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[Display omitted] Dysregulated GABAergic inhibition in the amygdala has long been implicated in stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying the dysregulation remain elusive. Here, by using a mouse model of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS), we observed that the dysregulation varied drastically across individual projection neurons (PNs) in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), one of the kernel amygdala subregions critical for stress coping. While persistently reducing the extrasynaptic GABA A receptor (GABA A R)-mediated tonic current in the BLA PNs projecting to the ventral hippocampus (BLA → vHPC PNs), CSDS increased the current in those projecting to the anterodorsal bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BLA → adBNST PNs), suggesting projection-based dysregulation of tonic inhibition in BLA PNs by CSDS. Transcriptional and electrophysiological analysis revealed that the opposite CSDS influences were mediated by loss- and gain-of-function of δ-containing GABA A Rs (GABA A (δ)Rs) in BLA → vHPC and BLA → adBNST PNs, respectively. Importantly, it was the lost inhibition in the former population but not the augmentation in the latter population that correlated with the increased anxiety-like behavior in CSDS mice. Virally mediated maintenance of GABA A (δ)R currents in BLA → vHPC PNs occluded CSDS-induced anxiety-like behavior. These findings clarify the molecular substrate for the dysregulated GABAergic inhibition in amygdala circuits for stress-associated psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an ex-situ phosphorus diffusion doping for germanium integrated photonic devices on silicon chip. Here, phosphorus oxychloride (POCl 3 )-based phosphosilicate glass is chosen for n-type diffusion. As an alternative process to the in-situ P doping during Ge epitaxy so far reported for Ge laser prototyping, the presented external P-diffusion method demonstrates photoluminescence (PL) emission enhancement of Ge-on-Si. The PL enhancement, along with the P secondary ion mass spectroscopy profile in Ge, clearly indicates that our ex-situ diffusion method to form n-type Ge has a significant potential for Ge active device fabrication as an enabling technology. It should be also noted that PL quenching is observed at high temperature diffusion processes which is induced by intermixing at the Ge and Si interface. The presented ex-situ P-diffusion process can serve as a template to monolithically integrate Ge devices such as not only light sources but modulators and photodetectors on Si complementary metal-oxde-semiconductor platform, as it may tailor device-specific pn junctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been applied as an effective therapy for treating Parkinson's disease or essential tremor. Several open-loop DBS control strategies have been developed for clinical experiments, but they are limited by short battery life and inefficient therapy. Therefore, many closed-loop DBS control systems have been designed to tackle these problems by automatically adjusting the stimulation parameters via feedback from neural signals, which has been reported to reduce the power consumption. However, when the association between the biomarkers of the model and stimulation is unclear, it is difficult to develop an optimal control scheme for other DBS applications, i.e., DBS-enhanced instrumental learning. Furthermore, few studies have investigated the effect of closed-loop DBS control for cognition function, such as instrumental skill learning, and have been implemented in simulation environments. In this paper, we proposed a proof-of-principle design for a closed-loop DBS system, cognitive-enhancing DBS (ceDBS), which enhanced skill learning based on in vivo experimental data. The ceDBS acquired local field potential (LFP) signal from the thalamic central lateral (CL) nuclei of animals through a neural signal processing system. A strong coupling of the theta oscillation (4–7 Hz) and the learning period was found in the water reward-related lever-pressing learning task. Therefore, the theta-band power ratio, which was the averaged theta band to averaged total band (1–55 Hz) power ratio, could be used as a physiological marker for enhancement of instrumental skill learning. The on-line extraction of the theta-band power ratio was implemented on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). An autoregressive with exogenous inputs (ARX)-based predictor was designed to construct a CL-thalamic DBS model and forecast the future physiological marker according to the past physiological marker and applied DBS. The prediction could further assist the design of a closed-loop DBS controller. A DBS controller based on a fuzzy expert system was devised to automatically