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Biochar, produced from the thermochemical conversion of biomass waste, has various applications owing to its broad utility and advantageous properties. This study employs a scientometric approach to comprehensively assess the advancements in biochar application from 2022 to 2023. Utilizing 13,357 bibliographic records sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection with the search term "biochar", the analysis focuses on authorship, national contributions, and keyword trends. Findings demonstrate a continual rise in annual publications since 2009, albeit with a moderated growth rate in 2023. China leads in publication outputs, followed by USA and India, with Hailong Wang emerging as a prominent figure in biochar research. Keyword co-occurrence analyses identify key research themes such as biochar's role in climate change mitigation, easing salinity and drought stress, immobilizing toxic metals, degrading organic pollutants, serving as additives in anaerobic digestion, and functioning as electrodes in microbial fuel cells. Among these, biochar's application for global climate change mitigation gains significant attention, while its utilization as electrodes in microbial fuel cells emerges as a promising research frontier, indicating the growing need for sustainable energy sources. The study also outlines critical research gaps and future priorities for enhancing biochar application. Overall, it highlights the diverse applicability of biochar and offers valuable insight into research progression and forthcoming directions in biochar studies. Highlights: Utilization of bibliometric review for keyword analysis. Examination of recent developments in biochar application. The emerging focus on biochar's effectiveness as electrodes in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Suggested future research directions and priorities for sustainable biochar application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that seriously endangers human health, and monitoring glucose levels is one of the main diagnostic methods for its prevention and treatment. In this paper, we propose a high-performance glucose sensor based on the Sagnac interferometer (SI) utilizing photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with micro-holes. By setting two columns of micro-holes in the center of the PCF, the high birefringence effect is obtained to improve the detection sensitivity. All air holes are assumed to fill with the glucose solution, and the sensing characteristics of the PCF sensor are theoretically studied by the finite element method (FEM). The results show that the sensitivity and resolution of the PCF glucose sensor can reach 4.14 nm/(g/L) and 0.48 mg/dL within the concentration range of 0–120 g/L, respectively. In addition, the effects of the partial-filling methods and PCF structural parameters on the sensing performance are also analyzed to achieve optimal performance. The proposed glucose sensor possesses high sensitivity and simple structure, which exhibits good application prospects in the field of medical monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common thyroid tumor (TC). However, there is still a lack of effective indicators for PTC detection and prognosis. We intended to find a novel tumor marker for the progression of PTC. Methods: The expression of circRNAs was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). SiRNA transfection was used to knockdown the expression of hsa_circ_0010023 in K1 cells. Cell proliferation was evaluated using cell counting and CCK8. Cell apoptosis was analyzed using flow cytometry. Hsa_circ_0010023 downstream pathways were predicted with bio-informatics analysis. The miR-1250-5p and MAPK1 were measured by qRT-PCR. The interaction between miR-1250-5p and hsa_circ_0010023 was vertified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results: Among the four circRNAs screened, only hsa_circ_0010023 and hsa_circ_0128482 were highly expressed in PTC (P < 0.05). The expression of hsa_circ_0010023 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and extrathyroid infiltration (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the cell proliferation of the si-circ-0010023 group was significantly inhibited (P < 0.05). Knockdown of hsa_circ_0010023 promotes apoptosis of K1 cells (P < 0.001). The expression of hsa_circ_0010023 was negatively correlated with miR-1250-5p and positively correlated with MAPK1. MiR-1250-5p overexpression significantly reduced the luciferase activity of wild type plasmid (hsa_circ_0010023 WT), but not that of mutant type plasmid (hsa_circ_0010023 MUT). Conclusion: The expression level of hsa_circ_0010023 was positive related to the progression of PTC, and hsa_circ_0010023 may promote PTC through sponging miR-1250-5p. Hsa_circ_0010023 may be a potential bio-marker for the diagnosis of PTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: This review systematically summarizes the source of electricity, the key choice of catalyst, and the potentiality of electrolyte for prospective hydrogen generation. Each section provides comprehensive overview, detailed comparison and obvious advantages in these system configurations. The problems of hydrogen generation from electrolytic water splitting and directions of next-generation green hydrogen in the future are discussed and outlooked. Green hydrogen from electrolysis of water has attracted widespread attention as a renewable power source. Among several hydrogen production methods, it has become the most promising technology. However, there is no large-scale renewable hydrogen production system currently that can compete with conventional fossil fuel hydrogen production. Renewable energy electrocatalytic water splitting is an ideal production technology with environmental cleanliness protection and good hydrogen purity, which meet the requirements of future development. This review summarizes and introduces the current status of hydrogen production by water splitting from three aspects: electricity, catalyst and electrolyte. In particular, the present situation and the latest progress of the key sources of power, catalytic materials and electrolyzers for electrocatalytic water splitting are introduced. Finally, the problems of hydrogen generation from electrolytic water splitting and directions of next-generation green hydrogen in the future are discussed and outlooked. It is expected that this review will have an important impact on the field of hydrogen production from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly sensitive and simple structure side-polished micro-structured fiber (MOF) refractive index (RI) sensor based on surface plasmon resonance is proposed and studied by the finite element method. The gold nanofilm used to stimulate plasmons is directly deposited on the inner wall of the open-loop channel of a MOF consisting of an arrangement of six cladding air-holes. The sample analyte is arranged on the outer surface of the optical fiber to improve the utilization rate of the sensor and reduce the tediousness of operation. Meanwhile, in order to increase the leakage intensity of evanescent field, three large air-holes were introduced near the fiber core. Research has shown that the proposed sensor can achieve sensing detection in the range of 1.19–1.37 RI. The maximum sensitivity in the x-polarized direction can reach 12,500 nm/RIU, and its corresponding resolution is 3.64 × 10–5 RIU. Moreover, it has a high linear response of 0.9944 within the RI detection range of 1.19–1.33. Obviously, the proposed sensor has a simple structure, wide RI detection range, and high sensitivity, which can make it widely used in biomedical and analytical chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the impact of additional torque caused by complex road conditions on the automotive driveline, a new type of automotive drive axle system connected by a trident-ball-cage duplex universal joint (DUCS) is used and analyzed for torsional vibration. The concentrated mass approach is employed to establish the dynamic model of DUCS, and the Lagrangian method is utilized to establish the vibration differential equations of DUCS. The higher-order Runge-Kutta algorithm as well as the filtering treatment are employed to address vibration responses of the system. Meanwhile, considering the strong coupling between the input and output axles, the active-disturbance (ADRC) decoupling control method is incorporated to reduce the system amplitude. The Fibonacci series is used to regulate the parameters of the expansion state observer (ESO) in it, and the bandwidth method is used to regulate the controller parameters to improve the efficiency of parameter regulation. The results show the usefulness of the approach to regulate the torsional vibration of DUCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw