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Cost‐effective non‐noble metal‐based catalysts for selective hydrogenation with excellent activity, selectivity, and durability are still the holy grail. Herein, an oxygen‐doped carbon (OC) chainmail encapsulated dilute Cu–Ni alloy is developed by simple pyrolysis of Cu/Ni‐metal–organic framework. The CuNi0.05@OC catalyst displays superior performance for atmospheric pressure transfer hydrogenation of p‐chloronitrobenzene and p‐nitrophenol, and for hydrogenation of furfural, all in water and with exceptional durability. Comprehensive characterizations confirm the close interactions between the diluted Ni sites, the base Cu, and optimized three‐layered graphene chainmail. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the properly tuned lattice strain and Schottky junction can adjust electron density to facilitate specific adsorption on the active centers, thus enhancing the catalytic activity and selectivity, while the OC shell also offers robust protection. This work provides a simple and environmentally friendly strategy for developing practical heterogeneous catalysts that bring the synergistic effect into play between dilute alloy and functional carbon wrapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from the cubic to monoclinic phase of Gd 2 O 3 at high temperatures poses a significant challenge to the preparation of transparent Gd 2 O 3 materials. In this work, we presented a straightforward yet effective method for fabricating transparent Gd 2 O 3 ceramics. Via ZrO 2 stabilization effect for phase structure, highly transparent Gd 2 O 3 ceramics were successfully fabricated by vacuum sintering at 1850 °C for 8 h. The effect of different Zr (0 ∼ 13 at%) concentrations on phase transition, grain growth, fracture mode and optical properties of Gd 2 O 3 transparent ceramics was investigated. As the Zr content increases, the transition from the cubic (C) to monoclinic (M) phase is effectively suppressed, which is crucial for achieving Gd 2 O 3 transparent ceramics. Moreover, the results indicate that the addition of ZrO 2 has a significant effect on grain growth by not only impeding the migration of grain boundaries but also affecting the phase composition. In addition, the 11 at% Zr-doped Gd 2 O 3 ceramic exhibits the best optical properties, of which transmittance is about 76% at 850 nm and about 80% in the 2.5 µm ∼ 6 µm mid-infrared range. This work provides an illustrative example for the development of other ceramics with phase transition. The obtained Zr-doped Gd 2 O 3 transparent ceramics with high optical quality are potential candidates for optical window, scintillator host and mid-infrared transmission materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Pt-O bond between Pt and TiO 2 enhances interfacial stability of Pt/TiO 2 /Ti. • Optimized interfacial electronic structure promotes an appropriate H adsorption. • The perfect encapsulation of TiO 2 prevents hydrogenation breakage of Ti substrate. • Pt/TiO 2 /Ti performs high and stable HER activity (η 10 = 23 mV, 180 mA cm−2 for 25 h). • Constructed acidic electrolyzer presents efficient water splitting performance. The development of efficient and stable integrated electrodes is crucial for the advancement of electrolyzer. Herein, the ultra-low platinum (12.7 μg Pt cm−2) anchored TiO 2 nano-polyhedrons protective titanium fibers paper (Pt/TiO 2 /Ti) is synthesized as an integrated electrode for gas diffusion, current collector and catalytic hydrogen production. The Pt/TiO 2 /Ti electrode exhibits remarkable activity (23 mV at 10 mA cm−2) and durability (180 mA cm−2 for 25 h) for hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic electrolyte, which is attributed to the enhanced interface via Pt-O bond between Pt and TiO 2. Specifically, the optimizing electronic structure of Pt anchoring on the TiO 2 enhances hydrogen adsorption energy to improve the intrinsic activity of HER. In addition, the relatively negative adsorption energy (E ads) of Pt atom on TiO 2 significantly contributes to the structural stability of the Pt/TiO 2 /Ti electrode. Moreover, the complete encapsulation of titanium fibers by TiO 2 layer enhances the structural stability of Pt/TiO 2 /Ti by preventing hydrogenation-induced breakage of the titanium substrate. The constructed electrolyzer of (−) Pt/TiO 2 /Ti || IrO 2 /TiO 2 /Ti (+) presents efficient water splitting performance (1.464 V at 10 mA cm−2) and long-term durability (∼100% retention for 30 h) in acidic electrolyte. This work highlights the importance of integrated electrodes and the feasibility of acidic electrolyzer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Isotopes of natural gas are controlled by the distribution and type of source rocks. • Helium and Argon isotopes can discern the gas generated from carbonate source rocks. • Biomarkers are effective for tracing the oil sources in high-over mature stage. Natural gas-source correlation is a challenging aspect of natural gas exploration in deep strata. The Middle-Permian carbonate succession in the Sichuan Basin, southwest China, particularly in the Maokou Formation, is a hotspot for natural gas exploration. However, determining the natural gas source in the Maokou Formation is challenging because of the high maturity and complexity of potential source rocks. In this study, we analyzed the genesis and sources of natural gas in the central - northern Sichuan Basin while considering the geological conditions and systematically utilizing the gas components, stable and rare-gas isotopes, and solid bitumen biomarkers. The results indicate that (1) the natural gas in the northern Sichuan Basin comprises a mixture originating from the source rocks of the Maokou and Wujiaping formations; (2) the Qiongzhusi Formation is the major source of natural gas in the north slope (and the Maokou Formation source rock could be used as an important supplement); (3) the natural gas in the Moxi - Longnvsi structure comprises a mixture originating from the source rocks of the Qiongzhusi and Maokou formations. From south to north and west to east, the major source rocks of the gas reservoirs changed from belonging to the Qiongzhusi Formation to the Maokou and Wujiaping formations. This study is the first to combine multiple geochemical methods and consider different geological settings to identify the gas source of a deep carbonate gas reservoir. Our study provides a reliable method for determining the natural gas-source correlation of gas reservoirs that contain highly mature and complex gas sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a theoretical study to examine the optical conductivity of an electron gas in the presence of a pulsed terahertz (THz) radiation field. Applying a very simple Drude like approach, we calculate the transit current for an electron gas driven by a pulsed light field. By taking three types of the pulsed radiation fields with different analytical forms, we prove analytically or numerically that although the corresponding transit current depends on the shape of the radiation field in time-domain, the optical conductivity in frequency-domain is independent upon the profile of the pulsed light field when optical conductivity in frequency-domain is obtained by Fourier transformation of both the pulsed radiation field and the transit current. Thus, the optical conductivity in frequency-domain can be described by the well known Drude formula even in the presence of the pulsed THz field. This finding can be applied for experimental measurement of the real and imaginary parts of optical conductivity in electronic and optoelectronic materials by using, e.g., the THz time-domain spectroscopy (TDS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering the interface plays a vital role in tuning the catalytic properties of supported metal nanocatalysts. Herein the 0.73%Au-4.13%FeOx@SBA-15 catalyst was constructed with SBA-15 as support and FeOx as modifier by interface engineering. It exhibited better catalytic activity than 0.71%Au/SiO2, 0.69%Au@SBA-15 and 0.71%Au/bulk-FeOx under identical conditions as well as higher selectivity towards cinnamyl alcohol for selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde. It was found that the introduction of FeOx fabricated the interfacial area between Au and FeOx for H2 dissociation and consequently led to higher catalytic activity of 0.73%Au-4.13%FeOx@SBA-15. Meanwhile, both the channel of the SBA-15 support and the presence of small-sized FeOx promoted the selectivity for hydrogenation of C = O bond. It demonstrated for the first time that the interface engineering provided an efficient and facile avenue to design Au catalysts of excellent performances for selective hydrogenations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen generation from plastics waste is a promising strategy to solve the plastic pollution crisis. Making full use of infrared energy of solar spectrum is an important subject for efficient