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Currently, a big problem for exploring K-ion half/full batteries is how to bring them with both high specific capacity and long cycling stability simultaneously, in terms of their intrinsically sluggish kinetics of K+ with larger radius than that of Li+, which often causes huge volume change over the electrochemical reaction. Herein, we report the exploration of high-performance K-ion half/full batteries with superb rate capability and cycle stability based on B-doped porous carbons with increased active sites and improved conductivity. The as-assembled K-ion half cell exhibits an excellent rate capability of 428 mA h g-1 at 100 mA g-1 and a high reversible specific capacity of 330 mA h g-1 with 120% specific capacity retention after 2,000 cycles at 2,000 mA g-1, which is state of the art among those based on carbon materials. Moreover, the as-constructed full cell delivers 98% specific capacity retention over 750 cycles at 500 mA g-1, which is superior to most of the analogs based on carbon materials that have been reported thus far, underscoring their potential applications in advanced energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of smart healthcare, surgical and rehabilitation robots have permeated into daily medical operations. This raises concerns over the trajectory planning of medical manipulators. Based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and fuzzy neural network (FNN), this paper puts forward a trajectory planning algorithm for medical manipulators, which ensures that the target medical manipulator can suppress the residual jitter at the end, while meeting the requirements of high precision, flexible operation, and disturbance resistance. Specifically, a kinetic model was constructed for a medical manipulator of multi-degrees-of-freedoms (DOFs) through position and posture transforms, and used to construct an FNN for trajectory planning. To suppress the jitter at the end, an adaptive PSO algorithm was designed, and combined with the FNN into a trajectory planning algorithm called PSO neural network (PSONN) algorithm. Finally, the proposed algorithm was proved effective through experiments. The research results provide the reference for applying PSO algorithm and FNN in other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper puts forward a secure query protocol for wide-range multi-layer WSNs based on the Internet of Things (IoT), which protects data transmission from three aspects: network security, attack mode and privacy protection. Drawing the merits from the Range Doppler (RD) algorithm and Z-O encoding, our protocol only needs to compare the perceptual data nodes with the radius of the query interval once, which greatly improves the query efficiency. The embedded Z-O codes can transform the comparison into solving the intersection of the two sets. In addition, the hash-based message authentication code (HMAC) was introduced to achieve unidirectional protection of the original data. The simulation results show that our protocol outperforms the traditional protocols in query time, coding length and bucket mechanism, and enjoys high power efficiency, low storage cost and good query accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-density consensus map is a powerful tool for gene mapping, cloning and molecular marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding. The objective of this study was to construct a high-density, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based consensus map of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by integrating genetic maps from four recombinant inbred line populations. The populations were each genotyped using the wheat 90K Infinium iSelect SNP assay. A total of 29,692 SNP markers were mapped on 21 linkage groups corresponding to 21 hexaploid wheat chromosomes, covering 2,906.86 cM, with an overall marker density of 10.21 markers/cM. Compared with the previous maps based on the wheat 90K SNP chip detected 22,736 (76.6%) of the SNPs with consistent chromosomal locations, whereas 1,974 (6.7%) showed different chromosomal locations, and 4,982 (16.8%) were newly mapped. Alignment of the present consensus map and the wheat expressed sequence tags (ESTs) Chromosome Bin Map enabled assignment of 1,221 SNP markers to specific chromosome bins and 819 ESTs were integrated into the consensus map. The marker orders of the consensus map were validated based on physical positions on the wheat genome with Spearman rank correlation coefficients ranging from 0.69 (4D) to 0.97 (1A, 4B, 