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Electroplating on polymer substrates, which provides polymers with enhanced mechanical properties, extended component lifetimes, and offers a decorative appearance, is environmentally unsustainable. Laser machining, a green process developed at Cirrus Materials Science Ltd, generates an array of pores on various polymer surfaces, which replaces the chemical etch process, and provides strong adhesion for metal coatings to polymer substrates. Laser machining is also applicable to a wide range of engineered or industrial polymer substrates and is adaptable to complex shapes and 3D printed parts. This paper discussed the process of laser machining of polymer substrates including the properties of metal layers on such machined surfaces; and demonstrated laser machining as a promising substitute for conventional chemical etching to prepare various engineering polymer substrates for adhesive coatings.

First evidence of a structure in the $J/\psi{\Lambda}$ invariant mass distribution is obtained from an amplitude analysis of$\Xi_b^-{\rightarrow}J/\psi{\Lambda}K^-$ decays. The observed structure is consistent with being due to a charmonium pentaquark with strangeness with a significance of $3.1\sigma$ including systematic uncertainties and look-elsewhere effect. Its mass and width are determined to be $4458.8\pm2.9^{+4.7}_{-1.1}$ MeV and $17.3\pm6.5^{+8.0}_{-5.7}$ MeV, respectively, where the quoted uncertainties are statistical and systematic. The structure is also consistent with being due to two resonances. In addition, the narrow excited $\Xi^-$ states, $\Xi(1690)^-$ and $\Xi(1820)^-$, are seen for the first time in a $\Xi^-_b$ decay, and their masses and widths are measured with improved precision. The analysis is performed using $pp$ collision data corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 9 fb$^{-1}$, collected with the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13 TeV.

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins play important roles in plant growth and development. However, little is known about their functions in the leaf morphogenesis of Jingxiu grape (Vitis vinifera L.). Here, we explored the function of VvPPR1, which encodes a DYW-type PPR protein in grape. We showed that VvPPR1 is involved in the regulation of leaf rolling, anthocyanin accumulation, and trichome formation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Analysis of structural characteristics showed that VvPPR1 is a DYW-type PPR gene in the PLS subfamily consisting of 15 PPR motifs. The N-terminal had a targeted chloroplast site, and the C-terminal had a DYW domain. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the expression level of VvPPR1 was highest in grape leaves. Subcellular localization revealed that VvPPR1 is localized in the cytoplasm and chloroplast. VvPPR1-overexpressing plants had rolled leaves, high degrees of anthocyanin accumulation, and longer trichomes. The expression levels of genes related to these phenotypes were either significantly up-regulated or down-regulated. These results demonstrate that VvPPR1 is involved in leaf rolling, anthocyanin accumulation, and trichome formation in Arabidopsis; more generally, our findings indicate that VvPPR1 could be a target for improving the cultivation of horticultural crops.

Magnesium ion batteries have attracted increasing attention as a promising energy storage device due to the high safety, high volumetric capacity, and low cost of Mg. However, the strong Coulombic interactions between Mg2+ ions and cathode materials seriously hinder the electrochemical performance of the batteries. To seek a promising cathode material for magnesium ion batteries, in this work, (NH4)2V6O16·1.5H2O and water-free (NH4)2V6O16 materials are synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method. The effects of NH4+ and lattice water on the Mg2+ storage properties in these kinds of layered cathode materials are investigated by experiments and first-principles calculations. Lattice water is demonstrated to be of vital importance for Mg2+ storage, which not only stabilizes the layered structure of (NH4)2V6O16·1.5H2O but also promotes the transport kinetics of Mg2+. Electrochemical experiments of (NH4)2V6O16·1.5H2O show a specific capacity of 100 mA·h·g-1 with an average discharge voltage of 2.16 V vs Mg2+/Mg, highlighting the potential of (NH4)2V6O16·1.5H2O as a high-voltage cathode material for magnesium ion batteries.

Two novel fluorophore (BODIPY)-bearing complexes, pyriplatin (mCBP) and pyrimidine-chelated cisplatin (dCBP), were synthesized and characterized. The additional BODIPY-pyridine/pyridimine motifs of the two Pt(II) complexes resulted in stronger interactions with DNA in comparison with those of cisplatin. mCBP and cisplatin caused relative decreases in life span and body length in a cisplatin resistant in vivo model, N2 (wild-type) Caenorhabditis elegans. In contrast, dCBP resulted in a dramatic reduction in the two physiological parameters in N2 C. elegans, indicating high toxicity and sensitivity. The resistance factors (RF) of cisplatin, mCBP, and dCBP were determined to be 2.46, 1.04, and 0.91, respectively. The increasing RF folds for mCBP and dCBP against cisplatin were 2.36 and 2.70, respectively. This suggested they were featured with improved anti-chemoresistance capabilities. It is noteworthy that dCBP showed lowest lethal concentration (LC50) values of 0.56 and 0.61 mM in cisplatin resistant and sensitive in vivo models, respectively. Upregulation of several evolutionary conservation genes that regulate cisplatin chemoresistance through cisplatin effluxing, the DNA damage response, the unfolded protein response, and detoxification (asna-1, parp-1, enpl-1, and skn-1) was observed upon exposure to cisplatin but not to mCBP and dCBP. This could explain the improved anti-chemoresistance performances of synthesized Pt(II) complexes.

An asymmetric [3 + 2] cycloaddition of vinyl ethylenecarbonates (VECs) and (E)-3-arylvinyl substituted benzo[d] isothiazole 1,1-dioxides has been developed using the Pd complex of a bidentate phosphoramidite (Me-BIPAM) as the catalyst, providing a wide variety of chiral multistereogenic vinyltetrahydrofurans in good yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to >20:1 dr, 99% ee).