returning is an important strategy for effectively using straw resources to improve soil fertility and quality, but the effects of this process on reactive intermediates (RIs) formation in paddy water are not fully explored. In this study, we conducted a field experiment to explore the effects of straw returning on RIs formation including triplet chromophoric dissolved organic matter (3CDOM*), hydroxyl radicals (•OH), and singlet oxygen (1O2) in paddy water. It was found that straw returning considerably increased the steady-state concentration of RIs, and the application of rice straw with 25% and 75% organic replacement ratio increased RIs concentration by 2.52 and 2.25 times, respectively. The optical spectroscopy, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) analysis and structural equation model showed that straw returning produces abundant humified and aromatic DOM containing fulvic acid, lignin and protein-like substances, which could induce more RIs under irradiation. In addition, straw returning significantly accelerated imidacloprid (IMD) degradation, yielding degradation products that were highly toxic to aquatic animals (i.e., fish and daphnia) but less toxic to aquatic plants (i.e., green algae). This study would offer an innovative viewpoint on the effects of straw returning on the photochemistry of paddy water and the naturally occurring abiotic degradation pathway of organic contaminants. Highlights: • Straw returning produces abundant humified and aromatic DOM as a key photosensitizer. • Straw returning increased the steady-state concentration of RIs in paddy water. • Straw returning significantly accelerated IMD degradation and 3DOM* was the dominant RI for IMD degradation in paddy water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of long-term biochar application on soil phosphorus (P) flux across the root-soil interface and its availability in the rhizosphere of rice (Oryza sativa L) remain unclear. We used diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT), laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and planar optode sensor techniques to characterize, in-situ, the 2D heterogeneity and dynamics of rhizosphere soil P, iron (Fe), sulfur (S) and trace element fluxes, dissolved oxygen and pH in paddy soil, after 10 years of biochar application. Compared to the control (no biochar applied), biochar applied at 4.5, 22.5 and 45.0 Mg ha−1 yr−1 decreased rhizospheric P fluxes by 11.6%, 63.4% and 79.0%, respectively. This decrease under biochar treatments was attributed to changed redox status of Fe and S caused by the lower dissolved oxygen in rhizosphere soil and increased soil pH induced precipitating of soluble inorganic P into insoluble P forms, such as calcium-bound and residual P that are unavailable for crop uptake. Higher application rate of biochar resulted in lower As and Pb fluxes in rice rhizosphere and their availabilities for crop uptake. The in-situ observation results in rice rhizosphere at μm-scale after 10 years of biochar addition directly showed the complex effects of long-term biochar and rhizosphere heterogeneity on P transformation process. Highlights: In-situ 2D imaging of rice rhizosphere P, Fe, S, and trace elements was elucidated. Long-term biochar application conspicuously lowered rice rhizosphere available P. Soil P release process was related to Fe and S redox status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advance of high-throughput sequencing enhances the discovery of short ORFs embedded in long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Here, we uncovered the production and biological activity of lncRNA-hidden polypeptides in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In the present study, bioinformatics was used to screen the lncRNA-hidden polypeptides in LUAD. Analysis of protein expression was done by western blot or immunofluorescence assay. The functions of the polypeptide were determined by detecting its effects on cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and pemetrexed (PEM) sensitivity. The protein interactors of the polypeptide were analyzed by mass spectrometry after Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assay. The results showed that the lncRNA LINC00954 was confirmed to encode a novel polypeptide LINC00954-ORF. The polypeptide had tumor-suppressor features in A549 cells by repressing cell growth, motility and invasion. Moreover, the polypeptide enhanced PEM sensitivity and suppressed growth in A549/PEM cells. The protein interactors of this polypeptide had close correlations with RNA processing, amide metabolic process, translation, RNA binding, RNA transport, and DNA replication. As a conclusion, the LINC00954-ORF polypeptide embedded in lncRNA LINC00954 possesses tumor-suppressor features in A549 and PEM-resistant A549 cells and sensitizes PEM-resistant A549 cells to PEM, providing evidence that the LINC00954-ORF polypeptide is a potential anti-cancer agent in LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: LncRNAs and DNA methylation are both key regulators of tumorigenesis and immune regulation. However, the interaction between lncRNA and DNA methylation, their regulation and their clinical and immune relevance in gastric cancer (GC) remain unclear. Methods: In this study, we identified DNA methylation regulator-related lncRNAs through Pearson correlation analysis in The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets. Univariate Cox regression was used to screen DNA methylationrelated prognostic lncRNAs. Further, through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression, a prognostic model based on 13 lncRNAs was established. Survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis verified the accuracy of the model in predicting the survival of GC patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses also confirmed that the risk score obtained from the risk model could be applied as an independent prognostic factor for patients with GC. Furthermore, based on the risk score and other clinicopathological characteristics that can be used as independent prognostic factors, we constructed a nomogram that could accurately determine the survival time of each patient. In addition, a lncRNA score was constructed using a principal component analysis algorithm to quantify the DNA methylation-related lncRNA expression patterns of individual tumors. Results: We found that a higher lncRNA score indicated a worse the prognosis and was associated with a reduced tumor mutation burden and immunosuppression. A low lncRNA score was related to an increase in neoantigen load and an increase in the anti-PDL1/CTLA4 immunotherapy response. Additionally, a low lncRNA score was related to a significant therapeutic advantage and clinical benefit. Conclusions: This study describes a DNA methylation regulator-related lncRNA signature model, which provides a new approach for predicting therapeutic response and patient stratification in GC. Assessing lncRNA expression patterns in individual tumors will contribute to enhancing our understanding of tumor microenvironment infiltration and guide more effective immunotherapy strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have unequivocally demonstrated that biochar and, to a lesser degree, earthworms can independently improve soil fertility and crop productivity, although information about their co-application effects on soil characteristics is limited. In this review, (1) earthworm biomarkers and underlying influencing factors, as well as the changes in the amended soil quality in response to co-application of earthworms and biochar are presented, (2) the functional interactions between earthworms and biochar in soil are summarized; (3) the principles governing the synergetic effects of biochar and earthworms on soil quality enhancement are probed; and (4) alternative strategies to optimize the efficacy of earthworm and biochar amendments are provided. It is noteworthy that while low doses of biochar can have a positive effect on various earthworm biomarkers, including growth and reproduction, restoration of the intestinal environment, and the mitigation of cellular organelle toxicity and genetic damage, high biochar dosages can yield adverse effects. Conversely, earthworms play a crucial role in distributing biochar particles deeper into the soil matrix, bolstering carbon sequestration potential, and enhancing the persistence and efficiency of biochar utilization. Moreover, earthworms stimulate the production of soil extracellular enzymes by microorganisms, which are pivotal to the processing, stabilization, and decomposition of soil organic matter, as well as nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Additionally, they enhance the binding affinities of these enzymes to biochar. Significantly, changes in earthworm biomarkers in response to biochar integration are