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Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of sutureless intrascleral intraocular lens (IOL) fixation combined with modified iris cerclage pupilloplasty for treating aphakia and traumatic mydriasis. Methods: Five patients with aphakia and traumatic mydriasis were operated on by the same surgeon. All patients underwent sutureless intrascleral IOL fixation combined with modified iris cerclage pupilloplasty and were followed up for ≥6 months. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured using the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR). BCVA, intraocular pressure (IOP), pupil diameter, and corneal endothelial cell count (CECC) preoperatively and postoperatively were statistically analyzed. The pupil shape, photophobia, IOL position, and surgical complications were evaluated. Results: The mean BCVA was significantly improved 6 months postoperatively (0.26 ± 0.17 logMAR, P = 0.042) than preoperatively (0.50 ± 0.30 logMAR). No significant difference was observed between the preoperative and postoperative IOP (P = 0.138). The mean pupil diameter significantly reduced postoperatively than preoperatively (3.44 ± 0.35 mm vs. 7.28 ± 0.35 mm, P = 0.043). There was no significant decrease in CECC postoperatively (P = 0.225). The pupil shape was round-like, and photophobia disappeared in all patients. No intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred. Conclusion: Sutureless intrascleral IOL fixation combined with modified iris cerclage pupilloplasty is a safe and efficient procedure for treating aphakia traumatic mydriasis patients without sufficient capsular support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium (Li) metal anodes are drawing considerable attention owing to their ultrahigh theoretical capacities and low electrochemical reduction potentials. However, their commercialization has been hampered by safety hazards induced by continuous dendrite growth. These issues can be alleviated using the ZnO‐modified 3D carbon‐based host containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon felt (CF) fabricated by electroplating in the present study (denoted as ZnO/CNT@CF). The constructed skeleton has lithiophilic ZnO that is gradationally distributed along its thickness. The utilization of an inverted ZnO/CNT@CF−Li anode obtained by flipping over the carbon skeleton after Li electrodeposition is also reported herein. The synergistic effect of the Li metal and lithiophilic sites reduces the nucleation overpotential, thus inducing Li+ to preferentially deposit inside the porous carbon‐based scaffold. The composite electrode compels Li to grow away from the separator, thereby significantly improving battery safety. A symmetric cell with the inverted ZnO/CNT@CF−Li electrode operates steadily for 700 cycles at 1 mA cm−2 and 1 mAh cm−2. Moreover, the ZnO/CNT@CF−Li|S cell exhibits an initial areal capacity of 10.9 mAh cm−2 at a S loading of 10.4 mg cm−2 and maintains a capacity of 3.0 mAh cm−2 after 320 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the mechanisms of the spin Hall effect (SHE) is essential for the fundamental understanding of spintronic physics. By now, despite the intensive studies of SHE on heavy metal (HM)/metallic magnet heterostructures, the SHE on HM/ferrimagnetic insulator (FMI) heterostructures still remains elusive. Here, we study the mechanism of SHE in the Pt/Tm 3 Fe 5 O 12 (TmIG) heterostructure. We first tune the crystallinity and resistivity of Pt by an annealing method, and then study the spin–orbit torque (SOT) in the tuned-Pt/TmIG devices. The SOT generation efficiency per unit electric field and spin Hall angle were obtained, which are insensitive to the annealing temperature. We further demonstrate that the intrinsic contribution in the moderately dirty regime is responsible for the SHE in our Pt/TmIG bilayer. Our study provides an important piece of information for the SHE in FMI-based spintronic physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry reforming of methane (CH 4 + CO 2 = 2CO + 2H 2) is a very interesting approach both to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the increasing worldwide fossil-based methane consumption as well as to cut emission greenhouse gas of CO 2. Utilizing the produced syngas as fuel directly in protonic ceramic fuel cell can further kill two birds with one stone: obtain power output and high purity CO. However, the drawback of the coking deposition limits the process of the above strategy. Here, we synthesis a Ni-based catalyst with high conversion rates (∼88% for CO 2 and ∼89% for CH 4) and excellent stability (>160 h at 700 °C) proceeded by Ce doping, and further employ it as reforming layer on solid oxide fuel cell. The results demonstrate that the Ce substitution plays an important role for homogenous Ni nanoparticles exsolution, benefiting for the coking resistance of the catalyst then the stability of the cell using CH 4 and CO 2 as fuel directly. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidizing the heavy metal (HM) has been reported to be a simple and efficient method to enhance the generation efficiency of the spin–orbit torques (SOTs) in the HM/ferromagnet (FM) heterostructure, which has attracted intensive studies. However, by now all the previous studies were performed using an oxidized HM/metallic magnet heterostructure. The SOT in the oxidized HM/magnetic oxide heterostructure still remains elusive, which has not been reported yet. In this work, we report the study of the SOT generation and spin Hall effect in the oxidized platinum/magnetic oxide heterostructure. By changing the oxidation level of Pt(O) in the Pt(O)/Tm3Fe5O12 (TmIG) bilayer, we demonstrate that the SOT efficiency drastically decreases with the increase in the oxidation level, which is completely opposite to that in the Pt(O)/metallic magnet. This result indicates that the interfacial oxidation of the FM layer in the generally studied oxidized HM/metallic magnet bilayer significantly contributes to the interfacial Rashba effect, which drastically enhances the SOT efficiency. We further demonstrate that the