•Fe and O codopants substantially accelerated the electron transfer of g-C3N4 for PMS activation.•Efficient BPA removal was achieved at high salinity and within wider pH ranges.•High-valent iron-oxo ...species and singlet oxygen were identified as two main reactive species.•Nonradical pathways were elucidated based on experimental and theoretical analyses.
Peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for wastewater treatment have recently attracted widespread interests. However, the degradation of organic pollutants via traditional radical-dominated pathway is severely limited by the side reactions between radicals and the co-existing inorganic anions, especially under high salinity conditions. Herein, an efficient Fe/O co-doped g-C3N4nanosheet catalyst was synthesized to dominantly activate PMS through a dual non-radical pathway with the singlet oxygen and high-valent iron-oxo species (Fe(V)=O). The rapid degradation of model pollutant bisphenol A (BPA) was achieved by dosing PMS (1 mM), catalyst (0.1 g/L) in a simulated high-salt wastewater (≥200 mM) of the developed Fe/O-doped g-C3N4+PMS system with a reaction rate constant of 1204-fold higher than that in g-C3N4+PMS system. The O and Fe co-dopants could reconfigurate the electronic structure of pristine g-C3N4 to produce more non-radical active species. The formed Fe(V)=O played a main role in the BPA degradation by promoting electron transfer from BPA molecule to the “metastable PMS/catalyst complex”, which was verified by electrochemical tests and density functional theory calculations. The auxiliary transient productions of ·OH+SO4·– species were also favorable for the pollutant degradation. Excellent reusability in a wide pH range confirmed the practical application prospects of the Fe/O-doped g-C3N4+PMS system. The successive addition of PMS with a low dosage into the system rich in pollutants was confirmed to favor the PMS utilization. Our work unveils the potential applications of a non-radical dominated process for the decontamination of organic pollutants in saline water.
Owing to the rising concerns about environmental degradation worldwide, firms in several developed and developing countries are pursuing carbon emission reduction targets. In addition, in recent ...years, there is evidence of a shift in consumer preferences in favour of low-carbon products. Using a theoretical model, where the shift in consumer preferences is explicitly incorporated, we evaluate the impact of carbon emission reduction cost-sharing on supply chain profit. In our model, consumers are willing to pay a higher price for low-carbon products and hence the retailer considers sharing the cost of carbon emission reduction with the manufacturer. Our model also includes a carbon trading mechanism. We identify a range of carbon emission reduction cost-sharing such that both supply chain enterprises are better-off. We find that, while achieving the aim of carbon emission reduction, consumer preference for low-carbon products can benefit both supply chain enterprises. Numerical simulations show that carbon emission reduction cost-sharing increases the retailer’s order quantity as well as the profit and hence there is an incentive for the two supply chain enterprises to cooperate.
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► The design concepts for chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) ligands have been demonstrated proof-of-concept asymmetric catalysis. ► The easy introduction of chiral elements into ...NHCs and their facile preparations have made chiral NHCs as the promising alternative ligands to the more commonly used phosphines and phosphites for various asymmetric catalytic reactions. More importantly, chiral NHC–metal complexes also presented special catalytic properties in asymmetric catalyses under the atmosphere of oxygen and moisture such as asymmetric oxidations. ► Novel asymmetric synthetic methodologies achieved by NHC–metal complexes were disclosed, and asymmetric catalytic activity of NHC–metal complexes in asymmetric catalysis was discussed. ► The NHC–metal-based catalytic mechanisms were presented.
The strong σ-donor but poor π-acceptor abilities of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) result in chemical stability and coordination versatility, thus allowing them to coordinate with many metals ranging from alkaline-earth metals to rare-earth metals. Moreover, the easy introduction of chiral elements into NHCs and the facile preparation of their precursors have made chiral NHCs promising chiral ligands in metal-based asymmetric catalysis. Therefore, strategies for the design of efficient NHC–metal catalysts and novel asymmetric synthetic methodologies have dramatically increased over the past 10 years. Herein, the growing field of chiral NHC–metal-based asymmetric catalysis is comprehensively described.
There is little evidence that adjuvant therapy after radical surgical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) improves recurrence-free survival (RFS) or overall survival (OS). We conducted a ...multicentre, randomised, controlled, phase IV trial evaluating the benefit of an aqueous extract of
Murr (Huaier granule) to address this unmet need.
