In the 21st century, the development of sustainable energy and advanced technologies to cope with energy shortages and environmental pollution has become vital. Semiconductor photocatalysis is a ...promising technology that can directly convert solar energy to chemical energy and is extensively used for its environmentally-friendly properties. In the field of photocatalysis, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has obtained increasing interest due to its unique physicochemical properties. Therefore, numerous researchers have attempted to integrate quantum dots (QDs) with g-C3N4 to optimize the photocatalytic activity. In this review, recent progress in combining g-C3N4 with QDs for synthesizing new photocatalysts was introduced. The methods of QDs/g-C3N4-based photocatalysts synthesis are summarized. Recent studies assessing the application of photocatalytic performance and mechanism of modification of g-C3N4 with carbon quantum dots (CQDs), graphene quantum dots (GQDs), and g-C3N4 QDs are herein discussed. Lastly, challenges and future perspectives of QDs modified g-C3N4-based photocatalysts in photocatalytic applications are discussed. We hope that this review will provide a valuable overview and insight for the promotion of applications of QDs modified g-C3N4 based-photocatalysts.
Copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) hybrids were prepared by high energy ball milling combined with cold pressing method. The electrical conductivity of the hybrids ...increased with the increasing SWCNT content, whereas the Seebeck coefficient decreased. Moreover, the electrical conductivity of CuPc/SWCNT hybrids were much higher than the values calculated based on the general parallel and series connected two-component mixture model. SEM, TEM, XPS, Raman and XRD analyses indicated that there existed a large number of CuPc-SWCNT nano-interfaces in the hybrids. The strong donor-acceptor and π-π conjugation interactions between CuPc molecules and SWCNTs can induce CuPc to highly ordered face-on packing on the surface of SWCNTs, which contributed to the efficient interface charge transport between CuPc and the surface of SWCNTs, and therefore both the carrier concentration and carrier mobility of CuPc/SWCNT hybrids were significantly increased. Finally, the maximum thermoelectric (TE) power factor at room temperature reached 70.1 μW m−1 K−2. The optimal TE property of the CuPc/SWCNT hybrids is remarkably higher than those of either individual component of the hybrid, and is among the highest values of metal-organic small molecules based TE materials. This study may provide a new route to enhance the TE properties of metal-organic small molecules materials.
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Design and development of novel cathode materials for room-temperature sodium ion batteries is of great importance to solve the shortage of lithium resources. As a promising candidate, the ...Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode (NVP) exhibits stable structure and rapid Na diffusion kinetics. A detailed insight to the transportation behavior of Na+ ions in the interstitials of NVP lattice should be of great importance for understanding the ionic conductivity as well as the electrochemical performances. In this paper, we proposed three different sodium diffusion pathways, among which the concerted ion-exchange route is found to be energetically most favorable. During the migration process, Na ions at both Na(1) and Na(2) sites are engaged in the transportation. Several dopants, including Li, K, Ca, Mg, and Al, were introduced at the Na(1) site to promote the electrochemical performance of the NVP cathode. It was found that the K-doped NVP exhibits the highest voltage and lowest lattice variation during the charge/discharge process. Moreover, the Na diffusion kinetics could be intensively promoted upon K doping. Our results provide another perspective on the Na migration mechanism in the NVP lattice and suggest that K doping should be a promising solution to enhance the electrochemical performances of the NVP cathode.
