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The ubiquitin-specific protease (UBP) family represents a type of deubiquitinase (DUB) that plays a significant role in plant abiotic stress responses, growth, and development. Although UBP genes have been characterized in many species, a genome-wide systematic analysis and the potential functions under abiotic stresses have not yet been reported in rice (Oryza sativa L.). In this study, we identified 21 UBP gene family members in the genome of rice, all of which had UCH domains containing short but highly conserved Cys-box and His-box. The DUF4220 and DUF594 domains, which are found in monocotyledonous plants, were unique. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that OsUBP7 and OsUBP12 genes had the closest genetic relationships with AtUBP12 and AtUBP13, implying that OsUBP7 and OsUBP12 might have similar biological functions to AtUBP12 and AtUBP13. Synteny analysis revealed that OsUBP genes were expanded through segmental duplication under purifying selection. Meanwhile, they had closer evolutionary relationships with monocotyledonous plants. Additionally, all OsUBP genes had an ABRE cis-element, which was related to abscisic acid (ABA) stress hormone response. Protein interaction analysis suggested that OsUBP22 might modulate gene regulation through OsGCN5- and OsADA2-mediated chromatin modification, and OsUBP10 might regulate salt stress through modulating OsDNA2_4 stability. Specifically, the expression profiles and the transcriptional levels of 11 representative OsUBPs suggested the potential important functions of OsUBP9 and OsUBP17 under drought and cold stresses. Taken together, our study provided a systematic analysis of OsUBPs and preliminarily explored their potential roles under abiotic stresses. Our results lay a foundation for further research on the functions of the OsUBP gene family under abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The peripatellar fat pads are critical for protective cushioning during movement, and their endocrine function has been shown to affect osteoarthritis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is frequently used to visualize edema of the peripatellar fat pads due to injury. In this study, we aimed to assess the relationship between peripatellar fat pad edema and patellofemoral maltracking MRI parameters and investigate the association among cases of peripatellar fat pad edema. Methods: Age- and sex-matched peripatellar fat pad edema cases were identified and divided into superolateral Hoffa, quadriceps, and prefemoral groups. Images were assessed according to tibial tuberosity lateralization, trochlear dysplasia, patellar alta, patellar tilt, and bisect offset. McNemar's test or paired t-tests and Spearman's correlation were used for statistical analysis. Interobserver agreement was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient. Results: Of 1210 MRI scans, 50, 68, and 42 cases were in the superolateral Hoffa, quadriceps, and prefemoral groups, respectively. Subjects with superolateral Hoffa fat pad edema had a lower lateral trochlear inclination (p = 0.028), higher Insall-Salvati (p < 0.001) and modified Insall-Salvati (p = 0.021) ratios, and lower patellotrochlear index (p < 0.001) than controls. The prefemoral group had a lower lateral trochlear inclination (p = 0.014) and higher Insall-Salvati (p < 0.001) and modified Insall-Salvati (p = 0.004) ratios compared with the control group. In contrast, the patellotrochlear index (p = 0.001) was lower. Mean patellar tilt angle (p = 0.019) and mean bisect offset (p = 0.005) were significantly different between cases and controls. The quadriceps group showed no association. Superolateral Hoffa was positively correlated with prefemoral (p < 0.001, r = 0.408) and negatively correlated with quadriceps (p < 0.001, r = -0.500) fat pad edema. Conclusions: Superolateral Hoffa and prefemoral fat pad edemas were associated with patellar maltracking parameters. Quadriceps fat pad edema and maltracking parameters were not associated. Superolateral Hoffa fat pad edema was positively correlated with prefemoral and negatively correlated with quadriceps fat pad edema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: RING (Really Interesting New Gene) zinc finger (RING-zf) proteins belong to an important subclass of zinc fingers superfamily, which play versatile roles during various developmental stages and in abiotic stress responses. Based on the conserved cysteine and histidine residues, the RING-zf domains are classified into RING-HC (C3HC4), RING-H2 (C3H2C3), RING-v, RING-D, RING-S/T, RING-G, and RING-C2. However, little is known about the function of the RING-zfs of wheat. Results: In this study, 129 (93.5%) of 138 members were found in nucleus, indicating TaRING-zf were primarily engaged in the degradation of transcription factors and other nuclear-localized proteins. 138 TaRING-zf domains can be divided into four canonical or modified types (RING-H2, RING-HC, RING-D, and RING-M). The RING-M was newly identified in T. aestivum, and might represent the intermediate other states between RING-zf domain and other modified domains. The consensus sequence of the RING-M domain can be described as M-X2-R-X14-Cys-X1-H-X2-Cys-X2-Cys-X10-Cys-X2-Cys. Further interspecies collinearity analyses showed that TaRING-zfs were more closely related to the genes in Poaceae. According to the public transcriptome data, most of the TaRING-zfs were expressed at different 15 stages of plant growth, development, and some of them exhibited specific responses to drought/heat stress. Moreover, 4 RING-HC (TraesCS2A02G526800.1, TraesCS4A02G290600.1, TraesCS4B02G023600.1 and TraesCS4D02G021200.1) and 2 RING-H2 (TraesCS3A02G288900.1 and TraesCS4A02G174600.1) were significantly expressed at different development stages and under drought stress. These findings provide valuable reference data for further study of their physiological functions in wheat varieties. Conclusions: Taken together, the characterization and classifications of the TaRING-zf family were extensively studied and some new features about it were revealed. This study could provide some valuable targets for further studies on their functions in growth and development, and abiotic stress responses in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of a filling body is the main control index of the filling effect, which is significantly affected by the strength and damage characteristics, and its stress increases nonlinearly with damage evolution. In this study, the uniaxial compression test and digital image correlation (DIC) method were used to investigate the stress and damage characteristics of a gangue-cemented backfill, and the stress–strain characteristics and crack propagation laws of the backfill under different curing ages were analyzed. A modified damage model of the gangue-cemented backfill based on the Weibull distribution characteristics of the microelement damage of the backfill and pore closure characteristics in the compression stage was constructed. Through numerical simulations, the nonlinear growth characteristics of stress in the specimen were revealed from the perspective of energy dissipation. The results showed that the nonlinear increase in stress originated mainly from pore closure and crack extension. The crack propagation in the backfill was divided into intermediate crack budding and symmetric crack propagation at the corners. The key signs of the peak stress and fracture of the specimen are the connection of the surface cracks and fracture surfaces on both sides. The proposed modified damage model was proven to be in relatively close agreement with the experimental results. The stress growth in the backfill exhibited a nonlinear-linear-nonlinear growth pattern before the peak stress. This study provides a theoretical basis for studying the strength characteristics and damage evolution of backfill, which is important for optimizing the material proportions and analyzing the stability of the quarry and other aspects. • The backfill deformation corresponding to the