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The TiO2/WO3−x nanoscale particles with superior interfacial interactions were synthesized using tetrabutyl titanate (IV) through the sol–gel method, then calcining at 450 ℃ for 3 h. The electrical property of the photocatalyst was tuned by forming nano-size heterogeneous structures with the co-crystallization of TiO2 and tungsten oxide structures. The prepared photocatalysis samples were characterized by XRD, TEM, XPS, and UV–vis. The higher specific surface area (72.1372 m2/g) and strong interaction in the TiO2/WO3−x photocatalyst interface enhanced the photoelectrochemical activity and the bandgap was adjusted from 3.16 to 2.96 eV. It has been discovered by using methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB), the photoresponse range of 2 mol% tungsten added TiO2/WO3−x photocatalyst has extended to the visible portion of the spectrum by the degradation of dyes and reached 94.8% and 97.4% for MB and RhB at 90 min and 100 min, respectively. TiO2/WO3−x contained a higher donor concentration due to the oxygen vacancy structure of WOx and the electrons that occurred at the defects are believed to be easier to participate in the photocatalytic reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its appropriate bandgap, Cu2O has been widely studied in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The core–shell structure is used to design photocatalytic semiconductor materials, so that the core and the shell can be effectively contacted in the three-dimensional structure. The interaction area between the materials is maximized, the light corrosion of the materials is reduced, and the hydrogen evolution stability and light corrosion resistance of Cu2O composites are improved. In this review, the preparation methods of Cu2O and the effects of surfactants, temperature, pH and other factors on the morphology of Cu2O were reviewed. At the same time, the preparation of core–shell structure Cu2O-metal/nonmetal/metal compound composites and the hydrogen production performance of photocatalysts were studied, which provided a new basis for the development of photocatalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a condition of impaired ventricular remodeling and systolic diastole that is often complicated by arrhythmias and heart failure with a poor prognosis. This study attempted to identify autophagy-related genes (ARGs) with diagnostic biomarkers of DCM using machine learning and bioinformatics approaches. Differential analysis of whole gene microarray data of DCM from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was performed using the NetworkAnalyst 3.0 platform. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) matching (|log2FoldChange ≥ 0.8, p value < 0.05|) were obtained in the GSE4172 dataset by merging ARGs from the autophagy gene libraries, HADb and HAMdb, to obtain autophagy-related differentially expressed genes (AR-DEGs) in DCM. The correlation analysis of AR-DEGs and their visualization were performed using R language. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and combined multi-database pathway analysis were served by the Enrichr online enrichment analysis platform. We used machine learning to screen the diagnostic biomarkers of DCM. The transcription factors gene regulatory network was constructed by the JASPAR database of the NetworkAnalyst 3.0 platform. We also used the drug Signatures database (DSigDB) drug database of the Enrichr platform to screen the gene target drugs for DCM. Finally, we used the DisGeNET database to analyze the comorbidities associated with DCM. In the present study, we identified 23 AR-DEGs of DCM. Eight (PLEKHF1, HSPG2, HSF1, TRIM65, DICER1, VDAC1, BAD, TFEB) molecular markers of DCM were obtained by two machine learning algorithms. Transcription factors gene regulatory network was established. Finally, 10 gene-targeted drugs and complications for DCM were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is growing evidence of a strong relationship between COVID-19 and myocarditis. However, there are few bioinformatics-based analyses of critical genes and the mechanisms related to COVID-19 Myocarditis. This study aimed to identify critical genes related to COVID-19 Myocarditis by bioinformatic methods, explore the biological mechanisms and gene regulatory networks, and probe related drugs. Methods: The gene expression data of GSE150392 and GSE167028 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), including cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 in vitro and GSE150392 from patients with myocarditis infected with SARS-CoV-2 and the GSE167028 gene expression dataset. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (adjusted P-Value <0.01 and |Log2 Fold Change| ≥2) in GSE150392 were assessed by NetworkAnalyst 3.0. Meanwhile, significant modular genes in GSE167028 were identified by weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and overlapped with DEGs to obtain common genes. Functional enrichment analyses were performed by using the "clusterProfiler" package in the R software, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed on the STRING website (https://cn.string-db.org/). Critical genes were identified by the CytoHubba plugin of Cytoscape by 5 algorithms. Transcription factor-gene (TF-gene) and Transcription factor-microRibonucleic acid (TF-miRNA) coregulatory networks construction were performed by NetworkAnalyst 3.0 and displayed in Cytoscape. Finally, Drug Signatures Database (DSigDB) was used to probe drugs associated with COVID-19 Myocarditis. Results: Totally 850 DEGs (including 449 up-regulated and 401 down-regulated genes) and 159 significant genes in turquoise modules were identified from GSE150392 and GSE167028, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that common genes were mainly enriched in biological processes such as cell cycle and ubiquitin-protein hydrolysis. 6 genes (CDK1, KIF20A, PBK, KIF2C, CDC20, UBE2C) were identified as critical genes. TF-gene interactions and TF-miRNA coregulatory network were constructed successfully. A total of 10 drugs, (such as Etoposide, Methotrexate, Troglitazone, etc) were considered as target drugs for COVID-19 Myocarditis. Conclusions: Through bioinformatics method analysis, this study provides a new perspective to explore the pathogenesis, gene regulatory networks and provide drug compounds as a reference for COVID-19 Myocarditis. It is worth highlighting that critical genes (CDK1, KIF20A, PBK, KIF2C, CDC20, UBE2C) may be potential biomarkers and treatment targets of COVID-19 Myocarditis for future study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many great breakthroughs have been made in the past five years in understanding the mechanism of bismuth compounds. However, the actual efficiency achieved with this material to date is far away from the theoretical conversion efficiency. The structure and morphology have been proven to be vital factors to enhance the electronic migration to influence photocatalytic performance. Bismuth compounds with different structures and morphologies have certain application prospects in environmental governance due to their small band gap and strong visible light response. This review is aimed at summarizing the recent experimental and bandgap computational breakthroughs in photocatalytic properties of bismuth oxides and halides, in the meanwhile, compared with the band gap adjustment, the recombination of photoexcited electron–hole (e−–h+) pairs is one of the most important factors for the photocatalytic performance. Although bismuth compounds photocatalyst has been used for environmental applications, our understanding on the degradation mechanism of organic matters is limited. The target location and the degree of mineralization for different pollutants are not yet clear. Moreover, photocatalytic material needs to match the potential of the photogenerated e−–h+ pairs to the potential required to degrade the pollutant to be oxidized or reduced. We aim to provide guidelines for the rational design and fabrication of highly efficient bismuth