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Replacing fossil fuels with renewable biofuels derived from lignocellulosic biomass is an important aspect of addressing environmental challenges and developing a sustainable industrial society. Densification overcomes the problems of low bulk density and poor flowability of biomass and has been commercialized for producing solid biofuels, but the overall impact of densification on biological-based biorefineries that primarily target liquid fuels (e.g., ethanol) is still under investigation. This review provides a thorough summary of the application of densified biomass in biological-based biorefineries. First, the effects of densification parameters as well as variables of biomass materials on the densified products' quality are reviewed, and different commonly used densification technologies are also discussed and compared. Then, the discussion focuses on the physiochemical modifications of biomass caused by densification that may influence further pretreatment and/or enzymatic hydrolysis in biorefineries. Industrial pelleting has been generally shown to exhibit positive/neutral effects on the enzymatic hydrolysis of multiple biomass feedstocks after pretreatments, indicating the viability of using pellets as starting feedstocks in biorefineries. Densification causes structural disruption of biomass, which may facilitate further biochemical conversions. Integrating biomass densification in the feedstock supply chain is feasible for large-scale biorefineries to overcome the techno-economic barriers and become profitable. Suggestions are presented for the efficiency enhancement and cost reduction in densification-based biorefineries. To enable wider applications, it is now the time to employ more demo and full-scale activities in different regions of the world pushing the research and innovation of densification integrated within biorefining. [Display omitted] • Factors affecting the quality of densified biomass are thoroughly discussed. • How biomass densification interacts with pretreatment is discussed. • Integrating densification in biomass supply chain benefits mega-biorefineries. • Suggestions are presented for efficiency enhancement and cost reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Native soy proteins have limited surface properties, but fortunately, it is expected that their foaming behaviors can be improved through the enzymatic cross-linking method. In this paper, by using the cross-linking method with microbial transglutaminase (mTG) as the catalyst, soy protein isolate (SPI), soy β-conglycinin (7S), and soy glycinin (11S) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared in the molten state of the protein induced by dithiothreitol (DTT). We compared the structural characteristics of these nanoparticles, including particle sizes, morphologies, zeta potentials, surface hydrophobicities, changes of spatial structure, and cross-linking degrees. In addition, their foaming properties, including foamabilities, foam stabilities, and bubble diameters, were also tested. The results show that there are no significant differences in the foamabilities between the native soy proteins and their nanoparticles with similar initial foam heights. However, it is found that 11S NPs have enhanced foam stabilities with longer half-lives and smaller changes in bubble size, which is closely related to their high wettability and cross-linking degree. This study may provide references for the application of soy protein nanoparticles as new foam stabilizers to replace the traditional foaming agents in the food industry. [Display omitted] • Molten state soy proteins formed by dithiothreitol (DTT) treatment. • Soy protein nanoparticles (NPs) were developed by mTG induced cross-linking. • 11S NPs showed enhanced foam stability compared to native 11S stabilized emulsion. • Surface charges, hydrophobicity and degree of cross-linking contributed to enhanced foam stability of 11S NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the energy internet, the proportion of flexible loads in smart grid is getting much higher than before. It is highly important to model flexible loads based on demand response. Therefore, a new demand response method considering multiple flexible loads is proposed in this paper to character the integrated demand response (IDR) resources. Firstly, a physical process analytical deduction (PPAD) model is proposed to improve the classification of flexible loads in industrial parks. Scenario generation, data point augmentation, and smooth curves under various operating conditions