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Rice, a globally important food crop, faces significant challenges due to salt and drought stress. These abiotic stresses severely impact rice growth and yield, manifesting as reduced plant height, decreased tillering, reduced biomass, and poor leaf development. Recent advances in molecular biology and genomics have uncovered key physiological and molecular mechanisms that rice employs to cope with these stresses, including osmotic regulation, ion balance, antioxidant responses, signal transduction, and gene expression regulation. Transcription factors such as DREB, NAC, and bZIP, as well as plant hormones like ABA and GA, have been identified as crucial regulators. Utilizing CRISPR/Cas9 technology for gene editing holds promise for significantly enhancing rice stress tolerance. Future research should integrate multi-omics approaches and smart agriculture technologies to develop rice varieties with enhanced stress resistance, ensuring food security and sustainable agriculture in the face of global environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex syndrome with poorly understood mechanisms driving its early progression (GOLD stages 1–2). Elucidating the genetic factors that influence early-stage COPD, particularly those related to airway inflammation and remodeling, is crucial. This study analyzed lung tissue sequencing data from patients with early-stage COPD (GSE47460) and smoke-exposed mice. We employed Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and machine learning to identify potentially pathogenic genes. Further analyses included single-cell sequencing from both mice and COPD patients to pinpoint gene expression in specific cell types. Cell–cell communication and pseudotemporal analyses were conducted, with findings validated in smoke-exposed mice. Additionally, Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to confirm the association between candidate genes and lung function/COPD. Finally, functional validation was performed in vitro using cell cultures. Machine learning analysis of 30 differentially expressed genes identified 8 key genes, with CLEC5A emerging as a potential pathogenic factor in early-stage COPD. Bioinformatics analyses suggested a role for CLEC5A in macrophage-mediated inflammation during COPD. Two-sample Mendelian randomization linked CLEC5A single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second (FEV1), FEV1/Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) and early/later on COPD. In vitro, the knockdown of CLEC5A led to a reduction in inflammatory markers within macrophages. Our study identifies CLEC5A as a critical gene in early-stage COPD, contributing to its pathogenesis through pro-inflammatory mechanisms. This discovery offers valuable insights for developing early diagnosis and treatment strategies for COPD and highlights CLEC5A as a promising target for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Anemia and malnutrition are recognized indicators of suboptimal physical condition in chronic inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to examine the association between anemia, low body mass index (BMI), and clinical outcomes in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Method: This cross-sectional analysis utilized data from the multicenter ChinaSpA cohort. A total of 4146 participants with axSpA were categorized into four groups based on BMI and hemoglobin levels: those with both anemia and low BMI, those with anemia only, those with low BMI only, and those with neither condition. Logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the association between anemia, low BMI, inflammation status, functional impairment, and disease activity. Results: Anemia was present in 13.94%, low BMI in 11.99%, and both conditions in 2.15% of axSpA participants. Those with both anemia and low BMI showed significantly higher levels of inflammation (hypersensitive C-reactive protein [hsCRP] 30.60 mg/L vs. 8.44 mg/L), functional impairment (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index [BASFI] 3.80 vs. 2.10), and disease activity (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI] 4.52 ± 2.04 vs. 3.67 ± 2.21; Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score calculated with C-reactive protein [ASDAS_CRP] 3.51 ± 1.10 vs. 2.62 ± 1.21) compared to those without these conditions. After adjusting for sex and age, significant associations were observed between elevated hsCRP levels and the presence of low BMI (odds ratio [OR] 1.44, 95% CI 1.17–1.78), anemia (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.56–2.32), and their concurrent presence (OR 3.59, 95% CI 2.22–5.80). Similarly, increased BASFI was significantly associated with low BMI (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.25–1.97), anemia (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.19–1.80), and their combination (OR 3.11, 95% CI 2.02–4.78). Conclusion: All-cause anemia and low BMI are prevalent complications in patients with axSpA, exhibiting a significant correlation with elevated inflammation status and functional impairment. The simultaneous occurrence of anemia and low BMI particularly exacerbates clinical outcomes, emphasizing the critical role of comprehensive nutritional assessment and management in the therapeutic strategy for axSpA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Rectal tumor segmentation on post neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has great significance for tumor measurement, radiomics analysis, treatment planning, and operative strategy. In this study, we developed and evaluated segmentation potential exclusively on post-chemoradiation T2-weighted MRI using convolutional neural networks, with the aim of reducing the detection workload for radiologists and clinicians. Methods: A total of 372 consecutive patients with LARC were retrospectively enrolled from October 2015 to December 2017. The standard-of-care neoadjuvant process included 22-fraction intensity-modulated radiation therapy and oral capecitabine. Further, 243 patients (3061 slices) were grouped into training and validation datasets with a random 80:20 split, and 41 patients (408 slices) were used as the test dataset. A symmetric eight-layer deep network was developed using the nnU-Net Framework, which outputs the segmentation result with the same size. The trained deep learning (DL) network was examined using fivefold cross-validation and tumor lesions with different TRGs. Results: At the stage of testing, the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), 95% Hausdorff distance (HD95), and mean surface distance (MSD) were applied to quantitatively evaluate the performance of generalization. Considering the test dataset (41 patients, 408 slices), the average DSC, HD95, and MSD were 0.700 (95% CI: 0.680–0.720), 17.73 mm (95% CI: 16.08–19.39), and 3.11 mm (95% CI: 2.67–3.56), respectively. Eighty-two percent of the MSD values were less than 5 mm, and fifty-five percent were less than 2 mm (median 1.62 mm, minimum 0.07 mm). Conclusions: The experimental results indicated that the constructed pipeline could achieve relatively high accuracy. Future work will focus on assessing the performances with multicentre external validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of baryons provides a significant way to understand the formation of galaxy clusters by revealing the details of its internal structure and changes over time. In this paper, we present theoretical studies on the scaled profiles of physical properties associated with the baryonic components, including gas density, temperature, metallicity, pressure and entropy as well as stellar mass, metallicity and satellite galaxy number density in galaxy clusters from z = 4 to z = 0 by tracking their progenitors. These mass-complete simulated galaxy clusters are coming from The Three Hundred with two runs: Gizmo-SIMBA and Gadget-X. Through comparisons between the two simulations, and with observed profiles that are generally available at low redshift, we find that (1) the agreements between the two runs and observations are mostly at outer radii r ≳ 0.3 r 500, in line with the self-similarity assumption. While Gadget-X shows better agreements with the observed gas profiles in the central regions compared to Gizmo-SIMBA ; (2) the evolution trends are generally consistent between the two simulations with slightly better consistency at outer radii. In detail, the gas density profile shows less discrepancy than the temperature and entropy profiles at high redshift. The differences in the cluster centre and gas properties imply different behaviours of the AGN models between Gadget-X and Gizmo-SIMBA , with the latter, maybe too strong for this cluster simulation. The high-redshift difference may be caused by the star formation and feedback models or hydrodynamics treatment, which requires observation constraints and understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a solar single/double-effect switching LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration system was investigated to make full use of solar energy and give full play to the advantages of solar refrigeration systems. A corresponding thermodynamic dynamic mathematical model was developed. The operation characteristics of the system operating continuously for one week were analyzed. In order to highlight the advantages of the solar single/double-effect switching absorption refrigeration system, it was compared with other forms of solar refrigeration systems and compression refrigeration systems. The practical application potential of the single/double-effect switching LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration system was evaluated from the perspective of economy and environmental effect. The results showed that the system could achieve the switching operation between single-effect mode and double-effect mode under