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Highlights: A flow-bed water purification system with an asymmetric solar-thermal and catalytic membrane is designed for synergistic solar-thermal desalination of seawater/brine and catalytic degradation of organic pollutants. The hydrogen bonding networks can be regulated by the abundant surface –OH groups and the in situ generated ions and radicals during the degradation process for promoting solar-driven steam generation. The de-solvation of solvated Na+ and subsequent nucleation/growth of NaCl are effectively inhibited by SO42−/HSO5− ions. Although solar steam generation strategy is efficient in desalinating seawater, it is still challenging to achieve continuous solar-thermal desalination of seawater and catalytic degradation of organic pollutants. Herein, dynamic regulations of hydrogen bonding networks and solvation structures are realized by designing an asymmetric bilayer membrane consisting of a bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotube/Co2(OH)2CO3 nanorod top layer and a bacterial cellulose/Co2(OH)2CO3 nanorod (BCH) bottom layer. Crucially, the hydrogen bonding networks inside the membrane can be tuned by the rich surface –OH groups of the bacterial cellulose and Co2(OH)2CO3 as well as the ions and radicals in situ generated during the catalysis process. Moreover, both SO42− and HSO5− can regulate the solvation structure of Na+ and be adsorbed more preferentially on the evaporation surface than Cl−, thus hindering the de-solvation of the solvated Na+ and subsequent nucleation/growth of NaCl. Furthermore, the heat generated by the solar-thermal energy conversion can accelerate the reaction kinetics and enhance the catalytic degradation efficiency. This work provides a flow-bed water purification system with an asymmetric solar-thermal and catalytic membrane for synergistic solar thermal desalination of seawater/brine and catalytic degradation of organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar‐driven steam generation has emerged as a sustainable technology for addressing freshwater scarcity. However, significant challenges still exist in developing high‐performance, multifunctional evaporators that are adept at both efficiently evaporating water and degrading pollutants, primarily because of the trade‐offs among functional designs. Here, a self‐floating solar evaporator is reported by functionalizing balsa wood with solar‐thermal conversion material carbon nanotubes and catalytic manganese dioxide (MnO2) nanoflowers for simultaneous solar evaporation and pollutant degradation. MnO2 nanoflowers are rich in oxygen vacancies that can effectively activate peroxymonosulfate to generate reactive oxygen species for efficient organic pollutant degradation. A distinctive non‐wetted porous interior structure and a precisely targeted water pathway are spontaneously established in the multifunctional evaporator, ensuring fast water supply, thermal insulation, efficient mass transfer, and high buoyancy. The resulting evaporators successfully combine an impressive evaporation rate of 2.74 kg m−2 h−1, a high pollutant degradation efficiency (98.3% for 100 mg L−1 tetracycline and 97.4% for 200 mg L−1 Methyl orange), and stable self‐floating and self‐standing capabilities that ensure long‐term operation stability even in complex real‐world environments. This work provides an approach to design multifunctional solar evaporators, ensuring strong alignment with practical requirements while expanding their potential application scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiC-coated C/C composites with mechanical damage were repaired by the heat treatment method and slurry painting–preoxidation. The effects of different process parameters on the microstructure, interface bonding and oxidation resistance of Si-SiC repair coatings at 1773 K for 10 h were studied. The results show that the repair coating is tightly bonded to the original coating and the C/C substrate, and there is no obvious interface. Under the optimal parameters, the weight reduction in the repaired specimen merely amounted to 0.32% subsequent to oxidation at 1773 K for 10 h, and the mass loss was 74.79% lower than that of the damaged specimen, being proximate to that of the intact specimen. The objective of this work lies in achieving a greater density of the coating within the repair zone by manipulating the diverse powder ratios and preoxidation temperatures in the repair slurry, thereby safeguarding the C/C composite material against oxidation during its service. It offers a convenient and highly efficient approach for the repair of coatings with substantial size defects, significantly prolonging the service life of the material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the efficient use of solar and fuels and to improve the supply-demand matching performance in combined heat and power (CHP) systems, this paper proposes a hybrid solar/methanol energy system integrating solar/exhaust thermochemical and thermal energy storage. The proposed system includes parabolic trough solar collectors (PTSC), a thermochemical reactor, an internal combustion engine (ICE), and hybrid storage of thermal and chemical energy, which uses solar energy and methanol fuel as input and outputs power and heat. With methanol thermochemical decomposition reaction, mid-and-low temperature solar heat and