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Abstract: The electric field enhancements in Au/Ag and Ag/Au core/shell nanoparticles have been investigated by means of quasi-static theory. The maximum enhancements of outside fields for Au/Ag and Ag/Au nanoshells occur along the incident polarization at plasmon resonance wavelength. It is surprised that the largest field enhancement in the shell of Ag/Au nanoshell occurs along the polarization direction, while that for Au/Ag nanoshell is perpendicular to the incident polarization. At off-resonance wavelength 1000 nm, the general shape of the field pattern is similar to that in resonance case except for much weaker amplitude. Furthermore, for the seamless nanoshells, the maximum enhancements of the electric field increase by increasing the shell thickness. As the shell thickness is small, the hot spots play an important role in the enhancement of the local electric field. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The YAG crystal codoped with Yb3+ and Tm3+ has been grown by Czochralski (Cz) method. The crystal structure of the crystal has been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The absorption and emission spectra of Yb,Tm:YAG crystal at room temperature have also been studied. The emission cross-sections have been calculated by Fuechtbauer-Ladenburg formula and reciprocity method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study was done to test whether subitizing versus counting are attention demanding based on whether they can be performed during the attentional blink (AB). ERPs were recorded while participants performed a task requiring them to judge the number of dots presented and this judgment task either followed the presentation of a task-relevant item in a rapid stimulus presentation stream (dual-task) or the potential target was task irrelevant (single-task). The behavioral data demonstrated that T2 accuracies decreased as a function of the number of dots not only in counting range, but also in subitizing range. The ERP results showed a delayed P3 component in the dual-task condition, and this was equally true for both subitizing and counting conditions. Furthermore, the P3 amplitude was reduced during the AB, and this was still equally true for both the subitizing and counting conditions. The present results suggest that both subitizing and counting require attention, and that subitizing is not a purely pre-attentive process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

While firm growth critically depends on financing ability and access to external capital, the operations management and engineering economics literature seldom considers the effects of financial constraints on the firms' operational decisions. Another critical assumption in traditional operations models is that corporate managers always act in the firm owners' best interests. Managers are, however, agents of the owners of the company, whose interests are often not aligned with those of equity holders or debt holders; hence, managers may make major decisions that are suboptimal from the firm owners' point of view. This article builds on a news vendor model to make optimal production decisions in the presence of financial constraints and managerial incentives. We explore the relationship between operating conditions and financial leverage and observe that financial leverage can increase as margins reach either low or high extremes. We also provide some empirical support for this observation. We further extend our model to consider the effects of agency costs on the firm's production decision and debt choice by including performance-based bonuses in the manager's compensation. Our analyses show how managerial incentives may drive a manager to deviate from firm-optimal decisions and that low-margin producers face significant risk from this agency cost while high-margin producers face relatively low risk in using such compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cupric oxide (CuO) with leaf-like, chrysanthemum-like and rod shapes have been synthesized by microwave-assisted approach using an ionic liquid 1-n-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM]BF4). By controlling the concentration of [BMIM]BF4 and reaction time, shape transformation of CuO nanostructures could be achieved in a short period of time. The crystal structure and morphology of products were characterized by XRD, TG, FESEM/EDS, and TEM/SAED. A possible mechanism for the shape transformation of CuO nanostructures was proposed. In addition, UV–vis spectra were employed to estimate the band gap energies of the nanosized semiconductors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

CuO feather-like and flower-like crystals have been synthesized by a fast microwave-assisted solution approach using Cu(NO3)2 and NaOH. The morphology transformation of CuO could be achieved by ionic liquid 1-n-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM]BF4). With [BMIM]BF4, flower-like CuO were obtained, whereas without [BMIM]BF4, feather-like CuO were obtained. The possible formation mechanism of flower-like CuO was discussed on the basis of experimental results. The products were characterized by XRD, FESEM/EDS, and TEM/SAED. In addition, the adsorption of [BMIM]BF4 on flower-like CuO was confirmed by FTIR and TG/DSC, and the band gap energies of the flower-like CuO was estimated by UV-vis spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The amplitudes of the dipole and quadrupole modes for gold nanoshells have been investigated with various dielectric constants for the core and the embedding medium and with various size of the nanoshells by means of Mie theory. With the increase in the dielectric constant of the core, it is found that the strengths of dipole and quadrupole modes become weak. We also observe with the increasing dielectric constant of the embedding medium that the strength of the quadrupole mode is enhanced quickly, whereas that of dipole mode increases first and then decreases. We further find that the amplitude maximum of the dipole mode appears when the total radius of the nanoshell reaches to 50 nm even if the ratio of the inner and outer shell radii is fixed. We have ascribed the changes of the dipole and quadrupole modes to the competition among the variations of induced surface charges, conduction electrons and oscillation electrons. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of gamma-irradiation on the air-annealed 10at.% Yb:Y3Al5O12 (YAG) and air annealing on the gamma-irradiated 10at.% Yb:YAG have been studied by the difference absorption spectra before and after treatment. The gamma-irradiation and air annealing led to opposite changes of the absorption properties of the Yb:YAG crystal. After air annealing, the gamma-irradiation induced centers were totally removed and the concentration of Fe3+ and Yb3+ were lightly increased. For the first time, the gamma-irradiation induced valence changes between Yb3+ and Yb2+ ions in Yb:YAG crystals have been observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Sheaf-like CuO consisting of nanoplatelets were synthesized by a hydrothermal method at 100 °C from Cu(NO3)2·3H2O and NaOH in the presence of an ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM]BF4). The XRD indicated the high crystal quality of CuO with monoclinic crystal structure. FESEM and TEM images showed the nanoplatelets with lengths of 4–5 μm, thickness of 65–80 nm and end angle of 60°. FTIR spectra and TG/DSC curves confirmed the adsorption of [BMIM]BF4 on the surface of CuO. The morphology of CuO could be controlled by the feeding manner of [BMIM]BF4. It was demonstrated that [BMIM]BF4 served as a cosolvent and modifiers in the reaction system. Further, the possible growth mechanism of the sheaf-like CuO was proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Er3+-doped Gd2SiO5 (Er:GSO) single crystal with dimensions of ∅ 35×40mm3 has been grown by the Czochralski method. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of the Er:GSO crystal were measured at room temperature. The spectral parameters were calculated based on Judd–Ofelt theory, and the intensity parameters Ω 2, Ω 4 and Ω 6 are obtained to be 6.168×10−20, 1.878×10−20, and 1.255×10−20 cm2, respectively. The emission cross-section has been calculated by Fuechtbauer–Ladenbury formula. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Two-dimensional (2D) CuO nanoplatelets were synthesized in the presence of ionic liquids under the mild hydrothermal conditions at 140°C by self-assembly. The thickness of CuO nanoplatelets was about 35 nm prepared in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride. XRD, FESEM, and TEM were used to characterize the structure features of the products. FTIR spectra and TG curves confirmed the adsorption of ionic liquids on the surface of CuO nanoplatelets. In addition, UV-visible absorption spectra were employed to estimate the band gap energies of the CuO nanoplatelets as nanosized semiconductors. It was demonstrated that the ionic liquids could act as a cosolvent, soft template agent and modifiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Absorption and emission spectral properties of GdVO4 single crystal doped with Ho3+ ions were investigated at room temperature. Polarized absorption cross section is calculated in the range of 400–2200nm. Results were analyzed and parameters were calculated based on Judd-Ofelt theory, the emission spectrum shows that the emission intensity around the wavelength of 546nm associated with transition 5S2 → 5I8 is much stronger than other bands in the observed range and potentially enable the green light output around this emission band in this crystal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Yb:Y3Al5O12 (Yb:YAG) single crystals with Yb doping concentration 0.5at.%, 5at.%, 15at.%, 25at.%, 50at.%, 100at.% and Yb:YAlO3 (Yb:YAP) single crystals with Yb doping concentration 0.5at.%, 5at.%, 15at.%, 30at.% were grown by the Czochralski process. The fluorescence spectra of these crystals and the effects of self-absorption on the shape of the fluorescence spectra were studied. Through comparing the fluorescence spectra of Yb:YAG and Yb:YAP, all results indicate that the effects of self-absorption on the fluorescence spectra of Yb:YAP are remarkably stronger than that of Yb:YAG at the same Yb concentration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Absorption spectrum from 400 to 2000nm and upconversion fluorescence spectra under 940nm pumping of YAG single crystal codoped with 5at.% Yb3+ and 4at.% Tm3+ were studied at room temperature. The blue upconversion emission centered at 483nm corresponds to the transition 1G4 → 3H6, the emission band around 646nm corresponds to the transition 1G4 → 3F4 of Tm3+. Energy transfer from Yb3+ to Tm3+ is mainly nonradiative and the transfer efficiency was experimentally assessed. The line strengths, transition probabilities and radiative lifetimes of 1G4 level were calculated by using Judd–Ofelt theory. Gain coefficient calculated from spectra shows that the upconversion corresponding with transitions 1G4 → 3H6 in YAG doped with Yb3+ and Tm3+ is potentially useful for blue light output. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Yb:YAG single crystals with Yb doping concentration 5.4, 16.3, 27.1, 53.6, and 100at.% were grown by the Czochralski process. The effects of Yb concentration on the absorption spectra (190–1100nm), fluorescence spectra under 940nm and X-ray excitation were studied. The concentration quenching of fluorescence was observed when the Yb doping concentration reaches to as high as 27.1at.% for Yb:YAG. Under 940nm excitation, the influence of the self-absorption at 969 and 1029nm on the fluorescence spectra is not evident when the Yb doping concentration is as high as 27.1at.%. However, it can greatly change the shape of fluorescence spectra of Yb:YAG when the Yb doping concentration reaches to above 53.6at.