Study on the selective adsorption of Ag by thermosensitive poly(n-isopropylacrylamide)/guanylthiourea/chitosan composites.

In this work, temperature-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and the ‌guanylthiourea (GLA) were used to modify chitosan (CS) to prepare a novel PNIPAM/GLA/CS adsorbent for Ag(I) ions. Temperature variations near the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) facilitate the adjustment of functional group distribution within the composite material, thereby influencing its adsorption performance for silver ions. The characteristics of this composite material were confirmed using a variety of techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), variable-temperature ultraviolet-visible near-infrared spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Federated learning-based wavelength demodulation system for multi-point distributed multi-peak FBG sensors.

Machine learning-based demodulation of multi-peak fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors has been extensively studied, demonstrating superior performance compared to conventional algorithms because it can neglect potential physical constraints. As the number of real-world monitoring points increases, the volume of fiber-optic sensing data grows exponentially. This necessitates aggregating data from various regions (e.

Microbiota-induced alteration of kynurenine metabolism in macrophages drives formation of creeping fat in Crohn's disease.

Hyperplasia of mesenteric tissues in Crohn's disease, called creeping fat (CrF), is associated with surgical recurrence. Although microbiota translocation and colonization have been found in CrF, convincing mouse phenotypes and the underlying mechanisms of CrF formation remain unclear. Utilizing single-nucleus RNA (snRNA) sequencing of CrF and different mouse models, we demonstrate that the commensal Achromobacter pulmonis induces mesenteric adipogenesis through macrophage alteration.

Ultrafast dynamics in spatially confined photoisomerization: accelerated simulations through machine learning models.

This study sheds light on the exploration of photoresponsive host-guest systems, highlighting the intricate interplay between confined spaces and photosensitive guest molecules. Conducting nonadiabatic molecular dynamics (NAMD) simulations based on electronic structure calculations for such large systems remains a formidable challenge. By leveraging machine learning (ML) as an accelerator for NAMD simulations, we analytically constructed excited-state potential energy surfaces along relevant collective variables to investigate photoisomerization processes efficiently.

Supplementary sugars enhance the production efficiency and parasitism performance of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma dendrolimi (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae).

Trichogramma spp. wasps are egg parasitoids with a long history of mass rearing for augmentation biocontrol programs in field crop and orchard landscapes. Supplementary nutrition can improve the longevity, fecundity, and biocontrol efficacy of parasitoids.

2D MXene/MBene Superlattice with Narrow Bandgap as Superior Electrocatalyst for High-Performance Lithium-Oxygen Battery.

Lithium-oxygen (Li-O) battery with large theoretical energy density (≈3500 Wh kg) is one of the most promising energy storage and conversion systems. However, the slow kinetics of oxygen electrode reactions inhibit the practical application of Li-O battery. Thus, designing efficient electrocatalysts is crucial to improve battery performance.

Visible light photocatalytic degradation of oxytetracycline hydrochloride using chitosan-loaded Z-scheme heterostructured material BiOCOOH/O-gCN.

In this work, a Z-scheme heterostructured BiOCOOH/O-gCN material was synthesized and immobilized on chitosan (CTS) to obtain the BiOCOOH/O-gCN/CTS photocatalytic material for photocatalytic degradation of oxytetracycline hydrochloride (CTC).Our findings indicate that the composite material BiOCOOH/O-gCN, as well as the BiOCOOH/O-gCN/CTS composite membrane, displayed a significantly higher efficiency in photocatalytic degradation of CTC compared to BiOCOOH alone, owing to the synergistic effect of adsorption and photocatalysis. Following four cycles of use, the composite material retained around 96 % of its initial photocatalytic degradation activity.

Crafting a Job among Chinese Employees: The Role of Empowering Leadership and the Links to Work-Related Outcomes.

The present study aims to examine the process through which empowering leadership shapes employees' work engagement and in-role performance by facilitating job-crafting behaviors, specifically seeking resources, seeking challenges, and reducing demands. Based on the extensive data from 733 Chinese employees across various organizations located predominantly in Chongqing and Xi'an, China, we carried out different types of statistical analysis such as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships among empowering leadership, specific job-crafting behaviors, work engagement and in-role performance, test our hypothesis and our conceptual model. The results from structural equation modeling (SEM) suggested that empowering leadership was positively related to employees' work engagement and in-role performance; empowering leadership was positively related to employees' job crafting (seeking resources, seeking challenges and reducing demands); seeking resources, seeking challenges and reducing demands were positively related to in-role performance, and seeking challenges and reducing demands were positively related to work engagement.

