Search

A scalable electrical method is proposed for measuring high-frequency responses of photodetectors (PDs) through harmonic up-conversion based on pilot-aided electro-optical stimulus. The proposed method provides wideband optical stimulus by the electro-optical harmonic up-conversion and subtracts the frequency response of the assisted electro-optical Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) based on the pilot insertion and extraction fixed at low frequency, which is free of any golden intensity modulator (IM) of known performance. Moreover, it achieves wideband and scalable high-frequency measurement of PDs with n-fold measuring frequency range, where the sweeping frequency up to fs of the assisted MZM enables the measuring frequency range of n × fs. In the experimental demonstration, a commercial PD is measured with an assisted MZM under a frequency-swept modulation up to 16.75 GHz and a fixed-low-frequency pilot signal at 80 MHz, and the frequency responses are evaluated up to 67 GHz. Moreover, the feasibility of the scalable scheme is proved by those cases of 1, 2, 3, and 4-fold measuring frequency range. The consistency between our method and the two-tone mixing method verifies that the scalable high-frequency measurement provides a simple but accurate method for the performance characterization of high-speed PDs.

The properties of pavement bitumen deteriorates when exposed to complicated environmental factors. This study developed a multi-environment simulation device to apply multi-factor coupling on asphalt mixtures. The physicochemical properties of recovered bitumen were analysed by traditional technical indicators, tensile strength, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and contact angle tests. The ageing index and target functional group index ratio were proposed to quantify the interactions of environmental factors. The results indicated that surface morphology of mixtures was severely affected by multi-factor coupling. The multi-factor coupling exacerbated the deterioration of physical properties and increased tensile strength, surface free energy, and adhesion work. However, the sulfoxide index was more affected by thermal ageing than the carbonyl index, and its change under ultraviolet and multi-factor actions was not obvious. The ageing index and target functional group index ratio indicated that the effect of ultraviolet-thermal coupling had the largest effect on the physicochemical properties of bitumen.

Hydrogen obtained from electrochemical water splitting is the most promising clean energy carrier, which is hindered by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Thus, the development of an efficient OER electrocatalyst using nonprecious 3d transition elements is desirable. Multielement synergistic effect and lattice oxygen oxidation are two well-known mechanisms to enhance the OER activity of catalysts. The latter is generally related to the high valence state of 3d transition elements leading to structural destabilization under the OER condition. We have found that Al doping in nanosheet Ni–Fe hydroxide exhibits 2-fold advantage: (1) a strong enhanced OER activity from 277 mV to 238 mV at 10 mA cm–2as the Ni valence state increases from Ni3.58+to Ni3.79+observed from in situX-ray absorption spectra. (2) Operational stability is strengthened, while weakness is expected since the increased NiIVcontent with 3d8L2(L denotes O 2p hole) would lead to structural instability. This contradiction is attributed to a reduced lattice oxygen contribution to the OER upon Al doping, as verified through in situRaman spectroscopy, while the enhanced OER activity is interpreted as an enormous gain in exchange energy of FeIV–NiIV, facilitated by their intersite hopping. This study reveals a mechanism of Fe–Ni synergy effect to enhance OER activity and simultaneously to strengthen operational stability by suppressing the contribution of lattice oxygen.

Understanding the mechanism of methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) remains a challenge in the development of direct methanol fuel cells. Large-scale investigations of the MOR encounter issues related to mass transfer and averaging effects. To address these limitations, exploring the MOR on the surfaces of individual nanocatalyst and precisely identifying the reaction steps can yield valuable insights into the underlying pathways. In this study, we employed in situnanoplasmonic resonance scattering spectroscopy to dynamically monitor the MOR process on single gold nanorod particles (GNPs) and Pt-coated gold nanoparticles (Pt-GNPs). We observed the evolution of metal hydroxides, which was assumed as the active species. Notably, the dynamic behavior of the surface atomic layers revealed the rate-determining steps for both the GNPs and Pt-GNPs, indicating competitive adsorption of intermediates on the nanocatalyst surface. The resulting inherent reaction mechanism highlights the thermodynamics-dependent catalysts’ redox processes and their surface adsorptions, which holds significance for advancing highly active MOR catalysts.

