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The conversion of solar energy into hydrogen using photocatalysts is a pivotal solution to the ongoing energy and environmental challenges. In this study, inverse opal (IO) ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) with varying pore sizes is synthesized for the first time via a template method. The experimental results indicate that the constructed inverse opal ZnIn2S4 has a unique photonic bandgap, and its slow photon effect can enhance the interaction between light and matter, thereby improving the efficiency of light utilization. ZnIn2S4 with voids of 200 nm (ZIS–200) achieved the highest hydrogen production rate of 14.32 μ mol h−1. The normalized rate with a specific surface area is five times higher than that of the broken structures (B–ZIS), as the red edge of ZIS–200 is coupled with the intrinsic absorption edge of the ZIS. This study not only developed an approach for constructing inverse opal multi–metallic sulfides, but also provides a new strategy for enriching efficient ZnIn2S4–based photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A distributed thermal model for analyzing the heat distribution of GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) is presented in this paper. The thermal resistance calculation of multi-gate GaN HEMT with nonlinear thermal conductivity is derived. Considering the heat conduction of PCB and the nonlinear thermal conductivity, the model developed in COMSOL realizes the consistency between the simulation results and the measurement results. Based on the model, the surface and internal temperatures can be extracted for the thermal resistance calculation. The proposed method combined model simulation with numerical calculation will be helpful for designers to analyze the thermal distribution of transistors and the circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the internal electric field (IEF) of bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) is acknowledged as a potent driving force for efficient charge separation, enhancing the intensity of IEF remains a challenge. Herein, highly crystalline BiOI nanosheets with I‐rich surface are employed to intensify IEF and direct the charge migration. In comparison to I‐poor BiOI nanosheets, which possess Bi−O layer termination and I‐defects, the I‐rich BiOI demonstrates 62.5‐fold improvement in IEF intensity to its well‐developed high crystalline structure, and its IEF direction is reversed by the surface I‐rich layers. This intensified IEF of I‐rich BiOI induces numerous holes (h+) to migrate to the surface of primary exposed (001) facets and electrons (e−) to the lateral facets efficiently, resulting in efficient charge separation spatially. Additionally, the surface accumulates h+ and superoxide radicals and acts in synergy to enhance the photodegradation of phenol. The photocatalytic activity of the I‐rich BiOI is found to be approximately fivefold and threefold higher than that of I‐poor BiOI under full spectra and visible light, respectively. Herein, the manipulation of IEF through surface and bulk structure regulation of BiOI for efficient charge separation is discussed, expecting to rationally improve photocatalytic performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have shown great potential as adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals. Nevertheless, how the host‐guest interactions of LDHs affect the removal mechanism remains to be less explored. Herein, CO32−/NO3−/SO42−/Cl− intercalated MgAl‐LDHs with different host‐guest interactions were fabricated and their removal mechanism for Cd2+ was investigated. The removal capacity increased in the order of MgAl−CO3 (127.3 mg/g)

Summary: The PLL‐based charge control scheme is optimized and implemented in a single‐inductor multiple‐output (SIMO) Buck DC‐DC in this paper. In order to decrease cross regulation (CR) during heavy load transient, the gain adaptive charge pump (GACP) is optimized to speed up the regulation of inductor current, and the current loop off‐time (CLOT) control is introduced to prevent the PLL‐based structure from frequency unlock. The proposed SIMO is designed in a 0.18 μm standard CMOS process. Experimental results show that the worst CR performance is 0.026 mV/mA, which is a 50% improvement of PLL‐based charge control scheme and 61.19% advantage above the existing charge‐controlled SIMO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D hosts are promising to extend the cycle life of lithium metal anodes but have rarely been implemented with lean electrolytes thus impacting the practical cell energy density. To overcome this challenge, a 3D host that is lightweight and easy to fabricate with optimum pore size that enables full utilization of its pore volume, essential for lean electrolyte operations, is reported. The host is fabricated by casting a VGCF (vapor‐grown carbon fiber)‐based slurry loaded with a sparingly soluble rubidium nitrate salt as an additive. The network of fibers generates uniform pores of ≈3 µm in diameter with a porosity of 80%, while the nitrate additive enhances lithiophilicity. This 3D host delivers an average coulombic efficiency of 99.36% at 1 mA cm−2 and 1 mAh cm−2 for over 860 cycles in half‐cell tests. Full cells containing an anode with 1.35‐fold excess lithium paired with LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) cathodes exhibit capacity retention of 80% over 176 cycles at C/2 under a lean electrolyte condition of 3 g Ah−1. This work provides a facile and scalable method to advance 3D lithium hosts closer to practical lithium‐metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A physics‐based high‐frequency noise model of AlGaN/GaN HEMT with double recessed barrier layer (DRBL) is presented. A conventional GaN HEMT model is established on TCAD and verified by measurement results. A noise model of DRBL GaN HEMT up to 40 GHz is investigated based on the established model. The results show that DRBL HEMT reduces the high frequency noise and the reduction becomes more obvious as the frequency increases. Further investigation about noise performance is studied by changing the depth and length of the recessed regions. The results show that DRBL HEMT obtains the best noise performance when the length and depth are 400 nm and 9 nm respectively and has application potential in the development of millimeter waves low noise devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting the charge migration and separation efficiency of Bi2O2CO3 is an appealing strategy to improve its photocatalytic performance. Herein, iodine-intercalated Bi2O2CO3 (I-Bi2O2CO3) nanosheets were prepared with the assistance of solvents containing multiple hydroxyl groups through a facile hydrothermal route. The formation process and mechanism of I-Bi2O2CO3 are illustrated. Notably, the intercalated iodine ions of the Bi2O2CO3 nanosheets could modify the band structure of Bi2O2CO3 and enhance its light response, while also acting as a bridge for efficient charge migration and separation. As a result, the resultant I-Bi2O2CO3 nanosheets exhibited superior photocatalytic performance for phenol degradation, achieving complete phenol removal within 5 h under solar illumination. Furthermore, the reaction rate constant of the I-Bi2O2CO3 nanosheets was ∼18 times that of Bi2O2CO3. We expect this work to bring new insights into the structural regulation of photocatalysts for the efficient separation of