Search

• CTS-Fe effectively promoted the methane production during AD of WAS. • CTS-Fe addition enriched the abundance of IRB during AD process. • CTS-Fe had great promotion for hydrolysis process via dissimilatory iron reduction. • CTS-Fe inhibited acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis process. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of waste activated sludge (WAS) is usually limited by the low generation efficiency of methane. Fe(III)-loaded chitosan composite (CTS-Fe) have been reported to effectively enhanced the digestion of WAS, but its role in promoting anaerobic sludge digestion remains unclear. In present study, the effects of CTS-Fe on the hydrolysis and methanogenesis stages of WAS anaerobic digestion were investigated. The addition of CTS-Fe increased methane production potential by 8%–23% under the tested conditions with the addition of 5–20 g/L CTS-Fe. Besides, the results demonstrate that the addition of CTS-Fe could effectively promote the hydrolysis of WAS, evidenced by lower protein or polysaccharides concentration, higher soluble organic carbon in rector adding CTS-Fe, as well as the increased activity of extracellular hydrolase with higher CTS-Fe concentration. Meanwhile, the enrichment of Clostridia abundance (iron-reducing bacteria (IRBs)) was observed in CTS-Fe adding reactor (8.9%–13.8%), which was higher than that in the control reactor (7.9%). The observation further suggesting the acceleration of hydrolysis through dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) process, thus providing abundant substrates for methanogenesis. However, the presence of CTS-Fe was inhibited the acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis process, which could be ascribed to the Fe(III) act as electron acceptor coupled to methane for anaerobic oxidation. Furthermore, coenzyme F420 activity in the CTS-Fe added reactor was 34.9% lower than in the blank, also abundance of microorganisms involved in hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was decreased. Results from this study could provide theoretical support for the practical applications of CTS-Fe. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) can effectively alleviate the renewable curtailment and resource waste caused by expansion of wind and solar-based renewable energy (RE) sources. However, the influences of regional hydrological characteristics, operational characteristics of PHES units, and power supply-demand balance on the regulating effect of PHES have been neglected. In this paper, an improved hybrid power system dispatch model (Dispa-set) that considers regional hydrological characteristics, unit operational characteristics, and RE curtailment penalty is proposed. The potential and limitations of PHES on reducing renewable curtailment and carbon emissions in four Northwest provinces (FNP) during the 14th Five-Year Plan (FYP) are evaluated through 6 sub-scenarios. Studies have shown that increasing PHES can effectively reduce renewable curtailment and carbon emissions, but uncoordinated development of PHES and RE results in resource waste and slows down carbon reduction. For example, a 10% increase in PHES during the 14th FYP could increase renewable curtailment in Qinghai by 1.1% and CO2 emissions in Gansu by 0.05%, due to uncoordinated development, demand for electricity supply, and regulated power sources. Therefore, combining PHES development with regional hydrological and operational characteristics is essential to achieve coordinated development with RE and unlock technology, economic, and environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmon‐enhanced electrocatalysis (PEEC), based on a combination of localized surface plasmon resonance excitation and an electrochemical bias applied to a plasmonic material, can result in improved electrical‐to‐chemical energy conversion compared to conventional electrocatalysis. Here, we demonstrate the advantages of nano‐impact single‐entity electrochemistry (SEE) for investigating the intrinsic activity of plasmonic catalysts at the single‐particle level using glucose electrooxidation and oxygen reduction on gold nanoparticles as model reactions. We show that in conventional ensemble measurements, plasmonic effects have minimal impact on photocurrents. We suggest that this is due to the continuous equilibration of the Fermi level (EF) of the deposited gold nanoparticles with the EF of the working electrode, leading to fast neutralization of hot carriers by the measuring circuit. The photocurrents detected in the ensemble measurements are primarily caused by photo‐induced heating of the supporting electrode material. In SEE, the EF of suspended gold nanoparticles is unaffected by the working electrode potential. As a result, plasmonic effects are the dominant source of photocurrents under SEE experimental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmon‐enhanced electrocatalysis (PEEC), based on a combination of localized surface plasmon resonance excitation and an electrochemical bias applied to a plasmonic material, can result in improved electrical‐to‐chemical energy conversion compared to conventional electrocatalysis. Here, we demonstrate the advantages of nano‐impact single‐entity electrochemistry (SEE) for investigating the intrinsic activity of plasmonic catalysts at the single‐particle level using glucose electrooxidation and oxygen reduction on gold nanoparticles as model reactions. We show that in conventional ensemble measurements, plasmonic effects have minimal impact on photocurrents. We suggest that this is due to the continuous equilibration of the Fermi level (EF) of the deposited gold nanoparticles with the EF of the working electrode, leading to fast neutralization of hot carriers by the measuring circuit. The photocurrents detected in the ensemble measurements are primarily caused by photo‐induced heating of the supporting electrode material. In SEE, the EF of suspended gold nanoparticles is unaffected by the working electrode potential. As a result, plasmonic effects are the dominant source of photocurrents under SEE experimental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Fenton-like Cu-PAN 3 catalysts is first synthesized by co-precipitation and carbon thermal reduction method. • Dual reaction centers are constructed around graphene-like carbon and Cu species. • The pollutants as electron donors inhibit the ineffective decomposition of H 2 O 2 at the electron-poor centers. • The pollutant removal mainly relies on the surface cleavage at the electron-poor centers. High energy consumption has seriously hindered the development of Fenton-like reactions for the removal of refractory organic pollutants in water. To solve this problem, we designed a novel Fenton-like catalyst (Cu-PAN 3) by coprecipitation and carbon thermal reduction. The catalyst exhibits excellent Fenton-like catalytic activity and stability for the degradation of various pollutants with low H 2 O 2 consumption. The experimental results indicate that the dual reaction centers (DRCs) are composed of Cu-N-C and Cu-O-C bridges between copper and graphene-like carbon, which form electron-poor/rich centers on the catalyst surface. H 2 O 2 is mainly reduced at electron-rich Cu centers to free radicals for pollutant degradation. Meanwhile, pollutants can be oxidized by donating electrons to the electron-poor C centers of the catalyst, which inhibits the ineffective decomposition of H 2 O 2 at the electron-poor centers. This therefore significantly reduces the consumption of H 2 O 2 and reduces energy consumption. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pumped hydro energy storage station flexibility is perceived as a promising way for integrating more intermittent wind and solar energy into the power grid. However, this flexible operation mode challenges the stable and highly-efficient operation of the pump-turbine units. Therefore, this paper focuses on stability and efficiency performance of pumped hydro energy storage system (PHESS) under the various flexibility scenarios. First, a nonlinear model of PHESS coupling the hydraulic loss, mechanical loss and electrical loss of pump-turbine is established to study its stability and efficiency characteristics. Second, six flexibility scenarios including four transient processes and two steady processes are extracted based on the historical power output of a pump-turbine unit. Parameter responses indicate that the stability performance of PHESS got worse when the range of load-variation increased. Parameters response in the first 10s is steeper than that in the later 30s. Rotation speed and water head in part-load fluctuates periodically in a range of from −0.0024 to 0.01. In other words, 10 times more compared to the range response under the rated-load. Efficiency analysis suggests that the friction loss in scroll case is the dominated loss type in the transient processes, except for the FL condition. The responses of friction loss in straight pipe, impact loss in scroll case and volume loss are characterized by the corresponding discharge laws. The response curve of winding loss is similar with the response feature of rotation speed. This paper provides the stability and efficiency perspective when the operator exploits the flexibility potential of pumped hydro energy storage station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For massive dosimetry analysis of finite composite materials (CMs), an effective approach is proposed based on the artificial intelligence (AI) computational algorithm. Machine learning (ML) method is used to analyze systematic energy characteristics of finite CM for dosimetry exposure. To prove the validity of our algorithm, we analyzed a finite CM in a specific scenario and calculated its exposure dosimetry. The dataset for algorithm training is obtained through numerical analysis. In order to verify the efficiency of the proposed method, the accuracy of this algorithm and its time consumption are calculated. Five ML methods are subsequently used to compare the average absorption of the energy resonance exposure in the finite CM. The time consumption and error distribution in test sets prove the high efficiency of AI computational algorithm to analyze the energy exposure of finite CM. The proposed AI algorithm is useful for the massive numerical analysis in the research of electromagnetic (EM) exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water management is a key issue in the design and operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). For an efficient and stable operation, the accumulation of liquid water inside the flow channels has to be prevented. Existing measurement methods for localizing water are limited in terms of the integration and application of measurements in operating PEMFC stacks. In this study, we present a measurement method for the localization of liquid water based on ultrasonic guided waves. Using a sparse sensing array of four piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS), the measurement requires only minor changes in the PEMFC cell design. The measurement method is demonstrated with ex situ measurements for water drop localization on a single bipolar plate. The wave propagation of the guided waves and their interaction with water drops on different positions of the bipolar plate are investigated. The complex geometry of the bipolar plate leads to complex guided wave responses. Thus, physical modeling of the wave propagation and tomographic methods are not suitable for the localization of the water drops. Using machine learning methods, it is demonstrated that the position of a water drop can be obtained from the guided wave responses despite the complex geometry of the bipolar plate. Our results show standard deviations of 4.2 mm and 3.3 mm in the x and y coordinates, respectively. The measurement method shows high potential for in situ measurements in PEMFC stacks as well as for other applications that require deposit localization on geometrically complex waveguides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduction treatment of graphene oxide is crucial in determining the wave-absorbing capabilities of reduced graphene oxide aerogels (RGOAs). In this work, a series of RGOAs were elaborately prepared by sequential processes involving hydrothermal treatment, hydrazine hydrate steam, and thermal annealing procedures. The acquired samples were examined for their chemical composition, microstructure, surface wetting properties, and chemical bonding configuration. The findings demonstrated that compression performance, including resilience, enhanced as the reduction degree grew. The RGOA (4.60 mm) with the greatest reduction degree demonstrated outstanding microwave absorption characteristics in the frequency range of 2–18 GHz. The maximum reflection loss achieved was −55.95 dB, and the effective absorption bandwidth was 6.96 GHz. The elucidation of the correlation between reduction modes and the performance of RGOAs is advantageous for the advancement of graphene-based materials used in microwave-absorption applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasslands support various ecological functions, such as climate regulation, soil and water conservation, carbon turnover, and nutrient cycling. However, nearly a half of global grasslands have been degraded to varying degrees, especially on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), an extremely fragile ecosystem. As a primary measure of grassland restoration, fertilization largely affects soil aggregate size distribution (ASD) and particle size distribution (PSD). Fractal theory provides a powerful tool for analysis and characterization of soil ASD and PSD. However, our current understanding of soil ASD and PSD responses to fertilization remains limited. Therefore, this study investigated the response of soil structure and fertility to long-term fertilization in alpine grasslands on the QTP based on fractal theory. Long-term fertilization caused significant changes in soil ASD, which varied depending on fertilization practice, particularly in the topsoil (0–5 cm). Soil texture, which is influenced by soil parent material, exhibited a continuous vertical distribution along the depth and was not altered by fertilization. In addition, the results further confirmed that large microaggregates with specific pore structures contributed more to soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration than did other size aggregates. The generalized dimension spectra showed varying increases (6.27–34.93 %) in the complexity or fineness (ΔD) of the soil PSD after fertilization. Capacity dimension (D 0) decreased significantly with NP addition and was correlated strongly with plant species diversity and richness, whereas the information dimension (D 1), D 1 /D 0 , and correlation dimension (D 2) exhibited significant correlations with soil nutrients. During long-term fertilization, soil texture dominated the vertical distribution of the soil erodibility factor, and characteristic microaggregates were the key factors influencing change in soil microstructural stability. Overall, the findings highlight that selection of appropriate fertilization methods (single or combined applications) is vital for regulation and improvement of soil structure and fertility in alpine grasslands. • Long-term fertilization caused significant changes in soil aggregate size distribution. • Increased complexity (ΔD) of soil particle size distribution after fertilization. • Large microaggregates (0.05–0.25 mm) contributed more to SOC sequestration. • Soil texture dominated the vertical distribution of the soil erodibility factor. • Characteristic microaggregates were the key factors for soil microstructure stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid advancement of wearable technologies has led to increasing demand for flexible and conformal sensors that can detect impact events and collect position information accurately. In this study, we developed a flexible barium titanate-resin composite film with enhanced piezoelectric properties. The developed film incorporates porous structure ceramic particles to improve the overall sensing effectiveness. Using this film, we evaluated the performance of impact and vibration sensors, and we explored a technique to detect impact events and localize their occurrences on a composite panel. The proposed technique utilized a sensor array comprising four sensors and employed the centroid localization algorithm to determine the impact position within a nine-cell grid. The results demonstrate the potential of the film to collect position information in wearable devices. The developed sensor array offers promising applications in the wearable technology fields. [Display omitted] • A highly elastic resin-based piezoelectric composite film was proposed. • The use of porous barium titanate particles has increased the piezoelectric properties. • The obtained film holds promising application prospects in vibration sensing. • Utilizing the centroid localization algorithm and a sensor array determines the impact position within the nine-cell grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring and understanding the interfacial resistance between the electrode and electrolyte are critically important for fabricating high-performance thermoelectrochemical cells. Although the charge transfer resistance and other resistance, such as the mass transfer resistance, may measure via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, the resolution of the charge transfer semicircle in the Cole–Cole plot can decrease if these resistance values are smaller than the solution resistances. Moreover, a small dataset at a very low