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In this paper, a wideband polarization reconfigurable omnidirectional antenna (PROA) based on a single-substrate active metasurface is proposed. By controlling the states of the PIN diodes, the antenna can selectively radiate an omnidirectional linearly polarized wave and an omnidirectional circularly polarized wave. The reflection coefficient, axial ratio (AR), radiation pattern, and gain of the proposed antenna have been analyzed from the perspective of simulation and measurement. The measured results show that the PROA has a wide overlapped bandwidth from 2.87 to 3.67 GHz (relative bandwidth 24.46%). To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first reported wideband PROA based on a single-substrate reconfigurable polarization converter. This study not only offers a novel approach to design PROAs, but also greatly reduces the design complexity of the feed source compared with the traditional design method of PROAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While pollution of the environment by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons has been rather well studied, the fate of substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ecosystems is less understood, notably in soil–plant systems. Here we hypothesized that substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons could enter wheat and induce phytotoxicity. We studied the accumulation, root-shoot translocation and phytotoxicity of α-tetralone, 1-nitronaphthalene, 1-nitropyrene, and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene in wheat using hydroponic experiments. We deciphered the accumulation and translocation mechanisms by inhibition with sodium vanadate, glycerol and silver nitrate. Results show that pollutant concentrations increased rapidly in roots, reaching maximum of 38.3 μg/g for α-tetralone, 268.7 μg/g for 1-nitronaphthalene, 3566.1 μg/g for 1-nitropyrene, and 3632.7 μg/g for 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene. In contrast, the root-shoot translocation factors of α-tetralone, 1-nitronaphthalene, 1-nitropyrene and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene were 2.4, 1.6, 0.1, and 0.1, respectively, thus decreasing significantly with increasing compound hydrophobicity. This could be explained by preferential adsorption for hydrophobic compounds, whereas less hydrophobic compounds could be partly translocated in a soluble form through plant water channels. The accumulated substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in wheat induced the decrease of the total chlorophyll contents by 19.0–30.1%, yet did not cause lipid peroxidation damage. Overall, our findings indicates the bioaccumulation potential and toxicity of substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in terrestrial plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theoretical model for predicting the temperature-dependent thermal conductivity of pure molten salts, both simple and complex, is presented. The model is based on kinetic theory and incorporates Einstein's concept of minimum thermal conductivity. The proposed formulation can consider the magnitude of thermal conductivity for separate salts, including complex and polymerizing salts. The model's thermal conductivity predictions were compared to reliable experimental data in the literature and a previously recommended thermal conductivity model using the Bland–Altman method. The comparison showed accurate thermal conductivity predictions relative to the reliable experimental data, with an average deviation of 10% or less. The model's predictions were also compared to the experimental data on an individual basis for halide, divalent halide, carbonate, nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, and hydroxide molten salts, demonstrating reliable predictions for the molten salts studied and improved accuracy over the previous model. Lastly, a database of simple and complex molten salts, with the necessary parameters for modeling their thermal conductivity, is recommended. • A database for the thermal conductivity of more than 60 molten salts is presented. • The model is developed based on the kinetic theory. • Few key thermophysical properties are required for the model parameterization. • The predictive capability of the model is found to be very good. • The model is valid from the melting temperature up to 75% of the boiling temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A novel flux mapping system which featured two Lambertian targets was first introduced and developed. • The design principle and the hardware implementation were presented in detail. • The performance of a multi-lamps high-flux solar simulator was evaluated by the flux mapping system. • The repeatability precision and the relative error of the flux mapping system were tested and analyzed. Abstract It is an important and challenging work to measure the energy flux density distribution of the concentrated radiation during the concentrating solar power applications. In order to evaluate the performance of a multi-lamps high-flux solar simulator, a novel flux mapping system based on the indirect method has been developed. It features two Lambertian