compounds materials for water treatment. Additionally, the potential applications of bismuth compounds in environment are presented for future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Direct H 2 O 2 synthesis from H 2 and O 2 without H+ assistance. • The Pd tipped Au NRs (PTA) facilitate the H+ ion heterolysis by lattice strain effect. • A photocatalytic H 2 O 2 production rate of 0.12 mol/g/h is achieved. • The assembly of a porous PTA film is expected to make for direct medical use. Direct H 2 O 2 synthesis (DHS) from H 2 and O 2 over Pd catalyst is a potentially rewarding strategy to replace the industrial anthraquinone method, but the sluggish hydrogenation process seriously impedes production efficiency in pure water. Here, we report a lattice strained Pd catalyst which is formed on Au nanorods (NRs) tips by taking advantage of curvature. The lattice strained Pd tipped Au NRs (PTA) is found to be able to facilitate the H+ ion heterolysis, in particular with light illumination, thereby remarkably enhancing the DHS performance. The lattice strain effect together with light-induced hot electrons enables a production rate of 0.12 mol/g/h for H 2 O 2 generation, which is 3.11 and 3.56 times higher than that of no light assistance or strain effect ones, respectively. Finally, a porous PTA film was assembled, which achieves a H 2 O 2 concentration of ∼2.3% within 24 h that is expected to make for direct medical use (＜3%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dong, Y.; Zhang, F., and Fu, L., 2019. Ecological design: The role of extended producer responsibility system. In: Guido-Aldana, P.A. and Mulahasan, S. (eds.), Advances in Water Resources and Exploration. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 93, pp. 354–361. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. With the development of the society, terrestrial and marine ecosystems are destroyed seriously. To protect the ecosystems, ecological design is the key factor to implement the extended producer responsibility system (EPR), which can effectively improve the nature resource utilization, and reduce the waste of resources and environmental destruction during the production, circulation, use and processing stages for products. Firstly, this paper studies the driving factors of producer extended responsibility system, which includes government regulation and incentive, consumer demand pressure, the internal environment of the enterprise management and so on. After analyzing these factors, this paper studies the driving factors on ecological design. Through interviews and questionnaires on the production enterprises, and combined with the current research literatures in china and abroad, this paper verified and developed the scale for ecological design, extended producer responsibility, the driving force of ecological performance factors. The results show that as key elements of EPR, government regulation and incentives, corporate internal environment management can effectively promote the concept and behavior of ecological design of manufacturing enterprises; but consumer demand pressure cannot significantly affect the implementation of ecological design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of indigenous microorganisms on the mineral corrosion and mineral trapping in the SO2 co-injected CO2-saline-sandstone interaction was investigated in this study by lab experiments under 55 °C, 15 M pa. The results verified that co-injection of SO2 resulted in a decrease in biomass and shifts in microbial communities within 90 days, but some microorganisms still could adapt to acidic, high-temperature, high-pressure, and high-salinity environments. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria remained dominant phylum, but phylum Proteobacteria showed better tolerance to the co-injection of SO2 in the initial period. In the SO2 co-injected CO2-saline-sandstone interaction under microbial mediation, acid-producing bacteria further promoted the corrosion of K-feldspar, albite, and clay minerals, meanwhile mobilizing more K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+ into solution. The acidogenic effect may be linked to the dominant genus of Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas and Exiguobacterium. Co-injection of SO2 inhibited the carbonates capture, while microbial acid production further reduced the pH, further inhibiting carbonates capture. As a result, no secondary carbonate (e.g., calcite) was observed on a short time scale within 90 days. So, microbial acidogenic effect was not conducive to carbonates capture in short term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient and stable photocatalysts is very important for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. In this work, a series of CuSe/MnS/Mn 0·5 Cd 0·5 S composites with high hydrogen evolution performance were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. The synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, Mapping, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV–Vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy, Mott–Schottky, Transient photocurrent response, Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Photoluminescence spectroscopy. The obtained products showed efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution efficiency in Na 2 S–Na 2 SO 3 solution under 300 W Xe lamp (λ ＞ 420 nm), with the highest photocatalytic hydrogen evolution efficiency reaching 24.7 mmol g−1 h−1, which was 4.1 times higher than pure MnS/Mn 0·5 C 0·5 S (5.99 mmol h−1 g−1) and 6.3 times higher than pure CdS (3.59 mmol h−1 g−1). A possible mechanism of photocatalytic hydrogen production was proposed. The addition of CuSe effectively enhances the photogenerated electron-hole separation efficiency and reduces the electron-hole pair complexation rate of CuSe/MnS/Mn 0·5 C 0·5 S composites. This work provides an effective way to improve the photocatalytic activity of Mn 0·5 Cd 0·5 S using transition metal selenide cocatalysts. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a Re(I) complex whose diamine ligand had an oxadiazole ring and a F atom was synthesized and explored for oxygen optical sensing. This Re(I) complex was identified and analyzed with single crystal analysis, density functional theory calculation and photophysical measurement. Its oxadiazole ring increased conjugation plane so that sensing collision probability between excited electrons and O 2 molecules could be increased. In addition, its electron-pulling effect, along with that of F atom, decreased non-radiative decay probability of our Re(I) complex, offering a long-lived emissive center for O 2 attack. After being doped into a silica matrix of MCM-41, its oxygen sensing performance was tentatively discussed. A dynamic sensing mechanism towards O 2 was observed with sensitivity as high as 7.74 and response time of 10 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CeO2/Bi2 WO6 heterostructured microsphere with excellent and stable photocatalytic activity for degradation tetracyclines was successfully synthesized via a facile solvothermal route. The photocatalytic experiments indicated that CeO2/Bi2 WO6 heterostructured microspheres exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to pure Bi2 WO6 in both the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride ( TCH) and rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation. The 1CeO2/2Bi2 WO6 exhibited the best photocatalytic activity for degradation of TCH, reaching 91% after 60 min reaction. The results suggested that the particular morphological conformation of the microspheres resulted in smaller size and more uniform morphology so as to increase the specific surface area. Meanwhile, the heterojunction was formed by coupling CeO2 and Bi2 WO6 in the as-prepared microspheres, so that the separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes was dramatically improved and the lifetimes of charge carriers were prolonged. Hence, introduction of CeO2 could significantly enhance the photocatalytic activity of CeO2/Bi2 WO6 heterostructured microspheres and