Search

This paper proposes a scheme for transferring an N-atom state between two distant cavities via an optical fiber. The scheme is based on adiabatic passage along a dark state. In the scheme, all the atoms are always in ground state, the field mode of the fiber remains in vacuum state, and the field mode of the cavities being excited can be negligible under certain conditions. Therefore, the scheme is very robust against decoherence. The successful probability of implementing the quantum state transfer increases with increasing number of atoms. Furthermore, the interaction time does not need to be accurately adjusted as long as the adiabaticity condition is fulfilled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from an improved mapping approach and a linear variable separation approach, a new family of exact solutions (including solitary wave solutions, periodic wave solutions and rational function solutions) with arbitrary functions for a general (2+1)-dimensional Korteweg de Vries system (GKdV) is derived. According to the derived solutions, we obtain some novel dromion-lattice solitons, complex wave excitations and chaotic patterns for the GKdV system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an objective reduction approach (a special conditional reduction approach) is presented. As a concrete application in nonlinear physical system, new types of variable separation solutions (including solitary wave solutions, periodic wave solutions, and rational function solutions) with arbitrary functions for the (2+1)-dimensional modified dispersive long-wave system are derived via the objective reduction approach. As special reduction cases based on the derived variable separation solutions, it is shown that some localized coherent structures like nonpropagating and propagating solitons with physical meaning exist in the (2+1)-dimensional modified dispersive long-wave system by prescribing different values of the arbitrary parameters in this short note. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a model of direct current (DC) electron hopping transport in DNA, in which DNA is considered as a binary one-dimensional disordered system. To quantitatively study the DC conductivity in DNA, it numerically calculates the DC conductivity of DNA chains with different parameter values. The result shows that the DC conductivity of DNA chain increases with the increase of temperature. And the conductivity of DNA chain is depended on the probability p, which represents the degree of compositional disorder in a DNA sequence to some extent. For p<0.5, the conductivity of DNA chain decreases with the increase of p, while for p0.5, the conductivity increases with the increase of p. The DC conductivity in DNA chain also varies with the change of the electric field, it presents non-Ohm's law conductivity characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing number of studies have demonstrated certain patterns of microbial changes in gynecological diseases; however, the interaction between them remains unclear. To evaluate the consistency or specificity across multiple studies on different gynecological diseases and microbial alterations at different sites of the body (gut and genital tract), we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library up to December 5, 2022(PROSPERO: CRD42023400205). Eligible studies focused on gynecological diseases in adult women, applied next-generation sequencing on microbiome, and reported outcomes including alpha or beta diversity or relative abundance. The random-effects model on standardized mean difference (SMD) was conducted using the inverse-variance method for alpha diversity indices. Results: Of 3327 unique articles, 87 eligible studies were included. Significant decreases were found in gut microbiome of patients versus controls (observed species SMD=-0.35; 95%CI, -0.62 to -0.09; Shannon index SMD=-0.23; 95%CI, -0.40 to -0.06), whereas significant increases were observed in vaginal microbiome (Chao1 SMD = 1.15; 95%CI, 0.74 to 1.56; Shannon index SMD = 0.51; 95%CI, 0.16 to 0.86). Most studies of different diagnostic categories showed no significant differences in beta diversity. Disease specificity was observed, but almost all the changes were only replicated in three studies, except for the increased Aerococcus in bacterial vaginosis (BV). Patients with major gynecological diseases shared the enrichment of Prevotella and depletion of Lactobacillus, and an overlap in microbes was implied between BV, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and cervical cancer. Conclusions: These findings demonstrated an association between alterations in gut and genital microbiota and gynecological diseases. The most observed results were shared alterations across diseases rather than disease-specific alterations. Therefore, further investigation is required to identify specific biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we synthesized spherical mixed-valence rhenium oxide (MVReO) nanoparticles with localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) covering visible and NIR region. The spherical MVReO nanoparticles were converted into hydrogen rhenium bronze (H x ReO 3) nanosheets when dispersed in aqueous solution due to the hydrogen insertion into lattice. More importantly, the H x ReO 3 nanosheets exhibit enhanced LSPR strength and red-shifted LSPR wavelength. The dispersion of H x ReO 3 in aqueous solution provides a fascinating way for the light-harvesting enhancement as well as a compatible way for the subsequent growth of CdS to form H x ReO 3 -CdS. The photocatalysis experiments of the H x ReO 3 -CdS hetero-nanocrystals have been performed for the first time. Photocatalytic hydrogen production rate of the H x ReO 3 -CdS is about 92.6 times that of the pure CdS, which is attributed to the H x ReO 3 for both increasing the light absorption and promoting the electron transfer. These results provide a new strategy to prepare plasmon-exciton hybrids with non-metal plasmonic nanomaterials for photocatalysis applications. • Spherical MVReO nanoparticles are successfully converted to H x ReO 3 nanosheets with high LSPRs through hydrogenation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study that examined an optical flow in the scale-space that exist if the multiscale representation of an image is viewed. Information on the scale-space theory; Intrinsic multiscale representation; Experimental results; Conclusion.