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In the study, polydopamine and oleylamine cooperated to modify the surface of anhydrous calcium sulfate prepared from phosphogypsum, and HDPE matrix composites with different filler content were prepared by filling HDPE before and after modification. The results show that when the filler content is 5 wt%, the elongation at break of mCSA/HDPE composite is 31.7% and 89% higher than that of HDPE and CSA/HDPE. Respectively, when the filler content is as high as 25 wt%, the flexural strength is still 16.8% higher than that of HDPE. After modification, the compatibility and dispersibility of anhydrous calcium sulfate in HDPE were improved, and the crystal structure of anhydrous calcium sulfate was not significantly changed, thus the mechanical properties and thermal stability of mCSA/HDPE composites were improved. Overall, after modification, not only the mechanical properties of the composites are improved, but also the content of inorganic powder as filler added to HDPE is increased, which can be regarded as a method for effective utilization of phosphogypsum. Highlights: Calcium sulfate was modified by polydopamine and oleylamineThe mechanical and thermal properties of the modified calcium sulfate/HDPE composites are good.The resource utilization of phosphogypsum was carried out [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection can cause immunosuppressive diseases in pigs. Vascular endothelial cells (VECs), as the target cells for PCV2, play an important role in the immune response and inflammatory regulation. Endothelial IL-8, which is produced by porcine hip artery endothelial cells (PIECs) infected with PCV2, can inhibit the maturation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDCs). Here, we established a co-culture system of MoDCs and different groups of PIECs to further investigate the PCV2-induced endothelial IL-8 signaling pathway that drives the inhibition of MoDC maturation. The differentially expressed genes related to MoDC maturation were mainly enriched in the NF-κB and JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathways. Both the NF-κB related factor RELA and JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway related factors (IL2RA, JAK, STAT2, STAT5, IL23A, IL7, etc.) decreased significantly in the IL-8 up-regulated group, and increased significantly in the down-regulated group. The expression of NF-κB p65 in the IL-8 up-regulated group was reduced significantly, and the expression of IκBα was increased significantly. Nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 was inhibited, while the nuclear translocation of p-STAT3 was increased in MoDCs in the PCV2-induced endothelial IL-8 group. The results of treatment with NF-κB signaling pathway inhibitors showed that the maturation of MoDCs was inhibited and the expression of IL-12 and GM-CSF at mRNA level were lower. Inhibition of the JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway had no significant effect on maturation, and the expression of IL-12 and GM-CSF at mRNA level produced no significant change. In summary, the NF-κB signaling pathway is the main signaling pathway of MoDC maturation, and is inhibited by the PCV2-induced up-regulation of endothelial-derived IL-8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving energy efficiency is vital for addressing climate change and reducing carbon emissions in emerging economies. Financial development (FD) is crucial for economic growth, and its environmental impact and the adjustment of the industrial structure (IND) is a crucial lever in China's economic transition period. This study explored the relationship between FD, IND, and China's green total factor productivity (GTFEE) from 2000 to 2020 using the super-efficiency SBM-undesirable model, which estimates China's GTFEE. The ARDL results suggest that FD and IND enhance GTFEE in the long term, with FD promoting GTFEE by facilitating industrial structure adjustments. The Dumitrescu–Hurlin panel causality tests supported this finding. The QRPD panel quantile regression and heterogeneity analysis revealed significant heterogeneity in the effects. With increasing GTFEE, FD exerts a restraining effect, gradually weakening and transitioning into a promoting effect, while the IND consistently plays a promoting role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The LAI (leaf area index) is an important parameter describing the canopy structure of citrus trees and characterizing plant photosynthesis, as well as providing an important basis for selecting parameters for orchard plant protection operations. By fusing LiDAR data with multispectral data, it can make up for the lack of rich spatial features of multispectral data, thus obtaining higher LAI inversion accuracy. This study proposed a multiscale LAI inversion method for citrus orchard based on the fusion of point cloud data and multispectral data. By comparing various machine learning algorithms, the mapping relationship between the characteristic parameters in multispectral data and point cloud data and citrus LAI was established, and we established the inversion model based on this, by removing redundant features through redundancy analysis. The experiment results showed that the BP neural network performs the best at both the community scale and the individual scale. After removing redundant features, the R2, RMSE, and MAE of the BP neural network at the community scale and individual scale were 0.896, 0.112, 0.086, and 0.794, 0.408, 0.328, respectively. By adding the three-dimensional gap fraction feature to the two-dimensional vegetation index features, the R2 at community scale and individual scale increased by 4.43% and 7.29%, respectively. The conclusion of this study suggests that the fusion of point cloud and multispectral data exhibits superior accuracy in multiscale citrus LAI inversion compared to relying solely on a single data source. This study proposes a fast and efficient multiscale LAI inversion method for citrus, which provides a new idea for the orchard precise management and the precision of plant protection operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant height is a crucial phenotypic trait that plays a vital role in predicting cotton growth and yield, as well as in estimating biomass in cotton plants. The accurate estimation of canopy height from single-flight LiDAR data remains a formidable challenge in current high-density cotton cultivation patterns, where dense foliage obstructs the collection of bare soil terrain, particularly after flowering. The existing LiDAR-based methods for cotton height estimation suffer from significant errors. In this study, a new method is proposed to compensate for the canopy height estimation by using the canopy laser interception rate. The ground points are extracted by the ground filtering algorithm, and the interception rate of the laser per unit volume of the canopy is calculated to represent the canopy density and compensate for the cotton height estimation. The appropriate segmented height compensation function is determined by grouping and step-by-step analysis of the canopy laser interception rate. Verified by 440 groups of height data measured manually in the field, the results show that the canopy laser interception compensation mechanism is of great help in improving the estimation accuracy of LiDAR. R2 and RMSE reach 0.90 and 6.18 cm, respectively. Compared with the estimation method before compensation, R2 is increased by 13.92%, and RMSE is reduced by 49.31%. And when the canopy interception rate is greater than 99%, the compensation effect is more obvious, and the RMSE is reduced by 62.49%. This research result can significantly improve the height estimation accuracy of UAV-borne for high planting density cotton areas, which is helpful to improve the efficiency of cotton quality breeding and match genomics data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) is one of the most important endemic swine pathogens, inducing immunosuppression in pigs and predisposing them to secondary bacterial or viral infections. Our previous studies show that PCV2 infection stimulated pig intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) to produce the secretory transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), which, in turn, caused CD4+ T cells to differentiate into regulatory T cells (Tregs). This may be one of the key mechanisms by which PCV2 induces immunosuppression. Here, we attempt to identify the viral proteins that affect the TGF-β secretion, as well as the key amino acids that are primarily responsible for this occurrence. The three amino acids C35, S36 and V39 of the ORF4 protein are the key sites at which PCV2 induces a large amount of TGF-β production in IPEC-J2 and influences the frequency of Tregs. This may elucidate the regulatory effect of PCV2 on the Tregs differentiation from the perspective of virus structure and intestinal epithelial cell interaction, laying a theoretical foundation for improving the molecular mechanism of PCV2-induced intestinal mucosal immunosuppression in piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important factor determining the competitiveness of raw cotton, cotton fiber quality has received more and more attention. The results of traditional detection methods are accurate, but the sampling cost is high and has a hysteresis, which makes it difficult to measure cotton fiber quality parameters in real time and at a large scale. The purpose of this study is to use time-series UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) multispectral and RGB remote sensing images combined with machine learning to model four main quality indicators