The influence mechanism analysis on the farmers' intention to adopt Internet of Things based on UTAUT-TOE model.

Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are widely recognized as one of the most important infrastructures for economic development and technological innovation. By analyzing the influencing factors of vegetable farmers' intention to adopt agricultural IoT, it helps to formulate effective IoT promotion policies and accelerate the realization of agricultural modernization. Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) theory, this study constructed for the first time a mechanism model of the influence of vegetable farmers' intention to adopt IoT, expanding the scope of current research on agricultural IoT and revealing the intrinsic influence mechanism of farmers' adoption of IoT technologies. In this study, 357 quantitative data were obtained by a questionnaire survey, and structural equation modeling was used to test the direct and indirect effects of each factor on vegetable farmers' intention to adopt IoT. The results show that almost all variables in TOE have significant direct impacts on the intention, while no variables in UTAUT have significant direct impacts. Among variables in TOE, government support and complexity are the two most important elements influencing the intention. Although the interactions among variables in TOE and UTAUT are also found, the indirect effects of variables are non-significant. Therefore, it is proposed to reduce the complexity of operation and use of IoT technologies; improve rural information infrastructure and compatibility of IoT platforms and devices; and governments should increase subsidies, and incentives to promote the use of IoT in agriculture and agricultural practices.

Sonographic characteristics and clinical characteristics combined with nomogram for predicting the aggressiveness of papillary thyroid carcinoma coexisted with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

OBJECTIVE: The association between Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (PTC) and coexistent Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (HT) was controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of HT exerts any influence on the aggressiveness of PTC, and to establish a nomogram for predicting the possibility of aggressiveness in PTC. METHODS: 373 consecutive PTC patients with/without coexistent HT from January 2017 to December 2020 were retrospective reviewed. Patients' clinicopathologic and sonographic characteristics were collected for univariate and multivariate analyses. A nomogram was established based on the risk factors for aggressiveness in PTC. RESULTS: Male (p = 0.001), tumor size >1.0 cm (p = 0.046) and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.018) were negatively associated with PTC coexisted with HT, while it was significantly positively associated with the frequence of multifocality (p = 0.010). Univariate and multivariate analyses suggested that age ≥55 years (p = 0.000), male (p = 0.027), HT (p = 0.017), tumor size >1.0 cm (p = 0.015), multifocality (p = 0.041), distance to capsular ≤0 cm (p = 0.050) and blood flow (Grade I: p = 0.044) were independent risk factors for predicting the aggressiveness in PTC. A nomogram according to these predictors was further developed and validated. The receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC = 0.734 and 0.809 for training and validation cohorts, respectively) and decision curve analyses indicated that the nomogram model was clinically useful. The calibration curve revealed that the nomogram exhibited an excellent consistency. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the coexistent HT might play a protective role in preventing the proliferation of PTC. Dispensable aggressive treatment may be reduced in PTC by pre-operative identification of sonographic and clinical characteristics and incorporating with the predicted nomogram model.

Nanomedicine-induced cell pyroptosis to enhance antitumor immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy is a therapeutic modality designed to elicit or augment an immune response against malignancies. Despite the immune system's ability to detect and eradicate neoplastic cells, certain neoplastic cells can elude immune surveillance and elimination through diverse mechanisms. Therefore, antitumor immunotherapy has emerged as a propitious strategy. Pyroptosis, a type of programmed cell death (PCD) regulated by Gasdermin (GSDM), is associated with cytomembrane rupture due to continuous cell expansion, which results in the release of cellular contents that can trigger robust inflammatory and immune responses. The field of nanomedicine has made promising progress, enabling the application of nanotechnology to enhance the effectiveness and specificity of cancer therapy by potentiating, enabling, or augmenting pyroptosis. In this review, we comprehensively examine the paradigms underlying antitumor immunity, particularly paradigms related to nanotherapeutics combined with pyroptosis; these treatments include chemotherapy (CT), hyperthermia therapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), chemodynamic therapy (CDT), ion-interference therapy (IIT), biomimetic therapy, and combination therapy. Furthermore, we thoroughly discuss the coordinated mechanisms that regulate these paradigms. This review is expected to enhance the understanding of the interplay between pyroptosis and antitumor immunotherapy, broaden the utilization of diverse nanomaterials in pyroptosis-based antitumor immunotherapy, and facilitate advancements in clinical tumor therapy.