weather conditions of high solar radiation intensity, and the daily cooling efficiency on such days was relatively high. After an auxiliary heater was added, the primary energy savings of the solar single/double-effect switching LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration system were 25–52%, depending on the area of the collector and the volume of the storage tank. The solar fraction of the system was about 71.99% for continuous operation during the whole refrigeration season. However, the initial investment cost of the system equipment accounted for 89.66% of the total cost. Compared with the traditional compression refrigeration system, the initial investment cost of the solar single/double-effect switching LiBr-H2O absorption refrigeration system was higher, but it had a better environmental protection effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Finned tube evaporator for fridge were investigated. • Formula of heat transfer coefficient, air and tube side pressure drop were fitted. • The single-phase heat transfer area ratio was introduced. • A nonlinear fitting method was adopted in the formula fitting. • Proposed correlations were reasonable and accurate enough for practical application. The correlations to predict heat transfer coefficient and friction pressure drop of finned tube evaporator for fridge were developed. Twelve straight finned tube evaporators with different structural parameters were tested under different working conditions. The range of Reynolds number in air side was 750 < Re a < 9500 and that in tube side was 1000 < Re r < 15000. The models of evaporator heat transfer coefficient, air side pressure drop and tube side pressure drop were established respectively. The physical dimensions and flow parameters on both sides of finned tube evaporator were considered in the models and their effects on heat transfer and flow characteristics were revealed. The single-phase heat transfer area ratio was introduced. The correlations for household refrigerator evaporators were obtained through a nonlinear fitting method based on 210 groups of experimental data. The mean absolute percentage deviation of the new heat transfer correlation was 10.68%. The mean absolute percentage deviations of the new air side and refrigerant side pressure drop correlations were 8.8% and 10.3%, respectively. The data comparison showed that the proposed correlations were reasonable and accurate enough to be used in practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare diseases affect the life of a tremendous number of people globally. The CRISPR-Cas system emerged as a powerful genome engineering tool and has facilitated the comprehension of the mechanism and development of therapies for rare diseases. This review focuses on current efforts to develop the CRISPR-based toolbox for various rare disease therapy applications and compares the pros and cons of different tools and delivery methods. We further discuss the therapeutic applications of CRISPR-based tools for fighting different rare diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastic full waveform inversion (EFWI) has increasingly been applied in seismic exploration as computer performance improves. EFWI significantly improves calculation efficiency, but requires very large computer storage space and suffers inter-parameter trade-off and local minima problems. Preconditioning the gradients based on elastic wave mode decomposition can effectively mitigate inter-parameter trade-offs, but the decomposition-based scheme may further increase the memory usage, which limits EFWI application. The equivalent staggered grid (ESG) scheme in acoustic medium requires less memory usage and generates results numerically equivalent to those using the standard staggered grid (SSG) scheme. In this paper, we extend the ESG scheme to second-order elastic wave equations in terms of velocity, producing results numerically equivalent to the SSG ones based on first-order velocity–stress wave equations while reducing memory usage by 45% compared with the SSG scheme. We then apply the ESG scheme to EFWI and derive the formula of the preconditioned gradient of the S-wave velocity. Finally, three numerical examples demonstrate that applying the ESG scheme to decomposition-based EFWI can significantly reduce computer memory usage and mitigate the trade-offs between the P- and S-wave velocities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Different types of sedentary behavior are associated with several health outcomes, but the causality of these associations remains unclear.To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of Mendelian randomization (MR) studies investigating the associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes.A systematic search on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO up to August 2023 was conducted to identify eligible MR studies. We selected studies that assessed associations of genetically determined sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the causal associations when two or more MR studies were available. We graded the evidence level of each MR association based on the results of the main method and sensitivity analyses in MR studies.A total of 31 studies with 168 MR associations between six types of sedentary behavior and 47 health outcomes were included. Results from meta-analyses suggested a total of 47 significant causal associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. Notably, more leisure TV watching is robustly correlated with increased risks of myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, all-cause ischemic stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Conversely, robust inverse associations were observed between leisure computer use and risks of rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.These findings suggest that different types of sedentary behavior have distinct causal effects on health outcomes. Therefore, interventions should focus not only on reducing sedentary time but also on promoting healthier types of sedentary behavior.CRD42023453828.Objectives: Different types of sedentary behavior are associated with several health outcomes, but the causality of these associations remains unclear.To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of Mendelian randomization (MR) studies investigating the associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes.A systematic search on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO up to August 2023 was conducted to identify eligible MR studies. We selected studies that assessed associations of genetically determined sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the causal associations when two or more MR studies were available. We graded the evidence level of each MR association based on the results of the main method and sensitivity analyses in MR studies.A total of 31 studies with 168 MR associations between six types of sedentary behavior and 47 health outcomes were included. Results from meta-analyses suggested a total of 47 significant causal associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. Notably, more leisure TV watching is robustly correlated with increased risks of myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, all-cause ischemic stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Conversely, robust inverse associations were observed between leisure computer use and risks of rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.These findings suggest that different types of sedentary behavior have distinct causal effects on health outcomes. Therefore, interventions should focus not only on reducing sedentary time but also on promoting healthier types of sedentary behavior.CRD42023453828.Methods: Different types of sedentary behavior are associated with several health outcomes, but the causality of these associations remains unclear.To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of Mendelian randomization (MR) studies investigating the associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes.A systematic search on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO up to August 2023 was conducted to identify eligible MR studies. We selected studies that assessed associations of genetically determined sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the causal associations when two or more MR studies were available. We graded the evidence level of each MR association based on the results of the main method and sensitivity analyses in MR studies.A total of 31 studies with 168 MR associations between six types of sedentary behavior and 47 health outcomes were included. Results from meta-analyses suggested a total of 47 significant causal associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. Notably, more leisure TV watching is robustly correlated with increased risks of myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, all-cause ischemic stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Conversely, robust inverse associations were observed between leisure computer use and risks of rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.These findings suggest that different types of sedentary behavior have distinct causal effects on health outcomes. Therefore, interventions should focus not only on reducing sedentary time but also on promoting healthier types of sedentary behavior.CRD42023453828.Results: Different types of sedentary behavior are associated with several health outcomes, but the causality of these associations remains unclear.To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of Mendelian randomization (MR) studies investigating the associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes.A systematic search on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO up to August 2023 was conducted to identify eligible MR studies. We selected studies that assessed