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Three species of Scheffersomyces were identified during a diversity study of yeasts. All three are associated with insects and rotting wood in China. Phylogenetic analyses of a genomic dataset combining ITS and nrLSU revealed that these new collections are distinct from known species, thus three new species are introduced i.e. S. jinghongensis, S. paraergatensis, and S. anoplophorae. In our phylogenetic analyses, Scheffersomyces jinghongensis possesses a strong independent lineage and is closely related to S. titanus. S. paraergatensis is closely related to S. ergatensis, while S. anoplophorae is related to S. stambukii. Several differences in physiological traits and molecular data indicate that S. jinghongensis, S. paraergatensis, and S. anoplophorae are three newly identified species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza A virus (IAV) is the major cause of seasonal epidemics and flu outbreaks worldwide. Given that interleukin 16 (IL16) can regulate T cell function and is one of the signature markers for virus infection including IAV infection, the impact of IL16 on IAVinduced T cell immune response hasn't been elucidated yet. In this paper, we infected wild type and IL16 knockout (KO) mice with IAV and analyzed the immunity of mice by flow cytometry. We observed an increase in the percentage of T helper (Th) 1 cells in the spleens of IL16 KO mice and elevation of IFN-α and TNF-α secretion from CD8+ T cells in the lungs and spleens of IL16 KO mice in response to IAV infection. Moreover, the expression of major histocompatibility complex II which represents the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) was upregulated in the lungs of IL16 KO mice. Taken together, our study suggests that IL16 deficiency enhanced Th1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte response as well as DC maturation upon IAV infection, which provides new insight into the host regulation of T cell immune responses during IAV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiratory Syncycial Virus (RSV) is the most important pathogen responsible for children's severe lower respiratory tract infection. So far no RSV vaccine has yet been authorized for clinical use. The main impediment that blocked development of RSV vaccine is that inactivated RSV vaccine could cause RSV vaccine-enhanced disease (RVED). The mechanism of RVED remains unclear. Recently some researchers found that insufficient activation of innate immunity, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), might be associated with the onset of RVED. Based on the above findings, this research was conducted to further study the mechanism of RVED. We first vaccinated mice with formalin-inactivated RSV vaccine (FIRSV) and then exposed them to RSV to establish a RVED mouse model. Consequently, we found that mice previously inoculated with FIRSV showed obvious weight loss and extensive pneumonia, as well as T helper 2 cells (Th2)-biased immunity and suppressed CD8+T cell immunity after viral exposure, suggesting that we have successfully established a RVED mouse model. Then based on this model, we further added Poly(U) (TLR7/8 agonist) and CpG (TLR9 agonist) in FIRSV to see if RVED could be ameliorated. As a result, mice inoculated with FIRSV supplemented with Poly(U) and CpG had a much relieved weight loss and pneumonia, as well as suppressed Th2-biased immunity and strengthened CD8+T cell function. Thus, the insufficient stimulation of TLR7/8 and (or) TLR9 might play a role in the development of RVED, which could provide evidence for using TLR agonists as vaccine adjuvants to confer a protective immune response against RSV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to prepare sophisticated biomaterials using a biomimetic approach, a deeper understanding of biomineralization is needed. Of particular importance is the control and regulation of the mineralization process. In this study, a novel bilayer rate-controlling model was designed to investigate the factors potentially influencing mineralization. In the absence of a rate-controlling layer, nano-scale hydroxyapatite (HA) crystallites exhibited a spherical morphology, whereas, in the presence of a rate-controlling layer, HA crystallites were homogeneously dispersed and spindle-like in structure. The mineralization rate had a significant effect on controlling the morphology of crystals. Furthermore, in vitro tests demonstrated that the reaction layer containing spindle-like HA crystallites possessed superior biological properties. These results suggest that a slow mineralization rate is required for controlling the morphology of inorganic crystallites, and consumption by the rate-controlling layer ensured that the ammonia concentration remained low. This study demonstrates that a biomimetic approach can be used to prepare novel biomaterials containing HA crystallites that have different morphologies and biological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C46H38MnN3O8, triclinic P¯1 (no.2), a=8.9705(6) Å, b=12.0309(8) Å, c=18.4209(13) Å, α=96.303(2)°, β=103.884(2)°, γ=101.636(2)°, Z =2, V =1864.0(2) ų, Rgt(F)=0.0496, wRref(F²)=0.1274, T =296 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C38H38Zn2N2O14, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a=9.6906(6) Å, b=7.9055(5) Å, c=24.0501(18) Å, β=99.878(7)°, Z =2, V =1815.1(2) ų, Rgt(F)=0.0474, wRref(F²)=0.1143, T =293 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C40H38CuN4O6, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a=10.590(4) Å, b=7.273(3) Å, c=23.345(9) Å, β=102.347(7)°, Z =2, V =1756.5(12) Å3, Rgt(F)=0.0682, wRref(F²)=0.2373, T =296 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C26H22N2O4, triclinic P1, a=8.035(3) Å, b=10.387(4) Å, c=13.126(5) Å, α=83.831(10)°, β=78.214(10)°, γ= 81.470(10)°, Z =2, V =1101.78(19) ų, Rgt(F)=0.0663, wRref(F2)=0.1830, T=296(2) K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explores the Fano-type interference effect in a microstrip photonic crystal (PC) heterostructure integrated with a varactor-loaded split ring resonator (SRR), both experimentally and numerically. This effect capitalizes on the PC heterostructure's ability to provide a broad continuous spectrum, while the embedded SRR offers a narrow discrete pathway. Through coherent interference between these elements, a sharp asymmetric Fano-type transmission spectrum emerges, accompanied by a notable group delay. Furthermore, the composite configuration exhibits an electric field enhancement at the Fano resonant frequency, enhancing the nonlinear sensitivity of the transmission spectrum. The nonlinear tunability of the Fano resonance is demonstrated by applying distinct input powers, allowing for the realization of a high-performance bistable electromagnetic switch and diode in the microwave regime. The proposed configuration exhibits key features such as significant transmission contrast, low threshold intensity, and relatively high transmission amplitude, all within a compact device volume, thanks to the Fano resonant mechanism in the PC heterostructure. This design paves the way for the implementation of active metamaterials-assisted components in micro- or nano-photonic circuits, with potential applications in advanced optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electric breakdown field of CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramics has been enhanced by one order, i.e. from the conventional 1.0-2.0 kV cm-1 to 21 kV cm-1. Such great enhancement, associated with lower and relatively flat dielectric loss at low frequency, has arisen from optimum Al2O3 addition and sintering process. It is indicated that the addition of Al2O3 can affect the grain growth and the grain boundary characteristics via the distribution of a secondary phase of CuAl2O4, which is confirmed by x-ray diffraction and electron dispersive spectroscopy. The performance of grain boundary can be described well by the Schottky barrier model. It is found that the activation energy of hopping conduction at grain boundary is increased from 0.60 to 0.81 eV due to the secondary phase, which consequently leads to enhanced breakdown field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas on AFeO3(A La, Nd, Eu) oxides by a novel sequential redox cyclic reaction in the absence of gaseous oxygen was investigated over a fixed-bed reactor. These oxides were prepared by the sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. XRD analysis showed that all AFeO3(A La, Nd, Eu) oxides, calcined at 1173 K, are single-phase perovskites. The CH4-TPSR/MS and continuous reaction experiments indicated that the AFeO3(A La, Nd, Eu) oxides provide mostly oxygen species, as the sole oxidant originated from lattice oxygen instead of gaseous oxygen, which can oxidize CH4to synthesis gas with high selectivity in the absence of gaseous oxygen. In terms of material economics and the amount of oxygen species for synthesis gas formation, the LaFeO3sample exhibits the best performance among these tested AFeO3oxides for synthesis gas production. The pulse experiments at different temperatures showed that the rate of oxygen migration during the CH4reaction with LaFeO3is strongly affected by the reaction temperature, and increases with rising temperature, which is favorable to much more CH4selective oxidation at high temperature. The two types of oxygen species are identified by experiments of continuous reactions and pulses, and confirmed by XPS. Methane can be converted selectively to synthesis gas by consumption of lattice oxygen, and general carbonaceous deposits on the catalyst surface do not occur under the appropriate reaction conditions by sequential redox cycles. The performance of selective oxidation of CH4to synthesis gas can be recovered by reoxidation using gaseous molecular oxygen; the LaFeO3oxide maintains relatively high catalytic activity and structural stability in redox atmospheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this Letter, a quad-band linear frequency conversion prototype is proposed and investigated in terahertz region based on a time-varying metasurface. The