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The RuM (M=Ni, Co) porous nanorods are prepared as efficient electrocatalysts for the HER. [Display omitted] • The RuM (M = Ni, Co) HNRs were synthesized via wet-chemical method and cation-etching approach. • The hollow nanorod structures effectively enriched the active sites with easy accessibility. • Ni/Co-doping optimized the electronic structure of Ru. • The RuM (M = Ni, Co) HNRs exhibited excellent HER catalytic performance and high stability. The development of efficient and stable nanomaterial electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is of great significance for renewable energy conversion via water electrolysis. Herein, we have developed a novel class of bimetallic RuM (M = Ni, Co) hollow nanorods (HNRs) through a facile Fe3+ etching strategy, as electrocatalysts for enhancing the HER. Morphological physical characterization and electrochemical tests demonstrated that RuM (M = Ni, Co) HNRs with hollow structures can effectively enhance electrocatalytic activity due to their high specific surface areas. Impressively, the RuNi HNRs exhibited superior HER performance with an overpotential of merely 25.6 mV in 1 M KOH solution at 10 mA cm−2, which is significantly lower than that of commercial Pt/C (44.7 mV). Moreover, the as prepared RuNi HNRs showed excellent stability and could continuously work at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for 40 h with a negligible increase in potential. The Ru-based HNRs also showed high HER activity in an acidic solution. This study paves a new way for the universal fabrication of bimetallic hollow structured nanomaterials as efficient electrocatalysts for boosting the HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) are essential trace elements for humans, yet excessive exposure to Mn or Fe can accumulate in the central nervous system (CNS) and cause neurotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Mn and Fe exposure, alone or in combination, on inducing oxidative stress-induced neurological damage in rat cortical and SH-SY5Y cells, and to determine whether combined exposure to these metals increases their individual toxicity. SH-SY5Y cells and male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to observe the effects of oxidative stress-induced neurological damage induced by exposure to manganese and iron alone or in combination. To detect the expression of anti-oxidative stress-related proteins, Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1, and the apoptosis-related proteins, Bcl2 and Bax, and the neurological damage-related protein, α-syn. To detect reactive oxygen species generation and apoptosis. To detect the expression of the rat cortical protein Nrf2. To detect the production of proinflammatory cytokines. We demonstrate that juvenile developmental exposure to Mn and Fe and their combination impairs cognitive performance in rats by inducing oxidative stress causing neurodegeneration in the cortex. Mn, Fe, and their combined exposure increased the expression of ROS, Bcl2, Bax, and α-syn, activated the inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-12, inhibited the activities of SOD and GSH, and induced oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration both in rats and SH-SY5Y cells. Combined Mn-Fe exposure attenuated the oxidative stress induced by Mn and Fe exposure alone by increasing the expression of antioxidant factors Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1. In both in vivo and in vitro studies, manganese and iron alone or in combination induced oxidative stress, leading to neuronal damage. In contrast, combined exposure to manganese and iron mitigated the oxidative stress induced by exposure to manganese and iron alone by increasing the expression of antioxidant factors. Therefore, studies to elucidate the main causes of toxicity and establish the molecular mechanisms of toxicity should help to develop more effective therapeutic modalities in the future. • We investigated the effects of manganese and iron and their combined exposure on neurological damage. • We investigated the effects of manganese, iron, and their combined exposure on oxidative stress. • We investigated the effects of manganese, iron, and their combined exposure on the expression of the Nrf2/HO-1/NQO1. • We investigated the antagonistic effect between manganese and iron in vivo and in vitro [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Our study first applied a novel similarity network method (MIND) to investigate the intricate interplay between brain macrostructure abnormalities and specific transcriptional expression patterns for EOS patients. • Major MIND differences of EOS patients focused on the orbitofrontal cortex, pericalcarine cortex, lingual gyrus, and multiple networks. • PLS2- genes were enriched in metabolism-related pathways, specific astrocytes, cortical layers, and posterior developmental stages. • PLS2+ genes were enriched in synapses signaling-related pathways and early developmental stages but not in special cell types or layers. Early-onset Schizophrenia (EOS) is a profoundly progressive psychiatric disorder characterized by both positive and negative symptoms, whose pathogenesis is influenced by genes, environment and brain structure development. In this study, the MIND (Morphometric Inverse Divergence) network was employed to explore the relationship between morphological similarity and specific transcriptional expression patterns in EOS patients. This study involved a cohort of 187 participants aged between 7 and 17 years, consisting of 97 EOS patients and 90 healthy controls (HC). Multiple morphological features were used to construct the MIND network for all participants. Furthermore, we explored the associations between MIND network and brain-wide gene expression in EOS patients through partial least squares (PLS) regression, shared genetic predispositions with other psychiatric disorders, functional enrichment of PLS weighted genes, as well as transcriptional signature assessment of cell types, cortical layers, and developmental stages. The MIND showed similarity differences in the orbitofrontal cortex, pericalcarine cortex, lingual gyrus, and multiple networks in EOS patients compared to HC. Moreover, our exploration revealed a significant overlap of PLS2 weighted genes linking to EOS-related MIND differences and the dysregulated genes reported in other psychiatric diseases. Interestingly, genes correlated with MIND changes (PLS2-) exhibited a significant enrichment not only in metabolism-related