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AbstractPurposeMethodsResultsConclusionsThis research was designed to elucidate the anti-inflammatory impacts of liquiritin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs).The Cell Counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was adopted to assess cell viability. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the secretion levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α. Transcriptome analysis was conducted to identify the genes that exhibited differential expression between different treatment. The model group included cells treated with LPS (10 µg/mL), the treatment group comprised cells treated with liquiritin (80 µM) and LPS (10 µg/mL), and the control group consisted of untreated cells. To further validate the expression levels of the selected genes, including CSF2, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL8, IL1A, IL1B, IL24, IL6, and LTB, quantitative real-time PCR was performed. The expression of proteins related to the Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway was assessed through western blot analysis. NF-κB nuclear translocation was evaluated through immunofluorescence staining.The secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α in LPS-induced HCECs was significantly downregulated by liquiritin. Based on the transcriptome analysis, the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, namely IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, IL-24, TNF-α, and IL-1α was overproduced by LPS stimulation, and suppressed after liquiritin treatment. Furthermore, the Western blot results revealed a remarkable reduction in the phosphorylation degrees of NF-κB p65, IκB, and Akt upon treatment with liquiritin. Additionally, immunofluorescence analysis confirmed liquiritin’s inhibition of LPS-induced p65 nuclear translocation.Collectively, these findings imply that liquiritin suppresses the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, and the anti-inflammatory impacts of liquiritin may be caused by its repression of the Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway in LPS-induced HCECs. These data indicate that liquiritin could provide a potential therapeutic application for inflammation-associated corneal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a power‐optimized column‐parallel cyclic analog to digital converter (ADC) for complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS) image sensor readout circuits. The design combines a 2.5‐bit/cycle architecture with a comparator shutdown technique based on the comparator‐based switched‐capacitor (CBSC) circuits, which results in a significant reduction in the operating time of the threshold detection comparator compared with conventional CBSC circuits. This reduction in operating time leads to power savings as the threshold detection comparator can be shut down quickly. The paper also presents a comprehensive analysis of the nonideal factors of CBSC circuits and the coarse and fine conversion allocation scheme. The 10‐bit two‐stage comparator‐based cyclic ADC is designed in a 110 nm 1P4 M CMOS technology. Simulation results show that the effective number of bit (ENOB) is 9.7 bits, with each column consuming 103 μ$$ \upmu $$W of power. The proposed cyclic ADC has a figure of merit (FOM) of 123 fJ/conv‐step. Compared with conventional structures, the proposed design reduces the power consumption of the ADC by 34.3% while maintaining the same level of performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let k$k$ be a number field. For a variety X$X$ over k$k$ that satisfies weak approximation with Brauer–Manin obstruction, we study the same property for smooth projective models of its symmetric products. Based on the same method, we also explore the property of weak approximation with Brauer–Manin obstruction for norm varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The Cu0-Cu+ interfaces play a key role in the electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) to produce multi-carbon products (C 2+), however, it is difficult for Cu+ to exist stably under reducing conditions. Herein, we construct highly dispersed and stable Cu-Cu 2 O-CeO x interface on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) for CO 2 electroreduction to C 2+ products. During the synthesis process, utilizing strong electrostatic interactions, the complex ions of Cu2+ and Ce3+ are uniformly adsorbed on the surface of graphene oxide. Then, under the solvothermal reaction of ethylene glycol and thiourea, the two metal complex ions are converted into highly dispersed and ultrafine Cu 2 S-CeO x nanocomposites on rGO. Interestingly, CeO x and thiourea synergistically regulate the generation of only Cu+. Under the CO 2 RR process, the reconstruction of Cu 2 S promotes the formation of Cu0 and Cu 2 O species. CeO x stabilizes partial Cu+ species and promotes the formation of Cu-Cu 2 O-CeO x composite interface. With the help of synergistic effect of Cu0, Cu+ and CeO x , the optimized reaction interface achieves the Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 74.5 % for C 2+ products with the current density of 230 mA cm−2 at −0.9 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. In situ attenuate total reflectance-infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-IRAS) spectra show that the composite interfaces promote the adsorption and activation of H 2 O and CO 2 , improve the surface coverage of CO intermediates (*CO), and thus accelerate the C C coupling process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐optical neural networks have advantages in higher throughput, higher speed as well as lower energy consumption compared to electrical neural networks. Optical neural networks have already shown great potential in various applications; however, the operation speed of the network is limited by the 2D detector as most optical neural networks rely on space to space projection. Here, a space to time projection approach to build diffractive deep neural network (D2NN) is proposed, which can project spatial intensity distribution into time‐domain intensity variation, thus bypassing the detection speed limit of 2D imaging device. Based on this scheme, high‐speed all‐optical logic gates are theoretically analyzed and experimentally realized. In this case, the network's operation speed is only limited by the photodetector (PD), which can reach GHz levels. Moreover, the method will show great advantage when it comes to wavelengths where 2D detectors are not achievable easily such as infrared, terahertz or microwaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zeta potential is an important colloid parameter that dictates many intriguing phenomena such as colloid stability/aggregation, electrophoretic deposition and particle separation technology. Zeta potential is commonly used to characterise colloid particles' electrostatic interactions coupled with other forces such as van der Waals attraction, hydration and steric forces. However, the measurement of zeta potential involves complicated sample preparation and instrument/theory selection, often resulting in inaccurate measurement. Here, we developed a simple method that combines Stern–Grahame and Gouy–Chapman theories, for estimating zeta potential using parameters such as acid site pKa, acid site density and particle size. The method is applied to a wide range of carboxylic acids' functionalised colloid particles with various pKa. Results show that the new method is capable of capturing zeta potential dependence on pKa and pH. The new method can be applied to particles with complicated or multiple acid/base sites. Without the need for sample preparation/instrument, this new method is believed to save efforts for estimating zeta potential with good accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anomalous Nernst effect (ANE), as a three-dimensional thermoelectric effect in ferromagnetic materials, is expected to break through the limitations of the traditional Seebeck effect, thereby improving thermoelectric conversion efficiency. This study reports an anisotropic anomalous Nernst effect in metallic nickel assembled by the alignment of nanowires. It is found that the ANE voltage varies with the angle to the alignment direction of nanowires within the in-plane of metallic nickel. The ANE voltage reaches 530 nV under a longitudinal temperature difference of 23 K when the magnetic field is applied parallel to the alignment direction of nanowires, which is 143% of its value in the vertical direction. This design concept for anisotropic materials may provide a novel path to enhanced thermoelectric efficiency in ANE-based thermoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in wearable ultrasound technologies have demonstrated the potential for hands-free data acquisition, but technical barriers remain as these probes