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurological disease caused by nerve cells degradation which leads to extremely low level of dopamine (DA) in patients. Therefore, ultrasensitive DA detection is particularly important for the assessment and treatment of Parkinson's patients. In this research, photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors based on Ag 44 (SR) 30 nanoclusters (AgNCs) with 5-mercapto-2-nitrobenzoic acid (MNBA) ligands were first developed for ultrasensitive and selective detection of DA. Then, hybrid nanomaterials by introducing graphene oxide (GO) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into AgNCs were used to enhance sensing properties. AgNCs/AgNPs/GO based PEC sensors achieved high sensitivity (7.476 nA/μM) and low limit of detection (LOD, S/N = 3, 53 nM) in the linear range 0.16–6 μM DA concentration. Besides DA, PD causes the concentration change of other analytes, such as glutathione (GSH). Multichannel detections of different analytes can provide more information in studying PD. Therefore, carbon dots (CDs) based PEC sensors were designed and achieved high sensing performances on GSH detection. Then, AgNCs/AgNPs/GO and CDs based PEC sensors were combined and extended into light-addressable sensors for multichannel detections of DA and GSH. Algorithms were used to solve interference problems to improve the measurement accuracy of DA and GSH in complex solution. Finally, PD biological model samples from mice were measured by light-addressable sensors. The relationships between the DA and GSH concentration and the PD stage were proved. Our designed light-addressable sensors exhibited advantages of multichannel detection, high sensitivity, fast response and so on. In the future, it can be expanded to detect more biological molecules to provide more information on studying PD. Image 1 • AgNCs with MNBA ligands based PEC sensors were first developed for ultrasensitive DA detection. • AgNPs and GO were introduced into AgNCs to improve sensing properties on DA. • AgNCs/AgNPs/GO and CDs based light-addressable sensors were developed for multichannel detections of DA and GSH. • Algorithms were used to improve the accuracy of DA and GSH detections. • The practicability of light-addressable sensors were proved by probing PD samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the arid shrub Amygdalus pedunculata to better understand biogeographic histories and the impact of climate fluctuations during the Quaternary in shaping genetic variation and in northwest China. Three chloroplast DNA intergenic spacers (psbK‐psbI, trnL‐trnF and trnV) were sequenced in 129 individuals from 10 populations across the range of A. pedunculata, and 17 haplotypes were identified, with one haplotype that was distributed across all sampled populations. High levels of total gene diversity (HT = 0.965) and within‐population diversity (HS = 0.669) were identified. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that most genetic variation occurred within populations. Neutrality tests and mismatch distribution analysis suggested past range expansions of A. pedunculata. As such, A. pedunculata has likely undergone a substantial postglacial range expansion northward and southward along the margins of the northern Yin Mountains and Mu Us Desert, respectively. Principal coordinate analyses, median‐joining network analysis and Beast analysis revealed that 17 haplotypes mainly formed three clusters, corresponding to the Northern (Damao Banner) and Central (Wula Mountains and Guyang County) regions of Inner Mongolia and the Southern region (Bulang Township) in northern Shannxi. The local adaptative differentiation is speculated to have occurred among the three regions mainly resulting from geographical isolation caused by the uplift and extension of the Yinshan Mountains during the Quaternary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose two different designs of slotted photonic crystal nanofiber cavities (SPCNCs), dielectric-mode (DM) SPCNC and air-mode (AM) SPCNC, and numerically investigate their refractive index sensing performances when they are immersed in an aqueous environment. By using the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method, we demonstrate that the DM-SPCNC (AM-SPCNC) simultaneously possesses a high quality factor of 1.49 × 107 (7.96 × 106) and a high sensitivity of 598 nm/refractive index unit (RIU) (423 nm/RIU) at the resonant wavelength of 1525.94 nm (1585.06 nm), yielding a figure of merit as high as 5.8 × 106 RIU−1 (2.1 × 106 RIU−1). Moreover, the mode volume of the DM-SPCNC's (AM-SPCNC's) fundamental resonant mode is found to be as small as 0.12 (λ/n)3 (0.24 (λ/n)3), resulting in a very compact effective sensing area. With these distinct features, we believe our proposed cavities are potentially ideal platforms for applications in multiplexed biochemical sensing, multielement mixture detection, and optical trapping of single biomolecules or nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safe storage time for double base propellant (DBP or DB propellant) with stabilizers could usually be calculated to be greater than 40 years. However, the actual service life is far below that, which is largely caused by the decline of propellant mechanical performance. In this work polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was introduced into the double base propellant formula as an additive. The tensile properties of this propellant before and after artificial aging were determined. The evaporation and diffusion characteristics of nitroglycerin (NG) in propellant were evaluated by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). The results showed that mechanical properties of propellant were improved due to PTFE, especially for elongation at −40 °C, which was greatly increased by 115%. Moreover, the results of TGA showed that NG migration was reduced due to PTFE, which delayed the decline of propellant mechanical performance during aging. The reduction in elongation at −40 °C caused by aging was decreased by 68.5% for PTFE modified DBP. Enhanced mechanical properties and reduced NG migration could potentially prolong propellant service life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-component composites with porous carbon and magnetic metals exhibit a promising application prospect in microwave absorption due to their superior impedance matching and excellent loss ability. Herein, a novel process combined sol-gel and in-situ pyrolysis methods was proposed to prepare a series of porous carbon@Fe 20 Ni 80 composites. The structure and composition of composites were controlled by adjusting pyrolysis temperature and doping amount of Fe 20 Ni 80 for achieving an improvement on microwave absorption performance. Under the optimal Fe 20 Ni 80 doping amount of 2 mmol, the composite pyrolyzed at 800 °C shows the highest performance. With 15 wt% filler loading, the composite achieves the minimum reflection loss value (RL min) of −39.5 dB at 6.7 GHz with a thickness of 3 mm. Moreover, under the optimal matching thickness of 2.2 mm, the maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB max) reaches 5.4 GHz (8.0–13.4 GHz), covering the whole X-band. The porous structure is maintained at appropriate pyrolysis temperature, which optimizes the impedance matching of materials. The porous carbon matrix with partial graphitization exhibits the dielectric loss ability to electromagnetic waves. In addition, the introduction of Fe 20 Ni 80 endows the composite with magnetic loss ability. This study develops an avenue for the preparation of two-component composites with porous carbon and magnetic metals and has potential