Search

This article studies the problem of prescribed‐time constrained tracking control for a class of 2×2$$ 2\times 2 $$ hyperbolic partial differential equation (PDE) systems with actuator dynamics, which are described by a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Since the control input only appears in the ODE subsystem rather than directly on the boundary of PDE subsystem, the control task becomes quite challenging. The most important is that for the control of such ODE controlled PDE systems we mainly make the following two contributions: (1) the controlled output of the PDE system tracks the reference signal within the prescribed time; (2) the controlled output and all the actuator states are constrained. It is the first time that such a prescribed‐time constrained tracking control problem is addressed for the PDE‐ODE coupled system considered in this article. Through rigorous theoretical proof, it is demonstrated that all the system states and control signals are bounded and sufficiently continuous by configuring appropriate design parameters. Finally, the performance is investigated via numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stochastic modelling framework is developed to predict the flexural properties of high-strength sheet moulding compounds made of randomly oriented ultra-thin carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic prepreg tapes. The model enables reliable designs using ultra-thin randomly oriented strands with less testing, leading to potential applications in automotive primary structures. The stochastic model is based on a Monte Carlo simulation. The flexural modulus is predicted using classical laminate theory, while the flexural strength is predicted by following a Weibull distribution. Fibre discontinuities are considered through stress concentrations introduced by tape overlaps. The results are validated against new 3-point bending and previously reported 4-point bending experimental results. A scaling effect on strength and scatter is predicted, and its implications for structural applications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercritical carbon dioxide dewatering (SCD) offers significant potential for wood treatment due to its unique physical-chemical properties. SCD has the advantage of avoiding drying defects caused by capillary tension during the removal of free water in conventional kiln drying (CKD). In this study, 150 mm-long specimens of Juglans mandshurica wood underwent both SCD and CKD treatments, allowing for comparison of various dewatering characteristics such as dewatering rate, moisture distribution, deformation, and drying stresses. The findings revealed that the optimal dewatering time was 25 min. SCD proved highly effective, especially during the high moisture content (MC) phase, demonstrating a dewatering rate up to 5.6 times faster than CKD. SCD achieved a more even dewatering process across the wood, with a maximum MC difference of 4.52% between the core and surface zones. In contrast, CKD exhibited an MC difference 8.3 times larger than SCD. Furthermore, in the longitudinal direction, CKD displayed lower MC at the wood's end locations compared to SCD. Additionally, wood showed shrinkage following CKD but swelling after SCD treatment. Interestingly, both SCD and CKD treatments resulted in nearly identical drying stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigated the effect of geometric structural parameters on flow patterns and pressure drops and gas–liquid mixing effects of gas–liquid mixing devices. The computational fluid dynamics software FLUENT was used to calculate the airflow inside the mixer of a compressed air–foam gas–liquid mixing device with different cone angles, foam flow rates, air inlet inclination angles, and pipeline diameters. The results obtained are the pressure distribution, the liquid volume fraction, and the liquid phase streamlines in the mixing device. The numerical simulation results showed that for a gas–liquid mixing device, the optimal inlet inclination angle was 60°–70°, and the mixing effect of an equal diameter mixer was better than that of a variable diameter mixer, but it would reduce the mixing efficiency of the air and foam. The optimal pipeline diameter of the conveying pipeline was 190 mm, and the optimal cone angle of the mixing device was 55°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable design is no longer an emerging debate. Data-driven urban and architectural design faces several potential threats related to airflow modelling, including extreme wind environments, pollutant emissions, and the potential for new wind energy in design. Designers require advanced design tools to address these airflow modelling challenges. Still, it is difficult for designers to implement and utilise airflow models fully, and not all data-driven approaches are accessible to designers in traditional design workflow systems. This review systematically analyses the frontiers of airflow modelling in urban and architectural building design from the designer's perspective. It briefly summarises the advantages and disadvantages of airflow modelling based on the parametric design's white-box, black-box, and grey-box approaches. This review explores the challenges of wind environments and their analytical responses by screening design research articles at three scales. It summarises the eight main existing research directions. The article discusses the findings of designers at each scale, revealing significant areas of interest and continuing focus, such as the reduction of pollutant emissions and the interaction of new wind energy generation in design. This study concludes with three responses to possible challenges: improved resolution for design research loop, unification of information entropy in design and research, and airflow modelling tool-accessibility in the overall design ethos and education mindset; and provides illustrative vignettes of possible demos for the future development of airflow models' accessibility; and offers a vision of how designers better produce data-accessible design logic and fulfil their role in future sustainable design. • Pollutant emission and wind turbine-interacted design will be the focus, not the design 'gimmicks'. • CFD