A Study on the Borehole Wall Stability Analysis and Slurry Ratio Optimization for Construction of Pile in Complex Marine Strata.

In order to address the issue of hole collapse, which frequently arises when boring piles are being constructed in intricate marine strata, this paper discusses the influence of the slurry ratio on the slurry performance as well as the mechanism of slurry wall protection. It performs this by means of theoretical analysis, laboratory ratio testing, engineering analogies, numerical simulation, and field testing. Our findings demonstrate that adding sodium polyacrylate and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose can enhance mud's viscosity, contribute to flocculation, and improve the connection between mud and soil layers. Refering similar engineering cases, three optimization schemes are proposed for achieving a mud ratio that offers wall protection in complex marine strata. Furthermore, the particle flow model of slurry viscous fluid is established. The collapse of holes in the sand layer is reflected in the uneven radial displacement of hole walls and the invasion of mud particles. Increasing the viscosity of mud gradually transforms the uneven radial deformation of pore walls in the sand layer into a uniform radial deformation, whereas increasing the proportion of mud significantly decreases the radial displacement of hole walls. Additionally, when the mud pressure in the hole is 300 kPa and 600 kPa, the wall protection effect is better, and there is no particle penetration by substances such as sand. It is found that a high mud pressure can promote the diffusion of mud particles into the sand layer, while low mud pressure cannot balance the pressure on deep soil. The results of the field tests show that the ratio of water-clay-bentonite-CMC-Na-sodium carbonate = 700:110:90:1.5:0.5 used (where the mass percentage of each material is 77.8% water, 12.2% clay, 10% bentonite, 0.16% CMC-Na, and 0.05% sodium carbonate) can effectively prevent hole collapse and reduce the thickness of the sand layer at the bottom of the hole by 50%.

Genkwanin alleviates intervertebral disc degeneration via regulating ITGA2/PI3K/AKT pathway and inhibiting apoptosis and senescence.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a progressive degenerative disease influenced by various factors. Genkwanin, a known anti-inflammatory flavonoid, has not been explored for its potential in IVDD management. This study aims to investigate the effects and mechanisms of genkwanin on IVDD. In vitro, cell experiments revealed that genkwanin dose-dependently inhibited Interleukin-1ß-induced expression levels of inflammatory factors (Interleukin-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2) and degradation metabolic protein (matrix metalloproteinase-13). Concurrently, genkwanin upregulated the expression of synthetic metabolism genes (type II collagen, aggrecan). Moreover, genkwanin effectively reduced the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathways. Transcriptome sequencing analysis identified integrin α2 (ITGA2) as a potential target of genkwanin, and silencing ITGA2 reversed the activation of PI3K/AKT pathway induced by Interleukin-1ß. Furthermore, genkwanin alleviated Interleukin-1ß-induced senescence and apoptosis in nucleus pulposus cells. In vivo animal experiments demonstrated that genkwanin mitigated the progression of IVDD in the rat model through imaging and histological examinations. In conclusion, This study suggest that genkwanin inhibits inflammation in nucleus pulposus cells, promotes extracellular matrix remodeling, suppresses cellular senescence and apoptosis, through the ITGA2/PI3K/AKT, NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. These findings indicate that genkwanin may be a promising therapeutic candidate for IVDD.

Traditional Chinese medicine Pien-Tze-Huang ameliorates LPS-induced sepsis through bile acid-mediated activation of TGR5-STAT3-A20 signalling.

