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Improving interface connectivity of magnetic nanoparticles in carbon aerogels is crucial, yet challenging for assembling lightweight, elastic, high‐performance, and multifunctional carbon architectures. Here, an in situ growth strategy to achieve high dispersion of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)‐anchored cellulose nanofibrils to enhance the interface connection quality is proposed. Followed by a facile freeze‐casting and carbonization treatment, sustainable biomimetic porous carbon aerogels with highly dispersed and closely connected MOF‐derived magnetic nano‐capsules are fabricated. Thanks to the tight interface bonding of nano‐capsule microstructure, these aerogels showcase remarkable mechanical robustness and flexibility, tunable electrical conductivity and magnetization intensity, and excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance. Achieving a reflection loss of −70.8 dB and a broadened effective absorption bandwidth of 6.0 GHz at a filling fraction of merely 2.2 wt.%, leading to a specific reflection loss of −1450 dB mm−1, surpassing all carbon‐based aerogel absorbers so far reported. Meanwhile, the aerogel manifests high magnetic sensing sensibility and excellent thermal insulation. This work provides an extendable in situ growth strategy for synthesizing MOF‐modified cellulose nanofibril structures, thereby promoting the development of high‐value‐added multifunctional magnetic carbon aerogels for applications in electromagnetic compatibility and protection, thermal management, diversified sensing, Internet of Things devices, and aerospace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has established that the incorporation of 3D-printed lattice structures in cement substrates enhances the mechanical properties of cementitious materials. However, given that 3D-printing materials, notably polymers, exhibit varying degrees of mechanical performance under high-temperature conditions, their efficacy is compromised. Notably, at temperatures reaching 150 °C, these materials soften and lose their load-bearing capacity, necessitating further investigation into their compressive mechanical behavior in such environments. This study evaluates the compressibility of cement materials reinforced with lattice structures made from polyamide 6 (PA6) across different structural configurations and ambient temperatures, employing ABAQUS for simulation. Six distinct 3D-printed lattice designs with equivalent volume but varying configurations were tested under ambient temperatures of 20 °C, 50 °C, and 100 °C to assess their impact on compressive properties. The findings indicate that heightened ambient temperatures significantly diminish the reinforcing effect of 3D-printed materials on the properties of cement-based composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of lightweight yet robust, durable magnetic transition metal carbides and/or nitride (MXene) aerogels is highly desired for assembling high‐performance, multifunctional architectures. However, the fabrication and application of magnetic MXene aerogels is severely restricted by their inferior mechanical strength and poor water/oxygen resistance. Here, sustainable cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are employed for assisting in the physical and chemical dual cross‐linking to strongly bind the MXenes and MOF‐derived magnetic nanoparticles. The dual‐crosslinked magnetic MXene aerogels (D‐MMAs) achieve a density as low as 12 mg cm−3, and acquire a significantly improved mechanical strength of up to 1311% over physically crosslinked ones, as well as remarkably improved hydrophobicity, and oxidation stability. Furthermore, the multifunctional integration of efficient and tunable electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption, remarkable photothermal conversion, thermal insulation, prominent oil‐water separation, thin/thick oil and dye absorption capability, and the remote magnetic controllability is accomplished. Notably, the D‐MMA performs a maximum absorption intensity of −63.9 dB, and accomplishes a specific reflection loss of −1105 dB mm−1, comparable to the best MXene‐based EMW absorbers ever reported. Given its facile, scalable, and sustainable manufacturing approach, the multifunctional D‐MMAs hold great application prospects in various fields of next‐generation electronics, special equipment protection, defense, and aerospace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving broadband absorption of sound waves below 500 Hz with materials of sub-wavelength thickness is significant but still a great challenge in academia and industries. Here, we present and theoretically analyze an airtight sound-absorbing metasurface constructed by a membrane-covered and coiled Helmholtz resonator. It is discovered that the metasurface possesses a near-perfect absorption with a working wavelength approximately 33.6 times greater than the total thickness, which stems from synthetic modulation on acoustic reactance brought by the membrane, air gap formed behind the membrane, and a coiled channel. Furthermore, on-demand broadband absorption below 500 Hz is achieved by parallel assemblies consisting of four subunits. An excellent agreement between measurements and predictions confirms the validity of the proposed structures. The airtight construction also broadens its application scenarios compared to the common perforated absorbers with open pores directly exposed to external environments. Our design provides a new structure paradigm for low-frequency sound absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the utilization of nuclear energy continues to expand, there is a growing focus on the development of lightweight and efficient nuclear shielding composites. In this paper, novel WB X /Al (x = 1, 2, 4) composites were designed based on shielding performance. The effects of reinforcement type, volume fraction, and material thickness on the 60Co and 137Cs γ-rays, fast and thermal neutron shielding performances were simulated. The results show that WB/Al composites offer better development potential compared to WB 2 /Al or WB 4 /Al composites. Additionally, a predictive model for the γ-ray shielding effectiveness of WB/Al composites, based on the areal density of tungsten, was proposed. The fabrication process involved mechanical ball milling and spark plasma sintering to fabricate 30 vol% WB/Al composites, with optimization of ball milling time, sintering temperature, and holding time. As a result, a novel nuclear radiation protection composite with uniform composition, a relative density of 97 %, and flexural strength of 527 MPa was acquired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bilirubin's ability to lower lipid levels was confirmed by several studies, but those studies mainly focused on total bilirubin (TBil). The present study aimed to elucidate the correlations of the two subtypes of bilirubin with lipid levels. Methods: A total of 1732 male patients undergoing health checkups were categorized into three groups according to the levels of direct bilirubin (DBil) and indirect bilirubin (IBil). The differences in medical characteristics among the three groups were analysed. Results: Subjects in the elevated DBil group had the lowest serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), fasting blood glucose (FBG), haemoglobin (HGB), and triglyceride (TG) levels in contrast to the other groups (P < 0.01), while subjects in the elevated IBil group had the highest ALT, γ-GT, BUN, serum creatinine (SCR), HGB, TC, and TG levels among the three groups (P < 0.01). DBil levels exhibited a significant negative correlation with TC (r = -0.777, P < 0.01) and TG (r = -0.397, P < 0.01) levels, while IBil levels exhibited a significant positive correlation with TC (r = 0.790, P < 0.01) and TG (r = 0.302, P < 0.01) levels. The frequencies of abnormal TC, TG, HGB and BUN levels were the lowest in the elevated DBil group, while the levels of these four variables were the highest in the elevated IBil group. Mildly elevated DBil levels were related to lower TG (OR = 0.112, 95% CI = 0.027–0.458) and TC (OR = 0.097, 95% CI = 0.013–0.700), and mildly elevated IBil levels were connected with increased TC (OR = 3.436, 95% CI = 2.398–4.924) and TG (OR = 1.636, 95% CI = 1.163–2.303). DBil was an independent protective factor against increased TC (OR = 0.702, 95% CI = 0.602–0.817, P < 0.01) and TG (OR = 0.632, 95% CI = 0.541–0.739, P < 0.01) levels, and IBil was an independent risk factors for increased TC (OR = 1.251, 95% CI = 1.176–1.331, P < 0.01). Conclusions: DBil was an independent protective factor against high TC and TG levels. IBil was an independent risk factors for elevated TC levels. The prognostic value of IBil levels warrants further attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the oocyte growth, maturation and zygote development, chromatin structure keeps changing to regulate different nuclear activities. Here, we reported the role of SMC2, a core component of condensin complex, in oocyte and embryo development. Oocyte‐specific conditional knockout of SMC2 caused female infertility. In the absence of SMC2, oocyte meiotic maturation and ovulation occurred normally, but chromosome condensation showed defects and DNA damages were accumulated in oocytes. The pronuclei were abnormally organized and micronuclei were frequently observed in fertilized eggs, their activity was impaired, and