spin Hall conductivity of Pt is very sensitive to the electric conductivity, which drastically increases with the electric conductivity. This drastic increase is attributed to the intrinsic contribution of Pt in the dirty-metal regime, which is dominated by the carrier lifetime. Our study provides a piece of information for the basic understanding of the SOT and spin Hall effect in the oxidized HM/magnetic oxide heterostructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen electrodes play a vital role in realizing high-performance solid oxide cells (SOCs) with high roundtrip efficiency, large-scale capacity, and long-term stability energy storage. This paper constructs Ti-doped strontium cobaltite perovskites (SrCo 1-x Ti x O 3-δ , SCTx, x = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) as newly stable oxygen electrodes for SOCs. The changes of oxygen vacancy in SCTx with Ti-doped concentration are investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that the content of oxygen vacancy decreases with the enrichment of Ti doping. The area-specific resistance (ASR) of the symmetrical cell with SrCo 0.8 Ti 0.2 O 3-δ (SCT2) electrode is only 0.013 Ω cm2 at 850 °C in air. The single cell with SCT2 oxygen electrode achieves the peak power density of 1.313 W cm−2 at 850 °C under humidified H 2 conditions in fuel cells mode, and the current density reaches 2.95 A cm−2 under an electrolytic voltage of 1.9 V at 850 °C for CO 2 electrolysis. The Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm that the oxygen vacancy formation energy is the lowest when the ratio of Ti to Co is 2:8, verifying the superior property of SCT2. This study comes up with a creation for developing high-stability and high-activity oxygen electrode materials that can be used for energy storage systems. • Constructed SrCo 1-x Ti x O 3-δ as newly stable oxygen electrodes for SOCs. • The peak power density achieved 1.313 W cm−2 at 850 °C with SCT2 electrode. • The cyclic reversible stability of the single cell reached over 100h. • The SCT2 performed advanced activity for the low oxygen vacancy formation energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate whether contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is an accurate, non-nephrotoxic diagnostic method and follow-up tool for use in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and renal artery stenosis (RAS). Methods: In this prospective and monocentric study, we compared the sensitivity and specificity of CEUS for the diagnosis of RAS in CKD patients, using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) or computed tomographic angiography (CTA) as the gold standard methods. Further, the value of CEUS for distinguishing restenosis from other diseases was assessed. The ultrasound physicians conducted the examinations and served as the CEUS report readers who were blinded to the DSA or CTA results. Results: Patients with RAS (n = 60) were enrolled. Average patient age was 64.4 ± 18.0 years and median estimated glomerular filtration rate was 66.1 mL/min/1.73 m2. CEUS was used to image 94 stenotic renal arteries and DSA- or CTA-verified stenosis was present in 96 renal arteries. The kappa value for CEUS was 0.776 (P < 0.001), with an accuracy of 92.5%, a sensitivity of 94.7%, and a specificity of 84.0%. The accuracy of CEUS was the same for the diagnosis of the CKD3b–5 group as for the CKD1–3a group (100% vs. 87.5%, P = 0.148). There was no difference in CEUS accuracy for the diagnosis of Takayasu RAS compared with atherosclerotic RAS (95.8% vs. 91.7%, P = 0.795). Twenty-nine CEUS examinations were performed to follow in-stent restenosis or progression of RAS, with a median follow-up time of 5.0 months (range 1.0–20.0). Two cases of in-stent restenosis in patients suffering from deteriorating kidney function and recurrent hypertension were examined by CEUS. Conclusion: CEUS examination is a credible alternative for diagnosing moderate and severe RAS in patients with CKD, and is a reliable tool for follow-up surveillance after renal artery revascularization treatment. It shouldn't be thought as a color-coded duplex ultrasonography rescue in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The chirp-TDR method using the frequency-modulated continuous wave, also known as the chirp signal. The signal arrival time is captured through the pulse compression method. The pulse compression process fully exploits the signal gain generated by the length of the signal in the time domain and the width in the frequency domain. • A prototype is designed and implemented. To further improve the detection sensitivity, the influences of the incident signal and the terminal reflected signal are eliminated through a low noise differential amplifier in the prototype and matching resistance at the terminal, respectively. • The method is verified through experiments. A signal coaxial cable and an XLPE power cable with artificial simulated defects were installed as test specimens. The test results show that the method is feasible and has strong anti-noise ability. • The technology is compared with FDR, which also uses the chirp signal. The proposed method has a performance improvement of more than 10 dB, showing better fault point resolution ability. Diagnosing and locating the high resistance fault (HIF) of XLPE medium voltage cables without causing secondary damage has been a trouble for power maintainers. Among the previous methods proposed by researchers, the frequency domain reflection method has the strongest sensitivity, which still cannot meet the broad dynamic range requirement of HIF detection. This paper proposes a chirp-TDR high resistance fault detection method, which fully taps the signal processing gain of the chirp signal after pulse compression. The method increases the practical detection limit to hundreds of kΩ. A prototype is implemented, and the performance is simulated. The influence of incidence and terminal reflection signals on fault point reflection signal detection is reduced by common mode filtering and access matching impedances. The selected detection signal with 5 ms duration and 20 MHz bandwidth can produce a signal