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During the combustion of biomass in drop-tube furnace (DTF) systems, the released alkali metal (e.g., potassium, K) inevitably reacts with reactor tube at high temperatures, affecting the experimental results on the emission of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters of <10 μm (PM 10). This study reports the interactions between K vapor and tube reactors made of silicon carbide, corundum, and mullite and their impacts on PM 10 emission. Demineralized wood samples loaded with potassium chloride (KCl) or ion-exchanged K respectively were combusted in a DTF at 1300 °C under air or oxy-fuel atmosphere. Another series of experiments was conducted to collect and analyze the PM 10 from the combustion of KCl-loaded wood, K-exchanged wood, and two typical biomass samples (cotton stalk and wheat straw) in the three reactor tubes under air atmosphere. Experimental results show that 4.1‒72.5% of K is retained in the three tubes when burning the KCl-loaded wood in air, and the combustion in oxy-fuel atmosphere slightly increases the K retention. For K-exchanged wood combustion in air, only 3.7‒23.6% of K is released from the reactor tubes. In all conditions, the reactivity of the reactor tubes with K vapor follows a sequence of mullite > corundum > silicon carbide. The retained K is unstable, 49.0‒64.8% of which can be re-released during polyvinyl chloride combustion. In addition, the results demonstrate that, compared with silicon carbide tube, the use of corundum and mullite tubes leads to a 16.2‒54.3% decrease in PM 1 yields and a significant drop in fine mode peaks in PM 10 during the combustion of biomass samples in air, while the PM 1–10 yields and the coarse mode peaks remain largely unchanged. These are attributed to the enhanced retentions of alkali metals in corundum and mullite tubes, which reduce the yields of Na, K, and Cl in PM 10 , but has negligible effect on those of refractory elements such as Mg and Ca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of temperature on sulfur transformation behavior during the hydrothermal carbonization of raw sludge, water washed sludge and the corresponding filtrate solution at 110–235 °C. The different sulfur species in the various products were determined, primarily focusing on the sulfur species present in the aqueous product. At 110 °C, 31.9% of sulfur migrated to the aqueous product, primarily in the form of sulfone-S and sulfoxide-S. As the temperature increased to 160 °C, the hydrolysis of aliphatic-S and aromatic-S was enhanced, and the former species further transformed to other organic-S or SO 4 2-S in the aqueous product. High temperature is beneficial to the formation of sulfate-S and thiophene-S/aromatic-S in the aqueous and hydrochar products, along with the release of H 2 S and CH 3 SH. This caused a retention of only 29.2% sulfur (i.e., sulfate-S) in the hydrochar at 235 °C, with a large amount of sulfur migrating to the aqueous product (51.1%), followed by the gas product (9.1%). Among all the sulfur species in raw sludge, aliphatic-S was the most thermally unstable. SO 4 2-S and sulfur-containing gas were primarily formed from the decomposition of water-insoluble aliphatic-S, while part of thiophene-S/aromatic-S in aqueous products was generated from water-soluble sulfone-S and sulfoxide-S at high temperatures of ≥160 °C. The results indicate that 210 °C is the optimal temperature for preparing of sludge-based fuel during hydrothermal carbonization, and water washing pre-treatment is a good strategy for enhancing the removal of sulfur in hydrochar and reducing the release of sulfur-containing odorous gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) with high energy density are promising for energy storage. However, conventional polypropylene-based separator cannot avoid polysulfides shuttling which impedes the practical application of LSBs. Herein, an in-situ ionothermal synthesis strategy that concurrently applies ionic liquid as the solvent, template and high-yield carbon source is proposed for the facile preparation of nanoporous carbon/oxide composite separator modifiers. The composites exhibit features of high polarity, self doping, oxygen vacancy, heteroatom doping, abundant defects and high electronic conductivity. Theoretical and experimental studies suggest that the composites can efficiently trap and convert polysulfides for high-performance LSBs. Indeed, in the composite-modified LSBs with next-generation roll-to-roll dry-processed high-loading sulfur cathodes, enhanced performance is achieved, revealing the effectiveness of the composites as functional materials towards separator modification. Therefore, the proposed strategy and its delivered nanoporous composites exhibit excellent versatility and practicality for high-performance LSBs. [Display