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Nanocomposites containing clay nanoparticles often present favorable properties such as good mechanical and thermal properties. They frequently have been studied for tissue engineering (TE) and regenerative medicine applications. On the other hand, poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), a revolutionary bioelastomer, has exhibited substantial potential as a promising candidate for biomedical application. Here, we present a facile approach to synthesizing stiff, elastomeric nanocomposites from sodium‐montmorillonite nano‐clay (MMT) in the commercial name of Cloisite Na+ and poly(glycerol sebacate urethane) (PGSU). The strong physical interaction between the intercalated Cloisite Na+ platelets and PGSU chains resulted in desirable property combinations for TE application to follow. The addition of 5% MMT nano‐clay resulted in an over two‐fold increase in the tensile modulus, increased the onset thermal decomposition temperature of PGSU matrix by 18°C, and noticeably improved storage modulus of the prepared scaffolds, compared with pure PGSU. As well, Cloisite Na+ enhanced the hydrophilicity and water uptake ability of the samples and accelerated the in‐vitro biodegradation rate. Finally, in‐vitro cell viability assay using L929 mouse fibroblast cells indicated that incorporating Cloisite Na+ nanoparticles into the PGSU network could improve the cell attachment and proliferation, rendering the synthesized bioelastomers potentially suitable for TE and regenerative medicine applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixing different herbivore species is assumed to increase vegetation use because of the complementarity of their feeding choices and to reduce animal parasite burden through the dilution effect. Here, we compare the effects of mixed horse‐cattle grazing and monospecific horse grazing (1.4 LU/ha) on animal foraging behaviour, sward characteristics and horse parasitism in a mesophile grassland of central France. In both treatments, animals were stocked alternately on two subplots with rotation lengths between 15 and 21 days according to season. The horses quickly acclimated to the cattle, and very few agonistic interactions were observed between them. All the horses selected short (≤4 cm) and intermediate (5–8 cm) high‐quality regrowths and avoided reproductive and dead herbage areas contaminated by their faeces as a consequence of their latrine behaviour. Cattle, which are more constrained by plant height, selected intermediate and tall vegetative swards. However, the alternate stocking of animals also provided them with high‐quality regrowth on the shortest patches. Consequently, the cattle used these short patches proportionally to their availability while avoiding reproductive and dead herbage areas. We assume this limited their consumption of infective cyathostome larvae, which are concentrated close to horse dung. Moreover, co‐grazing horses and cattle did not reduce sward structural heterogeneity and thus did not enhance overall herbage quality. We conclude that rather than considering mixed grazing as a turn‐key solution, its management needs to be adapted to support the complementarity of horse and cattle dietary choices and thus provide the expected benefits of multi‐species grazing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon‐coated LiFe0.5Mn0.5PO4 (C/LFMP) and carbon‐coated LiFe0.5Mn0.5PO4@Li2SiO3 (C/LFMP‐LSO) could be successfully prepared by high temperature solid‐state reaction. Even though the crystal structure and morphology of C/LiFe0.5Mn0.5PO4 was not changed by Li2SiO3 coating, Li2SiO3 modification was able to facilitate the diffusion of lithium ions, resulting in an excellent rate performance and cyclic stability of C/LFMP‐1LSO (1 wt %). The reversible discharge specific capacities of C/LFMP‐1LSO are 157.6 mAh g−1 and 106.3 mAh g−1 at 0.1C and 10C, respectively. Meanwhile, the C/LFMP‐1LSO was cycled for 500 times at 5C with a capacity retention rate of 85.3 %. Furthermore, at a low temperature of 6 °C and 0.2C, the C/LFMP‐1LSO displayed good low temperature performance with a discharge specific capacity of 140.6 mAh g−1. Li2SiO3 coating was considered an effective way to boost the overall electrochemical performance of C/LFMP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trade‐offs between plant defense investment and fitness traits, including growth, are often invoked to explain evolutionary strategies targeted at resisting herbivores. Many Pinus species have specialized herbivores, including the mountain pine beetle (MPB), Dendroctonus ponderosae, and have historically been a focus of defense investigations. We compared defense traits of two high‐elevation Pinus species, P. aristata and P. flexilis, that are hosts to MPB and hypothesized to have different growth and defense traits and potential trade‐offs. Interspecific differences were assessed by sampling trees within the same stands, and intraspecific differences were assessed by sampling stands at sites across latitudes where both species co‐occurred. Constitutive defenses were measured at Day 0, and the timing, concentration, and composition of an induced resin defense response were assessed by sampling at 1, 4, and 30 days following either mechanical wounding only or a simulated MPB attack using its primary fungal symbiont Grosmannia clavigera. At Day 4, induced resin concentrations did not differ between mechanical wounding and simulated MPB attack in either species. By Day 30, resin defense concentrations in response to simulated MPB attack were greater than those in response to mechanical wounding and were >19‐fold greater than constitutive levels. Results suggest that initial induced resin defense responses in the two species are likely generalized, with a delayed response that is targeted specifically at MPB and G. clavigera. At all sites, P. aristata had higher concentrations of constitutive and Day‐30 induced resin defenses than P. flexilis, although P. flexilis induced proportionately more. Trade‐offs in growth and defense between the species were only found at the two most climatically favorable sites where P. aristata grew slower than P. flexilis. No trade‐offs were found between the two defense types at either biological scale. Overall, our findings highlight that the two pine species growing in the same stands (1) have a delayed response to a specialized native herbivore and fungal symbiont, (2) only exhibited interspecific defense–growth trade‐offs at two climatically favorable sites, and showed no intraspecific defense–growth trade‐offs, (3) showed no trade‐offs between constitutive and induced defenses at either biological scale, and (4) have evolved different defense strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at quantifying trabecular volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) at the external occipital protuberance (EOP) and the upper cervical spine. A retrospective review of patients who underwent non‐contrast enhanced computed tomography of the cervical spine that included the occipital bone up to the EOP between 2007 and 2020 was conducted. Measurements of trabecular vBMD were performed in the occipital midline area, with the region of interest extending 4.5 mm above and below the center of the EOP, as well as the C1 lateral masses and the C2 vertebral body using asynchronous quantitative computed tomography. Eighty‐six patients (female, 37.2%) were included for analysis. The patient population was 81.4% Caucasian with a mean ± SD age of 62.3 ± 13.1 years. Total bone thickness at the EOP was 16.7 ± 3.4 mm, with a ratio of trabecular to total bone thickness of 0.44. Trabecular vBMD (mean ± SD) was significantly higher at the EOP than at C1 and C2 (EOP = 612.3 ± 145.8 mg/cm3, C1 average = 290.3 ± 66.5 mg/cm3, C2 = 305.8 ± 78.8 mg/cm3; p < 0.001). A significant strong correlation between trabecular vBMD of C1 and C2 was observed (r = 0.744; p < 0.001), but only low correlations between the EOP and C1 (r = 0.295; p = 0.008) and C2 (r = 0.413; p < 0.001). In individuals > 65 years of age, cervical vBMD was significantly lower, but remained high at the EOP. Clinical significance: Trabecular vBMD at the EOP is significantly higher than at the upper cervical vertebrae and remains high in older populations. Together with morphological information about the occipital bone, these