but the interfacial association matter was loose and unstable. The C–H, Si–O, and H–O bonds were the main factor in the formation of the silicone oil-water dispersion association matter. The findings revealed the rationality of the dispersion associated substances at the silicon oil-water interface, and showed its microstructure characteristics. The study is expected to provide an insight for the study of silicon oil-water interface and enrich the emulsification and separation theories between silicon oil and water solutions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is well-established that serum testosterone in men decreases with age, yet the underlying mechanism of this change remains elusive. Methods: The expression patterns of Fancd2 opposite-strand (Fancd2os) in BALB/c male mice and testicular tissue derived cell lines (GC-1, GC-2, TM3, and TM4) were assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot and immunofluorescence. The Fancd2os-overexpressing or knockdown TM3 cells were constructed by infecting them with lentivirus particles and were used to evaluated the function of Fancd2os. The testosterone production was measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the steroidogenic enzymes such as steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), P450 cholesterol sidechain cleavage (P450scc), and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) were analysed using RT-PCR. The apoptosis of TM3 cells induced by ultraviolet light or testicular tissues was detected using flow cytometry, Western blot or dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between the Fancd2os expression and TUNELpositive staining in mouse testicular Leydig cells. Results: The Fancd2os protein was predominantly expressed in mouse testicular Leydig cells and its expression increased with age. Fancd2os overexpression inhibited testosterone levels in TM3 Leydig cells, whereas knockdown of Fancd2os elevated testosterone production. Fancd2os overexpression downregulated the levels of StAR, P450scc and 3β-HSD, while Fancd2os knockdown reversed this effect. Fancd2os overexpression promoted ultraviolet light-induced apoptosis of TM3 cells. In contrast, Fancd2os knockdown restrained apoptosis in TM3 cells. In vivo assays revealed that higher Fancd2os levels and mouse age were associated with increased apoptosis in Leydig cells and decreased serum testosterone levels. Pearson correlation analysis exhibited a strong positive correlation between the expression of Fancd2os and TUNEL-positive staining in mouse testicular Leydig cells. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Fancd2os regulates testosterone synthesis via both steroidogenic enzymes and the apoptotic pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High concentration of brine pockets formed during seawater freeze crystallisation reduces the freeze desalination efficiency. In this study, the inhibitory effect of salt-adsorption on brine pockets formation was investigated by simulation and experimental methods. A phase-field model coupled with the adsorption kinetic equation was established. The experiments on oriented growth of sea ice assisted with adsorption were conducted. In addition, the effects of adsorption on the morphology of ice crystals and brine pockets were studied. The results show that under the effect of adsorption, the planar crystal layer became thicker, the columnar crystals had a lower aspect ratio, the growth of brine pockets was inhibited, and the brine channels between adjacent ice crystals were reduced significantly. Stronger adsorption effect leads to less brine pockets. The area of ice crystals is increased by 6.08% in simulation and 11.79% in experiments, respectively. Moreover, the ice crystal growth rate and Peclet number were consistent between the simulation and experiment. The tip solute migration rate under adsorption increased by 17.69% compared with that without adsorption. This indicates that adsorption inhibits brine pockets formation in seawater freeze desalination and is favourable for improving the desalination rate. • Established a phase field model coupled with the adsorption kinetic equation • Experimentally verified the inhibition effect of adsorption on salt-cell formation • Salt cells were inhibited during the orientated seawater crystallisation. • Areas of ice crystals increased by 6.06% by adopting the adsorption method. • Tip solute migration under adsorption is 17.69% higher than that without adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Biofilms grown at different polyurethane carrier depths were layered. • Three distinct stages of biofilm development were studied. • Measurements and modeling were performed at various carrier depths. • AOB, AnAOB, and denitrifiers were mostly in the outer, middle, and inner layers. In this study, matrix degradation, microbial community development, and distribution using an individual-based model during biofilm formation on carriers at varying depths within a single-stage partial nitrification/anammox system were simulated. The findings from the application of individual-based model fitting, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and high-throughput sequencing reveal the presence of aerobic bacteria, specifically ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, as discrete particles within the outer layer of the carrier. Facultative anaerobic bacteria exemplified by anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, are observed as aggregates within the middle