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Injuries and subclinical effects from exposure to blasts are of significant concern in military operational settings, including tactical training, and are associated with self-reported concussion-like symptomology and physiological changes such as increased intestinal permeability (IP), which was investigated in this study. Time-series gene expression and IP biomarker data were generated from "breachers" exposed to controlled, low-level explosive blast during training. Samples from 30 male participants at pre-, post-, and follow-up blast exposure the next day were assayed via RNA-seq and ELISA. A battery of symptom data was also collected at each of these time points that acutely showed elevated symptom reporting related to headache, concentration, dizziness, and taking longer to think, dissipating ~16 h following blast exposure. Evidence for bacterial translocation into circulation following blast exposure was detected by significant stepwise increase in microbial diversity (measured via alpha-diversity p = 0.049). Alterations in levels of IP protein biomarkers (i.e., Zonulin, LBP, Claudin-3, I-FABP) assessed in a subset of these participants (n = 23) further evidenced blast exposure associates with IP. The observed symptom profile was consistent with mild traumatic brain injury and was further associated with changes in bacterial translocation and intestinal permeability, suggesting that IP may be linked to a decrease in cognitive functioning. These preliminary findings show for the first time within real-world military operational settings that exposures to blast can contribute to IP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inherent "soft" ionic lattice nature of halide perovskite quantum dots (QDs), triggered by the weak Pb−X (X=Cl, Br, I) bond, is recognized as the primary culprit for their serious instability. A promising way is to construct exceedingly strong ionic interaction inside the QDs and increase their crystal cohesive energy by substituting the interior X− with highly electronegative F−, however, which is challenging and hitherto remains unreported. Here, a "whole‐body" fluorination strategy is proposed for strengthening the interior bonding architecture of QDs, wherein the F− are uniformly distributed throughout the whole nanocrystal encompassing both the interior lattice and surface, successfully stabilizing their "soft" crystal lattice and passivating surface defects. This approach effectively mitigates their intrinsic instability issues including light‐induced phase segregation. As a result, light‐emitting devices based on these QDs exhibit exceptional efficiency and remarkable stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inherent "soft" ionic lattice nature of halide perovskite quantum dots (QDs), triggered by the weak Pb−X (X=Cl, Br, I) bond, is recognized as the primary culprit for their serious instability. A promising way is to construct exceedingly strong ionic interaction inside the QDs and increase their crystal cohesive energy by substituting the interior X− with highly electronegative F−, however, which is challenging and hitherto remains unreported. Here, a "whole‐body" fluorination strategy is proposed for strengthening the interior bonding architecture of QDs, wherein the F− are uniformly distributed throughout the whole nanocrystal encompassing both the interior lattice and surface, successfully stabilizing their "soft" crystal lattice and passivating surface defects. This approach effectively mitigates their intrinsic instability issues including light‐induced phase segregation. As a result, light‐emitting devices based on these QDs exhibit exceptional efficiency and remarkable stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra‐broadband near‐infrared (NIR) phosphor‐converted light‐emitting diodes (pc‐LEDs) have great application prospects in research and industrial fields. However, simultaneously achieving highly efficient and ultra‐broad NIR emission in phosphor material remains a challenge. Herein, an ultra‐broadband NIR emission in the range of 800–1200 nm with ultra‐high emission efficiency of up to 64.2% is first achieved by substituting the Sc3+ site in Cs2NaScCl6 perovskite single‐crystal with a Cr3+ ion. By combining the experimental results with first‐principles calculations, an efficient charge transfer sensitization process from host to Cr3+ is found to be the fundamental reason for the ultra‐high NIR emission efficiency. Benefiting from the excellent efficiency and superior chemical resistance to heat and UV radiation, an ultra‐broadband NIR pc‐LED made of this phosphor demonstrates great potential in biomedical imaging, nondestructive testing, and night‐vision devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study large-time asymptotics for the complex modified Korteveg–de Vries equation with step-like initial data. It is shown that the step-like initial problem can be described by a matrix Riemann–Hilbert problem. Further we apply the steepest descent method to obtain different large-time asymptotics in the Zakharov–Manakov region, a plane wave region, and a slow decay region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the requirements for commercial application, more and more attention has been paid to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalytic performance under high-current conditions. In this article, carbon nanohorns (CNHs) filled with Ni nanoparticles can be obtained through a one-step method, and then the core-shell structured Ni@NiS 2 encapsulated by N-doped carbon nanohorns (Ni@NiS 2 @CNHs) were obtained through a vulcanization process. Ni@NiS 2 @CNHs only requires a small potential of 400 mV to drive a high current density of 100 mA cm−2. Unfortunately, due to the strong agglomeration effect of nanopowders, the stability of Ni@NiS 2 @CNHs is slightly lower than that of other excellent catalysts. In this case, Ni+ deposited on the Ni@NiS 2 @CNHs was used as metal source to grow Ni-MOF by solvothermal method, ultimately obtaining Ni@NiS 2 @CNHs@MOF. It is found that this unique structure improves the electrocatalytic performance and stability of the composites. Thanks to the synergistic effect of multiphase nanostructures, Ni@NiS 2 @CNHs@MOF exhibited improved electrocatalytic performance. The underlying reason is that core-shell structured Ni@NiS 2 @CNHs can be stability and uniformly embedded on the layered structure of MOF, thus the long-time stability can be enhanced. To drive current density of 50 mA cm−2, 100 mA cm−2 and 200 mA cm−2 for OER, Ni@NiS 2 @CNHs@MOF only require potentials of 260 mV, 290 mV, and 310 mV, respectively, which is superior to most reported non noble metal catalysts. Combined with its excellent long-term stability, Ni@NiS 2 @CNHs@MOF can meet the requirements of commercial catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we address the Painlevé asymptotics of the solution in two transition regions for the defocusing nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation with finite density initial data i q t + q xx - 2 (| q | 2 - 1) q = 0 , q (x , 0) = q 0 (x) ∼ ± 1 , x → ± ∞. The key to prove this result is the formulation and analysis of a Riemann–Hilbert problem associated with the Cauchy problem for the defocusing NLS equation. With the ∂ ¯ -generalization of the Deift–Zhou nonlinear steepest descent method and double scaling limit technique, in two transition regions defined by P ± 1 : = (x , t) ∈ R × R + : 0 < x 2 t - (± 1) t 2 / 3 ≤ C , where C > 0 is a constant, we find that the leading order approximation to the solution of the defocusing NLS equation can be expressed in terms of the Hastings–McLeod solution of the Painlevé II equation in the generic case, while Ablowitz–Segur solution in the non-generic case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials hold great promise as next‐generation efficient