Genomic insights into local adaptation and vulnerability of Quercus longinux to climate change.

BACKGROUND: Climate change is expected to alter the factors that drive changes in adaptive variation. This is especially true for species with long life spans and limited dispersal capabilities. Rapid climate changes may disrupt the migration of beneficial genetic variations, making it challenging for them to keep up with changing environments. Understanding adaptive genetic variations in tree species is crucial for conservation and effective forest management. Our study used landscape genomic analyses and phenotypic traits from a thorough sampling across the entire range of Quercus longinux, an oak species native to Taiwan, to investigate the signals of adaptation within this species. RESULTS: Using ecological data, phenotypic traits, and 1,933 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 205 individuals, we classified three genetic groups, which were also phenotypically and ecologically divergent. Thirty-five genes related to drought and freeze resistance displayed signatures of natural selection. The adaptive variation was driven by diverse environmental pressures such as low spring precipitation, low annual temperature, and soil grid sizes. Using linear-regression-based methods, we identified isolation by environment (IBE) as the optimal model for adaptive SNPs. Redundancy analysis (RDA) further revealed a substantial joint influence of demography, geology, and environments, suggesting a covariation between environmental gradients and colonization history. Lastly, we utilized adaptive signals to estimate the genetic offset for each individual under diverse climate change scenarios. The required genetic changes and migration distance are larger in severe climates. Our prediction also reveals potential threats to edge populations in northern and southeastern Taiwan due to escalating temperatures and precipitation reallocation. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate the intricate influence of ecological heterogeneity on genetic and phenotypic adaptation of an oak species. The adaptation is also driven by some rarely studied environmental factors, including wind speed and soil features. Furthermore, the genetic offset analysis predicted that the edge populations of Q. longinux in lower elevations might face higher risks of local extinctions under climate change.

Deafness-associated tRNAPhe mutation impaired mitochondrial and cellular integrity.

Defects in mitochondrial RNA metabolism have been linked to sensorineural deafness that often occurs as a consequence of damaged or deficient inner ear hair cells. In this report, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying a deafness-associated tRNAPhe 593T > C mutation that changed a highly conserved uracil to cytosine at position 17 of the DHU-loop. The m.593T > C mutation altered tRNAPhe structure and function, including increased melting temperature, resistance to S1 nuclease-mediated digestion, and conformational changes. The aberrant tRNA metabolism impaired mitochondrial translation, which was especially pronounced by decreases in levels of ND1, ND5, CYTB, CO1, and CO3 harboring higher numbers of phenylalanine. These alterations resulted in aberrant assembly, instability, and reduced activities of respiratory chain enzyme complexes I, III, IV, and intact supercomplexes overall. Furthermore, we found that the m.593T > C mutation caused markedly diminished membrane potential, and increased the production of reactive oxygen species in the mutant cell lines carrying the m.593T > C mutation. These mitochondrial dysfunctions led to the mitochondrial dynamic imbalance via increasing fission with abnormal mitochondrial morphology. Excessive fission impaired the process of autophagy including the initiation phase, formation, and maturation of the autophagosome. In particular, the m.593T > C mutation upregulated the PARKIN-dependent mitophagy pathway. These alterations promoted an intrinsic apoptotic process for the removal of damaged cells. Our findings provide critical insights into the pathophysiology of maternally inherited deafness arising from tRNA mutation-induced defects in mitochondrial and cellular integrity.