facilitate the degradation of TCH. This work provided not only a principle method to synthesize CeO2/Bi2 WO6 with the excellent photocatalytic performance for actual produce, but also a excellent property of the photocatalyst for potential application in photocatalytic treatment of tetracyclines wastewater from pharmaceutical factory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid recombination of photoinduced charge carriers and poor redox ability seriously hinder the photocatalytic activity. In this study, a novel 0D/0D ZnS/Ag 6 Si 2 O 7 heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal-calcination method, and its structure, morphology, etc. were characterized. The experimental results show that the photocatalytic performance of pure ZnS nanoparticles is very weak. However, the addition of Ag 6 Si 2 O 7 greatly improves the photocatalytic performance, and the maximum hydrogen evolution within 4 h is 524 μmolg−1h−1, which is about 5 times of the original ZnS. The enhanced mechanism of high activity and high stability was studied by various characterization techniques. It was revealed that the construction of 0D/0D heterojunction and the close interfacial contact between ZnS and Ag 6 Si 2 O 7 could accelerate the transfer and separation of photoexcited e−-h+ pairs, which can also improve its photocatalytic performance. In addition, the reasonable mechanism of improving photocatalytic activity was discussed, which also provides new insights for the design and application of 0D/0D heterojunction photocatalyst in the field of photocatalysis. • A novel 0D/0D ZnS/Ag 6 Si 2 O 7 heterojunction photocatalyst was prepared by hydrothermal calcination. • Ag 6 Si 2 O 7 can improve the absorbing capability of ZnS for the visible light. • Ag 6 Si 2 O 7 are conducive to promote photoelectron transfer. • ZnS/Ag 6 Si 2 O 7 showed a high stability. • The addition of Ag 6 Si 2 O 7 greatly improved the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution of ZnS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a series of porous nano-structured carbocatalysts have been fused and decorated by Mo-based composites, such as Mo2C, MoN, and MoP, to form a hybrid structures. Using the open porosity derived from the pyrolysis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), the highly dispersive MoO2 small nanoparticles can be deposited in porous carbon by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Undergoing different treatments of carbonization, nitridation, and phosphorization, the Mo2C-, MoN-, and MoP-decorated carbocatalysts can be selectively prepared with un-changed morphology. Among these Mo-based composites, the MoP@Porous carbon (MoP@PC) composites exhibited remarkable catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in 0.5 m H2SO4 aqueous solution versus MoO2@PC, Mo2C@PC, and MoN@PC. This study gives a promising family of multifunctional lab-on-a-particle architectures which shed light on energy conversion and fuel-cell catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a series of porous nano-structured carbocatalysts have been fused and decorated by Mo-based composites, such as Mo2C, MoN, and MoP, to form a hybrid structures. Using the open porosity derived from the pyrolysis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), the highly dispersive MoO2 small nanoparticles can be deposited in porous carbon by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Undergoing different treatments of carbonization, nitridation, and phosphorization, the Mo2C-, MoN-, and MoP-decorated carbocatalysts can be selectively prepared with un-changed morphology. Among these Mo-based composites, the MoP@Porous carbon (MoP@PC) composites exhibited remarkable catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in 0.5 m H2SO4 aqueous solution versus MoO2@PC, Mo2C@PC, and MoN@PC. This study gives a promising family of multifunctional lab-on-a-particle architectures which shed light on energy conversion and fuel-cell catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message : This optimized approach provides both a computational tool and a library construction protocol, which can maximize the number of genomic sequence reads that uniformly cover a plant genome and minimize the number of sequence reads representing chloroplast DNA and rRNA genes. One can implement the developed computational tool to feasibly design their own RAD-seq experiment to achieve expected coverage of sequence variant markers for large plant populations using information of the genome sequence and ideally, though not necessarily, information of the sequence polymorphism distribution in the genome. Abstract: Advent of the next generation sequencing techniques motivates recent interest in developing sequence-based identification and genotyping of genome-wide genetic variants in large populations, with RAD-seq being a typical example. Without taking proper account for the fact that chloroplast and rRNA genes may occupy up to 60 % of the resulting sequence reads, the current RAD-seq design could be very inefficient for plant and crop species. We presented here a generic computational tool to optimize RAD-seq design in any plant species and experimentally tested the optimized design by implementing it to screen for and genotype sequence variants in four plant populations of diploid and autotetraploid Arabidopsis and potato Solanum tuberosum. Sequence data from the optimized RAD-seq experiments shows that the undesirable chloroplast and rRNA contributed sequence reads can be controlled at 3-10 %. Additionally, the optimized RAD-seq method enables pre-design of the required uniformity and density in coverage of the high quality sequence polymorphic markers over the genome of interest and genotyping of large plant or crop populations at a competitive cost in comparison to other mainstream rivals in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the characterization and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanotube arrays prepared by anodization process with starch addition were investigated in detail. The results suggested that the optimum mass fraction of starch added in anodization process was 0.1%, with which TiO2 nanotube arrays owning good tubular structure were synthesized. The tube length and average inner diameter of nanotubes were approximately 4 μm and 30 nm, respectively. Through the characterization of TiO2 nanotube arrays by energy dispersive spectrometer, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared ( FTIR) spectroscopy, it was found that the as-prepared nanotubes possessed well uniformed and higher photodegradation responsive than the pure TiO2. Moreover, it was expected that the as-prepared nanotubes exhibited good photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rh B under UV-light irradiation, which could be ascribed to their good morphology, enhanced UV-light absorption property and electron transmission ability during the photocatalytic reaction. In addition, the nanotubes were not significantly regenerated during the cycling runs experiment. Overall, this study could provide a principle method to synthesize TiO2 nanotube arrays with enhanced photocatalytic activity by anodization process with starch addition for environmental purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eu-Doped Bi2O3/CeO2 composites were successfully synthesized by a facile sol-gel-calcination route. The as-prepared composites were prepared with different molar ratios of Bi/Ce/Eu by the sol-gel route, and then calcined at 500°C for 2 h. The photocatalytic efficiencies of all composites were tested by degradation of methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation. The result suggested that the best composite is the one that was prepared with a Bi/Ce/Eu mole ratio of 8 : 8 : 1, and achieved a MO degradation rate of nearly 98.5 % within 2 h of irradiation. The as-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy results suggested that Eu doping may have led to some lattice distortion and particle aggregation that enhanced the photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst. The UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy results showed that Eu-doped Bi2O3/CeO2 exhibited higher visible light response properties and enhanced separation of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs, which is the main reason for the higher photocatalytic activity. In general, this study could provide a facile route to synthesize Eu-doped Bi2O3/CeO2 composites with enhanced photocatalytic activity by a sol-gel-calcination route for environmental purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational design of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with hollow features and tunable porosity at the nanoscale can enhance their intrinsic properties and stimulates increasing attentions. In this Communication, we demonstrate that methanol can affect the coordination mode of ZIF-67 in the presence of Co2+ and induces a mild phase transformation under solvothermal conditions. By applying this transformation process to the ZIF-67@ZIF-8 core-shell structures, a well-defined hollow Zn/Co ZIF rhombic dodecahedron can be obtained. The manufacturing of hollow MOFs enables us to prepare a noble metal@MOF yolk-shell composite with controlled spatial distribution and morphology. The enhanced gas storage and porous confinement that originate from the hollow interior and coating of ZIF-8 confers this unique catalyst with superior activity and selectivity toward the semi-hydrogenation of acetylene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational design of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with hollow features and tunable porosity at the nanoscale can enhance their intrinsic properties and stimulates increasing attentions. In this Communication, we demonstrate that methanol can affect the coordination mode of ZIF-67 in the presence of Co2+ and induces a mild phase transformation under solvothermal conditions. By applying this transformation process to the ZIF-67@ZIF-8 core-shell structures, a well-defined hollow Zn/Co ZIF rhombic dodecahedron can be obtained. The manufacturing of hollow MOFs enables us to prepare a noble metal@MOF yolk-shell composite with controlled spatial distribution and morphology. The enhanced gas storage and porous confinement that originate from the hollow interior and coating of ZIF-8 confers this unique catalyst with superior activity and selectivity toward the semi-hydrogenation of acetylene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of pH values on the microstructure and photocatalytic activity of Ce-Bi2O3 under visible light irradiation was investigated in detail. In alkaline condition ( e.g. pH = 9), the as-prepared Ce-Bi2O3 exhibited an agglomerated status and mesoporous structures without a long-range order. While in weak acid condition ( e.g. pH = 5), the Ce-Bi2O3 exhibited a best morphology with irregular nanosheets. Correspondingly, it possessed largest surface area (24.641 m2 g−1) and pore volume (9.825E-02 cm3 g−1). These unique nanosheets can offer an attachment for pollutant molecules and reduce the distance of electron immigration from inner to surface, thus facilitating the separation of photoelectron and hole pairs. Compared with the pure Bi2O3, the band gap of Ce-Bi2O3 prepared at different pH was much lower. Among them, the band gap of Ce-Bi2O3 ( pH of 5) was lowest (2.61 eV). Ce-Bi2O3 ( pH of 5) exhibited as tetragonal crystal with the bismuth oxide in the form of the composites, which could reduce the band gap width or suppress the charge-carrier recombination, subsequently possessing great photocatalytic activity for acid orange II under visible light irradiation. After 2 h degradation under visible light, the degradation rate of acid Orange II was up to 96.44% by Ce-Bi2O3 prepared at pH 5. Overall, it can be concluded that the pH values had effects on the microstructure and photocatalytic activity of Ce-Bi2O3 catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dong, Y.; Zhang, F., and Fu, L., 2019. Ecological design: The role of extended producer responsibility system. In: Guido-Aldana, P.A. and Mulahasan, S. (eds.), Advances in Water Resources and Exploration. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 93, pp. 354–361. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. With the development of the society, terrestrial and marine ecosystems are destroyed seriously. To protect the ecosystems, ecological design is the key factor to implement the extended producer responsibility system (EPR), which can effectively improve the nature resource utilization, and reduce the waste of resources and environmental destruction during the production, circulation, use and processing stages for products. Firstly, this paper studies the driving factors of producer extended responsibility system, which includes government regulation and incentive, consumer demand pressure, the internal environment of the enterprise management and so on. After analyzing these factors, this paper studies the driving factors on ecological design. Through interviews and questionnaires on the production enterprises, and combined with the current research literatures in china and abroad, this paper verified and developed the scale for ecological design, extended producer responsibility, the driving force of ecological performance factors. The results show that as key elements of EPR, government regulation and incentives, corporate internal environment management can effectively promote the concept and behavior of ecological design of manufacturing enterprises; but consumer demand pressure cannot significantly affect the implementation of ecological design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in RNA high-throughput sequencing and large-scale functional assays yield new insights into the multifaceted activities of transposed elements (TE) and many other previously undiscovered sequence elements. Currently, no tool for easy access, analysis, quantification, and visualization of alternatively spliced exons across multiple tissues or developmental stages is available. Also, analysis pipelines demand computational skills or hardware requirements, which often are hard to meet by wet-lab scientists. We developed ExoPLOT to enable simplified access to massive RNA high throughput sequencing datasets to facilitate the analysis of alternative splicing across many biological samples. To demonstrate the functonality of ExoPLOT, we analyzed the contributon of exonized TEs to human coding sequences (CDS). mRNA splice variants containing the TE-derived exon were quantified and compared to expression levels of TE-free splice variants. For analysis, we utilized 313 human cerebrum, cerebellum, heart, kidney, liver, ovary, and testis transcriptomes, representing various pre- and postnatal developmental stages. ExoPLOT visualizes the relative expression levels of alternative transcripts, e.g., caused by the insertion of new TE-derived exons, across different developmental stages of and among multiple tissues. This tool also provides a unique link between evolution and function during exonization (gain of a new exon) and exaptation (recruitment/co-optation) of a new exon. As input for analysis, we derived a database of 1151 repeat-masked, exonized TEs, representing all prominent families of transposons in the human genome and the collection of human consensus coding sequences (CCDS). ExoPLOT screened preprocessed RNA high-throughput sequencing datasets from seven human tissues to quantify and visualize the dynamics in RNA splicing for these 1151 TE-derived exons during the entire human organ development. In addition, we successfully mapped and analyzed 993 recently described exonized sequences from the human frontal cortex onto these 313 transcriptome libraries. ExoPLOT's approach to preprocessing RNA deep sequencing datasets facilitates alternative splicing analysis and significantly reduces processing times. In addition, ExoPLOT's design allows studying alternative RNA isoforms other than TE-derived in a customized – coordinate-based manner and is available at http://retrogenomics3.uni-muenster.de:3838/exz-plot-d/. • ExoPLOT is a