%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A detailed knowledge of changes in microstructures and mechanical behaviour that occur in austenitic stainless steels with or without Nb/Ti-stabilized weld during heat treatment is of great interest, since the ductility and toughness of the material may change drastically after long aging times. Two kinds of materials, i.e. AISI 321 base and without Ti-stabilized weld steel and AISI 347 base with Nb-stabilized weld steel, were compared during aging at 700°C up to 6000h. Both materials present increased amount of precipitate and decreased impact energy as the aging time increases. The decreased extent of impact energy with aging is almost the same for both base materials. However, it presents differences for 347 and 321 weld samples. The latter shows a more drastic decrease of impact energy than the former due to the different amount of precipitates. 321 weld sample precipitates more numerously than 347 weld sample due to the absence of stabilized Ti/Nb on the former. Large amount of carbides is formed on 321 weld sample immediately after welding. The carbides are transformed to sigma phase, which is mainly responsible for the much more sigma phase precipitation compared with other samples, after high-temperature aging. The fractographs showed, in general, brittle fracture mode in 321 weld impact-fractured specimens after aging at 700°C for 6000h. However, other samples show ductile fracture mode in general. Several approaches should be employed to control sigma phase precipitation in weld material. These approaches include: decreasing content of ferrite and M23C6 carbide in weld and selecting Nb added weld wire during welding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Yb3Al5O12 single crystal has been grown by Czochralski (CZ) method. The absorption spectrum was investigated at low temperature and the electronic energy levels for 2F5/2 multiplet of Yb3+ in YbAG was proposed. The up-conversion emission of the crystal under 940nm diode pumping and the X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) features of the crystal were also studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Infrared (1.2–1.6μm) luminescence in a ytterbium aluminium garnet (YbAG) crystal, doped with Cr (0.05at.%) ions, was investigated under CW laser diode pumping (λ =940nm). The Cr4+ emission band was observed with its peak at 1.34μm and measured to be about 1.3 times with respect to Yb3+ IR luminescence (λ =1.03μm). We demonstrate that for the excitation wavelength of 940nm Yb3+ ions act as sensitizers of the 3B2(3T2)–3B1(3A2) emission of Cr4+ ions. This crystal is promising as a high-efficient system for tunable laser (1.2–1.6μm) output. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we present results on upconversion luminescence performed on Yb3+-doped yttrium aluminum garnets under 940nm excitation. The upconversion luminescence was ascribed to Yb3+ cooperative luminescence and the presence of rare earth impurity ions. The cooperative luminescence spectra as a function of Yb concentration were measured and the emission intensity variation with Yb concentration was discussed. Yb3+ energy migration quenched the cooperative luminescence of Yb:YAG crystals with doping level over 15at%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Infrared (1.2–1.6μm) luminescence in a yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) crystal, co-doped with Yb (10 at.%) and Cr (0.05 at.%) ions, was investigated under CW laser diode pumping (λ =940nm). The Cr4+ emission band was observed with its peak at 1.35μm and measured to be about 6% with respect to Yb3+ IR luminescence (λ =1.03μm). Analysis of the crystal absorption and luminescence spectra allows one to conclude that Yb3+–Cr4+ energy transfer is a mechanism responsible for the 3B2(3T2)–3B1(3A2) emission of Cr4+ ions. This crystal is promising as an efficient source of the near infrared emission. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Novel C6-carbamate ketolides with C2-fluorination and C9-oximation have been synthesized. The best compounds in this series displayed MIC values of 0.03–0.12μg/mL against streptococci containing erm and mef resistance determinants and 2–4μg/mL against Haemophilus influenzae. Several compounds also showed measurable activity against erm(B)-containing enterococci with MIC values of 2–8μg/mL. In vivo activity was adversely affected by fluorination, possibly as a result of increased serum protein binding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new series of antibacterial ketolides is reported, which features the use of a C-6 carbamate for tethering the arylalkyl sidechain to the macrolide core. The best members of this series display in vitro and in vivo activity comparable to telithromycin. Partial epimerization at C-2, unobserved in previously reported ketolides, was noted for this series. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Yb:YAG single crystals were grown by the Czochralski method. Thermal properties like thermal diffusivity, conductivity and expansion of various Yb3+ concentration are studied from 50 to 500 °C. The effects of temperature and Yb3+ concentration on the thermal properties of Yb:YAG crystals are discussed. The deterioration of thermal properties of highly doped Yb:YAG is possibly due to the structural distortion caused by the Yb3+ ions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cr4+:YbAG (Cr4+:Yb3Al5O12) crystal with a size up to Φ24 mm×30 mm was grown by the Czochralski method. In the absorption spectrum, there are two absorption bands at 939 and 969 nm, respectively, which are suitable for InGaAs diode laser pumping, and there is an absorption band at 1030 nm, which is suitable for passive Q-switched laser output at 1.03 μm. A broad emission spectrum from 970 to 1100 nm was exhibited from 940 nm wavelength pumping. This crystal is promising as a self-Q-switched laser crystal used for compact, efficient, highly stable, passive self-Q-switched thin chip solid-state lasers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The absorption spectra, emission under 940 nm excitation by laser diode, and fluorescence lifetimes of as-grown and annealed Cr,Yb:YAG crystal have been investigated at room temperature. The increase of absorption coefficients at 941 and 1030 nm and the quenching of Yb3+ emission intensity and fluorescence lifetime after annealing are due to the increase of the concentration of Cr4+ ions. The data of thermal expansion and specific heat of the crystal have been measured. The thermal expansion coefficient is α=8.71×10−6 /K. The specific heat is 89.9 cal/mol K at 320.5 K. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Czochralski crystal growth of 50 at.% Yb:YAG single crystal was reported. The absorption spectrum, emission spectrum and fluorescence lifetime of Yb:YAG crystal were measured at room temperature. The spectroscopic parameters of nominal 50 at.% Yb:YAG crystal were compared with that of Yb:YAG crystal with low doping level. The results indicate that Yb:YAG crystals with high doping level are potential candidates used for compact, efficient thin chip lasers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Five atomic percent Yb:YAG laser crystals have been grown by Czochralski (CZ) and temperature gradient technique (TGT) method. The absorption spectra of as-grown and annealed Yb:YAG crystals have been investigated. There is no Yb2+ and color center absorption in TGT-grown Yb:YAG crystals; the absorption peak of CZ-grown Yb:YAG crystals after O2-annealing at 255 nm is attributed to Fe3+ ions. The longitudinal distribution of Yb3+ ions has also been studied; TGT-grown Yb:YAG crystal has a larger distributing inhomogeneity of Yb3+ although it is large sized. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The stoichiometric laser crystal Yb3Al5O12 has been grown by the Czochralski method. The structure of the YbAG crystal has been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The absorption and emission spectra of YbAG crystal at room temperature have also been studied. The absorption, emission cross-section and fluorescence lifetime have been estimated as 0.64×10−20, 1.96×10−20 cm2 and 270 μs, respectively. The spectroscopic parameters of Yb:YAG and YbAG crystal have been compared, and the results indicate that YbAG is a promising stoichiometric laser crystal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Yb3xY3(1−x)Al5O12 crystals with different Yb3+ concentration have been grown by the Czochralski method. The distribution coefficient of Yb3+ is 1.08±0.01, and it has little relation with Yb3+ concentration. The lattice parameter of YbAG is 1.193799±0.000054 nm. We have found an equation connecting the lattice parameter and Yb3+ concentration: α(x)=1.200976−0.007072x nm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The weak peak at ultraviolet region observed by Zhu and Zhang in gold nanoshells should not be ascribed to the coupling of the “quadruple resonance,” which may be interpreted in terms of the contributions of the interband transitions in the Au layer. In addition, the quasistatic theory used by Zhu and Zhang is not suitable for investigation of the optical properties of gold nanoshells when the total radius of the shell is larger than the quasistatic limit. Furthermore, it is obvious that the strength and position of the local field factor peak should vary with the radial distance and the polar angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new adaptive fault estimation scheme is proposed for a class of hyperbolic partial differential equations in this paper. The multiplicative actuator and sensor faults are considered. There are two cases that require special consideration: (1). only one type of fault (actuator or sensor) occurs; (2). two types of faults occurred simultaneously. To solve the problem of fault estimation, three challenges need to be solved: (1). No prior information of fault type is known; (2). Unknown faults are always coupled with state and input; (3). Only one boundary measurement is available. The original plant is converted to Observer canonical form. Two filters are proposed and novel adaptive laws are developed to estimate unknown fault parameters. With the help of the proposed update laws, the true state of the faulty plant can be estimated by the proposed observers composed of two filters. By selecting a suitable Lyapunov function, it is proved that under unknown external disturbance, the estimation errors of state parameters and fault parameters decay to arbitrarily small value. Finally, the validity of the proposed observer and adaptive laws is verified by numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MBM was modeled by MM and BM. • Wide sample sets range interfered the performance of NIRS-based PLS-DA. • Bone fraction was helpful in the species discrimination model of MBM. • MBM, BM and MM samples could be well classified by NIRS. • The proposed strategy enhances the species discrimination ability of NIRS. This study analyzed the meat and bone meal (MBM) matrix complexity from the perspective of fraction composition diversity and a classification strategy was proposed to accurately and rapidly identify the MBM species based on near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Partial Least Squares-Discrimination Analysis (PLS-DA) based on full samples, meat meal (MM), MBM and bone meal (BM) performed with decreasing classification errors of 0.115, 0.079, 0.044 and 0.039 which were partly caused by wide sample range; bone fraction content had positive correlation with most of MBM species differences reflected by principal component scores; and PLS-DA classification errors among MM, MBM and BM were lower than 0.013. To take fully advantage of the above results, a sequential classification strategy was proposed; near infrared spectra were selected (belong to MM, MBM or BM) and then species discrimination analysis was conducted based on the specific PLS-DA model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SAW velocities for BCC crystals with unusual (irregular) orientations are studied. • An optimized numerical method of SAW velocities for BCC crystals is given. • The temperature dependences of SAW velocities are also simulated numerically. Based on the propagation theory of acoustic waves in anisotropic media, the angular dispersion curves of SAW velocities propagated in some unusual oriented, such as (0 1 6)- and (3 3 1)-oriented, Body-Centered Cubic (BCC) single crystals are simulated using an optimized numerical method. Meanwhile, the angular dispersion curves of SAW velocities propagated in these unusual oriented BCC single crystals are measured by Impulsive Stimulated Scattering (ISS) laser ultrasonic method, which show that the measurement results are in good agreement with those of the simulations. By the optimized numerical method, the relationships between the temperature and the dispersion curves of SAW velocity propagated in these single crystals are also simulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labeled as a fast-growing tree species, eucalyptus has outstanding carbon sequestration capacity. Forest stock volume (FSV) is regarded as an important parameter for evaluating the quality of planted eucalyptus forests. However, it is an intractable problem to map FSV of planted eucalyptus forests using optical images because of growth characteristics of the crown and low saturation levels. To improve the accuracy of FSV in planted eucalyptus forests, time series Landsat 8 OLI (LC8) images and ZY-3 stereo images were acquired in the study area. Additionally, then, three composite images were proposed using acquired Landsat 8 OLI images based on the size and shape of eucalyptus crowns, and several spectra variables were extracted from these composite images. Furthermore, corrected canopy height model (CCHM) was also extracted from ZY-3 stereo images. Meanwhile, four models (random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), and multiple linear regression (MLR)) were used to estimate the FSV with various variable sets using the importance of the alternative variables ranked by RF. The results show that the sensitivity between proposed spectral variables and FSV is significantly improved using proposed composed images based on the growth characteristics of the crown, especially for young eucalyptus forests. After adding CCHM and stand age to the optimal variable set, the average relative root mean square error (rRMSE) of estimated FSV decreased from 41.01% to 29.94% for single LC8 images and from 32.64% to 26.47% for proposed composite LC8 images, respectively. After using the variable set extracted from composite LC8 images, the number of samples with overestimated FSV was significantly decreased for the young forest. Furthermore, forest height plays an important role in improving the accuracy of mapping FSV, whether young or mature eucalyptus forest. It was also proved that composite images related to crown close and CCHM have great potential to delay the saturation phenomenon for mapping FSV in planted eucalyptus forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irregular hemorrhagic traumas always threaten the health of patients due to uncontrollable bleeding and wound infections. The traditional hemostatic materials show dissatisfactory hemostatic efficiency and antibacterial activity in solving these potential bleeding dangers. Herein, we proposed a kind of composites based on flexible wood membrane (FWM) loaded with chitosan/alginate derivative for accelerating rapid hemostasis and preventing infection. FWM was removed part of hemicellulose and lignin by using NaOH/Na 2 SO 3 mixture to obtain excellent flexibility while retaining the original porous structure, followed by loading silver nanoparticles on the FWM surface to prepare AgNPs-FWM as an antibacterial bio-carrier. Then, AgNPs-FWM was coated with polyoxyethylene stearate-modified chitosan and multi-aldehyde sodium alginate to fabricate the composites of chitosan/alginate/AgNPs-FWM (CSA/AgNPs-FWM) using in-situ Schiff base reaction. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that the CSA/AgNPs-FWM composites exhibited lower BCI value (2.6 ± 1.3 %), more rapid hemostasis (26 s) and lower blood loss (67.8 mg) than that of the traditional materials. The possible mechanism for the hemostasis process was not only the high blood absorption capacity, but also the synergistic interaction between hydrophobic alkane chains, amino groups, aldehydes, hydroxyl groups and blood cells. Moreover, CSA/AgNPs-FWM showed exceptional superiorities in mechanical properties and antibacterial activity, which endowed composites high potential in hemostasis application for irregular external wound. • FWM with native porously microstructure and flexibility was designed as a green and safe biocarrier. • CSA/AgNPs-FWM could aggregate and stimulate blood cells/platelets, promoting blood coagulation. • CSA/AgNPs-FWM could achieve shape adaptation to the surrounding tissues and the wound cavities to protect injured tissue. • CSA/AgNPs-FWM exhibits rapid hemostasis and long-term antibacterial properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron traps in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors were studied by combining theoretical and experimental methods. Energy levels about EC-0.9 eV due to irradiation are identified by deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). Two electron traps, H1 (EC-0.63 eV) and H2 (EC-0.9 eV), were observed in the DLTS spectra. H1 was produced in device or material manufacturing, and H2 was caused by displacement damage. First, we reported that the signal peak of H2 can contribute from three defects labeled H2-1, H2-2, and H2-3 with energies EC-0.77 eV, EC-0.9 eV, and EC-0.98 eV, respectively. According to defect migration temperature and first principles calculation results, it is found that different configurations of di-nitrogen vacancy structures are the source of EC-0.77 eV and EC-0.9 eV signals. The defect of EC-0.98 eV is more stable at high