embryo development was arrested at the one‐cell stage, suggesting that maternal SMC2 is essential for embryonic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is mounting evidence that suggests sarcopenia can be used to predict survival outcomes in patients with colon cancer. However, the effect on locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is less clear. We sought to determine the association between sarcopenia on Overall Survival and Recurrence‐free Survival (OS and RFS) in patients with LARC undergoing multimodal treatment. Methods: A retrospective study was undertaken of all pre‐treatment stage 2–3 rectal cancer patients who underwent neo‐adjuvant treatment and surgery with curative intent between January 2010 and September 2016 at Western Health. Sarcopenia was measured on pre‐treatment staging scans at the third lumbar vertebrae and defined using cohort‐derived, sex‐specific thresholds. Primary outcomes were OS and RFS. Results: A total of 132 patients with LARC were analysed. Sarcopenia: Hazard ratio (HR) 3.71; 95% CI, 1.28–10.75, P = 0.016 was independently associated with worse Overall Survival following multivariate analysis. There was no significant relationship between sarcopenia and RFS: Time ratio (TR) 1.67; 95% CI 0.52–5.34, P = 0.386. Conclusion: Sarcopenia was found to be an independent risk factor for worse overall survival, but not recurrence free survival, in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer undergoing neo‐adjuvant chemo‐radiotherapy and surgery with curative intent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an in situ self‐calibration method by detecting and matching intensity features on the local planes in overlapping point clouds based on the Förstner operator. We successfully matched the intensity features from scans at different locations by feature matching on common local planes rather than on the rasterised grids of the horizontal and vertical angles adopted by the affirmed keypoint‐based algorithm. The capability of extracting features from different stations offers the possibility of comprehensive scanner calibration, solving the disadvantage that the existing keypoint‐based methods can only estimate the two‐face‐sensitive model parameters. The proposed algorithm has been tested with a high‐precision panoramic scanner, Leica RTC360, using datasets from a calibration hall and a general working scenario. It has been shown that the proposed approach consistently calibrates the two‐face‐sensitive model parameters with the affirmed keypoint‐based one. For the case of comprehensive calibration with the offset estimated and some angular parameters separated where the previous keypoint‐based one failed, the proposed algorithm achieves an accuracy of 0.16 mm, 2.7″ and 2.1″ in range, azimuth and elevation for the estimated target centres. The proposed algorithm can accurately calibrate two‐face‐sensitive and more comprehensive model parameters without any preparation on‐site, for example, mounting targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Target- or intensity-feature-based calibration has been extensively explored for in-situ calibration of terrestrial laser scanners (TLSs). Those calibration approaches main drawbacks include the necessity of mounting physical targets in the scan area and the need for the presence of rich geometrical features allowing a feature-based distinction of different points in the point cloud. We propose an autonomous TLS calibration algorithm using planar patches that are ubiquitous in urban environments and can be found without manual preparation beforehand. The scanner calibration parameters are estimated and updated by minimizing the M3C2 normal distances between corresponding planar patches. Unlike target- or keypoint-based approaches, only medium-resolution scan data is needed. A comprehensive set of calibration model parameters are estimated using scans acquired from multiple positions, thereby providing a further advantage over current keypoint-based approaches that estimate only two-face sensitive parameters. To increase speed and reduce memory consumption, we propose to execute the calibration using only parts of scan data from a single station. Studies with two high-precision scanners, Leica RTC360 and Z+F Imager 5016, show results consistent with the laborious target-based approach with improved precision. Similar two-face sensitive calibration performance to the target- and keypoint-based approaches has been achieved, but with only subsets of the point cloud using the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] One-dimensional carbon-based materials have emerged as promising electromagnetic wave absorption agents due to their outstanding conductivity, high stability, low weight, and easy availability. Properly optimizing their electromagnetic parameters is expected to further enhance the electromagnetic wave attenuation capacity. In this work, efficient Cu 9 S 5 /C nanocomposite fibers are prepared by a combined approach of electrospinning and subsequent carbonization-sulfurization processes. The Cu 9 S 5 nanoparticles with size of ca. 100–200 nm were homogeneously embedded in fibrous carbon matrix with diameter of 300 nm. For electromagnetic wave absorption, the optimized composited nanofibers (Cu 9 S 5 /C-3) exhibited an extremely superb reflection loss of −65.4 dB (9.5 GHz, 2.7 mm) at a lower mass fraction (20 wt%). And the effective absorption bandwidth could be up to 4.1 GHz (8.0–12.1 GHz) with a matching thickness of 2.9 mm, covering the whole X-band. Electromagnetic wave attenuation mechanism investigation revealed that the performance enhancement originated from the synergy of various loss pathways, including interfacial polarization, dipole polarization, and conductive loss. The unique hierarchical structure from particle embedding, one-dimensional fiber, to three-dimensional network further amplified the performance advantages of each component. This work is anticipated to provide a feasible strategy to synthesize sulfide/carbon binary composite fibers for efficient electromagnetic wave absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Regulating electromagnetic parameters and thus improving impedance matching characteristics by multi-component design is regarded as a prospective approach to obtain highly efficient electromagnetic wave absorption materials. Whereas, it is still challenging to fabricate microwave absorbers with strong absorption capacity and durability in harsh conditions. Based on the above considerations, three-dimensional porous multi-functional manganese oxide/nickel/carbon microspheres had been designed and prepared through a combined approach of facile solvothermal reactions and subsequent carbonization processes. The textural characteristic examinations demonstrated that, numerous manganese oxide and Ni nanoparticles of 15–20 nm in diameter were well dispersed in the carbon-based microspheres of approximately 0.8–1 μm in size. Microwave absorption property evaluation indicated that the minimum reflection loss reached up to −53.6 dB at 9.5 GHz, and effective absorption bandwidth of 3.7 GHz was achieved at matching thickness of merely 2.0 mm. The electromagnetic wave attenuation mechanisms analysis displayed that excellent impedance matching and various dissipation pathways, including magnetic loss, interfacial and dipole polarization relaxation synergistically contributed to the high microwave absorption performances of the porous composites. Radar cross-sectional simulation and photothermal measurements verified that the materials were supposed to have promising foregrounds in complicated circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fatigue damage behavior and the failure characteristics of the T300/QY8911 laminate and 7050-T7451 aluminum single-bolt bolted joints were investigated by test and progressive damage analysis (PDA) in this article. The manufactured composites-to-metal bolted joints (CMBJs) with different thickness metal plates and lap-patterns have been tested in static and fatigue load case and the failure characteristics are compared. A modified Lemaitre fatigue damage model and a phenomenological composite fatigue damage model were proposed and applied simultaneously to capture the damage evolution in the laminate and the metal parts. The competition of the fatigue damage of the laminate and the metal parts in affecting the joint stiffness and the coupling of the damage accumulation were studied by PDA, and the results indicates that: the failing sequence of the CMBJs constructive parts may change between the static load case and the fatigue load case; the fatigue damage of the metal parts has little effect on the joint stiffness of the CMBJs, nevertheless, there is certain coupling of the laminates fatigue damage and metal fatigue damage in the CMBJs, the harden or soften of the metal parts by fatigue hardening or crack progression would promote or slow down the damage accumulation in laminate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel nuclear shielding material capable of shielding neutrons and gamma rays, WB-reinforced Al (WB/Al) composites, was prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. The microstructure of the composites was characterized, and the effects of WB content, heat treatment and matrix type on the properties of the composites were discussed. The results demonstrate that the WB particles are uniformly dispersed in the aluminum matrix and