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A sandwich plate with a corrugation and auxetic honeycomb hybrid core is constructed, and its sound insulation and optimization are investigated. First, the motion governing equation of the sandwich plate is established by the third-order shear deformation theory (TSDT), and then combined with the fluid-structure coupling conditions, and the sound insulation is solved. The theoretical results are validated by COMSOL simulation results, and the effects of the structural parameter on the sound insulation are analyzed. Finally, the standard genetic algorithm is adopted to optimize the sound insulation of the sandwich plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable development of Chinese agriculture needs to coordinate the quality and quantity of agricultural products. To verify whether government regulation can promote agricultural development by controlling pesticides, the indices of government regulation, quantity and quality of agricultural products, and pesticide use per area of cropland were calculated, and a comprehensive evaluation index and the coupling degree and coordination degree of agricultural products were analyzed by coupling function. The results showed that the coupling and coordination degree of the quality and quantity of agricultural products and the comprehensive index are improving. The regulation of pesticide use per area of cropland is a key mechanism in promoting the coordinated development of agricultural product safety. The regulation trend of agricultural development in China is to reduce pesticide usage appropriately and expand the production-possibility frontier of agricultural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature stability of the piezoelectric ceramics is critical to its performance in high-power devices. In this research, 5 mol% BiScO3 (BS) is introduced into 0.05Pb(Mn1/3Sb2/3)O3–Pb(Zr1−xTix)O3 system. The morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) has been re-located by shifting Zr/Ti ratio systematically for the piezoceramic. Optimal piezoelectric properties with piezoelectric coefficient d33 of 341 pC/N, electromechanical coupling factor (kp) of 0.51, and mechanical quality factor Qm value of 859 are obtained in MPB compositions of 0.05BiScO3–0.05Pb(Mn1/3Sb2/3)O3–0.9Pb(Zr45.5Ti54.5)O3 ceramic at room temperature. Furthermore, the addition of BiScO3 effects profoundly on the temperature dependence of the piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties. Comparing to common Pb(Zr, Ti)O3-based piezoceramic, the BS-doped ceramic presents elevating ferroelectric polarization with temperature up to 200 °C, as well as stabilized d33, kp, and Qm values from room temperature to 120 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benefiting from the great advances of the femtosecond laser two-photon polymerization (TPP) technology, customized microcantilever probes can be accurately 3-dimensional (3D) manufactured at the nanoscale size and thus have exhibited considerable potentials in the fields of microforce, micro-vibration, and microforce sensors. In this work, a controllable microstructured cantilever probe on an optical fiber tip for microforce detection is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally. The static performances of the probe are firstly investigated based on the finite element method (FEM), which provides the basis for the structural design. The proposed cantilever probe is then 3D printed by means of the TPP technology. The experimental results show that the elastic constant k of the proposed cantilever probe can be actively tuned from 2.46 N/m to 62.35 N/m. The force sensitivity is 2.5 nm/µN, the Q-factor is 368.93, and the detection limit is 57.43 nN. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the cantilever probe can be flexibly adjusted by the geometric configuration of the cantilever. Thus, it has an enormous potential for matching the mechanical properties of biological samples in the direct contact mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stripe rust fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) is a destructive pathogen of wheat worldwide. Pst has a macrocyclic-heteroecious lifecycle, in which one-celled urediniospores are dikaryotic, each nucleus containing one haploid genome. We successfully generated the first fully haplotype-resolved and nearly gap-free chromosome-scale genome assembly of Pst by combining PacBio HiFi sequencing and trio-binning strategy. The genome size of the two haploid assemblies was 75.59 Mb and 75.91 Mb with contig N50 of 4.17 Mb and 4.60 Mb, and both had 18 pseudochromosomes. The high consensus quality values of 55.57 and 59.02 for both haplotypes confirmed the correctness of the assembly. Of the total 18 chromosomes, 15 and 16 were gapless while there were only five and two gaps for the remaining chromosomes of the two haplotypes, respectively. In total, 15,046 and 15,050 protein-coding genes were predicted for the two haplotypes, and the complete BUSCO scores achieved 97.7% and 97.9%, respectively. The genome will lay the foundation for further research on genetic variations and the evolution of rust fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (ECO2RR) converts CO2 to high-value chemical products and promotes the carbon cycle. Sulfur (S)-modified copper (Cu) and bismuth (Bi)-based catalysts have been recognized as promising catalysts for ECO2RR. Both of them are highly active for selective formate generation, however, their poor stability and severe competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) remain challenging. Herein, S-doped Cu coated with Bi (Bi/Cu-S) is developed to improve ECO2RR selectivity to formate. Bi/Cu-S/brass mesh (BM) electrode material for ECO2RR was prepared by electrodepositing Bi on the surface of Cu-S/BM nanowires obtained from CuS/BM after the electroreduction. The Faradaic efficiency (FE) of the formate reaches the maximum of 94.3% at −0.9 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) with a partial current density as high as −50.7 mAcm−2 and a yield of 30.7 mmolh−1cm−2 under 0.5 M KHCO3 electrolyte. Meanwhile, the FE of formate is higher than 90% in the voltage range of −0.8 to −1.0 V vs. RHE. It also shows good stability at −0.9 V vs. RHE with the FE of formate remaining above 93% after a 10 h reaction. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the Bi/Cu-S structure promotes the adsorption of CO2 and effectively inhibits HER by enhancing the adsorption of *H to a great extent, improving the selective conversion of CO2 to formate. This work deepens the understanding of the mechanism of Cu-Bi-based catalysts and S-modified Cu-based catalysts in selective ECO2RR to formate, and also provides a new strategy for catalyst design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The convergence of topology and correlations represents a highly coveted realm in the pursuit of new quantum states of matter1. Introducing electron correlations to a quantum spin Hall (QSH) insulator can lead to the emergence of a fractional topological insulator and other exotic time-reversal-symmetric topological order2–8, not possible in quantum Hall and Chern insulator systems. Here we report a new dual QSH insulator within the intrinsic monolayer crystal of TaIrTe4, arising from the interplay of its single-particle topology and density-tuned electron correlations. At charge neutrality, monolayer TaIrTe4 demonstrates the QSH insulator, manifesting enhanced nonlocal transport and quantized helical edge conductance. After introducing electrons from charge neutrality, TaIrTe4 