Introduction: Critically ill patients often endure pain, a distressing experience that can trigger diverse pathophysiological consequences. While remifentanil, with its rapid kinetics, is commonly used for analgesia in intensive care units (ICU), it frequently leads to opioid-related adverse effects. A promising alternative has emerged in oliceridine, a novel G protein-biased μ-opioid receptor agonist. This new drug offers the potential for effective pain relief with fewer side effects. However, its efficacy and safety profile in mechanically ventilated ICU patients remain to be fully elucidated. Methods: This is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, single-blind, active-controlled trial conducted across 24 ICUs in China. A total of 292 mechanically ventilated patients requiring analgesia and sedation will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the oliceridine or remifentanil group. The oliceridine group will receive oliceridine (2–20 μg/kg/h), while the remifentanil group will receive remifentanil (1.5–12 μg/kg/h). Both groups will receive propofol for sedation if necessary. The target for analgesia is Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) < 3, and for sedation is Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) − 2 to 0. Planned Outcomes: The primary outcome will be the percentage of time within target analgesia during study drug administration. Secondary outcomes will include gastrointestinal dysfunction, respiratory depression, sedative usage, mechanical ventilation duration, ICU stay length, extubation failure rate, etc. Trial Registration: NCT06454292. Registered on June 11, 2024.

The effect of time-restricted eating (TRE) has been summarized in previous studies, but its benefits in combination with calorie restriction (CR) still need to be determined. The present meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TRE with CR on weight loss and cardiometabolic risk. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and gray literature databases were searched from inception to October 18, 2022, for potential randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Body weight and other cardiometabolic risk factors were described as weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Eight RCTs involving 579 participants were enrolled in the present analysis. The pooled results showed that TRE with CR reduced the body weight, fat mass, and waist circumference significantly (WMD: −1.40, 95% CI: −1.81 to −1.00, and I2: 0%; WMD: −0.73, 95% CI: −1.39 to −0.07, and I2: 0%; WMD: −1.87, 95% CI: −3.47 to −0.26, and I2: 67.25%, respectively). However, compared with CR alone, TRE plus CR exhibited no significant benefit on the blood pressure, glucose profile, and lipid profile. Subgroup analysis suggested that early TRE is more effective in weight loss (WMD: −1.42, 95% CI: −1.84 to −1.01, and I2: 0%) and improving fat mass (WMD: −1.06, 95% CI: −1.91 to −0.22, and I2: 0%) than delayed or broader TRE when combined with CR. Although the combination of TRE and CR can effectively decrease body weight, fat mass, and waist circumference, the long-term effects, particularly those on cardiometabolic risk in participants with chronic cardiovascular disease and diabetes, remain to be explored.

AbstractThe European Court of Human Rights has often been criticized for lacking clarity and consistency in its reasoning of balancing human rights against conflicting public interests. To reconcile national security with human rights protection, the Court requires the interference with rights to be suitable for reaching the objective purported by the government. In this article I deal with how the Court conducts the suitability test in national security cases, in line with two models under which a few representative test considerations can be categorized: human rights priority model and national security priority model. To explain how each model works in a comparable sense, I follow the same analytic structure and examine the manner of the Court’s test and the intensity of its scrutiny. I argue that in compliance with the two models, the Court applies the suitability test in a consistent and predictable way in national security case law.

Background:Uneven body-surface thermal distribution is a manifestation of hypoperfusion and can be quantified by infrared thermography. Our aim was to investigate whether body-surface thermal inhomogeneity could accurately evaluate the severity of patients at risk of hypoperfusion. Methods:This was a prospective cohort study in which infrared thermography images were taken from unilateral legs of critically ill patients at high risk of hypoperfusion in a cardiac surgical intensive care unit. For each patient, five body-surface thermal inhomogeneity parameters, including standard deviation (SD), kurtosis, skewness, entropy, and low-temperature area rate (LTAR), were calculated. Demographic, clinical, and thermal characteristics of deceased and living patients were compared. The risk of mortality and capillary refill time (CRT) were chosen as the primary outcome and benchmarking parameter for hypoperfusion, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to evaluate predictive accuracy. Results:Three hundred seventy-three patients were included, and 55 (14.7%) died during hospital stay. Of inhomogeneity parameters, SD (0.738) and LTAR (0.768) had similar AUROC to CRT (0.757) for assessing mortality risk. Besides, there was a tendency for LTAR (1%–3%–7%) and SD (0.81°C–0.88°C–0.94°C) to increase in normotensive, hypotensive, and shock patients. These thermal parameters are associated with CRT, lactate, and blood pressure. The AUROC of a combined prediction incorporating three thermal inhomogeneity parameters (SD, kurtosis, and entropy) was considerably higher at 0.866. Conclusions:Body-surface thermal inhomogeneity provided a noninvasive and accurate assessment of the severity of critically ill patients at high risk of hypoperfusion.

Rational design of low-cost and efficient electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is imperative for electrocatalytic ethanol fuel cells. In this work, we developed a copper-doped nickel oxyhydroxide (Cu-doped NiOOH) catalyst via in situelectrochemical reconstruction of a NiCu alloy. The introduction of Cu dopants increases the specific surface area and more defect sites, as well as forms high-valence Ni sites. The Cu-doped NiOOH electrocatalyst exhibited an excellent EOR performance with a peak current density of 227 mA·cm−2at 1.72 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, high Faradic efficiencies for acetate production (> 98%), and excellent electrochemical stability. Our work suggests an attractive route of designing non-noble metal based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation.