exhaust heat are upgraded to chemical energy for efficient power generation. The thermal energy storage (TES) stores surplus thermal energy, acting as a backup source to produce heat without emitting CO2. Due to the energy storage, time-varying solar energy can be used steadily and efficiently; considerable supply-demand mismatches can be avoided, and the operational flexibility is improved. Under the design condition, the overall energy efficiency, exergy efficiency, and net solar-to-electric efficiency achieve 72.09%, 37.65%, and 24.63%, respectively. The fuel saving rate (FSR) and the CO2 emission reduction (ERCO2) achieve 32.97% and 25.33%, respectively. The research findings provide a promising approach for the efficient and flexible use of solar energy and fuels for combined heat and power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately assessing the quality of millet is of paramount importance for its storage, processing, and consumption. In complex environments, rapidly and precisely identifying densely packed millet poses a significant challenge in the quality grading process. This paper introduces an improved version of the YOLOv7 lightweight detection algorithm. The key enhancement involves integrating the super lightweight target detection algorithm ESNet. ESNet optimizes the lightweight design of the neck by enhancing the backbone network, thereby strengthening the network's feature extraction capabilities. Furthermore, by combining Soft non‐maximum suppression (NMS) with the EIOU Loss function, the accuracy of detecting dense millet in occluded scenarios is further optimized. Various models were evaluated using the millet dataset in this study. During the testing phase, images containing densely packed millet were randomly selected to assess the effectiveness of the models. The test results demonstrate that, compared to lightweight network architectures such as LCNet, ShuffleNetV2, and MobileNetV3, the improved YOLOv7‐ESNet model achieves higher average accuracy, precision, recall, and comprehensive evaluation metrics in detection. Additionally, by combining the YOLOv7‐ESNet model with Soft‐EIoU NMS, an average accuracy of 93.19% and an average prediction time of 52.5 ms were achieved. These results meet the real‐time grading requirements for millet quality, establishing a robust technical foundation for millet quality grading. This paper overcomes the challenge of precise millet detection in complex scenarios, providing a valuable contribution to the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study underscores the paramount importance of facial expressions in pigs, serving as a sophisticated mode of communication to gauge their emotions, physical well-being, and intentions. Given the inherent challenges in deciphering such expressions due to pigs' rudimentary facial muscle structure, we introduced an avant-garde pig facial expression recognition model named CReToNeXt-YOLOv5. The proposed model encompasses several refinements tailored for heightened accuracy and adeptness in detection. Primarily, the transition from the CIOU to the EIOU loss function optimized the training dynamics, leading to precision-driven regression outcomes. Furthermore, the incorporation of the Coordinate Attention mechanism accentuated the model's sensitivity to intricate expression features. A significant innovation was the integration of the CReToNeXt module, fortifying the model's prowess in discerning nuanced expressions. Efficacy trials revealed that CReToNeXt-YOLOv5 clinched a mean average precision (mAP) of 89.4%, marking a substantial enhancement by 6.7% relative to the foundational YOLOv5. Crucially, this advancement holds profound implications for animal welfare monitoring and research, as our findings underscore the model's capacity to revolutionize the accuracy of pig facial expression recognition, paving the way for more humane and informed livestock management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacuum freeze-dried products exhibit properties characteristic of porous media, rendering them superior in both drying and rehydration capabilities. However, the process of sublimation drying is constrained by its substantial time and energy costs. To comprehensively grasp its technological process and identify the optimal process parameters, the cellular automata method was employed for sublimation process simulation. Carrot slices, measuring 10 mm in thickness and 40 mm in radius, were selected for both simulation and experimentation. The sublimation process was characterized using a two-dimensional heat and mass transfer equation, inclusive of a dusty gas model. Additionally, a cellular automaton model was applied to simulate the mass transfer process, temperature, and moisture content changes in the sublimation drying stage. Then, the accuracy of the model was verified through experimentation. There was a remarkable alignment between simulation and experimental outcomes, with determination coefficients R2 of 99.4% for moisture content and 97.6% for temperature variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity is a significant global problem. Considerable water resources are consumed in the production of livestock and poultry products, thus posing a huge challenge to global freshwater resources. Sheep meat has the second highest water footprint among livestock meat products. Furthermore, as the