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Bi1−xBaxFeO3 (BBFO, x = 0, 0.03, 0.1) thin films were epitaxially grown on SrRuO3-buffered SrTiO3 (001) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. With increasing Ba content, the BBFO thin films show significantly reduced leakage currents but suppressed ferroelectric polarization. X-ray diffraction reciprocal space mappings and Raman spectra indicate a structural evolution from a rhombohedral-like to tetragonal-like phase in the BBFO thin films. Optical absorption and photoelectron spectroscopy measurements demonstrate a modulation of energy band structures in the BBFO thin films. With A-site Ba acceptor doping, the BBFO thin films exhibit a blue-shift of optical bandgap and an increase in work function. The energy positions of conduction and valence bands of the BBFO thin films have been modulated, and the Fermi level shifts down to the center of the forbidden band, but acceptor-doped BFO thin films still show n-type conduction. The presence of extra oxygen vacancies by acceptor doping is supposed to make contribution to conduction behavior. This study provides a method to manipulate the functional properties and gives insights into the physics of Ba doping in BFO thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed photovoltaic (DPV) is a promising solution to climate change. However, the widespread adoption of DPV faces challenges, such as high upfront costs, regulatory barriers, and market uncertainty. Addressing these barriers requires coordinating the interests of stakeholders in the promotion of DPV. Therefore, this paper constructs a three-party evolutionary game model in a social network with the government, investment companies and residents as the main subjects and examines the influence of different subjects' behavioral strategies on the promotion of DPV under the social learning mechanism. The results show that: (1) In the game equilibrium, both the government and residents hold a positive attitude towards the promotion of DPV; (2) Companies will obtain most of the subsidies through market power and information differences, resulting in the increase of government subsidies that do not always benefit residents; (3) The increase of energy consumption and pollution prevention costs can promote companies' investment in DPV; (4) The increase of environmental protection taxes to a certain extent helps companies to take responsibility for promoting DPV, reducing the pressure on the government to promote it and increasing residents' income. This study provides insights into the sustainable development of DPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracting hot‐carriers before they relax back to the band edge will reduce thermal dissipation above the bandgap, which is one of the primary sources of efficiency loss in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). It requires slow cooling of hot‐carriers together with the efficient extraction of hot‐carriers. Here, a novel interface engineering is demonstrated by embedding radical‐containing nanographene (r‐NG●) between perovskite and poly[bis(4‐phenyl)(2,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐amine] (PTOAA) to harvest this excess energy. This strategy accelerates the extraction rate of the hot‐hole (3 times that of control at 400 K) by augmenting the relaxation channel, which is related to the “quasi‐SOMO” energy state of r‐NG●. Nonadiabatic molecular dynamics calculation further revealed that radical character promotes the rotation of the cation in perovskite, which contributes to generating strong nonadiabatic couplings and multiple phonon modes. In addition, the band bending effect of buried perovskite and improved conductivity of PTOAA also facilitate exciton dissociation and hole collection efficiency (97.5%). Consequently, the resultant r‐NG● decorated PSCs delivered an impressive efficiency of 24.20%, along with better thermal and humidity stability. Moreover, it can maintain 93% of its initial efficiency after 300 hours of illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We successfully prepared mercury sulphide nanoparticle hydrogels by physical encapsulation method. The successfully prepared mercuric sulphide nanoparticle hydrogel was a zinc folate hydrogel, which showed an obvious porous structure with interconnected and uniformly distributed pores and a pore size range of about 20 μm. The maximum drug loading of the hydrogels was 3%, and the in vitro cumulative release degree was in accordance with the first-order kinetic equation Mt = 149.529 (1 − e−0.026t). The particles in mercuric sulphide nanoparticle hydrogels significantly down-regulated the expression of the cell surface co-stimulatory molecule CD86 (p <.0001). Meanwhile, the inflammatory response was regulated through the NF-κB pathway in LPS-induced inflammatory cells. Later, it was observed that mercuric sulphide nanoparticle hydrogels could significantly counteract the inflammatory and immune models through a mouse ear swelling model, a rat foot-plantar swelling model and a rheumatoid arthritis model. This design targets the immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory effects through nanocomposite hydrogel technology. It reduces the drawbacks of low mercury utilisation and susceptibility to accumulation of toxicity. It aims to provide an experimental basis for the development of mercuric sulphide and the treatment of inflammatory and immune-related diseases. Mercury sulphide nanoparticle hydrogel has an optimal mercury sulphide nanoparticle content of 2%, is structurally homogeneous and stable, and does not exhibit significant liver or kidney toxicity. Mercuric sulphide nanoparticle hydrogel exerts anti-inflammatory effects in cells and rats, and regulates the expression of macrophage surface molecules and factors related to the NF-κB pathway. Mercuric sulphide nanoparticle hydrogel improves the condition of ankle synovial joints in a rat model of rheumatoid arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selectivity of multicarbon products in the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) depends on the spin alignment of neighboring active sites, which requires a spin catalyst that facilitates electron transfer with antiparallel spins for enhanced C−C coupling. Here, we design a radical‐contained spin catalyst (TEMPOL@HKUST‐1) to enhance CO2‐to‐ethylene conversion, in which spin‐disordered (SDO) and spin‐ordered (SO) phases co‐exist to construct an asymmetric spin configuration of neighboring active sites. The replacement of axially coordinated H2O molecules with TEMPOL radicals introduces spin‐spin interactions among the Cu(II) centers to form localized SO phases within the original H2O‐mediated SDO phases. Therefore, TEMPOL@HKUST‐1 derived catalyst exhibited an approximately two‐fold enhancement in ethylene selectivity during the CO2RR at −1.8 V versus Ag/AgCl compared to pristine HKUST‐1. In situ ATR‐SEIRAS spectra indicate that the spin configuration at asymmetric SO/SDO sites significantly reduces the kinetic barrier for *CO intermediate dimerization toward the ethylene product. The performance of the spin catalyst is further improved by spin alignment under a magnetic field, resulting in a maximum ethylene selectivity of more than 50 %. The exploration of the spin‐polarized kinetics of the CO2RR provides a promising path for the development of novel spin electrocatalysts with superior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the prospective associations of nighttime sleep duration, midday napping, and sleep quality during early pregnancy with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk among Chinese pregnant women. Sleep-related information was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in baseline surveys during the 6–15 (mean 10.3) gestational weeks. GDM was diagnosed during 24–28 gestational weeks according to the Chinese Guidelines on Diagnosis and Management of Hyperglycemia in Pregnancy (2022). Multivariable logistic regression models with adjustments for socio-demographic and lifestyle factors were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of sleep traits with GDM risk. We identified 503 incident GDM cases among 6993 participants. Compared with women who slept for 7–9 hours/night in early pregnancy, those who slept <7 hours/night showed a higher risk of GDM (OR, 1.75; 95 % CI: 1.20–2.54), whereas those who slept >9 hours/night showed no significant association for GDM risk (OR, 1.01; 95 % CI: 0.78–1.30). Compared with women with absolutely no napping, those with ≤60 and > 60 min/day midday napping showed no significant association for GDM risk (OR, 0.82; 95 % CI: 0.64–1.05 for ≤60 min/day midday napping; OR, 0.87; 95 % CI: 0.66–1.15 for >60 min/day midday napping). Poor sleep quality was not associated with GDM risk compared with good quality (OR, 0.90; 95 % CI: 0.72–1.12). A short nighttime sleep duration during early pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of GDM, which was independent of midday napping, sleep quality and lifestyle factors. [Display omitted] • The associations of sleep traits with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have not been thoroughly examined. • This study investigated the prospective associations of sleep traits during early pregnancy with GDM risk among