processing gain of 50 dB. A signal coaxial cable and an XLPE power cable with artificial simulated defects were installed as test specimens. The test results show that the method is feasible and has strong anti-noise ability. The technology is compared with FDR, which also uses the chirp signal. The proposed method has a performance improvement of about 12 dB, showing better fault point resolution ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) have long been used for controlling soil-dwelling insects. Steinernema carpocapsae HB310, previously showed a high virulence against many pests including Agrotis ipsilon Hufnagel (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Due to the lack of durable formulations, up until now, S. carpocapsae HB310 has thus far been prevented from use in large-scale farming. The present study aimed to get a better EPNs capsule formulation suitable for long-term storage and effective application. Results: An improved EPNs capsule formulation, herein named: Capsule-C was prepared by the following composition: Solution I: 18% glycerol, 0.075% formaldehyde, 1% sodium alginate, 0.2% xanthan gum, 0.5% potassium sorbate, 9% glucose, 2% fructose, 2% sucrose, and the remainder was distilled water. The nematodes suspension was added to the alginate mixture in 2 × 104 IJs/mL; Solution II: 18% glycerol, 0.075% formaldehyde, 0.5% calcium chloride, 0.5% potassium sorbate, with the remainder being distilled water. After storage for 180 days at 16 °C and 100% RH, the survival rate of nematodes in Capsule-C was 75.68 ± 0.48% and the nematodes caused 82.33 ± 1.45% mortality in the 5th instar larvae of Galleria mellonella. A. ipsilon larvae preferred to chew and ingest Capsule-C due to the addition of the glucose compound. The feeding rate of A. ipsilon larvae on Capsule-C reached to 100% within 24 h and the larval mortality of A. ipsilon was 90.48 ± 6.35%. Conclusion: EPNs-containing capsules were as effective as sprayed EPNs in water solution at killing A. ipsilon. These results will provide ideas to acquire a stable and efficient EPNs capsule formulation and further promote the application of environmental friendly biological pesticides. Highlights: We developed an improved capsule formulation named as Capsule-C supplemented with glucose, which can obviously increase the larva feeding amount of Agrotis ipsilon. The nematodes of Steinernema carpocapsae HB310 in Capsule-C survived well and maintained high pathogenicity against Galleria mellonella after storage for 180 days. Under laboratory conditions, Capsule-C could be released into the rhizosphere directly and effectively reduced maize seedlings damage by A.ipsilon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We investigated the stability of four type APbI 3 perovskite solar cells under thermal cycling conditions. • The FA 0.9 Cs 0.1 PbI 3 devices show best stability. • Phase transition of perovskite materials caused the devices degradation. In this research, we investigated the influence of phase transition in four standard perovskite materials on the device stability under thermal cycling (TC) condition, which is listed in International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) stability tests criteria. The evolution of morphology, phase structure and charge carrier dynamics of four type perovskite materials throughout thermal cycling were analyzed. It was found that the cubic to tetragonal phase transition of MAPbI 3 caused the quick degradation of the device, the α to δ phase transition in FAPbI 3 and FA 0.6 MA 0.4 PbI 3 resulted in sustained efficiency loss, while the FA 0.9 Cs 0.1 PbI 3 was more stable compared to above three perovskites under the same test condition. The FA 0.9 Cs 0.1 PbI 3 device retained nearly 88% of its initial efficiency after 200 temperature cycles between −30 °C and 85 °C, which could be ascribed to its successful stabilization of perovskite structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Li metal anode is regarded as the most ideal anode material for the next-generation high-energy-density rechargeable Li batteries. Unfortunately, infinite volume change, "dead" Li formation, and continuous dendrite growth, severely hamper its commercial applications. Constructing 3D hosts has been widely developed to address these issues. Herein, nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) are grown in the carbon felt (CF) as the host material for Li metal anode via economic chemical vapor deposition was developed. Carbon felt provides a fast and uniform ion/electron pathway and alleviates the volume expansion during the charge/discharge process. With the introduction of NCNTs, lithiophilic functional groups like pyridine and pyrrole distributed uniformly on the surface of carbon felt, providing adequate lithiophilic sites to guide Li nucleation, ensuring the smooth Li deposition with dendrite-free morphology. As a result, excellent cycling stability is realized in symmetric cells with low overpotential and long lifespan. In addition, when the composite Li electrode is paired with the sulfur cathode (8.7 mg cm−2), the full cell displays a steady cycle life in coulombic efficiency retention of 93 % and a high specific capacity of 3.32 mAh cm−2 after 270 cycles at 0.2C. [Display omitted] • The 3D free-standing carbon felt with high nitrogen-doped content carbon nanotubes is constructed. • Lithiophilic functional groups offering adequate lithiophilic sites to regulate Li deposition. • The composite structure shows moderate surface area and good conductivity. • The optmized Li anode realizes excellent electrochemical performance in symmetric cells and Li full cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using ultra-high-frequency (UHF) method in practical partial discharge (PD) detection can be affected by the positioning and placement of the UHF sensor. This in turn can affect the PD diagnosis. To ensure optimal performance of the sensor and understand the propagation process of electromagnetic (EM) wave, there is a need to fully analyze how the sensor?s placement affects the output signal and the attenuation of EM wave in various positions and directions. As