Pilot scale application of Ra-contaminated soil leaching remediation.

To address the issue of soil contamination caused by associated elements during the extraction and processing of radioactive minerals, this study employed two types of chemical leaching methods, one based on organic acids and the other on carbonates, to remediate radium-contaminated soil. Large-scale soil slurry reactors were used in field experiments to investigate the effects of acidic and alkaline leaching agents on the removal of Ra from naturally contaminated soil, and the optimal operational conditions were determined. The combined use of organic acids, salts and solubilizers has demonstrated high removal rates of radionuclide on a laboratory scale.

FECFusion: Infrared and visible image fusion network based on fast edge convolution.

The purpose of infrared and visible image fusion is to integrate the complementary information from heterogeneous images in order to enhance their detailed scene information. However, existing deep learning fusion methods suffer from an imbalance between fusion performance and computational resource consumption. Additionally, fusion layers or fusion rules fail to effectively combine heteromodal feature information.

A Three-Dimensional Inversion Method for Small-Scale Magnetic Objects Based on Normalized Magnetic Source Strength.

The exploration of some dangerous or important small-scale magnetic objects requires accurate three-dimensional inversion results. In this paper, a three-dimensional inversion method for small-scale magnetic objects is proposed. Normalized magnetic source strength, which is weakly sensitive to the magnetization direction, is used for inversion, which avoids the influence of the remanence of magnetic objects.

Health-zkIDM: A Healthcare Identity System Based on Fabric Blockchain and Zero-Knowledge Proof.

The issue of identity authentication for online medical services has been one of the key focuses of the healthcare industry in recent years. Most healthcare organizations use centralized identity management systems (IDMs), which not only limit the interoperability of patient identities between institutions of healthcare, but also create isolation between data islands. The more important matter is that centralized IDMs may lead to privacy disclosure.

Immunomodulatory Protein Promotes the Phagocytic Ability of Macrophages through the TLR4-NF-κB Pathway.

Enhancing the phagocytosis of immune cells with medicines provides benefits to the physiological balance by removing foreign pathogens and apoptotic cells. The fungal immunomodulatory protein (FIP) possessing various immunopotentiation functions may be a good candidate for such drugs. However, the effect and mechanism of FIP on the phagocytic activity is limitedly investigated.

Azo-Functionalized Zirconium-Based Metal-Organic Polyhedron as an Efficient Catalyst for CO Fixation with Epoxides.

Chemical fixation of CO as C1 source at ambient temperature and low pressure is an energy-saving way to make use of the green-house gas, but it still remains a challenge since efficient catalyst with high catalytic active sites is required. Here, a novel monoclinic azo-functionalized Zr-based metal-organic polyhedron (Zr-AZDA) has been prepared and applied in CO fixation with epoxides. The inherent azo groups not only endow Zr-AZDA with good solubilization, but also act as basic sites to enrich CO showing efficient synergistic catalysis as confirmed by TPD-CO analysis.

Self-powered soft robot in the Mariana Trench.

The deep sea remains the largest unknown territory on Earth because it is so difficult to explore. Owing to the extremely high pressure in the deep sea, rigid vessels and pressure-compensation systems are typically required to protect mechatronic systems. However, deep-sea creatures that lack bulky or heavy pressure-tolerant systems can thrive at extreme depths.

Evaluation of pharmacotherapy recommendations in guidelines for inflammatory bowel disease.

What Is Known And Objective: The aim of this study was to systematically assess drug therapy in the guidelines for inflammatory bowel disease and to provide recommendations for the development of such guidelines.

Study Design: A systematic search was conducted in databases and on websites to identify guidelines for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Qualified guidelines were assessed through the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II).

Appraisal of the diagnostic procedures of acute pancreatitis in the guidelines.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to comprehensively assess the heterogeneity of procedures in the diagnostic guidelines for acute pancreatitis and to identify gaps limiting knowledge in diagnosing this disease.

Methods: A systematic search of a number of databases was performed to determine the guidelines for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis in patients with severe pancreatitis. The guidelines for the diagnosis of severe pancreatitis were evaluated by AGREE II.