Chinese. • Short nighttime sleep duration was associated with an increased risk of GDM in the relatively large prospective cohort. • The study highlights the importance of maintaining adequate nighttime sleep duration during early pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PLZST-based antiferroelectric dielectric capacitors are the most advantageous materials in pulse power devices. However, the PbO volatilization, low recoverable energy density and efficiency (W rec and η) hinder the large-scale development and application. An effective strategy was proposed by modifying the antiferroelectric with a linear dielectric material Ca(Zr,Ti)O 3 via spark-plasma-sintering (SPS). This research achieved a remarkable W rec of 5.54 J/cm3, exceptionally high recoverable energy storage intensity (ρ) of 20.52 × 10−3 J/kV ∙ cm−2 and η of 83%. The enhancement in W rec and ρ resulted from the enhanced phase-transition-field by the decreased tolerance factor and increased electronegativity difference, the grains refinement and stoichiometric ratio accuracy by SPS. The increase of η was due to the non-ferroelectrically Ca2+ on the A-site and the improved insulation by SPS. Moreover, the rapid and low temperature sintering helped inhibit lead volatilization and increased mechanical hardness (H V > 7 GPa). Our work demonstrates that PBLZST-based ceramics prepared by SPS can be exploited for enhanced energy-storage performance under a low voltage in an environmentally-friendly way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lead volatilization is inevitable during the sintering process in Pb-based antiferroelectric, and the lead compensation is crucial for achieving desirable performances. In this study, a conventional solid-state approach was employed to fabricate the PBLZST + x PbO ceramics with varying lead content (x = −5, 0, 5, 10 wt%), aiming at investigating the impact of lead compensation on the microstructure and macroscopic properties of PBLZST ceramics. Through scanning electron microscopy and hardness testing analysis, it was observed that increasing the lead content effectively compensated for the lead volatilization. The most densely structured ceramic was obtained when x = 5 wt%, featuring a high energy density of 4.22 J/cm3, representing a remarkable 135.8% increase compared to the energy density at x = −5 wt%. Furthermore, this lead compensation also leads to an enhancement in the frequency stability (10–100 Hz) and a larger discharge energy density of 4.11 J/cm3 within a faster discharge time of 6.42 μs compared to other components. The experimental results emphasize the importance of controlling the lead content to optimize the electrical properties and enhance the energy storage capabilities of Pb-based antiferroelectric ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of transnational investment management, the choice of entry mode is one of the key decisions, and creative assets will affect the choice of overseas market entry mode. However, few studies have analyzed how creative assets affect firms' overseas market entry patterns. This paper takes 480 overseas investment data of 134 Chinese listed enterprises from 2012 to 2019 as research samples and uses the Logistic model to study the influence of creative assets owned by enterprises on their choice of the joint venture and wholly owned modes. At the same time, we examine the formal and informal institutional distance between home and host countries, and the moderating effect of firms' own experience in the process of model selection. In addition, using the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) from the perspective of configuration to explore the different paths of overseas market entry mode. The research results indicate that marketing intensity and technical intensity of enterprises have a positive and significant impact on overseas investment patterns, that is, higher marketing intensity or technical intensity will prompt enterprises to preferentially choose wholly-owned mode. Formal institutional distance and experience can moderate the relationship between creativity and investment mode to some extent, while informal institutional distance has no significant moderating effect on creative assets and investment mode. Three configurations can induce firms to choose the wholly-owned mode, and only one configuration can induce firms to choose the joint venture mode. This study lays a theoretical foundation for enterprises to enter the overseas market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent developed interfacial solar brine crystallizers, which employ solar‐driven water evaporation for salts crystallization from the near‐saturation brine to achieve zero liquid discharge (ZLD) brine treatment, are promising due to their excellent energy efficiency and sustainability. However, most existing interfacial solar crystallizers are only tested using NaCl solution and failed to maintain high evaporation capability when treating real seawater due to the scaling problem caused by the crystallization of high‐valent cations. Herein, an artificial tree solar crystallizer (ATSC) with a multi‐branched and interconnected open‐cell cellular structure that significantly increased evaporation surface is rationally designed, achieving an ultra‐high evaporation rate (2.30 kg m−2 h−1 during 2 h exposure) and high energy efficiency (128%) in concentrated real seawater. The unit cell design of ATSC promoted salt crystallization on the outer frame rather than the inner voids, ensuring that salt crystallization does not affect the continuous transport of brine through the pores inside the unit cell, thus ATSC can maintain a stable evaporation rate of 1.94 kg m−2 h−1 on average in concentrated seawater for 80 h continuous exposure. The design concept of ATSC represents a major step forward toward ZLD treatment of high‐salinity brine in many industrial processes is believed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defects occur in the bulk perovskite and heterojunction interfaces of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). While additive and interface engineering are commonly used to passivate defects within the perovskite phase and at the interface, the interconnections between these two strategies have not been fully explored. This study introduces an auxiliary passivation approach for enhancing the performance of PSCs by passivating both the perovskite phase and the buried interface using succinimide (SID), referred to as the multilayer passivation (MLP) strategy. By adding SID to a lead iodide precursor solution and depositing it on tin oxide film, the remarkable ability of SID to coordinate with Pb2+ through Lewis‐base coordination and bind the iodide ion with hydrogen bonds is demonstrated, thereby reducing defects within the perovskite and suppressing nonradiative recombination. Additionally, SID could passivate oxygen vacancy and hydroxyl defects on the SnO2 surface, facilitating carrier separation and extraction. This MLP strategy enables us to achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.47% based on a two‐step process. Moreover, the unencapsulated devices maintain a PCE of 82% at 20 °C with 30% relative humidity after 7000 h. Overall, this study highlights the unparalleled potential of MLP strategy for enhancing the performance of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) plays essential roles in tumor initiation and progression, but its underlying mechanisms in the treatment sensitivity of endometrial cancer (EC) remain unclear and warrant further investigation. Here, a comprehensive analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas database and Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium database identifies that PRMT3 plays an important role in EC. Specifically, further experiments show that PRMT3 inhibition enhances the susceptibility of EC cells to ferroptosis. Mechanistically, PRMT3 interacts with Methyltransferase 14 (METTL14) and is involved in its arginine methylation. In addition, PRMT3 inhibition‐mediated METTL14 overexpression promotes methylation modification via an m6A‐YTHDF2‐dependent mechanism, reducing Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) mRNA stability, increasing lipid peroxidation levels, and accelerating ferroptosis. Notably, combined PRMT3 blockade and anti‐PD‐1 therapy display more potent antitumor effects by accelerating ferroptosis in cell‐derived xenograft models. The specific PRMT3 inhibitor SGC707 exerts the same immunotherapeutic sensitizing effect in a patient‐derived xenograft model. Notably, blocking PRMT3 improves tumor suppression in response to cisplatin and radiation therapy. Altogether, this work demonstrates that PRMT3 depletion is a promising target for EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selection of a non‐shattering phenotype is a pivotal change in the process of rice domestication. However, current research is heavily restricted by the preservation conditions of macro‐plant remains in early and middle Neolithic sites, as very limited well‐preserved rice spikelet bases could be retrieved. We present a non‐destructive method based on micro‐computed tomographic (CT) scanning, which could provide detailed visualization of the internal structures of charred spikelet bases and efficiently discriminate the