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(S)-Methoprene has been widely applied as a powerful biochemical pesticide to control disease vectors and other pestiferous arthropods of economic importance. As a juvenile hormone analogue, many products based on (S)-methoprene are developed and commercialized in the USA, Europe, and elsewhere. However, the agricultural use of (S)-methoprene and its analogues remains underexplored. Here, based on an intermediate derivatization strategy and structural modification, a series of enantiopure (S)-methoprene derivatives were designed for their expected bioactivity against two crop-threatening pests. Six compounds showed more than 2-fold stronger inhibition of emergence against Plutella xylostellathan (S)-methoprene, among which one that was designated as B2showed even superior activity to the conventional chemical pesticide and biopesticide with IE50of 0.02 mg/L. Nine compounds exhibited over 2-fold higher bioactivity against Aphis craccivoragrowth than (S)-methoprene. The physicochemical property evaluation and toxicological test showed that the potent (S)-methoprene derivatives were low toxic to the nontarget organism and the environment. Molecular docking studies further demonstrated that the high bioactivity of B2may be partially attributed to its great affinity for binding to juvenile hormone receptors of P. xylostella. The current study suggests that B2is a biochemical pesticide candidate with potency to be developed as a new agrochemical for lepidopteran control.

This paper addresses a novel deep learning (DL) approach for online estimating the transient stability margin (TSM) in power grids. The TSM is characterized by a functional relationship between power system variables and the critical clearing time (CCT). To enhance the accuracy of TSM estimation, an improved DL ensemble (iDLE) model, which incorporates the dynamic error correction (DEC) and the multi-objective ensemble learning (MOEL), is proposed. The iDLE model is formulated as an evolutionary multi-objective framework and optimized using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) along with fuzzy decision analysis to derive the optimal solution. The proposed model is applied to a classical test system and a practical power system, followed by a discussion of the results.

This paper presents an advanced deep ensemble learning framework for short-term load forecasting (STLF). The refined deep ensemble model (DEM), complemented with a flexible error compensation (FEC) strategy, is introduced to improve both forecast accuracy and reliability. To address the challenges of ensemble pruning and aggregation (EPA), a worst-case (WC) robust approximation problem is formulated to accommodate the inherent uncertainty in predictions. The solution to this multifaceted problem employs a sophisticated methodology, integrating cardinality minimization and the augmented Lagrangian algorithm. Real-world empirical studies substantiate the enhanced STLF attained by the proposed framework.

Modern power grids are characterized by significant penetration of renewable energy sources (RES), variable power demand, and aging transmission infrastructure, all of which contribute to a high degree of operational uncertainty. Such uncertainty complicates the assessment of the static voltage stability in power grids. In response to this challenge, this article proposes a novel deep ensemble learning-based approach to assess the probabilistic voltage stability margin (PVSM) for strengthening the resilience of power grid monitoring. First, the estimation of the PVSM is formulated as a quantile regression problem. Then, an improved deep quantile regression (iDQR) is utilized to generate a set of quantiles under specific nominal proportions. Next, a dynamic deep ensemble learning (D2EL) scheme based on diverse iDQR models and an improved Choquet fuzzy integral (iCFI) algorithm is proposed to enhance the overall performance of predictive quantiles for the PVSM. The proposed D2EL-based PVSM estimation approach is capable of accommodating system changes in a timely manner, thus providing higher estimation accuracy and stronger adaptability than conventional approaches. A comprehensive numerical study of several test systems is carried out, taking into account uncertain RES and loads, as well as topology changes. The results reveal the impressive performance of the proposed approach in the PVSM assessment.

Purpose: To explore the mechanism of insulin secretion dysfunction in pancreatic beta cells induced by N-glycosylation mediated by an infection from the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Methods: Min6 cell models infected with HCV and stimulated with glucose were constructed. Meanwhile, an HCV-infected animal model and a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rat model were constructed. Glucose uptake in the Min6 cells was detected, and insulin secretion was detected by ELISA. Flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting, RT-qPCR, and lectin blotting were used to detect the expression levels of related proteins and mRNA, as well as the level of N-glycosylation. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the pancreatic tissue, and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was used to evaluate the glucose tolerance of the rats. Results: Compared with the NC group, the expression levels of GnT-IVa, GLUT2, galectin-9, and voltage-dependent calcium channel 1.2 (Cav1.2) were significantly downregulated in the HCV-infected group. The ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP) component proteins SUR1 and Kir6.2 were significantly upregulated, while intracellular glucose intake and insulin secretion decreased, N-glycosylation levels and ATP levels significantly decreased, and the overexpression of GnT-IVa reversed the effect of the HCV infection. However, treatment with the glycosylation inhibitor kifunensine (KIF) or the KATPchannel activator diazine (Dia) reversed the effects of the overexpression of GnT-IVa. In the animal experiments, HE staining revealed serious pathological injuries in the pancreatic tissue of the HCV-infected rats, with decreased glucose tolerance and glycosylation levels, decreased insulin secretion, downregulated expression of GnT-IVa, GLUT2, and Cav1.2, and upregulated expression of SUR1 and Kir6.2. The overexpression treatment of GnT-IVa or the KATPchannel antagonist miglinide reversed the effects of HCV. Conclusion: HCV infection inhibits GLUT2 N-glycosylation on the pancreatic β cell surface by downregulating the expression of GnT-IVa and then activates the KATPpathway, which ultimately leads to disturbances in insulin secretion.

