Pickering emulsion transport in skeletal muscle tissue:A dissipative particle dynamics simulation approach

Lymph node targeting is a commonly used strategy for particulate vaccines,particularly for Pickering emulsions.However,extensive research on the internal delivery mechanisms of these emulsions,especially the complex intercellular interactions of deformable Pickering emulsions,has been surprisingly sparse.This gap in knowledge holds significant potential for enhancing vaccine efficacy.This study aims to address this by summarizing the process of lymph-node-targeting transport and introducing a dissipative particle dynamics simulation method to evaluate the dynamic processes within cell tissue.The transport of Pickering emulsions in skeletal muscle tissue is specifically investigated as a case study.Various factors impacting the transport process are explored,including local cellular tissue environmental factors and the properties of the Pickering emulsion itself.The simulation results primarily demonstrate that an increase in radial repulsive interaction between emulsion particles can decrease the transport efficiency.Additionally,larger intercellular gaps also diminish the transport efficiency of emulsion droplet particles due to the increased motion complexity within the intricate transport space compared to a single channel.This study sheds light on the nuanced interplay between engineered and biological systems influencing the transport dynamics of Pickering emulsions.Such insights hold valuable potential for optimizing transport processes in practical biomedical applications such as drug delivery.Importantly,the desired transport efficiency varies depending on the specific application.For instance,while a more rapid transport might be crucial for lymph-node-targeted drug delivery,certain applications requiring a slower release of active components could benefit from the reduced transport efficiency observed with increased particle repulsion or larger intercellular gaps.

农用纳米二氧化硅载体对作物生长影响的研究

近年来,纳米二氧化硅在农业中的应用越来越广泛,评价纳米二氧化硅对农作物生长的影响日益迫切。该文采用了经典的幼苗根伸长试验,研究了纳米二氧化硅(平均尺度14.0 nm,NP-Si)对卷心菜、胡萝卜和黄瓜3种蔬菜生长的影响;同时研究了亚微米二氧化硅(MP-Si,平均尺度为667.6 nm)对蔬菜生长的影响以作对比。结果显示,NP-Si对这3种蔬菜幼苗的生长均具有促进作用,且在脱离了NP-Si的接触后,此促进作用在实验周期内没有逆转;而MP-Si对蔬菜幼苗的生长无影响。多环芳烃菲的吸附将NP-Si对这3种蔬菜幼苗的促生长作用改变为抑制作用。FTIR的测定表明,多环芳烃菲的吸附前后,NP-Si的红外光谱有所不同。研究结果表明:(1)NP-Si对农作物生长的影响不仅仅来源于其纳米的尺度,还与其表面吸附的物质有关;(2)纳米材料表面的吸附作用及吸附的物质是在纳米材料对农作物生长影响的研究中必须考虑的重要因素。

Daily Variation of Natural Emission of Methane to the Atmosphere and Source Identification in the Luntai Fault Region of the Yakela Condensed Oil/Gas Field in the Tarim Basin,Xinjiang,China

The static flux chamber method was applied to study natural emissions of methane to the atmosphere in the Luntai fault region of Yakela Condensed Oil/Gas Field in the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Municipality, northwestern China. Using an online method, which couples together a gas chromatography/high-temperature conversion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry （GC/C/MS）, 13^C/12^C ratios of methane in flux chambers were measured and showed that methane gases are liable to migrate from deep oil/gas reservoirs to the surface through fault regions and that a part of the migrated methane, which remains unoxidized can be emitted into the atmosphere. Methane emission rates were found to be highest in the mornings, lowest in the afternoons and then increase gradually in the evenings. Methane emission rates varied dramatically in different locations in the fault region. The highest methane emission rate was 10.96 mg/m^2·d, the lowest 4.38 mg/m^2, and the average 7.55 mg/ m^2·d. The 13^C/12^C ratios of the methane in the flux chambers became heavier as the enclosed methane concentrations increased gradually, which reveals that methane released from the fault region might come from thermogenic methane of the deep condensed oil/gas reservoir.

