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Lepidolite is an important mineral resource containing lithium, rubidium, cesium and potassium. Most researches focused on the extraction of lithium from lepidolite, while the co-extraction of rubidium, cesium and potassium was ignored. In this study, the extraction of lepidolite at lower temperature was investigated by using iron(II) sulfates feedstock, aiming at enhancing the extraction of lepidolite, especially for rubidium and cesium. Thermodynamic predictions indicated that the co-extraction of lithium, rubidium, cesium and potassium from lepidolite by roasting with iron(II) sulfate was feasible, but high temperature worked against the extraction. The effects of process parameters on the extraction were investigated systematically. It was found that the optimal roasting conditions were as follows: 50% lepidolite particles <74 μm, temperature of 675 °C, iron(II) sulfate to lepidolite mass ratio of 2:1, and holding time of 90 min. The extraction efficiencies of Li, Rb, Cs and K were 92.7%, 87.1%, 82.6% and 86.2%, respectively. The reaction between lepidolite concentrate and iron(II) sulfate followed two pathways, i.e. gas-solid and liquid-solid reaction. The formation of pyrosulfates with low smelting point promoted the reaction by reacting with lepidolite through a circular transformation between sulfates and pyrosulfates. Compared with the conventional extraction of lepidolite, the proposed process operates at a lower temperature and co-extracts various metals, exhibiting great potential in industrial application. [Display omitted] • Co-extraction of alkali metals from lepidolite at low temperature was achieved. • The formation of pyrosulfates promoted the reaction. • The extraction followed by two pathways, i.e. gas-solid and liquid-solid reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Humanin is a small mitochondrial-derived peptide still under study, with a number of potential therapeutic applications for various age-related diseases. It plays an important role in the body against several pathophysiological conditions; for instance, humanin has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects, which may make it a promising therapeutic candidate for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Moreover, it can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, thus interfering with the development of cardiovascular conditions and autoimmune diseases. Humanin also helps maintain the proper functioning of mitochondria, the dysfunction of which can contribute to a number of health problems, including neurodegenerative diseases and metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and obesity. It has been shown to improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in animal models. Treatment with humanin on mice is able to increase both their lifespan and health span. The mechanisms behind the protective effects of humanin in different diseases are slowly being unveiled and appear to be connected with autophagy and cytoprotective activity. Background: Senescence is a cellular aging process in all multicellular organisms. It is characterized by a decline in cellular functions and proliferation, resulting in increased cellular damage and death. These conditions play an essential role in aging and significantly contribute to the development of age-related complications. Humanin is a mitochondrial-derived peptide (MDP), encoded by mitochondrial DNA, playing a cytoprotective role to preserve mitochondrial function and cell viability under stressful and senescence conditions. For these reasons, humanin can be exploited in strategies aiming to counteract several processes involved in aging, including cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Relevance of these conditions to aging and disease: Senescence appears to be involved in the decay in organ and tissue function, it has also been related to the development of age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular conditions, cancer, and diabetes. In particular, senescent cells produce inflammatory cytokines and other pro-inflammatory molecules that can participate to the development of such diseases. Humanin, on the other hand, seems to contrast the development of such conditions, and it is also known to play a role in these diseases by promoting the death of damaged or malfunctioning cells and contributing to the inflammation often associated with them. Both senescence and humanin-related mechanisms are complex processes that have not been fully clarified yet. Further research is needed to thoroughly understand the role of such processes in aging and disease and identify potential interventions to target them in order to prevent or treat age-related conditions. Objectives: This systematic review aims to assess the potential mechanisms underlying the link connecting senescence, humanin, aging, and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senescence is a cellular aging process in all multicellular organisms. It is characterized by a decay in cellular functions and proliferation, resulting in increased cellular damage and death. This condition plays an essential role in the aging process and significantly contributes to the development of age-related complications. On the other hand, ferroptosis is a systemic cell death pathway characterized by excessive iron accumulation followed by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative stress is a common trigger of this condition and may be induced by various factors such as toxins, drugs, and inflammation. Ferroptosis is linked to numerous disorders, including cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Senescence is believed to contribute to the decay in tissue and organ functions occurring with aging. It has also been linked to the development of age-related pathologies, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. In particular, senescent cells have been shown to produce inflammatory cytokines and other pro-inflammatory molecules that can contribute to these conditions. In turn, ferroptosis has been linked to the development of various health disorders, including neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Ferroptosis is known to play a role in the development of these pathologies by promoting the death of damaged or diseased cells and contributing to the inflammation often associated. Both senescence and ferroptosis are complex pathways that are still not fully understood. Further research is needed to thoroughly investigate the role of these processes in aging and disease, and to identify potential interventions to target such processes in order to prevent or treat age-related conditions. This systematic review aims to assess the potential mechanisms underlying the link connecting senescence, ferroptosis, aging, and disease, and whether they can be exploited to block or limit the decay of the physiological functions in elderly people for a healthy longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes changing the inner and outer secondary air ratios (R SA) under sub-stoichiometric (sub- SR) conditions to optimize the burn-out performance and reduce the NO x emissions of a swirl burner. The ignition and combustion characteristics, NO x formation, and the effect of R SA on the carbon and nitrogen conversion processes under sub- SR (SR = 0.85) were investigated via thermal tests carried out in a 0.5 MWe pulverized coal-fired furnace. The fuel-rich flow in the center of the furnace was further rearward than the fuel-lean flow. The pulverized coal burnt rapidly after entering the furnace. The average percentage of unburned carbon was less than 15% in the x/d = 3.5 (x is the axial direction distance, and d is the diameter of the burner) section away from the burner. The N to NO conversion at the beginning of combustion (x/d < 3.5) was effectively suppressed in the swirl burner under sub- SR conditions. The NO reduction reaction almost completely stopped after x/d > 11.5. R SA mainly affected the combustion characteristics and NO x generation characteristics of pulverized coal by changing the degree of air staging at different positions in the furnace. Larger R SA values meant a greater amount of oxygen involved in the early combustion. This accelerated the early burn-out of pulverized coal and the release of elements, increasing NO x emissions. This study recommends R SA values between 0.7 and 1, that the over-fire air (OFA) nozzle be positioned behind the near burner region (x/d > 3.5) for the combustion of bituminous coal to minimize NO x emissions and unburned carbon. [Display omitted] • The fuel-lean gas ignited in advance of the fuel-rich gas. • The conversion process of the percentage of energy loss was obtained. • The conversion process of fuel-N were analyzed. • The combustion effectivity and conversion rate of N to NO with the increase of R SA the under sub- SR. • The recommended R SA range and OFA position were given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A tightly-coupled RO-ORC-HI used for waste heat driven wastewater desalination. • The membrane performance improved by flexibly preheating wastewater. • The simultaneous stochastic process optimization and flexible HEN synthesis. • A finite set of correlated scenarios accounts for seasonal wastewater variability. The use of waste heat powered wastewater desalination by coupling an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) with reverse osmosis (RO) has been recognized as a promising solution to desalination. Herein, a tightly-coupled system that allows for optimally customizing the RO-ORC to a background process via heat integration (HI) is developed to minimize the expected desalination cost, while accounting for the seasonal wastewater variability. Moreover, the developed RO-ORC-HI system can improve the membrane permeability by preheating the feed wastewater. To achieve these goals, a stochastic optimization-based solution strategy is proposed by sequentially considering (1) a Pinch-based Duran-Grossman