frequency can affect the analysis results. In this study, the transmission line measurement was applied, which is used in semiconductor physics to determine the contact resistance between a metal and a semiconductor, to thermoelectrochemical cells for simultaneously determining the interfacial and solution resistances. This method was used to quantify the direct-current interfacial and solution resistances, which are directly linked to the power output of cells under different temperatures. Because of a wide applicable concentration range, the interfacial reaction rate constant at high electrolyte concentration could be calculated from the transmission line measurement. Through a comparison with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results, we concluded that the interfacial resistance is dominated not by the charge transfer resistance but by the mass transfer resistance, which could be dependent on the surface energy of the electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to investigate the effects of NO 2 and N 2 O additions on the auto-ignition behaviors of gasoline, as these species can affect the combustion of gasoline engines via exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). In this study, both a rapid compression machine and a high-pressure shock tube were used to measure the ignition delay times (IDTs) of China Stage-VI gasoline (Research Octane Number 95) in 'air' mixtures with NO 2 and N 2 O additions, at equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0, at 10 bar, and over a temperature range of 600 ‒ 1400 K. The effects of NO 2 /N 2 O additions up to 1000 ppm were studied. The results show that the NO 2 additions can obviously promote the oxidation of gasoline and decrease the IDTs at the studied conditions, and the promoting effects increase with NO 2 concentrations. Meanwhile, NO 2 additions show larger effects on IDTs at low temperatures than that at high temperatures. However, the N 2 O additions show little effects on the IDTs of gasoline. To further understand the chemistry, a multi-component gasoline surrogate model (n -heptane/isooctane/toluene) including the interaction chemistry between NOx and surrogates was proposed and employed to simulate these experimental IDTs. In general, the proposed kinetic model can simulate well these new IDTs over a wide temperature range. The flux analysis results show that the interaction chemistry between NO 2 and toluene presents the largest effects on IDTs among the surrogates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional fixed-speed pumped storage (PS) has been a reliable measure to provide power system flexibility. However, the increasing need for flexibility of power systems due to adverse environmental events and amplified utilization of renewable sources necessitates the need for modernization of PS units. This paper studies the effect of five PS technologies with different operational flexibility in Qinghai Province's energy system. Firstly, PS models considering the difference in minimum stable generation & pumping, unit efficiency, configurations of turbine & pump are established. Then, the energy mixes, planning capacity, inflow, reservoir operation curve and other data are input into the energy system model. Finally, we quantify the effects of different PS forms on the energy system based on technical, economic, and emission indicators, also identify the optimal PS considering cost preference and emission preference. Results show that the investment costs for various pumped storage technologies depend on the motor type and pump capacity. Fixed-speed pump turbine technologies have a lower cumulative power variation of up to 11,225 GWh and the largest number of start-ups in pumping conditions, at 10,857 times. Increasing operational flexibility stabilizes the reservoir water level, and enhancing pump capacity reduces net load fluctuations for ternary PS and variable-speed quaternary PS. Improving wind-solar curtailment is limited by pump capacity, generating flexibility, and reservoir water level. Systems equipped with fixed-speed PS technologies emit more than carbon emissions other PS technologies. Our research outcomes have the potential to provide valuable insights, enabling stakeholders to optimize the deployment of pumped storage flexibility in low-carbon energy systems, taking into account the energy mix and hydrological conditions that are specific to each region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal pumped storage (SPS) is a sustainable and effective energy storage solution that can mitigate the seasonal fluctuations of renewable energy sources and provide flexibility to power systems. Despite its huge potentials, the operational mechanism of SPS, particularly for the multi-energy complementary operation, remains poorly understood. In this paper, we propose an optimal scheduling model of a regional power system with SPS and evaluate its potential contribution to energy efficiency, power system stability, and environmental impact. A case study in Qinghai, China, demonstrated that SPS effectively managed seasonal fluctuations of renewable energy sources, improved hydropower generation during the dry season, and stored excess power from renewable energy sources and the main power grid. Furthermore, our analysis revealed that SPS significantly improved energy efficiency compared to traditional pumped storage by increasing system energy efficiency by 11.21%, reducing wind and solar power by 72.97%, and lowering carbon emissions by 94.41%. Overall, SPS has immense potential in providing power system flexibility and enhancing the decarbonization of power systems. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developed an optimized scheduling model for hybrid renewable power systems. • The model considers clustering and operating characteristic of diverse generator units. • Proposed an integrated off-river pumped storage and floating photovoltaic system. • Analyzed the technical, economic, environmental positive effect of integrated system. • Explored the technical potential and benefit of the integrated system in power system. Integrating pumped hydro storage with wind-solar power is an effective method for large-scale integration of renewable energy. The integration of floating photovoltaics with pumped hydro storage solves the issues of unstable output from photovoltaic generation and limited land resources. However, traditional pumped hydro storage has limitations in terms of siting and structure, resulting in environmental issues and opposition when integrated with floating photovoltaics. To overcome these limitations, a novel integrated generation system that combines off-river pumped hydro storage and floating photovoltaic is proposed. Additionally, an optimized scheduling model is developed for the hybrid energy power system with the objective of minimizing operating costs. Finally, a case study of a large clean energy project in Qinghai, China is conducted to quantitatively evaluate the comprehensive benefits of this integrated system in hybrid renewable energy power generation from economic, technical, and environmental perspectives. The results indicate that the combination of off-river pumped hydro storage and floating photovoltaics provides improved technological, economic, and environmental benefits. Specifically, under the premise of meeting the power supply rate and ensuring power transmission reliability, the integration of off-river pumped hydro storage and floating photovoltaic generation system surpasses the traditional integration of pumped hydro storage and photovoltaics in multiple aspects. The integrated system can increase power transmission by 26%, decrease investment costs by 15.04%, lower operating costs by 31.75%, save land use by 4.78 km2, and evaporation reduction efficiency by 44.6%. The OFPHS + FPV operation scheme can provide a reference for the development of pumped hydro storage and photovoltaic industries in resource-constrained areas and provide technical guidance to improve the flexibility of regional power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Highly stable algal-bacterial granules were maintained after shaking 25 days. • Algal-bacterial granules removed about 95% dissolved organic C and 71% total N. • 55% of total P removal was achieved during light-on cycles in shaking photoreactors. • 92% of total P was still bioavailable in the algal-bacterial AGS after the test. • Tightly bound extracellular proteins played a crucial role in this study. Abstract The granular stability, nutrients removal and phosphorus (P) accumulation of algal-bacterial aerobic granular sludge (AGS) was examined by using shaking photoreactors (at a fixed light/dark cycle of 12 h/12 h). During the 25 days' operation, algal-bacterial AGS possessed good granular integrity (8.4 ± 0.6%), and excellent removals of