control DBS according to the predicted physiological marker via a set of rules. The simulated experimental results demonstrate that the ceDBS based on the closed-loop control architecture not only reduced power consumption using the predictive physiological marker, but also achieved a desired level of physiological marker through the DBS controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The array behaviour of anionic surfactant sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) on the air/water interface was investigated using non-resonant surface second harmonic generation (SHG) and molecular simulation. It was found that the SHG intensities changed with surfactant concentrations non-monotonously under Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC). The mean orientational angle of SDBS molecule at the air/liquid interface was calculated, and the molecular array behaviour was analyzed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The simulated results agreed with the experimental results very well, which provided the detailed information about the interfacial molecular configuration of surfactant, not only indicating the SHG intensity related to the N s and r(θ) , but also demonstrates that the microscopic information presented by the MD simulation method is reliable. According to the results, the surfactant molecules get clustered even at very low concentration far lower than the CMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image restoration plays an important role in video technology. In this paper, a robust image and video denoising method, based on random projection and partial sorted ℓ p -norm, is proposed. First, the input signal is decomposed into two components: a low rank component and a sparse component. The low rank component is approximated by random projection. Second, the sparse one is recovered by partial sorted ℓ p -norm. A generalized iterative thresholding shrinkage solver is developed for the resulting problem. Some theoretical results about sparse random projection are provided. Numerical experiments for mixed Gaussian and random value impulsive noise demonstrated that the proposed method outperforms some state-of-art restoration methods, both quantitatively and visually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical safety is a major threat to public safety worldwide, with fires and explosions causing damage to property and loss of life. Detection and monitoring of the occurrence of destructive current spikes can provide valuable insights into system health and inform preventative maintenance. Current sensors based on the Magnetoelectric (ME) effect have been regarded as optimal solutions because of the low power consumption and high sensitivity of ME devices compared to conventional current sensors (current transformers, Hall-effect current sensors, etc.). However, none of the conventional sensing techniques can provide ex-situ recording or a means for a human-readable signal output. Development of a current sensor that can sense, visualize, and record a current level remains a challenge. Here, we report an electric current visualization sensor that uses a coupled magnetoelectric/electrochromic effect to transform environmental current energy into electrical signals, and subsequently to a color change readily interpreted by a human observer. The current visualization sensor uses a PZT piezoelectric microfiber composite (MFC) / FeSiB alloy (Metglas) laminate combined with a Prussian blue-based electrochromic device (ECD). Such a current sensor demonstrates high efficiency self-powered current sensing and non-volatile signal recording. [Display omitted] • An electric current visualization sensor that uses a coupled magnetoelectric-electrochromic effect has been designed. • The sensor has the ability to display the health status of electrical power system in an easy way to observe, nonvolatile display. • The current sensor demonstrates high efficiency self-powered current sensing and non-volatile signal recording. • The system is expected to provide new routes for health monitoring in power distribution systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (BiQDs) were fabricated in PMMA. • Passively Q-switched Nd:GdVO4 laser was demonstrated at 1.3 μ m with CdSe/ZnS. • The best dopant concentration of CdSe/ZnS in PMMA was 0.07 mg/ml. • The shortest pulse width was 196 ns with a peak power of 2.62 W. The colloidal CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs) were doped in the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) polymer film as the saturable absorber to Q-switch the laser at 1.3 μm. The QDs/PMMA composite with different QDs concentration was fabricated in order to investigate the concentration impact on the Q-switching performances. The minimum pulse duration of 196 ns and the highest peak power