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For nearly a century, the excessive discharge of organic contaminants has gradually polluted water and endangered people's health, and photocatalysis has been prominently employed to remove persistent recalcitrant organic. Here, MIL‐101(Cr) was firstly employed to introduce thin‐layered Bi2O2CO3 for the formation of Bi2O2CO3/MIL‐101(Cr) nanosheet composite, by a simple and low‐temperature in‐situ growth approach. The phase, morphology, optical, and surface characteristics of the fabricated composite were characterized through XRD, FTIR, SEM‐EDS, N2 adsorption–desorption, UV–Vis DRS, PL, TG, and XPS techniques, and the ability in the photocatalytic breakdown of rhodamine B (RhB) molecule under visible light was also studied. The results of characterization analysis and optical analysis exhibited that Bi2O2CO3/MIL‐101(Cr) has large pore size, good visible light response‐ability, and the heterojunction created by intercalating Bi2O2CO3 on MIL‐101(Cr). Photocatalytic studies revealed that Bi2O2CO3/MIL‐101(Cr) had superior RhB degradation activity than pure MIL‐101(Cr) and Bi2O2CO3, which achieved 97.1% with visible light irradiation for 20 mg/l RhB. Meanwhile, the Bi2O2CO3/MIL‐101(Cr) composite displayed good recyclability after three cycles as revealed by XRD and FTIR analysis proving their excellent stability. This study provides feasible insight into developing novel and efficient MIL‐101‐based heterojunction catalysts for environmental remediation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenoid hypertrophy can lead to adenoidal mouth breathing, which can result in “adenoid face” and, in severe cases, can even lead to respiratory tract obstruction. The Fujioka ratio method, which calculates the ratio of adenoid (A) to nasopharyngeal (N) space in an adenoidal-cephalogram (A/N), is a well-recognized and effective technique for detecting adenoid hypertrophy. However, this process is time-consuming and relies on personal experience, so a fully automated and standardized method needs to be designed. Most of the current deep learning-based methods for automatic diagnosis of adenoids are CNN-based methods, which are more sensitive to features similar to adenoids in lateral views and can affect the final localization results. In this study, we designed a local attention-based method for automatic diagnosis of adenoids, which takes AdeBlock as the basic module, fuses the spatial and channel information of adenoids through two-branch local attention computation, and combines the downsampling method without losing spatial information. Our method achieved mean squared error (MSE) 0.0023, mean radial error (MRE) 1.91, and SD (standard deviation) 7.64 on the three hospital datasets, outperforming other comparative methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of an energy‐efficient and economical route is necessary for society to synthesize green biofuels. Herein, cobalt‐doped tungstophosphoric acid (Co‐HPW) is in‐situ impregnated in the Zr‐based metal–organic framework (MOF‐801) forming composite of Co‐HPW/MOF‐801. The chemical composition, morphology, and acidic sites of the Co‐HPW/MOF‐801 composite were analyzed through x‐ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy‐dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), N2 physisorption, ammonia temperature‐programmed desorption (NH3‐TPD), pyridine‐adsorbed infrared spectra (Py‐FTIR), and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The catalytic performance of the as‐synthesized catalyst was explored to catalyze esterification of lauric acid (LA) with methanol. The outcomes revealed that the Co‐HPW/MOF‐801 nanocatalyst achieved a high conversion of 86.3% under the optimized reaction condition (catalyst amount of 0.15 g, temperature of 100°C, time of 4 h, and methanol/LA molar ratio of 20:1). The excellent catalytical performance is mainly due to the large BET surface area, exposure of more active centers from available pore structure, and simultaneous possession of high Lewis and Brønsted acidity. Furthermore, the kinetic study revealed that the reaction process was kinetically controlled and the activation energy was found to be 42.1 kJ/mol. The results suggest that the synthesized Co‐HPW/MOF‐801 nanocatalyst is an environmental greenness, low cost, and suitable for easy scale‐up for the production of biofuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the bimetallic Ni-Zr MOF-derived nickel-zirconium oxide (Ni-Zr-O)-impregnated silicotungstic acid (HSiW) nanocomposite catalyst (HSiW@Ni-Zr-O) was prepared via a hydrothermal procedure followed by a pyrolysis treatment, and its structural, morphological, and surface components and oxidation states were characterized by using XRD, FTIR, TPD-NH3, SEM, TEM, N2 physisorption, and XPS analyses. Then, the nanocomposite catalysts were successfully applied to the esterification of oleic acid (OA) with methanol. According to its characteristics, the obtained HSiW@Ni-Zr-O-1 catalyst would generate larger pores, a higher acidity, and active interfaces at the calcining temperature of 300 °C. Therefore, HSiW@Ni-Zr-O-1 exhibits an excellent catalytic activity of 95.2% under optimal reaction conditions. Additionally, the catalyst can be reused with a good catalytic activity after nine cycles. This study highlights the opportunity of using bimetallic MOFs as precursors to the synthesis of highly nanoporous metal oxide, which supports the larger-industrial scale production of biofuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, phosphomolybdic acid (HPMo) supported on Cu-BTC Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were prepared and utilized as a solid acid catalyst. The structure of the synthesized materials was characterized by using powder XRD, FT-IR, N2 adsorption-desorption, SEM, TEM, TG, and NH3-TPD techniques. These results exposed that HPMo was successfully encapsulated in the Cu-BTC cage and the Keggin structure of HPMo was maintained in the composite catalyst. In addition, the catalytic activity and recovery properties of the HPMo/Cu-BTC catalyst for the esterification of oleic acid with methanol into biodiesel were evaluated. These results showed that the HPMo/Cu-BTC catalyst exhibited high conversion (93.7%) and excellent reusability due to its mesoporous structure, excellent acidic activity, high BET surface area, large pore volume, and good thermal stability. Meanwhile, the kinetic studies of the esterification reaction revealed that it follows pseudo-first-order kinetics with a low activation energy of 37.5 KJ/mol. More interestingly, it shows potential application for esterification of free fatty acids (FFAs) or pretreatment of low-cost feedstocks contain high FFAs content for the green production of biodiesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impregnation of phosphotungstic acid (HPW) with porous cobalt-cerium oxide (HPW@CoCeO) has been prepared by pyrolysis of CoCe-MOF and used for the production of methyl oleate from oleic acid and methanol. FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, N2 adsorption/desorption, and NH3-TPD were characterized for the prepared composites. Simultaneously, the effects of reaction time, substrate molar ratio, temperature, and catalyst loading on catalytic activity were highlighted, and the conversion of 67.2% was reached after 4 h at 60°C. Importantly, HPW@CoCeO was reusabe and reused more than eight times, and the oleic acid conversion could be maintained at 61.8% without significant activity loss. Thus, the HPW@CoCeO composite could be used as acid catalysts for sustainable energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aroma is an important organoleptic quality for fruit and has a large influence on consumer preference. Kiwifruit esters undergo rapid and substantial changes contributing to the flavor during fruit ripening. Part of enzymes and their coding genes have been indicated potential candidates for flavor-related esters synthesis. However, there still exist obvious gaps in the biosynthetic pathways of esters and the mechanisms regulating ester biosynthesis in kiwifruit remain unknown. Results: Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), volatile compounds of kiwifruit were quantified in response to ethylene (ETH, 100 μl/l, 24 h, 20 °C) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, 1 μl/l, 24 h, 20 °C). The results indicated that esters showed the most substantial changes enhanced by ethylene and were inhibited by 1-MCP. Correlations between RNA-seq results and concentrations of esters, constructed using Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) indicated that three structural genes (fatty acid desaturase, AdFAD1; aldehyde dehydrogenase, AdALDH2; alcohol acyltransferase, AdAT17) had similar expression patterns that paralled the changes in total ester content, and AdFAD1 transcripts exhibited the highest correlation. In order to search for potential regulators for ester biosynthesis, 14 previously reported ethylene-responsive transcription factors (TFs) were included in the correlation analysis with esters and their biosynthetic