pathways, but also in specific astrocytes, cortical layers (specifically layer I and III), and posterior developmental stages (late infancy to young adulthood stages). However, PLS2+ genes were primarily enriched in synapses signaling-related pathways and early developmental stages (from early-mid fetal to neonatal early infancy) but not in special cell types or layers. These findings provide a novel perspective on the intricate relationship between macroscopic morphometric structural abnormalities and microscopic transcriptional patterns during the onset and progression of EOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the selective autocatalytic reduction of NO by NH 3 combined with multi-metal oxides in the hot sintered ore was studied, and the catalytic activity of the hot sintered ore was investigated as a function of temperature, NH 3 /NO ratio, O 2 content, H 2 O and SO 2 . The experimental results indicated that the hot sintered ore, when combined with NH 3 , had a maximum denitration efficiency of 37.67% at 450 °C, 3000 h −1 gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) and a NH 3 /NO ratio of 0.4/1. Additionally, it was found that O 2 played an important role in removing NO x . However, high O 2 content had a negative effect on NO reduction. H 2 O was found to promote the denitration efficiency in the absence of SO 2 , while SO 2 inhibited the catalytic activity of the sintered ore. In the presence of H 2 O and SO 2 , the catalytic activity of the sintered ore was dramatically suppressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Direct reduction of ester to ether requires Brønsted acid site close to metal site. • Strong Brønsted acid sites promote cleavage of the C O bond of ester. • Kinetically relevant C O bond cleavage on Brønsted acid sites for ether formation. Esters represent an important class of reagents and intermediates for the production of fine chemicals and polymers. In prior studies of homogeneous catalysis, molecular complexes have been reported to selectively cleave either carbonyl C O or acyl C O bonds of ester to ether or alcohols, respectively. In contrast, reactions of esters and H 2 upon heterogeneous catalysts typically cleave acyl C O bonds and produce alcohols. Here, we demonstrate that the proximity of Brønsted acid sites to Pd nanoparticles and the thermodynamic strength of these Brønsted acid sites influence the rates and selectivities toward C O bond cleavage pathways either to ethers or alcohols during reactions of esters over bifunctional solid catalysts. The combined results from rate measurements as functions of H 2 pressure, ester conversion, and methods to combine Pd nanoparticles and acidic supports; kinetic isotope effects; in situ Brønsted acid site titrations; and calorimetric assessments of Brønsted acid strength provide evidence for bifunctional pathways that require proximity between Brønsted acid sites and Pd atoms to form ethers. These findings suggest that Brønsted acid sites near Pd nanoparticles and with lower deprotonation energies promote the direct reduction of esters to ethers by cleaving the carbonyl C O bond. Taken together, these data indicate that direct reduction of esters to ethers involves the hydrogenation of the ester reactant to form hemiacetal at Pd nanoparticles, followed by dehydration of the hemiacetal at proximal acid sites, and subsequent hydrogenation of the enol ether. In comparison, hydrogenolysis of acyl C O bonds of the ester reactant involves the reaction of a hydrogenated intermediate (plausibly hemiacetal) upon Pd nanoparticles to form the corresponding alcohol and aldehyde products. Among the materials examined, Pd nanoparticles supported on WO 3 catalyze the direct reduction of esters and lactones to corresponding ethers and remain stable over extended periods of time on stream (∼42 h). These findings offer a foundation for further design and improvement of heterogeneous catalysts for the selective reduction of esters and other challenging hydrogenations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, several experiments were carried out to study the environmental behavior and influencing factors of glyphosate (PMG) in peach orchard ecosystem. The results of field experiments showed that PMG and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) were detected in peach tree leaves and peach tree fruits, although PMG was only sprayed on the soil. The residues of PMG and AMPA in peach tree leaves were ~0.1 mg/kg and ~0.5 mg/kg and in peach tree fruits were ~0.01 mg/kg and 0.07–0.11 mg/kg, respectively. By conducting a series of laboratory simulation experiments, the environmental factors affecting the degradation of PMG were screened and evaluated. The results showed that PMG metabolized much faster in loess soil than red soil and black soil (with the DT 50 of 11.6 days, 62.4 days, and 34.1 days, respectively). By analyzing the basic properties of the soil, we investigated the effects of pH, moisture content, organic matter (exogenous biochar) and ambient temperature using orthogonal experiments, and the results were further confirmed by microbial experiment. The results showed that alkaline conditions (pH = 7.8/9), high water content (25%) and microorganisms could promote the degradation of PMG. Sterile soil environment had a negative impact on the metabolic behavior of PMG to AMPA. Image 1 • Glyphosate was metabolized into AMPA in soil and migrated to peach leaves and fruits. • The fastest degradation of glyphosate in loess soil compared to red and black soil. • PH and moisture were the main factors affecting the rapid degradation of glyphosate. • Microorganisms could promote the degradation of PMG and transformation to AMPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The excessive secretion of H 2 O 2 within cells is closely associated with cellular dysfunction. Therefore, high sensitivity in situ detection of H 2 O 2 released from living cells was valuable in clinical diagnosis. In the present work, a novel electrochemical cells sensing platform by synthesizing copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) at room temperature based on DNA nanoribbon (DNR) as a template (DNR-CuNCs). The tight and ordered arrangement of nanostructured assemblies of DNR-CuNCs conferred the sensor with superior stability (45 days) and electrochemical performance. The MUC1 aptamer extending from the DNR template enabled the direct capture MCF-7 cells on electrode surface, this facilitated real-time monitoring of H 2 O 2 release from stimulated MCF-7 cells. While the captured MCF-7 cells on the