100 W-class green hydrogen production from ammonia at a dual-layer electrode containing a Pt-Ir catalyst for an alkaline electrolytic process

Ammonia allows storage and transport of hydrogen over long distances and is an attractive potential hydrogen carrier.Electrochemical decomposition has recently been used for the conversion of ammonia to hydrogen and is regarded as a future technology for production of CO_(2)-free pure hydrogen.Herein,a heterostructural Pt-Ir dual-layer electrode is developed and shown to achieve successful long-term operation in an ammonia electrolyzer with an anion exchange membrane(AEM).This electrolyzer consisted of eight membra ne electrode assemblies(MEAs)with a total geometric area of 200 cm~2 on the anode side,which resulted in a hydrogen production rate of 25 L h~(-1).We observed the degradation in MEA performance attributed to changes in the anode catalyst layer during hydrogen production via ammonia electrolysis.Furthermore,we demonstrated the relationship between the ammonia oxidation reaction(AOR)and the oxygen evolution reaction(OER).

Rapid hologram generation through backward ray tracing and adaptive-resolution wavefront recording plane

An advanced method for rapidly computing holograms of large three-dimensional(3D)objects combines backward ray tracing with adaptive resolution wavefront recording plane(WRP)and adaptive angular spectrum propagation.In the initial phase,a WRP with adjustable resolution and sampling interval based on the object’s size is defined to capture detailed information from large 3D objects.The second phase employs an adaptive angular spectrum method(ASM)to efficiently compute the propagation from the large-sized WRP to the small-sized computer-generated hologram(CGH).The computation process is accelerated using CUDA and OptiX.Optical experiments confirm that the algorithm can generate high-quality holograms with shadow and occlusion effects at a resolution of 1024×1024 in 29 ms.

Isolation of Protoplast and Ion Channel Recording in Plasma Membrane of Suspension Cells of Populus euphratica

The authors used suspension cells of Populus euphratica to isolate protoplast in the present study. Protoplasts were successfully obtained after 4 hours incubation in enzyme solution containing 1 0% cellulase “onozuka” R\|10, 0\^01% pectolyase Y\|23,0\^15% macerozyme R\|10 and 0\^1% hemicellulase at 25℃. Outward and inward single channels in plasma membrane were observed using cell\|attached recording of patch\|clamp technique. In this study, single channel records showed that more than one species of channel were obtained. These attempts in protoplast isolation and ion channel recording offers the opportunity to characterize cellular mechanisms of salt tolerance in tree species.

FAULT LOCATION AND RECORDING SYSTEM OF TRANSMISSION LINES BASED ON COMPUTER NETWORK

In this paper a fault location and recording system based on a computer network is presented. A brief description of the system structure and main features are given. Emphasis is placed on the accurate fault location method for extra high voltage and long distance transmission lines.

Microelectrode array for bioelectrical signal stimulation and recording

A microelectrode array（MEA） is presented, which is composed of 60 independent electrodes with 59 working ones and one reference one, and they are divided into 30 pairs. Except for the reference electrode, each pair consists of one stimulating electrode and one recording electrode. Supported by the peripheral circuits, four electrode states to study the bioelectrical signal of biological tissue or slice cultured in-vitro on the surface of the electrodes can be realized through each pair of electrodes. The four electrode states are stimulation, recording, stimulation and recording simultaneously, and isolation. The state of each pair of working electrodes can be arbitrarily controlled according to actual needs. The MEAs are fabricated in printed circuit board （PCB） technology. The total area of the PCB-based MEA is 49 mm × 49 mm. The impedance measurement of MEA is carried out in 0.9% sodium chloride solution at room temperature by means of 2-point measurements with an Agilent LCR meter, and the test signal for the impedance measurement is sinusoidal （AC voltage 50 mV, sweeping frequency 20 Hz to 10 kHz）. The electrode impedance is between 200 and 3 kΩ while the frequency is between 500 and 1 000 Hz. The electrode impedance magnitude is inversely proportional to the frequency. Experiments of toad sciatic nerve in-vitro stimulation and recording and signal regeneration between isolated toad sciatic nerves are carried out on the PCB-based MEA. The results show that the MEA can be used for bioelectrical signal stimulation, recording, stimulation and recording simultaneously, and isolation of biological tissues or slices in-vitro.