dissolved organic carbon (94.8 ± 1.6%) and total nitrogen (71.1 ± 3.3%). More extracellular proteins (153.7 ± 2.3 mg/g) were excreted from the granules with a high proteins/polysaccharides ratio (∼7.4) on day 25, especially the tightly bound proteins mainly responsible for granular stability. Decrease in P content, especially non-apatite inorganic P relating to Fe-PO 4 precipitates, was detected in the granules to some extent, although 54.8 ± 17.1% of total P removal was achieved during the light-on cycles. Still, high P bioavailability (92.0%) was kept in the algal-bacterial AGS throughout the test period. Further optimization of light-on/light-off cycle and hydraulic/sludge retention time is demanding for better and stable P accumulation in the algal-bacterial granules with high bioavailability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To overcome the high separation cost of microalgae, natural microalgae granulation was performed in open sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) by treating synthetic wastewater. After operation for 60 days, easily settled algae granules were obtained with an average size of 0.61 mm, sludge volume index (SVI) of 125 ml/g and settling velocity of 12.2 m/h. More extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) (∼252 mg/g-VSS) were detected to excrete with a higher proteins/polysaccharides (PN/PS) ratio (∼7) for the algae granules on day 60, which are beneficial for granulation. Meanwhile, the algae granules were found to have a higher phosphorus (P) content (33.4 mg-P/g-TSS) with higher P bioavailability (91.8%) when compared to the seed algae (20.4 mg-P/g-TSS). The obtained algae granules possess great potential for P recovery and reuse. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Easily settled algae granules were successfully cultured in open SBRs. • More EPS excretion with high PN/PS ratio were detected in algae granules. • 33.4 mg/g-TSS of P with 91.8% bioavailability was achieved in algae granules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Highly structural stability of algal-bacterial AGS was maintained at COD/N = 1. • Algal-bacterial AGS has great potential for reducing GHGs emission. • 98% of P bioavailability in algal-bacterial AGS was achieved at COD/N = 1. • Algal-bacterial AGS contained high P and N contents easily for resource recovery. • LB-EPS might be the key to stable algal-bacterial AGS at low influent COD/N ratios. Abstract The effect of influent chemical oxygen demand to nitrogen (COD/N) ratio on the granular stability, nutrients removal and accumulation of the algal-bacterial AGS was investigated. Two sequencing batch reactors were operated under different influent COD/N ratio, i.e., R 1 (control, COD/N = 8) and R 2 : (COD/N = 8, 4, 2, and 1 through stepwise decrease of COD). Results showed that the integrity coefficient of the granules in R 2 stabilized at 0.7–5.4% during the whole operation. Significantly enhanced dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) uptake and the faster growth of algae indicated the great potential for reduction in greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission by using the algal-bacterial AGS system. The algal-bacterial AGS biomass contained high phosphorus (P) and N contents as well as extremely high P bioavailability (up to 98%) which could be easily used for resource recovery. Loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances (LB-EPS) might be the key factor to control the deterioration of granular stability in this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of annealing on the residual stresses distribution and structural properties of Si core fiber cross-section are mainly investigated using Raman spectra map, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction. The annealing was carried out at 800 °C, 1000 °C, and 1200 °C, respectively by muffle furnace. The experimental results show that defects distribution has more obvious effects than the different characters between core and cladding on the residual stresses at the inner area of Si core cross-section. The defects distribution relate to the temperature field distribution during the process of drawing fiber. Annealing could decrease the residual stresses and make the distribution of residual stresses uniform effectively. For all samples, the Si core annealed at 1200 °C has the smallest residual stresses and the most uniform residual stresses distribution. The residual stresses of 155–437.5 MPa mainly caused by different characters between Si core and SiO 2 cladding distribute at the narrow ring area near the inner surface of cladding. This area is very likely to be composed by grains which is smaller than grains in the inner, and has looser microstructure than the inner. It exists like a buffer layer. Annealing could also improve the crystal quality of Si core. After annealed at 1200 °C, the high intensity diffraction peak of the (3 1 1) plane is generated in the X-ray diffraction spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the feasibility of N recovery from swine excreta (SE) as value-added soluble proteins and amino acids using hydrothermal (HT) technology for improving dry anaerobic digestion (AD) performance. The effect of temperature on characteristics and transformation behaviors of N species in SE subjected to HT pretreatment at different temperatures (110–210 °C for holding 30 min) was investigated. After HT pretreatment at 150 °C, 58% of the total nitrogen (TN) content in SE became soluble, with 19.03%, 1.55% and 0.56% of TN being converted into soluble proteins, amino acids and urea, respectively. Temperatures higher than 170 °C favored the breakdown of these proteinaceous compounds, leading to accelerated formation of ammonia. After soluble proteins and amino acids being separated by water extraction, CH 4 yield (322.13 cm 3 g −1 of VS fed ) from the solid residue pretreated at 150 °C was improved by 51% in comparison to that from raw excreta (213.70 cm 3 g −1 of VS fed ), achieving 3 days' shorter in effective CH 4 production period. HT technology could be an effective pretreatment alternative for the recovery of soluble proteins and amino acids and subsequently enhanced dry AD of SE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the feasibility of low-temperature hydrothermal (HT) pretreatment for improving dry anaerobic digestion (AD) of swine manure (SM) and nutrient elements reclamation, with specific goals to minimize the drawbacks of conventional HT process including high energy consumption, inhibitory compounds formation and unfavorable pH/alkalinity decrease. Pretreatment at 110–130 °C for holding 30 min increased the soluble organic carbon (SOC) concentration in SM by 13–26%. After being mixed with inocula, the pretreated SM was applied for dry AD tests successfully without initial pH adjustment, achieving a CH 4 yield of 280.18–328.93 ml/g-VS fed (14–34% increase compared to that from raw SM). Energy assessment indicated a positive net gain of 0.95 kJ/g-VS by adopting HT pretreatment at 130 °C. Except for increment in CH 4 yield, low-temperature HT pretreatment also promoted organic-N mineralization, increasing N fractions in the digestate available for plants. After 70 days’ dry AD, a high ammonia-N to total nitrogen (TN) ratio of 71% was obtained for the SM sample pretreated at 130 °C, in sharp contrast to that of 38% in raw SM. P bioavailability in the final digestate was not greatly affected by the HT pretreatment since the labile organics were mostly degraded after AD, in which P existing forms were influenced by the multivalent metals content in SM. Overall, 23–27% of the total P was potentially bioavailable in all digestates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stability of algal-bacterial granules was investigated in two continuous-flow systems to treat synthetic domestic wastewater using single (R 1 ) and series (R 2 = R 2-1 + R 2-2 with automatically internal recirculation) reactors by seeding 50% (w/w) algal-bacterial granules. Almost similar organics and phosphorus removal efficiencies were obtained from the two systems, with no significant difference found for each between the designed two operation stages. However, R 2 exhibited superior performance on total nitrogen (TN) removal (76%). When double increased strength influent fed to R 1 , R 1 achieved better denitrification with TN removal increased from 29% to 80%, possibly due to the increased influent organics concentration favored the denitrification process. Most importantly, the two systems well maintained their granular stability, and all granules became algal-bacterial ones with very little change detected in algae content in granules after 120 days’ operation. At last, the mechanisms were proposed regarding the formation and enhanced stability of new algal-bacterial granules in continuous-flow reactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of annealing temperature on the stress and structural properties of a Ge core fibre via the molten core drawing (MCD) method is investigated using Raman spectroscopy, Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction. The experimental results showed that the Raman peak position of the Ge fibre shifted from 297.6 cm −1 to 300.5 cm −1 , and the FWHM value decreased from 4.53 cm −1 to 4.31 cm −1 , when the annealing is carried out at 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C, respectively. For the Ge core annealed at 900 °C, an apparent crystal grain can be seen in the SEM image, and the diffraction peaks of the (3 3 1) plane are generated in the X-ray diffraction spectra. These results show that optimising the annealing temperature allows the release of the residual stress in the Ge core. When the Ge core fibre is annealed at 900 °C, it exhibits the lowest residual stress and the highest crystal quality, and the quality improvement relative to that of the sample annealed at 800 °C is significant. Hence, annealing at around 900 °C can greatly improve the quality of a Ge core fibre. Further performance improvement of the Ge core fibre by annealing techniques can be anticipated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of controlling recrystallization from the melt (1000 °C) on the residual stress and structural properties of a Ge core fiber via molten core drawing (MCD) method is investigated. Ge core fibers is investigated using Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Compared with the as-drawn Ge fiber, the Raman peak of the recrystallized Ge fiber shift from 300 cm −1 to 300.6 cm −1 and full width at half maximum (FWHM) decreased from 5.36 cm −1 to 4.48 cm −1 . The Ge crystal grains which sizes are of 200–600 nm were formed during the process of recrystallization; the XRD peak of (1 1 1) plane is observed after recrystallization. These results show that controlling recrystallization allows the release of the thermal stress, and improvement of the crystal quality of Ge core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• higher emission intensities of coal power plants running at below optimal efficiency to provide flexibility increases emissions from 3.4% to 11.1% depending on the region. • The coal phase-out lowers flexibility indicators, with loss-of-load increasing in the full phase-out scenario in the absence of mitigating technologies such as electricity storage. • Flexible hydropower eases peak demand issues significantly and the operating range of hydro-units has no significant effect on system flexibility or emissions. A rapid coal phase-out is critical if China is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. However, this presents a significant challenge in maintaining system flexibility as the number of coal power stations reduce and renewable energy penetration increases. Here we analyze the interactions between flexibly operating hydroelectric facilities in balancing the decommissioning of a typical 600 MW coal-fired power unit across three different provinces with different electricity mixes. Rather than using a constant parameter for the carbon emission intensity for coal, as used in previous studies, we use dynamic intensities across different output levels. Accounting for the higher emission intensities of coal power plants running at below optimal efficiency to provide flexibility increases emissions from 3.4 % to 11.1 % depending on the region. The coal phase-out lowers flexibility indicators, with loss-of-load increasing in the full phase-out scenario in the absence of mitigating technologies such as electricity storage. Flexible hydropower eases peak demand issues significantly and the operating range of hydro-units has no significant effect on system flexibility or emissions. Overall, hydropower shows large potential in supporting decarbonization while maintaining system flexibility, especially for coal-dominated countries with abundant hydropower resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional microdisk electrodes for scanning electrochemical microscopy -SECM- and for related techniques are mostly based on a metallic micro-wire insulated in a glass capillary. At one end, a section of the microwire is exposed, while the other end is used for the electric contact with the potentiostat/galvanostat. The preparation of these devices is time consuming and the resulting systems are fragile and thus not fully suitable for educational purposes. Commercial microelectrodes (SECM tips in particular) are expensive. In this work we introduce a method for rapidly preparing robust microdisk electrodes, based on insulation by epoxy resin (but easily adaptable to other polymers), that doesn't simply represent a technological advance in the field, but introduces a new technological platform, given the flexibility of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Ge core fibers were annealed by CO 2 lasers with different frequencies. • The laser frequency had a significant impact on the properties of Ge core during the process of CO 2 laser annealing. • The optimization effect of 50 kHz laser annealing on Ge core properties is significantly better than that of 30 kHz and 70 kHz lasers. The germanium (Ge) core fibers via molten core drawing (MCD) method were annealed by CO 2 lasers of 30 kHz, 50 kHz and 70 kHz frequencies respectively under the same laser output power condition. The effect of different laser frequencies on the Ge fiber was mainly investigated using Raman frequency maps, propagation loss measurement and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Raman frequency maps show that the optimization effect of 50 kHz laser annealing on Ge core properties is significantly better than that of 30 kHz and 70 kHz lasers. For the samples annealed by 30 kHz, 50 kHz and 70 kHz lasers, the lowest propagation loss obtained in each laser frequency is 4.598 dB/cm, 2.102 dB/cm, and 2.873 dB/cm respectively, which were measured using a quantum cascade laser with the wavelength range from 4.7 to 4.9 μm. The results of this study indicate that the laser frequency had a significant impact on the properties of Ge core during the process of CO 2 laser annealing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated ammonia recovery from swine excreta through dry anaerobic digestion (AD) and ammonia stripping. The effects of different operation conditions including temperature (25–55 °C), total solids (TS, 20%–35%) and initial pH (7.0–12.0) were assessed on ammonia production in terms of organic nitrogen (organic-N) conversion and process kinetics through 8 days' trials. All experimental data fitted well to the pseudo first-order kinetic models during dry AD and the maximum organic-N mass conversion ratio was estimated to be 65.1% when dry AD was conducted at 55 °C, 20% TS, and initial pH 10.0. Changes in biogas production and its composition signaled the bioactivity of the bacteria involving in ammonia production from swine excreta during dry AD. Finally, greater than 90% of the total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) in swine excreta was efficiently recovered by air stripping at TS about 20%. Restated, the combination of short-term dry AD with ammonia stripping achieved about 60% of total nitrogen recovery efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in many physiological processes such as signal transduction, cell proliferation and apoptosis. Many studies have shown that miRNAs can regulate the process of follicular development. Our previous studies found that the expression of miR-29c-5p in buffalo atretic follicles was much higher than that in healthy follicles, suggesting that this miRNA may participate in the process of buffalo follicular atresia. In this study, we aim to explore to the role and molecular mechanisms of miR-29c-5p on the functions of buffalo granulosa cells (GCs). GCs cultured in vitro were transfected with miR-29c-5p mimics and its inhibitor, respectively, and it was found that the mimics significantly increased the apoptotic rate of GCs. They also inhibited the proliferation of GCs and the secretion of steroid hormones. The effect of the inhibitor was opposite to that of the mimics. MiR-29c-5p was subsequently shown to target the inhibin subunit beta A, (INHBA). Overexpression of INHBA could promote the production of activin A and inhibin A, and then reverse the effect of miR-29c-5p on buffalo GCs. In conclusion, these results suggest that miR-29c-5p promotes apoptosis and inhibits proliferation and steroidogenesis by targeting INHBA in buffalo GCs. This may ultimately promote atresia in buffalo follicles. • MiR-29c-5p expression is higher in atretic follicles than in healthy follicles. • MiR-29c-5p promotes apoptosis and inhibits proliferation on GCs of buffalo. • MiR-29c-5p inhibits the synthesis