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Polyamide 6 (PA6) fiber has the advantages of high strength and good wear resistance. However, it is still challenging to effectively load inorganic antibacterial agents into polymer substrates without antimicrobial activity. In this work, graphene oxide is used as a carrier, which is modified with an aminosilane coupling agent (AEAPTMS) to enhance the compatibility and antimicrobial properties of the inorganic material, as well as to improve its thermal stability in a high‐temperature melting environment. Cuprous oxide‐loaded aminated grapheme (Cu2O‐GO‐NH2) is constructed by in situ growth method, and further PA6/Cu2O‐GO‐NH2 fibers are prepared by in situ polymerization. The composite fiber has excellent washing resistance. After 50 times of washing, its bactericidal rates against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli are 98.85% and 99.99%, respectively. In addition, the enhanced compatibility of Cu2O‐GO‐NH2 with the PA6 matrix improves the orientation and crystallinity of the composite fibers. Compared with PA6/Cu2O‐GO fibers, the fracture strength of PA6/Cu2O‐GO‐NH2 fibers increases from 3.0 to 4.2 cN/dtex when the addition of Cu2O‐GO‐NH2 is 0.2 wt%. Chemical modification and in situ concepts help to improve the compatibility of inorganic antimicrobial agents with organic polymers, which can be applied to the development of medical textiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose‐based solid electrolyte possesses the characteristics of low cost, high strength, and sustainability, and has great potential in the field of solid‐state lithium metal batteries. However, the large hydrogen bonds between cellulose molecules make the molecular chains tightly arranged, and hinder the ion conduction, seriously limiting its further development. Herein, an ion‐conducting molecular grafting strategy is proposed for the fabrication of cellulose acetate quasi‐solid composite electrolyte (CLA‐CN‐LATP QCE) with a superior ionic conductivity of 1.25 × 10−3 S cm−1 at room temperature. Benefited from grafted functional molecules, the assembled symmetrical battery exhibits low polarization voltage and highly stable lithium stripping/plating cycling of more than 1200 h at 0.1 mA cm−2 current density. Moreover, it endows LFP|CLA‐CN‐LATP QCE|Li battery with excellent long‐cycle stability of 1500 cycles at 0.5 C and 25 °C and superior capacity retention of 92.1%. Importantly, this work provides an effective strategy for further opening the ion transport channel between cellulose molecular chains and improving the interface properties of electrolytes and electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genomic imbalance in aneuploidy is often detrimental to organisms. To gain insight into the molecular basis of aneuploidies in humans, we analyzed transcriptome data from several autosomal and sex chromosome aneuploidies. The results showed that in human aneuploid cells, genes located on unvaried chromosomes are inversely or proportionally trans-modulated, while a subset of genes on the varied chromosomes are compensated. Less genome-wide modulation is found for sex chromosome aneuploidy compared with autosomal aneuploidy due to X inactivation and the retention of dosage sensitive regulators on both sex chromosomes to limit the effective dosage change. We also found that lncRNA and mRNA can have different responses to aneuploidy. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between dosage-sensitive transcription factors and their targets, which illustrated the modulations and indicates genomic imbalance is related to stoichiometric changes in components of gene regulatory complexes.In summary, this study demonstrates the existence of trans-acting effects and compensation mechanisms in human aneuploidies and contributes to our understanding of gene expression regulation in unbalanced genomes and disease states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Choline Chloride–ethylene glycol system leaches > 99 % gold from FPCBs. • Formation of hydrogen bonds in the DES system facilitates the leaching of gold. • Proposed mechanism for the production of metal complexes. • The reaction system could be cyclically utilized. The traditional hydrometallurgy technology has been widely used to recover precious metals from electronic waste. However, such aqueous recycling systems often employ toxic/harsh chemicals, which may cause serious environmental problems. Herein, an efficient and environment-friendly method using a deep eutectic solvent (DES) mixed system of choline chloride–ethylene glycol–CuCl 2 ·2H 2 O is developed for gold (Au) recovery from flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs). The Au leaching and precipitation efficiency can reach approximately 100 % and 95.3 %, respectively, under optimized conditions. Kinetic results show that the Au leaching process follows a nucleation model, which is controlled by chemical surface reactions with an apparent activation energy of 80.29 kJ/mol. The present recycling system has a much higher selectivity for Au than for other base metals; the two-step recovery rate of Au can reach over 95 %, whereas those of copper and nickel are < 2 %. Hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HNMR) and density functional theory (DFT) analyses confirm the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the DES mixed system, which increase the system melting and boiling points and facilitate the Au leaching process. The Au leaching system can be reused for several times, with the leaching efficiency remaining > 97 % after five cycles. Moreover, ethylene glycol (EG) and choline chloride (ChCl) act as aprotic solvents as well as coordinate with metals, decreasing the redox potential to shift the equilibrium to the leaching side. Overall, this research provides a theoretical and a practical basis for the recovery of metals from FPCBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to improve the freeze-drying survival rate of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) by increasing its resistance is a problem that is worth paying attention to. We evaluated the effect of exogenous amino acids on freeze-drying resistance of strain using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LIP-1 as model probiotics. We found that the survival rate of L. plantarum LIP-1 after freeze-dried could be significantly enhanced by adding 0.04 g/L glycine to medium (p < 0.05), compare with other amino acids. Mechanistic studies showed that the content of peptidoglycan was increased to improve the integrity of the cell wall via metabolizing glycine; By metabolizing glycine, the content of unsaturated fatty acid was increased, such as C19cyc11, to promote membrane fluidity. In addition, the metabolism of glycine could neutralize the acidic intracellular environment to reduce DNA damage, thus improve the survival rate of freeze-dried strain. These findings may provide a new idea for industrialization of LAB powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Calcium is important in the formation of bones and teeth, cell metabolism, and other physiological activities. In this work, casein phosphopeptide‐calcium chelate (CPP‐Ca) was synthesized and the optimal process parameters for the chelation reaction were obtained. The bioavailability of calcium in CPP‐Ca was investigated by in vitro gastrointestinal simulated digestion. The existence of phytic acid and oxalic acid in the digestion system was evaluated to clarify the calcium holding ability of casein phosphopeptide (CPP). Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) was used to identify oligopeptides from CPP‐Ca. RESULTS: The optimal process parameters for the chelation reaction were: peptide concentration 7.76 mgmL−1, pH 8.54, and reaction temperature 43.3 °C. The digestion in vitro results indicated that the calcium release rate of CPP‐Ca in the stomach for 2 h reached 85%, and about 50% of the ionized calcium was re‐chelated with CPP in the intestine. Phytic acid and oxalic acid could lead to a sharp decrease in soluble calcium but around 50% of the calcium was still retained in the form of chelates in the presence of CPP. The LC‐MS/MS identified 19 casein‐derived oligopeptides after digestion, and calcium modifications were found on eight peptides derived from β‐casein and αs2‐casein. CONCLUSIONS: This study clarified the excellent calcium holding capacity of CPP in the presence of phytic acid and oxalic acid. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry also revealed peptide changes, and identified peptides that chelate with calcium. These findings provided significant insights that could be relevant to the further utilization and product development of peptide‐calcium chelate in the food industry. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate spike sorting to the appropriate neuron is crucial for neural activity analysis. To improve spike sorting performance, it is essential to fully leverage each processing step, including filtering, spike detection, feature extraction, and clustering. However, compared to the latter two steps that were widely studied and optimized, the filtering process was largely neglected. In this study, we proposed a fast and effective spike sorting method (MultiFq) based on multi-frequency composite waveform shapes acquired through an optimized filtering process. When combined with the classical PCA-Km spiking sorting algorithm, our proposed MultiFq significantly improved its sorting performance and achieved as high performance as the complex Wave-clus did in both the simulated and in vivo datasets. But, the combined method was about 10 times faster than Wave-clus (0.16 s vs. 2.06 s in simulated datasets; 0.46 s vs. 2.03 s in in vivo datasets). Furthermore, we demonstrated the compatibility of our MultiFq by combining it with other sorting algorithms, which consistently resulted in significant improvement in sorting accuracy with the maximum improvement at 35.04%. The above results demonstrated that our proposed method could significantly improve the sorting performance with low computation cost and good compatibility by leveraging the multi-frequency composite waveform shapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transglutaminase (TGase)-induced mung bean protein gel (MBPG) was used as the study object to investigate the effect of different concentrations of CaCl2 pretreatment on the structural characteristics of TGase- induced MBPG. The results showed that the intensity of protein bands of TGase-induced MBPG molecular weights was enhanced with the increase of CaCl2 concentration; Low CaCl2 concentration (≤20 mmol / L) resulted in the 52 decrease of free sulfhydryl and ionic bonds content, the enhancement of surface hydrophobicity, and the increase of hydrogen bonds and disulfide bonds content of TGase-induced MBPG. High CaCl2 concentration ( >20 mmol / L) led to the increase of free sulfhydryl and ionic bonds content, the reduction of surface hydrophobicity, and the decrease of hydrogen bonds content. Moreover, CaCl2 pretreatment induced a conformational transition from α-helix and β-turn to β-sheet and random coil. The CaCl2 pretreatment could change the structure of TGase-induced MBPG, which would provide reference for the development of MBPG formula foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction of recent orographic uplift and climate heterogeneity acted as a key role in the East Himalaya‐Hengduan Mountains (EHHM) has been reported in many studies. However, how exactly the interaction promotes clade diversification remains poorly understood. In this study, we both used the chloroplast trnT‐trnF region and 11 nuclear microsatellite loci to investigate the phylogeographic structure and population dynamics of Hippophae gyantsensis and estimate what role geological barriers or ecological factors play in the spatial genetic structure. The results showed that this species had a strong east–west phylogeographic structure, with several mixed populations identified from microsatellite data in central location. The intraspecies divergence time was estimated to be about 3.59 Ma, corresponding well with the recent uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. Between the two lineages, there was significant climatic differentiation without geographic barriers. High consistency between lineage divergence, climatic heterogeneity, and Qingzang Movement demonstrated that climatic heterogeneity but not geographic isolation drives the divergence of H. gyantsensis, and the recent regional uplift of the QTP, as the Himalayas, creates heterogeneous climates by affecting the flow of the Indian monsoon. The east group of H. gyantsensis experienced population expansion c. 0.12 Ma, closely associated with the last interglacial interval. Subsequently, a genetic admixture event between east and west groups happened at 26.90 ka, a period corresponding to the warm inter‐glaciation again. These findings highlight the importance of the Quaternary climatic fluctuations in the recent evolutionary history of H. gyantsensis. Our study will improve the understanding of the history and mechanisms of biodiversity accumulation in the EHHM region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The polar aprotic solvent system leaches >98% of gold, silver and palladium. • Mixed metals from electronic wastes can be step-by-step extracted. • The reaction system could be cyclically utilized. • The complexation of precious metals shifts the equilibrium to metal leaching side. • The stabilization of Cu (I) can promote the precious metals recycling. The traditional hydrometallurgical process is the mainstream technology to recover precious metals from e-waste, which usually adopts strong acid/base and strong oxide with high environmental cost and energy consumption. In the present study, the selective extraction of precious metals was simulated and experimented with DMF as the solvent and Cl− ions provided by CaCl 2 and CuCl 2 (oxidizing agent). The leaching and precipitation rates of precious metals (Au, Ag, Pd) can reach more than 98% under optimization conditions. Kinetic data shows that the control model of the leaching process on precious metals was determined by linear fitting of the shrinkage model. The complex trace precious metals were extracted selectively using dimethylglyoxime and deionized water as precipitators by the leaching-precipitation-cycle method. Meanwhile, the waste liquid produced by this reaction process could be cyclically utilized. Furthermore, the leaching mechanism of precious metals was proposed. DMF could be complexed with the metals as well as coordination ions (Cl−), which can reduce the redox potentials. Cu(II) could be easily reduced to Cu(I) in the DMF system due to the higher second ionization energy of copper, which is not influenced by the hydration effect, thus shifting the equilibrium to the metal leach side. Oppositely, the addition of water promoted the conversion of Cu(I) to Cu(II) since the higher hydration energy of Cu(II) compensates for the second ionization energy. This research opens up a new path of sustainable development and provides basic theory and practical experience for environmentally friendly recovery of precious metals from e-waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green, efficient, and cost effective methods of recycling palladium (Pd) from wastewater have attracted increasing attention. In the present study, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was utilized as a backbone for N-(3-aminopropyl)-imidazole to graft onto and yield an adsorbent suited for selective Pd recovery from wastewater by chlorine coordination. Batch experiments showed that the self-synthesized adsorbent had a Pd(II) adsorption rate of >99% at pH 1.0–3.0 and >93% in 4 min. The selectivity of the adsorbent in a complex mixed system containing high concentrations of typical base metals (C Cu(II) :C Zn(II) :C Pd(II) = 66:33:1) was investigated, and the adsorbent demonstrated much higher selectivity for Pd (97.59%) than for Cu (0.52%) and Zn (2.96%). The adsorbent can also be reused as the adsorption rate remained above 99% after five cycles. Furthermore, waste PVC pipes also could be used as the synthetic raw material. The adsorbent demonstrated a high adsorption rate even when synthesized from discarded PVC pipes and the adsorption rate reached over 93% in 2 h and reached 95.15% at equilibrium in 4 h. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to analyze the adsorption mechanism, which was attributed to electrostatic interaction and intermolecular interaction. The self-synthesized adsorbent is potentially applicable to the green recovery of Pd from wastewater owing to its high adsorption rate and selectivity. [Display omitted] • Self-synthesized polymerized ionic liquid recycles >99% Pd from wastewater. • Adsorbent synthesized by waste PVC pipes also can achieve >95% adsorption efficiency. • The adsorbent has much higher selectivity for Pd compared with other base metals. • The adsorption mechanism can be mainly attributed to electrostatic interaction. • The adsorbent can be recycled and maintain high adsorption efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate protective effects of tree peony seed protein hydrolysate by Alcalase (AL-TPSPH) on oxidative damage, inflammation and apoptosis using Cd-induced zebrafish embryos. Zebrafish embryos were treated with either Cd (2 μg/L) or AL-TPSPH (25, 50 and 75 μg/mL) alone or in combination of both from 4 to 144 h post fertilization (hpf). The effects of these treatments on developments, antioxidant parameters and mRNA expression of genes related to oxidative damage, inflammation and apoptosis were examined. The results showed that co-treatment with Cd and AL-TPSPH significantly increased hatching and survival rates and decreased malformation rates of zebrafish embryos compared with Cd treatment alone group (P < 0.05). Cd-induced increase of MDA content, decreases of T-AOC content, GSH/GSSG ratio and activities of SOD, CAT and GPx in zebrafish embryos were modified upon treatment with AL-TPSPH. AL-TPSPH treatment significantly suppressed Cd-induced down-regulations of the antioxidant gene expressions (Mn-sod, Cat and GPx1a) in zebrafish embryos (P < 0.05). AL-TPSPH also prevented Cd-induced up-regulations of pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α , IL-1β and IFN-γ) expressions. Moreover, AL-TPSPH inhibited Cd-induced up-regulations of pro-apoptotic genes (C-jun , Caspase-3 and Caspase-9) in zebrafish embryos. Collectively, these results indicated that AL-TPSPH could reduce Cd-induced oxidative damage, inflammation and apoptosis in zebrafish embryos, suggesting its future applications as functional food or pharmaceutical ingredient. • AL-TPSPH ameliorated Cd-induced developmental damage of zebrafish embryos. • AL-TPSPH alleviated Cd-induced oxidative damage by regulating antioxidant system. • AL-TPSPH prevented up-regulations of genes related to inflammation. • AL-TPSPH inhibited up-regulations of genes related to apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neodymium (Nd) isotopes have been utilized as a tracer of water mass source in the modern ocean and in palaeoceanographic studies, though the oceanic cycling of Nd is not yet fully constrained. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of processes that occur near the seawater – sediment interface in altering the Nd isotopic composition of bottom waters. The two major observed processes "boundary exchange" and "benthic flux" have been suggested as playing an important role in setting water mass compositions, however, more studies are needed to constrain their chemical mechanism and the extent to which these processes set the composition of deep waters. The Antarctic continental margin is an important place to study these processes because Antarctic-sourced waters dominate the Southern Ocean and ventilate the global deep ocean. This study is the first to measure and compare seawater, porewater and sediment data from along the margin of Antarctica to examine the nature of potential boundary processes. We show that a process similar to boundary exchange seems to be occurring within porewaters, modifying porewater chemistry by shifting its Nd isotopic ratios to more radiogenic values without significantly increasing the concentration of dissolved Nd. We hypothesize that this shift results from partial dissolution of radiogenic detrital particles, such as smectite, amphibole and/or volcanic glass, while re-scavenging maintains low Nd concentrations. We infer the existence of benthic flux of porewaters to deep waters by examining chemical gradients in porewaters and show that it is much lower on the Antarctic margin compared to other studies. Benthic flux appears to be slightly higher along the Antarctic Peninsula than in the Bellingshausen Sea due to partial degradation of organic matter and associated dissolution of Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides. Taken together, boundary processes do not significantly change the Nd isotopic composition of Antarctic margin seawater because while the porewaters have an altered Nd isotopic composition the Nd concentration of these porewaters is low compared to other settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of chemical warfare agent (CWA) sarin using plate-to-plate and plate-to-pin electrode structure dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) was studied in this work. The discharge characteristics, optical emission, decomposition efficiency, and decomposition products in the above apparatus were well investigated. With initial pure sarin of $20 ~\mu \text{L}$ , the decomposition amount per unit time and decomposition efficiency were obtained to be $14.68 \times 10^{-3}$ mg/s and $0.25 ~\mu \text{g}$ /J, for plate-to-plate DBD, and $9.16 \times 10^{-3}$ mg/s and $0.167 ~\mu \text{g}$ /J, for plate-to-pin DBD, respectively. The decomposition products containing isopropyl methylphosphoric acid (IMPA), methylphosphoric acid (MPA), fluoro(methyl)phosphinic acid (MPFA), di-isopropyl methane phosphate (DIMP), and phosphoric acid (PA) were observed in both DBD devices, with MPA and PA as the final products. The production level of PA was highest among all the products in plate-to-plate DBD. However, in plate-to-pin DBD, the concentration of PA and MPA were at the same level. The different decomposition efficiency between two DBD devices were mainly ascribed to the different input energy and their configuration. Our results confirmed that plate-to-plate DBD was a high-efficiency decomposition technology for sarin decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the heterogeneous reaction of sulfur dioxide (SO 2) on mineral dust particles significantly affects the atmospheric environment, the effect of acidic gases on the formation of sulfite and sulfate from this reaction is not particularly clear. In this work, using the in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) technique, we employed a mineral dust particle model (CaCO 3) combined with NO 2 and acetic acid to investigate their effects on the heterogeneous reaction of SO 2 on CaCO 3 particles. It was found that water vapor can promote the formation of sulfite and simulated radiation can facilitate the oxidation of sulfite to sulfate. The addition of NO 2 or acetic acid to the reaction system altered the production of sulfate and sulfite accordingly. There was a synergistic effect between NO 2 and SO 2 that promoted the oxidation of sulfite to sulfate, and a competitive effect between acetic acid and SO 2 that inhibited the formation of sulfite. Moreover, light and water vapor can also affect the heterogeneous reaction of SO 2 with the coexistence of multiple gases. These findings improve our understanding of the effects of organic and inorganic gases and environmental factors on the formation of sulfite and sulfate in heterogeneous reactions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CrO 4 2− was almost completely removed from alkaline Cr(VI) contaminated wastewater. • CrO 4 2− was transformed into chromium ferrite (Cr 0.5-x Fe 2.5+x O 4) by one-step process. • Chromium ferrite was formed by reaction of amorphous Cr 0.25 Fe 0.75 (OH) 3 with Fe2+. • Increasing temperature and pH could promote the formation of chromium ferrite. Current technologies for removal of Cr(VI) are generally fit for acidic wastewater. In this study, a new ferrite process for removal and recycling of Cr(VI) from alkaline wastewater to produce the valuable chromium ferrite has been developed. The results show that this new ferrite method is a one-step process which can be divided into two successive reactions including Cr(VI) reduction to form coprecipitation (Cr 0.25 Fe 0.75 (OH) 3) and subsequently magnetic conversion of Cr 0.25 Fe 0.75 (OH) 3 induced by Fe2+ under the same alkaline condition. The total Fe/Cr mole ratio of 5:1 is at least required for the chromium ferrite transformation. Increasing temperature and pH can enhance the interaction of Fe2+ with Cr 0.25 Fe 0.75 (OH) 3 and further promote the formation of chromium ferrite, while suppressing the generation of nonmagnetic by-product goethite. Almost pure chromium ferrite is formed under proposed optimum conditions (Fe/Cr = 7:1, 65 °C and pH of 9) with Cr(VI) removal ratio around 100%. The Cr(VI) remained in the filtrate can be reduced to 0.01 mg/L which is much lower than the limits concentration for surface water (≤0.05 mg/L). The chromium ferrite product whose molecular formula can be expressed as Cr 0.5-x Fe 2.5+x O 4 (where 0 ≤ x < 0.5) presents good magnetic properties and has the potential to be recycled as a useful material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, a novel synthetic route to achieve ceria-based nanocatalysts with high catalytic activity and excellent stability was constructed by utilizing functional groups from surface ligands. The surface of ceria nanorods was functionalized with 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid (3,4-DHCA) to form self-assembled monolayers on their surfaces. Owing to the COO− group on the tail of ligands, the ceria nanorods are negatively charged with good colloidal stability in water. Then, Cu2+ was added to coordinate with the COO− group on the tail of ligands to form stable chelating complexes. After calcination, the Cu atoms are firmly anchored onto the surface of ceria nanorods with high dispersibility. Moreover, the Cu2+ coordinated ceria nanorods could adsorb PdCl42− anions by electrostatic forces onto coordinated copper sites. After calcination, Pd–Cu/CeO2 nanocatalysts with enhanced CO oxidation catalytic performance were obtained. This coordination strategy is further applied to other metal species such as Fe, Co, and Ni, which provides a great strategy for catalyst preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant gaps in our understanding of the oceanic cycling of neodymium (Nd) and the other rare earth elements (REEs) remain despite decades of research. One important observation which has not been adequately explained is that the concentration of dissolved Nd typically increases with depth, similar to nutrient profiles, while Nd isotopes appear to reflect conservative water mass mixing in the intermediate and deep ocean; this has been termed the "Nd paradox". Here we present a detailed study of the dissolved Nd isotopic composition across a section at 40°S in the South Atlantic, collected by UK GEOTRACES cruise (section GA10). The South Atlantic represents a natural laboratory for our understanding of spatial controls on ocean geochemistry, because of the large variability of inputs, spatial differences in particulate cycling, and horizontal advection and mixing at depth between major northern- and southern-sourced water masses. This variability has also made the South Atlantic a critical region subject to intense investigations that aim at reconstructing past changes in ocean processes, such as changes in biological productivity and deep ocean circulation. Our Nd isotope results from the GA10 section provide observational data show the signal of water mass mixing and reversible