novel tool to analyze and visualize the expression of alternatively spliced genes. • ExoPLOT explores 1151 alternative exons derived from transposed elements. • ExoPLOT applies to 313 transcriptome libraries covering organs from various prenatal and postnatal developmental stages. • ExoPLOT accepts human genomic coordinate that includes any alternatively spliced exon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the characterization and photocatalytic activity of Bi2 WO6/Bi2O3 under visible-light irradiation was investigated in detail. The results suggested that Bi2 WO6/Bi2O3 can be synthesized by a facile one-pot hydrothermal route using a super big 200 mL Teflon-lined autoclave with optimal sodium oleate/Bi molar ratio of 1.25. Through the characterization of Bi2 WO6/Bi2O3 by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra and Photoluminescence spectra, it was found that the as-prepared composite possessed smaller crystallite size and higher visible-light responsive than the pure Bi2 WO6. Moreover, it was expected that the as-prepared composites exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B under visible-light irradiation, which could be ascribed to their improved light absorption property and the reduced recombination of the photogenerated electrons and holes during the photocatalytic reaction. In general, this study could provide a principle method to synthesize Bi2 WO6/Bi2O3 with enhanced photocatalytic activity by one-step hydrothermal synthesis route for environmental purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • ZnS/Cu 3 P photocatalyst was synthesized by a simple hydrothermal-calcination method. • The yield of (2% ZnS/Cu 3 P) was 729 μmol/g/h, about 17 times than that of ZnS. • Heterojunctions following the I-type mechanism were successfully constructed. • Noble metal-free composites for H 2 evolution under visible light illumination. • Migration of charge were beneficial to improve the hydrogen production performance. Developing an efficient and stable photocatalytic hydrogen evolution system is a practical strategy to solve the environmental and energy crisis. Herein, a new noble metal-free I-type ZnS/Cu 3 P composite was successfully prepared by a hydrothermal-calcination way, and its structure and morphology were characterized. The experimental results demonstrated that the photocatalytic performance of pure ZnS nanoparticles is very weak. However, the addition of Cu 3 P greatly improved the photocatalytic performance. The yield of the best sample (2% ZnS/Cu 3 P) was 729 μmol/g/h, about 17 times than that of ZnS. Photocurrent, photoluminescence and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirmed that Cu 3 P greatly enhanced the charge separation process. The improvement of photocatalytic performance of ZnS/Cu 3 P is mainly due to the addition of Cu 3 P nanoparticles, which can not only expand the specific surface area and supply for rich reaction sites, but enhance its photocatalytic performance. Furthermore, the possible mechanism is proposed to illustrate the enhanced photocatalytic performance of the ZnS/Cu 3 P nanocomposite. This research also provides a way for the design and synthesis of new noble-metal-free photocatalysts with good hydrogen production activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pd particles loading on TiO-embedded multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), MWCNTs, and TiO particles were prepared via an impregnation method with palladium(II) chlorate solution followed by heat treatment at high temperature. To characterize the catalysts, BET surface area, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy were employed. The prepared catalysts were tested in degradation of methyl orange under visible light. Pd/TiO-MWCNTs catalyst demonstrates the highest photocatalytic activity, and the phase transformation from PdO to Pd0 phase takes place at heat treatment of embedded TiO. The nanoparticles size of TiO can be decreased by introduction of MWCNTs species. Combining structural characterization with kinetic study results we could conclude that the superior catalytic performance could arise due to the Pd/TiO-MWCNTs catalyst's structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pt and Pd co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized using modified sol-gel processes and characterized by BET surface area, SEM, TEM, XRD, EDX, FT-IR, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results showed that the Pt/Pd-TiO2 nanoparticles possess high surface area and small particles size compared with individual Pt or Pd doped TiO2. The significantly high photocatalytic activity can be ascribed to the simultaneous effects of doped Pt and Pd by cascadal electron transfer from TiO2 to Pd to Pt and reach surface excitation state. And the optimum molar ratio of Pt/Pd at 1.5 can effectively reduce the electron–hole recombination rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/TiO composites were synthesized by sol-gel technique using titanium (IV) n-butoxide (TNB), titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TIP) and titanium (IV) propoxide (TPP) as different titanium alkoxide precursors. The as-prepared composites were comprehensively characterized by BET surface area, SEM, XRD, EDX and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The samples were evaluated for their photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV irradiation. The results indicated that the sample MPB had best excellent photocatalytic activity among the three kinds of samples. Furthermore, we also used piggery waste to determine the photocatalytic activity for the MWCNT/TiO composites by using a chemical oxygen demand (COD) method. It seemed all of the samples have an excellent removal effect of COD. From the results of the bactericidal test, MWCNT/TiO composites with sunlight had a greater effect on E. coli than any other experimental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel Mo 1−x S 2 (Mo 1−x S 2 /TiO 2) with controllable Mo vacancies was successfully synthesized by simple NaBH 4 treatment, which exhibits significantly enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity with lower overpotential and smaller Tafel slope in alkaline electrolyte. Compared with pure TiO 2 or MoS 2 /TiO 2 , the H 2 release rate of Mo 1−x S 2 /TiO 2 heterostructure photocatalyst was significantly increased when Mo 1−x S 2 serves as a co-catalyst. At optimal molar ratio of 2.5:1 Mo 1−x S 2 /TiO 2 , the H 2 release rate achieves 1561 μmol g−1 h−1 in triethanolamine solution, which is approximately 5.3 and 2.7 times of pure TiO 2 and MoS 2 /TiO 2 , respectively. Through electrochemical analysis and first-principle density functional theory calculations, the faster separation and transfer of photogenerated electron and holes as well as higher HER activity improve the efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen production. This work opens a new doorway for utilization of defective 2D sheet materials towards solar to H 2 conversion. When Mo 1−x S 2 serves as co-catalyst for photocatalytic H 2 generation by integrating TiO 2 , the H 2 release rate of Mo 1−x S 2 /TiO 2 heterostructure photocatalyst was significantly increased. [Display omitted] • Mo 1−x S 2 with controllable Mo vacancies was synthesized via solid-phase reaction. • Defect-rich MoS 2 exhibits significantly enhanced HER activity. • The synthesized Mo 1−x S 2 was an excellent cocatalysts. • Mo 1−x S 2 /TiO 2 composites exhibit superiorly photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are entering the age of Ubiquitous Computing, and its most distinguished advantage is invisibility of computing. The essence of invisible computing is the invisibility of Human-computer Interaction, as people can focus their attention on the content instead of the tools they are using. This paper studies how to make computers invisible, and proposes a framework of online invisible computing and offline invisible computing. Online invisible computing is Intelligent Human Computer Interaction, where the computers function as intelligent agents; whereas