Search

On the basis of the sustainable concept, organic compounds and carbon materials both mainly composed of light C element have been regarded as powerful candidates for advanced electrochemical energy storage (EES) systems, due to theie merits of low cost, eco-friendliness, renewability, and structural versatility. It is investigated that the carbonyl functionality as the most common constituent part serves a crucial role, which manifests respective different mechanisms in the various aspects of EES systems. Notably, a systematical review about the concept and progress for carbonyl chemistry is beneficial for ensuring in-depth comprehending of carbonyl functionality. Hence, a comprehensive review about carbonyl chemistry has been summarized based on state-of-the-art developments. Moreover, the working principles and fundamental properties of the carbonyl unit have been discussed, which has been generalized in three aspects, including redox activity, the interaction effect, and compensation characteristic. Meanwhile, the pivotal characterization technologies have also been illustrated for purposefully studying the related structure, redox mechanism, and electrochemical performance to profitably understand the carbonyl chemistry. Finally, the current challenges and promising directions are concluded, aiming to afford significant guidance for the optimal utilization of carbonyl moiety and propel practicality in EES systems.

Polygoni Multiflori Radix (He Shou Wu) is a Chinese medicine widely used in clinical treatment and preventive healthcare. However, recently there have been frequent reports of liver injury caused by Polygoni Multiflori Radix and its related preparations, and some patients have serious adverse outcomes, attracting wide attention worldwide. The risk of liver damage caused by preparations containing Polygoni Multiflori Radix or Polygoni Multiflori Caulis has been repeatedly reported by the Chinese Food and Drug Administration. Fortunately, substantial progress has recently been made in revealing the basic properties, main causes, material basis, and molecular mechanism of Polygoni Multiflori Radix-related liver injury. The basic characteristics and biomarkers of susceptible people have been identified, indicating that Polygoni Multiflori Radix has the risk of inducing liver injury only in a few specific populations and is safe for most populations. This study provides a scientific basis for a correct and objective understanding of liver injury caused by Polygoni Multiflori Radix, and a reasonable formulation of safe medication measures for Polygoni Multiflori Radix and related preparations. The China Association of Chinese Medicine organized experts in relevant fields across the country to draft and formulate the “Guidelines for Safe Use of Polygoni Multiflori Radix” with the aim of helping the public and relevant institutions at home and abroad to scientifically understand, evaluate, and avoid the risk of liver injury; guide the rational use; protect the health rights and interests of consumers; and promote the healthy and sustainable development of Polygoni Multiflori Radix and related preparations. These guidelines were issued by the China Association of Chinese Medicine (No. T/CACM 1328-2019).

Primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) is a complex chronic autoimmune disease in which local tissue damage in exocrine glands is combined with broader systemic involvement across the body in tissues including the skin. These combined manifestations negatively impact patient health and quality of life. While studies have previously reported differences in immune cell composition in the peripheral blood of pSS patients relative to healthy control subjects, a detailed immune cell landscape of the damaged exocrine glands of these patients remains lacking. Through single-cell transcriptomics and repertoire sequencing of immune cells in paired peripheral blood samples and salivary gland biopsies, we present here a preliminary picture of adaptive immune response in pSS. We characterize a number of points of divergence between circulating and glandular immune responses that have been hitherto underappreciated, and identify a novel population of CD8+ CD9+ cells with tissue-residential properties that are highly enriched in the salivary glands of pSS patients. Through comparative analyses with other sequencing data, we also observe a potential connection between these cells and the tissue-resident memory cells found in cutaneous vasculitis lesions. Together, these results indicate a potential role for CD8+ CD9+ cells in mediating glandular and systemic effects associated with pSS and other autoimmune disorders.Primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) is a complex, chronic autoimmune disease involving damage to secretory glands and broader systemic manifestations. Though efforts have been made to systematically profile circulating immune cells in pSS patients, the immune landscape within the inflamed glands has remained murky. Through integrated single-cell profiling of circulating and glandular immune cells, we identify a population of CD8+ CD9+ tissue-resident memory T cells uniquely found in the salivary glands in both human patients and animal models. These TRMs express significant levels of chemokines, and their presence is positively correlated with clinical disease activity. Via comparative analyses, we find that these tissue-resident memory T cells may also be potentially observed in the skin, suggesting a possible connection with dermal manifestations of pSS.

Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy additive manufacturing components were fabricated by cold metal transfer advance (CMT-A) and metal inert-gas welding (MIG). The results indicate that the CMT-A as-deposited sample has fine grains with small-sized η'-strengthened precipitates and supersaturated solid solution, and the hardness is increased by 16.1% compared to the MIG as-deposited sample, and its peak aging hardness increased by 36.8% compared to the MIG. It indicates that CMT-A can directly produce Al–Zn–Mg–Cu products that have the potential to achieve high strength without the need for re-solutionizing.

