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[Display omitted] • A model has been proposed for the prediction of breakage in a high-shear mixer. • The capillary number and the pore saturation appear to be the key parameters. • Data fitted to the model is well-predicted. • The model does currently not extend to different powder-binder systems. Granule breakage is an important rate process in wet granulation that promotes product uniformity and controls product size and strength. In this work, a model to predict granule breakage is proposed and experimentally validated. The model assumes exponential of the surviving granules, dependent on a probability of breakage; a function of powder and binder properties, as well as operating parameters. Validation experiments were performed with a breakage-only granulator, filled with cohesive, non-granulating sand. Premade pellets made from lactose monohydrate and silicone oils were granulated at several impeller speeds, and the number of survivors was observed over time. The results revealed that the number of granules did indeed decay exponentially. It was found that the overall probability of breakage was inversely proportional to the capillary number. Moreover, the pore saturation played an important role in determining the probability of breakage, with higher pore saturations reducing breakage overall. A comparison with experimental data from literature revealed that the developed models agrees qualitatively with the experimental data, but is unable to fully capture the effect of powder properties and powder-binder interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper elucidates the effects of micro-alloying (Cr, Mo, rare earth and Ag) on the microstructure, element distribution and mechanical properties including Brinell hardness and tensile strength in cast gray irons. Experimental results show that the morphology of main graphite transforms from type C to type A and is refined obviously in the modified gray iron after micro-alloying. The pearlite content is also reduced, and the pearlite interlamellar spacing is smaller in the modified gray iron. The distribution and segregation of micro-alloying elements have determined the change of microstructure. More Cr and Mo atoms are tended to dissolve in pearlite and are likely to replace Fe atoms to form M3P in final solidified phosphorus eutectic regions. Meanwhile, segregation of rare earth metals toward boundaries should be considered into roles in refining graphite and pearlite interlamellar spacing. No obvious enrichment of Ag is found in matrix or at grain boundaries from experimental EPMA results. Multiple micro-alloying in gray irons improves the hardness and tensile strength at room temperature and at 700 °C by modifying the microstructure as well. Finer graphite and smaller pearlite interlamellar spacing results in better hardness, tensile strength and elongation in modified gray irons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What Is Known and Objective. To reevaluate the benefits and risks of corticosteroid treatment in adult patients with septic shock. Methods. This study was performed based on PRISMA guidelines. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of corticosteroids versus placebo were retrieved from PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central RCTs, and ClinicalTrials.gov from January 1980 to April 2018. We also conducted a trial sequential analysis to indicate the possibility of type I or II errors and calculate the information size. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach (GRADE) was applying to assess the certainty of evidence at the primary outcome level. Results. Twenty-one RCTs were identified and analyzed. Patients treated with corticosteroid had a 7% reduction in relative risk in 28-day all-cause mortality compared to controls (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.88 to 0.99). However, there were no significant differences for the intensive care unit (ICU) mortality (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.09) or in-hospital mortality (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.11). Corticosteroids shortened the length of ICU stay by 1.04 days (RR -1.04, 95% CI -1.72 to -0.36) and the length of hospital stay by 2.49 days (RR -2.49, 95% CI -4.96 to -0.02). Corticosteroids increased the risk of hyperglycemia (RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.16) but not gastroduodenal bleeding (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.37) or superinfection (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.15). However, some date on secondary outcomes were unavailable because they were not measured or not reported in the included studies which may cause a lack of power or selective outcome reporting. The information size was calculated at 10044 patients. Trial sequential analysis showed that the meta-analysis was conclusive and the risk of type 2 error was minimal. What Is New and Conclusion. Corticosteroids are likely to be effective in reducing 28-day mortality and attenuating septic shock without increasing the rate of life-threatening complications. TSA showed that the risk of type II error in this meta-analysis was minimal and the result was conclusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The movement and deformation of the overlying strata and surface induced by underground mining are processes involving temporal and spatial changes, which, in turn, cause damage to buildings. Estimating the dynamic ground movement and deformation is important to ascertain the damage degree of buildings. To predict the dynamic ground subsidence caused by underground coal mining and protect ground buildings from dynamic damage, a dynamic prediction model was established to calculate ground deformation. A derivation of the dynamic subsidence prediction model based on Knothe's dynamic subsidence hypothesis and Litwiniszyn's stochastic medium theory was proposed under the conditions of constant advancing speed mining and post-mining. The composition and significance of the dynamic model were analyzed and provided a basis for calculating the dynamics and programming implementation. Through case studies, the dynamic prediction model was verified and the expected results were obtained during mining and post-mining. Results showed the dynamic prediction model is fit for the normal geological condition of mining but is limited for the special geological condition, that is, thick loose layer and thick bedrock. The study can meet the demand of protecting ground buildings from deformation caused by underground mining. The proposed model solves the time issue in mining subsidence prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study focusing on the impact of lipids in patient plasma on the complete blood count (CBC) of the patients. Topics discussed include the identification of fat emulsion infusion fluids as sources of lipid interferences, the use of automated hematology analyzers in the study, and the simulation experiments conducted using fat emulsion. Also mentioned are parameters of CBC such as the red blood cells (RBC), the white blood cells (WBC), and the platelets.

