Global research and scientific publications on PND between 1969 and 2022: A bibliometric analysis.

Objectives: We hope to offer a comprehensive understanding of the advancements and patterns in research on PND. Methods: We performed a thorough search on the Web of Science Core Collection to locate relevant studies published from 1969 to 2022 and utilized four distinct tools, namely VOSviewer (J Data Inf Sci, 2017, 2, 1; J Am Soc Inf Sci, 1973, 24, 265; Amer Doc, 1963, 14, 10 and Scientometrics, 2010, 82, 581), CiteSpace (Scientometrics, 2010, 84, 523), Scimago Graphica, and R-bibliometrix which allowed us to examine various aspects. Results: We included a total of 6787 articles and reviews for analysis which described PND research, the sources, and the subfields; highlighted the significant developments in this field; identified three main directions in PND.Conclusion: This study highlights the rapid growth of research on PND in recent years and provided an overview of previous studies in the field of PND, thereby establishing the overall landscape of PND research and identifying potential avenues for future investigations. Methods: We performed a thorough search on the Web of Science Core Collection to locate relevant studies published from 1969 to 2022. To perform bibliometric analysis and network visualization, we utilized four distinct tools, namely VOSviewer (J Data Inf Sci, 2017, 2, 1; J Am Soc Inf Sci, 1973, 24, 265; Amer Doc, 1963, 14, 10 and Scientometrics, 2010, 82, 581), CiteSpace (Scientometrics, 2010, 84, 523), Scimago Graphica, and R-bibliometrix. These tools allowed us to examine various aspects, including the yearly publication output, the contribution of different countries or regions, the involvement of active journals, co-citation analysis, publication status, keywords, and terms, as well as scientific categories. We hope to offer a comprehensive understanding of the advancements and patterns in research on PND. The insights gained from this study can assist researchers and clinicians in enhancing the management and implementation of their work in this field. Results: In this study, we included a total of 6787 articles and reviews for analysis. First, publication trends and contribution by country analysis described PND research. Second, a historical analysis described PND research, the sources, and the subfields. Third, an analysis of keywords highlighted the significant developments in this field. Fourth, an analysis of research themes identified three main directions in PND. Conclusion: In summary, the research volume exhibits exponential growth over time. Furthermore, the majority of contributions originate from Western countries and China. The interdisciplinary nature of the field is evident, with its roots in biology and medicine and further branching into psychology and social sciences. POCD, delirium-predominant associated clinical management were major research themes about PND.

[Responses of radial growth of Larix principis-rupprechtii at different densities to drought events]. / 不同密度华北落叶松径向生长对干旱事件的响应.

In recent years, a surge in drought occurrences has dramatically impacted tree growth worldwide. We examined the ecological resilience of Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations with varying densities (1950, 2355, and 2595 trees·hm-2) at the Saihanba Mechanical Forest Farm, by extracting the increment cores using the standard dendrochronological method to measure individual-tree basal area increments (BAI) as part of our assessment of ecological resilience, including resistance (Rt), recovery (Rc), and resilience (Rs). The results showed that drought events occurred in 2006-2010, 2015, and 2018. The Rt for L. principis-rupprechtii plantations varied from 0.76 to 2.01 across three drought events, indicating generally high resistance, except for the plantation with 2355 trees·hm-2 during the second dry year (Rt=0.69). The Rt for the plantation with 2595 trees·hm-2 significantly decreased across all drought events, while no significant change was observed in the plantations with 1950 and 2355 trees·hm-2. The Rc showed no differences in response to a single drought event across plantation densities, with a significant upward trend for all the densities with each occurrence of drought event. There was no significant difference in the resilience of different densities of L. principis-rupprechtii to the first drought event, whereas the plantation with 2595 trees·hm-2 exhibited significantly lower Rs during the second and third drought events compared with 1950 and 2355 trees·hm-2, respectively. During the 2015 drought event, plantation with 2595 trees·hm-2 experienced a significant growth decline (radial growth change rate was -26.5%), while no such decline was observed in the plantations with 1950 and 2355 trees·hm-2. Overall, the plantation with 2595 trees·hm-2 demonstrated the lowest resilience to drought events.

