Search

Warm-sector heavy rainfall along the south China coast poses significant forecasting challenges due to its localized nature and prolonged duration. To improve the prediction of such high-impact weather events, high-resolution numerical weather prediction (NWP) models are increasingly used to more accurately represent topographic effects. However, as these models' grid spacing approaches the scale of convective processes, they enter a "gray zone", where the models struggle to fully resolve the turbulent eddies within the atmospheric boundary layer, necessitating partial parameterization. The appropriateness of applying convection parameterization (CP) schemes within this gray zone remains controversial. To address this, scale-aware CP schemes have been developed to improve the representation of convective transport. Among these, the multi-scale Kain–Fritsch (MSKF) scheme enhances the traditional Kain–Fritsch (KF) scheme, incorporating modifications that facilitate its effective application at spatial resolutions as high as 2 km. In recent years, there has been an increase in the application of machine learning (ML) models across various domains of atmospheric sciences, including efforts to replace conventional physical parameterizations with ML models. This work introduces a multi-output bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi-LSTM) model intended to replace the scale-aware MSKF CP scheme. This multi-output Bi-LSTM model is capable of simultaneously predicting the convection trigger while also modeling the associated convective tendencies and precipitation rates with a high performance. Data for training and testing the model are generated using the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model over south China at a horizontal resolution of 5 km. Furthermore, this work evaluates the performance of the WRF model coupled with the ML-based CP scheme against simulations with the traditional MSKF scheme. The results demonstrate that the Bi-LSTM model can achieve high accuracy, indicating the promising potential of ML models to substitute the MSKF scheme in the gray zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing demand for logistics in modern society, how to achieve low-cost and efficient logistics delivery has become an urgent research topic. A hybrid evolutionary JAYA algorithm (H-JAYA) based on global optimization was designed to address the complex path planning problem of electric vehicles. This algorithm introduces a reverse learning mechanism to calculate the current optimal and worst individuals, while using differential perturbation mechanism and sine cosine operator to update the individual's position. In addition, the study used the H-JAYA algorithm to construct a corresponding mathematical model for the optimization problem of electric vehicle paths. The results showed that in the three examples, the H-JAYA algorithm tested the optimal curve convergence speed, and it tended to stabilize after about 30 iterations. Meanwhile, in the RCDP5001 example, the total cost of the H-JAYA algorithm reached the lowest value of 623 yuan. The H-JAYA algorithm has significant advantages in solving the distribution path problem of electric vehicles, and can be well applied to practical logistics distribution, providing effective technical support for modern e-commerce logistics planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐resolution and accurate prediction of near‐surface weather parameters based on numerical weather prediction (NWP) models is essential for many downstream and real‐world applications. Traditional dynamical or statistical downscaling methods are insufficient to derive high‐resolution data from operational NWP forecasts, making it essential to devise new approaches. In recent years, an increasing number of researchers have explored the implementations of deep learning (DL) based models for spatial downscaling, motivated by the similarity between the super‐resolution (SR) problem in computer vision (CV) and downscaling. Furthermore, while transformer‐based models have become state‐of‐the‐art models for many SR tasks, they are rarely applied for downscaling of weather forecasts or climate projections. This study adapted transformer‐based models such as SwinIR and Uformer to downscale the temperature at 2 m (T2m$$ {T}_{2\mathrm{m}} $$) and wind speed at 10 m (WS10m$$ W{S}_{10\mathrm{m}} $$) over Eastern Inner Mongolia, encompassing the area from 39.6–46°N latitude and 111.6–118°E longitude. We used high‐resolution forecast (HRES) data from the European Centre for Medium‐range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) with a spatial resolution of 0.1° as the input and gridded observation data from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) Land Data Assimilation System (CLDAS) at a spatial resolution of 0.01° as the target. Given that the models use observation data rather than a coarse‐grained version of forecast data as the target, they accomplish both bias correction and spatial downscaling. The results demonstrate that the performance of SwinIR and Uformer is superior to that of two convolutional neural network (CNN) based models (UNet and RCAN). Additionally, we introduced a novel module to extract features of varying resolution from the high‐resolution topography data and applied a multiscale feature fusion module to merge features of different scales, contributing to further enhancement of Uformer's performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atmospheric radiative transfer calculations are among the most time‐consuming components of the numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. Deep learning (DL) models have recently been increasingly applied to accelerate radiative transfer modeling. Besides, a physical relationship exists between the output variables, including fluxes and heating rate profiles. Integration of such physical laws in DL models is crucial for the consistency and credibility of the DL‐based parameterizations. Therefore, we propose a physics‐incorporated framework for the radiative transfer DL model, in which the physical relationship between fluxes and heating rates is encoded as a layer of the network so that the energy conservation can be satisfied. It is also found that the prediction accuracy was improved with the physic‐incorporated layer. In addition, we trained and compared various types of DL model architectures, including fully connected (FC) neural networks (NNs), convolutional‐based NNs (CNNs), bidirectional recurrent‐based NNs (RNNs), transformer‐based NNs, and neural operator networks, respectively. The offline evaluation demonstrates that bidirectional RNNs, transformer‐based NNs, and neural operator networks significantly outperform the FC NNs and CNNs due to their capability of global perception. A global perspective of an entire atmospheric column is essential and suitable for radiative transfer modeling as the changes in atmospheric components of one layer/level have both local and global impacts on radiation along the entire vertical column. Furthermore, the bidirectional RNNs achieve the best performance as they can extract information from both upward and downward directions, similar to the radiative transfer processes in the atmosphere. Plain Language Summary: Numerical weather prediction models require a lot of computational resources and time to run. Calculating the atmospheric radiative transfer processes is one of the most computationally expensive parts of the NWP model. One alternative is to model the radiative transfer using deep learning (DL) models, but the DL models do not involve physical laws and may have physically inconsistent outputs. This paper proposes a DL model framework to ensure the thermal equilibrium between fluxes and heating rates, which are outputs of radiative transfer models. Also, the accuracy of DL‐based radiative transfer prediction is improved when using the framework. Various DL models have been trained and compared. The results demonstrate that model structures with global receptive fields work best for emulating radiative transfer calculations. Key Points: A physics‐incorporated deep learning (DL) framework for parameterization of atmospheric radiative transfer is proposedThe DL model structures with global receptive fields are more suitable for the radiative transfer problem [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, physical parameterization schemes are the most computationally expensive components, despite being greatly simplified. In the past few years, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that machine learning (ML) parameterizations of subgrid physics have the potential to accelerate and even outperform conventional physics-based schemes. However, as the ML models are commonly implemented using the ML libraries written in Python, very few ML-based parameterizations have been successfully integrated with NWP models due to the difficulty of embedding Python functions into Fortran-based NWP models. To address this issue, we developed a coupler to allow the ML-based parameterizations to be coupled with a widely used NWP model, i.e., the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Similar to the WRF I/O methodologies, the coupler provides the options to run the ML model inference with exclusive processors or the same processors for WRF calculations. In addition, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the coupler, the ML-based radiation emulators are trained and coupled with the WRF model successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Through the detection of α7nAChR, we have identified the involvement of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) in NEC for the first time. • This study successfully demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effect of α7nAChR activation in NEC through detailed exploration and validation of clinical samples, cells, and animal experiments. • Our study will lay a theoretical foundation for the neuroimmune direction of NEC. Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most prevalent and severe intestinal emergencies in newborns. The inflammatory activation of macrophages is associated with the intestinal injury of NEC. The neuroimmune regulation mediated by α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) plays an important role in regulating macrophage activation and inflammation progression, but in NEC remains unclear. This study aims to explore the effect of macrophage α7nAChR on NEC. Mice NEC model were conducted with high-osmolarity formula feeding, hypoxia, and cold stimulation. The α7nAChR agonist PNU-282987 and mTOR inhibitor rapamycin were treated by intraperitoneal injections in mice. The expression and distribution of macrophages, α7nAChR, and phospho-mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) in the intestines of NEC patients and mice was assessed using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry. The expression of NLRP3, activated caspase-1 and IL-1β in mice intestines was detected by flow cytometry, western blot or ELISA. In vitro , the mouse RAW264.7 macrophage cell line was also cultured followed by various treatments. Expression of p-mTOR, NLRP3, activated caspase-1, and IL-1β in macrophages was determined. Macrophages accumulated in the intestines and the expression of α7nAChR in the mucosal and submucosal layers of the intestines was increased in both the NEC patients and mice. The p-mTOR and CD68 were increased and co-localized in intestines of NEC patients. In vitro , α7nAChR agonist PNU-282987 significantly reduced the increase of NLRP3, activated caspase-1, and IL-1β in macrophages. PNU-282987 also significantly reduced the increase of p-mTOR. The effect was blocked by AMPK inhibitor compound C. The expression of NLRP3, activated caspase-1, and IL-1β was inhibited after mTOR inhibitor rapamycin treatment. In NEC model mice, PNU-282987 reduced the expression of p-mTOR, NLRP3, activated caspase-1, and IL-1β in the intestine. Meanwhile, rapamycin significantly attenuated NLRP3 activation and the release of IL-1β. Moreover, the proportion of intestinal macrophages and intestinal injury decreased after PNU-282987 treatment. Macrophage α7nAChR activation mitigates NLRP3 inflammasome activation by modulating mTOR phosphorylation, and subsequently alleviates intestinal inflammation and injury in NEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a rapid increase in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) in China, studies focusing on caregiver burden remain scarce. Challenges faced by caregivers in other Asian societies are also underexplored in the PD‐related research field. To addresses this gap, this study drew on the theory of resilience and examined the caregiving experiences of Chinese family caregivers for older people with PD. We conducted participant observation and semi‐structured interviews with 15 family caregivers of older people with PD in Shanghai in 2018. We used thematic analysis to identify key patterns of stressors and factors affecting the capacity of caregivers to address burdens. Our analysis shows that stressors faced by Chinese PD caregivers included physical limitations, psychological and emotional problems, reduction in social connections, financial burden and lack of information and knowledge. Three levels of factors—personal, social and structural—played different roles in resilience among Chinese PD caregivers. However, resilience was unevenly developed among PD caregivers across gender, kinship, residential status and generation. Our study provides novel empirical evidence about the burden on Chinese PD caregivers. It can inform policymakers and social workers as they develop a holistic understanding of promoting resilience building in this rapidly growing group. Our study also enriches cross‐cultural knowledge about factors contributing to caregivers' resilience building in Asian societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing literature has examined the contextual effects on individual environmental activism, but little research has been conducted to investigate how local-level governance factors affect individual environmental activism, particularly in developing countries. This paper investigates the moderating effects of local government transparency and responsiveness on the motivation-activism relationship in China. We compiled a provincial-level database capturing local government transparency and responsiveness and combined this with data from the China General Social Survey 2013. Multilevel modeling analysis revealed that motivation factors at the individual level have stronger effects on individual engagement in environmental activism when government transparency and responsiveness are more encouraging at the provincial level. The results not only point to local governance as a contextual factor for understanding individual environmental activism in China but also highlight the need to consider the interactions of individuals in the political context to understand how individual factors translate into environmental activism in many developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoconversion of CO 2 into value-added fuels has aroused widespread interest; however, this process is significantly limited by the inefficient thermodynamics and sluggish reaction dynamics in the diluted CO 2. To circumvent these obstacles, we design a bipyridine-based polyimide polymer for anchoring single Ni site for diluted CO 2 photoreduction. The desired Ni single atomic catalysts achieve high generation activity of ∼ 2262 μmol/h with apparent quantum efficiency (A.Q.E.) of 0.20% for CO 2 -to-CO in 0.1 atm CO 2 pressure. No measurable H 2 is produced in the catalytic process, affording nearly 100% CO selectivity over water splitting. This superior activity and selectivity outperform most previous atomical catalysts. Mechanistic analyses elucidate that the highly dispersed Ni atoms act as active sites for effective CO 2 binding and activation, and stabilize the rate-determining step of intermediates for CO generation. This work discloses the relationship between catalytic properties and single atoms for efficient solar-driven diluted CO 2 reduction. [Display omitted] • A novel Bpy-based polyimide polymer was fabricated for anchoring single Ni site. • Single-atom strategy leads to simultaneous increase of activity and selectivity. • Optimized Ni SACs for diluted CO 2 photoreduction to CO with nearly 100% selectivity. • CO 2 binding and activation with regulated intermediate are key for CO 2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The poor surface charge separation and transfer properties as well as sluggish water oxidation kinetics jointly limit the performance of BiVO 4 photoanode for water oxidation. In this work, p-type CuCoO 2 with high-spin Co3+ (Oh) was investigated as co-catalyst to synergistically improve the surface charge separation and transfer efficiencies as well as reaction kinetics of BiVO 4 film for photoelectrochemical water oxidation. In comparison with the photocurrent on BiVO 4 photoanode for water oxidation (1.21 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE), the CuCoO 2 -coupled BiVO 4 (CuCoO 2 /BiVO 4) photoanode exhibits a higher photocurrent density of 3.32 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE under AM 1.5G illumination. In addition, a significant improvement on the reaction stability is achieved on the CuCoO 2 /BiVO 4 photoanode, about ∼79% water oxidation activity is retained on the CuCoO 2 /BiVO 4 photoanode after operating at 0.8 V vs. RHE for 5 h, while only ∼9% activity is retained on the BiVO 4 photoanode. The boosted water oxidation activity and stability on CuCoO 2 /BiVO 4 photoanode could be attributed the synergistic effect that originated from CuCoO 2 -electrocatalysis and BiVO 4 -photocatalysis in thermodynamics and kinetics. Specifically, p-n heterojunctions are formed in the coupling interface between CuCoO 2 (p-type) and BiVO 4 (n-type), which thermodynamically improve the surface charge separation and transfer efficiencies of BiVO 4 photoanode during water oxidation. Simultaneously, the high-spin Co3+ (Oh) of CuCoO 2 could act as active sites to accelerate the water oxidation of CuCoO 2 /BiVO 4 photoanode in kinetics. In addition, Cu2+ active sites are formed for water oxidation through the oxidation reaction of