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Coumarin was detected as one of the most abundant compounds by nontargeted analysis of natural product components in actual water samples prior to disinfection. More importantly, prechlorination of humic acid generated 3-hydroxycoumarin and monohydroxy-monomethyl-substituted coumarin with a total yield of =10.1%, which suggested the humic substance in raw water is an important source of coumarins. 7-Hydroxycoumarin, 6-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin, 6,7-dihydroxycoumarin, and 7-methoxy-4-methylcoumarin were identified in raw water by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem high-resolution mass spectrometry because only some coumarin standards were commercially available. Their chlorination generated monochlorinated and polychlorinated coumarins, and their structures were confirmed by the synthesized standards. These products could form at various dosages of chlorine and pH levels, and some with a concentration of 600 ng/L can be stable in tap water for days. 3,6,8-Trichloro-7-hydroxycoumarin, 3-chloro-7-methoxy-4-methylcoumarin, and 3,6-dichloro-7-methoxy-4-methylcoumarin were first identified in finished water with concentrations of 0.0670, 78.1, and 14.7 ng/L, respectively, but not in source water, suggesting that they are new DBPs formed during disinfection. The cytotoxicity of 3-chloro-7-methoxy-4-methylcoumarin in CHO-K1 cells was comparable to those of 2,6-dibromo-1,4-benzoquinone and 2,6-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone in TIC-Tox analyses, suggesting that further investigation of their occurrence and control in drinking water systems is warranted.

Considering different propulsion systems of unman- ned surface vehicles (USVs), it is necessary to design corresponding vessel motion controllers according to propulsion characteristics. This article devotes to solve the problem of trajectory tracking control for vector propulsion USV. By analyzing actuator distribution of vector propulsion, the vessel can be regarded as an incomplete underactuated system, and the control inputs adopt thruster speed and propulsion angle which are closer to reality. On this basis, the guidance trajectory and adaptive sliding mode controller based on virtual control point theory are proposed to realize trajectory tracking control of vector propulsion USV with system uncertainty and external disturbance. The designed guidance trajectory can guide the vessel to return to the desired trajectory when position error is large, and the system stability is illustrated by stability proof. Then in the design process of the controller, to mitigate chattering for sliding mode, a continuously derivable approximate saturation function is used instead of the signum function. Next, by zero-dynamics stability analysis, the position of the dynamic virtual control point is obtained with the relationship between the virtual control point and vessel speed. Finally, numerical simulations are carried out with two kinds of trajectory tracking scenarios to verify the correctness and feasibility of the proposed control strategy.

The advances in deep learning with the ability to automatically extract advanced features have achieved a bright prospect for human activity recognition (HAR). However, the traditional HAR methods still have the deficiencies of incomplete feature extraction, which may lead to incorrect recognition results. To resolve the above problem, a novel framework for spatiotemporal multi-feature extraction on HAR called CapsGaNet is propounded, which is based on capsule and gated recurrent units (GRU) with attention mechanisms. The proposed framework involves a spatial feature extraction layer consisting of capsule blocks, a temporal feature extraction layer consisting of GRU with attention mechanisms, and an output layer. At the same time, considering the actual demands for recognizing aggressive activities in some specific scenarios like smart prison, we constructed a daily and aggressive activity dataset (DAAD). Moreover, based on the acceleration characteristics of aggressive activity, a threshold-based approach for aggressive activity detection is propounded to meet the needs of high real-time and low computational complexity in prison scenarios. The experiments are performed on the wireless sensor data mining (WISDM) dataset and the DAAD dataset, and the results verify that the propounded CapsGaNet could effectually improve the recognition accuracy. The proposed threshold-based approach for aggressive activity detection provides a more effective HAR way by using smart sensor devices in smart prison scenarios.

Here, we proposed a novel solution for reversible regulation of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level using a semiconductor heterojunction. Two metal-based ROS scavengers containing n-type CeO2nanoparticles and n-type Cu-doped diatom biosilica (Cu-DBs) were integrated by a hydrothermal method to form a typical n–n semiconductor heterojunction (Ce/Cu-DBs). Unlike the control of the ROS level by a single ROS scavenger or ROS-generating agent, Ce/Cu-DBs could quickly eliminate ROS by cascade catalytic reaction, which readily switched to ROS generation through a near-infrared (NIR)-triggered photocatalytic effect. This NIR mediated ROS regulation system provided a noninvasive strategy for reversible control of the ROS level in vitroand in vivo. The Ce/Cu-DBs could relieve cellular oxidative stress by clearing local excessive ROS while inhibiting bacterial growth by increasing ROS levels under NIR radiation. Benefiting from the reversible regulatory effect of Ce/Cu-DBs, programmable healing of infected wounds was realized via on-demand anti-infection and inflammation reduction. This work provided a general method with highly spatiotemporal resolution to a remote and sustainable control ROS level, which had great potential for the biomedical field and regulation of chemical reactions.

