Search

Anthraquinones are bioactive natural products, which are often found in medicinal herbs. These compounds exert antioxidant-related pharmacological actions including neuroprotective effects, anti-inflammation, anticancer, hepatoprotective effects and anti-aging, etc. Considering the benefits from their pharmacological use, recently, there was an upsurge in the development and utilization of anthraquinones as reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulators. In this review, a deep discussion was carried out on their antioxidant activities and the structure-activity relationships. The antioxidant mechanisms and the chemistry behind the antioxidant activities of both natural and synthesized compounds were furtherly explored and demonstrated. Due to the specific chemical activity of ROS, antioxidants are essential for human health. Therefore, the development of reagents that regulate the imbalance between ROS formation and elimination should be more extensive and rational, and the exploration of antioxidant mechanisms of anthraquinones may provide new therapeutic tools and ideas for various diseases mediated by ROS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the distribution pattern of hydrocarbons in the shallow layer of the slope area outside of the source in the hydrocarbon-bearing basin, we built a method to predict the favorable site of the fault that adjusts hydrocarbon to the shallow layer in the slope area outside of the source based on the investigation of the mechanism of hydrocarbon adjustment along a conduit fault to a shallow layer. The predicted favorable site is found to be the overlapping area of three sites: the locations of the sand carrier with a lateral supply of hydrocarbon, the transport sites of conduit faults, and the hydrocarbon leakage parts of overlying regional mudstone seal rock. We applied the method in a case study of the favorable sites of the Zhaobei Fault that adjust the hydrocarbon from the lower sub-member within the first member of Shahejie Formation (Es1L) to the shallow Guantao Formation in the Qikou Sag of Bohai Bay Basin. Our prediction shows that the favorable sites are mostly located in the middle part of the Zhaobei Fault with very limited distribution in the east, which are conducive to the oil and gas supplied by the underlying sand carrier in the Es1L Formation to convergence and accumulation in the shallow Guantao Formation. This result is consistent with the distribution of the hydrocarbon in the Guantao Formation located in the middle parts of the Zhaobei Fault, proving that this method is feasible for the prediction of the favorable sites of the fault that adjust hydrocarbon to the shallow layer in the slope area outside of source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric energy-storage capacitors are among the main enabling technologies in high-density power converters, in which lead-free relaxor ferroelectric ceramics have been paid particular attention to. However, low energy-storage performance at elevated temperature and high electric field, and the lack of application-oriented evaluation are among the primary blocks stumbling their progress. As a demonstration, 0.87BaTiO3-0.13Bi[Zn2/3(Nb0.85Ta0.15)1/3]O3 (BTBZNT) lead-free relaxor ferroelectric ceramics were modified by linear dielectric CaZrO3 (CZ) with various contents of 0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 (CZ0, CZ1, CZ2, and CZ3). XRD and Raman results reveal major perovskite phases, and densely sintered ceramics were witnessed from the SEM images. Unchanged weakly coupled relaxor behavior was confirmed by the big critical coefficient of 1.6–1.8 from the modified Curie–Weiss law and the large activation energy of 0.29–0.32 eV from the Volgel–Fulcher fittings, and CZ was found to suppress high-temperature loss. From the normal polarization–electric field (P–E) loops, CZ0 is optimal for energy-storage owing to the highest discharged energy density and modest efficiency. Nevertheless, from the application-oriented DC-biased P–E loops, CZ1 is oppositely superior to CZ0 because of the higher permittivity and lower loss leading to higher discharged energy density and efficiency at DC-biased electric field. Moreover, CZ1 outperforms CZ0 in the higher capacitance density and lower temperature rise at higher temperature and electric field. Enhanced DC-biased energy-storage performance in BTBZNT ceramics modified by CZ was achieved, which should enlighten the advance of energy-storage ceramics targeting the application in high-density power converters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and is related to the severity of the disease. This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting severe bronchiolitis in infants and young children with RSV infection. Methods: A total of 325 children with RSV-associated bronchiolitis were enrolled, including 125 severe cases and 200 mild cases. A prediction model was built on 227 cases and validated on 98 cases, which were divided by random sampling in R software. Relevant clinical, laboratory and imaging data were collected. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine optimal predictors and to construct nomograms. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated by the area under the characteristic curve (AUC), calibration ability and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: There were 137 (60.4%) mild and 90 (39.6%) severe RSV-associated bronchiolitis cases in the training group (n = 227) and 63 (64.3%) mild and 35 (35.7%) severe cases in the validation group (n = 98). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified 5 variables as significant predictive factors to construct the nomogram for predicting severe RSV-associated bronchiolitis, including preterm birth (OR = 3.80; 95% CI, 1.39–10.39; P = 0.009), weight at admission (OR = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63–0.91; P = 0.003), breathing rate (OR = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.05–1.18; P = 0.001), lymphocyte percentage (OR = 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95–0.99; P = 0.001) and outpatient use of glucocorticoids (OR = 2.27; 95% CI, 1.05–4.9; P = 0.038). The AUC value of the nomogram was 0.784 (95% CI, 0.722–0.846) in the training set and 0.832 (95% CI, 0.741–0.923) in the validation set, which showed a good fit. The calibration plot and Hosmer‒Lemeshow test indicated that the predicted probability had good consistency with the actual probability both in the training group (P = 0.817) and validation group (P = 0.290). The DCA curve shows that the nomogram has good clinical value. Conclusion: A nomogram for predicting severe RSV-associated bronchiolitis in the early clinical stage was established and validated, which can help physicians identify severe RSV-associated bronchiolitis and then choose reasonable treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A developmental niche vacancy in host embryos is necessary for stem cell complementation-based organ regeneration (SCOG). Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) is a tissue-specific transcription factor that regulates the embryonic development and differentiation of the thyroid and, more importantly, lungs; thus, it has been considered as a master gene to knockout in order to develop a lung vacancy host. TTF-1 knockout mice were originally produced by inserting a stop codon in Exon 3 of the gene (E3stop) through embryonic stem cell-based homologous recombination. The main problems of utilizing E3stop host embryos for lung SCOG are that these animals all have a tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), which cannot be corrected by donor stem cells, and most of them have monolateral sac-like lungs. To improve the mouse model towards achieving SCOG-based lung generation, in this project, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 tool to remove Exon 2 of the gene by zygote microinjection and successfully produced TTF-1 knockout (E2del) mice. Similar to E3stop, E2del mice are birth-lethal due to retarded lung development with sac-like lungs and only a rudimentary bronchial tree, increased basal cells but without alveolar type II cells and blood vessels, and abnormal thyroid development. Unlike E3stop, 57% of the E2del embryos presented type I tracheal agenesis (TA, a kind of human congenital malformation) with a shortened trachea and clear separations of the trachea and esophagus, while the remaining 43% had TEF. Furthermore, all the E2del mice had bilateral sac-like lungs. Both TA and bilateral sac-like lungs are preferred in SCOG. Our work presents a new strategy for producing SCOG host embryos that may be useful for lung regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Polymer-based dielectrics with high thermal conductivity and superb dielectric properties hold great promising for advanced electronic packaging and thermal management application. However, integrating these properties into a single material remains challenging due to their mutually exclusive physical connotations. Here, an ideal dielectric thermally conductive epoxy composite is successfully prepared by incorporating multiscale hybrid fillers of boron nitride microsphere (BNMS) and silicon dioxide coated silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiC@SiO 2). In the resultant composites, the microscale BNMS serve as the principal building blocks to establish the thermally conductive network, while the nanoscale SiC@SiO 2 as bridges to optimize the heat transfer and suppress the interfacial phonon