charge carriers and enhanced photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a frontend amplifier based on the 50- $\mu \text{m}$ channel length n-type only indium–tin-oxide (ITO)-stabilized ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs) on glass substrate. The amplifier has an external-bias ac-coupled, open-loop capacitor bootstrap structure. The area and power consumption are 41 mm2 and 0.1 mW (8-V supply), respectively. Electrical measurement results show a gain of 20 dB, a bandwidth of 3 Hz–6 kHz, a common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) up to 42 dB, an input impedance of 100 $\text{M}\Omega $ , and an input-referred noise of $106 ~\mu \text{V}_{rms}$ (integrated from 1 to 200 Hz). The noise efficiency factor (NEF) and power efficiency factor (PEF) of the amplifier are, respectively, 248 and $4.9\times10$ 5, which is comparable among the state of the arts. The amplifier is successfully used to measure the heart-rate signal, which demonstrates its practicality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The durable and economic electrocatalysts with high current density under industrial alkaline conditions are critical for advancing the industrial production of hydrogen energy by water electrolysis. The industrial highly alkaline electrolyte exacerbates the Fe dissolution of NiFe layered double hydroxide (NiFe‐LDH), leading to the dramatic degradation of stability and activity. The NiFe‐LDH intercalated Tetrakis(4‐carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) (NiFe‐TCPP), 1,4,7,10‐Tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7,10‐tetraacetic acid (DOTA) (NiFe‐DOTA) and CO32− (NiFe‐CO3) are fabricated respectively for electrocatalytic water oxidation under industrial alkaline conditions. In 10 m KOH, compared to NiFe‐DOTA (335.0 mV) and NiFe‐CO3 (499.2 mV), the resultant NiFe‐TCPP exhibits the lowest overpotentials of 290.2 mV at 1000 mA cm−2. The NiFe‐TCPP also operates continuously for 1000 h at 500 mA cm−2 with near‐zero attenuation. The theoretical and experimental studies reveal that the strong coordination between conjugated carboxylate ligand TCPP and Fe of the laminate inhibits the Fe leaching by increasing the dissolution energy barriers to 4.29 eV and improving the self‐healing ability, thus enhancing the stability. Furthermore, the charge redistribution induced by the strong coordination optimizes the d‐band centers (‐2.81 eV) and decreases the reaction energy barriers (1.47 eV), thereby increasing the catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a method for improving the amplification performance of strong-coupling stimulated Brillouin scattering by adding an external static magnetic field longitudinal to the laser propagation direction. Simulation results show that when the laser intensity is low, the output seed intensity can be increased by applying an external magnetic field and a right-hand circularly polarized laser pulse. When the seed intensity is higher, the amplification enters the regime of relativistic electron nonlinearity, the amplification oscillates, and the portion of the seed that is amplified moves from the first peak to the second and then the third. Under these circumstances, a reversed magnetic field helps to obtain a higher output intensity and a smoother output pulse profile. Adjusting the magnetic field dynamically, such as by using a double-pass scheme, combines these two advantages and maximizes the intensity enlarging and profile smoothing of the output pulse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the phase transition from tetragonal BiOBr to monoclinic Bi4O5Br2 was regulated in the presence of branched polyethyleneimine (BPEI) containing massive amino groups via a hydrothermal route. Based on the crystal phase of the products obtained at different concentrations of the BPEI and Br− sources, the relative concentration of BPEI (the concentration ratio of the BPEI and Br− sources, BPEI/Br−) played the decisive role in this phase transition. In particular, a BPEI/Br− value over 0.2 g mmol−1 with excessive BPEI was critical for the phase transition. Further, a reasonable theory referring the synergistic effect of the "drag force" and facet recognition of excessive BPEI underlying this phase transition was confirmed through a series of systematically designed experiments. The protonated amino groups from excessive BPEI could not only act as a "drag force" to extract the bromine ions from the solid-state BiOBr nanosheets but also recognize the (001) facet of BiOBr, thereby distorting the tetragonal structure of the BiOBr nanosheets and forming monoclinic Bi4O5Br2 nanosheets. This work provides a new insight and proof of the regulation of the phase transition of BiOBr to Bi4O5Br2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: China carried out a comprehensive drug price reform (CDPR) in 2017 to control the growing expense of drug effectively and reduce the financial burden of inpatients. However, early studies in pilot regions found the heterogeneity in the effectiveness of CDPR from different regions and other negative effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the reform on medical expenses, medical service utilisation and government financial reimbursement for inpatients in economically weaker regions. Methods: Shihezi was selected as the sample city, and 238,620 inpatients, who were covered by basic medical insurance (BMI) and had complete information from September 2016 to August 2018 in public hospitals, were extracted by cluster sampling. An interrupted series design was used to compare the changing trends in medical expenses, medical service utilisation and reimbursement of BMI for inpatients before and after the reform. Results: Compared with the baseline trends before the CDPR, those after the CDPR were observed with decreased per capita hospitalisation expenses (HE) by ¥301.9 per month (p < 0.001), decreased drug expense (DE) ratio at a rate of 0.32% per month (p < 0.05) and increased ratio of diagnosis and treatment expenses (DTE) at a rate of 0.25% per month (p < 0.01). The number of inpatients in secondary and tertiary hospitals declined by 458 (p < 0.001) and 257 (p < 0.05) per month, respectively. The BMI reimbursement in tertiary hospitals decreased by ¥254.7 per month (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The CDPR controlled the increase in medical expenses effectively and adjusted its structure reasonably. However, it also reduced the medical service utilisation of inpatients in secondary and tertiary hospitals and financial reimbursement for inpatients in tertiary hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter proposes a current bias circuit that improves the thermal stability of the 5G power amplifier (PA) in the GaAs HBT process. A diode and resistor scheme combined with a diode‐connected HBTs scheme are employed to generate temperature‐related voltages of which the temperature coefficients (TC) are inversely proportional to the sizes of devices. Those multi‐TC voltages are able to compensate for the equal‐but‐opposite TC of HBTs in the current mirrors so as to generate different zero‐to‐absolute‐temperature (ZTAT) currents at the same time. The experimental results show that the TC of the proposed bias circuit has 4% error for a 5.5 V supply from –5 to 95°C. Compared with the traditional bias circuit, the variation of output power of the proposed bias circuit is reduced from 11% to 8% and the