Search

Salmonid alphavirus (SAV) infection of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) causes pancreas disease (PD) with typical inflammatory responses, such as necrosis of the exocrine pancreas, cardiomyopathy and skeletal myopathy. However, the pathogenic mechanism underlying SAV infection is still unclear. Inflammation may cause damage to the body, but it is a defense response against infection by pathogenic microorganisms, of which nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is the main regulator. This study revealed that SAV can activate NF-κB, of which the viral nonstructural protein Nsp2 is the major activating protein. SAV activates the NF-κB signaling pathway by simultaneously up-regulating TLR3, 7, 8 and then the expression of the signaling molecule myeloid differentiation factor 88 (Myd88) and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6). We found that Nsp2 can induce IκB degradation and p65 phosphorylation and transnucleation, and activate NF-κB downstream inflammatory cytokines. Nsp2 may simultaneously activate NF-κB through TLR3,7,8-dependent signaling pathways. Overexpression of Nsp2 can up-regulate mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) and then promote the expression of IFNa1 and antiviral protein Mx, which inhibits viral replication. This study shows that Nsp2 acts as a key activator protein for the NF-κB signaling pathway, which induces inflammation post-SAV infection. This study systematically analyzes the molecular mechanism of SAV activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, and provides a theoretical basis for revealing the mechanism of innate immune response and inflammatory injury caused by SAV. • SAV could significantly activate the NF-κB signal transduction pathway. • SAV activates the NF-κB signaling pathway by simultaneously up-regulating TLR3, 7, 8. • Nsp2 is the key NF-κB activating protein, which induces IκB degradation and p65 phosphorylation and transnucleation. • Nsp2 is a key pathogenic protein that mediates inflammatory responses by activating NF-κB-induced IL-6 and IL-8 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By combining two-dimensional (2D) materials with different band alignments at the contact interface, van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) can achieve multifunctional device applications. Here, through first principles methods, we constructed two C 3 N/Ga 2 O 3 vdWHs named P↑ and P↓ because of the intrinsic polarization of Ga 2 O 3 to study electronic, interfacial and optical characteristics. We find that the P↑ and P↓ both display a unique kind of band alignment known as broken-gap or type-III. This feature makes them highly suitable for tunnel field effect transistors (TFETs) applications. To the best of our knowledge, the tunnel window of the P↓ is the largest among the theoretical studies, reaching 0.993 eV. The electronic structure and band edge alignment of the C 3 N/Ga 2 O 3 vdWHs show a weak dependence on strain engineering or external electric field. Normal-to-plane compressive strains effectively enhance the tunneling probability. We can acquire essential insights into this novel material system and its promise for future TFETs by analyzing the electrical characteristics of the C 3 N/Ga 2 O 3 vdWHs. [Display omitted] • Both P↑ and P↓ possess rare type-III band alignments, which are favorable for tunneling field-effect transistors (TFETs). • The tunneling windows for P↑ and P↓ are 0.428 eV and 0.993 eV, respectively, with P↓ being the largest on record. • Electric fields and strain can adjust the tunneling window, yet P↑ and P↓ consistently retain type-III band alignment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: GNG4, a member of the G-protein γ family, is a marker of poor overall survival (OS) rates in some malignancies. However, the potential role of GNG4 in bladder cancer (BLCA) is unknown. It is also unclear whether GNG4 may be utilized as a marker to guide chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Methods: Single-cell RNA sequencing data were used to explore the expression of GNG4 in tumor microenvironment of BLCA. Bulk RNA sequencing data from TCGA were used to evaluate the relationship between GNG4 expression and biological features, such as immune cell infiltrations and gene mutations. The associations between GNG4 expression and survival in BLCA patients under or not under immunotherapy were evaluated using seven BLCA cohorts. Results: GNG4 was specifically expressed in exhausted CD4+ T cells. And the high expression of the GNG4 was associated with high level of immune cell infiltration. The high-GNG4-expression group displayed a better response to immunotherapy, whereas patients in the low-GNG4-expression group often benefited from chemotherapy. Moreover, the high-GNG4 group was more similar to the basal group, whereas the low-GNG4 group was similar to the luminal group. Conclusions: GNG4 may be a potential biomarker for the prediction of the response to therapy in BLCA. Higher GNG4 expression can be used as a predictor of response to immunotherapy, and lower GNG4 expression can be used as a predictor of response to chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mafic lava is generally used to study the oxygen fugacity of lithospheric mantle. However, some studies confirmed that the high oxygen fugacity of mafic lava from lithospheric mantle may be result of auto-oxidation during the late magma evolution. Whether mafic lava reflects the oxygen fugacity of source area remains controversial. The major and trace element compositions of biotite, amphibole, and plagioclase as well as the Sr isotopes of plagioclase were in-situ examined aim to evaluate the variation in oxygen fugacity of mafic magma during transportation from depth to current location. Mineralogical characteristics show that the dikes originate from an enriched lithospheric mantle source and experienced very little or no crustal contamination during the magma transfer process. Clinopyroxene, plagioclase, Al-rich amphibole, biotite, and Mg-rich amphibole crystallized successively as the depth of magma reduced from 75.9 to 0.8 km. Fayalite-magnetite-quartz (△FMQ) and Ni-NiO (△NNO) are used as reference oxygen fugacity buffers in this study. The average oxygen fugacity of mafic magma gradually increases from △NNO-1.50 (lithospheric mantle source) to △NNO + 2.74 (near the surface) during magma evolution. Calculation results from clinopyroxene, amphibole and biotite show that the oxygen fugacity of magma increases during fractionation of clinopyroxene, plagioclase, amphibole, and biotite. However, the above fractionation cannot generate such a wide variation in oxygen fugacity. Moreover, it is not caused by degassing in terms of the low carbonate mineral content and increasing S6+/Stot ratios during fractionation. Previous studies have shown a rapid cooling and a high H2O content of the Jiaodong mafic magma. Combine with the garnet-spinel transition zone of mantle lithosphere and magnetite observed in petrography, we tend to propose that the variation in oxygen fugacity of mafic magma were caused by magnetite-spinel fractional crystallization at depth. Low-pressure metamorphic amphibole and the country rocks of Late Mesozoic monzodiorite, which has a much higher oxygen fugacity than the stable range of magnetite-spinel, indicated that the secondary alteration in last stage of magma evolution may cause additional variation in oxygen fugacity. In that case, mafic lava cannot be used to determine the oxygen fugacity of source rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Late Mesozoic lithospheric mantle evolution of the Jiaodong Peninsula is crucial for understanding the destruction of the eastern North China Craton (NCC) and large-scale gold mineralization, but it still remains highly controversial. Here, we comprehensively compiled published Late Mesozoic mafic dyke magmatism data from the Jiaodong Peninsula to provide key constraints on the nature and evolution of the lithospheric mantle. Mafic dykes are widely emplaced in the Jiaodong Peninsula and have been divided into two groups (Jiaobei terrane and Sulu orogenic belt); they mainly comprise lamprophyre, dolerite, and gabbro. The ages of the mafic dykes in the Jiaobei terrane are predominantly between 120 and 125 Ma, and those of the Sulu orogenic belt are between 110 and 120 Ma. The Jiaobei and Sulu mafic dykes both have high contents of Mg and compatible elements (Cr, Ni), as well as low SiO2 content; they are characterized by arc-like mafic magma, including enrichment in Large Ion Lithophile Elements and Light Rare Earth Elements, depletion in High Field Strength Elements, high (87Sr/86Sr)i, and low εNd(t), implying a metasomatized lithospheric mantle source. However, the Jiaobei mafic dykes have relatively higher (87Sr/86Sr)i, lower εNd(t), and a larger range of (206Pb/204Pb)i, (208Pb/204Pb)i, and (207Pb/204Pb)i compared with the Sulu mafic dykes. The Jiaobei and Sulu mafic dykes exhibit Ba/Rb ratios of 1.29‒64.39 (average 29.3) and 6.61‒108.28 (average 33.1), respectively, indicating the presence of hornblende in the melts. The high Fe/Mn (>60) and Zn/Fe (>12) ratios of Jiaobei and Sulu mafic dykes indicate the mixed mantle source of peridotite and pyroxenite. But the content of pyroxenite in the mantle source of Jiaobei terrane is higher with wider range of Fe/Mn and Zn/Fe ratios. These features indicate the heterogeneity of the mantle sources of the mafic dykes in the Jiaobei and Sulu regions. It is suggested that both regions originated from the partial melting of hornblende-bearing peridotite, with the addition of more pyroxenite to the mantle source of the Jiaobei terrane compared to Sulu orogenic belt. The mafic dykes have the low Nb/Zr (Jiaobei: 0.024–0.229; Sulu: 0.030–0.166) and Th/Zr ratios (Jiaobei: 0.017–0.081; Sulu: 0.010–0.068), and the high Rb/Y (Jiaobei: 0.347–12.162; Sulu: 0.224–9.600) and low Nb/Y ratios (Jiaobei: 0.202–1.486; Sulu: 0.140–1.322). It implies that the mantle source area in both regions was metasomatized by subducted slab-derived fluids. The increase in (La/Yb)N and decrease in Hf/Sm implies carbonate metasomatism in both regions. In addition, some Jiaobei and Sulu mafic dykes have high Ti/Eu ratios, implying that the silicate metasomatism occurred in the mantle source of both regions. Based on the regional evolution, the lithospheric mantle source in the two regions beneath Jiaodong Peninsula experienced carbonated fluid metasomatism resulting from the subduction of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean plate beneath the northern NCC (ca. ~250 Ma), silicate melt-related metasomatism from subduction of the Yangtze Craton plate beneath the southern NCC (ca. 240‒220 Ma), and oceanic slab-derived fluid metasomatism from the subducted Palaeo-Pacific plate (at 180‒110 Ma). It is believed that the mantle source of Jiaobei terrane had undergone stronger carbonated fluid metasomatism and silicate melt-related metasomatism, compared to Sulu orogenic belt. Moreover, the continental fluid-related metasomatism only occurred in the Sulu orogenic belt. During the