Microfluidics confers unique advantages in microbiological studies as these devices can accurately replicate the micro- and even nano-scale structures of soil to simulate the habitats of bacteria. It not only helps us understand the spatial distribution of bacterial communities (such as biofilms), but also provides mechanistic insights into microbial behaviors including chemotaxis and horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Microfluidics provides a feasible means for real-time, in situ studies and enables in-depth exploration of the mechanisms of interactions in the soil microbiome. This review aims to introduce the basic principles of microfluidic technology and summarize the recent progress in microfluidic devices to study bacterial spatial distribution and functions, as well as biological processes, such bacterial chemotaxis, biofilm streamers (BS), quorum sensing (QS), and HGT. The challenges in and future development of microfluidics for soil microbiological studies are also discussed.

As erythropoietin (EPO) has been used to treat anemia in cancer patients, negative controversy has continued. Unfortunately, its effects on non‐small‐cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines are uncertain and the phenomenon of inducing immune escape of tumor cells remains to be explored. This study aimed to provide an important basis for the application of exogenous EPO in the treatment of tumor‐associated anemia. Cells were cultured in 1% O2, 5% CO2, and 94% N2to simulate a hypoxic environment of the tumor. A549 cell line (lower expression EPOR) and NCI‐H838 cell line (higher expression EPOR) were treated with 2 and 8 U/ml recombinant human EPO (rhEPO). CCK‐8 method was used to determine the logarithmic growth phase of the cells and to detect cell proliferation. The expression levels of VEGF, HIF‐1α, and PD‐L1 were determined by western blot. One‐way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis between groups, with p< 0.05 indicating a significant difference. Hypoxia itself could decrease the survival rate of NSCLC cells. Under the hypoxic condition, rhEPO induced tumor cells proliferation, especially in the NCI‐H838 cell line, where 2 U/ml rhEPO increased the total number of surviving cells (Hypoxia + rhEPO 2 U/ml vs. Hypoxia, p< 0.05). Western blot analysis showed that hypoxia upregulated the expression of VEGF, HIF‐1α, and PD‐L1 in NSCLC cell lines (Normoxia vs. Hypoxia, p< 0.05), but may not be dependent on the expression levels of EPOR. RhEPO decreased the expression levels of VEGF and HIF‐1α. In the A549 cell line, it depended on the concentration of rhEPO and was particularly obvious in HIF‐1α (Hypoxia vs. Hypoxia + rhEPO 2 U/ml vs. Hypoxia + rhEPO 8 U/ml, p< 0.05). A low concentration of rhEPO may not reduce VEGF expression. In the NCI‐H838 cell line, the effect of rhEPO on VEGF was more obvious, but it may be independent of rhEPO concentrations. The downregulation of PD‐L1 expression by rhEPO was only presented in the A549 cell line and required higher rhEPO concentrations (Hypoxia + rhEPO 8 U/ml vs. Hypoxia&Hypoxia + rhEPO 2 U/ml, p< 0.05). The effect of prolonged high concentrations of rhEPO under hypoxic conditions resulted in accelerated cells proliferation of non‐small‐cell lung cancer and was independent of EPOR expression levels on the cell lines surface. Hypoxia resulted in increased expression of VEGF, HIF‐1α, and PD‐L1 on the NSCLC cell lines. Under normoxic conditions, rhEPO did not affect the expression of VEGF, HIF‐1α, and PD‐L1; but under hypoxic conditions, the application of rhEPO reduced the expression of VEGF, HIF‐1α, and PD‐L1, producing an impact on the biological behavior of tumor cells.

The application of electrocatalytic degradation technology in the treatment of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) has attracted widespread attention currently. Through structure and properties characterization of catalysts we found that more uniformly distributed metal particles and excellent thermal stability were obtained by modification with poly(1-vinyl-3-butylimidazole hexafluorophosphate) ([(PV)BIM]PF6) on graphene to anchor the metal CoNi nanoparticles (CoNi/PILs-rGO). For assessing its application potential, the CoNi/PILs-rGO cathode in combination with Ti/RuO2/IrO2anode to set up an experimental reaction system for the electrocatalytic degradation of clofibric acid (CA) simulated wastewater. Reactor settings for experimentation are optimized, and intermediates, alterations in toxicity during degradation, and active species are detected. The results of the single-factor experiment showed that the average removal rate of CA by the cathodic compartment was 97.18 % when the conditions were optimal. Two possible pathways of degradation are deduced from the CA intermediates, one is the C-Cl bond breaking in electrochemical reduction, and the other is that the C-O bond is directly broken by anodic reactive oxygen. Toxicity tests have shown that the anode produces some by-products that are more hazardous than the original chemical, while the cathode produces a dechlorination process that is ultimately more detoxifying.

