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Given the critical role that metastable retained austenite (RA) plays in advanced high-strength steel (AHSS), there is significant interest in obtaining a comprehensive understanding of its stability, to achieve excellent mechanical properties. Despite considerable attention and numerous studies, the significance of individual contributions of various microstructural factors (size, crystallographic orientation, surrounding phases, etc.) on the stability of RA remain unclear, partly due to the difficulty of isolating the direct effects of these factors. In this study, we examined the influence of microstructural factors while minimizing the effect of chemical composition on the mechanical stability of RA. We accomplished this by comparing the austenite (γ) stability in two distinct microstructures: a two-phase RA/martensite microstructure and a one-phase γ microstructure, both with nearly identical γ compositions. We employed in situ high-energy X-ray diffraction during uniaxial tensile testing conducted at both room temperature and 100 °C, facilitating the continuous monitoring of microstructural changes during the deformation process. By establishing a direct correlation between the macroscopic tensile load, phase load partitioning, and the γ/RA transformation, we aimed to understand the significance of the microstructural factors on the mechanical stability of the RA. The results indicate that very fine RA size and the surrounding hard martensitic matrix (aside from contributing to load partitioning) contribute less significantly to RA stability during deformation than expected. The findings of this study emphasize the critical and distinct influence of microstructure on γ/RA stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grain size of austenitic‐stainless‐cast steels is usually coarse and may be several hundred microns to millimeters, depending on solidification conditions and ingot geometry. During solidification, dendritic crystals grow into the supercooled melt and stop growing when they touch each other, which is accompanied by the formation of high‐angle grain boundaries. Further cooling of metastable austenitic steels with a martensite start temperature above room temperature can partially transform them into martensite. During subsequent heating above the austenite start temperature, also known as austenite reversion treatment (ART), the martensite transforms back into austenite. The resulting austenitic microstructure is thus significantly refined, leading to an even finer martensitic microstructure during subsequent cooling. To reduce the martensite formation capability, partitioning is carried out to enrich the austenite with C and N and thus improve the formability. In the present work, the temperature‐dependent phase transformation behavior of the martensitic–austenitic stainless X16CrNiMnN15‐3‐1 transformation‐induced‐plasticity‐cast steel is determined by means of dilatometry. The influence of a single or multiple ART on the resulting austenite grain size, the microstructure and the tensile properties are described. It is demonstrated that ultrahigh‐strength steels with good ductility can be achieved by using partitioning after ART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Metabolic, physiological and inter-tree competitive processes interact to determine long-term growth behaviour of stands and individual trees of even-aged, monospecific forests. Context: Even-aged, monospecific forests go through an initial phase from seedling establishment to full canopy development, then follows a progressive decline in growth rate, leading eventually to tree senescence and death. Individual trees show a relationship between their maximum possible growth rates and their sizes (hence ages), maxima that show a progressive decline as the trees grow larger. Growth rates are further restricted by competition with their neighbours for access from the site to the light, water and mineral nutrients essential to their growth. To ensure they remain standing upright and can access the resources they need, trees must maintain a balance between the sizes of both their above- and below-ground parts. Aims: This review aimed to summarise what is known about the various biological factors that control these growth processes, both at the stand and individual tree levels. Conclusions: The principal factors determining growth behaviour are species characteristics, environmental circumstances of the site on which the forest is growing, availability from the site of the resources essential to growth, sizes (hence ages) of individual trees, competition between neighbours for growth resources and partitioning of growth between the parts of individuals to maintain an appropriate balance between their sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous Treponema species are prevalent in the dysbiotic subgingival microbial community during periodontitis. The major outer sheath protein is a highly expressed virulence factor of the well‐characterized species Treponema denticola. Msp forms an oligomeric membrane protein complex with adhesin and porin properties and contributes to host–microbial interaction. Treponema maltophilum and Treponema lecithinolyticum species are also prominent during periodontitis but are relatively understudied. Msp‐like membrane surface proteins exist in T. maltophilum (MspA) and T. lecithinolyticum (MspTL), but limited information exists regarding their structural features or functionality. Protein profiling reveals numerous differences between these species, but minimal differences between strains of the same species. Using protein modeling tools, we predict MspA and MspTL monomeric forms to be large β‐barrel structures composed of 20 all‐next‐neighbor antiparallel β strands which most likely adopt a homotrimer formation. Using cell fractionation, Triton X‐114 phase partitioning, heat modifiability, and chemical and detergent release assays, we found evidence of amphiphilic integral membrane‐associated oligomerization for both native MspA and MspTL in intact spirochetes. Proteinase K accessibility and immunofluorescence assays demonstrate surface exposure of MspA and MspTL. Functionally, purified recombinant MspA or MspTL monomer proteins can impair neutrophil chemotaxis. Expressions of MspA or MspTL with a PelB leader sequence in Escherichia coli also demonstrate surface exposure and can impair neutrophil chemotaxis in an in vivo air pouch model of inflammation. Collectively, our data demonstrate that MspA and MspTL membrane proteins can contribute to pathogenesis of these understudied oral spirochete species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt-based ternary superalloys were prepared from the consolidation of high purity cobalt, tungsten and tantalum elemental powder using spark plasma sintering technique. The composition of the alloys was fixed, so also were the sintering pressure (50 MPa) and heating rate (150 °C/min). However, the samples sintering temperatures were varied from 800 to 1400 °C, with holding time of 10 and 15 min. The microstructure, phase and crystallographic characterizations were done using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Mechanical properties of the Co-alloys were evaluated using Vickers microhardness analytical data. Sintering data analysis indicates a two-step major and minor densification modes in the samples, and morphological images show evolution in the microstructure based on varied sintering parameters. Phase partitioning due to spinodal decomposition was observed in the alloys (1000 to 1400 °C). Crystallographic peak intensities were observed to increase with sintering temperature up to 1200 °C, whereas structural amorphization occur at 1400 °C. The microhardness improved from 358.74 to 594.64 HV for sintered alloy at 1200 °C. Alloy samples sintered at 1200 °C and of 10 min dwelling time have optimum mechanical property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chalcogenide phase-change materials (PCMs) are showing versatile possibilities in cutting-edge applications, including non-volatile memory, neuromorphic computing, and nano-photonics. However, for embedded phase-change memory applications, conventional PCMs suffer from insufficient thermal stability because of their relatively low crystallization temperatures (Tx). Although doping with additional alloying elements could improve the amorphous stability, it also increases the tendency towards compositional partitioning and phase separation. Recently, a two-dimensional (2D) layered compound CrGeTe3 (CrGT) was developed as a PCM, showing a high Tx ~ 276 °C with an inverse change in resistive-switching character upon phase transition. Here, we report a high-throughput materials screening for 2D layered phase-change chalcogenides. We aim to clarify whether the high Tx and the inverse electrical resistance contrast are intrinsic features of 2D PCMs. In total, twenty-five 2D chalcogenides with CrGT trilayer structures have been identified from a large database. We then focused on selected layered tellurides by performing thorough ab initio simulations and experimental investigations and confirming that their amorphous phase indeed has a much higher Tx than conventional PCMs. We attribute this enhanced amorphous stability to the structurally complex nuclei required to render crystallization possible. Overall, we regard InGeTe3 as a balanced 2D PCM with both high thermal stability and large electrical contrast for embedded memory applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the health impact of ultrafine particles is getting better understood, modelling the size distribution and the number concentration with chemistry transport models becomes an increasingly important matter. The number concentrations is strongly affected by processes linked to aerosol dynamics: coagulation, condensation and gas/particle phase partitioning, nucleation. Coagulation is usually solved using an Eulerian approach, using a fixed diameter size discretization. In opposition, condensation/evaporation is rather solved using a Lagrangian approach, requiring redistribution of particles on the fixed grid size. Here, a new analytic formulation is presented to compute efficiently coagulation partition coefficients, allowing to dynamically adjust the discretization of the coagulation operator to the Lagrangian size mesh evolution, and therefore solve all the processes linked to aerosol dynamics with a Lagrangian approach, avoiding the redistribution on the fixed size grid. This new approach has the advantage of reducing the numerical diffusion introduced by condensation. The significance of these effects on number concentrations