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Reduction of nitric acid reaction (2NO + HNO3 + 3CH3OH → 3CH3ONO + 2H2O) can convert by-product nitric acid into raw material methyl nitrite in the coal to ethylene glycol (CTEG) technology. This not only realizes the efficient recycling of nitrogen resources but also plays a crucial role in mitigating environmental pollution. Despite being a promising catalyst, the Pd/C catalyst face challenges due to its high metal loading, substantial loss rate, and consequent issues of poor stability, presenting obstacles in meeting industrial requirements. To address this issue, a defect strategy has been employed to develop a low-loaded 0.3% Pd/NC catalyst with robust metal-support interaction, resulting in a significant enhancement of catalyst stability. Remarkably, even after undergoing five cycles, the catalyst maintains a high nitric acid conversion rate of 90%. This improved performance can be attributed to the strong metal-support interaction driven by electron transfer from the nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) substrate to the Pd nanoparticles evident in the Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) results. This interaction effectively suppresses the leaching of the active Pd nanoparticles, leading to significantly enhanced stability and a noticeable reduction in the loss rate. Raman spectrum and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) results can further reveal that the increase in the defect density lead to the strong metal-support interaction after nitrogen doping (pyridinic-N-dominated). These findings highlight the significant potential of the Pd/NC catalyst and its applicability in expediting the industrialization process of catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report a Pd‐catalyzed aerobic lactamization of unactivated γ‐C(sp3)−H bonds of aliphatic carboxylic acids and amino acids derivatives. The utilization of Pd(OAc)2 as a catalyst, along with catalytic AgNO2 as an electron transfer mediator, circumvents the need for stoichiometric oxidants and demonstrates significant practicality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cr3+-doped phosphors show great application prospects in near-infrared (NIR) LEDs owing to good compatibility with blue LED chips. However, current NIR phosphors still have some shortcomings in the practical application, such as narrowband emissions and low efficiency. Herein, a new Cr3+-doped Mg 3 Lu 2 Ge 3 O 12 (MLGO) broadband NIR phosphor has been successfully synthesized. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy demonstrate the sample crystallizes in the garnet structure with the Ia 3 ‾ d space group. Under 442 nm excitation, MLGO:0.04Cr3+ represents a broadband emission centered at 770 nm with a full width at half maximum of 158 nm, and has an external quantum efficiency of 12.5 %. Moreover, the emission intensity of MLGO:0.04Cr3+ at 125 °C still reaches 50 % of that at room temperature. Additionally, a NIR LED device is fabricated by combining the sample with a blue LED chip, and has an excellent NIR output efficiency of 13.1 %. Under the illumination of the NIR LED, clear images can be successfully captured in the dark. Therefore, the MLGO:Cr3+ phosphors can be used for NIR light sources applied in the areas of food analysis and night vision imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the relationship between ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood groups and various health outcomes. However, a comprehensive evaluation of the robustness of these associations is still lacking. Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, and several regional databases from their inception until Feb 16, 2024, with the aim of identifying systematic reviews with meta-analyses of observational studies exploring associations between ABO and Rh blood groups and diverse health outcomes. For each association, we calculated the summary effect sizes, corresponding 95% confidence intervals, 95% prediction interval, heterogeneity, small-study effect, and evaluation of excess significance bias. The evidence was evaluated on a grading scale that ranged from convincing (Class I) to weak (Class IV). We assessed the certainty of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria (GRADE). We also evaluated the methodological quality of included studies using the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR). AMSTAR contains 11 items, which were scored as high (8–11), moderate (4–7), and low (0–3) quality. We have gotten the registration for protocol on the PROSPERO database (CRD42023409547). Results: The current umbrella review included 51 systematic reviews with meta-analysis articles with 270 associations. We re-calculated each association and found only one convincing evidence (Class I) for an association between blood group B and type 2 diabetes mellitus risk compared with the non-B blood group. It had a summary odds ratio of 1.28 (95% confidence interval: 1.17, 1.40), was supported by 6870 cases with small heterogeneity (I2 = 13%) and 95% prediction intervals excluding the null value, and without hints of small-study effects (P for Egger's test > 0.10, but the largest study effect was not more conservative than the summary effect size) or excess of significance (P < 0.10, but the value of observed less than expected). And the article was demonstrated with high methodological quality using AMSTAR (score = 9). According to AMSTAR, 18, 32, and 11 studies were categorized as high, moderate, and low quality, respectively. Nine statistically significant associations reached moderate quality based on GRADE. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a potential relationship between ABO and Rh blood groups and adverse health outcomes. Particularly the association between blood group B and type 2 diabetes mellitus risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poplar (Populus) is a well-established model system for tree genomics and molecular breeding, and hybrid poplar is widely used in forest plantations. However, distinguishing its diploid homologous chromosomes is difficult, complicating advanced functional studies on specific alleles. In this study, we applied a trio-binning design and PacBio high-fidelity long-read sequencing to obtain haplotype-phased telomere-to-telomere genome assemblies for the 2 parents of the well-studied F1 hybrid "84K" (Populus alba × Populus tremula var. glandulosa). Almost all chromosomes, including the telomeres and centromeres, were completely assembled for each haplotype subgenome apart from 2 small gaps on one chromosome. By incorporating information from these haplotype assemblies and extensive RNA-seq data, we analyzed gene expression patterns between the 2 subgenomes and alleles. Transcription bias at the subgenome level was not uncovered, but extensive-expression differences were detected between alleles. We developed machine-learning (ML) models to predict allele-specific expression (ASE) with high accuracy and identified underlying genome features most highly influencing ASE. One of our models with 15 predictor variables achieved 77% accuracy on the training set and 74% accuracy on the testing set. ML models identified gene body CHG methylation, sequence divergence, and transposon occupancy both upstream and downstream of alleles as important factors for ASE. Our haplotype-phased genome assemblies and ML strategy highlight an avenue for functional studies in Populus and provide additional tools for studying ASE and heterosis in hybrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Staphylococcus aureus is a prominent foodborne pathogen causing Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) in dairy products. This study estimated S. aureus growth and thermal inactivation kinetic parameters and variability in various dairy products by conducting a meta‐analysis. Cheese exhibited a lower theoretical minimum temperature (Tmin), indicating favourable conditions for S. aureus growth even at lower temperatures. Tmin values for other matrices ranged from 5.0 to 7.2 °C, providing insights for production parameter formulation. Meanwhile, significant variations in the maximum population density (Ymax) are among dairy products at the same temperature. Keeping temperatures below 0 °C in pasteurised milk, raw milk and cheese limited Ymax to approximately 102–4 CFU mL−1, below the international toxicity threshold. Factors influencing D values were smaller than strain variability, and NaCl concentration emerged as a significant factor affecting S. aureus growth. These parameters can serve as references for quality control, safety and production optimisation in dairy product processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractExperiments and numerical simulations were used to study and analyze the