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Mid-latitude extreme cold outbreaks are associated with disruptions of the polar vortex, which often happen abruptly in connection to a sudden stratospheric warming. Understanding global warming (particularly Arctic amplification) impacts on forecasting such events is challenging for the scientific community. Here we apply clustering analysis on the Northern Annular Mode to identify surface precursors and the governing mechanisms causing polar vortex disruption events. Two clusters of vortex breakdown emerge; 65% of the events, mainly displacements, are associated with high-latitude Ocean warming in the North Pacific and in Barents-Kara Sea. Such warming may cause large scale modifications of the tropospheric flow that favors a slowdown of the stratospheric vortex. The persistence of Ocean surface temperature patterns favors polar vortex disruptions, potentially improving prediction skills at the sub-seasonal to seasonal time scales.Extreme winter weather is linked to cold arctic outbreaks when the polar air mass spills frigid air to mid-latitudes. This phenomenon often follows weak polar vortex (in extreme cases a Sudden Stratospheric Warming) episodes. Forecasting such events is challenging as many climatic components can be involved. In this study, it is found that 65% of the events start with a certain surface air mass distribution (Low Pressure over the North Pacific, High Pressure over Eurasia). Such distribution is triggered by high latitude ocean warming corresponding to warm temperature anomalies in the North Pacific Ocean and Sea Ice loss in Barents-Kara seas. This result helps predicting the probability of polar vortex disruptions in winter, potentially leading to enhanced sub-seasonal to seasonal cold outbreaks forecast.Around 65% of weak polar vortex (WPV) events are preceded by tropospheric pressure anomalies High-latitude ocean warming explains tropospheric air mass modification, which favors upward wave flux that disrupts the stratosphere Probabilist

Plasma discharges under atmospheric pressure are applicable for modifying the electrical properties of dielectric surfaces. The aim of the plasma discharge treatment of such surfaces is to design a procedure so that its characteristic parameters improve the resulting levels of the breakdown electrical strength Eb when tested under pulsed or alternating electrical voltages. In this research, a set of functional experiments performed by using plasma in samples of two types of materials (thermoset, thermoplastic) were processed and evaluated, and the resulting effect of the magnitude of the breakdown electrical voltage, electrical intensity, and electrical conductivity of the surface were compared. A slit plasma chamber, previously described and parameterized, was employed to treat the surface of the dielectric samples. The surface structure was modified via plasma discharge without precursors, and methodologies were developed to evaluate these modifications with respect to the change in the electrical strength parameters of the insulator surface. Subsequently, the surface strength of the affected and unaffected samples was measured and evaluated as a function of exposure time, and the stability of the modification was assessed. The first methodical test showed that plasma discharge without precursors improved the long-term surface electrical strength of the dielectric surface. The test and its parameters were carried out with respect to feasibility in an industrial environment.

In recent years, researchers have expressed growing concern regarding the environmental impact of traditional binders such as lime and cement. This has led to an increased focus on finding alternative materials that not only meet the demands of modern construction but also align with international initiatives for eco-friendly building practices. In response to this need, alkali-activated materials have emerged as a promising substitute for conventional binders. However, the current production processes for alkali-activated materials involve substantial energy consumption and carbon emissions, presenting a global challenge in the quest for sustainable construction practices. This paper aims to present a novel proposition: utilizing construction and demolition waste as a potential precursor for manufacturing alkali-activated materials. Drawing upon a comprehensive survey and analysis of pertinent literature from diverse sources, this paper synthesizes a wealth of knowledge. The extensive review encompasses a thorough analysis of existing research findings, allowing for a nuanced exploration of the utilization of construction and demolition waste as a viable precursor in the manufacturing process of alkaliactivated materials. Construction and demolition waste typically contains significant amounts of silica and alumina, making it an attractive and sustainable alternative for alkali-activated materials production. Moreover, this approach offers the additional benefit of mitigating the environmental repercussions associated with waste disposal. By providing an extensive overview of existing literature on the use of construction and demolition waste as a precursor for alkali-activated materials production, this paper also identifies crucial areas that warrant further research in this field.

The leaching of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from Australian firefighting training grounds has resulted in extensive contamination of groundwater and nearby farmlands. Humans, farm animals, and wildlife in these areas may have been exposed to complex mixtures of PFASs from aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs). This study aimed to identify PFAS classes in pooled whole blood (n = 4) and serum (n = 4) from cattle exposed to AFFF-impacted groundwater and potentially discover new PFASs in blood. Thirty PFASs were identified at various levels of confidence (levels 1a–5a), including three novel compounds: (i) perfluorohexanesulfonamido 2-hydroxypropanoic acid (FHxSA-HOPrA), (ii) methyl((perfluorohexyl)sulfonyl)sulfuramidous acid, and (iii) methyl((perfluorooctyl)sulfonyl)sulfuramidous acid, belonging to two different classes. Biotransformation intermediate, perfluorohexanesulfonamido propanoic acid (FHxSA-PrA), hitherto unreported in biological samples, was detected in both whole blood and serum. Furthermore, perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides, including perfluoropropane sulfonamide (FPrSA), perfluorobutane sulfonamide (FBSA), and perfluorohexane sulfonamide (FHxSA) were predominantly detected in whole blood, suggesting that these accumulate in the cell fraction of blood. The suspect screening revealed several fluoroalkyl chain-substituted PFAS. The results suggest that targeting only the major PFASs in the plasma or serum of AFFF-exposed mammals likely underestimates the toxicological risks associated with exposure. Future studies of AFFF-exposed populations should include whole-blood analysis with high-resolution mass spectrometry to understand the true extent of PFAS exposure.

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are a new class of environmentally friendly, safe, and inexpensive solvents with a remarkable ability to dissolve metal oxides, proposed as green alternatives to traditional acid leaching in the recycling of lithium-ion battery (LIB) cathode materials. In this work, a closed-loop process is targeted, where LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 (NMC) is leached by a DES (choline chloride and L-(+)-tartaric acid), and the metals are recovered by antisolvent crystallization. Five organic antisolvents have been evaluated, amongst which ethanol provides the highest metal recovery efficiency. The suitability of the solid precipitates as precursors for the sol -gel synthesis of new NMC, and the resulting cycling performance as battery cathodes, have been tested. The effect on the process of impurities Al and Cu from current collectors has been investigated. The impurities partially precipitate with the targeted metals, but the product impurity content can be significantly reduced through the selection of antisolvent, antisolvent-to-leachate ratio, crystallization residence time, and the rate of supersaturation generation in semi-batch mode. The resulting solids can be suitable for direct cathode resynthesis without the addition of a chelating agent, but impurities from current collectors decrease cycling performance. The results highlight the potential of combining DES leaching and antisolvent crystallization as a sustainable and efficient LIB cathode recycling method.

Tissue resident memory CD8+ T (TRM) cells reside in nonlymphoid tissues and provide enhanced local protection against reinfections. While it is known that TRM cells and circulating memory CD8+ T (TCIRCM) cells arise from a memory precursor population, where and when these cells receive specific instructions to initiate their respective memory programming is not completely understood. Here, we delineated siIEL-TRM-precursor cells and TCIRCM-precursor cells in the mesenteric lymph node, prior to the peak of CD8+ T cell response, as CCR9hiCD62Llo and CD62LhiCCR9lo respectively, and demonstrated that the two populations are phenotypically distinct. While the DNA-binding protein inhibitor Id3 was previously shown to be required for the formation and survival of memory cells, we found that Id3 promotes formation of siIEL-TRM-precursor cells and represses formation of TCIRCM-precursor cells. Thus, these data suggest that the fates of siIEL-TRM cells and TCIRCM cells diverge in the mesenteric lymph node at an early effector timepoint and clarify the role of Id3 in the formation of siIEL-TRM-precursor and TCIRCM-precursor precursor populations.

