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By constructing a new calculating rule of Lie bracket, we construct a new nonlinear Schrödinger hierarchy and its reduction equations via using the $${\bar{\partial }}$$ ∂ ¯ -method. Furthermore, some soliton solutions of such the equation are obtained by making use of Dirac function.

X-ray ptychography is a popular variant of coherent diffraction imaging that offers ultrahigh resolution for extended samples. In x-ray ptychography instruments, the Fresnel zone-plate (FZP) is the most commonly used optical probe system for both soft x-ray and hard x-ray. In FZP-based ptychography with a highly curved defocus probe wavefront, the reconstructed image quality can be significantly impacted by the initial probe function form, necessitating the construction of a suitable initial probe for successful reconstruction. To investigate the effects of initial probe forms on FZP-based ptychography reconstruction, we constructed four single-mode initial probe models (IPMs) and three multi-mode IPMs in this study, and systematically compared their corresponding simulated and experimental reconstructions. The results show that the Fresnel IPM, spherical IPM, and Fresnel-based multi-mode IPMs can result in successful reconstructions for both near-focus and defocus cases, while random IPMs and constant IPMs work only for near-focus cases. Consequently, for FZP-based ptychography, the elaborately constructed IPMs that closely resemble real probes in wavefront phase form are more advantageous than natural IPMs such as the random or constant model. Furthermore, these IPMs with high phase similarity to the high-curvature large-sized probe adopted in experiments can help greatly improve ptychography experiment efficiency and decrease radiation damage to samples.

X-ray microscope as an important nanoprobing tool plays a prevailing role in nano-inspections of materials. Despite the fast advances of high resolution focusing/imaging reported, the efficiency of existing high-resolution zone plates is mostly around 5% in soft x-ray and rapidly goes down to 1%–2% when the resolution approaches 10 nm. It is well known that the rectangular zone shape, beamstop, limited height/width ratios, material absorption of light and structural defects are likely responsible for the limited efficiency. Although zone plates with Kinoform profile are supposed to be efficient, progress for achieving both high resolution (5%) have hardly been addressed in soft x-ray. In this work, we propose a compound Kinoform/Fresnel zone plate (CKZP) by combing a dielectric Kinoform zone plate with a 15 nm resolution zone plate. Greyscale electron beam lithography was applied to form the 3D Kinoform zone plate and atomic layer deposition was carried out to form the binary zone plate. Optical characterizations demonstrated 15 nm resolution focusing/imaging with over 7.8% efficiency in soft x-ray. The origin of the efficiency improvement behind the proposed compound lens is theoretically analyzed and discussed.

The development of three-dimensional (3D) single-cell imaging and protein quantitative methods can provide more comprehensive information for diagnoses. We report the design and synthesis of a multisignal nanoprobe (AuGdNC@BSA-CV) for single-cell 3D imaging and quantifying the integrin αIIbβ3 using correlated synchrotron radiation soft X-ray tomography microscopy and an iterative tomographic algorithm termed equally sloped tomography for the first time. Moreover, on the basis of the Au or Gd content of our nanoprobe, the number of integrin αIIbβ3 on a single cell also can be accurately quantified (1.5 × 107 per cell) via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

The capability in spatially resolving the interactions between components in lithium (Li)-ion battery cathodes, especially correlating chemistry and electronic structure, is challenging but critical for a better understanding of complex degradation mechanisms for rational developments. X-ray spectro-ptychography and conventional synchrotron-based scanning transmission X-ray microscopy image stacks are the most powerful probes for studying the distribution and chemical state of cations in degraded Li-rich cathodes. Herein, we propose a chemical approach with a spatial resolution of around 5.6 nm to imaging degradation heterogeneities and interplay among components in degraded Li-rich cathodes. Through the chemical imaging reconstruction of the degraded Li-rich cathodes, fluorine (F) ions incorporated into the lattice during charging/discharging processes are proved and strongly correlate with the manganese (Mn) dissolution and oxygen loss within the secondary particles and impact the electronic structure. Otherwise, the electrode-electrolyte interphase component, scattered LiF particles (100-500 nm) along with the MnF2 layer, is also visualized between the primary particles inside the secondary particles of the degraded cathodes. The results provide direct visual evidence for the Li-rich cathode degradation mechanisms and demonstrate that the low-energy ptychography technique offers a superior approach for high-resolution battery material characterization.