variation of PAE is reduced from 7% to 5%. The proposed bias circuit, which has no requirement for matching, can perform effective temperature compensation for PAs in the single‐transistor GaAs HBT process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being able to understand the implicit power structures and dynamics among members plays a crucial role for the management of the organization. This paper introduces a novel and comprehensive approach to analyzing organizational discourse data. The proposed approach provides a holistic view of the power structure implied by the communications. The paper contributes to the domain of text mining by integrating various text-mining techniques to demonstrating different aspects of a power structure within an organization. It also contributes to the domain of supply chain management by using the conventional communication discourse method as the guideline for the development of the tool. We applied the proposed approach to a seven-year collection of meeting minutes from a co-op and our findings were largely confirmed by members of the organization. We provide a roadmap of using the multi-aspect approach to analyzing organizational discourse data in supply networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of defect states is an effective method for regulating the energy band structure of photocatalytic semiconductor materials. Establishing defect states effectively is a particularly significant strategy to improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency. Herein, we report a peculiar method to manufacture defect states in indium-doped Bi2MoO6 by changing the valence state of the doped indium element. By increasing the amount of doped indium, different doping forms and valence states are produced, which causes distortion of crystal structure, generation of oxygen vacancies and variation in the elemental valence state. Specifically, when Bi is substituted with In(3−x)+, the acceptor energy level becomes higher than the valence band due to the p-type-like doping, which widens the width of the valence band and drives the up-shift of the valence band edges, resulting in narrowed bandgap and improved photoresponse ability. In addition, the photoelectrochemical performance tests using the In-doped Bi2MoO6 show that low-valent indium doping effectively improves the carrier separation efficiency, reduces the transmission impedance, and greatly improves the photocatalytic reduction performance of Cr(vi). This study provides a new insight to the design of efficient photocatalysts for the green and sustainable treatment of Cr(vi) pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire detection technology aroused people's attention increasingly. The main challenge of the fire detection systems is how to reduce false alarms caused by objects like fire's colors. Most existing algorithms used only features of fire in visual field. In this work, we put forward a new algorithm to detect dynamic fire from the surveillance video based on the combination of radiation domain features model. First, a fire color model is used to extract flame-like pixels as candidate areas in YCbCr space. Second, we convert the candidate regions from the traditional color space into radiation domain in advance by camera calibration. And we use seven features to model the spectral spatio-temporal model of the fire to more accurately characterize the physical and optical properties of the fire. Finally, we choose a two-class SVM classifier to identify the fire from the candidate areas and use a radial basis function kernel to improve the accuracy of the recognition. Two different sets of data are used to validate the algorithm we proposed. And the experimental results indicate that our method performs well in video fire surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Core-shell BiOCl@Fe-BiOCl nanosheets with electron self-sufficient structure were prepared as catalysts to promote degradation and mineralization of phenol through synergetic photocatalysis-Fenton. This electron self-sufficient structure was established by engaging a strong internal electric field of BiOCl core and electron-capture centers of doped Fe(III) in Fe-BiOCl shell for electrons supplying and consuming, respectively, separating charges spatially and enriching holes on the surface of catalysts. Meanwhile, the Fe(III) transited to Fe(II), which acted as reactive sites for H 2 O 2 activation and was further reversed to Fe(III) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) through Fenton reaction, achieving Fe(III)/Fe(II) recycling. The •OH and surface holes could synergistically boost the degradation and mineralization (∼64 %) of phenol. The reaction rate constant of BiOCl@Fe-BiOCl nanosheets was ∼41.32 and ∼95 times higher than that of BiOCl under full spectra and visible light irradiation, respectively. This work provides sophisticated structure design of catalysts, boosting Fe(III)/Fe(II) recycling, catalytic activity, and mineralization. [Display omitted] • Electron self-sufficient (ESS) core-shell BiOCl@Fe-BiOCl nanosheets were constructed to promote charge separation. • ESS was established by engaging internal electric field of core and electron-capture centers of doped Fe(III) in shell. • Fe(III)/Fe(II) recycling and selective activation of H 2 O 2 were achieved through the ESS structure. • BiOCl@Fe-BiOCl nanosheets exhibited superior synergetic photocatalytic-Fenton degradation and mineralization performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the working stroke of micro/nano-transmission platform (MNTP) , a unidirectional multi-driven compliant mechanism based on the right-angle flexure hinges is designed. Applying the compliant mechanisms, elastic mechanics, and combining the working principle of MNTP, the mechanics models of bridge-type amplification mechanism (BTAM) and MNTP are built. Stiffness matrices, stress and strain, natural frequency, and sensitivity are derived. Also, the posture state equations of MNTP are established to predict the mechanism behavior. Then a few simulation calculations through Matlab software are carried out. In terms of Ansys 14.5 software, the simulation motions of the MNTP are acquired. The MNTP is machined through wire cut electrical discharge machining, and the measurement experiments of MNTP are established to verify the computational predictions, and the ability of the proposed mechanism with large working stroke is demonstrated in the experimental study. Finally, the theoretical values, finite element values and experimental values are comparatively analyzed, especially the output results of X/Y-direction in single-driven and double-driven mode. As a result, the reasonability of theoretical model of MNTP is verified. And a reference basis in the study of large stroke micro platform is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore the standardized data system of the exergy function and energy quality analysis methods. The concepts of the energy grades of the material and process were proposed. These concepts indicate that the availability factor is the thermodynamic property of the process, whereas the energy quality factor is the thermodynamic property of the substance. By evaluating the difference in the energy quality factors between different substances in material conversion processes, the energy-exchange mechanisms and the features of energy grade of processes can be revealed. The reference substance