An optimized recording method to characterize biophysical and pharmacological properties of acid-sensing ion channel

Objective To re-confirm and characterize the biophysical and pharmacological properties of endogenously expressed human acid-sensing ion channel 1a （hASIC1a） current in HEK293 cells with a modified perfusion methods. Methods With cell floating method, which is separating the cultured cell from coverslip and putting the cell in front of perfusion tubing, whole cell patch clamp technique was used to record hASICla currents evoked by low pH external solution. Results Using cell floating method, the amplitude of hASICla currents activated by pH 5.0 in HEK293 cells is twice as large as that by the conventional method where the cells remain attached to coverslip. The time to reach peak at two different recording conditions is （21±5） ms and （270±25） ms, respectively. Inactivation time constants are （496±23） ms and （2284±120） ms, respectively. The cell floating method significantly increases the amiloride potency of block on hASIC 1 a [IC50 is （3.4± 1.1 ） μmol/L and （2.4± 0.9） μmol/L, respectively]. Both recording methods have similar pH activation ECs0 （6.6±0.6, 6.6±0.7, respectively）. Conclusion ASICs channel activation requires fast exchange of extracellular solution with the different pH values. With cell floating method, the presence of hASIC la current was re-confirmed and the biophysical and pharmacological properties of hASIC la channel in HEK293 cells was precisely characterized. This method could be used to study all ASICs and other ligand-gated channels that require fast extracellular solution exchange.

Strong motion observations and recordings from the great Wenchuan Earthquake

The National Strong Motion Observation Network System （NSMONS） of China is briefly introduced in this paper. The NSMONS consists of permanent free-field stations, special observation arrays, mobile observatories and a network management system. During the Wenchuan Earthquake, over 1,400 components of acceleration records were obtained from 460 permanent free-field stations and three arrays for topographical effect and structural response observation in the network system from the main shock, and over 20,000 components of acceleration records from strong aftershocks occurred before August 1, 2008 were also obtained by permanent free-field stations of the NSMONS and 59 mobile instruments quickly deployed after the main shock. The strong motion recordings from the main shock and strong aftershocks are summarized in this paper. In the ground motion recordings, there are over 560 components with peak ground acceleration （PGA） over 10 Gal, the largest being 957.7 Gal. The largest PGA recorded during the aftershock exceeds 300 Gal.

Improved HVSR site classification method for free-field strong motion stations validated with Wenchuan aftershock recordings

Local site conditions play an important role in the effective application of strong motion recordings.In the China National Strong Motion Observation Network System（NSMONS）,some of the stations do not provide borehole information,and correspondingly,do not assign the site classes yet.In this paper,site classification methodologies for free-field strong motion stations are reviewed and the limitations and uncertainties of the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio（HVSR） methods are discussed.Then,a new method for site classification based on the entropy weight theory is proposed.The proposed method avoids the head or tail joggle phenomenon by providing the objective and subjective weights.The method was applied to aftershock recordings from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake,and 54 free-field NSMONS stations were selected for site classification and the mean HVSRs were calculated.The results show that the improved HVSR method proposed in this paper has a higher success rate and could be adopted in NSMONS.

Magnetic property and recording performance of chemical deposition CoP thin films

The thickness of CoP thin films prepared by wet chemical deposition is of crucial importance on magnetic property and recording perform-ance. The coercivity of CoP films decreased with increasing film thickness. The coercivity was 45.37 kA m 1 at the thickness of 300 nm, and decreased to 21.65 kA m 1 at 5.7 μm. Recording performance tests indicate that, for drums with the same size, different recorded magnetic pole density have different thickness requirements. For 40 mm diameter magnetic drum, the optimal CoP thickness is 3～10 μm for 256 re-corded magnetic poles, 1～2 μm for 512 recorded magnetic poles, and 500～800 nm for 1024 recorded magnetic poles.

Characteristics of response spectra for long-periods of main-shock recordings of the Chi-Chi earthquake

Current practice uses predictive models to extrapolate long-period response spectra based on far-field recordings in moderate and weak earthquakes. However, the spectra are not long enough and the data are often not reliable, which means that the seismic design code cannot accurately define seismic design requirements for long-period structures. The near-field recordings in the main-shock of the Chi-Chi earthquake have a large signal-to-noise ratio （SNR）, which makes them suitable for studying the long-period acceleration response spectrum up to 20 sec. The acceleration response spectra from 246 stations within 120 km of the causative fault are statistically analyzed in this paper. The influence of distance and site conditions on long-period response spectrum is discussed, and the shapes of the amplification spectra are compared with the standard spectra specified in the seismic design code of China. Finally, suggestions for future revisions to the code are proposed.