model embedded with uncertainty realization for performing optimal HI during process optimization; (2) a flexible multi-scenario heat exchanger network (HEN) synthesis model that minimizes the total annualized cost of HEN based on a customized stage-wise superstructure. Finally, the behaviors of the proposed system and solution strategy are illustrated through its comparison with a deterministic solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel swirl burner for industrial pulverized coal boiler was studied by laboratory experiments and industrial application tests. First, a cold flow experiment was carried out on a 1:3 scale model experimental platform. The cold air velocities of burner outlet were measured in detail. Moreover, the influence of the mass flow ratio of the inner and outer secondary air on the shape of the central reflux zone and the reflux rate at the burner outlet was analyzed. It was found that a stable central reflux zone can be formed at the burner outlet. In addition, an industry application test was carried out in a 29 MW hot water boiler. The flue gas temperature at the burner outlet and the composition of exhaust gas were obtained under different operating parameters. The influence of inner and outer secondary air damper opening on burner performance (ignition performance, NO x emission characteristics, stable combustion performance, and anti-slagging performance) was analyzed. The influence of inner secondary air damper opening on burner performance was found to be greater than that of outer secondary air damper opening. The maximum concentration of NO x emission at furnace outlet was 364.9 mg/m3, and low-NO x combustion was achieved for industrial pulverized coal boilers. The minimum load without natural gas support was 3 MW. The load regulation rate was close to 10:1, and low load combustion stability was achieved. During three heating seasons, the normal operation of the boiler was not affected by slagging. • Laboratory experiments and industrial application tests are performed. • Influence of different inner and outer secondary air mass-flow ratio are investigated. • Low NO x combustion is achieved for industrial pulverized coal boilers. • Low load combustion stability is achieved for industrial pulverized coal boilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An advanced carbon capture system based on ionic liquid solvent is introduced. • Solvent regeneration using a thin-film unit under vacuum is proposed. • Regeneration temperature and associated solvent residence time are reduced. • Detailed thermodynamics and rate-based packed column models are implemented. • Cost related to solvent degradation is reduced compared to the conventional design. Post-combustion CO 2 capture is an effective solution for reducing CO 2 emissions. Ionic liquids (ILs) have been proposed as a promising class of absorbents for CO 2 capture due to their superior physicochemical properties. As ILs are expected to be, at least initially, costlier than conventional amine solvents, the economic impact of thermal degradation can be more significant for IL-based processes than for conventional systems. In this work, we introduce an advanced IL-based carbon capture process design using a thin-film unit under vacuum to regenerate the solvent. Using this new configuration, the regeneration system can operate at lower temperatures and the solvent residence time can be significantly reduced, minimizing IL absorbent losses due to thermal degradation. We conduct a detailed, rate-based analysis of the impact of thermal degradation kinetics on the economic performance of the proposed process. A comparison to a conventional flowsheet configuration is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thermal stability of 29 ionic liquids was assessed. • Fast (10 K/min) and slow (2 K/min) dynamic decomposition was investigated, as well as isothermal decomposition rates. • Isothermal decomposition rates for ILs under inert (N 2) versus oxidative (air) gaseous environments at different temperatures were compared. • Activation energies and vaporization enthalpies were calculated based on a zero-order kinetic model. • Decomposition mechanisms were analyzed for a selection of imidazolium, pyridinium, and tetraalkylphosphonium ILs. Ionic liquids (ILs) are being developed and studied for a variety of high-temperature applications, including as solvents for separations (where thermal regeneration is used) and as heat transfer fluids. Dynamic decomposition information has been reported for numerous ILs in the literature at various ramp rates. Although this information is useful for assessing how different characteristics, such as cation substituent groups or choice of anion, affect the decomposition of the ILs, dynamic decomposition temperature may overestimate the thermal stability of these compounds. Isothermal decomposition data is necessary when developing ILs in order to truly evaluate their thermal stability for high-temperature applications. However, this information is lacking for many ILs. In this study, we provide both fast (10 K/min) and slow (2 K/min) dynamic decomposition data, as well as isothermal decomposition data at five temperatures from 513.15 to 593.15 K for a selection of seventeen imidazolium, pyridinium, and tetraalkylammonium ILs and from 373.15 to 473.15 K for eight tetraalkylphosphonium ILs. There is significant mass loss after 16 h for most ILs even at 100 K below the decomposition temperature determined from dynamic measurements. Most ILs with the bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anion ([Tf 2 N]−) show zero order mass loss, indicating that the mass loss is actually by evaporation rather than decomposition. Aminopyridinium ILs with [Tf 2 N]− are particularly thermally stable. We also compare isothermal decomposition rates for ILs under inert (N 2) versus oxidative (air) gaseous environments. The mass loss activation energies are lower in air, suggesting more decomposition (vs. evaporation) in air. Mass spectrometry confirms that nucleophilic substitution is the main decomposition mechanism for most ILs in N 2 , but β-elimination also occurs for the tetra-alkylphosphonium ILs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pore and chemical structure characteristics of the raw coal and the coal gasification fly ash (CGFA) in an atmospheric pressure circulating fluidized bed gasifier with a gas production capacity of 20000 and 40000 Nm3 h−1 were studied. The results indicated the presence of developed pore structure and high carbon content of the CGFA. The comprehensive fractal dimension method was proposed to analyze the pore structure of the pore section. The comprehensive fractal dimension was found to be > 2.6. The surface of CGFA is rough and porous. When compared to raw coal, the relative content of the CGFA carbon functional group is lower than 20%, and that of aliphatic carbon gets reduced. The interlamellar spacing (0.3489 nm, 0.3501 nm) of the A-filter cake ash (FCAA), A-dry ash (DAA), B-filter cake ash (FCAB), and B-dry ash (DAB) carbon is higher than that of the standard graphite (0.3354 nm), lean coal (0.3468 nm), and anthracite (0.344 nm). Moreover, the carbon structure is loose. The comprehensive results of physical and chemical structure revealed that CGFA showed a good chemical reaction activity and also the value of secondary combustion and gasification as fuel. This study exhibits significance and importance in the field of waste valorization towards a circular economy. [Display omitted] • Pore structure of CGFA was defined via effective fractal dimension. • The pore complexity of sample was analyzed via comprehensive fractal dimension. • The chemical structure of CGFA was described quantitatively. • The gasification activity of the fly ash was defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Industrial experiments of down-fired boiler with bituminous coal under various loads are taken. • The ignition heat of coal/air flow under different coal varieties and loads is given. • Burning bituminous coal has a large furnace flame fullness under the low-load. • Strong combustion stability is determined by the low ignition heat and high furnace temperature under the low-load. • The combustion performances of bituminous coal and anthracite under the low-load are analyzed and compared. The new energy generating capacity is increasing year by year in the electric industry structure, but it is greatly influenced by the natural conditions. Coal-fired power generation unit boilers connected to the grid have the ability of flexible peak-load regulation and long-term low-load operation is required. However, the combustion stability is weak under the low-load when the coal-fired boiler burning anthracite. Down-fired boiler fueled with bituminous coal gradually attract the attention. Ignition and combustion stability, burnout, and NO x emissions are experimentally studied under the various loads on a 300 MW down-fired boiler fueled with bituminous coal, and the results compared with anthracite under the low-load. The ignition distance of the coal/air flow burning bituminous coal is gradually advanced with the reduction of load. And under the corresponding load, the ignition heat of the coal/air flow when burning bituminous coal is more than 37% lower than that burning anthracite. With the reduction of load, the decreasing rate of the overall furnace temperature and the cross-sectional heat load in the primary combustion zone decreases, and the furnace temperature in the primary combustion zone is high under the low-load when bituminous coal is burned. Short ignition distance, low ignition heat and high furnace temperature ensures the strong combustion stability of burning bituminous coal under the low-load. Moreover, under three various loads with burning bituminous coal, the carbon in the fly ash are all less than 1.1%, and the NO x emissions at the furnace exit are 410, 397 and 288 mg/m3 @ 6% O 2 , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies on plasma orexin-A levels in prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and the relationship with clinical manifestations are rare.Objective: To assess plasma orexin-A levels and evaluate the correlation with clinical features in patients with mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB) and DLB.Methods: Plasma orexin-A levels were measured in 41 patients with MCI-LB, 53 with DLB, and 48 healthy controls (HCs). Informant-based history, neurological examinations, neuropsychological assessments, laboratory tests, and neuroimaging were collected and the correlation between orexin-A and various indicators evaluated.Results: Plasma orexin-A levels in patients with MCI-LB (1.18±0.33 ng/mL, p = 0.014) or DLB (1.20±0.44 ng/mL, p = 0.011) were significantly higher than in HCs (1.02±0.32 ng/mL) and associated with gender and age. DLB patients with fluctuating cognition (FC) (1.01±0.23 versus 1.31±0.50, p = 0.007) or parkinsonism (PARK) (0.98±0.19 versus 1.25±0.47, p = 0.030) had significantly lower plasma orexin-A levels than subjects without FC or PARK. Plasma orexin-A levels were significantly negatively correlated with irritability and UPDRS-III scores and significantly positively correlated with disinhibition scores.Conclusion: This is the first report in which elevated plasma orexin-A levels were observed in patients with MCI-LB or DLB. In addition, lower orexin-A levels were found in patients with DLB and FC or PARK compared with HCs. The plasma orexin-A levels were associated with the presence of core features and motor and neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with MCI-LB and DLB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The combustion and gas emission characteristics of CGFA were studied. • The CGFA lacks fixed carbon secondary combustion stage. • The model-free method and the model method estimate the kinetics parameters. • Determine the best combustion model of the samples. The activation energy of samples was calculated using the model-free method and the model method (typically 46 mechanism functions). The model method is suitable for water scrubbing ash (WSA), and the model-free method is suitable for raw coal (RC), dry ash (DA) and WSA. In the model-free method, the Kissinger method not only guarantees the accuracy of the reduction activation energy E value, but also takes into account the calculation amount of the replacement. The Kissinger method is the better method for the replacement activation energy E value. The average estimated value of DA's E of Kissinger method is 107.89 kJ/mol, which is lower than 143.30 kJ/mol of Yangquan anthracite. The average estimated value of WSA's E is 82.10 kJ/mol, which is slightly higher than that of lean coal (77.54 kJ/mol). It shows that the combustion performance of DA is better than that of Yangquan anthracite, and the combustion performance of WSA is equivalent to that of lean coal. Comprehensive combustion characteristics and gas emission results show that the CGFA has combustibility and utilization value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve interfacial adhesion between glass fiber (GF) and poly(ethylene-grafted-styrene)-based cation exchange membranes (CEM), GF was modified by four coupling agents: [3-(Methacryloxy)propyl] trimethoxy silane (3-MPS), 1,6-bis (trimethoxysilyl) hexane (1,6 bis), Poly(propylene-graft-maleic anhydride) (PP-g-MA) and Triethoxyvinylsilane (TES). The results indicated the addition of modified GF increased tensile strength, tensile modulus, storage modulus and interfacial adhesion of GF/CEM composite but degraded the strains. The composite with 3-MPS modified GF obtained superior mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion, whereas the modified effect of TES was inconspicuous. The addition of unmodified GF even had negative effects on GF/CEM mechanical properties. The field emission scanning electron microscopes (FE-SEM) showed that the GF treated by 3-MPS and PP-g-MA have better compatibility with the CEM matrix than 1,6 bis and TES-treated GF. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) verified that the strengthening effects from modified GF were attributed to the formation of Si-O-Si and Si-O-C bonds. The additions of modified GF in CEM positively influence water uptake ability but negatively influence ion exchange capacity (IEC). This research provided a way of strengthening GF/CEM composite and pointed out which functional groups included in coupling agents could be useful to GF-reinforced composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep peak shaving requires extremely high requirements for low-load combustion stability of boilers. In this study, a novel swirl burner (NSB) with an eccentric secondary air arrangement was proposed, and the validity and the progressiveness of the NSB in achieving ultra-low-load combustion stability for down-fired boilers (DFBs) were confirmed from laboratory experiments to industrial applications. Firstly, the cold-modelling experiments of gas/particle (GP) two-phase flow characteristics involving two combustion systems (i.e., the DFB with traditional swirl burners (TSBs) and the DFB with NSBs) were performed at an ultra-low load of 90 MW e. Compared with the original boiler with TSBs, the maximum horizontal recirculation velocity and the area of recirculation zone below arches significantly increase for the improved DFB with NSBs. The particle number concentration near furnace center for the improved DFB with NSBs is much higher than that for the original DFB with TSBs. The above two aspects will effectively guarantee timely ignition of anthracite. The downward depth of GP flows and the space utilization ratio of the lower furnace increase, which will be beneficial to promoting volume heat load and heat flux density in primary combustion zone. In addition, full-scale industrial-sized measurements aiming at a 300-MW e DFB improved by NSBs were carried out at ultra-low loads of 100 and 90 MW e. For the original DFB after improved by NSBs, the minimum load for stable combustion without oil support is reduced from 150 to 90 MW e , and the ultra-low-load combustion stability is achieved. For the improved DFB with NSBs, pulverized coal ignition distances for operating burners are about 2 and 2.6 m, respectively, and the signal strength of flame detectors for all operating burners is above 95% at 100 and 90 MW e. The flame fullness and combustion stability are good at the initial combustion stage. At ultra-low loads, furnace negative pressure, superheat steam pressure and oxygen concentration at furnace outlet fluctuate slightly. The temperature at air preheater inlet meets the needs of normal operation of denitrification system, and there is no problem of low temperature corrosion on the surface at flue gas side of air preheater. The unburned carbon in fly ash is about 4%. The maximum concentrations of NO x emission at furnace outlet are 714 and 687 mg/m3 (O 2 = 6%) at 100 and 90 MW e , respectively, and ultra-low emission of NO x after denitrification system is achieved. • A novel swirl burner with an eccentric secondary air arrangement was proposed. • Laboratory and industrial experiments were performed. • Performances of flow, mixture, ignition and combustion are all improved. • Ultra-low-load combustion stability is achieved for the improved down-fired boiler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving nitrogen (N) management of small-scale farming systems in developing countries is crucially important for food security and sustainable development of world agriculture, but it is also very challenging. The N Nutrition Index (NNI) is a reliable indicator for crop N status, and there is an urgent need to develop an effective method to non-destructively estimate crop NNI in different smallholder farmer fields to guide in-season N management. The eBee fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based remote sensing system, a ready-to-deploy aircraft with a Parrot Sequoia+ multispectral camera onboard, has been used for applications in precision agriculture. The objectives of this study were to (i) determine the potential of using fixed-wing UAV-based multispectral remote sensing for non-destructive estimation of winter wheat NNI in different smallholder farmer fields across the study village in the North China Plain (NCP) and (ii) develop a practical strategy for village-scale winter wheat N status diagnosis in small scale farming systems. Four plot experiments were conducted within farmer fields in 2016 and 2017 in a village of Laoling County, Shandong Province in the NCP for evaluation of a published critical N dilution curve and for serving as reference plots. UAV remote sensing images were collected from all the fields across the village in 2017 and 2018. About 150 plant samples were collected from farmer fields and plot experiments each year for ground truthing. Two indirect and two direct approaches were evaluated for estimating NNI using vegetation indices (VIs). To facilitate practical applications, the performance of three commonly used normalized difference VIs were compared with the top performing VIs selected from 59 tested indices. The most practical and stable method was using VIs to calculate N sufficiency index (NSI) and then to estimate NNI non-destructively (R2 = 0.53–0.56). Using NSI thresholds to diagnose N status directly was quite stable, with a 57–59% diagnostic accuracy rate. This strategy is practical and least affected by the choice of VIs across fields, varieties, and years. This study demonstrates that fixed-wing UAV–based remote sensing is a promising technology for in-season diagnosis of winter wheat N status in smallholder farmer fields at village scale. The considerable variability in local soil conditions and crop management practices influenced the overall accuracy of N diagnosis, so more studies are needed to further validate and optimize the reported strategy and consecutively develop practical UAV remote sensing–based in-season N recommendation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one‐pot