A highly active and robust iron quinquepyridine complex for photocatalytic CO reduction in aqueous acetonitrile solution.

The iron(ii) complex bearing the 2,2':6',2'':6'',2''':6''',2''''-quinquepyridine (qnpy) ligand, [Fe(qnpy)(HO)], is a highly efficient and robust catalyst for photocatalytic reduction of CO to CO in aqueous acetonitrile solution. A turnover number (TON) for CO of up to 14 095 with 98% selectivity can be achieved using Ru(phen)Cl (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) as the photosensitizer and BIH (1,3-dimethyl-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole) as the sacrificial reductant in a CO-saturated MeCN/HO (1 : 1, v/v) solution under visible light irradiation. This Fe complex is state-of-the-art for CO visible-light-driven catalysis.

A new perspective of lanthanide metal-organic frameworks: tailoring Dy-BTC nanospheres for rechargeable Li-O batteries.

Nanoscaled lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (NLn-MOFs) have emerged as attractive nanomaterials for photofunctional applications. To enhance the inherent properties and endow NLn-MOF materials with desired electrochemical performance for rechargeable Li-O2 batteries, rational design and synthesis of NLn-MOFs with tailored morphologies for high O2 accessibility and rich open metal sites to bind O2 molecules is highly desired and remains a grand challenge. Herein, we prepare Dy-BTC nanospheres, which are explored for the first time as an O2 cathode in Li-O2 batteries.

Functionalized N-Doped Carbon Nanotube Arrays: Novel Binder-Free Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Boosting electrochemical sodium storage properties is achieved by utilizing functionalized N-doped carbon nanotube arrays (NCNAs) as anode materials. The NCNA anodes are first fabricated by self-polymerization of dopamine on cobalt hydroxide nanorod arrays as the template. The NCNAs with diameters of 100-120 nm are grown vertically to Ni foam, forming self-supported nanotube arrays.

Modeling and efficient quantified risk assessment of haze causation system in China related to vehicle emissions with uncertainty consideration.

Urban haze has become a severe pollution problem in China. Vehicle emission may be a key factor leading to haze pollution in China's megacities due to the rapid growth of vehicles and corresponding energy consumption. Until now, the haze formation mechanisms in China remain highly uncertain, which have not yet been understood quantitatively.

A molecular noble metal-free system for efficient visible light-driven reduction of CO to CO.

A new pentadentate quinoline-pyridine ligand and its iron (1), cobalt (2) and nickel (3) complexes have been synthesized and characterized. The iron complex exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity towards CO2-to-CO conversion with a TON(CO) of 544 and a selectivity of 99.3% using the commercially available organic dye purpurin as the photosensitiser and BIH as the electron donor.

Acute exposure to deoxynivalenol inhibits porcine enteroid activity via suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

The intake of food containing deoxynivalenol frequently causes damage to the intestine, the renewal of which is driven by intestinal stem cells (ISCs). Nevertheless, the toxicity of deoxynivalenol on ISCs and its underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. As pigs are the most sensitive animals to deoxynivalenol, we used piglets for investigation in this study.

Persistent DNA methylation changes in zebrafish following graphene quantum dots exposure in surface chemistry-dependent manner.

Modified nano-graphene quantum dots (M-GQDs) are widely used in bioimaging, drug delivery, and chemical engineering. Because M-GQDs could induce reactive oxygen species and DNA damage, we hypothesized that M-GQDs modulate DNA methylation. To test this hypothesis, zebrafish were exposed to reduced, hydroxylated, or aminated GQDs (graphene quantum dots) at different concentrations for 7 days; global DNA methylation in liver, gill, and intestine was then studied.

Assessment of trace metal contamination and ecological risk in the forest ecosystem of dexing mining area in northeast Jiangxi Province, China.

Samples of soil, earthworms, and tree roots from the forest ecosystem in the Dexing Pb/Zn mining area of Jiangxi Province were collected and the status of trace metal pollution analyzed to assess potential ecological risks. Chemometric and geographic information system methods were used to identify and describe the spatial distributions and the main contamination sources of trace metals. The order of potential ecological risks of trace metals in this area are as follows: cadmium (Cd) > arsenic (As) > copper (Cu) > nickel (Ni) > lead (Pb) > chromium (Cr) > zinc (Zn).