application in microwave absorption. [Display omitted] • A novel method was proposed to prepare porous carbon@Fe 20 Ni 80 composites. • Wheat flour was used as raw material in this work. • The structure of composites was controlled by adjusting pyrolysis temperature. • The composition was controlled by adjusting the amount of metal salt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Humidity-resistant ORTP materials are achieved. • A universal catalyst-free B-O click chemistry strategy is developed. • Intense phosphorescence emission is observed at 120 ℃ or in water for 2 h. • 3D ORTP models are fabricated. Organic room-temperature phosphorescence (ORTP) materials have been extensively explored in diverse applications, and are typically synthesized using carefully chosen polymers or under rigorous reaction conditions. Here we report a universal catalyst-free B-O click chemistry strategy to synthesize ORTP materials and thus avoid most of the disadvantages of traditional methods. Using this strategy, we synthesize to our knowledge previously unreported humidity-resistant ORTP materials via the click reaction of gallic acid and copolymers of 3-acrylamidephenylboronic acid and hydrophilic monomers. Intense phosphorescence emission is observed when placing the ORTP materials at 120 oC or immersing in water for 2 h. Finally, 3D ORTP models are fabricated, which is useful for the design of flexible ORTP devices. The facility and generality of this catalyst-free B-O click chemistry strategy together with improved humidity resistance holds substantial promise of these ORTP materials in applications including anticounterfeiting and displays in harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their unique physicochemical, optical and electrical properties, 2D semimetallic or semiconducting graphene has been extensively utilized to construct highly efficient heterojunction photocatalysts for driving a variety of redox reactions under proper light irradiation. In this review, we carefully addressed the fundamental mechanism of heterogeneous photocatalysis, fundamental properties and advantages of graphene in photocatalysis, and classification and comparison of graphene-based heterojunction photocatalysts. Subsequently, we thoroughly highlighted and discussed various graphene-based heterojunction photocatalysts, including Schottky junctions, Type-II heterojunctions, Z-scheme heterojunctions, Van der Waals heterostructures, in plane heterojunctions and multicomponent heterojunctions. Several important photocatalytic applications, such as photocatalytic water splitting (H 2 evolution and overall water splitting), degradation of pollutants, carbon dioxide reduction and bacteria disinfection, are also summarized. Through reviewing the important advances on this topic, it may inspire some new ideas for exploiting highly effective graphene-based heterojunction photocatalysts for a number of applications in photocatlysis and other fields, such as photovoltaic, (photo)electrocatalysis, lithium battery, fuel cell, supercapacitor and adsorption separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of cross-linked glycidyl azide polymer with poly(ethylene oxide- co-tetrahydrofuran) (GAP/P(EO- co-THF)) blends were prepared by varying the relative weight ratios of GAP to P(EO- co-THF) using poly-isocyanate mixed curing system (N100/TDI), and by varying the [NCO]/[OH] ratios to find the effects of curing agents on mechanical properties. The compatibility, thermal features and morphological studies of GAP/P(EO- co-THF) polymer networks were described by equilibrium phase diagram, differential scanning calorimeters (DSC) together with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The equilibrium phase figure of the partial miscibility system for GAP/P(EO- co-THF) shows that the system has a lower critical solution temperature (LCST). In addition, the DSC and TGA results indicate that the content of two components is gradually approaching, and the glass transition temperatures of GAP/P(EO- co-THF) blends are less than those of the pure GAP and P(EO- co-THF) polymers, and the initial decomposition temperature and the maximum decomposition rate temperature have greatly increased. Furthermore, the thermal decomposition behavior indicates that the thermal stabilities are improved and the physical entangled networks are strengthened. Moreover, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show the GAP/P(EO- co-THF) blends form a certain polymer alloy structure, which is the reason for the improved thermal stabilities and the strengthened networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infantile pneumonia is an acute inflammatory lesion of the lung caused by mycoplasma pneumonia. Indeed, Twist2 signaling pathway controls inflammatory reaction, oxidative stress, and other biological reaction. However, the regulation of Twist2 on the inflammation in infantile pneumonia remains unclear. This study explained that the function and mechanism of Twist2 in infantile pneumonia. Methods: The subjects included the serum samples of 12 patients with infantile pneumonia and normal healthy volunteers from Hunan Children's Hospital. Besides, mice were given with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the lung. Moreover, RAW264.7 macrophages were stimulated with LPS for 4 h and added to the culture medium. Results: In present study, in serum of patients with infantile pneumonia or lung tissue of mice model with infantile pneumonia, TWIST2 expression was lessened. Apart from that, TWIST2 protein could reduce the inflammatory reaction in mice model with infantile pneumonia, resulting in an inhibition in lung injury. Conversely, over-expression of TWIST2 also decreased inflammatory reaction in macrophages model via the regulation of FOXO1/NLRP3 pathway. Downregulation of TWIST2 promoted the inflammation in macrophages model by the regulation of FOXO1/NLRP3 pathway. Conclusion: According to the findings, present study have identified that the TWIST2 could reduce the inflammation of infantile pneumonia by NLRP3 inflammasome through the regulation of mitochondrial permeability transition and the induction of FOXO1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few researchers have verified the clinical efficacy and safety of the modified unilateral extrapedicular approach (mUEP) applied to the percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in comparative studies with other puncture techniques. Compared with the bilateral transpedicular approach (BTP), whether mUEP PKP is a preferred treatment for lumbar osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) remains unclear. Patients treated by PKP for single-level lumbar OVCF in our institution from September 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were grouped according to the puncture techniques. Clinical and radiologic outcomes were evaluated preoperatively, postoperatively, and at follow-up. The clinical evaluation was performed by using visual analog scale for pain relief and Oswestry Disability Index for health