Thioacetamide Additive Homogenizing Zn Deposition Revealed by In Situ Digital Holography for Advanced Zn Ion Batteries

Zinc ion batteries are considered as potential energy storage devices due to their advantages of low-cost,high-safety,and high theoretical capacity.However,dendrite growth and chemical corrosion occurring on Zn anode limit their commercialization.These problems can be tackled through the optimization of the electrolyte.However,the screening of electrolyte additives using normal electrochemical methods is time-consuming and labor-intensive.Herein,a fast and simple method based on the digital holography is developed.It can realize the in situ monitoring of electrode/electrolyte interface and provide direct information concerning ion concentration evolution of the diffusion layer.It is effective and time-saving in estimating the homogeneity of the deposition layer and predicting the tendency of dendrite growth,thus able to value the applicability of electrolyte additives.The feasibility of this method is further validated by the forecast and evaluation of thioacetamide additive.Based on systematic characterization,it is proved that the introduction of thioacetamide can not only regulate the interficial ion flux to induce dendrite-free Zn deposition,but also construct adsorption molecule layers to inhibit side reactions of Zn anode.Being easy to operate,capable of in situ observation,and able to endure harsh conditions,digital holography method will be a promising approach for the interfacial investigation of other battery systems.

On electro-acoustic characteristics of a marine broadband sparker for seismic exploration

The construction of major marine infrastructure projects and the exploration and development of deep-sea mineral resources require fine imaging of seabed strata and structures.The highresolution marine seismic exploration based on a high broadband sparker source is an important approach to reveal seabed stratum and reservoir structure,and identify geohazard.To optimize the performance of sparker seismic source,we investigated the electro-acoustic characteristics of spark discharge under conditions of different charging voltages and electrode numbers.Results show that the sound source level increased with the increase of the charging voltage,whereas the main frequency decreased when the charging voltage increases.In addition,it was found that the charging capacitance had more obvious influence on the main frequency than the sound source level did.Although the load energy decreased with increasing electrode number,the sound source level still increased but the main frequency decreased.Meanwhile,the primary to bubble(P/B)ratio increased with the increase of the electrode number.To gain a deeper insight into the electro-acoustic characteristics,we investigate the relationship between sound source level and power peak,from which a good correlation was observed.A more practical statistical analysis on the rise rate of current was processed,and a perfect logarithmic function was derived.Furthermore,we found that the main frequency was most possibly subjected to the electrical energy,especially the charging energy per electrode.The results indicate that the charging energy per electrode less than 10 J could increase the main frequency to above 300 Hz.At last,the main frequency could be reduced to 20 Hz when the charging energy of a single-electrode discharge was enhanced to over 4 kJ.This study shall be helpful in developing a sparker seismic source and improving the performance for marine engineering exploration and geohazard assessment.

Data processing of the Kuiyang-ST2000 deep-towed high-resolution multichannel seismic system and application to South China Sea data

The Kuiyang-ST2000 deep-towed high-resolution multichannel seismic system was designed by the First Institute of Oceanography,Ministry of Natural Resources(FIO,MNR).The system is mainly composed of a plasma spark source(source level:216 dB,main frequency:750 Hz,frequency bandwidth:150-1200 Hz)and a towed hydrophone streamer with 48 channels.Because the source and the towed hydrophone streamer are constantly moving according to the towing configuration,the accurate positioning of the towing hydrophone array and the moveout correction of deep-towed multichannel seismic data processing before imaging are challenging.Initially,according to the characteristics of the system and the towing streamer shape in deep water,travel-time positioning method was used to construct the hydrophone streamer shape,and the results were corrected by using the polynomial curve fitting method.Then,a new data-processing workflow for Kuiyang-ST2000 system data was introduced,mainly including float datum setting,residual static correction,phase-based moveout correction,which allows the imaging algorithms of conventional marine seismic data processing to extend to deep-towed seismic data.We successfully applied the Kuiyang-ST2000 system and methodology of data processing to a gas hydrate survey of the Qiongdongnan and Shenhu areas in the South China Sea,and the results show that the profile has very high vertical and lateral resolutions(0.5 m and 8 m,respectively),which can provide full and accurate details of gas hydrate-related and geohazard sedimentary and structural features in the South China Sea.

