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Ryanodane diterpenes are structurally complex natural products that are well‐known for their high degree of oxidation and the challenges associated with synthesizing them within the terpene class. Herein, we present a two‐stage synthetic strategy that draws inspiration from the broad biosynthesis of terpenes, allowing us to achieve the first chemical synthesis of garajonone, a ryanodane diterpenoid that occurs naturally at low abundance, as well as its epimer, 3‐epi‐garajonone. The key to this success lies in the rapid construction of the carbon framework of the target molecule by employing an early‐stage palladium‐catalyzed Heck/carbonylative esterification cascade annulation, followed by successive late‐stage selective redox manipulation to establish the desired oxidation state of the molecule. This research not only showcases the synthesis of garajonone and its epimer but also provides a platform for the chemical synthesis of other members and analogs of this complex diterpenoid family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal protective equipment (PPE) has attracted more attention since the outbreak of the epidemic in 2019. Advanced nano techniques, such as electrospinning, can provide new routes for developing novel PPE. However, electrospun antibacterial PPE is not easily obtained. Fibers loaded with photosensitizers prepared using single-fluid electrospinning have a relatively low utilization rate due to the influence of embedding and their inadequate mechanical properties. For this study, monolithic nanofibers and core–shell nanofibers were prepared and compared. Monolithic F1 fibers comprising polyethylene oxide (PEO), poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) (PVA-co-PE), and the photo-antibacterial agent vitamin K3 (VK3) were created using a single-fluid blending process. Core–shell F2 nanofibers were prepared using coaxial electrospinning, in which the extensible material PEO was set as the core section, and a composite consisting of PEO, PVA-co-PE, and VK3 was set as the shell section. Both F1 and F2 fibers with the designed structural properties had an average diameter of approximately 1.0 μm, as determined using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. VK3 was amorphously dispersed within the polymeric matrices of F1 and F2 fibers in a compatible manner, as revealed using X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Monolithic F1 fibers had a higher tensile strength of 2.917 ± 0.091 MPa, whereas the core–shell F2 fibers had a longer elongation with a break rate of 194.567 ± 0.091%. Photoreaction tests showed that, with their adjustment, core–shell F2 nanofibers could produce 0.222 μmol/L ·OH upon illumination. F2 fibers had slightly better antibacterial performance than F1 fibers, with inhibition zones of 1.361 ± 0.012 cm and 1.296 ± 0.022 cm for E. coli and S. aureus, respectively, but with less VK3. The intentional tailoring of the components and compositions of the core–shell nanostructures can improve the process–structure–performance relationship of electrospun nanofibers for potential sunlight-activated antibacterial PPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas many different models exist in mathematics and physics for the ground states of non-relativistic crystals, the relativistic case has been much less studied, and we are not aware of any mathematical result on a fully relativistic treatment of crystals. In this paper, we introduce a mean-field relativistic energy for crystals in terms of periodic density matrices. This model is inspired both from a recent definition of the Dirac–Fock ground state for atoms and molecules, due to one of us, and from the non-relativistic Hartree–Fock model for crystals. We prove the existence of a ground state when the number of electrons per cell is not too large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the mechanical properties of polypropylene random copolymer (PPR), polystyrene (PS) with four different contents were added to the PPR matrix through melt blending. Subsequently, using the Multi-Flow Vibration Injection Molding (MFVIM) technology, PPR/PS in situ microfiber composites (MFC) with different blending ratios were prepared. The results indicated that blending ratio had a great impact on the phase morphology and crystal structure of MFVIM samples, which was different from those of conventional injection molding (CIM) samples. PS ultrafine fibers could be formed under the shear field and could absorb the PPR molecular chains to form hybrid shish-kebab structures. Meanwhile, the PPR matrix could also form shish-kebab structures under the effect of strong shear. When the PS content reached 20%, under the combined action of PS in situ microfibers and highly oriented crystal structure, the tensile strength and Young's modulus of the sample were obviously improved and the impact strength remained at a relatively high level. So a strong and tough balanced PPR based material was obtained. These results provide valuable insights for expanding the industrial and daily-life applications of PPR and show promising development prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yellow River Plain (YRP), being regarded as the cradle of Chinese civilization, is traditionally thought to be the locale of the Great Flood, a hazardous flood (or floods) tamed by Yu who started China's first "dynasty", Xia, in ~ 2000 BC. However, by integrating published archaeological data, we propose that the Great Flood in fact impacted the Jianghan Plain (JHP) along the middle course of the Yangtze River. The arguments include: (1) around the era of the Great Flood, the most civilized and populated society in East Asia, named the Jianghan society, was located around the JHP (at that time, the habitation on the YRP remained limited); (2) the Jianghan society lived on river resources (shipping and rice growing) and was thus subject to flood risks (but not for the people inhabiting the YRP); (3) the people in the Jianghan society were experienced in dredging moats/ditches for shipping and irrigation; (4) unlike the floods on the YRP that were characterized by dynamic sedimentation and channel avulsion, those on the JHP typically occurred with slow-moving water manageable to ancient people; (5) the JHP has been associated with lake/wetland systems serving as detention basins during floods. Here, the recorded method for controlling the Great Flood, dredging channels to divert flood water to a "sea", was feasible. Known speleothem paleo-rainfall data from multiple sites show that the climate of the JHP had been wet since the middle Holocene (earlier than the era of the Great Flood) and significantly turned dry after ~ 1850 BC (~ 150 years later than the Great Flood). Thus, the uniqueness of the Great Flood was likely to reflect an increase in land use on the JHP with the expansion of the Jianghan society, and the success in taming this flood was mainly due to the efforts of the society, not by luck. Key points: Floods on the Jianghan Plain were predictable and manageable in ancient times. The most populated society in East Asia was located around the Jianghan Plain. The people in the Jianghan society were experienced in dredging moats/ditches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yellow River Plain (YRP), being regarded as the cradle of Chinese civilization, is traditionally thought to be the locale of the Great Flood, a hazardous flood (or floods) tamed by Yu who started China's first "dynasty", Xia, in ~ 2000 BC. However, by integrating published archaeological data, we propose that the Great Flood in fact impacted the Jianghan Plain (JHP) along the middle course of the Yangtze River. The arguments include: (1) around the era of the Great Flood, the most civilized and populated society in East Asia, named the Jianghan society, was located around the JHP (at that time, the habitation on the YRP remained limited); (2) the Jianghan society lived on river resources (shipping and rice growing) and was thus subject to flood risks (but not for the people inhabiting the YRP); (3) the people in the Jianghan society were experienced in dredging moats/ditches for shipping and irrigation; (4) unlike the floods on the YRP that were characterized by dynamic sedimentation and channel avulsion, those on the JHP typically occurred with slow-moving water manageable to ancient people; (5) the JHP has been associated with lake/wetland systems serving as detention basins during floods. Here, the recorded method for controlling the Great Flood, dredging channels to divert flood water to a "sea", was feasible. Known speleothem paleo-rainfall data from multiple sites show that the climate of the JHP had been wet since the middle Holocene (earlier than the era of the Great Flood) and significantly turned dry after ~ 1850 BC (~ 150 years later than the Great Flood). Thus, the uniqueness of the Great Flood was likely to reflect an increase in land use on the JHP with the expansion of the Jianghan society, and the success in taming this flood was mainly due to the efforts of the society, not by luck. Key points: Floods on the Jianghan Plain were predictable and manageable in ancient times. The most populated society in East Asia was located around the Jianghan Plain. The people in the Jianghan society were experienced in dredging moats/ditches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, relaxation linear regression has received increasing attention in image analysis. However, the current relaxation linear regression methods fail to consider the local geometrical structure and spatial information while they are applied for hyperspectral image (HSI) classification. To address the above problems, this letter proposes a novel relaxation