Anthropogenic-driven changes in concentrations and sources of winter volatile organic compounds in an urban environment in the Yangtze River Delta of China between 2013 and 2021.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) serve as crucial precursors to surface ozone and secondary organic aerosols (SOA). In response to severe air pollution challenges, China has implemented key air quality control policies from 2013 to 2021. Despite these efforts, a comprehensive understanding of the chemical composition and sources of urban atmospheric VOCs and their responses to emission reduction measures remains limited. Our study focuses on analyzing VOCs composition and concentrations during the winters of 2013 and 2021 through online field observations in urban Nanjing, a typical city in the Yangtze River Delta region of China. Using a machine learning approach, we found a notable reduction in total VOCs concentration from 52.4 ± 30.4 ppb to 33.9 ± 21.6 ppb between the two years, with dominant contributions (approximately 94.3 %) associated with anthropogenic emission control. Furthermore, alkanes emerged as the major contributors (48.6 %) to such anthropogenic-driven decline. The total SOA formation potential decreased by approximately 27.4 %, with aromatics identified as the major contributing species. Positive matrix factorization analysis identified six sources. In 2013, prominent contributors were solid fuel combustion (43.6 %), vehicle emission (16.7 %), and paint and solvent use (12.8 %). By 2021, major sources shifted to solid fuel combustion (31.9 %), liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas (26.8 %), and vehicle emission (25.5 %). Solid fuel combustion emerged as the primary driver for total VOCs reduction. The lifetime carcinogenic risk in 2021 decreased by 72.6 % relative to 2013, emphasizing the need to address liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas source, and vehicle emissions for improved human health. Our findings contribute critical insights for policymakers working on effective air quality management.

Molecular insight on the binding of halogenated organic phosphate esters to human serum albumin and its effect on cytotoxicity of halogenated organic phosphate esters.

Halogenated Organic Phosphate Esters (OPEs) are commonly found in plasticizers and flame retardants. However, they are one kind of persistent contaminants that can pose a significant threat to human health and ecosystem as new environmental estrogen. In this study, two representative halogenated OPEs, tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCP) and tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate (TDBP), were selected as experimental subjects to investigate their interaction with human serum albumin (HSA). Despite having similar structures, the two ligands exhibited contrasting effects on enzyme activity of HSA, TDCP inhibiting enzyme activity and TDBP activating it. Furthermore, both TDCP and TDBP could bind to HSA at site I, interacted with Arg222 and other residues, and made the conformation of HSA unfolded. Thermodynamic parameters indicated the main driving forces between TDBP and HSA were hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces, while TDCP was mainly hydrophobic force. Molecular simulations found that more hydrogen bonds of HSA-TDBP formed during the binding process, and the larger charge area of TDBP than TDCP could partially account for the differences observed in their binding abilities to HSA. Notably, the cytotoxicity of TDBP/TDCP was inversely proportional to their binding ability to HSA, implying a new method for determining the cytotoxicity of halogenated OPEs in vitro.

Mechanical behavior and waterproof performance of longitudinal section of tunnel segment joint gasket.

In the construction stage, due to construction errors and longitudinal differential settlement during tunnel operation, the amount of dislocation and opening at the segment joint increases, increasing the likelihood of water leakage. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct an in-depth study on the influence of the amount of dislocation and opening at the segment joints on the contact stress of the longitudinal section. Firstly, through theoretical analysis, this paper deduces that the waterproof performance of the gasket depends not only on its own contact area, linear compression stiffness, and Poisson's ratio but also on the height of the segment joint specimen and the amount of joint opening caused by the sinking offset angle. Then, the effects of different openings and dislocations at the segment joints on the contact stress of the segment gasket section were compared using numerical simulation and model experiments. Through numerical simulation, it is found that the dislocation has a greater influence on the longitudinal left section. The average contact stress at 16 mm is 28.3% lower than that at 4 mm, and the influence of the opening amount on the sealing gasket section is greater than that of the dislocation. Combined with the test results, it is also shown that the influence of the opening amount of the waterproof performance at the segment joint is greater than that of the dislocation, and the waterproof rate of the segment gasket section joint is greater than 40% under the modified working condition.

Plant-microbe involvement: How manganese achieves harmonious nitrogen-removal and carbon-reduction in constructed wetlands.

