bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MD2 activation by direct AGE interaction drives inflammatory diabetic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Wang Yi , Luo Wu , Han Jibo , Khan Zia A. , Fang Qilu , Jin Yiyi , Chen Xuemei , Zhang Yali , Wang Meihong , Qian Jianchang , Huang Weijian , Lum Hazel , Wu Gaojun , Liang Guang
Published: May 2020

Hyperglycemia activates toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) to induce inflammation in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, the mechanisms of TLR4 activation remain unclear. Here we examine the role of myeloid differentiation 2 (MD2), a co-receptor of TLR4, in high glucose (HG)- and diabetes-induced inflammatory cardiomyopathy. We show increased MD2 in heart tissues of diabetic mice and serum of human diabetic subjects. MD2 deficiency in mice inhibits TLR4 pathway activation, which correlates with reduced myocardial remodeling and improved cardiac function. Mechanistically, we show that HG induces extracellular advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which bind directly to MD2, leading to formation of AGEs-MD2-TLR4 complex and initiation of pro-inflammatory pathways. We further detect elevated AGE-MD2 complexes in heart tissues and serum of diabetic mice and human subjects with DCM. In summary, we uncover a new mechanism of HG-induced inflammatory responses and myocardial injury, in which AGE products directly bind MD2 to drive inflammatory DCM.
Proimmunogenic impact of MEK inhibition synergizes with agonist anti-CD40 immunostimulatory antibodies in tumor therapy
Authors: Baumann Daniel , Hägele Tanja , Mochayedi Julian , Drebant Jennifer , Vent Caroline , Blobner Sven , Noll Julia Han , Nickel Irena , Schumacher Corinna , Boos Sophie Luise , Daniel Aline Sophie , Wendler Susann , Volkmar Michael , Strobel Oliver , Offringa Rienk
Published: May 2020

Cancer types with lower mutational load and a non-permissive tumor microenvironment are intrinsically resistant to immune checkpoint blockade. While the combination of cytostatic drugs and immunostimulatory antibodies constitutes an attractive concept for overcoming this refractoriness, suppression of immune cell function by cytostatic drugs may limit therapeutic efficacy. Here we show that targeted inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK) does not impair dendritic cell-mediated T cell priming and activation. Accordingly, combining MEK inhibitors (MEKi) with agonist antibodies (Abs) targeting the immunostimulatory CD40 receptor results in potent synergistic antitumor efficacy. Detailed analysis of the mechanism of action of MEKi shows that this drug exerts multiple pro-immunogenic effects, including the suppression of M2-type macrophages, myeloid derived suppressor cells and T-regulatory cells. The combination of MEK inhibition with agonist anti-CD40 Ab is therefore a promising therapeutic concept, especially for the treatment of mutant Kras-driven tumors such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Effective combinatorial immunotherapy for penile squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Huang Tianhe , Cheng Xi , Chahoud Jad , Sarhan Ahmed , Tamboli Pheroze , Rao Priya , Guo Ming , Manyam Ganiraju , Zhang Li , Xiang Yu , Han Leng , Shang Xiaoying , Deng Pingna , Luo Yanting , Lu Xuemin , Feng Shan , Ferrer Magaly Martinez , Alan Wang Y. , DePinho Ronald A. , Pettaway Curtis A. , Lu Xin
Published: May 2020

Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) accounts for over 95% of penile malignancies and causes significant mortality and morbidity in developing countries. Molecular mechanisms and therapies of PSCC are understudied, owing to scarcity of laboratory models. Herein, we describe a genetically engineered mouse model of PSCC, by co-deletion of Smad4 and Apc in the androgen-responsive epithelium of the penis. Mouse PSCC fosters an immunosuppressive microenvironment with myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) as a dominant population. Preclinical trials in the model demonstrate synergistic efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade with the MDSC-diminishing drugs cabozantinib or celecoxib. A critical clinical problem of PSCC is chemoresistance to cisplatin, which is induced by Pten deficiency on the backdrop of Smad4/Apc co-deletion. Drug screen studies informed by targeted proteomics identify a few potential therapeutic strategies for PSCC. Our studies have established what we believe to be essential resources for studying PSCC biology and developing therapeutic strategies.
DIP/Dpr interactions and the evolutionary design of specificity in protein families
Authors: Sergeeva Alina P. , Katsamba Phinikoula S. , Cosmanescu Filip , Brewer Joshua J. , Ahlsen Goran , Mannepalli Seetha , Shapiro Lawrence , Honig Barry
Published: May 2020

Differential binding affinities among closely related protein family members underlie many biological phenomena, including cell-cell recognition. Drosophila DIP and Dpr proteins mediate neuronal targeting in the fly through highly specific protein-protein interactions. We show here that DIPs/Dprs segregate into seven specificity subgroups defined by binding preferences between their DIP and Dpr members. We then describe a sequence-, structure- and energy-based computational approach, combined with experimental binding affinity measurements, to reveal how specificity is coded on the canonical DIP/Dpr interface. We show that binding specificity of DIP/Dpr subgroups is controlled by “negative constraints”, which interfere with binding. To achieve specificity, each subgroup utilizes a different combination of negative constraints, which are broadly distributed and cover the majority of the protein-protein interface. We discuss the structural origins of negative constraints, and potential general implications for the evolutionary origins of binding specificity in multi-protein families.
Estrogen receptor-α expressing neurons in the ventrolateral VMH regulate glucose balance
Authors: He Yanlin , Xu Pingwen , Wang Chunmei , Xia Yan , Yu Meng , Yang Yongjie , Yu Kaifan , Cai Xing , Qu Na , Saito Kenji , Wang Julia , Hyseni Ilirjana , Robertson Matthew , Piyarathna Badrajee , Gao Min , Khan Sohaib A. , Liu Feng , Chen Rui , Coarfa Cristian , Zhao Zhongming , Tong Qingchun , Sun Zheng , Xu Yong
Published: May 2020