Mosquitoes and mosquito-borne illnesses significantly impact public health and human well-being. To address this concern, environmentally compatible larvicides have become a critical component of integrated mosquito management. However, the number of available larvicides is at a historical low. Currently, larvicides that harness microbials and insect growth regulators account for most products. Screening of new active ingredients (AIs) or improvement of existing AIs is thus necessary to augment the capacity for mosquito control. S-methoprene possesses a similar molecular structure and identical function to mosquito juvenile hormone and has been one of the main targets for research and development. The efficacy and safety of S-methoprene have been well documented since the late 1960s, and numerous products have been commercialized to combat pests of economic importance. However, S-methoprene is vulnerable to environmental factors that lead to its degradation, which has created challenges in formulation development, particularly where extended efficacy is desired. A derivative of S-methoprene, namely S-methobutene, with molecular modification has become available. This derivative has demonstrated an enhanced activity of inhibition of emergence (IE) against species across the Aedes, Anopheles, and Culexgenera at IE10, IE50, and IE90. Furthermore, S-methobutene consistently outperformed S-methoprene during a 120-day aging process against the southern house mosquito Cx. quinquefasciatus, where the IE% in S-methobutene was significantly higher than that in S-methoprene on most aging intervals. The former had significantly longer residual activity than the latter. The potential of S-methobutene for further development and application is discussed in consideration of its enhanced activity and stability.

MXenes are normally used for energy storage applications. However, large nanosheets and restacking are detrimental to the ion diffusion and thus limit its rate capability. Here, a strategy to prepare flexible and porous MXene–M supercapacitor electrodes can simultaneously enlarge the interlayer spacing between layers and create holes in the layers. As a result, Ti3C2Tx–Mn presents an excellent lifespan, with still 248 F g–1after 100 000 cycles at a current density of 100 A g–1. Moreover, Ti3C2Tx–Mn-based symmetric all-solid-state supercapacitor exhibits outstanding volumetric energy up to 52.4 mWh cm–3and retains 38.4 mWh cm–3at an ultrahigh volumetric power density of 55.3 W cm–3. We believe this work provides an idea for the later regulation of MXene layer spacing and the design of porous structures, and can be widely used in the next-generation high-energy density and power density practical applications.

Purpose: The pathogenesis of Graves’ orbitopathy/thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) is still unclear, and abnormal DNA methylation in TAO has been reported. Thus, selecting and exploring TAO biomarkers associated with DNA methylation may provide a reference for new therapeutic targets. Methods: The TAO-associated expression data and methylation data were downloaded from The Gene Expression Omnibus database. Firstly, weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to obtain the TAO-related genes, which were intersected with differentially methylated genes (DMGs), and differentially expressed genes between TAO samples and normal samples to obtain TAO-associated DMGs (TA-DMGs). Thereafter, the functions of the TA-DMGs were analyzed, and diagnostic markers were screened by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) regression analysis and support vector machine (SVM) analysis. The expression levels and diagnostic values of the diagnostic markers were also analyzed. Furthermore, single gene pathway enrichment analysis was performed for each diagnostic marker separately using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) software. Next, we also performed immune infiltration analysis for each sample in the GSE58331 dataset using the single-sample GSEA algorithm, and the correlation between diagnostic markers and differential immune cells was explored. Lastly, the expressions of diagnostic markers were explored by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: A total of 125 TA-DMGs were obtained. The enrichment analysis results indicated that these TA-DMGs were mainly involved in immune-related pathways, such as Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation and the regulation of innate immune response. Moreover, two diagnostic markers, including S100A11and NKD2, were obtained by Lasso regression analysis and SVM analysis. Single gene pathway enrichment analysis showed that S100A11was involved in protein polyufmylation, pancreatic-mediated proteolysis, and NKD2was involved in innate immune response in mucosa, Wnt signaling pathway, etc. Meanwhile, immune cell infiltration analysis screened 12 immune cells, including CD56 dim natural killer cells and Neutrophil cells that significantly differed between TAO and normal samples, with the strongest positive correlation between NKD2and CD56 dim natural killer cells. Finally, the qRT-PCR illustrated the expressions of NKD2and S100A11between normal and TAO. Conclusion: NKD2and S100A11were screened as biomarkers of TAO and might be regulated by DNA methylation in TAO, providing a new reference for the diagnosis and treatment of TAO patients.