targets. One is a stationary water-cooled Lambertian target where there is a circular hole in the center used to install a flux sensor. The other is a movable Lambertian target used to cover the flux sensor when shooting the concentrated light beam image. This kind of design can obtain the gray value of flux sensor region directly and does not require the interpolation in the sensor-influencing area. The design theory and principle, the hardware implementation and the experimental validation of this flux mapping system have been presented in detail. The repeatability experiments and the error analyses showed that the total relative errors of this flux mapping system were ±8.1% with a repeatability of 1.1%, and ±8.5% with a repeatability of 2.7%, for evaluating the flux and the total radiant power, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yellow fever (YF) is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV), which remains a potential threat to public health. The live-attenuated YF vaccine (17D strain) is a safe and highly effective measure against YF. However, increasing adverse events have been associated with YF vaccinations in recent years; thus, safer, alternative vaccines are needed. In this study, using the Japanese encephalitis live vaccine strain SA14-14–2 as a backbone, a novel chimeric virus was constructed by replacing the pre-membrane (prM) and envelope (E) genes with their YFV 17D counterparts.The chimeric virus exhibited a reduced growth rate and a much smaller plaque morphology than did either parental virus. Furthermore, the chimera was much less neurovirulent than was YF17D and protected mice that were challenged with a lethal dose of the YF virus. These results suggest that this chimera has potential as a novel attenuated YF vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was developed for the analysis of five representative organophosphate esters (OPEs) in wine samples. Under optimized conditions, the proposed method resulted in good linearity ( R 2 > 0.9933) over the range of 0.1–100 μg L −1 , with limits of detection (LODs, S/N = 3) and quantification (LOQs, S/N = 10) in the ranges of 0.48–18.8 ng L −1 and 1.58–62.5 ng L −1 , respectively. Inter- and intra-assay precisions of RSD% ranged from 3.21% to 6.13% and from 1.69% to 7.63%, respectively. The spiked recoveries of target OPEs from white wine, red wine, and beer samples were in the ranges of 80–122%, 76–120%, and 76–110%, respectively, at two different concentration levels. The total concentrations of five OPEs found in white wine, red wine, and beer samples were in the ranges of 0.29–0.85 μg L −1 , 1.00–3.05 μg L −1 , and 0.86–1.47 μg L −1 , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop a potential dengue vaccine candidate, a full-length cDNA clone of a novel chimeric virus was constructed using recombinant DNA technology, with Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) vaccine strain SA14-14-2 as the backbone, with its premembrane (prM) and envelope (E) genes substituted by their counterparts from dengue virus type 1 (DENV1). The chimeric virus (JEV/DENV1) was successfully recovered from primary hamster kidney (PHK) cells by transfection with the in vitro transcription products of JEV/DENV1 cDNA and was identified by complete genome sequencing and immunofluorescent staining. No neuroinvasiveness of this chimeric virus was observed in mice inoculated by the subcutaneous route (s.c.) or by the intraperitoneal route (i.p.), while some neurovirulence was displayed in mice that were inoculated directly by the intracerebral route (i.c.). The chimeric virus was able to stimulate high-titer production of antibodies against DENV1 and provided protection against lethal challenge with neuroadapted dengue virus in mice. These results suggest that the chimeric virus is a promising dengue vaccine candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the purpose of developing a novel dengue vaccine candidate, recombinant plasmids were constructed which contained the full length cDNA clone of Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine strain SA14-14-2 with its premembrane (PreM) and envelope (E) genes replaced by the counterparts of dengue virus type 4 (DENV4). By transfecting the in vitro transcription products of the recombinant plasmids into BHK-21 cells, a chimeric virus JEV/DENV4 was successfully recovered. The chimeric virus was identified by complete genome sequencing, Western blot and immunofluorescent staining. Growth characteristics revealed it was well adapted to primary hamster kidney (PHK) cells. Its genetic stability was investigated and only one unintentional mutation in 5′-untranslated region (5′-UTR) was found after 20 passages in PHK cells. Neurotropism, neurovirulence and immunogenicity of the chimeric virus were tested in mice. Besides, the influence of JE vaccine pre-immunization on the neutralizing antibody level induced by the chimeric virus was illuminated. To our knowledge, this is the first chimeric virus incorporating the JE vaccine stain SA14-14-2 and DENV4. It is probably a potential candidate to compose a tetravalent dengue chimeric vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Markdown only is not optimal for firms in most cases. • Sometimes, the