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To further enhance the high-temperature corrosion resistance of boiler tubes for improved power generation efficiency of biomass and waste-to-energy plants, Ni-Al cladding layers with Al contents of 2, 4, 6 and 8 wt.% were prepared by laser cladding technique. The corrosion characteristics of Ni-Al cladding layers in two salts (NaCl-KCl and NaCl-KCl-K 2 SO 4 , at 650 °C) were investigated. The critical Al content of Ni-Al cladding layers with better corrosion resistance was determined, and the effect of Fe dilution from the substrate on the corrosion products was studied. In NaCl-KCl, the corrosion rates of all cladding layers were high at the initial stage. As the corrosion proceeded, a continuous and dense Al 2 O 3 scale was gradually formed on the Ni-8Al surface, while the other three cladding layers failed to be generated. Therefore, Ni-8Al exhibited the best corrosion resistance. However, in NaCl-KCl- K 2 SO 4 , Al 2 O 3 was continuously dissolved due to the “basic fluxing” mechanism and Ni-8Al underwent significantly severe corrosion. Fe oxides were detected in the corrosion products of all cladding layers. Since Fe ions diffuse more easily through the Al 2 O 3 scale, Fe oxides were in the outermost layer and were prone to spalling, which affected the corrosion resistance.

Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy that implants in or on the scar of a previous cesarean birth. The mechanism for implantation of a CSP is not completely understood. If left untreated, CSP can increase the risk of maternal complications such as uterine rupture, miscarriage, postpartum hemorrhage, and the development of placenta accreta spectrum. Potassium chloride (KCl) has been employed in the treatment of CSP as a conservative approach aiming to preserve the uterus and future fertility. To analyze the success rate and adverse outcomes associated with cases of viable CSP treated with KCl and requirement for adjunctive treatments. In this retrospective cohort study all viable CSPs treated cases were reviewed. Patient files were analyzed for demographic and clinical data. SPSS Version 22 was utilized for statistical analysis. Twenty-two patients were treated, with a mean maternal age of 35.8 years (28-43) and mean BMI of 31.4 kg/m (20-53). Successful resolution, defined by a decline of serum β-hCG to undetectable levels without surgical intervention, was achieved in 95.5% (21/22). Thirteen patients (59.1%) resolved with KCl alone. Adjunctive measures included KCl with systemic methotrexate were needed for five patients (22.7%) due to plateauing serum β-hCG levels. Two patients required adjunctive treatment with either uterine artery embolization (UAE), or systemic methotrexate and UAE. One patient (4.5%) after failed management with UAE and two doses of methotrexate, underwent secondary treatment with KCl injection that resulted in embryonic demise and a successful outcome. Follow-up was available for all 22 patients (100%), and complete resolution without major complications was confirmed. In conclusion, KCl is a reasonable approach as a first line management of viable CSP, however, patients should be aware of possibility of treatment failure and need for additional treatment measures.

In recent years, several studies have indicated the impact of nanoparticles (NPs) on various properties (such as viscosity and fluid loss) of conventional drilling fluids. Our previous study with commercial iron oxide NPs indicated the potential of using NPs to improve the properties of a laboratory bentonite-based drilling fluid without barite. In the present work, iron oxide NPs have been synthesized using the co-precipitation method. The effect of these hydrophilic NPs has been evaluated in bentonite and KCl-based drilling fluids. Rheological properties at different temperatures, viscoelastic properties, lubricity, and filtrate loss were measured to study the effect of NPs on the base fluid. Also, elemental analysis of the filtrate and microscale analysis of the filter cake was performed. Results for bentonite-based fluid showed that 0.019 wt% (0.1 g) of NPs reduced the coefficient of friction by 47%, and 0.0095 wt% (0.05 g) of NPs reduced the fluid loss by 20%. Moreover, for KCl-based fluids, 0.019 wt% (0.1 g) of additive reduced the coefficient of friction by 45%, while higher concentration of 0.038 wt% (0.2 g) of NPs shows 14% reduction in the filtrate loss. Microscale analysis shows that presence of NPs in the cake structure produces a more compact and less porous structure. This study indicates that very small concentration of NPs can provide better performance for the drilling fluids. Additionally, results from this work indicate the ability of NPs to fine-tune the properties of drilling fluids.

