Ribosomal protein L22 like 1: a promising biomarker for lung adenocarcinoma.

No studies have reported the effect of ribosomal protein L22 like 1 (RPL22L1) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Therefore, we aimed to systematically investigate the role of RPL22L1 in LUAD. The expression of RPL22L1 was analyzed using TCGA, GEO, TIMER, UALCAN databases, and validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Gene methylation analysis was performed using the UALCAN, GSCA and MethSurv databases. The immune infiltrates were investigated using the Single Sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA), TIMER database, and TISCH database. The results demonstrated that RPL22L1 was up-regulated in LUAD, and verified by IHC. Kaplan-Meier analysis suggested that patients with high RPL22L1 expression had poor prognosis. Multivariate analysis confirmed that RPL22L1 was an independent prognostic factor. Furthermore, RPL22L1 overexpression was associated with hypomethylation, and two CpGs of RPL22L1 were significantly associated with prognosis. Up-regulated RPL22L1 was enriched in MYC targets, E2F targets, G2M checkpoint, mTORC1 signaling, cell cycle, and so on. Moreover, RPL22L1 expression was negatively correlated with immune cell infiltration, and patients with high RPL22L1 expression had lower immune, stromal, and estimate scores. Single-cell analysis suggested that RPL22L1 might have a potential function in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of LUAD. In conclusion, RPL22L1 may be a promising biomarker for LUAD.

The impact of clinical and laboratory parameters on clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in fresh cycles: a retrospective study of 9608 high-quality cleavage-stage embryos.

BACKGROUND: Evidence from the Istanbul consensus workshop suggests correlations between morphological parameters and embryo developments. 8-cell embryos are the best blastomere stage on day 3. No good quality evidence exists to support high-quality embryonic selection following blastulation and clinical outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the factors that affect blastocyst formation, blastocyst quality, and clinical outcomes of high-quality cleavage-stage embryos in fresh cycles. METHODS: This study was a retrospective analysis of 9608 high-quality cleavage-stage embryos from 2987 couples between January 2017 to June 2021, namely 1520 embryos categorized as "812" (8-cell, grade 2, mild fragmentation), 2961 as "821" (8-cell, grade 2, mild asymmetry), 896 as "711" (7-cell, grade 1), and 517 as "911" (9-cell, grade 1) compared with 3714 embryos categorized as "811" (8-cell, grade 1). The primary outcomes were clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR). Blastulation rate (BR), available late blastocyst rate (ABR) and high-quality late blastocyst rate (HBR) were secondary outcome measures. RESULTS: BR, ABR, and HBR had significant differences among the five groups (P < 0.001), while CPR and LBR were also significantly different in cleavage-stage fresh transfer (P < 0.01). The multivariable multilevel logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between cell number, cell size, blastocyst development and clinical outcomes. For 7 to 9-cell highest-quality embryo, mild fragmentation and more blastomeres were more conducive to blastocyst formation and clinical outcomes. While cleavage-stage embryos developed into blastocysts, the negative impact of their initial morphology on clinical outcomes would be erased. CONCLUSIONS: Our study firstly evaluated blastocyst development and clinical outcomes of high-quality cleavage-stage embryos in fresh cycles, with rankings of 811, 812, 911, 821, and 711. We found the initial morphological characteristics of the high-quality cleavage-stage embryos did not adversely impact clinical outcomes, even as they progressed to the blastocyst stage.