is not the only choice for airflow modelling. • Resolution is more than a setting in research. It is the enforceable plan between design efficiency and research precision, even between designers and city management. • Designers are required to 'draw a data-driven design logic' rather than 'draw a plan'. • Designers, design education, and enterprises require data accessibility through interactive communication and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the backdrop of the carbon neutrality, lithium-ion batteries are being extensively employed in electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage stations (ESSs). Extremely harsh conditions, such as vehicle to grid (V2G), peak-valley regulation and frequency regulation, seriously accelerate the life degradation. Consequently, developing long-life batteries for typical scenarios has emerged as a crucial focus for future endeavors. This paper concentrates on the fundamental scientific inquiries and comprehensively reviews aspects including the urgent requirements, degradation mechanisms, design methods, durability modeling and management approaches for long-life batteries. Firstly, it underscores the significance and urgency of developing long-life batteries under the typical EV and ESS scenarios. Subsequently, we delve into the long-life battery design methods concerning degradation mechanism suppression. Following this, the degradation modeling and advanced management strategies for achieving long-life batteries are elucidated. Lastly, facing the existing challenges and future opportunities, we provide new insights and perspectives to promote the development and practical application of long-life lithium-ion batteries. • A comprehensive review of the key issues towards long-life battery is presented. • The pressing long-life demands of EV and ESS typical application is highlighted. • A critical review of degradation mechanism and modeling is emphasized. • Challenges and solutions of long-life battery design and management are discussed. • Prospects of long-life battery are illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pulp samples from 20 pulpitis cases together with 20 normal participants were analyzed with a serum metabolomics approach using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/Orbitrap mass spectrometry. • Determine the key metabolites of pulpitis and the pathways associated with pulpitis incidence, providing certain foundation for analyzing the relation of metabolites with pulpitis incidence. Pulpitis, a pulp disease caused by caries, trauma, and other factors, has a high clinical incidence. This study focused on identifying possible metabolic biomarkers of pulpitis cases and analyzing the related metabolic pathways for providing a theoretical foundation to diagnose and prevent pulpitis. Pulp samples from 20 pulpitis cases together with 20 normal participants were analyzed with a serum metabolomics approach using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/Orbitrap mass spectrometry. Moreover, this work carried out multivariate statistical analysis for screening potential biomarkers of pulpitis. Through biomarker analysis and identification, such as partial least squares discrimination analysis, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis model establishment, correlation analysis, and biomarker pathway analysis, 40 biomarkers associated with 20 metabolic pathways were identified, including 20 upregulated and 20 downregulated metabolites. Those major biomarkers included oxoglutaric acid, inosine, citric acid, and PA(14:1(9Z)/PGD1). Among them, oxoglutaric acid and inosine were most significantly downregulated and had the highest correlation with pulpitis. Among these metabolic pathways, GABAergic synapse and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism were positively correlated with pulpitis. 4. These biomarkers as well as metabolic pathways may offer the theoretical foundation to understand pulpitis pathogenesis and develop preventive drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Contact surface boundary conditions between the two surfaces of the vertical crack were considered to study contact acoustic nonlinearity (CAN) from the breathing contact crack in conjunction with the modal decomposition method, Fourier transform, and variational principle-based algorithm. • The clapping effects when the crack closed due to the different ratios of incident wave amplitude to crack width with the contact boundary conditions between the crack surfaces were studied and analyzed to get the quantitative correlation between analytical calculations and FE simulation. • When the crack state was modulated at a low frequency (much lower than the one of the probing ultrasonic waves), the related mode conversion coefficients were modulated accordingly both in the fundamental frequency and harmonic frequency. To characterize fatigue crack, an analytical calculation and finite element (FE) simulation of Lamb wave propagating through the region of a breathing crack in a two-dimensional(2D) isotropic plate were studied. Contact surface boundary conditions between the two surfaces of the vertical crack were considered to study contact acoustic nonlinearity (CAN) from the breathing contact crack in conjunction with the modal decomposition method, Fourier transform, and variational principle-based algorithm. Reflection and transmission coefficients in the fundamental frequency and second harmonic frequency were calculated and analyzed quantitatively. Different ratios of incident wave amplitude to crack width were studied to calculate CAN results related to micro-crack width. In addition, a low-frequency (LF) vibration(10 Hz) excitation was introduced to perturb the free surface vertical crack to close, and an interrogating Lamb wave(1 MHz) was used to study crack-related CAN in different conditions for interpreting the modulation mechanism. The contact boundary conditions between two surfaces of vertical crack were set which were dynamically changed due to the low frequency modulation. The clapping effects when the crack closed due to the modulation of the contact boundary conditions between the crack surfaces were studied and analyzed to get the quantitative correlation between CAN