offline invisible computing as in Natural Human Computer Interaction, people are able to use the computers without much conscious effort. This paper focuses the study on offline invisible computing which needs only minimal users' attention when the users are using computers. The paper attempts to realize invisible computing with Affordances, especially designing Action Affordances in computers. In the Ubiquitous Computing age, the computers would not only be invisible but also be embedded in the environment where people are living, so Human-Computer Interaction could not be separated from the environment any more; User & Environment Centred Design (UECD), a new designing method for ubiquitous computing is also proposed in this paper. A Pen Based User Interface system is developed as the first step to invisible computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a highly dense GdB 6 bulk ceramic material was fabricated using one-step in-situ reaction spark plasma sintering technology. The sample with a relative density of 96.7 % and a purity of 96.9 wt% was successfully obtained by sintering at 1800 °C for 30 min under a uniaxial pressure of 50 MPa. The Vickers hardness, elastic modulus and fracture toughness of the as-obtained GdB 6 bulk ceramics were 18.9 GPa, 209 GPa and 1.6 MPa·m1/2, respectively. The thermal conductivity of GdB 6 at room temperature was 28.68 W·m−1·K−1, 70 % of which was mainly attributed to phonon vibration, while the remaining 30 % to the electrical thermal conductivity. In addition, the as-obtained GdB 6 ceramics showed no phase transformation after heat treatment at a relatively high temperature of 2100 °C for 20 min in Ar atmosphere. The highly covalent octahedral boron framework played a critical role in maintaining the phase stability of the GdB 6 crystal lattice. This suggested that GdB 6 ceramics could be used as potential ultra-high temperature ceramics for aerospace applications and high-power vacuum electronic devices operated at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• g-C 3 N 4 /Ni(OH) 2 photocatalyst was synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. • C O groups were introduced on the surface to enrich electrons. • The heterostructure between the rod-shaped Ni(OH) 2 and g-C 3 N 4. • CN-Ni2 composite showed superior photocatalytic hydrogen evolution efficiency. • QE of CN-Ni2 composite sample achieved 2.78% under light at λ = 420 nm. Non-noble metal g-C 3 N 4 /Ni(OH) 2 photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a wet-chemical method. The morphology, structure and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution of g-C 3 N 4 /Ni(OH) 2 were researched. The experiments showed that the best photocatalytic hydrogen evolution of g-C 3 N 4 /Ni(OH) 2 was 21 μmolg-1h−1, which was about 105 folds than that of pure g-C 3 N 4. And that the apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of g-C 3 N 4 /Ni(OH) 2 composite (2 wt%) achieved 2.78% under light at λ = 420 nm. The enhanced photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the heterostructure between the rod-shaped Ni(OH) 2 and g-C 3 N 4. Meanwhile, partial carbonylation on the surface of g-C 3 N 4 via hydrothermal reaction has made a certain contribution. Their synergistic effect promotes the rapid transfer and separation of electron-hole pairs, and improves the efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The possible mechanism of hydrogen evolution was also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a purity of up to 98.36 wt. % GdB 6 with screw dislocation growth morphology were successfully fabricated using an in-situ reaction approach. The terraced-like structure of the GdB 6 enhanced the interfacial polarization and multiple interface scattering of the electromagnetic waves. As a result, the as-obtained high purity GdB 6 powder presented superior electromagnetic wave absorption performance. The minimum reflection loss value can be −49.24 dB at the frequency of 13.12 GHz with a thin matching thickness of 1.44 mm. In addition, the widest effective absorption bandwidth can be up to ∼4 GHz (14–18 GHz) with a thin matching thickness of 1.25 mm. The remarkable electromagnetic wave absorption performance of GdB 6 ceramics could be attributed to conductance loss and polarization loss enhanced by the screw dislocation growth defects, as well as synergistic effects with magnetic loss. The as-obtained GdB 6 with synergistic dielectric loss and magnetic loss is to be a novel single-phase with excellent electromagnetic wave absorbing material, which will pave the way on the investigation of rare earth hexaborides for the ultra-high temperature environment applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of recent advances in Graph Convolutional Networks (GCNs) for semi-supervised learning, a significant highlight is the potential of Graph Contrastive Learning (GCL). Many established GCL-based GCNs focus on developing various augmentation strategies and learning architectures to efficiently generate and learn self-supervised information. Unfortunately, the node representation fusion is often neglected in the process of learning representation. To address the issue, we propose a novel end-to-end GCL framework called Perturbation-augmented Graph Convolutional Networks (PA-GCN), by simultaneously considering supervised information and self-supervised information of graphs to fuse node representations from the input graph and the augmentation graphs. Essentially, PA-GCN develops a perturbation augmentation strategy based on original graph relations, serving as a basis to generate diverse node information and self-supervised information. Additionally, PA-GCN introduces three main components: A encoder for node representation learning; an attention mechanism for effective node representation fusion; and a discriminator capable of learning self-supervised information from unlabeled nodes, thereby enabling joint learning of supervised information, node representation fusion, and self-supervised information. We conduct experiments on five real world datasets to evaluate the performance of PA-GCN in semi-supervised node classification tasks. The experimental results demonstrate the strong adaptability of PA-GCN for base encoders and the superiority of PA-GCN over the most advanced methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a diatom treated with acid as the base skeleton, and introduced furfuryl alcohol into diatom skeleton was in-situ polymerized, followed by carbonizing, alkali activation, and a series novel hydrogen storage materials of porous carbon composite diatom skeleton (A-PCDS) were prepared. The effect of composites prepared with different concentrations of acid treatment diatomaceous earth on the hydrogen storage properties was investigated. The results showed that the use of suitable concentrations of acid treatment was beneficial to the hydrogen storage properties of the final synthesized materials. The 4 M acid-treated final samples showed stronger hydrogen storage performance relative to the 0.5 M acid-treated final samples, and the hydrogen storage capacity was increased from 3.25 wt% (77K, 5 MPa) to 4.21 wt% (77K, 5 MPa). This results will be of great value for the application and development of high-performance and low-cost hydrogen storage materials, which can be prepared in large quantities. [Display omitted] • The porous carbon composite diatom skeleton (PCDS) preparation. • The activated PCDS sample (A-PCDS 4.0) with high hydrogen storage performance. • The hydrogen storage capacity of A-PCDS 4.0 is 4.33 wt%(77K,5 MPa). • The novel A-PCDS materials used for physical hydrogen storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large display interaction has undergone considerable growth, whereas distant pointing poses challenges due to distance limitations and input devices. Smart devices with superior computing power and rich input capabilities aim to surmount these restrictions. However, pointing interactions in single-layer have limited accuracy in large display scenarios. We investigate a hierarchical pointing approach that couples multiple control modes of rotation attitude, touch operation, and pressure simulation with different cursor strategies. Specifically, it covers the dual-layer cursor with the hierarchical structure, the pressure-dependent multistage gain cursor, and the cursor projection technique based on the target acquisition mechanism. We contrast seven distant pointing techniques in two groups of experiments. Our results indicate that the hierarchical interaction strategy improves user performance, and cursor projection achieves an optimal trade-off between velocity and accuracy for high Fitts' index of difficulty (ID) contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the molybdenum polymetallic metallogenic regularity and prediction of the mineral field in Jinduicheng-Huang Longpu in China. It mentions that the lithologic interface control happens during the molybdenum mineralization. It mentions about the combination of lead and zinc in the geochemical development of the molybdenum and lead.