Brain glucose-sensing neurons detect glucose fluctuations and prevent severe hypoglycemia, but mechanisms mediating functions of these glucose-sensing neurons are unclear. Here we report that estrogen receptor-α (ERα)-expressing neurons in the ventrolateral subdivision of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (vlVMH) can sense glucose fluctuations, being glucose-inhibited neurons (GI-ERαvlVMH) or glucose-excited neurons (GE-ERαvlVMH). Hypoglycemia activates GI-ERαvlVMH neurons via the anoctamin 4 channel, and inhibits GE-ERαvlVMH neurons through opening the ATP-sensitive potassium channel. Further, we show that GI-ERαvlVMH neurons preferentially project to the medioposterior arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (mpARH) and GE-ERαvlVMH neurons preferentially project to the dorsal Raphe nuclei (DRN). Activation of ERαvlVMH to mpARH circuit and inhibition of ERαvlVMH to DRN circuit both increase blood glucose. Thus, our results indicate that ERαvlVMH neurons detect glucose fluctuations and prevent severe hypoglycemia in mice.
Structural changes in noble metal nanoparticles during CO oxidation and their impact on catalyst activity
Authors: Chee See Wee , Arce-Ramos Juan Manuel , Li Wenqing , Genest Alexander , Mirsaidov Utkur
Published: May 2020

The dynamical structure of a catalyst determines the availability of active sites on its surface. However, how nanoparticle (NP) catalysts re-structure under reaction conditions and how these changes associate with catalytic activity remains poorly understood. Using operando transmission electron microscopy, we show that Pd NPs exhibit reversible structural and activity changes during heating and cooling in mixed gas environments containing O2 and CO. Below 400 °C, the NPs form flat low index facets and are inactive towards CO oxidation. Above 400 °C, the NPs become rounder, and conversion of CO to CO2 increases significantly. This behavior reverses when the temperature is later reduced. Pt and Rh NPs under similar conditions do not exhibit such reversible transformations. We propose that adsorbed CO molecules suppress the activity of Pd NPs at lower temperatures by stabilizing low index facets and reducing the number of active sites. This hypothesis is supported by thermodynamic calculations.
Endothelin-1 signaling maintains glial progenitor proliferation in the postnatal subventricular zone
Authors: Adams Katrina L. , Riparini Giulia , Banerjee Payal , Breur Marjolein , Bugiani Marianna , Gallo Vittorio
Published: May 2020

Signaling molecules that regulate neurodevelopmental processes in the early postnatal subventricular zone (SVZ) are critical for proper brain development yet remain poorly characterized. Here, we report that Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a molecular component of the postnatal SVZ, promotes radial glial cell maintenance and proliferation in an autocrine manner via Notch signaling. Loss of ET-1 signaling increases neurogenesis and reduces oligodendrocyte progenitor cell proliferation (OPC) in the developing SVZ, thereby altering cellular output of the stem cell niche. We also show that ET-1 is required for increased neural stem cell and OPC proliferation in the adult mouse SVZ following demyelination. Lastly, high levels of ET-1 in the SVZ of patients with Cathepsin A-related arteriopathy with strokes and leukoencephalopathy correlate with an increased number of SVZ OPCs, suggesting ET-1’s role as a regulator of glial progenitor proliferation may be conserved in humans. ET-1 signaling therefore presents a potential new therapeutic target for promoting SVZ-mediated cellular repair.
Electronic-photonic arithmetic logic unit for high-speed computing
Authors: Ying Zhoufeng , Feng Chenghao , Zhao Zheng , Dhar Shounak , Dalir Hamed , Gu Jiaqi , Cheng Yue , Soref Richard , Pan David Z. , Chen Ray T.
Published: May 2020

The past two decades have witnessed the stagnation of the clock speed of microprocessors followed by the recent faltering of Moore’s law as nanofabrication technology approaches its unavoidable physical limit. Vigorous efforts from various research areas have been made to develop power-efficient and ultrafast computing machines in this post-Moore’s law era. With its unique capacity to integrate complex electro-optic circuits on a single chip, integrated photonics has revolutionized the interconnects and has shown its striking potential in optical computing. Here, we propose an electronic-photonic computing architecture for a wavelength division multiplexing-based electronic-photonic arithmetic logic unit, which disentangles the exponential relationship between power and clock rate, leading to an enhancement in computation speed and power efficiency as compared to the state-of-the-art transistors-based circuits. We experimentally demonstrate its practicality by implementing a 4-bit arithmetic logic unit consisting of 8 high-speed microdisk modulators and operating at 20 GHz. This approach paves the way to future power-saving and high-speed electronic-photonic computing circuits.
A common allosteric mechanism regulates homeostatic inactivation of auxin and gibberellin
Authors: Takehara Sayaka , Sakuraba Shun , Mikami Bunzo , Yoshida Hideki , Yoshimura Hisako , Itoh Aya , Endo Masaki , Watanabe Nobuhisa , Nagae Takayuki , Matsuoka Makoto , Ueguchi-Tanaka Miyako
Published: May 2020

