Fe(III) grafted MoO3 nanorods for effective electrocatalytic fixation of atmospheric N2 to NH3

Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (ENRR) offers a carbon-neutral process to fix nitrogen into ammonia, but its feasibility depends on the development of highly efficient electrocatalysts. Herein, we report that Fe ion grafted on MoO₃ nanorods synthesized by an impregnation technique can efficiently enhance the electron harvesting ability and the selectivity of H⁺ during the NRR process in neutral electrolyte. In 0.1 M Na₂SO₄ solution, the electrocatalyst exhibited a remarkable NRR activity with an NH₃ yield of 9.66 μg h^?1 mg^?1_cat and a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 13.1%, far outperforming the ungrafted MnO₃. Density functional theory calculations revealed that the Fe sites are major activation centers along the alternating pathway.     

Role of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in the Pathogenesis of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Comprehensive Review

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered the most common liver disorder, affecting around 25% of the population worldwide. It is a complex disease spectrum, closely linked with other conditions such as obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome, which may increase liver-related mortality. In light of this, numerous efforts have been carried out in recent years in order to clarify its pathogenesis and create new prevention strategies. Currently, the essential role of environmental pollutants in NAFLD development is recognized. Particularly, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have a notable influence. EDCs can be classified as natural (phytoestrogens, genistein, and coumestrol) or synthetic, and the latter ones can be further subdivided into industrial (dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, and alkylphenols), agricultural (pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides), residential (phthalates, polybrominated biphenyls, and bisphenol A), and pharmaceutical (parabens). Several experimental models have proposed a mechanism involving this group of substances with the disruption of hepatic metabolism, which promotes NAFLD. These include an imbalance between lipid influx/efflux in the liver, mitochondrial dysfunction, liver inflammation, and epigenetic reprogramming. It can be concluded that exposure to EDCs might play a crucial role in NAFLD initiation and evolution. However, further investigations supporting these effects in humans are required.     

Estimates of pollutant temporal and spatial variability in commercial buildings from the joint urban 2003 field experiments

In this paper, we report on the indoor concentrations from a suite of full-scale outdoor tracer-gas point releases conducted in the downtown area of Oklahoma City in 2003. A point release experiment consisted of releases of sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) in multiple buildings and from different outdoor locations. From the measurements, we are able to estimate the concentration variations indoors for a building operating under “typical” operating conditions. The mean indoor spatial coefficients of variation are 30% to 45% from a daytime outdoor release are around 80% during an outdoor evening release. Having estimates of the spatial coefficient of variation provides stakeholders, including first responders, with the likely range of concentrations in the building when little is known about the building characteristics and operating behavior, such as developing urban-scale hazard and consequence analyses. We show differences in indoor measurements at different distances to the release points, floors of the building, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) operation. We also show estimates at different time resolutions. The statistics show that in the studied medium to large commercial buildings, spatial differences would result in peak indoor concentrations in certain parts of the buildings that may be substantially higher than the building average. To our knowledge, very few tracer gas measurements have been conducted in buildings of this scope, particularly with measurements on multiple floors and within a floor. The resulting estimates of spatial variability provide a unique opportunity for hazard assessment, and comparison to multi-zone models.     

Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species in Defense/Stress Responses Activated by Chitosan in Sycamore Cultured Cells

Chitosan (CHT) is a non-toxic and inexpensive compound obtained by deacetylation of chitin, the main component of the exoskeleton of arthropods as well as of the cell walls of many fungi. In agriculture CHT is used to control numerous diseases on various horticultural commodities but, although different mechanisms have been proposed, the exact mode of action of CHT is still unknown. In sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) cultured cells, CHT induces a set of defense/stress responses that includes production of H₂O₂ and nitric oxide (NO). We investigated the possible signaling role of these reactive molecules in some CHT-induced responses by means of inhibitors of production and/or scavengers. The results show that both reactive nitrogen and oxygen species are not only a mere symptom of stress conditions but are involved in the responses induced by CHT in sycamore cells. In particular, NO appears to be involved in a cell death form induced by CHT that shows apoptotic features like DNA fragmentation, increase in caspase-3-like activity and release of cytochrome c from the mitochondrion. On the contrary, reactive oxygen species (ROS) appear involved in a cell death form induced by CHT that does not show these apoptotic features but presents increase in lipid peroxidation.     