In intact adult mammalian brains, there are two neurogenic regions: the subependymal zone and the subgranular layer of the hippocampus. Even outside these regions, small numbers of proliferating precursors do exist. Many studies suggest that the majority of these are oligodendrocyte precursors that express NG2, a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, and most of the residual proliferating cells seem to be endothelial cells. However, it is still unclear whether NG2-immunonegative proliferating precursors are present, because previous studies have neglected their possible existence. In this study, we systematically analyzed the phenotypes of the proliferating cells in the intact adult rat cortical gray matter. We improved our techniques and carefully characterized the proliferating cells, because there were several problems with identifying and quantifying the proliferating cells: the detection of NG2-expressing cells was dependent on the fixation condition; there were residual proliferating leukocytes in the blood vessels; and two anti-NG2 antibodies gave rise to different staining patterns. Moreover, we used two methods, BrdU and Ki67 immunostaining, to quantify the proliferating cells. Our results strongly suggest that in the intact adult cerebral cortical gray matter, there were only two types of proliferating cells: the majority were NG2-expressing cells, including pericytes, and the rest were endothelial cells., source:Tetsuji Mori, Taketoshi Wakabayashi, Yasuharu Takamori, Kotaro Kitaya, Hisao Yamada. Phenotype Analysis and Quantification of Proliferating Cells in the Cortical Gray Matter of the Adult Rat. ACTA HISTOCHEMICA ET CYTOCHEMICA, 2009, Volume 42, Issue 1, Pag, source:https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ahc/42/1/42_08037/_article

Adult neurogenesis in the subgranular zone of the hippocampus (SGZ) is enhanced by excess as well as mild neuronal excitation, such as chemoconvulsant‐induced brief seizures. Because most studies of neurogenesis after seizures have focused on the SGZ, the threshold of neuronal excitation required to enhance neurogenesis in the subventricular zone (SVZ) is not clear. Therefore, we examined the responses of SVZ precursors to brief generalized clonic seizures induced by a single administration of the chemoconvulsant pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). Cell cycle progression of precursors was analysed by systemic administration of thymidine analogues. We found that brief seizures immediately resulted in cell cycle retardation in the SVZ. However, the same effect was not seen in the SGZ. This initial cell cycle retardation in the SVZ was followed by enhanced cell cycle re‐entry after the first round of mitosis, leading to precursor pool expansion, but the cell cycle retardation and expansion of the precursor pool were transient. Cell cycle progression in the PTZ‐treated group returned to normal after one cell cycle. The numbers of precursors in the SVZ and new neurons in the olfactory bulb, which are descendants of SVZ precursors, were not significantly different from those in control mice more than 2 days after seizures. Because similar effects were observed following electroconvulsive seizures, these responses are likely to be general effects of brief seizures. These results suggest that neurogenesis in the SVZ is more tightly regulated and requires stronger stimuli to be modified than that in the SGZ., source:This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Mori, T., Wakabayashi, T., Hirahara, Y., Takamori, Y., Koike, T., Kurokawa, K. and Yamada, H. (2012), Differential responses of endogenous adult mouse neural precursors to excess neuronal exc, source:https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2012.08244.x

El ciment Portland és considerat com un material constructiu excel·lent, a causa de gran acompliment, a la seva gran relació qualitat – preu i a les matèries primeres, les quals es poden obtenir gairebé en qualsevol part del món. No obstant això, també és cert que el sector de la construcció contribueix de manera significativa a l'emissió de gasos d'efecte d'hivernacle degut, principalment, a l'elaboració del ciment. Els materials activats alcalinament (MAA) es presenten com una alternativa consistent, amb prop de tres quarts de segle de recerca, per a mitigar aquests efectes mediambientals adversos i al mateix temps poder exercir característiques similars al ciment Portland. En aquesta tesi es pretén investigar la possible aplicació de l'economia circular en estudiar la viabilitat de l'elaboració d'aglomerants activats alcalinament elaborats amb argila vermella, un residu de la indústria ceràmica portuguesa, com a substitut del ciment Portland. Així mateix, s'exposarà què són i com se sintetitzen els citats MAA, com es caracteritzen, amb quins tipus de materials es poden elaborar, quina és la seva estructura química i quines són les seves característiques, així com les seves limitacions. Mitjançant un procés experimental exhaustiu s'elaboraran mostres i s'obtindrà una base de dades prou extensa per a poder analitzar detalladament l'acompliment d'aquests materials analitzant propietats relacionades amb la durabilitat, com són la densitat aparent, la porositat oberta i l'absorció d'aigua, així com les seves propietats mecàniques, com la resistència a la compressió i a la flexió. De la mateixa manera, s'analitzarà la seva composició i la seva estructura química mitjançant tècniques de difracció. La finalitat d'aquesta tesi és elaborar, a partir dels resultats obtinguts, conclusions rigoroses i objectives que permetin llançar llum sobre la viabilitat d'aquests MAA elaborats amb argila vermella com a substituts del ciment Portland., El cemento Portland está considerado como un material constructivo excelente, debido a gran desempeño, a su gran relación calidad – precio y a las materias primas, las cuales se pueden obtener casi en cualquier parte del mundo. Sin embargo, también es cierto que el sector de la construcción contribuye de manera significativa a la emisión de gases de efecto invernadero debido, principalmente, a la elaboración del cemento. Los materiales activados alcalinamente (MAA) se presentan como una alternativa consistente, con cerca de tres cuartos de siglo de investigación, para mitigar esos efectos medioambientales adversos y al mismo tiempo poder desempeñar características similares al cemento Portland. En esta tesis se pretende investigar la posible aplicación de la economía circular al estudiar la viabilidad de la elaboración de aglomerantes activados alcalinamente elaborados con arcilla roja, un residuo de la industria cerámica portuguesa, como sustituto del cemento Portland. Así mismo, se va a exponer qué son y cómo se sintetizan los citados MAA, como se caracterizan, con qué tipos de materiales se pueden elaborar, cuál es su estructura química y cuáles son sus características, así como sus limitaciones. Mediante un proceso experimental exhaustivo se van a elaborar muestras y a obtener una base de datos suficientemente extensa para poder analizar pormenorizadamente el desempeño de estos materiales analizando propiedades relacionadas con la durabilidad, como son la densidad aparente, la porosidad abierta y la absorción de agua, así como sus propiedades mecánicas, como la resistencia a la compresión y a la flexión. De la misma manera, se analizará su composición y su estructura química mediante técnicas de difracción. La finalidad de esta tesis es elaborar, a partir de los datos obtenidos, conclusiones rigurosas y objetivas que permitan arrojar luz sobre la viabilidad de estos MAA elaborados con arcilla roja como sustitutos del cemento Portland., Portland cement is considered an excellent building material, due to its high performance, its great value for money and the raw materials, which can be obtained almost anywhere in the world. However, it is also true that the construction sector contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, mainly due to the production of cement. Alkaline activated materials (AAMs) are presented as a consistent alternative, with nearly three quarters of a century of research, to mitigate these adverse environmental effects and at the same time be able to perform similar characteristics to Portland cement. This thesis aims to investigate the possible application of the circular economy by studying the feasibility of the production of alkaline activated binders made from red clay, a waste product of the Portuguese ceramic industry, as a substitute for Portland cement. It will also explain what these AAMs are and how they are synthesised, how they are characterized, what types of materials they can be made from, what their chemical structure is and what their characteristics are, as well as their limitations. By means of an exhaustive experimental process, samples will be prepared and a sufficiently extensive database will be obtained to be able to analyze in detail the performance of these materials by analyzing properties related to durability, such as apparent density, open porosity and water absorption, as well as their mechanical properties, such as compressive and flexural strength. Likewise, their composition and chemical structure will be analyzed using diffraction techniques. The aim of this thesis is to elaborate, from the data obtained, rigorous and objective conclusions that will shed light on the viability of these red clay AAMs as substitutes for Portland cement.

The examination of different raw materials as precursors for obtaining carbon materials is an important area of research due to the wide range of applications for carbon materials in various fields, including energy storage, catalysis, and electronic devices. Some of the commonly studied precursors for carbon materials include biomass, petroleum-based precursors, waste materials, natural materials. The selection of a precursor material depends on various factors, such as the intended application of the carbon material, the availability and cost of the precursor, and the properties of the resulting carbon material. Different precursors can result in carbon materials with varying structures, porosities, and surface chemistries, which can affect their properties and performance in different applications. In our work, we used cherry pits, sour cherry, vineyard peach pits, bean and pea husks. The properties of the initial precursors were tested and then they were treated physically and chemically at different temperatures and times. Correlation of the properties between the initial and final samples was made, as well as their potential application in relation to the obtained properties.

Carbon quantum dots as a novel type of carbon nanomaterials have attracted the attention of many researchers because of their unique optical, antibacterial, and anticancer properties as well as their biocompatibility. In this study, for the first time, carbon quantum dots were prepared from o-phenylenediamine dissolved in toluene by a solvothermal route. Subsequently, the prepared carbon quantum dots were encapsulated into polyurethane films by a swelling–encapsulation–shrink method. Analyses of the results obtained by different characterization methods (AFM, TEM, EDS, FTIR, photoluminescence, and EPR) indicate the significant influence of the precursor on structural, chemical, and optical properties. Antibacterial and cytotoxicity tests showed that these dots did not have any antibacterial potential, because of the low extent of reactive oxygen species production, and showed low dark cytotoxicity. By investigating the cellular uptake, it was established that these dots penetrated the HeLa cells and could be used as probes for bioimaging.

Figure S1: (a) TEM micrograph of CQDs, (b) top view AFM image of CQDs, (c) height profile of CQDs, and (d) particle size distribution of CQDs.

Research on text comprehension in relation to the reading medium (paper or screen) has mainly involved undergraduate or high school students. To advance current knowledge on the effects of reading medium, this longitudinal study focused on beginner readers, specifically, the role of precursors in first graders’ comprehension of narrative and expository linear texts from reading on paper and computer screen. Working memory and inference skills as cognitive precursors and basic digital skills were measured at the end of preschool (T1); reading text comprehension and word reading, as a control variable, were measured at the end of the first grade (T2). Sixty-three children participated in total. The first graders read four texts, one narrative and one expository, on both paper and computer screen, in a counterbalanced order. Results showed no main effects of the reading medium or text genre, but the interactive effect of these variables was significant. At T2, the children had higher comprehension scores after reading narrative than descriptive texts from paper. In addition, reading from the screen was preferred at post-test, after all texts were presented. As precursors, working memory and inference skills predicted both printed and digital text comprehension. In contrast, basic digital skills predicted only digital text comprehension after controlling for medium, text genre, and word reading.

