Search

The single-phase Bi 1- x Nd x FeO 3 ( x =0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20) were synthesized by the sol-gel method. Their crystal structure and microwave electromagnetic property in the frequency range of 2–18 GHz were investigated. The XRD patterns and Raman spectra showed that structural transition from rhombohedral ( x =0, 0.05, 0.1) to triclinic ( x =0.15) and tetragonal structure ( x =0.20) appeared in the Bi 1- x Nd x FeO 3 . Electromagnetic measurement suggested that both microwave permeability μ′ and magnetic loss tanδ m increased remarkably over 2–18 GHz by doping Nd. Strong dielectric loss peak was observed on the samples of Bi 1- x Nd x FeO 3 ( x =0.15) and Bi 1- x Nd x FeO 3 ( x =0.2). Results show that Nd substitution is an effective way to push BiFeO 3 to become microwave absorbing materials with high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Role assignment and group size are important design considerations for conducting effective asynchronous online discussion (AOD). While these two design considerations have been investigated separately in literature, few studies have examined their combined effects in AOD. To address this research gap, this study conducted a two-level factorial experiment to determine the main effect and interaction of role assignment and group size on AOD participation, learning experience, and learning achievement. A total of 112 participants from an undergraduate blended course were randomly assigned to four experimental conditions: role-based small-group (n = 27), role-based medium-group (n = 30), role-free small-group (n = 27), and role-free medium-group (n = 28). The ANOVA results showed that the simple role structure of initiator, supporter, and arguer increased the overall participation and peer interaction in AOD, while the group size of three members led to slightly better learning achievement. No significant interaction effects or role-specific effects were identified, indicating that students can benefit from role-based AOD regardless of group size and role script. The study results can inform the design and implementation of effective AOD. • Role assignment promotes participation and peer interaction in online discussion. • Small discussion group is superior to medium group in terms of learning outcomes. • Students benefit from role-based discussion regardless of group size & role script. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monolithic B 4 C ceramics suffer from poor machinability, high brittleness and low thermal conductivity. Here we intend to tackle these problems by incorporating graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) into B 4 C matrix. Dense B 4 C/GNPs composites containing 0–5 vol% GNPs were fabricated by hot-pressing using Ti 3 AlC 2 as sintering aid. The electrical conductivity increased dramatically with the incorporation of GNPs, enhancing the machinability of B 4 C composite remarkably by allowing electrical discharge machining. The establishment of a conducting network was revealed by conducting scanning force microscopy and a synergistic enhancement effect by conducting TiB 2 particles produced by reactions between B 4 C and Ti 3 AlC 2 and GNPs was responsible for the low percolation threshold. The GNPs also provided a good thermal transport channel and the thermal conductivity perpendicular to hot-pressing direction was significantly enhanced. Improvements on strength and fracture toughness by addition of GNPs were observed, and the mechanisms for the improvements include crack deflection and pull-out of GNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MAX phase Ti 3 AlC 2 was chosen as a novel sintering aid to prepare electrically conductive B 4 C composites with high strength and toughness. Dense B 4 C composites can be obtained at a hot-pressing temperature as low as 1850 °C with 15 vol% Ti 3 AlC 2 . The enhanced sinterability was mainly ascribed to the in situ reactions between B 4 C and Ti 3 AlC 2 as well as the liquid phase decomposed from Ti 3 AlC 2 . Both the Vickers hardness and fracture toughness increase with increasing Ti 3 AlC 2 amount, and high hardness and toughness values of 28.5 GPa and 7.02 MPa m −1/2 respectively were achieved for B 4 C composites sintered with 20 vol% Ti 3 AlC 2 at 1900 °C. Crack deflection by homogenously distributed TiB 2 particles was identified as the main toughening mechanism. Besides, B 4 C composites sintered with Ti 3 AlC 2 show significantly improved electrical conductivity due to the percolation of highly conductive TiB 2 phase, which could enhance the machinability of B 4 C composites largely by allowing electrical discharge machining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background ToxCast data have been used to develop models for predicting in vivo toxicity. To predict the in vivo toxicity of a new chemical using a ToxCast data based model, its ToxCast bioactivity data are needed but not normally available. The capability of predicting ToxCast bioactivity data is necessary to fully utilize ToxCast data in the risk assessment of chemicals. Objectives We aimed to understand and elucidate the relationships between the chemicals and bioactivity data of the assays in ToxCast and to develop a network analysis based method for predicting ToxCast bioactivity data. Methods We conducted modularity analysis on a quantitative network constructed from ToxCast data to explore the relationships between the assays and chemicals. We further developed Nebula (neighbor-edges based and unbiased leverage algorithm) for predicting ToxCast bioactivity data. Results Modularity analysis on the network constructed from ToxCast data yielded seven modules. Assays and chemicals in the seven modules were distinct. Leave-one-out cross-validation yielded a Q 2 of 0.5416, indicating ToxCast bioactivity data can be predicted by Nebula. Prediction domain analysis showed some types of ToxCast assay data could be more reliably predicted by Nebula than others. Conclusions Network analysis is a promising approach to understand ToxCast data. Nebula is an effective algorithm for predicting ToxCast bioactivity data, helping fully utilize ToxCast data in the risk assessment of chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Monitoring the real-time temperature, humidity, and physical position status of goods is vital in the cold chain. Diverse logistics technologies and systems have been adopted in the cold chain for monitoring perishable goods. However, these technologies and systems are independent from each other. Data and information in them are not integrated so that information control is not effective. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – By integrating Internet of Things and tracking technologies, this paper proposes an intelligent tracking system, which is designed to achieve effective and fast live monitoring of goods in the cold chain at the lowest cost and with the largest network capacity and simplest protocols. Findings – Structure and information platform design mechanism are introduced. The key part of this system is a wireless sensor network built on Zigbee. Wireless sensors located in cold storages or refrigerated trucks are able to collect and transmit live data quickly and efficiently. Originality/value – Users of the proposed system can easily monitor goods transported in cold chains. In addition, the system assigns specific servers to save historical data for inquiries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tripterygium wilfordii tablet (TWT) and Tripterygium hypoglaucum tablet (THT), the preparations of the two Tripterygium herbs, are well known for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other related inflammatory diseases clinically. In the present study, a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (QQQ/MS) method was developed for simultaneous quantification of 12 chemical components in Tripterygium preparations. The fragmentation patterns of analytes using ESI and collision-induced dissociation (CID) techniques were reported. This assay method was validated with respect to linearity ( r 2 > 0.9991), precision, repeatability, and accuracy (recovery rate between 97.2 and 104.2%). The proposed method was successfully applied for simultaneous quantification of the 12 compounds in Tripterygium preparations from the different manufactures. In addition, to evaluate the quality of Tripterygium preparations, partial least square discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) was performed to differentiate the contents of 12 compounds. In conclusion, the established HPLC/QQQ/MS method was proven to be useful and efficient for quality control of Tripterygium preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeting the problem of the power grid facing greater risks with the connection of large-scale wind power, a method for power grid state analysis using big data is proposed. First, based on the big data, the wind power matrix and the branch power matrix are each constructed. Second, for the wind energy matrix, the eigenvalue index in the complex domain and the spectral density index in the real domain are constructed based on the circular law and the M-P law, respectively, to describe the variation of wind energy. Then, based on the concept of entropy and the M-P law, the index for describing the variation of the branch power is constructed. Finally, in order to analyze the real-time status of the grid connected to large-scale wind power, the proposed index is combined with the sliding time window. The simulation results based on the enhanced IEEE-33 bus system show that the proposed method can perform real-time analysis on the grid state of large-scale wind power connection from different perspectives, and its sensitivity is good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a catenary riser, unbonded flexible pipe (UFP) has the advantages of convenient installation, recyclability, flexibility, anti-corrosion and large design space. To analyze the residual fatigue life of in-service unbonded flexible riser (UFR), a global model of riser is established in this paper. By analyzing the distribution of configuration, tension, bending moment and bending curvature along the riser under static and dynamic loads, the most dangerous position and dynamic response are determined. And then, the residual fatigue life of the UFR is calculated. The calculation results show that the fatigue life of the UFR is greatly affected by the pipe annulus condition, and the dry annulus condition is 4.6 times that of the wet annulus condition. It is concluded that when evaluating the remaining fatigue life of an in-service UFR, the S-N curve of the tensile amour layers must be calculated according to different annular conditions, so that the fatigue life can be accurately obtained. Summarily, this paper provides an effective method for calculating the residual fatigue life of in-service UFRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microwave dielectric behavior of sandwich-like Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets with efficient microwave absorption was investigated by a combination of experiments and simulations. The obvious frequency dispersion effect and the double-peaked feature of dielectric spectra in Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets could be observed over the frequency range of 2–18 GHz, giving rise to superior microwave attenuation capability. Furthermore, a revised Drude-Lorentz model was proposed to explain the peaked feature of permittivity, and simulated results were demonstrated to agree well with the experimental measurements. It was concluded that the hopping migration between Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets with longer relaxation time than “micro-dipole” relaxation within nanosheets makes a superior contribution to overall absorbing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization in China has worsened the educational disparity between rural and urban regions, which can lead to increased social stratification and injustice. Information and communications technologies (ICTs), with their potential to enable universal access and pedagogical reform, are considered a promising solution to bridge such disparity. To gain a deeper understanding of how ICTs can promote equity and quality in China’s education system, this study employed the extended case method to critically evaluate the longitudinal changes in four rural schools since the implementation of ICT initiatives in 2014. Our study revealed that ICTs acted as an external force that disrupted the status quo of rural education in terms of pedagogical and curricular norms, classroom structure and dynamics, perceived school and teacher identities, and induced positive changes such as increased academic performance, social and emotional development for left-behind children, and professional development for rural teachers. The study also offered theoretical insight into the socioeconomic factors hindering the sustainable development of ICT-supported rural education. Our research findings can contribute to the theory development in educational equity, educational quality, and social justice, and inform policy formulation to revamp rural education in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydroxyl group in ring A of pentacyclic triterpene is essential for antibacterial activity. Pentacyclic triterpenes bearing three hydroxyl groups in ring A were mainly found in plants and displayed significant antibacterial activity. However, no study reported how to obtain this type of compounds by chemical modification. In this study, twenty-five new pentacyclic triterpenes bearing polyhydroxyl ring A were synthesized from parental compounds ursolic acid ( UA ) and oleanolic acid ( OA ). Here, we showed that most of these derivatives displayed a significantly increased activity against Gram-positive bacteria compared to parental compounds in vitro . Some of these compounds exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration values of 1–3-fold more potent than the positive controls. The structure–activity relationship studies demonstrated that introducing two hydroxyl groups at positions C-1 and C-2 together with a small alkyl ester group at C-17 of UA and OA strongly enhanced growth-inhibiting activity against Gram-positive bacteria. The antibacterial mechanism of the active derivatives was shown to be involved in regulating the expression of genes associated with peptidoglycan and respiratory metabolisms, as well as virulence factor in bacteria. The enhanced potency and unique mechanism of action of these new pentacyclic triterpenes make them a promising antibacterial agent for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug repositioning has shorter developmental time, lower cost and less safety risk than traditional drug development process. The current study aims to repurpose marketed drugs and clinical candidates for new indications in diabetes treatment by mining clinical ‘omics’ data. We analyzed data from genome wide association studies (GWAS), proteomics and metabolomics studies and revealed a total of 992 proteins as potential anti-diabetic targets in human. Information on the drugs that target these 992 proteins was retrieved from the Therapeutic Target Database (TTD) and 108 of these proteins are drug targets with drug projects information. Research and preclinical drug targets were excluded and 35 of the 108 proteins were selected as druggable proteins. Among them, five proteins were known targets for treating diabetes. Based on the pathogenesis knowledge gathered from the OMIM and PubMed databases, 12 protein targets of 58 drugs were found to have a new indication for treating diabetes. CMap (connectivity map) was used to compare the gene expression patterns of cells treated by these 58 drugs and that of cells treated by known anti-diabetic drugs or diabetes risk causing compounds. As a result, 9 drugs were found to have the potential to treat diabetes. Among the 9 drugs, 4 drugs (diflunisal, nabumetone, niflumic acid and valdecoxib) targeting COX2 (prostaglandin G/H synthase 2) were repurposed for treating type 1 diabetes, and 2 drugs (phenoxybenzamine and idazoxan) targeting ADRA2A (Alpha-2A adrenergic receptor) had a new indication for treating type 2 diabetes. These findings indicated that ‘omics’ data mining based drug repositioning is a potentially powerful tool to discover novel anti-diabetic indications from marketed drugs and clinical candidates. Furthermore, the results of our study could be related to other disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation of oxygen vacancies by introducing various mixed-valent cation dopants is a common practice to improve the cathode performance in solid oxide fuel cells. A computational procedure is developed in this work to predict the equilibrium oxygen vacancy non-stoichiometric