Based on the theory of circular polarization dichroism in electromagnetic fields, this paper studies the circular dichroism (CD) characteristics of metasurfaces. Using a stable silicon material, an innovative “double L-shaped” composite structure formed by two L crosses is proposed to improve CD. Under a wide spectrum with wavelengths of 1000–1500 nm, the left circularly polarized (LCP) and right circularly polarized (RCP) lights pass through the structure, and we study the influence of different structural parameters on the CD, in order to obtain the best structural parameters. These realize the cross polarization of left-right circularly polarized light. In addition, at the wavelength of 1302.63 nm, the LCP light illuminates the structure, which realizes the cross polarization of LCP light; that is, the structure realizes the function of a half-wave plate. The RCP light incident structure realizes the function of a filter. It has great application prospects in biological detection, half-wave plates, filters, and other fields.

Human activity recognition (HAR) is an active field in ubiquitous computing and body area network (BAN), which has been widely applied in medical care, sport and smart home. In recent years, a lot of methods based on deep learning show great performance on HAR. In consideration of the temporal and spatial dependencies of time series, the extracted features of traditional methods are not comprehensive. In this paper, we propose a new activity recognition framework based on spatiotemporal multi-feature extraction with space and channel based squeeze-and-excitation blocks (SCbSE-SMFE). The framework includes a temporal feature extraction layer composed of gated recurrent unit (GRU) blocks, a spatial feature extraction layer composed of convolutional neural networks (CNN) blocks with SCbSE blocks, a statistical feature extraction layer and an output layer. Meanwhile, regarding the actual needs for recognizing aggressive activities, we simulate the prison environment and collect an aggressive activity dataset (AAD). What’s more, aiming at the characteristics of aggressive activities, a threshold-based aggressive activity detection method is proposed to reduce the computational complexity. The proposed framework is evaluated on the public dataset WISDM and the collected dataset AAD, and the results prove that the proposed SCbSE-SMFE framework can effectively improve the accuracy and distinguish similar activities better. The proposed aggressive activity detection method based on threshold can simplify the model and improve the recognition speed while ensuring the recognition accuracy.

Spermatogenesis is the production of spermatozoa by the testes, a process that is associated with reproduction in males. Amphioctopus fangsiaois an economically important species from the northern coast of China, and little research has been done on spermatogenesis in this species. In this study, we performed transcriptome analysis of testis and other somatic tissues. The maturing stage of testis development was selected, in which the emergence of spermatozoa was observed. A total of 15,773 differentially expressed genes were identified, including 8,922 upregulated genes and 6,851 downregulated genes. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed to explore the functions of genes related to spermatogenesis, and the interactions between genes were examined by constructing protein interaction networks. Pathways and genes related to spermatogenesis were identified, including the oxytocin signaling pathway, the calcium signaling pathway, the FOXO signaling pathway, the DNAH family, and other key genes. The expression levels of 25 key genes were verified by qRT-PCR. The results for spermatogenesis-related genes will provide insights into the processes of spermatogenesis and testis development in A. fangsiao.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate whether PM2.5exposure in a highly polluted area (>100 µg/m3) affects glucose and lipid metabolism in healthy adults.MethodsWe recruited 110 healthy adults in Baoding city, Hebei, China, and followed them up between 2017 and 2018. Personal air samplers were used to monitor personal PM2.5levels. Eight glucose and lipid metabolism parameters were quantified. We performed the linear mixed-effect models to investigate the relationships between PM2.5and glucose and lipid metabolism parameters. Stratified analyses were further performed according to sex and body mass index (BMI).ResultsThe concentration of PM2.5was the highest in spring, with a median of 232 μg/m3and the lowest in autumn (139 μg/m3). After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that for each twofold increase in PM2.5, the median of insulin concentration decreased by 5.89% (95% CI −10.91% to −0.58%; p<0.05), and ox-LDL increased by 6.43% (95% CI 2.21% to 10.82%; p<0.05). Stratified analyses indicated that the associations were more pronounced in females, overweight and obese participants.ConclusionsExposure to high PM2.5may have deleterious effects on glucose and lipid metabolism. Females, overweight and obese participants are more vulnerable.