emitters due to their theoretical 100% internal quantum efficiency. However, such an intriguing photophysical mechanism is extremely rare in perovskites or their derivatives. Herein, the colloidal synthesis of two‐dimensional CsAgCl2 nanocrystals (NCs) with typical TADF feature is reported first. The TADF mechanism is investigated in detail by combining first‐principles calculations with experimental results, including temperature‐dependent spectral analysis and fs‐transient absorption spectra. A small singlet−triplet state splitting energy (0.082 eV) and a large spatial separation of charge density |Ψ|2 of valence band maximum and conduction band minimum are observed, which are prerequisites for TADF. Moreover, these CsAgCl2 NCs deliver an ultralow X‐ray detection limit of 170.5 nGyair s−1 and a high imaging resolution of 11.5 lp mm−1, much superior to the commercial scintillators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials have potential applications in optoelectronics, which inevitably suffer from poor processability, flexibility or stretchability. Herein, we report a concise strategy to develop supercooled liquids (SCLs) with dynamic RTP behavior using terminal hydroxyl engineering. The terminal hydroxyls effectively hinder the nucleation process of molecules for the formation of stable SCLs after thermal annealing. Impressively, the SCLs show reversible RTP emission via alternant stimulation by UV light and heat. Photoactivated SCLs have phosphorescent efficiency of 8.50 % and a lifetime of 31.54 ms under ambient conditions. Regarding the dynamic RTP behavior and stretchability of SCLs, we demonstrate the applications in erasable data encryption and patterns on flexible substrates. This finding provides a design principle for obtaining SCLs with RTP and expands the potential applications of RTP materials in flexible optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials have potential applications in optoelectronics, which inevitably suffer from poor processability, flexibility or stretchability. Herein, we report a concise strategy to develop supercooled liquids (SCLs) with dynamic RTP behavior using terminal hydroxyl engineering. The terminal hydroxyls effectively hinder the nucleation process of molecules for the formation of stable SCLs after thermal annealing. Impressively, the SCLs show reversible RTP emission via alternant stimulation by UV light and heat. Photoactivated SCLs have phosphorescent efficiency of 8.50 % and a lifetime of 31.54 ms under ambient conditions. Regarding the dynamic RTP behavior and stretchability of SCLs, we demonstrate the applications in erasable data encryption and patterns on flexible substrates. This finding provides a design principle for obtaining SCLs with RTP and expands the potential applications of RTP materials in flexible optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero‐dimensional (0D) copper‐based perovskite‐derivative nano‐scintillators (NSs), as a promising non‐toxic alternative to lead‐based halide perovskite, have shown great potential in flexible X‐ray detection and imaging. However, their practical applications are still impeded by low X‐ray imaging resolution associated with inadequate radioluminescence (RL) and poor environmental stability. Herein, for the first time a simple but valid Mn2+‐activation strategy is proposed to highly enhance the RL and stability of 0D Cs3Cu2I5 NSs, where the Mn2+ ions are embedded into the highly localized [Cu2I5]3− units by utilizing a modified hot‐injection method. As such, a newly emerged emission band of Mn2+ ion centered at ≈562 nm coupled with much improved intrinsic self‐trapped excitons (STE) emission of the 0D Cs3Cu2I5 host peaking at ≈445 nm can be achieved in these resultant Mn2+‐activated 0D Cs3Cu2I5 NSs, thereby delivering a light yield of 71 000 photons MeV−1 that is much superior to their lead‐based perovskite counterparts and commercial scintillators. As a consequence, X‐ray detectors made of these Mn2+‐activated NSs implement an ultrahigh X‐ray imaging resolution of 16.2 line pairs mm−1 and an ultra‐low detection limit of 127.5 nGyair s−1, highlighting their potential as promising candidates for flexible X‐ray detection and imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exciton localization is an approach for preparing highly luminescent semiconductors. However, realizing strongly localized excitonic recombination in low‐dimensional materials such as two‐dimensional (2D) perovskites remains challenging. Herein, we first propose a simple and efficient Sn2+ vacancy (VSn) tuning strategy to enhance excitonic localization in 2D (OA)2SnI4 (OA=octylammonium) perovskite nanosheets (PNSs), increasing their photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) to ≈64 %, which is among the highest values reported for tin iodide perovskites. Combining experimental with first‐principles calculation results, we confirm that the significantly increased PLQY of (OA)2SnI4 PNSs is primarily due to self‐trapped excitons with highly localized energy states induced by VSn. Moreover, this universal strategy can be applied for improving other 2D Sn‐based perovskites, thereby paving a new way to fabricate diverse 2D lead‐free perovskites with desirable PL properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exciton localization is an approach for preparing highly luminescent semiconductors. However, realizing strongly localized excitonic recombination in low‐dimensional materials such as two‐dimensional (2D) perovskites remains challenging. Herein, we first propose a simple and efficient Sn2+ vacancy (VSn) tuning strategy to enhance excitonic localization in 2D (OA)2SnI4 (OA=octylammonium) perovskite nanosheets (PNSs), increasing their photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) to ≈64 %, which is among the highest values reported for tin iodide perovskites. Combining experimental with first‐principles calculation results, we confirm that the significantly increased PLQY of (OA)2SnI4 PNSs is primarily due to self‐trapped excitons with highly localized energy states induced by VSn. Moreover, this universal strategy can be applied for improving other 2D Sn‐based perovskites, thereby paving a new way to fabricate diverse 2D lead‐free perovskites with desirable PL properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel series of neutral photo-acid generators (PAGs) based on carbazole derivatives. A photo-induced 6π-electrocyclization reaction of carbazole derivatives triggers the subsequent release of halogen acids. With UV irradiation, PAGs spontaneously release acid molecules quantitatively forming polyaromatic compounds. To our knowledge, it is considered the highest quantum yield (over 85%) among Brønsted PAGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the Cauchy problem for the defocusing Schrödinger (NLS) equation with a nonzero background i q t + q x x − 2 (| q | 2 − 1) q = 0 , q (x , 0) = q 0 (x) , lim x → ± ∞ ⁡ q 0 (x) = ± 1. Recently, for the space-time region | x / (2 t) | < 1 which is a solitonic region without stationary phase points on the jump contour, Cuccagna and Jenkins presented the asymptotic stability of the N -soliton solutions for the NLS equation by using the ∂ ¯ generalization of the Deift-Zhou nonlinear steepest descent method. Their large-time asymptotic expansion takes the form (0.1) q (x , t) = T (∞) − 2 q s o l , N (x , t) + O (t − 1) , whose leading term is N-soliton and the second term O (t − 1) is a residual error from a ∂ ‾ -equation. In this paper, we are interested in the large-time asymptotics in the space-time region | x / (2 t) | > 1 which is outside the soliton region, but there will be two stationary points appearing on the jump contour R. We found an asymptotic expansion that is different from (0.1) (0.2) q (x , t) = e − i α (∞) (1 + t − 1 / 2 h (x , t)) + O (t − 3 / 4) , whose leading term is a nonzero background, the second t − 1 / 2 order term is from the continuous spectrum and the third term O (t − 3 / 4) is a residual error from a ∂ ‾ -equation. The above two asymptotic results (0.1) and (0.2) imply that the region | x / (2 t) | < 1 considered by Cuccagna and Jenkins is a fast decaying soliton solution region, while the region | x / (2 t) | > 1 considered by us is a slow decaying nonzero background region. • We obtain large-time asymptotics in the solitonless region |x/(2t)| > 1 for defocusing NLS equation with nonzero background. • This result is a complete supplement to the result recently obtained by Cuccagna and Jenkins. • | x / (2 t) | < 1 considered by Cuccagna and Jenkins is a fast decaying soliton region, while ours | x / (2 t) | > 1 is a slow decaying nonzero background region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an online voltage control strategy of distributed energy resources (DERs), based on the projected Newton method (PNM), for unbalanced distribution networks. The optimal Volt/VAr control (VVC) problem is formulated as an optimization program, with the goal of maintaining the voltage profile across the network by coordinating the VAr outputs of DERs. To overcome the slow convergence rate of conventional gradient-based methods, a PNM-based solution algorithm is developed to solve this VVC problem. It utilizes a non-diagonal symmetric positive definite matrix, developed from the Hessian matrix of the objective, to scale the gradient, and thus a fast convergence performance can be expected in this Newton-like algorithm. Moreover, taking advantage of the instantaneous feedback of voltage measurements, the online implementation of the PNM-based VVC is further designed to deal with fast system variations. In this online PNM-based VVC scheme, each bus agent communicates the instantaneous voltage measurements to the central agent, and the central agent communicates the VAr output commands of DERs back to each bus agent. The fast convergence performance of PNM results in a stronger capability to track the system variations in real time. Finally, numerical case studies are performed to validate the effectiveness, superiority, and scalability of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear and nonconvex nature of ac power flow challenges the analysis and optimization of unbalanced distribution networks. To tackle this issue, this paper proposes an online feedback-based linearized power flow model for unbalanced distribution networks with both wye-connected and delta-connected loads. The online feedback-based linearized model is grounded on the first-order Taylor expansion of the branch flow model (BFM), and updates the model parameters via online feedback by leveraging the instantaneous measurements of voltages and load consumption. Exploiting the connection structure of unbalanced radial distribution networks, we also provide a unified matrix-vector compact form of the model. The numerical tests on the IEEE 123-bus test system validate its accuracy and superiority compared with other offline BFM methods. Additionally, we apply the proposed model to the optimal power flow for voltage regulation, which further demonstrates its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon-based optical biosensors have garnered significant interest since their inception. They are, however, susceptible to temperature fluctuations in a controlled environment. In order to address this issue, we provide a solution including the utilization of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) cascaded micro-ring resonators (CMRR) biosensor that is designed to be insensitive to temperature changes. It consists of two ring resonators exposed to the reference solution and analyte, respectively, their radius and waveguide width are designed to meet the temperature - insensitivity criterion of the CMRR sensor. The results of experiments indicate that by real-time monitoring of the envelope peak drift in the transmission spectrum of the sensor, the bulk refractive index (RI) sensitivity is 2940.71 nm/RIU, the limit of detection (LOD) is 3.1×10−5 RIU, and the temperature sensitivity is less than 40 pm/℃. Furthermore, the sensor was applied for HSA detection, with a calculated LOD of 18.09 ng/mL. The effect of temperature on HSA detection is much smaller than that of a CMRR sensor without athermal design. The sensor demonstrates high sensitivity and temperature insensitivity, and the absence of negative thermo-optic coefficient materials or supplementary temperature control mechanisms simplifies its practical applications. It can be made by a large array to detect different type protein molecules for high throughput multiparameter analysis. ● The proposed biosensor is temperature-insensitive in wavelength interrogation. ● The vernier effect increases detection sensitivity but not temperature sensitivity. ● The cascaded micro-ring resonators biosensor shows high sensitivity for HSA detection.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thioredoxin (TRX) is a small molecule protein that participates in the redox process and plays a decisive role in various functions of plants. However, the role of TRX in Medicago sativa (alfalfa), a widely cultivated perennial herb of legume, is still poorly understood. Here, we isolated MsTRX from alfalfa and determined the characteristics in improving salt tolerance by assaying the phenotype and physiological changes and the expression of stress-response genes in transgenic tobacco. The expression of MsTRX was similar in alfalfa roots, leaves, and inflorescences, and was downregulated in response to cold, drought, and salt treatment. The overexpression of MsTRX in tobacco promoted the accumulation of soluble sugar (SS) and proline; enhanced the activity of peroxidase (POD); and induced the upregulation of beta-amylase 1 (BAM1), lipid-transfer protein 1 (LTP1), candidate signal molecules/sensor relay proteins (CBSX3), superoxide dismutase [Cu-Zn] (Cu/Zn-SOD), superoxide dismutase [Mn] (Mn-SOD), protein gamma response 1 (GR1), dehydrin DHN1-like (ERD10B), and serine/threonine-protein kinase (SnRK2), as well as the downregulation of phyB activation-tagged suppressor1 (BAS1) and serine/threonine-protein kinase that phosphorylates LHCII protein 7 (STN7) under salt stress. These results indicated that MsTRX improves salt tolerance via maintaining osmotic homeostasis, scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), and regulating the transcription of stress-response genes in plants. In our study, we provided a new understanding of how MsTRX improves salt stress in plants and how MsTRX can be included in future breeding programs to improve salt tolerance in alfalfa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcriptome studies have revealed age-, disease-, and region-associated microglial phenotypes reflecting changes in microglial function during development, aging, central nervous system homeostasis, and pathology. The molecular mechanisms that contribute to these transcriptomic changes are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to characterize the DNA methylation landscape of human microglia and the factors that contribute to variations in the microglia methylome. We hypothesized that both age and brain region would have a large impact on DNA methylation in microglia. Microglia from postmortem brain tissue of four different brain regions of 22 donors, encompassing 1 patient with schizophrenia, 13 patients with mood disorder pathology, and 8 control subjects, were isolated and assayed using a genome-wide methylation array. We found that human microglial cells have a methylation profile distinct from bulk brain tissue and neurons, and age explained a considerable part of the variation. Additionally, we showed that interindividual factors had a much larger effect on the methylation landscape of microglia than brain region, which was also seen at the transcriptome level. In our