results might be helpful for occipitocervical fixation when deciding about uni‐ or bicortical screw placement at the EOP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the effects of the interfacial modification to the functional properties of magnetic topological insulator thin films is crucial for developing novel technological applications from spintronics to quantum computing. Here, a large electronic and magnetic response is reported to be induced in the intrinsic magnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4 by controlling the propagation of surface oxidation. It is shown that the formation of the surface oxide layer is confined to the top 1–2 unit cells but drives large changes in the overall magnetic response. Specifically, a dramatic reversal of the sign of the anomalous Hall effect is observed to be driven by finite thickness magnetism, which indicates that the film splits into distinct magnetic layers each with a unique electronic signature. These data reveal a delicate dependence of the overall magnetic and electronic response of MnBi2Te4 on the stoichiometry of the top layers. This study suggests that perturbations resulting from surface oxidation may play a non‐trivial role in the stabilization of the quantum anomalous Hall effect in this system and that understanding targeted modifications to the surface may open new routes for engineering novel topological and magnetic responses in this fascinating material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

R420 --> 641.3 --> The novel gene editing technology CRISPR‐Cas9 shows great promise in revolutionizing treatments of genetic disorders; however, currently the only practical treatments are ex vivo, limited to blood diseases. In vivo treatment can substantially extend the clinical reach of the technology, but is limited by a challenging delivery process. The large size of the Cas9 gene (~4500bp) inhibits delivery by the small viral vectors and lipid nanoparticles used. We hypothesize that a Cas9 gene codon optimized for human cells will support significantly higher protein expression than the presently used genes; this can compensate for the low delivery efficiency and has great potential to improve the viability of in vivo CRISPR‐Cas9 therapies. To investigate our hypothesis, we selected a commonly used parent saCas9 Addgene's public plasmid database. We engineered a novel, codon‐optimized gene sequence from the parent using GenScript's OptimumGene™ algorithm. We will compare protein expression via ELISA assay and Western Blot analysis. In this poster we will present the data gleaned from these assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Obstacles to the efficient operation of rechargeable aluminum‐air batteries include slow oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), slow kinetics, and large overpotential of oxygen evolution reactions (OER). An effective solution is to develop a new bifunctional electrocatalyst that is effective for both the ORR/OER processes. In this study, we prepared the α‐MnO2/Co3O4 bifunctional composite catalyst by the in situ generation of Co3O4 nanoparticles on α‐MnO2 nanorods. ORR/OER catalytic activity and structures of the prepared catalysts have been investigated systematically. Compared with single‐component α‐MnO2 nanorods and Co3O4 particles catalyst, the α‐MnO2/Co3O4 composite catalyst possesses the smallest average pore diameter (11.84 nm), and the largest specific surface area (41.34 m2 g−1), which is due to the restriction of the growth of Co3O4 particles by α‐MnO2 nanorods. Besides, during the ORR process, the α‐MnO2/Co3O4 composite catalyst shows the most positive onset potential of 0.833 V, the most positive half‐wave potential of 0.760 V, and the biggest limiting current density of 3.881 mA cm−2. Meanwhile, during the OER process, the composite catalyst exhibits the lowest onset potential of 1.630 V, the lowest overpotential of 554 mV, and the biggest limiting current density of 24.590 mA cm−2. Furthermore, the α‐MnO2/Co3O4‐assembled aluminum‐air battery (AAB) delivers the best cycling performance. Our work provides an idea for optimizing the bifunctional catalyst with high ORR/OER activity and low cost used in secondary AAB. Highlights: A novel α‐MnO2/Co3O4 bifunctional composite catalyst was prepared successfully.The α‐MnO2/Co3O4 composite catalyst was applied in a rechargeable Al‐air battery.The α‐MnO2/Co3O4 exhibited better ORR/OER catalytic activity than α‐MnO2 and Co3O4.The Al‐air battery using α‐MnO2/Co3O4 catalyst showed excellent cycling performances. Novelty Statement: This is our original work. Neither the entire paper nor any part of its content has been published or has been accepted elsewhere. It is not being submitted to any other journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous Zn‐ion battery (AZIB) has attracted huge attention due to its distinct advantages such as abundant zinc sources, low development cost, high security, and environmental friendliness compared to traditional commercialized batteries. Developing novel cathode materials with high energy density and long lifespan is very important for the practical application of AZIB in the coming years. Herein, V and Mn elements are simultaneously incorporated into the NASICON host to make use of the electrochemical redox reaction in both V and Mn transition metal elements for aqueous Zn‐ion storage. A significant increase in both capacity and working voltage has been observed after Mn doping into Na3V2(PO4)3 to form Na4VMn(PO4)3. Taking advantage of the merits of both high capacity and high voltage, the Na4VMn(PO4)3@Graphene cathode delivers an optimal energy density of 309.7 Wh kg−1 with very stable cycle performance (89.1% capacity retention after 3000 cycles at 5.0 A g−1). A two‐step electron transfer mechanism between V4+/V3+ and Mn3+/Mn2+ redox couple in Na4VMn(PO4)3 has been revealed during the electrochemical process for Zn‐ion storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving manganese oxides as cathodic catalysts in direct methanol/hydrogen peroxide fuel cells by incorporation of Cu and Fe to promote oxygen reduction (OR) and hydrogen peroxide reduction (HPR) is reported. The Cu‐incorporated and Fe‐incorporated MnxOy were prepared by impregnation and solvothermal processes. From XRD, XPS, and XAS analyses, the obtained MnxOy consisted of MnO2 and mixed phases of Mn3O4 and Mn2O3 from impregnation and solvothermal methods, respectively. The Cu‐incorporated and Fe‐incorporated MnxOy included CuO and Fe2O3, respectively, through both methods. Addition of Cu and Fe decreased the BET surface area and increased the pore sizes as compared to the pristine MnO2. With the Fe : Mn molar ratio of 0.20 : 1, the Fe‐incorporated MnxOy from the solvothermal method presented the highest cathodic peaks under the cyclic voltammogram of HPR and OR at around 0.59 V of 11.59 mA cm−2 and −0.59 V of −12.33 mA cm−2, respectively. Compared to the Cu‐incorporated ones, the highest HPR peak at 0.68 V of 9.20 mA cm−2 and the highest OR peak at −0.59 V of −6.99 mA cm−2 were obtained from the Cu‐incorporated MnxOy prepared through the solvothermal method at the Cu : Mn molar ratio of 0.15 : 1. Incorporating Cu or Fe into MnO2 brought the improvement of electrocatalytic activity for HPR and OR. The Cu‐incorporated and Fe‐incorporated MnxOy from both methods showed a higher power density of μ‐DMFC than the pristine MnO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, soils heavy metals pollution and health risks researches in oasis are few, and in this study, the Aibi lake basin-a typical oasis-was chosen as the research area, and then, we evaluated the pollution status and sources identification and analyzed the health risks of ten heavy metals in the soils. Results showed that (1) the average (range) values for As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were (6.500-48.040) 20.011, (0.0002-0.088) 0.035, (0.060-18.150) 5.994, (24.160-106.400) 53.557, (3.460-58.760) 16.981, (0.0002-0.099) 0.042, (195.310-842.850) 483.311, (0.960-70.100) 14.235, (0.180-25.390) 8.086, and (22.340-156.250) 61.334 mg/kg, respectively, and we can get except for As, the maximum values of other nine elements all within the limited values provided by the soil environmental quality risk control standard of China. (2) Health risk evaluation showed that the total exposure amount