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Smart passenger-seeking strategies employed by taxi drivers contribute not only to drivers’ incomes, but also higher quality of service passengers received. Therefore, understanding taxi drivers’ behaviors and learning the good passenger-seeking strategies are crucial to boost taxi drivers’ well-being and public transportation quality of service. However, we observe that drivers’ preferences of choosing which area to find the next passenger are diverse and dynamic across locations and drivers. It is hard to learn the location-dependent preferences given the partial data (i.e., an individual driver's trajectory may not cover all locations). In this paper, we make the first attempt to develop conditional generative adversarial imitation learning (cGAIL) model, as a unifying collective inverse reinforcement learning framework that learns the driver's decision-making preferences and policies by transferring knowledge across taxi driver agents and across locations. Our evaluation results on three months of taxi GPS trajectory data in Shenzhen, China, demonstrate that the driver's preferences and policies learned from cGAIL are on average 34.7% more accurate than those learned from other state-of-the-art baseline approaches.

Isomers sometimes play a fundamental role in the formation of coordination architectures. In this article, bifunctional 5-(n-pyridyl)tetrazole-2-isopropanoic acid (n = 2, 3) has been designed and prepared. Then, reactions of Ca(NO3)2·4H2O with isomeric 5-(n-pyridyl)tetrazole-2-isopropanoic acid (denoted as Hn-pytzipa, n = 2, 3) afforded mononuclear [Ca(2-pytzipa)2(H2O)4] (1) and one-dimensional [Ca(3-pytzipa)2(H2O)2]n (2), respectively. In 1, 2-pytzipa is a bidentate ligand which chelates one Ca(II) via the nitrogen atoms of the pyridine and tetrazole rings while in 2, 3-pytzipa bridges adjacent Ca(II) centers in a μ 1,1,3-COO mode. PEG-5000 (poly(ethyleneglycol-5000)) coated [Ca(2-pytzipa)2(H2O)4] (1) and [Ca(3-pytzipa)2(H2O)2]n (2) nanoparticles (NPs) show toxicity towards Hela cells, but the ligands are non-toxic in nature and 2 is superior to 1. Furthermore, cell migration across a 2D artificial gap indicates that both NPs can inhibit the migration of Hela cells.

Cr(VI)-based compounds pollution have attracted global concern due to serious harm to humans and environment. Hence, it is crucial to exploit an effective technique to eliminate Cr(VI) in water. Herein, we in-situ grown BiOI on graphitic carbon nitride to prepare the BiOI/g-C3N4 (BCN) direct Z-scheme heterojunction by solid phase engineering method at room temperature. Experimental result shown the photocatalytic activity of pure BiOI were obviously enhanced by constructing Z-scheme BCN heterostructure, and BCN-3 heterostructure exhibited the optimal photocatalytic degradation of RhB with 98% yield for 2.5 h and reduction of Cr(VI) with more than 99% yield for 1.5 h at pH = 2. Stability test shows BCN-3 still kept more than 98% reduction efficiency after 6 cycles. In addition, we also studied the reduction mechanism that shown the ·O2− radicals essentially helped to reduce the Cr(VI) in aqueous solution under illumination, verified the direct Z-scheme charge transfer path by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the free radical trapping experiment. The work open a new way for rationally designing photocatalyst heterostructure to reduce Cr(VI) to Cr(III).

Nanotherapy based on thermochemotherapy has boomed as a promising alternative for oncotherapy due to the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. However, a lack of self-targeting capacity prevents nanotherapy from efficiently accumulating in tumor tissue and internalizing into tumor cells, resulting in a suboptimal therapeutic effect. To overcome these bottlenecks, a kind of methotrexate (MTX)-soybean phospholipid (SPC) inclusion complex (MTX-SPC)-modified graphene oxide (CGO) nanotherapy (CGO-MTX-SPC) is constructed by CGO nanosheets as a supporter for MTX-SPC, thereby realizing active-targeting and synergistic thermochemotherapy. As an FDA-approved chemotherapeutic drug, MTX can be regarded as a tumor-targeting enhancer against the folate receptor on account of its similar structure to folic acid (FA). The fabricated CGO-MTX-SPC has a sheet shape with a size of ca. 109 nm and tumor microenvironment-responsive on-demand drug release. It is worth noting that the physiological stability of CGO-MTX-SPC is better than that of CGO while displaying an improved photothermal effect. In addition, CGO-MTX-SPC can specifically recognize tumor cells and then achieve on-demand drug burst release by dual stimuli of internal lysosomal acidity and an external laser. Moreover, in vivo experimental results further demonstrate that CGO-MTX-SPC displays significant enrichment at the tumor location by active targeting mechanisms due to the introduction of MTX-SPC, endowing the synergistic thermochemotherapy effect upon 808 nm laser irradiation and almost thorough tumor elimination while significantly erasing undesirable side effects. Taken together, the design idea of our nanotherapy not only provides a potential tumor-targeting therapeutic strategy but also broadens the drug payload method of two-dimensional nanomaterials.

Traditional ferrites are of poor electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption while doping rare earth elements (REEs) can greatly enhance their permeability to improve the EMW loss performance. In this study, Co-Zn ferrite nanoparticles doped with various amounts of REEs (Gd3+, Nd3+ and Pr3+) were synthesized by a hydrothermal method, and their particle morphology and an EMW absorption performance were characterized by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a Vector network analyzer (VNA). The results show that the initial spherical Co-Zn ferrite nanoparticles present an irregular quadrilateral structure after Gd3+ doping, and the average particle size of Co0.5Zn0.5−xGdxFe2O4 increases from 26 to 50 nm with x increasing from 0 to 0.35. At x of 0.25, the reflectivity absorbance achieves −27.94 dB at 18 GHz with the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 4.08 GHz at a sample thickness of 2.5 mm. When Nd3+ doping amount reaches x = 0.3, the minimum reflection loss (RL) is −25.63 dB at 18 GHz and EAB is 3.91 GHz. Doping Pr3+ (x = 0.25) in the sample broadens EAB, and the minimum RL is −16.1 dB at 16.81 GHz and EAB is 7.31 GHz. This study shows that the magnetic moment produced by doping REES can form magnetic domains, which affects the incident EMW and improves the magnetic loss. It is expected that REEs-doped Co-Zn ferrite nanoparticles can be used as efficient electromagnetic shielding materials in aerospace.