omitted] • Ionothermal synthesis is applied to lithium-sulfur battery functional separators. • Proposed in-situ ionothermal synthesis strategy is facile, effective and versatile. • Nanoporous composites are doped, polar and conductive. • Nanoporous composite acts as trapper and electrocatalyst of polysulfides. • Battery tests are at practical high sulfur loading, delivering good performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an innovative sustainable hydrogen production system integrating solar and wind energy to provide power to alkaline (ALK) and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. On this basis, a novel source and load collaborative optimization strategy is proposed to optimize the hydrogen production system, aiming to address the challenges of the intermittent and variable nature of renewable energy sources. The proposed strategy consists of a classification prediction module using the XGBoost algorithm, which analyzes historical energy generation data to predict optimal electrolyzer operation. Furthermore, the proposed collaborative optimization strategy is able to balance the loads between the electrolyzer arrays, aiming to minimize cold-start situations, prolong steady-state hydrogen production time, and reduce operational variations due to maintenance. The proposed strategy is proved to significantly reduce the standard deviation of the electrolyzer runtime, enhancing the overall system stability, and contributing to the reduction of maintenance frequency. Theoretical analyzes and extensive simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy in improving hydrogen production efficiency and sustainability. This work contributes to the integration of renewable energy sources for clean energy production, and provides a practical and effective solution for the urgently needed green hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperglycemia-induced endothelial cell injury is one of the main causes of diabetic vasculopathy. Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) was the first RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) demethylase identified; it participates in the pathogenesis of diabetes. However, the role of FTO in hyperglycemia-induced vascular endothelial cell injury remains unclear. The effects of FTO on cellular m6A, autophagy, oxidative stress, proliferation, and cytotoxicity were explored in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with high glucose (33.3 mmol/mL) after overexpression or pharmacological inhibition of FTO. MeRIP-qPCR and RNA stability assays were used to explore the molecular mechanisms by which FTO regulates autophagy. High glucose treatment increased m6A levels and reduced FTO protein expression in HUVECs. Wild-type overexpression of FTO markedly inhibited reactive oxygen species generation by promoting autophagy, increasing endothelial cell proliferation, and decreasing the cytotoxicity of high glucose concentrations. The pharmacological inhibition of FTO showed the opposite results. Mechanistically, we identified Unc-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1), a gene responsible for autophagosome formation, as a downstream target of FTO-mediated m6A modification. FTO overexpression demethylated ULK1 mRNA and inhibited its degradation in an m6A-YTHDF2-dependent manner, leading to autophagy activation. Our study demonstrates the functional importance of FTO-mediated m6A modification in alleviating endothelial cell injury under high glucose conditions and indicates that FTO may be a novel therapeutic target for diabetic vascular complications. • FTO overexpression suppresses high glucose-induced endothelial cell injury. • FTO overexpression inhibit ROS formation via promotion of autophagy. • FTO selectively demethylates ULK1 (Unc-51-like kinase 1) in an m6A-YTHDF2 dependent manner. • FTO increases half-life of ULK1 transcripts and expression of proteins involved in autophagy activation. • FTO-mediated demethylation crucial for cellular homeostasis under high glucose [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The dominance of English in academic discourse and its impact on marginalizing multilingual individuals in a Sino-U.S. joint-venture university context. • The impacts of English Academic Writing (EAW) norms on individual language practices, identities, and ideologies. • Translingual practices as a key to decolonizing EAW education and challenging the prevailing monolingual ideologies. • A pedagogical shift toward a decolonial orientation to EAW education through translingual practices. This study investigated the predominance of English in the academic discourse and its potential to marginalize multilingual individuals and explored how translingual practices could be a means to decolonize English Academic Writing (EAW) education within the specific context