Corneal Biomechanical Characteristics in Myopes and Emmetropes Measured by Corvis ST: A Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: To comprehensively identify the corneal biomechanical differences measured by Corvis ST between different degrees of myopia and emmetropia. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, were systematically searched for studies comparing the corneal biomechanics among various degrees of myopes and emmetropes using Corvis ST. The weighted mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Meta-analysis was performed in high and nonhigh myopes and in myopes and emmetropes, respectively. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included in this study. The meta-analysis among myopes and emmetropes included 1947 myopes and 621 emmetropes, and 443 high myopes and 449 nonhigh myopes were included in the meta-analysis among high and nonhigh myopia. Myopes showed the cornea with significantly longer time at the first applanation (A1t) and lower length at the second applanation (A2L) than emmetropes. High myopes showed significantly greater A1t, velocity at the second applanation (A2v), deformation amplitude at the highest concavity (HC-DA), and peak distance at the highest concavity (HC-PD) and decreased time at the second applanation (A2t) and radius of the highest concavity (HC-R). CONCLUSIONS: Corneal biomechanics is different in myopia, especially in high myopia. Compared with nonhigh myopes, the corneas of high myopes deformed slower during the first applanation, faster during the second applanation, and showed greater deformation amplitude, indicating greater elasticity and viscidity.

Imprinted gene detection effectively improves the diagnostic accuracy for papillary thyroid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most frequent histological type of thyroid carcinoma. Although an increasing number of diagnostic methods have recently been developed, the diagnosis of a few nodules is still unsatisfactory. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop and validate a comprehensive prediction model to optimize the diagnosis of PTC. METHODS: A total of 152 thyroid nodules that were evaluated by postoperative pathological examination were included in the development and validation cohorts recruited from two centres between August 2019 and February 2022. Patient data, including general information, cytopathology, imprinted gene detection, and ultrasound features, were obtained to establish a prediction model for PTC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis with a bidirectional elimination approach was performed to identify the predictors and develop the model. RESULTS: A comprehensive prediction model with predictors, such as component, microcalcification, imprinted gene detection, and cytopathology, was developed. The area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the developed model were 0.98, 97.0%, 89.5%, and 94.4%, respectively. The prediction model also showed satisfactory performance in both internal and external validations. Moreover, the novel method (imprinted gene detection) was demonstrated to play a role in improving the diagnosis of PTC. CONCLUSION: The present study developed and validated a comprehensive prediction model for PTC, and a visualized nomogram based on the prediction model was provided for clinical application. The prediction model with imprinted gene detection effectively improves the diagnosis of PTCs that are undetermined by the current means.

The protective effect and mechanism of piperazine ferulate in rats with 5/6 nephrectomy-caused chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a type of chronic disease in which multiple factors are responsible for the structural and functional disorders of the kidney. Piperazine ferulate (PF) has anti-platelet and anti-fibrotic effects, and its mechanism of action remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of PF against CKD in rats and to determine its mechanism of action. Network pharmacology was used to predict potential PF action targets in the treatment of CKD and to further validate them. A rat model of CKD was established; blood was collected, etc., for the assessment of the renal function; renal pathologic damage was examined using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining; changes in the levels of TGF-ß1 and α-SMA were determined with ELISA; EPOR, FN, and COL I expression were detected utilizing immunohistochemistry; and HIF-1α, HIF-2α, and EPO protein molecules were analyzed deploying western blotting. PF reduces Scr, BUN, and 24 h UP levels; decreases FN and COL I expression; and attenuates renal injury. Additionally, PF inhibited TGF-ß1 and stimulated the production of HIF-1α and HIF-2α, which downregulated α-SMA and upregulated EPO. PF attenuated the progression of the CKD pathology, and the mechanism of its action is possibly associated with the promotion of HIF-1α/HIF-2α/EPO production and TGF-ß1 reduction.

Corneal stress‒strain index in relation to retinal nerve fibre layer thickness among healthy young adults.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between corneal stress-strain index (SSI) and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness. SUBJECTS/METHODS: 1645 healthy university students from a university-based study contributed to the analysis. The RNFL thickness was measured by high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT), axial length (AL) was measured by IOL Master, and corneal biomechanics including SSI, biomechanical corrected intraocular pressure (bIOP), and central corneal thickness (CCT) were measured by Corvis ST. Multivariate linear regression was performed to evaluate the relationship between the SSI and RNFL thickness after adjusting for potential covariates. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 19.0 ± 0.9 years, and 1132 (68.8%) were women. Lower SSI was significantly associated with thinner RNFL thickness ( ß =8.601, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.999-14.203, P = 0.003) after adjusting for age, CCT, bIOP, and AL. No significant association between SSI and RNFL was found in men, while the association was significant in women in the fully adjusted model. The association was significant in the nonhigh myopic group ( P for trend = 0.021) but not in the highly myopic group. Eyes with greater bIOP and lower SSI had significantly thinner RNFL thickness. CONCLUSIONS: Eyes with lower SSI had thinner RNFL thickness after adjusting for potential covariates, especially those with higher bIOP. Our findings add novel evidence of the relationship between corneal biomechanics and retinal ganglion cell damage.

