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Green eggs are mainly caused by inserting an avian endogenous retrovirus (EVA-HP) fragment into the SLCO1B3 gene. Although the genotypes for this insertion allele are consistent, eggshell color (ESC) may vary after a peak laying period; light-colored eggs are undesired by consumers and farmers and result in financial loss, so it is necessary to resolve this problem. miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that exert essential functions in animal development and diseases. However, the regulatory miRNAs and detailed molecular mechanisms regulating eggshell greenness remain unclear. In the present study, we determined the genotype of green-eggshell hens through the detection of a homozygous allele insertion in the SLCO1B3 gene. The shell gland epithelium was obtained from green-eggshell hens that produced white and green shell eggs to perform transcriptome sequencing and investigate the important regulatory mechanisms that influence the ESC. Approximately 921 miRNAs were expressed in these two groups, which included 587 known miRNAs and 334 novel miRNAs, among which 44 were differentially expressed. There were 22 miRNAs that were significantly upregulated in the green and white groups, respectively, which targeted hundreds of genes, including KIT, HMOX2, and several solute carrier family genes. A Gene Ontology enrichment analysis of the target genes showed that the differentially expressed miRNA-targeted genes mainly belonged to the functional categories of homophilic cell adhesion, gland development, the Wnt signaling pathway, and epithelial tube morphogenesis. A KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the Hedgehog signaling pathway was significantly transformed in this study. The current study provides an overview of the miRNA expression profiles and the interaction between the miRNAs and their target genes. It provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying green eggshell pigmentation, screening more effective hens to produce stable green eggs and obtaining higher economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the issue of estimating soil moisture at a hyper-resolution scale, a methodology referred to as Precision Irrigation Soil Moisture Mapper (PrISMM), that includes three key components, is developed: high-resolution remotely sensed optical and thermal data, surface energy balance modeling, and site-specific soil analysis. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle/System (UAV or UAS) collects high-resolution multispectral imagery in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan study area. Orthomosaics are converted to thermal inertia estimates in a spatially distributed format using the remotely sensed data combined with a set of surface energy balance modeling equations. Using thermal and physical properties of soil gained from site-specific soil analysis, thermal inertia estimates were further converted from thermal inertia to daily volumetric soil water content (VSWC) with a horizonal resolution of 8.6 cm. A ground truthing dataset of measured VSWC values taken from a Time Domain Reflectometer was compared with model results, producing a reasonable correlation with an average coefficient of determination of (R2) = 0.79, an average root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.0408, and mean absolute error (MAE) = 0.0308. This study highlights a practical approach of estimating VSWC for irrigation purposes while providing superior spatio-temporal coverage over in situ methods. The authors envision that PrISMM can be implemented in water usage management by relating VSWC with weather forecasts and evapotranspiration rates to develop time-based spatially distributed irrigation management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review summarizes existing evidence of the impact of vision impairment and ocular morbidity and their treatment on children's quality of life (QoL). Myopia and strabismus are associated with reduced QoL among children. Surgical treatment of strabismus significantly improves affected children's QoL. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis by screening articles in any language in 9 databases published from inception through August 22, 2022, addressing the impact of vision impairment, ocular morbidity, and their treatment on QoL in children. We reported pooled standardized mean differences (SMDs) using random-effects meta-analysis models. Quality appraisal was performed using Joanna Briggs Institute and National Institutes of Health tools. This study was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (identifier, CRD42021233323). Our search identified 29 118 articles, 44 studies (0.15%) of which were included for analysis that included 32 318 participants from 14 countries between 2005 and 2022. Seventeen observational and 4 interventional studies concerned vision impairment, whereas 10 observational and 13 interventional studies described strabismus and other ocular morbidities. Twenty-one studies were included in the meta-analysis. The QoL scores did not differ between children with and without vision impairment (SMD, –1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], –2.11 to 0.03; P = 0.06; 9 studies). Myopic children demonstrated significantly lower QoL scores than those with normal vision (SMD, –0.60; 95% CI, –1.09 to –0.11; P = 0.02; 7 studies). Children with strabismus showed a significantly lower QoL score compared with those without (SMD, –1.19; 95% CI, –1.66 to –0.73; P < 0.001; 7 studies). Strabismus surgery significantly improved QoL in children (SMD, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.48–2.23; P < 0.001; 7 studies). No randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning refractive error and QoL were identified. Among all included studies, 35 (79.5%) were scored as low to moderate quality; the remaining met all quality appraisal tools criteria. Reduced QoL was identified in children with myopia and strabismus. Surgical correction of strabismus improves the QoL of affected children, which supports insurance coverage of strabismus surgery. Further studies, especially RCTs, investigating the impact of correction of myopia on QoL are needed. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), and low levels of vitamin D are common in patients with depression. Depression is common in DPN patients and the definite pathogenesis remains unclear. This study aimed to determine vitamin D deficiency in the onset of depression in DPN and evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on depression. Methods: A total of 192 patients with DPN were enrolled in this study. Clinical and laboratory information was collected. Chemiluminescent immunoassay was used to measure the level of 25(OH)D. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-17A. Subjects with low 25(OH)D received 5000IU vitamin D daily for 12 weeks. Depression scores and levels of 25(OH)D, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-17A were re-evaluated after supplementation. Results: The incidence of vitamin D deficiency and depression was high in DPN patients. Compared with vitamin D sufficient participants, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) scores and the levels of inflammatory markers IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-17A were significantly higher in insufficient group (all p< 0.05). HAMD score, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-17A were negatively correlated with 25(OH)D (all p< 0.05). A linear relationship existed among IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-17A, and 25(OH)D (p< 0.05). HAMD scores, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-17A were all reduced significantly after supplementation of vitamin D (p< 0.05). Binary logistic analysis revealed that vitamin D insufficiency was an independent risk factor for depression in patients with DPN. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed a high sensitivity (87.20%) of 25(OH)D in discriminating DPN patients with depression. Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency participated in occurrence of depression in DPN patients and could be mediated, at least in part, by upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Vitamin D supplementation may be effective in improving depressive symptoms in DPN patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shaped hierarchical porous carbon derived from ZIF-8, MSNs (mesoporous silica nanoparticles) and CS (chitosan) has been prepared by in situ assembly and post-annealing process. By tunning carbonization temperatures (from 450 to 650 °C), a series of CS/ZIF-8/MSNs carbonaceous millimetre-sized spheres with honeycomb internal structures and hierarchical pores have been developed for CO2 uptake. CS/ZIF-8/MSNs-525 (the sample treated at 525 °C) exhibited a higher CO2 capacity (1.32 mmol/g, 1 atm) than that of other samples due to its appropriate mesopores (∼11 nm), micropores (∼0.73 nm) and BET surface area (∼459.2 m2g−1). The XRD pattern of CS/ZIF-8/MSNs-525 suggested that MSNs would not affect sample structure, which performed largely maintained ZIF-8 diffraction. The SEM/EDS image of CS/ZIF-8/MSNs-525 showed that MSNs (∼50 nm) has been well decorated onto the surface of ZIF-8 by in situ assembly and carbonization, thus indicating a hierarchical structure formed. In addition, the TG-MS technology has been also utilized to clarify that MSNs assembly would not affect the carbonization process during the formation of CS/ZIF-8/MSNs-525. Moreover, the addition of MSNs facilitated a proper pore structure and higher CO2 capacity of CS/ZIF-8/MSNs-525 compared with that of CS/ZIF-8 carbon spheres (0.9 mmol/g, 1 atm). Particularly, the CS/ZIF-8/MSNs-525 exhibited excellent stability and recyclable performance after CO2 adsorption in 10 adsorption-desorption cycles. This MSNs assembly strategy could induce a simple way for obtaining novel shaped carbonaceous adsorbent for superior CO2 uptake in industrial fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer semiconductor with bulk heterojunction (BHJ) structure has attracted increasing attention to fabricate highly efficient photoelectrode for converting solar energy and water into hydrogen, thanks to its high photocurrent output and positive onset potential