5B, and 6A), and were also confirmed by comparison with genetic position on the previously 40K SNP consensus map with Spearman rank correlation coefficients ranging from 0.84 (6D) to 0.99 (6A). Chromosomal rearrangements reported previously were confirmed in the present consensus map and new putative rearrangements were identified. In addition, an integrated consensus map was developed through the combination of five published maps with ours, containing 52,607 molecular markers. The consensus map described here provided a high-density SNP marker map and a reliable order of SNPs, representing a step forward in mapping and validation of chromosomal locations of SNPs on the wheat 90K array. Moreover, it can be used as a reference for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping to facilitate exploitation of genes and QTL in wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat leaf rust is an important disease worldwide. Growing resistant cultivars is an effective means to control the disease. In the present study, 244 recombinant inbred lines from Zhou 8425B/Chinese Spring cross were phenotyped for leaf rust severities during the 2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015 cropping seasons at Baoding, Hebei province, and 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 cropping seasons in Zhoukou, Henan province. The population was genotyped using the high-density Illumina iSelect 90K SNP assay and SSR markers. Inclusive composite interval mapping identified eight QTL, designated as QLr.hebau-2AL, QLr.hebau-2BS, QLr.hebau-3A, QLr.hebau-3BS, QLr.hebau-4AL, QLr.hebau-4B, QLr.hebau-5BL, and QLr.hebau-7DS, respectively. QLr.hebau-2BS, QLr.hebau-3A, QLr.hebau-3BS, and QLr.hebau-5BL were derived from Zhou 8425B, whereas the other four were from Chinese Spring. Three stable QTL on chromosomes 2BS, 4B and 7DS explained 7.5-10.6%, 5.5-24.4%, and 11.2-20.9% of the phenotypic variance, respectively. QLr.hebau-2BS in Zhou 8425B might be the same as LrZH22 in Zhoumai 22; QLr.hebau-4B might be the residual resistance of Lr12, and QLr.hebau-7DS is Lr34. QLr.hebau-2AL, QLr.hebau-3BS, QLr.hebau-4AL, and QLr.hebau-5BL are likely to be novel QTL for leaf rust. These QTL and their closely linked SNP and SSR markers can be used for fine mapping, candidate gene discovery, and marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the key characteristics associated with genetic gains achieved through breeding is essential for improving yield-limiting factors and designing future breeding strategies in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. The objective of the present study was to investigate the genetic progress in yield-related and physiological traits in cultivars released from 1950 to 2012 for irrigated conditions in the southern Yellow and Huai Valleys Winter Wheat Zone. Field trials including 26 leading cultivars from 1950 to the present time were conducted at Zhengzhou and Zhoukou in Henan Province, during the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 cropping seasons, providing data from four environments. Grain yield (GY) was significantly increased by the linear rate of 57.5 kg ha-1 yr-1 or 0.70% (R2 = 0.66, P < 0.01) and significantly correlated with increased thousandkernel weight (TKW) (r = 0.48, P < 0.05), spike number m-2 (r = 0.44, P < 0.05), kernels m-2 (r = 0.56, P < 0.01), aboveground biomass (AGBM) (r = 0.80, P < 0.01), harvest index (HI) (r = 0.84, P < 0.01), watersoluble carbohydrate at 10 d postanthesis (WSC-10) (r = 0.80, P < 0.01), and reduced plant height (PH) (r = -0.85, P < 0.01). There was no significant change in kernel number per spike, heading date, normalized difference in vegetation index at anthesis and at 10 d postanthesis, leaf area index at anthesis and at 10 d postanthesis, and canopy temperature depression at anthesis during the past 60 yr. Soil plant analysis development (SPAD) estimates of chlorophyll content at 10 d postanthesis (Chl-10) increased with year of release and were significantly correlated with GY (r = 0.69, P < 0.01), PH (r = -0.76, P < 0.01), AGBM (r = 0.52, P < 0.01), HI (r = 0.71, P < 0.01), and WSC-10 (r = 0.73, P < 0.01). Cultivars conferring Rht-D1b and Rht- D1b + Rht8c showed increased GY, TKW, AGBM, HI, WSC-10, and Chl-10. Stem water solubility content can be used as a selection criterion for further improving yield potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the electron emission site density of nanostructured emitters with limited field screening effects is one of the key issues for improving the field emission (FE) properties. In