Axial Tensile Ultimate Strength of an Unbonded Flexible Riser Based on a Numerical Method.

Unbonded flexible risers consist of several helical and cylindrical layers, which can undergo large bending deformation and can be installed to different configurations to adapt to harsh marine environments, and is a key equipment in transporting oil and gas resources from Ultra Deep Waters (UDWs) to offshore platforms. The helical interlayer of an unbonded flexible riser makes the structural behavior difficult to predict. In this paper, the axial tensile behavior and the axial tensile ultimate strength of an unbonded flexible riser are studied based on a typical 2.5-inch eight-layer unbonded flexible riser model, and verified through a theoretical method considering the contact between adjacent layers. First, the balance equation of separate layers is deduced by a functional principle, and then the overall theoretical model of an unbonded flexible riser is established considering the geometric relationship between adjacent layers. Then, the numerical model considering the detailed geometric properties of an unbonded flexible riser is established to simulate the axial tensile behavior. Finally, after being verified through the experimental results, the axial tensile stiffness and axial tensile strength of an unboned flexible riser considering the elasticity of the tensile armor layer are studied using the proposed two methods. Additionally, the effect of frictional coefficients is conducted. The numerical and theoretical results show good agreement with the test results, and the friction between adjacent layers would increase the axial tensile stiffness of an unbonded flexible riser.

A Glucose-Responsive Cannula for Automated and Electronics-Free Insulin Delivery.

Automated delivery of insulin based on continuous glucose monitoring is revolutionizing the way insulin-dependent diabetes is treated. However, challenges remain for the widespread adoption of these systems, including the requirement of a separate glucose sensor, sophisticated electronics and algorithms, and the need for significant user input to operate these costly therapies. Herein, a user-centric glucose-responsive cannula is reported for electronics-free insulin delivery. The cannula-made from a tough, elastomer-hydrogel hybrid membrane formed through a one-pot solvent exchange method-changes permeability to release insulin rapidly upon physiologically relevant varying glucose levels, providing simple and automated insulin delivery with no additional hardware or software. Two prototypes of the cannula are evaluated in insulin-deficient diabetic mice. The first cannula-an ends-sealed, subcutaneously inserted prototype-normalizes blood glucose levels for 3 d and controls postprandial glucose levels. The second, more translational version-a cannula with the distal end sealed and the proximal end connected to a transcutaneous injection port-likewise demonstrates tight, 3-d regulation of blood glucose levels when refilled twice daily. This proof-of-concept study may aid in the development of "smart" cannulas and next-generation insulin therapies at a reduced burden-of-care toll and cost to end-users.

Detection of chromosomal instability using ultrasensitive chromosomal aneuploidy detection in the diagnosis of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer.

Background: The diagnosis of Precancerous Lesions of Gastric Cancer (PLGC) is challenging in clinical practice. We conducted a clinical study by analyzing the information of relevant chromosome copy number variations (CNV) in the TCGA database followed by the UCAD technique to evaluate the value of Chromosomal Instability (CIN) assay in the diagnosis of PLGC. Methods: Based on the screening of gastric cancer related data in TCGA database, CNV analysis was performed to explore the information of chromosome CNV related to gastric cancer. Based on the gastroscopic pathology results, 12 specimens of patients with severe atrophy were screened to analyze the paraffin specimens of gastric mucosa by UCAD technology, and to explore the influence of related factors on them. Results: The results of CNV in TCGA database suggested that chromosome 7, 8, and 17 amplification was obvious in patients with gastric cancer. UCAD results confirmed that in 12 patients with pathologic diagnosis of severe atrophy, five of them had positive results of CIN, with a positive detection rate of 41.7%, which was mainly manifested in chromosome seven and chromosome eight segments amplification. We also found that intestinalization and HP infection were less associated with CIN. And the sensitivity of CIN measurement results was significantly better than that of tumor indicators. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the diagnosis of PLGC can be aided by UCAD detection of CIN, of which Chr7 and 8 may be closely related to PLGC.

