A Density Functional Theory (DFT) Modeling Study of NO Reduction by CO over Graphene-Supported Single-Atom Ni Catalysts in the Presence of CO, SO, O, and HO.

The mechanisms of NO reduction by CO over nitrogen-doped graphene (N-graphene)-supported single-atom Ni catalysts in the presence of O, HO, CO, and SO have been studied via density functional theory (DFT) modeling. The catalyst is represented by a single Ni atom bonded to four N atoms on N-graphene. Several alternative reaction pathways, including adsorption of NO on the Ni site, direct reduction of NO by CO, decomposition of NO to NO followed by reduction of NO to N, formation of active oxygen radical O*, and reduction of O* by CO, were hypothesized and the energy barrier corresponding to each of the reaction steps was calculated using DFT.

Advancing carbon-neutral iron production: Non-equimolar diffusion kinetics of coke with HO in hydrogen-rich blast furnaces.

This study presents a non-equimolar diffusion model to enhance the predictive accuracy of coke degradation kinetics in hydrogen-rich blast furnaces, where elevated water vapor (HO) levels are present. The model integrates the unreacted core shrink model with the Maxwell-Stefan equation to delineate the 3D curved surface distribution of HO concentration and the effective diffusion coefficient within the coke ash layer. Validated against experimental data, the model demonstrated a significant improvement in accuracy, with a deviation range of 0.

Polygenic genetic variation affecting antibody formation underlies hypertensive renal injury in the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat.

During development of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), several distinct but closely related lines were generated. Most lines are resistant to hypertensive renal disease. However, the SHR-A3 line (stroke-prone SHR) experiences end-organ injury (EOI) and provides a model of injury susceptibility that can be used to uncover genetic causation.

Adsorption of crystal violet on activated bamboo fiber powder from water: preparation, characterization, kinetics and isotherms.

Biomass-activated carbon has made a great contribution as an adsorbent in the field of dye wastewater treatment. In this study, the response surface method (RSM) based on the Box-Behnken design was used to optimize the preparation process. Bamboo fiber activated carbon (BAC) with a specific surface area of 2892 m g and a pore volume of 1.

Comparative Metabolomic Profiling Reveals Key Secondary Metabolites Associated with High Quality and Nutritional Value in Broad Bean ( L.).

High quality and nutritional benefits are ultimately the desirable features that influence the commercial value and market share of broad bean ( L.). Different cultivars vary greatly in taste, flavor, and nutrition.

The Assembled Genome of the Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat.

Background: We report the creation and evaluation of a de novo assembly of the genome of the spontaneously hypertensive rat, the most widely used model of human cardiovascular disease.

Methods: The genome is assembled from long read sequencing (PacBio HiFi and continuous long read data [CLR]) and scaffolded with long-range structural information obtained from Bionano optical maps and proximity ligation sequencing proximity analysis of the genome. The genome assembly was polished with Illumina short reads.

Generation and characterization of coal-based needle coke produced by the co-carbonization of coal liquefaction pitch and anthracene oil.

In this study, we studied the feasibility of preparing high-quality needle coke from coal liquefaction pitch. Nine types of blending pitch (coal liquefaction pitch and anthracene oil mixed with different ratios) were used as raw materials to generate needle coke the co-carbonization method. Optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were employed to determine the properties (microstructure, distribution of carbon microcrystals, true density and micro-strength) of the needle coke derived by the co-carbonization method.

Preparation and Characterization of Mesocarbon Microbeads by the Co-Polycondensation of High-Temperature Coal Tar Pitch and Coal Pyrolytic Extracts.

Mesocarbon microbeads (MCMBs) are a kind of engineering and functional artificial carbon materials generally prepared by the polymerization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The physicochemical property of the raw materials plays a key role in the quality of MCMBs. For a detailed analysis of the synergistic effects of the generation of MCMBs, a high-temperature coal tar pitch was used as raw materials, and coal pyrolytic extracts were used as additive to synthesize the MCMBs.

mRatBN7.2: familiar and unfamiliar features of a new rat genome reference assembly.

Rat genomic tools have been slower to emerge than for those of humans and mice and have remained less thorough and comprehensive. The arrival of a new and improved rat reference genome, mRatBN7.2, in late 2020 is a welcome event.

On-off-on nanosensors of carbon quantum dots derived from coal tar pitch for the detection of Cu, Fe, and L-ascorbic acid.

Novel nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were synthesized by a chemical oxidation method using medium-low temperature coal tar pitch as the raw material. Such quantum dots were developed as a highly sensitive fluorescent "on-off-on" switch sensor for the selective and simultaneous sensing of Cu and Fe. The as-prepared N-CQDs, which emit blue light, were characterized by TEM images, FT-IR spectra, Raman spectroscopy, XPS analysis, fluorescence spectra, and UV-vis absorption spectra.

Trace metals dramatically boost oxygen electrocatalysis of N-doped coal-derived carbon for zinc-air batteries.

The commercialization of metal-air batteries requires efficient, low-cost, and stable bifunctional electrocatalysts for reversible electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The modification of natural coal by heteroatoms such as N and S, or metal oxide species, has been demonstrated to form very promising electrocatalysts for the ORR and OER. However, it remains elusive and underexplored as to how the impurity elements in coal may impact the electrocatalytic properties of coal-derived catalysts.