this work, we reported the Au-nanoparticles-density-dependent field emission behaviors of surface-decorated SiC nanowires. The Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) decorated around the surface of the SiC nanowires were achieved via an ion sputtering technique, by which the densities of the isolated AuNPs could be adjusted by controlling the fixed sputtering times. The measured FE characteristics demonstrated that the turn-on fields of the SiC nanowires were tuned to be of 2.06, 1.14, and 3.35 V/μm with the increase of the decorated AuNPs densities, suggesting that a suitable decorated AuNPs density could render the SiC nanowires with totally excellent FE performances by increasing the emission sites and limiting the field screening effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of genes for yield components, plant height (PH), and yield-related physiological traits and tightly linked molecular markers is of great importance in marker-assisted selection (MAS) in wheat breeding. In the present study, 246 F8 RILs derived from the cross of Zhou 8425B/Chinese Spring were genotyped using the high-density Illumina iSelect 90K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assay. Field trials were conducted at Zhengzhou and Zhoukou of Henan Province, during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 cropping season under irrigated conditions, providing data for four environments. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of agronomic and physiological traits revealed significant differences (P < 0.01) among RILs, environments, and RILs × environments interactions. Broad-sense heritabilities of all traits including thousand kernel weight (TKW), PH, spike length (SL), kernel number per spike (KNS), spike number/m² (SN), normalized difference in vegetation index at anthesis (NDVI-A) and at 10 days post-anthesis (NDVI-10), SPAD value of chlorophyll content at anthesis (Chl-A) and at 10 days post-anthesis (Chl-10) ranged between 0.65 and 0.94. A linkage map spanning 3609.4cM was constructed using 5636 polymorphic SNP markers, with an average chromosome length of 171.9cM and marker density of 0.64 cM/marker. A total of 866 SNP markers were newly mapped to the hexaploid wheat linkage map. Eighty-six QTL for yield components, PH, and yield-related physiological traits were detected on 18 chromosomes except 1D, 5D, and 6D, explaining 2.3-33.2% of the phenotypic variance. Ten stable QTL were identified across four environments, viz. QTKW.caas-6A.1, QTKW.caas-7AL, QKNS.caas-4AL, QSN.caas-1AL.1, QPH.caas-4BS.2, QPH.caas-4DS.1, QSL.caas-4AS, QSL.caas-4AL.1, QChl-A.caas-5AL, and QChl-10.caas-5BL. Meanwhile, 10 QTL-rich regions were found on chromosome 1BS, 2AL (2), 3AL, 4AL (2), 4BS, 4DS, 5BL, and 7AL exhibiting pleiotropic effects. These QTL or QTL clusters are tightly linked to SNP markers, with genetic distances to the closest SNPs ranging from 0 to 1.5 cM, and could serve as target regions for fine mapping, candidate gene discovery, and MAS in wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The density of the nanowires is one of the key issues for their field emission (FE) properties of the nanoarrays, since it plays an important role on the electron emission sites and field screening effect. Here, we reported the nanowire-density-dependent FE properties of the n-type 3C-SiC nanoarrays. The highly oriented and large-scale SiC nanoarrays were grown on the 6H-SiC wafer via pyrolysis of polyureasilazane by adjusting the thicknesses of Au films used as the catalysts. The densities of the nanoarrays were tunable to be ~2.9×107, ~4.0×107, and ~5.7×107 nanowires/ cm² by controlling the Au film thicknesses of 50, 70, and 90 nm, respectively. The measured FE characteristics disclosed that the turn-on fields of the samples could be tailored to be of ~1.79, 1.57, and 1.95 V/lm with the increase of the densities, suggesting that a suitable nanowire density could favor the enhanced electron emission from the SiC nanoarrays with improved emission sites and limited field screening effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the roles of contacts and interfaces between metals and semiconductors is critically important for exploring nanostructure-based nanodevices. The present study shed some light on the dominated mechanism of size-dependent carrier transfer in the Schottky barrier diodes configured by the Pt-Ir/Si3N4-nanobelt/graphite (metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM)) sandwiched structure via a conductive atomic force microscopy using nanobelts with various thicknesses. The