1. |
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- 2019
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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2. |
- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(författare)
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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy
- 2012
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Ingår i: Autophagy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1554-8635 .- 1554-8627. ; 8:4, s. 445-544
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.
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3. |
- Dries, Daniel R., et al.
(författare)
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Loss of Nicastrin from Oligodendrocytes Results in Hypomyelination and Schizophrenia with Compulsive Behavior
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 291:22, s. 11647-11656
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The biological underpinnings and the pathological lesions of psychiatric disorders are centuries-old questions that have yet to be understood. Recent studies suggest that schizophrenia and related disorders likely have their origins in perturbed neurodevelopment and can result from a large number of common genetic variants or multiple, individually rare genetic alterations. It is thus conceivable that key neurodevelopmental pathways underline the various genetic changes and the still unknown pathological lesions in schizophrenia. Here, we report that mice defective of the nicastrin subunit of gamma-secretase in oligodendrocytes have hypomyelination in the central nervous system. These mice have altered dopamine signaling and display profound abnormal phenotypes reminiscent of schizophrenia. In addition, we identify an association of the nicastrin gene with a human schizophrenia cohort. These observations implicate gamma-secretase and its mediated neurodevelopmental pathways in schizophrenia and provide support for the "myelination hypothesis" of the disease. Moreover, by showing that schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive symptoms could be modeled in animals wherein a single genetic factor is altered, our work provides a biological basis that schizophrenia with obsessive-compulsive disorder is a distinct subtype of schizophrenia.
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4. |
- Guo, Di, et al.
(författare)
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Cholecystokinin-like peptide mediates satiety by inhibiting sugar attraction
- 2021
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Ingår i: PLOS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 17:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Feeding is essential for animal survival and reproduction and is regulated by both internal states and external stimuli. However, little is known about how internal states influence the perception of external sensory cues that regulate feeding behavior. Here, we investigated the neuronal and molecular mechanisms behind nutritional state-mediated regulation of gustatory perception in control of feeding behavior in the brown planthopper and Drosophila. We found that feeding increases the expression of the cholecystokinin-like peptide, sulfakinin (SK), and the activity of a set of SK-expressing neurons. Starvation elevates the transcription of the sugar receptor Gr64f and SK negatively regulates the expression of Gr64f in both insects. Interestingly, we found that one of the two known SK receptors, CCKLR-17D3, is expressed by some of Gr64f-expressing neurons in the proboscis and proleg tarsi. Thus, we have identified SK as a neuropeptide signal in a neuronal circuitry that responds to food intake, and regulates feeding behavior by diminishing gustatory receptor gene expression and activity of sweet sensing GRNs. Our findings demonstrate one nutritional state-dependent pathway that modulates sweet perception and thereby feeding behavior, but our experiments cannot exclude further parallel pathways. Importantly, we show that the underlying mechanisms are conserved in the two distantly related insect species.
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5. |
- Li, Qiang, et al.
(författare)
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Microbial Necromass, Lignin, and Glycoproteins for Determining and Optimizing Blue Carbon Formation
- 2024
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Technology. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0013-936X .- 1520-5851. ; 58, s. 468-479
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Coastal wetlands contribute to the mitigation of climate change through the sequestration of “blue carbon”. Microbial necromass, lignin, and glycoproteins (i.e., glomalin-related soil proteins (GRSP)), as important components of soil organic carbon (SOC), are sensitive to environmental change. However, their contributions to blue carbon formation and the underlying factors remain largely unresolved. To address this paucity of knowledge, we investigated their contributions to blue carbon formation along a salinity gradient in coastal marshes. Our results revealed decreasing contributions of microbial necromass and lignin to blue carbon as the salinity increased, while GRSP showed an opposite trend. Using random forest models, we showed that their contributions to SOC were dependent on microbial biomass and resource stoichiometry. In N-limited saline soils, contributions of microbial necromass to SOC decreased due to increased N-acquisition enzyme activity. Decreases in lignin contributions were linked to reduced mineral protection offered by short-range-ordered Fe (FeSRO). Partial least-squares path modeling (PLS-PM) further indicated that GRSP could increase microbial necromass and lignin formation by enhancing mineral protection. Our findings have implications for improving the accumulation of refractory and mineral-bound organic matter in coastal wetlands, considering the current scenario of heightened nutrient discharge and sea-level rise.
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6. |
- Brownstein, Catherine A., et al.
(författare)
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An international effort towards developing standards for best practices in analysis, interpretation and reporting of clinical genome sequencing results in the CLARITY Challenge
- 2014
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Ingår i: Genome Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1465-6906 .- 1474-760X. ; 15:3, s. R53-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: There is tremendous potential for genome sequencing to improve clinical diagnosis and care once it becomes routinely accessible, but this will require formalizing research methods into clinical best practices in the areas of sequence data generation, analysis, interpretation and reporting. The CLARITY Challenge was designed to spur convergence in methods for diagnosing genetic disease starting from clinical case history and genome sequencing data. DNA samples were obtained from three families with heritable genetic disorders and genomic sequence data were donated by sequencing platform vendors. The challenge was to analyze and interpret these data with the goals of identifying disease-causing variants and reporting the findings in a clinically useful format. Participating contestant groups were solicited broadly, and an independent panel of judges evaluated their performance. Results: A total of 30 international groups were engaged. The entries reveal a general convergence of practices on most elements of the analysis and interpretation process. However, even given this commonality of approach, only two groups identified the consensus candidate variants in all disease cases, demonstrating a need for consistent fine-tuning of the generally accepted methods. There was greater diversity of the final clinical report content and in the patient consenting process, demonstrating that these areas require additional exploration and standardization. Conclusions: The CLARITY Challenge provides a comprehensive assessment of current practices for using genome sequencing to diagnose and report genetic diseases. There is remarkable convergence in bioinformatic techniques, but medical interpretation and reporting are areas that require further development by many groups.
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7. |
- Cheng, Shi-Ping, et al.
(författare)
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Haplotype-resolved genome assembly and allele-specific gene expression in cultivated ginger
- 2021
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Ingår i: Horticulture Research. - : Springer Nature. - 2052-7276. ; 8:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is one of the most valued spice plants worldwide; it is prized for its culinary and folk medicinal applications and is therefore of high economic and cultural importance. Here, we present a haplotype-resolved, chromosome-scale assembly for diploid ginger anchored to 11 pseudochromosome pairs with a total length of 3.1 Gb. Remarkable structural variation was identified between haplotypes, and two inversions larger than 15 Mb on chromosome 4 may be associated with ginger infertility. We performed a comprehensive, spatiotemporal, genome-wide analysis of allelic expression patterns, revealing that most alleles are coordinately expressed. The alleles that exhibited the largest differences in expression showed closer proximity to transposable elements, greater coding sequence divergence, more relaxed selection pressure, and more transcription factor binding site differences. We also predicted the transcription factors potentially regulating 6-gingerol biosynthesis. Our allele-aware assembly provides a powerful platform for future functional genomics, molecular breeding, and genome editing in ginger.
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8. |
- Yang, Mei Jie, et al.