X-ray microscope as an important nanoprobing tool is expected to play a powerful role in nano-inspections of materials. Despite the fast advances of high resolution focusing/imaging reported, the diffraction efficiency of existing binary zone plates as the lenses in the microscope is mostly around 5% in practice and rapidly goes down to 1-2% when the resolution approaches 10 nm, failing its applications in advanced scientific research. Zone plates with Kinoform profile are supposed to be high efficient, little progress for achieving both high resolution and high efficiency has been reported. The conflict between the resolution and the efficiency in X ray optics has become a long-lasting bottleneck in the further development of X-ray microscope. Based on our earlier success in developing high efficiency Kinoform zone plates by greyscale electron beam lithography, we proposed, in this work, a new zone plate structure by combing a dielectric Kinoform zone plate with an atomic layer deposited HfO2 zone plate to achieve high resolution focusing/imaging with high efficiency. Beam propagation method was applied in designing and optimizing Kinoform shapes of the zones, greyscale and/or binary electron beam lithography was carried out for generating both 3D Kinoform as well as rectangular zones with aspect ratio of 23/1 in dielectric resist, and finally high-quality atomic layer deposition of HfO2 was conducted to form the 15-nm wide outermost zone. Optical characterizations by an in-house developed soft X ray microscope demonstrated 15-nm resolution focusing/imaging with over 7% efficiency, which is the highest with such a resolution as far as our awareness. The origin of such an improvement behind the proposed novel lenses is interpreted by our BMP calculation results and the comparisons with existing performances by other reports in literature was discussed.

Ground-level ozone (O3) has become a critical pollutant impeding air quality improvement in Yangtze River Delta region of China. In this study, we present O3 pollution characteristics based on one-year online measurements during 2016 at an urban site in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. Then, the sensitivity of O3 to its precursors during 2 O3 pollution episodes in August was analyzed using a box model based on observation (OBM). The relative incremental reactivity (RIR) of hydrocarbons was larger than other precursors, suggesting that hydrocarbons played the dominant role in O3 formation. The RIR values for NOX ranged from –0.41%/% to 0.19%/%. The O3 sensitivity was also analyzed based on relationship of simulated O3 production rates with reductions of VOC and NOX derived from scenario analyses. Simulation results illustrate that O3 formation was between VOCs-limited and transition regime. Xylenes and light alkenes were found to be key species in O3 formation according to RIR values, and their sources were determined using the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model. Paints and solvent use was the largest contributor to xylenes (54%), while petrochemical industry was the most important source to propene (82%). Discussions on VOCs and NOX reduction schemes suggest that the 5% O3 control goal can be achieved by reducing VOCs by 20%. To obtain 10% O3 control goal, VOCs need to be reduced by 30% with VOCs/NOX larger than 3:1.

Organometal halide perovskite-based optoelectronic devices are currently a hot research area owing to their unique properties, but widespread commercialization is plagued by their poor long-term stability. So far, the degradation mechanism of organometal halide perovskites is still indistinct due to limited real time systematic study. In this work, we in situ study the crystal evolution of an organometal halide perovskite CH3NH3PbI3, which is prepared on different kinds of framework substrates. Based on the in situ grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and X-ray near absorption edge spectrum, we observe the formation of some 2D networks of [PbI6]4− octahedra intermediates during CH3NH3PbI3 degradation in a moist environment at the early step of the degradation mechanism. We also show that the structural stability of CH3NH3PbI3 deposited anodic TiO2 nanotube substrates is relatively better than that of prepared perovskite on TiO2 nanoparticles in moisture. The confinement of the 3D [PbI6]4− octahedral crystal network probability reduces the ion migration by regular pores of crystalline TiO2 nanotubes, improving the stability of the organometal halide perovskite. Furthermore, the X-ray excited luminescence intensity of CH3NH3PbI3 fabricated on TiO2 nanotubes is boosted 88% compared with that of conventional TiO2 nanoparticle substrates, which demonstrates its potential application in scintillation detectors.