are considered to enhance the applicability of the model. Secondly, in view of the strong volatility and poor modeling effect of Wasserstein-generative adversarial networks (WGAN), an improved WGAN-gradient penalty (IWGAN-GP) model is developed to get a faster convergence speed than traditional WGAN and generate higher quality samples. Finally, the PPAD and IWGAN-GP models are jointly implemented to reveal the degree of correlation between flexible loads. Meanwhile, an intelligent offline database is built to deal with the impact of nonlinear factors in different response scenarios. Compared with Fourier, SVM, and BP-NET, the root mean square error is reduced by 2.854MW, 3.576MW, and 3.507MW, respectively. The relative error of the amount of unresponsiveness has been reduced significantly by over 25% compared to the traditional methods. Numerical examples have been performed with the results proving that the proposed method is significantly better than the existing technologies in reducing load modeling deviation and improving the responsiveness of park loads. • A robust method is proposed based on physical decomposed processes of industrial loads. • A multi-type flexible load integrated demand response model is build to improve accuracy. • The fitting reliability is improved by response contribution measurement evaluation model. • The model generalization ability is improved by offline decision-making database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) production from cellulose is a hot topic, while the rigidity of cellulose limits its efficient conversion into HMF. Cellulose formate has exhibited the great potential for HMF production but it's synthesis via direct formylation of cellulose in formic acid is difficult. Herein, we reported a green synthetic route of cellulose formate and its efficient conversion into HMF. Ball milled cellulose formate (BCF) was synthesized via ball milling followed by formylation in formic acid at 80 °C for 0.5 h. The structure of BCF was thoroughly characterized and BCF was subsequently converted to HMF catalyzed by AlCl 3 and HCl in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-H 2 O media. Results showed that ball milling of cellulose for 1–1.5 h efficiently deconstructed its crystallinity and degree of polymerization, boosting its further formylation and catalytic conversion. An overall 66.9% HMF yield from cellulose was achieved at 150 °C for 20 min using BCF derived from cellulose ball milled for 1.5 h as the substrate. BCF exhibits high reactivity toward HMF due to its excellent solubility and accessibility in DMSO-H 2 O media, and the release of formic acid in reaction further facilitates HMF production. BCF synthesized with different ball milling times shows different degrees of substitution of formyl groups, which could serve as an indicator and regulate the HMF production. The green synthesis of cellulose formate creates an efficient pathway for HMF production. [Display omitted] • Ball milling of cellulose for 1–1.5 h boosts its formylation and HMF production. • Ball-milled cellulose formate (BCF) was formed in formic acid at 80 °C for 0.5 h. • A high HMF yield of 66.9% was achieved at 150 °C for 20 min from BCF. • The degree of substitution of formyl groups in BCF could indicate the HMF yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One pot conversion of Pistia stratiotes L. to produce solid-liquid products. [Display omitted] • Hydrothermal treatment of aquatic plants could obtain solid-liquid-oil streams. • Endogenous calcium-rich hydrochar could catalyze glucose isomerization. • Hydrothermal liquid's potential for foliar fertilizer was evaluated. • Bio-oil composed of certain ranges of carbon chains could be further refined to fuels. Aquatic plant Pistia stratiotes L. has widely dispersed around the world and is known for rapid reproduction in water system. However, over reproduction could generate serious issues such as clogging the waterways and results in secondary environmental pollution. Therefore, developing an economical and value-added route to valorize aquatic plants not only solves environmental pollution, but also provides novel utilization values. In this study, Pistia stratiotes L. was hydrothermal treated from 200 to 280℃, which can obtain hydrochar, light bio-oil and supernatant fractions. The surprising results showed that a large amount of alkali calcium (5.50 wt%) was enriched on the surface of hydrochar. And the hydrochar could be used as a catalyst for glucose isomerization to fructose after limited oxygen calcination. The yield of light bio-oil increases