(författare)
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Expression and activity of critical digestive enzymes during early larval development of the veined rapa whelk, Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846)
- 2020
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Ingår i: Aquaculture. - : Elsevier BV. - 0044-8486. ; 519
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Metamorphosis is a vital developmental event in the life cycle of molluscs and involves extensive morphological and physiological changes. Remodeling of the digestive system is suggested to occur anticipatorily to enable the larva to shift its diet (from filter feeding on microalgae to feeding on small bivalves) after metamorphosis. Changes in the profiles and activities of digestive enzymes, the main executors of digestion, can reflect substantial remodeling of the digestive system. Artificial aquaculture of Rapana venosa, an important commercial shellfish in China, has been hampered because the transition of its food habit during metamorphosis makes determining the timing and dose for bait regulation difficult. In the present study, full-length cDNA sequences encoding cellulase and trypsin were characterized, and cellulase and trypsin mRNA expression levels were analyzed. Additionally, patterns in the activities of six digestive enzymes, including trypsin and cellulase, were investigated throughout the early developmental stage of R. venosa. In the present study, the full-length cDNA of the cellulase gene, comprising 2,086 bp, was found to contain a 1,719-bp open reading frame encoding 572 amino acids, and the full-length cDNA of the trypsin gene was found to be 1,587 bp in length and contained an 855-bp open reading frame encoding 284 amino acids. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that the cellulase levels in R. venosa increased beginning at the early intramembrane veliger stage, whereas cellulase activity was significantly increased in the one-spiral whorl stage. The mRNA expression and activity of trypsin were greatly increased in the juvenile stage (postlarva), whereas those of cellulase were decreased during this stage, which indicated functional changes in the digestive system during larval food habit transition. Our results showed that remodeling of the digestive system occurs prior to metamorphosis and suggest that animal bait should be provided as early as possible to R. venosa in the four-spiral whorl stage to meet its nutritional requirements for the development of its digestive system and to ensure successful metamorphosis of competent larvae.
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9. |
- Yu, Qian, et al.
(författare)
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Antibacterial Prenylated Acylphloroglucinols from Psorothamnus fremontii
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of natural products (Print). - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0163-3864 .- 1520-6025. ; 78:11, s. 2748-2753
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Psorothatins A-C (1-3), three antibacterial prenylated acylphloroglucinol derivatives, were isolated from the native American plant Psorothamnus fremontii. They feature an unusual alpha,beta-epoxyketone functionality and a beta-hydroxy-alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone structural moiety. The latter forms a pseudo-six-membered heterocyclic ring due to strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding, as indicated by the long-range proton-carbon correlations in the NMR experiments. Psorothatin C (3) was the most active compound against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, with IC50 values in the range 1.4-8.8 mu g/mL. The first total synthesis of 3 described herein permits future access to structural analogues with potentially improved antibacterial activities.
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10. |
- Aftab, Umair, et al.
(författare)
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Nickel-cobalt bimetallic sulfide NiCo(2)S(4)nanostructures for a robust hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic media
- 2020
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Ingår i: RSC Advances. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2046-2069. ; 10:37, s. 22196-22203
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There are many challenges associated with the fabrication of efficient, inexpensive, durable and very stable nonprecious metal catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this study, we have designed a facile strategy by tailoring the concentration of precursors to successfully obtain nickel-cobalt bimetallic sulfide (NiCo2S4) using a simple hydrothermal method. The morphology of the newly prepared NiCo(2)S(4)comprised a mixture of microparticles and nanorods, which were few microns in dimension. The crystallinity of the composite sample was found to be excellent with a cubic phase. The sample that contained a higher amount of cobalt compared to nickel and produced single-phase NiCo(2)S(4)exhibited considerably improved HER performance. The variation in the salt precursor concentration during the synthesis of a material is a simple methodology to produce a scalable platinum-free catalyst for HER. The advantageous features of the multiple active sites of cobalt in the CN-21 sample as compared to that for pristine CoS and NiS laid the foundation for the provision of abundant active edges for HER. The composite sample produced a current density of 10 mA cm(-2)at an overpotential of 345 mV. Also, it exhibited a Tafel value of 60 mV dec(-1), which predominantly ensured rapid charge transfer kinetics during HER. CN-21 was highly durable and stable for 30 hours. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that the charge transfer resistance was 21.88 ohms, which further validated the HER polarization curves and Tafel results. CN-21 exhibited a double layer capacitance of 4.69 mu F cm(-2)and a significant electrochemically active surface area of 134.0 cm(2), which again supported the robust efficiency for HER. The obtained results reveal that our developed NiCo(2)S(4)catalyst has a high density of active edges, and it is a non-noble metal catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction. The present findings provide an alternative strategy and an active nonprecious material for the development of energy-related applications.
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11. |
- Aftab, Umair, et al.
(författare)
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The chemically reduced CuO-Co3O4 composite as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline media
- 2019
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Ingår i: Catalysis Science & Technology. - : ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY. - 2044-4753 .- 2044-4761. ; 9:22, s. 6274-6284
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The fabrication of efficient, alkaline-stable and nonprecious electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction is highly needed; however, it is a challenging task. Herein, we report a noble metal-free advanced catalyst, i.e. the chemically reduced mixed transition metal oxide CuO-Co3O4 composite, with outstanding oxygen evolution reaction activity in alkaline media. Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) was used as a reducing agent for the mixed transition metal oxide CuO-Co3O4. The chemically reduced composite carried mixed valence states of Cu and Co, which played a dynamic role in driving an excellent oxygen evolution reaction process. The X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) study confirmed high density of active sites in the treated sample with a large number of oxygen vacancies. The developed electrocatalyst showed the lowest overpotential of 144.5 mV vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) to achieve the current density of 40 mA cm(-2) and remained stable for 40 hours throughout the chronoamperometry test at the constant potential of 1.39 V vs. RHE. Moreover, the chemically reduced composite was highly durable. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) confirmed the low charge transfer resistance of 13.53 ohms for the chemically reduced composite, which was 50 and 26 times smaller than that of Co3O4 and untreated CuO-Co3O4, respectively. The electrochemically active surface area for the chemically reduced composite was found to be greater than that for pristine CuO, Co3O4 and untreated pristine CuO-Co3O4. These findings reveal the possibility of a new gateway for the capitalization of a chemically reduced sample into diverse energy storage and conversion systems such as lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors.
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12. |
- Bhat, Goutam, et al.
(författare)
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NTIRE 2022 Burst Super-Resolution Challenge
- 2022
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Ingår i: 2022 IEEE/CVF CONFERENCE ON COMPUTER VISION AND PATTERN RECOGNITION WORKSHOPS (CVPRW 2022). - : IEEE. - 9781665487399 - 9781665487405 ; , s. 1040-1060
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Burst super-resolution has received increased attention in recent years due to its applications in mobile photography. By merging information from multiple shifted images of a scene, burst super-resolution aims to recover details which otherwise cannot be obtained using a simple input image. This paper reviews the NTIRE 2022 challenge on burst super-resolution. In the challenge, the participants were tasked with generating a clean RGB image with 4x higher resolution, given a RAW noisy burst as input. That is, the methods need to perform joint denoising, demosaicking, and super-resolution. The challenge consisted of 2 tracks. Track 1 employed synthetic data, where pixel-accurate high-resolution ground truths are available. Track 2 on the other hand used real-world bursts captured from a handheld camera, along with approximately aligned reference images captured using a DSLR. 14 teams participated in the final testing phase. The top performing methods establish a new state-of-the-art on the burst super-resolution task.
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13. |
- Cao, H. W., et al.
(författare)
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Magnetic properties in (Mn,Fe)-codoped ZnO nanowire
- 2013
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Ingår i: Thin Solid Films. - : Elsevier BV. - 0040-6090. ; 548, s. 480-484
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Using the first-principles density functional theory, we have studied the electronic structures and magnetic properties of Mn/Fe codoped ZnO nanowires systematically. The calculated results of formation energy indicate that the configuration of the lowest energy where Mn and Fe atoms form nearest neighbors on the outer cylindrical surface layer along the [0001] direction, will be determined. The magnetic coupling of 8 types of Mn/Fe codoped ZnO nanowires was investigated and ferromagnetic state was found in certain configurations. The mechanism is from the fierce hybridization between 3d of Mn and Fe with O 2p near the Fermi level. The relative energy difference for configuration VIII is 0.221 eV, which indicates that room temperature ferromagnetism could be obtained in such a system and Mn/Fe codoped ZnO nanowires are a promising nanoscale spintronic material. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.
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14. |
- Chen, Fei'er, et al.