anisotropy of lattice materials, and the elastic-plastic properties of lattice materials were obtained. The equivalent continuum hypothesis was used to approximate the lattice material as a homogeneous continuous orthotropic material. The relevant equivalent yield parameters and plastic yield surfaces of the lattice materials were calculated using the Hill yield criterion. Comparisons of numerical simulations and experimental data show that they match very well. The effect of strut radius on anisotropic yield property and yield surface of lattice material was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Troglonectes is a small-body loach endemic to the Guangxi and Guizhou provinces of China, showing a particular affinity for cave areas. Twenty species were recorded in this genus, including one new species. The new species, Tr. canlinensis, can be distinguished from other congenetic species by their morphological characteristics and molecular evidence. In the genus of Troglonectes, the eye, lateral line and scale present or absent, the number of branched pectoral fin rays, caudal fin rays and anal fin rays, and the depth of the upper adipose keel on the caudal peduncle are important identifying characteristics. A new species of the genus Troglonectes is described based on specimens from a karst cave in Andong Town, Xincheng County, Liuzhou City, Guangxi, China. Troglonectes canlinensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congener species by the following combination of characteristics: eye degenerated into a black spot; whole body covered by scales, except for the head, throat, and abdomen; incomplete lateral line; forked caudal fin; 8–10 gill rakers on the first gill arch; 13–14 branched caudal fin rays; 8–9 branched dorsal fin rays; 5–6 anal fin rays; 9–10 pectoral fin rays; upper adipose keel depth mostly 1/2 of the caudal peduncle depth; and caudal fin forked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of urban areas has resulted in a substantial increase in demand for water ecosystem services. To address this issue, this study aims to investigate how the interaction between urbanization and water ecosystem services changed in response to different levels of urbanization in the Dongjiang River Basin from 1985 to 2020. The research examines four water ecosystem services (water yield, soil retention, and water purifications of N and P) and three types of urbanizations (population urbanization, economic urbanization, and land urbanization) to identify spatial heterogeneities among developed urban areas, developing urban areas, and rural regions, as well as their dynamic interactions. The findings indicate that water ecosystem services and urbanizations tend to be spatially polarized, with high values downstream and low values upstream. Although they have become more closely aligned, there is a local mismatch under basin-level homogeneity. Urbanization has migrated and centralized in a southward direction, while water ecosystem services have moved westward. This difference of migration results in an increasing trade-off in the west band of Dongjiang River. In particular, the developing urban area has been strengthening the function of the transition zone between the developed urban area and rural area, resulting in a dramatic decrease in synergy. The synergy of the rural area dominates the increasing synergy of the entire basin, but the developed urban area tends to lower the water ecosystem services that lag behind urbanization. The study recommends that policymakers consider different urban levels when developing urbanization plans and water resource management strategies, and implement measures to maintain the synergy in the rural area and mitigate the trade-off in the developing area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the time-optimal trajectory planning (TOTP) problem with joint jerk constraints in a Cartesian coordinate system, we propose a time-optimal path-parameterization (TOPP) algorithm based on nonlinear optimization. The key insight of our approach is the presentation of a comprehensive and effective iterative optimization framework for solving the optimal control problem (OCP) formulation of the TOTP problem in the (s , s ˙) -phase plane. In particular, we identify two major difficulties: establishing TOPP in Cartesian space satisfying third-order constraints in joint space, and finding an efficient computational solution to TOPP, which includes nonlinear constraints. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is an effective solution for time-optimal trajectory planning with joint jerk limits, and can be applied to a wide range of robotic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Containment and remediation of copper mine contamination with high concentration of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn) and low pH (2–5) demand barriers with low hydraulic conductivity (k) and good chemical compatibility. To prepare modified barriers containing copper erosion by replacing Wyoming bentonite with local bentonite and screen out economic dosage, the k of 12 polymer-modified bentonites with sodium polyacrylate (PAA) or sodium-carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) at dosages from 2 to 10%, was measured by modified fluid loss (MFL) test. The k of unmodified bentonites at 690 kPa top pressure ranged from 1.8 × 10−11 m/s to 1.9 × 10−11 m/s, which were reduced down to 4.6 × 10−12 m/s by 5% PAA or to 5.5×10−12 m/s by 5% CMC. The SEM & EDX-substantiated pore-filling effect of PAA, exfoliation of bentonite plates by PAA and CMC, and the XRD & FTIR-substantiated intercalation of CMC contributed to the decrement of available flow space and the increment of tortuosity of flow channel, and eventually k reduction. Excessive polymer (> 5%) might prop open interaggregate voids, increase pore connectivity and cause slight k increment up to 9.8 × 10−12 m/s and 6.5 × 10−12 m/s for 10% PAA- and 10% CMC-modified bentonites, respectively. Acidic condition (pH = 3) slightly increased the k of unmodified, 5% PAA- and 5% CMC-modified bentonite by less than 42%. At Cu2+ concentrations ([Cu2+]) of 0.38−10 mM (26 times the field concentration, 3.6 times the maximum concentration in the investigation), the k of 5% CMC-modified bentonite remained at 10−12 m/s, demonstrating good chemical compatibility. This was attributed to the intercalated CMC chains, which increased interlayer repulsion, enhanced osmotic swelling of bentonite plates, and reduced cation exchange reaction with Cu2+ at bentonite plate surfaces. When [Cu2+] reached 15 mM, k of 5% CMC-modified bentonite further increased to 6.0×10−11 m/s. This paper filled the gap of creating low permeable polymer-modified bentonite for permeants with acidic and high heavy metal content condition, which is typical near copper mines. The outcome of this research results in practically usable barrier materials, as used in a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) or similar applications without the need of importing high-purity bentonite (e.g., Wyoming bentonite). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Seed-based analysis has shown that transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) can modulate the dysfunctional brain network in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the voxel-based neuropsychological mechanism of taVNS on patients with firstepisode MDD is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of an 8-week course of taVNS on patients with first-episode MDD. Methods: Twenty-two patients with first-episode MDD accepted an 8-week course of taVNS treatment. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scans were performed before and after treatment. Voxel-based analyses were performed to characterize spontaneous brain activity. Healthy controls (n=23) were recruited to minimize test-retest effects. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to ascertain treatment-related changes. Then, correlations between changes in brain activity and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D)/Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) remission rate were estimated. Results: Significant group-by-time interactions on voxel-based analyses were observed in the inferior ventral striatum (VSi) and precuneus. Post-hoc analyses showed that taVNS inhibited higher brain activity in the VSi, while upregulating it in the precuneus. Functional connectivity (FC) between the VSi and precuneus decreased. Positive correlations were found between the HAM-D remission rate and changes in brain activity in the VSi. Conclusion: taVNS reduced the FC between VSi and precuneus by normalizing the abnormal spontaneous brain activity of VSi in first-episode MDD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correction notice is related to an article titled "ABO and Rhesus blood groups and multiple health outcomes: an umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses of observational studies." The correction states that in the original article, five co-authors were mistakenly affiliated with the wrong institution. The correct affiliation for these authors should be a different institution, and the correction provides the accurate details. The correction is authored by multiple individuals, including the original authors and the corrected authors. [Extracted from the article]