observed I-V behaviors suggested that the charge transports under the low and high biases were dominated by the reverse-biased Schottky barrier and space-charge-limited current (SCLC), respectively. The intermediate region between the low and high biases presented the transition between the Ohmic and SCLC behaviors, in which the =Si and =N dangling bonds acted as the defects within the Si3N4 nanobelt surface are predominant in the charge transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we demonstrate the unconventional vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) growth of amorphous SiO2nanooctopuses. The SiO2nanooctopuses were successfully synthesized by a simple water-assisted reaction on Si wafers. The obtained aggregates have been systematically characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. A novel VLS model has been proposed for the growth of SiO2nanooctopuses based on the experimental observations and characterizations. The amorphous SiO2nanooctopuses emit stable violet-blue light, implying their potential applications in photoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical properties of heavily Al-doped single-crystal Si3N4 nanobelts are investigated by measuring their absorption, photoluminescence, and photoluminescence excitation spectra. The results suggest that the doped Si3N4 exhibit two absorptions at 2.5 and 4.2 eV, instead of absorption at 5.0 eV in the pure Si3N4. The doped nanobelts show light emissions in a range of 1.4 to 3.6 eV, which is red-shifted as compared with that of pure Si3N4 nanobelts. These results are ascribed to the unique doping mechanism of Al, which generates two types of defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant challenge in synthesizing nanowire/nanobelt-reinforced ceramic nanocomposites is to uniformly disperse these reinforcements. Here, we report the synthesis of amorphous silicon carbonitride powders containing in situ-formed single-crystal Si3N4 nanowires and nanobelts via the catalyst-assisted pyrolysis of a polymeric precursor. The nanowires/nanobelts are uniformly dispersed within the powder matrix. The ratio of nanomaterials to powder can be controlled by tailoring the experimental conditions. The novel powders could be useful for fabricating nanowire/nanobelt-reinforced ceramic nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported, for the first time, the piezoresistance behaviors of single p-type 6H-SiC nanowires. The results suggest that present p-type 6H-SiC nanowires could be an excellent candidate for the fabrication of robust and reliable stress sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hollow Al2O3 microsphere chain networks have been synthesized via a simple two-staged pyrolysis of a precursor using active carbon powders as the template. The obtained networks are characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The chain networks are formed by subsequent aggregation of the prior formed hollow Al2O3 microspheres. The obtained chain networks are promising for the applications in catalyst support, filtration, and other applications due to their lightweight and highly porous nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhibiting the easy oxidation nature of SiC nanostructure surface is a challenge for its application in nanodevices. Here, we have demonstrated the fabrication of C-sheathed SiC nanocables via a designed chemical vapour deposition method, in which the use of a steel-hoop-like sample support favours the growth of SiC/C nanocables with surface modification of C coatings. The obtained SiC/C nanocables are systematically characterized by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The electrical property measurements suggest that the surface modification of SiC nanostructures by C coatings can not only modulate the SiC surface property from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, but also significantly enhance their electrical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the synthesis of aligned ultra-long single-crystalline a-Si3N4 nanowires by pyrolysis of a polymeric precursor without any template. The length of the wires is up to several centimeters, which is significantly longer than that of any Si3N4 wires reported previously. Microscopy characterization reveals that the wires are single crystals, with a uniform diameter of [?]200 nm. Intense visible photoluminescence was observed between 1.3 and 3.7 eV. The wires could be useful in the fabrication of optoelectronic nanodevices and nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]