(författare)
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The effects of PM2.5 on asthmatic and allergic diseases or symptoms in preschool children of six Chinese cities, based on China, Children, Homes and Health (CCHH) project
- 2018
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Ingår i: Environmental Pollution. - : Elsevier BV. - 0269-7491 .- 1873-6424. ; 232, s. 329-337
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The urbanization and industrialization in China is accompanied by bad air quality, and the prevalence of asthma in Chinese children has been increasing in recent years. To investigate the associations between ambient PM2.5 levels and asthmatic and allergic diseases or symptoms in preschool children in China, we assigned PM2.5 exposure data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project to 205 kindergartens at a spatial resolution of 0.1° × 0.1° in six cities in China (Shanghai, Nanjing, Chongqing, Changsha, Urumqi, and Taiyuan). A hierarchical multiple logistical regression model was applied to analyze the associations between kindergarten-level PM2.5 exposure and individual-level outcomes of asthmatic and allergic symptoms. The individual-level variables, including gender, age, family history of asthma and allergic diseases, breastfeeding, parental smoking, indoor dampness, interior decoration pollution, household annual income, and city-level variable-annual temperature were adjusted. A total of 30,759 children (average age 4.6 years, 51.7% boys) were enrolled in this study. Apart from family history, indoor dampness, and decoration as predominant risk factors, we found that an increase of 10 μg/m3 of the annual PM2.5 was positively associated with the prevalence of allergic rhinitis by an odds ratio (OR) of 1.20 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11, 1.29) and diagnosed asthma by OR of 1.10 (95% CI 1.03, 1.18). Those who lived in non-urban (vs. urban) areas were exposed to more severe indoor air pollution arising from biomass combustion and had significantly higher ORs between PM2.5 and allergic rhinitis and current rhinitis. Our study suggested that long-term exposure to PM2.5 might increase the risks of asthmatic and allergic diseases or symptoms in preschool children in China. Compared to those living in urban areas, children living in suburban or rural areas had a higher risk of PM2.5 exposure.
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15. |
- Chen, H., et al.
(författare)
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Unprecedented non-hysteretic superelasticity of [001]-oriented NiCoFeGa single crystals
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nature Materials. - : Nature Research. - 1476-1122 .- 1476-4660.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Superelasticity associated with the martensitic transformation has found a broad range of engineering applications1,2. However, the intrinsic hysteresis3 and temperature sensitivity4 of the first-order phase transformation significantly hinder the usage of smart metallic components in many critical areas. Here, we report a large superelasticity up to 15.2% strain in [001]-oriented NiCoFeGa single crystals, exhibiting non-hysteretic mechanical responses, a small temperature dependence and high-energy-storage capability and cyclic stability over a wide temperature and composition range. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements show that the superelasticity is correlated with a stress-induced continuous variation of lattice parameter accompanied by structural fluctuation. Neutron diffraction and electron microscopy observations reveal an unprecedented microstructure consisting of atomic-level entanglement of ordered and disordered crystal structures, which can be manipulated to tune the superelasticity. The discovery of the large elasticity related to the entangled structure paves the way for exploiting elastic strain engineering and development of related functional materials.
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16. |
- Cong, Jiayan, et al.
(författare)
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Nitro group as a new anchoring group for organic dyes in dye-sensitized solar cells
- 2012
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Ingår i: Chemical Communications. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1359-7345 .- 1364-548X. ; 48:53, s. 6663-6665
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An organic dye JY1 bearing a nitro group was designed, synthesized and applied in DSCs. An unusual colour change was observed when the voltage applied to the device was reversed which was accompanied by a five-fold increase in the cell efficiency. We propose that applying a bias enabled the attachment of nitro groups to the TiO2 surface.
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17. |
- Fan, Qunping, et al.
(författare)
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10.13% Efficiency All-Polymer Solar Cells Enabled by Improving the Optical Absorption of Polymer Acceptors
- 2020
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Ingår i: Solar RRL. - : Wiley. - 2367-198X. ; 4:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The limited light absorption capacity for most polymer acceptors hinders the improvement of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs). Herein, by simultaneously increasing the conjugation of the acceptor unit and enhancing the electron-donating ability of the donor unit, a novel narrow-bandgap polymer acceptor PF3-DTCO based on an A–D–A-structured acceptor unit ITIC16 and a carbon–oxygen (C–O)-bridged donor unit DTCO is developed. The extended conjugation of the acceptor units from IDIC16 to ITIC16 results in a red-shifted absorption spectrum and improved absorption coefficient without significant reduction of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy level. Moreover, in addition to further broadening the absorption spectrum by the enhanced intramolecular charge transfer effect, the introduction of C–O bridges into the donor unit improves the absorption coefficient and electron mobility, as well as optimizes the morphology and molecular order of active layers. As a result, the PF3-DTCO achieves a higher PCE of 10.13% with a higher short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 15.75 mA cm−2 in all-PSCs compared with its original polymer acceptor PF2-DTC (PCE = 8.95% and Jsc = 13.82 mA cm−2). Herein, a promising method is provided to construct high-performance polymer acceptors with excellent optical absorption for efficient all-PSCs.
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18. |
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19. |
- Guerrero, José-Luis, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
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Exploring the hydrological robustness of model-parameter values with alpha shapes
- 2013
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Ingår i: Water resources research. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 0043-1397 .- 1944-7973. ; 49:10, s. 6700-6715
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Estimation of parameter values in hydrological models has gradually moved from subjective, trial-and-error methods into objective estimation methods. Translation of nature's complexity to bit operations is an uncertain process as a result of data errors, epistemic gaps, computational deficiencies, and other limitations, and relies on calibration to fit model output to observed data. The robustness of the calibrated parameter values to these types of uncertainties is therefore an important concern. In this study, we investigated how the hydrological robustness of the model-parameter values varied within the geometric structure of the behavioral (well-performing) parameter space with a depth function based on α shapes and an in-depth posterior performance analysis of the simulations in relation to the observed discharge uncertainty. The α shape depth is a nonconvex measure that may provide an accurate and tight delimitation of the geometric structure of the behavioral space for both unimodal and multimodal parameter-value distributions. WASMOD, a parsimonious rainfall-runoff model, was applied to six Honduran and one UK catchment, with differing data quality and hydrological characteristics. Model evaluation was done with two performance measures, the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency and one based on flow-duration curves. Deep parameter vectors were in general found to be more hydrologically robust than shallow ones in the analyses we performed; model-performance values increased with depth, deviations to the observed data for the high-flow aspects of the hydrograph generally decreased with increasing depth, deep parameter vectors generally transferred in time with maintained high performance values, and the model had a low sensitivity to small changes in the parameter values. The tight delimitation of the behavioral space provided by the α shapes depth function showed a potential to improve the efficiency of calibration techniques that require further exploration. For computational reasons only a three-parameter model could be used, which limited the applicability of this depth measure and the conclusions drawn in this paper, especially concerning hydrological robustness at low flows.
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20. |
- Gulzar, Ali, et al.
(författare)
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Functional CuO Microstructures for Glucose Sensing
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Electronic Materials. - : Springer. - 0361-5235 .- 1543-186X. ; 47:2, s. 1519-1525
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- CuO microstructures are produced in the presence of water-soluble amino acids by hydrothermal method. The used amino acids include isoleucine, alpha alanine, and arginine as a soft template and are used for tuning the morphology of CuO nanostructures. The crystalline and morphological investigations were carried out by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The XRD study has shown that CuO material obtained in the presence of different amino acids is of high purity and all have the same crystal phase. The CuO microstructures prepared in the presence of arginine were used for the development of sensitive and selective glucose biosensor. The linear range for the glucose detection are from 0.001 mM to 30 mM and limit of detection was found to be 0.0005 mM. The sensitivity was estimated around 77 mV/decade. The developed biosensor is highly selective, sensitive, stable and reproducible. The glucose biosensor was used for the determination of real human blood samples and the obtained results are satisfactory. The CuO material is functional therefore can be capitalized in wide range of applications such as lithium ion batteries, all oxide solar cells and supercapacitors.
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21. |
- Hao, Qian, et al.