In this study, an efficient composite hemostatic material (DA-diatom-T) was prepared, using a polydopamine layer as a linker to immobilize thrombin on the surface of diatom biosilica. DA-diatom-T retained the porous structure of the diatom with high water absorption capacity, which can absorb 31 times its own weight of water. The thrombin activity of DA-diatom-T was as high as 5.81 U mg−1that could be maintained at 67% after 30 days at room temperature. DA-diatom-T exhibited non-toxicity to mouse fibroblast cell lines, favorable hemocompatibility and fast procoagulant ability. DA-diatom-T could promote the initiation of the coagulation process and increase platelet activity and blood clot strength to form a physical barrier at the wound. In an in vivostudy, DA-diatom-T could significantly reduce the clotting time and reduce the bleeding volume. The above results showed that DA-diatom-T had potential as a new hemostatic material.

ABSTRACTG protein-coupled receptor 39 (GPR39) agonist weakens oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced attachment of monocytes to vascular endothelial cells and thus alleviates atherosclerosis. This study looks at whether GPR39 protects macrophages against ox-LDL-induced inflammation and apoptosis and ameliorates lipid accumulation in atherosclerosis and investigates its mechanism. Following inducement of ox-LDL, the expression of GPR39 and tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3, also known as A20) in Raw 264.7 cells was detected by RT-qPCR and western blotting. The viability of macrophages treated with GPR39 agonist was detected by a cell counting kit 8 kit. GPR39 and A20 expression in ox-LDL-challenged macrophages was assayed by RT-qPCR and western blot with or without GPR30 agonist. After transfection of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-A20, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 as well as NF-κB p65 and COX2 was detected. Lipid accumulation was observed through Oil Red O Staining. Total cholesterol (TC) and free cholesterol (FC) in macrophages were detected by commercial kits. Lastly, macrophage apoptosis was observed through TUNEL, and apoptosis-related proteins were detected by western blotting . Results indicated that decreased expression of GPR39 and A20 was observed in ox-LDL-induced macrophages. GPR39 agonist significantly increased A20 expression in ox-LDL-treated macrophages. Furthermore, A20 interference reversed the inhibitory effect of GPR39 agonist on ox-LDL-induced inflammation, lipid accumulation, TC and FC overexpression as well as cell apoptosis. In conclusion, activating GPR39 alleviates ox-LDL-induced macrophage inflammation, lipid accumulation and apoptosis in an A20-dependent manner.

To analyze the cost-effectiveness of prostate cancer screening among Chinese men.

Soil is inhabited by a myriad of microorganisms, many of which can form supracellular structures, called biofilms, comprised of surface-associated microbial cells embedded in hydrated extracellular polymeric substance that facilitates adhesion and survival. Biofilms enable intensive inter- and intra-species interactions that can increase the degradation efficiency of soil organic matter and materials commonly regarded as toxins. Here, we first discuss organization, dynamics and properties of soil biofilms in the context of traditional approaches to probe the soil microbiome. Social interactions among bacteria, such as cooperation and competition, are discussed. We also summarize different biofilm cultivation devices in combination with optics and fluorescence microscopes as well as sequencing techniques for the study of soil biofilms. Microfluidic platforms, which can be applied to mimic the complex soil environment and study microbial behaviors at the microscale with high-throughput screening and novel measurements, are also highlighted. This review aims to highlight soil biofilm research in order to expand the current limited knowledge about soil microbiomes which until now has mostly ignored biofilms as a dominant growth form.

Maternal thyroid hormones during pregnancy play a critical role in fetal development. However, whether maternal heavy metal exposure affects their thyroid hormones and the effects on fetal growth are still unclear.

The direction synthesis of biofunctional nanomaterials with DNA as the template is of high application value. By using phosphorothioate–thymine single-stranded DNA (PS–T–ssDNA) as the template and through synthetic conditions optimization, novel low-toxicity and environment-friendly ssDNA-functionalized room-temperature phosphorescent quantum dots (PS–T–ssDNA RTP QDs) were prepared at low temperature (37 °C). Then, the quantitative RTP-based mercury(II) (Hg2+) detection was achieved by utilizing the specific identifying ability of T-base-pair Hg2+(T–Hg2+–T) and its photoinduced electron transfer. This RTP sensor in Hg2+detection had a linear range of 0.02 to 0.8 μM and a detection limit of 4.8 nM. The dependence on RTP of QDs effectively avoids interference from background fluorescence and scattering light in the environment or biological samples. This sensor also possessed an RTP stability and a long service life and did not require sample pretreatment. Thus this sensor is suitable for environmental and quantitative Hg2+detection in biological samples.

