Efficient Text-Guided 3D-Aware Portrait Generation with Score Distillation Sampling on Distribution

Text-to-3D is an emerging task that allows users to create 3D content with infinite possibilities. Existing works tackle the problem by optimizing a 3D representation with guidance from pre-trained diffusion models. An apparent drawback is that they need to optimize from scratch for each prompt, which is computationally expensive and often yields poor visual fidelity. In this paper, we propose DreamPortrait, which aims to generate text-guided 3D-aware portraits in a single-forward pass for efficiency. To achieve this, we extend Score Distillation Sampling from datapoint to distribution formulation, which injects semantic prior into a 3D distribution. However, the direct extension will lead to the mode collapse problem since the objective only pursues semantic alignment. Hence, we propose to optimize a distribution with hierarchical condition adapters and GAN loss regularization. For better 3D modeling, we further design a 3D-aware gated cross-attention mechanism to explicitly let the model perceive the correspondence between the text and the 3D-aware space. These elaborated designs enable our model to generate portraits with robust multi-view semantic consistency, eliminating the need for optimization-based methods. Extensive experiments demonstrate our model's highly competitive performance and significant speed boost against existing methods

Nutrient recovery technologies for management of blackwater: A review

Nutrient recovery and recycling are of great importance in sustainable development. Blackwater (BW) refers to wastewater from toilets, which contains feces, urine, water, and toilet paper from flush toilets. The highly concentrated nutrients of blackwater could be collected through source separation and treated adequately to recover nutrients efficiently and economically. The review intends to give an overview of the characteristics of BW and different techniques to recover nutrients and other valuable products. A number of these technologies are currently under development or being tested at laboratory or pilot scale. The perspective for blackwater nutrient recovery technologies is very positive due to their great potential. For application of source-oriented sanitation infrastructure and systems, there is still a long way to go for development of commercial technologies and valuable products

Genomic monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 uncovers an Nsp1 deletion variant that modulates type I interferon response

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, the causative agent of COVID-19, is undergoing constant mutation. Here, we utilized an integrative approach combining epidemiology, virus genome sequencing, clinical phenotyping, and experimental validation to locate mutations of clinical importance. We identified 35 recurrent variants, some of which are associated with clinical phenotypes related to severity. One variant, containing a deletion in the Nsp1-coding region (D500-532), was found in more than 20% of our sequenced samples and associates with higher RT-PCR cycle thresholds and lower serum IFN-beta levels of infected patients. Deletion variants in this locus were found in 37 countries worldwide, and viruses isolated from clinical samples or engineered by reverse genetics with related deletions in Nsp1 also induce lower IFN-beta responses in infected Calu-3 cells. Taken together, our virologic surveillance characterizes recurrent genetic diversity and identified mutations in Nsp1 of biological and clinical importance, which collectively may aid molecular diagnostics and drug design.Peer reviewe

Research progress of siloxane removal from biogas

Siloxanes in biogas are detrimental to engine, turbine, fuel cell, etc., thus it is necessary to remove siloxanes from biogas before biogas high-value utilization. At present, there are few domestic researches and related reports in view of siloxanes removal from biogas. This paper introduces the property of siloxanes as well as sampling and analysis method, and then presents the research progress of siloxanes removal from biogas. Three commercial technologies overseas are adsorption, absorption and cryogenic condensation. Among them, adsorption on activated carbon is the most widely used method. Other technologies, such as biological removal, catalytic processes, membranes, source controlling, etc. are under exploration and development. At last, this paper summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of siloxanes removal technologies as well as the applicability and analyzes the future research trend and emphasis. This paper could provide a reference in the field of biogas high-value utilization

Oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica culture with synthetic and food waste-derived volatile fatty acids for lipid production