Exploring Pyroptosis-related Signature Genes and Potential Drugs in Ulcerative Colitis by Transcriptome Data and Animal Experimental Validation.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic, relapsing inflammatory disorder of the colonic mucosa. Pyroptosis contributes significantly to UC. However, the molecular mechanisms of UC remain unexplained. Herein, using transcriptome data and animal experimental validation, we sought to explore pyroptosis-related molecular mechanisms, signature genes, and potential drugs in UC. Gene profiles (GSE48959, GSE59071, GSE53306, and GSE94648) were selected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, which contained samples derived from patients with active and inactive UC, as well as health controls. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed on microarrays to unravel the association between UC and pyroptosis. Then, differential expressed genes (DEGs) and pyroptosis-related DEGs were obtained by differential expression analyses and the public database. Subsequently, pyroptosis-related DEGs and their association with the immune infiltration landscape were analyzed using the CIBERSORT method. Besides, potential signature genes were selected by machine learning (ML) algorithms, and then validated by testing datasets which included samples of colonic mucosal tissue and peripheral blood. More importantly, the potential drug was screened based on this. And these signature genes and the drug effect were finally observed in the animal experiment. GSEA and KEGG enrichment analyses on key module genes derived from WGCNA revealed a close association between UC and pyroptosis. Then, a total of 20 pyroptosis-related DEGs of UC and 27 pyroptosis-related DEGs of active UC were screened. Next, 6 candidate genes (ZBP1, AIM2, IL1ß, CASP1, TLR4, CASP11) in UC and 2 candidate genes (TLR4, CASP11) in active UC were respectively identified using the binary logistic regression (BLR), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), random forest (RF) analysis and artificial neural network (ANN), and these genes also showed high diagnostic specificity for UC in testing sets. Specially, TLR4 was elevated in UC and further elevated in active UC. The results of the drug screen revealed that six compounds (quercetin, cyclosporine, resveratrol, cisplatin, paclitaxel, rosiglitazone) could target TLR4, among which the effect of quercetin on intestinal pathology, pyroptosis and the expression of TLR4 in UC and active UC was further determined by the murine model. These findings demonstrated that pyroptosis may promote UC, and especially contributes to the activation of UC. Pyroptosis-related DEGs offer new ideas for the diagnosis of UC. Besides, quercetin was verified as an effective treatment for pyroptosis and intestinal inflammation. This study might enhance our comprehension on the pathogenic mechanism and diagnosis of UC and offer a treatment option for UC.

Structure and properties of chlorogenic acid-loaded polylactide fiber prepared by melt spinning.

Polylactide/chlorogenic acid (PLA/CGA) blends with different weight ratios were prepared by melt mixing, and corresponding PLA/CGA fibers were produced via a two-step melt spinning process. For PLA/CGA blends, CGA was distributed uniformly in the PLA matrix. The intermolecular interactions between CGA and PLA existed. The viscosity of PLA/CGA blends was much lower than that of neat PLA. With the increase of CGA content, the viscosity of PLA/CGA blends decreased. As the CGA content increased, the crystallinity of both PLA/CGA blends and fibers decreased. In addition, the tensile strength of PLA/CGA fibers was slightly lower than that of neat PLA fiber. For PLA/CGA fibers, the 6-fold drawn PLA/CGA fiber with 3 % CGA owned the highest tensile strength of 420 MPa. The ultraviolet (UV) resistance of PLA/CGA fibers were enhanced significantly by the introduction of CGA. When the CGA content was not <3 %, the UV transmittance of PLA/CGA fibers was <8 %. Moreover, PLA/CGA fibers exhibited good antioxidant properties. PLA/CGA fibers with 10 % CGA owned the highest antioxidant rate of >90 %. In addition, the 6-fold drawn PLA/CGA fiber with 10 % CGA presented excellent release performance with a 7-day cumulative CGA release rate of 19 %.

Prospects in the application of ultrasensitive chromosomal aneuploidy detection in precancerous lesions of gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent malignant tumor within the digestive system, with over 40% of new cases and deaths related to GC globally occurring in China. Despite advancements in treatment modalities, such as surgery supplemented by adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapeutic agents, the prognosis for GC remains poor. New targeted therapies and immunotherapies are currently under investigation, but no significant breakthroughs have been achieved. Studies have indicated that GC is a heterogeneous disease, encompassing multiple subtypes with distinct biological characteristics and roles. Consequently, personalized treatment based on clinical features, pathologic typing, and molecular typing is crucial for the diagnosis and management of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC). Current research has categorized GC into four subtypes: Epstein-Barr virus-positive, microsatellite instability, genome stability, and chromosome instability (CIN). Technologies such as multi-omics analysis and gene sequencing are being employed to identify more suitable novel testing methods in these areas. Among these, ultrasensitive chromosomal aneuploidy detection (UCAD) can detect CIN at a genome-wide level in subjects using low-depth whole genome sequencing technology, in conjunction with bioinformatics analysis, to achieve qualitative and quantitative detection of chromosomal stability. This editorial reviews recent research advancements in UCAD technology for the diagnosis and management of PLGC.

