Magnetite-enriched mining tailings are a cost-effective and abundant catalytic material with inherent magnetic recyclability. Yet their practical application in catalysis is often constrained by their limited surface area and sluggish reaction kinetics. To address these issues, we developed a facile one-step co-precipitation method to synthesize a magnetic nano-Fe3O4 (MNP) catalyst that exhibits enhanced surface reactivity for efficient activation of H2O2 towards tetracycline (TC) degradation. The system achieved complete (100%) removal of TC at an initial concentration of 20 mg L–1 within 90 min and demonstrated robust catalytic performance across weakly acidic to neutral pH conditions. Mechanistic investigations confirmed that ⋅OH is the primary reactive oxygen species involved, with ⋅O2⁻ and 1O2 providing supplementary contributions to the degradation. Remarkably, the intrinsic magnetic properties ensured efficient MNP catalyst recovery. This work provides a sustainable and scalable wastewater treatment strategy, leveraging mining tailings as a cost-effective resource to treat wastewater while also providing economic and environmental benefits.

We analyse the energy flux in compressible turbulence by generalizing the exact decomposition recently proposed by Johnson (2020 Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 104501) to study incompressible turbulent flows. This allows us to characterize the effect of dilatational motion on the interscale energy transfer in three-dimensional compressible turbulence. Our analysis reveals that the contribution of dilatational motion to energy transfer is due to three different physical mechanisms: the interaction between dilatation and strain; between dilatation and vorticity; and the self-interaction of dilatational motion across scales. By analysing numerical simulations of freely decaying and forced turbulence, we validate our theoretical derivations and provide a quantitative description of the role of solenoidal and dilatational motions in energy transfer. In particular, we determine the scaling dependence of the dilatational contributions on the turbulent Mach number. Moreover, our findings provide criteria for tuning the parameters in commonly used Smagorinsky and Yoshizawa models for large-eddy simulations of compressible turbulence.

While prior studies have consistently linked immigration attitudes with public support for the welfare state, it is not yet clear how individuals process immigrant-related information in their home contexts and combine that with their existing immigration attitudes to update their attitudes toward the welfare state. In this paper, we consider how context (i.e., immigrant welfare participation rates in individuals’ home states) works in tandem with immigration attitudes to shape Americans’ support for the welfare state. We merge state contextual data on the welfare consumption rates of immigrants with micro-level public opinion data from the Cumulative American National Election Survey (CANES) for the years from 2004 to 2016. Our results suggest that individuals’ immigration attitudes and the degree of immigrant welfare participation in their home contexts combine to influence Americans’ welfare spending attitudes. More specifically, among individuals with unfavorable immigration attitudes, higher levels of immigrant welfare participation in their state contexts lead to significantly lower levels of welfare support. Likewise, in states with high-immigrant welfare participation rates, negative immigration attitudes have a stronger negative effect on welfare support. These findings suggest that Americans’ support for the welfare state is not only determined by their existing immigration attitudes but also the reality of immigrant welfare usage in their home contexts.

American silk moth, Antheraea polyphemus Cramer 1775 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), native to North America, has potential significance in sericulture for food consumption and silk production. To date, the phylogenetic relationship and divergence time of A. polyphemus with its Asian relatives remain unknown. To end these issues, two mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of A. polyphemus from the USA and Canada respectively were determined. The mitogenomes of A. polyphemus from the USA and Canada were 15,346 and 15,345 bp in size, respectively, with only two transitions and five indels. The two mitogenomes both encoded typical mitochondrial 37 genes. No tandem repeat elements were identified in the A+T-rich region of A. polyphemus. The mitogenome-based phylogenetic analyses supported the placement of A. polyphemus within the genus Antheraea, and revealed the presence of two clades for eight Antheraea species used: one included A. polyphemus, A. assamensis Helfer, A. formosana Sonan and the other contained A. mylitta Drury, A. frithi Bouvier, A. yamamai Guérin-Méneville, A. proylei Jolly, and A. pernyi Guérin-Méneville. Mitogenome-based divergence time estimation further suggested that the dispersal of A. polyphemus from Asia into North America might have occurred during the Miocene Epoch (18.18 million years ago) across the Berling land bridge. This study reports the mitogenome of A. polyphemus that provides new insights into the phylogenetic relationship among Antheraea species and the origin of A. polyphemus.

