Rising utilization of stable isotopes in tree rings for climate change and forest ecology

Analyses of stable isotopes(C,O,H)in tree rings are increasingly important cross-disciplinary programs.The rapid development in this field documented in an increasing number of publications requires a comprehensive review.This study includes a bibliometric analysis-based review to better understand research trends in tree ring stable isotope research.Overall,1475 publications were selected from the Web of Science Core Collection for 1974-2023.The findings are that:(1)numbers of annual publications and citations increased since 1974.From 1974 to 1980,there were around two relevant publications per year.However,from 2020 to 2022,this rose sharply to 109 publications per year.Likewise,average article citations were less than four per year before 1990,but were around four per article per year after 2000;(2)the major subjects using tree ring stable isotopes include forestry,geosciences,and environmental sciences,contributing to 42.5%of the total during 1974-2023;(3)the top three most productive institutions are the Chinese Academy of Sciences(423),the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest,Snow and Landscape Research(227),and the University of Arizona(204).These achievements result from strong collaborations;(4)review papers,for example,(Dawson et al.,Annu Rev Ecol Syst 33:507-559,2002)and(McCarroll and Loader,Quat Sci Rev 23:771-801,2004),are among the most cited,with more than 1000 citations;(5)tree ring stable isotope studies mainly focus on climatology and ecology,with atmospheric CO_(2) one of the most popular topics.Since 2010,precipitation and drought have received increasing attention.Based on this analysis,the research stages,key findings,debated issues,limitations and direc-tions for future research are summarized.This study serves as an important attempt to understand the progress on the use of stable isotopes in tree rings,providing scientific guid-ance for young researchers in this field.

Stability assessment of tree ring growth of Pinus armandii Franch in response to climate change based on slope directions at the Lubanling in the Funiu Mountains,China

Global warming will affect growth strategies and how trees will adapt.To compare the response of tree radial growth to climate warming in different slope directions,samples of Pinus armandii Franch were collected and treering chronologies developed on northern and western slopes from the Lubanling in the Funiu Mountains.Correlation analyses showed that two chronologies were mainly limited by temperatures in the previous June–August and the combination of temperatures and moisture in the current May–July.The difference of the climate response to slopes was small but not negligible.Radial growth of the LBL01 site on the northern slope was affected by the combined maximum and minimum temperatures,while that of the LBL02 site was affected by maximum temperatures.With regards to moisture,radial growth of the trees on the north slope was influenced by the relative humidity in the current May–July,while on the western slope,it was affected by the relative humidity in the previous June–August,the current May–July and the precipitation in the current May–July.With the change in climate,the effects of the main limiting factors on growth on different slopes were visible to a certain extent,but the differences in response of trees on different slopes gradually decreased,which might be caused by factors such as different slope directions and the change in diurnal temperature range.These results may provide information for forest protection and ecological construction in this region,and a scientific reference for future climate reconstruction.

Single atom Cu-N-C catalysts for the electro-reduction of CO_(2) to CO assessed by rotating ring-disc electrode

The electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR) to controllable chemicals is considered as a promising pathway to store intermittent renewable energy. Herein, a set of catalysts based on copper-nitrogendoped carbon xerogel(Cu-N-C) are successfully developed varying the copper amount and the nature of the copper precursor, for the efficient CO_(2)RR. The electrocatalytic performance of Cu-N-C materials is assessed by a rotating ring-disc electrode(RRDE), technique still rarely explored for CO_(2)RR. For comparison, products are also characterized by online gas chromatography in a H-cell. The as-synthesized Cu-NC catalysts are found to be active and highly CO selective at low overpotentials(from -0.6 to -0.8 V vs.RHE) in 0.1 M KHCO_(3), while H_(2) from the competitive water reduction appears at larger overpotentials(-0.9 V vs. RHE). The optimum copper acetate-derived catalyst containing Cu-N_(4) moieties exhibits a CO_(2)-to-CO turnover frequency of 997 h^(-1) at -0.9 V vs. RHE with a H_(2)/CO ratio of 1.8. These results demonstrate that RRDE configuration can be used as a feasible approach for identifying electrolysis products from CO_(2)RR.