Removal of nickel from spent electroless nickel-plating bath with nickel foam cathode

The electrochemical method was used to remove nickel ion from spent electroless nickel plating bath (pH=5 3). An electrolytic cell was composed of a porous nickel foam cathode and an inert RuO 2/Ti anode. Nickel ions were reduced and deposited on the surface of the nickel foam cathode. The effect of current density (i), linear velocity of wastewater(v), gap between cathode and anode(d C/A) and reaction time(t) on nickel removal rate and current efficiency were studied. As reaction time prolonged, nickel removal rate increased while current efficiency decreased. And larger v and smaller d C/A can enhance nickel removal rate and increase current efficiency by promoting mass transfer and dropping concentration polarization. The effect of current density on nickel removal by electrochemistry was related to other parameters. After three hours’ electrolysis with i=1 0 A/dm2, v=18 5 cm/min and d C/A=0 5 cm, nickel removal rate and current efficiency reached 85 6% and 29 1%, respectively.

Evidence against hydroxyl radical mechanism in photo-Fenton degradation of p-chlorophenol

This paper provides evidence for the degradation of organic pollutant by the photo-Fenton complex mechanism. Both the complex oxidation and HO. oxidation mechanisms were verified by p-chlorophenol degradation, UV/Vis spectra anaylsis, and quantum yield. The hydroxyl radical involved in the photo-Fenton process can also be generated from the decomposition of H2O2, photolysis of Fe^3＋ and degradation of hydrated Fe（Ⅵ）-complex, excepting the traditional Fenton reaction.

Greywater Treatment by High Rate Algal Pond under Sahelian Conditions for Reuse in Irrigation

High Rate Algal Pond (HRAP) was constructed and operated using a mixer device to investigate its capability in treating greywater for reuse in gardening. Physico-chemical and microbiological parameters were monitored. With a hydraulic retention time of 7.5 days and a solid retention time of 20 days, the average removal efficiencies (ARE) were 69% and 62% for BOD5 and COD respectively. The ARE for , and were 23%, 52% and 43% respectively. The removal of suspended solids (SS) was unsatisfactory, which could be attributed to the low average algal settling efficiencies of 9.3% and 16.0% achieved after 30 and 60 minutes respectively. The ARE of fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli and enterococci were 2.65, 3.14 and 3.17 log units respectively. In view of the results, the HRAP technology could be adapted for greywater treatment in sahelian regions. However, further studies on the diversity of the algal species growing in the HRAP unit are necessary in order to increase the removal of SS. Hazards of a reuse of the effluents are discussed on the basis of the various qualitative parameters. The residual content of E. coli was varying from 4 CFU per 100 mL. Based on WHO guidelines for greywater reuse in irrigation, the effluents could be used for restricted irrigation (E. coli < 105 CFU per 100 mL). Furthermore, the reuse potential is discussed on the basis of FAO guidelines using SAR (3.03 to 4.11), electrical conductivity (482 to 4500 μS/cm) and pH values (6.45 to 8.6).

Effect of sulfate on the methanogenic activity of a bacterial culture from a brewery wastewater during glucose degradation

The maximum specific methanogenic activity （SMA） of a sludge originating from a brewery wastewater treatment plant on the degradation of glucose was investigated at various levels of sulfate on a specific loading basis. Batch experiments were conducted in serum bottles at pH 7 and 35℃. A comparison of the values indicates that the SMA of this mixed culture was increased and reached its highest level of 0.128 g CH4 gas COD/（g VSS.d） when biomass was in contact with sulfate at a ratio of 1：0.114 by weight.