Xie Zhuo Tiao Zhi formula modulates intestinal microbiota and liver purine metabolism to suppress hepatic steatosis and pyroptosis in NAFLD therapy.

BACKGROUND: Current evidence indicates a rising global prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), which is closely associated to conditions such as obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. The relationship between the gut microbiome and metabolites in NAFLD is gaining attention understanding the pathogenesis and progression of dysregulated lipid metabolism and inflammation. The Xie Zhuo Tiao Zhi (XZTZ) decoction has been employed in clinical practice for alleviating hyperlipidemia and symptoms related to metabolic disorders. However, the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the effects of XZTZ remain to be elucidated. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to examine the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory effects of XZTZ decoction in a mouse model of NAFLD, as well as the effects of supplementing exogenous metabolites on PO induced cell damage and lipid accumulation in cultured hepatocytes. METHODS: A high-fat diet (HFD) mouse model was established to examine the effects of XZTZ through oral gavage. The general condition of mice and the protective effect of XZTZ on liver injury were evaluated using histological and biochemical methods. Hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E) staining and oil red O staining were performed to assess inflammatory and lipid accumulation detection, and cytokine levels were quantitatively analyzed. Additionally, the study included full-length 16S rRNA sequencing, liver transcriptome analysis, and non-targeted metabolomics analysis to investigate the relationship among intestinal microbiome, liver metabolic function, and XZTZ decoction. RESULTS: XZTZ had a significant impact on the microbial community structure in NAFLD mice. Notably, the abundance of Ileibacterium valens, which was significantly enriched by XZTZ, exhibited a negative correlation with liver injury biomarkers such as, alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activity. Moreover, treatment with XZTZ led to a significant enrichment of the purine metabolism pathway in liver tissue metabolites, with inosine, a purine metabolite, showing a significant positive correlation with the abundance of I. valens. XZTZ and inosine also significantly enhanced fatty acid ß-oxidation, which led to a reduction in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the inhibition of liver pyroptosis. These effects contributed to the mitigation of liver injury and hepatocyte damage, both in vivo and vitro. Furthermore, the utilization of HPLC fingerprints and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS elucidated the principal constituents within the XZTZ decoction, including naringin, neohesperidin, atractylenolide III, 23-o-Acetylalisol B, pachymic acid, and ursolic acid which are likely responsible for its therapeutic efficacy. Further investigations are imperative to fully uncover and validate the pharmacodynamic mechanisms underlying these observations. CONCLUSION: The administration of XZTZ decoction demonstrates a protective effect on the livers of NAFLD mice by inhibiting lipid accumulation and reducing hepatocyte inflammatory damage. This protective effect is mediated by the upregulation of I.valens abundance in the intestine, highlighting the importance of the gut-liver axis. Furthermore, the presesnce of inosine, adenosine, and their derivatives are important in promoting the protective effects of XZTZ. Furthermore, the in vitro approaching, we provide hitherto undocumented evidence indicating that the inosine significantly improves lipid accumulation, inflammatory damage, and pyroptosis in AML12 cells incubated with free fatty acids.

Parental detection of neonatal jaundice using a low-cost colour card: a multicentre prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Since most infants are usually discharged before age 48-72 hours, peak bilirubin levels will almost always occur after discharge. Parents may be the first to observe the onset of jaundice after discharge, but visual assessment is unreliable. The jaundice colour card (JCard) is a low-cost icterometer designed for the assessment of neonatal jaundice. The objective of this study was to evaluate parental use of JCard to detect jaundice in neonates. METHODS: We conducted a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study in nine sites across China. A total of 1161 newborns ≥35 weeks of gestation were enrolled in the study. Measurements of total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels were based on clinical indications. The JCard measurements by parents and paediatricians were compared with the TSB. RESULTS: JCard values of parents and paediatricians were correlated with TSB (r=0.754 and 0.788, respectively). The parents' and paediatricians' JCard values 9 had sensitivities of 95.2% vs 97.6% and specificities of 84.5% vs 71.7% for identifying neonates with TSB ≥153.9 µmol/L. The parents' and paediatricians' JCard values 15 had sensitivities of 79.9% vs 89.0% and specificities of 66.7% vs 64.9% for identifying neonates with TSB ≥256.5 µmol/L. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of parents for identifying TSB ≥119.7, ≥153.9, ≥205.2, and ≥256.5 µmol/L were 0.967, 0.960, 0.915, and 0.813, respectively, and those of paediatricians were 0.966, 0.961, 0.926 and 0.840, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.933 between parents and paediatricians. CONCLUSION: The JCard can be used to classify different levels of bilirubin, but it is less accurate with high bilirubin levels. The JCard diagnostic performance of parents was slightly lower than that of paediatricians.