shattering and non‐shattering phenotypes of rice spikelet bases according to the abundance of fusiform echinate phytoliths. It could be widely applied in different contexts, especially those poorly preserved specimens and tempers in pottery sherds, greatly improving our knowledge of rice domestication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We isolated a K47-type Klebsiella pneumoniae phage from untreated hospital sewage: vB_KpnP_IME305 (GenBank no. OK149215). Next-generation sequencing (NGS) demonstrated that IME305 has a double-stranded DNA genome of 38,641 bp with 50.9% GC content. According to BLASTn comparisons, the IME305 genome sequence shares similarity with that of Klebsiella phage 6998 (97.37% identity and 95% coverage). IME305 contains 45 open reading frames (ORFs) and no rRNA, tRNA, or virulence-related gene sequences. Bioinformatic analysis showed that IME305 belongs to the phage subfamily Studiervirinae and genus Teetrevirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common primary malignant brain tumor, has a poor prognosis, with a median survival of only 14.6 months. The Warburg effect is an abnormal energy metabolism, which is the main cause of the acidic tumor microenvironment. This study explored the role of the Warburg effect in the prognosis and immune microenvironment of GBM. Methods: A prognostic risk score model of Warburg effect‐related genes (Warburg effect signature) was constructed using GBM cohort data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Cox analysis was performed to identify independent prognostic factors. Next, the nomogram was built to predict the prognosis for GBM patients. Finally, the drug sensitivity analysis was utilized to find the drugs that specifically target Warburg effect‐related genes. Results: Age, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and WRGs score were confirmed as independent prognostic factors for GBM by Cox analyses. The C‐index (0.633 for the training set and 0.696 for the validation set) and area under curve (>0.7) indicated that the nomogram exhibited excellent performance. The calibration curve also indicates excellent consistency of the nomogram between predictions and actual observations. In addition, immune microenvironment analysis revealed that patients with high WRGs scores had high immunosuppressive scores, a high abundance of immunosuppressive cells, and a low response to immunotherapy. The Cell Counting Kit‐8 assays showed that the drugs targeting Warburg effect‐related genes could inhibit the GBM cells growth in vitro. Conclusion: Our research showed that the Warburg effect is connected with the prognosis and immune microenvironment of GBM. Therefore, targeting Warburg effect‐related genes may provide novel therapeutic options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the forces that control the dynamic evolution of a flux rope eruption in a three-dimensional radiative magnetohydrodynamic simulation. The confined eruption of the flux rope gives rise to a C8.5 flare. The flux rope rises slowly with an almost constant velocity of a few kilometers per second in the early stage when the gravity and Lorentz force are nearly counterbalanced. After the flux rope rises to the height at which the decay index of the external poloidal field satisfies the torus instability criterion, the significantly enhanced Lorentz force breaks the force balance and drives the rapid acceleration of the flux rope. Fast magnetic reconnection is immediately induced within the current sheet under the erupting flux rope, which provides strong positive feedback to the eruption. The eruption is eventually confined due to the tension force from the strong external toroidal field. Our results suggest that the gravity of plasma plays an important role in sustaining the quasi-static evolution of the preeruptive flux rope. The Lorentz force, which is contributed from both the ideal magnetohydrodynamic instability and magnetic reconnection, dominates the dynamic evolution during the eruption process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Complex quantum electronic circuits can be used to design noise-protected qubits, but their complexity may exceed the capabilities of classical simulation. In such cases, quantum computers are necessary for efficient simulation. In this work, we demonstrate the use of variational quantum computing on a transmon-based quantum processor to simulate a superconducting quantum electronic circuit and design a new type of qubit called "Plasmonium", which operates in the plasmon-transition regime. The fabricated Plasmonium qubits show a high two-qubit gate fidelity of 99.58(3)%, as well as a smaller physical size and larger anharmonicity compared to transmon qubits. These properties make Plasmonium a promising candidate for scaling up multi-qubit devices. Our results demonstrate the potential of using quantum computers to aid in the design of advanced quantum processors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viscoelastic damping phenomena are ubiquitous in diverse kinds of wave motions of nonlinear media. This arouses extensive interest in studying the existence, the finite time blow-up phenomenon and various large time behaviors of solutions to viscoelastic wave equations. In this paper, we are concerned with a class of variable coefficient coupled quasi-linear wave equations damped by viscoelasticity with a long-term memory fading at very general rates and possibly damped by friction but provoked by nonlinear interactions. We prove a local existence result for solutions to our concerned coupled model equations by applying the celebrated Faedo-Galerkin scheme. Based on the newly obtained local existence result, we prove that solutions would exist globally in time whenever their initial data satisfy certain conditions. In the end, we provide a criterion to guarantee that some of the global-in-time-existing solutions achieve energy decay at general rates uniquely determined by the fading rates of the memory. Compared with the existing results in the literature, our concerned model coupled wave equations are more general, and therefore our theoretical results have wider applicability. Modified energy functionals (can also be viewed as certain Lyapunov functionals) play key roles in proving our claimed general energy decay result in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the continuous planting obstacle and promote the sustainable production of waxy sorghum, a two-years field experiment was performed to determine the responses of waxy sorghum rhizosphere soil properties to different row ratio configurations in waxy sorghum-soybean intercropping systems. The treatments included five row ratio configurations, which were two rows of waxy sorghum intercropped with one row of soybean (2W1S), two rows of waxy sorghum intercropped with two rows of soybean (2W2S), three rows of waxy sorghum intercropped with one row of soybean (3W1S), three rows of waxy sorghum intercropped with two rows of soybean (3W2S), and three rows of waxy sorghum intercropped with three rows of soybean (3W3S), and sole cropping waxy sorghum (SW) was used as control. The nutrients, enzyme activities, and microbes of waxy sorghum rhizosphere soil were investigated at the jointing, anthesis, and maturity stages. Results showed that rhizosphere soil properties of waxy sorghum were significantly affected by row ratio configurations of waxy sorghum intercropped soybean. Among all treatments, the performances of rhizosphere soil nutrients contents, enzymes activities, and microbes contents were 2W1S > 3W1S > 3W2S > 3W3S > 2W2S > SW. Compared to SW treatment, the 2W1S treatment increased the organic matter, total N, total P, total K, gram-negative bacteria phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), and gram-positive bacteria PLFAs contents and catalase, polyphenol oxidase, and urease activities by 20.86%-25.67%, 34.33%-70.05%, 23.98%-33.83%, 44.12%-81.86%, 74.87%-194.32%, 81.59–136.59%, 91.44%-114.07%, 85.35%-146.91%, and 36.32%-63.94%, respectively. Likewise, the available N, available P, available K, total PLFAs, fungus PLFAs, actinomycetes PLFAs, and bacteria PLFAs contents under the 2W1S treatment were 1.53–2.41, 1.32–1.89, 1.82–2.05, 1.96–2.91, 3.59–4.44, 9.11–12.56, and 1.81–2.71 times than those of SW treatment, respectively. Further, the determining factors of soil microbes were total K, catalase, and polyphenol oxidase for total microbes, bacteria, and gram-negative bacteria, total P and available K for fungus, available N, available K, and polyphenol oxidase for actinomycetes, and total K and polyphenol oxidase for gram-positive bacteria. In conclusion, the 2W1S treatment was the optimal row ratio configuration of waxy sorghum intercropped with soybean, which can improve the rhizosphere soil quality and promote the sustainable production of waxy sorghum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recommendation system, or recommender system, is widely used in online Web applications like e-commerce Web sites and movie review Web sites. Sequential recommender put more emphasis upon user's short-term preference through exploiting information from its recent history. By incorporating the user short-term preference into the recommendation, the algorithm achieves a higher accuracy, which proves that a more