(författare)
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Organic blue carbon sequestration in vegetated coastal wetlands : Processes and influencing factors
- 2024
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Ingår i: Earth-Science Reviews. - : Elsevier. - 0012-8252 .- 1872-6828. ; 255
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Coastal wetlands play a vital role in carbon (C) sequestration, named 'blue carbon'. The review aims to disentangle the processes and influencing factors, including elevated atmospheric CO2, global climate warming, sea level rise and anthropogenic activities. Firstly, we provided an overview of C processes, including input, output, and deposition, in coastal wetlands. We then summarized the impacts of different factors on C processes by modifying soil physicochemical properties, plant growth, vegetation type, and microbial community composition. Vegetation composition was a major contributor to C inputs, and C outputs was mainly controlled by microbial decomposition. Increased atmospheric CO2 concentration and associated climate warming often enhanced vegetation growth, while climate warming also promoted soil C decomposition. As a result, C storage could increase under mild warming conditions in the short-term, but decrease in the long-term as the severity of warming intensifies. Elevated salinity, caused by sea level rise, can be harmful to plant growth and inhibit organic C decomposition because of the reduced biomass and the weakened metabolic capacity of microorganisms. Most of human activities, such as reclamation, can lead to less C input and more C output, resulting in decreased C storage in coastal wetlands. Additionally, we also illustrate various coastal wetland restoration methods aimed at enhancing C sequestration, including legal frameworks, scientific theories, vegetation management, hydrological restoration, and other relevant constructions. Vegetation management could benefit plant growth and enhance C input effectively, and hydrological restoration can maintain the harmonious development of coastal wetland ecosystems. Other constructions, including breakwater, spillway, and dredged material, could protect coastal wetlands, especially facing sea level rise. This review offers valuable theoretical support and scientific references for the sustainable development and management of coastal wetlands in a changing climate.
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22. |
- Hu, Hai-Xi, et al.
(författare)
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Structural insights into HetR-PatS interaction involved in cyanobacterial pattern formation
- 2015
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The one-dimensional pattern of heterocyst in the model cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 is coordinated by the transcription factor HetR and PatS peptide. Here we report the complex structures of HetR binding to DNA, and its hood domain (HetR(Hood)) binding to a PatS-derived hexapeptide (PatS6) at 2.80 and 2.10 angstrom, respectively. The intertwined HetR dimer possesses a couple of novel HTH motifs, each of which consists of two canonical alpha-helices in the DNA-binding domain and an auxiliary alpha-helix from the flap domain of the neighboring subunit. Two PatS6 peptides bind to the lateral clefts of HetR(Hood), and trigger significant conformational changes of the flap domain, resulting in dissociation of the auxiliary alpha-helix and eventually release of HetR from the DNA major grove. These findings provide the structural insights into a prokaryotic example of Turing model.
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23. |
- Hu, Tianyu, et al.
(författare)
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Composite side chain induced ordered preaggregation in liquid state for high-performance non-halogen solvent processed organic solar cells
- 2024
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Ingår i: Nano Energy. - 2211-2855. ; 130
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Eco-friendly organic solar cells (OSCs) have become a promising choice for commercialization, particularly emphasizing the importance of using non-halogenated solvents. However, non-halogenated OSCs with high-performance remain limited due to the uncontrollable preaggregation behaviors of photovoltaic materials in these solvents. Here, composite side chain engineering was shown to enhance photovoltaic performance of non-halogenated solvents processed OSCs by developing two small molecular acceptors, C10ch-F and C10ch-Cl, and to study the preaggregation behavior in toluene. Through a combination of in situ absorption analyses and molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrated that the cyclohexyl moiety at the tail of the linear chain acted as a fixative, effectively mitigating the entanglement of the amorphous long chains and prolonging the kinetics of film formation process, resulting in reinforced molecular packing with a preferential face-on orientation. With effective charge generation, transport, and collection, C10ch-Cl-based device from Tol showed an impressive PCE of 18.4 % and 19.2 % in the binary and ternary systems. Moreover, the PCE remained at 80 % of its initial value after 790 h of continuous illumination, indicating excellent photostability. The uncovered preaggregation and realized excellent performance obtained through the composite side chain strategy may allow for further synthetic advances, potentially leading to significantly improved eco-friendly OSCs.
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24. |
- Hussain Ibupoto, Zafar, et al.
(författare)
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The Synthesis of Functional Cobalt Oxide Nanostructures, and their Sensitive Glucose Sensing Application
- 2017
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Ingår i: Electroanalysis. - : WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH. - 1040-0397 .- 1521-4109. ; 29:1, s. 213-222
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study, a novel approach is adapted for the synthesis of new nanostructures of cobalt oxide (Co3O4) by low temperature aqueous chemical growth method in the presence of water soluble amino acids such as L-arginine, L-aspartic acid, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, Lserine and L-threonine. The synthesized nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The nanostructures exhibit well defined morphology and are of high purity. To explore the potential application of the prepared nanostructures of cobalt oxide, the non-enzymatic glucose sensor is developed by modifying the glassy carbon electrode. Serine assisted cobalt oxide nanostructures showed excellent sensitivity of 4169.00 mu A/mMcm(2), wide linear range of 0.01 mM to 20 mM and detection limit was estimated as 0.001 mM (S/N= 3). The analytical parameters for the serine assisted cobalt oxide nanostructures based glucose sensor were evaluated and it was found that the sensor is highly selective, reproducible, repeatable, reversible, and stable. Finally, the practical application of the serine assisted cobalt oxide nanostructures based glucose sensor was examined by measuring the glucose concentrations from real human blood samples.
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25. |
- Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain, et al.
(författare)
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Synthesis of Heart/Dumbbell-Like CuO Functional Nanostructures for the Development of Uric Acid Biosensor
- 2018
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Ingår i: Materials. - : MDPI. - 1996-1944. ; 11:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It is always demanded to prepare a nanostructured material with prominent functional properties for the development of a new generation of devices. This study is focused on the synthesis of heart/dumbbell-like CuO nanostructures using a low-temperature aqueous chemical growth method with vitamin B-12 as a soft template and growth directing agent. CuO nanostructures are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. CuO nanostructures are heart/dumbbell like in shape, exhibit high crystalline quality as demonstrated by XRD, and have no impurity as confirmed by XPS. Apparently, CuO material seems to be porous in structure, which can easily carry large amount of enzyme molecules, thus enhanced performance is shown for the determination of uric acid. The working linear range of the biosensor is 0.001 mM to 10 mM with a detection limit of 0.0005 mM and a sensitivity of 61.88 mV/decade. The presented uric acid biosensor is highly stable, repeatable, and reproducible. The analytical practicality of the proposed uric acid biosensor is also monitored. The fabrication methodology is inexpensive, simple, and scalable, which ensures the capitalization of the developed uric acid biosensor for commercialization. Also, CuO material can be used for various applications such as solar cells, lithium ion batteries, and supercapacitors.
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26. |
- Jiang, Cong, et al.
(författare)
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F-doped LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2-? : cathodes with enhanced ORR catalytic activity for LT-SOFCs
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Alloys and Compounds. - : Elsevier BV. - 0925-8388 .- 1873-4669. ; 940
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Developing highly effective catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial to enable the low-temperature operation of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Recent studies have proposed a promising O2-/H+/e- conducting oxide, LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2-delta (LNCA) with good ORR catalytic activity for SOFC cathode uses. Herein, to further optimize the cathode functionality of LNCA, a fluorine anion (F-) doping strategy is ap-plied to develop highly active LNCAF0.1 and LNCAF0.2 cathodes for Sm-doped ceria (SDC) electrolyte-based SOFCs. It is found the successful doping of F- in the oxygen site of LNCA leads to improved oxygen ionic conductivity and facilitated surface exchange and bulk diffusion of oxygen in LNCAF0.1 and LNCAF0.2, which thus gain distinctly promoted ORR catalytic activity at 450-550 degrees C, as confirmed by the decreased area specific resistances (ASR) and activation energy on symmetrical cells. The as-fabricated two SDC-based SOFCs with LNCAF0.1 and LNCAF0.2 cathodes exhibit peak power densities of 497 and 591 mW cm-2 at 550 degrees C, respectively, which are higher than that of the cell with LNCA cathode. Furthermore, the single cell with the best-performing LNCAF0.2 cathode demonstrates a good stability for 110 h at 550 degrees C. The present study thus provides a feasible strategy of F anion doping to promote the ORR catalytic activity of LNCA cathode for developing low-temperature SOFCs.
