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Monitoring cellular immunity is essential for long-duration spaceflight missions. To address this need, we developed an automatic miniature flow cytometer that is targeted to monitor the cellular immune function of astronauts or passengers during long-duration spaceflights. Automatic sample preparation, a disposable sheathless focusing chip, optical self-alignment, and side scatter (SSC) detection capability were developed to meet the strict requirements of spaceflight applications. SSC and four colors of fluorescence are measured to realize lymphocyte subsets counted from whole blood. This technology was used in four-subject 180-day controlled ecological life support system (CELSS) experiments to monitor the cellular immunity of four crewmembers by counting the lymphocyte subsets (total CD3+, CD3+CD4+, and CD3+CD8+ cells). The microgravity compatibility was successfully verified on a parabolic flight. Thus, the presented system was proven a feasible solution for health care applications during long-duration manned spaceflight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent, malignant gastrointestinal tumors, and strategies and effectiveness of current therapy are limited. A series of benzimidazole-isoquinolinone derivatives (BIDs) was synthesized and screened to identify novel scaffolds for CRC. Of the compounds evaluated, 7g exhibited the most promising anti-cancer properties. Employing two CRC cell lines, SW620 and HT29, 7g was found to suppress growth and proliferation of the cell lines at a concentration of ∼20 µM. Treatment followed an increase in G 2 /M cell cycle arrest, which was attributed to cyclin B1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) signaling deficiencies with simultaneous enhancement in p21 and p53 activity. In addition, mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis was induced in CRC cells. Interestingly, 7g decreased phosphorylated AKT, mTOR and 4E-BP1 levels, while promoting the expression/stability of PTEN. Since PTEN controls input into the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, antiproliferative effects can be attributed to PTEN-mediated tumor suppression. Collectively, these results suggest that BIDs exert antitumor activity in CRC by impairing PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Against a small kinase panel, 7g exhibited low affinity at 5 µM suggesting anticancer properties likely stem through a non-kinase mechanism. Because of the novelty of BIDs, the structure can serve as a lead scaffold to design new CRC therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract It is evident that social networks have become major information sources as well as the most effective platform for information exchange. In social networks, the dynamical propagation of different information often exhibits different dynamical behaviors. And different information may even compete with each other that can determine the dynamical process of information dissemination. These phenomena have led to the present study on the spreading process of competitive information over social networks. In this study, we proposed a competitive information model over the multiplex networks. The simulations of this model are verified by two types of the multiplex networks, such as the real composite network and the artificial composite network. Through controlling the spreading parameters in extensive large-scale simulations, it is found that the final density of stiflers increases with the growth of the spreading rate, while it declines with the increasing of the removal rate. It is also found that the spreading process of the competitive information is closely related to the node degrees on multiplex networks. Through controlling the exchanging rate of competitive information, we are able to determine information dominance accurately. Our new findings validate that the proposed model is capable of characterizing the dynamic evolution of competitive information over multiplex social networks. The results of this study are significant to the study of social science and social platform behavior. Highlights • A competitive information model is formulated over the multiplex network. • The final density of stiflers increases with the growth of the spreading rate, while it would decline with the increase of the removal rate. • Controlling two exchanging rates can be used for accurately predicting the growth and absolute dominance between information 1 and 2. • The spreading process of the competitive information is closely related to the node degrees on multiplex networks. • Using a combination of real and artificial composite networks, we evaluate the dynamical properties of the new information model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A new damage model in bond-based peridynamics is established for concrete. • Quantitative investigation is conducted on the whole fracture processes of concrete. • A strategy to determine the initial cracking load of TPB concrete beams is proposed. • The influence of different definitions for computing fracture energy on numerical results. • Comparisons of different damage models in the BBPD frame are carried out. Abstract A new damage model is proposed in the bond-based peridynamics (BBPD) frame to quantitatively investigate mode-I crack propagation in concrete, which is established based on the pattern of bilinear softening curve commonly used in the discrete cohesive zone model (CZM). This new damage model can be obtained completely based on material properties, that is, once experimental bilinear softening curve, the uniaxial tensile strength, the elastic modulus and fracture energy of concrete are given, this corresponding new damage model will be exclusively determined. And then, the whole fracture processes of concrete specimens with different strengths, dimensions and crack-depth ratios under quasi-static three-point-bending (TPB) are simulated using BBPD to verify this proposed new damage model. The predicted load-crack mouth opening displacement (P-CMOD) curves are in a good agreement with the experimental ones. Finally, in the BBPD frame, a strategy to determine the initial cracking load of TPB beams, the influence of different definitions for computing fracture energy and different damage models on numerical results are discussed respectively. It can be found that different from brittle materials, fracture energy is mainly consumed in the softening stage rather than the elastic stage for concrete. Besides, this new damage model based on bilinear softening curve is more appropriate to describe the damage mechanism of concrete, compared with other damage models in BBPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract An improved algorithm is proposed for image haze removal based on dark channel priority to avoid the color distortion of haze removing about sky, white cloud or bright areas. The improved algorithm is mainly reflected in the following two aspects. One is the refined atmospheric transmittance of the hazy images with non-sky obtained using guided filter. The other is that the atmospheric transmittance of the hazy images with the sky, white cloud or the bright areas is estimated by a variety of classified statistics for haze-free outdoor images with non-sky or the haze-free outdoor images with sky. Compared with He algorithm, the weakness of atmospheric transmission of the hazy images with the sky, white cloud or the bright areas is remedied. Experimental results show that the improved algorithm is efficient to image haze removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work exploits a state-dependent switching policy to deal with stability analysis and L 1 -gain performance of switched positive fuzzy systems with time-delay. By dividing up the nonnegative state space, an improved state-dependent switching policy is devised. The main advantages of the proposed switching policy are that the chattering behavior commonly arisen in traditional state-dependent switching strategies is reduced and allows each subsystem to be unstable. Also, sufficient conditions guaranteeing asymptotic stability with an L 1 -gain performance are derived by the usage of multiple linear copositive Lyapunov-Krasovskii functionals method. Moreover, the proposed approach is also extended to cope with the concerned system with uncertainties, in particular interval ones. Finally, the Lotka-Volterra model is adopted to verify the validity and feasibility of the conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio parahaemolyticus, an important aquatic pathogen, is the causative agent of numerous high mortality disease outbreaks in shrimp industry. Recent studies have found that V. parahaemolyticus outer membrane proteins (OMPs) may homology with shrimp plasma proteins, and could potentially regulate the immune responses of shrimps against pathogens. In this study, we identified that the outer membrane protein LamB of V. parahaemolyticus reacted with anti-hemocyanin antibody using affinity proteomics approach, Western blot and Dot-ELISA analysis. CTL epitope predictions identified 11 homologous epitopes between LamB and Litopenaeus vannamei hemocyanin. In addition, seven potential LamB interaction proteins, including β-1,3-glucan-binding protein (LGBP), β-actin, Toll2, actin T2, enolase partial, arginine kinase and hemocyanin, were identified from shrimp plasma by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and LC-ESI-MS/MS. In particular, we found that rLamB could could bind HMC, rLGBP and rToll2, and down-regulate the expression level of Toll2, LGBP and hemocyanin upon pathogen infection. Moreover, rLamB increased the bacterial loading in shrimp hemolymph at 12 h and 24 h. Taken together, these findings reveal the important role of LamB in recognition and negative regulation of the host's immune system upon bacterial infection. • V. parahaemolyticus LamB could react with anti-hemocyanin antibody. • LamB shared eleven homologous epitopes with hemocyanin. • LamB might interact with seven proteins including Toll2, LGBP and hemocyanin. • LamB negative regulation of the host immune response upon pathogen infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Analysed smoke flow via centralised exhaust vents with back-layering length. • Proposed a theoretical prediction model considering smoke exhaust efficiency. • Various vent layouts and distances between fire source and vent were considered. • Performed a series of reduced-scale experiments to validate proposed model. • Proposed model optimised exhaust vent layouts and reduced smoke exhaust rates. Passing a certain amount of smoke through a centralised ceiling exhaust vent with an acceptable back-layering length can considerably reduce the smoke exhaust rate of a centralised exhaust system. Accordingly, this study conducted a theoretical analysis of the back-layering length of smoke downstream of the centralised ceiling exhaust vent and proposed a theoretical prediction model considering the smoke exhaust efficiency, exhaust vent layout, and the distance between the fire source and vent. This model can be applied across multiple exhaust vent layouts with a wide range of smoke exhaust rates. In addition, the theoretical prediction model was verified with a series of reduced-scale experiments. Thereafter, we compared the proposed theoretical model with existing relevant models. The results revealed that the existing models are applicable only for a specific range of the smoke exhaust rate because these models were either empirically derived for a particular range of smoke exhaust rate or developed assuming pure smoke flow in the vent. Furthermore, the proposed model was employed to quantitatively analyse the influence of the exhaust rate, exhaust vent layout, and the distance between the exhaust vent and fire source on the smoke back-layering length. Finally, we discussed the contribution of the proposed model for optimising the exhaust vent layout and reducing the smoke exhaust rate of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Propose a standardized method to estimate port turnover rate based on satellite data of ocean ships. • Construct berth polygon areas for terminals based on Greatmaps (GMap) visual technique. • Design two tailor-made algorithms to estimate the berthing time of ship in a berthing event. • Assess port turnover rate with aggregate berthing time at a port and its historical port throughput. • Use calculated turnover rate to estimate the monthly throughput of global ports. Accurate assessment of port turnover rate is essential for port operators and shipping carriers to benchmark and improve their operations. This study proposes a standardized method to estimate the port turnover rate based on satellite data of ocean ships. This method can be generalized to accommodate ports of different geographic and operational characteristics with minimum input and running times. To achieve the research objective, we first construct berth polygon areas for terminals based on Greatmaps (GMap) visual technique. Then, two tailor-made algorithms are proposed to estimate the berthing time of ship in a berthing event. Finally, we assess the port turnover rate with aggregate berthing time at a port and its historical port throughput. Assuming that the turnover rate is unchanged in the short term, we can use the estimated turnover to estimate the monthly throughput of global ports. The findings suggest the average Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of our estimation is 3.84%. Standardized and high-frequency port statistics are highly valued by the industry but very costly to access. The proposed method makes high-frequency port turnover rate and throughput available for a wide range of users. The statistics and findings will enhance standardization and transparency of port statistics and promote the sustainable development of port industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In this research, we proposed a novel optical surface shapes measurement method based on conformal mapping-angular phase-shifting interferometry. It paves the way for the application of vortex beams in the field of optical surface shape measurement. It is of great significance to the miniaturization design of high-precision interferometers, and can significantly reduce the experimental cost. • We use a Q-plate in the reference optical path to introduce a 90-degree phase shift, and conformal mapping is used to demodulate the surface shape. • This method not only ensures the accuracy of surface shape measurement; but also avoids the use of expensive precision translation stages; and has specific anti-vibration performance. • The measuring device is simple, compact, easy to operate and low cost. We proposed a novel optical surface shapes measurement method based on conformal mapping-angular phase-shifting interferometry (APSI). This method rotates a Q-plate in the reference light path to introduce a 90-degree phase shift. The mathematical tool of conformal mapping is used for surface shape demodulation. After removing the helical phase in the compound phase, high-precision surface shape measurement results are obtained, and the measurement surface shape deviations are 3.33 nm (PV) and 0.26 nm (RMS). This work paves the way for surface shape measurement and compound phase demodulation using vortex beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Complexes 1 , 2 and 3 exhibit reversible photochromic behavior. • Complexes 1 , 2 and 3 exhibit long-lived persistent phosphorescence. • Complex 2 exhibits excitation wavelength dependent fluorescence. • Three complexes show great potential in data encryption and anticounterfeiting. • 2 was fabricated in inkless printing performance and information transmission. Long persistent luminescence materials have wide application prospects in the fields of optical communication, sensors, and anticounterfeiting. Recently, some researchers have proved the feasibility of charge transfer effect in the construction of visible light excited room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials. However, materials with electronic effects require elaborate design to exhibit long-lived phosphorescence. Herein, a series of coordination compounds based on viologen ligand HL⋅Cl (4-carboxybenzyl)-4,4′-bipyridinium chloride) and Zn2+ with benzoic acid derivatives (o- , m- , p- phthalic acid) were reported. They exhibit not only reversible photochromic properties, but also long-lived persistent phosphorescence. Three complexes possess different structures through different auxiliary ligands with different optical physical properties. Complex 1 exhibits dynamic phosphorescence emission at low temperatures. Interestingly, we synthesized the first viologen complex (complex 2) with excitation wavelength dependent fluorescence, and the emission color gradually changed from blue to red with the increase of excitation wavelength. In addition, the applications of three complexes in data encryption and