concentrations at experimentally relevant temperatures and oxygen partial pressures for both bulk and surface oxide phases. The calculations are based on the first-principles density functional theory and a constrained free-energy functional. Quantitative agreements are found by direct comparisons to the thermogravimetry and solid electrolyte coulometry measurements for the strontium-doped lanthanum cobalt iron oxides at different compositions. Our results indicate that the oxygen vacancies are energetically stabilized at surfaces for all temperatures and all oxygen partial pressures, while such surface stabilization effects become stronger at higher temperatures and lower oxygen partial pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of atmospheric CO 2 on surface segregation and phase formation in La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3− δ (LSCF-6428) were investigated. (0 0 1)-oriented LSCF-6428 thin films were deposited on lattice matched (1 1 0)-oriented NdGaO 3 (NGO) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Using the synchrotron technique of total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF), it was found that the kinetics of Sr surface segregation was enhanced when annealing at 800 °C in a high-CO 2 partial pressure, as compared to a similar anneal in a CO 2 -free atmosphere, with the oxygen partial pressure being constant in both cases. Hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) measurements showed that the contribution of the surface carbonate to surface oxide phases increased significantly for the sample annealed in the high-CO 2 atmosphere. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies showed enhanced surface phase formation during the high-CO 2 partial pressure anneal. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide a thermodynamic basis for the enhanced kinetics of surface segregation in the presence of atmospheric CO 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods for C−H cyanation of pyridines are rare. Here, we report a method for C3‐selective cyanation of pyridines by a tandem process with the reaction of an in situ generated dihydropyridine with a cyano electrophile as the key step. The method is suitable for late‐stage functionalization of pyridine drugs. The low reduction potential of the electrophile and effective transfer of the nitrile group were found to be essential for the success of this method. We studied the reaction mechanism in detail by means of control experiments and theoretical calculations and found that a combination of electronic and steric factors determined the regioselectivity of reactions involving C2‐substituted pyridines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methods for C−H cyanation of pyridines are rare. Here, we report a method for C3‐selective cyanation of pyridines by a tandem process with the reaction of an in situ generated dihydropyridine with a cyano electrophile as the key step. The method is suitable for late‐stage functionalization of pyridine drugs. The low reduction potential of the electrophile and effective transfer of the nitrile group were found to be essential for the success of this method. We studied the reaction mechanism in detail by means of control experiments and theoretical calculations and found that a combination of electronic and steric factors determined the regioselectivity of reactions involving C2‐substituted pyridines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cf–Si3N4 sandwich composites were prepared by gelcasting using α-Si3N4 powder, SiC-coated carbon fibers and sintering additives as starting materials. The microstructure and composition, dielectric properties of Cf–Si3N4 sandwich composites were investigated. SEM and EDS analysis results reveal that the SiC interphase could effectively overcome incompatibility between carbon fiber and silicon nitride matrix under the condition of pressure-less sintering at 1700°C. The investigation of microwave absorbing property reveals that, compared with the Si3N4 ceramics, both the real ( ) and imaginary ( ) permittivity of Cf–Si3N4 sandwich composites show strong frequency dispersion characteristics at X-band. Microwave absorption ability of the Cf–Si3N4 sandwich composites are significantly enhanced compared with pure Si3N4 ceramic, and the reflection loss gradually decreases from −3.5dB to −14.4dB with the increase of frequency, while the pure Si3N4 ceramic keeps at −0.1dB. Particularly, the relationship between permittivity of Cf–Si3N4 sandwich composites and frequency at X-band has been established through an equivalent RC circuit model. Results showed that both and are inversely proportional to the frequency square , and the predicted results agree quite well with the measured data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper addresses stability analysis for fuzzy positive systems with time delays represented by Takagi-Sugeno type models. Based on the fuzzy linear Lyapunov functions or functionals, we give stability conditions for fuzzy positive systems with constant time delays. Based on the so-called solution trajectory approach, we give stability conditions for fuzzy positive systems with time-varying delays. All the stability results are delay independent and formulated as linear programmings (LPs) or linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) that are numerically feasible. This paper also discusses the conservatism for these different approaches. Moreover, this paper proposes some necessary conditions of stability for fuzzy positive systems with time delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of the electronic industry bringing convenience to people, a series of caused electromagnetic pollution problems (e.g., electromagnetic interference (EMI)) have recently also become urgent tasks. In this work, an anisotropic composite sponge consisting of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and chemical co-precipitated silver nanowire (AgNW)@Fe 3 O 4 composites was successfully prepared. Due to the introduction of anisotropic structures and the synergistic effect among CNFs, AgNWs, and Fe 3 O 4 , this composite sponge exhibited low density (16.76 mg/cm3), good saturation magnetization (4.21 emu/g) and electrical conductivity (0.02 S/cm), and anisotropic EMI shielding ability. By adjusting the proportion (1:0.3) between AgNWs and Fe 3 O 4 and their loading (0.15 vol%) inside the sponge, the reflection loss of the sponge with the improved interface impedance mismatch was only 2.3 dB, accounting for 7.2% of the total loss. It is expected to become a promising EMI shielding material, especially for effectively alleviating the secondary reflection EM pollution. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can students in a large classroom benefit from virtual reality (VR)-based instruction despite limited equipment? Group debriefing based on observed VR experiences provides a potential solution. This study employed a two-by-two factorial design to empirically investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of debriefing and types of VR experiences on enhancing VR learning outcomes. Second and third graders (n = 150) were randomly assigned to one of the four VR learning conditions: (1) performing individually with individual debriefing, (2) performing individually with no debriefing, (3) observing in a group with group debriefing, and (4) observing in a group with no debriefing. Study results reported moderate effect sizes of debriefing on increasing knowledge test as well as performance scores of the VR learners but revealed no significant difference between direct and observed VR learning experiences. The findings reveal that students can benefit from vicarious VR learning experiences if an instructional component of debriefing is provided in educational practice. • Debriefing in VR-based instruction is effective in promoting knowledge acquisition. • Debriefing in VR-based instruction is effective in improving behavioral performance. • Direct and observed debriefing VR experiences are equally effective in learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing degradable bio-plastics has been considered feasible to lessen marine plastic pollution. However, unanimity is still elusive regarding the actual degradability of bio-plastics such as polylactide (PLA) and poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). Thus, herein, we studied the degradability of fabrics