beyond 0.6 V. However, BHJ‐based photoelectrodes demonstrate poor anticorrosion against irradiation in aqueous environment, thus the photoelectrochemical (PEC) stability is a very intractable problem to solve. Herein, an inside and outside integrated modification method is developed to help BHJ‐based photocathode withstand PEC erosion during hydrogen production in acidic solution. The obtained BHJ (PBDB‐T:ITIC:PC71BM)‐based photocathode with surface carbon protective layer allows sustained and fast PEC hydrogen evolution (an average photocurrent density up to 13.5 mA cm−2) for a duration up to 15 h, which is among the best results of BHJ‐based photocathodes. The internal modification with fullerene derivative of PC71BM boosts the photogenerated electron transfer to balance against relative fast hole transfer, which largely alleviates electron accumulation and improves PEC intrinsic stability as a result. The surface carbon layer effectively resists the permeation of aqueous electrolyte without hindering interfacial charge transfer. This metal‐free protective method is very promising toward construction of highly robust BHJ‐based photoelectrodes for sustainable water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes existing evidence to establish whether vision impairment, ocular morbidity, and their treatment are associated with depression and anxiety in children. Understanding and quantifying these associations support early detection and management of mental health symptoms in children with vision impairment and ocular morbidity. Additionally, this review provides evidence in favor of insurance coverage for timely strabismus surgery. We searched 9 electronic databases from inception through February 18, 2021, including observational and interventional studies assessing whether vision impairment, ocular morbidity, or both and their treatment are associated with depression, anxiety, or both in children. We used narrative synthesis and meta-analysis with the residual maximum likelihood method. A protocol was registered and published on The International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (identifier: CRD42021233323). Among 28 992 studies, 28 956 studies (99.9%) were excluded as duplicates or unrelated content. Among 36 remaining studies, 21 studies (58.3%) were observational studies concerning vision impairment, 8 studies (22.2%) were observational studies concerning strabismus, and 7 studies (19.4%) were interventional studies. Vision impaired children demonstrated significantly higher scores of depression (standard mean difference [SMD], 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26–0.89; 11 studies) and anxiety (SMD, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40–0.83; 14 studies) than normally sighted children. In particular, children with myopia demonstrated higher scores of depression (SMD, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.36–0.81; 6 studies) than normally sighted children. Strabismus surgery significantly improved symptoms of depression (SMD, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.12–1.06; 3 studies) and anxiety (SMD, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.25–1.14; 4 studies) in children. Among children, vision impairment is associated with greater symptoms of depression and anxiety. Surgical treatment of strabismus improved these symptoms. Further randomized controlled trials exploring the impact of public health measures for myopia correction on mental health in children are needed. Scaling up access to strabismus surgery could improve the mental health of affected children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to develop an efficient evaluation method to more intuitively and effectively investigate the influence of the wing fuel mass variations because of fuel burn on transonic aeroelasticity. Design/methodology/approach: The proposed efficient aeroelastic evaluation method is developed by extending the standard computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based proper orthogonal decomposition (POD)/reduced order model (ROM). Findings: The results of this paper show that the proposed aeroelastic efficient evaluation method can accurately and efficiently predict the aeroelastic response and flutter boundary when the wing fuel mass vary because of fuel burn. It also shows that the wing fuel mass variations have a significant effect on transonic aeroelasticity; the flutter speed increases as the wing fuel mass decreases. Without rebuilding an expensive, time-consuming CFD-based POD/ROM for each wing fuel mass variation, the computational cost of the proposed method is reduced obviously. It also shows that the computational efficiency improvement grows linearly with the number of model cases. Practical implications: The paper presents a potentially powerful tool to more intuitively and effectively investigate the influence of the wing fuel mass variation on transonic aeroelasticity, and the results form a theoretical and methodological basis for further research. Originality/value: The proposed evaluation method makes it a reality to apply the efficient standard CFD-based POD/ROM to investigate the influence of the wing fuel mass variation because of fuel burn on transonic aeroelasticity. The proposed efficient aeroelastic evaluation method, therefore, is ideally suited to deal with the investigation of the influence of wing fuel mass variations on transonic aeroelasticity and may have the potential to reduce the overall cost of aircraft design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivers originating in High Mountain Asia are crucial lifelines for one-third of the world’s population. These fragile headwaters are now experiencing amplified climate change, glacier melt, and permafrost thaw. Observational data from 28 headwater basins demonstrate substantial increases in both annual runoff and annual sediment fluxes across the past six decades. The increases are accelerating from the mid-1990s in response to a warmer and wetter climate. The total sediment flux from High Mountain Asia is projected to more than double by 2050 under an extreme climate change scenario. These findings have far-reaching implications for the region’s hydropower, food, and environmental security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multistage fracturing is the main means of shale gas development, and casing deformation frequently occurs during fracturing of shale gas horizontal wells. Fracturing fluid entering the formation will change in situ stress nearby the wellbore. The changes of in situ stress are mainly reflected in the following two aspects: one is the increase of in situ stress and the other is the nonuniformity of in situ stress along the wellbore. And it is for this reason that the production casing is more likely to collapse under the nonuniform in situ stress load. According to the service conditions of production casing in shale gas reservoir, this paper studied the casing deformation and the collapsing strength subjected to the nonuniform loading by the experimental and numerical simulation method. The results show that under the condition of nonuniform loading, (1) the diameter variation rate of the casing reduces with the increase in the ratio of sample to tooling length. When the ratio is less than 3, the casing collapse strength will be significantly reduced. And when the ratio is greater than 6, the impact of sample length on casing collapse strength can be ignored. (2) The increase in the applied loading angle will decrease the diameter variation rate. When the loading angle increases from 0° to 90°, the critical load value increases from 1600 kN to 4000 kN. (3) The increase in load unevenness coefficient will rapidly decrease the casing collapse strength. When the load unevenness coefficient n is 0.8, the casing collapse strength reduces to 60%, and when the load unevenness coefficient n is 0, the casing collapse strength reduces to 28%. The findings of this study can help for better understanding of casing damage mechanism in volume fracturing of shale gas horizontal well and guide the selection of multistage fracturing casing type and fracturing interval design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Coumarin, an oxadiazole, and the V-shaped structural characteristic of a sulfone have been integrated to create a new symmetric compound. • The molecule emitted strong fluorescence in the amorphous solid state, in a membrane, and in a non-polar solvent. • This new type of compound exhibits tunable light emission in solution, making it a versatile emitter. Coumarin, an oxadiazole, and the V-shaped structural characteristic of a sulfone have been integrated to create a new symmetric compound, and the compound was characterized. The synthesized molecule was used as an emitter and an electron transporter in three different device configurations. The sulfone units induced a V-shaped structure that weakened the π-π stacking and thus limited aggregation-induced quenching. The molecule emitted strong fluorescence in the amorphous solid state, in a membrane, and in a non-polar solvent. From thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry, the compound shows good thermal stability (381 °C) and glass-transition temperature (125 °C). The solvatochromism phenomenon and electrochemical properties were investigated in detail by fluorescence spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations were performed to understand the photophysical properties. This new type of compound exhibits tunable light emission in solution, making it a versatile emitter. In this paper, we investigated new oxadiazole-appended coumarin derivative 1 , in which coumarin acts as an emitter and oxadiazole acts as an electron transporter. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sensitivity of fluvial sediment load to climate change and predictions of future sediment load in cold basins remain poorly investigated, although changes in river sediment transport have important geomorphological, ecological, and societal implications. Here, we adapt a sediment elasticity approach to examine the sensitivity of fluvial suspended sediment load to changes in air temperature and precipitation in the headwater of the Yangtze River (HYR) on the inner Tibetan Plateau. Results show that every 1 °C increase in air temperature can increase the suspended sediment load by 14–27 % by intensifying thermally-driven glacial and permafrost erosional processes, and every 10 % increase in precipitation can increase the suspended sediment load by 16–24 % through enhancing pluvial-driven erosional processes. We predict an increase of 60–85 % in the suspended sediment loads in HYR by 2050 relative to the present-day period under the Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5, as both air temperature and precipitation are projected to increase. Our analysis highlights that smaller upland rivers appear to respond to modern climate change more rapidly and intensively than larger downstream rivers due to the larger glacier and permafrost coverages, poorer vegetation, as well as steeper fluvial relief, and higher sediment connectivity. This study provides a framework and a data-driven sediment elasticity approach to predict climate change and cryosphere degradation-driven changes in future fluvial suspended sediment load in cold basins, highlights the importance of the spatial scale effects in modulating fluvial responses, and has implications for assessing the impacts of climate change on channel morphology and aquatic ecosystems. • A sediment elasticity approach is introduced to estimate sediment load sensitivity to climate change in cold basins • One degree increase in temperature can increase sediment load by 14-27%, and every 10% increase in precipitation can lead to a 16-24% increase in sediment load in HYR • Sediment loads will increase in a warmer and wetter climate, with negative impacts on hydropower and aquatic ecosystems • Sediment loads tend to respond more rapidly and intensively to climate change in upland smaller basins than larger downstream basins [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleurospermum lindleyanum (Lipsky) B. Fedtsch is a perennial herb classified in the Apiaceae family, genus Pleurospermum, chiefly native to the Taxkorgan County, Xinjiang, China. In the Xinjiang Province, it is a well-known ethnic traditional herb, often addressed by its tribal name, Kurumuti. It grows in harsh conditions over 4000 m above sea level, such as the Pamirs plateau. It is rich in flavonoids, coumarins, terpenoids, essential oil, substances that have been widely applied in the prevention and treatment of hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and cerebral thrombosis by local Tajik residents. The present study aimed to evaluate the antihypertensive effects of the Pleurospermum Lindleyanum aqueous extract (PLAE) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The Pleurospermum lindleyanum was collected from the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, Xinjiang, China. The main chemical composition of PLAE was identified using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). SHRs were treated by gavage with PLAE (equivalent to Pleurospermum lindleyanum 5 or 10 g/kg/day) for 6 weeks, using Captopril (10 mg/kg/day) as positive control. The systolic blood pressure (SBP), renal and cardiac morphology, plasma levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), aldosterone (ALD), angiotensinⅡ (AngⅡ), superoxide dismutase (SOD), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) were measured. A total of 30 compounds were identified in PLAE. PLAE significantly attenuated the SBP of SHRs. The effects began after 3 weeks of administration and then became steady and long-lasting. Its potential mechanisms may be associated with the protective effects on renal and cardiac injury caused by hypertension, the decrease of plasma vasoconstrictors, such as ACE, ALD, AngⅡ, and ET-1 levels, the maintenance of NO/ET balance, the increase in plasma NO levels and SOD activity, thereby reducing oxidative stress. Pleurospermum lindleyanum can be suggested as a novel antihypertensive ethnic traditional herb, which lays the foundation for researching safe and effective antihypertensive herbal medicines. [Display omitted] • The incidence of primary hypertension increasing year by year, and becoming a major risk factor for many cardiovascular diseases. • The Pleurospermum Lindleyanum aqueous extract (PLAE) can reduce the systolic blood pressure, and protect cardiac and renal injury caused by hypertension. • The antihypertensive mechanisms could be the decrease of plasma ACE, ALD, AngⅡ levels, the increase of plasma NO, SOD levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meteorological factors like air and dew point temperature and relative humidity levels influence a pavement surface's response to rapidly increasing air temperature combined with freezing conditions. This scenario can result in black ice. Black ice is dangerous due to its thinness and transparency. Understanding the conditions for black ice development benefits winter pavement maintenance by limiting chemical overuse and forming a basis for warning systems. However, limited experimental data on this weather scenario exists. A fully instrumented model column was built using soil and a concrete pavement slab obtained from the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) airport. The column duplicated the airport pavement structure and subgrade. The system was placed in a freezer box and wrapped in insulation. The weather scenarios simulated historic airport weather involving freezing temperatures followed by rapid temperature increases and high relative humidity. After multiple baseline tests, two successfully replicated the rapid temperature increase scenario. The formation of frost on the pavement surface occurred 40 min after condensation developed combined with a surface temperature of −2°C and dew point temperatures above 0°C. The results of this study provide insight into frost development on pavement and is useful in implementing proactive winter pavement maintenance for black ice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meteorological and subsurface factors influence pavement's response to cold fronts. Prediction of pavement temperature, particularly icing, is important to winter pavement maintenance which relies on an estimated time for the formation of ice. However, the prediction development is limited by test data on pavement icing. A model column consisting of soil samples and a concrete pavement slab retrieved from the Dallas Fort Worth airport was used to replicate the airport pavement structure, including subgrade. The soil was classified using USCS, tested for optimum moisture content and compacted in lifts in the column. Thermistors and moisture sensors were placed at different depths. The pavement slab was fitted with temperature sensors throughout. The system was installed in a freezer box,wrapped in insulation and plastic. Three cold front scenarios were selected from observed airport weather data and simulated in the freezer box using varying rates of temperature decrease and precipitation. The formation of ice on a pavement surface was observed at 10–20 min after the start of precipitation. This time frame is not affected by the freezer box cooling rate. The icing time found from this study is useful for the development of prediction models for icing onpavements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key challenge in the design of magnetic molecules with intramolecular charge transfer behavior is to obtain reversible magnetic bistability triggered by external stimuli. Here, we show that two dinuclear metal complexes, [(bbp)Fe(CN)3Mn(Py5Me2)]·2.5CH3OH (4) and [(bbp)Fe(CN)3Ni(Py5Me2)]·2.5CH3OH (5) (Py5Me2 = 2,6-bis(1,1-di(pyridine-2-yl)ethyl)pyridine, H2bbp = 2,6-bis(benzimidazole-2-yl)pyridine), were self-assembly synthesized by (Bu4N)2[(bbp)FeIII(CN)3] and [Mn(Py5Me2)(OH2)](ClO4)2 or [Ni(Py5Me2)(OH2)](ClO4)2, respectively. Complexes 4 and 5 exhibited intramolecular metal-to-metal charge transfer with the addition of acids or bases in solution by UV–visible spectrophotometric measurements and electrochemistry studies, and concomitant switching of the {FeIII(μ-CN)MnII/NiII} state to the {FeII(μ-CN)MnIII/NiIII} state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The interphase mechanical behaviors of Ni/YSZ cermets were investigated. • Interface has different effects on mechanical properties of Ni and YSZ components. • Affected regions in metal and ceramic due to interface effect are different. • Theoretical models were proposed for mechanical properties of Ni/YSZ interfaces. The metal/ceramic interface is of great importance in a variety of basic science research and technological applications. In this paper, the interphase mechanical behaviors of the nickel/yttria-stabilized zirconia (Ni/YSZ) system serving as an anode material in solid oxide fuel cells are investigated by nanoindentation experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The experimental results indicate that the interface effect can greatly enhance the Young's modulus and hardness of Ni near Ni/YSZ interface, while a reduction is observed in the aforementioned mechanical properties of YSZ near the interface. In addition, the change in the mechanical properties and the affected region of the YSZ component due to the interface effect are both much larger than those of its Ni counterpart. Our MD simulation results reveal that the different effects of Ni/YSZ interface on the mechanical properties of Ni and YSZ near the interface can be ascribed to different transport capabilities of deformations generated in these two components across the interface. Based on MD simulation results, an interface barrier model and a model considering the structural compliance are proposed here for theoretically predicting the interphase hardness and Young's modulus of the Ni/YSZ system. Graphical Abstract [Display omitted]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating functional materials into polymer precursors is an effective way to prepare carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes for solving the trade-off problem between permeability and selectivity of gas separation. In this work, we induced ZIF-8 nanoparticles (from 5 to 20 wt%) as a doping agent to construct a series of phenolphthalein-based cardo poly (arylene ether ketone) (PEK-C) -based hybrid carbon molecular sieve (ZCMS) membranes for CO 2 /N 2 separation via an oxidation and a carbonization process with pyrolysis temperature