Mesocotyl elongation of rice is crucial for seedlings pushing out of deep soil. The underlying mechanisms of phospholipid signaling in mesocotyl growth of rice are elusive. Here we report that the rice non-specific phospholipase C6 (OsNPC6) is involved in mesocotyl elongation. Our results indicated that all five OsNPCs (OsNPC1, OsNPC2, OsNPC3, OsNPC4 and OsNPC6) hydrolyzed the substrate phosphatidylcholine to phosphocholine (PCho), and all of them showed plasma membrane localization. Overexpression (OE) of OsNPC6 produced plants with shorter mesocotyls compared to those of Nipponbare and npc6 mutants. Although the mesocotyl growth of npc6 mutants was not much affected without gibberellic acid (GA)3, it was obviously elongated by treatment with GA. Upon GA3 treatment, SLENDER RICE1 (SLR1), the DELLA protein of GA signaling, was drastically increased in OE plants; by contrast, the level of SLR1 was found decreased in npc6 mutants. The GA-enhanced mesocotyl elongation and the GA-impaired SLR1 level in npc6 mutants were attenuated by the supplementation of PCho. Further analysis indicated that the GA-induced expression of phospho-base N-methyltransferase 1 in npc6 mutants was significantly weakened by the addition of PCho. In summary, our results suggest that OsNPC6 is involved in mesocotyl development via modulation of PCho in rice.

A simple method has been developed for the synthesis of ­3-(2-oxo-2-phenylethylidene)-3,4-dihydroquinoxalin-2(1H)-one and ­3-aryl-quinoxalin-2(1H)-one derivatives through C–H activation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones by peroxides and iodide. In this protocol, the per­oxide (TBPB) serves as both the radical initiator and aryl source, realizing arylation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-one in a one-step reaction. The methodology has the advantages of being a metal-free strategy and having broad functional group tolerance.

Nitrate is one of the most common pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, particularly in highly vulnerable karst aquifers. In Caohai Lake, an important karst wetland in southwestern China, karst surface water and groundwater are important recharge water sources, and nitrates flow into the wetland along with the surface water and groundwater, degrading the wetland water quality. Therefore, identifying the sources of nitrate in the surface water and groundwater in the Caohai catchment is of great significance to the protection of the wetland water environment. In this study, the nitrate concentrations, hydrochemistry and multiple stable isotope ratios (δ18O-H2O, δD-H2O, δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3-) were used to identify the sources and fate of the NO3- in the groundwater and inflowing rivers around the Caohai wetland. The results showed that the NO3- concentrations in the groundwater samples from the southern side exceeded the WHO limit during the wet season, while other samples did not exceed the limit. The mean concentrations of NO3- in groundwater were higher than those in the inflowing river water, and NO3- concentrations decreased in the order of wet season>dry season>normal season in the groundwater and inflowing rivers. The hydrochemistry and multiple isotope ratios suggest that the nitrate transformation was dominated by nitrification processes, while denitrification had an influence on the transformation of NO3- (as evidenced by isotopes) in groundwater during the dry season. According to the analyses based on a stable isotope analysis in R (SIAR), sewage and manure were the main sources of NO3- in the groundwater, while sewage, manure and chemical fertilizer were the major sources of NO3- in the inflowing river water; therefore, the scientific use of farmland fertilizers and the treatment of domestic sewage should be strengthened to safeguard groundwater quality and control the NO3- concentrations in rivers.

Spatiotemporal variations of industrial carbon emissions (IE) must be scientifically understood, which will be helpful to formulate reasonable emission reduction strategies. Given that spatial distribution of IE is irrelevant to space agents commonly used (such as population and nighttime light), estimation and spatialization methods for total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are not entirely suitable for IE. Therefore, this paper used greenhouse gases observing satellite level 4A product to estimate IE at the city level and used industrial land density to obtain the distribution of IE within the administrative districts. Sectoral emission inventories of 182 cities and a mosaic Asian anthropogenic emission inventory named MIX were used to verify the results. Then, spatiotemporal variation characteristics of China's IE were analyzed from multiple levels. Results showed that (1) the mean relative error of estimation results was 56.11%, among which 62 cities had relative error of less than 30%. Gridded IE in this paper had high consistency with MIX. (2) Cities with high IE experienced rapid growth from 2009 to 2012, followed by slower growth from 2012 to 2017. (3) Centroid of significant cold and hot spots moved to the southeast and northwest, respectively. Most cities with high annual IE growth had relatively low emission efficiency, mainly located in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang. Aggregation of medium and high IE grids may represent high emission efficiency. Significant differences still exist between cities in IE, and sustainable development strategies should be formulated according to local conditions. Regions with high annual growth or low emission efficiency are the key to achieving IE reduction targets in future.

The electrochemical performance of the Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05LiO2 (NCAL) cathode was investigated by comparing it with the traditional La0.4Sr0.6Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ (LSCF) and LSCF/Ce0.9Gd0.1O2-δ (GDC) cathodes with a GDC electrolyte-supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). It is found that the electrochemical performance of the cells with the NCAL and NCAL/GDC cathode is better than that of the cells with the LSCF and LSCF/GDC cathode at 550 °C. The results of the electrochemical performance tests of the cells with different NCAL/GDC mass ratios (10/0, 9/1, 8/2, 7/3 and 6/4) show that the NCAL/GDC composite cathode with the mass ratio of 8/2 has the best electrochemical performance. XRD results show that when the sintering temperature is higher than 700 °C, the NCAL/GDC composite will undergo chemical reactions and generate new phases, reducing the performance of the composite cathode. XPS results show that a small amount of Li2CO3 was formed on the surface of NCAL during cathode preparation, forming a special interface between NCAL, Li2CO3 and GDC. At the NCAL-Li2CO3/GDC interfaces, due to the migration and aggregation of Li+ to the interface, a space charge region may be formed in which the Li+ enrichment may lead to the formation of the region with a high oxygen vacancy concentration. A very high oxygen vacancy concentration at the NCAL-Li2CO3/GDC interfaces will provide sufficient oxygen ion conductivity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and reduce the activation energy of the reaction. NCAL will be a potential cathode material that can reduce the operating temperature of the traditional SOFC to 550 °C or lower.

Screening potential compounds for improving ulcerative colitis (UC) from clinical medication is an effective strategy for drug repurposing. We applied bioinformatics and network pharmacology to the drug screening process in this study, which helped us to screen out troxerutin that could improve UC. Troxerutin belongs to flavonoids and is used clinically as an anticoagulant and thrombolytic agent. This study found a new pharmacological activity of troxerutin, that is, it had a significant improvement effect on UC in mice. Experimental results of in vitro and in vivo levels showed that troxerutin could effectively reduce the level of oxidative stress that caused damages in intestinal epithelial cells and colonic tissue, maintain the distribution and expression of tight junction-related proteins, and protect the barrier function of colon tissue. In addition to the oxidative stress, severe inflammatory response is also an important pathological factor that aggravates UC. However, troxerutin could reduce the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the colon tissue and decrease the expression of inflammation-related proteins and proinflammatory cytokines. Due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, troxerutin inhibited the process of cell apoptosis in the colon tissue and relieved the degree of colonic fibrosis. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the ameliorating effect of troxerutin on UC was probably related to its network regulation of signaling pathways. In summary, we discovered a new pharmacological activity of the flavonoid troxerutin against UC, which is conducive to the expansion and application of flavonoids in the treatment of human diseases.