the previous researches are mainly concentrating on the radial component of the UHF signal, the propagation of the signal components in axial and radial directions and that perpendicular to the radial direction of the GIS tank are investigated in detail in this paper. Firstly, the attenuation of UHF signals at different radial positions of a GIS model is analyzed using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. Then, secondly, the coupled signals in the three directions are calculated respectively. By comparing the signal received for different directions and circumferential angles, the peak to peak value (Vpp) and cumulative energy of the coupled voltage in each case are considered both in the time and frequency domain. As well, the attenuation characteristics and rules are summarized, based on which a new method for circumferential and axial location is proposed. The investigation on the propagation and the detection mechanism of EM wave in GIS provides a significant understanding of the application of UHF sensor and actual PD detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of cotton impurity rates can reflect the cleaning effect of cotton impurity removal equipment, which plays a vital role in improving cotton quality and economic benefits. Therefore, several studies are being carried out to improve detection accuracy. Image processing technology is increasingly used in cotton impurity detection, in which deep learning technology based on convolution neural networks has shown excellent results in image classification, segmentation, target detection, etc. However, most of these applications focus on detecting foreign fibers in lint, which is of little significance to the parameter adjustment of cotton impurity removal equipment. For this reason, our goal was to develop an impurity detection system for seed cotton. In image segmentation, we propose a multi-channel fusion segmentation algorithm to segment the machine-picked seed cotton image. We collected 1017 images of machine-picked seed cotton as a dataset to train the detection model and tested and recognized 100 groups of samples, with an average recognition rate of 94.1%. Finally, the image segmented by the multi-channel fusion algorithm is input into the improved YOLOv4 network model for classification and recognition, and the established V–W model calculates the content of all kinds of impurities. The experimental results show that the impurity content in machine-picked cotton can be obtained effectively, and the detection accuracy of the impurity rate can increase by 5.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A partial discharge (PD) sensor based on two-arm equiangular spiral antenna is designed and optimized in this research, and key parameters which mainly influence the performance of sensor are optimized. Through simulation and contrastive study, the key parameters? values are confirmed, which improves the sensor?s performance to a great extent. To match the impedance of the sensor and the coaxial transmission line, a kind of micro strip impedance transformer which is of an exponentially gradual type is designed, the parameters of which are defined through simulation. Two improvement schemes for the designed transformer are also proposed to make an easy package and installation for the sensor and the transformer. Then, the physical model is made and tested. The results of simulation and test show good agreement, and verify that the sensors designed can meet the GIS internal partial discharge monitoring requirements well in bandwidth, performance and size, etc. The designed impedance transformer (IT) achieves impedance matching within the sensor and transmission line in ultra wideband range, and also enhances the sensitivity of the sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Natural and synthetic environmental estrogens (EEs) are widespread and have received extensive attention. Our previous studies demonstrated that depletion of the cytochrome P450 17a1 gene (cyp17a1) leads to all‐testis differentiation phenotype in zebrafish and common carp. In the present study, cyp17a1‐deficient zebrafish with defective estrogen biosynthesis were used for the evaluation of EEs, as assessed by monitoring vitellogenin (vtg) expression. A rapid and sensitive assessment procedure was established with the 3‐day administration of estradiol (E2), followed by examination of the transcriptional expression of vtgs in our cyp17a1‐deficient fish. Compared with the control fish, a higher E2‐mediated vtg upregulation observed in cyp17a1‐deficient zebrafish exposed to 0.1 μg/L E2 is known to be estrogen receptor–dependent and likely due to impaired in vivo estrogen biosynthesis. The more responsive vtg expression in cyp17a1‐deficient zebrafish was observed when exposed to 200 and 2000 μg/L bisphenol A (BPA) and perfluoro‐1‐octanesulfonate (PFOS). The estrogenic potentials of E2, BPA, and PFOS were compared and assessed by the feminization effect on ovarian differentiation in cyp17a1‐deficient zebrafish from 18 to 50 days postfertilization, based on which a higher sensitivity of E2 in ovarian differentiation than BPA and PFOS was concluded. Collectively, through the higher sensitivity to EEs and the capacity to distinguish chemicals with different estrogenic potentials exhibited by the all‐male cyp17a1‐deficient zebrafish with impaired estrogen biosynthesis, we demonstrated that they can be used as an excellent in vivo model for the evaluation of EEs. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1062–1074. © 2024 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold‐chain transport is a crucial cross‐regional transmission pathway for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and other microorganisms. In this study, the mode‐combination method is adopted for sterilization in a 1.138 m3 freezer by mixing effluent gases of NOx and O3 mode air discharges. The mixed gas can effectively inactivate Staphylococcus aureus in 10 mm ice within 3 h, which significantly surpasses O3 gas. Moreover, the inactivation effect of the mixed gas can penetrate deep into ice, contrasting with the surface effect of O3 gas. This disparity is linked to the difference in penetration depth of strong oxidizing long‐lived reactive species. This study validates the sterilization efficacy of cold atmospheric plasma in practical cold‐chain environment, critical for curbing infectious disease transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The onset of flow instability coupled with heat transfer characteristics are studied. • The similarities of flow pattern between mixtures and pure substance were observed. • The instability unstable area for mixtures is predicted based on experimental data. Hydrodynamic characteristics and the corresponding heat transfer performance are important features of hydrocarbons flow in regenerative active cooling systems. The main objective of this study is to clarify the intrinsic relationship between the hydrodynamic and heat transfer characteristics in a horizontal stainless mini-tube. Experiments were conducted using pure hydrocarbons of cyclohexane and pentane and their binary zeotropic mixtures (cyclohexane/pentane: 30/70, 50/50, and 70/30 by wt%). The test tube with the inner diameter of 2 mm is 670 mm long. The parametric conditions comprise heat flux range of 155–255 kW/m2, pressure range of 2.5–4.5 MPa, and inlet temperature range of 30–50 °C. The relationship between the static instability and the heat transfer process was discussed. Flow patterns and their evolutions were visualized at their critical pressure. Comparing the experimental results and visualizations, the similarities of the pure components and mixtures were verified under subcritical and supercritical pressures. The heat transfer characteristics coupled with the onset of flow instability were analyzed, and the mechanisms of mass transfer resistance for mixtures were explained. The correlations based on dimensionless numbers were determined to control the onset and offset boundaries of static instabilities for hydrocarbon mixtures, which provides guidance for preventing the flow instability for the complex working fluid in engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For better application of X-ray digital imaging technology in defect detection in Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS), it is essential to investigate the typical defect and establish the defect database, which has not been adequately performed in previous work. Systematic experimental research is also needed to accumulate data and experience. In this research, an experimental platform, including Computed Radiography (CR) imaging system and a GIS model, is built, and extensive tests of different kinds of typical defects are studied. The influence X-ray irradiation on SF6 under different tube voltage levels is firstly examined, which proves that the withstand voltage of SF6 gas has not been affected and no dissociation has been found. Then, several kinds of defects are tested by X-ray digital imaging technology. The successful application examples of "visual" detection of defects further prove the practicability and validity of the X-ray digital imaging technique. Finally, the image database of typical defects inside of GIS is established and the defect risk is also analyzed in three levels, which would be useful for the defect severity diagnosis and risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multi-valued hydrodynamic characteristics of cyclohexane was verified in tubes. • Flow direction and buoyancy effect were analyzed on hydrodynamic characteristics. • A new prediction correlation for the OFI of supercritical fluids is proposed. To meet the design requirements of a regenerative cooling circulation structure for aircraft, the hydrodynamic characteristic of fuel needs to be studied further. In this study, experiments were performed to investigate buoyancy effect on the multi-valued hydrodynamic characteristics and the onset of flow instability (OFI) of cyclohexane. The influence of flow directions in vertical and horizontal tubes were analysed, and the buoyancy effects in the hydrodynamic process was clarified. The negative slope of the hydrodynamic curve for horizontal flow was greater than that for vertical flow, and the mass flow rate corresponding to OFI of the horizontal tubes was also larger than that of the vertical tubes. The results demonstrated that the horizontal tubes are more prone to static instability. The buoyancy effect of the near-wall fluid on the hydrodynamic characteristics cannot be neglected. Finally, a new correlation considering buoyancy effect was introduced to predict the OFI of supercritical fluids in different flow directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the propagation process and improve the utilization of ultrahigh frequency (UHF) technique in partial discharge diagnosis, the propagation characteristics of electromagnetic wave in different directions in an L-shaped gas insulated switchgear tank are profoundly investigated in this paper. According to the property of electric field distribution and attenuation curves of the UHF signal, the influence of L-shaped structure is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Plasma‐based technology has been widely applied in the biomedicine, agriculture, and environmental fields. In this study, a new application mode, namely plasma‐activated nebulized mist (PANM) was proposed. The saline was nebulized by the plasma‐activated air to form a mist, and the inactivation effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa were analyzed based on the simulated respiratory tract. The PANM through the simulated trachea with different lengths or diameters, and the branched once or twice simulated respiratory tract exhibited effective inactivation effects. The PANM through the combined simulated trachea and pig trachea could also inactivate the bacteria on the inner wall of the pig trachea. This study supplied a potent alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of respiratory tract infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher current density and faradaic efficiency are always the goals for CO 2 electrochemical reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) over the