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A novel low-density composite for the absorption of microwaves was prepared by loading La-doped spinel cobalt ferrite (La-CFO) onto biomass carbon (BC) derived from corn stalks using a hydrothermal method. This composite (La-CFO@BC) not only maintained the advantageous properties of low density and abundant porosity, but also exhibited a unique morphology, with La-CFO displaying a carpet-like structure interspersed with dandelion-shaped particles. The incorporation of La-CFO effectively tuned the electromagnetic parameters of the composite, thereby improving its impedance-matching attributes and its ability to absorb microwave radiation. At a frequency of 12.8 GHz for electromagnetic waves and with a thickness of 2.5 mm, La-CFO@BC demonstrated remarkable performance in microwave absorption, attaining a noteworthy minimum reflection (RLmin) of −53.2 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 6.4 GHz. Furthermore, by varying the thickness of the La-CFO@BC within the range of 1.0 to 5.5 mm, the EAB could be broadened to 13.8 GHz, covering the entire X-band, the entire Ku-band, and a substantial portion of the C-band. This study demonstrated that La-CFO@BC was a promising alternative for electromagnetic wave attenuation, which offered superior performance in microwave absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia (NH 3)-coal co-firing is a promising technology to reduce CO 2 emission. The strong interaction between ammonia and coal during the co-pyrolysis has a considerable impact on nitrogen migration and transformation and will further affect the NO x formation. In this paper, to investigate the effect of the volatile fraction on the migration of N, Shenhua (SH) and Wanxiang (WX) bituminous coals were devolatilized to different levels in the first pyrolysis step and were then co-pyrolyzed with NH 3 in the second pyrolysis step. It is found that the migration of N from the gas to solid is more significant than the release of N with the volatile, especially when the temperature in the first pyrolysis step is low. Given the same pyrolysis condition, WX coal/char has more oxygen-containing functional groups than SH, thus the increase of N content during the NH 3 /coal co-pyrolysis is more significant for WX. The absolute contents of pyridinic N (N-6), pyrrolic N (N-5), and protonated pyridinic N or quaternary N (N-Q) are calculated before and after the co-pyrolysis step according to the results of elemental analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An obvious increase of N-6 is observed in chars with lower degree of devolatilization for both coals. A transformation of N-5 to other types of N is observed for SH coal/char. In contrast, the transformation of N-5 is less obvious for WX, which is due to the presence of alkali metal chlorides in WX. Moreover, WX coal/char has less aromatic structure and more aliphatic groups, which promotes the transformation of N from NH 3 to N-5. Based on these results, possible reaction pathways of N migration and transformation during NH 3 /coal co-pyrolysis are proposed. • Migration of N during ammonia-coal co-pyrolysis are investigated. • Migration of N onto char is more significant than release of N from char. • N that migrates from NH3 to char mainly exists as pyridinic N and pyrrolic N. • Possible reaction pathways of N migration are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce the heterogeneity in the parameter σ to three coupled Lorenz oscillators and investigate the effects of parameter heterogeneity on the coupling dynamics. In the presence of parameter heterogeneity, the complete synchronous state is replaced by lag synchronous state which owns the largest Lyapunov exponent exactly the same as that of the complete synchronous chaos. We find two types of oscillation quenching states induced by the parameter heterogeneity, homogeneous nontrivial equilibria and heterogeneous equilibria. In the homogeneous nontrivial equilibria, all oscillators fall onto a same nontrivial equilibrium of the isolated Lorenz oscillator, which requires low coupling strength. Depending on the coupling function, the heterogeneous equilibria may appear at intermediate coupling strength or large coupling strength. We numerically show that the transitions among lag synchronous state and different types of quenching states are always discontinuous ones. The stability diagram of the lag synchronous chaos is presented theoretically, which is compatible with those based on the synchronization error and Lyapunov exponents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the pursuit of advanced functional materials, the role of low-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) heterointerfaces has recently ignited noteworthy scientific interest, particularly in assemblies that incorporate quasi-2D graphene and quasi-1D nanocellulose derivatives. The growing interest predominantly stems from the potential to fabricate distinct genres of quasi-2D/1D nanoarchitecture governed by vdW forces. Despite the possibilities, the inherent properties of these nanoscale entities are limited by in-plane covalent bonding and the existence of dangling π-bonds, constraints that inhibit emergent behavior at heterointerfaces. An innovative response to these limitations proposes a mechanism that binds multilayered quasi-2D nanosheets with quasi-1D nanochains, capitalizing on out-of-plane non-covalent interactions. The approach facilitates the generation of dangling bond-free iso-surfaces and promotes the functionalization of multilayered materials with exceptional properties. However, a gap still persists in understanding transition and alignment mechanisms in disordered multilayered structures, despite the extensive exploration of monolayer and asymmetric bilayer arrangements. In this perspective, we comprehensively review the sophisticated aspects of multidimensional vdW heterointerfaces composed of quasi-2D/1D graphene and nanocellulose derivatives. Further, we discuss the profound impacts of anisotropy nature and geometric configurations, including in-plane and out-of-plane dynamics on multiscale vdW heterointerfaces. Ultimately, we shed light on the emerging prospects and challenges linked to constructing advanced functional materials in the burgeoning domain of quasi-3D nanoarchitecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The employment of different carbon supports during the fabrication of electrocatalysts has a considerable impact on the properties of loaded metal particles and even the stability of catalysts. Here, we present N-doped mesostructured hollow carbon spheres (HCSs) with radial mesoporous shells and a high specific surface area, that were synthesized by a one-pot and surfactant-free method. Pt nanoparticles of around 2 nm size were loaded on the HCS support as a highly stable electrocatalyst by the synergistic effect of nitrogen anchoring and partial pore confinement. The synthesized Pt/HCS catalyst possesses superior ORR activity compared to commercial Pt/C, with a half-wave potential of 0.906 V and mass activity of 0.266 A mgPt−1. Remarkably, the mass activity of Pt/HCS only declined by 13% after an accelerated durability test of 30 000 cycles, whereas that of Pt/C dropped by 76%. These results indicate that Pt/HCS will be a promising catalyst for the cathodic oxygen reduction of PEMFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have witnessed the increasing risk of subsea gas leaks with the development of offshore gas exploration, which poses a potential threat to human life, corporate assets, and the environment. The optical imaging-based monitoring approach has become widespread in the field of monitoring underwater gas leakage, but the shortcomings of huge labor costs and severe false alarms exist due to related operators' operation and judgment. This study aimed to develop an advanced computer vision-based monitoring approach to achieve automatic and real-time monitoring of underwater gas leaks. A comparison analysis between the Faster Region Convolutional Neural Network (Faster R-CNN) and You Only Look Once version 4 (YOLOv4) was conducted. The results demonstrated that the Faster R-CNN model, developed with an image size of 1280 × 720 and no noise, was optimal for the automatic and real-time monitoring of underwater gas leakage. This optimal model could accurately classify small and large-shape leakage gas plumes from real-world datasets, and locate the area of these underwater gas plumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3.2.2 Analysis of gas flow rate influence on bubble behavior Figure 8 shows the changes in the single bubble rising and bubble breaking coalescence zones when the gas flow rates were 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, and 4000 L/min at a certain vacuum degree. Keywords: bubble evolution behavior; bubble residence time; bubble travel; RH refining; vacuum degree EN bubble evolution behavior bubble residence time bubble travel RH refining vacuum degree 1053 1064 12 11/02/22 20221001 NES 221001 1 Introduction The RH method (Ruhrstahl-Hereaeus), used in modern steel plants, is an external refining treatment technique that has advantages such as high production efficiency, a short treatment cycle, and simple operation. This was due to the increase in gas flow rate, because as the initial energy step to overcome the formation of bubbles increased, it caused the initial bubble radius to increase significantly; thus, the gas flow rate was the main factor that affected the initial radius of the bubbles. Under a certain control range of bubble travel distance and gas flow rate, and through extreme difference analysis, the range value of the gas flow rate was greater than the bubble travel distance (R SB gas flow rate sb = 80, R SB bubble travel distance sb = 40). [Extracted from the article]