Multilevel read-only optical recording methods

The advantages of read-only storage is the predominance of optical recording relative to magnetic and other rewritable methods. Multilevel （ML） read-only technology has been a trend to improve the data capacity and transfer rate. Based on the principle and coding method of ML, this paper demonstrates some ML read-only recording methods, of which a new ML read-only recording is developed. This recording method integrates amplitude modulation achieved by the reaction mechanism of physics and chemistry of photoresist with the run-length-limited technology. The discs can be achieved using standard photoresist mastering and replication techniques with great compatibility to conventional binary read-only discs.

The 2018 M_S 5.9 Mojiang Earthquake:Source model and intensity based on near-field seismic recordings

On September 8, 2018, an M_S 5.9 earthquake struck Mojiang, a county in Yunnan Province, China. We collect near-field seismic recordings(epicentral distances less than 200 km) to relocate the mainshock and the aftershocks within the first 60 hours to determine the focal mechanism solutions of the mainshock and some of the aftershocks and to invert for the finite-fault model of the mainshock.The focal mechanism solution of the mainshock and the relocation results of the aftershocks constrain the mainshock on a nearly vertical fault plane striking northeast and dipping to the southeast. The inversion of the finite-fault model reveals only a single slip asperity on the fault plane. The major slip is distributed above the initiation point, ～14 km wide along the down-dip direction and ～14 km long along the strike direction, with a maximal slip of ～22 cm at a depth of ～6 km. The focal mechanism solutions of the aftershocks show that most of the aftershocks are of the strike-slip type, a number of them are of the normal-slip type, and only a few of them are of the thrust-slip type.On average, strike-slip is dominant on the fault plane of the mainshock, as the focal mechanism solution of the mainshock suggests, but when examined in detail, slight thrust-slip appears on the southwest of the fault plane while an obvious part of normal-slip appears on the northeast, which is consistent with what the focal mechanism solutions of the aftershocks display. The multiple types of aftershock focal mechanism solutions and the slip details of the mainshock both suggest a complex tectonic setting, stress setting, or both. The intensity contours predicted exhibit a longer axis trending from northeast to southwest and a maximal intensity of Ⅷ around the epicenter and in the northwest.

An Effective Method to Determine the Distribution Boundary of Cobalt-Rich Fe-Mn Crusts on a Guyot: Synchronous Application of Sub-bottom Profiling and Deep-Sea Video Recording

Determining the upper boundary of the cobalt-rich crust distribution of a guyot is important for estimating the mineral resources available, however, it has also long been an unsolved question. Correlations between the sub-bottom structures, revealed by sub-bottom profiling, and crust distribution can be revealed for the first time by the synchronous application of sub-bottom profiling and deep-sea video recording. The lower boundary of the sediment corresponds with the upper boundary of the crust. By analysis of these two kinds of data, the lower boundary of the sediment can be determined; therefore, the upper boundary of the crust distribution can be deduced. According to this method of analysis, the upper boundary of water depth of crust distribution of a seamount in the western Pacific is about 1 560 m.

Egg laying behavior of common cuckoos(Cuculus canorus): Data based on field video-recordings

DEAR EDITOR,The egg laying behavior of brood parasites is at the heart of studies on host co-evolution.Therefore,research on egg laying behavior can improve our understanding of brood parasitism and associated processes.Over a seven year study period,we monitored 455 oriental reed warbler(Acrocephalus orientalis)nests during the egg laying period,250 of which were parasitized by common cuckoos(Cuculus canorus).We collected 53 clear videos of common cuckoo parasitism,analyzed all recorded parasitic behavior in detail.