APOB is a potential prognostic biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is significantly associated with adverse prognostic outcomes. The development and progression of different types of human tumors are significantly influenced by APOB. Nevertheless, the significance and pathomechanisms of APOB in HCC have not been conclusively determined. We assessed APOB expression levels in HCC using three publicly available databases of TIMER2.0, UALCAN and Human Protein Atlas. To identify the biological function of APOB, we conducted enrichment analysis via LinkedOmics. Moreover, UALCAN was employed to assess the relationship between APOB expression and clinicopathological features among HCC patients. Additionally, the Kaplan-Meier plotter was utilized to investigate the prognostic relevance of APOB in HCC. To explore potential regulatory ncRNAs that could bind to APOB, we utilized StarBase and GEPIA. Furthermore, the correlation between APOB expression and immune cell infiltration, as well as immune checkpoint genes, was investigated using Spearman's correlation analysis in TISIDB, GEPIA, and TIMER2.0. The findings of our investigation showed a notable decrease in the expression levels of APOB among individuals diagnosed with HCC. Moreover, a noteworthy correlation was observed between the expression of APOB and immune checkpoint genes, alongside the occurrence of immune cell infiltration. The levels of APOB expression in HCC tissues also showed correlations with various clinicopathological features. According to Cox regression analysis, decreased APOB expression emerged as a potential autonomous predictor for OS, RFS, DSS, and PFS among HCC patients. Furthermore, we identified six potential pathways associated with non-coding RNA (ncRNA) as the most promising pathway for APOB in HCC. Our results illuminate the possible involvement of APOB in HCC and offer understanding into its governing mechanisms and medical importance.

Association Between Anti-Müllerian Hormone and Early Spontaneous Abortion in Assisted Reproduction Treatment: A Case-Control Study Integrated with Biological Evidence.

Early spontaneous abortion (ESA) is a common adverse pregnancy outcome mainly attributed to embryo chromosomal abnormalities. However, as a quantitative marker, whether the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) can reflect oocyte quality is still controversial. By integrating biological evidence and adjusting many cofounders, this study aimed to clarify the controversies about the association between AMH and ESA caused by embryo aneuploidy during assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. We strictly preselected 988 patients receiving first ART treatment for analyzing clinical data, while 55 of them acquired chorionic villi karyotype results. In addition, 373 biopsied embryos from 126 patients receiving preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGT) were tracked to compare embryo karyotypes. Univariate and multiple factor regressions were applied to analyze the risk factors leading to ESA. As covariates unadjusted, AMH (odds ratio 0.87, 95% CI 0.82-0.93) was the significant variable contributing to ESA. However, AMH played no significant role in the following regression models after age was adjusted. Also, AMH had no significant association with ESA in most age-adjusted subgroups, except in the male factors engaged subgroup. Additionally, compared to the patients with euploid chorionic villi karyotypes, those with aneuploid karyotypes were older and acquired fewer oocytes, yet their AMH levels were not significantly different. Furthermore, the embryo aneuploidy was independent of AMH while associated with maternal age, retrieved oocyte number, and embryo quality. This study suggested that AMH was unassociated with the ESA caused by embryo aneuploidy in ART therapy. As a critical cofounder, age remains the variable closely related to ESA.

Amine-functionalized Schiff base covalent organic frameworks supported PdAuIr nanoparticles as high-performance catalysts for formic acid dehydrogenation and hexavalent chromium reduction.

Formic acid (FA) holds significant potential as a liquid hydrogen storage medium. However, it is important to improve the reaction rates and extend the practical applications of FA dehydrogenation and Cr(VI) reduction through the development of efficient heterogeneous catalysts. This study reports the synthesis of a uniformly dispersed PdAuIr nanoparticles (NPs) catalyst loaded with amine groups covalent organic frameworks (COFs). The alloyed NPs demonstrated exceptional effectiveness in FA dehydrogenation rate and Cr(VI) reduction. The initial turnover of frequency (TOF) value for FA dehydrogenation without additives was 9970 h-1 at 298 K, the apparent activation energy (Ea) was 30.3 kJ/mol and the rate constant (k) for Cr(VI) reduction was 0.742 min-1. Additionally, it showcased the ability to undergo recycling up to six times with minimal degradation in performance. The results indicate that its remarkable catalytic performance can be attributed primarily to the favorable mass transfer attributes of the aminated COFs supports, the strong metal-support interaction (SMSI), and the synergistic effects among the metals. This study offers a novel perspective on the advancement of efficient and durable heterogeneous catalysts with diverse capabilities, thereby making significant contributions to the fields of energy and environmental preservation.