genes. Using dual-luciferase assay, the in vivo regulatory activities of TFs on ester biosynthetic gene promoters were investigated and the results indicated that AdNAC5 and AdDof4 (DNA binding with one finger) trans-activated and trans-suppressed the AdFAD1 promoter. Conclusions: The present study advanced the molecular basis of ripening-related ester biosynthesis in kiwifruit by identifying three biosynthetic related genes AdFAD1, AdALDH2 and AdAT17 by transcriptome analysis, and highlighted the function of two TFs by transactivation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct conversion of fructose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is achieved by using modified aluminum-molybdenum mixed oxide (S-AlMo) as solid acid catalysts. The synthesized catalyst was characterized by powder XRD, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm, NH3-TPD, and SEM. As a result, the presence of strong acidity, mesostructures, and high surface area in the S-AlMo catalyst was confirmed by nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm and NH3-TPD studies. A study by optimizing the reaction conditions such as catalyst dosage, reaction temperature, and time has been performed. Under the optimal reaction conditions, HMF was obtained in a high yield of 49.8% by the dehydration of fructose. Moreover, the generality of the catalyst is also demonstrated by glucose and sucrose with moderate yields to HMF (24.9% from glucose; 27.6% from sucrose) again under mild conditions. After the reaction, the S-AlMo catalyst can be easily recovered and reused four times without significant loss of its catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Taste and aroma, which are important organoleptic qualities of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) fruit, undergo rapid and substantial changes during ripening. However, the associated molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The goal of this study was to identify candidate genes for flavor compound metabolism and to construct a regulatory transcriptional network. Results: We characterized the transcriptome of the 'Jianali' apricot cultivar, which exhibits substantial changes in flavor during ripening, at 50 (turning), 73 (commercial maturation) and 91 (full ripe) days post anthesis (DPA) using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). A weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed that four of 19 modules correlated highly with flavor compound metabolism (P < 0.001). From them, we identified 1237 differentially expressed genes, with 16 intramodular hubs. A proposed pathway model for flavor compound biosynthesis is presented based on these genes. Two SUS1 genes, as well as SPS2 and INV1 were correlated with sugar biosynthesis, while NADP-ME4, two PK-like and mitochondrial energy metabolism exerted a noticeable effect on organic acid metabolism. CCD1 and FAD2 were identified as being involved in apocarotenoid aroma volatiles and lactone biosynthesis, respectively. Five sugar transporters (Sweet10, STP13, EDR6, STP5.1, STP5.2), one aluminum-activated malate transporter (ALMT9) and one ABCG transporter (ABCG11) were associated with the transport of sugars, organic acids and volatiles, respectively. Sixteen transcription factors were also highlighted that may also play regulatory roles in flavor quality development. Conclusions: Apricot RNA-Seq data were obtained and used to generate an annotated set of predicted expressed genes, providing a platform for functional genomic research. Using network analysis and pathway mapping, putative molecular mechanisms for changes in apricot fruit taste and aroma during ripening were elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communication network, especially for mission-critical applications, ultra-reliable and low-latency communication (URLLC) of the control links has essential implications for realizing collision avoidance and real-time control of UAVs. However, the UAVs' mobility and the channel environment's variability may make the wireless channels highly non-stationary. Real-time and accurate Channel Status Information (CSI) acquisition is a critical challenge to implementing URLLC for UAV control links. Predicting the characteristics of non-stationary channels is profitable for formulating communication strategies to mitigate the effects of future channel fading. Nevertheless, the difficulty lies in extracting accurate prediction models for non-stationary channels to obtain accurate CSI. This paper proposes a more precise prediction by utilizing the CSI obtained as feedback from the receiver and introducing error correction. The method contains three stages, CSI collection and processing, channel tracking, and error correction. First, the transmitter collects the CSI feedback from the receiver and converts it to a stationary series. Secondly, the recent historical CSIs are used to track the time evolution of the channel based on an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model. Next, the Gaussian process regression (GPR) model is used to establish the prediction error regression model and obtain a more accurate prediction. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified based on a UAV wireless communication network application scenario in an urban environment. Simulation results show that the proposed method outperforms other methods regarding RMSE and reliability in high-dynamic UAV communication scenarios. Significantly when the channel changes rapidly, this method can respond to the changes faster and predict the CSI more accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), with the strong toxicity and carcinogenicity, has been reported to great toxicity to the liver and other organs of animals. It cause huge economic losses to breeding industry, including the aquaculture industry. Chinese mitten crabs (Eriocheir sinensis), as one of important species of freshwater aquaculture in China, are deeply disturbed by it. However, the molecular and metabolic mechanisms of hepatopancreas and ovary in crabs underlying coping ability are still unclear. Hence, we conducted targeted injection experiment with or without AFB1, and comprehensively analyzed transcriptome and metabolomics of hepatopancreas and ovary. As a result, 210 and 250 DEGs were identified in the L-C vs. L-30 m and L-C vs. L-60 m comparison, among which 14 common DEGs were related to six major functional categories, including antibacterial and detoxification, ATP energy reaction, redox reaction, nerve reaction, liver injury repair and immune reaction. A total of 228 and 401 DAMs in the ML-C vs. ML-30 m and ML-C vs. ML-60 m comparison both enriched 12 pathways, with clear functions of cutin, suberine and wax biosynthesis, tyrosine metabolism, purine metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, ABC transporters and tryptophan metabolism. Integrated analysis of metabolomics and transcriptome in hepatopancreas discovered three Co-enriched pathways, including steroid biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism. In summary, the expression levels and functions of related genes and metabolites reveal the regulatory mechanism of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) adaptability to the Aflatoxin B1, and the findings contribute to a new perspective for understanding Aflatoxin B1 and provide some ideas for dealing with it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition and content of sugars, organic acids, volatiles and carotenoids, in the pulps of six grapefruit cultivars, were examined by HPLC and GC–MS. The results showed that sucrose was the dominant sugar in grapefruit, making up 40.08–59.68% of the total sugars, and the ratio of fructose to glucose was almost 1:1. Citric acid was the major organic acid and represented 39.10–63.55% of the total organic acids, followed by quininic acid. The ratios of individual sugars and organic acids play an important role in grapefruit taste determination. Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were the predominant volatiles in grapefruit, in particular d -limonene and caryophyllene. Caryophyllene, α-humulene, humulen-(v1), β-linalool and tert-butyl 2-methylpropanoate are the characteristic aroma compounds of grapefruit. Although β-carotene is the primary carotenoid in grapefruit, the pulp color is mainly determined by the ratios of zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene. Our results provide the first complete chemical characterization of the taste, aroma and color of grapefruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We quantified the levels of polyphenols, carotenoids and polysaccharides in fruits of the eight Chinese native goji genotypes, antioxidant activities of these fruit extracts were also evaluated by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods. Quercetin-rhamno-di-hexoside (435–1065 μg/g) and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (159–629 μg/g) were found to be the predominant flavonoids. Chlorogenic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid (113–526 μg/g), while zeaxanthin (17–9306 μg/g) was the major carotenoid. The total antioxidant activities (TAA) of the berry extracts were significantly correlated with the total polysaccharide and phenolic contents, but not with total carotenoid (TC) levels. Overall, fruits of the Ningxia goji ( Lycium barbarum L.) genotypes, DM (Damaye), NJ1 (Ningji No.1), BH (Baihua) and NH (Ningxiahuangguo) were not only rich in polyphenols, carotenoids and polysaccharides, but had significantly higher TAA than those of the other genotypes, suggesting that they represent an excellent source of antioxidants for human nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By the method of coprecipitation and wet impregnation, the solid acid catalyst of SO42-/Fe2O3-TiO2 was prepared and used to catalyze litsea cubeba kernel oil and ethanol to prepare biodiesel. The preparation conditions of biodiesel were optimized. The results showed that when the molar ratio of ethanol to Litsea cubeba kernel oil was 16:1, the catalyst dosage was 10.0 wt% the reaction time was 8.0 h at ethanol refluxing temperature of 78 °C, the biodiesel yield reached 44. 