nonlinear growth of stress is obtained. • Clarified the generation mechanism of two-stage nonlinear stress growth. • Established a modified damage evolution model for backfill considering nonlinear stress growth during compaction stage. • From the perspective of energy evolution, the nonlinear growth mechanism of stress in the filling body has been revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acid tolerance of Streptococcus mutans plays an important role in its cariogenic process. Streptococcus mutans initiates a powerful transcriptional and physiological adaptation mechanism, eventually shielding the cellular machinery from acid damage and contributing to bacterial survival under acidic stress conditions. Although S. mutans contains complex regulatory systems, existing studies have shown that S. mutans, unlike Escherichia coli, cannot maintain a neutral intracellular environment. As the pH of the extracellular environment decreases, the intracellular pH decreases in parallel. There is insufficient knowledge regarding the acid resistance of the intracellular proteins of S. mutans, particularly when it comes to the key cytoskeletal division protein FtsZ. In this study, the data showed that S. mutans had similar cell division progress in acidic and neutral environments. The splitting position was in the middle of cells, and the cytoplasm was divided evenly in the acidic environment. Additionally, the tread milling velocity of S. mutans FtsZ in the middle of cells was not affected by the acidic environment. Streptococcus mutans FtsZ had higher GTPase activity in pH 6.0 buffer than in the neutral environment. Furthermore, the polymerization of S. mutans FtsZ in the acidic environment was more robust than that in the neutral environment. After two particular amino acids of S. mutans, FtsZ amino acids were mutated (E88K, L269K), the polymerization of S. mutans FtsZ in the acidic environment was significantly reduced. Overall, S. mutans FtsZ exhibited higher functional activity in pH 6.0 buffer in vitro. The acid resistance of S. mutans FtsZ is affected by its particular amino acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the fabrication and electrical performance optimization of a four-levels vertically stacked Si0.7Ge0.3 channel nanowires gate-all-around transistor are explored in detail. First, a high crystalline quality and uniform stacked Si0.7Ge0.3/Si film is achieved by optimizing the epitaxial growth process and a vertical profile of stacked Si0.7Ge0.3/Si fin is attained by further optimizing the etching process under the HBr/He/O2 plasma. Moreover, a novel ACT@SG-201 solution without any dilution at the temperature of 40 °C is chosen as the optimal etching solution for the release process of Si0.7Ge0.3 channel. As a result, the selectivity of Si to Si0.7Ge0.3 can reach 32.84 with a signature of "rectangular" Si0.7Ge0.3 extremities after channel release. Based on these newly developed processes, a 4-levels vertically stacked Si0.7Ge0.3 nanowires gate-all-around device is prepared successfully. An excellent subthreshold slope of 77 mV/dec, drain induced barrier-lowering of 19 mV/V, Ion/Ioff ratio of 9 × 105 and maximum of transconductance of ~83.35 μS/μm are demonstrated. However, its driven current is only ~38.6 μA/μm under VDS = VGS = −0.8 V due to its large resistance of source and drain (9.2 × 105 Ω). Therefore, a source and drain silicide process is implemented and its driven current can increase to 258.6 μA/μm (about 6.7 times) due to the decrease of resistance of source and drain to 6.4 × 104 Ω. Meanwhile, it is found that a slight increase of leakage after the silicide process online results in a slight deterioration of the subthreshold slope and Ion/Ioff ratio. Its leakage performance needs to be further improved through the co-optimization of source and drain implantation and silicide process in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an autocorrelator based on noncollinear second-harmonic generation effect and a pulse-width measurement program written by LabVIEW software providing online analysis, process measurement data, and real-time display of femtosecond laser pulse width. The autocorrelator is calibrated by the online self-calibration method, and an average accuracy of 1.049 fs/pixel is obtained. On this basis, we perform a verification test on a laser pulse with a center wavelength of 800 nm and a pulse width of about 90 fs; the obtained Gaussian pulse width is 95.3 fs. The test results show that the autocorrelation device can realize real-time and accurate measurement of laser pulse width within 100 fs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have designed and constructed a self phase-locked two-channel narrow linewidth solid-state laser based on reflective volume Bragg grating (RVBG) as the output mirror. The resonant cavity of the laser is designed as a U-shaped structure, and two independent laser diode (LD)-side-pumped modules achieve passive phase locking of the output laser through mutual injection of photon energy. Compression of the linewidth is achieved by the RVBG. When the LD pump power was 70 W, the output powers of the two-channel lasers were 1.59 W and 1.61 W, the measured central wavelengths of the spectra were 1064.23 nm and 1064.24 nm, and the linewidths were 0.10 nm and 0.11 nm, respectively. The slope efficiencies of the two lasers are 9.5 % and 9.56 %, respectively, and their powers stability were both better than 3 %. The beam quality factors were M x 2 = 1.29 , M y 2 = 1.31 and M x 2 = 1.32 , M y 2 = 1.36 , respectively. The interference fringes formed by the coherent superposition of two laser beams in the far field were observed through CCD, which verified the phase-locked coherence characteristics of the two lasers. The output power of the coherent combination laser is 2.64 W, with a corresponding efficiency of coherent combination is 82.5 %. The experimental results show that the laser can directly obtain two-channel narrow-linewidth continuous wave lasers output with phase locking and consistent laser intensity. Our research provides a new idea for obtaining a new type of high-quality narrow-linewidth coherent laser source [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel and practicable partial punch-through-stopper (p-PTS) scheme beneath the gate area is proposed for the substrate leakage current suppression in the gate-all-around (GAA) nanosheet field-effect transistors (NSFETs). Thanks to the weakened electric field and widened tunneling length caused by the lightly doped substrate under the drain region, this p-PTS scheme can not only achieve a low PT current comparable to the conventional full-PTS (f-PTS) scheme, but also substantially reduce the BTBT current of drain–substrate junction by about two orders of magnitude. Moreover, the key parameters of the p-PTS scheme, such as p-PTS doping concentration (N p-PTS), thickness (T p-PTS) and width (W p-PTS), are systematically optimized and analyzed. As a result, compared to the conventional f-PTS scheme, p-PTS scheme exhibits a larger process window and better immunity of leakage current to process variations. The above results indicate that the proposed p-PTS scheme is one of the most promising methods for suppressing substrate leakage current in NSFET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell division is a central process in bacteria and a prerequisite for pathogenicity. Several proteins are involved in this process to ensure the accurate localization and proper function of the division machinery. In Streptococcus mutans, MapZ marks the division sites and position of the Z‐ring to regulate cell division; however, whether MapZ deficiency can impair the cariogenic virulence of S. mutans remains unclear. Here, using a phenotypic assay and RNA‐seq, we investigated the role of MapZ in cell envelope maintenance, biofilm formation, and stress tolerance in S. mutans. The results show that MapZ is important for normal cell shape and envelope structure, and its deletion causes abnormal septum structure and a thin cell wall. Subsequently, we found that the