predominately governed by biochar properties and dosage, contact time, and soil type. Highlights: A lesser degree of biochar amendment had positive effects on earthworm metabolism. Earthworms homogenized biochar particles into soil matrix and increased biochar utilization efficiency. Earthworm biomarker responses was modulated by its types, biochar, contact time, and soils. Co-application of biochar and earthworms promoted soil health and fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six high-performance photonic crystal fiber polarization filters based on surface plasmon resonance are proposed and studied by Matlab and Comsol Multiphysics based on finite element method. Dual D structure is adopted in order to improve birefringence and increase coupling strength between surface plasmon and fiber core light energy. The characteristics of loss, filtering, and extinction ratio were studied, including six material situations: gold, silver, aluminum, gold and graphene, silver and graphene, aluminum and graphene. The mode coupling phenomenon and the influence of metal thickness on optical fiber devices are analyzed. Research result shows that the proposed fibers have good filtering ability, and when the fiber length is 2 mm, the extinction ratio can reach 4520 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trauma is the leading cause of death among children worldwide. The inflammatory response of paediatric patients to multiple injuries can be monitored using serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. This study aimed to assess the value of IL-6 levels in predicting the severity of paediatric trauma and its clinical association with disease activity. Method: We prospectively tested serum IL-6 levels and evaluated the Paediatric Trauma Score (PTS) and other clinical data among 106 paediatrics trauma patients from January 2022 to May 2023 at the Emergency Department of the Xi'an Children's Hospital in China. The relationship between IL-6 and trauma severity levels by PTS was analyzed statistically. Results: IL-6 levels were elevated in 76 (71.70%) of the 106 paediatric patients with trauma. Spearman's test showed a significant negative linear correlation between IL-6 and PTS (rs = − 0.757, p < 0.001). IL-6 levels were moderate positively correlated with alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, white blood cells, blood lactic acid and interleukin 10 (rs = 0.513, 0.600, 0.503, 0.417, 0.558, p < 0.01). IL-6 levels were positively correlated with hypersensitive C-reactive protein and glucose (rs = 0.377, rs = 0.389, respectively, p < 0.001). IL-6 levels were negatively correlated with fibrinogen and PH (rs = − 0.434, p < 0.001; rs = − 0.382, respectively, p < 0.001). Binary scatter plots further demonstrated higher levels of IL-6 correlated with lower PTS scores. Conclusion: Serum IL-6 levels significantly increased with increasing severity of paediatric trauma. Serum levels of IL-6 can function as important indicators for predicting disease severity and activity in paediatric trauma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The classification of primary lung adenocarcinoma is complex and varied. Different subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma have different treatment methods and different prognosis. In this study, we collected 11 datasets comprising subtypes of lung cancer and proposed FL-STNet model to provide the assistance for improving clinical problems of pathologic classification in primary adenocarcinoma of lung. Methods: Samples were collected from 360 patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma and other subtypes of lung diseases. In addition, an auxiliary diagnosis algorithm based on Swin-Transformer, which used Focal Loss for function in training, was developed. Meanwhile, the diagnostic accuracy of the Swin-Transformer was compared to pathologists. Results: The Swin-Transformer captures not only information in the overall tissue structure but also the local tissue details in the images of lung cancer pathology. Furthermore, training FL-STNet with the Focal Loss function can further balance the difference in the amount of data between different subtypes, improving recognition accuracy. The average classification accuracy, F1, and AUC of the proposed FL-STNet reached 85.71%, 86.57%, and 0.9903. The average accuracy of the FL-STNet was higher by 17% and 34%, respectively, than in the senior pathologist and junior pathologist group. Conclusion: The first deep learning based on an 11-category classifier was developed for classifying lung adenocarcinoma subtypes based on WSI histopathology. Aiming at the deficiencies of the current CNN and Vit, FL-STNet model is proposed in this study by introducing Focal Loss and combining the advantages of Swin-Transformer model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nitration of toluene with mixed acid is one of the most representative nitration reactions. Accurate kinetic study is essential for controlling the reaction and designing reactors. Due to the characteristics of fast rate, high exothermicity and heterogeneity in toluene nitration, the effects of mass and heat transfer may result in inaccurate determination of kinetics. In this work, the adiabatic temperature rises of the reaction system were studied to provide precise ranges of experimental conditions for accurately controlling the reaction rate and heat release rate in a liquid–liquid microflow system. The adiabatic temperature rise was successfully controlled to below 0.3 °C. The effects of mass and heat transfer on the reaction rate were completely eliminated, so that the kinetic study was carried out under the control of intrinsic kinetics only. The activation energy for toluene nitration was determined to be 28.00 kJ/mol. The activation energies for the formation of o-nitrotoluene and p-nitrotoluene were obtained for the first time, which were 25.71 and 31.91 kJ/mol, respectively. The obtained kinetic models can predict the reaction performance of toluene nitration very well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The joint toxicological effects of Cd2+ and As(V) mixture on wheat root as affected by environmental factors, such as pH, coexisting cations, and humic acids etc., were investigated using hydroponic experiments. The interaction and toxicological mechanisms of co-existing Cd2+ and As(V) at the interface of solution and roots in presence of humic acid were further explored by incorporating root cell membrane surface potential ψ0 into a mechanistic model of combined biotic ligand model (BLM)-based Gouy−Chapman−Stern (GCS) model and NICA-DONNAN model. Besides, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of lipid bilayer equilibrated with solution containing Cd2+ and H2AsO4− further revealed the molecular distribution of heavy metal(loid) ions under different membrane surface potentials. H2AsO4− and Cd2+ can be adsorbed on the surface of the membrane alone or as complexes, which consolidate the limitation of the macroscopic physical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocatalysis is increasingly replacing traditional methods of manufacturing fine chemicals due to its green, mild, and highly selective nature, but biocatalysts, such as enzymes, are generally costly, fragile, and difficult to recycle. Immobilization provides protection for the enzyme and enables its convenient reuse, which makes immobilized enzymes promising heterogeneous biocatalysts; however, their industrial applications are limited by the low specific activity and poor stability. Herein, we report a feasible strategy utilizing the synergistic bridging of triazoles and metal ions to induce the formation of porous enzyme-assembled hydrogels with increased activity. The catalytic efficiency of the prepared enzyme-assembled hydrogels toward acetophenone reduction is 6.3 times higher than that of the free enzyme, and the reusability is confirmed by the high residual catalytic activity after 12 cycles of use. A near-atomic resolution (2.1 Å) structure of the hydrogel enzyme is successfully analyzed via cryogenic electron microscopy, which indicates a structure–property relationship for the enhanced performance. In addition, the possible mechanism of gel formation is elucidated, revealing the indispensability of triazoles and metal ions, which guides the use of two other enzymes to prepare enzyme-assembled hydrogels capable of good reusability. The described strategy can pave the way for the development of practical catalytic biomaterials and immobilized biocatalysts. Biocatalysis using immobilized enzymes is increasingly replacing traditional methods of manufacturing fine chemicals but heir industrial applications are limited by the low specific activity and poor stability. Here, the authors report a feasible strategy utilizing the synergistic bridging of triazoles and metal ions to induce the