formed a good binding interface with the matrix. WAl 12 as an interfacial reaction product is identified, and segregation of Si and Mg elements at the reinforcement/matrix interface occurs. The mechanical properties of the WB/Al composites are sensitive to the WB content. The hardness, elastic modulus and bending strength of the composites increase monotonously as the WB volume fraction increasing, up to 234%, 107% and 91.6% higher respectively than those of the monolithic 6061Al. However, the tensile strength reaches a peak point when the volume fraction is 20%. The effects of T6 treatment and matrix type are not pronounced, especially for the composites with high WB content. The thermal neutron and gamma ray shielding properties of the composites both increase with the increase of material thickness and WB content. The WB/Al composites developed in this work show good application prospects in the field of nuclear radiation protection, due to their good mechanical properties and well neutron and gamma-ray shielding performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A green and practical photoinduced method for regioselective hydroboration of electron-deficient alkenes with NHC-borane has been developed in which 1,2-diphenyldisulfane was employed as a photocatalyst and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reagent precursor. This mild protocol shows excellent selectivity, good functional group tolerance, and broad substrate scope. A series of borylated carbonyl, nitrile, sulfone, phosphonate, trifluoromethyl, and gem-diboron compounds have been synthesized in moderate to excellent yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composites of polyurea (PU) reinforced with milled glass fiber (MGf) were fabricated. The volume fraction and length of the milled glass fiber were varied to study their effects on the morphological and mechanical properties of the MGf/PU composites. The morphological attributes were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The SEM investigations revealed a uniform distribution and arbitrary orientation of milled glass fiber in the polyurea matrix. Moreover, it seems that the composites with longer fiber exhibit better interfacial bonding. It was found from the FTIR studies that the incorporation of milled glass fiber into polyurea leads to more phase mixing and decreases the hydrogen bonding of the polyurea matrix, while having a negligible effect on the H-bond strength. The compression tests at different strain rates (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 2000 and 3000 s−1) and dynamic mechanical properties over the temperature range from −30 to 100 °C at 1 Hz were performed. Experimental results show that the compressive behavior of MGf/PU composites is nonlinear and strain-rate-dependent. Both elastic modulus and flow stress at any given strain increased with strain rate. The composites with higher fiber volume fraction and longer fiber length are more sensitive to strain rate. Furthermore, the elastic modulus, stress at 65% strain and energy absorption capability were studied, taking into account both the effect of fiber volume fraction and mean fiber length. It is noted that an increase in fiber volume fraction and fiber length leads to an increase in elastic modulus, stress at 65% strain and absorbed energy up to ~103%, 83.0% and 137.5%, respectively. The storage and loss moduli of the composites also increase with fiber volume fraction and fiber length. It can be concluded that the addition of milled glass fiber into polyurea not only improves the stiffness of the composites but also increases their energy dissipative capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Co-MOF modified by NHC and Cu2+ has excellent adsorption desulfurization performance. • A large number of nitrogen and oxygen functional groups are beneficial to improve the desulfurization performance of the material. • The adsorption capacity of NHC/Co-MOF-Cu2+ for DBT was 150.4 mg/g. • The adsorbent showed good adsorption capacity and selectivity for DBT. NHC/Co-MOF-Cu2+ composite adsorbent materials were prepared through the in-situ synthesis of nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds (NHC) on Co-containing metal–organic framework (Co-MOF) using terephthalaldehyde (C 8 H 6 O 2) and p-Phenylenediamine (C 6 H 8 N 2) at room temperature. Subsequently, further modification with Cu2+ was carried out. These materials were then utilized for the removal of dibenzothiophene (DBT) from simulated gasoline. The samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and other methods. The results indicated the uniform attachment of NHC and Cu2+ metal particles onto Co-MOF, confirming the successful synthesis of NHC/Co-MOF-Cu2+ adsorption materials. The introduction of Cu2+ enhanced the π-complexation between NHC/Co-MOF-Cu2+ and DBT. The introduction of NHC brought heteroatoms and ring structures to the composite, increasing the electron cloud density of the NHC/Co-MOF-Cu2+ composite and thereby amplifying the π-complexation with DBT. The adsorption capacity of NHC/Co-MOF-Cu2+ for DBT (150.4 mg/g) is significantly larger than that of Co-MOF (102.5 mg/g). The adsorption process of NHC/Co-MOF-Cu2+ for DBT followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir model. Additionally, the adsorption process was found to be spontaneous and exothermic. Over five consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles, the efficiency of NHC/Co-MOF-Cu2+ decreased by only 10 %, indicating its excellent regeneration performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broadening absorption bandwidth is of great significance to extend application scenarios for electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption materials. Since the electromagnetic character changes caused by high shape anisotropy, one-dimensional fibrous materials have been widely concerned. In this work, manganese sulfide (MnS)/carbon nanocomposite fibers are facilely synthesized by a facile combination of electrospinning and high-temperature processing. The fibrous carbon supports with a 350-nm average diameter are embedded with dense MnS nanoparticles on the surface. Under the premise of ensuring a strong EMW absorption intensity (−68.9 dB, 11.1 GHz, 3.6 mm), the MnS/carbon nanocomposite fibers can achieve a wide effective absorption bandwidth of 7.2 GHz (9.5–16.7 GHz, 3.3 mm). In-depth study verifies that MnS can help to achieve superior synergy between conductive and polarized attenuation capacity, enhance the attenuation ability and optimize impedance matching characteristic. Besides, considering the few studies about MnS in this field, this work confirmed the huge potentials of MnS for EMW absorption applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) is a multifunctional molecule that is involved in cellular response to various stressful stimuli. In the present study, the full-length cDNA sequence of p38 MAPK (Lcp38 MAPK) was identified from the large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea , which encoded a polypeptide of 361 amino acid residues. The predicted Lc p38 MAPK protein contained a highly conserved Thr-Gly-Tyr (TGY) motif, a glutamate and aspartate (ED) site, a substrate binding site (Ala-Thr-Arg-Trp < ATRW>), and a serine/threonine kinase catalytic (S_TKc) domain characteristic of the MAPK family. The constitutive expression of Lcp38 MAPK was detected in most of the tissues examined with the strongest expression in intestine. Subcellular localization in LCK cells (kidney cell line from a L. crocea) revealed that Lc p38 MAPK existed in both the cytoplasm and cell nucleus. The expression of Lcp38 MAPK after temperature stress was tested in LCK cells. The results indicated that Lcp38 MAPK transcripts were significantly upregulated under both cold (10 °C) and heat stress (35 °C) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK as well the transcriptional levels of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) and caspase3 in LCK cells were significantly induced under thermal exposure (P < 0.05). However, the cold- and heat induced HSP27 and caspase3 expression was significantly suppressed by SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38-MAPK (P < 0.05). These findings indicated that Lc p38 MAPK might be involved in the cellular stress response via HSP27 and caspase3 in large yellow croaker. [Display omitted] • Lc p38 MAPK contains most conserved domains and motifs. • Lc p38 MAPK exists in both cytoplasm and cell nucleus. • The transcription and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK were induced by thermal stress. • Thermal stress induced HSP27 and caspase3 were suppressed by p38 MAPK inhibitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenols, dyes, and metal ions present in industrial wastewater can adversely affect the environment and leach biological carcinogens. Given that the current research focuses only on the removal of one or two of those categories. Herein, this work reports a novel ZIF-8@IL-MXene/Poly(N -isopropylacrylamide) (NIPAM) nanocomposite hydrogel that can efficiently and conveniently absorb and separate multiple pollutants from industrial wastewater. Ionic liquid (IL) was grafted onto MXene surfaces using a one-step method, and then incorporated into NIPAM monomer solutions to obtain the IL-MXene/PNIPAM composite hydrogel via in-situ polymerization. ZIF-8@IL-MXene/PNIPAM nanocomposite hydrogels were obtained by in-situ growth