The development of kesterite photovoltaic solar cells has been hindered by large open-circuit voltage (Voc) deficit. Recently, SnZn deep point defect and associative defect cluster have been recognized as the main culprit for the Voc losses. Therefore, manipulating the deep-level donor of SnZn antisite defects is crucial for breaking through the bottleneck of present Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) photovoltaic technology. In this study, the SnZn deep traps in CZTSSe absorber layer are suppressed by incorporation of Ge. The energy levels and concentration of SnZn defects measured by deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) decrease significantly. In addition, the grain growth of CZTSSe films is also promoted due to Ge implantation, yielding the high quality absorber layer. Consequently, the efficiency of CZTSSe solar cells increases from 9.15% to 11.48%, largely attributed to the 41 mV Voc increment.

YBa2Cu3O7− x (YBCO) is treated as a high-temperature superconductor material for its excellent performance. In this article, we investigated the superconducting properties of YBCO grown on LaAlO3 (LAO) substrate with Eu0.6Sr0.4BiO3 (ESBO) buffer layers. Though the chemical solution-based method, we get ESBO buffer with tetragonal SrO2 particles precipitated on the surface. The cross section of transmission electron microscopy shows more microstructure details of defects of YBCO films introduced by buffer layers and self-assembled SrO2. It is observed that the critical current density Jc of YBCO grown with buffer layers enhanced approximately 40% compared with those on LAO at a low applied magnetic field. The comparison of fitted curves of YBCO/ESBO with different pinning types shows that it is closer to δl pinning and began to lean to δ stress pinning with temperature arise. The values of pinning forces also get improved. Besides, the analysis of normalized pinning force density at 77 K demonstrates the interplay of different flux pinning mechanisms. Finally, all the results show the effectiveness of ESBO buffer layers on enhancing the performance of YBCO.

The convergence period is of critical significance in Precise Point Positioning (PPP) applications. Current criterion for determining PPP convergence period is by comparing the positioning error to the ground truth. This experiment-based criterion can be influenced by many factors like the accuracy of ephemeris and the test area. One can hardly get a consistent result of the convergence period without abundant experiments. Consequently, the criterion is not suitable for global-wide PPP specification determination and relevant GNSS service design. In response, we build a new framework of PPP convergence period evaluation based on statistical analysis, with the definition of an indicator, Sequential Dilution of Precision (SDOP). The SDOP represents the propagation from measurement errors to the filter-derived positioning errors. And the framework is established based on SDOP to connect the measurement error, confidential probability, and PPP convergence period. Furthermore, the impact factors of PPP convergence are classified into three parts, satellite geometry, satellite movement, and un-modeled measurement error, which enables researchers to focus on a specific property for analysis. Specifically, the satellite movement can be described by DOP, and we further define the Speed-Up Ratio (SUR) to represent satellite movement. The SDOP is influenced by both DOP and SUR. The proposed framework and relevant variables are examined with both real data and simulated GNSS and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) data. The results are in good agreement with public recognition. Moreover, as an example usage, the global maps of PPP convergence period are presented using the new framework, which are almost impossible to be given with traditional experiment-based criterion. The variation of PPP convergence period through latitude, longitude, and positioning directions is clearly exhibited. The plots can play a significant part in PPP analysis and GNSS service design.

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays an indispensable role in developing renewable clean energy resources. One of the critical bottlenecks for the reaction is the development of highly efficient electrocatalyst to decrease the high overpotentials of four-electron transfer process of OER. Recently, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been widely investigated among the most promising electrocatalysts for OER due to their high intrinsic activity, excellent stability as well as low-cost. However, it remains unclear how the exposed facet of the LDHs affects their electrocatalytic activity. Here we elucidate the active edge facet of LDHs towards OER by combining the finely control of edge facet ratio coupled with molecular probe method and computational calculation. The LDHs with higher edge facet area ratio show superior activity with low onset potential as well as decreased Tafel slope. The active edge site is further proved by blocking the unsaturated edge sites with cyanate probe anion, of which the adsorption largely inhibits OER activity. Furthermore, based on density functional theory (DFT) calculation, two-dimensional map of theoretical overpotentials as a function of Gibbs free energy reveals that the edge (100) facet exhibits a much higher OER activity than basal plane (001) facet.

A perfect PtCu nanocube with partial hollow structure was prepared by hydrothermal reaction and its electrocatalytic methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) was studied. The appropriate concentration of shape-control additives KI and triblock pluronic copolymers, poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO19-PPO69-PEO19) (P123) play crucial roles in the final product morphology. The PtCu nanocubes can be perfectly in situ immobilizedonto graphene under the action of P123 while the structure and cubic morphologyremain unchanged. The electrochemical tests suggest that the obtained PtCu nanocube (PtCu-NCb) exhibits better MOR activity and stability than PtCu hexagon nanosheet (PtCu-NSt), PtCu nanoellipsoid (PtCu-NEs) and commercial Pt/C in alkaline medium. When in situ immobilized onto graphene, the MOR catalytic activity and stability of PtCu cubes are further improved. The markedly enhanced electrocatalytic activity and durability maybe attributed to the special cubic morphology with partial hollow structure enclosed by highly efficient facet and the probably the synergistic effect of PtCu and intermediate state CuI decorated on the surface and graphene.

Seed germination is the process by which an organism grows from a seed. It requires suitable conditions and environmental factors. Maize is one of the most important crops worldwide. Germination influences both final maize yield and quality. Seed germination is regulated by a complex gene network. It is also influenced by endogenous (phytohormones and nutrients) and exogenous (temperature and water) inputs, involving molecular networks only partly identified to date. This review describes current understanding of the influence of temperature, water, phytohormones, and nutrients in regulating maize seed germination, and indicates knowledge gaps that should be addressed.

Using the dense linear multihole to control the directional hydraulic fracturing is a significant technical method to realize roof control in mining engineering. By combining the large-scale true triaxial directional hydraulic fracturing experiment with the discrete element numerical simulation experiment, the basic law of dense linear holes controlling directional hydraulic fracturing was studied. The results show the following: (1) Using the dense linear holes to control directional hydraulic fracturing can effectively form directional hydraulic fractures extending along the borehole line. (2) The hydraulic fracturing simulation program is very suitable for studying the basic law of directional hydraulic fracturing. (3) The reason why the hydraulic fracture can be controlled and oriented is that firstly, due to the mutual compression between the dense holes, the maximum effective tangential tensile stress appears on the connecting line of the drilling hole, where the hydraulic fracture is easy to be initiated. Secondly, due to the effect of pore water pressure, the disturbed stress zone appears at the tip of the hydraulic fracture, and the stress concentration zone overlaps with each other to form the stress guiding strip, which controls the propagation and formation of directional hydraulic fractures. (4) The angle between the drilling line and the direction of the maximum principal stress, the in situ stress, and the hole spacing has significant effects on the directional hydraulic fracturing effect. The smaller the angle, the difference of the in situ stress, and the hole spacing, the better the directional hydraulic fracturing effect. (5) The directional effect of synchronous hydraulic fracturing is better than that of sequential hydraulic fracturing. (6) According to the multihole linear codirectional hydraulic fracturing experiments, five typical directional hydraulic fracture propagation modes are summarized.