A Floating Island Treatment System for the Removal of Phosphorus from Surface Waters

The goal of this project was to design, build, and test a pilot-scale floating modular treatment system for total phosphorus （TP） removal from nutrient-impaired lakes in central Florida, USA. The treatment sys-tem consisted of biological and physical-chemical treatment modules. First, investigations of prospective biological and physical-chemical treatment processes in mesocosms and in bench-scale experiments were conducted. Thirteen different mesocosms were constructed with a variety of substrates and combi-nations of macrophytes and tested for TP and orthophosphate （PO4-^3） removal efficiencies and potential areal removal rates. Bench-scale jar tests and column tests of seven types of absorptive media in addition to three commercial resins were conducted in order to test absorptive capacity. Once isolated process testing was complete, a floating island treatment system （FITS） was designed and deployed for eight months in a lake in central Florida. Phosphorus removal efficiencies of the mesocosm systems averaged about 40%-50%, providing an average uptake of 5.0 g.m ^2.a ^1 across all mesocosms. The best-performing mesocosms were a submerged aquatic vegetation （SAV） mesocosm and an algae scrubber （AGS）, which removed 20 and 50 mg.m ^2.d ^1, respectively, for an average removal of 5.5 and 12.0 g.m ^2.a ^1 for the SAV and AGS systems, Of the absorptive media, the best performance was alum residual （AR）, which reduced PO4-^3 concentrations by about 75% after 5 min of contact time. Of the commercial resins tested, the PhosX resin was superior to the others, removing about 40% of phosphorus after 30 rain and 60% after 60min. Under baseline operation conditions during deployment, the FITS exhibited mean PO4-^3 removal efficiencies of 53%; using the 50th and 90th percentile of PO4-^3 removal during deployment, and the footprint of the FITS system, yielded efficiencies for the combined FITS system of 56% and 86%, respectively, and areal phosphorus removal rates between 8.9 and 16.5 g.m ^2.a ^1

Influences of Polyvinyl Alcohol on Synthesis of A95 Polycrystalline Alumina Fibers

In order to improve the spinnabilities of A95 alumi- na silica sols, the influences of addition and polymeriza- tion degree of polyvinyl alcohol on spinnabilities of alu- mina silica sols were researched. The viscosity and rheo- logical properties of the sols, mierostructure, infrared spectra, average diameter and diameter distribution oJ the gel fibers, BET specific surface area and distribution of pore diameters were measured. The results show that iJ there is no spinning agent, the A95 sols have no spinna- bility ; when PVA 2099 addition is in the range of l. 0% -2.0% （in mass, the same hereinafter） , the prepared sols have good spinnability, the gel fibers produced are thin and uniform, and the shot content is low ; BET spe- cific surface area and gas absorption amount of A95 polycrystalline alumina fibers are the largest when PVA 2099 addition is 2. 0% ; the gel fibers are thick and non-uniform, and the shot content is high when PVA 2099 addition is 4. 0% ; with polymerization degree oJ PVA increasing, the average diameter and diameter dis- tribution range of the gel fibers increase gradually; when using PVA 1799 and PVA 1899, respectively, the spun gel fibers are thin and uniform.

Molecular dynamics simulations of ovalbumin adsorption at squalene/water interface

The adsorption of protein molecules to oil/water(O/W)interface is of critical importance for the product design in a wide range of technologies and industries such as biotechnology,food industry and pharmaceutical industry.In this work,with ovalbumin(OVA)as the model protein,the adsorption conformations at the O/W interface and the adsorption stability have been systematically studied via multiple simulation methods,including all-atom molecular dynamic(AAMD)simulations,coarse-grained molecular dynamic(CGMD)simulations and enhanced sampling methods.The computational results of AAMD and CGMD show that the hydrophobic tail of OVA tends to be folded under long time relaxation in aqueous phase,and multiple adsorption conformations can exist at the interface due to heterogeneous interactions raising from oil and water respectively.To further study the adsorption sites of the protein,the adsorption kinetics of OVA at the O/W interface is simulated using metadynamics method combined with CGMD simulations,and the result suggests the existence of multiple adsorption conformations of OVA at interface with the head-on conformation as the most stable one.In all,this work focuses on the adsorption behaviors of OVA at squalene/water interface,and provides a theoretical basis for further functionalization of the proteins in emulsion-based products and engineering.