of ZIF-8 on the pore walls of composite hydrogels. As-prepared nanocomposite hydrogel showed excellent mechanical properties and can withstand ten repeated compressions without any damage, the specific surface area increased by 100 times, and the maximum adsorption capacities for p -nitrophenol (4-NP), crystal violet (CV), and copper ion (Cu2+) were 198.40, 325.03, and 285.65 mg g−1, respectively, at room temperature. The VPTTs of all hydrogels ranged from 33 to 35 °C, so the desorption process can be achieved in deionized water at 35–40 °C, and its adsorption capacities after five adsorption-desorption cycles decreased to 79%, 91%, and 29% for 4-NP, CV, and Cu2+, respectively. The adsorption data fitting results follow pseudo-second-order kinetics and Freundlich models, which is based on multiple interactions between the functional groups contained in hydrogels and adsorbent molecules. The hydrogel is the first to realize the high-efficiency adsorption of phenols, dyes and metal ions in industrial wastewater simultaneously, and the preparation process of hydrogels is environmentally friendly. Also, giving hydrogel multifunctional adsorption is beneficial to promote the development of multifunctional adsorption materials. [Display omitted] • Simultaneous efficient adsorption of phenols, dyes and metal ions was firstly achieved. • Preparation and desorption processes of hydrogels are environmentally friendly. • High adsorption capacities for 4-NP, CV, and Cu2+ are 198.40, 325.03, and 285.65 mg g−1. • The hydrogel exhibited excellent mechanical properties under various actions. • The hydrogel has both adsorption and reduction capabilities for 4-NP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A series straw-bundle-like rare earth metal-organic frameworks derivatives were fabricated. • The EMW absorption property was effectively regulated by tunable bandgap of rare earth oxides and different carbonization temperature. • The high potential of rare earth metal-organic frameworks derivatives for EMW absorption was confirmed. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) derivatives have been widely developed as electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption materials. Nevertheless, owing to the diverse metal ions, organic ligands, and crystal morphologies of MOFs precursors, challenges still remain to overcome towards directly ascertaining the contribution of metal components on EMW absorption for precisely designing high EMW absorption performance of MOF derivatives. Here, we synthesize a series of rare earth (RE) MOF derivatives via a facile, scalable coprecipitation followed by carbonization approach. Thanks to the similar chemical property derived from lanthanide shrinkage of RE elements, the MOF-derived RE oxides (REO)/carbon (REO = CeO 2 , La 2 O 3 , Nd 2 O 3) hybrids exhibit the identical straw-bundle-like microstructure, efficiently assisting the elucidation of the roles of metal components in promoting EMW absorption. Benefiting from the tunable bandgap of various REO as well as carbonization temperature, the 800 °C-carbonized CeO 2 /carbon shows a minimum reflection loss of − 58.7 dB at a thickness of 1.7 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth of 5.0 GHz, comparable to the best EMW absorbers. This work not only demonstrates novel, high-performance RE-MOF derivatives, but also offers a general yet efficient strategy for designing metal components to achieve high-efficiency MOF-based EMW absorbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: In terms of components and structures, this review summarizes progresses and highlights strategies of MOF derivatives for efficient electromagnetic wave absorption. We also systematically delineate relevant theories and points out the prospects and current challenges. To tackle the aggravating electromagnetic wave (EMW) pollution issues, high-efficiency EMW absorption materials are urgently explored. Metal–organic framework (MOF) derivatives have been intensively investigated for EMW absorption due to the distinctive components and structures, which is expected to satisfy diverse application requirements. The extensive developments on MOF derivatives demonstrate its significantly important role in this research area. Particularly, MOF derivatives deliver huge performance superiorities in light weight, broad bandwidth, and robust loss capacity, which are attributed to the outstanding impedance matching, multiple attenuation mechanisms, and destructive interference effect. Herein, we summarized the relevant theories and evaluation methods, and categorized the state-of-the-art research progresses on MOF derivatives in EMW absorption field. In spite of lots of challenges to face, MOF derivatives have illuminated infinite potentials for further development as EMW absorption materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phytochemical investigation on the 90% ethanol aqueous extract of the bulbs of Crinum latifolium led to the isolation of three new crinane-type alkaloids, designated as crinumlatines A-C (1-3). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis (NMR, IR, UV, and MS). The isolated alkaloids were tested in vitro for antimicrobial potentials against 5 pathogenic microorganisms. As a result, compounds 1-3 exhibited some antimicrobial activity against the tested Gram negative bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentration values less than 50 μg/ml. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unc-13 homolog B (UNC13B) gene encodes a presynaptic protein, mammalian uncoordinated 13-2 (Munc13-2), which is highly expressed in the brain-predominantly in the cerebral cortex-and plays an essential role in synaptic vesicle priming and fusion, potentially affecting neuronal excitability. However, the functional significance of the UNC13B mutation in human disease is not known. In this study, we screened for novel genetic variants in a cohort of 446 unrelated cases (families) with partial epilepsy without acquired causes by trio-based whole-exome sequencing. UNC13B variants were identified in 12 individuals affected by partial epilepsy and/or febrile seizures from eight unrelated families. The eight probands all had focal seizures and focal discharges in EEG recordings, including two patients who experienced frequent daily seizures and one who showed abnormalities in the hippocampus by brain MRI; however, all of the patients showed a favourable outcome without intellectual or developmental abnormalities. The identified UNC13B variants included one nonsense variant, two variants at or around a splice site, one compound heterozygous missense variant and four missense variants that cosegregated in the families. The frequency of UNC13B variants identified in the present study was significantly higher than that in a control cohort of Han Chinese and controls of the East Asian and all populations in the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD). Computational modelling, including hydrogen bond and docking analyses, suggested that the variants lead to functional impairment. In Drosophila, seizure rate and duration were increased by Unc13b knockdown compared to wild-type flies, but these effects were less pronounced than in sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 1 (Scn1a) knockdown Drosophila. Electrophysiological recordings showed that excitatory neurons in Unc13b-deficient flies exhibited increased excitability. These results indicate that UNC13B is potentially associated with epilepsy. The frequent daily seizures and hippocampal abnormalities but ultimately favourable outcome under anti-epileptic therapy in our patients indicate that partial epilepsy caused by UNC13B variant is a clinically manageable condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis (EM) is a disease that involves active endometrial cell invasion and migration which is an important reason for infertility. Anoikis resistance is the most important prerequisite for EM, but the molecular mechanism is not yet clear. Kallistatin (KS) is one kind of serine protease inhibitors which had extensive biological function including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant stress, anti-angiogenesis, and anti-tumor. Our preliminary data showed that the level of KS in EM patients' endometrial tissue and blood were much lower than control (non-EM) patients without endometriosis. Interestingly, the decrease of KS is correlated with the severity of endometriosis. Moreover, kallistatin recombinant protein could increase the anoikis rate of ectopic endometrium cells (EESCs), and then inhibits its metastasis and invasion. Mechanically, our data show that the EESCs have lower intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and KS can elevate the ROS levels significantly. Further, KS modulate expression of MnSOD and caspase 3 signaling in EESCs grown in suspended conditions. These findings reveal novel mechanisms of KS in inducing anoikis and metastasis in EESCs, thus inhibiting EM progression by regulation of MnSOD and caspase 3 signaling. Our findings suggest that KS is a significant protein with prospects for application in EM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Non-magnetic bimetallic MOF-derived porous carbon-wrapped TiO2/ZrTiO4 composites are firstly used for efficient electromagnetic wave absorption. The electromagnetic wave absorption mechanisms including enhanced interfacial polarization and essential conductivity are intensively