anticounterfeiting are further demonstrated. This work not only presents coordination compounds with dynamic afterglow materials, excitation wavelength- and time-dependent emission properties, but also provides a new strategy for the charge transfer effect in visible light-excited RTP materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a novel micro-displacement measurement system that employs a modified reversal shearing interference structure based on vortex beam interference. The micro-displacement in the measurement path caused a change in the light path and resulted in an optical path difference (OPD) between the reference and measurement paths. This OPD led to the rotation of the petal-like pattern obtained by the interference between two paths. The rotation angle of the petal-like pattern was proportional to the OPD caused by micro-displacement. We used the virtual phase-shifting method to extract the helical phase front, and the Radon transform to measure the angle of the helical phase front. We achieved a high-accuracy micro-displacement measurement with a measurement error of less than 0.067 nm when using a vortex beam with a topological charge of six. This system has an extremely simple structure and is easy to adjust. It is of great significance to the miniaturized design of high-precision displacement sensors. • Avoid complex optical path and adjustments to achieve accurate displacement measurements. • Radon transform was used to solve the rotation angle of the dislocation line in the phase front. • Slight swing of the retroreflector will not change the direction of the measurement beam, this structure is more stable for displacement measurement based on conjugated vortex beam interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Heat, acidity and long-term cultivation preadaptation promote VBNC formation by decreasing the intracellular ATP level. • Cross-stress protection exhibited organism-specific characteristics and could promote VBNC E. coli formation. • Food materials should avoid acidic environment, hot environment and long-term storage to reduce VBNC generation. As a novel non-thermal pasteurization technology, high pressure carbon dioxide (HPCD) has been used in food processing. However, it could induce microorganisms into a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state, posing a potential risk to food safety and public health. In this study, we attempted to investigate the effect of various preliminary stresses including cold, heat, osmosis, acidity and oxidation on HPCD-induced VBNC formation. The results indicated that there was no effect of preliminary stresses on VBNC Staphylococcus aureus induction. However, heat, acidity and long-term (24 h) cultivation preadaptation could significantly increase the VBNC E. coli production induced by HPCD. Transcriptome analysis revealed that genes involved in ATP production were significantly decreased in these three stress-treated cells, and further ATP levels determination revealed that the ATP levels of the cell were significantly decreased after heat, acidity and long-term cultivation preadaptation, implying the decrease of ATP level caused by these stresses might be the reason for increasing VBNC production. To further study the relationship between ATP level and VBNC cell ratios after preadaptation. We artificially decreased the ATP levels, and detect their VBNC ratios after HPCD treatment. We found that with the ATP concentration decreasing after exposure to carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazine (CCCP), the VBNC ratios were increased after HPCD treatment, indicating that the ATP contents were highly negatively correlated with VBNC ratios. This study proved that the preadaptation of heat, acidity and long-term cultivation could promote VBNC induction by decreasing the intracellular ATP level. In general, the obtained result gave the instruction about the storage environment for food materials, helped to further develop and optimize the HPCD processing to prevent VBNC formation and accelerate the development of HPCD technology in food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Dihydroartemisinin has been shown to inhibit the development of pulmonary fibrosis in rats, but its mechanism has yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to determine the mechanisms of dihydroartemisinin in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in a rat model. Main methods Morphological changes and collagen deposition were analyzed via hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson staining and the expression of biotic-factor-related oxidative stress in lung tissues was assayed with standard assay kits. The expressions of α-SMA, E-cadherin, and Nrf2/HO-1 were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR, and the cell morphology and proliferation of cultured type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) were assessed via microscopy and immunocytochemical assay. Key findings Dihydroartemisinin treatment significantly decreased the level of oxidative stress and collagen synthesis and inhibited AECs differentiation in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Significance Our results indicated that dihydroartemisinin might decrease oxidative damage to attenuate lung injury and fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine new isoquinoline alkaloids, including two proaporphine ( 1 – 2 ), three aporphine ( 3 – 5 ), two oxoaporphine ( 6 – 7 ), and two seco -bisbenzylisoquinoline ( 8 – 9 ), together with three known alkaloids ( 10−12 ) were isolated from the whole plant of Thalictrum wangii. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic data. The antitumor activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated in vitro against glioma stem cells. Compounds 3–8 showed the cytotoxicity with IC 50 values 15–20 μg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To handle the product configuration problem with uncertain supply and demand, stochastic programming approach is applied to formulate the problem as a stochastic mixed-integer programming model. Carbon emission is further integrated into the deployed stochastic model under four different carbon emission regulations. Benders decomposition algorithm is utilized to solve the stochastic model. Computational studies show that the Benders decomposition method can solve large-scale stochastic programming problems with faster convergence rate than commercial solver CPLEX does. The results from the numerical experimental analysis demonstrate the impacts of carbon emission regulations on product configuration decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the numerical solution of the leading order QCD evolution equation for the orbital angular momentum distributions of quarks and gluons and discuss its implications for the nucleon spin sum rule. We observe that at small- x , the gluon helicity and orbital angular momentum distributions are roughly of the same magnitude but with opposite signs, indicating a significant cancellation between them. A similar cancellation occurs also in the quark sector. We explain analytically the reason for this cancellation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a series of experiments are performed to investigate the mixing and stratification of buoyancy-driven flows in a narrow inclined tank. The buoyancy-driven flow is produced by continuously releasing dense brine into an inclined tank filled with fresh water. Two distinct mixing regimes are identified. In one of the regimes, fresh water enters the tank because of the negative pressure induced by the brine plume. In the other regime, the fresh water inflow is mainly caused by the stack effect. A light attenuation technique is used to measure the density stratification and distribution in the tank. The effects of the buoyant source volume flow rate, source buoyancy flux, and source location on the mixing and stratification are investigated. The results indicate that the mixing between the buoyant and ambient fluids is strengthened by the increase in the source volume flow rate and the height difference between the source location and the lower end of the tank. However, the current downstream of the source becomes more stratified as the source buoyancy flux increases. A dimensionless parameter, λ , is proposed to evaluate the overall mixing intensity in the tank. As λ increases, the flow changes from a bidirectional one to a unidirectional one. The evolution of reduced gravity along