of 2.44 W were achieved with the composite saturable absorber of 0.07 mg/mL QDs/PMMA composite. Our work confirmed that the optimized design of the saturable absorber could lead to the preferable laser outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the technology for the remediation of Cr(VI) pollutant via bisulfite has been found to be effective for fast elimination of co-contaminants especially in acidic solution, where free radicals (i.e., sulfate and/or hydroxyl radicals) are proposed to act as dominant oxidants. Here, it was demonstrated that high-valent Cr intermediate played a primary role in the Cr(VI)/bisulfite system through applying methyl phenyl sulfoxide (PMSO) as a probe. PMSO was effectively transformed in the Cr(VI)/bisulfite system with appreciable generation of methyl phenyl sulfone (PMSO 2) product, while PMSO was oxidized by free radicals to hydroxylated and/or polymeric products rather than PMSO 2. The involvement of high-valent Cr species was further supported by the formation of 18O-labeled PMSO 2 in 18O labeling experiments, where the incorporation of 18O from solvent water H 2 18O into PMSO 2 was likely resulted from competitive oxygen exchange of Cr-oxo species with water. The relative contribution of high valent Cr species versus free radicals was evaluated based on the yield of PMSO 2 , which was dependent on the solution chemistry such as [Cr(VI)]:[bisulfite] ratio and dissolved oxygen. This work advances the understanding of chromium chemistry involved in the Cr(VI)/bisulfite system. These findings have important implications on the application of this "waste control by waste" technology for environmental decontamination. Image 1 • High-valent Cr intermediate played important role in the Cr(VI)/bisulfite system. • Bisulfite might act as a complexing ligand for Cr intermediate. • Relative contribution of Cr intermediates versus free radicals was evaluated. • The formation of 18O labeled PMSO 2 in H 2 18O was observed. • Effects of different solution pH, oxygen effect and [Cr(VI)]:[bisulfite] ratio were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Maintaining gamma-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) inhibition in the amygdala within a physiological range is critical for the appropriate expression of emotions such as fear and anxiety. The synaptic GABA type A receptor (GABA A R) is generally known to mediate the primary component of amygdala inhibition and prevent inappropriate expression of fear. However, little is known about the contribution of the extrasynaptic GABA A R to amygdala inhibition and fear. Methods By using mice expressing green fluorescent protein in interneurons (INs) and lacking the δ subunit-containing GABA A R (GABA A (δ)R), which is exclusively situated in the extrasynaptic membrane, we systematically investigated the role of GABA A (δ)R in regulating inhibition in the lateral amygdala (LA) and fear learning using the combined approaches of immunohistochemistry, electrophysiology, and behavior. Results In sharp contrast to the established role of synaptic GABA A R in mediating LA inhibition, we found that either pharmacological or physiological recruitment of GABA A (δ)R resulted in the weakening of GABAergic transmission onto projection neurons in LA while leaving the glutamatergic transmission unaltered, suggesting disinhibition by GABA A (δ)R. The disinhibition arose from IN-specific expression of GABA A (δ)R with its activation decreasing the input resistance of local INs and suppressing their activation. Genetic deletion of GABA A (δ)R attenuated its role in suppressing LA INs and disinhibiting LA. Importantly, the GABA A (δ)R facilitated long-term potentiation in sensory afferents to LA and permitted the expression of learned fear. Conclusions Our findings suggest that GABA A (δ)R serves as a brake rather than a mediator of GABAergic inhibition in LA. The disinhibition by GABA A (δ)R may help to prevent excessive suppression of amygdala activity and thus ensure the expression of emotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The LPSR effect of Au-doped CuO was simulated with the finite element method. • The modulation depth and saturation intensity of Au-CuO were determined in the fiber laser. • Q-switching and mode-locking operations were obtained with Er- and Yb-doped fiber lasers. In virtue of the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties of metal nanoparticles to enhance the nonlinear optical response of the material, we successfully embed small-size Au nanoparticles into CuO nanorods. Then, theoretical and experimental methods verify that the assistance of ultrafast plasma response enhances the light-matter interaction. The LSPR characteristics and evanescent field distribution of the Au-CuO saturable absorber on the tapered fiber are studied by the finite element