discussed. Modern communication technologies put forward higher requirements for electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption materials. Metal–organic framework (MOF) derivatives have been widely concerned with its diverse advantages. To break the mindset of magnetic-derivative design, and make up the shortage of monometallic non-magnetic derivatives, we first try non-magnetic bimetallic MOFs derivatives to achieve efficient EMW absorption. The porous carbon-wrapped TiO2/ZrTiO4 composites derived from PCN-415 (TiZr-MOFs) are qualified with a minimum reflection loss of − 67.8 dB (2.16 mm, 13.0 GHz), and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth of 5.9 GHz (2.70 mm). Through in-depth discussions, the synergy of enhanced interfacial polarization and other attenuation mechanisms in the composites is revealed. Therefore, this work confirms the huge potentials of non-magnetic bimetallic MOFs derivatives in EMW absorption applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel non-lead, lightweight nuclear shielding material was developed by introducing W and B particles as functional components into 6061 Al alloy. The ball-milling and spark plasma sintering (SPS) were employed to fabricate the (W+B)/Al hybrid composites. Some dominant process parameters, such as ball milling time, holding time, etc, were optimized. Subsequently, the effect of W volume fraction on the microstructure and mechanical properties as well as radiation shielding performance of the composites were thoroughly investigated. It is demonstrated that the W particles are homogenously distributed throughout the Al matrix with a W volume fraction less than 20 %. Al 12 W is identified as an interfacial product at the Al-W interface. The composites containing 20 vol% tungsten particles exhibits the highest mechanical strength. When the volume fraction of W particles increases to 30 vol%, severe agglomeration of W particles occurs, and the mechanical properties are considerably deteriorated. Compared with 6061Al, the influence of T6 heat treatment on the strength of the composites is insignificant, especially for the composites with a high W content. The γ-ray shielding properties of the composites are significantly improved with increasing W content. The linear attenuation coefficient is up to 0.32 cm−1 for the composites with 30 vol% W. The thermal neutron absorption rate of the (W+B)/Al composites all achieve 99 % with a thickness of 2.2 cm. The results suggest that the developed (W+B)/Al hybrid composites exhibit extraordinary application potential as a structure-function integrated nuclear shielding materials. • A nontoxic, lightweight nuclear shielding material. • Comprehensive optimization of process guarantees the materials preparation. • Straightforward material fabrication process. • Excellent nuclear shielding performance as well as mechanical properties. • Thorough investigation on the relationship between performance and microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxidase (POD) and ascorbic acid (AsA) usually coexist in organisms to synergistically protect them from reactive oxygen damage, and their contents undergo dynamic changes under different physiological conditions. What's more, the response of POD-catalytic activity in spectrophotometry has to be corrected using the content of concomitant AsA because we found that there is an extinction reaction between AsA and chromogenic products obtained from POD catalysis. With these implications, by skilfully using the chromogenic and the extinction phenomena in the guaiacol/POD/H2O2 reaction, an automatic analysis system for simultaneous quantification of POD (73–440 U L−1) and AsA (4–60 mg L−1) was successfully established based on flow injection analysis (FIA). Furthermore, under acidic conditions (0.5 mol L−1 of HCl), hydrothermal synthesis (250 °C for 1 h) was used for synthesizing new carbon dots (sPOD-CDs) of methylthymol blue (0.08 g L−1)/FeCl3 (0.8 g L−1), which is a simulative enzyme for POD, and it was first used for catalyzing the guaiacol/H2O2 reaction within the FIA system to replace natural HRP in the extinction reaction. This sPOD-CD solution has no background absorption and its concentration shows excellent correlation with simulative POD-activity. Finally, after optimization, this FIA system was utilized to testify that the reducibility of AsA is due to ascorbate ions and to determine POD and AsA in some plant samples. The standard addition recovery experiment showed that there was no interference from the matrix in real samples (recoveries: 95%–105%), and the obtained POD and AsA results were also consistent with the reference experiments (relative deviation ≤ 2.80%, t-test ≥ 0.07). The proposed FIA system is characterized by high sample-throughput (40 samples per h), better repeatability (relative standard deviation ≤ 1.4%), etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Autonomous Navigation (AutoNav) mode of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) utilizes Inter-Satellite Links (ISLs) to maintain satellite operations without the service from the ground control segment. The newly launched Beidou satellites are capable of conducting ISLs for orbit determination to improve their autonomy, integrity, reliability, and robustness. However, the satellite orbit errors can increase over time due to various force model errors, particularly that of Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP). Accelerometers aboard satellites can measure non-conservative forces directly and have been successfully used in satellite missions for gravity recovery and atmosphere study (i.e., GRACE, CHAMP, and GOCE). This study investigates the feasibility to use accelerometers aboard Beidou satellites to improve AutoNav accuracy and service span. The results show that in a simulated 180-day AutoNav period, the orbit accuracy with the aid of accelerometers is two times better than that of using ISL data only. • AutoNav performance has been significantly improved by using accelerometers. • The constellation rotation can be seen on orbital ellipse parameters. • Accelerometers of current gravity satellites may satisfy the requirements of BDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collectively, viruses are the principal cause of cancers arising in patients with immune dysfunction, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients. Kaposi sarcoma (KS) etiologically linked to Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) continues to be the most common AIDS-associated tumor. The involvement of the oral cavity represents one of the most common clinical manifestations of this tumor. HIV infection incurs an increased risk among individuals with periodontal diseases and oral carriage of a variety of pathogenic bacteria. However, whether interactions involving periodontal bacteria and oncogenic viruses in the local environment facilitate replication or maintenance of these viruses in the oral cavity of HIV-positive patients remain largely unknown. We previously showed that pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) from specific periodontal bacteria promoted KSHV entry into oral cells and subsequent establishment of latency. In the current study, we demonstrate that Staphylococcus aureus, one of common pathogens causing infection in HIV-positive patients, and its PAMPs can effectively induce KSHV lytic reactivation from infected oral cells, through the Toll-like receptor reactive oxygen species and cyclin D1-Dicer-viral microRNA axis. This investigation provides further clinical evidence about the relevance of coinfection due to these 2 pathogens in the oral cavities of a cohort HIV-positive patients and reveals novel mechanisms through which these coinfecting pathogens potentially promote virus-associated cancer development in the unique niche of immunocompromised patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescence capillary analysis (FCA) realizes trace-level analysis of micro-volume samples; it is easy to operate, extremely low in analytical cost and can significantly lessen environmental pollution from analytical chemistry waste. FCA has the characteristics of green analytical chemistry and has been applied in clinical, biochemical, pharmaceutical, food safety and other fields. FCA basically involves a micro-volume glass capillary, a capillary holder and an ordinary fluorescence detector. The capillary is not only a container for chemical reaction and detection but also functions as a carrier to immobilize enzymes, gene probes or reagents; it can be used repeatedly or can be disposable. In analysis, the capillary which is modified with functional reagents sucks in a measured liquid for the reaction and is then inserted into the holder within the fluorescent detector for measurement. The immobilized FCA method has been successfully used in the determination of reduced coenzyme I, ethanol in liqueur, lactic acid in dairy products, pyruvic acid and glucose in serum, trace-level sulfated bile acid in urine, the ratio of pyruvic/lactic acid in serum, and pyruvic acid in cells as well as in DNA end-labeling and dyeing methods. Further, FCA can also be extended to capillary arrays to complete multipurpose simultaneous determinations and can be combined with mobile phones as fluorescence detectors for use in mobile health analytical technology. FCA will produce considerable social benefits in medicine, pharmacy, fermentation of food, environmental