formation of porous enzyme-assembled hydrogels with increased activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are ubiquitous in the environment and enter the terrestrial food chain via plant uptake. However, plant uptake behaviors of TiO2 NPs remain elusive. Here, the uptake kinetics of TiO2 NPs by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings and the effects on cation flux in roots were examined in a hydroponic system. Uptake rate of TiO2 NPs ranged from 119.0 to 604.2 mg kg− 1 h− 1 within 8 h exposure. NP uptake decreased by 83% and 47%, respectively, in the presence of sodium azide (NaN3) and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), indicating an energy-dependent uptake of TiO2 NPs. Moreover, accompanied with TiO2 NP uptake, net influx of Cd2+ decreased by 81%, while Na+ flux shifted from inflow to outflow at the meristematic zone of root. These findings provide valuable information for understanding plant uptake of TiO2 NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-chain α-olefins have a high added value as important raw materials for many highly marketable products. Fishcher-Tropsch synthesis products contain ultrahigh-content α-olefins, which are of great value if the challenging separation of α-olefin/paraffin is achieved through energy-saving ways, for which adsorption separation is an attractive technology. One of the most significant differences between the adsorption separation of long-chain and light hydrocarbons is the steric hindrance of the molecular chain. Herein, we propose a combination of window size, metal node spacing, and bending degree to quantitatively describe the adsorption cavity structure for the separation of long-chain α-olefin/paraffin. The general cavity structural characteristics of microporous materials with good separation performance for long-chain α-olefin/paraffin are revealed. The selective adsorption of liquid C6 and C8 α-olefin/paraffin mixtures on CuBTC (BTC = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) was studied in detail to reveal the influence of the cavity structure on the adsorption and interaction using a combination of batch adsorption experiments and molecular simulation techniques. CuBTC exhibited 360 and 366 mg/g olefin adsorption capacities for C6 and C8 linear α-olefins, respectively. The adsorption energies were −0.540 and −0.338 eV for C8 linear α-olefin and paraffin, respectively. The contributions of different types of interactions to the overall adsorption energy were quantified to illustrate the adsorption energy difference between α-olefin/paraffin and CuBTC. This work provides a new understanding of the long-chain hydrocarbon adsorption behavior different from ethylene/ethane and propylene/propane, which guides the design of adsorbents for α-olefin/paraffin separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biotic transformation of imidacloprid (IMD) has been widely investigated in the environments. However, little was known about IMD degradation via abiotic pathways, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based oxidation processes. Here we systematically investigated the mechanism of hydroxyl radical (•OH) production and the associated IMD degradation in the goethite (α-FeOOH)-based Fenton-like systems. Results showed that IMD can be efficiently degraded in the α-FeOOH/H2O2 systems, with degradation rate exceeded 80% within 48 h. Based on the examination of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and chemical probes, •OH was identified as the key ROS that responsible for IMD degradation. IMD can be decomposed via hydroxylation or removal of -N-NO2 to produce hydroxylated IMD, cyclic urea and 6-chloronicotinic acid, with the associated toxicities also evaluated. In addition, the increasing H2O2 concentration and decreasing solution pH both significantly increased IMD degradation. This study provides theoretical understanding for the implications of soil mineral-based Fenton-like reactions in the abiotic transformation of pesticide pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrosion of rebar is the key factor affecting the service life of reinforced concrete, and amorphous coatings with superior corrosion resistance can be a potential protective material for the rebar. In the present study, a self-designed arc-sprayed Fe-based amorphous coating deposited on the surface of Q235 steel was investigated. The long-term electrochemical behavior of arc-sprayed Fe-based amorphous coating after pore-sealing treatment was studied for the first time. The microstructure of the sprayed coating was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The pores of the coating were sealed using the infiltration method. To explore the electrochemical behavior of the unmodified sprayed coating and the pore-sealed coating, electrochemical tests in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution were employed. According to the SEM and TEM results, the unmodified sprayed coating was dense with a layered structure and was composed of an amorphous matrix and nanocrystalline structures. The average porosity of the unmodified sprayed coating was 3.95%. Electrochemical experiments revealed that the electrochemical response of the coating was more capacitive after pore-sealing treatment, which resulted in improved corrosion resistance. Kindly check and confirm whether the corresponding author is correctly identified.The identity of the corresponding author is correct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liquid products of Fischer—Tropsch synthesis with a high content of linear α-olefins can act as valuable raw materials for increasing high added-value α-olefin production if the challenging separation of long-chain α-olefin/paraffin is achieved. Adsorption separation is an efficient alternative to energy-intensive distillation. Herein, the selective adsorption behavior and interaction mechanism of liquid α-olefin/paraffin on Mg metal-organic framework (MOF)-74 were investigated using a combination of batch adsorption experiments and molecular simulation techniques. Mg-MOF-74 exhibited 301 and 333 mg/g olefin adsorption capacities for C6 and C8 linear α-olefins in binary olefin/paraffin mixtures, respectively, and was still unsaturated at high olefin concentrations. The adsorption isotherms were analyzed and compared with the simulated results by configurational-bias grand canonical Monte Carlo (CB-GCMC) simulation. The visualized adsorption sites by CB-GCMC simulation indicated that all adsorbates were arranged in hexagonal shapes and preferentially adsorbed by the vertex of the hexagon, where the metal node magnesium is located. The adsorption energies were −1.456 and −0.378 eV for C8 linear α-olefin and paraffin, respectively, calculated by density functional theory simulation based on the visualized adsorption sites. The charge transfer was analyzed, and the contributions of different kinds of interactions to the overall adsorption energy were quantified by principle orbital interaction analysis to further reveal the difference in adsorption energy between α-olefin/paraffin and Mg-MOF-74. This work also provides a general means to investigate the liquid adsorption performance and host—guest interactions in the adsorption or catalytic processes of nanoporous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bombyx mori silk is a super-long natural protein fiber with a unique structure and excellent performance. Innovative silk structures with high performance are in great demand, thus resulting in an industrial bottleneck. Herein, the outer layer sericin SER3 is ectopically expressed in the posterior silk gland (PSG) in silkworms via a piggyBac-mediated transgenic approach, then secreted into the inner fibroin layer, thus generating a fiber with sericin microsomes dispersed in fibroin fibrils. The water-soluble SER3 protein secreted by PSG causes P25's detachment from the fibroin unit of the Fib-H/Fib-L/P25 polymer, and accumulation between the fibroin layer and the sericin layer. Consequently, the water solubility and stability of the fibroin-colloid in the silk glandular cavity, and the crystallinity increase, and the mechanical properties of cocoon fibers, moisture absorption and moisture liberation of the silk also improve. Meanwhile, the mutant overcomes the problems of low survival and abnormal silk gland development, thus enabling higher production efficiency of cocoon silk. In summary, we describe a silk gland transgenic target protein selection strategy to alter the silk fiber structure and to innovate its properties. This work provides an efficient and green method to produce silk fibers with new functions. Transgenic modification of silkworms has the potential to engineer new silks with a wider range of properties. Here, the authors engineered the expression of the outer layer sericin SER3 in the inner fibroin layer generating a