exploratory analysis, we found various differentially methylated regions that were related to disease status (mood disorder vs. control). This included differentially methylated regions that are linked to gene expression in microglia, as well as to myeloid cell function or neuropsychiatric disorders. Although based on relatively small samples, these findings suggest that the methylation profile of microglia is responsive to interindividual variations and thereby plays an important role in the heterogeneity of microglia observed at the transcriptome level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal conductivity of soil is the key factor affecting utilization efficiency of ground source heat pumps (GSHPs). The microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology has been proved to be an effective method to improve the thermal conductivity of soil. However, studies on using MICP treated soil as backfill to improve heat transfer performance of GSHP system is still rare. In this study, a small laboratory test device was developed to analyze the effects of different MICP treatment cycles on the heat transfer performance of GSHPs, taking into account four influencing factors: soil temperature, heat transfer and soil ultra-mild soil temperature recovery rate. The results show that MICP treated soil as backfill can improve heat transfer performance of GSHP to a certain extent, and the heat transfer amount in soil are 14.2 %, 34.9 % and 40.1 % corresponding to one to three MICP treatment cycles, which was higher than that of untreated soil. The longer the operation time, the more continuous heat dissipation or heat absorption of the system, the greater the heat transfer radius of the buried pipe temperature. For the influence of number of MICP treatment cycles, heat transfer effect of MICP-treated soil treated three times as backfill is the best. The temperature recovery rate of soil at the central test point of backfill area in summer is 73.15 %, followed by the temperature recovery rate of MICP-treated soil treated twice and treated once, which are 70.95 % and 69.6 % respectively. Considering heat transfer effect, treatment time and treatment cost, secondary MICP treated soil as backfill is the most cost-effective. Through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image analyses, it is found that calcium carbonate acts as a "thermal bridge" between soil particles, increasing the contact surface between soil particles, resulting in improved heat transfer efficiency among soil particles, and thus improving the thermal conductivity of soil. The results provide good insight for the selection of GSHP layout, operation mode and environmental backfill in engineering practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embankment is vulnerable to scouring and erosion during heavy rainfall events in most coastal areas in China. In this study, microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique was applied for sand embankments for scouring/erosion control. Three small-scale MICP treated sand embankments and one untreated embankment were first prepared using the injection method. Then, a series of laboratory scouring/erosion experiments were performed to investigate the slope failure process. The total erosion mass, the soil detachment rate and the content of MICP induced calcium carbonate (CaCO3) were also measured to evaluate the effectiveness of MICP treatment in sand embankments. Experimental results revealed that the average CaCO3 content was increased by 2% with each increment of MICP treatment cycle. The anti-scouring/erosion performance of MICP treated sand embankments was significantly improved as compared to the untreated one. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique was also used to further study the micro-mechanism of the MICP treatment. The results revealed that the MICP induced CaCO3 was formed at the contact points among sand grains that increased the bonding strength, resulting in an improvement of scouring/erosion resistance of the treated embankment. This study preliminarily investigates the feasibility of using the MICP technique to mitigate scouring/erosion of sand embankment in coastal areas. More complicated environmental factors need to be considered for field implementation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An adaptive disturbance rejection control scheme is developed for solving the wind turbulence compensation problem. The turbulence wind studied in this paper is based on the mutual switch of several dominant wind directions. The linear models of aircraft under wind turbulence with different dominant directions are given. An adaptive controller is designed based on the model reference adaptive control when the aircraft encounters the wind turbulence in different dominant directions. Desired closed-loop system stabilization and output tracking have been proven. A simulation study on aircraft compensation has been presented to verify the effectiveness of our designed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-entropy materials (High-entropy Materials, HEMs) as a derivative of high-entropy alloys (High-Entropy Alloys, HEAs), have become potential oxygen evolution reaction (Oxygen Evolution Reaction, OER) catalytic materials in recent years. High entropy materials have many attractive properties due to their unique polyatomic structure. This study presents a novel synthesis strategy to successfully grow high-entropy sulfides in situ on the surface of high-entropy alloys by a combination of alkali etching and hydrothermal methods. The experimental results demonstrate that the prepared high-entropy sulfide electrode shows excellent catalytic performance for the OER in alkaline electrolytes. It has a lower overpotential compared to the original high-entropy alloy electrode. Additionally, it exhibits better reaction kinetics. In 1 M KOH electrolyte, only 362 mV of overpotential was required to achieve a current density of 20 mA·cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 120 mV·dec−1. The enhanced catalytic activity of the high-entropy sulfide electrode is due to the abundant presence of catalytic active sites. Additionally, the electrode benefits from reduced charge transfer impedance. The synergize of multiple metal elements also plays a significant role in its superior performance. This research demonstrates the potential value of high-entropy sulfide electrodes in the field of electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction. The high-entropy sulfide with excellent electrocatalytic OER activity and stability in alkaline media which prepared by hydrothermally sulfiding high-entropy alloy electrodes after alkali etching. The electrode requires only an overpotential of 362 mV to reach a current density of 20 mA cm−2, accompanied by a Tafel slope of 120 mV∙dec−1, and maintains its catalytic activity in 1 M KOH for at least 10 h. This work provides a new idea for the preparation of high-entropy materials mainly composed of non-precious metals, which can enhance the application potential of non-precious metal OER catalysts. [Display omitted] • A novel high-entropy sulfide electrocatalysts base on high-entropy alloy has been synthesized. • High-entropy catalyst with unique structures can be obtained by applying an alkali etching treatment. • High-entropy sulfide electrocatalysts exhibits a nano-needle-like morphology feature. • This work shows the potential of applying HEAs in the area of electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior experiments have demonstrated that the pole in a magnetically shielded Hall thruster sputters and erodes visibly, in contrast with that in an unshielded thruster. To determine the reason for this, a particle-in-cell simulation was conducted, and the difference between shielded and unshielded thrusters in terms of plasma behavior near the exit plane was studied. The results show that in the case of the magnetically shielded thruster, the ion flux peak is on the magnetic pole face with higher ion energy, indicating severer erosion at the pole. By contrast, the flux peak of the unshielded thruster is on the head face of the channel wall, indicating severer bombardment at the wall and milder erosion at the pole. Therefore, pole erosion occurs in the magnetically shielded thruster, and channel head face erosion can be observed in the unshielded thruster. In addition, the simulation results indicate that the greater the outward shift of the magnetic field, the severer the pole erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea buckthorn is an important ecological and economic tree species, and its berries have been severely damaged by sea buckthorn fruit fly, Rhagoletis batava obseuriosa Kol. (Diptera: Tephritidae) (RBO). Brassinosteroid (BR) is widely involved in stress tolerance of plant. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying insect resistance. Here, we found that BR content was much higher in sea buckthorn fruits with RBO infection than non-infection, and the damage rates of fruit with BR treatment were significantly lower than that of non-treatment. It indicated that BR could enhance RBO resistance in sea buckthorn. Several BR biosynthesis-related HrCYP s genes (CYP85A1/85A2/90A1/90B1/90C1/90D1/92A6/724B/734A1) were obtained and identified based on transcriptome analysis, of which the most up-regulated gene in fruits was HrCYP90B1 under RBO and mechanical damage. Overexpression of HrCYP90B1 in Arabidopsis thaliana showed BR and salicylic acid (SA) content was significantly increased, and the substrate campesterol (CR) of HrCYP90B1 content decreased. Further studies revealed that silencing HrCYP90B1 by virus-induced gene silencing resulted in decrease of BR, SA and defense-related enzymes contents, and increase of CR content. Silencing HrCYP90B1 also caused suppression of SA and activation of jasmonic acid pathways, enabling enhanced RBO susceptibility and more damage of fruits. Taken together, we obtained evidence that HrCYP90B1 was a positive regulator in RBO resistance improvement in sea buckthorn, which will provide comprehensive insights into the tree defense system of sea buckthorn to pest infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Adding selenate enhanced the removal of total ARGs during composting. • Bacterial hosts were the primary determinant of ARGs abundance. • Selenium could affect MGEs, oxidative stress response and type IV secretion system. • Selenium-resistant genes affect the microbial abundance and altered ARGs. • Selenate was recommended for the production of selenium-rich organic fertilizers. Co-composting of selenium and livestock manure is an effective way to produce selenium-rich organic fertilizer. However, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), as emerging contaminants in compost, respond to selenium remains unknown. In this study, the effects of selenite and selenate on ARGs during goat manure composting were investigated. Compared to the control, the abundance of ARGs decreased by 8.39% with selenate addition, whereas increasing by 9.75% with selenite addition. ARGs degradation in selenate-added treatment was driven by a succession of potential hosts, primarily including Proteobacteria. Meanwhile, mobile genetic elements, oxidative stress response and type IV secretion system genes were down-regulated following selenate exposure, inhibiting the transmission of ARGs through horizontal gene transfer. Both selenite and selenate reduced the aminoglycoside and beta-lactam resistance genes while enriching the multidrug resistance genes in compost. In conclusion, selenate improved the removal of ARGs and was recommended for producing selenium-rich organic fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing penetration of electronic loads and distributed energy resources, conventional load models cannot capture their dynamics. Therefore, a new comprehensive composite load model is developed by Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC). However, this model is a complex high‐order non‐linear system with multi‐time‐scale property, which poses challenges on power system studies with heavy computational burden. In order to reduce the model complexity, the authors firstly develop a large‐signal order reduction (LSOR) method using singular perturbation theory. In this method, the fast dynamics are integrated into the slow ones to preserve transient characteristics of the former. Then, accuracy assessment conditions are proposed and embedded into the LSOR to improve and guarantee the accuracy of reduced‐order model. Finally, the reduced‐order WECC composite load model is derived by using the proposed algorithm. Simulation results show that the reduced‐order large‐signal model significantly alleviates the computational burden while maintaining similar dynamic responses as the original composite load model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall has become a main trigger of slope failure for embankments in most coastal areas in China. The microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique has great potential to improve soil strength and slope stability. In this study, three small-scale biotreated sand embankments and one untreated embankment were first prepared using the injection method. Rainfall scouring tests were then conducted to investigate the slope failure of the embankments. Experimental results revealed that scouring/erosion resistance of biotreated sand embankments was significantly improved comparing to that of the untreated one. The failure time of the embankment increased as the treatment cycles increased. The failure mode of the untreated embankment was the general shear failure, whereas the failure was most likely to occur at shallow depth in biotreated embankments. Using the finite element method (FEM), flow analysis was conducted to simulate the rainfall infiltration in sand embankments and study the effect of biotreatment on the infiltration process. The simulation results were found to be consistent with the experimental results. This study preliminarily investigates the effectiveness of using the MICP technique to prevent slope failure of sand embankments. Considering the complicated environmental factors, more effort towards optimization is still needed for field implementation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injuries from exposure to explosions rose dramatically during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, which motivated investigations of blast-related neurotrauma and operational breaching. In this study, military "breachers" were exposed to controlled, low-level blast during a 10-day explosive breaching course. Using an omics approach, we assessed epigenetic, transcriptional, and inflammatory profile changes in blood from operational breaching trainees, with varying levels of lifetime blast exposure, along with daily self-reported symptoms (with tinnitus, headaches, and sleep disturbances as the most frequently reported). Although acute exposure to blast did not confer epigenetic changes, specifically in DNA methylation, differentially methylated regions (DMRs) with coordinated gene expression changes associated with lifetime cumulative blast exposures were identified. The accumulative effect of blast showed increased methylation of PAX8 antisense transcript with coordinated repression of gene expression, which has been associated with sleep disturbance. DNA methylation analyses conducted in conjunction with reported symptoms of tinnitus in the low versus high blast incidents groups identified DMRS in KCNE1 and CYP2E1 genes. KCNE1 and CYP2E1 showed the expected inverse correlation between DNA methylation and gene expression, which have been previously implicated in noise-related hearing loss. Although no significant transcriptional