Smart photochromic materials based on polylactic acid.

The smart photochromic materials based on polylactic acid (PLA) were prepared by melt-blending and hot-pressing, in which photochromic microcapsules (PM) were used as a functional additive, and poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) was introduced into the photochromic PLA blends for the first time to improve their properties. The crystallization and melting behavior, morphology, and photochromic performance of PLA/PVAc/PM blends were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and spectrophotometer, respectively. The results showed that PVAc significantly improved the photochromic properties of PLA/PM blends. Under 30 s UV irradiation, the blends reached a value of ΔE that could be recognized in 3 s by human eyes. This discriminative ΔE value could be maintained for at least 3 min after removal from UV irradiation. Meanwhile, the blend had outstanding photochromic durability and recyclability. Compared to ΔE for 0.5 h of continuous light irradiation, ΔE for 8 h of continuous light irradiation decreased by only about 1, to 14.1. In 25 cycles of 3 s UV irradiation, the values of ΔE for the first and 25th irradiation were 11.4 and 11.6, respectively. The blend showed different photochromic responses to different light intensities. The ΔE values of 8.6, 14.6, 14.6, and 18.4 for irradiation at 600, 800, 1000, and 1200 W/m2 of solar intensity, respectively.

Mussel-Inspired Multifunctional Hydrogels with Adhesive, Self-Healing, Antioxidative, and Antibacterial Activity for Wound Healing.

Antibacterial hydrogel wound dressings with adhesive and antioxidant activity are desirable for treating skin injuries in clinical care. Hereby, a series of multifunctional hydrogel wound dressings with high adhesive, self-healing, antioxidant, and antibacterial activity were designed and fabricated using dopamine (DA) and quercetin (QT). The multifunctional hydrogels were constructed by the interpenetrated quaternized chitosan chain segments and polyacrylamide network. The catechol groups on DA, QT, and the quaternary ammonium groups in the hydrogel system endow hydrogels with high strength, excellent adhesion, and self-healing ability. The results confirmed the admirable hemocompatibility and remarkable antibacterial activity of the multifunction hydrogels against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Consequently, multifunction hydrogels with satisfactory adhesive and antibacterial activity are appropriate alternative materials in the fields of tissue adhesive and wound dressing applications.

Spatiotemporal Distribution of Heatwave Hazards in the Chinese Mainland for the Period 1990-2019.

Heatwaves occur frequently in summer, severely harming the natural environment and human society. While a few long-term spatiotemporal heatwave studies have been conducted in China at the grid scale, their shortcomings involve their discrete distribution and poor spatiotemporal continuity. We used daily data from 691 meteorological stations to obtain torridity index (TI) and heatwave index (HWI) datasets (0.01°) in order to evaluate the spatiotemporal distribution of heatwaves in the Chinese mainland for the period of 1990-2019. The results were as follows: (1) The TI values rose but with fluctuations, with the largest increase occurring in North China in July. The areas with hazard levels of medium and above accounted for 22.16% of the total, mainly in the eastern and southern provinces of China, South Tibet, East and South Xinjiang, and Chongqing. (2) The study areas were divided into four categories according to the spatiotemporal distribution of hazards. The "high hazard and rapidly increasing" and "low hazard and continually increasing" areas accounted for 8.71% and 41.33% of the total, respectively. (3) The "ten furnaces" at the top of the provincial capitals were Zhengzhou, Nanchang, Wuhan, Changsha, Shijiazhuang, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Haikou, Chongqing, and Hefei. While the urbanization level and population aging in the developed areas were further increased, the continuously increasing heatwave hazard should be fully considered.

Reconstruction of the hourly fine-resolution apparent temperature (Humidex) with the aerodynamic parameters.