of a Sino-U.S. joint-venture university. A case study centered on the academic experience of a multilingual student from China delved into the interplay between established EAW norms and the student's language practice, identity, and ideology. The findings revealed that EAW norms that prevail in global academic communication significantly affected the student's linguistic choices and self-perception. These findings also indicated that translingual practices could contribute to the decolonization of EAW education by advocating for inclusivity and diversity. Therefore, this study calls for a pedagogical reorientation that not only acknowledges but also incorporates translingual practices in EAW education to actively confront colonial legacies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioplastics have aroused significant interest in researchers to relieve the serious environmental pollution caused by the ubiquity of petroleum-based plastics. However, it remains a great challenge to construct functional bioplastics with excellent mechanical strength, water resistance, and heat resistance. Inspired by the interesting structure of nacre, a novel starch-based bioplastic was prepared via a self-assembly technique, using 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxy-oxidized cellulose nanofibers modified starch, nano-montmorillonite, and reduced graphene oxide as raw materials. Due to the unique layered structure and rich interfacial interaction, the starch-based bioplastic exhibited excellent mechanical properties, while the tensile strength was up to 37.39 MPa. Furthermore, it represented outstanding water resistance, heat resistance, repairability, renewability and biodegradability. Especially, the starch-based bioplastic demonstrated a strong electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE), which was higher than 35 dB with a thickness of 0.5 mm. These powerful properties provided the possibility for functional applications of starch-based bioplastics. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visceral adiposity index (VAI) is a sex-specific surrogate marker of adipose tissue distribution and function. Little is known about the longitudinal relationship between VAI and proteinuria. This study aimed to examine the prospective relationship of baseline VAI with new-onset of proteinuria in hypertensive patients without major cardiovascular diseases. A total of 10 699 hypertensive patients without proteinuria (negative urine dipstick reading) at baseline from the renal sub-study of the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT) were included. Participants were randomly assigned to a double-blind daily treatment with 10 mg enalapril and 0.8 mg folic acid or 10 mg enalapril alone. Participants were followed every 3 months after randomization. The primary outcome was new-onset proteinuria, defined as a urine dipstick reading of ≥1+ at the exit visit. The secondary outcome was progression of proteinuria, defined as a urine dipstick reading of trace or ≥1+ at the exit visit. During a median follow-up duration of 4.4 years, a total of 396 (3.7%) participants developed new-onset proteinuria, while 1236 (11.6%) participants met progression of proteinuria. When VAI was categorized into quartiles, compared with participants in quartile 1–3 (<2.99), a significantly higher risk of new-onset proteinuria (OR, 1.43; 95%CI: 1.07–1.91) and progression of proteinuria (OR, 1.23; 95%CI: 1.03–1.46) was found in those in quartile 4 (≥2.99). Moreover, the positive association was consistent in participants with or without general obesity, abdominal obesity, and dyslipidemia (all P -interactions > 0.05). There was a positive association between VAI levels and the risk of new-onset proteinuria in hypertensive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC) was proven to possess antioxidant activities. To understand structures and antioxidant activities of LCC, water-soluble LCC-stalk, LCC-sheath and LCC-leaf were isolated from ball-milled wheat straw stalk, sheath and leaf by successive dissolution in LiCl/DMSO solvent, water extraction and purification. LCCs were later structurally characterized by wet chemistry, chromatography and spectroscopy respectively. Their antioxidant activities were evaluated by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and DPPH radical scavenging assays. The results showed that three LCCs were carbohydrate-rich (≈70%) and presented relatively narrow molecular weight distribution (PI < 2.0). The lignin moieties of LCCs were mainly connected with β-O-4′ structures, and phenyl glycoside and γ-ester linkages were main LCC linkages in LCCs. However, guaiacyl units were the predominant lignin units in LCC-stalk and LCC-sheath, while syringyl units were predominant in LCC-leaf. Intermolecular cross-linkages were mainly p CA-bridges in