require wire connections, can lose track of moving targets and create data-interpretation challenges. Here we report a fully integrated autonomous wearable ultrasonic-system-on-patch (USoP). A miniaturized flexible control circuit is designed to interface with an ultrasound transducer array for signal pre-conditioning and wireless data communication. Machine learning is used to track moving tissue targets and assist the data interpretation. We demonstrate that the USoP allows continuous tracking of physiological signals from tissues as deep as 164 mm. On mobile subjects, the USoP can continuously monitor physiological signals, including central blood pressure, heart rate and cardiac output, for as long as 12 h. This result enables continuous autonomous surveillance of deep tissue signals toward the internet-of-medical-things. A wearable ultrasound patch monitors subjects in motion using machine learning and wireless electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ship fire may result in significant damage to its structure and large economic loss. Hence, the prompt identification of fires is essential in order to provide prompt reactions and effective mitigation strategies. However, conventional detection systems exhibit limited efficacy and accuracy in detecting targets, which has been mostly attributed to limitations imposed by distance constraints and the motion of ships. Although the development of deep learning algorithms provides a potential solution, the computational complexity of ship fire detection algorithm pose significant challenges. To solve this, this paper proposes a lightweight ship fire detection algorithm based on YOLOv8n. Initially, a dataset, including more than 4000 unduplicated images and their labels, is established before training. In order to ensure the performance of algorithms, both fire inside ship rooms and also fire on board are considered. Then after tests, YOLOv8n is selected as the model with the best performance and fastest speed from among several advanced object detection algorithms. GhostnetV2-C2F is then inserted in the backbone of the algorithm for long-range attention with inexpensive operation. In addition, spatial and channel reconstruction convolution (SCConv) is used to reduce redundant features with significantly lower complexity and computational costs for real-time ship fire detection. For the neck part, omni-dimensional dynamic convolution is used for the multi-dimensional attention mechanism, which also lowers the parameters. After these improvements, a lighter and more accurate YOLOv8n algorithm, called Ship-Fire Net, was proposed. The proposed method exceeds 0.93, both in precision and recall for fire and smoke detection in ships. In addition, the mAP@0.5 reaches about 0.9. Despite the improvement in accuracy, Ship-Fire Net also has fewer parameters and lower FLOPs compared to the original, which accelerates its detection speed. The FPS of Ship-Fire Net also reaches 286, which is helpful for real-time ship fire monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel lattice structure with Y-shaped cores was designed. Specimens of the structure were fabricated using 3D printing technology for quasi-static compression tests. Numerical simulations were also performed to investigate the mechanical properties and failure behavior of the lattice structure. The numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental results. The numerical simulations are used to reveal the failure processes and failure mechanisms of structures with different relative densities. The results show that the relative density has significant effects on the mechanical properties of the lattice structure, and that different methods of changing the relative density lead to different results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Five-level rectifiers have received widespread attention because of their excellent performance in high-voltage and high-power applications. Taking a five-level rectifier with only four-IGBT for this study, a sliding mode predictive control (SMPC) algorithm is proposed to solve the problem of poor dynamic performance and poor anti-disturbance ability under the traditional model predictive control with the PI outer loop. Design/methodology/approach: First, mathematical models under the two-phase stationary coordinate system and two-phase synchronous rotating coordinate system are established. Then, the design of the outer-loop sliding mode controller is completed by establishing the sliding mode surface and design approach rate. The design of the inner-loop model predictive controller was completed by discretizing the mathematical model equations. The modulation part uses a space vector modulation technique to generate the PWM wave. Findings: The sliding mode predictive control strategy is compared with the control strategy with a PI outer loop and a model predictive inner loop. The proposed control strategy has a faster dynamic response and stronger anti-interference ability. Originality/value: For the five-level rectifier, the advantages of fast dynamic influence and parameter insensitivity of sliding mode control are used in the voltage outer loop to replace the traditional PI control, and which is integrated with the model predictive control used in the current inner loop to form a novel control strategy with a faster dynamic response and stronger immunity to disturbances. This novel strategy is called sliding mode predictive control (SMC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence shows that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure may adversely affect human health. However, the links between combined exposure to PAHs and neuropsychiatric manifestations in perimenopausal women remain unclear. To explore these relationships further, we used the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) of the 2005–2012 cycles. After filtering, five hundred forty-seven perimenopausal women aged 45–55 years were included in our analysis. Eight PAHs metabolites were measured to represent PAHs exposure in the body. In our study, depression, sleep disorders, and frequent mental distress (FMD) were used to describe the neuropsychiatric manifestations. Because of the bivariate correlations among PAHs compounds, principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to achieve the dimension reduction process of PAHs compounds. To figure out if there is a relationship between urinary PAH metabolites and outcomes, multiple logistic regression, restricted cubic splines (RCS), and the Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used. The findings showed that urinary PAHs concentrations in a certain range were related to neuropsychiatric manifestations. In detail, the results of logistic regressions, RCS, and BKMR all indicated that urinary PAHs were positively correlated with depression. In addition, the results of principal components regression and RCS showed associations between urinary PAHs and the risk of FMD or sleep disorders, respectively. Exposure to PAHs was linked to neuropsychiatric manifestations in perimenopausal women, but more pertinent researches are required to understand the connections fully. [Display omitted] • Our study firstly linked perimenopausal women's polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure to neuropsychiatric manifestations. • We evaluated participant's neuropsychiatric symptoms, including depression, sleep disorder, and frequent mental distress. • Specific urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels correlated with neuropsychiatric manifestations in participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germanium (Ge) nanostrip was embedded in a polymer and studied as a waveguide. The measurements reveal that this new type of semiconductor/polymer heterogeneous waveguide exhibits strong absorption for the TE mode from 1500 nm to 2004 nm, while the propagation loss for the TM mode declines from 20.56 dB/cm at 1500 nm to 4.89 dB/cm at 2004 nm. The transmission characteristics serve as an essential tool for verifying the optical parameters (n-κ, refractive index, and extinction coefficient) of the strip, addressing the ambiguity raised by spectroscopic ellipsometry regarding highly absorbing materials. Furthermore, the observed strong absorption for the TE mode at 2004 nm is well beyond the cut-off wavelength of the crystalline bulk Ge (~1850 nm at room temperature). This redshift is modeled to manifest the narrowing of the Tauc-fitted bandgap due to the grain order effect in the amorphous Ge layer. The accurate measurement of the nanometer-scale light-absorbing strips in a waveguide form is a crucial step toward the accurate design of integrated photonic devices that utilize such components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Understanding the effect of process parameters on interfaces and interfacial bonding between two