The effects of Li2CO3 and LiOH on the ionic conductivity of BaCe0.9Y0.1O3(BCY)-x%Li2CO3 (x = 0, 5, 10 and 30) and BCY-y%LiOH (y = 0, 2, 5 and 8) composite electrolytes were investigated. Symmetrical cells with the structure of foam Ni–Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05LiO2 (NCAL)∖BCY-x%Li2CO3 or y%LiOH∖foam Ni-NCAL and Pt∖BCY-x%Li2CO3 or y%LiOH∖Pt were prepared with NCAL-coated foam Ni and porous Pt as symmetrical electrodes, respectively. The ionic conductivity test results of the cells with Pt as the symmetrical electrode showed that the addition of LiOH did not improve the ionic conductivity of the BCY electrolyte, while the addition of Li2CO3 could significantly improve the ionic conductivity of the BCY electrolyte. The maximum power density of the cells with the structure of foam Ni-NCAL∖BCY-x%Li2CO3 or y%LiOH∖foam Ni-NCAL decreases with the increase in the amount of Li2CO3 or LiOH, which indicates that adding Li2CO3 or LiOH to BCY via mechanical mixing did not improve the electrochemical performance of the cells with NCAL as the electrode, and the NCAL electrode has the greatest impact on the performance of the cells. The interface of Li2CO3 and BCY should be a high-speed channel for ion conduction. Increasing the effective area of the interface between BCY and Li2CO3 and optimizing its continuity in the electrolyte should be the main development direction for improving the ionic conductivity.

Background: Drought stress affects grapevine growth and development and reduces berry yield and quality. Identifying genes that are involved in the plant response to drought stress will enable the development of new grape strains that are tolerant to drought. Objective: We cloned the VvibZIP14 gene from Vitis vinifera and analyzed its role in drought resistance. Methods: Gene expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Subcellular localization was assessed with a transient expression assay. The transactivation activity of the protein was evaluated in yeast. The physiologic role of VvibZIP14 was analyzed by overexpressing VvibZIP14 in Arabidopsis following drought stress. Hydrogen peroxide accumulation in Arabidopsis was visualized by diaminobenzidine staining. Results: Drought stress caused the accumulation of VvibZIP14, which was localized in the nucleus and had transcriptional activity. Transgenic plants showed improved resistance to drought stress and reduced electrolyte leakage compared to plants overexpressing empty vector, whereas chlorophyll content, photosystem II maximal photochemical efficiency, and net photosynthetic rate were higher. Catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities were also increased in VvibZIP14-overexpressing plants subjected to drought stress. Conclusions: VvibZIP14 functions as a transcription factor that confers resistance to drought stress in grape by enhancing the antioxidant response.

BACKGROUND: Melatonin (MT) is an endogenous indoleamine that regulates senescence progression and stress response in plants. OBJECTIVE: Here, we investigated the effect of MT on the shelf-life and postharvest quality of table grapes (Vitis labrusca L. cv. ‘Fengzao’). METHODS: After harvesting, ‘Fengzao’ grapes were immersed in MT solution at various concentrations (0 [as control], 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mM for 2 h and stored at 24±1 for 15 days. Physiological indicators including weight loss rate, firmness, contents of total soluble solids (TSSs), ascorbic acid (AsA), malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and activities of catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were investigated. Additionally, the DNA methylation rate of ‘Fengzao’ grapes were measured using the methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) technique. RESULTS: Application of MT effectively delayed grape senescence in all treatment groups compared with the control, with the longest delay observed in the 0.5 mM treatment. Additionally, the rate of DNA methylation decreased in all the 0.5 mM MT treatment groups, indicating a potential role of MT in demethylation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the exogenous application of MT can delay the senescence of grapes during postharvest.

Recently, nanoluminophores with the potential-resolved multicolor electrochemiluminescence (PRMCECL) property have emerged and shown promising applications in sensitive, selective, and accurate bioassays, bioimaging, and multicolor emitting devices. However, only limited PRMCECL nanoluminophores and their applications in ratiometric biosensors eliminating proportional errors have been reported. Herein, a novel PRMCECL nanoluminophore was synthesized by encapsulating CdS quantum dots (CdSQDs) into MOF-5 (CdSQDs@MOF-5). Using K2S2O8 as a coreactant, two electrochemiluminescence (ECL) peaks, ECL-1 centered at 685 nm and ECL-2 centered at 475 nm, were observed at -1.4 and -1.8 V, respectively. Related ECL mechanisms have been proposed. Based on the potential-resolved ECL signals, a label-free differential ECL immunosensor for the determination of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was established by assembly of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), CdSQDs@MOF-5, and cTnI antibody-functionalized silver nanoparticles on the surface of the fluorine-doped tin oxide electrode subsequently. In the presence of cTnI, cTnI was captured by the sensing interface, leading to an increase in ECL-1 and ECL-2 intensity. cTnI could be determined in the range of 0.01-1000 pg/mL with a detection limit of 5.01 fg/mL using the intensity difference between ECL-1 and ECL-2. This work provides a new family member of PRMCECL nanoluminophores. The proposed label-free differential ECL immunosensor provides a new strategy based on potential-resolved ECL signals, which could effectively eliminate the additive error and show better sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy for the detection of cTnI than the single-signal strategy and ratiometric strategy.

Paper and silk are the artworks with the highest light sensitivity. They are very vulnerable to photochemical reactions caused by the radiation of light sources in museum lighting, resulting in irreversible permanent damage such as color fading and discoloration. The basis of lighting protection for these artworks is to clarify the influence of different light sources on paper and silk materials. In this study, 10 kinds of narrow band monochrome light in the visible light range were used as experimental light sources, real cultural relics paper and silk materials were used as experimental samples, and long-term irradiation experiments were carried out under constant temperature and humidity conditions. The color parameters of paper and silk irradiated by different light sources were detected periodically, and the curve of color difference with exposure was drawn. The relative influence coefficients of different spectral bands on the color of paper and silk were obtained by curve analysis. By fitting data regularity and regression analysis, the “relative damage-spectral composition” function was established. The effect of light source on color damage of paper and silk is described by mathematical language, and the influence formula of different spectrum on color damage of paper and silk is obtained.