linear regression with spectral–spatial constrained locality adaptive regularization (SSLA‐RLR) method for HSI classification. The SSLA‐RLR method not only integrates the locality adaptive graph with relaxation linear regression to adaptively exploit the local geometrical structure for relieving the side effects of noise corruptions, but also takes the spatial correlations between each data point and its neighbours into consideration via spectral–spatial constraint. Finally, extensive experiments are conducted on three benchmark HSI datasets to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we prove a new mixed regularity of Coulombic wavefunction taking into account the Pauli exclusion principle. We also study the hyperbolic cross space approximation of eigenfunctions associated with this new regularity, and deduce the corresponding error estimates in L2-norm and H1-semi-norm. The proofs are based on the study of extended Hardy-type inequalities for Coulomb-type potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) has superior characteristics over traditional steel, such as lightweight, high strength, corrosion resistance and high durability. GFRP bars can be a useful alternative to steel bars in structures, specifically those in highly corrosive environments, as well as structures subjected to high compressive pressure such as bridge foundations. Digital image correlation (DIC) technology is used to analyze the strain evolution of GFRP bars under compression. It can be seen from using DIC technology that the surface strain of GFRP reinforcement is uniformly distributed and increases approximately linearly, and brittle splitting failure of GFRP bars happens due to locally occurring high strain at the failure stage. Moreover, there are limited studies on the use of distribution functions to describe the compressive strength and elastic modulus of GFRP. In this paper, Weibull distribution and gamma distribution are used to fit the compressive strength and compressive elastic modulus of GFRP bars. The average compressive strength is 667.05 MPa and follows Weibull distribution. Moreover, the average compressive elastic modulus is 47.51 GPa and follows gamma distribution. In order to verify that GFRP bars still have certain strength under compressive conditions, this paper provides a parameter reference for their large-scale application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Palaeo-Mesozoic geodynamic evolution of the Tangjia–Sumdo accretionary complex belt, which separates the North and South Lhasa Terrane, remains controversial. Moreover, the lack of geological records restricts the understanding of the evolution of the Sumdo Palaeo-Tethys Ocean from the middle Permian until the middle Triassic. Here we present zircon U–Pb geochronology, whole-rock geochemistry and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions of the Yeqing gabbro. Zircon U–Pb geochronology yields ages from 254 ± 1 to 249 ± 1 Ma. In situ Hf isotopic analyses yield ϵ Hf(t) values of −0.2 to +6.3. These samples have high TiO2 (3.69 wt %) and P2O5 (0.78 wt %) contents, with typical patterns like ocean island basalt (OIB). Besides, they are classified as high-Nb basalts (HNBs) based on the high content of Nb (45.3–113.5 ppm). Whole-rock Sr–Nd isotopic compositions are similar to OIB, with initial 87Sr/86Sr of 0.7047–0.7054, 143Nd/144Nd of 0.512526–0.512647 and ϵ Nd(t) of 0.3–2.7. These signatures suggest that the Yeqing gabbro is mainly derived from low-degree melting of the garnet lherzolite mantle. Based on field observations of HNBs intruding into the continental margin and their geochemical characteristics, we infer that the Yeqing gabbro was generated in a subduction environment. Combined with the regional geology of the subduction environment and the evolution of oceanic islands in the Sumdo Palaeo-Tethys Ocean, we propose that the Yeqing gabbro may represent a product of the asthenosphere upwelling through a slab window produced by subduction of seismic ridge in the Sumdo Palaeo-Tethys Ocean, called plume – subduction-zone interaction, during the late Permian to early Triassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yellow River Plain (YRP), being regarded as the cradle of Chinese civilization, is traditionally thought to be the locale of the Great Flood, a hazardous flood (or floods) tamed by Yu who started China's first "dynasty", Xia, in ~ 2000 BC. However, by integrating published archaeological data, we propose that the Great Flood in fact impacted the Jianghan Plain (JHP) along the middle course of the Yangtze River. The arguments include: (1) around the era of the Great Flood, the most civilized and populated society in East Asia, named the Jianghan society, was located around the JHP (at that time, the habitation on the YRP remained limited); (2) the Jianghan society lived on river resources (shipping and rice growing) and was thus subject to flood risks (but not for the people inhabiting the YRP); (3) the people in the Jianghan society were experienced in dredging moats/ditches for shipping and irrigation; (4) unlike the floods on the YRP that were characterized by dynamic sedimentation and channel avulsion, those on the JHP typically occurred with slow-moving water manageable to ancient people; (5) the JHP has been associated with lake/wetland systems serving as detention basins during floods. Here, the recorded method for controlling the Great Flood, dredging channels to divert flood water to a "sea", was feasible. Known speleothem paleorainfall data from multiple sites show that the climate of the JHP had been wet since the middle Holocene (earlier than the era of the Great Flood) and significantly turned dry after ~ 1850 BC (~ 150 years later than the Great Flood). Thus, the uniqueness of the Great Flood was likely to reflect an increase in land use on the JHP with the expansion of the Jianghan society, and the success in taming this flood was mainly due to the efforts of the society, not by luck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug repositioning is a very important task that provides critical information for exploring the potential efficacy of drugs. Yet developing computational models that can effectively predict drug–disease associations (DDAs) is still a challenging task. Previous studies suggest that the accuracy of DDA prediction can be improved by integrating different types of biological features. But how to conduct an effective integration remains a challenging problem for accurately discovering new indications for approved drugs. Methods: In this paper, we propose a novel meta-path based graph representation learning model, namely RLFDDA, to predict potential DDAs on heterogeneous biological networks. RLFDDA first calculates drug–drug similarities and disease–disease similarities as the intrinsic biological features of drugs and diseases. A heterogeneous network is then constructed by integrating DDAs, disease–protein associations and drug–protein associations. With such a network, RLFDDA adopts a meta-path random walk model to learn the latent representations of drugs and diseases, which are concatenated to construct joint representations of drug–disease associations. As the last step, we employ the random forest classifier to predict potential DDAs with their joint representations. Results: To demonstrate the effectiveness of RLFDDA, we have conducted a series of experiments on two benchmark datasets by following a ten-fold cross-validation scheme. The results show that RLFDDA yields the best performance in terms of AUC and F1-score when compared with several state-of-the-art DDAs prediction models. We have also conducted a case study on two common diseases, i.e., paclitaxel and lung tumors, and found that 7 out of top-10 diseases and 8 out of top-10 drugs have already been validated for paclitaxel and lung tumors respectively with literature evidence. Hence, the promising performance of RLFDDA may provide a new perspective for novel DDAs discovery over heterogeneous networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focused on investigating the impact of rare earth element Gd content on both the microstructure and mechanical properties of FeCrNiCuTi 0.4 Gd x (x = 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1, 0.12, and 0.15, in mole ratio) high-entropy alloys, as well as elucidating the underlying mechanisms involved. The microstructure analysis revealed that the alloy exhibited a diphase structure consisting of FCC and BCC phases at low Gd content, and precipitation of the Cu 5 Gd phase occurred alongside the FCC and BCC phases at x = 0.05. The phase evolution of the current alloy system was assessed using the Ω - δ, △χ, and VEC (valence electron concentration) criteria. The mechanical properties indicated that the Vickers hardness increased with the increase of Gd content. Additionally, the compressive strength, yield strength, and plastic strain exhibit an initial increase followed by a decrease, while the average friction coefficient and wear demonstrated an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease. The fracture mechanism shifted from plastic fracture to ductile fracture, ultimately transitioning to dissociative fracture with ductile fracture as the predominant mode. Similarly, the wear mechanism progressed from abrasive wear to a combination of abrasive wear with oxidation wear. The strengthening mechanisms of the present alloys included solid solution strengthening, fine crystal strengthening, and second-phase strengthening. • Rare earth element Gd was doped in FeCrNiCuTi 0.4 HEA. • Doping Gd improved the hardness, strength, and wear resistance of the HEAs. • The mechanisms included solid solution, fine crystal and second-phase strengthening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The