absence of MapZ leads to a greater level of cell death within 12 h biofilms, but it does not seem to affect biofilm architecture and accumulation. mapZ deletion also results in a decreased acid and osmotic stress tolerance. Furthermore, RNA‐seq data reveal that MapZ deficiency causes changes in the expression levels of genes involved in transport systems, sugar metabolism, nature competence, and bacteriocin synthesis. Interestingly, we found that mapZ mutation renders S. mutans more sensitive to chlorhexidine. Taken together, our study suggests that MapZ plays a role in maintaining cell envelope structure and stress tolerance in S. mutans, showing a potential application as a drug target for caries prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The C2H2-type zinc finger proteins (C2H2-ZFPs) are one of major classes of transcription factors that play important roles in plant growth, development and stress responses. Limit information about the C2H2-ZF genes hinders the molecular breeding in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum). Results: In this study, 457 C2H2-ZFP proteins (including 253 splice variants), which contain four types of conserved domain (named Q, M, Z, and D), could be further classified into ten subsets. They were identified to be distributed in 21 chromosomes in T. aestivum. Subset-specific motifs, like NPL-, SFP1-, DL- (EAR-like-motif), R-, PL-, L- and EK-, might make C2H2-ZFP diverse multifunction. Interestingly, NPL- and SFP1-box were firstly found to be located in C2H2-ZFP proteins. Synteny analyses showed that only 4 pairs of C2H2 family genes in T. aestivum, 65 genes in B. distachyon, 66 genes in A. tauschii, 68 genes in rice, 9 genes in Arabidopsis, were syntenic relationships respectively. It indicated that TaZFPs were closely related to genes in Poaceae. From the published transcriptome data, totally 198 of 204 TaC2H2-ZF genes have expression data. Among them, 25 TaC2H2-ZF genes were certificated to be significantly differentially expressed in 5 different organs and 15 different development stages by quantitative RT-PCR. The 18 TaC2H2-ZF genes were verified in response to heat, drought, and heat & drought stresses. According to expression pattern analysis, several TaZFPs, like Traes_5BL_D53A846BE.1, were not only highly expressed in L2DAAs, RTLS, RMS, but also endowed tolerance to drought and heat stresses, making them good candidates for molecular breeding. Conclusions: This study systematically characterized the TaC2H2-ZFPs and their potential roles in T. aestivum. Our findings provide new insights into the C2H2-ZF genes in T. aestivum as well as a foundation for further studies on the roles of TaC2H2-ZF genes in T. aestivum molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic and electrocatalytic N2 reduction reactions (N2RR) for NH3 synthesis from abundant N2, H2O, solar energy, and renewable electricity is very attractive. 2D catalysts, including photocatalysts (TiO2, Bismuth‐based materials, layered double hydroxides (LDHs), carbon nitride, Fe@Graphene, MoS2 et al.) and electrocatalysts (metal, graphene, carbon, boron nitride (BN), boron carbide (B4C), black phosphorus (BP), boron, transition‐metal oxide/sulfide/nitride/phosphide), have emerged as promising candidates for N2RR due to their unique physical, chemical and electronic properties. Compared with their bulk counterparts, 2D catalysts usually possess the shortened carrier diffusion pathways, higher specific surface areas and conductivity, more vacancy‐type defects as well as exposed edge sites, which is beneficial to the separation of photogenerated carriers, and the adsorption and activation of N2 molecules. This review highlights the recent progress and developments in 2D catalysts for photocatalytic and electrocatalytic N2RR for the first time. First, the prospects for photocatalytic and electrocatalytic N2RR for NH3 synthesis, and the advantages of 2D catalysts are briefly introduced. Second, the application of 2D catalysts for N2 photoreduction and electroreduction is systematically summarized. Finally, the major challenges and future outlook of this burgeoning area are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a measurement system based on single autocorrelation technology and combined with LabVIEW software platform to realize the real-time online measurement of the femtosecond-laser pulse width. The system uses an experimental device based on the Mach–Zehnder interferometer, where the second-harmonic signal of femtosecond laser is obtained by the nonlinear effect of light and nonlinear material; the linear grayscale conversion, median filtering, and threshold segmentation are also applied to the second-harmonic signal. The image centroid, autocorrelation curve, and femtosecond-laser pulse width are obtained, using LabVIEW software. In the experiment, a seed laser source with a central wavelength of 800 nm is used as a test object, and the pulse width is measured to be equal to 261 fs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the wide application of laser technology in laser processing and photoelectric detection, the measurement and display of the laser beam polarization has become an extremely important prerequisite. In this paper, we realize the laser polarization measurement tool based on the virtual instrument LabVIEW software platform. The set-up is designated to measure the Stokes parameters for an arbitrarily polarized beam, using the rotating waveplate method provided by the stepper motor, drive circuit, photodetector, and computer processing of the digitized electrical signal in the PCI expansion card. The Poincare sphere is used for the interpretation of the state of polarization (SOP) and degree of polarization (DOP). The working wavelength range is declared to be 400 – 1100 nm, the accuracy of DOP, azimuth measurement, and ellipticity are ±2%, 0.4°, and 0.4°, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the efficiency and reduce costs of cemented-fill mining, we propose a continuous mining and continuous backfilling (CMCB) method based on the coal resources at the Yuxing mine in Inner Mongolia, China, and constructed a complete filling material transportation system. The new technology is suitable for cemented-fill mining of gently inclined coal seams. Numerical simulations were performed to investigate the dynamic migration law of surrounding rock stress using CMCB cemented-fill mining technology, and similar simulations were conducted to analyze the movement characteristics of the coal overburden. The results show that the coal pillars and filling body alternately bear and support each other during the CMCB process, which resolves the contradiction between mining and filling, achieves parallel mining and filling operations, and improves mining efficiency. The new mining mode exerts minimal disturbance to the overlying rock and effectively controls surface deformation. The engineering application of this technique is promising and provides theoretical guidance and technical support for safe and efficient mining of the same type of coal resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advantage of obtaining multiple phase-locked laser outputs at the same time without complicated modulation devices, the multi-channel mutual injection technique provides a new idea to solve the problem of excessive use of beam splitting devices in traditional multi-beam interference processing systems. In this paper, we analyzed the phase-locking mechanism of the mutual injection technique, studied in detail the locking process of the phase difference of three lasers with time when their energy is injected into each other, and discussed the coherence characteristics of the three Gaussian beams after convergence. Accordingly, we built a three-beam interferometric processing system based on the three-channel mutual injection solid-state laser to process the surface of silicon material. The surface of the material was observed by SEM to exhibit a clear structure of regular shaped microporous arrays with a period of 3.0 µm distributed according to the regular pattern