status. Radiologic measurements contained anterior vertebral height, kyphotic angle, and bone cement distribution. In total, 76 patients with a mean follow-up duration of 16.6 months were enrolled, including 34 patients in the mUEP PK group and 42 patients in the BTP PKP group. In the mUEP group, operation time, fluoroscopy times, and injected cement volume were significantly less than that in the BTP group (P < 0.01). Both visual analog scale and Oswestry Disability Index scores of all patients decreased significantly after surgery (P < 0.01), with no significant differences between the 2 groups at each follow-up. Both mUEP PKP and BTP PKP showed significant anterior height restoration and kyphotic angle correction (P < 0.01), with no significant differences between the 2 groups at each follow-up. Meanwhile, the mUEP PKP reduced the incidence of intraspinal cement leakage (P < 0.05), and no facet joint violation was found in mUEP PKP. mUEP PKP could be clinically and radiographically equivalent to BTP PKP. However, it has advantages in reducing operation time and fluoroscopy times, lowering the risk of intraspinal cement leakage, and preventing the presence of facet joint violation. Compared with BTP PKP, the mUEP PKP seems to be an effective and alternative puncture technique for the treatment of lumbar OVCF after appropriate patient selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum computation offers potential advantages in solving a number of interesting and difficult problems. Several controlled logic gates, the elemental building blocks of quantum computer, have been realized with various physical systems. A general technique was recently proposed that significantly reduces the realization complexity of multiple-control logic gates by harnessing multi-level information carriers. We present implementations of a key quantum circuit: the three-qubit Toffoli gate. By exploring the optical selection rules of one-sided optical microcavities, a Toffoli gate may be realized on all combinations of photon and quantum spins in the QD-cavity. The three general controlled-NOT gates are involved using an auxiliary photon with two degrees of freedom. Our results show that photons and quantum spins may be used alternatively in quantum information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel schemes are put forward to execute the joint remote preparation of an arbitrary two-qubit state with a passive receiver via EPR pairs as the entangled channel. Compared with the previous protocols, the required multi-particle measurement is simplified and the classical communication cost is reduced. When the number of senders increases, the advantage is more evident. It means that the proposed schemes are more efficient in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of χ state are investigated in remote state preparation (RSP). By constructing useful measurement bases with the aid of Hurwitz matrix equation, we propose several RSP schemes of arbitrary two- and three-qubit states via the χ state as the entangled resource. It is shown that the original state can be successfully prepared with the probability 100% and 50% for real coefficients and complex coefficients, respectively. For the latter case, the special ensembles with unit success probability are discussed by the permutation group. It is worth mentioning that the novel measurement bases have no restrictions on the coefficients of the prepared state, which means that the proposed schemes are more applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactions of hydroxyl-terminated glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) or poly(ethylene oxide-co-tetrahydrofuran) (PET) polymers with poly-isocyanate (N100) were monitored by dynamicin situFourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The influence of catalytic systems on the cure kinetics of polyurethane reaction was investigated. From the comparison between GAP/N100 and PET/N100 systems, it was found that primary and secondary hydroxyl groups were differentiated due to the effects of steric hindrance. Using Arrhenius law and Eyring equation, the activation parameters of polyurethane reaction were calculated at different catalytic systems. The negative value of the activation entropy demonstrated an associative mechanism within the transition state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The minimum reflection loss of Co 9 S 8 -DETA at 4.2 GHz frequency reaches −41.6 dB and the effective absorption bandwidth is 4.1 GHz with a thickness of only 1.6 mm. • Co 9 S 8 -DETA organic-inorganic hybrid nanosheets were synthesized by a one-step simple hydrothermal method without further thermal treatment. • The enhanced EMW absorption property of Co 9 S 8 -DETA organic-inorganic hybrid materials expands the idea of EMW property control of EMW absorbing materials by adjusting the structural characteristics of organic-inorganic hybrid materials. Co 9 S 8 -DETA organic-inorganic hybrid materials synthesized by hydrothermal method show an enhanced electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performance because of its unique two-dimensional (2D) structure and EMW properties regulated by the interface structure. Using Co 9 S 8 -DETA as a precursor, the organic intercalation DETA can be removed by heat treatment to obtain inorganic Co 9 S 8. Compared with Co 9 S 8 inorganic, Co 9 S 8 -DETA hybrid material assembled in a paraffin matrix with 30 wt.% shows an excellent EMW absorption performance. The minimum reflection loss at 4.2 GHz frequency reaches -41.6 dB and the effective absorption bandwidth is 4.1 GHz with a thickness of only 1.6 mm. The enhanced EMW absorption property of Co 9 S 8 -DETA organic-inorganic hybrid materials expands the idea of EMW property control of EMW absorbing materials by adjusting the structural characteristics of organic-inorganic hybrid materials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Splines are widely used in aeronautic applications; however, misaligned splines often suffer contact stress concentration and fretting wear fatigue failure. Crowned modification is a useful way to relieve contact stress concentration and mitigate fretting wear for misaligned splines, but it is unclear how this method works. In this study, contact stresses for involute splines are calculated using finite elements and correlated to first-hand experimental results on fretting wear obtained using a dedicated test rig. Both contact stress distribution prediction and fretting wear measurement indicate that the crowned magnitude of splines should be selected according to the operating angular misalignment. ● A dedicated test rig for spline fretting wear is constructed. ● First-hand experimental results on spline fretting wear are presented. ● Spline contact stress predictions are implemented using finite elements. ● Optimum crowned magnitude depends on operating angular misalignment.A positive correlation exists between spline fretting wear and contact stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the quantum Zeno dynamics, a scheme