new silk with higher production efficiency and resistance to alkaline conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromium is one of the eight most popular inorganic soil pollutants in China, and its bioavailability is determined by the chemical states. Amendments, which are able to change the chemical forms of chromium and decrease its bioavailability, have received considerable attention in recent years. In this work, the formation of Cr-based layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and the immobilization of Cr in solution and soil were systemically investigated. The formation of Cr-based LDHs is strongly depended on the layer charges, aging temperatures and reaction time, as identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectrum. According to the pot experiment results, the concentration of Cr in the overground part of Brassica Chinensis L. was significantly decreased to 1.50–2.03 µg kg− 1 in the present of amendments. In total, the finding of LDHs formation on amendments and the thermodynamic stability of LDHs provides a new insight into the remediation of Cr-polluted soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The buildup of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in soil has raised mounting concerns on their impact on human health. Human are exposed to AgNPs in soils via hand-to-mouth activities (direct exposure) and food consumption (indirect exposure). However, the bioaccessibility of AgNPs under these exposure scenarios remains largely unknown. We used a physiologically based extraction test (PBET) to assess Ag bioaccessibility in AgNP-containing soils and in earthworms (Pheretima guillemi) cultured in these soils. Silver bioaccessibility was 1.2 − 8.4% and 8.1 − 78.7% upon direct exposure and indirect exposure, respectively. These results indicated greater Ag bioaccessibility in earthworms than in soils. Moreover, particle size decreased upon direct exposure, but remained constant upon indirect exposure in wetland soil, as revealed by single particle inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) analysis. Our results highlight the importance of indirect exposure to NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear α-olefins are important chemical raw materials. To purify α-olefins from a high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthetic oil, it is necessary to separate the α-olefins from the paraffins, which is challenging. Adsorption separation by zeolites is a promising alternative to energy-intensive distillation for α-olefin/paraffin separation. An integrated differential phase-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (iDPC-STEM) technique is used in combination with density functional theory (DFT) simulations and batch adsorption experiments to study the adsorption behavior of C6 α-olefins and the mechanism of selective adsorption of C6 α-olefin/paraffin. Direct electron microscopy real-space imaging of the atomic frameworks of the faujasite (FAU) and Linde Type A (LTA) zeolites and the C6 α-olefin-adsorption positions on their lattices is achieved through iDPC-STEM. The images provide direct evidence that C6 α-olefins preferentially adsorb at the edges of the FAU and LTA zeolite cavities. DFT calculations further reveal the relationship between host-guest interactions and different molecular orientations. Calculated and experimental results also show that the presence of calcium cations can enhance the selectivity of zeolites for α-olefin/paraffin adsorption. This work provides a means to investigate the behavior of guest molecules and the host-guest interactions in the adsorption or catalytic process of nanoporous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we studied and developed the modification schemes of environmentally friendly substitutes of neonicotinoid insecticides (NNIs) along with the regulatory measures that effectively enhanced the synergistic degradation of NNIs by soil rhizobia and carbon-fixing bacteria. Firstly, the binding ability of NNIs to the two key proteins was characterized by molecular docking; secondly, the mean square deviation decision method, which is a comprehensive evaluation method, was used to investigate the binding ability of NNI molecules with the two Rubisco rate-limiting enzymes. The three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) model was established for the synergistic degradation and single effect of rhizobia and carbon-fixing bacteria. Finally, after combining the 3D-QSAR model with a contour map analysis of the synergistic degradation effect of soil rhizobia and carbon-fixing bacteria, 102 NNI derivatives were designed. Flonicamid-36 and other four NNI derivatives passed the functional and environmentally friendly evaluation. Taguchi orthogonal experiment and factorial experiment-assisted molecular dynamics method were used to simulate the effects of 32 regulation schemes on the synergistic degradation of NNIS and its derivatives by rhizobia and carbon fixing bacteria. The synergistic degradation capacity of soil rhizobia and carbon-fixing bacteria was increased to 33.32% after right nitrogen supplementation. This indicated that supplementing the correct amount of nitrogen in the soil environment was beneficial to the microbial degradation of NNIs and their derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploitation of metal–organic frameworks as photoactive materials for photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing is of great importance because of their unique structures and specific PEC properties. Herein, a porphyrin-MOF was coupled with oxidase to develop a PEC enzymatic sensor. Specifically, a nanoscale Al-TCPP(Zn) (Zn-TCPP = Zn-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin) was synthesized by adjusting the reaction solvents, and its photophysical properties were investigated by spectral and electrochemical techniques. The Al-TCPP(Zn) showed stable cathodic photocurrents, which are dependent on the dissolved oxygen in phosphate buffer. After the coupling with xanthine oxidase, the developed PEC enzymatic sensor showed enhanced responses towards the increased concentration of hypoxanthine with a low limit of detection, excellent selectivity, and reusability. This study combines the advantages of MOF-based PEC sensing and enzyme sensing, providing great potential to develop high-performance PEC bioanalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the soil arsenic pollution is considered as a serious environmental issue, and the high toxicity of arsenic can seriously affect the quality and safety of agricultural products and human health. Biochar, as a solidifying/passivating agent, has been widely used in the treatment of soil heavy metal pollution. Pine biochar (BC) was used as a carrier in this study, and biochar-loaded nano-zirconia (N-ZrO2-BC) was synthesized to investigate its adsorption and fixation characteristics on As (V) in soil and water. The adsorption experiment showed that the second-order kinetic equation had a good fitting effect on the adsorption curve of As (V) on the N-ZrO2-BC surface, which indicated that chemical adsorption was the main factor controlling the reaction rate. FTIR and SEM results showed that ion exchange and surface complexation were the main mechanisms of As (V) adsorption by N-ZrO2-BC. Soil culture experiments showed that the stabilization efficiency of arsenic in soil with 2% N-ZrO2-BC reached 99.30% after 60 days, and the extractable arsenic content was reduced to 3.07 μg·L-1, which reached the quality standard of class III groundwater (<0.01 mg·L-1, GB/T 14848-2017). Comparing with the control, the content of acid extractable arsenic in soil decreased by 90.57%, and the residual arsenic increased by 51.46%, indicating that the addition of N-ZrO2-BC could effectively promote the transformation of active arsenic to stable arsenic in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitously in ecosystem and have evoked wide attention. The potential risk of MPs to the ecosystems is associated with MPs and the additives such as Pb, which serves as a traditional stabilizer. However, the release of Pb from MPs remains largely unknown. In this study, we evaluated the release of Pb from recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC) under UV-irradiation. The release process was dominated by two processes: H+ facilitated dissolution of Pb, and light-induced hydroxyl radical (·OH) caused C–H bond cleavage from PVC with the generation of alkyl radical. The effects of pH and coexisting low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) were also evaluated. Lower pH speeds up the Pb release from MPs. The LMWOAs act as a filter of UV to restrain the Pb release. Overall, this study shows the release of Pb from recycled PVC MPs and indicates the potential risk of Pb to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most