unit cell of the metasurface consists of four pairs of concentric split-ring resonators loaded with photoactive silicon. By changing the conductivity of photoactive silicon via optical pump, both static and time-varying metasurfaces are achieved and investigated. Numerical results show that the transmission spectrum of the static metasurface has four merged resonant frequencies at 0.49 THz, 0.58 THz, 0.71 THz, 0.81 THz respectively, and linear frequency conversion appears at these four frequencies under the modulation of time-varying metasurface. The conversion linearity is also verified by applying dual-band bandpass filters with different center frequency. The coefficients of determination are 0.98, 0.94, 0.87, 0.96 correspondingly. This prototype provides a new approach for realizing quad-band frequency conversion for ambient terahertz wave and has wide applications in terahertz imaging and communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an effective ultrasonic-assisted micro-punching method for thin stainless sheet metal with molten plastic as flexible punch is adopted. The minimum micro hole and arrays with diameter of 0.3 mm were punched on rolled state thin stainless sheet metal with a thickness of 10 μm. The deformation mechanism and forming parameter quality were investigated. The experimental results show that cylinder pressure, ultrasonic power, and ultrasonic vibration time were the key parameters which affect each other. The ultrasonic vibration time needed to be properly set up according to the preset cylinder pressure and ultrasonic power to form a complete punching hole and avoid defects or cracks of the parts. For the micro hole with a diameter of 0.6 mm punched on a thin stainless sheet metal with a thickness of 30 μm, there are no significant effects on the qualities of the punching fracture surfaces when changing the punching parameters in the range of the cylinder pressure of 0.3–0.5 MPa and the ultrasonic power of 60–90%. In the case of cylinder pressure 0.5 MPa and ultrasonic power 75%, the width of shearing zone is between 10 and 29%, and the surface roughness Ra of the shearing zone is in the range of 0.10–0.20 μm. Our results could throw light on improving the fracture surface quality of micro-punched part obtained by ultrasonic micro punching with flexible punch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Doppler effect has well-established applications in astronomy, medicine, radar and metrology. Recently, a number of experimental demonstrations of the inverse Doppler effect have begun to appear. However, the inverse Doppler effect has never been observed on an electronically reconfigurable system with an external electromagnetic wave source at radio frequencies (RF) in experiment. Here we demonstrate an experimental observation of the inverse Doppler shift on an electronically reconfigurable RF metamaterial structure, which can exhibit anomalous dispersion, normal dispersion or a stop band, depending on an applied bias voltage. Either inverse or normal Doppler shift is realized by injecting an external RF signal into the electronically reconfigurable metamaterial, on which an electronically controllable moving reflective boundary is formed. The effective velocity of this boundary and the resulting frequency shift can be tuned over a wide range by a digital switching circuit. This work is expected to open up possibilities in applying the inverse Doppler effect in wireless communications, radar and satellite navigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to research the effect of applied magnetic field direction on magnetic properties during oblique sputtering, in this paper, a magnetic field is applied along (or perpendicular to) in-plane projection of the incident direction of the sputtering atomic beam. VSM and magnetic spectrum results show that the applied magnetic field direction greatly affects the uniaxial anisotropy, thereby affecting the ferromagnetic resonance frequency. It was found by AFM and cross-sectional SEM that the morphology of the film and the angle of the inclined columnar crystal were completely different when the magnetic field was applied in different directions. When a magnetic field is applied along the in-plane projection of the incident direction of the sputtering atomic beam, the angle between the columnar crystal and the normal direction of the substrate is about 30°. When the magnetic field is applied to the in-plane projection perpendicular to the incident direction of the sputtering atomic beam, the columnar crystal can be seen vaguely, and there is basically no inclination angle. In addition, when the tilt angle is constant, the uniaxial anisotropy increases with the increase of target-substrate distance, which is caused by the increase of the electron beam inflow angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem of a single function in passive metasurface, a frequency multiplexed metasurface using full-space to realize different polarization conversion modes is proposed. On the basis of the fundamental theory of metasurface