is presented to implement a Toffoli gate of three separated superconducting qubits (SQs) by one step. Three separated SQs are connected by two resonators. The scheme is insensitive to the resonator decay because the Zeno subspace does not include the state of the resonators being excited. Numerical simulations indicate that the scheme is robust to the fluctuation of the parameters and the Toffoli gate can be implemented with high fidelity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To cope with the risk from the uncertain power output of wind turbines (WTs), energy storage system (ESS) is employed to coordinate with WTs as a combined agent to participate in power market. Due to the limitation of conventional ESSs, gravity energy storage (GES) is invented and developed recently. This paper establishes a day-ahead scheduling model for an economic and environment-friendly GES and WTs. The studied GES is charged when bricks are lifted up by cranes and discharged when bricks fall down to drive generators. Information-gap decision theory (IGDT) is employed to attain the profit against uncertainties from market price and wind power, and a risk-constrained IGDT-based day-ahead scheduling model of the GES and WT is proposed. According to the risk preference of the decision maker, a robustness model for the risk-averse strategy and an opportunity model for the risk-seek strategy are proposed to obtain the minimum and windfall profits, respectively. Finally, the effectiveness of the IGDT-based model is verified by numerical simulations. Simulation results indicate that the expectation of decision makers with a risk-averse or risk-seek strategy could be satisfied by the proposed model. Additionally, the market price has a vital impact on achieving a windfall profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intense requirement for bifunctional electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing materials is becoming the urgent focus and upgraded exploration for advanced application of absorbing EMW device in complex and extreme environments. Based on high dielectric loss capacity and superior chemistry inertness of graphite nanosheets, a two-dimensional (2D) graphite nanosheet decorated with graphite encapsulating soft-magnetic Ni 3 Fe nanocapsules was designed and exploited by introducing novel nitrogen catalyst in one-pot non-balance evaporating strategy. Through modulating the impedance matching and further optimal mass ratio, a minimum reflection loss (RL) of −35.8 dB at 7.35 GHz with an absorber thickness of 3.5 mm and a wide effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 5.5 GHz (RL ≤ −10 dB), which almost covered whole Ku-band, were realized with an absorber thickness of 2 mm. Combining the prominent EMW absorption, this 2D nanocomposite showed excellent comprehensive anti-corrosion ability to maintain the original microstructure in acidic, neutral and alkaline salty corrosion conditions. The successful exploration of 2D anticorrosive EMW absorber provides a significant insight for rational fabrication of futural bifunctional EMW absorbing devices in complex circumstances. [Display omitted] • Novel 2D graphite nanosheets decorated with Ni 3 Fe@C nanocapsules was synthesized with nonequilibrium strategy. • Outstanding anti-corrosion ability in acidic, neutral and alkaline circumstances simultaneously. • Effective absorption bandwidth 5.5 GHz with a thickness of 2 mm was achieved. • Systematically optimal strategy combined physical image and anti-corrosion mechanisms have been deeply discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra-broadband-emitting phosphors are crucial for achieving high-quality full-spectrum WLEDs. However, it is difficult to achieve ultra-broadband emission by doping a single luminescent center. In this work, we propose a strategy to achieve ultra-broadband orange-red emission through utilizing Eu2+ selective occupation in multi-cation sites whitlockite-type phosphate Sr 8 Mg 2 Na(PO 4) 7. The result indicates that Eu2+ can occupy Sr1Mg1, Sr2Mg2, and Sr3Mg3 sites, and generate an ultra-broadband emission ranging from 400 to 800 nm with dominant emission at 620 nm and a FWHM of 220 nm upon 385 nm excitation. Interestingly, a new emission shoulder at 430 nm is obtained, which is demonstrated to ascribed to Eu2+ occupying the Mg4Na1 site in a weak crystal field. As an ultra-broadband-emitting and red-light abundant phosphor, the full-spectrum WLEDs shows much higher color index than that of YAG: Ce3+. Moreover, an ultraviolet light pumped full-spectrum WLED with a high Ra (∼92) and low CCT (∼4275 K) is fabricated by mixing the Sr 8 Mg 2 Na(PO 4) 7 : Eu2+ and commercial phosphors BAM: Eu2+, Mn2+. In summary, this work deeply investigated the luminescence properties of Eu2+ in whitlockite-type phosphor Sr 8 Mg 2 Na(PO 4) 7 and is expected to guide the design of novel broadband-emitting phosphors with multi cationic sites for emerging full-spectrum WLED applications. • SMNPO was demonstrated to have multi-cation sites for luminescent center to occupy. • Ultra-broadband emission was achieved by doping Eu2+ ions into SMNPO. • The selective occupation of Eu2+ ions in multiple sites was analyzed in detail. • A full-spectrum WLED with high Ra (∼92) and low CCT (∼4275 K) was prepared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By improved projective equation approach and a linear variable separation approach, a new family of exact solutions of the (2+1)-dimensional Boiti--Leon--Pempinelli (BLP) system is derived. Based on the derived solitary wave solution, some dromion and solitoff excitations and chaotic behaviours are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By an improved projective equation approach and a linear variable separation approach, a new family of exact solutions of the (2+1)-dimensional Broek-Kaup system is derived. Based on the derived solitary wave solution and by selecting appropriate functions, some novel localized excitations such as instantaneous solitons and fractal solitons are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the current difficulty of sludge dewatering, the sludge was modified by semi-coke which was the pyrolysis product of lignite. The lignite semi-coke's effect on modifying and deep concentrated dewatering of sludge was explored by the method of gravity concentrated dewatering. The results show that the dewatering property, the settling property and the mechanical dewatering property of sludge are improved greatly through adding semi-coke into the sludge. When 2 g semi-coke was added into 100 g sludge, the water content of concentrated sludge is reduced from 91. 13% to 78.05% after modified treatment. What's more, the water content of filter cake is reduced from 65. 00% to 49. 50% by vacuum filtration. In 20 minutes, the average sedimentation rate of sludge is increased from 2. 67 mL/min to 3. 