temperatures, which may be related to gallium vacancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer, the predominant malignancy afflicting women, continues to pose formidable challenges despite advancements in therapeutic interventions. This study elucidates the potential of phototherapy, comprising both photothermal and photodynamic therapy (PTT/PDT), as a novel and promising modality. To achieve this goal, we devised liposomes coated with macrophage cell membranes including macrophage-associated membrane proteins, which have demonstrated promise in biomimetic delivery systems for targeting tumors while preserving their inherent tumor-homing capabilities. This integrated biomimetic delivery system comprised IR780, NONOate, and perfluorocarbon. This strategic encapsulation aims to achieve a synergistic combination of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) therapy. Under near-infrared laser irradiation at 808 nm, IR780 demonstrates its ability to prolifically generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide anion (O2•−), singlet oxygen, and hydroxyl radical (·OH). Simultaneously, NONOate releases nitric oxide (NO) gas upon the same laser irradiation, thereby engaging with IR780-induced ROS to facilitate the formation of peroxynitrite anion (ONOO−), ultimately inducing programmed cell death in cancer cells. Additionally, the perfluorocarbon component of our delivery system exhibits a notable affinity for oxygen and demonstrates efficient oxygen-carrying capabilities. Our results demonstrate that IR780-NO-PFH-Lip@M significantly enhances breast cancer cell toxicity, reducing proliferation and in vivo tumor growth through simultaneous heat, ROS, and RNS production. This study contributes valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on innovative strategies for advancing cancer therapeutics. • A biomimetic drug delivery system, designated as IR780-NO-PFH-Lip@M was developed. • Enhanced tumor cell affinity and cellular uptake efficiency were achieved. • Superior therapeutic efficacy by combining cytotoxic from ROS and ONOO- was shown. • Excellent biocompatibility and a reduced side effect profile were achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sintering process is the main process that affects the performance of ternary cathode materials. Due to the closed, continuous, and long-term characteristics of the sintering process carried out in a roller kiln, the reaction state including reaction degree, particle size, and etc., of the raw materials cannot be directly obtained through sampling detection, resulting in ineffective temperature control. This article mainly focuses on modeling the dehydration reaction stage of the sintering process to obtain the reaction state of the raw materials. Firstly, a two-sphere model is established based on Newton's second law and the particle volume conservation equation to describe the relationship between the particle radius and sintering temperature of lithium hydroxide and ternary precursor; Secondly, the chemical kinetic parameters of the dehydration reaction in the two-sphere model are obtained by combining the single heating rate scanning method with the multiple heating rate scanning method; Then, in order to improve the accuracy of the two-sphere model and reduce the impact of external environmental temperature changes, a physics-informed neural network model is constructed by combining the two-sphere model with the neural ordinary differential equation model. Finally, the effectiveness of the modeling method is verified through numerical simulation and empirical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a multiscale framework capturing the primary interaction, displacement cascade generation and evolution, and realistic observable damaged structure based on Monte Carlo, Molecular Dynamics, and Object Kinetic Monte Carlo using an effective defect information transmitting scheme. The radiation effects of phosphorus-doped n-type silicon materials are simulated based on a multiscale framework, and the results are consistent with experimental observations. The simulation results show that, the incident particle type has a large effect on the concentrations and distribution of defects, which is closely related to the Primary Knock-On Atom (PKA) energy spectra and the defects evolution of defects. A negative correlation between defect concentration and fluence rate is attributed to the dissipation of subsequent PKA kinetic energy in the pre-cascade region. By comparing the interatomic bond length, we reveal that the doped atom can change displacement threshold energy, thereby affecting the defect concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of acoustic metamaterials enables the highly efficient absorption of low-frequency noise with a subwavelength structure thickness, but the complexity of these structures often hinders their large-scale practical applications. Here, we propose a straightforward and compact acoustic metamaterial structure composed of Helmholtz resonators with side slits (HRSS) for low-frequency noise absorption. The introduction of side slits not only simplifies the overall structure but also allows for easy adjustment of acoustic characteristics. By adjusting the depth of the resonator within the slit across 25 distinct units, an absorption coefficient above 0.8 is realized from 470 to 930 Hz. This work demonstrates the extensive low-frequency sound absorption capability of HRSS, providing valuable insights into the design of future practical acoustic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the electrochemical performance of batteries approaching the bottleneck gradually, it is increasingly urgent to solve the safety issue. Herein, all‐in‐one strategy is ingeniously developed to design smart, safe, and simple (3S) practical pouch‐type LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2||Graphite@SiO (NCM811||Gr@SiO) cell, taking full advantage of liquid and solid‐state electrolytes. Even under the harsh thermal abuse