and LF modulation. The results obtained from the analytical model were compared with those from the FE simulation, showing good consistency. Knowledge of these effects is essential to correctly gauge the severity of surface cracks in the plate, which can be spotlighted in its application to quantitative evaluation of micro fatigue cracks in structural health monitoring(SHM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Salecan mitigates LPS-induced ALI by preserving alveolar structure, reducing edema, and suppressing inflammation. • Salecan modulates oxidative stress pathways, reversing ALI-associated metabolic alterations. • Salecan may inhibit LPS-induced ALI through Keap1-Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. • Salecan interacts with macrophages, alleviating LPS-triggered apoptosis and inflammation. Acute lung injury (ALI) is a severe clinical condition with high mortality, characterized by rapid onset and limited treatment options. The pathogenesis of ALI involves inflammation and oxidative stress. The polysaccharide salecan, a water-soluble β-(1,3)-D-glucan, has been found to possess numerous pharmaceutical effects, including anti-inflammatory properties, inhibition of oxidative stress, and anti-fatigue effects. This study aims to investigate the protective effect and underlying mechanism of salecan against LPS-induced ALI in mice. Using an in vivo LPS-induced ALI mouse model and an in vitro RAW264.7 cell system, we investigated the role of salecan in ALI with various experimental approaches, including histological staining, quantitative real-time PCR, flow cytometry, western blot analysis, and other relevant assays. Pre-treatment with salecan effectively attenuated LPS-induced ALI in vivo, reducing the severity of pulmonary edema, inflammation, and oxidative stress. NMR-based metabolomic profiling analysis revealed that salecan attenuated LPS-induced metabolic imbalances associated with ALI. Furthermore, salecan downregulated Keap1 and upregulated Nrf2 and HO-1 protein levels, indicating its modulation of the Keap1-Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway as a potential mechanism underlying its protective effects against ALI. In vitro studies on RAW264.7 cells revealed that salecan exhibited binding affinity towards macrophages, thereby alleviating LPS-induced apoptosis and inflammation, which underpin its therapeutic potential against ALI. Our study suggests that salecan can alleviate LPS-induced ALI by modulating oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and apoptosis through the activation of the Keap1-Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. These findings provide novel insights into the potential therapeutic use of salecan for the treatment of ALI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the characterization and first laser operation of ceramic Yb:LuScO3 in a thin-disk oscillator. The optical performance achieved with a ceramic Yb:LuScO3 disk is compared to the one obtained with an existing ceramic Yb:Lu2O3 disk for reference. The characterization covers the measurement of the fluorescence spectra, the fluorescence lifetimes, and nomarsky imaging. The investigation on the laser operation covers the measurement of resonator losses, output powers, and thermal behavior during continuous-wave operation in a multimode thin-disk oscillator. An average output power of 149 W and a slope efficiency of 51.8% were achieved with the ceramic Yb:LuScO3 disk which reached a maximum surface temperature of about 150 °C. At the same temperature level, a disk made of the already established ceramic Yb:Lu2O3 delivered 957 W of output power with a slope efficiency of 75.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed, verified and analyzed a potential reason (matrix composition complexity) for the subpar performance of FT-IR-based meat and bone meal (MBM) species discrimination. In order to address the aforementioned issue, the MBM matrix was modeled as a binary mixture comprising meat fragment (MF) and bone fragment (BF). BF and MF samples derived from four species were prepared, and MBM samples were subsequently formulated. The influence of matrix fragments on FT-IR-based MBM species-specific analysis was verified through the analysis of FT-IR spectral absorption peak intensities and comparison of species discrimination analysis models established using MBM, BF and MF samples. Furthermore, the coupling effect of BF and MF on FT-IR-based MBM species-specific analysis was elucidated by conducting correlation analysis between composition of matrix fragments and the prediction scores of species discrimination analysis. Additionally, FT-IR spectral variables that contributed predominantly within the coupling process were investigated in detail. • MBM matrix fragments were characterized and compared by FT-IR. • PLS-DA model using MBM performed worse than MF and BF based models. • Coupling effect of MF and BF on MBM species-specific analysis was analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the identification mechanism of microplastics in agricultural environmental media by molecular spectroscopy, two typical media, soil and fishmeal, were selected for this study. Three common microplastics, PE, PP, and PS, were used as research objects. Near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometric methods were used to explore microplastics' identification and analysis effects in different agricultural media and reveal their identification mechanisms. PCA analysis revealed that different soil types would affect the identification results of microplastics. PLS-DA discriminant analysis showed that the accuracy of NIR spectroscopy technology in identifying microplastics in different types of soil decreased in the order of sand > loam > clay. In contrast, the rule of MIR spectroscopy technology was the opposite. The sensitivity and specificity of the three microplastics in the NIR model of sand and the infrared spectroscopy model of fishmeal reached 1.000. NIR spectroscopy technology is suitable for identifying microplastics in soil, while infrared spectroscopy technology is more suitable for identifying microplastics in fish meal. Furthermore, based on the VIP values of each wavelength point in the spectrum, the