is assessed over Greater Paris with the chemistry transport model Polyphemus/Polair3D coupled to the aerosol model SSH-aerosol, using different size resolution of the particle distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optically transparent electromagnetic devices play a key role in modern society. Traditional transparent electromagnetic devices face the problems of high return loss, low optical transparency, and dependence on the properties of transparent conductive materials. Due to the limitation of substrate, there are few studies on conformal transparent reflectarray. However, for conformal targets such as aircraft, it is particularly important to fabricate conformal transparent reflectarray. Here, an optically transparent conformal reflectarray with multi‐angle scattering enhancement performance is proposed. ITO square ring and patch are selected to realize wide phase coverage and low return loss of the array is achieved by traversing the initial phase. By partitioning the phase distribution of the reflectarray, the 0° normal incidence efficient backscattering enhancement and the ±45° multi‐angle backscattering enhancement functions of the conformal reflectarray are realized in X‐band. Both simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed prototype. The reflectarray has high reflection efficiency, excellent optical transparency, stable performance, and is easy to manufacture. Therefore, it is expected to be applied to backscattering enhancement of transparent conformal shapes such as aircraft and friendly targets, and then improve the efficiency of target echo detection from multiple angles in complex situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic compounds released from wildfires and residential biomass burning play a crucial role in shaping the composition of the atmosphere. The solubility and subsequent reactions of these compounds in the aqueous phase of clouds and fog remain poorly understood. Nevertheless, these compounds have the potential to become an important source of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). In this study, we simulated the aqueous SOA (aqSOA) from residential wood burning emissions under atmospherically relevant conditions of gas-liquid phase partitioning, using a wetted-wall flow reactor (WFR). We analyzed and quantified the specific compounds present in these emissions at a molecular level and determined their solubility in clouds. Our findings reveal that while 1% of organic compounds are fully water-soluble, 19% exhibit moderate solubility and can partition into the aqueous phase in a thick cloud. Furthermore, it is found that the aqSOA generated in our laboratory experiments has a substantial fraction being attributed to the formation of oligomers in the aqueous phase. We also determined an aqSOA yield of 20% from residential wood combustion, which surpasses current estimates based on gas-phase oxidation. These results indicate that in-cloud chemistry of organic gases emitted from wood burning can serve as an efficient pathway to produce organic aerosols, thus potentially influencing climate and air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onion oleoresins being key coloring and flavoring compounds of onions have industrial significance due to their rich phytochemical profile and other volatile and non-volatile compounds. By adopting appropriate extraction methods, a higher yield of oleoresins can be obtained for intended applications. In the conducted study, 5 different extraction methods including (i) solvent extraction (ii) steam distillation (iii) supercritical fluid extraction (SCFE), (iv) three phase partitioning and (v) extraction after cryogenic grinding, were compared in terms of extraction and then to evaluate their phytochemicals, antioxidants and other structural and fatty acids profile. Among all methods tested, the highest yield was obtained as 0.69 ± 0.03% through steam distillation. In terms of phytochemicals, antioxidants and volatile contents, oleoresins extracted using supercritical fluid extraction (SCFE) were marked best. SCFE oleoresins were further subjected to structural profiling through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and fatty acid profiling through gas chromatography attached with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Different functional groups and total 11 fatty acids were analyzed in selected extracts. It was concluded that, although SCFE exhibited a bit lower yield but were found best in terms of characterization making them a suitable functional ingredient for food and industrial uses. Oleoresins' yield can further be enhanced by optimizing the extraction methods resulting in higher yield with more purity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence, distribution, removal, and mass loadings of common organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) in an advanced municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were comprehensively investigated. The OPFRs were mainly partitioning in the dissolved phase, and the total concentrations ranged from 1364 to 1701 ng/L in influent, 678~1064 in effluent, and 177~470 ng/g dw in residual sludge. Tributoxyethyl phosphate and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate were the abundant compounds in both the dissolved phase and adsorbed phase. The removal frequencies and mechanisms of the OPFRs were highly associated with the properties of compounds. According to the mass balance analysis, 14.9%, 13.0%, and 11.2% of the total OPFR loads were removed in the traditional treatment, tertiary treatment, and to the sludge, respectively. The mass loadings and environmental emissions of the OPFRs were 0.67~291 μg/d/person and 0.57~107 μg/d/person, respectively. The effluent discharged from the WWTP posed ecological risks to the receiving river, which requires being paid more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-inflammatory enzymes have wide applications in the pharmaceutical industry. The objective of this study was to find new and efficient strains for the commercial production of serratiopeptidase enzyme. Vast number of samples were processed for the isolation of potent strains. The experimental treatment includes processing of twenty soil samples, silkworm gut, and sugarcane stem. The total protein and protease activity was estimated by Lowry's method and casein hydrolysis. The HRBC stabilization assay was performed for finding the anti-inflammatory potential of all strains. The serratiopeptidase production was confirmed by HPLC with the standard. Molecular characterization of selected potent strains was done by 16S rDNA and confirmed the taxonomy. The one step rapid purification of serratiopeptidase was performed by Ultra three phase partitioning method. The clot lysis potential of the Serratia marcescens VS56 was observed by modified Holmstorm method. The results of the study revealed that among the 60 strains, 12 strains were protease-positive on skim milk agar plates and showed significant protease activity. All 12 strains were screened for serratiopeptidase using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and VS56, VS10, VS12 and VS18 showed a similar retention time (4.66 ± 0.10 min) with standard. The selected potent strain, Serratia marcescens VS56 showed a proteolytic activity of 21.30 units/mL and produced a total protein of 102 mg/mL. The HRBC suspension results also showed a percentage of 94.6 ± 1.00 protection, which was compared to the standard diclofenac. The clot lysis potential of Serratia marcescens VS56 was 53% in 4 h. Furthermore, the molecular weight of the protein was identified to confirm the presence of serratiopeptidase. The study hence contributed successfully to isolating, screening, and identifying a potent producer for serratiopeptidase from an environmental source. This inherent advantage of the strain will undoubtedly contribute much to the coco comm commercial production of serratiopeptidase in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the assessment of interactions between a non-ionic surfactant (NIS) triton X-100 (TNX-100) and a globular protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) was explored through the determination of clouding nature in aqueous solution of sodium salts (Na-salts). Sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium acetate (NaOAc), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), sodium oxalate (Na2Oxal), sodium sulphate (Na2SO4), and sodium phosphate (Na3PO4) have been chosen to assess their impacts on the clouding nature of TNX-100 + BSA mixture. The estimated cloud point (CP) values were noticed to be lowered with the enhancement of [Na-salts]. The lessening of CP values has been explained by the salting out effect of anions. The calculated standard Gibbs free energy change ( $ \Delta G_c^o $ Δ G c o ) was positive at all examined conditions which illustrates the nonspontaneity of phase change. The standard enthalpy ( $ \Delta H_c^o $ Δ H c o ) and entropy ( $ \Delta S_c^o $ Δ S c o ) changes exhibited negative values at low contents of aq. Na-salts and positive values at high aq. Na-salts content. These consequences illustrate the presence of electrostatic interactions at low Na-salts concentration and hydrophobic interactions at high Na-salts concentration. Furthermore, enthalpy-entropy parameters were successfully computed and explained with proper clarification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mo is a key solid solution strengthening element that improves the mechanical properties of Ni-based superalloys, but the partitioning behavior of Mo remains controversial. Herein, we uncover the effect of Mo addition on the precipitation kinetics of the γ′ phase in Ni–(17−x) Al–x Mo at.