and high voltage condition (100 °C, 3–4.5 V), the pouch‐type 3S NCM811||Gr@SiO cell can present superior capacity retention of 84.6% after 250 cycles (based pouch cell: 47.8% after 250 cycles). More surprisingly, the designed 3S NCM811||Gr@SiO cell can efficiently improve self‐generated heat T1 by 45 °C, increase TR triggering temperature T2 by 40 °C, and decrease the TR highest T3 by 118 °C. These superior electrochemical and safety performances of practical 3S pouch‐type cells are attributed to the robust and stable anion‐induced electrode‐electrolyte interphases and local solid‐state electrolyte protection layer. All the fundamental findings break the conventional battery design guidelines and open up a new direction to develop practical high‐performance batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the escalating impact of climate change on agriculture and food security, gaining insights into the evolutionary dynamics of climatic adaptation and uncovering climate-adapted variation can empower the breeding of climate-resilient crops to face future climate change. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. sativa), the queen of forages, shows remarkable adaptability across diverse global environments, making it an excellent model for investigating species responses to climate change. In this study, we performed population genomic analyses using genome resequencing data from 702 accessions of 24 Medicago species to unravel alfalfa's climatic adaptation and genetic susceptibility to future climate change. We found that interspecific genetic exchange has contributed to the gene pool of alfalfa, particularly enriching defense and stress-response genes. Intersubspecific introgression between M. sativa subsp. falcata (subsp. falcata) and alfalfa not only aids alfalfa's climatic adaptation but also introduces genetic burden. A total of 1671 genes were associated with climatic adaptation, and 5.7% of them were introgressions from subsp. falcata. By integrating climate-associated variants and climate data, we identified populations that are vulnerable to future climate change, particularly in higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. These findings serve as a clarion call for targeted conservation initiatives and breeding efforts. We also identified pre-adaptive populations that demonstrate heightened resilience to climate fluctuations, illuminating a pathway for future breeding strategies. Collectively, this study enhances our understanding about the local adaptation mechanisms of alfalfa and facilitates the breeding of climate-resilient alfalfa cultivars, contributing to effective agricultural strategies for facing future climate change. Population genomic analyses are performed in thit study to unravel alfalfa's climatic adaptation and vulnerability to future climate change. It is found that intraspecific gene flow and interspecific introgression have introduced genes that facilitate adaptation to current and future climates. A total of 1671 candidate genes are identified as being associated with climatic adaptation, providing potential targets for the breeding of climate-resilient cultivars to cope with future climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents prediction of the high velocity, oblique impact response and quasi-static residual tensile strength of thin [45/90/−45/0] 2s carbon/epoxy laminates using finite element (FE) models. A High-Fidelity Finite Element Method (Hi-FEM) with an automated unit cell meshing technique was employed. The predicted impact damage, characterised by the extent of fibre failure and delamination area, was validated against results from gas-gun tests for a range of impact velocities. The numerical results captured the trend of increasing impact damage with impact energy as observed from the tests. Changes in projectile orientation before impact were shown to increase the extent of fibre failure at high impact energies, up by 38% in edge impact cases. The residual tensile strength of the impacted laminates was then investigated, where the numerical results for edge-impacted laminates agreed with the test data within 8%. On the other hand, the residual strength modelling results of centre-impacted laminates were found to be unconservative, mainly due to the extent of fibre failure predicted during impact. Machined notches were also studied for their residual tensile strength in comparison to impact induced damage. The predicted strength of edge-notched laminates was found to be in close agreement with the experimental results for edge-impacted laminates, differing by an average of 9%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the remarkable semi-metallicity and edge states, graphene-based nanoelectronics has become an intense arena in low-dimensional atomic device science and technology. Nowadays, various single atomic chains have been successfully fabricated, which can serve as multi-functional interconnects to bridge atomic devices. Using first principles approach, the spintronic applications of graphene-based carbon atomic chains and boron nitride atomic chains MTJs (magnetic tunnelling junctions) are systematically investigated in this work. The results show that the half-metallicity is only contact-dominated (sp and sp 2 contacts), which cannot be switched by gate voltages, strain, the length of atomic chains, or the width of zigzag graphene nanoribbon leads. The intrinsic physics is that the electronic coupling in sp junctions provides partial transmission states for both spin currents, while one spin state is completely blocked by the electronic coupling in sp 2 junctions. Therefore, the sp 2 junctions present half-metallicity and remarkable tunnelling magneto-resistance (105%–106%), demonstrating the potential applications as spin-valve. This work discloses the origin of the contact-dominated effect in graphene-based spintronics which is unknown before. Image 1 • The half-metallicity of graphene-ACs/BNACs junctions is dominated by contacts. • The sp 2 junctions are fully polarzied and not the case in sp junctions. • The tunnelling magneto-resistance of sp 2 junctions can remarkably reach 105%-106%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the effects of extracellular calmodulin on pollen germination and tube growth of the plant Forsythia suspensa. Experimental procedure; Speed of pollen germination resulting from W7-agarose; Length of the tube.