solar photocatalysis. Herein, single-atom-layer Pt (SAL-Pt) clusters anchored on TiO 2−x /Ti was used as photothermal catalyst to generate hydrogen from plastic in liquid conditions. The confinement effect of laser-regulated oxygen vacancies in TiO 2−x /Ti plays an important role in anchoring SAL-Pt under mildly temperature and pressure condition. The obtained Pt/TiO 2−x /Ti possesses excellent photothermal catalytic hydrogen evolution performance from reforming plastic waste under infrared light (273.12 μmol cm−2 h−1). The enhanced photothermal activity of Pt/TiO 2−x /Ti is due to enhanced infrared light absorption via plasmonic effect and hot electron aggregation on SAL-Pt from TiO 2−x /Ti. The practical applicability is further verified by photothermal catalytic reforming plastics to H 2 under ambient sunlight irradiation, which possesses high performance (25.5 μmol cm−2 h−1) and stability (in consecutive week). [Display omitted] • TiO 2−x /Ti with oxygen vacancies were confirmed to atomically disperse metals through strong coordination interaction. • Single-atom-layer Pt clusters on TiO 2−x /Ti were formed with the maximum atom-utilization efficiency for catalysis. • Pt/TiO 2−x /Ti possessed excellent photothermal catalytic H 2 evolution performance from reforming plastic under IR. • An excellent catalytic performance and stability under ambient sunlight verified the practical applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a preferred host rock for the disposal of high-level long-lived radioactive waste in France, Callovo-Oxfordian (COx) argillite inevitably undergoes gas and water intrusion during long-term sealing. In this study, a series of gas and water permeability tests have been performed on dry, partially saturated, and fully saturated COx argillite to investigate the effects of confining pressure and pore pressure on transport properties of this material. It is first found that gas permeability is very sensitive to the sample damage state for dry samples. Due to the presence of microcracks, the relationship between porosity and gas permeability is not evident, while the Klinkenberg effect is clearly observed in intact samples. Moreover, gas permeability of partially saturated samples is very sensitive to water saturation, especially for highly saturated samples. This indicates that the material has a good gas sealing capacity after the host rock is resaturated during the long-term sealing process. For both low- and highly saturated samples, confining pressure and gas pressure have very different effects on gas permeability of partially saturated argillite. Water permeability of argillite varies between 10−20–10−21 m2 (K w), suggesting a good water-sealing capacity. The evolution of K w is more sensitive to the change of pore pressure than to the change of confining pressure, indicating that the effective stress coefficient for water permeability is greater than 1. The intrinsic permeability of this low-permeable clayey rock is discussed at the end of this work. • The water retention capacity of COx argillite was determined to assess its potential correlation with gas permeability. • Gas transport properties of dry and partially saturated COx argillite were studied. • The effects of confining pressure and pore pressure on gas and water permeability were examined. • The water permeability for saturated samples was measured to examine the effects of confining pressure and water pressure. • The intrinsic permeability coefficients of argillite measured with gas and water were compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Au nanoparticles confined within the mesopores of the modified SBA-15 were obtained through adsorption-reduction method and firstly employed as chemoselective catalyst for quinoline hydrogenation. The effects of Au loadings, calcination temperature as well as structure of support on catalytic performances of Au catalysts were explored. The as-obtained 1.2%Au@SBA-15-500 catalyst exhibited high activity, excellent selectivity towards 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline and extraordinary sintering-resistant property as high as 800 °C, which is sharp contrast to the 1.3%Au/SiO2-500 catalyst. It also showed good recyclability and versatility for quinoline derivatives. The observed properties were assigned to small-sized Au nanoparticles and mesopores of SBA-15. Our work provides a facile and promising approach to construct metal nanocatalysts with high catalytic performance by the use of mesoporous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: White matter injury (WMI) is the most common brain injury in preterm infants and can result in life-long neurological deficits. The main cause of WMI is damage to the oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC) in the brain that results in delayed myelin sheath formation, or the destruction of existing myelin sheaths. OPC undergo highly regulated and strictly timed developmental changes that result in their transformation to mature oligodendrocytes capable of myelin production. Objective: Studies have shown that clobetasol strongly promotes differentiation of OPC into myelin sheaths. Therefore, we hypothesized that clobetasol may be a therapeutic option for the treatment of preterm WMI. Methods: We induced a WMI rat model and observed white matter damage under an optical microscope. Rats subjected to WMI were injected intraperitoneally with clobetasol (2 or 5 mg/kg daily) from day 1 to day 5 in the early treatment groups, or from day 6 to day 10 in the late treatment groups. After 17 days, the rats were sacrificed and the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) was visualized using immunofluorescence. In addition, we evaluated myelin sheath formation using electron microscopy. The rats were also subjected to the suspension test, ramp test, and open field test to evaluate neurobehavioral functions. Results: A rat model of WMI was successfully induced. It was found that clobetasol significantly induced MBP expression and myelin sheath formation and improved neurobehavioral function in the rats subjected to WMI. Conclusions: Our results indicate that clobetasol attenuates WMI by promoting OPC differentiation, and it may be an effective therapeutic agent for the treatment of preterm WMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argillaceous rocks have long been selected as privileged host rock candidates for the nuclear waste disposal. For the sake of evaluating the sealing capacity of these natural barriers, one urgent issue is to study the poromechanical properties of them in the long-term gas migration process. As the key parameter of poroelasticity, Biot's tensor of argillaceous rocks should be firstly studied. In this paper, a series of poromechanical tests was firstly carried out to measure Biot's tensor components. 'Non-logical' values that Biot's tensor components were larger than unity (1.0) were obtained in the tests. It was then suspected that the process of injecting pore pressure is not a purely poromechanical problem. In order to deeper study about these values, complementary poromechanical tests were handed on two samples with helium and argon or helium and carbon dioxide (CO2), respectively, to confirm the adsorption-swelling phenomenon. The results showed that Biot's tensor components are obviously affected by the gases used, which is owing to their different adsorption capacities. To evaluate these swelling affect consequences, a series of permeability and triaxial compression tests was performed with different type of gases. The results obtained reveal that gas adsorption-swelling deeply effect the transport and (poro)mechanical properties of argillite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric carcinoma (GC) is a pernicious neoplasm with high morbidity and mortality. Sinomenine (SIN) has long been exploited to heal rheumatoid arthritis. Recently, SIN has been discovered to exert the antitumour functions in diverse cancers. However, the impacts of SIN on GC remain indistinct. We attempted to expose the antitumour effect of SIN on GC. MKN45 and SGC‐7901 cells were administered with SIN for 24 hours, cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and the associated proteins in the above processes were examined via exploiting CCK‐8, BrdU, flow cytometry, Transwell and Western blot. MiR‐204 expression in GC tumour tissues, different GC cell lines and SIN‐stimulated GC cells was investigated by executing RT‐qPCR. The above cell biological processes were reassessed after transfection with miR‐204 inhibitor. The latent mechanisms were probed by examining AMPK and Wnt/β‐catenin pathways. We found that SIN memorably repressed cell proliferation, evoked apoptosis and affected CyclinD1, Bcl‐2, Bax and cleaved‐caspase‐3 expression in MKN45 and SGC‐7901 cells. Cell migration, invasion and expression of MMP‐9 and Vimentin were all restrained by SIN stimulation. The increase of miR‐204 was discovered in GC tissues and SIN‐treated MKN45 and SGC‐7901 cells. But suppression of miR‐204 was observed in AGS, MKN28, MKN45 and SGC‐7901 cells. Suppression of miR‐204 overturned the inhibitory functions of SIN in MKN45 and SGC‐7901 cells. Besides, SIN prohibited AMPK and Wnt/β‐catenin pathways via enhancement of miR‐204. In conclusion, these findings suggested that SIN exerted the antitumour activity in GC cells by hindering AMPK and Wnt/β‐catenin pathways via enhancement of miR‐204. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of dilute alloy with Mott-Schottky heterojunction has been achieved in porous sea-urchin-like N-rich carbon (CN) encapsulated Pd 3 Co 950 alloy. Simply prepared through ZIF-67@C 3 N 4 pyrolysis and trace Pd doping, the Pd 3 Co 950 @CN catalyst possesses dispersed high-electron-density Pd with electrons transferring from base Co and outer CN. Thanks to the enhanced metal-N x coordination and discrete active surface Pd on Co, it displays excellent turnover frequency of 1656 h-1 for cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation of C C group with ∼100% selectivity, and remarkable substrate tolerance in catalyzing various environmentally benign reactions in water, including hydrogenation of N -heterocycles and oxidation of benzyl alcohol. An array of experimental and theoretical studies, including in-situ characterization, kinetic analysis, and DFT calculations verify that the extraordinary performance is mainly attributed to the bimetallic electronic synergy and strong coordination with CN support. This facile synthesis strategy incorporates bimetallic synergy, strong support coordination, and optimized microstructure, thus enabling universality of cost-effective multifunctional catalysts. [Display omitted] • Combining dilute alloy with Mott-Schottky heterojunction enhances activity. • Trace Pd in cost effective Pd 3 Co 950 alloy induces atomic-scale bimetallic synergy. • C 3 N 4 @ZIF-67 generates defect- and N-rich carbon with enhanced M-N x coordination. • Pd 3 Co 950 @CN catalyzes selective hydrogenation and oxidation in water. • Pd 3 Co 950 @CN exhibits excellent efficiency, stability, scalability and universality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incidence of white matter injury (WMI), which is featured as softening of white matter tissues, has recently increased. Previous studies have demonstrated a close correlation between T helper cell 1 and T helper cell 2 (Th1/Th2) imbalance and nuclear factor‑κB (NF‑κB) with brain disease. Their role in premature WMI, however, remains to be illustrated. Serum samples were collected from 60 premature WMI neonates, plus another control group of 60 premature babies without WMI. Patients were further divided into mild, moderate and severe WMI groups. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to test mRNA expression levels of Th1/Th2 cytokines, including interleukin 2 (IL)‑2, tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α), IL‑4, IL‑10 and nuclear factor (NF)‑κB, whilst their serum levels were measured by ELISA. Their correlation with disease occurrence and progression were further analysed, to illustrate the effect of Th1/Th2 balance and NF‑κB on pathology of premature WMI. Serum levels of IL‑4 and IL‑10 were significantly decreased in premature WMI babies, whilst IL‑2, TNF‑α and NF‑κB were upregulated (P<0.05 vs. control group). With aggravated disease, IL‑4 and IL‑10 expression was further decreased while IL‑2, TNF‑α and NF‑κB were increased (P<0.05 vs. mild WMI group). Th1 cytokines IL‑2 and TNF‑α and NF‑κB were negatively correlated with Th2 cytokines IL‑4 and IL‑10. Disease severity was positively correlated with IL‑2, TNF‑α and NF‑κB expression, and was negatively correlated with IL‑4 and IL‑10 (P<0.05). Th1/Th2 imbalance and NF‑κB upregulation were observed in WMI pathogenesis, with elevated secretion of Th1 cytokines and decreased Th2 cytokines, suggesting that Th1/Th2 imbalance and NF‑κB upregulation may be a potential indicator for the early diagnosis and treatment of WMI pathogenesis and progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between the facet fluid sign (FFS) and kinematics of affected lumbar segment in patients with low-grade, single-level lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis using kinematic magnetic resonance imaging (kMRI).Materials and methods Ninety-two patients diagnosed with low-grade (Grade 1 or 2), single level lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis L3 to S1. Angular and translational motion, whole lumbar motion, slip percentage, and facet angle were measured. Disc degeneration and degrees of osteoarthritis were graded, facet effusion was evaluated and classified as Positive or Negative FFS (PosFFS or NegFFS).Results There were significant differences in the facet degeneration, translational motion, percentage of total angular motion, and flexion-extension slip difference between the PosFFS and NegFFS group. 28.3% of the patients in PosFFS group had anterolisthesis in flexion, but not extension.There was a significant difference in the incidence of FFS between the dynamic and static spondylolisthesis (75% vs 35%, p < 0.001). If FFS was present on kMRI, a positive predictive value for dynamic spondylolisthesis was 75.6%. with the sensitivity and specificity of 0.75 and 0.65 for posFFS to diagnose dynamic DS. The likelihood ratio for dynamic slips in the presence of FFS was 2.1, and the likelihood ratio for static slips in the presence of FFS was 1.1.Conclusion Facet fluid sign was present in weight-bearing neutral position, and the presence of FFS in kMRI increased the probability of having dynamic spondylolisthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complete poromechanical study has been carried out on COx argillite which is currently foreseen by Andra (in France) for the storage of high-level and long-life nuclear waste. The main goal of this study was to measure Biot's coefficient for samples cured at different relative humidity. To overcome the difficulties which occur with water as the fluid to control the pore pressure of argillite, a new technique has been used with gas injection (argon) was intended to measure the coefficient in this contribution. The results unambiguously showed that Biot's tensor components were isotropic, and equal to 1 for partially saturated samples. They revealed to be independent on the level of confining pressure or pore pressure. Unexpected results were however obtained for the dry materials for which the components, larger than 1, were measured, depending on the level of pore pressure. It was therefore suspected that an additional swelling phenomenon occurred with argon due to its adsorption in the micropores of argillite. Complementary experiments were thus carried out with helium leading to the coefficients virtually equal to 1 for the dry material, as helium does not adsorb at ambient temperature. Hence, it evidenced that there was a swelling deformation due to argon adsorption leading to apparent Biot's coefficients greater than 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional electrocatalysts underperform with reaction kinetics, nitrogen dissociation, and activated hydrogen recombination, demanding effective strategies for improving electrochemical nitrogen fixation. The challenge lies in the rational design of electron back-donating centers for nitrogen activation and hydrogen migration path optimization. This study proposes an effective laser-tuning strategy to construct noble-metal Lewis acid sites on molybdenum carbide (M-Mo 2 C, M = Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir), yielding a more active material system by mimicking π back-donation behavior. Laser-tuned Lewis acid sites can effectively break N≡N bonds, lower thermodynamic energy barrier of the rate-determining hydrogenation step (*NN → *N-NH), and optimize hydrogen migration pathway. The Rh-Mo 2 C shows superior NRR activity with NH 3 yield of ∼26.3 µg h−1 cm−2 cat. and Faradaic efficiency of ∼15.4%, which are 5.1- and 3.6-fold higher than those of Mo 2 C, respectively. This work demonstrates a unique and universal strategy for designing high-performance electrocatalysts by accurately manipulating electronic structure of active sites. [Display omitted] • A series of noble-metal-Mo 2 C with optimized interfacial microstructure was constructed by laser tuning strategy. • Low energy barrier of the rate-determining hydrogenation step (*NN → *N-NH) was achieved on Rh-Mo 2 C. • In situ characterizations and isotope labelling experiments confirmed the effectiveness of nitrogen fixation. • Noble metal Lewis acid sites effectively optimized hydrogen migration pathway to promote nitrogen fixation selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are indispensable. Herein, Mo 2 C micropillars decorated with Pt nanoparticles (<4 nm) on Mo foil (Pt/Mo 2 C-L/Mo) are synthesized by laser ablation in a focused mode in CH 4 atmosphere and laser-induced reduction in an under-focused mode in Ar/H 2 atmosphere. The Pt/Mo 2 C-L/Mo possesses excellent HER performance (21 mV at 10 mA cm−2) and stability (1317 mA cm−2 for 100 h) in acid media. Integrated gas diffusion and catalytic electrodes of Pt/Mo 2 C-L/Mo are constructed by laser in a mixed model and used in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE). The voltage of the constructed PEMWE of (−) Pt/Mo 2 C-L/Mo || IrO 2 /Ti (+) (1.55 V at 10 mA cm−2) is lower than that of (−) 20 wt.