Characteristics of gravity anomalies and tectonic analysis of Enderby Land in East Antarctica and its adjacent areas

Enderby Land in East Antarctica and its adjacent areas,which are closely related to the Indian Plate in their geological evolution,have become one of the key zones for studies on how the Antarctic continent evolves.Based on the isostasy and flexure theories of the lithosphere and using the CRUST1.0 model as the depth constraint,this paper uses the gravity field model EIGEN-6C4 and topographic data to calculate the isostatic gravity anomalies of Enderby Land and its adjacent areas.Then,the crustal thickness of the study area is calculated,and three comprehensive geophysical interpretation profiles that vertically span the study area are plotted.The results show that the flexural isostatic gravity anomalies in Enderby Land and its adjacent areas are closely related to the regional tectonic setting,and the anomalies in different regions differ substantially,ranging from−50×10^(−5)m/s^(2)to 85×10^(−5)m/s^(2).A zone of high isostatic gravity anomalies(30×10^(−5)−80×10^(−5)m/s^(2))is distributed outside the Cooperation Sea and Queen Maud Land,which may be plate remnants generated by early rifting.Except for the Kerguelen Plateau,which was formed by a hotspot and has a crustal thickness of 15 km,the thickness of the oceanic crust in other parts of the study area changes slightly by approximately 4–9 km,with the thinnest part being in Enderby Basin.The thickness of the inland crust along the coastline increases with the elevation,with the maximum thickness reaching 34 km.The isostatic gravity anomalies corresponding to the zone of high magnetic anomalies along the continental margin of Queen Maud Land are negative and small,with an isostatic adjustment trend indicating Moho surface uplift,and those on the edge of central Enderby Land are near zero,approaching the isostatic state,which may be caused by the magmatism at the early stage of rifting.The continental-oceanic boundary should be close to the contour line of the crustal thickness 10–12 km on the outer edge of the coastline.

Effects of transfected adenovirus-mediated transcription factor X-box binding protein 1 on hippocampal-derived neural stem cell proliferation and apoptosis under hypoxia

BACKGROUND： Neural stem cell （NSC） survival is closely associated with cell apoptosis in ischemic-hypoxic regions following transplantation. Numerous studies have revealed that X-box binding protein 1 （XBP1） is a transcription factor during endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response and is essential for cell survival, differentiation, and anti-apoptotic effects. OBJECTIVE： To determine the effects of the XBP1 gene on NSC proliferation and apoptosis under hypoxic conditions following XBP1 gene transfection into rat embryonic hippocampal NSCs using recombinant adenovirus vector. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： In vitro experiments were performed at the Laboratory of Cell Biology of Jilin University and Laboratory of Proteomics, Department of Neurology, Jilin University China from September 2008 to November 2009. MATERIALS： Recombinant adenovirus package XBP1 gene and Ad-XBPl-enhanced green fluorescent protein plasmid （Guangzhou Easywin BioMed Technology, China）, rabbit anti-XBP1 and its target gene estrogen receptor degradation-enhancing a-mannosidase-like protein （EDEM） glucose-regulated protein 78 （GRP78）, anti-apoptotic molecule Bcl-2 and proapoptotic molecule Bax polyclonal antibody （Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, CA, USA）, and COCI2 （Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA） were used in the present study. METHODS： Hippocampi from embryonic, Sprague Dawley rats on gestational day 16 were harvested for NSC isolation and cloning, followed by immunofluorescence for Nestin and sub-culturing. The recombinant adenovirus Ad-XBPl-enhanced green fluorescent protein plasmid was transfected into rat embryonic hippocampal NSCs, and then CoCl2 was applied to induce hypoxia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Cell quantification and 3-（4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide colorimetric assay were utilized to detect proliferation in XBPl-transfected NSCs for 7 consecutive days. Western blot assay was utilized to quantify XBP1 GRP78, EDEM, Bcl-2, and Bax expression. Flow cytometry was used to measure apoptosis. RESULTS： NSC proliferation was significantly enhanced following XBP1 gene transfection （P 〈 0.05）. Under hypoxic conditions, GRP78, EDEM, and Bcl-2 levels increased, but Bax levels decreased. In addition, NSC apoptosis decreased following transfection （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： The XBP1 gene was successfully transfected into rat embryonic hippocampal NSCs using a recombinant adenovirus vector. NSC proliferation following transfection, as well as anti-apoptotic effects under hypoxia, was significantly increased.