Constructing heterostructures by combining COFs and TMD is a new strategy to design efficient photocatalysts for CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) due to their good stability, tunable band gaps and efficient charge separation. Based on the synthesis of completely novel C4N−COF in our previous reported work, a new C4N/MoS2 heterostructure was constructed and then the related structural, electronic and optical properties were also studied using first principle calculations. The interlayer coupling effect and charge transfer between the C4N and MoS2 layer are systematically illuminated. The reduced band gap of the C4N/MoS2 heterostructure is beneficial to absorb more visible light. For the formation of type-II band alignment, a built-in electric field appears which separates the photogenerated electrons and holes into different layers efficiently and produces redox active sites. The band alignment of the heterostructure ensures its photocatalytic activities of the whole CO2 reduction reaction. Furthermore, the charge density difference and charge carrier mobility confirm the existence of the built-in electric field at the interface of the C4N/MoS2 heterostructure directly. Finally, the high optical absorption indicates it is an efficient visible light harvesting photocatalyst. Therefore, this work could provide strong insights into the internal mechanism and high photocatalytic activity of the C4N/MoS2 heterostructure and offer guiding of designing and synthesizing COF/TMD heterostructure photocatalysts.

NH4+ preintercalated V2O5·nH2O nanobelts with a large interlayer distance of 10.9 A were prepared by the hydrothermal method. The material showed a large specific capacity of 391 mA·h·g-1 at the 500 mA·g-1 current density in aqueous rechargeable zinc batteries. In operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction demonstrated that the material experienced reversible solid-solution reaction and two-phase transition during charge-discharge cycling, accompanied by the reversible formation/decomposition of a ZnSO4Zn3(OH)6·5H2O byproduct. In operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy confirmed the reversible reduction/oxidation of V, together with small changes in the VO6 local structure. The formation of byproduct was attributed to the dehydration of [Zn(H2O)6]2+, which concurrently improved the desolvation of [Zn(H2O)6]2+ into Zn2+. Bond valence sum map analysis and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy demonstrated that the byproduct improved the charge transfer kinetics of the electrode. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic intermittent titration technique showed that the electrode reaction was dominated by ionic intercalation where the discharge capacity in the voltage window of 1.4-0.85 V was attributed to the intercalation of [Zn(H2O)6]2+, followed by the intercalation of Zn2+ at 0.85-0.4 V.

Using lithium compounds as anode in ceramic fuel cells will form LiOH/Li2CO3 at the anode, which diffuse into the Gd-doped CeO2 (GDC) electrolyte significantly improving its ionic conductivity. Here the importance of the density and microstructure of the electrolyte on this conductivity improvement is analyzed. Test cells with Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05LiO2 (NCAL) electrode and GDC electrolyte are prepared at four sintering temperatures of 900, 1100, 1300, and 1550 °C. The amount of LiOH/Li2CO3 that enters into the electrolyte from the NCAL anode decreases with increasing sintering temperature, which led to lower electrolyte ionic conductivity and fuel cell performance. The results of XPS and EPR show that the concentration of oxygen vacancy in GDC containing LiOH/Li2CO3 increased significantly. The effective interface of LiOH/Li2CO3-GDC composite electrolyte results in higher ionic conductivity as compared to the composite electrolytes with larger grains and a smaller amount of LiOH/Li2CO3 due to higher sintering temperatures.

Hydrochromic materials that can reversibly change color upon water treatment have attracted much attention owing to their potential applications in diverse fields. Herein, for the first time, we report that space-confined CsPbBr3 nanocrystals (NCs) are hydrochromic. When CsPbBr3 NCs are loaded into a porous matrix, reversible transition between luminescent CsPbBr3 and non-luminescent CsPb2 Br5 can be achieved upon the exposure/removal of water. The potential applications of hydrochromic CsPbBr3 NCs in anti-counterfeiting are demonstrated by using CsPbBr3 NCs@mesoporous silica nanospheres (around 100 nm) as the starting material. Owing to the small particle size and negatively charged surface, the as-prepared particles can be laser-jet printed with high precision and high speed. We demonstrate the excellent stability over repeated transformation cycles without color fade. This new discovery may not only deepen the understanding of CsPbX3 , but also open a new way to design CsPbX3 materials for new applications.

The abundant yet widely distributed methane resources require efficient conversion of methane into liquid chemicals, whereas an ambient selective process with minimal infrastructure support remains to be demonstrated. Here we report selective electrochemical oxidation of CH4 to methyl bisulfate (CH3OSO3H) at ambient pressure and room temperature with a molecular catalyst of vanadium (V)-oxo dimer. This water-tolerant, earth-abundant catalyst possesses a low activation energy (10.8 kcal mol‒1) and a high turnover frequency (483 and 1336 hr−1 at 1-bar and 3-bar pure CH4, respectively). The catalytic system electrochemically converts natural gas mixture into liquid products under ambient conditions over 240 h with a Faradaic efficiency of 90% and turnover numbers exceeding 100,000. This tentatively proposed mechanism is applicable to other d0 early transition metal species and represents a new scalable approach that helps mitigate the flaring or direct emission of natural gas at remote locations., The undesirable geological release of methane at remote locations can be lessened through an efficient methane conversion process. Here, the authors report selective ambient functionalization of methane by a vanadium (V)-oxo electrocatalyst with a low activation energy and a high turnover frequency.