scattering. In addition, the special core–shell nanoarchitecture of SiC@SiO 2 can significantly impede the leakage current and generate a great deal of minicapacitors in the composites. Consequently, favorable thermal conductivity (0.76 W/mK) and dielectric constant (∼8.19) are simultaneously achieved in the BNMS/SiC@SiO 2 /Epoxy composites without compromising the dielectric loss (∼0.022). The strategy described in this study provides important insights into the design of high-performance dielectric composites by capitalizing on the merits of different particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strategy to develop a multifunctional sodium alginate personalized scaffold with enhanced mechanical stability, osteogenesis activity and excellent anti-inflammatory activity by cryogenic 3 D printing combined with subsequent crosslinking with Sr2+ is proposed in this study. The ink for 3 D printing was prepared by dispersing modified PLLA droplets containing ibuprofen into sodium alginate aqueous solution using lecithin as stabilizer. The results showed that the drug-loaded microspheres formed from the low-temperature solidifying of the modified PLLA droplets were homogeneously dispersed in sodium alginate substrate, and the scaffold displayed a sustained drug release performance toward ibuprofen which endowed the scaffold with persistent anti-inflammatory effects. In vitro cell culture indicated that the lecithin not only acted as the stabilizer, but also stimulated the proliferation and mineralization of osteoblastic cells on the scaffold. Sr2+-crosslinking improved the mechanical properties and osteogenic activity of the scaffold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The framework to learn how to manage SMEs is as simple as management. The first is to identify the internal control problems and causes of SMEs, and the reasons for the internal management problems of SMEs. Then, we analyzed the management system management and development of the business model industry-standard model. Based on the construction of industrial subsystems, a simple subsystem conversion system is developed, and a simple exchange strategy matrix for equipment measurement and decision-making is constructed. Finally, taking CW as an example, the company's case modeled and demonstrated the feasibility of the retrofit process, supporting the importance of the study. The experimental results show that asset specificity, organizational structure stability, cultural organization memory, and entrepreneur cognitive inertia are the main factors that promote the formation of strategic rigidity. Once the strategic rigidity is formed, it will have a negative effect on the enterprise, resulting in a lack of adaptability, lack of innovation power, and a decline in business performance, indicating the necessity and urgency of building an enterprise strategic flexibility system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric materials with excellent thermal stability, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity are highly desirable for advanced electronics and electrical equipment. However, it remains a significant challenge to develop a single material with these properties. Here we describe a new strategy to prepare dielectric paper by combining one-dimensional aramid nanofiber (ANF) with two-dimensional fluorinated graphene (F-graphene) through a vacuum-assisted filtration method. The obtained ANF/F-graphene paper exhibits a low dielectric constant of 1.92 at 103 Hz and its electrical breakdown strength is 17.6% higher than that of the neat ANF paper, owing to the presence of F-graphene, which significantly suppresses the accumulation of space charge in the prepared paper. Moreover, high mechanical strength (>200 MPa), thermal conductivity (6.29 Wm−1K−1), and thermal decomposition temperature (>500°C) are simultaneously achieved for the ANF/F-graphene paper. These findings highlight the fabrication of multifunctional dielectric materials and broaden their practical applications in the field of high-temperature electronics and devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SF6 is a greenhouse gas. Finding an alternative gas for SF6 has become an urgent problem in the switch field. In order to explore the feasibility of replacing SF6 gas with dry air directly, CO2 and C4F7N/CO2 mixed gas, based on the KYN28‐12 medium voltage switchgear, the finite element method was used to solve the three‐dimensional coupled multi‐physics of the switchgear in this paper. From the angle of the temperature field and flow field, the temperature rise characteristics under different operation conditions were analyzed. The results showed that the temperature field and flow field distribution under the four gases were similar. Among them, the temperature rise of SF6 gas was the smallest, followed by the C4F7N/CO2 mixed gas, CO2 and dry air. The flow rate of SF6 gas was the lowest, about 0.11 m/s. The flow velocities of other gases were relatively close. When the switchgear was filled with the same gas, as the inflation pressure increased, the temperature rise of the switchgear decreased and the gas flow rate also dropped to a certain extent. The temperature field and flow field of the switchgear under the C4F7N/CO2 mixed gas at 0.2 Mpa were similar to those under the 0.1 Mpa SF6 gas. Under the C4F7N/CO2 mixed gas, the contact failure of the plum contact made the temperature rise of the switchgear increase overall. The maximum temperature rise point transferred to the contact failure. The temperature rise further rose with the increase of the contact failure degree. The gas flow rate also greatly increased with the failure degree elevated. From the perspective of temperature rise, the C4F7N/CO2 mixed gas has the possibility of being applied in the electrical equipment under the premise of meeting the insulation conditions. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The developments in the high-power densities and high integration of electronic devices have put forward higher requirements for advanced thermal management materials (TMMs) to meet the rising demand for heat dissipation. However, it has remained a major challenge to achieve significant enhancement of thermal conductivity (TC) of TMMs without compromising their mechanical and dielectric properties. Here, we report a flexible, thermally conductive composite film that contain aramid nanofiber (ANF) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) decorated with boron nitride (BN), the in-plane TC of which is up to 12 W/mK at 40 wt.% filler contents. Such a high TC is attributed to the bridging role of AgNPs, which greatly reduces the interfacial thermal resistance of composites. At the same time, the as-prepared composite films possess outstanding mechanical strength (>126 MPa), owing to the coupling between the ANF network and the favourable hydrogen bonding interaction between the ANF and the functional BN. Moreover, a low dielectric loss (<0.05), high electrical resistivity (~1014 Ω·cm), and high decomposition temperature (>500°C) are simultaneously achieved for the composite films. These findings offer a facile strategy for the design of multifunctional TMMs, which hold great promising for application in electric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane distillation (MD) is an emerging water treatment technology that employs a microporous hydrophobic membrane as a physical barrier against liquid feed and utilizes the transmembrane vapor pressure difference as the driving force to propel volatile components transport across the membrane. MD has a great potential in various industrial applications such as desalination, food industry, drug purification, and separation of azeotropic mixtures. Although it has a bright future, the large-scale industrialization of MD is restricted by serious membrane wetting issues. This review illustrates the membrane wetting types, summarizes several wetting detections, discusses the causes of membrane wetting and eventually highlights the development of membrane synthesis for improved anti-wettability. • 5 key novel membranes for improved anti-wettability in MD are critically reviewed. • Dense membranes with hydrophilic dense layer are promising for all-around anti-wetting. • This review offers comprehensive analysis and guidelines for anti-wetting membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to evaluate the effects of Allium mongolicum Regel (AMR) and its water‐ and fat‐soluble extracts on the quality of fermented mutton sausages. Sausages were produced with mutton and fat. Four treatments: CO, without Allium mongolicum Regel and its extracts, used as control; AMR with Allium mongolicum Regel; AWE with water‐soluble extract of Allium mongolicum Regel; and AFE with liposoluble extract from Allium mongolicum Regel, were produced and analyzed for pH, water activity (aw), free amino acids, fatty acids, and volatiles were, respectively, in fermented mutton sausages during processing (0, 2, 5, and 7 days). The results showed that the pH values of the liposoluble extract from Allium mongolicum Regel (AFE), respectively, are lower than that of sample CO at the end of fermentation and ripening. The aw in all group of sausages significantly dropped to 0.88 at the end of ripening (Day 7). Adding Allium mongolicum Regel and its water‐soluble extract can improve the serine (SER) content of fermented mutton sausage. The contents of five essential amino acids (EAA) were added when adding Allium mongolicum Regel and its fat‐soluble extract. The total fatty