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An efficient intermolecular C2,3-H aminoalkylation of indoles with 9H-xanthenes and azoles via iron–iodine co-catalyzed tandem C–N/C–C bond formation has been developed.

Plastics waste has become a major environmental threat, with polyethylene being one of the most produced and hardest to recycle plastics. Hydrogenolysis is potentially the most viable catalytic technology for recycling. Ruthenium (Ru) is one of the most active hydrogenolysis catalysts but yields too much methane. Here we introduce ruthenium supported on tungstated zirconia (Ru-WZr) for hydrogenolysis of low-density polyethylene (LDPE). We show that the Ru-WZr catalysts suppress methane formation and produce a product distribution in the diesel and wax/lubricant base-oil range unattainable by Ru-Zr and other Ru-supported catalysts. Importantly, the enhanced performance is showcased for real-world, single-use LDPE consumables. Reactivity studies combined with characterization and density functional theory calculations reveal that highly dispersed (WO x )n clusters store H as surface hydroxyls by spillover. We correlate this hydrogen storage mechanism with hydrogenation and desorption of long alkyl intermediates that would otherwise undergo further C-C scission to produce methane.

Fasudil, a Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, has a protective effect on the central nervous system. In addition, environmental enrichment is a promising technique for inducing the recovery of motor impairments in ischemic stroke models. The present study aimed to explore whether environmental enrichment combined with fasudil can facilitate motor function recovery and induce cortical axonal regeneration after stroke. First, a mouse model of ischemic cerebral stroke was established by photochemical embolization of the left sensorimotor cortex. Fasudil solution (10 mg/kg per day) was injected intraperitoneally for 21 days after the photothrombotic stroke. An environmental enrichment intervention was performed on days 7-21 after the photothrombotic stroke. The results revealed that environmental enrichment combined with fasudil improved motor function, increased growth-associated protein 43 expression in the infarcted cerebral cortex, promoted axonal regeneration on the contralateral side, and downregulated ROCK, p-LIM domain kinase (LIMK)1, and p-cofilin expression. The combined intervention was superior to monotherapy. These findings suggest that environmental enrichment combined with fasudil treatment promotes motor recovery after stroke, at least partly by stimulating axonal regeneration. The underlying mechanism might involve ROCK/LIMK1/cofilin pathway regulation. This study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Fudan University, China (approval No. 20160858A232) on February 24, 2016.

Yi Li, Hongyu Qian, Kewei Yu, Ying Huang Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tianjin Chest Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yi Li, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tianjin Chest Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, Email lisalie5252@hotmail.comBackground: Although the benefits of conventional pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) maintenance are well documented, it is challenged by many difficulties. We investigated whether remote home-based PR maintenance strategy via social media (WeChat) is effective on clinical improvements and reducing the risk for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods: The eligible stable COPD patients completing an initial 8-week PR were allocated into three groups randomly. Group A: PR maintenance via social media supervision at home. Group B: PR maintenance at hospital. Group C: Usual care. During a 12-month follow-up, the frequency of acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD), 6 minutes walking test (6MWT), COPD assessment test (CAT), and modified Medical Research Council scale (mMRC) were evaluated every 3 months.Results: At the end of the follow-up, compared to the decline in the usual care group (n = 49), the clinical improvements of 6MWD, CAT, and mMRC were sustained in both the home-based group (n = 47) and the hospital-based maintenance group (n = 44) (p < 0.001), no difference was observed between these two groups (p > 0.05). In multivariate analysis, the home-based PR maintenance and hospital-based PR maintenance were independent predictors of lower risk for AECOPD (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.712, 95% CI 0.595– 0.841, p < 0.001 and IRR 0.799, 95% CI 0.683– 0.927, p = 0.002), respectively.Conclusion: Remote PR maintenance via social media is effective in reducing the risk for AECOPD and keeping the clinical improvement from decline. Remote PR maintenance via social media might be used to deliver alternatives to conventional PR.Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary rehabilitation, maintenance, exacerbations, home monitoring