simulation method (FEM). By utilizing the Z-scan technology and twin-balanced detector system, excellent nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of the Au-CuO nanorods are demonstrated. Subsequently, depending on the remarkable nonlinear saturable absorption effect of Au-CuO, multiple operating states such as Q-switched, conventional soliton, double-subpulse soliton cluster, and noise-like pulse mode-locking are achieved in the erbium-doped fiber ring cavity at 1.5 μm. In addition, dual-wavelength mode-locking pulses with the center wavelengths of 1031 nm and 1035 nm are realized in the ytterbium-doped fiber ring cavity. This work describes an effective strategy to improve the NLO properties of CuO nanorods and indicates the great potential of Au-CuO in pulsed fiber lasers, opening a path for its application in ultrafast photonics and optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has attracted huge interest as the soft material for microchannel fabrication, due to its high biocompatibility, durability and low cost. The rheological properties of the fluid and the deformable properties of PDMS substrate have imposed significant impacts on the fluid flow in the microchannel, therefore it is of critically importance to develop sensing methods for the accurate flow rate monitoring and the flow-induced pressure measurement without disturbing the fluid flow in the microchannel. This paper presents an embedded and miniaturized pressure sensor based on the Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technique for the measurement of both flow rate and flow-induced pressure in PDMS-based microchannel. This method has demonstrated a pressure sensitivity of 0.06 p.m./Pa and the Limit of Detection (LoD) for pressure is 19.5 Pa. The linearity between flow-induced pressure and flow rate in PDMS-based microchannel is about 4.86 Pa(ml/h)−1 based on simulation results and is within the range between 4.33 Pa(ml/h)−1 and 6.67 Pa(ml/h)−1 obtained from experimental results. The LoD of flow rate using this method is within the range between 2.9 ml/h and 4.5 ml/h. The random instability induced by the operation of the reconnection of syringe back to the liquid flow system was identified and the calibration of this instability is also presented in this paper. Using this method, the pressure and flow rate within PDMS-based microchannel can be monitored with high reliability and high sensitivity, and this will benefit the application of PDMS-based microfluidics in areas that require highly precise control in flow conditions, e.g. biosensing, cell culture, and drug delivery. • Non-intrusive embedded flow rate and pressure sensor applied in PDMS-based microchannels. • The Limit of Detection for pressure by the method presented in this paper is 19.5 Pa. • The Limit of Detection for flow rate by the method presented in this paper is from 2.9 ml/h to 4.5 ml/h. • In terms of the sensitivity/linearity of the relation between pressure and flow rate, the experimental result obtained from experiments by the method presented in this paper is consistent with simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a deep learning-based underwater positioning scheme is proposed to achieve robust feature tracking of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in sonar image during dynamic docking. To address the issues that the distorted feature and acoustic noises lead significant difficulty to detection and tracking of AUV in acoustic image during dynamic docking, first, a pre-trained You Only Look Once (YOLO) network is applied to detect both body and head features of AUV. Second, we introduce an Intersection Over Union (IOU) match-based backend which preliminarily filters the error detections of AUV head based on the rigid relationship between body and head of AUV. Subsequently, Simple Online and Realtime Tracking with a deep association metric (DeepSort) is utilized to achieve track matching of all detection results including error detections and real target. Moreover, a scoring mechanism is presented to further remove the unfiltered error detections based on the motion tendency of detection tracks. Experiment result shows that the proposed scheme enables real-time and robust feature tracking of AUV with the interference of feature distortion, reverberation and environmental noises. • A deep learning-based robust positioning scheme is proposed for imaging sonar guided AUV dynamic docking. • Illustrating detection and tracking problems of deep learning-inspired detector and classic object trackers. • Error detections are eliminated by using the dedicated IOU match-based method and presented scoring mechanism. • Experimental results are provided (Achieving 2.0195 of average pixel error and 87.56% success rate of AUV head feature). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ba/expanded perlite composites enhanced chloride ion binding. • Released Ba2+ led to transformation of SO 4 -AFm to Cl-AFm. • Slow release of Ba2+ improved setting time of cement paste. • Ba2+ promoted the stability of Friedel's salt at the late age. The sulfate from gypsum in Portland cement can weaken the chloride binding. In this study, barium ions (Ba2+) were loaded in expanded perlite (EP) to prepare Ba/EP composites and then added to the Portland cement paste. The chloride ion binding capacity and the setting time of the cement-Ba/EP composite system were verified. The diffusion of Ba2+ in the cement paste was observed by SEM-EDS, and the phase assemblage was examined by XRD, TG-DTG, and NMR. The results showed that the Ba2+ loading capacity of the Ba/EP composites reached 59.3 wt%, and only 14.6 wt% Ba2+ was released in the first 3 h, demonstrating the slow release of Ba2+. The addition of Ba/EP composites reduced the negative effect on the setting time of the Portland cement paste compared to the direct addition of barium salt. The 3 wt% Ba/EP composites could increase the chloride binding capacity by 16 %, 18 %, and 32 % at 7 d, 28 d, and 240 d, respectively. Due to the precipitation of Ba2+ on SO 4 2−, the migration of Ba2+ simultaneously caused the migration of SO 4 2− in the opposite direction. The Ba2+ released from the Ba/EP composites promoted the stability of Friedel's salt at the late age, which improved the chloride binding of Portland cement paste in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Na 2 SiO 3 @EC microcapsule is prepared by solvent evaporation. • Na 2 SiO 3 is released from microcapsule after AAS cracks. • Microcapsules continuously promote repair of AAS mortars. • The secondary hydration reaction is facilitated by microcapsule. • Image processing can visualize and quantify crack changes. Alkali activated slag (AAS) is a promising green building material, but its application has been limited by the high risk of cracking. In this study, the self-healing technology was used in AAS system by introducing self-healing microcapsules. The Na 2 SiO 3 @EC microcapsules were designed with sodium silicate (Na 2 SiO 3) as the core material and ethyl cellulose (EC) as the shell material, and the prepared microcapsules were characterized by leaching test and SEM-EDS. The effect of microcapsules on the self-healing of AAS mortars was verified by the post-repair compressive strength test, and the mechanism was discussed based on MIP and hydration heat. The results showed that the core–shell structured Na 2 SiO 3 @EC microcapsules were prepared with a core content of 69.42 wt%. The addition of microcapsules could improve workability and mechanical property of AAS mortars. The AAS mortars with Na 2 SiO 3 @EC microcapsules had a compressive strength recovery ratio of up to 26.82%. The Na 2 SiO 3 released from microcapsules promoted the secondary hydration of the AAS mortars, and the hydration products refined the pore structure. Image processing methods were effective in visualizing and quantifying the changes in the cracks, and the image results further confirmed the long-term effectiveness of the microcapsules. This study provides guidance on the application of self-healing microcapsules in the AAS system and the visualization of self-healing behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Chronic stress exposure increases the risk of developing various neuropsychiatric illnesses. The behavioral sequelae of stress correlate with dendritic hypertrophy and glutamate-related synaptic remodeling at basolateral amygdala projection neurons (BLA PNs). Yet, though BLA PNs are functionally heterogeneous with diverse corticolimbic targets, it remains unclear whether stress differentially impacts specific output circuits. Methods Confocal imaging was used to reconstruct the morphology of mouse BLA PNs with the aid of retrograde tracing and biocytin staining. The synaptic activity in these neurons was measured with in vitro electrophysiology, and anxiety-like behavior of the mice was assessed with the elevated plus maze and open field test. Results Chronic restraint stress (CRS) produced dendritic hypertrophy across mouse BLA PNs, regardless of whether they did (BLA→dorsomedial prefrontal cortex [dmPFC]) or did not (BLA↛dmPFC) target dmPFC. However, CRS increased the size of dendritic spine heads and the number of mature, mushroom-shaped spines only in BLA↛dmPFC PNs, sparing neighboring BLA→dmPFC PNs. Moreover, the excitatory glutamatergic transmission was also selectively increased in BLA↛dmPFC PNs, and this effect correlated with CRS-induced increases in anxiety-like behavior. Segregating BLA↛dmPFC PNs based on their targeting of ventral hippocampus (BLA→ventral hippocampus) or nucleus accumbens (BLA→nucleus accumbens) revealed that CRS increased spine density and glutamatergic