characteristic bands that have essential contributions to identifying microplastics in soil were screened out. The NIR spectra of 4500–4300 cm − 1 , 4300–3900 cm − 1 and 7100–5800 cm − 1 are the most essential characteristic bands for identifying microplastics in clay, loam, and sand, respectively. The MIR of 3000–2900 cm − 1 and 700–650 cm − 1 were the most essential characteristic bands for identifying microplastics in soils, and the overlap of the characteristic spectra of the three soils reached 59.45%. The NIR spectra of 6050–5600 cm − 1 , 4700–4000 cm − 1 and the MIR spectra of 2300–1900 cm − 1 and 800–400 cm − 1 are the most essential characteristic bands for the identifying microplastics in fishmeal. This study provides a more suitable technical "solution" for identifying microplastics in environmental media, which is of great significance for improving the accuracy of molecular spectroscopic identification in environmental media and clarifying the interaction between microplastics and environmental media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Neuraxial morphine increases spinal caspase-6 cleavage and PKMζ phosphorylation. • Caspase-6 inhibition reduces morphine-induced itch and PKMζ phosphorylation. • PKMζ inhibition attenuates morphine-induced acute itch. • Caspase-6 inhibition reduces chronic itch after contact dermatitis. Patients receiving neuraxial treatment with morphine for pain relief often experience a distressing pruritus. Neuroinflammation-mediated plasticity of sensory synapses in the spinal cord is critical for the development of pain and itch. Caspase-6, as an intracellular cysteine protease, is capable of inducing central nociceptive sensitization through regulating synaptic transmission and plasticity. Given the tight interaction between protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ) and excitatory synaptic plasticity, this pre-clinical study investigates whether caspase-6 contributes to morphine-induced itch and chronic itch via PKMζ. Intrathecal morphine and contact dermatitis were used to cause pruritus in mice. Morphine antinociception, itch-induced scratching behaviors, spinal activity of caspase-6, and phosphorylation of PKMζ and ERK were examined. Caspase-6 inhibitor Z-VEID-FMK, exogenous caspase-6 and PKMζ inhibitor ZIP were utilized to reveal the mechanisms and prevention of itch. Herein, we report that morphine induces significant scratching behaviors, which is accompanied by an increase in spinal caspase-6 cleavage and PKMζ phosphorylation (but not expression). Intrathecal injection of Z-VEID-FMK drastically reduces morphine-induced scratch bouts and spinal phosphorylation of PKMζ, without abolishing morphine analgesia. Moreover, intrathecal strategies of ZIP dose-dependently reduce morphine-induced itch-like behaviors. Spinal phosphorylation of ERK following neuraxial morphine is down-regulated by ZIP therapy. Recombinant caspase-6 directly exhibits scratching behaviors and spinal phosphorylation of ERK, which is compensated by PKMζ inhibition. Also, spinal inhibition of caspase-6 and PKMζ reduces the generation and maintenance of dermatitis-induced chronic itch. Together, these findings demonstrate that spinal caspase-6 modulation of PKMζ phosphorylation is important in the development of morphine-induced itch and dermatitis-induced itch in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uniaxial strain has been widely used as a powerful tool for investigating and controlling the properties of quantum materials. However, existing strain techniques have so far mostly been limited to use with bulk crystals. Although recent progress has been made in extending the application of strain to two-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures, these techniques have been limited to optical characterization and extremely simple electrical device geometries. Here, we report a piezoelectric-based in situ uniaxial strain technique enabling simultaneous electrical transport and optical spectroscopy characterization of dual-gated vdW heterostructure devices. Critically, our technique remains compatible with vdW heterostructure devices of arbitrary complexity fabricated on conventional silicon/silicon dioxide wafer substrates. We demonstrate a large and continuously tunable strain of up to − 0.15% at millikelvin temperatures, with larger strain values also likely achievable. We quantify the strain transmission from the silicon wafer to the vdW heterostructure, and further demonstrate the ability of strain to modify the electronic properties of twisted bilayer graphene. Our technique provides a highly versatile new method for exploring the effect of uniaxial strain on both the electrical and optical properties of vdW heterostructures and can be easily extended to include additional characterization techniques. [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]

Multifunctional wound dressings are promising medical materials for various applications. Among them, dressings with antimicrobial activity, high biosafety, and real-time monitoring have attracted considerable research interest. Herein, a biodegradable hemostatic sponge comprising a chitosan skeleton and polyelectrolyte–surfactant complex (CS–PEC) was developed as a versatile wound dressing for wound pH monitoring and inhibition of bacterial infection. CS–PEC sponge with high porosity exhibited satisfactory fluid absorption capacity and biocompatibility, along with antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus. In vivo experiments in rat liver trauma model revealed that wounds treated with the CS–PEC sponge recorded less blood loss (97.1 mg) and shorter hemostasis time (27.2 s) than those treated with commercial gelatin sponge (309.1 mg and 163.5 s, respectively). Furthermore, PECs based on unconventional luminescent molecules (L -C 16 -Hyp) were used as pH fluorescent indicators, which endowed the sponge with fluorescence-responsive behavior to wound pH changes in the range of 5.0–8.5. Visual images can be captured using a smartphone and converted to RGB color mode values for on-site assessment of wound status. This study sheds light on the design and application of unconventional luminescent materials in wound dressing and provides a smart and effective solution for