Analysis of Daily Rainfall in São Carlos/SP, Brazil over 1979-2017 Using Laplace Trend Test

Rainfall expresses one of the most complex climate factors in Southeastern Brazil. Understanding the dynamics and temporal trends of rainfall represents a significant challenge due to regional and even global mechanisms, such as FS (Frontal Systems) and the SACZ (South Atlantic Convergence Zone), and the interaction with the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The present study aimed at analyzing the pluviometric tendencies in São Carlos/SP, in the countryside of São Paulo State. Laplace trend test was used to comprehend the temporal evolution of daily rainfall in the region in the historical series 1979-2017, in seven pluviometric stations (climatological or surface stations). Significant fluctuations in interannual trends and between seasons were observed. However, it was noted that the beginning of the 1980s showed positive trends, whereas, as of the year 2000, most of the stations demonstrated negative trends, indicating a reduction in daily rainfall volume due to the great tropical climatic variability of Brazil. Emphasis should also be given to the regional and local effects, such as elevation and urbanization, respectively, which corroborate such differences among the analyzed stations. This methodology is of considerable value for the observation of pluviometric trends, and future studies can validate such a tool in climatological studies.

DDA Simulations of Large Flume Tests and Large Landslides Triggered by the Wenchuan Earthquake

This paper presents some numerical simulations using Discontinuous Deformation Analysis (DDA). First, DDA was applied to reproduce a series of granular flows released in a large flume. The comparison between simulated velocity and that measured in the tests demonstrates the effectiveness of DDA on description of kinematic behavior of blocky assembly. Simulated results were highly sensitive to the shape and angularity of blocky elements. Employing unrealistic block might result in different behavior from real situation. Second, three large landslides triggered by the Wenchuan earthquake were simulated. A well agreement with field data was obtained if apparent friction coefficient determined by post-analysis was adopted.

Hydrogen Smart-Grids: Smart Metering of Electricity from Hydrogen Fuel Cells

In the last decade, increasing applications of information technology (IT) within power industry has become a significant reality. As distributed power networks are gaining importance and renewables are getting a bigger ratio within energy production, Smart Grid applications have become essential, especially due to the intermittent nature of renewable energy resources. Smart Grid is a sustainable energy system that measures, checks, and controls the generation, transmission, and consumption of electrical energy in grids on all voltage levels. Smart Grid experts are driving forward the development of effective communication and information technologies for the build-up of intelligent power supply networks. Examples of these are control systems for the realization of virtual power plants, intelligent consumer data acquisition systems, and smart distribution management systems. Fuel cell-based hydrogen electricity, in comparison to other renewable energy sources, is more stable and predictable. Yet hydrogen power and smart-grids have many application points, mainly as means of energy storage. This study claims that hydrogen energy and smart-grids could also engage through an appliance of IT managed metering of hydrogen power production. Smart metering and management of hydrogen fuel cells would enable advanced planning of short-to-mid-term power productions and thus foster use of hydrogen power within distributed networks, as local community or industrial applications.

Variation in Polyamine Content among 12 Pollinated Wheat Genotypes under Drought Stress Condition

The present work aims to study the drought stress effects on polyamine content and its relationship with growth and development in seeds, during cell division (from the beginning and until 17 days after pollination) and grain filling (until reaching the physiological maturity) stages. Factorial experiment based on Randomized Complete Block (RCB) design was carried out with three replications. Two factors of the experiment were considered: the level of irrigation (irrigation without and with drought stress during cell division stage and with drought stress during grain filling stage) and the level of wheat genotype (drought-resistant, semi-resistant and sensitive genotypes). As control treatment, soil moisture content of the field was considered. For drought-stress treatment, the 50% of the soil moisture content in control treatment was established. According to the experimental results, Putrescine content value is higher in control treatment which develops seeds of drought-resistant genotypes than that are registered for semi-resistant and sensitive genotypes. Both drought stress treatments induced significant rises in putrescine amount in the different genotypes of the study. The rises of putrescine content in sensitive and semi-resistant genotypes, however, were higher than in resistant ones, and the highest rise in putrescine content appeared in manning semi-resistant genotype during the stage of grain filling (27 days after pollination). Exerting drought stress in both stages of cell division and grain filling led to significant increase in spermine and spermidine contents of developing seeds of entire genotypes of the study. The highest spermidine content during grain filling stage occurred in sensitive genotypes of Shark and Tevee’s, and the lowest occurred in semi-resistant genotype of Sabalan. The highest spermine content during cell division stage, though, happened in semi-resistant genotype of manning. In fact, spermine and spermidine act as analogous to plant hormones such as Auxin and Cytokine, or they cooperate with these hormones in order to take a role in cell division regulation of developing wheat seeds and development of sink strength. They, additionally, stabilize the cell division process of developing seeds under drought condition. According to the findings of the study, manning semi-resistant genotype is capable of having a high grain yield under drought condition by reason of reserving high amounts of polyamines.