system was created by defining 100 kPa and 298.15 K as the pressure and temperature of environmental reference state and choosing air with an appropriate composition derived from the US Standard Atmosphere 1976 as the reference substance for atmospheric elements, pure water as the reference substance for hydrogen, and the pure compounds in the geosphere as the reference substance for other elements. Thus, a new energy quality reference state system, which involves fundamental models, the reference substances system, and data about the standard exergy and standard enthalpy of 81 elements, was established. In order to show how the new proposals could be used for the real applications, the energy cascade utilizations of the thermodynamic mechanisms of 4 CO 2 -hydrogenation processes were analyzed to evaluate CO 2 resource utilization routes, among which the CO and methanol routes are potential options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Multifunctional Potassium nonafluoro-1-butanesulfonate (KFBS) is implanted into ETL. • Synergistic effect of K ion, sulfonic and nonafluorobutane group in KFBS is verified. • Energy match between PVK and ETL is tuned, and various defects are passivated. • Efficiency increases from 20.6% for pristine one to 23.2% for KFBS-modified device. The rapid development of perovskite solar cell (PSC) makes it a typical representative of the third generation PV technology. The large-scale manufacturing of the device still faces many challenges, such as enhancing efficiency and improving stability. The core problem is the suppression of various defects and the adjustment of energy levels among components. In this report, a multifunctional molecule of potassium nonafluoro-1-butanesulfonate (KFBS) is introduced into SnO 2 electron transport layer (ETL). Owing to the synergistic effect of potassium ion, sulfonic group and nonafluorobutane group in KFBS, the energy match between perovskite (PVK) and ETL is tuned, the PVK and ETL quality is improved, and the defects at interface, on grain boundaries and in bulk are passivated. Consequently, the power conversion efficiencies increase from 20.6% for pristine device to 23.21% for KFBS-modified device. Moreover, unpacked KFBS-modified device still maintains its initial efficiency of 90.5 % after storing at room temperature and relative humidity of 30 % in dark for 1000 h, showing an excellent environmental stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron oxide nanocrystals (IONCs) with various geometric morphologies show excellent physical and chemical properties and have received extensive attention in recent years. The various shape-induced magnetic and electrochemical properties of the IONCs make them suitable for diverse applications. Understanding the correlation between the physicochemical properties and morphology of IONCs is a prerequisite for their widespread applications. Hence, this review focuses on current research progress regarding shape-controlled IONCs in different dimensions, and the corresponding shape-dependent magnetic, catalytic and gas-sensor properties are discussed. Furthermore, the general preparation methods, shape-guided growth mechanisms and energy conversion applications in photoelectrochemical water splitting, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) of these IONCs (α-Fe2O3, γ-Fe2O3, Fe3O4) are also discussed. Finally, the perspectives of IONCs in promising research directions are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rat cyborg system refers to a biological rat implanted with microelectrodes in its brain, via which the outer electrical stimuli can be delivered into the brain in vivo to control its behaviors. Rat cyborgs have various applications in emergency, such as search and rescue in disasters. Prior to a rat cyborg becoming controllable, a lot of effort is required to train it to adapt to the electrical stimuli. In this paper, we build a vision-based automatic training system for rat cyborgs to replace the time-consuming manual training procedure. A hierarchical framework is proposed to facilitate the colearning between rats and machines. In the framework, the behavioral states of a rat cyborg are visually sensed by a camera, a parameterized state machine is employed to model the training action transitions triggered by rat’s behavioral states, and an adaptive adjustment policy is developed to adaptively adjust the stimulation intensity. The experimental results of three rat cyborgs prove the effectiveness of our system. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to tackle automatic training of animal cyborgs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many biomarkers are not suitable for complex types of oil at different biodegradation extent, especially multisource heavy oil in many regions. On the southern slope near Luxi Uplift, most oilfields are heavy oil regions while some are mixed heavy and light oil regions. Therefore, some parameters that can better show oil characteristics are needed to correlate complex oil and source. Many biomarkers and parameters, such as isoprene, gammacerane, Ts, Tm, diasterane, oleanane, C30hopane, C29sterane20S/20(R+S), and C29steraneββ/(αα+ββ), are taken into consideration. It is found that some combinations and diagrams of some parameters have better oil-source correlation results, such as the Triangular chart of C29S/S+R, C29β/(β+α) and Ts/Tm, the cross plot of gammacerane/C30hopane and Pr/Ph, the plot of C29S/S+R and Ts/Tm, the plot of Ts/Tm and gammacerane/C30hopane, and the plot of C29S/S+R and C29ββ/(ββ+ααα). Through correlations of oil and source, the oil is classified into three types, and the sources of oil in different areas are found. The oil in Boxing sag is mainly from Es3and Es4layers. The oil in Chunhua oilfield is mainly from Es4. The oils in Lean, Bamian, and Wang areas are found to be derived from Es4oil source layers in Niuzhuang Sag. To clarify oil characteristics and oil source is meaningful to compare and find the distribution of better oil types. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Characteristics of crystal quality, including crystal size distribution, size, morphology, polymorphism and chirality, have been established as important indicators of crystalline materials. There have been many attempts at controlling crystal quality during crystallization. Herein, this study summarizes crystal quality control by using temperature cycling during solution state crystallization. During crystallization, the temperature cycling is implemented through successive heating–cooling cycles for dissolution and recrystallization in crystal suspension. Therefore, the fines crystals or one species are expected to dissolve out completely during the heating period, and the remaining crystals or dominant species continuously grow or nucleate during the cooling period. When such temperature cycling is facilitated during crystallization, the characteristics of crystal quality, including crystal size distribution, size, morphology, polymorphism and chirality, are well managed. Furthermore, based on the basic principle of temperature cycling, the key parameters for controlling each characteristic of crystal quality are clearly elucidated during the process. Thus, this review provides qualitative insight into the general operation strategies and the principle of temperature cycling for crystal quality control during crystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reconstruction