electrode surface significantly amplified the current signal of H 2 O 2 release compared with the traditional electrochemical detection H 2 O 2 released signal by MCF-7 cells in PBS solution. The approach provides an effective strategy for the design of versatile sensors and achieving monitored cell release of H 2 O 2 in long time horizon (10 h). Thereby expanding the possibilities for detecting biomolecules from live cells in clinical diagnosis and biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] This work presented a new concept for designing dual-chamber self-healing microcapsules, which encapsulated both healing and curing species within a single microcapsule via Pickering emulsion photopolymerization. In our strategy, robust SiO 2 spheres encapsulating curing agent were firstly synthesized and used as Pickering emulsifiers to prepare emulsions loaded with self-healing agent and photo-curable monomer. Upon exposure to UV light, the photo-curable monomer underwent photo-crosslinking and converted into microcapsules wall. In the meanwhile, the SiO 2 spheres encapsulating curing agent were trapped in the microcapsule wall. The dual-chamber microcapsule which loaded the healing agent in its core and curing agent within its shell, was thus prepared. The presence of both the encapsulated healing and curing agent within a single capsule was demonstrated by infrared spectrometry and thermogravimetric analysis. Upon fracture, the healing agent and curing agent are released simultaneously from the dual-chamber microcapsule, which facilitates the interaction of the two agents, and enhances the healing efficiency. Up to 85% healing efficiency of the epoxy resin was achieved in 1 h, which was much higher than that of the traditional double microcapsules self-healing system (65%), demonstrating the excellent self-healing performance of the dual-chamber microcapsules. It has been demonstrated that the coating based on dual-chamber microcapsule presented reliable and outstanding self-healing anti-corrosion efficiency. By changing the species of healing agent, curing agent and wall substances (photo-curable monomer), the as-prepared dual-chamber microcapsules can meet different requirements of versatile self-healing system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery of phosphorus (P) through vivianite crystallization offers a promising approach for resource utilization in wastewater treatment plants. However, this process encounters challenges in terms of small product size and low purity. The study aimed to assess the feasibility of using quartz sand as a seed material to enhance P recovery and vivianite crystal characteristics from anaerobic fermentation supernatant. Various factors, including seed dosage, seed size, Fe/P ratio, and pH, were systematically tested in batch experiments to assess their influence. Results demonstrated that the effect of seed enhancement on vivianite crystallization was more pronounced under higher seed dosages, smaller seed sizes, and lower pH or Fe/P ratio. The addition of seeds increased P recovery by 4.43% in the actual anaerobic fermentation supernatant and also augmented the average particle size of the recovered product from 19.57 to 39.28 μm. Moreover, introducing quartz sand as a seed material effectively reduced co-precipitation, leading to a notable 12.5% increase in the purity of the recovered vivianite compared to the non-seeded process. The formation of an ion adsorption layer on the surface of quartz sand facilitated crystal attachment and growth, significantly accelerating the vivianite crystallization rate and enhancing P recovery. The economic analysis focused on chemical costs further affirmed the economic viability of using quartz sand as a seed material for P recovery through vivianite crystallization, which provides valuable insights for future research and engineering applications. [Display omitted] • Quartz sand as seed material increased P recovery in anaerobic fermentation supernatant. • Seed-induced vivianite crystallization was enhanced at higher seed doses, smaller seed sizes, and lower pH or Fe/P ratios. • Quartz sand as seed material improved vivianite purity through reduced co-precipitation. • Quartz sand as seed material for vivianite crystallization was economically feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing atomically defective adsorbents with high specific surface area has emerged as a promising approach to improve sorption properties. Herein, hierarchical porous boron nitride nanosheets with boron vacancies (Bv-BNNSs) were in-situ synthesized via a one-step ZnCl 2 -assisted strategy. Being benefitted from the dual-functional template of zinc salt, highly-active boron vacancies and abundant hierarchical pores were simultaneously generated in the Bv-BNNSs framework. By employing the boron vacancies engineering strategy, the morphological and electronic structures were controllably tuned. Meanwhile, the specific surface area was improved to as high as 1104 m2/g. Owning to the abundance of accessible surface active-sites, the sorption capacity to antibiotic tetracycline (TC) on Bv-BNNSs was boosted by 38% compared to the pristine boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs). Detailed fitting results showed that TC sorption on Bv-BNNSs obeyed the pseudo-second order kinetic equation and the Freundlich isotherm model. The pi − pi interaction with a multi-layered stacking form was proposed as the dominated sorption mechanism. Furthermore, DFT calculations verified that the interaction energy between Bv-BNNSs and TC was enhanced. The high activity, excellent selectivity, and remarkable durability of the Bv-BNNSs nanomaterial suggest the great potential in practical wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is a fine chemical and has been widely used in the cosmetics industry. In this work, DHA was synthesized with high selectivity over Au catalysts, also supported by Cu-Zr mixed oxide calcined at different temperatures. The effects of the calcination temperature of supports on the properties and catalytic performance for glycerol oxidation to dihydroxyacetone were also studied. BET and CO 2 -TPD measurements demonstrated that the increase in the support calcination temperature reduced the specific surface area of the catalyst and further reduced the surface basic sites of the catalysts. With increased support calcination temperature, the surface content of Au0 and the dispersion of Au first increase until the calcination temperature of the support was 600 °C and then decrease. It was also observed