NdNiO3 (NNO) films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on orthorhombic (110)-, (001)-, and (100)-oriented NdGaO3 substrates. It is found that all the films are tensile-strained but show dramatically different metal-insulator transition (MIT) temperatures (TMI) (160-280 K), as compared with the NNO bulk (∼200 K). A high resemblance in the sharpness of MIT and lattice variation across the MIT was observed. The TMI is highly dependent on the magnitude of the orthorhombic distortion induced by the different substrate surface plane and tends to recover the bulk value after annealing. Our results suggest that the anisotropic epitaxial strain can effectively tune the MIT of NNO films, and the NiO6 octahedra rotation and deformation involved in accommodating the tensile strain might cause the different TMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] HfO2 based MIM structures are used to explore the field-effect control of BD paths. [•] Experimental results are supported by the QPC model of the post-BD conduction. [•] The results suggest the feasibility of the field-effect control through BD paths. [•] Simulations based on top of the barrier model confirm the reported field-effect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Water-bound pellets were generally stronger than the acid-bound ones. [•] The pellet mechanical strength and rewetting stability were mineralogy dependent. [•] The pellets rewetting stability is mainly dependent on the particle–particle bond types. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Leaching behaviour of three types of nickel laterite pellet/agglomerates was studied. [•] Ore mineralogy plays a major part in the Ni recovery with goethitic type of nickel laterite the slowest. [•] Semi-dried agglomerates have faster Ni extraction rate at the beginning of the leaching tests. [•] Acid-bound nickel laterite agglomerates leach faster than water bound ones. [•] The effect of binder content and pre-set porosity has minimal effect on Ni extraction rate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Little is known about the cellular mechanisms modulating the shift in balance from a state of survival to cell death by caspase-mediated apoptosis in response to a lethal stress. Here we show that the RNA-binding protein HuR has an important function in mediating this switch. During caspase-mediated apoptosis, HuR is cleaved to generate two cleavage products (CPs). Our data demonstrate that the cleavage of HuR switches its function from being a prosurvival factor under normal conditions to becoming a promoter of apoptosis in response to a lethal stress. In the absence of an apoptotic stimuli, HuR associates with and promotes the expression of caspase-9 and prothymosin α (ProT) mRNAs, and pro- and antiapoptotic factors, respectively, both of which have been characterized as important players in determining cell fate. During the early steps of caspase-mediated apoptosis, however, the level of caspase-9 protein increases, while ProT remains unchanged. Under these conditions, the two HuR-CPs selectively bind to and stabilize caspase-9 mRNA, but do not bind to ProT. Hence, taken together, our data show that by maintaining a threshold of expression of proapoptotic factors such as caspase-9 in response to a lethal stress, the HuR-CPs help a cell to switch from resisting death to undergoing apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nickel laterite pellets with controlled mass, porosity and binder were made by using a pellet press. Both water and sulphuric acid solution were used as binders. The wet pellets were then dried at different conditions and their mechanical strength was measured. Leaching tests were also conducted on single pellet with irrigation of sulphuric acid solution from the top of the pellet. The leached out solutions were collected and nickel recoveries were analysed. The time taken for the pellets to disintegrate during leaching test was also recorded. It was found that the mechanical strength of the pellets was directly related to their dryness, with completely dried pellets having much higher strength. The dry pellet strength was found to increase with increasing binder content and decreasing pellet porosity. The time taken for the pellets to disintegrate during leaching test increased with increasing pellet strength. In comparison to sulphuric acid solution-bound pellets at the same condition, water-bound pellets exhibited higher mechanical strength. Although the nickel leaching rate for water-bound pellets was low at the beginning of the leaching test, the pellets lasted for more than 200h without disintegration, with 70% of nickel recovered. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

For the first time, a novel fluorescent material, composed of CeO/ANS nanocomposites was successfully synthesized by a simple ultrasonic method, using CeO nanoparticles and 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) as the raw materials. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), photoluminescence spectroscopy and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that the PL intensity of the CeO/ANS nanocomposites was higher than that of both CeO nanoparticles and ANS powders, and the peak wavelength was also different from the peak wavelength typical of each of the used materials, which suggests that the chemical reaction occurs between CeO nanoparticles and ANS molecules. In addition, the effect of the ANS concentrations on the photoluminescence of the nanocomposites was also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We conducted a manipulative experiment to investigate the influential factors of locomotor ability in steppe toad-headed lizards. By using a video-base method, we measured running speed of the lizards when they run on sands of different grain sizes. We also considered body condition, tail length and sex as fixed factors to analyze their effects on running speed of the lizard. Results showed that running speed of the lizard significantly differed among different trials of sand grain size. Specifically, the peak and the nadir values of the running speed were found on sands of 0.5–1 mm and 0.075–0.25 mm grains, respectively. When lizards ran on sands of different grain size their running speed changed significantly. Body condition and tail length also had significant effects on running speed. The findings indicated that locomotor ability of lizards depended on both body condition and the external environment. We hypothesized that sand grain size is one of the factors that influence the habitat selection in steppe toad-headed lizards. Moreover, this lizard may be used as an indicator of the development of sand dunes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Wet granule breakage is a significant mechanism, particularly in high shear mixer granulation. This paper presents a study of the wet breakage mechanism using a Breakage Only Granulator. Granules with varying powder and liquid binder properties were created using single drop nucleation. These granules were inserted in a Breakage Only Granulator, a high shear mixer granulator with non-granulating cohesive sand as the bulk medium. Two different impellers were used at impeller speeds of 500 and 750rpm. An 11° beveled edge impeller was used to create both impact and shear in the granulator, and a flat plate impeller was used to minimize impact and maximize shear in the granulator. The fraction of granules which broke during the granulation process was used as a measure of granule breakage within the granulator. These results were compared with Stokes deformation numbers calculated using mean dynamic peak flow stresses measured in unconfined uni-axial compression tests. Results for the beveled edge impeller blade show increasing breakage with increasing Stokes deformation number. Significant breakage was observed at high Stokes deformation number. Increasing