acid (TFA) in the treatments increased during drying and ripening. The addition of Allium mongolicum Regel and its extract can increase the content of volatile flavor substances such as 3‐hydroxy‐2‐butanone, 3‐methylbutyraldehyde, hexanal, octanal, and nonanal at the later stage of maturity, so as to improve the flavor substances in fermented mutton sausage. Water‐soluble extract of Allium mongolicum Regel (AWE) and AFE treatments had more intense flavor at the end of ripening (Day 7). The flavor of fermented mutton sausage can be improved by adding Allium mongolicum Regel and its extracts into fermented mutton sausage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of the electrical contact in a gas insulated switchgear (GIS) is closely related to overheating at the contact. However, the disconnector contact is one of the hot contacts in GIS. Therefore, in this paper, the finite element method was used to solve the three-dimensional multiphysics coupling temperature rise field and flow field in the Single Phase in One Tank (SPIOT) type GIS disconnector under different operating conditions. From the perspective of temperature rise field and flow field, this paper analyzed the temperature rise characteristics under different working conditions and explored the feasibility of the direct application of air, CO2 and C4F7N/CO2 mixed gas to an electrical device. The disconnector temperature rise experiment platform was then built to verify the simulation. The results showed that the temperature rise field and the flow field distribution were similar in four gas environments. SF6 gas had the smallest temperature rise, followed by C4F7N/CO2 mixed gas, and the temperature rise of CO2 and air was relatively large. Therefore, from the perspective of the temperature rise field and flow field, it was feasible to directly apply C4F7N/CO2 mixed gas to an electrical device in order to meet insulation requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of the power industry and the increase in the capacity of power systems, vacuum switches have been developed rapidly. The distribution characteristics of the vacuum arc can reflect the working conditions of the vacuum switch. So, it is vital to understand the distribution characteristics in the vacuum arc burning process for understanding the interruption performance of vacuum switches. Based on the 3D magnetohydrodynamic model, we investigated the high-current vacuum arc burning process by modeling and numerical simulation. The research findings show a certain correspondence between the change in plasma parameters values and the change in arc current. The distribution of plasma parameters is uniform when the current is small. The distribution of plasma parameters in the first 1/4 cycle is more uniform than in the second 1/4 cycle. The evolution characteristics of the arc plasma parameters for interruption before the arc current maximum differ significantly from those for interruption after the arc current maximum and current maximum. The results of this study can provide a reference for the design and improvement of vacuum switches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the arc-burning process of a high-current vacuum arc (HCVA), the metal particles (MPs) splashed from the active anode will have a significant influence on the plasma characteristics of the arc column. In this paper, the influence of varying MPs on the characteristics of HCVA are studied by establishing a HCVA model containing single or multiple MPs. The simulation results show that when the MPs vaporized metal vapor (MV) enters the interelectrode region and once the arc column plasma cannot ionize all atoms immediately, the ionization layer and the neutral atom vapor area (NAVA) will be formed in the adjacent region of the MPs. When the MP diameter and temperature increase, the number of vaporized metal atoms increases, so that the influence range of MV increases, and the area of ionization layer and the NAVA increases. In addition, when the arc current increases or the MPs are closer to the cathode surface, the greater the ion number density and ion pressure around the MPs are, the stronger the compression on the MV will be, resulting in the decrease of the area of ionization layer and the neutral atom vapor, and the increase of the net ionization rate of the ion number density. When multiple MPs exist in the interelectrode region at the same time, the MV from the MPs will affect each other. In the central region of multiple MPs, the density of MV becomes the largest, while the net ionization rate of ion number density is distributed in the periphery region of the MP group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas insulated metal enclosed switchgear (GIS) has been widely used in the world because of its compact structure and adaption to the environment. However, due to frequent operation and other reasons, GIS disconnector is prone to mechanical failure with poor contact, leading to abnormal vibration signals. In this paper, a GIS disconnector contact fault simulation platform is built to collect vibration signals in three states: normal contact, moderate poor contact and severe poor contact of disconnector contact. The Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) method is used to decompose the vibration signals, and the IMF decomposition signals are screened by Kurtosis criterion (a numerical statistic method). Finally, the vibration signal features of GIS under different conditions are obtained by reconstructing the screening signals. The results indicate that, under the normal contact, the frequency of GIS vibration signal mainly presents the distribution of 100 Hz and its integer multiple frequency component, when there is a contact defect, the high frequency component in the vibration signal spectrum increases significantly, and the tripling frequency component is present, and the amplitude of component will increase with the severity of the fault. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical reference for on‐line monitoring of GIS disconnecting switch contact fault. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a switchgear, an external transverse magnetic field (ETMF) is generated by the U type loop consisting of the vacuum interrupter, external busbar and conductive rod connected to the vacuum interrupter. The ETMF will make the vacuum arc deflected and strengthen the contraction of the arc. This can increase the probability of breaking failure. To weaken the adverse effect of the ETMF, the real magnetic field data of the arc area with different structure parameters when the length of conductive rod, external busbar and phase distance is changed are obtained by establishing simulation model in this paper. Taking the real magnetic field data as the boundary condition, this paper obtains the typical parameters of the vacuum arc plasma with different structure parameters by using the established three-dimensional high-current vacuum arc magnetohydrodynamics model. The simulation results show that the ETMF makes the transverse magnetic field (TMF) of the arc area asymmetric, which leads to an arc deflection. Reducing the length of the conductive rod connected to the vacuum interrupter to 50 mm can effectively improve the asymmetry of the TMF caused by the EMTF, weaken the arc deflection phenomenon, make the distribution of the plasma parameters more uniform, and increases the utilization of the anode contact surface. Moreover, it can not only reduce the heat flux density into the anode as a whole, but also reduce the heat flux density in the high heat flux density area, so as to effectively reduce the degree of anode activity and improve the negative effects caused by the anode activity. The changes of other external structural parameters have less influence on the improvement of the vacuum arc deflection phenomenon. Increasing the phase spacing to 275 mm or reducing the length of the external bus bar to 100 mm can only slightly weaken the arc deflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the design and fabrication of a new adsorptive nanofibrous membrane incorporating metal-organic framework (MOF) by electrospinning technique for removing ammonia-nitrogen from wastewater via direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) process. Three types of MOF particles (HKUST-1, AlFu, and UiO-66-NH 2) were used as functional nanoadditives and incorporated into the nanofibrous membrane matrix. The ammonia removal performance of these nanocomposite membranes was comprehensively investigated and compared with an activated carbon (AC) incorporated nanofibrous membrane. Various parameters such as ammonia removal efficiency, ammonia separation factor, overall ammonia mass transfer coefficient, ammonia flux, and membrane stability were evaluated. Among the tested MOFs, UiO-66-NH 2 demonstrated excellent performance and was selected for further optimization. The 5.0 wt.