Carbon deficits in inflow frequently lead to inefficient nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands (CWs) treating tailwater. Solid carbon sources, commonly employed to enhance denitrification in CWs, increase carbon emissions. In this study, MnO2 was incorporated into polycaprolactone substrates within CWs, significantly enhancing NH4+-N and NO3--N removal efficiencies by 48.26-59.78 % and 96.84-137.23 %, respectively. These improvements were attributed to enriched nitrogen-removal-related enzymes and increased plant absorption. Under high nitrogen loads (9.55 ± 0.34 g/m3/d), emissions of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, and N2O) decreased by 147.23-202.51 %, 14.53-86.76 %, and 63.36-87.36 %, respectively. N2O emissions were reduced through bolstered microbial nitrogen removal pathways by polycaprolactone and MnO2. CH4 accumulation was mitigated by the increased methanotrophs and dampened methanogenesis, modulated by manganese. Additionally, manganese-induced increases in photosynthetic pigment contents (21.28-64.65 %) fostered CO2 sequestration through plant photosynthesis. This research provides innovative perspectives on enhancing nitrogen removal and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in constructed wetlands with polymeric substrates.

Relationships of serum FGF23 and α-klotho with atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Compelling evidence suggests that calcium/phosphorus homeostasis-related parameters may be linked to diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular events. However, few studies have investigated the association of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), α-klotho and FGF23/α-klotho ratio with atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate whether FGF23, α-klotho and FGF23/α-klotho ratio are associated with T2DM and further to explore the relationships between these three factors and atherosclerosis in Chinese patients with T2DM. METHODS: Serum FGF23 and α-klotho levels were measured via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit, and the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was assessed via high-resolution color Doppler ultrasonography. The associations of serum FGF23, α-klotho and FGF23/α-klotho ratio with atherosclerosis in T2DM patients were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: This cross-sectional study involved 403 subjects (207 with T2DM and 196 without T2DM), 41.7% of the patients had atherosclerosis, and 67.2% of the carotid intima were thickened to a thickness greater than 0.9 mm. Compared with those in the lowest tertile, higher tertiles of FGF23 levels and FGF23/α-klotho ratio were positively associated with T2DM after adjusting for covariates, and serum α-klotho concentration was inversely correlated with T2DM (all P values < 0.01). Moreover, elevated serum FGF23 levels and FGF23/α-klotho ratio were positively associated with CIMT and carotid atherosclerosis in T2DM patients (all P values < 0.01). Further spline analysis similarly revealed linear dose‒response relationship (all P values < 0.01). And there was still significant differences in CIMT and carotid atherosclerosis between the highest group of α-klotho and the reference group in T2DM patients (P values = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: T2DM was positively linearly related to serum FGF23 concentration and FGF23/α-klotho ratio, and negatively correlated with serum α-klotho concentration. Furthermore, both FGF23 and FGF23/α-klotho ratio were positively correlated with CIMT and atherosclerosis in T2DM patients, while α-klotho was inversely correlated with both CIMT and atherosclerosis, although the associations were not completely significant. Prospective exploration and potential mechanisms underlying these associations remain to be further elucidated.

Mine water cooperative optimal scheduling based on improved genetic algorithm.

This article addresses the issues of unreasonable water scheduling and high costs in coal mine shafts, proposing a hierarchical optimization scheduling strategy. Taking the water quality and quantity of a certain mining area in Inner Mongolia as the research object, it designs the objective function with the highest reuse efficiency and the lowest reuse cost of mine water resources, and establishes the constraint conditions of water quality and quantity for each water-using unit. In response to the problem that traditional genetic algorithms are prone to local optima, an adaptive autobiographical operator is proposed and improved based on Metropolis principle of simulated annealing algorithm. The improved algorithm is applied to the calculation of the scheduling model, and the results show that the recovery cost in the heating season is reduced by 66779.36 CNY/month, a decrease of 10.34%; the recovery cost in the non-heating season is reduced by 61469.28 CNY/month, a decrease of 9.91%. At the same time, the heating season and the non-heating season have reduced by 136.99 h/month and 154.52 h/month respectively, significantly reducing the recovery cost and time.

Does mangrove leave falling dominate the bury of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the mangrove of China?