Tellurium (Te)-bearing adularia-sericite epithermal Au-Ag deposits are widely distributed in calc-alkaline magmatic arcs and are an important current and future source of precious and critical metals. The source of ore-forming fluids in these deposits remains unclear due to the lack of in situ isotopic evidence on Au-, Ag-, and Te-bearing minerals. To advance the understanding of the source and evolution of Te and precious metals, herein, we combine in situ Pb isotope analysis with He, Ne, and Ar isotope and microthermometric analysis of fluid inclusions in ore and gangue minerals from two Te-rich and two Te-poor epithermal Au-Ag deposits that occur in an Early Cretaceous magmatic arc in the North Heilongjiang Belt, northeastern China. Ore minerals (hessite, petzite, calaverite, altaite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and galena) from Te-rich Au-Ag deposits, including Sandaowanzi and Yongxin, have the least radiogenic Pb isotope compositions (206Pb/204Pb from 18.1 to 18.3) and the lowest μ1 values (the 238U/204Pb ratio of the lead source down to 9.14) of the deposits studied. For these Te-rich deposits, noble gas isotope data show that fluid inclusions in ore minerals contain a large proportion of mantle He (up to 25%), whereas barren early-stage minerals do not (<1%). The Pb, noble gas isotope, and fluid inclusion microthermometric results suggest that Te-rich ore-forming fluids were likely discharged from mafic magmas into convecting meteoric flow systems at shallow levels (<2 km). In contrast to the Te-rich deposits, ore minerals from the Te-poor Dong’an Au-Ag deposit have radiogenic Pb isotope compositions (206Pb/204Pb from 18.8 to 18.9) and the highest μ1 values (up to 10.54). Fluid inclusions in ore minerals contain a small proportion of mantle He (1% to 5%). The results suggest that metals and ore-forming fluids in these deposits were discharged from either more crustally contaminated intermediate-felsic magmas or leached from upper crustal rocks by convecting meteoric flow systems. Although the Te-poor Tuanjiegou Au-Ag deposit has a non-radiogenic Pb isotope composition consistent with a mafic magma source, Te is much less abundant (electrum [>95%] is the major gold- and silver-bearing mineral) than Au. The main exploration implication of these results is that unexplored volcano-plutonic centers in the northeast Xing’an Block with less radiogenic Pb isotope compositions (206Pb/204Pb < 18.3) and containing fluids with a high proportion of mantle He are more likely to generate Te-rich epithermal Au-Ag deposits than other volcano-plutonic centers in NE China.

• An unreported aramid fiber (AF)/PEEK composite is produced. • A simple surface modification method for the AF/PEEK composites is proposed. • A multiscale flexible-rigid CNT-COOH/ANF interphase has been constructed to improve interfacial adhesion. • The flexural strength (132.60 %) and ILSS (182.97 %) of AF/PEEK composites were enhanced. The application of aramid fiber (AF)/polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composites is currently hindered by the inert surface and poor wettability of AF, resulting in weak interfacial adhesion and poor mechanical properties. Surface coating and the introduction of nanostructures have been proven to be effective approaches to address this problem. Herein, a simple hybrid sizing agent has been developed to modify the AF surface, consisting of soluble polyimide (PI) as a compatibilizer, carboxyl-functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNT-COOH) as a rigid unit, and aramid nanofibers (ANF) as a flexible component. The synergetic effects of PI and the multiscale flexible-rigid structure (CNT-COOH/ANF) contribute to the formation of chemical and physical bonds between AF and PEEK matrix, further improving the interfacial adhesion and stress transfer efficiency. Attributed to the enhanced wettability and roughness of AF, compared with unsized AF, the flexural strength (220.97 MPa), modulus (13.26 GPa), ILSS (13.36 MPa), and storage modulus (12.93 GPa) of the AF/PEEK composite increase by 132.60 %, 99.00 %, 18.97 %, and 82.70 % respectively. Additionally, the flexible-rigid nanonetwork facilitates the penetration of the PEEK resin into pore spaces. This simple and effective approach exhibits promising potential in enhancing the interfacial bonding of AF/PEEK composites. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Contact area was altered by modification of topographies and different treatments. • Decrease of contact area led to a reduction in coverage rate of attached bacteria. • Increase of contact area caused higher lateral strength of bacteria adhesion. Bacterial adhesion is a critical process in many fields, such as implant infections, microbiologically influenced corrosion and bioelectricity generation in microbial fuel cells. During bacterial adhesion, the contact area between the attached bacteria and the patterned surface plays an important role. In this study, different surface topographies and treatments were employed to simulate three circumstances with different contact areas. A nanostripe structure with a period of 576.9 nm and a height of 203.5 nm was fabricated on pure titanium by femtosecond laser ablation. Bacteria in liquid attached to the peaks of the nanostripe structure and were stretched on the two adjacent nanostripes. Compared with the polished surface, the contact area between bacteria and the nanostripe surface was reduced to 50 %, resulting in a reduction (about 50 %) in the coverage rate of attached bacteria. In addition, the nanostripe surface was a hydrophobic surface with a water contact angle (WCA) of 112.1°, and the surface potential of the nanostripe surface was higher than that of the polished surface. However, the surface potential and wettability of the nanostripe surface played a minor role in the bacterial adhesion due to the reduced contact area. Upon drying, the attached bacteria on the nanostripe surface sank into the valley region and the contact area was about 40 % larger than that on the polished surface. The lateral strength of bacterial adhesion on nanostripe surfaces was higher than that on polished surfaces, due to the larger contact area. Upon applying a lateral force of 10.0 nN, the percentage of bacteria remaining on the nanostripe surface (31.1 %) was higher than that on the polished surface (11.9 %). Hence, the bacterial adhesion on the nanopatterned surface was mainly determined by the contact area. The in-depth exploration of the relation between bacterial adhesion on the nanopatterned surface and the contact area enables the rational surface designs of biomaterials to regulate bacterial adhesion. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For ultra-large-scale offshore wind bases, to achieve cost-effective and efficient transmission from offshore wind farms (OWFs) to distant load centers, this study proposes a transmission system that integrates multiple offshore low-frequency AC (LFAC) links and onshore high-voltage DC (HVDC) link. To integrate between multiple offshore LFAC links and onshore HVDC link, low-frequency flexible line commutation converter (LF-FLCC) is introduced, which comprises of LCC and low-frequency auxiliary MMC (A-MMC) in series connection. The LF-FLCC offers benefits of low cost, compactness, and DC fault clearance capability by utilizing LCC, while attains flexibility through A-MMC such as AC voltage support, DC power regulation, and active compensation. The LF-FLCC also possesses independent black-start capability through an auxiliary diode rectifier (A-DR). Through voltage boost and energy conversion by the LF-FLCC, the offshore wind power can be aggregated onto the DC bus, facilitating a continuous transmission to load centers through onshore HVDC links economically and efficiently. Based on proposed system, this study proposes the normal operation, black-start scheme, and DC fault clearance strategy. Besides, this paper analyzes the capacity requirement of the A-MMC. The effectiveness of the proposed system is verified in Matlab/Simulink using a scenario of a 10 GW large-scale offshore wind power base.