Reconstruction of sedimentary evolution plays a significant role in the investigation of natural groundwater contamination and stratigraphic mineral resources. In this paper, the variation in sedimentary characteristics and sedimentary evolution were studied by lithology, chronology and organic matter with the high-resolution grain size parameters of boreholes for Quaternary in northern Jianghan Basin. Following more traditional plotting of grain size parameters and summary statistics, visual categorization and analysis of grain size frequency distribution curves provided an effective measure for the identification of sedimentary facies. Combining with the Fisher model, new and highly efficient discriminant formulas were established, and tested for the validity. Additionally, the sedimentary evolution process and the provenance of different sedimentary facies were identified with the help of organic matter and δ13Corg data, provided geological information to explore the natural contamination of reducing arsenic ions and excessive nitrate in strata. The identification results suggest that fluvial and lacustrine sediments are dominant in the area, and the regional sedimentary environment is uniform and not affected by the transgression. The analysis results of grain size with organic matter parameters are consistent for discriminating sedimentary facies, which verified the rationality of grain size analysis and confirmed the use of organic matter content to be effective in identifying the process of fluvial and lacustrine sediments. Based on the chronological results of Optically Stimulated Luminescence dating and sedimentary facies determination, the sedimentary evolutionary process was deduced during the Quaternary for the study area. This research has important significance for the division and correlation of Quaternary borehole strata, underground contamination study, as well as environmental planning and protection.

In this paper, the reverse space cmKdV equation, the reverse time cmKdV equation and the reverse space-time cmKdV equation are constructed and each of three types diverse soliton solutions is derived based on the Hirota bilinear method. The Lax integrability of three types of nonlocal equations is studied from local equation by using variable transformations. Based on exact solution formulae of one- and two-soliton solutions of three types of nonlocal cmKdV equation, some figures are used to describe the soliton solutions. According to the dynamical behaviors, it can be found that these solutions possess novel properties which are different from the ones of classical cmKdV equation.

We construct a holographic SU(2) p-wave superconductor model with Weyl corrections. The high derivative (HD) terms do not seem to spoil the generation of the p-wave superconducting phase. We mainly study the properties of AC conductivity, which is absent in holographic SU(2) p-wave superconductor with Weyl corrections. The conductivities in superconducting phase exhibit obvious anisotropic behaviors. Along $y$ direction, the conductivity $\sigma_{yy}$ is similar to that of holographic s-wave superconductor. The superconducting energy gap exhibits a wide extension. For the conductivity $\sigma_{xx}$ along $x$ direction, the behaviors of the real part in the normal state are closely similar to that of $\sigma_{yy}$. However, the anisotropy of the conductivity obviously shows up in the superconducting phase. A Drude-like peak at low frequency emerges in $Re\sigma_{xx}$ once the system enters into the superconducting phase, regardless of the behaviors in normal state., Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, Published version

An incidence of a graph G is a vertex-edge pair ( v , e ) such that the vertex v is incident with the edge e. A proper incidence k-coloring of a graph is a coloring of its incidences involving k colors so that two incidences ( u , e ) and ( w , f ) receive distinct colors if and only if u = w , or e = f , or u w ∈ { e , f } . In this paper, we present some idea of using the incidence coloring to model a kind of multi-frequency assignment problem, in which each transceiver can be simultaneously in both sending and receiving modes, and then establish some theoretical and algorithmic aspects of the incidence coloring. Specifically, we conjecture that if G is the Mycielskian of some graph then it has a proper incidence ( Δ ( G ) + 2 ) -coloring. Actually, our conjecture is motivated by the “ ( Δ + 2 ) conjecture” of Brualdi and Quinn Massey in 1993, which states that every graph G has a proper incidence ( Δ ( G ) + 2 ) -coloring, and was disproved in 1997 by Guiduli, who pointed out that the Paley graphs with large maximum degree are counterexamples (yet they are all known counterexamples to the “ ( Δ + 2 ) conjecture”, and are not Mycielskians of any graph). To support our conjecture, we prove in this paper that if G is the Mycielskian of a graph H with | H | ≥ 3 Δ ( H ) + 2 , then we can construct a proper incidence ( Δ ( G ) + 1 ) -coloring of G in cubic time, and if G is the Mycielskian of an incidence ( Δ ( H ) + 1 ) -colorable graph H with | H | ≤ 2 Δ ( H ) , or the Mycielskian of an incidence ( Δ ( H ) + 2 ) -colorable graph H with | H | ≥ 2 Δ ( H ) + 1 , then G has a proper incidence ( Δ ( G ) + 2 ) -coloring. The minimum positive integer k such that the Mycielskian of a cycle or a path has a proper incidence k-coloring is also determined.

The purpose of this investigation is to study the dynamic hardness of MCrAlY abradable coatings under different strain rates. A dynamic indentation device based on the split Hopkinson pressure bar system (SHPB) was used. The results show that the hardness of MCrAlY coating increased with the increase of the strain rate, which has a positive strain rate effect. In addition, the difference of the static hardness of MCrAlY coating prepared by HVOF and LPPS was only 4%, while the difference in dynamic hardness was 16%.

In order to study the effect of spray distance on the structure and high temperature oxidation resistance of feather-columnar thermal barrier coatings, the feather-columnar ZrO2-7wt. % Y2O3 (7YSZ) thermal barrier coatings were prepared at spray distances of 650 mm, 950 mm, 1100 mm, 1250 mm, and 1400 mm by plasma spray-physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD) technology. The surface roughness, micro morphology, and porosity of the sprayed 7YSZ coating were analyzed by 3D surface profiler, SEM, XRD, etc., and the impedance spectrum characteristics of the 7YSZ coating were characterized by electrochemical alternating current (AC) impedance technology. In addition, the high temperature oxidation resistance test of 7YSZ coating under different spray distances was carried out at a temperature of 1000 °C to study the influence of spray distance on the high temperature oxidation resistance of 7YSZ coating. The research results show that the surface roughness and porosity of feather-columnar 7YSZ coating increased sequentially with the increase of spray distance. At the same time, The YSZ grain boundary resistance value increased exponentially as the porosity of the coating increases. Where the spray distance was in the range of 650 mm and 1250 mm, the high temperature oxidation rate constant of the coating increased with the spray distance. However, the spray distance was greater than 1250 mm, and the spray distance had no significant effect on the high temperature oxidation resistance of the coating.