Based on the matrix-resolvent approach, for an arbitrary solution to the discrete KdV hierarchy, we define the tau-function of the solution, and compare it with another tau-function of the solution defined via reduction of the Toda lattice hierarchy. Explicit formulae for generating series of logarithmic derivatives of the tau-functions are then obtained, and applications to enumeration of ribbon graphs with even valencies and to the special cubic Hodge integrals are considered., Comment: It was added a remark after Theorem 1; added Appendix A; added references; two statements moved to Introduction; corrected typos. 26 pages

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are known to induce pulmonary inflammatory effects through stimulating pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion from alveolar macrophages. Despite extensive studies on MWCNTs’ pro-inflammatory reactivity, the understanding of molecular mechanisms involved is still incomplete. In this study, we investigated hemichannel’s involvement in MWCNTs-induced macrophage IL-1β release. Our results showed that the unmodified and COOH MWCNTs could induce ATP release and ATP-P2X7R axis-dependent IL-1β secretion from THP-1 macrophages. By using various inhibitors, we confirmed that the MWCNTs-induced ATP release was primarily through hemichannels. EtBr dye uptake assay detected significant hemichannels opening in MWCNTs exposed THP-1 macrophages. Inhibition of hemichannels by CBX, 43Gap27, or 10Panx1 pretreatment results in decreased ATP and IL-1β release. The addition of ATP restored the reduced IL-1β secretion level from hemichannel inhibition. We also confirmed with five other types of MWCNTs that the induction of hemichannels by MWCNTs strongly correlates with their capacity to induce IL-1β secretion. Taken together, we conclude that hemichannels-mediated ATP release and subsequent NLRP3 inflammasome activation through P2X7R may be one mechanism by which MWCNTs induce macrophage IL-1β secretion. Our findings may provide a novel molecular mechanism for MWCNTs induced IL-1β secretion.

As the nation and various states engage in funding transportation infrastructure improvements to meet future long-distance passenger travel demand, it is imperative to develop effective and practical modeling methods for analysis of long-distance passenger travel. Evaluating national-level infrastructure improvements requires a reliable analysis tool to model the demand for long-distance travel. The national travel demand model presented in this paper implements a person-level tour-based micro-simulation approach for modeling individuals’ long-distance or national activities in the U.S.A. This paper reviews the model framework, explains the model calibration, and presents applications of the model for policy evaluation and demand prediction. The model was estimated using the latest long-distance travel survey in the U.S.A., which is the 1995 American Travel Survey. As the estimation data is old, and no new long-distance travel survey with appropriate sample size is available to re-estimate the model, model calibration is the solution used to update the model and make it capable of capturing up-to-date travel patterns. Calibrating such a large-scale model can be challenging, because each calibration iteration is very costly. This paper describes the calibration effort conducted on the national long-distance micro-simulation model to showcase how a large-scale travel demand model can be calibrated efficiently. A fuel price scenario is analyzed to show how the national travel demand will change under a national fuel price increase scenario in the future year 2040. Another scenario analysis corresponding to construction of high-speed rail (HSR) is conducted to observe the effects of adding a HSR system to the northeast corridor on travel demand from a national perspective.

Direction and width prediction have become hot topics in accurate ship location, while the resolution of remote sensing data has been increasing. In the current machine learning, demand for extensi...

A novel Cd(II)-based coordination polymer, namely {[Cd3L3(dbp)2]}n (1), was solvothermally prepared based on the rigid ligand 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (H2L) and N-donor linker 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine (dbp). The single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis shows that compound 1 possesses a fascinating 3D architecture, constructed from a trinuclear secondary building unit [Cd3(COOR)6] and linear L2− linker. The whole structure of compound 1 can be simplified as uninodal 6-connected sxb network with Schlafli symbol of {485,463}. Compound 1 exhibits strong photoluminescent emissions with emission peak at 425 nm. Most strikingly, 1 could be selectively quenched by Cu2+ ion and nitrobenzene (NB) as potential luminescent sensory material. Meanwhile, vapor-phase fluorescence response of 1 toward NB was also investigated.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive, high resolution, and real-time imaging technology that has been used in ophthalmology and other medical fields. Limited by the point spread function of OCT system, it is difficult to optimize its spatial resolution only based on hardware. Digital image processing methods, especially deep learning, provide great potential in super-resolving images. In this paper, the matched axial low resolution (LR) and high resolution OCT image pairs from actual OCT imaging are collected to generate the dataset by our home-made spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) system. Several methods are selected to super-resolve LR OCT images. It is shown from the experimental results that the residual-in-residual dense block network (RRDBNet) trained with different loss functions performs the best super-resolution for OCT images, and it is demonstrated from the preliminary results that deep learning methods have good generalization and robustness between OCT systems. We believe deep learning methods have broad prospects in improving the quality of OCT images.

The first observation of the Ω b - → Ξ c + K - π - decay is reported using p p collision data at center of mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb - 1 . Four excited Ω c 0 baryons are observed in the Ξ c + K - mass projection of the Ω b - → Ξ c + K - π - decays with the significance of each exceeding five standard deviations. They coincide with the states previously observed in prompt p p and e + e - production. Relative production rates, masses, and natural widths of the states are measured, and a test of spin hypotheses is performed. Moreover, the branching ratio of Ω b - → Ξ c + K - π - is measured relative to the Ω b - → Ω c 0 π - decay mode and a precise measurement of the Ω b - mass of 6044.3 ± 1.2 ± 1. 1 - 0.22 + 0.19 MeV is obtained.

A core goal of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is to measure changes in biodiversity across the 30‐yr horizon of the network. In contrast to NEON’s extensive use of automated instruments to collect environmental data, NEON’s biodiversity surveys are almost entirely conducted using traditional human‐centric field methods. We believe that the combination of instrumentation for remote data collection and machine learning models to process such data represents an important opportunity for NEON to expand the scope, scale, and usability of its biodiversity data collection while potentially reducing long‐term costs. In this manuscript, we first review the current status of instrument‐based biodiversity surveys within the NEON project and previous research at the intersection of biodiversity, instrumentation, and machine learning at NEON sites. We then survey methods that have been developed at other locations but could potentially be employed at NEON sites in future. Finally, we expand on these ideas in five case studies that we believe suggest particularly fruitful future paths for automated biodiversity measurement at NEON sites: acoustic recorders for sound‐producing taxa, camera traps for medium and large mammals, hydroacoustic and remote imagery for aquatic diversity, expanded remote and ground‐based measurements for plant biodiversity, and laboratory‐based imaging for physical specimens and samples in the NEON biorepository. Through its data science‐literate staff and user community, NEON has a unique role to play in supporting the growth of such automated biodiversity survey methods, as well as demonstrating their ability to help answer key ecological questions that cannot be answered at the more limited spatiotemporal scales of human‐driven surveys.