of flame from the captured images is a difficult and computationally expensive problem. Reconstruction from color images will keep the colorful appearance, as is beneficial for visually realistic flame modeling. Most of existing color-image-based methods rebuild three density fields from RGB intensities; however, these methods suffer from the color distortion problem due to the high correlation of RGB intensities. A novel method for 3D flame reconstruction using color temperature is presented in this paper. Color-temperature mapping is calculated to avoid color distortion; this method maps the RGB intensities into the color temperature and its joint intensity. We improve the multiplication reconstruction with visual hull restriction so that the energy distribution is more reasonable, which allows avoidance of the impossible zones. Experimental results indicate that our approach is efficient in the visually plausible 3D flame generation and produces better color restorations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backward Raman amplification (BRA) in plasma has been proposed to produce overcritical high-power laser pulses. In this paper, an application based on CPA and BRA is promoted to generate multi-hundred petawatt laser pulses. The compression of short-wavelength (around 351 nm) and picosecond pulses has been proposed for high output intensity and short plasma length. This principle was employed in an application and a scheme is demonstrated using a full-kinetic particle-in-cell (PIC) code. The PIC code is also used to optimize key parameters in the resonant interaction. According to the simulated result using optimized parameters, the output seed fluence is amplified to 6.5 kJ/cm 2 and the full-width at half-maximum duration is compressed to 13 fs, showing an energy transfer over 60%. Extending the result to the multidimensional case, a total energy of 3.9 kJ and a laser power of 300 PW are achievable, in a 0.6 cm 2 interaction spot. This result is helpful for the improvement of high-energy density physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving energy efficiency of data centers has become increasingly important nowadays due to the significant amounts of power needed to operate these centers. An important method for achieving energy efficiency is server consolidation supported by virtualization. However, server consolidation may incur significant degradation to workload performance due to virtual machine (VM) co-location and migration. How to reduce such performance degradation becomes a critical issue to address. In this paper, we propose a profiling-based server consolidation framework which minimizes the number of physical machines (PMs) used in data centers while maintaining satisfactory performance of various workloads. Inside this framework, we first profile the performance losses of various workloads under two situations: running in co-location and experiencing migrations. We then design two modules: (1) consolidation planning module which, given a set of workloads, minimizes the number of PMs by an integer programming model, and (2) migration planning module which, given a source VM placement scenario and a target VM placement scenario, minimizes the number of VM migrations by a polynomial time algorithm. Also, based on the workload performance profiles, both modules can guarantee the performance losses of various workloads below configurable thresholds. Our experiments for workload profiling are conducted with real data center workloads and our experiments on our two modules validate the integer programming model and the polynomial time algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generating computer animated flames is a difficult and computationally expensive problem. Dynamic textures provide an effective means for extrapolating and synthesizing dynamic flames, but aggravates color distortion due to the high correlation of RGB components. A novel method for dynamic flame texture synthesis using color temperature is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the color-temperature mapping is calculated by using the Planck's law and two-color pyrometric technique to avoid color distortion. Secondly, a novel dynamic texture model is presented to transform the RGB space into temperature space. Finally, the dynamic flames editing is presented to support physical temperature adjustment. Experimental results illustrate that our approach is effective to synthesize visually plausible dynamic flames without color distortions and to edit dynamic flames with intuitive physical interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiOI / BiP 5 O 14 heterostructure with enhanced interfacial internal electric field for directional charge transfer and separation effectively were constructed successfully through epitaxial BiP 5 O 14 layer on the surface of BiOI nanosheets. Dramatical enhanced internal electric field of BiOI / BiP 5 O 14 heterostructure was established when BiP 5 O 14 monolayer epitaxial grow on the surface of BiOI nanosheets by adding 2% of NaH 2 PO 4. As a result, this heterostructure could boost the photodegradation and mineralization of phenol. Compared to pristine BiOI nanosheets, the photocatalytic reaction constant rates of phenol over the BiOI / BiP 5 O 14 heterostructure were elevated over 8.5 times, and the corresponding mineralization ability was also enhanced 8.9 times due to the effective and directional charges transfer and separation. This work provides an evidential proof of rational designing heterostructure via epitaxial growth, and confirms the internal electric field drive charge transfer and separation directionally for promoted photocatalytic performances. [Display omitted] • Constructing epitaxial heterostructure of BiOI / BiP 5 O 14 nanosheets was exploited clearly. • Significant enhanced internal electric field (IEF) of BiOI / BiP 5 O 14 heterostructure was established by adding 2% of NaH 2 PO 4. • Promoted IEF of BiOI / BiP 5 O 14 heterostructure drive directional charge migration and separation effectively. • Photocatalytic activity and mineralization of phenol over the BiOI / BiP 5 O 14 heterostructure were improved more than 8 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first report of a system of human's speech interaction with rats via integration of brain-machine interfaces and automatic speech recognition technologies. We propose a novel human-rat speech interaction paradigm by incorporating speech translator module, which translates human's speech commands into suitable electrical brain stimulation to steer the rat to induce expected locomotor behaviors. The preliminary results show that we can guide a rat's movement by speech commands. We further look into the future application scenarios together with forthcoming challenges facing this newly evolved cyborg intelligent system. This work will pave the way for natural interaction with animal robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of plasma wavebreaking has been proposed to obtain single-pulse output for backward Raman amplification in plasma. However, some experiments indicate that the scheme may not be effective. In this paper, we propose the effect of Landau damping for this purpose. According to the theoretical analysis, the single pulse is generated by setting a proper plasma temperature to fully Landau damp the secondary spikes. Although the main pulse will also be partly suppressed by the damping, the