Objective. Casticin is generally used in traditional herbal medicine for its anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic pharmacological properties. Also, microRNAs are indispensable oncogenes or cancer suppressors being dysregulated in various diseases. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying effects of casticin on the progression of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods. CCK-8 and flow cytometry were utilized to measure the proliferation and apoptosis of AML cell lines, respectively, after treatment with different concentrations of casticin. The alteration of several microRNA expressions in response to casticin treatment was detected by performing qRT-PCR, and the activity of PI3K/Akt pathways was evaluated through immunoblotting. Afterwards, the potential target gene of miR-338-3p was investigated by dual-luciferase reporter assay. In order to evaluate the role of miR-338-3p in the casticin-induced cellular phenotype changes, AML cells were transfected with miR-338-3p mimics or inhibitor and then subjected to proliferation and apoptosis analysis. Finally, a mouse xenograft model system was employed to investigate the role of casticin in AML progression in vivo. Results. Suppressed cellular proliferation and enhanced apoptosis were observed in HL-60 and THP-1 cells after exposure to casticin, accompanied by remarkable upregulation of the miR-338-3p expression as well as a decline in the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt proteins. RUNX2 was identified as a direct target molecular of miR-338-3p, which might account for the findings that miR-338-3p knockdown enhanced the PI3K/Akt pathway activity, whereas the miR-338-3p overexpression inactivated this signaling pathway. In addition, the inhibition of the miR-338-3p expression attenuated severe cell apoptosis and suppressions of PI3K/Akt pathway induced by casticin. Furthermore, casticin treatment retarded tumor growth rate in mouse models, whilst elevating miR-338 expression and repressing the activity of PI3K/Akt pathway in vivo. However, miR-338-3p depletion could also abolish the phenotypic alterations caused by casticin treatment. Conclusion. Casticin promotes AML cell apoptosis but inhibits AML cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo by upregulating miR-338-3p, which targets RUNX2 and thereafter inactivates PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Our results provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the action of casticin in the control of AML progression.

A symmetric 2D CFD model of catalytic membrane reactor for dry reforming of methane (DRM) was built up. Nondimensionalization method was employed and the governing equations were simplified. Crucia...

Many studies have shown that fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FDNC5) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) play vital roles in plasticity after brain injury. An enriched environment refers to an environment that provides animals with multi-sensory stimulation and movement opportunities. An enriched environment has been shown to promote the regeneration of nerve cells, synapses, and blood vessels in the animal brain after cerebral ischemia; however, the exact mechanisms have not been clarified. This study aimed to determine whether an enriched environment could improve neurobehavioral functions after the experimental inducement of cerebral ischemia and whether neurobehavioral outcomes were associated with the expression of FDNC5 and BDNF. This study established ischemic mouse models using permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) on the left side. On postoperative day 1, the mice were randomly assigned to either enriched environment or standard housing condition groups. Mice in the standard housing condition group were housed and fed under standard conditions. Mice in the enriched environment group were housed in a large cage, containing various toys, and fed with a standard diet. Sham-operated mice received the same procedure, but without artery occlusion, and were housed and fed under standard conditions. On postoperative days 7 and 14, a beam-walking test was used to assess coordination, balance, and spatial learning. On postoperative days 16-20, a Morris water maze test was used to assess spatial learning and memory. On postoperative day 15, the expression levels of FDNC5 and BDNF proteins in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex were analyzed by western blot assay. The results showed that compared with the standard housing condition group, the motor balance and coordination functions (based on beam-walking test scores 7 and 14 days after operation), spatial learning abilities (based on the spatial learning scores from the Morris water maze test 16-19 days after operation), and memory abilities (based on the memory scores of the Morris water maze test 20 days after operation) of the enriched environment group improved significantly. In addition, the expression levels of FDNC5 and BDNF proteins in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex increased in the enriched environment group compared with those in the standard housing condition group. Furthermore, the Pearson correlation coefficient showed that neurobehavioral functions were positively associated with the expression levels of FDNC5 and BDNF (r = 0.587 and r = 0.840, respectively). These findings suggest that an enriched environment upregulates FDNC5 protein expression in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex after cerebral ischemia, which then activates BDNF protein expression, improving neurological function. BDNF protein expression was positively correlated with improved neurological function. The experimental protocols were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Fudan University, China (approval Nos. 20160858A232, 20160860A234) on February 24, 2016.