that the glycerol conversion is positively correlated with the surface content of Au0 and the dispersion of Au, while upon the increase of the amount of the basic sites, the catalytic activity increases first and then decreases. The suitable support calcination temperature is beneficial for the conversion of glycerol, and the best catalytic performance is obtained when the calcination temperature is 600 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe single atoms anchored on N and S co-doped porous carbon matrix (Fe/NS-C) is fabricated via pyrolysis of rationally prepared Fe/ZIF-8@TCA composite. Benefiting from the hollow porous structure and the modulated coordination environment of Fe sites, the resultant Fe/NS-C electrocatalyst proves enhanced catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction as well as good stability. [Display omitted] Fe-, and N-co-doped carbon (Fe N C) electrocatalysts are promising alternatives to Pt-based catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR); however, simultaneously enhancing their intrinsic activity and exposure of Fe active sites remains challenging. Herein, we report S-modified Fe single-atom catalysts (SACs) anchored on N,S-co-doped hollow porous nanocarbon (Fe/NS-C) for ORR. The unique hollow structure and large surface area of the SACs are favorable for mass/electron transport and exposure of Fe single-atom active sites. The as-prepared Fe/NS-C electrocatalysts display a high-efficiency ORR activity with a half-wave potential of 0.893 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode and exceed that of the benchmark commercial Pt/C catalyst as well as most reported transition-metal based SACs. Impressively, the Fe/NS-C-based Al-air battery (AAB) displays a high open circuit voltage of 1.48 V, a maximum power density of 140.16 mW cm−2, and satisfactory durability, outperforming commercial Pt/C-based AAB. Furthermore, Fe/NS-C exhibits considerable potential as a cathode catalyst for application in direct methanol fuel cells. Experimental and theoretical calculation results reveal that the excellent ORR performance of Fe/NS-C can be contributed to the highly active FeN 3 S sites and the unique hollow structure. This work provides new insights into the rational design and synthesis high-performance ORR electrocatalysts for energy conversion and storage devices. of employing ZIF-8 as precursors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Five isomorphic lanthanide metal-organic frameworks constructed from 5-(3-carboxy-phenyl)-pyridine-2-carboxylic acid (H 2 cppca) and oxalate (H 2 ox), {[Ln 2 (cppca) 2 (ox)(H 2 O) 2 ]·2H 2 O} n [Ln = Eu (1), Gd (2), Nd (3), Pr (4),Tb (5)] have been successfully synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X ray diffraction, elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and powder X-ray diffraction. In compounds 1–5, inorganic helical Ln-O chain and cppca2- anions are interconnected to form a one-dimension (1D) helical metal-organic chain, then 1D metal-organic chains are linked into a three-dimension achiral network with 1D channel of 6.31 × 10.13 Å2, showing an unprecedented (4,5)-connected topology net with Schlafli symbol {44.62}{44.64.82}. Fluorescent experiment indicated that compounds 1 and 5 show sensitive luminescence quenching response to aniline, and the corresponding quenching constants (K sv) are 2.81 × 104 M−1 and 3.14 × 104 M−1, respectively. The detection limits of aniline are 3.06 μM for 1 and 2.29 μM for 5. Moreover, compounds 1 and 5 are very stable and their reusability is relatively high and the fluorescence can be easily recovered after washing. Graphical abstract Five isomorphic lanthanide metal-organic frameworks based on a combination of polytypic carboxylates and selective turn-off fluorescence sensing for aniline fx1 Highlights • Five lanthanide compounds based on a combination of polytypic carboxylates are obtained. • Compounds 1–5 show an unprecedented (4,5)-connected topology net. • Compounds 1 and 5 show selective fluorescence sensing for aniline. • The quenching mechnism caused by aniline was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, yet effective treatment is lacking. Moreover, the underlying pathomechanisms of ALS remain unclear, with impaired mitophagy function being increasingly recognized as a contributing factor. FUN14 domain-containing protein 1 (FUNDC1) is an autophagy receptor localized to the outer mitochondrial membrane and a mitochondrial membrane protein that mediates mitophagy and therefore considered as important factor in neurodegenerative diseases. However, its specific role in ALS is not yet clear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the regulatory role of FUNDC1 in ALS and determine its regulatory mechanisms. ALS transgenic mice were obtained and maintained under standard conditions. Cell lines were generated by stable transfection with hSOD1G93A or control vectors. Mice received intrathecal injections of AAV9 vectors expressing FUNDC1 or EGFP. Motor function was assessed through behavioral tests, and histological and immunostaining analyses were performed. Colocalization analysis was conducted in transfected cells, and protein expression was evaluated via western blotting. We first observed that FUNDC1 was significantly downregulated in the spinal cord tissues of SOD1G93A mice. FUNDC1 overexpression considerably improved locomotor activity and prolonged survival time in SOD1G93A mice. Mechanistically, reduced expression of FUNDC1 resulted in decreased mitophagy, as indicated by decreased recruitment through LC3 in SOD1G93A mice and cellular models. Consequently, this led to increased mitochondrial accumulation and cell apoptosis, exacerbating the ALS phenotype. Furthermore, we identified transcription factor FOXD3 as an essential upstream factor of FUNDC1, resulting in reduced transcription of FUNDC1 in ALS lesions. This study suggests a novel strategy of targeting FUNDC1-mediated mitophagy for developing therapeutic interventions to mitigate disease progression and improve outcomes for ALS patients. • FUNDC1 plays a crucial role in spinal cord neuronal apoptosis in ALS. • FUNDC1 modulates mitophagy and ensures mitochondrial quality. • FUNDC1 overexpression considerably improved locomotor activity in SOD1G93A mice. • FUNDC1 overexpression prolonged survival time in SOD1G93A mice. • FUNDC1 may be a novel therapeutic target for ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterotrophic-sulfur autotrophic denitrification (HAD) has been proposed to be a prospective nitrogen removal process. In