shows metallic behaviour in only a small range of charge densities but quickly goes into a new insulating state, entirely unexpected on the basis of the single-particle band structure of TaIrTe4. This insulating state could arise from a strong electronic instability near the van Hove singularities, probably leading to a charge density wave (CDW). Remarkably, within this correlated insulating gap, we observe a resurgence of the QSH state. The observation of helical edge conduction in a CDW gap could bridge spin physics and charge orders. The discovery of a dual QSH insulator introduces a new method for creating topological flat minibands through CDW superlattices, which offer a promising platform for exploring time-reversal-symmetric fractional phases and electromagnetism2–4,9,10.A study reports a dual quantum spin Hall insulator in monolayer TaIrTe4, arising from the interplay of its single-particle topology and density-tuned electron correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light sensing shows great potential applications in the space science, materials, biophysics, and plasma physics. In this work, an all-optical detection method is proposed for VUV sensing by constructing an optical fiber-end Fabry-Pérot interferometer based on a single aluminum nitride (AlN) microwire. Compared with the traditional electrical devices, this all-optical detection method overcomes the difficulties like the fast response and electromagnetic interference immunity in detecting VUV bands at the present stage, and improves the response speed. The proposed device shows the excellent performance of VUV detection, with the static sensitivity of 1.03 nm/(W·cm−2), response rise time of down to 10 µs, and decay time of 0.64 ms. Beneficial from the excellent radiation resistance of AlN microwires and UV resistance of silica fibers, the proposed device is expected to have the good stability and potential applications in the fields of the solar physics and space exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the 0.04Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.05Pb(Mn1/3Sb2/3)O3–xPbZrO3–(0.91−x)PbTiO3 + ymol%Fe2O3 (xPZ-PZNMST + y%Fe; x = 0.440–0.460, y = 0.00–0.15) piezoelectric ceramics were synthesized by solid-state reaction method. The 0.45PZ-PZNMST + 0.10%Fe ceramic with morphotropic phase boundary shows optimum comprehensive electromechanical properties with d33 = 401 pC/N, kp=0.6, tan δ = 0.39%, Qm=921, and Tc = 314 °C. In addition, a low high-field tanδ of 0.78% at 200 V/mm is achieved in the 0.45PZ-PZNMST + 0.10%Fe ceramic. Therefore, a high vibration velocity of 0.80 m/s is obtained in 0.45PZ-PZNMST + 0.10%Fe ceramic. The maximum mechanical energy density of 0.45PZ-PZNMST + 0.10%Fe ceramic reaches 2500 J/m3, which is about four times that of commercial PZT4 ceramics (620 J/m3). The 0.45PZ-PZNMST + 0.10%Fe ceramic with good high-power performance shows a potential application in high-power ultrasonic transducers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of human immunoglobulin G (IgG) sensors based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in the low refractive index (RI) plastic optical fiber (POF) and an antibody immobilization method is presented. A 50-nm-thick gold film was formed on the polished D-shaped fiber surface by magnetron sputtering. The RI response of the POF sensor is 30 049.61 nm/RIU, which is 26.5 times higher than that of single mode fiber (SMF) SPR sensors. The proposed SPR biosensor can be developed by simple and rapid modification of the gold film with 11-mercapto undecanoic acid (MUA). Upon immobilization of the goat anti-human IgG antibody, the resonance wavelength shifts by 11.2 nm. The sensor can be used to specifically detect and quantify the human IgG at concentrations down to 245.4 ng/mL with the sensitivity of 1.327 7 nm per µg/mL, which offers an enhancement of 12.5-fold compared to that of the conventional SMF based SPR sensors. The proposed device may find the potential applications in the case of use at the point of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) with nm-scale piezoelectric films exhibit enormous advantages compared with traditional microelectromechanical systems. Herein, the flexible PZT ferroelectric films with 50–200 nm thickness were achieved, and their piezoelectric d33 rapidly enhanced with the thickness of film increasing and the thickness of mica substrate decreasing. The d33 value of the 80 nm-thick PZT film increases from 180 to 220 pC/N with the thickness of mica substrate reducing from 0.2 mm to 10 μm to largely decrease clamping strain between substrate and PZT film. Furthermore, the flexible mica substrate largely increases both the piezoelectric effect and the inverse piezoelectric effect of PZT films. These nm-scale PZT films with robust piezoelectricity will encourage the creation of new NEMS and piezoelectric devices that are flexible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence suggests that mucosal-associated invariant T cells (MAITs) play a crucial role in anti-tumor responses against various cancers. In this study, we investigated the immune characteristics of MAIT cells in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using multi-parameter flow cytometry, we performed phenotypic and functional analysis of MAITs in peripheral blood or bone marrow samples collected from 131 patients with AML including 99 newly diagnosed, 18 remission, and 14 relapsed cases, as well as 69 healthy controls. We found that MAITs exhibit signs of aging and exhaustion, particularly in CD8+ MAITs subset, at newly diagnosis. MAITs exhibit an effector memory or terminally differentiated phenotype. Frequency and number of MAITs reflect AML cell genetic features, tumor burden, disease status, and treatment responsiveness. Moreover, MAITs exhibit a highly activated or even exhausted state, as indicated by upregulation of PD-1. Furthermore, impaired production of Th1-type cytokines and increased secretion of Th17-type cytokines, granzyme B, and perforin were observed in MAITs from AML patients. Additionally, MAITs shifted toward producing cytokines that promote tumor progression, such as IL-8. Lower frequency of MAITs was associated with poorer overall survival (OS), and multivariate analysis revealed that MAITs frequency < 2.12% was an independent prognostic factor affecting OS. Collectively, our findings suggest that MAITs may play a role in immune deficiency in AML, emphasizing their potential importance in AML pathogenesis and treatment. These discoveries provide a theoretical basis for the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies in AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing multispecies submerged vegetation systems and maintaining stable seasonal succession is crucial for restoring shallow eutrophic lakes. However, little is known about the interactions between successional and existing species of different growth forms, particularly under the low light and high nutrient conditions of eutrophic lakes. We measured the functional traits of mature Vallisneria natans (Lour.) Hara plants and Potamogeton crispus L. shoots in monoculture and mosaic patterns under different light and nutrient conditions. The effect of light on functional traits of the submerged macrophyte species was more significant than that of nutrients, but the reverse was true for P. crispus biomass allocation. Moreover, interspecific interactions affected only the submerged macrophytes under the low light condition and varied with species. Specifically, the interaction of P. crispus to V. natans was biased towards competition, while the interaction