Allosteric regulation is protein activation by effector binding at a site other than the active site. Here, we show via X-ray structural analysis of gibberellin 2-oxidase 3 (GA2ox3), and auxin dioxygenase (DAO), that such a mechanism maintains hormonal homeostasis in plants. Both enzymes form multimers by interacting via GA4 and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at their binding interface. Via further functional analyses we reveal that multimerization of these enzymes gradually proceeds with increasing GA4 and IAA concentrations; multimerized enzymes have higher specific activities than monomer forms, a system that should favour the maintenance of homeostasis for these phytohormones. Molecular dynamic analysis suggests a possible mechanism underlying increased GA2ox3 activity by multimerization—GA4 in the interface of oligomerized GA2ox3s may be able to enter the active site with a low energy barrier. In summary, homeostatic systems for maintaining GA and IAA levels, based on a common allosteric mechanism, appear to have developed independently.
Stress-induced expression is enriched for evolutionarily young genes in diverse budding yeasts
Authors: Doughty Tyler W. , Domenzain Iván , Millan-Oropeza Aaron , Montini Noemi , de Groot Philip A. , Pereira Rui , Nielsen Jens , Henry Céline , Daran Jean-Marc G. , Siewers Verena , Morrissey John P.
Published: May 2020

The Saccharomycotina subphylum (budding yeasts) spans 400 million years of evolution and includes species that thrive in diverse environments. To study niche-adaptation, we identify changes in gene expression in three divergent yeasts grown in the presence of various stressors. Duplicated and non-conserved genes are significantly more likely to respond to stress than genes that are conserved as single-copy orthologs. Next, we develop a sorting method that considers evolutionary origin and duplication timing to assign an evolutionary age to each gene. Subsequent analysis reveals that genes that emerged in recent evolutionary time are enriched amongst stress-responsive genes for each species. This gene expression pattern suggests that budding yeasts share a stress adaptation mechanism, whereby selective pressure leads to functionalization of young genes to improve growth in adverse conditions. Further characterization of young genes from species that thrive in harsh environments can inform the design of more robust strains for biotechnology.
Systemic short chain fatty acids limit antitumor effect of CTLA-4 blockade in hosts with cancer
Authors: Coutzac Clélia , Jouniaux Jean-Mehdi , Paci Angelo , Schmidt Julien , Mallardo Domenico , Seck Atmane , Asvatourian Vahe , Cassard Lydie , Saulnier Patrick , Lacroix Ludovic , Woerther Paul-Louis , Vozy Aurore , Naigeon Marie , Nebot-Bral Laetitia , Desbois Mélanie , Simeone Ester , Mateus Christine , Boselli Lisa , Grivel Jonathan , Soularue Emilie , Lepage Patricia , Carbonnel Franck , Ascierto Paolo Antonio , Robert Caroline , Chaput Nathalie
Published: May 2020

Gut microbiota composition influences the clinical benefit of immune checkpoints in patients with advanced cancer but mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Molecular mechanism whereby gut microbiota influences immune responses is mainly assigned to gut microbial metabolites. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are produced in large amounts in the colon through bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber. We evaluate in mice and in patients treated with anti-CTLA-4 blocking mAbs whether SCFA levels is related to clinical outcome. High blood butyrate and propionate levels are associated with resistance to CTLA-4 blockade and higher proportion of Treg cells. In mice, butyrate restrains anti-CTLA-4-induced up-regulation of CD80/CD86 on dendritic cells and ICOS on T cells, accumulation of tumor-specific T cells and memory T cells. In patients, high blood butyrate levels moderate ipilimumab-induced accumulation of memory and ICOS + CD4 + T cells and IL-2 impregnation. Altogether, these results suggest that SCFA limits anti-CTLA-4 activity.
The Set1 N-terminal domain and Swd2 interact with RNA polymerase II CTD to recruit COMPASS
Authors: Bae Hyun Jin , Dubarry Marion , Jeon Jongcheol , Soares Luis M. , Dargemont Catherine , Kim Jaehoon , Geli Vincent , Buratowski Stephen
Published: May 2020

Methylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) by Set1/COMPASS occurs co-transcriptionally, and is important for gene regulation. Set1/COMPASS associates with the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain (CTD) to establish proper levels and distribution of H3K4 methylations. However, details of CTD association remain unclear. Here we report that the Set1 N-terminal region and the COMPASS subunit Swd2, which interact with each other, are both needed for efficient CTD binding in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Moreover, a single point mutation in Swd2 that affects its interaction with Set1 also impairs COMPASS recruitment to chromatin and H3K4 methylation. A CTD interaction domain (CID) from the protein Nrd1 can partially substitute for the Set1 N-terminal region to restore CTD interactions and histone methylation. However, even when Set1/COMPASS is recruited via the Nrd1 CID, histone H2B ubiquitylation is still required for efficient H3K4 methylation, indicating that H2Bub acts after the initial recruitment of COMPASS to chromatin.
Microbial predictors of healing and short-term effect of debridement on the microbiome of chronic wounds
Authors: Verbanic Samuel , Shen Yuning , Lee Juhee , Deacon John M. , Chen Irene A.
Published: May 2020