made from PLA/PHB blends in marine seawater. The dry-mass percentage of the PLA/PHB fabrics decreased progressively from 100% to 85~90% after eight weeks of immersion. Two environmental aging parameters (UV irradiation and aerating) were also confirmed to accelerate the abiotic hydrolysis of the incubated fabrics. The variation in the molecular structure of the PLA/PHB polymers after the degradation process was investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). However, the hydrolysis degradability of bulky PLA/PHB blends, which were used to produce such PLA/PHB fabrics, was negligible under identical conditions. There was no mass loss in these solid PLA/PHB plastics except for a decrease in their tensile strength. Finally, a deep learning artificial neural network model was proposed to model and predict the nonlinear abiotic hydrolysis behavior of PLA/PHB fabrics. The degradability of PLA/PHB fabrics in marine water under the synergistic destructive effects of seawater, UV, and dissolved oxygen provides a pathway for more sustainable textile fibers and apparel products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiC-Ti3SiC2 gradient hybrid interphase on the surface of SiC fibers was successfully obtained through the molten salt method. The electromagnetic parameters of the prepared samples can be accurately controlled by adjusting the reaction temperature. A significant bimodal effect is observed in electromagnetic parameters patterns, corresponding to the double interface layer. TiC-Ti3SiC2 gradient hybrid interphase plays a dominant role in impedance matching, as well as in the attenuation layer through multi-interfacial polarization and conduction loss. Through the co-evaluation of the suppression of specular reflection and non-specular scattering properties of the samples, the SiC fiber with the TiC-Ti3SiC2 gradient hybrid interphase is expected to be a high temperature resistant radar absorbing material for future stealth aircraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban modeling and visualization are highly useful in the development of smart cities. Buildings are the most prominent features in the urban environment, and are necessary for urban decision support; thus, buildings should be modeled effectively and efficiently in three dimensions (3D). In this study, with the help of Gaofen-7 (GF-7) high-resolution stereo mapping satellite double-line camera (DLC) images and multispectral (MUX) images, the boundary of a building is segmented via a multilevel features fusion network (MFFN). A digital surface model (DSM) is generated to obtain the elevation of buildings. The building vector with height information is processed using a 3D modeling tool to create a white building model. The building model, DSM, and multispectral fused image are then imported into the Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) to complete the urban scene level, vividly rendered with environmental effects for urban visualization. The results of this study show that high accuracy of 95.29% is achieved in building extraction using our proposed method. Based on the extracted building vector and elevation information from the DSM, building 3D models can be efficiently created in Level of Details 1 (LOD1). Finally, the urban scene is produced for realistic 3D visualization. This study shows that high-resolution stereo mapping satellite images are useful in 3D modeling for urban buildings and can support the generation and visualization of urban scenes in a large area for different applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To study the pharmacokinetics of Chan Su, a sensitive and selective method was developed and validated for the determination of five main bufadienolides (cinobufagin, resibufogenin, bufalin, bufotalin and arenobufagin) in rat plasma. The analytes were extracted by liquid–liquid extraction with ethyl acetate after internal standard (IS, caudatin) spiked. The separation was performed by a ZORBAX SB-C18 column (3.5μm, 2.1mm×100mm) and a C18 guard column (5μm, 4.0mm×2.0mm) with an isocratic mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile–water–formic acid (50:50:0.05, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 0.3mL/min. The Agilent G6410A triple quadrupole LC/MS system was operated under the multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM) using the electrospray ionization technique in positive mode. The nominal retention times for cinobufagin, resibufogenin, bufalin, bufotalin, arenobufagin and caudatin were 3.07, 3.55, 2.30, 1.62, 1.22 and 3.43min, respectively. All analytes showed good linearity in a wide concentration range (r >0.995) and their lower limits of quantification (LLOQ) were all 1.0ng/mL. The method was linear for all analytes with correlation coefficients >0.995 for all analytes. The average extract recoveries of the five analytes from rat plasma were all over 85%, the precisions and accuracies determined were all within 15%. This method has been successfully applied to pharmacokinetic study of Chan Su in rats following oral administration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Formative assessment is essential for improving teaching and learning, and AI and visualization techniques provide great potential for its design and delivery. Using NLP, cognitive diagnostic and visualization techniques designed to analyse and present students' monthly exam data, we developed an AI‐enabled visual report tool comprising six modules and conducted an empirical study of its effectiveness in a high school biology classroom. A total of 125 students in a ninth‐grade biology course were assigned to a treatment group (n = 63) receiving AI‐enabled visual reports as the intervention and a control group (n = 62) receiving overall oral feedback from the teacher. We present the main statistical results of the within‐subjects design and the between‐subjects design respectively, to better capture the main findings. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction effect of intervention and time on learning achievement, and the paired‐sample Wilcoxon test indicated that the treatment group had experienced increasing learning anxiety (Cohen's d = 0.203, p = 0.046) and self‐efficacy (Cohen's d = 1.793, p = 0.000) over time. Moreover, we conducted a series of non‐parametric tests to compare the effects of AI‐enabled visual reports and teacher feedback, but found no significant differences except for an increased self‐efficacy (Cohen's d = 0.312, p = 0.046). Additionally, we had the students in the treatment group rate their favourable modules in the AI‐enabled visual report and provide evaluative feedback. The study results provide important insights into the design and implementation of effective formative assessment supported by artificial AI and visualization techniques. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Formative assessment is essential for improving teaching and learning.Traditional formative assessment tools lack accurate data‐oriented assessment and usability.AI and visualization techniques have great potential for formative assessment.What this paper adds This study designs and implements an AI‐enabled visual report tool that generates data‐driven, user‐friendly reports.The AI‐enabled visual report can not only enhance students' learning achievement and self‐regulated learning over time but also increase their test anxiety.The AI‐enabled visual report has a comparable effect with teacher feedback but leads to increased self‐efficacy.Implications for practice and/or policy We recommend using the AI‐enabled visual report in large‐size classes for its overall positive effects on both learning achievement and self‐regulated learning.We recommend using the AI‐enabled visual report over teacher feedback for its capacity to enhance students' self‐efficacy.We recommend prioritizing the modules of Performance Ranking, Personal Mastery and Knowledge Alert when designing the AI‐enabled visual report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ grown C0.3N0.7Ti and SiC, which derived from non-oxide additives Ti3SiC2, are proposed to densify silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramics with enhanced mechanical performance via hot-press sintering. Remarkable increase of density from 79.20% to 95.48% could be achieved for Si3N4 ceramics with 5 vol.