firm is best to simultaneous markup/markdown and upgrade. • Firm's strategies on price and quality are contingent on quality cost structure. We consider a firm that sells a product to strategic consumers sensitive to both price and quality over two periods. The firm can change its product quality and must determine its prices in both periods as well as whether and how to change product quality in the second period. In equilibrium, the firm would choose one strategy from the following four: simultaneous markdown and downgrade, markdown only, simultaneous markup and upgrade, and simultaneous markdown and upgrade. Such a policy structure holds irrespective of whether the firm is patient. However, the policy set shrinks when the marginal cost changes from quadratic to linear in quality and expands when customer types are uncertain in the sense that the firm is not certain about the upper bound of the support of the customer type. In the latter, the equilibrium policy is same when the uncertainty is the highest as when uncertainty is absent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop residue‐derived carbon (C) emissions and priming effects (PE) in cropland soils can influence the global C cycle. However, their corresponding generality, driving factors, and responses to nitrogen (N) inputs are poorly understood. As a result, the total C emissions and net C balance also remain mysterious. To address the above knowledge gaps, a meta‐analysis of 1123 observations, taken from 51 studies world‐wide, has been completed. The results showed that within 360 days, emission ratios of crop residues C (ER) ranged from 0.22% to 61.80%, and crop residues generally induced positive PE (+71.76%). Comparatively, the contribution of crop residue‐derived C emissions (52.82%) to total C emissions was generally higher than that of PE (12.08%), emphasizing the importance of reducing ER. The ER and PE differed among crop types, and both were low in the case of rice, which was attributed to its saturated water conditions. The ER and PE also varied with soil properties, as PE decreased with increasing C addition ratio in soils where soil organic carbon (SOC) was less than 10‰; in contrast, the opposite phenomenon was observed in soils with SOC exceeding 10‰. Moreover, N inputs increased ER and PE by 8.31% and 3.78%, respectively, which was predominantly attributed to (NH4)2SO4. The increased PE was verified to be dominated by microbial stoichiometric decomposition. In summary, after incorporating crop residues, the total C emissions and relative net C balance in the cropland soils ranged from 0.03 to 23.47 mg C g−1 soil and 0.21 to 0.97 mg C g−1 residue‐C g−1 soil, respectively, suggesting a significant impact on C cycle. These results clarify the value of incorporating crop residues into croplands to regulate global SOC dynamics and help to establish while managing site‐specific crop return systems that facilitate C sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) becomes the first-line option for advanced tumors, while patients who are not sensitive to it may not benefit. Therefore, it is important to screen patients suitable for NACT. Methods: Single-cell data of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and esophageal squamous carcinoma (ESCC) before and after cisplatin-containing (CDDP) NACT and cisplatin IC50 data of tumor cell lines were analyzed to establish a CDDP neoadjuvant chemotherapy score (NCS). Differential analysis, GO, KEGG, GSVA and logistic regression models were performed by R. Survival analysis were applied to public databases. siRNA knockdown in A549, PC9, TE1 cell lines, qRT-PCR, western-blot, cck8 and EdU experiments were used for further verification in vitro. Results: 485 genes were expressed differentially in tumor cells before and after neoadjuvant treatment for LUAD and ESCC. After combining the CDDP-associated genes, 12 genes, CAV2, PHLDA1, DUSP23, VDAC3, DSG2, SPINT2, SPATS2L, IGFBP3, CD9, ALCAM, PRSS23, PERP, were obtained and formed the NCS score. The higher the score, the more sensitive the patients were to CDDP-NACT. The NCS divided LUAD and ESCC into two groups. Based on differentially expressed genes, a model was constructed to predict the high and low NCS. CAV2, PHLDA1, ALCAM, CD9, IGBP3 and VDAC3 were significantly associated with prognosis. Finally, we demonstrated that the knockdown of CAV2, PHLDA1 and VDAC3 in A549, PC9 and TE1 significantly increased the sensitivity to cisplatin. Conclusions: NCS scores and related predictive models for CDDP-NACT were developed and validated to assist in selecting patients who might benefit from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are widely used as flame retardants and plasticizers in many products and materials. Because of the potential biologic toxicity on human beings, OPEs are regarded as a class of emerging pollutants. Dissolved organic matters (DOM) have significant effects on the bioavailability and toxicity of the pollutants in the environment. Negligible-depletion solid-phase microextraction (nd-SPME) is an efficient way for measuring the freely dissolved pollutants but suffers from long equilibrium time. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous crystalline materials with unique properties such as high pore volume, regular porosity, and tunable pore size, being widely used for the extraction of various organic compounds. Here we developed a novel method for quick determination the sorption coefficients of OPEs to DOM in aquatic phase using Fe 3 O 4 @MIL-100 (Fe) core-shell magnetic microspheres. The mesoporous structures of the as-synthesized microspheres hindered the extraction of OPEs which associated with humic acid due to the volume exclusion effect. However, the freely dissolved OPEs can access into the mesoporous and then were extracted by MIL-100 (Fe). Due to the small pore size (4.81 nm), large surface area (141 m 2  g −1 ), high pore volume (0.17 g 3  g −1 ), and ultra-thin MOFs layers, Fe 3 O 4 @MIL-100 (Fe) core-shell magnetic microspheres have large contact area for the analytes in aqueous phase and therefore the diffusion distance was largely shortened. Besides, the microspheres can be collected conveniently after the extraction process by applying a magnetic field. Compared to the nd-SPME method with 35 h equilibration time ( t 90% ), the proposed method for these studied OPEs only need 24 min to achieve equilibration. The sorption coefficients (log K DOC ) of the OPEs to humic acid were ranged from 3.84–5.28, which were highly consistent with the results by using polyacrylate-coated fiber and polydimethylsiloxane-coated fiber with nd-SPME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are widely used as flame retardants and plasticizers in industrial and commercial products. It is generally believed that OPEs in street dust mainly originate from road traffic and anthropogenic activities. The influence of atmospheric deposition is still unknown. In this study, leaves were employed as a novel passive air sampler to collect particle matters (PM) in 12 cities in the central province of Henan, China. Similar compositional profiles of OPEs were found in street dust and PM samples. The concentrations of individual OPEs in PM were 1–4 times higher than in street dust. Chlorinated OPEs concentration in PM shows a moderate correlation (r 2 = 0.538, p < 0.01) with that in street dust. The concentration of alkyl OPEs in PM has a high correlation (r 2 = 0.843, p < 0.01) with that in street dust. No significant correlation (r 2 = 0.133, p = 0.132) was found on the aryl OPEs concentrations between street dust and PM. Spearman correlation reveals that the emission sources of tricresyl phosphate (TCrP) and triethyl phosphate (TEP) may be different from other OPEs in dust and PM samples. Principle component analysis (PCA) provides an appropriate explanation that tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), triphenyl phosphate (TPhP), tris (chloropropyl) phosphate (TCPP), tributyl phosphate (TnBP), and TEP in street dust and PM may be emitted from the same sources, suggesting that PM has a significant influence on the occurrence of OPEs in street dust. The estimated dry deposition fluxes of particle-bound OPEs show a significant correlation (R 2 = 0.969, p < 0.01) with OPEs concentrations in street dust, revealing that the input of atmospheric deposition could be a major source of OPEs in street dust. [Display omitted] • Spatial phytosampling was used to study the potential source of OPEs in street dust. • Leaves were used as passive sampler for comparative applications. • Most OPEs in PM had positive correlation with those in the street dust. • The input of atmospheric deposition is a major source of OPEs in street dust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the gas-phase retention volume behavior of four highly volatile organophosphate esters (OPEs) on polyurethane foam (PUF) was studied using a frontal chromatogram. The breakthrough volumes (V B) of trimethyl phosphate (TMP), triethyl phosphate (TEP), tripropyl phosphate (TPrP), and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP) were 0.33, 0.59, 10.5, and 32.4 m3, respectively. A significant negative correlation was found between the logarithm value of V B and the subcooled liquid vapor pressure (P L) with an r 2 of 0.905, indicating that the vapor penetration depends on both the volatility and total air volume. The enthalpy of desorption and vaporization (Δ H S −Δ H V) showed a significant difference between the tested OPEs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), revealing that the strength of the sorption interaction of the tested OPEs vapor on PUF should be different from that of PAHs. The PUF-air partition coefficients (K PUF-air) of the tested OPEs ranged from 4.3 to 8.1, which were lower than those of three-to four-ring PAHs (7.02–10.2) and organochlorines (8.01–9.72), revealing that the partition of highly volatile OPEs on PUF is lower than that of low-volatile compounds. The PUF/XAD cartridge improved the absorption efficiency of the tested OPEs; however, its sorptive capacity was still limited. [Display omitted] • The breakthrough volumes of four high volatile OPEs on PUF column were determined by frontal chromatograms. • The breakthrough volumes of the tested OPEs are much lower than three to four ring PAHs. • There are significant differences in the sorption interaction on PUF between the tested OPEs and low volatile compounds. • XAD