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Developing highly sensitive MOF-based probes for environmental contaminant detection is of much importance and challenging. Here, two new three-dimensional lanthanide metal–organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs), {[Eu(DTA)1.5(H2O)]·H2O}n (Eu-DTA) and [Tb(DTA)(C2O4)0.5(H2O)]n (Tb-DTA) (H2DTA = 2,5-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)terephthalic acid), are successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal reaction. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses demonstrate that the extended π conjugated ligand plays an important role in the coordination mode and topologies. Eu-DTA possesses a 4,6-connected three-dimensional topological structure, while Tb-DTA exhibits a 4,5-connected three-dimensional framework. Interestingly, the rich uncoordinated nitrogen or oxygen atoms in these two structures can be used as Lewis basic sites, showing strong sensitivity to metal ions and solvent molecules. Furthermore, luminescence and sensing studies reveal that Eu-DTA and Tb-DTA can sensitively and simultaneously detect Fe3+ ions and nitrobenzene, which suggests that the two Ln-MOFs are promising bifunctional luminescence sensors. The quenching mechanism for Fe3+ has been discussed in detail.

To alleviate the energy crisis and achieve the transformation of renewable energy sources, developing low-cost, highly efficient and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts for water splitting has aroused great concern. Here, a facile one-step solvothermal strategy was applied to fabricate amorphous iron–cobalt–molybdenum oxide flakes containing MoSx and sulphate (FCMOS), which reveals a low overpotential of 260 mV to achieve the current density of 10 mA cm−2, together with a lower Tafel slope (47 mV dec−1), large electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) as well as wonderful durability. The excellent OER performance could be attributed to the acceleration of the reaction *OH → *O + *H by MoSx, optimization of the deprotonation of *OOH by sulfate, and the synergistic polymetallic effect.

A new strategy toward constructing a bifunctional catalyst for CO2 cycloaddition has been developed based on post-synthetic modification of CUS-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with ionic porous organic frameworks (POFs) to form MOF@iPOF core–shell hybrid materials. Based on this strategy, two new MOF@iPOF core–shell hybrid materials, Cu3(BTC)2@iPOF-TB-Br− and Cu3(BTC)2@iPOF-TM-Br−, are synthesized for the first time by feasible encapsulation of a Cu3(BTC)2 core within an ionic POF shell. Because of the synergetic role of dual functional sites including CUS as a Lewis acid in the MOFs and the Br− anion as the nucleophile in the ionic POFs, Cu3(BTC)2@iPOF-TB-Br− and Cu3(BTC)2@iPOF-TM-Br− demonstrate excellent catalytic performance for the CO2 cycloaddition under co-catalyst free mild conditions (60 °C, 0.5 MPa CO2, 24 h). Moreover, these core–shell bifunctional catalysts can not only realize the synergy of two functional sites, but also maintain the porosity of hybrid materials for improving the mass transfer rate and catalytic efficiency.

The co-presence of haloacetic acids (HAAs) and Mg2+ in swimming pool waters and the potential interaction among Mg2+, HAAs, and membranes prompted a systematic investigation of membrane performance...

As a model quasi-2D network intercalation electrodes, niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) has gained numerous attention in electrochemical materials because of its structural stability and high safety. Nevertheless, Nb2O5 exhibits the inherent low conductivity of transition metal oxides, which limits the rate of ionic diffusion and charge transfer. To overcome the drawbacks, the nanoscale Nb2O5 can be synthesized to improve electrochemical performance. Here, we prepared the flower-like orthorhombic Nb2O5 (i.e., T-Nb2O5) nanostructures to evaluate the effect of Nb2O5 nanoparticle morphology associated with crystallinity for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) anode. T-Nb2O5-2 displays superior crystallinity, pore structure, capacity, reversibility, and cycling stability. Specifically, T-Nb2O5-2 exhibits the initial charge/discharge capacity of 289 and 525 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C, and after 100 cycles, the capacity is 178.2 mAh g−1 at 1 C when the solvothermal time is 16 h. This study shows that Nb2O5 with good crystallinity can slow down the volume expansion and structural deformation generated during the intercalation–deintercalation of Li-ions. We believe that the specified Nb2O5 presented in this work has great potential as a promising candidate for high-performance LIB anodes.

This paper performs finite element (FE) analysis to investigate the behaviour of a large geotextile mat offshore dike on clay-overlaying-sand soil deposits, which is reinforced by a new type of non...

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease which is associated with genetic and environmental factors, though the pathogenesis is still unclear and there is also a lack of effective treatment. With the rapid advance of genetic testing techniques, over 30 genes have been associated with the disease. Some ALS patients harboring genetic variants may present unique clinical characteristics and particular mode of inheritance, but the correlation between genotype and phenotype is still not very clear. Studies have shown that research on the pathogenic genes of ALS is important for the diagnosis and selection of potential drug targets. Here the pathogenic genes of ALS, in particular the newly discovered genes, and their underlying mechanisms are reviewed. The necessity of genetic testing for ALS patients is also stressed.