of cotton fibers. A deep learning algorithm is used to identify and extract cotton boll pixels in remote sensing images and improve the accuracy of quantitative extraction of spectral features. In order to simplify the input parameters of the model, the stepwise sensitivity analysis method is used to eliminate redundant variables and obtain the optimal input feature set. The results of this study show that the R2 of the prediction model established by a neural network is improved by 29.67% compared with the model established by linear regression. When the spectral index is calculated after removing the soil pixels used for prediction, R2 is improved by 4.01% compared with the ordinary method. The prediction model can well predict the average length, uniformity index, and micronaire value of the upper half. R2 is 0.8250, 0.8014, and 0.7722, respectively. This study provides a method to predict the cotton fiber quality in a large area without manual sampling, which provides a new idea for variety breeding and commercial decision-making in the cotton industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-temporal-resolution monitoring of key management nodes in cotton management via agricultural remote sensing is vital for field cotton macro-statistics, particularly for predicting cotton production and obtaining comprehensive data. This study examines Shihezi, Xinjiang as a case study, utilizing Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data from 2019 to 2021. Three machine learning models(RF, SVM, and CART) were employed to extract annual crop classification area rasters, monitor weekly cultivation progress, and monitor abandoned cropland during the cultivation period. The results demonstrate that the random forest model has produced satisfactory results in gridded extraction for cotton classification areas, achieving the producer's accuracy of the cotton category reached 98.5%, and the kappa coefficient is 0.947. Cotton cultivated in 2021 began is a week later than in 2020, yet exhibited a faster cultivate speed. The proportion of abandoned cotton fields in the study area rose in 2020 compared to 2019. The methodology presented in this study has a certain reference value for exploring the monitoring of continuous changes in crops over the years and macro-monitoring of important activities in the entire growth cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The site-specific management of cotton fields is necessary for evaluating the growth status of cotton and generating a defoliation prescription map. The traditional assessment method of pests and diseases is based on spot surveys and manual participation, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and lacks high-quality results. The RGB and multispectral images acquired by drones equipped with sensors provide the possibility to quickly and accurately obtain the overall data for a field. In this study, we obtained RGB and multispectral remote sensing images to calculate the spectral index of the target area. At the same time, ground survey data were obtained by tracking and investigating the defoliation rate of cotton after spraying. With the help of data analysis methods, such as univariate linear regression, multiple linear regression models, neural network models, etc., a cotton defoliation effect monitoring model based on UAV remote sensing images was constructed. The results show that the BP neural network based on the VARI, VDVI, RSI, NGRDI, NDVI index has an R2 value of 0.945 and RMSE value of 0.006. The R2 values of the multiple linear regression model are 0.844 based on the RSI and NGRDI indexes and RSI and VARI indexes. Additionally, based on the model, the cotton defoliation of the whole farmland was evaluated, and the spray prescription map of the UAV sprayer was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the main cause of older pain and disability. Intra-articular injections of ozone (O3) commonly have been found to have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects to reduce pain and improve function in knee osteoarthritis. It has been reported that reduced autophagy in chondrocytes plays an important role in the development of OA. This study aimed to probe the role of O3 on the autophagy in chondrocytes treated with IL-1β. Methods: Primary chondrocytes were isolated from Wistar rats cartilage within 3 days. The OA chondrocytes model was induced via treatment with IL-1β for 24 h. Then the cells were treated with O3 and GW9662, the inhibitor of PPARγ. Cell viability was assessed by CCK-8. Further, the cells subjected to Western blot analysis, qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence assay. The numbers of autophagosomes were observed via transmission electron microscopy. Results: 30 μg/ml O3 improved the viability of chondrocytes treated with IL-1β. The decreased level of autophagy proteins and the numbers of autophagosomes improved in IL-1β-treated chondrocytes with O3 via activating PPARγ/mTOR. In addition, the qRT-PCR results showed that O3 decreased the levels of IL-6, TNF-α and MMP-3, MMP-13 in chondrocytes treated with IL-1β. Conclusions: 30 μg/ml O3 improved autophagy via activating PPARγ/mTOR signaling and suppressing inflammation in chondrocytes treated with IL-1β. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Many confounding factors such as sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) affect pulmonary function parameters, but there are limited data about the direct and/or indirect effects of small airway function on lung function for differences in confounding factors. Objectives: This study aimed to use structural equation model (SEM) to explain the influence of the confounding factors (age, sex, and BMI) on the relationship between small airway function and lung function in patients with lung cancer. Methods: A cross‐sectional observational study was conducted in a single medical center. Subjects were assessed; small airway function was specified by MEF25% and MEF50%; lung function by FVC; pulmonary obstruction by FEV1, FEV1%, and FEV1/FVC; and PEF and PEF% reflected the strength of abdominal muscles. The measurement model was analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis. The SEM was conducted to analyze the structural models of the effects of the confounding factors. Results: In the measurement model, variables were fit to their domains, the path linking age and sex to pulmonary obstruction was positive and statistically significant, and the path linking sex to muscle strength was also positive and statistically significant. Muscle strength positively and significantly mediates the path between sex and FVC. As a moderator, BMI increased the effects of small airway function on FVC. Conclusion: Age and sex were directed to pulmonary obstruction, and muscle strength as a mediator between sex and lung function was novel, and BMI adjusted the effects of small airway function on FVC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ag/g-C 3 N 4 plasmonic photocatalysts with porous structure, which exhibited the enhanced photocatalytic activity of antibiotic degradation, were successfully synthesized via a thermal exfoliation strategy and photo-reduction method. • Ag/g-C 3 N 4 plasmonic photocatalysts (Ag/PCN) with porous structure were sucessfully synthesized. • Porous structure and loaded Ag are conducive to the improvement of photocatalytic performance. • Ag/PCN-2 samples showed high photocatalytic activity and stability in antibiotic removal. • Degradation pathways were illustrated based on their products identified by LC-MS. Ag/g-C 3 N 4 plasmonic photocatalysts with porous structure (Ag/PCN) were successfully synthesized via a thermal exfoliation strategy and photo-reduction method. Owing to the combined merits of porous structure and surface plasmon resonance effect of silver nanoparticles, the Ag/PCN catalysts exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance for the degradation of antibiotic agents. With the optimal Ag loading, the Ag/PCN-2 catalyst exhibited the optimal catalytic activity for TC degradation under visible light, which shows about 11.8 times enhancement in the photocatalytic removal efficiency as compared to pure g-C 3 N 4 , respectively. This phenomenon can be attributed to the increased specific surface area, broadened visible light absorption and improved charge separation. The radical quenching results confirmed that h+ and O 2 − radicals were the major active species during removal of TC. The degradation of TC is increased with the increment of Ag/PCN-2 catalysts, and the optimum catalyst was found to be 1.67 g/L. The hindering effect of selected of anions (Cl−, CO 3 −, H 2 PO 4 −) was found to follow the order H 2 PO 4 − > CO 3 − > Cl−. Ag/PCN-2 sample also possessed high stability after six cycles of reuses. Furthermore, the possible degradation pathways of TC and photocatalytic mechanism over Ag/PCN-2 were proposed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional flower-like bimetallic shell/core NZVI/Cu0/biochar heterostructures were synthesized as an effective and green PMS activator for MNZ removal. [Display omitted] • Flower-like bimetallic NZVI/Cu0/biochar composites are prepared. • The hierarchical structures with exposed Fe active sites promote high efficient PMS activation. • The electron transfer between shell/core NZVI/Cu0 maintains low valence of Fe layer. • The biochar inhibits metal ion release and improves the stability of the composite. • Bimetal core/shell structures can easily break down the O-O bond in PMS to generate SO 4 •− radicals. A three-dimensional (3D) flower-like zero-valent bimetallic shell/core iron/copper/biochar composite (NZVI/Cu0/BC) was synthesized for the