Pien Tze Huang (PZH), a class I nationally protected traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been used to treat liver diseases such as hepatitis; however, the effect of PZH on the progression of sepsis is unknown. Here, we reported that PZH attenuated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis in mice and reduced LPS-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines in macrophages by inhibiting the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signalling. Mechanistically, PZH stimulated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation to induce the expression of A20, which could inhibit the activation of NF-κB and MAPK signalling. Knockdown of the bile acid (BA) receptor G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (TGR5) in macrophages abolished the effects of PZH on STAT3 phosphorylation and A20 induction, as well as the LPS-induced inflammatory response, suggesting that BAs in PZH may mediate its anti-inflammatory effects by activating TGR5. Consistently, deprivation of BAs in PZH by cholestyramine resin reduced the effects of PZH on the expression of phosphorylated-STAT3 and A20, the activation of NF-κB and MAPK signalling, and the production of proinflammatory cytokines, whereas the addition of BAs to cholestyramine resin-treated PZH partially restored the inhibitory effects on the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Overall, our study identifies BAs as the effective components in PZH that activate TGR5-STAT3-A20 signalling to ameliorate LPS-induced sepsis.

Enhancing X-Ray Sensitization with Multifunctional Nanoparticles.

In the progression of X-ray-based radiotherapy for the treatment of cancer, the incorporation of nanoparticles (NPs) has a transformative impact. This study investigates the potential of NPs, particularly those comprised of high atomic number elements, as radiosensitizers. This aims to optimize localized radiation doses within tumors, thereby maximizing therapeutic efficacy while preserving surrounding tissues. The multifaceted applications of NPs in radiotherapy encompass collaborative interactions with chemotherapeutic, immunotherapeutic, and targeted pharmaceuticals, along with contributions to photodynamic/photothermal therapy, imaging enhancement, and the integration of artificial intelligence technology. Despite promising preclinical outcomes, the paper acknowledges challenges in the clinical translation of these findings. The conclusion maintains an optimistic stance, emphasizing ongoing trials and technological advancements that bolster personalized treatment approaches. The paper advocates for continuous research and clinical validation, envisioning the integration of NPs as a revolutionary paradigm in cancer therapy, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.

EO nonlinear function generator.

An electro-optical programmable nonlinear function generator (PNFG) is developed on a multimode waveguide with four parallel thermal electrodes. The current on one electrode is chosen as the input, while the rest serve as function-defining units to modulate the multimode interference. The electro-thermo-optical effects are analyzed step by step and the impact on the eigenmode properties is derived. It shows that the optical output power variation by altered interference, in response to the input current, manifests as a complex ensemble of functions in general. The PNFG aims to find the special setting under which such relation can be simplified into some basic functions. Through an optimization program, a variety of such functions are found, including Sigmoid, SiLU, and Gaussian. Furthermore, the shape of these functions can be adjusted by finetuning the defining units. This device may be integrated in a large-scale photonic computing network that can tackle complex problems with nonlinear function adaptability.

Simultaneous removal of phenanthrene and Pb using novel PPG-CNTs-nZVI beads.

PPG-CNTs-nZVI bead was synthesized by polyvinyl alcohol, pumice, carbon nanotube, and guar gum-nanoscale zero-valent iron to be applied on simultaneously removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; phenanthrene) and heavy metals (Pb2+) via adsorption. The individual and simultaneous removal efficiency of phenanthrene and Pb2+ using the PPG-CNTs-nZVI beads was evaluated with a range of initial concentrations of these two pollutants. The kinetics and isotherms of phenanthrene and Pb2+ adsorption by the PPG-CNTs-nZVI beads were also determined. The PPG-CNTs-nZVI beads show reasonably high phenanthrene adsorption capacities (up to 0.16 mg/g), and they absorbed 85% of the phenanthrene (initial concentration 0.5 mg/L) in 30 min. High Pb2+ adsorption capabilities were also demonstrated by the PPG-CNTs-nZVI beads (up to 11.6 mg/g). The adsorption fits the Langmuir model better than the Freundlich model. The adsorption still remained stable with various ionic strength circumstances and a wide pH range (2-5). Additionally, the co-adsorption of phenanthrene and Pb2+ by the PPG-CNTs-nZVI beads resulted in synergistic effects. Particularly, phenanthrene-Pb2+ complex formation via π-cation interactions demonstrated a greater affinity than phenanthrene or Pb2+ alone. The present findings suggest that PPG-CNTs-nZVI beads may be effective sorbents for the simultaneous removal of PAHs and heavy metals from contaminated waters.