scavenging. In the surface ocean (0–600 m), Nd isotopic compositions are distinct between different surface ocean currents and spatially can be tied to various continental sources. In the intermediate ocean (600–2500 m), the vertical Nd isotope distribution exhibits distinct signals of different water masses by horizontal advection, including upper North Atlantic Deep Water and Antarctic Intermediate Water formed in the Atlantic Ocean or the Indian Ocean. The Nd isotope distribution also reflects influence of reversible scavenging that smears the signals downwards in the water column (i.e., offset to more radiogenic values). In the deep ocean below 2500 m, Nd isotope distribution largely follows conservative water mass mixing model. Nd concentration in the deep ocean, however, deviates from conservative mixing and increases constantly with depth. We also observe that Nd isotopes appear to be shifted towards the composition of overlying water masses. These observations suggest that reversible scavenging of Nd onto organic and other types of particles is a major vertical process throughout the water column. We also suggest that this process can resolve the "Nd paradox" of decoupling of Nd concentration and isotopic composition due to mixing dynamics. Because abyssal water masses already have a high Nd concentration, a given amount of Nd added from the vertical process has less of an effect on Nd isotopic compositions in deep water masses than it does for intermediate water masses which have comparatively low Nd concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in atmospheric pressure air was excited by a high-voltage pulse power supply. Capacitors with different capacitance were connected in the discharge circuit and their effects on discharge power calculation were evaluated. The average power deposited into the discharge were calculated by three different methods: 1) Lissajous figure; 2) product of voltage and current; and 3) watt-hour meter. Further studies showed that the capacitor with 10 nF was suitable for power calculation. At applied voltage of 9 kV, discharge power calculated by three methods were similar (around 25–27 W). However, with the increase of applied voltage, the discharge power obtained by product of voltage and current was far beyond the real value. Lissajous method has proven more appreciable for discharge power calculation in a pulsed plasma at high voltage. This study provides a practical guide for power calculation in a pulsed-driven DBD system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although N-doped carbon has attracted much attention due to its excellent performance in chloramphenicol (CAP) detection of dairy products, traditional fossil energy sources are costly to develop and environmentally unfriendly. Therefore, in this paper, corn straw biogas residue was selected to prepare biochar, which was an excellent electrode material with simple preparation, high specific surface area, rich pore structure, and good electrical conductivity. A simple, fast and sensitive voltammetric sensor for CAP detection was prepared by using biogas residue biochar and dopamine hydrochloride as raw materials to prepare a biogas residue biochar @polydopamine (BRB@PDA) composite modified glassy carbon electrode and electrodepositing β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) onto the modified electrode. The electrochemical performance of the bare glassy carbon electrode (GCE), β-CD/GCE, BRB@PDA/GCE and β-CD/BRB@PDA/GCE modified electrodes showed that BRB@PDA had excellent electrical conductivity and the deposition of β-CD and BRB@PDA on the electrode surface significantly improved the electron transfer performance. The linear concentration range of the sensor was 5.0 × 10−7-5.0 × 10−4 mol L−1 with a detection limit of 2.0 × 10−8 mol L−1 (S/N = 3), and it showed good reproducibility, satisfactory sensitivity and high specificity. The good accuracy and reliability of β-CD/BRB@PDA/GCE were demonstrated by spiked recovery experiments. Based on the hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl groups of β-CD/BRB@PDA/GCE, a significant electrochemical signal could be obtained for the detection of chloramphenicol in dairy products. The results reflected the electrochemical performance of the digestate biochar and also indicated that the digestate biochar material had good application prospects in electrochemical detection. [Display omitted] ● In this study, a β-CD/BRB@PDA/GCE was fabricated by an efficient two-step assembly of β-CD and BRB@PDA. ● Larger specific surface area of biogas residued carbon-based materials provides more active sites. ● The natural nitrogen content of biochar effectively enhanced the electron transport capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban–rural industry convergence is a critical factor in addressing the dual urban–rural structure, as it has the potential to increase agricultural productivity and update the industry structure. This study aims to assess the mechanisms through which urban–rural industry convergence affects farmers’ incomes in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. First, we developed an evaluation framework to measure urban–rural industry convergence and conducted an exploratory spatiotemporal data analysis to assess the trends in convergence across 99 districts and counties in Xinjiang between 2001 and 2020. Thereafter, using an econometric model, we then analyzed the mediating effects of industrial structure upgrading on the relationship between urban–rural industry convergence and farmers’ income, and the implementation path. The results indicated that urban–rural industrial convergence in Xinjiang has fluctuated and declined over time, with a spatial distribution skewed from north to south. Moreover, it was found that urban–rural industry convergence and industrial structure upgrading significantly contribute to the growth of farmers’ income. Additionally, the impact pathway analysis revealed that urban–rural industry convergence promotes industrial structure upgrading, thereby stimulating growth in farmers’ incomes. This positive effect had long-term implications and became more noticeable over time due to cumulative effects. Furthermore, the effects of urban–rural industry convergence on farmers’ income varied depending on income levels. It had a significant positive effect on the income of low-income farmers but a negative effect on high-income farmers. Moreover, the impact of the digital economy on farmers’ incomes varied based on regional and group differences, particularly affecting low, medium, and medium–high-income groups in northern Xinjiang. These findings provided empirical evidence for promoting urban–rural industry convergence and increasing farmers’ incomes, contributing to both theoretical and practical understanding of the subject matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cell wall of lactic acid bacteria maintain the osmotic pressure inside and outside the cell as well as the inherent morphology of the strain. During the drying process, cell wall is the first site to be damaged. Still, little research has been done to reduce the damage of cell wall during the drying process. Therefore, this study explored the protective effect of calcium ions (Ca2+) on the cell wall of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LIP-1 during freeze- and spray-drying. Furthermore, the mechanism behind the improved stress resistance of bacteria due to Ca2+ has also been investigated. The results showed that addition of 0.50 mmol/L Ca2+ to the culture medium significantly improved the freeze-drying and spray-drying survival rates of the strain (P < 0.05). It was found that Ca2+ significantly increases the content of surface proteins. Due to the enhanced cell wall proteinase (CEP) activity, the surface proteins are anchored to the cell wall, thereby reducing the cell wall damage in strain during the drying process and improving survival rate during drying and increasing storage stability at room temperature. • Ca2+ significantly reduced the cell wall damage caused by freeze- and spray-drying. • Ca2+ significantly increased the content of surface protein. • Ca2+ enhanced the activity of cell envelope proteinase (CEP). • CEP allows more surface proteins to be anchored to the cell wall. • Ca2+ significantly increased the room temperature storage stability of the strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytosolic carboxypeptidases (CCPs) comprise a unique subfamily of M14 carboxypeptidases and are erasers of the reversible protein posttranslational modification– polyglutamylation. Potent inhibitors for CCPs may serve as leading compounds targeting imbalanced polyglutamylation. However, no efficient CCP inhibitor has yet been reported. Here, we showed that 2-phosphonomethylpentanedioic acid (2-PMPA), a potent inhibitor of the distant M28 family member glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII), rather than the typical M14 inhibitor 2-benzylsuccinic acid, could efficiently inhibit CCP activities. 