photogenerated holes with the Cu+ of CuCoO 2. Graphical abstract The CuCoO 2 -coupled BiVO 4 film is of enhanced photoelectrochemical water oxidation activity and stability, which is originated from the synergistic effect between CuCoO 2 -electrocatalysis and BiVO 4 -photocatalysis in thermodynamics and kinetics. Image 1 Highlights • CuCoO 2 /BiVO 4 film is of higher PEC water oxidation performance than BiVO 4 film. • CuCoO 2 -coupling improves the charge separation and transfer of BiVO 4 thermodynamically. • CuCoO 2 -coupling accelerates the water oxidation in kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy storage is considered a crucial unit in utilizing renewable energy sources, and compressed air energy storage (CAES) provides a cost-effective solution. It offers the benefits of zero pollution, a long lifespan, low maintenance costs, and minimal environmental impact. In order to increase the possibilities of compressed air energy storage for vehicle power, the performance of the expander needs to be studied. First, a CAES unit test bench is established. Then, the volumetric flow rate, rotational speed, torque, and output power are examined. Additionally, the isentropic exhaust temperature, pressure, and gas consumption rate of the scroll expander are analyzed. Finally, analyzing the economic feasibility of the CAES unit entails running the unit under varied driving conditions. Results reveal that the pressure of the input expander is high, which will lead to greater torque, greater peak power, and a greater temperature drop, but the gas in the air tank will also run out quickly. The peak power of the scroll expander does not occur at the maximum volume flow rate, rotation speed, and torque. The basic investment of the CAES unit mainly depends on the peak output power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing distributed rooftop solar photovoltaic generation in the southern California coast necessitates accurate solar forecasts. In summertime mornings marine boundary layer stratocumulus commonly covers the southern California coast. The inland extent of cloud cover varies primarily depending on the temperature inversion base height (IBH, i.e. boundary layer height) and topography as confirmed using radiosonde sounding measurement and satellite irradiance data. Most operational numerical weather prediction models consistently overestimate irradiance and underpredict cloud cover extent and cloud thickness, presumably due to an underprediction of IBH. A thermodynamic method was developed to modify the boundary layer temperature and moisture profiles to better represent the boundary layer structure in the Weather and Research Forecasting model (WRF). Validation against satellite global horizontal irradiance (GHI) demonstrated that the best IBH ensemble improves GHI accuracy by 23% mean absolute error compared to the baseline WRF model and is similar to 24-h persistence forecasts for coastal marine layer region. The spatial error maps showed deeper inland cloud cover. Validation against ground observations showed that IBH ensembles were able to outperform persistence forecast at coastal stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exergy analysis are carried out on a novel 100 kW wind-to-heat system to investigate the thermodynamic performances by employing the experimental data. Nine different combinations of the wind speed and water flow rate are selected as the typical operating conditions. Through the conventional exergy analysis, the wind turbine accounts for the most of the system's total exergy destruction at high wind speeds. In terms of the heat pump subsystem, the compressor is the most critical component, followed by the condenser. For further obtaining the optimal design directions of the key components, the advanced exergy analysis is applied to this system. By establishing the mathematical model, the exergy analysis of the ideal conditions, experimental conditions and unavoidable conditions are compared. Averagely 87.32% exergy destruction of the compressor is endogenous and avoidable, which can be decreased by optimizing the internal structure parameters. The average proportions of the avoidable exergy and endogenous exergy destruction of the condenser are 57.48% and 68.41%, respectively. Both the internal parameters of the condenser and interactions with other components must be taken into consideration. The optimizing potential of the wind-to-heat system through exergy analysis methods can be used for further research and improvement of the system. • Exergy analysis is utilized in a novel wind-to-heat system. • A mathematical model is established for the advanced exergy analysis. • The wind turbine is of the most exergy destruction in the system at high wind speed. • The most critical part in the heat pump subsystem is the compressor. • The compressor and the condenser appear great improvement potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The New Goddard shortwave (SW) radiation scheme of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) numerical weather prediction model leads to positive biases in the clear-sky downwelling SW radiation (also referred to as global horizontal irradiance, GHI). Clear-sky GHI is attenuated primarily by four atmospheric constituents: (i) ozone (ii) background gases (e.g., trace gases), (iii) precipitable water and, (iv) aerosols. The effect of each constituent in the New Goddard SW scheme is isolated here by subtracting from the GHI predicted for an atmosphere that lacks one constituent, the GHI predicted for an atmosphere with all the constituents. Compared with the WRF’s Rapid Radiative Transfer Model for Global Circulation Models (RRTMG), the main contributions to the clear-sky irradiance bias in the New Goddard SW scheme come from modeling issues with the absorptions by water vapor and ozone. Enhancing the absorption due to water vapor continuum and using the RRTMG’s ozone profiles in the New Goddard SW scheme improved the agreement with the WRF’s RRTMG predictions for both GHI and direct normal irradiance. These results are further confirmed with the REST2 radiative transfer model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to simulate historical Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) and Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) solar resources, a method using MODIS level 3 (L3) daily satellite data as input to the REST2 clear sky model is presented to derive clear sky solar irradiance for California. MODIS L3 precipitable water (PW) and especially aerosol optical depth (AOD) were found to be significantly biased and were therefore calibrated based on AOD and PW from Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) ground monitoring sites. For reference, MODIS input data was replaced by the following input data sources: 3 hourly PW and AOD from Monitoring Atmosphere Composition and Climate (MACC) and monthly climatological Linke Turbidity from Solar radiation Data (SoDa). Similarly, other clear sky models, specifically Ineichen and McClear, were also run for reference. Validation was conducted using irradiance anomalies defined as the difference between irradiance and its 15 day moving average against ground measurement from California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Integrated Surface Irradiance Study (ISIS) stations. It was found that the calibration of MODIS data markedly improves the accuracy of modeled GHI and DNI anomalies and REST2 clear sky model with calibrated MODIS data achieved the highest accuracy among all model and input data combinations. The improvement in accuracy of PW and AOD input data through calibration is relatively more important than the choice of clear sky model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a leading cause of intestine inflammatory disease, and macrophage is significantly activated during NEC development. Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of proteins, particularly ubiquitination, play critical roles in immune response. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ubiquitin-modified proteins on macrophage activation and NEC, and discover novel NEC-related inflammatory proteins. Proteomic and ubiquitin proteomic analyses of intestinal macrophages in NEC/healthy mouse pups were carried out. In vitro macrophage inflammation model and in vivo NEC mouse model, as well as clinical human samples were used for further verification the inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB kinase α (IKKα) ubiquitination on NEC development through Western blot, immunofluorescence, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and flow cytometry. We report here that IKKα was a new ubiquitin-modified protein during NEC through ubiquitin proteomics, and RING finger protein 31 (RNF31) acted as an E3 ligase to be involved in IKKα degradation. Inhibition of IKKα ubiquitination and degradation with siRNF31 or proteasome inhibitor decreased nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation, thereby decreasing the expression of pro-inflammatory factors and M1 macrophage polarization, resulting in reliving the severity of NEC. Our study suggests the activation of RNF31-IKKα-NF-κB axis triggering NEC development and suppressing RNF31-mediated IKKα degradation may be therapeutic strategies to be developed for NEC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel frameworks with metalloporphyrin (ZFs-TCPP-Ni) have been constructed. • ZFs-TCPP-Ni framework serves as biomimetic photocatalyst to CO 2 photoreduction. • The biomimetic system exhibits a remarkable photocatalytic CO 2 -to-CO conversion. The development of biomimetic catalysis for efficient photoreduction of CO 2 is an effective alternative to address energy problems. However, amelioration on the construction of biomimetic catalysts for elevated photocatalytic performance is still challenging and demanded. Herein, a bioinspired artificial photosynthesis system is constructed based on ZrO 2 nanoframes (ZFs) and metalloporphyrin to mimic the morphology of trees. The robust backbone of the framework and the bio-inspiring porphyrins anchored on the surface of ZFs function as the strong trunk and well-ordered leaves of a tree, respectively. The biomimetic system achieves an evolution yield of 35.3 μmol during 3 h reaction with 93.1% CO selectivity and 1.84% CO apparent quantum efficiency (A.Q.E.), which is about 60.8 times larger than that of pure porphyrin (Ni) (0.58 μmol). Detailed analysis reveals that the catalytic system could not only achieve fast separation of the photogenerated carriers and effective CO 2 activation but also possess suitable energy levels, which could efficiently transfer electrons to the Ni catalytic sites to improve the photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the good recycling tests could be explained by the robust supporting of frameworks as well as the strong binding of the Zr atoms and carboxyl groups of porphyrins. This work presents a simple model of biomimetic catalysts and outlines possible strategies for other biomimetic manufactures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Spinel MnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles were studied as catalysts to activate HCO 3 -/H 2 O 2 for dyes degradation. • Higher catalytic activity was observed on spinel MnFe 2 O 4 than Mn 3 O 4 , MnO 2 and Fe 2 O 3. • MnFe 2 O 4 /HCO 3 -/H 2 O 2 shows good practicability for dyes degradation in a 15 L of continuous reactor. • The photothermal effect of MnFe 2 O 4 can boost the activity of MnFe 2 O 4 /HCO 3 -/H 2 O 2 for dyes degradation at low-temperature. • MB degradation in MnFe 2 O 4 /HCO 3 -/H 2 O 2 was driven by 1O 2 and OH, RhB and MO degradation was driven by O 2 -, OH and CO 3 -. Based on the features of Mn/Fe bimetallic sites and photothermal property, spinel MnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles were investigated to activate HCO 3 −/H 2 O 2 for the degradation of methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB). Compared to Mn 3 O 4 , MnO 2 and Fe 2 O 3 - activated HCO 3 −/H 2 O 2 systems, higher degradation rate of dyes was achieved in the spinel MnFe 2 O 4 /HCO 3 −/H 2 O 2 system at 23 ± 2 °C, due to the Mn/Fe bimetallic active sites of spinel MnFe 2 O 4. Meanwhile, the spinel MnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles had high stability in HCO 3 −/H 2 O 2 activating for dyes degradation in 15 rounds of reaction. The co-existing ions and hardness in municipal tap water had weak influence on the HCO 3 −/H 2 O 2 activating activity of spinel MnFe 2 O 4 for dyes degradation at 23 ± 2 °C. More interestingly, although the dyes degradation activity of MnFe 2 O 4 /HCO 3 −/H 2 O 2 system at low-temperature (3 ± 2 °C or 13 ± 2 °C) was weakened, the system activity at low-temperature can be obviously boosted through AM 1.5 G irradiation to activate the photothermal effect of spinel MnFe 2 O 4. Additionally, the MnFe 2 O 4 /HCO 3 −/H 2 O 2 system exhibited good practicability for dyes degradation in a 15 L of continuous reactor. In mechanism, the degradation of MB in spinel MnFe 2 O 4 /HCO 3 −/H 2 O 2 system was found to be co-driven by 1O 2 and OH, and the degradation of RhB and MO was co-initiated by O 2 −, OH and CO 3 −. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel wind turbine direct driving heat pump (WTDHP) system is proposed, in which the heat pump is employed to replace the wind turbine's generator. The impacts of the blades with different tip speed ratios on WTDHP system are analyzed in this study. The inverse design method, verified by importing the design shape into FAST for simulation and comparing the simulated tip speed ratio and axial induction factor, was employed to create blades with different tip speed ratios. The heating performances of different blade shape designs at various turbulence and wind speeds are understood. The conclusion is drawn that the blades with a low tip speed ratio (λ =6–8) are clearly superior for heating in the turbulence categories IEC A at wind speeds between 6 and 14 m/s. However, the dynamic responses of the system are weakened by low turbulence and wind speeds. Taking into account the cost and manufacturing process, the blades with a high tip speed ratio can be chosen. Furthermore, the multi-objective optimization of blades was carried out using the enhanced Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm, considering heating capacity, flapping load and blade mass. Based on the Wilson method, initial blade of PSO optimization algorithm is generated. Obtaining the heating capacity, flapping load and blade mass in real time from the simulation, the objective functions is calculated to update the status of particle swarm. After optimization using the improved multi-objective algorithm under turbulent wind with an average wind speed of 7 m/s, the blade mass is reduced by 2.96%, the flapping moment is reduced by 3.17%, and the heating capacity is increased by 1.22%. The results show that the optimization effect is more obvious at higher wind speeds. [Display omitted] • The novel concept of wind-to-heat system is studied. • The impacts of the blades on the system are analyzed. • The relevant structure dimensions of the blades are optimized. • The multi-objective optimization of blades was carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solar heat pump based on the photovoltaic photothermal (PV/T) module is a new technology that can improve the photovoltaic efficiency and recovery of waste heat in photovoltaic conversion. The comprehensive efficiency of a system can thus be greatly improved. At present, there is little research on the simulation of a solar heat pump based on the Simulink 2018 software. In this paper, PV/T modules are modeled and simulated using the Simulink software based on the typical meteorological parameters in Beijing city during summer and winter conditions. Considering the system characteristics of a simultaneous operation, the models of all components such as the compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion valve, and heat storage tanks contained in a system are established based on the system's working principle, energy conservation equations, and some empirical formulas and then simulated. As PV/T modules are the key influencing factor for system performance, the model and simulation process are introduced in detail in this paper. The results show that the surface temperature of PV/T modules under different operating conditions are all significantly lower than that of ordinary photovoltaic panels. The average temperature of PV/T modules is only 15.2 °C, which is 20.2 °C lower than that of ordinary panels under summer conditions, and the average temperature of PV/T modules is only 0.5 °C, 17.8 °C lower than that of ordinary panels under winter conditions. The average photoelectric efficiency can be improved by 15.4% and 8.9%. And, the temperature change amplitude of PV/T modules is lower, which weakens the temperature fluctuation of the modules. The photovoltaic efficiency is therefore further increased. As a result, the power generation and photovoltaic efficiency are both improved significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wilms tumor (WT) is the most common pediatric renal malignant tumor in the world. Overall, the prognosis of Wilms tumor is very good. However, the prognosis of patients with anaplastic tumor histology or disease relapse is still poor, and their recurrence rate, metastasis rate and mortality are significantly increased compared with others. Currently, the combination of histopathological examination and molecular biology is essential to predict prognosis and guide the treatment. However, the molecular mechanism has not been well studied. Genetic profiling may be helpful in some way. Hence, we sought to identify novel promising biomarkers of WT by integrating bioinformatics analysis and to identify genes associated with the pathogenesis of WT. In the presented study, the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus was used to download two datasets of gene expression profiles related to WT patients for the purpose of detecting overlapped differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The DEGs were then uploaded to DAVID database for enrichment analysis. In addition, the functional interactions between proteins were evaluated by simulating