protocol for constructing 1,4‐difunctionalized quinoline/pyridine derivatives via the reaction of N‐heteroaromatics, alkyl halides, and active methylene/methyl compounds was developed. The transformation involves dearomative functionalization of an in situ‐activated N‐heteroaromatic to construct new C−N and C=C bonds. This reaction has a broad substrate scope and functional group tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new PEMEC system without integrated cooling channels inside the PEMEC stack is analyzed in this paper. An external energy source is integrated into the heat exchanger to control the stable operation of the system. Based on the balance of charge, mass and energy, the models of both the stack and the system are established. The influences of operating parameters, such as inlet water flow rate, inlet water temperature and current density, on the PEMEC stack performance are investigated, and the energy efficiency and exergy efficiency of the PEMEC system under both the heat dissipation condition and the adiabatic condition are discussed. The results show that the purpose of keeping the operating temperature of the stack can be achieved by regulating the inlet water temperature and flow rate. A relatively good operating mode is a low inlet temperature, an insulated stack and a current density in range of 1.0 and 2.0 A/cm2. The present work can provide some guidances for the optimum design of the PEMEC system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study aimed to address and rank which exercise‐based interventions are preferable to standard care/no therapy or another exercise intervention for postpartum depression (PPD) management and provide estimates for future definitive evidence. Methods: The authors systematically searched PubMed, Embase, the Web of Science, PsycInfo, and ClinicalTrails.gov for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on exercise‐based interventions for PPD from their inception to May 9, 2023. Included were RCTs of exercise‐based interventions for PPD with at least 4 weeks' duration. The pooled effects of intervention comparisons were generated by the Bayesian random‐effects model, and the quality of evidence was evaluated by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations framework. Results: Twelve RCTs (1260 women; mean age, 20–35 years) comparing exercise‐based interventions with usual care/no therapy were included. Exercise effectively treats depressive symptoms (standard mean difference [SMD], −0.81 [95% confidence interval (CI), −1.20 to −0.42], P < 0.001). Pram walking was significantly associated with a reduction of depressive symptoms during the postpartum period (SMD, −1.00 [95% CI, −2.60 to −0.10], P = 0.020), as well as yoga (SMD, −0.73 [95% CI, −1.84 to −0.43], P < 0.001) and supervised mixed exercise (SMD, −0.77 [95% CI, −1.67 to −0.01], P = 0.041) compared with usual care/no therapy. In indirect comparisons, pram walking (surface under the cumulative ranking curve, 58.9%) was better than yoga (SMD, −0.28 [95% CI, −1.86 to 1.22], P = 0.322) and supervised mixed exercise (SMD, −0.23 [95% CI, −1.59 to 1.12], P = 0.358). However, the difference was not statistically significant. The confidence in evidence was very low to moderate. Conclusion: In women with PPD, all commonly prescribed physical exercises were effective alternative or complementary treatments. However, pram walking may perform better in improving the symptoms of PPD. Synopsis: All common forms of exercise improved the symptoms of postpartum depression compared with usual care and efficiency may vary between exercise types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies did not provide substantial evidence for long‐term immune persistence after the hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) in preterm birth (PTB) children. Consequently, there is ongoing controversy surrounding the booster immunization strategy for these children. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the disparities in immune persistence between PTB children and full‐term children. A total of 1027 participants were enrolled in this study, including 505 PTB children in the exposure group and 522 full‐term children in the control group. The negative rate of hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) in the PTB group was significantly lower than that in the control group (47.9% vs. 41.4%, p =.035). The risk of HBsAb‐negative in the exposure group was 1.5 times higher than that in the control group (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1–2.0). The geometric mean concentration (GMC) of HBsAb was much lower for participants in the exposure group compared to participants in the control group (9.3 vs. 12.4 mIU/mL, p =.029). Subgroup analysis showed that the very preterm infants (gestational age <32 weeks) and the preterm low birth weight infants (birth weight <2000 g) had relatively low GMC levels of 3.2 mIU/mL (95% CI: 0.9–11.1) and 7.9 mIU/mL (95% CI: 4.2–14.8), respectively. Our findings demonstrated that PTB had a significant impact on the long‐term persistence of HBsAb after HepB vaccination. The very preterm infants (gestational age <32 weeks) and the preterm low birth weight infants (birth weight <2000 g) may be special populations that should be given priority for HepB booster vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rotational state resolved photodissociation dynamics of D2O via the C ̃ (010) state has been investigated by using the D-atom Rydberg tagging time-of-flight technique combined with a tunable vacuum ultraviolet light source. The D-atom action spectrum of the C ̃ (010) ← X ̃ (000) band and the corresponding time-of-flight (TOF) spectra of D-atom photoproducts formed following the excitation of D2O to individual rotational transition have been measured. By comparison with the action spectrum of the C ̃ (000) ← X ̃ (000) band, the bending vibrational constant of the C ̃ state for D2O can be determined to be v2 = 1041.37 ± 0.71 cm−1. From the TOF spectra, the product kinetic energy spectra, the vibrational state distributions of OD products, and the state resolved anisotropy parameters have been determined. The experimental results indicate a dramatic variation in the OD product state distributions for different rotational excitations. This illuminates that there are two distinctive coupling channels from the C ̃ (010) state to the low-lying electronic states: the homogeneous electronic coupling to the Ã1B1 state, resulting in vibrationally hot OD(X) products, and the Coriolis-type coupling to the B ̃ 1A1 state, producing vibrationally cold but rotationally hot OD(X) and OD(A) products. Furthermore, the three-body dissociation channel is confirmed, which is attributed to the C ̃ → 1A2 or C ̃ → Ã pathway. In comparison with the previous results of D2O photolysis via the C ̃ (000) state, it is found that the v2 vibration of the parent molecule enhances both the vibrational and rotational excitations of OD products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Different crystalline phases of MnO 2 catalysts were prepared via a facile hydrothermal method. • γ-MnO 2 catalyst exhibited the highest NO conversion and CO conversion. • γ-MnO 2 catalyst possessed abundant surface adsorbed oxygen and Mn4+ species. • Reaction mechanism model of γ-MnO 2 catalyst for NH 3 -SCR and CO oxidation was proposed. It is indeed a challenging problem to simultaneously remove NO and CO from the steel sintering flue gas, in which a bifunctional catalyst has proven to be an efficient solution for removing both pollutants at low temperature. In this study, four different crystalline phases of MnO 2 (α-, β-, γ-, and δ-) catalysts were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method, and the effects of their crystal structure, morphology, and physicochemical properties on the catalytic performance for NO reduction and CO oxidation were elucidated. The results indicated that γ-MnO 2 catalyst exhibited the best catalytic activity, achieving 90% NO removal efficiency and 82% CO conversion rate at 175 °C. Reaction kinetics confirmed that γ-MnO 2 catalyst exhibited a lower Ea for both NO reduction and CO oxidation compared to α-MnO 2 , β-MnO 2 and δ-MnO 2 catalysts. Meanwhile, the interaction of between NH 3 -SCR and CO catalytic oxidation reactions over the catalysts was also studied. Intriguingly, it was found that the presence of CO enhanced the catalytic activity of γ-MnO 2 catalyst in the NH 3 -SCR reaction. The results of NO + O 2 -TPD and in situ DRIFTS experiments revealed that CO contributed to the adsorption and oxidation of NO, thus promoting the L-H pathway over γ-MnO 2 catalyst. Finally, a possible mechanism model for simultaneous removal of NO and CO over γ-MnO 2 catalyst was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are associated with cognitive deficits and worse clinical outcomes in dementia, but rare studies have been carried out of cognitive impairment in Lewy body disease (CI‐LB) patients. The objective was to investigate the associations between WMHs and clinical manifestations in patients with CI‐LB. Methods: In this retrospective multicentre cohort study, 929 patients (486 with dementia with Lewy bodies [DLB], 262 with Parkinson's disease dementia [PDD], 74 with mild cognitive impairment [MCI] with Lewy bodies [MCI‐LB] and 107 with Parkinson's disease with MCI [PD‐MCI]) were analysed from 22 memory clinics between January 2018 and June 2022. Demographic and clinical data were collected by reviewing medical records. WMHs were semi‐quantified according to the Fazekas method. Associations between WMHs and clinical manifestations were investigated by multivariate linear or logistic regression models. Results: Dementia with Lewy bodies patients had the highest Fazekas scores compared with PDD, MCI‐LB and PD‐MCI. Multivariable regressions showed the Fazekas score was positively associated with the scores of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (p = 0.001), Hoehn−Yahn stage (p = 0.004) and total Neuropsychiatric