associations of genetically determined sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the causal associations when two or more MR studies were available. We graded the evidence level of each MR association based on the results of the main method and sensitivity analyses in MR studies.A total of 31 studies with 168 MR associations between six types of sedentary behavior and 47 health outcomes were included. Results from meta-analyses suggested a total of 47 significant causal associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. Notably, more leisure TV watching is robustly correlated with increased risks of myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, all-cause ischemic stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Conversely, robust inverse associations were observed between leisure computer use and risks of rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.These findings suggest that different types of sedentary behavior have distinct causal effects on health outcomes. Therefore, interventions should focus not only on reducing sedentary time but also on promoting healthier types of sedentary behavior.CRD42023453828.Conclusion: Different types of sedentary behavior are associated with several health outcomes, but the causality of these associations remains unclear.To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of Mendelian randomization (MR) studies investigating the associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes.A systematic search on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO up to August 2023 was conducted to identify eligible MR studies. We selected studies that assessed associations of genetically determined sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the causal associations when two or more MR studies were available. We graded the evidence level of each MR association based on the results of the main method and sensitivity analyses in MR studies.A total of 31 studies with 168 MR associations between six types of sedentary behavior and 47 health outcomes were included. Results from meta-analyses suggested a total of 47 significant causal associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. Notably, more leisure TV watching is robustly correlated with increased risks of myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, all-cause ischemic stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Conversely, robust inverse associations were observed between leisure computer use and risks of rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.These findings suggest that different types of sedentary behavior have distinct causal effects on health outcomes. Therefore, interventions should focus not only on reducing sedentary time but also on promoting healthier types of sedentary behavior.CRD42023453828.PROSPERO Registration: Different types of sedentary behavior are associated with several health outcomes, but the causality of these associations remains unclear.To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of Mendelian randomization (MR) studies investigating the associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes.A systematic search on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO up to August 2023 was conducted to identify eligible MR studies. We selected studies that assessed associations of genetically determined sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the causal associations when two or more MR studies were available. We graded the evidence level of each MR association based on the results of the main method and sensitivity analyses in MR studies.A total of 31 studies with 168 MR associations between six types of sedentary behavior and 47 health outcomes were included. Results from meta-analyses suggested a total of 47 significant causal associations between sedentary behaviors and health outcomes. Notably, more leisure TV watching is robustly correlated with increased risks of myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, all-cause ischemic stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Conversely, robust inverse associations were observed between leisure computer use and risks of rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.These findings suggest that different types of sedentary behavior have distinct causal effects on health outcomes. Therefore, interventions should focus not only on reducing sedentary time but also on promoting healthier types of sedentary behavior.CRD42023453828. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A solar single/double-effect compound absorption refrigeration system was proposed. • The dynamic model of proposed system was established by the state space method. • Proposed system was not suitable for frequent switching on cloudy. • Proposed system had advantages over the traditional absorption refrigeration system. • PBP , NPV and IRR were 11.84 years, 375.8 USD and 5.39 %, respectively. A single/double-effect compound absorption refrigeration system driven by solar compound parabolic collectors is proposed, which can realize mode switching according to the temperature of the heat source. The mechanism model of the system is established, and the sixth-order state space model of the single-effect mode and the ninth-order state space model of the double-effect mode are obtained through further simplification. The validity of the model is verified. The results showed that compared with the single-effect system and the double-effect system, the cooling capacity and cooling time of the system on sunny days are increased by 20.35 % and 5.34 h respectively; On cloudy days, frequent switching of the system is not conducive to operating; In addition, on overcast days, the system always runs in single-effect mode, and the total daily cooling capacity is small. When the t s (the temperature to switch to single-effect mode) and t s,d (the temperature to switch to double-effect mode) are 85 °C and 135 °C, the daily total refrigerating capacity of the system is 102.85 kWh. Compared with t s is 95 °C and t s,d is 155 °C, the refrigerating capacity is increased by 10.12 %. Finally, the economic analysis of proposed system shows that, compared with the compression refrigeration system, the payback period of the system was11.84 years when COP CRS (coefficient of performance of compression refrigeration system) was 4 and c e was 0.18 USD/kWh. The NPV (net present value) and the IRR (internal recovery rate) of the system were 375.8 USD and 5.39 %, respectively. The system is expected to be used in areas with sufficient solar radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-precision geometric positioning of optical remote sensing satellites is the prerequisite to determine the application capability of satellite image products. Its positioning accuracy is related to the observation accuracy of each link in the imaging process, including satellite attitude, orbit measurement accuracy, time synchronization accuracy, camera measurement accuracy, and so on. Untimely and inaccurate on-orbit calibration will lead to great geometric positioning errors. To optimize the positioning accuracy of satellite images with the rational function model (RFM) under low positioning accuracy, our paper proposes an improved geometric quality model based on the reorientation of internal and external orientation elements in the RFM model of remote sensing images. By establishing the rational function positioning model, the external orientation model, and the internal orientation model, the original image can be reorientated. Then, we use the improved model to generate uniformly distributed virtual ground control points. By analyzing and verifying the relationship between each rational polynomial coefficient (RPC) and its influence on geometric positioning accuracy, we propose an RPC coefficients optimization method based on image offset correction and positioning dominant coefficients. Finally, we use the small satellite "MN200Sar-1" with low geometric accuracy for experimental verification. The results show that the model can effectively eliminate the errors of internal and external elements in the on-orbit calibration, and the positioning accuracy is improved from one hundred pixels to one pixel. At the same time, the rational polynomial dominant coefficient optimization method can improve geometric positioning accuracy without introducing additional compensation parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the importance of various dynamical features in predicting the dynamical state (ds) of galaxy clusters, based on the Random Forest (RF) machine-learning approach. We use a large sample of galaxy clusters from the Three Hundred Project of hydrodynamical zoomed-in simulations, and construct dynamical features from the raw data as well as from the corresponding mock maps in the optical, X-ray, and Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (SZ) channels. Instead of relying on the impurity based feature importance of the RF algorithm, we directly use the out-of-bag (oob) scores to evaluate the importance of individual features and different feature combinations. Among all the features studied, we find the virial ratio, η, to be the most important single feature. The features calculated directly from the simulations and in three dimensions carry more information on the ds than those constructed from the mock maps. Compared with the features based on X-ray or SZ maps, features related to the centroid positions are more important. Despite the large number of investigated features, a combination of up to three features of different types can already saturate the score of the prediction. Lastly, we show that the most sensitive feature η is strongly correlated with the well-known half-mass bias in dynamical modelling. Without a selection in ds , cluster haloes have an asymmetric distribution in η, corresponding to an overall positive half-mass bias. Our work provides a quantitative reference for selecting the best features to discriminate the ds  of galaxy clusters in both simulations and observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We engineered a CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) system targeting the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump to prevent MDR development in Escherichia coli.Methods: Nine specific single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) were designed to target the components of the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump, namely AcrA, AcrB and TolC. A total of thirteen CRISPRi recombinant plasmids were constructed with single or clustered sgRNAs. The transcriptional levels of the target genes, MICs of multiple antibiotics and biofilm formation in each CRISPRi strain were tested.Results: The CRISPRi system expressing sgRNA clusters targeting acrB and tolC simultaneously exhibited the highest inhibitory effect on AcrAB-TolC efflux pump activity in E. coli HB101, with 78.3%, 90.0% and 65.4% inhibition rates on the transcriptional levels of acrA, acrB and tolC, respectively. The CRISPRi system resulted in ∼2-, ∼8- and 16-fold increased susceptibility to rifampicin, erythromycin and tetracycline, respectively. In addition, the constructed CRISPRi system reduced biofilm formation with inhibition rates in the range of 11.2% to 58.2%.Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the construction of an inducible CRISPRi system targeting the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump to prevent MDR development in E. coli. This study provides insights for future regulation and manipulation of AcrAB-TolC activity and bacterial MDR by a CRISPRi system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer is one type of assisted reproductive technology, although the technology is now more mature. Many factors, however, will have an impact on oocyte fertilization, embryo growth, pregnancy outcome, and child safety due to the journey from clinical to the laboratory. The influence of degranulated cells early in fertilization on frozen embryo transfer (FET) results is investigated in this study. This article analyzes 255 patients who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) and FET transplantation at the author's central unit from January 1, 2015, to June 30, 2021. Among them, IVF-assisted conception is the early degranulation of homologous oocyte fertilization. Correlation analysis is performed by observing the embryonic outcome of the early degranulation group and the overnight fertilization group and the clinical outcome after FET. Through data mining analysis, the results show that the polyfertilization rate and 0PN rate for the early degranulation group are significantly higher than the overnight fertilization group (9.87% vs. 8.24% and 3.14% vs. 1.69%). In terms of normal fertilization rate, there is no significant difference between D3 high-quality embryo rate and D5 high-quality blastocyst rate (64.07% vs. 65.15%, 27.5% vs. 26.5%, and 15.97% vs. 17.35%). There is no significant difference in the complete recovery rate of embryos after thawing (93.24% vs. 93.46%), and the implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, abortion rate, and live birth rate are not significantly different between the two groups after FET. The offspring outcomes of singletons do not differ significantly between the two groups; however, twins born early degranulate have much greater rates of ultralow birth weight and ultrapreterm children than twins born overnight fertilization (14.29% vs. 0). Therefore, it can be concluded that degranulation of cells early in fertilization is a desirable method to prevent fertilization disorders. However, under the premise of ensuring that no fertilization disorder occurs, it is not appropriate to degranulate all the oocytes of the patient at the early stage of fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the extended halo-based group finder developed by Yang et al., which is able to deal with galaxies via spectroscopic and photometric redshifts simultaneously, we construct galaxy group and candidate protocluster catalogs in a wide redshift range (0 < z < 6) from the joint CFHT Large Area U -band Deep Survey and Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program deep data set. Based on a selection of 5,607,052 galaxies with i -band magnitude m i < 26 and a sky coverage of 34.41 deg2, we identify a total of 2,232,134 groups, of which 402,947 groups have at least three member galaxies. We have visually checked and discussed the general properties of these richest groups at redshift z > 2.0. By checking the galaxy number distributions within a 5â€"7 h âˆ'1Mpc projected separation and a redshift difference Î" z ≤ 0.1 around those richest groups at redshift z > 2, we identify lists of 761, 343, and 43 protocluster candidates in the redshift bins 2 ≤ z < 3, 3 ≤ z < 4, and z ≥ 4, respectively. In general, these catalogs of galaxy groups and protocluster candidates will provide useful environmental information in probing galaxy evolution along cosmic time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathological cascade of spinal cord injury (SCI) is highly intricate. The onset of neuroinflammation can exacerbate the extent of damage. Pyroptosis is a form of inflammation-linked programmed cell death (PCD), the inhibition of pyroptosis can partially mitigate neuroinflammation. It is imperative to delineate the principal cell types susceptible to pyroptosis and concomitantly identify key genes associated with this process. We initially defined the pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) and analyzed their expression at different time points post SCI. The results demonstrate a substantial upregulation of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to pyroptosis on the 7 days post-injury (dpi), these DEGs in the 7 dpi are closely related to the inflammatory response. Subsequently, immune infiltration analysis revealed a predominant presence of inflammatory microglia. Through correlation analysis, we postulated that pyroptosis primarily manifested within the inflammatory microglia. Employing machine learning algorithms, we identified four pyroptosis-related molecular signatures, which were experimentally validated using BV2 cells and spinal cord tissue samples. The robustness of the identified molecular signatures was further confirmed through single-cell sequencing data analysis. Overall, our study elucidates the temporal dynamics of pyroptosis and identifies key molecular signatures following SCI. These findings can provide novel evidence for therapeutic interventions in SCI. • Pyroptosis is explored as a potential target for mitigating neuroinflammation in SCI. • Identification of pyroptosis-related genes and their changes after SCI, providing insights into potential treatment targets. • Offering a new direction for the timing and targets of treatment after spinal cord injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been limited research on external browning (EB) of walnut. This work discovered 1888 metabolites and 34 anthocyanins in walnut pellicles (WPs) after three drying methods using widely-targeted and anthocyanin-targeted metabolomics. Based on OPLS-DA and correlation analysis, 64 temperature-responsive metabolites (TRMs; 13 anthocyanins and 51 flavonoids) were identified as critical components in relation to EB. Notably, 14 flavonoids exhibited a strong positive correlation (r > 0.9) with the browning index (BI), with upregulation of >60% after browning. Most of the identified anthocyanins were negatively linked with BI because of degradation (>45%), with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.75 to 0.97. Furthermore, anthocyanidin reductase and laccase were the two key enzymes involved in the EB of WPs, with their activities increasing by 10.57-fold and 1.32-fold, respectively, with increasing drying temperature. A metabolic pathway network of the TRM was built to provide insights into the potential mechanisms underlying EB in WPs. • Metabolomics was used to investigate external browning (EB) of walnut pellicle (WP). • 64 temperature-responsive metabolites (TRM) were identified. • Response intensity of TRM in WP's EB was greater than that of several food's IB. • EB mechanism was elucidate by metabolic pathway network of TRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• p-type self-doping effect was realized in CPEs that were constructed with chemical structures of benzene and thiophene. • Through the "mutual doping" method leading to enhancement of work function and conductivity for the hole transporting layer. • A power conversion efficiency of 18.3% was achieved in OSCs by incorporating the "mutually doped" CPEs. • A significantly reduced turn-on voltage from 4.2 to 3.2 V was achieved in organic light-emitting diode. The lack of high-performance hole transporting layer (HTL) materials has remained a long-standing issue that severely restricts the performance of organic optoelectronic devices. In the development of HTLs, to obtain adequate p -doping property, most conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs)-based HTL materials have to be constructed with complicated chemical structures such as cyclopentadithiophene (CPDT) and indacenodithiophene (IDT). Realizing a high doping effect in CPEs that involves simple structures and easy synthesis is essentially significant in developing HTL materials. Herein, based on a simple benzene-thiophene unit, we synthesize a series of CPEs with obvious p -type self-doping effect, sufficient WF and tunable optoelectronic properties for serving as high-performance HTLs in organic optoelectronic devices. By treating the CPE with polyoxometalate (POM), the doping density of CPE could be further enhanced, and the resulting "mutually doped" CPE PBT-Cl:POM exhibited a high WF of 5.25 