Photoelectrochemical seawater oxidation with metal oxide materials:Challenges and opportunities

Photocatalytic water oxidation is a crucial counter-electrode reaction in the process of photoelectrochemical energy conversion.Despite its importance,challenges remain in effectively and sustainably converting water to oxygen,particularly with readily available and inexpensive electrolyte solutions such as seawater.While metal oxide materials have demonstrated their advantages in promoting efficiency by reducing overpotential and improving light utilization,stability remains limited by corrosion in multicomponent seawater.In this paper,we reviewed the relationship between four basic concepts including photoelectrochemistry,metal oxide,water oxidation and seawater to better understand the challenges and opportunities in photoelectrochemical(PEC)seawater oxidation.To overcome these challenges,the advances in material design,interfacial modification,local environment control and reactor design have been further reviewed to benefit the industrial PEC seawater oxidation.Noticeably,we demonstrate engineered layered metal oxide electrodes and cell structures that enable powerful and stable seawater oxidation.We also outline and advise on the future direction in this area.

Boosting CO_(2) photoreduction by synergistic optimization of multiple processes through metal vacancy engineering

The photoreduction of greenhouse gas CO_(2) using photocatalytic technologies not only benefits en-vironmental remediation but also facilitates the production of raw materials for chemicals.Howev-er,the efficiency of CO_(2) photoreduction remains generally low due to the challenging activation of CO_(2) and the limited light absorption and separation of charge.Defect engineering of catalysts rep-resents a pivotal strategy to enhance the photocatalytic activity for CO_(2),with most research on met-al oxide catalysts focusing on the creation of anionic vacancies.The exploration of metal vacancies and their effects,however,is still underexplored.In this study,we prepared an In2O3 catalyst with indium vacancies(VIn)through defect engineering for CO_(2) photoreduction.Experimental and theo-retical calculations results demonstrate that VIn not only facilitate light absorption and charge sepa-ration in the catalyst but also enhance CO_(2) adsorption and reduce the energy barrier for the for-mation of the key intermediate*COOH during CO_(2) reduction.Through metal vacancy engineering,the activity of the catalyst was 7.4 times,reaching an outstanding rate of 841.32μmol g(-1)h^(-1).This work unveils the mechanism of metal vacancies in CO_(2) photoreduction and provides theoretical guidance for the development of novel CO_(2) photoreduction catalysts.

The Influence of Different Contents of Bi Addition on the Corrosion Behavior of Various Zirconium-Based Alloys

Zr-4(Zr-1.5Sn-0.2Fe-0.1Cr,wt%), S5(Zr-0.8Sn-0.34Nb-0.39Fe-0.1Cr), T5(Zr-0.7Sn-1.07Nb-0.32Fe-0.08Cr) and Zr-1Nb were adopted to prepare Bi-containing zirconium alloys for systematically investigating the effect of Bi addition on the corrosion resistance of zirconium alloys. The specimens were corroded in superheated steam at 400℃/10.3 MPa, and in lithiated water with 0.01 M LiOH or in deionized water at 360℃/18.6 MPa by autoclave testing. Results show that the corrosion resistance increases with the increasing of Bi content dissolved in α-Zr. But the presence of Bi-con- taining second phase particles (SPPs) is unfavorable for the enhancement of corrosion resistance. This indicates that the Bi dissolved in α-Zr matrix plays an important role in improving the corrosion resistance, while the precipitation of the Bi-containing SPPs does harm to the corrosion resistance.

装配机器人位姿误差建模与补偿研究

针对装配机器人在运行过程中因发生速度、加速度的突变以及冲击、振动等不良现象而致使其定位精度低的问题,提出了一种误差补偿方法。首先,运用D-H法构建各关节的坐标变换矩阵,推导机器人的数学模型;其次,釆用传递矩阵法构建基于D-H参数的机器人误差模型及表达式;最后,釆用摄动补偿法对误差模型进行补偿,建立误差测量平台进行实测,用最小二乘算法计算辨识出机器人结构参数误差,并在此基础上进行误差补偿实验,实验表明所提出的误差补偿方法能够有效地提高装配机器人末端的定位精度,对装配机器人的进一步研究提供参考。