Cyanate ester resin (CER) is an excellent thermal stable polymer. However, its mechanical properties are not appropriate for its application, with brittle weakness, and it has poor functional properties, such as luminescence. This work innovatively combines the luminescence property and the improved mechanical properties with the inherent thermal property of cyanate ester. A novel nanocomposite, CER/uMWCNTs/Eu, with multi-functional properties, has been prepared. The results show that with the addition of 0.1 wt.% of uMWCNTs to the resin, the flexural strength and tensile strength increased 59.3% and 49.3%, respectively. As the curing process of the CER progresses, the injected luminescence signal becomes luminescence behind the visible (FBV). The luminescence intensity of CER/uMWCNTs/Eu was much stronger than that of CER/MWCNTs/Eu, and the luminescence lifetime of CER/MWCNTs/Eu and CER/uMWCNTs/Eu was 8.61 μs and 186.39 μs, respectively. FBV exhibited great potential in the embedment of photon quantum information. Therefore, it can be predicted that CER/uMWCNTs/Eu composites will not only have a wide range of applications in sensing, detection, and other aspects, but will also exhibit great potential in the embedding of photon quantum information.

SLENDER AND CRINKLY LEAF1 (SLC1) and SLC2, two previously uncharacterized 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases, play essential roles in salicylic acid homeostasis and rice shoot development., It is clear that 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases have critical functions in salicylic acid (SA) metabolism in plants, yet their role in SA biosynthesis is poorly understood. Here, we report that two dioxygenase-encoding genes, SLENDER AND CRINKLY LEAF1 (SLC1) and SLC2, play essential roles in shoot development and SA production in rice. Overexpression of SLC1 (SLC1-OE) or SLC2 (SLC2-OE) in rice produced infertile plants with slender and crinkly leaves. Disruption of SLC1 or SLC2 led to dwarf plants, while simultaneous down-regulation of SLC1 and SLC2 resulted in a severe defect in early leaf development. Enhanced SA levels in SLC1-OE plants and decreased SA levels in slc1 and slc2 mutants were observed. Accordingly, these lines all showed altered expression of a set of SA-related genes. We demonstrated that SLC1 interacts with homeobox1 (OSH1), and that either the knotted1-like homeobox (KNOX1) or glutamate, leucine, and lysine (ELK) domain of OSH1 is sufficient for accomplishing this interaction. Collectively, our data reveal the importance of SLC1 and SLC2 in rice shoot development.

Purpose A finite volume scheme for diffusion equations on non-rectangular meshes is proposed in [Deyuan Li, Hongshou Shui, Minjun Tang, J. Numer. Meth. Comput. Appl., 1(4)(1980)217–224 (in Chinese)], which is the so-called nine point scheme on structured quadrilateral meshes. The scheme has both cell-centered unknowns and vertex unknowns which are usually expressed as a linear weighted interpolation of the cell-centered unknowns. The critical factor to obtain the optimal accuracy for the scheme is the reconstruction of vertex unknowns. However, when the mesh deformation is severe or the diffusion tensor is discontinuous, the accuracy of the scheme is not satisfactory, and the author hope to improve this scheme. Design/methodology/approach The authors propose an explicit weighted vertex interpolation algorithm which allows arbitrary diffusion tensors and does not depend on the location of discontinuity. Both the derivation of the scheme and that of vertex reconstruction algorithm satisfy the linearity preserving criterion which requires that a discretization scheme should be exact on linear solutions. The vertex interpolation algorithm can be easily extended to 3 D case. Findings Numerical results show that it maintain optimal convergence rates for the solution and flux on 2 D and 3 D meshes in case that the diffusion tensor is taken to be anisotropic, at times heterogeneous, and/or discontinuous. Originality/value This paper proposes a linearity preserving and explicit weighted vertex interpolation algorithm for cell-centered finite volume approximations of diffusion equations on general grids. The proposed finite volume scheme with the new interpolation algorithm allows arbitrary continuous or discontinuous diffusion tensors; the final scheme is applicable to arbitrary polygonal grids, which may have concave cells or degenerate ones with hanging nodes. The final scheme has second-order convergence rate for the approximate solution and higher than first-order accuracy for the flux on 2 D and 3 D meshes. The explicit weighted interpolation algorithm is easy to implement in three dimensions in case that the diffusion tensor is continuous or discontinuous.

Chemiluminescence (CL) immunoassays for simultaneous detection of early acute myocardial infarction (AMI) biomarkers, including copeptin, heart-type fatty acid binding protein (h-FABP), and cardiac troponin I (cTnI), were developed by using Co2+/N-(aminobutyl)-N-(ethylisoluminol) (ABEI) functionalized magnetic carbon composite (Co2+-ABEI-Fe3O4@void@C) as an interface and a three-dimensional microfluidic paper-based device (3D μPAD) as a detection system. For CL immunoassays, Co2+-ABEI-Fe3O4@void@C was assembled with chitosan (CS) and gold nanoparticle-conjugated antibody (Au-Ab) sequentially to form the sensing platform (Co2+-ABEI-Fe3O4@void@C-CS/Au-Ab). In the presence of antigen (Ag), Ag was captured by the sensing interface to form an immunocomplex, leading to an increase in CL intensity due to the catalysis of -COO- existing in Ag. A 3D μPAD with three detection zones for simultaneous detection of copeptin, h-FABP, and cTnI was designed and fabricated to obtain time-resolved CL signals. Three kinds of immunocomplexes formed with copeptin, h-FABP, and cTnI were added to three detection zones of 3D μPAD, respectively. After injecting H2O2, three time-resolved CL signals were generated in one CL detection run by virtue of time-delayed transport of H2O2 to different detection zones. The three time-resolved CL signals were used for the simultaneous determination of copeptin, h-FABP, and cTnI. The detection limit of copeptin, h-FABP, and cTnI was 0.40 pg/mL, 0.32 pg/mL, and 0.50 pg/mL, respectively, which is at least 1 order of magnitude lower than most of the reported immunoassays. The immunoassays could be directly used for the detection of copeptin, h-FABP, and cTnI in human serum samples. The proposed immunoassays are simple, fast, sensitive, and selective, and are of great application potential in early diagnosis and treatment of AMI.

In this paper, we are concerned with the multiplicity and concentration of solutions for a Hamiltonian system driven by the fractional Laplace operator with variable order derivative. More precisel...