In order to facilitate the digital transformation of conventional power grid, constructing the digital twin of power equipment is crucial. The primary task of the digital transformation is to build the 3D model of power equipment. However, existing methods cannot achieve digital twin modeling with high fidelity and efficiency. Therefore, a 3D reconstruction method for heterogenous data based on improved Neural Radiation Fields (NeRF) is proposed. By utilizing the infrared-visible image sequence, the spatial domain consistency of the heterogenous data is preserved by the image registration algorithm improved based on restricted matching region strategy (RMRS). Then, in order to focus on the characteristics of the equipment, a deep image matting network (DIM) is designed to eliminate the interference of complex background in the image. The pose of the camera is recovered from the visible images of the power equipment based on Structure From Motion (SFM). Finally, the NeRF is employed to complete the 3D reconstruction of the visible model and temperature field model of power equipment, enabling 3D fusion perception of the 2D heterogenous monitoring data. Experimental results show that this method can realize high-fidelity 3D reconstruction of power equipment within 30 s, which is superior to existing methods in terms of accuracy, modeling speed, automation degree, robustness and lightweight.

This paper presents a reconfigurable near-sensor anomaly detection processor to real-time monitor the potential anomalous behaviors of amputees with limb prostheses. The processor is low-power, low-latency, and suitable for equipment on the prostheses and comprises a reconfigurable Variational Autoencoder (VAE), a scalable Self-Organizing Map (SOM) Array, and a window-size-adjustable Markov Chain, which can implement an integrated miniaturized anomaly detection system. With the reconfigurable VAE, the proposed processor can support up to 64 sensor sampling channels programmable by global configuration, which can meet the anomaly detection requirements in different scenarios. A scalable SOM array allows for the selection of different sizes based on the complexity of the data. Unlike traditional time accumulation-based anomaly detection methods, the Markov Chain is utilized to detect time-series-based anomalous data. The processor is designed and fabricated in a UMC 40-nm LP technology with a core area of 1.49 mm${}^{2}$ and a power consumption of 1.81 mW. It achieves real-time detection performance with 0.933 average F1 Score for the FSP dataset within 24.22 $\mu$s, and 0.956 average F1 Score for the SFDLA-12 dataset within 30.48 $\mu$s. The energy dissipation of detection for each input feature is 43.84 nJ with the FSP dataset, and 55.17 nJ with the SFDLA-12 dataset. Compared with ARM Cortex-M4 and ARM Cortex-M33 microcontrollers, the processor achieves energy and area efficiency improvements ranging from 257$\boldsymbol{\times}$, 193$\boldsymbol{\times}$ and 11$\boldsymbol{\times}$, 8$\boldsymbol{\times}$, respectively.

This article studies the constrained optimization problem of integrator chain multiagent systems from the distributed perspective. Particularly, all the agents collaborate to find an optimal solution of a global objective function summed by multiple local ones, each of which is just convex and belongs to an individual agent. However, the potential optimal solutions are simultaneously subject to set constraints and two kinds of equality constraints, i.e., individual equality constraint and aggregate equality constraint, whereas their involved constraint parameters are privately available to individual agents. With a proper coordinate transformation, a distributed optimization protocol is synthesized by introducing proper internal dynamics. Under the Lyapunov framework, it is shown with a convex theory that the synthesized distributed protocol enables the multiagent system to achieve the concerned constrained optimization objective. An example is finally given to confirm the optimization effectiveness.

Free-space optical (FSO) communications in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) wavelength region has gained increasing interest due, in part, to the lower atmospheric loss than at lower wavelengths. In this paper, we review multi-channel mid-IR FSO communications using channel multiplexing to increase the system data capacity. We discuss different channel multiplexing schemes and channel degradation effects for mid-IR beam propagating through the atmosphere. Additionally, we review different techniques for mid-IR data transceivers in mid-IR FSO links. Finally, we describe several recent multi-channel mid-IR FSO link demonstrations resulting in increased total data rates.

We report on our design and fabrication of 1064-nm laterally-coupled distributed feedback (LC-DFB) semiconductor lasers, in which, a $9^{\mathrm {th}}$ order grating with $\lambda $ /4 phase shift was incorporated, as well as investigating the effect of asymmetric phase shift (APS) on the device characteristics. It was found that the laser exhibited significantly higher output power when the phase-shifted position was closer to the rear facet. The results indicate that under the conditions of continuous-wave (CW) operation and the ambient temperature of 20°C, the output power reaches 362.3 mW when the injection current is 1 A, and the slope efficiency is about 0.4 W/A. The side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) >40 dB can be achieved for operation current in the range of 0.2 A to 1 A, which meets the requirement of single mode operation. This study provides valuable insights for the development of high-power LC-DFB semiconductor lasers with simple high-order grating fabrication process.

The identification of changes in linear models is a fundamental problem encountered in various applications. Traditional methods often encounter difficulties when attempting to identify changepoints in the presence of heavy-tailed distribution. This paper focuses on the study of high-dimensional linear models with multiple structural changes in the presence of heavy-tailed errors, especially for those errors without moment conditions. We first propose a robust method that simultaneously estimates regression coefficient and changepoint by incorporating $\ell _{1}$ norm penalized Wilcoxon rank loss minimization for single changepoint estimation. Furthermore, we extend it to multiple changepoints estimation based on a novel two-step moving window mechanism that combines fast coarse grid screening and an efficient refinement. Our method exhibits robustness against heavy-tailed random errors while maintaining high efficiency for normal random errors. Theoretically, we establish non-asymptotic error bounds with a near-oracle rate for the estimates of both the coefficient and the changepoint under weak conditions on the random error distribution. Numerical results provide evidence for the validity and effectiveness of the proposed approach.