effective efficiency can be enhanced. Moreover, the scheme is numerically demonstrated feasible by using the parameters of Princeton experiment [1], [2]. Additionally, the temperature to produce single-pulse output can keep below the critical temperature at various ratios of the plasma frequency to the pump pulse frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Deep web or hidden web refers to the hidden part of the Web (usually residing in structured databases) that remains unavailable for standard Web crawlers. Obtaining content of the deep web is challenging and has been acknowledged as a significant gap in the coverage of search engines. The paper proposes a novel deep web crawling framework based on reinforcement learning, in which the crawler is regarded as an agent and deep web database as the environment. The agent perceives its current state and selects an action (query) to submit to the environment (the deep web database) according to Q-value. While the existing methods rely on an assumption that all deep web databases possess full-text search interfaces and solely utilize the statistics (TF or DF) of acquired data records to generate the next query, the reinforcement learning framework not only enables crawlers to learn a promising crawling strategy from its own experience, but also allows for utilizing diverse features of query keywords. Experimental results show that the method outperforms the state of art methods in terms of crawling capability and relaxes the assumption of full-text search implied by existing methods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article examined the degree to which a supply manager's intrapreneurial ability influences the quality of individual-level relationships with internal customers and the supplier's account executive. The moderating influence of the buyer's firm-level commitment to the supplier and how these relationships subsequently impact supplier performance were explored. The study assessed the supply manager's intrapreneurial ability using survey data gathered from 110 supply managers across a variety of industries. In key supplier relationships, a supply manager's intrapreneurial ability positively influences the quality of internal and external relationships. The firm's commitment to the supplier weakens the relationship between intrapreneurial ability and relationship quality. The findings highlight the value of individual skills to enhance relationships The ability to behave intrapreneurially shapes the quality of internal and supplier relationships. However, only the supply manager's relationship with the supplier's account executive is related to supplier performance. By examining the impact of intrapreneurial ability on individual-level relationships with internal customers and supplier's account executive, a more comprehensive view of business-to-business relationship management in the supply chain is gained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective: As a complementary medical system to Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides a unique theoretical and practical approach to the treatment of diseases over thousands of years. Confronted with the increasing popularity of TCM and the huge volume of TCM data, historically accumulated and recently obtained, there is an urgent need to explore these resources effectively by the techniques of knowledge discovery in database (KDD). This paper aims at providing an overview of recent KDD studies in TCM field. Methods: A literature search was conducted in both English and Chinese publications, and major studies of knowledge discovery in TCM (KDTCM) reported in these materials were identified. Based on an introduction to the state of the art of TCM data resources, a review of four subfields of KDTCM research was presented, including KDD for the research of Chinese medical formula, KDD for the research of Chinese herbal medicine, KDD for TCM syndrome research, and KDD for TCM clinical diagnosis. Furthermore, the current state and main problems in each subfield were summarized based on a discussion of existing studies, and future directions for each subfield were also proposed accordingly. Results: A series of KDD methods are used in existing KDTCM researches, ranging from conventional frequent itemset mining to state of the art latent structure model. Considerable interesting discoveries are obtained by these methods, such as novel TCM paired drugs discovered by frequent itemset analysis, functional community of related genes discovered under syndrome perspective by text mining, the high proportion of toxic plants in the botanical family Ranunculaceae disclosed by statistical analysis, the association between M-cholinoceptor blocking drug and Solanaceae revealed by association rule mining, etc. It is particularly inspiring to see some studies connecting TCM with biomedicine, which provide a novel top–down view for functional genomics research. However, further developments of KDD methods are still expected to better adapt to the features of TCM. Conclusions: Existing studies demonstrate that KDTCM is effective in obtaining medical discoveries. However, much more work needs to be done in order to discover real diamonds from TCM domain. The usage and development of KDTCM in the future will substantially contribute to the TCM community, as well as modern life science. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

3D facial data has a great potential in overcoming the problems of illumination and pose variation in face recognition. In this paper, we investigate face recognition from range data by facial profiles and surface. An efficient symmetry plane detection method for facial range data is presented to help extract facial profile. A global profile matching method is then exploited to align and compare the two profiles without detecting fiducial points that is often unreliable. The central profile and two kinds of horizontal profiles — nose-crossing profile and forehead-crossing profile — are employed in recognition. For each individual, a statistical model is built to represent the distinct discriminative capability of the different regions on the facial surface. It is then incorporated into a weighted distance function to measure for the similarity of surfaces. The comparable experimental results are achieved on a facial range data database with 120 individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a complete knowledge system researches into human health conditions via a different approach compared to orthodox medicine. We are developing a unified traditional Chinese medical language system (UTCMLS) through an ontology approach that will support TCM language knowledge storage, concept-based information retrieval and information integration. UTCMLS is a huge knowledge project, which is a broad collaboration of 16 distributed groups, most of them with no prior experience of formal ontology development. Therefore, the cooperative and comprehensive ontology engineering is crucial. We use Protégé 2000 for ontology development of concepts and relationships that represent the domain and that will permit storage of TCM knowledge. This paper focuses on the methodology, design and development of ontology for UTCMLS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Focuses on Virtual and Dynamic Hierarchical Architecture, an e-science grid architecture. Features of the architecture; Idea behind e-science; Characteristics of e-science.