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27. |
- Juffermans, Joe F., et al.
(författare)
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Multicenter Consistency Assessment of Valvular Flow Quantification With Automated Valve Tracking in 4D Flow CMR
- 2021
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Ingår i: JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging. - : Elsevier BV. - 1936-878X. ; 14:7, s. 1354-1366
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: This study determined: 1) the interobserver agreement; 2) valvular flow variation; and 3) which variables independently predicted the variation of valvular flow quantification from 4-dimensional (4D) flow cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) with automated retrospective valve tracking at multiple sites. Background: Automated retrospective valve tracking in 4D flow CMR allows consistent assessment of valvular flow through all intracardiac valves. However, due to the variance of CMR scanners and protocols, it remains uncertain if the published consistency holds for other clinical centers. Methods: Seven sites each retrospectively or prospectively selected 20 subjects who underwent whole heart 4D flow CMR (64 patients and 76 healthy volunteers; aged 32 years [range 24 to 48 years], 47% men, from 2014 to 2020), which was acquired with locally used CMR scanners (scanners from 3 vendors; 2 1.5-T and 5 3-T scanners) and protocols. Automated retrospective valve tracking was locally performed at each site to quantify the valvular flow and repeated by 1 central site. Interobserver agreement was evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Net forward volume (NFV) consistency among the valves was evaluated by calculating the intervalvular variation. Multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the predicting effect of local CMR scanners and protocols on the intervalvular inconsistency. Results: The interobserver analysis demonstrated strong-to-excellent agreement for NFV (ICC: 0.85 to 0.96) and moderate-to-excellent agreement for regurgitation fraction (ICC: 0.53 to 0.97) for all sites and valves. In addition, all observers established a low intervalvular variation (≤10.5%) in their analysis. The availability of 2 cine images per valve for valve tracking compared with 1 cine image predicted a decreasing variation in NFV among the 4 valves (beta = −1.3; p = 0.01). Conclusions: Independently of locally used CMR scanners and protocols, valvular flow quantification can be performed consistently with automated retrospective valve tracking in 4D flow CMR.
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28. |
- Leng, Xue-Li, et al.
(författare)
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Spiral Coil Inserts for Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Parallel-plate Channel
- 2014
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Ingår i: Numerical Heat Transfer Part A: Applications. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1040-7782 .- 1521-0634. ; 66:7, s. 756-772
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The flow fields and heat transfer characteristics in a parallel-plate channel with a transversely placed spiral coil insert were investigated by three-dimensional numerical simulation. The structure of multi-longitudinal-vortices (MLVs) induced by the spiral coil and the effects of MLVs on velocity and temperature fields were studied. The three-dimensional spiral coil induces a series of longitudinal vortices in the channel including leading longitudinal vortex, mainstream longitudinal vortices, near-wall longitudinal vortices, and rear central longitudinal vortex. Transport by the longitudinal vortices can increase the mass exchange between the boundary layer and the mainstream, which speeds up the heat migration from the channel walls and enhances the heat diffusion in the mainstream.
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29. |
- Li, Jian, et al.
(författare)
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A 3D extra-large-pore zeolite enabled by 1D-to-3D topotactic condensation of a chain silicate
- 2023
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 379:6629, s. 283-287
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Zeolites are microporous silicates with a large variety of applications as catalysts, adsorbents, and cation exchangers. Stable silica-based zeolites with increased porosity are in demand to allow adsorption and processing of large molecules but challenge our synthetic ability. We report a new, highly stable pure silica zeolite called ZEO-3, which has a multidimensional, interconnected system of extra-large pores open through windows made by 16 and 14 silicate tetrahedra, the least dense polymorph of silica known so far. This zeolite was formed by an unprecedented one-dimensional to three-dimensional (1D-to-3D) topotactic condensation of a chain silicate. With a specific surface area of more than 1000 square meters per gram, ZEO-3 showed a high performance for volatile organic compound abatement and recovery compared with other zeolites and metal-organic frameworks.
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30. |
- Li, J., et al.
(författare)
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Efficient dye-sensitized solar cells with [copper(6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine)2]2+/1+ redox shuttle
- 2017
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Ingår i: RSC Advances. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2046-2069. ; 7:8, s. 4611-4615
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The [copper(6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine)2]2+/1+ ([Cu(dmbp)2]2+/1+) redox couple, which possesses a distorted tetragonal geometry of a Cu(i) complex crystal and a distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry of Cu(ii) complex crystal, has been developed as a redox mediator in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The energy of loss for dye regeneration was reduced with a very low but sufficient driving force of only 0.11 eV. A distinct increase in open-circuit voltage (VOC) was achieved and a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 10.3% was afforded at 100 mW cm−2 under AM 1.5G condition.
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31. |
- Liu, Cong, et al.
(författare)
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Ambient Particulate Air Pollution and Daily Mortality in 652 Cities
- 2019
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Ingår i: New England Journal of Medicine. - Waltham : Massachusetts Medical Society. - 0028-4793 .- 1533-4406. ; 381:8, s. 705-715
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The systematic evaluation of the results of time-series studies of air pollution is challenged by differences in model specification and publication bias.METHODS: We evaluated the associations of inhalable particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10) and fine PM with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) with daily all-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality across multiple countries or regions. Daily data on mortality and air pollution were collected from 652 cities in 24 countries or regions. We used overdispersed generalized additive models with random-effects meta-analysis to investigate the associations. Two-pollutant models were fitted to test the robustness of the associations. Concentration-response curves from each city were pooled to allow global estimates to be derived.RESULTS: On average, an increase of 10 μg per cubic meter in the 2-day moving average of PM10 concentration, which represents the average over the current and previous day, was associated with increases of 0.44% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39 to 0.50) in daily all-cause mortality, 0.36% (95% CI, 0.30 to 0.43) in daily cardiovascular mortality, and 0.47% (95% CI, 0.35 to 0.58) in daily respiratory mortality. The corresponding increases in daily mortality for the same change in PM2.5 concentration were 0.68% (95% CI, 0.59 to 0.77), 0.55% (95% CI, 0.45 to 0.66), and 0.74% (95% CI, 0.53 to 0.95). These associations remained significant after adjustment for gaseous pollutants. Associations were stronger in locations with lower annual mean PM concentrations and higher annual mean temperatures. The pooled concentration-response curves showed a consistent increase in daily mortality with increasing PM concentration, with steeper slopes at lower PM concentrations.CONCLUSIONS: Our data show independent associations between short-term exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 and daily all-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality in more than 600 cities across the globe. These data reinforce the evidence of a link between mortality and PM concentration established in regional and local studies. (Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and others.).
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32. |
- Liu, Cong, et al.
(författare)
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Preparation, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of protein YtlP from Bacillus subtilis
- 2006
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Ingår i: Acta Crystallographica. Section F: Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications. - 2053-230X. ; 62:10, s. 967-969
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Bacillus subtilis YtlP is a protein that is predicted to belong to the bacterial and archael 2'-5' RNA-ligase family. It contains 183 residues and two copies of the HXTX sequence motif conserved among proteins belonging to this family. In order to determine the structure of YtlP and to compare it with the paralogue YjcG and identified 2'-5' RNA ligases, the gene ytlP was amplified from B. subtilis genomic DNA and cloned into expression vector pET-21a. The soluble protein was produced in Escherichia coli, purified to homogeneity and crystals suitable for X-ray analysis were obtained. The crystal diffracted to 2.0 angstrom and belonged to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 34.16, b = 48.54, c = 105.75 angstrom.
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33. |
- Liu, Rui, et al.
