Cross-waveband optical computing imaging.

A novel, to the best of our knowledge, cross-spectral optical computing imaging experiment has been achieved through a single exposure of a charge-coupled device. The experimental setup integrates single-pixel imaging (SPI) with ghost imaging (GI) through a photoelectric conversion circuit and a synchronous modulation system. The experimental process involves modulation in one wavelength band (in SPI) and demodulation using the GI algorithm in another. Significantly, our approach utilizes optical computing demodulation, a departure from the conventional electronic demodulation in GI (SPI), which involves the convolution between the bucket optical signals and the modulated patterns on the digital micromirror device. A proof-of-concept cross-band imaging experiment from near-infrared to visible light has been carried out. The results highlight the system's ability to capture images at up to 20 frames per second using near-infrared illumination, which are then reconstructed in the visible light spectrum. This success not only validates the feasibility of our approach but also expands the potential applications in the SPI or GI fields, particularly in scenarios where two-dimensional detector arrays are either unavailable or prohibitively expensive in certain electromagnetic spectra such as x-ray and terahertz.

Enhancing fuel characteristics and combustion performance of cellulose-rich straws through CO2-assisted torrefaction.

Cellulose-rich straws of corn and rice were torrefied under carbon dioxide, and the fuel characteristics and combustion performance of the obtained biochar were investigated. A high severity resulted in surface collapse, greater pore volume, elimination of oxygen, elevated calorific value, and improved hydrophobicity in biochar. Following carbon dioxide torrefaction, the cellulose content in solid biochar experienced a slight decrease when the temperature was raised to 220 °C for longer residence durations. At 300 °C, the cellulose content in the biochar was nearly eliminated, while the relative proportion of non-sugar organic matter in corn stover and rice straw increased to 87.40 % and 77.27 %, respectively. The maximum calorific values for biochar from corn and rice straws were 22.38 ± 0.03 MJ/kg and 18.72 ± 0.05 MJ/kg. The comprehensive combustion indexes of rice and corn straw samples decreased to 1.06 × 10-7 and 1.31 × 10-7 after torrefaction at 300 °C, respectively. In addition, the initial decomposition temperatures increased by 38 °C and 45 °C, while the ultimate combustion temperatures rose by 13 °C and 16 °C for corn and rice straws, respectively. These results imply an extended combustion timeframe for the torrefied samples.

Lattice distortion and re-distortion affecting irradiation tolerance in high entropy alloys.

High entropy alloys (HEAs) are promising nuclear structural materials due to their excellent irradiation resistance. However, the essential mechanisms of irradiation tolerance in HEAs remain largely inferential and imperfectly understood. This study investigates the evolution of irradiation-induced nano-scale microstructures in Ni, FeNiCr, FeNiCrCoCu and FeNiCrCuAl HEA models by molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the conundrums. As fewer irradiation-induced Frenkel pair (FP) residuals were found in the FeNiCrCuAl HEA model in comparison with other models, a high resistance of the HEAs to the generation of permanent defects was indicated, while also the associated relatively long thermal spike and slow recrystallization stimulated a high efficiency for the recombination/annihilation of FPs to underscore a superior structural recovery of the HEAs. Under the influence of compositional increases of constituent elements, the effect of severe lattice distortion by energetics modifications was found to stimulate decreased atomic mobility accompanied by inhibited dislocation formation. The evolution of the models' lattices in terms of their capacity to restrict interstitials and repair defects revealed that the self-healing/recovery mechanism that confirmed the highest initial lattice distortion value accompanied by the least lattice re-distortion value in the FeNiCrCuAl HEA model is key to the observed superior irradiation tolerance of the HEA models. Thus, by feasibly enhancing lattice distortion in crystalline materials, notably in HEAs, promising and potentially high irradiation-resistant structural materials can be developed.

Synthesis of lignin nanoparticle­manganese dioxide complex and its adsorption of methyl orange.

Lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) were synthesized using an anti-solvent method and subsequently loaded with manganese dioxide (MnO2) via potassium permanganate treatment, resulting in the formation of MnO2@LNPs. An extensive investigation was conducted to elucidate the influence of MnO2@LNPs on the decolorization of methyl orange solution. The LNPs were successfully obtained by adjusting the preparation parameters, yielding particles exhibited average sizes ranging from 300 to 600 nm, and the synthesis process exhibited a high yield of up to 87.3% and excellent dispersion characteristics. Notably, LNPs size was reduced by decreasing initial concentration, increasing stirring rate, and adding water. In the acetone-water two-phase system, LNPs self-assembled into spherical particles driven by π-π interactions and hydrogen bond forces. Oxidation modification using potassium permanganate led to the formation of nanoscale MnO2, which effectively combined with LNPs. Remarkably, the resulting MnO2@LNPs demonstrated a two-fold increase in methyl orange adsorption capacity (227 mg/g) compared to unmodified LNPs. The process followed the Langmuir isotherm model and was exothermic.

Freeze-thaw assisted maleic acid pretreatment of eucalyptus to prepare cellulose nanocrystals and degraded lignin.

A green and effective method is proposed for the pretreatment of eucalyptus by freeze-thaw assisted maleic acid tactic, wherein the effects of freeze-thaw, maleic acid concentration, reaction time, and temperature on the fractionation were examined. Results showed that under optimal conditions (60% maleic acid, 120 °C, and 2 h), a remarkable removal of 74.5% lignin and 95.2% hemicellulose was achieved after freeze-thaw treatment. The resulting cellulose-rich solid residues were further processed with maleic acid to prepare cellulose nanocrystals, which displayed uniform sized rod-like structures and high crystallinity (62.51%). Moreover, maleic acid pretreatment resulted in lignin with low molecular weight (2110-2530) and excellent homogeneity (PDI ≤ 1.86), while maintaining a relatively intact structure. The lignin had high ß-O-4 aryl ether bond contents (≥77.5%) and abundant phenolic hydroxyl contents (2.33-3.63 mmol/g). Overall, the process exhibits notable benefits in effectively separating lignocellulose for high valorization.

Chinese herbal formula shen-ling-bai-zhu-san to treat chronic gastritis: Clinical evidence and potential mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: Chronic gastritis (CG) is an inflammatory disease of the gastric mucosa. Shen-ling-bai-zhu san (SLBZS), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, is widely used for treating CG. Nevertheless, its effects are currently unclear. AIM: To determine the clinical evidence and potential mechanisms of SLBZS for the treatment of CG. METHODS: We systematically searched 3 English (PubMed, Embase, Medline) and 4 Chinese databases (Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and the VIP information resource integration service platform) without language or publication bias restriction. Qualified studies were selected according to pre-set inclusion and exclusion criteria. RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis and literature quality assessment, Stata 14.0 software was used for sensitivity analysis, GRADE profiler 3.6 was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. And then, network pharmacology analysis was applied to primary research the mechanisms of action of SLBZS on CG. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were finally included, covering 1335 participants. Meta-analysis indicated that: (1) SLBZS was superior to conventional therapies [risk ratio (RR): 1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21 to 1.37, P < 0.00001]; (2) SLBZS was better than conventional therapies [RR: 0.24, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 0.11 to 0.55, P = 0.0007] in terms of recurrence rate and reversal of Helicobacter pylori positivity (RR: 1.20, 95%CI: 1.11 to 1.30, P < 0.00001); and (3) The safety of SLBZS for CG remains unclear. According to the GRADE method, the quality of evidence was not high. Besides, SNZJS might treat CG by acting on related targets and pathways such as EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and others. CONCLUSION: SLBZS might be useful in treating CG, but long-term effects and specific clinical mechanisms of it maintain unclear. More samples and high-quality clinical experiments should be assessed and verified in the next step.

The activity patterns of nonworking and working sled dogs.

There are limited studies investigating the combined effects of biological, environmental, and human factors on the activity of the domestic dog. Sled dogs offer a unique opportunity to examine these factors due to their close relationship with handlers and exposure to the outdoors. Here, we used accelerometers to measure the activity of 52 sled dogs over 30 days from two locations in Canada. The two locations differ in the working demands of dogs, therefore we used linear mixed effects models to assess how different factors impact daytime and nighttime activity of working versus nonworking dogs. During the daytime, we found that males were more active than females among nonworking dogs and younger dogs were more active than older dogs among working dogs. Alaskan huskies had higher activity levels than non-Alaskan husky breeds in working sled dogs during the day. Nonworking dogs were slightly more active during colder weather, but temperature had no effect on working dogs' activity. The strongest predictor of daytime activity in working dogs was work schedule. These results indicate that the influence of biological factors on activity varied depending on dogs' physical demands and human activity was the most powerful driver of activity in working dogs.