Emerging Negative Warming Impacts on Tibetan Crop Yield

Preserving Tibet’s unique history and cultural heritage relies on the sustainability of the Tibetan croplands,which are characterized by highland barley,the only cereal crop cultivated over 4000 m above sea level.Yet it is unknown how these croplands will respond to climate change.Here,using yield statistics from 1985 to 2015,we found that the impact of temperature anomalies on the Tibetan crop yield shifted from nonsignificant(P>0.10)in the 1980s and 1990s to significantly negative(P<0.05)in recent years.Meanwhile,the apparent sensitivity of the crop yield to temperature anomalies almost doubled,from(–0.13±0.20)to(–0.22±0.14)t·ha^(-1)℃^(–1).The emerging negative impacts of higher temperatures suggest an increasing vulnerability of Tibetan croplands to warmer climate.With global warming scenarios of+1.5 or+2.0℃above the pre-industry level,the temperature sensitivities of crop yield may further increase to(–0.33±0.10)and(–0.51±0.18)t·ha^(-1)℃^(–1),respectively,making the crops 2–3 times more vulnerable to warmer temperatures than they are today.

Relationships between the sound speed ratio and physical properties of surface sediments in the South Yellow Sea

Building empirical equations is an effective way to link the acoustic and physical properties of sediments.These equations play an important role in the prediction of sediments sound speeds required in underwater acoustics.Although many empirical equations coupling acoustic and physical properties have been developed over the past few decades,further confirmation of their applicability by obtaining large amounts of data,especially for equations based on in situ acoustic measurement techniques,is required.A sediment acoustic survey in the South Yellow Sea from 2009 to 2010 revealed statistical relationships between the in situ sound speed and sediment physical properties.To improve the comparability of these relationships with existing empirical equations,the present study calculated the ratio of the in situ sediment sound speed to the bottom seawater sound speed,and established the relationships between the sound speed ratio and the mean grain size,density and porosity of the sediment.The sound speed of seawater at in situ measurement stations was calculated using a perennially averaged seawater sound speed map by an interpolation method.Moreover,empirical relations between the index of impedance and the sound speed and the physical properties were established.The results confirmed that the existing empirical equations between the in situ sound speed ratio and the density and porosity have general suitability for application.This study also considered that a multiple-parameter equation coupling the sound speed ratio to both the porosity and the mean grain size may be more useful for predicting the sound speed than an equation coupling the sound speed ratio to the mean grain size.

Acoustic backscattering measurement from sandy seafloor at 6–24 kHz in the South Yellow Sea

The acoustic bottom backscattering strength was measured at the frequency range of 6–24 kHz on a typical sandy bottom in the South Yellow Sea by using omnidirectional sources and omnidirectional receiving hydrophones. In the experiment, by avoiding disturbances due to scattering off the sea surface and satisfying the far-field condition, we obtained values of acoustic bottom backscattering strength ranging from –41.1 to –24.4 dB within a grazing angle range of 18°–80°. In the effective range of grazing angles, the acoustic scattering strength generally increases with an increase in the grazing angles, but trends of the variation were distinct in different ranges of frequency, which reflect different scattering mechanisms. The frequency dependence of bottom backscattering strength is generally characterized by a positive correlation in the entire frequency range of 6–24 kHz at the grazing angles of 20°, 40° and 60° with the linear regression slopes of 0.222 9 dB/kHz, 0.513 0 dB/kHz and 0.174 6 dB/kHz, respectively. At the largest grazing angle of 80°, the acoustic backscattering strength exhibits no evident frequency dependence.