AbstractIn this autoethnographic essay, the author draws on his experiences as a Chinese immigrant in Canada to reflect on how they shaped his style of comedy and how they revealed the limitations of self-deprecating humor, particularly when it is used as a response to jokes that imply discriminatory worldviews. While a self-deprecating response can steal the laugh from the person telling a derogatory joke, its outcomes are not always certain. Studies of audience responses to comedy have indicated that the presence or absence of laughter can be seen as an affirmation or rejection of the ideas embedded in the jokes, suggesting how, when self-deprecation succeeds in provoking laughter, it runs the risk of perpetuating the harmful ideas it aims to counteract. The author examines his own confrontations with racist humor alongside accounts of similar situations involving Asian comedians living in the West, such as Ryan Higa and Joe Wong, to illustrate the dilemma of self-deprecating humor as well as the potential personal and professional consequences for those who employ it.

In this work, glutaraldehyde-crosslinked chitosan (GCC) was prepared and its ability to remove 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) from aqueous solutions was systematically studied. Batch experiments on adsorption conditions, isotherm models, kinetic models, and thermodynamics were performed to evaluate the ability of GCC for 2,4-D removal from aqueous solution. Under optimal adsorption conditions, the adsorption capacity for 2,4-D reached 252.55 mg g−1with a dosage of 500 mg L−1at pH 3. The adsorption isotherm of 2,4-D could be represented by the Freundlich model due to the high R2(0.9986). Adsorption kinetics could be better represented by pseudo-second order kinetics (R2> 0.99). The effect of temperature and thermodynamic experiments illustrated that the adsorption was exothermic and spontaneous. For other two phenoxycarboxylic acid herbicides (4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)propionic acid), GCC also showed good adsorption performance under identical experimental conditions. Meanwhile, GCC can remove 75.2% of 2-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (2-CPA), 77.9% of 4-CPA, and 87.2% of 2,4-D from diluted industrial effluent. The reusability experiments indicated that GCC retained its usability after being regenerated with ethanol for five cycles.

Dear Editor, This letter addresses the stabilization control of an asymmetric underactuated surface ship with full-state constraints. To simplify the design of controller, the original ship model is transformed into a nonlinear cascade system with a minimum phase. Then, the stabilization of the cascade system is further processed into an equivalent stabilization of a reduced-order nonholonomic-like system. A discontinuous stabilization control method is proposed through a combination of state-scaling and state-dependent function transformations, nonlin-ear filters, and switching technologies. Stability analysis demon-strates that under the newly designed stabilization controller, the closed-loop system states are bounded and the desired state constraints are not violated.

The optimization of anode materials such as Sn, P and Sn 4 P 3 in terms of capacity and cyclability is crucial to improve the overall performance of sodium-ion batteries. However, the delicate fabrication of these materials, including the balanced crystalline/amorphous domains, reasonable particle size and distribution, complementary components exhibiting synergetic reactions, among others, still greatly retards the realization of maximum performance. Herein, a series of Sn/P-based composite materials with a plum pudding configuration were fabricated to achieve controlled crystalline/amorphous structures as well as optimized size and distribution in a carbon framework. By using a facile and low-cost ball milling method, the structural transformation of Sn 4 P 3 into phase-separated crystalline Sn and amorphous P in a carbonaceous framework can be finely controlled, producing a series of binary (Sn 4 P 3 /C), quaternary (Sn 4 P 3 /Sn/P/C) and ternary (Sn/P/C) composites. Due to the complementary components, crystalline/amorphous adjustment, crystallite sizes and well-integrated interfaces, the quaternary Sn 4 P 3 /Sn/P/C composite showed the best electrochemical performance, with a noticeable long-cycle performance of 382 mA h g−1 and 86% capacity retention for nearly 300 cycles. Different from binary and ternary composites, the discharge of quaternary composite generates no noticeable signals of Na 15 Sn 4 and Na 3 P in the ex-situ X-ray diffraction patterns, suggesting the crystallite growth of sodiation products can be depressed. Moreover, Sn 4 P 3 in the quaternary composite can be partially regenerated in the desodiation reaction, implying the significant short-range interaction and thus better synergetic reactions between Sn and P components. The results demonstrate that the design and organization of crystalline/amorphous structures can serve as an efficient strategy to develop novel electrode materials for sodium ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an experimental realization of a compact and reliable way to build a nondegenerate polarization-entangled photon-pair source based on a dual-periodically-poled $ {\rm Ti}:{{\rm LiNbO}_3} $Ti:LiNbO_3 waveguide, which is in the telecommunication window and compatible with the fiber quantum networks. The dual-periodic structure allows two inherently concurrent quasiphase-matching spontaneous parametric down-conversion processes pumped by a single laser beam, hence enabling our source to be compact and stable. We show that our source has a high brightness of $ B = 1.22{\rm } \times {\rm }{10^7}\;{\rm pairs}/(\rm s \times mW \times nm) $B=1.22×10^7pairs/(s×mW×nm). With quantum state tomography, we estimate an entanglement fidelity of $ 0.945 \pm 0.003 $0.945±0.003. A violation of Clauser–Horne–Shimony–Holt inequality with $ S = 2.75 \pm 0.03 $S=2.75±0.03 is also demonstrated.

