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In this study, a novel hollow fiber nanofiltration (HFNF) was investigated for treating real Cijengkol river water in Indonesia. Ultrafiltration (UF) pretreatment was performed to evaluate the effect of UF on the HFNF performance. The water quality of the raw water and permeate of the UF, HFNF, and UF-HFNF hybrid was first characterized. UF could remove only solids, while both nanofiltration (NF) and the UF-NF hybrid achieved a high removal efficiency for impurities in river water, meeting the standards for drinking water quality. However, severe organic fouling occurred in the HFNF membranes. To effectively control organic fouling, various cleaning methods were investigated, and then the analyses of gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and fluorescence excitation emission matrix (FEEM) were conducted on backwashing wastewater to identify the cleaning mechanism. First, hydraulic flushing and backwashing were evaluated, and both methods achieved higher than 90% efficiency particularly for high-molecular-weight organic foulants (>1000 Da). However, the cleaning efficiency decreased during long-term operation because of the low removal efficiency of low-molecular-weight (LMW) organics. Hence, chemically enhanced backwashing (CEBW) (i.e., 5 ppm and 10 ppm NaOCl) was employed to enhance the cleaning efficiency. The results showed that membrane fouling was easily controlled by CEBW with 95% removal efficiency. To reduce the usage of chemicals, CO 2 scouring, and CO 2 nucleation backwashing were also examined. CO 2 nucleation backwashing exhibited a better efficiency than CO 2 scouring because of the additional effect of CO 2 nucleation on the HFNF membrane surface. Interestingly, a relatively high removal efficiency for fulvic acid-like organic fouling was observed in both CEBW and CO 2 nucleation backwashing, whereas tryptophan and tyrosine-like proteins, soluble microbial products (SMPs), and humic-like organics were hardly removed by acidic condition (pH < 6.5) or high shear force, leading to a low cleaning efficiency of CO 2 nucleation backwashing. [Display omitted] • Indonesia river water was treated by novel hollow fiber nanofiltration membrane. • The dominant membrane fouling was due to low molecular weight organic fouling. • Periodical hydraulic backwashing and CO 2 scouring can replace pretreatment. • Hydraulic backwashing removes only high molecular weight organic foulants. • Chemical and CO 2 backwashing can remove low molecular weight organic fouling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the development of various electricity generation methods via dynamic water motions has been intensively focused on. While verifying the exact electricity generation mechanism, another important task of making full use of the electricity generated by the solid-liquid interaction is being considered. Herein, we demonstrated a self-powered illuminating glucose sensor with high sensitivity (∼ 22.61 V·M−1) and selectivity, and a wide detection range (0.5–100 mM), utilizing the electricity generated from the water infiltration into a glycine-coated porous CuO nanowires film. Fundamentally, the sensing mechanism could be comprehensively verified by an ionovoltaic effect that attributes the electricity generation to the adsorption/desorption of ions or protons at the solid-liquid interface. As the concentration of adsorbed glucose increases, the generated open-circuit voltage decreases accordingly. Moreover, by selectively turning on LEDs with different threshold voltages, the glucose concentration that is harmful to the human body is successfully distinguished. Overall, the self-powered illuminating sensor platform utilizing electricity generated by the water-infiltration phenomenon provides the feasibility of novel biosensors. [Display omitted] • A self-powered illuminating glucose sensor (glycine-coated porous CuO nanowires film) utilizing electricity generated from the water-infiltration phenomenon was demonstrated. • The glycine-coated porous CuO nanowires film could selectively bind with glucose molecules. • The relationship between electricity generation and the concentration of glucose molecules was thoroughly verified by the ionovoltaic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the clinical use of the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX ® ) developed by the World Health Organization identifying patients at risk of osteoporotic fracture and to evaluate changes in osteoporotic fracture risk prediction according to bone mineral density (BMD) values. We identified the occurrence of osteoporotic fracture among patients whose BMD was measured in our hospital between April 2003 and March 2013. We then analyzed FRAX ® scores obtained with or without BMD on the day before the occurrence of an osteoporotic fracture in actual osteoporotic fracture patients. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation high-risk criteria, we identified the percentage of high-risk patients before the actual fracture. Among 445 osteoporotic fracture patients, when FRAX ® –BMD was used, 281 patients (63%) were identified as high-risk before an actual osteoporotic fracture, and when FRAX ® without BMD was used, 258 patients (58%) were identified ( p  = 0.115). In the 84 osteopenia patients, 39 patients (46.4%) were identified as high-risk when FRAX ® without BMD was used, and 19 patients (22.6%) were identified when FRAX ® –BMD was used ( p  = 0.001). The use of BMD in FRAX ® does not seem to increase the clinical effectiveness of predicting osteoporotic fracture in osteopenia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulation is performed for stick-slip contact line motion and particle line formation in dip coating. The liquid–gas interface as well as the liquid–gas–solid contact line is tracked by a sharp-interface level-set method, which is extended to include the effect of phase change, to implement the contact angle model for the stick-slip contact line motion, and to treat the particle deposition on a moving substrate. The computations demonstrate that the particle line formation is directly related to the stick-slip contact line motion. The effects of initial particle concentration, substrate withdrawal velocity, substrate temperature and contact angle on the particle line formation in dip coating are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulation is performed for liquid film formation and evaporation on a moving vertical plate, which occurs in dip coating. The liquid–gas interface is tracked by a sharp-interface level-set (LS) method, which is modified to include the effect of phase change at the interface. Numerical techniques for the liquid–gas–solid contact line on a moving plate and the conservation of particle concentration are incorporated into the LS method. The flow and thermal characteristics associated with the dip coating are investigated by solving the conservation equations of mass, momentum, energy, vapor mass fraction, and particle concentration. The effects of plate velocity and temperature on the dip coating process are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power-to-methane (PtM) coupled with renewables requires an energy buffer to ensure a steady and flexible operation. Liquid CO 2 energy storage (LCES) is an emerging energy storage concept with considerable round-trip efficiency (53.5%) and energy density (47.6 kWh/m3) and can be used as both an energy and material (i.e., CO 2) buffer in the PtM process. Integration of LCES with the PtM process realizes co-production of methane and electricity, supports peak shaving of the power grid, and enhances profitability via the sale of electricity at peak hours. This study aims to design, optimize, and comprehensively evaluate the techno-economic performance of the PtM-LCES process using a renewable power mix of solar and wind. A process scheduling model is formulated to understand the impacts of storage sizing and power allocation on the process performance. Then, artificial neural network-based surrogate optimization was performed to establish a cost-optimal design. Investigation at Kramer Junction, California, found that the production cost of methane was 161.6 €/MWh with an efficiency of 76.2% and a renewables penetration of 78.7%. This cost could be reduced by improving LCES's performance and considering electricity price arbitrage in areas with high electricity prices. The electricity price arbitrage and improvement of LCES's performance could lower the cost to 83.8 and ∼60 €/MWh, respectively. Moreover, zero or negative carbon emissions can be achieved if the renewables penetration can be increased to 91.5%. Results indicate that the PtM-LCES process is both energy efficient and economically viable, through which renewable methane can be cost-competitive with fossil natural gas. • Power-to-Methane coupled with renewables via liquid CO 2 energy storage. • Process flexible operation achieved by a bidirectional connection with the grid. • Energy- and cost-efficient production of methane in a continuous manner. • Costs of methane in different