2-PMPA inhibited the recombinant Nna1 (a.k.a. CCP1) for hydrolyzing a synthetic peptide in a mixed manner, with Ki and Ki' being 0.11 μM and 0.24 μM respectively. It inhibited Nna1 for deglutamylating tubulin, the best-known polyglutamylated protein, with an IC 50 of 0.21 mM. Homology modeling predicted that the R-form of 2-PMPA is more favorable to bind Nna1, unlike that GCPII prefers to S-form. This work for the first time identified a potent inhibitor for CCP family. Image 1 • 2-PMPA can inhibit polyglutmylation erasers— CCPs with submicromolar Ki values. • 2-PMPA inhibited recombinant Nna1/CCP1 for hydrolyzing a peptide in a mixed manner. • Homology modeling predicted the preference of R-form of 2-PMPA to bind Nna1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative splicing (AS) is a post-transcriptional process common in plants and essential for regulation of environmental fitness of plants. In the present study, we focus on the AS events in poplar leaves to understand their effects on plant growth and development. The hybrid poplar (P.alba×P.glandulosa cv.84K) leaves were collected for RNA extraction. The extracted RNA was sequenced using on an Illumina HiSeq™ 2000 platform. Using the Populus trichocarpa genome as the reference, a total of 3810 AS genes were identified (9225 AS events), which accounted for 13.51% of all the expressed genes. Intron retention was the most common AS event, accounting for 43.86% of all the AS events, followed by alternative 3′ splice sites (23.75%), alternative 5′ splice sites (23.71%), and exon skipping (8.68%). Chromosomes 10 had the most condensed AS events (33.67 events/Mb) and chromosome 19 had the least (12.42 events/Mb). Association analysis showed that AS in the poplar leaves was positively correlated with intron length, exon number, exon length, and gene expression level, and was negatively correlated with GC content. AS genes in the poplar leaves were associated mainly with inositol phosphate metabolism and phosphatidylinositol signaling system pathways that would be significant on wooden plant production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) and Kallmann syndrome (KS) are rare genetic diseases that cause male infertility. The chromodomain helicase DNA‐binding protein 7 (CHD7) gene is commonly associated with KS and IHH. We speculated that CHD7 variants may be associated with male infertility. Methods: Two hundred males with azoospermia and 120 with oligozoospermia were recruited. The patients underwent clinical examination and reproductive hormone testing. A panel of genes including CHD7 and others related to spermatogenic failure was sequenced by targeted‐gene exome sequencing. Results: Three patients with severe oligozoospermia had CHD7 variants (a detection rate of 0.94% (3/320)). After prediction software analysis, two of the variants c.3464G>A (p.R1155H) and c.4516G>A (p.G1506S) were predicted to be likely pathogenic. Although predicted to be benign, the variants of c.2824A>G (p.T942A) located in the chromodomain 2 could not be excluded as disease causing. The patients with variants had small testicular volumes. In particular, the testes of the patient with a p.G1506S variant varied in size (left, 8 ml; right, 4.5 ml). Two patients (patients 31 and 120) had low E2 levels and two (patients 83 and 120) had low T levels. Ultimately, these variants were classified as "variants of unknown significant" that may be associated with male infertility. Conclusions: There may be a relationship between the CHD7 gene missense variants and male infertility. These variants are easier to find in patients with azoospermia and severe oligospermia whose testosterone levels are decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a genetic overgrowth disorder with variable clinical features and cancer predisposition. In this study, we aim to characterize the clinical features and molecular defects of BWS patients in China. Methods: Thirty-one patients with clinical suspicion of BWS were retrospectively recruited to the study from Shanghai Children's Hospital between January 2014 and December 2017. Clinical data, including demographics, clinical features, and molecular testing results were extracted and systematically analyzed. Results: Twenty-one patients with a BWS score ≥ 4 (6, IQR 4, 7) were clinically diagnosed with BWS, and 10 children with a BWS score ≥ 2 and < 4 (2, IQR 2, 3) were clinically suspected BWS patients. The most common cardinal feature of clinically diagnosed patients was macroglossia (71.4%) followed by lateralized overgrowth (33.3%) and exomphalos (14.3%), and the major suggestive features were umbilical hernia and/or diastasis recti (65.0%) and ear creases or pits (61.9%). Among 10 clinically suspected BWS patients, macroglossia and lateralized overgrowth were observed in 3 (30%) and 2 (20%) patients, and umbilical hernia and/or diastasis recti occurred in 7 (70.0%) patients. Seven (33.3%) clinically diagnosed patients and 3 (30%) suspected patients were identified with loss of methylation at KCNQ1OT1:TSS differentially methylated region (DMR; IC2 LOM), 5 (23.8%) clinically diagnosed BWS patients were identified with gain of methylation at H19/IGF2:IG-DMR (IC1 GOM), and 1 (4.8%) clinically diagnosed BWS patients was identified with paternal uniparental isodisomy 11 (pUPD11). The phenotype-genotype correlation analysis showed no significant difference among patients with IC2 LOM, IC1 GOM, and pUPD11. Conclusions: The current study presents the first cohort study of BWS patients in mainland China. The clinical and molecular features of the patients are similar to those of other reported BWS patients in the Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMCs) are defined as structurally abnormal chromosomes that may be detected pre- or postnataly in patients with developmental and/or mental retardation or infertility. sSMC on chromosome 15 accounts for the highest proportion of all sSMCs and may be detected in subfertile individuals. The present study reports the case of a male patient with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and an sSMC. The sSMC was identified and characterized according to G-banding analysis, chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis. Chromosomal karyotype analysis suggested that the patient presented with 47,XY,+mar. CMA was used to characterize the sSMC, which revealed a 0.44-Mb microduplication in 6q25.3q26. Subsequently, FISH using centromere-specific probes for chromosomes 13/21, 14/22 and 15 was applied to identify the origin of the sSMC, which was finally determined to be inverted duplicated(15)(q11.2). It was hypothesized that heterochromatin in the sSMC is responsible for the patient's fertility problem. The presence of heterochromatin may disrupt regular meiosis, thereby affecting normal spermatogenesis. Impaired spermatogenesis in infertile males with an sSMC derived from chromosome 15 was also reviewed by searching published literature and the sSMC database (http://ssmc-tl.com/sSMC.html). For patients with low sperm parameters and complete absence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate, including infertile males with an sSMC with spermatozoa, intracytoplasmic sperm injection is considered as an effective assisted reproductive technique. It may be concluded that molecular cytogenetic techniques are critical tools for delineating sSMCs in infertile males and may be beneficial in identifying sSMC carriers to ensure they receive clinical genetic counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the effect of accumulated charges and fluid dynamics on the helium plasma jet array behavior. The plasma jet array was composed of three individual plasma jets in a parallel arrangement. The dynamic evolution and the hydrodynamic interaction of plasma jets were observed under for adjacent jet-to-jet distances, pulse frequencies, and pulsewidths. The results showed that variation of the above parameters exerted an influence on the distribution of accumulated charges and gas flow, and thus controlled the outside and middle jet lengths. With a small pulse frequency and pulsewidth, the higher air fraction in the middle jet trajectory prevented its propagation and resulted in a shorter middle jet length. The increase of the pulse frequency or pulsewidth induced higher charge accumulation, and thus the deflection of the outside jets was more significant. At the same time, the gas flow channel showed a similar divergence and changed the air participation in the jet array, which explained a shorter middle jet length under a higher pulse frequency or pulsewidth. The results obtained in this work helped to understand the plasma jet interaction mechanism in the plasma jet array and to develop a uniform large-area discharge plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The increase in treatment time and oxygen concentration of cold plasma significantly promoted death of Bacillus. • The samples treated by cold plasma after 2 min exhibited a higher anthocyanin content than that of heat treated. • Total phenolic content increased after cold plasma treatment both with the increment of treatment time and oxygen concentration. • Longer treatment time by cold plasma led to decrement of vitamin C and anthocyanin contents. • Cold plasma treatment could better keep the original color of blueberry juice compared with thermal treatment. This work focusses on the effects of cold plasma, a novel, non-thermal technology, on the quality of blueberry juice, such as inactivation of Bacillus, anthocyanins, phenolics, vitamin C, antioxidant activity and color change. Oxygen concentration (0, 0.5% and 1%) of ionized gas was firstly confirmed to be the main factors for CP treatment, besides treatment time (2, 4 and 6 