Direct numerical simulations are performed to explore the impact of surface roughness on inter-scale energy transfer and interaction in a turbulent open-channel flow over differently arranged rough walls. With friction Reynolds number approximately 540, six distinct configurations of roughness arrangements are examined. The results show that the clustered roughness arrangements yield notable changes in large-scale secondary-flow structures, which manifest in the profiles of dispersive stresses, predominantly near the roughness elements. They are marked by the presence of spanwise alternating high-momentum pathways and low-momentum pathways. From the outer peak in the spanwise energy spectra, the size and intensity of turbulent secondary flows are shown to be related to the spanwise spacing of the roughness heterogeneity. The emergence of turbulent secondary flows serves to suppress the original large-scale structures in the outer region of smooth-wall turbulence, paving the way for the development of new turbulent structures at the second harmonic scale. Furthermore, the spanwise triadic interaction analysis reveals the mutual energy exchange between the secondary harmonic scale and the secondary-flow scale. These findings elucidate the underlying mechanisms behind the attenuation of large-scale structures in the outer region influenced by roughness, offering new insights into the dynamic interplay of scale interactions in rough-wall turbulence.

Experimental and numerical observations in turbulent shear flows point to the persistence of the anisotropy imprinted by the large-scale velocity gradient down to the smallest scales of turbulence. This is reminiscent of the strong anisotropy induced by a mean passive scalar gradient, which manifests itself by the ‘ramp–cliff’ structures. In the shear flow problem, the anisotropy can be characterised by the odd-order moments of $\partial _y u$, where $u$ is the fluctuating streamwise velocity component, and $y$ is the direction of mean shear. Here, we extend the approach proposed by Buaria et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett., 126, 034504, 2021) for the passive scalar fields, and postulate that fronts of width $\delta \sim \eta Re_\lambda ^{1/4}$, where $\eta$ is the Kolmogorov length scale, and $Re_\lambda$ is the Taylor-based Reynolds number, explain the observed small-scale anisotropy for shear flows. This model is supported by the collapse of the positive tails of the probability density functions (PDFs) of $(\partial _y u)/(u^{\prime }/\delta )$ in turbulent homogeneous shear flows (THSF) when the PDFs are normalised by $\delta /L$, where $u^{\prime }$ is the root-mean-square of $u$ and $L$ is the integral length scale. The predictions of this model for the odd-order moments of $\partial _y u$ in THSF agree well with direct numerical simulation (DNS) and experimental results. Moreover, the extension of our analysis to the log-layer of turbulent channel flows (TCF) leads to the prediction that the odd-order moments of order $p (p \gt 1)$ of $\partial _y u$ have power-law dependencies on the wall distance $y^{+}$: $\langle (\partial _y u)^p \rangle /\langle (\partial _y u)^2 \rangle ^{p/2} \sim (y^{+})^{(p-5)/8}$, which is consistent with DNS results.

Compounds (e.g., jellybeans) and list forms (e.g., jelly, beans) can be distinguished by the presence or absence of boundaries, marked by durational and pitch cues. Studies have shown that 5-year-olds learning English have acquired both cues for distinguishing compounds and lists. However, it is not clear how and when this ability is acquired by children speaking tonal languages, such as Mandarin. This study examined whether Mandarin-speaking preschoolers can use durational and pitch cues to distinguish compounds and lists and whether their productions are adult-like. Thirty-one 4-year-olds, 34 5-year-olds, 29 6-year-olds, and 43 adults participated in an elicited production experiment. Results showed that similar to English-speaking preschoolers, Mandarin-speaking preschoolers can use durational cues to mark boundaries, triggering appropriate pitch changes for distinguishing compounds and lists, though these were not fully adult-like, even in the oldest age group.

Expanded vowel or tone space in IDS has traditionally been interpreted as evidence of enhanced acoustic contrasts. However, emerging evidence from various languages shows that the within-category acoustic variability of vowels and tones also increases in IDS, offsetting the benefit of space expansion and leading to non-enhanced, or reduced acoustic contrasts. This study re-analysed a corpus of Mandarin IDS and ADS, showing that, relative to ADS, vowels and tones in IDS display greater variability, resulting in non-enhanced contrasts. Thus, given increased variability, expanded vowel or tonal space in IDS may not necessarily equate to enhanced acoustic contrasts.

In multidimensional tests, the identification of latent traits measured by each item is crucial. In addition to item–trait relationship, differential item functioning (DIF) is routinely evaluated to ensure valid comparison among different groups. The two problems are investigated separately in the literature. This paper uses a unified framework for detecting item–trait relationship and DIF in multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) models. By incorporating DIF effects in MIRT models, these problems can be considered as variable selection for latent/observed variables and their interactions. A Bayesian adaptive Lasso procedure is developed for variable selection, in which item–trait relationship and DIF effects can be obtained simultaneously. Simulation studies show the performance of our method for parameter estimation, the recovery of item–trait relationship and the detection of DIF effects. An application is presented using data from the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire.