Late Mesozoic, the eastern NCC experienced large-scale lithospheric thinning, leading to upwelling of the asthenospheric mantle. The mafic dykes in Jiaobei and Sulu, show different geochemical features, were derived from partial melting of the metasomatized lithospheric mantle through upwelling of the asthenospheric mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Graphene‐based vertical stacking heterojunction has attracted more and more attentions in optoelectronics, nanoelectronics, and spintronics field. A low Schottky barrier height (SBH) or a low‐resistance ohmic contact is desired in practical applications. In our current study, we have systematically investigated the interfacial characteristics of graphene/As2S3 heterojunction by using first‐principles calculations. The results indicate that the intrinsic electronic properties of graphene and As2S3 are changed little after contacting. The Bader charge analysis indicates that the transferred amounts of electrons from As2S3 to graphene decrease with the vertical electric field ranging from −0.5 to +0.5 V/Å. Consequently, when the electric field value is more negative than −0.2 V/Å, the heterojunction maintains a p‐type Schottky contact and transforms to n‐type Schottky contact once the external electric field is modified from −0.2 to +0.5 V/Å. Finally, an ohmic contact type can be formed if the external electric field is larger than +0.5 V/Å. In addition, the optical absorption of the As2S3/graphene interface is significantly enhanced after contacting. Our findings imply that the SBH is tunable, which is significantly meaningful in the nanoelectronic field‐effect transistors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As revealed from the results of first-principles calculations, the indium nitride (InN) monolayer is capable of significantly facilitating its interaction with gas molecules after being modified with Transition Metals (TM). Accordingly, the adsorption behavior of Ag-doped InN (Ag–InN) and Pd-doped InN (Pd–InN) monolayers was investigated on two small gas molecules (i.e., SO 2 and NO). To make the proposed material more widely applicable, several critical parameters affecting the performance of gas sensors [e.g., adsorption distance, adsorption energy ( E ad) , charge transfer (QT), and density of state (DOS)] were analyzed in depth. As revealed from the results, both gases were capable of adsorbing stably on the surfaces of Ag–InN and Pd–InN monolayers. In addition, the analysis of electron localization function (ELF), DOS and spin band structure demonstrated the robust chemical interactions between Ag or Pd dopants and the activated atoms in the gas molecules. Given the theoretical results of the present study, we can gain insights into the sensing performance exhibited by the TM Ag as well as Pd modified InN surface. The mentioned prominent properties verified the feasibility of this material as a high-sensitivity gas sensor and could be effectively referenced for its application in sensing and catalytic fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inherited zircons from Early Cretaceous dykes across the Jiaodong Peninsula provide a means of exploring magmatic episodes. Negative Eu anomalies, high Th and U contents, and high U/Yb ratios confirmed a zircon source of ancient continental crust. Differences in mineralogy, chronology, geochemistry, and Hf isotopes showed that these inherited zircons were not brought in by the Triassic Yangtze Craton collision. Zircons within 2938–2800 Ma confirmed that the ancient crust in the Jiaobei Terrane originated from the Mesoarchean crustal growth. This crustal growth continued until the Early Paleoproterozoic and was accompanied by crustal transformation activities in the later period. After the collision of the Jiao–Liao–Ji Belt, the Jiaodong Peninsula entered a typical craton period until it was reactivated at the end of the Neoproterozoic, which was characterised by the Archean crustal transformation. During the Palaeozoic, smooth crustal thickness change with limited addition of oceanic crust material indicated the Qinling–Dabie–Sulu Orogenic Belt as a distal island arc system that slowed the impact of Paleo-Tethys subduction. There was no record of positive-ε Hf (t) zircons in the Jiaodong Peninsula during the Mesozoic, but the crust thickened rapidly. This confirmed that the Paleo-Pacific Plate may have directly subducted beneath the lithospheric mantle and had little contact with the lower crust. This subduction pattern released little hydrous fluid but much heat, which prompted the remodelling of the lower crust in the Mesozoic. Furthermore, the large-scale lithospheric thinning event around 120 Ma was identified as a result of the delamination of the lithospheric mantle together with lower crust. [Display omitted] • Ancient zircon records confirmed the Mesoarchean juvenile crust in the Jiaodong. • Differences of zircons indicate a Neoproterozoic crust reactivation of Jiaodong. • Negative ε Hf (t) values confirmed few additions of subduction material to the Mesozoic crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The first demonstration of Nd:YAG crystal fiber as gain medium for laser operation at 1.1 µm. • A maximum output power of 34.52 W has been achieved with a slope efficiency of 39.9 % with respect to pump power. • Using Cr4+:YAG crystal as saturable absorber, The maximum pulse peak power and single pulse energy reach about 103.7 kW and 1.1 mJ, respectively. In this work, we have reported the first Nd:YAG single crystal fiber lasers at 1.1 μm spectral region operating in continuous-wave and passively Q-switched modes. A maximum continuous-wave output power of 34.52 W is achieved and the corresponding slope efficiency with respect to pump power is 39.9 %. Using Cr4+:YAG as saturable absorber, a maximum average output power of 10.37 W is obtained during passively Q-switched laser operation. The maximum pulse peak power and single pulse energy reach approximately 103.7 kW and 1.1 mJ, respectively. In terms of diode end pumping geometry, these reported results represent the best achievements of 1.1-μm lasers, which indicate that crystal fiber has great potential in improving laser power and energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years, graphene-based van der Waals (vdW) heterojunction becomes more and more popular in optoelectronics, nanoelectronics, and spintronics device area. Besides, the modulation of Schottky barrier height (SBH) is rather desired to improve the performance of corresponding devices. In the current study, we have focused on the interfacial characteristics and electronic structure of graphene/AlN heterostructure by the first-principles calculations. The results show the intrinsic electronic properties are preserved after graphene and AlN contacting due to the weak interaction between two sublayers. The Bader charge analysis shows that the electrons are transferred from AlN to graphene, leading to graphene as an acceptor while AlN as a donor. Besides, by varying the interlayer distance from 2.5 to 4.3 Å, we found both the n-SBH and p-SBH are significantly tuned. In addition, the optical absorption intensity is enhanced significantly in the graphene/AlN heterojunction. Our findings imply that the SBH is controllable, which is highly desirable in the nano-electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Late Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the eastern North China Craton (NCC) remains controversial. In this study, a suite of Early Cretaceous mafic-intermediate dyke swarms found in the same section in the Jiaodong Peninsula, eastern NCC, were used to trace the nature of lithospheric mantle and crust–mantle interaction. Zircon U-Pb dating demonstrates that these dykes emplaced into the Jiaodong Peninsula during the same period (112–121 Ma). Diorite dykes have SiO2 contents of 52.7–54.1 wt.%, Na2O+K2O contents of 5.77–6.10 wt.%, a limited range of MgO (4.43–5.13 wt.%), Cr (64.8–85.5 ppm) and Ni (23.6–27.7 ppm), and a narrow range of (87Sr/86Sr)i isotopic ratios (0.709240–0.709246), ƐNd(t) values (−20.0 to −19.1) and ƐHf(t) values (ca. −23.9). Lamprophyre and dolerite dykes have low contents of SiO2 (50.5–55.4 wt.%) and Na2O+K2O (4.88–7.28 wt.%), high contents of Al2O3 (14.6–15.8 wt.%), MgO (5.83–8.60 wt.%), Cr (210–292 ppm) and Ni (114–149 ppm), and a narrow range (87Sr/86Sr)i isotopic ratios (0.709134–0.709788), ƐNd(t) values (−19.9 to −17.4) and ƐHf(t) values (−22.1 to −15.1). Both intermediate and mafic dykes exhibit strong large ion lithophile elements (LILE) enrichment and high field strength element (HFSE) depletion. These geochemical characteristics demonstrate that the magma was primarily derived from relatively low degrees of the partial melting of garnet-lherzolite mantle, which was modified by fluids from a subducting oceanic slab with marine sediments. Both the mafic dykes and intermediate dykes originated from the same magma source and formed in different stages of magma fractionation crystallization. The magma experienced the fractional crystallization of clinopyroxene and more ferromagnesian minerals in a hydrous condition, thus forming mafic dykes. Then, the residual calc-alkaline liquids upwelled into a low-H2O and low-pressure environment, in which more plagioclase crystallized from liquid, thus increasing the degree of differentiation and producing the Ca- and Al-rich diorite dyke. Combined with Late Mesozoic mantle-derived mafic-intermediate dykes and crust-derived volcanic rocks in the region, the eastern NCC has experienced considerable lithospheric thinning along with regional extensional tectonics, which was caused by the prolonged thermo-mechanical-chemical erosion on the lithosphere induced by the rollback of the subducted paleo-Pacific plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel complex nanostructure of multipodal silica with a hollow cavity. • A region-selective control strategy to grow branched nanostructure. • A mechanism for precisely adjusting the number of the branched pods. Hypothesis: Hollow nanostructures, known as nanocapsules, have been the preferable candidates in the drug-delivery and control-release applications. To enhance the adherence and penetration into biological hosts for efficient drug delivery, constructing multiple pods on the hollow structure to form a tribulus-like branched architecture has been proven an effective strategy. However, the synthesis is challenging due to the simultaneous control of the branched podal morphology, the hollow architecture and the mesophase structures at the nanometer scale. Experiments: Polymer spheres with surface carboxyl moieties were first prepared by emulsion polymerization, which were partly coated by a type of basic silane. The left carboxyl moieties formed some seperated acid spots on the surface of polymer spheres, which could lead to the subsequent self-assembly of surfactant and silica within these acidic spots to grow a branched nanostructure. Findings: Radiolarian-like organic-inorganic hybrid hollow architecture with branched ordered mesoporous pods were obtained after removing the organic templates of the polymer spheres and surfactants by calcination. The ordered cylindrical mesoporous channels were along the central axis direction of the hexagonal-prism-like pods, which connected inside and outside of the hollow spheres. The number of the branched pods could be easily tuned at the range of one to four. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is the most common and abundant modification on mammalian messenger RNA (mRNA) and regulates the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Research has shown that melatonin plays a fundamental role in DNA and histone modifications. However, the effect of melatonin on RNA modification is unknown. Here, for the first time, we investigated the effect of melatonin on m6A modifications in long‐term‐cultured ESCs. Pluripotency studies indicated that 10 μmol/L melatonin sufficiently maintained ESCs with stemness features over 45 passages (more than 90 days). Notably, treatment of ESCs with melatonin led to a significant decrease in the nuclear presence of m6A methyltransferase complex and decreased global m6A modification. Depletion of melatonin receptor 1 (MT1) by CRISPR/Cas9 significantly reduced the effects of melatonin on ESC pluripotency and m6A modification. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP‐seq) revealed that melatonin promotes stabilization of core pluripotency factors, such as Nanog, Sox2, Klf4, and c‐Myc, by preventing m6A‐dependent mRNA decay. Using cell signaling pathway profiling systems, melatonin was shown to regulate m6A modification predominantly through the MT1‐JAK2/STAT3‐Zfp217 signal axis. This study reveals a new dimension regarding melatonin regulation of gene expression at the RNA level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was developed to study shear stress induced by spherical cap bubbles in hollow fibre (HF) membrane modules configured with a packing density of 38 m2/m3, to predict the shear profile in a commercial hollow fibre membrane module of 265 m2/m3. The CFD model's computational effort was minimised by simulating the formation of bubble structures and their rising velocities in modules with packing densities of 1.8 and 38 m2/m3 and validated with experimental calibration of shear profiles via electro-diffusion methods (EDM). Pulse bubbles (300 mL) generated from a single sparger at 0.5 Hz produced more satellite bubbles in the wake zone of the leading bubble in high packing density (38 m2/m3) than in low packing density modules (1.8 m2/m3). The bubble rise velocity was approximately 8% lower in the 38 m2/m3 than in the 1.8 m2/m3 module. Increasing packing density reduced the shear profile from a single sparger and the dispersion of the satellite bubbles in the horizontal plane, especially in the upper part of the membrane module. For systems with multiple spargers, the interaction between pulses generated more shear than the pulses from a single sparger, and produced a more uniform shear profile in the module through asynchronous bubble release from adjacent spargers than synchronous release. A 33% increase in the "Zone of Influence", the flow region where the upward velocity >0.2 m/s, was achieved by moving from a synchronous to an asynchronous form of aeration. Image 1 • CFD model of pulse bubbles in commercial MBRs was developed and validated. • Simplification applied and calibrated for high-packed membrane module. • Pulse bubbles induced membrane surface shear was investigated. • Asynchronous bubble release induced more evenly distributed shear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Exercise training (ExT) is an established non-pharmacological therapy that improves the health and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Exaggerated sympathetic drive characterizes CHF due to an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) produce nitric oxide (NO•), which is known to regulate the sympathetic tone. Previously we have shown that during CHF, the catalytically active dimeric form of nNOS is significantly decreased with a concurrent increase in protein inhibitor of nNOS (PIN) expression, a protein that dissociates dimeric nNOS to monomers and facilitates its degradation. Dimerization of nNOS also requires (6R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) for stability and activity. Previously, we have shown that ExT improves NO-mediated sympathetic inhibition in the PVN; however, the molecular mechanism remains elusive. We hypothesized; ExT restores the sympathetic drive by increasing the levels and catalytically active form of nNOS by abrogating changes in the PIN in the PVN of CHF rats. CHF was induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by coronary artery ligation, which reliably mimics CHF in patients with myocardial infarction. After 4 weeks of surgery, Sham and CHF rats were subjected to 3 weeks of progressive treadmill exercise. ExT significantly (p < 0.05) decreased PIN expression and increased dimer/monomer ratio of nNOS in the PVN of rats with CHF. Moreover, we found decreased GTP cyclohydrolase 1(GCH1) expression: a rate-limiting enzyme for BH4 biosynthesis in the PVN of CHF rats suggesting that perhaps reduced BH4 availability may also contribute to decreased nNOS dimers. Interestingly, CHF induced decrease in GCH1 expression was increased with ExT. Our findings revealed that ExT rectified decreased PIN and GCH1 expression and increased dimer/monomer ratio of nNOS in the PVN, which may lead to increase NO• bioavailability resulting in amelioration of activated sympathetic drive during CHF. Highlights • Exercise training decreases elevated levels of PIN in the PVN of rats with heart failure. • Exercise training increases reduced BH4 levels via increasing the expression of GCH1 in the PVN of rats with heart failure. • Exercise training increases nNOS dimerization likely by decreasing PIN and increasing BH4 levels in the PVN of rats with heart failure. • Increased catalytically active nNOS dimers lead to an increase in NO• bioavailability. • Exercise training mediated increase in NO• within the PVN results in reduced sympathetic drive in heart failure [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The efficiency of slug flow for fouling control of flat sheet (FS) membrane bioreactors (MBRs) is hindered by uneven bubble distribution leading to inhomogeneous shear stress profile on the membrane. In this work, a 3D CFD model was developed enabling prediction of the hydraulic performance of a novel aeration system designed to reduce the uneven bubble distribution in a full-scale FS MBR. Bubbles generated with aeration channel submerged in 8.0 g/L activated sludge were found to be unevenly distributed with up to 12 folds difference in gas mass flow per single nozzle. More than 41% higher gas mass flow was obtained at nozzles located at higher heights compared to lower nozzles at aeration intensities ranging from 12 m3/h to 20 m3/h. The subsequent uneven bubble distribution in membrane modules contributed to uneven shear stress distribution resulting in uneven fouling performance of the membrane module. Locating the aerator at a mediate distance of 20 cm to the membrane module (in the range of 15 cm to 25 cm) resulted in higher shear stress at locations closer to the permeate collector where higher flux occurred with a maximum 2.4 times increase in average shear stress. The CFD model was validated by comparison of the simulated height of the air column and bubble frequency with experimentally measured data obtained using a high-speed camera. Highlights • CFD model developed and validated for slug flow in flat sheet membrane bioreactors. • Aerator design influences the bubble generation and distribution in membrane module. • Distance of 20 cm from aerator to membrane base yields optimal shear distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether the North Qinling Terrane (NQT) was accreted to the North China Craton (NCC) in the Proterozoic is still a matter of debate. We report the first detrital zircon study from the Baishugou Formation, which forms the uppermost part of the Mesoproterozoic Guandaokou Group, at the southernmost NCC margin. Detrital zircons from carbonaceous silty phyllite in the lower part of the Baishugou Formation yield U-Pb ages peaking at ca. 2500 Ma, with minor peaks at ca. 2300-2000, 1800, and 1600 Ma, and εHf(t) values ranging from −10.8 to +9.1. These zircons are considered to have been sourced from the NCC. In contrast, the middle-to-upper part of the formation contains detrital zircons which yield an age group ranging from 1800 to 1000 Ma, with peaks at 1800, 1500, 1300, and 1100 Ma; the zircons with ages of 1500-1300 Ma dominantly have εHf(t) values greater than +5 and the majority plot along the depleted mantle evolution curve. The striking difference between the U-Pb ages of the detrital zircons from the upper and lower parts of the formation suggests a shift in provenance. Magmatism at 1500-1300 Ma has not been reported from the southern margin of the NCC but has been discovered in the NQT. Hence, we deduce that the zircons from the upper part of the formation were primarily derived from the NQT, where an episode of crustal growth and magmatism is recorded between 1500 and 1100 million years. The variable sediment provenances imply that the NCC and NQT could be connected during the late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic. The pattern of detrital zircon ages in the new sediments from the Baishugou Formation is distinct from those in the Kuanping Group and the Palaeozoic Erlangping Complex, which are at present sandwiched between the NCC and the NQT. The detrital zircons from these two groups are dominated by an age peak at ca. 1000 Ma, which is formed as the result of amalgamation of the NQT and the Rodinia Supercontinent during the Grenville orogeny. It is possible that the new sediments of the Baishugou Formation were deposited before Grenville orogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic and optical properties such as the density of states, dielectric function, absorption, reflectivity, loss function and refractive index of surface In x Ga 1−x P(0 0 1) are investigated first time with first principle methods based on plane-wave pseudo-potentials method within the LDA approximation in this paper, and the results show that the physical properties are much different from bulk materials. The physical properties of surface In 0.25 Ga 0.75 P is observed to be very different from In 0.5 Ga 0.5 P and In 0.75 Ga 0.25 P and the causes are analyzed in this paper. An indium-gradient surface In x Ga 1−x P structure has been calculated first time as well, and small differences in electronic and optical properties are found from In 0.5 Ga 0.5 P and indium-gradient structures except for x = (0.75, 0.25, 0.5), by which a new way is found to improve the physical properties with a given indium composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BaFe 2 O 4 (BF) is a promising oxygen carrier (OC) for chemical looping gasification (CLG), but its stability is low due to serious sintering. The novelty of this work is to investigate the potential of adding different