[en] In this study, nano-TiO_2(B) coated LiMn_2O_4 was prepared via a two-step method, combining a hydrothermal method with electrostatic attraction. By adjusting the sintering time, porous and dense nano-TiO_2(B) coating structure were formed on the surface of LiMn_2O_4 particles. Electrochemical test results showed that 2 wt.% porous TiO_2(B) coated LiMn_2O_4 exhibited highest capacity retention at 77.4% after 300 cycles at 55 °C and the best rate capability. Inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy(ICP), charge and discharge curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results revealed that the improved electrochemical performances was due to the suppression of the undesired SEI film, as well as suppression of Mn dissolution at the cathode and reduced polarization

[en] In recent years, the risk of anhydrous and aqueous ammonia in transportation and storage has been a concern of power plants around the world, and the urea hydrolysis to ammonia using low-grade steam as heat source is gradually used for feedstock preparation in NOx reduction. In this paper, the urea hydrolysis to ammonia in a continuous tank reactor was mechanistically modeled, and a pilot plant was established to simulate the transfer process in the industrial reactor in order to obtain the scale-up rules of the process. The results of pilot test indicated that the reaction-diffusion criterion number was 0.036 when the operating temperature was 150 °C. The urea hydrolysis was a slow reaction in liquid and the ammonia production rate of reactor was dominated by kinetics. At last, the industrialized test was conducted and the ammonia production rates agreed well with the model predicted data, and the ammonia consumption of flue gas denitration in the selective catalytic reduction was satisfied. This study would provide a reference to the design and development of urea hydrolysis for gas denitration. - Highlights: • Pilot and industrialized test of urea hydrolysis to ammonia. • Analysis of heat and mass transfer in the hydrolysis reactor. • Obtained the apparent kinetic model of ammonia production rate. • The design principle of industrial hydrolysis reactor.

[en] We consider an open quantum system subjected to a noise channel under measurement-based feedback control and two prototypical classes of decoherence channels are considered: phase damping and generalized amplitude damping. Based on quantum trajectory theory, we obtain an extended master equation for the dynamics of the reduced system in the presence of feedback control. For a qubit system we analytically solve this master equation and obtain the solution of the state vector dynamics. Then we propose an effective feedback control scheme for preparing an arbitrary quantum pure state. We also study how to protect two nonorthogonal states effectively, and find that projective measurement with unbiased basis is not optimal for this task, while weak measurement with biased basis could realize the best protection of two nonorthogonal states. Furthermore, the inefficiencies in the feedback process are also discussed. (general)

[en] Objective: To investigate the values of tCho concentration in early assessment therapeutic response of tumor to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with ¹HMR spectroscopy. Methods: Twenty patients with breast cancer were recruited. All patients underwent biopsy before neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery after chemotherapy. The pathologic results before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were compared. The patients were divided into effective response group (R) and ineffective response group (IR). MRS acquisitions were performed within 1 week before chemotherapy and within 3 week after the first cycle of chemotherapy, respectively. The tCho concentration was calculated quantitatively using external standard method. The tCho concentrations before and after chemotherapy and the tumor sizes between R group and IR group were compared using t test and nonparametric test. The values of tCho concentration in early assessment of the effectiveness of chemotherapy were analyzed by ROC. Results: Of 20 cases, 16 were included in R group and 4 in IR group. In R group, significant differences of tCho concentration (t=5.040, P<0.01) existed between before and after chemotherapy [(4.24±3.09), (1.13±1.14) mmol/L], while not in IR group [(3.72±2.69), (3.06±2.21) mmol/L, t=1.785, P>0.05]. The median sizes of tumor between R and IR group had no significant differences (0.00,0.00 cm, U=2300, W=33.00, P= 0.437). The area under ROC curve of tCho concentration was 0.984. Conclusion: With in vivo ¹HMRS, the tCho concentration in breast cancer can serve as an indicator for predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with relatively high sensitivity and specificity. (authors)

[en] Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), highly expressed in prostate cancer, provides a new strategy for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer as a specific biological target. At present, the research on the labeling of PSMA small molecule inhibitors is mostly focused on positron nuclide labels, such as ⁶⁸Ga and ¹⁸F or beta radionuclide labels, such as ¹⁷⁷Lu to realize diagnosis and targeted therapy of prostate cancer. In recent years, the application of single photon nuclide-labeled PSMA small molecule inhibitors has also made progress. This review summarizes the clinical application of single photon nuclide-labeled PSMA small molecule inhibitors in prostate cancer. (authors)