purpose of removing antibiotic metronidazole (MNZ) through the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). Under optimal conditions, complete removal of MNZ (10 mg/L) was achieved within 6 min. The study quantitatively investigated the contribution of different participants in the complex system, including carbon composites, Fe and Cu species, and radicals and nonradicals. Based on the characterization and analysis data, possible activation mechanisms were proposed, which involved the oxygenated functional groups of BC and the bimetallic structure feature of NZVI/Cu0 accelerating the generation of 1O 2 and other oxidation species. Additionally, the synergistic effect of Cu-Fe-BC facilitated the redox cycle of Cu2+/Cu+ and Fe3+/Fe2+, thereby promoting radical in the NZVI/Cu0/BC-3/PMS system. Notably, NZVI/Cu0/BC-3 has the advantages of wide pH usable range as well as broad-spectrum adaptability towards various organic pollutant and various water environments. Density functional theory (DFT) results indicated that the adsorption energy of PMS onto NZVI/Cu0/BC was more negative compared to their individual adsorption energies, and the O-O bond in the structure of PMS molecules became weaker after adsorption, resulting in improved efficiency of PMS activation. Liquid chromatograph combined with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) measurement and DFT calculation suggested three main degradation pathways of MNZ, and the toxicities of their intermediates were evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report an ultrasensitive colorimetric method for determination of Ag+ based on gold nanoparticle (AuNP) oligomers with dark-field microscopy. In a proof-of-concept trial, two cytosine-rich (C-rich) aptamers as the sensing elements and AuNPs as the transducer to produce the detectable signal are designed for Ag+ determination. Obviously, the C bases in the two aptamers play a crucial role in the coordination of highly specific C–Ag+–C. Through a specific C–Ag+–C coordination, one aptamer immobilized on the surface of AuNPs sitting on a glass slide hybridizes with the other aptamer in the solution, which triggers the formation of AuNP oligomers. The formation of plasmonic oligomers results in an obvious increase in the number of yellow and red spots in dark-field images, further leading to a significantly enhanced scattering intensity. By measuring the intensity change of AuNP oligomers in the dark-field images, the concentration of Ag+ can be readily determined. The limits of detection (LODs) of 0.246 pM and 0.388 pM in solution and river water sample were obtained, respectively. This ultrasensitive colorimetric approach could be extended to probe Hg2+ via T–Hg2+–T coordination in environmental samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Magnetic susceptibilities showed that complex 1 exhibits a clear field-induced SIM behavior. And it was found to have very highly selectivity in 1,4-dioxane and the fluorescence intensity was more than 3 times that of other organic solvents. Abstract The organic ligand 5,7-dibromo-2-methyl-8-quinolinol (L) was used to react with Dy(NO 3) 3 ·6H 2 O at 60 °C to obtain the complex [Dy(L) 3 (CH 3 CH 2 OH)(H 2 O)]·CH 3 CN (1). Furthermore, the electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI–MS) data show that the main molecular fragment was [Dy L 2 (DMF) 2 ]+ under the condition of 0 eV voltage. When complex 1 was dissolved in DMF and stayed for half a month, and it also showed the main molecular fragment after measuring ESI–MS. So complex 1 was relatively stable in DMF. And magnetic susceptibilities showed that 1 exhibits a clear field-induced SIM behavior, and the energy barriers and extrapolated relaxation time was U eff = 14.6 K and τ 0 = 4.1 × 10−5 s under 1000 Oe dc field. The complex 1 was dissolved in various organic solvents and tested for fluorescence. It was found to have very high selectivity in 1,4-dioxane and the fluorescence intensity was more than 3 times that of other organic solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a novel methodology for the dynamic extraction of information on cotton growth in terms of height utilizing the DJI Zenmuse L1 LiDAR sensor mounted onto a DJI Matrice 300 RTK Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), aimed at enhancing the precision and efficiency of growth monitoring within the realm of precision agriculture. Employing the Progressive TIN Densification (PTD) and Cloth Simulation Filter (CSF) algorithms, combined with Kriging interpolation, we generated Canopy Height Models (CHMs) to extract the cotton heights at two key agricultural sites: Zengcheng and Tumxuk. Our analysis reveals that the PTD algorithm significantly outperforms the CSF method in terms of accuracy, with its R2 values indicating a superior model fit for height extraction across different growth stages (Zengcheng: 0.71, Tumxuk: 0.82). Through meticulous data processing and cluster analysis, this study not only identifies the most effective algorithm for accurate height extraction but also provides detailed insights into the dynamic growth patterns of cotton varieties across different geographical regions. The findings highlight the critical role of UAV remote sensing in enabling large-scale, high-precision monitoring of crop growth, which is essential for the optimization of agricultural practices such as precision fertilization and irrigation. Furthermore, the study demonstrates the potential of UAV technology to select superior cotton varieties by analyzing their growth dynamics, offering valuable guidance for cotton breeding and cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• UP treatment was effective in microbial decontamination of crayfish. • The applied treatments suppressed the protein oxidation during storage. • UP treatment retarded the flavor and textural deterioration of crayfish. • UP treatment reduced the water migration in crayfish during storage. In this study, a decontamination technology combining ultrasound (US) and plasma-activated water (PAW) was developed to better preserve crayfish. First, the decontamination efficacy of US, PAW and their combinations (UP) on crayfish was quantified after 0, 20, 40, or 60 min of treatments. The total viable count (TVC) was reduced by 0.27–0.77 Log CFU/g after individual US or PAW treatments, while a TVC reduction of 1.17 Log CFU/g was achieved after 40 min of UP treatment. Besides, the changes in psychrotrophic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and molds followed a similar trend to TVC. UP treatments normally resulted in more significant reductions in the natural microbiota of crayfish than US or PAW treatments. Furthermore, the microbial quality, physicochemical properties and sensory properties of crayfish after different treatments were assessed during storage at 4 °C for 12 days. According to TVC and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) values, the control group became unacceptable from 4 days, US or PAW groups became unacceptable from 6 days, while UP group extended the storage time to 8–10 days. During storage, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values of all the groups were maintained below 0.5 mg/kg, among which the control group exhibited the highest value (0.39 mg/kg). Moreover, UP treatment effectively retarded the deterioration in color and texture properties of crayfish. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis indicated that UP treatment decreased the α-helix contents and increased the β-sheet contents of crayfish proteins, while the structural changes were not evident at the end of storage. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) analysis revealed that UP treatment reduced the water migration and enhanced the stability of bond water in crayfish. In addition, E-nose analysis revealed the protection of UP treatment on the sensory properties of crayfish during storage. This study demonstrated that the combinations of US and PAW treatments effectively accelerated the decontamination of crayfish and contributed to better storage quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Quantitative measurement of the stability of a pulverized coal flame. • Monitoring of flame stability based on digital imaging and image processing. • Measurement of flame stability on a 600 MWth coal-fired supercritical unit. • Characterization of flame stability in a routine boiler turning-off process. The stability of pulverized coal flames is a well-known problem in the power industry. Unstable flames often lead to lower combustion efficiency, higher pollutant emissions, and other operational problems. Many methods are available for flame monitoring and characterization, but very few are suitable for flame stability monitoring. This paper presents a method for assessing flame stability continuously and quantitatively by introducing a term named numerical indicator of flame stability based on digital image processing. This numerical indicator combines the statistical characteristics of four flame parameters which are derived from the flame images. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, the numerical indicator of a pulverized coal flame during a routine unit "turning off" process was determined on a 600 MWth coal-fired supercritical unit. Experimental results suggest that the flame stability at different stages of the turning off process is correctly quantified with the numerical indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver and nickel based catalysts with γ-Al 2 O 3 support were synthesized via impregnation method for the removal of toluene in the presence of continuous discharge or adsorption- discharge plasma. An elaborate FT-IR analysis confirmed the formation of transient species during the plasma-catalytic oxidation of toluene. TOF-MS analysis indicated benzoic acid was not an important pathway of aromatic rings opening. NiO/Al 2 O 3 catalyst displayed a higher enhancement of CO 2 selectivity and ozone decomposition ability. Moreover, the active component (O and OH ) areas would increase during the discharge process in adsorption-discharge plasma system that were conducive to the removal of the organic byproducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel p−n junction photocatalysts BiOI/Bi 2 Sn 2 O 7 (BiOI/BSO) were successfully fabricated via a facile hydrothermal method. The phase structures, morphologies and optical properties of the as-prepared samples were studied by XRD, TEM, HRTEM, BET, XPS, UV–vis DRS and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The results showed that BiOI/BSO heteronanostructures displayed much higher photocatalytic activity than pure BSO and BiOI for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). The best photocatalytic activity of BiOI/BSO with almost 99.9% RhB degradation situated at molar percentage ratio of 4% after 6 h irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of BiOI/BSO could be mainly attributed to the formation of the heterojunction between p-BiOI and n-BSO, which effectively restrains the recombination of photoinduced electron–hole pairs. Moreover, the study of radical scavengers affirmed that h + and •O 2 − were the primary reactive species for the degradation of RhB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi 2 S 3 -sensitized Bi 2 Sn 2 O 7 (BSO) photocatalyst (Bi 2 S 3 /BSO) was successfully synthesized through a facile and economical ion exchange method between BSO and thioacetamide (CH 3 CSNH 2 ). The as-prepared photocatalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectra, and UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS). The obtained Bi 2 S 3 /BSO composite showed excellent photocatalytic performance for decomposing rhodamine B (RhB) compared with pure BSO under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). 2% Bi 2 S 3 /BSO exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity and excessive amount of Bi 2 S 3 would result in the decrease of photocatalytic activity of BSO. On the basis of the calculated energy band positions, the mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Established a relationship between UASS spray volume and cotton canopy structure. • The model's result was verified by the biological efficacy of cotton defoliation. • It is feasible to determine the spray volume of UASS by remote sensing images. The Unmanned aerial spraying systems (UASS), with a precise positioning system and convenient control system, have attracted more attention from researchers and the market. However, the UASS operation parameter setting still depends on the operator, and there is still a gap between the intelligent spraying. The upgrade of UASS from automation to intelligence requires a "scientific brain" to make spraying decisions. In this study, the UASS equipped with centrifugal nozzles was used to simulate defoliant spraying, combined with RGB and multi-spectral cameras to collect remote sensing images of the target area. The droplet distribution data were obtained through two years of field trials in two places. A droplet distribution prediction model based on the spray volume of UASS and the remote sensing spectral index that characterizes the cotton canopy structure is established by the BP neural network and Bayesian regularization training algorithm. The cotton defoliant was verified using this model and combined with NY/T 3213–2018 standard. The research results show that it is feasible to use remote sensing images to determine the application volume of UASSs for cotton defoliant. Compared with the conventional application rate and overspray, the defoliant spray based on the decision model can achieve the expected cotton defoliation effect and reduce the application volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Herein, a reverse microemulsion route was developed to synthesize bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) nanocrystals and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposites as a highly efficient photocatalyst, and both the formation of BiOI and the reduction of RGO were achieved in situ in microemulsions simultaneously at low temperature (60°C). The uniform nanocrystal size and structure were indicated by XRD, TEM, and the reduction of GO by ascorbic acid was evidenced by FTIR, XPS, and Raman spectra techniques. The enhanced photoactivity of RGO/BiOI nanocomposites under visible light was attributed to improved light absorption and efficient charge separation and transportation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Ultra-small quantum dots of bismuth oxide grafting on g-C 3 N 4. • Metallic Bi0 bridged heterojunction for facilitating charge carrier transfer at 0D/2D interface. • Superior redox ability of the novel binary photocatalyst towards organic and heavy metal pollutants removal. • Tetracycline degradation pathway and its intermediates toxicity evaluation. A facile strategy involving wet impregnation and manual grinding was employed for synthesizing low loading (0.7 wt%) highly dispersed ultra-small quantum dots (QDs) of Bi 2 O 3 anchored graphite carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) nanosheets. Post-treatment of the as-prepared Bi 2 O 3 QDs/g-C 3 N 4 by facial photoinduction allowed remarkably boosted photocatalytic removal towards tetracycline (TC) and hexachromium (Cr (VI)) via either oxidation or reduction reactions, with efficiencies about 2.0 and 7.1 times higher than that of pure g-C 3 N 4 , respectively. The TC degradation pathways, toxicity reduction of intermediates and TOC elimination studies revealed significantly improved photocatalytic activity resulting from the abundant free radicals of O 2 −, OH, and h+ that were produced by enhanced interfacial contact and metallic Bi0 bridged charge carrier transfer between Bi 2 O 3 QDs and g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets. In addition, the novel photocatalyst showed long term structural and photocatalytic stabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reports on traumatic sciatic nerve injury associated with acetabular fracture are rare. In this study, we investigated the demographics of these injuries, their clinical characteristics, management, and factors potentially influencing neurological recovery. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients diagnosed to have acetabular fracture at our trauma center between January 2014 and June 2021. Data on patient demographics, characteristics of sciatic nerve injury, neurological recovery, factors potentially influencing neurological recovery were analyzed. Results: Eighteen patients (bilateral in one case) met the diagnostic criteria. All these injuries involved the posterior wall or posterior column, and most patients had posterior dislocation of the hip joint. Four of the 19 sides with traumatic sciatic nerve injury involved the common peroneal nerve division and 15 involved both the common peroneal and tibial nerve divisions. Seventeen patients (18 sides) underwent intraoperative nerve exploration, which revealed abnormalities in 7 sides and no obvious abnormality in 11 sides. At the last follow-up, 10 sides (52.6%) had complete recovery and 9 (47.4%) had partial recovery; the difference was statistically significant between those with or without abnormal nerve damage during exploration (P = 0.046). Linear regression analysis showed that a nerve abnormality detected intraoperatively was a predictor of nerve recovery (P = 0.009). The mean recovery time was significantly longer for partial recovery than for complete recovery (13.78 months vs. 6.70 months; P = 0.001). Conclusions: All the injuries in this series involved the posterior wall or posterior column, and most patients had posterior dislocation of the hip joint. Damage to the common peroneal nerve division was more severe than that to the tibial nerve division preoperatively. However, the degree of recovery of the common peroneal division was not worse than that of the tibial division. There was a relationship between the degree of neurological recovery and whether there was an abnormality at the time of intraoperative nerve exploration. Patients with partial recovery took longer to recover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Open Tile C pelvic fractures are particularly severe. However, reports on their management and outcomes are relatively rare. This study analyzed the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with open Tile C pelvic fractures and describes our management and outcomes of these injuries. Methods: This retrospective review included all patients with open Tile C pelvic fractures treated in our department between January 2014 and June 2021. Data on patient demographics, characteristics of the injuries, surgical management, and outcomes were analyzed. Results: Thirty patients with a mean age of 34.0 years met the diagnostic criteria. The average Injury Severity Score was 40.3. According to the Tile fracture classification, 6 patients sustained type C1.1, 12 sustained type C1.2, 3 sustained type C1.3, 5 sustained C2 and 4 sustained type C3. Most patients had soft tissue injuries in multiple zones. All patients sustained associated injuries. Management consisted of bed rest in 8 cases, external fixation as the final strategy in 14, conversion from external fixation to internal fixation in 3, open reduction with internal fixation in 5, and amputation in 6. The average