Search

The Blue Economic Zone of the Shandong Peninsula is located in the transitional zone between land and sea, with a complex ecological environment. The determination of hot and cold spots in various ecosystem services is crucial for the coordinated development of ecosystem services and the optimization of the spatial pattern of the ecological environment. This study, based on natural and socio-economic data, utilizes various ecological models to simulate water yield (provisioning service), carbon sequestration (regulating service), biodiversity (supporting service), and aesthetic and scientific research values (cultural service). Using a multi-criteria decision-making approach, it identifies hot and cold spots of ecosystem services in different development–conservation scenarios. Combining the protection efficiency of different areas, it proposes a spatial pattern promotion scheme. The research indicates significant spatial differences in ecosystem services without clear trade-offs and synergies. Changes in the weights of ecosystem services in 11 scenarios result in significant differences in hot and cold spots. Compared to the neutral scenario (S6), the distribution of hot and cold spots in protection scenarios (S1–S5) is relatively scattered, while in development scenarios (S7–S11), hot spots show an increasing trend of concentration in the southeast, with cold spots scattered in the west and northwest. Four spatial pattern promotion schemes are proposed based on protection efficiency and policy preferences. Promotion areas should focus on ecological restoration and improvement to raise local ecosystem service levels. Protection areas should emphasize maintaining their existing high-level ecosystem services to achieve a synergistic enhancement of various ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to develop a purine-reducing functional yak yoghurt, Lactobacillus paracasei 259 and commercial starter was used as the fermentation strain in this experiment. The inoculation amount of yak yoghurt strain was optimized by single factor experiment, and the quality changes of yak yoghurt during post-ripening period and storage period were observed. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyze the changes of flavor substances during post-ripening period and storage period, and the purine-lowering activity of yak yoghurt was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the post-ripening time of yak yoghurt was 24 h, the sensory score was the best when the inoculation amount of Lactobacillus paracasei 259 was 5%, the number of viable bacteria was 3.1x108 CFU/mL, the acidity was 96°T, and the inhibition rate of xanthine oxidase (XOD) was 51.51%. Yak yogurt with 5% inoculum of Lactobacillus paracasei 259 had a viable bacterial count higher than 107 CFU/mL during 28 d of storage, and the acidity was lower than 105.4°T. With the increase of storage time, the pH and water holding capacity decreased gradually, and the sensory quality, hardness, cohesion, viscosity, consistency and XOD inhibitory activity increased first and then decreased. The main flavor substances in yak yogurt after ripening were alcohols, esters, ketones, aromatic heterocycles and sulfur compounds. The acids increased at storage period compared to the post-ripening period. The relative content and quantity of alcohols were the highest, which gave the yogurt a fruity, floral and sweet flavor. The degradation of inosine and guanosine in yak yogurt during the storage period firstly increased and then decreased, up to 84.6% and 86.5%, respectively. It can be seen that yak yogurt fermented by Lactobacillus paracasei 259 is of better quality, inhibits xanthine oxidase activity, effectively degrades inosine guanosine, and has good potential for application in the prevention and adjunctive treatment of hyperuricemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ammonization treatment is applied to a prototype ordered double-transition metal MXene known as Mo2TiC2Tx at different annealing temperatures (400, 500 and 600 °C) and durations (1 h and 2 h). The lattice structures, micro-morphologies, and chemical compositions of the resulting ammoniated MXenes are characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS and EPMA. All ammoniated MXenes preserve the layered microstructure of the parent carbide 2D material, and N atoms are successfully doped into the lattice sites to form carbonitride MXenes, denoted as Mo2Ti(C1−δNδ)2Tx. The Hall measurements are carried out to evaluate the electrical conductivity of ammoniated MXenes and raw Mo2TiC2Tx, and the results indicate that the carbonitride forms exhibit higher electrical conductivities and electron concentrations than the raw 2D material. The electrochemical properties of ammoniated MXenes are investigated by means of charge–discharge cycling CV tests, the GITT and EIS measurements at various scan rates. The ammoniated MXene sample (N400-1h) could deliver a storage capacity of 750 mA h g−1 (200 mA h g−1) at a current density of 0.03 A g−1 (2 A g−1). It is found that the capacitive charge storage mechanism through the intercalation reaction process dominates the total capacity for the ammoniated MXenes. The diffusion dynamics of Li+ in all investigated MXene electrodes show a two-stage lithiation mechanism in which the apparent diffusion coefficient is regulated by the different numbers of vacancies in the absorbate layers at various lithiation stages in the GITT curves. Overall, ammoniated MXenes also show superior performances in Li+ diffusion dynamics and charge transfer kinetics at the electrode–electrolyte interface to those of raw Mo2TiC2Tx, elucidating a new avenue for the use of ammoniated double-transition metal o-MXenes as high-performance electrode materials for LIBs and supercapacitors in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sepsis‐associated encephalopathy (SAE) is a neuronal injury with poor prognosis. Mitochondrial dysfunction is critical in SAE development, and hydrogen gas (H2) has a protective effect on septic mice. This study aimed to investigate the effect of high concentration (67%) of H2 on SAE and whether it is related to mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial dynamics. Methods: A mouse sepsis model was induced by cecal ligation and puncture. The mice inhalated 67% H2 for 1 h at 1 and 6 h post‐surgery, respectively. The 7‐day survival rate was recorded. Cognitive function was assessed using the Y‐maze test and Morris water maze test. Serum inflammatory factors, antioxidant enzymes, as well as mitochondrial function indexes including mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and ATP in the hippocampal tissue were evaluated 24 h after surgery. Mitochondrial dynamic proteins (DRP1 and MFN2) and biosynthetic proteins (PGC‐1α, NRF2, and TFAM) in the hippocampal tissue were detected. Moreover, the morphology of mitochondria was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results: Inhalation of 67% H2 improved the 7‐day survival rates and recognition memory function of septic mice, alleviated brain antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD and CAT), and reduced serum proinflammatory cytokine levels. H2 inhalation also enhanced the expression of MFN2 and mitochondrial biogenesis‐related factors (PGC‐1α, NRF2, and TFAM) and decreased the expression of fission protein (DRP1), leading to improvement in mitochondrial function, as evidenced by MMP and ATP levels. Conclusions: Inhalation of high concentration (67%) of H2 in septic mice improved the survival rate and reduced neuronal injury. Its mechanism might be mediated by enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]