% (x = 2, 3, 4, and 5) alloys by directly coupling accurate thermodynamic and kinetic descriptions with a phase-field model. Our simulations show that the addition of Mo would decrease the γ′ coarsening rate due to the decrease in the diffusion rate and the γ/γ′ lattice misfit. Besides, the partitioning behavior of Mo is reversed from the γ′ phase ( K Mo γ ′ / γ > 1 ) into the γ matrix ( K Mo γ ′ / γ < 1 ) with increasing Mo concentration, which is attributed to the solubility limit of Mo in the γ′ phase as well as a decrease in the γ/γ′ lattice misfit. Meanwhile, Al and Mo preferentially occupy the Al sublattice site of the γ′–Ni3Al and form the Ni3(Al, Mo) phase in Ni–Al–Mo ternary model alloys. Furthermore, the solid solution strengthening effect increases with increasing Mo concentration because of an increase in the Mo concentration in the γ matrix. Our results provide valuable insights into understanding the effect of Mo addition to Ni-based superalloys on the coarsening kinetics of γ′ phase and elemental partitioning behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial spin systems are used to solve combinatorial optimization problems by mapping them to the ground state search of the Ising model. Ising machines of various designs, in fields as diverse as photonics and electronics, have been proposed and demonstrated in recent years. One important mathematical operation required in photonic Ising machines for nearly all Hamiltonian minimization algorithms is repeated matrix–vector multiplication with the vector size limited by the physical size of the optical system. Herein, an integrated photonic Ising machine based on matrix partitioning and phase encoding, which effectively allows the use of physically small optical circuits to handle arbitrarily large spin vectors, is proposed. All the complicated calculations are carried out optically, rather than electronically, in this approach. How the required surface area of a hypothetical chip‐based photonic Ising machine can be resized according to convenience, with the trade‐off being the solution time, and that this trade‐off can be done in a way that does not impact the algorithm's efficacy, is shown. Through simulation, the system is predicted to have a high success rate, high noise tolerance, and high error tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Branched alkanes represent a significant proportion of hydrocarbons emitted in urban environments. To accurately predict the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) budgets in urban environments, these branched alkanes should be considered as SOA precursors. However, the potential to form SOA from diverse branched alkanes under varying environmental conditions is currently not well understood. In this study, the Unified Partitioning Aerosol Phase Reaction (UNIPAR) model is extended to predict SOA formation via the multiphase reactions of various branched alkanes. Simulations with the UNIPAR model, which processes multiphase partitioning and aerosol-phase reactions to form SOA, require a product distribution predicted from an explicit gas kinetic mechanism, whose oxygenated products are applied to create a volatility- and reactivity-based αi species array. Due to a lack of practically applicable explicit gas mechanisms, the prediction of the product distributions of various branched alkanes was approached with an innovative method that considers carbon lengths and branching structures. The αi array of each branched alkane was primarily constructed using an existing αi array of the linear alkane with the nearest vapor pressure. Generally, the vapor pressures of branched alkanes and their oxidation products are lower than those of linear alkanes with the same carbon number. In addition, increasing the number of alkyl branches can also decrease the ability of alkanes to undergo autoxidation reactions that tend to form low-volatility products and significantly contribute to alkane SOA formation. To account for this, an autoxidation reduction factor, as a function of the degree and position of branching, was applied to the lumped groups that contain autoxidation products. The resulting product distributions were then applied to the UNIPAR model for predicting branched-alkane SOA formation. The simulated SOA mass was compared to SOA data generated under varying experimental conditions (i.e., NO x levels, seed conditions, and humidity) in an outdoor photochemical smog chamber. Branched-alkane SOA yields were significantly impacted by NO x levels but insignificantly impacted by seed conditions or humidity. The SOA formation from branched and linear alkanes in diesel fuel was simulated to understand the relative importance of branched and linear alkanes with a wide range of carbon numbers. Overall, branched alkanes accounted for a higher proportion of SOA mass than linear alkanes due to their higher contribution to diesel fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines marine boundary layer cloud regime transition during a cold air outbreak (CAO) over the Norwegian Sea, simulated by a global storm‐resolving model (GSRM) known as the Simple Cloud‐Resolving Energy Exascale Earth System Model Atmosphere Model (SCREAM). By selecting observational references based on a combination of large‐scale conditions rather than strict time‐matched comparisons, this study finds that SCREAM qualitatively captures the CAO cloud transition, including boundary layer growth, cloud mesoscale structure, and phase partitioning. SCREAM also accurately locates the greatest ice and liquid in the mesoscale updrafts, however, underestimates supercooled liquid water in cumulus clouds. The model evaluation approach adopted by this study takes advantages of the existing computational‐expensive global simulations of GSRM and the available observations to understand model performance and can be applied to assessments of other cloud regimes in different regions. Such practice provides valuable guidance on the future effort to correct and improve biased model behaviors. Plain Language Summary: Cold air outbreaks occur when cold, dry air moves over warmer ocean regions, forming extensive boundary layer clouds. However, current climate models struggle to accurately represent these clouds due to their complex nature. This study examines the performance of the global storm‐resolving model, the Simple Cloud‐Resolving Energy Exascale Earth System Model Atmosphere Model (SCREAM), in simulating marine boundary layer clouds during cold air outbreaks over the Norwegian Sea. This study compares the SCREAM simulated clouds during a cold air outbreak event to observations under similar large‐scale conditions from satellites and ground‐based measurements collected during a field campaign of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program. The results indicate that SCREAM successfully simulates three distinct cloud patterns during cold air outbreaks with credible mesoscale structures. Yet, it tends to underestimate supercooled liquid water and consequently, the cloud liquid water fraction, especially in cumulus clouds. The study suggests that using high‐resolution observations under similar large‐scale conditions can effectively evaluate global storm‐resolving models. This approach helps identify areas for improvement without requiring expensive global storm‐resolving model simulation designed for specific cases. Key Points: The Simple Cloud‐Resolving Energy Exascale Earth System Model Atmosphere Model (SCREAMv0), at a resolution of 3 km, simulated three distinctive cloud regimes in cold air outbreaks with credible mesoscale structuresSCREAMv0 qualitatively captures the transition of the cloud phase partitioning based on high‐resolution observationsObservations selected based on similar large‐scale conditions can be important references for global storm‐resolving model evaluation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different populations of aerosol are constantly mixed throughout the atmosphere. Large-scale models often assume no particle–particle mixing or fast mixing among aerosol populations, so that they stay externally mixed or instantaneously form internal mixtures. We apply the kinetic multilayer model of gas–particle interactions (KM-GAP) to simulate the evaporation of semi-volatile species from one particle population and partitioning into another population with various phase states and nonideal mixing conditions. We find that the particle–particle mixing timescale (τmix) is prolonged when the semi-volatile species transport to a population in which it is miscible, as more mass must be transported. Extremes of volatility prolong the τmix, as low-volatility species evaporate slowly, while high-volatility species condense slowly. When the bulk diffusivities of the two populations are greater than 10−15 cm2 s−1, semi-volatile species mix rapidly; otherwise, the τmix can be prolonged beyond 1 h. We apply KM-GAP to particle–particle mixing experiments of H-toluene SOA into D-toluene SOA and limonene SOA, showing that τmix is prolonged when toluene SOA is highly viscous, while initial partitioning of gas phase semi-volatile species from toluene SOA into limonene SOA is rapid because of the low viscosity of limonene SOA. Simulations of mixing toluene SOA and β-caryophyllene SOA indicate that the apparent discrepancy of limited mixing under conditions where both are predicted to have low viscosity are explained by limited miscibility of the semi-volatile components. Our study demonstrates that particle–particle mixing timescales are affected by a complex interplay among volatility, diffusion limitations, and non-ideal miscibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of complex networks from electroencephalography (EEG) proves to be an effective method for representing emotion patterns in affection computing as it offers rich spatiotemporal EEG features associated with brain emotions. In this paper, we propose a novel method for constructing complex networks from EEG signals for emotion recognition, which begins with phase space reconstruction to obtain ordinal patterns and subsequently forms a graph network representation from the sequence of ordinal patterns based on the visibility graph method, named ComNet-PSR-VG. For the proposed ComNet-PSR-VG, the initial step involves mapping EEG signals into a series of ordinal partitions using phase space reconstruction, generating a sequence of ordinal patterns. These ordinal patterns are then quantified to form a symbolized new sequence. Subsequently, the resulting symbolized sequence of ordinal patterns is transformed into a graph network using the visibility graph method. Two types of network node measures, average node degree (AND) and node degree entropy (NDE), are extracted from the graph networks as the inputs of machine learning for EEG emotion recognition. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed construction method of complex networks based on the visibility graph of ordinal patterns, comparative experiments are conducted using two types of simulated signals (random and Lorenz signals). Subsequently, EEG emotion recognition is performed on the SEED EEG emotion dataset. The experimental results show that, with AND as the feature, our proposed method is 4.88% higher than the existing visibility graph method and 12.23% higher than the phase space reconstruction method. These findings indicate that our proposed novel method for constructing complex networks from EEG signals not only achieves effective emotional EEG pattern recognition but also exhibits the potential for extension to other EEG pattern learning tasks, suggesting broad adaptability and application potential for our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multicomponent oxides have received significant recent attention due to their potential for improved property tunability. In simple structures, compositionally complex oxides can be stabilized by increased configurational entropy and are sometimes called "high entropy" ceramics. In phases with multiple cation sublattices or complex stoichiometries, it is more difficult to achieve high configurational entropy. However, there is limited knowledge about the factors influencing stability and solubility limits in many systems. This study investigated the limits on the stability of rare earth (RE) aluminates containing mixtures of RE cations including Gd, La, Nd, Yb, and Y in cases where (i) a fixed RE:Al ratio attempts to constrain the material into a single‐phase aluminate or (ii) a two‐phase aluminate, and in equilibrium with RE zirconates that readily dissolve multiple RE3+. The results show that it is difficult to form single‐phase, equimolar mixed‐RE aluminates encompassing a range of RE3+ sizes. Instead, the RE3+ selectively partition into specific phases based on RE‐size trends in the constituent binary systems. The results are discussed in terms of the phase stability and cation partition trends and potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly siderophile elements (HSE) strongly partition into metal phases over silicate minerals and so offer important constraints on nebular and core formation processes acting on early planetesimals. Abundances of the HSE are also an important tool for constraining relationships between metal‐rich meteorites. The first bulk rock and in situ HSE abundance and 187Re‐187Os data are reported for the ungrouped metal‐rich achondrite Tafassasset to examine models of its petrogenesis and origin. Bulk rock and metal grain HSE abundances are elevated at ~2 and ~15 times CI chondrite abundances, respectively, and are largely unfractionated from one another. Metal within Tafassasset is therefore likely to have quenched shortly after partial melting without significant fractional crystallization. Metal grain HSE abundances can be used to calculate a metal fraction of 14 ± 4 wt%, overlapping with the parent bodies of CC iron meteorites, which have also been related to Tafassasset using nucleosynthetic isotope anomalies. Despite such similarities, HSE systematics of bulk rock Tafassasset are not equivalent to any known chondrites, and metal grains do not overlap with iron meteorites or chondrite metal grains, precluding a direct genetic relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Cress seeds release allelochemicals that over-stimulate the elongation of hypocotyls of neighbouring (potentially competing) seedlings and inhibit their root growth. The hypocotyl promoter is potassium, but the root inhibitor was unidentified; its nature is investigated here. Methods Low-molecular-weight cress-seed exudate (LCSE) from imbibed Lepidium sativum seeds was fractionated by phase partitioning, paper chromatography, high-voltage electrophoresis and gel-permeation chromatography (on Bio-Gel P-2). Fractions, compared with pure potassium salts, were bioassayed for effects on Amaranthus caudatus seedling growth in the dark for 4 days. Key Results The LCSE robustly promoted amaranth hypocotyl elongation and inhibited root growth. The hypocotyl inhibitor was non-volatile, hot acid stable, hydrophilic and resistant to incineration, as expected for K+. The root inhibitor(s) had similar properties but were organic (activity lost on incineration). The root inhibitor(s) remained in the aqueous phase (at pH 2.0, 6.5 and 9.0) when partitioned against butan-1-ol or toluene, and were thus hydrophilic. Activity was diminished after electrophoresis, but the remaining root inhibitors were neutral. They became undetectable after paper chromatography; therefore, they probably comprised multiple compounds, which separated from each other, in part, during fractionation. On gel-permeation chromatography, the root inhibitor co-eluted with hexoses. Conclusions Cress-seed allelochemicals inhibiting root growth are different from the agent (K+) that over-stimulates hypocotyl elongation and the former probably comprise a mixture of small, non-volatile, hydrophilic, organic substances. Abundant components identified chromatographically and by electrophoresis in cress-seed exudate fitting this description include glucose, fructose, sucrose and galacturonic acid. However, none of these sugars co-chromatographed and co-electrophoresed with the root-inhibitory principle of LCSE, and none of them (in pure form at naturally occurring concentrations) inhibited root growth. We conclude that the root-inhibiting allelochemicals of cress-seed exudate remain unidentified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We observe that the discrete Wigner functions (DWFs) of n-partite systems with odd local dimensions are tomographically universal, as reflected in the delta function form of the DWF for any stabilizer. However, in the n-qubit case, this property does not hold due to the non-factorization of the mapping kernel, the explicit form of which depends on a particular partition of the discrete phase space. Nonetheless, it turns out that the DWF for some specific stabilizers, not included in the set used for the construction of the Wigner map, takes on the form of a delta function. This implies that the possibility of classical simulations of Pauli measurements in a given stabilizer state for qubit systems is closely tied to the experimental setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the use of stabilizers is one of the main challenges in food emulsions, especially for beverages. This work aimed to produce oleogel-structured nanoemulsions (NEs) without additional surfactants. Lecithin-stearic acid (LSa) and lecithin-sorbitan tristearate (LSt) oleogels formed stable NEs under optimized sonication conditions. Microscopy and rheometry revealed that the presence of self-assembled fibrous networks (SAFiNs) in both dispersed and continuous phases provided steric stabilization to NEs. Lecithin acted as crystal habit modifier of SAFiNs and facilitated their phase partitioning. Notably, the short fibers of LSt showed better emulsifying efficiency than the long fibers of LSa. Curcumin release studies under simulated gastrointestinal conditions demonstrated that SAFiNs affect the release capabilities of NEs. Polydispersity index, zeta potential and oil syneresis data showed that the emulsions are stable for six months. Moreover, NEs showed thermal stability upon curcumin release at 25 and 50 °C. These results suggest that the developed oleogel-based NEs are suitable for the delivery of bioactive agents for beverages and other food applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mixed‐phase cumulus clouds, droplets and ice crystals are inhomogeneously distributed, such spatial inhomogeneity can be enhanced by inhomogeneous entrainment as it can strengthen the particle clustering, which may further influence the phase partitioning and interactions among hydrometeors. However, the scale of particle clustering induced by inhomogeneous entrainment is not well known. Utilizing high‐resolution in‐situ aircraft measurements in mixed‐phase cumulus clouds, this study shows due to inhomogeneous entrainment‐mixing, the cluster scales of droplets and ice crystals decrease by approximately 10 m from the cloud center to the edge. Changes in the clustering are correlated with the intensity of entrainment‐mixing. Clouds that are significantly affected by entrainment exhibit stronger enhancement of particle clustering and a more noticeable reduction in cluster scale. The findings from this study improve our understanding of the scale of particle clustering induced by entrainment‐mixing, and are potentially helpful in evaluating models. Plain Language Summary: Entrainment‐mixing is one of the key processes controlling cloud life cycle and the spatial distribution of hydrometeor. It is known that inhomogeneous entrainment mixing would enhance the clustering of particle distribution in cumulus clouds, but the scales of droplet and ice clusters induced by inhomogeneous entrainment have not been quantified. Utilizing high‐resolution aircraft data sampled in mixed‐phase cumulus clouds, we showed that extreme inhomogeneous entrainment‐mixing fosters pronounced clustering of both droplet and ice particles. Opposite gradients in cluster index and cluster scale from the cloud center to the edge under varying temperature conditions are discovered. On average, the droplet and ice cluster scales decrease by 10 m due to the entrainment. In clouds that undergo intense entrainment, the amplified particle clustering is more discernible and the decrease of cluster scale is markedly greater from the cloud center to the edge. The results enhance the comprehension by quantification of extreme inhomogeneous entrainment‐mixing and are potentially helpful for assessing the performance of model simulations. Key Points: The scales of droplet and ice crystal clustering in mixed‐phase cumulus clouds are quantified using airborne in‐situ measurementsThe inhomogeneous entrainment‐mixing enhances particle clustering near cloud edge, with cluster scales decreasing by 10 m on averageClustering variation is related to the intensity of entrainment, stronger mixing leads to a more substantial decrease in cluster scales [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we investigated the photo-oxidation of Euro 5 gasoline vehicle emissions during cold urban, hot urban and motorway Artemis cycles. The experiments were conducted in an environmental chamber with average OH concentrations ranging between 6.6 × 10 5 –2.3 × 10 6 molec. cm -3 , relative humidity (RH) between 40 %–55 % and temperatures between 22–26 °C. A proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) and the CHemical Analysis of aeRosol ON-line (CHARON) inlet coupled with a PTR-ToF-MS were used for the gas- and particle-phase measurements respectively. This is the first time that the CHARON inlet has been used for the identification of the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) produced from vehicle emissions. The secondary organic gas-phase products ranged between C 1 and C 9 with one to four atoms of oxygen and were mainly composed of small oxygenated C 1 –C 3 species. The SOA formed contained compounds from C 1 to C 14 , having one to six atoms of oxygen, and the products' distribution was centered at C 5. Organonitrites and organonitrates contributed 6 %–7 % of the SOA concentration. Relatively high concentrations of ammonium nitrate (35–160 µ g m -3) were formed. The nitrate fraction related to