% UiO-66-NH 2 incorporated membrane exhibited the best performance for ammonia removal. Additionally, the mechanism of MOF incorporated nanofibrous membranes for ammonia removal from aqueous solution by DCMD was schematically analyzed. In overall, this study confirmed the feasibility of fabricating MOF incorporated electrospun adsorptive nanofibrous membranes with outstanding ammonia removal performance, demonstrating the potential of membrane distillation to remove ammonia-nitrogen from the aquatic environment. • MOF incorporated mixed-matrix membranes were fabricated by electrospinning. • Three types of MOFs with different properties were used as the nanoadditives. • MOF incorporated adsorptive membranes showed enhanced ammonia removal performance. • The MOF incorporated membranes have great potential in DCMD for ammonia removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacuum circuit breaker is a kind of power equipment widely used in the power system. It is developing toward the direction of high voltage and high current. How to design the contact to maximize the interrupting capacity of the contact system has been conducted by scholars. In this paper, the magnetic field simulation model of contact system is established, the magnetic field distribution characteristics of vacuum interrupters are studied, and the distribution characteristics of the magnetic field in the half cycle of the cup‐shaped axial magnetic field contact system are simulated and analyzed. On this basis, by changing the contact structure parameters, the effects of the number of slots in the cup, the slot angle, the center hole of the contacts, and the length of the slots on the distribution of the axial magnetic field were obtained. The results show that grooving the contact can reduce the eddy current, but it has a limited effect on reducing residual magnetic field. The increase of slot angle of contact cup can effectively reduce the residual axial magnetic field at the zero current moment and the axial magnetic field intensity at the peak current moment. Based on the above research results, a new embedded axial magnetic contact system with 12 slots embedded magnetic ring and reverse contact cup is designed. The embedded magnetic ring and reverse spiral slot increase the axial magnetic field at the peak current moment and reduce the residual axial magnetic field at the zero current moment. Finally, the characteristics of the magnetic field have been improved significantly compared with the magnetic field of traditional cup‐shaped axial magnetic field contact. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the arcing process of high-current vacuum arc, the metal particles spattered from the active anode will have a significant influence on the plasma characteristics of the arc column when they entrance the interelectrode area. In this paper, the characteristics of a high-current vacuum arc with metal particle are studied by modeling and simulation. The results show that the vapor produced by metal particle will obviously cool the arc plasma and reduce the current density in the vicinity area of the metal particle. In addition, the metal particle will hinder the movement of the cathodic plasma and complicate the ion density distribution and movement process near the metal particle. Finally, an obvious ionization layer will be formed around the metal particle. When the metal vapor passes through the ionization layer, the vapor will be ionized rapidly, and an abundance of ions will be produced at the same time. The research results are of great significance for the deep understanding of arcing process of high-current vacuum arc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advantages of environmental protection, small size, and light weight, the vacuum circuit breaker has been widely used in power systems. At present, it is developing toward the direction of high voltage and high current. In this paper, the magnetic field simulation model of a cup-shaped axial magnetic contact system is established, and the actual magnetic field data in the arc area are obtained as the boundary conditions, and then a three-dimensional steady-state magnetohydrodynamic model of the vacuum arc is established. The plasma parameter distribution characteristics in the vacuum arc area are studied by changing the number of slots in the contact plate, the angle of the contact cup chute, the length of the slot in the contact plate, and the central process hole. On this basis, a new type of embedded axial magnetic contact system including an embedded magnetic ring and a reverse contact cup is proposed, and the influence of changing the angle and number of inclined slots of the embedded contact cup on the arc distribution characteristics at the peak current and current zero is further studied. The simulation results show that the new structure contact is helpful to the breaking capacity of the vacuum switch and has a guiding significance for the design of the vacuum circuit breaker. By comparison, our simulation results have the same trend with the experimental results of other researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Angiosperm reproductive development is a complex event that includes floral organ development, male and female gametophyte formation and interaction between the male and female reproductive organs for successful fertilization. Previous studies have revealed the redundant function of ATP binding cassette subfamily G (ABCG) transporters ABCG1 and ABCG16 in pollen development, but whether they are involved in other reproductive processes is unknown. Here we show that ABCG1 and ABCG16 were not only expressed in anthers and stamen filaments but also enriched in pistil tissues, including the stigma, style, transmitting tract and ovule. We further demonstrated that pistil‐expressed ABCG1 and ABCG16 promoted rapid pollen tube growth through their effects on auxin distribution and auxin flow in the pistil. Moreover, disrupted auxin homeostasis in stamen filaments was associated with defective filament elongation. Our work reveals the key functions of ABCG1 and ABCG16 in reproductive development and provides clues for identifying ABCG1 and ABCG16 substrates in Arabidopsis. Significance Statement: Our analyses indicate that pistil‐expressed ABCG1 and ABCG16 promote pollen tube growth, and we demonstrate that the retarded pollen tube growth in abcg1 abcg16 double mutant pistils was associated with reduced auxin distribution and auxin flow. Critically, the pollen tube growth defect observed in abcg1 abcg16 pistils was partially rescued by application of exogenous auxin. These findings also provide clues that may help identify ABCG1 and ABCG16 substrates in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacuum circuit breakers (VCBs) are widely used in power distribution systems. When the VCB in a switchgear interrupts the short circuit current, the U type loop, which consists of a vacuum interrupter, an external busbar and a conductive rod, generates an external transverse magnetic field (ETMF). This field deflects the vacuum arc and affects the interruption performance of the VCB. In this paper, the real magnetic field data of the arc region are obtained by establishing a simulation model of an electrode system, taking into account the real ETMF and real axial magnetic field (AMF). Furthermore, the three dimensional steady magnetohydrodynamic model of the vacuum arc is established by using real magnetic field data as the boundary condition. The vacuum arc characteristics under the combined effect of AMF and the asymmetric transverse magnetic field (TMF) are studied. The simulation results show that the ETMF considerably changes the Bx of the arc column, which demonstrates asymmetry in the positive and negative directions, whereas By demonstrates a weaker asymmetry. Moreover, the asymmetric TMF deflects the distributions of the vacuum arc plasma and increases the partial heat flux density and axial current density. With the increase in the severity of the short circuit, the TMF asymmetry of the arc region is enhanced and the deflection of the vacuum arc plasma is also enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, jerky samples were prepared from seasoned beef with and without the addition of starter culture. They were then dried or fried and analyzed to identify the quality parameters and volatile flavor compounds. Samples (starter and control) were divided into drying (inoculated‐drying, I‐D; noninoculated‐drying, N‐D) and frying (inoculated‐frying, I‐F; noninoculated‐frying, N‐F) groups. Water activity (aw), lightness (L*), and redness (a*) values were significantly affected (p <.001) by the postcooking procedures (drying or frying). Hardness, chewiness, and resilience were significantly lower in the dried groups than in the fried groups (p <.05). The formation of volatile compounds was affected by cooking treatment, with the highest levels observed in the I‐F group. After frying, the most abundant flavor compounds in the I‐D and N‐D groups were terpenes and sulfur‐containing compounds, followed by aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, and alcohols. The most common compounds among all groups were acetoin, D‐limonene, anethole, styrene, and tetramethylpyrazine. Overall, the jerky in the I‐F group had the best color and tenderness scores among all groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial infection is the main factor that induces mastitis. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a major pathogen associated with mastitis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of diosmetin on S. aureus -induced mastitis. The mice were divided into six groups: control group, S. aureus group, diosmetin (12.5, 25, 50 mg/kg) + S. aureus groups, and diosmetin (50 mg/kg) + S. aureus + EX-527 (10 mg/kg) group. S. aureus was injected into the mammary gland to establish a mouse mastitis model. Diosmetin was administered 1 h before S. aureus treatment. Our results showed that diosmetin significantly alleviated the pathological changes of mammary gland induced by S. aureus. Diosmetin alleviated myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and the release of TNF-α and IL-1β, and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) activation. Moreover, diosmetin inhibited malondialdehyde (MDA) and Fe2+ levels induced by S. aureus. Diosmetin upregulated ATP, glutathione (GSH) production and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression, which were decreased by S. aureus. Furthermore, the expression of Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), nuclear factor erythroid2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) was upregulated by diosmetin. In addition, the inhibitory effects of diosmetin on S. aureus -induced inflammation and ferroptosis were prevented by the SIRT1 inhibitor EX-527. In conclusion, the data indicated that diosmetin suppressed S. aureus -induced mastitis by attenuating inflammation and ferroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The pH of bottom bauxite-ore from alkaline to acidic along the profile upwards. • The δ15N and redox proxies revealed that bauxite formed in the suboxic facies. • The denitrification was the predominant process at nitrogen cycling in bauxites. • The δ15N and salinity proxies revealed that higher saline favor low-oxygen. Over 5 billion tons of karstic bauxites are hosted in the Late Carboniferous Benxi Formation in the North China Craton (NCC). However, the bauxite formation environment in the central NCC remains unknown. The geological, mineralogical, geochemical, nitrogen concentrations, and δ15N isotope evidence of the Huilong and Shangwutou bauxite deposits in the central NCC was conducted, aiming to clarify the formation environments. Typically, bauxites in the central NCC contains three layers from bottom to top: Fe-bearing claystone/clayey ironstone, bauxite ore, and bauxitic claystone. The Fe-bearing claystone/clayey ironstone is composed of kaolinite, goethite, and hematite; the bauxite ore is composed of diaspore, kaolinite, but also minor hematite, ilmenite, and svanbergite; and the bauxitic claystone consists of kaolinite, but also some diaspore and goethite. Diaspores coexisted extensively with hematite, anatase, and svanbergite, forming cryptocrystalline matrix of bauxites, suggesting that they may be formed during early diagenesis. Geochemical discriminant diagrams also indicated that two deposits were primarily affected by the hydrogenous deposition and early diagenesis, and no sedimentary recirculation. The ∑REEs concentrations and fractionation (Pr n /Yb n) features along the profiles mainly concentrated in the bottom bauxite ore, which reflected that the pH values could be alkaline in bottom bauxite ore, and decreased weakly acidic for the central bauxite ore to bauxitic claystone along the profiles upwards. Combining the δ15N data with two geochemical redox proxies, and the widely coexistence of diaspore and hematite, indicated that the two deposits mainly formed under suboxic conditions, and thus denitrification was the predominant process in nitrogen cycling. The δ15N values are positively correlated with paleosalinity proxies, indicating that the higher saline bottom water may lead to a strong vertical density differential and water-column stratification, conducing to forming suboxic restricted pore-water environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of inoculation with different mixed starter culture combinations on microbial counts, physico‐chemical properties, and proteolytic and lipolytic properties of dry fermented mutton sausages during fermentation and ripening. Four different batches of mutton sausages were manufactured: CO batch, no starter cultures, used as control; LB batch with Lactobacillus sakei; LS batch with L. sakei + Staphylococcus xylosus; and LSS batch with L. sakei + S. xylosus + Staphylococcus carnosus. The results showed that adding starter culture caused Lactobacillus and Staphylococcus to become dominant bacteria and reduced the Enterobacteriaceae count in the inoculated sausages. The mixed starter cultures (LS & LSS) accelerated acidification and reduced water activity and lipid oxidation. Statistical analysis revealed that the use of mixed starter cultures, especially the combination L. sakei + S. xylosus + S. carnosus, contributed to proteolysis and lipolysis, increasing total free amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The above results demonstrate that the use of mixed starter cultures contributes to improving the composition of free amino acids and free fatty acids as well as the hygienic quality of dry fermented mutton sausages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, activated carbon (AC) enhanced hydrophobic/hydrophilic dual-layer nanofiber composite membranes were prepared for direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) by incorporating different concentrations (0–3.0 wt%) of AC nanoparticles into the polyvinylidene fluoride- co -hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) hydrophobic active layer. The membranes were composed of two layers, a thin hydrophobic PVDF-HFP/AC electrospun active layer and a thick hydrophilic support layer. Results indicated that the incorporation of AC nanoparticles have greatly increased the membrane properties and performance. The membrane containing 1.5 wt% AC nanoparticles (M3) showed the best flux performance (45.6 L/m2 h) compared to other membranes fabricated in this study and a commercial PTFE benchmark membrane (41.8 L/m2 h) without compromising the salt rejection. A two-dimensional model was developed to investigate the flux profile of the PVDF-HFP/AC membranes. The present study suggests that the incorporation of AC nanoparticles into PVDF-HFP active layer can impart additional functionalities to the composite membranes that would enhance the membranes DCMD performance. The fabricated PVDF-HFP/AC composite membranes present great potential in the application of DCMD desalination. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Dual-layer nanofiber membranes were fabricated by electrospinning for DCMD. • The membranes were composed of PVDF-HFP/AC active layer and Nylon 6,6 substrate. • The incorporation of AC nanoparticles enhanced the flux performance in DCMD process. • M3 composite membrane presented excellent permeability and performance stability. • A two-dimensional model was developed to explain the effect of AC particle on flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensitivity amplification strategy by implementing click chemistry in the construction of biosensing interface can efficiently improve the performance of immunosensor. Herein, we developed a sandwich-type amperometric immunosensor for ultrasensitive detection of carbohydrate antigen 24-2 (CA 242) based on pH responsive label-assisted click chemistry triggered sensitivity amplification strategy. The sensitivity of amperometric immunosensor relies on the current response differences (ΔI) caused by per unit concentration target analyte. The pH responsive Cu 2+ -loaded polydopamine (CuPDA) particles conjugated with detection antibodies were employed as labels, which can release Cu(II) ions by regulating pH. In the presence of ascorbic acid (reductant), Cu(II) ions were reduced to Cu(I) ions. Azide-functionalized double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as signal enhancer was immobilized on the substrate through Cu + -catalyzed azide/alkyne cycloaddition reaction. With the help of the click reaction, the ΔI caused by target was elevated prominently, resulting in sensitivity amplification of the immunosensor. Under optimal condition, the proposed immunosensor exhibited excellent performance with linear range from 0.0001 to 100 U mL −1 and ultralow detection limit of 20.74 μU mL −1 . This work successfully combines click chemistry with pH-responsive labels in sandwich-type amperometric immunosensor, providing a promising sensitivity amplification strategy to construct immunosensing platform for analysis of other tumor marker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which examined the effects of carbon content, tensile force and temperature on the electrical resistance of carbon-filled liquid silicone rubber composites. Review of related literature; Methodology; Results and discussion.