Deficient tRNA posttranscription modification dysregulated the mitochondrial quality controls and apoptosis.

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles in cellular metabolism and physiology. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations are associated with a broad spectrum of clinical abnormalities. However, mechanisms underlying mtDNA mutations regulate intracellular signaling related to the mitochondrial and cellular integrity are less explored. Here, we demonstrated that mt-tRNAMet 4435A>G mutation-induced nucleotide modification deficiency dysregulated the expression of nuclear genes involved in cytosolic proteins involved in oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS) and impaired the assemble and integrity of OXPHOS complexes. These dysfunctions caused mitochondrial dynamic imbalance, thereby increasing fission and decreasing fusion. Excessive fission impaired the process of autophagy including initiation phase, formation, and maturation of autophagosome. Strikingly, the m.4435A>G mutation upregulated the PARKIN dependent mitophagy pathways but downregulated the ubiquitination-independent mitophagy. These alterations promoted intrinsic apoptotic process for the removal of damaged cells. Our findings provide new insights into mechanism underlying deficient tRNA posttranscription modification regulated intracellular signaling related to the mitochondrial and cellular integrity.

Temporal topic model for clinical pathway mining from electronic medical records.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the discovery of clinical pathways (CPs) from electronic medical records (EMRs) data has received increasing attention because it can directly support clinical doctors with explicit treatment knowledge, which is one of the key challenges in the development of intelligent healthcare services. However, the existing work has focused on topic probabilistic models, which usually produce treatment patterns with similar treatment activities, and such discovered treatment patterns do not take into account the temporal process of patient treatment which does not meet the needs of practical medical applications. METHODS: Based on the assumption that CPs can be derived from the data of EMRs which usually record the treatment process of patients, this paper proposes a new CPs mining method from EMRs, an extended form of the traditional topic model - the temporal topic model (TTM). The method can capture the treatment topics and the corresponding treatment timestamps for each treatment day. RESULTS: Experimental research conducted on a real-world dataset of patients' hospitalization processes, and the achieved results demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the proposed methodology for CPs mining. Compared to existing benchmarks, our model shows significant improvement and robustness. CONCLUSION: Our TTM provides a more competitive way to mine potential CPs considering the temporal features of the EMR data, providing a very prospective tool to support clinical diagnostic decisions.

Synergism Variation between intracellular Glutathione, phycocyanin and SOD in microalgae by carbon quantum dot fluorescence.

Based on the use of CQDs as fluorescent probe and covalent coupling method to detect biological molecules with amino groups, to deeply analysis and detect the metabolism of Microcystis aeruginosa. The metabolic changes of carboxyl biomolecules in Microcystis aeruginosa were analyzed by covalent coupling method, including GSH, phycocyanin and SOD enzyme. The changes of GSH content and its correlation between phycocyanin, SOD were analyzed. The content of phycocyanin and SOD reached the maximum on the 65th day, and GSH was more sensitive to the growth and metabolism of microalgae. GSH plays an important role in reducing the external oxidative damage of microalgae cells. The synthesis of glutathione (GSH), GSH/GSSG mutual transformation, the production of phytochelating peptide (PC), the ASA-GSH cycle, and other physiological processes are interconnected. These interactions are crucial for preserving the antioxidant properties of microalgae and regulating redox-sensitive signal transduction.

Refractive associations with corneal biomechanical properties among young adults: a population-based Corvis ST study.

