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Spent LiFePO4 batteries are gradually increasing in popularity and interest, and their stable and insoluble olive-shaped structure poses a great challenge for the sustainable recycling of Li. In this study, a simple and sustainable Ca(ClO)2 system was proposed for the recovery of spent LiFePO4 battery cathode materials. The effects of both mechanochemical activation and hydrometallurgical enhanced leaching on the deconstruction of LiFePO4 and the leaching rates of Li and Fe in the Ca(ClO)2 system were studied. Compared with mechanochemical activation, Ca(ClO)2-assisted hydrometallurgical enhanced leaching can simultaneously achieve the separation and enrichment of the target components Li+ and Fe3+ and the Ca2+ impurities. The transformation path and reaction mechanism of LiFePO4 in the Ca(ClO)2 system were proposed based on the phase composition and micromorphology of the reaction products. In addition, the economic evaluation results show that Ca(ClO)2-assisted hydrometallurgical enhanced leaching has a high recovery economy. The developed Ca(ClO)2 system realizes the strong dissolution of spent LiFePO4 battery cathode materials and the sustainable comprehensive recovery of valuable components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThere is a wide range of applications where the local extrema of a function are the key quantity of interest. However, there is surprisingly little work on methods to infer local extrema with uncertainty quantification in the presence of noise. By viewing the function as an infinite-dimensional nuisance parameter, a semiparametric formulation of this problem poses daunting challenges, both methodologically and theoretically, as (i) the number of local extrema may be unknown, and (ii) the induced shape constraints associated with local extrema are highly irregular. In this article, we build upon a derivative-constrained Gaussian process prior recently proposed by Yu et al. to derive what we call an encompassing approach that indexes possibly multiple local extrema by a single parameter. We provide closed-form characterization of the posterior distribution and study its large sample behavior under this unconventional encompassing regime. We show that the posterior measure converges to a mixture of Gaussians with the number of components matching the underlying truth, leading to posterior exploration that accounts for multi-modality. Point and interval estimates of local extrema with frequentist properties are also provided. The encompassing approach leads to a remarkably simple, fast semiparametric approach for inference on local extrema. We illustrate the method through simulations and a real data application to event-related potential analysis. Supplementary materials for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A facile-fast process was established for spent LiFePO 4 batteries recycling. • Mechanical mechanism and chemical mechanism jointly reveal the mechanochemical activation process. • The precursors of Li 2 CO 3 and FePO 4 were prepared by selective recovery of Li, Fe and P. • Advanced mechanochemical oxidation technology creates an acid-free environment. • The 4-minute activation time shows high economic benefits. As LiFePO 4 (LFP) gradually becomes the leader in the energy storage and power battery field, achieving a green and efficient industrialized recovery of Li from the stable lattice structure of LFP has become a significant requirement for driving resource and environmental sustainability. Here, a non-acid wet ultra-fast mechanochemistry reaction (UMR) instantaneous metallurgy technology is proposed, water leaching has obvious green and sustainable advantages. Including the wet mechanochemical reaction of C 10 H 14 N 2 Na 2 O 8 assisted H 2 O 2 and water leaching to deconstruct the orthorhombic olivine structure, and an innovative, detailed explanation of the mechanism of this technology is presented from the perspective of the synergy between mechanics and chemistry. The results indicate that under optimal conditions, stress energy accumulation and single-factor conditions can instantly achieve the activation process of efficiently deintercalating Li and enriching Fe in a single step within 4 mins, while still maintaining the olivine structure. Through the coupling of UMR with chelation reactions, the fastest selective recovery of 99.17 % of Li is achieved. Following filtration and precipitation, Fe and Li are ultimately recovered in the form of FePO 4 and Li 2 CO 3 precursors, respectively. Grey correlation analysis, grain flows numerical simulation, and the mechanism of chemical reactions indicate that rotation speed is the most critical factor affecting Li recovery, leading to the desorption of Fe(III) and Li+ mainly caused by the wear to the lattice structure by normal cumulative force, energy accumulation dissipation-induced advanced oxidation reactions, and chelation reactions. The non-acid USMR reported in this study offers a sustainable new pathway for the rapid extraction of Li from spent LFP for industrial purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep convolutional neural networks have achieved remarkable