Based on the quadrilateral heat generation body (HGB) proposed by previous literature, the multi-objective constructal design is performed. Firstly, the constructal design is performed by minimizing the complex function composed of the maximum temperature difference (MTD) and entropy generation rate (EGR), and the influence of the weighting coefficient ( a 0 ) on the optimal constructal is studied. Secondly, the multi-objective optimization (MOO) with the MTD and EGR as optimization objectives is performed, and the Pareto frontier with an optimal set is obtained by using NSGA-II. The optimization results are selected from the Pareto frontier through LINMAP, TOPSIS, and Shannon Entropy decision methods, and the deviation indexes of different objectives and decision methods are compared. The research of the quadrilateral HGB shows that the optimal constructal can be gained by minimizing the complex function with the objectives of the MTD and the EGR, the complex function after the constructal design is reduced by up to 2% compared with its initial value, and the complex function of the two reflects the compromise between the maximum thermal resistance and the irreversible loss of heat transfer. The Pareto frontier includes the optimization results of different objectives, and when the weighting coefficient of a complex function changes, the optimization results obtained by minimizing the complex function will also be distributed in the Pareto frontier. The deviation index of the TOPSIS decision method is 0.127, which is the lowest one among the discussed decision methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study developed a self-supported MOF/FeOOH heterojunction cathode without binders for boosted Fe(Ⅲ) reduction in heterogeneous electro-Fenton (EF) processes. The electron transport channels from FeOOH to in-situ grown NH 2 -MIL-88B(Fe) were established through the spontaneous formation of an internal electric field (IEF), which enhanced the electrical conductivity and disrupted the chemical inertness of the Fe(Ⅲ) reduction. The MOF/FeOOH cathode increased sulfamethazine (SMT) removal up to 95.76 %, 2.5 times better than using PTFE as binders. After ten-consecutive degradation experiments, the Fe(Ⅱ) content at cathode surface increased from 39.23 % to 56.73 %. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and advanced characterization techniques demonstrated the efficient Fe(Ⅲ) reduction and H 2 O 2 activation during the reaction. These results elucidate the promoting effect of modulating the "contact" between the catalyst and current collectors, as to provide a feasible and promising strategy for the development of efficient heterogeneous EF cathodes. [Display omitted] • A MOF/FeOOH heterojunction cathode without binders was successfully prepared. • The MOF/FeOOH cathode is 2.5 times more catalytic than using PTFE as binders. • Fe(Ⅱ) content on the cathode surface increased from 39.23 % to 56.73 % after use. • The MOF/FeOOH heterojunction boosted Fe(III) reduction in electro-Fenton processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substituting ordinary Portland cement (OPC) with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) is a widely adopted strategy in the cement industry to reduce CO 2 emissions. However, the low reactivity of SCMs often results in delayed early strength development when used in large quantities. This study aims to substitute 70 % of OPC with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and efficiently activate this system through calcium-ferrite-silicate-hydrates/polycarboxylate ether (C-F-S-H/PCE) nanocomposites and sodium sulfate. The findings indicate that the combined use of both activators has a significant positive effect on the strength development of this low-carbon cement, demonstrating comparable performance to OPC without any substitution. This can be attributed to the effective enhancement of the reactivity of the low-carbon cement, particularly GGBFS. Furthermore, the utilization of C-F-S-H/PCE nanocomposites improves the polymerization degree and leads to a more compact morphology of the calcium-aluminum-silicate-hydrates (C-A-S-H) gel without affecting the Al/Si. The proposed activation approach provides a foundation for the large-volume utilization of GGBFS and other SCMs in cement-based materials and holds enormous potential for reducing CO 2 emissions in cement industry. [Display omitted] • The effect and mechanism of C-F-S-H/PCE nanocomposites and sodium sulfate on large-volume slag cement are revealed. • The addition of nanocomposites improves the polymerization degree and leads to a more compact morphology of C-A-S-H gel. • The two activators can realize similar strength of this low-carbon cement to OPC, significantly reducing CO 2 footprint. • This approach provides a foundation for utilization of SCMs and holds enormous potential for reducing CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic objects in the environment can compromise map quality and, in severe cases, lead to robot localization failures. To address this issue, this paper proposes a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) framework with dynamic point removal capabilities, which incrementally filters out dynamic points during the mapping process to enhance map accuracy and localization reliability. The framework consists of two main modules: the SLAM module and the dynamic point removal module. The SLAM module, based on Fast-LIO, incorporates novel loop detection and filtering algorithms to improve long-term mapping accuracy, while the dynamic point removal module optimizes the map by eliminating dynamic points. The dynamic point removal module employs three key methods. Firstly, to enhance dynamic point identification accuracy and minimize misclassification, a novel multi-resolution height map method is introduced. This method effectively segments static ground points and directly preserves them as static points. Secondly, a visibility-based approach is employed to maximize the removal of suspected dynamic points by comparing range differences between the local map and the current frame. Finally, K-nearest neighbors and principal component analysis methods are utilized to compare feature vectors between clusters, facilitating the recovery of static points that may have been erroneously removed. The proposed method is validated via public datasets and real-world scenarios, demonstrating significant improvements in dynamic point recognition as well as in localization and mapping accuracy compared to other state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloride salts, as high-temperature phase change materials (PCMs), have advantages in terms of high application temperature and high latent heat, but the intrinsic disadvantages such as high corrosiveness and easy leakage have seriously limited their development. Employing the NaCl–KCl binary salt as PCM, a double-shell cladding strategy with an inner layer of expanded graphite and an outer layer of ceramic was proposed, thereby, the chloride phase change macrocapsule with good thermal storage performance was successfully prepared. The double-shell capsules exhibited better leakage resistance and cycling stability. On this basis, the preparation process of double-shell eutectic salt macrocapsules was simplified by using an in-situ melting method, employing the mixed NaCl and KCl as raw materials directly that were transferred to eutectic binary salt inside the capsules during sintering. It is also proposed to improve the heat storage density of the capsules by increasing the capsule size and isostatically pressing the capsule. The NaK-20-200MPa sample indicated the largest heat storage density in the temperature range from 600 °C to 700 °C, with a mass heat storage density of 190.38 J/g, which was 2.85 % higher than that of the NaK-20-0MPa capsules and 36.99 % higher than that of the NaK-5-0MPa capsules. Additionally, the volume heat storage density of the NaK-20-200MPa capsules was 339.19 J/cm3, which was 14.69 % higher than that of the NaK-20-0MPa capsules and 21.52 % higher than that of the NaK-5-0MPa capsules. The good thermal performance and low cost of chloride PCM could ensure the encapsulated salt for use in high-temperature heat storage. • Double-shell capsules with EG and ceramic resolves Chloride salts' easy leakage. • In-situ melting preparation method simplifies capsule preparation process. • Isostatically pressing the core significantly improve capsule's heat storage density. • Heat storage density