impeller speed increased the magnitude of breakage. The Stokes deformations number appears to be a reasonable predictor for granule breakage within the granulator. Results for the flat plate impeller show very little breakage at 500rpm, and significant breakage for only one formulation at 750rpm. This suggests that either impact is dominant over shear for breakage within the granulator, or that the two impeller designs give substantially different collision velocities in the granulator. The impeller speed, type and shape have a profound effect on granule breakage in high shear mixer granulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tissue damage and inflammation promote bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) to differentiate into a variety of cell types in residing tissues. BMSCs can stably maintain their plasticity and are an ideal cell population for delivery of therapeutic genes to non-hematopoietic tissues. Using lacZ as a reporter gene, we demonstrated that the lung-specific human surfactant protein B (hSP-B) 1.5-kb promoter is able to deliver the lacZ gene into the lung of lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) gene-knockout (lal−/−) mice by β-galactosidase staining, flow cytometry and double immunofluorescence staining. Around 10–18% alveolar type II epithelial cells (AT II cells) exhibited positive lacZ gene expression after 8 weeks of BMSC injection in recipient lal−/− mice. The wild-type mice exhibited no expression after the same treatment. BMSCs from hSP-B 1.5-kb lacZ transgenic mice entered and repopulated in lal−/− bone marrow. The study supports a concept that pulmonary inflammation caused by LAL deficiency can trigger BMSC residing in lal−/− bone marrow, migrating into the lung and converting into residential AT II cells. The hSP-B 1.5 kb promoter is an ideal tool to deliver therapeutic genes into AT II cells through BMSCs to cure pulmonary inflammation-triggered diseases.Gene Therapy (2007) 14, 1461–1470; doi:10.1038/sj.gt.3303006; published online 16 August 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Resultant is a classical algebraic tool for determining whether or not a polynomial systems have a common root without explicitly solving for the roots. But, the complexity of resultants can be very high in practice. In this paper, by using the theories and methods of computer algebra, two reliable algorithms for computing multi-resultant problems-Dixon resultant and Macaulay resultant were established, two new Maple procedures dixonres and macaulayres were established, too. Some examples are presented to illustrate the implementations of the programs. This would be useful for solving a system of polynomial equations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report a de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) effect study on the Dirac type-II semimetallic candidates MAl3 (where, M=V, Nb and Ta). The angular dependence of their Fermi surface (FS) cross-sectional areas reveals a remarkably good agreement with our first-principles calculations. Therefore, dHvA supports the existence of tilted Dirac cones with Dirac type-II nodes located at 100, 230 and 250 meV above the Fermi level ϵF for VAl3, NbAl3 and TaAl3 respectively, in agreement with the prediction of broken Lorentz invariance in these compounds. However, for all three compounds we find that the cyclotron orbits on their FSs, including an orbit nearly enclosing the Dirac type-II node, yield trivial Berry phases. We explain this via an analysis of the Berry phase where the position of this orbit, relative to the Dirac node, is adjusted within the error implied by the small disagreement between our calculations and the experiments. We suggest that a very small amount of doping could displace ϵF to produce topologically nontrivial orbits encircling their Dirac node(s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of heteroatoms doping and defects on the selectivity and activity of graphite for hydrogen peroxide evolution via the two-electron water oxidation reaction (2e− WOR) were investigated by density functional theory calculations. The results show that the activation of H2O to form OH* is severely difficult on the pristine graphite, leading to unsatisfactory selectivity and activity for H2O2 formation. In general, the doping of boron and nitrogen and the introduction of defects are positive for improving the selectivity and activity of graphite for the 2e− WOR. In contrast, the doping of phosphorus and sulfur bring negative effects for graphite towards H2O2 evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimisation of grinding circuits is invariably dependent on sound process models together with process simulators that can solve the process models accurately. Most of the process models are solved numerically because analytical solutions are not available, which can lead to errors in the results due to the numerical approximation of mathematical equations. Whiten [1], and Valery Jnr & Morrell [2,3] have developed a dynamic model with numerical simulation for autogenous and semi-autogenous mills, and validated the model with dynamic response of mills in terms of power draw, grinding charge level, slurry level and product size distribution to changes in feed rate, feed size, feed hardness and water addition [2,3]. In this work, an analytical solution for their dynamic model of tumbling mills has been developed based on the knowledge of solutions to the first-order nonhomogeneous linear differential equations. Two algorithms, Direct Single Time method (DST) and Direct Multiple Time method (DMT), were applied to obtain the analytical solutions respectively. It was found that analytical solutions are more accurate than the traditional finite difference numerical methods. However, the DST analytical method has a drawback of numerical instability due to the accumulation of round-off errors which are amplified by exponential functions, whilst the DMT method can provide stable solutions. To test the DMT analytical method, two cases of SAG mill dynamic operation were studied with both the traditional numerical method and the newly developed analytical method, further proving the robustness and feasibility of the analytical solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of replacing fish meal (FM) with meat and bone meal (MBM) in diets for juvenile Pseudobagrus ussuriensis was evaluated in a 90‐day feeding trial. Six isonitrogenous (crude protein, 430 g/kg) and isolipidic (crude lipid, 74 g/kg) diets were formulated to contain MBM to replace FM at 0 (S0), 200 (S20), 400 (S40), 600 (S60), 800 (S80) and 1000 g/kg (S100), respectively. The results showed that there was no significant difference in weight gain (WG) among fish fed S0, S20 and S40 diets. However, a significant reduction in WG occurred when 600, 800 and 1000 g/kg FM protein was replaced by MBM (p < .05). Similar trends were observed in specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of protein and dry matter of the diets S80 and S100 were significantly lower than those of the other diets. The ADC of phosphorus significantly reduced with the increase in dietary MBM level. Nitrogen and phosphorus excretion increased with the increasing dietary MBM level. Protease, lipase and amylase activities of the diets S80 and S100 were significantly lower than those of the other diets (p < .05). The results of this study showed that the optimum dietary MBM replacement level was 34.3% according to broken‐line model based on WG against dietary MBM replacement