Carbon quantum dots as a novel type of carbon nanomaterials have attracted the attention of many researchers because of their unique optical, antibacterial, and anticancer properties as well as their biocompatibility. In this study, for the first time, carbon quantum dots were prepared from o-phenylenediamine dissolved in toluene by a solvothermal route. Subsequently, the prepared carbon quantum dots were encapsulated into polyurethane films by a swelling–encapsulation–shrink method. Analyses of the results obtained by different characterization methods (AFM, TEM, EDS, FTIR, photoluminescence, and EPR) indicate the significant influence of the precursor on structural, chemical, and optical properties. Antibacterial and cytotoxicity tests showed that these dots did not have any antibacterial potential, because of the low extent of reactive oxygen species production, and showed low dark cytotoxicity. By investigating the cellular uptake, it was established that these dots penetrated the HeLa cells and could be used as probes for bioimaging.

© 2022. The Royal Society of Chemistry The present work has been supported by the Ministerio Español de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN) through the projects: RTI2018-095856-B-C21 and RTI2018-095303-A-C52; Ministerio de Asuntos Económicos y Transformación Digital (MINECO) by PID2020-114192RB-C41; and Comunidad de Madrid, Spain, by S2018/NMT-4321 NANOMAGCOST and ‘‘Doctorados Industriales’’ project (IND2020/IND-17375), which is co-financed by the European Social Fund. A. S. acknowledges the financial support from the Comunidad de Madrid for an ‘‘Atracción de Talento Investigador’’ contract (2017-t2/IND5395). A. P. received funding from grant PRE2019-0875001234, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN), Spain. R. E. Rojas-Hernandez acknowledges financial support from the Estonian Research Council (grants PSG-466)., Multiphase coexistence has attracted significant interest in recent years because its control has entailed a significant breakthrough for the piezoelectric activity enhancement of lead-free piezoelectric oxides. However, the comprehension of phase coexistence still has many controversies including an adequate synthesis process and/or the role played by crystalline phases in functional properties. In this study, functional barium titanate [BaTiO_(3), (BTO)]-based materials with tunable functional properties were obtained by compositional modification via Bismuth (Bi) doping. Towards this aim, we systematically synthesized BTO-based materials by a sol-gel method, focusing on the control of Bi substitution in the BaTiO_(3) structure. In particular, we found that the substitution of Bi^(+3) leads to the stabilization of a monoclinic-tetragonal (M-T) phase boundary close to room temperature, which facilities the polarization process of the system. As a surprising result, we believe that the simple and cost-effective strategy and design principles described in this work open up the possibility of obtaining BTO-based lead-free ceramics with enhanced properties induced by the stabilization of the phase coexistence, expanding their application range., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN) / FEDER, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN), Estonian Research Council, Comunidad de Madrid, Depto. de Física de Materiales, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

Since the discovery of its photocatalytic properties, titanium dioxide has remained one of the most popular and widely used metal oxide photocatalysts. Its major drawback, however, lies in the narrow region (UV) of sunlight necessary to produce reactive oxygen species. This have been countered by sensitizing with organic dyes to red-shift the absorption spectrum but also with doping of other metals and non-metals. Volume doping or surface modification have demonstrated improved photocatalytic efficiency, mainly via red-shifted absorption by introduction of intermediate energy states between the valence band (VB) and conduction band (CB) and increased number of surface hydroxyl groups (which can form reactive hydroxyl radicals) from charge compensation, and in some cases by improved surface-adsorption of organic molecules. Doped titania and complex titanates have traditionally been produced via, for instance, co-precipitation of mixed metal salts or via solid-state synthesis. While these methods usually are simple, they offer limited control over size, shape, and phase composition. An alternative is the use of single-source precursors (SSPs), i.e., molecules already containing the desired metal ratio in a homogenous distribution. The last one or two decades have seen an increased number of reported transition metal-doped titanium oxo-alkoxides (TOA), particularly for the first-row transition metals as potential single-source precursors (SSP) for doped titania and complex titanates. This review aims at providing an overview of TM-doped TOAs, focusing on first and second row TM elements, with special emphasis on their synthesis, photochemical properties, and their applications as SSPs.

Since the discovery of its photocatalytic properties, titanium dioxide has remained one of the most popular and widely used metal oxide photocatalysts. Its major drawback, however, lies in the narrow region (UV) of sunlight necessary to produce reactive oxygen species. This have been countered by sensitizing with organic dyes to red-shift the absorption spectrum but also with doping of other metals and non-metals. Volume doping or surface modification have demonstrated improved photocatalytic efficiency, mainly via red-shifted absorption by introduction of intermediate energy states between the valence band (VB) and conduction band (CB) and increased number of surface hydroxyl groups (which can form reactive hydroxyl radicals) from charge compensation, and in some cases by improved surface-adsorption of organic molecules. Doped titania and complex titanates have traditionally been produced via, for instance, co-precipitation of mixed metal salts or via solid-state synthesis. While these methods usually are simple, they offer limited control over size, shape, and phase composition. An alternative is the use of single-source precursors (SSPs), i.e., molecules already containing the desired metal ratio in a homogenous distribution. The last one or two decades have seen an increased number of reported transition metal-doped titanium oxo-alkoxides (TOA), particularly for the first-row transition metals as potential single-source precursors (SSP) for doped titania and complex titanates. This review aims at providing an overview of TM-doped TOAs, focusing on first and second row TM elements, with special emphasis on their synthesis, photochemical properties, and their applications as SSPs.

Since the discovery of its photocatalytic properties, titanium dioxide has remained one of the most popular and widely used metal oxide photocatalysts. Its major drawback, however, lies in the narrow region (UV) of sunlight necessary to produce reactive oxygen species. This have been countered by sensitizing with organic dyes to red-shift the absorption spectrum but also with doping of other metals and non-metals. Volume doping or surface modification have demonstrated improved photocatalytic efficiency, mainly via red-shifted absorption by introduction of intermediate energy states between the valence band (VB) and conduction band (CB) and increased number of surface hydroxyl groups (which can form reactive hydroxyl radicals) from charge compensation, and in some cases by improved surface-adsorption of organic molecules. Doped titania and complex titanates have traditionally been produced via, for instance, co-precipitation of mixed metal salts or via solid-state synthesis. While these methods usually are simple, they offer limited control over size, shape, and phase composition. An alternative is the use of single-source precursors (SSPs), i.e., molecules already containing the desired metal ratio in a homogenous distribution. The last one or two decades have seen an increased number of reported transition metal-doped titanium oxo-alkoxides (TOA), particularly for the first-row transition metals as potential single-source precursors (SSP) for doped titania and complex titanates. This review aims at providing an overview of TM-doped TOAs, focusing on first and second row TM elements, with special emphasis on their synthesis, photochemical properties, and their applications as SSPs.

Since the discovery of its photocatalytic properties, titanium dioxide has remained one of the most popular and widely used metal oxide photocatalysts. Its major drawback, however, lies in the narrow region (UV) of sunlight necessary to produce reactive oxygen species. This have been countered by sensitizing with organic dyes to red-shift the absorption spectrum but also with doping of other metals and non-metals. Volume doping or surface modification have demonstrated improved photocatalytic efficiency, mainly via red-shifted absorption by introduction of intermediate energy states between the valence band (VB) and conduction band (CB) and increased number of surface hydroxyl groups (which can form reactive hydroxyl radicals) from charge compensation, and in some cases by improved surface-adsorption of organic molecules. Doped titania and complex titanates have traditionally been produced via, for instance, co-precipitation of mixed metal salts or via solid-state synthesis. While these methods usually are simple, they offer limited control over size, shape, and phase composition. An alternative is the use of single-source precursors (SSPs), i.e., molecules already containing the desired metal ratio in a homogenous distribution. The last one or two decades have seen an increased number of reported transition metal-doped titanium oxo-alkoxides (TOA), particularly for the first-row transition metals as potential single-source precursors (SSP) for doped titania and complex titanates. This review aims at providing an overview of TM-doped TOAs, focusing on first and second row TM elements, with special emphasis on their synthesis, photochemical properties, and their applications as SSPs.