Operating point drift over large temperature spans can significantly degrade the performance of servo valves. The direction and magnitude of the deviation of the operating point are uncertain. To analyze and evaluate the mechanism of this complex system with a multi-level structure and multi-variables, it is necessary to construct a theoretical model with a clear physical concept to describe it. However, since the physical processes contain complex variations of structural parameters and flow properties, there is a problem of simplifying approximations in deriving analytical mathematical relations. The advantages of multi-physics field numerical analysis can compensate for this shortcoming of analytical formulations. Based on this, we constructed a whole-valve transfer function model to realize the mechanism analysis and evaluate the operating point drift when a thermal effect acts on a servo valve. The results show that the asymmetric fit relationship between the armature-nozzle assemblies is an important reason for the drift of the operating point caused by the thermal effect. Differences in structural parameters and fluid medium characteristics at different temperatures lead to nonlinear changes in the operating point. When the deviation angle reaches ±1°, an increase in temperature will cause the absolute value of the tangent slope of the displacement deviation of the spool to decrease from 1.44×10−5m/°C to 1.25×10−6m/°C. The influence of the deviation angle is reflected in the change in the absolute value of the tangent slope of the pressure deviation from 1. 14×103Pa/°C to 110 Pa/°C.

A novel tertiary amine squaramide has been successfully developed and applied to catalyze the asymmetric Michael addition between cyclic diketones and β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters. The catalyst system performed well with a low catalyst loading of 1 mol% under mild reaction conditions. A series of synthetically and pharmaceutically useful chiral bicyclic compounds were obtained with both high yields (up to 97%) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee).

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) offers an attractive route to convert chemical energy into electrical energy; however, its commercial application is often limited by the large mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients (TECs) between the cathode and electrolyte and the insufficient activity of cathodes. Fe-doped PrBa0.8Ca0.2Co2O6−δ(PBCC) are promising cathode materials due to their high conductivity and excellent oxygen-reduction activity, in which Fe doping in PBCC can decrease the TEC to achieve better compatibility with the electrolyte, but excessive Fe will inhibit the oxygen kinetics. Here, we construct a two-layer PBCC cathode (TLC), which consists of a high Fe content layer with good thermal compatibility to electrolytes and a low Fe content layer with high ionic and electronic conductivity. Compared to homogeneous PBCC electrodes, the cell with TLC has a lower activation energy and a higher peak power density (1259.3 mW cm–2at 700 °C). Meanwhile, it exhibits admirable stability up to 200 h in constant potential mode (0.8 V), and importantly, no discernible degradation is observed in further stability tests in the constant current mode (444 mA cm–2) for 200 h. The results reveal that the TLC based on double perovskite Fe-doping isostructural oxide is a promising candidate electrode for SOFC.

Three Heusler alloys, Ni50-xCoxMn38Sn12 (x = 1, 2, and 3), were elaborated by rapid solidification. The impact of the Co doping on the structure, magnetic properties, and phase transition in these alloys was studied. The structure of the Ni49Co1Mn38Sn12 and Ni48Co2Mn38Sn12 ribbons was martensite 14M monoclinic structure, while the Ni47Co3Mn38Sn12 sample structure was austenite cubic L21. The thermal analysis showed the impact of the substitution Ni by Co. It was noted that the temperatures of martensitic transition moved lower, and a decreases progressively of enthalpy and entropy changed. Likewise, an obvious increase in the temperature of Curie transition for austenite phase (TAC) was observed and a jump of magnetization change (ΔM) was detected, with increasing Cobalt content.

Synergistic effects are often used for interpreting the enhanced electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity of catalysts with two or more elements. However, the mechanism behind this synergy remains ambiguous. Here, we report an Fe-doped Ni2Mo3O8(Ni2−xFexMo3O8, where x = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0) series with high OER activity (only 196 mV at 10 mA cm−2for x = 0.5) and high stability over 200 h at a high current density of 500 mA cm−2. Our in situX-ray absorption spectroscopies indicated a valence-state transition from Fe2+/Ni2+to Fe3+(Fe4+)/Ni3+and a structural transition from corner-sharing Fe(Ni)–O–Fe(Ni) to an edge-sharing network. The highest catalytic activity of Ni1.5Fe0.5Mo3O8among this series is interpreted as a gain in the exchange energy (ca. 1 eV) of the Fe4+/Ni3+pair facilitated by intersite hopping owing to its highest Fe valence state. Our results reveal a previously unreported mechanism for the Ni-Fe synergistic effect that enhances OER activity.