The relationship between the thickness of surface molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and specific recognition performance of transferrin (Trf) as well as the quantitative relation between the grafting amount of Mn-ZnS room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) quantum dots (QDs) (short for PQDs) and RTP signals for recognition of Trf was analyzed in this study. Based on analysis results, RTP protein mesoporous imprinting microspheres (SiO2–PQDs–MIPs) with high specificity and strong interference resistance were developed using a mesoporous SiO2nanomaterial that can create more three-dimensional precise recognition sites as the matrix and using PQDs with strong resistance to background fluorescence interference as the luminescent materials. A discriminatory analysis of Trf was realized by the phosphorescence quenching principle based on light quenching caused by the photoinduced electron transfer. The concentration range, limit of detection, relative standard deviation, and imprinting factor of Trf detection under pH 7.4 are 0.05–1.0 μM, 0.014 μM, 3.23%, and 3.09, respectively. Although the sensing signals of SiO2–PQDs–MIPs for proteins are based on the phosphorescence of PQDs, they are particularly suitable for specific recognition and accurate quantitative detection of proteins in biological fluids. Research conclusions are expected to realize high-efficiency recognition of target proteins in actual biological samples.

The feasibility of direct utilization of bamboo biochar (BC) as a fuel for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is studied by comparing BC to de-ashed BC (DC) and activated BC (AC) in terms of Boudouard reactivity and the performance of the fuel cell. The CO partial pressures in the carbon dioxide temperature-programmed oxidation profiles of BC and DC are 3.18 × 10–8and 1.04 × 10–8Torr at 850 °C, respectively, which indicates that BC has superior Boudouard reactivity compared to DC. The peak power densities (PPDs) of the cells fueled with BC and DC are 121 and 73 mW cm–2at 850 °C, respectively. The inherent metal elements in BC, mainly K of 33.88 mg g–1and Ca of 2.06 mg g–1, play a key role in boosting its Boudouard reactivity and the performance of the cell. In addition, the loading of artificial catalysts to BC can noticeably enhance its Boudouard reactivity and gain a higher power output of the cell fed with it. The PPD of catalyst-loaded BC achieves approximately 191 mW cm–2at 850 °C. This study reveals that BC is a promising carbon-neutral fuel for SOFCs and provides an efficient alternative to use this renewable resource in sustainable power generation.

Pregnant women are a unique group undergoing profound structural modifications in uterus, breast, adipose tissue and extracellular fluids. Amino acid metabolic stress is a unique physical process that occurs during pregnancy. Metals constitute a fundamental part of the maternal body and have a universal effect on amino acid metabolism. However, the exact interaction between metals and amino acid metabolism during pregnancy is unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine the correlations of metals with amino acid metabolic intermediates in the urine of 232 healthy pregnant women in their first, second and third trimesters during normal pregnancy. Sixteen metals in the urine of 232 healthy pregnant women in their first, second and third trimesters were quantified using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). An ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UPLC-QTOFMS)-based metabolomics approach was conducted to detect intermediate products involved in amino acid metabolism during the entire pregnancy period. A panel regression model was established to investigate the relationship between urine metals and amino acid metabolism. Seven metals—cadmium, cobalt, copper, cesium, manganese, thallium and vanadium—showed significant association with amino acid metabolic intermediates, including 2-oxoarginine, 3-indoleacetonitrile, indole, indole-5,6-quinone, N2-succinyl-l-glutamic acid 5-semialdehyde, N-methyltryptamine and N-succinyl-l,l-2,6-diaminopimelate, in the healthy pregnant women. These findings indicated that exposure to cadmium, cobalt, copper, cesium, manganese, thallium and vanadium significantly affected the metabolic status of tryptophan, arginine, proline, tyrosine and lysine metabolism in the maternal body during normal pregnancy.

Sperm storage is an important reproductive strategy in Amphioctopus fangsiao. Sperm can be stored in the oviducal glands up to eight months before fertilization. However, studies on the underlying storage mechanisms remain limited. In this study, the morphological structures of the oviductal glands and the changes adapted for sperm storage and fertilization were investigated by Hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Alcian blue periodic acid Schiff (AB-PAS) staining. Results revealed that the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio of the peripheral gland cells decreased and the eosinophilic secretory granules (glycoproteins) appeared in the cytoplasm and lumen during sperm storage. The cytoplasm of the central gland appeared vacuolated and AB pH 2.5 (+) secretions (acid mucins) were dispersed in the cells. These secretions may pass through the central cavity into the oviducts and be involved in zygote packaging. The spermathecae are composed of columnar epithelial ciliated cells with secretory functions. PAS (+) glycoproteins were found in the lumen, providing a microenvironment conducive to sperm survival. Cilia in the oviducts, central cavity, and spermathecae may help with sperm delivery, storage, and release, and egg transport. This study enhances our understanding of the biological reproduction process in A. fangsiao.