Deepwater pink shrimp (Parapenaus longirostris) has a significantly high catch yield and is a highly important food source for human nutrition in terms of its nutritional value. The reduction of salt content in seafood products while preserving taste poses a significant challenge. The aim of this study is to reduce the NaCl ratio used in the shrimp marination process by substituting it with KCl and masking the resulting bitterness from KCl using natural flavor enhancers, such as yeast extracts. The marinated shrimp were prepared using 50% KCl instead of 50% NaCl. In order to mask the bitter taste caused by KCl and enhance the flavor, two different types of yeast extracts obtained from Saccharomyces cerevisiae were utilized in the formulation. Nutritional composition, Na and K contents, amino acid composition, color measurement, bacteriological quality, pH changes, and sensory evaluations were conducted to assess the impact of salt reduction and yeast extracts on the sensory, chemical, and physical attributes of the products. L-glutamic acid, L-alanine, L-aspartic acid, L-leucine, L-valine, and L-lysine were found to be higher in samples with Levex Terra yeast extract. Despite a 50% reduction in NaCl content, the addition of yeast extract led to an increase in the umami taste due to the elevation of amino acids present. Yeast extracts can offer a promising solution for enhancing the sensory qualities of seafood products with reduced salt content by conducting more detailed sensory development examinations.

Large amounts of potash fertilizer are often applied to apple ( Malus domestica ) orchards to enhance fruit quality and yields, but this treatment aggravates KCl‐based salinity stress. Melatonin (MT) is involved in a variety of abiotic stress responses in plants. However, its role in KCl stress tolerance is still unknown. In the present study, we determined that an appropriate concentration (100 μ m ) of MT significantly alleviated KCl stress in Malus hupehensis by enhancing K + efflux out of cells and compartmentalizing K + in vacuoles. Transcriptome deep‐sequencing analysis identified the core transcription factor gene MdWRKY53 , whose expression responded to both KCl and MT treatment. Overexpressing MdWRKY53 enhanced KCl tolerance in transgenic apple plants by increasing K + efflux and K + compartmentalization. Subsequently, we characterized the transporter genes MdGORK1 and MdNHX2 as downstream targets of MdWRKY53 by ChIP‐seq. MdGORK1 localized to the plasma membrane and enhanced K + efflux to increase KCl tolerance in transgenic apple plants. Moreover, overexpressing MdNHX2 enhanced the KCl tolerance of transgenic apple plants/callus by compartmentalizing K + into the vacuole. RT–qPCR and LUC activity analyses indicated that MdWRKY53 binds to the promoters of MdGORK1 and MdNHX2 and induces their transcription. Taken together, our findings reveal that the MT‐WRKY53‐GORK1/NHX2‐K + module regulates K + homeostasis to enhance KCl stress tolerance in apple. These findings shed light on the molecular mechanism of apple response to KCl‐based salinity stress and lay the foundation for the practical application of MT in salt stress.

The kinetic and thermodynamic properties of La(III) in LiCl–KCl–LaCl 3 melts on inert electrode (Mo) were investigated by different electrochemical methods. The reduction of La(III) into metallic La on the Mo electrode is a quasi-reversible process that can transfer three electrons in a single step. In the temperature range of 723–848 K, the diffusion coefficient and reaction activation energy of La(III) in LiCl–KCl–LaCl 3 melts were calculated using Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Chronopotentiometry (CP). Moreover, relationships between the diffusion coefficient with temperature were formulated as follows: ln D 0  = − 3.32/ T  + 5.27 (CV) and ln D 0  = − 4.7/ T  − 5.89 (CP). The dependence of exchange current density of La(III)/La(0) on the experimental temperatures was constructed by Tafel (ln j 0  = − 2.04/ T  − 1.93) and Linear polarization (LP) (ln j 0  = − 2.74/ T  − 0.912). The apparent electrode potentials, Gibbs free energy, and activity coefficient of La(III)/La(0) were estimated using Open-circuit chronopotentiometry (OCP). Different LaCl 3 concentrations were added to LiCl–KCl melts, and the ion concentration of La(III) in the melts was determined using Normal Pulse Voltammetry (NPV). The obtained results had a relative error of less than 10% when compared to the ICP results. It shows that the results obtained by NPV detection are accurate and reliable. Graphical abstract