protection and other fields. Therefore, the relevant contents are presented in this tutorial review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low density, high stability and strong dielectric loss capacity endow carbon-based nanocomposites with superb microwave dissipation performances. Different from grapheme or carbon nanotubes, the graphitization degrees of carbon-based composites derived from the organic precursor pyrolysis can be accurately regulated by controlling the carbonization temperature. As such, their electromagnetic properties can be easily tuned. In this work, we report the preparation of TiO 2 /Co/Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) through a combined approach of electrospun and carbonization at different temperatures. The nanofibers with an average diameter of 300 nm were coated by a dense layer of TiO 2 and embedded by Co/CoO nanoparticles. The performance evaluation indicated the composite obtained at 700 °C exhibits remarkably strong absorption of −63.2 dB at 9.8 GHz and wide effective absorption bandwidth of 6.4 GHz with a pretty low filling rate of 15 wt%. Further analysis on the electromagnetic behaviors shows that the composite possesses regulable impedance matching characteristic and absorption performances, implying the huge application potential under various demand conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The land-to-ocean export and subsequent preservation of terrestrial particulate organic carbon (POC) in oceans represents a major carbon sink in the global carbon cycle. Small mountainous rivers (SMRs) are hotspots of this process; however, how the sources and fluxes of POC change during rain events in low-gradient SMRs and how they compare with those in steep SMRs are unknown. Here, we combined the bulk properties and lignin phenols to trace changes in POC sources and fluxes in a low-gradient SMR (stream gradient: 0.6%) in southeastern China. Our results were further compared with other SMRs to understand the geomorphological influences on the POC export from SMRs. The results indicated that POC sources changed from aquatic organisms and deep soils during low-flow periods to surface soils and plant debris during high-flow periods. The lignin concentration showed a significant positive relationship with the runoff, suggesting that hydrology played an important role in exporting terrigenous POC in low-gradient SMRs. We further estimated that approximately 22%, 56% and 79% of annual water, POC and particulate lignin were exported during high-flow periods, respectively. Furthermore, we found that with increasing water discharge, the magnitude of the lignin increase was greater in SMRs with smaller stream gradients. Our results suggest that the export of terrigenous POC from low-gradient SMRs is driven by hydrology and is more sensitive to rain events than that in steep SMRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report the facile synthesis of CoNi/C nanocomposites derived from bimetallic metal organic frameworks for electromagnetic wave absorption applications. The effects of carbonation temperature on the phase structure, morphology and microwave absorption properties of the derived nanocomposites were thoroughly studied. Micro-structure characterization results indicated that the obtained CoNi/C composites are composed of numerous fine particles with the size of 20 nm, and in the composites, Ni, Co, and C elements are uniformly distributed. Electromagnetic wave absorption property evaluation showed that CoNi/C obtained at 650 °C outperformed those samples prepared at 500, 800 or 950 °C. The minimum reflection loss (RL) of −74.7 dB could be achieved with a thickness of 1.8 mm at 15.6 GHz. The effective absorption bandwidth (RL ≤ −10 dB) ranged from 2.9 GHz to 18 GHz. This study shows that these porous Co–Ni/C nanocomposites derived from MOFs are attractive candidates as electromagnetic (EM) wave absorbers due to the combined advantages of excellent impedance matching and strong interfacial loss between metallic NPs and porous carbon composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel Z-scheme sonocatalyst, KTaO 3 /FeVO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 , is prepared via ultrasonic-assisted isoelectric point method. The prepared samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The catalytic activity of Z-scheme KTaO 3 /FeVO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 sonocatalyst is studied in degradation of ceftriaxone sodium under ultrasonic irradiation. In addition, the influences of ultrasonic irradiation time, scavengers and sonocatalyst used times on sonocatalytic degradation of ceftriaxone sodium are examined. Under the experimental conditions of 150 min ultrasonic irradiation time, 1.00 g/L KTaO 3 /FeVO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 addition amount and 10.00 mg/L ceftriaxone sodium concentration, the sonocatalytic degradation ratio of ceftriaxone sodium achieves 81.30%. Finally, the possible sonocatalytic degradation mechanism of ceftriaxone sodium caused by Z-scheme KTaO 3 /FeVO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 sonocatalyst is proposed. The enhanced sonocatalytic activity may be attributed to the fact that the FeVO 4 as a special conductive channel provides a strong driving force to transfer electrons through valence state changes of iron and vanadium, which accelerates electron transfer from conduction band (CB) of Bi 2 O 3 to valence band (VB) of KTaO 3. Perhaps, the KTaO 3 /FeVO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 composite is an excellent Z-scheme sonocatalyst which can be used to effectively degrade the organic pollutants in wastewater under ultrasonic irradiation. Unlabelled Image • Z-scheme KTaO 3 /FeVO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 is prepared via ultrasound-isoelectric point method. • FeVO 4 as conductive channel can accelerate e− transfer from CB/Bi 2 O 3 to VB/KTaO 3. • Fe3+ and V5+ valence state changes in FeVO 4 can provide e− transfer driving force. • KTaO 3 /FeVO 4 /Bi 2 O 3 shows a high sonocatalytic activity in degrading ceftriaxone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes (TD2) is a sustained metabolic disorder, characterized by high blood glucose, insulin resistance (IR). Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) functions as an antigenic enzyme involved in hyperglycaemia, oxidative stress, and inflammation-associated IR. Therefore, association between DPP4 and TD2 warrants to be investigated. In this study, blood samples of clinically diagnosed TD2 patients were harvested for biochemical tests. In addition, diabetic mice induced by high-fat diet (HFD) and single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) were used to assess the biological characteristics of DPP4 through biochemical and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests, immunofluorescence staining, and western blot assay. Compared to controls, the clinical data of patients with TD2 resulted in increased contents of fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), homeostatic model assessment (HOMA)-IR, blood lipids of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and interleukin 6 (IL6) in plasma samples (p < 0.05). Notably, blood levels of DPP4 in TD2 patients were increased significantly in comparison to that in non-diabetic adults (p < 0.01). In animal study, diabetic mice showed increased levels of glucose, insulin, lipids, DPP4 activity in sera. Visibly, hepatocellular DPP4 expression was up-regulated in diabetic mice. Interestingly, DPP4 inhibitor-treated mice showed significantly reduced DPP4 expression in serum (p < 0.01), and lowered DPP4-positive cells and protein content in the liver were observed when compared to those in diabetic mice (p < 0.01). Collectively, these findings reveal that DPP4 biomolecule may be positively associated with TD2 development, and the underlying mechanism may be attributed to activation of DPP4 expression in liver cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beidou geostationary earth orbit (GEO) and inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) satellites are frequently maneuvered to keep them in the designed orbits by thrust forces. As the thrust forces are generally unknown, precise satellite orbits are difficult to be determined during maneuver periods. At present, precise ephemerides are not available or not complete for the satellite on the day of maneuver, and sometimes even the day after. This study aims to provide continuous precise orbit for Beidou-2 satellites during the maneuver period through better modeling of the thrust forces. We firstly present a thrust model based on the thrust behavior of Beidou-2 satellites detected in our previous study. Then, for the maneuvered satellite, the precise orbit is determined by estimating the extra thrust model parameters, together with other orbit parameters of initial satellite state and solar radiation pressure (SRP). Using observations from the Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX) network in Sep and Oct 2017, we have detected 10 GEO in-plane, 1 GEO and 3 IGSO out-of-plane maneuvers among the 5 GEO and 6 IGSO satellites; precise orbit determination (POD) is conducted for all the GEO in-plane and IGSO maneuvered satellites. The accuracy of our recovered orbit has been evaluated by comparing to a concatenation of the dynamic orbit before/after the maneuver and kinematic orbit during the