break-up processes of the northern margin of East Gondwana remain uncertain, especially regarding the Lhasa Terrane. In this paper, we conduct a systematic field geological survey, detrital zircon U Pb dating, and zircon trace element and Hf isotope analyses in the Carboniferous rift basin in the eastern part of the Lhasa Terrane, including the Nuocuo and Laigu Formations, to reconstruct the break-up history of East Gondwana. The overall Carboniferous depositional environment in the eastern part of the Lhasa Terrane changed from near-shore and shallow marine to slope and moderately deep sea facies, reflecting a transgression. The weighted average age of several of the youngest detrital zircons from the Nuocuo Formation is 346.8 ± 6.4 Ma (4 grains), whereas that of the Laigu Formation is 328.7 ± 6.1 Ma (6 grains). The detrital zircon ages in the Carboniferous strata show similar distributions, dominated by zircons from the Indian continent (∼950 Ma), Australian continent (∼1170 Ma), and Lhasa Terrane (∼340 Ma). The paleogeographic position of the Lhasa Terrane was near the Indian and Australian continents during the Carboniferous. The increase of the ∼340 Ma detrital zircon age peak from the Mississippian to the Pennsylvanian demonstrated that the rift basin recorded a Mississippian magmatic event. The ε Hf (t) and oxygen fugacity values of partial zircons of ∼340 Ma are similar to those of zircons from intraplate magmatic rocks, further implying the intracontinental rifting in the Lhasa Terrane. Combined with the previous research on magmatic rocks in East Gondwana, including the Lhasa, South Qiangtang, and Himalayan Terranes, our study on sedimentation found that the Lhasa Terrane was in a passive continental margin rifting context during the Mississippian and the rift gradually expanded to become the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys Ocean basin. [Display omitted] • Carboniferous strata in eastern part of the Lhasa terrane are transgressive sequence. • These strata record the Carboniferous magmatism in the Lhasa terrane. • Carboniferous detrital zircons may mainly originate from intraplate magmatism. • The Lhasa terrane broke up and the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys Ocean opened in ∼340 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) is one of the most widely used lumbar interbody fusion procedures in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to minimize the incidence rate of surgical complications by measuring the anatomical parameters of structures surrounding the working channels of OLIF with 3D COSMIC sequence. Methods: The MRI examination included conventional MRI sequence and 3D COSMIC sequence. Surgical window, psoas thickness, the transverse diameter of the endplate, and nerve distance were measured to evaluate the anatomical characteristics surrounding the OLIF working channels. Results: The widths of the natural surgical window at the level of the L2–3, L3–4, and L4–5 intervertebral measured in this study were 16.25 ± 4.22, 15.46 ± 4.64 mm, and 11.71 ± 6.29 mm, respectively. The average thickness of the left psoas major muscle at the level of L2–3, L3–4, and L4–5 intervertebral space was 28.42 ± 5.08 mm, 30.76 ± 5.84 mm, and 31.16 ± 7.72 mm, respectively. The mean value of insertion angle (β) was 45.57° ± 6.19° in L2–3 intervertebral space, 49.90° ± 6.53° in L3–4 intervertebral space, and 43.34° ± 8.88° in L4–5 intervertebral space. Conclusions: The 3D COSMIC sequences can be used for imaging anatomical assessment before OLIF surgery. In preoperative planning, the 3D COSMIC sequence can be used to measure the relevant parameters mentioned above to optimize the planned surgical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of rare earth elements (REEs) can effectively modify the microstructure of alloy and improve the properties. The effects of doping REEs in equiatomic CrMnFeCoNi high entropy alloys were investigated. Doping with REEs led to the formation of a few new phases enriched in the interdendritic regions and reduced the grain size. Doping REEs significantly improved the hardness and wear resistance of the alloy, and the Sm-doped alloy showed the most notable enhancement with the hardness value, the average friction coefficient and wear rate of HV 347.9, 0.28 and 0.91 × 10−6 mm3 N−1 m−1, respectively. The mechanical properties of the alloy were improved by the second phase strengthening and grain refinement and the wear mechanism was typical abrasive wear. However, the electrochemical properties indicated that doping with REEs weakened the corrosion resistance of the alloys; Pr- and La-doped alloys altered the corrosion behaviors on the alloy surfaces. The self-corrosion current density and potential of CrMnFeCoNiSm 0.2 alloy were 2.94 × 10−6 A cm−2 and -0.46 V, respectively. This research plays a guiding role to study in REEs doping in HEA, meanwhile is of great significance in promoting the industrial application of HEA. • CrMnFeCoNi alloy doping with rare earth elements form intermetallic phases. • The second phase strengthening and grain refinement improve mechanical properties. • Doping rare earth elements improve hardness and wear resistance of CrMnFeCoNi alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to traditional lead-remediating materials, natural-occurring paleosol is ubiquitous and could be a promising alternative due to its rich content in calcite, a substance known for its lead-removal ability via carbonate dissolution-PbCO 3 precipitation process. Yet, the capability of paleosol to remediate aqueous solutions polluted with heavy metals, lead included, has rarely been assessed. To fill this gap, a series of column permeation experiments with influent Pb2+ concentrations of 2000, 200, and 20 mg/L were conducted and monitored by the spectral induced polarization technique. Meanwhile, the SEM-EDS, XRD, XPS, FTIR and MIP tests were carried out to unveil the underlying remediation mechanisms. The Pb-retention capacity of paleosol was 1.03 mmol/g. The increasing abundance of Pb in the newly-formed crystals was confirmed to be PbCO 3 by XRD, SEM-EDS and XPS. Concurrently, after Pb2+ permeation, the decreasing calcite content in paleosol sample from XRD test, and the appearance of Ca2+ in the effluent confirmed that the dissolution of CaCO 3 followed by the precipitation of PbCO 3 was the major mechanism. The accumulated Pb (i.e., the diminished Ca) in paleosol was inversely proportional (R2 >0.82) to the normalized chargeability (m n), an SIP parameter denoting the quantity of polarizable units (primarily calcite). [Display omitted] • Introduced paleosol for effective Pb2+ remediation. • Employed SIP for real-time, non-intrusive monitoring. • Revealed dissolution of CaCO 3 and PbCO 3 precipitation as key mechanisms. • Demonstrated significant SIP correlation with Pb2+ adsorption. • Highlighted SIP's potential in environmental remediation monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of modern military and civil aviation and navigation, the research on the impact load characteristics of water has an important engineering application background. To further study the calculation of water–air interface load characteristics, a load calculation formula on the basis of test data is proposed, and the influence of water entry curvature on load characteristics are analyzed. In this paper, five models with similar shapes and different sizes are tested under different water entry speed conditions. The parameter of impact acceleration is measured in the test, and the test data are processed and analyzed. A simple method for calculating water entry impact load is proposed. Under the conditions of water entry speed 10, 13 and 16 m/s, the maximum error between the calculated value and the experimental value is 4.99, 6.72 and 8.49% respectively. In addition, the critical value of the influence of the curvature on the water entry impact load is obtained. When the curvature reaches 20 m−1, the change in the water entry impact load is significantly reduced with the change of curvature. The conclusions in this paper have certain reference value for the further study of the water entry impact load characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review the archaeological, chronological, and biological data from multiple karst caves in southern China that date to the late-Paleolithic to early-Neolithic transition. Our review shows that the radiocarbon dates, although having a large quantity, do not align with the known cultural sequences correlated among the cave sites (based on the degree of sophistication of artefact manufacturing) and they conflict with the corresponding paleoclimatic conditions revealed by the biological data. Most of these radiocarbon dates are older than expected, and their samples probably incorporate dead carbon through the reaction with groundwater. We argue that, when correlated with global paleoclimate records, the chronological framework provided by the biological datasets provides a more robust chronology than the available radiocarbon dates. Accordingly, all the Neolithic layers reviewed, with their plentiful biological remains of tropical/subtropical and aquatic/water-loving species, are likely to have been deposited in Holocene, and the Paleolithic cultural layers likely date to the Younger Dryas or the Bølling-Allerød. Our review suggests that the late-to-postglacial climate change helped initiate the development of Neolithic cultures in East Asia. We attribute this development to the growth of creeks/wetlands and their associated ecosystems (including the spreading of wild rice) during the period of climate warming and wetting, which greatly increased accessible food, water, and mud resources, providing opportunities for ancient peoples to recognize wild rice and to invent polishing stone tools and making pinched earthenware. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high‐involvement model of human resource management (HRM) is seen as offering major benefits to organisations, employees and societies through enhancing employee motivation, enabling people to reach more of their potential, and producing better quality and innovation. However, it would be a mistake to imagine that we can stimulate more of it by simply 'turning up the volume' on its virtues. In this article, we highlight what we have learnt about the model, including the contextual factors that enable and constrain its uptake. We also discuss the tensions that affect the quality and sustainability of particular implementations. These include the need to retain employee commitment when it is threatened by all‐too‐common periods of restructuring, the need to manage the relationship between greater involvement and work intensification, and the need to ensure a good match between the kinds of autonomy that employees value and the working arrangements that organisations need in complex, interdependent teamwork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Substantial evidence has demonstrated that tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are correlated with patient prognosis. The TIL-based immune score (IS) affects prognosis in various cancers, but its prognostic impact in gastric cancer (GC) patients treated with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy remains unclear. Methods. A total of 101 GC patients who received chemoradiotherapy after gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Immunohistochemistry staining for CD3+ and CD8+ T-cell counts in both tumor center (CT) and invasive margin (IM) regions was built into the IS. Patients were then divided into three groups based on their differential IS levels. The correlation between IS and clinical parameters was analyzed. The prognostic impact of IS and clinical parameters was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to compare the area under the curve (AUC) of IS with other clinical parameters. Nomograms for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) prediction were constructed based on the identified parameters. Results. Finally, 20 (19.8%), 57 (56.4%), and 24 (23.8%) GC patients were identified with low, intermediate, and high IS levels, respectively. GC patients with higher IS levels exhibited better DFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p < 0.001). IS was an independent prognostic factor for both DFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p < 0.001) in multivariate analysis. IS presented a better predictive ability than the traditional pathological tumor-node-metastasis (pTNM) staging system (AUC: 0.801 vs. 0.677 and 0.800 vs. 0.660, respectively) with respect to both DFS and OS. The C-index of the nomograms for DFS and OS prediction was 0.737 and 0.774, respectively. Conclusions. IS is a strong predictive factor for both DFS and OS in GC patients treated with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, which may complement the traditional pTNM staging system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient approaches toward the synthesis of quinazolines and dihydroisoquinolines have been developed through copper‐catalyzed aerobic oxidative dehydrogenation of N‐heterocycles. The dehydrogenation was achieved through copper‐catalyzed aerobic oxidative dehydrogenation and azodicarboxylate esters‐mediated dehydrogenation of amines. Azodicarboxylate esters could be regenerated from copper‐catalyzed dehydrogenation of corresponding hydrazodicarboxylate esters, which made this catalytic dehydrogenation process more efficient and reactive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adrenaline (AD) is important in information transmission through the human central nervous system. Considering the significant biochemical functions of AD, the development of electrochemical sensors capable of detecting AD levels in living organisms has attracted considerable interest. In this study, AD was detected using electrochemical sensors developed based on Au nanoparticles/ionic liquids/N‐ and P‐co‐doped carbon nanotubes‐modified carbon cloth (AuNPs/ILs/N,P‐MWCNTs/CC) electrodes. AuNPs/ILs/N,P‐MWCNTs/CC composites were prepared on carbon cloth (CC) substrates using ionic liquids (ILs), N‐ and P‐co‐doped multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (N,P‐MWCNTs), and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) as modified materials. The effects of pH and scanning speed were optimized and tested on the prepared composites. The results of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) experiments showed that the modified ILs, N,P‐MWCNTs, and AuNPs effectively improved the oxidation performance of AD. In addition, the linear range obtained from the DPV scans of the AuNPs/ILs/N,P‐MWCNTs/CC composite material was 30–505 μmol/L, with a detection limit of 0.31 μmol/L. The fabricated sensors have good sensitivity (6.9 μA·mM−1·cm−2) for AD of 30–505 μM. Therefore, the electrochemical sensing method based on the AuNPs/ILs/N,P‐MWCNTs/CC composite material is a promising and reliable AD detection technology that also exhibits good selectivity in the presence of interfering substances such as folic acid and ibuprofen. In practical applications, this material can help realize real‐time AD detection to determine whether athletes use doping and other illegal drugs before competitions and to perform synchronous detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Neuroinflammation contributes to the development and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study was to examine whether ultrasound (US) stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) could suppress the neuroinflammation in a chronic PD mouse model induced by 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Methods: A chronic PD mouse model was built by injections of 20mg/kg MPTP and 250 mg/kg probenecid at 3.5-day intervals for 5 weeks. Mice were randomized into control+sham, MPTP+sham and MPTP+STN+US group. For MPTP+STN+US group, ultrasound wave (3.8 MHz, 50% duty cycle, 1 kHz pulse repetition frequency, 30 min/day) was delivered to the STN the day after MPTP and probenecid injection (the early stage of PD progression). The rotarod test and pole test were performed to evaluate the behavioral changes after ultrasound treatment. Then, the activity of microglia and astrocyte were measured to evaluate the inflammation level in the brain. Results: Ultrasound stimulation improved the latency to falls in the rotarod test (p = 0.033) and decreased the climbing time in the pole test (p = 0.016) compared with MPTP+sham group. Moreover, ultrasound stimulation reduced the chronic inflammation response as shown in microglia (p = 0.007) and astrocyte (p = 0.032) activation. In addition, HE, Nissl and Tunel staining showed that no brain tissue injury was induced by US. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that ultrasound stimulation could suppress neuroinflammation in PD mice. Significance: Transcranial ultrasound neuromodulation offers a novel approach for Parkinson's disease intervention, potentially through its anti-neuroinflammation functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the impact of the Paleo-, Meso-, and Neo-Tethys Oceans, the Triassic evolution of the Lhasa Terrane is complex and remains debated. The little-known subduction of the oceanic lithosphere of the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys Ocean (SPTO) in the Triassic has especially constrained our understanding of the evolution of the Lhasa Terrane. We investigated the newly identified Triassic granite and metabasalt in the Sumdo area to detail new constraints regarding the Triassic subduction of the SPTO oceanic lithosphere and evolution of the Lhasa Terrane. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U Pb dating for granite and metabasalt yielded crystallization ages of 238.4–236.1 Ma. The granites were strongly peraluminous I-type granites with weakly fractional crystallization. High Nb contents (on average 51.91 ppm), low ε Hf (t) values (−19.7 to +2.8), and ε Nd (t) values (−2.86 to −2.2) suggest that the granites were likely generated by mixing of mantle melts and their induced melts of ancient crustal materials. Metabasalts were analogous to island arc tholeiite with negative Th, Nb, Ti, Zr, and Hf anomalies and positive ε Nd (t) values (+6.1 to +7.1), demonstrating that the magma was likely derived from the partial melting of the depleted mantle metasomatized by subduction fluids. Combined with Triassic magmatism in the Lhasa Terrane, we consider that a divergent double subduction of the SPTO oceanic lithosphere produced the Early Triassic to early Late Triassic magmatism (248–221 Ma) concentrating on both sides of the SPTO suture zone. The Middle Triassic granites and metabasalts in this study were formed in the continental and intra-oceanic arcs, respectively, of the SPTO. Subsequently, closure of the SPTO and collision between the central- and southern Lhasa Terrane might have triggered the subduction of the Indus–Yarlung Tsangbo oceanic lithosphere broadly generating the late Late Triassic magmatism (217–201 Ma) in the Lhasa Terrane. • Middle Triassic I-type granite and tholeiite occurred in the Central Lhasa Terrane. • Mixing of the mantle- and ancient crustal melts produced the I-type granite. • Partial melting of the depleted mantle metasomatized by fluids formed the tholeiite. • They were resulted in the subduction of the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys Oceanic lithosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous liquids (PLs) are a newly emerging type of porous materials with empty cavities and tailed functionalities, demonstrating great potential in gas capture. However, PLs used as fillers of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) are seldom reported till now. Herein, MMMs for CO2 selective separation were prepared by incorporating hollow silica PLs into Pebax‐1657 matrix. As expected, the liquid‐like property of PLs renders excellent filler dispersion. Besides, the hollow cavities construct fast permeation diffusion channels, reducing trans‐membrane permeation resistance. More importantly, CO2‐philic moieties of PLs lead to superior CO2 selective permeation. Therefore, the as‐prepared MMM exhibited a CO2 permeability up to 229.5 Barrer with a CO2/N2 selectivity up to 71.7 (241.9 % and 90.2 % increment than those of pure Pebex‐1657 membrane, respectively), surpassing the 2008 Robeson upper bound. Finally, molecular simulation was applied to verify the improved interaction between gas molecules and membrane by analyzing interaction parameters. Our work underlines the feasibility and importance of porous liquids to design advanced fillers in MMMs, which makes great promise for CO2 capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was comparing different lasers with conventional non-surgical treatment (CNT) for the management of peri-implantitis, regarding probing depth (PD), plaque index (PLI), clinical attachment level (CAL), and sulcus bleeding index (SBI). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on different lasers and CNT for peri-implantitis were searched. Pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed to analyze the PD, PLI, CAL, and SBI outcomes. The risk of bias, evidence quality, statistical heterogeneity, and ranking probability were also evaluated. Eleven studies were included in this study, involving three types of lasers. Diode + CNT had significantly superior efficacy to CNT alone, regarding PD reduction, while Er:YAG + CNT had significantly superior efficacy than CNT in terms of the PLI, CAL, and SBI. The highest probability of being most effective for PD was diode + CNT (49%), while Er:YAG + CNT had the highest probability of improving the PLI, CAL, and SBI (66%, 53%, and 79%, respectively). Diode + CNT was significantly superior for PD management in peri-implantitis compared with CNT alone, while Er:YAG + CNT significantly improved the PLI, CAL, and SBI. Therefore, Er:YAG + CNT might be recommended methods considered for management of peri-implantitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack of data on drug-related problems (DRPs) among elderly patients from surgical departments. The current study is aimed at identifying and categorizing types of DRPs and assessing the severities of the DRPs. Medication orders for hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years from six surgery departments were reviewed to determine DRPs over 6 months in a tertiary teaching hospital of Chongqing, China. DRPs were classified based on the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe classification V8.02. The severity ratings of the DRPs were assessed using the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention classification. A total of 53,231 medication orders from 1,707 elderly patients were reviewed, and 1,061 DRPs were identified. Treatment safety (44.9%) was the most common DRP type. Drug selection (43.1%) and dose selection (43.1%) were the major causes of DRPs. A total of 75.1% of the DRPs were classified into severity categories B to D (causing no or potential harm), and 24.9% were classified as categories E to H (causing actual harm). DRPs are common in hospitalized elderly surgical patients. Pharmacists should provide medication order reviews in this vulnerable patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supergravity-enhanced liquation method was proposed for enriching and separating impurities from scrap Al-Mg alloys and large-scale experiments were performed to realize the engineering possibility of purifying alloys with the merits of green, efficient, low cost and short process. • Supergravity-based method for purification of scrap Al-Mg alloys was proposed. • Higher gravity coefficient enhanced enrichment of impurities at the alloy bottom. • A larger experimental industrial scale centrifugal separation device was developed. • Supergravity technology was proved to be feasible for Al-Mg alloy purification. Supergravity technology is an efficient method for the separation of trace elements from Al-Mg alloys made of their scraps. This study investigated the enrichment and separation behavior of impurities from Al-Mg alloy using supergravity technology under various conditions. After supergravity enrichment, nonmetallic inclusions and precipitated intermetallic compounds were concentrated at the bottom of the samples, and the enrichment degree positively correlated with the gravity coefficient. High-purity Al-Mg alloys was obtained with efficient impurity removal from the alloy melt of the scraps by filtration in supergravity fields. Improving the gravity coefficient benefited the recoveries of the Al and Mg but had little influence on the purity of the obtained Al-Mg alloy. Although the recoveries of the Al and Mg increased slightly with increasing the separation temperature, the removal rates of the metallic impurities were relatively low at elevated temperatures. At the temperature of 500 °C, gravity coefficient of 600, and separation time of 1 min, 91.6% and 90.1% of Al and Mg were recovered, respectively. Their corresponding mass fractions in the filtered Al-Mg alloy were 99.2 wt%. An amplified experimental centrifugal separation apparatus was also designed for purifying the alloys on an engineering scale. The results indicate that supergravity technology is feasible on an industrial scale and that it can be potentially employed as a separation and purification process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the considerable potential of photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors, they have gained significant attention in the analysis of biological, environmental, and food markers. However, the limited charge mass transfer efficiency and rapid recombination of electron hole pairs have become obstacles in the development of PEC sensors. In this case, considering the unique advantages of carbon-based materials, they can be used as photosensitizers, supporting materials and conductive substrates and coupled with semiconductors to prepare composite materials, solving the above problems. In addition, there are many types of carbon materials, which can have semiconductor properties and form heterojunctions after coupling with semiconductors, effectively promoting the separation of electron hole pairs. Herein, we aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of reports on carbon-based PEC sensors by introducing their research and application status and discussing future development trends in this field. In particular, the types and performance improvement strategies of carbon-based electrodes and the working principles of carbon-based PEC sensors are explained. Furthermore, the applications of carbon-based photoelectric sensors in environmental monitoring, biomedicine, and food detection are highlighted. Finally, the current limitations in the research on carbon-based PEC sensors are emphasized and the need to enhance the sensitivity and selectivity through material modification, structural design, improved device performance, and other strategies are emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like endogenous proteins, recombinant foreign proteins produced in human cell lines also need post-translational modifications. However, high and long-term expression of a gene of interest (GOI) presents significant challenges for recombinant protein production in human cells. In this work, the effect of human matrix attachment region elements (MARs), including the β-globin MAR (gMAR), chicken lysozyme MAR (cMAR), and a combination of these two, on the stable expression of GOI was assessed in human HT-1080 cells. After transfection with vectors containing the MAR elements and eGFP , stably HT-1080 cell pools were obtained under selective pressure. eGFP protein expression was analyzed by flow cytometry, while transgene copy number and eGFP mRNA expression levels were determined with qPCR and qRT-PCR technology. We found that MARs could not enhance transfection efficiency, but gMAR could significantly increase eGFP expression in stable HT-1080 cell pools by approximately 2.69-fold. Moreover, gMAR could also increase eGFP expression stability during long-term culture. Lastly, we showed that the effect of the MARs on transgenes was related to the gene copy number. In summary, this study found that MARs could both enhance the transgene expression and stability in HT-1080 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse event reports submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were analyzed to map the safety profile of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). We conducted a disproportionality analysis of the adverse events (AEs) of EGFR-TKIs (gefitinib, erlotinib, afatinib, osimertinib) by data mining using the FDA adverse event reporting system (AERS) database, and by calculating the reporting odds ratios (ROR) with 95% confidence intervals. The FDA AERS database contained 27,123 EGFR-TKI-associated AERs within the reporting period from January 1, 2004 to March 31, 2018. Thirty-three preferred terms (PTs) were selected for analysis, and significant RORs were most commonly observed in the skin, nail, gastrointestinal tract, hepatic, eyes, and lungs. Unexpected adverse drug reactions were found in the "intestinal obstruction" and "hypokalaemia" in gefitinib and erlotinib, "hyponatraemia" in