The elimination of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) from water has attracted extensive research attention. This study hydrothermally synthesized composite photocatalysts composed of BiVO4microspheres containing coexisting phases of monoclinic scheelite (M-BiVO4) and tetragonal zircon (T-BiVO4), i.e., MT-BiVO4, loaded onto P-doped g-C3N4nanosheets (PCNS). Furthermore, their morphology, structure, and photoelectrochemical properties were comprehensively characterized, and the performance and stability of photocatalytic degradation of TC-HCl were examined. Additionally, the effects of humic acid (HA), coexisting anions/cations, and actual water samples on the degradation efficiency of TC-HCl were investigated, and the degradation mechanism and pathways were examined. The findings indicated that the percentage of M-BiVO4in MT-BiVO4considerably influences the photocatalytic activity of the composite catalyst. Furthermore, the excellent photocatalytic performance of 5% BVO/PCNS was attributed to the synergistic effects of P-doping the modified g-C3N4, MT-BiVO4isotype heterojunction effects, and the Z-scheme heterojunction constructed from MT-BiVO4and PCNS, which can enhance the absorption range of the visible light and accelerate the transfer and separation of charge carriers between catalysts. The free radical capture experiments and electron spin resonance tests indicated that holes and O2-were the dominant active species in the photocatalytic degradation process. With high reusability and stability, the 5% BVO/PCNS composite has great potential for practical wastewater treatment applications. This study offers a new approach for preparing photocatalysts synergized by isotype and Z-scheme heterojunctions.

Diatoms are typical marine biofouling organisms that secrete extracellular polymers (EPS) to achieve strong underwater adhesion. Here, we report a diatom-inspired bionic hydrophilic polysaccharide adhesive composed of diatom biosilica (DB) and bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP) for rapid sealing hemostasis. The hierarchical porous structure of DB with rich surface silanol groups provides a strong anchored interface effect for BSP, which can significantly enhance cross-linking density and interaction strength of the hydrophilic macromolecular network. BSP/DB adhesive offers 6 times greater mechanical strength and viscosity over BSP under different temperature conditions. The aggregation effect of DBs interface for BSP avoided the washout of BSP/DB adhesive during application in a wet environment before cross-linking occurs. This strengthened the adhesion ability of BSP/DB adhesive to biological tissue that brought out complete sealing hemostasis without blood loss in a rat liver injury model. The dry BSP/DB prepared by lyophilization inherited excellent clotting ability of BSP/DB adhesive, which could realize rapidly the cruor of anticoagulant whole blood within 1 min. The results of animal studies confirmed that dry BSP/DB exhibited superior hemostatic performance over silicate-based inorganic Quikclot, in terms of hemostatic rate, blood loss, dosage, and multiscroll wound closure.

The wavefront characteristics in 2D angular filtering on the basis of two orthogonal transmitting volume Bragg gratings (VBGs) is presented. The experimental results show that middle–high frequency wavefront distortions are efficiently suppressed with VBGs. The peak–valley value of the beam at a wavelength of 1053 nm reduces from 2.075λ to 0.209λ, and the root mean square value reduces from 0.207λ to 0.041λ. The wavefront power spectrum density shows that the wavefront distribution of the beam in medium and high frequencies is corrected by the VBGs. Additionally, the far-field distribution and focusing properties of the beam are improved. The beam Strehl ratio increases from 0.43 to 0.96, and the encircled energy improves from 95% energy at 4.01 mrad to 95% energy at 1.26 mrad.

Polymer gels have been successfully applied to control undesired water production for many years, however, due to poor long-term thermal stability and salt tolerance, conventional polymer gels present some limitations for application in high temperature and high salinity reservoirs. In this paper, an organic/inorganic combined gel composed of polymer with low degree of hydrolysis, phenol formaldehyde resin and inorganic silicate was proposed and developed. The effects of concentration, temperature on gelation time were studied. Long-term thermal stability, salt tolerance and permeability reduction ability were investigated. Results showed that based on proper gelation time and economical cost, the formulation of the organic/inorganic combined gel was optimized. The gelation time decreased from 54.0 to 15.5 h with increasing temperature from 100 to 130 °C. After aging for 60 days in simulated formation brine with high total dissolved solids (TDS: 20 % NaCl + 2.5 % CaCl2) at 130 °C, compared with polymer gel, the organic/inorganic combined gel had better long-term thermal stability and salt tolerance. Sandpack flow experimental results showed that for the organic/inorganic combined gel composed of 0.3 wt% polymer, 4.0 wt% resin and 3.0 wt% inorganic silicate, after aging for 60 days at 130 °C, the combined gel showed approximately 85 % permeability reduction. Therefore, these results indicate that the combined gel studied here can be a good candidate for controlling water production in high temperature and high salinity reservoirs.

