Porous metal oxides in the role of electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reaction

The global energy-related CO_(2) emissions have rapidly increased as the world economy heavily relied on fossil fuels.This paper explores the pressing challenge of CO_(2) emissions and highlights the role of porous metal oxide materials in the electrocatalytic reduction of CO_(2)(CO_(2)RR).The focus is on the development of robust and selective catalysts,particularly metal and metal-oxide-based materials.Porous metal oxides offer high surface area,enhancing the accessibility to active sites and improving reaction kinetics.The tunability of these materials allows for tailored catalytic behavior,targeting optimized reaction mechanisms for CO_(2)RR.The work also discusses the various synthesis strategies and identifies key structural and compositional features,addressing challenges like high overpotential,poor selectivity,and low stability.Based on these insights,we suggest avenues for future research on porous metal oxide materials for electrochemical CO_(2) reduction.

Synergistically coupling of graphene quantum dots with Zn-intercalated MnO2 cathode for high-performance aqueous Zn-ion batteries

Cost-effective,safe,and highly performing energy storage devices require rechargeable batteries,and among various options,aqueous zinc-ion batteries(ZIBs)have shown high promise in this regard.As a cathode material for the aqueous ZIBs,manganese dioxide(MnO_(2))has been found to be promising,but certain drawbacks of this cathode material are slow charge-transfer capability and poor cycling performance.Herein,a novel design of graphene quantum dots(GQDs)integrated with Zn-intercalated MnO_(2)nanosheets is put forward to construct a 3D nanoflower-like GQDs@ZnxMnO_(2)composite cathode for aqueous ZIBs.The synergistic coupling of GQDs modification with Zn intercalation provides abundant active sites and conductive medium to facilitate the ion/electron transmission,as well as ensure the GQDs@ZnxMnO_(2)composite cathode with enhanced charge-transfer capability and high electrochemical reversibility,which are elucidated by experiment results and in-situ Raman investigation.These impressive properties endow the GQDs@ZnxMnO_(2)composite cathode with superior aqueous Zn^(2+) storage capacity(~403.6 mAh·g^(−1)),excellent electrochemical kinetics,and good structural stability.For actual applications,the fabricated aqueous ZIBs can deliver a substantial energy density(226.8 W·h·kg^(−1)),a remarkable power density(650 W·kg^(−1)),and long-term cycle performance,further stimulating their potential application as efficient electrochemical storage devices for various energy-related fields.

Inhibition of histone methyltransferase PRMT5 attenuates cisplatininduced hearing loss through the PI3K/Akt-mediated mitochondrial apoptotic pathway

This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of inhibiting protein arginine methyltransferase 5(PRMT5)in cisplatin-induced hearing loss.The effects of PRMT5 inhibition on cisplatin-induced auditory injury were determined using immunohistochemistry,apoptosis assays,and auditory brainstem response.The mechanism of PRMT5 inhibition on hair cell survival was assessed using RNA-seq and Cleavage Under Targets and Tagment-quantitative polymerase chain reaction(CUT&Tag-qPCR)analyses in the HEI-OC1 cell line.Pharmacological inhibition of PRMT5 significantly alleviated cisplatin-induced damage to hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons in the cochlea and decreased apoptosis by protecting mitochondrial function and preventing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species.CUT&Tag-qPCR analysis demonstrated that inhibition of PRMT5 in HEI-OC1 cells reduced the accumulation of H4R3me2s/H3R8me2s marks at the promoter region of the Pik3ca gene,thus activating the expression of Pik3ca.These findings suggest that PRMT5 inhibitors have strong potential as agents against cisplatininduced ototoxicity and can lay the foundation for further research on treatment strategies of hearing loss.