CCAAT/enhancer-binding homologous protein (CHOP), a transcriptional regulator induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) is a pivotal factor in the ER stress-mediated apoptosis pathway. Previous studies have shown that CHOP is involved in the formation of fibrosis in a variety of tissues and is associated with alternative macrophage activation. The role of CHOP in the pathologic effects of liver fibrosis in schistosomiasis has not been reported, and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study is aimed at understanding the effect of CHOP on liver fibrosis induced by Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) in vivo and clarifying its mechanism. C57BL/6 mice were infected with cercariae of S. japonicum through the abdominal skin. The liver fibrosis was examined. The level of IL-13 was observed. The expressions of CHOP, Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6), phosphorylation STAT6, interleukin-13 receptor alpha 1 (IL-13Rα1), and interleukin-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) were analysed. The eosinophilic granuloma and collagen deposition were found around the eggs in mice infected for 6 and 10 weeks. IL-13 in plasma and IL-13Rα1 and IL-4Rα in liver tissue were significantly increased. The phosphorylated STAT6 was enhanced while Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) was decreased in liver tissue. The expression of CHOP and colocalization of CHOP and CD206 were increased. Overall, these results suggest that CHOP plays a critical role in hepatic fibrosis induced by S. japonicum, likely through promoting alternative activation of macrophages.

Circulating tumor cell (CTC) detection as a burgeoning detection strategy can identify the tumor lesion in the early stage, and facilitates the understanding of tumorigenesis, tumor progression, metastasis, and drug-resistance. Herein, we present a novel strategy for in situ isolating and directly detecting CTCs from peripheral blood at single-cell resolution using black TiO

In this article, we propose an in situ method to calibrate the magnetic-field coil systems in optically-pumped magnetometers. The method is based on parametric resonance induced by nonresonant radio-frequency (RF) fields, and is especially suitable for microfabricated single-beam zero-field atomic magnetometers. We have experimentally and theoretically demonstrated this method with a single-beam spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) magnetometer, and the experiment results are in line with theoretical expectations.

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) is a suitable functional material as its lightweight, huge availability and biodegradable advantages. A direct-evaporation method was employed to prepare the CNF nanopapers with or without Fe3O4 and TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) in the form of films, which is more facile and efficient in comparison with the methods of vacuum-filtration and cast drying. A combination of three-dimensional (3D) focal stacks and dual-energy imaging method was firstly used to characterize the CNF nanopapers embedded with Fe3O4 and TiO2 NPs, where the locations of the NPs can be clearly and exactly distinguished. Furthermore, the thickness, transparency, magnetism and tensile properties of the CNF nanopapers were characterized. This work shows a facile method for the preparation of CNF nanopapers with or without addition. More importantly, the combination of focal stacks and dual-energy imaging method offers a superior means of characterizing the spatial structures and 3D elemental visualization.

Haze pollution caused by PM2.5 is the largest air quality concern in China in recent years. Long-term measurements of PM2.5 and the precursors and chemical speciation are crucially important for evaluating the efficiency of emission control, understanding formation and transport of PM2.5 associated with the change of meteorology, and accessing the impact of human activities on regional climate change. Here we reported long-term continuous measurements of PM2.5, chemical components, and their precursors at a regional background station, the Station for Observing Regional Processes of the Earth System (SORPES), in Nanjing, eastern China, since 2011. We found that PM2.5 at the station has experienced a substantial decrease (−9.1 % yr−1), accompanied by even a very significant reduction of SO2 (−16.7 % yr−1), since the national “Ten Measures of Air” took action in 2013. Control of open biomass burning and fossil-fuel combustion are the two dominant factors that influence the PM2.5 reduction in early summer and winter, respectively. In the cold season (November–January), the nitrate fraction was significantly increased, especially when air masses were transported from the north. More NH3 available from a substantial reduction of SO2 and increased oxidization capacity are the main factors for the enhanced nitrate formation. The changes of year-to-year meteorology have contributed to 24 % of the PM2.5 decrease since 2013. This study highlights several important implications on air pollution control policy in China.