resins can improve the sorptive capacity for high volatile OPEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• •The identification and determination methods of biochar-PFRs were outlined. • •The redox activity of biochar-PFRs was discussed. • •The consumption and generation mechanism of biochar-PFRs were summarized in detail. • •The dilemma of evaluating the redox activity of biochar-PFRs was pointed out. • •Strategies of determining the redox activity of biochar-PFRs were proposed. Biochar-bound persistent free radicals (biochar-PFRs) attract much attention because they can directly or indirectly mediate the transformation of contaminants in large-scale wastewater treatment processes. Despite this, a comprehensive top-down understanding of the redox activity of biochar-PFRs, particularly consumption and regeneration mechanisms, as well as challenges in redox activity assessment, is still lacking. To tackle this challenge, this review outlines the identification and determination methods of biochar-PFRs, which serve as a prerequisite for assessing the redox activity of biochar-PFRs. Recent developments concerning biochar-PFRs are discussed, with a main emphasis on the reaction mechanisms (both non-free radical and free radical pathways) and their effectiveness in removing contaminants. Importantly, the review delves into the mechanism of biochar-PFRs regeneration, triggered by metal cations, reactive oxygen species, and ultraviolet radiations. Furthermore, this review thoroughly explores the dilemma in appraising the redox activity of biochar-PFRs. Components with unpaired electrons (particular defects and metal ions) interfere with biochar-PFRs signals in electron paramagnetic resonance spectra. Scavengers and extractants of biochar-PFRs also inevitably modify the active ingredients of biochar. Based on these analyses, a practical strategy is proposed to precisely determine the redox activity of biochar-PFRs. Finally, the review concludes by presenting current gaps in knowledge and offering suggestions for future research. This comprehensive examination aims to provide new and significant insights into the redox activity of biochar-PFRs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metformin's effect on tumor treatment was complex, because it significantly reduced cancer cell proliferation in vitro , but made no difference in prognosis in several clinical cohorts. Our transcriptome sequencing results revealed that tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) infiltration significantly increased in active lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients with long-term metformin use. We further identified that the tumor suppressive effect of metformin was more significant in mice after the depletion of macrophages, suggesting that TAMs might play an important role in metformin's effects in LUAD. Combining 10X Genomics single-cell sequencing of tumor samples, transcriptome sequencing of metformin-treated TAMs, and the ChIP-Seq data of the Encode database, we identified and validated that metformin significantly increased the expression and secretion of S100A9 of TAMs through AMPK-CEBP/β pathway. For the downstream, S100A9 binds to RAGE receptors on the surface of LUAD cells, and then activates the NF-κB pathway to promote EMT and progression of LUAD, counteracting the inhibitory effect of metformin on LUAD cells. In cell-derived xenograft models (CDX) and patient-derived xenograft models (PDX) models, our results showed that neutralizing antibodies targeting TAM-secreted S100A9 effectively enhanced the tumor suppressive effect of metformin in treating LUAD. Our results will enable us to better comprehend the complex role of metformin in LUAD, and advance its clinical application in cancer treatment. • Metformin has pro-tumorigenic molecular mechanisms in vivo that partially counteract the anti-tumor effect. • Metformin promotes TAM secreting S100A9 through the AMPK-CEBP/β pathway, which promotes LUAD progression through RAGE-NFkB- EMT. • Blocking antibody of TAM-secreted S100A9 significantly promotes the antitumor effects of metformin in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mutation of 244-site (G → E) enhances the virulence of JEV SA14-14-2 in mice. • JEV E244 (G → E) exhibits different virulence in the context of JE vaccine. • Minor mutations in vaccine cannot be detected by Sanger sequencing. • Minor variants in vaccine do not develop to the dominant population. Japanese encephalitis (JE) poses a serious threat to the world's public health yet without a cure, the only way to prevent Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection is vaccination. Live attenuated vaccine (SA14-14-2 strain) is the most widely used JE vaccine, and clinical data have confirmed its safety and effectiveness. Eight sitesassociated with virulence in the Envelope (E) protein are often the focus of quality control of JE vaccine. However, sequences retrieved from NCBI, as well as our previous results showed that the wild strain SA14 may harbor two different amino acids at amino acid residue 244 of the E glycoprotein (E244), and it may be related to virulence. In this study, we introduced a single mutation at nt1708 (G → A) in the full-length cDNA clone of