The quorum sensing (QS) circuit plays a role in the precise regulation of genes controlling virulence factors and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. QS-controlled biofilm formation by ...Pseudomonas aeruginosa in clinical settings has remained controversial due to emerging drug resistance; therefore, screening diverse compounds for anti-biofilm or anti-QS activities is important. This study demonstrates the ability of sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) of baicalin, an active natural compound extracted from the traditional Chinese medicinal Scutellaria baicalensis, to inhibit the formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and enhance the bactericidal effects of various conventional antibiotics in vitro. In addition, baicalin exerted dose-dependent inhibitory effects on virulence phenotypes (LasA protease, LasB elastase, pyocyanin, rhamnolipid, motilities and exotoxin A) regulated by QS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Moreover, the expression levels of QS-regulatory genes, including lasI, lasR, rhlI, rhlR, pqsR and pqsA, were repressed after sub-MIC baicalin treatment, resulting in significant decreases in the QS signaling molecules 3-oxo-C12-HSL and C4-HSL, confirming the ability of baicalin-mediated QS inhibition to alter gene and protein expression. In vivo experiments indicated that baicalin treatment reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenicity in Caenorhabditis elegans. Greater worm survival in the baicalin-treated group manifested as an increase in the LT50 from 24 to 96 h. In a mouse peritoneal implant infection model, baicalin treatment enhanced the clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from the implants of mice infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared with the control group. Moreover, the combination of baicalin and antibiotics significantly reduced the numbers of colony-forming units in the implants to a significantly greater degree than antibiotic treatment alone. Pathological and histological analyses revealed mitigation of the inflammatory response and reduced cell infiltration in the peritoneal tissue surrounding the implants after baicalin treatment. Measurement of the cytokine levels in the peritoneal lavage fluid of mice in the baicalin treatment group revealed a decrease in IL-4, an increase in interferon γ (IFN-γ), and a reversed IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio compared with the control group, indicating that baicalin treatment activated the Th1-induced immune response to expedite bacterial load clearance. Based on these results, baicalin might be a potent QS inhibitor and anti-biofilm agent for combating Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm-related infections.
Water conservation is an important service function of ecosystems. A timely understanding of dynamic changes in the water conservation function is important for the protection and reconstruction of ...water resources. Based on remote sensing data, meteorological data, land cover data, and the "Technical Criterion for Ecosystem Status Evaluation" issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China, a comprehensive evaluation system was designed to assess the water conservation function of the Xiongan New Area from 2005 to 2015. The system created from four aspects, including ecological structure, ecological stress, water balance and landscape ecology. The results showed that from 2005 to 2015, the water conservation function of the Xiongan New Area first decreased and then increased, and the overall trend was upward. The increasing areas were mainly concentrated around Baiyangdian and near the grassland. Among all evaluated indicators, the precipitation compliance rate index fluctuated the most from -16.62 in 2010 to 6.70 in 2015. The evapotranspiration index was the largest in 2010 (6.47) and the smallest in 2005 (3.52). The Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI) showed that the drought was the severest in 2010 and the least severe in 2015. However, the other indicators remain relatively stable. From the perspective of the spatial distribution, the water conservation function of the Xiongan New Area was gradually enhanced from north to south.
Dietary phosphorus intake may serve as a potential predictor for peripheral neuropathy (PN). While past research has predominantly focused on the relationship between dietary phosphorus and bone ...health, relatively little is known about its role in the nervous system, particularly its association with PN.
A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from NHANES 1999-2004. Participants were categorized into different dietary phosphorus intake groups, and the relationship between dietary phosphorus and PN was explored using multifactorial logistic regression, restricted cubic splines (RCS) analysis, and threshold effect analysis based on dietary intake.
The final study included 7726 participants, with 1378 diagnosed with PN and 6348 without. The study revealed a U-shaped non-linear relationship between dietary calcium and magnesium intake levels and PN, indicating that both excessive and insufficient dietary phosphorus intake may increase the risk of PN. Specifically, the incidence rates in the first quintile (1.433, 95% CI: 1.080-1.901), the fourth quintile (1.284, 95% CI: 1.000-1.648), and the fifth quintile (1.533, 95% CI: 1.155-2.035) significantly higher than the second quintile, with an overall trend showing a decrease followed by an increase in incidence rates. The results of RCS and threshold effect analysis indicate that when dietary phosphorus intake is below 939.44mg, the risk of PN decreases with increasing dietary phosphorus intake. On the contrary, when dietary phosphorus intake exceeds 939.44mg, the risk of PN increases with increasing dietary phosphorus intake.
This study reveals a U-shaped correlation between dietary phosphorus intake and PN. Future research should further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying this association, providing guidance for more scientifically informed dietary adjustments to prevent the occurrence of PN.
Conventional syntheses of polymer–inorganic composite thermoelectric materials suffer major problems such as inhomogeneity, large particle size, and oxidation that result in ineffective loading. Now ...a one‐step synthesis can be used to fabricate high‐quality small‐sized anions codoped poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):dodecylbenzenesulfonate/Cl‐tellurium (PEDOT:DBSA/Cl‐Te) composite films using a series of novel TeIV‐based oxidants. The synchronized production of PEDOT and Te results in thick and homogeneous films containing evenly distributed and well‐protected Te quantum dots. Owing to the heavily doped crystalline polymer matrix as well as the <5 nm unoxidized Te quantum dot loading, at low Te concentrations as 2.1–5.8 wt %, the films exhibits high power factors of about 100 μW m−1 K−2, which is 50 % higher compared to a pure PEDOT:DBSA film.