More extensive attention has been garnered about the H

Medical tests are playing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Urine tests, blood tests and stool tests together constitute the three major routine examination items of modern medicine and are an important part of medical tests. Urine is a body fluid normally metabolized by the human body. Compared with using blood as a test sample, using urine as a medical test sample has many advantages, such as non-invasiveness and convenient collection. This article discusses the advantages of urine test compared with blood test, the understanding and application of urine in traditional medicine, the application of urine test in social life, the current dilemma and the future urine test may play a greater role The value and advantages are discussed, aiming to increase people’s attention to urine testing by explaining the advantages of urine testing, and to discover more functions of urine testing, thereby optimizing medical testing methods and reducing the pain and fear of patients. Improve inspection efficiency, reduce national and personal medical inspection expenditures, and save medical resources.

A facile oxidation-sulfidation strategy is proposed to fabricate the vertically aligned amorphous MoS2 nanosheets on MoO2 films/Mo foil (MF) as free-standing electrode, which features as the integration of three merits (high conductivity, abundant exposures of active sites, and enhanced mass transfer) into one electrode for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal the strong interaction between MoS2 and MoO2, which can enhance the intrinsic conductivity with narrow bandgap, and decreases hydrogen adsorption free energy (ΔGH∗ = ~0.06 eV) to facilitate the HER process. Benefiting from the unique hierarchical structure with amorphous MoS2 nanosheets on conductive MoO2 films/MF to facilitate the electron/mass transfer by eliminate contact resistance, controllable number of stacking layers and size of MoS2 slabs to expose more edge sites, the optimal MoS2/MoO2/MF exhibits outstanding activity with overpotential of 154 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm−2, Tafel slope of 52.1 mV dec−1, and robust stability. Furthermore, the intrinsic HER activity (vs. ECSA) on MoS2/MoO2/MF is significantly enhanced, which shows 4.5 and 18.6 times higher than those of MoS2/MF and MoO2/MF at overpotential of 200 mV, respectively.

Background Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) has a notable impact on patients' quality of life. However, no instrument is available to assess the problems in functioning due to BCRL in China. Objective The aims of this study were to translate and validate a Chinese version of the Lymphedema Functioning, Disability, and Health Questionnaire for Upper Limb Lymphedema (Lymph-ICF-UL). Methods A process of translation and cultural adaptation was conducted based on international standards. The study included 155 patients with BCRL and 90 patients without lymphedema. Psychometric properties that were tested consisted of internal consistency, test-rest reliability, content, construct and discriminant validity. Results The Cronbach's α was .92, and intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.83. Content validity was confirmed by a sufficient content validity index in item level and scale level. Exploratory factor analysis identified 5 factors accounting for 62.44% of the total variance, and confirmatory factor analysis fit indices were acceptable. Convergent validity was supported by a moderate correlation with the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey Questionnaire and relatively weak correlations with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30. There was good divergent validity with all hypotheses evaluating divergent validity were confirmed. Significant differences were found between the lymphedema and nonlymphedema groups. Conclusion The Chinese version of the Lymph-ICF-UL is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used in both clinical and scientific settings in China. Implications The Chinese version of the Lymph-ICF-UL could be applicable in assessing the impairments in function, activity limitations, and participation restrictions of Chinese patients with BCRL.

Nb2O5 has attracted much attention in various research filed such as hybrid capacitors, photo/electrocatalysis, and especially Li-ion batteries (LIBs) due to stable structure and high safety. Nevertheless, its low electronic conductivity (~ 3×10−6 S cm−1) degrades Li-storage performance that limits the practical use in LIBs. Here, we present a facile method for synthesis of T-Nb2O5 nanospheres/reduced graphene oxide composites by using niobium oxalate and bituminous coal as raw materials via a solvothermal method and subsequent calcination to enhance the conductivity of Nb2O5. In this work, the prepared Nb2O5 particles have excellent crystallinity that can be uniformly distributed onto the surface of the rGO layer to form Nb2O5/rGO composites. The electrochemical properties indicate that Nb2O5/rGO electrodes exhibit outstanding capacity, excellent reversibility, and superior cycle stability compared to other transition metal oxide-based electrodes. Notably, the initial capacities of the Nb2O5/rGO electrode at 0.02 A g−1 are 603 and 1104 mAh g−1, and the capacity still maintained 332 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.2 A g−1. Our synthetic approach provides a viable route to produce anode materials in a composite form facilitating nanostructured Nb2O5 with rGO exfoliated from bituminous coal for excellent performance in LIBs.