progress in recent years. However, the large volume of intermediate results generated during inference poses a significant challenge to the accelerator design for resource-constrained field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Due to the limited on-chip storage, partial results of intermediate layers are frequently transferred back and forth between on-chip memory and off-chip DRAM, leading to a nonnegligible increase in latency and energy consumption. In this article, we propose block convolution, a hardware-friendly, simple, yet efficient convolution operation that can completely avoid the off-chip transfer of intermediate feature maps at runtime. The fundamental idea of block convolution is to eliminate the dependency of feature map tiles in the spatial dimension when spatial tiling is used, which is realized by splitting a feature map into independent blocks so that convolution can be performed separately on individual blocks. We conduct extensive experiments to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed block convolution on both the algorithm side and the hardware side. Specifically, we evaluate block convolution on: 1) VGG-16, ResNet-18, ResNet-50, and MobileNet-V1 for the ImageNet classification task; 2) SSD and FPN for the COCO object detection task; and 3) VDSR for the Set5 single-image superresolution task. Experimental results demonstrate that comparable or higher accuracy can be achieved with block convolution. We also showcase two CNN accelerators via algorithm/hardware co-design based on block convolution on memory-limited FPGAs, and evaluation shows that both accelerators substantially outperform the baseline without off-chip transfer of intermediate feature maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Experimental and theoretical research on the fire resistance of reinforced concrete beams is summarized. • The important parameters are selected by parameter correlation analysis. • The fire resistance prediction equation is proposed by Machine Learning and regression analysis. Reinforced concrete (RC) beams are widely applied in building structures, and fire resistance performance becomes a focus of fire research with the high frequency of building fires. This paper aims to summarize the fire resistance performance of 216 specimens in 80 references and propose a fire resistance prediction equation. Firstly, the factors of fire resistance are considered in these specimens such as load ratio, concrete cover thickness and longitudinal reinforcement ratio. The influence rules of these factors are summarized. And the theoretical analysis, finite element simulation and fire resistance prediction equation of RC beams are also summarized. It is found that the parameters such as load ratio and concrete cover thickness have a great impact on fire resistance, while the parameters such as stirrup spacing have a minor impact on fire resistance. Secondly, the Pearson correlation analysis of 10 parameters is conducted in 216 specimens and 6 parameters with a correlation degree greater than 0.1 are identified as important parameters. The database is established by 4 Machine Learning (ML) algorithms. It is found that the database established by the Random Forest (RF) algorithm has high performance. Finally, the fire resistance prediction equation of RC beam is obtained by the database and nonlinear regression analysis. The prediction equation is compared with existing equations, and it is found that the proposed equation with R 2 of 0.935 has high precision in predicting fire resistance. The proposed equation can be adopted to guide the fire resistance design of RC beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A facile new process was established for spent LiFePO 4 batteries recycling. • Revealing conversion mechanism in (NH 4) 2 S 2 O 8 -assisted mechanochemical activation. • Closed-loop recycling of Li, Fe and P as high purity Li 2 SO 4 and FePO 4 /C. • A 1.0 kg scale up experiments showed a good economic benefits. With the rapid development of the lithium-ion battery industry, safe disposal of spent LiFePO 4 batteries (SLFPBs) has gradually become a focus of attention. However, the stable olivine structure of LiFePO 4 prevents deconstruction and separation of the elements Li, Fe and P. Mechanochemical activation proved to be an effective and environmentally friendly method for phase deconstruction. An efficient recycling method involving (NH 4) 2 S 2 O 8 -assisted mechanochemical activation and water leaching is reported herein for the deconstruction of SLFPBs. The results indicated that advanced oxidation of the (NH 4) 2 S 2 O 8 and synergistic mechanical forces accelerated the deconstruction of the LiFePO 4 mineral phase. Efficient leaching of the Li and targeted enrichment of the Fe and P were achieved simultaneously while preserving the olivine structure. Under the optimal conditions, the leaching efficiency for Li was 95.3%, and the leaching efficiencies for Fe and P were both less than 1.5%. A Li 2 SO 4 purity of 98.8% was obtained by evaporative crystallization and roasting. A 1.0 kg scale-up experiment showed that an economic profit of $4.768 was generated by recycling 1.0 kg of SLFPBs. This