基于粗糙集与模糊集理论的图书馆最优选书算法

本文将粗糙集理论与模糊集理论结合起来,给出一种图书馆最优选书算法。该算法首先从已知数据的初始信息系统出发,计算各选书方案之间的相似度,从而构造相似矩阵,然后根据相似矩阵的传递闭包对各方案进行聚类,并根据粗糙集理论求各属性重要性,最后利用加权综合的思想及最小距离方法选择最优买书方案。

有机修饰剂对柔性环氧树脂/黏土纳米复合材料热/力学性能的影响

分别选用十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)、氯化胆碱(CC)及2,3-环氧丙基三甲基氯化铵(GMAC)为有机修饰剂制备了3种不同性质的有机化黏土(CTAB-clay、CC-clay及GMAC-clay)。通过"黏土淤浆复合法"合成了3种具有不同界面强度的柔性环氧树脂/黏土纳米复合材料。采用X射线衍射、透射电子显微镜、拉伸性能测试及动态力学热分析等方法对所制备的纳米复合材料结构及性能进行了表征。结果显示,CTAB-clay形成了插层结构的纳米复合材料;而CC-clay及GMAC-clay得到了剥离/插层混合结构。环氧树脂/黏土纳米复合材料的力学性能随界面强度的增强而增加:3种有机化黏土使环氧树脂的拉伸强度分别提高了333%(3.5%GMAC-clay)、195%(3%CC-clay)、100%(3.5%CTAB-clay);环氧树脂的模量及断裂伸长率亦随有机黏土的加入而同时获得显著提高。CTAB-clay导致环氧树脂的玻璃化转变温度(T_g)有所降低;而GMAC-clay和CC-clay则使T_g略有升高。

LsrR-binding site recognition and regulatory characteristics in Escherichia coli AI-2 quorum sensing

In quorum sensing （QS） process, bacteria regulate gene expression by utilizing small signaling molecules called autoinducers in response to a variety of environmental cues. Autoinducer 2 （AI-2）, a QS signaling molecule proposed to be involved in interspecies communication, is produced by many species of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. In Escherichia coil and Salmonella typhimurium, the extracellular AI-2 is imported into the cell by a transporter encoded by the lsr operon. Upstream of the lsr operon, there is a divergently transcribed gene encoding LsrR, which was reported previously to repress the transcription of the lsr operon and itself. Here, we have demonstrated for the first time that LsrR represses the transcription of the lsr operon and itself by directly binding to their promoters using gel shift and DNase I footprinting assays. The β-galactosidase reporter assays further suggest that two motifs in both the lsrR and lsrA promoter regions are crucial for the LsrR binding. Furthermore, in agreement with the conclusion that phosphorylated AI-2 can relieve the repression of LsrR in previous studies, our data show that phospho- AI-2 renders LsrR unable to bind to its own promoter in vitro.

Effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae on alfalfa nutrient degradation characteristics and rumen microbial populations of steers fed diets with different concentrate-to-forage ratios

Live yeast（Saccharomyces cerevisiae） constitutes an effective additive for animal production;its probiotic effect may be related to the concentrate-to-forage ratio（CTFR）.The objective of this study was to assess the effects of S.cerevisiae（SC） on fiber degradation and rumen microbial populations in steers fed diets with different levels of dietary concentrate.Ten Simmental × Local crossbred steers（450 ± 50 kg BW） were assigned to a control group or an SC group.Both groups were fed the same basal diet but the SC group received SC supplementation（8 × 10^9 cfu/h/d through the ruminal fistula）following a two-period crossover design.Each period consisted of four phases,each of which lasted 17 d：10 d for dietary adaptation,6 d for degradation study,and 1 d for rumen sample collection.From the 1^（st） to the 4^（th） phase,steers were fed in a stepwise fashion with increasing CTFRs,i.e.,30：70,50：50,70：30,and 90：10.The kinetics of dry matter and fiber degradation of alfalfa pellets were evaluated;the rumen microbial populations were detected using real-time PCR.The results revealed no significant（P〉 0.05） interactions between dietary CTFR and SC for most parameters.Dietary CTFR had a significant effect（P〈 0.01） on degradation characteristics of alfalfa pellets and the copies of rumen microorganism;the increasing concentrate level resulted in linear,quadratic or cubic variation trend for these parameters.SC supplementation significantly（P〈 0.05） affected dry matter（DM） and neutral detergent fiber（NDF）degradation rates（c_（DM）,c_（NDF）） and NDF effective degradability（ED_（NDF））.Compared with the control group,there was an increasing trend of rumen fungi and protozoa in SC group（P 〈 0.1）;copies of total bacteria in SC group were significantly higher（P〈 0.05）.Additionally,percentage of Ruminobacter amylophilus was significantly lower（P〈 0.05）but percentage of Selenomonas ruminantium was significantly higher（P〈 0.05） in the SC group.In a word,dietary CTFR had a significant effect on degradation characteristics of forage and rumen microbial population.S.cerevisiae had positive effects on DM and NDF degradation rate or effective degradability of forage;S.cerevisiae increased rumen total bacteria,fungi,protozoa,and lactate-utilizing bacteria but reduced starch-degrading and lactate-producing bacteria.