this work, the potential of fermentation liquid (FL) from waste-activated sludge (WAS) as the electron donor for denitrification in the HAD system was explored and compared with other conventional carbon sources. Results showed that when FL was used as a carbon source, over 99% of NO 3 −-N was removed and its removal rate exceeded 14.00 mg N/g MLSS/h, which was significantly higher than that of methanol and propionic acid. The produced sulfate was below the limit value and the emission of N 2 O was low (1.38% of the NO 3 −-N). Microbial community analysis showed that autotrophic denitrifiers were predominated in the HAD system, in which Thiobacillus (16.4%) was the dominant genus. The economic analysis showed the cost of the FL was 0.062 €/m3, which was 30% lower than that in the group dosed with methanol. Our results demonstrated the FL was a promising carbon source for the HAD system, which could reduce carbon emission and cost, and offer a creative approach for waste-activated sludge resource reuse. [Display omitted] • Waste activated sludge FL could be an alternative carbon source for HAD systems. • FL achieved higher NO 3 −-N removal rate compared to methanol and propionic acid. • Low N 2 O emissions were achieved in the HAD systems used FL as carbon source. • The cost of the FL as carbon source was 30% lower than that of methanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel electrocatalyst of ZnS anchored on an N,S-codoped carbon support (ZnS/NSC-NaCl) is fabricated via a vulcanization-assisted methodology. ZnS/NSC-NaCl is used for highly efficient oxygen reduction reaction and Al-air battery. [Display omitted] The development of non-precious based oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with outstanding catalytic performance is desirable but still a grand challenge for practical Al-air battery. Herein, we report a vulcanization-assisted pyrolysis strategy for creating zeolitic imidazolate framework-derived catalysts with a N, S co-doped carbon support and highly exposed ZnS and Zn-N x sites. The trithiocyanuric acid (TCA) is found not only to introduce S into the carbon derived from ZIF-8 and ZnS to adjust the electronic structure of carbon matrix during the pyrolysis, but also result in a shrinkage of carbon framework with a hierarchical porous structure. Such an architecture boosts abundant active sites exposed and accelerates remote mass transportation. As a result, the optimized 3.5ZnS/NSC-NaCl-900 delivers an impressive enhanced performance toward ORR in alkaline medium with a high half-wave potential of 0.905 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode), which is superior to most of non-precious metal-based catalysts. Density functional theory calculations unveil that the ZnS in 3.5ZnS/NSC-NaCl-900 can effectively lower the Gibbs energy barrier of crucial steps and therefore promotes the reaction kinetics. Furthermore, 3.5ZnS/NSC-NaCl-900 also displ ays greater power density and specific capacity than Pt/C in Al-air batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Detailed mechanisms for non-oxidative dehydrogenation of propane were mapped out. • d 2- d 8 transition metals were comparably studied. • C-H activation barrier is correlated with HOMO propane -LUMO catalyst gap. • Lower LUMO catalyst –HOMO propane gap, higher activity of the catalyst. Non-oxidative dehydrogenation of propane is a potential route to produce more valuable chemical feedstock propene. Understanding of the catalytic origin is essential for high performance catalysts design. Herein, the detailed mechanisms for non-oxidative dehydrogenation of propane catalysed by silica supported vanadium are systematically studied to elucidate a possible reaction network, in which the stepwise dissociative C-H bond activation is consistently most favourable. Consequently, stepwise dissociative C-H bond activation is used to investigate the d 2– d 8 transition metal-catalysed non-oxidative dehydrogenation of propane. Frontier orbital analysis reveals that non-oxidative dehydrogenation of propane originates from the interaction between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of propane and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the catalysts, indicating that the smaller the gap between the HOMO and LUMO, the higher the reaction activity. Moreover, the largest energy barriers for these reactions correlate with the LUMO catalyst –HOMO propane gap. A lower LUMO catalyst –HOMO propane gap leads to a lower reaction barrier and higher activity of the catalyst. This study provides a new strategy of theoretical catalyst design for non-oxidative propane dehydrogenation by modulating the gap between the HOMO of propane and the LUMO of catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Proximate metal and Brønsted acid sites reduce esters to ethers. • Kinetically relevant C = O bond hydrogenation on metal nanoparticles form hemiacetals. • Increasing the metal to acid ratio increases rates for ester reduction pathways. • Increasing Pt weight loading blocks access to the Brønsted acid site. Ethers are highly desirable commodities in food, cosmetics, rubber, and coatings due to their low chemical reactivity, stability, and miscibility with other organic solvents. The direct reduction of esters to ethers by reactions with H 2 provides a pathway to create nonsymmetrical ethers from biomass-derived esters. Propyl acetate (PA) and H 2 react over platinum nanoparticles supported on Brønsted acidic faujasite zeolite (Pt-FAU) by two primary pathways: hydrogenation to form ethyl propyl ether and water and hydrogenolysis to form acetaldehyde and propanol. Here, we evaluate how rates and selectivities for these pathways depend on the ratios of the metal to Brønsted acid sites and the densities of Brønsted acid sites within Pt-FAU. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy of adsorbed CO show that Pt species exist in a metallic state in the presence of H 2 at elevated temperatures. The vibrational frequencies of chemisorbed CO on surface Pt atoms (Pt s) do not vary significantly with differences in Pt contents or Brønsted acid site (H+) density. Temperature programmed reactions of amines protonated upon Brønsted acid sites demonstrate that the fractions of Brønsted acid sites accessible to organic reactants decrease with increasing Pt content, which implies intimate contact between Pt nanoparticles and acid sites. Comparisons between electron microscopy and rate measurements indicate that the proximity between Pt and H+ matters even when Pt nanoparticles appear to be within pores. Even though rates for reactions between PA and H 2 over Pt-FAU decrease significantly during the initial use of the catalysts, analysis of initial rates provides mechanistic insight into elementary steps that determine rates. Initial hydrogenation rates increase by 13-fold, and hydrogenolysis rates increase by 33-fold when the atomic ratio of Pt s to H+ increases from 0.08 to 0.6. Hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis rates increase with Pt s density but do not correlate with H+ densities, which indicates kinetically relevant steps occur on Pt sites. These elementary steps likely involve the formation of hydrogenated intermediates (i.e., hemiacetal) that diffuse and react rapidly upon Brønsted acid sites, which generates intraparticle hemiacetal gradients. These correlations confirm that ester reduction rates and selectivities depend sensitively on the metal to acid ratio and proximity between these functions in a manner reminiscent of bifunctional catalysts used for hydroisomerization and hydrocracking catalysis. Consequently, increasing the number of stable Pt sites close to H+ sites should increase rates per mass catalyst by increasing the concentration of hemiacetals at Brønsted acid sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method is presented herein for the design of wood bio-adhesives using sewage sludge extracts (SSE). SSE was extracted from SS using deep eutectic solvents and processed with glycerol triglycidyl ether (GTE) to disrupt the secondary structure of proteins. An additive was also used to improve mechanical performance. The resulting bio-adhesive (SSE/GTE@TA) had a wet shear strength of 0.93 MPa, meeting the Chinese national standard GB/T 9846–2015 (≥0.7 MPa). However, the high polysaccharide content in SSE would weaken the mechanical properties of wood bio-adhesives. The key to improve bio-adhesive quality was the formation of a strong chemical bond via Maillard reaction as well as higher temperatures (140 °C) to reduce polysaccharide content via dehydration. This approach has lower environmental impact and higher economic efficiency compared to incineration and anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. This work provides a new perspective on the high-value utilization of SS and offers a novel approach to developing bio-adhesives for the wood industry. [Display omitted] • Wood bio-adhesives preparation from sewage sludge proteins (SSP). • Bio-adhesives (SSP/GTE@TA) with wet shear strength of 0.93 MPa. • Bio-adhesive quality was improved via reducing polysaccharide content via dehydration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, humic acid (HA) enhanced 17β-estradiol (17β-E2) degradation by Er3+-CdS/MoS 2 (ECMS) was investigated under ultrasonic and light conditions. The degradation reaction rate of 17β-E2 was increased from (14.414 ± 0.315) × 10−3 min−1 to (122.677 ± 1.729) × 10−3 min−1 within 90 min sonophotocatalytic (SPC) reaction with the addition of HA. The results of quenching coupled with chemical probe experiments indicated that more reactive intermediates (RIs) including reactive oxygen species (ROSs) and triplet-excited states were generated in the HA-enhanced sonophotocatalytic system. The triplet-excited states of humic acid (3HA*), hydroxyl radical (•OH), and superoxide radical (•O 2 −) were the dominant RIs for 17β-E2 elimination. In addition, the energy- and electron-transfer process via coexisting HA also account for 12.86% and 29.24% contributions, respectively. The quantum yields of RIs in the SPC-ECMS-HA system followed the order of 3HA* > H 2 O 2 >1O 2 > •O 2 −> •OH. Moreover, the spectral and fluorescence characteristics of HA were further analyzed during the sonophotocatalytic reaction process. The study expanded new insights into the comprehension of the effects of omnipresent coexisting HA and RIs formation for the removal of 17β-E2 during the sonophotocatalytic process. [Display omitted] • Coexisting humic acid (HA) could enhance the generation of reactive intermediates (RIs) in the sonophotocatalytic system. • The triplet-excited states of HA,.•OH, and •O 2 − were the dominant RIs for 17β-E2 elimination. • The HA-mediated electron- and energy-transfer process occupy 29.24% and 12.86% contributions. • The quantum yields of RIs followed the order of 3HA* > H 2 O 2 >1O 2 >.•O 2 − > •OH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sunlight-driven hydrogen production from water splitting, assisted with the commonly used Pt/TiO 2 catalyst, is a promising way to store clean and renewable energy. However, the photocatalytic activity of Pt/TiO 2 is limited owing to the agglomeration of Pt atoms. Herein, we successfully synthesized a Pt/TiO 2 catalyst, where Pt is atomically and selectively dispersed on the (1 0 1) facets of nanosized TiO 2 single crystals. A remarkably higher photocatalytic activity for H 2 evolution together with a considerable stability was observed as compared to commonly used Pt/TiO 2 . This study demonstrates a promising way to achieve atomically dispersed highly-active catalyst for water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vivianite crystallization has been regarded as a suitable option for recovering phosphorus (P) from P-containing wastewater. However, the presence of humic substances (HS) would inevitably affect the formation of vivianite crystals. Therefore, the influences of HS on vivianite crystallization and the changes in the harvested vivianite crystals were investigated in this study. The results suggested the inhibition effect of 70 mg/L HS on vivianite crystallization reached 12.24%, while it could be attenuated by increasing the pH and Fe/P ratio of the solution. Meanwhile, the addition of HS altered the size, purity, and morphology of recovered vivianite crystals due to the blockage of the growth sites on the crystal surface. Additionally, the formation of phosphate ester group, hydrogen bonding, and COOH–Fe2+ complexes are the potential mechanisms of HS interaction with vivianite crystals. The results obtained herein will help to elucidate the underlying mechanism of HS on vivianite crystallization from P-containing wastewater. [Display omitted] • Humic substances (HS) inhibited phosphorus recovery and vivianite growth. • The presence of HS changed size, morphology, and purity of vivianite crystals. • Increasing pH and Fe/P ratio mitigated the inhibitory effect of HS on vivianite crystallization. • Phosphate ester group, hydrogen bonding, and COOH–Fe2+ complexes were mainly responsible for the interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at