Chronic wounds represent a large and growing disease burden. Infection and biofilm formation are two of the leading impediments of wound healing, suggesting an important role for the microbiome of these wounds. Debridement is a common and effective treatment for chronic wounds. We analyzed the bacterial content of the wound surface from 20 outpatients with chronic wounds before and immediately after debridement, as well as healthy skin. Given the large variation observed among different wounds, we introduce a Bayesian statistical method that models patient-to-patient variability and identify several genera that were significantly enriched in wounds vs. healthy skin. We found no difference between the microbiome of the original wound surface and that exposed by a single episode of sharp debridement, suggesting that this debridement did not directly alter the wound microbiome. However, we found that aerobes and especially facultative anaerobes were significantly associated with wounds that did not heal within 6 months. The facultative anaerobic genus Enterobacter was significantly associated with lack of healing. The results suggest that an abundance of facultative anaerobes is a negative prognostic factor in the chronic wound microbiome, possibly due to the increased robustness of such communities to different metabolic environments.
Single-atom energy-conversion device with a quantum load
Authors: Van Horne Noah , Yum Dahyun , Dutta Tarun , Hänggi Peter , Gong Jiangbin , Poletti Dario , Mukherjee Manas
Published: May 2020

We report on a single-atom energy-conversion quantum device operating as an engine, or a refrigerator, coupled to a quantum load. The ‘working fluid’ consists of the two optical levels of an ion, while the load is one of its vibrational modes, cooled down to the quantum regime. We explore two important differences with classical engines: (1) the presence of a strong generic coupling interaction between engine and load, which can induce correlations between them and (2) the use of nonthermal baths. We examine the ergotropy of the load, which indicates the maximum amount of energy of the load extractable using solely unitary operations. We show that ergotropy rises with the number of engine cycles despite an increase in the information entropy of the load. The increase of ergotropy of the load points to the possibility of using the phonon distribution of a single atom as a form of quantum battery.
Dynamics of heavy chain junctional length biases in antibody repertoires
Authors: Sankar Kannan , Hoi Kam Hon , Hötzel Isidro
Published: May 2020

Antibody variable domain sequence diversity is generated by recombination of germline segments. The third complementarity-determining region of the heavy chain (CDR H3) is the region of highest sequence diversity and is formed by the joining of heavy chain VH, DH and JH germline segments combined with random nucleotide trimming and additions between these segments. We show that CDR H3 and junctional segment length distributions are biased in human antibody repertoires as a function of VH, VL and JH germline segment utilization. Most length biases are apparent in the naive and antigen experienced B cell compartments but not in nonproductive recombination products, indicating B cell selection as a major driver of these biases. Our findings reveal biases in the antibody CDR H3 diversity landscape shaped by VH, VL, and JH germline segment use during naive and antigen-experienced repertoire selection.
Single-cell expression and Mendelian randomization analyses identify blood genes associated with lifespan and chronic diseases
Authors: Chignon Arnaud , Bon-Baret Valentin , Boulanger Marie-Chloé , Li Zhonglin , Argaud Deborah , Bossé Yohan , Thériault Sébastien , Arsenault Benoit J. , Mathieu Patrick
Published: May 2020

The human lifespan is a heritable trait, which is intricately linked to the development of disorders. Here, we show that genetic associations for the parental lifespan are enriched in open chromatin of blood cells. By using blood expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) derived from 31,684 samples, we identified for the lifespan 125cis-and 559trans-regulated expressed genes (eGenes) enriched in adaptive and innate responses. Analysis of blood single-cell expression data showed that eGenes were enriched in dendritic cells (DCs) and the modelling of cell ligand-receptor interactions predicted crosstalk between DCs and a cluster of monocytes with a signature of cytotoxicity. In two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR), we identified 16 bloodcis-eGenes causally associated with the lifespan. In MR, the majority ofcis-eGene-disorder association pairs had concordant effects with the lifespan. The present work underlined that the lifespan is linked with the immune response and identifies eGenes associated with the lifespan and disorders.
A human protein hydroxylase that accepts D-residues
Authors: Choi Hwanho , Hardy Adam P. , Leissing Thomas M. , Chowdhury Rasheduzzaman , Nakashima Yu , Ge Wei , Markoulides Marios , Scotti John S. , Gerken Philip A. , Thorbjornsrud Helen , Kang Dahye , Hong Sungwoo , Lee Joongoo , McDonough Michael A. , Park Hwangseo , Schofield Christopher J.
Published: May 2020

Factor inhibiting hypoxia-inducible factor (FIH) is a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent protein hydroxylase that catalyses C3 hydroxylations of protein residues. We report FIH can accept (D)- and (L)-residues for hydroxylation. The substrate selectivity of FIH differs for (D) and (L) epimers, e.g., (D)- but not (L)-allylglycine, and conversely (L)- but not (D)-aspartate, undergo monohydroxylation, in the tested sequence context. The (L)-Leu-containing substrate undergoes FIH-catalysed monohydroxylation, whereas (D)-Leu unexpectedly undergoes dihydroxylation. Crystallographic, mass spectrometric, and DFT studies provide insights into the selectivity of FIH towards (L)- and (D)-residues. The results of this work expand the potential range of known substrates hydroxylated by isolated FIH and imply that it will be possible to generate FIH variants with altered selectivities.
Photovoltaic organic interface for neuronal stimulation in the near-infrared
Authors: Airaghi Leccardi Marta Jole Ildelfonsa , Chenais Naïg Aurelia Ludmilla , Ferlauto Laura , Kawecki Maciej , Zollinger Elodie Geneviève , Ghezzi Diego
Published: May 2020