the longitudinal direction is also investigated. The results indicate that fresh water is entrained into the brine layer if the thickness of the brine layer is less than the tank height. Otherwise, the reduced gravity remains constant along the longitudinal direction of the tank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful in situ implementation of biotransformation or microbially enhanced coalbed methane requires an integrated approach to the injection process and an understanding of the transport and retention laws that may be constrained in the subsurface. The shallow subsurface environment, which has a low oxygen concentration, low temperature and high pressure, is considered to provide domesticated conditions for domesticated Phanerochaete chrysosporium . After domestication, P. chrysosporium can remain active and be transported in porous media in a subsurface environment. Triaxial stress filtration experiments have further demonstrated that domesticated P. chrysosporium can be transported and metabolized into a product gas, while only the permeate flux of P. chrysosporium decreases by an order of magnitude in a sterilization medium at 48 h. In addition, permeate flux reduction was concluded to be the effect of increasing P. chrysosporium retention and gas production. SEM images of domesticated P. chrysosporium cells in lignite pores were observed. Mercury intrusion indicated that porosity decreased by 30–44% from the inlet to the outlet, and the specific surface area increased by 24–49%, indicating that retention likely occurs at the outlet of the lignite columns. The results show the feasibility of injecting domesticated Phanerochaete chrysosporium into the subsurface coal seam and suggest that understanding and controlling microbial retention and transportation may be a key question in lignite biotransformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, assembling 2D layered materials into three-dimensional (3D) architectures has become the research focus in catalysis fields. In this study, 3D porous g-C 3 N 4 @carbon (CN@C) microflowers composed of carbon-coated g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets were prepared by a facile bio-inspired method. At first, cyanuric acid-melamine (CAM) supermolecules were assembled into 3D microflowers with the mediation of sucrose molecules through a hydrothermal process, and then isomorphically converted into 3D CN@C microflowers upon calcination. By varying the saccharide species, it was found that the formyl groups of saccharide molecules and their self-polycondensation behavior could govern the CAM assembly and subsequent formation of microflower structure. The resultant CN@C microflowers exhibit high oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity with a potential of 1.68 V at a current density of 10 mA cm −2 due to efficient mass and charge transfer, which is close to the reported value for the state-of-the-art metal catalyst IrO 2 /C (1.60 V, 0.1 mol L −1 KOH) and much superior to that of pure g-C 3 N 4 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The port integration problem in a multi-port region (MPR) is studied from the perspective of maximizing the social welfare of the external transport system in a closed region in which the ports are regarded as external transport hubs. First, the economic principle of maximizing the social welfare of the external transport system is analyzed, and a method to calculate the total internal transport cost of the external transport system is proposed. Second, the optimal scale of the port group in an MPR is determined by comparing the total internal costs for different scales of the port group. An integration method with multi-period investment and asset idling is also proposed that takes into account excess port resources in MPRs. Finally, main gateway ports in Northeast China are selected for an empirical study. Based on the findings, suggestions regarding port resource integration and cooperative operation in MPRs are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dielectric fishnet nanostructure is designed to increase the light trapping capability of ultra-thin solar cells. The complex performance of ultra-thin cells such as the optical response and electrical response are fully quantified in simulation through a complete optoelectronic investigation. The results show that the optimized light trapping nanostructure can enhances the electromagnetic resonance in active layer then lead to extraordinary enhancement of both absorption and light-conversion capabilities in the solar cell. The short-circuit current density increases by 49.46% from 9.40 mA/cm 2 to 14.05 mA/cm 2 and light-conversion efficiency increases by 51.84% from 9.51% to 14.44% compared to the benchmark, a solar cell with an ITO-GaAs-Ag structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy-efficient technologies such as earth-to-air heat exchangers (EAHEs) and buoyancy-driven natural ventilation (BV) are employed for space conditioning. However, a fan is required in conventional EAHEs for air circulation, and BV normally serves as a passive cooling measure in temperate transitional seasons. This paper proposes the coupling of EAHEs and the buoyancy generated inside a building to achieve passive and autonomous ventilation without requiring any mechanical system. A model is developed to investigate the effects of the coupled system, with a primary focus on the dynamics of the airflow temperature, flow rate, and cooling/heating capacity provision. The model results are in good agreement with those of the computational fluid dynamics simulation. The model is applied in a hypothetical building located in a hot-summer/cold-winter region (Chongqing, China). The proposed coupled scheme is superior to the BV in hot and cold seasons. The indoor air temperature, ventilation flow rate, and cooling/heating capacity are found to fluctuate asynchronously. The cooling capacity is 56.3 kWh for the hottest day, and the heating capacity is 111.1 kWh for the coldest day. The maximum cooling or heating capacity is nearly achieved at the hottest or coldest times with the help of ventilation flow rate fluctuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytogeographical variation has an impact on up/down regulation of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. In this context, present study analyzed the influence of environmental factors on secondary metabolites in Salvia miltiorrhiza from natural habitat of China with different topographical conditions. The chemotypic variation was further correlated with climatic factors than micronutrients in the soil. The data revealed that tanshinones were more likely to be influenced by changes in ecological factors compared with phenolic acids. Tanshinone content was positively correlated with annual sunshine duration (correlation coefficients ranged from 0.379 to 0.730, P <  0.01 or 0.05), but negatively correlated with annual mean temperature (correlation coefficients ranged from −0.358 to −0.718, P <  0.01 or 0.05) and annual average precipitation (correlation coefficients ranged from −0.425 to −0.679, P <  0.01); the opposite situation was found in salvianolic acid B (correlation coefficients were −0.137, 0.084, 0.19), caffeic acid (correlation coefficients were −0.336, 0.246, 0.216, P <  0.05) and rosmarinic acid (correlation coefficients were −0.518, 0.475, 0.493, P <  0.01). Among the micronutrients, soil concentrations of Ba, Al and Mg exhibit the positive correlation with tanshinone content, but Pb exhibit the negative correlation with tanshinone content. Total N and K presented positive effects on most of phenolic acids. Ba showed significant negative and direct effects on salvianolic acid B (correlation coefficient was −0.281) and Rosmarinic acid (correlation coefficient was −0.367, P <  0.05). Therefore, the elite chemotype of S. miltiorrhiza identified among the collected samples express the correlation of phyto-geographical condition on the quantity of industrially viable metabolites, tashinones and phenolic acids. This aids in site specific exploration of high metabolite yielding samples to meet out the commercial demands and, promote the agriculture practices of this industrial crop for societal upliftment in area having similar phytogeographical locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal actions greatly influence the mechanical behavior of cable-stayed bridges. The objective of this research is to investigate the characteristics of the