wound management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel concurrent learning-based adaptive boundary observer designed to tackle the joint estimation problem of system states and unknown parameters for a class of hyperbolic partial differential equation systems under the circumstance of unsatisfied persistent excitation conditions. By leveraging concurrent learning technique, an adapted data points selection algorithm is employed concurrently with current data to construct the adaptation law of unknown parameters, which overcomes the limitations imposed by persistent excitation conditions and ensures exponential convergence of estimation errors of unknown parameters under finite excitation conditions. Furthermore, combining the ideas of backstepping and swapping filters on the basis of uncertain estimation, a concurrent learning-based adaptive boundary observer is designed, accompanied by rigorous theoretical analysis and proofs to demonstrate its capability of achieving exponential convergence in estimation. Finally, the corresponding illustrative simulations are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. • A concurrent learning adaptive boundary observer for hyperbolic PDE systems under FE. • Using historical stack matrix omits persistent excitation in joint estimation task. • Exponentially convergent parameter estimation based on adapted data selection rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circadian clocks are endogenous timekeeping mechanisms that coordinate internal physiological responses with the external environment. EARLY FLOWERING3 (ELF3), PSEUDO RESPONSE REGULATOR (PRR9), and PRR7 are essential components of the plant circadian clock and facilitate entrainment of the clock to internal and external stimuli. Previous studies have highlighted a critical role for ELF3 in repressing the expression of PRR9 and PRR7. However, the functional significance of activity in regulating circadian clock dynamics and plant development is unknown. To explore this regulatory dynamic further, we first employed mathematical modeling to simulate the effect of the prr9/prr7 mutation on the elf3 circadian phenotype. These simulations suggested that simultaneous mutations in prr9/prr7 could rescue the elf3 circadian arrhythmia. Following these simulations, we generated all Arabidopsis elf3/prr9/prr7 mutant combinations and investigated their circadian and developmental phenotypes. Although these assays could not replicate the results from the mathematical modeling, our results have revealed a complex epistatic relationship between ELF3 and PRR9/7 in regulating different aspects of plant development. ELF3 was essential for hypocotyl development under ambient and warm temperatures, while PRR9 was critical for root thermomorphogenesis. Finally, mutations in prr9 and prr7 rescued the photoperiod-insensitive flowering phenotype of the elf3 mutant. Together, our results highlight the importance of investigating the genetic relationship among plant circadian genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A meta-surface-based arbitrary bandwidth filter realization method for terahertz (THz) future communications is presented. The approach involves integrating a meta-surface-based bandstop filter into an ultra-wideband (UWB) bandpass filter and adjusting the operating frequency range of the meta-surface bandstop filter to realize the design of arbitrary bandwidth filters. It effectively addresses the complexity of designing traditional arbitrary bandwidth filters and the challenges in achieving impedance matching. To underscore its practicality, the paper employs silicon substrate integrated gap waveguide (SSIGW) and this method to craft a THz filter. To begin, design equations for electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structures were developed in accordance with the requirements of through-silicon via (TSV) and applied to the design of the SSIGW. Subsequently, this article employs equivalent transmission line models and equivalent circuits to conduct theoretical analyses for both the UWB passband and the meta-surface stopband portions. The proposed THz filter boasts a center frequency of 0.151 THz, a relative bandwidth of 6.9%, insertion loss below 0.68 dB, and stopbands exceeding 20 GHz in both upper and lower ranges. The in-band group delay is 0.119 ± 0.048 ns. Compared to reported THz filters, the SSIGW filter boasts advantages such as low loss and minimal delay, making it even more suitable for future wireless communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper develops an adaptive constrained tracking control technique for a class of 2 × 2 hyperbolic partial differential equation (PDE) systems with boundary actuator dynamics, which are described by a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) in the presence of unknown parametric nonlinearities. Since the control input only appears in the uncertain ODE subsystem rather than directly on the boundary of PDE subsystem, the control task becomes quite difficult and the existing direct boundary control approaches are ineffective. Moreover, in this paper, a more challenging problem is considered such that the controlled output and the states of ODE actuators are constrained. To this end, by utilizing finite and infinite dimensional backstepping techniques, barrier Lyapunov functions (BLFs) and adaptive methods, a novel adaptive tracking control approach is proposed. It is the first time that such a constrained tracking control problem is addressed for the PDE-ODE coupled systems considered in this paper. On the basis of the presented method, the rigorous theoretical proof is provided to show that the PDE controlled output and all the states of the ODE actuator stay within the predefined compact sets. Finally, the results are illustrated via a comparative numerical simulation. [Display omitted] • For a linear 2 × 2 hyperbolic PDE systems, the high-order unknown nonlinear actuator dynamics described by a set of ODEs are considered in the boundary point of the PDE. A tracking controller with adaptive dynamic compensation mechanism is developed such that the tracking control problem is addressed for the PDE-ODE coupled system considered in this paper. • For practical requirements for