LCC-stalk and FA-bridges in LCC-sheath and LCC-leaf. Besides, LCC-sheath featured higher polysaccharide content exhibited higher molecular weight, fewer LCC linkages and better antioxidant activities (DPPH radical scavenging rate up to 74.91%) than both LCC-stalk (74.55%) and LCC-leaf (64.52%). This work helped to know LCCs in wheat straw well and inspire the application of LCC as potential antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humic acid (HA) is a complex polymer compound with no definite chemical formula. It seriously affects water quality and is one of the main precursors of producing disinfection by-products. In the present study, column granular electrodes (Φ×H = 4 × 3 mm) were prepared using cobalt loaded powder active carbon (PAC). The electrodes were applied in a continuous three-dimensional (3D) electrochemical reactor to remove HA. The crystal structure, morphology, surface chemical bonds, and pore structure of as-prepared material were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. Furthermore, parameters affecting the removal of HA and energy consumption (namely, current, electrolyte type and concentration, and initial pH) were examined. Intermediate products were analyzed using ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and three-dimensional excitation emission matrix (3DEEM) fluorescence spectroscopy. The results showed that CoO was well loaded in the PAC carriers. The CoO loaded granular electrodes (GAC-Co) had the surface area of 782.6 m 2 /g, pore volume of 0.6709 cm 3 /g, and average pore diameter of 3.429 nm. The 95.3% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was obtained under the current of 0.3 A, hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 8 min, influent pH of 7.0, electrolyte of 0.01 mol/L Na 2 SO 4 , and initial concentration of 200 mg/L. A large number of H∙ radicals were involved in the electrochemical processes, which were observed using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The analysis of intermediate products indicated that the GAC-Co electrodes showed high electrocatalytic activity for the degradation of HA, in which HA with large molecular weight was decomposed to small molecular weight in the 3D electrochemical system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The combination treatment significantly activated autophagy and reduced the ROS production than valsartan alone. • Angptl3 knockout to valsartan in alleviating renal glomerular injury in DN mice. • Anti-Angptl3 antibody may be used as a new potential adjunct to the conventional renin–angiotensin blockade. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Podocyte injury is a major pathogenesis of DN. Pharmacological inhibition of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) is insufficient to fully prevent the development of ESRD. The present investigation aims to evaluate the protective function of valsartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker, alone and in combination with angiopoietin-like protein 3 (Angptl3) knockout against renal damage and podocyte injury in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. The mice were divided into four groups: normal control group, STZ-induced DN group, valsartan + DN group (val, 100 mg/kg, po), and Angptl3-/- + valsartan + DN group. Tests on kidney function, renal pathology, podocyte ultrastructure, podocyte apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and autophagy were performed. The combined Angptl3 knockout/valsartan treatment significantly attenuated diabetes-induced renal pathological damage and improved podocyte ultrastructure compared with valsartan alone. The combined administration ameliorated glomerular injury by increasing nephrin, podocin, and CD2-associated protein (CD2AP) expression levels and inhibiting podocyte loss by apoptosis. Compared with valsartan alone, Angptl3-/- and valsartan combination therapy significantly improved the renal function, as demonstrated by decreasing levels of serum urea nitrogen, creatinine, and urinary albumin. Additionally, the combination treatment significantly activated autophagy and reduced the ROS production than valsartan alone. These findings highlight the role of valsartan to Angptl3 knockout could have much better outcome that opens the future for drugs that could inhibit Angptl3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coatings often cover two-thirds of the surfaces in indoor environments and represent important sources of indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Temperature is known to affect VOC emission rates from coatings, yet inter-species difference in the temperature dependence still needs to be understood. Based on time-resolved VOC measurements in an indoor air campaign conducted in residences in Beijing, China, we identified dibasic ester (DBE), a