Carbon fiber (CF) is predominantly produced from fossil-based sources and is therefore an area of interest for further development towards a more sustainable society. The purpose of this thesis work was to investigate the possibility of producing precursor fibers (PFs) for CF production from a blend of renewable cellulose andlignin. Cellulose, which is used to some extent for CF production, was chosen, while the possibility of adding lignin was investigated in hope of increasing the gravimetric yield of the CF production. Blends of softwood kraft cellulose pulp (SKP) and softwood kraft lignin (SKL) were dissolved in an alkaline (NaOH) solvent system at different cellulose/lignin ratios. A total of eight dopes were prepared (SKP/SKL ratios of 100/0–60/40 wt./wt.) with total dope concentrations ranging from 4.5 wt.% to 9.2 wt.%. The addition of SKL resulted in dark colored dopes with viscosities of which mainly appeared to depend on the SKP concentration. The dopes were wet spun, resulting in continuously spun PFs. The PFs showed on an increasing pyrolysis yield with increased SKL content but decreasing mechanical properties. However, process optimization was not included in the work, subsequently leading to the assumption that greater values on mechanical properties can be achieved. A pure SKP PF and a SKP-SKL (70/30 wt./wt.) PF were successfully thermally converted into CFs by carbonization at 1000 °C. The PF containing SKL had a total gravimetric yield more than twice as high as the pure SKP PF, 28 wt.% and 12 wt.%, respectively. Thereby, the addition of SKL seems to have a positive impact on the CF yield when utilizing a NaOH(aq) solvent system. This thesis work has become a base for the future work towards the development of CFs from wet spun cellulose-lignin PFs in the NaOH(aq) solvent system.

Hispidin (6-(3,4-dihydroxystyrl)-4-hydroxy-2-pyrone) production in submerged cultured mycelia of the basidiomycete Inonotus hispidus was doubled in shake flasks through irradiation with white light. The daily addition of 1 mM hydrogen peroxide as a chemical stressor and a repeated supplementation of the shake flask cultures with 2 mM caffeic acid, a biogenetic precursor, further increased the hispidin synthesis. These cultivation conditions were combined and applied to parallel fermentation trials on the 4 L scale using a classical stirred tank bioreactor and a wave bag bioreactor. No significant differences in biomass yield and colorant production were observed. The hispidin concentration in both bioreactors reached 5.5 g·L−1, the highest ever published. Textile dyeing with hispidin was successful, but impeded by its limited light stability in comparison to industrial dyes. However, following the idea of sustainability and the flawless toxicity profile, applications in natural cosmetics, other daily implements, or even therapeutics appear promising

Spatial atomic layer deposition (sALD) of p-type SnO is demonstrated using a novel liquid ALD precursor, tin(II)-bis(tert-amyloxide), Sn(TAA)2, and H2O as the coreactant in a process which shows an increased deposition rate when compared to conventional temporal ALD. Compared to previously reported temporal ALD chemistries for the deposition of SnO, deposition rates of up to 19.5 times higher are obtained using Sn(TAA)2 as a precursor in combination with atmospheric pressure sALD. Growths per cycle of 0.55 and 0.09 Å are measured at deposition temperatures of 100 and 210 °C, respectively. Common-gate thin film transistors (TFTs), fabricated using sALD with Sn(TAA)2 result in linear mobilities of up to 0.4 cm2 V–1 s–1 and on/off-current ratios, IOn/IOff > 102. The combination of enhanced precursor chemistry and improved deposition hardware enables unprecedently high deposition rate ALD of p-type SnO, representing a significant step toward high-throughput p-type TFT fabrication on large area and flexible substrates.

Carbon fiber (CF) is predominantly produced from fossil-based sources and is therefore an area of interest for further development towards a more sustainable society. The purpose of this thesis work was to investigate the possibility of producing precursor fibers (PFs) for CF production from a blend of renewable cellulose andlignin. Cellulose, which is used to some extent for CF production, was chosen, while the possibility of adding lignin was investigated in hope of increasing the gravimetric yield of the CF production. Blends of softwood kraft cellulose pulp (SKP) and softwood kraft lignin (SKL) were dissolved in an alkaline (NaOH) solvent system at different cellulose/lignin ratios. A total of eight dopes were prepared (SKP/SKL ratios of 100/0–60/40 wt./wt.) with total dope concentrations ranging from 4.5 wt.% to 9.2 wt.%. The addition of SKL resulted in dark colored dopes with viscosities of which mainly appeared to depend on the SKP concentration. The dopes were wet spun, resulting in continuously spun PFs. The PFs showed on an increasing pyrolysis yield with increased SKL content but decreasing mechanical properties. However, process optimization was not included in the work, subsequently leading to the assumption that greater values on mechanical properties can be achieved. A pure SKP PF and a SKP-SKL (70/30 wt./wt.) PF were successfully thermally converted into CFs by carbonization at 1000 °C. The PF containing SKL had a total gravimetric yield more than twice as high as the pure SKP PF, 28 wt.% and 12 wt.%, respectively. Thereby, the addition of SKL seems to have a positive impact on the CF yield when utilizing a NaOH(aq) solvent system. This thesis work has become a base for the future work towards the development of CFs from wet spun cellulose-lignin PFs in the NaOH(aq) solvent system.

Since the discovery of its photocatalytic properties, titanium dioxide has remained one of the most popular and widely used metal oxide photocatalysts. Its major drawback, however, lies in the narrow region (UV) of sunlight necessary to produce reactive oxygen species. This have been countered by sensitizing with organic dyes to red-shift the absorption spectrum but also with doping of other metals and non-metals. Volume doping or surface modification have demonstrated improved photocatalytic efficiency, mainly via red-shifted absorption by introduction of intermediate energy states between the valence band (VB) and conduction band (CB) and increased number of surface hydroxyl groups (which can form reactive hydroxyl radicals) from charge compensation, and in some cases by improved surface-adsorption of organic molecules. Doped titania and complex titanates have traditionally been produced via, for instance, co-precipitation of mixed metal salts or via solid-state synthesis. While these methods usually are simple, they offer limited control over size, shape, and phase composition. An alternative is the use of single-source precursors (SSPs), i.e., molecules already containing the desired metal ratio in a homogenous distribution. The last one or two decades have seen an increased number of reported transition metal-doped titanium oxo-alkoxides (TOA), particularly for the first-row transition metals as potential single-source precursors (SSP) for doped titania and complex titanates. This review aims at providing an overview of TM-doped TOAs, focusing on first and second row TM elements, with special emphasis on their synthesis, photochemical properties, and their applications as SSPs.

The basis of short-term earthquake prediction is the identification of reliable precursors. Anomaly of radon concentration escaped from groundwater (C-Rn) is often used as a traditional earthquake precursor. However, the thresholds of anomaly are still controversial. Using the data series of long-term C-Rn, the data series of residual radon concentration (C-Rr) was obtained to exclude periodic environmental interference, and the distribution of long-term C-Rn and C-Rr was tested. It is verified that the distribution of C-Rn and C-Rr does not conform with the traditional default normal distribution. Therefore, the box plot of non-normally distributed is used to redefine the anomaly threshold. The temporal and spatial analysis results of C-Rn and C-Rr show that before the Wenchuan, Lushan and Jiuzhaigou earthquakes, C-Rn and C-Rr show similar short-term anomaly patterns as follows: (1) With the approach of main shocks, the C-Rn and C-Rr near the epicenter/fault zone increase sharply and are accompanied by obvious positive anomalies. (2) The duration of anomalies is closely related to the location of the epicenter/fault zone and the observation station. (3) The anomaly of C-Rr which filtered out periodic environmental disturbance can reflect the abnormal precursor caused by tectonic geological activity before earthquake more accurately than the C-Rn anomaly. (4) The non-normal anomaly analysis method is more consistent with the mathematical definition than the normal distribution anomaly analysis method. Therefore, analyzing the abnormal threshold of residual radon which is non-normally distributed may be a reliable method for the analysis of radon anomalies before large earthquakes.

Regarded as one of the most dangerous types of natural disaster, tropical cyclones threaten the life and health of human beings and often cause enormous economic loss. However, intensity forecasting of tropical cyclones, especially rapid intensification forecasting, remains a scientific challenge due to limited understanding regarding the intensity change process. We propose an automatic knowledge discovery framework to identify potential spatiotemporal precursors to tropical cyclone rapid intensification from a set of tropical cyclone environmental fields. Specifically, this framework includes (1) formulating RI and non-RI composite environmental fields from historical tropical cyclones using NASA MERRA2 data; (2) utilizing the shared nearest neighbor-based clustering algorithm to detect regions representing relatively homogeneous behavior around tropical cyclone centers; (3) determining candidate precursors from significantly different regions in RI and non-RI groups using a spatiotemporal statistical method; and (4) comparing candidates to existing predictors to select potential precursors. The proposed knowledge discovery framework is applied separately to different factors, including 200 hPa zonal wind, 850–700 hPa relative humidity, and 850–200 hPa vertical shear, to detect potential precursors. Compared to the existing predictors manually labeled, i.e., U200 and U20C, RHLO, and SHRD in the Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme, our automatically discovered precursors have a comparable or better capability for estimating the probability of rapid intensification. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

We present the process of synthesis and characterization of magnetite-maghemite nanoparticles by the ball milling method. The particles were synthesized in a planetary ball mill equipped with vials and balls of tempered steel, employing dry and wet conditions. For dry milling, we employed microstructured analytical-grade hematite (a-Fe2O3), while for wet milling, we mixed hematite and deionized water. Milling products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, room temperature Mössbauer spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The Mössbauer spectrum of the dry milling product was well fitted with two sextets of hematite, while the spectrum of the wet milling product was well fitted with three sextets of spinel phase. X-ray measurements confirmed the phases identified by Mössbauer spectroscopy in both milling conditions and a reduction in the crystallinity of the dry milling product. TEM measurements showed that the products of dry milling for 100 h and wet milling for 24 h consist of aggregates of nanoparticles distributed in size, with mean particle size of 10 and 15 nm, respectively. Magnetization measurements of the wet milling product showed little coercivity and a saturation magnetization around 69 emu g-1, characteristic of a nano-spinel system. Atomic absorption measurements showed that the chromium contamination in the wet milling product is approximately two orders of magnitude greater than that found in the dry milling product for 24 h, indicating that the material of the milling bodies, liberated more widely in wet conditions, plays an important role in the conversion hematite-spinel phase. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media B.V., part of Springer Nature.