for ADIing for children and adults was 0.001067998 and 0.000344707, ADIinh for children and adults was 9.69977E-08 and 7.95869E-08, ADIderm for children and adults was 8.52275E-06 and 2.09927E-06, and the order of exploring ways is ADIing > ADIinh > ADIderm. (3) The multivariate statistical analysis and PMF results showed that Cr, Cu, Co, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn primarily come from the natural background and man-made sources; Cd primarily comes from man-made sources; As and Hg come from natural background sources and industry sources. The results can provide reference values for heavy metals pollution prevention and the protection of the environment in the Aibi lake basin and as well as central Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite bimetallic oxides as electrode material blends can be an appropriate method to enhance the supercapacitor properties. In the present research, SrO 0.5:MnO 0.5 nanostructures (NS) were synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method and calcinated at 750–800°C. Crystal structure of SrO 0.5:MnO 0.5 NS were characterized by X-ray diffraction, surface chemical composition and chemical bond analysis, and dispersion of SrO into MnO was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectral studies. Structural morphology was analyzed from scanning electron microscopy. Optical properties of SrO 0.5:MnO 0.5 NS were studied using UV-Visible spectrophotometer and SrO 0.5 and MnO 0.5 NS showed ∼75 nm grain, ∼ 64 nm grain boundary distance, with two maxima at 261 nm and 345 nm as intensity of absorption patterns, respectively. The synthesized SrO 0.5:MnO 0.5 NS exhibited high specific capacitance of 392.8 F/g at a current density of 0.1 A/g. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results indicated low resistance and very low time constant of 0.2 s ∼73% of the capacitance was retained after 1000 galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) cycles. These findings indicate that SrO 0.5:MnO 0.5 bimetallic oxide material could be a promising electrode material for electrochemical energy storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relatively low operating voltage window is the main factor limiting the energy density of aqueous energy storage devices. The delicate design of heterostructured electrode materials can efficiently increase the intrinsic electrochemical performance through synergistic effects. For the first time, to broaden the voltage window of aqueous supercapacitors the synergistic effect between boroncarbonitrides (BCN) and built‐in electric field existing in heterostructures is designed to utilize. Based on this design concept, MnO/MnS@BCN electrode materials are synthesized, in which the synergistic effect can effectively strengthen the storage of electrolyte ions on the electrode surface, thus inhibiting the electrolysis of H2O and eventually broadening the voltage window of aqueous supercapacitor. In MnO/MnS@BCN‐based symmetrical supercapacitors, the voltage window of the device is extended from 1.2 V (single‐component) to 2 V, with the energy density enhanced to 75.0 W h kg−1. The strategy blazes an efficient and convenient path to broaden the intrinsic voltage window of transition metal oxide supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying granitoids can provide important knowledge on the composition of continental crust and the geodynamic processes of continental growth. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of granitoids formation during continental collision remain uncertain. In this paper, we present new zircon U–Pb–Hf isotope and whole‐rock Sr–Nd isotope compositions, and major‐ and trace‐element data for granitoids from the Chacangka area of the central Lhasa Terrane, southern Tibet. The Chacangka quartz monzonites crystallized at ca. 61 Ma, whereas the monzonites and granites were emplaced at ca. 51 Ma. The quartz monzonites are peraluminous and have high 87Sr/86Sri ratios (0.7129–0.7131), and their low εNd(t) (−7.65 to −7.10) and zircon εHf(t) (−9.3 to −7.5) values are more depleted than those of ancient crustal basement beneath the central Lhasa Terrane, which suggests that they originated from a mixed source of juvenile and ancient lower crust. Compared with the quartz monzonites, the monzonites have much higher contents of MgO (2.34–3.62 wt%) and values of Mg# (42.3–46.3) and zircon εHf(t) (−6.9 to 1.9) and show more depleted Sr–Nd isotopes, indicating that more juvenile materials were involved in their source. The granites have Sr–Nd isotope compositions that are similar to those of the coeval monzonites but have higher SiO2 contents, lower CaO and MgO contents, and lower values of Mg#, suggesting that they were differentiates of the monzonites. The elemental and isotopic compositions of the Chacangka granitoids exhibit a marked transformation from 61 to 51 Ma, probably indicating breakoff of the Neo‐Tethyan oceanic slab. The Neo‐Tethyan slab breakoff not only induced the upwelling of deep material and eruption of magma but also caused re‐melting and destruction of ancient crustal basement of the central Lhasa Terrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of three‐dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) Ce0.8M0.1Zr0.1O2(M=Cr, Sn, Fe, Co, Ni, Mn, Cu) catalysts are synthesized and used in CO selective catalytic reduction of NOx. The results show that the NO conversion rate of 3DOM Ce0.8Cu0.1Zr0.1O2 catalyst at a lower temperature (150 °C) is close to 60 %. Besides, 3DOM Ce0.8Cu0.1Zr0.1O2 kept a stable NO removal efficiency within a wide range of gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) and long reaction time and exhibited remarkable resistance to H2O and SO2 poisoning, both individually and simultaneously. At the same time, the formation of the 3DOM structure not only improves the reduction performance and surface active sites of the catalyst, but also forms more oxygen defects and Ce3+ in the catalyst due to the strong synergistic effect of metal ions and ceria, which improves the surface oxygen concentration of the composite oxide catalyst and further improves the catalytic activity. In addition, the doping of copper ions on the surface of the 3DOM Cu‐CZ catalyst can improve the activity of the catalyst and it can get trapped by CO to form Cu+‐CO, which plays an important role in the NO+CO reaction at low temperature. The existence of oxygen vacancy at high temperature is beneficial to the activation of O2 and the dissociation of NO in the process of CO oxidation. The reaction of NO+CO over 3DOM Cu‐CZ catalyst follows L−H and E−R mechanism respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical, immunologic, and patient‐centered outcomes of enamel matrix protein derivative (EMD) on excisional wounds in palatal mucosa. Materials: Forty‐four patients in need of ridge preservation were randomly allocated into two groups: control group (n = 22): open palatal wound after free gingival graft (FGG) harvest and EMD group (n = 22): open palatal wound after FGG harvest that received 0.3 ml of EMD. Clinical and patient‐centered parameters were analyzed for 3 months post‐treatment. Wound fluid levels of inflammatory markers were assessed 3 and 7 days postoperatively. Results: No significant inter‐group difference was observed in remaining wound area and re‐epithelialization. EMD and control groups achieved wound closure and re‐epithelialization 30 days postoperatively (p <.001), without inter‐group differences. Similarly, number of analgesics and Oral Health Impact Profile scores did not present significant inter‐group differences (p >.05). EMD appeared to selectively modulate wound fluid levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1, macrophage inflammatory protein‐1α, matrix metallopeptidase 9, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases‐2. Conclusion: Within the limits of the present study, it can be concluded that EMD application to excisional palatal wounds using the investigated protocol does not provide clinical healing benefits, despite an apparent modulation of selected inflammatory markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluoridation of Lithium‐ion (Li‐ion) cathodes is of growing interest for high‐capacity Li+ storage materials, but well‐controlled fluoridation processes are elusive. We investigated an electrochemical methodology to