scenarios range from 60 to 161.6 €/MWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • On-site hydrogen refueling stations require efficient catalysts/reactors. • Intrinsic kinetics of Ru catalysts were estimated using a parametric estimation. • New multistage (two- and three-stage) reactor designs were proposed. • Multistage reactors showed less temperature drop (better reactor stability). • Three-stage reactor can improve hydrogen production and conversion. In recent years, interest in the development of a hydrogen economy has increased, and the steam methane reforming (SMR) reaction, which yields so-called "gray" hydrogen, is expected to play a key role in hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs) in the interim before "green" hydrogen process is developed. For this purpose, compact and economical designs for small- to medium-scale SMR processes for HRSs are required. Herein, we investigated the intrinsic kinetics of a Ru-based catalyst using catalyst experiments and parametric estimation. In addition, reactor modelling was performed using a kinetic model with a special focus on multistage reactor configurations. The proposed reactor design showed an increase in the reactor energy supplied rate from 6.98 to 7.55 kW compared to the base case (single-stage reactor), and the conversion increased from 86.2% to 91.2%. Further, the drastic temperature drop owing to the strongly endothermic nature of the SMR reaction was reduced, and, thus, reactor stability was improved. The proposed novel design of a multistage reactor using a Ru-based catalyst will advance the development of the hydrogen economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propiconazole (PRO) is a triazole fungicide that is frequently detected in the water. In this study, we investigated the kinetics and degradation mechanism of PRO during the UV photolysis and UV/H 2 O 2 processes. PRO was removed by the pseudo-first-order kinetics in both processes. The removal of PRO was enhanced by increasing H 2 O 2 concentration in the UV/H 2 O 2 process. The highest removal under neutral conditions, and lower removal of PRO were observed in acidic and alkaline pHs in the UV/H 2 O 2 process. The presence of natural water ingredients such as Cl−, NO 3 −, humic acid acted as radical scavengers, but HCO 3 − ion acted as both radical promoter and scavenger in the UV/H 2 O 2 process. The transformation products (TPs) of PRO during both processes were identified using LC-QTOF/MS. Four TPs ([M+H]+ = 238, 256, 306, and 324) were identified during UV photolysis, and six TPs ([M+H]+ = 238, 256, 306, 324, 356, and 358) were identified in the UV/H 2 O 2 process. Among the identified TPs, TP with [M+H]+ values of 356 and 358 were newly identified in the UV/H 2 O 2 process. In addition, ionic byproducts, such as Cl−, NO 3 −, formate (HCOO−), and acetate (CH 3 COO−), were newly identified, indicating that significant mineralization was achieved in the UV/H 2 O 2 process. Based on the identified TPs and ionic byproducts, the degradation mechanisms of PRO during two processes were proposed. The major reactions in both processes were ring cleavage and cyclization, and hydroxylation by OH radicals. The Microtox test with Vibrio fischeri showed that, while the toxicity of the reaction solution increased first, then gradually decreased during UV photolysis, the UV/H 2 O 2 process initially increased toxicity at 10 min due to the production of TPs, but toxicity was completely removed as the reaction progressed. The results obtained in this study imply that the UV/H 2 O 2 process is an effective treatment for eliminating PRO, its TPs, and the resulting toxicity in water. [Display omitted] • Degradation of propiconazole (PRO) in UV photolysis and UV/H 2 O 2 were examined. • The water components mostly acted as radical scavengers in the UV/H 2 O 2 reaction. • Six transformation products (TPs) of PRO during both processes were identified. • Ionic byproducts as mineralization were identified in the UV/H 2 O 2 process. • The degradation mechanisms of PRO during two processes were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ∙ Researchers should pay more attention to single mother-headed households who may be at higher risk of the intergenerational transmission of inequity. • ∙ A new framework is necessary to understand intergenerational economic mobility between single mothers and their young adult children. • ∙ It is imperative to consider the role of educational attainment when examining intergenerational economic mobility between single mothers and their young adult children. This study examines the underlying pathway of intergenerational economic mobility within single mother-headed families by considering the mediating role of young adult children's educational attainment. The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 79 for Children and Young Adults (NLSY79 CY) were used to pair data from single mothers and their young adult children. A total of 3,139 single mother and young adult children pairs were chosen for analysis. Ordinary least squares and logistic regression analysis were employed to examine the mediation model. Single mothers' poverty status was negatively associated with both their young adult children's educational attainment and income. The young adult children's educational attainment was positively related to their income. Results showed a full mediation of the relationship between single mothers' poverty status and their young adult children's income via their young adult children's educational attainment. Researchers should pay more attention to single mother-headed households who may be at higher risk of the intergenerational transmission of inequity. A new framework is necessary to understand intergenerational economic mobility between single mothers and their young adult children. It is imperative to consider the role of educational attainment when examining intergenerational economic mobility between single mothers and their young adult children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) is a plastic material that can be mass produced from naturally abundant carbon dioxide. This polymer is also known to decompose back to CO 2 when heated above about 200 °C. Here we report that the CO 2 -generation temperature of PPC can be reduced down to the 40–80 °C range in aqueous environment by using a photoacid generator (PAG) as the catalyst for activating the random scission reaction of PPC. We also investigated the thermal degradation of a PPC-based amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate)-poly(propylene carbonate)-poly(poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) (PPEGMA-PPC-PPEGMA). These triblock copolymers form stable small-sized (<200 nm) micelles in water. We found evidence that with the aid of added PAG these micelles can degrade under mild heating conditions (<80 °C), similarly to what is expected from PPC homopolymer experiments. The combined results suggest that PPC-based amphiphilic block copolymers might be of interest for applications in ultrasound contrast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theta-phase gamma-amplitude coupling (TGC) between slow and fast oscillations is considered to represent cortico-subcortical interactions. The purpose of this electroencephalographic (EEG) study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of TGC by comparing the power spectra and TGC at rest between ADHD and control children. Nineteen-channel EEGs were recorded from 97 volunteers (including 53 subjects with ADHD attending a camp for hyperactive children). The EEG power spectra and TGC data were analyzed. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted on the quantitative EEG results between the groups to adjust for sex. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to examine the discriminating ability of each parameter for ADHD diagnosis. The ADHD group exhibited significantly decreased TGC in multiple areas, including frontal (Fp1, F3, F7, F6), temporal (T3), and occipital (O2) areas, compared with the control group. The ROC analysis performed on the TGC data generated the most accurate result among the EEG measures, with an overall classification accuracy of 71.7%. TGC, which reflects the degree of neuronal interactions between functional systems, provides information about an individual's attentional network. Therefore, resting-state TGC is a promising neurophysiological marker of ADHD in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Continuous Performance Test (CPT) is a valuable tool for assessing behavior in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) is a promising tool for the diagnosis of ADHD. Recently, theta-phase gamma-amplitude coupling (TGC) measurement has received attention because it is a feasible method of assessing brain function. We investigated the relationship between CPT performance and EEG measures such as TGC and theta and gamma activity. EEGs were recorded from 68 volunteers from a camp for hyperactive children using a 19-electrode system. Their TGC, theta and 40 Hz gamma activity were estimated and compared with results obtained on the Korean ADHD Rating Scale (KARS) and the Intermediate Visual and Auditory (IVA) CPT. The results demonstrated significant negative partial correlations between TGC and the IVA CPT, such as the Response Control Quotient (RCQ) and Attention Quotient (AQ). TGC successfully identified the level of dysfunctional interaction of the attention/arousal system at a multi-scale large network level. It is thought that as the TGC increases, the efficacy of the system is very low or dysfunctional. Compensatory hyper-arousal patterns of the dysfunctional attention/arousal system may account for this effect. TGC is a promising neurophysiological marker for ADHD behavior in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, hydrogen is produced primarily through steam methane reforming, a gray hydrogen production process that generates CO 2 as a by-product. Thus, it is crucial to optimize the process thermal efficiency with minimizing CO 2 generation in a hydrogen production process. This study focuses on the multi-objective optimization of low-carbon hydrogen production process, considering both process thermal efficiency maximization and CO 2 emission minimization. To this end, a hybrid deep neural network model is developed to increase the robustness of the multi-objective optimization. The developed hybrid deep neural network model is incorporated into a proposed multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm that performs Pareto dominance-based multi-objective optimization. In experiments conducted, Pareto-optimal solutions with thermal efficiency distribution between 77.5 and 87.0% and CO 2 emissions between 577.9 and 597.6 t/y were obtained. Furthermore, the Pareto-optimal front was analyzed to provide various representative solutions to assist decision-makers. The findings of this study can enable efficient and flexible process operations according to various requirements. [Display omitted] • Low-carbon hydrogen production from an on-site steam methane reforming process. • Multi-objective optimization of thermal efficiency and CO 2 emission simultaneously. • Multi-objective particle swarm optimization for Pareto dominance-based optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceria slurries are used in the oxide chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process due to their high polishing performance and selectivity characteristics. However, it takes great effort to remove small ceria particles that remain on the wafer surface during the post-CMP cleaning process. Therefore, we applied tangential flow filtration (TFF) systems, which can be used to separate small ceria particles before CMP process. In a previous study, we improved the post-CMP cleaning efficiency of the ceria slurry with a circulation-type TFF system. Herein, the correlations between the separation rate of ceria particles and parameters affecting the TFF system, such as membrane pore size, flow rate, and transmembrane pressure (TMP), were evaluated to improve buff cleaning efficiency. Finally, we also fabricated a single-pass TFF system to reduce the process time and loss of active ceria particles. With the single-pass TFF system, the basic properties and polishing performance of the ceria slurry did not change. In addition, the buff cleaning efficiency improved by up to 18.1%. [Display omitted] • The TFF system was applied to improve buff cleaning by separating the small ceria particles (<50 nm) in the slurry. • The correlation between the separation rate and TFF system parameters was investigated. • The single-pass type TFF system was fabricated to shorten the process time and minimize the loss of active ceria particles. • With the single-pass type TFF system, the buff cleaning efficiency was improved and showed similar performance to SC-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: Many researchers have reported a relationship between Internet addiction and depression. In the present study, we compared the resting-state quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) activity of treatment-seeking patients with comorbid Internet addiction and depression with those of treatment-seeking patients with Internet addiction without depression, and healthy controls to investigate the neurobiological markers that differentiate pure Internet addiction from Internet addiction with comorbid depression. Method: Thirty-five patients diagnosed with Internet addiction and 34 age-, sex-, and IQ-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Patients with Internet addiction were divided into two groups according to the presence (N =18) or absence (N =17) of depression. Resting-state, eye-closed QEEG was recorded, and the absolute and relative power of the brain were analyzed. Results: The Internet addiction group without depression had decreased absolute delta and beta powers in all brain regions, whereas the Internet addiction group with depression had increased relative theta and decreased relative alpha power in all regions. These neurophysiological changes were not related to clinical variables. Conclusion: The current findings reflect differential resting-state QEEG patterns between both groups of participants with Internet addiction and healthy controls and also suggest that decreased absolute delta and beta powers are neurobiological markers of Internet addiction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Human resistin is a cytokine that induces low-grade inflammation by stimulating monocytes. Resistin-mediated chronic inflammation can lead to obesity, atherosclerosis, and other cardiometabolic diseases. Nevertheless, the receptor for human resistin has not been clarified. Here, we identified adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1) as a functional receptor for human resistin and clarified its intracellular signaling pathway to modulate inflammatory action of monocytes. We found that human resistin directly binds to CAP1 in monocytes and upregulates cyclic AMP (cAMP) concentration, protein kinase A (PKA) activity, and NF-κB-related transcription of inflammatory cytokines. Overexpression of CAP1 in monocytes enhanced the resistin-induced increased activity of the cAMP-dependent signaling. Moreover, CAP1-overexpressed monocytes aggravated adipose tissue inflammation in transgenic mice that express human resistin from their monocytes. In contrast, suppression of CAP1 expression abrogated the resistin-mediated inflammatory activity both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, CAP1 is the bona fide receptor for resistin leading to inflammation in humans. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] The cross-frequency phase–amplitude coupling may be successfully adapted to the scalp resting EEG. [•] There are significant correlations between cross-frequency phase–amplitude couplings and the measures of risk-taking propensity. [•] It is suggested that the cross-frequency phase–amplitude coupling could be a promising indicator for diagnosing the tendency to take risks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the context of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), injection of CO2 induces the geomechanical change of reservoir and this is an important issue for the mechanical integrity and storage security of CO2 sequestration. The injection of CO2 makes the fluid pressure increase, and because of this increased fluid pressure, ground heaving occurs. Also the increased fluid pressure is expected to be a source of shear slip of fractures in the caprock, and that makes permeability increase which leads leakage of CO2 and microseismicity. In this study, we conduct coupled multiphase fluid flow and geomechanical modeling to investigate geomechanical changes. After that, we evaluate the probability of shear slip considering the statistical fracture distribution and a Coulomb failure analysis. For this analysis, fracture reactivation in terms of shear slip was analyzed by implicitly considering the fracture orientations generated, in one case using published fracture statistics from a CO2 storage site. Our analysis showed that a reverse faulting stress field would be most favorable for avoiding fracture shear reactivation, but site-specific analyses will be required because of strong dependency of the local stress field and fracture orientations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper addresses thermally-induced shear slip, i.e., thermoshearing, and changes in permeability of a deep geological repository in large scale. We present a systematic examination of the thermal stress expected to be generated in the far-field around the repository. The main mechanisms for generation of thermal stress that can affect permeability are; comparatively high horizontal compressive thermal stress at the repository level, vertical tensile thermal stress right above the repository and horizontal tensile stress near the surface, and shear stress at the corners of the repository. Based on thermal loading history, probabilistic shear slip analysis was conducted to investigate the possibility of thermoshearing. Higher probability of shear slip is expected