years. However, in our latest experiments, we inadvertently observe a sharp increase of current density of CO 2 RR in a zero-gap electrolyzer operating at a constant cell voltage. Based on rigorous investigation, it is found that the high current density results from an undesirable oxygen reduction reaction on cathode, due to the oxygen crossover from anode. As oxygen crossover is inevitable for zero-gap electrolyzers, obviously, the pseudo-high current density may lead to an inaccurate evaluation of CO 2 RR performance. To comprehensively illuminate the oxygen crossover behavior and effect, we qualitatively measure the O 2 permeation flux and O 2 permeability, and systematically investigate the influence of materials, electrode designs, and operating conditions. The results suggest that oxygen crossover is a critical issue that should be reflected in CO 2 RR. [Display omitted] • Reported a pseudo-high current density (500 mA cm−2) in a zero-gap electrolyzer. • First identified O 2 crossover from anode to cathode during CO 2 RR. • Measured O 2 permeation flux and O 2 permeability in a zero-gap electrolyzer. • Effects of materials, electrode designs, and operating conditions on O 2 crossover. • Solutions to mitigate the faradaic efficiency loss from O 2 crossover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PirAB ( Photorhabdus insect-related proteins, PirAB) toxin was initially found in the Photorhabdus luminescens TT01 strain and has been shown to be a binary toxin with high insecticidal activity. Based on GenBank data, this gene was also found in the Xenorhabdus nematophila genome sequence. The predicted amino acid sequence of pirA and pirB in the genome of X. nematophila showed 51% and 50% identity with those gene sequences from P. luminescens . The purpose of this experiment is to identify the relevant information for this toxin gene in X. nematophila . The pirA , pirB and pirAB genes of X. nematophila HB310 were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) using the pET-28a vector. A PirAB-fusion protein (PirAB-F) was constructed by linking the pirA and pirB genes with the flexible linker (Gly) 4 DNA encoding sequence and then efficiently expressed in E. coli. The hemocoel and oral insecticidal activities of the recombinant proteins were analyzed against the larvae of Galleria mellonella . The results show that PirA/B alone, PirA/B mixture, co-expressed PirAB protein, and PirAB-F all had no oral insecticidal activity against the second-instar larvae of G. mellonella . Only PirA/B mixture and co-expressed PirAB protein had hemocoel insecticidal activity against G. mellonella fifth-instar larvae, with an LD 50 of 2.718 μg/larva or 1.566 μg/larva, respectively. Therefore, we confirmed that PirAB protein of X. nematophila HB310 is a binary insecticidal toxin. The successful expression and purification of PirAB laid a foundation for further studies on the function, insecticidal mechanism and expression regulation of the binary toxin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)-associated damage to hub regions can lead to disrupted modular structures of functional brain networks and may result in widespread cognitive and behavioral deficits. The spatial layout of brain connections and modules is essential for understanding the reorganization of brain networks to trauma. We investigated the roles of hubs in inter-subnetwork information coordination and integration using participation coefficients (PCs) in 74 patients with acute mTBI and 51 matched healthy controls. In some brain networks, such as default mode network (DMN) and frontoparietal network (FPN), mild TBI patients had decreased PC levels, while this measure was saliently increased in patients in other networks, such as the visual network. The hub disruption index was defined as the gradient of a straight line fitted to scatterplots of individual mTBI in participation coefficient versus mean participation coefficient of healthy groups. There was a trend of radical reorganization of some efficient "hub" nodes in patients (κ = -0.15), compared with controls (κ close to 0). The PC of brain hubs can also differentiate mTBI patients from controls with an 88% accuracy, and decreased PC levels in FPN can predict patient' s worse cognitive information processing speed (r = 0.36, p < 0.002) and working memory performance (r = 0.35, p < 0.002). Reduced PC within the DMN was associated with patients' complaints of post-concussion symptoms (r = -0.35, p < 0.002). This evidence suggests a trend of spatial transition of hub profiles in acute mTBI, and graph metrics of PC measures can be used as potential diagnostic biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) serves as a dielectric layer for surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) and the prepared plasma‐activated saline (PAS) exhibited strong bactericidal effects, however, the fluorides are inevitably generated and bring about side effects in biological application. In this study, the SDBD devices with the dielectric layers of quartz or ceramic compared with that with PTFE were utilized to explore the effective and fluoride‐free PAS using different working gases. The Quartz‐PAS prepared with air exhibited a relatively strong bactericidal effect without inducing the DNA‐protein crosslinks (DPCs) in Escherichia coli cells, while the Ceramic‐PAS exhibited a weak bactericidal effect and induced the DPCs formation. This study supplies guidance in the preparation and regulation of PAS for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although silicon has higher theoretical specific capacity to meet the demand for higher energy density, its large volume expansion and low conductivity make the practical application of silicon anode difficult in the field of lithium-ion batteries. In this work, Si@(AP-AOCNTs) composites with uniform conductive network and pore structure are prepared by spray drying method. In the composite microspheres, silicon particles are embedded into the 3D interwoven network of 1-aminopyrene modified oxidized carbon nanotubes, which can not only buffer the volume expansion of silicon, but also ensure the effective transport