Biodegradable magnesium (Mg)-based alloys have aroused great concern owing to their promising characteristics as temporary implants for orthopedic application. But their undesirably rapid corrosion rate under physiological conditions has limited the actual clinical application. This study reports the use of a novel biomimetic polyelectrolyte multilayer template, based on polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) via layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly, to improve the corrosion resistance of the alloy. Surface characterization techniques (field-emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer and X-ray diffractometer) confirmed the formation of biomineralized Ca–P coating on AZ31 alloy. Both hydrogen evolution and electrochemical corrosion tests demonstrated that the corrosion protection of the polyelectrolyte-induced Ca–P coating on AZ31 alloy. The formation mechanism of biomineralized Ca–P coating was proposed.

Vibrational excitations provoked by coupling effects during charge transport through single molecules are intrinsic energy dissipation phenomena, in close analogy to electron–phonon coupling in solids. One fundamental challenge in molecular electronics is the quantitative determination of charge-vibrational (electron–phonon) coupling for single-molecule junctions. The ability to record electron–phonon coupling phenomena at the single-molecule level is a key prerequisite to fully rationalize and optimize charge-transport efficiencies for specific molecular configurations and currents. Here we exemplarily determine the pertaining coupling characteristics for a current-carrying chemically well-defined molecule by synchronous vibrational and current–voltage spectroscopy. These metal-molecule-metal junction insights are complemented by time-resolved infrared spectroscopy to assess the intramolecular vibrational relaxation dynamics. By measuring and analyzing the steady-state vibrational distribution during transient charge transport in a bis-phenylethynyl-anthracene derivative using anti-Stokes Raman scattering, we find ∼0.5 vibrational excitations per elementary charge passing through the metal-molecule-metal junction, by means of a rate model ansatz and quantum-chemical calculations.

The transition energies and wavelengths of 1s24f-1s2ng (5 ≤ n≤ 8) states of lithium-like ions starting from vanadium and ending with zinc are determined by using the full-core-plus-correlation (FCPC) method. Our calculated values are compared with other available data and found to be in good agreement with them. The oscillator strengths of the 1s24f-1s2ng (5 ≤ n≤ 8) dipole transition under three criteria are explored by using the FCPC method. The consistency of the three criteria proves the accuracy of the constructed wave function over all space. In this paper, the oscillator strength and the oscillator strength density of all discrete and continuous states from any given initial to final state are calculated, and the theoretical prediction of the spectral characteristics of the omnipotence threshold is realized.

The interfacial transition zone (ITZ) percolation is an effective parameter reflecting the connectivity of ITZs in cementitious materials, and its emergence may accelerate the penetration of inimical ions. In the existing literature on ITZ percolation, aggregates are generally simplified as the identical-shaped particles and the thickness of the ITZ phase around them is set to be uniform, which differs greatly from the realities and may cause the large deviation. To determine the ITZ percolation with the response of different phases in a more realistic way, a more satisfying three-dimensional (3D) polyphase model of concrete is developed, in which the convex ovoids and polyhedrons are separately adopted to represent the sands and gravels. The realistic nonuniform ITZ is also assigned for these aggregates based on their specific sizes and the W/C for the cement matrix. By coupling these models with the continuum percolation theory in statistical physics, the influence of individual phases on the global percolation threshold ϕagg,cof ITZs is further studied by the simulation. The results reveal that the models here provide a smaller percolation threshold ϕagg,cthan the previous prediction models containing the simplistic uniform ITZs. There is reason to believe that these results in the work would be closer to the actual threshold in the realistic circumstance.

Objective:Population-based studies on chronic sinusitis have predominantly focused on Europe and the Americas, but research on chronic sinusitis within large Asian populations remains scarce. This study aims to explore the link between dietary factors and chronic sinusitis among ethnic Koreans in Asia. Design:A cross-sectional study. Setting:Data were collected from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) in 2012. Participants:Participants in the study were included based on a doctor’s diagnosis of chronic sinusitis, as determined through the ear, nose, and throat examination questionnaires. Results:Adolescents [adjusted Pvalue (aP) < .001, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.881, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.380-2.564] and individuals with college and higher education (aP = .042, aOR = 1.298, 95% CI = 1.009-1.669) were more likely to develop chronic rhinosinusitis. In addition, levels of dietary fat [P= .001, interquartile range (IQR) = 34.085] and energy intake (P= .004, IQR = 981.106) were associated with an increased risk of chronic sinusitis. Moreover, high dietary inflammatory index (aP < .001, aOR = 0.547, 95% CI = 0.415-0.721), and high intake of fried pork chops (aP = .028, aOR = 1.335, 95% CI = 1.033-1.777), bread (aP = .024, aOR = 1.364, 95% CI = 1.042-1.786), and rice (aP = .021, aOR = 1.382, 95% CI = 1.051-1.818) were risk factors for chronic sinusitis, while cucumber consumption (aP < .001, aOR = 0.547, 95% CI = 0.415-0.721) was a protective factor for chronic sinusitis. Conclusion:This study revealed a significant correlation between diet and development of chronic sinusitis. These findings suggest that promoting an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern and providing guidance on healthy eating habits could help reduce the incidence of chronic sinusitis and enhance its management.