level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein we report two anthracene-thiophene based π-conjugated homologues, in which the synthesis and structural characterizations were accomplished by NMR, HR-MS, etc. Subsequently, their electron absorptions, photoluminescence (PL) emissions, and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) properties were further investigated. Interestingly, in the visible region of ~400–550 nm, both of the two homologous chromophores displayed strong PL emissions. Finally, intense and stable cathodic ECL emissions in the visible region of ~400–1000 nm for the title compounds were further observed, which provided excellent potential candidates for the future construction of high-performance ECL emitters. Besides, the phenyl group substituted homologue exhibited more intense in fluorescence spectrum, while relatively weak in ECL emission, which added new insights into the structure-properties relationships of anthracene-thiophene containing π-conjugated luminescent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic wounds and their treatment present a significant burden to patients and healthcare systems alike, with their management further complicated by bacterial infection. Historically, antibiotics have been deployed to prevent and treat infections, but the emergence of bacterial antimicrobial resistance and the frequent development of biofilms within the wound area necessitates the identification of novel treatment strategies for use within infected chronic wounds. Here, several non-antibiotic compounds, polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), curcumin, retinol, polysorbate 40, ethanol, and D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate 1000 (TPGS) were screened for their antibacterial and antibiofilm capabilities. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and crystal violet (CV) biofilm clearance against two bacteria frequently associated with infected chronic wounds, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were determined. PHMB was observed to have highly effective antibacterial activity against both bacteria, but its ability to disperse biofilms at MIC levels was variable. Meanwhile, TPGS had limited inhibitory activity but demonstrated potent antibiofilm properties. The subsequent combination of these two compounds in a formulation resulted in a synergistic enhancement of their capability to kill both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa and disperse their biofilms. Collectively, this work highlights the utility of combinatory approaches to the treatment of infected chronic wounds where bacterial colonization and biofilm formation remains significant issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the expression of Jade-1 and β-catenin and their effect in the development of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).Methods: The expression of Jade-1 and β-catenin in 11 normal kidney tissue specimens (normal group) and 60 RCC specimens (RCC group) was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Also, their effect on early relapses of RCC was analyzed after 5 years of follow-up.Results: The expression of Jade-1 protein in the RCC group was significantly lower than that in the normal group (0.1655 vs 0.7438, P < .05), and the expression of β-catenin protein was significantly greater than that in the normal group (0.2756 vs 0.0855, P < .05). The expression of Jade-1 mRNA in the RCC group was 0.202 times that in the normal group, which were lower (P < .05). The expression of β-catenin mRNA was 1.014 times that in the normal group (P > .05). The expression of Jade-1 protein and β-catenin protein in poorly differentiated RCC specimens was significantly lower and higher than the expression in the well-differentiated RCC specimen (P < .05), respectively. Patients with negative Jade-1 expression and positive β-catenin expression were found to have shorter survival on univariate analysis (P < .05).Conclusion: RCC with a low expression of Jade-1 and high expression of β-catenin is associated with a poor outcome and decreased survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accidental superheated liquid emissions into the atmosphere yield two-phase releases. The resulting flashing jet, driven by thermal nonequilibrium and mechanical forces, breaks up into massive droplets, fostering beneficial conditions for fire, explosion, and toxic diffusion. In this work, a 20 L tank was built to examine two-phase flow behaviors during depressurized releases of superheated liquids via a high-speed camera and phase Doppler anemometry. Different breakup regimes of flashing jet and dimensionless groups that effectively represent thermodynamic (R p Ja) and mechanical (We v Oh) driving effects were determined. Based on the interaction between the two effects, quantitative criteria to distinguish different regimes were developed. The accompanying jet characteristics, including jet angle (θ), area fraction (f A), droplet diameter (d SMD), and droplet velocity (u d), and their relationship with jet breakup were revealed. Results show that non-flashing (NFB), partially flashing (PFB), and fully flashing (FFB) breakups coincide with R p Ja (We v Oh)1/7 < 41, 41 ≤ R p Ja (We v Oh)1/7 < 223, and 223 ≤ R p Ja (We v Oh)1/7, respectively. For small-sized nozzles (d ≤3 mm), θ 2 and f A2 increase within 41 ≤ R p Ja (We v Oh)1/7 < 558 and then keep stable. The difference for large-sized nozzles resides in 223 ≤ R p Ja (We v Oh)1/7 < 558 (early FFB regime), where θ 2 and f A2 decrease slightly due to the enhanced droplet evaporation. In 41 ≤ R p Ja (We v Oh)1/7, d SMD2 decreases and u d2 increases, but at an extremely low rate within 558 ≤ R p Ja (We v Oh)1/7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods The miRNA expression profiles of the myocardium, amniotic fluid and maternal serum of VSD rat fetus were obtained. To analyse the microRNA (miRNA) expression profile of myocardium, amniotic fluid and maternal serum in ventricular septal defect (VSD) rat fetuses, find out the relationship between circulating miRNAs and myocardium. Amniotic fluid from 7 human fetuses with VSD and 7 normal human fetuses were collected, and the expression of amniotic fluid-derived DE-miRNA was verified in clinical samples. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: To isolate and characterize chemical compounds of biological importance from the whole plant of Dendrobium hongdie. Methods: The whole plants of Dendrobium hongdie was extracted with ethanol (EtOH) and separated using silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and MCI gel to isolate the pure compounds. Characterization of the isolated compounds was achieved using 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS). Results: Nine compounds including two phenanthrenes, three bibenzyls, a phenanthraquinone, two lignans and a sterol were isolated from the extract. The structures of the compounds were elucidated as nudol (1), gigantol (2), batatasin III (3), tristin (4), moscatin (5), ephemeranthoquinone (6), (-)- syringaresinol (7), liriodendrin (8) and β-sitosterol (9). Conclusion: Nine compounds have been successfully isolated from D. hongdie for the first time. This plant is a potential source of some useful phytochemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high performance is essential for the realization of ultra-broadband imaging technology, which can be widely used in astronomy, medical health, defense and security, and many other applications. In this work, we demonstrate