Inventory (p = 0.001) in MCI‐LB and PD‐MCI patients. In patients with DLB and PDD, Fazekas scores were associated with the absence of rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (p = 0.041) and scores of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (p < 0.001), Hoehn−Yahn stage (p < 0.001) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (p = 0.014). Conclusion: White matter hyperintensity burden of DLB was higher than for PDD, MCI‐LB and PD‐MCI. The greater WMH burden was significantly associated with poorer cognitive performance, worse motor function and more severe neuropsychiatric symptoms in CI‐LB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL) is a rare hematological malignancy that lacks consensus on optimal management. We report for the first time two cases of treatment-naïve B/myeloid MPAL patients treated with a novel chemo-free regimen using venetoclax combined with hypomethylating agents, which successfully induced complete remission with tolerable toxicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactions between Al containing materials and counterfeit refrigerant chloromethane (R-40) were investigated under various conditions. The addition of Mg effected a reaction indicating that trimethylaluminum may have been produced in the reaction. A different study involving Al-foil, AlCl3 and chloromethane resulted in cracks detected on the Al-foil which reduced in weight by 19% and methane was detected. Studies conducted either at room temperature or at 80°C with two other genuine refrigerants, R-142b (1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane) and R-133a (2-chloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane) did not form organoaluminum compounds. Several commercially available refrigerant oils were subjected to Me3Al. Only polyester oil resulted in a decrease in the quantity of methane released upon final deactivation with alcohol. Various chemicals were added to Me3Al in order to find which ones would react and not produce methane. Phthalaldehyde was determined to be the most efficient reagent by deactivating approximately 50% of the methyl groups on Me3Al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CuO modified CeFe catalysts were prepared via wet impregnation method. • CuO could improve de-NO x and CO oxidation activities for CeFe catalyst. • CuO could increase surface acidity, Ce3+/(Ce3+ + Ce4+) ratio and surface adsorbed oxygen of CeFe catalyst. • Reaction mechanism model of CuO over CeFe catalyst for NH 3 -SCR and CO oxidation was proposed. Nitrogen oxides (NO x) and carbon monoxide (CO) coexisted in numerous industrial waste gases. And selective catalytic reduction of NO x with ammonia (NH 3 -SCR) and CO catalytic oxidation were considered as the effective technologies for simultaneous elimination of NO x and CO, respectively. However, an efficient bifunctional catalyst was crucial for achieving simultaneous removal of NO x and CO. Herein, we developed a series of Cu-modified CeFe catalysts for simultaneous removal of NO x and CO. The results demonstrated that 5Cu-CeFe catalyst presented the best catalytic performance, achieving approximately 81% NO x removal efficiency and nearly 99% CO conversion rate at 200 °C under a gas houely space velocity of 90,000 h−1. The XPS analysis demonstrated that copper oxides played a critical role in promoting the formation of Ce3+ and O β , thereby facilitating the NH 3 -SCR catalytic performance and CO catalytic oxidation. Moreover, the copper oxide modification of CeFe catalyst attained a trade-off between the surface acidity and redox ability, resulting in improving adsorption and activition capacity of the reactant gases. In situ DRIFTS experiments revealed that the NH 3 -SCR process primarily obeyed the Eley-Rideal (E-R) pathway over both CeFe and 5Cu-CeFe catalysts, while Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) pathway hardly participated in NH 3 -SCR process. The presence of Cu+–CO species and surface lattice oxygen was crucial for CO oxidation, and both Mars-van Krevelen (M−K) and L-H pathways might be involved in the CO catalytic oxidation process over 5Cu-CeFe catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban metro systems, unexpected events often occur to cause discordance in the planned timetable and delay in passenger travel. Therefore, this study focuses on the timetable rescheduling problem by adopting a stop-skipping strategy during the off-peak period. In addition, there are a number of existing optimization models that minimize the total passenger waiting time, which can cause fairness issues for a small group of passengers having longer waiting time at some stations. In this study, a rescheduling model is proposed to consider passenger waiting time fairness and train travel time cost. This model is tested with a randomly designed delay scenario of Nanjing Metro Line 2, which can be efficiently solved by a designed iterative algorithm based on decomposition method. Compared to the standard stop pattern, the result shows that the stop-skipping pattern can better alleviate the impact of sudden delays, while simultaneously ensuring the passenger waiting time fairness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship of cumulative remnant-cholesterol (Cum-RC) concentration with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with hypertension remains unclear. Methods: We studied data for 28,698 individuals for whom three consecutive total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglyceride concentrations were available, and who did not have CVD (14,349 with hypertension and 14,349 without), that was collected between 2006 and 2010. Participants with hypertension were placed into four groups based on Cum-RC quartile: a Q1 group (< 26.40 mg/dl), a Q2 group (26.40–39.56 mg/dl), a Q3 group (39.57–54.65 mg/dl), and a Q4 group (≥ 54.66 mg/dl). Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the relationship between Cum-RC and the risk of CVD. Results: Over a median 10.9 (interquartile range, 10.5–11.3) years, 1,444 participants with hypertension developed CVD. After adjustment for multiple potential confounding factors, and compared with the Q1 Cum-RC group of the participants with hypertension, the adjusted hazard ratios for CVD for the Q2–Q4 groups were 1.07(0.92,1.26), 1.08(0.91,1.28), and 1.26(1.03,1.54) (P = 0.0405); those for myocardial infarction were 1.51(1.00,2.31), 2.02(1.22,3.27), and 2.08(1.41,3.28) (P < 0.0001); and those for ischemic stroke were 1.02(0.84,1.24), 1.04(0.86,1.25), and 1.29(1.02,1.62), respectively (P = 0.0336). However, no significant relationship was found between Cum-RC and the risk of hemorrhage stroke. At the same Cum-RC, the risk of CVD was significantly higher in participants with hypertension than in those without. Conclusions: A consistently high remnant-cholesterol concentration increases the risk of CVD in individuals with hypertension. Therefore, the achievement of blood pressure and RC concentration targets should help reduce the risk of CVD in individuals with hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, steel slag foamed ceramics were fabricated by using steel slag, kaolin, feldspar, and quartz as main raw materials, and adding SiC as high‐temperature foaming agent. The effects of steel slag content and SiC particle size on porosity and mechanical properties of foamed ceramics were researched. Results indicate that when content of steel slag is 40 wt%, and particle size of SiC is 20 µm, foamed ceramics exhibited optimized properties: water absorption rate of 2.59%, total porosity of 55.91%, bulk density of 1.33 g·cm−3, and compressive strength of 1.21 MPa. The results show that with the increase of steel slag content, the phase composition of foamed ceramics changes, and foam process is hindered. The increase of steel slag content contributes to the formation of diopside. Fe3+, Fe2+ in liquid phase enter into diopside by solid solution, the amount of liquid phase decreases. Liquid phase mass transfer slows down, and content of SiC in liquid phase decreases, so that the porosity decreases. At the same steel slag content, different SiC particle size affects the difference between pressure inside the closed pore and surface pressure, thereby the porosity changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of four distinct zinc species (ZnCl2, Zn(NO3)2, ZnSO4, and ZnCO3) on a Mn-Ce co-doped CuX (MCCX)catalyst were investigated and contrasted in the low-temperature NH3-SCR process. Aqueous solutions of ZnCl2, Zn(NO3)2, ZnSO4, and ZnCO3 were used to poison the catalysts. The catalytic activity of all catalysts was assessed, and their physicochemical properties were studied. There was a notable drop trend in catalytic activity in the low temperature range (200 °C) after zinc species poisoning on MCCX catalyst. Interestingly, ZnSO4 and ZnCO3 on MCCX catalyst had more serious effect on catalytic activity than Zn(NO3)2 and ZnCl2 from 150 °C to 225 °C, in which NO conversion of the MCCX-Zn-S and MCCX-Zn-C catalysts dropped about 20–30% below 200 °C compared with the fresh MCCX catalyst. The zeolite X structure was impacted by Zn species doping on the MCCX catalyst, and the Zn-poisoned catalysts had less acidic and lower redox ability than fresh Mn-Ce/CuX catalysts. Through the results of in situ DRIFTS spectroscopy experiments, all catalysts were governed by both Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L–H) and Eley–Rideal (E–R) mechanisms, and the possible mechanism for poisoning the Mn-Ce/CuX catalyst using various zinc species was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to obtain high resolution aerial images, in addition to adopt high transfer function of optical system and high quality imaging medium, the exposure time of the shutter should be properly controlled, so as to make sure the appropriate exposure of the CCD sensor. The paper applies an aerial mapping camera shutter the structure and working principle of the mirror, presents the mirror shutter algorithm of the working period of