Background: Cervical lymph node metastasis from unknown primary sites is a challenging clinical issue with a changing therapy model and unpredictable outcomes, which leads to the difficulty in selecting optimal treatments. Thus, it is valuable to analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes of the patients who receive different management styles. Methods: All patients with cervical lymph node metastasis from unknown primary sites were reviewed and no primary lesions were found. In addition, this work was funded by the Clinical Trial Fund Project of Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital (No. C1716). Specifically, we used univariate, multiple regression analysis to evaluate the factors associated with prognosis. Results: 365 patients met the inclusion criteria, and the 2- and 5-year survival rates were 77.0% and 33.4%, respectively, with a median survival of 45 months. Gender, age, pathological type, nodal status, and necessary cervical lymph node dissection affected locoregional control. Distant metastasis was common in individuals with a pathological type of adenocarcinoma, poor differentiation, and advanced nodal status. Furthermore, patients who received induction chemotherapy had a better prognosis than those treated with postoperative chemotherapy. Multiple regression analysis showed that pathological grade, treatment models, and distant metastasis were associated with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). In addition, local recurrence exerted a significant influence on OS. Induction chemotherapy and postsurgical radiotherapy seemed to improve the prognosis of patients at the advanced stage compared with simple surgery and postsurgical chemotherapy. Conclusions: Pathological grade, treatment models, and distant metastasis were independent risk factors for prognosis. Induction chemotherapy or postoperative radiotherapy benefited patients at the advanced stage, and patients with adenocarcinoma, poor differentiation, and advanced nodal status should undergo induction chemotherapy in light of the increased risk of distant metastasis.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text

Open-framework chalcogenides with ion-exchange capacity are promising materials for removing hazardous heavy-metal ions and for capturing radioactive Cs+. However, research on the exchange mechanism is limited, especially for the framework chalcogenides that have multiple bridging anions. Generally, open-framework chalcogenides that have multiple bridging anions at the window or wall of the channels are rigid during the ion-exchange process. We show here that microporous sulfides with μ3-S2–(where μ3= triple bridging mode) at the windows exhibit framework flexibility upon ion exchange. Three new microporous sulfides Na4Cu8Ge3S12·2H2O (1), Na3(Hen)Cu8Sn3S12(where en = ethylenediamine) (2) and (dap)2(Hdap)4Cu8Ge3S18(where dap = 1,2-diaminopropane) (3) were synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Compounds 1and 2contain a copper-rich framework composed of icosahedral [Cu8S12]16–units linked via monomeric GeS44–or SnS44–tetrahedral units, whereas compound 3features an expanded framework composed of icosahedral [Cu8S12]16-units interconnected with dimeric Ge2S64–units. These compounds exhibit unusual ion-exchange properties. Specifically, the frameworks of 1and 2(with μ3-S at the small windows) show “breathing action” upon ion exchange of K+or Rb+, which have relative large sizes, and compound 3exhibits framework flexibility upon Cs+ion exchange with both space group and channels changed.

In this paper, for a general class of uncertain nonlinear (cascade) systems, including unknown dynamics, which are not feedback linearizable and cannot be solved by existing approaches, an innovative adaptive approximation-based regulation control (AARC) scheme is developed. Within the framework of adding a power integrator (API), by deriving adaptive laws for output weights and prediction error compensation pertaining to single-hidden-layer feedforward network (SLFN) from the Lyapunov synthesis, a series of SLFN-based approximators are explicitly constructed to exactly dominate completely unknown dynamics. By the virtue of significant advancements on the API technique, an adaptive API methodology is eventually established in combination with SLFN-based adaptive approximators, and it contributes to a recursive mechanism for the AARC scheme. As a consequence, the output regulation error can asymptotically converge to the origin, and all other signals of the closed-loop system are uniformly ultimately bounded. Simulation studies and comprehensive comparisons with backstepping- and API-based approaches demonstrate that the proposed AARC scheme achieves remarkable performance and superiority in dealing with unknown dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, two new prolinamides with isosteviol skeleton were synthesized and used as chiral catalysts for the asymmetric aldol reaction. Solvent effects, catalyst loading, substrate scope and the influence of water on the reaction were investigated. With only 5 mol % loading, the synthesized catalysts showed excellent activity (up to 98% yield) and good stereoselectivity (up to 87:13 dr, 90% ee) for the direct aldol reaction of cyclohexanone and substituted benzaldehydes at room temperature.

