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This editorial presents a collection of innovative research studies that contribute to advancing sustainable energy solutions. The studies cover a range of topics, including the integration of solar energy with advanced materials, the performance enhancements of solar collectors, the use of biogas as a clean alternative in public transport, and methods for enhancing the production of natural gas hydrates. The research also explores energy efficiency and storage methods, optimization of clean energy processes, and the impact of policy instruments on clean energy adoption. The studies emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of clean energy research and the need for collaborative efforts to address climate change. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives: Thymic carcinoma and thymic neuroendocrine tumor (NET) are rare and are more likely to develop second malignancies. The purpose of this study was to explore the incidence and lifetime risk of second malignancies in thymic carcinoma and thymic NET. Methods: The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) and the age-adjusted cancer incidence of the thymic carcinoma and thymic NET patients with second malignancies were retrospectively calculated by using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Prognosis results were also determined by Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regression. Results: 1130 patients with thymic carcinoma (73 patients had second malignancies) and 263 patients with thymic NET (19 patients had second malignancies) from 2000 to 2018 are included. Patients with thymic carcinoma (SIR: 1.36, 95% CI 1.08–1.69) and with thymic NET (SIR: 1.73, 95% CI 1.13–2.54) demonstrate an increased overall risk of developing second malignancies in various organ systems. The age-adjusted cancer incidence of second malignancies in patients with thymic carcinoma is 3058.48 per 100,000 persons (4178.46 per 100,000 persons in patients with thymic NET). Age at diagnosis is a significant risk factor for the development of second malignancies. Conclusion: The incidence of second malignancies in patients with thymic carcinoma and thymic NET is significantly higher than the patients in the normal population. The occurrence of second malignancies is not related to the use of different treatments. It is important to extend the follow-up period and add other screening methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite monitoring is an effective way to obtain the spatiotemporal information for surface water resources. However, due to problems such as clouds, cloud shadows, and sensor failures, there many gaps in satellite images, posing challenges for the accurate monitoring of surface water changes. Here, a new image-similarity-based gap-filling method using Landsat images, to obtain gapless surface water images, is proposed. The new method, based on a database composed of gapless images, uses the symmetrical difference method to determine the gapless image whose water pixels distribution is most similar to that of the gap image, finally replacing the gapped image pixels with gapless image pixels, to obtain a gap-filled water image. The performance of the new method is evaluated for arid and humid regions via numerical experiments and case verification. Then new method is compared with the existing gap-filling method, using the Aral Sea as an example. The new method's average overall accuracy for surface water in arid areas is about 0.99, and that of surface water in humid areas is about 0.98. It predicted surface water more accurately than other methods, and with high accuracy (R2 = 0.92). This proposed gap-filling method provides an important technical solution to obtaining long-term high-quality observations of surface water. It can also provide a database of image for accurate water resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inherently intermittent feature of solar energy requires reliable energy conversion and storage systems for utilizing the most abundant solar energy. Phase change materials are potential solutions to store a large amount of heat produced by solar light. However, few of the phase change materials have the ability to efficiently convert solar energy into heat; additionally, phase change materials need to be encapsulated in porous substrates for enhancing their leaking resistance and photo-to-thermal performance. In this work, monolithic MXene aerogels, fabricated by Al3+ cross-linking and freeze-drying, were used as the encapsulation and photothermal materials. The composites phase change materials of MXene/polyethylene glycol can be made with a large polyethylene glycol loading above 90 wt% with the maximum of 97 wt%, owing to the large porosity of MXene aerogels. The low content of MXene has a limited impact on the phase transition temperature and enthalpy of polyethylene glycol, with an enthalpy retention rate ranging from 89.2 to 96.5% for 90–97 wt% polyethylene glycol loadings. MXene aerogels greatly improve the leaking resistance of polyethylene glycol above its melting point of 60 °C, even at 100 °C. The composites phase change materials also show outstanding cycling stability for 500 cycles of heat storage and release, retaining 97.7% of the heat storage capability. The optimized composite phase change material has a solar energy utilization of 93.5%, being superior to most of the reported results. Our strategy produces promising composite phase change materials for solar energy utilization using the MXene aerogels as the encapsulation and photothermal materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study optimized the fermentation conditions for producing glucanase from Burkholderia pyrrocinia B1213 using Jiuzao, a residue from Baijiu distillation, as the carbon source. The effects of Jiuzao particle size and concentration, type of nitrogen source, urea concentration, initial pH, inoculum size, loading volume, shaking speed, temperature, surfactant type and incubation time on glucanase production by B. pyrrocinia B1213 were investigated separately through single factor design. Then, five variables, Jiuzao concentration, inoculum size, initial pH, temperature and incubation time, were found to significantly affect glucanase production using the Plackett-Burman design. Following, the optimal conditions for glucanase production by B. pyrrocinia B1213 were found using the steepest ascent path and response surface methodology designs as: particle size, 40-60 mesh; Jiuzao concentration, 58.4 g/L; urea concentration, 8 g/L; initial pH, 6; loading volume, 15 mL/250 mL; inoculum size, 0.63% (v/v); temperature, 26 °C; shaking speed, 160 rpm; and incubation time, 120 h. Under these conditions, the glucanase activity of the B. pyrrcinia B1213 strain was 1336 U/mL, producing the biological enzymes needed in Baijiu making from a by-product. This study has provided experimental data and theoretical information for using B. pyrrcinia B1213 in Baijiu production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to introduce an "eight-step modularized procedure (M-RET)" for trans-subxiphoid robotic extended thymectomy for patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). Its safety and feasibility were further verified in this study. Materials and methods: This retrospective study included 87 consecutive MG patients who underwent trans-subxiphoid robotic extended thymectomy at our institution between September 2016 and August 2021. According to different resection models, patients were divided into two groups: traditional trans-subxiphoid robotic extended thymectomy group (T-RET group) and eight-step modularized technique group (M-RET group). Baseline demographic characteristics and operation-related parameters were collected and compared between the two groups. Results: There were 41 (47.1%) patients in the M-RET group and 46 (52.9%) patients in the T-RET group. The M-RET group resected a greater amount of mediastinal adipose tissues and required more dissection time (median and interquartile range: 135.0, 125.0 to 164.0 v. 120.0, 105.0 to 153.8, P = 0.006) compared with the T-RET