min). The increment of treatment time and oxygen concentration significantly promoted an increasing trend of death for Bacillus. Compared with thermal treatment, the content of phenolics was significantly increased by CP treatment, and also CP treatment could better keep the original color of blueberry juice. In terms of anthocyanin and vitamin C, relatively shorter exposure time to CP was more suggested. In antioxidant tests, increment of oxygen concentration resulted in the increasing trends of antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gel‐polymer electrolyte (GPE) is a pragmatic choice for high‐safety sodium batteries but still plagued by interfacial compatibility with both cathode and anode simultaneously. Here, salt‐in‐polymer fibers with NaF salt inlaid in polylactide (PLA) fiber network was fabricated via electrospinning and subsequent in situ forming gel‐polymer electrolyte in liquid electrolytes. The obtained PLA‐NaF GPE achieves a high ion conductivity (2.50×10−3 S cm−1) and large Na+ transference number (0.75) at ambient temperature. Notably, the dissolution of NaF salt occupies solvents leading to concentrated‐electrolyte environment, which facilitates aggregates with increased anionic coordination (anion/Na+ >1). Aggregates with higher HOMO realize the preferential oxidation on the cathode so that inorganic‐rich and stable CEI covers cathode' surface, preventing particles' breakage and showing good compatibility with different cathodes (Na3V2(PO4)3, Na2+2xFe2‐x(SO4)3, Na0.72Ni0.32Mn0.68O2, NaTi2(PO4)3). While, passivated Na anode induced by the lower LUMO of aggregates, and the lower surface tension between Na anode and PLA‐NaF GPE interface, leading to the dendrites‐free Na anode. As a result, the assembled Na || Na3V2(PO4)3 cells display excellent electrochemical performance at all‐climate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gel‐polymer electrolyte (GPE) is a pragmatic choice for high‐safety sodium batteries but still plagued by interfacial compatibility with both cathode and anode simultaneously. Here, salt‐in‐polymer fibers with NaF salt inlaid in polylactide (PLA) fiber network was fabricated via electrospinning and subsequent in situ forming gel‐polymer electrolyte in liquid electrolytes. The obtained PLA‐NaF GPE achieves a high ion conductivity (2.50×10−3 S cm−1) and large Na+ transference number (0.75) at ambient temperature. Notably, the dissolution of NaF salt occupies solvents leading to concentrated‐electrolyte environment, which facilitates aggregates with increased anionic coordination (anion/Na+ >1). Aggregates with higher HOMO realize the preferential oxidation on the cathode so that inorganic‐rich and stable CEI covers cathode' surface, preventing particles' breakage and showing good compatibility with different cathodes (Na3V2(PO4)3, Na2+2xFe2‐x(SO4)3, Na0.72Ni0.32Mn0.68O2, NaTi2(PO4)3). While, passivated Na anode induced by the lower LUMO of aggregates, and the lower surface tension between Na anode and PLA‐NaF GPE interface, leading to the dendrites‐free Na anode. As a result, the assembled Na || Na3V2(PO4)3 cells display excellent electrochemical performance at all‐climate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Guxiang–Tongmai segment of the Jiali fault is situated northeast of the Namche Barwa Syntaxis in northeastern Tibet. It is one of the most active strike‐slip faults near the syntaxis and plays a pivotal role in the examination of seismic activity within the eastern Himalayan Syntaxis. New study in the research region has yielded a 1:200000 gravity dataset covering an area 1500 km2. Using wavelet transform multiscale decomposition, scratch analysis techniques, and 3D gravity inversion methods, gravity anomalies, fault distributions, and density structures were determined across various scales. Through the integration of our new gravity data with other geophysical and geological information, our findings demonstrate substantial variations in the overall crustal density within the region, with the fault distribution closely linked to these density fluctuations. Disparities in stratigraphic density are important causes of variations in the capacity of geological formations to endure regional tectonic stress. Earthquakes are predominantly concentrated within the density transition zone and are primarily situated in regions of elevated density. The hanging wall stress within the Guxiang–Tongmai segment of the Jiali fault exhibits a notable concentration, marked by pronounced anisotropy, and is positioned within the density differential zone, which is prone to earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent evidence has shed light on the significant role of FANCD2 in cancer initiation, development, and progression. However, a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of FANCD2 has been lacking. In this study, we have conducted a thorough investigation into the expression profiles and prognostic significance of FANCD2, as well as its correlation with clinicopathological parameters and immune cell infiltration, using advanced bioinformatic techniques. The results demonstrate that FANCD2 is significantly upregulated in various common cancers and is associated with prognosis. Notably, higher expression levels of FANCD2 are linked to poor overall survival, as indicated by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Additionally, we have observed a decrease in the methylation of FANCD2 DNA in some cancers, and this decrease is inversely correlated with FANCD2 expression. Genetic alterations in FANCD2 predominantly manifest as mutations, which are associated with overall survival, disease-specific survival, disease-free survival, and progression-free survival in certain tumor types. Moreover, FANCD2 exhibits a strong correlation with infiltrating cell levels, immune checkpoint genes, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI). Enrichment analysis further highlights the potential impact of FANCD2 on Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway and cell cycle regulation. Through this comprehensive pan-cancer analysis, we have gained a deeper understanding of the functions of FANCD2 in oncogenesis and metastasis across different types of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a single-longitudinal-mode Ho:GdVO4 continuous-wave (CW) laser at 2048.6 nm. We achieved excellent single-longitudinal-mode performance using a unidirectional ring cavity with an isolator and a half-wave plate. We obtain the maximum output power equal to 965 mW corresponding to a slope efficiency of 12.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a high-power monolithic Tm:YAP microlaser dual-end-pumped by two fiber-coupled LDs emitting at 792 nm. The microlaser operated in the continuous wave (CW) mode, with a wavelength of 1,936.82 nm. We obtain a maximum output power of 37.8 W with a beam quality factor M2 of 9.6 at a total incident power of 174.9 W, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 29.2% and an optical–optical conversion efficiency of 21.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract 5T4, a membrane protein, is overexpressed in many tumor tissues but rarely expressed in normal tissues. Here, CHO-5T4+ cells were generated and served as the antigen to immunize mice. Hybridoma techniques were employed to produce monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The recombinant protein of human IgG Fc-fused extracellular domain of 5T4 (5T4 ECD-Fc) was obtained from transient expression in HEK293F cells. The fusion protein 5T4 ECD-Fc and CHO-5T4+ cells were respectively utilized to screen anti-5T4 antibodies that could bind to the native antigen. In preliminary screening, three hundred and fifty mAbs were obtained. Via surface plasmon resonance and flow cytometry screening, seven anti-5T4 mAbs stood out. Among them, H6 showed a high affinity (K D = 1.6 × 10−11 M) and internalization percentage (36% for 1 h and 80% for 4 h). The molecular weight and isoelectric point of H6 were determined by LC-MS and iCIEF. Moreover, the specific reactivity of H6 was demonstrated by western blotting, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry, respectively. In conclusion, we produced human recombinant protein of 5T4 extracellular domain and developed high-affinity internalizing monoclonal antibodies which may be applied in the 5T4-targeting ADC therapy and basic research. Highlights • CHO cells stably expressing 5T4 were established and identified. • 5T4 extracellular domain with high purity was obtained by mammalian expression. • Anti-5T4 antibodies were prepared with high affinity and internalization rate. • The molecular weight and isoelectric point of antibody H6 were determined. • The specificity of H6 was identified by western blot, FCM, and immunohistochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The indium was recycled from LCD panels by an in-situ reaction. • In 2 O 3 could be reduced and separated based on thermodynamics calculation. • The pyrolytic carbon is porous which could promote the reaction efficiency. Abstract In the past, the pretreatment and indium extracting were conducted in independent disposal system to recycle indium from waste liquid crystal display (LCD), which make the recycling process inefficient and costly. In this study, an efficient and environmental friendly indium recycling process was proposed by an in-situ reaction