Benign biliary tumor are common lesions that are often an incidental finding in subjects who undergo medical imaging tests for other conditions. Most are true neoplasms while few result from reactive or malformative proliferation. Benign tumors have no clinical consequences, although the premalignant nature or potential for malignant transformation is of concern in some cases. The main practical problem for pathologists is the need to differentiate them from malignant biliary tumours, which is not always straightforward. Premalignant lesions of the bile duct have been described, although their incidence has been poorly characterized. These lesions include biliary mucinous cystic neoplasms, intraductal papillary neoplasms of the bile duct, and biliary intraepithelial neoplasia. In this article, histopathology of benign biliary tumors and biliary tumor precursors is discussed, with a focus on the main diagnostic criteria.

The diameter-controlled growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) is one of the key issues of SWNT synthesis and application. To guarantee that SWNTs grow with desired diameters, it is necessary to control catalyst size and modulate growth conditions. SWNTs with diameters of 0.9–1.2 nm are highly desirable for near-infrared fluorescence bioimaging and serving as effective single-photon sources for the development of quantum devices. Herein, we used an FeCo/MgO catalyst to grow bulk SWNTs with diameters in the range and studied the influence of catalysts and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth conditions on the diameter of SWNTs. The preparation of catalyst precursors is a key step in obtaining catalyst nanoparticles of small size. In the impregnation process, we used three different types of metal salts, namely, sulfates, acetates, and nitrates, to prepare the catalysts. The metal sulfates, which exhibit the weakest hydrolysis ability, were found to grow SWNTs with the smallest diameters. Lowering the immersion pH, which suppresses the hydrolysis of metal ions, was also favorable for growing smaller SWNTs. Moreover, the addition of complexing agent molecules such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid during the impregnation process, which inhibits the hydrolysis of metal ions as well, further confined the diameter distribution of the resultant SWNTs. During the solution drying process, metal salts hydrolyze into metal hydroxides and oxides. Under mild hydrolysis conditions, the produced hydroxide and oxide particles are smaller and more likely to be uniformly distributed on the surface of the supports. Therefore, it is more favorable to produce catalysts with controlled sizes under mild hydrolysis conditions, which are preferred for diameter control of the resultant SWNTs. In the CVD growth process, we used either ethanol or methane as the carbon source and found that, under our experimental conditions, the SWNTs grown from ethanol had smaller diameters than

Both the film quality and the electronic properties of halide perovskites have significant influences on the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) because both of them are closely related to the charge carrier transportation, separation, and recombination processes in PSCs. In this work, an additive engineering strategy using antimony acetate (Sb(Ac)3) is employed to enhance the photovoltaic performance of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3)-based PSCs by improving the film quality and optimizing the photoelectronic properties of halide perovskites. It is found that Ac− and Sb3+ of Sb(Ac)3 play different roles and their synergistic effect contributed to the eventual excellent photovoltaic performance of MAPbI3-based PSCs with a power conversion efficiency of above 21%. The Ac− anions act as a crystal growth controller and are more involved in the improvement of perovskite film morphology. By comparison, Sb3+ cations are more involved in the optimization of the electronic structure of perovskites to tailor the energy levels of the perovskite film. Furthermore, with the assistance of Sb(Ac)3, MAPbI3-based PSCs deliver much improved moisture, air, and thermal stability. This work can provide scientific insights on the additive engineering for improving the efficiency and long-term stability of MAPbI3-based PSCs, facilitating the further development of perovskite-based optoelectronics.

Niobium (V) ethoxide was characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The specimen is a powder purchased from Sigma Aldrich. The sample was fixed to a stainless-steel sample holder with a copper double-sided adhesive tape. Survey spectra, Nb 3d, O 1s, C 1s, Nb 3p, Nb 4p, O 2s core levels, and valence band spectra were acquired. Results showed how the elements in the niobium ethoxide structure are bonded., Etoxid niobu (V) byl analyzován pomocí rentgenové fotoelektronové spektroskopie (XPS). Vzorek představoval prášek od společnosti Sigma Aldrich. Vzorek byl uchycen na ocelový držák a mědenou oboustrannou lepící 3M pásku. V přehledovém spektru byly měřeny struktury jader Nb 3d, O 1s, C 1s, Nb 3p, Nb 4p, O 2s a také spektra valenčních pásů. Kvantitativní analýza povrdila očekávanou stechiometrii vzorku.

Bismuth (III) acetate was analyzed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The specimen is a powder purchased from Sigma Aldrich. The sample was fixed to a stainless-steel sample holder with copper 3M(TM)double-sided adhesive tape. Survey spectra, Bi 4f, O 1s, C 1s, Bi 4d, Bi 5d, Bi 6s core levels, and valence band spectra were acquired. The results showed how the elements in the structure of bismuth acetate are related., Octan bismutitý byl analyzován pomocí rentgenové fotoelektronové spektroskopie (XPS). Vzorek představoval prášek od společnosti Sigma Aldrich. Vzorek byl uchycen na ocelový držák a mědenou oboustrannou lepící 3M pásku. V přehledovém spektru byly měřeny struktury jader Bi 4f, O 1s, C 1s, Bi 4d, Bi 5d, Bi 6s a také spektra valenčních pásů. Kvantitativní analýza povrdila očekávanou stechiometrii vzorku.

Understanding the interface between radiation physics and radiation chemistry (i.e., “breaking the picosecond barrier”) is of obvious relevance to fundamental radiobiology and related science as liquid water is by far the most abundant constituent of biological cells and tissue. This research project used experiment-and-theory based models to produce a complete, reliable description of the chemical nature and highly nonhomogeneous spatial distribution of all reactive species created on the (sub-) picosecond time scale and involved as precursors of radiobiological damage. The importance of the scavenging of precursors (“dry” electrons) to hydrated electrons is demonstrated in the calculation of H2 yields from the simulations of aqueous azide ion (N3-) solutions irradiated with 60Co gamma-rays (~1 MeV Compton electrons) and tritium beta-electrons (mean electron energy of ~7.8 keV). It is the first time that we introduced scavenging of the precursors of hydrated electrons in our Monte-Carlo simulations. Monte Carlo simulations were also used to examine the sensitivity of the density dependence of the yield of e-aq in the low linear energy transfer (LET) radiolysis of supercritical water (H2O) at 400 °C on variations in the temperature dependence of k(e-aq + e-aq). Two different values of the e-aq self-reaction rate constant at 400 °C were used: one based on the temperature dependence of k above 150 °C as measured in alkaline water, and the other based on an Arrhenius extrapolation of the values of k below 150 °C. Only a small effect of k(e-aq + e-aq) on the variation of G(e-aq) as a function of water density at 60 ps and 1 ns could be observed. In conclusion, our present calculations did not allow us to unambiguously confirm (or deny) the applicability of the predicted sudden drop of k(e-aq + e-aq) at ~150 °C in near-neutral water., Comprendre l’interface entre la physique des radiations et la chimie des radiations – à savoir, « briser la barrière de la picoseconde » – est d'une pertinence évidente pour la radiobiologie fondamentale et les sciences connexes, car l'eau sous forme liquide est de loin le constituant le plus abondant des cellules et des tissus biologiques. Ce projet de recherche a utilisé des modèles basés sur l'expérience et la théorie pour produire une description complète et fiable de la nature chimique et de la distribution spatiale hautement non-homogène de toutes les espèces réactives créées à l'échelle des (sous-) picosecondes et impliquées comme précurseurs de dommages radiobiologiques. L'importance du piégeage des précurseurs (électrons « secs ») des électrons hydratés (e aq) est démontrée dans le calcul des rendements en H2 à partir de simulations de solutions aqueuses d'ions azide (N3  ) irradiées avec des rayons-y de cobalt-60 (électrons de Compton de ~1 MeV) et des électrons-B du tritium (énergie moyenne des électrons de ~7,8 keV). C'est la première fois que nous introduisons le processus de piégeage des précurseurs des électrons hydratés dans nos simulations MonteCarlo. Des simulations Monte Carlo de la radiolyse à faible transfert d'énergie linéaire (TEL) de l'eau supercritique (H2O) à 400 °C ont également été utilisées pour examiner la sensibilité de la dépendance en densité du rendement de e-aq selon la variation en température de la constante de vitesse d’auto-réaction k(e-aq + e-aq). Deux valeurs différentes de k(e-aq + e-aq) à 400 °C ont été utilisées: l'une basée sur la dépendance en température de k au-dessus de 150 °C telle que mesurée dans l'eau alcaline, et l'autre basée sur une extrapolation d'Arrhenius des valeurs de k inférieures à 150 °C. Seul un faible effet de k(e-aq + e-aq) sur la variation de G(e-aq) en fonction de la densité de l’eau à 60 ps et 1 ns a pu être observé. En conclusion, nos calculs actuels ne nous ont pas permis de confirmer l'applic

