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Summary Quality‐related process monitoring has become a research hot‐spot in the field of industrial control because it is essential to ensure the process safety and product quality. A great number of data driven quality‐related process monitoring methods have been developed for large‐scale manufacturing processes, and most of them are developed based on homogeneous sampling measurement. Therefore, it is necessary to develop quality‐related monitoring methods for large‐scale processes with multirate sampling measurements. In this paper, a new quality‐related distributed monitoring framework for large‐scale manufacturing processes with multirate sampling measurements is proposed. First, a new subsystem decomposition method for multirate sampling processes combining prior knowledge and mutual information is proposed by introducing mathematic expectations. Second, local monitoring model is designed for each subsystem. Multirate partial least squares regression is adopted for modeling among the process and quality variables. The monitoring metrics of the isolation‐based anomaly detection using nearest‐neighbor ensembles are built in prediction space and process space, respectively. Finally, Bayesian inference is introduced to obtain statistical indicators for the plant‐wide processes. The validity of the proposed framework is verified in Tennessee Eastman process and a real hot strip mill process. The results show that the proposed method has favorable effectiveness and significant performance gains compared with state‐of‐the‐art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on temperature and infectious diseases primarily focused on individual disease types, yielding inconsistent conclusions. This study collected monthly data on notifiable infectious disease cases and meteorological variables across 7 provinces in China from 2011 to 2019. A distributed lag nonlinear model was used to evaluate the association between ambient temperature and infectious diseases within each province, and random meta-analysis was applied to evaluate the pooled effect. Extreme hot temperature (the 97.5th percentile) was positively associated with the risk of respiratory infectious diseases with the relative risk (RR) of 1.45 (95%CI: 1.01–2.08). Conversely, extreme cold temperature (the 2.5th percentile) was negatively associated with intestinal infectious diseases and zoonotic diseases and vector-borne diseases, reporting RRs of 0.43 (95%CI: 0.30–0.60) and 0.46 (95%CI: 0.38–0.57), respectively. This study described the nonlinear association between ambient temperature and infectious diseases with different transmission routes, informing comprehensive prevention and control strategies for temperature-related infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of deep neural networks has attracted significant attention in the infrared and visible image fusion field. However, most existing fusion models have many parameters and consume high computational and spatial resources. This paper proposes a fast and efficient recursive fusion neural network model to solve this complex problem that few people have touched. Specifically, we designed an attention module combining a traditional fusion knowledge prior with channel attention to extract modal-specific features efficiently. We used a shared attention layer to perform the early fusion of modal-shared features. Adopting parallel dilated convolution layers further reduces the network's parameter count. Our network is trained recursively, featuring minimal model parameters, and requires only a few training batches to achieve excellent fusion results. This significantly reduces the consumption of time, space, and computational resources during model training. We compared our method with nine SOTA methods on three public datasets, demonstrating our method's efficient training feature and good fusion results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Condensing heat exchangers have been widely employed because they can recover heat and water from the exhaust flue gas efficiently. In this study, the effects of heat transfer condition, water vapor volume fraction and fin geometry parameter on the convective-condensation heat transfer process of the annular finned tube are evaluated through applying a new numerical model for simulation. The outer wall temperature of the base tube promotes the improvement of fin efficiency. But due to the increasing condensation of water vapor, the driving force of the fin temperature rise reduces. Thus, the sensible heat transfer efficiency of the fin drops. Under the working conditions in this study, when the outer wall temperature of the base tube ascends from 320.8 to 330.3 K, the sensible heat transfer efficiency of the fin increases by 9.6%. The effects of water vapor volume fraction on the sensible and latent heat transfer efficiencies of fin show the opposite trends. As the water vapor volume fraction increases from 0.05 to 0.20, the latent heat transfer efficiency of the fin rises from 0 to 0.102, while the sensible heat transfer efficiency reduces from 0.441 to 0.396. Among the fin geometrical parameters, the fin height has the greatest influence on the fin efficiency. When the fin height increases from 7 to 16 mm, the fin sensible and latent transfer efficiencies drop by 33.8 and 76.7%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective bifunctional Pd/SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 -30 catalyst was synthesized for the selective hydrogenation-etherification of furfural to furfuryl ether and exhibited 86.2% 2-(isopropoxymethyl)furan yield with the synergistic catalysis of Pd particles and Brønsted–Lewis acid sites. [Display omitted] • An effective bifunctional Pd/SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 -30 catalyst was synthesized successfully. • The catalyst exhibited 86.2% 2-(isopropoxymethyl)furan yield. • The incorporation of Si suppressed the furan ring hydrogenation. • The formation of Brønsted acid centers catalyzed the etherification step. • A Pd-Brønsted-Lewis acid synergistic catalysis mechanism was proposed. Production of ethers from biomass-derived platform compounds is a substantial scientific challenge and industrial pursuit. In this study, an effective bifunctional Pd/SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 -30 catalyst was synthesized for the selective hydrogenation-etherification of furfural (FAL) to furfuryl ether and exhibited an 86.2% 2-(isopropoxymethyl)furan yield with the synergistic catalysis of Pd particles and Brønsted–Lewis acid sites. The incorporation of Si with Al 2 O 3 in the catalysts weakened the metal-support interaction and resulted in larger Pd particles, which inhibited the hydrogenation of the furan ring. Meanwhile, the formation of Brønsted acid centers catalyzed the etherification step and promoted the selectivity to corresponding ethers. Furthermore, extensive reaction results and characterizations uncovered the metal-acid synergistic catalysis mechanism for the selective hydrogenation-etherification of FAL. This work provides an innovative strategy for preparing effective metal-acid bifunctional catalysts for the hydrogenation-etherification of bio-aldehydes to ethers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for non-noble metal catalysts for chemical transformations is of paramount importance. In this study, an efficient non-noble metal catalyst for hydrogenation, hexagonal close-packed cobalt (HCP-Co), was synthesized through a simple one-step reduction of β-Co(OH)2 nanosheets via a temperature-induced phase transition. The obtained HCP-Co exhibited several-times-higher catalytic efficiency than its face-centered cubic cobalt (FCC-Co) counterpart in the hydrogenation of the C=C/C=O group, especially for the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) hydrogenation (8.5-fold enhancement). Density functional theory calculations demonstrated that HMF molecules were adsorbed more firmly on the (11 2 _ 0) facet of HCP-Co than that on the (111) facet of FCC-Co, favoring the activation of the C=O group in the HMF molecule. The stronger adsorption on the (11 2 _ 0) facet of HCP-Co also led to lower activation energy than that on the (111) facet of FCC-Co, thereby resulting in high activity and selectivity. Moreover, HCP-Co exhibited outstanding catalytic stability during the hydrogenation of HMF. These results highlight the possibility of fabricating hydrogenation catalysts with satisfactory catalytic properties by precisely tuning their active crystal phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index was significantly related to clinical outcome in patients with cardiovascular disease (CAD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD). We aim to investigate the association between TyG index and clinical prognosis of acute ischemic stroke (IS) patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Among 19,604 patients with acute IS admitted to the China National Stroke Registry II (CNSRII), 3359 IS patients with T2DM were included in the cross-sectional analysis. The TyG index (calculated by ln [fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2]) was split into four quartiles. The outcomes included recurrent IS, all-cause death and poor outcome at 1 year were analyzed. The association between the TyG index and adverse cerebrovascular outcomes was assessed by proportional hazards regression analysis. Results: During 1 year follow-up, recurrent IS, all-cause death and poor outcome occurred in 305 (9.08%), 229 (6.82%) and 443 (47.9%) cases, respectively. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses showed that the risk of incident primary endpoints was associated with a higher TyG quartile. After adjustment for confounding factors, patients with a higher TyG index had an association with IS recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.97–2.03; P = 0.048) and all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.062–2.74; P = 0.028), compared with those in the first quartile at 1 year time follow-up. In addition, there were interactions between TyG index and age (≥ 65), female, hypertensive agents, anticoagulant agents, statins and antidiabetic agents in subgroup analyses, especially patients without taken anticoagulant drugs were significantly related to IS recurrence, all-cause death and poor outcome (P = 0.003, P = 0.006 and P = 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: TyG index is strongly related to the IS recurrence and all-cause death in acute IS patients with T2DM. This finding indicates that the TyG index might be a potential predictor of clinical outcome for acute IS patients with T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High moisture content of municipal solid waste (MSW) decreases the efficiency of power plant firing MSW directly. The MSW power system integrated with an external steam dryer and waste heat recovery system (WHRS) is proposed to enhance the MSW power plant (MSWP) efficiency. A reference case study with a 12 MW MSWP is carried out. The efficiency of MSWP integrated with a steam dryer can be enhanced by 1.07 percentage points (%-pts) and 0.36%-pts with 0.21 and 1.13 MPa steam extraction, respectively, as dryer heating source at a dryness degree of 0.25. Furthermore, when the WHRS is integrated, the power plant efficiency is enhanced by 1.79%-pts and 1.08%-pts. Then, economic analysis is carried out, and results show that the MSWP can bring profits with the integration of a steam dryer with steam 1.13 MPa steam as heat source at rated degree of dryness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared and visible image fusion represents a significant segment within the image fusion domain. The recent surge in image processing hardware advancements, including GPUs, TPUs, and cloud computing platforms, has facilitated the fusion of extensive datasets from multiple sensors. Given the remarkable proficiency of neural networks in image feature extraction and fusion, their application in infrared and visible image fusion has emerged as a prominent research area in recent years. This article begins by providing an overview of the current mainstream algorithms for infrared and visible image fusion based on neural networks, detailing the principles of various image fusion algorithms, their representative works, and their respective advantages and disadvantages. Subsequently, it introduces domain-relevant datasets, evaluation metrics, and some typical application scenarios. Finally, the article conducts qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the fusion results of various state-of-the-art algorithms and offers future research prospects based on experimental results. • The principles and advantages/disadvantages of various methods. • Introduction to domain-related datasets, evaluation metrics and applications. • Performance comparison of various advanced algorithms. • Current research challenges and directions for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Anderson-type polyoxometalate (NH4)3H6CoMo6O24 in deep eutectic solvents exhibited outstanding catalytic performance for the selective aerobic oxidation of HMF to FFCA. It is potentially a promising and highly environmentally friendly approach for biomass conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Large particle size biomass is conducted for oxygen-stream gasification. • The spatial distribution of AAEMs are detected and analyzed. • X-ray CT technology is employed to interpret AAEMs catalytic gasification. • The mechanism of AAEMs catalytic gasification for large particle biomass is studied. To evaluate the effect of alkali and alkaline earth metals (AAEMs) species on the catalytic gasification of large particle-size biomass, a vertical fixed-bed reactor is conducted for candlenut wood gasification under the oxygen-stream atmosphere. The biochar samples derived from gasification are characterized by SEM, X-ray CT, BET, and FTIR. Tar and syngas are analyzed via GC–MS and GC respectively. Advanced X-ray CT technology provides beneficial visualization to assist in the interpretation of the catalytic gasification of large particle-size biomass loaded with AAEMs. The results indicate that a progressive augmentation of AAEMs content along the radial direction and end surface for all loaded samples and biochar samples, which could also be visualized from the 3D reconstruction of X-ray CT. Many large pores (40–60 μm) aligned along the grain direction collapse after the gasification and generate numerous micropores in biochar samples. 10–20 μm pores are more prominent in biochar as the biomass samples are loaded with KCl and CaCl 2. The biochar from gasification of biomass loaded with CaCl 2 has more well-developed pores, a larger specific surface area, and –OH compounds, aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids. The addition of AAEMs facilitates the high generation of M1 compounds (contains 1 benzene ring) in the tar and suppresses the enhancement of M4 compounds, long-chain alkanes, and other compounds. The lowest carbon conversion (57.12 %) is acquired from acid-washed sample. H 2 concentration augments but CO concentration declines by loading AAEMs. The highest H 2 concentration of 62.1 % is detected by the addition of CaCl 2. When loaded with KCl, the syngas calorific value reduces by 1.37 %, whereas loaded with NaCl, CaCl 2 , and MgCl 2 show an augmentation of 11.48 %, 10.56 %, and 2.55 %, respectively. A decrement of C n H x concentration in the syngas derived from gasification of biomass samples loaded with KCl and MgCl 2 and an increment one loaded with NaCl and CaCl 2 are acquired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic effect on soot properties in ethylene inverse diffusion flames (IDF) was investigated in this study. The investigation involved the use of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis (HRTEM), Raman spectroscopy analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) to examine the nanostructure and graphitization degree of soot collected from flame exhaust gas at various height above burner surface (HAB) under both magnetic and non-magnetic conditions. Increasing the magnetic flux density resulted in modifications to soot properties. When the sampling height was HAB = 4 cm, increasing magnetic flux density resulted in longer fringe lengths, lower fringe tortuosity, less amorphous carbon content and surface oxygen content for the collected soot from flame exhaust gas. These results indicated higher graphitization degrees, which may be attributed to longer residence time and oxidation of soot particle in flames. Moreover, when the sampling height increased from HAB = 4 cm to 6 cm under non-magnetic condition, the nanostructure of soot in the flame exhaust gas was more organized, possible due to the oxidation of soot at the region between HAB = 4 and 6 cm region. However, with the magnetic field on, the crystalline structure of soot in the flame exhaust gas became increasingly disordered as the sampling height increased. This suggested that the soot may also be affected by the magnetic effects in addition to oxidation at the region between HAB = 4 and 6 cm region. The magnetic effect could trigger the transformation of graphitic carbon to amorphous carbon in soot particles as they passed through the magnetic field. With more elaborated magnetic fields, the magnetic effect on soot could contribute to strategies controlling soot emissions and removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A series of supported noble metal slilcides were prepared by CVD successfully. • The sequence of HDS activity is Pt 2 Si/CNTs > Rh x Si/CNTs >> RuSi/CNTs. • These catalysts performed high selectivity to DDS pathway for the HDS of DBT. • Pt 2 Si/CNTs catalyst showed an excellent stability in the long-stream test. Development of highly efficient and long stable hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalysts still is a great challenge for the refining industry. In this work, a series of intermetallic noble metal silicides supported by carbon nanotubes catalysts (Pt 2 Si/CNTs, Rh x Si/CNTs, and RuSi/CNTs) have been developed by chemical vapor deposition successfully, using dichlorodimethylsilane as Si source. These materials were used as efficient catalysts for the deep HDS of dibenzothiophenes (4,6-DMDBT and DBT) and performed high selectivity to the direct desulfurization pathway. The sequence of HDS activity over noble metal silicides catalysts is in keeping with the sequence of HDS activity of the