Mangrove wetlands are vital coastal ecosystems that can absorb and accumulate pollutants. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants that pose potential risks to ecosystems and human health. However, their source and transport fate in mangrove areas are poorly understood. This study investigates 29 PAHs pollution of water and sediment in Zhangjiangkou Mangrove Wetland, the northernmost large-scale mangrove wetland reserve in China. We examine the distribution, source, transport mechanisms and risk assessment of PAHs. The results show that the concentrations of PAHs in mangrove sediment range from 55.62 to 347.36 ng/g (DW), with 5-ring PAHs being the dominant species. While the concentrations of PAHs in surface water range from 10.61 to 46.39 ng/L, with 2-ring PAHs and alkylated PAHs being the dominant species. The PAHs concentrations in surface water and sediment of river are higher than those in mangrove area, indicating that mangrove water could receive PAHs through tidal exchange. Based on diagnostic ratios (DRs), principal component analysis (PCA), and positive matrix factorization (PMF), we infer that the leaf deposition (48.55%) could be an important pathway of PAHs in mangrove sediment except for river water transport (51.45%), while the PAHs in estuary water originate mainly from point sources such as biomass burning (50.96%) and traffic emission (49.04%). The range of toxic equivalents in surface water and sediment was 2.73-16.09 ng TEQ g-1 and 0.03-3.63 ng/L, respectively. Although the ecological risk assessment suggests that the PAHs pollution in surface water and sediment poses a low risk, we recommend more attention to the protection of the mangrove ecosystem. This study reveals that mangrove leaf falling might be a significant mechanism of PAH sequestration in the mangrove system, which deserves more attention in future research.

Cardiovascular diseases consequences of type 1, type 2 diabetes mellitus and glycemic traits: A Mendelian randomization study.

OBJECTIVE: This Mendelian randomization (MR) study aimed to investigate the relationships between type 1 diabetes (T1D), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and glycemic traits, including fasting insulin, fasting glucose, and HbA1c, with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). METHODS: We selected genetic instruments for predisposition to T1D, T2D, fasting insulin, fasting glucose, and HbA1c based on published genome-wide association studies. Using a 2-Sample MR approach, we assessed associations with 12 common CVDs sourced from the FinnGen and UK Biobank studies, along with stroke subtypes obtained from the GIGASTROKE and MEGASTROKE Consortium. RESULTS: T1D was associated with SVS. T2D showed associations with AIS, LAA, CES, SVS, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, DVT of lower extremities, peripheral vascular diseases. Genetically predicted higher HbA1c levels were associated with eight CVDs. The results of MVMR aligned with the primary findings for T1D and T2D. CONCLUSIONS: T1D and T2D exhibit different genetic predisposition to CVDs. BMI, LDL, and HDL play intermediary roles in connecting TID and T2D to specific types of CVDs, providing insights into the potential underlying pathways and mechanisms involved in these relationships. Strategies aimed at achieving sustained reductions in HbA1c levels may offer potential for reducing the risk of various CVDs.

Single-cell combined bioinformatics analysis: construction of immune cluster and risk prognostic model in kidney renal clear cells based on CD8+ T cell-associated genes.

BACKGROUND: Kidney cancer is an immunogenic solid tumor, characterized by high tumor burden and infiltration of CD8+ T cells. Although immunotherapy targeting the PD1/CTLA-4 axis has demonstrated excellent clinical efficacy, clinical outcomes in most patients are poor. METHODS: We used the RNA sequencing data from the GEO database for KIRC GSE121636 and normal kidney tissue GSE131685, and performed single-cell analysis for cluster identification, pathway enrichment, and CD8+ T cell-associated gene identification. Subsequently, the significance of different CD8+ T-cell associated gene subtypes was elucidated by consensus clustering, pathway analysis, mutated gene analysis, and KIRC immune microenvironment analysis in the TCGA-KIRC disease cohort. Single gene analysis identified LAG3 as the most critical CD8+ T-cell-associated gene and its function was verified by cell phenotype and immunohistochemistry in KIRC. RESULTS: In the present study, CD8+ T-cell associated genes in KIRC were screened, including GZMK, CD27, CCL4L2, FXYD2, LAG3, RGS1, CST7, DUSP4, CD8A, and TRBV20-1 and an immunological risk prognostic model was constructed (risk score = - 0.291858656434841*GZMK - 0.192758342489394*FXYD2 + 0.625023643446193*LAG3 + 0.161324477181591*RGS1 - 0.380169045328895*DUSP4 - 0.107221347575037*TRBV20-1). LAG3 was identified and proved as the most critical CD8+ T cell-associated gene in KIRC. CONCLUSION: We proposed and constructed an immunological risk prognostic model for CD8+ T cell-associated genes and identified LAG3 as a pivotal gene for KIRC progression and CD8+ T-cell infiltration. The model comprehensively explained the immune microenvironment and provided novel immune-related therapeutic targets and biomarkers in KIRC.