signaling in BLA→ventral hippocampus PNs in a manner that correlated with anxiety-like behavior. Conclusions Chronic stress caused BLA PN neuronal remodeling with a previously unrecognized degree of circuit specificity, offering new insight into the pathophysiological basis of depression, anxiety disorders, and other stress-related conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Core–shell ZIF-8@ZIF-67 nanocomposites were deposited onto a tapered-microfiber as the saturable absorber. • Conventional soliton was obtained in EDFL with a typical spectrum peaking at 1565.6 nm and a pulse duration of 970 fs. • Dissipative soliton mode-locked YDFL was demonstrated with a FWHM bandwidth of about 0.7 nm and a SNR of 60 dB. Core–shell ZIF-8@ZIF-67 nanocomposites with large specific surface area and high stability have received much research attention in recent years. In this contribution, we successfully fabricated core–shell ZIF-8@ZIF-67 nanocomposites, and the basic characterization methods were taken to analyse the morphology and structure. Core–shell ZIF-8@ZIF-67 nanocomposites optical deposited onto a tapered-microfiber as the saturable absorber exhibited the strong saturable absorption properties with a modulation depth of 2.4% at 1.55 μm and a modulation depth of 7.1% at 1.03 μm, respectively. The high energy conventional soliton was obtained in an Erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) with the typical spectrum peaking at 1565.6 nm, a pulse duration of 970 fs, a single pulse energy of 1.3nJ, and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 57 dB. While in the ytterbium-doped fiber laser (YDFL), dissipative soliton mode-locked pulses of picoseconds were demonstrated with a central wavelength of about 1036 nm and a 3-dB bandwidth of about 0.7 nm and a SNR of 60 dB. Our work confirmed that the core–shell ZIF-8@ZIF-67 nanocomposites possessed excellent nonlinear optical properties in the near-infrared (NIR) region and benefited nonlinear optical applications in the fields of optical modulators, optoelectronics and ultrafast photonics, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early hydration of UHPC can be retarded by the low water/binder ratio, the high polycarboxylate superplasticizers dosage, and the large supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) content. In this study, the effects of the prepared nanoscale C–S–H seeds and nano-silica (NS) on the early performance of UHPC were compared. The mechanism of nanomaterials influencing the early hydration of UHPC was further characterized by calorimetry, thermal analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The results showed that the 1-day compressive strength of UHPC samples with 0.3 wt% C–S–H seeds and NS increased by 457% and 25% respectively compared to the control sample. Compared to NS, C–S–H seeds were more effective in accelerating the early (before 3 d) hydration to produce hydrates and refine the pore structure of UHPC. The NMR results further implied that compared with the NS, the C–S–H seeds was 12% and 343% more efficient in accelerating the early hydration of cement and SCMs, respectively. However, the performance enhancement of nanomaterials was effective at 1 d and had little effect thereafter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The BiOCl nanosheets can be synthesized very easily with the two-step solvothermal-calcination method. • The finite element analysis on the BiOCl membrane on the tapered fiber was demonstrated initially. • The BiOCl saturable absorber mode-locked Er-doped fiber laser at 1560 nm was demonstrated for the first time, producing ∼ 990 fs pulses. In this work, we synthesized the single-crystalline square BiOCl nanosheets with oxygen vacancies via the facile solvothermal route. The prepared BiOCl nanosheets were deposited on a tapered microfiber as a saturable absorber. Via the evanescent filed interaction with the BiOCl saturable absorber, a soliton mode-locked Er-doped fiber laser was demonstrated for the first time, producing a pulse duration of 990 fs at a central wavelength of 1563 nm with a FWHM bandwidth of 3.2 nm. The signal-to-noise ratio was 36 dB at the fundamental repetition rate of 7.9 MHz. Our results confirmed that the BiOCl nanosheets with abundant oxygen vacancies could be applied for the ultrafast photonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The porous m-BiVO 4 can be synthesized very easily with the two-step solvothermal-calcination method. • The nonlinear optical properties of porous m-BiVO 4 were studied with the different excitation intensities at 2.3 µm for the first time. • The third-order susceptibility |χ(3)| was as large as 2.69 × 10-7 esu and the nonlinear refractive index n 2 was 9.88 ± 0.08 × 10-1 cm2 GW−1. • The porous m-BiVO 4 saturable absorber Q-switched Tm:YAP laser at 2275 nm was