Urea-assisted natural seawater electrolysis is an emerging technology that is effective for grid-scale carbon-neutral hydrogen mass production yet challenging.Circumventing scaling relations is an effective strategy t...Urea-assisted natural seawater electrolysis is an emerging technology that is effective for grid-scale carbon-neutral hydrogen mass production yet challenging.Circumventing scaling relations is an effective strategy to break through the bottleneck of natural seawater splitting.Herein,by DFT calculation,we demonstrated that the interface boundaries between Ni_(2)P and MoO_(2) play an essential role in the selfrelaxation of the Ni-O interfacial bond,effectively modulating a coordination number of intermediates to control independently their adsorption-free energy,thus circumventing the adsorption-energy scaling relation.Following this conceptual model,a well-defined 3D F-doped Ni_(2)P-MoO_(2) heterostructure microrod array was rationally designed via an interfacial engineering strategy toward urea-assisted natural seawater electrolysis.As a result,the F-Ni_(2)P-MoO_(2) exhibits eminently active and durable bifunctional catalysts for both HER and OER in acid,alkaline,and alkaline sea water-based electrolytes.By in-situ analysis,we found that a thin amorphous layer of NiOOH,which is evolved from the Ni_(2)P during anodic reaction,is real catalytic active sites for the OER and UOR processes.Remarkable,such electrode-assembled urea-assisted natural seawater electrolyzer requires low voltages of 1.29 and 1.75 V to drive 10 and600 mA cm^(-2)and demonstrates superior durability by operating continuously for 100 h at 100 mA cm^(-2),beyond commercial Pt/C||RuO_(2) and most previous reports.展开更多
The present paper first investigates the collapse behavior of a conventional pipe-framed greenhouse under snow loading based on a 3-D finite element analysis,in which both geometrical and material non-linearities are ...The present paper first investigates the collapse behavior of a conventional pipe-framed greenhouse under snow loading based on a 3-D finite element analysis,in which both geometrical and material non-linearities are considered.Three snow load distribution patterns related to the wind-driven snow particle movement are used in the analysis.It is found that snow load distribution affects the deformation and collapse behavior of the pipe-framed greenhouse significantly.The results obtained in this study are consistent with the actual damage observed.Next,discussion is made of the effects of reinforcements by adding members to the basic frame on the strength of the whole structure,in which seven kinds of reinforcement methods are examined.A buckling analysis is also carried out.The results indicate that the most effective reinforcement method depends on the snow load distribution pattern.展开更多
Islet transplantation is characterized by the transplantation of isolated islets from donor pancreata into a diabetic recipient. Although it is a viable choice in the treatment of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, ...Islet transplantation is characterized by the transplantation of isolated islets from donor pancreata into a diabetic recipient. Although it is a viable choice in the treatment of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, most patients (approximately 90%) require insulin five years after transplantation. Recently, the co-transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and islets in animal studies has revealed the effectiveness of MSCs co-transplantation for improving islet function. Themechanisms underlying the beneficial impact of MSCs include immunomodulation and the promotion of angiogenesis. In this review, we discuss MSCs and how they support improved graft survival and function.展开更多
Islet transplantation could become an ideal treatment for severe diabetes to prevent hypoglycemia shock and irreversible diabetic complications, once some of the major and unresolved obstacles are overcome, including ...Islet transplantation could become an ideal treatment for severe diabetes to prevent hypoglycemia shock and irreversible diabetic complications, once some of the major and unresolved obstacles are overcome, including limited donor supplies and side effects caused by permanent immunosuppressant use. Approximately 30 years ago, some groups succeeded in improving the blood glucose of diabetic animals by transplanting encapsulated islets with semi-permeable membranes consisting of polymer. A semi-permeable membrane protects both the inner islets from mechanical stress and the recipient’s immune system (both cellular and humoral immunities), while allowing bidirectional diffusion of nutrients, oxygen, glucose, hormones and wastes, i.e., immune-isolation. This device, which enables immune-isolation, is called encapsulated islets or bio-artificial pancreas. Encapsulation with a semipermeable membrane can provide some advantages: (1) this device protects transplanted cells from the recipient’s immunity even if the xenogeneic islets (from large animals such as pig) or insulin-producing cells are derived from cells that have the potential for differentiation (some kinds of stem cells). In other words, the encapsulation technique can resolve the problem of limited donor supplies; and (2) encapsulation can reduce or prevent chronic administration of immunosuppressants and, therefore, important side effects otherwise induced by immunosuppressants. And now, many novel encapsulated islet systems have been developed and are being prepared for testing in a clinical setting.展开更多
A microbial community structure of granules harvested from an anaerobic sludge blanket reactor treating phenolic wastewater was investigated using fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)and clone library construction...A microbial community structure of granules harvested from an anaerobic sludge blanket reactor treating phenolic wastewater was investigated using fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)and clone library construction.Clones of Syntrophorhabdaceae and Cryptanaerobacter were observed to be responsible for phenol degradation.For accurate taxonomic assignment of Cryptanaerobacter clones,phylogenetic analysis using nearly full-length 16S ribosomal RNA(rRNA)gene sequences was necessary.Three oligonucleotide probes were designed to detect the following three taxonomic groups:Syntrophorhabdaceae,Cryptanaerobacter,and Syntrophus.FISH analysis of thin sections of anaerobic granules showed a random distribution of bacteria and archaea.However,a well-defined distribution of Syntrophorhabdaceae,Cryptanaerobacter,and Syntrophus was observed.Cryptanaerobacter and Syntrophus were found on the outer layer of the granules and were closely associated with each other,while Syntrophorhabdaceae was located in the deeper part of the granules.Such specific distribution of the bacteria is most likely due to their metabolic association and affinity for the substrate.Phenol degradation in the granular sludge was observed to be carried out in the following way.First,Cryptanaerobacter converts phenol to benzoate,which is then degraded by Syntrophus into acetate.This syntrophic degradation of phenol occurs near the surface of the granule,where the phenol concen-tration is high.In the deeper part of the granule,where the phenol concentration is lower,Syntrophorhabdaceae degrades phenol into acetate.We observed that Syntrophorhabdaceae is less likely to produce benzoate as an intermediate to feed the neighboring organisms,which contradicts the theo-ries presented by previous studies.展开更多