materials during multi-material additive manufacturing (MMAM) is crucial to the fabrication of high-quality and strong multi-material structures. The purpose of this paper is to conduct an experimental and statistical study to investigate the effect of process parameters of soft and hard materials on the flexural behavior of multi-material structures fabricated via material extrusion-based MMAM. Design/methodology/approach: Sandwich beam samples composed of a soft core and hard shells are fabricated via MMAM under different printing conditions. A design of experiments is conducted to investigate the effect of the print speed and nozzle temperature on the flexural behavior of soft-hard sandwich beams. Analysis of variance and logistic regression analysis are used to analyze the significance of each process parameter. The interfacial morphology of the samples after the flexural tests is characterized. Thermal distributions during the MMAM process are captured to understand the effect of process parameters on the flexural behavior based on inter-bonding formation mechanisms. Findings: Experimental results show that the soft-hard sandwich beams exhibited two different failure modes, including shell failure and interfacial failure. A transition of failure modes from interfacial failure to shell failure is observed as the nozzle temperatures increase. The samples that fail because of interfacial cracking exhibit a pure adhesive failure because of weak interfacial fracture properties. The samples that fail because of shell cracking exhibit a mixed adhesive and cohesive failure. The flexural strength and modulus are affected by the nozzle temperature for the hard material and the print speeds for both hard and soft materials significantly. Originality/value: This paper first investigates the effect of process parameters for soft and hard materials on the flexural behavior of additively manufactured multi-material structures. Especially, the ranges of the selected process parameters are distinct, and the effect of all possible combinations of the process parameters on the flexural behavior is characterized through a full factorial design of experiments. The experimental results and conclusions of this paper provide guidance for future research on improving the interfacial bonding and understanding the failure mechanism of multi-material structures fabricated by MMAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multistage laser-wakefield accelerator with curved plasma channels was proposed to accelerate electrons to TeV energy levels. In this condition, the capillary is discharged to produce plasma channels. The channels will be used as waveguides to guide intense lasers to drive wakefields inside the channel. In this work, a curved plasma channel with low surface roughness and high circularity was fabricated by a femtosecond laser ablation method based on response surface methodology. The details of the fabrication and performance of the channel are introduced here. Experiments show that such a channel can be successfully used to guide lasers, and electrons with an energy of 0.7 GeV were achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of the territorial spatial planning system brings opportunities and challenges to the development of the discipline of territorial spatial planning, and puts forward new requirements for the teaching practice and talent training of the Territorial Spatial Planning course in universities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area(GBA). The Territorial Spatial Planning course is one of the significant major courses, such as human geography and urban and rural planning, physical geography and resources and environment, land resources management, geographical science, urban and rural planning. The teaching practice evaluation and analysis of Territorial Spatial planning course in GBA has important practical significance to improve the quality of talent training. On the basis of the context evaluation, input evaluation, process evaluation, product evaluation(CIPP) model, questionnaire survey, interview and literature collation were used to formulate the evaluation index system combined with the characteristics of the course. The analytic hierarchy process was used to calculate and compare the evaluation results of GBA: curriculum implementation is the core part of the teaching practice. The practicability of course content is the focus of the teaching. Under the new situation, colleges and universities should pay attention to the teaching idea of the course from the international perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurfaces have shown their great capability to manipulate electromagnetic waves. As a new concept, reconfigurable metasurfaces attract researchers' attention. There are many kinds of reconfigurable components, devices and materials that can be loaded on metasurfaces. When cooperating with reconfigurable structures, dynamic control of the responses of metasurfaces are realized under external excitations, offering new opportunities to manipulate electromagnetic waves dynamically. This review introduces some common methods to design reconfigurable metasurfaces classified by the techniques they use, such as special materials, semiconductor components and mechanical devices. Specifically, this review provides a comparison among all the methods mentioned and discusses their pros and cons. Finally, based on the unsolved problems in the designs and applications, the challenges and possible developments in the future are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We rethink and decompose the uncertainty in facial expression recognition. • We propose a novel method to mine the ambiguity and noise in facial expression recognition datasets. • The tri-regularization module employs different training strategies for the clean, ambiguous, and noisy label expressions. • Our proposed method achieves performance 90.25% on RAF-DB, 62.47% on AffectNet, and 89.86% on FERPlus. Due to the ambiguous expressions and the subjectiveness of annotators, annotation ambiguity is a serious obstacle for facial expression recognition (FER). Ambiguous annotation exists in similar and dissimilar classes, which we call ambiguity and noise. The previous state-of-the-art approaches use uncertainty to generalize the two categories, and adopt uncertainty learning to suppress uncertainty samples. However, ambiguous expressions are confused with noisy label expressions may bias the model toward easy samples and hurt the generalization capability. To solve this problem, we propose a novel approach to m ine a mbiguity and n oise (MAN) in FER datasets. Specifically, we design a co-division module, which divides the datasets into clean, ambiguous and noisy label expressions based on the consistency and inconsistency between the predictions of two networks and the given labels. To effectively learn the clean expressions, improve discriminative ability and avoid memorizing noisy labels, the tri-regularization module employs supervised learning, mutuality learning and unsupervised learning for the three subsets, respectively. Extensive experiments have shown that MAN can effectively mine the real ambiguity and noise, and achieve state-of-the-art performance in both synthetic noisy datasets and popular benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrogen adsorption and diffusion behaviors on the clean and a series of element doped Zr(0001) surfaces are studied through first-principles calculations. Among the studied doping elements, Cu, Co, Y, and Mg prefer to substitute Zr on the topmost surface layer, Al, Pd, Ir, and Si are favored from topmost layer to several surface layers down, while Mo is not favored. Independent of the substitution energies, Mo, Co, and Ir induce a symmetry-breaking local distortion surface structure. Based on the obtained geometries, it is found that most dopants promote the hydrogen adsorption on their next nearest neighbor sites but hinder it on the nearest neighbor sites. Most of the dopants also promote both the hydrogen diffusion on the surface plane and the hydrogen penetration into the subsurface layers. The results indicate that element doping may facilitate the hydride nucleation in Zr alloys. [Display omitted] • Co, Mo and Ir-doping on Zr(0001) surface induce symmetry-breaking local distortion. • Most dopants promote H adsorption on Zr(0001) in their around area. • Most dopants promote both H diffusion on surface and penetration into subsurface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the erratic switching phenomenon of the Si avalanche bipolar junction transistor (ABJT) in the Marx bank circuit (MBC), an explanation of the leakage current trigger mode in the overvoltage state with a lack of displacement current is proposed. There are random switching properties (i.e., switching or non-switching) in the ABJT with emitter–base