Organic materials, such as conjugated polymers, are attractive building blocks for bioelectronic interfaces. In particular, organic semiconductors show excellent performance in light-mediated excitation and silencing of neuronal cells and tissues. However, the main challenges of these organic photovoltaic interfaces compared to inorganic prostheses are the limited adhesion of conjugated polymers in aqueous environments and the exploitation of materials responsive in the visible spectrum. Here, we show a photovoltaic organic interface optimized for neuronal stimulation in the near-infrared spectrum. We adjusted the organic materials by chemical modification in order to improve the adhesion in an aqueous environment and to modulate the photoelectrical stimulation efficiency. As proof-of-principle, we tested this interface on explanted degenerated mice retinas, thus providing results on the efficiency and reliability of the device as an implant for neural stimulation.
Trichloroacetyl chloride, CCl3COCl, as an alternative Cl atom precursor for laboratory use and determination of Cl atom rate coefficients forn-CH2CH(CH2)xCN (x= 3–4)
Authors: Hass Sofie Askjær , Andersen Simone Thirstrup , Nielsen Ole John
Published: May 2020

Investigation of CCl3COCl as a Cl atom precursor for laboratory use in (relative) rate and product.
3D hierarchical self-supported NiO/Co3O4@C/CoS2 nanocomposites as electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors
Authors: Zhu Xingxing , Sun Mengyao , Zhao Rui , Li Yingqi , Zhang Bo , Zhang Yingli , Lang Xingyou , Zhu Yongfu , Jiang Qing
Published: May 2020

Multi-dimensional nanomaterials have drawn great interest for application in supercapacitors due to their large accessible surface area.
Stabilization of liquid crystal blue phases by carbon nanoparticles of varying dimensionality
Authors: Draude Adam P. , Kalavalapalli Tejas Y. , Iliut Maria , McConnell Ben , Dierking Ingo
Published: May 2020

Carbon nanomaterials of differing dimensionality, namely fullerenes, nanotubes and graphene oxide are shown to stabilize the Blue Phases at the expense of the N* phase until its complete disappearance. A BP–N*–SmA* triple point is observed.
Protein corona fingerprinting to differentiate sepsis from non-infectious systemic inflammation
Authors: Papafilippou Lana , Claxton Andrew , Dark Paul , Kostarelos Kostas , Hadjidemetriou Marilena
Published: May 2020

Exploitation of the nanoparticle protein corona to identify proteomic fingerprints in blood that differentiate non-bacterial systemic inflammation from sepsis.
Room-temperature synthesis and CO2-gas sensitivity of bismuth oxide nanosensors
Authors: Shinde Pritamkumar V. , Shinde Nanasaheb M. , Shaikh Shoyebmohamad F. , Lee Damin , Yun Je Moon , Woo Lee Jung , Al-Enizi Abdullah M. , Mane Rajaram S. , Kim Kwang Ho
Published: May 2020

Room-temperature (27 °C) synthesis and carbon dioxide (CO2)-gas-sensing applications of bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) nanosensors obtained via a direct and superfast chemical-bath-deposition method (CBD) with different surface areas and structures.
Palladium supported on triazolyl-functionalized hypercrosslinked polymers as a recyclable catalyst for Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions
Authors: Liu Cijie , Zheng Lijuan , Xiang Dexuan , Liu Shasha , Xu Wei , Luo Qionglin , Shu You , Ouyang Yuejun , Lin Hongwei
Published: May 2020

A novel hypercrosslinked polymer-palladium catalyst was prepared via external cross-linking reactions and applied in Suzuki–Miyaura reactions as a recyclable catalyst, resulting in TON numbers up to 1.66 × 104 and yields reaching 99%.
Impact of ammonium sulfite-based sequential pretreatment combinations on two distinct saccharifications of wheat straw
Authors: Yu Guang , Liu Shiyue , Feng Xiaoyan , Zhang Yuedong , Liu Chao , Liu Ya-Jun , Li Bin , Cui Qiu , Peng Hui
Published: May 2020

The impact of substrate properties on wheat straw sugar release from fungal cellulase and whole cell-based CBS was comparatively investigated.
Surface modification of a PES membrane by corona air plasma-assisted grafting of HB-PEG for separation of oil-in-water emulsions
Authors: Adib Hooman , Raisi Ahmadreza
Published: May 2020

The main goal of this study is to modify a polyethersulfone (PES) membrane by grafting with hyperbranched polyethylene glycol (HB-PEG) using corona air plasma to intensify the anti-fouling properties of the prepared membrane.
Switching Xe/Kr adsorption selectivity in modified SBMOF-1: a theoretical study
Authors: Qian Jiao-jiao , Chen Guang-hui , Xiao Song-tao , Li Hui-bo , Ouyang Ying-gen , Wang Qiang
Published: May 2020

The separation of Xe/Kr mixtures in used nuclear fuel (UNF) has attracted lots of attention, but no report on the adsorption and separation of Kr from mixed Kr/Xe at room temperature can be found.
Integrating hierarchical porous nanosheets in the design of carbon cloth-based sandwiched sulfur cathodes to achieve high areal capacity in lithium sulfur batteries
Authors: Fu Yu , Cheng Kui , Hu Jing , Zhou Limin
Published: May 2020

Due to Co3O4 nanosheets grown on carbon fiber surface and within inter-fiber spaces (as shown in the graph), sulfur cathodes integrating the modified carbon cloth (CC@pCo3O4) demonstrate a superior areal capacity than most of previously reported CC-based sulfur cathodes.
Carbon phosphides: promising electric field controllable nanoporous materials for CO2 capture and separation
Authors: Zhou Sainan , Wang Maohuai , Wang Jiahui , Xin Huili , Liu Siyuan , Wang Zhaojie , Wei Shuxian , Lu Xiaoqing
Published: May 2020