We report on an all-solid-state battery that employs a closo-type complex hydride solid electrolyte and a LiCoO2 cathode.Interfacial modification between the solid electrolyte and cathode with a LiNbO3 buffer layer en...We report on an all-solid-state battery that employs a closo-type complex hydride solid electrolyte and a LiCoO2 cathode.Interfacial modification between the solid electrolyte and cathode with a LiNbO3 buffer layer enables reversible charge-discharge cycling with a cell voltage of 3.9V (vs.Li^+/Li) at room temperature.Electrochemical analyses clarify that the given modification effectively suppresses side reactions at the cathode/solid electrolyte interface.The interfacial resistance is lowered by ca.10 times with a 5 nm thick LiNbO3 buffer layer compared to that without a buffer layer,so that a discharge capacity of 109 mAh g^-1 is achieved.These results suggest that interfacial modification can be a viable approach to the development of high-voltage all-solid-state batteries using closo-type complex hydride solid electrolytes and oxide cathodes.展开更多
The addition of early transition metals(ETMs)into Fe-based amorphous alloys is practically found to be effective in reducing theα-Fe grain size in crystallization process.In this paper,by using ab initio molecular dy...The addition of early transition metals(ETMs)into Fe-based amorphous alloys is practically found to be effective in reducing theα-Fe grain size in crystallization process.In this paper,by using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations,the mechanism of the effect of two typical ETMs(Nb and W)on nano-crystallization is studied.It is found that the diffusion ability in amorphous alloy is mainly determined by the bonding energy of the atom rather than the size or weight of the atom.The alloying of B dramatically reduces the diffusion ability of the ETM atoms,which prevents the supply of Fe near the grain surface and consequently suppresses the growth ofα-Fe grains.Moreover,the difference in grain refining effectiveness between Nb and W could be attributed to the larger bonding energy between Nb and B than that between W and B.展开更多
The adsorption and diffusion of F2 molecules on pristine graphene are studied by using first-principles calculations.For the diffusion of F2 from molecular state in gas phase to the dissociative adsorption state on gr...The adsorption and diffusion of F2 molecules on pristine graphene are studied by using first-principles calculations.For the diffusion of F2 from molecular state in gas phase to the dissociative adsorption state on graphene surface, a kinetic barrier is identified, which explains the inertness of graphene in molecular F2 at room temperature, and its reactivity with F2 at higher temperatures. Study of the diffusion of F2 molecules on graphene surface determines the energy barrier along the optimal diffusion pathway, which conduces to the understanding of the high stability of fluorographene.展开更多
Three human α-amylases exist: Amy1 (salivary amylase), Amy2A (pancreatic amylase), and Amy2B (expressed in various tissues). These amylases share a 97% - 99% amino acid sequence identity, and two potential N-glycosyl...Three human α-amylases exist: Amy1 (salivary amylase), Amy2A (pancreatic amylase), and Amy2B (expressed in various tissues). These amylases share a 97% - 99% amino acid sequence identity, and two potential N-glycosylation sites (N427 and N476) are commonly found in the C-terminal region. In general, salivary amylase is more frequently glycosylated than pancreatic amylase, and it is still uncertain why differences in the glycosylation pattern among human amylase iso-zymes occur. In this study, we found that there was no significant change of ratio of glycosylated molecules among isozymes produced by the same cultured cells, indicating that glycosylation of amylase is influenced by the type of cell producing the enzyme rather than being an inherent property of the amylase isozymes. We analyzed the glycosylation efficiency of N-glycosylation sites in recombinant Amy2A mutants produced by HEK293 cells and found that glycosylation efficiencies of N427 and N476 were 3% - 18% and 40% - 52%, respectively, indicating that the major N-glycosylation site of glycosylated Amy2A produced by HEK293 cells is N476. The difference in the glycosylation efficiency of each N-glycosylation site also seemed to contribute in part to generate different glycosylation patterns of human amylases. We also confirmed that the C-terminal region of human amylase plays a critical role in secretion, although glycosylation does not play a part in this effect.展开更多
This paper presents a novel system for violent scenes detection, which is based on machine learning to handle visual and audio features. MKL （Multiple Kernel Learning） is applied so that multimodality of videos can ...This paper presents a novel system for violent scenes detection, which is based on machine learning to handle visual and audio features. MKL （Multiple Kernel Learning） is applied so that multimodality of videos can be maximized. The largest features of our system is that mid-level concepts clustering is proposed and implemented in order to learn mid-level concepts implicitly. By this algorithm, our system does not need manually tagged annotations. The whole system is trained on the dataset from MediaEval 2013 Affect Task and evaluated by its official metric. The obtained results outperformed its best score.展开更多