eV and a good electric conductivity of 5.3 × 10−3 S/m. The PBT-Cl:POM demonstrates an outstanding ability to reduce the energy barrier at the anode/active layer interface, which effectively solves the problem of energy loss during hole transport in organic optoelectronic devices. The organic solar cell (OSC) modified by PBT-Cl:POM exhibits a high PCE of 18.3 %, which is higher than that of the PEDOT:PSS device (PCE = 17.8 %). For organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), the device with PBT-Cl:POM exhibits a comparable luminous efficiency to the PEDOT:PSS device but with a significantly reduced turn-on voltage from 4.2 to 3.2 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate wind speed forecasting is of great significance for the utilization of Arctic wind energy resources. The traditional single model is difficult to fully depict the nonlinearity of wind speed and its wide range of variations. In this paper, a hybrid model is proposed for multi-step wind speed forecasting, which combined complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), convolutional neural network (CNN) and long-short term memory neural network (LSTM). The wind speed series is firstly decomposed into several intrinsic mode functions (IMF) by CEEMDAN to provide more stable data. Secondly, four-step-ahead forecasts are realized using well-tuned CNN-LSTM model for each IMF. Finally, the forecasted wind speed is obtained by reconstruction. The effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method is validated based on thorough evaluation and step-by-step analysis. The RMSE of the proposed model is 0.4046 m/s, which are reduced by 58 % compared with 7 benchmark models. Furthermore, the average prediction interval of the proposed model is also reduced by 20 %, 16 % and 7 % compared to CEEMDAN-FCNN, CEEMDAN-CNN and CEEMDAN-LSTM respectively. The results prove that all three parts of the proposed model contribute to a better performance in wind speed forecasting. [Display omitted] • CEEMDAN can reduce the nonlinearity of wind speed data and unstable IMFs have a large impact on the wind speed forecasting. • Combining LSTM with CNN can enhance feature extraction and improve the accuracy of multi-step wind speed forecasting. • The proposed model achieves more accurate forecasting for catastrophe points which provides more critical information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Reducing anti‐nutritional factors like phytates in seed protein products requires an ongoing effort. This study was the first to investigate the phytic acid content in seabuckthorn seed protein (SSP) and its reduction by an exogenous phytase during protein isolation from seabuckthorn seed meal through the common alkaline solubilization‐isoelectric precipitation process. RESULTS: The additional phytase treatment could reduce the content of phytic acid from 22.46 to 13.27 g kg−1, leading to SSP products with lighter color (lower ΔE*), higher protein solubility, higher in vitro digestibility, but lower phenolic antioxidant content (including flavonoids and procyanidins) and some beneficial ions like Ca, Fe, Mg, and Zn. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results indicated that the secondary structure of protein changed under the treatment with phytase. Correlation analysis showed that L* was significantly negatively correlated with TP, TPC and TF (P < 0.001), while a* and b* were significantly positively correlated with them (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There may be a trade‐off between protein functionalities and other health‐promoting components when a phytase treatment is included in SSP isolation. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast and high selective dehydrogenation of formic acid (FA) is regarded as one of the most promising pathways to obtain the clean energy carrier: hydrogen. In this work, a nitrogen and Cr 2 O 3 co-doped hierarchical carbon material has been successfully synthesized by in-situ pyrolysis of NH 2 -MIL-101(Cr) in one step, followed by boiling in hot NaOH solution for surface etching. The activated carbon material is used to anchor the ultrafine Pd nanoparticles (2.18 nm) for formic acid dehydrogenation (FAD). As a result, the 5 wt% Pd@Cr 2 O 3 -NPCB-850 exhibits an excellent catalytic activity towards FAD: the turnover frequency (TOF) value is as high as 11 241 h−1 at 333 K, and the selectivity of H 2 is up to 100%. The excellent catalytic performance is mainly attributed to the existence of N species and Cr 2 O 3 , which plays an important role of electron transfer and anti-aggregation. Our studies open a new methodology for convenient and fast syntheses of nitrogen and metal oxide co-doped activated carbon material, which also provides potential access for producing more highly effective catalysts for other catalytic reactions. [Display omitted] • The carbon material was synthesized by in-situ pyrolysis of NH 2 -MIL-101(Cr). • The synthesized carbon material was boiled in hot NaOH solution for activation. • The TOF value was as high as 11241 h−1 at 333K, and the H 2 selectivity is 100%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using hydrodynamical simulations, we study how well the underlying gravitational potential of a galaxy cluster can be modelled dynamically with different types of tracers. In order to segregate different systematics and the effects of varying estimator performances, we first focus on applying a generic minimal assumption method (oPDF) to model the simulated haloes using the full 6D phase-space information. We show that the halo mass and concentration can be recovered in an ensemble unbiased way, with a stochastic bias that varies from halo to halo, mostly reflecting deviations from steady state in the tracer distribution. The typical systematic uncertainty is ∼0.17 dex in the virial mass and ∼0.17 dex in the concentration as well when dark matter (DM) particles are used as tracers. The dynamical state of satellite galaxies are close to that of DM particles, while intracluster stars are less in a steady state, resulting in an ∼0.26-dex systematic uncertainty in mass. Compared with galactic haloes hosting Milky-Way-like galaxies, cluster haloes show a larger stochastic bias in the recovered mass profiles. We also test the accuracy of using intracluster gas as a dynamical tracer modelled through a generalized hydrostatic equilibrium equation, and find a comparable systematic uncertainty in the estimated mass to that using DM. Lastly, we demonstrate that our conclusions are largely applicable to other steady-state dynamical models including the spherical Jeans equation, by quantitatively segregating their statistical efficiencies and robustness to systematics. We also estimate the limiting number of tracers that leads to the systematics-dominated regime in each case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One grand challenge for bioproduction of desired metabolites is how to coordinate cell growth and product synthesis. Here we report that a tryptophan operon-assisted CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) system can switch glycerol oxidation and reduction pathways in Klebsiella pneumoniae , whereby the oxidation pathway provides energy to sustain growth, and the reduction pathway generates 1,3-propanediol and 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP), two economically important chemicals. Reverse transcription and quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) showed that this CRISPRi-dependent switch affected the expression of glycerol metabolism-related genes and in turn improved 3-HP production. In shake-flask cultivation, the strain coexpressing dCas9-sgRNA and PuuC (an aldehyde dehydrogenase native to K. pneumoniae for 3-HP biosynthesis) produced 3.6 g/L 3-HP, which was 1.62 times that of the strain only overexpressing PuuC. In a 5 L bioreactor, this CRISPRi strain produced 58.9 g/L 3-HP. When circulation feeding was implemented to alleviate metabolic stress, biomass was substantially improved and 88.8 g/L 3-HP was produced. These results indicated that this CRISPRi-dependent switch can efficiently reconcile biomass formation and 3-HP biosynthesis. Furthermore, this is the first report of coupling CRISPRi system with trp operon, and this architecture holds huge potential in regulating gene expression and allocating metabolic flux. • Here we report that tryptophan operon-assisted CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) system can efficiently switch glycerol oxidation and reduction pathways in Klebsiella pneumoniae. • This work underscores the huge potential of CRISPRi in reconciling growth and product synthesis and thus microbial breeding. • The trp operon was for the first time coupled with CRISPRi system, and this architecture is feasible in gene expression regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onshore seismic exploration analyzes seismic wave propagation in elastic media, which includes the conversion between P- and S-waves. The development of multi-wave and multi-component seismic exploration methods provides data that enable onshore elastic wave full-waveform inversion. However, most data sets of onshore exploration are single component obtained from the particle-motion response from the vertical geophone. When the aiming area has a low-velocity zone, the ray path of reflected wave that propagates to the detector is nearly perpendicular to the ground surface, so that we call it P-wave data. In this paper, we focus on multi-parameter waveform inversion using P-wave reflection seismic data. Although only P-wave data are received, it still contains the converted P-wave information, and the converted P-wave energy gradually increases as the offset increases. As seismic acquisition technology, observation systems and science develop, the folds and acquisition offset increase significantly, and the seismic data contain important