A double-sided photonic crystal fiber (PCF) temperature and refractive index (RI) sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is reported to simultaneously measure temperature and RI. An arc groove covered with gold is filled with chloroform for temperature detection. The D-shaped plane coated with silver is in direct contact with the analyte to provide the RI. Two independent channels distinguish temperature and RI changes, thus completely solving the cross-sensitivity problem. The sensing characteristics of the plane coating, arc coating, and inner ring coating are discussed. The influence of gold film closure on the optimum RI measurement range was identified, and the best sensing structure of chloroform as a temperature-sensitive material is obtained. The sensing characteristics of different types of metal films are investigated. It is concluded that the band separation may be achieved by plating gold film and silver film in the arc groove and D-plane, respectively. The influence of the central angle of the arc groove on the sensor characteristics was investigated. High-order resonance may be avoided at a 180° center angle. The influence of the thickness of the metal film on the sensitivity of the sensor is studied numerically, and the optimal coating thickness is 50 nm. This work simplifies the selection of the RI range of sensing materials and provides a new approach to solve the high-order resonance and band interference in SPR multi-parameter sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is effective for treating major depressive disorder (MDD). We aimed to explore the modulating effect of prolonged longitudinal taVNS on the striatal subregions' functional connectivity (FC) in MDD patients. Methods: Sixteen MDD patients were enrolled and treated with taVNS for 8 weeks. Sixteen healthy control subjects (HCs) were recruited without intervention. The resting-state FC (rsFC) based on striatal subregion seed points and the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) were evaluated in the MDD patients and HCs at baseline and after 8 weeks. A two-way ANCOVA test was performed on each rsFC metric to obtain the (group-by-time) interactions. Results: The rsFC values between the left ventral caudate (vCa) and right ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC), and between the right nucleus accumbens (NAc) and right dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) are lower in the MDD patients compared to the HCs at baseline, and increase following taVNS; the rsFC values between the left vCa and right, superior occipital gyrus (SOG), and between the left dorsal caudate (dCa) and right cuneus are higher in MDD patients and decrease following taVNS. Conclusions: Prolonged longitudinal taVNS can modulate the striatum rsFC with the prefrontal cortex, occipital cortex, temporal cortex, and intra-striatum, and these changes partly underlie any symptomatic improvements. The results indicate that prolonged longitudinal taVNS may produce beneficial treatment effects by modulating the cortical striatum circuitry in patients with MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sialons are widely recognized for their rigid lattice structure, high visible light transmittance, and excellent thermal stability, making them suitable matrix materials for activators. In this paper, we successfully prepared β-sialon phosphors, β-Si 6-z Al z O z N 8-z :Eu2+ (β-SiAlON:Eu2+), using an organic precursor method at a low synthesis temperature for the first time. X-ray diffraction analysis and Rietveld refinement confirm the β-SiAlON:Eu2+ phosphor possesses a hexagonal structure with a P63 space group. Under 320 nm excitation, β-SiAlON:Eu2+ phosphor exhibits a blue emission band centered at 415 nm due to the 5d → 4 f electron transition of Eu2+, which differs significantly from other β-SiAlON:Eu2+ phosphors with green emission. It is interesting that excessive Eu2+ activators make β-SiAlON:Eu2+ phosphor possess a green emission band centered at 510 nm. Therefore, the light-emitting color of β-SiAlON:Eu2+ phosphor shifts from the blue to the green with the increase of Eu2+ concentration. Furthermore, the activation energy of β-SiAlON:0.02Eu2+ sample is calculated to be about 0.2527 eV, which confirms β-SiAlON:Eu2+ phosphor has good thermal stability. The article presents a low-temperature and cost-effective synthesis method for preparing sialons, as well as a novel blue β-SiAlON phosphor for solid-state lighting. [Display omitted] • Using the cheap melamine as a nitrogen source, β-SiAlON:Eu2+ phosphors have been synthesized at low temperature. • The β-SiAlON:Eu2+ phosphor emits intense blue light. • Excessive Eu2+ activators make β-SiAlON:Eu2+ phosphor possess a green emission band centered at 510 nm. • With an activation energy of 0.2527 eV, the β-SiAlON:Eu2+ phosphor exhibits excellent thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strong adhesion of thermally conductive silicone encapsulants on highly integrated electronic devices can avoid external damages and lead to an improved long-term reliability, which is critical for their commercial application. However, due to their low surface energy and chemical reactivity, the self-adhesive ability of silicone encapsulants to substrates need to be explored further. Here, we developed epoxy and alkoxy groups-bifunctionalized tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4H-MSEP) and boron-modified polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS-B), which were synthesized and utilized as synergistic adhesion promoters to provide two-component addition-cured liquid silicone rubber (LSR) with a good self-adhesion ability for applications in electronic packaging at moderate temperatures. The chemical structures of D4H-MSEP and PDMS-B were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The mass percentage of PDMS-B to D4H-MSEP, the adhesion promoters content and the curing temperature on the adhesion strength of LSR towards substrates were systematically investigated. In detail, the LSR with 2.0 wt% D4H-MSEP and 0.6 wt% PDMS-B exhibited a lap-shear strength of 1.12 MPa towards Al plates when curing at 80 °C, and the cohesive failure was also observed. The LSR presented a thermal conductivity of 1.59 W m−1 K−1 and good fluidity, which provided a sufficient heat dissipation ability and fluidity for potting applications with 85.7 wt% loading of spherical α-Al2O3. Importantly, 85 °C and 85% relative humidity durability testing demonstrated LSR with a good encapsulation capacity in long-term processes. This strategy endows LSR with a good self-adhesive ability at moderate temperatures, making it a promising material requiring long-term reliability in the encapsulation of temperature-sensitive electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: With advanced sequencing technology, dozens of complex polyploid plant genomes have been characterized. However, for many polyploid species, their diploid ancestors are unknown or extinct, making it impossible to unravel the subgenomes and genome evolution directly.We developed a novel subgenome‐phasing algorithm, SubPhaser, specifically designed for a neoallopolyploid or a homoploid hybrid. SubPhaser first searches for the subgenome‐specific sequence (k‐mer), then assigns homoeologous chromosomes into subgenomes, and further provides tools to annotate and investigate specific sequences.SubPhaser works well on neoallopolyploids and homoploid hybrids containing subgenome‐specific sequences like wheat, but fails on autopolyploids lacking subgenome‐specific sequences like alfalfa, indicating that SubPhaser can phase neoallopolyploid/homoploid hybrids with high accuracy, sensitivity and performance.This highly accurate, highly sensitive, ancestral data free chromosome phasing algorithm, SubPhaser, offers significant application value for subgenome phasing in neoallopolyploids and homoploid hybrids, and for the subsequent exploration of genome evolution and related genetic/epigenetic mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A green collector with multiple ligands (SMG) was used in smithsonite flotation. • SMG enables efficient separation of smithsonite and calcite with CLS as a depressant. • The amide groups increase the coordination ability of the COOH groups in SMG. • SMG exhibits better collecting ability than conventional collectors, and are more compatible and environmentally friendly. Zinc oxide ore containing smithsonite is a refractory ore, and it is difficult to separate smithsonite and calcite with traditional flotation collectors. A new collector was developed in this study, the multiligand biodegradable biosurfactant sodium myristoyl glutamate (SMG), which used calcium lignosulfonate (CLS) as a calcite depressant for the flotation of smithsonite. Microflotation experiments showed that SMG was an effective smithsonite flotation collector, with a recovery of more than 95 % after it reached a specific concentration. Adding CLS could achieve a considerable difference in flotation recovery rates between smithsonite and calcite. Adsorption of the collector on the mineral surface was analyzed. The contact angle, zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) results confirmed that SMG was strongly adsorbed on smithsonite. Moreover, the depressant CLS was strongly adsorbed on the surface of calcite, and less was adsorbed on the surface of smithsonite. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed that the amino group in SMG promoted the binding of adjacent carboxyl groups to metal sites on the mineral surface. These results indicated that SMG, which is a biodegradable biosurfactant, is a promising collector for the selective recovery of smithsonite from calcite through flotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • TRP achieved a better activation effect for smithsonite flotation. • TRP reacted strongly with zinc atoms on the surface of smithsonite. • Trp increased the adsorption of NaOL on the surface of smithsonite. • DFT calculations showed that the carboxyl O atom in Trp coordinated with Zn on the surface of smithsonite. Utilizing an efficient activator is an efficient solution to overcome the low recovery flotation of zinc oxide ore. We proposed amino acids as new high-efficiency biological activators for zinc oxide ore flotation and systematically studied the effects of amino acids as activators in the flotation of zinc oxide ore. Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to reveal the activation mechanism of amino acids in smithsonite flotation. The results showed that tryptophan (Trp) significantly promoted the floatability of smithsonite by coordinating with zinc sites on the surface of smithsonite. The addition of Trp broke the Zn-O bonds in the crystal and exposed more highly active Zn on the crystal surface, which easily reacted with sodium oleate. At the same time, Trp increased the concentration of Zn2+ in the pulp, and an appropriate amount of Zn2+ in the solution owned a certain activation effect, which finally improved the adsorption of NaOL on the surface of smithsonite. DFT showed that Trp interacted strongly with smithsonite, and the carboxyl O atom of Trp coordinated with Zn on the surface of smithsonite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high sensitivity surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based temperature and magnetic field sensor in a dual-core D-shaped photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with two types of holes is reported. The flat surface of the dual-core D-shaped PCF is coated with ethanol as the temperature-sensitive material. A large diameter hole coated with a gold ring is filled with a magnetic fluid as a magnetic field-sensitive material. Using the finite element method (FEM), the electric field distribution mode is simulated, and the loss spectra of the temperature sensing channel (channel I) and magnetic field sensing channel (channel II) are calculated. The influence of the types of metal films and rings, large hole diameter, small hole diameter, and gold film and gold ring thicknesses on the sensor performance are discussed. The results showed that the reported sensor is able to measure temperature and magnetic field independently and simultaneously due to its dual channels. The influence of temperature on magnetic field measurements is reduced by reducing the hole diameter. The results show that the temperature sensitivity is 1.151 nm/°C and the correlation coefficient is 0.9954 from 20 to 70 °C. The magnetic field intensity sensitivity is 0.0779 nm/Oe from 25 to 200 Oe and 0.0212 nm/Oe from 200 to 275 Oe with correlation coefficients of 0.9937 and 0.9989 across these ranges. This high sensitivity D-shaped PCF sensor will promote the development of high-performance dual-parameter devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A synthesis of 2,3-diaryl-substituted pyrazolo[1,5- a ]pyridines in moderate to good yields under metal-free and mild conditions is described. The intramolecular cyclization of the oxime substrates is mediated by PPh3 /I2 , which leads directly to pyrazolo[1,5- a ]pyridines without the formation of a 2 H -azirine intermediate. Various substituents on the aryl rings are compatible with the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative ileus (POI) occurs in almost all patients after abdominal laparoscopic surgery, resulting in complications and increasing the length of hospitalization. Electroacupuncture has been used as an alternative therapy for gastrointestinal dysfunction, but its efficacy for POI is inconclusive. The study is designed to determine whether electroacupuncture can accelerate recovery from POI.Methods/design: This study is a three-arm, randomized controlled trial. A total of 105 patients will be randomized into a group receiving electroacupuncture at Tianshu (ST25), a group receiving electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST36), or a control group in a 1:1:1 ratio. Patients in the electroacupuncture groups will receive electroacupuncture treatment for 4 days from the first day after surgery. The primary outcome consists of the time to first flatus and the time to first defecation. Secondary outcomes include the time to first tolerance of liquid and semiliquid food; the length of the hospital stay; postoperative pain, nausea, and vomiting; abdominal distension; the time to first get out of bed; and postoperative complications. The outcomes will be assessed by the patients themselves every day during hospitalization. Surgeons, nurses, assessors, and statisticians will be blinded to the group assignments. Patients in the two electroacupuncture groups, but not in the control group, will be blinded to the group assignments. The acupuncturists will not be blinded.Discussion: The aim of this trial is to provide a nonpharmacological therapy for POI and may provide evidence of the effect of electroacupuncture at ST25 or ST36 on POI.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900027466 . Registered on 14 November 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the mechanisms underlying floating migrants' settlement intentions is vital for guiding evidence-based policies for China's urbanisation and regional economic development. While prior studies have identified various determinants of migrants' settlement decisions, little attention has been paid to the effects of environmental pollution on these decisions. To fill this gap, this study utilises a unique data set combining individual-level data from a national survey and city-level data obtained from various sources to investigate the effects of air pollution on floating migrants' settlement intentions in China. Using a novel instrumental variable, our regression results show significantly negative impacts of air pollution on both migrants' permanent settlement intention and their expected length of settlement. Additionally, these impacts are stronger for the skilled migrants compared to the less skilled ones. These findings imply that environmental pollution should be seriously considered when promoting urbanisation in China and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex determination systems in plants can involve either female or male heterogamety (ZW or XY, respectively). Here we used Illumina short reads, Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) long reads and Hi‐C reads to assemble the first chromosome‐scale genome of a female willow tree (Salix dunnii), and to predict genes using transcriptome sequences and available databases. The final genome sequence of 328 Mb in total was assembled in 29 scaffolds, and includes 31,501 predicted genes. Analyses of short‐read sequence data that included female and male plants suggested a male heterogametic sex‐determining factor on chromosome 7, implying that, unlike the female heterogamety of most species in the genus Salix, male heterogamety evolved in the subgenus Salix. The S. dunnii sex‐linked region occupies about 3.21 Mb of chromosome 7 in females (representing its position in the X chromosome), probably within a pericentromeric region. Our data suggest that this region is enriched for