luminous flux, on the basis of radiation theory. The paper also analyze the transfer relations of the object and image of the light energy on the optical system with large field of view, short focal length and large relative aperture. The experimental results show that the illumination precision of image plane improved by 8.9%, compared with the traditional algorithm and the gain exposure of CCD sensor is closer to the actual light energy. In addition, these design can also provide theoretical reference for image uniformity correction, CCD gain adjustment and variable density neutral filter processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zirconia-alumina composite ceramics are the preferred materials for high temperature and thermal shock applications because of their excellent mechanical properties. In this paper, La 2 O 3 doped zirconia-alumina composite ceramics were prepared by using fused zirconia corundum and ZrO 2 as starting materials. The effects of La 2 O 3 on the phase composition, microstructure and properties of the composite ceramics were investigated by XRD and SEM. The results show that La 2 O 3 can reduce the sintering temperature and improve the bending strength of the samples. The bending strength and fracture toughness of the composite ceramics with 1.5 wt% La 2 O 3 sintered at 1480 °C are 299.17 MPa and 5.61 MPa m1/2, respectively. The strength loss rate of the sample after 30 thermal shocks (room temperature ∼ 1000 °C) is 2.67%, SEM shows that the grain sizes of alumina and zirconia in the sintered sample were about 5 μm and 2 μm, respectively. After 30 thermal shocks, the phase composition and microstructure of the sample have no significant change, indicating good thermal shock resistance of the composite ceramics. The excellent thermal shock resistance ensures porous medium combustion materials has a long service life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the problem of late ignition and poor burnout of Foster-Wheeler down-fired boilers, this study proposed a new combustion technology, which combines adding on arch secondary air and alternately arranging the fuel-lean coal/airflow (FLCA) and fuel-rich coal/airflow (FRCA). The coal particle trajectories of FLCA and FRCA and overall aerodynamic characteristics in the furnace were studied at FRCA and FLCA ratio (RRL) of 5:5, 7:3, and 9:1. The results showed that even at a low FRCA ratio, the new combustion technology could still effectively ensure the penetration depth of pulverised coal/airflow. At different RRL values, the main airflow from the arch appeared in the near-wall area and could penetrate downwards into the cold ash hopper area. With an increase in the value of RRL, the deflection degree of FLCA towards the furnace wall increased, while that of FRCA decreased. At RRL of 7:3, both the penetration depth and deflection degree of FRCA and FLCA were at a high level, which was conductive to promoting the burnout and recommended in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a series of zeolite-X-supported different crystal phases of MnO2 (α-MnO2, β-MnO2, γ-MnO2, and σ-MnO2) catalysts were prepared via a solid-state diffusion method and high-heat treatment method to explore their low-temperature NH3-SCR performance. All of the catalysts featured typical octahedral zeolite X structures and manganese dioxides species of various crystal types dispersed across the support surface. Throughout the entire temperature range of the reaction, γ-MnO2/X catalyst had the highest NO conversion. Additionally, β-MnO2/X, γ-MnO2/X, and σ-MnO2/X catalysts had nearly 100% of N2 selectivity, whereas the α-MnO2/X catalyst had the lowest N2 selectivity (about 90%) below 125 °C. Moreover, the γ-MnO2/X catalyst demonstrated superior acidity capacity and reduction ability compared with the other three catalysts. All the catalysts contained the essential intermediates NH2NO and NH4NO3 species, which are essential to the SCR reaction. More acid sites and nitrate species existed on the γ-MnO2/X catalyst than on the other catalysts, thereby boosting the SCR reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the uneven distribution of renewable resources and electricity load centers in China, renewable energy usually needs to be delivered a long distance from the generation base to the load center. However, wind power and photovoltaic (PV) have to be bundled with flexible resources, such as thermal generators, to compensate for the generation uncertainty and variability. Concentrating solar power (CSP) is a controllable generation technology, and it is receiving great attention in the northwest China to be constructed in the 100% renewable energy generation base. This paper proposes a generation portfolio optimization model of a 100% renewable energy base supported by CSP. Firstly, a flexible operation model of CSP based on the interval theory is proposed. Then, a coordinated operation strategy of a 100% renewable energy base organized by CSP, wind power, PV and also energy storage is formulated. On this basis, a generation portfolio optimization model is established with the target of minimizing an extended levelized cost of energy (LCOE) considering the transmission cost. A case study of 100% renewable energy base in Qinghai Province, China, is conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed model. It is depicted that CSP plays an important role in the cost-effective portfolio and can be a better alternative to the combination of PV and storage. For the 100% renewable energy base in Qinghai, the LCOE with an optimal CSP, PV, wind, and storage combination is 0.5785 CNY/kWh, which is 20.3% lower than the case without the installation of a CSP station. • Building a 100% renewable energy generation base with a CSP, PV, wind, and storage combination. • A planning model with the target of minimizing an extended LCOE considering transmission cost. • A coordinated operation strategy of a 100% renewable energy base considering CSP's flexibility. • The LCOE of a 100% renewable energy base can drop 20.3% when equipped with CSP in Qinghai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of acute bout of aerobic exercise on arterial stiffness in individuals with different smoking statuses. A total of 940 male individuals (mean age of 36.82±7.76 years) in the Kailuan study cohort were selected to participate in the fifth National Physical Fitness Monitoring. All participants completed measurements of brachial – ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) before and after twice-quantitative cycle ergometer exercise. Four groups were defined: (1) non-smokers (n=231), (2) former smokers (n=165), (3) light smokers (1–10 cigarettes/day, n=254), (4) heavy smokers (>10 cigarettes/day, n=290). Generalized linear models were established to analyze between-group differences in the change in baPWV before and after acute aerobic exercise in individuals with different smoking statuses. Overall, after acute aerobic exercise, baPWV was immediately decreased significantly (−33.55 cm/s [95% CI, − 39.69 to −27.42]). Compared with non-smokers, former smokers, light smokers, and heavy smokers showed a greater decrease in baPWV (−12.17 cm/s [95%CI, − 30.08 to 5.75], − 18.43 cm/s [95%CI, −34.69 to − 2.16], and −22.46 cm/s [95%CI, − 38.39 to − 6.54]) respectively. There is a transient decrease in baPWV in individuals with different smoking statuses. Compared with non-smokers, baPWV decreased more significantly in light and heavy smokers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively control the flow and combustion of pulverised coal in down-fired boilers and improve their thermal efficiency while ensuring low NOx emissions, on arch secondary air (OASA) combustion technology and a smoke-tracing analysis were proposed. The aerodynamic characteristics of a 300-MWe Foster Wheeler (FW) down-fired boiler with the OASA ratios (ROASA) of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%, the flow trajectories and mixing characteristics of OASA, and fuel-rich coal/air flow (FRA) and fuel-lean coal/air flow (FLA) were studied experimentally. For the ROASA of <10%, FRA and FLA flow to furnace centre soon after they are injected into the furnace. OASA and FLA may mix with FRA before ignition. For the ROASA of 20% or higher, FRA and FLA flow to the near-wall area soon after being injected into the furnace. FRA mixes with OASA after ignition. With the increase in ROASA, the mixing distance between OASA and FRA increases first and then decreases. The penetration depth of coal/air flow and furnace airflow fullness increases. For the ROASA of 30%, the dimensionless penetration depth of coal/air flow can exceed 0.7. Furnace dimensionless airflow fullness at all the dimensionless heights can exceed 0.6. In real operation, the recommended ROASA is between 20 and 30%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further reduce the NOx emissions of the down‐fired boiler while improving its low‐load stable combustion capacity, a new low NOx combustion organization mode that utilizes the high velocity parallel oil‐secondary air to improve the pulverized coal combustion process was proposed based on a novel stable combustion technology. We carried out cold airflow experiments under different oil‐secondary air and F‐layer secondary air distributions (mass flow rate ratios of 1:9, 1:3, 2:3) based on a 300 MWe Foster Wheeler down‐fired boiler to study its influence on the flow and mixing characteristics of the coal/airflow. Results show that the mixing between the oil‐secondary air and the fuel‐rich coal/airflow is gradually delayed with the increase of the secondary air distribution. When the secondary air distribution reaches more than 2:3, the oil‐secondary air starts to become the dominant airflow that influences the whole flow field in the furnace. Based on the result of the cold airflow experiment, we carried out industrial measurements under different parallel oil‐secondary air and F‐layer secondary air distributions (4:6, 5:5, 6:4) on a 600 MWe FW down‐fired boiler