process. The carbon residue generated in the pretreatment stage (organic removing stage) was used as the reductant to extract indium in the same reaction system. Comparison results indicated that the reaction effects of pyrolytic carbon were much better than coke since the structure of pyrolytic carbon is porous which would make the reactants contact better, and promote the reaction efficiency. Futhermore, results showed that the pyrolytic carbon was sufficient for the indium reduction without adding extra reductant, and indium conversion rate can reach 99.08% under the condition of 935 °C, 5 Pa, 2.5 wt%, 30 min, <0.3 mm. In this study, the organic pollutants were removed, while the indium also could be recycled in a closed-loop system. To sum up, this study could simplify the process route of waste LCD recycling, and provide fundamental basis as well as practical experience for recycling waste LCD environmentally and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we research complete convergence and almost sure convergence under the sublinear expectations. As applications, we extend some complete and almost sure convergence theorems for weighted sums of negatively dependent random variables from the traditional probability space to the sublinear expectation space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • HFC bauxites consist of diaspore and illite, apart from that, YFB and BYT contain clinochlore and kaolinite. • A maximum U-Pb age peak of ca. 800 Ma detrital zircons came from HFC and 1100 Ma from the BYT and YFB. • The HFC and BYT and YFB bauxites sourced from the western and central parts of the South China Block. • The bauxite was deposited in the coastal region and it was boosted by the suitable paleoclimate. Abstract Two bauxite horizons, with a total reserve of 1.29 Bt, occur in the Lower Carboniferous and Lower Permian in the central South China Block. Different from other intracontinental bauxites in China, which are genetically linked to the orogenesis along the continental margin, these bauxites were generated in the absence of marginal orogenesis. The genesis of these bauxites were studied based on tectonic, paleogeographic, and paleoclimatic controls. The orebody in Huofengchong (HFC) region is hosted within the Lower Carboniferous, which overlies upon the Cambrian dolomite unconformably. The orebody in the regions of Yanfengba (YFB) and Baiyantou (BYT) occurs in Lower Permian, which overlies upon the Silurian shale or Devonian dolomite unconformably. The mineral assemblages in the Carboniferous HFC bauxite consist of diaspore, illite, anatase, and in Permian YFB and BYT bauxite, the minerals are diaspore, anatase, illite, clinochlore, and kaolinite. The data from the U-Pb isotope measurements of detrital zircons from these bauxites provide two main ages: (1) a maximum U-Pb age peak of ca. 800 Ma from the Carboniferous HFC and (2) a maximum age peak of ca. 1100 Ma for the Permian BYT and YFB. The ca. 800 Ma detrital zircons from the Carboniferous bauxite are dominating in the Paleozoic sedimentary units, which likely derive from the erosion of the Mid- to Neo-proterozoic felsic volcanic and intrusive rocks (Panxi-Hannan arc) occurring in the western margin of the South China Block. By contrast, the zircons with ages of ca. 1100 Ma are prevalent in the Paleozoic sediments from the center of the block. The above results indicate that the Lower Carboniferous and Lower Permian bauxites are sourced from the sedimentary rocks in the western and central parts of the South China Block, respectively. Despite the difference in the provenance, these two episodes of deposits were both deposited in a tidal flat-restricted platform attached to an EW-trending Yangtze island, occupies the western to central parts of the South China block. This indicates that the shift from a marginal to central uplift within the paleo-island from Early Carboniferous to Early Permian has induced the transition in the provenance of the source material. In addition, the weathered materials from the two provenances both accumulated in the coastal region receiving further bauxitization. The bauxitization was boosted by the persistent preferable tepid and humid paleoclimate, defined by the equatorial position of South China block and the drop of global temperature during the metallogenic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The free metal particles pollution has been a severe problem affecting the safety operation of gas insulated transmission lines (GIL) system and causes insulation failure. In this paper, a facile insulation film deposition method by using atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (AP-DBD) plasma was introduced. The SiOx film was deposited on copper surface to improve the lift-off voltage of metal particles. The film composition, surface morphology and film thickness based on the plasma deposition time were well studied. The results showed that deposited film was composed with Si- O-Si group, Si-OH group along with small amount of inorganic groups (CH2 and CH3). The oxidation degree and film thickness were enhanced when plasma treatment time was longer. The theoretical model of particle lift-off voltage was calculated before and after surface coating. After the electrode covered with SiOx insulation film, the lifting voltage of metal particles improved by about 38%, which agreed well with the prediction value. Our results proved that SiOx film deposited by AP-DBD was a very effective method for lift-off voltage improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical properties of uranium oxide (UO 2) film with different heat treatment temperatures are investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). We demonstrated the films keep stable as UO 2 below 200 ℃, and change to U 3 O 8 after being heat-treated at 500 ℃ for 30 min in the air. The ellipsometry measurements indicate the band gap of UO 2 is 2.70 eV consistent with theoretical expectations and U 3 O 8 films is nearly 2.33 eV. The optical properties of uranium oxide films were analyzed by Sentech variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometer (VASE) with three respective angles of 65°, 70°, and 75°. The calculated ellipsometric parameters are in good agreement with the experimentally measured ones. [Display omitted] • The UO 2 thin films were prepared by spin-coating nano-UO 2 inks on substrates. • The calculated ellipsometric parameters are consistent with experimental values. • The UO 2 films translated to U 3 O 8 after being heat-treated at 500℃ for 30 min. • The Tauc gap method was used to extrapolate the bandgap of the UO x film. The physical and chemical properties of uranium oxides attracted the interest of people due to their wide use in the nuclear industry. In this work, the temperature-dependent optical properties of UO 2 films are determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry. The thickness-controllable uranium dioxide (UO 2) thin films were prepared fastly by spin-coating nano-UO 2 inks on substrates. Inks of monodisperse UO 2 nanoparticles with an average size of 6 nm were successfully synthesized via the thermal decomposition of uranyl acetate in a mixture solution. Structural characterization of the UO 2 films was reported by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It demonstrated that the films keep stable as UO 2 below 200 ℃, and changed to U 3 O 8 after being heat-treated at 500 ℃ for 30 min in the air. Furthermore, the optical properties of the films were investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The bandgap of the UO 2 film was determined as nearly 2.70 eV which is consistent with theoretical expectations (2.69 eV). and the U 3 O 8 film was 2.33 eV. This study is helpful for the fundamental understanding of the properties of the uranium oxide system and contributes to the database of optical properties of UO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcumin reduces Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) cell growth in vitro, but its unfavorable pharmacokinetics highlight the need for novel in vivo delivery systems. Thus, we explored whether formulation of curcumin in solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN-curc) or d-α-Tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) nanoparticles (TPGS-curc) could enhance its efficacy in mice. Curcumin formulated in SLN and in TPGS resulted in higher curcumin plasma levels in mice. Compared to vehicle-treated controls, SLN-curc and TPGS-curc reduced HL xenograft growth by 50.5% (p < 0.02) and 43.0% (p < 0.04), respectively, while curcumin reduced it by 35.8% (p < 0.05). In addition, SLN-curc reduced the expression of proteins involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis (XIAP and Mcl-1) in HL tumor extracts. In HL cells in culture, curcumin decreased the expression of relevant anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, when given in combination with bleomycin, doxorubicin and vinblastine, curcumin showed an additive growth inhibitory effect. In conclusion, SLNs appear as an appropriate and effective drug delivery system for curcumin. Given the efficacy of SLN-curc and the enhanced growth inhibitory effect when combined with chemotherapeutic drugs, we speculate that curcumin, when appropriately formulated, is a promising adjuvant agent for the treatment of HL and merits further evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prion disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that may result from the conversion of normal cellular prion protein (PrP C ) to the pathogenic scrapie PrP isoform (PrP Sc ), however, how proliferation of prion leads to neuronal apoptosis is still not clear. In this study, to explore the role of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in prion diseases, we engineered the KDEL ER-retention motif to the C-terminus of PrP C and studied its effect on N2A cell toxicity. The KDEL retention signal led to the accumulation of PrP in the ER, and KDEL signal could effectively deplete PrP from the cell surface and trap PrP in the ER/ Cis -Golgi compartment. PrP C molecules were delayed in their transit along the early pathway of the secretory compartment, however, they did not aggregate, and were not resistant to Proteinase K (PK) or become detergent-insoluble. Moreover, we found that the ER was not the site where PrP became detergent-insoluble and acquired PK resistance. In addition, an MTT assay indicated cells expressing PrP C /N2A were sensitive to proteasome inhibition, but not N2A cells expressing PrP KDEL . Our findings suggest that the ER is not a compartment in which wild type PrP C is able to initiate aggregation, protease resistance or other scapie-like properties of PrP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ U–Pb dating of carbonate minerals and Rb–Sr dating of illite was carried out on the Yata sediment-hosted disseminated-type gold deposit in the Youjiang basin, South China. The new study determines the timing of gold mineralization and clarifies the geological conditions required for the successful application of in situ U–Pb dating of alteration-related carbonate minerals. The results suggest that the Yata gold deposit likely formed during two metallogenic episodes. Illite Rb–Sr ages of 178.6 ± 5.8 Ma (MSWD = 1.2) for the 2–0.5 μm fraction and 171.3 ± 3.4 Ma (MSWD = 0.62) for the 0.5–0.2 μm fraction constrain an earlier episode of gold mineralization to >178.6 Ma. Hydrothermal carbonate minerals within the Yata gold deposit are associated with organic matter. In situ U–Pb dating of paragenetically early ankerite and later calcite veins yields ages of 149.0 ± 10.4 Ma (MSWD = 2.0) and 147.3 ± 32.6 Ma (MSWD = 1.8), respectively. These mineral ages and their petrographic relationships provide unequivocal evidence that another episode of gold mineralization occurred in the Early Cretaceous. Importantly, this study demonstrates in situ U–Pb dating is applicable to low-temperature deposits consisting of organic-rich hydrothermal carbonates characteristic of relatively high common Pb. Such deposits potentially include hydrothermal antimony, Carlin-type gold deposits, gold‐uranium, and carbonate-hosted uranium deposits. • Carbonate U–Pb dating constrains the age of late mineralization to ca. 150 Ma. • Illite Rb–Sr ages constrain the early stage of gold mineralization to ca. 178–172 Ma. • U–Pb isotope analysis can provide reliable ages for U-rich hydrothermal carbonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-time partial discharge (PD) is regarded as one of the main reasons for the insulation failure of high-voltage cables. In this work, we report on the application of atmospheric pressure plasma to deposit siloxane film on copper to avoid PDs. The dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma is driven by AC power supply, with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), argon, and oxygen mixture as the source gas. The effect of oxygen gas flow rate on the thin film surface morphology, chemical composition, and electrical properties is studied systematically. Our results show that the stability of the plasma deteriorated, when the oxygen flow rate exceeded 10 sccm. The addition of oxygen in the source gas induced a high oxidation level of deposited thin film. The chemical composition of thin film was in the form of SiOx ( x = 1.9) with 10 sccm oxygen compared to SiOx ( x = 1.2), when deposited in the absence of oxygen. Additionally, the optimal thin film with good stability was obtained with the surface resistivity 1.1 × 1011 Ω, when deposited in the absence of oxygen. The corresponding relative permittivity of the deposited thin film is 2.9. The simulation results demonstrated that the electric field distortion was weaken after the film deposition, which reduced the probability of PD to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a highly active lysophospholipid implicated in various cardiocerebrovascular events such as coagulation, myocardial infarction and stroke. However, as the functional S1P receptor antagonist, whether the S1P mimetic FTY720 can modulate coagulation and/or thrombotic formation remains largely unknown. We investigated the effects of FTY720 on adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation, coagulation parameters and thrombus formation in rats. Pretreatment with FTY720 (2.5 mg/kg) inhibited platelet aggregation induced by ADP, elongated the thrombin time and decreased the fibrinogen levels. However, FTY720 produced no significant effects on the arteriovenous bypass thrombus formation or the FeCl3-induced thrombus formation in the inferior vena cava and the common carotid artery. Our data suggest that FTY720 can exert an inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation and coagulation-related parameters. These characteristics of FTY720 could be useful as an adjunct in the treatment of ischemic diseases such as ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The automobile gearbox remanufacturing industry adheres to the concept of resource recycling, but its environmental pollution problems are easily ignored. In this study, a total of 54 VOCs were analyzed in the gearbox remanufacturing plant, the distribution of VOCs at different heights was simulated, and emission factors were calculated. Combined with working conditions and sources of pollutants, the correlation between VOCs pollution and the remanufacturing process was analyzed, and relevant suggestions were put forward from the perspective of cleaner production and environmental protection. The results showed that the concentration of VOCs at 3.0 m was higher than that at 1.5 m, and more VOCs were released during cleaning (19.6 mg/m3 at 3.0 m) and sandblasting (15.7 mg/m3 at 3.0 m) than the others. In addition, the monitoring results also reflected that the VOCs in the workshop showed a tendency to accumulate from near ground to higher places. At the same time, the more concentrated VOCs in the closed area were more likely to diffuse to the surrounding semi-open/open areas, or migrate to other areas with the gearbox remanufacturing process. Aromatic organic compounds (MACHs) and volatile halogenated hydrocarbons (VHHs) were the most widely distributed and accounted for the highest overall. Processing agents and lubricating oil were the main source of toluene and dichloromethane. Additionally, remanufacturing a gearbox emitted approximately 25.59 g of VOCs into the environment. [Display omitted] • VOCs emission in a typical waste gearbox remanufacturing process was studied. • The spatial distribution model of VOCs in the plant is simulated and verified. • VOCs composition is significantly related to the characteristics of process links. • Carburetor and metal cleaners, rust removers and lubricants are key sources of VOCs. • The emission factors of different processes and various organics were estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis are two important plant species of temperate steppes in Inner Mongolia of North China. They differ in their life forms, e.g., L. chinensis is a type of rhizomatous clonal grass, whereas S. grandis is a type of tussock grass. Here we hypothesize that both plant species possess distinct nitrogen (N) acquisition strategies for their growth and survival. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a four-factor experimental field study using a short-term (three hours) N labeling technique in two plant communities mono-dominated by L. chinensis and S. grandis of the temperate steppes over two months (July and August) and at two soil depths. In both of communities, L. chinensis and S. grandis directly absorbed all three of the common forms of N, including substantial portions of N-derived from glycine (organic and inorganic forms) ranged from 2.7 to 17.8 %, although they absorbed more inorganic N. Nitrogen uptake rates showed significant effects of communities, months, soil depths, and N forms. The uptake rate was higher in August than in July and at 0-5 cm than at 5-15 cm soil depths. L. chinensis and S. grandis showed different preference on N form across months. L. chinensis shifted its uptake pattern from more nitrate (NO ) in July to more ammonium (NH ) in August, whereas S. grandis took up comparable NH and NO in both months. In general, L. chinensis showed a more flexible N acquisition strategy and S. grandis performed a more concentrated and relatively more stable N acquisition strategy. The distinct N acquisition strategies used by L. chinensis and S. grandis varied greatly across different months and soil depths. These findings are more helpful in further understanding the plasticity of nutrient utilization issues of different plant species in response to N-limited conditions of grassland ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]