The development of active and low-cost transition metal oxide-based catalysts was vital for the catalytic oxidation of toluene. This study aimed to prepare Fe-Mn oxide catalysts by Mn-rich limonite, and investigate the catalytic activity and mechanism for toluene oxidation. The natural Mn-rich limonite was thermally activated at different temperatures and these thermally activated samples exhibited different oxidation activities. YL-300, obtained through thermal treatment at 300°C, exhibited excellent catalytic activity, showing 90% toluene conversion at 239°C (1000 ppm toluene) and remarkable catalytic stability even in the presence of water vapor (5 vol.%). The amount of oxygen vacancies in the catalyst was regulated by tuning the thermal treatment temperatures. Optimal thermal treatment facilitated the increase of oxygen vacancies and enhanced the oxygen mobility and redox capacity of YL-300, contributing to the complete oxidation of toluene to H2O and CO2. The oxidation of toluene was greatly influenced by the adsorbed oxygen species. This study demonstrates the potential of Mn-rich limonite as a promising catalyst for toluene oxidation, thereby promoting the utilization of natural mineral materials in the field of environmental pollution control.

The development and application of Fe-rich palygorskite clay has been restricted significantly by its red colour and low grade. Moreover, the nano-structured properties of palygorskite and the relatively large Fe content of Fe-rich palygorskite clay have received insufficient attention. The present study involved the synthesis of Ni-based catalysts via a coprecipitation method using Fe-rich palygorskite clay as the support. The catalysts were then evaluated for their performance for catalytic steam reforming of toluene (CSRT). The experimental findings revealed that the Fe in Fe-rich palygorskite clay interacted strongly with Ni and formed Fe-Ni alloys. The catalyst with a Ni/Fe mass ratio of 14 (Ni14/FePal) calcined in air at 600°C exhibited superior performance for CSRT under the reaction temperature 700°C and S/C molar ratio of 1.0. According to the kinetics study, Ni14/FePal exhibited the lowest apparent activation energy (33.99 kJ mol−1) among the catalysts, which further confirmed the superior catalytic activity in CSRT. The characterizations of the catalysts used demonstrated that the excellent stability and resistance to coke formation of Ni14/FePal were attributable to the presence of a sufficient amount of highly dispersed Fe-Ni alloys on its surface.

We report on the development of an ultrafast optical parametric amplifier front-end for the Petawatt High Energy Laser for heavy Ion eXperiments (PHELIX) and the Petawatt ENergy-Efficient Laser for Optical Plasma Experiments (PEnELOPE) facilities. This front-end delivers broadband and stable amplification up to 1 mJ per pulse while maintaining a high beam quality. Its implementation at PHELIX allowed one to bypass the front-end amplifier, which is known to be a source of pre-pulses. With the bypass, an amplified spontaneous emission contrast of $4.9\times {10}^{-13}$ and a pre-pulse contrast of $6.2\times {10}^{-11}$ could be realized. Due to its high stability, high beam quality and its versatile pump amplifier, the system offers an alternative for high-gain regenerative amplifiers in the front-end of various laser systems.

To explore whether embryo culture with melatonin (MT) can improve the embryonic development and clinical outcome of patients with repeated cycles after in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) failure, immature oocytes from controlled ovarian superovulation cycles were collected for in vitro maturation (IVM) and ICSI. The obtained embryos were cultured in 0, 10–11, 10–9, 10–7 and 10–5 M MT medium respectively, and 10–9 M was screened out as the optimal concentration. Subsequently, 140 patients who underwent failed IVF/ICSI cycles received 140 cycles of embryo culture in vitro with a medium containing 10–9 M MT, these 140 MT culture cycles were designated as the experimental group (10–9 M group), and the control group was the previous failed cycles of patients (0 M group). The results showed that the fertilization, cleavage, high-quality embryo, blastocyst, and high-quality blastocyst rates of the 10–9 M group were significantly higher than those of the 0 M group (P < 0.01; P < 0.01; P < 0.0001; P < 0.0001; P < 0.0001). To date, in total, 50 vitrified-warmed cycle transfers have been performed in the 10–9 M group and the implantation rate, biochemical pregnancy rate and clinical pregnancy rate were significantly higher than those in the 0 M group (all P < 0.0001). Two healthy infants were delivered successfully and the other 18 women who achieved clinical pregnancy also had good examination indexes. Therefore the application of 10–9 M MT to embryo cultures in vitro improved embryonic development in patients with repeated cycles after failed IVF/ICSI cycles and had good clinical outcomes.

Trial registration: ChiCTR2100045552.