changes were observed in samples obtained at the onset of the training course relative to chronic cumulative blast, we identified a large number of transcriptional perturbations acutely pre- versus post-blast exposure. Acutely, 67 robustly differentially expressed genes (fold change ≥1.5), including UFC1 and YOD1 ubiquitin-related proteins, were identified. Inflammatory analyses of cytokines and chemokines revealed dysregulation of MCP-1, GCSF, HGF, MCSF, and RANTES acutely after blast exposure. These data show the importance of an omics approach, revealing that transcriptional and inflammatory biomarkers capture acute low-level blast overpressure exposure, whereas DNA methylation marks encapsulate chronic long-term symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct Z-scheme ZnIn 2 S 4 /LaNiO 3 nanohybrid based on ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets and LaNiO 3 cubes was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. The ZnIn 2 S 4 /LaNiO 3 nanohybrid showed improved photocatalytic H 2 evolution and stability. The photocatalytic H 2 evolution activity of ZnIn 2 S 4 /LaNiO 3 nanohybrid is 3-fold enhanced than that of bare ZnIn 2 S 4. The enhanced performance of ZnIn 2 S 4 /LaNiO 3 nanohybrid is mainly ascribed to the formation of heterojunction between LaNiO 3 and ZnIn 2 S 4. The heterojunction can facilitate charge transport on the interface between LaNiO 3 and ZnIn 2 S 4 and suppress the recombination of photo-generated charge carriers over ZnIn 2 S 4 /LaNiO 3 nanohybrid, which were well demonstrated by photoelectrochemical tests. Moreover, the direct Z-scheme photocatalytic reaction mechanism was proposed to elucidate the improved performance of ZnIn 2 S 4 /LaNiO 3 nanohybrid photocatalyst. This study may provide some guidance on the construction of direct Z-scheme photocatalytic system for photocatalytic H 2 evolution. • ZnIn 2 S 4 /LaNiO 3 nanohybrid were successfully prepared. • The formation of direct Z-scheme heterojunctions facilitated charge separation. • ZnIn 2 S 4 /LaNiO 3 showed improved photocataytic activity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the preparation of a La2O3‐modified Pt/TiO2 (Pt/La‐TiO2) hybrid through an excess‐solution impregnation method and its application for CO2 hydrogenation catalysis. The Pt/La‐TiO2 catalyst is characterized by XRD, H2 temperature‐programmed reduction (TPR), TEM, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman, EPR, and N2 sorption measurements. The Pt/La‐TiO2 composite starts to catalyze the CO2 conversion reaction at 220 °C, which is 30 °C lower than the Pt/TiO2 catalyst. The generation of CH4 and CO of Pt/La‐TiO2 is 1.6 and 1.4 times greater than that of Pt/TiO2. The CO2 temperature‐programmed desorption (TPD) analysis confirms the strengthened CO2 adsorption on Pt/La‐TiO2. Moreover, the in situ FTIR experiments demonstrate that the enhanced CO2 adsorption of Pt/La‐TiO2 facilitates the formation of the active Pt–CO intermediate and subsequently boosts the evolution of CH4 and CO. The cycling tests reveal that Pt/La‐TiO2 shows reinforced stability for the CO2 hydrogenation reaction because the La species can prevent Pt nanoparticles (NPs) from sintering. This work may provide some guidance on the development new rare‐metal‐modified hybrid catalysts for CO2 fixation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is a plant with economic and ecological value. It is uniquely capable of growing well under salt and drought stress. WRKY transcription factors play important roles in the ability of plants to resist stress. In this study, 48 HrWRKY genes were identified based on RNA sequencing of H. rhamnoides. Evaluation of expression pattern of HrWRKY1, HrWRKY17, HrWRKY18, HrWRKY21, HrWRKY33-2, HrWRKY40-2, HrWRKY41, and HrWRKY71 suggested that they were involved in abiotic stress. Interestingly, HrWRKY21, one of eight HrWRKY genes, was a positive regulator of abiotic stress tolerance in H. rhamnoides. In addition, most morphological attributes of roots in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum lines (overexpressing HrWRKY21) were also markedly increased compared with the wild-type (WT), including total lengths, specific root lengths, and surface areas. Stress tolerance of transgenic lines was also correlated with higher antioxidant activity (SOD and POD), lower percentage of relative conductivity (REC), and lower activity of malondialdehyde (MDA) under stress conditions. These findings represent a foundation of knowledge about the molecular mechanisms driving resistance to adverse conditions in plants; they are a promising step towards development of tree cultivars with improved tolerance to abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing penetration of variable energy resources in modern electric power systems requires additional flexibility in reserve provision to maintain reliable and efficient grid operations. However, full recognition and appropriate compensation of this flexibility is difficult to ensure within current power market designs due to rigidity in reserve definitions and requirements. This paper proposes a new mixed-integer linear programming formulation for the optimal clearing of a day-ahead market based on swing contracts with dynamically updated regulation reserve zones. Five-bus and 30-bus test cases are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed new market design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injury related to blast exposure dramatically rose during post-911 era military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is among the most common injuries following blast, an exposure that may not result in a definitive physiologic marker (e.g., loss of consciousness). Recent research suggests that exposure to low level blasts and, more specifically repetitive blast exposure (RBE), which may be subconcussive in nature, may also impact long term physiologic and psychological outcomes, though findings have been mixed. For military personnel, blast-related injuries often occur in chaotic settings (e.g., combat), which create challenges in the immediate assessment of related-injuries, as well as acute and post-acute sequelae. As such, alternate means of identifying blast-related injuries are needed. Results from previous work suggest that epigenetic markers, such as DNA methylation, may provide a potential stable biomarker of cumulative blast exposure that can persist over time. However, more research regarding blast exposure and associations with short- and long-term sequelae is needed. Here we present the protocol for an observational study that will be completed in two phases: Phase 1 will address blast exposure among Active Duty Personnel and Phase 2 will focus on long term sequelae and biological signatures among Veterans who served in the recent conflicts and were exposed to repeated blast events as part of their military occupation. Phase 2 will be the focus of this paper. We hypothesize that Veterans will exhibit similar differentially methylated regions (DMRs) associated with changes in sleep and other psychological and physical metrics, as observed with Active Duty Personnel. Additional analyses will be conducted to compare DMRs between Phase 1 and 2 cohorts, as well as self-reported psychological and physical symptoms. This comparison between Service Members and Veterans will allow for exploration regarding the natural history of blast exposure in a quasi-longitudinal manner. Findings from this study are expected to provide additional evidence for repetitive blast-related physiologic changes associated with long-term neurobehavioral symptoms. It is expected that findings will provide foundational data for the development of effective interventions following RBE that could lead to improved long-term physical and psychological health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐inorganic α‐phase CsPbI3 perovskite with a