Perovskite solar cells are strong competitors for silicon-based ones, but suffer from poor long-term stability, for which the intrinsic stability of perovskite materials is of primary concern. Herein, we prepared a series of well-defined cesium-containing mixed cation and mixed halide perovskite single-crystal alloys, which enabled systematic investigations on their structural stabilities against light, heat, water, and oxygen. Two potential phase separation processes are evidenced for the alloys as the cesium content increases to 10% and/or bromide to 15%. Eventually, a highly stable new composition, (FAPbI3)0.9(MAPbBr3)0.05(CsPbBr3)0.05, emerges with a carrier lifetime of 16 μs. It remains stable during at least 10 000 h water–oxygen and 1000 h light stability tests, which is very promising for long-term stable devices with high efficiency. The mechanism for the enhanced stability is elucidated through detailed single-crystal structure analysis. Our work provides a single-crystal-based paradigm for stability investigation, leading to the discovery of stable new perovskite materials.

This paper is concerned with experimental analyses on the vibration behaviors of a horizontal pipe containing gas–liquid two-phase flow with different flow patterns. The effects of flow patterns and superficial velocities on pressure fluctuations and structural responses are evaluated in detail. Numerical simulations on the fluid–structure interactions within the pipe are carried out using the volume of fluid method and the finite element method. A strongly partitioned coupling method is adopted to ensure the compatibility and equilibrium interface conditions between the fluid and the elastic pipe. The accuracy of the numerical solutions is confirmed by comparing with experimental results. It is found that the fluctuation frequency of the pressure fluctuations of the two-phase flow ranges from 0 Hz to 5 Hz. The standard deviation (STD) value of the pressure fluctuation of the two-phase flow increases with an increase in the superficial liquid velocity, and the maximum magnitude appears in slug flows. The vibration responses of the pipe exhibit strong dependence on the momentum flux of the two-phase flow, which mainly excites the fundamental flexural vibration mode of the pipe. The magnitude of vertical vibration response of the pipe is equal to that of the lateral vibration response, and the vibration response measured at the middle of the pipe does not contain the second-order operating mode. Moreover, the STD value of the structural responses of the pipe increases proportionally with an increase in the gas flowrate, while the predominant vibration frequency of the pipe slightly increases.

Due to ionic migration and adsorption, an electrical double layer with a thickness scaled by the Debye length is formed at the hydrogel-solution interface. For a thin temperature-pH dual sensitive hydrogel whose chickness is comparable to the Debye length, its mechanical behavior may be affected by the electrical double layer. In this paper, by incorporating electromagnetic field theory into thermodynamic theory, we develop a coupled field theory for a temperature-pH dual sensitive hydrogel, and we take into account the electrical double layer. The proposed model can be used to analyze the influences of the size effect, ionic concentration, ambient temperature and solution pH value on the swelling of a thin layer of the temperature-pH sensitive hydrogel.

Rechargeable batteries electrodes are mainly classical oxides with single structure, but their performance is insufficient to meet the growing energy storage needs of modern-society. Recently, composite-structure materials with great improvements in electrochemical performance have been developed. However, little research has been conducted on these materials with regard to adjusting their structures and further controlling their electrochemical performance. Herein, composite-structure Na2/3Ni1/3−xFexTi2/3O2(0 ≤ x ≤ 1/3) electrodes for sodium-ion batteries were designed on the basis of results from in-situhigh-temperature X-ray diffraction. Triphase compositions of P2-Na2/3Ni1/3Ti2/3O2, tunnel-Na2.65Ti3.35Fe0.65O9, and tunnel-NaFeTiO4were prepared, and Na+insertion/extraction in different structures was observed using in-situelectrochemical X-ray diffraction. An optimum electrode with 46% P2-structure presented the best comprehensive performance: 105mAhg−1initial reversible capacity along with 86.5% capacity-retention after 1500 cycles. This work opens a new field for designing and adjusting composite electrodes for better electrochemical performance, not limited for sodium-ion batteries but also for other advanced battery-systems.

Glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) is one of the important physiological characteristics of islet β cells, and extracellular‐regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) is an important member of the mitogen‐activated protein kinase family that regulates this process. The inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)‐1β can inhibit the insulin secretion of pancreatic β cells, but the exact mechanism is unclear. This study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effect of IL‐1β on GSIS in βTC‐6 cells and its relation with the ERK1/2 signal transduction pathway. β‐TC6 cells were cultured and stimulated with 0mM, 1.38mM, or 5.5mM glucose. In addition, GSIS in β‐TC6 cells was blocked by IL‐1β at concentrations of 0.15 ng/mL, 1.5 ng/mL, and 15 ng/mL. After glucose stimulation and IL‐1β intervention, the insulin level in the cell supernatant was detected by radioimmunoassay, and the phosphorylation level of ERK1/2 was detected by western blotting assay. The insulin level in the 1.38mM glucose group was 108.52 ± 5.94 uIU/mL, which was significantly higher than the 0mM and 5.5mM glucose groups (p< 0.05). Compared with the 0mM glucose group, the level of ERK1/2 phosphorylation was increased in the 1.38mM and 5.5mM glucose groups. After intervention by 0.15 ng/mL, 1.5 ng/mL, and 15 ng/mL IL‐1β, the level of ERK1/2 phosphorylation induced by 1.38mM glucose stimulation decreased in a dose‐dependent manner, and the insulin level correspondingly decreased. IL‐1β can inhibit GSIS in βTC‐6 cells, which is related to its inhibition of the phosphorylation of ERK1/2.