Single-cell disulfidptosis regulator patterns guide intercellular communication of tumor microenvironment that contribute to kidney renal clear cell carcinoma progression and immunotherapy.

Background: Disulfidptosis, an emerging type of programmed cell death, plays a pivotal role in various cancer types, notably impacting the progression of kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) through the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the specific involvement of disulfidptosis within the TME remains elusive. Methods: Analyzing 41,784 single cells obtained from seven samples of KIRC through single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), this study employed nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) to assess 24 disulfidptosis regulators. Pseudotime analysis, intercellular communication mapping, determination of transcription factor activities (TFs), and metabolic profiling of the TME subgroup in KIRC were conducted using Monocle, CellChat, SCENIC, and scMetabolism. Additionally, public cohorts were utilized to predict prognosis and immune responses within the TME subgroup of KIRC. Results: Through NMF clustering and differential expression marker genes, fibroblasts, macrophages, monocytes, T cells, and B cells were categorized into four to six distinct subgroups. Furthermore, this investigation revealed the correlation between disulfidptosis regulatory factors and the biological traits, as well as the pseudotime trajectories of TME subgroups. Notably, disulfidptosis-mediated TME subgroups (DSTN+CD4T-C1 and FLNA+CD4T-C2) demonstrated significant prognostic value and immune responses in patients with KIRC. Multiple immunohistochemistry (mIHC) assays identified marker expression within both cell clusters. Moreover, CellChat analysis unveiled diverse and extensive interactions between disulfidptosis-mediated TME subgroups and tumor epithelial cells, highlighting the TNFSF12-TNFRSF12A ligand-receptor pair as mediators between DSTN+CD4T-C1, FLNA+CD4T-C2, and epithelial cells. Conclusion: Our study sheds light on the role of disulfidptosis-mediated intercellular communication in regulating the biological characteristics of the TME. These findings offer valuable insights for patients with KIRC, potentially guiding personalized immunotherapy approaches.

[Responses of radial growth of Larix principis-rupprechtii to abrupt warming]. / 华北落叶松径向生长对升温突变的响应.

To investigate the impacts of abrupt warming on tree growth, we collected tree ring cores from larch (Larix principis-rupprechtii) in three different sites, including Saihanba National Nature Reserve, Pangquangou National Nature Reserve, and Fengning Qiansongba National Forest Park. Based on the tree ring method, Mann-Kendall test was used to examine the occurrence time of temperature rise mutation. We further analyzed the radial growth law of larch before and after the temperature mutation and its correlation with the monthly climate data. The results showed that the sudden temperature rise occurred in the Saihanba area in 1987, the Fengning area in 1989, and the Pangquangou area 1994. Before the sudden warming, there was no significant trend for the radial growth in all the three regions. After the sudden warming, however, it decreased significantly (with a decrease rate of 0.08·10 a-1) in Saihanba area. The radial growth of larch increased significantly in Pangquangou area (with an increase rate of 0.10·10 a-1), while no significant change was observed in the Fengning area. Before the sudden warming, there was a significant positive correlation between the radial growth of larch in the Saihanba area and the highest temperature in May and June. After the sudden warming, there was a significant positive correlation with precipita-tion in July, and a highly significant positive correlation with the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index(SPEI) from September of the previous year to July. Prior to the sudden warming, there was no significant relationship between the radial growth of larch in the Pangquangou area and monthly climate factors. However, after the sudden warming, a significant positive correlation was found with the lowest temperature in September of the pre-vious year. Before the sudden warming, the radial growth of larch in Fengning area was significantly negatively correlated with the lowest average temperature in July. After the sudden warming, it showed a significant negative correlation with the average and highest temperatures in June. Accordingly, the radial growth of larch in the Saihanba area experienced drought stress following a sudden temperature change. If temperature continues to rise in the future, larch in the Fengning area would also face drought stress. Conversely, warming conditions would be beneficial for the radial growth of larch in the Pangquangou area.

The resolutions of drive-level capacitance profiling technique.

