Nitrogen-doped activated carbon-based steel slag composite material as an accelerant for enhancing the resilience of flexible biogas production process against shock loads: Performance, mechanism and modified ADM1 modeling.

Anaerobic digestion for flexible biogas production can lead to digestion inhibition under high shock loads. While steel slag addition has shown promise in enhancing system buffering, its limitations necessitate innovation. This study synthesized the nitrogen-doped activated carbon composite from steel slag to mitigate intermediate product accumulation during flexible biogas production. Material characterization preceded experiments introducing the composite into anaerobic digestion systems, evaluating its impact on methane production efficiency under hydraulic and concentration sudden shocks. Mechanistic insights were derived from microbial community and metagenomic analyses, facilitating the construction of the modified Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1 (ADM1) to quantitatively assess the material's effects. Results indicate superior resistance to concentration shocks with substantial increment of methane production rate up to 33.45% compared with control group, which is mediated by direct interspecies electron transfer, though diminishing with increasing shock intensity. This study contributes theoretical foundations for stable flexible biogas production and offers an effective predictive tool for conductor material reinforcement processes.

A Light-Programmed Rewritable Lattice-Mediated Multistate Memory for High-Density Data Storage.

Mainstream non-volatile memory (NVM) devices based on floating gate structures or phase-change/ferroelectric materials face inherent limitations that compromise their suitability for long-term data storage. To address this challenge, a novel memory device based on light-programmed lattice engineering of thin rhenium disulfide (ReS2 ) flakes is proposed. By inducing sulfur vacancies in the ReS2 channel through light illumination, the device's electrical conductivity is modified accordingly and multiple conductance states for data storage therefore are generated. The device exhibits more than 128 distinct states with linearly increasing conductance, corresponding to a sevenfold increase in storage density. Through further optimization to achieve atomic-level precision in defect creation, it is possible to achieve even higher storage densities. These states are extremely stable in vacuum or inert ambient showing long retention of >10 years, while they can be erased upon exposure to the air. The ReS2 memory device can maintain its stability over multiple program-erase operation cycles and shows superior wavelength discrimination capability for incident light in the range of 405-785 nm. This device represents a significant contribution to NVM technology by offering the ability to store information in multistate memory and enabling filter-free color image recorder applications.

The alteration of proteins and metabolites in leaf apoplast and the related gene expression associated with the adaptation of Ammopiptanthus mongolicus to winter freezing stress.

Ammopiptanthus mongolicus, an evergreen broad-leaved plant, can tolerate severe freezing stress (temperatures as low as -20 °C in winter). The apoplast is the space outside the plasma membrane that plays an important role in plant responses to environmental stress. Here, we investigated, using a multi-omics approach, the dynamic alterations in the levels of proteins and metabolites in the apoplast and related gene expression changes involved in the adaptation of A. mongolicus to winter freezing stress. Of the 962 proteins identified in the apoplast, the abundance of several PR proteins, including PR3 and PR5, increased significantly in winter, which may contribute to winter freezing-stress tolerance by functioning as antifreeze proteins. The increased abundance of the cell-wall polysaccharides and cell wall-modifying proteins, including PMEI, XTH32, and EXLA1, may enhance the mechanical properties of the cell wall in A. mongolicus. Accumulation of flavonoids and free amino acids in the apoplast may be beneficial for ROS scavenging and the maintenance of osmotic homeostasis. Integrated analyses revealed gene expression changes associated with alterations in the levels of apoplast proteins and metabolites. Our study improved the current understanding of the roles of apoplast proteins and metabolites in plant adaptation to winter freezing stress.

Virtual reality and integrated crime scene scanning for immersive and heterogeneous crime scene reconstruction.

Crime scene reconstruction plays a significant role in crime solving by helping to determine the course of events. Non-invasive, high-resolution measurement and increased insight are always the goal of forensic crime scene documentation. However, entire crime scenes cannot be effectively reconstructed with traditional methods. In this study, we present a portable system that consists of a laser scanner, two hand-held structured light scanners and a low-cost virtual reality (VR) headset with a mobile power supply to conduct multi-angle and omnidirectional three-dimensional spatial data collection of crime scenes. To demonstrate practical use, a real case has been analysed to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the system. The system accurately obtains information on decedent injuries, possible injury-inflicting tools and on-site traces. Various types of evidence from the crime scene can be jointly studied by three-dimensional visualization to develop a cohesive story. The data are presented via immersive VR rather than displayed on computer screens. The relationship between evidence chains enables us to achieve a complete crime scene reconstruction, using the specialized knowledge of experts and computer-aided forensic tools to analyse the causes of damage and identify suspects. The use of three- dimensional imaging techniques allows a more insightful survey and several useful analyses, such as accurate measurement, relative blood source location determination and injury-inflicting tool comparison.

