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[Display omitted] • Introduce an EI-based framework for assessing regional-scale human impacts. • Identify major drivers of EI degradation at a regional scale. • Analyze the combined effects of major drivers and suppressors on EI patterns. • Provide strategies for mitigating human impacts within specific policy contexts. Various anthropogenic disturbances, such as urbanization, agricultural production, and infrastructure development, are contributing to global and regional ecosystem degradation. However, comprehensive quantitative assessment methods for evaluating regional-scale anthropogenic impacts remain insufficient. This study introduces a comprehensive assessment framework based on ecological integrity (EI) derived from the landscape condition model (LCM), combined with commonality analysis and other quantitative methods. This framework was applied to the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region in North China to assess the spatio-temporal variations and spatial aggregation of EI, identify the major drivers of EI degradation, and determine the formation mechanisms of resultant EI patterns. The anthropogenic impacts, as measured by EI, exhibit significant spatial and aggregation heterogeneity across functional zones. This heterogeneity, along with the observed temporal variations (2000–2022), is attributed to diverse anthropogenic disturbances within intricate biophysical and socioeconomic contexts. This framework can indirectly improve the R2 of multiple linear regression models related to EI by identifying grassland and cropland as suppressor variables to enhance the predictive capacity of other variables. Consequently, this framework enables decision-makers to accurately identify major drivers of EI degradation, such as road construction and urbanization, and understand the combined effects of major drivers and suppressor variables on the resultant EI patterns. Lastly, within specific policy contexts, this framework offers several management implications for mitigating anthropogenic threats to EI, including effectively regulating urbanization and restoring forest landscapes. This framework provides fundamental support for anthropogenic impact assessment and management strategy design at a regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scandia doped zirconia (ScSZ) is a promising electrolyte candidate for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). However, the cubic-tetragonal phase transition of ScSZ is a serious problem that blocks its extensive application. A systematic study of tetragonal and cubic phase stability of Zr 1 – x Sc x O 2 as a function of x is carried out using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The optimized atomic structures and total energies are obtained. The cubic phase becomes stable when x > 0.18. The largest tetragonal and cubic phase's total energy difference appears at x = 0.2188, which indicates that the cubic phase is most stable at this doping level. Furthermore, experiments have been carried out to verify the calculation reliability. The calculation results match well with our Rietveld refinement and Raman scattering observations. The relative phase transition mechanism has been analyzed systematically according to the calculated results and optimized atomic configuration. The phase structure transformation is shown to be closely correlated with cell volume difference, coordinated situation and oxygen displacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current ongoing outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has globally affected the lives of more than one hundred million people. RT-PCR based molecular test is recommended as the gold standard method for diagnosing current infections. However, transportation and processing of the clinical sample for detecting virus require an expert operator and long processing time. Testing device enables on-site virus detection could reduce the sample-to-answer time, which plays a central role in containing the pandemic. In this work, we proposed an intelligent face mask, where a flexible immunosensor based on high density conductive nanowire array, a miniaturized impedance circuit, and wireless communication units were embedded. The sub-100 nm size and the gap between the neighbored nanowires facilitate the locking of nanoscale virus particles by the nanowire arrays and greatly improve the detection efficiency. Such a point-of-care (POC) system was demonstrated for coronavirus 'spike' protein and whole virus aerosol detection in simulated human breath. Detection of viral concentration as low as 7 pfu/mL from the atomized sample of coronavirus aerosol mimic was achieved in only 5 min. The POC systems can be readily applied for preliminary screening of coronavirus infections on-site and may help to understand the COVID-19 progression while a patient is under prescribed therapy. • This paper presents an intelligent face mask for the exhaled coronavirus aerosols screening within a few minutes. • It integrates a high density conductive nanowire array-based immunosensor and a miniaturized wireless impedance circuit. • The matching relation between the geometry of the nanowires and the target virus aerosol are designed for the indentification directly. • Through the enrichment of the exhaled viral aerosols by the face mask, it canbe achieve the preliminary screening virus infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]