The authors regret that the supplementary Fig.S12 is incorrect.This correction does not affect any of the results and conclusions in the text.Fig.S11 and S12 are studies on hydration kinetics and hydration products of...The authors regret that the supplementary Fig.S12 is incorrect.This correction does not affect any of the results and conclusions in the text.Fig.S11 and S12 are studies on hydration kinetics and hydration products of M/P=2 and M/P=4 respectively.In the previous uploaded version,the caption and figures of the Fig.S12 are the same as Fig.S11.We have corrected the error and the correct figures are as follows.The authors are sorry for not checking the supplementary documents carefully before publication.展开更多
Magnesium phosphate bone cement has become a widely used orthopedic implant due to the advantages of fast-setting and high early strength. However, developing magnesium phosphate cement possessing applicable injectabi...Magnesium phosphate bone cement has become a widely used orthopedic implant due to the advantages of fast-setting and high early strength. However, developing magnesium phosphate cement possessing applicable injectability, high strength, and biocompatibility simultaneously remains a significant challenge. Herein, we propose a strategy to develop high-performance bone cement and establish a trimagnesium phosphate cement (TMPC) system. The TMPC exhibits high early strength, low curing temperature, neutral pH, and excellent injectability, overcoming the critical limitations of recently studied magnesium phosphate cement. By monitoring the hydration pH value and electroconductivity, we demonstrate that the magnesium-to-phosphate ratio could manipulate the components of hydration products and their transformation by adjusting the pH of the system, which will influence the hydration speed. Further, the ratio could regulate the hydration network and the properties of TMPC. Moreover, in vitro studies show that TMPC has outstanding biocompatibility and bone-filling capacity. The facile preparation properties and these advantages of TMPC render it a potential clinical alternative to polymethylmethacrylate and calcium phosphate bone cement. This study will contribute to the rational design of high-performance bone cement.展开更多
Bone adhesive is a promising material for the treatment of bone fractures,which is helpful for the fast and effective reduction and fixation of broken bones.However,the existing adhesives bond weakly to bone tissues,a...Bone adhesive is a promising material for the treatment of bone fractures,which is helpful for the fast and effective reduction and fixation of broken bones.However,the existing adhesives bond weakly to bone tissues,and are non-absorbable,or hard to cure under wet conditions.Herein,inspired by the cement-based adhesive used in the industry field,we report a bioactive calcium and magnesium phosphate bone adhesive(MPBA)with the properties of facile preparation,robust adhesion,and bioactive.MPBA is equipped with similar strength to cancellous bones and shows reliable bonding performance for various interfaces,such as Ti6Al4V,Al2O3,and poly(ether-ether-ketone).MPBA achieves excellent bonding ability for the above interfaces with the bonding strengths of 2.28±0.47,2.32±0.15,and 1.44±0.38 MPa,respectively.Besides,it also shows reliable fixation ability for bovine bone surfaces.The bonding behavior to materials and bones suggests that MPBA could be used for both fracture treatment and implant fixation.Meanwhile,MPBA possesses good biological activity,which could promote the vascularization process and osteogenic differentiation.Finally,in vivo experiments confirmed MPBA can effectively restore bone strength and promote bone regeneration.展开更多
HfO2/a-A12O3 eutectics were grown by the micro-pulling down （μ-PD） method at the composition of 63.2 mol.% of-A1203, 35.512 mol.% HfO2, 0.92 mol.% Eu203 and 0.368 tool.% Y2O3. Rod phases with around 3-4 μm diamete...HfO2/a-A12O3 eutectics were grown by the micro-pulling down （μ-PD） method at the composition of 63.2 mol.% of-A1203, 35.512 mol.% HfO2, 0.92 mol.% Eu203 and 0.368 tool.% Y2O3. Rod phases with around 3-4 μm diameter were observed on the transverse cross-section. The phase-separated scintillator fibers （PSSFs） structure with fibers of around 3-4 μm diameter and 10-20 μm length was observed. The electron back scattering patterns indicated crystal orientation of [101] for monoclinic HfO2 rod phase and [0001] for μt-A1203 matrix in the transverse cross-section. Eu3＋ 4f-4f emission was observed at 550-750 nm.展开更多
The underlying structural origin of magnetic properties is still elusive in Fe-based amorphous alloys.In this study,distinctive soft magnetic properties were developed in Fe_(76)Si_(9)B_(10)P_(5)amorphous ribbons thro...The underlying structural origin of magnetic properties is still elusive in Fe-based amorphous alloys.In this study,distinctive soft magnetic properties were developed in Fe_(76)Si_(9)B_(10)P_(5)amorphous ribbons through systematic design of annealing process.Combining with synchrotron radiation,high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and first principle ab initio molecular dynamic simulation,it is found that the atomic structural evolution both in short range order and medium range order is responsible for the magnetic softness at proper annealing temperature.In short range,formation of separated and densely coordinated Fe-metalloid clusters is instigated to adapt energy minimization,resulting in strengthening of ferromagnetic exchange interaction locally.In medium range,a homogeneous exchangecoupling from the uniformly strong and weak ferromagnetic regions is generated,which significantly weakens magnetic heterogeneity and leads to the excellent magnetic softness.Our findings may provide an effective/promising pathway to modulate the magnetic properties for Fe-based amorphous alloys,and give a comprehensive and quantitative understanding of the structure-properties relationship in amorphous materials.展开更多
Two topics were focused. The first one was about the gamma-ray scintillator, Pr^3＋：Lu3Al5O12 （LuAG）. The second one was about neutron scintillator, Ce^3＋：^6LiCaAlF6 and Eu^2＋：^6LiCaAlF6 （^6LiCAF）. Those scin...Two topics were focused. The first one was about the gamma-ray scintillator, Pr^3＋：Lu3Al5O12 （LuAG）. The second one was about neutron scintillator, Ce^3＋：^6LiCaAlF6 and Eu^2＋：^6LiCaAlF6 （^6LiCAF）. Those scintillators have been developed very recently for modem imaging applications in the medical and homeland security fields. In both cases, the rare earth ions are playing the crucial role as emission centers. Pr^3＋ in LuAG provided fast 5d→4f transition providing noticeably shorter decay time than that of Ce^3＋. Among several candidate hosts, LuAG showed the best performance. Bulk crystal growth, basic scintillation properties, two-dimensional gamma-ray imaging and positron emission mammography （PEM） application were demonstrated. Due to the international situation, the homeland security was compromized by illicit traffic of explosives, drugs, nuclear materials, etc. and the ways to its improvement became an important R＆D topic. For this purpose the Ce and Eu doped LiCAF appeared competitive candidates. Especially, when substitution of 3He neutron detectors was considered, the discrimination ability of gamma-ray from alpha-ray was important. Bulk crystal growth, basic scintillation properties and two-dimensional neutron imaging were demonstrated.展开更多