Purpose: E-government development (EGD) is vital in enhancing the institutional quality and sustainable public service (SPS) delivery by eradicating corruption and cybersecurity crimes. Design/methodology/approach: The present study applied econometric fixed-effect (FE) regression analysis and random forest (RF) algorithm through machine learning for comprehensive estimations in achieving SPS. This study gauges the nexus between the EGD as an independent variable and public service sustainability (PSS) as a proxy of public health services as a dependent variable in the presence of two moderators, corruption and cybersecurity indices from 47 Asian countries economies from 2015 to 2019. Findings: The computational estimation and econometric findings show that EGD quality has improved with time in Asia and substantially promoted PSS. It further explores that exercising corruption control measures and introducing sound cybersecurity initiatives enhance PSS's quality and support the EDG effect much better. Practical implications: The study concludes that E-Government has positively impacted PSS (healthcare) in Asia while controlling cybersecurity and institutional malfunctioning made an E-Government system healthier and SPS development in Asia. Originality/value: This study added a novel contribution to existing E-Government and public services literature by comprehensively applied FE regression and RF algorithm analysis. Moreover, E-Government and cybersecurity improvement also has taken under consideration for PSS in Asian economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of water molecules can significantly determine the macroscopic mechanical property and microscopic chain dynamics of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). However, to date it has remained fully understood the molecular mechanism behind experimentally and theoretically. Herein, we systematically examine the effect of water contents on the mechanical property, glass transition, free volume, and intermolecular interactions by combining experimental and MD simulation. Our results show that the presence of water significantly reduces the mechanical strength of PVA, and only 1.8 wt% of water reduces the tensile strength by ~32% but notably increases the plasticity of PVA by ~2.5 times. Meanwhile, the inclusion of water remarkably lowers the glass transition temperature, increases free volume, and promotes the relaxation and mobility of PVA chains. This is mainly because the presence of water gives rise to both the plasticization and even lubricating effect on the PVA chains. This work unravels how water governs the mechanical performances of the PVA. Image 1 • The presence of water significantly reduces the mechanical strength of PVA. • 1.8 wt% of water reduces tensile strength by ~32% but increases the ductility of PVA by ~2.5 times. • The inclusion of water remarkably lowers the glass transition temperature of PVA. • The addition of water increases the free volume and promotes the relaxation of PVA chains. • The presence of water giving rise to the plasticization and lubricating effect on the PVA chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A virtual finite element framework is presented to provide the transition from a high fidelity model to a more computationally efficient continuum model for simulating fibre-dominated damage behavior in composite laminates subjected to tensile loadings. The high fidelity method in LS-DYNA is based on the use of cohesive interface elements to simulate both intra-laminar matrix cracks and delamination. Applied to IM7/8552 carbon fibre reinforced plastic laminates in over-height compact tension (OCT) tests, this modeling strategy is used to determine the effective damage parameters for the nonlocal continuum damage model, CODAM2, implemented as MAT219 in LS-DYNA. The prediction of CODAM2 is thoroughly assessed against quantitative and qualitative results obtained from the high fidelity model. Furthermore, the characterized CODAM2 model is applied to simulations of large-scale OCT, open–hole tension (OHT) and center-notched tension (CNT) specimens and results are compared to corresponding experimental data. Due to its nonlocal feature to track the crack trajectory without the need to align the mesh with fibre orientation, the continuum damage model CODAM2 is able to accurately predict the structural response in all large-scale OCT, OHT and CNT test cases with significant computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defects such as out-of-plane wrinkles are known to strongly affect in-plane strength but there has been very little research on their effect on out-of-plane properties. Experimental and numerical studies of multi-directional curved-beam laminates were thus carried out to understand the effects of out-of-plane wrinkles on through-thickness tensile strength. The initially selected layup saw free-edge delamination interacting with transverse cracking, which is undesirable. After suppressing the free-edge delamination by dispersing the plies near the specimen surfaces, through-thickness tensile failure was observed near the mid-plane. The effects of out-of-plane wrinkles could be studied with this appropriate layup, showing a 16% reduction in strength. A High-fidelity Finite Element Method (Hi-FEM) has been used to distinguish between the different failure modes and to understand the effects of wrinkles. Good agreement was achieved between the numerical and experimental results in terms of through-thickness tensile strengths and delamination locations. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]