SA14-14-2, replacing a Gly with Glu at amino acid residue 244 of the E glycoprotein, and successfully constructed the mutant virus (JEV E244). JEV E244 exhibited a similar plaque morphology and growth characteristics to JEV SA14-14-2 in cell culture. However, it had lethal neurovirulence in mice and could enter the brain following intraperitoneal inoculation. Moreover, the virulence of JEV E244 in the context of vaccine in mice is significantly different from that of the JEV E244 alone. These results suggested that E244 site should be included in the assessment of the genetic stability of the attenuated JE vaccine. The detection of minor mutations in vaccine population and influence on the safety of vaccine is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Well-ordered layered manganese oxides were prepared using CTAB as guest molecule. • The layered structures of LMOs were dependent on the molar ratio of CTA+ to Mn. • Nanoconfinement is conducive to the interaction of pollutant with active species. • Constrained reaction environment promotes the production and enrichment of O 2 •−. Although manganese oxide is able to spontaneously oxidize organic contaminants in nature, the slow kinetics limit its application in engineered water treatment processes. Herein, we prepared well-ordered layered manganese oxides (LMOs) with adjustable interlayer distances using cetyltrimethylammonium bromine as a guest molecule, which were applied to degrade 3-chlorophenol as an example of organic pollutants. The ordering of the layered structure was found to be highly dependent on the molar ratio of cetyltrimethylammonium ion (CTA+) to Mn in the solutions (range 0–1.2). The maximum interlayer spacing (11.27 Å) was obtained at a molar ratio was 1.0 (LMO-1.0), which reduces the steric hindrance for 3-chlorophenol entering the interlayers. Additionally, the surface of the LMOs becomes more hydrophobic as their molar ratio increased, further favors adsorption of 3-chlorophenol on the LMO-1.0. The LMO-1.0 provides a constrained reaction environment, which increases the probability of 3-chlorophenol interacting with the active species as well as promotes the production and enrichment of superoxide radical (O 2 •−). Consequently, the degradation rate constant of 3-chlorophenol (0.446 min−1) is two orders of magnitude higher compared to the unconfined bulk phase (0.004 min−1). These findings provide useful insights into the development of Mn-based layered materials for water purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • MATF and MRP enriched substantial heavy metals and PAHs from the environment. • MATF and MRP from actual artificial turf had significantly higher cytotoxicity. • EPFRs and ROS had limited contributions to the cytotoxicity of aged MATF and MRP. • Heavy metals and PAHs played important roles in the toxicity of MATF and MRP. Numerous micro-sized artificial turf fragments (MATF) and rubber particles (MRP) are generated and accumulated during the use of the artificial playing field. However, attention has rarely been paid to the potential toxic effects of MATF and MRP on sportsmen. In this study, the active components and chemical composition of aged MATF and MRP derived from laboratory photoaging and actual field sampling were detected, and their effects on cytotoxicity were examined correspondingly. Laboratory photoaging significantly increased environmental persistent free radicals (EPFRs), reactive oxygen species (ROS) abundances and oxidative potential (OP) levels on MATF and MRP, but they have limited cytotoxicity. Unfortunately, in the actual field, aged MATF and MRP with higher heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contents exhibited markedly higher cytotoxicity with the survival rate of cells of 78 % and 26 % (p < 0.05), although they had lower EPFRs and ROS yields. Correlation analysis revealed that the cell viability was closely linked to heavy metals of MATF (p < 0.05), and to organic hydroperoxide (OHP), PAHs and heavy metals of MRP (p < 0.05). By systematically considering the above results, heavy metals and PAHs enriched on MATF and MRP from the surrounding environment played the important role in the cytotoxicity, which was different from conventional perspectives. Our findings demonstrate that MATF and MRP associated with an artificial turf field contain potent mixtures of pollutants and can, therefore, be relevant yet underestimated factors contributing to the health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper addresses the problem of fault-tolerant many-to-one routing in static wireless networks with asymmetric links, which is important in both theoretical and practical aspects. The problem is to find a minimum energy subgraph for a given subset and a destination node such that there are node-disjoint paths from each node in the subset to the destination node in the subgraph. Firstly, we prove that the problem is NP-hard, and then propose two approximation algorithms: the minimum weight node-disjoint paths based (MWkNDPB) algorithm and the minimum energy node-disjoint paths based (MEkNDPB) algorithm. Extensive simulations have been conducted to show that proposed algorithms are efficient. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]