L-Proline (Pro) is an essential amino acid additive in livestock and aquaculture feeds. Previously, we created a Pro overproducing Halomonas elongataHN6 by introducing an engineered salt-inducible Pro biosynthetic mCherry-proBm1ACoperon and deleting a putAgene that encoded a Pro catabolic enzyme in the genome of H. elongataOUT30018. Here, we report a generation of a novel Pro overproducing H. elongataHN10 strain with improved salt tolerance and higher Pro yield by expressing the mCherry-proBm1ACoperon and deleting the putAgene in the genome of a spontaneous mutant H. elongataGlutamic acid Over-Producing, which overproduces glutamic acid (Glu) that is a precursor for Pro biosynthesis. The optimal salt concentration for growth of H. elongataHN10 was found to be 7% to 8% w/v NaCl, and the average Pro yield of 166 mg/L was achieved when H. elongataHN10 was cultivated in M63 minimal medium containing 4% w/v glucose and 8% w/v NaCl.Graphical AbstractIncreased proline production in engineered Halomonas elongata.

This paper presents a novel map matching framework that adopts deep learning techniques to map a sequence of cell tower locations to a trajectory on a road network. Map matching is an essential pre-processing step for many applications, such as traffic optimization and human mobility analysis. However, most recent approaches are based on hidden Markov models (HMMs) or neural networks that are hard to consider high-order location information or heuristics observed from real driving scenarios. In this paper, we develop a deep reinforcement learning based map matching framework for cellular data, named as DMM, which adopts a recurrent neural network (RNN) coupled with a reinforcement learning scheme to identify the most-likely trajectory of roads given a sequence of cell towers. To transform DMM into a practical system, several challenges are addressed by developing a set of techniques, including spatial-aware representation of input cell tower sequences, an encoder-decoder based RNN network for map matching model with variable-length input and output, and a global heuristics-driven reinforcement learning based scheme for optimizing the parameters of the encoder-decoder map matching model. Extensive experiments on a large-scale anonymized cellular dataset reveal that DMM provides high map matching accuracy and fast inference time.

Talkative power conversion (TPC) is a promising solution to modern power system communication due to its advanced features of reduced communication infrastructure and low volume. However, the majority of TPC in three-phase inverters is realized by superimposing the frequency-hopping sinusoidal reference signals, which adversely affects the power quality and stability from the perspective of the power system. In view of this, this article proposed a sideband harmonic-based TPC scheme for three-phase inverters without extra harmonics injection. In the proposed scheme, the signal is modulated into the carrier-based pulsewidth modulation by binary phase-shift keying modulation and is transmitted over power lines via sideband harmonics. Sideband harmonics with different carrier phases are analyzed by double Fourier series (DFS) and modeled under dq frame for efficient demodulation. The proposed strategy takes advantage of the existing sideband harmonics to achieve TPC in three-phase inverters, which avoids introducing extra harmonics and has less impact on the power quality. As a result, the given solution not only reduces system costs and volume but also realizes a power quality-friendly signal transmission. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed TPC method is verified by the experimental platform.

The longitudinal end effect of permanent magnet linear synchronous machines induces parameter asymmetry, imparting time-varying, and nonlinear characteristics to the machine model. In parameter estimation, parameter asymmetry introduces additional estimated parameters and results in nonlinearity and coupling among the parameters. To enhance the modeling precision and estimation performance, this article proposes a full electrical parameter estimation method considering asymmetry. First, the universal asymmetric equations are formulated for modeling parameter asymmetry. After these equations are subjected to reparameterization, the linear regression formulations with model order reduction are yielded. Second, the dynamic regressor extension and mixing method is employed to achieve full parameter estimation. The quasi-steady state caused by the end effect ensures that the estimation equations incorporate sufficient excitation, thereby meeting the stability conditions without the necessity of external excitation. Finally, the comparative, disturbance, and control application experiments are carried out, which validate the effectiveness and merits of the estimation method.

The single-stage multiport inverter (SSMI) directly connects the hybrid energy storage system (HESS) to the ac side, which presents the merits of low cost and high efficiency due to the removal of dc–dc converter. The existing space vector modulation (SVM) schemes transplanted from the corresponding multilevel inverters cannot achieve bidirectional active power flow for both dc ports due to the limited degree of freedom. To this end, this article proposes an opposite vector modulation to release an extra degree of freedom for bidirectional active power allocation in the SSMI. A novel two-level inverter model of the SSMI is proposed to obtain the capability of generating opposite vectors, where the straight-forward relationship between dc-port power and opposite vector can be revealed. Then, vector phasor diagram-based theoretical analysis is proposed to demonstrate that the power allocation range is expanded by decomposing the reference voltage vector into opposite vectors. Finally, the experimental tests are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed opposite vector modulation. Compared to conventional SVM strategies, not only bidirectional power allocation of both dc ports can be realized, but also the power allocation range has been increased by 21$\%$.

The magnitude of inertia is often used to assess the ability to withstand frequency perturbations. However, the inertia of wind turbines (WTs) is time-varying, equipped with magnitude-phase characteristics. Existing studies have only focused on the magnitude characteristic of WT's inertia but rarely on phase characteristic, which is a limited understanding of WT's inertial response and hard to reveal its effect on system frequency dynamics. Therefore, this article is the first to study the inertial response mechanism of WTs from the perspective of magnitude-phase characteristics. First, the equivalent inertia model of WT is extracted, considering multiple-loop dynamics. Then, the relationship among magnitude-phase characteristics of WT's inertia, active power, and frequency dynamics is revealed according to the definition of equivalent inertia. Furthermore, the extended system frequency response model including the inertia of WT is established and the effect of WT's inertia on system frequency metrics is analyzed. Subsequently, the effects of phase-locked-loop, speed, and reactive power controller parameters on the magnitude-phase characteristics of WT's inertia and frequency metrics are analyzed. Finally, the analysis is verified by hardware-in-loop experiments.