The surface oxidation and subsurface microstructure evolution of Alloy 690 TT can occur during partial slip fretting corrosion in high-temperature pure water.Detailed characterization methods such as laser scanning co...The surface oxidation and subsurface microstructure evolution of Alloy 690 TT can occur during partial slip fretting corrosion in high-temperature pure water.Detailed characterization methods such as laser scanning confocal microscopy,scanning electron microscopy,electron probe micro-analyzer,and transmission electron microscopy were used to reveal the related mechanism.The results showed that Cr_(2)O_(3) oxides together with a small number of spinel oxides were formed in sticking region since a small quantity of high-temperature water could pass through the gaps between the asperities to oxidize the materials.Widespread distribution of oxides in microslip region consisted of(Ni,Fe)Cr_(2)O_(4),because Ni^(2+)and Fe^(2+) ions could react with Cr_(2)O_(3) to generate a small amount of non-stoichiometric spinel oxides.The oxides around micropitting in microslip region consisted of double-layer structure.The outermost layer contained(Fe,Cr)-rich oxides due to the effect of fretting leading to mechanical mixing between Cr_(2)O_(3) and(Ni,Fe)(Fe,Cr)_(2)O_(4).The inner layer consisted of(Fe,Ni)-rich oxides owing to the consumption of Cr_(2)O_(3) by the reaction with Ni^(2+)and Fe^(2+) ions.The reciprocating motion of oxide particles in microslip region resulted in the stress-strain supporting the recrystallization for the formation and development of a tribologically transformed structure in subsurface and plowing effect by fretting in surface.展开更多
Emergent Dirac fermion states underlie many intriguing properties of graphene,and the search for them constitutes one strong motivation to explore two-dimensional(2D)allotropes of other elements.Phosphorene,the ultrat...Emergent Dirac fermion states underlie many intriguing properties of graphene,and the search for them constitutes one strong motivation to explore two-dimensional(2D)allotropes of other elements.Phosphorene,the ultrathin layers of black phosphorous,has been a subject of intense investigations recently,and it was found that other group-Va elements could also form 2D layers with similar puckered lattice structure.Here,by a close examination of their electronic band structure evolution,we discover two types of Dirac fermion states emerging in the low-energy spectrum.One pair of(type-I)Dirac points is sitting on high-symmetry lines,while two pairs of(type-II)Dirac points are located at generic k-points,with different anisotropic dispersions determined by the reduced symmetries at their locations.Such fully-unpinned(type-II)2D Dirac points are discovered for the first time.In the absence of spin-orbit coupling(SOC),we find that each Dirac node is protected by the sublattice symmetry from gap opening,which is in turn ensured by any one of three point group symmetries.The SOC generally gaps the Dirac nodes,and for the type-I case,this drives the system into a quantum spin Hall insulator phase.We suggest possible ways to realise the unpinned Dirac points in strained phosphorene.展开更多
Two-dimensional (2D) multiferroics have attracted increasing interests in basic science and technological fields in recent years.However,most reported 2D magnetic ferroelectrics are based on the d-electron magnetism,w...Two-dimensional (2D) multiferroics have attracted increasing interests in basic science and technological fields in recent years.However,most reported 2D magnetic ferroelectrics are based on the d-electron magnetism,which makes them rather rare due to the empirical d^(0) rule and limits their applications for low magnetic phase transition temperature.In this work,we demonstrate that the ferroelectricity can coexist with the p-electron-induced ferromagnetism without the limitation of d^(0) rule and metallicity in a family of stable 2D MXene-analogous oxynitrides,X_(2)NO_(2) (X = In,Tl).Remarkably,the itinerant character of p electrons can lead to the strong ferromagnetic metallic states.Furthermore,a possible magnetoelectric effect is manifested in a Tl_(2)NO_(2)/WTe_(2) heterostructure through the interface engineering.Our findings provide an alternative possible route toward 2D multiferroics and enrich the concept of ferroelectric metals.展开更多
基金supported by the Vietnam National University,Ho Chi Minh City (Grant No.TX2024-50-01)partial supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.22209186)。
文摘Urea-assisted natural seawater electrolysis is an emerging technology that is effective for grid-scale carbon-neutral hydrogen mass production yet challenging.Circumventing scaling relations is an effective strategy to break through the bottleneck of natural seawater splitting.Herein,by DFT calculation,we demonstrated that the interface boundaries between Ni_(2)P and MoO_(2) play an essential role in the selfrelaxation of the Ni-O interfacial bond,effectively modulating a coordination number of intermediates to control independently their adsorption-free energy,thus circumventing the adsorption-energy scaling relation.Following this conceptual model,a well-defined 3D F-doped Ni_(2)P-MoO_(2) heterostructure microrod array was rationally designed via an interfacial engineering strategy toward urea-assisted natural seawater electrolysis.As a result,the F-Ni_(2)P-MoO_(2) exhibits eminently active and durable bifunctional catalysts for both HER and OER in acid,alkaline,and alkaline sea water-based electrolytes.By in-situ analysis,we found that a thin amorphous layer of NiOOH,which is evolved from the Ni_(2)P during anodic reaction,is real catalytic active sites for the OER and UOR processes.Remarkable,such electrode-assembled urea-assisted natural seawater electrolyzer requires low voltages of 1.29 and 1.75 V to drive 10 and600 mA cm^(-2)and demonstrates superior durability by operating continuously for 100 h at 100 mA cm^(-2),beyond commercial Pt/C||RuO_(2) and most previous reports.