Emerging multi-PW-class lasers and their envisioned laser–plasma interaction applications in unprecedented intensity regimes set a very demanding frame for the precise understanding of the finest properties of these systems. In this work we present a synthesis of simulation studies on a series of less known or even completely disregarded spatiotemporal effects that could potentially impact greatly the performances of high-intensity lasers.

To explore whether different polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) concentrations affect the results of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a prospective study was conducted for 194 couples undergoing 210 ICSI therapy cycles. These cycles were divided into three groups (10, 7 and 5% groups) using the corresponding concentration of PVP for sperm immobilization. The main outcome measures were analyzed. Results indicated that, with a decrease in PVP concentrations, all of the main outcome measures increased. In particular, the high-quality cleavage embryo rate in the 7% group was significantly lower than in the 5% group (P < 0.01), and the cleavage, high-quality cleavage embryo, and high-quality blastocyst rates in the 5% group were significantly higher than those in the 10% group (all P < 0.001). For high-/intermediate-quality semen, all of the main outcome measures were significantly increased with 5% PVP. For the poor-quality semen, only the high-quality cleavage embryo and high-quality blastocyst rates were significantly higher in the 5% group. Therefore, lowering PVP concentrations greatly promoted the development of embryos in ICSI cycles, with an optimal concentration of 5% for ICSI.

We investigate the conditions that determine the detachment of a water drop from different vibrating textured plates by using vertical vibrations. The plate surfaces were patterned by a lattice of pillars of different shapes with different geometrical arrangements. The acceleration threshold for the water droplet to bounce off the surfaces was measured as a function of the excitation frequency. In each case, the acceleration threshold presents a minimum at the natural frequency of the droplet. The minimum acceleration required for the take-off is larger for small droplets than for large droplets. Namely, one finds that the value of the threshold depends on the size of the droplet and on the maximum apparent contact area between the droplet and the substrate. The theoretical model takes into account the energy necessary to break the capillary bridges between the droplet and the pillars of the surface. This model captures the main ingredients explaining the drop size dependence of the acceleration threshold for the take-off.

Ethanolamine (Etn) contained in milk is the base constituent of phosphatidylethanolamine and is required for the proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells and bacteria, which is important for maintenance of the gut microbiome and intestinal development. The present study investigated the effect of Etn on intestinal function and microbiome using 21-d-old Sprague–Dawley rats treated with 0, 250, 500 and 1000 μm Etn in drinking water for 2 weeks immediately after weaning. Growth performance, intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity and mucosal immunity, as well as gut microbiota community composition, were evaluated. Metagenomic prediction and metabolic phenotype analysis based on 16S RNA sequencing were also carried out to assess changes in metabolic functions. We found that weaned rats administered 500 μm Etn enhanced mucosal antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by higher superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase levels in the jejunum (P<0·05) compared with those in the control group. Predominant microbes including Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Elusimicrobia and Tenericutes were altered by different levels of Etn compared with the control group. An Etn concentration of 500 µm shifted colonic microbial metabolic functions that are in favour of lipid- and sugar-related metabolism and biosynthesis. Etn also altered the metabolic phenotypes such as anaerobic microbial counts, and oxidative stress tolerance at over 250 µm. This is the first report for a role of Etn in modifying gut microbiota and intestinal functions. Our findings highlighted the important role of Etn in shaping gut microbial community and promotes intestinal functions, which may provide a better insight of breast-feeding to infant’s gut health.

Boron carbide (B4C) powder was consolidated at 45 MPa by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) for 20 min from 1450 to 2000 °C. The density of the B4C reached 99.6% at 2000 °C. A continuum model was applied to describe the densification mechanism of B4C powder under SPS conditions. The shrinkage rate was sensitive to particle size and temperature. The effect of porosity on thermal diffusion was significant, especially for small particle sizes. It appears that there is Joule heating, discharge, and electromagnetic field involved during the SPS of B4C. The current can enhance the sintering process, and it can obviously reduce the creep activation energy.

This paper critically evaluates methods used to synthesize boride compounds with emphasis on diborides of the early transition metals. The earliest reports of the synthesis of boride ceramics used impure elemental powders to produce multiphase reaction products; phase-pure borides were only synthesized after processes were established to purify elemental boron. Carbothermal reduction of the corresponding transition metal oxides emerged as a viable production route and continues to be the primary method for the synthesis of commercial transition metal diboride powders. Even though reaction-based processes and chemical synthesis methods are mainly used for research studies, they are powerful tools for producing diborides because they provide the ability to tailor purity and particle size. The choice of synthesis method requires balancing factors that include cost, purity, and particle size with the performance needed in expected applications.