The 2010 BP oil spill has an unprecedented impact on coastal wetland ecosystem along the northern Gulf of Mexico. A two-dimensional analysis (dispersant concentration and duration of exposure) was conducted by pre-incubation of a salt marsh sediment under an open or closed condition. Denitrification activity was characterized by N2O production using an acetylene (C2H2) blockage technique, and organic matter (OM) mineralization by CO2 production. The results show that even trace amount of the dispersant could significantly inhibit the denitrification activity by 20% (p

Four biochars were made via pyrolysis at 500 °C using different waste plant materials, including tree branches from Cinnamonum campora (L.) Pres (CCP), Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl (EJL), Rohdea roth (RR) and bamboo shoots (Phyllostachys sulphurea) (PS). Phosphorus sorption capacities of the biochars were studied by isothermal experiments on their sorption kinetics. Results show that P sorption to the three wood biochars (CCP, EJL, and RR) fitted well with Lagergren pseudo second order model. However, P release was found in the PS biochar and sand amended with the PS biochar treatments during the isothermal sorption experiment. Phosphorus sorption capacity of the CCP biochar, EJL biochar and RR biochar was 4,762.0, 2, 439.0 and 1, 639.3 mg/kg, respectively. The CCP biochar showed the highest P sorption capacity due to its higher pH, lower dissolved P content, larger surface area (23.067 m

Cerebral ischemia activates an endogenous repair program that induces plastic changes in neurons. In this study, we investigated the effects of environmental enrichment on spatial learning and memory as well as on synaptic remodeling in a mouse model of chronic cerebral ischemia, produced by subjecting adult male C57BL/6 mice to permanent left middle cerebral artery occlusion. Three days postoperatively, mice were randomly assigned to the environmental enrichment and standard housing groups. Mice in the standard housing group were housed and fed a standard diet. Mice in the environmental enrichment group were housed in a cage with various toys and fed a standard diet. Then, 28 days postoperatively, spatial learning and memory were tested using the Morris water maze. The expression levels of growth-associated protein 43, synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein 95 in the hippocampus were analyzed by western blot assay. The number of synapses was evaluated by electron microscopy. In the water maze test, mice in the environmental enrichment group had a shorter escape latency, traveled markedly longer distances, spent more time in the correct quadrant (northeast zone), and had a higher frequency of crossings compared with the standard housing group. The expression levels of growth-associated protein 43, synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein 95 were substantially upregulated in the hippocampus in the environmental enrichment group compared with the standard housing group. Furthermore, electron microscopy revealed that environmental enrichment increased the number of synapses in the hippocampal CA1 region. Collectively, these findings suggest that environmental enrichment ameliorates the spatial learning and memory impairment induced by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. Environmental enrichment in mice with cerebral ischemia likely promotes cognitive recovery by inducing plastic changes in synapses.

The deep integration and integrated development of sports tourism is the core manifestation of broadening the mass consumption space, increasing mass consumption options, and promoting industrial transformation and upgrading. It is also the key choice for integrating high-quality resources and creating a composite industrial form. Under the promotion of Healthy China, sports tourism with multiple functions such as fitness and self-cultivation and health preservation needs to use industrial integration as the mechanism and diversified development as the direction to create a new pattern of in-depth integration of “sports + tourism”, and continue to explore broader Development extension. The article takes sports tourism as the research object, discusses its integrated development dynamics and practical difficulties, and puts forward industrial construction suggestions.

