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Aerosol remote sensing typically relies on reflected shortwave radiation and thus lacks nighttime retrievals. Here we made an original attempt to retrieve nighttime aerosol optical depth (AOD) by utilizing longwave measurements in the atmospheric window region from the Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) instrument. A machine‐learning based algorithm is developed using AIRS longwave radiance and auxiliary data as the input and AOD from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) as well as reanalysis surface temperature as the output. Independent validation indicates good agreement with lunar AOD derived from surface photometers. An overall increase in nighttime AOD compared to daytime is also uncovered, which is further corroborated by surface and space lidar measurements. The theoretical basis of the algorithm is further verified using radiative transfer simulations. Our approach substantially extends the potential of hyperspectral longwave measurements and offers valuable insights into nighttime aerosol properties. Plain Language Summary: Aerosol optical depth (AOD) is an important parameter for understanding the effects of aerosols on the Earth's atmosphere and air quality. However, current satellite‐based methods for estimating AOD mainly rely on reflected sunlight, thus lacking the capability of deriving aerosol properties at night. In this study, we develop a novel machine‐learning based method for estimating nighttime AOD using longwave far infrared measurements from the Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) satellite instrument. Our algorithm shows satisfactory performance with good agreements with surface AOD derived from moonlight, as well as from space lidar. Through radiative transfer simulations, we were able to verify the theoretical basis of our method and establish a relationship between AOD and the longwave measurements. This new approach greatly expands our ability to estimate AOD during nighttime and provides valuable insights into day‐time aerosol variability. Key Points: Nighttime AOD is successfully retrieved from satellite longwave radiance measurementsResults agree well with AERONET lunar AOD and CALIPSO nighttime AODNighttime AOD is found to be overall higher than daytime AOD globally [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhodamine derivatives are a class of common fluorescent dyes and are usually co‐doped with room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) polymers for tuning colors; here, their unusual luminescence properties in polyvinyl alcohol are first disclosed. The doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films are photo‐excited for 0.5‒1 min and emit orange and red afterglows with lifetimes of over 1 s at room temperature. More unexpectedly, the respective prompt and delayed room temperature emission colors and spectra are identical, and the red‐shifted afterglows are observed in liquid nitrogen, indicating that room temperature afterglow is thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). Their molecular structure features and quantum chemical calculations support this inference. Impressively, the room temperature afterglows are visible light excitable up to 540 nm since the maximal and strong absorption bands are in green regions. Hence, this work discloses unknown excitation and emission properties of rhodamine derivatives and provides the really visible light excited yet intrinsic red TADF afterglows for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northeast China (NEC) is one of the most severely impacted regions by fire and biomass burning in the country. Notably, fires in this area have exhibited an increasing trend over the past decade, contrasting with the extensive pollution reduction observed in other parts of China. In this study, we combine observational data analysis and climate model simulations to demonstrate that the escalation of spring fire activities in NEC is likely induced by a decline in Bering Sea ice concentration during preceding months. This Arctic‐driven teleconnection contributes to increased temperatures and decreased precipitation in NEC through reduced vertical wind shear, anomalously northerly wind transport, and the formation of a high‐pressure center with descending airflow. These changes are conducive to fire ignition and expansion. Furthermore, this linkage may be amplified in future warmer scenarios. This mechanism holds significant implications for predicting decadal fire activity and furthering our understanding of global environmental projections. Plain Language Summary: In Northeast China (NEC), a region severely impacted by fire and biomass burning, there has been an increasing trend in fires over the past decade. This contrasts with pollution reduction seen in other parts of the country. It is therefore necessary to investigate the potential causes of this trend. Here, we show this increase in spring fires is likely due to a decrease in ice concentration in the Bering Sea during earlier months. The Arctic‐driven teleconnection will increase the temperature and decrease the precipitation in NEC through reduced vertical wind shear, anomalously north wind transport, and the local high‐pressure center with descending airflow. These changes create a hotter and drier condition in NEC that is conducive to fire activities. Furthermore, this connection could be more pronounced in future warmer scenarios, emphasizing the essential need for sustainable development routes with lower greenhouse gas emissions. This finding has important implications for forecasting fire activity across NEC and advancing the global environmental projection. Key Points: The escalation of fire in Northeast China during the past decade is strongly linked with the decline of Bering Sea ice concentrationWeakened vertical wind shear, the high‐pressure center and northerly winds induced by warmer Bering Sea might explain the teleconnectionThis linkage could potentially be intensified in a warmer world [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, 2D materials have been widely used in optical and photonic applications such as mode lockers, optical switches, polarizers, and optical modulators. As is known, many 2D optical materials are parabolic semiconductors. The electronic states determines the material's optical characteristics. The energy band structure with a bandgap dominates the electron dynamics process associated with intrinsic light absorption. Particularly, the Dirac cone and flat band (FB) are special nonparabolic energy band structures in materials. Dirac materials are characterized by a zero bandgap, and FB materials have a completely flat dispersionless band in the Brillouin zone. These materials are used as emergent and promising 2D materials for saturable absorbers (SAs) due to their excellent nonlinear optical response, and they become potential candidates for ultrafast photonics applications. Herein, the focus is on the characteristics of the energy band structure; the carrier dynamics are reviewed, and application in ultrafast photonics are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle East, as the world's second-largest dust source region, has dust emissions that significantly impact numerous populated areas, extending from North America to South Asia. Over the past two decades, dust activity in the Middle East has exhibited pronounced variability, with a notable trend shift from positive to negative around 2010. The underlying cause of this trend shift remains elusive. In this study, we employ multi-source datasets and global climate model simulations to demonstrate that the variability of Middle East dust activities is closely tied to changes in North Tropical Atlantic (NTA) sea surface temperature (SST). Specifically, a warm NTA SST anomaly generates an anomalous regional zonal cell characterized by ascending air motion above the NTA and descending air surrounding the Middle East. The associated surface high pressures around the Middle East subsequently induce hot and dry conditions accompanied by intensified Shamal winds in the north, which are favorable for dust emission and transport. The shift in SST trends from positive to negative in the NTA around 2010 is therefore responsible for the observed dust trend shift in the Middle East. This mechanism holds vital implications for predicting decadal dust variability over the Middle East region and further the project of global environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photonic spin Hall effect (SHE) refers to the transverse separation of spin photons in refraction and reflection phenomena. The photonic SHE has been investigated in various optical systems including air–glass interfaces, interfaces containing 2D materials, random media, etc. Here, the spin–orbit coupling (SOC) in nonlinear uniaxial crystals is investigated, and the SHE of second‐harmonic photons is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally. The generation and evolution processes of nonlinear spin photons within the crystal are visualized by the derived four wave coupling equations and wavevector‐varying Berry phases. For a focused fundamental beam, two cascaded SOCs occurring in the fundamental and second‐harmonic fields are connected by the nonlinear wave mixing near the focal position. Thus the SHE of nonlinear photons depends on the focal position, different strongly from linear photons whose SHE is independent of the focal position. Similar to the focal‐position‐dependent SHE, the focal‐position‐dependent optical vortex