inexpensive, green and sustainable recycling method shows great potential for industrial planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical disease that can cause serious harm to the kidneys, but it has no effective treatment till now. The modulation of autophagy pathway regulation is considered a potentially effective therapeutic approach in AKI prevention and treatment. ZKSCAN3 has been shown to be an important transcription factor that negatively regulates autophagy activity in cancer tissues. In order to determine whether autophagy could be activated by knocking out ZKSCAN3 to exert the renal protective effect of autophagy, we constructed AKI models with Zkscan3 knockout (KO) mice and detected renal pathological changes and renal function changes as well as autophagy-related indicators. We found that Zkscan3 KO had no significant effect on kidney development. Besides, no significant changes in autophagy activity were observed under normal physiological or AKI conditions. In non-tumor tissues, ZKSCAN3 did not mediate transcriptional regulation of autophagy-related genes. These findings suggest that because ZKSCAN3 may not function in the transcriptional regulation of autophagy-related genes in non-tumor tissues, it may not be used as a therapeutic target for AKI. • The activity of the autophagy pathway in renal cortical tissue decreased with increased ZKSCAN3 expression after AKI. • Zkscan3 knockdown did not affect kidney development in mice. • Knockout of zkscan3 in mice failed to activate autophagy and to alleviate cisplatin-induced AKI and sepsis AKI. • ZKSCAN3 may have no function in the transcriptional regulation of autophagy-related genes in non-tumor tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The structural and electronic properties of individual titanium oxide nanotubes have been studied using both empirical and ab initio calculations. Two different types of titanium oxide nanotubes (A-nanotube and B-nanotube) have been constructed and energy-minimized by molecular mechanics calculations. We found that the A-nanotubes are energetically more favorable than the B-nanotubes. The electronic band structure of the titanium oxide nanotubes was also calculated with respect to the tubule diameter and the tubule type using the ab initio method. The band gap of the A-nanotube was reduced by up to 60% as the tubule diameter decreases from 1.2 nm to 0.5 nm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The extinction and orientational dependence of electron diffraction from single-walled carbon nanotubes have been observed experimentally and investigated in detail theoretically using both algebraic analysis and numerical simulations. Electron diffraction from only achiral carbon nanotubes of zigzag or armchair structure shows observable orientational dependence and extinction of certain layer lines in experiment due to the interference of two primary Bessel functions of the same order that contribute to the scattering intensities on these layer lines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is shown that the intensities of electron diffraction from a commensurate multiwalled carbon nanotube are sensitive to the angle of rotation of the nanotube about its axis. This dependence is usable to measure the handedness of the commensurate graphene shells of multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The period of intensity oscillation of the scattering intensity for graphene shells of the same handedness is much larger than that for nanotube shells of opposite handedness. By examining the angular dependence of the scattering intensities, the relative handedness, having the same or opposite handedness, of the commensurate shells can, therefore, be determined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High-resolution electron microscopy observation and energetic analysis have been performed on ropes formed from single-walled carbon nanotubes. When individual nanotubes are twisted, the nanotube ropes become energetically stable—a configuration that also offers better structural stability. Electron microscopic image simulations of an energetically-stable rope composed of seven single-walled carbon nanotubes have been carried out as well to elaborate the salient features that were observed experimentally. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A direct method is described to determine the chiral indices (u, v) of a carbon nanotube from a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the nanotube with high accuracy. This method is a one-step procedure and allows rapid and precise assignment of the chiral indices of carbon nanotubes. Using a contemporary electron microscope, we have been able to achieve an accuracy that enables us to assign the chiral indices unambiguously up to the range of (30,30), corresponding to a diameter of 4.0nm. Examples of determination of the chiral indices for two single-walled carbon nanotubes are presented as an illustration of the method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A quantitative method for the structural determination by electron diffraction of nanotubes of elliptical cross-section is developed as a general case while the cylindrical nanotubes are treated as a special class. We found that the chiral indices of a carbon nanotube can always be measured from the electron diffraction pattern regardless if the nanotube is circular or elliptical. An experimental electron diffraction pattern from a partly-deformed carbon nanotube is also analyzed. Assisted with numerical simulations, it is determined that the observed carbon nanotube has chiral indices (15,7) with 8° tilt relative to the horizontal plane and eccentricity of 0.553. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A practical procedure has been proposed to determine the handedness of a carbon nanotube from its electron diffraction patterns. When a nanotube is twisted, the diffraction layer line spacings change, although the intensity distribution on the layer lines stays unchanged. The handedness can be assigned by observing the directions in which the principal layer lines shift under known direction of twisting and the twisting angle can be derived directly from the ratio of the diffraction layer line spacings. Simulated electron diffraction patterns of a carbon nanotube twisted both clockwise and counterclockwise are also presented as an example to corroborate the theoretical analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Electron diffraction patterns of single-walled carbon nanotubes always have 2mm symmetry regardless if the nanotubes themselves have such symmetry. We here show that, for the case of multiwalled carbon nanotubes, the 2mm symmetry can break down when coherent interferences of the electron waves from two different shells take place such as when two shells of the same helicity but their chiral indices (u,v) have opposite evenness/oddity. Both an experimental electron diffraction pattern and analytic analysis are presented to demonstrate the conditions under which the 2mm symmetry breaks down in the electron diffraction patterns of multiwalled carbon nanotubes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We show that, even when the atomic structure of a single-walled carbon nanotube does not have mirror symmetry perpendicular to the tubule axis, the electron diffraction patterns of the single-walled carbon nanotube always possess 2mm symmetry. We have also analyzed the contributions of higher order Bessel functions to the intensity distribution on the layer lines and found that (a) their contributions are negligible and (b) they would not affect the symmetry of the diffraction pattern. Both experimental and simulated electron diffraction patterns of a single-walled carbon nanotube of indices (14, 9) are presented to illustrate the 2mm symmetry and to corroborate the theoretical analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Microcomputed tomography is now widely used for in vivo small animal imaging for cancer studies. Achieving high imaging quality of live objects requires the x-ray source to have both high spatial and temporal resolutions. Preliminary studies have shown that carbon nanotube (CNT) based field emission x-ray source has significant intrinsic advantages over the conventional thermionic x-ray tube including better temporal resolution and programmability. Here we report the design and characterization of a CNT based field emission x-ray source that also affords a high spatial resolution. The device uses modified asymmetric Einzel lenses for electron focusing and an elliptical shaped CNT cathode patterned by photolithography. Stable and small isotropic x-ray focal spot sizes were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and abnormal production of autoantibody, but the mechanisms of the aberrant immune responses are currently unknown. Recently, growing evidence has suggested that infection plays a pivotal role in SLE. Here, we investigate the role of infectious agents (e.g., Epstein-Barr virus, parvovirus B19, human T-lymphotropic virus type 1, human immunodeficiency virus type 1, and endogenous retroviruses) in the pathogenesis of SLE. More importantly, we explore the known mechanisms underlying the involvement of infectious agents in the pathogenesis of SLE, including molecular mimicry, epitope spreading, superantigen production, bystander activation, persistent viral infection, altered apoptosis, clearance deficiency, and epigenetic alterations (e.g., DNA methylation and microRNAs). However, some infectious agents (e.g., malaria parasites, hepatitis B virus, Toxoplasma gondii , and Helicobacter pylori) may exert protective effects on SLE. Therefore, the relationship between infection and SLE is multifaceted and multidirectional, including causative and/or protective associations, which warrant further investigation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a method that allows direct, systematic, and accurate determination of the atomic structure of multiwalled carbon nanotubes by analyzing the scattering intensities on the nonequatorial layer lines in the electron diffraction pattern. Complete structure determination of a quadruple-walled carbon nanotube is described as an example, and it was found that the intertubular distance varied from 0.36 nm to 0.5 nm with a mean value of 0.42 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dysbiosis