supports (Al 2 O 3 , MgAl 2 O 4 , and ZrO 2) with BF to enhance performance and stability in the CLG of biochar. The results demonstrated that the addition of the supports had enhanced sintering resistance, surface area, pore properties, and oxygen vacancies on the surface simultaneously with positive effects on CLG performance. Among all supports, MgAl 2 O 4 with 50% content displayed the greatest syngas yield (0.088 mol/g) and carbon conversion (80.76%), attributed to the highest surface area and total pore volume, as confirmed by BET results. Moreover, despite the slight decline in the reactivity due to ash deposition, the BF/MgAl 2 O 4 showed stable CLG performance during the multiple cycles, which can be ascribed to the resistance of sintering provided by MgAl 2 O 4. • BaFe 2 O 4 (BF) supported by Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , and MgAl 2 O 4 were prepared for CLG of biochar. • The addition of different supports showed a positive effect on CLG performance. • Sintering resistance, surface area, and oxygen vacancies were enhanced with supports. • BF/MgAl 2 O 4 exhibited highest syngas yield due to greatest surface area properties. • Despite a slight decline due to ash, BF/MgAl 2 O 4 had a stable performance during cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of natural organic matter (NOM) from boreal lake water by a novel capillary nanofiltration (NF) membrane was predicted using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling approach. The 2-dimensional axis-symmetric model was based on a 48 m 3 /day NF pilot plant operating in cross-flow mode on water containing 8 mg/L total organic carbon (TOC) at fluxes ranging from 10 to 25 L/m 2 /h and velocities ranging from 0.25 to 1.0 m/s. A “mass jump” source code developed using the solution diffusion model was used to simulate water flux and variations in NOM content as a function of axial and radial position in the capillary fibres. The model was validated within 3% inaccuracy using pilot data for filtrate TOC and UV254 absorbance and longitudinal pressure drop. The model was subsequently used to compare the effect of module length and number of stages on the design performance of a 110,000 m 3 /day NF plant. Simulations indicated that 1.5 m long modules operated in a double pass configuration removed 33% more NOM compared with 3.0 m long modules in a single pass. Moreover, the use of 1.5 m modules in the full-scale plant configured in a 10:5:3:2 four stage array achieved greater NOM removal than a 10:5:3 three stage at the same plant water recovery (90.5%) using lower recycle rates and lower net energy consumption. The paper demonstrates that the combination of experimental and numerical methods can be an effective tool for the design of nanofiltration plants for enhanced NOM removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical properties of surface and bulk In x Ga 1-x As materials are compared systematically first time in this paper. The band structures, density of states and optical properties including dielectric function, reflectivity, absorption coefficient, loss function and refractive index of bulk and surface In x Ga 1-x As materials are investigated by first-principles based on plane-wave pseudo-potentials method within the LDA approximation. The results agree well with the available theoretical and experimental studies and indicate that the electronic and optical properties of bulk and surface In x Ga 1-x As materials are much different, and the results show that the considered optical properties of the both materials vary with increasing indium composition in an opposite way. The calculations show that the optical properties of surface In 0.75 Ga 0.25 As material are unexpected to be far from the other two indium compositions of surface In x Ga 1-x As materials while the optical properties of bulk In x Ga 1-x As materials vary with increasing indium composition in an expected regular way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was developed to study the shear stress induced by spherical cap bubbles on industrial scale hollow fibres. Simulations and experimental data were compared for water and a 0.5 g/L xanthan gum solution that mimicked the rheological behaviour of activated sludge. The model was built on a pilot-scale membrane tank configured with five 1.5 m long hollow fibre membranes. 58–290 ml spherical cap bubbles were sparged into the system at frequencies from 0.2 to 1 Hz. The Volume of Fluid (VOF) method coupled with the Realizable k–ε turbulent model was used to simulate the transient behaviour of cap bubbles rising in a Newtonian and a viscous shear-thinning liquid. CFD prediction of root mean square (RMS) shear stress induced by pulsed bubbles exhibited an inverse relationship with experimental observations of membrane fouling. At a constant flux of 25 L/m 2 /h (LMH), fouling decreased from 5.1 to 3.9 kPa/min as simulated RMS shear stress increased from 0.04 to 0.25 Pa. Shear fluctuations, which are considered to be beneficial for the cleaning of membranes, were less pronounced for a non-Newtonian fluid compared to in water. Increasing pulse bubble size from 115 ml to 290 ml led to a 80% increase of RMS shear stress, and therefore improved the fouling control efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permian karstic bauxite and its Quaternary derivative, in western Guangxi, southwestern, South China Block, possess a total tonnage greater than 0.5 billion tons. The primary late Permian karstic bauxite formed in reduced environment in the background of Tethyan accretionary orogenesis. And as one consequence of Cenozoic convergence of the Indian and Eurasia continents, the primary orebody was uplifted, eroded and re-sedimented within Quaternary laterite. The geochemical variation and its controls during the ore transformation from Permian to Quaternary remain poorly understood. Quaternary ore blocks comprise an inner zone of fresh ore, and then it gradually transited through a middle zone to a margin with extensive weathering. One such bauxite block was selected and further subdivided into twenty-three samples for geochemical and mineralogical analysis. The inner and middle zones contain similar mineralogical compositions, dominated by diaspore and amesite, with minor illite, anatase, goethite, pyrite, zircon, and rutile. The margin is composed of diaspore, with small amounts of amesite, boehmite, illite, goethite, anatase, kaolinite, zircon, rutile, and barite. Bauxite in all three zones is composed of mainly Al, Si, Fe, and Ti, and high contents of Zr, Cr, Li, F, S, Zn, V, Sr, Nb, Ba, and REE. Variations in Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ between the three zones were observed. The elements Si, Al, Fe 2+ , Mg, Ba, Cr, F, Li, Ni, Zn, and REE decrease from the core of the ore block outwards, corresponding to an increase in S and Fe 3+ . Depletions in Si, Al, Fe 2+ , Mg, Ba, and Cr were caused by the dissolution of amesite. Most of the Al and Si in amesite were lost during the weathering, and minor retained to form kaolinite. Depletions in Li, Ni, and Zn resulted from changes in the depositional environment between the late Permian and Quaternary. Dissolution of REE-bearing fluorocarbonates resulted in depletions of REE and F. The enrichment of Fe 3+ and S was related to the precipitation of goethite, hematite, and barite in an oxidizing environment, while local enrichment of Ce resulted from the redox change of Ce 3+ → Ce 4+ under the same condition. This shows that the chemical composition of laterite enwrapping the bauxite also took part in Quaternary bauxite transformation. This study shows that the elements migrations during bauxite transformation were influenced by multiple independent factors except for the elemental attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 0.5 billion tons of late Permian bauxite overlies the karstic topography of the Maokou Formation of western Guangxi in China. Here, we provide new mineralogical, geochemical, Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic, and pyrite S isotope and trace element compositional data for the Pingguo bauxite deposit, aiming to further our understanding of the genesis of Permian bauxite. The Pingguo bauxite contains three distinct layers: a lower layer dominated by ferric clay or weathered iron ore, a middle layer of cryptocrystalline and oolitic bauxite ore, and an upper layer dominated by argillaceous bauxite. The bauxite ore is mainly diaspore, pyrite, chamosite, and anatase, whereas the argillaceous bauxite contains diaspore, kaolinite, pyrophyllite, pyrite, and anatase. Two types of pyrite have been identified within the bauxite: fine-grained and framboidal pyrite (Py1) occurring in aggregates and coarse-grained and euhedral pyrite (Py2). Py1 is enriched in trace elements and is thought to have a diagenetic origin, whereas Py2 is deficient in trace elements and is considered to have formed by later recrystallization. The S isotopic composition of pyrite (−34.11 to −18.91‰) and visible ovoid microorganisms within the bauxite provide evidences of microbial activity during bauxite formation. The Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic composition of the bauxite indicates that these ores were generated by the weathering of basalts belonging to the Emeishan Large Igneous Province (LIP) and limestones of the Maokou Formation. Microorganisms were likely to have enhanced the dissolution and weathering of the parent rock and facilitated the precipitation of diaspore under near-surface conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulated evidence indicates that obesity-induced type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with enhanced sympathetic activation. The present study was conducted to investigate the role for leptin-glutamate signaling within the hypothalamus in regulating sympathetic nerve activity. In anesthetized rats, microinjections of leptin (5 ng ~ 100 ng) into the arcuate nucleus (ARCN) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) induced increases in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR). Prior microinjections of NMDA receptor antagonist AP5 (16 pmol) into the ARCN or PVN reduced leptin-induced increases in RSNA, BP, and HR in both ARCN and PVN. Knockdown of a leptin receptor with siRNA inhibited NMDA-induced increases in RSNA, BP, and HR in the ARCN but not in the PVN. Confocal calcium imaging in the neuronal NG108 and astrocytic C6 cells demonstrated that preincubation with leptin induced an increase in intracellular calcium green fluorescence when the cells were challenged with glutamate. In high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin-induced T2D rats, we found that leptin receptor and NMDA NR1 receptor expressions in the ARCN and PVN were significantly increased. In conclusion, these studies provide evidence that within the hypothalamic nuclei, leptin-glutamate signaling regulates the sympathetic activation. This may contribute to the sympathoexcitation commonly observed in obesity-related T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