harmful environmental pollutants, cadmium (Cd) has arisen much interest, and many researches have been carried out to study the adsorption of heavy metals by biochar, but the mechanisms were poorly explored and the roles components in biochar played are still indistinct. In this study, we evaluated the adsorption capacities and mechanisms of soybean root biochar pyrolyzed at four different temperatures. The results indicate the biochar properties are significantly determined by pyrolysis temperature, which affects the removal mechanisms of Cd(II) consequently. Microstructure characteristics and mechanism analysis further suggest that Cd(II)-π interactions and sulfur-containing functional groups are the main mechanisms of Cd(II) adsorption. This work shows a new perspective to explain the adsorption mechanisms onto biochar adsorbents and has a benefit for the exploitation of economical and effective adsorbents for Cd(II) removal based on biochars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the bus characteristics of large quality, high center of gravity and narrow wheelbase, the research of its yaw stability control (YSC) system has become the focus in the field of vehicle system dynamics. However, the tire nonlinear mechanical properties and the effectiveness of the YSC control system are not considered carefully in the current research. In this paper, a novel adaptive nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode (ANFTSM) control scheme for YSC is proposed to improve the bus curve driving stability and safety on slippery roads. Firstly, the STI (Systems Technologies Inc.) tire model, which can effectively reflect the nonlinear coupling relationship between the tire longitudinal force and lateral force, is established based on experimental data and firstly adopted in the bus YSC system design. On this basis, a more accurate bus lateral dynamics model is built and a novel YSC strategy based on ANFTSM, which has the merits of fast transient response, finite time convergence and high robustness against uncertainties and external disturbances, is designed. Thirdly, to solve the optimal allocation problem of the tire forces, whose objective is to achieve the desired direct yaw moment through the effective distribution of the brake force of each tire, the robust least-squares allocation method is adopted. To verify the feasibility, effectiveness and practicality of the proposed bus YSC approach, the TruckSim-Simulink co-simulation results are finally provided. The co-simulation results show that the lateral stability of bus under special driving conditions has been significantly improved. This research proposes a more effective design method for bus YSC system based on a more accurate tire model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With great changes in global climate and unusual and extreme weather in recent years, the geological disaster happens more frequently than ever before, so people attach more and more importance to the geo-disaster defending and decreasing for the social economic development especially after the great earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan province. As our nation's great strategy informational source, Geo-hazard information is the key technology in the area of government managing decision, which plays an important role in a project. How to use it has become the key problem. The development of new industry and the promotion of life conditions makes the service based on the geo-information in huge demand. Geo-hazard spatial information sharing service platform is to build a basic spatial information sharing environment. In this environment, the information will be shared in the form of Web services for government agencies, businesses, and the public, provided that geological hazard specifications and standards are followed. Actually, with the development of Internet technology and cloud computing, preliminary results have been achieved on the problem of geographic information sharing and corresponding evaluation work has been carried out. Based on the idea of disaster ontology, the geographic shared service framework is designed and expounded, which is adapted to Wenchuan zone by using data catalog rules. The geo-shared service model is derived from Geo-hazard Spatial Information Sharing Service Model. The design of service interface is expounded. The evaluation and application as well as effective system test is finished based on the Wenchuan geo-disaster evaluation and application system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a micro-patterned hydroxyapatite/silk fibroin (HA-SF) coating was firstly fabricated on the surface of Mg-Zn-Y-Nd-Zr alloy by template-assisted electrospraying technique coupling with spin coating technique. Two types of micro-patterns were achieved with high contour accuracy, namely HA-SF(line-pattern) and HA-SF(dot-pattern). The microstructure, composition, surface wettability and corrosion behaviors of the coatings were investigated by SEM, EDS, FTIR, XRD, water contact angle and potentiodynamic polarization test. The results revealed the hydrophilic nature of coatings and two orders of magnitude reduction of corrosion density (icorr) as compared with that of the substrate. All the micro-patterned surfaces promoted the attachment of MC3T3-E1 cells with visible filopodia after 1 d incubation. In addition, coatings with line pattern exhibited the superior guidance to cell migration as compared to dot pattern, and the preference of cell attachment in the convex zone was observed. In summary, the obtained micro-patterned HA-SF coatings possessed the remarkably improvement of anticorrosion ability and good efficacy in guidance of cell attachment and alignment, which can serve as a promising strategy for cellular response modulation at the interface of magnesium-based implants and bone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrate nitrogen in water, especially in groundwater, is a major problem in the current drinking water environment. In this study, copper- and nickel-modified phosphotungstate catalysts supported on TiO2 were prepared by the sol-gel solvothermal method, and photocatalytic reduction by phosphotungstate was used to remove nitrate nitrogen in water under ultraviolet irradiation. The maximum removal rate was 59.60% with 0.8 g/L Cu-H3PW12O40/TiO2, 90 mg/L nitrate nitrogen, and 60 min reaction time. For Ni-H3PW12O40/TiO2, the maximum removal rate of nitrate nitrogen was 54.58%, achieved with a catalyst concentration of 0.8 g/L, nitrate nitrogen concentration of 120 mg/L, and reaction time of 30 min. Both catalysts could remove nitrate nitrogen from water under the condition of photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until now, there has been little research on the intestinal microbial community of horseshoe crabs. To fill this gap, we investigated the microbiome composition of the Chinese horseshoe crab, Tachypleus tridentatus, and the mangrove horseshoe crab, Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda. We sequenced the 16S rRNA gene of intestinal bacterial species and compared the microbial community structure and diversity. Next, we show that the total effective bacterial sequence was 36,865 reads, and the average annotated operational taxonomic unit (OTU) number was 240. Through hierarchical clustering analysis and principal coordinate analysis samples from two horseshoe crab species, we found that the intestinal flora of the same horseshoe crab species was relatively concentrated, while the microbiome of a different horseshoe crab species were significantly separated. Cluster analysis showed that two samples, one from Chinese horseshoe crabs and one from mangrove horseshoe crabs, had similar microbial community structure, while other samples were relatively discrete. The gut microbiota of the mangrove horseshoe crab were dominated by the phyla Tenericutes (42.71%), Firmicutes (24.27%), and Proteobacteria (20.39%), while the top three phyla in the Chinese horseshoe crab intestinal tract were Tenericutes (57.19%), Proteobacteria (22.14%), and Bacteroidetes (7.38%). To intuitively understand the similarity and overlap of the OTU composition of each group, we performed Venn diagram analysis. The two species shared 284 OTUs, accounting for 81.8% of the total. This indicates that although there is high similarity between mangrove and Chinese horseshoe crab in gastrointestinal microbial community structure, there are also some differences, which deserve further discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to clarify the mechanism and effect of bentonite-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI@Bent) on Cr(VI) removal in soil suspended liquid, nZVI@Bent was prepared by liquid-phase reduction method in this research. A number of factors, including the mass ratio of Fe2+ to bentonite during preparation of