9%, which rndicated that the catalyst has higher catalytic activity for biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with a degenerate nonlinear diffusion equation with gradient absorption. We at first determine finite time blow-up of solutions both in the L ∞ -norm and an integral measure, and then estimate a lower bound of the blow-up time by using the differential inequality technique. It is mentioned that the blowing up of solutions to nonlinear PDEs is usually defined in the L ∞ -norms, while the lower bounds of blow-up time are all determined via some measures in the form of energy integrals. So, in general, to estimate the lower bounds of blow-up time, it has to be assumed that the solutions do blow up in finite time with the involved integral measure before establishing their lower bounds of blow-up time. Such assumptions are unnecessary in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With chitosan and sodium alginate as the main raw material, the sponge adsorbents were satisfactorily prepared by freeze-drying and curing molding by CaCl2. The structure of sponge was characterized by FTIR and SEM and its physical property was measured. In addition, the different influences on absorbability of CR and analyzing the dynamics and thermodynamics of the adsorption process have been studied, thus it can provide theoretical foundation for the practical application of azo-dye wastewater treatment. The results are as follows: 0.10 g CTS/SA sponge adsorbent has the best absorbability on CR in the condition of 30°C, pH value is range from 6.00 to 7.00, and adsorption time is 45 min and stirring speed of 200 rpm. The adsorption kinetic followed the pseudo-second-order dynamics and it shows good relevance. The CR adsorption of CTS/SA sponge adsorbent can be described as Freundlich isotherm model (R2 > 0.94) and Langmuir isothermmodel (R2 > 0.99). The maximum adsorption capacity of CTS/SA sponges at 30°C can be obtained from the Langmuir model was 121.95 mg/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of functional polymeric ionic liquids (FPILs) were prepared by coupling of SO 3 H-functionalized polymeric ionic liquids with different counterpart anions containing or excluding CrCl 3 ·6H 2 O, and characterized by SEM, FT-IR, XRD, NH 3 -TPD, TG, melting point, ICP-AES, and TEM. The catalytic activity of the prepared solid FPILs was investigated for the conversion of biomass including fructose, glucose and cellulose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) with the presence of DMSO-mediated solvents, successively producing moderate to excellent yields of HMF under atmospheric pressure. The FPILs catalysts developed in this study present improved performance on fructose-to-HMF conversion over other solid catalysts, such as functional ionic liquids supported by silica, metal oxides and strong acid ion exchange resin catalysts, and can be very easily recycled at least five times without significant loss of activity. In addition, a kinetic analysis was carried out to illustrate the formation of HMF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural rectorite (REC) is a clay mineral with regular interlayer structure. The special structure of rectorite rendered it strong adsorption capacity. According to the cation-exchange mineral characters, rectorite was inserting-layer modified with three novel Gemini surfactants by conventionl method to form three kinds of organic-modified rectorite (OREC), termed (12-2-12)-REC, (12-3-12)-REC, (18-3-18)-REC. Through FTIR and XRD analysis, it confirmed the cation exchange reaction between REC and surfactant. This paper studies on the adsorption of REC and three kinds of OREC for methylene blue and the influence of main factors were discussed. The results indicated that the interlayer distance of the three ORECs((12-2-12)-REC, (12-3-12)-REC, (18-3-18)-REC) were enlarged from 2.49 nm to 3.77 nm, 3.00 nm, 3.33 nm, respectively. Besides, the adsorption results showed that the OREC with larger interlayer spacing displayed more excellent adsorption capacities than the OREC with smaller interlayer spacing in the same work condition. The MB adsorption of three kinds of OREC can be described as Freundlich isotherm model and Langmuir isotherm model, but the adsorption of (18-3-18)-REC is more likely described as Freundlich isotherm model. The max adsorption amount of the three ORECs((12-2-12)-REC, (12-3-12)-REC, (18-3-18)-REC) can be reached 45.56 mg/g, 37.81 mg/g, 40.82 mg/g at 25°C, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to investigate catalytic activity of petroleum coke, activated carbon (AC) prepared from this material, Ni supported catalyst on activated carbon (Ni/AC) in the ozonation of aqueous phase p-chlorobenzoic acid (p-CBA). Activated carbon and Ni/AC catalyst were characterized by XRD and SEM. The presence of petroleum coke did not improve the degradation of p-CBA compared to ozonation alone, but it was advantageous for p-CBA mineralization (total organic carbon, TOC, reduction), indicating the generation of highly oxidant species (e medium. The presence of either activated carbon or Ni/AC considerably improves TOC removal during p-CBA ozonation. Ni/AC catalyst shows the better catalytic activity and stability based on five repeated tests during p-CBA ozonation. During the ozonation (50mg/h ozone flow rate) of a 10mg/L p-CBA (pH 4.31), it can be more mineralized in the presence of Ni/AC catalyst (5.0g/L), TOC removal rate is over 60% in 60min, 43% using activated carbon as catalyst, only 30% with ozonation alone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background. As a frequent cause of death in cancer patients, liver cancer usually occurs in hepatitis B and cirrhosis. In China, Chinese people have been using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating various chronic liver diseases, which could effectively improve the symptoms and slow down the progression of liver diseases. However, due to the complexity rules of TCM prescription, their action mechanisms are still not clearly understood, which may affect the popularization of effective prescriptions. This study aims to identify the core TCM herbs in the treatment of hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer so as to clarify the mechanism of action of the core herb networks. Methods. There were 1,673 prescriptions for chronic liver diseases collected in this study, of which 854 were hepatic B prescriptions, 530 were for liver cirrhosis, and 289 were for liver cancer. The basic characteristics of herbal medicine were firstly explained via descriptive analysis, then the core prescriptions of herbal medicine were analyzed through association rule, and finally, the mechanism of core prescriptions was explored with the help of systematic network pharmacology and by applying such databases as TCMIP, HERB, OMIM, GeneCards, KEGG, and software like RStudio and Cytoscape. Results. The rule of the core prescriptions in these cases was characterized by the application of herbs with both cold and warm properties, in which bitter herbs with cold property took priority. Tonifying deficiency, clearing heat, and activating blood circulations to remove stasis were common treatment principles for the three liver diseases. Turmeric Root Tuber (YuJin), White Peony Root (BaiShao), Bupleurum (ChaiHu), Salvia miltiorrhiza (DanShen), and Astragali Radix (HuangQi) were prescribed the most in hepatitis B treatment to invigorate the spleen and soothe the liver. Astragali Radix (HuangQi), Tuckahoe (FuLing), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (BaiZhu), Fructus Polygoni Orientalis (ShuiHongHuaZi), and Curcumae Rhizome (EZhu) were most frequently applied in liver cirrhosis treatment to replenish qi and activate blood. Oldenlandia (BaiHuaSheSheCao), Bearded Scutellaria (BanZhiLian), Curcumae Rhizome (EZhu), and Cardamom (DouKou) were most frequently prescribed to eliminate cancer toxin, invigorate the spleen, and activate blood. These core herbs mainly act through signal transduction and immune system pathways, in which the PI3K-Akt