(författare)
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Associations of sleep timing and time in bed with dementia and cognitive decline among Chinese older adults : A cohort study
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of The American Geriatrics Society. - : Wiley. - 0002-8614 .- 1532-5415. ; 70:11, s. 3138-3151
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The longitudinal associations of sleep timing and time in bed (TIB) with dementia and cognitive decline in older adults are unclear.Methods: This population-based cohort study used data from 1982 participants who were aged >= 60 years, free of dementia, and living in rural communities in western Shandong, China. At the baseline (2014) and follow-up (2018) examinations, sleep parameters were assessed using standard questionnaires. Cognitive function was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Dementia was diagnosed following the DSM-IV criteria, and the NIA-AA criteria for Alzheimer disease (AD). Data were analyzed using restricted cubic splines, Cox proportional-hazards models, and general linear models.Results: During the mean follow-up of 3.7 years, dementia was diagnosed in 97 participants (68 with AD). Restricted cubic spline curves showed J-shaped associations of sleep duration, TIB, and rise time with dementia risk, and a reverse J-shaped association with mid-sleep time. When sleep parameters were categorized into tertiles, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of incident dementia was 1.69 (95%CI 1.01-2.83) for baseline sleep duration >8 hours (vs. 7-8 h), 2.17 (1.22-3.87) for bedtime before 9 p.m. (vs. 10 p.m. or later), and 2.00 (1.23-3.24) for mid-sleep time before 1 a.m. (vs. 1-1.5 a.m.). Early bedtime and mid-sleep time were significantly associated with incident AD (HR range: 2.25-2.51; p < 0.05). Among individuals who were free of dementia at follow-up, baseline long TIB, early bedtime and mid-sleep time, early and late rise time, and prolonged TIB and advanced bedtime and mid-sleep time from baseline to follow-up were associated with a greater decline in MMSE score (p < 0.05). These associations with cognitive decline were statistically evident mainly among men or participants who were aged 60-74 years.Conclusions: Long TIB and early sleep timing are associated with an increased risk of dementia, and the associations with greater cognitive decline are evident only among older people aged 60-74 years and men.
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34. |
- Liu, Rui, et al.
(författare)
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Self-reported sleep characteristics associated with dementia among rural-dwelling Chinese older adults : a population-based study
- 2022
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Ingår i: BMC Neurology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2377. ; 22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Sleep characteristics associated with dementia are poorly defined and whether their associations vary by demographics and APOE genotype among older adults are unclear.Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study included 4742 participants (age ≥ 65 years, 57.1% women) living in rural China. Sleep parameters were measured using the self-rated questionnaires of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Global cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Dementia was diagnosed following the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria, and the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer’s Association criteria for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Data were analysed using multiple logistic and general linear regression models.Results: Dementia was diagnosed in 173 participants (115 with AD). Multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of dementia was 1.71 (95%CI, 1.07-2.72) for sleep duration ≤4 h/night (vs. > 6-8 h/night), 0.76 (0.49-1.18) for > 4-6 h/night, 1.63 (1.05-2.55) for > 8 h/night, 1.11 (1.03-1.20) for lower sleep efficiency (per 10% decrease), and 1.85 (1.19-2.89) for excessive daytime sleepiness. Very short sleep duration (≤4 h/night), lower sleep efficiency, and excessive daytime sleepiness were significantly associated with being diagnosed with AD (multivariable-adjusted OR range = 1.12-2.07; p < 0.05). The associations of sleep problems with dementia and AD were evident mainly among young-old adults (65-74 years) or APOE ε4 carriers. Among dementia-free participants, these sleep characteristics were significantly associated with a lower MMSE score.Conclusions: Self-reported sleep problems in dementia are characterized by very short or long sleep duration, low sleep efficiency, and excessive daytime sleepiness, especially among young-old people and APOE ε4 carriers.
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35. |
- Meng, L, et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide associations between alcohol consumption and blood DNA methylation: evidence from twin study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Epigenomics. - : Future Medicine Ltd. - 1750-192X .- 1750-1911. ; 13:12, s. 939-951
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: Alcohol intake alters DNA methylation profiles and methylation might mediate the association between alcohol and disease, but limited number of positive CpG sites repeatedly replicated. Materials & methods: In total, 57 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs discordant for alcohol drinking from the Chinese National Twin Registry and 158 MZ and dizygotic twin pairs in the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging were evaluated. DNA methylation was detected using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. Results: Among candidate CpG sites, cg07326074 was significantly correlated with drinking after adjusting for covariates in MZ twins in both datasets but not in the entire sample or dizygotic twins. Conclusion: The hypermethylation of cg07326074, located in the tumor-promoting gene C16orf59, was associated with alcohol consumption.
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36. |
- Mi, Zhi Fu, et al.
(författare)
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Risk assessment of oil price from static and dynamic modelling approaches
- 2017
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Ingår i: Applied Economics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0003-6846 .- 1466-4283. ; 49:9, s. 929-939
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The price gap between West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent crude oil markets has been completely changed in the past several years. The price of WTI was always a little larger than that of Brent for a long time. However, the price of WTI has been surpassed by that of Brent since 2011. The new market circumstances and volatility of oil price require a comprehensive re-estimation of risk. Therefore, this study aims to explore an integrated approach to assess the price risk in the two crude oil markets through the value at risk (VaR) model. The VaR is estimated by the extreme value theory (EVT) and GARCH model on the basis of generalized error distribution (GED). The results show that EVT is a powerful approach to capture the risk in the oil markets. On the contrary, the traditional variance–covariance (VC) and Monte Carlo (MC) approaches tend to overestimate risk when the confidence level is 95%, but underestimate risk at the confidence level of 99%. The VaR of WTI returns is larger than that of Brent returns at identical confidence levels. Moreover, the GED-GARCH model can estimate the downside dynamic VaR accurately for WTI and Brent oil returns.
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37. |
- Peng, Cheng, 1993, et al.
(författare)
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Aqueous Asymmetric Supercapacitors with Pyrenetetraone-Derived Pseudocapacitive Polymer-Functionalized Graphene Cathodes Enabling a 1.9 V Operating Window
- 2024
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Ingår i: Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research. - 2699-9412. ; 5:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pseudocapacitive polymers have garnered significant attention in the realm of supercapacitors due to their versatile molecular design capabilities, cost-effectiveness, and impressive electrical conductivity. However, limited by the low capacity and short cycle life, the investigation on conducting polymers for potential electrode materials is still insufficient. Herein, a series of pyrenetetraone-derived polymers with pyrazine units are designed and synthesized. Furthermore, UV–vis spectroscopy demonstrates the different interaction behavior between the polymers and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), which can further indicate the performance difference of the composite electrodes. As a result, the pseudocapacitive polymer/rGO composite electrode (2/1 PPYT/rGO) exhibits a high specific capacitance of 591 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 in a 1 m sulfuric acid electrolyte. The asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) assembled by the 2/1 PPYT/rGO cathode and the annealed Ti3C2Tx anode (2/1 PPYT/rGO//A-Ti3C2Tx) delivers an excellent energy density of 38.1 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 950 W kg−1. Additionally, both devices demonstrate outstanding stability, retaining over 90% of their capacity after 15 000 charge/discharge cycles. As a result, these carefully engineered organic polymers, with their well-thought-out structural designs, showcase exceptional electrochemical performance, positioning them as highly promising candidates for the next generation of high-performance energy storage materials.
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38. |
- Petrov, Dmitry, et al.
(författare)
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Machine Learning for Large-Scale Quality Control of 3D Shape Models in Neuroimaging
- 2017
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Ingår i: Machine learning in medical imaging. MLMI (Workshop). - Cham : Springer International Publishing. ; 10541, s. 371-378
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- As very large studies of complex neuroimaging phenotypes become more common, human quality assessment of MRI-derived data remains one of the last major bottlenecks. Few attempts have so far been made to address this issue with machine learning. In this work, we optimize predictive models of quality for meshes representing deep brain structure shapes. We use standard vertex-wise and global shape features computed homologously across 19 cohorts and over 7500 human-rated subjects, training kernelized Support Vector Machine and Gradient Boosted Decision Trees classifiers to detect meshes of failing quality. Our models generalize across datasets and diseases, reducing human workload by 30-70%, or equivalently hundreds of human rater hours for datasets of comparable size, with recall rates approaching inter-rater reliability.