In recent years, the rapid development of Sports in China has greatly promoted the construction of domestic sports venues. The holding of the Olympic Games and the successful bidding for the Winter Olympic Games make the construction of stadiums and gymnasiums in full swing, but there are some problems in the management before and after construction. This paper analyzes the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) big data in stadium construction management, and finds that the purchase cost of reinforcing steel and concrete increases with the increase of the reliability rate of delivery by the supplier, while the higher the reliability rate of cement delivery, the lower the total purchase cost. In addition, the research discusses the big data and the conversion mode of management, university gymnasium discusses the large data of AI application possibility and necessity of management in the gym, aims to provide a variety of stadium management optimization strategy, to alleviate the problem of unbalanced development of sports facilities, actively explore the urban resource sharing model. According to the research, the application of AI big data (BD) in stadium management in the future can effectively promote the reform of stadium management methods and operation, and helpfully meet the needs of holding big events such as sports events in cities.

Microwave-assisted catalysis is an emerging route for reactor modularization and decarbonization of chemical manufacturing with energy-intensive reactions. While laboratory-scale microwave-assisted heterogeneous catalytic reactors are being developed, hot spots and reactor stability under increased catalyst inventory remain impediments for high throughput processing. Here, we engineer the electromagnetic field-material interactions by introducing a packed monolith configuration, consisting of a microwave absorbing monolith filled with catalytic pellets. Electromagnetic simulations reveal the crucial role of monolith electrical conductivity in diminishing the local power dissipation between the pellets' contact points by absorbing the heat directly. Compared to traditional fixed beds, where hot spots form within minutes of operation, and catalyst-coated monoliths, whose active catalyst loading is limited, the proposed system is stable at all tested temperatures up to 900 °C and has a catalyst packing density near that of fixed beds. We demonstrate its versatility first on the ethane dehydrogenation to produce ethylene over a Ga2O3/Al2O3 catalyst. Repeatable performance over multiple cycles of reaction and regeneration highlights long-term operation. Second, the dry reforming of methane (CH4) is carried out over a commercial Rh/Al2O3 catalyst, achieving a high (~86%) CH4 conversion with an order of magnitude higher H2 throughput (~85 m3/kg/hr) than previous laboratory-scale reactors. By enhancing the catalyst inventory, packed monoliths create a potential avenue for broader adoption of microwave-assisted heterogeneous catalytic reactors., This work was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Advanced Manufacturing Office under Award Number DE-EE0007888-8.3. The authors gratefully acknowledge Keiji Adachi from Ibiden USA for providing the SiC monolith sample and Jaynell Keely for assistance with graphics.

The original intention of studying the national traditional sports culture is to let more people understand the national traditional sports, so as to achieve the purpose of carrying forward and inheriting, so as to realize the innovation and development. Based on this, this paper studies the communication effect evaluation of traditional minority sports based on artificial intelligence. In the research, on the basis of artificial neural network, this paper selects the evaluation index of the communication effect of traditional minority sports, and constructs the evaluation system of communication effect of traditional minority sports based on artificial intelligence. In addition, this paper selects two colleges and universities as the research object to evaluate the communication effect of their traditional ethnic sports. The results of this study show that the total score of communication effect evaluation of ethnic traditional sports in university 1 is 86, and that of university 2 is 73. It can be seen that the communication effect of traditional minority sports in college 2 is better. In addition, the research results of this paper verify the feasibility of this method. In the evaluation of the communication effect of traditional minority sports, the method can be improved according to the lack of communication effect, so as to achieve the purpose of promoting minority sports.

Data mining is a deep data analysis method, which can mine useful information from huge data. At present, data mining has been used in various fields. For colleges and universities, the use of data mining technology can analyze and process the relevant sports data, which is helpful to speed up the development of sports information in colleges and universities. This paper expounds the definition and principle of data mining technology, analyzes the process of using data mining technology in data analysis of college sports, and the concrete application of data mining technology in data analysis of college sports.