The feasibility of cocomposting night soil and green wastes (leaves, reed, and grass) and the optimum proportion required to obtain high quality compost for application in Beijing's Olympic Forest Park is investigated. Subsequently, an evaluation of the feasibility of zero discharge of night soil and green wastes was performed. Composting is conducted in three identical 100 L lab vessels. The night soil is mixed with green wastes at three different ratios (4:1, 3:1, and 2:1, night soil:leaves, w:w; 4:1, 3:1, and 2:1, night soil:reed, w:w; 0, 1:3, and 1:1, night soil:grass, w:w;). The mixtures were processed by aerobic composting. Cocomposting was realized at the night soil and leaf mixture ratios of 4:1 and 3:1, with the latter as the best ratio. For the night soil and grass mixture ratios of 0, 1:3, and 1:1, 1:3 is the best ratio while for the night soil and reed mixture ratios of 4:1 and 3:1, the best ratio is 4:1. Based on the annual amount of green wastes (approximately 360 tons of reeds, 1,250 tons of leaves, and 690 tons of grass) and night soil (approximately 300 tons) produced in Beijing's Olympic Forest Park, zero discharge for night soil can be realized through cocomposting. However, this is not the case for green wastes, especially leaves and reeds.

Abstract: The main purpose of this work is to investigate the characteristics of night soil and leaf co-composting using aerobic static composting method. Three influencing factors, including proportion of night soil and leaf, aeration rate and aeration pattern, were investigated through the evolution of the principal physicochemical properties, i.e., temperature, oxygen consumption rate, organic matters, moisture content, carbon, nitrogen, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and Germination index (GI). It was found that the 3:1 (w:w) mixture of night soil and leaf was capable of achieving the highest composting temperature, longest retention time of high temperature (55°C), and fastest organic matter degradation. The 0.14 m3·min−1·m−3 aeration rate was most beneficial to composting, and the mixture of night soil and leaf maintained the highest temperature for the longest duration and achieved the highest CO2 content and GI. The continuous aeration pattern during composting was superior to an intermittent aeration pattern, since the latter delayed the composting process.

A frequency stabilized system of the laser diode is described in this paper. It consists of two parts: the temperature controlling module and the driving current modulating module. The principle and construction of the system are analyzed. Experiments are conducted and data are obtained. It is found that the temperature stability is better than 0.01 K and the stability of the current source is better than 10 uA.

Ionic liquid (IL) stationary phase is especially suitable for separation of complex samples, owing to the “dual nature” of IL. In this study, a synthetic method of ionic liquid‐bonded polysiloxane (PSOIL) as stationary phase of GC was proposed. Then, the PSOIL was used to prepare an 8 m capillary column by static method. The column efficiency was measured to be about 4000 plates/m (k=3.55, naphthalene) after the column had been conditioned at 210°C. The durability of PSOIL column was better than that of the mixed stationary phase of IL and OV‐1. Moreover, the Abraham solvation parameter model was employed to characterize the PSOIL. The result revealed that the PSOIL had stronger dispersion force (l) than neat IL and stronger hydrogen bond basicity (a) than DB‐1. That meant the PSOIL might offer good selectivity for both polar and non‐polar analytes. The column exhibited unique selectivity for various organic substances, such as the homologous compounds of alkanes, esters, alcohols and aromatic compounds. It was also found that some aromatic positional isomers could be separated better on the PSOIL column than on the DB‐1 column. Furthermore, the stationary phase was suitable for separation of high‐boiling point compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalic esters, etc. All of these demonstrated that the PSOIL offered good selectivity and high separation efficiency for a wide range of analytes.

Since erythropoietin (EPO) has been used to treat anemia in cancer patients, negative controversy has continued. Unfortunately, its effects on non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines are uncertain and the phenomenon of inducing immune escape of tumor cells remains to be explored. This study aims to provide important basis for the application of exogenous erythropoietin in the treatment of tumor-associated anemia.

A new chiral liquid-chromatographic method was developed for the enantiomeric separation of ofloxacin with a fluorescence detector. The enantiomers of ofloxacin were baseline resolved on a Chiralcel OD-H (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column using a mobile-phase system containing hexane–ethanol–methanol–acetic acid–diethylamine (70/20/10/0.45/0.05, v/v/v/v/v). The presence of diethylamine in the mobile phase has played an important role in enhancing the chromatographic efficiency and resolution between enantiomers.