Objective To evaluate the effect of Qishen granule (QSG) on heart failure (HF) and the potential mechanisms involved in animal models. Methods Studies of QSG in animals with HF were identified by searches of eight databases up to August 1, 2019. Two authors independently reviewed each study and the Collaborative Approach to Meta-analysis and Review of Animal Data from Experimental Studies 10-item checklist was used for quality assessment. The primary outcomes were indicators of left ventricular ejection fraction and/or left ventricular fractional shortening. The secondary outcome measures were ventricular structure, hemodynamics, myocardial injury-related indicators, and the mechanisms whereby QSG ameliorates HF. A meta-analysis was performed and all the data were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results Thirteen studies containing a total of 240 animals met the criteria for the meta-analysis. The quality score of the studies ranged from three to six points. The meta-analysis showed a significant effect of QSG to improve cardiac function, inhibit ventricular remodeling, improve circulation, and attenuate myocardial injury. The possible mechanisms was identified to be suppression of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which has anti-fibrotic, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative effects in the myocardium, the prevention of calcium overload, and the promotion of myocardial energy metabolism. Conclusion Our review shows that QSG has a cardioprotective effect in animal models of CHF. However, due to the relatively poor quality of the included studies and the differences between humans and animal models, the results should be interpreted with caution.

Unique high-capacity MnO2/porous graphitic carbon (MnO2/PGC) composites were fabricated by a mild and efficient in situ precipitation approach using PGC derived from coal tar pitch as the carbonace...

Direct conversion of syngas (CO/H2) into higher alcohols is highly desirable but remains challenging due to the low C2+OH selectivity. Herein, an effective strategy was developed through the combin...

A highly dispersed KNiMo catalyst on Zn-modified MgAl-mixed oxide as a support is prepared by a surfactant-assistance hydrothermal method. The introduction of Zn can decrease the concentration of s...

The current desertification feature space models are almost linear and ignore the complicated and nonlinear relations that exist among variables when monitoring desertification. Herein, point-to-point and point-to-line models have been proposed by completely considering the nonlinear relations between the Albedo-Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI) and the effects of soil background. Further, the applicability of these models for monitoring different levels of desertification information was compared and analyzed. The point-to-line feature space model exhibited a larger inversion accuracy (93.8%) for Naiman Banner with respect to albedo-MSAVI when compared with that exhibited by the point-to-point model (88.9%). In addition, the monitoring accuracy is observed to slightly differ for different levels of desertification, and slight and mild desertification exhibit the best inversion accuracy in case of both point-to-point and point-to-line models. Furthermore, the point-to-line model exhibits better applicability in case of intensive (92.7%) and severe (93.3%) desertification when compared with those exhibited by the point-to-point model (87.5% and 88.9%, respectively). The results obtained in this study can provide improved data and decision support for preventing and managing land degradation.

Heterostructured CoP nanoarray/MoO2 films on Mo foil (CoP–MoO2/MF) were synthesized through a low-temperature phosphorization process using pre-oxidized MF supported cobalt hydroxide-carbonate nanoneedles as the precursor. Such a CoP–MoO2/MF heterostructure exhibits superior HER performance with low overpotentials of 42 mV (alkaline) and 65 mV (acid) to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2, robust stability, large exchange current density and high turnover frequency. The experimental characterization and DFT calculations reveal that the presence of MoO2 leads to an inherent ability to adsorb water and cleave H–O bonds, favoring hydrogen transfer to accelerate the Volmer step. Heterointerfacial charge redistribution provides optimal hydrogen adsorption ability on adjacent P sites to boost the Heyrovsky step and, as a result, the hydrogen adsorption free energy (ΔGH*) can be reduced from 0.08 eV on CoP (011) and −0.78 eV on MoO2 (011) to 0.02 eV on the heterointerface of CoP–MoO2, which significantly improves the HER activity and accelerates the catalytic kinetics. This work highlights the roles of the heterointerface in electrocatalysis and provides an avenue to design electrocatalysts.

A prevalent group of disinfection by-products (DBPs), i.e., haloacetic acids (HAAs), have raised significant public concern due to their high frequency of occurrence, considerable concentrations and potent toxicity. This study investigated the environmental occurrence of HAAs and the corresponding predicted human exposure to two important water matrices where humans are frequently and long-term exposed, i.e., swimming pool waters (SPWs) and drinking waters (DWs), in Shanghai, China. The sum of five HAAs in SPWs was 241 μg L−1 on average (dominated by dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA)), four times as much as its maximum contaminant level (MCL) regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in DWs. The maximum HAA concentration in DWs was 35 μg L−1, with chloroacetic acid (CAA) as the most dominant compound. The higher concentrations (reflected by total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and UV254) and more categories (body fluids and personal care products in addition to natural organic matter) of organic contaminants and the higher chlorine in SPWs should be responsible for the differentiated HAA yield and speciation. The qualification rates of samples have been evaluated. The power function models correlating HAAs with multiple water quality parameters were developed with correlation coefficients of 0.614 and 0.798 for SPWs and DWs respectively. These models may provide the preliminary insights on how to minimize HAA formation by grasping the relative importance of each parameter and how to build the framework to predict HAA formation in untreated source water or SPWs subjected to chlorination. The predicted carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of humans exposed to SPWs and DWs with HAAs were within the acceptable levels.

Aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) provide high theoretical capacity, operational safety, low-cost and environmental friendliness for large-scale energy storage and wearable electronic devices, but their future development is plagued by low capacity and poor cycle life due to the lack of suitable cathode materials. In this work, a covalent organic framework (Tp-PTO-COF) with multiple carbonyl active sites is synthesized and successfully introduced in aqueous rechargeable ZIBs for the first time. Tp-PTO-COF delivers high specific capacities of 301.4 and 192.8 mA h g

Aims To examine patient-caregiver concordances about psychological distress among Chinese patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy and identify factors related to concordance among patients and family caregivers. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods From October 2019 to June 2020, 137 patient-caregiver dyads were enrolled. Sociodemographic information, the distress thermometer (including the problem list), the Distress Disclosure Index and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale were used to collect data. Data were analysed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), kappa statistics, two related samples test, chi-square tests and/or Fisher's exact tests and binary logistic regression. Results Overall, fair agreement was identified between patients' and caregivers' reports (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICC] = .528). Patients reported significantly higher psychological distress scores than paired caregiver reports. Lower psychological distress concordance was found among patients with comorbidities (odds ratio [OR], 0.352; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.155-0.798) and lower levels of self-disclosure (OR, 0.402; 95% CI, 0.186-0.868). Conclusion There was relatively low concordance between patients' reports and caregivers' perceptions of psychological distress. Family caregivers tended to underestimate patients' psychological distress. A comorbid condition and lower levels of self-disclosure contributed to this bias. Impact Having an awareness of the incongruence between patient and caregiver may help healthcare providers better interpret caregiver assessments. Healthcare providers should reinforce patient-caregiver dyadic psychosocial education to improve concordance. More psychological care and substantial emotional support should be provided for Chinese breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy by family caregivers and healthcare providers.

The unique hollow nanostructures (Ni1-xFex-HP) were fabricated by the template-engaged pyrolysis from amorphous (bi)metal-organic-frameworks with tunable polyhedron-like morphology by various Fe content. Ni1-xFex-HP features as hollow polyhedron with mesoporous wall, consisting of dominant metal/alloy coupled with a small fraction of their oxides and few-layer N-graphene shell (FLNG). Thanks for the structural and compositional feature to strengthen the synergism of Ni, NiO and N-graphene on HER, as well as FeNi alloy, NiFe oxide, and N-graphene on OER, the optimal Ni-HP and Ni0.5Fe0.5-HP octahedron present good bifunctional properties for HER (overpotential of 215 mV to reach 10 mA cm−2, Tafel slope of 133 mV dec−1) and OER (overpotential of 280 mV to reach 10 mA cm−2, Tafel slope of 79 mV dec−1) on glass carbon electrode in 1.0 M alkaline solution. Moreover, the electrocatalytic performance can be further enhanced by directly coating on nickel foam (NF), where the overpotentials of Ni-HP/NF and Ni0.5Fe0.5-HP/NF is only 98 and 220 mV at current density of 10 mA cm−2 for HER and OER, respectively. The integrated asymmetrical two-electrode configuration (Ni0.5Fe0.5-HP/NF||Ni-HP/NF) displays low cell voltage of 1.57 V to reach 10 mA cm−2, accompanying with strong durability for overall alkaline water splitting. This work opens up an effectively time-saving strategy using aMOFs with well-defined structure instead of highly crystalline metal-organic frameworks (cMOFs) as precursor to design hollow and nanostructured hybrids for energy conversion.

The variations of microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints with different welding heat input were investigated. As the heat input increased, excessive melting of TA15 alloy facilitated the formation of Ti-Cu compounds at the TA15 interface, increasing the brittleness of the TA15 interface. Moreover, high heat input also caused the HAZ softening by grain coarsening and deteriorated the performance of the joint. However, low heat input was adverse to the complete melting of Cu66V34 alloy and induced the formation of welding pores. It also weakened the strength of the joint. Under optimum welding parameters, (Ti,V) solid solution formed at the titanium interface, replacing Ti-Cu intermetallic compounds (IMCs). Therefore, the joint of sample 2 presented the highest strength (378MPa) and fractured along the HAZ of QCr0.8 alloy due to the HAZ softening resulting from grain coarsening.