pathway plays a key role. The core prescription for liver cirrhosis regulated more endocrine system pathways than the hepatitis B prescription, and liver cancer prescription regulated more nervous system-related pathways. Conclusion. Three core prescriptions for hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer treatment were identified, which acted mainly through signal transduction and immune system pathways to regulate immunity and cell growth and participate in inflammation inhibition, in which liver cancer prescription regulated more pathways, especially more nervous system-related pathways than the other two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carotenoids are a class of terpenoid pigments that contribute to the color and nutritional value of many fruits. Their biosynthetic pathways have been well established in a number of plant species; however, many details of the regulatory mechanism controlling carotenoid metabolism remain to be elucidated. Apricot is one of the most carotenoid-rich fruits, making it a valuable system for investigating carotenoid metabolism. The purpose of this study was to identify key genes and regulators associated with carotenoid metabolism in apricot fruit based on transcriptome sequencing. Results: During fruit ripening in the apricot cultivar 'Luntaixiaobaixing' (LT), the total carotenoid content of the fruit decreased significantly, as did the levels of the carotenoids β-carotene, lutein and violaxanthin (p < 0.01). RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis of the fruit resulted in the identification of 44,754 unigenes and 6916 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during ripening. Among these genes, 33,498 unigenes were annotated using public protein databases. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) showed that two of the 13 identified modules ('blue' and 'turquoise') were highly correlated with carotenoid metabolism, and 33 structural genes from the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway were identified. Network visualization revealed 35 intramodular hub genes that putatively control carotenoid metabolism. The expression levels of these candidate genes were determined by quantitative real-time PCR analysis, which showed ripening-associated carotenoid accumulation. This analysis revealed that a range of genes (NCED1, CCD1/4, PIF3/4, HY5, ERF003/5/12, RAP2–12, AP2, AP2-like, BZR1, MADS14, NAC2/25, MYB1R1/44, GLK1/2 and WRKY6/31/69) potentially affect apricot carotenoid metabolism during ripening. Based on deciphering the molecular mechanism involved in ripening, a network model of carotenoid metabolism in apricot fruit was proposed. Conclusions: Overall, our work provides new insights into the carotenoid metabolism of apricot and other species, which will facilitate future apricot functional studies and quality breeding through molecular design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the ecological footprint model, the traditional trade adjustment method only considered the international trade process at the urban scale, ignoring the trade footprint generated by domestic trade and indirect trade in various products. This paper adopts the urban-scale ecological footprint model based on the macro-trade adjustment method to calculate the trade adjustment coefficient of biological products and the energy trade adjustment coefficient respectively to correct the trade footprint. The results showed that the per capita ecological deficit showed a straight upward trend, from 0.07351 hm2 in 2013 to 0.15472 hm2 in 2018. From 2013 to 2018, the per capita ecological footprint of Guangdong Province was greater than the per capita ecological carrying capacity, and the ecological economic system of Guangdong Province was in an unsustainable state. According to the trade ecological footprint, Guangdong Province was a completely foreign resource and service exporting city, which was consistent with Guangdong Province's own economic development direction; the analysis results of the ecological product trade footprint were more consistent with the current city positioning of biological resource products of each city, and the energy indirect trade footprint. The improved ecological footprint model could more accurately assess the true status of ecological vitality above the urban scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the innovative application of iron filings solid waste, a byproduct from mechanical workshops, as a heterogeneous catalyst in the production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil. Focusing on sustainability and waste valorization, the research presents a dual-benefit approach: addressing the environmental issue of solid waste disposal while contributing to the renewable energy sector. Particle size distribution analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Thermal analysis (TG-DTA), and FTIR analysis were used to characterize the iron filings. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to guide a series of experiments that were conducted to identify the optimum transesterification settings. Important factors that greatly affect the production of biodiesel are identified by the study, including catalyst loading, reaction time, methanol-to-oil ratio, reaction temperature, and stirring rate. The catalyst proved to be successful as evidenced by the 96.4% biodiesel conversion efficiency attained under ideal conditions. The iron filings catalyst's reusability was evaluated, demonstrating its potential for numerous applications without noticeably decreasing activity. This work offers a road towards more environmentally friendly and sustainable chemical processes in energy production by making a strong argument for using industrial solid waste as a catalyst in the biodiesel manufacturing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel method for synthesizing 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives through a one-pot, multi-component addition reaction using flower-like Cu2O microbeads as a catalyst. The flower-like Cu2O microbeads were synthesized using an aqueous extract of Artimisia Campestris L. This extract demonstrated the capability to reduce and stabilize Cu2O particles during their initial formation, resulting in the formation of a porous flower-like morphology. These Cu2O microbeads exhibit distinctive features, including a cubic close-packed (ccp) crystal structure with an average crystallite size of 22.8 nm, bandgap energy of 2.7 eV and a particle size of 6 μm. Their catalytic activity in synthesizing 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives was investigated through systematic exploration of key parameters such as catalyst quantity (1, 5,10,15, 20, and 30 mg/mL), solvent type (dimethylformamide/H2O, ethanol/H2O, dichloromethane/H2O, chloroform, acetone, and dimethyl sulfoxide), and catalyst reusability (four cycles). The Cu2O microbeads significantly increased the product yield from 20% to 85.3%. The green synthesis and outstanding catalytic attributes make these flower-like Cu2O microbeads promising, efficient, and recyclable catalysts for sustainable and effective chemical transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogenesis of Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) involves several forms of cell death, such as pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis, which consist of PANoptosis. To explore PANoptosis as a regulated cell death pathway in ACLF. Firstly, a bioinformatic strategy was used to observe the role of the PANoptosis pathway in ACLF and identify differentially expressed genes related to PANoptosis. Enrichment analysis showed that PANoptosis-related pathways were up-regulated in ACLF. We screened out BAX from the intersection of pyroptosis, apoptosis, necroptosis, and DEGs. Secondly, we screened articles from literature databases related to PANoptosis and liver failure, and specific forms of PANoptosis were reported in different experimental models in vitro and in vivo. Secondly, we established a model of ACLF using carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis, followed by D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide joint acute attacks. A substantial release of inflammatory factors(IL-6, IL-18, TNFα, and IFNγ) and the key proteins of PANoptosis (NLRP3, CASP1, GSDMD, BAX, CASP8, CASP3, CASP7, and MLKL) were detected independently in the ACLF rats. Finally, we found that combining TNF-α/INF-γ inflammatory cytokines could induce L02 cells PANoptosis. Our study highlighted the potential role of ACLF and helps drug discovery targeting PANoptosis in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MIL-101(Fe) was explored for the first time for the catalytic conversion of glucose into lactic acid (LA). The as-synthesized MIL-101(Fe) was successfully characterized, and its higher specific surface area, porosity, and feasible acid properties were confirmed to determine the remarkable catalytic activity in glucose-to-LA conversion (up to 25.4% yield) compared with other catalysts like MIL-101(Cr, Al) and UiO-66(Zr). The reaction parameters including temperature, reaction time, and substrate species as well as catalyst reusability were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a refractory disease with high mortality, which is characterized by a pathophysiological process of inflammation-related dysfunction of energy metabolism. Jieduan-Niwan formula (JDNWF) is a eutherapeutic Chinese medicine formula for ACLF. However, the intrinsic mechanism of its anti-ACLF effect still need to be studied systematically. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of JDNWF against ACLF based on altered substance metabolic profile in ACLF the expression levels of related molecules. Materials and methods: The chemical characteristics of JDNWF were characterized using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Wistar rats subjected to a long-term CCL4 stimulation followed by a combination of an acute attack with LPS/D-GalN were used to establish the ACLF model. Liver metabolites were analyzed by LC–MS/MS and multivariate analysis. Liver function, coagulation function, histopathology, mitochondrial metabolic enzyme activity and mitochondrial damage markers were evaluated. The protein expression of mitochondrial quality control (MQC) was investigated by western blot. Results: Liver function, coagulation function, inflammation, oxidative stress and mitochondrial enzyme activity were significantly improved by JDNWF. 108 metabolites are considered as biomarkers of JDNWF in treating ACLF, which were closely related to TCA cycle. It was further suggested that JDNWF alleviated mitochondrial damage and MQC may be potential mechanism of JDNWF improving mitochondrial function. Conclusions: Metabolomics revealed that TCA cycle was impaired in ACLF rats, and JDNWF had a regulatory effect on it. The potential mechanism may be improving the mitochondrial function through MQC pathway, thus restoring energy metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solid-state mechanochemical route for rapid synthesis of MgAl layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets large in surface area and decorated with abundant hydroxyl groups was developed for catalytic elimination of carbonyl sulfide and H2S, showing activity superior to those of commercial LDHs and porous metal oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TCP Vegas performance can be improved since its rate-based congestion control mechanism could proactively avoid possible congestion and packet losses in multi-hop ad hoc networks. Nevertheless, Vegas cannot make full advantage of available bandwidth to transmit packets since incorrect bandwidth estimates may occur due to frequent topology changes caused by node mobility. This paper proposes an improved TCP Vegas based on the grey prediction theory, named TCP-Gvegas, for multi-hop ad hoc networks, which has the capability of prediction and self-adaption, as well as three enhanced aspects in the phase of congestion avoidance. The lower layers' parameters are considered in the throughput model to improve the accuracy of theoretical throughput. The prediction of future throughput based on grey prediction is used to promote the online control. The optimal exploration method based on Q- Learning and Round Trip Time quantizer are applied to search for the more reasonable changing size of congestion window. Besides, the convergence analysis of grey prediction by using the Lyapunov's second method proves that a shorter input data length of prediction implies a faster convergence rate. The simulation results show that the TCP-Gvegas achieves a substantially higher throughput and lower delay than Vegas in multi-hop ad hoc networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalase (CAT) is an important antioxidant enzyme in plants that plays a key role in plant growth and stress responses. CAT is usually encoded by a small gene family that has been cloned and functionally studied in some species, such as Arabidopsis, wheat and cucumber, but its specific roles in rice are not clear at present. In this study, we identified three CAT family genes (OsCAT1, OsCAT2 and OsCAT3) in the rice genome and performed a systematic bioinformatics analysis. RT−PCR analysis revealed that OsCAT1–OsCAT3 was primarily expressed in vegetative tissues such as roots, stems and leaves. Since OsCAT3 showed the highest expression level among the three OsCAT genes, we then focused on its related functions. OsCAT3 prokaryotic expression protein has an obvious ability to remove H2O2. The OsCAT3crispr plant was short and had a low survival rate, the leaves were small with brown lesions, and the activities of the CAT, POD and SOD enzymes were significantly reduced. A microarray analysis showed that differentially expressed genes were primarily enriched in toxin metabolism and photosynthesis. This study laid a foundation for further understanding the function of the rice OsCAT gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further understand the molecular mechanism for rice male reproduction, a rice male sterile mutant paa1 was screened from the rice mutant library generated by treatment with 60Coγ-rays. Genetic analysis revealed that paa1 is controlled by a single- recessive nuclear gene, and the anthers of the paa1 mutant were smaller than those of WT plants with a white color. Histological analysis demonstrated that the anthers of the paa1 mutant began to turn abnormal at the microspore stage after meiosis, with abnormal degradation of tapetum, deformed Ubisch bodies, and defective pollen exine. TUNEL assay results also confirmed the delay of tapetum PCD in paa1. Map-based cloning was performed for the PAA1 location. As a result, PAA1 was located in a 88-kb region at the end of chromosome 10, which comprises a total of seven candidate genes, and no genes related to anther development have been reported in this region. The results indicate that PAA1 is an essential gene in regulating tapetum development and pollen/microspore formation after rice meiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provided a new idea for the preparation of magnetic nanoparticles using organic rectorite as a carrier, and a novel magnetic adsorbent, chitosan/organic rectorite-Fe 3 O 4 composite microspheres (CS/χOREC-Fe 3 O 4 ), was synthesized. The structure and physical properties of CS/χOREC-Fe 3 O 4 were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, FT-IR, TG, M s and XPS and its adsorption properties for removal of 3 mg/L heavy metal ions under different conditions were also investigated. The results showed that the CS/χOREC-Fe 3 O 4 microspheres exhibited excellent adsorption capacity for removing metal ions compared with the corresponding OREC-Fe 3 O 4 or chitosan alone. The adsorption process was fitted to Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The E a and ΔG revealed that the adsorption of Cu (II) and Cd (II) proceeded with a low potential energy and all the adsorption processes were spontaneous. Further recycle experiments exhibited the adsorption capacity of adsorbent still maintained above 55% after the 4th cycle. All results implied that CS/χOREC-Fe 3 O 4 could be used as a promising adsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan/rectorie (CTS/REC) nano-hybrid composite microsphere was prepared by changing the proportion of CTS/REC with 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1. Compared with the pure cross-linking chitosan microsphere, the nano-hybrid composite microsphere was proved to have better sorption capacity of Cd(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II), especially 2:1(CTS/REC-1). The adsorption behavior of the microsphere of Cd(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II) was investigated in single and binary metal systems. In single system, the equilibrium studies showed that the adsorption of Cd(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II) followed the Langmuir model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The negative values of (Δ G ) suggested that the adsorption process was spontaneous. In binary system, the combined action of the metals was found to be antagonistic and the metal sorption followed the order of Cu(II) > Cd(II) > Ni(II). The regeneration studies indicated that EDTA desorbed Cd(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II) from cross-linking microspheres better than HCl. The FT-IR and XPS spectra showed that coordination bonds were formed between Cd(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II) and the nitrogen atoms of cross-linking CTS/REC nano-hybrid composite microspheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NEAT1, PTBP1 and FOXP1 are upregulated in cellular and mouse models of AR. • Both NEAT1 and PTBP1 silencing inhibits IL4/IL13-triggered NLRP3-inflammasomes and pyroptosis in HNEpCs. • NEAT1 directly interacts with PTBP1 to maintain FOXP1 mRNA stability. • Overexpression of FOXP1 restrains the beneficial effects of NEAT1/PTBP1 signaling in regulating inflammation and pyroptosis. Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is a prevalent chronic non-infectious inflammation affecting the nasal mucosa. NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis of epithelial cells plays a pivotal role in AR pathogenesis. Herein, we evaluated the impact of the long non-coding RNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (lncRNA NEAT1) on NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3)-mediated pyroptosis in AR. Nasal inflammation levels in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR mice were assessed using HE staining, and NLRP3 expression was evaluated through immunohistochemistry. ELISA was utilized to detect OVA-specific IgE, IL-6, IL-5, and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-18). Human nasal epithelial cells (HNEpCs) stimulated with IL4/IL13 were used to analyze the mRNA and protein levels of associated genes utilizing RT-qPCR and western blot, respectively. Cell viability and pyroptosis were assessed by CCK-8 and flow cytometry. The targeting relationship between NEAT1, PTBP1 and FOXP1 were analyzed by RIP and RNA pull down assays. FISH and IF analysis were performed to assess the co-localization of NEAT1 and PTBP1. In both the AR mouse and cellular models, increased levels of NEAT1, PTBP1 and FOXP1 were observed. AR mice exhibited elevated inflammatory infiltration and pyroptosis, evidenced by enhanced expressions of OVA-specific IgE, IL-6, and IL-5, NLRP3, Cleaved-caspase 1, GSDMD-N, IL-1β and IL-18. Functional assays revealed that knockdown of PTBP1 or NEAT1 inhibited pyroptosis while promoting the proliferation of IL4/IL13-treated HNEpCs. Mechanistically, NEAT1 directly interacted with PTBP1, thereby maintaining FOXP1 mRNA stability. Rescue assays demonstrated that FOXP1 upregulation reversed the inhibitory effects of silencing NEAT1 or PTBP1 on IL4/IL13-stimulated pyroptosis activation in HNEpCs. NEAT1 acts as a RNA scaffold for PTBP1, activating the PTBP1/FOXP1 signaling cascade, subsequently triggering NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in HNEpCs, and ultimately promoting AR progression. These findings highlight some new insights into the pathogenesis of AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MA-LDHs-SD-x with abundantly defective nanochannels and highly accessed OH– base sites was designed, which act as efficient catalysts for COS and H 2 S catalytic elimination via an OH– chemical looping route. [Display omitted] • MgAl layered double hydroxides nanosheet endowed with defects (MA-LDHs-SD) were designed. • MA-LDHs-SD were prepared from a mechanochemical method in presence of SiO 2 defects directing agent. • The MA-LDHs-SD possess enlarged surface area and more surface OH– base sites. • The MA-LDHs-SD exhibit superior activities in COS hydrolysis via an OH– chemical looping route. • The OH– base site of MA-LDHs-SD are very active for catalytic conversion of H 2 S into elemental sulfur. Adsorption and dissociation of H 2 O along with the generated hydroxide ions (OH–) over catalyst plays key role in the carbonyl sulfur (COS) hydrolysis. Herein, we report a variety of magnesium aluminum layered double hydroxides nanosheet with abundant structural defects (MA-LDHs-SD-x) designed by a mechanochemistry method using white carbon black as the defects directing agent. The resulted MA-LDHs-SD-x possess abundant structural defects along with much enlarged BET surface area and pore volume (175 m2/g and 0.347 cm3/g vs 32 m2/g and 0.039 cm3/g), which provide enhanced amount of surface OH– base sites, tight and rigid diffusion channels for guest molecules. As expected, the MA-LDHs-SD-x were found to be rather active in catalyzing COS hydrolysis, nearly 100% conversion and selectivity can be achieved at only 30 °C without H 2 O in a span of 96 h through a hydroxyl chemical looping route, which showing potential application value in the industrial desulfuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a critical and refractory disease and a hepatic disorder accompanied by immune dysfunction. Thus, it is essential to explore key immune-related genes of ACLF and investigate its mechanisms. We used two public datasets (GSE142255 and GSE168048) to perform various bioinformatics analyses, including WGCNA, CIBERSORT, and GSEA. We also constructed an ACLF immune-related protein–protein interaction (PPI) network to obtain hub differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and predict corresponding miRNAs. Finally, an ACLF rat model was established to verify the results. A total of 388 DEGs were identified in ACLF, including 162 upregulated and 226 downregulated genes. The enrichment analyses revealed that these DEGs were mainly involved in inflammatory-immune responses and biosynthetic metabolic pathways. Twenty-eight gene modules were obtained using WGCNA and the coral1 and darkseagreen4 modules were highly correlated with M1 macrophage polarization. As a result, 10 hub genes and 2 miRNAs were identified to be significantly altered in ACLF. The bioinformatics analyses of the two datasets presented valuable insights into the pathogenesis and screening of hub genes of ACLF. These results might contribute to a better understanding of the potential molecular mechanisms of ACLF. Finally, further studies are required to validate our current findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jieduan-Niwan (JDNW) formula is a traditional Chinese medicine compound created by the famous Chinese medicine expert Professor Qian Ying, and has been used clinically for decades to treat acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and exhibits remarkable efficacy. However, the exact mechanism remains to be discovered. As an important hepatocyte damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMP) factor, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a potential therapeutic target as an accelerator of ACLF in the pathogenesis. Therefore, the present study investigated whether JDNW inhibits the overexpression and cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 in ACLF liver tissue and alleviates its mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis. In vivo, an immune-induced ACLF rat model was established, and then treated with JDNW for 5, 10, and 15 d. The results showed that a large number of cytoplasmic translocations of HMGB1 occurred in the ACLF group. And there was an increase in the expression of HMGB1 in the M-5 d group. After the intervention of JDNW, the overexpression and translocation of HMGB1 were inhibited. In vitro, D-GaLN caused an increase in the expression and translocation of HMGB1 in L02 cells. Similar to the inhibitor of HMGB1, JDNW serum alleviated this kind of increase. Further tests showed that JDNW attenuated ACLF-related oxidative stress and apoptosis, and the inhibition was associated with the regulation of TLR-4/NF-κB signaling pathway. In conclusion, our present findings suggest that the therapeutic effect of JDNW on ACLF was associated with the inhibition of high expression and cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 during the acute injury phase, thus, attenuating oxidative stress injury and apoptosis induced by HMGB1/TLR-4/NF-κB pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, magnetic particles were prepared using organic rectorite as a carrier, and then a novel magnetic adsorbent named chitosan/organic rectorite-Fe 3 O 4 intercalated composite microspheres (CS/Mt-OREC microspheres) was synthesized. The microspheres were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, TEM, SEM and VSM. The effects of adsorbent dosage, initial pH, contact time, temperatures, initial concentrations of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) were studied. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics, and the intra-particle diffusion was one but not the only rate-limiting step. The adsorption equilibrium data can be well described by Langmuir model. Thermodynamic parameters such as Δ G , Δ H , and Δ S were estimated to understand the adsorption mechanism of dyes. Moreover, CS/Mt-OREC microspheres were successfully regenerated using NaOH and HCl, and could be easily separated from aqueous solution in magnetic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB) and tetrachloroethene (PCE) were chosen to study their competitive effect on 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene (1,2,4,5-TeCB) sorption by three soils/sediments from South China with different fractions of natural organic matter (NOM) employing a batch technique. Results showed that cosolutes 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and tetrachloroethene exhibited apparent competition against 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene in all of the three sediments. 