PURPOSE: To assess the associations of corneal biomechanical properties as measured by the Corvis ST with refractive errors and ocular biometry in an unselected sample of young adults. METHODS: A total of 1645 healthy university students underwent corneal biomechanical parameters measurement by the Corvis ST. The refractive status of the participants was measured using an autorefractor without cycloplegia. Ocular biometric parameters were measured using the IOL Master. RESULTS: After adjusting for the effect of age, sex, biomechanical-corrected intraocular pressure and central corneal thickness, axial length was significantly associated with A1 velocity (A1v, ß = -10.47), A2 velocity (A2v, ß = 4.66), A2 deflection amplitude (A2DeflA, ß = -6.02), HC deflection amplitude (HC-DeflA, ß = 5.95), HC peak distance (HC-PD, ß = 2.57), deformation amplitude ratio max (DA Rmax, ß = -0.36), Ambrósio's relational thickness to the horizontal profile (ARTh, ß = 0.002). For axial length / corneal radius ratio, only A1v (ß = -2.01), A1 deflection amplitude (A1DeflA, ß = 2.30), HC-DeflA (ß = 1.49), HC-PD (ß = -0.21), DA Rmax (ß = 0.07), stress-strain index (SSI, ß = -0.29), ARTh (ß < 0.001) were significant associates. A1v (ß = 23.18), HC-DeflA (ß = -15.36), HC-PD (ß = 1.27), DA Rmax (ß = -0.66), SSI (ß = 3.53), ARTh (ß = -0.02) were significantly associated with spherical equivalent. CONCLUSION: Myopic eyes were more likely to have more deformable corneas and corneas in high myopia were easier to deform and were even softer compared with those in the mild/moderate myopia.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation of gallbladder polyps: A case report.

RATIONALE: Gallbladder polyps are a general term for localized lesions in which the gallbladder wall protrudes into the gallbladder cavity, and benign lesions are common. Although current guidelines recommend cholecystectomy for gallbladder polyps ≥ 10 mm in size, the probability of finding cancer in postoperative pathological specimens is low. We should avoid unnecessary cholecystectomy and treat polyps with gallbladder preservation. Microwave ablation is safe and effective for the treatment of solid lesions, and can inactivates polyps while preserving gallbladder. Hence, we report a case of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation of gallbladder polyps. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 72-year-old female patient had previously diagnosed a gallbladder polyp, but it was not taken seriously. Recently, the patient had occasional right upper abdominal discomfort and a desire to preserve gallbladder. DIAGNOSES: Ultrasound showed a medium hyperechoic papillary protrusion in the gallbladder without echo behind, and the changed position did not move. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) showed no malignant signs. The diagnosis was a gallbladder polyp. INTERVENTIONS: The bile is drained and the drainage tube is fixed under real-time ultrasound guidance, then the gallbladder cavity is flushed and filled. Saline was injected between the serous and mucosal layers of the gallbladder to form an "edema band" to protect the gallbladder wall. Then, ultrasound-guided biopsy of gallbladder polyps was performed and sent for histological examination. Finally, the microwave needle was inserted into the target area under real-time ultrasonic guidance, and ablation was performed for 3 minutes (20 W). Postoperative CEUS: No significant enhancement was observed in the lesion. OUTCOMES: Within 6 months of follow-up, the patient's gallbladder systolic function was normal, and there was no discomfort and no recurrence. The lesion reduction rate reached 100% at 1 week after surgery. LESSONS: Ultrasound guided percutaneous microwave ablation of gallbladder polyps not only preserves the gallbladder but also inactivates the polyps without affecting the systolic function of the gallbladder, which provides a new idea for the treatment of gallbladder polyps.

Preparation and Performance of Ferric-Rich Bauxite-Tailing-Based Thermal Storage Ceramics.

In recent years, regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) has been widely used in the petroleum industry, chemical industry, etc. The massive storage required by solid waste has become a serious problem. Due to their chemical composition, bauxite tailings as raw materials for high-temperature thermal storage ceramics show enormous potential in the fields of research and application. In this study, we propose a method for preparing ferric-rich and high specific storage capacity by adding Fe2O3 powder to bauxite tailings. Based on a 7:3 mass ratio of bauxite tailings to lepidolite, Fe2O3 powder with different mass fractions (7 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, and 40 wt%) was added to the ceramic material to improve the physical properties and thermal storage capacity of thermal storage ceramics. The results showed that ferric-rich thermal storage ceramics with optimal performance were obtained by holding them at a sintering temperature of 1000 °C for 2 h. When the Fe2O3 content was 15 wt%, the bulk density of the thermal storage ceramic reached 2.53 g/cm3, the compressive strength was 120.81 MPa, and the specific heat capacity was 1.06 J/(g·K). This study has practical guidance significance in the preparation of high thermal storage ceramics at low temperatures and low costs.