>5 billion tons of karstic bauxites were formed during the Late Carboniferous in the North China Craton (NCC). However, the metallogenic mechanism of bauxite is still obscure due to the unclear formation process of the main ore mineral, diaspore. We conducted geological, mineralogical, δ34S pyrite , and in-situ diaspore trace element analyses on the Baode-Xingxian large bauxite deposit in the northern NCC, aiming to clarify the diaspore-forming mechanism and explore the genesis of bauxite. Generally, bauxites in northern NCC contains three layers from bottom to top: Fe-bearing claystone, bauxite ore, and claystone. The bauxite ore is mainly diaspore, kaolinite, and illite; the Fe-bearing claystone is illite and berthierine; and the claystone is primarily kaolinite. The broadly distributed high positive δ34S pyrite values (10‰–40‰) indicate that bauxites in the northern NCC formed in shallow-water environments. Total 216 diaspore grains have similar trace element compositions, and are obviously enriched in Cr, V, Re and U, but not in Mo, indicating that diaspore was formed in the subreduced facies. Diaspore with Fe/Al up to 4 mol% has slightly large cells, indicated that small-scale larger ions, Fe, entered the diaspore lattice to form Fe-diaspore. The favorable temperature and water activity of Fe-diaspore precipitation is similar to that of Al-hematite+ boehmite. We thus propose a probable diaspore formation mechanism: the small scale of Fe for Al substitution in the diaspore lattice and stabilize it to induce Fe-diaspore formation. Fe-diaspore is metastable with respect to diaspore and tends to convert into it during the diagenesis process. [Display omitted] • The high positive δ34S values revealed that bauxites formed in the shallow water. • The elemental proxies revealed that diaspore formed in the subreduced facies. • The Fe3+for Al3+ substitution induced to form Fe-diaspore. • Metastable Fe-diaspore tends to convert into diaspore during diagenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Mineral composition of bauxite is affected by karstic topography. • Bauxite formation conditions range from oxidation to reduction. • Minerals deposited under different conditions are rich in microorganisms. • Microorganisms may promote the deposition of diaspore and boehmite. The metallogenic process of karstic bauxite in Central Yunnan Basin (CYB) remain obscure. Mineralogical, geochemical, and isotopic analyses of two profiles (profile A and B) in the Yuxi karstic bauxite deposit within CYB were conducted to explore the formation environment and metallogenic process of Early Permian bauxite. Profile A in the karstic uplifted area comprises clayey bauxite, claystone, and oolitic bauxite from the bottom to the top, while profile B in the karstic depression area contains oolitic bauxite, claystone, oolitic bauxite, and claystone. The oolitic bauxite mainly contains diaspore and chamosite, and a small amount of kaolinite and anatase, while the clayey bauxite primarily includes boehmite and kaolinite, and a small amount of goethite and anatase. The claystone is dominated by kaolinite and illite. The δ15N value of the oolitic bauxite in the top of profile B is close to zero (−0.8 ‰), indicating a reducing deposition environment. The δ13C org value of profile A is negatively shifted between clayey bauxite and oolitic bauxite, while that of profile B is not significantly changed between the lower oolitic bauxite and the upper oolitic bauxite. This indicates that REDOX changes in the formation of clayey bauxite and oolitic bauxite in profile A are obvious, while REDOX changes in profile B are not evident. Mineral assemblages and isotopic results suggest that the mineralization conditions of profile A experienced a transition from oxidizing and weakly alkaline to reducing and alkaline, while the mineralization conditions of profile B were always reducing and alkaline. The presence of large-scale microorganisms, negative δ34S values (−42.2 to −10.1 ‰), and framboidal and cuboidal goethite provide evidence for microbial involvement in the entire mineralization process. The above results confirm two metallogenetic events of Yuxi karstic bauxite deposit. In the early metallogenetic event, the water table was low and most of the karstic terrains were exposed except some karstic depressions. Abundant boehmite and kaolinite thus formed in the karstic uplifted areas forming the clayey bauxite, and diaspore and chamosite in the karstic depressions forming the oolitic bauxite. In the late metallogenetic event, with the rise of water table, all karstic terrains were submerged, and large-scale diaspore and chamosite were widely deposited, thus forming oolitic bauxite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mafic dikes of mainly Early Cretaceous age (130–110 Ma) are widely developed on the Jiaodong Peninsula, China. Previous studies of the dikes, which have focused mainly on occurrences in the Jiaobei uplift and in the Sulu orogenic belt, have thoroughly examined their petrogenesis and geodynamic setting. This study identified four previously unknown mafic dikes (dolerite and lamprophyre) in southeastern Jiaolai basin (near Haiyang city), Jiaodong Peninsula. Detailed geochemical and geochronological analyses were conducted to determine the petrogenesis of the dikes and to infer their geodynamic setting. Zircon U–Pb dating by laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) indicates that the dikes were emplaced at ~126 Ma. The dikes are characterized by low SiO2contents (44.3–52.3 wt.%), high contents of MgO (7.28–10.13 wt.%), Cr (267–652 ppm), and Ni (93–335 ppm), and high Mg#values (63–73); they are enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs; Ba, K, and Sr), depleted in high field strength elements (HFSEs; Nb, Ta, P, and Ti), and are characterized by high (87Sr/86Sr)iisotope ratios (0.707226–0.708222), lowεNd(t) values (−12.3 to −13.6), and zirconεHf(t) values (−15.6 to −23.6). These features suggest that the dikes were derived from enriched subcontinent lithospheric mantle (SCLM). The wide range of Rb/Sr (0.04–0.18) and Ba/Rb (5–34) ratios, and the low and limited range of Dy/Yb (1.93–2.52) and K/Yb (5.71–11.99) ratios of the dikes indicate that the magmas originated from a low degree of partial melting of an amphibole- and phlogopite-bearing lherzolite in the spinel–garnet transition zone. The parental magma might have experienced fractionation of olivine and clinopyroxene during its ascent without significant crustal contamination. Evident depletion of Nb–Ta and Zr–Hf, low and limited range of Th/Yb ratios, elevated Ba/La ratios, constant chondritic Zr/Hf ratios, and a large range of Hf/Sm ratios further indicate that the mantle sources of the dikes were altered by carbonate-related metasomatism from subducted slab-derived fluids, which were most likely related to subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific plate during the Mesozoic. The mafic dikes in the southeastern Jiaolai basin resemble the arc-like mafic dikes in the Jiaobei terrain and the Sulu orogenic belt, and possibly indicate lithospheric thinning induced by slab rollback of the Palaeo-Pacific plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models incorporating sludge rheology model and porous media sub-models were used to simulate the impact of eight design variables, including fibre orientation, filtration tank geometry and aeration design, on the hydrodynamics and aeration patterns in a pilot scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) fitted with commercially available membrane modules. Comparison of simulated with experimental grid averaged flow velocities measured using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) in an aerated bench scale MBR differed by approximately 6%. The assessment of different turbulence models revealed that it was difficult to accurately simulate local variations in turbulence induced by air bubbles due to limitations of Reynolds averaging Navier Stokes (RANS) models. Simulation results revealed that MBR's fitted with hollow fibres in a vertical orientation in the filtration zone experienced 25% more membrane surface shear than horizontally oriented fibres at the same aeration intensity. The inclusion of baffles around the membrane modules promoted turbulence and increased shear in the upper section of the membrane module by approximately 30%. This is important for control of fouling along sections of the hollow fibre membrane that experience the highest transmembrane pressure and are more susceptible to fouling. Rotating the nozzle aperture to face the bottom of the tank increased the homogeneity of shear stress on the lower half of the module and increased shear on the upper half of the membrane surface. This effect was amplified by locating the air diffusers 100 mm below the bottom of the module and aligning the aeration pipe in parallel with the direction of the fibre bundle. This research demonstrates the capability of using Computational Fluid Dynamics to optimise the design of the filtration zone comprising the membrane module, aeration system and MBR tank dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The dual-metal-free atom catalyst is investigated for the N 2 reduction reaction. • The heteronuclear B and P co-anchored g-CN show an ultralow limiting potential of −0.18 V. • The empty sp2 orbital of B and half-empty sp3 orbital of P is the main factor for high N 2 activity. • The synergistic effect induced by orbital hybridization accelerates the N 2 reduction reaction. The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) for ammonia production is promising for N 2 fixation under ambient conditions. Most of the previous studies focus on transition metal-based catalysts, while the metal-free-based ones have not gotten enough attention. We designed dual-site metal-free atoms anchored on g-CN for electrocatalytic NRR based on the density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Results indicated that the B and P atoms co-doped g-CN system exhibits excellent NRR performance with a low limiting potential of −0.18 V, superior to most metal-based catalysts. In addition, a synergistic effect induced by the hybridization of B and P atoms is proposed. Eventually, the selectivity, thermodynamical stability, and conductivity are investigated. All of these modulations make the B-P@g-CN an excellent electrocatalyst. Our work provides a novel method for electrocatalytic NRR to ammonia and promotes the development of NRR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CO 2 was first employed for the anionic-surfactant self-assembly system. • A high adsorption capacity of over 5.0 wt% for CO 2 uptake at 30 °C. • Easily regenerate at a relative low temperature of 90 °C. • A stable adsorbent can be used at least 30 recycling. In this work, we reported a strategy on how to utilize CO 2 in synthesizing adsorbent materials, which were then applied in CO 2 capture. The innovation was the first discovery of carbon dioxide as a special weak acid in aqueous solution to adjust the interaction between the anionic surfactant and the amino-silane, which simultaneously achieved high