polarization transformation, a spliced coupling of multilayer structures was utilized. A compact architecture of five metallic layers and four dielectric layers was fabricated, and the principle analysis of polarization transformation was also performed. In the metallic part, two layers of oblique arrows and one layer of oblique rectangular patches constitute a low-frequency transmission structure, one layer of cross-shaped patches are constituted a high-frequency reflection structure, and one layer of rectangular patches constitutes an intermediate filter structure. Thus, it achieves a variable frequency polarization multiplexing function for transmission on one side and reflection on the opposite one. When the x - and y -polarized waves in the 6.3 GHz–8 GHz band are incident on the low-frequency unit side, they are converted into left- and right-hand circularly polarized transmitted waves, respectively. The axial ratio is less than 3 dB, and the transmission amplitude is up to 0.84 and 0.8. When 45° linearly polarization incident waves in 16.4 GHz–16.8 GHz and 16.9 GHz–18 GHz bands impinge on the high-frequency unit side, the cross-polarized wave reflection is realized. The measured and simulated results are in good agreement. The metasurface proposed in this paper has potential applications in communication frequency multiplexing and multifunctional integration. • A compact architecture of five metallic layers and four dielectric layers was fabricated. • It achieves a variable frequency polarization multiplexing function for transmission on one side and reflection on the opposite one. • The designed has the merits of superior integration, convenient fabrication, and flexible polarization modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical performance of materials is greatly affected and could be tuned by artificial defects, especially for amorphous alloys. In present work, specially designed holes are created for bulk metallic glass and apparent mechanical performance improvement is obtained when compared with the intact ones. The fracture characterization discovers that the inner wall of the artificial hole has a blocking effect to shear bands (SBs), leading to an apparent enhancement of mechanical property. Our results demonstrate that the blocking effect of SBs induced by the designing artificial hole may provide some new sights on the plastic deformation mechanism of metallic glasses rather than the improved plasticity itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) is an established inflammation-based system that is used to predict the prognosis for several types of malignancies. In this retrospective study, we assessed the postoperative survival of 725 patients with non-metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who had normal preoperative serum tumor marker levels according to the GPS. Methods: Among 1394 patients who underwent esophagectomy between August 2006 and December 2010, 725 with normal preoperative serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) were enrolled. All demographic, pathologic, and survival data were analyzed retrospectively. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship with overall survival. The Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests were used to compare the survival curves between patients with GPS 0 (group A) and 1 or 2 (group B). Results: Patients in group A exhibited significantly better 3- and 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates (0.780 and 0.759, respectively) than those in group B (0.624 and 0.605, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age, tumor length, pathological tumor-node-metastasis (pTNM) stage, venous invasion, lymph node metastasis, serum albumin and C-reactive protein levels, and GPS were associated with postoperative survival of these patients. Further multivariate analysis confirmed that GPS was an independent prognostic factor. The Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests demonstrated a significant difference in CSS between groups A and B (P = 0.001). Conclusions: GPS may be a valuable prognostic indicator for esophageal cancer patients with normal preoperative CEA and SCC-Ag serum levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of pediatric viral respiratory tract infections. Neither vaccine nor effective antiviral therapy is available to prevent and treat RSV infection. Palivizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, is the only product approved to prevent serious RSV infection, but its high cost is prohibitive in low-income countries. Here, we aimed to identify an effective, safe, and affordable antiviral agent for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) of RSV infection in children at high risk. We found that maleic anhydride (ML)-modified human serum albumin (HSA), designated ML-HSA, exhibited potent antiviral activity against RSV and that the percentages of the modified lysines and arginies in ML- are correlated with such anti-RSV activity. ML-HSA inhibited RSV entry and replication by interacting with viral G