Forensic aspects of homicides by insulin overdose.

Analysis of homicidal insulin overdose is a challenging task in forensic practice because of the difficulties in toxicological analysis as well as the elusive pathologic changes. We performed a detailed histopathologic examination on four autopsy cases involving insulin homicide, using H&E, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence assays. Severe reactive astrocyte proliferation was obvious in the white matter of the cerebrum, corpus callosum, cerebellum and brain stem, especially in subcortical regions. We found a statistically significant increase in the number and total area of reactive astrocytes compared with controls (p<0.001). Insulin was detected at the injection sites of subcutaneous soft tissues by using IHC, luminescence immunoassay and immunofluorescence. Most insulin deposits were located in the gaps between adipocytes, and a few deposits were located in peripheral nerves and inflammatory cells. We also detected protamine in the skin tissues in two of the four cases. Our study revealed that the presence of insulin and/or protamine at the injection sites, along with severe reactive astrocyte proliferation, could help diagnose insulin overdose.

[Progress on Individual Stature Estimation in Forensic Medicine].

Individual stature estimation is one of the most important contents of forensic anthropology. Currently, it has been used that the regression equations established by the data collected by direct measurement or radiological techniques in a certain group of limbs, irregular bones, and anatomic landmarks. Due to the impact of population mobility, human physical improvement, racial and geographic differences, estimation of individual stature should be a regular study. This paper reviews the different methods of stature estimation, briefly describes the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and prospects a new research direction.

[Forensic analysis of 7 infant homicide cases in Suzhou].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss and summarize the major characteristics, autopsy examination, and scene investigation in infant homicide cases. METHODS: From 2008 to 2013 in Suzhou, the information of seven detected infant homicide cases were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The criminal suspects were victims' mothers with young ages and pregnancies were premarital. Infant homicide cases occurred at the same location of the delivery. The infants died of mechanical asphyxia in the majority of the cases. Most bodies were naked and their umbilical cords were not cut by iatrogenic method and didn't connect with the bodies. CONCLUSION: The standardization of forensic investigation can improve the analysis and detection of infant homicide cases.

[Analysis of 28 death cases involved with tumbling injury].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the general features and the keypoints of forensic medical examination in tumbling injury cases. METHODS: Twenty-eight cases dying of tumbling injury were collected and the locations and features of injury were analyzed. RESULTS: The occiput of head was the common position for the tumbling injury cases. Force, disease and alcohol were the main reasons for tumbling injury. CONCLUSION: The injury is mild outside and severe inside from tumbling injury cases. The craniocerebral contrecoup is the significant feature in tumbling injury cases.

[Anatomy study of MGA in Chinese and its effect on legal expertise].

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to clarify the morphology of the Martin-Gruber anastomosis (MGA) in Chinese. METHODS: One hundred and five Chinese upper limbs (36 males and 20 femalese) were dissected to find the connections between medial nerve and ulnar nerve. The MGA was classified as previously described by Lee. RESULTS: MGA was found in 24 cases (22.9%), in 11 of the 36 male and 5 of the 20 female. There was no obvious difference in the frequency of MGA in both upper limbs. Most MGA ulnar position was located at the medial and distal segment of the forearm. CONCLUSION: MGA anatomy could play important role in forensic diagnosis of ulnar nerve injury in Chinese population.

[Estimation of postmortem interval using myofibril fragmentation index].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between postmortem interval and the myofibril fragmentation index of skeletal muscle. METHODS: Rabbit skeletal muscle were left in the room temperature for different postmortem intervals, and the protein concentration of each sample was detected by using biuret method. Furthermore, the myofibril fragmentation index of each sample was measured under the protein concentration level of 0.5 mg/mL. RESULTS: The myofibril fragmentation index increased obviously according to the postmortem interval prolongation. CONCLUSION: The myofibril fragmentation index may be used on the estimation of early postmortem interval.