organic nitrate compounds was 0.12–0.20, while ammonium linked to organic ammonium compounds was estimated only during one experiment, reaching a fraction of 0.19. The SOA produced exhibited log⁡C∗ values between 2 and 5. Comparing our results to theoretical estimations for saturation concentrations, we observed differences of 1–3 orders of magnitude, indicating that additional parameters such as RH, particulate water content, aerosol hygroscopicity, and possible reactions in the particulate phase may affect the gas-to-particle partitioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conduct a global assessment of the spatial heterogeneity of cloud phase within the temperature range where liquid and ice can coexist. Single‐shot Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization lidar retrievals are used to examine cloud phase at scales as fine as 333 m, and horizontal heterogeneity is quantified according to the frequency of switches between liquid and ice along the satellite's path. In the global mean, heterogeneity is greatest between −15 and −4°C with a peak at −5°C, when small patches of ice are prevalent within liquid‐dominated clouds. Heterogeneity "hot spots" are typically found over the extratropical continents, whereas phase is relatively homogeneous over the Southern Ocean and the eastern subtropical ocean basins, where supercooled liquid clouds dominate. Even at a fixed temperature, heterogeneity undergoes a pronounced annual cycle that, in most places, consists of a minimum during autumn or winter and a maximum during spring or summer. Based on this spatial and temporal variability, it is hypothesized that heterogeneity is affected by the availability of ice nucleating particles. These results can be used to improve the representation of subgrid‐scale heterogeneity in general circulation models, which has the potential to reduce longstanding model biases in cloud phase partitioning and radiative fluxes. Plain Language Summary: At temperatures where ice and liquid can coexist within clouds, climate models tend to produce too much ice and too little liquid compared to satellite observations. This bias is likely caused by the assumption that liquid and ice are uniformly mixed, which results in the rapid conversion of liquid to ice for thermodynamic reasons. To reduce this bias, models need to account for the spatial heterogeneity ("patchiness") of liquid and ice that exists in the real atmosphere. The goal of this paper is to quantify this spatial heterogeneity using satellite‐based lidar observations of cloud phase. We find small pockets of ice in liquid‐dominated clouds to be more common than small pockets of liquid in ice‐dominated clouds. The greatest heterogeneity is found over the midlatitude continents, whereas phase is relatively uniform over the Southern Ocean and other maritime regions with extensive low cloud cover. In the mid and high latitudes, cloud phase tends to be more heterogeneous during spring and summer and more homogeneous during autumn and winter. These results can be used in the future to improve model representations of the thermodynamic processes responsible for biases in cloud phase. Key Points: Cloud phase heterogeneity is greatest at −5°C, when small ice patches form in majority‐liquid cloudsCloud phase is relatively homogeneous over the Southern Ocean and heterogeneous over the northern continentsFor a fixed temperature, extratropical phase heterogeneity is generally greatest during local spring and summer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactants have the application in drug formulation purposes as common excipients. The use of surfactant in the incidence of additives improves the absorption and drug release phenomenon. Herein, the development of the clouding of non-ionic surfactants (NISs), triton X-100 (TX-100), and ceftriaxone sodium (CTS) drug mixture, in the appearance of potassium salts (KCl, K3PO4, KBrO3, K2SO4, and KI), has been studied by the way of cloud point (CP) measurement method. The CPs of the study system suffered a lessening as the quantities of KCl, K3PO4, KBrO3, and K2SO4 increased while the opposite result was observed for KI salt. Aggregation within the associated solution systems may lead to a decline in the corresponding CP. The standard free energy ( Δ G c 0 ) values reveal the non-spontaneous cloudy formation of TX-100 + CTS mixture, and non-spontaneity go through a drop with the growing electrolyte concentration. The standard enthalpy ( Δ H c 0 ) and standard entropy ( Δ S c 0 ) values for phase partitioning of TX-100 + CTS reveal the exothermic interaction in the presence of KCl, K3PO4, KBrO3, and K2SO4 while mainly hydrophobic in the presence of KI salt. The intrinsic enthalpy ( Δ H c 0 , ∗ ) values reveal that TX-100 + CTS mixture experiences the highest stability in K3PO4 salt media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The present work provides diagrams for water‐free two‐phase systems based on polypropylene glycol 2000 (PPG 2000) + [C2mim][OAc] + alcohols (primary: methanol, ethanol, 1‐propanol and 1‐butanol; secondary: 2‐propanol and 2‐butanol; and tertiary: 2‐methyl‐2‐propanol) at 298.15 ± 1.00 K and 0.10 ± 0.01 MPa. As a proof of concept, the systems were applied to study the selective partitioning of vitamins, namely β‐carotene and α‐tocopherol. RESULTS: The hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance is the driving force for phase separation. The more hydrophilic alcohols are responsible for the wider biphasic area, and branching increases hydrophilicity and the biphasic area compared to linear alcohols. Additionally, it was verified that the mathematical determination of the tie‐lines satisfactorily describes the positioning in the phase diagram when compared with the analytical determination. In the proposed systems, pure biomolecules partitioned selectively: α‐tocopherol migrated to the PPG 2000 phase (top phase) while β‐carotene to the [C2mim][OAc] phase (bottom phase). For the study with real biomolecules, solid–liquid extraction was performed using 1‐butanol (more selective alcohol) in a solid–liquid ratio of 1:10 at 200 rpm for 60 min. The partitioning trend followed the behavior of systems using pure biomolecules. The highest selectivity (5.3) was observed for the system composed of PPG 2000 + [C2mim][OAc] + 1‐butanol or 2‐butanol. The partition system did not impair the antioxidant potential expressed as DPPH inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: Water‐free two‐phase systems can be formed and applied to partitioning vitamins from tomatoes. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three phase partitioning (TPP) method was effectively utilized for the extraction and purification of milk clotting protease (actinidin) from the kiwifruit pulp. The different purification parameters of TPP such as ammonium sulfate saturation, ratio of the crude kiwifruit extract to tert-butanol, and the pH value of extract were optimized. The 40% (w/v) salt saturation having 1.0:0.75 (v/v) ratio of crude kiwifruit extract to tert-butanol at 6.0 pH value exhibited 3.14 purification fold along with 142.27% recovery, and the protease was concentrated exclusively at intermediate phase (IP). This fraction showed milk-clotting activity (MCA), but there was no such activity in lower aqueous phase (AP). The enzyme molecular weight was found to be 24 kDa from Tricine SDS-PAGE analysis. Recovered protease demonstrated greater stability at pH 7.0 and temperature 50 °C. The Vmax and Km values were 121.9 U/ml and 3.2 mg/ml respectively. Its cysteine nature was demonstrated by inhibition studies. This study highlighted that the TPP is an economic and effective method for extraction and purification of actinidin from kiwifruit, and it could be used as a vegetable coagulant for cheesemaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phaeocystis globosa is an important unicellular eukaryotic alga that can also form colonies. P. globosa can cause massive harmful algal blooms and plays an important role in the global carbon or sulfur cycling. Thus far, the ecophysiology of P. globosa has been investigated by numerous studies. However, the proteomic response of P. globosa to nitrogen depletion remains largely unknown. We compared four protein preparation methods of P. globosa for two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) (Urea/Triton X-100 with trichloroacetic acid (TCA)/acetone precipitation; TCA/acetone precipitation; Radio Immuno Precipitation Assay (RIPA) with TCA/acetone precipitation; and Tris buffer). Results show that the combination of RIPA with TCA/acetone precipitation had a clear gel background and showed the best protein spot separation effect, based on which the proteomic response to nitrogen depletion was studied using 2-DE. In addition, we identified six differentially expressed proteins whose relative abundance increased or decreased more than 1.5-fold (P<0.05). Most proteins could not be identified, which might be attributed to the lack of genomic sequences of P. globosa. Under nitrogen limitation, replication protein-like, RNA ligase, and sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were reduced, which may decrease the DNA replication level and ATP production in P. globosa cells. The increase of endonuclease III and transcriptional regulator enzyme may affect the metabolic and antioxidant function of P. globosa cells and induce cell apoptosis. These findings provide a basis for further proteomic study of P. globosa and the optimization of protein preparation methods of marine microalgae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major factors controlling the phase partitioning in mixed‐phase cloud is entrainment mixing, but it is still poorly understood. In this study, the liquid‐ice mass partitioning across the edge of shallow to moderately deep cumulus clouds are analyzed using airborne measurements. The results show the concentration and water content of both liquid and ice decrease toward the cloud edge. However, the liquid mass fraction remains similar across the cloud. The mechanism responsible for the phase partitioning is that extreme inhomogeneous entrainment‐mixing dominates. This is evident as both the droplet and ice sizes remain similar with changing concentrations. The comparison between the time scale of turbulent mixing and the phase relaxation time of water also suggests the turbulence strength is too low to homogenize the cloud. The findings from this study improve our understanding on the role of entrainment in phase partitioning, and are useful in evaluating model simulations. Plain Language Summary: In mixed‐phase clouds, the coexistence of liquid and ice has significant impacts on the cloud lifecycle