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Production of high-grade bio-oil through catalytic pyrolysis technology was of great significance for alleviating the current energy shortage problem. This study synthesized a series of carbon-supported transition metal catalysts and their catalytic influence on the product distribution, behavior and liquid component during cellulose pyrolysis in N 2 and CO 2 atmosphere were analyzed. The obtained results indicated that the unique flower-like structure of carbon significantly elevated strengths to generate gaseous products and the enrichment of furan compounds during pyrolysis. The inclusion of CO 2 further enhanced the secondary reaction of liquid product, and the maximum increment of syngas yield was 14.50 wt% after adding Ni/Co–C catalyst. Moreover, CO 2 participated in thermal conversion process of biomass as an oxygen source and thus more sugars were converted into furans. The Ni/Co–C catalyst and CO 2 produced favorable synergistic effect during cellulose pyrolysis, which resulted in the highest relative content of furans, with the value of 26.77%. Therefore, this study presented an efficient means to access to furan-rich bio-oil via catalytic pyrolysis of biomass. • The flower-like carbon-based catalysts that improve yield of furans are synthesized. • A 15.31% increase in furans is obtained by adding Ni/Co loaded carbon catalyst in CO 2. • The prepared catalysts promote the secondary reaction for generation of syngas. • The mechanism of flower-like carbon catalyst for component variation is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The serine/threonine kinase (STK) 33 plays a key role in cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. Abnormal STK33 expression is closely related to malignancy of numerous cancers. This study suggests the important role of STK33 in the pathogenesis and metastatic progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). STK33 expression in human ESCC tissues was detected by immunohistochemical technique. Further, we analyzed the relationship between STK33 and clinical and pathological factors as well as the prognosis of patients. ECa109 cell line was cultured and transfected with STK33-RNAi lentiviral vector to perform Hochest33342 & PI and metastasis experiments. The TCGA database was used to analyze the STK33 expression level in ESCC. All statistical analyses were performed in SPSS 23.0 software. Differences with P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. In human ESCC specimens, STK33 was overexpressed and associated with poor prognosis. Silencing STK33 expression suppressed ESCC proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor growth. STK33 also mediated angiogenesis, TGFβ, and inflammatory response in ESCC. Mechanistic investigations revealed that STK33 regulates ESCC through multiple complex pathways. Dysregulated STK33 signaling promotes ESCC growth and progression. Thus, our findings identified STK33 as a candidate treatment target that improves ESCC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Development of biomass-based nanofibers by electrospinning technology is reviewed. • Advances in electrospun nanofibers as energy storage devices are summarized. • Prospect of biomass-based nanofibers in the energy storage devices is given. Biomass-based nanofibers prepared by electrospinning technology have the advantages of unique porous structure, high specific surface area, low cost and easy availability, hence they have wide applications in electrochemical energy storage devices. This review describes the characteristics of electrospun nanofibers prepared from various biomass components and their derivatives and introduces their application performances in electrochemical energy storage devices. The preparation methods of electrospun nanofibers with excellent electrochemical properties are systematically introduced, and the differences of various biomass materials and their applications in electrochemical energy storage devices are analyzed and summarized. Some development suggestions for the future application of biomass-based nanofibrous materials are given. These works provide some important references for the application and expansion of biomass-based electrospun nanofibers in the field of energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Catalysts that can effectively promote cellulose decomposition are synthesized. • CO 2 -assisted cobalt-based Ce/Fe/Mg catalyst enhances furans and ketones. • The synthesized catalyst has good oxygen transfer ability. • The performance of catalyst in improving the selectivity of compound is given. The production of high value-added liquid products by catalytic pyrolysis of cellulose has become an effective way to realize the efficient utilization of biomass. This work synthesized a series of Co-Ce, Co-Fe and Co-Mg composite metal catalysts and used them to obtain furans and ketones production. In addition, the CO 2 was used as a pyrolysis atmosphere to investigate the synergistic effect between CO 2 and the prepared catalyst. The results showed that the catalyst effectively promoted the depolymerization of cellulose and improved the oxygen transfer behavior between volatile matters during cellulose pyrolysis. As a reaction medium, CO 2 influenced the carbon distribution of products, thereby increasing syngas yield, and the CO 2 atmosphere promoted the formation of furans and ketones. Compared with those obtained by the non-catalytic pyrolysis in N 2 atmosphere, the relative contents of furans and ketones in the liquid products produced by the catalytic pyrolysis of cellulose in CO 2 atmosphere increased by about 13.38% and 9.8%. In the CO 2 environment, the generation ability for furans was Co-Mg catalyst > Co-Ce catalyst > Co-Fe catalyst, and the generation ability for ketones was Co-Ce catalyst > Co-Mg catalyst > Co-Fe catalyst. These works provide an important way for the efficient preparation of furans and ketones from biomass pyrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using cellulose to produce high-quality