Mg-intercalation engineering of MnO_(2)electrode for high-performance aqueous magnesium-ion batteries

Rechargeable aqueous magnesium-ion batteries(MIBs)show great promise for low-cost,high-safety,and high-performance energy storage applications.Although manganese dioxide(MnO_(2))is considered as a potential electrode material for aqueous MIBs,the low electrical conductivity and unsatisfactory cycling performance greatly hinder the practical application of MnO_(2)electrode.To overcome these problems,herein,a novel Mg-intercalation engineering approach for MnO_(2)electrode to be used in aqueous MIBs is presented,wherein the structural regulation and electrochemical performance of the Mg-intercalation MnO_(2)(denoted as MMO)electrode were thoroughly investigated by density functional theory(DFT)calculations and in-situ Raman investigation.The results demonstrate that the Mg intercalation is essential to adjusting the charge/ion state and electronic band gap of MMO electrode,as well as the highly reversible phase transition of the MMO electrode during the charging-discharging process.Because of these remarkable characteristics,the MMO electrode can be capable of delivering a significant specific capacity of~419.8 mAh·g^(−1),while exhibiting a good cycling capability over 1000 cycles in 1 M aqueous MgCl_(2) electrolyte.On the basis of such MMO electrode,we have successfully developed a soft-packaging aqueous MIB with excellent electrochemical properties,revealing its huge application potential as the efficient energy storage devices.

Study on Technical Schemes for Major Pollutants Emission Reduction in Beijing North Canal River Basin Based on Watershed Water Quality Target Management

Water quality target management in watershed is the fundamental choice of city rivers suffering both serious pollution and severe water shortage. In this study, we performed a case study regarding river pollution control plan based on water quality target management in the North Canal River catchment of Beijing section, in order to obtain effective water quality improvement programs. The ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were taken as the main controlling pollutants. Water quality targets and basic water quality improvement scenarios were set up considering different intensities of population regulation scenarios and gradually strengthening emission control measures. The MIKE11 model was adopted to simulate the effects of a range of water quality improvement scenarios. Results indicated that the basic scenarios could dramatically improve the surface water environment. However, additional intensive and combined measure programs should be implemented to ensure that the water quality would basically meet the targets of corresponding water function zones. The results highlight the need to implement water conservation in water shortage urban river basin and show the importance of enhancing drainage communication and conducting ecological water replenishment in such kind basins. It is expected to provide a reference for the water environment management practice of other metropolis in the world facing both crisis of water resource shortage and water environment pollution.