with higher differential thermal stress, and this was highly affected by fracture orientations. Stress paths obtained from the thermo-mechanical analysis were used as stress boundary conditions for Discrete Fracture Network-Discrete Element Method (DFN-DEM) Analysis to investigate the effect of stress changes on permeability. In four out of the six DFN models, normal deformation dominated the closure and opening of fractures, with shear dilation being the dominant factor in the other two models. Changes in permeability caused by shear dilation were not reversed after the repository cooled, which is explained by the irreversible fracture shear deformation after shear slip. This study was conducted on data from the Forsmark site in Sweden, and this analysis has implications for sites that have comparatively large horizontal in-situ stresses and relatively few fractures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Failure mode of laser welds in lap-shear specimens of high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel sheets is investigated in this paper. The experiments for laser welds in lap-shear specimens under quasi-static loading conditions are briefly reviewed first. The experimental results showed that the laser welds failed in a ductile necking/shear failure mode and the ductile failure was initiated at a distance away from the crack tip near the boundary of the base metal and heat affected zone. In order to understand the failure mode of these welds, finite element analyses under plane strain conditions were conducted to identify the effects of the different plastic behaviors of the base metal, heat affected zone, and weld zone as well as the weld geometry on the ductile failure. The results of the reference finite element analysis based on the homogenous material model show that the failure mode is most likely to be a middle surface shear failure mode in the weld. The results of the finite element analysis based on the multi-zone non-homogeneous material models show that the higher effective stress–plastic strain curves of the weld and heat affected zones and the geometry of the weld protrusion result in the necking/shear failure mode in the load carrying sheet. The results of another finite element analysis based on the non-homogeneous material model and the Gurson yield function for porous materials indicate that the consideration of void nucleation and growth is necessary to identify the ductile failure initiation site that matches well with the experimental observations. Finally, the results of this investigation indicate that the failure mode of the welds should be examined carefully and the necking/shear failure mode needs to be considered for development of failure or separation criteria for welds under more complex loading conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are a promising new class of anticancer agents that act by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis in a variety of cancer cells. Although apicidin acts as a potent HDAC inhibitor, the precise mechanism for its anti-tumor activity in human endometrial cancer cells is not completely understood. This study examined the anti-tumor effects of apicidin in Ishikawa cancer cells. The level of cell proliferation, the stage of the cell cycle, and apoptosis were measured after the apicidin treatment. Apicidin significantly inhibited the proliferation of Ishikawa cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, apicidin markedly up-regulated the p21WAF1 and down-regulated the expression of cyclins (A, B1, D1, or E), and CDKs (2 or 4), which leading to cell cycle arrest. Cell cycle analysis showed that the apicidin treatment increased the proportion of cells in the G1 phase, and decreased the ratio of cells in the S phase in a dose-dependent manner. Apicidin significantly increased the sub-G1 population and the number of TUNEL positive apoptotic cells compared with the untreated control. These results were confirmed by poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP), an 85-kDa fragment resulting from PARP cleavage, where apicidin increased the level of PARP cleavage and caspase-3 activity in 1.0μM apicidin-treated cells. Apicidin-induced apoptosis through caspase-3 activation was confirmed by the increase in the release of cytochrome c and the decrease in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. These results suggest that apicidin has anti-tumor properties on endometrial cancer cells by inducing selectively the genes related to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The mitochondrial adenine nucleotide translocators (Ant) are bi-functional proteins that transport ADP and ATP across the mitochondrial inner membrane, and regulate the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mtPTP) which initiates apoptosis. The mouse has three Ant isoforms: Ant1 expressed in heart, muscle, and brain; Ant2 expressed in all tissues but muscle; and Ant4 expressed primarily in testis. Ant1-deficient mice manifest muscle and heart but not brain pathology. Brain Ant1 is induced by stress, while Ant2 is not. Ant1-deficient mice are resistant to death induced by systemic exposure to the brain excitotoxin, kainic acid (KA), and their hippocampal and cortical neurons are significantly more resistant to neuronal death induced by glutamate, KA, and etoposide. The mitochondrial membrane potential of Ant1-deficient brain mitochondria is increased and the mtPTP is more resistance to Ca++ induced permeability transition. Hence, Ant1-deficiency may protect the brain from excitotoxicity by desensitizing the mtPTP and by blocking the pro-apoptotic induction of Ant1 by stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two synthesis routes for the production of LiFePO4 particles were investigated in water at subcritical and supercritical conditions. Micron and nano-sized particles of LiFePO4 were obtained via both routes, with nano-sized particles predominating when temperature was above the critical temperature of water. Our results suggest that synthesis in supercritical water is attractive for obtaining nanometer-sized crystalline particles of LiFePO4 with a low degree of agglomeration. Electrochemical tests showed that this material exhibited improved capacity compared with LiFePO4 prepared via other methods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effect of temperature, pH, time, and reactant concentrations on the size and morphology of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) particles synthesized in a batch hydrothermal reactor was investigated in this work. It was found that LiFePO4 could only be synthesized at neutral or slightly basic pH in both subcritical and supercritical water. Synthesis in subcritical water resulted in micron-sized particles of high crystallinity, whereas synthesis in supercritical water produced submicron particles. A more uniform particle size distribution was obtained at low reactant concentrations, irrespective of the synthesis temperature. Qualitative explanations for these observations are provided in terms of nucleation, growth, and agglomeration phenomena at subcritical and supercritical conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• DNN data-driven model for steam methane reforming is developed. • Data preprocessing techniques were applied to improve the quality of datasets. • Four hyperparameters were optimized to obtain an accurate prediction model. • Process optimization was conducted with 387,320,489 cases under five constraints. • The operating conditions were optimized to achieve a thermal efficiency of 85.6%. The production and application of hydrogen, an environmentally friendly energy source, have been attracting increasing interest of late. Although steam methane reforming (SMR) method is used to produce hydrogen, it is difficult to build a high-fidelity model because the existing equation-oriented theoretical model cannot be used to clearly understand the heat-transfer phenomenon of a complicated reforming reactor. Herein, we developed an artificial neural network (ANN)-based data-driven model using 485,710 actual operation datasets for optimizing the SMR process. Data preprocessing, including outlier removal and noise filtering, was performed to improve the data quality. A model with high accuracy (average R 2 = 0.9987) was developed, which can predict six variables, through hyperparameter tuning of a neural network model, as follows: syngas flow rate; CO, CO 2 , CH 4 , and H 2 compositions; and steam temperature. During optimization, the search spaces for nine operating variables, namely the natural gas flow rate for the feed and fuel, hydrogen flow rate for desulfurization, water flow rate and temperature, air flow rate, SMR inlet temperature and pressure, and low-temperature shift (LTS) inlet temperature, were defined and applied to the developed model for predicting the thermal efficiencies for 387,420,489 cases. Subsequently, five constraints were established to consider the feasibility of the process, and the decision variables with the highest process thermal efficiency were determined. The process operating conditions showed a thermal efficiency of 85.