25 mL/min. This study explored the mechanism of semi-coke on the modifying and deep concentrated dewatering of sludge. The mechanism mainly manifest in semi-coke's adsorption on sludge and weakening hy-drophilic properties of sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of rare-earth free far-red emitting phosphor NaYBa 4 W 2 O 12 : x Mn4+ (≤ x ≤ 0.75%, NYBW: Mn4+) is successfully synthesized for application in near-ultraviolet (n-UV) light pumped plant cultivation light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The phase purity, crystal structure, electronic structure and luminescent properties of NYBW: Mn4+ are investigated in detail. The results indicate that all NYBW: Mn4+ phosphors are well crystallized with a direct band gap of 3.86 eV. Broad excitation band can be found with dominant wavelengths at 365 and 520 nm, indicating NYBW: Mn4+ can be efficiently excited by commercial n-UV or green LED chip. Upon 360 nm excitation, NYBW: Mn4+ shows intense broad-band far-red emission centered at 696 nm, attributed to the 2E g →4A 2g transition of Mn4+. The optimal doping concentration of Mn4+ is determined to be 0.1% and the concentration quenching mechanism is the dipole-quadrupole interaction. The decay time decreases from 0.58 to 0.081 ms with Mn4+ concentration increasing from 0.025 to 0.75%. The temperature quenching behaviour of Mn4+ in NYBW is investigated, with a thermal activation energy estimated to be about 0.375 eV. Finally, a far-red emitting LED device is fabricated by coating NYBW: Mn4+ phosphor on a 365 nm n-UV LED chip. The above results guarantee that the as-prepared far-red emitting phosphor NYBW: Mn4+ has great potential for application in indoor plant cultivation LEDs. • Successful synthesis of a novel NYBW:Mn4+ perovskite phosphor. • Realization of rare-earth free far-red emission under UV excitation. • Investigation on the optical properties of NYBW:Mn4+ phosphor is conducted. • Potential far-red LED application for plant cultivation lighting is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating multiple mechanisms to maximize photothermal conversion efficiency is a significant strategy but remains challenging to construct therapeutic agents toward photothermal tumor treatment. Here, an approach to synthesize asymmetric Bi2Se3/CdSe‐Au hierarchical nanorods with excellent photothermal conversion is reported. Ag wetting‐layer is firstly grown to help overcome the interfacial lattice mismatch and promote the site‐selective growth of AgCdSe onto one end or side surface of Au nanorods. Subsequently, extraction of Ag+ ions out of lattice is observed during cation exchange reaction and epitaxial growth of Bi2Se3 shell. Bi2Se3/CdSe heterojunction with type‐II band alignment is formed and located at the plasmonic hotspots of Au nanorods, which experiences enhanced light absorption and accelerates the charge separation of photo‐excited carriers. Under excitation of near‐infrared 808 nm laser, the matchstick‐like Bi2Se3/CdSe‐Au nanorods show an excellent photothermal conversion, with 4.3 times temperature increment (ΔT) than that of bare Au nanorods. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo experiments verify them as excellent photothermal therapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A scheme is proposed to generate the W state and NOON state for the collective molecular modes of distant polar molecules ensembles via a triple hybrid device. Through the virtual excitation of the microwave photons of the transmission-line resonators, the interaction between the superconducting charge qubit and the polar molecules induces the entanglement for the collective modes of the polar molecules. The enhanced effective coupling strength between the superconducting charge qubit and the polar molecules enables to generate the W state and NOON state with high fidelity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The quantum no-cloning theorem and no-deleting theorem may be the most important quantum features for quantum communications or quantum computations. In this paper, we concentrate typical properties of random quantum evolution. We obtain that universal random evolutions change the generic unknown pure states into their orthogonal states approximately. Moreover, typical random evolutions distort the von Neumann entropy with constants. These results are extended to mixed states with a stronger orthogonal preparation ability. These typical characters are very important for quantum information retrieving or various quantum tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we show that some special mixed quantum resource experience the same property of pure entanglement such as Bell state for quantum teleportation. It is shown that one mixed state and three bits of classical communication cost can be used to teleport one unknown qubit compared with two bits via pure resources. The schemes are easily implement with model physical techniques. Moreover, these resources are also optimal and typical for faithfully remotely prepare an arbitrary qubit, two-qubit and three-qubit states with mixed quantum resources. Our schemes are completed as same as those with pure quantum entanglement resources except only 1 bit additional classical communication cost required. The success probability is independent of the form of the mixed resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A scheme is proposed for generating a four-dimensional entangled state for two atoms trapped in a cavity by one step via adiabatic passage. The scheme does not need the exact control of the experimental parameters and the evolution time. Its predominant decohence factor depends on the magnitude of classical Rabi frequencies, therefore, there exists a reasonable value range of Rabi frequencies of the classical fields. Numerical simulation indicates that the excited probabilities of the atoms and the cavity modes are very small, so the scheme is very robust against decoherence. The four-dimensional entanglement can be generated with a high fidelity with present technique. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, by constructing some useful measurement bases, we first show that two senders can jointly prepare a three-qubit state of complex coefficients to a remote receiver via the shared three GHZ states. Then, the success probability can be improved by using the permutation group to classify the preparation state. Furthermore, under some different measurement bases, we propose another scheme to jointly prepare a three-qubit state of real coefficients with less restrictions. Finally, the present schemes are extended to multi-sender, and the classical communication costs of all the schemes are also calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A scheme is presented for teleporting an unknown state in a trapped ion system. The scheme only requires a single laser beam. It allows the trap to be in any state with a few phonons, e.g. a thermal motion. Furthermore, it works in the regime, where the Rabi frequency of the laser is on the order of the trap frequency. Thus, the teleportation speed is greatly increased, which is important for decreasing the decoherence effect. This idea can also be used to teleport an unknown ionic entangled