Understanding Pseudocapacitance Mechanisms by Synchrotron X-ray Analytical Techniques

Pseudocapacitive materials that store charges via reversible surface or near-surface faradaic reactions are capable of overcoming the capacity limitations of electrical double-layer capacitors.Revealing the structure–activity relationship between the microstructural features of pseudocapacitive materials and their electrochemical performance on the atomic scale is the key to build high-performance capacitor-type devices containing ideal pseudocapacitance effect.Currently,the high brightness(flux),and spectral and coherent nature of synchrotron X-ray analytical techniques make it a powerful tool for probing the structure–property relationship of pseudocapacitive materials.Herein,we report a comprehensive and systematic review of four typical characterization techniques(synchrotron X-ray diffraction,pair distribution function[PDF]analysis,soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy,and hard X-ray absorption spectroscopy)for the study of pseudocapacitance mechanisms.In addition,we offered significant insights for understanding and identifying pseudocapacitance mechanisms(surface redox pseudocapacitance,intercalation pseudocapacitance,and the extrinsic pseudocapacitance phenomenon in battery materials)by combining in situ hard XAS and electrochemical analyses.Finally,a perspective for further depth of understanding into the pseudocapacitance mechanism using synchrotron X-ray analytical techniques is proposed.

Recent Advances in the Analytical Techniques for PFASs and Corresponding Intermediates During Their Chemical Decomposition

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFASs)have been restricted from production and consumption in many countries due to their persistence and biological toxicity.With the development of removal technologies,the requirement on the detection of different kinds of PFASs and their derivates is increasing.A suitable analytical method is the prerequisite and basis for the study of the degradation of PFASs.As various analytical methods have been reported,questions about which one is more suitable have arisen.It is a right time to summarize the past and suggest the future.In this paper,we summarized and discussed the analytical methods applied in the chemical degradation of PFASs.We also proposed the current problems and discussed the future directions in this field.

Plants’Steroidal Saponins‑A Review on Its Pharmacology Properties and Analytical Techniques

The plant is a rich repository of useful secondary metabolites with profound medicinal potential.Saponins,one type of bioactive compound,are amphitheatric glycosides with one and more hydrophilic sugar and hydrophobic steroidal and terpenoid part.The former is known as steroidal saponin,and the latter is called terpenoid saponins.Steroidal saponin is mostly distributed among monocotyledon families such as Asparagaceae,Amaryllidaceae,Dioscoreaceae,Smilacaceae,and Liliaceae.Even though it is unusual,it could also be detected to some extent by dicotyledonous angiosperms,such as Plantaginaceae,Zygophyllaceae,Fabaceae,Asteraceae,and Solanaceae.It exhibits diverse pharmacological ability including antimicrobic,anti‑inflammatory,cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitory,antiadipogenic,bactericide,cardioprotective,antitumor,antidiabetic,cytotoxic activity,antifungal,antiviral,antioxidant,and hepatoprotective.Steroidal saponin timosaponin AIII from Anemarrhena asphodeloides has been found to possess antitumor activity.Diosgenin,another steroidal sapogenin,has the potential of preventing neurological diseases by affecting different signaling pathways,increasing bone formation,and increasing antithrombotic activity.Spicatoside A from Liriope platyphylla possesses anti‑inflammatory,antiasthma,and antiosteoclastogenic activities.TTB2 from Trillium tschonoskii exhibits anticancer potential.The cell cycle arrest and ROS‑dependent autophagy are induced by polyphyllin I.These diverse biological activities of steroidal saponins are attributed to the variability of their structural features.Analysis of steroidal saponins in plant materials mainly utilizes classically and advances thin layer chromatography(TLC)on normal and reverses‑phase(high‑performance thin‑layer chromatography,densitometric TLC),gas chromatography,LC,UPLC,ultra‑high‑performance liquid chromatography(HPLC),supercritical fluid chromatography,and HPLC coupled to ultraviolet detector and diode array detector.HPLC coupled with MS and Nuclear magnetic resonance is used for online identification of separated saponins.The present review aims to furnish a comprehensive account of the recent advances in analytical methods of determination and medicinal applications of steroidal saponins.