amount of packed red blood cells transfused was 33.3 units, the average intensive care unit stay was 11.3 days, the mean number of operations required was 6.2, and the mean length of hospital stay was 81.8 days. The main complications were early soft tissue infections and venous thrombosis. One patient died of sepsis and multi-organ failure. Soft tissue injuries in multiple zones increased utilization of hospital resources whereas anorectal injuries did not. Vascular damage accompanying truck crush injuries had a high amputation rate. Conclusion: Open Tile C pelvic fractures require multidisciplinary diagnosis and management and consume considerable hospital resources. More emphasis needs to be placed on this complex injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Both the hail vegetation index HGVI and the previous vegetation index, ratio vegetation index, are suitable tools of classification for grading cotton hail disasters. • Determination of the difference between histograms of different classification targets and establishment of vegetation index according to this is suitable for simple classification based on multispectral images. • The simple and efficient hail damage degrees classification method has better generalization ability and is suitable for extensive popularization and application in other crops. Traditional artificial statistical methods of hailstorm damage assessment are often inefficient, subjective, time-consuming, and inaccurate. The use of drones for high-resolution remote sensing imaging enables large-scale, rapid assessment of a target area. The purpose of this study was to use multispectral imaging techniques to promptly and accurately assess the damage degree of hail in crops. In this experiment, cotton was used as the research target, and the experiment was carried out after a hail disaster that occurred during the flowering and boll stage of cotton development. A hail vegetation index (HGVI) was constructed and compared with the classification results of other vegetation indices on the hail disaster degree. It was concluded that: (i) both the hail vegetation index HGVI and the previous vegetation index, ratio vegetation index, are suitable tools of classification for grading cotton hail disasters, with both indices having a Kappa coefficient over 0.85 and a median Kappa coefficient greater than 0.9; (ii) the method used in this study is suitable for simple classification based on multispectral images; (iii) this study explains the possibility of classifying hail damage degrees based on multispectral images. Subsequent research can further diagnose and classify hail disasters during different periods and improve the accuracy and completeness of classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A single boll weight prediction model for cotton was established. • Using FCN to extract cotton bolls from images can improve the accuracy of prediction. • The model can make large-scale predictions of cotton single boll weight. Single boll weight is the main factor of cotton yield and a key index used to evaluate the quality of cotton. Predicting the single boll weight in a large area is important for variety selection and yield improvement. A model was established to predict the single boll weight by using the multitemporal high-resolution visible light remote sensing data obtained from UAV. Specifically, remote sensing data were collected for 29 fields in the Changji, Shihezi and Shawan areas in northern Xinjiang during the blooming period and boll opening stage. Five circular areas with a radius of 1 m were selected from each field as the ground investigation area for collection of the cotton boll samples. Fully convolutional networks (FCN) was used to recognize and extract bolls at the boll opening stage in the remote sensing images as a dependent variable of the model. Correlation analysis was carried out by combining VDVI (Visible-band difference vegetation index) at the flowering and boll setting stages, VDVI at boll opening stages, VDVI at boll opening areas (Extracted by FCN) and RGB mean values, then use the least squares linear regression and BP neural networks to model the upper, middle, lower cotton layers and average single boll weight in investigation area. Subsequently, K-fold cross-validation was performed to evaluate the results. The results showed that the results of the least squares linear regression (R2 = 0.8162) and BP neural networks (R2 = 0.8170) were nearly equivalent. The percentage of boll opening in the area and VDVI at the flowering and boll setting stages were highly correlated with upper single boll weight. This study proposes a method to realize the large scale prediction of single boll weight, which provided a new idea for cotton yield prediction and breeding screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Superstructure TiO 2 /SiO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 hybrid composite (UTSCN) is successfully fabricated. • Adsorption capacity of berberine hydrochloride (BH) on UTSCN is as high as 30 mg/g. • UTSCN has a superior adsorption/photocatalysis synergy in BH degradation in seawater. • A possible synergy of BH adsorption-photocatalytic degradation mechanism is proposed. In this work, hybrid TiO 2 /SiO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 composite with superstructure (UTSCN) was successfully fabricated via ternary-soft-template method. The morphology of the photocatalysts has been investigated by SEM, TEM and EDS elemental mapping. These characterization results have indicated that UTSCN was comprised of ternary hybrid flower-like microsphere and porous tube. UTSCN with unique superstructure exhibits enhancing synergistic effect of adsorption and in-situ photodegradation ability for removing berberine hydrochloride (BH) in seawater solution. In static reaction, the synergistic removal rate of UTSCN is 2.63 time than that of g-C 3 N 4 after 60 min of visible light irradiation. UTSCN also achieved an effective performance in the continuous flow reaction. The brilliant adsorption capability of UTSCN is attributed to the dual adsorption effect of superstructure and SiO 2 component. Besides, its excellent photocatalytic activity is ascribed to both the novel morphology and the heterogeneous structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4) catalysts in dumbbell-brush-type, mesoporous nanosheets and nanorods morphologies were successfully prepared and used as catalysts for toluene oxidation. Tailoring Co 3 O 4 morphology not only changed their physico-chemical properties but also remarkably enhanced their catalytic performance, and the formation of oxygen species of different reactivity. Dumbbell-brush-type Co 3 O 4 exhibited the best catalytic activity due to abundant surface Co3+ species, which contributed to superficial oxygen mobility and the formation of more reactive oxygen species. In situ DRIFTS studies confirmed the presence of key reaction intermediates, such as benzaldehyde, benzoate, carbonate and formate species. Unlabelled Image • Dumbbell-brush-type Co 3 O 4 catalyst is successfully prepared. • Improving catalytic activity is due to the formation of rich reactive oxygen species. • DRIFTS confirm that the key intermediates are detected in the toluene oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ca-Ni/ZSM-5 sample shows the best potential for toluene conversion and CO 2 selectivity. • The introduction of Ca and Ni reduce the acidity of ZSM-5. • Ca-Ni/ZSM-5 catalyst greatly reduces the production of p-nitrotoluene. • Eleven intermediates are detected and four of them are not previously reported. • The reaction mechanism of toluene decomposition in the plasma has been proposed. The effect of Ca modification on the Ni/ZSM-5 catalyst for efficient toluene oxidation was studied in a plasma-catalytic system. The Ni/ZSM-5 and Ca-Ni/ZSM-5 catalysts were prepared by a wet impregnation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Pyridine-FTIR spectroscopy and temperature programmed desorption of ammonia (NH 3 -TPD). Among the catalysts tested, the Ca-Ni/ZSM-5 sample showed the best potential for toluene conversion (90.2%) and CO 2 selectivity (70.7%). Pyridine-FTIR spectra and NH 3 -TPD results proved that the introduction of Ca and Ni onto ZSM-5 caused a decrease in the strong and weak acidic sites. In addition, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) result showed that the Ca-Ni/ZSM-5 catalyst reduced the production of undesirable byproducts (such as p-nitrotoluene and methyl benzoate). Calcium in the Ni/ZSM-5 system influenced the acidity and other surface characteristic of the catalyst, as well as directly impacting the reactive plasma species and the intermediates. Finally, possible reaction mechanisms in the plasma catalysis of toluene were also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In situ FTIR and TOF-MS were used to detect gas phase and catalyst surface product. • H 2 O-TPD result indicates Ni-SBA catalyst was susceptible to water vapor. • TOF-MS result suggests benzoic acid ring-opening reactions in gas phase may be difficult. • Humidity decreased the yield of CO in adsorption-discharge plasma system. Adsorption-discharge plasma system has been applied for catalytic removal of low concentration toluene over a series of Ni-SBA catalysts. Catalytic activity was evaluated towards different relative humidities of air (RH). Meanwhile, gas phase and catalyst surface by-products were investigated during oxidative decomposition of toluene using in situ Time of Flight-Mass spectrometry (TOF-MS), in situ Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and GC–MS analysis technology. The results showed that 5% Ni-SBA sample exhibited higher