With the development of society and the improvement of people's living standards, sports tourism has become a part of people's daily life. However, due to incomplete information and insufficient supporting facilities, people's tourism value is affected. Therefore, the development of smart sports tourism in big data cities has become the focus of research. The purpose of this article is to study the construction of the city's smart sports tourism service platform based on big data, to conduct research on big data, to establish information sharing services, to coordinate various links, to realize the collection and storage of big data, and to analyze. At the same time, it processes a large amount of information and conducts real-time online interaction to provide tourists with more convenient travel information services. The research results show that the big data city smart sports tourism service platform can achieve information symmetry, promote social and economic development and industrial structure changes, increase the accuracy of customer demand judgments by 30%, realize comprehensive sports tourism services, and promote the development of sports tourism in my country.

An enriched environment (EE) has been demonstrated to improve functional recovery in animal models of ischaemic stroke through enhancing vascular endothelial growth factor- (VEGF-) mediated neuroprotection accompanied by angiogenesis in the ischaemic hemisphere. Whether EEs also promote VEGF-mediated neuroprotection and angiogenesis in the contralateral hemisphere remains unclear. Here, we explored the effect of EEs on VEGF expression and angiogenesis within the contralateral cerebral cortex in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/r) model. We assessed the expression levels of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31), VEGF, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in the whole contralateral cerebral cortex using Western blotting assay but did not find an increase in the expression of CD31, VEGF, or eNOS in MCAO/r rats housed in EEs, which suggested that EEs did not enhance the overall expression of VEGF and eNOS or angiogenesis in the entire contralateral cortex. We further analysed the local effect of EEs by immunohistochemistry and found that in and around the bilateral cingulum in MCAO/r rats housed in EEs, haematopoietic progenitor cell antigen- (CD34-) positive endothelial progenitor cells were significantly increased compared with those of rats housed in standard cages (SCs). Further experiments showed that EEs increased neuronal VEGF expression surrounding the cingulum in MCAO/r rats and robustly upregulated eNOS expression. These results revealed that EEs enhanced angiogenesis, VEGF expression, and activation of the VEGF-eNOS pathway in and/or around the cingulum in MCAO/r rats, which were involved in the functional recovery of MCAO/r rats.

Diabetes is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) increase the risk of death when combined with diabetes. Diabetes and coronary heart disease are like two sides of a coin, which increase each other's long-term cardiovascular events. Therefore, a glucose-lowering regimen that can change the cardiovascular outcome has become a hot spot in the cardiovascular field in recent years. SGLT-2 (sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2) inhibitors have a novel hypoglycemic mechanism that reduces blood glucose by promoting glucose excretion. Clinical studies have shown that SGLT-2 inhibitors such as dapagliflozin and empagliflozin can reduce major cardiovascular adverse events, CV mortality, all-cause mortality, and hospitalization for heart failure. The pharmacological mechanisms by which SGLT-2 inhibitors achieve cardiovascular benefits have also become hot spots. Possible mechanisms for the cardiovascular benefits of SGLT-2 inhibitors known so far include lowering blood pressure, improving heart function and atherosclerosis, reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. This review discusses the clinical trials and possible pharmacological mechanisms of cardiovascular benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which is caused by FMD virus (FMDV), remains a major plague among cloven-hoofed animals worldwide, and its outbreak often has disastrous socioeconomic consequences. A live-attenuated FMDV vaccine will greatly facilitate the global control and eradication of FMD, but a safe and effective attenuated FMDV vaccine has not yet been successfully developed. Here, we found that the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) element in the viral genome is a critical virulence determinant of FMDV, and a nucleotide substitution of cytosine (C) for guanine (G) at position 351 of the IRES endows FMDV with temperature-sensitive and attenuation (ts&att) phenotypes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the C351G mutation of IRES causes a temperature-dependent translation defect by impairing its binding to cellular pyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB), resulting in the ts&att phenotypes of FMDV. Natural hosts inoculated with viruses carrying the IRES C351G mutation showed no clinical signs, viremia, virus excretion, or viral transmission but still produced a potent neutralizing antibody response that provided complete protection. Importantly, the IRES C351G mutation is a universal determinant of the ts&att phenotypes of different FMDV strains, and the C351G mutant was incapable of reversion to virulence during in vitro and in vivo passages. Collectively, our findings suggested that manipulation of the IRES, especially its C351G mutation, may serve as a feasible strategy to develop live-attenuated FMDV vaccines. IMPORTANCE The World Organization for Animal Health has called for global control and eradication of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), the most economically and socially devastating disease affecting animal husbandry worldwide. Live-attenuated vaccines are considered the most effective strategy for prevention, control, and eradication of infectious diseases due to their capacity to induce potent and long-lasting protective immunity. However, efforts to develop FMD virus (FMDV) live-attenuated vaccines have achieved only limited success. Here, by structure-function study of the FMDV internal ribosome entry site (IRES), we find that the C351 mutation of the IRES confers FMDV with an ideal temperature-sensitive attenuation phenotype by decreasing its interaction with cellular pyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) to cause IRES-mediated temperature-dependent translation defects. The temperature-sensitive attenuated strains generated by manipulation of the IRES address the challenges of FMDV attenuation differences among various livestock species and immunogenicity maintenance encountered previously, and this strategy can be applied to other viruses with an IRES to rationally design and develop live-attenuated vaccines.