grow lithium fluoride (LiF) by reduction of perfluorinated gas onto metal oxides (MO), which then forms M−O−F by splitting of LiF upon charge, using MnO as an example target phase. Unlike current methods where particle size <10 nm is necessary for high MnO utilization (subsequent discharge/lithiation capacity), owing to the nano‐crystallinity and intimate contact of electrochemically‐grown LiF, high MnO utilization (∼0.9 e−/MnO, 340 mAh gMnO−1) is achieved with large MnO particle size (∼400 nm), exceeding comparable MnO/LiF systems reported to date. Additionally, incorporation of perfluorinated‐gas additive benefits cycling, with capacity of ∼270 mAh gMnO−1 retained after 20 cycles. This work demonstrates the opportunity for electrochemically driven fluoridation to achieve high capacities with larger particle sizes needed to bring oxyfluorides closer to practical reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorful electrochromic batteries operating in the visible region, which display their residual capacity through real‐time color variation, have recently attracted tremendous attention due to the ever‐rising demands of smart electronics. However, the currently available electrochromic batteries incur certain serious limitations, such as, low capacity utilization, non‐aesthetic versatility, and unsatisfactory performance in practical applications. Manganese oxide, as an extensively used cathode material in zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs), can yield a prominently high energy density, but with a poor electrochromic performance. By designing a metamaterial with a photonic metastructure, manganese oxide can be remolded into an attractive electrochromic electrode, which shows vibrant color palettes capable of accurately displaying the stored energy level. Based on the combined oxidic and reductive coloration in the as‐prepared manganese oxide electrodes, the developed electrochromic ZIB exhibits a high capacity of 283 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1, with an energy retrieval rate up to 72% during the round‐trip solar charging and galvanostatic discharging processes. This electrochromic ZIB with vibrant color palettes exhibits promising application in next‐generation electrochromic devices with multiple functionalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In this paper, Mn–Co binary oxides prepared by an (NH4)2CO3‐assisted co‐precipitation method were used for the catalytic oxidation of NO at low temperatures. RESULTS: Experimental results showed that the Mn–Co binary catalysts prepared with manganese acetate and cobalt nitrate exhibited the highest oxidation activity, obtaining a NO conversion of 76% at 200 °C and 80% at 250 °C. The passivation effect of SO2 was found to be irreversible in the examination of the resistance to SO2 or/and H2O(g). Furthermore, characterization by X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and in situ Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform spectroscopy (DRIFTs) revealed that the passivation effect was due to the bidentate and surface or bulk‐like sulfates generated on the surface of the catalyst. CONCLUSION: The analysis of intermediate species during the in situ DRIFTs characterization revealed that these sulfate species competed with nitrate/nitrite species for adsorption and affected the activity. Moreover, the poisoned catalysts could be regenerated to remove the majority of the bidentate and surface or bulk‐like sulfates from the surface and maintain the excellent NO catalytic oxidation activity. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our analysis of Vellozo's itineraries and his manuscript annotations show that ca. 1/4 of the names described in his Florae Fluminensis were based on plants collected in the municipality of Cunha, state of São Paulo. This region, within the Atlantic Forest domain, encompasses various vegetation formations, such as montane ombrophilous forests, mixed ombrophilous forests, and high‐altitude open savanna enclaves. Using Vellozo's manuscripts, we traced his collecting itinerary, correlating his descriptive terms for the vegetation types to the toponyms and dates. In contrast to the term "maritimus", associated in Florae Fluminensis with the Atlantic Forest vegetation in the state of Rio de Janeiro, the term "mediterraneus" is associated with the vegetation along the Royal Road (Estrada Real) in the region of Cunha, state of São Paulo and is usually related to the term "transalpinus" of the region of mountaintops delimiting the border between the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Maps of Vellozo's itinerary, as well as a discussion of species names most likely described from the state of São Paulo are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinel‐structured NiMn2O4 ceramics, with different valence Ni sources, were originally prepared using Ni2O3 and NiO as raw materials, and the effects of different valence Ni sources on their electrical properties were first investigated. XRD patterns show that both Ni2O3‐based and NiO‐based NiMn2O4 ceramics are single cubic spinel structures. SEM/EDS images indicate that the NiMn2O4 ceramics exhibited high density at the experiment‐determined sintering temperatures. XPS results and Raman drifts prove that the Ni valence‐induced changes in Mn ions at B sites played a significant role in the electrical properties and thermal stability of NiMn2O4 ceramics. Compared with NiO‐based NiMn2O4, the resistivity at 25°C (ρ25°C) of Ni2O3‐based NiMn2O4 increased dramatically from 3109 to 106958 Ω cm, the thermal constant (B25/50) increased from 3264 to 4473 K, and the resistance shifts after annealing for 1000 h at 150°C decreased from 0.80% to 0.74%. The investigation of the relationship between the material properties and valence of Ni sources has provided a new and effective way for designing the spinel‐structured negative temperature coefficient (NTC) materials by modulating the valence of ions at A sites in the raw materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NO and H2S serve as signaling molecules in biology with intertwined reactivity. HSNO and HSSNO with their conjugate bases −SNO and −SSNO form in the reaction of H2S with NO as well as S‐nitrosothiols (RSNO) and nitrite (NO2−) that serve as NO reservoirs. While HSNO and HSSNO are elusive, their conjugate bases form isolable zinc complexes Ph,MeTpZn(SNO) and Ph,MeTpZn(SSNO) supported by tris(pyrazolyl)borate ligands. Reaction of Na(15‐C‐5)SSNO with Ph,MeTpZn(ClO4) provides Ph,MeTpZn(SSNO) that undergoes S‐atom removal by PEt3 to give Ph,MeTpZn(SNO) and S=PEt3. Unexpectedly stable at room temperature, these Zn‐SNO and Zn‐SSNO complexes release NO upon heating. Ph,MeTpZn(SNO) and Ph,MeTpZn(SSNO) quickly react with acidic thiols such as C6F5SH to form N2O and NO, respectively. Increasing the thiol basicity in p‐substituted aromatic thiols 4−XArSH in the reaction with Ph,MeTpZn(SNO) turns on competing S‐nitrosation to form Ph,MeTpZn‐SH and RSNO, the latter a known precursor for NO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In preclinical models of multiple sclerosis (MS), both adiabatic T1rho (T1ρadiab) and relaxation along a fictitious field (RAFF) imaging have demonstrated potential to noninvasively characterize MS. Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of whole brain T1ρadiab and RAFF imaging in healthy volunteers and patients with MS. Study Type: Single institutional clinical trial. Subjects: 38 healthy volunteers (24–69 years) and 21 patients (26–59 years) with MS. Five healthy volunteers underwent a second MR examination performed within 8 days. Clinical disease severity (The Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] and The Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score [MSSS]) was evaluated at baseline and 1‐year follow‐up (FU). Field Strength/Sequence: RAFF in second rotating frame of reference (RAFF2) was performed at 3 T using 3D‐fast‐field echo with magnetization preparation, RF amplitude of 11.74 μT while the corresponding value for T1ρadiab was 13.50 μT. T1‐, T2‐, and FLAIR‐weighted images were acquired with reconstruction voxel size 1.0 × 1.0 × 1.0 mm3. Assessment: The parametric maps of T1ρadiab and RAFF2 (TRAFF2) were calculated using a monoexponential model. Semi‐automatic segmentation of MS lesions, white matter (WM), and gray matter (GM), and WM tracks was performed using T1‐, T2‐, and FLAIR‐weighted images. Statistical Tests: Regression analysis was used to evaluate correlation of T1ρadiab and TRAFF2 with age and disease severity while a Friedman test followed by Wilcoxon Signed Rank test for differences between tissue types. Short‐term repeatability was evaluated on voxel level. Results: Both T1ρadiab and TRAFF2 demonstrated good short‐term repeatability with relative differences on voxel level in the range of 6.1%–11.9%. Differences in T1ρadiab and TRAFF2 between the tissue types in MS patients were significant (P < 0.05). T1ρadiab and TRAFF2 correlated (P < 0.001) with baseline EDSS/MSSM and disease progression at FU (P < 0.001). Data Conclusion: Whole brain T1ρadiab and TRAFF2 at 3 T was feasible with significant differences in T1ρadiab and TRAFF2 values between tissues types and correlation with disease severity. Evidence Level: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid advance in advanced high‐strength cold‐formed steel makes this material promising for the construction industry to use as structural framing, but necessitates an accurate understanding of mechanical properties, including residual stresses. An experimental study was conducted to measure the residual stress which is generated during the member manufacturing process of a press‐braked angle member composed of advanced high‐strength cold‐formed sheet steel. The amplitude and distribution of membrane and flexural residual stresses around the member cross‐section is presented and the magnitude of residual stresses relative to the yield strength for the test specimen and other previous studies are compared. Additionally, the cutoff length typically recommended for residual stress measurements is investigated by comparing the residual stress distribution around the cross‐section for a section taken from the center and near the end of the member. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: According to new findings, the use of clean energy sources such as solar energy to supply energy (both electricity and heat) to human societies is essential. On the other hand, choosing the appropriate technology to convert solar energy into useful energy in the form of individual or combined systems is a fundamental issue. Individual solar energy systems have inherently low performance. However, their use in hybrid energy systems with other energy generation devices is key solution and shows high performance. The present work provides the performance of a new combined energy system composed of the parabolic dish solar collector (PDC), Stirling engine (SE) and thermoelectric device (TD) under various parameters. Sun is the main source of energy in this system, where, sunlight is focused on the PDC focal point by the parabolic shaped mirrors. Thus, the useful thermal power is produced by PDC and then feeds to the SE. The operating fluid of the engine is heated by this heat and converted into mechanical energy. Then, the mechanical energy is converted into electricity by a generator connected to the SE and the excess heat is lost from the engine. The exhaust of the SE transferred to the TEG hot end and produces further electricity. In addition, the TEC module absorbs the cooled environment heat and produces cooling energy (by consuming electricity from the TEG). Therefore, the proposed combined process provides the electricity, heat and cooling. The paper is based on the following three scenarios: (1) the system performance is evaluated under constant climatic conditions, (2) climate data from five various cities in Europe and Asia are used for system operation and (3) this scenario presents the general comparison between the two different hybrid energy systems driven by PDC and linear Fresnel reflector (LFR). In addition, multi‐objective optimization is provided to obtain the optimal performance of the developed hybrid system. The optimization results showed that, the optimum total output electricity and overall efficiency were 26.21 kW and 39.17%, respectively. It was also found that, average daily useful power generated by PDC in Moscow on 14‐June is 373.97 W/m2, which is about 11.1%, 1.55%, 33.3% and 14.23% more than Tehran, Beijing, Geneva and Kiev, respectively. Furthermore, increasing the temperature of PDC absorber improves the performance of SE and TD and subsequently improves the overall operation. Also, in terms of the PDC numbers, the system in the cities of Tehran, Beijing and Moscow has a better justification compared to the other two cities (Geneva and Kiev). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the chemical composition of methanol extracts from Onosma circinnata, Onosma bornmuelleri, and Onosma angustissima and to investigate their antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities. Spectrophotometric analysis showed that the extracts were found to be rich in chlorogenic acid, luteolin 7‐glucoside, rosmarinic acid, and apigenin 7‐glucoside. While O. bornmuelleri showed the highest activity in DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP tests, O. circinnata was more effective in CUPRAC, phosphomolybdenum, and ferrous ion chelating tests. While O. angustissima showed significant inhibitory activities on AChE, BChE, and tyrosinase, O. bornmuelleri and O. circinnata showed the highest inhibitory activities on α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase. It was concluded that O. circinnata and O. bornmuelleri are effective antioxidant agents and O. angustissima can be considered as an alternative agent in the medical and cosmetic industries due to its ChE and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. Novelty impact statement: Biological activities of Onosma species were brought to the literature for the first time with this study. O. circinnata showed remarkable antioxidant activity. O. angustissima exhibited the highest AChE, BChE and tyrosinase inhibitory activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new class of catalytically self‐propelled nanomotors were fabricated by modifying natural clay tubes, halloysite, with randomly distributed particles of MnO2 and Fe3O4. The prepared MnO2–Fe3O4/HNTs composites were validated to be efficient Fenton catalysts in the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). Compared to the previous preparation of rolled‐up microtubes or other template‐assisted syntheses, this strategy has its merits in utilizing clay minerals of abundance, cheap‐price, and no complex instruments needed. The nanomotors were able to be prepared on a large scale. The MnO2–Fe3O4/HNTs motors displayed powerful autonomous movement, and a high velocity of up to 380 µm s−1 was achieved in 5.0 wt. % H2O2 solution. For Fenton catalysis of RhB, the removal ratio of 94% dye molecules was obtained within 30 min, which was triply higher than other samples of the nonpropelling sample Fe3O4/HNTs. The autonomous movement provided adsorptive bubble separation, and the adsorption capacity was greatly enhanced by halloysite. These synergistic effects boosted the removal efficiency of dye molecules. The presence of magnetic MnO2–Fe3O4 made these motors move directionally in external magnetic fields and provided a facile recovery for collecting heterogeneous catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical properties of transition metal oxides strongly depend on the coordination environment of metal atoms. Nevertheless, the relationship between the coordination environment of metal atoms and electrochemical performance of metal oxides is unclear, while the strategy of adjusting the coordination environment of metal atoms is rare. Herein, the engineering of the coordination environment of Mn atoms in manganese dioxides (MnO2) by using a triethanolamine (TEA) complex‐induced method is reported. The detailed experimental characterizations and density functional theory calculations show that the optimized Mn coordination environment with oxygen deficiency and more corner‐shared Mn–Mn shells results in apparent electron dislocation and forms an effective built‐in electrical field. As a result, the obtained MnO2‐TEA sample exhibits a high conductivity and an excellent ion diffusion capacity, with a remarkable specific capacitance of 417.5 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. At the power density of 450.0 W kg−1, the fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor delivers the maximal energy density (57.4 Wh kg−1). This work not only provides an effective strategy of adjusting the coordination environment of metal atoms in metal oxides, but also presents a deeper understanding of the electronic structure dependent electrochemical performance of electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudo‐tetrahedral nitrido trifluorides N≡MF3 (M=Fe, Ru, Os) and square pyramidal nitrido tetrafluorides N≡MF4 (M=Ru, Os) were formed by free‐metal‐atom reactions with NF3 and subsequently isolated in solid neon at 5 K. Their IR spectra were recorded and analyzed aided by quantum‐chemical calculations. For a d2 electron configuration of the N≡MF3 compounds in C3v symmetry, Hund's rule predict a high‐spin 3A2 ground state with two parallel spin electrons and two degenerate metal d(δ)‐orbitals. The corresponding high‐spin 3A2 ground state was, however, only found for N≡FeF3, the first experimentally verified neutral nitrido FeVI species. The valence‐isoelectronic N≡RuF3 and N≡OsF3 adopt different angular distorted singlet structures. For N≡RuF3, the triplet 3A2 state is only 5 kJ mol−1 higher in energy than the singlet 1A′ ground state, and the magnetically bistable molecular N≡OsF3 with two distorted near degenerate 1A′ and 3A" electronic states were experimentally detected at 5 K in solid neon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) fertilization significantly affects soil extracellular oxidases, agents responsible for decomposition of slow turnover and recalcitrant soil organic carbon (SOC; e.g., lignin), and consequently influences soil carbon sequestration capacity. However, it remains unclear how soil oxidases mediate SOC sequestration under N fertilization, and whether these effects co‐vary with plant type (e.g., bioenergy crop species). Using a spatially explicit design and intensive soil sampling strategy under three fertilization treatments in switchgrass (SG: Panicum virgatum L.) and gamagrass (GG: Tripsacum dactyloides L.) croplands, we quantified the activities of polyphenolic oxidase (PHO), peroxidase (PER), and their sum associated with recalcitrant C acquisition (OX). The fertilization treatments included no N fertilizer input (NN), low N input (LN: 84 kg N ha−1 year−1 in urea), and high N input (HN: 168 kg N ha−1 year−1 in urea). Besides correlations between soil oxidases and SOC (formerly published), both descriptive and geostatistical approaches were applied to evaluate the effects of N fertilization and crop type on soil oxidases activities and their spatial distributions. Results showed significantly negative correlations between soil oxidase activities and SOC across all treatments. The negative relationship of soil oxidases and SOC was also evident under N fertilization. First, LN significantly depressed oxidases in both mean activities and spatial heterogeneity, which corresponded to increased SOC in SG (though by 5.4%). LN slightly influenced oxidases activities and their spatial heterogeneity, consistent with insignificant changes of SOC in GG. Second, HN showed trends of decrease in soil oxidase activities, which aligned with the significantly enhanced SOC in both croplands. Overall, this study demonstrated that soil oxidase activities acted as sensitive and negative mediators of SOC sequestration in bioenergy croplands and optimizing fertilizer use particularly in switchgrass cropland can improve for both carbon sequestration and environmental benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cost‐effectiveness and easy availability of MnO2 have attracted researchers′ attention as an anode electrode for LIBs over other transition metal oxides. However, MnO2 usage has been limited to its low reaction reversibility and poor conversion kinetics. Besides, Li‐ion hybrid supercapacitors (LiHSCs) are in urgent demand which offers higher power densities than LIBs without compromising energy density. Among different polymorphs of MnO2, λ‐MnO2, due to its 3D spinel structure, can be applied in many applications. Usually, λ‐MnO2 can be obtained by extracting lithium from LiMn2O4 using complex electrochemical or acid leaching methods. This study presents a modified Li2O2 assisted method to obtain cobalt‐doped 3D architectures of λ‐MnO2 porous hollow nanostructures. The resultant MnxCo1‐xOy hollow structures with 5 % cobalt addition are used as anode for LIBs exhibited excellent charge reversibility and cycle stability over thousands of reaction cycles. This result is known to be one of the finest among MnO2 anodes reported to date. Also, a LiHSC device is fabricated with MnxCo1‐xOy hollow structures as anode and the device exhibits an excellent comprehensive electrochemical performance in terms of high operating voltage (4.2 V), with a specific cell capacity of 33 mAh g−1 at a high current density of 5 A g−1 and achieved the maximum power density of 12261 W kg−1 (with energy density at 81.7 Wh kg−1) with long cycle life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A comprehensive review of thermodynamic cycles for the simultaneous production of power and cooling is presented. The study not only actualizes the bibliographic reviews previously realized by other authors regarding cycles such as Kalina, Goswami, or modifications of them. This review additionally includes an overview of hybrid cycles and other novel cycles reported in the literature. The hybrid cycles included in the study are systems integrated by two or three conventional cycles, mainly composed of Brayton, Rankine, and ORC for power generation; and compression, absorption, and ejector cycles for cooling production. The other novel cycles mentioned are thermodynamic cycles, which considerably differ from all the others. By using internal rectification, the Goswami cycle increased its efficiency by about 5%; however, by adding diverse components, as a condenser and a subcooler, the efficiency was significantly improved due to the considerable increase of the cooling production. Organic Rankine cycles integrating absorption refrigeration cycles are, in general, the most efficient hybrid cycles, reaching thermal efficiencies close to 40% for the simultaneous production of power and cooling. If a third output was provided, as heating or water distillation, the energy efficiencies were as high as 90%. The main problem with these systems is that, in general, they are too complex and costly because of the considerable number of components. The highest exergy destruction values are reported in solar collectors when used, followed by boilers or generators, and absorbers. The lower production costs were reported with systems integrating a Brayton cycle, an organic Rankine cycle, and an ejector‐cooling cycle. The disadvantage of these systems is that they need high operating temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Unexplained recurrent miscarriage (uRM) is defined as two or more spontaneous abortions prior to 20 weeks of gestation with unknown etiology. Peripheral blood natural killer (pNK) cells contact with the villus and exert important role in normal pregnancy. However, it is still controversial about the association between pNK cytotoxicity and uRM, and the underlying mechanism remains unknown so far. Method of Study: In this study, we aim to compare the percentage, immunophenotype, and function of pNK cells between patients with uRM and fertile controls. The peripheral blood was collected from 49 patients with uRM and 11 fertile women in their middle luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. pNK cells were co‐cultured with K562 cells at different cell ratios to measure the cytotoxicity. The percentage of CD3−CD56+, CD3−CD56bright, and CD3−CD56dim pNK was analyzed by flow cytometry and quantified to evaluate the expression of cytotoxic granules (granzyme B, granulysin, and perforin), and the cell surface receptors related to pNK cell cytotoxicity (NKG2D, NKp30, NKp46, CD158a, and CD158b) were also detected. Results: The general linear model analysis showed that pNK cell cytotoxicity in patients with uRM was significantly lower than that in fertile controls. In addition, the ratios of NKG2D/CD158a, NKp30/CD158a, and NKp46/CD158a in CD3−CD56bright pNK subsets were significantly lower in uRM group than that in fertile control. The logistical regression analysis showed that the reduced NKp30/CD158a, NKp46/CD158a ratios in