Structural characterization of the polysaccharide from the black crystal region of Inonotus obliquus and its effect on AsPC-1 and SW1990 pancreatic cancer cell apoptosis.

In this study, one water soluble polysaccharide (IOP1-1) with a weight average molecular weight of 6886 Da was obtained from the black crystal region of Inonotus obliquus by hot water extraction, DEAE-52 cellulose extraction and Sephadex-100 column chromatography purification. Structural analysis indicated that IOP1-1 was a glucan with a main chain composed of α-Glcp-(1 â†’ 4)-α-Glcp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-Glcp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-Glcp-(1 â†’ 4)-α-Glcp-(1 â†’ 6)-ß-Glcp-(1 â†’ 4)-α-Glcp-(1 â†’ 3)-ß-Glcp-(1→. The CCK-8 assay results showed that IOP1-1 inhibited AsPC-1 and SW1990 pancreatic cancer cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that IOP1-1 induced cell cycle arrest in AsPC-1 and SW1990 cells. Hoechst 33342 staining and Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining analysis showed that IOP1-1 could induce apoptosis in AsPC-1 and SW1990 cells. Furthermore, western blot analysis confirmed that IOP1-1 could induce apoptosis in AsPC-1 and SW1990 pancreatic cancer cells through three pathways: the mitochondrial pathway, the death receptor pathway, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. According to these research data, IOP1-1 may be utilized as an adjuvant treatment to anticancer medications, opening up new application prospects and opportunities.

Understanding the removal of heavy metals from stormwater runoff in permeable pavement system.

Understanding the removal of heavy metals (HMs) in permeable pavement systems is of great significance for controlling urban runoff pollution and optimizing structural design. However, few studies have systematically investigated the mechanism of permeable pavement systems in removing HMs from stormwater runoff. In this study, we adopted a hierarchical strategy to understand the efficiency of individual structural layers on HMs removal in a permeable interlocking concrete pavement (PICP) system. Experimental results illuminated that the surface layer exhibited the highest uptakes of HMs, which can remove up to 64 % of Pb2+, 50 % of Cu2+, 28 % of Cd2+ and 13 % of Zn2+. Meanwhile, as the rainfall return period increased, the removal rates of HMs in PICP was gradually decreased. In addition, batch experiments were conducted and the adsorption results were in accordance with the rainfall filtration experiments. More importantly, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and leaching results were investigated to understand the HMs removal mechanism, which found that the ion exchange is the main mechanism in the surface layer to remove HMs, whereas the chemical adsorption play a crucial role in the base and sub-base layers. Overall, these findings provided new insights into the transport patterns of HMs in the internal structural layers of the PICP.

Prenatal diesel exhaust exposure alters hippocampal synaptic plasticity in offspring.

Diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) are major air pollutants emitted from automobile engines. Prenatal exposure to DEPs has been linked to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases associated with aging. However, the specific mechanism by DEPs impair the hippocampal synaptic plasticity in the offspring remains unclear. Pregnant C57BL/6 mice were administered DEPs solution via the tail vein every other day for a total of 10 injections, then the male offsprings were studied to assess learning and memory by the Morris water maze. Additionally, protein expression in the hippocampus, including CPEB3, NMDAR (NR1, NR2A, NR2B), PKA, SYP, PSD95, and p-CREB was analyzed using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The alterations in the histomorphology of the hippocampus were observed in male offspring on postnatal day 7 following prenatal exposure to DEPs. Furthermore, 8-week-old male offspring exposed to DEPs during prenatal development exhibited impairments in the Morris water maze test, indicating deficits in learning and memory. Mechanistically, the findings from our study indicate that exposure to DEPs during pregnancy may alter the expression of CPEB3, SYP, PSD95, NMDAR (NR1, NR2A, and NR2B), PKA, and p-CREB in the hippocampus of both immature and mature male offspring. The results offer evidence for the role of the NMDAR/PKA/CREB and CPEB3 signaling pathway in mediating the learning and memory toxicity of DEPs in male offspring mice. The alterations in signaling pathways may contribute to the observed damage to synaptic structure and transmission function plasticity caused by DEPs. The findings hold potential for informing future safety assessments of DEPs.