corresponding metal catalysts, which is Pt 2 Si/CNTs > Rh x Si/CNTs >> RuSi/CNTs. In addition, the Pt 2 Si/CNTs performed an excellent stability in 100 h stability testing for HDS of 4,6-DMDBT. Therefore, this sulfur-tolerant noble metal silicides could be as promising catalysts for the ultra-deep HDS of fossil-fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO2) Brayton cycle is expected to become the new generation of power cycle for coal‐fired power units. Most previous studies on system and parameter optimizations of SCO2 power systems aimed to improve thermal performance, and some of them also involved the economic performance evaluation of the configurations they proposed. However, the configurations included in previous economic analyses are limited, and the models used in different papers are different. Although many improved configurations of SCO2 coal‐fired power generation system have been proposed, currently, there is a lack of comparison under the unified thermal‐economic evaluation standard. Thus, this study focuses on the economic optimization and comparison of the performances of different advanced configurations of SCO2 coal‐fired power systems under the unified standard. Thermodynamic and economic optimization models are developed, and various configurations are proposed, representing improvements from four aspects (medium‐temperature flue gas heat utilization, reheating, waste heat recovery, and main compressor intercooling) based on a recompression system. The system parameters are also economically optimized with the genetic algorithm. Results show that integrating the SCO2 benchmark cycle, medium temperature economizer, single‐reheat, flue bypass, low temperature economizer and main compressor intercooling into the coal‐fired power unit yields excellent thermo‐economic performance. This configuration has the highest power generation efficiency of 47.93% and the lowest levelized cost of electricity of 0.0540 USD kW−1 hour−1 compared to others. Furthermore, the influences of specific parameters on power generation cost are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum well infrared detector has been extensively applied in military and civil fields. In order to break through the bottleneck of low quantum efficiency, a novel quantum well infrared photodetector based on SiO2–dielectric–metal microstructure has been proposed and investigated in this paper. The detector is composed of three layers, which are SiO2 particle array on the top, quantum well in the middle layer and metallic film at the bottom. The results shown that the SiO2–dielectric–metal sandwich structure can absorb electromagnetic waves between 14 and 15 µm which the quantum well infrared photodetector work at. In addition, we have studied the influence of the parameters of the detector structure, it is found that the absorption band is insensitive to period of photodetector microstructure and the thickness of SiO2 layer, which indicates the quantum well infrared photodetector has a stable performance. The quantum well infrared detector proposed in this paper has large potential applications in the miniaturization and integration of optoelectronic devices in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new zinc porphyrin, named as Por4IC, was synthesized, which through extension of conjugation and an enhancement of planarity and donor–acceptor interactions exhibits a very low band gap. The molecule was able to efficiently facilitate a photomultiplication effect in blend with P3HT which was assisted by electron trapping followed by hole tunneling injection from the Al electrode giving rise to a high external quantum efficiency of 22 182% and a specific detectivity of 4.4 × 1012 Jones at 355 nm and at −15 V bias. This work introduces porphyrin derivatives as promising dopants for photomultiplication type photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To develop a multidimensional nomogram for predicting the progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) (stage III-IVa).Materials and Methods: A total of 224 patients with locoregionally advanced NPC (training cohort, n = 149; validation cohort, n = 75) were retrospectively included. We extracted 260 radiomic features from the primary tumor and lymph nodes on the axial contrast-enhanced T1 weighted and T2 weighted MRI. Radiomic signatures of the gross tumor volume (RSnx) and lymph node (RSnd), Dose Volume Histogram (DVH) signature reflecting planning score (PS), and clinical characteristics were included as potential predictors of PFS. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression were applied for feature selection and data dimension reduction. A nomogram was developed by incorporating the selected predictors. The C-index and calibration curve were used to assess discrimination and calibration power of the nomogram, respectively.Results: RSnd, PS, and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage were the independent predictors for PFS (all p < 0.05). The nomogram integrating the three factors achieved a C-index of 0.811 (95% CI: 0.74-0.882) in the validation cohort for predicting PFS, which outperformed than that of the TNM stage alone (C-index, 0.613, 95% CI: 0.532-0.694). Subgroup analysis showed Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA status improved the predictive accuracy of the nomogram (C-index, 0.86, 95% CI: 0.787-0.933).Conclusions: The multidimensional nomogram incorporating RSnd, PS, and TNM stage showed high performance for predicting PFS in patients with locoregionally advanced NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boundary conditions significantly affect the shear behavior of concrete-rock joints. Most of the joint models have been developed for the constant normal load (CNL) conditions but cannot be directly extended to the more general constant normal stiffness (CNS) conditions, as a 'normal stiffness (K)' serves as a spring in such a condition to constantly adjust the normal confinements in terms of the dilation. In this study, the authors attempted to set up numerical modeling of concrete-rock joint shearing by layered over-compaction method based on PFC2D. An obvious extension is that explicit spring-based kinetic equations were employed to govern the travel of the upper shear chamber, by which the system can be dynamically balanced at each timestep to permit CNS conditions. Also, an alternative joint profile consisting of multiple similar triangular asperities (STAs) was defined in the presented modeling, taking account of both varied asperity heights and sizes. The comparisons with laboratory observations, recently published by the authors, demonstrated that the model makes reasonable predictions of shear behavior, especially well capturing the essential mechanisms of STAs profile, including dilation, shearing, and local lift-off. Compared with CNL conditions, the CNS conditions can better mobilize the peak shear strength, maximum normal stress, micro-cracks, and force chain. Results indicate that an adequate choice of CNL or CNS conditions is of significance to evaluate the side resistance, loading capacity, or engineering stability in geotechnical engineering practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A Pd 2 Si/CNTs catalyst is prepared successfully by CVD. • The Pd 2 Si/CNTs catalyst attains high activity for HDS of DBT. • Modification by Si leads to a preference for the DDS pathway. • Pd 2 Si/CNTs shows high tolerance for sulfur in an 80 h HDS stable test. Abstract A highly active and sulfur-tolerant 3 wt% Pd 2 Si/CNTs catalyst was prepared by chemical vapor deposition, in which dichlorodimethylsilane was used as an Si source. The as-prepared catalyst was used as an efficient catalyst for deep hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene and 4, 6-dimethyldibenzothiophene. The HDS activity over 3 wt% Pd 2 Si/CNTs is three times higher than that of the commercial NiMoS/Al 2 O 3 catalyst and significantly higher than that of the other traditional metal silicide catalysts. In addition, this Si-modified catalyst shows a preference for the direct desulfurization (DDS) pathway for HDS and excellent stability in the 80 h HDS life test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bifunctional Ni2Si/SiO2‐Al2O3 catalyst was prepared by one‐step chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and used for hydrode‐oxygenation (HDO) of diphenyl ether (DPE). During the one‐step CVD process, metallic Ni species as the HDO active sites were isolated by intermetallic modification of Si atoms and partial electron transferred from Ni to Si, as inferred by XRD, XPS, and theoretical calculation. Furthermore, the characterization results revealed that the acidity and structure of Al2O3 were tuned due to the formation of Al‐O−Si bonds. Consequently, compared with Ni/Al2O3 catalyst, the Ni2Si/SiO2‐Al2O3 catalyst showed a higher benzene selectivity (60% vs 47%), O‐free products selectivity at the similar conversion of DPE, and high stability for the HDO of DPE. This work provides insight for design of bifunctional catalysts with specific catalytic properties by one‐step CVD method. A novel bifunctional Ni2Si/SiO2‐Al2O3 catalyst was prepared from Ni−Al‐LDHs by one‐step CVD. During the CVD process, not only Ni2Si metal silicide was prepared, but the structure of support was modified. Consequently, compared with Ni/Al2O3 catalyst, the Ni2Si/SiO2‐Al2O3 catalyst showed a higher benzene selectivity, deoxygenation activity, and stability for the hydrodeoxygenation of diphenyl ether. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shear behavior of concrete-rock joints with similar triangular asperities (STAs) was investigated by numerical direct shear tests under constant normal stiffness (CNS) conditions based on particle flow code (PFC), and numerical models were validated by laboratory observations recently published by the authors. The failure patterns and shear load transfer of asperities on the joints were revealed in terms of shear micro-cracks and shear force chains on the micro-scale. For comparison, joints with conventional profile, regular triangular asperities (RTAs), were also examined. The comparisons showed that a prominent ductile behavior at post-peak most likely occurred for the STAs profile owing to asynchronous asperity failure rather than brittle shear caused by a synchronous failure of the RTAs profile. Results also indicated that there would exist a critical inclination to limit the further mobilization of joint dilation and it may be useful to guide the preliminary design of the rock-socketed pile foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal silicide (Pd2Si, Ni2Si, CoSi, Fe xSi, and Cu6.69Si) catalysts supported by SBA-15 have been prepared by a chemical vapor deposition method under a H2 atmosphere using (CH3)2SiCl2 as the Si source. Of the SBA-15-supported metal silicide catalysts, Ni2Si/SBA-15 presented a modest activity, notable selectivity to styrene (>90 %), and high stability with respect to the selective hydrogenation of phenylacetylene, which is attributed to the active-site isolation and electron transfer in the silicide. Furthermore, Ni2Si/SBA-15 also has a high selectivity to diphenylacetylene and 1,4-butynediol, which demonstrates that Ni2Si/SBA-15 is a promising, low-cost catalyst alternative to noble-metal catalysts as a selective hydrogenation catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The NiIn 0.2 /MgO-Al 2 O 3 catalyst with Ni and Ni 2 In was synthesized successfully. • A 98.9% furfuryl alcohol yield was obtained over NiIn 0.2 /MgO-Al 2 O 3 catalyst. • The metal-intermetallic compounds dual-active-sites mechanism was proved. • The NiIn 0.2 /MgO-Al 2 O 3 catalyst performed high stability during 100 h test. The rational design of efficient heterogeneous catalysts for selective hydrogenation of unsaturated aldehyde to unsaturated alcohol is a long-term scientific challenge and pursuit. Herein, we prepared an effective NiIn 0.2 /MgO-Al 2 O 3 catalyst with dual active sites for hydrogenation of furfural (FAL) to furfuryl alcohol (FOL), delivering a high activity and a maximum 98.9% FOL yield. Moreover, the NiIn 0.2 /MgO-Al 2 O 3 exhibited excellent catalytic performances for the other unsaturated aldehydes and good durability in a 100 h stability test. Characterization and theoretical calculations reveal that H 2 and FAL are adsorbed and activated on the active sites of metallic Ni and Ni 2 In intermetallic compound, respectively. Hydrogenation of FAL to FOL occurs on the surface of Ni 2 In via hydrogen spillover from metallic Ni. Sequentially, FOL easily desorbs from the surface of Ni 2 In owing to the active-site isolation and electron transfer effect in Ni 2 In. The metal-IMCs dual-active-sites mechanism provides a novel strategy for synthesizing efficient hydrogenation catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reported comprehensive optical diagnostics for flame behavior and soot emission under directly coupling of the plasma with the flame at specific heights. The morphometric parameters of unstable flames under the direct plasma coupling were quantified. We also proposed an optical method to eliminate plasma luminescence from the field of view to extract flame intensity. At the same discharge height, with the increase of discharge frequency, the flame height decreased, while the flame horizontal extension distance and deflection angle increased. The relationships between flame morphologic and electrical parameters were obtained. The experimental results suggested a one-to-one correspondence between plasma action and flame deflection or shortening. When the plasma interacted with the flame, the overall temperature and soot emission of the flame decreased compared with that without plasma. At the same discharge height, the flame temperature and soot decreased further with the increase of discharge frequency. The soot emission changed more remarkably with the discharge frequency for higher discharge heights. With the increase of voltage, the flame temperature and soot increased at the lower discharge heights. The analysis of the experiment data demonstrated that the variation of soot emission was caused by the cooperation of multiple factors. • The effect of the plasma on a local flame was investigated. • A quantification method of flame structure was proposed for the plasma coupling. • The decoupling method of plasma and flame luminescence was developed. • The soot concentration of flames above electrodes decreased with plasma coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly sensitive double layered photomultiplication type polymer photodetectors (PM-PPDs) are designed by decreasing P3HT:PC 61 BM layer thickness and employing wide bandgap poly-TPD as buffer layer, attributed to the enhanced hole tunneling injection and improved hole transport. Ternary strategy is applied to further improve performance of double layered PM-PPDs. [Display omitted] • P3HT:PC 61 BM layer thickness is decreased to enhance hole tunneling injection. • Poly-TPD layer is inserted to keep large bias-withstanding characteristic of PM-PPDs. • Ternary strategy is adopted to further improve performance of double layered PM-PPDs. Photomultiplication type polymer photodetectors (PM-PPDs) are successfully achieved via interfacial trap-assisted hole tunneling injection from external circuit. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) of PM-PPDs is mainly determined by the number of injected holes from external circuit and flowing across the devices. Although the trapped electron density near Al electrode can be increased for efficient hole tunneling injection by decreasing the thickness of active layers, which also makes the PM-PPDs vulnerable to breakdown. A smart strategy is firstly proposed to obtain large EQE values by decreasing the thickness of active layers and keep excellent withstanding large bias characteristic of PM-PPDs by using wide bandgap polymer poly-TPD as buffer layer. The optimal double layered ternary PM-PPDs were obtained with 40 nm poly-TPD as buffer layer and 90 nm P3HT:PBDB-T:PC 61 BM (80:20:2, wt/wt/wt) as active layers, exhibiting a rather large EQE value of 21400% and specific detectivity of 1.0 × 1013 Jones at 430 nm under −8 V bias. This work indicates that inserting wide bandgap and high hole mobility material as buffer layer should be an efficient strategy to prepare highly sensitive PM-PPDs, benefiting from the increased hole tunneling injection from external circuit and efficient hole flowing across the devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single-phase Ni 2 Si nanoparticle catalyst was prepared successfully by using temperature programmed pyrolysis method with polydimethylsilane-Ni(acac) 2 as precursor and was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron emission microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The pyrolysis temperature for generating pure Ni 2 Si in H 2 /Ar mixture is significantly lower than that for treatment in Ar. Ni 2 Si nanoparticles would be reduced to Ni nanoparticles by H 2 with increasing pyrolysis temperature (>600 °C). The catalytic hydrogenation of phenylacetylene on Ni 2 Si nanoparticles was investigated at 1.0 MPa hydrogen and 80 °C. The catalysts show suitable conversion of phenylacetylene and notable selectivity to styrene with 90%. In addition, catalytic performance on Ni 2 Si prominently improves after removing the SiO 2 layer around Ni 2 Si nanoparticles by alkali treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid crystal material BTR was employed as regulator to improve hole transport in blend active layer, leading to the optimized performance of photomultiplication type polymer photodetectors. [Display omitted] • BTR with high-crystallinity is used to adjust molecular arrangement in active layers. • Hole mobility is improved by incorporating BTR into active layers. • A new strategy is proposed to optimize performance of PM-PPDs. Photomultiplication type polymer photodetectors (PM-PPDs) were achieved with PBDB-T:BTPV-4F (98:2, wt/wt) as blend active layer based on a sandwich structure. Isolated electron traps are formed due to the rather less BTPV-4F surrounded by PBDB-T in blend active layers. Trapped electrons in BTPV-4F near Al electrode will induce interfacial band bending for hole tunneling injection into blend active layers. The tunneling injected holes will be transported along the channels formed by PBDB-T in blend active layers, photomultiplication phenomenon will be obtained when the number of holes crossing through blend active layers is larger than that of incident photons per unit time. Liquid crystal material BTR was selected as regulator to adjust PBDB-T molecular arrangement for improving hole mobility in blend active layers, leading to optimized performance of PM-PPDs. Optimal PM-PPDs were obtained with PBDB-T:BTR:BTPV-4F (89:9:2, wt/wt/wt) as blend active layer. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) values of optimal PM-PPDs are 1.5 times that of PM-PPDs based on PBDB-T:BTPV-4F (98:2, wt/wt) in the whole spectral response range under −10 V applied bias. The EQE of optimal PM-PPDs can be markedly improved by increasing applied bias, which is improved from 600% to 19,300% at 660 nm with applied bias increased from −10 to −20 V. The responsivity of optimal PM-PPDs arrives to 102 A W−1 at 660 nm under −20 V applied bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Mild acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) may benefit from thrombolysis or thrombectomy therapy. However, the predictors for LVO in mild AIS patients have not been extensively explored. We aimed to investigate the predictors for LVO in mild AIS patients. Methods: We collected the data of consecutive AIS patients with a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ≤ 5 from The Third China National Stroke Registry - a prospective nationwide registry of AIS or transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients in China from August 2015 to March 2018. Patients were divided into LVO and non-LVO group based on the vascular imaging during the hospitalization. Multivariable regression analyses involving clinical characteristics and NIHSS subitems was performed to detect the predictors for LVO. Result: A total of 7653 mild AIS patients from The Third China National Stroke Registry were included in this study. Among them, 620 patients (8.1%) had LVO. The level of consciousness (adjusted odds ratio, 1.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.08 to 3.23), visual field (adjusted odds ratio, 2.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.43 to 3.06) and sensory (adjusted odds ratio, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.60 to 0.94) were predictors for mild AIS patients with LVO. Conclusions: Impaired LOC, visual field and sensory were independently predictors for LVO in mild stroke patients. Further studies are warranted to test these predictors in prehospital setting and in other population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photomultiplication type organic photodetectors (PM‐OPDs) exhibit obvious superiority in weak light detection due to their low dark current density (JD) and large photo‐induced current density (JPI). The JD is one of the important parameters that influences light detection sensitivity of PM‐OPDs, how to effectively suppress the JD is a great challenge to improve the performance of PM‐OPDs. In this work, the JD of PM‐OPDs can be suppressed by employing PTAA or doped‐PTAA as the interfacial layer replacing PEDOT:PSS layer. The PM‐OPDs with PTAA layer exhibit a low JD of 2.3 × 10−7 A cm−2 under −6 V bias, which is much smaller than 1.4 × 10−6 A cm−2 for PM‐OPDs with PEDOT:PSS layer. The small molecule DRCN5T is incorporated into PTAA to further passivate surficial defects of PTAA films, which is conducive to reducing the leakage current of PM‐OPDs. The optimal PM‐OPDs exhibit rather low JD of 8.4 × 10−8 A cm−2 under −6 V bias, as well as external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 31700% and specific detectivity (D*) of 1.2 × 1013 Jones at 370 nm. The signal‐noise‐ratio of optimal PM‐OPDs arrives to 89600 under −4.5 V bias under white light illumination with intensity of 1.5 mW cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO 2) power cycle is a potential power cycle for coal-fired power plants. In the SCO 2 power systems provided in previous studies, the boiler exhaust temperature is about 120 °C. To enhance the power plant efficiency and the dust collection efficiency of electrostatic precipitator, SCO 2 power systems should be advanced to cool the boiler exhaust fluegas to nearly 95 °C. Therefore, systems of waste heat recovery from low-temperature fluegas are proposed and optimized in this study. Thermodynamic and optimization models are developed. The double reheat recompression SCO 2 cycle is optimized as benchmark system. The benchmark system is improved to decrease the exergy loss and boiler exhaust, decrease the irreversibility of air preheater, and recover waste heat of the SCO 2 cycle to preheat air to the air preheater. When the main compressor intercooling or bypass fluegas ahead the air preheater is adopted, the temperature of boiler exhaust fluegas can be decreased to around 95 °C which can ensure a high dust collection efficiency of electrostatic precipitator. The power plant efficiency is also increased as a result. However, if only low-temperature economizer is integrated, then the power plant efficiency is enhanced slightly by 0.09%-pts. If the low temperature economizer is integrated with other system improvements, the power plant efficiency can be enhanced by 0.89%-pts. Exergy analysis is also performed to reveal the mechanisms of efficiency enhancement. • Systems that can decrease boiler exhaust fluegas temperature to ∼95 °C are designed. • System optimization was carried out based on Genetic Algorithm. • Waste heat recovery system can enhance power plant efficiency by 0.89%-pts. • Exergy analysis was carried out to reveal mechanics of efficiency enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The broadband organic photodetectors (OPDs) with photomultiplication (PM) phenomenon are fabricated by using Y6 doped with rather less PBDB-T as active layers having electron-only transport characteristic. The PM-OPDs with PBDB-T:Y6 (3:100, wt/wt) as active layers exhibit the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 18,000% at 350 nm and 15,000% at 870 nm under 1 V bias. The PM-OPDs exhibits a broad spectral response range from 320 to 950 nm, which is mainly determined by the trapped hole distribution near Al electrode. The working mechanism of PM-OPDs should be attributed to interfacial trap-assisted electron tunneling injection, which can be further confirmed from the EQE spectral shape of PM-OPDs with different active layer thickness. The n -type polymer PZ1 was selected as interfacial layer to be inserted between PEDOT:PSS and active layers, which makes PM-OPDs with PZ1 interfacial layer work well under forward and reverse bias. This work may provide a smart strategy to achieve broadband PM-OPDs by adjusting the distribution of trapped charge near electrode. The PM-OPDs exhibits a broad spectral response range from 320 to 950 nm and the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 18,000% at 350 nm and 15,000% at 870 nm under 1 V bias. Image 1 • Broadband PM-OPDs were fabricated with PBDB-T:Y6 (3:100, wt/wt) as active layers. • The optimized EQE values of the broadband PM-OPDs are 18,000% at 350 nm at 1 V. • The PM-OPDs exhibit a broad spectral response range from 320 to 950 nm. • The PM-OPDs with PZ1 interfacial layer can work under bidirectional bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the impact of non-thermal plasma and CO 2 on the flame soot characteristics within the diffusion flames. We analyzed on flame structures that were diluted with either CO 2 or N 2 , temperature distributions, and soot characteristics, both in the presence and absence of plasma. Due to the higher specific heat capacity of CO 2 compared to N 2 , the optical observations consistently showed lower temperatures in flames diluted with CO 2 as compared to those diluted with N 2. The inclusion of plasma and carbon dioxide resulted in the lowest soot concentration, indicating that plasma coupled with CO 2 has a synergistic inhibitory effect on soot emissions. The findings revealed that when CO 2 was used to dilute the flames and the oxygen concentration was low, the soot nanostructure appeared amorphous. Raman results showed that the level of graphitization observed in soot particles from CO 2 dilution flames was lower than that from N 2 dilution flames. In the presence of plasma and CO 2 , the soot obtained exhibited the shortest fringe length and the highest fringe tortuosity. Significant correlations were observed between the nanostructure of soot and its reactivity. The combined application of plasma and CO 2 proved to be effective in reducing the soot carbonization degree. [Display omitted] • Effects of plasma and CO 2 addition on flame characteristics were investigated. • Coupled plasma and CO 2 effects on soot concentration were explored. • Soot graphitization degree decreased with plasma and CO 2 addition. • Soot produced by the coupled plasma with CO 2 exhibited the highest reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing a highly efficient and environmentally friendly catalytic system for CO2 cycloaddition reactions is an attractive way to achieve carbon neutrality. In this work, tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were used to produce novel deep eutectic solvents (DESs), which could serve as both solvents and catalysts, displaying excellent activity to synthesis styrene carbonates from CO2 and styrene oxide under metal‐free, cocatalyst‐free, solvent‐free and mild