The two flagella of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii are of the same size and structure but display functional differences, which are critical for flagellar steering movements. However, biochemical differences between the two flagella have not been identified. Here, we show that fluorescence protein-tagged carbonic anhydrase 6 (CAH6-mNG) preferentially localizes to the trans-flagellum, which is organized by the older of the two flagella-bearing basal bodies. The uneven distribution of CAH6-mNG is established early during flagellar assembly and restored after photobleaching, suggesting that it is based on preferred entry or retention of CAH6-mNG in the trans-flagellum. Since CAH6-mNG moves mostly by diffusion, a role of intraflagellar transport (IFT) in establishing its asymmetric distribution is unlikely. Interestingly, CAH6-mNG is present in both flagella of the non-phototactic bardet-biedl syndrome 1 (bbs1) mutant revealing that the BBSome is involved in establishing CAH6-mNG flagellar asymmetry. Using dikaryon rescue experiments, we show that the de novo assembly of CAH6-mNG in flagella is considerably faster than the removal of ectopic CAH6-mNG from bbs flagella. Thus, different rates of flagellar entry of CAH6-mNG rather than its export from flagella is the likely basis for its asymmetric distribution. The data identify a novel role for the C. reinhardtii BBSome in preventing the entry of CAH6-mNG specifically into the cis-flagellum.

Background. The pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is beneficial for COPD patients. Due to the poor rate of adherence, we evaluate the factors which will predict the nonadherence of PR. Method. We analyzed the data from a retrospective study of COPD patients who were enrolled to attend the PR program. Patients were classified as the adherence group and the nonadherence group according to completion of over 50% sessions during the 8-week PR program. Demographic characteristics, 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), COPD assessment test (CAT), modified Medical Research Council scale (mMRC), and emotional function were compared between two groups. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to determine the factors of poor adherence of PR. Results. Among 418 patients, 170 patients (40.7%) who completed less than 50% sessions of the PR program were categorized as “nonadherence.” Compared to completers, “nonadherence” patients had more cigarette consumption, higher emotional score, less 6MWD, more exacerbation, using nebulizer frequently, and higher rate of smoking at enrollment. On multivariate analysis, more exacerbation frequency (odds ratio (OR) = 1.434, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.191∼1.796, P=0.046) and smoking at enrollment (OR = 3.349, 95% CI: 1.194∼6.302, P=0.012) were predict factors associated with nonadherence of PR. Conclusion. COPD patients with frequent exacerbation and smoking currently were more likely to be nonadherence during PR.