A statistical forecasting method of air quality based on meteorological elements with high spatiotemporal resolution simulated by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and a back-propagation (BP) neural network was established to predict 72 h PM2.5 mass concentrations over the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region of eastern China. Short-term statistical forecasting of air quality in 25 major cities in the YRD region was conducted and the PM2.5 forecast was validated using the corresponding surface PM2.5 observational data in this study. Results indicate that the short-term air quality forecasting system has a ability to accurately forecast PM2.5 concentration in the major cities in the YRD region. The average index of agreement (IA) between PM2.5 forecasts and observations in the four seasons ranges from 74% to 77%, and the root mean square error (RMSE) fall between 15.2 µg m–3 and 33.0 µg m–3. The data with PM2.5 concentration greater than 115 µg m–3 are selected to establish the EXP-Polluted model and then used to predict PM2.5 concentration during heavy haze periods in 2017. The RMSEs of PM2.5 forecasts during severe haze periods are improved by 44.1%, which compared to predictions using the EXP-All Time model constructed by the full-year data.

Nanocomputed tomography (nanoCT) is an effective tool for the nondestructive observation of 3D structures of nanomaterials; however, it requires additional correction phantom to reduce artifacts induced by the focal drift of the X-ray source and mechanical thermal expansion. Drift correction without a correction phantom typically uses rapidly acquired sparse projections to align the original projections. The noise and brightness difference in the projections limit the accuracy of existing feature-based methods such as locality preserving matching (LPM) and random sample consensus (RANSAC). Herein, a rough-to-refined correction framework based on global mixed evaluation (GME) is proposed for precise drift estimation. First, a new evaluation criterion for projection alignment, named GME, which comprises the structural similarity (SSIM) index and average phase difference (APD), is designed. Subsequently, an accurate projection alignment is achieved to estimate the drift by optimizing the GME within the proposed correction framework based on the rough-to-refined outlier elimination strategy. The simulated 2D projection alignment experiments show that the accuracy of the GME is improved by 14× and 12× than that of the mainstream feature-based methods LPM and RANSAC, respectively. The proposed method is validated through actual 3D imaging experiments.

One generalized Burgers hierarchy is derived by applying the Cole-Hopf transforation, whose dark-equation hierarchy is also generated by the dark-equation method, from which a generalized Burgers equation and a generalized Kupershmidt equation, respectively, are followed to obtain. Through Lie-group analysis method we produce similarity reductions, exact solutions of the generalized Burgers and the Kupershmidt equations. Specially, we investigate the similarity reductions of the fractional Kupershmidt equation and its exact solutions. In addition, we obtain the conservation laws of the Kupershmidt equation and its adjoint equation. Finally, we give rise to symmetries, primary branch solutions as well various recursion operators of degenerated equations from the Kupershmidt equation.

Inspired by the idea of combining conventional optical tweezers with plasmonic nanostructures, a technique named plasmonic optical tweezers (POT) has been widely explored from fundamental principles to applications. With the ability to break the diffraction barrier and enhance the localized electromagnetic field, POT techniques are especially effective for high spatial-resolution manipulation of nanoscale or even subnanoscale objects, from small bioparticles to atoms. In addition, POT can be easily integrated with other techniques such as lab-on-chip devices, which results in a very promising alternative technique for high-throughput single-bioparticle sensing or imaging. Despite its label-free, high-precision, and high-spatial-resolution nature, it also suffers from some limitations. One of the main obstacles is that the plasmonic nanostructures are located over the surfaces of a substrate, which makes the manipulation of bioparticles turn from a three-dimensional problem to a nearly two-dimensional problem. Meanwhile, the operation zone is limited to a predefined area. Therefore, the target objects must be delivered to the operation zone near the plasmonic structures. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art target delivery methods for the POT-based particle manipulating technique, along with its applications in single-bioparticle analysis/imaging, high-throughput bioparticle purifying, and single-atom manipulation. Future developmental perspectives of POT techniques are also discussed.