Ectopic pregnancy, that is, a blastocyst occurring outside the endometrial cavity of the uterus, affects nearly 2% of pregnancies. The treatment of ectopic pregnancy is surgical or pharmacological. Since surgical management is associated with numerous serious side effects, conservative treatment is sought. The treatment of choice in the majority of cases is based on pharmacotherapy with methotrexate (MTX) in a single- or multi-dose regimen. Although the efficacy of methotrexate reaches between 70 and 90%, its use requires specific conditions regarding both the general condition of the patient and the characteristic features of the ectopic pregnancy. Moreover, MTX can cause severe adverse effects, including stomatitis, hepatotoxicity and myelosuppression. Therefore, clinicians and researchers are still looking for a less toxic, more effective treatment, which could prevent surgeries as a second-choice treatment. Some studies indicate that other substances might constitute a good alternative to methotrexate in the management of ectopic pregnancies. These substances include aromatase inhibitors, especially letrozole. Another promising substance in EP treatment is gefitinib, an inhibitor of EGFR tyrosine domain which, combined with MTX, seems to constitute a more effective alternative in the management of tubal ectopic pregnancies. Other substances for local administration include KCl and absolute ethanol. KCl injections used in combination with MTX may be used when foetal heart function is detected in cervical ectopic pregnancies, as well as in heterotopic pregnancy treatment. Absolute ethanol injections proved successful and safe in caesarean scar pregnancies management. Thus far, little is known about the use of those substances in the treatment of ectopic pregnancies, but already conducted studies seem to be promising.

To extract dysprosium (Dy) from LiCl–KCl molten salt, the electrochemical properties of Dy on liquid Sn electrode were explored by various electrochemical methods such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronopotentiometry (CP), and coulometric titration (CT). The Dy-Sn solid solution ((Dy-Sn) solution ) was formed when the Dy was deposited on liquid Sn. The electrode process is a reversible reaction controlled by diffusion, and the diffusion coefficient of Dy(III) in LiCl–KCl molten salt was measured in the order of 10 −5 cm 2  s −1 . CT and CP were used to assess the solubility and diffusion coefficient of Dy in liquid Sn, respectively. Meanwhile, the co-deposition of Dy(III) and Sn(II) was analyzed by CV and square wave voltammetry (SWV) to obtain the Dy-Sn intermetallic compounds, and four electrochemical signals related to Dy-Sn intermetallic compounds were observed. In addition, the feasibility of extracting Dy using liquid Sn electrode was verified by galvanostatic electrolysis (GE) and potentiostatic electrolysis (PE), and the products were characterized by XRD and SEM–EDS. The Dy-Sn alloys prepared by PE and GE consisted of DySn 2 and (DySn 3  + DySn 2 ), respectively.

For the design of a molten salt system for a molten salt reactor (MSR), accurate thermodynamic information for multicomponent salt systems is essential. In the present study, thermodynamic modeling of the NaCl–UCl3, KCl–UCl3, and NaCl–KCl–UCl3 systems were performed based on the critical evaluation of available phase diagram and thermodynamic property data in literature. In order to improve the accuracy of thermodynamic modeling of the ternary NaCl–KCl–UCl3 system, the phase transitions of key ternary samples were determined using innovative electrical conductivity measurements. Based on the present modeling results, the exact ternary eutectic composition of the NaCl–KCl–UCl3 system (0.433NaCl–0.217KCl–0.350UCl3), which is critical for the MSR salt design, was experimentally determined for the first time. The resultant thermodynamic database was applied to the calculations of phase diagrams and thermodynamic properties relevant to MSR operations.

The pressure-volume-temperature (P-V-T) measurements of the B2 (CsCl-type) phase of KCl were performed at 9-61 GPa/1500-2600 K and up to 229 GPa at room temperature, based on synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements in a laser-heated diamond-anvil cell (DAC). The nonhydrostatic stress conditions inside the sample chamber were critically evaluated based on the platinum pressure marker. With thermal annealing by laser after each pressure increment, the deviatoric stress was reduced to less than 1% of the sample pressure even at the multi-megabar pressure range. The obtained P-V-T data were fitted to the Vinet equation of state with the Mie-Gruneisen-Debye model for thermal pressure. The thermal pressure of KCl was found to be as small as ∼10 GPa even at 3000 K at any given volume, which is only half of that of common pressure markers (i.e. Pt, Au, or MgO). Such a low-thermal pressure validates the use of a KCl pressure medium as a pressure marker at high temperatures.