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) may be classified according to the level of microsatellite instability exhibited by the tumor. The malignant transformation of normal colonic mucosae to carcinomas may be accelerated by the loss or inactivation of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes. The present study examined the expression of certain MMR proteins [namely, MutL homolog 1 (MLH1), MutS homolog 2 (MSH2), MutS homolog 6 (MSH6) and PMS1 homolog 2 (PMS2)] in patients with stage II and III sporadic CRC. The association between the expression of these proteins, and the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with CRC and their tumors, was investigated. MMR protein expression was examined using immunohistochemistry. MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 protein expression was detected in 78.4% (120/153), 75.2% (115/153), 44.4% (68/153) and 79.7% (122/153) of stage II and III sporadic CRCs, respectively. Additionally, the expression of MLH1 and MSH6 was revealed to be signifi- cantly higher in stage III tumors when compared with stage II tumors (P<0.05). MLH1 and MSH6 negative tumors were larger, poorly differentiated and exhibited extraserosal invasion with infrequent lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). Patients with defects in MLH2 and PMS2 also had large tumors that exhibited extraserosal invasion and infrequent lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). No statistically significant associations were observed between MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 or PMS2 protein expression and patient age, sex, tumor localization or angiolymphatic invasion status (P>0.05). From the present study, it was concluded that MMR protein expression status evaluation may increase the efficiency of MMR testing and be useful in improving the individualized approach to patient monitoring and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) with multiple working electrodes and one signal output channel without counter and reference electrodes was designed. The multiple working electrodes can be individually modified for each target of interest. The SPCE contained one signal output channel, making the immuniosensor be realized by common single-channel electrochemical workstation. The counter and reference electrodes were independent of disposable SPCE, reducing costs and eliminating precious metal pollution. Platinum network as counter electrode improved the reproducibility of the SPCE. Moreover, method of generating hydrogel on working electrode was used to enhance the conductivity of SPCE. Based on this, a multiplexed single channel label-free amperometric immuniosensor for four tumor markers, namely, squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), fragment antigen 21-1 (Cyfra21-1), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), and neuron specific enolase (NSE) was developed, and the corresponding detection limits were 5.5 pg mL −1 , 4.8 pg mL −1 , 0.0054 U mL −1 and 2.3 pg mL −1 , respectively. The sensitivity of this immunosensor was 0.83 µA (lg(ng mL −1 )) −1 for SCCA, 1.92 µA (lg(ng mL −1 )) −1 for Cyfra21-1, 4.75 µA (lg(U mL −1 )) −1 for CA125 and 2.40 µA (lg(ng mL −1 )) −1 for NSE. Among them, the sensitivities of CA125 and NSE were four-fold higher than those of the previous works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzyme-free catalytic amplification is of great significance for sensitive label-free electrochemical immunosensors. In this study, an enzyme-free catalytic amplification based label-free amperometric immunosensor was developed for sensitive detection of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) by use of a AuPd nanoparticle-multiwalled carbon nanotube (AuPd-MWCNT) composite, ferrocenecarboxaldehyde (Fc-CHO), and chitosan hybrid hydrogel. The intrinsic virtues of chitosan not only resulted in bioactivity of the attached antibodies and made the other component of the immunosensor easier to fix on the electrode, but also imparted abundant binding sites to the hydrogel to condense Fc-CHO to achieve the initial signal amplification. Fc-CHO, which served as an electroactive species to generate a redox response, also exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity toward HO. AuPd-MWCNT composite, with enhanced peroxidase-like catalytic activity, could catalyze HO to accelerate electron transfer. When HO was present in the detection solution, synergetic catalysis of Fc-CHO and AuPd-MWCNT composite toward HO was achieved, thus realizing enzyme-free signal amplification. On the basis of this enzyme-free signal amplification, the electrochemical immunosensing platform provided a wide linear range from 1 pg mL to 100 ng mL, a low detection limit of 0.483 pg mL, and high sensitivity of 7.22 μA (log C ). Moreover, the immunosensor showed enormous potential in clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzyme-free catalytic amplification is of great significance for sensitive label-free electrochemical immunosensors. In this study, an enzyme-free catalytic amplification based label-free amperometric immunosensor was developed for sensitive detection of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) by use of a AuPd nanoparticle-multiwalled carbon nanotube (AuPd-MWCNT) composite, ferrocenecarboxaldehyde (Fc-CHO), and chitosan hybrid hydrogel. The intrinsic virtues of chitosan not only resulted in bioactivity of the attached antibodies and made the other component of the immunosensor easier to fix on the electrode, but also imparted abundant binding sites to the hydrogel to condense Fc-CHO to achieve the initial signal amplification. Fc-CHO, which served as an electroactive species to generate a redox response, also exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity toward HO. AuPd-MWCNT composite, with enhanced peroxidase-like catalytic activity, could catalyze HO to accelerate electron transfer. When HO was present in the detection solution, synergetic catalysis of Fc-CHO and AuPd-MWCNT composite toward HO was achieved, thus realizing enzyme-free signal amplification. On the basis of this enzyme-free signal amplification, the electrochemical immunosensing platform provided a wide linear range from 1 pg mL to 100 ng mL, a low detection limit of 0.483 pg mL, and high sensitivity of 7.22 μA (log C ). Moreover, the immunosensor showed enormous potential in clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respirable sintering dust was an abundant and hazardous waste arrested by electrostatic precipitators from iron and steel industry. In this study, this waste was first found to contain 0.3% Rb, existing in the form of chloride and making it a promising Rb extracting material. Meanwhile, 95.24% of Rb and 93.43% of K in it can be easily recovered by water leaching (S/L = 1:5), resulting in a solution of 740 mg/L Rb and 33.85 g/L K. Then this leachate was extracted with 4-tert-butyl-2-(α-methylbenzyl) phenol (t-BAMBP) in sulphonated kerosene to separate Rb from K after purification. The optimized solvent extraction conditions were 1.0 mol/L t-BAMBP, phase ratio of 3:1, 1.2 mol/L alkalinity in aqueous. Moreover, the organic phase was treated with deionized water (O/A = 5:1) for scrubbing and 1.2 mol/L HCl (O/A = 5:1) for stripping. Under optimal conditions, a single Rb extraction and back-extraction efficiencies were 91.80% and 89.93%, respectively. Finally, a RbCl with 99.5% purity and a total Rb extraction rate of 58.26% were achieved by a multistage continuous countercurrent extraction. These results did not only indicate that respirable sintering dust is a new tremendous potential Rb source but also provide a promising way to utilize Rb from this dust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensitivity enhancement and proteins adsorption are the common challenges faced in protein immunoassays. In this work, an ultrasensitive and protein-resistant label-free amperometric immunosening platform for carcinoma antigen-125 (CA125) based on redox polyaniline-polythionine hydrogel (PANI-PThi gel) was developed. The as-prepared hydrogel, which was facilely synthesized by electropolymerization, exhibited good conductivity and strong hydrophilicity while the sensitivity and specificity of the immunosensor can be enhanced. Furthermore, the as-prepared AuNPs functionalized PANI-PThi gel exhibited strong current signal and H 2 O 2 electrocatalytic ability, which guaranteed a large current variable range. Based on these, the prepared immunosensor revealed a wide linear range from 0.0001 U mL −1 to 1 kU mL −1 , a limit of detection of 0.00125 U mL −1 and its sensitivity was at least three-fold higher than previous works. More importantly, the prepared immunosensor exhibited excellent specificity, making it capable of assaying CA125 in human serum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike chemical pesticides, antiviral plants are biodegradable, replenishable and safe. In this study, 14 sesquiterpene compounds from Tithonia diversifolia were tested for their activities against Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) using the half-leaf method. Tagitinin C (Ses-2) and 1 β -methoxydiversifolin-3- 0 -methyl ether (Ses-5) were found to have in vivo curative activities of 62.86% and 60.27% respectively, at concentrations of 100 μg/mL, respectively. In contrast, the in vivo curative inhibition rate of control agent ningnanmycin was 52.48%. Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ID-ELISA) also verified Ses-2 and Ses-5 had higher inhibition activities than the control agent ningnanmycin. Additionally, qRT-PCR showed that both Ses-2 and Ses-5 can partly inhibit the expression of CP and RdRp, two genes that play key roles in TMV infection. When TMV started to systemically spread, Ses-2 inhibited CP expression while Ses-5 inhibited RdRp expression. These results suggest that the two bio-agents have anti-TMV activities and may be used as bio-pesticides to control the plant virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