generations are also demonstrated for the nonlinear fields. Finally, a high‐speed modulation scheme for the SHE is proposed based on an electro‐optical polarization controller, which routes nonlinear spin photons into different destinations. These findings deepen the understanding of spin–orbit coupling in nonlinear systems and facilitate the development of spin multiplexed electrooptic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quiet ego—a personality construct characterized by empathy, inclusivity, non-defensiveness, and growth-mindedness in self-other relations—correlates positively with varied health markers. There is also emerging evidence that quiet-ego-based interventions may have a positive impact on health-related outcomes. However, no research has examined whether such interventions promote psychological flourishing and through what mechanisms. We addressed this gap with a randomized longitudinal experiment, hypothesizing that a quiet ego contemplation would improve participants' flourishing and that the link between the intervention and flourishing would be mediated by higher trait emotional intelligence (EI). Using Amazon MTurk, we randomly assigned 75 participants to a 3-session intervention or control condition. As hypothesized, participants in the intervention condition reported higher trait EI scores that, in turn, elevated their flourishing. Results extend the causal benefits of brief quiet ego interventions to psychological flourishing. Given the study's context during the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings may have implications for mitigating the negative impact of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper‐based 3D fractal nanostructures are integrated on the electrodes using a scalable and ink‐free flame aerosol synthesis technique for electrochemical CO2 reduction. The effects of tortuosity and oxidation state of copper are respectively investigated by isolating each effect from the others. By balancing the intermediate confinement and local availability of CO2, CuO‐derived Cu with optimal tortuosity exhibits a Faradaic efficiency of 65% toward C2+ products at an applied potential of −1.04 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. A subsequent study of the effects of the oxidation state, which is free from the influence of tortuosity, reveals that Cu2+‐derived Cu demonstrates suppressed hydrogen evolution reaction and a higher C2+/CH4 ratio than metallic Cu. The preference for the formation of both ethanol and n‐propanol versus ethylene, is found to follow the trend from metallic Cu > Cu2+‐derived Cu > Cu+‐derived Cu toward alcohols' formation. These findings elucidate the underlying causes for the effects of tortuosity of porous Cu electrodes on selectivity and provide insights into the specific effects of the initial oxidation state on various reaction pathways during electrochemical CO2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust activities are closely related to local meteorological conditions partly driven by remote ocean variability. Here, we investigate the impact of tropical Pacific, North Atlantic, and Arctic ocean variability on dust activities in the Gobi Desert and North China and attempt to quantify their contributions. Three individual Sea Surface Temperature (SST) forcing experiments were performed to simulate the teleconnection from the three ocean basins. Two random forest regression models were established to link the meteorological variables to boreal Spring Dust Activity Frequency (SDAF). Results show that with SST (sea ice concentration for the Arctic) anomaly, tropical Pacific SST variability results in the most change in SDAF in the Gobi Desert, whereas the North Atlantic SST variability plays a more critical role in North China. Considering the observed SST variability, the tropical Pacific becomes more critical in affecting dust activities in both regions. Plain Language Summary: Dust activities are closely related to local meteorological conditions, which can be largely affected by the variability in remote oceans. Considering the prevalence of dust storms in the Gobi Desert and North China area in local spring each year, we investigate the impact of relative changes in the tropical Pacific, North Atlantic sea surface temperature, and Arctic sea ice concentration on boreal spring dust activities in these two regions. Our results show that when Sea Surface Temperature (SST) (sea ice area fraction for the Arctic) fluctuates by 1%, the change in the tropical Pacific leads to the most dust activity frequency changes in the Gobi Desert, whereas in the dust transport area of North China, the change in the North Atlantic plays a more critical role. Considering the observed SST variability, the tropical Pacific is more important in affecting dust activities in both regions. The finding can be helpful in the modeling and prediction of dust activities over northeastern Asia. Key Points: The dust activity frequency in the Gobi Desert showed interdecadal variability, whereas it decreased in North China from 1981 to 2021Warmer North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature (SST), cooler Niño 1 + 2 SST, and less Arctic sea ice concentration cause more spring dust activities in both regionsNiño 1 + 2 SST forcing dominates the dust activity in the Gobi Desert, whereas North Atlantic forcing is vital for North China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological research consistently demonstrates that affect can play an important role in decision-making across a broad range of contexts. Despite this, the role of affect in clinical reasoning and medical decision-making has received relatively little attention. Integrating the affect, social cognition, and patient safety literatures can provide new insights that promise to advance our understanding of clinical reasoning and lay the foundation for novel interventions to reduce diagnostic errors and improve patient safety. In this paper, we briefly review the ways in which psychologists differentiate various types of affect. We then consider existing research examining the influence of both positive and negative affect on clinical reasoning and diagnosis. Finally, we introduce an empirically supported theoretical framework from social psychology that explains the cognitive processes by which these effects emerge and demonstrates that cognitive interventions can alter these processes. Such interventions, if adapted to a medical context, hold great promise for reducing errors that emerge from faulty thinking when healthcare providers experience different affective responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quiet ego refers to a self-construal that is balanced and growth-oriented in its stance toward the self and others. It is conceptualized as representing the intersection of four characteristics: inclusive identity, perspective taking, detached awareness, and growth-mindedness. As a relatively new construct, the quiet ego has been validated in domains relating to balance, compassion, and growth. However, its construct validity has rarely been examined with regard to other aspects of self-identity that are both conceptually similar and have implications for well-being. Building on existing work on the quiet ego and self-concept clarity, we first examined the quiet ego's theoretical relation with self-concept clarity (Study 1, N = 1099) using a confirmatory factor analysis approach and then investigated its associations with psychological well-being and self-esteem from the perspective of self-concept clarity using path modeling (Study 2, pre-registered, N = 500). We found that the quiet ego was positively associated with self-concept clarity and that the quiet ego predicted psychological well-being and self-esteem indirectly via its association with self-concept clarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated organic crystals containing hetero-atom and halogen can usually undergo inter-system crossing (ISC) to populate triplet state and radiate room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) under photo-excitation, but those simultaneously emitting bright RTP under mechanical force stimulus are still rare. In the current work, N -(2-carbamoyl-3-bromophenyl)carbazole is synthesized starting from commercial and self-made 9 H -carbazole, named C2J3X and L2J3X, respectively. We verify that C2J3X crystal shows the deserved RTP of isomer doping system by co-crystallization of C2J3X and L2J3X. More significantly, C2J3X crystal not only emits highly-efficient and long-lived RTP under photoexcitation but also shows touch-sensitive RTP emission upon mechanical force stimulus. The excellent RTP is due to the dual role of isomer doping and two-in-one introduction of polar group and heavy halogen, and the mechanoluminescence is attributed to crystal's piezoelectric space group. [Display omitted] • Bright and touch-sensitive organic mechanofluorescence and mechanophosphorescence. • Photo- and mechano-room temperature phosphorescence exist simultaneously. • The dual role of isomer doping and two-in-one introduction of polar group and heavy halogen produce excellent RTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A piezo-photocatalytic recycled aggregate pervious concrete was fabricated. • The hydrophobicity of BT h promoted hydration and improved the workability of cement. • Piezo-photocatalysis was applied to concrete and achieved a prominent water purification effect. • A tri-phase catalytic interface is formed during the degradation of water pollutants. • The synergistic mechanism of piezo-photocatalysis