Novel nomogram for predicting survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer receiving anti-PD-1 plus chemotherapy with or without antiangiogenic therapy.

Background: This study aimed to develop and validate a novel nomogram to predict survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor plus chemotherapy with or without antiangiogenic therapy. Methods: A total of 271 patients with advanced NSCLC who received anti-PD-1 plus chemotherapy with or without antiangiogenic therapy were enrolled in our center and randomized into the training cohort (n = 133) and the internal validation cohort (n = 138). Forty-five patients from another center were included as an independent external validation cohort. The nomogram was created based on the multivariate Cox regression analysis to predict overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The performance of the nomogram was assessed using the concordance index (C-index), the time-dependent area under the receiver operating (ROC) curves (AUCs), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: Four factors significantly associated with OS were utilized to create a nomogram to predict OS: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, chemotherapy cycle, and pretreatment lactate dehydrogenase-albumin ratio (LAR). Six variables significantly associated with PFS were incorporated into the development of a nomogram for predicting PFS: ECOG PS, histology, PD-L1 expression, chemotherapy cycle, pretreatment platelet to lymphocyte (PLR), and pretreatment LAR. The C-indexes of the nomogram for predicting OS and PFS were 0.750 and 0.747, respectively. The AUCs for predicting the 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month OS and PFS were 0.847, 0.791, and 0.776 and 0.810, 0.787, and 0.861, respectively. The calibration curves demonstrated a good agreement between predictions and actual observations. The DCA curves indicated that the nomograms had good net benefits. Furthermore, the nomogram model was well-validated in the internal and external cohorts. Conclusion: The novel nomogram for predicting the prognosis of advanced NSCLC receiving anti-PD-1 plus chemotherapy with or without antiangiogenic therapy may help guide clinical treatment decisions.

Crocin Ameliorates Diabetic Nephropathy through Regulating Metabolism, CYP4A11/PPARγ, and TGF-ß/Smad Pathways in Mice.

INTRODUCTION: Crocin is one of the main components of Crocus sativus L. and can alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation in diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the specific mechanism by which crocin treats DN still needs to be further elucidated. METHOD: In the present study, a mouse model of DN was first established to investigate the therapeutic effect of crocin on DN mice. Subsequently, non-targeted metabolomics techniques were used to analyze the mechanisms of action of crocin in the treatment of DN. The effects of crocin on CYP4A11/PPARγ and TGF-ß/Smad pathway were also investigated. RESULT: Results showed that crocin exhibited significant therapeutic and anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative effects on DN mice. In addition, the non-targeted metabolomics results indicated that crocin treatment affected several metabolites in kidney. These metabolites were mainly associated with biotin metabolism, riboflavin metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism. Furthermore, crocin treatment upregulated the decreased levels of CYP4A11 and phosphorylated PPARγ, and reduced the increased levels of TGF-ß1 and phosphorylated Smad2/3 in the kidneys of DN mice. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our study validated the considerable therapeutic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative impacts of crocin on DN mice. The mechanism of crocin treatment may be related to the regulation of biotin riboflavin and arachidonic acid metabolism, the activation of CYP4A11/PPARγ pathway, and the inhibition of TGF-ß/Smad pathway in the kidney.

PPARγ in Atherosclerotic Endothelial Dysfunction: Regulatory Compounds and PTMs.