converted P-wave information. In this paper, the first-order elastic velocity–stress equation is decomposed to obtain the scalar-P-wave equation from which the S-wave velocity is included firstly. Then we present the theoretical framework for onshore multi-parameter full-waveform inversion using P-wave data. In order to explore the inversion potential of the P-wave data (extracting the S-wave velocity from the converted P-wave information) and accuracy and stability of the P- and S-wave velocity inverted by our method, we carry out numerical tests via different inversion strategies, by using the P-wave data regarded as containing converted P-wave information, and get successful results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-induced plasma in water always suffers from strong pulse-to-pulse fluctuations due to the multiple breakdown phenomenon, leading to a poor stability of underwater LIBS signals. The traditional normalization method by using the internal standard element is often limited in some practical cases due to the lack of a suitable element as a reference. In this work, we developed an effective normalization method by using the plasma image information for underwater LIBS analysis. Correlations between the plasma images and LIBS spectra were firstly studied, showing a good linear relationship between the spectral line intensity and plasma image intensity. Subsequently, the spectral line intensities were standardized by using the corresponding image intensities and then used for quantitative analysis. A good normalization model was established by using partial least squares regression (PLSR). With the proposed method, the average relative standard deviations (RSDs) of validation samples were significantly reduced from 10.71% to 5.76%, and the average relative errors (AREs) of the validation samples were also reduced from 7.80% to 7.55%. Moreover, by combining the proposed method with the internal standard method, the average RSD and ARE can be further reduced to 4.07% and 4.86%, respectively, both of which are better than those obtained using the internal standard method only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ceramides are critical to skin barrier, epidermal self-renewal, and immune responses. • Impaired ceramide metabolism is associated with several inflammatory dermatoses. • Applying ceramides holds therapeutic promises in psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Ceramides, members of sphingolipid family, are not only the building blocks of epidermal barrier structure, but also bioactive metabolites involved in epidermal self-renewal and immune regulation. Hence, abnormal ceramide expression profile is recognized to defect extracellular lipid organization, disturb epidermal self-renewal, exacerbate skin immune response and actively participate in progression of several inflammatory dermatoses, exemplifying by psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Here, we discuss recent advances in understanding skin ceramides and their regulatory roles in skin homeostasis and pathogenic roles of altered ceramide metabolism in inflammatory skin diseases. These insights provide new opportunities for therapeutic intervention in inflammatory dermatoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MOTS-c, as a mitochondria derived peptide, exerts benefits for insulin resistance in HFD mice and against various stresses in an AMPK dependent way. Here, in the D -galactose chronic injection models, exogenous MOTS-c was given to determine its direct anti-aging effects. The body weight, insulin sensitivity and blood glucose were determined with mild differences. Tissue morphology analyses disclosed that liver, visceral fat and dermal skin, all displayed aberrant lipid depositions in the D -galactose mice. MOTS-c treatment largely alleviated the lipid accumulations, corresponding with positive changes in mitochondria dynamics, observed in liver transmission electron microscopy and in altered mRNA levels of Drp1 and mitofusins. Notably, the aging phenotypes of small intestine tract were more obvious, including histological defects and lower Ki67 levels, plus with the higher levels of DNA stress, such as P21 and P16 , as well as mitochondria dynamics. Collectively, these data provided the direct evidence to support that exogenous givings of MOTS-c prevented abnormal fat accumulations in D-gal mice, putatively via improvement of mitochondria dynamic related pathways. • MOTS-c is a potential anti-aging mitochondria derived peptide. • MOTS-c alleviated lipid deposition in fat tissues of d -galactose mice. • Aberrant lipid metabolism are early signs in d -galactose mice. • Altered mitochondria dynamics are related with MOTS-c anti-aging effects in d -galactose mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The photo-electrochemical property of Zn's corrosion products is demonstrated. • The ZnO layer provides about 30% of photo-generated cathode protection for Zn. • Nano-electrodeposition further elevates its protection efficiency to about 100%. • Because nano-Zn accelerates the reaction kinetics of the formation of ZnO layer. Abstract The anticorrosion property of electrogalvanized steel mainly depends on the physical barrier of zinc's oxides or corrosion products to aggressive environments, which has reached a consensus for a long time. In this work, we demonstrated that the corrosion products (mainly ZnO) not only played a role of barrier layer in resisting seawater corrosion, but also provided an additional 30% of photo-generated cathodic protection for zinc coating under sunlight illumination according to the Stern-Geary resistance results. Then, we further elevated this sunlight-induced protection efficiency to approximately 100% by electrodeposition of nanocrystalline zinc, and analysed its improvement mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Pre-oxidation enhances specific surface area by 54.6% in CO 2 activation and 30.0% in H 2 O activation. • O 2 breaks rigid structure of biochar, forming activated carbon of microporous with larger diameters. • O 2 promotes conversion of olefinic C = C to aromatic C = C in activation, accelerating aromatization. • Promoting pores formation of O 2 is confirmed in activation of cellulose, pine needle and spirulina. Carbonization plus activation of resulting biochar is a commonly used method for producing activated carbon (AC) from biomass. Nevertheless, carbonization produces biochar of highly aromatic nature, increasing difficulty for creating pores via activation. Herein, O 2 (7.7%) was introduced to pre-oxidize lotus root and other biomasses-derived biochar before being activated with CO 2 or H 2 O for tackling chemical inertness of biochar at 800 °C. The results indicated that O 2 could enhance mass yield of AC (by 16.5% in CO 2 activation and 50.6% in a H 2 O activation) and bio-oil. Moreover, O 2 oxidized organics on AC, forming oxygen-containing aliphatic structures. Such a transformation enhanced reactivity of biochar with CO 2 or H 2 O, facilitating generation of pores. The AC from activation with O 2 -CO 2 was significantly higher than that from CO 2 alone (533.7 m2 g−1 of AC from O 2 -CO 2 activation versus 345.2 m2 g−1 of AC from CO 2 activation). O 2 also could remarkably increase the specific surface area of AC activated with H 2 O by 30.0%. Such an enhancement in pore structures was confirmed in activation of cellulose, pine needle and spirulina with O 2 presence. The pre-oxidation activated biochar destroyed partially rigid structure, facilitating gasification with CO 2 /H 2 O, forming dominantly micropores with enlarged diameters. The characterization with in-situ IR indicated that O 2 could enhance aromatization via aiding formation of aromatic C = C from olefinic C = C, producing AC of more regular alignments of carbon crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A simple method for the synthesis of oil-soluble DODA-CoMo 6 precursors was developed. • Incomplete sulfurization of heteropolyacids resulted in acidic SO 4 2- groups. • The surface acid sites of catalyst promoted the cleavage of C-C bonds. • The catalyst exhibited excellent hydrotreating activity for 4,6-DMDBT and VR. An oil-soluble CoMo 6 heteropolyacid was synthesized by modifying the heteropolyacid with a surfactant dioctadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, and then was used to prepare highly active sulfided catalyst. The effect of sulfurization degree on the hydrotreating activity of the catalyst was investigated, and the results show that the incompletely sulfurized catalyst exhibited high reactivity for 4,6-dimethylbenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) and vacuum residue (VR). The unusual finding was attributed to more CoMoS species and surface oxysulfides, and the latter were probably generated in the partial replacement of O atoms with S atoms during the sulfurization. The acidic oxysulfides (SO 4 2- groups) not only improved the activation of 4,6-DMDBT but also facilitated the cleavage of C-C bonds of the intermediate product 3,3′-dimethylcyclohexylbenzene according to the reaction data and DFT calculation. Besides, the catalysts with incomplete sulfide state exhibited outstanding catalytic performance on the upgrading of VR. The proposed incomplete sulfurization strategy provided a new way to prepare bifunctional hydrogenation catalysts with both desulfurization and cracking activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was observed that adding TiC nanoparticles (NPs) to zinc coating increased its corrosion resistance. To understand the beneficial role of TiC nanoparticles in suppressing corrosion, we studied the electrochemical behavior of TiC NP-added nanocomposite zinc coating, in comparison with those of coarse-grained and nanocrystalline zinc coatings, in simulated seawater. The surface electrochemical stability and surface electron stability, which are