solvent mixture often used in coatings, and found that the concentration ratios of DBE components exhibited strong temperature dependence in an apartment when the indoor temperature declined stepwise over a multiweek period. To interpret the observational results, we developed a simplified mechanistic model relating the temperature dependence of VOC emission rates from coated surfaces to the temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient of the emitted VOCs in the coating layer and further to a predicable molecular property of the emitted VOCs, molar volumes at 0 K, based on the free-volume theory. This correlation was quantitatively verified using the DBE data as well as using the data of alkanes, another set of VOCs that might be emitted from coatings, observed in two apartments in the same campaign. Given that indoor temperature varies considerably over seasons and across regions, the correlation proposed herein may help better predict indoor VOC emissions from coatings. [Display omitted] • Emissions of coating-associated VOCs were observed to be temperature dependent, and the degree varied by compounds. • Such observation can be attributed to temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficients of emitted VOCs in coating. • Temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficients of VOCs in coating can be in turn related to their molar volumes at 0 K. • This correlation allows for modeling inter-species difference in the temperature dependence of VOC emissions from coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Interaction of different typical food waste during steam gasification are studied. • Synergistic promotion was observed in gasification of cabbage with another food waste. • Gasification of rice with pork exists an inhibitory effect to syngas formation. • H 2 and CO 2 production were significantly promoted by synergistic effect. • Torrefaction promotes the synergistic effect and alleviates the inhibition effect. In this work, rice (RI), pork (PO), and cabbage (CA) were chosen as typical food wastes to investigate the steam gasification performance of raw and torrefied mixed food wastes at 800 °C, with a focus on the effect of interactions between two components on syngas production. The results showed that there is a synergistic promotion of H 2 and CO 2 production when co-gasification of CA with RI or PO, mainly due to the reforming of char and volatiles were promoted by alkali and alkaline earth metallic (AAEM) in CA. In contrast, char interaction between PO and RI leads to the formation of more large aromatic carbon structures (≥6 rings), thus resulting in an inhibition effect on the major gas formation, especially for H 2 and CO. Torrefaction seems to enhance the synergistic promotions of H 2 , CO 2 , and CO production for mixtures containing CA, and alleviate the inhibitory effect for mixed PI and RI. Overall, co-gasification of food waste containing high AAEM with another typical food waste is an important strategy to improve the overall gasification efficiency (CGE). Moreover, torrefaction pretreatment could both increase the CGE and promote the syngas quality, making the syngas more suitable for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Largely limited by measurement technique, dynamics of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in the indoor air is not well understood. This study reports time-resolved measurements of airborne concentration of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) in an office, using semivolatile thermal desorption aerosol gas chromatography (SV-TAG). The measurements were conducted in two separate periods during the summer-to-fall transition in 2020, each for more than 10 days. The indoor gas-plus-particle DEHP concentration varied by more than one order of magnitude in each observation period, and the temporal pattern exhibited possible influences of the indoor temperature, particle mass concentration, and outdoor DEHP concentrations. Further analysis focusing on window-closed conditions (i.e., with less outdoor contribution) reveals that the DEHP dynamics was primarily driven by variations in the indoor temperature (R 2 = 0.85) during the first, warmer period (24–29 °C), and by variations in the particle mass concentration (R 2 = 0.83) during the subsequent cooler period (20–23 °C). The unexpected transition of the key driving factor with change of the temperature was qualitatively justified by a simplified mechanistic model. Moreover, the particle fraction of DEHP was measured during the latter, cooler period, and it exhibited strong dependence on particle concentration, which can be fitted assuming gas-particle equilibrium partitioning, with a best-fit apparent partitioning coefficient of 0.053 ± 0.006 m3/μg at 20 ± 1 °C. Overall, these results improve our understanding of