Fe-based soft magnetic material such as amorphous or nanocrystalline alloy is an alternative to the ferrite for magnetic cores of the medium-frequency transformers (MFTs) due to its high permeability and magnetic saturation. However, accurate core loss modeling is one of the major obstacles to design a high-power-density MFT, especially when considering the nonlinearity hysteresis B-H loop. Besides, the magnetostriction that exhibits hysteresis characteristic causes the vibration issue. Several studies have proven that the high intensity of acoustic noise will do harm to the human's mental and physical health. However, the research on the modeling of the acoustic vibration caused by magnetostriction has been scarcely conducted. In this article, the Jiles–Atherton (J-A) model is applied to describe the hysteresis characteristic of the B-H and H-strain for the Fe-based soft magnetic material. The J-A magnetic and magentomechanical hysteresis models were incorporated into the finite element analysis (FEA) under the multiphysics simulation environment in order to estimate the core loss and temperature rise of the MFT. The acoustic vibration FEA model of the MFT was built based on the H-strain hysteresis J-A model. The fidelity of the simulated acoustic noise pressure was verified by the experiment test results. The proposed models in this article can be effective tools to evaluate the hysteresis magnetic and magnetomechanical behavior of the core in the MFT.

For a more secure, anti-interference characterization of high-speed wide-bandgap (WBG) power devices, there is a growing need for galvanically isolated measurement methods with higher bandwidth and wider dynamic range. Among these techniques, the differential sensing method has gained attention due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, wide dynamic range, and floating measurement capability. Nevertheless, the limited bandwidth of the differential method remains a significant obstacle for characterizing ultrafast switching transients of WBG devices. This article highlights the significant bandwidth limitations encountered in the front-end high-voltage attenuation of the differential method, i.e., the parasitic effects of capacitive networks and the overlooked high-frequency transmission line effects. To address these limitations, the concept of transmission line voltage divider (TL-VD) is introduced, enabling the extension of the operating frequency range of the front-end high-voltage attenuation into the GHz level. To achieve this, four underlying matching principles regarding resistance, capacitance, inductance, and wave impedance are established, which are further simplified to three decoupled, mutually independent, and easily implementable matching objectives of resistance, wave impedance, and transmission line length. These contributions collectively result in the successful development of a ±2.0-kV differential voltage sensing system (DVSS) with an ultrahigh measurement bandwidth of 1.3 GHz and a common-mode rejection ratio of 48 dB at 100 MHz. The experimental comparisons with state-of-the-art commercial galvanically isolated products in both the frequency and time domains confirm the superior performance of the developed TL-VD-based DVSS.

The single-stage multiport inverter (SSMPI) is a cost-effective and high-efficiency solution for multisource integration in islanded microgrids because the energy storage components can connect to the ac microgrid directly without intermediate dc-dc converters. However, it is challenging to design the modulation scheme for SSMPI due to the time-varying dc input voltages and requirement for power distribution between the energy storage components. To this end, this article proposes an asymmetric level-shifted pulsewidth modulation (ALSPWM) scheme for flexible power distribution of the SSMPI under time-varying dc input voltage. In the proposed ALSPWM scheme, proportional variation and asymmetric carriers are defined to ease system modeling under the time-varying dc input voltage in SSMPI. Besides, an instantaneous power model based on non-negative three-phase modulation waves is derived, and a zero-sequence voltage injection method is proposed for desired power distribution control. With the proposed ALSPWM, the flexible power distribution between the energy storage components and superior grid current control of the SSMPI under time-varying dc input voltages, along with reduced computational burden, are realized. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed ALSPWM scheme is verified on an SSMPI-connected islanded microgrid platform.

Graphical abstract:

In this study, relevant work on autonomy evaluation (AE) in recent years was comprehensively reviewed and classified from the perspective of task models, and a closed-loop task models based theoretical framework for AE was developed. The main contributions of this study are as follows. 1) A taxonomy for AE based on task models was introduced to classify current theories, methods and standards. 2) The limitations of the current autonomous evaluation methods were addressed to provide a theoretical framework for quantitative evaluation based on task models, and evaluation metrics for each stage were proposed based on the AE theoretical framework. 3) Qualitative analyses of the superiority of the proposed AE framework based on the closed-loop task models were conducted. This study attempts to provide a reference for researchers and engineers in the autonomous unmanned systems field and inspire future development of AE.

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) region, also known as the “Asian water tower”, provides a vital water resource for downstream regions. Previous studies of water cycle changes over the TP have been conducted with climate models of coarse resolution in which deep convection must be parameterized. In this study, we present results from a first set of high-resolution climate change simulations that permit convection at approximately 3.3-km grid spacing, with a focus on the TP, using the Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic Weather and Climate Model (ICON). Two 12-year simulations were performed, consisting of a retrospective simulation (2008–20) with initial and boundary conditions from ERA5 reanalysis and a pseudo-global warming projection driven by modified reanalysis-derived initial and boundary conditions by adding the monthly CMIP6 ensemble-mean climate change under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. The retrospective simulation shows overall good performance in capturing the seasonal precipitation and surface air temperature. Over the central and eastern TP, the average biases in precipitation (temperature) are less than −0.34 mm d−1(−1.1°C) throughout the year. The simulated biases over the TP are height-dependent. Cold (wet) biases are found in summer (winter) above 5500 m. The future climate simulation suggests that the TP will be wetter and warmer under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. The general features of projected changes in ICON are comparable to the CMIP6 ensemble projection, but the added value from kilometer-scale modeling is evident in both precipitation and temperature projections over complex topographic regions. These ICON-downscaled climate change simulations provide a high-resolution dataset to the community for the study of regional climate changes and impacts over the TP.

The crystallization quality of CsPbI2Br perovskites and the energy level arrangement of the device were successfully optimized by PTS process, while the highly efficient and stable perovskite solar cells were achieved.