with the temperature and the composition contains a large amount of cyclopentene derivatives, which can be further refined to chemicals. The hydrothermal supernatant contains a large amount of calcium, magnesium, iron and other nutrients. The seed germination test showed that the supernatant liquid had certain bioactivity and had the potential of developing liquid fertilizer. This study provides basic reference for comprehensive and novel utilization of aquatic plants with abundant yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Aluminum-oxide nanoparticles loaded on hydrochar with crystalline size less than 0.5 nm. • The aerobic calcination contributed the formation of Al-oxide active sites. • The glucose isomerization followed the catalytic mechanism of intramolecular 1,2-hydride shift. • Carbon deposition mainly causes catalyst deactivation. Corn stover derived hydrochar (HC) doped with aluminum nanoparticles was synthesized through the facile one-pot hydrothermal carbonization for glucose to fructose isomerization. Amorphous aluminum nanoparticles with crystalline size less than 0.5 nm were uniformly loaded on hydrochar. The phase of the Al-oxide nanoparticles was tailored through aerobic/anaerobic calcination. The results showed that the amorphous aluminum nanocrystals with six coordinated Al-oxide structure were formed under oxygen calcination, which facilitated the high catalytic activity and selectivity of glucose isomerization. It was found that catalysts prepared at hydrothermal temperature of 180℃ and further calcinated at 300℃ under aerobic condition (Al/HC 180 -300/O) achieved a fructose yield of 42.6% and a selectivity of 83.6% at 180 °C for 5 min. The kinetics, catalytic mechanism, and the deactivation mechanism of the glucose to fructose were further studied using Al/HC 180 -300/O catalyst. This study provides a high energy efficiency and low metal loading carbon-based catalysts synthetic approach applicable for biorefinery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A high HMF yield of 53.8 mol% was obtained at 180℃ for 5 min using biomass derived cellulose formate as reactant. • Rate constant of hydrolysis of cellulose formate to glucose increased by almost three times in DMSO-H 2 O. • The reaction rate constants of glucose, fructose and HMF to humins decreased with the presence of DMSO. • Molecular dynamics simulations show that formyl group and DMSO increased formylated glucose hydrophilicity. 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) primary can be synthesized from monosaccharides including glucose and fructose, cost is one of barriers to realize HMF large-scale production. In this study, a high HMF yield of 69.6 mol% was obtained at 180℃ for 5 min using biomass derived cellulose formate as reactant, which was prepared by formylation of cellulose using recyclable formic acid, and sequentially catalyzed by hydrochloric acid (HCl) and aluminum chloride (AlCl 3) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and H 2 O system. To investigate the effect of cosolvents and formyl groups on the cellulose formate conversion, kinetics analysis and molecular dynamics simulations were conducted. Reaction kinetics study shows that the rate constant of hydrolysis of cellulose formate to glucose increased by almost three times in DMSO-H 2 O and the reaction rates' constants of glucose, fructose and HMF to humins decreased with the presence of DMSO. Molecular dynamics simulations show that formyl group and DMSO increased its hydrophilicity around the reactive hydroxyl group on the carbon ring and steric hindrance of formyl group affect the distribution of water molecular and DMSO molecular around formylated glucose, resulting in facilitating the formation of a precursor to fructose and inhibiting the formation of humins during formylated glucose conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cellulose formate was prepared through facile hydrolysis and formylation of cellulose. • Cellulose formate with abundant formyl groups formed spatial net-like structure. • Cellulose formate presented superior reactivity for HMF production in DMSO-H 2 O media. • The formyl group in cellulose formate coordinated with DMSO for prior solvation. 