group. There were no statistically significant differences in terms of the intraoperative blood loss, duration of chest drainage, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications between the two groups. There was no mortality or conversion in each of the two groups and all patients recovered well upon discharge. Conclusion: The eight-step modularized technique of trans-subxiphoid robotic extended thymectomy was verified to be a safe, effective, radical procedure, which offers unique superiority over ectopic thymic tissue resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare ectopic mediastinal parathyroid adenoma can result in persistent or recurrent hyperparathyroidism. In this article, we summarized the perioperative outcomes of six patients with mediastinal parathyroid adenoma. All patients underwent minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Abnormal accumulation of sestamibi was observed in four of five patients for preoperative localization of adenoma. Postoperatively, the blood calcium dropped quickly. In addition, we found adenoma function was negatively related to adenoma volume in these patients. In conclusion, although MIS is feasible for parathyroid adenoma, blood calcium should be monitored in a timely manner to avoid hypocalcemia postoperatively. In addition, sestamibi might be a potential pitfall when locating parathyroid adenoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional project management in the construction industry has the uniqueness of exclusive customization, the irreversibility of the project, the immobility of the project address, the long-term nature of the project, and the dynamic nature of the project. Based on these characteristics, the complexity and difficulty of project management in the construction industry are determined. Modern engineering is no longer satisfied with the traditional basic needs, but develops in a green, environmental friendly and efficient way. On the one hand, the project is required to meet good use requirements and meet the most basic functional requirements. On the other hand, the project construction process is required to meet the requirements of green environmental protection and ecological harmony. Therefore, the maintenance cost and operation cost corresponding to modern projects have become the key to the sustainable and healthy development of the engineering construction industry. Based on this, this paper will take the construction industry as an example to fully analyze the current situation and existing problems faced by the current project cost management. Through the research on the full life-cycle project cost management mode of the construction industry, the random matrix weight algorithm is creatively introduced, and the adaptive full life-cycle project cost management extended target tracking algorithm is proposed, which cuts the corresponding full life-cycle project cost management model into multiple submodels, and the corresponding management subobjectives are constructed from the submodel, and the expansion status of the corresponding subobjectives is described and analyzed in detail using the inverse distribution description, so as to accurately estimate the effect and target weight coefficient required by the management subobjectives, and finally realize the efficient, reasonable and scientific operation of the construction industry's whole life-cycle project cost management, so as to maximize economic benefits. An experimental verification is carried out for a specific construction company. The verification results show that the full life-cycle project cost management scheme based on random matrix weight algorithm proposed in this paper has obvious advantages in management efficiency, cost control, process control, and other aspects compared with the traditional management scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a navigation situation assessment method for autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) in a cooperative hunting environment. By virtue of the repulsion function expressed in the artificial potential field, the navigation situation of hunting ASVs and target ASVs is firstly described. And the hunting situation is also constructed to describe the cooperative hunting. Based on the navigation situation and the hunting situation, a navigation situation assessment method for cooperative hunting of multiple ASVs is designed, where the number of hunting vehicles and the hunting radius can be successfully computed. Simulation results show that this proposed situation assessment method can give an optimised formation pattern and provide an effective reference for cooperative hunting of ASVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A feasibility study was performed to determine if CT-based radiomics could play an augmentative role in predicting neoadjuvant rectal score (NAR), locoregional failure free survival (LRFFS), distant metastasis free survival (DMFS), disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). The NAR score, which takes into account the pathological tumour and nodal stage as well as clinical tumour stage, is a validated surrogate endpoint used for early determination of treatment response whereby a low NAR score (< 8) has been correlated with better outcomes and high NAR score (> 16) has been correlated with poorer outcomes. CT images of 191 patients with LARC were used in this study. Primary tumour (GTV) and mesorectum (CTV) were contoured separately and radiomics features were extracted from both segments. Two NAR models (NAR > 16 and NAR < 8) models were constructed using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and the survival models were constructed using regularized Cox regressions. Area under curve (AUC) and time-dependent AUC were used to quantify the performance of the LASSO and Cox regression respectively, using ten folds cross validations. The NAR > 16 and NAR < 8 models have an average AUCs of 0.68 ± 0.13 and 0.59 ± 0.14 respectively. There are statistically significant differences between the clinical and combined model for LRFFS (from 0.68 ± 0.04 to 0.72 ± 0.04), DMFS (from 0.68 ± 0.05 to 0.70 ± 0.05) and OS (from 0.64 ± 0.06 to 0.66 ± 0.06). CTV radiomics features were also found to be more important than GTV features in the NAR prediction model. The most important clinical features are age and CEA for NAR > 16 and NAR < 8 models respectively, while the most significant clinical features are age, surgical margin and NAR score across all the four survival models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrathin, transparent, and free‐standing films assembled from low‐dimensional nanomaterials (LDMs) are promising for various applications, including transparent heaters and membranes. However, the intact separation of the assembled films, especially those with controlled ultrathin thickness from deposited substrates, is a tremendous challenge, particularly for fast peeling off via self‐detaching. Herein, we propose a versatile method to rapidly peel off ultrathin assembled LDM films, including three types of carbon nanotubes, vermiculite, Ag nanowires, and carbon nanotube@graphene, by dissolving the MXene interlayer from the layer‐by‐layer filtered MXene/LDM Janus films using diluted H2O2. The MXene sacrificial interlayers play dual roles, including physical isolation of LDM films from filter membranes and the production of bubbles that buoy ultrathin LDM films, making them free‐standing. The integrality and self‐detaching rate of the LDM films are determined by the loading and reactivity of the MXene interlayers. The intact LDM films can self‐detach in 80 s by dissolving the optimized MXene interlayer and producing bubbles. The as‐made free‐standing ultrathin LDM films can be transferred to arbitrary substrates and exhibit outstanding performance as transparent heaters. This scalable method provides an efficient and versatile method to produce ultrathin, transparent, and free‐standing LDM films and finds new applications for the growing MXene family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic matter (OM) preservation in marine sediments is an important sink in the carbon