基金financially supported by the Steel Structure Research and Education Promotion Project of the Japan Iron and Steel Federation in FY2016.
文摘The present paper first investigates the collapse behavior of a conventional pipe-framed greenhouse under snow loading based on a 3-D finite element analysis,in which both geometrical and material non-linearities are considered.Three snow load distribution patterns related to the wind-driven snow particle movement are used in the analysis.It is found that snow load distribution affects the deformation and collapse behavior of the pipe-framed greenhouse significantly.The results obtained in this study are consistent with the actual damage observed.Next,discussion is made of the effects of reinforcements by adding members to the basic frame on the strength of the whole structure,in which seven kinds of reinforcement methods are examined.A buckling analysis is also carried out.The results indicate that the most effective reinforcement method depends on the snow load distribution pattern.
基金Supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, C: 22591513the Uehara Memorial Foundation, NSGrant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, B: 22390253, SE
文摘Islet transplantation is characterized by the transplantation of isolated islets from donor pancreata into a diabetic recipient. Although it is a viable choice in the treatment of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, most patients (approximately 90%) require insulin five years after transplantation. Recently, the co-transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and islets in animal studies has revealed the effectiveness of MSCs co-transplantation for improving islet function. Themechanisms underlying the beneficial impact of MSCs include immunomodulation and the promotion of angiogenesis. In this review, we discuss MSCs and how they support improved graft survival and function.
基金Supported by Research Seeds Quest Program in Japan Science and Technology Agency (NS)the Uehara Memorial Foundation (NS)Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports Science and Technology of Japan, B: 22390253 (SE), C: 22591513 (NS)
文摘Islet transplantation could become an ideal treatment for severe diabetes to prevent hypoglycemia shock and irreversible diabetic complications, once some of the major and unresolved obstacles are overcome, including limited donor supplies and side effects caused by permanent immunosuppressant use. Approximately 30 years ago, some groups succeeded in improving the blood glucose of diabetic animals by transplanting encapsulated islets with semi-permeable membranes consisting of polymer. A semi-permeable membrane protects both the inner islets from mechanical stress and the recipient’s immune system (both cellular and humoral immunities), while allowing bidirectional diffusion of nutrients, oxygen, glucose, hormones and wastes, i.e., immune-isolation. This device, which enables immune-isolation, is called encapsulated islets or bio-artificial pancreas. Encapsulation with a semipermeable membrane can provide some advantages: (1) this device protects transplanted cells from the recipient’s immunity even if the xenogeneic islets (from large animals such as pig) or insulin-producing cells are derived from cells that have the potential for differentiation (some kinds of stem cells). In other words, the encapsulation technique can resolve the problem of limited donor supplies; and (2) encapsulation can reduce or prevent chronic administration of immunosuppressants and, therefore, important side effects otherwise induced by immunosuppressants. And now, many novel encapsulated islet systems have been developed and are being prepared for testing in a clinical setting.
基金supported by Grant-in-Aids for Scientific Research(B)(JP18H01564)from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
文摘A microbial community structure of granules harvested from an anaerobic sludge blanket reactor treating phenolic wastewater was investigated using fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)and clone library construction.Clones of Syntrophorhabdaceae and Cryptanaerobacter were observed to be responsible for phenol degradation.For accurate taxonomic assignment of Cryptanaerobacter clones,phylogenetic analysis using nearly full-length 16S ribosomal RNA(rRNA)gene sequences was necessary.Three oligonucleotide probes were designed to detect the following three taxonomic groups:Syntrophorhabdaceae,Cryptanaerobacter,and Syntrophus.FISH analysis of thin sections of anaerobic granules showed a random distribution of bacteria and archaea.However,a well-defined distribution of Syntrophorhabdaceae,Cryptanaerobacter,and Syntrophus was observed.Cryptanaerobacter and Syntrophus were found on the outer layer of the granules and were closely associated with each other,while Syntrophorhabdaceae was located in the deeper part of the granules.Such specific distribution of the bacteria is most likely due to their metabolic association and affinity for the substrate.Phenol degradation in the granular sludge was observed to be carried out in the following way.First,Cryptanaerobacter converts phenol to benzoate,which is then degraded by Syntrophus into acetate.This syntrophic degradation of phenol occurs near the surface of the granule,where the phenol concen-tration is high.In the deeper part of the granule,where the phenol concentration is lower,Syntrophorhabdaceae degrades phenol into acetate.We observed that Syntrophorhabdaceae is less likely to produce benzoate as an intermediate to feed the neighboring organisms,which contradicts the theo-ries presented by previous studies.