We report the broadband terahertz (THz) radiation in ferromagnetic half-metallic Heusler alloy Co_2MnSn thin film upon the irradiation of a femtosecond laser pulse at room temperature. The magnetic-, sample symmetry-, and pump fluence-dependent THz emission reveals that the THz radiation is originated from the magnetic-dipole radiation, i.e., the light-induced subpicosecond demagnetization. In addition, by optical pump-THz probe spectroscopy, we found that the photoexcited increase of the scattering rate of hot carriers thereby leads to the photoinduced negative THz conductivity in Co_2MnSn thin film.

With the continuous development of science and technology, the function of the electrochemical biosensor is becoming more and more diversified. The fourth generation of enzyme-free glucose sensor because of its particular advantages has become one of research focuses in glucose sensor now. For all sorts of optimization also are not enzyme glucose as the new material was born has made great progress. Enzyme-free glucose sensors are becoming more and more an integral part of electrochemical research. This article summarizes the characteristics of all kinds of conventional materials of enzyme-free glucose sensor, the domestic and foreign general preparation methods of enzyme-free glucose sensors, the specific characterization of the electrode, its application fields, and prospects for future development.

Cyperus difformisis a troublesome weed in paddy fields and has attracted attention due to its resistance to acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) inhibitors. It was found that the amino acid mutation in AHAS was the primary cause for the resistance of Cyperus difformis. However, the effect of different mutations on AHAS function is not clear in Cyperus difformis. To confirm the effect of mutations on AHAS function, six biotypes were collected, including Pro197Arg, Pro197Ser, Pro197Leu, Asp376Glu, Trp574Leu and wild type, from Hunan, Anhui, Jiangxi and Jiangsu Provinces, and the function of AHAS was characterized. The AHAS in vitroinhibition assay results indicated that the mutations decreased the sensitivity of AHAS to pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, in which the I50of wild type AHAS was 0.04 μmol L-1and Asp376Glu, Pro197Leu, Pro197Arg, Pro197Ser and Trp574Leu mutations were 3.98, 11.5, 40.38, 38.19 and 311.43 μmol L-1, respectively. In the determination of enzyme kinetics parameters, the Kmand the maximum reaction velocity (Vmax) of the wild type were 5.18 mmol L-1and 0.12 nmol mg-1min-1, respectively, and the Kmvalues of AHAS with Asp376Glu, Trp574Leu, Pro197Leu and Pro197Ser mutations were 0.38-0.93 times of the wild type. The Kmvalue of the Pro197Arg mutation was 1.14 times of the wild type, and the Vmaxvalues of the five mutations were 1.17-3.33-fold compared to the wild type. It was found that the mutations increased the affinity of AHAS to the substrate, except for the Pro197Arg mutation. At a concentration of 0.0032-100 mmol L-1branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), the sensitivity of the other four mutant AHAS biotypes to feedback inhibition decreased, except for the Pro197Arg mutation. This study elucidated the effect of different mutations on AHAS function in Cyperus difformisand provided ideas for further study of resistance development.

Integrated electro-absorption-modulated distributed feedback laser diodes (EMLs) are attracting much interest in optical communications for the advantages of a compact structure, low power consumption, and high-speed modulation. In integrated EML, the microwave interaction between the distributed feedback laser diode (DFB-LD) and the electro-absorption modulator (EAM) has a nonnegligible influence on the modulation performance, especially at the high-frequency region. In this paper, integrated EML was investigated as a three-port network with two electrical inputs and a single optical output, where the scattering matrix of the integrated device was theoretically deduced and experimentally measured. Based on the theoretical model and the measured data, the microwave equivalent circuit model of the integrated device was established, from which the microwave interaction between DFB-LD and EAM was successfully extracted. The results reveal that the microwave interaction within integrated EML contains both the electrical isolation and optical coupling. The electrical isolation is bidirectional while the optical coupling is directional, which aggravates the microwave interaction in the direction from DFB-LD to EAM.

AbstractIn recent years, the pollution of surface runoff has raised increasing concern. However, its contribution to the contamination of wet weather flows (WWF) in storm sewers is little evaluated. A simplified mathematical method named Contribution Partition Mathematical Method for Storm Sewers was proposed, which would help small-scale residential communities to learn the contribution of different surface runoff (including roof, internal road, lawn, external road runoff and so on), mistakenly discharged wastewater (MDW) and sewer deposit erosion (SDE) to WWF pollution load in storm sewers. In a case study, internal road was found to be the greatest contributor of WWF pollution, while provided about 50% of organic compounds and total phosphorus (TP), 40% of suspended solids (SS), volatile suspended solids (VSS) and heavy metals. Meanwhile, MDW and SDE also supplied sufficient pollutants to WWF, including about 30% of TP, SS and VSS. Some suggestions were thereby proposed to better assist the local communities on their runoff pollution control.