MgO-Al2O3-SiO2系微晶玻璃微观结构的分子动力学模拟

本文对MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 (MAS)微晶玻璃的高温体系的微观结构进行了分子动力学模拟,得出该体系微观体系结构特点以及SiO2含量对其网络结构的影响。计算结果显示:在MAS高温体系中,Mg2+的均方位移最大,其次是Al3+,然后是O2+,Si4+的均方位移最小。MAS系微晶玻璃中Si和O之间的作用力最强,Al和O之间的作用力次之,Mg和O之间的结合力最弱。四面体数量由多到少依次是[SiO4]、[AlO4],随着SiO2含量增多[SiO4]数量逐渐增加,[AlO4]数量随SiO2含量的增加呈现先增加然后减少最终趋向平稳的现象。

Singlet oxygen synergistic surface-adsorbed hydroxyl radicals for phenol degradation in CoP catalytic photo-Fenton

In recent years,there have been numerous studies on Fenton or Fenton-like reactions mediated by nonfree radicals such as singlet oxygen(1O_(2));however,there are few studies on the synergistic effect of 1O_(2) and free radicals on the degradation of organic molecules,such as phenol in Fenton reaction.In this study,a cocatalyst,CoP,commonly used in photocatalysis was synthesized using a simple two-step method,and a CoP/Fe^(2+)/AM1.5 system was constructed by introducing Fe^(2+)and simulated sunlight(AM1.5)irradiation.The newly constructed CoP/Fe^(2+)/AM1.5 system could effectively degrade various organic pollutants,including dyes,phenols,and antibiotics.Radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance detection confirmed that there were three reactive oxygen species(ROS)in the CoP/Fe^(2+)/AM1.5 system,including·OH_(ads),·O_(2)^(-),and 1O_(2).Further,combined with the liquid chromatogram of phenol,its intermediate products,and the fluorescence diagram of o-hydroxybenzoic acid,it can be concluded that a synergistic effect exists between 1O_(2) and the surface-adsorbed·OH_(ads) in the CoP/Fe^(2+)/AM1.5 system.The controllable formation of surface 1O_(2) and·OH_(ads) was achieved through the oxidation(Co^(3+))and reduction(Pδ−)centers exposed on the CoP surface,and the synergistic effect between them results in phenol’s hydroxylation,ring-opening,and degradation.The study of this new mechanism provides a new perspective for revealing the surface interface reaction between ROS and organic pollutants.

Analysis of vegetation changes and dominant factors on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

This research was undertaken to clarify the characteristics of vegetation change and its main influencing factors on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Using the greenness rate of change(GRC) and correlation factors, we analyzed the trend of vegetation change and its dominant factors from 2000 to 2015. The results indicate that the vegetation tended to improve from 2000 to 2015 on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with the improved area accounting for 39.93% of the total; and the degraded area accounting for 19.32%. The areas of degraded vegetation are mainly concentrated in the low-relief and intermediate-relief mountains of the high-altitude and extremely high-altitude areas on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, as the vegetation characteristics are impacted by the terrain. Temperature and precipitation have obvious response mechanisms to vegetation growth, but the effects of precipitation and temperature on vegetation degradation are not significant over a short time frame. Overgrazing and population growth are the dominant factors of vegetation degradation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Simultaneous hydrogen production with the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde by a noble‐metal‐free photocatalyst VC/CdS nanowires

In this work we used CdS NWs(nanowires)with vanadium carbide(VC)attached via facile electrostatic self‐assembly and calcination method.The results showed that compared to pristine CdS NWs,the photocatalytic activity of CdS NWs loaded with the particular amount of VC was dramatically enhanced.Among them,the VC/CS‐15 indicated the highest enhancement for simultaneous production of H2 with selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol(BO)into benzaldehyde(BD).The highest hydrogen evolution rate of 20.5 mmol g^(-1)h^(-1)was obtained with more than 99%selectivity for BD production under visible light(λ˃420 nm)irradiation for 2 h,which was almost 661 times higher than the pristine CdS NWs.This enhancement of photocatalytic activity is due to the VC,which provides a favorable attraction for BO by lowering the zeta potential,along with the active site for hydrogen production,and retard the recombination of electron‐hole pairs by increasing the conductivity of the photocatalyst.Moreover,the apparent quantum efficiency(AQE)of VC/CS‐15 for BD and H_(2)production at monochromatic 420 nm is about 7.5%.At the end of the hydrogen evolution test,the selective oxidation with more than 99%selectivity was obtained.It hopes this work will prove its future significance and move scientific community toward a more economical way for achieving the commercialization of H_(2) by photocatalysis.