% Ti3SiC2 when sintered at 1600 °C. As expected, higher sintering temperature 1700 °C could further promote densification of Si3N4 ceramics filled with Ti3SiC2. The capillarity of decomposed Si from Ti3SiC2, and in situ reaction between nonstoichiometric TiCx and Si3N4 were believed to be responsible for densification of Si3N4 ceramics. An obvious enhancement of flexural strength and fracture toughness for Si3N4 with x vol.% Ti3SiC2 (x = 1~20) ceramics was observed. The maximum flexural strength of 795 MPa for Si3N4 composites with 5 vol.% Ti3SiC2 and maximum fracture toughness of 6.97 MPa·m1/2 for Si3N4 composites with 20 vol.% Ti3SiC2 are achieved via hot-press sintering at 1700 °C. Pull out of elongated Si3N4 grains, crack bridging, crack branching and crack deflection were demonstrated to dominate enhance fracture toughness of Si3N4 composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• BiVO 4 photoanode with Mo-doping and MIL-101(Fe) coating was prepared. • MIL-101(Fe)/Mo:BiVO 4 photoanode show high current density and excellent stability. • The η injection and η separation for MIL-101(Fe)/Mo:BiVO 4 reach to 76.4% and 69.5%. Bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4) has been regarded as a promising photoanode material for photoelectrochemical water oxidation, but its performance is greatly limited by the poor electron-hole separation and utilization efficiency. Here, a highly-efficient Mo:BiVO 4 photoanode cocatalyzed with an ultrathin metal-organic frameworks layer was fabricated through hydrothermal method to meet the meet the limitations of BiVO 4. The optimized MIL-101(Fe)/Mo:BiVO 4 photoanode showed remarkable stable photocurrent density of 4.01 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode in Na 2 SO 4 electrolyte under AM 1.5G simulated solar light illumination. The η injection and η separation of 76.4% and 69.5%, which were greatly higher than that of 58.5 and 25.4% for pristine BiVO 4 photoanode at 1.23 V vs. RHE. Moreover, the MIL-101(Fe)/Mo:BiVO 4 photoanode showed excellent stability for fast light off-on cycles. The photocurrent enhancement is attributed to the improved conductivity, facilitated charge separation efficiency, extended visible-response ability, and more accessible active sites for water oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-Doped Mo 2 C electrocatalysts combined with 3D porous structure effectively promote the kinetics of hydrogen evolution reaction. Theoretical calculation and experimental results reveal that the outstanding catalytic property relies on the high N content of Mo 2 C. When the surface of Mo 2 C is saturated with N atoms, Mo 2 C exhibits the best catalytic performance. • N-doping concentration's effect on catalytic property of Mo 2 C is first clarified. • The theoretical calculation is tight coupling with the experimental data. • When the surface N atoms are saturated, the catalytic performance is the best. • This strategy can be extended to other systems such as N -doped nickel carbide. Herein, based on our DFT-calculation, it is the first time to uncover the fact that the catalytic property of Mo 2 C is related to the concentration of doped-N atoms which plays a critical role in weakening the hydrogen absorption ability of Mo 2 C electrocatalysts and enhancing their catalytic property. When its surface is saturated with N atoms, Mo 2 C exhibits the best catalytic performance. Guided by this calculation result we highlight a strategy to synthesize Mo 2 C electrocatalysts whose surface is fully occupied by N atoms. Our electrocatalysts exhibit a low overpotential of 57 mV vs. RHE at the current density of 10 mA cm−2 and a small Tafel slope of 80 mV dec−1 in 1.0 M KOH for HER which is comparable with the commercial Pt-based electrocatalyst (overpotential of 39 mV at 10 mA cm−2, Tafel slope of 69 mV dec−1). Moreover, our strategy is regarded as a general method which is successfully extended and applied to improve other metal carbide electrocatalysts such as nickel carbide. This work will pave a way for the understanding and optimization of metal carbide electrocatalysts in HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrializing water electrolyzers demands better electrocatalysts, especially for the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The prevailing OER catalysts are Ir or Ru‐based nanomaterials, however, they still suffer from insufficient stability. An alternative yet considerably less explored approach is to upgrade Rh, a known stable but moderately active element for OER electrocatalysis, via rational structural engineering. Herein, a precise synthesis of assembled RhRuFe trimetallenes (RhRuFe TMs) with an average thickness of 1 nm for boosting overall water splitting catalysis is reported. Favorable mass transport and optimized electronic structure collectively render RhRuFe TMs with an improved OER activity of an overpotential of 330 mV to deliver 10 mA cm−2, which is significantly lower than the Rh/C control (by 601 mV) and reported Rh‐based OER electrocatalysts. In particular, the RhRuFe TMs‐based water splitting devices can achieve the current density of 10 mA cm−2 at a low voltage of 1.63 V, which is among the best in the Rh‐based bifunctional catalysts for electrolyzers. The addition of Fe in RhRuFe TMs can modulate the strain/electron distribution of the multi‐alloy, which regulates the binding energies of H* and OH* in hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions for achieving the enhanced bifunctional OER and HER catalysis is further demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustaining the steady state for highly active non‐stoichiometric iridium (Ir)‐based oxide (IrOx) at low Ir loading remains challenging primarily due to the continuous oxidation and sequent dissolution of Ir active sites during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this context, a new iridium–cerium (Ce) substitution solid solution oxide (SSO) has been developed, featuring uniformly dispersed Ir atoms within Ce dioxide (CeO2) matrix as electron buffer, which delivers remarkable acidic OER catalytic activity and enhanced stability. The electron‐buffering capacity of CeO2 facilitates the charge transfer toward Ir atoms, leading to abundant active low‐valence Ir sites and effectively prevent their oxidation and dissolution. As a result, Ir─Ce SSO demonstrates an overpotential of merely 238 mV@10 mA cm−2. Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer employing Ir─Ce SSO at a low Ir loading of 396 µgIr cm−2 operates consistently for over 100 h@500 mA cm−2. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations corroborate that the electron‐buffering effect of CeO2 enriches the density of IrIII and substantially increases the dissolution energy barrier of Ir atoms. This study presents a viable approach to addressing the issues of instability and low efficiency in Ir‐based OER electrocatalysts for acidic water electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance in Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) requires the search for alternative therapeutic strategies. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer a promising avenue for the development of new treatments targeting C. acnes. In this study, to design peptides with the specific inhibitory activity against C. acnes, we employed a deep learning pipeline with generators and classifiers, using transfer learning and pretrained protein embeddings, trained on publicly available data. To enhance the training data specific to C. acnes inhibition, we constructed a phylogenetic tree. A panel of 42 novel generated linear peptides was then synthesized and experimentally evaluated for their antimicrobial selectivity and activity. Five of them demonstrated their high potency and selectivity against C. acnes with MIC of 2–4 µg/mL. Our findings highlight the potential of these designed peptides as promising candidates for anti-acne therapeutics and demonstrate the power of computational approaches for the rational design of targeted antimicrobial peptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational design and development of the low-cost and effective electrocatalysts toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are essential in the storage and conversion of clean and renewable energy sources. Herein, a ternary copper-cobalt sulfide nanosheets electrocatalysts (denoted as CuCoS/CC) for electrochemical water oxidation has been synthesized on carbon cloth (CC) via the sulfuration of CuCo-based precursors. The obtained CuCoS/CC reveals excellent electrocatalytic performance toward OER in 1.0 M KOH. It exhibits a particularly low overpotential of 276 mV at current density of 10 mA cm−2, and a small Tafel slope (58 mV decade−1), which is superior to the current commercialized noble-metal electrocatalysts, such as IrO2. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of Cu and Co atoms and sulfidation, electrons transport and ions diffusion are significantly enhanced with the increase of active sites, thus the kinetic process of OER reaction is boosted. Our studies will serve as guidelines in the innovative design of non-noble metal electrocatalysts and their application in electrochemical water splitting [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two dimensional materials have been widely identified as promising microwave absorbers, owing to their large surface area and abundant interfaces. Here, a novel laminated and magnetic composite derived from Mxene was designed and successfully synthesized via facile hydrothermal oxidization of nickel ion intercalated Ti3C2. Highly disordered carbon sheets were obtained by low temperature hydrothermal oxidization, and the in-situ produced TiO2 and NiO nanoparticles embedded closely between them. This layered hybrid exhibits excellent microwave absorbing performance with an effective absorbing bandwidth as high as 11.1 GHz (6.9-18 GHz) and 9 GHz (9-18 GHz) when the thickness is 3 and 2 mm, respectively. Besides the high dielectric loss, magnetic loss and ohmic loss of the composite, the amorphous nature of obtained carbon sheets and multi-reflections between them are believed to play a decisive role in achieving such superior microwave absorbing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ringent hollow carbons synthesised by CDs through controllable reaction temperatures show great absorbing values and absorbing bands as well as relative compression ratios of radar cross section. Finite element simulation demonstrats that unique structure of ringent hollow carbons can lower normal reflected wave and promote energy attenuation which provides a new direction for the structural design of absorbers. [Display omitted] • A high-yield of carbon quantum dots derived ringent hollow carbon spheres (RHCs) for efficient microwave absorber has been proposed. • Outstanding microwave absorbing performance with optimal reflection loss of −67 dB as well as superior absorbing bandwidth (covering C, X and Ku band) could be achieved. • A relative compression ratio of 56.7 % of of RHCs loaded coating could be achieved due to ringent hollow structure and intrinsic nanosheets attenuation. Carbon nanomaterials have steadily grown into a class of composite absorbers with remarkable properties due to their unique structure, low density, high specific surface area, strong electrical conductivity, and substantial dielectric losses. In this paper, a facile strategy with low-cost, high-efficiency, and scalable strategy for carbon dots-derived ringent hollow carbon (RHC) for superior microwave absorption is proposed. Controllable structures ranging from amorphous carbon to ringent hollow carbon are well performed through simple heat-treated temperature. In addition, an optimal absorption value of −67 dB and a superior absorption band width covering the C, X, and Ku bands, as well as a relative compression ratio of 56.7 percent in the case of perpendicular incidence, have been achieved. Further, finite element simulations have demonstrated that the unique structure of partially ringent hollow carbon is considered as an effective way to lower normal reflected wave and promote energy attenuation. New applications of carbon dots-derived RHC as superior microwave absorbers are opening up, and the scalable strategy may pave a solid foundation for rapid applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic is a carcinogenic metalloid toxicant widely found in the natural environment. Acute or prolonged exposure to arsenic causes a series of damages to the organs, mainly the liver, such as hepatomegaly, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, it is imperative to seek drugs to prevent arsenic-induced liver injury. Quinazolines are a class of nitrogen heterocyclic compounds with biological and pharmacological effects in vivo and in vitro. This study was designed to investigate the ameliorating effects of quinazoline derivatives on arsenic-induced liver injury and its molecular mechanism. We investigated the mechanism of the quinazoline derivative KZL-047 in preventing and ameliorating arsenic-induced liver injury in vitro by cell cycle and apoptosis. We performed real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blotting combined with molecular docking. In vivo, the experiments were performed to investigate the mechanism of KZL-047 in preventing and ameliorating arsenic-induced liver injury using arsenic-infected mice. Physiological and biochemical indices of liver function in mouse serum were measured, histopathological changes in liver tissue were observed, and immunohistochemical staining was used to detect changes in the expression of RecQ-family helicases in mouse liver tissue. The results of in vitro experiments showed that sodium arsenite (SA) inhibited the proliferation of L-02 cells, induced apoptosis, blocked the cell cycle at the G1 phase, and decreased the expression of RecQ family helicase; after KZL-047 treatment in arsenic-induced L-02 cells, the expression of RecQ family helicase was upregulated, and the apoptosis rate was slowed, leading to the restoration of the cell viability level. KZL-047 inhibited arsenic-induced oxidative stress, alleviated oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation in vivo, and ameliorated arsenic toxicity-induced liver injury. KZL-047 restored the expression of RecQ family helicase proteins, which is consistent with the results of in vitro studies. In summary, KZL-047 can be considered a potential candidate for the treatment of arsenic-induced liver injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For wider‐band and stronger electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption, macroporous short carbon fibers/mullite matrix (Cf/Mu) composites were prepared via introducing short carbon fibers (0, 0.7, and 1.3 vol%) with length of 2‐3 mm into macroporous mullite ceramic by gel‐casting. The density of as‐prepared Cf/Mu composites decreases from 2.93 g/cm3 to 2.74 g/cm3, while the porosity increases from 3.32% to 10.76% with the rise in carbon fibers content. The diameter of macropores in Cf/Mu composites is ranging from several microns to tens of microns. Complex permittivity and dielectric loss of the prepared composites in X‐band (8.2‐12.4 GHz) are significantly enhanced with increased carbon fibers content. The best EM wave absorption performance is obtained in the macroporous Cf/Mu composites containing only 0.7 vol% carbon fibers (Cf/Mu‐0.7). The maximum absorption loss of Cf/Mu‐0.7 is −38.3 dB at 12.08 GHz at the thickness of 2.1 mm, and effective absorption bandwidth below −10 dB (over 90% of EM wave absorption) covers the whole X band with the thickness of 2.35 mm. The results suggest that the Cf/Mu composites can be promising high‐performance EM wave absorbing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease affecting multiple joints and worsening the quality of life. Juglanin, a natural aldose reductase inhibitor, has shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive, and anti-oxidant properties. Objective: The present study was undertaken to evaluate their possible mechanism of action against adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA), i.e., Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA)-induced arthritis, in experimental rats. Materials and Methods: FCA (0.1 mL) was administered into the subplantar region of female Wistar rats paw to induced AIA. The rats were treated with vehicle (distilled water, 10 mL/kg) or leflunomide (10 mg/kg), or juglanin (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg, respectively) orally for the next 16 days. Various biochemical, molecular, and histological parameters were evaluated to determine the potential of juglanin. Results: Subplantar administration of FCA resulted in a statistically significant (P < 0.05) induction of AIA reflected by alteration in paw volume, joint diameter, paw withdrawal threshold, and paw withdrawal latency, which was statistically significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) by