Separation and detection are ubiquitous in our daily life and they are two of the most important steps toward practical biomedical diagnostics and industrial applications. A deep understanding of working principles and examples of separation and detection enables a plethora of applications from blood test and air/water quality monitoring to food safety and biosecurity; none of which are irrelevant to public health. Microfluidics can separate and detect various particles/aerosols as well as cells/viruses in a cost-effective and easy-to-operate manner. There are a number of papers reviewing microfluidic separation and detection, but to the best of our knowledge, the two topics are normally reviewed separately. In fact, these two themes are closely related with each other from the perspectives of public health: understanding separation or sorting technique will lead to the development of new detection methods, thereby providing new paths to guide the separation routes. Therefore, the purpose of this review paper is two-fold: reporting the latest developments in the application of microfluidics for separation and outlining the emerging research in microfluidic detection. The dominating microfluidics-based passive separation methods and detection methods are discussed, along with the future perspectives and challenges being discussed. Our work inspires novel development of separation and detection methods for the benefits of public health.

Detecting the existence of SARS-CoV-2 in the indoor atmosphere is a practical solution to track the prevalence and prevent the spread of the virus. In this work, a thermophoretic approach is presented to collect the novel coronavirus-laden aerosols from the air and accumulate to high concentrations adequate for the sensitivity of viral RNA detection. Among the factors, the density and particle size have negligible effects on particle trajectory, while the vertical coordinates of particles increase with the rise in heating source temperature. When the heating temperature is higher than 355 K, all of the particles exit the channel from one outlet; thus, the collecting and accumulating of virus-laden aerosols can be realized. This study provides a potential approach to accelerate the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and avoid a false negative in the following RNA test. © 2021 Author(s).

The three-dimensional (3D) dual-energy focal stacks (FS) imaging method has been developed to quickly obtain the spatial distribution of an element of interest in a sample; it is a combination of the 3D FS imaging method and two-dimensional (2D) dual-energy contrast imaging based on scanning transmission soft X-ray microscopy (STXM). A simulation was firstly performed to verify the feasibility of the 3D elemental reconstruction method. Then, a sample of composite nanofibers, polystyrene doped with ferric acetylacetonate [Fe(acac)3], was further investigated to quickly reveal the spatial distribution of Fe(acac)3 in the sample. Furthermore, the data acquisition time was less than that for STXM nanotomography under similar resolution conditions and did not require any complicated sample preparation. The novel approach of 3D dual-energy FS imaging, which allows fast 3D elemental mapping, is expected to provide invaluable information for biomedicine and materials science.

Efficient and effective separation of circulating tumor cells from biological samples to promote early diagnosis of cancer is important but challenging, especially for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this article, a Y-Y shaped microfluidic device was designed to isolate NSCLC cells with a dielectrophoresis approach. Numerical simulations were conducted that the trajectories of cells were traced by solving the electric potential distribution and the flow field in a microchannel. The effects of inlet flow rate ratio of blood sample and buffer on separation performance were studied and optimized by the numerical investigation. Under optimal operating conditions, the separation efficiency can reach around 99%, which is achieved with 100 kHz AC, electrodes potential ranging from 1.6 V to 2.2 V, and flow rate ratio from 1.9 to 2.5. This study presents a potentially efficient, facile and low-cost route for circulating tumor cell separation.

High-sensitivity total-field atomic magnetometer enables brain-activity measurements in unshielded Earth’s field., Understanding the relationship between brain activity and specific mental function is important for medical diagnosis of brain symptoms, such as epilepsy. Magnetoencephalography (MEG), which uses an array of high-sensitivity magnetometers to record magnetic field signals generated from neural currents occurring naturally in the brain, is a noninvasive method for locating the brain activities. The MEG is normally performed in a magnetically shielded room. Here, we introduce an unshielded MEG system based on optically pumped atomic magnetometers. We build an atomic magnetic gradiometer, together with feedback methods, to reduce the environment magnetic field noise. We successfully observe the alpha rhythm signals related to closed eyes and clear auditory evoked field signals in unshielded Earth’s field. Combined with improvements in the miniaturization of the atomic magnetometer, our method is promising to realize a practical wearable and movable unshielded MEG system and bring new insights into medical diagnosis of brain symptoms.