Investigation the existence and mechanism of Cu(II)-sulfamethoxazole co-pollution by road-deposited sediments in stormwater runoff.

In recent years, the escalating attention on Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) and Heavy Metals in urban stormwater runoff highlights the critical role of Road-deposited sediments (RDS) as a significant carrier for pollutant occurrence and transport in runoff. However, existing research has overlooked the composite characteristics of PPCPs and Heavy Metals, hampering a holistic understanding of their transformation in diverse forms within runoff. This limitation impedes the exploration of their subsequent migration and conversion properties, thereby obstructing coordinated strategies for the control of co-pollution in runoff. This study focuses on the typical PPCP sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and heavy metal Cu(II) to analyze their occurrence characteristics in the Runoff-RDS system. Kinetics and isotherm studies reveal that RDS effectively accumulates SMX and Cu(II), with both exhibiting rapid association with RDS in the early stages of runoff. The accumulation of SMX and Cu(II) accounts for over 80 % and 70 % of the total accumulation within the first 240 min and 60 min, respectively. Moreover, as runoff pH values decrease, the initially synergistic effect between the co-pollutant transforms into an antagonistic effect. In the composite system, varying pH values from 2.0 to 6.0 lead to an increase in SMX accumulation from 4.01 mg/kg to 6.19 mg/kg and Cu(II) accumulation from 0.43 mg/g to 3.39 mg/g. Compared to the single system, the composite system capacity for SMX and Cu(II) increases by 0.04 mg/kg and 0.33 mg/g at pH 4.0. However, at pH 3.0, the composite system capacity for SMX and Cu(II) decreases by 0.21 mg/kg and 0.36 mg/g, respectively. Protonation/deprotonation of SMX under different pH conditions influences electrostatic repulsion/attraction between SMX and RDS. The mechanism of RDS accumulation of SMX involves Electron Donor-Acceptor (EDA) interaction, hydrogen bond interaction, and Lewis acid-base interaction. Cu(II) enrichment on RDS includes surface complexation reaction, electrostatic interaction, and surface precipitation. Complex formation enhances the accumulation of both SMX and Cu(II) on RDS in runoff. This study elucidates the co-occurrence characteristics and mechanisms of SMX and Cu(II) co-pollution in runoff systems. The findings contribute valuable insights to understanding the existence patterns and mechanisms of co-pollution, providing a reference for investigating the migration and fate of co-pollutant in runoff. Moreover, these insights could offer guidance for the development of effective strategies to mitigate co-pollution in rainwater.

Identification of two novel QTL for Fusarium head blight resistance in German wheat cultivar Centrum.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating disease that occurs in warm and humid environments. The German wheat Centrum has displayed moderate to high levels of FHB resistance in the field for many years. In this study, an F6:8 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from cross Centrum × Xinong 979 was evaluated for FHB response following point inoculation in five environments. The population and parents were genotyped using the GenoBaits Wheat 16 K Panel. Stable quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with FHB resistance in Centrum were mapped on chromosome arms 2DS and 5BS. The most effective QTL, located in 2DS, was identified as a new chromosome region represented by a 1.4 Mb interval containing 17 candidate genes. Another novel QTL was mapped in chromosome arm 5BS of a 5BS-7BS translocation chromosome. In addition, two environmentally-sensitive QTL were mapped on chromosome arms 2BL from Centrum and 5AS from Xinong 979. Polymorphisms of flanking allele-specifc quantitative PCR (AQP) markers AQP-6 for QFhb.nwafu-2DS and 16K-13073 for QFhb.nwafu-5BS were validated in a panel of 217 cultivars and breeding lines. These markers could be useful for marker-assisted selection of FHB resistance and also provide a starting point for fine mapping and marker-based cloning of the resistance genes.

Strain-release alkylation of Asp12 enables mutant selective targeting of K-Ras-G12D.