基金supported by JSPS KAKENHI(Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up 17H06519)Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists(19K15666)+2 种基金Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas“Hydrogenomics”(JP18H05513)the Collaborative Research Center on Energy Materials in IMR(E-IMR)Advanced Target Project-4 of WPI-AIMR,Tohoku University。
文摘We report on an all-solid-state battery that employs a closo-type complex hydride solid electrolyte and a LiCoO2 cathode.Interfacial modification between the solid electrolyte and cathode with a LiNbO3 buffer layer enables reversible charge-discharge cycling with a cell voltage of 3.9V (vs.Li^+/Li) at room temperature.Electrochemical analyses clarify that the given modification effectively suppresses side reactions at the cathode/solid electrolyte interface.The interfacial resistance is lowered by ca.10 times with a 5 nm thick LiNbO3 buffer layer compared to that without a buffer layer,so that a discharge capacity of 109 mAh g^-1 is achieved.These results suggest that interfacial modification can be a viable approach to the development of high-voltage all-solid-state batteries using closo-type complex hydride solid electrolytes and oxide cathodes.
基金Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2016YFB0300502)the Shenzhen Municipal Fundamental Science and Technology Research Program,China(Grant No.JCYJ20170815162201821)the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities,China(Grant No.31020170QD102)
文摘The addition of early transition metals(ETMs)into Fe-based amorphous alloys is practically found to be effective in reducing theα-Fe grain size in crystallization process.In this paper,by using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations,the mechanism of the effect of two typical ETMs(Nb and W)on nano-crystallization is studied.It is found that the diffusion ability in amorphous alloy is mainly determined by the bonding energy of the atom rather than the size or weight of the atom.The alloying of B dramatically reduces the diffusion ability of the ETM atoms,which prevents the supply of Fe near the grain surface and consequently suppresses the growth ofα-Fe grains.Moreover,the difference in grain refining effectiveness between Nb and W could be attributed to the larger bonding energy between Nb and B than that between W and B.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11664003 and 11474285)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,China(Grant No.2015GXNSFAA139015)the Scientific Research and Technology Development Program of Guilin,China(Grant No.2016012002)
文摘The adsorption and diffusion of F2 molecules on pristine graphene are studied by using first-principles calculations.For the diffusion of F2 from molecular state in gas phase to the dissociative adsorption state on graphene surface, a kinetic barrier is identified, which explains the inertness of graphene in molecular F2 at room temperature, and its reactivity with F2 at higher temperatures. Study of the diffusion of F2 molecules on graphene surface determines the energy barrier along the optimal diffusion pathway, which conduces to the understanding of the high stability of fluorographene.
文摘Three human α-amylases exist: Amy1 (salivary amylase), Amy2A (pancreatic amylase), and Amy2B (expressed in various tissues). These amylases share a 97% - 99% amino acid sequence identity, and two potential N-glycosylation sites (N427 and N476) are commonly found in the C-terminal region. In general, salivary amylase is more frequently glycosylated than pancreatic amylase, and it is still uncertain why differences in the glycosylation pattern among human amylase iso-zymes occur. In this study, we found that there was no significant change of ratio of glycosylated molecules among isozymes produced by the same cultured cells, indicating that glycosylation of amylase is influenced by the type of cell producing the enzyme rather than being an inherent property of the amylase isozymes. We analyzed the glycosylation efficiency of N-glycosylation sites in recombinant Amy2A mutants produced by HEK293 cells and found that glycosylation efficiencies of N427 and N476 were 3% - 18% and 40% - 52%, respectively, indicating that the major N-glycosylation site of glycosylated Amy2A produced by HEK293 cells is N476. The difference in the glycosylation efficiency of each N-glycosylation site also seemed to contribute in part to generate different glycosylation patterns of human amylases. We also confirmed that the C-terminal region of human amylase plays a critical role in secretion, although glycosylation does not play a part in this effect.
文摘This paper presents a novel system for violent scenes detection, which is based on machine learning to handle visual and audio features. MKL （Multiple Kernel Learning） is applied so that multimodality of videos can be maximized. The largest features of our system is that mid-level concepts clustering is proposed and implemented in order to learn mid-level concepts implicitly. By this algorithm, our system does not need manually tagged annotations. The whole system is trained on the dataset from MediaEval 2013 Affect Task and evaluated by its official metric. The obtained results outperformed its best score.
文摘The authors regret that the supplementary Fig.S12 is incorrect.This correction does not affect any of the results and conclusions in the text.Fig.S11 and S12 are studies on hydration kinetics and hydration products of M/P=2 and M/P=4 respectively.In the previous uploaded version,the caption and figures of the Fig.S12 are the same as Fig.S11.We have corrected the error and the correct figures are as follows.The authors are sorry for not checking the supplementary documents carefully before publication.
基金supported by grants from The National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFB4601402)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32201109,51772233,51861145306)+1 种基金the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2022B1515120052,2021A1515110557)the Self-innovation Research Funding Project of Hanjiang Laboratory(HJL202202A002).