of V. natans to P. crispus was converted from facilitation to competition by eutrophication, particularly in the homogenous mosaic growth pattern. This study demonstrates that sufficient light is a prerequisite and patch planting is an effective means to form a multispecies submerged vegetation system. In addition, we emphasize that the coexistence of eutrophication and low light will likely result in a competition between submerged macrophytes thus simplifying the vegetation, even if their growth forms and growing seasons are different. These findings help explain the collapse of multispecies submerged vegetation and guide the restoration of aquatic plants in eutrophic lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about how community composition affects vertical patterns of leaf characteristics for submerged macrophytes in freshwater lakes. Here, after sampling Hydrilla verticillata in both single and mixed communities in shallow and deep areas in a shallow lake, we measured vertical patterns of leaf biofilm and physiology characteristics. Upper leaves of H. verticillata always had more attached abiotic biofilm matters, and all biofilm characteristics exhibited declining trends from top to bottom segments in deep areas. Moreover, the amount of attached biofilm matter in the mixed community was less than in the single community in shallow areas, but the reverse was true in deep areas. The vertical pattern of leaf physiology characteristics was obvious in the mixed community. In the shallow area, leaf pigment concentrations showed increasing trends with an increasing water depth, but the enzymatic specific activity of peroxidase (POD-ESA) was precisely the opposite. In the deep area, leaf chlorophyll concentrations were greatest in the leaves of bottom segments and lowest in top segments, while carotenoids and POD-ESA were greatest in the leaves of the middle segment-II. Light intensity and biofilm were found to play an important role in regulating the vertical patterns of photosynthetic pigments and POD-ESA. Our study highlighted the effect of community composition on the vertical pattern of leaf physiology and biofilm characteristics. Highlights: Biofilm characteristics always showed increasing trends with increasing water depth. Community composition changed the amount of attached biofilm matter. The vertical pattern of leaf physiology was more obvious in mixed communities. Light intensity and biofilm regulated the vertical pattern of leaf physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of transportation carbon emissions from multiple scales. Based on the integrated DMSP/OLS-NPP/VIIRS nighttime light data, a transportation carbon emission estimation model was constructed, and the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of transportation carbon emissions in 30 provinces and some counties in China from 2000 to 2019 were analyzed. The main findings are as follows: (1) The goodness-of-fit of the estimation model improved from 51.2 to 87.15% by introducing the GDP variables. (2) At the provincial scale, the provinces with high carbon emissions from transportation were mainly distributed in the eastern region, with the highest value increasing from 19,171.6 million tons in 2000 to 71,545.98 million tons in 2019. The spatial distribution has a significant and positive spatial spillover effect, and the H–H aggregation was mainly distributed in the east-central region, showing a trend of expansion from the coast to the inland. Trend analysis showed that Shandong, Guangdong, Shanghai, and Jiangsu were areas with a rapid growth of high carbon emissions. (3) The county scale displayed a northeast-southwest evolutionary pattern, with the center of gravity in Henan. The spatial distribution showed a significant spatial agglomeration phenomenon. Trend analysis indicated that the transportation carbon emissions in 184 counties need to be controlled urgently, which was the focus of carbon emission reduction. This paper theoretically enriches the measurement method of transportation carbon emissions and overcomes the problem of insufficient spatial information of statistical data. In practice, it provides a scientific basis for accurate emission reduction and low-carbon development of transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial aging is a sign of vascular aging that predisposes patients to vascular disease. We explored the effects of IL-17A on endothelial cell aging and determined the potential underlying mechanisms. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells, IL-17A promoted senescence, evidenced as increased positive staining of senescence-associated β-galactosidase, increased proportion of cells arrested at G0/G1 stage, and upregulated p21 and p16 expression. IL-17A increased the expression of the m6A methylase FTO. We then investigated the relationship between FTO and endothelial cell aging. After interfering with FTO expression by siRNA, we observed that FTO induced endothelial cell aging. An increase in the expression of p-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) increased after IL-17A treatment indicated, that the JNK signaling pathway affected FTO expression. Moreover, the addition of the JNK signaling pathway inhibitor SP600125 blocked the effect of IL-17A on FTO expression. In conclusion, our findings revealed that IL-17A can promote endothelial cell aging by activating the JNK signaling pathway and upregulating FTO expression. This discovery can help in the identification of new therapeutic targets against endothelial cell aging and related vascular complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new Cu–Al dual-ion battery that aqueous solution composed of LiCl, CuCl and AlCl3 (LiCuAl) is used as the electrolyte, CuS is used as the cathode of aqueous aluminum ion battery for the first time and copper foil is used as the anode. The assembled Cu–Al dual-ion battery yields a reversible capacity of 538 mA h/g at 200 mA/g, and exhibits longterm cycling stability of over 200 cycles with 88.6% capacity retention at 1000 mA/g. Above excellent performance is inseparable from the three components of LiCuAl electrolyte and electrode materials. The Al-storage mechanism of CuS is proposed that the S–S bond in CuS lattice interacts with aluminum ions during the aluminum storage process. In addition, the charging and discharging process does not cause irreversible damage to the S–S bond, thus Cu–Al dual-ion battery with CuS as cathode shows great cycle stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The observation of the Higgs boson solidified the standard model of particle physics. However, explanations of anomalies (for example, dark matter) rely on further symmetry breaking, calling for an undiscovered axial Higgs mode1. The Higgs mode was also seen in magnetic, superconducting and charge density wave (CDW) systems2,3. Uncovering the vector properties of a low-energy mode is challenging, and requires going beyond typical spectroscopic or scattering techniques. Here we discover an axial Higgs mode in the CDW system RTe3 using the interference of quantum pathways. In RTe3 (R = La, Gd), the electronic ordering couples bands of equal or different angular momenta4–6. As such, the Raman scattering tensor associated with the Higgs mode contains both symmetric and antisymmetric components, which are excited via two distinct but degenerate pathways. This leads to constructive or destructive interference of these pathways, depending on the choice of the incident and Raman-scattered light polarization. The qualitative behaviour of the Raman spectra is well captured by an appropriate