an ultra-broadband upconversion device based on a heterojunction interfacial work function internal photoemission (HEIWIP) detector and an AlGaAs/GaAs/In0.04Ga0.96 As quantum well LED. The up-converter exhibits an ultra-broad response covering from the terahertz to mid-infrared region (3–165 THz) due to free carrier absorption and inter-valence-band absorption in p-type based photodetectors. The peak responsivity in the terahertz and mid-infrared region is measured to be 7.2 A/W at 9.2 THz and 3.5 A/W at 28.8 THz, respectively, which is improved by an order of magnitude compared to the previous homojunction interfacial work function internal photoemission-based up-converter (0.5 A/W) in the THz region. The up-converter also demonstrates an improved upconversion efficiency of 1.5%. The noise equivalent power (NEP) of the imaging system consisting of the HEIWIP-LED up-converter and Si CCD is studied. The optimized NEP can achieve ∼10 pW/Hz1/2 in both terahertz and mid-infrared regions. The HEIWIP-LED up-converter exhibits excellent properties of high responsivity, ultra-broad response, and low noise, making it a great prospect for future applications in the field of ultra-broadband imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid rise in the health burden associated with chronic wounds is of great concern to policymakers, academia, and industry. This could be attributed to the devastating implications of this condition, and specifically, chronic wounds which have been linked to invasive microbial infections affecting patients' quality of life. Unfortunately, antibiotics are not always helpful due to their poor penetration of bacterial biofilms and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Hence, there is an urgent need to explore antibiotics-free compounds/formulations with proven or potential antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and wound healing efficacy. The mechanism of antibiotics-free compounds is thought to include the disruption of the bacteria cell structure, preventing cell division, membrane porins, motility, and the formation of a biofilm. Furthermore, some of these compounds foster tissue regeneration by modulating growth factor expression. In this review article, the focus is placed on a number of non-antibiotic compounds possessing some of the aforementioned pharmacological and physiological activities. Specific interest is given to Aloevera, curcumin, cinnamaldehyde, polyhexanide, retinoids, ascorbate, tocochromanols, and chitosan. These compounds (when alone or in formulation with other biologically active molecules) could be a dependable alternative in the management or prevention of chronic wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vibrio parahaemolyticus causes acute gastroenteritis and inflammations in humans. A variety of pathogenic bacteria can stimulate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in host cells. Phosphorylation of MAPKs leads to production of interleukin (IL)- 8 and subsequently causes inflammations. Thus, MAPK cascades were strong candidates for the main signaling pathway of V. parahaemolyticus-induced acute inflammation.Methods: To determine whether the signaling pathway on V. parahaemolyticus infection induces inflammation, we analyzed the secretion level of IL-8 and phosphorylation of MAPKs by use of intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells.Results: V. parahaemolyticus infection of Caco-2 cells activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and p38 MAPK signal pathways, leading to IL-8 secretion, whereas MAPK inhibitors, UO126 or SB203580, suppressed IL-8 secretion. A strain carrying a deletion of VP1680, a type three secretion system 1 (T3SS1) effector protein, failed to activate phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK and secretion of IL-8. ERK1/2 pathway inhibitor, UO126, failed IL-8 promoter activity, whereas p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, decreased the stabilization of IL-8 messenger RNA following V. parahaemolyticus infection.Conclusions: We showed that V. parahaemolyticus infection of Caco-2 cells results in the secretion of IL-8, and that VP1680 plays a pivotal role in manipulating host cell signaling and is responsible for triggering IL-8 secretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whereas cilia damage and reduced cilia beat frequency have been implicated as causative of reduced mucociliary clearance in smokers, theoretically mucociliary clearance could also be affected by cilia length. Based on models of mucociliary clearance predicting that cilia length must exceed the 6-7 mm airway surface fluid depth to generate force in the mucus layer, we hypothesized that cilia height may be decreased in airway epithelium of normal smokers compared to nonsmokers. Methodology/Principal Findings: Cilia length in normal nonsmokers and smokers was evaluated in aldehyde-fixed, paraffin-embedded endobronchial biopsies, and air-dried and hydrated samples were brushed from human airway epithelium via fiberoptic bronchoscopy. In 28 endobronchial biopsies, healthy smoker cilia length was reduced by 15% compared to nonsmokers (p<0.05). In 39 air-dried samples of airway epithelial cells, smoker cilia length was reduced by 13% compared to nonsmokers (p<0.0001). Analysis of the length of individual, detached cilia in 27 samples showed that smoker cilia length was reduced by 9% compared to nonsmokers (p<0.05). Finally, in 16 fully hydrated, unfixed samples, smoker cilia length was reduced 7% compared to nonsmokers (p<0.05). Using genome-wide analysis of airway epithelial gene expression we identified 6 cilia-related genes whose expression levels were significantly reduced in healthy smokers compared to healthy nonsmokers. Conclusions/Significance: Models predict that a reduction in cilia length would reduce mucociliary clearance, suggesting that smoking-associated shorter airway epithelial cilia play a significant role in the pathogenesis of smoking-induced lung disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microwave plasma technique opens a new route for interface engineering by avoiding the formation of insulating phases that were previously considered incompatible via conventional thermal treatment in the furnace. This work shows that perovskite SrCo 0.4 Fe 0.5 W 0.1 O 3-δ (SCFW) can be assembled onto the zirconia-based electrolyte within 20 min and shows two orders of magnitude improvement of activity to reduce oxygen as compared to the equivalent prepared via the conventional method. [Display omitted] Mixed electronic and ionic conductivity (MIEC) perovskite oxides hold promise as cathode with high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating at reduced temperatures. However, these MIEC cathodes usually contain lanthanide or alkaline-earth elements at A-site. These elements tend to interact with yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolyte (YSZ) to form unwanted phases such as La 2 Zr 2 O 7 and SrZrO 3 at conventional electrode fabrication conditions (>800 °C). Such unwanted interfacial reaction severely degrades the cell performance. We present a new method to assemble SrCo 0.4 Fe 0.5 W 0.1 O 3-δ (SCFW) directly onto YSZ by a highly efficient microwave plasma technique. Intimate contact between SCFW and YSZ phases can be achieved by ten-minute microwave-plasma treatment with no new phase formation. Consequently, the microwave-plasma fabricated interface exhibits a notably high ORR performance, showing an area-specific resistances of 0.11 Ω cm2 at 600 °C, about