transposable element insertions, and about one‐third of its 124 protein‐coding genes were gained via duplications from other genome regions. We detect purifying selection on the genes that were ancestrally present in the region, though some have been lost. Transcriptome data from female and male individuals show more male‐ than female‐biased genes in catkin and leaf tissues, and indicate enrichment for male‐biased genes in the pseudo‐autosomal regions. Our study provides valuable genomic resources for further studies of sex‐determining regions in the family Salicaceae, and sex chromosome evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, we have successfully prepared hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN:Tb3+, Ce3+) phosphors with melamine as the nitrogen source. The X-ray powder diffraction patterns confirm that the sample possesses a hexagonal crystal structure within the P6¯\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$$\overline6$$\end{document}m2 space group. It is interesting that the co-doping combination of Tb3+ and Ce3+ can markedly enhance the threshold concentration of doped activators within the limited solid solution of h-BN phosphors. Under 302 nm excitation, the h-BN:Ce3+ phosphors exhibit broadband blue light emission at 406 nm. In h-BN:Tb3+, Ce3+ phosphors, the co-doping of Ce3+ not only ensures high phase purity but also results in strong green light emission. The energy transfer efficiency from Ce3+ to Tb3+ is about 55%. The fluorescence lifetime increases with the increase of Ce3+ and Tb3+ concentration, and the fluorescence lifetime of h-BN:0.025Tb3+, 0.05Ce3+ phosphor reached 2.087 ms. Additionally, the h-BN:0.025Tb3+, 0.05Ce3+ phosphor exhibits excellent thermal performance with an activation energy value of 0.2825 eV. Moreover, the photoluminescence quantum yield of the sample exceeds 52%. Therefore, the h-BN:Tb3+, Ce3+ samples can be used as green phosphors for solid state lighting and fluorescent labeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of synergy between two metal sites in dinuclear metal catalysts for CO2 reduction remains challenging. Herein, for the first time, we employ a dinuclear nickel complex as a molecular catalyst for visible‐light‐driven CO2 reduction with 99 % selectivity toward CO production. The photocatalytic mechanism was proposed based on the results of electrochemical measurements and fluorescent quenching experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an improved CKF (Cubature Kalman Filter) target tracking method is adopted to solve the tracking and pointing problem in the field of the Active Denial System. The math model of the system is built and the precision requirement is analyzed. The improved CKF method is input as the feedforward compensation for system control to improve the system tracking performance. In the process of the iterative CKF algorithm, nonlinear means are used. The method makes full use of measurement information and estimates the target velocity acceleration model parameters through the neural network, which is used as the input of the CKF to modify the process parameters of CKF and improve the state estimation accuracy. At the same time, the limited lower bound method is used to ensure that the gain reaches the lower bound bottom line of the precision demand, so that it does not tend to zero with time, so as to avoid affecting its rapid response ability during maneuvering and so that the prediction error is also controlled within the range of the precision demand. The simulation and experimental results show the superiority of the method and make the system fully meet the design requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric materials with charged groups present satisfactory performance in membrane separation due to their strong interaction with water molecules. However, the interactions between water and charged groups are complex, and it is still a big challenge to depict the role of charged groups on the pervaporation performance of polymeric membranes. Here, we constructed the polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles (PECNPs) with four different charged groups and adopted them for preparation of pervaporation membranes. The PEC membranes were used for pervaporation tests. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) was, for the first time, employed for identifying how the water survive in polymeric membranes with different charged groups. The result hints that the water state in the membrane varies quite different for the four kinds of PECNPs membranes (PECNPMs), which finally determines the performance of the prepared PECNPMs. The PEC-SO3− membrane, possessing both high freezable bound water and non-freezable bound water, showed the highest separation in dehydrating of 10 wt% water/ethanol mixtures at 70 °C, with a pervaporation separation index of 6.93 × 106, which outperforms other polymeric membranes reported. Thus, the performance of PEC membrane can be well-tailored by the conveniently tailoring charged groups, which paves a solid path for developing high-performance polymer membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 4′-d-β-DMEP was isomerized into the novel product 4′-d-α-DMEP with 43.09% conversion. • The IC50 value of 4′-d-α-DMEP on tumor cells MCF-7 was significantly reduced by 11.27 and 17.34 times than 4´-d-β-DMEP and VP-16. • The model for transforming 4'-d-β-DMEP into 4'-d-α-DMEP by P. purpurogenum ACCC 32170 was provided. Biological modification of natural products is an important approach to improve the pharmacological properties. 4′-d-β-Demethylepipodophyllotoxin (4′-d-β-DMEP), a typical natural lignin, is used as the aglycon of topoisomerase inhibitor etoposide (VP-16). In this study, 4′-d-β-DMEP was isomerized into the novel product 4′-d-α-DMEP with 43.09% conversion by P. purpurogenum ACCC 32170. 4′-d-α-DMEP was largely produced extracellularly in the late fermentation stage, which was accompanied with the decrease of dry cell weight and the increase of culture pH. A constitutively expressed cytosolic enzyme was involved in the transformation and functioned when culture pH ranged from 7.0–10.0. The IC 50 value of 4′-d-α-DMEP was around 0.80 μM against tumor cells MCF-7, which was significantly reduced by 11.27 and 17.34 times than 4′-d-β-DMEP (i.e., 9.82 μM) and VP-16 (i.e., 14.67 μM). This study provided the novel podophyllotoxin derivative with higher anti-tumor activity and microbial transformation process, which would promote transferring lignans into the clinic trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding and quantifying populations' adaptive genetic variation and their response to climate change are critical to reforestation's seed source selection, forest management decisions, and gene conservation. Landscape genomics combined with geographic and environmental information provide an opportunity to interrogate forest populations' genome‐wide variation for understanding the extent to which evolutionary forces shape past and contemporary populations' genetic structure, and identify those populations that may be most at risk under future climate change. Here, we used genotyping by sequencing to generate over 11,000 high‐quality variants from Platycladus orientalis range‐wide collection to evaluate its diversity and to predict genetic offset under future climate scenarios. Platycladus orientalis is a widespread conifer in China with significant ecological, timber, and medicinal values. We found population structure and evidences of isolation by environment, indicative of adaptation to local conditions. Gradient forest modeling identified temperature‐related variables as the most important environmental factors influencing genetic variation and predicted areas with higher risk under future climate change. This study provides an important reference for forest resource management and conservation for P. orientalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Norovirus is the leading cause of food-borne disease outbreaks. We conducted this study to examine the incidence and molecular characteristics of norovirus genogroup I infections from acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in Taiwan. Between January 2015 and June 2019, 2121 acute gastroenteritis clusters were reported to Taiwan CDC, of which 351 (16.5%) clusters were positive for NoV GI, and GI.3 was the most prevalent (36.8%) during the study period. The GI.3 infections were significantly higher than non-GI.3 infections in the age groups of 0–5 and 6–18 years. The phylogenetic analysis of the MCC tree revealed that VP1 genes were divided into 3 groups: the GI.P3-GI.3 strains in Taiwan were genetically close to Japan and the GI.Pd-GI.3 strains were segregated into 2 other groups which were genetically closely related to China. In addition, 7 GI.Pd-GI.3 