ABSTRACTWhen optimizing webpages in order to achieve the best conversion rate, the traditional approach is to isolate and analyze them separately through a sequence of experiments. In this paper, we propose a new framework to study a system of webpages simultaneously through the use of directed graph, fractional factorial design and simple optimization algorithm. The illustrative example shows that such complicated web systems can be easily studied and optimized by using the proposed methodology.

Ever since the founding work by Finney (1945), it has been widely known and accepted that aliased effects in two-level regular designs cannot be “de-aliased” without adding more runs. A result by Wu in his 2011 Fisher Lecture showed that aliased effects can sometimes be “de-aliased” using a new framework based on the concept of conditional main effects (CMEs). This idea is further developed in this paper into a methodology that can be readily used. Some key properties are derived that govern the relationships among CMEs or between them and related effects. As a consequence, some rules for data analysis are developed. Based on these rules, a new CME-based methodology is proposed. Three real examples are used to illustrate the methodology. The CME analysis can often lead to models with fewer effect terms and smaller pvalues for the selected effects. Moreover, the selected CME effects are often more interpretable.

2219 Al alloy is widely used in the aerospace industry owing to its outstanding properties. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the extrusion temperature and extrusion ratio on the microstructure and mechanical properties of extruded 2219 Al alloy specimens, including the changes during post-extrusion aging. In the extrusion temperature range of 380–500 °C, the mechanical properties of the bar after extrusion at 470 °C were the best. Furthermore, extrusion ratios up to 25:1 produced extruded rods with excellent mechanical properties and microstructure. Increasing the extrusion temperature increased the dissolution of the eutectic θ phase in the solid solution and accelerated the breakage of the inclusions contained Mn/Fe. Some larger and coarse as-cast grains were mechanically fractured during hot extrusion, with the fragments then rotated towards directions with high Schmid factors, thus forming banded dynamic recrystallization regions. The grain boundaries of the recrystallized grains were predominantly low-angle boundaries. The 2219 Al alloy aged at 170 °C for 16 h produced the densest and most uniform distribution of needle-like nanoscale θ′ phase inside the grains, resulting in an average hardness of 149 HV. Further increasing the aging time and temperature resulted in the aggregation and growth of θ′ phase precipitates.

Here we present a pattern recognition scheme based on the intensity correlation of thermal light. We prove theoretically that under spatially incoherent illumination the matched filtering technique can be realized in the ghost imaging field. Using the matched filtering technique, it is possible to distinguish an object from a preestablished set of objects through their ghost images, which are extracted by means of intensity correlation measurement. According to the pattern recognition scheme, we present a numerical simulation in which we can easily identify the character inserted into the object arm from a set of two characters through the position of the autocorrelation peak. This pattern recognition scheme opens up the possibility of performing coherent optical processing under spatially incoherent illumination.

Tin oxide functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were synthesized on prefabricated microelectrodes by an electrochemical process. The shape, morphology, valence state and crystal structure of tin oxide were controlled by varying the deposition potential (E), charge density (C), and subsequent calcining temperature (T) and their structure-related sensing performance toward ammonia (NH3) gas was characterized at 25degC. Optimal sensing performance was obtained under the conditions of E = [?]0.625 V, C = 0.125 C/cm2, T = 400degC. The underlying NH3 sensing mechanisms of the SnO2/SWNTs hybrid nanostructures were studied, indicating that the higher Sn2+ dopants in SnO2 (obtained at a higher applied potential of [?]0.625 V) in the oxides as well as the greater active surface area (obtained at the optimal charge density of 0.125 C/cm2) and the lowest calcining temperature of 400degC are the key factors in improving the sensing performance. Selectivity of the gas sensors was determined by exposing them to CO and NO2 at room temperature.

One-dimensional nanostructure-based chemiresistive sensors have received great attention because of their compact design and excellent sensing performance, including high sensitivity, low detection limits, low power consumption, and the ability to integrate multisensor arrays. However, these sensors generally suffer from slow response and recovery times when they are operated at ambient conditions because of slow catalytic or absorption/desorption processes. The sensors overcome this obstacle by operating at high temperature, which increases the device complexity with a higher power consumption rate. In this work, we demonstrated the construction of an ultrafast NO2sensor at ambient conditions by utilizing feather-like tellurium (Te) nanostructures functionalized on single-walled carbon nanotube networks. By tailoring the morphology and density of Te nanostructures, hybrid nanostructures show excellent response and recovery times of approximately 63 s and 7 min to 100 ppbVNO2gas at room temperature.