of gut microbiota is causally linked to impaired host glucose metabolism. We aimed to study effects of the new method of fecal microbiota transplantation, washed microbiota transplantation (WMT), on reducing glycemic variability (GV) in unstable diabetes. Methods: Fourteen eligible patients received three allogenic WMTs and were followed up at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. Primary outcomes were daily insulin dose, glucose excursions during meal tests, and GV indices calculated from continuous monitoring or self‐monitoring glucose values. Secondary outcomes were multiomics data, including 16S rRNA gene sequencing, metagenomics, and metabolomics to explore underlying mechanisms. Results: Daily insulin dose and glucose excursions markedly dropped, whereas GV indices significantly improved up to 1 month. WMT increased gut microbial alpha diversity, beta diversity, and network complexity. Taxonomic changes featured lower abundance of genera Bacteroides and Escherichia‐Shigella, and higher abundance of genus Prevotella. Metagenomics functional annotations revealed enrichment of distinct microbial metabolic pathways, including methane biosynthesis, citrate cycle, amino acid degradation, and butyrate production. Derived metabolites correlated significantly with improved GV indices. WMT did not change circulating inflammatory cytokines, enteroendocrine hormones, or C‐peptide. Conclusions: WMT showed strong ameliorating effect on GV, raising the possibility of targeting gut microbiota as an effective regimen to reduce GV in diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thermal energy storage–updraft gasification device is a type of reactor that should be considered for use in solid waste gasification research that can save energy. However, the operating parameters and internal flow field during its operation remain unclear. In this study, a numerical model of the thermal energy storage–solid waste gasification device based on the computational fluid dynamics dense discrete phase model (CFD-DDPM) which had almost never been used before was established, and an innovative method that causes particles to be piled to simulate the gasification process was proposed according to the updraft fixed bed gasification characteristics; meanwhile, solid waste gasification experiments were conducted on the device. This study focused on the influence of moisture content and excess air coefficient on the gasification process of solid waste particles, and the velocity, pressure, temperature, and species distribution of the internal flow field of the device were analyzed. Simulation results showed that the higher the moisture content of particles, the greater the amplitude of changes in the internal physical field of the device. The fluid pressure drop is around 25 Pa–75 Pa for different working conditions. The combustible species of the gas of moist particles raise slightly with the increase in excess air coefficient, while the dry particles have the opposite effect. Compared with other gasification devices of the same type, the hydrogen production of this device is about 2–3 times higher. Our findings could facilitate the analysis, predict the operation status, and provide a theoretical basis for the improvement of this device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mitochondrial injury promotes the occurrence and development of kidney diseases. • Existing assays used to determine mitochondrial function have limitations. • Elevated UmtDNA is a novel noninvasive biomarker for mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial injury plays an important role in the occurrence and development of kidney diseases. However, the existing assays to determine mitochondrial function restrict our ability to understand the relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction and kidney damage. These limitations may be overcome by recent findings on urinary mitochondrial DNA (UmtDNA). Elevated UmtDNA level may serve as a surrogate biomarker of mitochondrial dysfunction, kidney damage, and progression and prognosis of kidney diseases. Herein, we review the recent research progress on UmtDNA in kidney diseases diagnosis and highlight the research areas that should be expanded in future as well as discuss the future perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Findings: What is the central question of this study?Research has reported that some sensory input, such as auditory and olfactory input, can affect subliminal visual processing. However, it is important to address whether tactile input, another form of elementary sensory input, could influence the interocular rivalry process.What is the main finding and its importance?We present several pieces of evidence regarding the influences of familiar tactile shapes and temperature on continuous flash suppression. Our findings provide support for the hypothesis that there is a cross‐modal effect on subconscious visual semantic processing of Chinese characters. More specifically, tactile sensations affect subliminal processing of visual information. Tactile and visual sensations are the most vital human functions for obtaining environmental information. However, whether