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) can be widely converted into value-added chemicals and fuels production. Herein, we reported a sustainable and efficient approach for synthesizing HMF directly from cellulose. Facile formylation of cellulose with green and recyclable formic acid was developed for cellulose formate (CF) production. CF with special net-like structure and high degree of formyl substitution was prepared. The resultant CF exhibited excellent catalytic conversion and selectivity for HMF production comparable to monomeric glucose as reactant in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-H 2 O media. In our work, we presented molecular dynamics simulations to elaborate the preferential coordination of DMSO around formyl group, which promoted the solvation of formylated substrate in DMSO-H 2 O mixture, and the HMF yielded could be protected by DMSO without further degradation to levulinic acid or humins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Formic acid pretreatment was developed for corn stover efficient delignification. • The extracted and depolymerized lignin fraction with dominant G-units was obtained. • Formylation improved hydrophobicity and thermostability of cellulose and lignin. • The formylated cellulose showed high reactivity and selectivity for HMF production. One-step fractionation with concentrated formic acid at elevated temperatures with short retention time was investigated for corn stover valorization. Crude pulp (CP) with high purity of cellulose and FA-lignin (FAL) with high guaiacyl content were fractionated through one-step mild pretreatment. Formylation reaction on both CP and FAL fractions occurred during the pretreatment and improved the hydrophobicity and thermal stability of CPs and FALs. The presence of formyl group on CPs significantly inhibited the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency for sugar production, however, the formylated cellulose showed super high reactivity and selectivity for HMF production through catalysis by maleic acid and aluminum chloride in acetonitrile-water co-solvent system. In addition, the fractionated FAL fraction exhibited a loose structure which is prominent for its further catalytic conversion into chemicals and energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrochar microsphere as clean and facile carbon materials have great potentials to be used in biomass valorization for producing value-added chemicals. In this study, the hydrochars obtained from cellulose and xylan were prepared. The effect of hydrothermal conditions on hydrochars' chemical composition, thermal stability and the porosity obtained from cellulose and xylan were evaluated. In order to explore the application of the hydrochar in biofuel production, the cellulose derived hydrochar supported Al catalyst (Al-Cel-HTC) was prepared by one-step hydrothermal process for catalysis glucose isomerization. We found distinct physicochemical properties between cellulose and xylan derived hydrochar. The specific surface area (S BET) of cellulose derived hydrochar (118 m2/g) is significantly higher than that of xylan derived hydrochar (28 m2/g). The hydrochars are composed of carbonaceous microspheres as evidenced by SEM. The catalytic performance of Al-Cel-HTC was investigated. Results shown that 77.8 mol/% selectivity of glucose to fructose can be obtained in aqueous by the catalyst. The SEM-EDS images of the catalyst shown the strong crystal-hydrochar microsphere interaction benifit in diminishing the agglomeration of hydrochar microsphere. The BET specific surface area and crystal structure (AlO(OH) and Al 2 O 3) of hydrochar supported aluminum catalyst have positive correlation with the catalytic selectivity. Image 1 • Xylan requires significantly lower temperature compared to cellulose for HTC process. • Cellulose derived hydrochar has more than 4 times larger surface area than xylose derived hydrochar. • Cellulose and xylan derived hydrochars shows distinct microscopic morphology. • Different depolymerization and condensation mechanisms were revealed for cellulose and xylan HTC processing. • The novelty hydrochar microsphere support Al catalyst for glucose isomerization shown that the catalyst have a great potential for biomass valorization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broadband online X-ray spectrometer has been designed and commissioned at the SUD beamline of the Shanghai Soft X-ray Free-Electron Laser Facility, which can deliver both SASE and seeded FEL pulses to user experiments, spanning the photon energy range of 50-620 eV. The resolving powers of the spectrometer calibrated via online measurement at 92 eV and 249 eV are ∼20000 and ∼15000, respectively, and the absolute photon energy is characterized by an electron time-of-flight spectrometer. The high energy resolution provided by the spectrometer can differentiate the fine structure in the FEL spectrum, to determine its pulse length., (open access.)