of positive hexagon, which was consistent with the interference pattern obtained from the simulation. The comprehensive theoretical and experimental results show that the laser obtained based on the three-channel mutual injection technique has good coherence characteristics and can be effectively applied in interference processing. This opens up a new idea for the development of interference processing equipment and has positive significance for the development of multi-beam interference processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The compression properties of CFRP are remarkably affected by the delamination area and delamination depth. • When the delamination area is less than the critical value, or the delamination is located in the middle of laminate, the influence on the compression properties can be ignored. • The effect of the delamination front shape on the compression properties is not obvious. Delamination defects commonly occur during the preparation and utilization of CFRP laminates, which seriously affect the performance and durability. In this paper, finite element models of defective CFRP laminates with different delamination areas, delamination depths, and delamination front shapes were successfully established. Numerical simulation shows that the compression properties of CFRP are remarkably affected by the delamination area and delamination depth. When the delamination area exceeds 100 mm2, the effect on the CFRP compressive properties becomes more significant. In addition, when the delamination depth is below 1 mm, the higher the delamination depth, the more significant the effect on the CFRP compressive properties. On the contrary, the front shape of delamination has a slight influence on the compression performance of CFRP. Additionally, the feasibility of predicting the effect of delamination on the mechanical properties of CFRP laminates using the finite element model was verified by comparing the simulation results with the experimental results. The results of this study provide a theoretical reference for predicting the compressive properties of laminates with embedded delamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Various properties of the BFGCB were evaluated under a uniaxial load. • Highest compressive strength and peak strain were found at a 0.3% fiber content. • The interaction mechanism between fiber and matrix, as well as the failure mechanism of BFGCB are revealed in a microscope. The damage and fracture behaviors of basalt fiber-reinforced gangue-cemented backfill were studied. An appropriate amount of basalt fibers significantly improved the mechanical properties of the backfill, with the fiber content of 0.3% yielding the maximum compressive strength and peak strain. In addition, the acoustic emission activity of the fracture damage process was high, and the cumulative count increased. The internal crack propagation became dense with slow divergence; the macroscopic failure mode gradually transitioned to tensile–shear mixed failure. Excess fibers led to a dense spatial distribution, reducing the strengthening effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gate assignment problem (GAP) is the core issue of airport operation management. However, the limited resources of airport gates and the increase of flight scale result in serious problems for gate allocation. In this paper, to provide decision-making support for large-scale GAPs, a model based on gate assignment rules (e.g., flight type constraints, safe time interval constraints, and adjacency conflict constraints) is built to formulate the problem. An improved adaptive parallel genetic algorithm (APGA) is then designed to solve the model. The algorithm is effective because it introduces the idea of elite strategy and parallel design and can adaptively adjust the crossover probability. Moreover, different instances are presented to demonstrate the proposed algorithm. The calculation results of this algorithm are compared with those of standard genetic algorithm and CPLEX, which show that the proposed algorithm has better performance and takes a shorter computational time. In addition, we verify the stability and practicability of the algorithm by repeated experiments on large-scale flight data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study a continuous-wave sum-frequency blue laser operating at 484 nm. The laser elaborated is based on the intracavity pumping technology. A 912 nm laser produced by an end-pumped Nd:GdVO4 crystal, using an 808 nm fiber-coupled laser diode, is employed to pump an Yb:YAG crystal in the cavity to achieve the simultaneous oscillations in 912 and 1030 nm lasers. An intracavity sum-frequency achieved in a type-I phase-matched BIBO crystal is used to obtain the 484 nm blue laser output. In our experiment, we apply a linear coaxial laser resonator structure. As a result, we obtain a sumfrequency blue laser output of 317 mW at a pump power of 25 W. The slope efficiency of the designed laser is 2.8%, and the beam quality factors are 1.34 in the X direction and 1.36 in the Y direction, respectively, with the power fluctuations about 3.8% within four hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the thermal stability of a Si0.7Ge0.3/Si stacked multilayer for gate-all-around (GAA) MOSFETS is systematically investigated. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) treatments at temperatures ranging from 800 °C to 1050 °C are performed on the Si0.7Ge0.3/Si stacked multilayer samples. Compared with the as-grown sample, the RTA-treated (800 °C–900 °C) Si0.7Ge0.3/Si stacked multilayer samples attain good crystal quality, a sharp interface between Si0.7Ge0.3 and Si, and minor diffusion of Ge. Furthermore, owing to the rapid diffusion of Ge, the thickness of Si0.7Ge0.3 increases by ∼6 nm and the Ge concentration of Si0.7Ge0.3 reduces by ∼3% as the annealing temperature increases to 950 °C. The interfaces of the Si0.7Ge0.3/Si stacked multilayer disappear and finally behave like a homogeneous SiGe alloy as the annealing temperature further increases to 1000 °C or 1050 °C. Therefore, for thermal stability, the highest tolerable temperature of 900 °C is proposed for the Si0.7Ge0.3/Si stacked multilayer for the fabrication of the GAA device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hollow carbon spheres (HCSs) have attracted great attention for their unique structure, but they perform unsatisfactory rate capacity for lack of mesopore. Here, we propose a novel strategy for fabricating the HCSs with macro-meso-microporous hierarchical pore structure, without etching and alkali activation. Our results show that HCSs can deliver a high gravimetric energy density of 6.2 Wh·kg−1 at the power density of 25 W·kg−1, as well as the energy density reaches up to 3.6 Wh·kg−1 at a high power density of 2.2 kW·kg−1. Moreover, assembled into micro-supercapacitor, HCSs perform a high areal capacitance of 15.4 mF·cm−2 at 0.2 mA·cm−2. Such excellent electrochemical performances of HCSs should be ascribed to the well-balanced pore distribution, which have been revealed by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and equivalent series resistance. It is believed that such advanced hollow carbonaceous materials are not only suitable for supercapacitors, but also be expected to apply for Li–S battery, sensor and drug delivery. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual-wavelength laser operating at 912 nm/1030 nm for the first time using a compact intracavity cascade pumping structure is set up The laser system model was designed and built for testing. The proposed system employs a coaxial linear cavity structure and uses a fiber-coupled 808 nm laser diode (LD) end-pumped Nd:GdVO 4 crystal to obtain a 912 nm laser, which then pumped Yb:YAG crystal directly in the cavity to produce a 1030 nm laser. When the LD pump power at 808 nm is 25 W, a 0.97 W laser at 912 nm and a 1.33 W laser at 1030 nm are obtained, respectively. The corresponding optical to optical conversion efficiency is 9.2%. The beam quality factors M2 of 912 nm and 1030 nm lasers at maximum output power is measured to be 1.19 and 1.23. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geographical origin of mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) has been arousing increasing interest to consumers due to their flavour and market price. In this study, an NMR-based metabolomics method was used to characterize the differences in the chemical composition of muscle samples of mud crabs caught in four different geographical areas of China. The results showed that a statistically significant separation existed between each of the groups of mud crabs in terms of their geographical origins. The major metabolites responsible for differentiation included inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP), adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP), and some amino acids. A gradual increase in the AMP level in conjunction with a declining IMP level was closely associated with the growth latitude of the mud crab, which means that these metabolites could potentially be used to characterize the specific geographic origin of mud crabs. This information might be useful for assessing the quality of mud crabs from different geographical origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The laser source with 3 μm/2 μm output wavelength has many application prospects in clinical medicine, photoelectric countermeasure, and scientific research measurement. An Er3+ doped ZBLAN fiber laser with output wavelength of 2 .8 μm and 1 .6 μm is experimentally studied. By setting the pump power to 5 W, a continuous dual-wavelength output with a central wavelength of 2.803 μm and 1.61 μm is obtained and the corresponding maximum output power is 362.4 mW and 108.6 mW. The slope efficiency is 12.1% and 4.94% respectively. What's more, the slope efficiency is 12.1% and 4.94% respectively, and the fluctuation rates of peak power of the two wavelengths are 9.7% and 2.1% within 4 h which indicate that the laser has relatively good stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is considered a potential orthopedic/dental material because of its excellent mechanical and chemical properties (e.g., similar elastic modulus to that of human bone). However, the poor bacteriostasis and anti-inflammatory and osseointegrative properties of bioinert PEEK impede its clinical application. We previously developed a facile and versatile surface modification method using dexamethasone plus minocycline-loaded liposomes (Dex/Mino liposomes) bonded by a mussel-inspired polydopamine coating, which effectively modulated cell inflammatory response and discouraged bacterial colonization in vitro. Herein, we report the application of this multifunctional surface modification method to improve bioinert PEEK, aimed at further studying the in vitro osteogenesis and in vivo properties of Dex/Mino liposome-modified PEEK to prevent bacterial contamination, attenuate the inflammatory response, and enhance ossification for physiologic osseointegration. Our study established that the Dex/Mino liposome-modified PEEK surface presented favorable stability and cytocompatibility. Compared with bare PEEK, improved osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells under both osteoinductive and osteoconductive conditions was found on the functionalized surface due to the liposomal Dex releasing. In vivo bacteriostasis assay confirmed that Mino released from the functionalized surface provided an effective antibacterial effect. Moreover, the subcutaneous foreign body reaction and beagle femur implantation models corroborated the enhanced anti-inflammatory and osteointegrative properties of the functionalized PEEK. Our findings indicate that the developed Dex/Mino liposome-modified PEEK with enhanced antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and osseointegrative capacity has great potential as an orthopedic/dental implant material for clinical application. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel stacking structure of three-layer SiGe strain relaxed buffer/strained Si 0.5 Ge 0.5 layer for shallow trench isolation last scheme is successfully developed. Firstly, a three-layer SiGe epitaxy with Ge concentration increased from bottom to top by roughly 10% combining with each layer post growth in-situ annealing is employed to effectively constrain the threading dislocation defect in the bottom and middle strain relaxed buffer layer and the top layer of strain relaxed buffer with thickness of ∼1 μm has no obviously defect impact. Before Si 0.5 Ge 0.5 layer epitaxy on the top of this strain relaxed buffer layer, a chemical-mechanical planarization step is employed to improve surface roughness of strain relaxed buffer layer from 6.09 nm to 0.23 nm and final Si 0.5 Ge 0.5 layer surface roughness from 6.73 nm to 0.76 nm. Finally, on the post CMP three-layer SiGe strain relaxed buffer, a smooth and high crystal quality strained Si 0.5 Ge 0.5 layer with a thickness of 50 nm, which is larger than its critical thickness of ∼20 nm, is successfully prepared by utilizing our new developed technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-dispersion of fillers in polymers is crucial for the preparation of mixed matrix membranes(MMMs). In this paper, COF-LZU1 particles were in-situ prepared in poly(ether- block -amide) membranes for the first time, and the as-obtained MMMs exhibited higher n-butanol/water sorption selectivity and pervaporation selectivity in comparison with that of MMMs prepared by conventional blending methods. The effects of reactants concentrations, growth temperature and solvents on property and pervaporation performance of MMMs were investigated. For the benzene-1,3,5-tricarbaldehyde (TFB) concentration of 2.0 mmol L−1, growth temperature of 70 °C, TFB to p-phenylenediamine molar ratio of 1:1.5, and solvent of n-butanol, the MMMs showed maximum separation factor (22.2) (increased by 139% in comparison with that of pristine membranes) and peameation flux of 611 g m−2 h−1, demonstrating great prospect for the recovery of n-butanol. • COF-LZU1 particles were in-situ prepared in poly(ether- block -amide) membranes. • The membranes exhibited stronger hydrophobicity, higher n-butanol/water sorption and pervaporation selectivity. • The separation factor increased by 139% in comparison with that of pristine membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective and adequate post-operative analgesia for cesarean section is in demand due to increasing rates of cesarean deliveries, and may help promote recovery, ambulation and breastfeeding. Local nerve block has been applied as post-operative analgesia for maternal patients receiving cesarean section; specifically, lateral abdominal transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) and iliohypogastric/ilioinguinal nerve block (IHINB) under ultrasound guidance have been proven to be effective. The present study aimed to compare the analgesic effect of TAPB and IHINB in maternal females undergoing cesarean section. Propensity-matched females who received cesarean section (n=124) were retrospectively enrolled and divided into the TAPB group (n=62) and the IHINB group (n=62) according to their post-operative analgesia treatment. All of the patients have been given spinal-epidural anesthesia during the operation, while they received either TAPB or IHINB for post-operative analgesia. Demographic and clinical data were collected and compared, including time to first morphine request, cumulative morphine consumption, visual analogue scale (VAS) score and adverse events. Due to propensity matching, there was no significant difference between the two groups in their baseline characteristics (all P>0.05). The log-rank test indicated no significant difference in the Kaplan-Meier curves for the time to first morphine request between the two groups (P=0.575). The VAS score and cumulative morphine consumption at 6 and 12 h was similar between the two groups (all P>0.05). However, these two parameters were significantly lower in the IHINB group at 24 and 48 h (P<0.001). Uni- and multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the method of block was not an independent influencing factor regarding postoperative pain relief (P=0.628). There was also no difference between the two groups in adverse events of analgesia (all P>0.05). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that TAPB and IHINB achieved a comparably satisfactory analgesic effect after cesarean section. However, the analgesic effect of IHINB was better than that of TAPB at the later stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self-assembly behavior of ABA coil-rod-coil triblock copolymers in a selective solvent was studied by a Brownian molecular dynamics simulation method. It was found that the rod midblock plays an important role in the self-assembly of the copolymers. With a decrease in the segregation strength, &eh;RR, of rod pairs, the aggregate structure first varies from a smecticlike disk shape to a long twisted string micelle and then to small aggregates. The influence of the block length and the asymmetry of the triblock copolymer on the phase behavior were studied and the corresponding phase diagrams were mapped. It was revealed that the variation of these parameters has a profound effect on microstructure. The simulation results are consistent with experimental results. Compared to rod-coil diblock copolymers, the coil-rod-coil triblock copolymers has a larger entropy penalty associated with the interfacial grafting density of the aggregate, leading to a higher &eh;RR value for structural transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In patients undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy, the use of subcostal transversus abdominis plane block (STAPB) for completely opioid-free postoperative pain management lacks convincing clinical evidence. Methods: This study included 112 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy at the 900TH Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force from October 2020 to March 2022. Patients were randomly divided into (1:1) continuous opioid-free STAPB (C-STAPB) group and conventional group. In the C-STAPB group, 0.2% ropivacaine (bilateral, 20 ml per side) was injected intermittently every 12 h through a catheter placed on the transverse abdominis plane for postoperative pain management. The conventional group was treated with a conventional intravenous opioid pump (2.5 μg/kg sufentanil and 10 mg tropisetron, diluted to 100 ml with 0.9% NS). The primary outcomes were the accumulative area under the curve of the numeric rating scale (NRS) score at 24 and 48 h postoperatively at rest and during movement. The secondary outcomes were postoperative recovery outcomes, postoperative daily food intake, and postoperative complications. Results: After exclusion (n = 16), a total of 96 patients (C-STAPB group, n = 46; conventional group, n = 49) were included. We found there were no significant differences in the cumulative AUC of NRS score PACU-24 h and PACU-48 h between the C-STAPB group and conventional group at rest [(mean difference, 1.38; 95% CI, − 2.21 to 4.98, P = 0.447), (mean difference, 1.22; 95% CI, − 6.20 to 8.65, P = 0.744)] and at movement [(mean difference, 2.90; 95% CI, − 3.65 to 9.46; P = 0.382), (mean difference, 4.32; 95% CI, − 4.46 to 13.1; P = 0.331)]. The 95% CI upper bound of the difference between rest and movement in the C-STAPB group was less than the inferior margin value (9.5 and 14 points), indicating the non-inferiority of the analgesic effect of C-STPAB. The C-STAPB group had faster postoperative recovery profiles including earlier bowel movement, defecation, more volume of food intake postoperative, and lower postoperative nausea and vomiting compared to conventional groups (P < 0.001). Conclusions: After laparoscopic radical gastrectomy, the analgesic effect of C-STAPBP is not inferior to the traditional opioid-based pain management model. Trial registration: ChiCTR2100051784. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the wide application of laser technology in various fields, how to quickly and quantitatively evaluate the characteristic parameters of laser spot becomes a hot issue in laser technology research. In this paper, based on the virtual instrument LabVIEW platform, the image is captured by USB camera, the NI-IMAQdx module is used for programming.Through image acquisition, gradation transformation, filtering processing, threshold segmentation and edge detection, the pseudo-color transformation display, centroid, long and short axis values and ellipticity of laser spot intensity are obtained, the corresponding display level is 0–256, and the working wavelength range is 400 nm–1100 nm, which satisfies the testing and analysis requirements in most current environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanosecond and sub-nanosecond ultrashort pulse have good applications in medical cosmetology, microstructure machining, scientific research, etc. Using stimulated Brillouin scattering(SBS) to compress the pulse width of ten nanoseconds to one nanosecond or even picosecond which is a technical way that is economical and easy to implement. This article uses a compact single-cell structure device to pass a Nd:YAG laser-pulse with 8.05ns and 145mJ through FC-40. An ultrashort pulse with 1.35ns and 94.5mJ was obtained. The pulse width after compression was measured within 4 h, and the pulse width stability was better than 5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a laser interference lithography technology which based on the mutual injection dual-output laser is innovatively developed. The experimental study of two beams of laser interference lithography on the material surface is carried out by using two beams of phase locking and the same frequency output. In order to solve the problems caused by beam splitter in laser interference lithography in the past, such as unequal energy, high loss and unsatisfactory interference pattern. U cavity structure is constructed by using two pump gain dielectric devices and two perpendicular 45° total reflection mirrors in the experiment. Outputing two parallel beams with pulse width of 8.2 ns and energy of 186 mJ after intracavity electro-optic Q-switching. Then using two other reflection mirrors to make the two beams of light reflection convergence onto the surface of the silicon material for interference lithography. When the angles of two beams are 12°, 9°and 6°, the clear interference fringes with periods of 5.1 μm, 6.9 μm and 10.4 μm are obtained. The interference photolithography using a dual-output laser with mutual injection has a positive significance for micromachining technology, and it can be extended to multi-channel laser interferometry processing using multi-channel mutual injection lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The sluggish sodium reaction kinetics, unstable Sn/Na2O interface, and large volume expansion are major obstacles that impede practical applications of SnO2‐based electrodes for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, we report the crafting of homogeneously confined oxygen‐vacancy‐containing SnO2−x nanoparticles with well‐defined void space in porous carbon nanofibers (denoted SnO2−x/C composites) that address the issues noted above for advanced SIBs. Notably, SnO2−x/C composites can be readily exploited as the working electrode, without need for binders and conductive additives. In contrast to past work, SnO2−x/C composites‐based SIBs show remarkable electrochemical performance, offering high reversible capacity, ultralong cyclic stability, and excellent rate capability. A discharge capacity of 565 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 is retained after 2000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The sluggish sodium reaction kinetics, unstable Sn/Na2O interface, and large volume expansion are major obstacles that impede practical applications of SnO2‐based electrodes for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, we report the crafting of homogeneously confined oxygen‐vacancy‐containing SnO2−x nanoparticles with well‐defined void space in porous carbon