A review on pharmacological and analytical aspects of diosgenin:a concise report

Diosgenin is a steroidal sapogenin found in plants such as Dioscorea nipponoca,Solanum incanum,Solanum xanthocarpum and Trigonella foenum graecum.Diosgenin,biologically active phytochemicals have been used for the treatment of various types of disorder such as leukemia,inflammation,hypercholesterolemia and cancer.It is also able to prevent bone loss to the same extent as that of oestrogen.It is a typical initial intermediate for synthesis of steroidal compounds,oral contraceptives and sex hormones.Dioscorea,Costus and Trigonella are mainly used for the production of diosgenin.On the basis of literature survey it divulges that diosgenin has very impressive pharmacological profile and could be used as a medicine for the treatment of different types of disorders in the future.Thus,the present work aims to provide collective information in concern with its pharmacological activity and phytoanalytical techniques.This review will be beneficial to researches for the development of an alternative method for the treatment of innumerable diseases from diosgenin.

Analytical calculation of electromagnetic, torque for surface mounted permanent magnet brushless motors

With the air gap magnetic field distribution of surface mounted permanent magnet （PM） motors obtained using an analytical technique, the instantaneous electromagnetic torque and its corresponding components are investigated with the Maxwell stress tensor method. Accurate results can easily be achieved using the proposed method without using the tedious finite element analysis （FEA）. In this paper, the electromagnetic torque of a surface mounted PM motor with two phases energized is decomposed into four torque components. This technique is useful not only for the design and optimization of the permanent magnet motor, but also for the choice of control strategy.

Recent Progress in Interfacial Dipole Engineering for Perovskite Solar Cells

Design and modification of interfaces have been the main strategies in developing perovskite solar cells(PSCs). Among the interfacial treatments, dipole molecules have emerged as a practical approach to improve the efficiency and stability of PSCs due to their unique and versatile abilities to control the interfacial properties. Despite extensive applications in conventional semiconductors, working principles and design of interfacial dipoles in the performance/stability enhancement of PSCs are lacking an insightful elucidation. In this review, we first discuss the fundamental properties of electric dipoles and the specific roles of interfacial dipoles in PSCs. Then we systematically summarize the recent progress of dipole materials in several key interfaces to achieve efficient and stable PSCs. In addition to such discussions, we also dive into reliable analytical techniques to support the characterization of interfacial dipoles in PSCs. Finally, we highlight future directions and potential avenues for research in the development of dipolar materials through tailored molecular designs. Our review sheds light on the importance of continued efforts in this exciting emerging field, which holds great potential for the development of high-performance and stable PSCs as commercially demanded.

Determination of Heroin Based on Analyte Pulse Perturbation to an Oscillating Chemical Reaction

A new analytical method is proposed for the determination of heroin based on a sequential perturbation caused by trace amounts of heroin in the Cu(Ⅱ)-catalyzed oscillating reaction between hydrogen peroxide and sodium thiocyanate in an alkaline medium with the aid of a continuous-flow stirred tank reactor(CSTR). The method relies on the linear relationship between the change in oscillation period of the system and the concentration of heroin, with a detecting limit of 4.0×10^(-7) mol/L. The calibration curve fits a linear equation very well when the concentration of heroin is in the range of 2.0×10^(-6)_1.2×10^(-5) mol/L(r=0.9971). This method features good precision(RSD=0.98%). The influences of temperature, injection point, flow rate and reaction variables on the oscillation period were investigated in detail and a possible mechanism of the performance of heroin in the Cu(Ⅱ)-catalyzed oscillating reaction system is also discussed. The proposed method opens a new avenue for the determination of heroin.

Earth-moon Trajectory Optimization Using Solar Electric Propulsion

The optimization of the Earth-moon trajectory using solar electric propulsion is presented. A feasible method is proposed to optimize the transfer trajectory starting from a low Earth circular orbit （500 km altitude） to a low lunar circular orbit （200 km altitude）. Due to the use of low-thrust solar electric propulsion, the entire transfer trajectory consists of hundreds or even thousands of orbital revolutions around the Earth and the moon. The Earth-orbit ascending （from low Earth orbit to high Earth orbit） and lunar descending （from high lunar orbit to low lunar orbit） trajectories in the presence of J2 perturbations and shadowing effect are computed by an analytic orbital averaging technique. A direct/indirect method is used to optimize the control steering for the trans-lunar trajectory segment, a segment from a high Earth orbit to a high lunar orbit, with a fixed thrust-coast-thrust engine sequence. For the trans-lunar trajectory segment, the equations of motion are expressed in the inertial coordinates about the Earth and the moon using a set of nonsingular equinoctial elements inclusive of the gravitational forces of the sun, the Earth, and the moon. By way of the analytic orbital averaging technique and the direct/indirect method, the Earth-moon transfer problem is converted to a parameter optimization problem, and the entire transfer trajectory is formulated and optimized in the form of a single nonlinear optimization problem with a small number of variables and constraints. Finally, an example of an Earth-moon transfer trajectory using solar electric propulsion is demonstrated.