under the condition of using the high velocity oil‐secondary air. The ignition distance of the fuel‐rich coal/airflow, the flue gas temperature, the O2, CO, and NOx concentrations in the furnace were measured. At the secondary air distribution of 4:6, the ignition distance of the fuel‐rich coal/airflow was about 1.31 m. When the secondary air distribution was increased to 5:5 and 6:4, the ignition was put off, but the pulverized coal/airflow could still catch on fire in time. With the increase of the parallel oil‐secondary air proportion, the flame center in the furnace did not move downward substantially. In three cases, the lowest O2 concentrations in the inspection port area under the burner were all below 1% (peak CO concentration values were all above 28,000 ppm). The pulverized coal all burned in a strong reducing atmosphere. At secondary air distributions of 4:6, 5:5, and 6:4, NOx emissions of the boiler were, respectively, 825.83, 819.48, and 853.86 mg/Nm3 (O2 = 6%). The thermal efficiency was, respectively, 90.09%, 89.16%, and 90.98%. In actual operation, the recommended secondary air distribution is 6:4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a series of K species or/and SO 2 poisoned Mn-Ce doped CuX (MCCX) catalysts were prepared from waste blast furnace slag (BFS), and the influence mechanism of K species or/and SO 2 poisoning on the catalysts in low-temperature NH 3 -SCR process was investigated. The results demonstrated that MCCX-KCl catalyst had poorer NO conversion than MCCX-K 2 O below 200 °C, and the co-existence of K species and SO 2 considerably inhibited NO conversion. Aggregation of the Cu active component might also be facilitated by co-poisoning with K species and SO 2. Furthermore, K species and SO 2 co-poisoned catalysts showed fewer isolated Cu2+ species and Mn4+ species than that of K-poisoned catalysts, indicating a decrease in active sites after the addition of SO 2. The co-effect of K 2 O/KCl and SO 2 species impaired the redox capacity and decreased the surface acidity than K-poisoned catalysts to a greater extent. Nevertheless, K-poisoning had little effect on the surface intermediates during SCR reaction process, and K-poisoned catalysts followed both Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) and Eley-Rideal (E-R) mechanism. However, MCCX-KCl-SO 2 and MCCX-K 2 O-SO 2 catalysts contained fewer nitrate species, indicating that the co-effect of K species and SO 2 impeded the reaction between NO + O 2 species and pre-NH 3 species, thereby resulting in poor low-temperature NH 3 -SCR activity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Due to the accumulation of heavy metal compounds produced by the sintering process in steel industry, the catalysts used for low-temperature selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH 3 (NH 3 -SCR) might be seriously deactivated. In this work, the deactivation effect of PbCl 2 , Pb(NO 3) 2 , and PbSO 4 on Mn-Ce activated carbon supported catalyst for low-temperature NH 3 -SCR of NO was investigated and compared. Poisoned catalysts were provided by impregnating fresh catalysts with Pb(NO 3) 2 , PbSO 4 and PbCl 2 aqueous solutions, respectively. Deactivation could be observed on the poisoned samples, and the deactivation degree was following PbCl 2 > PbSO 4 > Pb(NO 3) 2. The catalytic activities of all samples were tested, and the physicochemical properties of fresh and poisoned catalysts were assessed. PbCl 2 caused the most severe deactivation of the catalyst, owing to its poor redox property and surface acidity. Cl- could also react with Mn active sites to form -O-Mn-Cl bonds, resulting in additional acid sites, although these newly generated sites were not reactive in NH 3 -SCR reaction process. PbSO 4 exhibited moderate poisoning effect due to the addition of SO 4 2-, which created new Brønsted acid sites, facilitating the NH 3 adsorption and NO reduction. Pb(NO 3) 2 had the least poisoning impact on the catalyst due to the NO 3 –, promoting the NH 3 activation. The in situ DRIFTS results revealed that NH 3 -SCR reaction over all samples was governed by Eley-Rideal (E-R) and Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism, and did not change due to the lead poisoning. Finally, a possible mechanistic model for different lead salts poisoning over Mn-Ce/AC catalyst was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In the present study, the association between Hemoglobin (HGB) level and cognitive profile was investigated and whether it affected the dementia risk in older adults.Methods: A cross-sectional population-based survey that included 3519 individuals ≥65 years of age was conducted in 2019. Basic demographic characteristics were collected. The neuropsychological assessments and blood tests were administered to evaluate cognition and HGB level. Generalized additive models were used to analyze the non-linear association between HGB levels and cognitive function. Logistics regression models were utilized to analyze the associations between HGB level and dementia risk.Results: Overall, 459 (12.7%) participants were diagnosed with dementia and there were more females (54.7%) than males (45.3%). The number of subjects with anemia (3%) or hyperhemoglobinemia (5.2%) was higher than participants with normal HGB level. A visual representation of the relationship between HGB level and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score showed an inverted U-curve, which is more evident in female. Logistics regression models showed that anemia (odds ratio, OR = 1.826, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.166-2.860, p < 0.01), but not hyperhemoglobinemia, significantly increased the risk of dementia. These trends were not the same for males and females. An abnormal HGB level had greater effects in females, resulting in higher risk of dementia for females with anemia or hyperhemoglobinemia than subjects with normal HGB level including males.Conclusion: Both low and high HGB levels can lead to cognitive decline in the incidence of dementia, indicating an inverted U-shaped curve association may exist between HGB level and global cognitive profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petroleum extraction, transportation, and consumption in the marine environment contribute to a large portion of anthropogenic oil spills into the ocean. While previous research focuses more on large oil spill accidents from oil tankers or offshore oil platforms, there are few systematic records on occasional regional oil spills. In this study, optical imagery from Landsat-8 OLI was used to detect oil slicks on the ocean surface through spatial analysis and spectral diagnosis in the northern South China Sea (NSCS). The source of the slicks was identified through datasets from traffic density and platform locations. A total of 632 oil slicks were detected in the NSCS from 2015 to 2019, where 57 were from platforms sources, and 490 were from ships. The average area of the detected slicks was 4.8 km2, and half of the slicks had areas <1.7 km2. Major oil spill hot spots included coastal Guangdong (ship origins), southeast and northeast Dongsha Island (ship origins), middle of south Beibu Gulf (ship and platform origins), and southeast Pearl River Estuary (platform origins). Through this study, we demonstrate the capability of medium-resolution optical imagery in monitoring regional oil spills. Such results and methods may help in near real-time oil spill monitoring and further environmental assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extrusion freeforming is a facile approach to produce complex 3D structures with controlled architecture and porosity. In this work, a new slurry system, mainly containing hydroxyapatite (HA) and sodium alginate (SA), has been used to fabricate porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds. After cross-linking in 5% calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) solution for 24 h, HA–SA composite scaffolds were sintered at 1000–1300 °C for 2 h. The properties of HA–SA composite scaffolds before and after sintering have been investigated. The new slurry system has greatly improved the quality of porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dovetail joint interfaces in aero-engine are susceptible to fretting wear, which can result in premature failure. Based on two-dimensional (2D) blade/disk contact finite element (FE) model and the energy model, an original substrate-debris-glaze conversion method is proposed and validated to predict the presence of a glaze layer at high temperatures in fretting wear. The present work investigates the effects of bottom angle, friction coefficient, centrifugal force and temperature on fretting wear of the dovetail joint. The results indicate that fretting wear predominantly occurs near the edges of the contact areas. Furthermore, the formation of glaze layer at high temperatures leads to a significant reduction in wear depth, ranging from 50% to 93%, compared to low temperatures without glaze layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Carbon disorder degree of bituminous coal is the highest. • CO 2 aids blend reactivity only at heating rates >5 K min−1. • Double parallel random pore model (DRPM) is better in oxygen-rich conditions. • Based on DRPM, volatiles and partial carbon initiate synchronous reactions. This study used various analytical techniques to explore the structural characteristics of anthracite, lean coal, and bituminous coal. Thermogravimetric analysis assessed the combustion performance of individual coals and their blends. Results revealed distinct structural differences among the three coals. Although lean coal's functional groups distribution resembled bituminous coal, its carbon ordering aligned with anthracite. Increasing the proportion of bituminous coal minimally improved combustion in air. Under O 2 + N 2 , rising oxygen levels lowered ignition and burnout temperatures, enhancing the comprehensive combustion index. At high heating rates, 30 %O 2 + 70 %CO 2 outperformed 30 %O 2 + 70 %N 2. The fitting performance of the double parallel random pore model (DRPM) was superior to that of the random pore model (RPM). Kinetic analysis suggested a DRPM for lean coal and bituminous coal co-combustion, unfolding in two stages. Activation energy increased with O 2 concentration in O 2 + N 2 but remained lower than in O 2 + CO 2. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: With the improvement of industrial informatization, various industrial control system network protocols have also been widely used. The reliability of these protocols will directly affect the safety of industrial control systems. As an effective method that can automatically analyze system reliability, model checking has been widely used in the verification of various safety‐critical systems. In this paper, we propose a modeling design method for industrial control network protocol based on time semantic reconstruction of time state transition matrix (TSTM). In addition, we provide a TSTM model checking method based on linear temporal logic (LTL). In order to effectively alleviate the state space explosion, the method adopts bounded model checking (BMC) technology. Furthermore, we implement a TSTM model verification tool called ICPV. Finally, we apply the above method to the modeling and verification of the industrial control network protocol Powerlink and through a comparison experiment with UPPAAL to illustrate the effectiveness of the method proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-expressions (MEs) are momentary and subtle facial expression changes that typically have a short duration to reveal people's genuine emotions and thought processes. With the continuous advancement of deep learning techniques, more opportunities and challenges have been presented for research in the field of micro-expression recognition (MER). Due to the limitations and low intensity of ME movements, as well as the presence of subtle motions and limited sample data, a single-stream model structure that extracts features from a single view is unable to capture sufficient information. Therefore, this paper proposes the Triple-branch attention fusion network (Triple-ATFME) for MER. The proposed Triple-ATFME mainly consists of a preprocessing stage, a Triple-branch ShuffleNet module, and an adaptive channel attention module allowing the model to extract multi-view features through a multi-path network. Firstly, the MER framework extracts optical flow features from the cropped initial frame and peak frame of the facial region using the optical flow method. Multiple types of optical flow features are obtained. Secondly, the extracted features are put into the Triple-ATFME network to extract deep-level hidden features. The three sub-modules extract multi-view features. In order to alleviate the issue of the tendency that the model excessively focuses on local information during the feature fusion process, a simple effective adaptive channel fusion attention module (CFAM) is employed to calibrate the channel features and to facilitate the fusion of multi-view features. Finally, ablation experiments are conducted to demonstrate that the multi-view features and the Triple-ATFME network are more effective in learning MEs. Experimental results show that the proposed Triple-ATFME achieves UF1 and UAR of 0.7609 and 0.7565 on the combined dataset MEGC2019, demonstrating superior performance compared to state-of-the-art MER methods as evaluated in leave-one-out validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A burner structure suitable for atmospheric entrained-flow gasifiers using fine ash as feedstock was proposed. The study investigates the impact of the burner structure on the mixing characteristics through 0.75:1 (geometry reduction) single-phase airflow experiments. Additionally, numerical simulations were conducted to study of the gasification process of fine ash in a 10,000 Nm3/h atmospheric entrained flow gasifier. The results indicate that a larger residual temperature near the burner outlet was observed when the diameter of the burner's gasification agents channel was 10 mm or 15 mm, approximately 0.7–0.8. Additionally, the mixing degree of the two airflows at the burner outlet was high, and the distance required for complete mixing was short. When the diameter of the gasification agent channel was 15 mm, the mixed syngas flow velocity was appropriate. This resulted in a maximum temperature of 2500 °C, an 80 % carbon conversion rate, and an outlet effective syngas (CO + H 2) concentration of 62 %. • Novel gasifier and burner structures for fine ash gasification are given. • Fine ash is quickly mixed at the outlet of burner and fully mixed in the center of gasifier. • The highest carbon conversion rate of fine ash entrained-flow gasifier is about 80 %. • Gasification agent channel diameter affects the mixing and gasification characteristics. • The outlet temperature exceeds 1600 °C which satisfies the requirement for liquid slag discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modification based on natural products is a practical way to find anti-inflammatory drugs. In this study, 26 osthole derivatives were synthesized, and their anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated. The preliminary activity study revealed that most osthole derivatives could effectively inhibit inflammatory cytokines IL-6 secretion in LPS stimulated mouse macrophages J774A.1. Compound 7m exhibited the most effective anti-inflammatory activity (RAW264.7 IL-6 IC 50 : 4.57 μM, 32 times more active than osthole) in vitro with no significant influence on cell proliferation. Additionally, the mechanistic analysis demonstrated that compound 7m could block MAPK signal transduction by inhibiting the phosphorylation of JNK and p38, thereby inhibiting the release of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, in vivo functional investigations revealed that 7m could substantially reduce DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and LPS-induced acute lung injury, with good therapeutic effects. The pharmacokinetics and acute toxicity experiments proved the safety and reliability of 7m in vivo. Overall, Compound 7m could further be studied as potential anti-inflammatory candidate. [Display omitted] • Novel osthole derivatives were designed and synthesized. • The effect was evaluated by the inhibition on pro-inflammatory cytokines release. • 7m could significantly alleviate LPS-induced ALI and DSS-induced UC. • 7m could play anti-inflammatory role through MAPK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Toxicity effects of lead salt species on Mn-Ce/Cu-X catalyst were investigated. • Pb species might primarily occupy the active site of Mn and Cu species. • PbCl 2 and PbNO 3 species predominantly affected the Brønsted acid sites. • PbSO 4 and PbCO 3 species mainly impacted the adsorption of NO + O 2. For the sintering flue gas in steel industry, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO x using NH 3 at low temperature in the presence of heavy metals is still a challenge. In this study, the toxicity effects of lead salt species (PbCl 2 , Pb(NO 3) 2 , PbSO 4 , PbCO 3) on Cu-exchanged zeolite X doped with Mn-Ce catalysts (MCCX) were investigated. All catalysts exhibited poor low-temperature SCR performance within 75–225 °C after Pb poisoning, and the poisoning effects of PbCl 2 , Pb(NO 3) 2 , PbSO 4 and PbCO 3 on MCCX catalyst varied. The PbSO 4 had the most serious poisoning on MCCX catalyst, while PbCO 3 had poisoning effect on catalysts even at 300 °C. Lead species poisoning had bad impact on the structure of zeolite X on MCCX catalyst, and caused some agglutination of Cu species. Likewise, the Pb species might primarily occupy the active site of Mn and Cu species and influence the redox property of catalysts, thereby obstructing the redox and oxidation cycles on catalysts surface. In addition, the PbCl 2 and PbNO 3 species predominantly affected the Brønsted acid sites and occupied the Cu or Mn active sites, inhabiting the absorption and conversion of nitrites and nitrates on the catalyst surface. Moreover, PbSO 4 and PbCO 3 species mainly impacted the adsorption of NO + O 2 and the conversion of nitrites and nitrates on the catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a gas-particle cold-modeling experiment, the particle dynamic analyzer (PDA) is used to investigate the effects of fuel-lean coal/airflow angle and ratio of oil secondary air to F-layer secondary air on the gas/particle flows characteristics in the furnace of a Foster Wheeler (FW) down-fired boiler with enhanced stable combustion technology. As the fuel-lean coal/airflow angle increases from 10° to 45°, the peak value of the vertical dimensionless velocity of the gas/particle flows gradually increases, and the peak position gradually moves to the near wall region. As the ratio of oil secondary air to F-layer secondary air (the secondary air ratio for short) increased, the peak value of the vertical dimensionless velocity of the gas/particle flows gradually increased and the peak value position of the dimensionless velocity gradually moved towards the near-wall region. In actual operation, for the perspective of performance and safety, the recommended fuel-lean coal/airflow angle and secondary air ratio is 30°and 1:2 respectively. The enhanced stable combustion technology had been applied to two 600 MW FW down-fired boilers, and these boilers can achieve stable operation when burning a wide range of coal quality under the load section from 200 MW to 600 MW. • A Foster Wheeler down-fired boiler retrofitted with novel low-load stable combustion technology is studied by PDA. • Effects of fuel-lean coal/airflow angle and secondary air ratio on the gas/particle flows characteristics were investigated. • The fuel-lean coal/airflow angle of 30° and the secondary air ratio of 1:2 is recommended. • This novel low-load stable down-fired boiler combustion technology is suitable for a wide range of coal quality combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]