recombinants were identified circulating in Taiwan between 2018 and 2019, and the prevalence of GI.Pd-GI.3 should be monitored to assess whether this could become the new predominant strains in neighboring Asian countries or other parts of the world. Both GI.P3-GI.3 and GI.Pd-GI.3 strains cocirculate, the recombination among these two lineages occurs frequently, contributing to the genetic diversity and multiple occurrences of different norovirus lineages, and their rapid evolution makes future control more difficult. Continued surveillance and timely interventions are critical to understand the complexity of norovirus gene variation and to monitor the new emerging norovirus strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To rationally construct electrode structures with high activity is very significant for bi-functionalization conversion systems. However, single electrode materials often exhibit slow electron transportation. To address the above issues, we fabricate Mo and P co-doped ZnCo-LDH samples with high electrochemical activity through a convenient hydrothermal and phosphation method. The as-obtained Mo-ZnCoP-3 products exhibit excellent HER activity with a low overpotential of 161.7 mV at −10 mA cm−2 and a small overpotential of 300.1 mV at 50 mA cm−2 for the OER. In addition, the as-prepared electrocatalyst shows excellent overall water splitting performance with a low cell voltage of 1.56 V at 50 mA cm−2, indicating that Mo element doping could effectively regulate the electronic structure of ZnCoP nanosheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant challenge. Although radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has emerged as a popular therapeutic option for patients with resectable HCC, whether it can achieve comparable survival outcomes compared with surgical resection (RES) remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to conduct a meta-analysis to assess the survival outcomes of RFA vs. RES in patients with early resectable HCC tumors. A Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library search was performed for data published between January 2000 and February 2018. A meta-analysis of the efficacy of RFA compared with RES for HCC was subsequently performed, with particular emphasis on overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS) rates. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random-effects model. In the present study, a total of 13,147 patients with HCC were included; of which, 6,727 were treated with RFA and 6,420 were treated with RES. The overall survival rates (OR1-year, 0.757, 95% CI, 0.578–0.989; OR3-year, 0.530, 95% CI, 0.401–0.700; OR5-year, 0.566, 95% CI, 0.423–0.758) and the DRS rates (OR1-year, 0.569, 95% CI, 0.456–0.711; OR3-year, 0.418, 95% CI, 0.267–0.653; OR5-year, 0.374, 95% CI, 0.231–0.606) of RES were significantly higher than those of RFA. The results indicate that RES is superior to RFA for promoting the survival of selected patients with resectable HCC. However, future randomized controlled trials are required to investigate the specific relevance of these modalities in the treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The article investigated a new garnet-type ceramic phosphors LuMgAl 5 SiO 12 :Ce3+. • LuMg 2 Al 3 Si 2 O 12 :Ce3+ is a good green phosphor for white LEDs. • The phosphor has a quantum efficiency of 53.7%, indicating excellent luminescent performance. • The phosphor with 0.302 activation energy possesses a good thermal stability. Phosphors with simple preparation, high luminous efficiency and excellent thermal stability are highly desirable for commercial white light-emitting diodes (W-LED). In the paper, a new garnet-type green phosphor LuMgAl 5 SiO 12 :Ce3+ (LMASO:Ce3+) has been successfully prepared by a high-temperature solid-state reaction. The crystal structure and photoluminescence properties were investigated in detail. X-ray diffraction and the Rietveld refinement demonstrated the crystal structure of LMASO belongs to cubic systems with an Ia 3 ¯ d (2 3 0) space group. The unit cell parameters of LMASO:0.08Ce3+ phosphor were found to be a = 11.90418 Å and V = 1686.935 Å3. LMASO:Ce3+ phosphors have two excitation bands with peaks at 340 and 436 nm, attributed to the 4f → 5d transition of Ce3+ ions. Under excitation at 436 nm, LMASO:0.08Ce3+ phosphor exhibits a broad and asymmetric emission band in the 450–700 nm range. Notably, a W-LED device was created by combining a 455 nm blue LED chip with the obtained green sample and the commercially available red CaAlSiN 3 :Eu3+ phosphor. The device emitted a bright warm white light with a low correlated color temperature of 3584 K and a high color rendering index of 96.0 at a drive current of 40 mA. The article indicates that LMASO:Ce3+ samples can serve as a potential green phosphor for W-LEDs, and offers a new strategy for designing efficient phosphors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It's critical for environmental governance to understand the effectiveness of various policy interventions as well as their working mechanisms. This paper focuses on the campaign-style enforcement, a sort of policy intervention understudied in environmental governance literature. Specifically, we study the central environmental protection inspection (CEPI), an unprecedented environmental campaign recently launched by the central authority of China. Apart from the dominant recoupling perspective that emphasized the role of environmental campaign in addressing decoupling problems, we assert in this paper that CEPI could serve as strong external stimulus that help to overcome various root problems in environmental governance system and therefore engender long-term improvements for environmental performance. Empirically, based on the city-day air pollution data, difference-in-difference (DID) model with multiple treatment periods was applied to estimate both the short- and long-term policy effects of CEPI. We found that CEPI did has positive effects on improving environmental performance. Moreover, this positive policy effect, rather than fading away after CEPI, bumped up and persisted in the aftermath of the inspection. These findings imply that campaign-style enforcement, when properly used, could be an effective tool for policymakers to improve environmental performance. • Central Environmental Protection Inspection is a new type of campaign-style enforcement in China. • DID model with multiple treatment periods is used to estimate the policy effects. • Central Environmental Protection Inspection has a positive role in environmental governance. • The positive effects bumped up and persisted in the post-inspection periods. • Campaign-style enforcement could serve as an effective tool to reform environmental governance when properly applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• OPE (2)-(4), were prepared and compare their properties with OPE (1). • We discussed the effect of the vinyl groups and linker on the properties of thermosets. • The thermosets of (4) show the highest thermal stability, oxygen permeation resistance. • The thermosets of (4) show the lowest water absorption, and dielectric constant. • We demonstrate that (4) is a promising material for high-frequency printed circuit board. Vinylbenzyl ether-terminated oligo(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) (1) has been commercialized by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical in the name of OPE-2St. OPE (1) is used in high-frequency printed circuit board due to its low-dielectric characteristic after curing. However, for thermoset of (1), there is room for property improvement in thermal mechanical property, dielectric property, oxygen permeation resistance, and so on. In this work, we report the preparation of three new oligo(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether)s: the vinyl benzoate-terminated OPE (2), the 3,5-bis(vinylbenzyl ether)benzyl ether-terminated OPE (3), and the 3,5-bis(vinylbenzyl ether)benzoate-terminated OPE (4), and compare their fundamental materials properties with the vinylbenzyl ether-terminated OPE (1). We discussed the effect of the number of vinyl groups (two or four) and the linker (benzyl ether or benzoate) on the properties of the four OPE thermosets. Through property evaluation and data analyses, we found that the thermoset of (4) show the highest T g , modulus, oxygen permeation resistance, dimensional stability, and the lowest water absorption, and dielectric constant. We also found that the toughness of thermoset of (4) can be significantly enhanced by the copolymerization with epoxy resin (HP7200) through the exchange reactions of benzoate and epoxy groups. In short, through properties comparison of four thermosets of (1–4), we demonstrate that (4) is a promising material for high-frequency printed circuit board. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article designs a hexagonal left‐handed material (LHM) and proposes a microstrip antenna with low radar cross‐section (RCS) based on this new LHM. The modified antenna RCS is significantly reduced without reducing radiation performance compared with two reference antennas. The scattering distribution shows the RCS reduction is attributable to the LHM. Antenna prototypes are fabricated and measured to verify the simulation. As a result, the modified antenna realized RCS reduction while maintaining radiation performance, with 19.5 dB maximum RCS reduction at 1.16 GHz, and the out‐of‐band RCS reduced due to the converged electromagnetic wave caused by the LHM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Dehydration of ethylene glycol (EG), a valued product in chemical industries, was efficiently implemented by pervaporation with a graphene oxide (GO)-incorporated polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles (PEC NPs) membrane. GO-incorporated PEC NPs with solution processability were prepared through a new strategy of "complex precipitation–redispersion". The PEC NPs-based membranes were prepared via solution casting, and their structural characteristics and hydrophilic property were investigated systematically. Spherical PEC NPs building blocks increase cavities and thus flux of the membranes, while the tightly associated ion-pair structure coupled with strong interface interactions between regularly-arranged GO nanosheets and PEC matrix led to good separation factor. In detail, the resulted membrane PEC NPM/GO-3 presented a flux of 961 g m−2 h−1 and water in permeate of 99.25 wt% in dehydrating 10.0 wt% water/EG mixtures at 60 °C. Moreover, the PEC NPM/GO-3 showed a tensile strength of 139.1 MPa and higher long-term operation stability, which was important for commercial application. Graphical abstract fx1 Highlights • Water-dispersible PEC NP/GO is designed and used as building blocks for PV membrane. • PEC NPM/GO features additional inter-particle cavity and strong interface interactions. • PEC NPM/GO-3 presents superior flux and stability in PV ethylene glycol dehydration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inconceivable ability and common practice to collect personal data as well as the power of data‐driven approaches to businesses, services and security nowadays also introduce significant privacy issues. There have been extensive studies on addressing privacy preserving problems in the data mining community but relatively few have provided supervised control over the anonymization process. Preserving both the value and privacy of the data is largely a non‐trivial task. We present the design and evaluation of a visual interface that assists users in employing commonly used data anonymization techniques for making privacy preserving visualizations. Specifically, we focus on event sequence data due to its vulnerability to privacy concerns. Our interface is designed for data owners to examine potential privacy issues, obfuscate information as suggested by the algorithm and fine‐tune the results per their discretion. Multiple use case scenarios demonstrate the utility of our design. A user study similarly investigates the effectiveness of the privacy preserving strategies. Our results show that using a visual‐based interface is effective for identifying potential privacy issues, for revealing underlying anonymization processes, and for allowing users to balance between data utility and privacy. The inconceivable ability and common practice to collect personal data as well as the power of data‐driven approaches to businesses, services and security nowadays also introduce significant privacy issues. There have been extensive studies on addressing privacy preserving problems in the data mining community but relatively few have provided supervised control over the anonymization process. Preserving both the value and privacy of the data is largely a non‐trivial task. We present the design and evaluation of a visual interface that assists users in employing commonly used data anonymization techniques for making privacy preserving visualizations. Specifically, we focus on event sequence data due to its vulnerability to privacy concerns. Our interface is designed for data owners to examine potential privacy issues, obfuscate information as suggested by the algorithm and fine‐tune the results per their discretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smithsonite is a readily dissolvable carbonate mineral that is naturally hydrophilic, making recovery of this ore by flotation difficult. The flotation results showed that conditioning with only sodium sulfide (Na 2 S) did not successfully allow the smithsonite samples to float, whereas treatment with a combination of S(II), Pb(II) and xanthate (with Na 2 S as the sulfurizing reagent, lead ions (Pb(II)) as the activator, and xanthate as the collector) improved the flotation of smithsonite, achieving a mass recovery of 95.8%. A combination of analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), in conjunction with depth profiling, was used to investigate the chemical nature of the sulfur and lead species on the smithsonite surface. For S(II)-conditioned smithsonite, a layer of ZnS formed on the smithsonite (ZnCO 3 ) substrates; this newly formed ZnS coating was amorphous or poorly crystallized. For smithsonite samples conditioned with S(II) and Pb(II), the microstructures and the phase constituents, obtained by AFM and XRD analyses, confirmed the formation of the PbS species with a cubic galena structure on the surface. XPS depth profiling showed that the PbS layer was 18-nm thick, which corresponds to 30 PbS molecular layers. This study presents direct evidence that the coating of the activation product, PbS, on the smithsonite surface was similar to a relatively thick galena layer, which led to successful flotation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of sequential nutritional support on nutritional status and immune regulation in patients with early severe traumatic brain injury (STBI).Patients and methods: A total of 62 patients diagnosed with STBI enrolled from Chaoyang Hospital (Beijing, China) from February 2015 to October 2016 were divided into two groups. The observational group (n=34) was given sequential nutritional support and the control group (n=28) was given the standard formula of whole protein enteral preparations. The energy supply for the two groups was 30 kcal/kg/d and protein 1.6 g/kg/d, respectively. The albumin (ALB), total protein (TP), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), and regulatory T cells before and after nutritional treatment were measured in both groups. Results: At the 14th day, the levels of ALB (41.7±4.2 g/L) and TP (70.6±4.9 g/L) were significantly higher than those in the control group (33.5±2.3 g/L and 62.3±3.9 g/L) (P,0.05). The levels of Hs-CRP and NSE were significantly lower in the observational group (0.96±0.82 mg/L and 11.96±7.82 ng/L) than in the control group (1.17±0.74 mg/L and 19.17±6.74 ng/L) (P,0.05). The GCS score in the observational group (11.5±2.9) was significantly higher than that in the control group (8.1±1.7) (P,0.05). The percentage of Tregs in the peripheral CD4+ lymphocytes was significantly lower in the observational group than in the control group (P,0.05).Conclusion: The effect of sequential nutritional support is better than conventional nutritional support in patients with STBI. The findings call for early identification of malnutrition and individual nutritional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial water, an important indicator of inland hydrological status, is sensitive to land use cover change, natural disaster and climate change. An accurate and robust water extraction method can determine the surface water distribution. In this paper, a new method, called the spectrum matching based on discrete particle swarm optimization (SMDPSO) is proposed to recognize water and nonwater in Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) images. Only two parameters, the standard water spectrum and the tile size, are considered. These parameters are sufficiently stable so it is unnecessary to change their values for different conditions. By contrast, in supervised methods, samples are chosen based on conditions. Eight test sites covering various water types in different climate conditions are used to assess the performance relative to that of unsupervised and supervised methods in terms of overall accuracy (OA), kappa coefficients (KC), commission error (CE) and omission error (OE). The results show that: (1) SMDPSO achieves the highest accuracy and robustness; (2) SMDPSO has lower OE but higher CE than the supervised method, which means that SMDPSO is the least likely to misclassify water