toluene mineralization rate (71.8%) than that of other samples after 60 min plasma catalysis, and different RH (20–80%) had a negative impact on toluene degradation due to the competitive adsorption and the blocking of active sites on the catalysts surfaces. Interestingly, humidity decreased the yield of CO and increased in the production of CO 2 due to the enhanced oxidation of both CO and other intermediates during the reaction. In situ TOF-MS spectra showed that several benzene series were detected in 5% Ni-SBA system during plasma catalysis, and suggested that Ni-SBA catalyst facilitated the benzyl oxidation but are not conducive to benzoic acid ring-opening reactions. In situ FT-IR analysis displayed many products that formed in the surface of Ni-SBA catalyst was degraded after 60 min plasma catalysis. Meanwhile, GC–MS result indicated that no nitrogen-containing byproducts were detected in the surface of Ni-SBA catalyst after 60 min plasma catalysis under 40% RH water vapor. The result may provide new insights for plasma catalysis removal of industrial VOCs at medium and high RH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the aerial spraying of pesticides by plant protection UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), droplets are deposited below the aircraft under the influence of rotor airflow. The existence of a downwash airflow can improve the deposition of spray on target crops. However, during operation, variations in flight altitude and the gradual decrease in the payload of pesticide solution in the tank leads to changes in the flow field below the UAV which affects droplets distribution. In order to study this, the downwash airflow speed and droplet distributions below a UAV under different flight altitudes (1.5–3 m) and payloads (0-10 kg) were measured and analysed. The results indicated that the changes in operational parameters normally found during operation can change distribution of downwash airflow in all directions but particularly vertical and this can affect the distribution of spray below the UAV. Through correlation analysis, it was shown that the vertical component of airflow (downwash) had a significant positive correlation with spray deposition and penetration (P < 0.05, B = 0.082, B = 0.029), and a negative correlation with droplet deposition uniformity (coefficient of variation) and drift (P < 0.05, B = −3.818, B = −0.042). Thus, it can be seen that downwash is conducive to spray deposition and penetration, which can improve the droplet distribution uniformity and reduce drift. Thus, the influence mechanism of UAV airflow on droplet distribution was explored and shown to strongly influence have the quality of spraying by plant protection UAVs. • Wireless wind speed sensors used to test the downwash airflow UAV. • Reduction in payload affects the downwash airflow of UAV. • Downwash airflow of UAV in turn affects spray distribution. • Vertical downwash airflow has a significant correlation with droplet distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Open Tile C pelvic fractures are particularly severe. However, reports on their management and outcomes are relatively rare. This study analyzed the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with open Tile C pelvic fractures and describes our management and outcomes of these injuries.Methods: This retrospective review included all patients with open Tile C pelvic fractures treated in our department between January 2014 and June 2021. Data on patient demographics, characteristics of the injuries, surgical management, and outcomes were analyzed.Results: Thirty patients with a mean age of 34.0 years met the diagnostic criteria. The average Injury Severity Score was 40.3. According to the Tile fracture classification, 6 patients sustained type C1.1, 12 sustained type C1.2, 3 sustained type C1.3, 5 sustained C2 and 4 sustained type C3. Most patients had soft tissue injuries in multiple zones. All patients sustained associated injuries. Management consisted of bed rest in 8 cases, external fixation as the final strategy in 14, conversion from external fixation to internal fixation in 3, open reduction with internal fixation in 5, and amputation in 6. The average amount of packed red blood cells transfused was 33.3 units, the average intensive care unit stay was 11.3 days, the mean number of operations required was 6.2, and the mean length of hospital stay was 81.8 days. The main complications were early soft tissue infections and venous thrombosis. One patient died of sepsis and multi-organ failure. Soft tissue injuries in multiple zones increased utilization of hospital resources whereas anorectal injuries did not. Vascular damage accompanying truck crush injuries had a high amputation rate.Conclusion: Open Tile C pelvic fractures require multidisciplinary diagnosis and management and consume considerable hospital resources. More emphasis needs to be placed on this complex injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ag nanoparticles loaded onto TiO2 nanosheets with exposed {001} facets were synthesized by solvothermal hydrolysis and photoreduction deposition methods. The results suggested that Ag NPs were uniformly dispersed on the surface of anatase TiO2 NSs with a metallic state. The Raman scattering and visible light absorption performances of Ag/TiO2 NSs were enhanced by Ag NPs due to their surface plasmon resonance effect. Photocatalytic oxidation experiments for HCHO were carried out under visible light, and the enhanced photocatalytic activity of Ag/TiO2 NSs can be attributed to the synergistic effects of the following factors: (1) the {001} facets, which possessed higher surface energy, showed higher photocatalytic activity; (2) the Ag NPs, the increased oxygen vacancies, and O2 adsorption on {001} facets can trap photoelectrons, thus inhibiting the recombination of photoelectrons and holes; (3) the Ag NPs can extend the light response range of TiO2 into visible light. The in situ FTIR results showed that higher mineralization efficiency of HCHO was achieved on Ag/TiO2 NSs than on Ag/TiO2 NPs. Additionally, the mechanism for HCHO photocatalytic oxidation was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a series of HZSM-5 catalysts were prepared by the chemical liquid-phase deposition method, and low concentration toluene degradation was carried out in an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), SEM, TEM, and N2 adsorption analysis techniques. In addition, several organic contaminants were used to evaluate the adsorption performance of the prepared catalysts, and the effect of pore size on the removal efficiency of toluene and byproduct formation was also investigated. The unmodified HZSM-5 zeolite (Z0) exhibited good performance in toluene removal and CO2 selectivity due to the diffusion resistance of ozone and the amounts of active species (OH• and O•). Meanwhile, the time of flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) result showed that there were more byproducts of the benzene ring in the gas phase under the action of small micropore size catalysts. Moreover, the surface byproducts were detected by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been recognized as one of the major environmental hazards in the air. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and their associated materials have offered an excellent strategy for the adsorption removal of VOCs. In this work, we develop a facile and rapid synthesis method of HKUST-1, a typical and ideal Cu-based MOF, for VOC adsorption by using hydrotalcite as the intermediate for efficient crystallization at room temperature. The results show that HKUST-1 can be successfully synthesized within 10 s at room temperature. The as-synthesized HKUST-1 has a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of 2170.7 m2 g−1 and a total pore volume of 0.977 cm3 g−1, which are among the highest reported values for such material. When tested for its benzene adsorption performance, the material can achieve a saturated adsorption capacity of 7.3 mmol g−1 at 35 °C. Based on the temperature-programmed desorption result, it is shown that the activation energy for the benzene desorption is 68.23 kJ mol−1. The material can demonstrate a relatively constant saturated adsorption capacity after several adsorption/desorption cycles, which indicates good regenerative performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal aim of this investigation is to identify pivotal biomarkers linked to the prognosis of osteosarcoma (OS) through the application of artificial intelligence (AI), with an ultimate goal to enhance prognostic prediction. Expression profiles from 88 OS cases and 396 normal samples were procured from accessible public databases. Prognostic models were established using univariate COX regression analysis and an array of AI methodologies including the XGB method, RF method, GLM method, SVM method, and LASSO regression analysis. Multivariate COX regression analysis was also employed. Immune cell variations in OS were examined using the CIBERSORT software, and a differential analysis was conducted. Routine blood data from 20,679 normal samples and 437 OS cases were analyzed to validate lymphocyte disparity. Histological assessments of the study's postulates were performed through immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. AI facilitated the identification of differentially expressed genes, which were utilized to construct a prognostic model. This model discerned that the survival rate in the high-risk category was significantly inferior compared to the low-risk cohort (p < 0.05). SERPINE2 was found to be positively associated with memory B cells, while CPT1B correlated