respectively reflected by corrosion potential and electron work function (EWF), were investigated. It is demonstrated that the increased corrosion resistance of nanocomposite zinc coating is ascribed to the fact that the TiC nanoparticles raise surface electron work function of the coating, corresponding to elevated surface electron stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is demonstrated that the oxides and corrosion product layers not only endured the attack from aggressive environments, but also provided an additional photogenerated cathode protection to electrogalvanized steel in simulated seawater under simulated sunlight illumination. The corrosion product layer, which is composed of ZnO, Zn(OH) 2 , Zn 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 and Zn 5 (OH) 8 Cl 2 ·H 2 O provided approximately 30% better corrosion protection to zinc coating under sunlight illumination than the situation in darkness according to the Stern−Geary resistance results. The responsible mechanism is due to the fact that the ZnO layer could produce photoelectrons which are transferred directly to the substrate, thereby providing a cathodic protection to electrogalvanized steel under sunlight illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the results of a comparative study to explore the usefulness of 3D measurements of confined fission track lengths (TINTs) relative to horizontal confined track length measurements (dips ≤10°), and evaluate their suitability for thermal history modeling. Confined fission track lengths were measured in 10 annealed Fish Canyon Tuff apatites containing synthetic mixtures of different length components, and two Durango apatites containing spontaneous fission tracks. Measurements were primarily carried out using a digital image-based microscope system, and they were compared to those from a regular optical drawing tube-digitizing tablet setup, and a confocal laser scanning microscope. The results indicate that 3D measurements of confined track lengths are closely comparable to conventional horizontal track measurements, and the mean track lengths of inclined (dips >10°) and horizontal (dips ≤10°) confined tracks from the one sample are equivalent within the measurement uncertainty. A strong dip-bias was observed, so that almost all the confined tracks measured were dipping at <30°, and the great majority (~70%) were dipping at ≤10°, thereby qualifying as “horizontal” confined tracks. Our results suggest that a useful increase of more than 40% in sample size can be achieved from including dip-and refraction-corrected 3D track length measurements. Some evidence was seen for a small bias in favor of shorter tracks at higher dip angles but this has very little influence on the mean lengths or length distributions up to the practical limit of dips (~30°) observed in these measurements. Results obtained using the same measurement system by a single analyst over time and between six different observers in the one laboratory show good reproducibility. These results also agree well with conventional horizontal confined track length measurements in the same samples in the second laboratory involved. We conclude that 3D measurements of confined track lengths, including both horizontal and inclined tracks, are suitable for use in current fission track annealing models derived from experiments using horizontal confined tracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) have been widely developed for bio-imaging, theranostics, organic photoelectronics, and chemo/biosensors. While, the existing AIEgens are almost all obtained by organic synthesis, experiencing complicated synthesis routes, high cost, environmentally unfriendly, and poor biocompatibility. Therefore, exploration of AIEgens from natural products is an attractive alternative approach. In this contribution, two natural AIE-active materials, Tangeretin and Nobiletin, were found, which can be extracted from orange peel. Single crystal structure, fluorescence spectra and viscosity analyses verified that restriction of intramolecular rotation was responsible for the AIE phenomenon of Tangeretin and Nobiletin. The theoretical calculation results indicated that the intermolecular charge transfer (ICT) was related with the bathochromic-shift in the solid-state. Moreover, Tangeretin and Nobiletin were biocompatible and could selectively target lysosomes. In short, these natural products provided a new approach for obtaining new kinds of AIEgens, and showing great potential in bioimaging. • Two poly(methoxy)flavone (tangeretin and nobiletin) were extracted from orange peel. • Tangeretin and nobiletin have excellent aggregation-induced emission properties. • The results show that both tangeretin and nobiletin can effectively locate in lysosomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate whether the extracellular volume fraction (ECV) determined using enhanced computed tomography (CT) can predict the pathologic grade of rectal adenocarcinoma. We prospectively analyzed 43 patients with rectal adenocarcinoma confirmed surgically and pathologically and who had undergone preoperative enhanced CT imaging. The plain, arterial, venous, and balance phase values were recorded, and the absolute contrast-enhanced CT differences ΔS1 = HU arterial phase –HU plain scan , ΔS2 = HU venous phase –HU plain scan , ΔS3 = HU balance phase –HU plain scan were obtained. The ECV of the primary lesion was calculated by measuring the CT values of the regions of interest in the plain and balance phases. Patients were allocated to either a low-grade or a high-grade group based on the histologic grading standard for colorectal adenocarcinoma (nonspecial type, World Health Organization 2010 standard). The differences in the parameters between the two groups were evaluated for statistical significance. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency. The 43 enrolled patients [12 in the high-grade group (27.9%) and 31 in the low-grade group (72.1%)] had an average age of 64.47 years. The arterial phase (P = 0.005) as well as ΔS1 (P = 0.006), ΔS3 (P = 0.021), and ECV (P ＜ 0.001) differed significantly between the high-grade and low-grade groups, with ECV (P ＜ 0.001) and ΔS3 (P = 0.042) being positively correlated with the pathologic grade and arterial phase (P = 0.025) and ΔS1 (P = 0.005) being negatively correlated. The ROC curve demonstrated that the best efficacy in evaluating the pathologic grade of rectal cancer was achieved by ECV, with an area under the curve of 0.892 (95% confidence interval: 0.757–1.000). The diagnostic threshold was 34.42%, sensitivity was 91.7%, and specificity was 83.9%. The use of enhanced CT to obtain ECV is helpful in predicting the pathologic grade of rectal cancer; however, this result has to be confirmed in a study with a larger sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the crystal structure analysis by particle swarm optimization (CALYPSO) was used to search the structure of negative LiBn− (n = 2–12) clusters, and the corresponding ground-state structures and low energy isomers were determined. Based on the predicted ground state structures, the doped Li atom has little modification on Bn− skeleton, which can be seen from the charge analysis that it is caused by the transfer of electron from dopant to Bn− part. The photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) simulations were conducted using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). By analyzing the stability, we find LiB8− cluster with high symmetry C7V with ideal stability, and it has a classic umbrella structure. Deep analysis of the bonding characteristics of the LiB8− cluster shows that the B–B covalent bonds in the B8− part and the electrostatic interaction between the B8− wheel and the Li atom stabilize the LiB8− cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient in-situ reduction and cyclization reaction was reported from the aromatic aldehydes, 6-nitro-1 H -indazole (5-nitrobenzimidazole), and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione (1,3-cyclohexanedione or dimedone) to synthesize 9-aryl-1,6,8,9-tetrahydro-7 H -pyrazolo[3,4- f ]quinolin-7-one, 11-aryl-1,6,7,8,9,11-hexahydro-10 H -pyrazolo [3,4- a ]acridin-10-one, and 11-aryl-3,6,7,8,9,11-hexahydro-10 H -imidazo[4,5- a ]acridin-10-one derivatives in the presence of SnCl 2 ·2H 2 O in THF medium. The advantages of this method are mild conditions, convenient manipulation, high yields and wide range of substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the corrosion resistance of Cr-free passivation film on zinc coating for replacing the highly poisonous Cr 6 + passivation technology used in electrogalvanizing steels, we synthesized Cr-free passivation film on nanocrystalline zinc coating through a combination of Cr-free passivation and nano-electrodeposition. It was demonstrated that the surface brightness, mechanical strength, scratch resistance and corrosion resistance of zinc coating with Cr-free passivation were significantly enhanced as the coating's grain size was reduced from micro-scale to nano-scale. The nanocrystalline zinc coating after Cr-free passivation treatment exhibits superior properties than the coarse-grained zinc coating experienced conventional Cr 6 + passivation treatment. The overall performance of the former is approximately the same as that of nanocrystalline zinc coating with Cr 6 + passivation, suggesting that the surface nanocrystallizaiton is more effective than the chemical composition of passivation bath to improve the properties of the passive film. Mechanisms responsible for the improvement in properties of Cr-free passivation film on coarse-grained zinc coating by nano-electrodeposition are analyzed and discussed from the viewpoints of electron localization function and electron work function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports a study on production of mirror-shining surface of