the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs. The impact of selected hub genes on survival in WT patients was analyzed by using the online tool R2: Genomics Analysis and Visualization Platform. The correlation between gene expression and the degree of immune infiltration was assessed by the Estimation of Stromal and Immune cells in Malignant Tumor tissues using the Expression (ESTIMATE) algorithm and the single sample GSEA. Top 12 genes were identified for further study after constructing a PPI network and screening hub gene modules. Kinesin family member 2C (KIF2C) was identified as the most significant gene predicting the overall survival of WT patients. The expression of KIF2C in WT was further verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, we found that KIF2C was significantly correlated with immune cell infiltration in WT. Our present study demonstrated that altered expression of KIF2C may be involved in WT and serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for WT patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional full-scale wind turbine blade testing method is unable to study the detailed structural response of blades' key subcomponents under complex loads. Therefore, developing an efficient and reliable blade subcomponent testing method is of great significance for investigating the structural characteristics of blades. This paper develops an innovative blade subcomponent test method framework, which is capable of studying the structural response under combined bending and torsion load conditions. A high-fidelity finite element model corresponding to the framework that considers nonlinear factors is established. This study further investigated the influence of boundary conditions on the results. The results showed that the test method proposed in this paper is reasonable, and the experiment based on this method is successfully conducted. The contact nonlinearity and size effects will affect the accuracy of the test results, which can be avoided by adjusting the size of the clamp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing non‐noble metal catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is one of the main challenges in the production of hydrogen energy by water splitting reaction. Herein, taking advantage of the fact that microorganisms have high element contents and metabolic activities, we used them to recycle Ni and Fe from electroplating sludge. Based on the above, we designed a highly efficient oxygen evolution catalyst (Fe‐Ni2P@NPC) through the in situ synthesis of Fe‐doped Ni2P nanoparticles and N, P dual‐doped carbon materials coupled together. The material exhibited excellent catalytic activity, with a low overpotential of 282 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm−2 along with a fast reaction kinetics, with a small Tafel slope of 57.1 mV dec−1. This outstanding OER performance is mainly attributed to the in situ doping of Fe in Ni2P nanoparticles, resulting in a strong synergistic effect between them. Besides, the strong coupling interaction between Fe‐Ni2P and Fe‐NiOOH formed during the OER can adjust the electron distribution and optimize the adsorption capacity of the intermediates. This work provides a reference for the recycling of valuable Ni and Fe metals from electroplating sludge, as well as new insight into the preparation of low‐cost and high‐performance OER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni-rich layered cathode materials LiNixCoyMn(1-x–y)O2 (x ≥ 0.8) suffer from capacity decay due to structural deterioration during electrochemical cycling. To overcome these problems, the fast-ion conductor Li0.33La0.56TiO3 (LLTO) is coated on the surface of LiNi0.83Co0.12Mn0.05O2 (NCM83) cathodes through the sol–gel method, which can stabilize the electrode/electrolyte interface of cathode materials and facilitate Li+ transport and charge transfer. As a result, the LLTO-coated NCM83 exhibits better cycle stability and higher rate performance. The NCM83 modified by 5 wt% LLTO has the discharge capacity of 185.9 mAh g−1 at 1C rate after 100 cycles and with higher capacity retention of 92.9% than the pristine NCM83 of 86.2%, and as well as the 5 wt% LLTO-coated NCM83 has a higher Li+-insert diffusion coefficient of 1.143 × 10−11 cm2 s−1 than the pristine NCM83 of 8.757 × 10−12 cm2 s−1. Therefore, the fast-ion conductor LLTO coating strategy shows great potential in improving the performance of Ni-rich layered cathode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the ameliorative effects of glucosamine (GS), chondroitin sulphate (CS) and glucosamine plus chondroitin sulphate (GC) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in rats, and to explore the mechanism of GS, CS and GC in improving RA based on the gut microbiota. Methods: RA rat models were effectively developed 14 days after CFA injection, and then garaged with GS, CS and GC. Body weight and paw volume of rats were monitored at multiple time points at the beginning of CFA injection. Until D36, serum and ankle tissue specimens were used to measure levels of circulating inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, MMP-3, NO and PGE2) and local inflammatory indicators (TLR-4 and NF-κB). On D18, D25, and D36, intergroup gut microbiota was compared using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. We also performed the correlation analysis of gut bacteria, joint swelling and inflammatory indicators. Results: GC, rather than GS and CS, could reduce right paw volumes, levels of TLR-4 and NF-κB in synovial tissues. In addition, enriched genera in RA model rats screened out by LEfSe analysis could be inhibited by GC intervention, including potential LPS-producing bacteria (Enterobacter, Bacteroides, Erysipelotrichaceae_unclassified and Erysipelotrichaceae_uncultured) and some other opportunistic pathogens (Esherichia_Shigella, Nosocomiicoccus, NK4A214_group, Odoribacter, Corynebacterium and Candidatus_Saccharimonas.etc.) that positively correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines, right paw volume, and pathology scores. Furthermore, the gut microbiota dysbiosis was observed to recover before alleviating joint swelling after interventions. Conclusions: GC could inhibit potential LPS-producing bacteria and the activation of TLR-4/NF-κB pathway in RA rats, thus alleviating RA-induced joint injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Given the new ideas on wound care offered by the eCASH (early Comfort using Analgesia, minimal Sedatives, and maximal Humane care) and the substantial differences in clinical treatment between acute and chronic wounds, we aimed to investigate the effect of comfort therapy under the eCASH concept on analgesic sedation and accelerated wound healing in patients with acute or chronic wounds. Methods: This randomized clinical study was conducted in two parts: acute wounds and chronic wounds. Patients with acute wounds were allocated into the acute wound control group (AWCG) and the acute wound experimental group (AWEG). Patients with chronic wounds were allocated into the chronic wound control group (CWCG) and two experimental groups, in which they received intermittent negative pressure therapy (IPTEG) and continuous negative pressure therapy (CPTEG). On the basis of the standard treatment for patients in the control group, eCASH therapy was used in the experimental groups. In addition, pain intensity and procedural anxiety were evaluated using the visual analogue score (VAS) and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A). In addition, clinical effects were assessed on the basis of the size of the surface area, rate of healing, and concentration of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α) and growth factors (VEGF, bFGF, TGF-β1). Results: Compared with the control group, the VAS score and HAM-A score in the experimental groups were significantly decreased after intervention (P < 0.05). After intervention, the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in AWEG, IPTEG, and CPTEG were significantly lower than those in AWCG. In addition, the levels of VEGF, bFGF, and TGF-β1 in IPTEG and CPTEG were significantly higher than those in CWCG (P < 0.05). Conclusion: These results indicated that comfort therapy under the eCASH concept has a significant effect on ameliorating the pain and anxiety of patients, reducing the inflammatory reaction during the period of wound healing in the treatment of acute and chronic wounds. Clinical Trial Registry: The trial has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200057981). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, graphene is used as a photothermal material, which is added to the SiO2 superhydrophobic solution treated with fluorine silane, and then sprayed on the copper plate surface to prepare a new type of photothermal superhydrophobic surface with contact angles up to 160.5° and 159.8°. Under the conditions of natural convection, the effects of photothermal superhydrophobic surfaces on droplet condensation, freezing, and frost growth are investigated in different environments. The results show that the photothermal superhydrophobic surface can not only delay the freezing of surface droplets, prolong the freezing time of droplets, and reduce the thickness of the frost layer, but also allow for the rapid removal of droplets under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. If the droplet is irradiated by an infrared laser emitter while the cooling system is still turned on, the internal temperature of the droplet will always be higher than the crystallization temperature under the illumination intensity of 2 W/cm2, and the droplets will not freeze. With the extension of irradiation time, the droplet will evaporate, and the volume of the droplet will decrease. On the basis of summarizing and evaluating the study on the anti-icing performance of superhydrophobic surfaces and the properties of photothermal materials, a new research direction regarding the anti-icing of fan blade surfaces was established. This kind of surface combines the photothermal capabilities of light absorption materials with the micro- and nanostructure of the superhydrophobic surface to improve the anti-icing capability of wind turbine blade surfaces in difficult conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind energy is booming and floating offshore wind has been proved to be a promising clean energy. Wake effect is one of the biggest challenges in large-scale floating wind farm which results in power loss and increased fatigue load. In this paper, actuator line model (ALM) coupled with unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) is adopted to investigate the wake characteristics and evolution of floating wind turbine under motion. Besides, modal analysis is adopted to extract typical features of turbine wake. Velocity fluctuation is the prominent characteristic of floating turbine wake. The increase of surge frequency results in the decrease of velocity fluctuating region and large surge amplitude leads to bigger velocity deficit fluctuations. In addition, the surge motion brings a faster recovery rate than fixed wind turbine. The induced velocity field generated by vortex ring structure is the key to understanding complex evolution of turbine wake and the vortex ring structure is analyzed in this paper. With the deep understanding of FOWT wake, an innovative vortex ring structure model is proposed in this paper. This work is the basic work of developing the engineering wake model of floating wind turbine, to cope with the wake effect challenge in the large-scale floating wind farm. • Wake characteristics and vortex structure is analyzed using actuator line method. • Wake evolution mechanism is clearly revealed through modal analysis. • Instability theory of helical vortices is introduced into the study of turbine wake. • A semi-empirical vortex structure model is proposed based on theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While semiconductor nanocrystals with different crystal forms typically show different catalytic performances, such behavior has been scarcely documented for metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Herein, two Ni-MOF catalysts with different crystal forms have been successfully prepared and used in photo-reduction of CO 2. With a prolonged lifetime (5 h vs 2 h) and higher yield of the product CO (34 μmol vs 18 μmol), Ni-MOF(H 2 O) demonstrates a much better performance than Ni-MOF. Theoretical studies reveal that the adsorption energy of a CO 2 molecule is more negative on Ni-MOF(H 2 O) than on Ni-MOF (−0.85 eV vs −0.62 eV). Furthermore, the transfer and separation of the photo-generated charge carriers are also more efficient in the Ni-MOF(H 2 O) system. This study not only presents a superior Ni-MOF catalyst but also promotes the fabrication of highly active catalysts for the photo-reduction of CO 2. [Display omitted] • Ni-MOF catalysts with different crystal forms have been fabricated via a facile process for the first time. • Ni-MOF(H 2 O) exhibits a much better performance than the Ni-MOF in photo-reduction of CO 2. • Ni-MOF(H 2 O) system exhibits stronger adsorption ability for CO2 molecules and lower charge transfer resistance. • Ni-MOF(H 2 O) system also exhibits lower recombination rate of photo-generated charge carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating offshore wind turbines, as large equipment for deep-sea wind energy utilization, must be carefully studied for their aerodynamic performances under platform motions. In experiments, the model wind turbine designed by the traditional thrust coefficient similarity is usually insufficient for unsteady aerodynamic reproductions of the prototype wind turbine. In this paper, a dynamic aerodynamic similarity criterion based on the mapping of the optimal tip speed ratio is introduced for wind tunnel model tests, and a model wind turbine is designed using the NREL 5-MW prototype wind turbine. In this case, to avoid the over-height model tower aroused in pitch motions, a method of equivalent surge motions instead of pitch motions is proposed and validated for feasibility. Then dynamic aerodynamic similarities under different pitch amplitudes and frequencies are validated by the Unsteady Blade Element Momentum theory. Results indicate that temporal and spatial characteristics and hysteresis effects of thrust and power coefficients all maintain better similarity with those of the prototype wind turbine than those of the model wind turbine designed by the traditional criterion. This paper provides a criterion with equivalent pitch motions for unsteady aerodynamic studies in wind tunnel model tests, especially the high-fidelity Hardware/Software-In-the-Loop test. • A new similarity criterion is proposed for FOWT wind tunnel model tests. • The feasibility of equivalent surge motions instead of pitch motions is verified. • The problem of over-height model tower is avoided by equivalent pitch motions. • Spatiotemporal and hysteresis characteristics of unsteady aerodynamics are analyzed. • Unsteady aerodynamic performances of the prototype can be reflected more accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rice gall midge (RGM, Orseolia oryzae, Wood-Mason), an important stem-feeding pest worldwide, has caused serious production losses over the past decades. Rice production practices indicate that the most reliable method for managing RGM is the deployment of cultivars that incorporate host resistance. However, the conventional phenotypic screening method of rice resistance to RGM suggested by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has been used for approximately 30 years, and only 12 rice varieties/lines (including controls) can be evaluated in one tray. It is not suitable for high-throughput phenotyping of rice germplasm. Moreover, a suitable method to prepare samples for molecular biological studies of rice resistance against RGM is imperative with the rapid development of modern molecular techniques. Results: The proper density of seedlings/RGM was determined for four seeding arrangements. A high-throughput phenotyping method (HTPM) for 60 lines/varieties infested with 36 female RGM adults in one tray, as described by method 4–3 (seeded 60 lines/varieties), was developed and verified using mutant screening. Furthermore, one RGM resistance gene flanked by markers 12RM28346 and 12RM28739 on chromosome 12 was simultaneously detected using method 2–2 (seeded 30 lines/varieties in one tray) treated with 24 RGM and analyzed using conventional and simplified grading systems. Genetic analysis of the RGM resistance gene was confirmed using a method identical to that suggested by IRRI. Finally, one bucket with 24 seedlings treated with at least five female RGM adults was efficacious and could offer adequate samples for insect development observation or molecular biological studies. Conclusion: A highly efficient and reliable procedure for evaluation of resistance in rice to RGM was developed and improved, and was verified through mutant screening, gene mapping, genetic analysis, and insect growth and development observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in deep learning methods have demonstrated remarkable development in diagnosing faults of rotating machinery. The currently popular deep neural networks suffer from design flaws in their network structure, leading to issues of long-term dependencies in fault diagnosis models built upon conventional deep neural networks. Consequently, such models exhibit insufficient global perceptual capabilities towards fault features. Furthermore, how accurately pre-trained models can diagnose faults is hugely impacted by changes in bearings' working conditions. To tackle the aforementioned issues, this study puts forth a multi-scale TransFusion (MSTF) model for diagnosing faults in rolling bearings under multiple operating conditions. Firstly, a time-frequency symmetric dot pattern transformation technique is designed to transform the original vibration signals into two-dimensional representations. This method can effectively highlight the distinctions between different fault types. Secondly, a multi-scale feature fusion module is established, which fully extracts low-level features from the time-frequency signals and reduces the complexity of the subsequent attention calculations. Meanwhile, relying on the advantages of the