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39. |
- Ramström, Olof, et al.
(författare)
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Recent Advances in the Use of Molecularly Imprinted Materials in Separation and Synthesis
- 1998
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Ingår i: Molecular and Ionic Recognition with Imprinted Polymers. - Washington, DC : American Chemical Society. - 0097-6156. - 9780841235748 - 9780841216853 ; 703, s. 82-89
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Molecularly imprinted materials, prepared using self-assembly imprinting protocols using only non-covalent interactions, can be used as chromatography media in aqueous phase. The recognition properties are highly dependent on the interacting species used in the imprinting protocol. Ionic interactions, together with strong hydrogen bonding, represent useful means of obtaining recognition. With increasing levels of water in the recognition media, the hydrophobic effect comes into play. Molecularly imprinted materials can furthermore be used as auxiliary agents in enzymatic syntheses in water-saturated organic phases. When materials molecularly imprinted for the reaction product were applied to the thermolysin-catalyzed aspartame synthesis, an increase in yield was observed. Introduction of a thermodynamic trap provided by the molecularly imprinted matrices allowed a non-favorable equilibrium for the thermolysin reaction to be pushed in the forward direction.
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40. |
- Shaikh, Tayyaba, et al.
(författare)
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Selective and Sensitive Nitrite Sensor Based on Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified by Silver Nanochains
- 2017
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Ingår i: Electroanalysis. - : WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH. - 1040-0397 .- 1521-4109. ; 29:2, s. 415-422
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Herein, we report a facile method for the synthesis of silver nanochains (Ag nanochains) using pyridine as growth directing agent and citrate ions as capping agents in alkaline medium. The characterization of the synthesized high aspect ratio Ag nanochains was accomplished with the help of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) which demonstrates the thickness below 100nm. Crystalline nature of the synthesized Ag nanochains was investigated using X-ray diffractrometry. A sensitive electrochemical nitrite sensor was assembled using synthesized Ag nanochains as electrode modifier. An improved cyclic voltammetric response for the oxidation of nitrite ions was witnessed at the modified GCE surface in comparison to bare GCE in Britton Robinson (BR) buffer (pH4). The influence of pH on the oxidation peak current of nitrite ions was also examined using cyclic voltammetry. The electrocatalytic oxidation currents attained through amperometric measurements at Ag nanochains modified GCE were linearly dependent on the concentration of nitrite ions in the two ranges of 0.5-7.5 mu M, 5-480 mu M. Linear calibration plots of Ip vs. concentration of nitrite were also constructed at the proposed sensor using square wave voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The proposed sensing strategy was successfully employed for the determination of nitrite in water samples with excellent recoveries.
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41. |
- Shi, Chen, et al.
(författare)
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Comprehensive Landscape of Heparin Therapy for COVID-19
- 2021
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Ingår i: Carbohydrate Polymers. - OXFORD ENGLAND : Elsevier. - 0144-8617 .- 1879-1344. ; 254
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is rapidly spreading globally. Clinical observations found that systemic symptoms caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection are attenuated when using the anticoagulant agent heparin, indicating that heparin may play other roles in managing COVID-19, in addition to prevention of pulmonary thrombosis. Several biochemical studies show strong binding of heparin and heparin-like molecules to the Spike protein, which resulted in inhibition of viral infection to cells. The clinical observations and in vitro studies argue for a potential multiple-targeting effects of heparin. However, adverse effects of heparin administration and some of the challenges using heparin therapy for SARS-CoV-2 infection need to be considered. This review discusses the pharmacological mechanisms of heparin regarding its anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory and direct antiviral activities, providing current evidence concerning the effectiveness and safety of heparin therapy for this major public health emergency.
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42. |
- Shi, Chen, et al.
(författare)
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The Potential of Low Molecular Weight Heparin to Mitigate Cytokine Storm in Severe COVID-19 Patients : A Retrospective Cohort Study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Clinical and Translational Science. - : WILEY. - 1752-8054 .- 1752-8062. ; 13:6, s. 1087-1095
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared its assessment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a global pandemic. However, specific anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) drugs are still under development, and patients are managed by multiple complementary treatments. We performed a retrospective analysis to compare and evaluate the effect of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) treatment on disease progression. For this purpose, the clinical records and laboratory indicators were extracted from electronic medical records of 42 patients with COVID-19 (21 of whom were treated with LMWH, and 21 without LMWH) hospitalized (Union Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology) from February 1 to March 15, 2020. Changes in the percentage of lymphocytes before and after LMWH treatment were significantly different from those in the control group (P = 0.011). Likewise, changes in the levels of D-dimer and fibrinogen degradation products in the LMWH group before and after treatment were significantly different from those in the control group (P = 0.035). Remarkably, IL-6 levels were significantly reduced after LMWH treatment (P = 0.006), indicating that, besides other beneficial properties, LMWH may exert an anti-inflammatory effect and attenuate in part the "cytokine storm" induced by the virus. Our results support the use of LMWH as a potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of COVID-19, paving the way for a subsequent well-controlled clinical study.
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43. |
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44. |
- Vicedo-Cabrera, Ana M, et al.
(författare)
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Short term association between ozone and mortality : global two stage time series study in 406 locations in 20 countries
- 2020
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Ingår i: The BMJ. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 1756-1833. ; 368
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To assess short term mortality risks and excess mortality associated with exposure to ozone in several cities worldwide.DESIGN: Two stage time series analysis.SETTING: 406 cities in 20 countries, with overlapping periods between 1985 and 2015, collected from the database of Multi-City Multi-Country Collaborative Research Network.POPULATION: Deaths for all causes or for external causes only registered in each city within the study period.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Daily total mortality (all or non-external causes only).RESULTS: A total of 45 165 171 deaths were analysed in the 406 cities. On average, a 10 µg/m3 increase in ozone during the current and previous day was associated with an overall relative risk of mortality of 1.0018 (95% confidence interval 1.0012 to 1.0024). Some heterogeneity was found across countries, with estimates ranging from greater than 1.0020 in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Estonia, and Canada to less than 1.0008 in Mexico and Spain. Short term excess mortality in association with exposure to ozone higher than maximum background levels (70 µg/m3) was 0.26% (95% confidence interval 0.24% to 0.28%), corresponding to 8203 annual excess deaths (95% confidence interval 3525 to 12 840) across the 406 cities studied. The excess remained at 0.20% (0.18% to 0.22%) when restricting to days above the WHO guideline (100 µg/m3), corresponding to 6262 annual excess deaths (1413 to 11 065). Above more lenient thresholds for air quality standards in Europe, America, and China, excess mortality was 0.14%, 0.09%, and 0.05%, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that ozone related mortality could be potentially reduced under stricter air quality standards. These findings have relevance for the implementation of efficient clean air interventions and mitigation strategies designed within national and international climate policies.
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45. |
- Wang, Cong, et al.
(författare)
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A climate-based analysis of photosynthetically active radiation availability in large-scale greenhouses across China
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier BV. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 315
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) is critically required for sustaining plant and vegetable growth. This study investigated PAR availabilities in two typical large-scale greenhouses using an advanced method of climate-based solar modelling in China. Seven Chinese locations in terms of daylight (solar) climate zones and latitudes were studied. The PAR prediction was conducted via RADIANCE (ray-tracing solar and light simulation package). Key findings were: 1) A climate-based analysis was proved as more practical than the methods based on only clear sky and solar geometries. 2) A ray-tracing solar modelling could effectively predict PAR levels at specific positions (e.g. vertical planes), which could benefit the development of vertical farming activities. 3) The PAR availability could receive insignificant impact from roof configuration in these large-scale greenhouses. 4) For the approach of vertical farming, the vertical arrangement of planting system could be significantly affected by greenhouse orientations, while horizontally no such effect can be found. These findings could be developed into design strategies to support greenhouse planning.