Performance evaluation of lunar penetrating radar onboard the rover of CE-3 probe based on results from ground experiments

Lunar Penetrating Radar （LPR） onboard the rover that is part of the Chang＇e-3 （CE-3） mission was firstly utilized to obtain in situ measurements about geological structure on the lunar surface and the thickness of the lunar regolith, which are key elements for studying the evolutional history of lunar crust. Because penetra- tion depth and resolution of LPR are related to the scientific objectives of this mission, a series of ground-based experiments using LPR was carried out, and results of the experimental data were obtained in a glacial area located in the northwest region of China. The results show that the penetration depth of the first channel antenna used for LPR is over 79 m with a resolution of 2.8 m, and that for the second channel antenna is over 50.8 m with a resolution of 17.1 cm.

Flow of Eyring-Powell liquid due to oscillatory stretchable curved sheet with modified Fourier and Fick’s model

This study deals with the features of the mass and heat transport mechanism by adopting a modified version of Fourier and Fick’s model known as the CattaneoChristov double diffusive theory.The time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic(MHD)flow of the Eyring-Powell liquid across an oscillatory stretchable curved sheet in the presence of Fourier and Fick’s model is investigated.The acquired set of flow equations is transformed into the form of nonlinear partial differential equations(PDEs)by applying appropriate similarity variables.A convergent series solution to the developed nonlinear equations is accomplished with the help of an analytical approach,i.e.,the homotopy analysis method(HAM).The consequences of diverse parameters,including the dimensionless EyringPowell liquid parameter,the radius of curvature,the Schmidt/Prandtl numbers,the ratio of the oscillatory frequency of the sheet to its stretchable rate constant,the mass and thermal relaxation variables involved in the flow,and the heat and mass properties,are displayed through graphs and tables.It is noted from this study that the amplitude of the pressure distribution rises for the high parametric values of the Eyring-Powell parameter.

HOMOTOPY ANALYSIS METHOD: A NEW ANALYTICMETHOD FOR NONLINEAR PROBLEMS

In this paper, the basic ideas of a new analytic technique, namely the Homotopy Analysis Method (HAM), are described. Different from perturbation methods, the validity of the HAM is independent on whether or not there exist small parameters in considered nonlinear equations. Therefore, it provides us with a powerful analytic tool for strongly nonlinear problems. A typical nonlinear problem is used as an example to verify the validity and the great potential of the HAM.

An object correlation and maneuver detection approach for space surveillance

Object correlation and maneuver detection are persistent problems in space surveillance and maintenance of a space object catalog. We integrate these two prob- lems into one interrelated problem, and consider them simultaneously under a sce- nario where space objects only perform a single in-track orbital maneuver during the time intervals between observations. We mathematically formulate this integrated sce- nario as a maximum a posteriori （MAP） estimation. In this work, we propose a novel approach to solve the MAP estimation. More precisely, the corresponding posterior probability of an orbital maneuver and a joint association event can be approximated by the Joint Probabilistic Data Association （JPDA） algorithm. Subsequently, the ma- neuvering parameters are estimated by optimally solving the constrained non-linear least squares iterative process based on the second-order cone programming （SOCP） algorithm. The desired solution is derived according to the MAP criterions. The per- formance and advantages of the proposed approach have been shown by both theoret- ical analysis and simulation results. We hope that our work will stimulate future work on space surveillance and maintenance of a space object catalog.