demand for sheep meat increases on a year by year basis, water consumption continues to rise as a result. In order to make better informed decisions around water management, it is necessary to estimate the water footprint of animal husbandry. This study offers a comprehensive overview of the water footprint of sheep in Northern China. It analyzes the water footprint of feed production and virtual water using CROPWAT, based on the water footprint of sheep and goats in Shanxi under different production systems and feed components. The water footprint was calculated to be 6.03 m3/kg for sheep and 5.05 m3/kg for goats, respectively. Therefore, the water footprint of three farming modes, including grazing mixed and industrial in the Shanxi region was slightly higher than what other experts have evaluated for China. These data provide crucial information that can help reduce water resource consumption in animal husbandry and contribute to the development of sustainable strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy is the most sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. The production of solar thermochemical fuels from water/carbon dioxide not only overcomes the intermittent nature of solar energy, but also allows for flexible transportation and distribution. In this paper, the challenges for solar thermochemical H2/CO production are reviewed. New perspectives and insights to overcome these challenges are presented. For two-step cycles, the main challenges are high temperatures, low conversions and the intensive oxygen removal work. Theoretically feasible temperature and pressure ranges are needed to develop reactant materials. The fundamental mechanism to reduce the temperature and the potential to improve the efficiency by minimizing the oxygen removal work need be revealed. Various material modification strategies and advanced reactors are proposed to improve the efficiency by reducing the temperature and enhancing heat transfer process. But the oxygen removal work required has not been minimized. For multi-step cycles, the main challenges are the separation of corrosive acid and insufficient reaction kinetics. For the separation of acids, many methods have been proposed. But these methods require extra energy and causes undesired side reactions or byproducts. The reaction kinetics have been enhanced by improving catalysts with noble materials or complex fabrication methods. Developing novel multi-step cycles using metal oxides, hydroxides and carbonates may be promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To discuss the auxiliary therapeutic effect of buckwheat polysaccharide (BP) on S180 sarcoma. Material and methods: Buckwheat polysaccharide was extracted with water and precipitated with ethanol. Solid tumor and ascites tumor mice models were established. The mice in the high, medium and low dosing groups (n = 24, each group) had their stomachs filled with different doses of BP. The cyclophosphamide (CTX) group and the model group (n = 24, each group) were used as control groups. The influence on the life cycle, the rate of suppressing the tumor, the thymus index, and the spleen index were evaluated. Tumor cells were cultured in vitro and intervened with drugs; flow cytometry was used to detect the changes in the cell cycle. Results: Buckwheat polysaccharide significantly improved the lifespan and survival rate of the mice. The group of mice treated with the medium dose showed the best survival rate when compared to the ones that received high and low doses of BP (p < 0.01). The tumor cells cultured in vitro were arrested in the G0/G1 phase to some extent (p > 0.05). The cyclophosphamide arrested the cycle of the tumor cells in the G2/M period (p < 0.01). Buckwheat polysaccharide could increase the thymus index, spleen index and the rate of suppressing the tumor, but the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Buckwheat polysaccharide had no obvious effect in inhibiting the growth of tumors, but it significantly extended the lifespan, increased the survival rate and reduced the toxic effect of CTX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production via a two-step thermochemical cycle based on solar energy has attracted increasing attention. However, the severe irreversible loss causes the low efficiency. To make sense of the irreversibility, an in-depth thermodynamic model for the solar driven two-step thermochemical cycles is proposed. Different from previous literatures solely focusing on the energy loss and irreversibility of devices, this work decouples a complex energy conversion process in three sub-processes, i.e., reaction, heat transfer and re-radiation, acquiring the cause of irreversible loss. The results from the case study indicate that the main irreversibility caused by inert sweeping gas for decreasing the reduction reaction temperature dominates the cycle efficiency. Decreasing reduction reaction temperature without severe energy penalty of inert sweeping gas is important to reducing this irreversible loss. A favorable performance is achieved by decreasing re-oxidation rate, increasing hydrolysis conversion rate and achieving a thermochemical cycle with a lower equilibrium temperature of reduction reaction at atmosphere pressure. The research clarifies the essence of process irrrversibility in solar thermichemical cycles, and the findings point out the potential to