Sea-surface acoustic backscattering measurement at 6–25 kHz in the Yellow Sea

Sea-surface acoustic backscattering measurements at moderate to high frequencies were performed in the shallow water of the south Yellow Sea, using omnidirectional spherical sources and omnidirectional hydrophones. Sea-surface backscattering data for frequencies in the 6–25 k Hz range and wind speeds of(3.0±0.5)and(4.5±1.0) m/s were obtained from two adjacent experimental sites, respectively. Computation of sea-surface backscattering strength using bistatic transducer is described. Finally, we calculated sea-surface backscattering strengths at grazing angles in the range of 16°–85°. We find that the measured backscattering strengths agree reasonably well with those predicted by using second order small-roughness perturbation approximation method with "PM" roughness spectrum for all frequencies at grazing angles ranged from 40° to 80°. The backscattering strengths varied slightly at grazing angles of 16°–40°, and were much stronger than roughness scattering. It is speculated that scattering from bubbles dominates the backscattering strengths at high wind speeds and small grazing angles. At the same frequencies and moderate to high grazing angles, the results show that the backscattering strengths at a wind speed of(4.5±1.0) m/s were approximately 5 d B higher than those at a wind speed of(3.0±0.5) m/s. However, the discrepancies of backscattering strength at low grazing angles were more than 10 d B. Furthermore the backscattering strengths exhibited no significant frequency dependence at 3 m/s wind speed. At a wind speed of 4.5 m/s, the scattering strengths increased at low grazing angles but decreased at high grazing angles with increasing grazing angle.

Recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and differential expression of cerebral cortical proteins in the subacute stage of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion

Recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor （hG-CSF） has been shown to protect the nervous system after brain ischemia. However, the neuroprotective mechanism of hG-CSF remains unclear. The present study established a rat model of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion and subcutaneously injected recombinant hG-CSF after reperfusion for 2 hours. Cerebral cortical protein was extracted following 14 days of reperfusion and subjected to two-dimensional electrophoresis. In brain ischemic rats, 56 different protein spots were screened, including 17 that were upregulated and 17 that were downregulated, compared with the sham-surgery group. Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization/time of flight mass spectrometry was used to determine peptide mass fingerprinting. Following a National Center for Biotechnology Information database search and confirmation with the Swiss-Prot database, 19 spots were identified as known proteins. Following hG-CSF treatment, 35 different protein spots were found, including 16 that were downregulated and 19 that were upregulated. Six were known proteins, including dihydropyrimidinase-associated protein 2, glial fibrillary acidic protein, endomucin, Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor, Rab GDP dissociation inhibitor and guanine-nucleotide-binding protein. Results indicate that hG-CSF is involved in neuroprotection after brain ischemia, possibly by regulating the expression of various neural regeneration-associated proteins at the subacute stage.

Mounded seismic units in the modern canyon system in the Shenhu area,northern South China Sea:Sediment deformation,depositional structures or the mixed system?

The canyon system,including 17 small slope-confined canyons in the Shenhu area,northern South China Sea,is significantly characterized by mounded or undulating features on the canyon flanks and canyon heads.However,the mechanism underlying the formation of these features has yet to be elucidated.In previous studies,most of them were interpreted as sediment deformation on the exploration seismic profiles.In this paper,we collected high-resolution bathymetric data,chirp profiles and geotechnical test data to investigate their detailed morphology,internal structures,and origin.The bathymetric data indicated that most mounded seismic units have smooth seafloors and are separated by grooves or depressions.The distance between two adjacent mounded units is only hundreds of meters.On chirp profiles,mounded seismic units usually exhibit chaotic reflections and wavy reflections,of which the crests migrate upslope.The slope stability analysis results revealed that the critical angle of the soil layers in the study area tends to be 9°,indicating that most mounded seismic units on the canyon flanks and heads are stable at present.The terrain characteristics and seismic configurations combined with the slope stability analysis results indicated that most mounded seismic units are not sediment deformation but depositional structures or mixed systems composed of deformation and depositional structures.