state constraints such as safe operations, physical limitations and so on, the Barrier Lyapunov function is employed to constrain the spatially distributed output of infinite-dimensional system and all the actuator states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this investigation, a pioneering approach involving the fusion of matrix fragments-related spectral data was proposed to improve the underperformance observed in raw meat and bone meal (MBM) when employed for species discrimination analysis. Initially, the MBM matrix was characterized as a binary mixture comprising bone fragment (BF) and meat fragment (MF). Subsequently, the disparities in near infrared (NIR), mid infrared (MIR), and Raman spectra between BF and MF samples were individually identified and elucidated. Following, the spectral fusion data related to matrix fragments were synthesized and subjected to analysis using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) for species-specific evaluation. The suggested data fusion strategy was authenticated by its capacity to facilitate improved differentiation within the principal component space, along with reduced classification errors in PLS-DA. Further, complementarity of matrix fragments-related spectral variables for MBM species discrimination analysis was explicitly scrutinized and contributions to MBM derived from four species were meticulously traced. Additionally, the proposed analytical strategy for MBM could serve as a reference for the spectral characterization of other agricultural materials with complex matrices. • Spectral fusion data of MF and BF were firstly used to trace MBM species. • The proposed fusion strategy greatly improved the MBM species-specific analysis. • Contributions of fragments-related spectral variables for tracing MBM species were analyzed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work develops a network of adaptive boundary observers and studies the agreement between state and parameter estimates for a single target parabolic partial differential equation (PDE) system in the presence of structured and unstructured uncertainties. It is assumed that the unknown parameters take the form of either a structured uncertainty with unknown constant parameters or an unstructured uncertainty that can be neutralized by a radial basis function neural networks with unknown weights. The proposed adaptive observers consisting of m$$ m $$ agents in the network follow the structure of adaptive identifiers for the considered target PDE systems with the insertion of a penalty term in both the state and parameter estimates. Different from earlier efforts, the proposed adaptive laws include a penalty term of the mismatch between the parameter and state estimates generated by the other adjacent agents, which helps to accelerate the estimation of uncertainties. Additionally, the effects of these modifications on the agreement amongst the state and parameter estimates are investigated. Theoretical proofs are provided to show that the proposed approach guarantees the exponential convergence of estimation errors in the case of structured uncertainties and the ultimate boundedness of estimation errors in the case of unstructured uncertainties. Finally, numerical simulations are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the design methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the role of digital-government (DG), government utilization, and regional integration on public health services (PHS) by considering E-government and globalization. This study takes public services fragility as a proxy for public health services. In contrast, E-government development as a DG globalization index (GI) has been taken as a proxy of regional integration, and government expenditures (GE) as a fiscal state capacity. The study employed a two-step system generalized method of moments estimation for the sample of 45-panel Asian economies from 2006-to-2022. The results reveal that DG substantially impacted and improved the PHS in Asian economies in the past decade. Moreover, regional integration added fuel to this progression and substantially influenced the PHS. However, GE adversely affects the PHS due to lousy governance and leakage of target spending. Furthermore, the novel DG integration with GE and GI promoted PHS and reduced health fragility through better resource utilization and technology deployment. It also reveals that DG helps in reducing the loopholes of GE and makes the resource implementation transparent and effective, which impacts the PHS. It concludes that these interactions with public policies play a prominent role in comprehensive coverage and healthcare accessibility in Asia through technology deployment with prudent administration strategies. It’s a novel study that integrates digitalization with regional integration and government expenditures from an Asian perspective by considering PHS, which made this study helpful for policy drafting during the COVID-19 pandemic and proposed a better framework to deal with future calamities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a femtosecond semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) mode-locked Yb:LuYAG laser. Pumped by a 976 nm single-mode fiber laser, a self-starting mode-locked Yb:LuYAG laser was demonstrated, delivering a 618-mW output power with 140-fs pulses and a 95.4-MHz repetition rate. The output spectrum is centered at 1053 nm with a spectral width of 10.4 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the shortest pulse ever generated from a mode-locked Yb:LuYAG laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ho,Pr:CaYAlO 4 (Ho,Pr:CYA) crystal doped with 1 at.% Ho3+ and 0.1 at.