cycle and the isotopic records of the preserved OM provide useful information on the sources, biodegradation, and transformation of organic carbon during early diagenesis. Here, we present radiocarbon data combined with stable carbon isotope measurements of total organic carbon (TOC) and four organic fractions, namely, total lipids, hydrolysable amino acids (THAAs), humic acids (HAs), and acid-base insoluble OM, separated from four sediment cores collected from the South China Sea (SCS), to reveal their sources and transformation. The total lipids, THAAs, HAs and acid-base insoluble OM fractions account for 1.1 ± 0.4%, 3.1 ± 1.6%, 12.7 ± 9.4% and 61.6 ± 10.0% of the TOC (the percentages of organic fraction in TOC), respectively, and the acid-base insoluble OM is the dominant fraction of TOC preserved in the sediments. Distinct differences in both 13C and 14C values are found among these organic fractions. The δ13C values are more depleted in total lipids and HAs (−23.1‰ to −30.2‰) than in THAAs and the acid-base insoluble OM (−15.3‰ to −20.6‰), which indicates that HAs could be polymerized from lipid-like materials. The acid-base insoluble OM has the lowest Δ14C values (−848‰ to −358‰), with the oldest 14C ages (mean of 7330 years before present) compared to total lipids (−574‰ to −253‰, 3860 years), THAAs (−331‰ to −66‰, 1527 years) and HAs (−569‰ to −168‰, 2916 years) in these sediment cores. The δ13C and Δ14C values of THAA in the sediment are similar to those of pore-water dissolved organic carbon (DOC), indicating that THAA is preferentially degraded and converted to DOC. These results reveal that OM derived from marine and terrestrial sources decompose selectively and contribute differently to the organic fractions during early diagenesis and preservation in marine sediment. The very aged acid-base insoluble fraction is likely formed as a complex of the most refractory OM during microbial degradation and alteration of TOC, representing a major mechanism of OM sequestration in marine sediments. • The first radiocarbon data set of organic fractions in South China Sea sediment. • Humic acids may be polymerized from short chain lipid-like materials. • Acid-base insoluble fraction has the lowest Δ14C values and largest content. • Marine and terrestrial organic matter decomposed selectively in marine sediment. • Acid-base insoluble fraction represents a major mechanism of OM sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological technology innovation with environmental benefits as the core has become an inevitable choice for water environment treatment PPP projects (WETP-PPP), and government supervision and public participation are essential driving factors for eco-technological innovation. To explore the influence of public participation on the behavior of the government and private sector in the WETP-PPP, this study constructed an asymmetric evolutionary game model of government supervision and private sector ecological technology innovation behavior under public participation. The main contribution of this study is to explore the mutual evolutionary regularity of the private sector and government supervision department and the influence of public participation level on public and private behavior in different scenarios. The results showed that the government can reduce the supervision cost by increasing the public's active participation and improving environmental regulation measures to achieve a win-win situation of economic and environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to effectually improve the performance of parabolic trough solar collector system and homogenize the temperature distribution on the absorber tube, an innovative convergent-divergent tube was designed as the absorber tube of PTR. The finite volume method (FVM) and the Monte Carlo ray tracing method (MCRT) are combined to simulate the heat transfer process in parabolic trough collector. The average relative error between the numerical results and the experimental results conducted in the Spanish DISS test facility is 1.103%, which confirms the reliability of the simulation results in this paper. The heat transfer characteristics and flow characteristics of PTR and convergent-divergent PTR are compared in the inlet velocity range of 0.05-0.75m/s, and the effect of the number of zoom sections(N) for CD-PTR performance is also studied. The simulation results show that the parabolic trough collector with convergent-divergent tube has significantly enhanced heat transfer capability. The average Nu of CD-PTR increases as the number of zoom sections increases, and is always higher than that of PTR. When Re=86400 and N=25, the average Nu increased by 66%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due the energy resource comes from solar energy, resulting in a high working temperature, radiation field has a significant influence on the energy storage efficiency of the high temperature solar thermochemistry. In order to promote the solar energy conversion efficiency of solar driven steam methane reforming (SMR), the idea of regulate the radiation field to be in accordance with the energy conversion on-demand is proposed and the biomimetic leaf-type hierarchical porous structure solar thermochemical reactor is introduced, which can regulate the spatial distribution of solar radiation intensity and optimize the temperature field. Combined with thermochemical kinetics and Finite Volume Method (FVM), the numerical calculation model of the SMR reaction in a biomimetic solar thermochemical reactor is established to optimize the temperature field. The effects of different reaction conditions and reactor parameters on steam methane reforming hydrogen production are analyzed. The results show that methane conversion in the biomimetic leaf-type solar thermochemical reactor is increased by 4.5%. [Display omitted] • Methane reforming in solar reactor with biomimetic leaf-type hierarchical porous is studied. • The idea of biomimetic hierarchical porous is proposed to regulate radiation field. • Biomimetic leaf-type hierarchical porous structure can increase methane conversion by 4.5%. • The best combination of structural parameters is d 1 = 1.0 mm, d 2 = 3.0 mm and L 1 = 0.02 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One approach that shows promising for producing hydrogen fuel from solar energy is photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The main challenge is to design effective photoanodes. Although bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) is an ideal photoanode in terms of absorbing visible light, serious electron–hole recombination and poor charge transport limit its application as a photoanode of PEC. Dye sensitization is the key method to improve electron transfer and light utilization. Herein, an enhanced dye (rhodamine B, RhB)-sensitized BiVO4/BiOCl system was explored. The results show that the process of RhB sensitization BiVO4 requires BiOCl as a bridge. The RhB-sensitized BiVO4/BiOCl system exhibits excellent photoelectrochemical activity, which is attributed to its enhanced photoinduced electron transport and wider visible light response range. This inspiration comes from the mythical story of China, "Cowherd and the Weaver Girl Meet at the Magpie Bridge". The combination of dye sensitization and BiVO4/BiOCl heterojunction explored an energy-saving, efficient and green light-induced system to improve the PEC efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use a coalescence model to generate f 0 (980) particles for four configurations: s s ¯ meson, u u ¯ s s ¯ tetraquark, K K ¯ molecule, and u u ¯ p-wave state. The phase-space information of the coalescing constituents is taken from a multi-phase transport (AMPT) simulation of proton-proton (pp) and proton-lead (pPb) collisions at the LHC. It is shown that the transverse momentum spectra and production yields of f 0 (980) differ significantly among the configurations. It is suggested that the p T spectra of the f 0 (980) compared to those of other hadrons (such as pion) and the ratio of the f 0 (980) p T spectra in pPb over pp collisions can be exploited to tell the configuration of the f 0 (980). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Idea of strong forward and backward scattering is proposed to enhance solar-to-fuel. • Well-designed Ni/Al 2 O 3 strengthens solar radiation absorption and radiative transfer. • More uniform temperatures achieve a 4.53% significant improvement in conversion. Solar driven methane dry reforming can not only reduce greenhouse gases but also produce high-value syngas. However, the poor solar radiation absorption and radiative heat transfer resulted in inefficient solar to fuel in a foam reactor. To enhance energy conversion, here, we proposed a novel idea for oriented radiation regulation of foam structural catalyst via strong forward radiation scattering in fore-end but strong backward radiation scattering in rear-end. The design of foam structural catalyst was optimized and experimentally verified the effectiveness in increasing absorption, transmission, and conversion of solar radiation. Experimental and numerical studies demonstrated that, through oriented radiation regulation method, the thermochemical reactor achieved a better radiation penetration, more uniform temperature and higher solar to fuel conversion efficiency. The conversion rates of CH 4 and CO 2 can be increased by 15.45% and 11.27%, with a 4.53% significant improvement in solar to fuel. The excellent conversion efficiency opened a new pathway towards large-scale solar energy utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study of the ecology of mesopelagic fishes is central for assessing the active biological pump in the ocean, especially in the mesopelagic layers. The use of δ13C and fatty acid analysis can help to analysis the ecology of mesopelagic fishes. Here, we analysed the fatty acid composition of mesopelagic fishes from the continental northern slope of the South China Sea (NSSCS) and compared with nearshore SCS fishes and mesopelagic fishes collected from the Southern Ocean. The mesopelagic fishes had unusually high lipids, which resulted in Δδ13C values exceeding 1‰, more than the enrichment factor in the food web. The mesopelagic fishes had higher C18:1n-9/C18:1n-7 and C20:1n-9/ C18:1n-7 ratios compared with other fishes in the SCS, which confirmed that plankton were their main dietary source. The mesopelagic fishes from SCS and Southern Ocean had different ratios of C20:5n-3/C22:6n-3 (EPA/DHA), suggesting geographical locations and diet sources had obvious influence on their fatty acid composition. The SCS mesopelagic fishes had higher C20:4n-6/C22:6n-3 (ARA/DHA) and C20:4n-6/C20:5n-3 (ARA/EPA) ratios than mesopelagic fishes in the Southern Ocean, indicating the influence of physical factors on fatty acid composition. Thus, future studies of the fatty acids in mesopelagic fishes should consider both dietary sources and physical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Oxidative stress is closely related to animal health. Bupleuri Radix, a well-known Chinese herb, has an important antioxidant capacity. In this study, we discovered that supplementing Bupleuri Radix to the diet could reduce oxidative stress during the growth stage of Shanbei fine-wool sheep. In addition, we analyzed the antioxidant mechanism of Bupleuri Radix by combining metabolomics and microbiomics and discovered that Bupleuri Radix may increase the antioxidant capacity of Shanbei fine-wool sheep by regulating rumen bacteria and metabolites. The findings indicate that implementing appropriate nutrition strategies can improve the health of Shanbei fine-wool sheep. Oxidative stress (OS) in ruminants is closely associated with disease; thus, improving antioxidant capacity is an important strategy for maintaining host health. Bupleuri Radix (BR) could significantly improve host health and stress levels. However, the clear antioxidant mechanism of the function of BR remains unknown. In the current study, LC-MS metabolomics combined with 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to explore the effects of BR on rumen microbiota and metabolites in Shanbei Fine-Wool Sheep (SFWS), and Spearman correlation analyses of rumen microbiota, metabolites, and OS were performed to investigate the mechanism of antioxidant function of BR. Our results indicated that as SFWS grows, levels of OS and antioxidant capacity increase dramatically, but providing BR to SFWS enhances antioxidant capacity while decreasing OS. Rumen microbiota and OS are strongly correlated, with total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) showing a significant negative correlation with Succiniclasticum and a positive correlation with Ruminococcus. Importantly, the Chao1 index was significantly negatively correlated with malondialdehyde (MDA) and positively correlated with superoxide dismutase (SOD) and T-AOC. Two biomarkers connected to the antioxidant effects of BR, 5,6-DHET and LPA (a-25:0/0:0), were screened according to the results of metabolomics and Spearman analysis of rumen contents, and a significant relationship between the concentration of rumen metabolites and OS was found. Five metabolic pathways, including glycerolipid, glutathione, nucleotide, D-amino acid, and inositol phosphate metabolism, may have a role in OS. The integrated results indicate that rumen microbiota and metabolites are strongly related to OS and that BR is responsible for reducing OS and improving antioxidant capacity in post-weaned SFWS. These findings provide new strategies to reduce OS occurring during SFWS growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal upwelling zone hosts most fishing grounds worldwide and nitrogen dynamics in those systems mainly have been addressed through the nutrients replenished the ecosystem. Compared with coastal and upper-layer ecosystems, relatively limited knowledge has been explored by nitrogen isotope imprints through the food webs of mesopelagic fishes and their links to upwelling characteristics. Here, we collected several species of mesopelagic fishes in the mid-west region of the South China Sea (SCS) and analyzed them by biochemical methods (fatty acids, δ13C, δ15N, and δ13C of fatty acids). Due to the occurrence of upwelling, we want to evaluate the variation of nitrogen isotope compositions among these mesopelagic species and their links to the upwelling nitrogen supply. The δ15N of mesopelagic fishes in the non-upwelling area was depleted by 2‰ when compared with those in upwelling area, which indicated different nitrogen sources impacting for fishes in the two areas. A combination of multi-biochemical proxies was used to divide mesopelagic fishes into six groups and indicated that the feeding behaviors and upwelling were the main factors to affect the biological composition of mesopelagic fishes, even in such small regions. The differences in δ15N values between the upwelling and non-upwelling areas allowed us to estimate that N 2 fixation supported about 37% of the N-demand of food sources in the non-upwelling area, which was larger than the 10% in the upwelling area. These results illustrate that nutrients from the deep layers in upwelling systems might be the main factors that cause differences in δ15N in mesopelagic fishes between upwelling and non-upwelling areas. Thus, more studies of N dynamics in mesopelagic fishes should be conducted in the upwelling systems to illustrate the impact of climate changes on fish biomass in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chiral magnetic effect (CME) in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) refers to a charge separation (an electric current) of chirality imbalanced quarks generated along an external strong magnetic field. The chirality imbalance results from interactions of quarks, under the approximate chiral symmetry restoration, with metastable local domains of gluon fields of non-zero topological charges out of QCD vacuum fluctuations. Those local domains violate the P and CP invariance, potentially offering a solution to the strong CP problem in explaining the magnitude of the matter–antimatter asymmetry in today's universe. Relativistic heavy-ion collisions, with the likely creation of the high energy density quark–gluon plasma and restoration of the approximate chiral symmetry, and