У зв’язку із змінами клімату та значним потеплінням, особливого значення набувають адаптивні, для різних ґрунтово-кліматичних умов, сорти ячменю озимого, які забезпечують високу урожайність та є досить морозостійкими. Не менш важливим для реалізації генетичного потенціалу продуктивності є удосконалення елементів технології вирощування цієї зернової культури. Основною метою наукових досліджень в умовах чорнозему слабогумусованого легкосуглинкового було установлення продуктивності та якості зерна озимого ячменю сорту Хайлайт залежно від обробітку ґрунту, попередника та удобрення. Під передпосівну культивацію вносили 100 кг/га Діамофоски (10–26–26), в осіннє кущення – 100 кг/га КАС 32, перше весняне підживлення посівів проводили по мерзлоталому ґрунту – 200 кг/га аміачної селітри, а друге – у фазі виходу в трубку – 100 кг/га КАС 32. У дослідах виявлена висока зимостійкість рослин ячменю озимого за раннього строку сівби (11–13 вересня), загиблих рослин спостерігалось у фазі кущення всього 2–4%, а за пізньої сівби (29–30 вересня), відповідно, 4%. Максимальна урожайність зерна ячменю озимого отримана у 2019 році за полицевого обробітку ґрунту – 6,9 т/га, а за мілкого безполицевого обробітку цей показник становив 6,5 т/га. Кращим попередником у дослідах був ріпак озимий, який забезпечив порівняно з соняшником приріст урожаю на неудобрених ділянках 0,2–0,3 т/га та 0.4–0,5 т/га на удобрених. Унаслідок проведених досліджень установлено високу ефективність застосування мінеральних добрив та захисту рослин за впливом на врожайність зерна. У середньому за роки досліджень в досліді вона становила 6,6 т/га. Маса 1000 зерен на кращому варіанті була 49,5 г, натура зерна – 609 г/л, вміст білка – 12,6–12,9%. Перспективи подальших досліджень слід зосередити на вивченні впливу позакореневого підживлення рослин сучасних сортів ячменю озимого, які максимально відповідають інтенсивним та індустріальним технологіям вирощування., Due to climate changes and considerable warming, adaptable varieties of winter barley for high yields and quite frost are of particular importance for various soil and climatic conditions. Equally important for realizing the genetic potential of productivity is the improvement of the technology of growing this grain. The main purpose of scientific research in the conditions of weakly humic loamy soil was to establish the productivity and quality of the grain of winter barley of the Khailait variety, depending on the cultivation of soil, precursor and fertilizer. 100 kg/ha of Diamofoski (10–26–26) were introduced to pre-sowing cultivation, 100 kg/ha of CAS 32 were introduced into autumn tillage, the first spring fertilization of crops was carried out on frozen ground – 200 kg/ha of ammonium nitrate, and the second was in phase of exit into the tube – 100 kg/ha CAS 32. The experiments revealed high winter hardiness of winter barley plants in the early sowing period (September 11–13), only 2–4% were killed in the tillering phase, and 4% in late sowing (September 29–30), respectively. The maximum yield of winter barley grain was obtained in 2019 for shelf cultivation of soil – 6.9 t/ha, and for shallow tillage cultivation this figure was 6.5 t/ha. The best precursor in the experiments was winter rapeseed, which provided a yield increase of 0.2–0.3 t/ha and 0.4–0.5 t/ha of fertilizer compared to sunflower. As a result of the conducted researches high efficiency of application of mineral fertilizers and protection of plants by influence on grain yield was established. On average, over the years of research in the experiment, it was 6.6 t/ha. The weight of 1000 grains in the preferred variant was 49.5 g, the nature of the grain – 609 g/l, protein content – 12.6–12.9%. Prospects for further research should focus on the study of the effects of foliar feeding of modern varieties of winter barley, which correspond to the most intensive and industrial cultivation technologies., В связи с изменениями климата и значительным потеплением, особое значение приобретают адаптивные, для различных почвенно-климатических условий, сорта ячменя озимого, которые обеспечивают высокую урожайность и достаточно морозостойки. Не менее важным для реализации генетического потенциала продуктивности является совершенствование элементов технологии выращивания этой зерновой культуры. Основной целью научных исследований в условиях чернозема слабогумусованого легкосуглинкового было установление производительности и качества зерна озимого ячменя сорта Хайлайт в зависимости от обработки почвы, предшественника и удобрения. Под предпосевную культивацию вносили 100 кг/га Диаммофоска (10-26-26), в осеннее кущение - 100 кг/га КАС 32, первую весеннюю подкормку посевов проводили по мерзлоталой почве - 200 кг/га аммиачной селитры, а вторую - в фазе выхода в трубку - 100 кг/га КАС 32. В опытах выявлена высокая зимостойкость растений ячменя озимого за раннего срока посева (11-13 сентября), погибших растений наблюдалось в фазе кущения всего 2-4%, а за позднего сева (29-30 сентября), соответственно, 4%. Максимальная урожайность зерна ячменя озимого получена в 2019 году при полицевой обработке - 6,9 т/га, а при мелкой безотвальной этот показатель составлял 6,5 т/га. Лучшим предшественником в опытах был рапс озимый, который обеспечил по сравнению с подсолнечником прирост урожая на неудобрених участках 0,2-0,3 т/га и 0.4-0,5 т/га на удобренных. В результате проведенных исследований установлено высокую эффективность применения минеральных удобрений и защиты растений по влиянию на урожайность зерна. В среднем за годы исследований в опыте она составляла 6,6 т/га. Масса 1000 зерен на лучшем варианте была 49,5 г, натура зерна - 609 г/л, содержание белка - 12,6-12,9%. Перспективы дальнейших исследований следует сосредоточить на изучении влияния внекорневой подкормки растений современных сортов ячменя озимого, которые максимально соответствуют интенсивным и индустриальным технологиям выращ

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is an essential component of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and an important antioxidant present in all cellular membranes. CoQ deficiencies are frequent in aging and in age-related diseases, and current treatments are limited to CoQ supplementation. Strategies that rely on CoQ supplementation suffer from poor uptake and trafficking of this very hydrophobic molecule. In a previous study, the dietary flavonol kaempferol was reported to serve as a CoQ ring precursor and to increase the CoQ content in kidney cells, but neither the part of the molecule entering CoQ biosynthesis nor the mechanism were described. In this study, kaempferol labeled specifically in the B-ring was isolated from Arabidopsis plants. Kidney cells treated with this compound incorporated the B-ring of kaempferol into newly synthesized CoQ, suggesting that the B-ring is metabolized via a mechanism described in plant cells. Kaempferol is a natural flavonoid present in fruits and vegetables and possesses antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory therapeutic properties. A better understanding of the role of kaempferol as a CoQ ring precursor makes this bioactive compound a potential candidate for the design of interventions aiming to increase endogenous CoQ biosynthesis and may improve CoQ deficient phenotypes in aging and disease.

[ES] La Leucemia Linfoblástica Aguda (LLA) es una neoplasia de los precursores linfoides que representa casi un tercio de todos los casos de cáncer pediátrico. Pese a que las tasas de supervivencia han mejorado durante las últimas décadas, sigue habiendo pacientes que muestran resistencia, por lo que definir nuevos marcadores pronósticos sería de gran interés para mejorar la supervivencia. En este contexto, se ha visto que los microRNAs (miRNAs) podrían ser marcadores potenciales ya que regulan más del 50% de nuestros genes y se han descrito asociaciones entre la expresión de algunos miRNAs y el pronóstico de la LLA. Teniendo en cuenta que polimorfismos genéticos en los miRNAs podrían tener un impacto tanto en sus niveles como en su función, el objetivo de este estudio es identificar nuevos marcadores pronósticos en LLA-B, mediante el estudio de SNPs en miRNAs. Para llevar a cabo este estudio, se realizó tanto una búsqueda sistemática de la literatura como un estudio de asociación, en el que se incluyeron 167 pacientes con LLA-B y se analizaron 160 SNPs en miRNAs para determinar su asociación con la supervivencia. De este modo, no se encontró ningún artículo que analizara el efecto de SNPs en miRNAs en la supervivencia de los pacientes con LLA. En cambio, en el estudio de asociación, se identificaron 3 SNPs en miRNAs (rs17797090 en hsa-mir-3652, rs28645567 en hsa-mir-378d-1 y rs74469188 en hsa-mir-6504) asociados significativamente con la supervivencia libre de enfermedad o la supervivencia global después de realizar la corrección de Bonferroni. Al analizar el posible efecto funcional de estos SNPs mediante herramientas de predicción in silico, se observó que podrían cambiar la estabilidad del pre-miRNA, lo que podrían afectar a la regulación de sus genes diana predichos en las vías de señalización de Ras y mTOR. Esto apunta a que los SNPs en miRNAs podrían ser de utilidad para predecir la respuesta al tratamiento en niños con LLA-B.