The formation of atherosclerotic plaques is one of the main sources of cardiovascular disease. In addition to known risk factors such as dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, endothelial dysfunction has been shown to play a key role in the formation and progression of atherosclerosis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ), a transcription factor belonging to the steroid superfamily, is expressed in the aorta and plays a critical role in protecting endothelial function. It thereby serves as a target for treating both diabetes and atherosclerosis. Although many studies have examined endothelial cell disorders in atherosclerosis, the role of PPARγ in endothelial dysfunction is still not well understood. In this review, we summarize the possible mechanisms of action behind PPARγ regulatory compounds and post-translational modifications (PTMs) of PPARγ in the control of endothelial function. We also explore the potential use of endothelial PPARγ-targeted agents in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

Study on total residual oxidant decay in long-distance seawater intake pipeline of cooling system.

Electrochlorination is often used for biofouling control along the water intake pipeline of seawater cooling system, but with the increasing of pipeline length, this process needs to be further improved. In this study, the dynamic circulation and field pilot test were used to simulate the long-distance seawater intake pipeline, investigating total residual oxidant (TRO) decay and its influencing factors by comparing the bench test. The results showed that intermediate dosing could increase terminal TRO, but also reduce the CT value, resulting in decline of local inactivation effect. The initial concentration of dynamic cycle test was higher than that of bench test under the same terminal TRO, and the difference value between the two was affected by holding time. When the initial concentration was greater than 8.5 mg L-1, TRO decay rate was proportional to the seawater flow rate and inversely proportional to the initial concentration. The initial concentration of 8.5-10 mg L-1 could meet TRO decay requirement under 3 h holding time, and the dosing concentration could be reduced to 6 mg L-1 when the temperature was low. The results provided important guidance for the actual operation of biofouling control in long-distance water intake pipelines of cooling system.

LAPS score for individualized treatment of advanced EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer receiving EGFR-TKIs with or without bevacizumab.

BACKGROUND: To establish a risk stratification score to facilitate individualized treatment for patients with advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: We enrolled 160 advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC who received first-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) with or without bevacizumab. Kaplan-Meier curves were used for survival analysis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify independent prognostic factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: There were 107 patients in EGFR-TKI monotherapy (T group) and 53 patients in EGFR-TKI with bevacizumab (A + T group). The median PFS in the A + T group was significantly longer than that in the T group (p = 0.002). No difference in the median OS between the A + T and T groups (p = 0.721). The multivariate analyses showed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) and the pre-treatment lactate dehydrogenase-albumin ratio (LAR) were independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS. The LAR-ECOG PS (LAPS) score was constructed by combining the pre-treatment LAR and ECOG PS. We defined ECOG PS 2 and high pre-treatment LAR as a score of 1. Then, patients with a total LAPS score of 0 were categorized as low-risk and those with 1-2 scores were classified as high-risk. For patients in low-risk group, there was no significant difference in PFS, OS, objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR) among those who received EGFR-TKI with or without bevacizumab. However, patients in high-risk group had a significant benefit in PFS and DCR when treated with EGFR-TKI plus bevacizumab compared to those who received EGFR-TKI alone. CONCLUSIONS: Novel LAPS score may help to facilitate individualized treatment of advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC receiving EGFR-TKI with or without bevacizumab.

BREAST-Q-Based Survey of the Satisfaction and Health Status of Patients with Breast Reconstruction.