The effects of coarse-grained ring on the mechanical properties and cutting performance of 2011 aluminum alloy extruded bars were studied by metallographic microscope, scanning electron microscope, tensile testing machine and high-speed lathe. The results show that the microstructure of aluminum alloy extruded bar was composed of α-Al phase, Al7Cu2Fe phase, CuAl2 phase and SnBi eutectic phase. There was a coarse-grained ring in the aluminum alloy extruded bar. The coarse-grained ring reduced the mechanical properties and cutting performance of the aluminum alloy extruded bar. The aluminum alloy extruded bar with a diameter of 30 mm had a coarse-grained ring depth of 9 mm and lower mechanical properties, whose the tensile strength was 287.9 MPa, the elongation was 17%, the cutting performance was poor and the chips were long. The aluminum alloy extruded bar with a diameter of 40 mm had a coarse-grained ring depth of 1 mm, higher mechanical properties and better cutting performance, whose the tensile strength was 394.5 MPa, the elongation was 23.5%, the chips were fine and uniform.

Amines are widely employed as additives for improving the performance of metal halide perovskite optoelectronic devices. However, amines are well-known for their high chemical reactivity, the impact of which has yet to receive enough attention from the perovskite light-emitting diode community. Here, by investigating an unusual positive aging effect of CH3NH3I/CsI/PbI2 precursor solutions as an example, we reveal that amines gradually undergo N-formylation in perovskite precursors over time. This reaction is initialized by hydrolysis of dimethylformamide in the acidic chemical environment. Further investigations suggest that the reaction products collectively impact perovskite crystallization and eventually lead to significantly enhanced external quantum efficiency values, increasing from similar to 2% for fresh solutions to greater than or similar to 12% for aged ones. While this case study provides a positive aging effect, a negative aging effect is possible in other perovksite systems. Our findings pave the way for more reliable and reproducible device fabrication and call for further attention to underlying chemical reactions within the perovskite inks once amine additives are included. Funding Agencies|ERCEuropean Research Council (ERC)European Commission [717026]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University [SFO-Mat-LiU 2009-00971]; National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaNational Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) [51472164, 62005126]; 1000 Talents Program for Young Scientists of China; Shenzhen Peacock Plan [KQTD2016053112042971]; Educational Commission of Guangdong Province [2015KGJHZ006]; Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO)FWO [12Y7221N]

Kidney disease is usually "silent" at the early stage but can lead to severe kidney failure later on. The development of bioimaging probes with rapid distribution and long-term retention in the kidney is significant for the precise diagnosis of renal diseases. Here, a strategy for the peptide-mediated delivery and long-term accumulation (>48 h) of second near-infrared window (NIR-II) fluorophores into the kidney is demonstrated. It is shown that both the hepatic-cleared organic molecules and fast renal-cleared ultrasmall nanoparticles can be retained in the kidney after conjugation to the peptide with high polarity. Moreover, a ROS-responsive activatable bilateral NIR-II sensor was designed based on the kidney targeting peptide, which enables both in vivo long-term kidney monitoring and in vitro urine analysis. The capability of the peptide-based sensor to detect early kidney injury and report on kidney dysfunctional progression is particularly crucial for chemotherapy regimen optimization and timely renoprotective intervention during medication.

A new porous copper-organic framework assembled from 12-nuclear [Cu12] nanocages {[Cu2(L4-)(H2O)2]·4DMA·2H2O}n (1) (H4L = 5,5'-(butane-1,4-diyl)-bis(oxy)-diisophthalic acid) was successfully prepared and structurally characterized. Compound 1 feathering of a 3D framework with two types of 1D nanotubular channels and a large specific surface area can effectively enrich various harmful dyes. Additionally, due to the carbon dioxide (CO2) interactions with open Cu(II) sites and the electron-rich ether oxygen atoms of ligand in 1, it exhibits a highly selective CO2 uptake. Interestingly, 1 can effectively catalyze the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 with various epoxides under mild conditions, which is ascribed to the Lewis acid Cu(II) sites in the framework of 1. Importantly, 1 acting as a heterogeneous catalyst can be recycled at least 10 times without an obvious loss of catalytic activity, and the CO2 cycloaddition mechanism was further uncovered by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This study can greatly enrich the MOF catalysts system of CO2 conversion and also provide a valuable guidance for the design of efficient MOFs catalysts.

The problem of partitioning a large complex network equitably into sparse modules with given rules can be modeled by the equitable list d-degenerate coloring of graphs. This paper establishes theoretical results on such a coloring based on a newly proposed conjecture which states that every graph G is equitably d-degenerate k-colorable and equitably d-degenerate k-choosable for every integer k ≥ ( Δ ( G ) + 1 ) / ( d + 1 ) . This conjecture is strong as it implies the Hajnal-Szemeredi theorem on equitable coloring, the equitable list coloring conjecture (Kostochka, Pelsmajer, and West, 2003), the equitable vertex arboricity conjecture (Wu, Zhang, and Li, 2013), and the equitable list vertex arboricity conjecture (Zhang, 2016). In this paper, we confirm this unified conjecture for globally coupled networks, ( d + 1 ) -degenerate graphs, graphs with bounded maximum average degree, and planar graphs with large maximum degree. The equitable d-degenerate k-colorability part of this conjecture is also verified for interval graphs, generalizing a result of Niu, Li, and Zhang (2021).

Summary Nucleophilic substitutions such as SN1 and SN2 are fundamental textbook reactions. Their stereoselective versions have been shown to be versatile in the preparation of enantiopure compounds. In this review, we discuss challenges surrounding achieving stereoinvertive SN2 and SN1 reactions at tertiary carbon centers. This is followed by discussions on stereoconvergent substitutions at tertiary carbon centers using strategies such as chiral-catalyst-directed SN1, radical-based nucleophilic substitution, and halogen-bonding-assisted SN2X reactions. Mechanistic discussions provide insights on how these reactions can be differentiated.

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) using an alkali metal anode and a solid-state electrolyte (SE) face several problems due to poor physical and electrical contact. Recent experiments have shown that applying a stack pressure can improve the interface contact and suppress void formation. The mechanical properties of Na metal are different from those of Li metal, leading to differences in the mechanisms of the pressure-dependent interface evolution. Herein, we report a three-dimensional time-dependent model for tracking the evolution of interfaces formed between Na metal and Na-β″-alumina SE. Our results show that Na metal contacts more conformally with the SE, providing a lower interfacial resistance, compared with Li metal, assuming equal resistance due to contamination. The differences due to contact elastoplasticity are larger than the differences in metal creep effects. In fact, we show that increased stack pressure can lead to lower creep because the contact is more conformal at high pressures. Our excellent agreement with recent experiments determines an effective hardness of Na in the Na-SE batteries to be 15 MPa. The results further reveal that the pressure dependence of void suppression is dominated by contact elastoplasticity.