shorted, triggered by a voltage ramp to the overvoltage state temporarily with dV/dt rate close to 0 V/ns. The experimental conditions and characteristics of erratic behaviors are summarized. The optical visualization of the current channel in an erratic switching state is obtained, and the corresponding physical model of the leakage current trigger mode is established. It shows that the switching event occurs with the change in the position of the conductive channel. The process of emitter electron injection is caused by the leakage current in the overvoltage state instead of the displacement current. Meanwhile, the intensity of this trigger mode is weak, and the instability of the leakage current may cause the failure of switching. The study of erratic switching is of great significance for the working reliability of MBCs and failure analysis of ABJTs. The proposed explanation is validated by the agreement between the simulation results and the experimental observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • PES membrane was loosened by doping with PEI-modified silica nanoparticles. • Mesoporous skin layer and thick porous transition layer were structured in the hybrid membrane. • Hybrid membrane achieved 92.0 L m–2h−1 bar−1 water permeance, 98.4 % CR retention, and 100 % salts pass. • Hybrid membrane exhibited excellent high operating pressure tolerance and recyclability. Loose nanofiltration (LNF) is a newly-developing technology for desalting dye-containing saline effluents, but suffers from membrane materials with low permeance and poor dye/salt separation selectivity. Herein, a hybrid polyethersulfone (PES) LNF membrane for dye/salt separation was prepared via a nonsolvent-induced phase inversion method, which was carried out using polyethyleneimine (PEI)-modified silica nanoparticles as a dopant. This design not only featured a hybrid PES LNF membrane with high porosity and small mean pore size, but also partially neutralized its charge and enhanced its hydrophilicity. Hybrid PES LNF membrane from a 21-wt% PES solution with 3-wt% PEI-decorated silica nanoparticles addition was demonstrated to achieve high water permeance (92.0 L m−2 h−1 bar−1) and dyes retention ratio (98.4 % for Congo Red, 98.8 % for Nile Blue A, and 95.1 % for Methyl Blue) accompanied with fully-pass for various salts (Na 2 SO 4 , NaCl, MgCl 2 and CaCl 2). In addition, the hybrid membrane exerted excellent resistances to strong acidic, oxidative and hot water (90 °C) environments and exhibited a pH-sensitive permeability. Multicycle test revealed that the hybrid membrane had high permeance recovery ratio (>92.8 %) and maintained its high dye retention and complete salt permeation even after 10 cycles, manifesting its outstanding fouling resistance and recyclability. Besides, the hybrid membrane repelled 92.6 % of dyes from a simulated wastewater consisting of multiple industry-applied direct dyes and salts after 12 h consecutive test, but allow 100 % of mixed salts passing through the membrane, proving its practical applicability to industrial dyeing wastewater. This study provided a simple and economically feasible route to high-performance LNF membrane production for dye/salt separation, thus popularizing LNF process in dyeing wastewater treatment, organic products purification, and resource recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) creep failure was experimentally investigated under high uniaxial compressive stress. The influence of applied stress levels, loading times, and loading rates was considered. The failure mode, ultimate strain, creep coefficient, Poisson's ratio, and nonlinear creep of UHPC were analyzed. The creep specimens failed suddenly in the tertiary creep stage. The ultimate strain of each creep failure specimen was less than the corresponding peak strain εc. The circumferential creep coefficient was considerably larger than the axial creep coefficient. In the loading phase, no significant increase in Poisson's ratio was observed for specimens loaded at normal or rapid rates. In the creep phase, Poisson's ratios increased considerably. The microcracks propagation within the specimens affected the nonlinear creep and creep failure behavior in UHPC specimens under high sustained compressive stress. An amplification factor model for the nonlinear creep strain was proposed, and was validated by comparing measured and calculated results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High roundness and cross-scale sapphire capillaries were fabricated by femtosecond laser and applied in laser wakefield acceleration experiments. • A layered variable-power strategy enhances capillary roundness. • Laser scanning path design rules mitigate the impact of motion errors in different capillary structures. We introduce a laser processing strategy for fabricating capillaries with gradually varying diameters and curvature on sapphire. By dividing the capillaries into the variable power region and the fixed power region, we have reduced the impact of energy loss caused by debris accumulation during the machining process, leading to improved roundness. We investigate the creation of morphological deviations caused by motion errors. Utilizing the varying impacts of scanning paths in reducing motion errors, we propose rules for developing laser scanning paths for different capillary structures. We have successfully fabricated capillaries with diameters ranging from 50 μm to 800 μm and lengths extending to centimeter-scale dimensions. The roughness measurement is below 100 nm, and roundness errors are less than 5 μm. These capillaries with diverse configurations, including gradually varying diameters and curvature, are successfully applied to laser wakefield acceleration experiments and accelerate electrons along the curved capillary to GeV level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • ZnO@NH 2 -MIL-88B has good degradation performance for a variety of organic pollutants. • Simultaneous degradation and removal of multiple organic pollutants by ZMFe-3. • Three degradation pathways of MB were predicted by DFT calculations and LC-MS. • ZnO@NH 2 -MIL-88B forms a fast electron transfer channel. Combining photocatalysts with Fenton technology can improve the catalytic properties of materials and achieve efficient degradation of organic pollutants. However, preparing low-cost catalysts using simple methods remains a challenge. This paper selected a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective semiconductor material, zinc oxide, for the modification of NH 2 -MIL-88B and prepared a new S-scheme heterojunction photo-Fenton catalyst ZnO@NH 2 -MIL-88B (ZMFe-x) by a simple solvothermal method. Moreover, the Zn-O-Fe bonds that were formed between the interfaces enabled a fast channel for the photoelectron transport that was created by photoexcitation from the ZnO conduction band to the NH 2 -MIL-88B valence band. This allowed the ZMFe-x catalysts to have better removal performance for organic pollutants in the photo-Fenton reaction. The dominating role of hydroxyl radicals in the degradation procedure was determined by ESR analysis and free radical trapping experiments, and the degradation mechanisms and pathway of contaminants were predicted by intermediate analysis and DFT calculations. This study provides a stable and effective new strategy for preparing MOFs catalysts for removing various pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Embedded CDs accelerated the cross-wall electron transfer of microbial respiration. • Enhanced microbial respiration promoted microbial advanced oxidation of aniline. • CDs served as the electron transfer bridge to induce oxygen reduction extracellularly. • CDs polarized amide groups in the cell wall and enhanced PCET in cell respiration. Microbial advanced oxidation, a crucial pathway for pollutant decomposition in the natural environment, is typically limited by microbial extracellular respiration. This is because the electro-inert cell walls of common microorganisms, such as Bacillus subtilis , hinder the cross-wall electron transfer necessary for reducing ferric species and inducing Fenton-like reactions. In this study, carbon quantum dots (CDs) were fed to promote the extracellular respiration of B. subtilis to strengthen the microbial advanced oxidation of aniline. The results showed that the CDs were embedded in the cell wall of bacterial cells to improve the extracellular electron transfer, which increased the •OH production (by 60.25%) and the aniline degradation. Meanwhile, the •OH generation mainly increased outside of the cell, which was beneficial for the degradation of pollutants and for relieving the damage of the radical to bacterial cells. The CDs induced the polarization of amide groups in the cell walls to maintain actively proton-coupled electron transfer to increase ATP generation by 39.28%. Feeding CDs provided a potential strategy