Producing high‐performance polymer–inorganic composite thermoelectric materials with less than 50 % inorganic loading is a great challenge. Thick, dense PEDOT‐Te quantum dot composite films are obtained by a one‐step self‐inhibited polymerization. Owing to the effect of scattering by well‐protected Te quantum dots, 50 % power factor enhancement is achieved when introducing only 2.1–5.8 wt % Te.
•An iterative differential thermal information filter-based infrared and visible image fusion method is proposed.•A multiple difference rolling guidance filter feature fusion method is designed to ...perform feature enhancement on visible images.•A dynamic threshold thermal information filter is developed to separate and enhance the detailed information of the visible image.•The proposed method may find potential applications in night monitoring, electric wire detection, and medical diagnosis.
We propose an infrared and visible image fusion method based on an iterative differential thermal information filter to generate a fusion image with the salient thermal targets of the infrared image and detailed information of the visible image. Firstly, we enhance thermal information of infrared images using a dynamic threshold thermal information filter. Then, we use the multiple difference rolling guidance filter feature fusion method to separate and enhance the detailed information of the visible image. Finally, we gain the fusion image by a weighted-averaging strategy. The advantages and effectiveness of the proposed method are experimentally demonstrated by qualitatively and quantitatively comparing with the deep learning and non deep learning-based methods.
Three-dimensional deformation is an important input to explore seismic mechanisms and geodynamics. The GNSS and InSAR technologies are commonly used to obtain the co-seismic three-dimensional ...deformation field. This paper focused on the effect of calculation accuracy caused by the deformation correlation between the reference point and the points involved in the solution, to build a high-accuracy three-dimensional deformation field for a detailed geological explanation. Based on the variance component estimation (VCE) method, the InSAR LOS, azimuthal deformation, and the GNSS horizontal and vertical deformation were integrated to solve the three-dimensional displacement of the study area in combination with the elasticity theory. The accuracy of the three-dimensional co-seismic deformation field of the 2021 Maduo MS7.4 earthquake obtained by the method proposed in this paper, was compared with that obtained from the only InSAR measurements obtained using a multi-satellite and multi-technology approach. The results showed the difference in root-mean-square errors (RMSE) of the integration and GNSS displacement was 0.98 cm, 5.64 cm, and 1.37 cm in the east–west, north–south and vertical direction respectively, which was better than the RMSE of the method using only InSAR and GNSS displacement, which was 5.2 cm and 12.2 cm in the east–west, north–south, and no vertical direction. With the geological field survey and aftershocks relocation, the results showed good agreement with the strike and the position of the surface rupture. The maximum slip displacement was about 4 m, which was consistent with the result of the empirical statistical formula. It was firstly found that the pre-existing fault controlled the vertical deformation on the south side of the west end of the main surface rupture caused by the Maduo MS7.4 earthquake, which provided the direct evidence for the theoretical hypothesis that large earthquakes could not only produce surface rupture on seismogenic faults, but also trigger pre-existing faults or new faults to produce surface rupture or weak deformation in areas far from seismogenic faults. An adaptive method was proposed in GNSS and InSAR integration, which could take into account the correlation distance and the efficiency of homogeneous point selection. Meanwhile, deformation information of the decoherent region could be recovered without interpolation of the GNSS displacement. This series of findings formed an essential supplement to the field surface rupture survey and provided a novel idea for the combination of the various spatial measurement technologies to improve the seismic deformation monitoring.
Sex chromosomes evolved from autosomes many times across the eukaryote phylogeny. Several models have been proposed to explain this transition, some involving male and female sterility mutations ...linked in a region of suppressed recombination between X and Y (or Z/W, U/V) chromosomes. Comparative and experimental analysis of a reference genome assembly for a double haploid YY male garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) individual implicates separate but linked genes as responsible for sex determination. Dioecy has evolved recently within Asparagus and sex chromosomes are cytogenetically identical with the Y, harboring a megabase segment that is missing from the X. We show that deletion of this entire region results in a male-to-female conversion, whereas loss of a single suppressor of female development drives male-to-hermaphrodite conversion. A single copy anther-specific gene with a male sterile Arabidopsis knockout phenotype is also in the Y-specific region, supporting a two-gene model for sex chromosome evolution.
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