protein and blocking RSV attachment to the target cells, while ML-HAS neither bound to F protein, nor inhibited F protein-mediated membrane fusion. Intranasal administration of ML-HSA before RSV infection resulted in significant decrease of the viral titers in the lungs of mice. ML-HSA shows promise for further development into an effective, safe, affordable, and easy-to-use intranasal regimen for pre-exposure prophylaxis of RSV infection in children at high risk in both low- and high-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The magnetic plasmon polaritons (MPPs) and their slow wave effect are experimentally studied in the two-dimensional (2D) ENG/MNG (ε-negative materials/μ-negative materials) metamaterials based on microstrip lines’ structure. Electric field mainly locates at the ENG/MNG interface and decays in the ENG materials and MNG ones, as reveals evident MPPs characteristics. MPP waves propagate slowly along the ENG/MNG metamaterials with opposite group and phase velocities, as is studied through the time-domain analysis. Theoretical analysis agrees well with CST simulation and microwave measurement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Based on theoretical analysis, this paper studied experimentally the tunable low-pass, band-stop and band-pass filter effects of the MNG-DPS-MNG (μ-negative materials/double positive materials/μ-negative materials) magnetic plasmon polaritons waveguide. The research results show that the MNG-DPS-MNG waveguide without defect possesses the tunable low-pass filter characteristic. The waveguide with defect in the MNG region possesses the band-stop filter characteristic where the defect is equivalent to a sub wavelength cavity. And the waveguide with cavity in the DPS region possesses the band-pass filter characteristic. So the filter characteristics of the magnetic plasmon polaritons waveguide can be tuned by drawing into the resonators and changing the position and parameters of resonators. The experimental results are in good agreement with the simulation results. These properties will have potential application value in the tunable single channel or multi-channel filters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: To assess the behavioral risk factors and mental health needs of adolescents in juvenile detention centers (JDC). Method: A total of 238 boys aged 12-17 years was surveyed who had been admitted to a detention center and compared them with boys from the community (n = 238) matched for sex and age. We assessed behavioral risk factors and mental health problems by using the Youth Risk Behavior Survey questionnaire (YRBS) and the Youth Self-Report questionnaire (YSR). Results: Young offenders had significantly higher YRBS scores than controls for drug use (odds ratio (OR) 5.16, 95% CI 2.27- 7.84), sexual intercourse (OR, 2.51; 95% CI 1.55-2.90), irregular diet (4.78, 2.11-7.51), suicide attempts (1.96, 1.32-5.85), and physical fighting behavior (3.49, 1.60-7.07), but not for tobacco use, alcohol use, and high-risk cycling. Young offenders at the time of admission (6.61, 2.58-15.2), at 6 months (3.12, 1.81-10.1), and at 12 months (5.29, 1.98-13.3) reported statistically higher levels of total mental health problems than adolescents in a community sample. Conclusions: Young offenders have a high rate of mental and behavioral disorders. In the detention period, aggressive behavior, self-destructive/identity, and externalizing of problems improved while withdrawn, anxious or depressed, and internalizing of problems worsened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of three-dimensional (3-D) lanthanide–organic frameworks (LnOFs), with the general formula [Ln2(H–L)3(H2O)]∞(H–L= N-protonated 2,6-dihydroxypyridine-4-carboxylate; Lniii= Laiiifor 1, Priiifor 2, Ndiiifor 3, and Smiiifor 4), have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. X-Ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses reveal that complexes 1–4are isostructural and exhibit the unique 3-D coordination framework with (4,5,7)-connected network topology, in which the H–Lligands adopt the μ4- and μ5-bridging fashions. Remarkably, thermogravimetric analysis of the crystalline materials shows their exceptionally high thermal stability (up to 530 °C), which should originate from the dense nature of the packing lattices and the unusual network structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A redox cycle process, in which CH4and air are periodically brought into contact with a solid oxide packed in a fixed-bed reactor, combined with the water-gas shift (WGS) reaction, is proposed for hydrogen production. The sole oxidant for partial oxidation of methane (POM) is found to be lattice oxygen instead of gaseous oxygen. A perovskite-type LaFeO3oxide was prepared by a sol-gel method and employed as an oxygen storage material in this process. The results indicate that, under appropriate reaction conditions, methane can be oxidized to CO and H2by the lattice oxygen of LaFeO3perovskite oxide with a selectivity higher than 95% and the consumed lattice oxygen can