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46. |
- Wang, Yi-Tong, et al.
(författare)
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Direct production of biodiesel via simultaneous esterification and transesterification of renewable oils using calcined blast furnace dust
- 2021
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Ingår i: Renewable energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0960-1481 .- 1879-0682. ; 175, s. 1001-1011
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Direct production of biodiesel by both esterification and transesterification of renewable oils with acid value (AV) of 9.6-28.9 mg KOH/g using calcined blast furnace dust is studied. Blast furnace dust calcined at 600-700 degrees C obviously promotes efficient biodiesel production because of the crystal form transformation from lead sulfate particles in dust into active lead oxide, lead sulfide, and lead particles. It is found for the first time that lead oxide, lead sulfide and lead particles can resist saponification from fatty acids to catalyze raw renewable oils to biodiesel with catalytic activity order as follows: lead oxide > lead > lead sulfide > lead sulfate. Biodiesel production process is optimized according to an orthogonal design with biodiesel yield of 92 wt% obtained at AV of 9.6 mg KOH/g (82 wt% after 5 cycles). Biodiesel yield of 84 wt% is achieved at AV of 28.9 mg KOH/g with acidity of 0.18 mmol/g. Calcined blast furnace dust presents potential applications in the production of biodiesel from renewable oils with high AVs.
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47. |
- Wu, Lele, et al.
(författare)
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Organic matter composition and stability in estuarine wetlands depending on soil salinity
- 2024
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Ingår i: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 945
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Coastal wetlands are key players in mitigating global climate change by sequestering soil organic matter. Soil organic matter consists of less stable particulate organic matter (POM) and more stable mineral -associated organic matter (MAOM). The distribution and drivers of MAOM and POM in coastal wetlands have received little attention, despite the processes and mechanisms differ from that in the upland soils. We explored the distribution of POM and MAOM, their contributions to SOM, and the controlling factors along a salinity gradient in an estuarine wetland. In the estuarine wetland, POM C and N were influenced by soil depth and vegetation type, whereas MAOM C and N were influenced only by vegetation type. In the estuarine wetland, SOM was predominantly in the form of MAOM ( > 70 %) and increased with salinity (70 % -76 %), leading to long-term C sequestration. Both POM and MAOM increased with SOM, and the increase rate of POM was higher than that of MAOM. Aboveground plant biomass decreased with increasing salinity, resulted in a decrease in POM C (46 % - 81 %) and N (52 % -82 %) pools. As the mineral amount and activity, and microbial biomass decreased, the MAOM C (2.5 % -64 %) and N pool (8.6 % -59 %) decreased with salinity. When evaluating POM, the most influential factors were microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Key parameters, including MBC, DOC, soil salinity, soil water content, aboveground plant biomass, mineral content and activity, and bulk density, were identified as influencing factors for both MAOM abundance. Soil water content not only directly controlled MAOM, but together with salinity also indirectly regulated POM and MAOM by controlling microbial biomass and aboveground plant biomass. Our findings have important implications for improving the accumulation and increased stability of soil organic matter in coastal wetlands, considering the global sea level rise and increased frequency of inundation.
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48. |
- Wu, Yuntao, et al.
(författare)
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Silicon promotes biomass accumulation in Phragmites australis under waterlogged conditions in coastal wetland
- 2024
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Ingår i: Plant and Soil. - : Springer Nature. - 0032-079X .- 1573-5036.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims Previous studies have shown that silicon (Si) can affect plant growth and yield by regulating the availability of other nutrients. However, the mechanisms by which Si affects plant biomass accumulation in coastal wetlands are not well explored. Methods We conducted a sampling campaign across the whole growing season of Phragmites australis under waterlogging and drought conditions in coastal wetland, and quantified the effects of Si availability on biomass accumulation. Results Compared with drought condition, the waterlogged condition improved the utilization efficiency of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) of P. australis regulated by higher Si contents. Meanwhile, the increased Si contents promoted the utilization of N and P in leaf, suggesting that the increase in Si contents optimizes the photosynthetic process. Lignin contents in P. australis decreased with the increasing Si contents, which confirmed that Si can replace structural carbon components. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) showed aboveground biomass accumulation of P. australis was synchronized with Si accumulation, indicating that Si was a beneficial element to promote biomass accumulation. Conclusions Our study implies that increasing Si availability is conducive to biomass accumulation of P. australis in waterlogged wetlands, which will provide important scientific references for the management of coastal wetland ecosystem and the increase of global 'blue carbon' sequestration.
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49. |
- Xia, Shaopan, et al.
(författare)
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Storage, patterns and influencing factors for soil organic carbon in coastal wetlands of China
- 2022
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Ingår i: Global Change Biology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 28:20, s. 6065-6085
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Soil organic carbon (SOC) in coastal wetlands, also known as "blue C," is an essential component of the global C cycles. To gain a detailed insight into blue C storage and controlling factors, we studied 142 sites across ca. 5000 km of coastal wetlands, covering temperate, subtropical, and tropical climates in China. The wetlands represented six vegetation types (Phragmites australis, mixed of P. australis and Suaeda, single Suaeda, Spartina alterniflora, mangrove [Kandelia obovata and Avicennia marina], tidal flat) and three vegetation types invaded by S. alterniflora (P. australis, K. obovata, A. marina). Our results revealed large spatial heterogeneity in SOC density of the top 1-m ranging 40-200 Mg C ha(-1), with higher values in mid-latitude regions (25-30 degrees N) compared with those in both low- (20 degrees N) and high-latitude (38-40 degrees N) regions. Vegetation type influenced SOC density, with P. australis and S. alterniflora having the largest SOC density, followed by mangrove, mixed P. australis and Suaeda, single Suaeda and tidal flat. SOC density increased by 6.25 Mg ha(-1) following S. alterniflora invasion into P. australis community but decreased by 28.56 and 8.17 Mg ha(-1) following invasion into K. obovata and A. marina communities. Based on field measurements and published literature, we calculated a total inventory of 57 x 10(6) Mg C in the top 1-m soil across China's coastal wetlands. Edaphic variables controlled SOC content, with soil chemical properties explaining the largest variance in SOC content. Climate did not control SOC content but had a strong interactive effect with edaphic variables. Plant biomass and quality traits were a minor contributor in regulating SOC content, highlighting the importance of quantity and quality of OC inputs and the balance between production and degradation within the coastal wetlands. These findings provide new insights into blue C stabilization mechanisms and sequestration capacity in coastal wetlands.
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50. |
- Xu, Ke Jun, et al.
(författare)
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Bogoliubov quasiparticle on the gossamer Fermi surface in electron-doped cuprates
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nature Physics. - : Springer Nature. - 1745-2473 .- 1745-2481. ; 19:12, s. 1834-1840
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Electron-doped cuprates consistently exhibit strong antiferromagnetic correlations, leading to the prevalent belief that antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations mediate Cooper pairing in these unconventional superconductors. However, early investigations showed that although antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations create the largest pseudogap at hot spots in momentum space, the superconducting gap is also maximized at these locations. This presented a paradox for spin-fluctuation-mediated pairing: Cooper pairing is strongest at momenta where the normal-state low-energy spectral weight is most suppressed. Here we investigate this paradox and find evidence that a gossamer—meaning very faint—Fermi surface can provide an explanation for these observations. We study Nd2–xCexCuO4 using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and directly observe the Bogoliubov quasiparticles. First, we resolve the previously observed reconstructed main band and the states gapped by the antiferromagnetic pseudogap around the hot spots. Within the antiferromagnetic pseudogap, we also observe gossamer states with distinct dispersion, from which coherence peaks of Bogoliubov quasiparticles emerge below the superconducting critical temperature. Moreover, the direct observation of a Bogoliubov quasiparticle permits an accurate determination of the superconducting gap, yielding a maximum value an order of magnitude smaller than the pseudogap, establishing the distinct nature of these two gaps. We propose that orientation fluctuations in the antiferromagnetic order parameter are responsible for the gossamer states.
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