K-Ras is the most commonly mutated oncogene in human cancer. The recently approved non-small cell lung cancer drugs sotorasib and adagrasib covalently capture an acquired cysteine in K-Ras-G12C mutation and lock it in a signaling-incompetent state. However, covalent inhibition of G12D, the most frequent K-Ras mutation particularly prevalent in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, has remained elusive due to the lack of aspartate-targeting chemistry. Here we present a set of malolactone-based electrophiles that exploit ring strain to crosslink K-Ras-G12D at the mutant aspartate to form stable covalent complexes. Structural insights from X-ray crystallography and exploitation of the stereoelectronic requirements for attack of the electrophile allowed development of a substituted malolactone that resisted attack by aqueous buffer but rapidly crosslinked with the aspartate-12 of K-Ras in both GDP and GTP state. The GTP-state targeting allowed effective suppression of downstream signaling, and selective inhibition of K-Ras-G12D-driven cancer cell proliferation in vitro and xenograft growth in mice.

Tailoring therapeutics via a systematic beneficial elements comparison between photosynthetic bacteria-derived OMVs and extruded nanovesicles.

Photosynthetic bacteria (PSB) has shown significant potential as a drug or drug delivery system owing to their photothermal capabilities and antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, the actualization of their potential is impeded by inherent constraints, including their considerable size, heightened immunogenicity and compromised biosafety. Conquering these obstacles and pursuing more effective solutions remains a top priority. Similar to extracellular vesicles, bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) have demonstrated a great potential in biomedical applications. OMVs from PSB encapsulate a rich array of bioactive constituents, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids inherited from their parent cells. Consequently, they emerge as a promising and practical alternative. Unfortunately, OMVs have suffered from low yield and inconsistent particle sizes. In response, bacteria-derived nanovesicles (BNVs), created through controlled extrusion, adeptly overcome the challenges associated with OMVs. However, the differences, both in composition and subsequent biological effects, between OMVs and BNVs remain enigmatic. In a groundbreaking endeavor, our study meticulously cultivates PSB-derived OMVs and BNVs, dissecting their nuances. Despite minimal differences in morphology and size between PSB-derived OMVs and BNVs, the latter contains a higher concentration of active ingredients and metabolites. Particularly noteworthy is the elevated levels of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) found in BNVs, known for its ability to enhance cell proliferation and initiate downstream signaling pathways that promote angiogenesis and epithelialization. Importantly, our results indicate that BNVs can accelerate wound closure more effectively by orchestrating a harmonious balance of cell proliferation and migration within NIH-3T3 cells, while also activating the EGFR/AKT/PI3K pathway. In contrast, OMVs have a pronounced aptitude in anti-cancer efforts, driving macrophages toward the M1 phenotype and promoting the release of inflammatory cytokines. Thus, our findings not only provide a promising methodological framework but also establish a definitive criterion for discerning the optimal application of OMVs and BNVs in addressing a wide range of medical conditions.

Epigenetic dysregulation in Alzheimer's disease peripheral immunity.

The peripheral immune system in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has not been thoroughly studied with modern sequencing methods. To investigate epigenetic and transcriptional alterations to the AD peripheral immune system, we used single-cell sequencing strategies, including assay for transposase-accessible chromatin and RNA sequencing. We reveal a striking amount of open chromatin in peripheral immune cells in AD. In CD8 T cells, we uncover a cis-regulatory DNA element co-accessible with the CXC motif chemokine receptor 3 gene promoter. In monocytes, we identify a novel AD-specific RELA transcription factor binding site adjacent to an open chromatin region in the nuclear factor kappa B subunit 2 gene. We also demonstrate apolipoprotein E genotype-dependent epigenetic changes in monocytes. Surprisingly, we also identify differentially accessible chromatin regions in genes associated with sporadic AD risk. Our findings provide novel insights into the complex relationship between epigenetics and genetic risk factors in AD peripheral immunity.