and radiative properties, but the phase partitioning in mixed‐phase cloud is still not fully understood. In cumulus clouds, one of the major factors controlling the microphysics across cloud edges is the entrainment of dry air into cloud. During the mixing process, the liquid‐ice partitioning is determined by the mixing type (homogeneous or inhomogeneous), the evaporation (growth) of liquid, and sublimation (growth) of ice. Currently, there is a lack of observational evidence for the main mixing mechanism that controls the phase partitioning. In this study, the liquid‐ice mass partitioning across the edge of shallow to moderately deep cumulus clouds are analyzed using airborne in situ measurements. The results show the liquid mass fraction remains similar across the cloud, and inhomogeneous mixing dominates the phase partitioning. The results improve our understanding on the role of entrainment, and are useful in evaluating model simulations. Key Points: Liquid‐ice mass partitioning across the edges of cumulus clouds is characterized using airborne in situ measurementIn most of the clouds, the liquid and ice water content decrease toward the edge, while liquid mass fraction remains similarThe inhomogeneous mixing dominates the phase partitioning across the cloud edges [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intra-oral food processing, including chewing, is important for safe swallowing and efficient nutrient assimilation across tetrapods. Gape cycles in tetrapod chewing consist of four phases (fast open and -close, and slow open and -close), with processing mainly occurring during slow close. Basal aquatic-feeding vertebrates also process food intraorally, but whether their chew cycles are partitioned into distinct phases, and how rhythmic their chewing is, remains unknown. Here, we show that chew cycles from sharks to salamanders are as rhythmic as those of mammals, and consist of at least three, and often four phases, with phase distinction occasionally lacking during jaw opening. In fishes and aquatic-feeding salamanders, fast open has the most variable duration, more closely resembling mammals than basal amniotes (lepidosaurs). Across ontogenetically or behaviourally mediated terrestrialization, salamanders show a distinct pattern of the second closing phase (near-contact) being faster than the first, with no clear pattern in partitioning of variability across phases. Our results suggest that distinct fast and slow chew cycle phases are ancestral for jawed vertebrates, followed by a complicated evolutionary history of cycle phase durations and jaw velocities across fishes, basal tetrapods and mammals. These results raise new questions about the mechanical and sensorimotor underpinnings of vertebrate food processing. This article is part of the theme issue 'Food processing and nutritional assimilation in animals'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate phase unwrapping is a critical prerequisite for successful applications in phase-related MRI, including quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and susceptibility weighted imaging. However, many existing 3D phase unwrapping algorithms face challenges in the presence of severe noise, rapidly changing phase, and open-end cutline. Methods: In this study, we introduce a novel 3D phase unwrapping approach utilizing region partitioning and a local polynomial model. Initially, the method leverages phase partitioning to create initial regions. Noisy voxels connecting areas within these regions are excluded and grouped into residual voxels. The connected regions within the region of interest are then reidentified and categorized into blocks and residual voxels based on voxel count thresholds. Subsequently, the method sequentially performs inter-block and residual voxel phase unwrapping using the local polynomial model. The proposed method was evaluated on simulation and in vivo abdominal QSM data, and was compared with the classical Region-growing, Laplacian_based, Graph-cut, and PRELUDE methods. Results: Simulation experiments, conducted under different signal-to-noise ratios and phase change levels, consistently demonstrate that the proposed method achieves accurate unwrapping results, with mean error ratios not exceeding 0.01%. In contrast, the error ratios of Region-growing (N/A, 84.47%), Laplacian_based (20.65%, N/A), Graph-cut (2.26%, 20.71%), and PRELUDE (4.28%, 10.33%) methods are all substantially higher than those of the proposed method. In vivo abdominal QSM experiments further confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method in unwrapping phase data and successfully reconstructing susceptibility maps, even in scenarios with significant noise, rapidly changing phase, and open-end cutline in a large field of view. Conclusion: The proposed method demonstrates robust and accurate phase unwrapping capabilities, positioning it as a promising option for abdominal QSM applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) experiences severe air pollution every winter, with ammonium chloride and ammonium nitrate as the major inorganic fractions of fine aerosols. Many past attempts to tackle air pollution in the IGP were inadequate, as they targeted a subset of the primary pollutants in an environment where the majority of the particulate matter burden is secondary in nature. Here, we provide new mechanistic insight into aerosol mitigation by integrating the ISORROPIA-II thermodynamical model with high-resolution simultaneous measurements of precursor gases and aerosols. A mathematical framework is explored to investigate the complex interaction between hydrochloric acid (HCl), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3), and aerosol liquid water content (ALWC). Aerosol acidity (pH) and ALWC emerge as governing factors that modulate the gas-to-particle phase partitioning and mass loading of fine aerosols. Six "sensitivity regimes" were defined, where PM1 and PM2.5 fall in the "HCl and HNO3 sensitive regime", emphasizing that HCl and HNO3 reductions would be the most effective pathway for aerosol mitigation in the IGP, which is ammonia-rich during winter. This study provides evidence that precursor abatement for aerosol mitigation should not be based on their descending mass concentrations but instead on their sensitivity to high aerosol loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress has been associated with different diseases, and different medicinal plants have been used to treat or prevent this condition. The leaf ethanolic extract (EE) and aqueous extract (AE) from Coccoloba alnifolia have previously been characterized to have antioxidant potential in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we worked with EE and AE and two partition phases, AF (ethyl acetate) and BF (butanol), from AE extract. These extracts and partition phases did not display cytotoxicity. The EE and AE reduced NO production and ROS in all three concentrations tested. Furthermore, it was observed that EE and AE at 500 μg/mL concentration were able to reduce phagocytic activity by 30 and 50%, respectively. A scratch assay using a fibroblast cell line (NHI/3T3) showed that extracts and fractions induced cell migration with 60% wound recovery within 24 h, especially for BF. It was also observed that AF and BF had antioxidant potential in all the assays evaluated. In addition, copper chelation was observed. This activity was previously not detected in AE. The HPLC-DAD analysis showed the presence of phenolic compounds such as p-cumaric acid and vitexin for extracts, while the GNPS annotated the presence of isoorientin, vitexin, kanakugiol, and tryptamine in the BF partition phase. The data presented here demonstrated that the EE, AE, AF, and BF of C. alnifolia have potential immunomodulatory effects, antioxidant effects, as well as in vitro wound healing characteristics, which are important for dynamic inflammation process control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate estimations of the precipitation phase at the surface are critical for hydrological and snowpack modelling in cold regions. Precipitation phase partitioning methods (PPMs) vary in their ability to estimate the precipitation phase at around 0°C and can significantly impact simulations of snowpack accumulation and melt. The goal of this study is to evaluate PPMs of varying complexity using high‐quality observations of precipitation phase and to assess the impact on snowpack simulations. We used meteorological data collected in Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada, during the 2021 Saint John River Experiment on Cold Season Storms (SAJESS). These data were combined with manual observations of snow depth. Five PPMs commonly used in hydrological models were tested against observations from a laser‐optical disdrometer and a Micro Rain Radar. Most PPMs produced similar accuracy in estimating only rainfall and snowfall. Mixed precipitation was the most difficult phase to predict. The multi‐physics model Crocus was then used to simulate snowpack evolution and to diagnose model sensitivity to snowpack accumulation processes (PPM, snowfall density, and snowpack compaction). Sixteen snowpack accumulation periods, including nine warm accumulation events (average temperatures above −2°C) were observed during the study period. When considering all accumulation events, simulated changes in snow water equivalent (SWE) were more sensitive to the type of PPM used, whereas simulated changes in snow depth were more sensitive to uncertainties in snowfall density. Choice of PPM was the main source of model sensitivity for changes in SWE and snow depth when only considering warm events. Overall, this study highlights the impact of precipitation phase estimations on snowpack accumulation at the surface during near‐0°C conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of polymeric aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) were determined using polyethylene glycol (PEG) and sodium polyacrylate (NaPA) with choline chloride ([Ch]Cl) as an adjuvant. The effect of (i) PEG and NaPA molecular weights, (ii) PEG functionalization, (iii) [Ch]Cl addition (at different concentrations), and (iv) temperature (25, 37 and 50 °C) was evaluated through their ability to promote the two-phase separation. The results showed that the polymerization degree and functionalization of PEG polymers exhibit a large influence on the ABS formation, with high molecular weight PEG inducing an increase in the biphasic region. Furthermore, the addition of small amount (1–5 wt%) of [Ch]Cl also increased the liquid–liquid demixing. Temperature and the increase in the NaPA molecular weight did not influence the ABS formation ability. Finally, the