thermal field and the variability of the quasi-static responses of the bridge towers. Based on the monitoring temperature and displacement data, the distribution of the thermal field for the bridge was studied and the time variability of the tower displacement was investigated. The correlation was analyzed to study the relationship between the temperature and the tower displacements and the tower-girder distances. The temperature-induced cable force increments were calculated and a linear regression between the cable force increments and the structural temperatures was performed. A strong linear relationship between the temperature and quasi-static responses of the tower was observed. It is concluded that thermal actions have substantial effects on the quasi-static displacement. Moreover, the temperature-induced cable forces should be fully considered in the safety design of the bridge cables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of back-layering flow induced by a continuous buoyant release in a naturally ventilated inclined tunnel are investigated. The back-layering length and the density difference between the buoyant back-layering and the ambient flow are investigated using brine water experiments. The back-layering length is independent of buoyancy flux of the releasing source in such a configuration; however, the density difference between the buoyant back-layering and the ambient flow increases with a 0.52 power function of buoyancy flux. The back-layering fluid density is remarkably larger than that of downstream flow. In particular, we focus on the critical condition for preventing back-layering in such a naturally-ventilated tunnel configuration. The longitudinal flow in an inclined naturally-ventilated tunnel is assumed to be induced by the stack effect. We firstly derive a theoretical equation for predicting the critical condition for an inclined tunnel and identify that the critical condition is sensitive to buoyancy source location, but it does not exhibit any significant dependency on buoyancy flux of the source. The experimental results show that, in a wide range of values of buoyancy flux, the conclusions derived from the theoretical analysis are valid, indicating the critical velocity can be achieved in an inclined tunnel without any forced mechanical flow, and the condition for achieving the critical velocity is mainly dependent of buoyant source location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The virtual boundary meshfree Galerkin method (VBMGM) is demonstrated to solve the single-domain transient heat conduction with heat source problem. Both the heat source in the computational domain and the virtual source function on the virtual boundary are interpolated by using the radial basis function interpolation. The equation of the proposed method is formed by the Galerkin method. Consequently, VBMGM have the advantages of the Galerkin method, the boundary element method and the meshfree method for the single-domain transient heat conduction with heat source problem. And the numerical definitions of the weighted values in VBMGM are definite, such as the partial derivatives of the temperature, the heat flux and the heat source expression at t + Δ t time. The detailed equation of VBMGM is deducted for the single-domain transient heat conduction with heat source problem. Two numerical examples, the square domain with constant heat source and the square domain with variable boundary condition and variable heat source, are presented. The accuracy and the stability of VBMGM for the single-domain transient heat conduction with heat source problem are proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five shell-gravel layers (2.2–2.9 m in elevation, 70 cm in thickness) formed by storm-induced rip currents along the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula over the past 1300 years are described. The three radiocarbon dates (S1–S3) and the two optically stimulated luminescence (S4 and S5) dates correspond well with the succession of the five shell-gravel layers. The age of S1, CE 720 ± 60, corresponds to the early Medieval Warm Period (MWP). The dates of the three overlying layers (S2–S4), CE 880 ± 110, 950 ± 70, and 995 ± 120, respectively, coincide with the middle MWP. The fifth date of the uppermost shell-gravel layer (S5), CE 1535 ± 40, coincides with the Little Ice Age (LIA) of Western Europe. The characteristics of shell habitats based on 16 shell species from each layer suggest that the first four layers formed in a slightly erosional to dominantly depositional environment during the MWP, whereas the youngest layer formed in a dominantly erosional environment during the LIA. Analyses of grain size distribution, magnetic susceptibility, and geochemistry of the sediments, and gravel morphology indicate that storm activity at this site during the MWP and LIA occurred within active storm periods in the western North Atlantic (WNA). Comparison of the five storm events and related climatic factors suggests that, although the typhoon track type at the site is similar to recurving tracks typical for El Niño conditions in North China and Japan, tracks during the MWP and LIA were likely shifted not only by changes in El Niño conditions but by other climatic factors such as sea surface temperature, the North Pacific High, and the westerly jet stream. However, storm energy under El Niño years during the middle MWP was likely stronger than that produced in normal years during the early MWP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the feasibility of rapid detection of biogenic amines (BAs) in cooked beef during the storage process using hyperspectral imaging technique combined with sparse representation (SR) algorithm. The hyperspectral images of samples were collected in the two spectral ranges of 400–1000 nm and 1000–1800 nm, separately. The spectral data were reduced dimensionality by SR and principal component analysis (PCA) algorithms, and then integrated the least square support vector machine (LS-SVM) to build the SR-LS-SVM and PC-LS-SVM models for the prediction of BAs values in cooked beef. The results showed that the SR-LS-SVM model exhibited the best predictive ability with determination coefficients R P 2 ) of 0.943 and root mean square errors (RMSEP) of 1.206 in the range of 400–1000 nm of prediction set. The SR and PCA algorithms were further combined to establish the best SR-PC-LS-SVM model for BAs prediction, which had high R P 2 of 0.969 and low RMSEP of 1.039 in the region of 400–1000 nm. The visual map of the BAs was generated using the best SR-PC-LS-SVM model with imaging process algorithms, which could be used to observe the changes of BAs in cooked beef more intuitively. The study demonstrated that hyperspectral imaging technique combined with sparse representation were able to detect effectively the BAs values in cooked beef during storage and the built SR-PC-LS-SVM model had a potential for rapid and accurate determination of freshness indexes in other meat and meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel l -phenylalanine oxidase gene from a species of mushroom Coprinopsis cinereus was cloned. With l -amino acid oxidase from Hebeloma cylindrosporum, which is the closest one, it shared only 30.6% sequence identity. This recombinant protein was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and biochemically characterized. It contained 778 amino acids and was quite different compared with all previously studied enzymes. This enzyme exhibited highest specific activity of 6.04 U/mg towards l -phenylalanine and the optimal pH, temperature of the enzyme catalyzed reaction were 8.5 and 45 °C. The enzyme was stable up to 55 °C within pH range 7.0–9.5. It could oxidize l -phenylalanine to phenylpyruvic acid at high titer (8.1 ± 0.1 g/L), conversion ratio (97.4 ± 0.2%) and productivity (1.02 ± 0.01 g/L h) within 8 h. More importantly, it specifically catalyzed the oxidation of l -phenylalanine with racemic null , l -phenylalanine mixture as substrate. In general, these properties rendered it a useful catalyst in several industrial manufacturers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's steel output has maintained rapid growth over the past twenty years. Due to this, a large number of iron ore ports/terminals have been built along the Yangtze River, and the Yangtze River bulk port system has experienced a unique development in its structure. This paper aims to understand the evolution of this bulk port system. 