Recently, the drive level capacitance profiling (DLCP) technique has been proven to be effective in resolving the spatial and energetic distributions of defects through feasible measurements. However, the discussion on its ranges and resolutions is still missing, which is urgent in evaluating the validity of the calculated defect profiles. In this work, we propose a method to analyze the ranges and resolutions of DLCP. Assuming that the test instrument has more influence on the experimental results than the experimental environment, this method can be used to evaluate the resolution of DLCP for different test instruments. Through revisiting the equations involved in DLCP, we learned that the sources of the limits and resolutions are (1) the instrument system error and inherent resolution and (2) the device impedance. Consequently, from the study of device impedance and the measuring instrument system error, the resolutions of DLCP could be calculated according to the error propagation theory. We provide the spatial distribution of the minimum selection range of AC signal δV used by DLCP and the spatial resolution of DLCP technology. This method can be used to evaluate the resolution of DLCP for different test instruments.

Liquid Metal Fibers with a Knitted Structure for Wearable Electronics.

Flexible conductive fibers have shown tremendous potential in diverse fields, including health monitoring, intelligent robotics, and human-machine interaction. Nevertheless, most conventional flexible conductive materials face challenges in meeting the high conductivity and stretchability requirements. In this study, we introduce a knitted structure of liquid metal conductive fibers. The knitted structure of liquid metal fiber significantly reduces the resistance variation under tension and exhibits favorable durability, as evidenced by the results of cyclic tensile testing, which indicate that their resistance only undergoes a slight increase (<3%) after 1300 cycles. Furthermore, we demonstrate the integration of these liquid metal fibers with various rigid electronic components, thereby facilitating the production of pliable LED arrays and intelligent garments for electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. The LED array underwent a 30 min machine wash, during which it consistently retained its normal functionality. These findings evince the devices' robust stable circuit functionality and water resistance that remain unaffected by daily human activities. The liquid metal knitted fibers offer great promise for advancing the field of flexible conductive fibers. Their exceptional electrical and mechanical properties, combined with compatibility with existing electronic components, open new possibilities for applications in the physiological signal detection of carriers, human-machine interaction, and large-area electronic skin.

Insight into pyrolysis mechanism of plastic waste with C-O/C-N bonds in the backbone.

Pyrolysis is an important method for efficiently recovering plastic monomers, fuels and chemicals from plastic waste. The depolymerization of the backbone structure of plastic waste is a key step of the pyrolysis process. Currently, researches on the pyrolysis mechanism of plastics with C-O/C-N bonds in the backbone are still not sufficiently in-depth and also lack systematic and comprehensive investigation. Therefore, this study for the first time comprehensively investigated both macroscopic and microscopic pyrolysis processes of plastics with C-O/C-N bonds in the backbone, and evaluated the difficulty of breaking different backbone linkages via bond dissociation energy (BDE) obtained by density functional theory (DFT) calculations to deeply reveal the pyrolysis mechanism. The results indicated that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) had a higher initial pyrolysis temperature and its thermal stability was slightly stronger than nylon 6. The backbone of PET was mainly decomposed via the cleavage of Cα-O on the alkyl side, while the degradation of nylon 6 backbone began with NH2 groups at the end of the backbone. The pyrolysis products of PET were mainly derived from the small molecular fragments, which were generated by the degradation of the backbone through the cleavage of CO bonds or CC bonds, while the pyrolysis products of nylon 6 were always dominated by caprolactam. In addition, based on the results of DFT calculations, it could be inferred that the cleavage of CC bond in PET backbone and the cleavage of its adjacent Cα-O were most likely to occur, which followed a competitive reaction mechanism. However, in pyrolysis of nylon 6, the conversion to caprolactam was mainly via the concerted reaction of amide CN bonds. Compared with the concerted cleavage of amide CN bond, the cleavage of CC bond in the backbone of nylon 6 was not predominant.

Research on the data validity of a coal mine solid backfill working face sensing system based on an improved transformer.

Solid backfilling in coal mining refers to filling the goaf with solid materials to form a support structure, ensuring safety in the ground and upper mining areas. This mining method maximizes coal production and addresses environmental requirements. However, in traditional backfill mining, challenges exist, such as limited perception variables, independent sensing devices, insufficient sensing data, and data isolation. These issues hinder the real-time monitoring of backfilling operations and limit intelligent process development. This paper proposes a perception network framework specifically designed for key data in solid backfilling operations to address these challenges. Specifically, it analyses critical perception objects in the backfilling process and proposes a perception network and functional framework for the coal mine backfilling Internet of Things (IoT). These frameworks facilitate rapidly concentrating key perception data into a unified data centre. Subsequently, the paper investigates the assurance of data validity in the perception system of the solid backfilling operation within this framework. Specifically, it considers potential data anomalies that may arise from the rapid data concentration in the perception network. To mitigate this issue, a transformer-based anomaly detection model is proposed, which filters out data that does not reflect the true state of perception objects in solid backfilling operations. Finally, experimental design and validation are conducted. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed anomaly detection model achieves an accuracy of 90%, indicating its effective detection capability. Moreover, the model exhibits good generalization ability, making it suitable for monitoring data validity in scenarios involving increased perception objects in solid backfilling perception systems.