Tuning the surface property of Pt based nanocrystals at the atomic level is of vital significance to meet superior electrocatalytic performance criteria. In this work, a new strategy to advance fundamental surface study on Pt based nanocrystals is addressed by implanting foreign metals as “active auxiliaries” onto the surface of Pt based nanocrystals to engineer a stable structured catalyst. Under the guidance of this concept, the Ru component was selected as “active auxiliary” to construct Ru containing Pt3Mn catalysts by doping the isolated Ru atoms (Pt3Mn–Ru) and Ru nanoparticles (Pt3Mn@Ru) onto surface layer of Pt3Mn concave nanocubes (CNCs). Strikingly, the Pt3Mn–Ru CNCs showed the most optimal catalytic activity, durability and CO anti-poisoning ability toward ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR). The specific activity of Pt3Mn–Ru CNCs is 1.32 mA cm−2, which is 1.47 and 3.07 times higher than Pt3Mn@Ru CNCs (0.90 mA cm−2) and pure Pt3Mn CNCs (0.43 mA cm−2). The results of in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy experiments revealed that Pt3Mn–Ru CNCs were more in favor of C C bond cleavage of EG and rapid oxidation/removal of intermediate poisonous COads. Furthermore, the theoretical calculations revealed that the Pt3Mn–Ru CNCs possessed a lower reaction barrier (1.69 eV) for oxidation of COads assisted by adsorbed OHads species, and an energy-favorable position (2.88 A) for reaction between COads and OHads. This work disclosed a new tactics to develop a novel structured catalyst in possession of excellent electrocatalytic performance, which provided a promising methodology for designing Pt-based nanoparticles as efficient fuel cell catalysts.

Objective According to theory of Chinese medicine property, the ecological environment shapes properties (natures and flavors) of Chinese materia medica (CMM) and there are close relationships between certain natures and flavors. However, to date these observations have not been validated scientifically in the context of the whole flora of a region. The present study aims to address this gap. Methods We collected geographical distributions of 3637 vascular plant species native to the Xinjiang region of northwest China, of which around 812 are medicinal plants. The CMM property characters of these medicinal plants were also collected. All medicinal plants were then analyzed in the occurrence of their natures (cold, cool, neutral, warm, and hot) and flavors (sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and pungent). Possible correlations between these properties and environmental factors, notably climate, as well as correlations with plant species richness of the wider native flora of Xinjiang were then investigated using permutation test and regression. Results Cold species (38.5%) were more numerous than warm (21.0%) and neutral (22.3%), while bitter species (43.3%) were more numerous than pungent (25.6%), sweet (22.4%) and sour (6.7%) ones. Species with bitter flavor were most commonly also cold (48.6%) in nature, sour flavor usually coincided with cold (44.2%) or cool nature (26.0%), whereas pungent or sweet species tended to be warm (34.4%, 28.4%) or neutral (27.8%, 28.4%). The percentages of species of cold/cool nature, bitter flavor were higher in mountainous regions, and the percentages of warm/neutral and pungent/sweet/sour were higher in basins. The percentages of species of cold/cool, bitter were positively correlated with actual evapotranspiration (AET), and also plant species richness but had a bell-shaped relationship with potential evapotranspiration (PET), whereas the inverse situation was shown for warm/neutral and pungent/sweet/sour species. Conclusion Analysis of the data in Xinjiang region of China supports the qualitative observations concerning natures and flavors in traditional theory of Chinese medicine property. Specifically, (i) certain natures and flavors co-occur more frequently than if randomly distributed; (ii) correlations between proportions of natures and flavors and climatic variables suggest a role for the environment in shaping the properties of CMM.

The chemical-coupled three-dimensional (3D) γ-MnOOH with CoOOH particles (γ-MnOOH/CoOOH) was fabricated through a two-step strategy involving a hydrothermal and reduction–oxidation process. The str...

Considering the acoustoplastic effect, an application of ultrasonic vibrations to Friction Stir Welding (FSW) evokes more and more interests in recent years. The material in the lower region of one FSW joint is the most in need of acoustic energy to improve its flow ability due to a relatively low peak temperature over there. However, the backing plate in Conventional Friction Stir Welding (CFSW) prevents the ultrasonic vibrations from being directly transmitted from the workpiece bottom surface. One aim of this paper was to propose an innovative welding technique, i.e. friction stir welding assisted by ultrasonic vibrations on the bottom surface of workpieces (UVBS-FSW). Precipitates evolution in different zones of the joint was analyzed in detail. High-density helical dislocations and prismatic dislocation loops were detected, indicating a significant increase of vacancy density. With the vacancy density increasing, the climb of jogs and edge dislocations were both enhanced and thus the intrinsic resistance of deformation can be significantly reduced. The enhanced mobility of dislocations as a result of high-density vacancy due to the application of ultrasonic vibrations is the physical nature of the acoustoplastic effect.