Noise reduction methods in the analysis of near infrared lunar occultation light curves for high angular resolution measurements

A lunar occultation （LO） technique in the near-infrared （NIR） provides angular resolution down to milliarcseconds for an occulted source, even with ground- based 1 m class telescopes. LO observations are limited to brighter objects because they require a high signal-to-noise ratio （S/N ~40） for proper extraction of angular diameter values. Hence, methods to improve the S/N ratio by reducing noise using Fourier and wavelet transforms have been explored in this study. A sample of 54 NIR LO light curves observed with the IR camera at Mt Abu Observatory has been used. It is seen that both Fourier and wavelet methods have shown an improvement in S/N compared to the original data. However, the application of wavelet transforms causes a slight smoothing of the fringes and results in a higher value for angular diameter. Fourier transforms which reduce discrete noise frequencies do not distort the fringe. The Fourier transform method seems to be effective in improving the S/N, as well as improving the model fit, particularly in the fainter regime of our sample. These methods also provide a better model fit for brighter sources in some cases, though there may not be a significant imorovement in S/N.

Cell softness reveals tumorigenic potential via ITGB8/AKT/glycolysis signaling in a mice model of orthotopic bladder cancer

Background:Bladder cancer,characterized by a high potential of tumor recurrence,has high lifelong monitoring and treatment costs.To date,tumor cells with intrinsic softness have been identified to function as cancer stem cells in several cancer types.Nonetheless,the existence of soft tumor cells in bladder tumors remains elusive.Thus,our study aimed to develop a microbarrier microfluidic chip to efficiently isolate deformable tumor cells from distinct types of bladder cancer cells.Methods:The stiffness of bladder cancer cells was determined by atomic force microscopy(AFM).The modified microfluidic chip was utilized to separate soft cells,and the 3D Matrigel culture system was to maintain the softness of tumor cells.Expression patterns of integrinβ8(ITGB8),protein kinase B(AKT),and mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)were determined by Western blotting.Double immunostaining was conducted to examine the interaction between F-actin and tripartite motif containing 59(TRIM59).The stem-cell-like characteristics of soft cells were explored by colony formation assay and in vivo studies upon xenografted tumor models.Results:Using our newly designed microfluidic approach,we identified a small fraction of soft tumor cells in bladder cancer cells.More importantly,the existence of soft tumor cells was confirmed in clinical human bladder cancer specimens,in which the number of soft tumor cells was associated with tumor relapse.Furthermore,we demonstrated that the biomechanical stimuli arising from 3D Matrigel activated the F-actin/ITGB8/TRIM59/AKT/mTOR/glycolysis pathways to enhance the softness and tumorigenic capacity of tumor cells.Simultaneously,we detected a remarkable up-regulation in ITGB8,TRIM59,and phospho-AKT in clinical bladder recurrent tumors compared with their non-recurrent counterparts.Conclusions:The ITGB8/TRIM59/AKT/mTOR/glycolysis axis plays a crucial role in modulating tumor softness and stemness.Meanwhile,the soft tumor cells become more sensitive to chemotherapy after stiffening,that offers new insights for hampering tumor progression and recurrence.

A Review on Pharmacological and Analytical Aspects of Naringenin

Flavonoids are a widely distributed group of phytochemicals having benzo-pyrone nucleus, and more than 4,000 different flavonoids have been described and categorized into flavonols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, catechins and anthocyanidins. Flavonoids occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beverages such as coffee, tea, and red wine, as well as in medical herbs. Flavonoids are responsible for the different colors of plant parts and are important constituents of the human diet. Flavanoids have different pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-allergic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic and anticancer activity. Naringenin belongs to the flavanones and is mainly found in fruits（grapefruit and oranges） and vegetables. Pharmacologically, it has anticancer, antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative and antiatherogenic activities. Naringenin is used for the treatments of osteoporosis, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and showed lipid-lowering and insulin-like properties. In the present review, detailed pharmacological and analytical aspects of naringenin have been presented, which revealed the impressive pharmacological profile and the possible usefulness in the treatment of different types of diseases in the future. The information provided in this communication will act as an important source for development of effective medicines for the treatment of various disorders.

A Review on Pharmacological and Analytical Aspects of Diosmetin:A Concise Report

Plants have been used as a source for food material and natural remedies for the treatment of vast range of diseases. Nature provides us remedies for the treatment of various types of disorders ranging from simpte aitments to complicated diseases. Plants are known to possess different pharmacological activities due to the presence of various phytoconstituents, Flavonoids are one of the main active phytoconstituents found in fruits, vegetables, wines, tea and cocoa. Flavonoids exhibit various pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antibacterial, oestrogenic, cytotoxic antitumoural, hepatoprotective, antithrombotic and antiviral activity. Diosmetin （3＇, 5, 7-trihydroxy-4＇-methoxyflavone）, the aglycone part of the flavonoid glycosides diosmin occurs naturally in citrus fruit. Although it is found in herbal medicines and plays an important role in the treatment of various ailments, only limited scientific researches have been conducted. The aim of this review is to collect all available scientific literature published on diosmetin and combine it into this paper. This review contains an overview of pharmacological activities, isolation techniques and analytical techniques for diosmetin. Thus, valuable information provided in the present review will help researchers in developing alternative methods for the treatment of diseases from diosmetin.