Here, we report a genome-wide survey of immunoglobulin light chain (IGL) genes of torafugu (Takifugu rubripes) revealing multi-clusters spanning three separate chromosomes (v5 assembly) and 45 scaffolds (v4 assembly). Conventional sequence similarity searches and motif scanning approaches based on recombination signal sequence (RSS) motifs were used. We found that three IGL isotypes (L1, L2, and L3) exist in torafugu and that several loci for each isotype are present. The transcriptional orientations of the variable IGL (VL) segments were found to be either the same (in the L2 isotype) or opposite (in the L1 and L3 isotypes) to the IGL joining (JL) and constant (CL) segments, suggesting they can undergo rearrangement by deletion or inversion when expressed. Alignments of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) to corresponding germline gene segments revealed expression of the three IGL isotypes in torafugu. Taken together, our findings provide a genomic framework for torafugu IGL genes and show that the IG diversity of this species could be attributed to at least three distinct chromosomal regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Confinement Effect of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) allows MoO2 nanoparticles@porous carbon to be fabricated by subliming MoO3 into the pores of the MOF UIO‐66. The resulting MoO2 nanpoarticles (NPs) were converted into MoP at 850 °C by PH3 which was generated in situ. In their Communication on page 12854 ff. Y. Wu, Y. Li, and co‐workers show that using this strategy, MoP NPs confined in porous carbon are obtained and exhibit higher hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity than bulk MoP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unter Nutzung der Poren des Metall ‐ organischen Gerüsts UIO ‐ 66 durch Sublimation von MO3 erhaltene MoO2 ‐ Nanopartikel (NPs) in porösem Kohlenstoff wurden durch in situ erzeugtes PH3 bei 850 °C in MoP umgewandelt. In ihrer Zuschrift auf S. 13046 ff. zeigen Y. Wu, Y. Li und Mitarbeiter, dass auf diese Weise hergestellte MoP ‐ NPs in porösem Kohlenstoff eine höhere Aktivität bei der Wasserstoffentwicklung aufweisen als massives MoP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retrophylogenomics makes use of genome-wide retrotransposon presence/absence insertion patterns to resolve questions in phylogeny and population genetics. In the genomics era, evaluating high-throughput data requires the associated development of appropriately powerful statistical tools. The currently used KKSC 3-lineage statistical test for estimating the significance of retrophylogenomic data is limited by the number of possible tree topologies it can assess in one step. To improve on this, we have extended the analysis to simultaneously compare four lineages, enabling us to evaluate ten distinct presence/absence insertion patterns for 26 possible tree topologies plus 129 trees with different incidences of hybridization or introgression. The new tool provides statistics for cases involving multiple ancestral hybridizations/introgressions, ancestral incomplete lineage sorting, bifurcation, and polytomy. The test is embedded in a user-friendly web R application (http://retrogenomics.uni-muenster.de:3838/hammlet/) and is available for use by the scientific community. [ancestral hybridization/introgression; ancestral incomplete lineage sorting (ILS); empirical distribution; KKSC-statistics; 4-lineage (4-LIN) insertion polymorphism; polytomy; retrophylogenomics.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the influences of supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2 ) on the indigenous microbial communities. Results revealed that the abundance of gene copies (mL − 1 ) in samples and the shifts in the microbial community were strongly affected by scCO 2 injection. Furthermore, Proteobacteria showed better ability of tolerance to the scCO 2 injection than Firmicutes in initial period and both of them were the predominant phyla after 180 days' experiments. In addition, the acidogenic mineral-attached biofilms formed by Pseudomonas stutzeri , Acinetobacter soli etc. surrounding the feldspars and clays could lower the pH in solution and accelerate the dissolution of silicate minerals. As the secondary carbon sink minerals, amount of CaCO 3 and FeCO 2 were observed in the microbially mediated CO 2 -saline-sandstone interactions, demonstrated the Fe(III)-reducing microbes ( Shewanella putrefaciens , Citrobacter sp. LAR-1 and Pseudomonas fluorescens ) could reduce the Fe(III) released from clays to Fe(II) and induce siderite biomineralization through metabolic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel flame-retardant agent, nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing polysiloxane [(IB- co- N-MDPA)PDMS] was synthesized, and it was employed on cotton fabrics. Cone calorimeter testing showed that the treated cotton fabric with (IB- co- N-MDPA)PDMS became less flammable with longer time to ignition and lower value of HRR, THR, EHC and mass loss. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that (IB- co- N-MDPA)PDMS improved the thermal and thermo-oxidative stability of cotton fabric with fewer flammable volatiles, and more char is produced during combustion. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the surface of treated cotton fabric after combustion was covered by a compact char layer which indicated that (IB- co- N-MDPA)PDMS favored the formation of char as evidenced by the FTIR of residues. Furthermore, EDS analysis results demonstrated that the concurrent presence of Si and P in flame retardant effectively enhance the flame retardancy of cotton fabric with the remarkable amount of Si and P elements that were still present on the surface of fibers after combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The areas with typical municipal sewage discharge river and irrigation water function were selected as study sites in northeast China. The samples from groundwater and river sediment in this area were collected for the concentrations and forms of heavy metals (Cr(VI), Cd, As, and Pb) analysis. The risk assessment of heavy metal pollution was conducted based on single-factor pollution index (I) and Nemerow pollution index (NI). The results showed that only one groundwater sampling site reached a polluted level of heavy metals. There was a high potential ecological risk of Cd on the N21-2 sampling site in river sediment. The morphological analysis results of heavy metals in sediment showed that the release of heavy metals can be inferred as one of the main pollution sources of groundwater. In addition, the changes in the concentration and migration scope of As were predicted by using the Groundwater Modeling System (GMS). The predicted results showed that As will migrate downstream in the next decade, and the changing trend of As polluted areas was changed with As content districts because of some pump wells downstream to form groundwater depression cone, which made the solute transfer upstream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iodine butyl- N -sulfonate