maneuver. The RMSs of orbit differences before/after maneuvers are about 0.30, 2.34 and 0.42 m in the radial, along-track, and cross-track (RAC) directions for GEOs, and 0.33, 0.62 and 0.26 m for IGSOs. A similar level of accuracy has also been achieved during maneuvers as shown by the orbit differences and the stable POD residuals during the whole maneuver day. The recovered orbit accuracy is comparable to that of the normal Beidou-2 precise ephemerides from International GNSS Service (IGS) analysis centers (WHU/GFZ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A model to predict the relaxation moduli of fly ash/polyurea composites (FA/PU) was developed in Laplace domain using four-phase sphere method and afterwards modified using percolation theory. • The meso-mechanical modeling of FA/PU along with the dependence of their viscoelastic properties on fly ash volume fraction are investigated. • The computational results obtained using the current model and existing four-phase sphere model were compared to the experimental results of relaxation test. • The modified model shows better predictions with experimental results for the trends of master curves than that of the existing model. Abstract Relaxation constitutive model is widely employed for predicting the elastic properties of composite. However, the existing models are only valid for composites with low volume fraction inclusions and are unable to predicate the viscoelastic properties of composite. In this paper, a model to predict the relaxation moduli of ash/polyurea composites (FA/PU) was developed in Laplace domain using four-phase sphere method and afterwards modified using percolation theory. The meso-mechanical modeling of FA/PU along with the dependence of their viscoelastic properties on fly ash volume fraction are investigated. The computational results obtained using the current model and existing four-phase sphere model were compared to the experimental results of relaxation test. It was found that both the two models become less accurate as the volume fraction increases. However, the modified model shows better predictions with experimental results for the trends of master curves than that of the existing model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The coated Z-scheme Pd-BaZrO 3 @WO 3 composite as a new-type sonocatalyst with highly sonocatalytic performance is first constructed through sol-gel and hydro-thermal synthesis methods. The chemical configuration, structure and component are characterized by a series of characterization methods. The sonocatalytic degradation of diazinon as a model pollutant is studied to estimate the sonocatalytic performance of coated Z-scheme Pd-BaZrO 3 @WO 3 composite. Some affecting factors such as Pd-BaZrO 3 and WO 3 mass proportions, ultrasonic (US) irradiation time, reusability and catalyst dosage are researched in detail through UV–vis spectra and gas chromatography (GC). The produced intermediates are detected in the degradation process of diazinon by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC–MS). The possible reaction mechanism of coated Z-scheme Pd-BaZrO 3 @WO 3 sonocatalyst in sonocatalytic degradation process is also explored. Subsequently, the hydroxyl radicals (OH) and holes (h+) are discriminated to further elaborate the possible sonocatalytic mechanism. The experimental results manifest that the coated Z-scheme Pd-BaZrO 3 @WO 3 sonocatalyst displays a preeminent sonocatalytic performance under ultrasonic irradiation because it can efficaciously suppress recombination of electrons (e−) and holes (h+), extend light response scope and provide almost 100% oxidization surface. In addition, the introduced palladium (Pd) nanorods connecting BaZrO 3 and WO 3 can expedite e− transfer. Under optimal conditions, the most of diazinon molecules can be disintegrated in the existence of the coated Z-scheme Pd-BaZrO 3 @WO 3 under ultrasonic irradiation for 150 min. This study provides a feasible method for the treatment of environmental pollutions. Graphical abstract The coated Z-scheme Pd-BaZrO 3 @WO 3 composite as a new-type sonocatalyst is first prepared. The sonocatalytic activity is evaluated through the degradation of diazinon under ultrasonic irradiation. Some influencing factors such as Pt-BaZrO 3 and WO 3 mass ratios, ultrasonic irradiation time, used times and catalyst dosage are investigated in detail. The main intermediate products are detected in the degradation process of diazinon. The possible mechanism of sonocatalytic degradation process caused by coated Z-scheme Pd-BaZrO 3 @WO 3 composite was also proposed. The hydroxyl radicals (OH) and holes are identified to further elaborate the possible mechanism. The coated Z-scheme Pd-BaZrO 3 @WO 3 composite displays a good sonocatalytic activity because it can efficiently restrain recombination of photo-generated electrons and holes, increase utilization rate of light and provide almost 100% oxidization surface. Unlabelled Image Highlights • Pd nanorods in coated Z-scheme sonocatalysts can migrate electrons from internal to external. • Z-scheme system promotes separation efficiency of the photo-generated electrons and holes. • Pd nanorods as conductive passageway are used to accelerate the electron transfer. • Pd nanorods as co-catalyst are used to promote superoxide radical (O 2 −) formation. • Coated Z-scheme Pd-BaZrO 3 @WO 3 provides largest WO 3 oxidation surface for degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A new Z-scheme sonocatalyst SrTiO 3 /Ag 2 S/CoWO 4 is designed to degrade tetracyclines. • Ladder electronic channel Ag 2 S speeds electron transfer from CB/SrTiO 3 to VB/CoWO 4. • Co-catalyst Ag 2 S on SrTiO 3 surface forms active sites to promote charge separation. • SrTiO 3 /Ag 2 S/CoWO 4 can quickly degrade tetracyclines under ultrasonic irradiation. Abstract A ternary SrTiO 3 /Ag 2 S/CoWO 4 composite as an effective Z-scheme sonocatalyst was prepared. X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were applied for characterization of prepared samples. Tetracycline (TTC) was used as a target pollutant for investigating performance of Z-scheme SrTiO 3 /Ag 2 S/CoWO 4 sonocatalyst. Some affecting factors, ultrasonic irradiation time, ultrasonic irradiation power, solution pH, recycling times, sonocatalyst dosage and initial TTC concentration, on sonocatalytic degradation were explored and trapping experiments of free radicals (OH and h+) were also carried out. The sonocatalytic degradation route of TTC was confirmed based on the intermediates. The experimental results revealed that, because of existence of Ag 2 S as trapezoid electronic channel and co-catalyst, Z-scheme SrTiO 3 /Ag 2 S/CoWO 4 composite displayed outstanding sonocatalytic performance. Therefore, it can be predicted that SrTiO 3 /Ag 2 S/CoWO 4 as Z-scheme sonocatalyst has potential application in environmental purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucurbitane-type triterpenoids such as mogrosides and cucurbitacins that are present in the plants of Cucurbitaceae are widely used in Asian traditional medicine. Cucurbitadienol is the skeleton of cucurbitane-type triterpenoids. As an alternative production strategy, we developed baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a microbial host for the eventual transformation of cucurbitadienol. The synthetic pathway of cucurbitadienol was constructed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by introducing the cucurbitadienol synthase gene from different plants, resulting in 7.80 mg cucurbitadienol from 1 L of fermentation broth. Improving supplies of isoprenoid precursors was then investigated for increasing cucurbitadienol production. Cucurbitadienol production increased to 21.47 mg/L through the overexpression of a global regulatory factor (UPC2) gene of triterpenoid synthase. In addition, knockout of the ERG7 gene increased cucurbitadienol production from 21.47 to 61.80 mg/L. Finally, fed-batch fermentation was performed, and 63.00 mg/L cucurbitadienol was produced. This work is an important step towards the total biosynthesis of valuable cucurbitane-type triterpenoids and demonstrates the potential for developing a sustainable and secure yeast biomanufacturing platform for triterpenoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Seven new naphthoquinone derivatives, named eleutherins A-G (1 – 7), were isolated from the edible bulbs of Eleutherine americana (Hong-Cong), which belongs to the Iridaceae family. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis including high-resolution-electron spray ionization-mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) and 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. The absolute configurations of compounds 1 – 4 were determined by experimental and calculated data. Additionally, a hypothetical biosynthetic pathway of 1 – 7 was postulated. All the isolates were evaluated for their protective effect against the injury of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. Eleutherins A and B (1 – 2) showed a potential protective effect on microvessels. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outer membrane of Pseudomonas aeruginosa functions primarily as a permeability barrier and imparts a broad spectrum of intrinsic antibiotic resistance. Herein, we describe the synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial evaluation of a targeted polymeric micelle that specifically permeabilizes the outer membrane and potentiates antibiotic activity against P. aeruginosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • CMCOS with higher antioxidant activity was prepared and characterized. • CMCOS had therapeutic effects on renal function impairment and parenchymal injury. • CMCOS inhibited inflammation and fibrosis by regulating IL-1β, TNF-ɑ and TGF-β1. • CMCOS reduced oxidative stress by improving SOD and GSH-Px activities. Abstract Carboxymethyl chitosan oligosaccharide (CMCOS), the hydrolytic product of carboxymethyl chitosan, is nontoxic, easily absorbable and good antioxidant. In this study, CMCOS was prepared and its properties in adriamycin nephropathy therapy were investigated. Our results showed that CMCOS had good curative effects on renal function and parenchymal injury induced by adriamycin. CMCOS administration significantly relieved symptoms of proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia, renal hyperplasia and histological lesions in rats (P < 0.01). Further exploration for the underlying mechanisms indicated that CMCOS treatment reduced macrophage accumulation, myofibroblast transdifferentiation and podocyte apoptosis. CMCOS treatment could regulate secretions of cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-ɑ and TGF-β1) and improve activities of antioxidative enzymes (SOD, GSH-Px) (P < 0.01). In conclusion, therapeutic effects of CMCOS on renal injury mediated by inflammation, fibrosis and oxidative stress made it a good kidney health product and a promising candidate in clinical treatment of human chronic kidney disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron-mediated generation of highly toxic Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) plays a major role in the process leading to iron overload-related diseases. The long-term subcutaneous administration of Deferoxamine (DFO) is currently clinically-approved to improve patient symptoms and survival. However, non-specific toxicity and short circulation times of the drug in humans often leads to poor patient compliance. Herein, thioketal-based ROS-responsive polymeric nanogels containing DFO moieties (rNG-DFO) were designed to chelate iron and to degrade under oxidative stimuli into fragments <10 nm to enhance excretion of iron-bound chelates. Serum ferritin levels and iron concentrations in major organs of IO mice decreased following treatment with rNG-DFO, and fecal elimination of iron-bound chelates increased compared to free DFO. Furthermore, rNG-DFO decreased iron mediated oxidative stress levels in vitro and reduced iron-mediated inflammation in the liver of IO mice. The study confirms that ROS-responsive nanogels may serve as a promising alternative to DFO for safer and more efficient iron chelation therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For rapidly and accurately obtaining the performance parameters of ion-exchange resins, an especial online column flow-injection electrochemical method and system (FIA-ECM) was designed. In the research, the waste strong acid type cation-exchange resin (WSCR) was used as test sample, which was again immersed in the saturated ferric trichloride solution and lubricant oil for long time and heated at 110 °C to further deteriorate its ion-exchange performance. And then, the orthogonal and the single factor experiments on WSCR were conducted by using the FIA-ECM system. Under optimized conditions, the resuscitation rate of WSCR reached to 90% which can reuse in industry for various water treatments. Besides, a new conclusion was also obtained by using the FIA-ECM system, namely, exchange capacity of SCR being in drying state is higher than that in wetting state, and new SCR can be transported and saved in drying state, thus can notably reduce transport costs. The conclusion has very important significance in water treatment industry using resins. Merits of FIA-ECM were higher in automation extent, lower in reagent consumption in the test, inexistent in personal errors, and conducive to environmental protection. It can be extended to automatically and rapidly determine performances of various resins or new developed materials with cation-ion exchange capacity and screening of various revitalizers for resins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-containing materials have raised much concern in adsorption desulfurization due to its unsaturated metal sites. Herein, we introduced Cu+ and phosphotungstic acid (PTA) to Co-MOF to prepare Co-MOF-Cu+/PTA through post-modification method under mild condition, and then Co-MOF-Cu+/PTA were used for adsorption and removal dibenzothiophene (DBT) from model fuels. The physico-chemical property of adsorbents was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), NH 3 -temperature programmed desorption (NH 3 -TPD), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The ICP-MS and EDX characterization results showed that Cu+ had been uniformly dispersed on the Co-MOF-Cu+/PTA. The NH 3 -TPD demonstrated that the PTA could enhance surface acidity of the Co-MOF-Cu+/PTA. Due to the introduction of Cu+ and PTA, the adsorption capacity of the Co-MOF-Cu+/PTA for DBT was much greater than Co-MOF. The Cu+ ions served as active sites for π-π interaction and sulfur-metal (S-M) adsorption, meanwhile the Co2+ and PTA adsorbed DBT through acid-base interaction. The adsorption capacity of Co-MOF-Cu+/PTA for DBT could reach 188.7 ​mg/g. The adsorption behavior was spontaneous and endothermic, and be well fitted by Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic. The Co-MOF-Cu+/PTA had excellent selectivity and regeneration performance. A material for the efficient and clean adsorption of sulphides. [Display omitted] • Introduce the Cu+ and PTA to Co-MOF by post-modification method under mild condition. • Cu+ can act as the π-complexation adsorption active center for dibenzothiophene. • Doping PTA enhanced the acid-base interaction between DBT and adsorbent. • Multi-adsorption mechanism synergistically enhances the desulfurization performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the dual-frequent sonocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin (NOR), an antibiotic, caused by Ce 4+ -doped BaZrO 3 is studied. The used Ce 4+ -doped BaZrO 3 as a novel sonocatalyst with highly efficient and stable sonocatalytic activity is prepared via hydrothermal method. The prepared sample is characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) in order to investigate the structure, morphology and chemical composition. The dual-frequent sonocatalytic activity of prepared Ce 4+ -doped BaZrO 3 powder is evaluated through sonocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin (NOR) as a model organic pollutant. Some influencing factors such as single/dual-frequent ultrasonic frequent, cerium and zirconium molar proportions, ultrasonic irradiation time and used times are studied in detail by using UV–vis spectra. The generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the dual-frequent sonocatalytic degradation process of norfloxacin (NOR) are confirmed by using two different trapping agents. The holes (h + ) and hydroxyl radicals ( OH) are identified and the holes plays a major role during the oxidation process. Finally, the possible mechanism for the dual-frequent sonocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin (NOR) caused by Ce 4+ -doped BaZrO 3 is proposed. The experimental results show that the Ce 4+ -doped BaZrO 3 displays a good sonocatalytic activity under dual-frequent ultrasonic irradiation. Under optimal conditions, the most of norfloxacin (NOR) can be removed under dual-frequent ultrasonic irradiation for 150 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Extended‐spectrum β‐lactamases (ESBLs)‐producing Salmonella is a tremendous hazard to food safety and public health. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of 30 virulence genes (avrA, sipA, sseC, marT, rhuM, siiE, pipA, pipD, envR, gogB, gtgA, sodC1, sseI, irsA, sopE2, spvC, rck, spvR, fhuA, msgA, pagK, srfj, stkc, fimA, lpfD, pefA, stcC, steB, stjB, and tcfA) in 156 ESBLs‐producing Salmonella isolates that belonged to 21 serotypes. These isolates were recovered from retail raw chicken samples collected from 5 provinces and 2 national cities in China between 2007 and 2012. The results indicated that 154 (98.7%) ESBLs‐producing Salmonella isolates carried at least 1 virulence gene, 138 (88.5%) simultaneously carried at least 5 virulence genes, 107 (68.6%) carried 10 or more, and 20 (12.8%) carried 15 or more virulence genes. The most frequently detected virulence genes were marT (n = 127, 81.4%), siiE (n = 126, 80.8%), msgA (n = 121, 77.6%), and sipA (n = 121, 77.6%). Significant difference was identified between detection percentages of virulence genes of rhuM, pipD, envR, sopE2, pagK, lpfD, steB, and stjB in S. Indiana, S. Thompson, S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. Shubra, S. Edinburg, and S. Agona isolates. Distribution of virulence genes were significantly influenced by sampling districts (P < 0.01), especially for sodC1 and pipD, and then were msgA and sopE2. The heatmap showed the frequencies of virulence genes in ESBLs‐producing isolates from retail chickens in southern, central, and northern regions of China were completely different from each other. Based on our findings, ESBLs‐producing Salmonella of retail chicken origin were common carriers of multiple virulence genes and were regionally distributed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]