amine content, well-ordered mesopores, and high surface area, thereby achieving high-efficiency adsorption of CO 2. An adsorption capacity of over 5.0 wt% for CO 2 uptake at 30 °C and a regeneration of over 30 adsorption–desorption cycles were proven that it was a good adsorbent for CO 2 capture. In addition, this adsorbent was easily regenerated at a relatively low temperature of 90 °C. Therefore, it showed great potential for CO 2 capture considering the energy-saving and the environmental aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karstic bauxites in western Guangxi, China, comprise two subtypes: Permian bauxite and Quaternary bauxite. The Quaternary bauxite originated from the breaking up, rolling, and accumulating of Permian bauxite in karstic depressions in Quaternary. Various types of rare earth element (REE) minerals were discovered during the formation of the Permian and Quaternary bauxites from the Xinxu, Longhe, and Tianyang bauxite deposits in this study. Five types of REE minerals, including bastnäsite, parisite, cerianite, rhabdophane, and churchite, were identified. Bastnäsite and parisite are the most abundant, and they are widely developed in the Permian ore and also present in the Quaternary ore. Obvious variations in bastnäsite and parisite REE compositions were observed, which is ascribed to distinctions in the source materials in the primary weathering profile from different areas. The mode of occurrence of bastnäsite and parisite suggests they were mainly precipitated under alkaline and reducing conditions during the Permian bauxite-forming stage and underwent intensive corrosion in the Quaternary. Churchite was formed during the Permian weathering stage under acidic condition. Both cerianite and rhabdophane occur in fractures within the Permian bauxite ore, indicating that both formed during the Quaternary weathering stage. It is considered that the rhabdophane enriched in Ce have formed locally, in the process of that the Ce 3 + , released from bastnäsite rapidly, entered the rhabdophane lattice before being oxidized to Ce 4 + . Cerianite was mainly found in association with Mn–Al hydroxides, suggesting that the released Ce 3 + was oxidized into Ce 4 + and precipitated cerianite in fractures within the Permian bauxite ore. Mass balance equations reveal a depletion in nearly all REEs during the transformation from the Permian to the Quaternary bauxite ore, mainly caused by the dissolution of bastnäsite and parisite. The genesis of the REE minerals, together with the occurrence of other minerals, indicates that intensively acidic and oxidizing conditions developed before the formation of the Permian bauxite ore. Towards the end of the Permian, the conditions became reducing and alkaline, favorable for the large-scale bauxitization. The Quaternary bauxite-forming stage was characterized by variable pH and Eh conditions, with acidic (pH = 4–6) and oxidizing (Eh > 2) conditions at the surface of the exposed Permian bauxite ore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Fluid Structural Interaction (FSI) approach was used to simulate fluid flow, surface shear and filtration flux as a function of aeration induced lateral fibre movement in a submerged membrane system. The two-way FSI approach integrated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), to model the three-dimensional pressure/loads of the air–liquid two-phase flow, and Transient Structural Analysis, to calculate pressure induced displacement of fibres with different material, diameter and looseness. These novel, a priori simulations provide insights into the effects of both membrane intrinsic properties, fibre packing density, and two-phase flow on the critical factors for fouling control. Fibre displacement and membrane surface shear profiles on a 300 mm long fibre were spatially and temporarily variable, with irregular periodical patterns established approximately 10 s after initiation of aeration at 4.7 Nm 3 /h. Average surface shear was 67% higher for 1.3 mm diameter fibres compared to a 1.0 mm fibre of identical Young's modulus and looseness. Increasing the fibre looseness from 0.5% to 1% increased the average surface shear by 50.4% (0.56–1.13 Pa) for fibres of identical diameter and Young's modulus, whereas reducing the Young's modulus from 76 to 20 MPa for fibres with identical diameter and looseness only increased average surface shear by 9.7%. The FSI modelled fibre displacement showed good agreement with experimentally measured fibre displacement data, with 8.3% difference in amplitude and 9.1% in period. The impact of fibre movement on pure water flux was assessed by quantifying the reduction in shell side pressure due to changes in flow of the surrounding liquid. This reduction in shell side pressure, together with the increase of the pressure drop in the lumen side caused by the distortion of fibre geometry, resulted in a decrease in transmembrane pressure and filtration flux for the moving fibre compared to a fixed fibre. FSI simulations of the behaviour of an idealised multi-fibre bundle indicated that reducing the separation between adjacent fibres from 1.0 mm to 0.2 mm enhanced interactions between adjacent fibres that increased surface shear from less than 0.05 to 0.23 Pa. This novel FSI approach provides insight into aeration induced fibre movement enabling critical assessment of the effects of material, fibre diameter and looseness on surface shear and flux in submerged hollow fibre membrane systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Berberine, an alkaloid derivative extracted from numerous plants of the general Berberis and Coptis, has been reported to have immunomodulatory effects against immune-mediated disorders in emerging studies. In this study, the effects of berberine and its underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated from the myosin-induced myocardial injury in rats. Lewis rats were immunized with porcine cardiac myosin to induce experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM), treated with berberine and specific JAK inhibitor AG490 as a positive control. Our data showed that both berberine and AG490 significantly reduced the impaired cardiac function and the pathophysiological severity, impeded high levels of anti-cardiac myosin antibody of EAM rats. Th17 and Th1 cells as well as their cytokines IL-17 and IFN-γ were up-regulated in EAM. However, the excessive increase of Th17/Th1 responses was restored by berberine and AG490. We also examined the expression level of phosphorylated proteins of JAK-STAT pathway which has a key role in the Th17 and Th1 lineage commitment. The phosphorylated (p)-STAT1,STAT3 and STAT4 increased significantly in EAM, while berberine notably attenuated their excessive expression. This effect of berberine was equivalent to that of AG490 blockade. Our current study demonstrated that berberine could ameliorate EAM and the underling mechanisms may be due to the fact that berberine differentially modulates the activities of p-STAT1, p-STAT3 and p-STAT4 to suppress Th17 and Th1 cell differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yemaquan skarn deposit in the northwestern part of the Qimantagh is located in the eastern Kunlun orogenic belt. The deposit is hosted in carbonate rocks, siltstones, and sandstones of the Cambrian–Ordovician Tanjianshan Group and Late Carboniferous Di'aosu Formation. These rocks are intruded by Triassic calc-alkaline granitoid that extended NW–SE. Three stages of mineralization have been identified, i.e., pre-ore stage, syn-ore stage, and post-ore stage. The prograde skarn stage, which corresponds to the pre-ore stage, is dominated by clinopyroxene and garnet. Clinopyroxene is much more abundant than garnet in the deposit and consists of three types of clinopyroxene in the deposit. In terms of the end-members diopside (CaMgSi 2 O 6 ), hedenbergite (CaFeSi 2 O 6 ), and johannsenite (CaMnSi 2 O 6 ), namely, type I (with an average composition of Di 92 Hd 7 Joh 1 ), type II (with an average of composition of Di 62 Hd 36 Joh 2 ), and type III (with an average composition of Di 24 Hd 54 Joh 22 ) occurred from the proximal intrusions to the distal wall rocks. Type I, II, and III clinopyroxenes are associated with copper–iron, iron, and zinc–lead mineralization, respectively. Garnet mostly occurred in the middle of exoskarn zonations and is associated with type II clinopyroxene. The distribution of the garnet in the skarn zonation could be explained by the stability fields of clinopyroxene, which is strongly dependent on composition. Based on mineral assemblages, the formation of type II and type III, comparative to type I clinopyroxene, is in more reduced condition in the distal skarn. Moreover sulfur isotope carried out on sulfide minerals from both the prograde and retrograde stages show a variable and wide range of δ 34 S values (− 6.9 to 4.2‰ δ 34 S), suggesting that the skarn-forming fluid may have been affected by the reduced wall rocks. The low garnet/clinopyroxene ratios observed at the deposit might be caused by the clinopyroxene composition variations and reduced wall rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A CFD model, incorporating an empirically determined rheology model and a porous media model, was developed to simulate bubble induced surface shear in membrane bioreactors configured with hollow fibre membranes with outer diameters ranging from 1.3 to 2.4 mm, arranged in vertically orientated modules with packing density from 200 to 560 m 2 /m 3 . The rheology model was developed for mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentrations of 3 to 16 gL −1 in the presence and absence of coagulant (generated by addition of a ferrous salt) for shear rates ranging from 0 to 500 s −1 . Experimentally determined particle relaxation times for the biological flocs in the mixed liquor, both in the absence and presence of iron, were negligible, consistent with an environment where positive buoyancy forces were greater than negative settling forces thereby allowing the sludge mixture to be modelled as a single continuous phase. The non-Newtonian behaviour of the mixed liquor was incorporated into the CFD simulations using an Ostwald-de Waele rheology model. Interactions between mixed liquor and hollow fibre membranes of different fibre size and packing density were described using a porous media model that was calibrated by empirical measurement of inertial loss coefficients over a range of viscosities (0.8 × 10 −3 to 2.1 × 10 −3 Pa.s) and velocities (0 to 0.35 m/s) typically encountered in full scale MBRs. Experimental results indicated that addition of iron salts resulted in an increase in MLSS and sludge viscosity. Shear stress is affected by both velocity and viscosity. The increase in sludge viscosity resulted in an increase in resistance to flow through the hollow fibre membrane bundles and, as a result, decreased the liquid flow velocities. CFD simulations provided insight on the effects of point of coagulant addition and MLSS concentration on bubble-induced shear over a range of industrially relevant conditions. A 12% increase in shear stress was observed when ferrous salts were added to the membrane filtration zone compared to addition to the primary anoxic zone. The presence of iron salts also improved the distribution of shear stress especially at the lower zone of the membrane module. The CFD models developed here were validated using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) with the average difference between simulated liquid velocities and PIV measured velocities found to be 5.