Internal short circuits and the resulting catastrophic battery failure is difficult to detect and can occur under normal working conditions. To enable future high-energy density batteries, particularly lithium metal, an inexpensive internal short protection scheme is required. Here, we selectively remove conductive carbon from the cathode surface, creating a gradient-conductivity electrode. The process etches to a depth of only 5–10 μm and the active particles maintain electrical contact through the backside allowing for otherwise unaltered battery performance. When a lithium dendrite contacts the cathode surface, it will react with the oxide particle rather than contacting the carbon network. The active material now acts as a resistive element limiting the current. During shorting tests induced by abuse charging, cells containing conductivity-gradient cathodes saw a 2x reduction in short circuit current and accompanying temperature rise compared to cells with uniform conductivity cathodes. The reduction in short circuit current thus renders the event harmless. Postmortem analysis shows the dendrites only contact the surface oxide particles, supporting the viability of this gradient conductivity electrode design. Our approach utilizes the intrinsic resistivity of the active material to improve battery safety, is broadly applicable, and incurs no penalty in energy density. • Electrode with gradient conductivity mitigates thermal runaway due to shorting. • Electrode fabricated by selectively removing conductive carbon from the surface. • The increased short circuit resistance reduces current and temperature rise. • Battery performance remains unaltered until a shorting event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of Fe3+ endowed the adsorption site from solely Mg2+ site for MgAl-LDH to the corresponding Mg2+, Al3+, and Fe3+ sites for MgFeAl-LDH, and enabled an enhancement in photo-oxidation of As(III) by generating intermediate energy levels, thereby improving the removal capability for As. [Display omitted] • Efficient photocatalytic As(III) removal is achieved by MgFeAl-LDH. • The MgFeAl-LDH is able to reduce As(III) from 20 mg/L to 0.025 mg/L. • Understanding the activation of Al3+ by Fe3+ incorporation is systematically investigated. • The introduction of Fe imparts strong photocatalytic activity to MgFeAl-LDH. • The adsorption sites change from single Mg2+ sites for MgAl-LDH to Mg2+, Al3+ and Fe3+ sites for MgFeAl-LDH. Due to weak affinity of the adsorbents for As(III), the arsenic removal, especially in the form of H 3 AsO 3 , remains to be highly challenging. Herein, the MgAl-layered double hydroxide (MgAl-LDH) and the MgFeAl-LDH are prepared successfully by coprecipitation method. Under full spectrum illumination, the MgAl-LDH shows As(III) removal from 20 mg/L to 2.19 mg/L, while the MgFeAl-LDH is able to reduce As(III) from 20 mg/L to 0.025 mg/L, which is two orders of magnitude lower than that by MgAl-LDH and significantly below the groundwater limit of 0.05 mg·L−1 of As(III). Moreover, the removal capacity of MgFeAl-LDH is 2.2 times (101.6 mg g−1) that of MgAl-LDH (45.7 mg g−1). Note that the MgFeAl-LDH can reach equilibrium in 1 h and the kinetic curve is in good agreement with the pseudo-second-order model. XPS and DFT reveal that the presence of Fe3+ in MgFeAl-LDH increases the electron density of Al3+ via electron transfer from Fe3+ to Al3+, reducing the adsorption energy of As on Al3+ sites and efficiently activating Al3+, while the adsorption sites expand from single Mg2+ sites in MgAl-LDH to Mg2+, Al3+ and Fe3+ sites in MgFeAl-LDH. Furthermore, EXAFS indicates that the incorporation of Fe3+ in MgFeAl-LDH results in enhanced photo-oxidation of H 3 AsO 3 to HAsO 4 2− and extends the light absorption by generating intermediate energy levels, thereby improving the As removal capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct and selective catalytic oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) into high‐carbon products is a great challenge in C1 chemistry. Herein, the successful fabrication of a series of Au clusters loaded on different MgO facets of (111), (110), and (100) is reported. This work demonstrates the Au‐loaded MgO(111) (denoted as Au/MgO(111)) shows the highest C2H6 yield of 12733.4 µmol g−1 h−1 and selectivity of 90.4%, which is 2.46 times higher than that of Au/MgO(110) (5171.4 µmol g−1 h−1) and 25.14 times higher than that of Au/MgO(100) (506.4 µmol g−1 h−1). Moreover, the high activity of Au/MgO(111) can be well maintained over 100 h. Detailed in situ experiments and theoretical calculation reveal such great performance can be attributed to 1) the strong electronic affinity of the surface oxygen species on polar MgO(111) and CH4with the lowest adsorption energy of −0.82 eV; 2) the Au/MgO(111) shows the lowest ΔERDS of 0.53 eV in the rate‐deterime step of OCM that comes in activating the second CH4 molecule; 3) the Au can act as a hole acceptor under light irradiation and adsorb *CH3 with a strong d‐σ hybridization, resulting in an increased C2H6 selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A twice‐input variable‐resolution single‐side switching scheme without reset energy is proposed for successive approximation register (SAR) analogue‐to‐digital converters (ADCs). The proposed switching scheme is based on semi‐resting DAC technology to design a four‐array architecture capable of handling twice the swing of the signal input while reducing the capacitor array size. The technique of top‐plate sampling and monotonic shift is utilized so that no switching energy is generated for the first three comparisons. The proposed scheme utilizes full‐capacitor split, bridged switch, and C‐2C dummy capacitor technology, which reduces average switching energy consumption by 99.8% compared to conventional schemes and enables ADC variable resolution function, making the SAR ADC more suitable for IoT applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is inevitable to form invalid Type I heterostructure of BiOCl/bismuth-based photocatalysts due to the wide bandgap of BiOCl, which could only transfer the charge carriers efficiently, rather than separate. Herein, two-dimensional (2D) Type I van der Waals heterostructure of BiO 2-x /BiOCl nanosheets were prepared through a solvothermal route, and massive defects and multiple pores were in-situ constructed on the BiO 2-x /BiOCl nanosheets simultaneously. The defective and porous van der Waals structure of BiO 2-x /BiOCl ultrathin nanosheets possessing enhanced internal electric field, induced defect level, and reduced interfacial barriers, promoting both efficient transfer and separation of charge carriers. Furthermore, the massive defects of BiO 2-x /BiOCl porous nanosheets provided higher reactivity owing to its more hydrophilic surface. As a result, the BiO 2-x /BiOCl nanosheets boosted the photocatalytic performance of Cr (VI) reduction and Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation when employing LED as simulated solar light. Based on the results, a plausible photocatalytic mechanism of Cr (VI) removal and RhB photodegradation was illustrated. We expected that this work could provide a feasible route to design distinctive heterostructure photocatalysts for improved photocatalytic performances under simulated solar light. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Bi 4 O 5 Br 2 nanosheets with vertical aligned (11−3), (32−2) and (112) facets were constructed. • Bi 4 O 5 Br 2 nanosheets achieve the efficient spatial charge separation due to the unique band structures of vertical aligned facets. • The electrons migrate to the top surface of (11−3) facet of Bi 4 O 5 Br 2 nanosheets, while the holes transfer to the lateral surface of (32−2) and (112) facets. • Bi 4 O 5 Br 2 nanosheets with vertical aligned facets exhibited ∼6 times visible-light photodegradation efficiency of BPA than that of BiOBr nanosheets Enhancing spatial charge separation efficiency through directional charge transfer is one of the vital strategies to improve the photocatalytic performances. Bi 4 O 5 Br 2 nanosheets with vertical aligned (11−3), (32−2), and (112) facets were constructed to achieve the efficient directional charge transfer and separation based on the distinctive electronic and band structures of different facets. That is, the photoexcited electrons migrate to the top surface of (11−3) facet of the Bi 4 O 5 Br 2 nanosheets, while the holes transfer to the lateral surface of (32−2) and (112) facets. As a result, such Bi 4 O 5 Br 2 nanosheets with vertical aligned facets has highly strengthened the visible-light photodegradation efficiency of bisphenol A (BPA), which is around 6 times higher than that of BiOBr nanosheets. This work provides new sight to rational design the facets of photocatalysts for effective separation of charge carriers and promoted photocatalytic performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines aqueous nonionic and ionic gum systems containing sodium chloride (NaCl), or equal weights of NaCl plus KCl, or NaCl plus CaCl2. Increase in average Na+ mobility with the addition of K+ or Ca2+ to ionic gum systems; Enhancement of salt taste by KCl.

A 9-10-bit adjustable and energy-efficient switching scheme for SAR ADC with one-LSB common-mode voltage variation is proposed. Based on capacitor-splitting technology and common-mode conversion techniques, the proposed switching scheme reduces the DAC switching energy by 96.41% compared to the conventional scheme. The low complexity and the one-LSB common-mode voltage offset of this scheme benefit from the simultaneous switching of the reference voltages of the capacitors corresponding to the positive array and the negative array throughout the entire reference voltage switching process, and the reference voltage of each capacitor in the scheme does not change more than two voltages. The post-layout result shows that the ADC achieves the 54.96 dB SNDR, the 61.73 dB SFDR, and the 0.67 μw power consumption with the 10-bit mode and the 48.33 dB SNDR, the 54.17 dB SFDR, and the 0.47 μw power consumption with the 9-bit mode in a 180 nm process with a 100 kS/s sampling frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exploiting soil microorganisms in the rhizosphere of plants can significantly improve agricultural productivity; however, the mechanism by which microorganisms specifically affect agricultural productivity is poorly understood. To clarify this uncertainly, the rhizospheric microbial communities of super rice plants at various growth stages were analysed using 16S rRNA high-throughput gene sequencing; microbial communities were then related to soil properties and rice productivity. Results: The rhizospheric bacterial communities were characterized by the phyla Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Verrucomicrobia during all stages of rice growth. Rice production differed by approximately 30% between high- and low-yield sites that had uniform fertilization regimes and climatic conditions, suggesting the key role of microbial communities. Mantel tests showed a strong correlation between soil conditions and rhizospheric bacterial communities, and microorganisms had different effects on crop yield. Among the four growing periods, the rhizospheric bacterial communities present during the heading stage showed a more significant correlation (p < 0.05) with crop yield, suggesting their potential in regulating crop production. The biological properties (i.e., microbes) reflected the situation of agricultural land better than the physicochemical characterics (i.e., nutrient elements), which provides theoretical support for agronomic production. Molecular ecological network (MEN) analysis suggested that differences in productivity were caused by the interaction between the soil characteristics and the bacterial communities. Conclusions: During the heading stage of rice cropping, the rhizospheric microbial community is vital for the resulting rice yield. According to network analysis, the cooperative relationship (i.e., positive interaction) between between microbes may contribute significantly to yield, and the biological properties (i.e., microbes) better reflected the real conditions of agricultural land than did the physicochemical characteristics (i.e., nutrient elements). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ankyrin‐repeat proteins with a suppressor of cytokine signaling box (ASB) proteins belong to the E3 ubiquitin ligase family. 18 ASB members have been identified whose biological functions are mostly unexplored. Here, we discovered that ASB3 was essential for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and high ASB3 expression predicted poor clinical outcomes. ASB3 silencing induced HCC cell growth arrest and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Liver‐specific deletion of Asb3 gene suppressed diethylnitrosamine (DEN)‐induced liver cancer development. Mechanistically, ASB3 interacted with death receptor 5 (DR5), which promoted ubiquitination and degradation of DR5. We further showed that ASB3 knockdown stabilized DR5 and increased the sensitivity of liver cancer cells to the treatment of tumor necrosis factor‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) in a DR5‐dependent manner in cellular and in animal models. In summary, we demonstrated that ASB3 promoted ubiquitination and degradation of DR5 in HCC, suggesting the potential of targeting ASB3 to HCC treatment and overcome TRAIL resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]