be replenished in a reoxidation procedure by a redox operation. It is suggested that the POM to H2/CO by using the lattice oxygen of the oxygen storage materials instead of gaseous oxygen should be possibly applicable. The LaFeO3perovskite oxide maintained relatively high catalytic activity and structural stability, while the carbonaceous deposits, which come from the dissociation of CH4in the pulse reaction, occurred due to the low migration rate of lattice oxygen from the bulk toward the surface. A new dissociation-oxidation mechanism for this POM without gaseous oxygen is proposed based on the transient responses of the products checked at different surface states via both pulse reaction and switch reaction over the LaFeO3catalyst. In the absence of gaseous-phase oxygen, the rate-determining step of methane conversion is the migration rate of lattice oxygen, but the process can be carried out in optimized cycles. The product distribution for POM over LaFeO3catalyst in the absence of gaseous oxygen was determined by the concentration of surface oxygen, which is relevant with the migration rate of lattice oxygen from the bulk toward the surface. This process of hydrogen production via selective oxidation of methane by lattice oxygen is better in avoiding the deep oxidation (to CO2) and enhancing the selectivity. Therefore, this new route is superior to general POM in stability (resistance to carbonaceous deposition), safety (effectively avoiding accidental explosion), ease of operation and optimization, and low cost (making use of air not oxygen). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We first described the 2019 novel coronavirus infection in 10 children occurring in areas other than Wuhan. The coronavirus diseases in children are usually mild and epidemiological exposure is a key clue to recognize pediatric case. Prolonged virus shedding is observed in respiratory tract and feces at the convalescent stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work presents the calculations of enthalpy of formation as well as Gibbs energy of reduction of silicon dioxide by aluminum. This way, the possibility of producing Al–Si alloys using amorphous silica fume has been established. The influence of alloying additives and impurities on the silicon reduction process has been determined. The possibility of using magnesium as a surface-active additive, which allows for the removal of oxygen from the surface of dispersed particles and the reduction of silicon, has been demonstrated. Effective methods for producing hypoeutectic and hypereutectic Al–Si alloys using amorphous silica fume have been developed. Alloys with a silicon content exceeding 6 wt% were obtained by blowing preheated (t = 300 °C) amorphous silica fume into the aluminum melt (t = 900 °C) along with the stream of argon followed by intense mixing. Alloys with a silicon content exceeding 16 wt% were manufactured by induction melting of a silicon-containing mixture (60% SiO2, 40% Al + 20% 3NaF·2AlF3) subjected to the presintering (t = 800 °C) when the amorphous silica fume was reduced to crystalline silicon. It has been established that crystalline silicon, which is formed during the roasting of the tableted burden (as a result of reactions in solid phases), is smoothly absorbed by the aluminum melt. Aluminum oxide, obtained during the redox reaction, dissolves in cryolite, after which aluminum and silicon are fused together and transferred to the melt. Industrial implementation of the proposed methods will result in the improved efficiency of the existing process of manufacturing Al–Si alloys, as the energy-intensive stage of the crystalline silicon production is partially excluded, as well as reduce adverse environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid surfaces with controllable and reversible wettability are scientifically and technologically important. Here, we report on the reversible wettability transitions of single crystal (0001) lithium niobate (LiNbO3) surfaces by alternate ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light irradiation. The UV irradiation (170 mW/cm²) could markedly reduce the contact angle of LiNbO3 over 30 min from 55.3° to 10.7°. IR irradiation (200 mW/cm²) recovered the water contact angle from 10.7° to 55.1° over 1 h. First-principles calculations showed that under both O-poor and O-rich conditions, oxygen vacancies preferred to form at the Li-terminal (0001) surface rather than at the Nb-terminal surface and the O-terminal surface or in the bulk. We further show that this light induced wettability transition has a dependence on the light wavelength. The influences of relative humidity and oxygen concentration were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A scheme with a gold cone-capillary is proposed to improve the protons acceleration, and involved problems are investigated by using the two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. It is demonstrated that the cone-capillary can efficiently guide and collimate the protons to a longer distance and result in a better beam quality