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Guangou bauxite deposit in western Henan, China, is located in the North China Block and to the north of the North Qinling orogenic belt. The orebody is hosted within the lower member of the Carboniferous Benxi Formation, which overlies unconformably upon the Ordovician Majiagou Formation. In the lower member of the Benxi Formation, the bauxite orebody (with a diaspore–illite–anatase mineral assemblage) is sandwiched between underlying ferric clay (illite–hematite–goethite) and overlying top clay (kaolinite–quartz–goethite). According to field observations and geochemical evidence including trace- and rare-earth-element (REE) compositions, especially Zr/Hf ratios, the ferric clays were weathered from the underlying argillaceous limestones in the Majiagou Formation. During this weathering process, trace elements S, Zn, Ni, Cr, V, Sc, F, Ba, and Be are depleted; Li, Rb, and B are enriched; and Zr, Hf, Bi, Ta, Ga, Nb, and Th are relatively immobile. REEs exhibit evident differentiation with enrichment of La, Ce, Pr, and Nd and depletion of Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu. The bauxite formed in weak reducing, slightly basic water conditions according to the geneses of coexisting diaspore and anatase, and it was altered during the epigenetic and second exposure periods, forming kaolinite and goethite, respectively. Interelemental relationship analyses of the ores suggest that the elemental behaviors of trace elements and REEs in the bauxitization process are mainly controlled by the mineral compositions in bauxite ore and chemical properties of the elements. For instance, zircon, rutile, and anatase contain Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, W, and U. Based on geochemical evidence, together with age data and chemical compositions of the detrital minerals, both distant igneous rocks in the plate margin and Paleozoic carbonates and Precambrian rocks inside North China Block provide the miscellaneous material for the bauxite ore and the top clay. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction Erectile dysfunction is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus. Apart from the peripheral actions, central mechanisms are also responsible for penile erection. Aim This study aims to determine the contribution of angiotensin ( ANG) II in the dysfunction of central N-methyl- D-aspartic acid ( NMDA)- and nitric oxide ( NO)-induced erectile responses in streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic ( T1D) rats. Methods Three weeks after streptozotocin injections, rats were randomly treated with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor-enalapril, or the ANG II type 1 receptor blocker, losartan, or the superoxide dismutase mimetic, tempol, or vehicle via chronic intracerebroventricular infusion by osmotic mini-pump for 2 weeks. Main Outcome Measure Central NMDA receptor stimulation or the administration of the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside ( SNP)-induced penile erectile responses and concurrent behavioral responses were monitored in conscious rats. Results Two weeks of enalapril, losartan, or tempol treatment significantly improved the erectile responses to central microinjection of both NMDA and SNP in the paraventricular nucleus ( PVN) of conscious T1D rats ( NMDA responses- T1D+enalapril: 1.7 ± 0.6, T1D+losartan: 2.0 ± 0.3, T1D+tempol: 2.0 ± 0.6 vs. T1D+vehicle: 0.6 ± 0.3 penile erections/rat in the first 20 minutes, P < 0.05; SNP responses- T1D+enalapril: 0.9 ± 0.3, T1D+losartan: 1.3 ± 0.3, T1D+tempol: 1.4 ± 0.4 vs. T1D+vehicle: 0.4 ± 0.2 penile erections/rat in the first 20 minutes, P < 0.05). Concurrent behavioral responses including yawning and stretching, induced by central NMDA and SNP microinjections, were also significantly increased in T1D rats after enalapril, losartan, or tempol treatments. Neuronal NO synthase expression within the PVN was also significantly increased, and superoxide production was reduced in T1D rats after these treatments. Conclusions These data strongly support the contention that enhanced ANG II mechanism/s within the PVN of T1D rats contributes to the dysfunction of central NMDA-induced erectile responses in T1D rats via stimulation of superoxide. Zheng H, Liu X, and Patel KP. Centrally mediated erectile dysfunction in rats with type 1 diabetes: Role of angiotensin II and superoxide. J Sex Med 2013;10:2165-2176. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hollow-structured mesoporous silica has wide applications in catalysis and drug delivery due to its high surface area, large hollow space, and short diffusion mesochannels. However, the synthesis of hollow structures usually requires sacrificial templates, leading to increased production costs and environmental problems. Here, for the first time, amino-functionalized mesoporous silica hollow spheres were synthesized by using CO2 gaseous bubbles as templates. The assembly of anionic surfactants, co-structure directing agents, and inorganic silica precursors around CO2 bubbles formed the mesoporous silica shells. The hollow silica spheres, 200–400 nm in size with 20–30 nm spherical shell thickness, had abundant amine groups on the surface of the mesopores, indicating excellent applications for CO2 capture, Knoevenagel condensation reaction, and the controlled release of Drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karst bauxite resources are widespread in the Shanxi Province, accounting for the richest bauxite resources in China. The Shanxi bauxite deposits are hosted in the lower member of the Carboniferous Benxi Formation, which consists of karst bauxite-bearing sequences. In addition to being main economic source of aluminum, there are many critical metals in the karst bauxite-bearing sequences. The spidergram pattern, REE pattern, immobile element tracing, and Cr Ni bivariate plots, as well as the previous studies on detrital zircons of North China Craton (NCC) bauxite ores, show that iron-rich clays were mainly weathered from the underlying carbonates, whereas the bauxite ore and top clay have allochthonous protoliths. Based on field investigations and geochemical characteristics of five typical drillcore sections in the Xiabu area, as well as previous researches, we concluded four sedimentary successions and we perfected the geological model of the karst bauxite-bearing sequences in central NCC. The Ordovician carbonate bedrocks developed many paleokarst terrain on the NCC, which experienced 150 Myr of karstification and denudation from the Middle Ordovician. Paleokarst terrain determines the distribution and thickness of the iron-rich clay layer. And the iron-rich clay above or below the groundwater table are separated into red Shanxi-type iron or clay (Fe3+-bearing minerals) and grey clay (Fe2+-bearing minerals). Until the Late Carboniferous, the sedimentation suddenly occurred in the NCC. New sediments were predominantly source materials for bauxite deposits, which were primarily controlled by the landform of the discontinuous weathered iron-rich clay. Furthermore, the humid and warm climate conditions reinforce the intensity of chemical weathering and microorganism participation, which also contributes to the formation of bauxite ore layer and top clay layer. The bauxite-bearing sequences in the Xiabu area contain high contents of critical elements such as U, Th, REEs, and Sc. In this study, high-level natural radioactivity was detected in the bauxite ore layer through gamma-ray logging of vertical sections. The correlation analysis revealed that the highly elevated U and Th contents in the bauxite ore layer are positively correlated with the natural radioactivity. Therefore, utilizing the gamma-ray logging method is effective in prospecting concealed karstic bauxite deposits. The REEs are also highly enriched in the bauxite ore layer and are positively correlated with P and Sr, indicating that the REEs are mainly hosted by phosphate minerals. The Sc contents of red clay are extremely high (up to 206.7 μg/g; average 118 μg/g), reaching industry standards levels. The integrated utilization of critical metals of the bauxite-bearing sequences is an important strategy for facing the significant supply crisis. • The bottom iron-rich clay and upper bauxite and clay in the bauxite-bearing sequences have distinct source materials. • A geological model is established for the formation of the karst bauxite-bearing sequences. • Gamma-ray logging can be used to explore concealed bauxite deposits. • The Sc contents in the iron-rich clay layer meet the industry standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Songqi region, SW Henan, is an important bauxite province in China. The bauxite ore deposits occur unconformably on the top of Middle Ordovician argillaceous carbonates. The bauxite ores from the Songqi region are characterized by unusually high boron contents. In this paper, we report the mineralogical and chemical compositions of selected bauxite ores from the region. These new data, together with existing geochemical data of soils in the region, are used to evaluate the origin of boron enrichment in the bauxite ores. The compositional characteristics of tourmaline in the bauxite ores suggests that this mineral was likely derived from a meta-sedimentary protolith. Mass balance calculation reveals that tourmaline only accounts for a small portion of boron in the bauxite ores; the majority of boron in the ores must occur in other forms, possibly by ion absorption on the surfaces of diaspore and clay minerals. In the Songqi region, the Precambrian meta-sedimentary rocks are known to contain abundant tourmalines whereas the Cambrian–Ordovician argillaceous carbonates and the Upper Proterozoic shales are all enriched in boron in free ion state. We suggest that these rocks provided tourmaline and boron ion to the bauxite deposits in the region. Most known bauxite deposits in the Songqi region occur at the margins of boron-rich soil domains, suggesting that boron in soils is a potential exploration indicator for unknown bauxite deposits in this region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gold deposits in Jiaodong, termed Jiaodong‐type, are tectonically located in the southeastern margin of the North China Craton. Their major features are reviewed in this paper to highlight the differences between Jiaodong deposits and other genetic types of gold deposits. The mineralization was synchronized with asthenosphere upwelling indicated by syn‐ore OIB‐like mafic dike and large‐scale crustal thinning suggested by decrease of Sr/Y from pre‐ore to syn‐ore granites. Asthenosphere upwelling induced by