Uncontrolled hemorrhage is the main reason of possible preventable death after accidental injury. It is necessary to develop a hemostatic agent with rapid hemostatic performance and good biocompatibility. In this study, a chitosan/diatom‐biosilica‐based aerogel is developed using dopamine as cross‐linker by simple alkaline precipitation and tert‐butyl alcohol replacement. The chitosan/diatom‐biosilica aerogel exhibits favorable biocompatibility and multiscale hierarchical porous structure (from nanometer to micrometer), which can be controlled by the concentration of tert‐butyl alcohol. The displacement of tert‐butyl alcohol can keep the porosity of diatom‐biosilica in aerogel and give it large surface with efficient water absorption ratio. 30% tert‐butyl alcohol replacement of aerogel possesses the largest surface area (74.441 m2g−1), water absorption capacity (316.83 ± 2.04%), and excellent hemostatic performance in vitro blood coagulation (≈70 s). Furthermore, this aerogel exhibits the shortest clotting time and lowest blood loss in rat hemorrhage model. The strong interface effect between aerogel and blood is able to promote erythrocytes aggregation, platelets adhesion, and activation, as well as, activate the intrinsic coagulation pathway to accelerate blood coagulation. All the above results demonstrate that chitosan/diatom‐biosilica aerogel has great potential to be a safe and rapid hemostatic material. A chitosan, diatom‐biosilica, and dopamine‐based porous aerogel is developed using simple alkaline precipitation and solvent replacement strategy. Benefiting from function of the porous structure and functional groups, the developed aerogel has great potential to be a safe and rapid hemostatic material for pre‐hospital emergency treatments to reduce mortality due to uncontrolled hemorrhage.

Cleavage factor I m25 is a newly discovered solid tumor-related gene, however, its precise role in cancer pathogenesis has not yet been characterized. Alternative polyadenylation is an RNA-processing mechanism that generates distinct 3′-termini on messenger RNAs, producing messenger RNA isoforms. Different factors influence the initiation and development of this process. As a key factor in alternative polyadenylation, cleavage factor I m25 plays an important role in messenger RNA maturation and cell signal transduction. Moreover, by regulating the process of alternative polyadenylation, it can inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of a variety of tumors. Cleavage factor I m25 also acts as an oncogene in select tumors. The present review focuses on the role of cleavage factor I m25 in solid tumors and treatment. Due to the lack of current knowledge regarding the mechanisms of action and regulation of cleavage factor I m25 and alternative polyadenylation, it is necessary to further examine their role in cancer as well as in other diseases.

In this paper, the controllable crosslinking polyethylene foaming materials were established though adding foaming agent additives zinc stearate firstly. Then, the density, expansion ratio, cellular structure, gel content and compression strength of crosslinking polyethylene foaming materials were studied by changing zinc stearate content. Furtherly, those properties were researched after added nucleating agent. Experimental results showed that zinc stearate could facilitate foaming reaction and broad foaming window. Density, compression strength and gel content was decreased with zinc stearate content increased, and the expansion ratio increased with zinc stearate content increased. In addition, the compression strength was improved and cellular structure became uniform after adding nucleating agent. Generally, this material not only has the controllable property, but also has the higher mechanical property and more uniform structure.

There are many unknown obstacles in the sea, so the autonomous navigation of unmanned surface vehicle needs to avoid them as soon as possible even under the condition of low control ability of the controller. To solve the problem, by combining the dynamic collision avoidance algorithm and tracking control, a dynamic collision avoidance control method in the unknown ocean environment is presented. In this article, in consideration of the unknown ocean environment and real-time dynamic obstacle avoidance problem, the collision avoidance controller using a velocity resolution method and backstepping tracking controller based on unmanned surface vehicle maneuvering motion model is designed. Simulation results show that the method is effective and accurate and can provide the reference for the unmanned surface vehicle intelligent collision avoidance control technology.

To measure the global atmospheric three-dimensional distribution and change of temperature and humidity is one of the key areas in atmospheric remote sensing detection; it is also a new research and development direction in the field of meteorological satellite application. As a main element of China second generation of geostationary meteorological satellite Fengyun 4 (FY-4), which was launched on Dec. 11, 2016, the Geostationary Interferometric Infrared Sounder (GIIRS) is the first interferometric infrared sounder working on geostationary orbit internationally. It is used for vertical atmospheric sounding and gains atmospheric temperature, humidity, and disturbances. The combination of Fourier transform spectrometer technology and infrared detectors makes GIIRS have high spectral resolution and large coverage over spatial areas. With this kind of instrument, meteorological satellites can improve the capabilities for severe weather event monitoring and numerical weather prediction. Here a concise review of the GIIRS development project, including its history, missions and functions, technical design, key technologies, system integration, calibration and in-orbit operation status, etc., is presented.