% Pt/C || IrO 2 (+) (1.69 V at 10 mA cm−2) for overall water splitting. This work provides a universal laser synthetic strategy of integrated electrodes with promising application in the field of hydrogen energy. [Display omitted] • The Pt anchored Mo 2 C micropillars (Pt/Mo 2 C-L/Mo) were rapidly fabricated by laser at normal temperature. • The Pt/Mo 2 C-L/Mo possessed high active HER performance and large current density stability in acid media. • The integrated Pt/Mo 2 C-L/Mo electrode simplified the structure of proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE). • The simplified PEMWE of (−) Pt/Mo 2 C-L/Mo||IrO 2 /Ti (+) performed an excellent water splitting performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the differential phase-shift keying modulation over the flat Rician fading channel with perfect channel model information (PCMI), and derive the two-symbol-observation-interval log-likelihood ratio (LLR) metric from first principles. The work generalizes the previous LLR derivations in [16]–[19], and demonstrates the necessity of the knowledge of the statistical channel model in the exact LLR computation. Assuming the channel is slowly time-varying, we also propose a simple approximate LLR metric based on the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT), which requires only the information of the noise spectral density. The advantage of the newly derived PCMI-LLR metric over the approximate metric and the other LLR metrics in the literature is explained from the information-theoretic perspective via the generalized mutual information. Computer simulations are also provided to demonstrate the superiority of the PCMI-LLR metric in both error rate performance and convergence speed for iterative decoding of turbo and low-density parity-check codes in practical systems. This paper aims to present the fundamental principles of LLR computation, emphasizing the importance of selecting the appropriate metric for iterative decoding over fading channels. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Biodeterioration of concrete, which is very common in sewer system, results in significant structure degradation. The process can be described by the 3 following steps: Concrete surface neutralization providing appropriate environment for sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SOB) to grow, sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) production by SOB on concrete surface and chemical reaction between H 2 SO 4 and cement hydration products. A reactive transport model is proposed to simulate the whole biodeterioration processes of concrete in contact with H 2 S gas and SOB. This model aims at solving simultaneously transport and biochemistry/chemistry in biofilm and concrete by a global coupled approach. To simulate the neutralization process, the absorption of H 2 S gas, the dissolution of portlandite (CH), the decalcification of calcium silicate hydrates (C–S–H) and the precipitation of calcium sulfide (CaS) are considered. To obtain the amount of biogenic acid, the production rate of H 2 SO 4 by SOB is calculated via a set of simplified models governed by p H. Coupling with the modeling of H 2 SO 4 degradation process, the biodeterioration depth and the solid composition evolution could be predicted. A laboratory experiment reported in literature is simulated and the simulation results are compared with experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing nitrogen-doped porous hollow carbon with loading of non-precious metal for highly efficient hydrogenation of nitroarenes is desirable but challenging. Herein we report a facile self-sacrificing template strategy to prepare Co embedded in nitrogen-doped porous hollow carbon (Co/NPHC) from pyrolysis of well-designed core–shell ZIF-8@ZIF-67. The pyrolysis of ZIF-8@ZIF-67 at 900 °C endowed as-resultant Co/NPHC-900 with high specific surface area, hollow structure and hierarchical mesopore, favoring the dispersion of Co species and then generating abundant Co-Nx active sites, also promoting mass transport of substrates and products. As a result, the Co/NPHC-900 catalyst showed excellent activity and extraordinary selectivity in the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene, which far surpassed Co/NPC-900 and ZnCo/NPC-900 catalysts derived from sole ZIF-67 and ZnCo-BMZIF, respectively. It also had a broad substrate scope and good reusability. Furthermore, characterization and control experiments showed that Co single atoms should be catalytic active sites rather than Co nanoparticles for Co/NPHC-900. Our work provides a good candidate for the replacement of precious metal catalysts for selective hydrogenations as well as contributes to the rational design of high-performance single-atom catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural bond orbital (NBO) method and atoms-in-molecules (AIM) theory are used to study the chemical origin in the direction and ordering of C–O frequency shift, as well as Cu+…C bond nature in copper carbonyl cations Cu+(CO)n(n= 1–8). This study emphasises the role of π-back donation in explaining the ordering of C–O blue shift. NBO analyses show that the interplay of two competing factors, including π-back donation and rehybridization, is responsible for both the direction and the ordering of C–O stretching frequency shift in Cu+(CO)n(n= 1–8) complexes. In addition, the Cu+…C interaction is interesting because Cu+(CO)n(n= 1–4) structure has one-sphere CO ligands but Cu+(CO)n(n= 5–8) has two-sphere CO ligands. Topological analyses of electron density are applied to characterise the Cu+…C interactions of first- and second-sphere CO with Cu+and to explore the Cu+…C interactions in the nature. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Bio-deterioration of concrete, which is very common in sewer system and waste water treatment plant, results in significant structure degradation. Normally, the process can be described by the two following steps: Biochemical reactions producing biogenic aggressive species (H2SO4 is one of the most significant biogenic acid in sewer pipes), and chemical reactions between biogenic aggressive species and cement hydration products which is responsible for concrete degradation. A reactive transport model is proposed to simulate the chemical degradation process of cementitious materials in contact with H2SO4 solution. The dissolution of portlandite (CH) and calcium silicate hydrates (C–S–H) and the precipitation of gypsum (p) are described by mass action law and threshold of ion activity products. To take into account the continuous decrease of the Ca/Si ratio during the dissolution of C–S–H a generalization of the mass action law is applied. A simplified damage model is introduced to characterize the degradation of concrete due to the swelling of gypsum. Some experiments reported in literature are simulated. The numerical results and the experimental observations are compared and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Single molecules: Large enhancements of single‐molecule fluorescence up to 1100 times by using synthesized gold nanorods are reported (see picture). This high enhancement is achieved by selecting a dye with its adsorption and emission close to the surface plasmon resonance of the gold nanorods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Einzelmoleküle: Über die durch synthetisierte Goldnanostäbe bis zu 1100 ‐ fach verstärkte Fluoreszenz von Einzelmolekülen wird berichtet (siehe Bild). Die hohe Verstärkung wird durch die Auswahl des Farbstoffs erreicht, dessen Adsorption und Emission in der Nähe der Oberflächenplasmonenresonanzen der Goldnanostäbe liegen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a Wistar rat model, prolonged supplementation of mustard seed (MS) to the diet significantly ameliorates the induction of colorectal carcinomas by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). The expression of the splenocyte major histocompatibility complex class I (MHCI) was found significantly enhanced, whereas that of the major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) was significantly decreased. Compared to that of control animals, the proportion of spleenic B- and dendritic cells (DC) was amplified in the MS group. The expressions of MHCI, as well as that of MHCII, were increased in DC cells; whereas in B cells, MHCI expression was augmented but that of MHCII moderately decreased. The percentages of CD8+CD28+ and CD4+CD28+ cells were increased in the MS group, while the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ subset