>5 billion tons of karstic bauxites were formed during the Late Carboniferous in the North China Craton (NCC). However, the metallogenic mechanism of bauxite is still obscure due to the unclear formation process of the main ore mineral, diaspore. We conducted geological, mineralogical, δ34S pyrite , and in-situ diaspore trace element analyses on the Baode-Xingxian large bauxite deposit in the northern NCC, aiming to clarify the diaspore-forming mechanism and explore the genesis of bauxite. Generally, bauxites in northern NCC contains three layers from bottom to top: Fe-bearing claystone, bauxite ore, and claystone. The bauxite ore is mainly diaspore, kaolinite, and illite; the Fe-bearing claystone is illite and berthierine; and the claystone is primarily kaolinite. The broadly distributed high positive δ34S pyrite values (10‰–40‰) indicate that bauxites in the northern NCC formed in shallow-water environments. Total 216 diaspore grains have similar trace element compositions, and are obviously enriched in Cr, V, Re and U, but not in Mo, indicating that diaspore was formed in the subreduced facies. Diaspore with Fe/Al up to 4 mol% has slightly large cells, indicated that small-scale larger ions, Fe, entered the diaspore lattice to form Fe-diaspore. The favorable temperature and water activity of Fe-diaspore precipitation is similar to that of Al-hematite+ boehmite. We thus propose a probable diaspore formation mechanism: the small scale of Fe for Al substitution in the diaspore lattice and stabilize it to induce Fe-diaspore formation. Fe-diaspore is metastable with respect to diaspore and tends to convert into it during the diagenesis process. [Display omitted] • The high positive δ34S values revealed that bauxites formed in the shallow water. • The elemental proxies revealed that diaspore formed in the subreduced facies. • The Fe3+for Al3+ substitution induced to form Fe-diaspore. • Metastable Fe-diaspore tends to convert into diaspore during diagenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional interfacial polymerization (IP) requires excessive amounts of reactive monomers and solvents due to the dip-coating method. Herein, we report a rod-coating assisted IP process to prepare nanofiltration (NF) membranes. The results demonstrate that a perfect PA layer can be fabricated by using low monomer dosages of PIP (0.08 g/m2) and TMC (0.016 g/m2). This can significantly reduce the consumption of monomers and organic solvents, and effectively avoid the waste of hazardous and expensive chemicals. Thanks to the fewer monomer dosages, the prepared NF membranes were much thinner and looser, which significantly improved the membrane permeability. The highest permeance of the rod-coated membranes reached 204.0 L/(m2 h MPa), which was increased by ∼251% compared to the dip-coated NF membrane. More importantly, the rod-coated membranes possessed excellent Na 2 SO 4 rejections (>99.0%) and ultralow NaCl rejections (<14.4%). And the maximum NaCl/Na 2 SO 4 selective efficiency reached 125.7, which was about 7 folds to that of the dip-coated NF membrane. This study suggests that the rod-coating method is highly feasible for the preparation of polyamide NF membranes with high performance. It is reasonable to expect that this rod-coating assisted IP process offers a new approach to fabricating NF membranes. [Display omitted] • High performance PA-NF membranes fabricated by rod-coated assisted IP process. • The rod-coating method significantly reduce the consumption of the monomers. • The rod-coated membrane possesses an excellent permeate flux of 204.0 L/(m2 h MPa). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering plants display a remarkable diversity in inflorescence architecture, and pedicel length is one of the key contributors to this diversity. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the receptor-like kinase ERECTA ( ER) mediated signaling pathway plays important roles in regulating inflorescence architecture by promoting cell proliferation. However, the regulating mechanism remains elusive in the pedicel., Genetic interactions between ERECTA signaling and the chromatin remodeling complex SWR1 in the control of inflorescence architecture were studied. Comparative transcriptome analysis was applied to identify downstream components. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and nucleosome occupancy was further investigated., The results indicated that the chromatin remodeler SWR1 coordinates with ERECTA signaling in regulating inflorescence architecture by activating the expression of PRE1 family genes and promoting pedicel elongation. It was found that SWR1 is required for the incorporation of the H2A.Z histone variant into nucleosomes of the whole PRE1 gene family and the ERECTA controlled expression of PRE1 gene family through regulating nucleosome dynamics., We propose that utilization of a chromatin remodeling complex to regulate gene expression is a common theme in developmental control across kingdoms. These findings shed light on the mechanisms through which chromatin remodelers orchestrate complex transcriptional regulation of gene expression in coordination with a developmental cue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of mineral fibre addition on the bending creep of asphalt mixtures for road pavement construction was systematically analysed at low temperatures. Bending creep tests were conducted on three AC-16C asphalt mixtures with and without the addition of two types of mineral fibres at temperatures of −10°C, 5°C and 20°C. The results showed that adding mineral fibres effectively improved the bending creep speed of asphalt mixtures and further enhanced the ability of the mixture to resist cracking at low temperatures. Numerical simulations of creep at low temperatures were carried out using finite-element software and were found to provide a good fit with the test results. The simulations also indicated that the Burgers model could be used accurately to predict the creep of fibre-asphalt mixtures at low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel strategy for immunoprobe with triple signal amplification was developed, which bovine serum albumin-stabilized copper nanoclusters (BSA-CuNCs) and the labeled antibody were co-immobilized directly on platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs). The triple current signal amplification of the immunoprobe behaved: (1) BSA-CuNCs, realizing the enrichment of copper, served as redox species with current signal at 0.06 V. (2) PtNPs as carriers were employed to immobilize the labeled antibody and enrich BSA-CuNCs. (3) The current response was further enhanced by BSA-CuNCs to accelerate the catalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) was used as a model analyte to study the performance of the immunoprobe and electrochemical immunosensor. The immunosensor was fabricated as follows: anti-PSA was immobilized directly on gold nanoparticles, which were electrochemically deposited on glass carbon electrode; after immune-adsorbing PSA, the as-prepared immunoprobes were immunoadsorbed. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed immunosensor performed a wide linear range from 0.5 pg mL −1 to 100 ng mL −1 and an ultralow limit of detection with 145.69 fg mL −1 (S/N = 3). In the assay of clinical serum samples, the results of the proposed immunosensor showed good consistent with those of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indicating the immunosensor is promising in clinical diagnosis. This strategy will be of guiding significance to fabricating new immunoprobes with catalytic activity and signal amplification ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Peridotite dissolution rate was significantly enhanced by green microalgae. • Interaction between peridotite and green microalgae showed two stages with first-order reaction in the early stage. • The growth of green microalgae was promoted by the Mg2+ ion released from peridotite. Enhanced silicate dissolution has been recognized as a potentially promising geoengineering strategy to help remove CO 2 from the atmosphere by applying crushed minerals to aquatic systems. However, it has not yet been fully quantified in the presence of eukaryotic green microalgae. Here, we studied the interaction of peridotite with Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C.R.) and Chlorella pyrenoedosa (C.P.). We found that the peridotite dissolution rate was significantly enhanced by green microalgae. Meanwhile, the interaction between peridotite and green microalgae showed two stages with first-order reaction in the early stage (0–4 or 5 days). The amount of Mg2+ released per algal chlorophyll-a biomass and unit time in the early stage is about an order of magnitude higher than that in the late stage (4 or 5–9 days). The quantified effect of C.P. on the dissolution rate of peridotite is about two times higher than that for C.R. in the early stage. Based on the stoichiometric relation of peridotite dissolution, it is estimated that one milligram chlorophyll-a biomass of C.R. and C.P. can remove 0.44 and 0.24 mg CO 2 from the atmosphere in one day via accelerating dissolution, respectively. Besides, the Mg2+ ion released from peridotite can promote the growth of green microalgae in turn. Thus, green microalgae play a positive role in CO 2 sequestration via the artificial adding peridotite to aquatic systems, but the issue related to the great deceleration of peridotite dissolution rate after a period of time has to be solved to improve the efficiency of CO 2 sequestration in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plenty of respirable sintering dust are generated in ironmaking process and part of this hazardous particle easily escaped from electrostatic precipitators, becoming Particulate Matter 10. Previous studies are usually focused on the comprehensive recovery of this dust, however, its wetting, which was an essential procedure in many industrial processes, has long been a challenge due to its strongly hydrophobic property. The current study investigated the origin of its hydrophobicity through wettability tests, dynamic contact angle analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, with the goal of enhancing its wettability. The results revealed for the first time that the hydrophobicity of respirable sintering dust was attributed to a hydrophobic shell consisting of organics with n -alkyl chains and/or aromatic groups and