Carbon phosphides exhibit high CO2 adsorption capacity and selectivity, excellent humidity resistance, and low energy consumption in external electric fields.
A new strategy for engineering a hierarchical porous carbon-anchored Fe single-atom electrocatalyst and the insights into its bifunctional catalysis for flexible rechargeable Zn–air batteries
Authors: Du Cheng , Gao Yijing , Wang Jianguo , Chen Wei
Published: May 2020

A promising “confined recrystallization” method is developed for the fabrication of an Fe single-atom bifunctional catalyst for flexible rechargeable Zn–air batteries.
General strategy for fabrication of N-doped carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide aerogels for dissipation and conversion of electromagnetic energy
Authors: Xu Jia , Shi Yanan , Zhang Xinci , Yuan Haoran , Li Bei , Zhu Chunling , Zhang Xitian , Chen Yujin
Published: May 2020

Lightweight N-doped CNT/rGO aerogels show excellent electromagnetic energy dissipation performance and the heat energy converted from electromagnetic energy exceeds 20%.
Non‐uniform image blind deblurring by two‐stage fully convolution network
Authors: Wu Chudan , Wo Yan , Han Guoqing , Wu Zhangyong , Liang Jiyun
Published: May 2020

Deep neural networks have recently demonstrated high performance for deblurring. However, few methods are designed for both non‐uniform image blur estimation and removal with highly efficient. In this study, the authors proposed a fully convolutional network that outputs estimated blur and restored image in one feed‐forward pass for the non‐uniformly blurred image of any input‐size. The proposed network contains two subnets. The parameter estimation subnet P‐net predicts pixel‐wise parameters of multiple blur types with high accuracy. The output of P‐net is used as a condition, which guides the blur removal subnet G‐net to restore a high quality latent sharp image. P‐net and G‐net are ultimately integrated into a single framework called PG‐net, which guarantees the consistency of parameter estimation and blur removal, thereby improves algorithm efficiency. Experiment results show that the authors blur parameter estimation method as well as their deblurring method outperforms the comparison methods both quantitatively and qualitatively.
A small shipborne desalination plant based on the principle of loop heat pipe
Authors: Miao Tongyao , Fang Zheng , Feng Lingzhi , Peng Yunhui
Published: May 2020

As is well-known, the problem of fresh water has always been a major problem for ocean navigation. The existing marine seawater desalination equipment generally has the disadvantages of large volume, high energy consumption and easy to pollute the environment. Based on this, we proposed a small seawater desalination system based on phase change to enhance heat transfer, which realized low temperature and low energy consumption by using the loop heat pipe technology, a new type of heat sink type spoiler evaporator and an integrated equal-heat plate fin condenser. The device is suitable for islands, fishing boats and other complicated areas where power is scarce and fresh water resources are scarce. It can also be used as fresh water emergency equipment for large ships, saving energy and being portable.
Analysis of Fracturing Ability Factors of Tight Reservoir
Authors: Li Zhenhua , Gai Ke , Cao Feng
Published: May 2020

Fracturing ability is the characteristic used to measure whether the tight reservoir could be effectively fractured and form network in the process of hydraulic fracturing in order to improve the production of oil and gas. Research shows that the more brittle the reservoir is, the weaker the fracture toughness is, the more developed the natural fracture is, the higher the maturity of organic matter is, the lower the organic carbon content is, and the better the fracturing ability is. In addition, factors such as crustal stress, sedimentary environment and internal structure of the reservoir also affect the fracturing ability. The analysis of reservoir fracturing ability plays a key role in the strata selection, multi-stage fracturing design and prediction of oilfield economic benefits.
Research on Objective Environmental Factors of Sustainable Development of Enterprises in Qaidam Circular Economy Pilot Area
Authors: Cai Wenjiao , Wang Jianjun
Published: May 2020

The sustainable development of the industrial enterprises in the Qaidam Circular Economy Pilot Zone must meet both the current needs and the future development, as well as the economic and ecological development, as well as the dual development of industrial enterprises and regions. For the industrial enterprises in the experimental area, in order to ensure sustainable development, their own strategies and efforts are very important, but in a policy-dependent area like Haixi Prefecture, the influencing factors of the objective environment are more important. The impact of sustainable development of HaiXi industrial enterprises is of great practical significance. Therefore, according to the subjectivity of Haixi Prefecture and the experimental area and the nature of industrial enterprises, the objective environmental factors are divided into four categories: regional development, regional material resources, regional greening, and regional security. In the end, it was concluded that industrial enterprises in the test area not only need to pay attention to the restraint of their sustainable development in terms of brain drain, energy consumption and environmental greening, but also continue to maintain the role of regional development and regional security in promoting their sustainable development.
CFD Simulation Research on Agglomeration between Coal-fired Ash Fine Particulate and Atomized Droplets
Authors: Guo Yiquan , Zhang Junying
Published: May 2020