CD3−CD56bright pNK subsets were significantly associated with uRM. Conclusion: Our results suggested that a low pNK cytotoxicity, which is mediated by inhibitory signals, might be associated with uRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planetary gearbox is widely used in various low-speed machines due to its large transmission ratio. However, the gears in a planetary gearbox are prone to the mechanical faults due to the complex dynamic heavy load. Vibration frequencies caused by an early tooth root crack of sun gear are usually difficult to accurately extract, so its fault diagnosis is one of the main challenges of planetary gearbox reliability. In this paper, a simplified tooth root crack model of sun gear is proposed, and then a rigid-flexible coupled dynamics model of the whole planetary gear system is constructed. By the numerical simulation, the fault frequencies caused by a tooth root crack of sun gear are obtained. A Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) algorithm for the vibration frequency extraction is proposed. The measured vibration signals are decomposed into the sparse Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs) by the VMD, and then the IMFs are further analyzed by the spectral method to accurately extract the crack-induced frequency components. The experimental results show that the proposed dynamics model and VMD method are feasible; an error between the characteristic frequencies from the tested signal analysis and the theoretical calculation is less than 1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead (Pb) is a typical toxic heavy metal element in soils and plants, which has a potential threat to human health through the food chain. Uptake of Pb in the soil–vegetable system has attracted broad attention, whereas reports on the main controlling factors of Pb uptake and accumulation in different soil–vegetable systems are limited. The effect of soil properties on Pb uptake and accumulation in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) was studied by a pot experiment with 16 typical soils in China. The results showed that the Pb bioavailability was lower in alkaline soils, and that soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), CaCO3, and total phosphorus contents might influence the uptake and transfer of Pb by peppers. Soil pH and CEC were the most significant factors affecting Pb accumulation in pepper fruits. Soil pH was negatively correlated with Pb uptake and accumulation due to its influence on Pb mobility and bioavailability. The accumulation of Pb decreased as soil CEC increased, which might inhibit the absorption and transfer of Pb in peppers. The multiple linear regression function based on soil Pb content, pH, and CEC could provide enough information for a good prediction of the accumulation of Pb in soil–pepper systems (R2 = 0.733). The results are in favor of developing a Pb threshold for vegetables in agricultural soils in China, thus improving the food safety of crops. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1443–1451. © 2021 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate one‐year costs of eating disorders in the United States (U.S.) from a societal perspective, including the costs to the U.S. health system, individual and family productivity costs, lost wellbeing, and other societal economic costs, by setting and payer. Findings will inform needed policy action to mitigate the impact of eating disorders in the U.S. Method: Costs of eating disorders were estimated using a bottom‐up cost‐of‐illness methodology, based on the estimated one‐year prevalence of eating disorders. Intangible costs of reduced wellbeing were also estimated using disability‐adjusted life years. Results: Total economic costs associated with eating disorders were estimated to be $64.7 billion (95% CI: $63.5–$66.0 billion) in fiscal year 2018–2019, equivalent to $11,808 per affected person (95% CI: $11,754–$11,863 per affected person). Otherwise Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder accounted for 35% of total economic costs, followed by Binge Eating Disorder (30%), Bulimia Nervosa (18%) and Anorexia Nervosa (17%). The substantial reduction in wellbeing associated with eating disorders was further valued at $326.5 billion (95% CI: $316.8–$336.2 billion). Discussion: The impact of eating disorders in the U.S. is substantial when considering both economic costs and reduced wellbeing (nearly $400 billion in fiscal year 2018–2019). Study findings underscore the urgency of identifying effective policy actions to reduce the impact of eating disorders, such as through primary prevention and screening to identify people with emerging or early eating disorders in primary care, schools, and workplaces and ensuring access to early evidence‐based treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A carbon dioxide capture, conversion, and utilization technology has been developed that can be powered by renewable energy with the potential to mitigate CO2 emissions. This relies on an electrochemical process whereby the dissolution of carbon dioxide into carbonate ions is accelerated by a locally induced pH change at the cathode. The carbonate ions can then complex with metal cations, such as Ca2+, Sr2+, or Mn2+, present in solution to form their respective metal carbonates, which precipitate out of solution. To ensure the cathode is not fouled by deposition of the insulating metal carbonate, the process is operated under hydrogen evolution conditions, thereby alleviating any significant attachment of the solid to the electrode. This process is demonstrated in CO2‐saturated solutions while the possibility of direct air capture is also shown, where the precipitation of CaCO3 from atmospherically dissolved CO2 during electrolysis is observed. The latter process can be significantly enhanced by using 5 vol.% of monoethanolamine (MEA) in the electrochemical cell. Finally, the process is investigated using seawater, which is also successful after the initial precipitation of metal sulfates from solution. In particular, the use of renewable energy to capture CO2 and create CaCO3 while also generating hydrogen may be of particular interest to the cement industry, which has a significant CO2 footprint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life history plasticity can be a strong predictor of the establishment and invasion success of introduced fishes. Here, the life‐history traits of four P. parva populations in adjacent ponds in Southern England were measured throughout 2013 to determine the timing and length of their reproductive season and the extent of trait plasticity. The relative abundance of the populations (as catch per unit effort) was similar, with low variability in their traits relating to reproductive effort and somatic growth. All the populations were male dominated. Both sexes matured at small body sizes, with fish as small as 30 mm being mature in both sexes, with the age at maturity for both sexes being age 1+ years. The peak spawning period, characterised by female fish investing heavily in reproduction when their gonado‐somatic index (GSI) values were highest and declined thereafter, occurred in May and June, and after a mean of 212 ± 24 degree‐days >12°C, and with water temperatures being 13.2–14.6°C. There were no further peaks in GSI, despite the species being considered to have prolonged spawning periods across spring and summer. These results also suggest that whilst the expression of life‐history traits of invasive fishes often vary with density, they can be highly consistent between populations at similar abundances and locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seamount fish communities are susceptible to variations due to the oceanographic conditions and level of historical fishing effort. In the NE Atlantic, the Azores is considered an "oceanic seamount ecosystem area" because seamount concentration is high relative to other regions. Scientific information on seamounts in the Azores remains scarce and demersal fishery occurs mostly without any knowledge to endorse sustainable harvest strategies. To make available an important baseline information on dynamics of demersal fish populations inhabiting commercially exploited seamounts, the present study has as specific objectives to (a) describe the taxonomic composition of demersal fish assemblages