Transformer model in capturing global dependencies, the long-range periodic fault information is deeply mined. Finally, multi-head and multi-layer attention are visualized to enhance the interpretability of the model. After analyzing two case studies with both public and experimental datasets, the examination demonstrated that the developed model outperformed other state-of-the-art models. The diagnostic model developed in this study exhibits the ability to accurately diagnose bearing faults across multiple operating conditions while maintaining high robustness to signals contaminated with noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The relationship between magnetic field intensity and frost suppression effect is not linear. • As the temperature of the cold surface decreases, the suppressing freezing ability of the magnetic field becomes worse. • The initial freezing time of the droplet decreases as its volume increases from 20 μL to 50 μL. In this study, the effect of magnetic field on droplet freezing was investigated based on a visualization system. Possible influencing factors on droplet freezing, such as magnetic field intensity, cold surface temperature, and droplet volume, were considered in this study. During the two stages of droplet supercooling and freezing process, the changes of the droplet internal temperature, the formation of initial crystal nucleus, and the freezing time were observed. Experimental results show that in comparison with the non-magnetic surface, the supercooling degree of droplets was increased in the range of 150–300 mT magnetic field intensity, thereby prolonging the freezing time of droplets. Particularly, the droplet was best suppressed on a cold surface with 250 mT magnetic field intensity. The freezing time of droplets was prolonged by 132.0 %. However, the droplets were accelerated to freeze on the cold surface with magnetic field intensities of 350 mT and 400 mT. Droplet freezing on cold surfaces was also affected by surface temperature and droplet volume. As the surface temperature of magnetic cooling dropped from −10 °C to −20 °C, the ability of the magnetic field to inhibit droplet freezing would be gradually weakened. With the increase of droplet volume from 20 μL to 50 μL, the initial freezing time of droplets was shortened. These results are related to the influence of magnetic field on the nucleation process and hydrogen bond in the water molecular cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Model tests and real-time hybrid simulation tests of floating offshore wind turbines have recently been extensively conducted to explore the aero-hydro-servo-elastic coupling mechanism. The traditional thrust similarity criterion under the Froude scale cannot satisfy the dynamic aerodynamic similarity in the wave basin experiments. Meanwhile, the traditional model wind turbine in model tests shows huge differences in Reynolds number and significant deviations in the optimal tip speed ratio, and the dynamic performance is different from that of the prototype wind turbine. Therefore, a new criterion based on the mapping of the optimal tip speed ratio is proposed, and a new model wind turbine is designed to physically reproduce the dynamic aerodynamics of the prototype wind turbine accurately in wind tunnel experiments. Then the dynamic aerodynamic similarity in this criterion is numerically verified and compared with that in the traditional criterion. The simulation is performed in steady and unsteady inflows by the open-source OpenFAST. The platform motions of the prototype and model wind turbine are inflow-motivated and program-forced, respectively. The calculation results show that the dynamic thrust, power and their coefficients in the new criterion all maintain better similarity compared to those in the traditional criterion. This study is important for wind tunnel model tests and RTHS tests to accurately obtain unsteady aerodynamics, and it can guide the aero-hydro-structure load evaluations and turbine-floater-mooring integrated designs for large-scale floating offshore wind turbines. • A new similarity criterion is proposed for FOWT's wind tunnel model tests. • Dynamic aerodynamics under wind-wave inflows and coupled motions are simulated. • Motions of prototype and model are inflow-motivated and program-forced respectively. • Similarity of dynamic thrust, power and their coefficients are analyzed and verified. • The criterion is important for RTHS tests to accurately obtain unsteady aerodynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coupling effects between rotor aerodynamics and platform motions are being focused for floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs). Ignoring these effects during the controller design can deteriorate some essential loads or lead to aero-elastic instabilities. Superimposed proportional model-free adaptive control (SP-MFAC) is proposed to cope with these effects by simultaneously optimizing blade root moments, rotor speed, platform-pitch and -yaw motions. Trailing edge flap (TEF) is used as the active flow control device. Actuators' saturation and energy consumption are considered by introducing penalty factors into control cost function. A typical semi-submersible FOWT is selected for simulation study. A comparison is made against proportional-integral-differential-based (PID-based) TEF control and baseline control in turbulent and extreme gust conditions. Numerical results reveal that SP-MFAC costs less in TEF deflection activity, but realizes better overall performance than PID-based TEF control. Further, the physical mechanisms of load reduction are analyzed with cross-wavelet transformation. The original in-phase aero-hydro-elastic mechanisms in the semi-submersible FOWT are crippled by the TEF deflection activity. • SP-MFAC is presented to reduce loads on floating wind turbines. • The main rotor-platform coupling effects are considered during controller design. • The potential of trailing edge flap for damping platform motions is explored. • SP-MFAC costs less TEF deflection activity but realizes better performances than PID. • The physical mechanisms of load reductions are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor charge transfer and separation rate are the major bottlenecks for the activity and stability of BiVO4 photoanode. Here, we introduced oxygen vacancies into MoO3/BiVO4 heterojunction film by post-annealing the film in argon-saturated environment for improving its photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation activity and stability. In comparison with the normal MoO3/BiVO4 film, the MoO3/BiVO4 film with oxygen vacancies is of better PEC water oxidation performance. Specifically, a higher photocurrent density of 4.1 mA/cm2 in 0.1 M Na2SO4 at 1.1 V versus SCE was achieved on the MoO3/BiVO4 film with oxygen vacancies, which is about 200% improved over the normal MoO3/BiVO4 film (1.83 mA cm−2, at 1.1 V versus SCE). In addition, the MoO3/BiVO4 film with oxygen vacancies shows more stable activity and faster kinetics for water oxidation, without significant activity loss for 5 h reaction at 1.23 V versus RHE. The enhanced performance on such a MoO3/BiVO4 film photoanode can be attributed to that the oxygen vacancies accelerate the charge transfer and separation rate between film/electrolyte interface, and thus improve the water oxidation activity and restrain the anodic photocorrosion simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photochemical CO 2 reduction to CO, acting as a mild and feasible method, holds huge prospects for atmospheric CO 2 level diminution. Non-noble metal aerogel has been supposed to be an appealing material in the field of catalysis, yet suffering from low conductivity and poor activity. From the perspective of electronic structure modification, oxygen-incorporated Ni aerogel is prepared by a facile reduction-oxidation method. With the optimized electronic structure in Ni@NiO-2 aerogel by oxygen incorporation, brilliant photocatalytic activity with CO yield of 39.30 μmol/mg and CO selectivity of 94.4 % could be achieved, taking advantage of the electron-rich Ni and greatly increased conductivity as well as sufficient active sites exposure. This work sheds light on the design and development of high-performance non-noble metal-based systems for catalytic CO 2 utilization. [Display omitted] • Nickel metal aerogel with porous network morphology exhibited outstanding activity. • Oxygen incorporation tuning leads to the electronic structure modification of Ni. • Optimized Ni with high conductivity promotes charge separation and CO 2 adsorption. • In situ FTIR and Mott-Schotty analysis imply the CO 2 -CO photoconversion mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is a natural dihydroflavonol compound known for its diverse pharmacological benefits. However, its limited stability and bioavailability posed significant challenges for further applications. To address these issues, in this study, an ion crosslinking method was utilized to prepare chitosan nanoparticles that were loaded with DMY. The synthesized chitosan nanoparticles (CS-DMY-NPs) were spherical in shape with particle size and ζ potential of 198.7 nm and 45.05 