Solar-powered steam methane reforming could offer an efficient avenue for hydrogen generation, therefore reducing carbon dioxide emissions. However, the current solar thermochemical reactor (STR) is subjected to the mismatch between the continuous chemical process and the intermittent solar irradiance. In this work, we proposed a novel heat pipe tubular reactor based on the high-temperature heat pipe, i.e., a high-temperature heat pipe reactor (HTPR), achieving a highly effective heat transfer and a hybrid energy supply, i.e., concentrated solar energy and photovoltaic electricity. These two heating modes enable the HTPR to achieve a round-the-clock reforming process. Firstly, the HTPR start-up performance was measured by a concentrated solar simulator and a high-frequency induction device, and the start-up time for both heating modes was only 9 min. The methane conversion and the hydrogen purity were respectively 90% and 74%, approaching the thermodynamic equilibrium of SMR. Then, the continuous operation stability of the HTPR was conducted by a hybrid energy supply, i.e., solar and electricity. The methane conversion and hydrogen purity retained 91% and 72% for 24 h, respectively. Finally, the heat and mass transfer in the reaction cavity of the HTPR was simulated. The results show that the high thermal conductivity of the HTPR is capable of supplying energy to the strongly endothermic SMR, therefore promoting H2 yields. This work provides a new way, in the aspect of reactor design, for resolving the unstable hydrogen production by renewable energy.

The myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), an adaptor protein in regulation of the innate immunity, functions to regulate immune responses against viral and bacterial infections in the human body. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and interleukin 1 receptors (IL-1R) can recognize microbes or endogenous ligands and then recruit MyD88 to activate the MyD88-dependent pathway, while MyD88 mutation associated with lymphoma development and altered MyD88 signaling also involved in cancer-associated cell intrinsic and extrinsic inflammation progression and carcinogenesis. Detection of MyD88 expression was to predict prognosis of various human cancers, e.g., lymphoid, liver, and colorectal cancers. In human cancers, MyD88 protein acts as a bridge between the inflammatory signaling from the TLR/IL-1R and Ras oncogenic signaling pathway. However, the MyD88 signaling played dual functional roles in colorectal cancer, i.e., the tumor-promoting role that enhances cancer inflammation and intestinal flora imbalance to induce tumor invasion and tumor cell self-renewal, and the anti-tumor role that helps to maintain the host-microbiota homeostasis to induce tumor cell cycle arrest and immune responses against cancer cells. This review precisely discusses the up to date literature for these contrasting effects of MyD88 signaling on colorectal cancer development and progression.

The coastal ecosystem in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) has been seriously impacted by the 2010 BP oil spill. Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of temperature and addition of the dispersant on biodegradation of benzene, as a representative of petroleum hydrocarbon, in a coastal salt marsh sediment under aerobic conditions. The results show that benzene biodegradation was approximately 6 time faster under aerobic conditions (Eh > +300 mV) than under anaerobic iron-reduction conditions (+14 mV 10 °C > 30 °C as expected in a saline environment. Application of the dispersant caused initial fluctuations of benzene vapor pressure during the incubation due to its hydrophobic and hydrophilic nature of the molecules. Presence of the dispersant shows an inhibitory effect on benzene biodegradation, and the inhibition increased with concentration of the dispersant. The Gulf coast sediment seems in a favorable scenario to recover from the BP oil spill with an average temperature around 20 °C in spring and fall season. Application of the dispersant may be necessary for the oil spill rescue operation, but its side effects may deserve further investigations.

We study ethane dehydrogenation's kinetics over a Ga2O3/Al2O3 catalyst in the absence and presence of CO2 and H2O. We identify the reaction network through the hypothesis of overall-reactions and reaction stoichiometry using judicious experiments by co-feeding combinations of C2H6, CO2, H2, and H2O and regeneration studies. We introduce an uncertainty quantification methodology, leveraging Bayesian inference, to assess the rate parameters' statistical confidence and trace the uncertainty sources and develop a data-driven kinetics model. The chief overall reactions include ethane dehydrogenation and hydrogenolysis, the reverse water–gas shift (RWGS), coke formation, and coke gasification. H2O retards the ethane dehydrogenation rate and increases the apparent activation energy from 52.4 to 177.3 kJ/mol. Both CO2 and H2O improve catalyst stability via the same mechanism: coke gasification. Raman characterization of the spent catalyst reveals nanocrystal graphite coke whose amount is reduced by H2O. The reaction-network identification and uncertainty quantification apply to other complex reaction systems.