基于空气质量模拟的江苏省大气污染物排放清单比较研究

大气污染物排放清单是空气质量模拟和空气污染治理的重要依据.本研究比较分析了两套覆盖江苏省的2017年大气污染物排放清单，即分别由上海市环境科学研究院、江苏省环境科学研究院编制的"长三角清单"和"江苏省清单"，并结合区域空气质量模型CMAQ评估不同清单对长三角地区2017年1、4、7、10月的空气质量模拟的影响.清单比较结果表明，除二氧化硫（SO₂）以外，江苏省清单估算的各污染物排放量较长三角清单低.通过与观测数据比较，发现两套清单对SO₂、氮氧化物（NO_x）、臭氧（O₃）和细颗粒物（PM_2.5）的模型模拟性能均较好.江苏省清单与长三角清单两者的模拟结果空间分布接近，其中江苏省清单模拟的PM_2.5和O₃在长三角多数地区略低于长三角清单的模拟结果（1月O₃除外）.江苏省清单与长三角清单均能够用于空气质量模式模拟，可为江苏地区的细颗粒物和光化学烟雾污染的控制策略制定提供参考.     

Statistical Optimization for Production of Light Olefins in a Fluidized‐Bed Reactor

The methanol‐to‐olefins reaction (MTO) was studied in a small‐scale fluidized‐bed reactor over synthesized silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO‐34) catalysts. Mesoporous nanocrystalline SAPO‐34 molecular sieves were synthesized hydrothermally by ultrasonic and microwave‐assisted aging processes in the presence of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and tetradecyldimethyl(3‐trimethoxysilylpropyl)ammonium chloride (TPOAC) as surfactant agents. The Box‐Behnken experimental design method was applied to determine the optimum operating parameters of this process conducted in the fluidized‐bed reactor. The optimum conditions in terms of reaction temperature, ratio of inlet gas velocity to minimum fluidizing velocity, and MeOH weight fraction were evaluated.     

Biological Water Treatment by a Hybrid Fluidized-Bed Bioreactor: Theoretical Study

A hybrid fluidized-bed bioreactor for water purification was proposed and analyzed. It is a novel type of bioreactor characterized by hitherto unknown stationary and dynamic features. Steady-state characteristics of this hybrid bioreactor with external liquid circulation are presented. A quantitative analysis of steady-state properties of the bioreactor was performed with the aid of an original mathematical model developed for a double-substrate aerobic microbiological process. A steady-state analysis of aerobic processes characterized by different oxygen demand was performed. The effect of essential parameters was evaluated, including carbonaceous substrate concentration in the feed stream to the apparatus, aeration intensity, total residence time of a liquid in the bioreactor, and height of the bed of fine carrier particles.     

土壤中石油污染物的脱附过程

文章中主要采用有机溶剂萃取法（OSE）对高浓度石油污染土壤进行修复，经过精馏操作，有效回收原油，建立脱附等温曲线，研究了石油污染物在土壤-有机溶剂两相间的迁移规律。     

Quantum Sensing in a Physiological‐Like Cell Niche Using Fluorescent Nanodiamonds Embedded in Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (fNDs) containing nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers are promising candidates for quantum sensing in biological environments. This work describes the fabrication and implementation of electrospun poly lactic‐co‐glycolic acid (PLGA) nanofibers embedded with fNDs for optical quantum sensing in an environment, which recapitulates the nanoscale architecture and topography of the cell niche. A protocol that produces uniformly dispersed fNDs within electrospun nanofibers is demonstrated and the resulting fibers are characterized using fluorescent microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) and longitudinal spin relaxometry results for fNDs and embedded fNDs are compared. A new approach for fast detection of time varying magnetic fields external to the fND embedded nanofibers is demonstrated. ODMR spectra are successfully acquired from a culture of live differentiated neural stem cells functioning as a connected neural network grown on fND embedded nanofibers. This work advances the current state of the art in quantum sensing by providing a versatile sensing platform that can be tailored to produce physiological‐like cell niches to replicate biologically relevant growth environments and fast measurement protocols for the detection of co‐ordinated endogenous signals from clinically relevant populations of electrically active neuronal circuits.