bonding by hydrophilic functional groups. Further, results of response surface methodology with central composite design and dynamic contact angle analysis demonstrated that increasing agitation strength, such as stirring speed and time, can improve the wettability of respirable sintering dust, while the largest wettable ratio of 95.3% was obtained by stirring with 0.2% Triton X-100. Eventually, a possible wetting mechanism was mainly concluded as nonionic surfactants adsorbing with the hydrophobic shell on respirable sintering dust surface via its hydrophobic tail and leaving its hydrophilic head groups exposed to water, achieving sufficiently and efficiently wetting. The adsorption experiments and surface analysis results implied that the adsorption process for Triton X-100 onto respirable sintering dust is favorable and governed by physisorption. This study provides an effective method on the wetting of respirable sintering dust, which is essential for its treatment such as dust control and hydrometallurgy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber membranes are of great interest for membrane contactor applications such as sea water desalination by membrane distillation in order to enhance the flux of the process. For the first time in this paper, porous hydrophobic PVDF asymmetric hollow fiber membranes with a high outer surface porosity for use in vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) were successfully fabricated by applying a simultaneous co-extrusion spinning process through the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method. In this approach, five kinds of dual-layer composite membranes were prepared by employing different inner and outer polymer dopes. Single-layer membrane was also fabricated through the conventional dry-jet wet phase inversion method. Results revealed that the introduction of the simultaneous co-extrusion spinning process greatly increased the outer surface porosity of the dual-layer composite membranes. It was also observed that the VMD flux of the dual-layer membranes spun through the simultaneous co-extrusion spinning process was 54% higher than the single-layer membrane fabricated by the conventional dry-jet wet phase inversion method. A VMD flux as high as 61.8 kg/(m 2 h) at 70 °C was obtained for the novel dual-layer composite membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Through comprehensive GO and KEGG pathway analyses of RNA-Seq data, 71 DEGs containing transcription factor and defense response genes were identified in pepper plants after being infected with TZSV. • The RT-qPCR analysis was performed to further validate RNA-Seq data, and the genes BBC_22506, BBC_18917, BBC_30037, and BBC_33017 were speculated to be associated with HR. • The two genes BBC_22506 and BBC_18917 might participate in HR when TZSV infects the PI152225 pepper, and therefore they might inhibit viral infection. Tomato zonate spotvirus (TZSV) often incurs significant losses in many food and ornamental crops in Yunnan province, China, and the surrounding areas. The pepper (Capsicum chinense PI152225)can develop hypersensitive resistance following infection with TZSV, through an as yet unknown mechanism. The transcriptome dataset showed a total of 45.81 GB of clean data were obtained from six libraries, and the average percentage of the reads mapped to the pepper genome was over 90.00 %. A total of 1403 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained after TZSV infection, including 825significantly up-regulated genes and 578 down-regulated genes. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses indicated that most up-regulated DEGs were involved in basal defenses. RT-qPCR, and virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) were used preliminarily to identifyBBC_22506 and BBC_18917, among total of 71 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), that play a key role in mediating the auxin-induced signaling pathway that might take part in hypersensitive response (HR) conferred resistance to viral infection in pepper (PI152225) byTZSV. This is the first study on the mechanism of auxin resistance, involved in defense responses of pepper against viral diseases, which lay the foundation for further study on the pathogenic mechanism of TZSV, as well as the mechanism of resistance to TZSV, in peppers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background: This study investigated the relationship among [beta]-cell function, metabolic control, and diabetic microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In total, 885 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) were recruited from January 2012 to January 2014 and grouped into three groups according to the area under the curve of C-peptide [AUC(C-pep)] during the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between C-peptide and microvascular complications. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetic microvascular complications decreased from the first to the third AUC(C-pep) tertile (P<0.01 for all), whereas the rates of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was positively associated with AUC(C-pep) values. Patients with lower AUC(C-pep) tertile exhibited higher levels of glycosylated hemoglobin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and longer duration of DM; however, levels of triglycerides, fasting C-peptide, 2-h C-peptide, body mass index, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index were lower compared with the third tertile. Comparison among patients with a similar DM duration showed a higher level of AUC(C-pep) was inversely associated with prevalence of microvascular complications. The odds ratios for nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy in the lowest versus the highest AUC(C-pep) tertile were 3.10 (95% confidence interval, 2.01-4.78), 2.83 (1.73-4.64), and 2.04 (1.37-3.04) after adjustment for confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: Higher AUC(C-pep) levels were associated with a decreased prevalence of microvascular complications and a good level of glycemic control, whereas higher endogenous insulin levels were linked to the components of metabolic syndrome and increased rates of NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study investigated the relationship among β-cell function, metabolic control, and diabetic microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Subjects and Methods: In total, 885 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) were recruited from January 2012 to January 2014 and grouped into three groups according to the area under the curve of C-peptide [AUC(C-pep)] during the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between C-peptide and microvascular complications. Results: The prevalence of diabetic microvascular complications decreased from the first to the third AUC(C-pep) tertile ( P<0.01 for all), whereas the rates of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was positively associated with AUC(C-pep) values. Patients with lower AUC(C-pep) tertile exhibited higher levels of glycosylated hemoglobin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and longer duration of DM; however, levels of triglycerides, fasting C-peptide, 2-h C-peptide, body mass index, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index were lower compared with the third tertile. Comparison among patients with a similar DM duration showed a higher level of AUC(C-pep) was inversely associated with prevalence of microvascular complications. The odds ratios for nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy in the lowest versus the highest AUC(C-pep) tertile were 3.10 (95% confidence interval, 2.01-4.78), 2.83 (1.73-4.64), and 2.04 (1.37-3.04) after adjustment for confounding factors. Conclusions: Higher AUC(C-pep) levels were associated with a decreased prevalence of microvascular complications and a good level of glycemic control, whereas higher endogenous insulin levels were linked to the components of metabolic syndrome and increased rates of NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Megasporogenesis is essential for female fertility, and requires the accomplishment of meiosis and the formation of functional megaspores. The inaccessibility and low abundance of female meiocytes make it particularly difficult to elucidate the molecular basis underlying megasporogenesis. We used high-throughput tag-sequencing analysis to identify genes expressed in female meiocytes ( FMs) by comparing gene expression profiles from wild-type ovules undergoing megasporogenesis with those from the spl mutant ovules, which lack megasporogenesis. A total of 862 genes were identified as FMs, with levels that are consistently reduced in spl ovules in two biological replicates. Fluorescence-assisted cell sorting followed by RNA-seq analysis of DMC1: GFP-labeled female meiocytes confirmed that 90% of the FMs are indeed detected in the female meiocyte protoplast profiling. We performed reverse genetic analysis of 120 candidate genes and identified four FM genes with a function in female meiosis progression in Arabidopsis. We further revealed that KLU, a putative cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, is involved in chromosome pairing during female meiosis, most likely by affecting the normal expression pattern of DMC1 in ovules during female meiosis. Our studies provide valuable information for functional genomic analyses of plant germline development as well as insights into meiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]