Tectonic implications of the subduction of the Kyushu-Palau Ridge beneath the Kyushu,southwest Japan

The Kyushu-Palau Ridge(KPR),a remnant arc on the Philippine Sea Plate(PSP),is subducting beneath the Kyushu,southwest Japan.Influenced by the subducting KPR,the Kyushu subduction zone corresponding to the KPR is significantly different from Shikoku subduction zone in terms of gravity anomalies,seismicity,the stress state,and the subducting slab morphology.Significant negative free-air and Bouguer gravity anomalies are observed in a prolonged area of KPR,southeast of the Miyazaki Plain,indicating that this is where KPR overlaps the overriding plate.The gravity anomaly in this area is much lower than that in other areas where the inferred KPR extends,suggesting that the subduction of the buoyant KPR may cause the lower mantle density to decrease.More earthquakes have occurred in Hyuga-nada region where the KPR subducts than in Shikoku forearc and other areas in the Kyushu forearc,indicating that the subduction of the KPR enhances the local coupling between the subducting and overriding plates.The centroid moment tensor(CMT)mechanism of earthquakes shows that stress is concentrated in the accumulated crust beneath the Kyushu forearc corresponding to the KPR,and the shallow thrusting events in the obducting plate are caused by the KPR subduction.The buoyant KPR,with a large volume of low-density sediments,was responsible for the differences of the subduction depth and dip angle of the subducting Philippine Sea(PS)slab between northern Kyushu and Shikoku.The seismic gaps and the sudden change of the dipping angle of the subducting PS slab indicate that slab tear may have occurred along the west side of the KPR beneath southwest Kyushu.A two-tear model was proposed,and the subduction of the buoyant KPR was believed to play an important role in the slab tear.

A new integrated intelligent computing paradigm for predicting joints shear strength

Joints shear strength is a critical parameter during the design and construction of geotechnical engineering structures.The prevailing models mostly adopt the form of empirical functions,employing mathematical regression techniques to represent experimental data.As an alternative approach,this paper proposes a new integrated intelligent computing paradigm that aims to predict joints shear strength.Five metaheuristic optimization algorithms,including the chameleon swarm algorithm(CSA),slime mold algorithm,transient search optimization algorithm,equilibrium optimizer and social network search algorithm,were employed to enhance the performance of the multilayered perception(MLP)model.Efficiency comparisons were conducted between the proposed CSA-MLP model and twelve classical models,employing statistical indicators such as root mean square error(RMSE),correlation coefficient(R2),mean absolute error(MAE),and variance accounted for(VAF)to evaluate the performance of each model.The sensitivity analysis of parameters that impact joints shear strength was conducted.Finally,the feasibility and limitations of this study were discussed.The results revealed that,in comparison to other models,the CSA-MLP model exhibited the most appropriate performance in terms of R2(0.88),RMSE(0.19),MAE(0.15),and VAF(90.32%)values.The result of sensitivity analysis showed that the normal stress and the joint roughness coefficient were the most critical factors influencing joints shear strength.This paper presented an efficacious attempt toward swift prediction of joints shear strength,thus avoiding the need for costly in-site and laboratory tests.