This study explores the limitations of TiO 2 as a photocatalyst, focusing on its narrow bandwidth and high electron-hole complexation probabilities that restrict its applications. A novel one-pot synthesis method for TiO 2 /hydrochar matrix composites is presented, with variations achieved through control of hydrothermal temperature, time, and loading concentration. The efficacy of these composites in ammonia removal is investigated, revealing optimal performance for the composite denoted as 3Ti-160-7, synthesized with a titanium salt concentration of 0.3 mol L -1 , a hydrothermal temperature of 160 °C, and a hydrothermal time of 7 hours. Comparative analyses with commercial TiO 2 (P25) and hydrochar demonstrate superior performance of 3Ti-160-7, exhibiting significantly lower ammonia concentration and reduced NO and NO 2 concentrations. This research underscores the cost-effectiveness and application potential of TiO 2 /hydrochar matrix composites, offering valuable insights for the enhancement of photocatalytic activity and broader applicability in addressing TiO 2 -related challenges., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Background: Perineural invasion (PNI) of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a strong independent risk factor for tumour recurrence and long-term patient survival. However, there is a lack of noninvasive tools for accurately predicting the PNI status. The authors develop and validate a combined model incorporating radiomics signature and clinicoradiological features based on machine learning for predicting PNI in ICC, and used the Shapley Additive explanation (SHAP) to visualize the prediction process for clinical application., Methods: This retrospective and prospective study included 243 patients with pathologically diagnosed ICC (training, n =136; external validation, n =81; prospective, n =26, respectively) who underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography between January 2012 and May 2023 at three institutions (three tertiary referral centres in Guangdong Province, China). The ElasticNet was applied to select radiomics features and construct signature derived from computed tomography images, and univariate and multivariate analyses by logistic regression were used to identify the significant clinical and radiological variables with PNI. A robust combined model incorporating radiomics signature and clinicoradiological features based on machine learning was developed and the SHAP was used to visualize the prediction process. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to compare prognostic differences between PNI-positive and PNI-negative groups and was conducted to explore the prognostic information of the combined model., Results: Among 243 patients (mean age, 61.2 years ± 11.0 (SD); 152 men and 91 women), 108 (44.4%) were diagnosed as PNI-positive. The radiomics signature was constructed by seven radiomics features, with areas under the curves of 0.792, 0.748, and 0.729 in the training, external validation, and prospective cohorts, respectively. Three significant clinicoradiological features were selected and combined with radiomics signature to construct a combined model using machine learning. The eXtreme Gradient Boosting exhibited improved accuracy and robustness (areas under the curves of 0.884, 0.831, and 0.831, respectively). Survival analysis showed the construction combined model could be used to stratify relapse-free survival (hazard ratio, 1.933; 95% CI: 1.093-3.418; P =0.021)., Conclusions: We developed and validated a robust combined model incorporating radiomics signature and clinicoradiological features based on machine learning to accurately identify the PNI statuses of ICC, and visualize the prediction process through SHAP for clinical application., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

The Shanghai Soft X-ray Free-Electron Laser (SXFEL) is the first X-ray free-electron laser facility in China. The SASE beamline, which consists of a pink-beam branch and a mono-beam branch, is one of the two beamlines in the Phase-I construction. The pink-beam branch opened for users in 2023 after successful first-round beamline commissioning. In this paper, the design of the beamline is presented and the performance of the pink-beam branch is reported. The measured energy-resolving power of the online spectrometer is over 6000 @ 400 eV. The focusing spot size of the pink beam is less than 3 µm in both the horizontal and vertical at the endstation., (open access.)

Ammonium perchlorate (AP) has been widely used as an oxidizer in propellants and military mixed explosives in recent years. However, its high characteristic signal, environmental pollution, and poor detonation performance have prompted the industry to seek alternatives to AP. Ammonium nitrate (AN) is a suitable substitute due to its low characteristic signal, lack of pollution, and excellent detonation performance. However, its room-temperature phase transition and hygroscopicity affect its practical use. In this work, we prepared mixed crystal coprecipitation (MCC) materials of AN and potassium perchlorate (KP) using the evaporative solvent method. The characterization of AN/KP MCCs was carried out by combining TG-DSC, XRD, FT-IR, and SEM analysis, revealing that the formation of MCCs by AN and KP is due to ion exchange between the two components. AN/KP MCCs not only solve the problem of room-temperature phase transition in AN but also reduce its hygroscopicity. Furthermore, AN/KP MCCs have mechanical sensitivity, explosive performance, and specific impulse similar to pure AN, but compared to AN, AN/KP MCCs have higher density, effective oxygen content, and thermal stability. Compared with existing oxidizers AN, AP, and KP, AN/KP MCCs with high density, low sensitivity, high oxygen content, and high safety have obvious advantages and have good prospects in the application of oxidizers in solid propellants and military mixed explosives., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Recently, transtibial pullout repair of the medial meniscus (MM) posterior root tear (PRT) has become widely accepted and provides satisfactory clinical outcomes. Widening after cyclic loading or ultimate failure load using different suture materials and configurations has been studied. However, no study has compared the clinical outcomes using different suture materials. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes after performing MMPRT pullout repair using different suture materials. We hypothesized that better clinical outcomes would be achieved using ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) tape compared with a normal polyester suture. Thirty-seven patients who underwent MM posterior root repair between November 2019 and May 2020 were retrospectively investigated. Pullout repair was performed using a hollow no. 0 polyester suture ( n  = 14) and UHMWPE tape ( n  = 23). Clinical outcomes were assessed preoperatively and at 1 year postoperatively, using the Lysholm knee score, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score. The meniscal healing status was assessed using an arthroscopic scoring system (range: 0-10). All clinical scores were improved significantly in both groups. However, significantly higher meniscal healing scores and decreased VAS pain scores were observed in the UHMWPE group (7.3 ± 0.9 and 7.7 ± 11.3, respectively) than in the polyester group (5.6 ± 2.1 and 18.4 ± 18.6, respectively; p  < 0.01). Suture cut-out and loss of the root continuity were observed in some cases (three cases [21.4%] in the polyester suture group and one case [4.3%] in the UHMWPE tape group). Both suture materials led to satisfactory clinical outcomes at 1 year postoperatively, whereas the UHMWPE tape was useful for obtaining good meniscal healing and decreasing the VAS pain score., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Background: Transtibial pullout repair yields beneficial clinical outcomes in patients with medial meniscus (MM) posterior root tear. However, the relationship between repaired meniscal root healing status and postoperative clinical outcomes remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate changes in articular cartilage damage and clinical scores after pullout repair using two simple stitches (TSS)., Methods: Thirty-three patients who underwent pullout repair using TSS were assessed. Healing status was assessed by a semi-quantitative second-look arthroscopic scoring system comprising three evaluation criteria (width of bridging tissues, stability of the repaired root, and synovial coverage), 1 year postoperatively. MM medial extrusion (MMME) and cartilage damage were assessed preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively. The medial compartment was divided into 8 zones (A-H) for comparison of preoperative and 1-year postoperative cartilage damage. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome score, Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee scores, and visual analogue scale pain score., Results: Although cartilage damage did not aggravate significantly in most medial compartment areas, MMME progressed at 1 year postoperatively. No statistical differences were observed in cartilage damage between the central-to-medial area of the medial femoral condyle and the medial tibial plateau area at 1 year postoperatively. Regarding semi-quantitative healing scores, the stability score was significantly correlated with the International Cartilage Repair Society grade at 1 year postoperatively. All 1-year and 2-year clinical scores significantly improved compared with the preoperative scores., Conclusion: Regarding TSS repair, stability of repaired meniscal root negatively correlated with cartilage damage in the medial compartment loading area. All 1-year and 2-year clinical scores significantly improved than those of the preoperative scores. Achieving MM stability is crucial for suppressing cartilage degeneration., Level of Evidence: IV case series study., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Liposomes (lipos), one of the most successful nanotherapeutics in the clinic, have made a rapid advance over the past few years. However, still, several challenges exist for lipos for clinical practice, such as low drug loading and premature drug leakage during in vivo circulation. Paclitaxel (PTX), a commonly used first-line drug for cancer chemotherapy, was chosen as the model drug. Due to its non-ionizable and water-insoluble characteristics, the drug-loading efficiency of the marketable PTX lipos, Lipusu, is only 6.76%. Herein, we designed an ionizable PTX prodrug (PTXP) by modifying phenylboronic acid on the C2' hydroxyl group of PTX for the remote loading of liposomal formulations through the pH gradient method. Compared with Lipusu, PTXP lipos displayed a 34% higher loading efficiency and an encapsulation efficiency of approximately 95%. A series of in vitro/vivo experiments indicated that PTXP lipos possess colloidal stability, prolonged blood circulation, high tumor site accumulation, potent anti-tumor effects, and safety. A combination of ionizable prodrugs and remote loading has proved to be an effective and simple strategy to achieve high liposomal encapsulation efficiency of poorly soluble non-ionizable drugs for clinical application.