Gigahertz frequency hopping in an optical phase-locked loop for Raman lasers

Raman lasers are essential in atomic physics,and the development of portable devices has posed requirements for time-division multiplexing of Raman lasers.We demonstrate an innovative gigahertz frequency hopping approach of a slave Raman laser within an optical phase-locked loop(OPLL),which finds practical application in an atomic gravimeter,where the OPLL frequently switches between near-resonance lasers and significantly detuned Raman lasers.The method merges the advantages of rapid and extensive frequency hopping with the OPLL’s inherent low phase noise,and exhibits a versatile range of applications in compact laser systems,promising advancements in portable instruments.

Impact of Alcian blue and periodic acid Schiff expression on the prognosis of gastric signet ring cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND The Alcian blue(AB)and periodic acid Schiff(PAS)stains are representative mucus markers in gastric signet ring cell carcinoma(SRCC).They are low-cost special staining methods used to detect acidic mucus and neutral mucus,respectively.However,the clinical importance of the special combined AB and PAS stain is unclear.AIM To investigate AB expression,PAS expression and the AB-to-PAS(A/P)ratio in gastric SRCC patients and to assess patient prognosis.METHODS Paraffin-embedded sections from 83 patients with gastric SRCC were stained with AB and PAS,and signet ring cell positivity was assessed quantitatively.Immuno-histochemical staining for Ki67,protein 53(P53)and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)was performed simultaneously.The cancer-specific survival(CSS)rate was estimated via Kaplan-Meier analysis.Cox proportional hazards models were used for univariate and multivariate survival analyses.RESULTS Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the 3-year CSS rate was significantly greater in the high-PAS-expression subgroup than in the low-PAS-expression subgroup(P<0.001).The 3-year CSS rate in the A/P≤0.5 group was significantly greater than that in the A/P>0.5 group(P=0.042).Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the factors affecting prognosis included tumor diameter,lymph node metastasis,vessel carcinoma embolus,tumor stage,the A/P ratio and the expression of Ki67,P53 and the PAS.Cox multivariate regression analysis confirmed that low PAS expression[hazard ratio(HR)=3.809,95%confidence interval(CI):1.563-9.283,P=0.003]and large tumor diameter(HR=2.761,95%CI:1.086-7.020,P=0.033)were independent risk factors for poor prognosis.CONCLUSION A/P>0.5 is potentially a risk factor for prognosis,and low PAS expression is an independent risk factor in the prognosis of gastric SRCC.PAS expression and the A/P ratio could help in predicting the clinical prognosis of patients with SRCC.

Phase-locked single-mode terahertz quantum cascade lasers array

We demonstrated a scheme of phase-locked terahertz quantum cascade lasers(THz QCLs)array,with a single-mode pulse power of 108 mW at 13 K.The device utilizes a Talbot cavity to achieve phase locking among five ridge lasers with first-order buried distributed feedback(DFB)grating,resulting in nearly five times amplification of the single-mode power.Due to the optimum length of Talbot cavity depends on wavelength,the combination of Talbot cavity with the DFB grating leads to better power amplification than the combination with multimode Fabry-Perot(F-P)cavities.The Talbot cavity facet reflects light back to the ridge array direction and achieves self-imaging in the array,enabling phase-locked operation of ridges.We set the spacing between adjacent elements to be 220μm,much larger than the free-space wavelength,ensuring the operation of the fundamental supermode throughout the laser's dynamic range and obtaining a high-brightness far-field distribution.This scheme provides a new approach for enhancing the single-mode power of THz QCLs.