gefitinib, erlotinib and afatinib, "alopecia"in erlotinib, "hair growth abnormal" in afatinib, but not in "nausea" and "vomiting" listed on drug labels. The results of this study are consistent with clinical observation, suggesting the usefulness of pharmacovigilance research should be corroborated with the real-world FAERS data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic tweezers hold great promise for potential applications in cell sorting due to their noncontact, noninvasive, and simple characteristics. Acoustic tweezers, however, have difficulty in separating the cells of the same size distribution, which hampers their applications. In this paper, we demonstrate that assisted by the targeted microbubble, two kinds of cells with an overlap in size distribution can be efficiently separated by surface acoustic waves. By specifically adhering the targeted microbubbles to MDA-MB-231 cells, the acoustic sensitivity of cells can be improved significantly, leading to the isolation of MDA-MB-231 from MCF-7 cells with an efficiency of 91.2 ± 3.4%. This method extends the diversity of acoustic separation and is capable of separation of particles with the same density and diameter, proving a strategy for specific cell sorting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of EPS recovered from waste sludge may have an impact on the process of microbial remediation of oil-contaminated seawater. This study investigated the effect of EPS on the self-remediation capacity of diesel-polluted seawater in Jiaozhou Bay. Hydrocarbon attenuation and microbial activity were monitored in seawater collected from five islands after diesel and N, P addition, with and without EPS, incubated under aerobic conditions. Compared to seawater without EPS, degradation of TPH (total petroleum hydrocarbon) doubled and improved degradation of non-volatile (C16–C24) hydrocarbons to some extent in EPS-added seawater. The introduction of EPS led to changes in microbiota richness and diversity, significantly stimulating the growth of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes phyla or Bacillus and Pseudomonas genera. RT-qPCR analysis indicated EPS caused higher increases in cytochrome P450 gene copies than alkB. Prediction of alkane decay genes from 16S rRNA sequencing data revealed that EPS addition obviously promoted genes related to ethanol dehydrogenation function in the microbial community. Additionally, EPS enhanced the enzymatic activities of alkane hydroxylase, ethanol dehydrogenase, phosphatase and lipase, but increased protease and catalase inconspicuously. The above outlook that environmental sustainability of EPS from waste sludge for diesel-contaminated seawater remediation may provide new perspectives for oil spill bioremediation. [Display omitted] • EPS improved degradation of nonvolatile (C16–C24) hydrocarbons to some extent. • EPS significantly stimulated the growth of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes phyla. • EPS caused higher increases in cytochrome P450 than alkB gene copies. • EPS obviously promoted genes related to ethanol dehydrogenation function. • EPS enhanced the enzymatic activity of most alkane-degrading enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaspartic acid (PASP) has been disclosed as a green and degradable antiscalant for inhibiting the calcium scale for >30 years. Although the chain length of PASP has been known as one of the key factors to influence the inhibition performance of both CaCO 3 and CaSO 4 scale, the very limited methods for the controllable synthesis of PASP make it hard to examine the core cause. Herein, a simple two-step method has been established for the synthesis of PASPs (PASP-1–PASP-6) with narrow dispersity (Ð) and controllable chain length (from 12 to 36). The static antiscaling experiments show that while PASP-4 with chain length of 24 has the best inhibition performance against CaCO 3 scale, PASP-1 with the chain length of 12 gives the best result against CaSO 4 scale. Furthermore, detailed scale-inhibition study shows that with the variation of chain length of PASP, the core cause for determining the antiscaling effect of CaCO 3 or CaSO 4 scale is different. While the antiscaling effect for CaCO 3 scale inhibition involves chelation, dispersion, lattice distortion, and threshold effect, the effect for CaSO 4 scale inhibition only includes chelation, dispersion and threshold effect. No lattice distortion effect was observed for the latter. This study not only proves the best chain length of PASP for CaCO 3 and CaSO 4 scale inhibition for the first time, but also is meaningful for guiding the design of other new green polymer-based antiscalants. • A method established for getting PASPs with narrow dispersity and controllable chain length • Chain length effect of PASPs for antiscaling of calcium scale • Antiscaling studies disclosed via several techniques • PASP with chain length of 24 has the best inhibition against CaCO 3 scale. • PASP with the chain length of 12 gives the best result against CaSO 4 scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A Cu2+-loaded surface charge-convertible coating was fabricated on implant. • Positively-charged coating can be easily transformed to an electro-neutral coating. • Coating showed a bactericidal effect through synergistic antimicrobial mechanisms. • Positively-charged coating exhibited a favorable cell adhesion and growth behavior. • Electro-neutral coating exhibited an inhibiting cell adhesion behavior. With rapid increase in implant surgeries, failure of implantation due to implant infection has increased. Although the problem of implant infections can be addressed by coating of implants with antibacterial materials, the fabrication of a versatile coating platform with high antibacterial performance, low toxicity, and tunable biofunctions for diverse implant applications, still remains a challenge. Herein, we report the fabrication of a biocompatible copper ion (Cu2+)-loaded surface charge-convertible antibacterial coating, which can transform from a positively-charged sterilized coating to an electro-neutral coating with anti-biofouling property by a facile acid trigger. First, a Cu2+ loaded positively-charged coating based on a copolymer with pendent carboxybetaine- tert -butyl ester groups was prepared on the surface of Ti implant. The positively-charged coating exhibited high and long-term in-vitro bactericidal effect through synergistic Cu ions-killing and contact-killing antimicrobial mechanisms. It also possessed, excellent cytocompatibility, favorable cell adhesion and growth behavior, promote osteogenesis, and was shown to reduce the inflammatory response and promote tissue healing in an in-vivo orthopedic implantation experiment. After acid treatment, the positively-charged coating was facilely transferred to an electro-neutral zwitterionic coating, which also exhibited high and long-term in-vitro bactericidal ability through synergistic Cu ions-killing and anti-biofouling antimicrobial mechanisms, and an inhibiting cell adhesion behavior. Therefore, this surface charge-convertible antibacterial coating may find applications for various implants, such as orthopedic implants and vascular catheters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After constant potential passivation (CPP), the effect of rare earth yttrium (Y) on the corrosion resistance of the passive film on the surface of FeCr 0.7 NiCu 0.5 Ti 0.5 alloy in H 2 SO 4 was investigated. The results manifested that when Y content exceeded 0.04, the microstructure of Ni 3 Ti transformed into Cu 5 Y phase, and gradually expanded with the addition of Y. XPS etching analysis of passive film composition with changing etching depth and cyclic polarization analysis of passive film pitting corrosion sensitivity are two methods used to assess the corrosion resistance of alloy. Compared with FeCr 0.7 NiCu 0.5 Ti 0.5 alloy and FeCr 0.7 NiCu 0.5 Ti 0.5 Y 0.06 alloy, the passivation current density after CPP reduced from 5.682 × 10−3 to 4.630 × 10−4 A/cm2. With the addition of Y, the protection and density of the passive film was enhanced, resulting in an improvement in the corrosion resistance of the alloy. The pitting corrosion behavior was related to the changes in inclusion content and morphology caused by Y, and rare earth was advantageous to boost the passivation capability of FeCr 0.7 NiCu 0.5 Ti 0.5 series alloy. • The novel FeCr x NiCu 0.5 Ti 0.5 Y x (x = 0–1.0) high-entropy alloys are designed. • The doped Y promotes the formation of HCP phase. • The addition of Y can improve the compactness of the passive film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel palladium-catalyzed regiocontrollable hydroarylation reaction of allenamides with B2pin2/H2O has been disclosed. H2O as an ideal hydrogen source was activated by B2pin2 to furnish allylamines or enamines with a broad functional group tolerance. The regioselectivity for both of the two products was up to 99 : 1 for most of the examples, which was achieved by adjusting the addition order of the catalyst and iodobenzene derivatives. The tentative investigation of the mechanism proved the reaction to be a non-radical process and the deuterium-labeled experiments indicated that the hydrogen was from H2O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Oil Contaminated Seawaters is treated by biological processes of sorption or degradation. Considering the chemotaxis of bacteria, they migrate towards a better way to survive. However, the information concerning the chemotactic biosorption of microorganism is severely limited thus far. Therefore, chemotactic biosorption a novel way of sorption was put forward. The equation was defined as: A chemotactic biosorption = A extracellular biosorption - A passive extracellular biosorption + E intracellular. Effects of controlling parameters like pollutant, fertilizer, sediments and surfactant on bacterial chemotactic sorption capacity of tetradecane, hexadecane, phenanthrene or pyrene were described in detail. The results showed bacterial chemotactic biosorption would be promoted under the conditions of low pollutant concentration, high sediment concentration and fertilizer. However, Tween 80 would promote the sorption of pollutants onto bacterial cells depending on the concentration of surfactant. Correlational analyses were conducted with the biodegradation rate and the concentration (mg/g) of hydrocarbons measured in the biomass. We concluded there existed great correlation between them. Biodegradation rate were all linearly correlated with the concentration (mg/g) of hydrocarbons measured in the biomass in all respects with tetradecane (R2 = 0.9873), hexadecane (R2 = 0.9705), phenanthrene (R2 = 0.9098) and pyrene (R2 = 0.9424). The above idea may provide a new insight into oil spill bioremediation from sorption to degradation. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Chemotactic biosorption a novel way of sorption was put forward. • Effects of controlling parameters on chemotactic adsorption were investigated. • Fertilizer, low pollutant and high sediment enhanced chemotactic biosorption. • Maximum of chemotactic sorption by Tween 80 was at critical micelle concentration. • Biodegradation rate was linearly correlated with chemotactic adsorption (mg/g). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • New coated carbon fibers matrix for microextraction of phytohormones in real samples. • A rapid and quantitative on-fiber derivatization of phytohormones was developed. • A pencil-type device was realized for phytohormone analysis. Abstract New coated carbon fibers (CCFs) have been synthesized, characterized and used as solid phase microextraction (SPME) matrix for the analysis of phytohormones (jasmonic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, and abscisic acid) in wheat samples. The SPME device, realized inserting CCFs in a pencil-type device, when coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, provides in few steps high recovery values (79–112%), fast on-fiber derivatization (30 s), good method reproducibility (RSD < 20%), low detection limits (0.5–2.1 ng g−1). The pencil-type CCFs-SPME device was successfully employed for the determination of phytohormone in wheat samples, allowing simple and quick extraction/derivatization/injection processes. The proposed device can be then considered as a promising and functional tool for fast and reliable extraction and preconcentration of analytes from real samples, allowing a simple derivatization procedure and direct injection in the chromatographic instrumentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Based on the different melting points of metals or alloys, alloys of Pb-Sn and Cu were selectively and gradually recovered from granulated printed circuit boards (PCBs) by pressure infiltration separation. Highlights • Cost-effective and environmental recovery are difficult via traditional methods. • Pressure separation provides highly efficient recovery of metals from PCBs. • Higher pressure and temperature improved Cu recovery. • The process achieves closed-loop, clean recycling of e-waste with high efficiency. Abstract In recent years, recovery of metals from electronic waste (e-waste) within China has become increasingly important due to potential supply risk of strategic raw material and environmental concerns. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) contain lots of valuable metals together with plenty of hazardous materials, which are considered both an attractive secondary resource and an environmental contaminant. Pressure filtration is an effective and environmentally friendly method for separating and recycling comminuted PCBs. Present work is focused on the recovery of metals from PCBs by low-pressure filtration separation. A two-stage separation process was adopted to selectively recover Pb-Sn and Cu alloys at different temperatures. The results showed that the temperature and pressure had great influence on the recovery of metals in the separation process. After the two-stage separation process, the total recoveries of Pb, Sn, Cu and Zn were 79.96%, 89.91%, 88.80% and 68.57% respectively, when the temperature is 1350 °C and the pressure is 0.30 MPa. This is a high-efficiency, short-flow, clean-production, and environmental-friendliness that can improve the recovery of metals and realize the reuse of waste resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel-titanium alloy (NiTi alloy) has recently received an increasing amount of attention. However, the release of toxic nickel ions and the threat of implant infections has limited its clinical applications. Thus, we report a promising copolymer coating with excellent nickel ion (Ni2+) inhibition release, cytocompatibility, and antimicrobial properties to solve these safety issues involving NiTi alloy implantation. Quaternized copolymers poly (7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin methacrylate-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PCHD-Q) with many hydroxyl and tertiary amine groups were first synthesized, self-assembled into nanoparticles, and then deposited on NiTi substrate through electrodeposition. After UV irradiation, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed that homogeneous, continuous, and dense coatings were obtained. The coatings showed good improvement of protective behavior for the NiTi alloy in an in vitro environment and could significantly decrease the release of Ni2+ through physical barriers and physical adsorption, which could obviously reduce cytotoxicity inducing by Ni2+. According to in vitro cell viability and antibacterial tests, the quaternized coating materials not only provided a relatively stable biointerface for cell adhesion, spreading and growth, but also obtained excellent antimicrobial activity for the bare NiTi alloy against S. aureus and E. coli. These results suggested that our coatings materials have the potential for improving the safety and success rate of NiTi-based implantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Precious metals in PCBs were an important secondary resource. • Supergravity separation provides efficient enrichment of precious metals from PCBs. • Precious metals were concentrated in the Cu alloy and the residue. • This process offers a new way of recycling precious metals from PCBs. Abstract Printed circuit boards (PCBs) comprise valuable metals, precious metals, and hazardous materials. Thus, they are considered both attractive secondary sources of metals and environmental pollutants. This study is based on the selective separation of Pb-Sn, Sn-Cu, and Cu-Zn alloys, where supergravity separation was used to concentrate precious metals (i.e., Ag, Au, and Pd) from PCBs in Cu-Zn alloy and final residue. The temperature and gravity coefficient were found to have great influence on the concentration of precious metals in said alloy and residue. At the optimized temperature of 1300 °C, gravity coefficient of 1000, and separation time of 5 min, the Ag, Au, and Pd contents in the Cu-Zn alloy increased by 1.65, 2.05, and 1.54 times, respectively, compared to their concentrations in the original PCBs, while those in the final residue increased by 0.63, 1.02, and 2.62 times, respectively. By combining an appropriate hydrometallurgical process with the present supergravity separation and concentration of precious metals, this clean and efficient process provides a new pathway to recycle valuable metals and prevent environmental pollution by PCBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Geomorphic studies on the Taiwan orogen have long focused on the rapid erosion and efficient sediment transport in response to active tectonic uplift and frequent earthquakes/heavy rains. Little attention has been paid to the common low-relief surfaces in high mountains that appear to have been geomorphically stable for a long period of time. We undertook a study on a group of such gentle surfaces in Alishan, which consist of poorly drained hummocky slopes averaging 15° and as wide as 2 km. These gentle slopes are underlain by mass-wasting gravels 60–100 m thick, from which 22 radiocarbon dates >50 to 40 ka BP in age were obtained. Below these thick colluvial deposits are ~20° bedrock bedding planes apparently exposed by dip-slope failures. Combining these data reveals alternating hillslope erosion and deposition, along with episodic river downcutting, at a time scale of several 104 yr. We relate this temporal change in geomorphic processes to glacial-interglacial climate change. During the wet inter-/post-glacial periods characterized by frequent heavy rains, landslides/debris flows prevailed and rivers were capable of conveying most sediment eroded from hillslopes. Frequent debris flows combined with sufficient bedload sediments serving as tools for fluvial erosion caused rapid river downcutting. In contrast, the low river erosion/transport capacity during the dry last-glacial period allowed progressive deposition of thick colluvium on the preexisting, gentle bedding surfaces probably eroded during the last interglacial period. This study shows how glacial-interglacial climate change influenced the river/hillslope processes and landscape evolution of the Taiwan orogen. Highlights • Low-relief surfaces in the 2000-m high Alishan mountain are studied. • The surfaces are underlain by thick mass-wasting gravels dated >50 to 40 ka BP. • The coupling between river incision and mass movements are demonstrated. • The controls of glacial climate on geomorphic processes in Taiwan