Efficient fractionation of woody biomass hemicelluloses using cholinium amino acids-based deep eutectic solvents and their aqueous mixtures.

Novel and green cholinium amino acids-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and their aqueous mixtures were synthesized and employed in deconstructing poplar for hemicellulose fractionation. The effects of water content in DESs on hemicellulose dissociation and structural features were comprehensively investigated, along with the reusability of DESs for treatment. The integration of water into DESs could facilitate hemicellulose fractionation, and the cholinium lysine: urea with 5 wt% water (CL: U-5) demonstrated the best performance with a hemicellulose yield of 59.2%. Further structure analysis revealed that hemicelluloses with various branching degrees and molecular weights were obtained with varying water content of DESs. Furthermore, the CL: U-5 had recyclability and reusability with a 40.5% hemicellulose yield obtained after reused three times. The novel and eco-friendly cholinium amino acids-based DESs treatment provides an effective and sustainable strategy for hemicellulose fractionation from woody biomass.

Flow-through strategy to fractionate lignin from eucalyptus with formic acid/hydrochloric solution under mild conditions.

Formic acid is an attractive solvent for the fractionation of lignocellulose for the production of biomaterials and chemicals, while the operation conducted in a batch manner is not conducive to mass transfer in separation process. In this research, eucalyptus was fractionated with formic acid/hydrochloric solution in a flow-through reactor at 95 °C, and the structural characteristics and the composition of fractionated lignin in different stages were investigated. Results showed that the fractionation efficiency was notably improved with a flow-through reactor, as evidenced by the low solid residue yield of 49.5% and the lignin removal rate of 79.4% as compared to the batch manner. During the fractionation process, the dissolution rate of lignin decreased gradually, and the obtained lignin samples showed low molecular weight (<3000), good uniformity (<2), and high thermal stability. The structure analysis showed that ß-O-4, ß-ß, and ß-5 linkages in lignin were degraded to varying degrees with increased time, and the degradation of G units was more severe than S ones.

Hydrothermal liquefaction of lignocellulose for value-added products: Mechanism, parameter and production application.

Abundant, environmentally friendly, and sustainable lignocellulose is a promising feedstock for replacing fossil fuels, and hydrothermal liquefaction is an effective technology to convert it into liquid fuels and high-value chemicals. This review summarizes and discusses the reaction mechanism, main influence factor and the production application of hydrothermal liquefaction. Particular attention has been paid to the reaction mechanism of the structural components of lignocellulose, i.e., cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. In addition, the influence factors including types of lignocellulose, temperature, heating rate, retention time, pressure, solid-to-liquid ratio, and catalyst are discussed in detail. The limitations in the hydrothermal liquefaction of lignocellulose and the prospects are proposed. This provides deep knowledge for understanding the process as well as the development of advanced products from lignocellulose.

Small balloon strategy associated with low pacemaker implantation rate after self-expanding transcatheter valve implantation.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate whether small balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) reduces the need for permanent pacemaker implantation (PPMI) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis using data from our local TAVI database. Small BAV was defined as a small balloon size (=18 mm) pre-dilatation. Normal BAV was defined as a balloon size >18 mm. The primary endpoint was the incidence of new PPMI. RESULTS: Of 99 consecutive TAVI patients, five patients were excluded due to pre-existing permanent pacemaker. Patients in the small BAV group (n=57) had a significantly lower PPMI rate compared with the normal BAV group (n=37) (3.5% vs. 18.9%, P=0.026). Moderate or severe aortic valve regurgitation post-procedure was similar between the small BAV and normal BAV groups (5.3% vs. 8.1%, P=0.480); likewise, the mean aortic gradient post-procedure did not differ significantly (11.5±5.2 mmHg vs. 12.2±7.3 mmHg, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa, P=0.580) between the groups. Device success rates were also similar (94.7% vs. 91.8%, P=0.680). In multivariable analysis, small BAV (P=0.027), the ratio of prosthesis diameter to annulus diameter (P=0.048), and mean aortic gradient by echo in the basement (P=0.021) were independent predictors of PPMI. CONCLUSIONS: The small BAV strategy is associated with a low rate of permanent pacemaker implantation after transcatheter self-expanding valve implantation in this single-center observational study.

Single-pixel imaging with neutrons.