Abstract Background The sustainability of microbial lipids production from traditional carbon sources, such as glucose or glycerol, is problematic given the high price of raw materials. Considerable efforts have been directed to minimize the cost and find new alternative carbon sources. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are especially attractive raw materials, because they can be produced from a variety of organic wastes fermentation. Therefore, the use of volatile fatty acids as carbon sources seems to be a feasible strategy for cost-effective microbial lipid production. Results Lipid accumulation in Y. lipolytica using synthetic and food waste-derived VFAs as substrates was systematically compared and evaluated in batch cultures. The highest lipid content obtained with acetic, butyric, and propionic acids reached 31.62 ± 0.91, 28.36 ± 0.74, and 28.91 ± 0.66%, respectively. High concentrations of VFA inhibited cell growth in the following order: butyric acid > propionic acid > acetic acid. Within a 30-day experimental period, Y. lipolytica could adapt up to 20 g/L acetic acid, whereas the corresponding concentration of propionic acid and butyric acid were 10 and 5 g/L, respectively. Cultures on a VFA mixture showed that the utilization of different types of VFA by Y. lipolytica was not synchronized but rather performed in a step-wise manner. Although yeast fermentation is an exothermic process, and the addition of VFA will directly affect the pH of the system by increasing environmental acidity, cultures at a cultivation temperature of 38 °C and uncontrolled pH demonstrated that Y. lipolytica had high tolerance in the high temperature and acidic environment when a low concentration (2.5 g/L) of either synthetic or food waste-derived VFA was used. However, batch cultures fed with food fermentate yielded lower lipid content (18.23 ± 1.12%) and lipid productivity (0.12 ± 0.02 g/L/day). The lipid composition obtained with synthetic and food waste-derived VFA was similar to commercial biodiesel feedstock. Conclusions This work demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing synthetic and food waste-derived VFA for lipid production by Y. lipolytica. The good adaptability of Y. lipolytica to the high temperature and acidic environment further illustrated its considerable potential for practical application

A New Solvable Generalized Trigonometric Tangent Potential Based on SUSYQM

Supersymmetric quantum mechanics has wide applications in physics. However, there are few potentials that can be solved exactly by supersymmetric quantum mechanics methods, so it is undoubtedly of great significance to find more potentials that can be solved exactly. This paper studies the supersymmetric quantum mechanics problems of the Schrödinger equation with a new kind of generalized trigonometric tangent superpotential: Atannpx+Btanmpx. We will elaborate on this new potential in the following aspects. Firstly, the shape invariant relation of partner potential is generated by the generalized trigonometric tangent superpotential. We find three shape invariance forms that satisfy the additive condition. Secondly, the eigenvalues and the eigenwave functions of the potential are studied separately in these three cases. Thirdly, the potential algebra of such a superpotential is discussed, and the discussions are explored from two aspects: one parameter’s and two parameters’ potential algebra. Through the potential algebra, the eigenvalue spectrums are given separately which are consistent with those mentioned earlier. Finally, we summarize the paper and give an outlook on the two-parameter shape-invariant potential

Study on the Mechanism and Control Strategy of Advanced Treatment of Yeast Wastewater by Ozone Catalytic Oxidation

In this paper, the yeast wastewater secondary treatment effluent using catalytic odor oxidation treatment, using an orthogonal reaction experiment to determine the best reaction conditions, and the online monitoring of the pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), and liquid ozone concentration monitoring, to the catalytic odor oxidation reaction, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and color removal effect were analyzed. The results showed that the optimal reaction condition for the advanced treatment of yeast wastewater by catalytic ozonation was accomplished with manganese dioxide used as the catalyst and a catalyst dose of 6 g·L−1, pH of 12, and catalytic ozonation reaction time of 20 min. The COD was effectively reduced from 880 mg·L−1 to 387 mg·L−1 under this condition, the chroma was reduced from 700 times to 40 times, and these two parameters of the effluent could meet the standard of GB25462-2010. The real-time monitoring system showed that the whole reaction can be divided into two processes. The first 14 min was the indirect reaction of ozone and then the direct oxidation reaction of ozone. This process was further verified by the change trend of COD and the amount of ozone depletion by COD removal. The average ozone consumption levels of the two stages were 1.97 and 4.91 mgO3·mgCOD−1. This system can effectively monitor the reaction of the catalytic odor oxidation in the complex system to guide the effective use of ozone in practical engineering applications