accurate user portrait or representation boosts the performance to a great extent. Intuitionally, we seek to improve the current item representation modeling via incorporating the item trend information. Most of the recommendation models neglect the importance of the ever-changing item popularity. To this end, this paper introduces a novel sequential recommendation approach dubbed TRec. TRec learns the item trend information from the implicit user interaction history and incorporates the item trend information into the subsequent item recommendation tasks. After that, a self-attention mechanism is used for better representation. We also investigate alternative ways to model the proposed item trend representation; we evaluate two variant models which leverage the power of gated graph neural network upon the item trend representation modeling to boost the representation ability. We conduct extensive experiments with seven baseline methods on four benchmark datasets. The empirical results show that our proposed approach outperforms the state-of-the-art models as high as 18.2%. The experiment result displays the effectiveness in item trend information learning while with low computational complexity as well. Our study demonstrates the importance of item trend information in recommendation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural changes and very-low-frequency (VLF) nonlinear dielectric responses are measured to evaluate the aging state of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) in power cables under various thermal aging conditions. For this purpose, the accelerated thermal aging experiments were performed on XLPE insulation materials at 90 °C, 120 °C and 150 °C with different durations of 240 h, 480 h and 720 h, respectively. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR) characterization and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) were tested to analyze the influence of different aging on physicochemical properties of XLPE insulation. Besides, the VLF dielectric spectra show that the permittivity and dielectric loss change significantly in the VLF range from 1 mHz to 0.2 Hz. A voltage–current (U–I) hysteresis curve referring to a standard sinusoidal voltage and the response current were introduced to characterize the nonlinear dielectric properties of XLPE insulation caused by thermal aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), their growth periods, DSF (days of sowing-to-flowering), and DFM (days of flowering-to-maturity) are determined by their required accumulative day-length (ADL) and active temperature (AAT). A sample of 354 soybean varieties from five world eco-regions was tested in four seasons in Nanjing, China. The ADL and AAT of DSF and DFM were calculated from daily day-lengths and temperatures provided by the Nanjing Meteorological Bureau. The improved restricted two-stage multi-locus genome-wide association study using gene–allele sequences as markers (coded GASM-RTM-GWAS) was performed. (i) For DSF and its related ADLDSF and AATDSF, 130–141 genes with 384–406 alleles were explored, and for DFM and its related ADLDFM and AATDFM, 124–135 genes with 362–384 alleles were explored, in a total of six gene–allele systems. DSF shared more ADL and AAT contributions than DFM. (ii) Comparisons between the eco-region gene–allele submatrices indicated that the genetic adaptation from the origin to the geographic sub-regions was characterized by allele emergence (mutation), while genetic expansion from primary maturity group (MG)-sets to early/late MG-sets featured allele exclusion (selection) without allele emergence in addition to inheritance (migration). (iii) Optimal crosses with transgressive segregations in both directions were predicted and recommended for breeding purposes, indicating that allele recombination in soybean is an important evolutionary drive. (iv) Genes of the six traits were mostly trait-specific involved in four categories of 10 groups of biological functions. GASM-RTM-GWAS showed potential in detecting directly causal genes with their alleles, identifying differential trait evolutionary drives, predicting recombination breeding potentials, and revealing population gene networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We proposed an evolutionary general equilibrium framework on new technology diffusion and economic growth. • The framework can capture the nonlinear, path-dependent, and S-shaped technological diffusion process. • Impact of carbon pricing and life expectancy of coal-fired power is analyzed. • A well-designed policy can bring a win-win future for near-zero emissions of power sector and economic growth of china. • The framework may be insightful for developing the next-generation computable general equilibrium models on structural change of low-carbon technologies. The thorough transition of energy system is required to achieve the Paris Agreement goal. Computable general equilibrium (CGE) models are a common tool for estimating the energy transition pathway and the impact of low-carbon policies on economic growth. However, CGE models encounter challenges on modeling diffusion of new technologies. This study proposed a novel evolutionary dynamic general equilibrium model to capture the nonlinear, path-dependent and S-shaped technology diffusion process, and examined the low-carbon transition pathway of power sector and its impact on economic growth of China. We found that imposing a moderate carbon tax and avoiding the over-reliance on coal-fired power could achieve the near-zero emissions of power sector, avoid the large economic loss and hasten the economic growth in the long term. The evolutionary framework may be useful for developing the next-generation model, particularly for simulating the diffusion of new technologies, and their structural effects on economic dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote network teaching has gained significant importance in recent times, with video images serving as a crucial medium for delivering educational content. Ensuring accurate face recognition in these video images is a key challenge. To address this, we present a face recognition algorithm based on an improved frame difference method. The algorithm focuses on enhancing the accuracy of face recognition specifically in remote network teaching video images. By leveraging a generative adversarial network method, we enhance image resolution as a preprocessing step. Subsequently, our proposed image target detection algorithm effectively identifies the face region through foreground and background segmentation. We employ an improved local three-value pattern for face feature extraction, concentrating on the face target region. These features are then input into an integrated neural network face recognition model. Experimental results demonstrate the algorithm's efficacy in enhancing clarity processing, facial object detection, and feature extraction for remote teaching video images. Notably, the proposed method achieves an average gradient of details below 0.1 and attains a facial feature matching degree of 0.98, establishing the high accuracy of facial recognition results in remote teaching video images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Oxylipins modulate inflammation via complex pathways. The oxylipin profile in gout remains unexplored. In this study, we systemically profiled oxylipins in young men and identified new oxylipin biomarkers for clinical use in differentiating gout from hyperuricaemia. Material and methods Oxylipin profiling was performed in 90 men (30 very early onset gout, 30 asymptomatic hyperuricaemia [HU] and 30 normouricaemia [NU], all aged <20 years) divided into discovery and validation sample sets. The dataset was analysed based on orthogonal projection to latent structure-discriminant analysis. Correlation network and pathway enrichment were conducted to reveal potential oxylipin-involved pathways of gout. Candidate oxylipins were further evaluated and optimized in the validation cohort, and differential oxylipin biomarkers combined with or without serum urate were applied to construct diagnostic models. Results In discovery stage, 21 differential oxylipins in the gout vs HU comparisons and 14 differential oxylipins in the gout vs NU comparisons were discovered. Correlation network analysis was performed and 14(S)-HDHA (14 S -hydroxy-4 Z ,7 Z ,10 Z ,12 E ,16 Z ,19 Z -docosahexaenoic acid) was identified as a hub metabolite in both comparisons. Seven down-regulated oxylipins in the gout vs HU group and five down-regulated oxylipins in the gout vs NU group were validated. Diagnostic models were constructed with the above oxylipins, with 14(S)-HDHA alone having an area under the curve of 1 (95% CI, 1, 1) in both comparisons. Conclusions Young men with very early onset gout have distinct oxylipin spectrums, especially those derived from arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Differential oxylipins could serve as candidate serum biomarkers in differentiating gout from hyperuricaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial engineering is a vital strategy to enable high-performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). To develop efficient, low-cost, and green biomass interfacial materials, here, a bifunctional cellulose derivative is presented, 