AIMS: To explore the patients' satisfaction and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients who received reconstruction after breast cancer surgery using the BREAST-Q questionnaire and further investigate the influencing risk factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled patients who underwent first-ever breast reconstruction after unilateral or bilateral mastectomy at the Breast Surgery Department of First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University or People's Hospital of Zhengzhou between January 2016 and December 2021. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 202 participants were included. Age of >45 years (vs.≤35 years, ß = - 3.74, P < 0.001) was an independent risk factor influencing the satisfaction degree score. Age between 36 and 45 years (vs. ≤35 years, ß = - 0.26, P < 0.001), age of >45 years (vs. ≤35 years, ß = - 0.45, P < 0.001), nipple-preserving mastectomy (NSM)/ skin-preserving mastectomy (SSM) + sentinel lymph node dissection + prosthesis implantation + contralateral breast augmentation (vs. NSM/SSM + sentinel lymph node dissection + prosthesis implantation, ß = - 0.16, P=0.012), and the use of small intestinal submucosa (SIS) matrix (ß = 0.13, P = 0.044) were independent risk factors influencing the HRQOL scores. CONCLUSION: Age, the surgical procedure, and the use of matrix were associated with the satisfaction degree and HRQOL after breast reconstruction in patients receiving mastectomy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE II: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Association between metabolic healthy obesity and female infertility: the national health and nutrition examination survey, 2013-2020.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has been confirmed to be associated with infertility. However, the association between metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), a subset of obesity with no metabolic abnormalities, and female infertility has not yet been investigated. This study aimed to examine the association between MHO and the risk of female infertility among United States. METHODS: This study utilized a cross-sectional design and included 3542 women aged 20-45 years who were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2020 database. The association between MHO and the risk of infertility was evaluated using risk factor-adjusted logistic regression models. RESULTS: Higher BMI and WC were associated with increased infertility risk after adjusting for potential confounding factors (OR (95% CI): 1.04(1.02, 1.06), P = 0.001; OR (95% CI): 1.02 (1.01, 1.03), P < 0.001; respectively). After cross-classifying by metabolic health and obesity according to BMI and WC categories, individuals with MHO had a higher risk of infertility than those with MHN (OR (95% CI): 1.75(0.88, 3.50) for BMI criteria; OR (95% CI): 2.01(1.03, 3.95) for WC criteria). A positive linear relationship was observed between BMI/WC and infertility risk among metabolically healthy women (Pnon-linearity=0.306, 0.170; respectively). CONCLUSIONS: MHO was associated with an increased risk of infertility among reproductive-aged women in the US. Obesity itself, regardless of metabolic health status, was associated with a higher infertility risk. Our results support implementing lifestyle changes aimed at achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight in all individuals, even those who are metabolically healthy.

The identification of genes associated T-cell exhaustion and construction of prognostic signature to predict immunotherapy response in lung adenocarcinoma.

T-cell exhaustion (Tex) is considered to be a reason for immunotherapy resistance and poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma. Therefore, we used weighted correlation network analysis to identify Tex-related genes in the cancer genome atlas (TCGA). Unsupervised clustering approach based on Tex-related genes divided patients into cluster 1 and cluster 2. Then, we utilized random forest and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator to identify nine key genes to construct a riskscore. Patients were classified as low or high-risk groups. The multivariate cox analysis showed the riskscore was an independent prognostic factor in TCGA and GSE72094 cohorts. Moreover, patients in cluster 2 with high riskscore had the worst prognosis. The immune response prediction analysis showed the low-risk group had higher immune, stromal, estimate scores, higher immunophenscore (IPS), and lower tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion score which suggested a better response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy in the low-risk group. In the meantime, we included two independent immunotherapy cohorts that also confirmed a better response to ICIs treatment in the low-risk group. Besides, we discovered differences in chemotherapy and targeted drug sensitivity between two groups. Finally, a nomogram was built to facilitate clinical decision making.

Improved visible light triggered photocatalytic activities of BiOCl photocatalysts via a synergistic effect of doping and heterojunction engineering.