of the capsule was improved by increasing the size of capsule. • Double-shell capsules demonstrate excellent leakage resistance and cycling stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the square heat-generation body (HGB) with "arrow-shaped" high-thermal-conductivity channel (HTCC) model established in the previous literature, we performed multi-objective optimization (MOO) with maximum temperature difference (MTD) minimization and entropy-generation rate (EGR) minimization as optimization objectives for its performance. Pareto frontiers with optimal set were obtained based on NSGA-II. TOPSIS, LINMAP, and Shannon entropy decision methods were used to select the optimal results in Pareto frontiers, and the deviation index was used to compare and analyze advantages and disadvantages of the optimal results for each decision method. At the same time, multi-objective constructal designs of the "arrow-shaped" HTCC were carried out through optimization of single degree of freedom (DOF), two DOF, and three DOF, respectively, and the thermal performance of the square heat-generation body under optimizations of different DOF were compared. The results show that constructal design with the MOO method can achieve the best compromise between the maximum thermal resistance and the irreversible loss of heat transfer of the square heat-generation body, thereby improving the comprehensive thermal performance of the square heat-generation body. The MOO results vary with different DOF, and optimization with increasing DOF can further improve the comprehensive thermal performance of square HGBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C‐S‐H/PCE (calcium‐silicate‐hydrates/polycarboxylate ether) nanocomposites have a significant accelerating effect on early hydration and early strength development of cementitious materials. In this study, magnesium ions are doped into C‐S‐H/PCE nanocomposites, and it is found that C‐S‐H/PCE nanocomposites doped by appropriate magnesium ions have much better stability. Besides, the accelerating effects of the modified nanocomposites on early cement hydration also get improved. The doped magnesium ions displace calcium ions and promote the absorption of PCE. Moreover, the incorporation of magnesium ions results in two unique morphologies of nanocomposites, that is, globule and gel. The globules are semi‐crystalline similar to C‐S‐H, while the gels are amorphous and have more branched silicate chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective  Hypoxic–ischemic (HI)-related brain injury, especially HI encephalopathy (HIE) is a leading cause of morbidity and disability in newborns. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in the progress of HI brain damage. However, the mechanisms underlying the regulatory effects of lncRNA H19 on autophagy in HIE remain unknown. This study was designed to identify the potential mechanisms involving lncRNA H19 in HIE. Study Design  We selected three HIE newborns and three healthy newborns for neonatal behavioral neurological assessment and screened the differentially expressed lncRNAs by microarray analysis and detected H19 expression in serum. After that, neonatal HIE rats were established and injected with H19 overexpression lentivirus vector or autophagy activator Rapa. The structure and apoptotic levels of brain tissue were observed, and righting reflex and geotaxis reflex were utilized to evaluate the short-term neurological function of HIE rats. The Morris water maze was performed to measure the long-term neurological functions of HIE rats. The binding relationships among H19/miR-19b/protein kinase B3 (Akt3) were verified. Levels of Akt3- and autophagy-related proteins were measured. Results  H19 was upregulated in HIE newborns and rat models. The areas of cerebral infarction and apoptosis in neonatal HIE rats were increased, and the nerve functions were compromised. The overexpression of H19 alleviated nerve damage of neonatal HIE rats, and reduced autophagy of brain tissue. H19 upregulated Akt3 as a miR-29b sponge. The protective effects of overexpression of H19 on brain tissue and nerve functions of neonatal HIE rats were partially reversed by autophagy activator. Conclusion  H19 improved the brain tissue and alleviated nerve damage of neonatal HIE rats by upregulating the Akt3/mTOR pathway as a miR-29b sponge. Key Points H19 overexpression reduces the nerve damage in neonatal HIE rats. H19 reduces autophagy in neonatal HIE rats by the miR-29b/Akt3/mTOR axis. Autophagy activator reverses the protection of H19 in neonatal HIE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicone rubber (SR) exhibits unique flame-retardant and fireproof properties and can be ceramized at high temperatures to cover the surface of an object that needs fire protection. In this paper, the influence of low-melting-point frit content on the expandable performance of SR has been investigated, and a decrease in the ceramization temperature with an increase in the frit content has been observed. The sample began to expand at 850 °C, and an expansion of 157% and compressive strength of 1.99 MPa were attained at 950 °C. The increased frit content resulted in a larger liquid phase, which covered the surface of the matrix owing to surface tension. This made the escape of small-molecule gaseous substances generated by decomposition difficult: this resulted in the expansion of the SR matrix. The relationships between composite compositions and expansibility as well as the degree of ceramization were also explored through performance tests. It was found that the formation of eutectic substances between frits and the matrix resulted in a decrease in the temperature of ceramization, which in turn contributed to the formation of highly intumescent ceramifiable SR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-atom Fe–N–C electrocatalysts are attracting more attentions as one most promising transition metal based single-atom catalyst towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, the inaccessibility of internal Fe-N x active sites and insufficient stability hinder their large-scale application. Herein, a facile benzoate-assisted self-template strategy which could dramatically enhance the oxygen reduction reaction catalytic performance and stability of ZIF-8 derived atomically dispersed Fe–N–C catalysts (Fe-SA/Meso-C) is developed. The sodium benzoate used in the present work is effective for promoting the formation of Fe–N–C catalysts with denser accessible active sites as well as mesopores with diameters ranging from 2.5 to 5 nm. These structural advantages make the synthesized Fe-SA/Meso-C catalysts afford excellent electrocatalytic performance for the ORR in 0.1 M KOH with a positive half-wave potential (E 1/2) of 0.926 V vs. RHE and exceptionally high kinetic current density (J k) of 92.5 mA cm−2 at 0.85 V. Beyond that, Fe-SA/Meso-C shows outstanding long-term stability with over 90% activity retain after 90 h chronoamperometry i-t test as well as superior tolerance to methanol crossover. More importantly, the assembled zinc-air battery with Fe-SA/Meso-C as the cathode material achieves a high peak power density of 166.2 mW cm−2 and a high specific capacity of 776.1 mA h g−1. Our results reveal that small mesopores in atomically dispersed Fe–N–C electrocatalysts could facilitate mass transport, increase the accessibility of active sites and optimize the interface between electrolyte and carbon matrix, thus optimizing their electrocatalytic performance for the ORR. This work paves a way to the design and synthesis of stable single-atom electrocatalysts with optimized structure, electrochemical performance and promising applications. Ultrastable and highly catalytically active single-atom iron electrocatalysts (Fe-SA/Meso-C) with exclusively Fe–N 4 sites dispersed on ZIF-8 derived mesoporous N-doped carbon frameworks have been synthesized by a novel benzoate-assisted self-template strategy without acid leaching assistance. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that cyclic codes have efficient encoding and decoding algorithms. In recent years, antiprimitive BCH codes have attracted a lot of attention. The objective of this paper is to study BCH codes of this type over finite fields and analyse their parameters. Some lower bounds on the minimum distance of antiprimitive BCH codes are given. The BCH codes presented in this paper have good parameters in general, containing many optimal linear codes. In particular, two open problems about the minimum distance of BCH codes of this type are partially solved in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is difficult for green sustainable lignin-based materials to simultaneously obtain efficient electromagnetic wave absorption (EMWA) and supercapacitive energy storage (SCES), which has not yet been reported. Herein, the light-weight lignin-based carbon nanofibers (LCNFs) with proper pore size, well graphitization degree, and heteroatom doping were tailored through electrospinning and carbonization processes. Interestingly, the graphitization degree and porous structure of LCNFs could be easily adjusted by changing the activating temperature, and the higher conductivity was achieved for preparing LCNFs at higher activating temperature due to the differences in the crystal size and activating degree of LCNFs. As a result, in the field of EMWA, the LCNFs-950 exhibited the minimum reflection loss (RL) value was −41.4 dB and the absorbing frequency was 9.05 GHz at 2.5 mm thickness, which meant this absorbent could absorb and/or dissipate more than 99.9% of incident electromagnetic wave (EMW). Furthermore, the LCNFs-950 also exhibited excellent SCES ability. In two-electrode system, the optimal LCNFs-950 symmetric supercapacitor specific capacitance reached 139.4 F/g at a current density of 0.5 A/g, meanwhile, the energy density was 41.4 Wh/kg at a power density of 3500 W/Kg. These multifunctional features of LCNFs will be highly promising for the next-generation environmental remediating materials. [Display omitted] • Increasing the activating temperature was an effective strategy for preparing renewable and low-cost multifunction LCNFs. • Multifunction LCNFs in both electromagnetic wave absorption and electrochemical energy storage were fabricated. • The minimum reflection loss was −41.4 dB and the absorbing frequency was 9.05 GHz at 2.5 mm thickness. • The specific capacitance, energy density and power density were up to 139.4 F/g, 41.4 Wh/kg and 3500 W/Kg, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