tight-binding model, including an axial Higgs mode. Elucidation of the antisymmetric component is direct evidence that the Higgs mode contains an axial vector representation (that is, a pseudo-angular momentum) and hints that the CDW is unconventional. Thus, we provide a means for measuring quantum properties of collective modes without resorting to extreme experimental conditions.Detection of an axial Higgs mode by quantum pathway interference reveals an unconventional charge density wave phase in RTe3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Grain size and weight are important target traits determining grain yield and quality in rice. Wild rice species possess substantial elite genes that can be served as an important resource for genetic improvement of rice. In this study, we identify and validate a novel QTL on chromosome 7 affecting the grain size and weight using introgression lines from cross of Oryza sativa and Oryza minuta. Results: An introgression line 'IL188' has been achieved from a wild species Oryza minuta (2n = 48, BBCC, W303) into O. sativa japonica Nipponbare. The F2 and F2:3 populations derived from a cross between IL188 and Nipponbare were used to map QTLs for five grain size traits, including grain length (GL), grain width (GW), grain length to width ratio (LWR), grain thickness (GT) and thousand grain weight (TGW). A total of 12 QTLs for the five grain traits were identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8. The QTL-qGL7 controlling GL on chromosome 7 was detected stably in the F2 and F2:3 populations, and explained 15.09–16.30% of the phenotypic variance. To validate the effect of qGL7, eight residual heterozygous line (RHL) populations were developed through selfing four F2:3 and four F2:4 plants with different heterozygous segments for the target region. By further developing SSR and Indel markers in the target interval, qGL7 was delimited to a ~ 261 kb region between Indel marker Y7–12 and SSR marker Y7–38, which also showed significant effects on grain width and thousand grain weight. Comparing with the reference genome of Nipponbare, stop or frameshift mutations in the exon of the three putative genes LOC_Os07g36830, LOC_Os07g36900 and LOC_Os07g36910 encoding F-box domain-containing proteins may be the candidate genes for qGL7. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of the glume's epidermal cells showed that the cell length and width of NIL-qGL7IL188 was higher than NIL-qGL7Nip, indicating that qGL7 increases grain size and weight by regulating cell expansion. Conclusions: In this study, we detected 12 QTLs regulating grain size and weight using an introgression line from a cross between Oryza sativa and Oryza minuta. Of these loci, we confirmed and delimited the qGL7 to a ~ 261 kb region. Three putative genes, LOC_Os07g36830, LOC_Os07g36900 and LOC_Os07g36910 encoding F-box domain-containing proteins may be the candidate genes for qGL7. These results provide a basis for map-based cloning of the qGL7 gene and useful information for marker assisted selection in rice grain quality improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A probe-shaped sensor for simultaneous temperature and pressure measurement was reported in this article. The effective length of the sensor was ∼2mm, consisting of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and a Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) with a nano silica diaphragm. The response sensitivities of the sensor for pressure and temperature were measured as −0.98 nm/MPa and 11.10 pm/°C, respectively. This sensor had an extremely low cross-sensitivity between pressure and temperature, which provided a significant potential in dual-parameter sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Printed flexible electrical heaters with excellent heating performance and mechanical durability are highly desirable for deicing and wearable thermotherapy devices. However, the performance of the conventional heaters is stilled limited by low-resolution fabrication methods when applied in high-precision heating in desirable regions. Moreover, the poor conductivity and mechanical stability of the ink also increase the power consumption. Herein, a high-resolution (45 μm) heater with low power consumption was fabricated by a facile electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing method. A highly printable and stable hybrid conductive ink was obtained by doping PANI nanoparticles into silver flake/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composite. After adding 0.5 wt% PANI nanoparticles into 40 wt% silver flake/TPU composite and low temperature sintering (80 °C), the bulk resistivity decreased from 96.03 × 10−5 Ω·m to 1.26 × 10−5 Ω·m. Thanks to the ultrahigh conductivity of the ink, the EHD printed flexible heater shows high saturation temperature (127.0 °C) under low applied voltage (2 V), wide heating range (33.9 °C~127.0 °C) under a small range of driving voltages (0.5 V ~ 2.0 V), the rapid response time (20 s) and excellent repeatability during 10-time cyclic heating-cooling possess. Furthermore, the printed flexible heaters exhibit great flexibility and durability. The resistance of the heater remains stable after 3000 outer bending cycles with a radius of 0.5 mm, indicating outstanding mechanical stability. Moreover, the heater can be attached to the human body, showing the potential for emerging wearable electronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose and numerically demonstrate a phase-gradient metasurface with high anomalous transmission efficiency and a large anomalous refraction angle that consists of discontinuous regular hexagonal nanorods supported by a silica substrate. The metasurface achieves high anomalous transmission efficiency and a full 2 π phase shift for the wavelength range of 1400–1600 nm. At a central wavelength of approximately 1529 nm, the total transmission efficiency reaches 96.5%, and the desired anomalous transmission efficiency reaches 96.2%, with an anomalous refraction angle as large as 30.64. With the adjustment of the period and the number of nanorods per periodic interval, the anomalous transmission efficiency exceeds 69.6% for a large anomalous refraction angle of 68.58. The superior performance of the proposed design may pave the way for its application in optical wavefront control devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pb(Zr, Ti)O3(PZT)-based piezoelectric ceramics and Al2O3-based structural ceramics were cast and co-fired to prepare a layered piezoelectric ceramic/structural ceramic composite. Considering the significant differences in sintering characteristics of PZT- and Al2O3-based ceramics, control of the sintering temperature and the dependence of the linear shrinkage on the solid content of the tape-casting films were systematically conducted at first. The sintering density and the interface bonding properties of the prepared composites were then investigated. The results of electrical and mechanical properties of the composite ceramics indicate: By using sintering aids, Al2O3 ceramic could be fully densified and co-fired with PZT ceramic at 1150 °C. Shrinkage matching during sintering was achieved by adjusting the solid contents to 45 vol.% and 65 vol.