Neutron imaging is an invaluable tool for noninvasive analysis in many fields. However, neutron facilities are expensive and inconvenient to access, while portable sources are not strong enough to form even a static image within an acceptable time frame using traditional neutron imaging. Here we demonstrate a new scheme for single-pixel neutron imaging of real objects, with spatial and spectral resolutions of 100 µm and 0.4% at 1 Å, respectively. Low illumination down to 1000 neutron counts per frame pattern was achieved. The experimental setup is simple, inexpensive, and especially suitable for low intensity portable sources, which should greatly benefit applications in biology, material science, and industry.

A functional linear modeling approach to sleep-wake cycles in dogs.

The study of companion (pet) dogs is an area of great translational potential, as they share a risk for many conditions that afflict humans. Among these are conditions that affect sleep, including chronic pain and cognitive dysfunction. Significant advancements have occurred in the ability to study sleep in dogs, including development of non-invasive polysomnography; however, basic understanding of dog sleep patterns remains poorly characterized. The purpose of this study was to establish baseline sleep-wake cycle and activity patterns using actigraphy and functional linear modeling (FLM), for healthy, adult companion dogs. Forty-two dogs were enrolled and wore activity monitors for 14 days. FLM demonstrated a bimodal pattern of activity with significant effects of sex, body mass, and age; the effect of age was particularly evident during the times of peak activity. This study demonstrated that FLM can be used to describe normal sleep-wake cycles of healthy adult dogs and the effects of physiologic traits on these patterns of activity. This foundation makes it possible to characterize deviations from normal patterns, including those associated with chronic pain and cognitive dysfunction syndrome. This can improve detection of these conditions in dogs, benefitting them and their potential as models for human disease.

Discrepancy of lignin dissolution from eucalyptus during formic acid fractionation.

Understanding the structure and properties of lignin has important practical significance for its further applications. In this case, eucalyptus was fractionated with 88% formic acid at 101 °C for different durations, and the removal efficiency as well as the chemical structure of lignin at various stages were comparatively analyzed. The obtained data indicated that with increasing reaction time, lignin was continuously removed and the process could be divided into three stages. The lignin dissolution rate was fast first and then slow, and the molecular weight of the dissolved lignin increased with time. The lignin structure was condensed and the molecular weight increased with prolonged of reaction time. Structural analysis indicated that the ß-O-4' structure was largely destroyed, the G-type lignin dissolved early, and the degradation of the S-type lignin became more intensive with increasing reaction time. This is of great help for reaction control as well as the further processing of lignin byproducts.

Effect of various pretreatments on improving cellulose enzymatic digestibility of tobacco stalk and the structural features of co-produced hemicelluloses.

Hereon, tobacco stalk was deconstructed by lyophilization, ball-milling, ultrasound-assisted alkali extraction, hydrothermal pretreatment (HTP), and alkali presoaking, respectively, followed by dilute alkali cooking to both improve its enzymatic digestibility and isolate the hemicellulosic streams. It was found that a maximum cellulose saccharification rate of 93.5% was achieved from the integrated substrate by ball-milling and dilute alkali cooking, which was 4.4-fold higher than that from the raw material. Interestingly, in this case, 76.9% of hemicelluloses were simultaneously recovered during the integrated treatment. Structural determination indicated that the hemicelluloses released from tobacco stalk by dilute alkali cooking were mixed polysaccharides, and the (1 â†’ 4)-linked ß-D-Xylp backbone branched with L-Araf units at O-2/O-3 and 4-O-Me-α-D-GlcpA units at O-2 of the xylose residues was the main structure. In comparison, ultrasound-assisted alkali extraction, ball-milling, and HTP favored the extraction of hemicelluloses with less branched structure and lower molecular weights in the following alkali cooking.

Benzoxazine enhanced amino cellulose-based composite films: Preparation, proposed mechanism, and improved performance.

Amino cellulose (AC) is a cellulose derivative with biodegradability, biocompatibility, and excellent film-forming property, but AC film exhibits poor mechanical property and thermal stability. To improve the performance of AC film and further promote application, a novel composite film prepared from AC and bisphenol A-type-benzoxazine (BATB) are reported. In this paper, AC and BATB were firstly synthesized and characterized, then AC-BATB composite films were prepared with different weight ratios (AC/BATB) and temperatures by the synergistic interactions of chemical cross-linking and hydrogen bonds. Based on the results of tensile test and thermal analysis, BATB played a vital role in improving the mechanical and thermal properties of composite films, and the enhancement effect was more remarkable at elevated temperature. The maximum tensile strength and tensile modulus of composite films were 2.86 times and 7.26 times higher than that of AC control film, thus promoting the functional application of composite films.