as nonwater, but is more likely to misclassify nonwater as water; (3) SMDPSO has advantages with respect to removing shallows and dark vegetation and preserving the real distribution of small ponds, but cannot recognize shadows, ice, or clouds without the help of other data such as DEM. In addition, a case of flooding in northeastern China is analyzed to demonstrate the applicability of SMDPSO in water inundation mapping. The findings of this study demonstrate a novel robust, low-cost water extraction method that satisfies the requirements of terrestrial water inundation mapping and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two estimators for estimating the extropy of an absolutely continuous random variable with known support were introduced by using spacing. It is shown that the proposed estimators are consistent and their mean square errors are shift invariant. Their behaviours were also studied by means of real data and Monte Carlo simulation. The winner estimator of extropy in the Monte Carlo experiment was used to develop goodness-of-fit test for standard uniform distribution. It is shown that the extropy-based test that we proposed performs well by comparing its powers with that of other tests for uniformity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Work conditions such as job demand can impact individual sleep quality, and subsequently impact mental health. This study aims to investigate pathway effects of exogenous factors on mental health via sleep, and the direct effect of sleep quality on mental health in working Australians. We employ a novel method in public health studies, a quasi-experimental (instrumental variable) approach, which can address reciprocal relationships between sleep and mental health in order to estimate causal effect of sleep quality on mental health in a sample of 19,789 working Australians aged 25–64 from waves 2013, 2017, and 2021 of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey data. We find that high job demand, as a valid instrument, adversely affects sleep quality, and the changes in sleep quality ultimately affect mental health of working Australians. These findings highlight the need for policies that address employment conditions by reducing high work demand or work pressure to mitigate poor sleep quality in the Australian workforce, ultimately improving workers' sleep quality and promoting better mental health, overall health outcomes and productivity. • We investigate pathway effects of job demand on mental health via sleep quality. • We focus on Australian workers aged 25–64. • A novel quasi-experimental method is used to estimate causal effect. • Job demand is found to affect sleep quality, and ultimately affect mental health. • Reducing high work demand is needed to improve sleep, and hence mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A naturally degradable biosurfactant (LS) was used in hemimorphite flotation. • LS showed better selectivity and collecting capacity than sodium oleate. • LS was chemisorbed on the hemimorphite surface via carboxyl groups. • LS formed the strongest affinity to Zn and H through a bidentate coordination. The biosurfactant sodium N-lauroylsarcosinate (LS) was used as a new green collector to improve the efficiency of recovery of hemimorphite from quartz by flotation. Microflotation tests were conducted to determine the flotation performance. The mechanism of LS adsorption on the mineral surface was analyzed by surface tension, contact angle measurements, zeta potential analysis, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). The flotation results showed that LS exerted high selectivity for hemimorphite, and flotation separation of hemimorphite from quartz was achieved at an LS concentration of 3.4 × 10−4 mol/L and a pulp pH of 7. In contrast to sodium oleate (NaOL), LS exhibited a higher Gaudin's selectivity index (SI) of 67.58 under the optimal conditions, whereas the SI of NaOL remained at approximately 5 throughout the pH range of flotation. Due to the presence of the amide group and the shorter length of the carbon chain, LS is more soluble than NaOL and less prone to micelle formation, which has a positive effect on flotation. The contact angle and zeta potential results clearly demonstrated that LS adsorbed selectively on hemimorphite but hardly on quartz surfaces. ATR-FTIR results showed possible chemisorption of LS to mineral surfaces through the interaction of carboxyl groups with hemimorphite. The XPS results demonstrated that LS chemisorbed to Zn sites on the surface of hemimorphite through the formation of C(=O)-O-Zn linkages. The DFT results further indicated that the two O atoms of the carboxyl group in LS were bonded to Zn and H and adsorbed as bidentate bonding structures on the hemimorphite surface. The present study fully demonstrates that LS has a good flotation selectivity for hemimorphite and holds great potential for industrial applications in the flotation separation of hemimorphite from quartz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate subgenome phasing is crucial for understanding the origin, evolution and adaptive potential of polyploid genomes. SubPhaser and WGDI software are two common methodologies for subgenome phasing in allopolyploids, particularly in scenarios lacking known diploid progenitors. Triggered by a recent debate over the subgenomic origins of the cultivated octoploid strawberry, we examined four well-documented complex allopolyploidy cases as benchmarks, to evaluate and compare the accuracy of the two software. Our analysis demonstrates that the subgenomic structure phased by both software is in line with prior research, effectively tracing complex allopolyploid evolutionary trajectories despite the limitations of each software. Furthermore, using these validated methodologies, we revisited the controversial issue regarding the progenitors of the octoploid strawberry. The results of both methodologies reaffirm Fragaria vesca and Fragaria iinumae as progenitors of the octoploid strawberry. Finally, we propose recommendations for enhancing the accuracy of subgenome phasing in future studies, recognizing the potential of integrated tools for advanced complex allopolyploidy research and offering a new roadmap for robust subgenome-based phylogenetic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South China is dominated by mountainous agriculture and croplands that are at risk of flood disasters, posing a great threat to food security. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has the advantage of being all-weather, with the ability to penetrate clouds and monitor cropland inundation information. However, SAR data may be interfered with by noise, i.e., radar shadows and permanent water bodies. Existing cropland data derived from open-access landcover data are not accurate enough to mask out these noises mainly due to insufficient spatial resolution. This study proposed a method that extracted cropland inundation with a high spatial resolution cropland mask. First, the Proportional–Integral–Derivative Network (PIDNet) was applied to the sub-meter-level imagery to identify cropland areas. Then, Sentinel-1 dual-polarized water index (SDWI) and change detection (CD) were used to identify flood area from open water bodies. A case study was conducted in Fujian province, China, which endured several heavy rainfalls in summer 2022. The result of the Intersection over Union (IoU) of the extracted cropland data reached 89.38%, and the F1-score of cropland inundation achieved 82.35%. The proposed method provides support for agricultural disaster assessment and disaster emergency monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a series of novel arylamide derivatives containing piperazine moiety were designed and synthesised as tubulin polymerisation inhibitors. Among 25 target compounds, compound 16f (MY-1121) exhibited low nanomolar IC50 values ranging from 0.089 to 0.238 μM against nine human cancer cells. Its inhibitory effects on liver cancer cells were particularly evident with IC50 values of 89.42 and 91.62 nM for SMMC-7721 and HuH-7 cells, respectively. Further mechanism studies demonstrated that compound 16f (MY-1121) could bind to the colchicine binding site of β-tubulin and directly act on β-tubulin, thus inhibiting tubulin polymerisation. Additionally, compound 16f (MY-1121) could inhibit colony forming ability, cause morphological changes, block cell cycle arrest at the G2 phase, induce cell apoptosis, and regulate the expression of cell cycle and cell apoptosis related proteins in liver cancer cells. Overall, the promising bioactivities of compound 16f (MY-1121) make the novel arylamide derivatives have the value for further development as tubulin polymerisation inhibitors with potent anticancer activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]