% for PZT and alumina tape-casting films. In the layered composites, Al2O3 structural ceramic presents an excellent mechanical property with HV hardness of 667, while the PZT functional ceramic presents d33, εr and tanδ of 259 pC/N, 965 and 0.37%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaked blood components, injured endothelial cells, local inflammatory response and vasospasm may converge to promote microthrombosis following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Previously, we showed that the milk fat globule–epidermal growth factor 8 (MFGE8) can mitigate SAH-induced microthrombosis. This present study was aimed to explore the molecular pathway participated in MFGE8-dependent protection on vascular endothelium. Immunofluorescence, immunoblot and behavioral tests were used to determine the molecular partner and signaling pathway mediating the effect of MFGE8 in vascular endothelium in rats with experimental SAH and controls, together with the applications of RNA silencing and pharmacological intervention methods. Relative to control, recombinant human MFGE8 (rhMFGE8) treatment increased 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeled new endothelial cells, reduced TUNUL-positive endothelial cells and elevated the expression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12), in the brains of SAH rats. These effects were reversed by MFGE8 RNA silencing, as well as following cilengitide and wortmannin intervention. These results suggest that MFGE8 promotes endothelial regeneration and mitigates endothelial DNA damage through the activation of the TIGβ5/PI3K/CXCL12 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiratory failure is the leading cause of death in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection1,2, but the host response at the lung tissue level is poorly understood. Here we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing of about 116,000 nuclei from the lungs of nineteen individuals who died of COVID-19 and underwent rapid autopsy and seven control individuals. Integrated analyses identified substantial alterations in cellular composition, transcriptional cell states, and cell-to-cell interactions, thereby providing insight into the biology of lethal COVID-19. The lungs from individuals with COVID-19 were highly inflamed, with dense infiltration of aberrantly activated monocyte-derived macrophages and alveolar macrophages, but had impaired T cell responses. Monocyte/macrophage-derived interleukin-1β and epithelial cell-derived interleukin-6 were unique features of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to other viral and bacterial causes of pneumonia. Alveolar type 2 cells adopted an inflammation-associated transient progenitor cell state and failed to undergo full transition into alveolar type 1 cells, resulting in impaired lung regeneration. Furthermore, we identified expansion of recently described CTHRC1+ pathological fibroblasts3 contributing to rapidly ensuing pulmonary fibrosis in COVID-19. Inference of protein activity and ligand–receptor interactions identified putative drug targets to disrupt deleterious circuits. This atlas enables the dissection of lethal COVID-19, may inform our understanding of long-term complications of COVID-19 survivors, and provides an important resource for therapeutic development.Lung samples collected soon after death from COVID-19 are used to provide a single-cell atlas of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the ensuing molecular changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is the most widely used optical fiber sensor due to its compact size, high sensitivity, and easiness for multiplexing. Conventional FBGs fabricated by using an ultraviolet (UV) laser phase-mask method require the sensitization of the optical fiber and could not be used at high temperatures. Recently, the fabrication of FBGs by using a femtosecond laser has attracted extensive interests due to its excellent flexibility in creating FBGs array or special FBGs with complex spectra. The femtosecond laser could also be used for inscribing various FBGs on almost all fiber types, even fibers without any photosensitivity. Such femtosecond-laser-induced FBGs exhibit excellent thermal stability, which is suitable for sensing in harsh environment. In this review, we present the historical developments and recent advances in the fabrication technologies and sensing applications of femtosecond-laser-inscribed FBGs. Firstly, the mechanism of femtosecond-laser-induced material modification is introduced. And then, three different fabrication technologies, i.e., femtosecond laser phase mask technology, femtosecond laser holographic interferometry, and femtosecond laser direct writing technology, are discussed. Finally, the advances in high-temperature sensing applications and vector bending sensing applications of various femtosecond-laser-inscribed FBGs are summarized. Such femtosecond-laser-inscribed FBGs are promising in many industrial areas, such as aerospace vehicles, nuclear plants, oil and gas explorations, and advanced robotics in harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant immune system is fundamental for plant survival in natural ecosystems and for productivity in crop fields. Substantial evidence supports the prevailing notion that plants possess a two-tiered innate immune system, called pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI). PTI is triggered by microbial patterns via cell surface-localized pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), whereas ETI is activated by pathogen effector proteins via predominantly intracellularly localized receptors called nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs)1–4. PTI and ETI are initiated by distinct activation mechanisms and involve different early signalling cascades5,6. Here we show that Arabidopsis PRR and PRR co-receptor mutants—fls2 efr cerk1 and bak1 bkk1 cerk1 triple mutants—are markedly impaired in ETI responses when challenged with incompatible Pseudomonas syrinage bacteria. We further show that the production of reactive oxygen species by the NADPH oxidase RBOHD is a critical early signalling event connecting PRR- and NLR-mediated immunity, and that the receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase BIK1 is necessary for full activation of RBOHD, gene expression and bacterial resistance during ETI. Moreover, NLR signalling rapidly augments the transcript and/or protein levels of key PTI components. Our study supports a revised model in which potentiation of PTI is an indispensable component of ETI during bacterial infection. This revised model conceptually unites two major immune signalling cascades in plants and mechanistically explains some of the long-observed similarities in downstream defence outputs between PTI and ETI. Bacteria elicit two distinct immune responses in Arabidopsis thaliana, mediated by diverse signalling receptors but working in a synergistic manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The myopectineal orifice (MPO) is a weak area at lower part of the anterior abdominal wall that directly determines the mesh size required in inguinal hernia repair. However, MPO data have mainly been acquired from measurements of cadavers or anesthetized patients. Furthermore, there are very few reports on the measurement of the MPO in Chinese patients. The present study aimed to use three-dimensional visualization technology to measure the MPO in live non-anesthetized Chinese patients, and to use this information to indicate the appropriate mesh size required for inguinal hernia repair. Methods: In this study, we used the parameters of the MPO and the pelvis that were measured in 40 patients with peripheral arterial disease of the lower limb arteries (80 inguinal regions) using Medraw software (Image Medraw Technology Co., Ltd., China). Results: The result showed that the average width and height of the MPO were 5.71 ± 0.99 cm and 4.96 ± 0.69 cm, respectively (5.22 ± 0.77 cm and 5.13 ± 0.63 cm in males, and 6.20 ± 0.95 cm and 4.80 ± 0.71 cm in females). The average projected area of the MPO was 16.06 ± 4.37 cm2 on the left, and 15.61 ± 4.10 cm2 on the right (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Three-dimensional visualization was used to measure the area, width, and height of the MPO in living non-anesthetized Chinese patients. MPO area was correlated with age, but not with pelvic parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer cells remodel their metabolic network to adapt to variable nutrient availability. Pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) plays protective and biosynthetic roles by oxidizing glucose to generate reducing power and ribose. How cancer cells modulate PPP activity in response to glucose supply remains unclear. Here we show that ribose-5-phosphate isomerase A (RPIA), an enzyme in PPP, directly interacts with co-activator associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1) and is methylated at arginine 42 (R42). R42 methylation up-regulates the catalytic activity of RPIA. Furthermore, glucose deprivation strengthens the binding of CARM1 with RPIA to induce R42 hypermethylation. Insufficient glucose supply links to RPIA hypermethylation at R42, which increases oxidative PPP flux. RPIA methylation supports ROS clearance by enhancing NADPH production and fuels nucleic acid synthesis by increasing ribose supply. Importantly, RPIA methylation at R42 significantly potentiates colorectal cancer cell survival under glucose starvation. Collectively, RPIA methylation connects glucose availability to nucleotide synthesis and redox homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Shrub encroachment can alter litter decomposition in temperate graminoid-dominated wetlands, yet its influence on the direction of litter mixing effects is still elusive. Methods: We collected senesced aboveground tissues of two graminoid species (Deyeuxia angustifolia and Carex schmidtii) and leaf litter of two shrub species (Betula fruticosa and Salix floderusii) in a freshwater marsh of Northeast China, and measured litter mass loss dynamics in monocultures and shrub-graminoid mixtures (in mass ratios of 1:2 and 2:1) using a 730-day incubation experiment. Results: In the monocultures, shrub litter had greater mass loss than graminoid litter presumably due to the relatively higher N, and dissolved organic C and N concentrations. Additive effects were observed in all shrub-graminoid mixtures after 182 days of decomposition, while nonadditive effects gradually became more prominent as litter decomposition proceeded. Salix floderusii leaves usually promoted decomposition of neighboring graminoid litter, especially when S. floderusii dominated, leading to a synergistic effect on mass loss of the whole litter mixtures. However, the effects of B. fruticosa on decomposition of graminoid litter varied with incubation time, species composition and species proportion. At the end of incubation, synergistic effects were observed in B. fruticosa-D. angustifolia mixtures, while additive effects occurred in B. fruticosa-C. schmidtii mixtures. Conclusions: The effects of shrub expansion on the direction of litter mixing effects are dependent on incubation time, shrub species and dominant graminoid types in this freshwater marsh. These findings help to predict the consequence of altered species composition on community-level litter decomposition in temperate graminoid-dominated wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant efforts have focused on the magnetic excitations of relativistic Mott insulators, predicted to realize the Kitaev quantum spin liquid (QSL). This exactly solvable model involves a highly entangled state resulting from bond-dependent Ising interactions that produce excitations which are non-local in terms of spin flips. A key challenge in real materials is identifying the relative size of the non-Kitaev terms and their role in the emergence or suppression of fractional excitations. Here, we identify the energy and temperature boundaries of non-Kitaev interactions by direct comparison of the Raman susceptibility of α-RuCl3 with quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) results for the Kitaev QSL. Moreover, we further confirm the fractional nature of the magnetic excitations, which is given by creating a pair of fermionic quasiparticles. Interestingly, this fermionic response remains valid in the non-Kitaev range. Our results and focus on the use of the Raman susceptibility provide a stringent new test for future theoretical and experimental studies of QSLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide is a popular semiconductor candidate for amorphous oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors in the field of flat-panel display. However, the existence of gallium component restricts the enhancement of mobility dramatically. In this study, we report a new praseodymium (Pr) dopant as a stabilizer in amorphous indium zinc oxide semiconductor (IZO) with high mobility and stability. Meanwhile, the PrIZO TFTs were fabricated to investigate the effects of Pr on electrical properties, stability and aging effect. The optimal PrIZO TFT exhibited a desired performance with a saturation mobility (μsat) of 25.8/32.6 cm2 V−1 s−1, an Ion/Ioff ratio of 3.5 × 107/5.4 × 107, a subthreshold swing value of 0.14/0.13 V dec−1 and a threshold voltage (Vth) of 2.9/2.1 V, respectively, before and after an air environment storage period of 90 days without passivation layer, which exhibits lower sensitivity of the channel region to oxygen/moisture from the atmosphere than IZO TFT. XRD analysis revealed that the Pr dopant had no effect on the amorphous state of IZO thin film with annealing up to 400 °C. XPS analyses suggested that the fraction of oxygen vacancy subpeak decreased significantly with Pr incorporated into IZO. The μ-PCD decay analyzation and the subgap density of states indicate that acceptor-like trap states induced by Pr ions lead to the suppression of ambient-induced excess carrier in conduction band. This work is anticipated to provide a kind of reliable stabilizer for amorphous oxide semiconductor without deteriorating mobility significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) polymer films, α-phase usually dominates and leads to weak electrical properties, limiting its applications in microelectronics. In this paper, the effects of dipole moment of the solvent and the crystallization temperature on β-phase content in PVDF films have been systematically investigated. Variations in crystalline phases were confirmed by using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results verified that larger dipole moment of the solvent is more beneficial to the formation of β-phase in PVDF films. PVDF films with high content of β-phase up to 98.8% are obtained by using dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as the solvent at optimized crystallizing temperature of 60 °C. The corresponding PVDF film with high β-phase content presents excellent ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties, with a remnant polarization (Pr) and piezoelectric coefficient (d33) of 7.7 μC/cm2 and − 25.8 pC/N, respectively. It is worth mentioning that this high d33 compares that of the expensive PVDF-based copolymers and complexes. The process displayed in this research provided a feasible method to the preparation of low cost PVDF films for flexible piezoelectric sensors and actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a two-dimensional numerical analysis of the conjugate natural convection and radiation