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • LP-HTL and MSP increased gas yield & achieved high monomer recovery. • LP-HTL and MSP achieved ethylene and propylene yield of 53.07 %. • Energy requirements reduced by 95.82 % by eliminating refrigerants from the process. • GTP100 and GWP100 values were 90 % lower than those of the reference process. • The olefins, monomers of plastics, can be used to manufacture circular plastics. Plastics pose environmental challenges in landfills, persisting for extended periods spanning thousands to millions of years. Consequently, research into plastic depolymerization has gained significance, aiming to address the problem of plastic waste management and the increasing demand for plastics. This study proposes a novel process for recovering olefins, specifically ethylene and propylene, from waste polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) through low-pressure hydrothermal liquefaction (LP-HTL) and microwave steam pyrolysis (MSP) chemical recycling. Mixed waste PE and PP undergo LP-HTL to produce gas and oil. Subsequently, the oil from the LP-HTL undergoes cracking via MSP to enhance olefin recovery. Olefin compounds produced through distillation serve as refrigerants. The results demonstrated the production of 39.75 wt% C 2 H 4 and 13.32 wt% C 3 H 6 , achieving a total recovery of 53.07 wt% of olefin materials. The levelized cost of ethylene (LCOE) in the proposed process was calculated at 0.89 USD/kg C 2 H 4 , equating to a 72.86 % reduction compared with that in flash pyrolysis. Furthermore, the life cycle assessment (LCA) results indicated reduced 100-year global temperature potential and global warming potential (GTP100 and GWP100) emissions of 2.46 and 2.55 kg CO 2 eq/kg C 2 H 4 , respectively, approximately 90 % lower than that in the flash process. Thus, the proposed process, with its energy efficiency and high recovery rates, can serve as a benchmark for future plastic depolymerization endeavors aimed at achieving a circular carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the applicability of a thermo-elasto-plastic model using a TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D simulator to reproduce the coupled hydro-mechanical behaviour at the engineered barrier emplacement experiment in Opalinus Clay and the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour at the full-scale engineered barrier experiment in a crystalline host rock, as part of the DECOVALEX-2019 project Task D. In the numerical models, we adopted Darcy's law, Fick's law, and Fourier's law for the advective flux of fluid, vapour diffusion, and conductive heat flux, respectively. We also used the mechanical constitutive law, which explicitly considers the effects of temperature, pore pressure, suction, and strain changes using the elastic model and the Barcelona basic model. In general, the numerical models in the simulator successfully represented the coupled behaviour in bentonite buffer materials at the two long-term in situ experiments in terms of evolution and spatial distribution for temperature, relative humidity, total stress, and displacement. The performance of the models for the dismantling of the in-situ experiments is globally satisfactory compared with the post-mortem results for saturations, water contents, and dry density. • Numerical simulations of engineered barrier emplacement experiment and full-scale engineered barriers experiment using Barcelona basic model implemented into TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D. • Investigation of the applicability of Barcelona basic model. • Prediction of heterogeneous evolution of buffer materials under transient conditions. • Physical state modelling of the buffer materials after dismantling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most promising technique for directly converting solar energy into clean fuels and environmental remediation by organic dye degradation is photoelectrochemical (PEC) process. We introduced Sn4+/Ti4+ doped α-Fe 2 O 3 @Cu x O heterojunction photoanode with complete optimization for PEC hydrogen (H 2) generation and organic dye degradation. Improvement of photocurrent photo and reducing overpotentials under optimized conditions lead to enhancing PEC performances, degradation efficiency of organic compounds, and H 2 generation generation rate. The optimized heterojunction photoanode (5TiFe@Cu x O-D) showed IPCE exceeding 42% compared with pristine hematite (Fe 0.01 –800 6h) nanostructures (28%). Additionally, all the optimized photoanodes showed higher PEC stability for 10 h. Time-resolved PL spectra confirm the improved average lifetime for heterojunction photoanodes, supporting the enhanced PEC performance. Optimized 5TiFe@Cu x O-D material achieved PEC H 2 generation of ∼300 μL h−1.cm−2 which is two times higher than pristine hematite's activity (150 μL h−1.cm−2) and almost 99% degradation efficiency within 120 min of irradiation time. Therefore, a state-of-the-art study has been explored for hematite-based heterojunction photoanodes reflecting the superior PEC performance and hydrogen, methyl orange (MO) dye degradation activities. The improved results were reported because of stable morphology and better crystallinity acquired through systematic investigation of thermal effects and hydrothermal duration, improved electrical properties by Sn/Ti doping into the lattice of α-Fe 2 O 3 and optimization of Cu x O deposition methods. The formation of well-defined heterojunction minimizes the recombination of the charge carrier and leads to effective transportation of excited electrons for the enhanced PEC performance. Synopsis: State-of-the-art investigation of the Earth abundant transition metal based heterojunction photoanode (Ti:Fe 2 O 3 @Cu x O) achieved improved PEC performance towards H 2 generation and dye degradation. Image 1 • Ti:Fe 2 O 3 /Cu x O photoanode was fabricated for sustainable energy and environmental applications. • Optimized material showed 2 folds higher PEC H 2 generation compared to pristine hematite. • The 5TiFe@Cu x O-D material showed IPCE of 42% compared with pristine hematite (28%). • The 5TiFe@Cu x O-D showed stable photocurrent density for 10 h under optimized conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the design and synthesis of two donor-acceptor (D-A) conjugated polymers based on a 2,2′-(2,5-dialkoxy-1,4-phenylene)dithieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DTTP) donor subunit having highly planar confirmation via S⋯O noncovalent bonding and electron-rich property. Introducing the DTTP subunit improves the interchain ordering and of resultant polymers, without losing solution processability. In order to promote the charge separation from photo-induced excitons at D/A interfaces, we control the position of side chain and investigate their effect on D/A phase separation in bulk-heterojunction films. We have systematically investigated the effects of noncovalent bonding and side chain position on the chain planarity and interaction packing of polymers, bulk-heterojunction thin film morphologies, and relevant photovoltaic devices. The thin film morphologies composed of conjugated polymers (PDTTP-2FBT or PDTTP-2FBTA) and with PC 71 BM are found to be critically dependent upon the side chain position and processing additive treatments. The resulting photovoltaic energy conversion efficiency of the polymer solar cells reached 6.79% and a comparative study on the physical, molecular modeling, and thin film characteristics was performed through DFT, GIXD, TPC, TPV, etc. The results obtained here provide an important guideline of tailoring the polymer chemical structure to optimize the molecular packing behavior and thin film morphology for high-performance organic electronics. • Conformation-controlled conjugated polymers based DTTP donor are designed and synthesized. • Effects of polymer planarity on photovoltaic properties were systematically investigated. • Twisted backbone of polymer improves nanoscale phase separated bulkheterjunction structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multi-layer repository design for high-level radioactive waste disposal is proposed. • Applicability of the multi-layer concept is analyzed by numerical simulations. • Multi-layer repositories meet the temperature criterion of 100 °C. • Stress evolutions in bentonite buffer materials are not significantly different from existing repository concept. • Rock mechanical behavior is different and potential for spalling failure exists. A multi-layer repository concept is proposed as an alternative to the single-layer repository concept to improve the disposal density of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in Korea. Numerical simulations are performed to compare the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behavior in the existing Korean reference HLW disposal system (KRS) based on the single-layer repository concept to that in the new multi-layer repository concept. The applicability of the multi-layer repository concept, such as double- and triple-layer