Characterised by the extensive use of obsidian, a blade-based tool inventory and microblade technology, the late Upper Palaeolithic lithic assemblages of the Changbaishan Mountains are associated with the increasingly cold climatic conditions of Marine Isotope Stage 2, yet most remain poorly dated. Here, the authors present new radiocarbon dates associated with evolving blade and microblade toolkits at Helong Dadong, north-east China. At 27 300–24 100 BP, the lower cultural layers contain some of the earliest microblade technology in north-east Asia and highlight the importance of the Changbaishan Mountains in understanding changing hunter-gatherer lifeways in this region during MIS 2.

The Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), recognized as the world's largest loess plateau, has been a subject of ongoing debate regarding the continuity of its sedimentary loess sequence due to its intricate depositional environment. In this study, we conducted dating on a 9.8-m-long Malan loess core obtained from the Sanmen Gorge in the southern CLP using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). The OSL dates indicate loess deposition between 52.4 and 11.3 ka, with no apparent hiatus on a millennial scale, and a sedimentation rate (SR) exhibiting six distinct episodes. Additionally, a comprehensive review of 613 OSL ages from 18 sections at 14 sites across the CLP was conducted. The results reveal loess deposition at most sites shows no apparent hiatus on a millennial scale over the past 60 ka, except for two specific locations. High SR episodes during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 across the CLP were attributed to heightened dust emissions from the source region and an enhanced dust deposition efficiency, while MIS 2 deposits were influenced by an intensified East Asian winter monsoon. Low SR episodes during MIS 1 at most sites were likely associated with reduced atmospheric transportation and pedogenesis. Spatially heterogeneous SR variations across the CLP might be influenced by local depositional environments.

Extreme heat events in the summer of 2022 were observed in Eurasia, North America and China. Glaciers are a unique indicator of climate change, and the European Alps experienced substantial glacier mass loss as a result of the conditions in 2022, which prompted a wide range of community concerns. However, relevant findings for glaciers in China have not been currently reported. Here, we document the response of Urumqi Glacier No. 1 in the eastern Tien Shan to the extreme heat observed in 2022 based on in situ measurements that span more than 60 years. In 2022, Urumqi Glacier No. 1 exhibited the second largest annual mass loss on record, and the summer mass balance was the most negative on record. The hottest summer on record and relatively lower solid precipitation ratio contributed to the exceptional mass losses at Urumqi Glacier No. 1 in 2022, demonstrating the significant influence of heatwaves on extreme glacier melt in China.

Childhood maltreatment is an established risk factor for psychopathology. However, it remains unclear how childhood traumatic events relate to mental health problems and how the brain is involved. This study examined the serial mediation effect of brain morphological alterations and emotion-/reward-related functions on linking the relationship from maltreatment to depression. We recruited 156 healthy adolescents and young adults and an additional sample of 31 adolescents with major depressive disorder for assessment of childhood maltreatment, depressive symptoms, cognitive reappraisal and anticipatory/consummatory pleasure. Structural MRI data were acquired to identify maltreatment-related cortical and subcortical morphological differences. The mediation models suggested that emotional maltreatment of abuse and neglect, was respectively associated with increased gray matter volume in the ventral striatum and greater thickness in the middle cingulate cortex. These structural alterations were further related to reduced anticipatory pleasure and disrupted cognitive reappraisal, which contributed to more severe depressive symptoms among healthy individuals. The above mediating effects were not replicated in our clinical group partly due to the small sample size. Preventative interventions can target emotional and reward systems to foster resilience and reduce the likelihood of future psychiatric disorders among individuals with a history of maltreatment.

The efficient separation of hexane isomers from the light naphtha fraction is a significant challenge in the petrochemical industry. 5A zeolite adsorbent is used commercially to sieve alkane isomers. In this study, 5A zeolites were synthesized using a low-cost natural clay mineral precursor, i.e. palygorskite (PAL), with the addition of crystallization directing agent (CDA). By varying the mass ratio of CDA/deionized water, 5A zeolites were obtained as CDA-5%, CDA-7.5%, and CDA-10%. All products were submicron particles with an average particle size of 400–800 nm. A sieving test of CDA-induced 5A zeolites was carried out on hexane adsorbates including n-hexane (nHEX), 2-methylpentane (2MP), and 3-methylpentane (3MP). According to vapor-phase batch adsorption experiments, a significant equilibrium amount (0.149 g/g) of nHEX and only 0.0321 g/g 2MP and 0.0416 g/g 3MP were adsorbed on the 5A zeolite product with CDA-5%. The dynamic adsorption performance of 5A zeolite (CDA-5%) was evaluated by breakthrough curves of binary mixtures of nHEX/2MP and nHEX/3MP. Palygorskite 5A (PAL 5A) zeolite achieved maximum dynamic adsorption capacities of nHEX (0.16 g/g in both cases) at 200°C and 1.2 MPa total pressure. This work provided an economic alternative for the synthesis of 5A zeolites using natural clay minerals instead of chemical raw materials.