suitable bandgap and superb optoelectronic properties is transforming the landscape of perovskite photovoltaics, but its long‐term lability associated with “soft” ionic lattice still imposes a great challenge for practical applications. Herein, a unique solid‐solution fluorination strategy is proposed to deliver an “ideal” perovskite matrix of α‐phase CsPbI3 abundant with F ions through interlocking the soft lattice of CsPbI3 with cubic‐phase CsF·3/2HF. Such a sublattice interlocking can not only stabilize the soft lattice of α‐phase CsPbI3 perovskite nanocrystals but also passivate their notorious surface defects, thereby producing a “rigid” solid‐solution‐type perovskite/fluoride CsPbI3/CsF (termed as CsPbI3:F) nanocomposite with excellent long‐term stability and a near‐unity photoluminescence efficiency. Of particular note is that these CsPbI3:F nanocomposites can work well as effective grain boundary anchors to significantly improve the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells because of their F‐rich perovskite lattice, achieving a T80 stability of 1500 h under continuous maximum power point tracking and AM 1.5G illumination without the need for encapsulation. This work paves a new way to deliver perovskite materials with desirable properties for photovoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Significant learning of the short-term motion importance differences can improve the video representation. • This paper is the first time to focus on the short-term action importance differences by a novel attention module. • An efficient two-stream Transformer is proposed to learn motion and spatial semantic information in videos. • A novel self-attention mechanism is proposed to support two different temporal resolution inputs. • Results over the state-of-the-art are achieved on three challenging densely-labeled action datasets. Two-stream networks have achieved good results on action recognition datasets by modeling the interdependence of various motions. However, previous two-stream networks focus on action modeling but ignore concentrating on the difference in importance between different short-term actions, causing the limitation of the model's action modeling capabilities between different short-term actions. Therefore, we propose a Short-term Action Differentiated Attention (SADA) module based on the two-stream structure with different temporal resolution inputs. We embed the SADA module in a novel two-stream transformer architecture called Fast-Slow Transformer (FSformer). The SADA module dramatically pays attention to the difference between the importance of different short-term actions. It can: (i) deploy attention from the video frames to learn the differentiated knowledge of the importance of different short-term action feature information for action recognition, (ii) fuse rich importance difference knowledge and context information through a novel Fast-Slow Attention mechanism. Overall, the SADA module significantly focuses on the difference in importance of short-term actions and improves action recognition performance. We evaluate our method's effectiveness on three challenging densely-labeled action datasets and achieve results over the state-of-the-art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The damping effect in the nanoscale mechanical beam resonators operated under ambient conditions was studied. Experimental measurement of the viscous air damping in the nanowire cantilever resonators was carried out using the electric-field-induced resonance method; and a theoretical model, which accounts for the effects of dimension and material property of the nanowires and the air viscosity of the environment, was developed for describing the mechanical resonance and damping. The study showed that the damping effect in the nanoscale beam resonators operated in air could be as high as that in the microscale resonators operated in liquids, and scaled with the geometric dimension of the studied nanowire cantilevers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the increased interactions between power grids and natural gas grids, this study presents a chance‐constrained maintenance scheduling model for integrated gas‐electric grids with wind energy integration. Given the uncertainties of wind power, the loss of wind power probability is modelled as a chance constraint, ensuring the high utilisation of wind power. To overcome the adversities caused by the non‐linear and non‐convex models of natural gas systems, a piecewise linear approximation method is employed to transform the non‐linear models into a group of mixed integer linear models. A big‐M formulation method is used to construct inequality constraints for lines/pipelines to be under maintenance. In addition, unit commitment is also coordinated to achieve the best maintenance strategies. The proposed chance‐constrained stochastic programming model is converted into an equivalent deterministic programming model via a strong extended formulation for the sample average approximation by leveraging the star‐inequalities. Several tests on a four‐node natural gas system with a six‐bus power system and a 20‐node natural gas system with a modified IEEE 118‐bus power system demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an increasing energy demand, exploration and utilization of new energy resources become more significant recently. Geothermal energy, characterized as a clean, renewable, and sustainable energy, has various engineering applications. Microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique has a potential to improve soil thermal properties for geothermal applications. In this study, thermal conductivity of dry sands treated using MICP technique with different treatment cycles was investigated in laboratory. The results showed that thermal conductivity of MICP-treated sands was much higher than that of the untreated sand under dry condition and it increased with increasing treatment cycles. Based on the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses, it is found MICP-induced CaCO3 crystals are being formed among sand particles functioned as "thermal bridge," which provided more highly effective heat transfer path. It is concluded that the MICP technique could significantly improve the thermal conductivity of sands and the overall heat transfer efficiency. It is advantageous to use MICP-treated soils as enhanced grout materials for underground energy geostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a parameter identification technique for composite ZIP and electronic loads by leveraging the support vector machine (SVM) approach. Since the active power and the reactive power of electronic loads are piecewise functions of the voltage magnitude, the operating modes of electronic loads are determined by the voltage magnitude. To improve the accuracy of parameter identification, two filters (Hampel and Savitzky–Golay) are employed to preprocess measurements to reduce noise. The data after noise reduction serve as training data for the regression model that is solved by the SVM approach. Numerical results show that the SVM approach with filters can identify the parameters of the composite ZIP and electronic load model with high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent probe 1 for sulfite is developed based on a rhodol-benzothiazole platform. Ratiometric sensing of sulfite is achieved by utilizing the nucleophilic addition of sulfite to the vinyl bridge (‒C=C‒) to block the π-conjugated system of the probe, which results in significant blueshifts in the absorption and emission spectra of the sensing system (from 590 to 530 nm in the absorption spectra and from 650 to 555 nm in the emission spectra). This probe exhibits the desired selectivity for sulfite over other anions and biothiols. The fluorescence intensity ratio at 555 nm and 650 nm (I555/I650) increases linearly with the sulfite