positively with CD8 T cells. Immunohistochemical assessments indicated that SERPINE2 was more prominently expressed in OS tissues relative to adjacent non-tumorous tissues. Conversely, CPT1B expression was elevated in the adjacent non-tumorous tissues compared to OS tissues. Lymphocyte counts from routine blood evaluations exhibited marked differences between normal and OS groups (p < 0.001). The study highlights SERPINE2 and CPT1B as crucial biomarkers for OS prognosis and suggests that dysregulation of lymphocytes plays a significant role in OS pathogenesis. Both SERPINE2 and CPT1B have potential utility as prognostic biomarkers for OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PTI can efficiently activated PMS for pollutant removal under visible light. • The PTI/Vis/PMS system exhibited excellent stability in complex water matrices. • The mechanism of 1O 2 and •O 2 – generation on PTI in presence of PMS was revealed. • The continuous flow system achieved a stable degradation of 84.6 % after 48 h. • Demonstrating the potential of the system for safe removal of pollutants in water. The coupling of photocatalysis and heterogeneous Fenton-like reactions gains much interest as the possibility of synergy or enhanced effect between them, nevertheless, the development of catalysts and reaction systems are the main research focus for implementing the coupled technique for practical utilization. In this work, poly (triazine imide) (PTI), an ordered polymeric carbon nitride analogous to of g-C 3 N 4 , was firstly reported to be effective for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to degrade micropollutants in a continuous flow catalytic system under visible light. Photogenerated charge separation and transfer occurred on {0001} facets of hexagonal PTI nanoplates, where binding of PMS molecules shortened the O-O bonds and elongated the O-H bonds of PMS, resulting in singlet oxygen (1O 2) for the complete removal of antibiotics within 30 min. Besides, the immobilized PTI can maintain high degradation and mineralization rates of 96.8 % and 60.4 % respectively, after 8 h operation in a continuous flow reactor of laboratory scale size, and achieve a stable catalytic efficiency of 84.6 % for 1.7 L of wastewater in 48 h. This study provided an in-depth mechanistic understanding on coupling of photocatalysis and PMS activation, well addressed the problems of catalyst recycling, and validated the great potential of applying this coupled technique for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-thermal plasma (NTP) catalysis has attracted widespread attention in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Combining NTP with heterogeneous catalyst has been proved to reduce the formation of unwanted by-products and improve the energy efficiency of the process. The mechanisms of interaction with plasma and catalyst and VOCs oxidation in plasma catalysis are particularly hot research topic. This paper reviewed the mechanism of non-thermal plasma catalysis on volatile organic compounds removal. In the first part, the interaction between plasma and catalyst is disscussed. And the different catalysis systems and discharge types are presented in the second part. In the third part, attention is given to the influence of critical parameters on the removal processes. Finally, based on a large number of literatures, an extended review is presented detailly on the treatment of VOCs with plasma-catalysis system including the oxidation pathways. Moreover, future works of this promising technology are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified Hummer's method was adopted for the synthesis of graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). It was revealed that the modified method is effective for the production of GO and rGO from graphite. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of GO and rGO showed a sheet-like morphology. Because of the presence of oxygenated functional groups on the carbon surface, the interlayer spacing of the prepared GO was higher than that of rGO. The presence of OH and C O groups in the Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) spectrum and G-mode and 2D-mode in Raman spectra confirmed the synthesis of GO and rGO. rGO (292.6 m 2 /g) showed higher surface area than that of GO (236.4 m 2 /g). The prepared rGO was used as an adsorbent for benzene and toluene (model pollutants of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) under dynamic adsorption/desorption conditions. rGO showed higher adsorption capacity and breakthrough times than GO. The adsorption capacity of rGO for benzene and toluene was 276.4 and 304.4 mg/g, respectively. Desorption experiments showed that the spent rGO can be successfully regenerated by heating at 150.0°C. Its excellent adsorption/desorption performance for benzene and toluene makes rGO a potential adsorbent for VOC adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Open pelvic fractures associated with rectal injuries are uncommon. They often cause serious pelvic infection, even death. This combination of injuries has been reviewed infrequently. Herein, we report factors associated with pelvic infection and death in a group of patients with open pelvic fractures and concurrent rectal injuries.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with open pelvic fractures and rectal injuries who were treated at our institution from January 2010-April 2014. From the medical records, age, gender, Injury Severity Score (ISS), cause of fracture, associated injuries, classification of the fracture, degree of soft-tissue injury, Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), packed red blood cells (PRBCs) needed, presence/absence of shock, early colostomy (yes or no), drainage (yes or no), and rectal washout (yes or no) were extracted. Univariable and multivariable analysis were performed to determine the association between risk factors and pelvic infection or death.Results: Twenty patients were identified. Pelvic infection occurred in 50% (n = 10) of the patients. Four patients suffered septicemia, and three patients died of multiple organ dysfunction. The mortality rate thus was 15%. According to the univariable analysis, the patients in whom pelvic infection developed had shock, RTS ≤8, GCS ≤8, blood transfusion ≥10 units in the first 24 h, no colostomy, or Gustilo grade III soft-tissue injury. According to the multivariable analysis, shock and absence of colostomy were independently associated with pelvic infection. By univariable analysis, the only factor associated with death was RTS ≤8.Conclusion: The incidence of pelvic infection was lower in patients having early colostomy (p < 0.05). Patients with shock had a higher risk of pelvic infection, and we recommend aggressive measures to treat these patients. According to our results, RTS ≤8 could be a predictor of poor outcomes in patients with open pelvic fracture and concurrent rectal injury. Open reduction and internal fixation after extensive debridement is recommended in patients with unstable pelvic fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The destruction of low concentrations of toluene in air streams using a non-thermal plasma catalysis system has been investigated in this study. A series of highly active cobalt incorporated MCM-41 (Co-MCM-41) catalysts were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. For comparison, cobalt-impregnated MCM-41 (Co-MCM-41_imp) catalysts were prepared via an impregnation method. The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, UV–vis diffuse reflection spectrum (UV–vis DRS), H 2 -temperature-programmed reduction analyses (H 2 -TPR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the cobalt modified samples retained the highly ordered mesopore structure of MCM-41. In addition, the cobalt species on Co-MCM-41 was highly dispersed in the silica framework of MCM-41 molecular sieves, while the cobalt on Co-MCM-41_imp was present as cobalt oxide clusters or Co 3 O 4 nano-particles on the external surface of MCM-41. The non-thermal plasma catalytic performance of the catalysts was evaluated by toluene oxidation using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. The results showed that the Co-MCM-41 exhibited better catalytic activity and stability than Co-MCM-41_imp. The main reason for the enhanced catalytic performance and stability was attributed to the well dispersion of cobalt species, good ozone decomposition activities and the high ability to degrade organic intermediates on catalyst surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous catalysts have been widely used for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation to remove persistent contaminants in water. This study successfully prepared cobalt-doped TiO2 using a simple two-step approach for activating PMS to remove tetracycline (TC). The batch experiments showed complete TC degradation within 25 min caused by Co-TiO2 (0.1 g/L) activation of PMS (1 mM) under visible light. The system also demonstrated excellent catalytic efficiency in various water environments, such as artificial seawater, tap water, and wastewater. According to the radical capture tests and electron spin resonance analysis, the contribution of active species involved in the degradation of TC with the Vis/Co-TiO2/PMS system were in the following order: 1O2> SO4•−> O2•−> •OH. The possible TC degradation pathway was proposed using intermediate identification and Fukui function calculation. This study provides a promising method toward organic pollutants degradation and provides a novel perspective on the rational design of competent and stable catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The combination of pelvic