the roll‐back of Paleo‐Pacific Plate drove partial melting of lithospheric mantle and devolatilization, which induced the release of the ore‐forming fluids. In concomitant with magmatic records, mineralization migrated from the western Jiaobei terrane (133–127 Ma) to the eastern Sulu orogenic belt (114–108 Ma), corresponding to the eastward roll‐back of Paleo‐Pacific Plate. Gold mineralization in Jiaodong formed in the transitions of ductile to brittle deformation, rapid to slow crustal uplift, and regional compression to extension. In the regional‐scale, the gold deposits in the Jiaobei terrane are mostly situated at intersections between NE‐trending faults and EW‐trending basement faults, and gold orebodies dominantly controlled by the lithologic contacts between Precambrian metamorphic rocks and Mesozoic granites. The mineralization was dominated by the disseminated‐veinlet ores related to quartz–sericite alteration in strong cataclasite‐breccia zone, with subsidiary thick quartz‐sulfide veins developed in secondary fault zones. The ore‐forming fluids belong to a H2O–CO2–NaCl±CH4 system and show minor variations in salinity among different types of ore. Structure‐fluid feedback involving fluid‐rock reaction and hydrofracturing triggered the fluid phase separation and resultant gold deposition. The Jiaodong gold deposits are distinct from orogenic and intrusion‐related gold deposits in terms of tectonic setting, origin of ore‐forming fluids, and mechanism of gold deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In recent decades, more than 0.5 billion tons of ores scattered in the Quaternary laterite in western Guangxi, China have been explored. The ores were derived from a bauxite horizon in Permian via physical break-up and re-sediment process. Utilizing various test methods, i.e., XRD, DTA, TG/DTG, SEM/EDS and EPMA, the mineralogical characteristics of the Quaternary bauxite ores in Jingxi and Debao counties were investigated. XRD was used together with TG/DTG to obtain relatively accurate ore mineral abundance. Diaspore is the major phase, whereas hematite, kaolinite, anatase, chamosite, gibbsite, goethite, illite and rutile are minor. Diaspore is characterized by a small particle size, low degrees of crystallinity and complex chemical composition. Both gibbsite and goethite have a varied particle size, and goethite crystals contain high Al substitution and Si. It is clarified that diaspore, chamosite and anatase were formed in a mildly reduced and alkaline depositional environment in Permian, while gibbsite, hematite, goethite and part kaolinite were precipitated from Al3+-, Si4+- and Fe3+-enriched solutions within an Quaternary oxidized environment. The ions Al3+, Si4+ and Fe3+ are mostly released from chamosite in its dissolution process. The different physicochemical conditions between the Permian depositional and the Quaternary weathering periods resulted in a complex mineral assemblage in the Quaternary bauxite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of novel methyl 5-substituted 1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-ylcarbamates were designed, synthesized, and their acrosin inhibitory activities evaluated in vitro. The results of acrosin inhibitory activity showed that all title compounds were more potent than the control TLCK. Compound 4w displayed the most potent acrosin inhibitory activity among all the compounds, with an IC50 of 6.3×10−5 M. The studies provide a new structural class for the development of novel acrosin inhibitory agents. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Under arbitrary masses, in this paper, we discuss the existence of new families of spatial central configurations for the N + N + 2-body problem, N ≥ 2. We study some necessary conditions and sufficient conditions for a families of spatial double pyramidical central configurations (d.p.c.c), where 2N bodies are at the vertices of a nested regular N-gons Γ1 U Γ2, and the other two bodies are symmetrically located on the straight line that is perpendicular to the plane that contains Γ1 U Γ2 and passes through the geometric center of Γ1 U Γ2. We prove that if the bodies are in a d.p.c.c, then the masses on each N-gon are equal, and the other two are also equal. And also we prove the existence and uniqueness of the central configurations for any given ratios of masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human acrosin is an attractive target for the discovery of male contraceptive drugs. For the first time, structure-based drug design was applied to discover structurally diverse human acrosin inhibitors. A parallel virtual screening strategy in combination with pharmacophore-based and docking-based techniques was used to screen the SPECS database. From 16 compounds selected by virtual screening, a total of 10 compounds were found to be human acrosin inhibitors. Compound 2 was found to be the most potent hit (IC = 14 μM) and its binding mode was investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. The hit interacted with human acrosin mainly through hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding interactions, which provided a good starting structure for further optimization studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Dajia Salento-type bauxite deposit in western Guangxi is hosted within the Quaternary ferrallitic soil profile, and it formed via breaking up, weathering and oxidizing of Permian bauxite orebodies occurring as a semi-continuous layer in the upper Permian. Mineralogical analyses reveal that diaspore, hematite and kaolinite are the major minerals in bauxite ores with small amounts of anatase, chamosite, gibbsite, goethite, illite, zircon, quartz and pyrite. The ore texture and mineral assemblage reveal that the depositional/diagenetic environment of the Dajia bauxite was much close to phreatic environment. Both the ore texture and the morphology of zircon grains also indicate that most of the bauxitic soils were transported a short distance. Diaspore is suggested to be non-metamorphic in origin and mainly formed in a reducing condition of diagenetic environment, while kaolinite is the product of the in situ epigenetic replacement of alumina in diaspore by dissolved silica. Geochemical analyses indicate that Al2O3, Fe2O3, SiO2 and TiO2 are the main components of the bauxite ores and trace elements such as Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Th and U were enriched during the bauxitization process. Simultaneously, Zr vs. Hf and Nb vs. Ta show a high correlation. Geochemical indices such as Zr/Hf, Nb/Ta and Eu/Eu* (among others) denote that the magmatic rocks related to the Emeishan plume in western Guangxi and the carbonates in the underlying Maokou Formation provided the main sources of material for the bauxite ores. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: The effects of angiotensin-II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) on the treatment of hypertension, heart failure, and other cardiovascular diseases have been confirmed extensively. However, recent studies have emphasized the nonhemodynamic effects of these drugs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ARBs on the development of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM), and to clarify the mechanisms involved. Methods: EAM model was induced in Lewis rats by injection of porcine cardiac myosin subcutaneously. We administered valsartan (a new ARB) to rats with EAM and measured blood pressure regularly. Echocardiography was performed to examine the cardiac function and heart structure of the rats. The severity of myocarditis was detected by histopathological evaluation. We evaluated antigen-specific T-cell proliferation responses to cardiac myosin by the lymphocyte proliferation assay and measured serum levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokines by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: There was no significant difference in the blood pressure (BP) level between the groups and cardiac function of valsartan-treated rats was significantly improved compared with untreated rats. Valsartan markedly reduced the severity of myocardial lesions and suppressed lymphocyte proliferation in rats immunized with myosin. After drug administration, Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-2) were significantly down-regulated, while Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) were detected to undergo up-regulation. Conclusions: The results suggest that valsartan can ameliorate EAM independent of BP-lowering effects. Some of the beneficial effects of ARBs may be due to their immunomodulatory reactions in the modification of helper T-cell balance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The key to the commercialization of sustainable energy conversion technologies is the development of high-performance catalysts. The discovery of a stable, efficient, and low-cost multi-function catalysts is the key. We used a simple green precipitation method to load nanozinc oxide particles onto a diatomite substrate. The ZnO is nano-sized. This precipitation method produces ZnO nanoparticles in situ on diatomite. The catalysts degraded 90% of Methylene blue solution and also degraded gaseous benzene and gaseous acetone. Not only can the catalysts be used for the organic degradation of wastewater, but it also has the potential to degrade volatile organic compounds. Photocatalytic efficiency is closely related to the generation and separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. The effective suppression of the recombination rate of photoliving carriers and thus improvement of the photocatalytic activity, has become a key research area. At present, photocatalysis is an effective technology to inhibit photogenerated carrier recombination, which is often studied in sewage treatment. Photoelectrochemical decomposition of water reduces the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes by applying an external bias, thus improving the quantum efficiency for the complete mineralization of organic pollutants. The composite catalysts were used for oxygen and hydrogen extraction reactions, and a comparison of the catalysts with various loading ratios showed that the photoelectrochemical decomposition of water activity of the composite catalysts are due to pure ZnO, and the efficiency is highest when the loading ratio is 10%. This work provides new methods for the design and further optimization of the preparation of photoelectrochemical decomposition of water catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work presents the finite-time blow-up of solutions to the equation in the Minkowski space. We extend the previous result of Belchev, Kepka and Zhou [E. Belchev, M. Kepka, Z. Zhou, Finite-time blow-up of solutions to semilinear wave equations, J. Funct. Anal. 190 (1) (2002) 233–254] comprehensively. Due to a modification of the so-called method of conformal compactification used by Belchev, Kepka and Zhou, we show that the solutions blow up in finite time with more relaxed initial data and extended index . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]