Deqi effect for treating knee osteoarthritis using manual acupuncture:A network meta-analysis

Objective: To explore whether the deqi effect affects the effectiveness of manual acupuncture for treating knee osteoarthritis by a network meta-analysis(NMA).Methods: Eight databases were searched for relevant published studies since inception through January 2021. Randomized control trials that compared manual acupuncture with deqi, manual acupuncture without deqi, and conventional treatment of western medicine were included. Languages were limited to English and Chinese. Two authors independently selected eligible studies, assessed methodological quality and the effects of deqi, and extracted outcome data. The mean difference(MD) and standardized mean differences(SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals(CIs) were calculated by Stata 15.0 to conduct an NMA based on a frequentist framework.Results: Fourteen trials with a total of 1868 subjects were included. The direct and indirect comparisons were authentic, according to inconsistency tests. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index(WOMAC) pooled results indicated that there was no significant effect of deqi(SMD=-0.23, 95% CI [-0.81, 0.35]). The pooled results of visual analogue scale(VAS) were similar to those of WOMAC(MD=-0.53, 95% CI [-1.03, 0.02]).Conclusion: As a summary of the currently available research, the NMA results indicated that deqi effect might not be the crucial factor for the effectiveness of manual acupuncture.

Screen Content Coding with Primary and Secondary Reference Buffers for String Matching and Copying

A screen content coding （SCC） algorithm that uses a primary reference buffer （PRB） and a secondary reference buffer （SRB） for string matching and string copying is proposed. PRB is typically the traditional reconstructed picture buffer which provides reference string pixels for the current pixels being coded. SRB stores a few of recently and frequently referenced pixels for repetitive reference by the current pixels being coded. In the encoder, searching of optimal reference string is performed in both PRB and SRB, and either a PRB or SRB string is selected as an optimal reference string on a string-by-string basis. Compared with HM-16.4＋SCM-40 reference software, the proposed SCC algorithm can improve coding performance measured by bit-distortion rate reduction of average 4.19% in all-intra configuration for text and graphics with motion category＇ of test sequences defined by JCT-VC common test condition.

Corrigendum to “Deqi effect for treating knee osteoarthritis using manual acupuncture: A network meta-analysis” [J Tradit Chin Med Sci 8 (2021) 343e352]

The authors regret<In previous version,we made several errors.The correct descriptions are as follows.>.[Results]They used manual stimulation of the needles:one clearly required deqi in the intervention method;6 one achieved deqi if possible;14 one executed a brief manipulation at the beginning and the end of the treatment;31 and 10 RCTs described the manipulation to elicit deqi.29,30,32-39 In three MAOD groups,one used Streitberger non-penetrating needle,31 the patients in Wang et al.’s experiment were given fine needle,shallow insertion and weak stimulation without manipulation to avoid Deqi,32 whereas other one used needle inserted into acupoints but did not use any method of stimulation.40 In the CTWM,11 RCTs included routine pharmacological therapy,and one RCT14 considered waiting lists in which patients were allowed to receive oral NSAIDs if necessary.Twelve RCTs recorded WOMAC,and ten RCTs used VAS.

Effect of Ethanol Extract of Venenum Bufonis on Biofilm Formation of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>

Ethanol extract of Venenum Bufonis has shown many valuable bioactivities, but little is known about its effect on biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, biofilm formation of S. aureus NCTC8325 with or without ethanol extract of Venenum Bufonis was tested using microtitre plate assay and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM) system. Results show that the biofilm formation of S. aureus with ethanol extract of Venenum Bufonis was significantly lower than that of the control group without ethanol extract of Venenum Bufonis. Meanwhile, the reduction degree was correlated to the concentration of ethanol extract of Venenum Bufonis positively. With CLSM system we can observe that looser and less biomass of the biofilm structure of the experimental group appeared than that of the control group. These results suggested that ethanol extract of Venenum Bufonis has inhibitory effect on biofilm formation of S. aureus.