was depressed. Plasma analysis showed that DMH-exposure induced amplified amounts of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-10, and transforming growth factor-beta, whereas MS feeding counteracted this effect but enhanced IL-2, IL12p70, IL21, TNF-alpha, and interferon-gamma. In the SW480 colon adenocarcinoma cell-line, the cytotoxicity of spleenic T-cells from MS-fed animals was significantly increased. In the DMH-exposed rats, the expression of perforin in the spleenic T-cells was dramatically decreased, whereas MS abolished this depression. In summary, dietary MS suppresses DMH-induced immuno-imbalance as well as colon carcinogenesis in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A retrospective study was conducted to determine the beneficial effect of posterior mono-segmental fixation, combined with anterior debridement and strut graft for the treatment of mono-segmental lumbar spine tuberculosis. Methods: From February 2002 to February 2008, a total of 34 cases with mono-segmental lumbar spine tuberculosis were treated by posterior mono-segmental fixation, combined with anterior debridement and strut graft. The degree of damage to the patients' vertebral bodies was 1/3-2/3 height. Antituberculous therapy was performed both before and after surgery. Results: None of the patients suffered from spinal cord, nerve, great vessel or organ damage, with all patients passing through the peri-operative period successfully. Graft union was observed four to six months after surgery, with a mean of five months. In addition, no fracture or prolapsed internal fixation was found. The Cobb's angle prior to and after surgery, and at the final follow-up were 22.70 ± 9.8°, 4.5 ± 8.4° and 5.30 ± 7.10°, respectively, with a mean correction of 18.20 ± 5.8° after surgery; however, 1.70 ± 1.0° loss was observed at the final follow-up. Four cases with neurological lesions recovered to 'E' grade. At the final follow-up, all patients could live and work normally. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that for cases with 1/3-2/3 height of vertebral body damaged in mono-segmental lumbar spine tuberculosis, treatment with posterior mono-segmental fixation, combined with anterior debridement and strut graft, can cure foci, rebuild spinal stability, reduce fused segments, and retain maximal function of the motion units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mustard seeds (MS), which are consumed in considerable amounts by the Japanese people that, interestingly, have the longest life expectancy in the world, are known to contain a number of yet not fully defined but quite powerful anti-oxidants. A suspension of extracted MS was found to suppress oxidized-LDL-induced macrophage respiratory burst in vitro, to prevent growth, and to induce apoptotic death of SW480 cells (a human colon cancer cell line), while no such effects were found for normal 3T3 cells. A diet enriched with MS decreased plasma levels of the lipid peroxidation product malonaldehyde in mice exposed to the colon cancer-inducer azoxymethane (AOM). Such a diet also dose-dependently enhanced the activity of several anti-oxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and GSH-peroxidase and, moreover, reduced AOM-mediated formation of colon adenomas by about 50%. Further studies are required to detail and explore the beneficial effects of MS and their rich content of powerful anti-oxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The patterned Ni@NCNTs/NF-L is prepared by laser processing and calcination reaction. • The Ni@NCNTs/NF-L serves as photothermal conversion layer and HER electrocatalyst. • Under light illumination, the voltage of Electrolyzer-TE is reduced dramatically. • A Self-drive Electrolyzer-TE hybrid device for water splitting has been realized. For efficient conversion from solar energy to hydrogen energy, the integrated system between light absorbing unit and water splitting unit is in the spotlight. Herein, we presented a bifunctional Ni@NCNTs/NF-L as both photothermal conversion layer integrated with thermoelectric generator (TE) and efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst to reducing the potential, realizing the integration system for overall water splitting. The Ni nanoparticles embedded into N -doped carbon nanotubes (Ni@NCNTs/NF-L) with various patterns are prepared by controllable laser processing and gas-solid calcination reaction. Furthermore, iron nickel oxides nanoparticles on NiFe alloys foil (NiFe-L) are obtained by laser ablation, which are applied for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrode to establish two electrode electrolyzer of (−) Ni@NCNTs/NF-L/TE // NiFe-L (+) for overall water splitting. Integrating with one TE, the voltage of water splitting at the current-density of 50 mA cm−2 reduced from 1.947 V to 1.213 V under the standard AM 1.5 G illumination. The integrated thermoelectric device plays a doubtless role to realize solar energy driving overall water splitting with integration and patterning fabrication in large-scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the main pathogenesis of low back pain. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to exert regulatory function in IDD. This study aimed to investigate the effect and potential mechanism of miR-96-5p in IDD. Methods: In vitro cell model of IDD was established by treating human nucleus pulposus cells (HNPCs) with interleukin-1β (IL-1β). The level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) was examined in the IDD cell model by Western blot and quantification real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The expression level of miR-96-5p was detected by RT-qPCR. Effects of PPARγ or/and PPARγ agonist on inflammatory factors, extracellular matrix (ECM), apoptosis, and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) nuclear translocation were examined through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot, flow cytometry assay, and immunofluorescence staining. The Starbase database and dual luciferase reporter assay were used to predict and validate the targeting relationship between miR-96-5p and PPARγ, and rescue assay was performed to gain insight into the role of miR-96-5p on IDD through PPARγ/NF-κB signaling. Results: PPARγ expression reduced with concentration and time under IL-1β stimulation, while miR-96-5p expression showed the reverse trend (P < 0.05). Upregulation or/and activation of PPARγ inhibited IL-1β-induced the increase in inflammatory factor levels, apoptosis, degradation of the ECM, and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB (P < 0.05). MiR-96-5p was highly expressed but PPARγ was lowly expressed in IDD, while knockdown of PPARγ partially reversed remission of IDD induced by miR-96-5p downregulation (P < 0.05). MiR-96-5p promoted NF-κB entry into the nucleus but PPARγ inhibited this process. Conclusion: Inhibition of miR-96-5p suppressed IDD progression by regulating the PPARγ/NF-κB pathway. MiR-96-5p may be a promising target for IDD treatment clinically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H3 modification is related to a wide range of tumors, including liver cancer. The Ras passageway is actuated in human diseases. Thus, we investigated the roles of Ras in liver cancer cells via acetylation of H3K56. Ras‐carrying G12V and Y40C site mutation was transfected into liver cancer cell lines SNU‐475 and SK‐Hep‐1. Acetylation of H3K56 and phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K), P300/CBP‐associated factor (PCAF) and Mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2) was tested via western blot. Cell activity, colonies, and migration were tested via Cell Counting Kit‐8, soft‐agar colony formation, and Transwell experiment, respectively. Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) and PCAF were tested via quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Chromatin immunoprecipitation was employed to test the relationship between Ras and downstream elements. Flow cytometry was employed to test cell cycle series. We found that RasG12V/Y40C transfection reduced the acetylation of H3K56 and activated phosphorylation of protein kinase B. H3K56Q (H3K56ac overexpression) suppressed cell activity, colonies, and migration. H3K56ac changed Ras downstream factors expression. RasG12V/Y40C bound to Ras‐PI3K downstream elements' promoters. SIRT6 silencing raised H3K56ac and suppressed cell activity, migration and S phage cell percentage. SIRT6 silence transformed expression of downstream elements. PCAF and H3K56ac demonstrated the close current while MDM2 was conversed. In summary, the Ras‐PI3K passageway promoted cell growth and metastasis via decreasing H3K56ac, in which MDM2‐mediated PCAF was involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare the safety and effectiveness between unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) technique and microscopic decompression (MD) technique in lumbar spinal stenosis treatment. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and other databases were used to conduct extensive literature searches. RevMan ver. 5.3 software was used for the statistical analysis. Eleven studies were included with 930 patients, including 449 patients in the UBE group and 521 in the MD group. Both techniques revealed similar operative times at -1.77 minutes (95% confidence interval [CI], -7.59 to 4.05 minutes; p =0.55), the postoperative dural expansion area at -1.27 (95% CI, -19.30 to 16.77; p =0.89), the postoperative complications at 0.76 (95% CI, 0.47 to 1.22; p =0.26), the preoperative Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for leg pain, and the last follow-up (>12 months) VAS for leg pain at -0.04 (95% CI, -0.14 to 0.06; p =0.47), the preoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and the last follow-up (>12 months) ODI scores at -0.18 (95% CI, -0.76 to 0.40; p =0.54), and patient satisfaction (the modified MacNab score) at 1.15 (95% CI, 0.54 to 2.42; p =0.72). However, intraoperative bleeding was lower following the UBE technique at -52.78 mL (95% CI, -93.47 to -12.08 mL; p =0.01) and was shorter following the UBE technique at -3.06 (95% CI, -3.84 to -2.28; p <0.01). UBE and MD technology have no significant differences in efficacy or safety in the treatment of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis based on this meta-analysis. However, the UBE technique has less intraoperative bleeding and a shorter hospital stay. It has a slight advantage and is a better surgical option than the MD technique. It can be an alternative minimally invasive spinal surgery method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium oxide (CaO) as sintering additive was first used to fabricate La0.4Gd1.6Zr2O7 transparent ceramics by a simple solid‐state reaction and one‐step vacuum sintering method. The effects of CaO dopant amount on the densification, as well as sintering behaviors and microstructure evolution of the as‐fabricated La0.4Gd1.6Zr2O7 ceramics, were systematically investigated. Under the different sintering temperatures, the relationships during the sintering process between grain growth and zpore elimination were analyzed as well. It was found that 0.1 wt% CaO doping can effectively control the rate of grain growth and promote densification dominated by surface diffusion. Furthermore, Ca2+ entered the lattice of La0.4Gd1.6Zr2O7 ceramics to accelerate ion diffusion and suppress grain boundary migration. With the introduction of 0.1 wt% CaO doping, the highly transparent La0.4Gd1.6Zr2O7 ceramics (T = 80.4% at 1100 nm) were successfully fabricated at the traditional sintering temperature (1850°C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the iterative decoding of low-density parity-check codes with M-ary phase-shift keying transmission and pilot-symbol-assisted channel estimation over time correlated Rayleigh fading channels. We present the correct conceptual approach for deriving the log-likelihood ratio (LLR) expression for a general q-ary code. Its bit-error probability (BEP) performance is compared with that of the conventional metric which does not take into account the information concerning the channel estimation accuracy. Simulation results show that this LLR metric outperforms the conventional metric in both BEP performances and average number of decoding iterations required for convergence. The work here demonstrates the importance of incorporating the knowledge of the channel estimation accuracy in the iterative decoding process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a fabrication route combined optimized ISOBAM‐104/TAC gel‐casting (where TAC refers to triammonium citrate) and one‐step sintering technology was developed to prepare highly transparent LaxGd2‐xZr2O7 (LGZO) ceramics. The gelling behavior in an alkaline environment was investigated, and the corresponding mechanism was systematically proposed for the advanced spontaneous gel system. The starting materials after ball milling were directly shaped into green bodies without any treatment, and high‐quality LGZO ceramics were obtained by three‐stage debinding and one‐step sintering. The in‐line transmittance of these ceramics reaches 74% at 1100 nm, which is about 95% of the theoretical value. This work not only establishes an efficient method to fabricate LGZO ceramics in large and complex shapes but also elucidates the gelling mechanism in alkaline, which expands the application of gel‐casting technology in transparent ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used for the evaluation of knee injuries, however, the accuracy of MRI in classifying multiple ligament knee injuries (MLKIs) remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of MRI in diagnosing and classifying acute traumatic MLKIs, we hypothesize that MRI had high accuracy in detecting and classifying MLKIs.Methods: The clinical data of 97 patients who were diagnosed with acute traumatic MLKIs and managed by multi-ligament reconstruction between 2012 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. The MR images were read by two experienced radiologists and results were compared with intraoperative findings, which were considered as the reference for the identification of injured structures. The value of MRI in detecting injuries of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), lateral collateral ligament (LCL), and meniscus was evaluated by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and kappa coefficients analysis. The value of MRI in classifying MLKIs was evaluated by calculating the agreement between MRI and intraoperative findings.Results: For detecting the specific injured structures in MLKIs, MRI had high sensitivity (90.7% for ACL, 90.4% for PCL, and moderate specificity (63.6% for ACL, 50% for PCL) in detecting cruciate ligament injuries, moderate sensitivity (79.1% for MCL, 55.6% for LCL) and specificity (46.7% for MCL, 68.4% for LCL) in detecting collateral ligament injuries, fair sensitivity (61.5%) and low specificity (39.4%) in the diagnosis of injuries to the meniscus. For classifying the MIKIs, MRI had a moderate agreement with intraoperative findings in classifying KD-V (kappa value = 0.57), poor agreement in the KD-I (kappa value = 0.39) and KD-IIIM (kappa value = 0.31), meaningless in the KD-II and KD-IIIL (kappa value < 0). The overall agreement between MRI and intraoperative findings in classifying MLKIs was poor (kappa value = 0.23).Conclusions: MRI is valuable in early detection and diagnosis of acute MLKIs, however, the accuracy of MRI in classifying MLKIs is limited. The management of MLKIs should be based on intraoperative findings, physical examinations, and comprehensive imaging results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many scholars carried out large quantity of researches on oil and gas preservative conditions of marine carbonate rocks from the aspects of cap rocks, faults, formation water, hydrodynamic, and tectonism. This article gives dynamic evaluation on oil and gas preservative conditions of marine stratum in Jianghan (江汉) plain of multiphase tectonic disturbance from the view of paleofluid geochemistry. The conclusion shows that there mainly existed fluid filling of two periods in the reservoir of Lower-Middle Triassic to Permian. The fluid filled in the earlier period came from Lower Palaeozoic. The interchange of fluid in Lower-Middle Triassic to Permian suggested the oil and gas in Lower Palaeozoic had been broken up. The fluid filled in the later period (Lower-Middle Triassic to Permian) came from the same or adjacent strata and lacked anatectic fluidogenous features coming from Palaeozoic. With good preservative conditions of bulk fluid at the time, the fluid of Lower-Middle Triassic to Permian and that of Lower Palaeozoic did not connect with each other. However, the hydrocarbon generation peak of marine source rocks had passed or the paleo-oil and gas reservoirs had been destroyed at that time and the marine stratum of Palaeozoic to Triassic in the research area did not put out commercial oil and gas flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orthorhombic LuFeO3 is an important member of rare‐earth orthoferrites ReFeO3 whose appealing physical features have drawn much attention due to its various potential applications. In this work, pure phase LuFeO3 ceramics have been prepared by a mechanochemical activation‐assisted solid‐state reaction (MAS) method and conventional solid‐state reaction (CSS) method for comparison. X‐ray Diffraction (XRD) studies demonstrated that the mechanochemical activation process can lower the starting reaction temperature and substantially shorten the time to complete the reaction of LuFeO3 ceramics. Besides, more homogeneous and highly denser LuFeO3 ceramics can be obtained using the MAS method revealed by the density measurement and Scanning Electron Microscopy. It was revealed by XRD and Raman measurements that there is a little increase in lattice constant in the MAS sample compared to