[ES] La Leucemia Linfoblástica Aguda (LLA) es una neoplasia de los precursores linfoides que representa casi un tercio de todos los casos de cáncer pediátrico. Pese a que las tasas de supervivencia han mejorado durante las últimas décadas, sigue habiendo pacientes que muestran resistencia, por lo que definir nuevos marcadores pronósticos sería de gran interés para mejorar la supervivencia. En este contexto, se ha visto que los microRNAs (miRNAs) podrían ser marcadores potenciales ya que regulan más del 50% de nuestros genes y se han descrito asociaciones entre la expresión de algunos miRNAs y el pronóstico de la LLA. Teniendo en cuenta que polimorfismos genéticos en los miRNAs podrían tener un impacto tanto en sus niveles como en su función, el objetivo de este estudio es identificar nuevos marcadores pronósticos en LLA-B, mediante el estudio de SNPs en miRNAs. Para llevar a cabo este estudio, se realizó tanto una búsqueda sistemática de la literatura como un estudio de asociación, en el que se incluyeron 167 pacientes con LLA-B y se analizaron 160 SNPs en miRNAs para determinar su asociación con la supervivencia. De este modo, no se encontró ningún artículo que analizara el efecto de SNPs en miRNAs en la supervivencia de los pacientes con LLA. En cambio, en el estudio de asociación, se identificaron 3 SNPs en miRNAs (rs17797090 en hsa-mir-3652, rs28645567 en hsa-mir-378d-1 y rs74469188 en hsa-mir-6504) asociados significativamente con la supervivencia libre de enfermedad o la supervivencia global después de realizar la corrección de Bonferroni. Al analizar el posible efecto funcional de estos SNPs mediante herramientas de predicción in silico, se observó que podrían cambiar la estabilidad del pre-miRNA, lo que podrían afectar a la regulación de sus genes diana predichos en las vías de señalización de Ras y mTOR. Esto apunta a que los SNPs en miRNAs podrían ser de utilidad para predecir la respuesta al tratamiento en niños con LLA-B.

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is an essential component of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and an important antioxidant present in all cellular membranes. CoQ deficiencies are frequent in aging and in age-related diseases, and current treatments are limited to CoQ supplementation. Strategies that rely on CoQ supplementation suffer from poor uptake and trafficking of this very hydrophobic molecule. In a previous study, the dietary flavonol kaempferol was reported to serve as a CoQ ring precursor and to increase the CoQ content in kidney cells, but neither the part of the molecule entering CoQ biosynthesis nor the mechanism were described. In this study, kaempferol labeled specifically in the B-ring was isolated from Arabidopsis plants. Kidney cells treated with this compound incorporated the B-ring of kaempferol into newly synthesized CoQ, suggesting that the B-ring is metabolized via a mechanism described in plant cells. Kaempferol is a natural flavonoid present in fruits and vegetables and possesses antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory therapeutic properties. A better understanding of the role of kaempferol as a CoQ ring precursor makes this bioactive compound a potential candidate for the design of interventions aiming to increase endogenous CoQ biosynthesis and may improve CoQ deficient phenotypes in aging and disease.

In intact adult mammalian brains, there are two neurogenic regions: the subependymal zone and the subgranular layer of the hippocampus. Even outside these regions, small numbers of proliferating precursors do exist. Many studies suggest that the majority of these are oligodendrocyte precursors that express NG2, a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, and most of the residual proliferating cells seem to be endothelial cells. However, it is still unclear whether NG2-immunonegative proliferating precursors are present, because previous studies have neglected their possible existence. In this study, we systematically analyzed the phenotypes of the proliferating cells in the intact adult rat cortical gray matter. We improved our techniques and carefully characterized the proliferating cells, because there were several problems with identifying and quantifying the proliferating cells: the detection of NG2-expressing cells was dependent on the fixation condition; there were residual proliferating leukocytes in the blood vessels; and two anti-NG2 antibodies gave rise to different staining patterns. Moreover, we used two methods, BrdU and Ki67 immunostaining, to quantify the proliferating cells. Our results strongly suggest that in the intact adult cerebral cortical gray matter, there were only two types of proliferating cells: the majority were NG2-expressing cells, including pericytes, and the rest were endothelial cells.

Adult neurogenesis in the subgranular zone of the hippocampus (SGZ) is enhanced by excess as well as mild neuronal excitation, such as chemoconvulsant‐induced brief seizures. Because most studies of neurogenesis after seizures have focused on the SGZ, the threshold of neuronal excitation required to enhance neurogenesis in the subventricular zone (SVZ) is not clear. Therefore, we examined the responses of SVZ precursors to brief generalized clonic seizures induced by a single administration of the chemoconvulsant pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). Cell cycle progression of precursors was analysed by systemic administration of thymidine analogues. We found that brief seizures immediately resulted in cell cycle retardation in the SVZ. However, the same effect was not seen in the SGZ. This initial cell cycle retardation in the SVZ was followed by enhanced cell cycle re‐entry after the first round of mitosis, leading to precursor pool expansion, but the cell cycle retardation and expansion of the precursor pool were transient. Cell cycle progression in the PTZ‐treated group returned to normal after one cell cycle. The numbers of precursors in the SVZ and new neurons in the olfactory bulb, which are descendants of SVZ precursors, were not significantly different from those in control mice more than 2 days after seizures. Because similar effects were observed following electroconvulsive seizures, these responses are likely to be general effects of brief seizures. These results suggest that neurogenesis in the SVZ is more tightly regulated and requires stronger stimuli to be modified than that in the SGZ.

[ES] La Leucemia Linfoblástica Aguda (LLA) es una neoplasia de los precursores linfoides que representa casi un tercio de todos los casos de cáncer pediátrico. Pese a que las tasas de supervivencia han mejorado durante las últimas décadas, sigue habiendo pacientes que muestran resistencia, por lo que definir nuevos marcadores pronósticos sería de gran interés para mejorar la supervivencia. En este contexto, se ha visto que los microRNAs (miRNAs) podrían ser marcadores potenciales ya que regulan más del 50% de nuestros genes y se han descrito asociaciones entre la expresión de algunos miRNAs y el pronóstico de la LLA. Teniendo en cuenta que polimorfismos genéticos en los miRNAs podrían tener un impacto tanto en sus niveles como en su función, el objetivo de este estudio es identificar nuevos marcadores pronósticos en LLA-B, mediante el estudio de SNPs en miRNAs. Para llevar a cabo este estudio, se realizó tanto una búsqueda sistemática de la literatura como un estudio de asociación, en el que se incluyeron 167 pacientes con LLA-B y se analizaron 160 SNPs en miRNAs para determinar su asociación con la supervivencia. De este modo, no se encontró ningún artículo que analizara el efecto de SNPs en miRNAs en la supervivencia de los pacientes con LLA. En cambio, en el estudio de asociación, se identificaron 3 SNPs en miRNAs (rs17797090 en hsa-mir-3652, rs28645567 en hsa-mir-378d-1 y rs74469188 en hsa-mir-6504) asociados significativamente con la supervivencia libre de enfermedad o la supervivencia global después de realizar la corrección de Bonferroni. Al analizar el posible efecto funcional de estos SNPs mediante herramientas de predicción in silico, se observó que podrían cambiar la estabilidad del pre-miRNA, lo que podrían afectar a la regulación de sus genes diana predichos en las vías de señalización de Ras y mTOR. Esto apunta a que los SNPs en miRNAs podrían ser de utilidad para predecir la respuesta al tratamiento en niños con LLA-B.