of electrons and ions. This is demonstrated by the remarkable cycle life, and the electrode still has a reversible specific capacity of 939.3mAh/g after 975 cycles at 0.5A/g. Moreover, 97.3% of the initial capacity (at 0.5A/g) is still retained after the rate cycling, when the current density returns to 0.5A/g. [Display omitted] • Three-dimensional carbon nanotube networks facilitate electron transport and particle integrity. • 1-aminopyrene can effectively improve the dispersion uniformity of CNTs and favor the formation of a stable SEI film. • Si@ (AP-AOCNTs) anode exhibits obvious improved rate and cyclic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some patients after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) experience microstructural damages in the long-distance white matter (WM) connections, which disrupts the functional connectome of large-scale brain networks that support cognitive function. Patterns of WM structural damage following mTBI were well documented using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). However, the functional organization of WM and its association with gray matter functional networks (GM-FNs) and its DTI metrics remain unknown. The present study adopted resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore WM functional properties in mTBI patients (108 acute patients, 48 chronic patients, 46 healthy controls [HCs]). Eleven large-scale WM functional networks (WM-FNs) were constructed by the k-means clustering algorithm of voxel-wise WM functional connectivity (FC). Compared with HCs, acute mTBI patients observed enhanced FC between inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) WM-FN and primary sensorimotor WM-FNs, and cortical primary sensorimotor GM-FNs. Further, acute mTBI patients showed increased DTI metrics (mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity) in deep WM-FNs and higher-order cognitive WM-FNs. Moreover, mTBI patients demonstrated full recovery of FC and partial recovery of DTI metrics in the chronic stage. Additionally, enhanced FC between IFOF WM-FN and anterior cerebellar GM-FN was correlated with impaired information processing speed. Our findings provide novel evidence for functional and structural alteration of WM-FNs in mTBI patients. Importantly, the convergent damage of the IFOF network might imply its crucial role in our understanding of the pathophysiology mechanism of mTBI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella enteritidis , a Gram-negative foodborne pathogen, causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Poultry and poultry products are considered to be the main hosts of S. enteritidis , especially the most common edible eggs, and increase the risk of Salmonella infection. Therefore, developing the inactivation strategy of S. enteritidis on the surface of eggs is the key step during the egg production process. Gas plasma could effectively inactivate bacteria and fungi and is developed as a potential non-thermal sterilization method in the food industry. In this study, the plasma-activated air (PAA) prepared by the air activated with gliding arc discharge contained a variety of reactive species. When the PAA activated at the power of 50 W and 100 W was inducted into the incubation chamber, the numbers of S. enteritidis on egg fragments or the whole eggs were reduced below the detection limit. After PAA treatment, the eggshells exhibited no change in structure demonstrated by scanning electron microscope, the color of eggshells became a little decrease in red, the internal quality of both the raw egg and the cooked egg also exhibited no change, and trace reactive species remained in the albumen. Further, the PAA was also feasible for the batch treatment of stacked eggs. Therefore, this study supplied an effective and safe strategy for aseptic processing in the poultry industry. • PAA effectively inactivated Salmonella enteritidis on the surface of eggs. • PAA treatment exhibited no adverse effects on the quality of eggs. • PAA could be applied in the treatment of stacked eggs for batch processing. • PAA provided a potent and safe tool for aseptic processing in the poultry industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has lasted two and a half years and the infections caused by the viral contamination are still occurring. Developing efficient disinfection technology is crucial for the current epidemic or infectious diseases caused by other pathogenic microorganisms. Gas plasma can efficiently inactivate different microorganisms, therefore, in this study, a combination of water spray and plasma-activated air was established for the disinfection of pathogenic microorganisms. The combined treatment efficiently inactivated the Omicron-pseudovirus through caused the nitration modification of the spike proteins and also the pathogenic bacteria. The combined treatment was improved with a funnel-shaped nozzle to form a temporary relatively sealed environment for the treatment of the contaminated area. The improved device could efficiently inactivate the Omicron-pseudovirus and bacteria on the surface of different materials including quartz, metal, leather, plastic, and cardboard and the particle size of the water spray did not affect the inactivation effects. This study supplied a disinfection strategy based on plasma-activated air for the inactivation of contaminated pathogenic microorganisms. [Display omitted] • A combined treatment of water spray and plasma-activated air was established for microbial inactivation. • The combined treatment could efficiently inactivate Omicron pseudovirus and bacteria. • The combined treatment induced nitrosative and nitration modification on proteins. • The combined treatment could effectively inactivate microorganisms on the surface of different materials. • The combined treatment provided a new strategy for efficient disinfection of the contaminated microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical spin-orbit torque (SOT) in magnetic insulators (MI) has been intensively studied due to its advantages in spin-orbitronic devices with ultralow energy consumption. However, the magnon torque in the