2D/2D S-scheme heterojunction with a covalent organic framework and g-C_(3)N_(4) nanosheets for highly efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution

The fabrication of S-scheme heterojunctions with fast charge transfer and good interface contacts,such as intermolecularπ–πinteractions,is a promising approach to improve photocatalytic performance.A unique two-dimensional/two-dimensional(2D/2D)S-scheme heterojunction containing TpPa-1-COF/g-C_(3)N_(4) nanosheets(denoted as TPCNNS)was developed.The established maximum interfacial interaction between TpPa-1-COF NS and g-C_(3)N_(4) NS may result in aπ–πconjugated heterointerface.Furthermore,the difference in the work functions of TpPa-1-COF and g-C_(3)N_(4) results in a large Fermi level gap,leading to upward/downward band edge bending.The spontaneous interfacial charge transfer from g-C_(3)N_(4) to TpPa-1-COF at theπ–πconjugated interface area results in the presence of a built-in electric field,according to the charge density difference analysis based on density functional theory calculations.Such an enhanced built-in electric field can efficiently drive directional charge migration via the S-scheme mechanism,which enhances charge separation and utilization.Thus,an approximately 2.8 and 5.6 times increase in the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate was recorded in TPCNNS-2(1153μmol g^(-1) h^(-1))compared to pristine TpPa-1-COF and g-C_(3)N_(4) NS,respectively,under visible light irradiation.Overall,this work opens new avenues in the fabrication of 2D/2Dπ–πconjugated S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts with highly efficient hydrogen evolution performance.

Prostatic artery embolization: Progress and prospect

Prostate artery embolization is a well-known and promising treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, with the quantum leaps of research in medicine. We aim to provide an up-to-date review of the novel technique, including large retrospective studies and randomized control trials, ends with discussions of advantages and disadvantages of this minimally invasive technique.

Large Dynamical Axion Field in Topological Antiferromagnetic Insulator Mn2Bi2Te5

The dynamical axion field is a new state of quantum matter where the magnetoelectric response couples strongly to its low-energy magnetic fluctuations.It is fundamentally different from an axion insulator with a static quantized magnetoelectric response.The dynamical axion field exhibits many exotic phenomena such as axionic polariton and axion instability.However,these effects have not been experimentally confirmed due to the lack of proper topological magnetic materials.Combining analytic models and first-principles calculations,here we predict a series of van der Waals layered Mn2Bi2Te5-related topological antiferromagnetic materials that could host the long-sought dynamical axion field with a topological origin.We also show that a large dynamical axion field can be achieved in antiferromagnetic insulating states close to the topological phase transition.We further propose the optical and transport experiments to detect such a dynamical axion field.Our results could directly aid and facilitate the search for topological-origin large dynamical axion field in realistic materials.

Whole-genome methylation analysis reveals epigenetic variation between wild-type and nontransgenic cloned,ASMT transgenic cloned dairy goats generated by the somatic cell nuclear transfer

Background:SCNT(somatic cell nuclear transfer)is of great significance to biological research and also to the livestock breeding.However,the survival rate of the SCNT cloned animals is relatively low compared to other transgenic methods.This indicates the potential epigenetic variations between them.DNA methylation is a key marker of mammalian epigenetics and its alterations will lead to phenotypic differences.In this study,ASMT(acetylserotonin-Omethyltransferase)ovarian overexpression transgenic goat was produced by using SCNT.To investigate whether there are epigenetic differences between cloned and WT(wild type)goats,WGBS(whole-genome bisulfite sequencing)was used to measure the whole-genome methylation of these animals.Results:It is observed that the different m Cp G sites are mainly present in the intergenic and intronic regions between cloned and WT animals,and their CG-type methylation sites are strongly correlated.DMR(differentially methylated region)lengths are located around 1000 bp,mainly distributed in the exonic,intergenic and intronic functional domains.A total of 56 and 36 DMGs(differentially methylated genes)were identified by GO and KEGG databases,respectively.Functional annotation showed that DMGs were enriched in biological-process,cellularcomponent,molecular-function and other signaling pathways.A total of 10 identical genes related to growth and development were identified in GO and KEGG databases.Conclusion:The differences in methylation genes among the tested animals have been identified.A total of 10 DMGs associated with growth and development were identified between cloned and WT animals.The results indicate that the differential patterns of DNA methylation between the cloned and WT goats are probably caused by the SCNT.These novel observations will help us to further identify the unveiled mechanisms of somatic cell cloning technology,particularly in goats.