with a dense density ≥ 10nc, monoenergetic peak energy Ek ~ 1.51 GeV, spatial emittance ~ 0.0088 mm mrad with divergence angle θ ~ 1.0° and diameter ~ 0.5μm. The enhancement is mainly attributed to the focusing effect by the transverse electric field generated by the cone as well as the capillary, which can prevent greatly the protons from expanding in the transverse direction. Comparable to without the capillary, the protons energy spectra have a stable monoenergetic peak and divergence angle nearby 1.0° in longer time. Besides, the efficiency of acceleration depending on the capillary length is explored, and the optimal capillary length is also achieved. Such a target may be beneficial to many applications such as ion fast ignition in inertial fusion, proton therapy and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic transverse transport of Lorentz plasma with collision and magnetic field effects is studied by solving the Boltzmann equation for different electron density distributions. For the Maxwellian distribution, it is shown that transport coefficients decrease as Ω increases, Ω is the ratio of an electron’s magneto-cyclotron frequency to plasma collision frequency. It means that the electrons are possible to be highly collimated by a strong magnetic field. For the quasi-monoenergetic distribution with different widths, it is found that the transport coefficients decrease greatly as ɛ̄ decreases. In particular when the width approaches to zero the transverse transport coefficients are hardly affected by the magnetic field and the minimal one is obtained. Results imply that the strong magnetic field and quasi-monoenergetic distribution are both beneficial to reduce the electronic transverse transport. This study is also helpful to understand the relevant problems of plasma transport in the background of the inertial confinement fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The electromagnetic properties of an MNG–DPS–MNG surface plasmon-like channel with side defect based on transmission line structure are experimentally studied. The results of simulation and experiment show that the channel with a single side defect is not transparent to electromagnetic (EM) waves because of the resonators effect. While a transmission peak appears in the channel with double side defects because of the destructive interference between the two resonance modes of the two resonators. It indicates that an evident electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) phenomenon appears in microwave frequencies. In addition, the slow wave peculiarity of the EIT-like phenomenon in the surface plasmon-like channel is studied through the computer simulation technology (CST) simulation and time-domain measurement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A series of novel three-dimensional (3-D) lanthanide−organic frameworks (LnOFs), with the general formula [Ln2(H-L)3(H2O)4]∞(Ln = DyIIIfor 1, GdIIIfor 2, TbIIIfor 3, EuIIIfor 4, and HoIIIfor 5; H-L= N-protonated 2,6-dihydroxypyridine-4-carboxylate), have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. X-ray structural analysis reveals that complexes 1−5are isostructural and show the unique 3-D coordination framework with a trinodal (3,4,5)-connected (4.62)(42.6)(42.84)(43.6.86)(42.65.83) net topology, in which the H-Lligands adopt different μ4- and μ3-bridging forms. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility studies reveal that complexes 1−3and 5show ferromagnetic behaviors. Notably, complex 1(DyIII) is the first instance leading to ferromagnetic coupling for a lanthanide ion through a spin-polarization mechanism. The alternating current (ac) signal observed for 1and 5should originate from the long-range ferromagnetic ordering, or it could reflect the splitting of the Jmultiplet for DyIIIor HoIIIunder a low symmetry crystal field, which would give rise to slow relaxation of the magnetization. Additionally, thermal stability of these crystalline materials has also been investigated by thermogravimetric analysis of mass loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low-density-core target with buried high density layers is proposed to improve the transport of fast electrons and involved problems are investigated by using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. It is demonstrated that this target can collimate the fast electrons efficiently and lead to a better beam quality. The enhancement is attributed to the weakening of the two stream instability and the better collimation by the self-generated multilayer megagauss magnetic field as well as the baroclinic magnetic field. Comparing this to that without buried high density layers, the energy flux of fast electrons is increased by a factor of about 1.8 and has a narrower transverse distribution in space. Besides, the dependence of the efficiency on the target parameters is examined, and the optimal target parameters are also obtained. Such a target can be useful to many applications, such as fast ignition in inertial fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]