heat transfer in a double-space enclosure with two semitransparent walls. Two kinds of boundary conditions are considered, the first being the isothermal process of the opaque wall, and the other the incidence of a constant radiation flux in the left semitransparent wall. The renormalization group k–ε model is adopted to simulate the turbulent flow in the enclosure. To compute the radiation heat transfer in a semitransparent medium, the discrete ordinates model is used. We compare the behaviors of enclosures with single and double semitransparent walls and determine the difference in the results obtained for semitransparent and opaque partitions. The results indicate that a semitransparent partition facilitates a reduction in the heat loss or obtains a higher temperature distribution. The transmittance of a semitransparent wall has a great effect on the thermal and flow characteristics in an enclosure. The change of wall temperature is found to be significant when the thermal conductivity values range from 0.05 to 0.5 W/(m·K), and to be small when ranging from 0.5 to 10 W/(m·K). These conclusions are helpful for green design and energy saving in solar buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to obtain Ag nanoparticles (NPs) sintered Cu–Cu joints with better mechanical properties in a relative short time and under a suitable pressure, a laser sintering process and a novel paste prepared by mixed Ag NPs (19 and 62 nm in diameters) were utilized and studied. The results indicated that joints with low porosities were fabricated within 15 s' laser irradiation. By increasing laser power and sintering time, shear strength of the joints increased obviously. Shear strength of joints with 30% (mass ratio) 62 nm NPs was the highest and could reach 32 MPa when the samples were sintered at 60 W for 15 s under 5 MPa. The enhanced mechanical properties of the joints could be attributed to small NPs that could fill pores between larger NPs and improve initial packing density of the mixed particles. The results indicated that the mixed pastes had excellent potentials as alternative die-attach materials for high temperature power device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the B cell-associated transcription factors, Ets-1 and microRNA, miR-326 in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, and their correlation with the pathogenesis of SLE.Method: A total of 44 SLE patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in this research, all patients fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for SLE. The mRNA expression of Ets-1 and miR-326 in CD19+B cells from SLE patients were examined by qRT-PCR. The percentages of CD19+CD138+plasma cells were analyzed by Flow cytometry.Results: We found decreased expression of Ets-1 mRNA in SLE patients compared with the healthy controls ([0.228 (0.145, 0.507)] vs [0.583 (0.452, 0.763)], p = 0.001),while increased expression of miR-326 mRNA in CD19+B cells SLE patients compared with the healthy controls([1.092 (0.457, 2.855)] vs [0.685 (0.274, 0.819)], p = 0.008). The percentage of CD19+CD138+plasma cells in SLE patients was higher than that of healthy controls (0.55 ± 0.21% vs 0.36 ± 0.21%, p = 0.002). Moreover, a negative correlation between expression of Ets-1 mRNA and miR-326 mRNA in CD19+B cells was detected (r = − 0.334, p = 0.027). A significant association between the occurrences of CD19+CD138+plasma cells and the levels of Ets-1 mRNA and miR-326 mRNA was observed (r = − 0.417, p = 0.005 and r = 0.482, p = 0.001, respectively).Conclusions: Our results suggest that miR-326 might promote B cells differentiation by targeting Ets-1, a negative regulator of B cells differentiation and therefore participate in the pathogenesis of SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a water-cooled thermoelectric generator (TEG) system, there is an energy-consuming circulating water pump. In order to reduce pump energy consumption caused by backpressure and increase the output power of the entire system, combining numerical simulation and experimentation is adopted to explore the suitable coolant flow rate. Due to the limitations of the experimental conditions, numerical simulation is used to compute the temperature distribution and flow field inside the TEG. Base on the numerical results and the empirical formula, the circulating pump energy consumption is calculated. The maximum power output of the thermoelectric module (TEM) at the corresponding temperature difference is obtained by experiment. Finally, the maximum net output power of the module is revealed and the relationship between the coolant flow rate and average temperature of the hot end of the TEMs is proposed, which can serve as a theoretical basis for cooling water flow rate management of the TEG system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-sensitivity all-fiber temperature sensor based on a Sagnac interferometer is demonstrated by splicing a section of polarization maintaining fiber (PMF) between two sections of standard single mode fibers (SMFs). In this sensor, the SMF-PMF-SMF structure in the Sagnac loop is bent into a circle to enhance the sensitivity. The length and curvature of the PMF in the loop are investigated and can be optimized to further increase the temperature sensitivity of the sensor. Results show that the radius of the circle has an important effect upon temperature sensitivity due to the bend-induced birefringence variation of the PMF. The SMF-PMF-SMF structure bent into a circle with a radius of 30 mm exhibits a high-sensitivity temperature of 1.73 nm/°C. The sensor is provided with the advantages of easy fabrication, low-insertion loss, and high sensitivity, which may find potential applications in the field of high precision temperature measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: A possible transcription factor TLP2 was identified to be involved in the regulation of HG biosynthesis in Arabidopsis seed mucilage. TLP2 can translocate into nucleus from plasma membrane by interacting with NF-YC3. The discovery of TLP2 gene function can further fulfill the regulatory network of pectin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana.Abstract: Arabidopsis seed coat mucilage is an excellent model system to study the biosynthesis, function and regulation of pectin. Rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) and homogalacturonan (HG) are the major polysaccharides constituent of the Arabidopsis seed coat mucilage. Here, we identified a Tubby-like gene, Tubby-like protein 2 (TLP2), which was up-regulated in developing siliques when mucilage began to be produced. Ruthenium red (RR) staining of the seeds showed defective mucilage of tlp2-1 mutant after vigorous shaking compared to wild type (WT). Monosaccharide composition analysis revealed that the amount of total sugars and galacturonic acid (GalA) decreased significantly in the adherent mucilage (AM) of tlp2-1 mutant. Immunolabelling and dot immunoblotting analysis showed that unesterified HG decreased in the tlp2-1 mutant. Furthermore, TLP2 can translocate into nucleus by interacting with Nuclear Factor Y subunit C3 (NF-YC3) to function as a transcription factor. RNA-sequence and transactivation assays revealed that TLP2 could activate UDP-glucose 4-epimerase 1 (UGE1). In all, it is concluded that TLP2 could regulate the biosynthesis of HG possibly through the positive activation of UGE1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acyl-coA oxidase (ACO) is an important flavoenzyme responsible for the first step of peroxisomal fatty acid β-oxidation. In this study, the roles of Tyr232 and Tyr401 in flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) binding and enzyme catalysis of ACO were explored using site-directed mutagenesis. For mutant proteins, different levels of activity loss were observed. Wavelength scanning of Y232 and Y401 mutant proteins indicated that there is no FAD binding in Y401S and Y401G mutant ACO. Structure analysis indicated that the phenolic hydroxyl and benzene ring of the side chain could stabilize FAD binding through hydrogen bonds network and hydrophobic pocket formation. These results indicated that these two tyrosine residues play a critical role in the FAD binding of ACO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