and tri-phase catalysts was revealed. The technology of waste recycling and environmental remediation applied to building materials has attracted much attention. However, the addition of materials for purifying water pollutants often deteriorates the mechanical properties of abandoned buildings and their purification performance is not ideal. In this paper, a new piezo-photocatalytic pervious concrete (PRC) containing hydrophobic BiOI/BaTiO 3 (BT h) and recycled aggregate (RA) was developed to enhance water purification performance using multi-dimensional (mechanical and light) energy and improve negative effects caused by the introduction of RA. Based on the porous structure and higher water absorption (7.3 %) of the recycled aggregate, the water absorption (3.8 %) of the RA was reduced by loading the BT h. The enhancement of BT h on compressive strength (about 40 % increase) and anti-corrosion property (about 32 % increase) of PRC was analyzed, and the enhancement mechanism was further revealed by the effect of the hydrophobicity of BT h on the fluidity of the concrete slurry and hydration process. Additionally, the degradation rates of Rhodamine b, methylene blue and sulfamethoxazole by PRC with BT h reached 95.1 %, 94.7 % and 81.4 %, respectively under ultrasound and light within 60 min. PRC exhibits excellent cycle stability, mechanical durability, aging resistance and self-cleaning stability. Finally, the enhancing mechanism of piezo-photocatalytic water purification by the built-in electric field and tri-phase catalysis induced by BT h hydrophobicity was explored and ascertained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezo-photocatalysts exhibit remarkable efficacy in water pollutant treatment due to their efficient electron separation characteristics, while the interior recyclability and potentials for secondary pollution still limit the widespread application. In this study, a hydrophobically modified BiOI/BaTiO 3 heterostructure was constructed, which demonstrated exceptional piezo-photocatalytic performance in RhB degradation (nearly 100 % within 30min) under irradiation and ultrasound. The kinetic rate constant (k) was 1.7, 2.1 and 24.1 times higher than BiOI/BaTiO 3 without hydrophobically modifying, pure BiOI and BaTiO 3 , respectively. At the same time, the hydrophobically modified BiOI/BaTiO 3 also has excellent degradation performance for other pollutants such as MB and SMX, which can degrade MB of 96.1 % and SMX of 82.3 % respectively within 30min. Additionally, HBBT exhibits exceptional recyclability (over 90 wt% after one cycle) and a low risk for secondary pollution due to the hydrophobicity-induced floating effect. Furthermore, the enhancing mechanism of piezoelectricity synergistic photocatalysis by the built-in electric field and tri-phase catalysis of air-liquid-solid joint interface for RhB degradation was explored and ascertained. This study may provide new ideas for efficient and highly recyclable photocatalytic water pollutant materials from the perspective of interface engineering. [Display omitted] • Hydrophobic BiOI/BaTiO 3 exhibited tri-phase catalysis and piezo-photocatalysis. • Exceptional recyclability and a low risk for secondary pollution were proved. • A tri-phase piezo-photocatalytic mechanism for RhB degradation was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Photo)electrolysis of water or gases with water to species serving as industrial feedstocks and energy carriers, such as hydrogen, ammonia, ethylene, propanol, etc., has drawn tremendous attention. Moreover, these processes can often be driven by renewable energy under ambient conditions as a sustainable alternative to traditional high-temperature and high-pressure synthesis methods. In addition to the extensive studies on catalyst development, increasing attention has been paid to the regulation of gas transport/diffusion behaviors during gas-involving (photo)electrocatalytic reactions towards the goal of creating industrially viable catalytic systems with high reaction rates, excellent long-term stabilities and near-unity selectivities. Biomimetic surfaces and systems with special wetting capabilities and structural advantages can shed light on the future design of (photo)electrodes and address long-standing challenges. This article is dedicated to bridging the fields of wetting and catalysis by reviewing the cutting-edge design methodologies of both gas-evolving and gas-consuming (photo)electrocatalytic systems. We first introduce the fundamentals of various in-air/underwater wetting states and their corresponding bioinspired structural properties. The relationship amongst the bubble transport behavior, wettability, and porosity/tortuosity is also discussed. Next, the latest implementations of wetting-related design principles for gas-evolving reactions (i.e. the hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction) and gas-consuming reactions (i.e. the oxygen reduction reaction and CO2 reduction reaction) are summarized. For photoelectrode designs, additional factors are taken into account, such as light absorption and the separation, transport and recombination of photoinduced electrons and holes. The influences of wettability and 3D structuring of (photo)electrodes on the catalytic activity, stability and selectivity are analyzed to reveal the underlying mechanisms. Finally, remaining questions and related future perspectives are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quiet ego refers to a self-identity that is balanced and growth-oriented in its stance toward the self and others. As a relatively new construct, its validity has been examined in domains related to balance, compassion, and self-control, it has not been examined in other domains that appear to have conceptual overlap such as emotional intelligence (EI), a construct entailing both ability EI (construed as cognitive ability) and trait EI (construed as self-perception). This pre-registered study (N = 300) first examined the quiet ego's construct validity in the domain of EI using a confirmatory factor analysis approach, and then investigated its associations with subjective well-being and psychological stress from the angle of EI using path models. Results showed that the quiet ego was positively associated with both ability and trait EI, thereby establishing its validity in this domain. Mediation analyses revealed trait EI mediated the relationship between the quiet ego and increased subjective well-being and decreased stress. Serial mediation analyses further revealed that the link between the quiet ego and trait EI was mediated by mindfulness such that the quiet ego transmitted its effects to subjective well-being and stress first via mindfulness and then trait EI. In contrast, there was no evidence that ability EI mediated the relationship between the quiet ego and subjective well-being or stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Self-cleaning surfaces on building exteriors. • Photocatalysis, superhydrophilicity, superhydrophobicity and superamphiphobicity. • The durability of self-cleaning surface. • The supplementary functionality of self-cleaning building exteriors. Extensive research is being conducted on self-cleaning surfaces inspired by biological phenomena, owing to their remarkable surface properties. Recently, the utilization of self-cleaning surfaces as innovative building materials has been increasingly prevalent. This approach offers a low-carbon, cost-effective, and eco-friendly solution for maintaining the appearance and cleanliness of building exteriors and significantly enhancing the durability of building structures. This paper centers on the subject of self-cleaning surfaces within buildings and delineates current research trends and focal points. Furthermore, the self-cleaning effects induced by special properties such as photocatalysis, superhydrophilicity, superhydrophobicity, and superamphiphobicity were analyzed and summarized in terms of applicability in the service of building exteriors. The mechanisms behind the self-cleaning abilities resulting from these different properties were also elucidated. This article also provides a comprehensive overview of the durability of self-cleaning surfaces under various external factors, including potential physical and chemical erosion of building exteriors. Moreover, it examines other potential applications for these self-cleaning surfaces, and the supplementary functionality and potential value of self-cleaning surfaces on building exteriors are analyzed. Finally, the limitations and potential for improvement in the application of self-cleaning technology to building exteriors were identified concerning preparation and synthesis, performance evaluation, mechanism research, and practical implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2D tungsten disulfide (WS2), as a typical transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD), has aroused intense research interests in photodetection. However, the limited detection wavelength ranges and low photoresponsivity hinder its further application. To promote the application of WS2 in optoelectronics fields, indium arsenide (InAs) nanoislands decorated WS2 are utilized to fabricate photodetectors in this work. Owing to the photogating effect and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), a significant enhancement of photocurrent response (≈1 mA W−1) is obtained by coupling WS2 with InAs nanoislands. Furthermore, the extended detection wavelength up to 1060 nm is realized due to the efficient light absorption in IR range of InAs nanoislands. The high