In Situ Phosphorization for Constructing NiP-Ni Heterostructure Derived from Bimetallic MOF for Li-S Batteries.

Heterostructured materials commonly consist of bifunctions due to the different ingredients. For host material in the sulfur cathode of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, the chemical adsorption and catalytic activity for lithium polysulfides (LiPS) are important. This work obtains a NiP-Ni nanoparticle (NiP-NiNPs) heterostructure through a confined self-reduction method followed by an in situ phosphorization process using Al/Ni-MOF as precursors.

Triple Effect of "Conductivity-Adsorption-Catalysis" Enables MXene@FeCoNiP to be Sulfur Hosts for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

The weak chemical immobilization ability and poor catalytic effect of MXene inhibit its application in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Herein, a novel MXene@FeCoNiP composite is rationally developed and utilized as a sulfur host for Li-S batteries. In this well-designed MXene-based nanostructure, the introduction of FeCoNiP in the interlayer of MXene nanosheets can not only effectively inhibit the restacking of MXene nanosheets but also act as an accelerator for the adsorption and catalysis of polysulfides to restrain the shuttling effect and facilitate the transformation of polysulfides.

Controllable Regulation of the Oxygen Redox Process in Lithium-Oxygen Batteries by High-Configuration-Entropy Spinel with an Asymmetric Octahedral Structure.

Designing bifunctional electrocatalysts to boost oxygen redox reactions is critical for high-performance lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs). In this work, high-entropy spinel (CoMnNiFeCr)O (HEOS) is fabricated by modulating the internal configuration entropy of spinel and studied as the oxygen electrode catalyst in LOBs. Under the high-entropy atomic environment, the Co-O octahedron in spinel undergoes asymmetric deformation, and the reconfiguration of the electron structure around the Co sites leads to the upward shift of the d-orbital centers of the Co sites toward the Fermi level, which is conducive to the strong adsorption of redox intermediate LiO on the surface of the HEOS, ultimately forming a layer of a highly dispersed LiO thin film.

Screening of temperature-responsive signalling molecules during sex differentiation in Asian yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica).

Background: The Asian yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica) is an important commercial freshwater aquaculture species in China. This species is a highly sexually dimorphic species, with males growing at a faster rate than females and exhibits temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), in which the incubation temperature during embryonic development determines the sexual fate. However, the mechanisms of the sex determination or sex differentiation in the Asian yellow pond turtle are remain a mystery.

Epimedin B exhibits pigmentation by increasing tyrosinase family proteins expression, activity, and stability.

Epimedin B (EB) is one of the main flavonoid ingredients present in Maxim., a traditional herb widely used in China. Our previous study showed that EB was a stronger inducer of melanogenesis and an activator of tyrosinase (TYR).

Physicochemical properties and molecular mechanisms of different resistant starch subtypes in rice.

Resistant starch (RS) can help prevent diabetes and decrease calorie intake and that from plants are the main source of mankind consumption. Rice is many people's staple food and that with higher RS will help health management. A significantly positive correlation exists between apparent amylose content (AAC) of rice and its RS content.

Theoretical trends in the dynamics simulations of molecular machines across multiple scales.

Over the past few decades, molecular machines have been extensively studied, since they are composed of single molecules for functional materials capable of responding to external stimuli, enabling motion at scales ranging from the microscopic to the macroscopic level within molecular aggregates. This advancement holds the potential to efficiently transform external resources into mechanical movement, achieved through precise control of conformational changes in stimuli-responsive materials. However, the underlying mechanism that links microscopic and macroscopic motions remains unclear, demanding computational development associated with simulating the construction of molecular machines from single molecules.

Facile synthesis of NiFeO-based nanoblocks for low-temperature detection of trace -butanol.

FeO-loaded NiFeO nanoblocks were successfully developed under a straightforward one-step hydrothermal synthesis method, aiming to detect trace amounts of -butanol at the parts per billion (ppb) concentration range. The synthesized samples were comprehensively characterized using various techniques, including XRD, SEM, XPS, TEM and SAED. At a tantalizingly low temperature of 130 °C, the Ni/Fe-2 gas sensor demonstrated the optimum response (/ = 29.