The present study was performed to identify the genotype of a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy family and investigate the clinicopathogenic characteristics and prognostic features of relevant genetic abnormalities. Target sequence capture sequencing was performed to screen for pathogenic alleles in a 32-year-old female patient (proband). Sanger sequencing was carried out to verify the results. Sanger sequencing was also performed on other family members to identify allele carriers. A survival analysis was carried out using published literature and our findings. We found that the proband and her son harboured a Gly716Arg sequence variant of the β-myosin heavy chain. Neither the proband’s father nor the mother were carriers of this sequence variant; thus, the mutation was classified as “de novo”. Further survival analysis revealed that female patients appear to have a longer life expectancy compared with males. Our study may provide an effective approach for the genetic diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

We propose a novel framework for large-scale maritime ship group surveillance using spaceborne optical imaging satellite data and Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) satellite data. Considering that the size of a ship is usually less than the distance between different ships for large-scale maritime surveillance, we treat each ship as a mass point and ship groups are modelled as point sets. Motivated by the observation that ship groups performing tactical or strategic operations often have a stable topology and their attributes remain unchanged, we combine both topological features and attributive features within the framework of Dempster-Shafer (D-S) theory for coherent ship group analysis. Our method has been tested using different sets of simulated data and recorded data. Experimental results demonstrate our method is robust and efficient for large-scale maritime surveillance.

Many countries are making increased efforts to improve marine security and safety and develop ship surveillance techniques to satisfy the increasing demands. Space-borne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) delivers high performance day/night all weather capabilities and a space-based Automatic Identification System (AIS) can give near real time and global coverage. Limited by the development of sensors and data processing techniques, the integration of space-borne SAR and AIS has much to offer ship surveillance. State-of-the-art data fusion methods have generally provided satisfactory performance. However, in high-density shipping or high sea-states, performance quality is less assured. This paper firstly investigates improved data association methods. The association methods based on the position feature are improved, and multi-feature-based association methods are proposed. Then, ship identification and tracking by the integration of space-borne SAR and AIS are researched further. Multi-source data fusion strategy is also investigated. Finally, the discussion is presented and the future works are emphasized in the conclusion.

Ship surveillance is important for maritime security and safety. It plays important roles in many applications including ocean environment monitoring, search and rescue, anti-piracy and military reconnaissance. Among various sensors used for maritime surveillance, space-borne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is valued for its high resolution over wide swaths and all-weather working capabilities. However, the state-of-the-art algorithms for ship detection and identification do not always achieve a satisfactory performance. With the rapid development of space-borne Automatic Identification System (AIS), near real-time and global surveillance has become feasible. However, not all ships are equipped with or operate AIS. Space-borne SAR and AIS are considered to be complementary, and ship surveillance using an integrated combination has attracted much attention. In order to summarize the achievements and present references for further research, this paper attempts to explicitly review the developments in previous research as the basis of a brief introduction to space-borne SAR and AIS.

In 2008 January the 24th Chinese expedition team successfully deployed the Chinese Small Telescope ARray (CSTAR) to Dome A, the highest point on the Antarctic plateau. CSTAR consists of four 14.5cm optical telescopes, each with a different filter (g, r, i and open) and has a 4.5°×4.5° field of view (FOV). Based on the CSTAR data, initial statistics of astronomical observational site quality and light curves of variable objects were obtained. To reach higher photometric quality, we are continuing to work to overcome the effects of uneven cirrus cloud cirrus, optical “ghosts” and intra-pixel sensitivity. The snow surface stability is also tested for further astronomical observational instrument and for glaciology studies.

A self-reinforced ultrahigh-temperature ceramic (UHTC) with elongated ZrB2 grains has been successfully densified by pressureless sintering using commercially available ZrB2, SiC, and WC powders as raw materials. Benefiting from the unique interlocking microstructure, this material had improved strength (518 ± 10 MPa) and higher fracture toughness (6.5 ± 0.2 MPa m1/2) compared to ZrB2–SiC ceramics prepared by pressureless sintering. This work provides a new route for tailoring the microstructure and mechanical properties of UHTCs.

High current pulsed electron beam (HCPEB) is a fairly new technique for surface modifications. The present contribution reviews some recent insights on the microstructure modifications encountered at the top surface of HCPEB treated (NiTi and FeAl) intermetallics. In particular, the potential of the technique for structure modifications associated with the use of the pulsed electron beam under “heating” and “melting” conditions is highlighted. The interesting surface modifications include the creation of an homogeneous protective layer under the melting mode while thermal stresses under the heating mode can induce surface hardening and stress enhanced rapid solid state alloying.