A review of traditional and novel detection techniques for melamine and its analogues in foods and animal feed

Melamine,a nitrogen-rich chemical,has received much attention in recent years due to a series of highly publicized food safety incidents,including 2007 pet food recalls in North America and 2008 melamine contamination in milk,infant formula,and other milkderived products in China.Current analytical methods for testing melamine are time-consuming,expensive,and labor-intensive.Therefore,there is an increasing interest in the food science and analytical chemistry field to develop simple,quick,sensitive,and cost-effective methods for detection of melamine and its analogues(e.g.,cyanuric acid,melamine cyanurate,ammelide,and ammeline)in food ingredients,processed food,and animal feed.This review aims to summarize traditional and novel analytical techniques that have been used or show great potential to detect,characterize,and quantify melamine and its analogues in foods and animal feed.

Medicinal significance,pharmacological activities,and analytical aspects of ricinine:A concise report

Ricinine(3-cyano-4-methoxy-N-methyl-2-pyridone)is an alkaloid present in leaves and seeds of castor plant i.e.Ricinus communis.It can cause vomiting,convulsions,hypotension,liver and kidney damage and several other complications in human.Ricinine presents mainly in young plant and it is the only cyano-substituted pyridine compounds occurred naturally.Ricinine also found in some other plants such as Piper nigrum,Discocleidion rufescens,Aparisthmium cordatum and Nicotiana tabacum.Accidental and intended Ricinus communis intoxications in humans and animals have been known for centuries.In the present review,we summarize the information regarding its medicinal uses,pharmacological activities,analytical techniques and intended and unintended poisoning cases in humans and animals.This review will be beneficial for the researcher in the field of herbal medicine and other allied sciences.

Chemical composition and pharmacological properties of Flos sophorae immaturus, Flos sophorae and Fructus sophorae: a review

The flower buds and fruits of Sophora japonica are known as Flos sophorae immaturus(Chinese Huaimi,FSI),Flos sophorae(Chinese Huaihua,FLS)and Fructus sophorae(Chinese Huaijiao,FRS)due to their different physiological forms.FSI and FLS are precious resources of homology of medicine and food,while FRS is a valuable Chinese herb,and all of which have been used for thousands of years.There are great differences in the active ingredients,functions and toxicological properties of FSI,FLS and FRS.However,they are often confused and assumed to have fairly similar validity,which is detrimental to their precision development of resources of homology of medicine and food.This review summarized the active constituents,analytical techniques and pharmacological properties of FSI,FLS and FRS,then systematically compared their differences.The article will help people better understand and distinguish the differences and characteristics of FSI,FLS and FRS in bioactive constituents,content of functional components and pharmacological properties,which can contribute to their highly efficient targeted applications in the future food and medical fields.

Recent Advances in the Study of Ancient Books on Traditional Chinese Medicine

The ancient books on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) are the source of knowledge for TCM physicians. Therapeutic principles and therapeutic methods for healing many diseases are recorded in these ancient TCM books, providing a huge number of references for modern TCM physicians on conducting diagnosis and administering treatment for different diseases. The ancient TCM books can be dated back thousands of years, and this vast knowledge is recorded in different medical books in the form of text. However, it is difficult to systematically assimilate much information in ancient TCM books. At present, many researchers are applying advanced analytical techniques to analyze the text data in the ancient TCM books. Advanced techniques that have been applied include database construction, cognitive linguistic analysis, fuzzy logic, data mining, and artificial intelligence(AI) technology. There are different characteristics in these advanced analytical techniques. In this study, we comprehensively review recent advances in these techniques applied to the study of ancient TCM books. Furthermore, as AI technology is increasingly utilized in the medical field as well as in the study of ancient TCM books, we also review the application of AI technology to the study of ancient TCM books.