the possibly long-lived strong magnetic field, provide a unique opportunity to detect the CME. Early measurements of the CME-induced charge separation in heavy-ion collisions are dominated by physics backgrounds. Major efforts have been devoted to eliminate or reduce those backgrounds. We review those efforts, with a somewhat historical perspective, and focus on the recent innovative experimental undertakings in the search for the CME in heavy-ion collisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study revealed the role of earthworm-effective microorganisms (EM) in converting sewage sludge and cassava dregs into a valuable product. Sewage sludge was toxic to earthworm, therefore it was mixed with cassava dregs in 80:20 proportions (dry weight). Treatments included mixed substrate inoculated versus not inoculated with EM and treated with or without earthworms. The pH, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and C:N ratio decreased from the initial measurements in the range of 17.43–18.46%, 25.48–33.82%, 19.60–25.37%, and 6.68–14.05% respectively; but electrical conductivity and available phosphorus increased in the range of 113.47–158.16% and 42.42–57.58%, respectively. In addition, they interactively increased total phosphorus from 19.84–63.01% and potassium from 16.41–50.78%, and decreased the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons content of substrate from 21.17% to 32.14% with an increase in earthworms from 51.71 to 57.69, respectively. Earthworms and EM could be used together as an efficient method for co-composting sewage sludge plus cassava dregs in the tropics. This could be expected to result in stabilization of waste, increase in nutrients, and reduction of pollutant content. Implications: The first reports of interaction of earthworms and effective microorganisms in the treatment of sewage sludge and cassava dregs in the tropics. Co-composting was an efficient technology for treating sewage sludge and cassava dregs at the same time, in the tropics. The survival rate of the earthworms both> 95%, the highest number of cocoons (640.33) and hatchlings (4694.33) both in EW+EM (Earthworms added and EM inoculated) treatment. Earthworms and EM (Only EM inoculated) interactively increased total phosphorus and potassium content, and decreased the PAH content of substrate with increase in earthworms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Radiative cooling, as a passive cooling method, is an effective way to save energy and reduce emissions by dissipating heat into space through the "sky window," without consuming any additional energy. The actual particles in the radiative-cooling coating constitute a particle cloud with non-uniform size distribution and the cooling effect is greatly affected by the spectral reflectance of the actual substrate. Herein, the radiative transfer of actual SiO 2 particles doped with a radiative-cooling coating was initially studied. Monte Carlo ray-tracing method, combined with Mie theory, was used to analyze the influence of particle size, volume fraction of particles, coating thickness, and different substrate reflectances on the spectral radiative characteristics of the radiative-cooling coating. The particles size distribution and spectral substrate reflectance were considered. The numerical results show that the maximum spectral reflectance difference between a coating with a uniform-size-distribution particle cloud and a coating with a non-uniform-size-distribution particle cloud can reach 27.3%. Furthermore, the influence of particle parameters and reflectance of the substrate on the radiative characteristics of the radiative-cooling coating is mainly concentrated in the 10–12 μm band. At 8–10 μm and 12–13 μm, the radiative-cooling coating emissivity varies little with the change of particle parameters and the reflectance of substrate, which is induced by the strong absorption of SiO 2 particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through molecular dynamic simulations, a system for investigating the contributions of elastic deformation energy and thermal activation effects to friction has been constructed. In this system, a graphene flake slides on a suspended graphene layer anchored on a bed of springs. The "graphene–spring" system provides a useful ideal approach to model different layers of graphene through changing the stiffness of the springs. The results first indicate that both the friction force and the elastic deformation energy have an exponential dependence on the support stiffness. Second, the observed non-monotonic variation in friction manifested by peaks and plateaus with increasing temperature results from the changing rate of energy dissipation due to the transition of slip regimes. Therefore, we suggest that the friction force emanates from the competition between the interfacial energy barrier and out-of-plane elastic deformation energy, as well as the competition between the thermal activation effects and transition of slip regimes. Therefore, the observation can extend the validity of the Prandtl–Tomlinson model on friction phenomena. Our simulations are intended to provide theoretical guidance when considering the influence of stiffness on the friction between graphene layers in the design of nanodevices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fibrous mediastinitis (FM) is a rare mediastinal lesion characterized by proliferation of fibrous tissue within the mediastinum. Previous reports have shown that this lesion can be caused by histoplasmosis and tuberculosis. In extremely rare cases, FM can also be caused by autoimmune diseases such as antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis and large-vessel arteritis. Case presentation: In our case, we report unexpected fibrous mediastinitis found after robotic thymectomy in a patient with myasthenia gravis (MG). The preoperative imaging indicated no obvious lesion in the mediastinum and the patient denied histories of both histoplasmosis and tuberculosis. After the operation, both proliferation of fibrous tissue and ectopic germinal centres (GCs) could be found in the thymus. Conclusion: This rare case might enrich our knowledge of the relationship between FM and autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar driven CO 2 reforming of methane has attracted increasing interest, due to the greenhouse effect and the depletion of fossil fuel energy. The design of foam structure parameters in volumetric solar reactor significantly affects the transport phenomena and overall reforming performance. A numerical model is developed in this study, coupling the conduction, convection and radiative heat transfer with the chemical reaction kinetics. The radiative transfer in foam structure is solved by the modified P1 approximation, and local thermal non-equilibrium model is used to account for the temperature difference between the fluid and solid phases. The reforming process in solar reactors with gradual foam structure parameter (porosity and cell size) both in axial and radial directions is analyzed. Thermal and reforming performances in different configurations are compared in detail. The results indicate that the methane conversion almost increases gradually with the increasing of porosity and cell size for the reactor with uniform foam structure. The decreasing designs of structure parameter either in axial or radial direction have better performance than the increasing ones. Besides, the increasing and decreasing designs in radial direction have a noticeable difference in the mole fraction distribution of reactants and products from those in axial directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heat transfer and thermochemical reaction are numerically investigated for the solar driven methane dry reforming process, coupling with the solar radiation transport from concentrator to the interior of volumetric reactor. Using a Monte Carlo ray tracing method, the solar radiation concentration with a multi-dish system and absorption by the foam structure in the reforming reactor are simulated. The solar power density distribution in reforming reactor and the optical efficiency of system are