the CSS sample. The complex impedance spectra illustrated that the MAS sample has a much higher resistance than the CSS sample, which is caused by the higher density and fewer oxygen vacancies verified by X‐Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. We believe that this study will contribute to solving the common leakage problems in ReFeO3 ceramics and the investigation of its multiferroic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-Amyloid peptide (Aβ) deposition in the brain is an important pathological change in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), which is regulated transcriptionally by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), is able to proteolyze Aβ. One of the members of the MAPK family, ERK, is able to mediate the phosphorylation of PPARγ at Ser112, thereby inhibiting its transcriptional activity. Ginsenoside Rg1 is one of the active ingredients in the natural medicine ginseng and has inhibitory effects on Aβ production. The present study was designed to investigate whether ginsenoside Rg1 is able to affect the regulation of PPARγ based on the expression of its target gene, IDE, and whether it is able to promote Aβ degradation via inhibition of the ERK/PPARγ phosphorylation pathway. In the present study, primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons were treated with Aβ1-42, ginsenoside Rg1 and the ERK inhibitor PD98059, and subsequently TUNEL staining was used to detect the level of neuronal apoptosis. ELISA was subsequently employed to detect the intra- and extracellular Aβ1-42 levels, immunofluorescence staining and western blotting were used to detect the translocation of ERK from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, immunofluorescence double staining was used to detect the co-expression of ERK and PPARγ, and finally, western blotting was used to detect the phosphorylation of PPARγ at Ser112 and IDE expression. The results demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg1 or PD98059 were able to inhibit primary cultured hippocampal neuron apoptosis induced by Aβ1-42 treatment, reduce the levels of intra- and extraneuronal Aβ1-42 and inhibit the translocation of ERK from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Furthermore, administration of ginsenoside Rg1 or PD98059 resulted in attenuated co-expression of ERK and PPARγ, inhibition of phosphorylation of PPARγ at Ser112 mediated by ERK and an increase in IDE expression. In addition, the effects when PD98059 to inhibit ERK followed by treatment with ginsenoside Rg1 were found to be more pronounced than those when using PD98059 alone. In conclusion, ginsenoside Rg1 was demonstrated to exert neuroprotective effects on AD via inhibition of the ERK/PPARγ phosphorylation pathway, which led to an increase in IDE expression, the promotion of Aβ degradation and the decrease of neuronal apoptosis. These results could provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of ginsenoside Rg1 in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major problems for seawater electrolysis is chloride corrosion arising from the chlorine oxidation reaction (ClOR). Although researchers have endeavored to improve the OER activity (overpotentials below 490 mV) to avoid the ClOR, an OER deactivation effect of chloride anions still looms large even before the ClOR becomes a serious issue, and its mechanism remains unclear. Herein using a simple Fourier transform ac voltammetry (FTacV) method, we unveil a hidden fact about the detrimental effect of Cl- over an exemplar catalyst NiFe (oxy)hydroxide: it increases the formation potential of Ni(IV) thus lowering the OER performance. This is borne out by theoretical calculations, which reveal changes in the electronic environment of Ni sites induced by replacing the bridge OH- species with Cl- and the resulting difficulty to form high-valence Ni(IV). The consequence is a large increase in energy barrier of the OH* deprotonation step that lowers the OER activity. The poison effect of Cl- can be restrained by adding carbonate ions, which restores the facile formation of Ni(IV) and stabilizes the electrode for over 140-h saline water oxidation reaction at the current density of 100 mA cm−2. This work helps to guide the design of active and durable seawater-splitting electrocatalysts. [Display omitted] • We report the chloride anions' poison effect and the OER deactivation mechanism in simulated seawater for the first time. • Active Ni(IV) intermediates in NiFe catalysts are observed during OER using the simple FTacV electrochemistry method. • The chlorine anions increase the formation potentials of Ni(IV) intermediates and result in the decreased OER performance. • Carbonate ions counteract chlorine's impact, ensuring electrode stable for 140-h saline water oxidation at 100 mA cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Description. A free-standing electrode comprised of PAN-based carbon nanofiber and iron acetylacetonate as precursor for metal oxide nanoparticles with silica as additive to formulate hybrid component based carbon nanofibers film named as PAN-TEOS-APTES-Fe(AcAc) 3 for Li-ion batteries with high reversible capacity. • A binder & current-collector free, free-standing CNF-film as anode for LIBs. • Fe(AcAc) 3 used as precursor material for iron-oxide nanoparticles. • Combination of TEOS/APTES used for SiO 2 nanoparticles as additive. • PAN used as carbonaceous-framework to capsulate iron-oxide and SiO 2 -nanoparticles. • High reversible capacity with above 99% retention over 300 cycles was obtained. The advanced rechargeable batteries have been upgraded by the production of free-standing electrodes through electrospinning technology. This study aimed to introduce a novel hybrid composition to design a free-standing carbon nanofiber (CNF) based anode by the addition of iron acetylacetonate Fe(AcAc) 3 as active material and TEOS(tetraethoxysilane)/APTES(aminopropyl triethoxysilane) as an additive for Li-ion batteries. Polyacrylonitrile(PAN) was used as the polymer matrix in the spin dope, and the inclusion of Fe(AcAc) 3 and TEOS/APTES resulted in compositional change, producing iron oxide and silica nanoparticles throughout the matrix. Different oxidation states and the presence of embedded iron oxide nanoparticles in CNF were identified by XPS and EDX elemental mapping analysis. PAN-TEOS-APTES-Fe(AcAc) 3 based anode material was capable of enhancing the reversible specific capacity as much as 732 mAhg−1 at 500 mAg−1 lasting for 300 cycles, along with the rate capability as high as 815 mAhg−1 at 200 mAg−1. Furthermore, EIS analysis and EX-situ FESEM showed decreased impedance after cycling with the stable morphology of PAN-TEOS-APTES-Fe(AcAc) 3 CNF-film. Conclusively, non-woven, binder-free, current collector free, free-standing CNF anode film doped with iron-oxide and silica nanoparticles was indeed a novel approach for Li-ion batteries and can be considered for other batteries particularly for Li-S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, whether α 2 -adrenoceptors in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) are involved in Parkinson's disease-related anxiety is unclear. We examined the effects of PrL α 2 -adrenoceptors on anxiety-like behaviors in rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the medial forebrain bundle. Compared to the sham operation, the lesion induced anxiety-like responses as measured by the open field test and elevated plus-maze test. Intra-PrL injection of the α 2 -adrenoceptor agonist clonidine (1.25, 2.5 or 5 μg/rat) produced anxiolytic effects in sham-operated and lesioned rats. Furthermore, intra-PrL injection of the α 2 -adrenoceptor antagonist idazoxan (1, 2 or 4 μg/rat) induced anxiogenic effects in two groups of rats. The effective doses produced by clonidine and idazoxan in lesioned rats were higher than those in sham-operated rats. Neurochemical results showed that intra-PrL injection of clonidine (5 μg/rat) or idazoxan (4 μg/rat) decreased or increased dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) and serotonin (5-HT) levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and amygdala in sham-operated and lesioned rats, respectively. These results suggest that α 2 -adrenoceptors in the PrL are involved in the regulation of anxiety-like behaviors, which is attributable to changes in DA, NA and 5-HT levels in the mPFC and amygdala after activation and blockade of α 2 -adrenoceptors. • Activation of α 2 -adrenoceptors in the PrL produced anxiolytic effects in sham-operated rats and rats with unilateral 6-OHDA lesions in the MFB. • Behavioural effects induced by PrL α 2 -adrenoceptors were involved in changed monoamine neurotransmission in the mPFC and amygdala. • The present study indicated the involvement of PrL α 2 -adrenoceptors in the regulation of anxiety, particularly in PD-related anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing simple and cost‐efficient methods for fabricating molecular patterns is of great importance in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Here, a simple and convenient method was developed for fabricating nanopatterns composed of positively charged silane molecules by using silver nanowires as templates. The as‐obtained silane pattern copies the shape of the silver nanowires and is only 0.7 nm thick, which can later be used for templated assembly of small molecules and nanoparticles of opposite charges. As a proof of concept, the resultant assembly could be further used for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a research related to genesis of the Sinian solid bitumen and its significance for hydrocarbon accumulation in the Anyue Gas Field of the Sichuan Basin in China. Topics discussed include characteristics of different generations of bitumen and the genesis; core and thin-section observation and organic geochemical testing of bitumen of two epochs; and multi-stage fluid charging in Sinian reservoir and destruction of early ancient oil reservoirs.