demonstrated for the first time, producing ∼ 350 ns pulses. In this work, we report the nonlinear optical response of porous monoclinic bismuth vanadate (m-BiVO 4) at 2.3 µm for the first time. We adopted the conventional open/closed aperture (OA/CA) Z-scan techniques to systematically investigate the nonlinear optical (NLO) behavior. The effective nonlinear absorption coefficient β eff was −6.4 ± 0.02 cm MW−1, the nonlinear refractive index n 2 was 9.88 ± 0.08 × 10-1 cm2 GW−1, and the NLO third-order susceptibility |χ(3)| was 2.69 × 10-7 esu. These NLO properties allowed it to be used as a fantastic saturable absorber for the generation of mid-infrared (MIR) pulses. As an application, we implemented a passively Q-switched Tm:YAP laser with the prepared porous m-BiVO 4 saturable absorber for the first time. A minimum pulse duration of 349 ns and a maximum pulse repetition frequency of 193 kHz were achieved, resulting in a maximum pulse energy of 1.18 µJ. Our findings suggest that the porous m-BiVO 4 could provide a route to the MIR optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] This study focused on the lamb myofibrillar protein during heat-induced process. [•] Three representative pH values were selected according to its gel properties. [•] pH values influenced its molecular forces during the heat-induced process. [•] Microstructures of the protein gels under representative pH were different from each other. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Early life stress (ELS) increases the risk of psychiatric diseases such as anxiety disorders and depression in later life. Hyperactivation of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) neurons plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of stress-related diseases. However, the functional roles of BLA neurons in ELS-induced anxiety disorders are not completely understood. Mice were subjected to maternal separation (MS) during postnatal days 3 to 21 to mimic ELS. Anxiety-like behavior was tested by open field test (OFT), elevated plus maze (EPM), and novelty suppressed feeding (NSF). Then, c-fos expression, a proxy for neuronal activity, was evaluated by immunofluorescence. Finally, synaptic transmission and intrinsic excitability were measured by whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. MS significantly increased anxiety-like behavior in adulthood, as indicated by less time spent in the center area of the OFT, less time spent in and fewer entries to the open arms of the EPM, and increased latency to feed in NSF. Mechanistically, MS increased the expression of c-fos in BLA. MS enhanced the excitatory, but not inhibitory, synaptic transmission onto BLA projection neurons (PNs), which was caused by enhanced presynaptic glutamate release. Moreover, MS also markedly increased the intrinsic neuronal excitability of BLA PNs, probably due to the reduced medium afterhyperpolarization (mAHP) in BLA PNs. Our results suggest that the changes of neuronal activity and synaptic transmission in the BLA PNs may play a crucial role in ELS-induced anxiety-like behavior, and these findings provide new insights into the pathological mechanisms of stress-related anxiety disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Utilization of high volume fly ash in steam-cured cement mortars was investigated. • Both the early and late compressive strength of steam-cured mortars were enhanced by UFA. • Pore structure of steam-cured high volume FA blended composites was effectively refined by UFA. • The amount of CH after steam curing was generally lower than that with standard curing. • The MCL and Al/Si of C-S-H gels under steam curing were improved by UFA. Utilization of high volume fly ash is generally limited in steam-cured concrete products due to the delayed strength development. In present work, ultrafine fly ash (UFA) with a median particle size of 2.3 μm was prepared with wet-grinding technology. The influence of different FA fineness, UFA content (30–70%) and curing regimes on the compressive strength and microstructure of steam-cured high volume fly ash cement composites were studied. Both the early and late compressive strength of steam-cured FA blended composites were enhanced by wet-milled UFA with replacement level as high as 50%, and the strength was even higher than that of pure cement group. Pore structure of steam-cured high volume FA blended composites was effectively refined by UFA. The amount of CH after steam curing was generally lower than that with standard curing. Furthermore, the main chain length and Al/Si of C-S-H gels under steam curing were improved by UFA. Compared with prolonging the curing duration, increasing the curing temperature seems more efficient for the incorporation of aluminum from fly ash into the calcium silicate hydrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]