real-world SVOC dynamics. [Display omitted] • In a warmer period variation in temperature drove DEHP dynamics in an office. • In a cooler period variation in particle concentration drove DEHP dynamics in the office. • Transition of the key driving factor with change in temperature was justified by mechanistic model. • Observed gas/particle partitioning of DEHP can be fitted assuming equilibrium state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new calix[4]arene derivative in 1,3-alternate conformation bearing four fluorescent 1,3,4-oxadiazole units was synthesized as a fluorescent chemosensor. This chemosensor displayed a highly selective recognition of Cu 2+ among various metal ions by the fluorescence quenching. The binding between the chemosensor and Cu 2+ showed 1:2 stoichiometry which was investigated by means of mole ratio method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The creep resistance is the highest in CoCrNi, followed by CoCrFeMnNi and then CoCrFeN alloys, while the Monkman-Grant relationship gives similar failure strain. • While the room and cryogenic temperature strength is governed by solid solution effects, the contrast of creep behavior in these subset alloys is primarily governed by the stacking fault energy. • The best performing CoCrNi has comparable creep resistance as commonly used precipitate/martensite-strengthened ferritic alloys. Long-term tensile creep experiments were performed at 973 K on a family of multicomponent equiatomic solid solution alloys with face-centered cubic crystal structures, including quinary CoCrFeMnNi alloy and quaternary CoCrFeNi alloy, together with our previous report on ternary CoCrNi alloy. Analyzing the steady-state and transient creep properties and characterizing the precipitate evolution, it is suggested that dislocation creep be the dominant deformation mechanism for all these alloys. Although CoCrNi shows the highest room-temperature strength and the lowest creep rate at 973 K, the creep lifetime data for all three alloys are similar and can be described by the Monkman-Grant relationship. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high concentration, complexity and volatility of organic pollutants in actual wastewater are becoming major obstacles to realizing efficient water purification. Inspired by the structure and physiological process of trees, a two-in-one solar-driven evaporation/photocatalysis system for efficient water evaporation and in situ purification was fabricated from wood-derived porous carbon that was vertically aligned and uniformly loaded with polymetallic oxide nanoparticles. The system enabled rapid water evaporation (up to 3.23 kg m-2 h-1) and effective purification of mixed volatile wastewater containing rhodamine B, phenol and tetracycline with ultra-high total concentration of up to 11700 mg L-1 under 1 sun irradiation, which was significantly higher than that reported previously, and distilled water with undetected volatile pollutants could be simultaneously obtained. The combination of nanoparticles and wood hierarchical structures provided photothermal conversion substrates, catalysts and reaction/transmission channels for efficient water evaporation and in situ pollutant degradation and achieved the synergistic promotion of photothermal conversion and photo-Fenton reactions. This process provides a novel and promising strategy for the efficient treatment of highly concentrated mixed volatile organic wastewater. [Display omitted] • A solar evaporation/photocatalysis system was designed with bionic concept of tree. • The system was fabricated from wood-derived carbon loaded with nanoparticles. • The system showed a high water evaporation rate up to 3.23 kg m-2 h-1. • The system can purify ultrahighly concentrated mixed volatile wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background & aims: The efficacy of homocysteine-lowering therapy with folic acid to lower homocysteine levels in an effort to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in patients with kidney disease remains inconclusive. We conducted a meta-analysis of relevant randomized trials to further examine this issue. Methods: This meta-analysis included 8234 patients with kidney disease from nine qualified randomized trials using folic acid therapy, and with CVD reported as one of the endpoints. Relative risk (RR) was used to measure the effect of folic acid supplementation on risk of CVD using a random effects model. Results: When pooling the nine randomized trials, folic acid therapy reduced the risk of CVD by 10%（RR = 0.90; 95% CI:0.81–1.00, P = 0.046). A greater beneficial effect was observed among those trials without a history of grain fortification with folic acid (0.82; 0.70–0.96, P = 0.01), with lower percent baseline diabetes (<30% (median), 0.80; 0.65–0.99, P = 0.04), and