Apparent temperature is the preferred measure of hotness or coldness expressed to depict the human sense. Spatially explicit measurement of the hourly apparent temperature is essential for capturing the threats to bioclimatic comfort and preventing potential mortality/morbidity risk from heat or cold. However, existing apparent temperature products only provide daily observations at the spatial resolution of several dozen kilometers, resulting in some substantial underestimations for some life-threatening thermal stresses highly localized in space and time. Furthermore, some data-driven models lack mechanical constraints on the turbulent exchange between the surface and the atmosphere, making some unsatisfactory accuracy. Here, we propose Humidex reconstruction model incorporating atmospheric dynamics theory and aerodynamic parameters (i.e., heat and momentum roughness lengths for natural surfaces and three urban canopy geometry parameters for artificial surfaces), capable of developing an hourly dataset at fine-grained spatial resolution (0.01° × 0.01°). In this study, a total of 2952 h in four seasons were selected to test the seasonal performance of this model, taking the Yangtze River Delta as an example. The results show that the Humidex products from this model generally outperform the existing comparable products, with the hourly population root mean square error (RMSE) ranging from 1 to 2 °C in winter and autumn and 2-3 °C in spring and summer. Moreover, the constraint of aerodynamic parameters can reduce RMSE with a significant margin for each season, up to 2 °C, especially in areas with dense woodlands or buildings. In addition, the results demonstrate the excellent performance of this model in capturing short-lived thermal health threats, which are easily overlooked when observed data only provides a daily variation. This indicates that the model can allow researchers and practitioners investigate the fine-grained spatial and temporal evolution of thermal stress and its impact on public health, tourism, learning, and work performance.

A 3D-Printed Proton Pseudocapacitor with Ultrahigh Mass Loading and Areal Energy Density for Fast Energy Storage at Low Temperature.

The sluggish ionic transport in thick electrodes and freezing electrolytes has limited electrochemical energy storage devices in lots of harsh environments for practical applications. Here, a 3D-printed proton pseudocapacitor based on high-mass-loading 3D-printed WO3 anodes, Prussian blue analog cathodes, and anti-freezing electrolytes is developed, which can achieve state-of-the-art electrochemical performance at low temperatures. Benefiting from the cross-scale 3D electrode structure using a 3D printing direct ink writing technique, the 3D-printed cathode realizes an ultrahigh areal capacitance of 7.39 F cm-2 at a high areal mass loading of 23.51 mg cm-2 . Moreover, the 3D-printed pseudocapacitor delivers an areal capacitance of 3.44 F cm-2 and excellent areal energy density (1.08 mWh cm-2 ). Owing to the fast ion kinetics in 3D electrodes and the high ionic conductivity of the hybrid electrolyte, the 3D-printed supercapacitor delivers 61.3% of the room-temperature capacitance even at -60 °C. This work provides an effective strategy for the practical applications of energy storage devices with complex physical structure at extreme temperatures.

Structure and properties of polylactic acid/butenediol vinyl alcohol copolymer blend fibers.

Polylactic acid/butenediol vinyl alcohol copolymer (PLA/BVOH) blends with different weight ratios were prepared by melt mixing. PLA and BVOH in PLA/BVOH blends were immiscible while the weak interaction between PLA and BVOH existed. The introduction of BVOH facilitated the crystallization of PLA. Moreover, the crystallization of PLA hindered the crystallization of BVOH. Due to introduction of BVOH, PLA/BVOH blends exhibited shear thinning characteristic except that PLA/BVOH blends with 5-10 % BVOH showed similar rheological property to neat PLA. With the increase of BVOH content, the contact angle of PLA/BVOH blends decreased from 79.75° to 67.33° at 120 s. The hydrophilicity of PLA/BVOH blends was improved. In addition, PLA/BVOH fibers with 5-40 % BVOH and PLA/BVOH/rutin fibers with 3 % rutin were manufactured by melt spinning. The effect of BVOH on the mechanical property of PLA/BVOH fibers was small. However, BVOH improved significantly the rutin release rate and antioxidant properties of PLA/BVOH/rutin fibers.

Quarternized chitosan/quercetin/polyacrylamide semi-interpenetrating network hydrogel with recoverability, toughness and antibacterial properties for wound healing.