Investigation on the interaction of aromatic organophosphate flame retardants with human serum albumin via computer simulations, multispectroscopic techniques and cytotoxicity assay.

Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are newly emerging estrogenic environmental pollutants, which attracted widespread public interest owing to their potential threats to human. Here, the interaction between two typical aromatic OPFRs, TPHP/EHDPP and HSA was researched by different experiments. Experimental results indicated that TPHP/EHDPP can insert the site I of HSA and be encircled by several amino acid residues, Asp451, Glu292, Lys195, Trp214 and Arg218 played vital roles in this binding process. At 298 K, the Ka value of TPHP-HSA complex was 5.098 × 104 M-1, and the Ka value of EHDPP-HSA was 1.912 × 104 M-1. Except H-bonds and van der Waals forces, the π-electrons on the phenyl ring of aromatic-based OPFRs played a pivotal role in maintaining the stability of the complexes. The content alterations of HSA were observed in the present of TPHP/EHDPP. The IC50 values of TPHP and EHDPP were 157.9 µM and 31.14 µM to GC-2spd cells, respectively. And the existence of HSA has a regulatory effect on the reproductive toxicity of TPHP/EHDPP. In addition, the results of present work implied Ka values of OPFRs and HSA are possible to be a useful parameter for evaluating their relative toxicity.

Machine Learning Explains Long-Term Trend and Health Risk of Air Pollution during 2015-2022 in a Coastal City in Eastern China.

Exposure to air pollution is one of the greatest environmental risks for human health. Air pollution level is significantly driven by anthropogenic emissions and meteorological conditions. To protect people from air pollutants, China has implemented clean air actions to reduce anthropogenic emissions, which has led to rapid improvement in air quality over China. Here, we evaluated the impact of anthropogenic emissions and meteorological conditions on trends in air pollutants in a coastal city (Lianyungang) in eastern China from 2015 to 2022 based on a random forest model. The annual mean concentration of observed air pollutants, including fine particles, inhalable particles, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide, presented significant decreasing trends during 2015-2022, with dominant contributions (55-75%) by anthropogenic emission reduction. An increasing trend in ozone was observed with an important contribution (28%) by anthropogenic emissions. The impact of meteorological conditions on air pollution showed significant seasonality. For instance, the negative impact on aerosol pollution occurred during cold months, while the positive impact was in warm months. Health-risk-based air quality decreased by approximately 40% in 8 years, for which anthropogenic emission made a major contribution (93%).

Qualitative and quantitative analysis for Cd2+ removal mechanisms by biochar composites from co-pyrolysis of corn straw and fly ash.

Removal of heavy metals (e.g., Cd) from contaminated water using waste-converted adsorbents is promising, but the efficiency still needs to be improved. Here, we prepared a functional biochar composite as novel Cd adsorbents by co-pyrolysis of two typical solid wastes, i.e., agricultural corn straw and industrial fly ash. The adsorption behavior and mechanism were investigated using batch and column adsorption experiments and modern characterization techniques. Results showed that alkali-modified fly ash (AMFA) was loaded onto the surface of the corn straw biochar as some fine particle forms, with quartz (SiO2) and silicate being the main mineral phases on the surface. The maximum sorption capacity fitted by Langmuir model for functionalized biochar composite (FBC700) was up to 137.1 mg g-1, which was 7.7 times higher than that of the original corn straw biochar (BC700). Spectroscopic analysis revealed that adsorption mechanisms of Cd onto the FBC700 included mainly precipitation and ion exchange, with complexation and Cd-π interaction also contributing. The AMFA could effectively improve the mineral precipitation with Cd. The adsorption columns filled with FBC700 exhibited a longer breakthrough time than that filled with BC700. The adsorption capacity calculated by Thomas model for FBC700 was also approximately 6.0 times higher than that for BC700, showing that FBC700 was more suited to practical applications. This study provided a novel perspective for recycling solid wastes and treating Cd-contaminated water.