BDNF-enriched small extracellular vesicles protect against noise-induced hearing loss in mice.

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most prevalent acquired sensorineural hearing loss etiologies and is characterized by the loss of cochlear hair cells, synapses, and nerve terminals. Currently, there are no agents available for the treatment of NIHL because drug delivery to the inner ear is greatly limited by the blood-labyrinth barrier. In this study, we used mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEVs) as nanoscale vehicles to deliver brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and evaluated their protective effects in a mouse model of NIHL. Following intravenous administration, BDNF-loaded sEVs (BDNF-sEVs) efficiently increased the expression of BDNF protein in the cochlea. Systemic application of sEVs and BDNF-sEVs significantly attenuated noise-induced cochlear hair cell loss and NIHL in CBA/J mice. BDNF-sEVs also alleviated noise-induced loss of inner hair cell ribbon synapses and cochlear nerve terminals. In cochlear explants, sEVs and BDNF-sEVs effectively protected hair cells against H2O2-induced cell loss. Additionally, BDNF-sEVs remarkably ameliorated H2O2-induced oxidative stress, cell apoptosis, and cochlear nerve terminal degeneration. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that many mRNAs and miRNAs were involved in the protective actions of BDNF-sEVs against oxidative stress. Collectively, our findings reveal a novel therapeutic strategy of MSC-sEVs-mediated BDNF delivery for the treatment of NIHL.

Pilot-Scale Experimental Investigation on Dry Capture of Mercury and SO3 in Smelting Gas of Acid Making.

In this study, a novel dry capture process utilizing a mixed adsorbent of ZnO and CuS was proposed for the simultaneous removal of Hg0 and SO3 in flue gas from zinc smelting, addressing severe mercury pollution and high SO3 concentrations. The experimental results showed that flue gas cooling caused the SO3 to transform into sulfuric acid mist, which changed the reaction mechanism from a gas-solid to a liquid-solid reaction and helped to improve the SO3 removal efficiency. Additionally, properly increasing the absorbent/SO3 molar ratio significantly improved the SO3 removal performance. However, excessive absorbent injection could cause aggregation and uneven dispersion of the absorbent particles in the flue gas, therefore impairing the effectiveness of SO3 capture. Under typical operating conditions (flue gas flow rate of 3500 m3/h, flue gas temperature of 180 °C, ZnO/SO3 molar ratio of 0.74, and residence time of 0.5 s), using a mixed absorbent of ZnO and CuS achieved an SO3 removal efficiency of up to 32.6%, and a total mercury capture at 43.2%, of which the Hg0 removal attained a remarkable 76.3%. These results preliminarily confirm the feasibility of the dry capture technology for simultaneous removal of SO3 and mercury, laying the foundation for further application and promotion.

Synthesis of block copolymer with cis-1,4-polybutadiene and isotactic-rich polystyrene using α-diimine nickel catalysts.

A series of styrene-butadiene di-block copolymers with high cis-1,4 unit content (greater than 92%) polybutadiene (PB) and isotactic-rich polystyrene (PS) (mmmm > 65%) was synthesized using α-diimine nickel catalysts (Ni-diimine). Four different Ni-diimine catalysts were synthesized via a complexing reaction between nickel (II) naphthenate and laboratory-made α-diimine ligands L1, L2, L3 and L4, which have different steric volume structures. The results indicate that the Ni-diimine catalyst prepared using the L4 ligand with a higher steric volume can effectively initiate the block polymerization of butadiene and styrene, and the resulting polymer has distinguished cis-1,4 structure unit PB and high isotactic-selective PS block. Differential scanning calorimetry and electrochemical performance tests show that these block copolymers with cis-1,4-regulated and isotactic-selective polymerization have advantages in terms of high-temperature and low-temperature resistance as well as corrosion resistance. Therefore, these copolymers are expected to be widely used in some harsh industrial environments.