Some core designs integrate high-enriched fuel and moderator materials to enhance neutron utilization. This combination results in a broad spectrum within the system, posing challenges in resonance calculation. This paper introduces a general framework to realize resonance self-shielding treatment in broad-spectrum fuel lattice problems. The framework consists of three components. First, a new energy group structure is devised to support resonance calculation in the entire energy range and capture spectral transition and thermalization effects during eigenvalue calculation. Second, the subgroup method based on narrow approximation is selected as a universal method to perform resonance calculation. Finally, transport equations for each fissionable region are solved for neutron flux to collapse the fission spectrum. The proposed method is verified against fast, intermediate, and thermal spectrum pin cell problems and an assembly problem featuring a fast-thermal coupled spectrum. Numerical results affirm the accuracy of the proposed method in handling these scenarios, with eigenvalue errors below 154 pcm for pin cell problems and 106 pcm for the assembly problem. The verification results revealed that the proposed method enables accurate resonance self-shielding treatment for broad-spectrum problems.

Graphical Abstract:

Graphical abstract:

Graphical Abstract:

Introduction: Neck pain constitutes a prevalent and burdensome health issue, substantially impairing patients’ quality of life and functional capabilities. Kinesio taping (KT), a commonly employed intervention within physical therapy, holds promise for mitigating such symptoms; however, a comprehensive evaluation of its efficacy and evidence base is lacking. Therefore, this study endeavors to systematically investigate the therapeutic effects of KT on both subjective neck pain intensity and objective measures of physical activity limitations through a rigorous meta-analytic approach. By synthesizing existing literature and scrutinizing methodological nuances, we aim to furnish healthcare practitioners with evidence-informed insights, facilitating more judicious clinical decision-making and optimizing patient outcomes. Methods: According to the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted searches on PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of KT in treating neck pain. Screening was performed based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Characteristics of the included RCTs were extracted. Trial heterogeneity was assessed using the I2statistic. Meta-analysis was conducted using Stata 17 software. Risk of bias and methodological quality were evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool and the PEDro scale, respectively. Results: In our analysis of 10 RCTs involving 620 patients meeting our inclusion criteria, KT demonstrated significant beneficial effects on neck pain, notably surpassing conventional treatment (weighted mean difference = −0.897, 95% CI −1.30 to −0.49, P&lt; 0.001). Subgroup analysis further revealed that KT exhibited particularly pronounced efficacy in the treatment of nonspecific neck pain and mechanical neck pain, with a more substantial effect observed after 4 weeks of KT intervention compared to 1 week. Moreover, KT demonstrated superior efficacy in alleviating pain symptoms compared to both conventional treatment and sham interventions. Conclusion: KT has demonstrated efficacy in reducing neck pain and improving cervical dysfunction among patients. Prolonged KT treatment or its combination with other therapeutic modalities may potentially enhance therapeutic outcomes. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO CRD42024524685.

Purpose: Primary aldosteronism (PA) diagnosis is affected by antihypertensive drugs that are commonly taken by patients with suspected PA. In this study, we developed and validated a diagnostic model for screening PA without drug washout. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1095 patients diagnosed with PA or essential hypertension. Patients were randomly grouped into training and validation sets at a 7:3 ratio. Baseline characteristics, plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), and direct renin concentration (DRC) before and after drug washout were separately recorded, and the aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) was calculated. Results: PAC and ARR were higher and direct renin concentration was lower in patients with PA than in patients with essential hypertension. Furthermore, the differences in blood potassium and sodium concentrations and hypertension grades between the two groups were significant. Using the abbreviations potassium (P), ARR (A), PAC (P), sodium (S), and hypertension grade 3 (3), the model was named PAPS3. The PAPS3model had a maximum score of 10, with the cutoff value assigned as 5.5; it showed high sensitivity and specificity for screening PA in patients who exhibit difficulty in tolerating drug washout. Conclusion: PA screening remains crucial, and standard guidelines should be followed for patients to tolerate washout. The PAPS3model offers an alternative to minimize risks and enhance diagnostic efficiency in PA for those facing washout challenges. Despite its high accuracy, further validation of this model is warranted through large-scale clinical studies.

Permanent magnetic coupling (PMC) has the advantages of high sealing and noncontact transmission, but due to the inherent features of magnetic coupling, the speed oscillation caused by transmitted torque fluctuation limits the use of PMCs in the industry. Accordingly, this article proposes the active inertia extended resonance ratio control (AI-ERRC) method to suppress speed oscillation. First, the principle of speed oscillation and stiffness coefficient variation is analyzed based on PMC torque characteristics. And the difference between PMC and traditional elastic systems is revealed. Next, while ensuring satisfactory closed-loop performance, an active inertia feedback loop and the corresponding forward path parallel controller are designed to improve anti-disturbance. Then, performance evaluations are established among AI-ERRC and other traditional methods, AI-ERRC exhibits better oscillation suppression ability and overcomes the tradeoff problem among different performance specifications. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified in a PMC test rig.

All-dc offshore wind power collection and transmission is a prospective scheme for long-distance large-scale offshore wind power development, in which wind turbine medium-voltage dc/dc is one of the key technologies. In this article, a three-level series resonant switched-capacitor active-fault interface dc/dc converter is proposed. Switched-capacitor modules are applied instead of full-bridge rectification to improve the boost capability, which can reduce submodules in input-parallel-output-series topology and reduce the size, weight, and cost. The active-fault interface circuit can still operate normally when some submodules fail, thus improving the system's reliability. The proposed converter has dc short-circuit fault-blocking capability. By adopting a three-level structure, with automatic antibias capability, the switching voltage stress is reduced with a high power quality. An LC series resonance circuit is added to realize soft switching. The electrical isolation and fault isolation are considered. The steady-state operation, voltage relationship, current and voltage stress, power dissipation of each component, and parameter design of the converter have been analyzed and derived in detail, respectively. The results from the simulation and physical experiment verify the validity of the proposed dc/dc converter.