repositories, for the disposal of HLW is analyzed with respect to a maximum temperature criterion of 100 °C, evolution of saturation and pore pressure, and mechanical stability. Maximum temperatures are below 100 °C in the double- and triple-layer repository concepts, as in the single-layer reference, although two peaks in simulated temperatures are observed during the evolution of the thermal pulse, resulting from superposition of decay heat at different vertical levels in the multi-layer repository concept. There is no significant difference in the evolution of pore pressure and saturation among the three concepts. The evolutions of mean effective stress at the bentonite blocks and backfill materials are also not significantly different between the single-, double-, and triple-layer repository concepts, because the hydraulic behavior is quite similar, resulting in almost the same change in swelling pressure. Stress states in the rock mass near the tunnels and deposition holes remain below the Mohr-Coulomb failure envelopes at the repositories of 500 m depth in the single-, double-, and triple-layer repository concept simulations. However, the stress states exceed the Mohr-Coulomb failure envelopes at the repositories below 500 m depth (beneath the top layer) in the double- and triple-layer repository concepts. Also, mechanical analysis shows high potential for spalling failure around the deposition holes and tunnel roof in the double- and triple-layer repository concepts. Subsidence in the double- and triple-layer concepts due to the construction of repositories is much deeper than that in the single-layer concept, and uplift induced by heating the rock mass due to the decay heat in the double- and triple-layer concepts is much higher than in the single-layer concept. These results indicate that multi-layer repositories with larger depth intervals between layers are a feasible alternative to the KRS to safely achieve higher disposal density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong absorption and tunable energy levels of non-fullerene small molecules offer enormous potential for organic photovoltaics (OPVs) to harvest energy from various light sources. However, the selection of suitable materials with an effective optical, electrical, and compatible morphological properties remains a big challenge. In this work, we demonstrated the effect of employing different non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) as a crystalline modulator in efficient ternary-blend OPVs for indoor applications. Two different types of NFAs with different chemical structures and crystallinity, i.e. amorphous (PDI2 and PDI4) and semi-crystalline (IDT and IDDT), were introduced as the third component into a host OD:PC 71 BM binary-blend system. The optimized ternary-blends exhibited the power conversion efficiencies of 20.54% (OD:PC 71 BM:PDI2), 18.27% (OD:PC 71 BM:PDI4), 21.13% (OD:PC 71 BM:IDT), and 19.05% (OD:PC 71 BM:IDDT), respectively, under indoor light source (1000 lux, LED lamp) thereby completely outperforming the host binary-blend (14.15%). The variation of the OPV performance was investigated and correlated with the photophysical and morphological properties of the corresponding NFAs. Particularly, the addition of semi-crystalline IDT among other NFAs enabled the formation of compact nanoscale morphology with well-dispersion and smaller π-π stacking distance, thereby resulting in the efficient charge separation, the faster charge carrier transport, the reduced energetic disorder, and the suppression of non-geminate recombination. Overall, this study indicated that the addition of the third component with appropriate morphological properties can effectively improve the OPV performance under indoor light conditions. Image 1 • NFAs with different chemical structures and crystallinity were investigated as a third component in ternary-blend OPVs for indoor applications. • Optimized OD:PC 71 BM:IDT ternary-blend exhibited a PCE of 21.13% under indoor light source (1000 lux, LED) outperforming the host OD:PC 71 BM binary-blend (14.15%). • Semi-crystalline IDT enabled the formation of compact nanoscale morphology, thereby resulting in efficient charge separation, reduced energetic disorder, and suppression of non-geminate recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the underlying pathways of the intergenerational relationship linking parents' poverty, children's self-esteem and employment among young adults. This study used two data sets from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 79 for Children and Young Adults (NLSY79 CY). A total of 9584 dyads was used for the final sample. The mediation model suggested by Baron and Kenny (1986) was used to examine. Young adult children whose mother is in poverty are less likely to be employed compared to their counterparts with a mother not in poverty. Maternal poverty is significantly associated with young adult children's self-esteem. Young adult children' employment is statistically related to their self-esteem. Young adult children's employment status mediated the relationship between maternal poverty and young adult children's self-esteem. Mother's economic status is an important factor for understanding intergenerational mobility. Anew angle is required to examine intergenerational mobility by considering the relationship between mother and child. The findings highlight that anti-poverty programs geared toward mothers with children would help to increase levels of self-esteem across young adult children. Intergenerational mobility is an important indicator for understanding self-esteem in young adulthood. • Mother's economic status is an important factor for understanding intergenerational mobility. • A new angle is required to examine intergenerational mobility by considering the relationship between mother and child • Intergenerational mobility is an important indicator for understanding self-esteem in young adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoelectrochemical (PEC) process is one of the most promising techniques for converting solar energy directly into clean fuels and for environmental remediation applications. One-dimensional (1D) TiO 2 nanostructure arrays are extensively studied morphologies for a wide range of catalytic processes, including photocatalysis (PC) and PEC reactions for water splitting. In this study, a well-aligned spaced TiO 2 nanorod (TNR) arrays were uniformly grown on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate, and thermal exfoliation of the TNRs, which appeared as small islands, was investigated. The calcination time, which ranged from 1 to 5 h at 400 °C, had a significant impact on the agglomerated TNRs islands, which tended to be uniformly exfoliated as spaced nanorods and eventually improved the PEC performance. The regularly arranged spaced nanorods allow for the efficient transfer of internal charge carriers within the TNRs. Furthermore, the heterojunction formation with NiCo 2 S 4 via the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method, substantially improve PEC performance, owing to reduced charge carrier recombination at the interface of the heterojunction. The Mott–Schottky analysis strongly supports the improved charge carrier density at the heterojunction interface. The improved life time of the charge carriers was investigated by comparing the time-resolved photoluminescence spectra for the TiO 2 /NiCo 2 S 4 heterojunction with pristine TNRs, which was eventually confirmed by incident photon-to-current efficiency analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TiO 2 nanotubes with 160–400 nm inner diameters are formed using anodization method. • Thin Au and Pt layers are sputtered onto TiO 2 nanotubes for photocatalytic application. • The Pt sputtered 300 and 400 nm TiO 2 nanotubes showed good photocatalytic activity. The formation of well aligned TiO 2 nanotubes with suitable inner diameters is a pre-requisite for photocatalytic application. The inner diameters can be tuned by the composition of electrolyte, anodization temperature, and applied potential. Here, we have successfully formed the TiO 2 nanotubes with wide inner diameters by controlling the anodization potential of the Ti metal substrate. The anodizations were performed in the aqueous solution of ethylene glycol mixed with hydrofluoric acid as an electrolyte at potentials of 150–240 V at 40 ℃. It resulted into TiO 2 nanotubes with inner diameters in the range of 160–400 nm and lengths about 6–8 μm, respectively. Moreover, the TiO 2 nanotubes were sputter coated with thin layers (1–5 nm) of Pt and Au nanoparticles. Finally, we compared the photocatalytic behavior of the as-prepared TiO 2 nanotubes and those coated with Au and Pt nanoparticles. Interestingly, 1 nm Pt coated 300 and 400 nm inner diameter TiO 2 nanotubes showed highest H 2 production rate of 25 μL h−1 cm-2 under a 10 h of light illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoplastics (NPs) exposure to humans can occur through various routes, including the food chain, drinking water, skin contact, and respiration. NPs are plastics with a