amino polysiloxane [(IB- N -SA) PDMS] was synthesized as a novel water repellent and flame retardant and it was characterized by FT-IR. The water repellency of treated cotton fabric with (IB-N-SA) PDMS was studied and the results showed that the water contact angle increased from 88.37° to 124.49°. The flame retardant properties of treated cotton fabric were evaluated by limiting oxygen index (LOI) and the vertical burning test. The treated cotton fabric obtained good flame retardancy with a LOI value of 30.9%. Furthermore, The combustion properties of treated cotton fabric were assessed by cone calorimeter and it demonstrated that the treated cotton fabric with (IB-N-SA) PDMS generated less combustion heat and obtained better flame retardancy which can be confirmed by the increase of TTI and FPI values and the decrease in the values of HRR, THR, EHC, Mass loss and CO 2 /CO ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sn-doped MnNiFeO4 ceramic with negative temperature coefficient (NTC) was prepared through the low-temperature solid-phase reaction route (LTSPR), aiming at improving the sintering behavior and modulating the electrical properties. The experimental results of the ceramic powder precursor indicate that the calcination of the ceramic precursors at above ~300 °C is an exothermic process, which contributes to the transition of the ceramic powder from the amorphous phase into the crystal spinel phase; the spinel phase of ceramic powders can be formed initially at ~450 °C and well-formed at ~750 °C. A high densification of ~98% relative densities and evenly distributed grains within an average size of 2~12 μm for the sintered Sn-doped specimen were obtained. The specific resistance and B-value were notably increased from 12.63 KΩ·cm to ~24.65 KΩ·cm, and from 3438 K to ~3779 K, respectively, with the Sn-doping amount. In contrast, the aging rates of the Sn-doped specimen have not changed markedly larger, waving around ~2.7%. The as-designed Sn-doped MnNiFeO4 can be presented as a candidate for some defined NTC requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue as an acute infectious disease threatens global public health and has sparked broad research interest. However, existing studies generally ignore the spatial dependencies involved in dengue forecast, and consideration of temporal periodicity is absent. In this work, we propose a spatiotemporal component fusion model (STCFM) to solve the dengue risk forecast issue. Considering that mosquitoes are an important vector of dengue transmission, we introduce feature factors involving mosquito abundance and spatiotemporal lags to model temporal trends and spatial distributions separately on the basis of statistical properties. Specifically, we conduct multiscale modeling of temporal dependencies to enhance the forecast capability of relevant periods by capturing the historical variation patterns of the data across different segments in the temporal dimension. In the spatial dimension, we quantify the multivariate spatial correlation analysis as additional features to strengthen the spatial feature representation and adopt the ConvLSTM model to learn spatial dependencies adequately. The final forecast results are obtained by stacking strategy fusion in ensemble learning. We conduct experiments on real dengue datasets. The results indicate that STCFM improves prediction accuracy through effective spatiotemporal feature representations and outperforms candidate models with a reasonable component construction strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyploidy plays an important role in the evolution of eukaryotes, especially for flowering plants. Many of ecologically or agronomically important plant or crop species are polyploids, including sycamore maple (tetraploid), the world second and third largest food crops wheat (hexaploid) and potato (tetraploid) as well as economically important aquaculture animals such as Atlantic salmon and trout. The next generation sequencing data enables to allocate genotype at a sequence variant site, known as genotyping by sequencing (GBS). GBS has stimulated enormous interests in population based genomics studies in almost all diploid and many polyploid organisms. DNA sequence polymorphisms are codominant and thus fully informative about the underlying genotype at the polymorphic site, making GBS a straightforward task in diploids. However, sequence data may usually be uninformative in polyploid species, making GBS a far more challenging task in polyploids. This paper presents novel and rigorous statistical methods for predicting the number of sequence reads needed to ensure accurate GBS at a polymorphic site bared by the reads in polyploids and shows that a dozen of reads can ensure a probability of 95% to recover all constituent alleles of any tetraploid genotype but several hundreds of reads are needed to accurately uncover the genotype with probability confidence of 90%, subverting the proposition of GBS using low coverage sequence data in the literature. The theoretical prediction was tested by use of RAD‐seq data from tetraploid potato cultivars. The paper provides polyploid experimentalists with theoretical guides and methods for designing and conducting their sequence‐based studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The morphology tunable ZnO thin film was obtained via CBD by governing ammonia. [•] The sheet-like, novel rose-like and flower-like ZnO structures were achieved. [•] Detailed formation mechanisms of these ZnO structures were discussed. [•] Optical properties of ZnO films with three morphologies were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] [200] oriented Cu2O thin films were prepared by chemical bath deposition. [•] H2O2 played a major role in methyl orange (MO) degradation over Cu2O thin films. [•] The mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activity was proposed. [•] Cu2O thin film photocatalysts were considerably stable and recyclable. [•] Morphological evolution of Cu2O quasi-cubic particles was found when recycled. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

miRNA has been a research hotspot in recent years and its scope of action is very wide, involving the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and other biological behaviors. This study intends to explore the role of miRNA in the lipid metabolism and development of Wilms tumor (WT) by detecting and analyzing the differences in the expression profiles of miRNAs between the tumor and adjacent normal tissue. Gene detection was performed in tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues of three cases of WT to screen differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs). According to our previous research, FASN, which participates in the lipid metabolism pathway, may be a target of WT. The starBase database was used to predict FASN-targeted miRNAs. The above two groups of miRNAs were intersected to obtain FASN-targeted DEMs and then GO Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis of FASN-targeted DEMs was performed. Finally, the FASN-targeted DEMs were compared and further verified by qRT‒PCR. Through gene sequencing and differential analysis, 287 DEMs were obtained, including 132 upregulated and 155 downregulated miRNAs. The top ten DEMs were all downregulated. Fourteen miRNAs targeted by the lipid metabolism-related gene FASN were predicted by starBase. After intersection with the DEMs, three miRNAs were finally obtained, namely, miR-107, miR-27a-3p, and miR-335-5p. GO enrichment analysis was mainly concentrated in the Parkin-FBXW7-Cul1 ubiquitin ligase complex and response to prostaglandin E. Further experimental verification showed that miR-27a-3p was significantly correlated with WT (P = 0.0018). Imbalanced expression of miRNAs may be involved in the occurrence and development of WT through lipid metabolism. The expression of miR-27a-3p is related to the malignant degree of WT, and it may become the target of diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of WT in the later stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]