1 1 In this paper, bulk cargo mainly refers to iron ore bulk cargo. along the Yangtze River. To achieve this objective, first the development phases of the Yangtze River bulk port system are reviewed, taking the theoretical (container) port evolution model as a benchmark. Then several hypotheses addressing certain features of bulk port system development are proposed, followed by using panel data analysis to test these hypotheses. Based on this discussion and analysis, the major driving forces that are reshaping bulk port development along the Yangtze River are then summarized. It is found that evolution of the Yangtze River bulk port system in general follows the port development models in previous literature. However, the trend toward regionalization and an offshore hub have not appeared. Besides this, iron ore transshipment is moving outward both for sea ports and river ports, and few iron ore transshipment gateway hubs are occurring. Furthermore, the transshipment function of a bulk port plays a significant role in port traffic changes, but this role is affecting sea ports differently to river ports. The container throughput of transshipment sea ports has a significant negative effect on bulk traffic, whereas that of transshipment river ports has a positive effect. Geographical conditions, institutional factors and national policy, industry agglomeration, changes in market supply and demand, and technology updates are major factors driving changes to the port system structure. These factors are observed to function either individually or collectively at different development stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an investigation of the flow and heat transfer characteristics of the water wall tube of an ultra-supercritical circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler for a better boiler design. The operating pressure ranges from 10.5 to 32 MPa. The six-headed inner rifled tube used in the test has a diameter and wall thickness of 35 mm and 5.67 mm, respectively. Results show that the vapor quality during heat-transfer deterioration (vapor quality >0.8) increases with increased mass flux or decreased heat flux in the subcritical pressure regions. The effects of the pressure and heat flux on the inner-wall temperature in the supercritical pressure region are remarkable in the high-enthalpy region (enthalpy >2400 kJ kg −1 ). The effects of the heat flux and pressure on frictional pressure drop are more dominant than mass flux in both the subcritical and supercritical pressure regions. The optimized tube is found to exhibit good performance under ultra-supercritical parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT), potassium-sodium niobate shows good advances because of its excellent photoelectric response frequency and holographic storage. However, its low transmittance limits its application in photoelectrical controllers. To address this issue, lanthanum was introduced as a dopant, and the properties of the resulting ceramics were evaluated using both experimental and theoretical approaches. The (1-x)(K 0.5 Na 0.5 )NbO 3 -xLa 2 O 3 (KNN-xL; x = 0.005, 0.010, 0.015, 0.020) transmittance ceramics were prepared by traditional low-pressure sintering process. Among the ceramics examined, KNN-0.015L achieved the widest band gap (Eg) of 3.108 eV and the highest transparency of 74%; both values are higher than those of PLZT (band gap = 3.10 eV, transparency = 70%) prepared by hot-press sintering. The transition rule was evaluated by density functional theory (DFT) to validate the experimental results obtained. Additionally, the related mechanism of transparency variation induced by electronic structure and grain size modulation was discussed thoroughly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the high-efficient visible-light-driven photocatalyst has become a research focus to realize the large-scale application of semiconductor photocatalysis. Herein, a novel nanoplate-like g-C 3 N 4 /Bi 12 TiO 20 (CN/BTO) heterojunction was prepared by a facile hydrothermal-annealing method for visible-light photocatalysis, and its morphology, structure and optical property were characterized systematically. The characterization results verify that the C O bond exists between g-C 3 N 4 and BTO, thus confirming the formation of CN BTO heterojunction. Furthermore, the CN/BTO heterojunctions display much higher photocatalytic performance for Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation than pure BTO and g-C 3 N 4 under visible light irradiation. Among them, the CN/BTO-3 sample with 60 wt% of g-C 3 N 4 exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity. The excellent photocatalytic activity can be primarily attributed to the energy band match and the heterojunction that can accelerate the migration and separation of photo-generated charge carriers. This kind of nanoplate-like CN/BTO heterojunction may find potential applications in numerous fields related to environment and energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ternary Bi–Sn–In micropowders and nanoparticles were prepared as a composite solder material via a gas atomization process and a chemical reduction method, respectively. The nanoparticles, with a 71.1 °C melting temperature, entered among the intervals of the higher melting temperature (79.4 °C) micropowders, and then reflowed at 110 °C on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. This considerably increased the thermal diffusivity of the nanoparticles to refine the surface morphology of the solder bumps. Their adhesion strength also increased from an average shear force of 0.33–0.43 N by viscosity improvement, afforded to the reinforcement of 5.0 wt.% added nanoparticles. However, the adhesion strength (0.25 N average shear force) of the composite solder bumps deteriorated at 15.0 wt.% added nanoparticles and resulted in a high electrical resistivity (72.53 ± 8.54 μΩ cm) due to the formation of their surface-oxidized phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inverted perovskite solar cells have attracted a great deal of attention due to its high power conversion efficiency, simple configuration, and low-cost processing. The hole transport material (HTM) is a crucial factor in high performance inverted perovskite solar cell. However, the hole mobility for most common of HTM is too low to matching perovskite materials. Herein, we report a superior HTM with high hole mobility to significantly improve solar cell efficiency. Upon doing the commonly used PEDOT:PSS HTM by graphene oxide (GO), its hole mobility is increased from 5.55 × 10 −5 to 1.57 × 10 −4 cm 2 V −1 s −1 , leading to efficient hole extraction and low current leakage, therefore 20% higher power conversion efficiency comparing to the control device without the GO doping. The development open the opportunities for efficient HTMs based on the two-dimensional materials in the perovskite solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naturally occurring compounds are reported as effective candidates for prevention and treatment of various cancers. Breviscapine (BVP) is a mixture of flavonoid glycosides, derived from the Chinese herbs. Previous researches have indicated that BVP has comprehensive pharmacological functions. However, little is known about whether BVP has preventive effects on human prostate cancer. Here, we attempted to explore if BVP inhibits human prostate cancer in vitro and in vivo in a comprehensive manner. We found that BVP triggered cytotoxicity in prostate cancer cell lines dose-dependently. BVP-induced DNA damage caused the cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and further induced cell death. High expression of MCM-7 was reduced in BVP-treated cancer cells and tumor tissues, and also the DNA damage response marker of γH2AX is down-regulated by BVP, associated with MCM-7 expression through regulating retinoblastoma protein (Rb) and checkpoint control proteins expression. Additionally, BVP induced apoptotic response in prostate cancer cells and tumors via activating Caspase-3 and PARP. In vivo studies indicated that BVP impeded tumor growth in xenograft animal models. In conclusion, our data indicates that breviscapine (BVP) can be further explored for its potential, which might be used in human prostate cancer therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geology in the Yanbian area, NE China, is a key to understanding the relationship between the Paleo-Pacific tectonic regime and the older Paleo-Asian oceanic regime, especially