fractures with lower urinary tract injuries (LUTIs) is a severe traumatic injury. This study was performed to determine the relationship between LUTIs and pelvic fracture types. Methods: Patients who sustained pelvic fractures combined with LUTIs between 1 January 2018 and 1 January 2022 in our institution were retrospectively analyzed. The patients' demographics, mechanism of injury, presence of open pelvic fractures, types of pelvic fractures, patterns of LUTIs, and early complications were analyzed. The association between pelvic fracture types and the identified LUTIs was statistically analyzed. Results: This study involved 54 patients diagnosed with pelvic fractures combined with LUTIs. The overall incidence of pelvic fractures combined with LUTIs was 7.7% (n = 54/698). All patients had unstable pelvic fractures. The male:female ratio was approximately 2.4:1.0. The incidence of LUTIs was higher in men than women with pelvic fractures (9.1% vs. 4.4%). Bladder injuries occurred at roughly equal rates in men and women (4.5% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.966), but urethral injuries were more frequent in men (6.1% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.001). The most common pelvic injury pattern was a type C fracture according to the Tile classification and a vertical-shear-type fracture according to the Young–Burgess classification. The Young–Burgess fracture classification was related to the severity of bladder injury in men (p = 0.037). There was no significant difference in bladder injury according to the two classifications among women (p = 0.524 vs. p = 1.000) or among the entire cohort (p = 0.454 vs. p = 0.342). Conclusions: Men and women are equally likely to sustain a bladder injury, but a urethral injury with pelvic fracture is more frequent in men. LUTIs tend to be accompanied by unstable pelvic fractures. It is imperative to be vigilant for potential bladder injury when men sustain vertical-shear-type pelvic fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the impact of cuproptosis-related genes in the study of osteosarcoma is largely unknown. Genome-wide data of osteosarcoma and controls were downloaded from 3 different databases, and specific diagnostic models associated with cuproptosis in osteosarcoma were constructed by support vector machines with artificial intelligence, random forest trees and LASSO regression. Differential analysis of immune cell infiltration was examined using routine blood data from 25,665 cases. Differential expression was examined using immunohistochemistry and PCR. PDHA1 and CDKN2A were obtained as specific cuproptosis-related biomarkers for osteosarcoma after artificial intelligence analysis. PDHA1, CDKN2A and neutrophils were differentially expressed in OS and control groups. PDHA1 and CDKN2A are significantly dysregulated in OS and are able to serve as biomarkers of OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, as a new visible light responsive nonmetal photocatalyst, graphite-phase carbon nitride (g-C3 N4) has been widely used for organic pollutants removal in photocatalysis system due to its suitable band gap width characteristic, enough active sites and low cost. However, the drawback of its low visible-light utilization and fast recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs that play negative effect on its photocatalytic activity. Combine with the nonmetal properties of g-C3 N4, nonmetal doping is an effective strategy to further improve the photocatalytic performance of g-C3 N4, and has attracted more and more attention on photocatalysis. In this paper, the common preparation methods of non metal doped g-C3 N4 composite materials are introduced. In addition, the research progress of different nonmetal doped g-C3 N4 applied in photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants is summarized in detail, and its mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants under visible light is also discussed. Finally, the challenges and suggestions for the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in water by nonmetal doped g-C3 N4 are proposed, and this review also helps to provide insights into the removal of organic pollutants by nonmetal doped g-C3 N4 coupled photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The destruction of low concentrations of toluene using two non-thermal plasma catalytic systems has been investigated in this study. Metals (Ag, Mn and AgMn) loaded SBA-15 catalysts were prepared by an impregnation method and further characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherm and H 2 -temperature-programmed reduction (H 2 -TPR). In our research, two types of plasma catalytic system, including continuously introduced and adsorption-discharge plasma system, were studied. The results showed that the loaded metals retained the highly ordered mesopore structure of SBA-15. The activities of as-prepared catalysts for the toluene conversion and carbon balance in both catalytic systems decreased in the following order: AgMn/SBA-15 > Ag/SBA-15 > Mn/SBA-15 > SBA-15, which were consistent with the ozone decomposition activities. Compared to traditional continuously introduced plasma system, the adsorption-discharge plasma system slightly increased toluene conversion and significantly improved the carbon balance. The reaction intermediates and products in two plasma systems were detected by the GC–MS and in situ FT-IR analyses. The results showed that the types of organic byproducts detected in the adsorption-discharge system greatly decreased compared to continuously introduced system. Moreover, the different mechanisms of two systems were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar (BC) has emerged as a potential solution to phosphate removal from wastewater primarily resulting from global overuse of fertilizers. Further modification by embedment of iron (Fe)-manganese (Mn) oxides on BC can enhance phosphate removal; however, the modification method serves as a vital factor underlying distinctive removal performances and mechanisms, which have yet been systematically examined. Herein, two Fe–Mn modified BC, Fe/MnBC (comprised of Fe 3 O 4 and MnO 2) and Fe–MnBC (comprised of MnFe 2 O 4), were comprehensively investigated for gaining insights into the unsolved perspectives. The results indicated that Fe–MnBC exhibited a markedly greater maximum phosphate adsorption capacity of 135.88 mg g−1 than that of Fe/MnBC with 17.93 mg g−1. The comparative results based on microstructure and spectroscopic analyses suggested that different Fe and Mn oxides were successfully loaded, which played a distinctive role in phosphate removal. Further characterizations unveiled that the key mechanisms for phosphate removal by Fe/MnBC are inner-sphere complexation and precipitation, while electrostatic interaction and outer-sphere complexation are the dominant mechanisms underlying the notable performance of Fe–MnBC. The delicately designed Fe–MnBC with special structure and property also enabled a superior regeneration capacity, which presented a promisingly high phosphate removal efficacy of over 81.34% after five cycles. These results enhance comprehension regarding the impact of biochar modification techniques on phosphate removal, offering positive indications for the remediation of excessive phosphate and other pollutant-containing water through feasible design and green chemicals. [Display omitted] • Biochar modified by Fe–Mn oxides remarkably enhanced phosphate removal. • Fe/MnBC consists of Fe 3 O 4 and MnO 2 , while Fe–MnBC consists of MnFe 2 O 4. • The dominant removal mechanisms of Fe/MnBC are precipitation and complexation. • Electrostatic attraction and complexation are key mechanisms for Fe–MnBC. • Fe–MnBC has a better regeneration capacity than Fe/MnBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupled photocatalysis and PMS activation for florfenicol degradation. [Display omitted] • Controlled conversion of anatase/rutile crystal phase to promote charge migration. • CN-TiAR/Vis/PMS system exhibits high stability for efficient removal of FF. • Photogenerated electrons activate PMS to accelerate carrier separation. • Inserted N atoms serve as reactive sites to promote PMS activation. Photocatalysis is a sustainable technique having unparalleled advantages in wastewater treatment. Its catalytic efficiency can be greatly enhanced by combining with Fenton-like reactions, e.g., persulfate activation-based oxidation. However, the performance of this coupled technique is mainly limited by the development of catalysts that connect two catalytic reaction systems. Herein, heterophase colloidal TiO 2 with insertion of heteroatoms C and N was synthesized as a physicochemical stable visible light responsive photocatalyst enabling persulfate activation to selectively generate strong radicals of •OH and SO 4 •− for removal of refractory pollutants (i.e., florfenicol) via an enhanced electron-transfer route. The optoelectronic characterizations and DFT calculation reveal the changes of band structure, charge transfer and migration pathway after C, N elements inserted into heterophase crystal lattice. The N site favors both separation of photogenerated charge carriers and activation of persulfate, and the coupling mechanism is disclosed in detail. Meanwhile, the participation of the strong radicals in the florfenicol decomposition and the toxicity of intermediates are discussed. This work highlights the importance of non-transition metal oxide-based catalysts for synergistic photocatalysis and persulfate activation and provides a deep insight into the synergistic mechanisms in generating strong radicals at the molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]