nZVI@Bent, nZVI@Bent dosage, soil suspended liquid pH value and reaction temperature were assessed to determine their impact on the reduction of Cr(VI) in soil suspended liquid. The nZVI@Bent was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to analyze the mechanism of removal of Cr(VI) from the soil. The results showed that the temperature of soil suspended liquid had a significant effect on the removal efficiency. Calculated by the Arrhenius formula, nZVI@Bent removes Cr(VI) from the soil suspended liquid as an endothermic reaction with a reaction activation energy of 47.02 kJ/mol, showed that the reaction occurred easily. The removal of mechanism Cr(VI) from the soil by nZVI@Bent included adsorption and reduction, moreover, the reduction process can be divided into direct reduction and indirect reduction. According to XPS spectrogram analysis, the content of Cr(III) in the reaction product was 2.1 times of Cr(VI), indicated that the reduction effect was greater than the adsorption effect in the process of Cr(VI) removal. The experiment proved that nZVI@Bent can effectively remove Cr(VI) from soil suspension, and can provide technical support for repairing Cr(VI)-polluted paddy fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginkgo biloba L. is a precious relic tree species with important economic value. Seeds, as a vital reproductive organ of plants, can be used to distinguish cultivars of the species. We chose 400 seeds from two cultivars of ginkgo ("Fozhi" and "Maling"; 200 seeds for each cultivar) as the study material and used the Gielis equation to fit the projected shape of these seeds. The coefficients of variation (CV) in root mean squared errors (RMSE) obtained from the fitted data were used to compare the level of inter-cultivar variations in seed shape. We also used the covariance analysis to compare the allometric relationships between seed weights and projected areas of these two cultivars. The Gielis equation fitted well the seed shapes of two ginkgo cultivars. The lower CV in RMSE of cultivar "Fozhi" than "Maling" indicated a less symmetrical seed shape in the latter than the former. The bootstrap percentile method showed that the seed shape differences between the two cultivars were significant. However, there was no significant difference in the exponents between the seed weights and the projected areas of these two cultivars. Overall, the significant differences in shapes between the seeds of two ginkgo cultivars were well explained by the Gielis equation; this model can be further extended to compare morphological differences in other ginkgo cultivars, and even for plant seeds or animal eggs that have similar oval shapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyimide microfluidic devices (MFDs) have been attached enormous significance because of its excellent organic-solvent inertness, biocompatibility, and thermal stability. In this paper, a novel fabrication method based on the thought of additive manufacturing, which is adding materials layer by layer from bottom to top, was used to construct a multilayer polyimide MFD. The MFD has sophisticated three-dimensional (3D) microchannels with adjustable cross-sectional geometries and high bonding strength, which leads to good reagent mixing performance, large surface-to-volume ratio, and great durability. Starting from a single polyimide film, ultraviolet (UV) laser was utilized to ablate microchannels on the film. Due to the studies over the influence of UV laser on the channel width, the microchannel edge shape is under control, varying from trapezoid to rectangle. From monolayer to multilayer MFDs, thermal bonding with fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) nanoparticle dispersion as the adhesive was adopted to stack polyimide films tightly with precise alignment. In this way, microchannels can be connected vertically between layers to form 3D structures. Besides, a homogeneous adhesive interlayer and polyimide-FEP mixing regime were formed, which can provide high bonding strength. Results of computational fluid dynamics simulation of 3D microchannel structures and organic synthesis experiment revealed that our device has great reagent mixing efficiency and promising application prospects in diverse research fields, especially organic chemical and biological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem that the traditional biochar(BC) has insufficient removal ability of enrofloxacin and TiO2 is difficult to recycle. In this study, TiO2-modified biochar composites were prepared by impregnation method. Through characterization analysis, The BET specific surface area results indicated that after loading TiO2, the specific surface area of TiO2-biochar(Ti-BC), TiO2-ironized biochar(Ti-FBC) and TiO2-alkaline biochar(Ti-KBC) increased by 4.34, 10.43 and 11.52 times, respectively. The analysis results of SEM, EDS, FT-IR, XRD and XPS showed that TiO2 was supported on biochar in the anatase state. The UV-vis DRS measurement showed that the band width of Ti-KBC was the smallest and the best catalytic activity. Under 15 W UV lamp (254 nm) irradiation, the photocatalytic degradation process of enrofloxacin by different biochar accords with the first-order kinetic equation. Ti-KBC showed best degradation effect under different initial concentrations of enrofloxacin. When the pH of the solution was 5.0 and the dosage of Ti-KBC was at 2.5 g·L−1, the enrofloxacin degradation rate of 100 mg·L−1 reached 85.25%. The quenching test confirmed that the active substance O2•— played a major role in the photocatalytic degradation process. After five cycles of the test, the degradation rate of Ti-KBC for enrofloxacin was 77.14%, which was still better than that of BC, Ti-BC and Ti-FBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tissue culture experiments were performed to investigate the impacts of silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) on the improvement of plant growth and development in a bamboo species (Pleioblastus pygmaeus) under an experimentally controlled condition contaminated with phytotoxic levels of lead (Pb). Fifteen treatments were administered in the primary trial consisting of 50 µM, 250 µM, 500 µM, 1000 µM, or 1500 µM PbSO4 without and with 100 µM or 500 µM SiO2 NPs. The results showed that antioxidant enzyme activity first increased at low levels of Pb and then decreased with increasing concentrations of Pb. The addition of SiO2 NPs increased the capacity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) in plants under Pb stress. Additionally, our findings indicated that SiO2 NPs may protect the bamboo plant plasma membrane and preserve the integrity of cells against Pb-induced oxidative stress by reducing the contents of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and soluble protein (SP), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. Regarding impacts on indexes of plant photosynthesis, the results revealed that SiO2 NPs were able to regulate plant growth by increasing chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, which led to increased plant biomass and plant dry weight under Pb toxicity. We conclude that SiO2 NPs improve plant growth (plant biomass) by increasing antioxidant enzyme capacity in bamboo under Pb stress. Our results also revealed that 500 µM SiO2 NPs was much more effective than 100 µM SiO2 NPs at maintaining plant growth under Pb toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes a novel and facile route for fabricating highly uniform γ-alumina microspheres with controllable size, morphology, and pore structure by integrating the sol–gel route for alkoxide with "temperature/pH-induced gelation" in a coaxial microchannel. Taking advantage of the controllability of the microfluidic devices and Al–O–Al chains formed by the sol–gel route of aluminum alkoxide, the uniformity of the microspheres was assured, and the mechanical strength of the microspheres was greatly improved to 18–27 N/mm2. The effects of the continuous phase composition and two-phase flow rate on the size, morphology, and pore structure of the obtained microspheres were investigated. When triocylamine (TOA) was added to the continuous phase and the two-phase flow rate ratio was larger than 188, the as-prepared microspheres had a smooth surface and good sphericity; otherwise, the microspheres had poor spheriticy and included many ravines on the surface, which can be explained by the mutual influence of long-lasting movements of molecular chains resulted from low gelation speed and inner circulation of the droplets. Under different continuous phase compositions, the average pore diameter, pore volume, and specific surface area ranged from 7 to 12 nm, 0.89 to 1.58 mL/g, and 293.7 to 387.7 m2/g, respectively. Highlights: Sol–gel route was combined with temperature/pH-induced gelation in a microchannel. The size, morphology, and pore structure were strictly controlled by preparation conditions. The cause of ravines was explained by different gelation speed and inner circulation. The crushing strength of the microspheres was greatly improved to 18–27 N/mm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, carbon dioxide capture and conversion, along with hydrogen from renewable resources, provide an alternative approach to synthesis of useful fuels and chemicals. People are increasingly interested in developing innovative carbon dioxide hydrogenation catalysts, and the pace of progress in this area is accelerating. Accordingly, this perspective presents current state of the art and outlook in synthesis of light olefins, dimethyl ether, liquid fuels, and alcohols through two leading hydrogenation mechanisms: methanol reaction and Fischer-Tropsch based carbon dioxide hydrogenation. The future research directions for developing new heterogeneous catalysts with transformational technologies, including 3D printing and artificial intelligence, are provided. Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and conversion provide an alternative approach to synthesis of useful fuels and chemicals. Here, Ye et al. give a comprehensive perspective on the current state of the art and outlook of CO2 catalytic hydrogenation to the synthesis of light olefins, dimethyl ether, liquid fuels, and alcohols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single-mode single-polarization photonic crystal fiber (SMSP-PCF) filter at the wavelengths of 1.125 and 1.31 μm based on surface plasmon resonance is proposed and studied by the finite element method. Numerical results indicate that compared with the filter with the same size of holes near the core, the filter with four small holes near the core makes its extinction ratio (ER) at the wavelengths of 1.125 and 1.31 μm twice as large. That is, when the fiber length is 500 μm, the ER at 1.125 μm increases from 33.43 to 58.62 dB, and the ER at 1.31 μm increases from 129.41 to 244.85 dB. Furthermore, the designed SMSP-PCF filter also has a good structural tolerance. The proposed optical fiber filter has excellent performance of compact structure, high ER and good structural tolerance, and can be used in an integrated communication transmission system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was endeavored to investigate the effects of soil properties on the acute and chronic cadmium (Cd) toxicities to Folsomia candida (Collembola F. candida). Results of the present study indicated that 10% lethal concentrations (LC10) in a period of 7 days were ranged from 68.6 to > 1000 mg/kg Cd. Soil Cd concentrations that halve F. candida reproductions (EC50, 28 days) were ranged from 41.4 to 146.8 mg/kg. Stepwise regression analysis between the thresholds of Cd toxicity and soil properties revealed that the pH and organic matter (OM) were two fundamental factors for the assessment of biological threats posed by Cd. The exchangeable Cd was mainly affected by soil pH. The reproduction inhibition and adult mortality ratios of F. candida were positively correlated with soil exchangeable Cd. The development of a comprehensive pedotransfer function based on pH and OM values would be suitable for accurately assessing the biological risks arising from Cd contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pointing at the wave effect of Geo-Ecological environment carrying capacity along the Du-Wen highway, the article takes the area along the Du-Wen highway as a object of the study. Based on the geographic census and its monitoring data, the article discusses the collaborative mechanism between the inner driven force of the Geo-Ecological environment. The article explores and create the geological environment carrying capacity database and its evaluation index system which are linked from macro to micro based on the analysis of the factors about the Geo-Ecological environment along the highway. The AHP method is been used to calculate the weight ratio for each evaluating indicator, and reveal the factors, mechanism and regulation of the vulnerability changes in the study area's Geo-Ecological environment, the method also defines the bearing capacity's threshold. The research reveals that by combining the "post-earthquake effect" of the south-west area with the evaluation system and its method, it's a good way to study the variation tendency of Geo-Ecological environment in mountainous region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CeO2 nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method at different temperatures, using Ce(NO3)3 · 6H2O as the cerium source and CO(NH2)2 as the precipitant. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectrometry, ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy and magnetization measurements were used to characterize the samples. The results show that with the increase in synthesis temperatures, the crystallite size increases and the dislocation density decreases. XPS and Raman spectra reflect the presence of oxygen vacancies and Ce3+ ions. All the samples indicate a high UV–Vis light absorption. The photocatalytic activity decreases with the increase in synthesis temperatures, which can be attributed to the energy gap and grain size of the nanoparticles. Magnetization measurements revealed that all the samples show room temperature ferromagnetism (RTMF) which can be attributed to the effects of the oxygen vacancies and Ce3+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The mass production and widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have led to their wide dissimilation in the subsurface environments (e.g., natural soils). The retention propensities of AgNPs in soils dictate their fate, transport, and transformation in the subsurface environments. The aim of this study was to explore the retention behaviors of AgNPs and Ag+ ion (as a comparison) in ten natural soils with different physicochemical properties, identifying which properties dominate their mobility in soils.Materials and methods: Ten surface (0-20 cm) soils sampled across five geographical regions of China and AgNPs coated by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) with an average transmission electron microscopy (TEM) diameter of ~ 10 nm were used in this study. Batch retention experiments of AgNPs and AgNO3 in ten soils (pass through 60-mesh sieve) were conducted in triplicate at 25 °C for 24 h. Multiple regression analyses of maximum retention capacity (Qmax for AgNPs or Ag+ ion) simulated by Langmuir retention models were performed to identify which soil physicochemical properties dominate the retention behavior of AgNPs and Ag+ ion. TEM combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses was applied to visually unravel the distribution and retention behavior of AgNPs on natural soils.Results and discussion: The results of batch retention experiments showed that Langmuir model well-approximated the retention isotherms of AgNPs and Ag+ on ten soils and that the Qmax value of AgNPs was generally lower than that of Ag+ on soils. The results of multiple regression analyses showed that the retention capacity of AgNPs on soils was positively correlated with the iron oxide content, which is visually confirmed by TEM-EDS observations, whereas retention capacity of Ag+ ions was mainly related to soil organic matter (SOM) content.Conclusions: Maximum retention capacity of AgNPs and Ag+ ion in soils varied with soil physicochemical properties, and particularly, iron oxide and SOM contents are two pivotal parameters controlling Qmax. These findings advance our current understanding of the mechanisms controlling retention and transport of AgNPs in natural soils, which represents an important step toward predicting the fate, transport, and potential toxicity of AgNPs in the subsurface environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the drastic change in the reaction rate throughout the acrylonitrile bio-hydration reaction, which was catalyzed by Rhodococcus ruber TH3 free cells in a two-liquid-phase system, was studied by changing the initial mass fraction of acrylonitrile and acrylamide. We found that the reaction rate was sensitively affected by the contact area between the acrylonitrile droplets and cells. With the acrylonitrile mass fraction of 3 wt%, the cell solution of 800 U/mL could make the superficial area of acrylonitrile droplets saturated. The sustained increase of the acrylamide concentration in the reaction process could reduce the reaction rate, and 25 wt% was the obvious inflection point. The interface adsorption of cells was visually observed with the method of fluorescence microscopy, and the uptake mechanism of substrate by direct contact was illustrated to play a main role by comparing the reaction rate of the heterogeneous system and that of the homogeneous system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]