[en] Objective: To analyze the radionuclides contents and estimate the internal dose for the raw water with a high level of total α activity in some sites of a region, and to provide the reasonable explanations and possible solutions. Methods: The total α activity concentration and radionuclide analysis were determined according to the current domestic relevant standards. The international formula was used for the internal irradiation dose estimation. Results: Based on the measured total α level, the average annual effective dose of internal irradiation for residents who have been drinking the raw water in this area for long time was averaged to be 0.09 mSv and the maximum dose might exceed the recommended drinking water dose level (0.1 mSv/a). The total α activity in the drinking water was mainly contributed by U and ²²⁶Ra, and the internal radiation dose came mainly from ²²⁶Ra. However, the ²²⁶Ra content in the drinking water did not exceed the guidance level recommended by WHO. Conclusion: The high radioactivity level of total α in the groundwater in this area may be related to the geological structure of the area. The natural radioactive nuclides in the aquifer rock may dissolve into and are concentrated during the formation of groundwater, which eventually result in the high total α level in the groundwater. (authors)

[en] Water body contamination by ammonium is of major concern because it poses huge risks and harm to the environment and human health. Biochar derived from waste spruce sawdust was modified by soaking it into HNO₃ and Na₂CO₃ to obtain a low-cost and high-efficiency adsorbent. The factors affecting the removal of ammonium from aqueous solutions, the mechanisms by which ammonium was adsorbed by the modified biochar, and the potential application of the post-adsorption biochar as an effective N-fertilizer were studied. pH and co-existing ions were affirmed to affect the capacity of the modified biochar to adsorb ammonium. The pseudo-second order kinetic model and Freundlich model could best fit the ammonium adsorption data. Cation exchange was the most important mechanism involved in ammonium adsorption by the modified biochar. The high adsorption capacity of the modified biochar makes it a promising alternative adsorbent to remove ammonium from wastewater. Furthermore, the seedling bioassay experiment demonstrated that the post-adsorption biochar can be cycled back directly to the soil as an effective N-fertilizer.

[en] To evaluate the validity of two abbreviated protocols (AP) of MRI in breast cancer screening of dense breast tissue. This was a retrospective study in 356 participants with dense breast tissue and negative mammography results. The study was approved by the Nanjing Medical University Ethics Committee. Patients were imaged with a full diagnostic protocol (FDP) of MRI. Two APs (AP-1 consisting of the first post-contrast subtracted [FAST] and maximum-intensity projection [MIP] images, and AP-2 consisting of AP-1 combined with diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI]) and FDP images were analyzed separately, and the sensitivities and specificities of breast cancer detection were calculated. Of the 356 women, 67 lesions were detected in 67 women (18.8%) by standard MR protocol, and histological examination revealed 14 malignant lesions and 53 benign lesions. The average interpretation time of AP-1 and AP-2 were 37 seconds and 54 seconds, respectively, while the average interpretation time of the FDP was 3 minutes and 25 seconds. The sensitivities of the AP-1, AP-2, and FDP were 92.9, 100, and 100%, respectively, and the specificities of the three MR protocols were 86.5, 95.0, and 96.8%, respectively. There was no significant difference among the three MR protocols in the diagnosis of breast cancer (p > 0.05). However, the specificity of AP-1 was significantly lower than that of AP-2 (p = 0.031) and FDP (p = 0.035), while there was no difference between AP-2 and FDP (p > 0.05). The AP may be efficient in the breast cancer screening of dense breast tissue. FAST and MIP images combined with DWI of MRI are helpful to improve the specificity of breast cancer detection

[en] In order to study the MAC layer protocol in the wireless sensor network under the actual channel condition, the field programmable gate array (FPGA) hardware circuit is used to provide a dual-priority implementation scheme for the persistence carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocol. According to the characteristics of each node in the network, analyzes the system throughput and energy consumption, and the FPGA is used to overcome the shortcomings of the existing implementation scheme and the article combines the actual application, changes the single channel mode, and realizes the dual channel data transmission. Finally, the simulation tests the correctness of the design. (paper)

[en] Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) and 3-dimensional Thermoluminescence (3-D TL) spectra of natural diamond, high temperature-high pressure artificial diamond and high temperature-low pressure chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond were determined. The characteristics of spectra have been studied. It is found that isolated nitrogen, nitrogen exchange pair and nitrogen atom pair (S=1) are main forms of electron spin resonance nitrogen in natural and high temperature-high pressure artificial diamonds. The spectrum of CVD diamond is sampler, and contains only one peak caused by suspended bond of unsaturated carbon ones. For 3-D TL spectra, natural diamond has two peaks (∼370 nm and ∼510 nm) in 100-200 degree C temperature range, high temperature-high pressure artificial diamond only has ∼370 nm peak, and CVD diamond only has ∼500 nm peak. These characteristics would be useful for the quality inspection and classification of diamonds, as well as for the study of geologic actions associated with natural diamond