c-Myc is a highly pleiotropic transcription factor known to control cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and cellular transformation. Normally, ectopic expression of c-Myc is associated with promoting cell proliferation or triggering cell death via activating p53. However, it is not clear how the levels of c-Myc lead to different cellular responses. Here, we generated a series of stable RPE cell clones expressing c-Myc at different levels, and found that consistent low level of c-Myc induced cellular senescence by activating AP4 in post-confluent RPE cells, while the cells underwent cell death at high level of c-Myc. In addition, high level of c-Myc could override the effect of AP4 on cellular senescence. Further knockdown of AP4 abrogated senescence-like phenotype in cells expressing low level of c-Myc, and accelerated cell death in cells with medium level of c-Myc, indicating that AP4 was required for cellular senescence induced by low level of c-Myc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) is the most significant auxiliary load in vehicles and largely increases extra emissions. Therefore, thermoelectric cooling automotive seat, a relatively new technology, is used in an attempt to reduce HVAC consumption and improve thermal comfort. In this study, three design schemes of the thermoelectric cooler (TEC) are proposed. Then the numerical simulation is used to analyze their heat transfer performance, and evaluate the improvement of the seat cooling in terms of the occupant back thermal comfort. Moreover, an experiment is conducted to validate the accuracy of the simulation results. The experimental results show that: (1) an average reduction in air temperature of 4°C in 60 s is obtained; (2) the temperature of the occupant’s back drops from 33.5°C to 25.7°C in cooperation with the HVAC system; (3) back thermal comfort is greatly improved. As expected, the thermoelectric cooling automotive seat is able to provide an improvement in the occupant's thermal comfort at a reduced energy consumption rate, which makes it promising for vehicular application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automobile exhaust energy thermoelectric utilization can promote energy-saving and emission-reduction. Unexpected urban traffic conditions lead to the hot-end temperature instability of the exhaust pipe-mounted thermoelectric generator (TEG), and influence the TEG power generation efficiency. The heat conduction oil circulation located at the hot-end could smooth the temperature fluctuation, at the expense of larger system size and additional energy supply. This research improves the TEG hot-end temperature stability by installing solid heat capacity material (SHCM) to the area between the outer wall of the exhaust pipe and the TEG, which has the merits of simple structure, light weight and no additional energy consumption. The exhaust temperature and flow rate characteristics with various driving conditions are firstly studied for the target engine. Then the convective heat transfer models of SHCM’s hot-end and thermoelectric material’s cold-end are established. Meanwhile, SHCM thermal properties’ effects on the amplitude and response speed of the TEG hot-end temperature are studied. The candidate SHCM with the characteristics of low thermal resistance and high heat capacity is determined. And the heat transfer model going through from TEG’s hot-end to the cold-end is established. The results show that the SHCM significantly improves the TEG hot-end temperature stability but slightly reduces the average power output. When the engine working conditions change a lot, the SHCM’s improvement on the TEG hot-end temperature stability is more significant, but the reduction of the average power output becomes more remarkable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy conservation and environmental protection have typically been a concern of research. Researchers have confirmed that in automotive engines, just 12-25% of the fuel energy converts into effective work and 30-40% gets wasted in the form of exhaust. Saidur et al. (Energy Policy 37:3650, 2009) and Hasanuzzaman et al. (Energy 36:233, 2011). It will be significant to enhance fuel availability and decrease environmental pollution if the waste heat in the exhaust could be recovered. Thermoelectric generators (TEGs), which can translate heat into electricity, have become a topic of interest for vehicle exhaust waste heat recovery. In conventional automotive TEGs, the thermoelectric modules (TEMs) are arranged between the exhaust tank and the coolant tank. The TEMs do not contact the hot exhaust and coolant, which leads to low heat transfer efficiency. Moreover, to provide enough packing force to keep good contact with the exhaust tank and the coolant tank, the framework required is so robust that the TEGs become too heavy. Therefore, in current study, an automotive TEG was designed which included one exhaust channel, one coolant channel and several TEMs. In the TEG, the TEMs which contacted the exhaust and coolant directly were inserted into the walls of each coolant channel. To evaluate the performance of the automotive TEG, the flow field and temperature field were computed by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Based on the temperature distribution obtained by CFD and the performance parameters of the modules, the total power generation was obtained by some proved empirical formulas. Compared with conventional automotive TEGs, the power generation per unit volume exhaust was boosted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ducks play an important role in transmitting and maintaining mammalian viruses in nature, and are a reservoir host of many animal viruses. We analyzed the fecal virome of four strains (A, B, C, and D) of ducks living in isolation by using metagenomic analysis. The feces of the ducks tested contained 18 animal virus families. The percentage values of RNA virus reads, compared to the total animal virus reads in each of the four strains were 96.96% (A), 97.30% (B), 98.01 (C), and 67.49% (D), and were mainly from Orthomyxoviridae, Mimiviridae, Bunyaviridae, Picobirnaviridae, and Reoviridae. Meanwhile, the minority of DNA virus reads were related to Herpesviridae, Adenoviridae, Iridoviridae, and other, low abundance viral families. The percentage values of Orthomyxoviridae, Mimiviridae, Bunyaviridae, Picobirnaviridae, and Herpesviridae reads were not significantly different among strains A, B, and C; however, there were marked differences in the abundance of these reads in strain D. In summary, this study provides an unbiased examination of the viral diversity in the feces of four strains of ducks in specific-pathogen-free periods, and highlights the variation in the percentage of viral families present. These results can be used as a reference for detecting duck viral pathogens and predicting zoonotic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]