determined and compared at different foam structural parameters. Then, an integrated model of transport phenomena is developed to analyze the thermal and chemical performances under different operating conditions. The results indicate that solar radiation absorption and distribution in the reactor are greatly affected by the foam structural parameters, while the optical efficiency has no significant variation. Assumption of the concentrated solar radiation as collimated leads to a temperature deviation of approximately 10%. Besides, the methane conversion increases with increasing porosity and cell size, and decreases markedly with increasing inlet velocity and CH 4 /CO 2 ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulforaphene (LFS-01) is the major chemical constituent of Raphanus sativu s, a medicinal herb used for over a thousand years in traditional Chinese medicine. Here we identified that LFS-01 can selectively eradicate lymphoma cells while sparing normal lymphocytes by triggering concomitant mitophagy and apoptosis. We demonstrated that LFS-01 can retain Nrf2 in the nucleus by covalently modulating CRM1 and consequently upregulate p62/SQSTM1, an essential structural component of the autophagosomes during mitophagic process. We found that LFS-01 treatment also stimulated AMPK and thereby inhibited the mTOR pathway. On the contrary, we revealed that AMPK inhibition can severely impair the LFS-01-mediated mitophagy. Transcriptomic studies confirmed that 15 autophagy-associated genes such as p62/SQSTM1 , VCP and BCL2 were differentially expressed after LFS-01 treatment. Furthermore, protein interactome network analysis revealed that the events of apoptosis and the assembly of autophagy vacuole were significant upon LFS-01 exposure. Lastly, we found that LFS-01 exhibited strong efficacy in xenograft mouse model yet with the lack of apparent toxicity to animals. We concluded that LFS-01 triggered mitophagic cell death via CRM1-mediated p62 overexpression and AMPK activation. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanism of action for LFS-01 and highlight its potential applications in treating major human diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tube receiver with pin fin arrays inserting was introduced as the absorber tube of parabolic trough receiver to increase the overall heat transfer performance of tube receiver for parabolic trough solar collector system. The Monte Carlo ray tracing method (MCRT) coupled with Finite Volume Method (FVM) was adopted to investigate the heat transfer performance and flow characteristics of tube receiver for parabolic trough solar collector system. To validate the feasibility of the developed MCRT and FVM combined method, the numerical results have been compared with experimental results conducted in the DISS test facility in Spain and the max relative error is less than 5%. The numerical results indicated that the introduction of absorber tube with pin fin arrays inserting design for the absorber tube of the parabolic trough receiver can effectively enhance the heat transfer performance. The average Nusselt number can be increased up to 9.0% and the overall heat transfer performance factor can be increased up to 12.0% when the tube receiver with pin fin arrays inserting was used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, many studies show that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in cancer biology. Although its expression was reported dysregulated during tumorigenesis, the contributions of lncRNAs to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still largely unknown. In particular, the lncRNA CARLo-5 has a functional role in cell-cycle regulation in colon cancer, while the clinical significance and biological function of CARLo-5 in HCC remain unelucidated. In order to fill those study blanks, the expression level of CARLo-5 in human HCC specimens was tested, and its correlation with clinicopathologic features as well as the prognosis for patients with HCC was analyzed. Additionally, MTT, wound healing and transwell assays were employed to investigate the biological function of CARLo-5. The results showed that CARLo-5 levels were significantly overexpressed in HCC tissues compared to ANLT. Besides, high expression of CARLo-5 was associated with liver cirrhosis ( P = 0.001), tumor number ( P < 0.001), vascular invasion ( P = 0.001), capsular formation ( P = 0.014) and Edmondson-Steiner grade ( P < 0.001), which proved that CARLo-5 was an independent risk factor for overall survival and disease-free survival. In addition, in highly metastatic HCC cell lines (HCCLM3 and MHCC97-L), CARLo-5 was up-regulated, but in lowly metastatic HCC cell lines (HepG2, SNU387), it showed down-regulated. Besides, by using gain and loss of function experiments in HCC cell lines (HCCLM3 and HepG2), the results showed that CARLo-5 overexpression significantly enhanced cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Our study also revealed that CARLo-5 was prominently up-regulated in HCC specimens and its high expression was associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. Totally, those findings together indicate that CARLo-5 promotes proliferation and metastasis of HCC and potentially emerged as a novel therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies reveal that long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) play critical roles in the proliferation and migration of human cancer. Previous report has shown that LncRNA HOXA-AS2 was involved in carcinoma processes. However, the expression and biological function of HOXA-AS2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are poorly understood. Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression of HOXAAS2 in HCC tissues and cell lines. The relation between lncRNA HOXA-AS2 expression and clinicopathological characteristics was assessed by chi-square test. The prognosis was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method, and compared differences between the two groups by log-rank test. The biological function of HOXA-AS2 on HCC cells were determined both in vitro and in vivo. Results: In the present study, we found that HOXA-AS2 expression was increased in HCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues and high HOXA-AS2 expression was associated with bigger tumor size, advanced tumor stage, and shorter survival time. Knockdown of HOXAAS2 significantly inhibited HCC cell proliferation and invasion and resulted in an increase of apoptosis. Furthermore, inhibition of HOXA-AS2 in HCC cells significantly repressed tumorigenicity in nude mice. Conclusion: Our results indicated that the inhibition of HOXAAS2 in HCC cells significantly inhibited cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, which might provide a potential possibility for targeted therapy of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C22H41N3O9RuS4, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 8.6882(1) Å, b = 25.5660(1) Å, c = 14.1187(1) Å, β = 90.393(1)°, V = 3136.01(4) ų, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0220, wRref(F²) = 0.0561, T = 120(1) K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Idea of using biomimetic structures to control solar irradiation was proposed. • The optical performance of energy-efficient glass was examined using FDTD method. • The τ e = ∼ 82 % and ρ N I R = ∼ 90 % of energy-efficient glass were higher than that of low-E glass. • Energy-efficient glass could save about 20% total electrical consumption per year. Solar irradiation is the main factor contributing to ultra-high energy demand in buildings, and windows are crucial elements with a significant effect on the energy demand in indoor spaces, affecting the cooling, heating, and artificial lighting requirements. Inspired by hercules beetle utilizing the refractive index difference of spongy multilayer structure for infrared reflection and moth-eye using the continuous refractive index change of microscopic convex structure for anti-reflection, this study proposes a visibly transparent and infrared-reflective energy-efficient glass using biomimetic structures to save energy in buildings, based on the idea