Antibiotic abuse has posed enormous burdens on patients and healthcare systems. Hence, the design and development of non-antibiotic wound dressings to meet clinical demand are urgently desired. However, there remains one of the impediments to hydrogel wound dressings that integrated with good recoverability, toughness, and excellent antibacterial properties. Herein, a series of semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN) hydrogels with exceptional mechanical performance and remarkable antibacterial activity based on quaternized chitosan (QCS) and polyacrylamide (PAM) were developed using a one-pot method. Additionally, the antibacterial activity of semi-IPN hydrogel against S. aureus and E. coli was enhanced by integrating it with quercetin (QT). The semi-IPN hydrogels also exhibited high recoverability and toughness, outstanding liquid absorbability (the swelling ratio reached 565 ± 12 %), and a satisfying water vapor transmission rate. Moreover, the semi-IPN hydrogels presented ideal hemocompatibility and cytocompatibility. These high-elastic hydrogels are promising candidates for potential applications in wound dressing, tissue repair, chronic wound care, as well as other biomedical fields.

Elucidating the cation hydration ratio in water-in-salt electrolytes for carbon-based supercapacitors.

The solvation of cations is one of the important factors that determine the properties of electrolytes. Rational solvation structures can effectively improve the performance of various electrochemical energy storage devices. Water-in-Salt (WIS) electrolytes with a wide electrochemically stable potential window (ESW) have been proposed to realize high cell potential aqueous electrochemical energy storage devices relying on the special solvation structures of cations. The ratio of H2O molecules participating in the primary solvation structure of a cation (a cation hydration ratio) is the key factor for the kinetics and thermodynamics of the WIS electrolytes under an electric field. Here, acetates with different cations were used to prepare WIS electrolytes. And, the effect of different cation hydration ratios on the properties of WIS electrolytes was investigated. Various WIS electrolytes exhibited different physicochemical properties, including the saturated concentration, conductivity, viscosity, pH values and ESW. The WIS electrolytes with a low cation hydration ratio (<100%, an NH4-based WIS electrolyte) or a high cation hydration ratio (>100%, a K-based WIS electrolyte and a Cs-based WIS electrolyte) exhibit more outstanding conductivity or a wide ESW, respectively. SCs constructed from active carbon (AC) and these WIS electrolytes exhibited distinctive electrochemical properties. A SC with an NH4-based WIS electrolyte was characterized by higher capacity and better rate capability. SCs with a K-based WIS electrolyte and a Cs-based WIS electrolyte were characterized by a wider operating cell potential, higher energy density and better ability to suppress self-discharge and gas production. These results show that a WIS electrolyte with a low cation hydration ratio or a high cation hydration ratio is suitable for the construction of power-type or energy-type aqueous SCs, respectively. This understanding provides the foundation for the development of novel WIS electrolytes for the application of SCs.

[Estimation of Agricultural Non-point Source TN and TP Export Coefficients Based on Soil Loss].

Taking the Yellow River Delta as a typical research area, we constructed a coastal agricultural TN and TP non-point source pollution estimating model by analyzing the relationship between the surface soil pollutant loss risks and the monitored pollutant flux into the sea. On this basis, TN and TP non-point source export coefficients of paddy fields, irrigated land, and dry land were calculated, and the verification showed that the estimated export coefficients were acceptable. In the study area, the TN and TP export coefficients into the sea of arable land were 18.33 kg·(hm2·a)-1 and 1.02 kg·(hm2·a)-1, respectively. The agricultural non-point source pollution loads of arable land were relatively high in summer. The sub-basins with larger agricultural non-point source pollution loads were mainly located in the control areas of the Zhimai River, Guangli River, and Xiaodao River. The administrative regions with larger total agricultural TN and TP loads were mainly in the northern Huanghekou Town and Yong'an Town, and areas with larger loads per unit area were in the southwest. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to the temporal effects of agricultural non-point source pollution, simultaneously coordinate the social and economic development, and formulate comprehensive agricultural non-point source pollution prevention and control strategies from the perspective of sub-basins and administrative units. This will allow us to improve the offshore pollution status from the perspective of land and sea coordination.

Impact of complex boundary on the hydrodynamic properties of methane nanofluidic flow via non-equilibrium multiscale molecular dynamics simulation.