performance, stability, and reliability in ambient temperature strongly indicate that the InAs nanoislands/WS2 heterostructure can be considered as a promising material for TMDs‐based broadband optoelectronic devices in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite BiFeO 3 photoanodes were fabricated using a facile and scalable method. The photocurrent density of interfacial-engineered BiFeO 3 photoanode for water oxidation significantly increased under simulated 1 sun irradiation. Furthermore, such functionalization of the BiFeO 3 photoanodes shifted the onset potential by 0.7 V down to 0.6 V vs. RHE. • A facile and scalable method was developed to fabricate porous perovskite BiFeO 3. • Two interfacial modification approaches were reported to improve the photoactivity. • The photocurrent density was significantly increased under 1 sun illumination. • Such interfacial modifications shifted the onset potential cathodically by 0.7 V. Ferroelectric semiconductors like BiFeO 3 are increasingly being investigated for applications in solar energy conversion and storage due to their intrinsic ability to induce ferroelectric polarization-driven separation of the photogenerated charge carriers resulting in above-bandgap photovoltages. Nevertheless, the BiFeO 3 has been commonly prepared using complex and expensive fabrication techniques, e.g., epitaxial growth, radio frequency sputtering and pulsed laser deposition, which are not economically viable for large-scale production. Herein, we report a facile and scalable method for the fabrication of porous perovskite BiFeO 3 photoanodes, as well as sequential interfacial engineering methods to enhance their photoelectrochemical performance for water splitting. Upon atomic layer deposition of a TiO 2 overlayer and photo-assisted electrodeposition of a cobalt oxide/oxyhydroxide co-catalyst, the photocurrent density of the engineered photoanode for oxygen evolution reaction (1 M NaOH) significantly increased from negligible photocurrent of the pristine BiFeO 3 to 0.16 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) under simulated 1 sun irradiation (100 mW cm−2, AM1.5G spectrum). Furthermore, such functionalization of the BiFeO 3 photoanodes shifts the photoelectrochemical oxidation onset potential by 0.7 V down to 0.6 V vs. RHE. The significantly enhanced photoelectro-oxidation activity is facilitated by the improved charge transfer and electrochemical kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of fluorinated graphene (f-Gr) as the interfacial layer on Fermi level depinning in Ti/n-type Ge Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) is intensively studied. Electrical properties of the SBDs are characterized by I-V method. The series resistance, barrier height and ideal factor of the SBDs are extracted by forward I-V, Cheung's method and Norde's method, respectively. Fluorinated graphene is found effective in reducing barrier height of Ti/Ge SBD. On the contrary, the SBD with graphene interlayer shows the increased barrier height and the barrier height changes significantly with bias voltage due to graphene induced Fermi level shift. Therefore, the fluorinated graphene is more stable and predictable in modifying metal/semiconductor interfaces, which can be further used in other metal/semiconductor contacts to achieve high quality SBDs. • Schottky barrier height lowering of Ti/n-type Ge SBD by insertion of fluorinated graphene. • Ti/graphene/n-type Ge SBD barrier height dependent on reverse bias voltage. • Ti/fluorinated graphene/n-type Ge SBD barrier height independent on reverse bias voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A model of light emitting - diode with micro - thermoelectric cooler is proposed. • Various interfacial and size effects are considered in the presented model. • Five structures of micro-coolers are designed to reduce the chip temperature. • The impact of interfacial effects on the thermal performance is assessed. • The impact of micro-thermoelectric cooler on the optical performance is analyzed. Abstract Thermoelectric cooler has been widely used in the thermal management of various electronic devices. However, the application of micro - thermoelectric cooler to high power light - emitting diode still needs to be further explored at present. This paper aims to establish a model of high power light - emitting diode package integrated with micro - thermoelectric cooler and explore the performance of this system under various interfacial and size effects. An experiment is conducted to validate the model. Five types of the micro - thermoelectric coolers are designed and integrated to the light - emitting diode package to reduce the localized junction temperature of the light - emitting diode chip. The influence of interfacial effects, thermoelectric element size, and driving power of micro - thermoelectric cooler on the system - level thermal and optical performance is discussed. Results indicate that the micro - thermoelectric cooler with 6 × 6 thermoelectric elements shows the best cooling performance for the driving power of micro - thermoelectric cooler lower than 0.85 W. For thermoelectric cooler with 6 × 6 thermoelectric elements, a minimum chip junction of 95.9 °C, which is 12.3 °C lower than that of the light - emitting diode without micro - thermoelectric cooler, can be achieved. This characteristic can increase the luminous efficacy and lifetime by 12.3% and 50%, respectively. It also found that the electrical boundary resistance plays a more dominant role, compared with the thermal boundary resistance. However, the thermal contact resistance exhibits greater adverse impact than the electrical contact resistance. In addition, a total performance improvement proportion of 25.5% can still be achieved, although the micro - thermoelectric cooler consumes power energy by 22.5% at the driving power of 0.87 W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wide band gap of TiO 2 photocatalyst material limits its application in the field of visible photocatalysis. In this paper, oxygen vacancies and carbon quantum dots (CQD) with up-conversion character were proposed to improve the photocatalytic activity for NO removal of TiO 2 under visible light irradiation. The one-dimensional TiO 2 nanotube (TNs), TNs containing oxygen vacancies (OVTNs), TNs of composite CQD (CQD-TNs) and OVTNs of composite CQD (CQD-OVTNs) were prepared, respectively. Furthermore, the influence of oxygen vacancies and CQD on the removal of NOx by photocatalysis were explored. It is found that CQD-OVTNs exhibits the conspicuous synergetic effect of CQD and oxygen vacancy to boost visible photocatalytic NO removal, the NO removal efficiency was about 12, 2, and 2.6 times to TNs, OVTNs and CQD-TNs. Also, CQD-OVTNs exhibits the NO 2 -inhibited property during the process of photocatalytic NO removal. Finally, the synergetic mechanism of CQD and oxygen vacancies to TNs for boosting visible photocatalytic NO removal was revealed. [Display omitted] • The improvement of visible photocatalytic NO activity of CQD-OVTNs. • NO 2 inhibited characteristic and environmental friendliness for photocatalytic NO. • The synergism of CQD and oxygen vacancy for visible photocatalytic NO removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising cleaner technology for nitric oxide degradation, photocatalysis has attracted extensive attention, while the main limitations of photocatalytic nitric oxide are that the toxic NO 2 is produced easily and the photocatalytic durability was inferior due to the accumulation of photocatalytic products. In this paper, a WO 3 –TiO 2 nanorod/CaCO 3 (TCC) insulating heterojunction photocatalyst with degradation-regeneration double sites was prepared by simple grinding and calcining. The effects of CaCO 3 loading on the morphology, microstructure and composition of TCC photocatalyst were investigated by SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR and XPS etc. Also, TCC exhibits NO 2 -inhibited and durable characteristics for NO degradation. DFT calculation, the detection of active radicals by EPR, capture test and the NO degradation pathway characterized by in-situ FT-IR spectra showed that the electron-rich region formed and the existence of regeneration sites are the main reasons for promoting the NO 2 -inhibited and durable NO degradation. Furthermore, the mechanism of NO 2 -inhibited and durable NO degradation by TCC was revealed. Finally, TCC superamphiphobic photocatalytic coating was prepared, which still exhibits similar NO 2 -inhibited and durable characteristics for NO degradation to TCC photocatalyst. It may provide new application value and development prospects in the field of photocatalytic NO. [Display omitted] • A WO 3 –TiO 2 nanorod/CaCO 3 heterojunction photocatalyst. • Green and durability characteristics for NO degradation. • A green and durable NO photocatalytic degradation mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi‐aryl conjugated organic molecules have intrinsically poor compatibility with most polymers, although they can be dispersed into polymer matrices by solution casting film. This work proposes that this property can be used to obtain diverse dispersion states and realize unique room temperature phosphorescence (RTP). Herein, cyano‐ and amide‐containing N‐phenylcarbazoles (2Q5X, 2J5X) are doped into different polar and rigid PVA and PMMA. 2J5X/PVA emits blue and green RTP after 254 and 365 nm light excitation, respectively, whereas 2Q5X/PVA emits green RTP bearing excitation wavelength‐dependent blue‐emitting shoulder. When 2Q5X is doped into PMMA, this blue