in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or advanced chronic kidney disease (ACKD) (0.85; 0.77–0.94, P = 0.002). Furthermore, a meta-regression analysis suggested a positive dose-response relationship between percent baseline diabetes and log-RR for CVD risk associated with folic acid supplementation (P = 0.007). Most importantly, even the inclusion of three subgroup results did not substantially affect the results (n = 11032, RR: 0.93; 95% CI:0.87–0.99, P = 0.03). Conclusions: Our meta-analysis indicates that folic acid supplementation may be effective for CVD prevention in patients with kidney disease, particularly in trials among patients without a history of grain fortification with folic acid, with lower percent baseline diabetes, and in patients with ESRD or ACKD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Research in the field of high-entropy alloys has been surging since the 2010s. As widely acknowledged, research interests in this field are largely sparked by the enormous possibilities in compositions, microstructures, and properties. In the first decade of extensive investigations, while many avenues of research in this vibrant field are being continuously opened, a considerable portion of endeavors is directed toward two very fundamentally important aspects. One is the exploration of the huge compositional space and microstructures with the aid of thermodynamics and kinetics, while the other is the characterization and comprehension of their mechanical behavior from fundamental and practical perspectives. Each of these two aspects contains numerous, scattered, sometimes confusing or conflicting data and findings in the literature. Thanks to several excellent comprehensive reviews [1–3], the accomplishments and challenges in the first aspect are neatly presented to researchers in the field. Nonetheless, the second aspect, i.e. , the mechanical behavior of high-entropy alloys, is still largely afloat in abundant literature in a spite of some recent reviews on certain specialized topics [4–6]. In consideration of this insufficiency, the present review intends to offer a comprehensive, critical review of the mechanical behavior of high-entropy alloys and some closely related topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tensile creep behavior of the CoCrNi medium entropy alloy in a temperature range of 973–1073 K was investigated in this study. According to the fitted stress exponent and activation energy, dislocation climb and lattice diffusion are proposed to be the dominated creep deformation mechanism for this alloy. During creep tests, the plate-like Cr-rich σ phase forms along the grain boundaries of the originally single-phase face-centered-cubic (FCC) CoCrNi alloy. It is suggested that low stacking-fault energy and local chemical ordering be responsible for the superior creep resistance and lifetime as opposed to that of the CoCrFeMnNi alloy. Image 1 • CoCrNi alloys have comparable high-temperature properties to other commercial steels, but better than CoCrFeMnNi alloys. • Their superior creep properties derive from the solid solution strengthening and low stacking faculty energy. • During creep tests, the plate-like Cr-rich σ phase forms along the grain boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue properties are essential for structural materials in industrial applications. High-entropy alloys are promising fatigue-resistant alloys with high strengths and good ductilities. In this study, the B2 precipitate significantly increased the yield strength of the Al 0.3 CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy but at the same time decreased the low-cycle fatigue life. A detailed investigation of the underlying mechanisms will provide critical insights into the precipitate effect on the fatigue performance of high-entropy alloys. Here, the Al 0.3 CoCrFeNi alloys with single face-centered-cubic (FCC) phase and with FCC + B2 phases are used for the investigation of the low-cycle fatigue behavior by combining in situ neutron diffraction measurements and elastic-viscoplastic self-consistent modeling. The simulation results indicate that the B2 precipitates highly increased the back stresses during cyclic loading by facilitating the kinematic hardening in the matrix, while the effect of dynamic recovery is relatively weak. The increase in back stresses provides more fatigue-crack-initiation sites and thus the damage accumulation, which will further lead to a shorter fatigue life. [Display omitted] • The B2 precipitates increased the yield strength and decrease the LCF life in the Al 0.3 CoCrFeNi HEA. • Lattice strain and full-width half-maximum results were obtained from in situ neutron diffraction. • Diffraction experiments and crystal plasticity modeling reveal the role played by B2 precipitates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]