the transition between the regimes during the Mesozoic. A compilation of 131 U–Pb zircon ages, including 18 obtained in the present study, shows that the late Paleozoic to Mesozoic magmatism in the Yanbian area took place from 285 to 105 Ma (mainly 205–160 Ma) and that there was a peak of activity at ∼175 Ma and a hiatus from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (150–130 Ma). Provisionally, we subdivide the magmatic activity into four dominant stages: Middle Permian to Middle Triassic (280–240 Ma), Late Triassic (230–205 Ma), Early to Middle Jurassic (205–160 Ma) and Early Cretaceous (130–105 Ma). Middle Permian intrusive rocks, including pyroxenite, gabbro, diorite, granodiorite, tonalite and monzogranite, are interpreted to have been emplaced along an Andean-style continental margin in association with the subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate. The Late Permian–Middle Triassic intrusive rocks are mainly quartz monzonite, monzogranite and syenogranite, and are considered to have been the result of syn-orogenic/post-collisional activities. The Late Triassic magmatism involved not only the emplacement of mafic–ultramafic intrusive rocks, but also coeval I- and A-type granitoids, indicating an extensional environment after the final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. Since the Jurassic, the tectonic setting has been dominated by subduction of the Paleo-Pacific oceanic plate. Previously published data for the Yanbian area and age data from surrounding regions show that the entire region from the Yanbian area to the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Islands experienced peaks in igneous activities that ranged from 200 to 165 Ma during the Jurassic, and 120 to 110 Ma and 90 to 65 Ma during the Cretaceous. The Jurassic intrusive rocks were emplaced mainly in the west and Cretaceous intrusive rocks in the east. In other words, there is a southeastwards younging of Mesozoic intrusive rocks that appears to have been closely associated with the evolution of the Paleo-Pacific Ocean. Taking all this into account, we conclude that the transition from the Paleo-Asian oceanic regime to the circum-Pacific tectonic regime took place during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Naphthalenediimide-based photochromic 2D MOF was successfully synthesized. After irradiation and immersion in acetonitrile solution, the single-crystal-to-single-crystal transition occurred, and 1-P and 1@MeCN were obtained, respectively. 1-P is a rare example of structural visualization during the formation of free radicals after NDI-based photochromism. 1@MeCN improves the photochromic performance of the system by introducing solvent molecules. Finally, for the first time, 1@MeCN was combined with organic glass for practical applications in ink-free printing, purple light detection/filtering, and information anti-counterfeiting. [Display omitted] • A photochromic MOF (1) based on the NDI ligand was synthesized and characterized. • Captured a rare process of structural visualization of free radical formation in 1-P. • The effect of solvent on the photochromic properties (1@MeCN) was revealed. • 1 and 1@MeCN were first used to selectively detect and filter 395 nm purple light. • The 1@MeCN glass was prepared for the first time. It is still a great challenge to understand the structural variation during the photochromic process, to rationally regulate the photochromic performance, and to expand the practical application of NDI-based photochromic materials. Herein, we found a 2D NDI-type photochromic MOF (1). When illuminated by 395 nm purple light, 1 underwent a single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) transition, resulting in 1-P , which is a rare structural visualization phenomenon during the formation of free radicals. In addition, it was demonstrated for the first time that the introduction of solvent molecules into the system (1@MeCN) can modulate the photochromic ability caused by electron transfer. It was found that 1 and 1@MeCN have the most sensitive response to 395 nm purple light, and are ideal candidates for detecting and filtering purple light. Finally, a photochromic glass based on 1@MeCN was reported, which is first applied in ink-free printing, purple light detection/filtering, and information anti-counterfeiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we successfully synthesized two Schiff base (HL) complexes, ZnLCl 2 (1) and [Cd 2 L 2 Cl 4 ]·CH 3 CN (2), via the one-pot reaction of metal salts with 4-[bis(4-bromophenyl)amino]benzaldehyde and 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid hydrazide. Complex 2 exhibits not only acidochromic properties but also NH 3 -induced discoloration behavior, which is rarely reported among triphenylamine derivatives or complexes. However, complex 1 shows no color change upon fuming with HCl or NH 3 vapor. The experimental results show that acidochromism may be due to the decomposition of the structure by HCl vapor, while NH 3 -induced discoloration is mainly attributed to the phase change of 2 from crystalline to amorphous state. In addition, complexes 1 and 2 showed high-contrast mechanochromic luminescence (MCL) change from yellow to orange and green to yellow, respectively. Complexes 1 and 2 also exhibit electrochromic behavior with color change from yellow to brown. Moreover, complex 2 was successfully made into test paper for mechanical stimuli and the rapid detection of HCl and NH 3 vapor. The complex 2 can be fixed on a mask coat to fabricate a 2 -based wearable hazardous gas sensor, suggesting that 2 is expected to develop into the next generation wearable sensors for detection of HCl and NH 3 vapor. [Display omitted] • Complexes 1 and 2 showed reversible mechanochromic luminescence behavior. • 2 exhibits acidochromic properties and NH 3 -induced discoloration behavior. • Complexes 1 and 2 also exhibit electrochromic behavior. • 2 can be made into test paper for repeated writing and HCl/NH 3 vapor detecting. • 2 can be made wearable sensor for detection of HCl and NH 3 vapor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019, the fact that frozen foods can carry the relevant virus raises concerns about the microbial safety of cold-chain foods. As a non-thermal processing technology, high pressure carbon dioxide (HPCD) is a potential method to reduce microbial load on cold-chain foods. In this study, we explored the microbial inactivation of low temperature (5-10 °C) HPCD (LT-HPCD) and evaluated its effect on the quality of prawn during freeze-chilled and frozen storage. LT-HPCD treatment at 6.5 MPa and 10 °C for 15 min could effectively inactivate E. coli (99.45%) and S. aureus (94.6%) suspended in 0.85% NaCl, SARS-CoV-2 Spike pseudovirus (>99%) and human coronavirus 229E (hCoV-229E) (>1-log virus tilter reduction) suspended in DMEM medium. The inactivation effect of LT-HPCD was weakened but still significant when the microorganisms were inoculated on the surface of food or package. LT-HPCD treatment at 6.5 MPa and 10 °C for 15 min achieved about 60% inactivation of total aerobic count while could maintain frozen state and quality of prawn. Moreover, LT-HPCD treated prawn exhibited significant slower microbial proliferation and no occurrence of melanosis compared with the untreated samples during chilled storage. A comprehensive quality investigation indicated that LT-HPCD treatment could maintain the color, texture and sensory of prawn during chilled or frozen storage. Consequently, LT-HPCD could improve the microbial safety of frozen prawn while maintaining its original quality, and could be a potential method for food industry to improve the microbial safety of cold-chain foods. • Low temperature HPCD (LT-HPCD) can achieve certain microbial inactivation. • LT-HPCD can maintain the frozen state and the quality of frozen prawn. • LT-HPCD inhibits microbial proliferation and melanosis of prawn during chill storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A complex gradient passivation strategy was first proposed for inverted PSCs. • In(SCN 2 H 4) 3 Cl 3 effectively passivates defect states in bulk perovskite layer. • In(SCN 2 H 4) 3 Cl 3 facilitates hole extraction by modulating interface energy level alignment. • The efficiency and stability of inverted PSCs are significantly improved. To address the interfacial and bulk defects and mismatched energy band alignment at perovskite/hole transport layr (HTL) interface in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs), here