The term maidanhas become a common way of asking for the bill in Putonghua. In this paper we investigate whether this is the transfer of a Cantonese expression which has been re-interpreted as a Putonghua expression, and thus an example of language change being caused by a mistake or mishearing. The study surveyed Mainland Chinese in a number of settings to elicit their preferred way of asking for the bill. By asking them to write the characters, we were also able to determine whether those whose preferred way of asking for the bill was to say maidan were using the Cantonese or the Putonghuaexpression. We conclude that, in many contexts, maidanhas indeed become the preferred way of calling for the bill, and that the majority of those who use this expression are using the Putonghua‘buy the bill’ rather than the original Cantonese expression.

A potentially cost-effective radio-over-fiber (ROF)/fiber-to-the-X (FTTX)/CATV hybrid three-band transport system based on direct modulation of a distributed feedback laser diode (DFB LD) with multi-wavelength output characteristic is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Directly modulated radio-frequency (RF) (1.25Gbps/6GHz), externally remodulated baseband (BB) (622 Mbps), and externally remodulated CATV (channels 2-78) signals are successfully transmitted simultaneously. Over an 80-km single-mode fiber (SMF) transmission, low bit error rate (BER) and clear eye diagram were achieved for ROF and FTTX applications; and good performances of carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR), composite second-order (CSO) and composite triple beat (CTB) were obtained for CATV signals. Since our proposed systems use only a directly modulated DFB LD to achieve multi-wavelength transmission, it reveals an outstanding one with simpler and more economic advantages.

A tsunami was triggered in the North Pacific Ocean by the 2021 Alaska earthquake (M 8.2) on July 29. We studied the source properties and resonance characteristics of the tsunami event using observed records from offshore tsunameters and coastal tide gauges as well as numerical simulation. Spectral analyses were conducted on records at tsunameters and tide gauges. We reconstructed the tsunami source spectrum by calculating the ratio of tsunami spectra to the background spectra of these stations. Based on the source spectrum, we estimated the source size of the 2021 Alaska earthquake to be 332 km (length) ×$\times $256 km (width), which was generally consistent with the source model proposed by the United States Geological Survey using seismological approaches. In addition, we also performed spectral analyses of the tsunami wavefield in a region of interest, including the Aleutian Islands and the Alaska Peninsula. Standing wave systems were found south of the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. The Aleutian Islands prevent the propagation of tsunami oscillations. Only a small portion of energy propagates through the archipelago from the main part of the Pacific Ocean to the Bering Sea. On 29 July 2021, an earthquake occurred offshore the Alaska Peninsula and generated a tsunami. It was the largest earthquake event in the United States in the past 50 years. We analyzed the tsunami records of offshore and coastal stations. We estimated the size of the source fault merely based on tsunami data, as a complementary method to seismological approaches. Moreover, we also investigated tsunami resonance characteristics in the Aleutian Islands and the Alaska Peninsula. Tsunami resonance is a phenomenon that occurs when the period of the tsunami matches the oscillation periods of bays or the continental shelf. We found that the tsunami amplitudes were amplified in the Aleutian Islands at certain periods owing to resonant oscillations. Tsunami source spectrum was reconstructed to yield an estimation of the tsunami source size of the 2021 Alaska earthquakeSix oscillation modes in the Aleutian Islands and the Alaska Peninsula were identified by modal analysis, ranging from 120.5 to 46.5 minThe Aleutian Islands hinder the propagation of tsunami oscillations from the main part of the Pacific Ocean to the Bering Sea Tsunami source spectrum was reconstructed to yield an estimation of the tsunami source size of the 2021 Alaska earthquake Six oscillation modes in the Aleutian Islands and the Alaska Peninsula were identified by modal analysis, ranging from 120.5 to 46.5 min The Aleutian Islands hinder the propagation of tsunami oscillations from the main part of the Pacific Ocean to the Bering Sea

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were functionalized using a simple method of heat treatment under oxygen atmosphere followed by an immersion in a tin nitrate aqueous solution. And well-dispersed SnOx nanodots were decorated on the surface of CNTs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that the O/C ratio increases with oxygen-treated time. The distribution of carbon-containing functional groups on the CNTs surface, i.e., C−C, C−O, C=O, O−C=O, and π−π* shake up bonds can be identified and deconvoluted by a symmetrical Gauss function. The contact angle of H2O and CNTs is dependent on O/C ration. The relationships between the fraction of carbon-containing functional groups and various oxygen treatment times are also discussed.