Natural genetic variation in Stim1 creates stroke in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Similar to humans, the risk of cerebrovascular disease in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-A3/SHRSP) arises from naturally occurring genetic variation. In the present study, we show the involvement of genetic variation affecting the store-operated calcium signaling gene, Stim1, in the pathogenesis of stroke in SHR. Stim1 is a key lymphocyte activation signaling molecule and contains functional variation in SHR-A3 that diverges from stroke-resistant SHR-B2.

Polymorphism Disrupts Immune Signaling and Creates Renal Injury in Hypertension.

Background Spontaneously hypertensive rats of the stroke-prone line (SHR-A3) develop hypertensive renal disease as a result of naturally occurring genetic variation. Our prior work identified a single-nucleotide polymorphism unique to SHR-A3 that results in truncation of the carboxy terminus of STIM1. The SHR-B2 line, which is also hypertensive but resists hypertensive renal injury, expresses the wild-type STIM1.

Germ-line genetic variation in the immunoglobulin heavy chain creates stroke susceptibility in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

The risk of cerebrovascular disease in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-A3/SHRSP) arises from naturally occurring genetic variation. In the present study we show the involvement of SHR genetic variation that affects antibody formation and function in the pathogenesis of stroke. We have tested the involvement in susceptibility to stroke of genetic variation in , the gene encoding the immunoglobulin heavy chain by congenic substitution.

Genotypic differences in leaf secondary metabolism, plant hormones and yield under alone and combined stress of drought and salinity in cotton genotypes.

Drought and salinity stress highly affect the plant growth and production around the world. Secondary metabolites play a main role in adaptation to the environment and in overcoming stress conditions. In order to investigate the effect of drought and salinity, alone or in combination, on secondary metabolism-related enzyme activities, plant hormones and yield parameters, a greenhouse pot experiment was conducted using two cotton genotypes Zhongmian 23 (salt tolerant) and Zhongmian 41 (salt sensitive).

Susceptibility to Hypertensive Renal Disease in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat Is Influenced by 2 Loci Affecting Blood Pressure and Immunoglobulin Repertoire.

High blood pressure exerts its deleterious effects on health largely through acceleration of end-organ diseases. Among these, progressive loss of renal function is particularly important, not only for the direct consequences of kidney damage but also because loss of renal function is associated with amplification of other adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Genetic susceptibility to hypertension and associated end-organ disease is non-Mendelian in both humans and in a rodent model, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR).

Red blood cell β-adrenergic receptors contribute to diet-induced energy expenditure by increasing O2 supply.

Diet-induced obesity (DIO) represents the major cause for the current obesity epidemic, but the mechanism underlying DIO is unclear. β-Adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) play a major role in sympathetic nervous system-mediated (SNS-mediated) diet-induced energy expenditure (EE). Rbc express abundant β-ARs; however, a potential role for rbc in DIO remains untested.

Mycophenolate mofetil prevents cerebrovascular injury in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-A3) develop strokes and progressive kidney disease as a result of naturally occurring genetic variations. We recently identified genetic variants in immune signaling pathways that contribute to end-organ injury. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that a dysregulated immune response promotes stroke susceptibility.

Defective Store-Operated Calcium Entry Causes Partial Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus.

Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) is the mechanism by which extracellular signals elicit prolonged intracellular calcium elevation to drive changes in fundamental cellular processes. Here, we investigated the role of SOCE in the regulation of renal water reabsorption, using the inbred rat strain SHR-A3 as an animal model with disrupted SOCE. We found that SHR-A3, but not SHR-B2, have a novel truncating mutation in the gene encoding stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), the endoplasmic reticulum calcium (Ca(2+)) sensor that triggers SOCE.

Hypertensive renal injury is associated with gene variation affecting immune signaling.

Background: The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) strain exists in lines that contrast strongly in susceptibility to renal injury in hypertension. These inbred lines share common ancestry, and only 13% of their genomes arise from different ancestors.

Methods And Results: We used next gen sequencing to detect natural allelic variation in 5 genes of the immunoreceptor signaling pathway (IgH, Dok3, Src, Syk, and JunD) that arise from different ancestors in the injury-prone SHR-A3 and the resistant SHR-B2 lines.

Glutamate mediates the function of melanocortin receptor 4 on Sim1 neurons in body weight regulation.

The melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) is a well-established mediator of body weight homeostasis. However, the neurotransmitter(s) that mediate MC4R function remain largely unknown; as a result, little is known about the second-order neurons of the MC4R neural pathway. Single-minded 1 (Sim1)-expressing brain regions, which include the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVH), represent key brain sites that mediate melanocortin action.

An obligate role of oxytocin neurons in diet induced energy expenditure.

Oxytocin neurons represent one of the major subsets of neurons in the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH), a critical brain region for energy homeostasis. Despite substantial evidence supporting a role of oxytocin in body weight regulation, it remains controversial whether oxytocin neurons directly regulate body weight homeostasis, feeding or energy expenditure. Pharmacologic doses of oxytocin suppress feeding through a proposed melanocortin responsive projection from the PVH to the hindbrain.

The effect of an elevated maternal lysine concentration on placental lysine transport in pregnant sheep.

Objectives: In a previous study, the coinfusion into the maternal circulation of lysine and several other amino acids failed to increase significantly lysine umbilical uptake. The purpose of this study was to determine whether umbilical lysine uptake can be increased by infusing a lysine solution that does not contain any other amino acid.

Study Design: Six late-gestation ewes were studied on 2 consecutive days.