two orders of magnitude better than the equivalent prepared via the conventional method. Our method is also effective in assembling other MIEC perovskite cathodes such as SrCo 0.5 Fe 0.5 O 3-δ and SrCo 0.8 Nb 0.1 Ta 0.1 O 3-δ on YSZ electrolyte, achieving notable enhancement of the cathode performance. This study thus provides an effective and convenient method for synthesizing reactive and robust interfaces between two incompatible phases with minimized interphase interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of unsaturated fatty acids on clinical plasmids. Methods and Results: Two unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid (LA) and α‐linolenic acid (ALA) at final concentration 0, 0·03, 0·3 and 3 mmol l−1, respectively, were used to assess the effects on conjugative transfer of a mcr‐1‐harbouring plasmid pCSZ4 (IncX4) in conjugation experiment. The inhibitory mechanisms were analysed by molecular docking and the gene expression of virB11 was quantitated by qRT‐PCR. Target plasmid diversity was carried out by TrwD/VirB11 homology protein sequence prediction analysis. Our results showed that LA and ALA inhibit plasmid pCSZ4 transfer by binding to the amino acid residues (Phe124 and Thr125) of VirB11 with dose‐dependent effects. The expression levels of virB11 gene were also significantly inhibited by LA and ALA treatment. Protein homology analysis revealed a wide distribution of TrwD/VirB11‐like genes among over 37 classes of plasmids originated from both Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria. Conclusions: This study demonstrates representing a diversity of plasmids that may be potentially inhibited by unsaturated fatty acids. Significance and Impact of the Study: Our work reported here provides additional support for application of curbing the spread of multiple plasmids by unsaturated fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this meta-analysis, we analyzed 9 cross-sectional studies for an association between type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and bone mineral density (BMD) in children. We found that BMD Z-scores were significantly reduced in children with T1DM. Introduction: Recent cross-sectional studies have examined how T1DM influences bone health in children and adolescents, but the relationship between T1DM and BMD remains unclear due to conflicting reports. Methods: In this meta-analysis, we systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane library, and Web of Science databases (for publications through March 12, 2020), and calculated weight mean difference (WMD) along with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the I2 method. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: Data were analyzed from 9 eligible studies, including a total of 1522 children and adolescents. These data were tested for an association between T1DM and BMD. This analysis found a significant decrease in BMD Z-score in the whole body (pooled WMD, − 0.47, 95% CI, − 0.92 to − 0.02, I2 = 80.2%) and lumbar spine (pooled WMD, − 0.41, 95% CI, − 0.69 to − 0.12, I2 = 80.3%) in children and adolescents with T1DM, which was consistent in published studies from Asia and South America, but inconsistent in the North America and Europe. Importantly, the differences in BMD Z-scores were independent of age, level of glucose control (HbA1c), and prepubertal stage. Sensitivity analyses did not modify these findings. Funnel plot and the Egger test did not reveal significant publication bias. Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggests that T1DM may play a role in decreasing BMD Z-scores in the whole body and lumbar spine in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impairment of the skin's structural integrity initially results in acute wounds which can become chronic if timely wound closure is not achieved. Chronic wounds (CWs) affect more than 1% of the global population with increasing cases of this condition due to the ageing population. Current wound management relies on debridement, hyperbaric oxygen, antibiotics, and wound dressings, which lack early intervention and specificity. Herein, antibiotics-free retinol-based micellar formulations (RMF) were made and their wound healing efficacy were investigated in vitro. Five different formulations with retinol contents of 0.3% and 1% against a placebo were topically applied to an organotypic full-thickness skin wound model (FT-SWM, MatTek®) with a 3 mm punch wound, and maintained in an incubator for 6 days. The histological analysis of the FT-SWM was conducted at depths of 60 µm and 80 µm. It was found that all the micellar retinol formulations accelerated wound bed contraction, with 0.3% RMF demonstrating the highest efficacy. At the depths of 60 µm and 80 µm, the 0.3% RMF exhibited inner wound diameter contraction of 58% and 77%, respectively, in comparison to the placebo showing 15% and 8%. The RMF significantly accelerated wound healing and can thus be a potential early intervention for speedy wound recovery. It should be pointed out that these results were obtained based on a small sample size and a large sample size will be explored to further validate the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The breakage of single pharmaceutical tablets with different properties was investigated. • The tablet breakage patterns in an air gun was captured using an ultrahigh-speed camera. • The tablet breakage rate and amount of fines reduced with decreasing tablet porosity. • Low porosity tablets chipped while high porosity tablets disintegrated into small fragments. Milling is commonly used for controlling the size distribution of granules in the pharmaceutical dry granulation process. A thorough understanding of the breakage of single compacts is crucial in unravelling the complex interactions that exist between different pharmaceutical feed materials and the mill process conditions. However, limited studies in the literature have examined the impact breakage of single pharmaceutical compacts. In this study, pharmaceutical powders including the microcrystalline MCC 101, MCC 102 and MCC DG were compressed at different pressures and tablets with different porosities and thicknesses were produced. Impact breakage tests were conducted in an air gun and the tablet impact velocities and breakage patterns were analysed using a Phantom ultrahigh-speed camera. It was observed that the tablet breakage rate and the amount of fines reduced as the tablet porosity decreased. In addition, thin tablets with low porosity exhibited semi-brittle fracture and less intense crack propagation while thick tablets with high porosity primarily disintegrated into fine fragments. Thus, this study provides a better understanding of the breakage behaviour of different pharmaceutical materials and can potentially be used to describe the breakage modes of compacts in the ribbon milling processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new breakage function for PBM was validated with a variety of feed materials and ribbons. • The relationship between the PBM model parameters and ribbon porosity was established. • Good agreement was obtained between PBM and experimental granule size distribution. • The amount of fines in the milled ribbon product is linearly proportional to ribbon porosity. Dry granulation is commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry for compressing heat and moisture sensitive feed materials into compacts, subsequently followed by milling. Population balance models (PBMs) are often used to explore the effects of