Low-temperature methanation of fermentation gas with Ni-based catalysts in a multicomponent system

Abstract A large amount of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, are released during the production process of bioethanol and biogas. Converting CO2 into methane is a promising way of capturing CO2 and generating high-value gas. At present, CO2 methanation technology is still in the early stage. It requires high temperature (300–400 ℃) and pressure (> 1 MPa), leading to high cost and energy consumption. In this study, a new catalyst, Ni–Fe/Al–Ti, was developed. Compared with the activity of the common Ni/Al2O3 catalyst, that of the new catalyst was increased by 1/3, and its activation temperature was reduced by 100℃. The selectivity of methane was increased to 99%. In the experiment using simulated fermentation gas, the catalyst showed good catalytic activity and durability at a low temperature and atmospheric pressure. Based on the characterization of catalysts and the study of reaction mechanisms, this article innovatively proposed a Ni–Fe/Al–Ti quaternary catalytic system. Catalytic process was realized through the synergism of Al–Ti composite support and Ni–Fe promotion. The oxygen vacancies on the surface of the composite carrier and the higher activity metals and alloys promoted by Fe accelerate the capture and reduction of CO2. Compared with the existing catalysts, the new Ni–Fe/Al–Ti catalyst can significantly improve the methanation efficiency and has great practical application potential

Elimination of nitrate in secondary effluent of wastewater treatment plants by Fe0 and Pd-Cu/diatomite

Because total nitrogen (TN), in which nitrate (NO3–) is dominant in the effluent of most wastewater treatment plants, cannot meet the requirement of Chinese wastewater discharge standard (<15 mg/L), NO3– elimination has attracted considerable attention. In this research, the novel diatomite-supported palladium-copper catalyst (Pd-Cu/diatomite) with zero-valent iron (Fe0) was tried to use for catalytic reduction of nitrate in wastewater. Firstly, specific operational conditions (such as mass ratio of Pd:Cu, catalyst amounts, reaction time and pH of solution) were optimized for nitrate reduction in artificial solution. Secondly, the selected optimal conditions were further employed for nitrate elimination of real effluent of a wastewater treatment plant in Beijing, China. Results showed that 67% of nitrate removal and 62% of N2 selectivity could be obtained under the following conditions: 5 g/L Fe0, 3:1 mass ratio (Pd:Cu), 4 g/L catalyst, 2 h reaction time and pH 4.3. Finally, the mechanism of catalytic nitrate reduction was also proposed

RETRACTED ARTICLE: miR-1301 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis by decreasing Wnt/β-catenin signaling through targeting BCL9

Abstract Metastasis is the major cause of the poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and increasing evidence supports the contribution of miRNAs to cancer progression. However, the exact relationship between the level of miR-1301 expression and HCC cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis remains largely unknown. Quantitative PCR was used to evaluate the level of miR-1301 expression in HCC tissues and cell lines. Transwell and tube-formation assays were used to measure the effects of miR-1301 on HCC cell migration and invasion, and angiogenesis, respectively. Luciferase reporter assays and western blotting were used to confirm the miR-1301 target genes. We found that miR-1301 was significantly downregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Low miR-1301 expression was associated with tumor vascular invasion and Edmondson grade. Gain- and loss-of-function assays demonstrated that miR-1301 inhibited the migration, invasion, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and angiogenesis of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. BCL9, upregulated in HCC tissues compared with matched adjacent normal tissues, was inversely correlated to miR-1301 levels in HCC tissues. Through reporter gene and western blot assays, BCL9 was shown to be a direct miR-1301 target. BCL9 overexpression could partially reverse the effects of miR-1301 on HCC cell migration and invasion. Most importantly, miR-1301 overexpression markedly suppressed the death of xenograft mouse models of cancer by reducing tumor load, metastasis, and host angiogenesis by downregulating BCL9, β-catenin, and vascular endothelial growth factor expression in tumor cells. Our observations suggested that miR-1301 inhibits HCC migration, invasion, and angiogenesis via decreasing Wnt/β-catenin signaling through targeting BCL9, and might be a therapeutic target for HCC