Abstract After spinal cord injury, microglial cells are activated and converted to an M1 phenotype. Emerging evidence supports the hypothesis that glucose reprogramming accompanies microglial activation. What contributes to the activation of microglia and glucose reprogramming, however, remains unclear. In the current study, we investigated the role and underlying mechanism of a-synuclein in regulating the aerobic glycolysis in microglia. We found that a-synuclein contributed to the reprogramming of glucose metabolism in microglia by promoting glycolysis and inhibiting mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative phosphorylation. Further studies demonstrated that pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), a rate-limiting enzyme in glycolysis, mediated glucose reprogramming regulated by a-synuclein. A co-immunoprecipitation assay and Western blot assay demonstrated that a-synuclein interacted with PKM2. Further studies demonstrated that knockdown of PKM2 in a-synuclein-exposed microglia markedly reduced glycolysis and lactate production. Additionally, a-synuclein exposure promoted migration abilities in glucose-cultured microglia, whereas migration ability was suppressed in PKM2 knockdown microglia. Additionally, the PKM2 activator TEPP-46 promoted migration ability in a-synuclein-treated microglia, compared to treatment with a-synuclein alone. In conclusion, we demonstrate a PKM2-dependent glycolysis of a-synuclein in microglial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper Permian Changxing Formation in the Southeastern Sichuan Basin exhibited complex fluid activities, and the petrographic features, fluid inclusions and stable isotopes (C, O, Sr isotopes) of calcites and host rocks from this formation were determined. The aim of the study is to determine the crystallization sequence, fluid trapping time and origins of diagenetic fluids of calcites in the Changxing Formation. The results show that four generations of calcite cements were formed in the Changxing Formation, and the corresponding four groups of primary inclusions were captured by these calcites. Group Ⅰ inclusions are characterized by high salinity (16.15–23.18 wt%, average 19.5 wt% NaCl equivalent) and low temperature (60–97 °C), and they were trapped in fine-grained calcite during from the Early Triassic to the early Middle Triassic (T 1 -T 2). Inclusions of the other three groups, which were captured by medium-grained to ultra-coarse-grained calcites, are characterized by moderate salinity (average < 11 wt% NaCl equivalent) and relatively high temperature (101–171 °C). Their trapping times were from the Middle Triassic to Middle Jurassic (T 2- J 2). A study of the stable isotopes revealed the multiple sources of diagenetic fluids in the Changxing Formation. Nearly 60 percent of the samples showed relatively high 87Sr/86Sr values (0.707260–0.707608), which indicated the intrusion of strontium-rich fluid sourced from the Feixianguan Formation during the Early Triassic (T 1). δ18O V-SMOW values of calcite-forming fluid (8.9–13.1‰) were influenced by fluid from the Feixianguan Formation and gas field water in the Changxing Formation. The geochemical features of the diagenetic fluids showed both authigenic and exogenetic characteristics in the Changxing Formation: (1) diagenetic fluids of the host rock are affected by the authigenic fluid (Changsingian fluid) and external fluid (strontium-rich fluid sourced from the Feixianguan Formation); and (2) diagenetic fluids of calcite are also dominated by authigenic fluid (dissolution of the host rock) and exogenetic fluid (petroleum in reservoir and strontium-rich fluid from the Feixianguan Formation). In addition, the strontium-rich fluid exerted a greater impact on the calcites than it did on the host rocks. • Four generations of calcites are formed in reservior of the Changxing Formation. • Four groups of fluid inclusions are recorded in calcites with various grain sizes. • δ18O show irregular variations and relative low values in calcites. • 87Sr/86Sr values in the study area are much higher than contemporary global values. • Diagenetic fluids of the Changxing Formation show both authigenic and exogenetic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hierarchical ZSM-5 crystal growth tuned with para -substituted phenols. • Etching-assisted crystallization involves seed formation, dissolution, and growth. • Zeolite size and mesoporosity depend on phenolic pKa, amount, and deprotonation. • Kinetic control over zeolite growth through mild in-situ nucleophilic etching. The rational modulation of zeolite microstructures tailoring crystal morphology and hierarchy, is an effective way to promote their mass transport and catalytic performance. However, practical realization remains challenging. We recently demonstrated a novel etching-assisted crystallization process that allows fine control over zeolite architecture by eliminating intermediate defective nanocrystals with active proton-bearing organic molecules such as phenol. Here, we investigated in detail the phenolic etching effect on the crystallization of ZSM-5 zeolites using a combination of techniques including diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and 2D 27Al multiple quantum magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MQ MAS NMR) and systematically elucidated the structure modulation with a homologous series of phenolic compounds. Time-series characterizations confirmed the initial seed formation, intermediate dissolution, and final perfected crystallization stages during ZSM-5 synthesis in the presence of phenolic compounds. Since deprotonation to phenolate anion in-situ is required during alkaline zeolite synthesis, the electron-withdrawing (EW) groups on the phenol para -position lead to bigger ZSM-5 crystals with more mesopores, while the phenolic molecules with para - electron-donating (ED) groups exhibit less significant effect. Under the same initial pH, the phenolic compounds show unparalleled compatibility with zeolite crystallization by stabilizing the system pH values, whereas inorganic acids invariably fail the zeolite crystallization. Given the remarkable kinetic control over zeolite growth through the simultaneous but opposite nucleophilic etching process, our observation provides a versatile way to manipulate zeolite crystallization with high tunability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global warming makes us focus on the resource utilization of CO 2. Herein, defective TiO x nanoparticles with rich oxygen vacancies are synthesized through laser bombardment, and uniform Ru nanoparticles are loaded on the TiO x (Ru-TiO x) by the assistance of photothermal reduction. Assisted by the high photothermal conversion efficiency of defective TiO x (259.3 °C), the photothermal co-catalytic methane yield of Ru-TiO x reaches 15.84 mmol/g/h with high selectivity (99.99%). After comparing the methane yields in different wavelengths, the synergistic effect between photocatalysis and thermocatalysis of Ru-TiO x is confirmed. The theoretical calculation demonstrates that the deoxidation active sites of TiO x and hydrogenation active sites of Ru are responsible for high activity and selectivity. Furthermore, the excellent photothermal co-catalytic activity (about 1 mmol/g/h for cloudless days) and stability under outdoor sunlight are demonstrated. This work confirms that the Ru-TiO x system synthesized via laser bombardment has practical application value in photothermal co-catalysis of CO 2 hydrogenation. [Display omitted] • TiO x nanoparticles with high photothermal conversion capacity are prepared by laser bombardment. • The deoxidation sites of TiO x and hydrogenation sites of Ru are responsible for high activity and selectivity. • The synergy between photocatalysis and thermocatalysis is confirmed. • An excellent catalytic activity and stability under the outdoor sunlight verify the practical applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]