state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: For a DNA molecule with off-diagonal short-range correlation, which is composed of nucleotide base pairs, we use the renormalization-group method to eliminate sites and obtain an effective Hamiltonian on the two preserved sites. Connecting the DNA molecule to the left and right semi-infinite leads that can be described with one-dimensional tight-binding lattice, we carry out an exact calculation of the transmission of electrons and discuss the dependence of transmission coefficients on the energy eigenvalue of the whole system. The results show they are qualitatively consistent with those calculated by transfer matrix method. We see that the local correlation leads to much larger transmission coefficient, compared to those in Anderson model. Furthermore, at golden correlation condition for the hopping integrals, we find there exist much more extended states, where the transmission coefficients are equal or nearly equal to unity, than at typically local correlation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Based on the tight-binding model of the single electron, the one-dimensional Anderson model with random binary distributed on-site energies is studied using the transfer-matrix approach. We calculate numerically the localization length, the density of the electronic states and the Lyapunov exponent. The results show that the localization length strongly depends on energies and is affected by disordered degrees to some extent. With finite size systems, the localization length presents obvious effect on the impurity concentration. While in the dilute limit there exist extended states, increasing the impurity concentration beyond a critical value destroys these extended states and the localization length over the entire energy range becomes smaller than the system size. By studying the scaling relation, we find that the localized states are stable in the thermodynamic limit. Transforming the random matrix product into a conformal map, we introduce the Lyapunov exponent, which is finite within the entire band in our model. Starting from the Lyapunov exponent, the localization length and the density of states may also be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Though phytoremediation is widely studied in remediation of metal contaminated soils or organic contaminated soils, little information is available regarding the effectiveness and processes of phytoremediation of sites co-contaminated with organic and metal pollutants. Sites co-contaminated with organic and metal pollutants are common and considered to be a more complex problem as the two components often cause a synergistic effect on cytotoxicity as measured both by growth inhibition and colony-forming ability. In this paper, the dissipation mechanisms for pentachlorophenol (PCP) in copper co-contaminated soil by Lolium perenne L, and Raphanus sativus was investigated in a greenhouse experiment by monitoring the growth response of plants, evaluating the removal efficiency of extractable PCP, differentiating PCP residuals in strongly and loosely adhering rhizosphere soils, and analyzing the microbial activity in the rhizosphere. In copper co-contaminated soil with the initial PCP concentration of 50 mg/kg, plants grew better with the increment of soil Cu level (0, 150, 300 mg/kg), which implied that combinations of inorganic and organic pollutants sometimes exerted antagonistic effects on plant cytotoxicity. The observed higher PCP dissipation in soil spiked with 50 mg/kg PCP in the presence of Cu and the less difference of PCP residual between strongly and loosely adhering soils further suggests the occurrence of Cu–PCP interaction and the enhanced degradation and mass flow are two possible explanations. In copper co-contaminated soil with the initial PCP concentration of 100 mg/kg, however, both plant growth and microbial activity were inhibited with the increment of soil Cu level. The lowered degrading activity of microorganisms and the reduced mass flow were probably responsible for the significantly lower levels of PCP dissipation in copper co-contaminated soil. These results showed that remediation of sites co-contaminated with organic and metal pollutants is a complex problem and a more thorough understanding of the extent and mechanisms by which metals inhibit organic degradation is needed to develop phytoremediation of co-contaminated sites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • The contribution of Autochthonous OC (AOC) in sediments of Erhai Lake is about 49%. • The ratio of AOC after microbial mineralization in the lake increases vertically. • Recalcitrant AOC would be adsorbed by minerals and then deposits in lake sediments. • Preservation of OC in sediments may be related to concentration rather than source. Recalcitrant dissolved organic matter (RDOM) is a key component of ocean carbon sinks and it can be preserved in seawater for thousands of years. However, the fate of RDOM derived from the primary production in inland lake is unclear. In this study of Erhai lake in China, used the combination of δ13C, carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and optical spectroscopy analyses to constrain the variation of organic matter in the vertical direction (i.e., lake water → trap sediments → surface sediments → core sediments), to trace the burial process of RDOM. Two autochthonous components (C1, C2) and two allochthonous components (C3, C4) were identified in the water. High concentrations of C2 in winter and spring indicate that these two seasons provide favourable burial conditions for autochthonous dissolved organic matter. Three autochthonous components (C1, C2, C5) and three allochthonous components (C3, C4, C6) were identified in the sediments. The contributions of autochthonous organic matter were ∼49.9 ± 5.84 % (based on PARAFAC analysis) and ∼56.7 ± 5.62 % (based on the C/N ratio) in the sediment trap samples; 43.4 ± 8.84 % (based on PARAFAC analysis) and 40.8 ± 14.26 % (based on the C/N ratio) in the surface sediments; and 44.5 ± 14.4 % (based on PARAFAC analysis) and 48.4 ± 6.04 % (based on the C/N ratio) in the core sediments. Additionally, C2, which is the autochthonous component after microbial mineralisation, was preserved as a significant part of the RDOM in the water. Our results suggest that the mineralisation of autochthonous organic matter (OM) in the core sediments did not promote bacterial mineralization, and that the burial of OM on long timescales dependents primarily on its concentration rather than on its origin. Our results provide a new perspective for studying the stability of autochthonous OM and highlight a new direction for the study of the carbon sink of inland lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new Fe@PCC absorber is fabricated based on the "dissolution-redeposition" theory. • Hydrogen evolution and PCC's nucleation rate are regulated by changing TA/pH ratio. • The core @ compact film structure realizes superior absorption and anti-corrosion. Chemical stability is the key factor of magnetic