文摘Magnesium phosphate bone cement has become a widely used orthopedic implant due to the advantages of fast-setting and high early strength. However, developing magnesium phosphate cement possessing applicable injectability, high strength, and biocompatibility simultaneously remains a significant challenge. Herein, we propose a strategy to develop high-performance bone cement and establish a trimagnesium phosphate cement (TMPC) system. The TMPC exhibits high early strength, low curing temperature, neutral pH, and excellent injectability, overcoming the critical limitations of recently studied magnesium phosphate cement. By monitoring the hydration pH value and electroconductivity, we demonstrate that the magnesium-to-phosphate ratio could manipulate the components of hydration products and their transformation by adjusting the pH of the system, which will influence the hydration speed. Further, the ratio could regulate the hydration network and the properties of TMPC. Moreover, in vitro studies show that TMPC has outstanding biocompatibility and bone-filling capacity. The facile preparation properties and these advantages of TMPC render it a potential clinical alternative to polymethylmethacrylate and calcium phosphate bone cement. This study will contribute to the rational design of high-performance bone cement.
基金supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2022YFB4601402)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.32201109,51772233,and 51861145306)+2 种基金the Key Basic Research Program of Shenzhen(No.JCYJ20200109150218836)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(Nos.2022B1515120052 and 2021A1515110557)the Laboratory Self-innovation Research Funding Project of Hanjiang Laboratory(No.HJL202202A002).
文摘Bone adhesive is a promising material for the treatment of bone fractures,which is helpful for the fast and effective reduction and fixation of broken bones.However,the existing adhesives bond weakly to bone tissues,and are non-absorbable,or hard to cure under wet conditions.Herein,inspired by the cement-based adhesive used in the industry field,we report a bioactive calcium and magnesium phosphate bone adhesive(MPBA)with the properties of facile preparation,robust adhesion,and bioactive.MPBA is equipped with similar strength to cancellous bones and shows reliable bonding performance for various interfaces,such as Ti6Al4V,Al2O3,and poly(ether-ether-ketone).MPBA achieves excellent bonding ability for the above interfaces with the bonding strengths of 2.28±0.47,2.32±0.15,and 1.44±0.38 MPa,respectively.Besides,it also shows reliable fixation ability for bovine bone surfaces.The bonding behavior to materials and bones suggests that MPBA could be used for both fracture treatment and implant fixation.Meanwhile,MPBA possesses good biological activity,which could promote the vascularization process and osteogenic differentiation.Finally,in vivo experiments confirmed MPBA can effectively restore bone strength and promote bone regeneration.
基金Project supported by the Funding Program for Next Generation World-Leading Researchers,JSPS,Development of Systems and Technology for Advanced Measurement and Analysis,Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST),Adaptable & Seamless Technology Transfer Program through Target-driven R&D (A-STEP),JST,Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Grant-in-Aid for Exploratory Research,JSPS Research Fellowships for Young Scientists,the Health Labour Sciences Research Grant,the Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare and Czech MEYS KONTAKT Cz-jp Collaboration LH14266 Project,Crystal Clear Collaboration in CERN,and EC Marie Curie Initial Training Network LUMINET (316906)
文摘HfO2/a-A12O3 eutectics were grown by the micro-pulling down （μ-PD） method at the composition of 63.2 mol.% of-A1203, 35.512 mol.% HfO2, 0.92 mol.% Eu203 and 0.368 tool.% Y2O3. Rod phases with around 3-4 μm diameter were observed on the transverse cross-section. The phase-separated scintillator fibers （PSSFs） structure with fibers of around 3-4 μm diameter and 10-20 μm length was observed. The electron back scattering patterns indicated crystal orientation of [101] for monoclinic HfO2 rod phase and [0001] for μt-A1203 matrix in the transverse cross-section. Eu3＋ 4f-4f emission was observed at 550-750 nm.
基金financially supported by the Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research,China(No.2019B030302010)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52001219,52071222,51971179)+1 种基金the Chongqing Natural Science Foundation,China(No.cstc2019jcyj-msxmX0328)the Shaanxi Natural Science Foundation,China(No.2020JM-112)。
文摘The underlying structural origin of magnetic properties is still elusive in Fe-based amorphous alloys.In this study,distinctive soft magnetic properties were developed in Fe_(76)Si_(9)B_(10)P_(5)amorphous ribbons through systematic design of annealing process.Combining with synchrotron radiation,high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and first principle ab initio molecular dynamic simulation,it is found that the atomic structural evolution both in short range order and medium range order is responsible for the magnetic softness at proper annealing temperature.In short range,formation of separated and densely coordinated Fe-metalloid clusters is instigated to adapt energy minimization,resulting in strengthening of ferromagnetic exchange interaction locally.In medium range,a homogeneous exchangecoupling from the uniformly strong and weak ferromagnetic regions is generated,which significantly weakens magnetic heterogeneity and leads to the excellent magnetic softness.Our findings may provide an effective/promising pathway to modulate the magnetic properties for Fe-based amorphous alloys,and give a comprehensive and quantitative understanding of the structure-properties relationship in amorphous materials.