MIs, which has the potential to further lower the energy consumption, still remains elusive. In this work, we demonstrate the efficient magnon torque transferred into an MI through an antiferromagnetic insulator. By fabricating a Pt/NiO/Tm 3 Fe 5 O 12 heterostructure with different NiO thicknesses, we have systematically investigated the evolution of the transferred magnon torque. We show that the magnon torque efficiency transferred through the NiO into the MI can retain a high value (∼50%), which is comparable to the previous report for the magnon torque transferred into the metallic magnet. Our study manifests the feasibility of realizing the pure magnon-based spin-orbitronic devices with ultralow energy consumption and high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With thickness increase, the high tortuosity and long ion-path way lead to the sluggish kinetic in the electrode. Low tortuosity structure design can facilitate lithium ion (Li+) diffusion and electrolyte percolation in the electrode. • Vertical aligned hollow carbon fibers provide electrolyte percolation channels. • Low tortuosity electrode structure facilitates Lithium ion diffusion in thick electrode. • The method of low tortuosity design is simple, avoiding the template removed. The sluggish kinetic is the key factor to restrain electrochemical performance of high sulfur loading thick electrode. With thickness increase, the high tortuosity and long ion-path way lead to the sluggish kinetic in the electrode. Low tortuosity structure design can facilitate lithium ion (Li+) diffusion and electrolyte percolation into the electrode, which is an appropriate method to improve electrochemical performance. This paper focuses on the construction of low tortuosity electrode design. The hollow carbon micro-fibers of carbonized kapok fibers (CKFs) are decorated by superparamagnetic Co 3 O 4 derived from ZIF-67, which are utilized to provide the vertical channel in the thick electrode. The orientation of CKFs@Co 3 O 4 in the magnetic field provides the directional pathway to improve the kinetics of mass transport in the thick electrode. Compared with the conventional electrode, the low tortuosity electrode shows better electrochemical performance. With sulfur loading of 6 mg cm−2 and around 300 μm thickness, it exhibits the excellent reversible capacity of 866.2 mAh g-1at 0.2C after 100 cycles and delivers a high initial capacity of 479.1 mAh g−1 at 2C. The low tortuosity structure design reported from this paper is effective to relieve the sluggish kinetic of the thick electrode and is potential for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Metal-Organic Framework-derived Co 9 S 8 /C hollow polyhedra grow on three-dimensional graphene aerogel (Co 9 S 8 /C/GA). • The shuttling effect is efficiently suppressed by the polar Co 9 S 8 /C electrode. • The free-standing Co 9 S 8 /C/GA composite serves as an efficient sulfur host material. • The Co 9 S 8 /C/GA/S cathode exhibits excellent long-cycling stability. Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are considered as one of the most promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems because of their high energy density. However, rapid capacity fade and low sulfur content caused by the shuttle effect of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and the low conductivity of sulfur hinder the practical applications of Li-S batteries. In this regard, we synthesized metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived Co 9 S 8 /C hollow polyhedra grown on three-dimensional graphene aerogel (3D GA) as an efficient sulfur host material. The highly porous, conductive and free-standing 3D GA framework enables high sulfur content (77.3 wt%). The polar Co 9 S 8 /C provides strong chemical binding to immobilize polysulfides, and suppress the shuttling effect. Significantly, the Co 9 S 8 /C/GA/S cathode exhibits excellent long cycling stability with a low capacity decay rate of 0.0473% per cycle over 400 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ledinegg instability corresponds to saddle-node bifurcation. • A versatile quantitative criterion is developed to avoid the occurrence of Ledinegg instability. • The saddle-node bifurcation points, OFIs and the tangent points between two characteristic curves are equivalent. • Two types of flow excursion and OFIs are defined. • Hysteresis phenomenon can be induced by Ledinegg instability. Some new phenomena of Ledinegg instability are observed by portraying a complete flow excursion process via bifurcation analysis and experimental verification. A mathematical model consisting of two first-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations, is constructed via the lumped parameter method and verified through linear stability analysis. The results of bifurcation analysis show that Ledinegg instability corresponds to saddle-node bifurcation, which is consistent with previous literatures. The minimum point of the internal curve is not necessarily the onset of flow instability (OFI). It is equivalent, for the saddle-node bifurcation point, OFI and the tangent point between two characteristic curves, to indicate flow excursion. The flow excursion process is unidirectional and irreversible at OFI, which decides that hysteresis phenomenon can be triggered by Ledinegg instability within the unstable bifurcation interval. Conversely, hysteresis phenomenon determines there exist two types of flow excursion and OFIs, namely, Type I and Type II which respectively correspond to decrease and increase in mass flux. Hysteresis phenomenon indicates not only that the system cannot autonomously returns to the original operating state once flow excursion occurs, but also that the sufficient and necessary condition of flow excursion is that current equilibrium state crosses over the corresponding OFI in the same equilibrium branch. To avoid the occurrence of Ledinegg instability, a versatile quantitative criterion is developed by considering two characteristic forces simultaneously. Finally, experimental results verify the correctness of bifurcation analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]