Si

Fly ash (FA) is mainly composed of silica, alumina, and other metal oxide components, and has a positive stabilizing effect on soil heavy metals. Biochar composites produced from FA and corn stover (CS) can improve its remediation performance. Therefore, a batch of biochar composites (alkali-fused FA-CS biochars, ABs), synthesized via co-pyrolysis of CS and alkali-fused FA (AFFA) at different temperatures of 300, 500, and 700 °C (AB300-1, AB500-1, and AB700-1) and CS to AFFA mass ratios of 10:1, 10:2, and 10:5 (AB500-1, AB500-2, and AB500-5), was used to remediate lead (Pb)-contaminated soil...

INTRODUCTION: Degenerative sacroiliac (SI) joint syndrome is known to be more common after lumbosacral fusion. While this diagnosis is suspected based on various clinical criteria and diagnostic tests, it is confirmed with a diagnostic nerve block. If conservative treatment fails, SI joint fusion through a minimally invasive approach is a useful palliative approach for patients at a treatment crossroads. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and functional results at 2 years postoperative after minimally invasive SI joint fusion in patients with SI joint syndrome following lumbosacral fusion...

This study aimed (i) to analyze the 1500 m open water swimming performance, (ii) to examine the associations between physiological and biomechanical variables with swimming performance, and (iii) to determine which variables can predict swimming performance in triathletes. Fourteen elite triathletes (23.4±3.8 y) performed a 1500 m test in open water swimming conditions. Swimming performance was assessed using World Aquatics Points Scoring, and data were obtained from the 1500 m open water swimming test...

The carbon nanomaterials are usually used to improve the electrical conductivity and stability of silicon (Si) anodes for lithium-ion batteries. However, the Si-based composites containing carbon nanomaterials generally show large specific surface area, leading to severe side reactions that generate large amounts of solid electrolyte interphase films. Herein, we embedded graphene oxide (GO) and silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) uniformly in pitch matrix by solvent dispersion. The internally doped GO reduces the exposed surface and improves the electrical conductivity of the composite...

Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the hemoflagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. The control of the infection depends of the innate and acquired immune response of host. Moreover, CD plays a significant role in the immune response, and, in this context, microalgae can be an interesting alternative due to its immunomodulatory and trypanocidal effects. This study aimed to evaluate, in vitro, immunomodulatory potentials of the aqueous extracts of Chlorella vulgaris and Tetradesmus obliquus. Both microalgae extracts (ME) were obtained by sonication, and the selectivity index (SI) was determined by assays of inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) in T...

Sprouts of black beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.), soybeans ( Glycine max L.) and mung beans ( Vigna radiata L.) are widely consumed foods containing abundant nutrients with biological activities. They are commonly treated with sulphites for the preservation and extension of shelf-life. However, our previous investigation found that immersing the bean sprouts in sulphite might convert the active components into sulphur-containing derivatives, which can affect both the quality and safety of the sprouts. This study explores the use of FTIR in conjunction with chemometric techniques to differentiate between non-immersed (NI) and sodium sulphite immersed (SI) black bean, soybean and mung bean sprouts...

Pyrolysis, a thermal decomposition without oxygen, is a promising technology for transportable liquids from whole fractions of lignocellulosic biomass. However, due to the hydrophilic products of pyrolysis, the liquid oils have undesirable physicochemical characteristics, thus requiring an additional upgrading process. Biological upgrading methods could address the drawbacks of pyrolysis by utilizing various hydrophilic compounds as carbon sources under mild conditions with low carbon footprints. Versatile chemicals, such as lipids, ethanol, and organic acids, could be produced through microbial assimilation of anhydrous sugars, organic acids, aldehydes, and phenolics in the hydrophilic fractions...

UNLABELLED: Type 2 diabetic osteoporosis (T2DOP) has received increasing attention from researchers. In this study, a total of 453 publications related to T2DOP from 2013 to 2022 were analyzed using bibliometric and visual analysis to identify the research trends and research hotspots in the field of T2DOP. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of T2DOP-related publications from 2013 to 2022 to determine global research trends in T2DOP in terms of number of publications, countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, funding agencies, and keywords...

Fermentation is the key process required for developing the characteristic properties of cigar tobacco leaves, complex microorganisms are involved in this process. However, the microbial fermentation mechanisms during the fermentation process have not been well-characterized. This study investigated the dynamic changes in conventional chemical composition, flavor compounds, and bacterial community during the fermentation of cigar tobacco leaves from Hainan and Sichuan provinces in China, as well as the potential roles of bacteria...

PURPOSE: Colon cancer is a prevalent cancer globally, representing approximately 10% of all cancer cases and accounting for 10% of all cancer-related deaths. Therefore, finding new therapeutic methods with high efficiency will be very valuable. Cromolyn (C), a common anti-allergic and mast cell membrane stabilizing drug, has recently shown valuable anti-cancer effects in several studies. This study was designed to investigate the anti-cancer activity of cromolyn on colon cancer in vitro and in vivo and to determine values such as selectivity index and survival effect...