基金Project supported by Japan Science and Technology Agency,Regional Research and Development Resources Utilization Program,Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Science and Technology of Japanese government,Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)the joint project between JSPS and ASCR (19686001 (AY))+2 种基金Czech GAAV Project (M100100910)the Funding Program for Next Generation World-Leading ResearchersJapan Society for Promotion of Science
文摘Two topics were focused. The first one was about the gamma-ray scintillator, Pr^3＋：Lu3Al5O12 （LuAG）. The second one was about neutron scintillator, Ce^3＋：^6LiCaAlF6 and Eu^2＋：^6LiCaAlF6 （^6LiCAF）. Those scintillators have been developed very recently for modem imaging applications in the medical and homeland security fields. In both cases, the rare earth ions are playing the crucial role as emission centers. Pr^3＋ in LuAG provided fast 5d→4f transition providing noticeably shorter decay time than that of Ce^3＋. Among several candidate hosts, LuAG showed the best performance. Bulk crystal growth, basic scintillation properties, two-dimensional gamma-ray imaging and positron emission mammography （PEM） application were demonstrated. Due to the international situation, the homeland security was compromized by illicit traffic of explosives, drugs, nuclear materials, etc. and the ways to its improvement became an important R＆D topic. For this purpose the Ce and Eu doped LiCAF appeared competitive candidates. Especially, when substitution of 3He neutron detectors was considered, the discrimination ability of gamma-ray from alpha-ray was important. Bulk crystal growth, basic scintillation properties and two-dimensional neutron imaging were demonstrated.
基金financial supports of the Beijing Natural Science Foundation(Grant No.2194081)the Project funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2018M641187)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.FRF-TP-18-047A1)。
文摘The surface oxidation and subsurface microstructure evolution of Alloy 690 TT can occur during partial slip fretting corrosion in high-temperature pure water.Detailed characterization methods such as laser scanning confocal microscopy,scanning electron microscopy,electron probe micro-analyzer,and transmission electron microscopy were used to reveal the related mechanism.The results showed that Cr_(2)O_(3) oxides together with a small number of spinel oxides were formed in sticking region since a small quantity of high-temperature water could pass through the gaps between the asperities to oxidize the materials.Widespread distribution of oxides in microslip region consisted of(Ni,Fe)Cr_(2)O_(4),because Ni^(2+)and Fe^(2+) ions could react with Cr_(2)O_(3) to generate a small amount of non-stoichiometric spinel oxides.The oxides around micropitting in microslip region consisted of double-layer structure.The outermost layer contained(Fe,Cr)-rich oxides due to the effect of fretting leading to mechanical mixing between Cr_(2)O_(3) and(Ni,Fe)(Fe,Cr)_(2)O_(4).The inner layer consisted of(Fe,Ni)-rich oxides owing to the consumption of Cr_(2)O_(3) by the reaction with Ni^(2+)and Fe^(2+) ions.The reciprocating motion of oxide particles in microslip region resulted in the stress-strain supporting the recrystallization for the formation and development of a tribologically transformed structure in subsurface and plowing effect by fretting in surface.
基金supported by NSFC(Grant No.11374009,61574123 and 21373184)the National Key Basic Research Program of China(2012CB825700)+5 种基金SUTD-SRG-EPD2013062Singapore MOE Academic Research Fund Tier 1(SUTD-T1-2015004)A*STAR SERC 122-PSF-0017 and AcRF R-144-000-310-112support by Singapore National Research Foundation under NRF Award No.NRF-NRFF2013-03Special Program for Applied Research on Super Computation of the NSFC-Guangdong Joint Fund(the second phase)support from SR16000 supercomputing resources of the Center for Computational Materials Science,Tohoku University.
文摘Emergent Dirac fermion states underlie many intriguing properties of graphene,and the search for them constitutes one strong motivation to explore two-dimensional(2D)allotropes of other elements.Phosphorene,the ultrathin layers of black phosphorous,has been a subject of intense investigations recently,and it was found that other group-Va elements could also form 2D layers with similar puckered lattice structure.Here,by a close examination of their electronic band structure evolution,we discover two types of Dirac fermion states emerging in the low-energy spectrum.One pair of(type-I)Dirac points is sitting on high-symmetry lines,while two pairs of(type-II)Dirac points are located at generic k-points,with different anisotropic dispersions determined by the reduced symmetries at their locations.Such fully-unpinned(type-II)2D Dirac points are discovered for the first time.In the absence of spin-orbit coupling(SOC),we find that each Dirac node is protected by the sublattice symmetry from gap opening,which is in turn ensured by any one of three point group symmetries.The SOC generally gaps the Dirac nodes,and for the type-I case,this drives the system into a quantum spin Hall insulator phase.We suggest possible ways to realise the unpinned Dirac points in strained phosphorene.
基金This work was supported by the Science and Technology Development Fund(FDCT)from Macao SAR(0081/2019/AMJ,0102/2019/A2,and 0154/2019/A3)。
文摘Two-dimensional (2D) multiferroics have attracted increasing interests in basic science and technological fields in recent years.However,most reported 2D magnetic ferroelectrics are based on the d-electron magnetism,which makes them rather rare due to the empirical d^(0) rule and limits their applications for low magnetic phase transition temperature.In this work,we demonstrate that the ferroelectricity can coexist with the p-electron-induced ferromagnetism without the limitation of d^(0) rule and metallicity in a family of stable 2D MXene-analogous oxynitrides,X_(2)NO_(2) (X = In,Tl).Remarkably,the itinerant character of p electrons can lead to the strong ferromagnetic metallic states.Furthermore,a possible magnetoelectric effect is manifested in a Tl_(2)NO_(2)/WTe_(2) heterostructure through the interface engineering.Our findings provide an alternative possible route toward 2D multiferroics and enrich the concept of ferroelectric metals.