Enhancing photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction with TiO_(2)-based materials:Strategies,mechanisms,challenges,and perspectives

The concentration of atmospheric CO_(2)has exceeded 400 ppm,surpassing its natural variability and raising concerns about uncontrollable shifts in the carbon cycle,leading to significant climate and environmental impacts.A promising method to balance carbon levels and mitigate atmospheric CO_(2)rise is through photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction.Titanium dioxide(TiO_(2)),renowned for its affordability,stability,availability,and eco-friendliness,stands out as an exemplary catalyst in photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction.Various strategies have been proposed to modify TiO_(2)for photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction and improve catalytic activity and product selectivity.However,few studies have systematically summarized these strategies and analyzed their advantages,disadvantages,and current progress.Here,we comprehensively review recent advancements in TiO_(2)engineering,focusing on crystal engineering,interface design,and reactive site construction to enhance photocatalytic efficiency and product selectivity.We discuss how modifications in TiO_(2)'s optical characteristics,carrier migration,and active site design have led to varied and selective CO_(2)reduction products.These enhancements are thoroughly analyzed through experimental data and theoretical calculations.Additionally,we identify current challenges and suggest future research directions,emphasizing the role of TiO_(2)-based materials in understanding photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction mechanisms and in designing effective catalysts.This review is expected to contribute to the global pursuit of carbon neutrality by providing foundational insights into the mechanisms of photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction with TiO_(2)-based materials and guiding the development of efficient photocatalysts.

LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS OF THE DECONSTRUCTION OF MILITARY BARRACKS:FT.MCCLELLAN,ANNISTON,AL

Nearly 2.5 million ft^(2)of barracks must be removed from military facilities throughout the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency Region 4.While integration of manual deconstruction with traditional mechanical demolition methods has been shown to be comparable to traditional demolition methods in terms of cost and time requirements,the life cycle impacts of manual deconstruction on the environment and public health are unknown.To this end,life cycle assessment was applied to extend previous deconstruction studies of barracks at Ft.McClellan in Anniston,Alabama.Four scenarios were compared with varying degrees of time required for manual deconstruction of the barracks-100%Manual,44%Manual,26%Manual,and 100%Mechanical.Data were collected directly from the site and applied using SimaPro modeling software(PréAssociates,The Netherlands),considering two post-deconstruction options.Materials salvaged using either 100%or 44%Manual deconstruction and reused within a 20-mile radius of the deconstruction site yielded the most favorable environmental and health impacts.The significant impacts involved in the life cycle of diesel fuel required for transportation emphasize the need for developing reuse strategies for deconstructed materials at the regional level.