Nicotinamide (NAM) was evidenced to have the capacity to improve energy metabolism and attenuate oxidative stress during the perinatal period. As there is an association between maternal nutrition and the developmental outcomes of offspring, the aim was to investigate the effect of maternal NAM supplementation on small intestine morphology and some antioxidative parameters of offspring kids. Fifteen multiparous does were paired and allocated into 3 treatments: control (C), postpartum (P, supplemented post-kidding), and entire-perinatal (EP, supplemented from d -21 to 28 around kidding). NAM was drenched to does at 5 g/d and at 0700 h every day. After kidding, the kids were named LC, LP, and LEP, respectively, and fed milk from their mothers until d 28 of life. For the offspring kids, BW and ADG were not affected. The villus height in the duodenum was higher in LP than in LC, and that in the ileum was higher in LEP. The ratio of villus height to crypt depth of intestine was increased in LEP. The serum IgG was tended to elevate by maternal NAM supplementation, and the total antioxidant capacity was decreased in both LP and LEP. The does supplemented with NAM had an improved antioxidative status, and lower level of milk IL-1β was found in EP. The MDA of the mammary tissue was also decreased by NAM. Moreover, the milk metabolomics profile showed that glycerol was decreased while citramalic acid and sucrose were elevated with NAM supplementation. Glycerolipid metabolism, galactose metabolism, and starch and sucrose metabolism were enriched. Thus, these data indicated that maternal NAM supplementation improved the small intestinal development of offspring kids partially by affecting the antioxidative status and milk metabolites of the does. This knowledge further suggested that the development of a nutritional strategy from prepartum period and milk feeding in early life are important for offspring kids.

Ultrathin nickel-iron carbonate hydroxides nanosheets/sulfides (denoted as NixFeyS/CH) are fabricated by sulfurizing treatment of nickel-iron carbonate hydroxide (NixFeyCH). The partial sulfuration of NiFe carbonate hydroxides by replacing the CO3/OH groups with the S group can well remain the hexagonal morphology, regulate the electronic structure and expose more electrochemical active sites. Benefiting from the ultrathin-layered sheet with mesoporous structure for more available active sites, the strong coupling between metal carbonate hydroxides/sulfides, as well as bimetal synergism for modulation the composition and electronic structure, the optimal NixFeyS/CH exhibits excellent OER catalytic performance, which reaches 20 mA cm−2 at an ultra-small overpotential of 261 mV, lower Tafel slope (103 mV dec−1) and outstanding stability. This work highlights the importance regarding the modulation of composition and electronic structure by the interface coupling and bimetal synergism for boosting OER performance.

Distal hereditary motor neuropathy (dHMN) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of inherited neuropathies characterized by distal limb muscle wasting and weakness with no or minimal sensory abnormalities. To investigate the clinical and genetic features of dHMN caused by WARS mutations in mainland China, we performed Sanger sequencing of the coding and untranslated region (UTR) regions of WARS in 160 unresolved dHMN and Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) index patients. We detected a novel heterozygous variant c.941A>G (p.Asp314Gly) of WARS in an index patient from an autosomal dominant dHMN family including five affected members over three generations. The variant completely co-segregates with the dHMN phenotype in the family, and it was classified as likely pathogenic according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics standards and guidelines. The clinical features included juvenile to adult onset (15-23 years), distal wasting and weakness, minimal sensory disturbance and length-dependent motor axonal degeneration with CMT examination score ranging from 6 to 10. Our report further confirms the role of WARS in dHMN and indicates that the variant c.941A>G (p.Asp314Gly) of WARS is related to a mild to moderate affected and later onset phenotype of dHMN.

The acidity/alkalinity and structural properties of NiMgAl trimetallic oxides (MMOs) can be effectively modulated by the alkaline-etching process with various etching times, which are further used as a support to prepare KMoS-based catalysts through the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-encapsulated Mo-precursor strategy. The enriched surface anion groups in alkaline-etched MMO affect the textural properties, metal-support interaction, and sulfidation degree of the as-synthesized KMoS-based catalysts. As a result, KMoS-based catalysts using alkaline-etched MMO as supports effectively enhance the reducibility and dispersion of Mo species, which exert a positive influence on higher alcohol synthesis (HAS) performance in CO hydrogenation. A proper balance between acidity/alkalinity and structural properties in K, Mo/MMO-x catalysts can significantly enhance the alcohol selectivity in HAS from 55 to 65% (carbon selectivity). The formation of C2+ alcohols can be boosted by adol condensation with optimal acidic/ba...