To manipulate the photocatalytic activities of BiOCl photocatalysts, doping and heterojunction engineering are simultaneously adopted. Herein, the photocatalysts Sm3+-doped BiOCl and BiOCl:Sm3+@yg-C3N4 were designed, in which their phase structure, morphology, optical properties and photocatalytic activities were systematically discussed. Excited at 408 nm, red emissions are seen from Sm3+-doped BiOCl microplates and their intensities were impacted by doping content, reaching the maximum value when the Sm3+ content was 1 mol% and the involved concentration mechanism was dominated by quadrupole-quadrupole interaction. Through analyzing the degradation of TC, the visible light triggered photocatalytic behaviors of the resultant compounds were studied. Compared with BiOCl microplates, an improved TC removal ability was seen in Sm3+-doped BiOCl microplates and the products with a Sm3+ content of 0.5 mol% show the best performance. Moreover, through constructing the heterojunction with g-C3N4, the TC removal capacity was further enhanced and the BiOCl:Sm3+@60%g-C3N4 exhibits the optimal photocatalytic activity, which was also much better than that of the commercial SnO2 and TiO2. Accordingly, the ˙O2-, h+ and ˙OH active species were proven to contribute to the involved visible light driven photocatalytic mechanism. Furthermore, the separation and recombination of photogenerated carries via the Z-scheme transfer process in the designed heterojunction composites, led to splendid photocatalytic properties. Additionally, it was verified that the TC solution treated with synthesized compounds was nontoxic toward plant growth. Our findings may propose an available route to regulate the photocatalytic performance of the visible light driven photocatalysts.

First-generation EGFR-TKI plus bevacizumab and chemotherapy for advanced EGFR-mutated non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of different treatment modalities for previously untreated advanced EGFR-mutated non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: This retrospective study included 196 advanced EGFR-mutated non-squamous NSCLC. 107 received EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) monotherapy (T), 53 received EGFR-TKI + bevacizumab (T + A), and 36 received EGFR-TKI + bevacizumab + chemotherapy (T + A + C). The endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR) and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: The median PFS was 27 months in the T + A + C group, 17 months in the T + A group, and 10 months in the T group. The multivariate analysis showed lower disease progression in the T + A + C group (HR, 0.377; 95% CI, 0.224-0.634; p < .001). Subgroup analysis showed that the T + A + C group did significantly improve PFS in patients with metastatic organs ≥2, brain metastases, liver metastases, and EGFR 19del compared to T + A group. No significant improvement in OS in the T + A + C group versus the T + A group, but a significant benefit in the subgroup of patients with metastatic organs ≥2. We also performed a subgroup analysis of the T + A + C group versus the T group, which similarly showed that the T + A + C group had better PFS than the T group in most subgroups, and the T + A + C group significantly improved OS in patients with metastatic organ ≥2 and liver metastases compared with the T group. The ORR was significantly higher in the T + A + C group than A + T and T groups (83.3% vs 71.7% vs 60.7%, p = .033). In safety, the T + A + C group had a higher incidence of AEs, but the majority was grade 1-2. The most frequent AEs of grade ≥ 3 were leukopenia (8.3%) and increased aminotransferase (8.3%) in the T + A + C group. CONCLUSIONS: First-generation EGFR-TKI plus bevacizumab plus chemotherapy was a promising strategy for advanced EGFR-mutated non-squamous NSCLC.

Controlled Synthesis and Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Activity of BiOBr Particles for Ultrafast Degradation of Pollutants.

For the purpose of regulating the visible-light-driven photocatalytic properties of photocatalysts, we selected BiOBr as the research target and various routes were used. Herein, via the use of a hydrothermal method with various solvents, BiOBr particles with controllable morphology and photocatalytic activities are obtained. In particular, through changing the volume ratio of ethylene glycol (EG) to ethanol (EtOH), BiOBr compounds possess microspheres, in which samples synthesized by using EG:EtOH = 1:2 have the highest photocatalytic activity, and can completely decompose RhB under visible light irradiation within 14 min. Furthermore, we also used different volume ratios of EG and H2O reaction solvents to prepare BiOBr particles so as to further improve its pollutant removal ability. When the volume ratio of EG to H2O is 1:1, the synthesized BiOBr particles have the best photocatalytic activity, and RhB can be degraded in only 10 min upon visible light irradiation. Aside from the reaction solvent, the impact of sintering temperature on the photocatalytic properties of BiOBr particles is also explored, where its pollutant removal capacities are restrained due to the reduced specific surface area. Additionally, the visible-light-triggered photocatalytic mechanism of BiOBr particles is determined by h+, ·OH and ·O2- active species.