UDP-glucose dehydrogenase supports autophagy-deficient PDAC growth via increasing hyaluronic acid biosynthesis.

Autophagy is an essential degradation and recycling process that maintains cellular homeostasis during stress or nutrient deprivation. However, certain types of tumors such as pancreatic cancers can circumvent autophagy inhibition to sustain growth. The mechanism that autophagy-deficient pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) uses to grow under nutrient deprivation is poorly understood. Our data show that nutrient deprivation in PDAC results in UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UGDH) degradation, which is dependent on autophagic cargo receptor sequestosome 1 (p62). Moreover, we demonstrate that accumulated UGDH is indispensable for autophagy-deficient PDAC cells proliferation by promoting hyaluronic acid (HA) synthesis upon energy deprivation. Using an orthotopic mouse model of PDAC, we find that inhibition of HA synthesis by targeting UGDH in PDAC reduces tumor weight. Thus, the combined inhibition of HA and autophagy might be an attractive strategy for PDAC treatment.

Occurrence and ecological risk of PAHs in urban road runoff in Beijing.

The occurrence and ecological risks of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in different types of urban road runoff in Beijing during two typical rainfall events were studied. The average concentration of PAHs in road runoff particulate was in the order of Guanyuanqiao Road (ring road, 15,175 ng/L) > Huayuanqiao Road (primary road, 4,792 ng/L) > Dongcheng Alley (alley, 4,774 ng/L) > Nansihuan Viaduct (viaduct, 770 ng/L), much higher than dissolved PAHs. The total concentration of ∑16PAHs decreased with runoff scouring. Rainfall conditions and the accumulation of PAHs in the early rainfall period show a significant impact on PAHs pollution. The event mean concentration range of PAHs is 674-21,596 ng/L, following in the order of ring road > primary road > alley > viaduct. The proportion of four-ring PAHs was the highest. The first flush effect of PAHs is found in both rainfall events, and the effect of different ring PAHs is relatively similar. The content of PAHs is positively correlated with the amount of total organic carbon and suspended substance in runoff (r2> 0.72). The ecological risk assessment indicated that PAHs in road runoff except viaduct road corresponded to high risk.

Highly dispersed Cu-Cu2O-CeOx interfaces on reduced graphene oxide for CO2 electroreduction to C2+ products.

The Cu0-Cu+ interfaces play a key role in the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to produce multi-carbon products (C2+), however, it is difficult for Cu+ to exist stably under reducing conditions. Herein, we construct highly dispersed and stable Cu-Cu2O-CeOx interface on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) for CO2 electroreduction to C2+ products. During the synthesis process, utilizing strong electrostatic interactions, the complex ions of Cu2+ and Ce3+ are uniformly adsorbed on the surface of graphene oxide. Then, under the solvothermal reaction of ethylene glycol and thiourea, the two metal complex ions are converted into highly dispersed and ultrafine Cu2S-CeOx nanocomposites on rGO. Interestingly, CeOx and thiourea synergistically regulate the generation of only Cu+. Under the CO2RR process, the reconstruction of Cu2S promotes the formation of Cu0 and Cu2O species. CeOx stabilizes partial Cu+ species and promotes the formation of Cu-Cu2O-CeOx composite interface. With the help of synergistic effect of Cu0, Cu+ and CeOx, the optimized reaction interface achieves the Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 74.5 % for C2+ products with the current density of 230 mA cm-2 at -0.9 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. In situ attenuate total reflectance-infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-IRAS) spectra show that the composite interfaces promote the adsorption and activation of H2O and CO2, improve the surface coverage of CO intermediates (*CO), and thus accelerate the CC coupling process.

Ship-Fire Net: An Improved YOLOv8 Algorithm for Ship Fire Detection.