CVD Treatment of Carbon Fibers and Evaluation of Their Dispersion in CFRC

Carbon-fiber-reinforced cement-based (CFRC) composites is a promising functional material which can be used both in the military and civil fields against electromagnetic interference. However, it is essential to make carbon fibers dispersed uniformly during the preparation of CFRC. In this work, short carbon fibers were treated through Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process at high temperature between 900°C and 1200°C under the protection of diluted nitrogen gas N2 to modify the surface of carbon fibers to further strengthen the bonding between carbon fibers and cement matrix. Natural gas (98% CH4) was used as a precursor. It was decomposed to produce an uneven layer of pyrocarbon that was deposited on the surface of carbon fibers. CVD-treated carbon fibers were pre-dispersed by using ultrasonic wave. Both hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) and silicon fume were used as dispersants and as admixtures. They helped CVD-treated carbon fibers distribute uniformly. The mass fraction of HEC was around 1.78% in the aqueous solution. Four methods, namely, the simulation experiment (SE) method, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) method, the fresh mixture (FM) method, and the electrical resistivity measurement (ERM) method were, respectively, applied to evaluate fiber dispersion degree. Each method indicated its own advantages and disadvantages and it therefore catered for different conditions. Of the four evaluation methods, the SE method was the most convenient way to determine the pre-dispersion state prior to the preparation of CFRC composites. This method was helpful for predicting the subsequent dispersion state of carbon fibers in the cement matrix because it economized a large quantity of raw materials and time.

Evaluation of Lo＂wenstein-Jensen Medium Culture,MGIT 960 Culture and Different Specimen Types inDiagnosis of Bone and Joint Tuberculosis

Objective： The aim of this study was to evaluate L-J （Lo＂wenstein-Jensen） medium culture, MGIT 960 culture anddifferent specimen types in diagnosis of BJTB （bone and joint tuberculosis）. Methods：： Specimens of pus, caseous necrosis,tuberculous granuloma and sequestrum were collected from 52 BJTB patients. All specimens were cultured using both MGIT 960system and L-J medium; and all pus were amplified using real-time PCR to detect the presence of M. tuberculosis DNA. KeyFindings： A total of 191 specimens were collected. Granuloma had better chance to produce positive outcomes by L-J mediumculture, while for sequestrum MGIT 960 culture had higher yield, but there was no significant difference in the recovery rates amongdifferent types of specimen either by L-J culture （Z2 = 0.638, P = 0.888） or by MGIT960 culture （Z2 = 1.399, P = 0.706）. MGIT960culture had significantly higher recovery rate than L-J culture, With a combined culture and PCR-based test, the recovery rate of pusspecimen was significantly higher than that of either method alone （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusion： MGIT 960 culture is superior to L-Jculture in BJTB diagnosis; pus, sequestrum, granuloma and caseous necrosis are usable specimen for mycobacterial culture;combination of culture and molecular techniques can provide a better diagnostic significance.

Implementation of LT Code with a Novel Degree Distribution

It is known that Luby Transform code (LT code) is the first code fully realizing the digital fountain concept and provides an efficient scheme to transfer information over different channels. The key to make LT code work well is the degree distribution used in the encoding procedure. It determines the degree of each encoding symbol. On the basis of robust solition distribution and optimized degree distribution, a novel degree distribution which has only one parameter is proposed in this paper. Through computer simulation, the performance of LT code with the novel degree distribution is better than the robust solition distribution and sparse degree distribution. The conclusion of the research is practically valuable in improving the efficience of data distribution application.

Effects of theophylline/chitosan/β-cyclodextrin microspheres for oral drug delivery on an asthmatic rat model