In this paper, a collision model between atomized droplets of agglomeration solution and particles is established. On this basis, the effects of flue gas temperature, atomized droplet diameter and other factors on the particle agglomeration process are studied. In addition, the evaporation model of agglomeration solution in the flue of a power plant is established for the coal-fired unit of power plant. Through CFD software, the variation of flow field velocity, temperature and pressure in the flue is simulated to determine whether the chemical agglomeration technology has negative impact on the actual operating conditions of the power plant. The simulation results show that the velocity and pressure of the flow field in the flue have no obvious change after the agglomerating agent is injected. Besides, the temperature drop of about 7°C. The droplets evaporate completely at a distance of 7-8 m after spraying. The evaporation time of droplets is within 1.6 s.
Failure analysis of long round thread in horizontal well casing under multi-axis loading
Authors: Tiejun Lin , Zhaoyang Li , Zhaoyang Zhao , Xiaomin Bao , Qiang Zhang
Published: May 2020

The casing is subjected to complicated forces underground, and the threaded joint of the casing is the weak link of the casing. becoming more and more severe, various kinds of failure accidents often occur in practical use. Therefore, in view of the casing thread fracture failure during the process of volumetric fracturing in well W of an oil field. The finite element model of 5-1/2"API casing long round threaded joint was established in this paper, ABAQUS software was used to simulate and analyze the stress and deformation of casing thread under the loading state of overlock, axial tension and pressure, and fracturing internal pressure. The results show that the stress distribution of teeth is reasonable. Under the condition of axial tension and compression, the maximum stress of casing thread exceeds the yield strength into plasticity and causes damage. However, when fracturing and stimulation technology is implemented, the stress of the collar and casing body increases significantly, and the fracture is caused by fatigue and extended fracture under the alternating fracturing load. The finite element analysis results are consistent with the field failure results. Study the influence of downhole complex working condition on casing thread by simulation, which is of great significance to the protective casing.
Analysis on the Development and Innovation of Oil Recovery Engineering Techniques in the New Period
Authors: hong Li Shi
Published: May 2020

Since the new period of reform and opening up in 1978, China has witnessed rapid social and economic development, higher living standards, and greater petroleum demands, which further promotes the scale and intensity of oil recovery. Oil recovery is progressing with greater difficulties. Traditional oil recovery techniques can no longer meet the demands for petroleum against the backdrop of today’s national economic development, and so we need to further enhance the efficiency and quality of oil recovery. This paper analyzes the research status of oil recovery techniques at home and abroad, illustrates the basic principles of the techniques and the development difficulties, and then explores the future development and innovation of oil recovery techniques. It is believed that only with bold innovations of oil recovery techniques can oil companies enhance recovery efficiency and oil quality, thereby effectively alleviating the contradiction between supply and demand of oil resources.
Design and Operational Analysis on Natural Gas-fired Cupola
Authors: Li Guangpeng
Published: May 2020

Due to environmental regulations and social obligation towards society, more and more attention has been paid to the natural gas-fired for its excellent performance of environmental protection, energy saving and green economy. The present paper is devoted to the design and operational analysis aspects of natural gas-fired cupola. The basic structure of natural gas-fired cupola, including combustion section, melting section, preheating section and cupola well, etc has been discussed. The key technologies of burners, water-cooled grates, lining refractory, refractory balls, air preheater and cupola well are analyzed, and the basic parameters are determined. The melting process is briefly introduced, and the thermal balance of the whole furnace is analyzed. Application of the test in the case shows that natural gas-fired cupola has obvious advantages and high practical value.
Research on Design Method for Thermal Insulation of Oil Pipeline in Permafrost Regions
Authors: Wang Dongyuan , Zhao Zifeng , Tan Qiuxia , Yang Jian
Published: May 2020

The most important problems encountered in the design and operation of oil pipelines in permafrost regions are frost heaving and thawing settlement. In this paper, we conducted an investigation and analysis on the status of freezing damage of the operating oil pipelines. Based on the investigation and research, we calculated the temperature field of the oil pipeline and analysed the thawing ability under the conditions of the strain criterion. Finally, we proposed a design method for pipeline insulation and the maximum amount of thawing displacement that the pipeline can withstand. It has certain guiding significance for the thermal insulation design of oil pipelines in permafrost regions.
Load Aggregator Purchase Optimization Strategy Considering Renewable Energy Quota
Authors: Tao Li , Liu Jian , Zou Jianye , Zhang Lin
Published: May 2020

The introduction of the renewable energy quota system has an impact on the benefits of all market players in the electricity market. This paper aimed at the decision making of load aggregators’ electricity purchase under the assessment of renewable energy quota. Firstly, the market subject, assessment method and strategy of renewable energy quota system were analyzed effectively. Then the scenario of electricity purchasing faced by load aggregators was described and the optimal decision-making model of electricity purchasing by load aggregators considering renewable energy quota was proposed. At last, the model proposed in this paper was verified by relevant examples, and the results show that the optimal purchasing strategy of load aggregator proposed in this paper had obvious economy.
Study on Outdoor Thermal Comfort in the Transitional Season of Hefei
Authors: Li Jinwei , Zhao Lilin , Peng Zheyao , Wang Zijian , Shui Taotao
Published: May 2020

In order to study the outdoor thermal comfort during the transition season in Hefei, a university in Hefei adopted a combination of field environmental measurements and questionnaires to study the changes in thermal sensation and thermal comfort of outdoor people before and after the transition season. The rankings of the effects of temperature, wind speed, humidity, and solar radiation on human thermal comfort were obtained through surveys, and the proportion of each parameter’s influence on human thermal comfort was analyzed. The relationship between thermal sensation and thermal comfort was analyzed, and the application was established through regression analysis Prediction model of thermal sensation in autumn and winter outdoor environment in Hefei area.
Economic research and suggestions on the recycling of waste power batteries for China’s new energy vehicles
Authors: Zhenbiao Li , Yuke Li , Wei Pan , Jia Wang
Published: May 2020