% Pr3+ was successfully grown using the Czochralski method. Polarized absorption spectra, emission spectra, and fluorescence lifetime measurements were performed. The impact of Pr3+ co-doping on the ∼3 μm emission of Ho3+ ions was analyzed. The energy transfer efficiency from Ho3+:5I 7 to Pr3+:3F 2 energy level was calculated to be 60.66 %, indicating that Pr3+ effectively mitigated the self-termination effect in Ho,Pr:CYA crystals. The absorption cross-section at 645 nm was found to be 1.53 × 10−20 cm2 for σ polarization and 2.62 × 10−20 cm2 for π polarization. The emission cross-section at 2842 nm was calculated to be 0.86 × 10−20 cm2 for σ polarization and 1.33 × 10−20 cm2 for π polarization at 2908 nm, with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 139 nm and 88 nm, respectively. The fluorescence lifetimes of the 5I 6 and 5I 7 levels were measured to be 0.17 ms and 2.01 ms, respectively. These results collectively suggest that Ho,Pr:CYA crystals hold great potential as a candidate for 2.8 μm laser applications. • Ho3+,Pr3+ co-doped CaYAlO 4 crystal was grown by the Czochralski method. • The crystal structure, polarized absorption and emission spectra were investigated. • The intensity parameters were obtained using J-O theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing porous and flexible electrodes with excellent electrochemical properties is crucial to fabricate high-performance flexible supercapacitors. Conductive polymer-based electrospun fibers are expected to be an ideal material for constructing flexible electrodes due to the enormous specific surface area, unique pore structure and inherent flexibility. However, the exploration of such electrospun fibers with facile preparation methods and high areal capacitance remains challenging. Herein, a novel polyetherimide@polyaniline core-shell fibrous membranes (PEI@PANI CFMs) is fabricated via simply coaxial electrospinning and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) secondary doping. With the aid of polyetherimide, highly concentrated emeraldine base polyaniline (EB-PANI) can be perfectly wrapped on the surface of fibers without any spinning assistants, ensuring the well-developed pore structures, superior hydrophilicity, good electrical conductivity and outstanding mechanical flexibility. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of structure and constituents, such flexible PEI@PANI CFMs as electrode materials can provide more accessible electrochemical active sites and decrease the ion diffusion resistance. Therefore, the PEI@PANI CFMs present outstanding areal capacitance of 1159.9 mF cm−2 and remarkable energy density of 46.91 μW h cm−2 in the electrodes and symmetric supercapacitors, demonstrating great potential for applications in flexible energy storage field. This fabrication strategy provides a simple and practicable way to manufacture polyaniline-based fibrous membranes for high-performance flexible electrode materials. [Display omitted] • PEI@PANI CFMs were firstly developed by coaxial electrospinning with high density PANI solution. • Continuous PANI shell without spinning assistants enabled high redox activity after AMPS doping. • PEI@PANI CFMs showed unique 3D network pore structure, superior hydrophilicity and flexibility. • PEI@PANI CFMs as electrode exhibited 1159.9 mF cm−2 area specific capacitance at 1 mA cm−2. • The symmetric device delivered remarkable energy density of 46.91 μW h cm−2 at 0.23 mW cm−2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yb:CaYAlO 4 (Yb:CALYO) shaped crystal fibers with different Yb3+ doping concentration were successfully grown by the micro-pulling-down (μ -PD) method. The effect of the Yb3+ concentration on the structure, absorption, emission and lifetime was systematically studied. The strongest absorption peaks of Yb:CALYO crystal fibers are located at 977 nm for σ and π polarization. The micro-photoluminescence indicate that Yb3+ ions in CALYO single crystal fiber grown by the μ -PD method distributed evenly across a cross-section. The emission cross-section of 5 at.% Yb:CALYO crystal fiber was calculated to be 0.86 × 10−20 and 1.08 × 10−20 cm2 at 983 nm for σ and π polarizations. Benefited from the disordered structrure of CaYAlO 4 crystal, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) at 978 nm was 68.9 nm and 80.9 nm, respectively. The fluorescence lifetime of 2F 5/2 energy level of Yb:CALYO crystal fibers with concentration of 0.5 at.%, 1 at.%, 2 at.% and 5 at.% was calculated to be 435 μs, 484 μs, 514 μs and 453 μs, respectively. The experimental results show that Yb:CALYO crystal fiber is a potential laser medium for ultrashort laser operation. • Yb:CaYAlO 4 shaped crystal fibers were grown by the micro-pulling down method. • The crystal structure, polarized spectra were investigated. • The effect of Yb3+ concentration on the spectroscopic properties was evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A newly isolated bacterium, B1Z05, is capable of efficient alginate degradation. • B1Z05 contains an extended pathway for alginate metabolism. • The low-cost but efficient strategy has great potential to prepare AOSs. • The seaweed hydrolysis rates of B1Z05 are higher than the commercial product CE201. • The obtained seaweed extracts are rich in phytohormones. Brown algae are rich in biostimulants that not only stimulate the overall development and growth of plants but also have great beneficial effects on the whole soil–plant system. However, alginate, the major component of brown algae, is comparatively difficult to degrade. The cost of preparing alginate oligosaccharides (AOSs) is still too high to produce seaweed fertilizer. In this work, the marine bacterium Vibrio sp. B1Z05 is found to be capable of efficient alginate depolymerization and harbors an extended pathway for alginate metabolism. The B1Z05 extracellular cell-free supernatant exhibited great potential for AOS production at low cost, which, together with cellulase, can efficiently hydrolyze seaweed. The brown algal hydrolysis rates were significantly greater than those of the commercial alginate lyase product CE201, and the obtained seaweed extracts were rich in phytohormones. This work provides a low-cost but efficient strategy for the sustainable production of desirable AOSs and seaweed fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ba 2 LaNbO 6 :Cr3+,Yb3+ double perovskite far-red and near-infrared phosphors were synthesized by high-temperature solid-state method. • Under 324 nm UV excitation, Ba 2 LaNbO 6 :Cr3+,Yb3+ phosphors emit far-red and near-infrared light in the ranges of 620–760 nm and 920–1120 nm, corresponding to the transitions Cr3+:2E→4A 2 and Yb3+:2F 5/2 →2F 7/2 , which coincides well with the absorption spectra of photosensitive pigment P FR and photosynthetic bacteria, respectively. Ba 2 LaNbO 