Background Both of the modern medicine and the traditional Chinese medicine classify depressive disorder (DD) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) to one type of disease. Unveiling the association between depressive and the fatigue diseases provides a great opportunity to bridge the modern medicine with the traditional Chinese medicine. Methods In this work, 295 general participants were recruited to complete Zung Self-Rating Depression Scales and Chalder Fatigue Scales, and meanwhile, to donate plasma and urine samples for 1H NMR-metabolic profiling. Artificial intelligence methods was used to analysis the underlying association between DD and CFS. Principal components analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to analyze the metabolic profiles with respect to gender and age. Variable importance in projection and t-test were employed in conjunction with the PLS-DA models to identify the metabolite biomarkers. Considering the asymmetry and complexity of the data, convolutional neural networks (CNN) model, an artificial intelligence method, was built to analyze the data characteristics between each groups. Results The results showed the gender- and age-related differences for the candidate biomarkers of the DD and the CFS diseases, and indicated the same and different biomarkers of the two diseases. PCA analysis for the data characteristics reflected that DD and CFS was separated completely in plasma metabolite. However, DD and CFS was merged into one group. Limitation Lack of transcriptomic analysis limits the understanding of the association of the DD and the CFS diseases on gene level. Conclusion The unmasked candidate biomarkers provide reliable evidence to explore the commonality and differences of the depressive and the fatigue diseases, and thereby, bridge over the traditional Chinese medicine with the modern medicine.

The excess emission of ammonia nitrogen is a common issue encountered by many industry wastewater treatment plants, due to the elevated concentrations and toxicities of compounds released from a large number of industries which might inhibit the growth of nitrifying bacteria. In this work, we are aiming at addressing the above issue raised by an industry wastewater treatment plant and elucidating the nitrification inhibitory mechanisms. A straight-forward and reliable method i.e., respirometry, was developed for the characterisation of nitrification inhibition. The pretreatment methods of Fenton and ozone oxidations and iron carbon micro electrolysis have been attempted to reduce the nitrification inhibition and the former two turned out to be effective. The nitrification inhibition rate (NIR) of the wastewater after Fenton oxidation was reduced from 87% to 13.6% with the optimized condition (pH = 3.0, H2O2 dosage of 14.7 mM, Fe2+ dosage of 4.90 mM, and reaction time of 20 min). The optimal parameters for ozonation were: pH = ∼8.2 (original pH of wastewater), reaction time of 25 min (equivalent to an ozone dosage of 381 mg/L), under which the NIR was declined to 12.7%. The nitrification inhibition might be attributed to the presence of compounds with hydrophobic properties, high molecular weight, and aromatic and unsaturated structures in industry wastewater. The coupling use of Fenton-SBR and ozone-SBR achieved NH3-N removal efficiency of 98% and 93%, respectively. The effluent NH3-N finally met with the Integrated Wastewater Discharge Standard (DB31/199-2009).

This study focuses on microstructure and mechanical properties as a function of location in additively manufactured high-strength weathering steel components using gas tungsten arc as the heat source. Variations of microstructure and mechanical properties in various locations are presented and analysed. The as-deposited high-strength weathering steel is composed of columnar grain morphology with proeutectoid ferrite, acicular ferrite, side plate ferrite and a small amount of pearlite microstructure in the top region, equiaxed grains with ferrite and pearlite in the middle region, and columnar grains in the near-substrate region with the microstructure similar to that in the top region. There exist obvious layer bands in the middle region, and the forming mechanism of the bands is addressed. Microhardness measurement and tensile strength testing indicate obvious changes in different regions, depending on location and direction of testing specimens. The microhardness in the middle region is inferior to that in both near-substrate and top regions. The ultimate tensile strengths in the travel and deposition height directions are approximately 553 and 506 MPa, respectively. Different locations exhibit heterogeneous tensile strength and elongation due to various microstructures and boundaries. The results indicate the feasibility to fabricate high-strength weathering steel components with good tensile properties using gas tungsten arc–based additive manufacturing.

A lamellar reverse micelle directed assembly strategy was proposed to integrate NiCo layered hydroxides (NiCoDH) nanodots and NiCo sulfide (NiCoS) nanosheets (NiCoDH/NiCoS) by one-step solvothermal method. The NiCoDH/NiCoS features with an interconnected 3D architecture composed of ultrathin amorphous NiCoS nanosheets (∼1.5 nm), decorated by ultra-small NiCoDH nanodots (2–3 nm). The optimal NiCoDH/NiCoS exhibits a low overpotential of 303 mV at current density of 20 mA cm−2, together with a small Tafel slope of 77.6 mV dec−1, the high Faraday efficiency of about 95% as well as good stability. The excellent OER performance and enhanced stability should be ascribed to the strong interface-coupling of NiCoDH nanodots/NiCoS nanosheets, highly synergistic effect of bimetal Co and Ni, amorphous-like structure to expose more active sites, and interconnected 3D architecture for effective mass transport and structural stability. This work provides a significant insight regarding the strong interface-coupling effect on OER electrocatalysis, and offers a new strategy to design highly efficient OER catalysts.