oxygenated fuels or chemicals is becoming an important way to replace chemical synthesis technology. In this work, the Ce–Co–Na ternary composite metal catalyst is synthesized and used for catalytic cracking of cellulose to prepare the ketone-rich bio-oil production. To construct an environment-friendly process, CO 2 is used as a pyrolysis reaction atmosphere to improve the enrichment of ketones. Strong synergistic effects among metal components effectively promote the thermal-cracking of cellulose to produce primary products (anhydrosugars), and further convert to oxygenates due to the excellent oxygen transferability of the catalyst. The introduction of CO 2 enhances the selectivity of ketones in the liquid product, especially 2,3-dimethyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one. The highest content of ketones in the liquid is 22.73%, which is about four times higher than that of the blank sample. In addition, the generation of CO in the syngas is promoted. This study provides an alternative way for the pyrolysis of biomass to prepare ketone platform compounds and syngas production. • A catalyst that can effectively promote cellulose decomposition is synthesized. • The high selectivity of ketones is obtained by CO 2 -assisted catalytic pyrolysis. • The optimal conditions for producing ketones and syngas are given. • A brief reaction pathway of CO 2 -assisted catalytic pyrolysis of cellulose is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a widespread mental disorder and has thrust a heavy burden on the health system all over the world. Social cognition and function are reported to be impaired in AUD, but its neural mechanism is rarely investigated. The current study attempts to fill this gap. 28 subjects with AUD and 36 healthy controls (HC) were recruited in this study and were paired into 14 AUD dyads and 18 HC dyads. The drinking problems, depression, anxiety, and impulsivity of subjects were measured. Each dyad completed cooperation and competition tasks with simultaneous frontal functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning recording. The inter-brain synchronization (IBS) in the frontal cortex was calculated for each dyad and compared between AUD and HC. The significantly altered IBS in AUD was correlated with clinical measures to explore possible influencing factors. The IBS in the right middle frontal cortex was significantly decreased in AUD under both cooperation (t = −2.257, P = 0.028) and competition (t = −2.488, P = 0.016) task. The IBS during the cooperation task in the right middle frontal cortex in AUD was negatively correlated with non-planning impulsivity (r = −0.673, P = 0.006). This study used cross-sectional data, which limited the causal inference. The synchronization between other brain regions besides the frontal cortex should be further explored in patients with AUD. The current study could provide new insights into the neural mechanism of social dysfunction in AUD and facilitate clinical intervention in future practice. • fNIRS hyperscanning was used to investigate the neural mechanism of social dysfunction in subjects with AUD. • The synchronization in the right middle frontal cortex between subjects with AUD was significantly decreased. • The decreased brain synchronization was significantly correlated with impulsivity. • The right middle frontal cortex may serve as an intervention target for social dysfunction in AUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upconversion luminescence materials have gained extensive attentions owing to their unique luminescence characteristics of converting near-infrared excitation to visible light emission. However, how to improve the doping concentration of activator (usually <3 mol%) in traditional sensitizer-activator system is still a great challenge due to the luminescence quenching effect. In this work, NaErF 4 crystals with diverse crystal phases and morphologies were prepared by simple hydrothermal method, constructing a 100% doping concentration system of activator (Er3+). With the increase of F− content, the phase of NaErF 4 transfers from cubic to hexagonal, and the morphology changes from nanospheres to hexagonal microflakes, meanwhile, the upconversion luminescence intensity also increases gradually. In addition, in order to further inhibit the luminescence quenching effect of NaErF 4 bare core, a series of NaErF 4 @SiO 2 core-shell samples with different SiO 2 shell thickness were successfully prepared. Compared with NaErF 4 bare core, the morphology and structure of the NaErF 4 @SiO 2 core-shell samples have no obvious change, but the UC luminescence intensity is significantly enhanced. Interestingly, the change of NaErF 4 crystal phase and SiO 2 shell thickness can both bring about multicolor luminescence. In addition, different from the traditional NaYF 4 :Yb, Er co-doping system, the as-prepared hydrophilic NaErF 4 and NaErF 4 @SiO 2 samples showed a greater red to green ratio (R/G > 1), which may expand their potential applications in biological imaging and sensing fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the variable water level area, hydraulic concrete structures are susceptible to variable temperature and alternating dry-wet cycles, especially for thin-walled structures. To elucidate alterations in the microstructure and strength of hydraulic concrete subjected to variable temperature dry-wet cycles, this paper firstly conducted a durability test on hydraulic concrete. Subsequently, CT scan images of the specimens are acquired during the variable temperature dry-wet cycle. Secondly, in view of the shortcomings of existing threshold methods for CT image pore segmentation, a new image segmentation method (RASLPSO-TV-Top-hat) is proposed by using Tensor voting and Top-hat technology, combined with a Reverse Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm with Self-Learning ability. The evolution process of pore structure (microcracks) of hydraulic concrete under the variable temperature dry-wet cycles is captured. Thirdly, an in-depth analysis is conducted on the compressive