a novel In(SCN 2 H 4) 3 Cl 3 complex diffusion doping strategy was proposed to construct CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 :In(SCN 2 H 4) 3 Cl 3 composite layer for poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine (PTAA)-based inverted PSCs. The In(tu) 3 Cl 3 effectively promotes the quality of perovskite films with larger perovskite crystal grains and flatter and denser surfaces. Both theoretical and experimental results reveal that the In(SCN 2 H 4) 3 Cl 3 can not only passivate interfacial and bulk defects in perovskite layer, but also form a spatial separation of photogenerated charges through CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 :In(SCN 2 H 4) 3 Cl 3 heterojunction interface, which effectively decreases the charge recombination and enhances charge separation and transport property in PSCs. Moreover, the In(SCN 2 H 4) 3 Cl 3 optimizes energy band alignment at perovskite/PTAA interface and creates a polarization electric field at the PTAA/In(SCN 2 H 4) 3 Cl 3 interface directing toward PTAA layer, which promotes the hole transfer from the CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 to the PTAA and increases the open-circuit voltage (V oc). As a consequence, optimized inverted PSCs with CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 :In(SCN 2 H 4) 3 Cl 3 layer achieve high efficiency of 21.25 % and also show a significantly improved long-term stability under different aging test conditions. Our work provides a valuable guide for designing efficient and stable inverted PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A silting theorem was established by Buan and Zhou as a generalisation of the classical tilting theorem of Brenner and Butler. In this paper, we give an alternative proof of the theorem by using differential graded algebras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the role of Nb addition on the corrosion behavior of low-alloy steel exposed to H 2 S solution is studied by means of microstructure, macro/microsurface morphology characteristics, type of corrosion product, cross-sectional structure and elemental distribution. The addition of Nb is a route to refine grains and improve corrosion resistance. The surface formation process of iron sulfides changes from homogeneity to dispersion at the initial corrosion stage when Nb is added to steel. However, the transformation process and crystal structure of iron sulfides are not affected by the addition of Nb. The elemental distribution of corrosion products is not affected by Nb addition although thick and compact corrosion products are formed on the specimen surface of Nb steel. A schematic model is proposed to clarify the difference of the corrosion mechanism in atomic and molecular level. • Niobium addition improves corrosion resistance of low alloy steel in H 2 S solution. • Role of niobium addition on the characteristics of iron sulfides is weak. • A schematic model of corrosion mechanism is fundamentally proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general calculation model based on the time-domain method is established for analyzing flow instability in parallel channels. In this model, the governing equations of mass, momentum, and energy are discretized and solved using the first-order upwind scheme. A numerical computational program called Dynsys is developed in Fortran language to analyze the flow instability occurring in the water wall of an ultra-supercritical CFB boiler with annular furnace. Comparing the calculation results of Dynsys with the experimental results shows that the model is reasonable and accurate for practical engineering application. On the basis of the validated model, the typical parallel channels in water wall of ultra-supercritical CFB boiler are simulated. Results show that, under the condition of invariable inlet pressure, temperature, and total mass flow rate, as well as 1.2 times heat flux disturbance applied on the parallel channels of ultra-supercritical CFB boiler, the fluctuation of inlet flow rate versus time in two channels is out of phase. In addition, the amplitude of flow pulsation decreases with time first and then returns to the steady state. Therefore, the flow in the parallel channels of ultra-supercritical CFB boiler with annular furnace is stable. Compared with the flow instability in single channel, the calculating results show that the flow in parallel channels was more stable within the range of parameters in the present paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reconstructs a record of typhoon frequency over the Korean Peninsula during the mid-Holocene using mineral components and diatom assemblages in deposits of Lagoon Hyangho, located on the east coast of the peninsula. The lagoon deposits confirm the occurrence of cyclical, multi-centennial scale episodes of low salinization induced by typhoon-derived heavy rain. Although shifts in typhoon frequency broadly follow El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions during the Holocene, evidence from the typhoon-induced deposits in Hyangho Lagoon suggests that the path of the polar westerly jet controls the effect of ENSO on multi-centennial-scale typhoon patterns across the mid-latitude region of East Asia. The influence of ENSO is limited when the westerly jet passes through low latitudes. Fluctuations in solar activity play a key role in regulating movement of the westerly jet. Multi-centennial scale changes in typhoon frequency in mid-latitude East Asia are, therefore, influenced by changes in solar activity and ENSO conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feasibility of combining spectral and textural information from hyperspectral imaging to predict the moisture content and storage time of cooked beef was explored. A total of 10 optimal wavelengths were selected for the moisture content and storage time by conducting variable combination population analysis (VCPA). Principal component analysis was employed to reduce the number of dimensions of hyperspectral images, while a discrete cosine transform was applied to the first three principal component images to extract 30 textural features. A back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) model and partial least-squares regression model were developed to predict the moisture content and storage time from spectra, textural data, and their combination. The fused BP-ANN model provided satisfactory results with R p 2 of 0.977, and RMSEP of 0.9151 for the prediction of moisture content; these results were superior to those obtained with spectral or textual information alone. Combined with the storage time, the distribution map of the moisture content of cooked beef was visualized using the best fused BP-ANN model with imaging process method. The results reveal that the combination of spectral and textural information of hyperspectral imaging coupled with the BP-ANN algorithm has strong potential for the prediction and visualization of the moisture content of cooked beef at different storage times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat transfer to supercritical water were investigated both experimentally and numerically. A 2-m long vertical upward smooth tube with a diameter of 19 mm was tested at pressures ranged from 11 to 32 MPa, values of mass flux from 170 to 800 kg·m −2 ·s −1 and heat fluxes up to 600 kW·m −2 . Various dimensionless parameters representing effects of property variations, buoyancy and thermal induced acceleration were estimated. Some of them show unique and strong relations to heat transfer coefficient, while no single behavior of independence is obtained with the majority of them. This result indicates additional parameters are required in case these dimensionless parameters are applied to predict supercritical heat transfer. Based on the experimental data, six typical correlations were evaluated. It turns out that the Mokry et al. correlation and Bishop et al. correlation show the best performance in predicting heat transfer. The shear stress transport k-ω model was employed to numerical analysis. Results of numerical prediction show a good agreement with experimental data, which proves the suitability of the present model. According to the result, physical mechanisms of both enhanced and deteriorated heat transfer at supercritical pressure are revealed. The integral effect of specific heat and buoyancy effect are the main reasons resulting in the abnormal heat transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]