nanofibers (denoted SnO2−x/C composites) that address the issues noted above for advanced SIBs. Notably, SnO2−x/C composites can be readily exploited as the working electrode, without need for binders and conductive additives. In contrast to past work, SnO2−x/C composites‐based SIBs show remarkable electrochemical performance, offering high reversible capacity, ultralong cyclic stability, and excellent rate capability. A discharge capacity of 565 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 is retained after 2000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D-ordered porous nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon (NS/C) is synthesized from the functionalized fluidic acrylonitrile telomer (ANT) as C, N and S source. The dispersed PdCuW nanoparticles with an average size of 5.25 nm are supported on the walls of the NS/C by a glycol reduction method. Compared with 20%Pd black (Pd/C), NS/C and 20%Pd-NS/C, it is found that PdCuW-NS/C composite with 11.4 wt% Pd exhibits superior catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solution. Moreover, PdCuW-NS/C possesses higher capacities, lower overpotentials and better cyclic stability as cathode materials for Li-O 2 batteries; the cyclic retention of more than 70 cycles are achieved at 300 mA g −1 with the restricted capacity at 500 mAh g −1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The room temperature (RT) sodium–sulfur batteries (Na–S) hold great promise for practical applications including energy storage and conversion due to high energy density, long lifespan, and low cost, as well based on the abundant reserves of both sodium metal and sulfur. Herein, freestanding (C/S/BaTiO3)@TiO2 (CSB@TiO2) electrode with only ≈3 wt% of BaTiO3 additive and ≈4 nm thickness of amorphous TiO2 atomic layer deposition protective layer is rational designed, and first used for RT Na–S batteries. Results show that such cathode material exhibits high rate capability and excellent durability compared with pure C/S and C/S/BaTiO3 electrodes. Notably, this CSB@TiO2 electrode performs a discharge capacity of 524.8 and 382 mA h g−1 after 1400 cycles at 1 A g−1 and 3000 cycles at 2 A g−1, respectively. Such superior electrochemical performance is mainly attributed from the “BaTiO3‐C‐TiO2” synergetic structure within the matrix, which enables effectively inhibiting the shuttle effect, restraining the volumetric variation and stabilizing the ionic transport interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fe3+-doped TiO2 on nitrogen-doped graphene (Fe-TiO2/N-doped graphene) electrocatalyst is synthesized and employed as cathode material for Li-O2 battery. Fe-TiO2 nanoparticles show uniform dispersion on N-doped graphene with less agglomeration compared with TiO2 nanoparticles. The improvement of electrochemical performance of Fe-TiO2/N-doped graphene electrocatalyst is due to the changed electronic and structural properties, which result in forming Ti–O–Fe bonds and oxygen vacancy sites in the crystalline structure of TiO2. The Fe-TiO2/N-doped graphene electrode delivers a discharge capacity of 13,500 mA h g−1(catalytic) and a cyclic retention of 45 cycles, which are much better compared to the pristine counterpart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature difference between indoor and outdoor could cause the formation of droplet on lens. A kind of new fog-proof technology is presented in this paper. Hydrophilic structures are patterned on the surface of lens by means of direct laser interference lithography. The contact angle (CA) and the morphology of the structure are observed under CA meter and optical microscope respectively. The results show that with the power of 49.1 W, the incident angle of 9°, and the exposure times of 2, the structure with period of 30.7 μm could be produced on the surface. What’s more, the CA meter shows that the produced structure could change the CA from 78° which is intrinsic to 58°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is currently one of the most effective methods for treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD). It is widely accepted due to its micro trauma and high efficiency. However, restenosis will occur in 3–5 years after surgery. The emergence of drug eluting stent has greatly delayed the restenosis cycle. Therefore, it is becoming a hot spot and direction of the research how to effectively carry the anticoagulant drug to the surface of the stent. This paper introduces and summarizes the latest processing technology of micro/nano structure and to enhance its drug-loading ability on the surface of stent, analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of different processing technology. In addition, combined with the latest achievements of our research group, the paper looks forward to the prospect of using laser micro/nano structure processing on the coronary stent surface of drug-loaded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high contents of nitrogen (3.23 at.%) and sulfur (4.35 at.%) co-doped honeycomb-ordered carbon (NS/C) is prepared by one-step rapid in-situ method, which uses silica as template and functionalized fluidic acrylonitrile telomer (ANT) as C, N and S sources. Well dispersed binary alloy PdNi nanocrystals with an average size of 3 nm are supported on NS/C by a simple chemical reduction method. When used as an electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solution, the electrocatalytic performance of commercial Pd/C (20 wt%), NS/C, Pd-NS/C, PdNi-NS/C are studied and it is found that PdNi-NS/C exhibits superior performance both in catalytic activity and stability. The half wave potential (E 1/2 ) of the PdNi-NS/C is positively shifted by 100 mV compared to commercial Pd/C. The chronoamperometry (i-t) tests show that the current retention of PdNi-NS/C is 91%, while for the commercial Pd/C is only 40% after 10000 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the heat transfer behaviour of supercritical nitrogen (SCN) for the ultimate goal of optimal design of cryogenic processes/systems. To this end, a comprehensive numerical study was carried out to evaluate the heat transfer coefficient for SCN flowing in a test section under representative conditions. This paper presents the results for nitrogen flowing vertically upward in a 2 mm diameter smooth tube. CFD simulations were conducted at two supercritical pressures (3.5 and 7 MPa) for low and high mass flux at different heat to mass flux ratios (q/G). The objective is to develop reliable prediction approaches regarding the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) in the large specific heat region using the commercially available CFD software Fluent by employing the k-ε turbulence model with enhanced wall treatment. The effects of relevant parameters such as mass flux and heat flux on heat transfer performance, and the influence of operating pressure are discussed. For example, while the working pressure is close to the critical value, i.e. 3.5 MPa, the high specific heat capacity at pseudo-critical temperature produces a peak in the heat transfer coefficient trend. On the other hand, when the pressure increases to 7 MPa the heat transfer behaviour changes due to the smooth variation of thermophysical properties and as a result the HTC trend does not show a peak even at low heat flux. It is found that the heat transfer process transfers from normal mode to deterioration mode while increasing the heat flux. Fundamentally this deterioration is caused by the variation of thermo-physical properties under high mass flux conditions and by the buoyancy forces for low flow rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • RSM-BBD was selected to analyzed liquidity and rheological behavior of CASB slurry. • τ 0 , η increased and S f decreased with RSM single factor and interaction terms. • In interaction, an improvement in one factor promoted the effect of another factor. • τ 0 and η increased as a quadratic or primary function with the curing time. Slurry transportation in pipelines is the key link in the filling process. Liquidity