electrogalvanized steel with significantly elevated scratch resistance, achieved by combined nano-electrodeposition and passivation treatment. Roughness, indentation deformation, elastic modulus and micro-scratch resistance of the treated electrogalvanized steel surface were investigated. Through in situ property mapping using a multi-mode atomic force microscope, surface properties of passivation films on coarse-grained and nanocrystalline zinc coatings were evaluated. It was demonstrated that the combination of nano-electrodeposition and passivation treatment greatly improved the passive film on the zinc coating with mirror brightness and significantly raised resistance to scratch, which is about two orders of magnitude higher than that of oxide film on conventional electrogalvanized steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel approach for synthesizing ZnO nanowire film is reported. The film is produced by immersing a nanocrystalline zinc electrodeposit in a NaCl solution at room temperature without template required. The ZnO nanowire film has an average wire diameter of 40 nm, which shows strong light absorption capability and high optoelectronic activity under UV illumination. This is a simple low-cost approach with the promise for large-scale production of ZnO nanowire films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • LDH and derived LDO were prepared as support. • The supported Ru catalyst was employed used in HMF hydrogenation reaction. • Ru/CoFe-LDO exhibited good stability and catalytic activity. • The calcination temperature influences the activity and selectivity greatly. • The cooperation between metallic Ru and CoFe-LDO facilitates the process of HMF hydrogenation. A catalyst of ruthenium supported on CoFe layered double oxide (CoFe-LDO) allows selective hydrogenation of biomass-based 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to the high-quality liquid fuel 2, 5-dimethylfuran (DMF) in the presence of tetrahydrofuran (THF). Under the optimal conditions, Ru/CoFe-LDO was exhibited higher catalytic performance, yielding 98.2% DMF with 100% HMF conversion at a relatively mild reaction temperature of 180 °C for 6 h. The structure and composition of the support and catalyst were investigated through a series of characterized methods Influence of various reaction parameters, such as reaction temperature, solvent Ru content of the catalyst and calcinations temperature of carrier etc., were explored with respect to HMF conversion and DMF yield. Although Ru/CoFe-LDO had a little loss in the catalytic activity after three successive reaction runs, the activity could be easily recovered by heating and reducing with hydrazine hydrate. Moreover our results also showed the cooperation between the metallic Ru site and the CoFe-LDO further facilitates the process of HMF hydrogenation to DMF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to increase the resistance of electrogalvanized steel to corrosive wear, nanocrystalline zinc coating was electrodeposited onto the steel substrate using a sulfate bath with polyacrylamide as grain refiner. Corrosive wear tests were performed in a simulated seawater solution to evaluate the performance of the nanocrystalline zinc coating with its grain size around 40 nm, in comparison with that of coarse-grained zinc coating (grain size ~ 5 μm). It was demonstrated that material loss of the coarse-grained zinc coating was 39 times as large as that of the nanocrystalline one. The considerably higher corrosive wear resistance of the nanocrystalline zinc coating largely benefited from its increased mechanical strength due to nanocrystallization and higher surface activity, which improved the passivation capability with the formation of a more protective oxide scale. Detailed analyses were conducted to clarify the mechanism responsible for the improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A portable catalyst, BiOBr/regenerated cellulose composite films (BiOBr/RC), was prepared for the application of photocatalytic irradiation under visible light. It exhibited good photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of phenol which means it has potential for the application in photodegradation of organic pollutant. Cellulosic biomass is a kind of green material, and the composite film is easy to recycle and has good reproducibility. So it's a “green” processing for the catalyst can be removed easily from pollution solution after being used and to be used for the next run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that surface nanocrystallization and passivation treatment are effective ways of improving corrosion resistance properties of the electrogalvanized steel, but their synergistic effects have rarely been studied. In this study, the effect of surface nanocrystallization on the chromium-free passivation film of electrodeposited zinc coating is investigated. Meanwhile, the formation mechanism of the chromium-free passivation film on electrodeposited zinc coating changing with the reduction of grain sizes from micro to nano-meters is analyzed and a model for the formation mechanism is proposed. The chromium-free passivation film of nanocrystalline zinc coating combines the advantages of passive films and nano-materials, and has better corrosion protection performance than the chromium-free passivation film of coarse-grained zinc coating and nanocrystalline zinc coating as well as a mirror decorative effect with light blue color. The corrosion resistance properties of coarse-grained zinc coating are heightened almost five times due to the synergistic effects of passivation treatment and nano-electrodeposition technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pt nanoparticles supported on sheetlike mixed metal oxides (MMO) derived from layered double hydroxides are found to be highly efficient catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde. A series of characterizations are employed to investigate the structure and composition of the support and catalyst. Divalent species have a significant influence on the activity and selectivity. CoAl MMO-supported catalysts achieve an increase in both conversion and selectivity to cinnamyl alcohol through the formation of PtCo alloy on the surfaces of catalysts during preparation. A possible reaction path is proposed. The effects of Co/Al ratio and calcination temperature on catalytic performance are researched in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystalline Zn–Ni (grain size about 26 nm) alloy coatings were electrodeposited on carbon steel substrates in alkaline bath with 5,5′-dimethylhydantoin (DMH) as the complexing agent. The coatings with 13 wt.%–16 wt.% Ni content and the electrolyte with high current efficiency (> 85%) were achieved at the optimized parameters, i.e., Ni 2 + /(Zn 2 + + Ni 2 + ) ratio 0.32, current density 2 A·dm − 2 , temperature 50 °C and agitation speed 1000 rpm. The electrochemical behavior of the bath has been studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronopotentiometry (CE) and cathodic polarization. Results show that the deposition of Zn–Ni alloys occurs at moderate overpotential and the rotation speed and bath temperature have a strong effect on cathodic polarization curves. The effects of Ni 2 + /(Zn 2 + + Ni 2 + ) ratio, current density, temperature and agitation speed on Ni content and cathode current efficiency were investigated. Studies indicate that the phase structure, grain size, microhardness and corrosion resistance of deposits are directly dependent on Ni content in deposits. The phase structure of deposits changes from a mixture of η-phase and γ-phase to single γ-phase with (411) plane orientation. Furthermore, the grain size decreases with the increase of Zn content in deposits and the increase in current density can also lead to the decrease in grain size. The increase in microhardness of deposits is strongly affected by the increase of Ni content in deposits rather than the Hall–Petch relationship. Zn–Ni alloy coatings with about 13 wt.% Ni content present best corrosion resistance and the bath has a good stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-doped carbon coated TiO 2 microspheres (CNx/TiO 2 ) were synthesized by the carbonization of the polypyrrole (PPy) coating on the surface of TiO 2 microspheres and used as support to disperse Pt and PtCo nanoparticles for investing the selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde. The support and catalysts have been characterized in terms of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The hydrogenation results showed the conversion increased with an increase of CNx amount until the CNx coated TiO 2 microspheres completely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of NbCoO x catalysts with different Nb/Co molar ratios were synthesized via a slurry method to investigate the catalytic activity of oxidizing toluene. Among them, Nb 0.67 Co 0.33 O x exhibited the highest toluene combustion efficiency. It was found that the incorporation of amorphous niobium provided the surface acid sites and abundant oxygen vacancies for the adsorption and activation of the reactants which was demonstrated by NH 3 -TPD, XRD, UV–vis DRS, XPS and Toluene-TPD. Furthermore, the strong interaction between niobium and cobalt can also affect its physical and chemical properties related to SEM, H 2 -TPR and XPS. Multiply TP-experiments were conducted to investigate the migration and transformation of oxygen species and find out that the reaction followed the MVK mechanism. [Display omitted] • The Nb modified CoO x catalyst exhibited superior toluene oxidation activity. • The amorphous Nb modification provided abundant oxygen vacancy. • The strong interaction between Co and Nb promoted the catalytic performance. • Activated gaseous O 2 replenished the consumed lattice oxygen to form oxygen cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]