Overexpression of Toll-like receptor 4 contributes to the internalization and elimination of Escherichia coli in sheep by enhancing caveolae-dependent endocytosis

Background:Gram-negative bacterial infections have a major economic impact on both the livestock industry and public health.Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)plays a crucial role in host defence against Gram-negative bacteria.Exploring the defence mechanism regulated by TLR4 may provide new targets for treatment of inflammation and control of bacterial infections.In a previous study,we generated transgenic sheep overexpressing TLR4 by microinjection to improve disease resistance.The defence mechanism through which TLR4 overexpression protected these sheep against pathogens is still not fully understood.Results:In the present study,we used Escherichia coli to infect monocytes isolated from peripheral blood of the animal model.The overexpression of TLR4 strongly enhanced the percentage of endocytosis and capacity of elimination in monocytes during the early stages of infection.This phenomenon was mainly due to overexpression of TLR4 promoting caveolae-mediated endocytosis.Pretreatment of the transgenic sheep monocytes with inhibitors of TLR4,Src signalling,or the caveolae-mediated endocytosis pathway reduced the internalization of bacteria,weakened the ability of the monocytes to eliminate the bacteria,and increased the pH of the endosomes.Conclusion:Together,our results reveal the effects of TLR4 on the control of E.coli infection in the innate immunity of sheep and provide crucial evidence of the caveolae-mediated endocytosis pathway required for host resistance to invading bacteria in a large animal model,providing theoretical support for breeding disease resistance in the future.Furthermore,Src and caveolin 1(CAV1)could be potentially valuable targets for the control of infectious diseases.

Prostate artery embolization for the treatment of urinary retention caused by large(>80 mL) benign prostatic hyperplasia: Results of 21 patients

Objective:A large prostate size(>80 m L)of benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)is technically challenging to treat surgically.This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of super-selective prostatic artery embolization(PAE)for the treatment of urinary retention caused by large BPH.Methods:A total of 21 patients with urinary retention,indwelling urinary catheter,or suprapubic cystostomy as a consequence of giant BPH(prostate volume[PV]>80 mL)who sought treatment between January 2013 and December 2017 were enrolled.A microcatheter(1.9–2.7 Fr)and a"two-step embolization"combining 50-μm and100-μm polyvinyl alcohol embolization particles were used in all patients.International Prostate Symptom Score(IPSS),quality of life(QoL),PV,and prostate-specific antigen(PSA)were evaluated at 3,6,and 12 months postPAE.Clinical success was defined as removal of urinary catheter or suprapubic cystostomy and ability to void spontaneously.Results:The clinical success rate was 95.2%(20/21).Compared with pre-procedural values,IPSS,QoL,PV,and PSA showed statistically significant differences at 3,6,and 12 months post-PAE(P<0.05).There were no serious complications after PAE.Conclusions:PAE was safe and effective for the treatment of urinary retention caused by large BPH in patients without surgical treatment options.

Graphene-Based Photo-Fenton Catalysts for Pollutant Control

Water pollution is a global environmental issue with multi-dimensional infl uences on human life.Some strategies,such as photo-Fenton reaction,have been employed to remove recalcitrant pollutants.Two-dimensional(2D)graphene and its threedimensional(3D)confi gurations have attracted considerable attention as emerging carbon-based catalysts in photo-Fenton fi elds owing to their alluring properties in electron transfer,reactant adsorption,and light response.This review summarizes the recent developments in 2D and 3D graphene-based catalysts for photo-Fenton reactions.Their structures,characteristics,activity,and mechanisms are discussed.The conclusions and outlooks are proposed for the profound understanding of challenges and future directions.

Efficient production of pronuclear embryos in breeding and nonbreeding season for generating transgenic sheep overexpressing TLR4