layer. Conversely, anaerobic bacteria, represented by denitrifiers, are enveloped by extracellular polymeric substances within the inner layer. The present study extends the application of individual-based model to the formation of polyurethane-supported biofilms and presents valuable avenues for the design and advancement of pragmatic engineering carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate load forecasting is crucial for effectively regulating regional heat network systems. However, existing forecasting methods often rely on subjective experience to determine the forecasting step, which is limited by the presence of thermal inertia, leading to suboptimal accuracy. To address this limitation, an optimal step size selection method based on the Informer-based framework is proposed to enhance load forecasting accuracy in heat exchange stations. This method leverages the Attention mechanism within the Informer model, enabling the capture of global information in a single step. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, real operational data from a typical thermal power plant in North China is utilized to analyze and test the impact of data distribution and prediction step size on the model's prediction capability. The performance is evaluated using Mean Square Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE). Comparative analysis against Support Vector Regression (SVR) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models demonstrates that the Informer algorithm with optimal prediction step size achieves the highest prediction accuracy. Notably, the proposed method achieved a minimum reduction of 62.7 %, 46.5 %, and 42.9 % in MSE, MAE, and MAPE, respectively, significantly surpassing the performance of alternative prediction methods. • A method that can improve the accuracy of load forecasting in DHS is proposed. • The method can optimize the forecasting step size based on the Informer. • The effects of dataset, step size, and model chosen on the accuracy are investigated. • The Informer model with optimal prediction step enhanced the forecasting accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human beings display the extraordinary ability of grasping and communicating abstract concepts. Yet, no standardized instruments exist to assess this ability. Developing these tools is paramount for understanding abstract representations such as social concepts, with ramifications in educational and clinical settings. Here, we developed an image database depicting abstract social concepts varying in social desirability. We first validated the image database in a sample of neurotypical participants. Then, we applied the database to test different hypotheses regarding how social concepts are represented across samples of adults and children with autism spectrum condition (ASC). Relative to the neurotypicals, we did not observe differences related to ASC in identification performance of the social desirability of the concepts, nor differences in metacognitive ability. However, we observed a preference bias away from prosocial concepts that was linked to individual autistic traits in the neurotypicals, and higher in ASC relative to the neurotypicals both in adults and children. These results indicate that abstract representations such as social concepts are dependent on individual neurodevelopmental traits. The image database thus provides a standardized assessment tool for investigating the representation of abstract social concepts in the fields of psycholinguistics, neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry, and cognitive neuroscience, across different cultures and languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel temperature lift cycle for ocean thermal energy conversion is proposed. • Second type heat pump is used for the first time to overheat turbine inlet steam. • Turbine inlet temperature reaches up to 44.7 °C relying on the ocean thermal energy. • 22 selected working fluids achieved a 40% average thermal efficiency improvement. • Levelized cost of energy for power generation reduces up to 38%. A significant obstacle to the widespread large-scale utilization of ocean thermal energy is the low temperature of the heat source, which restricts the turbine inlet to saturated steam conditions and results in notably reduced turbine efficiency. In this paper, a novel temperature-lifting based Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion cycle (OTEC) is proposed. The cycle combines the second-type absorption heat pump and the Rankine power cycle to overheat the working fluid at the turbine inlet using both surface and deep seawater, thereby mitigating the adverse effects of low surface seawater temperatures on energy conversion. The thermodynamic model is developed for this proposed cycle, 22 wet working fluids are selected for the Rankine sub-cycle. A comparative analysis with the traditional Rankine cycles is conducted to evaluate the cycle performance. The results show that the overheated temperature at the turbine inlet reaches up to 44.7 °C relying on the ocean thermal energy. In contrast to the traditional Rankine cycle, the proposed cycle achieved an average thermal efficiency improvement of 40 % and a substantial increase in exergy efficiency, ranging from 17.99–57.58 % to 32.83–68.88 %. The economic analysis reveals that the optimal cost is reduced by 38 % compared to the Rankine cycle, leading to a lower levelized cost of energy, down from 0.18 $/kWh to 0.13 $/kWh. This novel cycle offers an economically