Cp*Rh(III)-catalyzed chelation-assisted direct C-H bond functionalization of 1-(2-pyridyl)-2-pyridones with internal alkynes that can be controlled to give three different products in good yields has been realized. Depending on the reaction conditions, solvents and additives, the reaction pathway can be switched between alkenylation, alkenylation/directing group migration and rollover annulation. These reaction manifolds allow divergent access to a variety of valuable C6-alkenylated 1-(2-pyridyl)-2-pyridones, ( Z )-6-(1,2-diaryl-2-(pyridin-2-yl)vinyl)pyridin-2(1 H )-ones and 10 H -pyrido[1,2-a][1,8]naphthyridin-10-ones from the same starting materials. These protocols exhibit excellent regio- and stereo-selectivity, broad substrate scope, and good tolerance of functional groups. A combination of experimental and computational approaches have been employed to uncover the key mechanistic features of these reactions.

Most biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) class IV drugs, with poor solubility and inferior permeability, are also substrates of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and cytochrome P450 (CYP450), leading to their low oral bioavailability. The objective of this study is to explore the potential of using functional polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles (PLHNs) to enhance the oral absorption of BCS IV drugs. In this paper, taking paclitaxel (PTX) as a drug model, PTX-loaded PLHNs were prepared by a self-assembly method. Chitosan was selected to modify the PLHN to enhance its mucoadhesion and stability. Three P-gp inhibitors (D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate, pluronic P123 and SolutolⓇ HS15) were incorporated into selected PLHNs, and a CYP450 inhibitor (the extract of VBRB, BC0) was utilized to jointly promote the drug absorption. Properties of all the PLHNs were characterized systemically, including particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, morphology, stability, in vitro drug release, mucoadhesion, in situ intestinal permeability and in vivo systemic exposure. It was found mucoadhesion of the CS-modified PLHNs was the strongest among all the formulations tested, with absolute bioavailability 21.95%. P-gp and CYP450 inhibitors incorporation further improved the oral bioavailability of PTX to 42.60%, 8-fold increase compared with that of PTX itself (4.75%). Taken together, our study might shed light on constructing multifunctional PLHNs based on drug delivery barriers for better oral absorption, especially for BCS IV drugs., Graphical abstract Image, graphical abstract

Groundwater is a vital water resource in arid and semi-arid areas. Diurnal groundwater table fluctuations are widely used to quantify rainfall recharge and groundwater evapotranspiration (ETg). To assess groundwater resources for sustainable use, groundwater recharge and ETg were estimated using the diurnal water table fluctuations at three sites along a section with different depths to water table (DWT) within a wetland of the Mukai Lake in the Ordos Plateau, Northwest China. The water table level was monitored at an hourly resolution using a Keller DCX-22A data logger that measured both the total pressure and barometric pressure, so that the effect of barometric pressure could be removed. At this study site, a rapid water table response to rainfall was observed in two shallow wells (i.e., Obs1 and Obs2), at which diurnal water table fluctuations were also observed over the study period during rainless days, indicating that the main factors influencing water table variation are rainfall and ETg. However, at the deep-water table site (Obs3), the groundwater level only reacted to the heaviest rainfalls and showed no diurnal variations. Groundwater recharge and ETg were quantified for the entire hydrological year (June 2017–June 2018) using the water table fluctuation method and the Loheide method, respectively, with depth-dependent specific yields. The results show that the total annual groundwater recharge was approximately 207 mm, accounting for 52% of rainfall at Obs1, while groundwater recharge was approximately 250 and 21 mm at Obs2 and Obs3, accounting for 63% and 5% of rainfall, respectively. In addition, the rates of groundwater recharge were mainly determined by rainfall intensity and DWT. The daily mean ETg at Obs1 and Obs2 over the study period was 4.3 and 2.5 mm, respectively, and the main determining factors were DWT and net radiation.

Fragrances are frequently added to a variety of products, including food, cosmetics and health products. However, the high volatility and instability of essence limit its application in some fields. In this study, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were prepared to encapsulate eugenol, which could reduce the volatilization of the fragrance molecules. A facile approach was presented to synthesize MSNs with three different pore diameters for encapsulating eugenol. In addition, the properties of MSNs including mean particle size, morphology, encapsulating efficiency and release tendency were characterized. Results showed that the larger the pore diameters of MSNs, the more aromatic molecules were adsorbed. Furthermore, the release mechanism was described as the smaller the pore diameters of MSNs, the slower the release of eugenol.

In recent years, the area of Dali Lake has shrunk significantly, resulting in extremely serious ecological and environmental problems. Combining records from lake sediments and ancient shorelines is effective for investigating paleolake evolution and predicating the lake life trend. This study explored the lake area evolution of Dali Lake using remote sensing images and optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating. The results suggest the following: 1) on the century time scale, there has been a significant linear relationship between age and elevation from ca. 1.8 cal ka BP to the present (R2 = 0.99) and a potential quadratic polynomial relationship since ca. 4.2 cal ka BP (R2 = 0.99). 2) According to the δ2H and δ18O composition, monthly changes in the lake area, and water balance analysis, the groundwater was the main water source to recharge Dali Lake which originated from an external source, whereby the water may be from the Xar Moron Fault or has been transported by a volcanic conduit. 3) Since ca. 1.3 cal ka BP, the clear differences between lake levels and local precipitation indicated that the changes of the lake level are predominantly determined by groundwater. We conclude that the East Asian summer monsoon intensity and groundwater table variations in this area have jointly controlled the lake level evolution since the late Holocene.

This article describes the use of tetramethylammonium fluoride tetrahydrate (TMAF·4H2O) for the large-scale preparation of a challenging 4-fluorothiazole. Commercially available TMAF·4H2O was procu...