RTP becomes dominant due to the increase in molecular dispersion ratio. Combined with the investigations on RTP properties of low doping concentration polymers and crystalline and amorphous states, the blue RTP and green RTP are attributed to the emissions of the isolated molecule and the clustering molecules, respectively. This work reveals that regulating the dispersion of organic dopants in polymers can provide unique and diverse RTP properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface wrinkling, a film bonded on a pre-strained elastomeric substrate can form periodic wrinkling patterns, is a common phenomenon in daily life. In existing theoretical models, the film is much thinner than the substrate so that the substrate can be considered to be elastomeric with infinite thickness. In this paper, the effect of finite substrate thickness is analyzed theoretically for free boundary condition cases. Based on the minimum potential energy principle, a theoretical model is established, and the wave length and amplitude of the wrinkling pattern are obtained. When the thickness of the substrate is more than 200 times larger than the thickness of the film, the results of this study agree well with the results obtained from the previous models for infinite substrate thickness. However, for thin substrates, the effect of finite substrate thickness becomes significant. The model given in this paper accurately describes the effect of finite substrate thickness, providing important design guidelines for future thin-film-on-substrate systems such as stretchable electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Consolidated memories become labile upon reactivation and as a result have to go through reconsolidation to become re-stabilized. This property of memory may potentially be used to reduce the impact of highly negative episodic memories. Because detailed and vivid negative memories are mediated by high arousal, if arousal is lessened during reconsolidation, memory accuracy and vividness should diminish. In this study, we examined this hypothesis.Methods: Participants (N = 72) viewed a stressful, suspenseful video on Day 1 to develop negative episodic memories. Then, 24-29 h later, they saw a brief reminder of the stressful video (or not), and then viewed a neutral, calming (or positive) video. Another 24-29 h later, participants were tested on the accuracy, vividness, and anxiety associated with their memory of the stressful video on Day 1.Results: Participants who watched the reminder and then the neutral video showed reduced memory accuracy compared to participants in the other groups. Despite the reduction in memory accuracy, their memory vividness and anxiety associated with the stressful video did not decrease.Limitations: The use of undergraduates prevents generalizations to clinical populations. Also, the study did not test long-term memories that were more than 2 days old.Conclusions: Neutral mood induction during reconsolidation reduces the accuracy of highly negative episodic memories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scalable synthesis of highly transparent and robust sub-monolayers of Co3O4 nano-islands, which efficiently catalyze water oxidation, is reported. Rapid aerosol deposition of Co3O4 nanoparticles and thermally induced self-organization lead to an ultra-fine nano-island morphology with more than 94% light transmission at a wavelength of 500 nm. These transparent sub-monolayers demonstrate a remarkable mass-weighted water oxidation activity of 2070-2350 A gCo3O4−1 and per-metal turnover frequency of 0.38-0.62 s−1 at an overpotential of 400 mV in 1 m NaOH aqueous solution. This mixed valent cobalt oxide structure exhibits excellent long-term electrochemical and mechanical stability preserving the initial catalytic activity over more than 12 h of constant current electrolysis and 1000 consecutive voltammetric cycles. The potential of the Co3O4 nano-islands for photoelectrochemical water splitting has been demonstrated by incorporation of co-catalysts in GaN nanowire photoanodes. The Co3O4-GaN photoanodes reveal significantly reduced onset overpotentials, improved photoresponse and photostability compared to the bare GaN ones. These findings provide a highly performing catalyst structure and a scalable synthesis method for the engineering of efficient photoanodes for integrated solar water-splitting cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tensile strain is a widely discussed method to improve electron mobility and luminescence of Ge and has been applied in infrared photodetectors. By combining thin film crimping technology with microelectronic processing technology, uniaxial or biaxial tensile strain is achieved in a suspended Ge micro-bridge structure. The strain state can be manipulated by adjusting the sizes of the patterns, and a uniaxial tensile strain of 3.46% and biaxial tensile strain of 0.31% have been demonstrated in this work. The three-dimensional finite element analysis proves that the tensile strain originates from the strain redistribution between the W film and the Ge micro-bridge structure, and finally, the simulation results agree with the experimental data very well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A self-cleaning synergistic photocatalytic superamphiphobic coating. • The inhibition of NO 2 production during the NO photocatalytic degradation process. • Synergistic effect of self-cleaning and photocatalysis of photocatalytic coating. • A green NO photocatalytic degradation mechanism of photocatalytic coating. Multitudinous deleterious NO 2 will be produced in the process of NO photocatalytic degradation, which may cause serious secondary pollution. In this study, a self-cleaning synergistic photocatalytic coating was constructed by the simple spray method. The coating has excellent superamphiphobicity and NO degradation performance. In addition, the production of NO 2 in the process of NO degradation by photocatalytic superamphiphobic coating was inhibited, which indicated the greener photocatalytic process exhibited by this photocatalytic coating. Also, to clarify the inhibition of the coating on NO 2 , the NO degradation mechanism of the coating and photocatalyst was investigated by in situ IR, trapping test and EPR spectra, and the possible pathway of NO degradation was summarized. Combining the result of DFT calculation and degradation product analysis, the inhibition of NO 2 and"green" degradation mechanism of the self-cleaning synergistic photocatalytic coating was explored and proposed, which may provide some theoretical support for the "green" application of photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A method for evaluating passive system reliability is proposed. • Functional failure and device fault are considered synthetically in the method. • Functional failure and device fault have one-to-one logical relationship. • A simplified method is proposed to improve the calculation efficiency. • The system configurations are screened that needs to be analyzed the functional failure detailed. Functional failure is one of the important causes for passive system failure, and some methods are developed for functional failure evaluation based on the thermal–hydraulic (T-H) model. However, the system equipment configuration is the prerequisite of the T-H behavior analysis and setting in the model, and the system configuration and the functional failure have one-to-one logical relationship which should be considered in the passive system reliability evaluation. In this paper, a logical combination method is put forward based on Fault Tree (FT) tool, and the simplification way is also proposed to improve the calculation efficiency. The Passive Containment Cooling System (PCCS) in AP1000 is analyzed as an example, the result shows that the functional failure under the configuration of one or more of the three parallel lines in valve gallery are available is the main contributor to the system failure, for the plant site in a subtropical area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frontal eye field (FEF), particularly the right FEF, is broadly implicated in top–down control of transient acts of attention, but less is known about its involvement in sustained attention. Although neuroimaging studies of sustained attention tasks commonly find FEF activation, it is unclear how this region contributes to moment-to-moment fluctuations in sustained performance. We sought to determine if the FEF plays a critical role in sustained attention, and if that role differs between periods of worse performance (out-of-the-zone) and periods of better performance (in-the-zone). We used offline 1 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to temporarily attenuate either right or left FEF excitability while participants performed a go/no-go sustained attention task (the gradual onset continuous performance task). The results demonstrate that following TMS to the right FEF, sustained attention during in-the-zone periods significantly worsened both in terms of lower accuracy and increased reaction time variability. In contrast, applying TMS to the left FEF did not significantly affect accuracy or variability. These results demonstrate that the right FEF plays a crucial role in supporting optimal sustained attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on frequency doubling of 1.55-μm fiber oscillator-amplifier laser with conversion efficiency of 27% by using off-the-shelf nonlinear crystal. The system generates 135-femto-second (fs) pulses with average power of 110 mW at 80 MHz repetition