partition performance of PEG/NaPA + [Ch]Cl ABS was evaluated using caffeine as a model compound. Unlike the ABS formation trend, NaPAs molecular weight significantly influenced the partitioning, which was strengthened when using NaPA-8000. Moreover, the incorporation of [Ch]Cl facilitated an inversion in the partitioning behavior of caffeine, thereby emphasizing the remarkable partitioning tailoring potential exhibited by these systems. Overall, all systems seem to be promising alternatives for the effective extraction, purification and/or concentration of different value-added biomolecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere on Earth, and with these warming temperatures, there is likely to be more precipitation falling as rain. This precipitation phase change will have profound impacts on the hydrologic cycle, energy balance, and snow and sea ice mass budgets. Here, we examine the number of rainfall days in the Arctic from three reanalyses, ERA-Interim, ERA5, and MERRA-2, over 1980–2016. We show that the number of rainfall days has increased over this period, predominantly in the autumn and in the North Atlantic and peripheral seas, and the length of the rain season has increased in all reanalyses. This is positively correlated to the number of days with above freezing air temperatures and a lengthening of the warm season. ERA-Interim produces significantly more rainfall days than other reanalyses and CloudSat observations, as well as significantly more rainfall when temperatures are below freezing. Investigation into the cloud microphysics schemes revealed that the scheme employed by ERA-Interim allowed for mixed-phase clouds to form rain at temperatures below freezing following a temperature-dependent phase partitioning function between 250 and 273 K. This simple diagnostic treatment erroneously overestimates rain at temperatures below 273 K and produces unrealistic rainfall compared to ERA5 and MERRA-2. This work highlights the importance of having accurate physics and improving microphysical schemes in models for simulating precipitation in the Arctic and the caution that is warranted for interpreting reanalysis trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we investigated the photo-oxidation of EURO 5 gasoline vehicle emissions during cold urban, hot urban and motorway Artemis cycles. The experiments were conducted in an environmental chamber with average OH concentrations ranging between 6.6x105–2.3x106 molecules cm-3, relative humidity (RH) 40–55 % and temperatures between 22–26 °C. A proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) and the chemical analysis of aerosol on-line (CHARON) inlet coupled with a PTR-ToF-MS were used for the gas and particle phase measurements respectively. This is the first time that CHARON inlet was used for the identification of the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) produced from vehicle emissions. The secondary organic gas phase products ranged between C1 and C9 with 1 to 4 atoms of oxygen and were mainly composed of small oxygenated C1–C3 species. The formed SOA contained compounds from C1 to C14, having 1 to 6 atoms of oxygen and the products' distribution was centered at C5. Organonitrites and organonitrates contributed 6–7 % of the SOA concentration. Relatively high concentrations of ammonium nitrate (35–160 µg m-3) were formed. The nitrate fraction related to organic nitrate compounds was 0.12–0.20, while ammonium linked to organic ammonium compounds was estimated only during one experiment reaching a fraction of 0.19. The produced SOA exhibited logC* values between 2 and 5. Comparing our results to the theoretical estimations, we observed differences of 1–3 orders of magnitude indicating that additional parameters such as RH, particulate water content, aerosol hygroscopicity, and possible reactions in the particulate phase may affect the gas-to-particle partitioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider massless Majorana fermion systems with G = Z N , SO(N), and O(N) symmetry in one-dimensional spacetime. In these theories, phase ambiguities of the partition functions are given as the exponential of the η-invariant of the Dirac operators in two dimensions, which is a bordism invariant. We construct sufficient numbers of bordism invariants to detect all bordism classes. Then, we classify global anomalies by calculating the η-invariant of these bordism classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivers discharge significant quantities of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to the ocean, yet biomarker and isotope studies suggest that terrigenous DOC makes up only a small amount DOC in the ocean. One of the removal pathways proposed for riverine DOC is sorption to marine sediments. This process is chemically selective, but whether sorption alters the isotopic composition of riverine DOC is unknown. Because there is isotopic variability across different organic compound classes, sorptive removal of DOC could also alter the isotopic composition of DOC. As a first step in addressing this question, we examined phase partitioning and isotopic composition of a riverine DOC standard in the presence of marine sediment particles. In a series of controlled experiments, the standard was mixed with marine sediment in 35‰ NaCl solution, then separated into particulate and dissolved phases for analyses of mass, δ13C, and ∆14C of organic carbon (OC). Across a range of sediment OC to DOC mass ratios (from < 0.1 to ~ 3), we found that: (1) sediment sorbed 0.8 μg OC per mg of sediment; and (2) DOC compounds with higher ∆14C and lower δ13C values relative to the bulk DOC was preferentially removed from solution. In effect, mixing a riverine DOC standard with marine sediment resulted in increased ∆14C and decreased δ13C of the DOC that remained in solution. These results show that sorption of DOC to sediment can alter the isotopic content of riverine DOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atomic interactions between Si and Mn during eutectoid transformation in high-carbon pearlitic steel were investigated. Atom probe tomography and first-principles calculations were applied to evaluate and analyze the atomic interactions at the ferrite/cementite interface. In the initial stage of eutectoid transformation, enrichment of Si and Mn occurred at the ferrite and cementite sides, respectively, of the interface. This interfacial segregation phenomenon gradually diminished as the transformation proceeded. Calculations of the cohesive energy and formation energy revealed a clear enhancement in the chemical bonding and stability of the pearlite system when the Si atom was moved from the ferrite layer to the cementite layer and the Mn atom was moved in the opposite direction. The interfacial segregation of the Mn and Si atoms was mainly responsible for the insufficient diffusion and high hybridization degree of Fe, Mn, Si, and C atoms. Furthermore, the partitioning ratio of Mn in high-Si steel was greater than that in low-Si steel, leading to greater partitioning of Mn into the cementite phase. Calculations of the electronic structure revealed that the enrichment of Si in the ferrite phase promoted the partitioning of Mn into the cementite phase owing to the strong repulsive force between Mn and Si at the pearlitic interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Branched alkanes represent a significant proportion of hydrocarbons emitted in urban environments. To accurately predict the SOA budgets in urban environments, these branched alkanes should be considered as SOA precursors. However, the potential to form SOA from diverse branched alkanes under varying environmental conditions is currently not well understood. In this study, the Unified Partitioning Aerosol Phase Reaction (UNIPAR) model is extended to predict SOA formation via the multiphase reactions of various branched alkanes. Simulations with the UNIPAR model, which processes multiphase partitioning and aerosol phase reactions to form SOA, require a product distribution predicted from an explicit gas kinetic mechanism, whose oxygenated products are applied to create volatility-reactivity based lumping species array. Due to a lack of practically applicable explicit gas mechanisms, the prediction of the product distributions of various branched alkanes was approached with an innovative method that considers carbon lengths and branching structures. The lumping array of each branched alkane was primarily constructed using an existing lumping array of the linear alkane with the nearest vapor pressure. Generally, the vapor pressures of branched alkanes and their oxidation products are lower than those of linear alkanes with the same carbon length. In addition, increasing the branching of an alkane can also decrease the ability of alkanes to undergo autoxidation reactions that tend to form low-volatility products and significantly contribute to alkane SOA formation. To account for this, an autoxidation reduction factor, as a function of the degree and position of branching, was applied to the lumped groups which contain autoxidation products. The resulting product distributions were then applied to the UNIPAR model for predicting branched alkane SOA formation. The simulated SOA mass was compared to SOA data generated under varying experimental conditions (i.e., NOx levels, seed conditions, and humidity) in an outdoor photochemical smog chamber. Branched alkane SOA yields were significantly impacted by NOx levels but insignificantly impacted by seed conditions or humidity. The SOA formation from branched and linear alkanes in diesel fuel was simulated to understand the relative importance of branched and linear alkanes in a wide range of carbon numbers. Overall, branched alkanes account for more SOA mass than linear alkanes due to their higher contribution to diesel fuel. As anthropogenic emissions of hydrocarbons decrease, biogenic precursors tend to become increasingly important with regard to atmospheric organic aerosol. Unlike aromatics, which are almost exclusively sourced from anthropogenic emissions, alkanes can also be emitted from biogenic sources (i.e. plant wax) and they will remain a significant source of SOA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates high latitude stratiform mixed‐phase clouds (SMPC) in the atmosphere model of the Energy Exascale Earth System Model version 2 (EAMv2) by utilizing one‐year‐long ground‐based remote sensing measurements from the Atmospheric Radiation and Measurement (ARM) program. A nudging approach is applied to model simulations for a constrained comparison with the ARM observations. Observed and modeled SMPCs are sampled and collocated to address the difference in