Nitrogen is widely used in agricultural production, including in arsenic-contaminated soil. However, there is a lack of systematic studies on the arsenic (As) dynamics in soil porewater–root surface–rice system after applying different nitrogen fertilizers to As-contaminated soil. Three treatments (CK, Nitrate-N, and Ammonium-N) were applied before rice planting to investigate the effect of nitrogen forms on arsenic accumulation in brown rice and its dynamics in soil-plant system. Compared to Nitrate-N and CK treatments, Ammonium-N treatment increased rice biomass and yield. Compared with CK treatment (0.12 and 4.48 mg/kg), Ammonium-N treatment (0.08 and 2.71 mg/kg) reduced the As concentrations and Nitrate-N treatment (0.18 and 6.20 mg/kg) increased the As concentrations in brown rice and shoots. Nitrogen application reduced Fe plaques concentration on roots, but Ammonium-N treatment increased the total As accumulation in Fe plaques. In soil porewater, Nitrate-N treatment reduced the concentration of As (III) in the first month (5.2–47.0 μg/L) but increased its concentration in the last month (137.6–183.1 μg/L). However, the concentration of As (III) in Ammonium-N treatment (58.5–168.6 μg/L) was similar to that in CK treatment (72.8–138.8 μg/L) in porewater. The application of Nitrate-N caused the decrease of As in porewater during the seedling stage; however, the As concentration in rice grains was increased due to the increase of As (III) in porewater during the ripening stage. The application of Ammonium-N reduced the As concentration in rice tissues by increasing biomass and accumulating more As in Fe plaques.

Green roofs are a key measure used to alleviate the urban heat island effect and reduce stagnant water from urban runoff. However, the expensive substrate material and high construction cost restrict the large-scale application of green roofs. Wheat straw (WS) contains abundant nutrients needed for plant growth; however, burning this straw waste causes severe environmental pollution. In this study, six pretreatment methods, including mixed, soaked, hydrothermal, ultrasonic, microwave, and steam explosion, and three liquid media, including deionized water, acetic acid, and wood vinegar, were used to treat WS to improve its properties and decrease its environmental pollution effects. The results showed that, compared to other treatments, physical methods (microwave, ultrasonic) used in conjunction with wood vinegar could effectively break down the particle structure of WS and increase porosity. Most of the crystallinities were reduced by 1.45–6.66% compared to WS when using these methods, and the absolute values of the surface zeta potential were reduced by 4.224.67 mV. Additionally, the contents of macromolecular lignocellulose, which is difficult to decompose, were reduced by 3.6613.75%. Compared with the use of deionized water or acetic acid, wood vinegar reduced the compressive force of the WS substrates and the energy consumption of compression. Hydrophilic groups such as hydroxyl were introduced into the WS to increase the water absorption rate. Overall, the microwave-assisted wood vinegar pretreatment was an effective method for improving the WS properties for use as a potential alternative substrate material in green roof construction.

Poor permeability and low sintering productivity restrict the development of high-bed sintering. An efficient method of the double-layer sintering process (DLSP) was proposed to achieve high-bed sintering and solve the aforementioned problems. Theoretical calculation and sintering pot experiments were implemented to investigate the double-layer sintering process. Traditional sintering process and DLSP were compared in terms of sintering indices, metallurgical properties and morphology characterization. Under the condition of traditional sintering process, DLSP successfully realized fast velocity and highly productive sintering of 1000-mm high bed. After the sintering bed is charged and ignited twice, the air permeability of the bed has been greatly improved. Sintering time is shortened significantly by simultaneous sintering of the upper and lower feed layers. Under the condition of bed height proportion of 350/650 mm and pre-sintering time of 20 min, the yield, tumbler strength, productivity and solid fuel consumption are 69.96%, 65.87%, 1.71 t (m2 h)−1 and 56.71 kg/t, respectively. Magnetite, hematite, calcium ferrite and complex calcium ferrite are the main phases of DLSP products. The metallurgical properties of DSLP products meet the requirement of ironmaking. It indicates that DLSP is an effective method to solve the disadvantages of bad permeability and low sintering productivity in high-bed sintering.

Noncovalently fused-ring electron acceptors (NFREAs) have attracted much attention in recent years owing to their advantages of simple synthetic routes, high yields and low costs. However, the efficiencies of NFREAs based organic solar cells (OSCs) are still far behind those of fused-ring electron acceptors (FREAs). Herein, a series of NFREAs with S⋅⋅⋅O noncovalent intramolecular interactions were designed and synthesized with a two-step synthetic route. Upon introducing π-extended end-groups into the backbones, the electronic properties, charge transport, film morphology, and energy loss were precisely tuned by fine-tuning the degree of multi-fluorination. As a result, a record PCE of 14.53 % in labs and a certified PCE of 13.8 % for NFREAs based devices were obtained. This contribution demonstrated that combining the strategies of noncovalent conformational locks and π-extended end-group engineering is a simple and effective way to explore high-performance NFREAs.

Protein storage vacuoles (PSVs) are unique organelles that accumulate storage proteins in plant seeds. Although morphological evidence points to the existence of multiple PSV-trafficking pathways for storage protein targeting, the molecular mechanisms that regulate these processes remain mostly unknown. Here, we report the functional characterization of the rice (Oryza sativa) glutelin precursor accumulation7 (gpa7) mutant, which over-accumulates 57-kDa glutelin precursors in dry seeds. Cytological and immunocytochemistry studies revealed that the gpa7 mutant exhibits abnormal accumulation of storage prevacuolar compartment-like structures, accompanied by the partial mistargeting of glutelins to the extracellular space. The gpa7 mutant was altered in the CCZ1 locus, which encodes the rice homolog of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) CALCIUM CAFFEINE ZINC SENSITIVITY1a (CCZ1a) and CCZ1b. Biochemical evidence showed that rice CCZ1 interacts with MONENSIN SENSITIVITY1 (MON1) and that these proteins function together as the Rat brain 5 (Rab5) effector and the Rab7 guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF). Notably, loss of CCZ1 function promoted the endosomal localization of vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 9 (VPS9), which is the GEF for Rab5 in plants. Together, our results indicate that the MON1–CCZ1 complex is involved in post-Golgi trafficking of rice storage protein through a Rab5- and Rab7-dependent pathway.

Co-based coating has been fabricated on Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) titanium alloy by laser cladding. The phase composition and microstructure of the coating were analyzed using metallurgical microscope (MM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The microhardness, high temperature wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the coating were investigated by performance tests. The results show that the coating was mainly composed of CoTi, CoTi2 and Co0.5Cr1.5Ti crystalline phases and an amorphous phase. The microhardness of the coating was twice that of the titanium alloy substrate. The value of friction and wear coefficient of the coating was lower and more stable, and the wear mass loss decreased by 52% as compared with the substrate in the high-temperature friction and wear test. The oxidative wear mechanism in the condition of high temperature friction and wear was studied. Moreover, the coating exhibited better corrosion resistance than the substrate in both NaCl and H2SO4 electrolyte solutions.