evaluating the safety of Staphylococcus epidermidis YTPW-4 isolated from strong flavor Daqu and its beneficial functional characteristics in Baijiu -making. The content of ethyl caproate catalyzed by crude enzyme solution of Staphylococcus epidermidis YTPW-140 was 583.09 mg/100 mL, and the activity of esterase was 2.13 U/mL. Vancomycin, erythromycin, and gentam were sensitive to the strain, which was negative for the causative gene, hemolytic activity, and biofilm formation capacity. In addition, the strain was selected for laboratory-scale fermentation using HS-SPME-GCMS and statistical analysis to confirm its role in the production of flavor compounds. Propyl-3-methylbutyrate, hexanoic acid, and ethyl acetate had higher contents after fermentation than other flavor compounds, at 530.40 μg/L, 471.07 μg/L, and 297.33 μg/L, respectively. There was also a small amount of ethyl hexanoate in these products. Esterase could increase the levels of short-chain free fatty acids, which were precursors of flavor compounds. Most importantly, the isolate maintained viability under simulated pit conditions, and was resistant to pH 3.5 and 8% ethanol. These results indicated that the strain had the potential to be used as a starter to improve the quality of Nongxiangxing baijiu. [Display omitted] • Staphylococci are commonly detected in Daqu. • Staphylococcus epidermidis YTPW-4 showed high esterase activity. • Safety assessment and functional properties of S. epidermidis YTPW-4 were evaluated. • S. epidermidis YTPW-4 is suitable as starter culture in Nongxiangxing baijiu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excess sludge management is a restrictive factor for the development of municipal wastewater treatment plants. The addition of metabolic uncouplers has been proven to be effective in sludge reduction. However, the long-term effect of metabolic uncoupler o-chlorophenol (oCP) on the biological wastewater treatment system operated in anaerobic-oxic mode is still unclear. To this end, two parallel reactors operated in anaerobic-oxic mode with and without 10 mg/L of oCP addition were investigated for 91 days. The results showed that 56.1 ± 2.3% of sludge reduction was achieved in the oCP-added system, and the nitrogen and phosphorus removal ability were negatively affected. Dosing oCP stimulated the formation of microbial products and increased the DNA concentration, but resulted in a decrease in the electronic transport activity of activated sludge. Microbial community analysis further demonstrated that a significant reduction of bacterial richness and diversity occurred after oCP dosing. However, after stopping oCP addition, the pollutant removal ability of activated sludge was gradually increased, but the sludge yield, as well as species richness and diversity, did not recover to the previous level. This study will provide insightful guidance on the long-term application of metabolic uncouplers in the activated sludge system. [Display omitted] • Sludge reduction of 56.1% was achieved in the o-chlorophenol (oCP)-added system. • oCP addition stimulated the microbial products formation of activated sludge. • The species richness and diversity were reduced with oCP addition. • The sludge yield, as well as species richness and diversity, did not recover after stopping oCP addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel FeVO 4 /BiVO 4 heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized by hydrothermal method. The FeVO 4 /BiVO 4 nanostructures were characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS, UV–vis, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The effects of catalyst dosage, contaminant concentration, initial hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) concentration, and pH value on the degradation of levofloxacin were investigated and several repeated experiments were conducted to evaluate the stability and reproducibility. The optimized process parameters were used for mineralization experiments. Reactive oxygen species, degradation intermediates, and possible catalytic mechanisms were also investigated. The results showed that the sonophotocatalytic performance of the FeVO 4 /BiVO 4 heterojunction catalyst was better than that of sonocatalysis and photocatalysis. In addition, the Type II heterojunction formed by the material still had good stability in the degradation of levofloxacin after 5 cycles. The possible degradation pathway and mechanism of levofloxacin by sonophotocatalysis were put forward. This work develops new sono-photo hybrid process for potential application in the field of wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chunk decomposition, which requires the mental representation transformation in accordance with behavioral goals, is of vital importance to problem solving and creative thinking. Previous studies have identified that the frontal, parietal, and occipital cortex in the cognitive control network selectively activated in response to chunk tightness, however, functional localization strategy may overlook the interaction brain regions. Based on the notion of a global brain network, we proposed that multiple specialized regions have to be interconnected to maintain goal representation during the course of chunk decomposition. Therefore, the present study applied a beta-series correlation method to investigate interregional functional connectivity in the event-related design of chunk decomposition tasks using Chinese characters, which would highlight critical nodes irrespective to chunk tightness. The results reveal a network of functional hubs with highly within or between module connections, including the orbitofrontal cortex, superior/inferior parietal lobule, hippocampus, and thalamus. We speculate that the thalamus integrates information across modular as an integrative hub while the orbitofrontal cortex tracks the mental states of chunk decomposition on a moment-to-moment basis. The superior and inferior parietal lobule collaborate to manipulate the mental representation of chunk decomposition and the hippocampus associates the relationship between elements in the question and solution phase. Furthermore, the tightness of chunks is not only associated with different processors in visual systems but also leads to increased intermodular connections in right superior frontal gyrus and left precentral gyrus. To summary up, the present study first reveals the task-modulated brain network of chunk decomposition in addition to the tightness-related nodes in the frontal and occipital cortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method