Cellulose can be dissolved in ionic liquids (ILs), and it can be recovered by adding antisolvent such as water or alcohol. In addition, the regenerated cellulose can be used for textiles, degradable membranes, hydrogels/aerogels, etc . However, the regenerated mechanism of cellulose remains ambiguous. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) calculation is reported for the cellulose regeneration from a cellulose/1- n -butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (BmimOAc)/water mixture. To investigate the microscopic effects of the antisolvents, we analyzed the structures and H-bonds of BmimOAc- n H 2 O and cellobiose-ILs- n H 2 O ( n = 0-6) clusters. It can be found that when n ≥ 5 in the BmimOAc- n H 2 O clusters, the solvent-separated ion pairs (SIPs) play a dominant position in the system. With the increasing numbers of water molecules, the cation-anion interaction can be separated by water to reduce the effects of ILs on cellulose dissolution. Furthermore, the BmimOAc- n H 2 O and cellobiose-ILs ( n = 0-6) clusters tend to be a more stable structure with high hydration in an aqueous solution. When the water molecules were added to the system, H-bonds can be formed among H 2 O, the hydroxyl of cellulose, and the oxygen of OAc. Therefore, the interactions between cellulose and ILs will be decreased to promote cellulose regeneration. This work would provide some help to understand the mechanism of cellulose regeneration from the view of theoretical calculation., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Background: Different methods are available to assess the healing status of repaired root for medial meniscus posterior root tears (MMPRT) using second-look arthroscopy. However, few studies are comparing them or validating their usefulness. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the semi-quantitative arthroscopic score might correlate more with 1-year clinical outcomes in patients with MMPRT than the qualitative evaluation., Methods: Data of 61 patients who underwent MMPRT pullout repair and second-look arthroscopy were retrospectively evaluated. The semi-quantitative arthroscopic scoring system was divided into three evaluation criteria: scores from 0 to 10 points include the width of the bridging tissue, stability of the repaired root, and synovial coverage. The qualitative evaluation was classified into 4 status; complete healing, lax healing, scar tissue healing, and failed healing according to the stability and mobility of the repaired root. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to identify predictors of 1-year postoperative clinical outcomes, including Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome, Lysholm, or International Knee Documentation Committee scores. Spearman's correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between second-look arthroscopic score/qualitative evaluation and 1-year postoperative clinical outcomes. In addition, the optimal cutoff point of semi-quantitative arthroscopic score was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare clinical outcomes between patients with semi-quantitative arthroscopic scores ≥8 and scores <8., Results: All clinical scores significantly improved at 1 year postoperatively. A good correlation was observed between the semi-quantitative score and clinical scores, but none between qualitative evaluation and clinical scores. The optimal cutoff point of semi-quantitative second-look arthroscopic score was 8 points. Significantly, better clinical outcomes were observed in patients with semi-quantitative scores ≥8 points., Conclusions: All 1-year postoperative clinical scores were significantly improved. The semi-quantitative arthroscopic scores correlate more with 1-year clinical outcomes in patients with MMPRT than the qualitative evaluation., Level of Evidence: IV case series study., (Copyright © 2021 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Carbon emissions have become a focus of political and academic concern in the global community since the launch of the Kyoto Protocol. As the largest carbon emitter, China has committed to reaching the carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 in the 75th United Nations High-level Meeting. The transport sector needs to be deeply decarbonized in China to achieve this goal. Previous studies have shown that the carbon emissions of the railway sector are small compared to highways, waterways, and civil aviation. However, these studies only consider the operation stage and do not consider the carbon emissions caused by large-scale railway infrastructure construction during the construction stage. As an essential source of carbon emissions and the focus of emissions reduction, the carbon emission of railway construction projects (RCPs) is in urgent need of relevant research. Based on a systematic literature review (SLR), this paper sorts out the carbon emission factors (CEFs) related to RCPs; combines semi-structured expert interviews to clarify the carbon emissions measurement boundary of RCPs; modifies and calibrates CEFs; constructs the carbon emission measurement model of RCPs including building material production stage, building material transportation stage, and construction stage; and conducts empirical analysis to validate carbon emission factors and measurement models. This study effectively complements the theoretical research on CEFs and measurement models in the construction stage of railway engineering and contributes to guiding the construction of low-carbon railways practically.