of PROG and E2 on GCs of buffalo. • MiR-29c-5p induces buffalo follicular atresia by targeting the INHBA 3′UTR region. • INHBA regulates the function of GCs by controlling the production of ACV-A and INH-A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The activation of STING (stimulator of interferon genes) pathway enhances antitumor immunity in small‐cell lung cancer (SCLC), while the DNA damage induced by non‐cGAMP‐based agonists is a potent inducer of STING activity. Here, we investigate the intrinsic expression of STING in cancer cells and evaluate the value of the combination of ATR and TOP1 inhibitors in enhancing antitumor immunity. Methods: STING expression was assessed at mRNA and protein levels in SCLC and normal lung tissues. Transcriptomic subsets of SCLC were identified based on STING‐related genes. Distinct mutation and immunogenomic profiles of these subsets were determined. The direct antitumor efficacy and the potential of enhancing antitumor immunity of the strategy using the ATR‐TOP1‐inhibitor combination were tested in SCLC cell lines. Results: The intrinsic expression of STING was significantly reduced in SCLC compared to normal lung tissues (p < 0.0001). Three STING‐related SCLC subtypes were identified in which the STING‐high subtype was associated with (1) high immune infiltration, (2) high expression of genes related to MHC and immune checkpoints, and (3) high EMT and ferroptosis score. On the contrary, the STING‐low subtype was enriched with pathways related to DNA damage response (DDR) and cell cycle progression. The association between the DDR pathway activity and the STING‐IFN innate immune response was verified by in vitro experiments in which the inhibition of ATR and TOP1 triggered the expression of genes encoding type I IFN signaling and pro‐inflammatory cytokines/chemokines in a STING‐low SCLC cell line. Conclusion: Our study verifies that activation of the STING‐IFN response by ATR and TOP1 inhibitors might be a therapeutic strategy to improve the response to immune checkpoint therapy in STING‐low SCLC. Furthermore, the combinations of ATR and TOP1 inhibitors can augment tumor inflammation in STING‐low SCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Influence of annealing temperature on the properties of Sb-doped ZnO thin films were studied. Hall measurement results indicated that the Sb-doped ZnO annealed at 950°C was p-type conductivity. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicated that the Sb-doped ZnO thin films prepared at the experiments are high c-axis oriented. It was worth noting that p-type sample had the worst crystallinity. The measurements of low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra indicate that the sample annealed at the temperatures of 950°C showed strong acceptor-bound exciton (A0X) emission, and confirmed that it is related to Sb-doping by comparing with the undoped ZnO low-temperature PL spectrum. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Different core diameter core fiber had the different appropriate laser annealing power. • The larger diameter core fiber required higher laser power annealing to effectively eliminate residual stresses in the core. • In simulation, the temperature of the small Ge core was lower than that of the large Ge core at the same laser power. The Ge core fibers with 20-μm, 44-μm, and 62-μm core diameters were annealed by CO 2 laser, respectively. The effect of different core diameters on the Ge core fiber in CO 2 laser annealing was mainly investigated. Raman frequency maps show that the larger diameter core fiber required higher laser power annealing to effectively eliminate residual stresses in the core. The COMSOL Multiphysics was used to simulate the temperature change of Ge core with different diameters during the CO 2 laser annealing process. The simulation results show that the temperature of the small Ge core is higher than that of the large Ge core at the same laser power. The SiO 2 cladding do not introduce significant residual stresses into Ge core during the fiber drawing process. The propagation losses were measured using a quantum cascade laser with the wavelength range from 4.7 to 4.9 μm. After the CO 2 laser annealing with appropriate power, the propagation losses range measured for Ge core fibers with different core diameters were between 1.96 dB/cm to 2.36 dB/cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, chromium (Cr) was used as an example of the most toxic heavy metals that threaten human health, and Cr(VI) bioremediation was implemented by using a new type of aerobic granular sludge (AGS), i.e., algal-bacterial AGS. Results showed that the total Cr removal efficiency by active algal-bacterial AGS was 85.1 ± 0.6% after 6 h biosorption at pH 6 and room temperature, which could be further improved to 93.8 ± 0.4% with external electron donor (glucose) supply. However, inactivation dramatically decreased the total Cr removal efficiency to 29.6 ± 3.5%, and no effect was noticed when external electron donor was provided. With an antibiotic (levofloxacin) or metabolic inhibitor (NaN 3) addition, the total Cr removal efficiency of bacterial AGS was inhibited by 16.0% or 10.1%, but this efficiency was maintained in the case of algal-bacterial AGS. Analysis of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) composition revealed that under Cr(VI) exposure, more loosely bound EPS were secreted by algal-bacterial AGS, favoring Cr(VI) reduction. Results from chemical fractionation indicated that 90.5 ± 4.2% of the loaded Cr on algal-bacterial AGS was in an immobile form, reflecting the low environmental risk of Cr-loaded algal-bacterial AGS after biosorption of hazardous heavy metals from wastewater. [Display omitted] • Cell viability and algae are crucial for Cr(VI) sorption by algal-bacterial AGS. • Cr(VI) removal by algal-bacterial AGS can be maintained when exposed to antibiotics. • Loosely bound EPS secreted by algal-bacterial AGS favored Cr(VI) reduction. • 90.5% of loaded Cr was in immobile form with 61.7% bound with organic matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ionic liquid based on 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride·FeCl 3 ·FeCl 2 is introduced in thermoelectrochemical cells. Besides harvesting thermal energy, this system shows the possibility to harvest mechanical energies. [Display omitted] • Thermo-electrochemical cells based on the ionic liquids [BMIM]Cl·FeCl 3 /[BMIM]Cl·FeCl 2 are developed. • The [BMIM]Cl·FeCl 3 diffusion could be controlled by a magnetic field. • The heat and mechanical energy could be transferred to electricity simultaneously. This study reports a thermo-electrochemical cell based on ionic liquids 1-buty1-3-methylimidazolium chloride·FeCl 3 and 1-buty1-3-methylimidazolium chloride·FeCl 2. This system showed a high ion conductivity of ca.7 S m−1, a low charge transfer resistance of 0.9 Ω cm2 on a Pt electrode, and a thermopower of 0.26 mV K−1. Because the oxidized form of 1-buty1-3-methylimidazolium chloride·FeCl 3 is paramagnetic, the diffusion was controllable under a magnetic field. When a magnet was touched to one of the electrodes of the thermo-electrochemical cell, a potential difference of several mV was generated. The unique properties of the magnetic ionic liquid redox couple suggest new possibilities for simultaneously harvesting thermal and mechanical energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is one of the typical heavy metals that pose a great threat to the environment. As a novel biotechnology, algal-bacterial aerobic granular sludge (AGS) possesses the merits of both bacterial AGS and algae. This study firstly evaluated Cr(VI) removal via biosorption by algal-bacterial AGS under different operation conditions and then some environmental factors. Results show that the highest Cr(VI) reduction (99.3%) and total Cr removal (89.1%) were achieved within 6 h at pH 2 and 6, respectively. The coexisting oxyanions exhibited slight effects, while both tested natural organic matters (humic acid and tannic acid) and carbon sources promoted Cr(VI) reduction at some appropriate concentrations. The coexistence of metal cations favored Cr(VI) reduction, achieving the highest enhancement of 8.1% by Cu2+ at 5 mg/L, while the total Cr removal was suppressed to some extent. Salinity > 5 g/L severely inhibited both Cr(VI) reduction and total Cr removal. Moreover, the loaded Cr in algal-bacterial AGS was found to be almost in the form of Cr(III), with 66.8% being contributed by intracellular accumulation. This work suggests that Cr(VI) reduction and intracellular accumulation are the main mechanisms involved in Cr(IV) biosorption onto algal-bacterial AGS. [Display omitted] • Microbial activity and granular stability were maintained after Cr(VI) biosorption. • Optimal pH for Cr(VI) reduction was pH 2 while that for total Cr removal was