diameter of less than 100 nm and have the potential to accumulate in tissues, leading to toxic effects. This study aimed to investigate the neurotoxicity of polystyrene NPs on neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and hippocampal neurogenesis in a rodent model. Toxicity screening of polystyrene NPs based on their charge revealed that cationic amine-modified polystyrene (PS–NH 3 +) exhibited cytotoxicity, while anionic carboxylate-modified polystyrene (PS–COO-) and neutral NPs (PS) did not. NPCs treated with PS-NH 3 + showed a significant reduction in growth rate due to G1 cell cycle arrest. PS-NH 3 + increased the expression of cell cycle arrest markers p21 and p27, while decreasing cyclin D expression in NPCs. Interestingly, PS-NH 3 + accumulated in mitochondria, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and energy depletion, which caused G1 cell cycle arrest. Prolonged exposure to PS-NH 3 + in C17.2 NPCs increased the expression of p16 and senescence-associated secretory phenotype factors, indicating cellular senescence. In vivo studies using C57BL/6 mice demonstrated impaired hippocampal neurogenesis and memory retention after 10 days of PS-NH 3 + administration. This study suggests that NPs could deplete neural stem cell pools in the brain by mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby adversely affecting hippocampal neurogenesis and neurocognitive functions. [Display omitted] • Positively charged polystyrene NP (PS–NH 3 +) is toxic to NPCs. • PS-NH 3 + induces p53-independent cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase in NPCs. • PS-NH 3 + accumulates in mitochondria, causing mitochondrial dysfunction in NPCs. • Long-term exposure to PS-NH 3 + induces senescence in NPCs. • The exposure to PS-NH 3 + impairs hippocampal neurogenesis and mememory retention in young mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fluidized bed is a next-generation explosive waste treatment reactor that is safer and emits less pollutants (e.g., NOx) than a rotary kiln. When a fluidized bed reactor is used to treat explosive waste, the design and operating conditions significantly impact the emission of pollutants. It is possible to reduce the pollutants to below the regulation level (90 ppm) through finding ideal design and operating conditions. However, there are many practical challenges, such as cost limitations. In addition, owing to the characteristics of explosive waste, designing and optimizing the process through real experiments without any guidelines is dangerous. Therefore, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was performed to obtain high-accuracy data on the internal phenomena of the reactor first. In this situation, since a lot of variables and combinations should be considered, it is obvious to takes very long time for finding optimal point by only using CFD simulation. Thus, based on the simulation data, efficient search space exploration was performed using multi-objective Bayesian optimization and several promising points constituting the Pareto front were derived to find optimal conditions. As a result, six optimum points of operating and design conditions were obtained considering process cost and nitrogen oxide emissions simultaneously. The six Pareto solutions through above approach reduced 47.5% of NOx emission and 10.5% of cost compared to the previous studies. In addition, it is meaningful that this study could reduce optimization time even though the design conditions of explosive waste treatment process were considered. [Display omitted] • Multi-objective optimization was performed for explosive waste treatment process. • Efficient exploration of operating and design conditions was performed based on Bayesian active learning. • Through the optimal experimental design, six optimal solutions on the Pareto front were derived. • Reducing nitrogen oxides by 47.5% and cost by 10.5% compared to the previous study. • Providing design and operating guidance by sensitivity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermosetting polymers are used in a wide range of applications due to their robust mechanical strength and superior flame retardancy. Despite these technical benefits, recycling of thermosetting polymers has been challenging because of their crosslinking nature. Moreover, their disposal through conventional methods (landfill and combustion) poses environmental concerns, such as microplastics and air pollutants. To address these issues, this study introduces a thermo-chemical disposal platform for thermosetting polymer wastes that employs carbon dioxide (CO 2) as a reactive medium. In this work, melamine-formaldehyde was used as model compound of thermosetting polymers. In single-stage pyrolysis, it was revealed that CO 2 plays a crucial role in controlling in the compositional matrices of pyrolytic gases, liquid products, and wax. These compositional changes were attributed to the homogeneous reactions between CO 2 and the volatile compounds released from the thermolysis of MF. To enhance the thermal cracking of the MF, a double-stage pyrolysis process was tested, which increased the production of pyrolytic gases and eliminated wax formation. However, the slow kinetics governing the reactivity of CO 2 limits the occurrence of homogeneous reactions. A nickel-based catalyst was used to accelerate reaction kinetics. The catalytic pyrolysis under CO 2 conditions led to substantial increases in syngas (H 2 and CO) production of 880% and 460%, respectively, compared with double-stage pyrolysis. These findings demonstrate that thermosetting polymer wastes can be valorized into gaseous fuels through thermo-chemical process, and CO 2 enhances the recovery of energy and chemicals. Therefore, this study presents an innovative technical platform to convert thermosetting polymer wastes and CO 2 into syngas. [Display omitted] • A sustainable pyrolysis framework for disposal of MF waste was suggested. • CO 2 plays a crucial role in controlling composition of the pyrogenic products of MF. • MF was converted to value-added products through pyrolysis. • Ni-based catalyst resulted in CO enhancements 5 times higher under N 2 condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Recognizing that high-stakes competitions tend to pressure coaches toward a maladaptive controlling motivating style, we sought to evaluate the capacity of an intervention to help coaches adopt a more autonomy-supportive style as they and their athletes prepared for the 2012 London Paralympic Games. Design We adopted a coach-focused experimental research design that longitudinally assessed coaches' and athletes' self-report, rater-scored, and objective dependent measures. Method We randomly assigned 33 coaches and their 64 athletes from 10 sports into either an experimental or control group and assessed their motivation and functioning longitudinally. Results In the control group, athletes and coaches both showed a significant longitudinal deterioration in all measures of motivation, engagement, and functioning. In the experimental group, none of the measures of motivation, engagement, and functioning deteriorated but, instead, were generally maintained. In terms of performance, athletes of coaches in the experimental group won significantly more Olympic medals than did athletes in the control group. Conclusion Enacting an autonomy-supportive coaching style within the context of a high-stakes sports competition functioned as an antidote to coaches' otherwise situationally-induced controlling style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The failure modes of gas metal arc welds in single lap-shear specimens of high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel are investigated in this paper. Notched lap-shear specimens of gas metal arc welds were made. Quasi-static test results showed two failure locations for the welds. The specimens cut from coupons with shorter weld lengths failed near the weld root whereas the specimens cut from coupons with longer weld lengths failed near the weld toe. Scanning electron and optical microscope images of the failure surfaces and cross sections showed that the gas metal arc welds failed in a ductile necking/shear failure mode. Micro-hardness tests were conducted to provide an assessment of the mechanical properties of the base metal, the heat affected zone, and the weld metal. In order to understand the failure modes of these welds, finite element models were developed with the geometric characteristics of the heat affected zones designed to match the micrographs of the cross sections for the long and short welds. Three-dimensional finite element analyses were conducted with consideration of micro void nucleation and growth. The distributions of the void volume fraction near the welds shown from the finite element analyses are consistent with the failure modes observed in the experiments. Further finite element analyses were conducted in order to understand the effects of the geometric characteristics of the heat affected zone. The results showed that the geometric characteristics of the heat affected zone have a negligible effect