on underwater mountains, (b) examine whether assemblages vary spatial and temporally, and (c) investigate what drives distributional patterns of species in terms of abundance and size composition. For this, three Azorean seamounts (Açores, Princesa Alice and Mar da Prata) exploited by bottom fishing were selected as case study areas. Data were obtained from scientific surveys and commercial fishery over the past c. 25 years. A total of 84 species from 45 families were identified. Sebastidae, Moridae, Sparidae and Centrophoridae were the most abundant families, mainly represented by Helicolenus dactylopterus, Mora moro, Pagellus bogaraveo and Deania profundorum, respectively. Fish assemblages were more distinguishable spatially than temporally. Depth was identified as the main factor responsible for these differences. The higher occurrence of shallow and intermediate (i.e., up to 600 m) habitats in Princesa Alice and Açores seems to favor the occurrence of a greater number of species and higher abundances in comparison to Mar da Prata. Phycis phycis, Pontinus kuhlii, H. dactylopterus, P. bogaraveo, Conger conger and M. moro were the species which primarily contributed to dissimilarities in assemblage structure among sample groups. Abundance indices and fish sizes showed a decreasing trend for many of these species, especially for those with sedentary behaviour inhabiting historically highly exploited seamount areas. These results highlighted the vulnerability of demersal fishes to the expansion of fishing effort in the offshore seamount areas. Spatial management of seamounts should be a priority being fish conservation balanced with strategies that support sustainable fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high charge–discharge voltage gap is one of the main bottlenecks of zinc–air batteries (ZABs) because of the kinetically sluggish oxygen reduction/evolution reactions (ORR/OER) on the oxygen electrode side. Thus, an efficient bifunctional catalyst for ORR and OER is highly desired. Herein, honeycomb‐like MnCo2O4.5 spheres were used as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst. It was demonstrated that both ORR and OER catalytic activity are promoted by MnIV‐induced oxygen vacancy defects and multiple active sites. Importantly, the multivalent ions present in the material and its defect structure endow stable pseudocapacitance within the inactive region of ORR and OER; as a result, a low charge–discharge voltage gap (0.43 V at 10 mA cm−2) was achieved when it was employed in a flexible hybrid Zn‐based battery. This mechanism provides unprecedented and valuable insights for the development of next‐generation metal–air batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate safety and efficacy of topically administered 0.02% netarsudil ophthalmic solution (Rhopressa™; Aerie Pharmaceutical) in normal and glaucomatous dogs with ADAMTS10‐open‐angle glaucoma (ADAMTS10‐OAG). Animals studied: Five normal and 5 glaucomatous Beagle dogs with ADAMTS10‐OAG. Procedures: In each dog, left or right eye was randomly selected for netarsudil treatment. Contralateral eyes were sham‐treated with balanced salt solution (BSS). Following a 1‐week baseline period, dogs were treated once daily (q24h) during week 2, and twice daily (q12h) during week 3; week 4 served as washout period. Efficacy was measured by diurnal intraocular pressure (IOP) and pupil diameter. Safety was assessed by routine ophthalmic examination, gonioscopy, and pachymetry. Differences in least square means of quantitative outcome measures were compared between netarsudil and BSS sham‐treated eyes by linear Gaussian model. Results: Baseline IOPs were 18.5 ± 0.5 mm Hg (mean ± SEM) in normal and 27.8 ± 1.0 mm Hg in OAG dogs. Even though mean IOPs were lower in netarsudil‐ vs sham‐treated eyes, the overall differences were neither significant nor clinically relevant, regardless of treatment frequency (q24h‐normal: sham 16.4 ± 1.1 mm Hg vs treatment 15.6 ± 1.0 mm Hg; q24hr‐OAG: sham 25.8 ± 2.3 mm Hg vs. treatment 25.7 ± 2.4 mm Hg; q12hr‐normal: sham 15.4 ± 0.8 mm Hg vs. treatment 14.4 ± 0.8 mm Hg; q12hr‐OAG: sham 26.3 ± 1.7 mm Hg vs. treatment 25.4 ± 1.8 mm Hg). Netarsudil administration was well tolerated but resulted in significant, moderate‐to‐severe conjunctival hyperemia (P <.001). Conclusions: Once or twice daily administration of netarsudil resulted in marginal and clinically irrelevant IOP decreases in normal and OAG‐affected dogs. Except for conjunctival hyperemia, the drug was well tolerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a new high entropy material is reported, i.e., a noble metal‐free high entropy glycerate (HEG), synthesized via a simple solvothermal process. The HEG consists of 5 different metals of Fe, Ni, Co, Cr, and Mn. The unique glycerate structure exhibits an excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity with a low overpotential of 229 and 278 mV at current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively, in 1 m KOH electrolyte, outperforming its subsystems of binary‐, ternary‐, and quaternary‐metal glycerates. The HEG also shows outstanding stability and durability in the alkaline electrolyte. The result demonstrates the significance of synergistic effect that gives additional freedoms to modify the electronic structure and coordination environment. Moreover, HEG@HEG electrolyzer shows a good overall water splitting performance and durability, requiring a cell voltage of 1.63 V to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The use of animal models to predict the response to new therapies in humans is a vexing issue in nephrology. Unlike patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), few rodent models develop a progressive decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) so that experimental studies frequently report a reduction in proteinuria as the primary efficacy outcome. Moreover, while humans present with established kidney disease that continues to progress, many experimental studies investigate therapies in the prevention rather than in a therapeutic setting. Methods: We used the remnant kidney (subtotal nephrectomy [SNX]) rat model that develops a decline in GFR in conjunction with heavy proteinuria and hypertension along with the histological hallmarks of CKD in humans, glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Using agents that had been shown to improve GFR as well as proteinuria in the prevention setting, angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition with enalapril and SIRT1 activation with SRT3025, treatment was initiated 6 weeks after SNX. Results: While enalapril reduced blood pressure, proteinuria and histological injury, it did not improve GFR, as measured by inulin clearance. SRT3025 improved neither GFR nor structural damage despite a reduction in proteinuria. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that neither a reduction in proteinuria nor a reversal of structural damage in the kidney will necessarily translate to a restoration of kidney function. SUMMARY AT A GLANCE: Although angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibition with enalapril or SIRT1 activation with SRT3025 improved proteinuria in a rat remnant kidney model and the former also reduced structural damage by histology, neither treatment restored kidney function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the synthesis of α‐MnS/MnO/S‐doped C micro‐rod composites via a simple sulfidation process is demonstrated, starting from a Mn‐based metal‐organic framework. The resulting heterostructured α‐MnS/MnO nanoparticles (8±2 nm) are uniformly embedded into the S‐doped carbonaceous porous framework with hierarchical micro‐/meso‐porosity. The combination of structural and compositional characteristics results in the promising electrochemical performance of the as‐obtained composites as anode materials for lithium‐ion batteries, coupled with high reversible capacity (940 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1), excellent rate capability as well as long cycling lifespan at high rate of 2.0 A g−1 for 2000 cycles with the eventual capacity of ∼300 mAh g−1. Importantly, in situ X‐ray diffraction studies clearly reveal mechanistic details of the lithium storage mechanism, involving multistep conversion processes upon initial lithiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]