in the range of 500–700 °C. The carbonized ligand and metal centre of ZIF-8 offered additional pores of carbon matrix, which tailored the ultramicropores of ZCMS membranes for both excellent CO 2 permeability and selectivity. By treating with the temperature of 600 °C, ZCMS-600-15 (ZCMS membrane based on 15 wt% of ZIF-8-doped PEK-C) exhibited the highest CO 2 permeability of 8902 Barrer, which was 1.8 times higher than that of CMS-600 (CMS membrane based on naked PEK-C). ZCMS-600-15 showed an ideal CO 2 /N 2 selectivity value of 42.2, which is also higher than that of other samples, indicating that the appropriate doping amount of ZIF-8 is 15 wt% and the proper carbonization temperature is 600 °C. Moreover, among all the samples, ZCMS-600-15 also showed a superior CO 2 permeability of 8285 Barrer and the highest CO 2 /N 2 selectivity of 24.08 for an equimolar mixture of CO 2 and N 2 , far exceeding the 2008 Robeson upper bound. Therefore, our results suggest that incorporating MOFs into polymer precursors to prepare hybrid carbon molecular sieve membranes by carbonization process could solving the trade-off problem between permeability and selectivity, introducing new possibilities for industrial application. A series of hybrid carbon molecular sieve membranes have been synthesized by in situ oxidation and co-carbonization process of ZIF-8 nanoparticles (50 nm)-doped PEC-K matrix for excellent separation performance of CO 2 /N 2. [Display omitted] • Hybrid carbon molecule sieve membranes based on ZIF-8-doped PEK-C matrix (ZCMS membranes) have been in situ synthesized for CO 2 /N 2 separation. • ZCMS-600 exhibited both excellent permeability (8902 Barrer) and selectivity (42.2) of ideal CO 2 /N 2 separation. • ZCMS-600 showed a superior CO 2 permeability and selectivity for an equimolar mixture of CO 2 and N 2 , far exceeding the 2008 Robeson upper bound. • Using MOFs as doping agents is an effective way to construct high-performance CMS membranes for specific gas separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many radar-gauge merging methods have been developed to produce improved rainfall data by leveraging the advantages of gauge and radar observations. Two popular merging methods, Regression Kriging and Bayesian Regression Kriging were utilized and compared in this study to produce hourly rainfall data from gauge networks and multi-source radar datasets. The authors collected, processed, and modeled the gauge and radar rainfall data (Stage IV, MRMS and RTMA radar data) of the two extreme storm events (i.e., Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and Tropical Storm Imelda in 2019) occurring in the coastal area in Southeast Texas with devastating flooding. The analysis of the modeled data on consideration of statistical metrics, physical rationality, and computational expenses, implies that while both methods can effectively improve the radar rainfall data, the Regression Kriging model demonstrates its superior performance over that of the Bayesian Regression Kriging model since the latter is found to be prone to overfitting issues due to the clustered gauge distributions. Moreover, the spatial resolution of rainfall data is found to affect the merging results significantly, where the Bayesian Regression Kriging model works unskillfully when radar rainfall data with a coarser resolution is used. The study recommends the use of high-quality radar data with properly spatial-interpolated gauge data to improve the radar-gauge merging methods. The authors believe that the findings of the study are critical for assisting hazard mitigation and future design improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the impressive strides on waterborne cross-linkable sizing agents for carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced polyether ether ketone (PEEK) composites, the vast majority of polymer precursors employed for sizing agents in existing researches are derived from petroleum resources. On the other hand, the notable influence of the adhesive strength between sizing agent and CF on the interfacial properties of composites has been consistently disregarded. Herein, a waterborne cross-linkable sizing agent was prepared capitalizing on naturally existing magnolol. Meanwhile, sulfhydryl groups were chemical-grafted on the surface of CF via click reaction, setting stages for subsequent interaction with magnolol units via a second click reaction to effectively enrich the force between CF and sizing layer. As a unique feature of the system, the inherent mechanism of the sizing coating layer comprises self-crosslinking of the orchestrated propenyl groups toward sturdy structures during hot-pressing, contributing to unrivalled solvent-resistance and unorthodox interfacial robustness. As a result, the bending strength, interlaminar and interfacial shear strength of the derived composites were promoted by 35.48 %, 47.87 % and 61.03 %, respectively. Noteworthy, the mechanical properties of Sized-CF composites were well-preserved after solvent aging treatment. Therefore, this protocol developed a novel bio-based waterborne cross-linkable sizing agents of PEEK derivative, laying a good foundation for advanced CF/PEEK composites with excellent interfacial performance. Schematic diagram of strengthening mechanism of CF/PEEK composites. [Display omitted] • A bio-based cross-linkable PEEK was prepared and serve as the sizing agent for CF/PEEK. • The naturally derived Magnolol was used to synthesize bio-based PEEK. • Robust interaction between magnolol and -SH on CF surface enhance the adhesion between CF and sizing agent. • The ILSS, IFSS and bending strength were noteworthy increased by 47.87 %, 61.03 % and 35.48 %. • Mechanical properties of Sized composites corroded by solvent were well-preserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is suffering from a substantial decline in terrestrial water storage (TWS) in exorheic basins, threatening water resources that are critical for ∼2 billion people downstream. TWS changes are commonly estimated using gravity satellites through observations of the total terrestrial mass storage (TMS) change, with an implicit assumption of a negligible contribution from sediment transport. Through long‐term (2002–2017) sediment flux observations in seven headwater basins on the TP, we reveal that the gravity satellite‐derived TMS has decreased at a rate of 3.85 ± 0.23 Gt yr−1 in the seven basins, of which 0.35 ± 0.04 Gt yr−1 is contributed by sediment transport. Neglecting this contribution leads to an overestimation of the TWS loss by 10.1 ± 1.3%, equivalent to the annual water demand of an additional 0.62 million people in the surrounding nations. Regionally, the overestimation is surprisingly high in the Indus River and Yarkant River basins, reaching up to 50.8%–77.6%. Plain Language Summary: Accurate quantification of the change in the terrestrial water storage (TWS) on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is imperative to improve the assessment of water availability that are critical for ∼2 billion people downstream. Through long‐term sediment flux observations, here we find that sediment transport makes a substantial contribution to gravity satellite‐derived TWS change in regions with a high erosion rate such as the TP, which has never been taken into consideration in previous studies. Neglecting this contribution leads to an overestimation of the TWS loss by about 10% on average for the seven headwater basins on the TP. The contribution is especially high in the Indus River and Yarkant River basins. Our findings improve the regional estimation of water availability and thus support climate adaptation and sustainable water resource management. Key Points: For the first time, we quantify the contribution of sediment transport to gravity satellite‐based estimation of TWS change on the TPNeglecting the contribution of sediment transport leads to an overestimation of the TWS loss by 10.1% on averageThe overestimated TWS loss is equivalent to the annual water demand of an additional 0.62 million people in surrounding nations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDust explosions are common and highly hazardous industrial accidents that occur rapidly and involve complex changes in particle structure. Traditional experimental methods struggle to capture the time-resolved information of the explosion process, limiting the in-depth study of its dynamic mechanisms. Synchrotron radiation small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) offers a novel method to study the microscopic dynamics of dust particles during explosions. Utilizing high-flux x-rays from synchrotron facilities, coupled with fast detectors and specialized explosive chambers, SAXS provides high temporal and spatial resolution alongside nondestructive detection capabilities. It is expected to obtain information on particle morphology changes during dust explosions. This contribution first introduces the basic characteristics and hazards of dust explosions, reviews the current research status and challenges, and then expounds on the basic principles and advantages of synchrotron radiation SAXS. Finally, the potential of this method in real-time monitoring of dust explosion characteristics and enhancing understanding of explosion mechanisms was explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the functionality of the modification layer in regulating the charge transfer process at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface is of great significance to the rational design of photoelectrocatalytic water oxidation systems. Herein, by systematically investigating and comparing the charge transfer kinetics behaviors over ferrihydrite (Fh)- and cobalt phosphate (CoPi)-modified hematite (Fe2O3) photoanodes, we unveiled the essential relation between photocurrent enhancement and the charge transfer process. With the hole-storage material Fh as a reference, it was found that CoPi demonstrates high hole-storage capacity at a low bias region (<1.0 V vs. RHE) due to the effective release of Fermi level pinning. Afterwards, the stored holes would be timely injected into the electrolyte for water oxidation, caused by the enhanced charge separation in the presence of CoPi. In contrast, the decoration of Fh can only slightly passivate the surface states and promote