In this paper, we discuss the extinction and non-extinction properties of solutions for the following fractional p-Kirchhoff problem { u t + M ( [ u ] s , p p ) ( − Δ ) p s u = λ | u | r − 2 u − μ | u | q − 2 u ( x , t ) ∈ Ω × ( 0 , ∞ ) , u = 0 ( x , t ) ∈ ( R N ∖ Ω ) × ( 0 , ∞ ) , u ( x , 0 ) = u 0 ( x ) x ∈ Ω , where [ u ] s , p is the Gagliardo seminorm of u, Ω ⊂ R N is a bounded domain with Lipschitz boundary, ( − Δ ) p s is the fractional p-Laplacian with 0 s 1 p 2 , M : [ 0 , ∞ ) → ( 0 , ∞ ) is a continuous function, 1 q ≤ 2 , r > 1 and λ , μ > 0 . Under suitable assumptions, we obtain the extinction of solutions. To get more precisely decay estimates of solutions, we develop the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality. Moreover, the non-extinction property of solutions is also investigated.

Liquid permeability of the mushy zone is important for porosity formation during the solidification process. In order to investigate the permeability of the mushy zone, an integrated model was developed by combining the phase field model and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. The three-dimensional multigrain dendrite morphology was obtained by using the phase field model. Subsequently, the computer-aided design (CAD) geometry and mesh were generated based on calculated dendrite morphologies. Finally, the permeability of the dendritic mushy zone was obtained by solving the Navier-Stokes and continuity equations in ANSYS Fluent software. As an example, the dendritic mushy zone permeability of Al-4.5wt%Cu alloy and its relationship with the solid fractions were studied in detail. The predicted permeability data can be input to the solidification model on a greater length scale for macro segregation and porosity simulations.

A novel 3D porphyrin-based metal-organic framework (MOF) {(Me2NH2)3[Ni6(TImP)3(BTC)]}·xG (1, G = guest) has been successfully synthesized and characterized. Complex 1 consists of 1D nano-sized channels, which were formed by the interconnection of highly ruffled meso‑tetra(4‑imidazolyl)porphyrin (TImP) and auxiliary BTC3− (1,3,5‑benzenetricarboxylate) linker. The structural analysis indicated that highly ruffled deformation of porphyrin in complex 1 formed as a result of the coordination environment of the substituted imidazole group and the metal centers. It is worth noting that highly distorted porphyrin is very rare in 2D or 3D porphyrin-based structures. The adsorption and catalytic properties for complex 1have also been investigated. The negligible adsorption capacity and moderate catalytic property is due to the Me2NH2+ blocking the porous channels, which prevented the penetration of the gas molecules and the substrate to reach the active Ni(II) sites.

Molecule-based solid-state materials with long lifetimes could enable longer migration distances for excitons, which are beneficial for vast applications in optoelectronic field. Herein, we report a hexanuclear zinc cluster based MOF exhibits highly enhanced phosphorescence about 2 orders of magnitude in comparison with the pristine phosphor ligand. The combination of both experimental and computational results suggest that the {Zn6} cluster is very important for adjusting molecular conformations, packing arrangement, and photophysical properties of the organic phosphor ligands within the MOF matrix. Optoelectronic measurements reveal that the MOF-modified electrode is catalytically active to hydrogen evolution under light irradiation in neutral solution. Thus, our study provide an effective way to achieve low-cost metal-based phosphorescence MOF, expanding its further optoelectronic applications.

A novel enhancement-mode vertical GaN field effect transistor (FET) with 2DEG for reducing the on-state resistance (R ON) and substrate pattern (SP) for enhancing the breakdown voltage (BV) is proposed in this work. By deliberately designing the width and height of the SP, the high concentrated electric field (E-field) under p-GaN cap could be separated without dramatically impacting the R ON, turning out an enhanced Baliga’s Figure-Of-Merits (BFOM, BV2/R ON). Verified by experimentally calibrated ATLAS simulation, the proposed device with a 700-nm-long and 4.6-μm-width SP features six times higher BFOM in comparison to the FET without patterned substrate. Furthermore, the proposed pillar device and the SP inside just occupy a nano-scale area, enabling a high-density integration of such devices, which renders its high potential in future power applications.

A class of novel tunable light-emission-diode (LED)-compatible current regulator, including the reverse blocking and the reverse conducting device, is proposed by integrating the p-GaN cap with a voltage nanosensor on the AlGaN/GaN platform. Verified by the experimentally calibrated simulation, it is the feedback of the voltage sensor that stabilizes the depletion region of the reverse biased p-GaN /AlGaN/2-DEG junction, which contributes to clamping the voltage effectively. Compared with the proposed regulator, the devices only with the p-GaN cap or the sensor cannot perform the current regulation. Moreover, investigated by varying the p-type concentration of the p-GaN, the length of the sensor as well as the temperature, the proposed device featuring a ripple wave below 4 mA/mm and a temperature coefficient of 4.5 mA $\cdot $ mm $^{-\textsf {1}}\text{K}^{-\textsf {1}}$ exhibits its potential in LED industry and other related applications.

This paper reports an experimental investigation of the heat transfer performance of refrigerant R141b during flow boiling heat transfer inside metal foam filled channels. The experiment was conducted at mass flux from 50 to 200 kg/m2 s, heat flux from 4.52 to 13.57 kW/m2 and the cell density of the metal foam is 20 PPI (pores per inch). The flow pattern was visualized by high-speed imaging in the channels. The flow pattern maps were plotted under different heat fluxes, and the underlying reason for the flow pattern transition is the change in vapor quality due to heat absorption. Meanwhile the boiling curves were used for analysis of the relationship between the wall temperature and heat transfer mechanism. The influence of mass flux, heat flux and vapor quality on heat transfer characteristics was analyzed based on heat transfer coefficient. The results show that the flow patterns have a strong impact on the heat transfer coefficient, and simultaneous dry-out phenomenon has a heat transfer deterioration effect. Through the comparison of heat transfer coefficient between empty channels and metal foam filled channels, it is deduced that the heat transfer enhancement of metal foam is about 2.5 to 3 times greater at the mass flux of 100 kg/m2 s and 200 kg/m2 s. A new heat transfer correlation reflecting the heat transfer coefficient change tendency was developed by introducing the Gaussian function, which agrees well with this experimental data. The experimental data of a previous study was used to examine the accuracy of the new correlation; and 90% of experimental data agreed with the predicted values within a deviation of 20%.

