The cognitive function of the human cerebellum could be characterized as enigmatic. However, researchers have attempted to detail the comprehensive role of the cerebellum in several cognitive processes in recent years. Here, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), we revealed different functions of bilateral cerebellar lobules in bilingual language production. Specifically, brain activation showed the bilateral posterolateral cerebellum was associated with bilingual language control, and an effective connectivity analysis built brain networks for the interaction between the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex. Furthermore, anodal tDCS over the right cerebellum significantly optimizes language control performance in bilinguals. Together, these results reveal a precise asymmetrical functional distribution of the cerebellum in bilingual language production, suggesting that the right cerebellum is more involved in language control. In contrast, its left counterpart undertakes a computational role in cognitive control function by connecting with more prefrontal, parietal, subcortical brain areas.
As typical titanium nanomaterials, TiO2 and titanate nanotubes (TNTs) are extensively used. Although the toxicity of nano-TiO2 under solar light has been investigated, it is not enough to evaluate its environmental toxicity because the dark environment is also important in the natural environment. In addition, little is known about the environmental toxicity and mechanism of the emerging TNTs. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of nano-TiO2 and TNTs based on the inactivation performance on Escherichia coli cells under simulated solar light and in a dark chamber, and their toxicity mechanisms were explored on a subcellular level. The inactivation performance was: nano-TiO2-solar (100.0%) > TNTs-solar (62.7%) > TNTs-dark (36.6%) > TiO2-dark (0.5%). The excellent inactivation performance of nano-TiO2 under solar light is caused by the large amount of active free radicals attacking cell organelles until peroxidation and death, which is due to the strong photocatalytic properties. The lower inactivation ability of nano-TiO2 in the dark was due to the absence of radicals and its accessible physical morphology. For TNTs, the inactivation ability under solar light is derived from a combination of its weak photocatalytic performance and morphological effects, and TNTs in a dark environment can only attack cells via physical piercing.
Titanate nanotubes (TNTs), derived from TiO2 nanoparticles through hydrothermal treatment, have been attracting intensive research interests in recent years. Unlike the precursor TiO2 nanoparticles that have high photocatalytic activity under ultraviolet light, TNTs exhibit multi-layered and tubular structures. In addition, TNTs are composed of corrugated ribbons of edge-sharing [TiO6] octahedrons as the skeleton and H+/Na+ are located in the interlayers. Thus, TNTs usually have uniform tubular microstructures, large specific surface area, abundant functional groups (–ONa/–OH), good ion-exchange properties, high solution stability and high photoelectric quantum conversion effects. The specific physicochemical properties of TNTs indicate their great application potential in water and wastewater treatment. This chapter provides an overview of the latest research on the environmental applications and implications of TNTs. Conventional methods for the synthesis and characterization of TNTs are also summarized. TNTs and modified TNTs used as adsorbents, photocatalysts and catalysts for peroxymonosulfate/peroxydisulfate activation are systematically discussed. The environmental behaviors of aggregation and sedimentation of TNTs in water are also described.
Domain-general cognitive control is closely related to language control during bilingual language production. Previous neural imaging studies have revealed a highly overlapped but rewired brain network for language control and nonverbal cognitive control. In the present study, we examined this issue from a training perspective. Two groups of participants performed the language switching task at pre-and post-tests during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning. After the pre-test, the experimental group received 8-day training in a non-verbal switching task, while the control group performed an unrelated color judgement task. We found that only the experimental group but not the control group showed decreased strength of connectivity from the ventral lateral frontal cortex to the left caudate nucleus and from the medial surface of the frontal lobe to the left thalamus. These results indicate an increased efficiency after nonverbal training for the frontal cortex to implement domain-general suppression and monitoring in a domain-specific conflict context during bilingual language and lexical selections. This study is the first to investigate the transfer effects of nonverbal cognitive control on the brain network of bilingual language control and shed light on the mechanisms of how domain-general cognitive control may underpin bilingual language control.
The efficiency and mechanism of heterogeneous catalytic O3 and UV/O3 for municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration leachate advanced treatment was systematically compared. Prior to comparison, catalyst used in heterogenous catalytic O3 and operation parameters for each technology were optimized. The COD removal of CuO@Al2O3/O3 under its optimal parameters was 57.2%, which failed to meet the standard (≥75%). In contrast, the COD removal by UV/O3 could be 82.3%. The superior efficiency of UV/O3 over CuO@Al2O3/O3 could be summarized into three aspects: (I) Cu bounded ·OH (≡Cu–O·) preferentially attacked hydrophilic groups, while free hydroxyl radical (·OH) was non-selective, thus UV/O3 exhibited a unique three-stage mechanism; (II) The oxidation potential of ≡Cu–O· was higher than that of ·OH, therefore was more vulnerable to the negative effect of radical self-quenching; (III) The existence of UV-induced excited states made organics in UV/O3 more active than in CuO@Al2O3/O3 system, thus high concentration of anions enhanced COD removal in UV/O3 but affected that in CuO@Al2O3/O3. The study further revealed the characteristics of heterogeneous catalytic O3 and UV/O3, and UV induced excited state should be considered in UV-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs).
The development of digital economy and expansion of digital trade has become an inherent requirement for China to seize the high ground of digital industry revolution, and to build a new development pattern in which the domestic circulation is the mainstay and the domestic and international double circulation promote each other. Clarifying China’s position, especially its advantages and disadvantages relative to the USA and the EU in the international competition of digital economy and trade, is crucial to judge and guide the future development of China’s digital economy in both domestic and international double circulation. At present, there are various methods to define and measure the digital economy and digital trade, but there is a lack of connection and comparison between different methods as well as between different countries from a global perspective. Based on the solid statistical measurements and comparative analysis of relevant data，we make in-depth research on scale pattern, structural pattern, dynamic pattern, competition pattern, dependency pattern, etc. between China, the USA and the EU, and find that China’s digital economy and trade is“big but not excellent, fast but not first, surplus but not winning”. Therefore, we propose policy suggestions for the sustainable development of China’s digital economy and trade such as comprehensively optimizing the digital economic structure, promoting strengths and avoiding weaknesses in the electronic equipment manufacturing industry, cultivating a new pillar of the information service industry, and reversing the disadvantages in the digital media industry.
The occurrence of antibiotics in drinking water resources, like reservoirs, is of considerable concern due to their potential risks to ecosystem, human health, and antimicrobial resistance development. Here, we quantified 83 antibiotics in water and sediments of wet and dry seasons from the Miyun reservoir and its inflow rivers in Beijing, China. Twenty-four antibiotics were detected in water with concentrations of ND-11.6 ng/L and 19 antibiotics were observed in sediments with concentrations of ND-6.50 ng/g. Sulfonamides (SAs) were the dominated antibiotics in water in two seasons. SAs and quinolones (QNs) in wet season and macrolides (MLs) and QNs in dry season predominated in sediments. The reservoir and inflow rivers showed significant differences in antibiotic concentrations and compositions in water and sediments. As an important input source of reservoir, the river water showed significantly higher total antibiotic concentrations than those in the reservoir. In contrast, the reservoir sediments are the sink of antibiotics, and had higher total antibiotic concentrations compared with rivers. A prioritization approach based on the overall risk scores and detection frequencies of antibiotics was developed, and 3 (sulfaguanidine, anhydroerythromycin, and sulfamethoxazole) and 5 (doxycycline, sulfadiazine, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, and flumequine) antibiotics with high and moderate priority, respectively, were screened. The study provides a comprehensive insight of antibiotics in the Miyun Reservoir and its inflow rivers, and is significant for future monitoring and pollution mitigation of antibiotics.