to strengthen the extracellular respiration of common microorganisms and increase pollutant degradation via microbial advanced oxidation in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Originated from the future trends and requirements for silicone rubber (SR) in harsh work condition of advanced cutting-edge fields (construction, aerospace, marine equipment and automobile, etc), the processing complexity, complex ingredients and unbalanced overall properties of traditional multi-component flame-retarding SR system are limited. The development of mono-component and halogen-free flame retardants with adequate efficiency, durability and strength have been urgently expected for settling the crucial bottleneck issue of SR materials, which can avoid the defects of performance contradictions for long-used multi-component system in previous published work. Under such background, this paper has fabricated a hydrophobic Mn-doped melamine phosphate (H-DTMA@Mn) via facile multi-stage construction strategy that has been confirmed by a series of characterizations. The results have indicated that SR/28 phr H-DTMA@Mn can achieve limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 32.4% and UL-94 V-0 rating. Along with the reduced peak heat release rate, the validity of as-prepared H-DTMA@Mn for raising the flame retardancy of SR has been straightway clarified. Different from the previous work, the prominent flame retardant durability of SR/H-DTMA@Mn in many extreme environment can be maintained via the protection action of hydrophobic structure. The detailed analysis on char residues of SR composites can explain the effective flame retardant mechanism in view of chemical composition and microscopic morphology. Moreover, the mechanical strength and thermal properties of SR composites are ideal and accommodated that are greatly required in the real-life application. To sum up, the desirable balance for comprehensive performance can be realized by introducing the mono-component flame retardants, which can innately open up the innovation for meeting the requirements of SR materials in more fields. • Mono-component and Mn-doped flame retardants were fabricated for SR. • SR/28 phr H-DTMA@Mn can gain 32.4% LOI value and UL‐94 V‐0 rating. • PHRR and THR reduction of SR/28 phr H-DTMA@Mn are 42.3% and 34.7%. • Excellent balance among comprehensive properties of SR composites can be achieved. • Multi-channel synergistic flame retardant mechanism is preliminarily deduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated a rotation-matrix-based finite-time trajectory tracking problem for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in the presence of output constraints, input quantization, and uncertainties. First, a rotation matrix-based attitude representation is introduced, which allow attitude dynamics to be globally and uniquely represented without unwinding. To satisfy the finite-time stability of AUV tracking control and the output constraints imposed by introducing the new attitude error vector, a novel finite-time command-filtered backstepping controller (FTCFBC) is proposed based on the asymmetrical time-varying barrier Lyapunov function (TVBLF). Subsequently, a second-order auxiliary dynamic system (ADS) is proposed to estimate the negative effects that of input quantization errors. Because the quantized control inputs can be switched at an appropriate earlier or later switching timing depending on the output of the ADS, the negative impact of quantization errors on the control accuracy is reduced. Moreover, an adaptive finite-time disturbance observer (AFTDO) is developed to estimate the lumped uncertainties without prior information on the bounds of the uncertainties. Finally, the results of the theoretical analysis verified that the tracking errors can converge within a finite time. Numerical simulations confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. • A second-order auxiliary dynamic system to address quantization errors. • The equilibrium of the virtual errors is always kept within the constraints. • An adaptive finite-time disturbance observer without prior information. • The simplified rotation matrix-based controller avoids the unwinding phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the ongoing quest to develop lithium‐ion batteries with superior capacity and enhanced safety, the focus has shifted toward all‐solid‐state batteries (SSBs) and nickel‐rich cathode materials. Despite their promise, these technologies face significant interface challenges, notably poor contact and low ion transport efficiency, leading to substantial stability issues. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of both the advantages and the challenges associated with all‐solid‐state batteries. In addition, it discusses the benefits of single‐crystal application in SSBs, in terms of their kinetic performance, mechanical properties, and stability. The review concludes by proposing various strategies to optimize single‐crystal technologies, targeting the development of efficient nickel‐rich single‐crystal materials for use in all‐solid‐state batteries. These approaches offer the potential to address the core challenges currently faced by SSBs and pave the way for the next generation of high‐performance batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simultaneous presence of heavy metals and surfactants in runoff induces complexation and ecological harm during migration. However, interactions between these pollutants are often overlooked in past studies. Thus, investigating heavy metal-surfactant complexes in runoff is imperative. In this work, Cu (II) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were selected to investigate the interaction between heavy metals and surfactants due to the higher detected frequency in runoff. Through 1H NMR and FTIR observation of hydrogen atom nuclear displacement and functional group displacement of SDS, the change of SDS and Cu (II) complexation was obtained, and then the complexation form of Cu (II) and SDS was verified. The results showed that solution pH values and ionic strength had significant effects on the complexation of Cu (II). When the pH values increase from 3.0 to 6.0, the complexation efficiency of SDS with Cu (II) increased by 12.12% at low concentration of SDS, which may be attributed to the excessive protonation in the aqueous solution at acidic condition. The increase of ionic strength would inhibit the complexation reaction efficiency by 19.57% and finally reached the platform with concentration of NaNO 3 was 0.10 mmol/L, which was mainly due to the competitive relationship between Na (I) and Cu (II). As a general filtering material in stormwater treatment measures, natural zeolite could affect the interaction between SDS and Cu (II) greatly. After the addition of SDS, the content of free Cu (II) in the zeolite-SDS-Cu (II) three-phase mixed system was significantly reduced, indicating that SDS had a positive effect on the removal of Cu (II) from runoff. This study is of great significance for investigating the migration and transformation mechanism of SDS and Cu (II) in the future and studying the control technology of storm runoff pollution. [Display omitted] • The complexation characteristics of (SDS) and Cu (II) in runoff was investigated. • pH value and ionic strength showed influence on the complexation reaction between Cu (II) and SDS. • Natural zeolite could eliminate SDS-Cu (II) complex and improved removal efficiency of Cu (II). • The complexation mechanism and environmental implications were examined in stormwater runoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase the service life of composite materials, self-healing, and damage detection are essential. Although a lot of research has been done on self-healing and damage-reporting materials, it is still difficult to combine self-healing with in-situ and real-time damage detection in bulk resin and composites. By integrating extrinsic self-healing based on microcapsules and internal self-healing based on coordination interaction, the simultaneous self-healing of matrix and interface damage of fiber-reinforced composites was achieved in this study. Specifically, two-component microcapsules filled with epoxy/mercaptan repair agent were inserted into the matrix and Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) were introduced into the surface of carbon fiber by electroless plating. Upon the rupture of microcapsules, matrix self-healing was used to reach a desirable level of synchronous healing efficiency. In the meantime, the excess sulfhydryl reacted with AgNPs on the fibers to establish a coordination bond for interface self-healing. More intriguingly, the high exothermic action of epoxy resin and mercaptan repair agent in the self-healing process was observed when using infrared thermal imaging technology for in-situ and real-time damage detection. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Smouldering-to-flaming transition in solid wood was observed at 830 °C under airflow. • Fully penetrated vertical char crack or pre-perforated hole promotes the StF transition. • External airflow made solid wood smouldering transition to flaming easier and faster. • StF transition was an autoignition of a pyrolysate-oxygen by hot smouldering surface. • Numerical model reproduces the StF transition of solid wood under external airflow. The shrinkage, deformation and cracking of the wood affect their smouldering and flaming dynamics, but the scientific understanding is still limited. We study the burning behaviours of disc wood samples with a diameter of 60 mm and thicknesses of 5–40 mm under external airflows up to 6 m/s. Results show that the smouldering-to-flaming (StF) transition can be observed at about 830 °C under external airflow, which is caused by the interactions between smouldering-induced crack and environmental airflow. The fully penetrated vertical char crack or pre-perforated hole promotes the StF transition because of (1) enhanced radiation between the two smouldering surfaces and (2) greater air supply under the chimney effect. As the wind velocity increases, both the smouldering surface temperature and crack size increase, so the transition to flaming becomes faster. For a larger wood thickness, a larger airflow is required to generate the crack and cause a StF transition. A numerical model is proposed to investigate the volatile convection and flaming ignition. Numerical analysis reproduces the StF transition, as an autoignition of a pyrolysate-oxygen mixture promoted by hot smouldering surfaces. The numerical model further reveals the effects of smouldering temperature and cross wind on the StF transition. This work deepens the understanding of the StF transition dynamics and provides insights into the wildfire ignition dynamics and fire hazards of timber structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial interaction of water with guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) is crucial to understanding protein solubility and denaturing mechanism. However, molecularly resolved parameters such as polar and dispersive surface energy components of water-GdmCl mixtures remain unknown. Here, we developed a method to determine water-GdmCl mixture surface tension and its components using four different substrates including polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), silicone, polyethylene, and polystyrene. Results show all six combinations, PDMS-silicone, PDMS-polystyrene, PDMS-polyethylene, silicone-polyethylene, silicone-polystyrene, and polyethylene-polystyrene can estimate similar trend of total surface tension, polar and dispersive components with respect to salt concentration changes. Silicone-polyethylene pairs yield the most accurate surface tension compared to others because silicone and polyethylene have large distinctive surface energy differences. Results show that polar components increase from 51 mJ / m 2 to 64 mJ / m 2 when salt concentration increases; dispersive components decrease from 21 mJ / m 2 to 15 mJ / m 2 when salt concentration increases. Total surface tension increases from 72.8 mJ / m 2 to 78.1 mJ / m 2 when GdmCl increases from 0% to 40 wt%. The results of this study can elucidate molecular interaction between water and GdmCl. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium solani is responsible for causing root rot in various crops, resulting in wilting and eventual demise. Phenamacril, a specific inhibitor of myosin5 protein, has gained recognition as an effective fungicide against a broad spectrum of Fusarium species. It has been officially registered for controlling Fusarium diseases through spray application, root irrigation, and seed dipping. In this study, phenamacril was observed to exhibit negligible inhibitory effects on F. solani causing crop root rot, despite the absence of prior exposure to phenamacril. Considering the high selectivity of phenamacril, this phenomenon was attributed to intrinsic resistance and further investigated for its underlying mechanism. Sequence alignment analysis of myosin5 proteins across different Fusarium species revealed significant differences at positions 218 and 376. Subsequent homology modeling and molecular docking results indicated that substitutions T218S, K376M, and T218S&K376M impaired the binding affinity between phenamacril and myosin5 in F. solani. Mutants carrying these substitutions were generated via site-directed mutagenesis. A phenamacril-sensitivity test showed that the EC 50 values of mutants carrying T218S, K376M, and T218S&K376M were reduced by at least 6.13-fold, 9.66-fold, and 761.90-fold respectively compared to the wild-type strain. Fitness testing indicated that mutants carrying K376M or T218S&K376M had reduced sporulation compared to the wild-type strain. Additionally, mutants carrying T218S exhibited an enhanced virulence compared to the wild-type strain. However, there were no significant differences observed in mycelial growth rates between the mutants and the wild-type strain. Thus, the intrinsic differences observed at positions 218 and 376 in myosin5 between F. solani and other Fusarium species are specifically associated with phenamacril resistance. The identification of these resistance-associated positions in myosin5 of F. solani has significantly contributed to the understanding of phenamacril resistance mechanisms, thereby discouraging the use of phenamacril for controlling F. solani. [Display omitted] • Intrinsic resistance of F. solani to phenamacril was identified. • Presence of M218 and K376 in myosin5 conferred intrinsic resistance to phenamacril. • Sensitivity of T218S&K376M to phenamacril is reduced compared to that of T218S or K376M. • No significant fitness deficiencies observed in T218S, K376M and T218S&K376M mutants compared to parental strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial interaction of water with guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) is crucial to understanding protein solubility and denaturing mechanism. However, molecularly resolved parameters such as polar and dispersive surface energy components of water-GdmCl mixtures remain unknown. Here, we developed a method to determine water-GdmCl mixture surface tension and its components using four different substrates including polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), silicone, polyethylene, and polystyrene. Results show all six combinations, PDMS-silicone, PDMS-polystyrene, PDMS-polyethylene, silicone-polyethylene, silicone-polystyrene, and polyethylene-polystyrene can estimate similar trend of total surface tension, polar and dispersive components with respect to salt concentration changes. Silicone-polyethylene pairs yield the most accurate surface tension compared to others because silicone and polyethylene have large distinctive surface energy differences. Results show that polar components increase from 51 mJ / m 2 to 64 mJ / m 2 when salt concentration increases; dispersive components decrease from 21 mJ / m 2 to 15 mJ / m 2 when salt concentration increases. Total surface tension increases from 72.8 mJ / m 2 to 78.1 mJ / m 2 when GdmCl increases from 0% to 40 wt%. The results of this study can elucidate molecular interaction between water and GdmCl. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, a novel brazing interlayer of bicontinuous nanoporous copper (N P–Cu) lamina was produced by chemically dealloying a magnesium-copper (Mg–Cu) binary alloy and applied for brazing a C/C composite and TC4 alloy along with AgCuTi alloy brazing filler. SEM, EDS, XRD, XPS, TEM and SAED were used to characterize the differences in microstructure and phase distribution of the samples and compare with samples without an interlayer. Mechanical testing in the form of shear tests were conducted to evaluate the change in shear strength caused by the interlayer. The large specific area, uniform nano scale porosity and ligaments of the N P-Cu lamina interlayer induced the transformation of Ti–Cu compounds from their bulk agglomerates to dispersed fine particles and formed eutectic phases, which contributed to relieving the residual stress and enhancing the plasticity of the joint seam. This led to a shear strength increase of 185% as compared to samples without an interlayer. • N P-Cu lamina was prepared by chemically dealloying Mg–Cu binary alloy in 0.1 M HCl. • N P-Cu lamina was used for brazing C/C composite-TC4 alloy with Ag–Cu–Ti filler. • Fine Ti 2 Cu particles, instead of TiCu-wrapped Ti 2 Cu agglomerates, formed in the joint seam. • Eutectic phases of Ag (s,s) and Cu(s,s) emerged which enhanced the joint plasticity and relieved the residual stresses. • The N P-Cu interlayer comparatively increased the shear strength of the joint by 185%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we showcase the use of silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles and hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) treatment to regulate the thin film morphology and manipulate charge transport of solution-processed, small-molecular, organic semiconductors. 