concentration in the range of 0.5‒15 µM with a detection limit of 0.28 µM. A cytotoxicity assay indicates that probe 1 has low cytotoxicity and good cell membrane permeability and can be used for sulfite detection in practical samples and for ratiometric fluorescent imaging of sulfite in living HepG2 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a dynamic game-based maintenance scheduling mechanism for the asset owners of the natural gas grid and the power grid by using a bilevel approach. In the upper level, the asset owners of the natural gas grid and the power grid schedule maintenance to maximize their own revenues. This level is modeled as a dynamic game problem, which is solved by the backward induction algorithm. In the lower level, the independent system operator dispatches the system to minimize the loss of power load and natural gas load in consideration of the system operating conditions under maintenance plans from the asset owners in the upper level. This is modeled as a mixed integer linear programming problem. For the model of the natural gas grid, a piecewise linear approximation associated with the big-M approach is used to transform the original nonlinear model into the mixed integer linear model. Numerical tests on a 6-bus system with a 4-node gas grid and a modified IEEE 118-bus system with a 20-node gas grid show the effectiveness of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduced a label-free sensing system based on an array of microring resonators (MRRs) which was successfully employed for human serum albumin (HSA) detection. The sensing-ring surface was functionalized to immobilize anti-HSA, facilitating HSA binding. Our refractive index sensing system demonstrates high sensitivity at 168 nm/RIU and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 63.54 ng/mL, closely comparable to current HSA detection methods. These findings confirm the potential of MRRs as biocompatible sensors for HSA detection. This system holds great promise as an innovative platform for the detection of HSA, carrying significant importance in medical diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind erosion phenomenon is commonly encountered in desert areas, which is harmful to engineering constructions and environment. This study proposed an innovative microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique to reinforce sands for mitigating natural hazards caused by the wind erosion. A series of small-scale laboratory experiments were performed to evaluate wind erosion resistance of MICP-treated sands with different treatment cycles. The spraying method was used to treat sand specimens, and unconfined compression (UCC) strength tests were also conducted to assess the performance of the MICP technique. Experimental results revealed that the bulk density of treated sand was slightly increased with the number of MICP treatment cycles. Additionally, the wind erosion rate of treated sands was significantly decreased, and the UCC strength was increased (maximum to 4 MPa) with the number of treatment cycles, which was mainly attributed to the bonding effect from the microbial-induced CaCO3 crystals among sand particles based on the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. Such effect also facilitated to form a hard protection layer on top of the sand specimen in order to improve the wind erosion resistance of MICP-treated sands. This technique provides an alternative method to mitigate and prevent the aggravation of desertification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand-rubber mixtures have the advantages of light weight, high strength, and low price. In this study, three-dimensional finite element simulation was carried out in GTS MIDAS based on the elastoplastic constitutive model to investigate the response of bridge abutments to sand-rubber mixtures backfills under static load condition. Four different backfill materials were used and compared in the modeling. The settlement of abutment foundation, displacements of bridge abutment and foundation pile, and bending moment of the piles were analyzed. The results show that the sand-rubber mixtures backfill can significantly decrease the settlement of foundation, and the displacements of bridge abutment and foundation pile as compared to the backfill soil. Such decrease is more prominent as the rubber content increases. The use of sand-rubber mixtures replacing the soft soil layer or as a backfill material not can only reduce the upper load acting on foundation soils and improve the stability and static performance of bridge abutment, but also solve the problem of waste rubber recycling and potential environmental pollution to meet the increasing demand of road construction materials for the rapid development of highway engineering, resulting in huge economic and social benefits with a wide range of engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical compaction and chemical grouting are the two most widely used methods in geotechnical engineering for ground improvement. However, the disadvantages of the methods including high cost, high energy consumption, and potential environmental pollution are obvious. A new ground treatment technique, i.e., microbial induced carbonate precipitation, was developed recently. Review of ground improvement using microbial induced carbonate precipitation technique was performed in this study. The mechanism of microbial induced carbonate precipitation-treated soils was first introduced followed by the review of many aspects of the microbial induced carbonate precipitation technique. Thereafter, the related engineering applications were presented and summarized. Moreover, some problems existing in current theoretical and experimental studies as well as the possible solutions for future development were also discussed. Some recommendations were proposed for a wider application of this technique. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The effect of iron(III) ion on microwave pyrolysis of moso bamboo was investigated. Hydrofluoric acid washing was used as a pilot process to demineralize moso bamboo in order to eliminate the influences of the other inorganics contained in moso bamboo itself. The results indicated that the addition of iron(III) ion increased the maximal reaction temperatures under microwave condition dependent on the amount of the added iron(III) ion. The production of the non-condensable gases was promoted by the addition of iron(III) ion mainly at the expense of liquid products. Iron(III) ion exhibited the positive effect for syngas production and inhibited the formation of CO 2 and CH 4 . The formation of Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 3 O 4 was found during microwave pyrolysis and the mechanism of the two metallic oxides formation was described in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel networked microgrid (MG)‐aided approach for service restoration in power distribution systems. This study considers both dispatchable and non‐dispatchable distributed generators (DGs), and energy storage systems. The uncertainty of the customer load demands and DG outputs are modelled in a scenario‐based form. A stochastic mixed‐integer linear program is formulated with the objective to maximise the served load, while satisfying the operation constraints of the distribution system and MGs. The interaction among MGs is modelled using the type 1 special ordered set. Two approaches are developed and compared: (i) a centralised approach where all MGs are controlled by a distribution system operator, and (ii) a decentralised approach where the distribution system and MGs are managed by different entities. The proposed restoration models are tested on a modified IEEE 123‐bus distribution system. The results demonstrate the advantages of leveraging networked MGs to facilitate service restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]