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As a batch processing method, the Hough transform hardly overcomes the accumulation phenomenon of single-scan data sets for it gets confused with the time sequence information of measurements. To solve this nonlinear problem, a track initiation method based on the parallel Hough transform that changes the processing structure of the Hough transform and the accumulating manner of the counter is proposed. After mapping sets of different time measurements to the parameter space separately, the accumulated result of the measurement sets with the same index constitute an accumulated vector. According to the rules, the value of the accumulator can be obtained using the sliding window method. Finally, we make a decision on whether to initiate a track or not through threshold detection. Simulation experiment results of track initiation problems with different scan times under heavy clutters show the efficiency of the parallel Hough transform.

We investigated the role and mechanism of ginsenoside RD (GRD) in acute liver injury. Network pharmacology was used to analyze the correlations among GRD‐liver injury‐pyroptosis targets. A mouse model of acute liver injury was established by lipopolysaccharide + d‐galactose（LPS + d/Gal). After pretreatment with GRD, the changes in mouse liver function were detected. The histopathological changes were assayed by hematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining, the tissue expressions of inflammatory cytokines were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and the protein expressions were assayed by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting. Meanwhile, mechanism research was conducted using STAT3‐knockout transgenic mice and STAT3‐IN13, a STAT3 inhibitor. GRD inhibited liver injury, mitigated tissue inflammation, and suppressed STAT3‐mediated pyroptosis in mice. After applying STAT3‐knockout mouse model or STAT3‐IN13, GRD did not further inhibit the liver injury. GRD can resist liver injury by inhibiting the STAT3‐mediated pyroptosis, which is one of the hepatoprotective mechanisms of GRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics have significant influence on both freshwater cyanobacteria and marine microalgae, especially under co-exposure with other pollutants such as heavy metals, antibiotics, and pharmaceuticals. In the present study, combined effects of microplastics (polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) on the microalgae Closterium sp. were studied to evaluate their acute toxicity, and the cell density, total chlorophyll concentration, photosynthetic activity, antioxidant system, and subcellular structure of Closterium sp. under different treatments were used to explain the physiological stress mechanism of the combined effects. The results indicate that both the single and combined treatments have inhibition effects on the cell growth and photosynthetic activity, with inhibition efficiencies (in terms of cell density) of 5.0%, 9.2%, 66.7%, 55.1%, and 59.8% for PET (100 mg L−1), PBT (100 mg L−1), TCH (10 mg L−1), PET/TCH (PET 100 mg L−1 and TCH 10 mg L−1), and PBT/TCH (PBT 100 mg L−1 and TCH 10 mg L−1), respectively, and relative electron-transport rates (rETRs) of 7.3%, 12.7%, 66.8%, 54.0%, and 59.9%, respectively, for each treatment compared with the control on the 7th day. Moreover, both PET and PBT have positive effects in alleviating TCH toxicity toward Closterium sp., and at the same time, the malondialdehyde level (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and catalase (CAT) activity induced by the combined treatments were much higher than those from the single microplastic treatments but lower than those from TCH treatment after 7 days. It was demonstrated that TCH causes a much more serious oxidative stress than PET/TCH and PBT/TCH, and the lower oxidative stress of the PET/TCH and PBT/TCH groups could be attributed to the adsorption of TCH to PET or PBT. This work improves the understanding of the combined toxicity effects of microplastics and TCH on Closterium sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) has attracted great considerations due to their high toxicity, teratogenicity, and carcinogenicity. In this study, four Zr‐MOFs were synthesized and used to comparative study their catalytic performances of oxalic acid (OA) for Cr(VI) removal. Results showed that the removal efficiency for Cr(VI) was reached 65.91%, 78.64%, 53.58%, and 96.32% by MOF‐525, MOF‐525(Co), MOF‐525(Zn), and MOF‐525(Fe) in the presence of OA when the initial Cr(VI) concentration was 100 mg·L−1, respectively. The single‐factor experiments for further improving the Cr(VI) removal by MOF‐525(Fe)/OA demonstrated that the optimal conditions were OA dosage of 790 mg·L−1, and MOF‐525(Fe) dosage of 500 mg·L−1 and pH of 2.0, and the MOF‐525(Fe)/OA system could be used to treat Cr(VI)‐containing wastewater at concentrations below 50 mg·L−1. Ionic strength studies indicated that Na+, K+, Mg2+, Cl−, and SO42− had little effect on the catalytic reduction of Cr(VI), while high concentrations of Ca2+ (0.10 and 0.25 mol·L−1), NO3− (0.25 mol·L−1), and PO43− (0.25 mol·L−1) had significant inhibition effects. The reusability experiments showed that the stability of MOF‐525(Fe) was excellent, and it could be used for potential applications. Based on the results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectrometer (EPR), the possible reduction mechanism of Cr(VI) by MOF‐525(Fe)/OA system was proposed as follows: The complexation of OA with Fe3+ was first complexed to produce Fe2+ and CO2•−, then Cr(VI) was combined with Zr–O and Fe–O clusters in MOF‐525(Fe) to obtain activation energy, and the reduction ability was enhanced at the same time; finally, Cr(VI) obtained electrons from CO2•− and was sequentially reduced as Cr(V) and Cr(III). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) is considered to be a highly effective approach for degrading organic pollutants, the simultaneous coagulation and oxidation process by the Fenton‐like reaction of nanoscale zero‐valent iron (NZVI) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is investigated to eliminate the harmful cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa in this study, and the process conditions are optimized using the central composite design of response surface methodology (RSM); in addition, the removal efficiency of M. aeruginosa (in terms of chlorophyll a, Chl a) and the verifications of the antioxidant abilities, as well as extracellular organic matters (EOM) and intracellular organic matters (IOM) are investigated under the optimized conditions. Results indicate that H2O2 concentration is the key factor affecting the Chl a removal efficiency, and the maximum Chl a removal reaches 98.10% under the optimized conditions: NZVI concentration 62.82 mg L−1, H2O2 concentration 54.2 mmol L−1, pH 4.38 and rotating speed 67 rpm. The high correlation coefficient (R2 > 0.80) of analysis of variance (ANOVA) demonstrates the RSM model is extremely significant and suitable for experimental results. Moreover, the total organic carbon (TOC) and fluorescent substances (soluble cyanobacteria metabolic byproducts, aromatic proteins II, humic and fulvic acid‐like compounds) for both EOM and IOM are enhanced removal. It is speculated the removal mechanisms of the Fenton‐like process of NZVI/H2O2 for cyanobacterium belongs to the combined actions of the oxidation of Fe(II)/H2O2 and the coagulation of Fe(III), which destroy the defense system and result in the removal of M. aeruginosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue light is an important light wavelength in regulating plant flowering. In a controlled environment (CE) plant production systems, blue light can be manipulated easily and even precisely through electric lighting, especially with the advancement of light-emitted diode (LED) technologies. However, the results of previous studies in the literature about blue-light-mediated flowering are inconsistent, which would limit its practical application in CE plant production while implying that an in-depth study of the relevant physiological mechanism is necessary in the future. This review consolidates and analyzes the diverse findings from previous studies on blue light-mediated plant flowering in varying high-value crops from ornamental plants to fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops. By synthesizing the contrasting results, we proposed the possible explanations and even the underlying mechanisms related to blue light intensity and exposure duration, its co-action with other light wavelengths, background environment conditions, and the involved photoreceptors. We have also identified the knowledge gaps based on these studies and outlined future directions for research and potential application in this promising field. This review provides valuable insights into the important and diverse role of blue light in plant flowering and offers a foundation for further investigations to optimize plant flowering through lighting technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]