data resolution, so that we can consistently evaluate their macrophysical properties at the North Slope of Alaska (NSA) site in the Arctic and the McMurdo (AWR) site in the Antarctic. We found that EAMv2 overestimates SMPC frequency of occurrence at both sites. However, the model captures the observed larger cloud frequency of occurrence at the NSA site. For collocated SMPCs, the annual statistics of observed cloud macrophysics are generally reproduced at the NSA site, while at the AWR site, there are larger biases. Compared to the AWR site, the lower cloud top and cloud base and the warmer cloud top temperature observed at NSA are well simulated. On the other hand, simulated cloud phase is substantially biased. The model largely overestimates liquid water path, and the ice water path is underestimated at NSA, but at AWR, the liquid water path is frequently underestimated due to the dominance of snow in Antarctic SMPCs. As a result, the observed hemispheric difference in cloud phase partitioning is misrepresented in EAMv2. This study implies that additional model development is needed for high latitude mixed‐phase clouds. Plain Language Summary: Stratiform mixed‐phase clouds (SMPCs) contain both liquid droplets and ice crystals at temperatures between −40° and 0°C. These clouds are ubiquitous at high latitudes and can largely impact global climate change. This study evaluates how well the SMPCs are simulated in the newly released second version of the Energy Exascale Earth System Model atmosphere model (EAMv2) by comparing simulated cloud properties to ground‐based observations. Observed cloud properties are obtained at two high latitude sites in the Arctic and Antarctic, respectively. The meteorological states in model simulations are constrained toward reality to allow a consistent comparison between the model and observations. We find that EAMv2 reasonably simulates the more frequent occurrences of SMPCs, the higher cloud top and cloud base, and the warmer cloud top temperature at the Arctic site than at the Antarctic site, consistent with the observations. However, the model overly simulates the SMPC occurrences at both sites compared to observations. Biases in simulated cloud boundaries are also found, particularly in the Antarctic. Moreover, the simulated cloud phase partitioning, the fraction of liquid‐phase water to ice‐phase water, is substantially biased. This study implies the requirement of additional model development for high latitude mixed‐phase clouds. Key Points: Stratiform mixed‐phase clouds sampled from the Energy Exascale Earth System Model version 2 nudged simulation are consistently evaluated with ground‐based remote sensing dataCloud boundary properties and their hemispheric difference are better simulated than the cloud phaseCloud phase is largely biased, with an opposite hemispheric difference feature in supercooled liquid fraction compared to observations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Over 70% of FIPs were bound to DOC in aqueous phase. • Fipronil sulfone was more predominant in urban stream than its parent compound. • FIPs exhibited greater affinity to DOC in surface water than OC in sediment. • Freely dissolved concentrations of FIPs significantly improved toxicity estimation. Environmental fate and ecological impacts of fipronil and its transformation products (FIPs) in aquatic environment have caused worldwide attention, however, the influence of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on multimedia distribution, bioavailability, and toxicity of FIPs in field waterways was largely unknown. Here, we collected 11 companion water and sediment samples along a lotic stream in Guangzhou, South China. FIPs were ubiquitous with total water concentrations ranging from 1.22 to 43.2 ng/L (14.8 ± 12.9 ng/L) and fipronil sulfone was predominant in both water and sediment. More than 70% of FIPs in aqueous phase were bound to DOC and the K DOC values of FIPs were approximately 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than K d-s / K OC , emphasizing the significance of DOC in phase partitioning and transport of FIPs in aquatic environment. Water and sediment samples were more toxic to Chironomus dilutus than Hyallela azteca , and FIPs (especially fipronil sulfone) pronouncedly contributed toxicity to C. dilutus. Toxic units (TU) based on freely dissolved concentrations in water determined by solid phase microextraction significantly improved toxicity estimation of FIPs to the invertebrates compared to TUs based on aqueous concentrations. The present study highlights the significance of DOC association on fate and ecological risk of hydrophobic insecticides in lotic ecosystem. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dimethyl sulfide (DMS), a gas produced by phytoplankton, is the largest source of atmospheric sulfur over marine areas. DMS undergoes oxidation in the atmosphere to form a range of oxidation products, out of which sulfuric acid (SA) is well known for participating in the formation and growth of atmospheric aerosol particles, and the same is also presumed for methanesulfonic acid (MSA). Recently, a new oxidation product of DMS, hydroperoxymethyl thioformate (HPMTF), was discovered and later also measured in the atmosphere. Little is still known about the fate of this compound and its potential to partition into the particle phase. In this study, we present a full year (2020) of concurrent gas- and particle-phase observations of HPMTF, MSA, SA and other DMS oxidation products at the Zeppelin Observatory (Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard) located in the Arctic. This is the first time HPMTF has been measured in Svalbard and attempted to be observed in atmospheric particles. The results show that gas-phase HPMTF concentrations largely follow the same pattern as MSA during the sunlit months (April–September), indicating production of HPMTF around Svalbard. However, HPMTF was not observed in significant amounts in the particle phase, despite high gas-phase levels. Particulate MSA and SA were observed during the sunlit months, although the highest median levels of particulate SA were measured in February, coinciding with the highest gaseous SA levels with assumed anthropogenic origin. We further show that gas- and particle-phase MSA and SA are coupled in May–July, whereas HPMTF lies outside of this correlation due to the low particulate concentrations. These results provide more information about the relationship between HPMTF and other DMS oxidation products, in a part of the world where these have not been explored yet, and about HPMTF's ability to contribute to particle growth and cloud formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are widely found in the environment and can act as carriers for various toxic substances, promoting their diffusion and bioenrichment. Accordingly, it is necessary to investigate the transfer of MPs between the environment and organisms. This study investigated the adsorption potential of four types of MPs, namely polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), for bisphenol (BP) A, B, F, and S (BPA, BPB, BPF, and BPS, respectively). The results showed that all four types of MP could act as environmental carriers of BP. PA had the highest BPA adsorption capability, with a value of 109.0 ± 39.93 μg·g-1, followed by PS (89.24 ± 26.12 μg·g-1), PVC (53.08 ± 15.32 μg·g-1), and PP (41.83 ± 11.51 μg·g-1).Thepolymer type, SSA, and surface functional groups were the main factors affecting the BP adsorption capacity of MPs. The concentration, hydrophobicity, and dissociation ability of BPs also substantially affected their adsorption behavior. The adsorption efficiency of different BPs on the same MPs ranged from 37.4 ± 3.7% to 59.1 ± 2.8%. The adsorption capacity of BPs on MPs decreased with increasing temperature. Salt ions in the solution significantly enhanced BP partitioning in the solid phase owing to the salting-out effect. Additionally, the adsorption of BPs on MPs was pH dependent. Higher pH values increased electrostatic repulsion, which decreased the adsorption capacity. These results demonstrate that MPs can serve as BP carriers in the environment and their potential BP loads might be considerably greater than that of BP additives used during plastic production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of ice in clouds is an important process in mixed-phase clouds, and the radiative properties and dynamical developments of clouds strongly depend on their partitioning between liquid and ice phases. In this study, we investigate the sensitivities of the cloud phase to ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentration and thermodynamics. Experiments are conducted using the ICOsahedral Nonhydrostatic model (ICON) at the convection-permitting resolution of about 1.2 km on a domain covering significant parts of central Europe, and are compared to two different retrieval products based on SEVIRI measurements. We select a day with several isolated deep convective clouds, reaching a homogeneous freezing temperature at the cloud top. The simulated cloud liquid pixel number fractions are found to decrease with increasing INP concentration both within clouds and at the cloud top. The decrease in cloud liquid pixel number fraction is not monotonic but is stronger in high INP cases. Cloud-top glaciation temperatures shift toward warmer temperatures with increasing INP concentration by as much as 8 °C. Moreover, the impact of INP concentration on cloud phase partitioning is more pronounced at the cloud top than within the cloud. Moreover, initial and lateral boundary temperature fields are perturbed with increasing and decreasing temperature increments from 0 to +/-3 K and +/-5 K between 3 and 12 km. Perturbing the initial thermodynamic state is also found to affect the cloud phase distribution systematically. However, the simulated cloud-top liquid number fraction, diagnosed using radiative transfer simulations as input to a satellite forward operator and two different satellite remote sensing retrieval algorithms, deviates from one of the satellite products regardless of perturbations in the INP concentration or the initial thermodynamic state for warmer sub-zero temperatures, while agreeing with the other retrieval scheme much better, in particular for the high INP and high convective available potential energy (CAPE) scenarios. Perturbing the initial thermodynamic state, which artificially increases the instability of the mid- and upper-troposphere, brings the simulated cloud-top liquid number fraction closer to the satellite observations, especially in the warmer mixed-phase temperature range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]