milling conditions on the granule size distribution (GSD) but limited studies have investigated the effects of the feed material and ribbon properties on the resulting GSD. In this work, a variety of feed materials and ribbons with different mechanical properties were used to validate a mass-based bi-modal breakage function developed in a previous study (Olaleye et al., 2019). Ribbon like tablets (referred to as ribblets) with a range of precisely controlled porosities were produced using an Instron machine and pharmaceutical excipients including the microcrystalline cellulose MCC 101, MCC DG and a DCPA/MCC mixture. Roll compacted ribbons were also produced using MCC 102 and MCC DG excipients. The ribblets and ribbons were milled in an impact-dominated cutting mill and PBM parameters were obtained from the ribblet milling data. Mechanistic models related to the feed ribbon property were then developed. It was found that the PBM with the mass-based bi-modal breakage function can accurately predict the GSDs of both the milled ribblets and roll compacted ribbons. The model developed was successfully linked to ribbon properties such as porosity for the first time and the model parameter a that reflects the fines mode in the bi-modal breakage function increased linearly with ribblet porosity. This work demonstrates the versatility of the developed PBM and provides a systematic approach for describing the ribbon milling process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of screw-to-roll speed ratio ϑ and roll gap S on ribbon porosity. Dry granulation through roll compaction is a technology commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry for producing roll compacted ribbons. The significance of the feed screw speed and roll speed during ribbon production was highlighted in recent publications. However, previous studies focused primarily on the individual effects of either the feed screw speed or roll speed on ribbon porosity, and the synergetic effect of these parameters was rarely examined. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate the effects of the screw-to-roll speed ratio on the porosity of roll compacted ribbons, produced at different roll compaction conditions using the microcrystalline cellulose MCC, Avicel PH-102 feed material. It was observed that ribbon porosity decreased linearly with increasing screw-to-roll speed ratio. Furthermore, an increase in the speed ratio led to an increase in the roll gap and mass throughput while a decrease in the screw constant was observed. Thus, this study demonstrates that the screw-to-roll speed ratio can be treated as one of the critical process parameters for controlling ribbon porosity and can also be used to determine the optimum operating regimes during roll compaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in-depth characterization of the thermal reset transition in RRAM has been performed based on coupling self-consistent simulations to experimental results. A complete self-consistent simulator accounting for the electrical and thermal descriptions of the conductive filaments (CFs) has been developed for the numerical study of the temporal evolution of the reset transition in RRAM. The CFs series resistance, including the contributions of the setup and Maxwell components, has been included in the calculations. Using this simulation tool, we have been able to reproduce many experimental details of the experimental reset data obtained in Cu/HfO2/Pt devices. In doing so, we explained the current steps observed in some reset cycles by considering CFs with several coupled branches that break down at different times. The reset voltage dependence on the initial resistance of the CF has been analyzed and the relevant role played by the CF shape has also been demonstrated. In this respect, devices with a same initial resistance but different CF shape can switch at different voltages. A simulation study of the reset voltage distribution obtained for these devices has also been performed in order to explain the variability of the experimental samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digestive glands of marine molluscs are colonized by a large number of microorganisms, and the structure and function of bacterial community could be severely affected by diets. Microalgae is the main food and energy sources for bivalves, while the impact of phytoplankton composition on the bacterial community as well as the health of bivalves are still not well understood. In the present study, the bacterial communities in digestive glands of oyster Crassostrea gigas fed with different diets were compared based on the high-throughput sequencing of partial 16S rRNA gene. There were significant differences of bacterial composition rather than diversity in digestive glands between the oysters fed with diatom dominant diet (Group N, mainly made up of Nitzschia closterium f.minutissima) and dinoflagellate dominant diet (Group P, mainly made up of Prorocentrum micans). The abundances of Prevotella, Vibronaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Polaribacter were significantly higher in Group N (p < 0.05), and the abundances of Streptophyta and Acidimicrobiales were significantly higher in Group P (p < 0.05). According to the functional prediction results, the bacterial community in Group P displayed weaker capacities of Kdo2-lipid A biosynthesis as well as taurine degradation, and a stronger capacity of glycolysis compared with the bacterial community in Group N. The higher phylogenetic clustering degree of the bacterial community in Group P (p < 0.05) indicated the higher host selectivity on bacteria. These results suggested that the change of phytoplankton composition of diet would have large effects on bacterial communities in oyster digestive glands. The bacterial community in digestive glands of oysters living in dinoflagellate dominant waters would produce harmful impact to hosts. The present study provided a new perspective to explore the potential mechanism for the massive mortalities of oysters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Recent studies have focused on initial clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is the mainly revealing situation in Wuhan, Hubei. Aim This study aims to reveal more data on the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients outside of Wuhan, Zhejiang, China. Design This study was a retrospective case series. Methods Eighty-eight cases of laboratory-confirmed and three cases of clinically confirmed COVID-19 were admitted to five hospitals in Zhejiang province, China. Data were collected from 20 January 2020 to 11 February 2020. Results and discussion Of all 91 patients, 88 (96.70%) were laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 with throat swab samples that tested positive for SARS-Cov-2, three (3.30%) cases were clinically diagnosed. The median age of the patients was 50 (36.5–57) years, and female accounted for 59.34%. In this sample, 40 (43.96%) patients had contracted the disease from local cases, 31 (34.07%) patients had been to Wuhan/Hubei, eight (8.79%) patients had contacted with people from Wuhan, and 11 (12.09%) patients were diagnosed after having flown together in the same flight with no passenger that could later be identified as the source of infection. In particular within the city of Ningbo, 60.52% cases can be traced back to an event held in a temple. The most common symptoms were fever (71.43%), cough (60.44%) and fatigue (43.96%). The median of incubation period was 6 (interquartile range 