develop efficient solar driven two-step thermochemical cycles for hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflux esophagitis is a chronic and refractory common disease. Western medicine usually adopts symptomatic treatment, which has a high recurrence rate and requires long-term or even life-long treatment. A large number of clinical studies have shown that TCM has a significant effect in treating reflux esophagitis. Among them, Xuanfu Daizhe Decoction is a classic prescription that is widely used. This article reviews the aspects of simple prescription treatment, combined treatment of TCM prescriptions, combined treatment of TCM and Western, other related treatments, and microcosmic research of regulating the body by the prescription, so as to provide reference for the further study on improving the treatment of reflux esophagitis with Xuanfu Daizhe Decoction and other drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evodiamine is an indole quinazoline alkaloid with anti-tumor activity, which may be developed into a drug for the treatment of tumor. It was found that evodiamine could inhibit or even block the signal pathways of Wnt/ β-catenin, mTOR, NF--κ B, PI3K/AKT, Hippo-YAP and BMP in many kinds of cancer cells, thus interfering with cell division and differentiation, increasing the rate of apoptosis, and down-regulating the expression of various cancer cell markers. Such as B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), B-cell lymphoma super-large (Bcl-XL), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), Survivin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), which have a strong inhibitory effect on asymmetric division, malignant proliferation and angiogenesis of tumor cells. This paper summarizes evodiamine in digestive system tumors by regulating Wnt/ β-catenin, mTOR, PI3K/AKT, BMP and other signal pathways, interfering with cell division, differentiation and apoptosis, inhibiting the expression of tumor-related marker genes, and preventing tumor cell migration and invasion, so as to provide a basis for the clinical application and further research of evodiamine in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preterm birth is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in infants. Its etiology is multifactorial with genes and immune homeostasis. The authors investigated whether prostaglandin (PG) synthesis related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) PLA2G4C rs1366442 and PLA2G4D rs4924618 were associated with the risk of spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) in a Chinese population of 114 cases of SPTB and 250 controls of term delivery. The risk associations were determined by odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) calculated using multivariate logistic regression. Homology modeling was performed to elucidate potential mechanism of the SNP function. The maternal AT/ TT genotype of PLA2G4D rs4924618 was associated with a reduced risk of SPTB (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.37‑0.99), while no significant association between PLA2G4C rs1366442 and SPTB risk was identified. Structure and sequence analysis revealed that the amino acid substitution introduced by this SNP located at the conserved central core of the catalytic domain of cytosolic phospholipase A2 δ and was close to the active site. These findings suggested that the polymorphism of PLA2G4D rs4924618 may have a protective influence on the SPTB susceptibility in a Chinese population, supporting a role for genetics in the association between PG synthesis and preterm birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a modified failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) method based on fuzzy set theory and fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) by analyzing the limitations of the traditional FMEA. First, the fuzzy language set of severity, occurrence, and detection is set up in this method. Second, the failure mode is evaluated by a triangular fuzzy number based on the fuzzy language set. Then, the weights of severity, occurrence, and detection are determined by the FAHP. Finally, the risk priority of the failure modes is determined by the modified risk priority number (RPN). The efficiency and feasibility of the modified FMEA method are verified by using it to deal with risk evaluation of the failure modes for a compressor crankshaft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We construct bound entangled states that are entangled but from which no entanglement can be distilled if all parties are allowed only by performing local operations and classical communications. Moreover, as applications, a detailed example is presented. This example can illuminate that the fidelity of transmission using a bound entangled state is not bigger than a classical scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We construct two classes of generalized graph product states and study the entanglement of these states. It is first presented that the density matrices of complex edge-weighted digraphs associated with the generalized graph product in m⊗n systems are positive partial transformation and separable states. Then we prove that the density matrices of the vertex-weighted digraphs associated with another generalized graph product are entangled states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]