hole injection in the high potential region. Subsequently, superior hole-storage capacity in the low-potential region is recognized as a crucial factor for photocurrent enhancement. These combined results provide new insights into the understanding of interfacial charge transfer kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking a new type of special threaded drill pipe joint as the research object, a 3D nonlinear finite element model of the double-shoulder tool joint (DSJ) including the engage and retract groove structure is established by considering the factors of structural asymmetry and contact of each engaging surface. ABAQUS/Explicit finite element method (FEM) is used to study the stress and contact pressure distribution characteristics of the critical structure of DSJ under make-up torque and axial tension. The accuracy of the finite element model was verified by combining with a full-scale physical test, and the connection strength and sealing performance of DSJ are evaluated. The results show that the stress concentration occurs at the key structure of DSJ under the make-up torque. The geometry size and structural discontinuity at the transition fillet of the double-shoulder structure have a significant effect on the stress and contact pressure distribution on the shoulder. Under axial tension, the stress level and stress concentration area of the whole joint and the key structure change, especially in the thread section. The sealing performance on the shoulder decreases significant, while that of the thread section increases slightly. The test results are consistent with the finite element analysis findings, and this joint shows good mechanical properties, which can meet the design requirements of drilling tool manufacturers and provide data support for its optimal design and application. • Evaluation of mechanical properties of a new type of special threaded tool joint. • A nonlinear 3D double-shoulder tool joint finite element model was established. • Complex loads have a significant effect on stress distribution at key structures. • This new tool joint provides better connection strength and sealing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Simple Summary: The production of eggs is a crucial aspect of the chicken industry. Recent research has indicated that the gut microbiota undergoes dynamic changes and plays a significant role in egg production. However, the relationship between the gut microbiota and host gene expression remains unclear. To investigate this, we collected samples from the intestine (i.e., duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) and its microbiota at different stages of egg-laying (i.e., pre-, peak-, and late-laying) in chickens. Our findings showed that intestinal flora underwent significant changes during different laying periods that included changed genes (i.e., APOA1, APOB, TST, CCDC93, and TMEM175) involved in several transport processes, response to DNA damage, and development of intestinal structure. Additionally, our analysis suggested that specific intestinal microbes were significantly correlated with host gene expression, which indicated an interaction between the gut microbiota and the chicken host. Eggs are a vital dietary component for humans, and it is beneficial to increase egg production to support poultry farming. Initially, the egg production rate rises rapidly with young hens until it reaches its peak, and then it declines gradually. By extending the duration of peak egg production, the hens' performance can be enhanced significantly. Previous studies found dynamic changes in gut microbiota during egg-laying, and several species of microbiota isolated from the chicken gut improved egg-laying performance. However, the interaction between microbes and host gene expression is still unclear. This study provides a more comprehensive understanding of chicken egg-laying by examining dynamic alterations in the microbiota of the entire intestinal tract (i.e., duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) and gene expression. The microbial community in the intestine underwent significant changes during different egg-laying periods (i.e., pre-, peak-, and late-laying periods). Metagenomic functional analysis showed that the relative abundance of biosynthesis of amino acids, secondary metabolites, and cofactors decreased significantly in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of aging hens. The relative levels of aldosterone, GnRH, insulin, growth hormone, and other hormone-related pathways increased dramatically in the intestinal microbiota during egg-laying, but only in the microbiota located in the duodenum and ileum. Transcriptome analysis suggested that genes associated with various transport processes were upregulated consistently in the small intestine during egg-laying; genes involved in the development of intestinal structure were down-regulated; and genes involved in response to DNA damage and stress were consistent with changes in laying rate. The abundance of Lactobacillus was related to the expression of ANGPTRL1, ANGPTRL2, ANGPT1L, and NOXO1 in the duodenum; Muricomes was correlated significantly with NFKBIZ, LYG2, and IRG1L expression in the jejunum; and Campylobacter was correlated positively with the expression of KMT2A and USF3 in the ileum. These results indicated that the intestinal microbiota and host gene expression may influence egg production jointly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A mathematical analogy established between steady-state heat conduction and thermal inclusion in plane elasticity. • A complete set of Eshelby tensors for thermal and elastic fields expressed in explicit analytical form. • All the closed-form solutions elegantly unified in an algebraic expression for both interior and exterior fields. • Present model is flexible, effective and versatile for arbitrarily shaped inclusions with any eigen-temperature gradients. • The heat and stress concentrations investigated around the inclusion boundary. The existence of inclusions or inhomogeneities may disrupt heat flow, resulting in increased stresses and temperature fluctuations at the material interface. Analyzing the thermo-elastic fields surrounding such microstructures is crucial for unveiling the intricate failure mechanisms within materials. Based on the method of Green's function and contour integral, this work presents a complete set of explicit analytical solutions for thermal and elastic fields of an arbitrary polygonal inclusion subjected to linearly varying eigen-temperature gradients or thermal eigenstrains. In contrast to the previous studies on potentials showing analogy with anti-plane elasticity, a mathematical analogy of Green's functions between steady-state heat conduction and thermal inclusion for plane elasticity is accordingly established. By employing the linear interpolation of the nodal eigen-temperature gradients or eigenstrains, the work further extends the traditional isoparametric element idea to the thermos-elastic inclusions, and proposes a novel isoparametric inclusion model to solve arbitrarily shaped inclusions with any distributed eigen-temperature gradients. Unlike the finite element method, which requires meshing for both the matrix and inclusion, the present model exhibits efficiency, flexibility, and versatility with the mesh discretization only conducted inside the inclusion domain. The inclusion based isoparametric method may have potential applications in mechanical engineering and material science for analyzing the thermo-structural behavior of various microstructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the issue of inadequate interfacial adhesion in carbon fiber/poly ether ether ketone (CF/PEEK) composites, an innovative approach that combines carbene chemistry and sizing treatment was meticulously designed to achieve remarkable synergistic enhancement. Specifically, cyano groups were chemical‐grafted on CF surface via carbene reaction. Meanwhile, a water‐based self‐catalyzed cross‐linkable PENK‐NH2 sizing agent with good storage stability was prepared. Noteworthy, the presence of amino groups as blocking agents of sizing agent significantly accelerated the rate of cyano‐crosslinking, thus effectively avoiding the adverse effects of excessively prolonged cross‐linking period during composites preparation. As a result, robust interaction between cyano‐modified CF and PEEK was established by cross‐linking reaction, along with chemical bonds generated between amino groups of sizing agent and ketone groups in PEEK. The maximum interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of CF‐CN‐1.5/PEEK composites was 22.0% and 57.0% higher than CF‐1.5/PEEK and CF/PEEK composites. Furthermore, the presence of cyano‐cross‐linked structure endowed interphase with outstanding solvent‐resistance, the mechanical properties of CF composites after solvent treatment were well‐preserved. The strong synergistic interfacial interactions facilitated by chemical bonds in different components provide an effective and fascinating methodology for producing high‐performance CF/composites. Highlights: Water‐based self‐catalyzed cross‐linkable PENK‐NH2 sizing agents for CF/PEEK were prepared.NH2 was introduced to avoid the adverse effects of prolonged cyano‐crosslinking.Designed carbenoid motif with cyano group was grafted on CF via carbene chemistry.The interaction between sizing agent and CF was boosted by the cyano‐crosslinking.Mechanical properties of sized composites corroded by solvent were well‐preserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSmall angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is a widely used physical technique to characterize nanoscale materials. The absolute scattering intensity provides quantitative data to characterize the mass and density of the analyzed materials. However, the derivation of absolute scattering intensity usually requires the calibration of experimentally measured relative scattering intensity. The most common approach calibration employs standards with known differential cross sections. It is necessary to analyze the standard and samples under identical conditions, including the same distance from sample to detector. This study eliminates this limitation, i.e., the calibration may be achieved by measuring the standards and samples at different distances to the detector using variable sample locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep problem among undergraduate students has become one of the most pressing public health problems. This study aimed to explore the latent class of sleep patterns and the factors affecting sleep in Chinese students of medical university. 