Understanding the impact of complex boundary on the hydrodynamic properties of methane nanofluidic is significant for production optimization and design of energy-saving emission reduction devices. In the molecule scale, however, the microscopic mechanisms of the influence of the complex boundary on the hydrodynamic characteristics are still not well understood. In this study, a mixture boundary Poiseuille flow model is proposed to study the hydrodynamic properties and explore the molecular mechanisms of confined methane nanofluidic using the Non-equilibrium multiscale molecular dynamics simulation (NEMSMD). In order to investigate the influences of nonslip and rough boundary on hydrodynamic behavior of nanofluidic by the present model in one simulation, the coordinate transformation methods regarding the local symmetry is showed. Simulation results show that the atom number density, velocity and temperature profiles present significant differences near the nonslip boundary and rough wall surface. Moreover, the slip length of methane nanofluidic near the rough boundary decreases with the increasing of the temperature. Furthermore, the viscosity values are calculated by parabolic fit of the local velocity data based on the present model, which demonstrates that the impact of the nonslip boundary on the shear viscosity compared with the experiment result is less than one obtained using the rough boundary. In addition, the local contours of rotational and translational energy are plotted, which show that the rotational and translational energies of nonslip boundary are obvious higher than those of rough boundary. These numerical results are very significant in understanding the impact of complex boundary conditions on hydrodynamic properties in nanofluidic theory and the design of nano-devices.

Ectopic accumulation of ceramide in cardiomyocytes modulates alcoholic cardiomyopathy via the TLR4-dependent pathway.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Excessive alcohol consumption predisposes drinkers to develop alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Although cardiomyocyte loss is the hallmark of cardiomyopathy, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. This study examined the potential mechanism of alcohol-induced cardiomyocyte death in a mouse model of alcoholic cardiomyopathy. METHODS: We established the alcoholic cardiomyopathy mouse model using C57BL/6J mice and confirmed it via echocardiography and histological examination. The cardiac ceramide content and profile were analyzed with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. The molecular mechanism underlying the accumulation of ceramide due to chronic alcohol consumption and ceramide-induced cardiomyocyte death were investigated by in vivo and in vitro models. Finally, we established a TLR4 mutation model to explore the function of TLR4 in CH3/HeJ mice. RESULTS: Cardiac lipotoxicity that followed alcohol exposure resulted mainly in C16:0-, C18:0-, and C24:1-ceramide aggregation. Genes encoding the sphingosine hydrolysis enzymes (SMPD1 and SMPD2) rather than de novo synthetic biomarkers were markedly upregulated. Exogenous ceramide mimics (C6-ceramide) werenderlying the accumulation of ceramide observed to cause H9C2 cardiomyocyte-like cell death, which was consistent with results under palmate acid (PA) treatment. As a ceramide precursor, PA induces intracellular ceramide generation through TLR4 signaling, which can be abolished by an inhibitor of ceramide synthesis. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations demonstrated that pharmacological or genetic inhibition of TLR4 attenuated PA-induced cell death and corresponding ceramide production. Moreover, global mutation of TLR4 in CH3/HeJ mice significantly reduced the accumulation of C24:0, C24:1, OH_C24:1, and total ceramide following alcohol challenge. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that ceramide accumulation plays a crucial role in alcoholic cardiomyopathy, effects that are partially mediated through the TLR4-dependent pathway.

Insights into the mechanism of fluoride adsorption over different crystal phase alumina surfaces.

Activated alumina is the most common adsorbent for purifying fluoride in water, however, little is known so far about the adsorption mechanisms and comparison of adsorption behaviors for F on different crystal phase alumina surfaces, which seriously obstacles the development of high-performance sorbents. Herein, employing the density functional theory approach, we have studied F adsorbed on α-Al2O3(0001), γ-Al2O3(110), and θ-Al2O3(010) surfaces. Results accentuate that the θ-Al2O3 (010) is the most reactive than ɑ-Al2O3 (0001) and γ-Al2O3 (110) for F adsorption and the high reactivity is mainly attributed to the high unsaturation level of Al atoms. Detailly, the most stable adsorption sites are top of Al1 site, bridge of Al6 and adjacent Al atom, and bridge of AlⅢ atoms for α, γ, θ-alumina, respectively. The bonding picture shows that the bonding between F and alumina surface is attributed to the hybridization between F-p orbitals and Al-s,p orbitals. In addition, the alumina surfaces are hydroxylated with water molecules when exposing to the atmosphere, exhibiting a great impact on the performance of purifying F element. Results suggest that the hydroxylated θ-Al2O3 (010) adsorbs F with the smallest adsorption energy than other hydroxylated alumina surfaces, exhibiting the lowest performance of purifying F element.