The development of designing and searching inexpensive electrocatalysts with high activity for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is significant to enable water splitting as a future renewable energy source. Herein, we synthesize a new CoP(MoP)-CoMoO3 heterostructure coated by a N-doped carbon shell [CoP(MoP)-CoMoO3@CN] via thermal decomposition and phosphatizing of the CoMoO4·0.9H2O nanowires encapsulated in N-doped carbon. At 10 mA·cm–2, this CoP(MoP)-CoMoO3@CN nanocomposite exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity at low overpotentials of 296 mV for OER and 198 mV for HER in alkaline media. More importantly, we achieve a current density of 10 mA·cm–2 at 1.55 V by using this CoP(MoP)-CoMoO3@CN as both cathode and anode for overall water splitting. This promising performance could be due to the high activity of CoP(MoP)-CoMoO3 and the good conductivity of the external mesoporous N-carbon shell, which makes the CoP(MoP)-CoMoO3@CN nanowires a competitive alternati...

The higher electrocatalytic activity of hydrogen evolution in basic media for Pt-based catalysts is largely dependent on the intrinsic microscopic surface chemical environment. Given the fundamental mechanism of the interfacial interaction between Pt and oxophilic components, engineering a moderate oxygen-friendly surface environment of Pt-based catalysts is beneficial for endowing Pt with high catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, we fabricated ultralong jagged Pt85Mo15–S nanowires with rich interfacial active sites by using S as the “active auxiliary” to demonstrate an enhanced catalytic HER performance. Strikingly, the Pt85Mo15–S nanowires exhibited exceptional activity with 3.62 times the specific current density and 4.03 times the mass current density of commercial Pt/C as well as excellent stability towards alkaline HER. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the S element could prevent the further oxidization of Mo and then lead to enough electron transfer from Mo to Pt. In addition, the theoretical calculations demonstrated that the water dissociation energy barrier could be significantly reduced under the interfacial synergy of the intimate contact between Pt and MoSx. This work illustrates a new strategy to advance the fundamental exploration on electrocatalytic materials, which makes a systematic approach to build an interfacial model catalyst for fundamental electrocatalytic studies of alkaline HER.

Tibetan medicine is one of the important components of our national medicine. In recent years, research on Tibetan medicine has gradually deepened from quality control, formulation research, chemical composition, and pharmacological effects. In addition, clinical application and experimental research have made great progress. This paper summarizes the latest developments in Tibetan medicine theory and experimental research, in order to provide reference for the development and clinical application of Tibetan medicine in the future.

Mile is a region in Yunnan Province, China. The planting-related industry is its pillar industry. Its agricultural population accounts for 59.3% of the total population. Temporal fluctuations of crop price and yield have a significant influence on farmers’ revenue. Farmers’ selection of crop species, crop planting strategy, and agricultural planting layout according to the market price is important in securing their revenue. In this study, we used a web crawler program to obtain a large amount of data on agricultural product prices from the Internet. Then, the price fluctuation trend of the main economic crops was analyzed by using the K-means clustering method. The net investment yield and the Sharpe ratio were used to compare the economic benefits and investment risks of 10 crops and five cultivation strategies in Mile. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparative advantage index, which integrates the net investment yield, Sharpe ratio, scale advantage index, productivity advantage index, and ecological suitability advantage index, was adopted to comprehensively measure the advantages of crop cultivation. Finally, we propose a spatial-temporal big data analysis model based on the cuckoo search algorithm to optimize the spatial layout of the main crops in Mile in 2017. Based on the comparative analysis of the remote sensing monitoring results and the spatial optimization layout results of the main crops in 2017, several suggestions were given. The results based on agricultural big data analysis, such as crop selection cluster analysis, economic benefit analysis, and crop planting layout optimization, can give suggests to farmers plant suitable crops on right lands, in right time. Thus, it can help farmers stabilize their revenue and minimize the risk by choosing the right crops and planting strategy in accordance with the local conditions. Keywords: Agriculture investment risk, Agricultural layout optimization, Cuckoo search algorithm, K-means clustering, Relative advantage analysis, Spatial-temporal big data analysis.

The instable structure of Pt-based high-indexed facets (HIFs) facile reconstructed is a key obstacle for further practical applications because of its high surface energy and amounts of undercoordinated surface atoms. Herein, a strategy to advance the fundamental surface study on Pt-based HIFs materials is addressed by implanting non-noble metal or nonmetals as “active auxiliaries” into the near-surface of noble metal nanocrystals bounded with HIFs to engineer a stable structured catalyst. Then the Mo/Pt3Mn catalysts serving as proof-of-concept examples are designed and show enhanced catalytic performance of ethylene glycol (EG). According to the electrochemical in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results, the Mo modified Pt3Mn alloys with HIFs promote not only the C–C cleavage of EG but also the direct conversion of COHX to CO2, without the formation of COL poison species. In this case, the Mo/Pt3Mn catalysts show the greatly significant increase of the catalytic activity in copamprison with ...