The authors development in this work a new porous material from activated carbon with phosphoric acid, which is obtained from a Creole banana stem. The adsorption capacity is established by static method evaluating 5 points in which the coal is subjected to different percentages of humidity. The surface area (Sbet) of the carbon obtained was analyzed and its value was established in the B.E.T. methodThe development of a new porous material extends the possibilities of research in fields such as refrigeration using as solar energy source and, in the electronics, where the large surface area of the activated carbon is used to build super capacitors putting the carbon between the plates Parallel, whereby these devices have a capacitance thousands of times greater than that of high capacity electrolytic capacitors., En este trabajo se presenta el proceso de desarrollo de un material poroso a partir de carbón activado con ácido fosfórico, obtenido del vástago de banano criollo. La capacidad de adsorción es establecida mediante método estático, se evalúan 5 puntos en los cuales el carbón es sometido a diferentes porcentajes de humedad. Se hizo el análisis del área superficial (Sbet) del carbón obtenido y se establece su valor mediante el método B.E.T.El desarrollo de este nanomaterial amplía las posibilidades de investigación en campos como la refrigeración, en la que se usa como fuente de energía la radiación solar y en la electrónica se aprovecha la mayor área superficial de los carbones activados para construir súper condensadores, de manera que se coloca el carbón entre las placas paralelas, lo que hace que estos dispositivos presenten una capacitancia miles de veces mayor que la de los condensadores actuales de alta capacidad

The authors development in this work a new porous material from activated carbon with phosphoric acid, which is obtained from a Creole banana stem. The adsorption capacity is established by static method evaluating 5 points in which the coal is subjected to different percentages of humidity. The surface area (Sbet) of the carbon obtained was analyzed and its value was established in the B.E.T. methodThe development of a new porous material extends the possibilities of research in fields such as refrigeration using as solar energy source and, in the electronics, where the large surface area of the activated carbon is used to build super capacitors putting the carbon between the plates Parallel, whereby these devices have a capacitance thousands of times greater than that of high capacity electrolytic capacitors., En este trabajo se presenta el proceso de desarrollo de un material poroso a partir de carbón activado con ácido fosfórico, obtenido del vástago de banano criollo. La capacidad de adsorción es establecida mediante método estático, se evalúan 5 puntos en los cuales el carbón es sometido a diferentes porcentajes de humedad. Se hizo el análisis del área superficial (Sbet) del carbón obtenido y se establece su valor mediante el método B.E.T.El desarrollo de este nanomaterial amplía las posibilidades de investigación en campos como la refrigeración, en la que se usa como fuente de energía la radiación solar y en la electrónica se aprovecha la mayor área superficial de los carbones activados para construir súper condensadores, de manera que se coloca el carbón entre las placas paralelas, lo que hace que estos dispositivos presenten una capacitancia miles de veces mayor que la de los condensadores actuales de alta capacidad

Subcortical white matter stroke is a common stroke subtype. White matter stroke stimulates adjacent oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) to divide and migrate to the lesion, but stroke OPCs have only a limited differentiation into mature oligodendrocytes. To understand the molecular systems that are active in OPC responses in white matter stroke, OPCs were virally labeled and laser-captured in the region of partial damage adjacent to the infarct in male mice. RNAseq indicates two distinct OPC transcriptomes associated with the proliferative and limited-regeneration phases of OPCs after stroke. Molecular pathways related to nuclear receptor activation, ECM turnover, and lipid biosynthesis are activated during proliferative OPC phases after stroke; inflammatory and growth factor signaling is activated in the later stage of limited OPC differentiation. Within ECM proteins, Matrilin-2 is induced early after stroke and then rapidly downregulated. Prediction of upstream regulators of the OPC stroke transcriptome identifies several candidate molecules, including Inhibin A-a negative regulator of Matrilin-2. Inhibin A is induced in reactive astrocytes after stroke, including in humans. In functional assays, Matrilin-2 induces OPC differentiation, and Inhibin A inhibits OPC Matrilin-2 expression and inhibits OPC differentiation. In vivo, Matrilin-2 promotes motor recovery after white matter stroke, and promotes OPC differentiation and ultrastructural evidence of remyelination. These studies show that white matter stroke induces an initial proliferative and reparative response in OPCs, but this is blocked by a local cellular niche where reactive astrocytes secrete Inhibin A, downregulating Matrilin-2 and blocking myelin repair and recovery.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Stroke in the cerebral white matter of the brain is common. The biology of damage and recovery in this stroke subtype are not well defined. These studies use cell-specific RNA sequencing and gain-of-function studie

Objective: Malassezia furfur is a lipid-dependent yeast that is part of the human skin microbiota. Mechanisms underlying growth on skin including its lipid metabolism are largely unknown. Lipid droplets (LDs), also known as lipid particles, lipid bodies, oil bodies, or oleosomes, are highly dynamic organelles that can be produced in nearly all cells. The presence of LDs in Malassezia (Pityrosporum orbiculare) have been reported, but their role has not been studied. LDs contribute to a variety of processes including lipid storage, cell signaling, temporary protein storage, cell lipid homeostasis, prevention of lipotoxicity, biosynthesis and secretion of inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins and leukotriene's, interferon responses, and antigen cross presentation. Lipid droplets are expected to play an important role in Malassezia spp during their growth and/or adaptation on the skin yet this has not been investigated. The purpose of this study is to characterize LD of M. furfur in complex medium (mDixon) and minimal medium supplemented with sources of palmitic acid (PA; C16:0) and/or oleic acid (OA; C18:1). We addressed the presence of LD during starvation for fatty acids, the composition of the lipid droplets using lipidomics and we used genomic analysis to identify the pathways involved in neutral lipid synthesis in this yeast. Methods: Lipid droplets (LDs) were identified in M. furfur growing in mDixon broth or MM with or without PA and/or OA through confocal microscopy using nile red staining. LD dynamics and cell viability was monitored upon transferring M. furfur cells that had been pre-grown in MM with PA and / or OA to MM without fatty acids. Lipidomic analyses were performed on chloroform/methanol extracted lipids from LD isolated via density gradient centrifugation. Results: CFUs strongly decreased upon lipid starvation irrespective of the type(s) of fatty acid present in the pre-culture and no CFUs were found after 160 h. Interestingly, cells observ

会議情報: 平成29年度衝撃波シンポジウム (2018年3月7日-9日. 東北大学片平さくらホール ）仙台市, 宮城県, (2018年3月7日-9日. 宇宙航空研究開発機構角田宇宙センター ）角田市, 宮城県, Meeting Information: Symposium on Shock Waves in Japan, FY2017 (March 7-9, 2018. Sakura Hall), Sendai, Miyagi, (March 7-9, 2018. Kakuda Space Center, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)(KSPC)), Kakuda, Miyagi

During the run-up to eruption, volcanoes often show geophysically detectable signs of unrest. However, there are long-standing challenges in interpreting the signals and evaluating the likelihood of eruption, especially during the early stages of volcanic unrest. Considerable insight can be gained from combined geochemical and geophysical studies. Here we take such an approach to better understand the beginning of eruption run-up, viewed through the lens of the 1999 sub-Plinian basaltic eruption of Shishaldin volcano, Alaska. The eruption is of interest due to its lack of observed deformation and its apparent long run-up time (9 months), following a deep long-period earthquake swarm. We evaluate the nature and timing of recharge by examining the composition of 138 olivine macrocrysts and 53 olivine-hosted melt inclusions and through shear-wave splitting analysis of regional earthquakes. Magma mixing is recorded in three crystal populations: a dominant population of evolved olivines (Fo(60-69)) that are mostly reversely zoned, an intermediate population (Fo(69-76)) with mixed zonation, and a small population of normally zoned more primitive olivines (Fo(76-80)). Mixing-to-eruption timescales are obtained through modeling of Fe-Mg interdiffusion in 78 olivines. The large number of resultant timescales provides a thorough record of mixing, demonstrating at least three mixing events: a minor event similar to 11 months prior to eruption, overlapping within uncertainty with the onset of deep long-period seismicity; a major event similar to 50 days before eruption, coincident with a large (M5.2) shallow earthquake; and a final event about a week prior to eruption. Shear-wave splitting analysis shows a change in the orientation of the local stress field about a month after the deep long-period swarm and around the time of the M5.2 event. Earthquake depths and vapor saturation pressures of Raman-reconstructed melt inclusions indicate that the recharge magma originated from d

During the run-up to eruption, volcanoes often show geophysically detectable signs of unrest. However, there are long-standing challenges in interpreting the signals and evaluating the likelihood of eruption, especially during the early stages of volcanic unrest. Considerable insight can be gained from combined geochemical and geophysical studies. Here we take such an approach to better understand the beginning of eruption run-up, viewed through the lens of the 1999 sub-Plinian basaltic eruption of Shishaldin volcano, Alaska. The eruption is of interest due to its lack of observed deformation and its apparent long run-up time (9 months), following a deep long-period earthquake swarm. We evaluate the nature and timing of recharge by examining the composition of 138 olivine macrocrysts and 53 olivine-hosted melt inclusions and through shear-wave splitting analysis of regional earthquakes. Magma mixing is recorded in three crystal populations: a dominant population of evolved olivines (Fo(60-69)) that are mostly reversely zoned, an intermediate population (Fo(69-76)) with mixed zonation, and a small population of normally zoned more primitive olivines (Fo(76-80)). Mixing-to-eruption timescales are obtained through modeling of Fe-Mg interdiffusion in 78 olivines. The large number of resultant timescales provides a thorough record of mixing, demonstrating at least three mixing events: a minor event similar to 11 months prior to eruption, overlapping within uncertainty with the onset of deep long-period seismicity; a major event similar to 50 days before eruption, coincident with a large (M5.2) shallow earthquake; and a final event about a week prior to eruption. Shear-wave splitting analysis shows a change in the orientation of the local stress field about a month after the deep long-period swarm and around the time of the M5.2 event. Earthquake depths and vapor saturation pressures of Raman-reconstructed melt inclusions indicate that the recharge magma originated from d