Through self-assembly monolayer surface treatment, metal oxide nanoparticles uniformly dispersed onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs) surface are investigated. At first, oxidation treatment was performed to increase O/C ratio of CNTs surface at 250°C for 1 hr under an oxygen atmosphere. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis shows that O/C ratio is a increasing function of oxidating time. Distribution of oxygen functional groups on CNTs surface, i.e., carboxyl, carbonyl, phenolic groups, can be identified and deconvoluted by a symmetrical Gauss function. Experiments indicate that heat time for 5hr can produce a greater O/C ratio on CNTs surface. It is observed that carboxyl groups acts an important role to link with metal ions via an ionic interaction, thus, forming a monolayer adsorption on CNTs surface. By heating the treated CNTs, a completely composite nanostructure is thus formed. In the present work, we successfully fabricate three kinds of nanoparticles including SnO2, and RuO2, with an average diameter of 5-10 nm coated on the CNTs.

Background.Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is characterized by islet β-cell loss and absolute insulin deficiency, however, studies in recent years have shown some extent of insulin resistance in LADA patients. In view of insulin resistance being the central pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MS), we hypothesized that MS could be found in LADA patients.Methods.A total of 60 glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GAD-Ab)-positive LADA patients and 120 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) were enrolled for the study. MS and its components were diagnosed according to the working definitions proposed by World Health Organization and National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III [ATP III]). Insulin resistance and high sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP) levels were also evaluated in patients with or without MS. Serum insulin and hsCRP levels were determined with radioimmune and immunoturbidimetric assays, respectively.Results.MS was found in 50% of LADA patients by WHO criteria and in 40% by ATP III criteria. The proportions of MS and its metabolic components were all comparable between LADA and T2DM patients except that a lower proportion of hypertension was seen in LADA. LADA patients with MS had significantly higher HOMA-IR index (0.85 ± 0.33 vs. 0.60 ± 0.26, p= 0.001 for WHO criteria; 0.89 ± 0.34 vs. 0.62 ± 0.26, p= 0.000 for ATP III criteria) and hsCRP levels (0.86 vs. 0.41, p= 0.019 for WHO criteria; 0.96 vs. 0.66, p= 0.018 for ATP III criteria) than LADA without MS patients.Conclusions.Our findings indicate that MS does exist in LADA patients, suggesting that the a diagnosis of MS could not exclude one of LADA and that insulin sensitizers may be beneficial in therapeutic strategies for treating these conditions.

ABSTRACTChlamydiae have to replicate within a cytoplasmic vacuole in eukaryotic cells. Expansion of the chlamydia-laden vacuole is essential for chlamydial intravacuolar replication, which inevitably causes host cell cytoskeleton rearrangements. A cleavage fragment of keratin 8 corresponding to the central rod region was detected in the soluble fraction of chlamydia-infected cells. Since keratin 8 is a major component of the intermediate filaments in simple epithelial cells, cleavage of keratin 8 may increase the solubility of the host cell cytoskeleton and thus permit vacuole expansion in chlamydia-infected cells. A chlamydia-secreted protease designated CPAF (chlamydial protease/proteasome-like activity factor) was both necessary and sufficient for keratin 8 cleavage in chlamydia-infected cells, suggesting that chlamydiae have evolved specific mechanisms for modifying the host cell cytoskeleton.

High-efficiency diffractive optical elements can be achieved by an increase in the number of phase levels. We present a technique for laser direct-write gray-level masks on high-energy-beam–sensitive glass and one-step etching on the gray-level mask plate for the production of high-efficiency diffractive optical elements. Sixteen-phase-level diffractive microlenses and microlens arrays with a focusing efficiency of approximately 94% have been realized by use of the one-step nonphotolithographic fabrication technique.

The development of low-cost yet highly efficient catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for large-scale clean and sustainable hydrogen production from water splitting. Tuning the interfacial structure of catalyst has emerged as an effective strategy to optimize the intrinsic catalytic activity. In this study, we demonstrated the deposition of Ru nanoparticles by freshly prepared strong reductive Ti(III) oxide, resulting in Ru/reduced TiO2interface with oxygen vacancies. The as-prepared Ru/r-TiO2exhibited a superior HER performance over commercial Pt/C in alkaline media, only with a small overpotential of 15mV required to deliver the benchmark current density of 10mAcm-2and a high turnover frequency of 8.74s-1at an overpotential of 100mV. Density functional theory calculation indicates that high electrocatalytic activity of Ru/r-TiO2is originated from the promotion of water dissociation and weakening OH adsorption by reduced TiO2, which facilitates the conversion of water to H2. This work provides an efficient strategy for the design of high-performance HER catalysts.

Variants of the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) gene have been associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and coronary artery diseases (CAD). However, association of IL-1β polymorphisms with diabetic patients having CAD clinical manifestation has not been studied yet. In this study, we aim to decipher the role of IL-1β common promoter variants with susceptibility/resistance to development of CAD in T2D patients. T2D patients with (n = 134) or without CAD (n = 533) were enrolled. A total of 513 essentially healthy individuals from the same population were included in this study as control. Plasma levels of IL-1β were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit as per instructions from the manufacturer. IL-1β promoter variants (T-31C and C-511T) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). T2D patients displayed higher level of plasma IL-1β in comparison to healthy controls. Prevalence of variants for IL-1β (C-511T) polymorphism was higher in diabetic patients compared to controls (CT: P< 0.0001, OR = 3.01; TT: P< 0.0001, OR = 2.45). IL-1β (C-511T) polymorphism was linked with plasma IL-1β levels. Interestingly, heterozygous mutants (CT) were most prevalent in T2D individuals with CAD compared to those without CAD (P= 0.03, OR = 1.82). Furthermore, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglycerides were elevated in T2D patients with CAD than in patients without heart-related disorder. No significant association of other polymorphism (T-31C) was noticed with susceptibility to T2D or diabetic patients with heart disorders. IL-1β (C-511T) variants are associated with elevated plasma IL-1β levels. Mutation at the IL-1β promoter region (C-511T) predisposed subjects to the development of T2D and CAD manifestation in diabetic patients.