3–8) days and the median time from the first visit to a doctor to the confirmed diagnosis was 1 (1–2) days. According to the chest computed tomography scans, 67.03% cases had bilateral pneumonia. Conclusions Social activity cluster, family cluster and flying alongside with persons already infected with COVID-19 were how people got infected with COVID-19 in Zhejiang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digestive glands of marine molluscs are colonized by a large number of microorganisms, and the structure and function of bacterial community could be severely affected by diets. Microalgae is the main food and energy sources for bivalves, while the impact of phytoplankton composition on the bacterial community as well as the health of bivalves are still not well understood. In the present study, the bacterial communities in digestive glands of oyster Crassostrea gigas fed with different diets were compared based on the high-throughput sequencing of partial 16S rRNA gene. There were significant differences of bacterial composition rather than diversity in digestive glands between the oysters fed with diatom dominant diet (Group N, mainly made up of Nitzschia closterium f.minutissima) and dinoflagellate dominant diet (Group P, mainly made up of Prorocentrum micans). The abundances of Prevotella, Vibronaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Polaribacter were significantly higher in Group N (p < 0.05), and the abundances of Streptophyta and Acidimicrobiales were significantly higher in Group P (p < 0.05). According to the functional prediction results, the bacterial community in Group P displayed weaker capacities of Kdo2-lipid A biosynthesis as well as taurine degradation, and a stronger capacity of glycolysis compared with the bacterial community in Group N. The higher phylogenetic clustering degree of the bacterial community in Group P (p < 0.05) indicated the higher host selectivity on bacteria. These results suggested that the change of phytoplankton composition of diet would have large effects on bacterial communities in oyster digestive glands. The bacterial community in digestive glands of oysters living in dinoflagellate dominant waters would produce harmful impact to hosts. The present study provided a new perspective to explore the potential mechanism for the massive mortalities of oysters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-impact polystyrene is a widely-used construction material due to its superior comprehensive performance, but its susceptibility to fire can lead to the production of toxic and harmful gases. To address this issue, a novel, environmentally-friendly microencapsulated nitrogen‑phosphorus‑silicon flame retardant for high-impact polystyrene was prepared in this study. SiO 2 , produced by the hydrolysis condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate, was used as the wall material, while melamine cyanurate was used as the core material. The microencapsulated nitrogen‑phosphorus‑silicon flame retardant was compounded with high-impact polystyrene and aluminum hypophosphite, and the composites were evaluated for their performance in terms of fire behavior, thermal stability, and morphology of the resulting carbon residues. When melamine cyanurate@SiO 2 and aluminum hypophosphite were added in a 1:4 ratio, the UL-94 rating of L5 reached V -0, and the LOI value increased to 27.0%. The conical calorimeter test results showed that the peak heat release rate of the L5 composite decreased by 78.7% compared to pure HIPS, and the corresponding total heat release rate decreased by 45.7%. Thermogravimetric analysis results illustrated that the amount of carbon residue increased significantly, from 2.46% to 22.26% of pure high-impact polystyrene. These findings indicate that the prepared microencapsulated nitrogen‑phosphorus‑silicon flame retardant is multifunctional, highly efficient, and can be applied to high-impact polystyrene. [Display omitted] • The first microencapsulated N-P-Si flame retardant was proposed and added into HIPS. • The LOI of composite HIPS was improved to 27% and UL-94 reached V-0. • The PHRR of the HIPS composite was decreased by 78.7% compared to pure HIPS. • Microencapsulated N-P-Si is added in small amounts and has good thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pursuing efficient and low-cost catalysts for the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is imperative for the large-scale deployment of promising electrochemical technologies such as water splitting and CO 2 electrochemical reduction. The earth-abundant perovskite catalysts based on LaNiO 3-δ show promise in OER catalysis because of their relatively low cost and their optimal electronic structure but suffer from low electrode-area normalized activity. In this work, we partially substituted La with Sr and Ni with Fe to enable a remarkably high OER activity with an ultra-low overpotential of 374 ± 3 mV vs RHE at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 normalized by electrode geometric area. This performance even surpasses the performance of benchmark RuO 2. Our results show that Sr could promote OER-active sites including Ni(III), O2− 2 /O−, and optimal Ni/Fe ratios, which significantly improve the surface intrinsic activity at the perovskite surface. Therefore, this work not only developed a highly efficient earth-abundant catalyst towards OER, but also demonstrated the effective modulation of catalyst surface interactions through A-site doping for perovskite oxides for key applications such as water splitting, CO 2 electrochemical reduction and N 2 electrochemical fixations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Possessing the advantages of both polymeric membranes and the specific inorganic nanoparticles or nanotubes, mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) have captured the imagination of researchers for a possible technological breakthrough for efficient gas separation. However, it is still very challenging to achieve defect-free interface between fillers and polymer matrix. In this study, the naturally abundant and low cost halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were applied as fillers for MMMs synthesis. To improve the filler dispersion and filler-matrix interface affinity, the raw HNTs were modified by either alkali etching or (3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane grafting. After surface etching, the defect holes were formed on the surfaces of etched-HNTs, resulting in the rougher HNT walls and significant increment of surface area and CO 2 adsorption capacity. The filler/polymer interfacial voids and filler dispersion were quantitatively assessed by tomographic focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy. HNTs surface etching significantly improved the HNTs/polymer interfacial affinity (void% = 0.06% for Raw-HNTs MMM, 0.02% for Etched HNTs MMMs) and filler dispersion, while grafted-HNTs mainly contribute to the filler dispersion. Compared to the pure polymer membrane and MMMs with untreated HNTs, MMMs containing 10 wt.% etched HNTs filler exhibited both increased CO 2 permeability (807.7 Barrer) and higher CO 2 selectivity (CO 2 /CH 4 selectivity of 27.8) on the well-known limit of Robeson upper bound. In contrast, grafting HNTs only increased the membrane permeability without enhancing CO 2 selectivity. The results suggest that surface etching can be an effective route in filler modification to improve interfacial morphology and membrane separation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]