6 :Cr3+,Yb3+ double perovskite far-red and near-infrared phosphors were synthesized by high-temperature solid-state method. The crystal structure and optical properties were systematically investigated, encompassing PL, PLE, and temperature-dependent PL spectra. The calculated value D q /B of Ba 2 LaNbO 6 :0.005Cr3+ phosphor was calculated to be 2.59, signifying a robust crystal field strength within the [NbO 6 ] octahedral environment occupied by Cr3+ ions. Under 324 nm UV excitation, Ba 2 LaNbO 6 :Cr3+,Yb3+ phosphors emit far-red and near-infrared light in the ranges of 620–760 nm and 920–1120 nm, corresponding to the transitions Cr3+:2E→4A 2 and Yb3+:2F 5/2 →2F 7/2 , which coincides well with the absorption spectra of photosensitive pigment P FR and photosynthetic bacteria, respectively. The energy transfer mechanisms involving Cr3+ and Yb3+ ions were also thoroughly investigated. The results demonstrate that Ba 2 LaNbO 6 :Cr3+,Yb3+ phosphors have potential applications in plant cultivation LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a novel bioinspired radial porous zinc-based metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF) doped sodium alginate/chitosan derivatives/pullulan-based SA/PSCS/Pul/Zn-MOF (SPCP/Zn) composites sponge with excellent antioxidant and antibacterial properties was fabricated by the ice-templating method. Boric acid (BA) and Ca2+, which were respectively used as hydrogen- and ionic- bonding cross-linkers, provided strong mechanical properties for sponge matrix composed of SA, PSCS, and Pul. The obtained SPCP/Zn sponge exhibited uniform porous morphology, proper hydrophilicity, and admirable biocompatibility. In addition, the SPCP/Zn sponge achieved a sustained release of Zn2+ and gallic acid, which displayed powerful antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Importantly, the SPCP/Zn sponge exhibited shorter rapid hemostasis (20.4 ± 2.9 s) and lower blood loss (19.8 ± 4.3 mg). The SPCP/Zn sponge also showed faster wound closure ratio for the rat full-thickness skin defect model. It was revealed that SPCP/Zn sponge could significantly accelerate and enhance wound healing through downregulating inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) and increasing the expression of growth factors (VEGF). Due to its excellent properties, the SPCP/Zn sponge may have promising potential in wound healing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective management of excessive bleeding requires liquid hemostatic agents, especially in scenarios involving uncompressible and postoperative hemorrhage. This study introduces the microbial exopolysaccharide floccuronic acid (FA) as a liquid hemostatic agent, characterized by a high weight average molecular weight of 2.38 × 108 Da. The investigation focuses on the flocculation effect, hemostatic efficiency in both in vitro and in vivo settings, elucidating its hemostatic mechanism, and assessing its safety profile. Results reveal that FA solution significantly accelerates the coagulation process, leading to the formation of compact clots while specifically interfering with fibrin. Notably, FA demonstrates excellent hemostatic effects in animal liver models and a rat arterial rebleeding model. The biocompatible and biodegradable characteristics further underscore FA's potential as a valuable liquid hemostatic material, particularly suited for non-compressible and re-bleeding scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BGO single crystals doped with Er3+, Tm3+ and Ho3+ rare-earth ions were prepared in the form of rod-type crystal fibers via the micro-pulling down technique to perform an extensive investigation of their visible, near- and mid-infrared luminescence properties and to really decide on their interest as solid-state laser media in the various spectral domains. Revisiting and completing the absorption spectra already available in the literature led to the derivation of more reliable "effective" radiative lifetimes and branching ratios. Registration of the fluorescence decays of the most important emitting levels versus dopant concentrations led for the first time to an unambiguous determination of "intrinsic" emission lifetimes – corresponding to negligible contributions from inter-ionic energy-transfers - and non-radiative multiphonon relaxation rates. Such data also allowed for the determination of the dominant phonon energy which comes into play in the electron-phonon coupling responsible for these multiphonon relaxation processes and for its lattice vibration origin, i.e. a high phonon energy of the order of 820 cm−1 corresponding to the coupling between bending vibrations of (GeO 4)4- tetrahedra and vibrations corresponding to motions of these (GeO 4)4- tetrahedra against the Bi3+ ions for which the rare-earth dopant ions substitute. Using the above data and different methods for the calibration of the registered emission spectra in cross section unit and for the derivation of gain cross section curves finally show that mid-infrared emissions of Er:BGO, Tm:BGO and Ho:BGO around 1.55 μm, 1.9 μm and 2 μm, respectively, occur with comparable gain cross sections as in the most important reference mid-infrared laser materials, although over slightly shifted thus complementary spectral domains. It is shown that potentialities also exist with Tm:BGO in the blue, deep-red and near-infrared spectral domains around 470 nm, 800 nm and 1.45 μm, by pumping the crystals with conventional pump sources and using some suitable co-dopants to avoid detrimental self-terminating processes. • Bi 4 Ge 3 O 12 rod-type crystal fibers doped with Er3+, Tm3+ and Ho3+ ions are successfully grown by using the micro-pulling down technique. • An extensive spectroscopic investigation is performed from the near-UV to the mid-infrared. • Effective radiative and intrinsic emission lifetimes are unambiguously determined for all the important emitting levels. • The origin and the energy of the phonons responsible for the non-radiative multiphonon relaxation of the emitting levels are clearly identified. • Emission and gain cross section spectra show the interest of Er3+, Tm3+ and Ho3+ doped BGO crystals for the high power mid-infrared laser application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]