The adjustable structures and remarkable physicochemical properties of 2D monoelemental materials, such as silicene and germanene, have attracted significant attention in recent years. They can be transformed into silicane (SiH) and germanane (GeH) through covalent functionalization via hydrogen atom termination. However, synthesizing these materials with a scalable and low-cost fabrication process to achieve high-quality 2D SiH and GeH poses challenges. Herein, groundbreaking 2D SiH and GeH materials with varying compositions, specifically Si0...

Kidney stones are a pervasive disease with notoriously high recurrence rates that require more effective treatment strategies. Herein, tartronic acid is introduced as an efficient inhibitor of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystallization, which is the most prevalent constituent of human kidney stones. A combination of in situ experimental techniques and simulations are employed to compare the inhibitory effects of tartronic acid with those of its molecular analogs. Tartronic acid exhibits an affinity for binding to rapidly growing apical surfaces of COM crystals, thus setting it apart from other inhibitors such as citric acid, the current preventative treatment for kidney stones...

Bi2 Te3 -based thermoelectric (TE) materials are the state-of-the-art compounds for commercial applications near room temperature. Nevertheless, the application of the n-type Bi2 Te2.7 Se0.3 (BTS) is restricted by the comparatively low figure of merit (ZT) and intrinsic embrittlement. Here, we show that through dispersion of amorphous Si3 N4 ( a -Si3 N4 ) nanoparticles both 14% increase in power factor (at 300 K) and 48% decrease in lattice thermal conductivity are simultaneously realized. The increased power factor comes from enhanced thermopower and reduced electrical resistivity while the reduced lattice thermal conductivity originates mainly from scattering of middle- and low-frequency phonons at the incorporated a -Si3 N4 nanoparticles...

In Modern Hebrew, only three segmental markers are typically acknowledged as ethnically conditioned, and usage of these markers has significantly decreased in second and third generation speakers. Yet the sociolinguistic situation of diverging language backgrounds of first generation speakers, compounded with ethnic segregation in housing and the workforce, seems like a fertile ground for social identification from speech. We report two studies on prosodic variation in Modern Hebrew: a perception study and a "matched-pairs" corpus study...

Improving the wide-temperature operation of rechargeable batteries is crucial for boosting the adoption of electric vehicles and further advancing their application scope in harsh environments like deep ocean and space probes. Herein, recent advances in electrolyte solvation chemistry are critically summarized, aiming to address the long-standing challenge of notable energy diminution at sub-zero temperatures and rapid capacity degradation at elevated temperatures (>45°C). This review provides an in-depth analysis of the fundamental mechanisms governing the Li-ion transport process, illustrating how these insights have been effectively harnessed to synergize with high-capacity, high-rate electrodes...

Methylmercury (MeHg) exposure can cause nerve damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial dysfunction is mainly mediated by mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial dynamics disorders. Quercetin (QE) plays an important role in activating silencing information regulator 2 related enzyme 1 (SIRT1), and SIRT1 activates peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-γ co-activator 1α (PGC-1α), which can regulate mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial dynamics. The main purpose of this study was to explore the alleviating effects of QE on MeHg-induced nerve damage and mitochondrial dysfunction...

Articular cartilage defects are a global challenge, causing substantial disability. Repairing large defects is problematic, often exceeding cartilage's self-healing capacity and damaging bone structures. To tackle this problem, we develop a scaffold-mediated therapeutic ion delivery system. These scaffolds are constructed from poly(ε-caprolactone) and strontium (Sr)-doped bioactive nanoglasses (SrBGn), creating a unique hierarchical structure featuring macro-pores from 3D printing, micro-pores, and nano-topologies due to SrBGn integration...

With the increasing use of oral contraceptives and estrogen replacement therapy, the incidence of estrogen-induced cholestasis (EC) has tended to rise. Psoralen (P) and isopsoralen (IP) are the major bioactive components in Psoraleae Fructus, and their estrogen-like activities have already been recognized. Recent studies have also reported that ERK1/2 plays a critical role in EC in mice. This study aimed to investigate whether P and IP induce EC and reveal specific mechanisms. It was found that P and IP increased the expression of esr1 , cyp19a1b and the levels of E2 and VTG at 80 μM in zebrafish larvae...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Circular RNA (circRNA) has been found to mediate ulcerative colitis (UC) progression by regulating intestinal mucosal barrier function. However, the role of circSOD2 in UC process and its underlying molecular mechanism still need to be further elucidated. METHODS: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced Caco2 cells were used to mimic UC cell models. CircSOD2, miR-378g, and Snail1 levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Cell viability was detected using MTT assay, and inflammatory cytokine levels were measured using ELISA...

Two novel aromatic polyketides 1 and 3 and five known compounds, (4 S ,10 S )-talaroflavone ( 2 ), altenuene ( 4 ), isoaltenuene ( 5 ), alternariol ( 6 ), and altenusin ( 7 ), were isolated from an endophytic strain of Alternaria alternata SI-694. The structures of the new compounds, including their absolute configurations, were elucidated by NMR, IR, UV, and ECD spectroscopies, and the phytotoxicities of the isolated compounds were also evaluated. Altenusin ( 7 ) showed moderate cytotoxicity against HL-60 cells, with an IC50 of 6...