conditions. A detailed study was undertaken on the effects of reaction parameters, recyclability, and substrate scope. Additionally, the H‐bond interaction between the substrate and TBAI/PEG200 was thoroughly investigated using FT‐IR and 1H NMR techniques. The synergistic interaction between the two components of the DES, TBAI, and PEG200, may be the key to the high catalytic activity of this system. The tetrabutylammonium iodide‐based system is an innovative strategy for the CO2 cycloaddition with epoxides, achieved by elaborately devising the H‐bonds of DESs to enhance reactivity. This provides a novel green strategy for potential industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative desulfurization is an appealing alternative technology to eliminate organic sulfides in fuel oil in response to environmental and economic requirements. The supported metal oxide catalysts generally possess low catalytic activity and/or deactivation due to the loss and sintering of their metal oxides during the reaction or removal of carbon deposition at elevated temperature. In this work, beta zeolite-fixed MoO3 (MoO3@beta) was hydrothermally synthesized via structural reconstruction. A series of characterizations confirmed that MoO3 nanoparticles with an ultrasmall crystal size of 1.5–2.5 nm were fixed into the beta zeolite. Owing to the small particle size of MoO3, the MoO3@beta material exhibited nearly three times higher catalytic activity, weight-based space–time-yield, and active site-based turnover frequency than an impregnated MoO3/beta sample with MoO3 in an extra-framework position during the process of oxidative desulfurization with the oxidant H2O2. As for the oxidant molecular O2, MoO3@beta also possessed superior catalytic activity in a deep eutectic solvent under mild reaction conditions of 90 °C and ambient pressure, regardless of the model oil or actual fuel oil. Besides, excellent reusability was observed for the MoO3@beta catalyst via the elimination of carbon deposition through simple calcination, resulting from its unique feature to resist the loss and sintering of MoO3 fixed in the zeolite. More importantly, the catalytic mechanism of MoO3@beta was also revealed. This work opens a new avenue for effectively synthesizing zeolite-fixed metal oxide and establishing a green heterogeneous reaction system for catalytic oxidations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is substantial evidence to support the use of several methods for preventing deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, the extent to which these measures are implemented in clinical practice and the factors influencing patients' receipt of preventive measures remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the rate of the early implementation of DVT prophylaxis and the factors associated with its success in patients with ICH. Methods: This study enrolled 49,950 patients with spontaneous ICH from the Chinese Stroke Center Alliance (CSCA) between August 2015 and July 2019. Early DVT prophylaxis implementation was defined as an intervention occurring within 48 h after admission. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the rate and factors associated with the implementation of early prophylaxis for DVT in patients with ICH. Results: Among the 49,950 ICH patients, the rate of early DVT prophylaxis implementation was 49.9%, the rate of early mobilization implementation was 29.49%, and that of pharmacological prophylaxis was 2.02%. Factors associated with an increased likelihood of early DVT prophylaxis being administered in the multivariable model included receiving early rehabilitation therapy (odds ratio [OR], 2.531); admission to stroke unit (OR 2.231); admission to intensive care unit (OR 1.975); being located in central (OR 1.879) or eastern regions (OR 1.529); having a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR 1.292), ischemic stroke (OR 1.245), coronary heart disease or myocardial infarction (OR 1.2); taking antihypertensive drugs (OR 1.136); and having a higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (OR 1.045). Conversely, being male (OR 0.936), being hospitalized in tertiary hospitals (OR 0.778), and having a previous intracranial hemorrhage (OR 0.733) were associated with a lower likelihood of early DVT prophylaxis being administered in patients with ICH. Conclusions: The implementation rate of early DVT prophylaxis among Chinese patients with ICH was subpar, with pharmacological prophylaxis showing the lowest prevalence. Various controllable factors exerted an impact on the implementation of early DVT prophylaxis in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrowband photomultiplication‐type organic photodetectors (PMOPDs) are realized with poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl) (P3HT) as the optical field adjusting (OFA) layer and transfer‐printed P3HT: [6,6]‐phenyl‐C71‐butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) (50:1, w/w) as the photomultiplication (PM) layer. The thickness of the OFA layers is adjusted to optimize interfacial trapped electron distribution and density, which determines the external quantum efficiency (EQE) and spectral response range of PMOPDs. Narrowband PMOPDs with 2.5 µm thick P3HT as the OFA layer exhibit two narrow response peaks at 350 and 660 nm, and the corresponding EQE values at 350 and 660 nm are 180% and 760% under an applied bias of −20 V. A wide bandgap polymer poly[N,N′‐bis(4‐butylphenyl)‐N,N′‐bis(phenyl)benzidine] (P‐TPD) is deliberately incorporated into OFA layer for adjusting interfacial trapped electron distribution near Al electrode. Narrowband PMOPDs exhibit only one response peak at 660 nm with the enhanced EQE value of 1120% under the same bias. The enhanced EQE of PMOPDs with P‐TPD is primarily attributed to the increased hole tunneling injection and transport, which can be ascribed to the enhanced trapped electron density near the Al electrode and the improved hole mobility, respectively. Clearly resolved images can be obtained from the imaging system with the narrowband PMOPDs as sensing pixel without any current preamplifier, indicating the promising potential of PMOPDs in imaging sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar derived from soybean straw with AAEMs (alkali and alkaline earth metals) enrichment could efficiently remove heavy metals from contaminated water. In this study, the influences of pyrolysis temperature on the physicochemical property and adsorption performance of soybean straw biochar were investigated. The contributions of different adsorption mechanisms were analyzed quantitatively. The results show that the soybean straw biochar exhibits excellent Pb2+ adsorption performance (157.2–227.2 mg g−1), with an order of BC800 > BC400 > BC600 > BC700 > BC500. The mechanisms of metal ion exchange (37.49%–72.58%) and precipitation with minerals (22.38%–58.03%) mainly control the Pb2+ adsorption, whereas complexation with organic functional groups (OFGs) and cation-Cπ interaction make the less contribution. The order of cation exchange capacity (CEC) is BC400 > BC800 > BC700 > BC600 > BC500, showing a high correlation (0.965) with the contribution of metal ion exchange with AAEMs. Moreover, Ca exhibits the strongest exchange capacity. The contribution of precipitation is consistent with the variation of soluble CO 3 2− content in biochar. These results suggest that soybean straw biochar rich in AAEMs is a prospective adsorbent for Pb2+ elimination. [Display omitted] • Soybean straw biochar rich in AAEMs exhibits excellent Pb2+ adsorption performance. • The adsorption behavior is significantly affected by the pyrolysis temperature. • Metal ion exchange and precipitation with minerals dominate the Pb2+ adsorption. • The CEC and soluble CO 3 2− are key properties governing the adsorption capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphate ester polymers were prepared from phosphate ester monomers for the first time and their effects as cement grinding aids and water-reducing performance were studied. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and tests for standard viscosity, setting time, mortar fluidity, mortar compressive strength were conducted. The results showed that hydroxyethyl dibutyl phosphate reduced the residues of 45 μm and 80 μm grinding sieves by 68.67% and 98.67%, respectively. Compared with triethanolamine, the grinding effect of hydroxyethyl dibutyl phosphate was not only better but also the optimal mixing amount was less (only 0.167%). For the same amount of grinder, the grinding time was shortened by 30% and, for the same grinding time, the grinding output was increased by at least 20%. The polymer grinding aids significantly improved the fluidity of cement paste (by 40.06%), meaning the water-reduction rate of cement mortar could reach over 20%. The experimental results show that, as a new generation of grinding aids, phosphate esters not only have a significant grinding effect but also have high molecular designability, which will significantly enrich the grinding aids market and effectively promote energy conservation and emissions reductions in the grinding process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative photoconductance (NPC) detectors have attracted continuous attention for constructing advanced and novel optoelectronic devices, including reconfigurable image sensors and optosynaptic systems, especially by combining NPC with positive photoconductance (PPC). However, NPC devices suffer from much lower photosensitivity, slower response speed, and poor stability, especially in the infrared range. In this work, controllable NPC detectors based on organic-gated carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (OG-CNT FETs) are reported and the strong influence of light-induced electrostatic doping on the nonconventional photoresponse is demonstrated. The PM6/Y6-based heterojunction allows efficient near-infrared light absorption and facilitates exciton diffusion. By introducing a floating gate structure with an ultrathin dielectric layer, the OG-CNT FET shows an enhanced NPC effect owing to in situ signal amplification. Compared to other device configurations, the optimal OG-CNT FETs exhibit high responsivity of 72.6 A W-1 at 880 nm, along with improved response/recovery times of 7 and 5 ms. Impressively, gate-tunable switching between NPC and PPC is observed under the same light illumination. The reversible switching can be attributed to the competition between the light-controlled electrostatic coupling and the PM6/Y6 photovoltaic effect, which offers a new approach to achieve bidirectional photoresponses and paves the way for the development of future multifunctional optoelectronic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is a risk factor for stroke. This study was undertaken to determine the influence of NVAF on the mortality and recurrent stroke after a minor stroke event. Methods: Data were derived from the Third China National Stroke Registry (CNSR-III) which enrolled 15,166 subjects during August 2015 through March 2018 in China. Patients with minor stroke (NIHSS ≤ 5) within 24 h after onset were included. Clinical outcomes including all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, recurrent ischemic stroke, and recurrent hemorrhagic stroke were collected. The Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between NVAF and clinical outcomes. Results: A total of 4,753 patients were included in our study. Of them, 222 patients had NVAF (4.7%) (mean age, 71.1 years) and 4,531 patients were without AF (95.3%) (mean age, 61.4 years). NVAF was associated with 12-month cardiovascular mortality in both univariate (hazards ratio [HR], 4.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.84 to 9.31; P < 0.001) and multivariate analyses (HR, 4.66; 95% CI, 1.79 to 12.15; P = 0.001). There was no difference in the in-hospital ischemic stroke recurrence rate between the two groups (HR, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.19 to 1.05] P = 0.07 at discharge). However, patients with NVAF had a lower rate of recurrent ischemic stroke at medium- (3 months and 6 months) and long-term (12 months) follow-up (HR, 0.33 [95% CI, 0.16 to 0.68] P = 0.003 at 3 months; 0.49 [95% CI, 0.27 to 0.89] P = 0.02 at 6 months; 0.55 [95% CI, 0.32 to 0.94] P = 0.03 at 12 months, respectively) compared with those without. There was no difference in all-cause mortality and hemorrhagic stroke between the two groups during follow-up. Conclusions: Minor stroke patients with NVAF were at higher risk of cardiovascular death but had a lower rate of recurrent ischemic stroke compared to those without during the subsequent year after stroke event. A more accurate stroke risk prediction model for NVAF is warranted for optimal patient care strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Systems of medium temperature fluegas energy utilization are compared and optimized. • Influence of reheat stages on power plant efficiency are calculated. • Cold end systems including intercooling and waste heat recovery are compared. • Efficiencies of complex and simple optimized systems achieve 49.32% and 48.52%. The integration of supercritical CO2 (SCO2) cycle instead of steam Rankine cycle may be a revolutionary technique to increase the efficiency of coal-fired power plants. To effectively extract exergy from the fluegas and convert exergy to power, the characteristics of hot end (heat reservoir) and cold end (heat sink) should be fully considered, and the system multi-parameters should be optimized. In this study, based on a benchmark coal-fired power plant integrated with a recompression SCO2 power cycle, quantitative efficiency enhancements of system improvements of the hot end and cold end for SCO2 power cycle are calculated and compared. The optimized efficiency of benchmark coal-fired plant integrated with recompression SCO2 power cycle is 45.43%. When the fluegas at the economizer outlet is effectively used, the power plant efficiency can be increased by 1.32%. With single and double reheats to decrease the heat transfer irreversibility of the hot end, the power plant efficiency can be increased by 1.77% and 2.24%, respectively. Cold end optimization with single intercooling and cold air preheating can increase the power plant efficiency by 0.32% and 0.33%, respectively. Finally, a simple structure system and a complex structure system are proposed. With optimal system parameters, the power plant efficiencies of the complex and simple systems are 49.32% and 48.52%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the state-of-the-art solid Lewis acid catalysts, the Sn-beta stannosilicate zeolite is increasingly applied in the field of biomass conversion. Due to the similar framework structures between FAU and beta topology, the efficient hydrothermal synthesis of Sn-beta zeolites from low-cost FAU zeolites should be possible via an interzeolite transformation method. In the present work, a well-crystallized Sn-beta zeolite was rapidly synthesized via a novel interzeolite transformation method without the aid of beta seeds, and its structural evolution was systematically investigated by tracking the crystallization time. These results indicated that the nanosized Sn-beta zeolite framework contained four-fold coordinated Sn species, along with abundant intercrystalline mesopores. In addition, the glucose isomerization performance of the Sn-beta zeolite catalyst was evaluated and compared with that of traditional fluoride-mediated Sn-beta-F and gas–solid isomorphous substituted Sn-beta-PS zeolites with similar Sn contents. The fructose yield results demonstrated the superior performance of the Sn-beta catalyst. Further, the reaction parameters (reaction temperature, catalyst dosage, and reaction time) were optimized, and the excellent reusability of the Sn-beta zeolite was demonstrated by almost complete regeneration and restoration of the catalytic performance via calcination. This resultant Sn-beta zeolite was an active and stable heterogeneous catalyst for the isomerization of glucose into fructose. This work provides some guidance for the design and synthesis of nanosized metallosilicate zeolites via interzeolite transformation, focusing on the promotion effects of zeolite nucleation and crystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To examine the association between lipoprotein lipase (LPL) polymorphisms and susceptibility to diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and early renal function decline in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: The association of eight LPL single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with DKD was analysed in 2793 patients with T2D from the third China National Stroke Registry. DKD was defined as either an urine albumin‐to‐creatinine ratio (UACR) of 30 mg/g or higher at baseline and 3 months, or an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 at baseline and 3 months. Rapid decline in kidney function (RDKF) was defined as a reduction in the eGFR of 3 mL/min/1.73 m2 or greater per year. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association of LPL SNP and DKD with an additive model. Results: The SNPs rs285 C>T (OR = 1.40, P =.0154), rs328 C>G (OR = 2.24, P =.0104) and rs3208305 A>T (OR = 1.85, P =.0015) were identified to be significantly associated with DKD defined by eGFR. Among 1241 participants with follow‐up data, 441 (35.5%) showed RDKF over a mean follow‐up period of 1 year, and the rs285 C allele was associated with higher odds of RDKF (OR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.04‐1.66; P =.025) after adjustment for multiple variables. Conclusions: These results suggest that LPL‐related SNPs are new candidate factors for conferring susceptibility to DKD and may promote rapid loss of renal function in Chinese patients with T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), a simple and noninvasive measure of insulin resistance, has been proven to be an independent risk factor for first-time stroke and all-cause mortality. In this study, we aimed to investigate the associations between eGDR and the stroke outcome in patients with first-time acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods: We included first-time AIS patients with available data on eGDR in the China National Stroke Registry III (CNSR-III), and divided the subjects into lower eGDR group (eGDR ≤ 6 mg/kg/min) and higher eGDR group (eGDR > 6 mg/kg/min). The primary outcome was excellent functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score 0–1) at 3 months. Secondary outcomes included stroke recurrence and favorable functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score 0–2) at 3 months, and functional outcome and combined vascular event at one year. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the association between eGDR and outcomes. Results: A total of 6,271 patients with AIS were included in this study. The median values of eGDR in lower and higher eGDR group were 5.0 mg/kg/min (interquartile range, 4.2–5.6) and 7.6 mg/kg/min (interquartile range, 6.8–9.6), respectively. Patients with higher eGDR were significantly associated with higher incidence of excellent functional outcome (adjusted odds ratio, 1.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–1.45; P < 0.01) at 3 months and favorable (adjusted odds ratio, 1.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.24–1.93; P < 0.01) and excellent (adjusted odds ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.51; P < 0.01) functional outcome at one year. However, there was no significant difference in stroke recurrence between these two groups at 3 months (adjusted odds ratio, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.61–1.06; P = 0.12) and one year (adjusted odds ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.73–1.14; P = 0.41). Conclusion: eGDR is a predictor of functional outcome in patients with AIS, independent of traditional cardiovascular predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin polymerized by DCPD contains a large number of unsaturated bonds, hydrogenation plays an important role in enhancing its thermal stability and decoloring. Herein, a series of supported Cu−Ni‐Al catalysts with high distribution and large surface areas derived from direct reduction of hydrotalcite‐like compounds have been synthesized. The hydrogenation properties of supported Cu−Ni‐Al catalysts for the DCPD resin and its monomer have been investigated. The Cu1Ni3‐Al2O3 catalyst shows the highest DCPD conversion (>99%) and selectivity to tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene (THDCPD) (>98%) under mild conditions (40 °C, 2 MPa H2) compared with the corresponding catalysts prepared by impregnation and mechanically mixed method. Due to the high particle dispersion of active‐sites and the synergistic effect between metallic Cu and Ni, the optimal catalyst (Cu1Ni3‐Al2O3) also presents an expected catalytic activity in the hydrogenation of DCPD resin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a challenging issue to achieve efficient aerobic oxidation desulfurization (AODS) under mild conditions. Inspired by respiratory chain system, a metal-free biomimetic system was developed in this paper with a functionalized ternary deep eutectic solvent (DES) containing N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI), p -toluene sulfonic acid (p -TsOH), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) for deep oxidative desulfurization. It was found that the NHPI/5PEG4000/ p -TsOH system exhibited an outstanding desulfurization activity, and the removal of dibenzothiophene (DBT) reached 100% within 5 h at 80 οC. Significantly, it is the first attempt to use a DES as an extraction agent, reaction medium, catalyst, and electron transfer mediator (ETM) simultaneously. Mechanistic studies revealed that NHPI demonstrated a dual function: namely, producing the PINO radical to initiate the reaction, and acting as an ETM in biomimetic systems to promote the activation of oxygen molecules, thereby finely improving the AODS performance of the acidic DESs. These findings regarding the aforementioned biomimetic oxygen activation mechanism of the NHPI-based ternary DES for AODS provide a novel insight into the construction of biomimetic system in the future. [Display omitted] • A metal-free biomimetic system was developed with a ternary DES for AODS. • The NHPI/5PEG4000/p-TsOH system exhibited an outstanding AODS activity. • The removal of DBT could reach 100% under quite mild conditions. • The DES was used as an extractant, reaction medium, catalyst, and ETM simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the accuracy of atmospheric visibility (V) prediction based on machine learning in different pollution scenarios, a new atmospheric visibility prediction method based on the stacking fusion model (VSFM) is established in this paper. The new method uses the stacking strategy to fuse two base learners—eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM)—to optimize prediction accuracy. Furthermore, seasonal feature importance evaluations and feature selection were utilized to optimize prediction accuracy in different seasons with different pollution sources. The new VSFM was applied to 1-year environmental and meteorological data measured in Qingdao, China. Compared to other traditional non-stacking models, the new VSFM improved precision during different seasons, especially in extremely low-visibility scenarios (V< 2 km). The TS score of the VSFM was significantly better than that of other models. For extremely low-visibility scenarios, the VSFM had a threat score (TS) of 0.5, while the best performance of other models was less than 0.27. The new method is promising for atmospheric visibility prediction under complex urban pollution conditions. The research results can also improve our understanding of the factors that influence urban visibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polydactyly, a common heritable limb malformation in vertebrates, is characterized by supernumerary digits. In chickens, basic characteristics and rough dominant genes have been explored in past decades; however, the elaborate pattern of inheritance and the determinant gene remain obscure. In this study, different types of polydactylism were classified by the numbers and the shapes of toes, including the newly defined subtypes of B’ and G, for the Beijing fatty chicken, a native breed of chicken from China. Through experiments on hybridization, we demonstrated a complete dominant inheritance of polydactyly instead of an incomplete penetrance or genetic modification of the previous conjecture. In particular, by using the F2 population of the five-digit purebred line of Beijing fatty chicken backcrossed to Shiqiza chicken and by using restriction-site associated DNA based markers, we performed a genome-wide association study on the trait of polydactyly. Furthermore, whole genome resequencing strategy was applied to sweep SNPs across the whole genome. An outlier-based Fst approach was employed to search for signatures of selection, and results indicated that the determinant mutation was found in the region ranging from 8.3 Mb to 8.7 Mb, where the polydactyly candidate gene LMBR1 was located. The G/T mutation of rs80659072 was identified to be highly associated with polydactyly in our resequencing and was validated in random samples from an expanded population. Thus, we confirmed that LMBR1 was the causative gene of polydactyly in the Beijing fatty chicken by using GWAS with restriction-site associated DNA based markers and resequencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Critical sooting transition point was identified with a novel optical method. • Sooting transition chemistry of iso -octane/DEE flames was firstly studied. • DEE addition delayed the transition point but accelerated the transition process. • The major effect mechanism of DEE addition was the dilution of carbon flow. • The chemical effect of DEE addition mainly reflected in the promotion of C 2 H 2. This study studied the effects of the addition of diethyl ether (DEE) in the fuel stream on sooting transition process in iso -octane counterflow diffusion flames with optical and chemical diagnostics. Compared with the baseline iso -octane flame, two fuel/oxygen/nitrogen flames were studied with a 20 % DEE/ iso -octane and a 40 % DEE/ iso -octane mixture as the fuel, while holding constant fuel mole fraction. Optical diagnosis was used for the investigation of the effect of DEE addition on macroscopic sooting transition point with a high-resolution digital camera based on image processing and transition point extraction methods. Online gas chromatograph (GC) was used for all flames to investigate the flame structure and measure quantitative mole fraction profiles of stable and reactive species formed in the sooting transition process, especially the changes caused by partial substitution of iso -octane by DEE. Meanwhile, the experimental results were compared with predictions from a model suitable for both iso -octane and DEE. Sooting transition point was delayed with the increase of DEE addition. Although the overall flame chemical structure did not change significantly with the addition of DEE, it was found that some primary decomposition products and precursors had more significant effects. In most cases, experimental trends could be predicted and explained well by the model. It was noted that the dilution of carbon flow caused by partial substitution was the main reason for the inhibition of soot formation and the delay of sooting transition point. Secondly, on the chemical effect, DEE addition could produce a large amount of C 2 H 2 which could contribute to the production of C 3 H 3 and the formation of large PAHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]