tactile information influences visual processing remains unclear. In this study, a breaking continuous flash suppression (b‐CFS) protocol was used to measure the extent to which tactile sensations facilitate visual processing subconsciously. In experiment 1, finger stimulation with cold and hot temperatures served as primers for the words 'cold' and 'hot', which were in turn suppressed by CFS. In experiment 2, subjects viewed the upright or inverted word 'cell phone', with or without tactile priming of holding a cell phone in their hand. Results demonstrated that the tactile primer significantly shortened the reaction time in the touch group compared with the control group in both experiments. Thus, the tactile sensation of a familiar article and/or temperature appears to facilitate corresponding visual semantic recognition to break CFS earlier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An elevated level of von Willebrand factor (VWF) in diabetic patients is associated with increased risk of thrombotic cardiovascular events. The underlying mechanism of how VWF expression is upregulated in diabetes mellitus is poorly understood. We now report that hyperglycemia-induced repression of microRNA-24 (miR-24) increases VWF expression and secretion in diabetes mellitus. In diabetic patients and diabetic mouse models (streptozotocin/high-fat diet-induced and db/db mice), miR-24 is reduced in both tissues and plasma. Knockdown of miR-24 in mice leads to increased VWF mRNA and protein levels and enhanced platelet tethering (spontaneous thrombosis). miR-24 tightly controls VWF levels through pleiotropic effects, including direct binding to the 3' untranslated region of VWF and targeting FURIN and the histamine H1 receptor, known regulators of VWF processing and secretion in endothelial cells. We present a novel mechanism for miR-24 downregulation through hyperglycemia-induced activation of aldose reductase, reactive oxygen species, and c-Myc. These findings support a critical role for hyperglycemic repression of miR-24 in VWF-induced pathology. miR-24 represents a novel therapeutic target to prevent adverse thrombotic events in patients with diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of electrostatic spraying on the formation of CO 2 hydrate was experimentally studied. The effects of voltage (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 KV) and initial temperature (285.15, 282.15, 279.15 K) on the morphology, phase equilibrium temperature, induction time, rapid growth time, gas consumption, water to hydrate conversion and gas uptake rate of CO 2 hydrate were analyzed. The CO 2 hydrate primarily took the wall of the vessel as the nucleation site and grew from wall to the center of the reactor. The main morphological structure of CO 2 hydrate were white filaments stacked in arcs, branches, and clusters. Low voltage-high initial temperature and high voltage-low initial temperature were conducive to improving the phase equilibrium temperature of CO 2 hydrate. The application of voltage would prolong the induction time and shorten the rapid growth time of CO 2 hydrate, and the effect would be more apparent with the increase of voltage. Lowering the initial temperature would shorten the induction time, 23 min was observed at 1.0 KV and the initial temperature of 279.15 K. The gas consumption and water to hydrate conversion change with voltage were in an order of 1.0 > 0>2.0 > 1.5>0.5 KV at the same temperature. Only 1.0 KV could enhance CO 2 gas consumption, water to hydrate conversion and gas consumption rate. • We develop an electrostatic spraying reactor for the formation of CO2 hydrates. • The effects of voltage and initial temperature on the thermodynamics and kinetics of CO2 hydrate are reported. • Applying voltage will prolong the induction time. • Lowering the initial temperature will shorten the induction time. • This method greatly increases CO2 gas consumption and water to hydrate conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• After photocatalytic treatment, the content of thiophene in coal was reduced. • The burning time of coal sample after photocatalytic desulfurization is shortened. • Through the DFT calculation, it is found that thiophene is easily oxidized into sulfone. Photocatalytic oxidation has been widely used in sulfur oxidation due to its mild reaction conditions. In order to improve the efficiency of removing sulfur from coal, especially the organic sulfur, TiO 2 , SiO 2 and modified SiO 2 were used as photocatalysts under UV lamp irradiation in the presence of 1-carboxymethyl-3-methylimidazole bisulfite ([HO 2 MMim][HSO 4 ]) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2). The results show that the photocatalysts played important roles in coal desulfurization. The desulfurization rate of [HO 2 MMim][HSO 4 ]–H 2 O 2 (1:10) treatment on coal was only 16.89%, while after adding TiO 2 , e.g. [HO 2 MMim][HSO 4 ]–H 2 O 2 -TiO 2 (1:10:4), it increases to 38.46% and the removing rate of organic sulfur approached 20.17% under normal temperature and pressure on a basis of photocatalysis. According to FTIR and XPS measurements, it is found that the catalytic oxidation can be accelerated in the presence