Experimental verifications of the feasibility of using chirped fiber grating (CFG) as the dispersion compensation device in a bi-directional hybrid dense-wavelength-division-multiplexing (DWDM) system to reduce the dispersion and cross-phase modulation (XPM) induced crosstalk were proposed and demonstrated. Not only channel capacity was increased, but also good performances of carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) ? 50 dB, composite second order (CSO) ? 72 dB, composite triple beat (CTB) ? 69 dB and low bit error rate (BER) <;;; 10^(-9) were achieved in our proposed system over a 50-km single-mode fiber (SMF) transport.

A new technique of laser-assisted single-step chemical etching for diffractive microlens fabrication upon high-energy-beam sensitive glass is reported. Laser direct writing with calibrated writing parameters results in gray-level mask patterns upon the ion-exchanged layer of the glass. The transmittance-dependent chemical etching upon the glass is then effectively utilized to yield suitable surface relief structures for multiple-phase-level diffractive optical elements. The one-step nonphotolithographic fabrication technique has been successfully applied for the realization of an eight-phase-level diffractive microlens.

Aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs) are considered as a promising alternative to traditional rechargeable batteries due to their high theoretical capacity, low cost, and multivalent-ion/multi-electron transfer, but are hindered from commercialization by the lack of suitable cathode materials. Herein, an aluminum-selenium (Al-Se) battery that operates at room temperature with high energy efficiency is reported. This Al-Se battery exhibits high selenium utilization with a discharge capacity of 607 mAh g−1, a reduced overpotential, and high volumetric capacity for over 100 cycles. Furthermore, ex-situspectroscopic and microscopic investigations of the Se cathodes indicated the existence of an aluminum selenide component as the discharge product. Additionally, in-situtransmission electron microscopy provided not only insights into understanding the Al-Se electrochemistry, but also a real-time characterization technique to evaluate the electrochemistry of AIBs in general.

An externally modulated amplitude modulated-vestigial sideband (AM-VSB) CATV erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA)-repeated system that uses external light injection technique is proposed and demonstrated. Good performances of carrier-to-noise ratio, composite second order, and composite triple beat were achieved with 0-dBm light injection over a 100-km single-mode fiber transport. © 2003 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

In this research, we investigate the interaction between colliding photorefractive spatial solitons. The energy transfer from a vector soliton to a scalar soliton is quantitatively investigated. The energy exchange efficiency increases as the input intensity ratio of the vector soliton increases, while it decreases as the collision angle increases. It is also found that the spatial solitons interact with each other like particles, and the energy of each soliton is conserved after the collision. This observation provides preliminary data for optical computation applications via photorefractive spatial solitons.

The high-order intensity correlation function of N-photon interference with thermal light observed in a recent experiment [S. Oppel. T. Büttner, P. Kok, and J. von Zanthier, Phys. Rev. Lett. 109. 233603 (2012)] is analyzed. The terms in the expansion of the Nth-order correlation function are put into three groups. One group contributes a homogeneous background. Both of the other two contribute (N -- l)-fold super-resolving fringes. In principle they correspond to coherent and incoherent superpositions of classical optical fields, respectively. Therefore similar super-resolving fringes can be obtained without intensity-correlation measurements. We report the experimental results of the coherent and incoherent super-resolving diffraction fringes, which are observed directly in the intensity distribution. The N -- 1 sources in both the coherent and incoherent cases are set in certain definite positions. In the coherent case, moreover, the phase difference between two adjacent source fields is π. The fringe visibility is unity in the incoherent case, while it decreases as N increases in the incoherent case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we proved the existence of small amplitude quasi-periodic solutions for the forced radial vibrations of cylindrical shells with hyperelastic, homogeneous, isotropic, and incompressible materials. The proof mainly relies on action angle variables and a series of approximately identical transformations, which transform the Hamiltonian into the near integrable one. Owing to Moser's twist theorem, there exist infinitely many invariant curves at any sufficiently small neighborhood of the equilibrium point of free radial oscillations, some of which are corresponding to quasi-periodic solutions. Moreover, this procedure also provides a new method to calculate the approximate period of the small amplitude free radial periodic oscillation. Some numerical examples demonstrate and support our results. • There exist small amplitude quasi-periodic motions for cylindrical shells. • A series of approximately identical transformations are constructed. • New method to calculate the approximate period is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]