3423 students participated in the cross-sectional study. The survey consisted of the reduced Morningness-Evening Questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II. Latent profile analysis and multinominal logistic regression analysis were performed. Three potential sleep categories were identified: "sleep disorder group" (1.87 %), "daytime dysfunction group" (24.42 %), and "good sleep group" (73.71 %). Compared with the "good sleep group," the "sleep disorder group" showed monthly living expenses (RMB) ≥ 3000 yuan (OR) = 13.04), interpersonal relationships as poor (OR = 3.71), health status as poor (OR = 45.09), circadian rhythm as eveningness (OR = 6.17), and poor health-promoting lifestyles (OR = 2.090) as its risk factors (all p < 0.05). Meanwhile, sophomore (OR = 1.75), junior (OR = 1.52), interpersonal relationships as poor (OR = 1.88), health status as poor (OR = 4.62), intermediate-chronotype (OR = 2.19), eveningness chronotype (OR = 5.66), and health-promoting lifestyles as poor (OR = 1.55) were identified as risk factors for the "daytime dysfunction group" (all p < 0.05). C ausal conclusions can not be drawn and recall bias in data collection. Significant population heterogeneity was found in the sleep quality. Implementing targeted interventions focusing on circadian rhythm and lifestyle is crucial to improve the sleep quality of students with different conditions. • Research on sleep quality in Chinese undergraduate of medical university was limited. • Our study was the first to explore their sleep quality patterns and influence factors. • Three categories (sleep disorder; daytime dysfunction; good sleep) were identified. • Sleep disorders and daytime dysfunction were each related with five different factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research on electron transfer coupled spin transition regulating the valence state and spin state transition of metal ions is promising and challenging. Herein, we report a cyano-bridged {Fe III2 Fe II2 } molecular square complex, {[Fe(Tp)(CN)3]2 [Fe(bnbpen)]2}(ClO4)2·8CH3OH (1·8CH3OH, bnbpen = N,N′-bis-(2-naphthylmethyl)-N,N′-bis(2-picolayl)-ethylenediamine), and its free of solvents form (1). Combined single-crystal X-ray diffraction, temperature-dependent infrared (IR) spectra, magnetic measurements, and Mössbauer spectra reveal that 1·8CH3OH and 1 exhibit reversible one-step and two-step electron transfer coupled spin transition (ETCST) with temperature change, between the low-temperature state {FeII,LS(μ-CN)FeIII,LS}2 (LS = low spin, HS = high spin) and the high-temperature state {FeIII,LS(μ-CN)FeII,HS}2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A S135 drill pipe experienced severe corrosion failure only after several cycles in a well. In this paper, a series of experiments were conducted to analyze the causes of corrosion failure of drill pipe, including nondestructive testing, chemical and physical properties, macroscopic and microscopic analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The results showed that the corrosion failure of the external thread joint and pipe body of the S135 drill pipe belonged to oxygen corrosion, and a large amount of Cl− in the environmental medium accelerates the corrosion. The external threaded joint of the drill pipe was more severely corroded than pipe body due to the following two reasons. Firstly, vortexing flow was easy to form at the drill pipe joints with single shoulder threads. Secondly, the drill pipe external thread joint had 3.0-grade banded structure segregation, forming a local small electrode potential difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tubing used in a gas well rarely collapses and fails during applying annulus pressure. In this study, the failure causes of tubing collapse were analyzed by means of data verification, macroscopic observation, magnetic particle inspection, physical and chemical inspection, optical microscopy, and tubing collapse test. Mechanical analysis of the string and full-scale physical simulation test simulating downhole working conditions. Finally, the verification analysis of the collapse test is carried out by the finite element analysis (FEA). The results showed that (1) the physical dimension, physical and chemical properties, and collapse resistance of this batch of tubing met the requirements of the tubing ordering technical standard. (2) Assuming that the well packer slip was unsealed and could slide freely, the mechanical theoretical analysis of collapsed tubing string and collapse test under simulated working condition load was carried out, which reproduced the load when the tubing collapsed. It can be seen from this that the packer did fail. (3) The FEA calculation results showed that when the external pressure was greater than 30.75 MPa, it would inevitably lead to collapse failure in case of packer unsealed. In conclusion, the root cause for the collapse failure of the 105th underground tubing string was that the packer lost its sealing function, resulting in an abnormal axial load. While under the action of external pressure, the tubing was overloaded and collapsed. It is recommended to carry out verification tests on the material performance of packer slip, the dimensional changes of packer tool outer diameter and inner diameter under actual well conditions, the creep behavior of packer seal, and the performance of shear pin under actual working conditions, especially in the well containing H2S, so as to prevent the pressure leakage of gas well annulus caused by packer unsealing and the reoccurrence of such downhole string collapse accidents. The first collapse test under simulated working condition load is conducted in this paper. Analyzing the collapse failure work and putting forward suggestions to effectively prevent similar failures from happening again are of great significance to the oilfield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel low-molecular-weight organogelator (1) based on thiacrown-cyclized tetrathiafulvalene has been synthesized through cross-coupling reaction of crown-fused 1,3-dithiole-2-one 3 and the thione 4 in the presence of triethyl phosphite. The molecular structure of 1 was fully characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and infrared spectroscopy. Gel-forming-ability experiments showed that the gelator could only form an opaque gel in dimethyl sulfoxide by sonication. The xerogel morphology observed by scanning electron microscopy showed an amorphous wrinkled structure. The gel exhibited varied responses to various external stimuli, including temperature, chemical oxidation, anions, and Na+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonisation is one of the important methods to improve the utilisation of coal. The structural composition of coal plays an important role in coal carbonisation. This work used small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to investigate the pore structure of three kinds of raw coals with different carbon content derived from Xingtai City, Hebei Province, China. The structures of the corresponding cokes obtained through carbonisation at 1200°C were investigated by elemental analysis and SAXS. In addition, the gasification reaction of the three cokes (C1, C2, C3) with CO2 were studied by thermogravimetric analysis. The SAXS results indicate that the surface fractal dimension increases while the pore size decreases, and the pore distribution became wider after carbonisation. In addition, all coals and cokes present a positive deviation from Porod's law, indicating that there is a micro-fluctuation of electron density in the samples. Besides, it exhibites a negative correlation has been found between the degree of deviation from Porod's law and the carbon content. The gasification reactivity of cokes C1 and C3 in CO2 are higher than that of C2, indicating that the pore structures affect the gas reactivity of the three different metamorphic degree cokes in CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) based upon synchrotron radiation is ideal for the in situ study of crystal structural changes during heating at high temperatures. This contribution describes a small furnace for in situ WAXS. The furnace has a wide coverage of scattered/diffracted angle from 0 to 135°, heats samples from room temperature to 1000 °C at 20 °C/min, and is suitable for in situ WAXS and radial distribution function of materials. Temperature calibration and safety verification are provided. The use of the furnace is demonstrated by in situ WAXS for the carbonization of bituminous coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high‐mountain system, a storehouse of major waterways that support important ecosystem services to about 1.5 billion people in the Himalaya, is facing unprecedented challenges due to climate change during the 21st century. Intensified floods, accelerating glacial retreat, rapid permafrost degradation, and prolonged droughts are altering the natural hydrological balances and generating unpredictable spatial and temporal distributions of water availability. Anthropogenic activities are adding further pressure onto Himalayan waterways. The fundamental question of waterway management in this region is therefore how this hydro‐meteorological transformation, caused by climate change and anthropogenic perturbations, can be tackled to find avenues for sustainability. This requires a framework that can diagnose threats at a range of spatial and temporal scales and provide recommendations for strong adaptive measures for sustainable future waterways. This focus paper assesses the current literature base to bring together our understanding of how recent climatic changes have threatened waterways in the Asian Himalayas, how society has been responding to rapidly changing waterway conditions, and what adaptive options are available for the region. The study finds that Himalayan waterways are crucial in protecting nature and society. The implementation of integrated waterways