rate. Frequency doubling efficiency as a function of pulse pre-chirp in front of a single mode erbium fiber amplifier was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a novel architecture for robust all polarization-maintaining (PM) femtosecond linear fiber lasers mode-locked by nonlinear polarization evolution (NPE) with phase bias. Due to a non-reciprocal phase shift, the reflectivity of the artificial saturable absorber has a steeper slope around zero difference in nonlinear phase shift between the orthogonal polarizations, offering the possibility to reduce mode locking threshold and reach high repetition rates. We demonstrate an environmentally stable self-starting 105 MHz repetition rate linear Yb:fiber laser based on NPE with phase bias mode locking. The laser delivers an average power of 26.3 mW and 332 fs pulse which is further compressed to 91 fs at a pump power of 425 mW. Our work provides a novel promising compact and robust femtosecond laser for ultrafast photonic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic coating has been widely studied as a promising material to remove air pollutants. However, the effectiveness and long-term effect of photocatalysis in high relative humidity environment is still the main challenge in this field. In this study, a fluorinated WO 3 -TiO 2 nanorods/SiO 2 epoxy photocatalytic superamphiphobic coating (FTSE coating) was prepared using a simple spraying method. The micromorphology and chemical composition of FTSE coating was characterized by SEM, EDS, FT-IR, XPS and TGA techniques. The advanced contact angle and hysteresis angle test show that the FTSE coating had excellent superamphiphobicity. The mechanical abrasions, corrosion resistance and UV aging tests show that the FTSE coating exhibited reasonable durability. Besides, the NO degradation efficiency of hydrophilic and superamphiphobic coatings with contact angles of 20.19°, 87.74°, 162.93° and 164.47° was tested in different humidity environment. The results showed that the superamphiphobic coating exhibited more superior photocatalytic degradation efficiency (84.02%) than the hydrophilic coating (51.38%) at a high relative humidity (RH=98%). Finally, FTSE coating exhibited prominent photocatalytic stability and the synergistic effect of photocatalysis and self-cleaning. After 30 d outdoor weathering test, the NO degradation efficiency decreased by 13.07% and recovered to the original level after flushing. The improvement mechanism of NO degradation performance was proposed based on the characteristics of superamphiphobic surface. [Display omitted] • A WO 3 -TiO 2 nanorods/SiO 2 photocatalytic superamphiphobic coating. • The reasonable robustness and excellent superamphiphobicity. • The prominent degradation performance in high relative humidity environment. • A mechanism of improving the NO degradation efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk of multi-unit Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) site gets more and more attention in recent years, because more than one unit on the same site can be influenced by the environment. Functional failure is one of the important factors for passive safety system reliability analysis, and the climatic conditions of plant site have significant effect on functional failure evaluation. In this paper, based on the Thermal-Hydraulic behavior characteristics of the system, an efficient method is proposed for estimating the functional failure probabilities of passive safety systems on multi-unit NPP site through comparing the operation conditions among the units. The Passive Containment Cooling System (PCCS) in AP1000 is an important passive safety system used to improve the nuclear power plant safety, the functional failure probabilities of such systems on a two-unit NPP site are evaluated under different climatic conditions. The number of running T-H model for the second unit is about half of those for the first one. The results show that system functional failure probability is influenced by climatic conditions significantly. • A high calculation efficiency method is proposed for PCCS reliability analysis in AP1000 of multi-unit NPP. • The T-H model describing system performance should have some inherent characteristics. • The number of samples to run T-H model can be decreased by comparing the operation conditions of the units. • Climatic conditions influence the system reliability significantly. • Sensitivity analysis shows that correlation between air temperature and air pressure has important effect on result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A self-cleaning photocatalytic WO 3 -TiO 2 nanorod/PDMS coating. • The mutual benefit effect of self-cleaning and photocatalysis. • Visible-response photocatalytic NO degradation and self-cleaning performance. • The durable superhydrophobicity for external building wall. Practical significance in terms of the long-term effective application of photocatalytic coatings is greatly challenged by its easy pollution and poor self-cleaning performance. In this paper, a self-cleaning photocatalytic WO 3 -TiO 2 nanorod (MWT) /PDMS building coating (MWT coating) was prepared by spraying methods. The surface hierarchical structure fabricated by MWT and PDMS was a crux to construct a superhydrophobic surface, which endowed MWT coating with self-cleaning performance. Besides, the MWT coating exhibited prominent durability and antifouling property after 450 d practical application of the external wall. The excellent self-cleaning property of the coating was confirmed by the removal and resistance to the adhesion of powder particles. Meanwhile, the photocatalytic properties of MWT endowed MWT coating with the ability to degrade organic pollutants on the surface. The color difference of the coating polluted by methyl red was only 1.18 and 4.77 after 24 h UV and visible irradiation, respectively. This mutual benefit effect of self-cleaning and photocatalysis was also reflected in the degradation of NO. In the first five cycles, the degradation efficiency of NO decreased by 4.74% gradually under visible light due to the adhesion of oxidation products, and most of the MWT on the coating surface was regenerated after flushing, the PCD efficiency increased by 3.71%. Furthermore, after 30 days of outdoor weathering test, the PCD efficiency of MWT coating decreased by 11.74% and 12.05% under UV and visible light, respectively, which lays a foundation for the long-term effectiveness of the MWT coating in the process of use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A nitric oxide removal coating was constructed by loading doped TiO 2 /AC photocatalyst on waterborne acrylic coating. • Under visible light irradiation, the NO degradation efficiency of doped TiO 2 /AC coating was 45.8 % in 2 h, and only decreased by 5.8 % after 5 cycles. • UV stability of doped TiO 2 /AC coating was investigated, and the mechanism of improving UV stability was proposed. • After 42 d UV aging and single water flushing, the NO removal efficiency of doped TiO 2 /AC coating still reached 36.7 % and exhibited excellent UV stability. Based on the porous structure of activated carbon (AC) and the photo-oxidation behavior of TiO2, a visible-light-responsive photocatalytic coating with UV stability was constructed by loading Fe/N/Co-TiO2@AC (DTC) on waterborne acrylic coating. The DTC with adsorption and degradation synergistic effect was prepared by a simple mechanochemistry method and characterized by UV–vis, SEM, XRD, and BET. The nitric oxide (NO) removal efficiency of DTC was 51.6 % under visible light in 2 h. Besides, under the same conditions, the NO removal efficiency of the DTC coating still reached 45.8 %. Further, to investigate the UV stability of DTC coating, different coatings were prepared with the same dosage of DTC, TiO 2 @AC (TC), and TiO 2. The UV stability of the coatings was tested with a color difference, degree of chalking, adhesion strength, hardness, and impact resistance as evaluation indicators. The results showed that the DTC coating exhibited the best UV stability. The photooxidation of organic binder on the coating surface before and after aging was micro-characterized by SEM and FT-IR, and the UV stability improvement mechanism was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the three-dimensional network structure of a polymer and the principle of photocatalysts, a visible-light-responsive and durable photocatalytic coating for the degradation of vehicle exhaust (VE) has been constructed using a waterborne acrylic acid emulsion as the coating substrate; Fe/N/Co–TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) as photocatalytic components; and water, pigments, and fillers as additives. The visible-light-responsive Fe/N/Co–TiO2 NPs with an average size of 100 nm were prepared by sol-gel method firstly. The co-doping of three elements extended the absorption range of the modified TiO2 nanoparticles to the visible light region, and showed the highest light absorption intensity, which was confirmed by the ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra (UV-Vis). X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements showed that element doping prevents the transition from anatase to rutile and increases the transition temperature. TiO2 was successfully doped due to the reduction of the chemical binding energy of Ti, as revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The degradation rates of NOX, CO, and CO2 in VE by Fe/N/Co–TiO2 NPs under visible light were 71.43%, 23.79%, and 21.09%, respectively. In contrast, under the same conditions, the degradation