6,13-Bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS pentacene) was blended with SiO2 nanoparticles as an exemplary organic semiconductor. A higher concentration of SiO2 nanoparticles were observed near the edge of TIPS pentacene crystals and enlarged the width of crystal edges. This greatly reduced the dendritic crystal growth pattern of TIPS pentacene and contributed to its enhanced orientation uniformity. In addition, the HMDS treatment effectively passivated the silanol groups on the hydrophilic gate dielectrics. As a result, bottom-gate, top-contact TIPS pentacene/SiO2 nanoparticle-based organic thin-film transistors boosted a performance consistency enhancement (defined by the ratio of average mobility to the standard deviation of mobility). The combinational approach to employ SiO2 nanoparticles and HMDS treatment as demonstrated in this work sheds light on important applications in high-performance organic electronics devices on flexible substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we employ a nucleation additive 4-octylbenzoic acid (OBA) with an optimized solvent evaporation method to regulate crystal orientation and grain width of small-molecule organic semiconductors. When 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS pentacene) was utilized as a benchmark material to mix with the additive, a self-assembled OBA interfacial layer was formed and promoted uniform deposition of nucleation seeds. As a result, the TIPS pentacene/OBA blend crystalline film exhibited crystal alignment in long range order, attributing to a 11-fold reduction of the crystal misorientation angle and a 4-fold increase of the grain width. We further discussed the important correlation between the effective hole mobility, grain boundaries, grain width and length, and nucleation sites. Organic thin film transistors were fabricated to test charge transport, yielding a hole mobility of up to 0.17 cm2/V. This work provides a new pathway to modulate the nucleation and crystallization events of organic semiconductors, and can potentially be applied to optimize the thin film morphology and electrical performance of organic semiconducting materials in general. Image 1 • We showcase using 4-octylbenzoic acid (OBA) with optimized solvent evaporation to control semiconductor crystallization. • OBA formed a self-assembled interfacial layer and promoted uniform deposition of semiconductor nucleation seeds. • A model was discussed to reveal the correlation between the effective hole mobility, grain width and nucleation sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between electrons and phonons in CsPbBr3 is essential for the design of CsPbBr3 based optoelectronics since the phonon governs emission line broadening in metal halide perovskites. In this work, the temperature dependent photoluminescence linewidth was obtained from 80 K to 400 K. Density functional theory and many-body perturbation theory were used to calculate the electron–phonon coupling in CsPbBr3. We demonstrate that the electron–phonon coupling is dominated by the longitudinal optical phonon. In addition, the photoluminescence spectrum broadening is almost linear with temperatures from 80 K to 400 K. Their results provide a better understanding of the mechanism of electron–phonon scattering in CsPbBr3 and related optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power system inertia is gradually decreasing with the growing share of variable renewable energy (VRE). This may jeopardize the frequency dynamics and challenges the secure operation of power systems. In this paper, the concept of frequency security margin is proposed to quantify the system frequency regulation ability under contingency. It is defined as the maximum power imbalance that the system can tolerate while keeping frequency within the tolerable frequency range. A frequency constrained unit commitment (FCUC) model considering frequency security margin is proposed. Firstly, the analytical formulation of system frequency nadir is derived while considering both the frequency regulation characteristics of the thermal generators and the frequency support from VRE plants. Then, the frequency security margin is analytically formulated and piecewise linearized. A novel FCUC model is proposed by incorporating linear frequency security constraints into the traditional unit commitment model. Case studies on a modified IEEE RTS-79 system and HRP-38 system are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed FCUC model. The impacts of VRE penetration on system frequency security are analyzed using frequency security margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocaloric (EC) cooling is an emerging technology that has broad potential to disrupt conventional air conditioning and refrigeration as well as electronics cooling applications. EC coolers can be highly efficient, solid state, and compact; have few moving parts; and contain no environmentally harmful or combustible refrigerants. We report a scalable, high-performance system architecture, demonstrated in a device that uses PbSc0.5Ta0.5O3 EC multilayer ceramic capacitors fabricated in a manufacturing-compatible process. We obtained a system temperature span of 5.2°C and a maximum heat flux of 135 milliwatts per square centimeter. This measured heat flux is more than four times higher than other EC cooling demonstrations, and the temperature lift is among the highest for EC systems that use ceramic multilayer capacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wideband and compact rat‐race coupler that covers 3 to 5 GHz is proposed for the fifth‐generation new radio N77/N78/N79 applications. The wideband characteristic is obtained by using cascaded two‐section topology and broadside‐coupled lines at each input/output port. Miniaturization of two‐section rings is achieved using meander microstrip lines. A fractional bandwidth of 50% and a size reduction of 60% are both reached. Good in‐phase and out‐of‐phase characteristics are obtained as well. The circuit can be easily fabricated using conventional printed circuit board process and suitable for mass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, it has been demonstrated that CH3NH3PbBr3 exhibits extraordinary giant Rashba splitting, which represents great opportunity for applications in spintronics and orbitronics. In this work, the strain induced Rashba band splitting of CH3NH3PbBr3 with various lattice constants from 5.4 Å to 6.4 Å has been investigated in detail by means of density functional theory including the spin–orbit coupling using full-relativistic pseduopotential. The calculation results indicate that the triple states at the conduction band maximum can be split by both spin–orbit coupling and strain. The details of the band structure at the conduction band maximum further reveal that the Rashba band splitting is strongly anisotropic along different directions due to the distortion of the Pb–Br octahedron. The maximum Rashba coefficient can be up to 2.0 eV Å at the equilibrium lattice constant. Furthermore, the Rashba coefficient is approximately linearly dependent on the strain in the range of ±5%. The Rashba coefficient can be even increased by nearly two times if CH3NH3PbBr3 is compressed by about 5%. Such strain induced Rashba coefficient enhancement may be useful for the application of CH3NH3PbBr3 in spintronic and orbitronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we report an effective approach to tune the crystallization, microstructure and charge transport of solution-processed organic semiconductors by blending with a conjugated polymer additive poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). When 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS pentacene) was used as a model semiconductor material to mix with different amount of P3HT, their intermolecular interactions led to distinctive TIPS pentacene film morphologies, including randomly-oriented crystal ribbons, elongated needles with enhanced long-range order, and grass-like curved microwires with interlinkages. Each type of morphology was found to further correlate to considerably different charge transport and device performance. As compared to pristine TIPS pentacene devices, bottom-gate, top-contact OTFTs with 2% in weight P3HT additive showed a 2-fold and 5-fold improvement of average field-effect mobility and performance consistency (defined as the ratio of average mobility to the standard deviation), respectively. The improvement in transistor electrical performance can be attributed to the combined effect of enhanced crystal orientation and