for algal community restructuring is proposed, where harmful algae growth is inhibited through the addition of remedial nano-agent, while probiotic algae growth is promoted or only affected indistinctively. In this paper, the inhibiting effects of five different nanomaterials on Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) and Cyclotella sp. were studied, and the optimal nanomaterial was served as algae-inhibition ingredient of the remedial agent. The effects of the remedial agent on algal growth and their physiological characteristics were investigated, and the restructuring of algal community in actual water samples was explored. The results indicated that the inhibition ratio of 10 mg/L nm-Cu 2 O/SiO 2 on M. aeruginosa and Cyclotella sp. could reach 293.1% and 82.8% respectively, acting as the best candidate for algae-inhibiting ingredient. After adding the remedial nano-agent made with nm-Cu 2 O/SiO 2 , the content of chlorophyll a , protein, and polysaccharides of M. aeruginosa decreased sharply, while the physiological characteristics of Cyclotella sp. were not significantly affected. Besides, the total biomass and proportion of cyanobacteria dropped (P < 0.05), but the Bacillariophyta biomass increased significantly (P < 0.05). The uniformity index, Shannon-Wiener index, and richness index all increased significantly (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the quality of actual water samples has been improved evidently (P < 0.001). Therefore, the prepared remedial nano-agent in this study can control the harmful algae bloom to a certain extent by restructuring the algal community in eutrophic water bodies. Image 1 • Algal community restructuring using nanomaterials is proposed to curb algae blooms. • The restructuring relies on promoting diatom growth and curbing cyanobacteria growth. • Remedial nano-agent improved water quality in real water samples. • The restructuring of algal community was realized in real water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are more susceptible to infections, which elevate the levels of relative cytokines. However, the ability of the cytokines levels to predicate bacterial infections in RA patients remains unclear. Here, we assessed the ability of the combination of serum cytokine levels and blood parameters to diagnose bacterial infections in RA patients. We measured the levels of a panel of serum cytokine and blood parameters in 168 RA patients and 81 healthy individuals. RA patients were divided into the bacterial infection (INFE) group (n = 76) and RA flare without INFE group (n = 92). Bacterial infection was confirmed by microbial culture, imaging, antibiotic response, and typical clinical symptoms. The discriminative ability of the combination of the cytokine levels and inflammatory parameters was assessed using the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis and a novel bioscore system. The levels of interleukin (IL)-6 (p = 0.006), IL-10 (p = 0.019), interferon (IFN)-γ (p = 0.033), CRP (p < 0.001), and ESR (p < 0.001) were higher in patients of the INFE group than in patients with RA flare, and the absolute numbers of CD19+ B cells (p < 0.001) and CD4+ T cells (p = 0.009) were lower. For discriminating bacterial infection, the combination of IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, ESR, CRP, CD19+ B cells, and CD4+ T cells, provided an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.827 [(95% confidence interval (CI): 0.760–0.881)], which was profoundly larger than that of IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, ESR, CRP, CD19+ B cells, or CD4+ T cells alone. In addition, we also developed a bioscore system based on the combination of these seven biomarkers. Seventeen (100%) patients with a bioscore of 0 were non-infected, while seven (100%) patients with a score of 7 had bacterial infections. The bioscore based on the combination of ESR, CRP, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, CD19+ B cells and CD4+ T cells may be a promising and robust tool to diagnose bacterial infections in RA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creative thought relies on the reorganization of existing knowledge to generate novel and useful concepts. However, how these new concepts are formed, especially through the processing of novelty and usefulness (which are usually regarded as the key properties of creativity), is not clear. Taking familiar and useful (FU) objects/designs as the starting point or fundamental baseline, we modified them into novel and useless (NS) objects/designs or novel and useful (NU) ones (i.e., truly creative ones) to investigate how the features of novelty and usefulness are processed (processing of novelty: NU minus FU; processing of usefulness: NU minus NS). Specifically, we predicted that the creative integration of novelty and usefulness entails not only the formation of new associations, which could be critically mediated by the hippocampus and adjacent medial temporal lobe (MTL) areas, but also the formation of new concepts or categories, which is supported by the middle temporal gyrus (MTG). We found that both the MTL and the MTG were involved in the processing of novelty and usefulness. The MTG showed distinctive patterns of information processing, reflected by strengthened functional connectivity with the hippocampus to construct new concepts and strengthened functional connectivity with the executive control system to break the boundaries of old concepts. Additionally, participants' subjective evaluations of concept distance showed that the distance between the familiar concept (FU) and the successfully constructed concept (NU) was larger than that between the FU and the unsuccessfully constructed concept (NS), and this pattern was found to correspond to the patterns of their neural representations in the MTG. These findings demonstrate the critical mechanism by which new associations and concepts are formed during novelty and usefulness processing in creative design; this mechanism may be critically mediated by the hippocampus-MTG connection. • The neural correlates of novelty and usefulness in creative designs are dissociable. • The middle temporal gyrus and the medial temporal lobe were related to both features. • The medial temporal lobe was related to new association formation in creativity. • Distinct pathways to the middle temporal gyrus identify usefulness in novel designs. • The middle temporal gyrus implicated the formation of the new concepts in creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]