A total of 1044 patients were randomised in 2:1 ratio to receive either Huaier or no further treatment (controls) for a maximum of 96 weeks. The primary endpoint was RFS. Secondary endpoints included OS and tumour extrahepatic recurrence rate (ERR). The Huaier (n=686) and control groups (n=316) had a mean RFS of 75.5 weeks and 68.5 weeks, respectively (HR 0.67; 95% CI 0.55 to 0.81). The difference in the RFS rate between Huaier and control groups was 62.39% and 49.05% (95% CI 6.74 to 19.94; p=0.0001); this led to an OS rate in the Huaier and control groups of 95.19% and 91.46%, respectively (95% CI 0.26 to 7.21; p=0.0207). The tumour ERR between Huaier and control groups was 8.60% and 13.61% (95% CI -12.59 to -2.50; p=0.0018), respectively.
This is the first nationwide multicentre study, involving 39 centres and 1044 patients, to prove the effectiveness of Huaier granule as adjuvant therapy for HCC after curative liver resection. It demonstrated a significant prolongation of RFS and reduced extrahepatic recurrence in Huaier group.
NCT01770431; Post-results.
The evaluation of childhood trauma is essential for the treatment of schizophrenia. The short form of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF) is a widely used measure of the experience of childhood ...trauma in the general population. Nevertheless, data regarding the psychometric property of CTQ-SF for assessing childhood trauma of patients with schizophrenia are very limited.
Two hundred Chinese inpatients with schizophrenia completed the Chinese CTQ-SF, the Child Psychological Maltreatment Scale (CPMS), the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), and the Dissociative Experiences Scale-II (DES-II). To assess test-retest reliability of the CTQ-SF, all patients completed the CTQ-SF again two weeks later. Concurrent and convergent validity was assessed by analyzing Pearson bivariate correlation coefficients between CTQ-SF and CPMS, IES-R, and DES-II.
The Cronbach's α coefficient of the Chinese CTQ-SF was 0.81, and the two-week re-test reliability was 0.81 (P<0.01). The criterion-related validity coefficients of CTQ-SF with the CMPS, IES-R and DES-II were 0.61, 0.41, and 0.51, respectively.
The Chinese CTQ-SF has satisfactory psychometric properties to measure childhood abuse or neglect in Chinese inpatients with schizophrenia.
A comprehensive experimental apparatus for the progressive collapse testing of steel frames has been developed. The apparatus is suited for the testing of planar steel frames to study the load ...transfer process and the progressive collapse resistance of steel structures under a column removal scenario. In order to simulate a sudden removal of a middle column at the ground storey of the frames, a removable column unit has been designed to allow for an instantaneous knock-out by a pendulum hammer during the test. To avoid the out-of-plane instability of the planar steel frames, an out-of-plane restraining system has been designed and integrated into the test apparatus. Weights simulating the desired gravity loads were attached to the test frame through holding baskets, which were designed to minimize unwanted shaking and ensure that the suspended baskets moved together with the deformed steel frames during the tests. Experimental results showed that the column removal mechanism in the test apparatus was effective. Using this apparatus, the dynamic behaviour of three planer steel frames under a column removal scenario was investigated. Based on the measured deformations and strains, the dynamic response, collapse modes, load transfer path of the steel frames after the removal of the middle bottom column are studied.
•A dedicated experimental setup has been developed to simulate the dynamic response and the load transfer mechanisms.•The results showed that the force resisted by removed column was transferred to the surrounding columns by catenary action.•The beams went through three main stages of response, namely elastic stage, elastic-elastic stage and catenary stage.•The catenary action of beams at the first floor was larger than the beams of the second floor.
Mechanics are intrinsic properties which appears throughout the formation, development, and aging processes of biological systems. Mechanics have been shown to play important roles in regulating the ...development and metastasis of tumors, and understanding tumor mechanics has emerged as a promising way to reveal the underlying mechanisms guiding tumor behaviors. In particular, tumors are highly complex diseases associated with multifaceted factors, including alterations in cancerous cells, tissues, and organs as well as microenvironmental cues, indicating that investigating tumor mechanics on multiple levels is significantly helpful for comprehensively understanding the effects of mechanics on tumor progression. Recently, diverse techniques have been developed for probing the mechanics of tumors, among which atomic force microscopy (AFM) has appeared as an excellent platform enabling simultaneously characterizing the structures and mechanical properties of living biological systems ranging from individual molecules and cells to tissue samples with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution, offering novel possibilities for understanding tumor physics and contributing much to the studies of cancer. In this review, we survey the recent progress that has been achieved with the use of AFM for revealing micro/nanoscale mechanics in tumor development and metastasis. Challenges and future progress are also discussed.