Fabrication of ZIF-8 membranes on dual-layer ZnO-PES/PES organic hollow fibers by in-situ crystallization

Compared to inorganic supports, polymeric supports can offer additional benefits, e.g., easier processing and cheaper. However, the organic surface has weak adhesion to the zeolitic imidazolate frameworks(ZIFs) membrane layer, which usually requires complex surface modification or seeding. Herein, we demonstrate that a dual-layer asymmetric polymer support prepared by a simple spinning process is a good candidate for the preparation of ZIF-8 membrane. The inner layer of the support is an organic hollow fiber(PES) with finger-like pores, and the outer layer is a ZnO-PES composite layer with finger-like pores also. The ZnO-PES composite layer is expected to contain uniform ZnO crystals in the polymer matrix, i.e., the ZnO particles in the skin layer of the support are not easy to fall off. Under the induction of ZnO particles in the outer layers, continuous ZIF-8 membranes can be prepared by single in-situ crystallization, showing good adhesion to the supports. The obtained ZIF-8 membranes show a H_(2) permeance of 8.7 × 10^(-8)mol·m^(-2)·s^(-1)·Pa^(-1) with a H_(2)/N_(2) ideal separation selectivity of 18.0. The design and preparation of this dual-layer polymer support is expected to promote the large-scale application of MOF membranes on polymer supports.

Dual-layer vermiculite nanosheet based hybrid film to suppress dendrite growth in lithium metal batteries

Lithium metal anode has become a favorable candidate for next-generation rechargeable batteries.However, the unstable interface between lithium metal and electrolyte leads to the growth of dendrites,resulting in the low Coulombic efficiency and even the safety concerns. Herein, a rigid-flexible dual-layer vermiculite nanosheet(VN) based organic-inorganic hybrid film on lithium metal anode is proposed to suppress dendrite growth and relieve volume fluctuations. The inner mechanically robust VN layer(3 μm thick) enhances the mechanical properties of the protective layer, while the outer polymer(4 μm thick) can enhance the flexibility of the hybrid layer. The Li | Li symmetric cell with protected lithium shows an extended life of over 670 h. The full cell with Li anode protected by dual-layer interface exhibits a better capacity retention of 80% after 174 cycles in comparison to bare Li anode with 94 cycles.This study provides a novel approach and a significant step towards prolonging lifespan of lithium metal batteries.

Scattering-Suppression in Photochromic LiNbO_(3):Fe:Mn Non-volatile Holographic Recording

We propose and experimentally investigate a new scheme capable of suppressing the light-induced scattering by periodical incoherent erasure during every non-volatile holographic recording cycle in photochromic LiNbO_(3):Fe:Mn crystals.The results demonstrate that the scattering noise is suppressed effectively,and the final diffraction efficiency of the fixed grating is significantly enhanced,rather than decrease,by about 30%compared with the conventional recording procedure.The period of the recording and incoherent erasure cycle is theoretically calculated and experimentally optimized.

In vivo patch clamp recording technique in the study of neurophysiology

The patch clamp recording technique in vivois a blind patch clamp recording methods to record the current of the spinal or cereral neurons of anaes：hesia （ or awake） animals. This technique can be used to study the synaptic function and plasticity in central nervous system in vivoin order to understand the physiological properties of the ion channels from an integrated point of view. The advantage of this technique have already presented itself in the study of the synaptic transmission and nervous network. Nowadays, in vivo patch whole-cell recording technique in combination with other techniques is becoming a common method in the research fields.

Magnetic property and microstructure of SmCo magnetic recording films

Cr/SmCo/Cr thin films with Sm concentration of 37.7 at.% were deposited on glass substrates by magnetron sputtering. Measurement of magnetic properties showed that the SmCo film possessed good magnetic anisotropy, a high coercivity of 3019 kA/m and low magnetic exchange coupling. Microstructure analysis showed that crystallized SmCo5 magnetic phase, non-magnetic SmCo2 phase and Sm2Co7 phase co-existed in the film. The non-magnetic SmCo2 phase might function as isolator of SmCo grains, leading to a decrease of magnetic exchange coupling. Moreover, a Cr2O3 oxide layer which could protect the SmCo layer from oxidation formed at the surface of the Cr cap layer.

Whole-cell recordings of calcium and potassium currents in acutely isolated smooth muscle cells

AIM： To record calcium and potassium currents in acutely isolated smooth muscle cells of mesenteric arterial branches in rats. METHODS： Smooth muscle cells were freshly isolated by collagenase digest and mechanical trituration with polished pipettes. Patch clamp technique in whole-cell mode was employed to record calcium and potassium currents. RESULTS： The procedure dissociated smooth muscle cells without impairing the electrophysiological characteristics of the cells. The voltage-gated Ca^2＋ and potassium currents were successfully recorded using whole-cell patch clamp configuration. CONCLUSION： The method dissociates smooth muscle cells from rat mesenteric arterial branches. Voltage-gated channel currents can be recorded in this preparation.