Secondary population outbreaks of Panonychus citri (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae) are triggered by synthetic chemical applications (dose and method), which also elicited a change in mites’ behavioral responses. This study aimed to understand the dispersal pattern of P. citri and how changes in dispersal behavior may influence secondary pest outbreaks in the field with or without chemicals. We found positive density and time-dependent dispersal within the inoculated leaflet. Dispersion from inoculated leaflets to the last leaflet depends on initial density and time. A significant difference was observed in the composite dispersal index data and preferred midrib region. The minimum dispersal was observed by P. citri in no direct contact with treated surfaces, whereas attraction was observed on treated surfaces (right). All chemicals gave different dispersal and feed disruption responses depending on the treatment application pattern. The maximum number of mites dispersed and avoid surfaces treated with abamectin and vegetable oil, respectively. Vegetable and EnSpray 99 had a positive impact on toxicity, repellency, and irritancy. The fecundity rate of P. citri boosted with a high dose and direct exposure. Panonychus citri colonization as a single individual or gregarious distribution resulted in a rapid fecundity rate, which may explain why citrus orchards were severely damaged and how suddenly a whole citrus plantation can be highly infested. This study concluded that change in treatment application patterns leads to a change in the behavioral responses in P. citri.

Recently, trivalent chromium ion doped phosphors have exhibited significant application potential in broadband near-infrared (NIR) phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs). However, developing an NIR phosphor with both broad emission bandwidth and excellent luminescence thermal stability is still a great challenge. Here, we demonstrate an NIR phosphor, ScF3:Cr3+, which can fulfill both conditions simultaneously. The prepared phosphors show broadband emission in the range of 700 to 1100 nm, with a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 140 nm peaking at 853 nm. These phosphors also demonstrate an excellent luminescence thermal stability (the emission intensity of ScF3:Cr3+ keeps 85.5% at 150 °C compared with the value at room temperature). An NIR pc-LED based on blue LED chips was fabricated and tested. The results show that the NIR pc-LED can yield strong broadband NIR emission. This work not only provides a promising phosphor for the application of NIR pc-LEDs but also has important guiding significance for effect of synthesis conditions on the luminescence properties of Cr3+-doped fluorides.

Light-driven hydrogel actuators show potential applications because their spatiotemporal precision and contact-free manner, especially for near-infrared light (NIR), can be focused on a specific area, which possesses tunable intensity and strong penetrability. Herein, we propose a novel NIR-responsive hydrogel actuator incorporating Fe3+/tannic acid (Fe3+/TA) as a photothermal transducer into the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogel via photo-cross-linking and subsequent immersion in FeCl3 solution. TA contains abundant pyrogallol and catechol groups, which can be linked to PNIPAAm through hydrogen bonds during in situ polymerization; moreover, as a mediator, TA can form metal-phenolic networks with Fe3+ via the coordination between catechol and metal ions, endowing the PNIPAAm gel with enhanced mechanical properties as well as NIR-responsive photothermal effect. We demonstrated that introduction of Fe3+/TA maintained the volume phase transition temperature of the hydrogel around 32 °C and guaranteed its deformation behaviors upon NIR irradiation. Furthermore, a higher concentration level of BIS and Fe3+ were verified to facilitate a stronger photothermal capacity of the hydrogels. Therefore, under NIR irradiation, Fe3+/TA within the hydrogel converted NIR light into heat, and the local high temperature in the irradiated region would cause the petals of the "snowflake"-shaped hydrogel to bend upward perpendicular to the horizontal plane within 1 min, possessing excellent repeatability. This study puts forward a new idea of preparing NIR-responsive hydrogel actuators based on Fe3+/TA, which show promising application in the fields of biomimetic devices, flowing control, and soft robotics.

Controlled-release formulations (CRFs) have potential applications in modern agriculture, for it can not only prolong the duration of agrochemicals but also alleviate the adverse effect on non-target organism. In this study, we constructed pyraclostrobin@SiO

Coal and coal gangue spontaneous combustion (CGSC) occurs globally, causing significant environmental pollution. However, its emissions are poorly quantified and are overlooked in global or regional air pollutant emission inventories in previous studies, resulting in the underestimation of its impacts on climate, environment, and public health. This study quantified the emissions of various air pollutants originating from CGSC in Wuhai, a city in China, investigated emission characteristics, and estimated the contribution of CGSC emissions to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution and related health impacts on a regional scale. The results revealed that the CGSC-related PM2.5 emissions were approximately 4643 t a-1 (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 721; 10447), accounting for 26.3% of the total PM2.5 emissions. Alkanes, alkenes, and aromatics accounted for 69.4, 17.9, and 2.9%, respectively, of the total emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Due to CGSC emissions, the ambient PM2.5 concentration in Wuhai increased by 5.7 μg m-3 on average, while the nitrate concentration decreased. The number of premature deaths caused by exposure to ambient PM2.5 associated with CGSC reached 381 (95% CI: 290; 452) in Wuhai and surrounding cities in 2017. Urgent control strategies and engineering techniques are needed to mitigate CGSC to protect public health.

In order to improve interface effect, PEEK was successfully modified by a direct sulfonation method. As a result, PEEK ultilized 80 wt% H2SO4 solution as sulfonation would display much higher degree of sulfonation, which was increased with the reaction time. Al2O3 particles with different crystal forms were prepared by sintering Al(OH)3 particles as curing agents for phosphates. The influence of sintering temperature on structures of Al2O3 particles was evaluated by XRD and shear strength testing. Furthermore, Al2O3-phosphate/sulfonated PEEK (S-PEEK) hybrid composites were prepared by ultrasonic dispersion and molding at 360 °C. Mechanical properties were also measured by the shear, flexural and compressive strength testing. The phosphate ultilized α-Al2O3 particles as the curing agent could perform much better mechanical properties. In paticular, the compressive strength of α-Al2O3 phosphate/S-PEEK hybrid composites would reach 334.58 MPa. These composites would have many potential applications in aerospace, mechanics and medicines.

The energy density of a flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor (ASC) requires new electrode material with special structure and morphology as a prerequisite for its secured improvement. In this paper, a new morphological exploration of chicken nuggets-like core/shell NiCo2O4/MnO2 (NCM) nanosheet arrays on Ni foam was employed. The application of this special morphology aims to greatly improve the electrochemical performance of the cathode electrode. Additionally, Buckwheat Biochar (BBC) is utilized as the anode while the PVA/KOH thin film is prepared as the separator. The chicken nuggets-like core/shell NCM nanosheet arrays were obtained by a two-step hydrothermal method. A series of characterization methods were carried out to further support the core/shell's well-designed structure and precise composition. The tests exhibited excellent specific capacitance of 593.3 F g−1 at 5 mA cm−2 and outstanding cycling stability with a retention of 90% after 10000 cycles. Furthermore, the assembled NCM//BBC ASC device indicated a high specific capacitance (239 F g−1 at the current density of 5 mA cm−2), this is in due part of the unique architecture of NCM nanosheet arrays and interconnected special porous structure of the BBC and the thin film PVA/KOH. Hence, the assembled ASC device exhibited high energy density (an energy density of 58 Wh·kg−1 at 3263 W kg−1) and remarkable cycling stability.