pH 6. • Metal cations may enhance Cr(VI) reduction while suppress total Cr removal. • Organics may promote Cr(VI) removal, especially for Cr(VI) reduction. • The adsorbed Cr in granules was in form of Cr(III) with 66.8% being intracellular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel 1D-3D approach for the stability characteristics of the hydropower generation system (HGS) in transition processes. First, a 1D-3D coupling model was established for the HGS in the load-reduction process. Second, a sensitivity analysis of the HGS's parameters to the rotation speed and discharge was conducted. Third, the pressure pulsation characteristics of the HGS with three typical guide vane openings were analyzed during the load-reduction process. The results show that with the closure of the guide vane, the discharge gradually decreases and it is sensitive to the change in hydraulic parameters. The rotation speed fluctuates at the early stage of the transition process and is easily affected by mechanical parameters. In addition, the pressure pulsation inside the Francis turbine is more intense under small openings than large openings, and the primary frequency of pressure pulsation under three opening degrees is the blade frequency. The 1D-3D coupling model successfully integrates the advantages of traditional methods and provides a reference for predicting system stability and exploring the stability mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are associated with development and progression of multiple myeloma (MM). However, the role and mechanism of circ_0005615 in MM have not been elucidated. Circ_0005615 was determined by GEO database. quantitative RT-PCR was performed to confirm the expression of circ_0005615 in peripheral blood of MM patients and MM cells. The roles of circ_0005615 in MM were analyzed using CCK8, transwell invasion, cell apoptosis and tumor xenograft experiments. Bioinformatics tools, RIP and RNA pull down assays were conducted to explore the downstream of circ_0005615. Furthermore, the mechanism was investigated by quantitative RT-PCR, western blot, dot blot and meRIP-PCR assays. Circ_0005615 was upregulated in MM. Overexpression of circ_0005615 promoted cell viability and invasion, and suppressed apoptosis in vitro , which were opposite when circ_0005615 was knockdowned. Mechanistically, EIF4A3, a RNA-binding protein (RBP), could directly bind to circ_0005615 and ALKBH5, where ALKBH5 could directly combine with MAP3K4, forming a circ_0005615- EIF4A3-ALKBH5-MAP3K4 module. Furthermore, circ_0005615 overexpression increased m6A methylation of MAP3K4 by inhibiting ALKBH5, leading to decreased MAP3K4. Further functional experiments indicated that ALKBH5 overexpression weakened the promoting roles of circ_0005615 overexpression in MAP3K4 m6A methylation and tumor progression in MM. The above functions and mechanism were also verified in vivo. Elevated circ_0005615 decreased MAP3K4 mediated by ALKBH5 through interacting with EIF4A3, thereby accelerating MM progression. Circ_0005615 might be a promising biomarker and target of MM. • Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are associated with development and progression of multiple myeloma (MM). • Circ 0005615 promotes MM progression by binding to RNA-binding proteins. • Circ_0005615 might be a promising biomarker and target of MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mature algal-bacterial AGS was examined under sudden 1–3% salinity disturbance. • Inhibition of filamentous organisms was observed under saline conditions. • Good sludge settleability was kept throughout the test 1–3% salinity condition. • Nutrients removals could be recovered when salinity disturbance was removed. • A high P bioavailability (93–97%) was maintained in granules throughout the test. The impact of sudden salinity (1–3%) disturbance in influent wastewater on mature algal-bacterial aerobic granular sludge (AGS) was investigated, in addition to its recovery possibility when salinity disturbance was removed. Results show that the mature algal-bacterial AGS with less filamentous could maintain its good settleability with sludge volume index below 41 mL/g when wastewater salinity was increased to 3%, in which loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances might play an important role. Under this condition, the granule system achieved slightly lower dissolved organic carbon removal (from 97% to 94%), while the removals of ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were remarkably decreased from ~100%, 66% and 70% to 23%, 16% and 38%, respectively. However, the organics and nutrients removals could be recovered immediately when the salinity disturbance was removed from the influent. P bioavailability, on the other hand, kept almost stable (93–97%) in the AGS during the examination period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• P can be successfully recovered as vivianite from WAS with CTS-Fe addition. • 95% of P was removed/recovered from liquid digestate in CTS-Fe added AD reactor. • CTS-Fe addition enhanced cumulative methane yield by 32.2% during AD of WAS. • P transformation and its pathways during AD were systematically investigated. Fe(III)-loaded chitosan (CTS-Fe) composite was used for the first time to remove and recover phosphorus (P) from waste activated sludge (WAS) via anaerobic digestion (AD). The P transformation pathway and the effect of CTS-Fe addition on the AD process were investigated using batch experiments. The P fractionation results indicate that non-apatite inorganic phosphorus (NAIP) reduction in the solid phase of sludge at 20 g/L of CTS-Fe addition (6.72 mg/g-SS) was 2.4 times higher than that in the control (2.77 mg/g-SS, no CTS-Fe addition). This is probably brought about by the added CTS-Fe enhanced the reduction of Fe(III)-P compounds in the sludge with phosphate released into the liquid phase. CTS-Fe can efficiently recover 95% of P from the liquid digestate of WAS. Notably, partial Fe(III) on the CTS-Fe was reduced and effectively combined with P to form vivianite crystals on the CTS-Fe surface during the AD process. Characterization analysis demonstrated that ligand exchange and chemical precipitation were the dominant mechanisms for P removal/recovery. Furthermore, the addition of CTS-Fe increased methane production by 11.9 - 32.2% under the tested conditions, likely attributable to the enhanced hydrolysis of WAS under CTS-Fe supplementation. As the P-loaded CTS-Fe particles can be easily separated and recovered from the AD system and further reutilized in agriculture, this study could provide a new approach for simultaneous P removal/recovery and enhanced methane production from AD of WAS. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Algal-bacterial AGS was superior to bacterial AGS for Cr(VI) removal. • Cr(VI) biosorption by algal-bacterial AGS was highly pH dependent. • Maximum Cr(VI) biosorption capacity of algal-bacterial AGS was 51.0 mg g−1. • 64–73% of the adsorbed Cr could be recovered by desorption with NaHCO 3. • Cr(VI) removal was predominated by biosorption accompanied with bioreduction. Biosorption is considered as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly Cr(VI) removal process from wastewater. This study is the first report on algal-bacterial aerobic granular sludge (AGS) being used as biosorbent for Cr(VI) removal in comparison to conventional bacterial AGS with respect to biosorption performance. Batch tests revealed that Cr(VI) biosorption onto algal-bacterial AGS was highly pH dependent and the maximum Cr(VI) biosorption capacity of 51.0 mg g−1 occurred at pH 2. The Cr(VI) removal by algal-bacterial AGS was found to be accomplished by both biosorption and bioreduction reactions, in which four mechanisms, namely electrostatic interactions, ion exchange, surface complexation and bioreduction were involved. In addition, desorption tests showed that 64–73% of the adsorbed Cr onto the algal-bacterial AGS could be recovered by NaHCO 3 , and most of the adsorbed Cr was in the form of Cr(III). Compared to the conventional bacterial AGS, algal-bacterial AGS demonstrated higher biosorption capacity and better granular stability, implying that algal-bacterial AGS can be more potentially utilized as a Cr(VI) removal and recovery biomaterial for the treatment of Cr(VI)-containing wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Residual stresses decreased and became more uniform after annealing. • Stress distribution of Si core became more uniform after removing the cladding. • At 1200 °C, the optimal annealing time is around 50 min. • A propagation loss of 1.62 dB/cm in the wavelength range of 4.7–4.9 μm was achieved. Si core fibers were annealed at 1200 °C, the annealing was carried out for 20 min, 30 min, 40 min, 50 min and 60 min, respectively by muffle furnace. The effects of different annealing time