efficiencies of coating for VE decreased slightly. Moreover, the elementary properties of the coating, including pencil hardness, adhesive strength, water resistance, salt, and alkali resistance met the code requirement. The photocatalytic coating exhibited favorable reusability and durability, as shown by the reusability and exposure test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we analyze the case of TD-SCDMA system standardization in China. Specifically, we focus on the leading role that government-controlled enterprises (GCEs) played in the standardization, and how the Chinese government supported GCEs. The case study findings advance current knowledge on how governments support standardization efforts in a catching-up context. We found that, under strong government support and with GCEs’ leadership, a latecomer country such as China, with certain technological capabilities and in economic, social, and institutional contexts that favor indigenous innovation, can pursue path-breaking innovation with complex technological systems. Governments should engage in various tactics to support GCEs that lead the standardization process. Most importantly, governments should intervene in scoping decisions on technological systems and research and development forces in the standard development stage, and offer moral suasion in the standard diffusion stage. We provide practical implications for governments that support GCEs in technology catching-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The climate effects of atmospheric aerosols remain highly uncertain. Part of the uncertainty arises from the fact that scattering and absorbing aerosols have distinct or even opposite effects. Thus their relative fraction is critical in determining the overall aerosol climate effect. This study combines observations and global model simulations to demonstrate that changes in the fraction of scattering and absorbing aerosols play an important role in driving the monsoon precipitation decrease over northern India since the 1980s, especially over the Gangetic Basin. Increased aerosol scattering, or decreased aerosol absorption, manifested as a significant increase of aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA), causes strong cooling in the upper atmosphere. This suppresses vertical convection and thus reduces precipitation. Further analysis of the Couple Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 multi-model-mean historical simulation shows that failing to capture the SSA increase over northern India is likely an important cause of the simulated precipitation trend bias in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible electronics, which can be distributed on any surface we need, are highly demanded in the development of Internet of Things (IoT), robot technology and electronic skins. Temperature is a fundamental physical parameter, and it is an important indicator in many applications. Therefore, a flexible temperature sensor is required. Here, we report a simple method to fabricate three lightweight, low-cost and flexible temperature sensors, whose sensitive materials are reduced graphene oxide (r-GO), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). By comparing linearity, sensitive and repeatability, we found that the r-GO temperature sensor had the most balanced performance. Furthermore, the r-GO temperature sensor showed good mechanical properties and it could be bent in different angles with negligible resistance change. In addition, the performance of the r-GO temperature sensor remained stable under different kinds of pressure and was unaffected by surrounding environments, like humidity or other gases, because of the insulating layer on its sensitive layer. The easy-fabricated process and economy, together with the remarkable performance of the r-GO temperature sensor, suggest that it is suitable for use as a robot skin or used in the environment of IoT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rigid yet polar polymers as matrices for organic‐doped room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) polymers are widely reported, but nonpolar rigid plastics such as polystyrene (PS) are thought to be ineffective matrix and rarely attempted. Herein, it is reported that PS–polyisoprene–PS (SIS) elastomer and rubber phase‐containing high‐impact PS (HIPS) can stabilize brighter and longer‐lived organic RTP than PS as matrix; moreover, photoactivation time for RTP production is also greatly shortened. Three N‐arylcarbazole derivatives are employed as dopants and afford the same regular results, and the afterglow lifetime of RTP elastomer is up to 1.22 s. Since the general rubbers such as polyisoprene are ineffective doping matrices and PS is not good matrix, the interface phase of polyphase polymers plays an important role in promoting and stabilizing triplet‐state emission. Based on the different confined environments in various phase regions for organic dopants, a new stabilizing RTP mechanism is discussed to understand the unique stabilizing RTP effect of multiphase matrices. This study not only develops a high‐performance RTP elastomer but also discloses a fresh strategy for enhancing RTP of organic‐doped polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with mental illness are less likely to receive the same physical healthcare as those without mental illness and are less likely to be treated in accordance with established guidelines. This study employed a randomized experiment to investigate the influence of comorbid depression on diagnostic accuracy. Physicians were presented with an interactive vignette describing a patient with a complex presentation of pernicious anemia. They were randomized to diagnose either a patient with or without (control) comorbid depression and related behaviors. All other clinical information was identical. Physicians recorded a differential diagnosis, ordered tests, and rated patient likeability. Fifty-nine physicians completed the study. The patient with comorbid depression was less likeable than the control patient (p=0.03, 95 % CI [0.09, 1.53]). Diagnostic accuracy was lower in the depression compared to control condition (59.4 % vs. 40.7 %), however this difference was not statistically significant χ2(1)=2.035, p=0.15. Exploratory analyses revealed that patient condition (depression vs. control) interacted with the number of diagnostic tests ordered to predict diagnostic accuracy (OR=2.401, p=0.038). Accuracy was lower in the depression condition (vs. control) when physicians ordered fewer tests (1 SD below mean; OR=0.103, p=0.028), but there was no difference for physicians who ordered more tests (1 SD above mean; OR=2.042, p=0.396). Comorbid depression and related behaviors lowered diagnostic accuracy when physicians ordered fewer tests – a time when more possibilities should have been considered. These findings underscore the critical need to develop interventions to reduce diagnostic error when treating vulnerable populations such as those with depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Axial compressors with variable stator vanes require annular gaps and radial gaps from the endwalls for smooth adjustment, which induces complex secondary flows such as the penny leakage vortex and tip leakage vortex, leading to a negative impact on the aerodynamic performance. To better understand these mechanisms, numerical investigations were conducted on four different clearance configurations. The results show that the penny leakage vortex moves toward the suction side under the transverse pressure gradient and mixes with the hub corner stall vortex. This causes the corner separation to be further developed, leading to an increase in total pressure loss by 13.6%. However, the tip clearance leakage flow could reduce the transverse pressure gradient, which prevents penny leakage vortex from mixing with low-energy fluid in the corner region. Moreover, the hub corner stall vortex is also replaced by the tip leakage vortex, which effectively suppresses the range of corner separation. Under the comprehensive effects of the penny leakage vortex and the tip leakage vortex, the total pressure loss coefficient is increased only by 7.6%. Therefore, the mixing effect between the penny leakage vortex and low-energy fluid in the corner separation is the main reason for higher loss production of the cascade, and these findings provide theoretical support for the future application of flow control technology to reduce secondary flow loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2H‐molybdenum disulfide (2H‐MoS2) represents a classical catalyst for the electrochemical N2 reduction reaction (NRR) in water that offers a promising technology toward sustainable production of NH3 driven by renewable energy. While the catalytic efficiency is severely limited by a simultaneous and competing H2 evolution reaction (HER). Herein, it is proposed that the S edge of 2H‐MoS2, which is known as main sites to afford HER, is intentionally covered by cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) molecules through axial coordination. While the Mo sites with S vacancies at 2H‐MoS2 edge is recognized as highly NRR active, and can keep structurally intact in the CoPc based modification. The resultant composite thus exhibits high NRR performance with Faradic efficiency and NH3 yields increase by fourfold and twofold, respectively, comparing to pristine 2H‐MoS2. These findings provide a deep insight into the mechanism of 2H‐MoS2 based NRR catalysis and suggest an efficient molecular modification strategy to promote NRR