Purpose: The volume of medial meniscus (MM) extrusion at 10° and 90° knee flexions using three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and assessed relevant clinical outcomes at 1-year follow-up were evaluated., Methods: Twenty-four patients who underwent MM posterior root repair were retrospectively reviewed. At 10° and 90° knee flexions, the meniscal extrusion distance and volume were measured using 3D meniscus models constructed by SYNAPSE VINCENT®. The correlation between Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee scores, Tegner activity, and pain visual analog scales and changes in MM extrusion were assessed., Results: No significant differences in the MM medial extrusion were observed between 10° and 90° knee flexions postoperatively. MM posterior extrusion (MMPE) decreased significantly at 10° and 90° knee flexions postoperatively. At 90° knee flexion, the meniscus volume at the intra-tibial surface increased at 3 and 12 months postoperatively. The MM extrusion volume increased slightly at 10° knee flexion; however, the volume decreased significantly at 90° knee flexion postoperatively. The change in MMPE significantly correlated with clinical scores. All 12-month clinical scores were significantly improved compared to preoperative scores., Conclusions: The progression of meniscus posterior extrusion and reduction of its volume at 90° knee flexion can be suppressed by MM posterior root repair. Postoperative clinical scores correlated with reductions of the posterior extrusion. Regarding clinical relevance, the dynamic stability of the meniscus can be maintained by MM posterior root repair, which is an effective therapeutic method for improving its clinical status., Level of Evidence: Level IV., (© 2021. European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery, Arthroscopy (ESSKA).)

The measurement of the seasonal and diurnal variations of Tamarix ramosissima and Populus euphratica water potentials in the southern fringe of Taklamakan Desert indicated that there was no apparent water stress for the two species during their growth period, with little change of predawn water potential and some extent decrease of midday water potential. Irrigation once or thinning had no significant effects on the water status of the plants, while groundwater appeared to be a prerequisite for the survival and growth of these species. It is very important to ensure a stable groundwater table for the restoration of Tamarix ramosissima and Populus euphratica in this area.

Change characteristics of predawn water potential, water potential daily process, and transpiration rate of Tamarix ramosissima before and after irrigation was studied in Cele oasis in the south fringe of Takelamakan Desert. The results showed that the predawn water potential (-0.93 MPa) after irrigation was higher than that before irrigation (-1.04 MPa), but there was no obvious difference. So, irrigation had certain influences on the recovery of predawn water potential of T. ramosissima. The average value of water potential daily process (-2.29 MPa) after irrigation was lower than that before irrigation (-1.69 MPa). Irrigation had no influence on the increase of water potential. The transpiration rate (0.505 mmol.m-2.s-1) after irrigation was higher than that before irrigation(0.18 mmol.m-2.s-1), and compared to the soil water content and the distribution of root system before and after irrigation, it might be resulted in underground water utilization of T. ramosissima. T. ramosissima could use the underground water with its deep root system. Surface irrigation had no significant effect on the change of water condition of T. ramosissima.

It is very important to study and grasp the water physiological characteristics of Tamarix in order to use properly and scientifically manage it. Based on the multiply studies on the water physiological characteristics of Tamarix (P-V curves, predawn water potential and water potential daily course and transpiration rate) for many years, a preliminary comment was given on the experimental methods used at home and abroad. The aims of this paper is to understand the ecological characteristics of Tamarix as fast as possible and provide theoretical bases for the restoration and re-establishment of Tamarix in the arid and semi-arid region.