Effectivity and safety of trifocal intraocular lenses and capsular tension rings implantation for cataract patients with axial high myopia

●AIM:To assess effectivity and safety of trifocal intraocular lenses(IOLs)and capsular tension rings in treating cataract patients with axial high myopia.●METHODS:A prospective nonrandomized controlled clinical trial was conducted.Totally 98 eyes(74 patients)who underwent femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery(FLACS)with trifocal IOLs were enrolled in the study and followed up for 2y after surgery:46 eyes(33 patients)with capsular tension ring implantation in the long axial lengths(AL)group(26<AL<29 mm)and 52 eyes(41 patients)in the normal AL group(22<AL<24.5 mm).Postoperative outcomes about effectivity and safety,including the subjective and objective visual quality,and postoperative complications were assessed.●RESULTS:Uncorrected distance visual acuity at 5 m and uncorrected intermediate visual acuity at 60 and 80 cm in the long AL group were significantly worse than those in the normal AL group at 3mo postoperatively(P<0.05).The differences in reading speed,spectacle independence and potential visual complaints between the two groups were not statistically significant(P>0.05).The dysfunctional lens index and total modulation transfer function(MTF)average height were similar between the two groups.The postoperative internal coma aberrations in the axial high myopia eyes were significantly higher than that in the normal AL group(P<0.05).The total satisfaction score in the long AL group(91.32±2.76)was slightly higher than that in the normal AL group(90.36±3.47),but there was no difference(P=0.136).A statistically negative correlation was found between corrected distance visual acuity(CDVA)and dysfunctional lens index(r=-0.382,P=0.009),and between CDVA and the total MTF average height(r=-0.374,P=0.01).But there was no significant correlation between CDVA and total satisfaction score(r=0.059,P=0.696).Postoperative complications mainly presented as posterior capsular opacity(PCO),retinal detachment and cystoid macular edema.There was no difference in the incidence of fundus disease(6.5%vs 3.8%,P=0.663)or PCO(17.4%vs 7.7%,P=0.217)between the two groups at two years.●CONCLUSION:The utilization of trifocal IOL and capsular tension ring implantation is beneficial for cataract patients with axial high myopia undergoing FLACS.This approach not only ensures excellent subjective feelings and objective visual quality,but also does not increase the incidence of postoperative complications.

Enhancing efficiency and stability of organic solar cells through a simplified four-step synthesis of fully non-fused ring electron acceptor

Design and synthesis of superior cost-effective non-fullerene acceptors(NFAs)are still big challenges for facilitating the commercialization of organic solar cells(OSCs),yet to be realized.Herein,two medium bandgap fully non-fused ring electron acceptors(NFREAs,medium bandgap,i,e.,1,3-1,8 eV),namely PTR-2Cl and PTR-4Cl are synthesized with only four steps by using intramolecular noncovalent interaction central core,structured alkyl side chain orientation linking units and flanking with different electron-withdrawing end group.Among them,PTR-4C1 exhibits increased average electrostatic potential(ESP)difference with polymer donor,enhanced crystallinity and compactπ-πstacking compared with the control molecule PTR-2CI.As a result,the PTR-4Cl-based OSC achieved an impressive power conversion efficiency(PCE)of 14.72%,with a much higher open-circuit voltage(V_(OC))of 0.953 V and significantly improved fill factor(FF)of 0.758,demonstrating one of the best acceptor material in the top-performing fully NFREA-based OSCs with both high PCE and V_(OC).Notably,PTR-4Cl-based cells maintain a good T_80lifetime of its initial PCE after over 936 h under a continuous thermal annealing treatment and over1300 h T_(80)lifetime without encapsulation.This work provides a cost-effective design strategy for NFREAs on obtaining high V_(OC),efficient exciton dissociation,and ordered molecular packing and thus high-efficiency and stable OSCs.

Epidemiology and prognostic nomogram for locally advanced gastric signet ring cell carcinoma:A population-based study