Objective:This study aimed to investigate the effects of TH/CTS/β-CD microspheres by oral administration on ovalbumin allergic asthma of a rat model.Methods:Spray drying method was applied for preparing the TH/CTS/β-CD microspheres,which were used in treatment of asthmatic rats.At a predetermined time,the levels of eosinophil(Eos),protein,lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),aspartate transaminase(AST),glutamic pyruvic transaminase(GPT),and creatinine(Cr)were ascertained by automatic hematology and biochemical analyzers.Lung tissue histology was performed by hematoxylin-eosin staining.Results:No significant differences were found about the contents of Eos in the blood,and the contents of Eos,protein and LDH in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid between the microsphere-treated and dexamethasone-treated groups,but the levels were lower in both treated groups than in the model group.In the microsphere-treated group,the levels of Cr,AST,and GPT in the serum of rats showed no significant differences compared with the normal group.Based on lung histopathological findings,the microspheres attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration and mucus hypersecretion compared with the model group.Conclusion:This study demonstrated that TH/CTS/β-CD microspheres exerted an anti-inflammatory effect and could serve as a novel promising drug delivery system for asthma treatment.

Novel berberine derivatives as adjuvants in the battle against Acinetobacter baumannii: A promising strategy for combating multi-drug resistance

The development of resistance against most of the available antibiotics has made Acinetobacter baumannii(A.baumannii)a pathogen of high risk.In this study,thirty novel berberine derivatives are rationally designed,synthesized,and evaluated for their synergistic antibacterial activities against A.baumannii.Among them,compound 2d shows the most potent synergetic effect to aztreonam against A.baumannii,including carbapenem-resistant and extended-spectrumβ-lactamases-producing strains.Moreover,synergistic effects were observed for the combinations of 2d and different antibacterial used in clinical practices,indicating its potent broad-spectrum antibiotic-sensitizing effects against A.baumannii.The combination of 2d and aztreonam significantly improves the survival rates of G.mellonella larvae compared with aztreonam treatment alone.Mechanism studies indicate that 2d inhibits the drug efflux and iron acquisition of the bacteria by targeting the AdeB transporter protein,thus achieving a synergistic antimicrobial efficacy with different antibacterial agents.Therefore,berberine derivatives represent a new family of antimicrobial adjuvants against A.baumannii,with the advantage of dual-function antibacterial effect,and are worthy of further investigation.

Author correction to‘Discovery and identification of EIF2AK2 as a direct key target of berberine for anti-inflammatory effects’[Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 13(2023)2138-2151]

The authors regret that there are some misplaced figure numbers in the body of this article due to negligence in the layout and proofreading of the figures.Although it does not affect the conclusion,it is an obvious error.The authors have now modified as below.The authors apologize for any inconvenience caused to the journal and readers.

A deep learning-driven discovery of berberine derivatives as novel antibacterial against multidrug-resistant Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)is currently recognized as the primary carcinogenic pathogen associated with gastric tumorigenesis,and its high prevalence and resistance make it difficult to tackle.A graph neural network-based deep learning model,employing different training sets of 13,638 molecules for pre-training and fine-tuning,was aided in predicting and exploring novel molecules against H.pylori.A positively predicted novel berberine derivative 8 with 3,13-disubstituted alkene exhibited a potency against all tested drug-susceptible and resistant H.pylori strains with minimum inhibitory concentrations(MICs)of 0.25-0.5μg/mL.Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated an ideal gastric retention of 8,with the stomach concentration significantly higher than its MIC at 24 h post dose.Oral administration of 8 and omeprazole(OPZ)showed a comparable gastric bacterial reduction(2.2-log reduction)to the triple-therapy,namely OPZ+amoxicillin(AMX)+clarithromycin(CLA)without obvious disturbance on the intestinal flora.A combination of OPZ,AMX,CLA,and 8 could further decrease the bacteria load(2.8-log reduction).More importantly,the mono-therapy of 8 exhibited comparable eradication to both triple-therapy(OPZ+AMX+CLA)and quadrupletherapy(OPZ+AMX+CLA+bismuth citrate)groups.SecA and BamD,playing a major role in outer membrane protein(OMP)transport and assembling,were identified and verified as the direct targets of 8 by employing the chemoproteomics technique.n summary,by targeting the relatively conserved OMPs transport and assembling system,8 has the potential to be developed as a novel anti-H.pylori candidate,especially for the eradication of drug-resistant strains.