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Phenol is one of the important ingredients of pyrolysis oil, contributing to the high biotoxicity of pyrolysis oil. To promote the degradation and conversion of phenol during anaerobic digestion, cheap hydro-chars with high phenol adsorption capacity were produced. The phenol adsorption capabilities of the plain hydro-char, plasma modified hydro-char at 25 °C (HC-NH3-P-25) and 500 °C (HC-NH3-P-500) were evaluated, and their adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics were explored. Experimental results indicate that the phenol adsorption capability of HC-NH3-P-500 was the highest. The phenol adsorption kinetics of all samples followed the pseudo-second-order equation and interparticle diffusion model, indicating that the adsorption rate of phenol was controlled by interparticle diffusion and chemistry adsorption simultaneously. By DFT calculations, π-π stacking and hydrogen bond are the main interactions for phenol adsorption. It was observed that an enriched graphite N content decreased the average vertical distance between hydro-chars and phenol in π-π stacking complex, from 3.5120 to 3.4532 Å, causing an increase in the negative adsorption energy between phenol and hydro-char from 13.9330 to 23.4181 kJ/mol. For hydrogen bond complex, the average vertical distance decreased from 3.4885 to 3.3386 Å due to the increase in graphite N content; causing the corresponding negative adsorption energy increased from 19.0233 to 19.9517 kJ/mol. Additionally, the presence of graphite N in the hydro-char created a positive diffusion region and enhanced the electron density between hydro-char and phenol. Analyses suggest that enriched graphite N contributed to the adsorption complex stability, resulting in an improved phenol adsorption capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the support of wireless network, tourists in tourism areas could enjoy various tourism information search and smart tourism–related services. However, due to the limited capacity of wireless networks, in peaking seasons, tourism area crowding in local areas could result in emergency and temporary wireless network congestion. While increasing infrastructure investment (e.g., densifying base stations) is desiring for peak seasons, it can be a waste of resource for significantly shrunk tourist arrival in off seasons. In response to the temporary network congestion offloading demand, this paper proposes an on-demand coverage solution based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) base stations. Firstly, taking the air-to-ground channel characteristic into account, we define the effective coverage radius, based on which the optimal altitude of UAV BS is derived. Then, to tackle the inherent challenge of irregular tourist distribution issue in tourism areas, an automatic UAV BS deployment algorithm is designed to determine the minimal number of UAV BSs and their two-dimensional coordinates simultaneously. Simulation results show that the proposed solution could realize efficient UAV BS on-demand deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional method uses terminal network monitoring method to estimate the security probability of multi-track segmentation network, but the detection performance is unsatisfactory. A security probability estimation and intrusion detection algorithm for multi-track segmentation networks in network attack environment based on fuzzy reasoning is proposed. The security probability estimation model of multi-track segmentation network in network attack environment is constructed. Fuzzy reasoning and probability density feature detection method are combined to evaluate the security data of multi-track segmentation network. The infection membership characteristics of multi-track segmentation network intrusion data are extracted, and the security probability calculation and virus attack detection of multi-track segmentation network are realized. The results show that the proposed algorithm has higher accuracy in calculating the security probability of multi rail segmented network, realizes the security probability calculation and data detection of multi rail segmented network, and enhances the security defense of multi rail segmented network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECR) is one of the most effective methods to obtain carbonaceous chemicals and reduce greenhouse gases passingly under the ambient condition. However, efficient electrocatalysts featured with high selectivity and stability are still lacking. A novel molecule-mediated Ag electrocatalyst with capped thiols is rationally designed for high-performance ECR. The thiol-capped and carbon-supported Ag nanostructures (Ag-TC) are formed by in situ electrochemical reduction from three-dimentional (3D) Ag-thiol metal-organic compound with cysteine as the anchor agent and carbon source. Ag-TC exhibits high selectivity and stability for CO2 conversion to CO (86.7%), which is more catalytically active than that of common Ag nanoparticles. The function of thiols for ECR is proved by replacing cysteine with alanine without thiol group. Meanwhile, alternatively replacing and removing the surface molecules on the Ag foil further demonstrate the effect of thiols. This work enlightens the promise of in situ construction method for molecule capped metal electrocatalyst towards selective and stable ECR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is defined as a dysregulated host response to infection that leads to multiorgan failure. Innate immune memory, i.e., “trained immunity”, can result in stronger immune responses and provide protection against various infections. Many biological agents, including β-glucan, can induce trained immunity, but these stimuli may cause uncontrolled inflammation. Oroxylin A (OA) is an active flavonoid compound that is derived from Scutellaria baicalensis. OA is an agonist for inducing trained immunity in vivo and in vitro, and β-glucan was used as a positive control. The protective effects of OA-induced trained immunity were evaluated in mouse models that were established by either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration or caecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The expression of inflammatory factors and signaling pathway components involved in trained immunity was evaluated in vitro using qRT‒PCR, western blotting (WB) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy were used to examine reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and phagocytosis in trained macrophages. A PCR array was used to screen genes that were differentially expressed in trained macrophages. Here, we revealed that OA alleviated sepsis via trained immunity. OA-treated macrophages displayed increased glycolysis and mTOR phosphorylation, and mTOR inhibitors suppressed OA-induced trained immunity by effectively reprogramming macrophages. The PCR array revealed key genes in the mTOR signaling pathway in OA-treated macrophages. Furthermore, OA targeted the Dectin-1-syk axis to promote LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP) by trained macrophages, thereby enhancing the ability of these macrophages to protect against infection. This ability could be transferred to a new host via the adoptive transfer of peritoneal macrophages. This study is the first to provide new insights into the potential of OA-induced trained immunity to be used as a strategy to protect mice against sepsis by promoting LAP by macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few detailed descriptions of parturition behavior in wild primates. Here we report for the first time birth-related behaviors in a highly endangered colobine monkey endemic to southwest China, the white-headed langur ( Trachypithecus leucocephalus). We video recorded three complete birth events in three parturient females living in one reproductive group. The births occurred during the night at one of the group's sleeping sites. One parturient was primiparous, while the other two were multiparous. All three delivered close to other group members. Common behaviors among the parturients included adopting a raised-rump posture during contractions, manual inspection of the anogenital area followed by hand-licking, manual self-assistance as the infant emerged, holding and licking the infant immediately after the birth, and ingesting the placenta. However, we found considerable individual variation in birth-related behaviors. The primiparous female had the longest prepartum phase and more contractions than the two multiparous females. All three mothers ingested the placenta, but the primipare took much longer than the two multiparous mothers to deliver the placenta, start to ingest it, and consume it. Other group members had little interaction with the parturients during the prepartum phase, but showed intense interest in the neonates. The newly born infants were held by nonmaternal adult females of the group within 5-9 h of their birth. Our case studies stress the importance of the social context at parturition in group-living primates, and suggest that parity of parturients may influence birth-related behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]