of regulating the radiation to match the energy utilization on-demand. The selected materials for the proposed biomimetic energy-efficient (BE) glass are SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and Ag based on the idea of using the difference in refractive index of multilayer media for radiation regulating. The transmissivity and reflectivity of BE glass are examined adopting the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The numerical analysis results demonstrate that BE glass covered with a cone-shaped biomimetic moth-eye structure and a biomimetic multilayer structure exhibits visible light transmissivity of 82.37%, in addition to an infrared light reflectivity of over 90%, which is higher than that of the currently employed low-E glasses. The proposed BE glass offers excellent energy-saving features in both hot and cold weather and the energy consumption analysis indicates that comparing with conventional common glass, it could save about 20% total electrical consumption (43.5 kWh/m2) per year [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with an increased risk of serious complications for mother and child during pregnancy. The main option for diagnosis of GDM is 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 24-28 gestation weeks, when harms to both mother and child have already potentially occurred. The aim of this study was to investigate new biomarkers for earlier detection and assessment of GDM at early second trimester (16-18 gestation weeks). Methods: We systematically used multiplexed isobaric tandem mass tag labeling combined with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to screen differentially expressed proteins in plasma collected at 16-18 gestational weeks between pregnant women with and without GDM outcome. Results: A total of 828 proteins were identified, of which 36 proteins implicated in immune response, inflammation, transport, platelet aggregation, catalyze and defense response were identified as differentially regulated proteins in GDM. To assess the validity of the results, four selected proteins including C-reactive protein, sex hormone-binding globulin, Ficolin 3 and pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein 4 were selected for subsequent Western blot analysis. Conclusions: This is the first comprehensive study that integrates multiple state-of-the-art proteomic technologies to discover the earlier potential plasma biomarkers for GDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unsteady state thermochemical reaction model was developed by Monte Carlo Ray Tracing (MCRT) and Finite Volume Method (FVM) coupled for steam methane reforming in a porous medium thermochemical reactor. Concentrated solar irradiation was adopted as the source of high-temperature process heat. The transient state thermochemical reaction model combined conduction, convection, and irradiative heat transfer with temperature dependent thermochemical reactions. Along with modified P1 approximation, the local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) model was used to investigate the thermal performance of porous medium solar thermochemical reactions in order to provide more temperature information. The modified-Sutherland model for calculating thermal conductivity of gas mixture was introduced in the thermochemical reaction model to provide higher calculating precision. The temperature distribution, reactants, and products variation with time were analyzed. Effects of mixture model, sudden change of solar irradiance on the solar thermochemical reaction were also analyzed. The results illustrated that the modified-Sutherland model for calculating the conductivity of gas mixture was recommended for the thermochemical reaction analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aid of solar energy, methane reforming process can save up to 20% of the total methane consumption. Monte Carlo Ray Tracing (MCRT) method and Finite Volume Method (FVM) combined method are developed to establish the heat and mass transfer model coupled with thermochemical reaction kinetics for porous medium solar thermochemical reactor. In order to provide more temperature information, local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) model coupled with P1 approximation is established to investigate the thermal performance of porous medium solar thermochemical reaction. Effects of radiative heat loss and thermal conductivity of porous matrix on temperature distribution and thermochemical reaction for solar driven steam methane reforming process are numerically studied. Besides, the relationship between hydrogen production and thermal conductivity of porous matrix are analyzed. The results illustrate that hydrogen production shows a 3 order polynomial relation with thermal conductivity of porous matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the radical change in both Chinese and global economic environment, it is essential to develop a practical model to predict financial distress. The support vector machine (SVM), a new outstanding learning machine based on the statistical learning theory, embodying the principle of structural risk minimization instead of empirical risk minimization principle, is a promising method for such financial distress prediction. However, to some extent, the performance of single classifier depends on the sample's pattern characteristics and each single classifier has its own uncertainty. Using the ensemble methods to predict financial distress becomes a rising trend in this field. This research puts forward a SVM ensemble based on the Choquet integral for financial distress prediction in which Bagging algorithm is used to generate new training sets. The proposed ensemble method can be expressed as "Choquet + Bagging + SVMs". With real data from Chinese listed companies, an experiment is carried out to compare the performance of single classifiers with the proposed ensemble method. Empirical results indicate that the proposed ensemble of SVMs based on the Choquet integral for financial distress prediction has higher average accuracy and stability than single SVM classifiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews recent advances in our understanding of the experimental aspects of jet-quenching and correlations in relativistic heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and LHC. Emphasis is put on correlation measurements, namely jet-like correlations with anisotropic flow subtraction in heavy-ion collisions and long-range pseudorapidity correlations in small systems. Future path on correlation studies is envisioned which may elucidate jet-medium interactions and the properties of the hot dense medium in QCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-range pseudo-rapidity correlations observed in pp and p + Pb collisions at the LHC have raised extensive interest. The tantalizing observation of similar effect by PHENIX calls for careful examination of the RHIC d + Au data. In this talk, we present dihadron correlations in multiplicity-selected d + Au collisions by STAR, in both Δ ϕ and Δ η and from both TPC and FTPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calorific value of syngas can be greatly upgraded during the methane steam reforming process by using concentrated solar energy as heat source. In this study, the Monte Carlo Ray Tracing (MCRT) and Finite Volume Method (FVM) coupling method is developed to investigate the hydrogen production performance via methane steam reforming in porous media solar thermochemical reactor which includes the mass, momentum, energy and irradiative transfer equations as well as chemical reaction kinetics. The local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) model is used to provide more temperature information. The modified P1 approximation is adopted for solving the irradiative heat transfer equation. The MCRT method is used to calculate the sunlight concentration and transmission problems. The fluid phase energy equation and transport equations are solved by Fluent software. The solid phase energy equation, irradiative transfer equation and chemical reaction kinetics are programmed by user defined functions (UDFs). The numerical results indicate that concentrated solar irradiation on the fluid entrance surface of solar chemical reactor is highly uneven, and temperature distribution has significant influence on hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two commonly used methods for irradiative transfer problems in porous media: P1 approximation and Rosseland approximation. In this study, the effects of irradiative transfer models on heat transfer performance of porous media solar receiver under concentrated heat flux distribution are numerically investigated. By combining the Monte Carlo Ray Tracing (MCRT) method and FLUENT software with user defined functions (UDFs), the local non-equilibrium thermal equation (LNTE) model with both the Rosseland approximation and modified P1 approximation are established. The numerical results indicate that the maximum temperature difference of porous media solar receiver between the modified P1 approximation and Rosseland approximation is small. The thickness of thermal non-equilibrium region is smaller for the Rosseland approximation condition than that for the modified P1 approximation condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Methyl salicylate, [BMIM][Cl], or [BMIM][NTf 2 ] was employed to break methanol/DMC/water azeotropes. • Extractive distillation sequences and interaction mechanisms by using ILs or organic entrainer were analyzed. • Economic performance of direct extractive distillation process is superior to pre-separation integration with extractive-heterogeneous distillation process. • [BMIM][Cl]-based direct extractive distillation is the best approach to separate azeotropes. The separation of dimethyl carbonate (DMC)/methanol/water azeotropic mixtures has been a hot topic in the study of DMC synthesis process. In this work, the efficient organic solvent methyl salicylate, ionic liquids (ILs) 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM][Cl]), or 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([BMIM][NTf 2 ]) was employed to break azeotropic mixtures. Interaction mechanisms between DMC/methanol/water and entrainers were revealed by sigma-profile. Energy and economic comparison of two alternative separation sequences including pre-separation integration with extractive-heterogeneous distillation and direct extractive distillation processes were investigated. The average relative deviations (ARD) were used to check the reliability of the NRTL model. The effect of high viscosity fluid on the mass transfer was analyzed from the perspective of the overall efficiency of column. For [BMIM][Cl], the separation mechanism is the formation of H-bond between [BMIM][Cl] and methanol/water. Direct extractive distillation process is superior to pre-separation integration with extractive-heterogeneous distillation process in terms of steam consumption, capital cost, mass transfer efficiency and total annual cost (TAC), and [BMIM][Cl]-based direct extractive distillation process is the best. This work provides a green and efficient separation route for replacing organic solvent-based process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea cucumbers Apostichopus japonicus (3.54 ± 0.01 g of wet weight) were exposed to five concentrations of dietary hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) [0 (control), 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg Cr6+/kg dry weight] amended with K 2 Cr 2 O 7 for 30 days. The bioaccumulation and immune responses [antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT); hydrolytic enzymes: acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP)] of sea cucumbers were subsequently evaluated. This study found that the order of Cr accumulation in the experimental tissues was respiratory tree > intestine > body wall. Significantly lower SOD activities occurred in the 400 mg/kg group compared to that in the control group. Higher dietary Cr6+ exposure (400 and 800 mg Cr6+/kg dry weight) did not negatively alter the CAT activities, but significantly inhibited CAT activities in 100 mg/kg group, compared to control group. ACP activities in groups 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg were significantly lower than those in control group, while no significant differences occurred in AKP activities among groups. The present study provides important information into the bioaccumulation and immune responses of the sea cucumber A. japonicus in response to chronic dietary Cr6+ exposure. [Display omitted] • Cr accumulation in tissues was respiratory tree > intestine > body wall. • Dietary Cr6+ exposure negatively alters antioxidant enzymes activities. • High dietary Cr6+ exposure decrease the activities of hydrolase enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Using local thermal non-equilibrium model to solve heat transfer of porous media. [•] CH4/H2O mixture is adopted as feeding gas of porous media receiver. [•] Radiative transfer equation between porous strut is solved by Rosseland approximation. [•] Transport and thermophysical models not included in Fluent are programmed by UDFs. [•] Variations of model on thermal performance of porous media receiver are studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To examine the outcomes of Southeast Asian (SEA) women with low-risk ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) treated with breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and adjuvant radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: Retrospective chart reviews of patients treated with BCS for DCIS from 1995 to 2011 were performed. Patients meeting the selection criteria from Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 5194 were included. Most patients received adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) consisting of whole-breast RT delivered to 50 Gy followed by a 10-Gy boost to the tumor bed. Results: Of 744 patients with pathologic diagnosis of pure DCIS identified, 273 met the selection criteria: low-intermediate grade (LIG), n=219; high grade (HG), n=54. Median follow-up for these patients was 60 months. There were 8 ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences (IBTRs) in total, 7 of which were DCIS. The estimated actuarial IBTR rates at 5 and 10 years for the entire cohort are 1.8% and 4.3%, respectively. Of the 219 patients with LIG DCIS, 210 received RT and 9 did not. There were 7 IBTRs in LIG DCIS, 2 among the 9 patients who did not receive RT. The IBTR rates in LIG DCIS at 5 and 10 years are 2.3% and 4.2%, respectively. All patients with HG DCIS received RT. There was only 1 IBTR occurring beyond 5 years, giving an estimated IBTR rate of 4.5% at 10 years. Conclusions: SEA women with screen-detected DCIS have exceedingly low rates of IBTR after BCS, comparable to that observed in reports of similar patients with low-risk DCIS treated with adjuvant radiation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to investigate the thermochemical reaction performance of steam methane reforming (SMR), the steady heat and mass transfer model coupled with thermochemical reaction kinetics is developed for the volumetric porous media solar thermochemical reactor. The local non-thermal equilibrium (LNTE) model with modified P1 approximation is adopted to investigate the temperature distributions of the solid phase and fluid phase. For the solid phase energy equation, the irradiative heat transfer coupled with chemical reaction kinetics is programmed via User Defined Functions (UDFs). The concentrated solar irradiation is not only considered as the boundary condition at the reactor front surface, but also as the irradiative heat source in the whole volume of reactor. The parametric studies are conducted to investigate the thermal and hydrogen production performances as a function of operational parameters. The numerical results indicate that SMR reaction has big effects on temperature distribution. The generated H2 mole fraction decreases sharply with the increasing of fluid inlet velocity, porosity and mean cell size. The generated H2 mole fraction increases significantly with the increasing of incident solar irradiance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]