efficient and easily implementable approach to enhance low-grade thermal energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel ocean thermal energy driven combined power-refrigeration cycle is proposed. • The cycle adopts a hybrid liquid-gas-gas ejector to improve the entrainment capacity. • A comprehensive ejector model for the binary absorption working medium is built. • Minimum cooling temperature reduced by 20.5 % compared to liquid-gas ejector cycle. • Power/refrigeration efficiency of 1.58 %/17.45 % or higher can be achieved. The practical implementation of ocean thermal energy conversion technology faces constraints due to the low temperature differentials, resulting in limited energy conversion efficiency. This research introduces a novel combined power-refrigeration cycle that utilizes a hybrid liquid-gas-gas ejector to amplify the conversion efficiency. The gas extracted from the turbine is employed as auxiliary fluid within the liquid-gas-gas nozzle, effectively countering the low ejection coefficient associated with conventional liquid-gas ejectors. To elucidate the mechanism behind the liquid-gas-gas ejection process involving an ammonia-water-based absorption working fluid, a comprehensive fluid flow model for ejector is developed. This model facilitates the clarification of the non-equilibrium phase transition process occurring within the ejector. Parametric analysis was conducted to assess cycle performance under various operating conditions. The results show the innovative cycle can attain power/refrigeration efficiencies of 1.58 %/17.45 % while maintaining a refrigeration temperature of −18 °C. Performance comparisons indicate that the proposed liquid-gas-gas ejector based cycle reduces the minimum refrigeration temperature by 20.5 % in contrast to the cycle employing only the liquid-gas ejector, all while preserving power output. Furthermore, despite a mere 26 °C temperature difference, the refrigeration capacity of this cycle significantly outperforms those operating at greater temperature differentials. These findings demonstrate a substantial enhancement in the refrigeration and power capabilities of ocean thermal energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cheng F, Qin J-J, Yu M-N, Zhang F, Li X-C, Sun B-C, Kong L-B, Wang X-H. De novo phyllodes tumor in an adolescent female after liver transplantation. Pediatr Transplantation 2011: 15:E12-E14. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Phyllodes tumor of the breast is a rare disease constituting 0.3-0.9% of all breast neoplasms. Occurring mainly in females aged 35 to 55 yr, the disease is especially rare among adolescent females. There is no published literature about de novo phyllodes tumor after liver transplantation. Here we describe a case of de novo phyllodes tumors in an adolescent female after liver transplantation from a living donor for Wilson disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersion of silicone oil droplets and microstructure in silicone oil emulsion under freeze-scanning electron microscopy. • Cryo-scanning electron microscopy can be used to observe the oil/water interface. • The associated matter exhibits a shell structure coated with dispersed droplets. • The interface pressure reduction caused by dispersion is stronger than diffusion. • The dispersion mass transfer includes droplet mixing and material dispersion. In this work, the dispersion mass transfer of the silicone oil-water mixture, especially the material dispersion process in the silicone oil/water interface was studied. Adopt a combination of macro test methods and microscopic test methods, the Cryo-scanning electron Microscope (Cryo-SEM) and the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) were introduced into the work of this paper respectively. The interface region between the dispersed phase and the continuous phase in the silicone oil-water mixture was investigated by the Cryo-SEM, the boundary of pure silicone oil droplets was studied by the TEM. Moreover, a simple and practical silicone oil-water interface characteristic measuring instrument (ICMI) has been designed and made for the measurement of properties in the silicone oil-water mixture interface. The results show that the silicone oil boundary is continuous and free of other impurities, and the interface presents a three-layer structure of "silicone oil-associated matter-water", the Cryo-SEM images show the associated matter formed a layer of shell structure at the interface. The ICMI measurements show that the formation of the associated matter will lead to a rapid increase in interfacial pressure, while the associated matter migration will lead to rapid relaxation of the interface, and the relaxation effect is greater than the diffusion effect. This study shows that the dispersion mass transfer between silicone oil and water are consists of two interrelated stages: in the initial stage of mixing, continuous liquid phase splitting produces a large number of droplets, the diameter of the droplet group has a centralized distribution law, and there exists a sole clockwise circulation in the droplet. In the second stage, a kind of associated matter is formed by molecular aggregation in the interface area between the dispersed phase and the continuous phase, the associated matter contains both the silicone oil component and the water component. The formation and migration of the associated matter will result in a compression and relaxation effect of the interface. This manuscript provided a useful study for observing the oil/water interface with an electron microscope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• LCA study of a full-scale industrial wastewater treatment plant with high NH 4 +. • PN/A showed better operation performance than AO in terms of GWF, EF and CF. • PN/A presented less load to all six environmental indicators than AO. • Energy and chemical consumptions are key factors affecting environmental loads. Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is an innovative nitrogen removal process that is widely used in wastewater treatment due to its energy-saving potential and ability to reduce carbon emissions. However, research on the application of anammox in full-scale industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is limited, and its environmental impacts are yet to be fully understood. This study evaluates the performance and environmental burdens of one-stage partial nitritation and anammox (PN/A) in a full-scale WWTP treating coal chemical wastewater, with different demonstration periods. Compared with conventional nitrification–denitrification, the energy footprint and carbon footprint of the PN/A process were significantly lower and effluent quality was improved. Based on the four-quadrant clustering method, the overall performance of the studied WWTP achieved the greatest synergy during the stable operation period. Life cycle assessment has shown that the PN/A process significantly reduces the system's contribution to environmental indicators. According to the sensitivity analysis, the fluctuations in energy consumption and chemical usage have significant environmental impacts, with differential sensitivity in the environmental impacts of two demonstration periods. Therefore, considering the specific situation of the WWTPs, optimizing the parameters/indicators most sensitive to environmental impact is essential to reducing environmental loads. Importantly, this work demonstrated that PN/A can improve the operational performance of full-scale industrial WWTPs with lower environmental burdens, providing valuable guidance for the development of sustainable wastewater treatment processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat recovery of marine engine exhaust gas is an effective way of improving the onboard fuel economy and environmental compliance of fishing ships. Among such heat recovery techniques, the absorption refrigeration cycle shows potential as it can convert the exhaust thermal energy into refrigeration output and meet the onboard refrigeration requirement. However, the severe operating conditions on the shipboard poses a great challenge for its application. This paper presents an experimental investigation of an absorption refrigeration system for the heat recovery of marine engine exhaust gas. To overcome the adverse effect of the severe onboard condition on the rectification process of the absorption refrigeration system, a ternary ammonia–water–lithium bromide mixture is selected as the working fluid. A prototype of the absorption system is designed and an experimental investigation is conducted. Then, the performances of both the ternary ammonia–water–lithium bromide-based system and binary ammonia–water-based system are compared. The results show that the rectifier heat exchange area can be reduced by approximately 16% under the experimental working condition. Furthermore, the ternary system operates at a relatively lower pressure, with a refrigeration temperature of less than −15.0 °C, which is higher compared to the temperature of less than −23.6 °C associated with the binary system. Nevertheless, the ternary system achieves a remarkably higher cooling capacity. Moreover, by using the ternary ammonia–water–lithium bromide mixture, the heat loss of the prototype is reduced while the coefficient of performance and electric coefficient of performance are increased, indicating that the ternary system has a higher energy conversion efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its unique physical properties, carbon fiber (CF) has been widely studied for extensive application in aerospace and machinery. In this study, the thermal diffusivity of three kinds of CF sample is characterized by the transient electrothermal technique at room temperature. By subtracting the effect of radiative losses, the effective thermal diffusivity of CFs can be calculated as $$6.46\times 10^{-6}\,\hbox {m}^{2}\cdot \hbox {s}^{-1}$$ , $$6.58\times 10^{-6}\,\hbox {m}^{2}\cdot \hbox {s}^{-1}$$ and $$2.01\times 10^{-4}\,\hbox {m}^{2}\cdot \hbox {s}^{-1}$$ , respectively. For the first time, the emissivity coefficient of carbon fiber is calibrated as 0.78. Combined with Raman spectra and phonon scattering, we found that the better crystalline structure and low defect in CF have an obvious impact on its thermal diffusivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the combustion characteristic of coal–ammonia composite is investigated. Raw coal and preheating modified coal are treated to absorb the ammonia. Four kinds of samples are made to conduct the thermal balance experiments. The results show that the content of ammonia in the coal–ammonia composite greatly affects its combustion characteristics. The coal–ammonia composite has a lower carbon emission than the raw coal when the same amount of heat is released. Besides, the performances of raw coal can also be improved by preheating treatment, but the coal–ammonia composite has better combustion performances with the same amount of calorific value. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, the effect of single bubble behaviour on seawater-frozen crystallisation was investigated using the lattice Boltzmann method–phase field method (LBM–PFM) coupled method at the pore scale. First, a new LBM–PFM model is proposed and validated. Second, the coupled model is applied in the simulation of the crystallisation process in two-phase (seawater–bubble) fluids. In addition, the effects of the bubble radius, bubble velocity and bubble position are discussed numerically. The results show that the existence of bubbles can effectively promote the growth of ice crystals and increase the crystallisation rate by 6.78 %. Moreover, the effect is strengthened with increasing bubble radius and decreasing its distance from the heat source. In addition, the effect of bubble velocity on the crystallisation velocity varies nonlinearly with time. • A new LBM–PFM model based on free energy theory is proposed and validated. • The crystallisation process in two-phase (seawater–bubble) fluids is simulated. • The effects of the bubble radius, bubble velocity and bubble position are discussed numerically [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lignosulfonates and de–alkalized lignin pyrolysis characteristics were evaluated by using TG/DTG–FTIR/MS and in–situ Py–PI–TOF/MS. TG/DTG experiments showed that lignin sample pyrolysis proceeded in three stages from 303.15 to 1173.15 K, and the thermographs shifted to higher temperatures with increasing heating rate. Gases MS analysis showed that the pyrolysis of sodium lignosulfonate produced more CH 4 and CO 2 than the pyrolysis products of calcium lignosulfonate and de–alkalized lignin. The escape temperature of volatile matter in the lignin samples were basically consistent with the order of its organic content, but there were obvious differences in product composition. The escape peak temperature of olefins, aromatics, monophenols, and bisphenols showed a decline trend with the increase of substituent carbon number. The sample pyrolysis thermo–kinetics was estimated by Coats–Redfern, FWO, KAS, and integral Master–plots methods. The activation energies were 66.74–678.20 kJ mol−1 (calcium lignosulfonate) > 32.24–598.38 kJ mol−1 (sodium lignosulfonate) > 44.27–265.69 kJ mol−1 (de–alkalized lignin). The most potential kinetic models were not all consistent with the standard curves for the stages of sample pyrolysis. This study provides theoretical and practical guidance for solving the engineering problems of lignin wastes pyrolysis in papermaking wastewater. [Display omitted] • In–situ Py–PI–TOF/MS was used to study interactions of primary pyrolysis volatiles. • The yields of H 2 , CO, H 2 O, CH 4 , and CO 2 were analyzed from 303.15 to 1173.15 K. • Phenols were the main products of lignin samples thermal decomposition. • E of de-alkalized pyrolysis was found less than other lignin samples. • Not all potential kinetic models of lignin samples agree with the standard curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocyte lipid accumulation is the main feature in the early stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Highland barley Monascus purpureus Went (HBMPW), a fermentation product of Hordeum vulgare Linn. var. nudum Hook. f. has traditionally been used as fermented foods in Tibet with the effect of reducing blood lipid in folk medicine. This study investigated the protective effects and molecular mechanism of highland barley Monascus purpureus Went extract (HBMPWE) on NAFLD in syrian golden hamster fed with high-fat, high-fructose, high-cholesterol diet (HFFCD). HFFCD-induced NAFLD golden hamster model was established and treated with HBMPWE. Liver index, biochemical index, and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining were observed. Liver metabolomics and western blot analysis were employed. Our study found that HBMPWE ameliorated HFFCD induced dyslipidemia, weight gain and elevated the liver index. In addition, HBMPWE treatment significantly attenuated lipid accumulation in the liver and modulated lipid metabolism (sphingolipid, glycerophospholipid). Our data demonstrated that HBMPWE not only regulated the expression of proteins related to fatty acid synthesis and decomposition (SREBP-1/ACC/FAS/AceS1, PPARα/ACSL/CPT1/ACOX1), but also regulated the expression of proteins related to cholesterol synthesis and clearance (HMGCR, LDLR, CYP7A1). HBMPWE improved NAFLD through multiple pathways and multiple targets in body metabolism and could be used as a functional food to treat NAFLD and other lipid metabolic disorders. [Display omitted] • Evaluation for anti-NAFLD effect of highland barley Monascus purpureus Went (HBMPW). • Providing the insight into the anti-NAFLD mechanism of HBMPW. • Finding for HBMPW significantly increase the amount of ACSL1 in mitochondria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel phase field method (PFM) - lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) coupled model that describes the ice crystal growth in sea water freezing. Sea water frozen crystalisation impacted by flow and heterogeneous nucleation was numerically and experimentally investigated. The PFM-LBM model was established to conduct simulation. A microscope observation experimental system was built to conduct verification. The results show that flow of sea water effectively promotes the diffusion of discharged salt and the growth of ice crystals, and reduces the probability of dendrite closure. In the directional competitive growth of ice crystals, the salt