juglanin (20 and 40 mg/kg). It also statistically significantly attenuated (P < 0.05) FCA-induced elevated hepatic oxido-nitrosative stress and mRNA expressions of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL) IL-1β, IL-6, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOs). Western blot analysis revealed that juglanin statistically significantly downregulated (P < 0.05) protein expressions of NF-κB, IκBα, a disintegrin-like and metalloproteinase domain with thrombospondin-1 repeats (ADAMTS)-4, and ADAMTS-5 in hepatic tissue. It also statistically significantly attenuated (P < 0.05) histopathological anomalies induced in the tibiotarsal joint. Conclusion: The present communication suggests that juglanin attenuated altered mechano-tactile allodynia and hyperalgesia via inhibition of elevated oxido-nitrosative stress, cytokines (TNF-α and ILs) levels, immune-inflammatory (TGF-β, NF-κB, Ikβα, COX-2, and iNOs) mediators, and ADAMTS, thus exerting its anti-arthritic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electromagnetic spectroscopy of vertical aligned carbon fibres (VACF) reinforced epoxy resin has been performed in the frequency range from 8.2 to 12.4 GHz. The composite was prepared by conventional epoxy polymerization. The results indicate VACF could possess magnetic loss and the structural magnetic properties could be tailored by adjusting the forest structure. The corresponding mechanism of the structural magnetic properties is proposed by the Faradays' law of induction. The structural magnetism is further confirmed by measuring VACF reinforced Al2O3 composites in 1073 K environment. The measurement agrees well with the trend predicted by the parallel fibres model. These results represent a crucial step towards high temperature microwave absorber design and open a new avenue for realizing magnetic losses in the dielectric material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel multiband metamaterial absorber (MTMA) is proposed which is capable of well presenting a polarization-insensitive and wide incident angle stability in the microwave frequency range. The proposed MTMA comprising two vertically stacked asterisk-based copper resonators separated by dielectric layer of flame retardant type four and backed with a thin copper film. High-frequency structure simulator was used to simulate the absorber and to depict surface current distribution. The results showed that the absorber is operated at three narrow bands with high absorptivity of about 92, 100 and 100% at frequencies of 2.75, 4.3 and 9.5 GHz, respectively. The position of the resonant peaks can be effectively tuned by adjusting the geometry parameters of the structure, thereby achieving a multiband, polarization-independent and wide-angle absorber. The designed structure is important for the application of sensors, thermal images and in constructing broad multiband signals for electromagnetic compatibility/interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triggered or induced earthquakes have been widely reported as resulting from various human activities, yet seismicity triggered by small‐scale infrastructure construction is rare. Here, we report on an investigation of an extremely shallow Mw4.1 earthquake which occurred on 11 August 2016 in the Sichuan Basin (China), a region with historically low seismicity. Our seismic waveform analyses indicate an almost pure thrust focal mechanism at a centroid depth of ~1 km. Furthermore, 18 Sentinel‐1 synthetic aperture radar interferograms, stacked to obtain subcentimeter accuracy, reveal up to 3 cm line‐of‐sight deformation which overlaps with an automotive testing site constructed in 2014. Removal of 10 m of a surface rock layer during the construction may have produced an unloading effect and resulted in up to 0.11 MPa Coulomb stress changes on a blind fault, larger than the 0.01 MPa threshold typically invoked in studies of tectonic earthquakes. However, the delayed triggering still requires further investigation. Plain Language Summary: While induced earthquakes in the shallow part of the crust have been observed globally, a remaining knowledge gap is whether small‐scale infrastructure construction can trigger earthquakes or not. We investigate these questions on an extremely shallow Mw4.1 earthquake in the eastern Sichuan Basin (China). To determine earthquake source parameters, we combine seismological data with satellite imaging. We find this thrust event ruptured at the depth of ~1 km, located just beneath an automotive testing site constructed in 2014. Crucially, we note the testing site construction involved removal of a large volume of surface rock. We further analyze the stress changes produced by the unloading of the surface rock. We find a possible triggering relationship between the infrastructure construction and the occurrence of this shallow earthquake. Our results thus shed new light on the causes of shallow earthquakes associated with small‐scale infrastructure construction. Key Points: The 11 August 2016 Mw4.1 Dianjiang earthquake was an extremely shallow thrust event (~1 km)Stacking of Sentinel‐1A SAR interferograms with subcentimeter resolution reveals LOS deformation of up to 3 cm produced by the earthquakeThe earthquake was likely triggered by the unloading effect after surface rock layer was removed during infrastructure construction [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene exhibits great potential application in the microwave absorption (MA) field mainly due to its two-dimensional (2D) characteristic and high dielectric loss. However, their wide application is limited by the inferior properties of without magnetic loss and narrow bandwidth in microwave frequency range. Driven by the further demands of MA performance improvement, sandwich-like CoFe@Ti 3 C 2 T x composites are designed and successfully fabricated by in-situ reduction in the presence of hydrazine, and the minimum reflection loss (RL) value of −36.29 dB at 8.56 GHz could be achieved with the thickness of 2.2 mm. The enhanced microwave absorption of CoFe@Ti 3 C 2 T x composites should originate from the unique sandwich-like structure, good impedance matching characteristic, and enhanced interfacial polarization. In addition, the coating made by CoFe@Ti 3 C 2 T x composites located on the substrates of aluminum plate and fabric exhibited good heat dissipation capability, which was studied through thermal infrared images. This work provides a new avenue for exploring high-performance microwave absorbers of MXene-based magnetic materials. • The combination of 2D Ti 3 C 2 T x and 2D CoFe was achieved. • The addition of magnetic CoFe enhanced the absorbing properties of Ti 3 C 2 T x. • CoFe@Ti 3 C 2 T x composite coating showed good heat dissipation capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to prepare high-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials, chopped carbon fibers were incorporated into mullite ceramic matrix via rapid prototyping process of spark plasma sintering (SPS). Results indicate that C f /mullite composites with only 1 wt% of carbon fibers exhibit highest shielding effectiveness (SE T) over 40 dB at a small thickness of 2.0 mm, showing great advantages both in terms of performance and thickness compared with many mature carbon/ceramic composites. The high EMI shielding properties mainly depend on two mechanisms of absorption and reflection in this present work. The enhanced absorption and reflection of electromagnetic wave are ascribed to the promotional electrical conductivity arising from the formation of conductive network by introduction of carbon fibers. Regarding enhanced electrical conductivity, notable intensified interfacial polarization on a large number of interfaces between mullite matrix and carbon fibers is also the key factor to the improved absorption, which makes absorption play a dominant role in the significant improvement of EMI SE T. The C f /mullite composites with excellent EMI shielding properties and thin thickness show great potential application as EMI materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel p-n heterojunction photoanodes of NiO/BiVO 4 is prepared by a facile method. • The NiO/BiVO 4 heterojunction significantly improve the bulk electron-hole separation. • The NiO nanoparticles can work as oxygen evolution catalysts (OECs) to enhance the surface reaction kinetics. • Photoelectrochemical property and applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) are improved. Bismuth vanadate is considered as a promising photoanode material for photoelectrochemical water splitting. However, the frequent bulk charge recombination and poor surface reaction kinetics restrict its performance in photoelectrochemical cell seriously. Herein, we developed a facile method to build a p-n heterojunction of NiO/BiVO 4 with enhanced charge separation and surface reaction kinetics. The internal electric field of our heterojunction can improve the electron-hole separation efficiency from 51% to 65% at 0.6 V RHE. Moreover, the p-type NiO can significantly enhance the surface oxygen evolution reaction kinetics. Based on these synergistic effects, our NiO/BiVO 4 photoanode achieved a high solar to hydrogen efficiency of 0.72% at 0.76 V RHE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sentinel-1 (S-1) TOPS data are widely applied in InSAR applications to monitor earthquakes and landslides. The large S-1 coverage however, leads to a high computational cost when executing InSAR techniques. Thus, we develop a GPU accelerated S-1 InSAR processing method implemented on a personal desktop. In the proposed method, computationally expensive modules including geometric coregistration, resampling, Enhanced Spectral Diversity, and coherence estimation, are implemented using CUDA. In addition, several optimizations are employed to enhance the efficiency of these modules. We select an efficient approximation method in the geometric coregistration module, and improve the GPU memory access efficiency in the resampling module through the GPU texture memory, temporary register array, and a configuration with more L1 cache. We develop a novel GPU-based parallel coherence estimation algorithm in ESD and coherence estimation modules, and use the asynchronous data transfer technology to hide the costs of CPU-GPU data transfer for resampling, ESD, and coherence estimation modules. After several optimizations, our GPU-accelerated modules (considering CPU-GPU transmission costs) achieves speedup ratios up to 157x, 166x, 145x, and 168x with respect to their single-threaded CPU counterparts. For a full frame S-1 image, our method reduces the computation time from 1415.32s to 8.59s. Moreover, our method is also validated in two case studies of the 2016 Mw6.2 Central Italy earthquake and 2018 Mw6.9 Leilani Estates earthquake caused by the Kilauea eruption in Hawaii. • GPU-based InSAR processing for Sentinel-1 (S-1) TOPS data is developed. • The computation time for full frame S-1 TOPS data is reduced into 8.59s. • Our GPU-based InSAR processing is used for detecting deformation in earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional frequency selective surface (FSS) absorbers design is time-consuming, involving multiple electromagnetic (EM) simulations for parameter scanning. A novel reverse design method is proposed utilizing evolutionary deep learning (EDL) based on an improved bacterial foraging optimization (IBFO) algorithm and a deep belief network. It establishes the relationship between the geometric structure and EM response. The combination of IBFO and EDL facilitates an efficient optimization for structural parameters, mitigating the 'one-to-many' problem and accelerating the design process. An optically transparent FSS absorber with an ultra-bandwidth of 8–18 GHz is designed to verify the proposed method's capability. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the absorber displays exceptional characteristics such as polarization insensitivity and robustness under a 45° oblique incidence angle, making it a suitable candidate for radar stealth and photovoltaic solar energy applications. The proposed method can be applied to the design and optimization of various absorbers and complex EM devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymers often have thermal conductivities that are too low to be used directly in thermal management applications. In this study, a poly(p‐phenylene‐2,6‐benzobisoxazole) (PBO) film is prepared through a sol–gel‐film conversion and annealing method that utilizes PBO nanofibers as building blocks. The polymer film shows an in‐plane thermal conductivity of 36.7 W mK−1, which is two orders of magnitude higher than those of most polymers (<0.5 W mK−1) and 2.4 times that of 304‐stainless steel. The high thermal conductivity is attributed to the highly oriented 3D interconnected nanofiber network resulting from the fine‐tuning sol‐gel‐film conversion, and the annealing that further enhances the ordering of the PBO chains and the interactions between the nanofibers. Moreover, the PBO films exhibit excellent mechanical strength, thermal/chemical stability, electrical insulation, flame retardance, and improved UV resistance. The lightweight, robust, and easily processed PBO film with a metal‐like thermal conductivity has promising potential thermal management applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facial beauty prediction (FBP) is an important and challenging problem in the fields of computer vision and machine learning. Not only it is easily prone to overfitting due to the lack of large-scale and effective data, but also difficult to quickly build robust and effective facial beauty evaluation models because of the variability of facial appearance and the complexity of human perception. Transfer Learning can be able to reduce the dependence on large amounts of data as well as avoid overfitting problems. Broad learning system (BLS) can be capable of quickly completing models building and training. For this purpose, Transfer Learning was fused with BLS for FBP in this paper. Firstly, a feature extractor is constructed by way of CNNs models based on transfer learning for facial feature extraction, in which EfficientNets are used in this paper, and the fused features of facial beauty extracted are transferred to BLS for FBP, called E-BLS. Secondly, on the basis of E-BLS, a connection layer is designed to connect the feature extractor and BLS, called ER-BLS. Finally, experimental results show that, compared with the previous BLS and CNNs methods existed, the accuracy of FBP was improved by E-BLS and ER-BLS, demonstrating the effectiveness and superiority of the method presented, which can also be widely used in pattern recognition, object detection and image classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wound healing is a complex, dynamic process supported by a myriad of cellular events that must be tightly coordinated to efficiently repair damaged tissue. These wounds are a significant socioeconomic burden due to their high prevalence and recurrence, which is why the phenomenon of wounds has also been labeled as a "Silent Epidemic". Most of these wounds become "chronic", with around 15% of them remaining unresolved 1-year post incidence, which results in a prolonged yet avoidable burden to patients, families, and the health system. In this experimental study, we tried to purify the potent components in chick early amniotic fluid (ceAF) and applied these components to the wound healing mechanism. We first subjected ceAF to a series of purifications, including an HPLC purification system along with ion-exchange chromatography technology to purify other potential components. Upon narrowing down, we found two structural analogs: guanosine and deoxyinosine. We performed these components' cell scratch and trans-well migration assays to validate the accurate dosage. We also assessed these components via topical administration on the skin of murine model wounds. For this, we randomly divided C57BL/6 (all black, male, 5 weeks old) mice into groups. The wound model was established through excising the skin of mice and treated the wounds with different fractions of guanosine and deoxyinosine continuously for 8–10 day intervals. Once the healing was complete, the skin was excised to determine the inflammatory response and other biochemical parameters of the healed skin, including epidermal thickness, collagen density, macrophages, and neutrophil infiltration at the wounded site. Quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblot assays were performed to determine active gene expression and protein expression of proinflammatory molecules, growth factors, and cytokines. All these findings support our data indicating the promising healing properties of guanosine and deoxyinosine isolated from ceAF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]