management measures, the rapid advancement of waterway infrastructure technologies, and the improved governance of waterways are more critical than ever. This article is categorized under:Engineering Water > Sustainable Engineering of Water [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how applied voltage drives the electrocatalytic reaction at the nanoscale is a fundamental scientific problem, particularly in non-metallic electrocatalysts, due to their low intrinsic carrier concentration. Herein, using monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as a model system of non-metallic catalyst, the potential drops across the basal plane of MoS2 (ΔVsem) and the electric double layer (ΔVedl) are decoupled quantitatively as a function of applied voltage through in-situ surface potential microscopy. We visualize the evolution of the band structure under liquid conditions and clarify the process of EF keeping moving deep into Ec, revealing the formation process of the electrolyte gating effect. Additionally, electron transfer (ET) imaging reveals that the basal plane exhibits high ET activity, consistent with the results of surface potential measurements. The potential-dependent behavior of kf and ns in the ET reaction are further decoupled based on the measurements of ΔVsem and ΔVedl. Comparing the ET and hydrogen evolution reaction imaging results suggests that the low electrocatalytic activity of the basal plane is mainly due to the absence of active sites, rather than its electron transfer ability. This study fills an experimental gap in exploring driving forces for electrocatalysis at the nanoscale and addresses the long-standing issue of the inability to decouple charge transfer from catalytic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of an engineered cover layer over landfills is a common method applied to reduce the emission of hazardous gases into the atmosphere. Landfill gas pressures can reach 50 kPa or even higher in some cases, thus posing a serious threat to nearby properties and human safety. As such, the evaluation of gas breakthrough pressure and gas permeability in a landfill cover layer is of great necessity. In this study, the loess soil that is often applied as a cover layer in landfills in northwestern China was used to conduct gas breakthrough, gas permeability, and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests. Resultantly, the smaller the capillary tube diameter, the higher the capillary force, and the more significant the capillary effect. Gas breakthrough could be attained with no difficulty, provided that the capillary effect was minimal or approached zero. A good fit between the experimental gas breakthrough pressure–intrinsic permeability relationship and a logarithmic equation was found. The mechanical effect blew up the gas flow channel. In the worst-case scenario, the mechanical effect could lead to the overall failure of a loess cover layer in a landfill. A new gas flow channel was formed between the rubber membrane and the loess specimen as a result of the interfacial effect. Although both the mechanical and interfacial effects can elevate the gas emission rate, the latter did not play a role in the improvement of the gas permeability; therefore, misleading interference took place in the evaluation of the gas permeability, and an overall failure of the loess cover layer. To tackle this problem, the point at which the large- and small-effective stress asymptotes cross on the volumetric deformation– P eff diagram may be applied to give early warning signals of the potential overall failure of the loess cover layer in landfills in northwestern China. • The capillary effect is a crucial factor affecting the gas breakthrough pressure. • Both the mechanical and interfacial effects gear up the gas emission rate. • The interfacial effect can mislead the assessment of the failure of a cover layer. • The volumetric deformation goes up with decrease in P eff in an exponential manner. • Such exponential relationship gives early warning of the failure of a cover layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how applied voltage drives the electrocatalytic reaction at the nanoscale is a fundamental scientific problem, particularly in non-metallic electrocatalysts, due to their low intrinsic carrier concentration. Herein, using monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as a model system of non-metallic catalyst, the potential drops across the basal plane of MoS2 (ΔVsem) and the electric double layer (ΔVedl) are decoupled quantitatively as a function of applied voltage through in-situ surface potential microscopy. We visualize the evolution of the band structure under liquid conditions and clarify the process of EF keeping moving deep into Ec, revealing the formation process of the electrolyte gating effect. Additionally, electron transfer (ET) imaging reveals that the basal plane exhibits high ET activity, consistent with the results of surface potential measurements. The potential-dependent behavior of kf and ns in the ET reaction are further decoupled based on the measurements of ΔVsem and ΔVedl. Comparing the ET and hydrogen evolution reaction imaging results suggests that the low electrocatalytic activity of the basal plane is mainly due to the absence of active sites, rather than its electron transfer ability. This study fills an experimental gap in exploring driving forces for electrocatalysis at the nanoscale and addresses the long-standing issue of the inability to decouple charge transfer from catalytic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating river bars and their vegetation dynamics in response to upstream damming is important for riverine flood management and ecological assessment. However, our mechanical understanding of the damming-induced changes in river bar and vegetation, such as bar area, morphology, and leaf area index (LAI), remains limited for large river systems. Leveraging satellite images and in situ observed hydrogeomorphic data from, we improve a machine learning-based LAI inversion model to quantify variations in river bar morphology, vegetation distribution, and LAI in the Middle Yangtze River (MYR) following the operation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD). Then we analyze the mechanisms controlling the bar and vegetation dynamics based on high-resolution river cross-sectional profiles as well as daily discharge, water levels, and sediment in both the pre- and post-TGD periods. Our results indicate that the river bar area decreased by approximately 10% from 2003 to 2020, while the vegetation area and average LAI of these bars increased by >50% and >20%, respectively. Moreover, the plant community on most river bars tended to expand from the bar tail to the bar head and from the edge to the center. The main factor driving vegetation expansion in the MYR after the TGD's operation was the reduction in bar submergence frequency (by 55%), along with a slight bar erosion. Further analysis revealed that the standard deviation of annual discharge decreased by approximately 37%, and the frequency of vegetation-erosive flow decreased by approximately 74%. Our data highlight the potential impact of large dams downstream flow regimes and vegetation encroachement. Such findings further the understanding of the biogeomorphological impacts of large dams on the river bar vegetation and have important implications for riverine plant flux estimatin, flood management and ecological restoration in dammed river systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Compositional undulation promotes strength-plasticity synergy and strain hardening. • Enhanced dislocation multiplication induced by compositional undulation. • Compositional undulation induced hcp microbands facilitates strain delocalization. • Alternation of hard and soft regions promotes strain hardening and delocalization. Multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) exhibit outstanding mechanical properties due to their unconventional compositions and chemical structures. Rational design of element distribution in such alloys promises for achieving an unprecedented combination of superior properties. Here, using hybrid molecular dynamics and Monte-Carlo simulation method, atomistic models with compositional periodicity and chemical short-range order (SRO) are designed to investigate the effect of compositional undulation on the tensile behavior of CoCrNi medium-entropy alloy (MEA). Specifically, the differences between MEAs with and without compositional undulation in the evolution of defects, local stress-strain state, dislocation nucleation, slip, and its interaction with planar defects are explored. The results reveal that compositional undulation in MEAs can improve the elastic limit and achieve a strong lattice distortion effect which can enhance the dislocation glide resistance. In addition, obvious strain hardening and stress/strain delocalization are observed in the MEA with compositional periodicity, which promotes strength-plasticity synergy. More interestingly, there are formation of many hcp microbands consists of stacking faults, hcp-like structures and nanotwins owing to the compositional undulation. Such structures induced delocalized activation of slip systems which improves the strength/plasticity and strain hardening ability. The proposed compositional design can further optimize the comprehensive mechanical properties in addition to SRO, which provides a feasible approach to design novel MPEAs with exceptional performance. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To construct novel ion receptors and D-A self-assembly systems for materials with better functions, the annulation of a tetrathiafulvalene donor with a magnesium norphthalocyanine core via a flexible tetrathiacrown ether bridge afforded a new triad 1. The structure of this product was characterized by 1H NMR and infrared spectroscopy, time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The optical and electrochemical properties were investigated using UV–vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The complex of triad 1 and 2,3,5,6- tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane produced electron transfer with a radical cationic character, as confirmed by UV–Vis and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis. Furthermore, the target compound presented evident intramolecular charge-transfer interactions in ground states, which were explained using density functional theory. Furthermore, norphthalocyanine 1 was able to coordinate Ag+ through the peripheral ligating oxathiaether crown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supramolecular gels and liquid crystals are two important organic soft materials in self-assembly systems. A series of new low-molecular-weight organic gels was synthesized by connecting two cholesterol molecules and two hydrophobic chains incorporating amide groups to a central tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) moiety (1a–l). Compounds 1a–l and their corresponding charge transfer complexes easily formed a stable supramolecular gel in various organic solvents and their self-assembly morphologies and structures were investigated. It was revealed that hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interaction played important roles in the gelation process. More importantly, nearly half of the gelators exhibited liquid crystalline phases of type smectic A in a particular temperature region; there was no crystallization but there was vitrifying to form glassy mesogens during cooling from the isotropic melt. The effects of the linker chain length and terminal alkoxy chain on liquid crystals were studied. The liquid crystalline organogelator with TTF unit was first designed and synthesized. It was demonstrated that the gelators obtained from cyclohexane had a strong ability to adsorb the toxic dye Rhodamine B from water. This property of this series of compounds is considered to have potential utilization for the removal of toxic dye molecules from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dry riverbeds make the CO 2 emissions from intermittent rivers in arid areas equally important as from perennial rivers. • Combination of hydrological modeling, remote sensing and in-situ measurements improve the river CO 2 emission estimation. • Flow duration and dry riverbed area should be considered in estimating CO 2 emissions from intermittent river systems. Intermittent rivers in semiarid and arid regions, constituting over half of the world's rivers, alternate the carbon cycle interactions among the biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. Inadequate quantification of flow duration and river water surface area, along with overlooked CO 2 emissions from dry riverbeds, result in notable inaccuracies in global carbon cycle assessments. High-resolution remote sensing images combined with intensive field measurements and hydrological modelling were used to estimate and extract the flow duration, river water surface area and dry riverbed area of Huangfuchuan, an intermittent river watershed that acts as a major tributary of the Yellow River in semiarid Northwest China. CO 2 emission rates and partial pressures in water and air across the watershed were in-situ measured. In 2018, the flow duration of Huangfuchuan increased from less than 5 days in the first-order tributary to 150 days in the sixth-order mainstream. River water surface area estimated by remote sensing extraction plus the hydrodynamic model simulation varied from 3.9 to 88.6 km2 under 5 %–95 % discharge frequencies. CO 2 emissions from the water-air interface and dry riverbed in 2018 were estimated at 582.3 × 103 and 355.2 × 103 ton, respectively. The estimated total annual emission (937.5 × 103 ton) aligns closely with the range of emissions (67.3 × 103–1377.2 × 103 ton) calculated for the water-air interface alone, derived using DEM river length and hydraulic geometry method. This similarity can be attributed to the overestimation of flow duration and flow velocity, as well as the over- or under-estimation of river water surface area and slope. The new method proposed in this study has large potential to be applied in estimating CO 2 emissions from data-scarce intermittent rivers located in mountainous regions and provides a standardized solution in the estimation of CO 2 emission. Results of this research reveal the spatiotemporal distribution of CO 2 emissions along an intermittent river system and highlight the substantial role of dry riverbed in carbon cycle. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • We synthesized novel liquid crystal gelators with cholesterol and thiacrown-annelated tetrathiafulvalenes moieties. • Compounds 1b and 1d formed stable gels and exhibited nematic liquid crystalline phases with different nanostructures. • The gels 1d obtained from n-hexane readily adsorbed the toxic dye rhodamine B from water. We synthesized a series of novel liquid crystal (LC) gelators by attaching two cholesterol groups through two ω-thioalkanoyloxy spacers of varying length to thia-crown-annulated tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) moieties (1a – e). Among these compounds, 1b and 1d underwent gelation to form stable supramolecular gels in various organic solvents, and their self-assembled morphology and structure indicated that Van der Waals interactions were the driving force of gel formation. In addition, more than half of the gels (1a – d) transformed into nematic LCs in a certain temperature range, while gelators that did not crystallize during cooling from the isotropic melt formed glassy mesogens. Notably, gelators obtained from n -hexane readily adsorbed rhodamine B in solution, which was considered useful for removing toxic dye molecules in wastewater. LC molecules described herein were capable of gelation and have useful oxidation and stimulus-responsive properties. They may therefore be useful for developing sensors and optoelectronic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyano-bridged mixed-valence {Fe6} hexanuclear complexes {[Tp4-MeFeII(CN)3]2[FeIII(Tpa)]2[FeIII(OR)(Tpa)]2}·6ClO4·S (Tp4-Me = tri(4-methyl-pyrazol-1-yl)borate, Tpa = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine; R = –CH3, S = 8MeOH 1, R = –C2H5, S = 6EtOH 2) have been obtained by building the units of [Tp4-MeFe(CN)3]− and [Fe(Tpa)]2+ in methanol and ethanol, respectively. Complex 1 exhibited single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) transformation to give {[Tp4-MeFeII(CN)3]2[FeIII(Tpa)]2[FeIII(OH)(Tpa)]2}·6ClO4·8H2O (3) in water. Detailed analysis of the coordination environment of the FeIII centers on the square lattice and magnetic susceptibility measurements of all the complexes confirmed their Fe3+ spin-crossover (SCO) properties (T1/2 = 178 K, 1; 185 K, 2; 208 K, 3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A numerical method of dynamic instability analysis of spillway radial gates is presented. • Characteristics of mode-coupling parametric vibrations are studied. • Instability regions evolution of spillway radial gate is presented during the gate lifting. • Underlying instability mechanisms of spillway radial gate are revealed. • Effects of factors on instability mitigation of the gate are investigated. Flow-induced parametric oscillation of the spillway radial gates occurs under hydrodynamic excitation due to flow fluctuation, threatening the hydropower systems' safety. However, the underlying instability mechanisms of the spillway radial gates are still not clear. In this work, we explore the dynamic instability of spillway radial gates with multiple modes considered during the gate-lifting dynamic process. A numerical method for transferring dynamic instability problem of the gate to the generalized eigenvalue problem is developed by using Galerkin method, Floquet theorem and harmonic balance methods. The results reveal that, the critical gate opening exists during the gate lifting process, and the number and distribution of critical gate openings in dynamic instability regions are the key factors inducing the gate's instability. The presented instability intensity can be used to diagnose the vibration state of the gate. The mode-coupling effect renders the radial gate more dynamically instability, increasing the damping ratio is an effective measure on dynamic instability mitigation. The proposed insights in this work can provide guidelines for evaluating the gate's safety and bring rational decision-making in design and operation stages. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the metabolic profile and biomarkers of schizophrenia with auditory hallucinations (AHs).Methods: A total of 18 schizophrenic patients with the symptom of pure AHs (pAHs), 28 without AH (nAHs) and 43 age-matched healthy persons (Con) were enrolled in this study. Participants in pAHs and nAHs groups had relapsed into exacerbations of psychosis after self-discontinuing antipsychotics for at least one month; blood samples were drawn prior to restarting anti-psychotic treatment. Participants with history of recreational substance use were excluded. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Auditory Hallucinations Rating Scale (AHRS) were used to assess the clinical mental state of all samples. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to estimate the level of cytokines, and metabolomics analysis to identify potential biomarkers and pathways in the three groups. Graphpad 8.0 software was used to calculate the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The relationship between metabolites and cytokines were determined using correlation analysis.Results: Questionnaire scores showed significant differences in the positive symptom scale and PANSS total between nAHs and pAHs groups. Four cytokines (BDNF, IL-2, NGF-β and TNF-α) differed significantly among the three groups. Six molecules in the nAHs group (phenylalanine, hippurate, serine, glutamate, valine and cystine) and four in the pAHs group (phenylalanine, serine, glutamate and cystine) were identified as potential biomarkers. In addition, phenylalanine was shown as a potential independent diagnostic biomarker for pAHs. Correlation analysis revealed that cystine and serine were significantly negatively correlated with IL-2 in the pAHs group.Conclusions: This study revealed the metabolic profile of patients with schizophrenia with AHs and provided new information to support the diagnosis. The identification of unique biomarkers would contribute to objective and reliable diagnoses of patients with schizophrenia with AH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]