The synthesis of chiral zeolites remains a significant challenge because the primary tetrahedral building units are achiral and weak interactions exist between the guest and host frameworks. Here, we present the syntheses and characterization of three new chiral zeolitic halides, [H3(Dabco)2]Ag3X6(X = Br (1) or I (2), Dabco = 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) and [H2(Dabco)][(Dabco)Ag4I6] (3). Compounds 1and 2are isostructural, containing a 4-connected zeolitic framework built up from 3-ring units, with high-charge [H3(Dabco)2]3+located in chiral cages. Compound 3contains a similar zeolitic [Ag3I6]3–framework to that of 2, but a [Ag(Dabco)]+unit is incorporated in each 3-ring, with [H2(Dabco)]2+located in channels. These frameworks are chiral, representing the first examples of chiral zeolitic halides. The chirality transference of the frameworks for 1and 2was attributed to the template effect of the chiral [H3(Dabco)2]3+through strong electrostatic interactions and multiple hydrogen-bond interactions. For compound 3, direct coordination interactions play important roles in the chirality transference from the chiral Dabco ligand to the framework.

Studying chemical reactions at the nanoscale level could aid to better understand and control reaction processes. In this paper, the redox reaction between hydroquinone and Ag+via gold nanoparticles as a suitable surface was taken as an example, where its thermochemical values were computed by using density functional theory (DFT) methods with the 6-31G(d) basis set. The calculated results exhibited that the reaction kinetics was related to pH values and concluded as three different kinds of processes. Assisted by the gold nanoparticles, we tracked the reduction of Ag+in real time by plasmon resonance Rayleigh scattering spectroscopy and dark-field microscopy. Moreover, discrete dipole approximation and transmission electron microscope images were also conducted, and the calculated results were in good agreement with the experimental ones. In addition, we utilized the pH response of the redox reaction to distinguish cancer cells from the normal ones, which showed promising applications in promoting the development of disease diagnosis.

A series of novel α-aminoamides with higher potent in vivoanti-allodynia activity and moderate Nav1.7-selective inhibitory activity were synthesized, which could serve as leads for finding new drug candidates for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Two new 3D hybrid framework iodides, Hmta[(Hmta)Ag4I4] (1; Hmta = hexamethylenetetramine) and [(Hmta)2Ag8I6]I2(2), have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Compound 1consists of a neutral 3D framework built up from alternation of the tetrahedral Ag4I4unit and Hmta with dia-b topology. Compound 2features a 3D cationic framework with flu topology, constructed by cationic [Ag8I6]2+units linked with Hmta. Tetrahedral Hmta plays crucial structure-directing roles in the formation of these 3D frameworks with high symmetry. The temperature-dependent photoluminescent measurement reveals luminescent thermochromism of the compounds, the emission maximum of which shows a gradual blue shift with increasing temperature. The results indicate that 1is a promising wavelength- and intensity-dependent luminescent thermometer applicable in two different temperature ranges.

Background Antrodia camphorata, a traditional Chinese medicine, is widely used in the treatment of liver diseases and cancers. Anti-inflammatory properties have also been described. HSV infection represents one of the most serious public health concerns globally because of its devastating impact. Searching for new antiviral agents, especially those with different mechanisms of action, is a crucial goal and there is an unmet need for alternative and complementary therapy against HSV infection. In this study, anti-herpes screening was performed with extracts from A. camphoratamycelia.Methods MTT assay, fractional inhibitory concentration index and median-effect principle were used to evaluate antiviral activity and to calculate drug combination effect.Results Crude ethanol extracts and isolated constituents showed inhibition of HSV replication at a very low concentration. Fraction A and antrodin A showed viral inhibitory effect with reduction of viral cell-to-cell spread. In addition, neither fraction A nor antrodin A showed interaction in combination with acyclovir.Conclusions A. camphoratamycelia and antrodin A might have potential use as anti-HSV agents and are promising candidates for future antiviral drug design.

AbstractThe effect of pH, temperature, particulate matter, organic matter, and NH3on phage MS2 inactivation using chlorine in pure water, synthetic water and filtered water samples was studied. And four possible models, including the Chick, Chick–Watson, Hom, and delayed Chick–Watson models were attempted to fit the experimental data. The virus inactivation achieved 4 logs at a CT value of 2.8 mg min/L, which met the United States Environmental Protection Agency standards. However, over 2 mg/L chlorine was needed to achieve the same goal in filtered water originated from two local water treatment plants. Furthermore, organic matter, pH, and temperature as well as the presence of NH3and particulate matter strongly affected the chlorine inactivation of MS2. Among four possible models, delayed Chick–Watson model was found to provide the most suitable description of MS2 inactivation by chlorine. Furthermore, the equation of the inactivation rate was obtained. And the MS2 inactivation rate predicted by this equation well correlated with the measured results in both simulated and filtered water samples.