Voidage (porosity or void fraction) in packed particles (or pebbles) is of fundamental importance in calculating the pressure drop, obtaining the drag, predicting the bed permeability, estimating the neutron streaming, etc. For the case when particles are deformed, a method of voidage correction during the packing state is proposed using a Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulation of 3D pebble flow inside a bed of cycloidal base. A function to evaluate the remaining volume of a pebble intercepted by horizontal and vertical planes is proposed for voidage calculation. After that, the process of solving voidage distribution is provided in detail. Using this method, the voidage inside the cycloidal-base pebble bed is obtained to refer to reported similar data for validation. This method can be potentially used for dynamical voidage calculation in CFD-DEM simulation which can get suitable voidage distribution after the correction.

The dissemination of news is a vital topic in management science, social science and data science. With the development of technology, the sample sizes and dimensions of digital news data increase remarkably. To alleviate the computational burden in big data, this paper proposes a method to deal with massive and moderate-dimensional data for linear regression models via combing model averaging and subsampling methodologies. The author first samples a subsample from the full data according to some special probabilities and split covariates into several groups to construct candidate models. Then, the author solves each candidate model and calculates the model-averaging weights to combine these estimators based on this subsample. Additionally, the asymptotic optimality in subsampling form is proved and the way to calculate optimal subsampling probabilities is provided. The author also illustrates the proposed method via simulations, which shows it takes less running time than that of the full data and generates more accurate estimations than uniform subsampling. Finally, the author applies the proposed method to analyze and predict the sharing number of news, and finds the topic, vocabulary and dissemination time are the determinants.

• We used the ultrafast liquid quenching method to fabricate Ta metallic glass (MG) nanowire as our experiment sample to eliminate the interference from chemical heterogeneity. • We revealed the enhanced plasticity of Ta MG nanowire under electromechanical loading condition. The dynamic SAED information shows that the flow unit in Ta MG nanowire can interact with pulse current and cause structural relaxation to avoid the formation of shear band. • These findings provide insights into the origin of electroplasticity in amorphous materials, which is of scientific and technological significances for the design and processing of a variety of MGs. The electropulsing process can be used to tailor the microstructure and deformability of metallic glasses (MGs). Here, we report the microstructural origin of enhanced electroplasticity of monatomic Ta MG nanowires. Under electromechanical loading, the Ta MG nanowire exhibits improved ductility and obvious necking behavior. By evaluating the dynamic structural evolution via in situ diffraction, it is found that the atomic mobility in flow units of Ta MG can be improved significantly under the stimulation of pulse current, mainly through the athermal electron-atom interaction, which results in the fast annihilation of flow units and, thereby, fast structural relaxation. These structural evolution processes can help to eliminate the formation of the obvious shear band. These findings provide insight into the origin of electroplasticity in amorphous materials, which is of scientific and technological significance for the design and processing of a variety of MGs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The influence of Ag on the mechanical properties and evolution of precipitation during the whole ageing process of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy with low Zn/Mg was investigated systematically. • The relationship between the improving mechanical properties and the changing precipitation caused by Ag addition was established. • Co-precipitation of T′ phase and η′ phase was discovered in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu(-Ag) alloys, and the proportion of η′ phase increased with the rise in Ag content. • Ag exhibits varying effects on the precipitation behavior of different solutes and ageing times. • The improving effect of Ag on the thermal stability of most precipitates is revealed. • The composition of T-type and η-type phases were compared. The influence of minor Ag on the precipitation evolution of the Al-4.2Zn-2.8Mg-1.0Cu (wt.%) alloy from early stages to over-aged stages at 150 °C was investigated. Surprisingly, co-precipitation of strengthening phases T′ and η′ are found in both Ag-free and Ag-added alloys. With Ag addition, precipitation of both T′ and η′ is refined and increased, such that the age-hardening capabilities and peak-aged tensile strength are improved. In addition, the quantitative proportion of η′ precipitates increases with the increase of Ag content due to the increase in the (Zn+Cu)/Mg ratio of nucleating particles. The narrowed precipitate-free zones (PFZs) are considered responsible for the undiminished fracture elongation in Ag-added alloys. Essentially, these effects of Ag are closely related to the strong Ag-vacancy and Ag-solute interactions. In over-aged stages, the Ag-added alloys still possess higher hardness values compared to the Ag-free alloy, which is related to precipitate coarsening mechanisms. The Ag-free alloy follows classical coarsening behavior by solid solution mediated diffusion, while the Ag-added alloy follows two possible coarsening mechanisms, coalescence of aggregates and diffusion of atoms. The smaller average size and higher residual number density of precipitates benefited from the slow diffusion-controlled coarsening behavior depending on the precipitate composition characteristics of the two-stage differentiation and the precipitate distribution characteristics of high-density dispersion in early-aged stages could explain why the hardness of Ag-added alloy keeps at a higher level than that of Ag-free alloy even after 1000 h ageing. Meanwhile, the transformation of metastable phases to stable phases is inhibited due to the addition of Ag, such that GP zones, T′, η′, η and T phases coexist even after 14 d of ageing. In terms of phase composition, the addition of Ag decreases the ratio of Mg/(Al+Zn) in T-type phase. For the Ag-added alloy, the sum concentration of Zn+Mg in η′ phase is about 10 at.% higher compared to T′ phase, and η phase continues to have a high sum concentration of Zn+Mg, besides, the Zn/Mg ratio and Cu concentration exhibit obvious differences from T phase. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve welding efficiency and joint performance of friction stir welded aluminum alloy plates of different thickness, a new synergistically double-sided friction stir welding (SDS-FSW) technique was developed and investigated. The microstructure and mechanical properties of SDS-FSW, conventional single-sided FSW (SS-FSW) and conventional sequentially double-sided FSW (CDS-FSW) 6 mm thick 6061 aluminum alloy joints were systematically investigated and compared. The temperature field and material flow of these joints during welding were studied with numerical modelling. Results show that the microstructure of SDS-FSW joints is uniform and sound, with grains and second-phase particles in the weld nugget zone refined. When compared with the other two FSW processes, there is higher heat input and improved material flow in the SDS-FSW process at 1400 rpm and 600 mm/min. The microhardness and microstructure of the SDS-FSW joints are uniform along the weld thickness. The tensile strength is comparable to BM, while considerably higher than that of SS-FSW joints. In addition, when the upper and lower tools rotate in opposite directions, joint microstructure improved further.