6-O-[4-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)butyl]-2,3-di-O-methyl cellulose (C-Cz), with numerous methoxy groups on the backbone and redox-active carbazole units as side chains. The bifunctional C-Cz shows excellent energy level alignment, good thermal stability and strong interactions with the perovskite surface, all of which are critical for not only carrier transportation but also potential defects passivation. Consequently, with C-Cz as the interfacial modifier, the PSCs achieve a remarkably enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of23.02%, along with significantly enhanced long-term stability. These results underscore the advantages of bifunctional cellulose materials as interfacial layers with effective charge transport properties and strong passivation capability for efficient and stable PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a hybrid AC/DC microgrid (MG), the interlinking converter (IC) plays an important role in power flow regulation between subgrids. However, line impedance will cause deviations in the power transmitted by the IC if a communication device is not used. To realize accurate power delivery between subgrids without communication, an IC control method based on line impedance compensation is proposed. A harmonic signal is injected into the IC in this method using converters of distributed generation, which are connected to an AC bus. The specified frequency of the signal indicating the voltage of the AC bus can be acquired by an IC using a filter and phase‐locked‐loop (PLL) so that the IC can obtain line impedance by local information and then compensate for voltage drop to realize accurate power transmission. The entire implementation of this method uses no communication. Moreover, when multiple ICs run in parallel, this method can also be conducted easily and effectively to realize accurate power flow between subgrids and power sharing among ICs in proportion to the ICs' rated capacity. This strategy is verified by simulation and hardware‐in‐the‐loop tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the fatigue resistance of engineering structures, topology optimization has always been an effective design strategy. The direct calculation of large-scale local fatigue constraints remains a challenge due to high computational cost. In the past, the constraint aggregation techniques, such as the P-norm method, were often applied to aggregate local fatigue constraints into a global constraint, whereas the resultant optimal solution was not consistent with the original problem. In order to meet the local fatigue constraints accurately and reduce the number of constraints, the augmented Lagrangian scheme is employed to transform the original problem into the unconstrained problem. To evaluate the fatigue strength at every material point of structures under the proportional load with variable amplitude, we adopt the Sines fatigue criterion based on the Palmgren–Miner linear damage assumption. In addition, we solve the fatigue-constrained topology optimization problem on the unstructured polygonal meshes, which are not sensitive to numerical instabilities, such as checkerboard patterns, compared with lower-order triangular and bilateral meshes. We provide some numerical examples to validate the potential of the presented method to solve the fatigue-constrained topology optimization problem. Numerical results demonstrate that the optimized designs considering local fatigue constraints have a higher ratio of fatigue resistance to material consumption than those obtained through the traditional P-norm method. Therefore, the proposed approach retaining the local nature of fatigue constraints is more beneficial for realizing the efficient material utilization in structural topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bifunctional materials possess remarkable properties that allow them to store and convert electrical energy easily. In this paper, diatomite-like potassium iron disulfide (KFeS2) was synthesized by a multistep sacrificial template method, and its morphological, electrochemical, and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) properties were investigated. KFeS2 was found to be porous, hollow, and cake-like, which suggests a high specific surface area (SSA) and abundant electrochemically active sites. A very high specific capacitance of 651 F g−1 at 1.0 A g−1 was also obtained due to the substance's unique structure and high porosity. Additionally, the diatomite-like KFeS2 possessed a very low overpotential ƞ10 of 254 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and a small Tafel slope of about 48.4 mV dec−1. Thus, the diatomite-like KFeS2 demonstrates broad application prospects for both energy storage and conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural manipulation of electroactive β-phase of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) [P(VDF-HFP)] is of great importance in high-energy-density polymer devices. In this Letter, an efficient way to improve dielectric and energy storage properties of P(VDF-HFP) films by inducing a high β-phase content and lowering the crystallite size through repetitive unipolar nanosecond electric pulses (nsEP) is proposed. It is found that the percentage of the β-phase in P(VDF-HFP) can be significantly enhanced to ∼84% under a low unipolar nsEP of 5 V/mm vs only 35% in pristine P(VDF-HFP). Meanwhile, the orientation of the amorphous chains is also achieved, which improves the dielectric constant, electric breakdown, and energy storage properties of P(VDF-HFP). Specifically, the P(VDF-HFP) film processed under nsEP of 5 V/mm exhibits a high breakdown field of 541 MV/m, and discharged energy density of 14 J/cm3, which is 28.8% and 127% higher than those of the pristine polymer, respectively. This work provides a facile approach to optimize the crystalline morphology of P(VDF-HFP) polymers for dielectric energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tight oil and gas resources are widely distributed and play an important role in the petroleum industry. Due to its nanoscale pore-throat characteristics, the capillary effect is remarkable, and spontaneous imbibition is very beneficial to the development of low-permeability reservoirs. In this study, the imbibition experiments of 2D nano blackcard, nanoemulsion, and water were carried out, respectively. The pore-throat fluid distribution characteristics before and after core imbibition were analyzed with nuclear magnetic resonance technology, and the enhanced oil recovery effects of 2D nano blackcard nanoemulsion, and water were comprehensively evaluated. The results show that the final recovery factors of cores soaked in 2D nano blackcard (0.005 ωt%) and nanoemulsion (0.02 ωt%) or imbibed in water are 32.29%, 26.05%, and 7.19%, respectively. It can be found that 2D nano blackcard is the fluid with the best imbibition effect. In this work, a new type of 2D nano blackcard was proposed and identified as a functional imbibition fluid for enhanced oil recovery in tight reservoirs, providing a practical reference for the effective development of tight, low-permeability oil and gas reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camptothecin (CPT) is an anticancer pentacyclic quinoline alkaloid widely used to treat cancer patients worldwide. However, the biosynthetic pathway and transcriptional regulation of camptothecin are largely unknown. Ophiorrhiza pumila, the herbaceous plant from the Rubiaceae family, has emerged as a model plant for studying camptothecin biosynthesis and regulation. In this study, a high‐quality reference genome of O. pumila with estimated size of ~456.90 Mb was reported, and the accumulation level of camptothecin in roots was higher than that in stems and leaves. Based on its spatial distribution in the plant, we examined gene functions and expression by combining genomics with transcriptomic analysis. Two loganic acid O‐methyltransferase (OpLAMTs) were identified in strictosidine‐producing plant O. pumila, and enzyme catalysis assays showed that OpLAMT1 and not OpLAMT2 could convert loganic acid into loganin. Further knock‐out of OpLAMT1 expression led to the elimination of loganin and camptothecin accumulation in O. pumila hairy roots. Four key residues were identified in OpLAMT1 protein crucial for the catalytic activity of loganic acid to loganin. By co‐expression network, we identified a NAC transcription factor, OpNAC1, as a candidate gene for regulating camptothecin biosynthesis. Transgenic hairy roots and biochemical assays demonstrated that OpNAC1 suppressed OpLAMT1 expression. Here, we reported on two camptothecin metabolic engineering strategies paving the road for industrial‐scale production of camptothecin in CPT‐producing plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Accurate estimation of household secondary attack rate (SAR) is crucial to understand the transmissibility of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The impact of population-level factors, such as transmission intensity in the community, on SAR estimates is rarely explored. Methods In this study, we included articles with original data to compute the household SAR. To determine the impact of transmission intensity in the community on household SAR estimates, we explored the association between SAR estimates and the incidence rate of cases by country during the study period. Results We identified 163 studies to extract data on SARs from 326 031 cases and 2 009 859 household contacts. The correlation between the incidence rate of cases during the study period and SAR estimates was 0.37 (95% CI, 0.24–0.49). We found that doubling the incidence rate of cases during the study period was associated with a 1.2% (95% CI, 0.5%–1.8%) higher household SAR. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the incidence rate of cases during the study period is associated with higher SAR. Ignoring this factor may overestimate SARs, especially for regions with high incidences, which further impacts control policies and epidemiological characterization of emerging variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the clinical application value of shear wave elastography (SWE) technique for early diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Methods: Diabetic patients hospitalized in the Department of Endocrinology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from August 2021 to February 2022 were enrolled as DPN group (n=38) and non-DPN group (n=35) based on the neurophysiological examination results. 30 healthy subjects were recruited as the control group during the same period. Ultrasound examination of the tibial nerve and related laboratory tests were examined and collected for the total 103 study subjects. Statistical analysis of the collected data, and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve for determination of the optimal cut-off values of mean stiffness of tibial nerve to detect DPN, with determination of area under curve (AUC), specificity, sensitivity, and Youden index.P value < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Results: Gender, age and BMI differences among three groups were insignificant (P>0.05). The difference of serological indicators between DPN and non-DPN groups was also not found (P>0.05), whereas longer duration of diabetes was observed in DPN group as compared to non-DPN group. As to the ultra-sound relevant parameters, the cross-sectional area and elastic modulus of the tibial nerve in both lower extremities among these three groups were not significantly different (Oneway ANOVA analysis) although the differences were indeed observed if we compared DPN group exclusively with non-DPN group, or compared non-DPN group with healthy group, or compared DPN group with healthy group (t test). Additionally, the mean elasticity (Emean) cut-off value for the diagnosis of DPN was preferably taken as 67.55 kPa. Conclusion: SWE has unique advantages in early detection and diagnosis of DPN, which deserve further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Endometrial cancer is one of the three major gynecologic malignancies, and its incidence continues to rise. ATPase family AAA structural domain-containing protein 2 (ATAD2) is an ATPase protein, which is an independent factor for poor prognosis in endometrial cancer. However, its role in the disease is yet to be determined. Methods. The Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database was used to assess ATAD2 expression in pan-cancer, and the relevance of ATAD2 expression in Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma (UCEC) in clinical settings was obtained using Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and UALCAN analysis. In addition, the Human Protein Atlas database was used to assess ATAD2 protein expression in UCEC. Furthermore, in vitro molecular biology and in vivo functional experiments were employed to ascertain the effect of ATAD2 expression on tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth. UALCAN was used to screen for ATAD2 coexpressed genes, and Sangerbox was utilized to perform Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of these coexpressed genes. Finally, the TIMER, Tumor Immune System Interaction and Drug Bank (TISIDB), and GEPIA databases were used to analyze the relationship between ATAD2 and immune infiltration. Results. ATAD2 is highly expressed in a variety of tumors, and in UCEC, it plays the role of a protooncogene. Basic experiments revealed that ATAD2 promotes vascular endothelial growth factor expression in endometrial cancer and affects tumor growth and angiogenesis. In addition, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that ATAD2-associated genes were chiefly enriched in certain signaling pathways, such as herpes simplex virus 1 infection and that ATAD2 was associated with immune infiltration in UCEC. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that ATAD2 promotes tumor growth and angiogenesis in endometrial cancer. Furthermore, ATAD2 is associated with immune infiltration and is a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tree peony (Paeonia section Moutan DC.) is the candidate flower in China, with abundant germplasm resources and high ornamental value. However, the short and concentrated flowering period severely restricted the improvement of the economic value of tree peonies. Based on the full-length transcriptome database of tree peonies, the PoVIN3 (GenBank ID: OP341879), involved in the flowering regulation of tree peonies were identified and cloned for the first time. The PoVIN3 was also characterized by bioinformatics methods, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and the establishment of a transgenic system. The expression levels of PoVIN3 in seven different petals developmental stages were the highest at the initial flowering stage of the variant cultivar of Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan,' the initial decay stage of the normal flowering Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan,' and the half opening stage of the late flowering Paeonia suffruticosa 'Lianhe.' Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that the relative expression levels of PoVIN3 were the highest in sepals of both normal flowering Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan' and the late flowering Paeonia suffruticosa 'Lianhe,' and the highest expression was in stamens of early flowering mutant Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan.' In addition, the flowering time of pCAMBIA2300-PoVIN3 transgenic plants was significantly earlier than that of the wild-type, indicating that PoVIN3 could promote plant flowering. The results provide a theoretical basis for exploring the role of PoVIN3 in the regulation of flowering in tree peonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the context of rapid aging, "empty nest syndrome" is becoming a major public health concern. The causal effects of empty nest on depressive symptoms have been studied in developed countries, but the mediating mechanism of depressive symptoms in the association between empty nest and cognitive impairments has not been studied. This study estimated the causal association of empty nest with depressive symptoms and cognitive impairments in China, and then estimated how depression mediates the association between empty nest and cognitive impairments.Methods: Using data of 23,614 urban older adults (65+) obtained from the Shandong Province Aging and Mental Health Survey in 2020, a weighted linear regression model combined with instrumental variable was applied to explore the causal effects of empty nest, and a four-step mediation model was run to test the mediator of depressive symptoms. The Ascertain Dementia 8-item Questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were used to measure cognitive impairments and depressive symptoms.Results: Empty nest was associated with 0.13 (95%CI: 0.04-0.23) and 0.23 (95%CI: 0.14-0.33) increases in the Ascertain Dementia 8-item Questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores, respectively. The association between empty nest and the Ascertain Dementia 8-item Questionnaire scores was mediated by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores.Conclusions: Empty nest affected depression in adulthood with cognitive impairments. A focus on integrative intervention for empty nesters is recommended, taking depression and cognition into account.Limitations: It is a cross-sectional study and the data is not nationally representative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza vaccination is an important intervention to prevent influenza virus infection. Our previous analysis suggested that indirect protection is limited in an influenza B epidemic in Hong Kong. We further analyzed six influenza A epidemics to determine such potential. We applied a statistical model to estimate household transmission dynamics in the 3 influenza A(H3N2) and 3 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) epidemics. Then, we estimated the reduction in infection risk among unvaccinated household members when all children in households are vaccinated, with different assumptions on vaccine efficacy (VE). In the optimal scenario that VE was 70%, the reduction to the total probability of infection was only marginal, with relative probabilities ranged from 0.91–0.94 when all children in households were vaccinated because community was by far the main source of infection during the six epidemics in our study. The proportion of cases attributed to household transmission was 10% (95% CrI: 7%, 13%). Individual influenza vaccination is important even when other household members are vaccinated, given the degree of indirect protection is small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma spp. can cause peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis. • M. hominis - or Ureaplasma spp. -caused peritonitis is related to menstruation. • Metagenomic next-generation sequencing can be applied to identify the pathogen in peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis. • Intraperitoneal tigecycline can treat peritonitis caused by M. hominis or Ureaplasma spp. Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma parvum , and Ureaplasma urealyticum commonly colonize the human urogenital tract, which may cause urogenital infections. However, infection by M. hominis, U. parvum, or U. urealyticum is rarely reported in patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis. Herein, we reported four cases of PD-associated peritonitis caused by these pathogens, along with a review of the literature. The four cases were female patients with recurrent "culture-negative" PD-associated peritonitis and were related to menstruation. M. hominis, U. parvum, or U. urealyticum was detected in the PD fluid of the patients by metagenomic next-generation sequencing. All four patients were cured by intraperitoneal tigecycline combined with oral azithromycin or minocycline. M. hominis, U. parvum, and U. urealyticum should be paid more attention in female patients with recurrent culture-negative PD-associated peritonitis, especially when the peritonitis is related to menstruation, sexual intercourse, or urogenital tract operation. Moreover, metagenomic next-generation sequencing can provide a reasonable method to identify the pathogen for culture-negative PD-associated peritonitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under China's Intelligent Electric Power Grid (IEPG), the research on IEPG inspection mode is of great significance. This work aims to improve the positioning and navigation performance of IEPG inspection robots in a complex environment. First, it reviews the monocular camera projection and the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) models. It also discusses the tight-coupling monocular Vision Inertial Navigation System (VINS) and the initialization theory of the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) system. Nonlinear optimization for SLAM by the Gauss–Newton Method (GNM) is established. Accordingly, this work proposes the SLAM system based on tight-coupling monocular VINS. The EuRoC dataset data sequence commonly used in visual-inertial algorithm testing in IEPG is used for simulation testing. The proposed SLAM system's attitude and position estimation errors are analyzed on different datasets. The results show that the errors of roll, pitch, and yaw angle are acceptable. The errors of the X, Y, and Z axes are within 40 cm, meeting the positioning requirements of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Meanwhile, the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) evaluates the improvement of positioning accuracy by loop detection. The results testify that loop detection can reduce the RMSE and improve positioning accuracy. The attitude estimation tests the angle changes of pitch, roll, and yaw angles with time under a single rotation condition. The estimated value of the proposed SLAM algorithm is compared with the real value through Absolute Trajectory Error (ATE). The results show that the real value and the estimated value of attitude error can coincide well. Thus, the proposed SLAM algorithm is effective for positioning and navigation. ATE can also be controlled within ±2.5°, satisfying the requirements of navigation and positioning accuracy. The proposed SLAM system based on tight-coupling monocular VINS presents excellent positioning and navigation accuracy for the IEPG inspection robot. The finding has a significant reference value in the later research of IEPG inspection robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article mainly designs a novel full-order state observer for the two-mass elastic servo system. In order to observe all the states of the two-mass system without the aid of any additional sensors, the model of the observer is constructed that includes two relative parts. Based on the theory of steady-state Kalman filter (KF), the fixed gain filter (FGF) scheme is studied. To overcome the heavy computational processing burden from the KF, the mechanism of the only one adjustable parameter is studied for the FGF-based observer. The adjustable parameter can be further refined by stability analysis and control characteristics within a small range, and the exact value can be calculated according to the desired observation performance, by compromising both the noise sensitivity and tracking capability. The proposed full-order observer method is experimentally verified in a two-mass system to provide easy parameter tuning, decreased computational complexity, and flexible observation performance in all cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing a novel photocatalytic composite for the efficient degradation of organic dyes remains a serious challenge. Herein, the multi-layered Co3O4@NP-CuO photocatalyst with unique features, i.e., the self-supporting, hierarchical porous network as well as the construction of heterojunction between Co3O4 and CuO, are synthesized by dealloying-electrodeposition and subsequent thermal treatment techniques. It is found that the interwoven ultrathin Co3O4 nanopetals evenly grow on the nanoporous CuO network (Co3O4@NP-CuO). The three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical porous structure for the catalyst provides more surface area to act as active sites and facilitates the absorption of visible light in the photodegradation reaction. Compared with the commercial CuO and Co3O4 powders, the newly designed Co3O4@NP-CuO composite exhibits superior photodegradation performance for RhB. The enhanced performance is mainly due to the construction of heterojunction of Co3O4/CuO, greatly promoting the efficient carrier separation for photocatalysis. Furthermore, the possible photocatalytic mechanism is analyzed in detail. This work provides a promising strategy for the fabrication of a new controllable heterojunction to improve photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Similar to the conventional three-phase parallel-connected MMC (PC-MMC), the three-phase series-connected MMC (SC-MMC) is a strong potential solution for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) applications. The study of SC-MMC focuses on the control strategy, neglecting its small-signal dynamics, not to mention its stability when interacting with the AC grid. Work on small-signal modeling of MMC is limited to parallel-connected configurations. SC-MMC differs from PC-MMC in structure and harmonic content; hence, it is necessary to establish an accurate model of SC-MMC according to its own characteristics. This paper introduces the circuit and control of SC-MMC and compares it with PC-MMC. Multi-harmonic linearization is used to establish the AC impedance model of SC-MMC over the whole control system, including the third harmonic suppression controller. We take a PC-MMC station of the Wudongde HVDC project as a benchmark to explore the potential application of SC-MMC when constructing new HVDC stations to extract power from an existing DC transmission corridor. The strengths and weaknesses of SC-MMC in HVDC applications are discussed, and it is compared to PC-MMC with regard to the impedance characteristic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the Euler‐Maruyama method is used to solve a class of nonlinear stochastic Volterra integral equations (SVIEs), which can be derived from stochastic fractional substantial integro‐differential equations (SFSIDEs). The existence and uniqueness of the solution are proved for the nonlinear SVIEs under the non‐Lipschitz condition. Moreover, the sharp convergence estimate with Ohα+12 if α∈0,12,O(h·|lnh|) if α=12 and O(h) if α∈12,1, respectively, is established for the nonlinear SVIEs, which can be revised as supplemented theory results of our recent work (J Comput Appl Math 356 (2019) 377–390). In particular, it also closes a gap that was left on the convergence analysis in (J Comput Appl Math 317 (2017) 447–457). Finally, numerical experiments are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the presented method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • ESIS techniques for selective ion extraction are comprehensively reviewed. • Faradaic redox principles and categories of EIXMs are summarized. • Various system architectures are classified and highlighted. • Ion selective mechanisms in the ESIS process are evaluated. Efficient and selective ion separation from complex aqueous solutions is highly relevant for resource recovery, energy storage, and environment protection. The emerging electrochemically switched ion separation (ESIS) technologies have attracted widespread attention due to their high selectivity, energy efficiency, and environmental friendliness. Basic research on ESIS focuses primarily on the design of electroactive ion exchange materials (EIXMs) and the innovation of electrochemical system architectures. The well-tailored EIXMs for