With the rapid promotion of the number of China’s new energy vehicles in promotion and application, it is of great significance to ensure the recycling of the waste power batteries. It can not only effectively reduce the safety and environmental protection risks brought by the waste power battery, but also alleviate China’s dependence on rare metals such as cobalt and lithium, which has been widely concerned by the industry. In this paper, the cost analysis model of waste power battery treated by hydrometallurgical process is established, and the economy of recycling of ternary material battery and LFP battery is compared and analysed, and the overall economy of the whole power battery recycling industry is analysed, and the relevant conclusions are obtained, and the relevant suggestions of recycling of power battery are put forward according to the analysis results, to provide reference for industry and related management departments.
Numerical Simulation on Flow and Heat Transfer in Pulsating Heat Pipe with Different Models
Authors: Liu Jian-Hong , Shang Fu-Min , Qiao Wei
Published: May 2020

Based on Mixture and Euler model, numerical simulation was used to study the flow and heat transfer in pulsating heat pipe by unsteady method. By comparing the gas volume fraction and gas velocity by different models at different time, the results showed that both models could simulate the evaporation and condensation process of the working fluid, and the liquid plug and gas plug were formed in the tube. By comparing the gas volume fraction and gas velocity at 5s and 10s, it was indicated that the fluid dynamics and heat transfer were more violent by Mixture model in the tube.
Expression analysis of correlative regulatory factors of anthocyanin in ‘Cuihongli’ and ‘Qiangcuili’
Authors: Xingyu Long , Dong Liang , Qunxian Deng , Mengwei Chen , Haiyan Wang , Hui Xia , Huifen Zhang , Xian Luo , Honghong  , Lijin Lin , Xiulan Lv
Published: May 2020

MYB10, bHLH and WD40 are correlative regulatory factors of anthocyanin. In this paper, the expression of MYB10, bHLH and WD40 in the peel and the pulp of two plum cultivars were analyzed with the materials of ‘Cuihongli’ and ‘Qiangcuili’. The results showed that, with the development of the fruit of ‘Cuihongli’, the expression of MYB10 in the peel was downregulated firstly then upregulated, and the expression of MYB10 was not detected in the flesh of ‘Cuihongli’s pulp and the peel and the pulp of the ‘Qiangcuili’. The expression of bHLH and WD40 showed that the they had no significant correlation with the accumulation of anthocyanin in the two cultivars. It is suggested that the deletion of MYB10 gene expression result in the lack of anthocyanin in the flesh of ‘Qiangcuili’ .
Characteristics and Source Analysis of PM10 and PM2.5 in Shizuishan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
Authors: Dong Wei
Published: May 2020

This paper sets up monitoring points in Shizuishan City to perform characteristics and source analysis of PM2.5 in Shizuishan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region according to the Technical Guide for Analyzing the Source of Atmospheric Particulate Matters (trial). The results show that the main ionic components in the air particulate matters of PM10 and PM2.5 in Shizuishan are SO42-, NO3- and Ca, thereby providing a technical basis for improving the air quality in Shizuishan City.
Experimental study on the basic physical properties of diesel contaminated soil
Authors: He Xiaohong , Liu Fan , Li Guang , Lu Hai
Published: May 2020

In order to study the change of the properties of petroleum contaminated soil, the samples of diesel contaminated soil with different degrees of pollution were prepared manually, and their basic physical properties were tested through the particle test, specific gravity test and liquid plastic limit test. The results show that the diesel oil has a great influence on the particle size composition of soil, and the diesel oil makes the content of silt decrease, while the clay increase obviously; the specific gravity of soil sample decreases with the increase of oil content, and it is smaller than the proportion of unpolluted soil sample; the influence of diesel oil on the liquid-plastic limit of soil is different, the plastic limit of soil decreases with the increase of oil content, and the liquid limit increases first at a certain oil content, it reaches a peak value and then decreases.
Research on Wildlife Protection Technology in the Construction Period of Xinjiang Desert Gobi Expressway
Authors: Zhaoming Wang , Gang Zhou , Shao Shegang , Wu Xiaomin , Zhu Yufeng , Zhang Hongfeng
Published: May 2020

In this paper, the author is taking the protection of wildlife for the purpose for researching. The authors are taking the protection of animals and plants specific measures to research in the construction management. Taking the protection of wild animals and plants along the highway in the Xinjiang desert Gobi area as a research object, conservation research was carried out, and protection suggestions and measures were put forward.
Study on the Construction of Assessment Mechanism Based on Eco-Environment Quality Improvement Targets
Authors: Hao Chunxu , Ge Chazhong , Qin Jinglan , Zhou Quan , Peng Chen , Guo Xueyan , Liang Zhuming , Qu Aiyu , Li Na , Dong Zhanfeng , Hu Rui
Published: May 2020

The environmental protection target responsibility system and the appraisal system is a major measure in our country’s environmental protection system. The existing ecological environmental assessment forms are diverse, various, but lack of overall planning, ecological environment quality guidance is not prominent. There are problems such as immature evaluation mechanism and incomplete design of indicator design system. This research system evaluates the assessment system in the existing environmental protection system, accelerates the overall integration, takes the environmental performance as the basic direction, takes the environmental quality goal improvement as the main line, formulates and implements a set of environmental quality target assessment index system with scientific, incentive, pertinence and maneuverability, conforms to the national conditions of our country, scientifically evaluates the effect of environmental management, and realizes the index management of environmental protection.