are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Early Carboniferous clastic sediments in the North Lhasa Terrane was mainly from the Indian continent and partly from the Australian continent. • The North Lhasa Terrane may be located at the northern margin of the Indian- and Australian continent during the Early Carboniferous. • The reduction of Grenvillian detrital zircons in the Yongzhu Formation might be associated with the Early Carboniferous rifting process in the eastern Lhasa Block. The Lhasa Block was located at the northern margin of East Gondwana before it drifted away, but its exact paleogeographic location in the Late Paleozoic remains controversial. The Late Paleozoic strata in the Lhasa Block, especially the Lower Carboniferous, for which the rock assemblage and sedimentary age have been described but the in-depth research on provenance and tectonic environment are still lacking, may provide vital information about its paleogeographic location. This study presents a systematic field geological survey of the Lower Carboniferous Yongzhu Formation, along with U-Pb dating and Hf isotope analysis of detrital zircons. The detrital zircons U-Pb data revealed major age peaks at 530 and 980 Ma as well as several subordinate age peaks at 784, 890, 1160, 1514, 1690, 2480, and 2600 Ma. The Hf isotopes of the detrital zircons showed similarity with zircons from the Indian continent on the age peaks at 980 and 890 Ma and with those from the Australian continent on the age peaks at 1160 and 2600 Ma, which indicates mixed provenance for the Yongzhu Formation. From this study, we infer that the Lhasa Block might have been located at the northern margin of the Indian and Australian continents during the Early Carboniferous. The weaker age peak at 1160 Ma of the Lower Carboniferous compared to the Pre-Carboniferous and Upper Carboniferous-Lower Permian might be related to the opening of the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Supergravity strengthening removed impurities from simulated stripped copper wire. • The motion behaviors of impurities in stripped copper wire were investigated. • Supergravity enrichment and separation to remove impurities were proposed. • Gravity coefficient and temperature affected impurities removal and Cu recovery. Supergravity technology is an efficient method to remove trace impurities and recycle valuable components from secondary sources. This study investigated the enrichment and separation behaviors of impurities from simulated Cu alloys that based on the typical impurity compositions (such as Pb, Fe, Sn, Al, and inclusions) of waste stripped copper wire using supergravity technology. After supergravity enrichment, nonmetallic inclusions and Fe impurity were concentrated in the top of the sample, and the enrichment degree positively correlated with the gravity coefficient. The low-melting-point impurities in Cu alloys were separated by supergravity. Improving the gravity coefficient and temperature benefited the removal of Pb and Sn but had negative influence on the recovery of Cu. Ultimately, the removal rates of Fe, Sn, and Pb were 79.1%, 39.8%, and 74.4%, respectively, and the recovery of Cu was 91.2% under the optimal conditions. Based on these results, supergravity technology is feasible for purification of Cu alloy and achieves good application. It has provided theoretical foundation for recycling of high purity copper and also pointed out a green and efficient way for recycling waste stripped copper wire that can improve resource utilization and prevent environmental damage. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scavenger receptor class A, member 5 (SCARA5) has been identified a novel tumor suppressor in several cancers. However, the functional and underlying mechanism of SCARA5 in bladder cancer (BC) need investigation. Here, we found SCARA5 expression was downregulated in both BC tissues and cell lines. Low SCARA5 in BC tissues was associated with a shorter overall survival. Moreover, SCARA5 overexpression reduced BC cell viability, colony formation, invasion, and migration. Further investigation demonstrated that the expression of SCARA5 was negatively regulated by miR-141. Furthermore, the long non-coding RNA prostate cancer associated transcript 29 (PCAT29) inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of BC cells by sponging miR-141. Luciferase activity assays revealed that PCAT29 targeted miR-141 and miR-141 targeted SCARA5. In conclusion, SCARA5, as a downstream factor of the PCAT29/miR-141 axis, inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of BC cells. These findings provide novel insights into the detailed molecular mechanisms of BC development. • PCAT29 was downregulated in BC and low PCAT29 was correlated with poor prognosis. • PCAT29 suppressed proliferation, attenuated invasive and migrative capacity of BC cells partly via miR-432-5p. • MiR-432-5p promoted proliferation, invasive and migrative capacity of BC cells at least partly dependent by inhibiting Tesr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photo-crosslinking copolymer Poly (2-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate- co -2-(Dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate- co -7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin methacrylate) (PHDC)) was first synthesized by free radical polymerization of 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin methacrylate (CA), 2-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and 2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMA). Then, the copolymers were self-assembled into colloidal particles and immobilized on the NiTi alloy by a simple one-step electrophoretic deposition. After irradiation, a photo-crosslinked coating was obtained. The structure and morphology were characterized by OCA and SEM. The copolymer coatings could significantly decrease the release of nickel ions into the environment and reduce cytotoxicity inducing by nickel ions according to immersion experiment. Meanwhile, the coatings have good cytocompatibility. This work provides a simpler polymer coating method to inhibit the release of toxic ions by inducing ion adsorption with certain molecular structures, which have potential for biomedical applications such as artificial bone and bone fixation device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, a cloned almA gene was inserted into two plasmids PUC57 and pet-28a (+), and then transformed into Escherichia coli competent strains. The presence of almA was confirmed by PCR combined with restriction enzyme digestion. The results indicated two strains of PUC57/almA- E. coli and pet-28a (+)/almA- E. coli were all functioned on biodegradation long-chain alkanes, however, pet-28a (+)/almA- E. coli strain performed better and the speed of biodegradation was enhanced to about 12 mg L−1 h−1 when compared with PUC57/almA- E. coli strain. Furthermore, degradation degree of n -C32 was much higher than other long-chain alkanes for two engineered E. coli strains. Our results further suggested that exoenzyme was only detected in pet-28a (+)/almA- E. coli and followed a decreasing order of extracellular enzyme > intracellular enzyme > periplasmic enzyme. Besides, co-biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons by Pseudomonas sp. B-1, Bacillus subtilis PH-1 with exoenzyme or pet-28a (+)/almA- E. coli posed enormous potential that could reach 70%–80% in oil pollution bioremediation. Highlights • An almA gene was obtained by full-length DNA clone. • Two engineered E. coli strains were all functioned on biodegradation long-chain alkanes. • Strain pet-28a (+)/almA- E. coli performed better than PUC57/almA- E. coli. • Exoenzyme was only detected in pet-28a (+)/almA- E. coli strain. • Co-biodegradation could increase biodegradation rate strongly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Microbes appear to play a key role in bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons pollution and little attention has been paid to the enzyme activity in the process of alkane bioremediation. Oil field bacterium identified as Pseudomonas synxantha LSH-7′ was chosen as the tested strain. Periodically collected samples were analyzed by GC-FID (Gas Chromatography- Flame Ionization Detector) and RT-qPCR (Quantitative-Real-Time-PCR). GC-FID results showed this bacterial strain has great degradation ability on crude oil n -alkanes and RT-qPCR data indicated the differences between the three genes expression including AlkB- , Cytochromes P450- , and almA- related when grown on different-chain alkanes. Meanwhile, enzyme activity like alkane hydroxylase, alcohol dehydrogenase, dehydrogenase, protease, phosphatase, catalase and lipase were measured. Extracellular alkane hydroxylase was induced in a higher degree than intracellular in the early incubation time, alcohol dehydrogenase increased/decreased along with alkane hydroxylase, and the pH of the medium obviously decreased. Other enzymes were also described including dehydrogenase activity that reached a highest point that was slower than alcohol dehydrogenase, protease activity started multiplying after a period of culture while biomass was immediately increased, catalase activity dramatically enhanced in the presence of alkanes, phosphatase activity was closely linked to pH approximately but lipase activity was found to be moderate. Highlights • Gene expressions of AlkB- , Cytochromes P450- , and almA- related were different. • Extracellular alkane hydroxylase was higher than intracellular in the beginning of the cultivation time • Alcohol dehydrogenase increased/decreased along with alkane hydroxylase. • Phosphatase activity was closely linked to the pH of the medium. • Lipase activity was found to be moderate during biodegradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]