on the load–displacement results; however, the geometric characteristics of the heat affected zone are key factors for the resulting failure location. Finally, finite element analyses were conducted in order to understand the effects of the weld metal geometry. The results indicate that the weld penetration and the weld toe angle have negligible effects on the load–displacement response, the peak load, and the predicted failure locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A sustainable conversion of plantation waste into syngas was achieved using CO 2 (key greenhouse gas). • CO 2 served a partial oxidant reacting with volatile pyrogenic products evolved from rubber tree residue, leading to enhancement of syngas, especially CO. • Oxidative functionality of CO 2 on syngas production was intensified in the presence of a nickel-based catalyst (Ni/Al 2 O 3). • Integrated process of catalytic pyrolysis and water–gas shift reaction notably increased H 2 productivity. This study introduces the sustainable recovery of energy from plantation waste by converting rubber tree residue (RTR) into syngas through carbon dioxide (CO 2)-assisted pyrolysis. The investigation centers on elucidating the specific impact of CO 2 on the pyrolysis of rubber tree residue, emphasizing its significant influence on enhancing syngas production. At temperatures ≥ 500 °C, CO 2 engages with volatile matters (VMs) released during the thermolysis of rubber tree residue, increasing carbon monoxide (CO) yields. To further optimize the process, catalytic pyrolysis setups incorporating additional heat (600 °C) and a nickel-based catalyst (Ni/Al 2 O 3) were implemented. These experimental configurations substantially increased syngas production from 19.51 to 24.24 mmol g−1, particularly amplifying CO yields under CO 2 conditions 2.58-fold compared to nitrogen (N 2) conditions. This enhancement is attributed to the partial oxidation of volatile matters facilitated by CO 2. Additionally, the Ni/Al 2 O 3 catalyst played a pivotal role in expediting the gas-phase homogeneous reaction of CO 2 with volatile matters, leading to further improved syngas production. Indeed, the syngas yield in the catalytic pyrolysis in the presence of CO 2 was 24.24 mmol g−1, which increased by 1.24 times in reference to the result under the N 2 environment. The identified functional role of CO 2 presents an opportunity to enhance the sustainability of waste management by optimizing carbon utilization and generating value-added products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the transition of the global energy paradigm toward decarbonization, hydrogen is expected to play a crucial role as an energy vector. To enhance the sustainability of hydrogen as an energy source, it is important to reduce costs and carbon emissions in the hydrogen production. Among various hydrogen production technologies, the autothermal reforming (ATR)-based blue hydrogen production method can stand out as a promising option in terms of both economic and environmental considerations. However, there are several bottlenecks: (i) ATR requires an air separation unit that increases the cost burden, and (ii) conventional amine-based carbon capture method consumes a significant amount of energy. To address these bottlenecks, this study proposes a novel cryogenic carbon capture process for ATR-based blue hydrogen production. In the proposed process, air separation unit are utilized not only for oxygen production but also for carbon capture. The compressed air from the air separation unit provides cooling energy to the mixture gas, leading to solidification and separation of carbon dioxide. Despite imposing an additional burden on the air separation unit, it significantly reduces the energy and cost associated with carbon capture. Consequently, there exists a trade-off relationship between the increased load on the air separation unit and the decreased load in carbon capture. This trade-off was evaluated by comparing it with the conventional absorption-based carbon capture process in terms of energy and economic aspects. The proposed process exhibits a 36.4% reduction in total energy consumption, with a particularly approximately 49.5% decrease in the energy consumed for carbon capture (0.278 kW h/kg-CO 2). The economic performance indicates an 11% decrease in the levelized cost of hydrogen (1.62$/kg-H 2), and a 45.3% decrease in CO 2 avoidance cost (40.1$/kg-CO 2). The captured solid CO 2 can offer advantages during storage and transportation. Furthermore, the potential utilization of cooling energy of solid CO 2 from an end-user perspective is expected to contribute to the establishment of a new industrial value chain. [Display omitted] • A novel cryogenic CO 2 capture process is proposed for ATR hydrogen production. • The proposed process imposes a slight burden on the ASU but simplifies CO 2 capture. • In terms of overall H 2 production, an energy saving of 36.4% was achieved. • LCOH and CO 2 avoidance cost are 1.62$/kg-H 2 and 40$/kg-CO 2 , respectively. • The economic viability variations across diverse carbon scenarios were evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diclofenac, a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, can cause liver damage via its metabolic activation by hepatic CYP450s and UGT2B7. Fasting can affect drug-induced liver injury by modulating the hepatic metabolism, but its influence on diclofenac hepatotoxicity is unknown. Thus, we investigated diclofenac-induced liver damage after fasting in mice, and the cellular events were examined. Male ICR mice fasted for 16 h showed the elevation of CYP3A11, but the decreases of UGT2B7, glutathione (GSH), and GSH S-transferase-μ/-π levels in the livers. Diclofenac (200 mg/kg) injection into the mice after 16-h fasting caused more significant liver damage compared to that in the diclofenac-treated fed mice, as shown by the higher serum ALT and AST activities. Diclofenac-promoted hepatic oxidative stress (oxidized proteins, 4-hydroxynonenal, and malondialdehyde), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress (BiP, ATF6, and CHOP), and apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP) were enhanced by fasting. Autophagic degradation was inhibited in the diclofenac-treated fasting mice compared to that of the corresponding fed mice. The results suggest that fasting can make the liver more susceptible to diclofenac toxicity by lowering GSH-mediated detoxification; increased oxidative/ER stresses and apoptosis and suppressed autophagic degradation may be the cellular mechanisms of the aggravated diclofenac hepatotoxicity under fasting conditions. [Display omitted] • Fasting potentiated diclofenac-induced liver injury in mice. • Fasting increased diclofenac-promoted oxidative stress, ER stress, and apoptosis. • Fasting aggravated diclofenac-induced suppression of autophagic degradation. • Fasting increased hepatic CYP3A11, but decreased GSH and GST levels. • Fasting decreased GSH-mediated diclofenac detoxification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon dioxide is the most important gate oxide dielectric material, and its surface planarization is an important factor in the continuous shrinking of the size of integrated circuits. Developing a novel chemical mechanical polishing auxiliary technique to achieve efficient polishing of oxide wafers is a significant challenge. In this study, a novel in-situ micro-nano bubbles auxiliary method, which used a nano-hydrophobic film to prepare a gas supersaturated slurry that can generate instant in-situ micro-nano bubbles during polishing, was developed for oxide wafers. Compared with conventional slurries, this auxiliary method increased the material removal rate by about 30% and ensured the low surface roughness of the wafer of 0.14 nm. The existence of micro-nano bubbles and the multi-size distribution and zeta potential of the micro-nano bubbles were measured by optical microscope and dynamic light-scattering methods. Then, to investigate the auxiliary mechanism of this in-situ micro-nano bubbles, different analytical methods, such as oxide thickness measurement system, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy, were used to characterize the sample. The results indicated that during the polishing process, the micro-nano bubbles generated in situ have a good cleaning effect. In addition, the free radicals generated after in-situ micro-nano bubbles burst simultaneously modified the surfaces of the wafer and the pad. The improvement of the adsorption between the wafer and abrasives promoted the chemical reaction between them. After conditioning, the rougher and cleaner pad had a higher mechanical effect. Most importantly, this in-situ micro-nano bubbles auxiliary method has the potential to be applicable to all slurries. • A novel slurry that can generate in-situ micro-nano bubbles is proposed. • The micro-nano bubbles improve the polishing performance. • The wafer surface and the pad surface are modified by micro-nano bubbles. • The auxiliary mechanism of micro-nano bubbles in the CMP is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]