Background The cardiovascular toxicity of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) for women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is controversial. We aimed to evaluate the association between AIs and the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer based on real-world studies.Method PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched to identify studies that estimated the association between MI risk and AIs. A random-effects model was used to evaluate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the predefined outcomes.Results A total of 134 476 patients from eight cohort studies were enrolled in our analysis. For MI incidence, no significant difference was found between the users of AIs and non-users (HR: .98, 95% CI: .83-1.17). The subgroup analysis of patients without a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) suggested a reduced risk of MI (HR: .86, 95% CI: .77-.96). No significant difference was found for ischemic stroke (HR: .93, 95% CI: .82-1.07) and heart failure (HR: 1.24, 95% CI: .92-1.66) between the two groups.Conclusion Based on real-world data, AIs may be a safe treatment route for patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer and those with a history of CVD. AIs caused a major decrease in MI in patients without CVD history. However, more in-depth investigations are needed to explore the association between AI use and the incidence of MI in the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

We have synthesized some novel pyrazoles fused heterocyclic derivatives. With 3b-Cu2+and 3c-Cu2+, the plasmid DNA could be cleaved completely. Meanwhile, Compound 3lshowed the highest antiviral activity (EC50=0.12μmol/L).

Goosegrass is a worst grass weed in orchards and turf. The increased use of glyphosate for goosegrass control has led to the occurrence of many resistant populations. Although glyphosate has been used to control weeds for the past 30 years in China, few reports are available on glyphosate-resistant (GR) googegrass. In this study, we determined the GR level of 14 goosegrass populations from Chengdu and Guangzhou, China. Glyphosate only controlled 3.1 and 25.0% of the populations SL5 and SL1, respectively, at the dose of 1 680 g acid equivalent (ae) ha−1at 14 days after treatment (DAT). In contrast, the susceptible population (XD1) was completely (100%) controlled. The resistant index (RI) of SL5 and SL1 were 5.1 and 4.5, and the RI for SL2, SL3 and ZC1 were 4.2, 3.2 and 2.6, respectively. The RI for other populations was range from 1.8 to 2.5. Under the dose of glyphosate at 1 640 g ae ha−1at 10 DAT, shikimate accumulation in susceptible population XD1 was 17.6 and 16.4 times higher than SL5 and SL1, respectively. And the chlorophyll content in the plant leaf of populations SL1, SL2 and SL5 were decreased slightly ranging from 22.6 to 28.0. These results confirmed that the SL1, SL2, SL3, ZC1 and SL5 populations had evolved moderate resistance to glyphosate. This is the first report for the GR goosegrass populations confirmed in Chengdu, China.

For computing the stress and strain of embankment dams, FEM is employed. Two reservoir filling paths which are constructing filling and completed filling are considered to affect the computing results. It is proved that constructing filling path can enhance the stress of embankment dams. So constructing filling path can take from the hydraulic fracturing of core wall. In addition, constructing filling path can decrease the amount of settlement, and can control the displacement of dam shoulders. In a word, constructing filling path is prior to completed filling path.

This paper introduces the simulation model based on equivalent circuit and mathematical model of solar panels use matlab/simulink. The model can simulate the output characteristics of the solar battery board in different temperature and different light intensity. Simulation results close to the solar panels’ actual performance. This model offer convenience to build practical photovoltaic power generation system.

This paper analyzed and researched physical education curriculum evaluation system according to the principle of computer evaluation technique. The first part introduced the physical education curriculum evaluation system this thesis designed the function of the system. The second part of the paper established the mathematical model of the teaching model of physical education through a comprehensive fuzzy evaluation theory and introduced comprehensive fuzzy evaluation matrix form. The third part designed B/S and C/S joint framework model of computer evaluation of PE curriculum combined with comprehensive fuzzy evaluation mathematical model. Finally, this paper designed the Java programming language taking the evaluation of the students about physical education course for example and concluded the implementation form of the data structure table and designed the physical training computer evaluation system.

In recent years, with the gradual depletion of traditional energy, as renewable energy representatives, new energy has developed rapidly. We know that distributed photovoltaic power generation with clean, pollution-free, easy installation, and therefore has been rapid development. However, the large number of distributed photovoltaic power generation connected to the distribution network would have a negative impact on the grid with a safe and reliable operation because of its randomness and volatility intrinsic properties. In this paper, in terms of power flow, voltage distribution, load characteristics, power quality, system protection and reliability departure, through MATLAB simulation analysis, the distribution network transformation strategies of primary and secondary devices has been proposed. It laid an important foundation for renewable energy development and the Third Industrial Revolution.