Background： Brucella is a zoonotic Gram-negative pathogen that causes abortion and infertility in ruminants and humans. TLR4 is the receptor for LPS which can recognize Brucella and initiate antigen-presenting cell activities that affect both innate and adaptive immunity. Consequently, transgenic sheep over-expressing TLR4 are an suitable model to investigate the effects of TLR4 on preventing Brucellosis. In this study, we generated transgenic sheep overexpressing TLR4 and aimed to evaluate the effects of different seasons（breeding and non-breeding season） on superovulation and the imported exogenous gene on growth.Results： In total of 43 donor ewes and 166 recipient ewes in breeding season, 37 donor ewes and 144 recipient ewes in non-breeding season were selected for super-ovulation and injected embryo transfer to generate transgenic sheep.Our results indicated the no. of embryos recovered of donors and the rate of pronuclear embryos did not show any significant difference between breeding and non-breeding seasons（P 〉 0.05）. The positive rate of exogenous TLR4 tested were 21.21 % and 22.58 % in breeding and non-breeding season by Southern blot. The expression level of TLR4 in the transgenic sheep was 1.5 times higher than in the non-transgenic group（P 〈 0.05）. The lambs overexpressing TLR4 had similar growth performance with non-transgenic lambs, and the blood physiological parameters of transgenic and non-transgenic were both in the normal range and did not show any difference.Conclusions： Here we establish an efficient platform for the production of transgenic sheep by the microinjection of pronuclear embryos during the whole year. The over-expression of TLR4 had no adverse effect on the growth of the sheep.

Construction of Expression Vector for Porcine Gastrin-releasing Peptide Fusion Protein

[Objectives]This study was conducted to obtain porcine gastrin-releasing peptide(GRP)fusion protein.[Methods]The constructed pET32a(+)-GRP plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)competent cells to obtain the pET32a(+)-GRP-BL21(DE3)fusion protein expression strain,which was induced with 0.5 mM IPTG at 25℃and 150 r/min for 12 h,and the His-tagged GRP fusion protein was detected by SDS-Page gel electrophoresis and Western Blot.[Results]After optimizing the IPTG-induced expression conditions,it was confirmed that the porcine GRP fusion protein was obtained,and the porcine GRP fusion protein was soluble,stable and highly active.[Conclusions]This study lays a foundation for the subsequent preparation of anti-pig GRP antibodies.

Role of necroptosis in spinal cord injury and its therapeutic implications

Spinal cord injury(SCI),a complex neurological disorder,triggers a series of devastating neuropathological events such as ischemia,oxidative stress,inflammatory events,neuronal apoptosis,and motor dysfunction.However,the classical necrosome,which consists of receptor-interacting protein(RIP)1,RIP3,and mixed-lineage kinase domain-like protein,is believed to control a novel type of programmed cell death called necroptosis,through tumour necrosis factor-alpha/tumour necrosis factor receptor-1 signalling or other stimuli.Several studies reported that necroptosis plays an important role in neural cell damage,release of intracellular pro-inflammatory factors,lysosomal dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress.Recent research indicates that necroptosis is crucial to the pathophysiology of a number of neurological disorders and SCIs.In our review,we summarize the potential role of programmed cell death regulated by necroptosis in SCI based on its molecular and pathophysiological mechanisms.We also summarize the targets of several necroptosis pathways,which provide a more reliable reference for the treatment of SCI.

Influence of Small-Size Contaminations on Thin Film Structural Properties

An approach for studying the influence of nano-particles on the structural properties of deposited thin films is proposed. It is based on the molecular dynamic modeling of the deposition process in the presence of contaminating nano-particles. The nano-particle is assumed to be immobile and its interaction with film atoms is described by a spherically symmetric potential. The approach is applied to the investigation of properties of silicon dioxide films. Visualization tools are used to investigate the porosity associated with nano-particles. The structure of the film near the nano-particle is studied using the radial distribution function. It is found that fluctuations of film density near the nano-particles are essentially different in the cases of low-energy and high-energy deposition processes.

Aging Diversity Analysis and State of Health Estimation of LiFePO_(4)Batteries

In this paper,battery aging diversity among independent cells was studied in terms of available capacity degradation.During the aging process of LiFePO_(4)batteries,the phenomenon of aging diversity can be observed.When batteries with same specification were charged and discharged repeatedly under the same working conditions,the available capacity of different cell decreased at different rates along the cycle number.In this study,accelerated aging tests were carried out on multiple new LiFePO_(4)battery samples of different brands.Experimental results show that under the same working conditions,the actual available capacity of all cells decreased as the number of aging cycle increased,but an obvious aging diversity was observed even among different cells of same brand with same specification.This aging diversity was described and analysed in detail,and the common aging features of different cells beneath this aging diversity was explored.Considering this aging diversity,a probability density concept was adopted to estimate battery’s state of health(SOH).With this method,a relationship between battery SOH and its aging feature parameter was established,and a dynamic sliding window optimization technique was designed to ensure the optimal quality of aging feature extraction.Finally,the accuracy of this SOH estimation method was verified by random test.