of photocatalysts under ultraviolet irradiation, and the thiophene conversion can be enhanced significantly. Generally, TiO 2 is more efficient in organic sulfur removal than SiO 2 during photocatalytic oxidation. The results of quantum chemistry calculation indicates that thiophene sulfone could be produced much easier than the thiophene ring-cleaved reaction when thiophene was oxidized in the presence of hydroxyl radicals. In addition, compared to the traditional methods, the photocatalytic desulfurization only show a slight reduction of combustion heat value according to TG-DSC-DDSC measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the cerebrovascular endothelium, monocarboxylic acid transporter 1 (Mct1) controls blood–brain transport of short chain monocarboxylic and keto acids, including pyruvate and lactate, to support brain energy metabolism. Mct1 function is acutely decreased in rat brain cerebrovascular endothelial cells by β-adrenergic signaling through cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP); however, the mechanism for this acute reduction in transport capacity is unknown. In this report, we demonstrate that cAMP induces the dephosphorylation and internalization of Mct1 from the plasma membrane into caveolae and early endosomes in the RBE4 rat brain cerebrovascular endothelial cell line. Additionally, we provide evidence that Mct1 constitutively cycles through clathrin vesicles and recycling endosomes in a pathway that is not dependent upon cAMP signaling in these cells. Our results are important because they show for the first time the regulated and unregulated vesicular trafficking of Mct1 in cerebrovascular endothelial cells; processes which have significance for better understanding normal brain energy metabolism, and the etiology and potential therapeutic approaches to treating brain diseases, such as stroke, in which lactic acidosis is a key component. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To demonstrate the computed tomography, conformal irradiation, and treatment planning capabilities of a small animal radiation research platform (SARRP). Methods and Materials: The SARRP uses a dual-focal spot, constant voltage X-ray source mounted on a gantry with a source-to-isocenter distance of 35 cm. Gantry rotation is limited to 120° from vertical. X-rays of 80–100 kVp from the smaller 0.4-mm focal spot are used for imaging. Both 0.4-mm and 3.0-mm focal spots operate at 225 kVp for irradiation. Robotic translate/rotate stages are used to position the animal. Cone-beam computed tomography is achieved by rotating the horizontal animal between the stationary X-ray source and a flat-panel detector. The radiation beams range from 0.5 mm in diameter to 60 × 60 mm2. Dosimetry is measured with radiochromic films. Monte Carlo dose calculations are used for treatment planning. The combination of gantry and robotic stage motions facilitate conformal irradiation. Results: The SARRP spans 3 ft × 4 ft × 6 ft (width × length × height). Depending on the filtration, the isocenter dose outputs at a 1-cm depth in water were 22–375 cGy/min from the smallest to the largest radiation fields. The 20–80% dose falloff spanned 0.16 mm. Cone-beam computed tomography with 0.6 × 0.6 × 0.6 mm3 voxel resolution was acquired with a dose of <1 cGy. Treatment planning was performed at submillimeter resolution. Conclusion: The capability of the SARRP to deliver highly focal beams to multiple animal model systems provides new research opportunities that more realistically bridge laboratory research and clinical translation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The potential role and mechanisms of TFEB in MQC. TFEB affects the mutiple processes involed in MQC: ❶ activation of mitophagy, ❷ regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis, ❸ ROS clearance and ❹ balance of mitochondria fission-fusion cycle, etc.. Targeting TFEB may represent an appealing therapeutic strategy to regulate MQC. Mitochondria are energy producers that play a vital role in cell survival. Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in many diseases, including metabolic syndrome, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiomyopathies, cancer, obesity, and diabetic kidney disease, and challenges still remain in terms of treatments for these diseases. Mitochondrial quality control (MQC), which is defined as the maintenance of the quantity, morphology, and function of mitochondria, plays a pivotal role in maintaining cellular metabolic homeostasis and cell survival. Recently, growing evidence suggests that the transcription factor EB (TFEB) plays a pivotal role in MQC. Here, we systemically investigate the potential role and mechanisms of TFEB in MQC, which include the activation of mitophagy, regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) clearance, and the balance of mitochondria fission-fusion cycle. Importantly, we further discuss the therapeutic measures and effects aimed at TFEB on mitochondrial dysfunction-related diseases. Taken together, targeting TFEB to regulate MQC may represent an appealing therapeutic strategy for mitochondrial dysfunction related-diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]