A finite element (FE) modelling study on the progressive collapse of steel frames under a sudden column removal scenario is presented. The FE models were developed with refined shell elements using ...the general purpose FE software package ABAQUS. The FE models were first validated by comparing the predicted responses with the measured results from an experimental study on the progressive collapse of three steel frame specimens. A new bearing capacity-based index was introduced to quantify the robustness of the steel frames. The robustness index takes into account the dynamic effects and the plastic internal force redistribution. By incorporating the experimental results and the numerical simulations, the dynamic amplification factor in the progressive collapse of the steel frames was assessed. The validated FE models were further applied to identify the collapse modes of planar steel frames and evaluate the influences of a range of mechanical and geometrical parameters on the progressive collapse and the robustness. The results showed that, for a column-instability induced progressive collapse mode, the influences of the damping is larger than the influences of the strain rate of material on the robustness. However, for the connection-failure induced progressive collapse mode, the influences of the strain rate is larger than the damping. The type of the steel frame (e.g. weak-beam strong-column or vice versa) and the location of the column removal were both found to play an important role in influencing the critical load and the robustness of steel frames.
•A finite element modelling study has been conducted to investigate the progressive collapse behavior of steel frames.•A new index was introduced to quantify the robustness. It takes into account the dynamic effects and force redistribution.•The dynamic amplification factor in the progressive collapse of the steel frames was assessed.•The robustness and critical loads with a range of different parameters were investigated.
This paper presents an experimental and analytical investigation on the performance of partial penetration welds used to adjoin steel plates in irregular shaped multicell concrete filled steel tubes. ...The experimental program of this study is designed based on an actual implementation of such members as mega columns in a super high rise building in China. A total of six specimens are designed with different plate arrangements for the purpose of testing the performance of the partial penetration welds at different locations of the specimen. The designed specimens are tested under different load procedures and directions; this is achieved by placing them in vertical and slantwise manners between two loading plates which impose monotonic and cyclic actions. The failure conditions of each of the tested specimens are presented and discussed in detail and are based on the conclusions drawn from the experimental observations; the partial penetration weld at the corner of the tested specimens is found to be the most vulnerable. To facilitate large scale analysis, a finite element model constructed by the finite element analysis program ABAQUS is verified against experimental results. The evaluation of the stress at the partial penetration welded corner is carried out following an empirical procedure, which is adopted due to the complexity of the problem domain. The adopted procedure consists of two steps: the first one is to initially evaluate the stress based on an existing method in the literature, and the second one is to fit the results of the initial evaluation with the finite element model results based on parametric and regression analysis. After performing regression analysis, a formula to predict the weld stress is concluded, and the results of the proposed equation are found to be satisfactory when compared with the finite element model results.
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary malignant intraocular tumor in adults. Although primary UM can be effectively controlled, a significant proportion of cases (40% or more) eventually ...develop distant metastases, commonly in the liver. Metastatic UM remains a lethal disease with limited treatment options. The initiation of UM is typically attributed to activating mutations in GNAQ or GNA11. The elucidation of the downstream pathways such as PKC/MAPK, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and Hippo‐YAP have provided potential therapeutic targets. Concurrent mutations in BRCA1 associated protein 1 (BAP1) or splicing factor 3b subunit 1 (SF3B1) are considered crucial for the acquisition of malignant potential. Furthermore, in preclinical studies, actionable targets associated with BAP1 loss or oncogenic mutant SF3B1 have been identified, offering promising avenues for UM treatment. This review aims to summarize the emerging targeted and epigenetic therapeutic strategies for metastatic UM carrying specific driver mutations and the potential of combining these approaches with immunotherapy, with particular focus on those in upcoming or ongoing clinical trials.
In this review, we provide an overview of the emerging targeted and epigenetic therapeutic strategies for metastatic uveal melanoma harbouring specific driver mutations, which include GNAQ/11, BAP1 and SF3B1. Furthermore, we highlight the upcoming or ongoing clinical trials regarding these therapeutic strategies.
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