on residual stress distribution, crystalline state and the propagation losses of Si core; and the effect of cladding on the residual stresses in Si core were mainly investigated. Annealing could decrease the residual stresses and make the distribution of residual stresses uniform effectively. The SiO 2 cladding introduces residual stresses into the core. Residual stress distribution of Si core became more uniform after removing the cladding. The Si core annealed for 50 min has smaller residual stresses, relatively uniform residual stress distribution and the lowest propagation loss in all samples. The propagation losses were measured using a quantum cascade laser with the wavelength range from 4.7 μm to 4.9 μm. The lowest propagation loss of 1.62 dB/cm has been achieved in all samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional liquid propellants like unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine include several issues, such as toxicity, short storage time and preservation difficulty at low temperatures. For this reason, exploring green and stable propellant fuels is imperative in the development of propellants. Tetramethyl ethylenediamine (TMEDA) is considered to be a promising green propellant fuel with high specific impulse, non-toxicity, and long-term storage stability. Thus, investigating the combustion characteristics of TMEDA and constructing a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism are of fundamental importance in describing its combustion in computational fluid simulation. For this work, ignition delay times of TMEDA were measured in a shock tube at equivalent ratios of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0, at pressures of 2, 10, and 20 bar, and in the temperature range of 870–1500 K with fixed fuel concentration at 2 %. After the reflected shock at 990–1500 K, the pyrolysis products of 2000 and 5000 ppm TMEDA in Argon were also measured at 5 and 10 bar conditions in a single pulse shock tube. In addition, laminar flame speeds of TMEDA were measured at initial pressures of 1 bar, initial temperatures of 333 and 353 K, and equivalence ratios ranging from 0.8 to 1.5 in a constant volume reactor. The experimental results were simulated using a detailed TMEDA kinetic mechanism. Reaction path analysis and sensitivity analysis were provided to clarify the chemical kinetics of TMEDA oxidation and pyrolysis. The current work provides new experimental data and fundamental analyses for understanding the oxidation and pyrolysis characteristics of TMEDA, and sheds light on optimal directions for future models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The choice of strategy exposes individuals to the risk of betrayal. This induces individuals' irrational tendencies in strategy selection, which further influences the emergence of cooperative behavior. However, the underlying mechanisms connecting risk perception and the emergence of cooperation are still not fully understood. To address this, the classic evolutionary game model on complex networks is extended. We depict the interaction between strategy imitation and payoff evaluation from two perspectives: dynamic adjustment and irrational assessment. Specifically, the probability distortion involved in the dynamic selection of imitative reference points, as well as the asymmetric psychological utility associated with reference point dependence, is emphasized. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate that individual irrational cognition induced by the risk of strategy selection can promote the emergence of cooperative behavior. Among them, the risk sensitivity within psychological utility has the most significant moderating effect. Moreover, the promoting effect of strong heterogeneity and high clustering in the network topology on cooperation under risk scenarios has been clarified. Additionally, the influence of initial states on the emergence of cooperation follows a step-like pattern. This research offers valuable insights for further exploring the cooperation mechanisms among irrational agents, even in scenarios involving the regulation of group cooperation behavior in risky situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are considered as the first-line treatment for advanced EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to analyze the efficacy of EGFR-TKIs treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC of different smoking habits. Methods: We conducted a search for meta-analyses and systematic reviews on the PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to address this knowledge gap. Patients were divided into 2 groups: (1) experimental group: treated with EGFR-TKIs or EGFR-TKIs combined with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, antiangiogenesis, radiotherapy and (2) control group: treated with chemotherapy. Progressive-free survival (PFS) and total survival (OS) were adopted for evaluating the efficacy of EGFR-TKIs between experimental group and control group. Results: Eleven studies including 6760 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that smoking (including previous and current smoking) significantly reduces the PFS and OS in comparison to non-smoking group in the treatment of NSCLC with EGFR-TKIs. In addition, EGFR-TKIs combined with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy can reduce the risk of disease progression in smokers. Conclusions: Our study indicated that smoking significantly reduced the PFS and OS in comparison to non-smoking group in the treatment of NSCLC with EGFR-TKIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrocyclohexane is an important propellant within the class of nitroalkane based energetic fuels characterized by the nitro functional group. Although several studies were reported on the ignition of small nitroalkanes, very few kinetic studies are performed on their ignition characteristics under oxygen-free conditions. Herein, the ignition kinetics of nitrocyclohexane in inert and air environments are studied using a high-pressure shock tube facility. The experiments are performed at pressure of 2, 5, 10, and 20 bar with equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 under the temperature range from 950 K to 1420 K. The effect from fuel concentrations at 0.61%, 1.14% and 2.05% with nitrogen as the inert gas are also studied. Comparisons of the ignition kinetics with other fuels including nitromethane, 1-nitropropane, methylcyclohexane, and cyclohexylamine are performed. The present manuscript provides the first experimental data for nitroalkanes in inert conditions, and should be valuable to understand the combustion chemistry of nitroalkanes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amine compounds are an important class of nitro-containing fuels and represent as promising renewable fuels. However, the structural effect from the alkyl group on the combustion characteristics of amines remains an urgent problem to promote their usage in practical engines. To probe and replenish the combustion properties of amine fuels, this work reported an experimental and kinetic modeling study on the high-temperature ignition and pyrolysis characteristics of cyclohexylamine over a wide range of conditions. Specifically, a high-pressure shock tube is used to measure the ignition delay times under the temperature range from 1100 K to 1700 K with pressure of 2 and 5 bar and the equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0. The pyrolysis characteristics is studied using a single-pulse shock tube at fuel concentration of 0.5% diluted by argon in the temperature range 950–1400 K at 5 and 10 bar with the residence time around 1.6 microsecond. A detailed kinetic mechanism is developed to simulate the experimental results. To improve the accuracy of the detailed mechanism, primary initial reactions of cyclohexylamine including the hydrogen abstraction reactions and the C N decomposition reaction are theoretically studied at G4//M06–2X/6–311++ G (d, p) level of theory with transition state theory and RRKM/mater equation. The detailed kinetic mechanism shows good prediction accuracy of the ignition delay times and pyrolysis product distributions under different temperature, pressure and equivalence ratio conditions. Sensitivity analysis results indicate that the most sensitive reaction is O 2 + H = O + OH with the most negative sensitivity coefficient and the abstraction reaction of vinylamine with OH radical, C 2 H 3 NH 2 + OH = C 2 H 3 NH + H 2 O also exhibits large sensitivity coefficients. Reaction path analysis reveals that the abstraction reactions control the initial oxidation of cyclohexylamine and cyclohexen-1-amine, cyclohexen-2-amine, and cyclohexen-3-amine are also major intermediates during the oxidation of cyclohexylamine besides small pyrolysis products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]