strength and acoustic emission characteristics. The analysis shows that with the number of cycles increases, there is a discernible interconnection among the pore structures. This interconnection leads to a noteworthy reduction in the compressive strength of the concrete. Additionally, the cumulative number of Acoustic Emission ringing events exhibits an initial rise followed by a subsequent decline. The study successfully identifies the patterns governing the deterioration of strength and microstructure evolution in hydraulic concrete. The mechanism underlying the decline in performance of hydraulic concrete under variable temperature dry-wet cycles is elucidated. It provides a reliable and valuable basis for the safety assessment of hydraulic concrete structures in the variable water level area. • We conduct a durability test of concrete under variable temperature dry-wet cycles. • We propose a new image segmentation method. • Pore structure, compressive strength and acoustic emission character are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-grade heat energy is enormous and widely distributed around the world, but it cannot be effectively converted to electricity owing to the small temperature difference and fluctuating heat source. As a promising technology that can convert low-grade heat energy into electricity while obtaining additional freshwater, thermo-osmotic energy conversion has attracted attentions of numerous researchers. However, traditional thermo-osmotic energy conversion technologies lack the utilization of the accompanying variation in salinity gradients throughout the process. In this study, a hybrid system was presented to achieve simultaneous freshwater production and electricity generation by combining thermo-osmosis system with a salinity gradient power recovery module. Continuous operation of the thermo-osmosis system will naturally produce a range of salinity differences, which will then be converted into electricity by the salinity gradient power recovery module. Our results show that this hybrid system can optimally increase the electricity output by ∼0.99 W m−2 over the conventional thermo-osmotic energy conversion system. Overall, our research demonstrates a promising device to harvest low-grade waste heat for co-generation of electricity and freshwater. This innovative approach has the potential to broaden the application possibilities of thermo-osmosis technology. • Salinity gradient recovery combined thermal-osmosis hybrid system was proposed. • A theoretical model was developed to predict electricity output of the system. • Comparing to traditional TOEC, increasing electricity output by ∼0.99 W m−2. • Co-generation of freshwater and electricity was achieved under real seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time perspective (TP) is a significant factor in the development of gaming disorder (GD), alongside self-esteem, social support, depression, and anxiety. However, the interactions between TP and these risk factors in influencing GD remain unclear. This study utilized network analysis to investigate the intercorrelations between TP and other risk factors and compared these intercorrelations between high-risk and low-risk gaming subgroups consisting of 605 college students who completed self-reported questionnaires. The findings highlighted the central roles of past negative TP and perceived social support from others in the network, as they exhibited the highest strength and expected influence centrality. Additionally, individuals at high risk for GD displayed weaker network strength and a distinct network structure compared to their low-risk counterparts, indicating compromised network stability and connection tightness. Notably, they exhibited reduced connections with present hedonistic and present fatalistic TP, as well as perceived social support from family and friends. These findings underscore the significance of addressing past negative experiences and an excessive focus on the present while expanding social support beyond online sources, in the clinical management of GD. Targeted interventions that target specific nodes in the network have the potential to improve treatment outcomes for individuals with GD. • Constructed a network between time perspective and other risk factors related to gaming disorder. • Compared the interplay difference between high-risk and low-risk gaming subgroups. • High-risk individuals had weaker network strength and distinct structure compared to low-risk ones in GD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• LSPR decay pathways in bimetallic core–shell structured nanoparticles are studied. • The non-plasmonic shell enables to weaken absorption channels of plasmonic core. • Fast inter-band electron transitions in shell preferentially dissipate LSPR energy. • A bigger imaginary part of the permittivity contributes to higher shell absorption. Exploring the energy transfer mechanisms and understanding the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) decay pathways of plasmas are of great importance for realizing effective composition adjustment and optimization of these novel solar energy materials. In this work, the absorption, scattering, and extinction decay channels of bimetallic core–shell nanostructures were calculated using the finite difference time domain method. Moreover, we separated the energy absorbed in the core and shell of the bimetallic nanoparticles to get a better understanding of the decay pathways of LSPR excited energy. Results indicated that the availability of fast inter-band electron transitions in shell metals is the way to preferentially dissipate the surface electric field energy of nanoparticles. It was supported in essence that the larger imaginary part of the permittivity value of the metal shell is crucial for accelerating the decay channel via the surface of the nanoparticle. This work provided a basic physical framework and transparent design principles for material selection of multifunctional LSPR nanoparticles in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]