Trace metal pollution and ecological risk assessment in agricultural soil in Dexing Pb/Zn mining area, China.

Surface agricultural soil samples obtained from Dexing Pb/Zn mining area in Jiangxi province were analyzed for trace metals to assess their pollution status and potential ecological risk. The spatial distributions and the major trace metals pollution sources were described and identified with the combination of chemical measures and geographic information systems technology. The level of pollution in seven metals is decreasing in the following order: zinc (Zn 128.

A molecularly imprinted chitosan doped with carbon quantum dots for fluorometric determination of perfluorooctane sulfonate.

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was fabricated for selective recognition of the highly persistent pollutant perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). The MIP was prepared from chitosan and doped with fluorescent carbon quantum dots (CQDs). It was characterized by fluorescence spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

A Stable Quasi-Solid-State Sodium-Sulfur Battery.

Ambient-temperature sodium-sulfur (Na-S) batteries are considered a promising energy storage system due to their high theoretical energy density and low costs. However, great challenges remain in achieving a high rechargeable capacity and long cycle life. Herein we report a stable quasi-solid-state Na-S battery enabled by a poly(S-pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PETEA))-based cathode and a (PETEA-tris[2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl] isocyanurate (THEICTA))-based gel polymer electrolyte.

Halobenzoquinone-mediated assembly of amino acid modified Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots for halobenzoquinones detection in drinking water.

Halobenzoquinones (HBQs) were reported as disinfection byproducts (DBPs) which had potential risk of bladder cancer. In this paper, a highly selective analytical method for HBQs was developed by HBQs-mediated assembly of amino acid modified Mn-doped ZnS/Quantum Dots (Mn: ZnS QDs). In the presence HBQs, a charge-transfer complex (CTC) was formed between aromatic rings of HBQs and the primary amino groups on the surface of the QDs.

CDX2 Stimulates the Proliferation of Porcine Intestinal Epithelial Cells by Activating the mTORC1 and Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathways.

Caudal type homeobox 2 (CDX2) is expressed in intestinal epithelial cells and plays a role in gut development and homeostasis by regulating cell proliferation. However, whether CDX2 cooperates with the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways to stimulate cell proliferation remains unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of CDX2 on the proliferation of porcine jejunum epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) and the correlation between CDX2, the mTORC1 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways.

Povidone-Iodine-Based Polymeric Nanoparticles for Antibacterial Applications.

As microbial contamination is becoming more and more serious, antibacterial agents play an important role in preventing and removing bacterial pathogens from microbial pollution in our daily life. To solve the issues with water solubility and antibacterial stability of PVP-I (povidone-iodine) as a strong antibacterial agent, we successfully obtain hydrophobic povidone-iodine nanoparticles (povidone-iodine NPs) by a two-step method related to the advantage of nanotechnology. First, the synthesis of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone-co-methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles, i.

Prussian Blue Nanocubes with an Open Framework Structure Coated with PEDOT as High-Capacity Cathodes for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

It is shown that Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) can be a very competitive sulfur host for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Sulfur stored in the large interstitial sites of a PBA host can take advantage of reversible and efficient insertion/extraction of both Li and electrons, due to the well-trapped mobile dielectron redox centers in the well-defined host. It is demonstrated that Na Fe[Fe(CN) ] has a large open framework, and as a cathode, it both stores sulfur and acts as a polysulfide diffusion inhibitor based on the Lewis acid-base bonding effect.

Interconnected Phosphorus and Nitrogen Codoped Porous Exfoliated Carbon Nanosheets for High-Rate Supercapacitors.

Carbon-based supercapacitors have high power density and long cycle life; however, they are known to suffer from problems related to low energy density and high inner resistance. Here, we report a novel hierarchically porous functional carbon that is made up of interconnected exfoliated carbon nanosheets with thickness of a few nanometers. Notably, these porous carbon nanosheets are doped with abundant nitrogen (N) dopants in the basal plane and phosphorus (P) functional groups at the edge of the graphene lattice.