uniformity, as well as increased areal coverage. This work can be applied beyond the particular example demonstrated in this study and to tune the charge transport of other small-molecule organic semiconductors in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zirconia-based ceramics have many applications in manufacturing, energy, and biomedical industries due to their excellent properties such as high thermal and oxidation resistance, excellent chemical stability and mechanical strength. Traditional manufacturing processes such as cold pressing, hot pressing, and injection molding have limitations in the fabrication of high-quality zirconia-based ceramics with complex geometries. Additive manufacturing (AM) processes such as binder jetting, photopolymerization, and material extrusion have been recently developed to fabricate complex ceramic parts. However, additive manufacturing of defect-free ceramic parts with superior mechanical properties remains a challenge. To address this issue, a novel extrusion-based AM process was introduced to fabricate yttria-partially-stabilized zirconia ceramics. The mechanical properties such as flexural strength, fracture toughness, compressive strength, hardness, and porosity of the additively manufactured yttria-partially-stabilized zirconia ceramics were characterized. The surface quality and shrinkage of the zirconia parts were also measured. The experimental results have shown that the yttria-partially-stabilized zirconia parts fabricated by the proposed extrusion-based AM process exhibit superior mechanical properties than that of the zirconia parts fabricated by other AM processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report for the first time the use of a nonconjugated semicrystalline polymer as a film-forming agent to control the crystallization and tune the charge transport of solution-processed, small-molecule organic semiconductors. When 6,13-bis (triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS pentacene) was demonstrated as a representative material to blend with polyethylene oxide (PEO) polymer, it crystallized into uniformly-aligned needles with reduced random orientation, enhanced long-range order and elevated areal coverage. Specifically, an ultra-low misorientation angle of 7.9° ± 3.5° was obtained with 10% PEO additive, beneficial for charge transport in the TIPS pentacene/PEO hybrid film. Bottom-gate, top-contact organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) based on TIPS pentacene/PEO mixture were found to show a field-effect mobility up to 2.5 × 10−2 cm2/Vs. This work may be universally applied to other organic semiconductors to regulate their crystal formation, enhance film forming and improve device performance of OTFTs. It contributes to the utilization of flexible substrates for future-generation high-performance organic electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report the design, synthesis, and characterization of bifunctional chemical ligands that induce the association of Ras with ubiquitously expressed immunophilin proteins such as FKBP12 and cyclophilin A. We show this approach is applicable to two distinct Ras ligand scaffolds, and that both the identity of the immunophilin ligand and the linker chemistry affect compound efficacy in biochemical and cellular contexts. These ligands bind to Ras in an immunophilin‐dependent fashion and mediate the formation of tripartite complexes of Ras, immunophilin, and the ligand. The recruitment of cyclophilin A to GTP‐bound Ras blocks its interaction with B‐Raf in biochemical assays. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of ligand‐induced association of Ras with intracellular proteins and suggests it as a promising therapeutic strategy for Ras‐driven cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report the design, synthesis, and characterization of bifunctional chemical ligands that induce the association of Ras with ubiquitously expressed immunophilin proteins such as FKBP12 and cyclophilin A. We show this approach is applicable to two distinct Ras ligand scaffolds, and that both the identity of the immunophilin ligand and the linker chemistry affect compound efficacy in biochemical and cellular contexts. These ligands bind to Ras in an immunophilin‐dependent fashion and mediate the formation of tripartite complexes of Ras, immunophilin, and the ligand. The recruitment of cyclophilin A to GTP‐bound Ras blocks its interaction with B‐Raf in biochemical assays. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of ligand‐induced association of Ras with intracellular proteins and suggests it as a promising therapeutic strategy for Ras‐driven cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report the design, synthesis, and characterization of bifunctional chemical ligands that induce the association of Ras with ubiquitously expressed immunophilin proteins such as FKBP12 and cyclophilin A. We show this approach is applicable to two distinct Ras ligand scaffolds, and that both the identity of the immunophilin ligand and the linker chemistry affect compound efficacy in biochemical and cellular contexts. These ligands bind to Ras in an immunophilin‐dependent fashion and mediate the formation of tripartite complexes of Ras, immunophilin, and the ligand. The recruitment of cyclophilin A to GTP‐bound Ras blocks its interaction with B‐Raf in biochemical assays. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of ligand‐induced association of Ras with intracellular proteins and suggests it as a promising therapeutic strategy for Ras‐driven cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytokines can be induced by pathogen stimulation for the information exchange between cells, and their expression patterns indicate the response status of cells. In the present study, the expression patterns of ten cytokines (Cg IL17–1, −2, −3, −4, −5, −6, Cg TNF-1/2, Cg TGF-β and Cg IFNLP) in haemocytes were analyzed in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas after Vibrio splendidus stimulation in the indoor and outdoor experiments to compare the induction patterns of different cytokines and evaluate the response status of haemocytes. After the indoor V. splendidus immersion stimulation, the mRNA abundances of six cytokines (Cg IL17–1, −3, −4, −5, Cg TGF-β and Cg IFNLP) in haemocytes were significantly downregulated at 48 h compared with that in the control group, among which Cg IL17–4 was the most down-regulated with 0.009-fold of that in the control group (p < 0.05). The mRNA abundances of Cg IL17–2, Cg IL17–6, Cg TNF-1 and Cg TNF-2 showed no significant change at 48 h compared with that in the control group. The apoptosis rate of haemocytes reached the maximum level of 1.138% at 48 h after the stimulation. In the oysters cultured outdoor from April to September 2021, the mRNA abundances of all ten cytokines in haemocytes were found to decrease in June (0.270-fold on average) and increase in July (5.402-fold on average) compared with those in May. After the in situ V. splendidus immersion stimulation in the outdoor cultured oysters in June and July, seven cytokines (Cg IL17–1, Cg IL17–2, Cg IL17–4, Cg IL17–5, Cg TNF-1, Cg TGF-β and Cg IFNLP) exhibited upregulated mRNA abundance in June, while in July, the mRNA abundances of five cytokines (Cg IL17–1, Cg IL17–3, Cg TNF-2, Cg TGF-β, and Cg IFNLP) remained constant, and four cytokines (Cg IL17–2, Cg IL17–4, Cg IL17–5 and Cg TNF-1) were suppressed after the stimulation. Cg IL17–4 had the highest fold-change in mRNA abundance among all cytokines in June after the stimulation, which was 85.599-fold compared with that in the control group (p < 0.05). The score of haemocyte response status (SH) was evaluated using the mRNA abundance database of all ten cytokines. It decreased to 124.860 at 48 h after the indoor V. splendidus stimulation, and it decreased to 66.793 in June and increased to 451.092 in July in the cultured oysters prior to the stimulation. Collectively, the expression patterns of ten cytokines in haemocytes varied against bacterial stimulation, among which Cg IL17–4 was found to response the most significantly, and SH indicated by the mRNA abundances of cytokines suggested an abnormal response status of haemocytes in the oysters at 48 h after indoor V. splendidus stimulation and the oysters cultured outdoor during June and July. These findings will further our understanding of the cytokine variation and haemocyte response of the Pacific oyster against bacterial stimulation. • Cg IL17-4 exrhibited the most significant response after stimulation in ten cytokines. • A formula was established to evaluate haemocyte response status using cytokine data. • The bacterial stimulation for 48 h resulted in abnormal response status of haemocytes. • Abnormal response status of haemocytes occurred in cultured oysters in June and July. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]