Structural designs combining oligoparaphenylene-derived nanohoops with other functional organic building blocks should lead to novel molecular architectures with intriguing properties. Herein, we describe the synthesis of a pentiptycene-derived chiral dual nanohoop molecule with key steps including ring expansion through dianthracene cycloreversion and transannular [4+2] cycloaddition across a 64-membered macrocycle. The crystal structure of the nanohoop molecule displays an ordered packing pattern with long-range channels in the solid state. Furthermore, nonracemizable enantiomers of the nanohoop were obtained through resolution and exhibited promising chiroptical properties.

In response to the development of deep-sea oil and gas resources, which require a high degree of cooperation by crude oil transportation equipment, a new type of ship known as the cargo transfer vessel (CTV) has been developed. To provide a theoretical reference for the design and equipment of the CTV’s dynamic positioning system, in this paper, we take the new deepwater CTV as the study object and theoretically and numerically analyze its operation, wind load, current load, wave load, and navigational resistance in a range of Brazilian sea conditions with respect to its positioning and towing modes. We confirm that our proposed method can successfully calculate the total environmental load of the CTV and that the CTV is able to operate normally under the designed sea conditions.

To improve the efficiency of CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) nanocrystals (NCs) based light-emitting diodes (LEDs), several parameters should be taken into consideration, including outstanding photophysical properties, efficient charge injection/transporting properties, and suitable device structure. In traditional synthesis of CsPbX3 nanocrystals, oleic acid and oleylamine are widely used as ligands, which require a complicated cleaning step to remove extra residual insulating ligands. In this work, monodisperse CsPbBr3 nanorods with tunable aspect ratio and a clean surface have been prepared through an interfacial conversion from Cs4PbBr6 nanocrystals. The formation process has been carefully investigated. The nanorods showed excellent photophysical properties, including a photoluminescence quantum yield up to 87% and a photoluminescence lifetime of 44 ns. According to the ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurement, CsPbBr3 nanorods show a higher valence band maximum than that of nanocubes, suggesting a ...

The preparation of ORM-10921, a selective α2C-adrenoceptor antagonist with promising anti-psychotic properties, was successfully achieved using asymmetric α-alkylation of α,β-unsaturated imide and Bischler–Napieralski cyclization/asymmetric reduction as the key steps. When the tetracyclic iminium 11S was used in the reduction, the diastereo-selectivity was poor, from which four stereoisomers of ORM-10921 were obtained, respectively. However, the diastereoselectivity could be significantly improved (with dr up to >97 : 3) when the tricyclic imine substrate 19S was applied in this reduction, suggesting an additional chelation from the side-chain methoxy group in the transition state. According to this protocol, ORM-10921 was accomplished in a highly enantioselective manner. In addition, two analogs 26Aa and 26Ba were prepared using this novel method, and the absolute configurations were unambiguously assigned by single crystal X-ray crystallography.

Recently, all-inorganic cesium lead halide (CsPbX3, X = Cl, Br, I) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have attracted much attention because of their excellent photophysical properties and promising applications in diverse fields. In this review article, the synthetic methods have been briefly summarized first, followed by the morphological control of CsPbX3 NCs. To improve their photophysical properties as well as stability, surface passivation strategies, such as chemical treatment and encapsulation approaches, are used and have been summarized. Their representative applications in various fields, including light emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells, photodetectors, lasers and photocatalysis, have been introduced. Finally, a brief outlook of this field has been proposed to point out some important challenges and possible solutions.

A series of 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) intercalation compounds, PdCl2/PtCl2@MX2 (M = Mo, W; X = S, Se), formed by covalently intercalating PdCl2/PtCl2 into the bilayer space of MX2, have been designed and investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) methods. The intercalation compounds adopt a planar quadridentate coordination structure of PdCl2X2/PtCl2X2. The possibility of electron–hole recombination is enhanced because of the introduction of the PdCl2/PtCl2 groups, and on the other hand, the PdCl2/PtCl2-derived HOMO and LUMO are shielded well by the MX2 band gap, both of which are beneficial for improving the fluorescence quantum yield. The conductivity of the intercalation compounds is slightly lowered owing to the trap effect of PdCl2/PtCl2. In addition, electron transportation is easier along the zigzag direction than along the armchair direction. Contrary to the conductivity, a robust photogalvanic effect (PGE) can be observed when linearly polarized light is applied onto the PdCl2/PtCl2 groups, and the armchair direction exhibits a much higher photoresponse compared with the zigzag direction. The largest photocurrent could reach up to 1.83 × 10−2 a02 per photon. For a given MX2, the PdCl2 groups induce a higher maximum photocurrent than the PtCl2. Significantly, the photocurrent is highly dependent on the polarization angle θ and the applied photon energy, making the intercalation compounds appealing for designing photoresponse on/off switches by tuning θ or photon energy. Our simulation frameworks as well as the results offer guidelines for novel 2D functional device design and fabrication.

With the growing demand for the next-generation light emitting diode (LED) display and lighting, considerable progress has been realized in the development of various LEDs for research and consumer market. Among diverse emitting materials, all-inorganic perovskite CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) nanocrystals (NCs) have emerged as active and promising candidates in LEDs due to their high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), high color purity and tunable emission. Over the past four years, a deeper understanding and higher efficiency have been achieved in CsPbX3 NC-based LEDs. These encouraging facts foreshadow the further progress and commercialization in this burgeoning field. Herein, the recent advancements in CsPbX3 NC-based LEDs have been reviewed. The synthesis and passivation methods of CsPbX3 NCs are firstly introduced. Then we summarize the approaches for the fabrication of highly efficient and stable LEDs based on CsPbX3 NCs, including the modification of emitting layers and optimization of structures. Finally, some challenges and possible solutions are suggested for the development of CsPbX3 NC-based LEDs.

Herein, a fluorescent probe based on the FRET mechanism was designed and synthesized for sensing trace water in acetonitrile and tetrahydrofuran. When this probe was titrated with water, excellent linearity and low detection limit were obtained; in addition, theoretical calculations were used to optimize the transition state of the probe towards the sensing of water. Moreover, the observed vibration between the probe and the water molecule supported the proposed sensing mechanism.