Fabrication of antimicrobial composite films based on xylan from pulping process for food packaging.

A facile and green route is introduced to fabricate antimicrobial composite films in this article from xylan (XL) and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) with citric acid (CA) and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG-400) as crosslinker and plasticizer, respectively. XL was obtained by precipitating wood hydrolysate (WH) produced during pulping process with ethanol. Antimicrobial activity was constructed by incorporating ß-cyclodextrin/sodium benzoate (ß-CD/NaBz) complex into the composite matrix. The interactions, including hydrogen bonds and covalent bonds, between the polymers were confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. Morphology and crystallinity of composite films at different curing time were investigated by AFM and XRD, respectively. The composite film cured for 40 min exhibits tensile strength up to 62.3 MPa and oxygen permeability (OP) as low as 1.0 cm3·µm m-2·d-1·kPa-1. Finally, the antimicrobial test against Staphylococcus aureus reveals superior antimicrobial activity of composite films with complex. In conclusion, the XL/HEC antimicrobial film has great potential in the field of sustainable food packing materials.

Preparation of organic acid lignin submicrometer particle as a natural broad-spectrum photo-protection agent.

Valorization of lignin by-product is an urgent issue in the context of biorefinery. Lignin is a natural anti-UV active ingredient with great potential applications. In this study, a natural broad-spectrum photo-protection agent was prepared using lignin from organic acid extraction process. The submicrometer particles were prepared by dialysis lignin recovered from the pretreatments with organic acid extraction processes (formic acid, formic acid/hydrogen peroxide, and acetic acid/hydrogen peroxide/HCl) and they served as active ingredients in sunblock formulation. The structures of the lignin submicrometer particles were characterized by multiple spectroscopies. The submicrometer particles from organic acid lignin showed high capacities to enhance the sun protection factor values of lotion by 2.80-3.53 at the dosage of 5%, and the lotions containing lignin submicrometer particles had good UV-blocking properties. In addition, the UVA/UVB values (i.e., the ratio of absorbance at UVA to that at UVB) were in the range of 0.69-0.72 for the organic acid lignin submicrometer particles, indicating that they exhibited superior properties. The results indicated that the lignin submicrometer-based lotions with excellent antioxidant and UV protection capacities offered a natural source for sunblock cosmetics.

Tetrahydro-2-furanmethanol pretreatment of eucalyptus to enhance cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis and to produce high-quality lignin.

In this study, an organosolv process based on tetrahydro-2-furanmethanol/acid aqueous solution was developed to release lignin and hemicelluloses from eucalyptus for the enhancement of enzymatic hydrolysis. The pretreatment with 80% THFA aqueous solution containing 1% HCl at a solid to liquid ratio of 1:10 was conducted at 120-180 °C for 30 min. Under the serious conditions, the cellulose-rich residue had a high proportion of cellulose up to 87.31%. The enzymatic hydrolysis rate of the cellulose-rich fraction was 94.18%, which was enhanced by 7.3-fold as compared to that of the raw material without pretreatment. The fractionation process resulted in a high delignification rate of 93.95%. The lignin produced with medium molecular weight (2190 g/mol) and high purity (contaminated sugar content 0.6%) was a good substrate for further application as chemicals.

Comparative study of hemicelluloses from Hybrid Pennisetum via a green and clean integrated process.

In this study, a green and clean integrated process based on microwave-assisted hydrothermal pretreatment (MHTP) and subsequent alkali post-treatment was performed to isolate and characterize water- and alkali-soluble hemicelluloses (SHs and AHs) from Hybrid Pennisetum (HP) as well as to improve the enzymatic digestibility of HP. Meanwhile, part of hemicelluloses was degraded into the value-added xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) during the MHTP process, which would be applied to the food and pharmaceuticals industries. State-of-the-art analytical techniques (e.g., HPLC, HPAEC, GPC, and 2D-HSQC) were used to investigate the main component streams (SHs, AHs, XOS, and glucose). Results showed that the structural characteristic of SHs and AHs was mainly composed of ß-(1→4)-linked xylans. Additionally, the enzymatic digestibility of the cellulose-rich substrate (A190(10)) was 92.8%, which was 3.4 times higher than that of raw material (27.4%). In short, the proposed integrated process was considered as a promising biorefinery strategy for both hemicellulose-based products and bioethanol.