Tracking Carbon Flows in China's Iron and Steel Industry.

Accurately tracking carbon flows is the first step toward reducing the climate impacts of the iron and steel industry (ISI), which is still lacking in China. In this study, we track carbon flows from coal/mineral mines to end steel users by coupling the cross-process material and energy flow model, point-based emission inventory, and interprovincial trade matrices. In 2020, ISI emitted 2288 Tg of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq, including CH4 and CO2), 96% of which came from energy use and 4% from raw material decomposition. Often overlooked off-gas use and CH4 leakage in coal mines account for 25% of life-cycle emissions. Due to limited scrap resources and a high proportion of pig iron feed, the life-cycle emission intensity of the electric arc furnace (EAF) (1.15 t CO2eq/t steel) is slightly lower than the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) (1.58 t CO2eq/t steel) in China. In addition, over 49% of producer-based emissions are driven by interprovincial coal/coke/steel trade. In particular, nearly all user-based emissions in Zhejiang and Beijing are transferred to steelmaking bases. Therefore, we highlight the need for life-cycle and spatial shifts in user-side carbon management.

Synthesis of Renewable High-Density Fuel with Vanillin and Cyclopentanone Derived from Hemicellulose.

1,3-bis(cyclohexylmethyl)cyclopentane, a renewable high-density fuel, was first produced in a high overall carbon yield (79.5%) with vanillin and cyclopentanone, which can be derived from biomass. The synthetic route used in this work contains two steps. In the first step, 2,5-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)cyclopentanone was synthesized by aldol condensation of vanillin and cyclopentanone under the catalysis of sulphuric acid. Over the optimized condensation, a high carbon yield (82.6%) of 2,5-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene) cyclopentanone was achieved at 80 ºC. In the second step, 2,5-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene) cyclopentanone was hydrodeoxygenated over the Pd/HY catalyst in cyclohexane as solvent. High carbon yields of 1,3-bis(cyclohexylmethyl)cyclopentane (96.2%) was obtained. The polycycloalkane mixture as obtained has a density of 0.943 g mL-1 and a freezing point of -35 °C. It can be blended into conventional high-density fuels (e.g., JP-10) for rockets and missile propulsion as a potential application.

Synthesis of nano-Fe3O4/ZnO composites with enhanced antibacterial properties and plant growth promotion via one-pot reaction.

Bordeaux mixture is commonly used in agricultural production due to its certain antibacterial activity. However, it has been observed to promote plant growth at a slow pace. Therefore, it is crucial to explore an effective antibacterial agent that can enhance the antibacterial activity and promote plant growth in commercially available Bordeaux mixture, which can significantly contribute to the development of the agricultural economy. The investigation into inorganic agents with both bacteriostatic and plant-promoting properties has a broad application potential in agriculture. Fe3O4/ZnO (FZ) composites were synthesized from FeCl3, ZnCl2, and NaAc in a "one-pot approach" and analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). To investigate the antibacterial activity and mechanism of FZ nanocomposites, Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were used as model bacteria, and human mammary epithelial cells and model plant mung bean were used as targets to study the effects of FZ on human and plant growth. The results revealed that at 300 µg/mL for 80 min, the antibacterial efficacy of FZ composites was 99.8% against E. coli, which was 20% greater than that of Bordeaux liquid (FC), and 99.9% against S. aureus, which was 28.6% higher than that of FC. The inhibitory mechanism demonstrated that the substance could efficiently damage the bacterial cell wall of a concentration of 300 µg/mL. The IC50 of the material to human mammary epithelial cells was 49.518 µg/mL, and it also increased mung bean germination, root growth, and chlorophyll content, indicating that the application performance was 1.5 times better than that of FC. Its exceptional performance can be used to treat agricultural diseases.