content trapped in the ice crystals decreased by 17.4% at 0.025 m/s and 21.9% at 0.05 m/s, while the existence of heterogeneous particles resulted in a narrower the brine channel and higher ice crystal growth rate, of which the ice crystal area increased by 10.8% and the trapped salt content in the ice crystals decreased by 14.8%. The study provides both a methodology of numerically simulate sea ice crystallisation which includes the phase change, solute migration, heat transfer and flow, and a feasible controlling approach to improve desalination efficiency of sea water frozen crystallisation. • Established a phase-field and LBM coupling model for sea ice crystallisation • Investigated impact of flow and heterogeneous nucleation on sea ice desalination • Built up a high-definition 3D-transmission microscope experimental system • Trapped salt in directional ice growth is decreased up to 21.9% at 0.05 m/s flow. • Ice crystals area in heterogeneous directional growth is increased by 10.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a thermal diffusivity study of suspended graphene foam (GF) using the transient electro-thermal technique. Our Raman study confirms the GF is composed of two-layer graphene. By measuring GF of different lengths, we are able to exclude the radiation effect. Using Schuetz’s model, the intrinsic thermal diffusivity of the free-standing two-layer graphene is determined with a high accuracy without using knowledge of the porosity of the GF. The intrinsic thermal diffusivity of the two-layer graphene is determined at 1.16–2.22 × 10−4 m2 s−1. The corresponding intrinsic thermal conductivity is 182–349 W m−1 K−1, about one order of magnitude lower than those reported for single-layer graphene. Extensive surface impurity defects, wrinkles and rough edges are observed under a scanning electron microscope for the studied GF. These structural defects induce substantial phonon scattering and explain the observed significant thermal conductivity reduction. Our thermal diffusivity characterization of GF provides an advanced way to look into the thermal transport capacity of free-standing graphene with high accuracy and ease of experimental implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we propose and validate a new phase change source term based on the Gong and Cheng's lattice Boltzmann (LB) model (Gong and Cheng, 2012) [1]. A modified phase transition LB model, combined with a multicomponent LB method, was applied to simulate co-existing boiling and condensation phenomena interesting a multicomponent fluid (i.e., water and non-condensable gas (NCG)) in a confined space. Additionally, we investigated and discussed numerically the effects of the NCG concentration on the heat and mass transfer performances during the phase change of multiphase and multicomponent fluids in a confined space. In particular, these effects were studied considering variable solid wettability and confined scale conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional gravity gradient method to plot the geologic body location is fuzzy. When the depth is large and the geologic body is small, the Vzz and Vzx derivative errors are also large. We describe that using the status distinguishing factor to optimally determine the corner location is more accurate than the conventional higher-order derivative method. Thus, a better small geologic body and fault resolution is obtained by using the gravity gradient method and trial theoretical model calculation. The actual data is better processed, providing a better basis for prospecting and determination of subsurface geologic structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ultrafine carbon black (ufCB) is a potential hazard to the lung. It causes changes in protein expression and it increases alveolar–capillary permeability in the lung. Label-free quantitative proteomic methods allow a sensitive and accurate analytical method for identifying and quantifying proteins in a protein mixture without chemically modifying the proteins. We used a label-free quantitative proteomic approach that combined and aligned LC–MS and LC–MS/MS spectra to analyze mouse bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein changes associated with exposure to ufCB. We developed a simple normalization method for quantification without spiking the internal standard. The intensities of unchanged peptides were used as normalization factors based on a statistical method to avoid the influence of peptides changed because of ufCB. LC–MS/MS spectra and then database searching were used to identify proteins. The relative abundances of the aligned peptides of identified proteins were determined using LC–MS spectra. We identified 132 proteins, of which 77 are reported for the first time. In addition, the expression of 15 inflammatory proteins and surfactant-associated proteins was regulated (i.e., 7 upregulated and 8 downregulated) compared with the controls. Several proteins not previously reported provide complementary information on the proteins present in mouse BALF, and they are potential biomarkers for the understanding of mechanisms involved in ufCB-induced lung disorders hypothesize that using the label-free quantitative proteomic approach introduced here is well suited for more rigorous, large-scale quantitative analysis of biological samples. We hypothesize that this label-free quantitative proteomic approach will be suited for a large-scale quantitative analysis of biological samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]