in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: In nonclinical populations, adopting a third-person perspective as opposed to a first-person perspective while analyzing negative emotional experiences fosters understanding of these experiences and reduces negative emotional reactivity. We assessed whether this generalizes to people with major depression (MD). Additionally, we assessed whether the emotion-reducing effects of adopting a third-person perspective also occur when subjects with MD and HC subjects analyze positive experiences.Methods: Seventy-two MD subjects and 82 HC subjects analyzed a happy and a negative experience from either a first-person or a third-person perspective.Results: Unexpectedly, we found no emotion-reducing effects of third-person perspective in either group thinking about negative events. However, across groups, third-person perspective was associated with less recounting of negative experiences and with a clearer, more coherent understanding of them. Negative affect decreased and positive affect increased in both groups analyzing happy experiences. In MD subjects, decreases in depressive affect were stronger for the third-person perspective. In both groups, positive affect increased and negative affect decreased more strongly for the third-person perspective.Limitations: While reflecting on their positive memory, MD subjects adopted their assigned perspective for a shorter amount of time (70%) than HC subjects (78%). However, percentage of time participants adopted their assigned perspective was unrelated to the significant effects we found.Conclusions: Both people suffering from MD and healthy individuals may benefit from processing pleasant experiences, especially when adopting a self-distant perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop and validate a multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-based radiomics nomogram for differentiating malignant and benign soft-tissue tumors. A total of 91 patients with pathologically confirmed soft-tissue tumors were enrolled between January 2017 and October 2020. Forty-eight patients were consecutively enrolled between November 2020 and March 2022, as a time-independent cohort. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced T1-weighted and T2-weighted fat-suppression magnetic resonance scans at 3.0 T. Radiomics features were extracted and selected from the two modalities to develop the radiomics signature. Significant clinical/morphological characteristics were identified using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were applied to identify discriminative features. A clinical-radiomics nomogram was constructed based on clinical/morphological characteristics and radiomics features. Finally, the performance of the nomogram was validated using the receiver operating characteristic and decision curve analysis (DCA). Six features were selected to establish the combined RS. Size, margin, and peritumoral edema were identified as the most important clinical and morphological factors, respectively. The radiomics signature outperformed the clinical model in terms of AUC and sensitivity. The nomogram integrating the combined RS, size, margin, and peritumoral edema achieved favorable predictive efficacy, generating AUCs of 0.954 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.907–1.000, Sen = 0.861, Spe = 0.917), 0.962 (95% CI: 0.901–1.000, Sen = 0.944, Spe = 0.923), and 0.935 (95% CI: 0.871–0.998, Sen = 0.815, Spe = 0.952) in the training (n = 60), validation (n = 31) and time-independent (n = 48) cohorts, respectively. The DCA curve indicated good clinical usefulness of the nomogram. Our study demonstrated the clinical potential of multiparametric MRI-based radiomics in distinguishing malignant from benign soft-tissue tumors, which can be considered as a noninvasive tool for individual treatment management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation and reward can have differential effects on separate aspects of sustained attention. We previously demonstrated that continuous reward/punishment throughout a sustained attention task improves overall performance, but not vigilance decrements. One interpretation of these findings is that vigilance decrements are due to resource depletion, which is not overcome by increasing overall motivation. However, an alternative explanation is that as one performs a continuously rewarded task there are less potential gains/losses as the task progresses, which could decrease motivation over time, producing a vigilance decrement. This would predict that keeping future gains/losses consistent throughout the task would reduce the vigilance decrement. In the current study, we examined this possibility by comparing two versions (continuous-small loss vs. anticipate-large loss) of a 10-minute gradual onset continuous performance task (gradCPT), a challenging go/no-go sustained attention task. Participants began each task with the potential to keep $18. In the continuous-small-loss version, small monetary losses were accrued continuously throughout the task for each error. However, in the anticipate-large-loss version, participants lost all $18 if they erroneously responded to one target that always appeared toward the end of the vigil. Typical vigilance decrements were observed in the continuous-small-loss condition. In the anticipate-large-loss condition, vigilance decrements were reduced, particularly when the anticipate-large loss condition was completed second. This suggests that the looming possibility of a large loss can attenuate the vigilance decrement and that this attenuation may occur most consistently after sufficient task experience. We discuss these results in the context of current theories of sustained attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of antibiotic-loaded microneedles has been hindered for years by limited excipient options, restricted drug-loading space, poor microneedle formability, and short-term drug retention. Therefore, this study proposes a dissolving microneedle fabricated from the host-defense peptide ε-poly- l -lysine (EPL) as an antibacterial adjuvant system for delivering antibiotics. EPL serves not only as a major matrix material for the microneedle tips, but also as a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent that facilitates the intracellular accumulation of the antibiotic doxycycline (DOX) by increasing bacterial cell membrane permeability. Furthermore, the formation of physically crosslinked networks of EPL affords microneedle tips with improved formability, good mechanical properties, and amorphous nanoparticles (approximately 7.2 nm) of encapsulated DOX. As a result, a high total loading content of both antimicrobials up to 2319.1 μg/patch is achieved for efficient transdermal drug delivery. In a Pseudomonas aeruginosa -induced deep cutaneous infection model, the EPL microneedles demonstrates potent and long-term effects by synergistically enhancing antibiotic activities and prolonging drug retention in infected lesions, resulting in remarkable therapeutic efficacy with 99.91 % (3.04 log) reduction in skin bacterial burden after a single administration. Overall, our study highlights the distinct advantages of EPL microneedles and their potential in clinical antibacterial practice when loaded with amorphous DOX nanoparticles. • Epsilon-poly- l -lysine (EPL) microneedles (MN) possess a high drug loading capacity. • The EPL-based MN can encapsulate more antibiotics and inhibit crystal growth. • Amorphous antibiotic nanoparticles can be formed within the MN needle tip. • The EPL can enhance antibiotic efficacy by facilitating bacterial internalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of antibiotic-loaded microneedles has been hindered for years by limited excipient options, restricted drug-loading space, poor microneedle formability, and short-term drug retention. Therefore, this study proposes a dissolving microneedle fabricated from the host-defense peptide ε-poly- l -lysine (EPL) as an antibacterial adjuvant system for delivering antibiotics. EPL serves not only as a major matrix material for the microneedle tips, but also as a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent that facilitates the intracellular accumulation of the antibiotic doxycycline (DOX) by increasing bacterial cell membrane permeability. Furthermore, the formation of physically crosslinked networks of EPL affords microneedle tips with improved formability, good mechanical properties, and amorphous nanoparticles (approximately 7.2 nm) of encapsulated DOX. As a result, a high total loading content of both antimicrobials up to 2319.1 μg/patch is achieved for efficient transdermal drug delivery. In a Pseudomonas aeruginosa -induced deep cutaneous infection model, the EPL microneedles demonstrates potent and long-term effects by synergistically enhancing antibiotic activities and prolonging drug retention in infected lesions, resulting in remarkable therapeutic efficacy with 99.91 % (3.04 log) reduction in skin bacterial burden after a single administration. Overall, our study highlights the distinct advantages of EPL microneedles and their potential in clinical antibacterial practice when loaded with amorphous DOX nanoparticles. • Epsilon-poly- l -lysine (EPL) microneedles (MN) possess a high drug loading capacity. • The EPL-based MN can encapsulate more antibiotics and inhibit crystal growth. • Amorphous antibiotic nanoparticles can be formed within the MN needle tip. • The EPL can enhance antibiotic efficacy by facilitating bacterial internalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]