α‐Formamidinium lead iodide (α‐FAPbI3) is one of the most promising candidate materials for high‐efficiency and thermally stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs) owing to its outstanding optoelectrical properties and high thermal stability. However, achieving a stable form of α‐FAPbI3 where both the composition and the phase are pure is very challenging. Herein, we report on a combined strategy of precursor engineering and grain anchoring to successfully prepare methylammonium (MA)‐free and phase‐pure stable α‐FAPbI3 films. The incorporation of volatile FA‐based additives in the precursor solutions completely suppresses the formation of non‐perovskite δ‐FAPbI3 during film crystallization. Grains of the desired α‐phase are anchored together and stabilized when 4‐tert‐butylbenzylammonium iodide is permeated into the α‐FAPbI3 film interior via grain boundaries. This cooperative scheme leads to a significantly increased efficiency close to 21 % for FAPbI3 perovskite solar cells. Moreover, the stabilized PSCs exhibit improved thermal stability and maintained ≈90 % of their initial efficiency after storage at 50 °C for over 1600 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

α‐Formamidinium lead iodide (α‐FAPbI3) is one of the most promising candidate materials for high‐efficiency and thermally stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs) owing to its outstanding optoelectrical properties and high thermal stability. However, achieving a stable form of α‐FAPbI3 where both the composition and the phase are pure is very challenging. Herein, we report on a combined strategy of precursor engineering and grain anchoring to successfully prepare methylammonium (MA)‐free and phase‐pure stable α‐FAPbI3 films. The incorporation of volatile FA‐based additives in the precursor solutions completely suppresses the formation of non‐perovskite δ‐FAPbI3 during film crystallization. Grains of the desired α‐phase are anchored together and stabilized when 4‐tert‐butylbenzylammonium iodide is permeated into the α‐FAPbI3 film interior via grain boundaries. This cooperative scheme leads to a significantly increased efficiency close to 21 % for FAPbI3 perovskite solar cells. Moreover, the stabilized PSCs exhibit improved thermal stability and maintained ≈90 % of their initial efficiency after storage at 50 °C for over 1600 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoscopic endonasal surgery has proved to offer a practical route to treat suprasellar lesions, including tumors and vascular pathologies. Understanding the different configurations of the anterior cerebral communicating artery (ACoA) complex (ACoA-C) is crucial to properly navigate the suprachiasmatic space and decrease any vascular injury while approaching this region through an endonasal approach. An endoscopic endonasal transplanum-transtubercular approach was performed on 36 cadaveric heads (72 sides). The variations of the ACoA-C and feasibility of reaching its different components were analyzed. The surgical area exposure of the lamina terminalis was also quantified before and after mobilization of the ACoA-C. The typical ACoA-C configuration was found in 41.6% of specimens. The following 2 main variations were identified: accessory anterior cerebral artery segment 2 (5, 13.9%) and common trunk of anterior cerebral artery with absence of ACoA (5, 13.9%). Of 101 recurrent arteries of Heubner, 96 (95.0%) were identified within 4 mm proximal or distal to the ACoA. The mean lamina terminalis exposure area was 33.1 ± 16.7 mm2, which increased to 59.9 ± 11.9 mm2 after elevating the ACoA. A considerable amount of variation of the ACoA-C can be found through an endoscopic endonasal transplanum-transtubercular approach. These configurations determine the feasibility of lamina terminalis exposure and the complexity of reaching the ACoA. Assessment of ACoA morphology and its adjacent structures is crucial while approaching the suprachiasmatic through a transnasal corridor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An arc fault is a potential hazard in power systems, capable of causing serious safety accidents such as fires. Therefore, the timely detection of arc faults and implementation of circuit-breaking measures are crucial for ensuring safety, preventing fires, and maintaining the stable operation of power systems. Although existing studies have made progress in improving the accuracy of their detection, most methods have not proposed effective solutions that address the cost-sensitive problem of feature selection. Thus, a multi-feature method is proposed by combining time-domain, frequency-domain, energy, and spatial features, which are integrated into a CBN (conditional batch normalization) convolutional neural network for detection. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms traditional models in terms of its accuracy and misjudgment rate while maintaining a lower computational cost, demonstrating its superior detection performance. This provides an effective improvement for arc fault detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hole transport materials (HTM) are an important component in perovskite solar cells (PSC). Despite a multitude of HTMs developed in recent years, only few of them lead to solar cells with efficiencies over 20%. Therefore, it is still a challenge to develop high‐performing HTMs, which have ideal energy levels of the frontier orbitals, are highly efficient in transporting charges, and stabilize the solar cell at the same time. In this work, the development of a structurally novel molecular HTM, CPDA 1, is described which is based on a common cyclopentadiene core and can be efficiently and inexpensively synthesized from readily available starting materials, which is important for future realization of low‐cost photovoltaics on larger scale. Due to excellent optoelectronic, thermal, and transport properties, CPDA 1 not only meets the envisioned properties by reaching high efficiencies of 23.1%, which is among the highest reported to date, but also contributes to a respectable long‐term stability of the PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of renewable energy technologies, the demand for efficient energy storage systems is growing. Supercapacitors have attracted considerable attention as efficient electrical energy storage devices because of their excellent power density, fast charging and discharging capabilities, and long cycle life. Carbon nanofibers are widely used as electrode materials in supercapacitors because of their excellent mechanical properties, electrical conductivity, and light weight. Although environmental factors are increasingly driving the application of circular economy concepts in materials science, lignin is an underutilized but promising environmentally benign electrode material for supercapacitors. Lignin-based carbon nanofibers are ideal for preparing high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials owing to their unique chemical stability, abundance, and environmental friendliness. Electrospinning is a well-known technique for producing large quantities of uniform lignin-based nanofibers, and is the simplest method for the large-scale production of lignin-based carbon nanofibers with specific diameters. This paper reviews the latest research progress in the preparation of lignin-based carbon nanofibers using the electrospinning technology, discusses the prospects of their application in supercapacitors, and analyzes the current challenges and future development directions. This is expected to have an enlightening effect on subsequent research. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The synergy of EP-zone and BSR-zone fully promoted the multi-pathway conversion and utilization of O 3. • The dual-zone synergistic catalytic reaction effectively inhibited the accumulation of the in. • A possible mechanism for the dual-zone synergistic catalytic reaction in the 3D/E-P process was provided. • The E-GAC (N) -P system offered higher COD removal and lower energy consumption in actual wastewater. The electro-peroxone (E-P) technology exploits in-situ generated H 2 O 2 to drive the peroxone reaction, which not only improves degradation efficiency but also utilizes wasted O 2 in the process of O 3 generation. However, limited by the cathodic interface reaction, a quantity of O 3 diffused into the bulk solution could not be effectively utilized. To address this problem, a dual-zone E-P process was proposed in combination with nitrogen-doped granular activated carbon (GAC (N)) and a 2 electron-oxygen reduction reaction (2e-ORR) system, i.e., the E-GAC (N) -P system. Combining EPR and quenching experiments, the addition of GAC (N) was proven to alter the ·OH-dominated reaction routine of E-P to the ·OH and ·O 2 – synergistic routine, which achieved a high pollutant removal efficiency of up to 98.75 % and a reaction rate constant of 0.3838 min−1 (3.5 times that of the traditional E-P system). In terms of the mineralization mechanism, the E-GAC (N) -P system not only effectively inhibited the accumulation of intermediate products but also increased the total organic removal by 63.94 %. Moreover, the efficient removal of COD in actual wastewater also confirmed that the E-GAC (N) -P system had excellent mass transfer efficiency and 36.9 % lower electric energy consumption than did the traditional E-P system, indicating good practical application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model of stacked chip with comb-shaped high thermal conductivity channel (HTCC) is established. With fixed number of through‑silicon vias (TSVs), constructal designs of comb-shaped HTCC are performed with single-degree-of-freedom (DOF), two-DOF and three-DOF optimizations, and effects of heat generation rate per volume (HGRPV) of device layer, HGRPV of TSV and filling materials of HTCC on its optimal construct and maximum temperature difference (MTD) in stacked chip are analyzed. Furtherly, constructal design of two-stage branched comb-shaped HTCC is studied. The optimal constructs of comb-shaped HTCC are obtained under single-DOF, two-DOF and three-DOF optimizations, which make the MTD of stacked chip reach the minimum. The minimum MTD obtained by three-DOF optimization is 43.74 K, which is 1.21 K and 0.45 K lower than that obtained by single-DOF and two-DOF optimizations, respectively. Compared with the initial design, the MTD under optimizations of single-, two- and three-DOFs decreased by 2.8%, 4.5% and 5.5%, respectively. Filling materials of HTCC have effect on optimal constructs of comb-shaped HTCC, however, the HGRPVs of device layer and TSV have not. The first-stage branches of two-stage branch comb-shaped HTCC are close together by constructal design, so embedding single-stage branch comb-shaped HTCC is more beneficial to heat dissipation of stacked chip. • Stacked chip with comb-shaped high thermal conductivity channel model is built. • Constructal designs with fixed number of through‑silicon vias are performed. • Minimum maximum temperature difference is the optimization objective. • Single-, two- and three- degree-of-freedom optimizations are performed. • Hot spot temperature decreases by 2.8%, 4.5% and 5.5% compared with initial design [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the role of C-F-S-H/PCE (calcium-ferrite-silicate-hydrates/polycarboxylate ether) nanocomposites on the cement hydration with varying gypsum levels. It is found that the addition of C-F-S-H/PCE nanocomposites simultaneously promotes the dissolution of cement clinker and gypsum during early hydration. What' more, the early hydration is further enhanced notably by C-F-S-H/PCE nanocomposites at moderately higher gypsum level without compromising the long-term compressive strength. It merits attention that the compressive strength of cement paste emerges as a factor intricately interwoven with not only its microstructure but also the content of AFt (ettringite) it harbors. Anyway, in the presence of the C-F-S-H/PCE nanocomposites, the faster depletion of gypsum leads to an earlier formation of AFm (monosulfoaluminate) whereas the morphologies of various hydration products remain unaffected. The findings demonstrate that the addition of C-F-S-H/PCE nanocomposites increases the demand for gypsum in cement and provide insights into the production of cement and concrete using seeding materials. • The mechanism of C-F-S-H/PCE nanocomposites on the hydration of cement with varying gypsum levels is revealed. • The C-F-S-H/PCE nanocomposites can play a more effective role at higher gypsum level. • The 28-day compressive strength is determined by the pore structures and hydration products like AFt together. • The study provides guidance for practical application of C-S-H-based seeding materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabricating lignin-based carbon nanofibers (LCNFs) with the lignin in spent coffee grounds (SCG) as raw material which are disposed as waste amounting to millions tons annual is benefit to promote economy and environmental protection. However, due to the heterogeneity and complex three-dimensional structure, the mechanic property is very poor. In this study, we propose a fractionating pretreatment method to overcome the above problems by regulating the structure of SCG lignin in which high-performance LCNFs were fabricated. On one hand, the linear structure of SCG lignin was optimized to fit the raw material of LCNFs by tuning the content of β- O -4 and C 5 -substituted condensed phenolic compounds. On the other hand, the carboxyl as the hydrophilic groups was removed so as to promote the mixing of lignin and polyacrylonitrile (PAN, blending agent) in organic solvents. Additionally, the heterogeneity was reduced by screening large molecular weight SCG lignin with low polydispersity index (PDI). Fortunately, with 1:1 mass ratio of the above fractionated lignin and PAN as substrate, the LCNFs could reach to comparable mechanic properties with those of pure PAN CNFs. This work can provide a new way to not only promote the utilization of SCG lignin but also accelerate the development of LCNFs. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous emergence of new materials and chemical processes has posed great challenge on the hazard assessment capacity, especially the capacity to mimic the reaction progress and to measure the heat released. Although a few thermal hazard screening tools are readily available, a flexible yet cost-effective adiabatic calorimeter that could be applied under extreme conditions is still missing. A house-built high-performance adiabatic calorimeter (HPAC) was developed to solve the problem. We validated the HPAC by comparing its performance with a commercially available Vent Sizing Package 2 in the measurement of H2O2 decomposition and Di-t-butyl peroxide decomposition. We then demonstrated the capability of the HPAC by successfully evaluating the thermal runaway and overpressure hazard of a residual oil hydrotreating reaction under high temperature and high pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: An approach of integrating financial literacy into an introductory programming course is introduced. New learning materials are developed and the impact of the approach on motivating students and improving learning outcomes are evaluated using mixed methods. Background: More than two-thirds of college students in the U.S. graduate with a student loan, but they are not necessarily equipped with essential financial knowledge to manage their debts and make intelligent financial decisions. This issue must be addressed to alleviate any potential negative impact on college education. Since personal finance requires data processing and quantitative analyses, it is a great application context for computing education. The integration of the two can potentially improve students’ learning experience and outcome. Research Questions: What learning materials are needed to integrate financial literacy into introductory programming? Does the integration help students improve learning outcomes? Methodology: Learning materials are developed following a set of guiding principles. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used to evaluate the impact of the approach. Findings: Evaluation indicated that the learning materials and the overall approach are effective in helping students learn programming. Students are also more aware of personal finance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: The current status, ongoing challenges, and potential future outlooks of nanocellulose-graphene hybrids in multi-sensing applications are highlighted. The fundamentals of synthetization, interfacial interactions, functionalization, and green fabrication techniques of nanocellulose-graphene hybrids are described. The most advanced novel nanocellulose-graphene hybrids implementation as a multifunctional sensing platform is discussed.Naturally derived nanocellulose with unique physiochemical properties and giant potentials as renewable smart nanomaterials opens up endless novel advanced functional materials for multi-sensing applications. However, integrating inorganic functional two-dimensional carbon materials such as graphene has realized hybrid organic–inorganic nanocomposite materials with precisely tailored properties and multi-sensing abilities. Altogether, the affinity, stability, dispersibility, modification, and functionalization are some of the key merits permitting their synergistic interfacial interactions, which exhibited highly advanced multifunctional hybrid nanocomposites with desirable properties. Moreover, the high performance of such hybrids could be achievable through green and straightforward approaches. In this context, the review covered the most advanced nanocellulose-graphene hybrids, focusing on their synthetization, functionalization, fabrication, and multi-sensing applications. These hybrid films exhibited great potentials as a multifunctional sensing platform for numerous mechanical, environmental, and human bio-signals detections, mimicking, and in-situ monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to quantify and compare surgical exposure and freedom at the anterior communicating artery (ACoA) complex using pterional (PT), supraorbital (SO), extended supraorbital withorbital osteotomy (SOO), and endonasal endoscopic transtubercular-transplanum (EEATT) approaches. Right-sided PT, SO, SOO, and EEATT approaches were performed using 10 cadaveric heads. Surgical exposure and freedom (horizontal and vertical attack angle) at the ACoA complex were measured. The farthest clipping distance from ACoA to A1 (precommunicating segment of the anterior cerebral artery)/A2 (postcommunicating segment of the anterior cerebral artery) was also quantified. There was a significantly greater exposure length of right A1 in the PT approach (12.20 ± 2.48 mm) compared with the EEATT approach (9.52 ± 2.09 mm; P = 0.029). Among the 4 approaches, EEATT provided the shortest clipping distance for right A1 (6.56 ± 1.33 mm; P = 0.001) and the longest clipping distance for right A2 (3.36 ± 1.24 mm; P = 0.003). SO, SOO, and PT approaches (2.9 ± 0.9) had more observations on perforators from ACoA than did the EEATT approach (2.0 ± 0.66; P = 0.029). The EEATT approach (50.90 ± 17.45 mm2) provided better exposure of the superior part of the ACoA complex compared with the SO approach (29.37 ± 17.27 mm2; P = 0.05). PT and SOO approaches provided the greatest horizontal (36.88° ± 5.85°) and vertical (19.37° ± 4.70°) attack angle, respectively. The SO, SOO, and PT approaches provided a better hemilateral view of the ACoA complex and similar surgical exposure, whereas the EEATT approach offered greater exposure in the upper part of the ACoA complex, with relatively limited exposure of perforators from ACoA and surgical freedom. The EEATT approach can play a role in exposure of lesion involving the ACoA complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 7E framework to evaluate sustainable higher education proposed in this article is a new and comprehensive one and enjoys the simplicity to remember and spread. This article selects regions of China and compares the development status and coupling coordination level of sustainable higher education both temporally and spatially from the aspects of expenditure, existence, efficiency, effectiveness, economy, equity, and equality based on the 7E framework with the combined method of information entropy weight analysis and technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution and coupling coordination degree model. Applicable, generalizable, and constructive countermeasures of sustainable higher education for different regions are also proposed according to the analysis results, which are also references to other places with similar conditions in the world. The framework and the methods are proved effective and useful in evaluating sustainable higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-voltage arc fault detection can effectively prevent fires, electric shocks, and other accidents, reducing potential risks to human life and property. The research on arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) is of great significance for both safety in production scenarios and daily living disaster prevention. Considering the diverse characteristics of loads between the normal operational state and the arc fault condition, a parallel neural network structure is proposed for arc fault recognition, which is based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a Transformer. The network uses convolutional layers and Transformer encoders to process the low-frequency current and high-frequency components, respectively. Then, it uses Softmax classification to perform supervised learning on the concatenated features. The method combines the advantages of both networks and effectively reduces the required depth and computational complexity. The experimental results show that the accuracy of this method can reach 99.74%, and with the threshold-moving method, the erroneous judgment rate can be lower. These results indicate that the parallel neural network can definitely detect arc faults and also improve recognition efficiency due to its lean structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing highly efficient photocatalysts for the removal of antibiotics and heavy metals is of vital importance but remains a great challenge. In this investigation, a novel S-scheme Cs 3 PMo 12 O 40 /MnIn 2 S 4 (CPM/MIS) heterojunction with core-shell structure was fabricated successfully via hydrothermal synthesis/dissolution-precipitation approaches, which was labelled as x CPM/MIS (x = 5, 7, 9 and 11, respectively). In the composites, these 2D MIS nanoflakes were securely and uniformly affixed on the exterior of 3D CPM nanospheres, which was verified through SEM and TEM. These as-produced materials manifested enhanced photocatalytic activity towards antibiotics (tetracycline (TC) and ciprofloxacin (CIP)) degradation and Cr(VI) reduction with visible light, and the removal rates of the optimal 9 CPM/MIS for TC, CIP and Cr(VI) could reach 97.81%, 61.78% and 67.07%, respectively. Of note, these resulting CPM/MIS composites possessed excellent stability and reusability. The outstanding photocatalytic property was attributed to the synergistic effect arising from the advantageous core-shell structure and S-scheme heterostructure. This configuration strengthened robustly interfacial interaction between the constituents, which effectively enhanced light absorption in visible region, promoted the separation and transfer efficiency of photoinduced carriers, and preserved the charge carriers with heightened redox abilities. The ESR spectra and trapping tests confirmed the dominating role of holes and superoxide radical in contaminants removal. Additionally, the high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) technique was employed to identify the photodegradation pathways of TC. And the product toxicity was evaluated using QSAR prediction. Conclusively, combining the in situ XPS data and analysis of energy band structure, a S-scheme catalytic mechanism was elucidated. This study opens new avenues for systematically designing and fabricating S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts with outstanding catalytic property for contaminants removal. [Display omitted] • CPM/MIS S-scheme heterojunction with core-shell structure was prepared. • The effect of operating parameters on TC degradation was detailedly studied. • The probable degradation pathways of TC were investigated by HPLC-MS. • The toxicity of TC degradation intermediates was appraised by QSAR prediction. • A S-scheme mechanism was verified by in situ XPS and energy band structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The symbol-pair read channel was first proposed by Cassuto and Blaum. Later, Yaakobi et al. generalized it to the b -symbol read channel. It is motivated by the limitations of the reading process in high density data storage systems. One main task in b -symbol coding theory is to determine the b -symbol weight hierarchy of codes. In this paper, we study the b -symbol weight hierarchy of the Kasami codes, which are well known for their applications to construct sequences with optimal correlation magnitudes. The complete symbol-pair weight distribution of the Kasami codes is determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is a fatal lymphoproliferative disease that represents a serious problem in the deer‐rearing industry. To better understand an MCF‐like disease that has emerged in northern China since 2015, we investigated ten cases by documenting clinical and epidemiological data and analysing causative agents and histopathological changes. In addition, a retrospective screen for Macavirus DNA and a questionnaire‐based survey were conducted. Epizootic MCF in Chinese sika deer herds has emerged with a low morbidity of 3.8% (95% CI: 2.5%–5.1%) and a high mortality of 93.2% (95% CI: 86.6%–99.9%). The disease course varied from 3 to 12 days. Aetiologically, OvHV‐2 was predominant in the MCFV, accounting for most MCF cases (21/23). In contrast, only two CpHV‐2 isolates were phylogenetically