Stopping maneuver is an important research topic in ship maneuverability. The stopping ability of ship is not only related to the hydrodynamic characteristics of hull, rudder and propeller, but also related to the capacity of main engine. However, there are few researches on the capacity of main engine under reversed propulsion condition. In the paper, a numerical water tank is established to simulate the propeller loads using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software STAR CCM+. The numerical model is firstly validated by experimental data, and then is used to investigate the propeller loads on a full-scale model with different ship speed and propeller speed. By dimensionless, the relations between the advance coefficient and the load coefficients are shown as J - KT curves and J - KQ curves. Furtherly, the flow structures near the propeller and the pressure on the propeller with different J values are investigated. The simulations reveal that the flow velocities induced by the reversed propulsion of the propeller is similar to the wake flow by ship with J = -0.49. That is the reason for the minimum points of J - KT and J - KQ curve occurring in cases with J = -0.49. Subsequently, the capacity of the main engine and the output load of the propeller are considered comprehensively. The relations between the ship speeds and the maximum output loads on the propeller are discussed in details.

Endosperm as the storage organ of starch and protein in cereal crops largely determines grain yield and quality. Despite the fact that several pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins required for endosperm development have been identified in rice, the molecular mechanisms of many P-type PPR proteins in endosperm development remains unclear. Here, we isolated a rice floury endosperm mutant ppr5 that developed small starch grains and an abnormal aleurone layer, accompanied by decreased starch, protein, and amylose contents. Map-based cloning combined with a complementation test demonstrated that PPR5 encodes a P-type PPR protein that is localized to the mitochondria. The mutation in PPR5 caused reduced splicing efficiency of mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase 4 (nad4) gene intron 3 and reduced complex I assembly and activity. Loss of PPR5 function greatly up-regulated expression of alternative oxidases (AOXs), reduced ATP production, and affected mitochondrial morphology. We demonstrate that PPR5, as a P-type PPR protein, is required for mitochondrial function and endosperm development by controlling the cis-splicing of mitochondrial nad4 intron 3.

Fibrinolytic enzymes are effective and highly safe in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, screening fibrinolytic enzyme-producing microbial strains with excellent fermentation performance is of great value to industrial applications. The fibrin plate method was used in screening strains with high yields of fibrinolytic enzymes from different fermented food products, and the screened strains were preliminarily identified using molecular biology. Then, the strains were used for solid-state fermentation of soybeans. Moreover, the fermentation product douchi was subjected to fibrinolytic activity measurement, sensory evaluation, and biogenic amine content determination. The fermentation performance of each strain was comprehensively evaluated through principal component analysis. Finally, the target strain was identified based on strain morphology, physiological and biochemical characteristics, 16S rDNA sequence, and phylogenetic analysis results. A total of 15 Bacillus species with high fibrinolysin activity were selected. Their fibrinolytic enzyme-producing activity levels were higher than 5,500 IU/g. Through molecular biology analysis, we found 4 strains of Bacillus subtilis, 10 strains of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and 1 strain of Bacillus velezensis. The principal component analysis results showed that SN-14 had the best fermentation performance and reduced the accumulation of histamine and total amine, the fibrinolytic activity of fermented douchi reached 5,920.5 ± 107.7 IU/g, and the sensory score was 4.6 ± 0.3 (out of 5 points). Finally, the combined results of physiological and biochemical analyses showed SN-14 was Bacillus velezensis. The high-yield fibrinolytic and excellent fermentation performance strain Bacillus velezensis SN-14 has potential industrial application. HIGHLIGHTS

Summary In this study, we used two-photon polymerization 3D printing technology to successfully print the first true pore-scale rock proxy of Berea sandstone with a submicrometer resolution. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and computed tomography (CT) images of the 3D-printed sample were compared with the digital file used for printing to verify the rock’s internal structures. Petrophysical properties were estimated with a digital rock physics (DRP) model based on the 3D-printed sample's initial pore network. The results show that our 3D-printing workflow was able to reproduce true-scale 3D porous media such as Berea sandstone with a submicrometer resolution. With a variety of materials and geometric scaling options, 3D printing of nearly identical rock proxies provides a method to conduct repeatable laboratory experiments without destroying natural rock samples. Rock proxy experiments can potentially validate numerical simulations and complement existing laboratory measurements.

We address here the continuing challenge and scientific gap in obtaining high impact toughness in medium-Mn steels. While addressing the challenge, the objective of the study described here is to obtain a fundamental understanding via critical experimental analysis of the reasons underlying high impact toughness that was successfully obtained in Fe-0.2C-6Mn-3Al medium-Mn TRIP steel. Electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies clearly underscored the absence of the TRIP effect in Fe-0.2C-6Mn-3Al medium manganese steel during impact and the volume fraction of austenite played a determining role in governing impact toughness. The highest impact toughness of 213.6 J · cm–2 was obtained when the steel was subjected to an intercritical hardening temperature of 700 °C and low tempering temperature of 200 °C. The presence of martensite in the microstructure reduced the impact toughness on quenching from 750 – 850 °C.

The zinc blend nonlinear crystal of zinc telluride (ZnTe) is currently one of the most commonly used electro-optical material for terahertz (THz) probe and imaging. We report herein how to engineer the surface behavior of a ZnTe single crystal to design subwavelength structures (SWSs) for enhancing ultrabroadband transmission. Polystyrene (PS) nanoparticle monolayers with a maximum coverage of 85.2% were produced on the ZnTe crystal by an eccentric spin-coating technique combined with surface wettability engineering. Subsequently, the well-defined conical SWS arrays were fabricated on the ZnTe crystal by reactive ion etching over the PS monolayer template, with the size of the SWS arrays customized by optimizing the etching process. Finally, we demonstrated ultrabroadband antireflection on the surface structured ZnTe crystals in the visible-near-infrared, infrared, and terahertz regions with transmittance increase of 11.6%, 10.0%, and 24.8%, which are attributed to the decrease of surface Fresnel reflection by SWS. Notably, in 0.2-1.0 THz, the transmittance reached over 70%. Our work provides a new strategy to enhance the THz generation efficiency and detection sensitivity based on ZnTe crystals by surface engineering.