Ship fire may result in significant damage to its structure and large economic loss. Hence, the prompt identification of fires is essential in order to provide prompt reactions and effective mitigation strategies. However, conventional detection systems exhibit limited efficacy and accuracy in detecting targets, which has been mostly attributed to limitations imposed by distance constraints and the motion of ships. Although the development of deep learning algorithms provides a potential solution, the computational complexity of ship fire detection algorithm pose significant challenges. To solve this, this paper proposes a lightweight ship fire detection algorithm based on YOLOv8n. Initially, a dataset, including more than 4000 unduplicated images and their labels, is established before training. In order to ensure the performance of algorithms, both fire inside ship rooms and also fire on board are considered. Then after tests, YOLOv8n is selected as the model with the best performance and fastest speed from among several advanced object detection algorithms. GhostnetV2-C2F is then inserted in the backbone of the algorithm for long-range attention with inexpensive operation. In addition, spatial and channel reconstruction convolution (SCConv) is used to reduce redundant features with significantly lower complexity and computational costs for real-time ship fire detection. For the neck part, omni-dimensional dynamic convolution is used for the multi-dimensional attention mechanism, which also lowers the parameters. After these improvements, a lighter and more accurate YOLOv8n algorithm, called Ship-Fire Net, was proposed. The proposed method exceeds 0.93, both in precision and recall for fire and smoke detection in ships. In addition, the mAP@0.5 reaches about 0.9. Despite the improvement in accuracy, Ship-Fire Net also has fewer parameters and lower FLOPs compared to the original, which accelerates its detection speed. The FPS of Ship-Fire Net also reaches 286, which is helpful for real-time ship fire monitoring.

The investigation of sorption-desorption performance and mechanism of copper by surfactant-modified zeolite in aqueous solutions.

As the most common filler in stormwater treatment, zeolite (NZ-Y) has good cation exchange capability and stabilization potential for the removal of heavy metal from aqueous solutions. In this study, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and NZ-Y were selected to preparing new adsorbent (SDS-NZ) by using a simple hydrothermal method. The sorption-desorption performance and mechanism of Cu(II) onto SDS-NZ were investigated. The results showed that the sorption of Cu(II) on SDS-NZ was in accordance with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model with an equilibrium time of 4 h. The sorption behavior fitted Langmuir isotherm with a saturation sorption capability of 9.03 mg/g, which was three times higher than that of NZ-Y. The modification of SDS increases the average pore size of NZ-Y by 3.96 nm, which results in a richer internal pore structure and more useful sorption sites for Cu(II) sorption. There was a positive correlation between solution pH values and sorption capability of Cu(II) in the range of 3.0-6.0. With the ionic strength increased, the sorption capability of Cu(II) onto SDS-NZ first decreased and then increased, which may be attributed to competitive sorption and compression of the electronic layer. The desorption of Cu(II) on SDS-NZ was favored by the increase in SDS concentration and ionic strength and decrease in solution pH values. The application of SDS-NZ in runoff improved the leaching risk of Cu(II). After several cycles, the ability of reused SDS-NZ to efficiently adsorb most heavy metals was verified with removal rates above 99%.

Ge-polymer bridge waveguide for mode-locked laser pulse generation.

A Ge-polymer hybrid waveguide is sandwiched between an indium phosphide (InP) reflective gain chip and a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) to construct a laser system. The hybrid waveguide serves as a bridge between the gain chip and the fiber with tailored mode-field matching at both facets. The 50-nm amorphous Ge (α-Ge) layer shows a nonlinear absorption effect at 1550 nm. The hybrid waveguide is further verified by a femtosecond laser transmission experiment to show the pulse width compression effect. Such waveguide is then integrated inside the laser cavity as a passive saturable absorber to modulate the longitudinal modes for a pulsed output. This polymer-bridged mode-locked laser adopts an InP gain chip for compact assembly and also a FBG with a flexible length to adjust the pulse repetition rate. The mode-locked laser output around the designed 50 MHz repetition rate is demonstrated. The pulse width is measured as 147 ps, and the signal-to-noise ratio is larger than 50 dB. This work introduces a "ternary" mode-locked laser system, taking advantage of discrete photonic components bridged by a polymer-based waveguide. It also proves the feasibility of applying α-Ge films as practical and low-cost saturable absorbers in photonic devices.