metal powder absorbers for their practical applications in the marine environment. Herein, a strategy of phosphating conversion coating (PCC) preparation based on the "dissolution-redeposition" theory which can regulate the surface dissolution reaction and deposition process of metal powder absorber was constructed reasonably. The TA/pH value of the phosphate conversion solution could be adjusted to reduce the hydrogen evolution rate and increase the nucleation rate of CaHPO 4 to prepare compact PCC with a certain thickness on the surface of iron powder. Results show that among the different samples, the sample fabricated in TA/pH = 11.37 solution has the best corrosion resistance with the lowest corrosion current density (I corr = 0.12 μA/cm2) and the highest corrosion potential (E corr = -0.453 V) due to the excellent compactness of PCC, and best microwave absorption performance due to the retained conductivity loss and improved impedance matching of the relatively thin thickness of PCC. The minimum reflection loss was -51.31 dB at 16.6 GHz and the effective bandwidth (RL < -10 dB) up to 5.4 GHz with a matching thickness of 2.28 mm. This work provides a useful reference for the design of integrated materials with microwave absorption and corrosion protection for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hollow carbon nanowires with large number of surface defects and specific surface have been prepared by de-alloying Al 4 C 3 @C nanowires. Compared to the graphene-based or carbon-nanotube-based electromagnetic wave-absorbing composites reported previously, the hollow carbon nanowires achieve enhanced wideband microwave absorption due to enhanced impedance match and increased electric dipoles, which are related to the defects on the surface of the distinctive hollow structure. As a result, the complex dielectric and microwave absorption properties of the hollow carbon nanowires are significantly optimized in 2–18 GHz range. The composites filled with 50 wt% of hollow carbon nanowires in paraffin show a minimum reflection loss (RL) of −47.1 dB at 15.7 GHz with a thickness of 1.9 mm and 5.5 GHz (RL < −10 dB) absorbing bandwidth with thickness of 2 mm, being one of the most competitive carbon-based absorbers. This study provides an effective way to improve the microwave performance of the hollow carbon nanowires by template method. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We synthesized Au@WO3−x hybrids with dual plasmon resonances in visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions induced by two counterparts for enhancing photocatalytic activity. Au cores slightly influence hetero-morphology, significantly modify semiconductor plasmon, and prominently enhance H2 generation of WO3−x shells. As atom ratio of ρW:Au increases from 2 to 10, visible plasmon resonance is weakened with peak blueshifting from 540 to 490 nm, while NIR plasmon resonance strength prominently increases, and eventually average enhancement factor of photocatalytic H2 generation of the Au@WO3−x hybrids with white light illuminations increases from 1.76 to 2.85. Furthermore, the wavelength dependence of H2 generation reveals that the dominant physical mechanism of enhancing the photocatalytic activity of the hybrids is varied from excitation energy transfer to electron transfer from Au cores to WO3−x shells as ρW:Au increases. The construction of this metal-semiconductor hetero-nanostructure with dual plasmon resonances has immediate importance for the applications in solar energy conversions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes of complement and oxidative stress parameters in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) or cerebral hemorrhage (CH), and their clinical significance were explored. A total of 122 patients with ACI or CH admitted to the People's Hospital of Zhangqiu Area from August 2018 to September 2019 were collected. There were 59 ACI patients assigned into a cerebral infarction group (CIG) and further 63 CH patients in a cerebral hemorrhage group (CHG). Additionally, 53 healthy people in physical examination during the same period were enrolled as a control group (CG). Both the CIG and the CHG were treated with edaravone, Xueshuantong, brain protein hydrolysates, aspirin and statin-related drugs. The levels of complement C3, complement C4, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were determined. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed to analyze the predictive value of C3, C4, SOD and TAG in ACI and CH, and logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of stroke. Both CIG and CHG showed higher C3 level, and lower C4, SOD and TAC levels than the CG. The NIHSS <4 group and the NIHSS ≥4 group showed higher hs-C3 level, and lower SOD and TAC levels than the CG (all P<0.05), and the NIHSS <4 group showed lower C3 level and lower SOD and TAC levels than the NIHSS ≥4 group (all P<0.05). Hypertension and hyperlipidemia were independent risk factors of stroke. The serum complement and oxidative stress parameters in patients with ACI or CH can be determined through routine examination, and the nerve function deficit could be assessed by determining the complement and oxidative stress parameters in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the adjacent segment kinematics, including the instantaneous axis of rotation (IAR) and range of motion (ROM), after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), and to compare between ACDF with zero-profile anchored spacer (ACDF-Z) and ACDF with plate (ACDF-P).Methods: Eighty-seven patients (ACDF-Z = 63; ACDF-P = 24) were included. Flexion, extension and neutral cervical radiographs were obtained before operation and at 1-year follow-up. C2-C7 ROM, adjacent segment ROMs, and IARs were measured. Clinical evaluation was based on the Visual Analogue Scale, Neck Disability Index, and Japanese Orthopaedic Association score.Results: After ACDF-Z, location of the superior IAR-AP reduced 1.60 mm, which represents 8% of the vertebral body (P < 0.001), and location of the inferior IAR-SI reduced 2.19 mm, 17% of the vertebral body (P = 0.02). After ACDF-P, location of the superior IAR-AP increased 0.8 mm, which means 6% of the vertebral body (P = 0.008), location of the inferior IAR-AP increased 3.34 mm, 22% of the vertebral body (P = 0.03), and location of the inferior IAR-SI reduced 3.14 mm, 25% of the vertebral body (P = 0.002). C2-C7 ROM significantly decreased after both ACDF-Z and ACDF-P (P < 0.001). Neither ACDF-Z nor ACDF-P significantly affected the adjacent segment ROMs (P > 0.05).Conclusions: Both ACDF-Z and ACDF-P significantly impacted cervical kinematics, although both procedures obtained satisfactory clinical results in the treatment of cervical spondylosis. After both ACDF-Z and ACDF-P, C2-C7 ROM decreased significantly, while adjacent segment ROMs were preserved. ACDF-Z and ACDF-P impact the location of adjacent segment IAR-SI in similar way, while impact the location of adjacent segment IAR-AP in diverse ways. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]