closely related to CpHV‐2. Diarrhoea and nasal discharges were the most frequent manifestations, although clinical signs varied in some cases. Pathologically typical lesions of haemorrhage, necrosis and lymphoid cell infiltration were readily observed in a variety of organs. Vasculitis caused by vascular and perivascular lymphoid cell infiltration was common. The retrospective survey suggested a low positive rate (3/275) of MCFV DNA in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). The questionnaire‐based survey suggested the disease was neglected by local veterinarians, who did not acknowledge the risk of co‐rearing deer with reservoir species. Collectively, the emerging epizootic MCF in Chinese sika deer herds remains neglected, emphasizing the urgency of initiating full‐field diagnoses and control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (DSH) from hydrogen and oxygen is an attractive production route due to its green nature. However, it faces multiple technical challenges, the biggest being the explosion risk of the flammable gas mixture. Herein we have used microreactors to perform the reaction in an inherently safer way which allows the hydrogen concentration to fall within the explosion limit range. For the first time, we have studied the flame propagation phenomena inside a microreactor to determine the optimum channel dimension for DSH. A mechanism of "fast synthesis and slow destruction" has been proposed via investigation on the influence of channel length and liquid flow rate. Besides, a variety of reaction parameters including gas flow rate, oxygen: hydrogen ratio, catalyst composition and gas pressure have been studied carefully. The successful employment of a microreactor in this case has indicated the potential of using microreactors to inhibit the explosion risks of hazardous processes. • Synthesis of hydrogen peroxide in a safe and green route. • Reaction performed in a microreactor within the explosion limit range. • First use of explosion test to determine dimension of microchannels. • Channel length, flow rate, gas composition and pressure investigated to study the reaction's competing mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facile synthesis of highly-dispersed Pt-based electrocatalysts on porous carbon supports with strong durability is extremely desirable for oxygen reduction reaction but remains challenging. The influence of pores in carbon supports on the stability and activity of catalysts is ambiguous and needs to be elucidated. Targeting this aim, herein, we prepared a series of carbon nanofibers with tunable pore diameter and specific surface area using the resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resins as a model system. Homogeneous composite precursors composed of RF resins and silica colloids were synthesized by the surfactant-assisted simultaneous polycondensation of RF resins and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS). The diameter of the pores induced by removal of silica could be controllable tailored through thermal treatment of the composite under various target temperatures. Pt 3 Co alloy nanoparticles loaded on the as-synthesized porous carbon nanofibers were prepared by an optimized wet-impregnation method. The experimental results indicated that the carbon nanofibers with pore size distribution focused on ∼1.27 nm and ∼2.34 nm provided the best stability without limiting current density decay, and negative shift of half-wave potential (E 1/2) and mass activity (MA) loss of Pt after 20000 potential cycles are relatively mild. Conversely, negative shift of 21 mV, 15 mV and 22 mV in E 1/2 and mass activity loss of 51.8%, 30.2% and 33.0% were observed for the Pt 3 Co nanoparticles supported on MC-60, MC-100 and MC-140 matrices which have pore size distribution focused on ∼2.73 nm, ∼2.73 nm as well as ∼4.66 nm, and ∼4.66 nm, respectively. This work demonstrates the importance of micropores and small mesopores for activity and long-term stability enhancement of carbon supported Pt-based electrocatalysts. Porous carbon nanofibers with tunable pore size distribution were synthesized by combining the surfactant-assisted simultaneous polycondensation of resorcinol-formaldehyde resins and TEOS with elaborate designed thermal treatment. Pt 3 Co nanoparticles loaded on the carbon with pore size distribution focuses on ∼1.27 nm and ∼2.34 nm provided the highest activity and best stability with no performance decay for ORR after 20000 potential cycles. [Display omitted] • Composite fibers of RF resins and Silica were synthesized by the developed surfactant-assisted polycondensation strategy. • Diameters of the mesopores in the synthesized carbon fibers could be controllable tuned. • Mesopores with diameter of ∼2.34 nm are efficient for boosting the stability of the carbon supported Pt 3 Co for the ORR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symmetry is a fundamental concept in physics, and recent research has shown that it can also play an important role in materials science, although the term may have different meanings in the two fields. The advent of low-dimensional materials provides opportunities to manipulate their properties through symmetry engineering, opening up new avenues for theoretical research and advanced device development. This review summarizes the application of symmetry from particle physics to material systems and highlights the latest research progress in symmetry breaking engineering of low-dimensional materials. [Display omitted] Symmetry is a significant concept that has played a fundamental role in various fields of science, including particle physics, condensed matter physics, and materials science. Symmetry has contributed to the advancement of our understanding of phenomena such as the discovery of new particles, spintronics, superconductivity, and the modulation of material properties. The principle of symmetry continues to guide progress and unification across various scientific disciplines. The emergence of low-dimensional materials (LDMs) has significantly expanded the materials landscape, enabling potential for the modulation of their properties through symmetry engineering. This has opened up new avenues for theoretical research and advanced device development. This review summarizes the application of symmetry in different materials systems and highlights the latest research progress in symmetry breaking engineering of LDMs. The benefits of incorporating symmetry principles from physics into materials science are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is often desired in the cleanup of excess H2O2 when it is used as an oxidant. Although the decomposition process has been studied in batch reactors, it has never been performed before in a fixed‐bed microreactor with residence time on the scale of seconds. With enhanced mass and heat transfer in microreactors, higher H2O2 decomposition efficiency compared to batch reactors was obtained. A variety of parameters including length of microchannels, flow rate, solvent composition, and gas pressure were examined carefully and a first‐order kinetic model was established. Within a few seconds, more than 70 % of the H2O2 was decomposed successfully. The challenge of catalyst passivation was discussed as well. A rapid catalytic decomposition process of H2O2 in a microchannel is proposed. Different from traditional reactors, the microreactor with strengthened heat and mass transfer accelerated the decomposition process to less than ten seconds, yet still retaining high conversion. Remarkable catalyst passivation was observed and a series of catalysts were compared in terms of the conversion rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The dynamical behavior of the column that made up binary granular beads is investigated systematically by tracking the displacement of particles in the collapse process. An experimental setup is first devised to control the quasi-static collapse of a granular column, and then observe the trajectories of tracer particles by using an industrial camera controlled by the image acquisition program. It is found that there exist two zones in column: a sliding region in which particles are moving in a layered structure; a static region within which particles are stationary. According to this analytical result, a dynamical model is developed to predict the trajectory evolution of particles in the space-time. The calculating result for the trajectories of particles on the selected layers is well consistent with the experimental observation. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • The quasi-static collapse process of a binary granular system is first experimentally studied. • The boundary-layer separates granular column into the static zone and the sliding zone. • The dynamic model can quantitatively predict the slipping angle and the slippage of any particle. • The experimental result is in good agreement with the theoretical calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four circulant codes form a special class of 2 -generator, index 4 , quasi-cyclic codes. Under some conditions on their generator matrix they can be shown to be self-dual. Artin primitive root conjecture shows the existence of an infinite subclass of these codes satisfying a modified Gilbert–Varshamov bound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study linear complementary dual four circulant codes of length $4n$ over $\mathbb{F}_{q}$ when $q$ is an odd prime power. When $q^{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}}+1$ is divisible by $n$ , we obtain an exact count of linear complementary dual four circulant codes of length $4n$ over $\mathbb{F}_{q}$. For certain values of $n$ and $q$ and assuming Artin’s conjecture for primitive roots, we show that the relative distance of these codes satisfies a modified Gilbert–Varshamov bound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Caprine herpesvirus 2 (CpHV-2) infection usually induces chronic malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in sika deer (Cervus nippon), with the primary signs of weight loss, dermatitis and alopecia. Case presentation: Here, we report a case of CpHV-2-associated acute MCF in a sika deer herd raised in an intensive management system distant to the reservoir goats. Affected deer developed clinical signs of high fever (41 °C) followed by nasal discharge and lameness. Severe lesions of hemorrhage, necrosis and infiltration of lymphoid cells could readily be observed in the lung, kidney, heart valves and subcutaneous tissue surrounding a tendon. Etiologically, identical CpHV-2 specific DNA sequences were detected in peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) from the affected deer and reservoir goats. Conclusion: In summary, domestic goats were the reservoir of the CpHV-2, which is the causative agent of the outbreak of MCF in the three hinds. The disease was probably transmitted via aerosol infection. In addition, necrosis and inflammation in subcutaneous tissue surrounding a tendon was the reason for lameness. Therefore, MCF should be put into a differential diagnostic list when similar disease occurs in sika deer herds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of potential treatments for irradiated graphite (i-graphite) waste, the oxidation method has been attracting more concern due to features of high treating efficiency and significant volume reduction. The release of fission products during oxidation is of great significance for further off-gas decontamination procedures. Focusing on the release behavior of volatile cesium (Cs), Cs-loaded graphite was prepared by impregnation in this work followed by definite distribution and chemical speciation analyzing. Results showed that the increasing temperature and humidity during the oxidation were evidenced to promote the release of Cs compounds, and the chemical speciation of released compounds was prominently dependent on oxidizing temperature. When the oxidation temperature was around 700 °C, Cs 2 O was predominately released with the morphology of spherical particles. When the oxidation temperature was increased to 900 °C, the predominant releasing composition turned to Cs 2 CO 3 with morphologies of both spherical particles and nanorod-like shapes. The different predominant releasing chemical compositions at different temperatures mainly resulted from the kinetics of graphite oxidization and temperature synergistically. These findings will provide theoretical foundations to the environmental evaluation of i-graphite thermal oxidation. • Cs-loaded graphite was prepared using impregnation. • The impact of oxidized conditions on the release behavior of Cs was studied. • The oxidation products and released fragments were widely characterized. • The different predominant releasing chemical composition at different temperatures mainly resulted from the kinetics of graphite oxidization and temperature synergistically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The effects of viscoelasticity on droplet formation are revealed. • The role of fluid viscoelasticity on uniformity of droplets and flow distribution is analyzed. • Prediction models for flow distribution of viscoelastic fluids in asymmetrical microchannels are proposed. • The improved elasticity is advantageous for suppressing and eliminating the satellite droplets. The dynamics of viscoelastic droplet formation in T-shaped asymmetric parallel microchannels are investigated using a high-speed camera. The effects of fluid viscoelasticity and flow rates of the two phases on the stability and uniformity of droplets, fluid flow distribution, and droplet formation period are explored. The results reveal that the viscoelasticity advances the transition from the squeezing stage to the rapid pinch-off stage, slows down the necking of rapid pinch-off stage and increases the duration of the stretching stage. It is found that the stability is significantly improved by increasing the continuous phase flow rate, and the droplet uniformity is affected by both the flow rates of the two phases and the fluid elasticity. In addition, prediction models for the fluid flow distribution, droplet size and droplet formation period are established. At last, the breakup mode of different elasticity filament and the satellite droplet size are studied. It is concluded that the increased elasticity contributes to the elimination of satellite droplets, and the satellite droplet size are affected by the fluid elasticity and the continuous phase flow rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and idiopathic short stature (ISS) are the most common types of short stature (SS), but little is known about their pathogenesis, and even less is known about the study of adolescent SS. In this study, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomic analysis combined with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were performed to identify the biomarkers of different types of SS (including 94 preadolescent GHD (PAG), 61 preadolescent ISS (PAI), 43 adolescent GHD (ADG), and 19 adolescent ISS (ADI)), and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was further used to evaluate the predictive power of potential biomarkers. The results showed that fourteen, eleven, nine, and fifteen metabolites were identified as the potential biomarkers of PAG, PAI, ADG, and ADI compared with their corresponding controls, respectively. The disturbed metabolic pathways in preadolescent SS were mainly carbohydrate metabolism and lipid metabolism, while disorders of amino acid metabolism played an important role in adolescent SS. The combination of aspartate, ethanolamine, phosphocholine, and trimethylamine was screened out to identify PAI from PAG, and alanine, histidine, isobutyrate, methanol, and phosphocholine gave a high classification accuracy for ADI and ADC. The differences in metabolic characteristics between GHD and ISS in preadolescents and adolescents will contribute to the development of individualized clinical treatments in short stature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tactile sensors, most commonly referred as strain and pressure sensors, can collect mechanical property data of the human body and local environment, to provide valuable insights into the human health status or artificial intelligence systems. The introduction of a high level of wearability (bendability and stretchability) to tactile sensors can dramatically enhance their interfaces with the contact objects, providing chronically reliable functions. Therefore, the developed wearable tactile sensors are capable of conformably covering arbitrary curved surface over their stiff counterparts without incurring damage, emerging as a promising development direction toward the Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Fundamental parameters of the wearable tactile sensors such as sensitivity and stretchability have experienced unprecedented advancement, owing to the progress of device fabrication techniques and material structural engineering. Moreover, novel smart materials and mechanically durable sensor design concepts endow these sensors with multi-functionality integration ( e.g. , simultaneous force, temperature and humidity detection, simultaneous pressure and strain discrimination) and stirring properties ( e.g. , biocompatibility, biodegradability, self-healing, self-powering and visualization), further broadening the application scope of current wearable tactile sensors. Besides, it is desirable that a tactile sensor is compatible with a printing process that presents a new era of feasible wearable technology due to its large-area and high-throughput production capability. In addition to the development of sensors, packaging, and integration of the rest of the tactile device system (data memory, signal conversion, power supply, wireless transmission, feedback actuator, etc .) to build a wearable platform also emerge as major research frontiers in recent years. This review attempts to summarize the current state-of-the-art wearable tactile sensors concerning basic concepts, functional materials, sensing mechanism, promising applications, performance optimization strategies, multifunctional sensing, and system integration. Finally, the discussion will be presented regarding potential challenges, pathways, and opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]