Silicone rubber bonding structure is widely used in prominent fields such as aviation matter and aerospace, the performance changes of which are of great concern and the occurrence of joint failure can have serious consequences, so it is crucial to assess the failure mechanism and storage life of bonding structures. In this paper, it is suggested that oxygen and water molecules diffused at the interface further break and cross-link with molecular chains, and the interfacial failure occurs for all three kinds of bonding specimens under the artificial accelerated aging conditions of both thermal and hygrothermal aging. By means of molecular dynamics simulation, the diffusion of molecules in different environments at the interface was investigated, further revealing the aging mechanism of the adhesive structure. The parameters describing bonding structures, interfacial binding energy (E) and diffusion coefficient (D), were calculated to construct the storage life prediction model conforming to the adhesive structure, which supports the use of a silicone rubber adhesive structure.

The multi-cationic site occupation control of rare earth doped phosphor materials is one of the key factors in achieving single-phase full-spectrum emission. In this work, the site distribution of Eu2+in Ca9NaGd0.667(PO4)7(CNGP):x%Eu2+phosphors with multi-cationic sites was determined. Under 385 nm excitation, CNGP:x%Eu2+samples exhibited a cyan emission composed of three sub-Gaussian components. The CNGP:1.5%Eu2+phosphor was structurally modified through the partial substitution of Mg2+for Ca2+according to the crystallographic site engineering theory, and corresponding luminescent properties had been adjusted. When the concentration of Mg2+changed, the Ca9–yMgyNaGd0.667(PO4)7:1.5%Eu2+(CNGPE:yMg2+) phosphors exhibited a tunable emission from cyan to orange and achieved white light emission at y= 0.6. Based on the change of the crystal field environment, the mechanism of Mg2+substitution affecting the luminescence characteristics of CNGP:x%Eu2+phosphors was researched in detail. The light-emitting diode device consisted of a CNGPE:0.6Mg2+phosphor and a 385 nm chip and had a high color rendering index (CRI = 91.9), low correlated color temperature (CCT = 4852 K), and excellent color stability. The optical performance of this device makes it promising to be used in full spectrum lighting.

Royal jelly (RJ) is a natural food product with nutritional value and anticancer activity. However, their effects on gastric cancer are unclear. Here, we show that treatment with 5–320 μg/mL of RJ, ethanol extract (RJEE), and protein hydrolyzate (RJPH) decreased the viability of MKN-28 gastric cancer cells, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 123.22 μg/mL for RJEE. RJ, RJEE, and RJPH increase the lactate dehydrogenase release rate and change the morphology of the cells, resulting in cell shrinkage, nucleoplasm condensation, and the formation of apoptotic bodies. RJ and its functional components stagnated the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase, accompanied by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased expression levels of p53 and p21 proteins, caspase-3 activation, and apoptosis. Therefore, RJ, RJEE, and RJPH have potential inhibitory effects on the proliferation of gastric cancer cells.

The conversion of woody biomass to H2through photocatalysis provides a sustainable strategy to generate renewable hydrogen fuel but was limited by the slow decomposition rate of woody biomass. Here, we fabricate ultrasmall TiO2nanoparticles with tunable concentration of oxygen vacancy defects (VO-TiO2) as highly efficient photocatalysts for photocatalytic conversion of woody biomass to H2. Owing to the positive role of oxygen vacancy in reducing energy barrier for the generation of •OH which was the critical species to oxidize woody biomass, the obtained VO-TiO2achieves rapid photocatalytic conversion of α-cellulose and poplar wood chip to H2in the presence of Pt nanoclusters as the cocatalyst. As expected, the highest H2generation rate in α-cellulose and poplar wood chip system respectively achieve 1146 and 59 μmol h–1g–1, and an apparent quantum yield of 4.89% at 380 nm was obtained in α-cellulose aqueous solution.

The photophysical properties and luminescent mechanism of a series of tripod-type Cu(I) complexes in solution and solids were comprehensively investigated through theoretical simulations. From a microscopic perspective, the experimental phenomenon is explained: (1) The intrinsic reason for the quenching of complex 1in solution was attributed to the significant nonradiative transition caused by structural deformation; (2) In the solid, the reduced ΔESTfor complex 2effectively facilitate reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) and improves its luminescence efficiency; (3) The enhanced performance of complex 3in solution is attributed to that its stronger steric hindrance is advantageous to decrease not only the ΔESTbut also the reorganization energy through intramolecular weak interactions. Based on complex 3, the tert-butyl substituted isomeric complex 4was designed. Complex 4further amplifies the advantages of 3to further promote the RISC to make full use of excitons. Meanwhile, it has an emission wavelength of 462.6 nm, which makes it an excellent candidate for high-efficiency deep-blue TADF materials. This study provides valuable information for obtaining efficient blue phosphorescence and TADF dual-channel luminescent materials.

Tertiary alcohols with adjacent nucleophilic labile groups are prevalent in bioactive molecules but are challenging to synthesize. Herein we introduce a direct, protecting group-free method to access α-tertiary hydroxy oximes via photochemical 1,3-boronate rearrangement. This reaction delivers high yields (up to 94%) using readily available boronic acids, is scalable to gram quantities, and allows for further derivatization to other nitrogen-containing molecules.