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene was more effective competitor than tetrachloroethene because the structure of 1,2,4-TCB is very close to that of 1,2,4,5-TeCB. Furthermore, the extent of competition depended on the rigidity of sediment NOM matrixes. The more reduced and condensed the matrixes are, the larger extent of competitive effect would the corresponding sediment show at a given sorbed volume of competitor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hydroxyapatite supported Ag3PO4 nanocomposites have been synthesized by a wet impregnation process. UV–vis absorption spectra show a red shift of the absorption edges for the composite systems compared to pure hydroxyapatite support. The surface structure and morphology of the nanocomposites were characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) apparatus, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results suggest that Ag3PO4 nanoparticles (6–17nm in diameter) are well dispersed on the hydroxyapatite support and Ag3PO4 nanoparticles density is larger for the higher Ag+ loading sample. The as-prepared nanocomposite photocatalysts showed a pronounced photocatalytic activity upon decomposition of methylene blue dye in aqueous solution under both visible light (wavelength>400nm) and UV–vis light irradiation. A synergic mechanism of inherent photocatalytic capability of Ag3PO4 and the accelerated electron/hole separation resulting from the photoinduced electrons captured by the slow-released Ag+ at the interface of Ag3PO4 and hydroxyapatite is proposed for the nanocomposites on the enhancement of photocatalytic performance in comparison to that of pure Ag3PO4 nanoparticles. The support of hydroxyapatite may also act as an absorbent which favors the mass transfer in heterogeneous photocatalysis reaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: TiO2 was prepared by a hydrothermal method at a low temperature and used to degrade and mineralize dimethyl phthalate (DMP). TiO2 was characterized by XRD, TEM, BET and UV–vis techniques. The characteristics of TiO2 prepared by a hydrothermal method (h-t TiO2) included a good crystalline anatase phase, greater surface area, stronger absorption to UV light wavelength and lower agglomeration than TiO2 prepared by a classic sol–gel method (s–g TiO2). The photocatalytic activity of h-t TiO2 prepared under optimal hydrothermal condition (180°C for 10h) was 2.5 times higher than that of s–g TiO2 in degrading DMP. The process of photocatalysis combined with UV irradiation and ozonation (TiO2/UV/O3) considerably improved the mineralization and degradation of DMP compared to photocatalysis combined with UV irradiation (TiO2/UV), ozonation combined with UV irradiation (UV/O3), and ozonation alone (O3). A kinetic study showed the mineralization in TiO2/UV/O3 followed the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The sorption of chlorobenzenes (CBs) by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMAB) modified bentonite and kaolinite was investigated. The sorption isotherms for CBs were nearly linear, suggesting that sorption could be described by a distribution process. The distribution coefficient (K d) was primarily affected by the amount of sorbed surfactant. The organic carbon normalized sorption coefficient (K oc), however, was particularly dependent on arrangement of the surfactant cations. The K d of CBs was larger for CTMAB-bentonites than that for CTMAB-kaolinites, while the case for K oc was opposite. Thus, the clay mineral structure and morphology had a considerable influence on the surfactant arrangement, which was responsible for the partitioning of CBs. The sorption of CBs onto both CTMAB-bentonites and CTMAB-kaolinites followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. The intra-particle diffusion model for sorption was also investigated and compared to identify sorption mechanism. The sorption of CBs both on CTMAB-bentonites and CTMAB-kaolinites was exothermic in nature and accompanied by an increase in entropy and a decrease in Gibbs energy in the temperature range of 15–35°C. The results indicated that CBs strongly interacted with CTMAB modified bentonite and kaolinite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cerium supported on activated carbon (Ce/AC), which was prepared by dipping method, was employed to degrade dimethyl phthalate (DMP) in water. The mineral matter present in the activated carbon positively contributes to its activity to enhance DMP ozonation process. A higher dipping Ce(NO3)3 concentration and calcination process increase its microporous volume and surface area, and decreases its exterior surface area. The catalytic activity reaches optimal when 0.2% (w/w) cerium is deposited on activated carbon. Ce/AC catalyst was characterized by XRD, SEM and BET. The presence of either activated carbon or Ce/AC catalyst considerably improves their degradation and mineralization in the ozonation of DMP. During the ozonation (50mg/h ozone flow rate) of a 30mg/L DMP (initial pH 5.0) with the presence of Ce/AC catalyst, TOC removal rate reaches 68% at 60min oxidation time, 48% using activated carbon as catalyst, only 22% with ozonation alone. The presence of tert-butanol (a well known l scavenger) strongly inhibits DMP degradation by activated carbon or Ce/AC catalytic ozonation. TOC removal rate follows the second-order kinetics model well. In the ozonation of DMP with 50mg/h ozone flow rate, its mineralization rate constant with the presence of Ce/AC catalyst is 2.5 times higher than that of activated carbon, 7.5 times higher than that of O3 alone. Ce/AC catalyst shows the better catalytic activity and stability based on 780min sequential reaction in the ozonation of DMP. Ce/AC was a promising catalyst for ozonizing organic pollutants in the aqueous solution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background. Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome of acute liver failure that occurs on the basis of chronic liver disease, which is characterized by a rapid deterioration in a short period and high mortality. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) may be involved in the pathological process of ACLF; its specific role remains to be further elucidated. Our previous studies have shown that quercetin (Que) exerts anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects by inhibiting HMGB1 in vitro. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Que on liver injury in ACLF rats. Methods. The contents of ALT, AST, TBiL, and PT time of rats in each group were observed. HE staining was used to detect liver pathology. The levels of oxidative stress indicators such as MDA, GSH, and 4-HNE in the rat liver were detected. TUNEL assay was used to detect apoptosis in rat hepatocytes. Immunofluorescence and western blot analysis were performed to explore the protective effect of Que on ACLF rats and the underlying mechanism. Results. The results showed that Que could reduce the increase of serum biochemical indices, improve liver pathology, and reduce liver damage in ACLF rats. Further results confirmed that Que reduced the occurrence of oxidative stress and apoptosis of hepatocytes, and these reactions may aggravate the progress of ACLF. Meanwhile, the results of immunofluorescence and western blotting also confirmed that the expression of HMGB1 and extranuclear translocation in ACLF rat hepatocytes were significantly increased, which was alleviated by the treatment of Que. In addition, when cotreated with glycyrrhizin (Gly), an inhibitor of HMGB1, the inhibition of Que on HMGB1 and its translocation, apoptosis and oxidative stress, and the related proteins of HMGB1-mediated cellular pathway have been significantly enhanced. Conclusion. Thus, Que alleviates liver injury in ACLF rats, and its mechanism may be related to oxidative stress and apoptosis caused by HMGB1 and its translocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome of acute liver failure that occurs on the basis of chronic liver disease, which is characterized by a rapid deterioration in a short period and high mortality. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) may be involved in the pathological process of ACLF; its specific role remains to be further elucidated. Our previous studies have shown that quercetin (Que) exerts anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects by inhibiting HMGB1 in vitro. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Que on liver injury in ACLF rats. Methods. The contents of ALT, AST, TBiL, and PT time of rats in each group were observed. HE staining was used to detect liver pathology. The levels of oxidative stress indicators such as MDA, GSH, and 4-HNE in the rat liver were detected. TUNEL assay was used to detect apoptosis in rat hepatocytes. Immunofluorescence and western blot analysis were performed to explore the protective effect of Que on ACLF rats and the underlying mechanism. Results. The results showed that Que could reduce the increase of serum biochemical indices, improve liver pathology, and reduce liver damage in ACLF rats. Further results confirmed that Que reduced the occurrence of oxidative stress and apoptosis of hepatocytes, and these reactions may aggravate the progress of ACLF. Meanwhile, the results of immunofluorescence and western blotting also confirmed that the expression of HMGB1 and extranuclear translocation in ACLF rat hepatocytes were significantly increased, which was alleviated by the treatment of Que. In addition, when cotreated with glycyrrhizin (Gly), an inhibitor of HMGB1, the inhibition of Que on HMGB1 and its translocation, apoptosis and oxidative stress, and the related proteins of HMGB1-mediated cellular pathway have been significantly enhanced. Conclusion. Thus, Que alleviates liver injury in ACLF rats, and its mechanism may be related to oxidative stress and apoptosis caused by HMGB1 and its translocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Qingdu Decoction (QDD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula for treating chronic liver injury (CLI). Materials and methods. A network pharmacology combining experimental validation was used to investigate potential mechanisms of QDD against CLI. We firstly screened the bioactive compounds with pharmacology analysis platform of the Chinese medicine system (TCMSP) and gathered the targets of QDD and CLI. Then, we constructed a compound-target network and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and enriched core targets in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signaling pathways. At last, we used a CLI rat model to confirm the effect and mechanism of QDD against CLI. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot (WB), and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used. Results. 48 bioactive compounds of QDD passed the virtual screening criteria, and 53 overlapping targets were identified as core targets of QDD against CLI. A compound-CLI related target network containing 94 nodes and 263 edges was constructed. KEGG enrichment of core targets contained some pathways related to CLI, such as hepatitis B, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, apoptosis, hepatitis C, interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling pathway, and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 signaling pathway. Three PPI clusters were identified and enriched in hepatitis B and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, apoptosis and hepatitis B pathway, and peroxisome pathway, respectively. Animal experiment indicated that QDD decreased serum concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), endotoxin (ET), and IL-17 and increased prothrombin time activity (PTA) level. WB and RT-qPCR analyses indicated that, compared with the model group, the expression of cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-9 (caspase-9) protein, caspase-3 protein, B-cell lymphoma-2 associated X protein (Bax) mRNA, and cytochrome c (Cyt c) mRNA was inhibited and the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) mRNA was enhanced in the QDD group. Conclusions. QDD has protective effect against CLI, which may be related to the regulation of hepatocyte apoptosis. This study provides novel insights into exploring potential biological basis and mechanisms of clinically effective formula systematically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the silver-exchanged heteropolyacids were prepared by a simple and environmentally friendly ion exchange method, were found to be active in the esterification of oleic acid with methanol to produce biodiesel. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), separately. The effect of various factors was investigated to optimize the reaction conditions. The results showed that the oleic acid conversion can reach 91.3% after reacting for 3 h at 70°C, with oleic acid to methanol ratio of 1:10 and the amount of catalyst of 5 wt.%. Moreover, the catalyst could be easily separated from the reaction mixture and used repeatedly for five cycles with the oleic acid conversion over 50.1%, due to its relative stability. In particular, this catalyst can also catalyze other esterification of fatty acids with different chain length of carboxylic acid and high acid value non-edible oils, which may provide significant benefits for developing an environmentally benign and continuous process for synthesizing biodiesel in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical syndrome with acute jaundice and coagulation dysfunction caused by various inducements on the basis of chronic liver disease. Western medical treatment is limited. Previous studies have confirmed that Jieduan-Niwan Formula (JDNW Formula), an empirical prescription for the treatment of ACLF, can inhibit inflammation and resist hepatocyte apoptosis. However, potential targets and mechanisms still need to be explored. Methods. In this study, network pharmacological analysis was performed to investigate the key components and potential mechanisms of JDNW Formula treating ACLF. Firstly, we predicted the potential active ingredients of JDNW Formula and the corresponding potential targets through TCMSP, BATMAN-TCM platform, and literature supplement. Then, the ACLF targets database was built using OMIM, DisGeNET, and GeneCard database. Based on the matching targets between JDNW Formula and ACLF, the PPI network was constructed for MCODE analysis and common targets were enriched by Metascape. Furthermore, the ACLF rat model was used to verify the potential mechanism of JDNW Formula in treating ACLF. Results. 132 potential bioactive components of JDNW Formula and 168 common targets were obtained in this study. The enrichment analysis shows that the AMPK signaling pathway was associated with the treating effects of JDNW Formula. Quercetin was hypothesized to be the key bioactive ingredient in JDNW Formula and has a good binding affinity to AMPK based on molecular docking verification. JDNW Formula and quercetin were verified to treat ACLF by regulating the AMPK/PGC-1α signaling pathway as a prediction. Conclusion. The study predicted potential mechanisms of JDNW Formula in the treatment of ACLF, involving downregulation of inflammatory factor expression, antioxidant stress, and inhibition of hepatocyte apoptosis. JDNW Formula may improve mitochondrial quality in ACLF via the AMPK signaling pathway, which serves as a guide for further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in house dust have raised significant concern around the world. However, few studies have reported the correlation between BFR concentrations in house dust and children's hair samples. In this study, BFR concentrations in house dust and children's hair were measured. Chemical analysis showed that the total concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in house dust ranged from 334 to 4444 ng g−1, with a median of 442 ng g−1, and the concentrations in children's hair ranged from 352 to 655 ng g−1, with a median of 530 ng g−1. In addition, two alternative flame retardants, pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB) and hexabromobenzene, were frequently detected in house dust and human hair. BDE209 was the most abundant PBDE congener detected in both house dust and children's hair. A significant correlation was found between the integrated PCA score of BFR concentrations in house dust and in children's hair (r2 = 0.31, P < 0.05), indicating the great contribution of house dust to the bodily burden of PBDEs in children. Risk assessment indicated that children's exposure to PBDEs via non-dietary intake of house dust should be recognized as an important exposure pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing demands for wireless communication, efficiently using the spectrum resource has always been an important research topic. In this paper, the problem of N pairs of Secondary Users (SU) sharing K available channels with M Primary Users and its associated problem of optimal channel allocation and power control are studied. To investigate a joint channel and power allocation for the underlay-based Cognitive Radio Networks, a sum-rate maximization problem of the SU with consideration of Quality of Service and the constraints of interference temperature and outage probability is formulated as a Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming problem. To solve it, the objective function is divided into two sub-optimization problems: channel allocation and power control. First of all, we propose to use the Genetic Algorithm Channel Allocation algorithm (GACA) to solve the channel allocation optimization problem and get the optimal channel allocation strategy. The power control optimization is then followed, but the problem is a fractional form of function with coupling constraints that is non-convex and cannot be solved directly with convex optimization. To this end, when the SINR is sufficiently high, we obtain optimal power control strategy by introducing Geometric Programming and auxiliary variables to convert non-convex to Convex Geometric Programming. When SINR is the medium to low value, we use an iterative algorithm known as the Single Condensation Method to solve it. Finally, through our proposed iterative algorithm, that is, Joint Optimization Algorithm (JOA), the optimal solution is obtained. Moreover, the convergence and complexity of the algorithm are analyzed. The time complexity of JOA in the worst case is O (N 3 N) . In order to show the generality of the channel state, in the simulation part, we design a perfect CSI optimal solution scenario and a imperfect CSI sub-optimal solution scenario. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve better performance under different CSI states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]