顺应海洋科技发展需求 加快推动海洋调查装备共享

海洋调查装备的共享是提升海洋科技原始创新能力的重要途径,但因海洋调查装备使用过程中存在诸多体制机制等制约,我国仍然没有建立比较完备的海洋调查装备共享体系。国家自然科学基金委员会自设立“国家自然科学基金海洋科学调查船时费专款”以来,形成了良好的运行机制,积累了较为丰富的船时共享经验和调查资料开放共享经验,着手规划和探索构建船时共享、资料共享和装备共享“三位一体”的海洋调查共享服务平台体系恰逢其时。借鉴国内外成功经验,针对我国海洋调查装备共享问题难点,本文提出了若干宏观对策和举措建议,以期为更好服务我国海洋科技原始创新和海洋强国战略提供参考。

Biomarkers of aging

Aging biomarkers are a combination of biological parameters to(i)assess age-related changes,(ii)track the physiological aging process,and(iii)predict the transition into a pathological status.Although a broad spectrum of aging biomarkers has been developed,their potential uses and limitations remain poorly characterized.An immediate goal of biomarkers is to help us answer the following three fundamental questions in aging research:How old are we?Why do we get old?And how can we age slower?This review aims to address this need.Here,we summarize our current knowledge of biomarkers developed for cellular,organ,and organismal levels of aging,comprising six pillars:physiological characteristics,medical imaging,histological features,cellular alterations,molecular changes,and secretory factors.To fulfill all these requisites,we propose that aging biomarkers should qualify for being specific,systemic,and clinically relevant.

Liver HMGCS2 is critical in the maintenance of liver lipid homeostasis during fasting

Fasting induces mammalian metabolic switch from glucose to fatty acid-derived ketones,resulting in a marked change in blood glucose,triglyceride,free fatty acid andβ-hydroxybutyrate levels and a phenotype of transient hepatic steatosis.However,the underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood.

行权时间限制能增强股权激励效应吗?

中国股权激励管理制度要求上市公司实施股权激励必须设定锁定期和分期解锁安排,构成了行权时间限制特征。本文基于2006—2014年中国非金融行业A股上市公司股权激励详细的手工数据,考察行权时间限制对股权激励效应的影响。本文以行权时间限制为准绳,将高管权益区分为长期权益和短期权益,研究发现：（1）长期权益和短期权益能提升公司价值与经营业绩;（2）短期权益的激励作用依赖于公司治理机制,而长期权益的激励作用则独立于大多数的公司治理机制。进一步的分析表明,行权时间限制增强股权激励效应是通过激励风险承担和提升资本投资效率等路径来实现的。研究表明,行权时间限制是提高股权激励效应的有效途径。

无功不受禄:上市公司信息披露质量与董秘薪酬激励

董秘作为上市公司高级管理人员,其核心职能为负责上市公司信息披露。本文首次考察上市公司信息披露质量对董秘薪酬激励的影响,以此为高管薪酬契约的有效性提供更直接的证据。研究发现,上市公司信息披露质量越好,董秘薪酬越高,并且在距投资者较远、高成长及国有控股公司中,董秘薪酬与信息披露质量的敏感性更高。进一步研究发现,上市公司基于信息披露质量为董秘支付薪酬有助于提升公司价值。上述结果表明,董事会为了对董秘的人力资本进行激励补偿,同时避免与信息披露相关的道德风险问题,可能将信息披露质量作为董秘业绩考核的非财务指标。

股权激励、行权业绩考核与股价崩盘风险

中国证监会强制要求上市公司在实施董事和高级管理人员(统称高管)股权激励计划时设置行权业绩考核指标和对应条件。本文利用2006—2016年A股上市公司实施高管股权激励计划的详细数据,考察高管股权激励是否会影响公司未来股价崩盘风险,并进一步探讨行权业绩考核目标完成难度所发挥的作用。实证结果表明,中国A股上市公司实施的高管股权激励计划与公司未来股价崩盘风险显著正相关,并且高管股权激励计划设置的行权业绩考核目标越难完成,公司未来股价崩盘风险越高。在使用倾向得分匹配(PSM)、工具变量两阶段最小二乘回归(2 SLS)以及倾向得分匹配加双重差分(PSM+DID)控制遗漏变量和逆向因果导致的内生性问题后,上述结论依旧成立。以上结果说明高管股权激励及其行权业绩考核激发了公司管理层隐匿利空消息的机会主义行为。