Two-dimensional RGO-bridge S-scheme phosphorus-doped g-C_(3)N_(4)/Bi_(5)O_(7)Ivan der Waals heterojunctions for efficient visible-light photocatalytic treatment of real pharmaceutical wastewater

The design of van der Waals heterojunctions with S-scheme charge transfer pathway is expected to be an effective strategy for improvement of photocatalytic performance.Herein,two-dimensional(2D)phosphorus-doped g-C_(3)N_(4)/Bi_(5)O_(7)Ivan der Waals heterojunctions with reduced graphene oxide as electron bridge(PCN/RGO/Bi_(5O)_(7)I)were successfully synthesized via hydrothermal method.The van der Waals interaction endowed 2D PCN/RGO/Bi_(5O)_(7)I with intimate contact interface,lattice match,tunable band structure,and internal electric field,which efficiently promoted interfacial charge separation and enhanced redox ability of photogenerated charge carriers.As a result,the S-scheme PCN/RGO/Bi_5O_7I van der Waals heterojunctions exhibited superior photocatalytic performance in ciprofloxacin degradation and real pharmaceutical wastewater treatment.The optimized 12%PCN/RGO/Bi_5O_7I displayed the highest photocatalytic activity with 92%removal of ciprofloxacin.Importantly,the COD removal efficiency and extent of mineralization of real pharmaceutical wastewater reached 66.9%and 59.8%,respectively,and the biodegradability of pharmaceutical wastewater was significantly improved.The photocatalytic mechanism of the S-scheme PCN/RGO/Bi_(5)O_(7)I van der Waals heterojunctions based on the analysis of reactive species,work function,and internal electric field was presented.This study provides fresh insights into plausible design of S-scheme van der Waals heterojunction to enhance photocatalytic redox ability.

Increased utilization and mass activity of PtRu on reduced graphene oxide by heat treatment of its aerogel followed by composite with nanomaterials

The method to increase PtRu utilization and its catalytic activity of PtRu nanoparticles supported on reduced graphene oxide(RGO)by avoiding its restacking was proposed with the aim of developing an active catalyst for a direct methanol fuel cell.The heat treatment at 200◦C of the GO aerogel(GOA)prepared by freeze drying of GO ice was introduced to weaken the attractive force of the hydrogen bonding between the GO sheets followed by the composite with the nanoparticles,i.e.,ketjenblack(KB),TiO_(2)and Ti_(4)O_(7),at different weight ratios.The catalyst supported on the heat-treated GOA(RGOA),PtRu/RGOA,improved the PtRu utilization to some extent and also increased the ECSA and mass activity compared to that of PtRu/RGO.RGOA had fewer oxygen functional groups,especially the epoxy groups.Due to the treatment and composite,the PtRu utilization was increased from 66.5%for PtRu/RGO to 128.6%for PtRu/RGOA+Ti_(4)O_(7)(4:1)and the mass activity was improved from 50.7 A/g-PtRu for PtRu/RGO to 130.5 A/g-PtRu for PtRu/RGOA+Ti_(4)O_(7)(1:1).The Ti_(4)O_(7)nanoparticles showed the best catalytic performance for the composite suggesting that the strong interaction between Ti_(4)O_(7)and the Pt nanoparticles was effective due to its high electronic conductivity.

Performance evaluation of a water erosion tracer using plot-scale experiments and process-based modeling

Socioeconomic and environmental losses caused by water erosion have highlighted the importance of quantifying and understanding the dynamics of soil redistribution in the landscape to develop effective soil management practices.Several methods are applied to estimate erosion/deposition rates and identify sources of sediments,among them,the one that uses rare earth elements(REE)as a tracer stands out.However,an alternative not yet explored that can benefit the accuracy of the estimates provided by the method is using a tracer containing a chemical signature composed of more than one REE.The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of a new water erosion tracer based on montmoril-lonite labeled with rare earth elements(La40-MMT).The innovative aspects of this La40-MMT tracer include its highly stable multi-chemical signature(Nd^(3+),La^(3+),and Pr^(3+)),which enhances tracer detection in the environment,and its low production cost due to the use of an industrial residue in the synthesis process.The tracer was evaluated for a typical soil of the Cerrado biome,using a natural rainfall field-scale plot-NRFP(5 m × 20 m)and a physical predictive erosion model(WEPP).The results showed that the La40-MMT tracer could be used to estimate erosion/deposition rates,with agreement between the values observed with the tracer and the WEPP model.Thus,this study confirmed the great potential of La40-MMT as a tool to identify patterns of soil redistribution at the field scale and aid in the validation of erosion models.