film/membrane electrodes rely on Faradaic redox reactions to capture ions selectively. Significant advancement has been achieved in the transition from intermittent operation in electrochemically switched ion exchange (ESIX) to continuous running in electrochemically switched ion permselective membrane (ESIPM) with the regarding of system architectures. This review systematically outlines the research and development of ESIS technologies from four key aspects: EIXMs development, system architectures, ion selectivity mechanisms, and prospects. First, the principles and categories of EIXMs are summarized. Next, the evolutions of system architectures in terms of cell designs, driving mode optimization, and practical application are emphasized. Then, the ion selectivity mechanisms explored with the aid of experimental and computational approaches are elucidated. Finally, the challenges and prospects of ESIS including ion separation mechanisms, film/membrane electrodes, module development, and process intensification and scaling up are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) and vehicular platooning has ignited high expectations for improving the safety performance of future transportation systems. Present control strategies for CAV platoons primarily concentrate on regulating each vehicle within the platoon. Although theoretically equipped to optimize a variety of performance metrics, this method is heavily dependent on communication and computational resources, which may lead to exorbitant costs. This study proposes a pinning control strategy that focuses on the selection of pivotal nodes, thereby facilitating the optimization of safety indexes for the entire platoon through the control of a select group of vehicles. The strategy encompasses two critical aspects: the identification of key control nodes and the application of node-based control. Initially, a feature matrix that includes both the intrinsic dynamics of the vehicles and the dynamics relative to other vehicles is developed. Spectral clustering is then utilized to identify these pivotal nodes. Subsequently, specialized control mechanisms for these nodes are devised, based on Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers, with the objective of improving platoon safety. The efficacy of this strategy is corroborated through numerical simulations. To assess the safety performance, four categories of Surrogate Safety Measures (SSMs), which consider distance and acceleration, are applied. The findings confirm that the pinning control strategy significantly enhances performance across various SSMs, considerably reducing the risk of collisions during platoon operations. Moreover, it improves operational efficiency and platoon stability, establishing its value as an effective method for safety enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storm events have a significant impact on coastal topography, which can subsequently lead to coastal erosion and ecological deterioration. Traditional field measurements are affected by environmental factors and consume substantial resources, making it difficult to conduct large-scale terrain, hydrodynamic and other monitoring tasks. Significant challenges still remain to identify the response of coastal processes to storm events due to the lack of field measured data. In this study, the response of coastal morphodynamical variations to extreme storm events was simulated by the coupled XBeach and FVCOM models and the storm-induced coastal evolution was evaluated in the China Yellow Sea. The costal morphodynamical variations under different wind conditions were also quantified. The results reveal that erosion dominated the supratidal zone while accretion mainly occurred in the subtidal zone. Comparing the coastal morphology before and after the storm, we found the alongshore currents were the primary factors influencing sediment transport. The degree of coastal erosion and accretion shift was positively correlated with the wind speed and direction. The present nested model may serve as a valuable tool for predicting future coastal erosion and accretion, contributing to more scientifically informed coastal management decisions. The study also provides a scientific basis for understanding the response mechanism of coastal morphodynamical process to extreme storm events and coastline evolution under global change. • Response of coastal morphodynamical variation to extratropical storm surges was simulated by a nested numerical XBeach and FVCOM models. • The alongshore currents induced by extratropical storm surges cause coastal erosion. • Coastal erosion occurs in the supratidal and intertidal zones, while accretion occurs in the subtidal zone during extratropical storm surges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fretting fatigue pertains to the behavior of engineering components subjected to cyclic loading while in contact with each other. This challenging contact-related phenomenon often leads to premature failure compared to typical fatigue issues. To extend the lifespan of components experiencing fretting fatigue, surface strengthening is crucial. One well-established method for enhancing the durability of these components is the application of compressive residual stress to the material's surface, achieved through a process called Shot Peening (SP). Numerous parameters in SP, such as shot speed, ball material, ball diameter, and coverage, must be carefully controlled to make beneficial compressive residual stress. These parameters significantly affect the residual stress distribution, containing the maximum residual stress, the depth of the residual stress area, and the depth of the maximum residual stress. The Critical Plane (CP) approach is used to calculate the damage parameter, and the Theory of Critical Distance (TCD) method is utilized to average the damage parameter due to the stress concentration resulting from the contact problem to investigate the impact of residual stress distribution on crack initiation behavior. Additionally, Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM) criteria, specifically the Extended Maximum Tangential Stress (E-MTS) criterion, are used to study how the residual stress affects crack propagation lifetime under fretting conditions. It is found that the maximum residual stress plays the most important role in improving crack initiation and propagation lifetimes, as well as the depth of the residual stress region. However, an increase in the depth of the maximum residual stress has a negative impact on crack initiation lifetime, and it has little effect on crack propagation lifetime. Furthermore, the enhanced lifetime diminishes as the applied loads increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalyzed diesel particulate filter (CDPF) is the most effective device to control the pollution of particle matter. The regeneration of CDPF is the most important step to maintain efficient work. The combustion kinetics of soot with lubricant-derived ash are investigated over powder and waffle catalysts. The kinetic tests of powder and monolithic mixtures from the engine bench show that the combustion rate constant under 0.25% NO2 is much higher than that under 10% O2. The high combustion rate constants are associated with a low apparent activation energy. Due to the inhibition of the soot–catalyst and soot–NO2 contact, the ash accumulation increases the combustion temperature and decreases the rate constant. Moreover, as the soot particles pack tightly together, the combustion on monolithic CDPF is more difficult than that in the powder mixture. Our study implies that the ash on the CDPF decreases the combustion activity of catalysts in the passive regeneration and affects the triggering of active regeneration controlled by pressure drops. Future development of catalysts needs to focus on uniform porous but stable catalyst layers on CDPF. A practical indicator of effectiveness of such catalysts is the combustion temperature from an engine bench.Graphical abstract: Catalyzed diesel particulate filter (CDPF) is the most effective device to control the pollution of particle matter. The regeneration of CDPF is the most important step to maintain efficient work. The combustion kinetics of soot with lubricant-derived ash are investigated over powder and waffle catalysts. The kinetic tests of powder and monolithic mixtures from the engine bench show that the combustion rate constant under 0.25% NO2 is much higher than that under 10% O2. The high combustion rate constants are associated with a low apparent activation energy. Due to the inhibition of the soot–catalyst and soot–NO2 contact, the ash accumulation increases the combustion temperature and decreases the rate constant. Moreover, as the soot particles pack tightly together, the combustion on monolithic CDPF is more difficult than that in the powder mixture. Our study implies that the ash on the CDPF decreases the combustion activity of catalysts in the passive regeneration and affects the triggering of active regeneration controlled by pressure drops. Future development of catalysts needs to focus on uniform porous but stable catalyst layers on CDPF. A practical indicator of effectiveness of such catalysts is the combustion temperature from an engine bench. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]