and rheological behavior are important bases for evaluating the feasibility and stability of slurry pipeline transportation and the rheological behavior is time-dependent. Research on the performance and application of cemented aeolian sand (AS) backfill (CASB) is in the preliminary stage, and the time effect and continuous response of various factors to the rheological behavior of CASB slurry have not been studied. Here, the CASB slurry contained AS as an aggregate, fly ash (FA) as an auxiliary material, ordinary Portland cement (PO) as a cementitious material, and water. The response surface method (RSM) was adopted to analyze the influence of PO content (x 1), FA–AS ratio (x 2), concentration (x 3), and their interaction terms (x 1 x 2 , x 1 x 3 , and x 2 x 3) on the rheological parameters (yield stress (τ 0) and viscosity coefficient (η)) of slurry at 0, 40, 80 and 120 min. Additionally, liquidity (slump flow (S f) and bleeding rate (B r)) of fresh slurry was evaluated. The rheological parameters increased with PO content, FA–AS ratio, and concentration, except that the bleeding rate first decreased and then increased with PO content, the slump flow and bleeding rate decreased with each response factor. The interaction term, x 2 x 3 had a significant influence on τ 0 and η at each curing time and S f and B r , x 1 x 3 had a significant influence on the τ 0 and η at 40, 80, and 120 min, and x 1 x 2 influenced τ 0 and η at 80 and 120 min significantly. An improvement in one factor promoted the strengthening of another factor. τ 0 increased as a quadratic function, and η increased as a primary or quadratic function with curing time. The fitting degree between τ 0 , η , and curing time was > 0.9, indicating that the rheological parameters of the slurry had a strong time dependence. In conclusion, this study determined the influence and mechanisms of PO content, FA-AS rate, concentration, and their interaction terms on the rheological behavior with time dependence and fresh slurry liquidity of CASB, thereby providing theoretical and engineering guidance for CASB filling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrated the preparation of drug loading micro structures on the surface of metal coronary stent by using laser interference and provide a good substrate for the next step by using the method of miRNA-126 for the first time to our knowledge. Compared with the drug used in the existing drug eluting stent, miRNA-126 has a better effect on promoting the differentiation of vascular endothelial cells, inhibiting the inflammatory reaction and the proliferation of smooth muscle cells. The laser wavelength is 1064 nm, the single pulse energy is 2 J, the pulse width is 8 ns and the exposure time is 80 s. When the incident angle is 2.8°, between beam angle is 90°, we got the bionic micro nano structure witch cycle is 10.21 μm. Different cycles can be obtained by changing the angle of incidence and the angle between the laser beam, After a preliminary comparison test, the cycle 10.21 μm bracket micro nano structure is better than cycle 5.077 μ m and 20.9 μ m in the assembly adhesion force and loading capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from fossil fuels to green renewable resources presents a key challenge: most renewables are intermittent and unpredictable in their nature. Energy storage has the potential to meet this challenge and enables large scale implementation of renewables. In this paper we investigated the dynamic performance of a specific Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) plant with packed bed thermal energy storage (TES). We developed for the first time a plant model that blends together algebraic and differential sub-models detailing the transient features of the thermal storage, the cavern, and the compression/expansion stages. The model allows us to link the performance of the components, in particular those of the thermal storage system, with the performance of the whole A-CAES plant. Our results indicate that an A-CAES efficiency in the range 60–70% is achievable when the TES system operates with a storage efficiency above 90%. Moreover, we show how the TES dynamic behaviour induces off-design conditions in the other components of the A-CAES plant. Such device-to-plant link of performance is crucial: only through integration of TES model in the whole A-CAES model is possible to assess the benefits and added value of thermal energy storage. To the authors’ knowledge the present study is the first of this kind for an A-CAES plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brownian dynamics simulations are performed to investigate self-assembly behavior of rod-coil-rod triblock copolymers that contain two types of rod blocks. These rod-coil-rod triblock copolymers are capable of self-assembling into liquid crystalline (LC) structures with hierarchy. The morphologies of the hierarchical LC structures can be controlled by temperature, symmetry of LC blocks, and block length. As the temperature decreases, a transition from isotropic lamellae to smectic C lamellae is observed, accompanied by an increase in orientational ordering and tilt angle of rod blocks. For the hierarchical lamellae-in-lamella structures formed by symmetric block copolymers, there are two LC phases with nearly identical ordering and tilt angle for two rod blocks. While for the lamellae-in-lamellae formed by asymmetric block copolymers, the two LC phases exhibit two different length scales with diverse ordering degrees and tilt angles. By adjusting the lengths of coil and rod blocks, the stability regions of the structures are mapped out in space of the block length versus the temperature. The findings in the present work could provide useful information for understanding the self-assembly behavior of rod-coil-rod triblock copolymers and designing hierarchical liquid crystalline structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel sulfides (NiSs) with different morphologies (nanocubes, flower-like structure, and nanospheres) have been synthesized on fluorinated tin oxide glass (FTO) substrate using a hydrothermal method, which can be used as transparent counter electrodes (CEs) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The morphology of NiSs can be easily tailored by using different surfactants, and the flower-like NiS structure displays remarkable electrocatalytic activity for reducing I . Therefore, the flower-like NiS CE used in DSSCs generates higher photoelectric conversion efficiency (7.10 %) which is comparable with Pt (7.05 %) under the same conditions. This work paves the way for the substitution of noble metal Pt by the flower-like NiS for CE in DSSCs in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur-doped graphene (SG) is synthesized by a simple microwave irradiation method and PdW nanoparticles are grown in situ on SG. The electrocatalyst shows excellent activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solution and the reaction kinetics investigation shows that PdW-SG follows a four-electron transfer process in ORR, which is much better than Pd-SG or Pd-G. The improved catalytic performance may result from the changes in the electronic structure when Pd alloys with W as well as the strong interactions between the PdW nanoparticles and SG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Gemcitabine, as a first-line antitumor drug, has attracted extensive attention. However the occurrence of drug resistance limits its clinical utilization. In this paper, a gemcitabine prodrug GZ was designed and synthesized by conjugation of gemcitabine with a newly reported HDAC6 selective inhibitor pentadecanoic acid. GZ displayed high cytotoxicity to nine cancer cell lines with IC 50 values in the low micromolar range. In vivo , GZ displayed superior antitumor activity to gemcitabine in a 4T1 tumor xenograft model without obvious pathological damage to important organs of mice. Our study showed that compound GZ is a potential gemcitabine prodrug, which is worthy of further antitumor activity exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]