mV, respectively. Furthermore, in vitro release experiments demonstrated that CS-DMY-NPs had sustained release and protective effects in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. CS-DMY-NPs exhibited better antioxidant activity by ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activity than free DMY. In vivo study showed that CS-DMY-NPs alleviated cisplatin-induced kidney damage by inhibiting oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokines, and had better activity compared to DMY (free). Immunofluorescence data showed that CS-DMY-NPs activated the Nrf2 signaling pathways in a dose-dependent manner to combat cisplatin-induced kidney damage. Our results demonstrate that CS-TPP has good compatibility with DMY, and CS-DMY-NPs exhibited better protective effects against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) than free DMY. • Dihydromyricetin nanoparticles(CS-DMY-NPs) were prepared using the ion crosslinking method. • Compared with aqueous suspension, CS-DMY-NPs showed stronger anti-oxidant activity against DPPH and ABTS radicals. • CS-DMY-NPs improved and enhanced the protection activity of dihydromycetin against cisplatin-induced kidney injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High surface states induced photoelectrochemical (PEC) activity and stability issue is the major performance bottleneck for nanostructured WO 3 photoanode. Here we report that amorphous TiO 2 ( α -TiO 2 ) be used as passivator to modify the surface states of WO 3 nanoflakes film for improving its PEC water oxidation performance. In comparison with bare WO 3 film, the α -TiO 2 -coupled WO 3 ( α -TiO 2 /WO 3 ) film is of higher PEC water oxidation activity and stability. The photocurrent on α -TiO 2 /WO 3 film photoanode is improved by 2 times that reached 1.4 mA/cm 2 in 0.1 M Na 2 SO 4 solution at 0.8 V ( vs. SCE). After α -TiO 2 coupling, the UV–vis absorption edge and intensity of WO 3 film do not change obviously, but the formation and oxidation kinetics of H 2 O 2 on WO 3 photoanode are modified. The density functional theory calculations indicate the monoclinic WO 3 (002) has a surface energy of 1.17 J/m 2 , whereas the α -TiO 2 /WO 3 (002) with a much lower surface energy of 0.3 J/m 2 . Additionally, the length of Ti O bond of α -TiO 2 is changed from the initial 1.929 Å to a shorter length of 1.886 Å and a longer length of 2.290 Å in α -TiO 2 /WO 3 (002) through the O 2- -W 6+ bonding effect at α -TiO 2 /WO 3 interface. Therefore, the enhanced PEC water oxidation performance on α -TiO 2 /WO 3 film can be attributed to that α -TiO 2 passivates the surface states of WO 3 nanoflakes film, and the formation of H 2 O 2 from the photoexcited-electrons/dissolved-oxygen route is depressed and the PEC oxidation of H 2 O 2 is accelerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A MoO 3 /BiVO 4 heterojunction film consisting of dispersed nano-MoO 3 on the surface of BiVO 4 nanoflake was constructed for photoelectrochemical water oxidation. In comparison with bare BiVO 4 and MoO 3 film, the MoO 3 /BiVO 4 heterojunction film shows enhanced water oxidation activity. At 0.8 V vs. SCE, the photocurrent on the optimal MoO 3 /BiVO 4 heterojunction film increases by up to about 6 times compared to that on the bare BiVO 4 film. The conduction and valence band potential of MoO 3 are found to be more positive than those of BiVO 4 , and the electric conductivity for MoO 3 and BiVO 4 is on the order of 10 −6 S cm −1 and 10 −9 S cm −1 , respectively. Thus, the origin of enhanced water oxidation activity on the MoO 3 /BiVO 4 heterojunction film can be primarily ascribed to the band potential and conductivity differences between MoO 3 and BiVO 4 , which are advantageous for separating and transferring the surface charge of BiVO 4 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-022-00852-5. B Correction to: Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) (2023) 13:299-314 b https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-022-00852-5 The authors would like to emphasize that Minlie Yang is the corresponding author and Lihong Zhu is the co-corresponding author. [Extracted from the article]

Due to high electrocatalytic activity, Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) always be a good candidate for electrochemical sensors. However, it suffers from the aggregation problem during synthesis, storage and immobilization process. In this paper, hierarchical Sn 3 O 4 was selected as scaffold for Ag NPs to prevent aggregation and ensure the stability. As a sensitive electrode to detect H 2 O 2 , Ag/Sn 3 O 4 exhibits wide linear range and reliable stability, which can be attributed to the hierarchical structure, strong immobilization of Ag NPs and structural, physical and chemical stability of Sn 3 O 4 scaffold. It was concluded that the hierarchical Ag/Sn 3 O 4 architecture has potential applications in the design of nonenzymatic H 2 O 2 sensors and the load of Ag NPs on heterovalent tin oxides demonstrates a promising way for building H 2 O 2 detection electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, energy storage system (ESS) with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) as working fluid has been proposed as a new method to deal with the application restrictions of Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) technology, such as dependence on geological formations and low energy storage density. A novel ESS named as Compressed CO 2 Energy Storage (CCES) based on transcritical CO 2 Brayton cycle is presented in this paper. The working principle of CCES system is introduced and thermodynamic model is established to assess the system performance. Parametric analysis is carried out to study the effect of some key parameters on system performance. Results show that the increase of turbine efficiency is more favorable for system optimization and the effect of minimum pressures on system performance is more significant compared with maximum pressures. A simple comparison of CCES system, liquid CO 2 system and Advanced Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (AA-CAES) system is conducted. It is shown that the system efficiency of CCES is lower than that of AA-CAES system but 4.05% higher than that of liquid CO 2 system, while the energy density of CCES system is 2.8 times the value of AA-CAES system, which makes CCES a novel ESS with potential application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The concept of wind-to-heat system is studied. • A Matlab model is developed to simulate the system. • The simulation model is verified compared with the experimental data. • A suitable hot water flow rate and refrigerants for the system are selected. The growing demand for energy and the pressure of carbon emission increase the proportion of renewable energy in the global energy consumption. In the wind-to-heat system, the compressor is utilized to replace the generator in the wind turbine to allow the wind energy driving heat pump directly, which simplifies the energy conversion process. In this study, a dynamic simulation model of the wind-to-heat system is proposed, which consists of the following six parts: wind turbine, compressor, condenser, thermal expansion valve, evaporator, and controller. Validations of this model was conducted by comparing the simulation result with the experimental data from a 100 kW wind-to-heat system. Effects of different operational conditions, such as hot water flow rate, inlet water temperature and types of refrigerants, on the characteristics of the system are explored and analyzed. The conclusion is drawn that the hot water flow rate is optimized as 3 kg/s, lower inlet water temperature led to lower heating capacity and lower COP, R245fa and R717 have good performances in heating production, which is in favor of the further design and optimize of the system. After debugging the simulation model for different design alternatives, different performances will be acquired to improve the efficiency of the design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium metal anode is considered to be the most promising anode candidate for the next generation of high-specific-energy battery chemistry due to its extremely high theoretical specific capacity and the lowest redox potential. However, the employment of lithium metal anode has been plagued by the inevitable dendrite formation and the infinite volume change. This leads to the low coulomb efficiency and poor cycle stability of the corresponding lithium metal batteries. In this mini-review, for the first time we comprehensively explained the formation mechanism of lithium dendrites. After a brief discussion, we summarized a typical strategies for designing highly stable lithium metal anodes, including the design of a stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer by regulating the electrolyte components and the construction of stable three-dimensional collectors. Based on summarizing the crucial literature, we further analyzed the drawbacks and challenges in the present review and put forth a prospect for further development of highly stable lithium metal anodes for practical Li metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]