BACKGROUND Gastric signet ring cell carcinoma(GSRC)represents a specific subtype of gastric cancer renowned for its contentious epidemiological features,treatment principles,and prognostic factors.AIM To investigate the epidemiology of GSRC and establish an improved model for predicting the prognosis of patients with locally advanced GSRC(LAGSRC)after surgery.METHODS The annual rates of GSRC incidence and mortality,covering the years 1975 to 2019,were extracted from the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results(SEER)database to explore the temporal trends in both disease incidence and mortality rates using Joinpoint software.The clinical data of 3793 postoperative LAGSRC patients were collected from the SEER database for the analysis of survival rates.The Cox regression model was used to explore the independent prognostic factors for overall survival(OS).The risk factors extracted were used to establish a prognostic nomogram.RESULTS The overall incidence of GSRC increased dramatically between 1975 and 1998,followed by a significant downward trend in incidence after 1998.In recent years,there has been a similarly optimistic trend in GSRC mortality rates.The trend in GSRC showed discrepancies based on age and sex.Receiver operating characteristic curves,calibration curves,and decision curve analysis for 1-year,3-year,and 5-year OS demonstrated the high discriminative ability and clinical utility of this nomogram.The area under the curve indicated that the performance of the new model outperformed that of the pathological staging system.CONCLUSION The model we established can aid clinicians in the early prognostication of LAGSRC patients,resulting in improved clinical outcomes by modifying management strategies and patient health care.

975 nm multimode semiconductor lasers with high-order Bragg diffraction gratings

The 975 nm multimode diode lasers with high-order surface Bragg diffraction gratings have been simulated and calcu-lated using the 2D finite difference time domain(FDTD)algorithm and the scattering matrix method(SMM).The periods and etch depth of the grating parameters have been optimized.A board area laser diode(BA-LD)with high-order diffraction grat-ings has been designed and fabricated.At output powers up to 10.5 W,the measured spectral width of full width at half maxi-mum(FWHM)is less than 0.5 nm.The results demonstrate that the designed high-order surface gratings can effectively nar-row the spectral width of multimode semiconductor lasers at high output power.

Collective coherent emission of electrons in strong laser fields and perspective for hard x-ray lasers

Coherent motion of particles in a plasma can imprint itself on radiation.The recent advent of high-power lasers—allowing the nonlinear inverse Compton-scattering regime to be reached—has opened the possibility of looking at collective effects in laser–plasma interactions.Under certain conditions,the collective interaction of many electrons with a laser pulse can generate coherent radiation in the hard x-ray regime.This perspective paper explains the limitations under which such a regime might be attained.

On the generation of high-quality Nyquist pulses in mode-locked fiber lasers

Nyquist pulses have wide applications in many areas,from electronics to optics.Mode-locked lasers are ideal platforms to generate such pulses.However,how to generate high-quality Nyquist pulses in mode-locked lasers remains elusive.We address this problem by managing different physical effects in mode-locked fiber lasers through extensive numerical simulations.We find that net dispersion,linear loss,gain and filter shaping can affect the quality of Nyquist pulses significantly.We also demonstrate that Nyquist pulses experience similariton shaping due to the nonlinear attractor effect in the gain medium.Our work may contribute to the design of Nyquist pulse sources and enrich the understanding of pulse shaping dynamics in mode-locked lasers.

Generation and regulation of electromagnetic pulses generated by femtosecond lasers interacting with multitargets

Ultrashort and powerful laser interactions with a target generate intense wideband electromagnetic pulses(EMPs).In this study,we report EMPs generated by the interactions between petawatt(30 fs,1.4×10^(20) W/cm^(2))femtosecond(fs)lasers with metal flat,plastic flat,and plastic nanowire-array(NWA)targets.Detailed analyses are conducted on the EMPs in terms of their spatial distribution,time and frequency domains,radiation energy,and protection.The results indicate that EMPs from metal targets exhibit larger amplitudes at varying angles than those generated by other types of targets and are enhanced significantly for NWA targets.Using a plastic target holder and increasing the laser focal spot can significantly decrease the radiation energy of the EMPs.Moreover,the composite shielding materials indicate an effective shielding effect against EMPs.The simulation results show that the NWA targets exert a collimating effect on thermal electrons,which directly affects the distribution of EMPs.This study provides guidance for regulating EMPs by controlling the laser focal spot,target parameters,and target rod material and is beneficial for electromagnetic-shielding design.

Algorithm for Visualization of Zero Divisor Graphs of the Ring ℤn Using MAPLE Coding

This research investigates the comparative efficacy of generating zero divisor graphs (ZDGs) of the ring of integers ℤn modulo n using MAPLE algorithm. Zero divisor graphs, pivotal in the study of ring theory, depict relationships between elements of a ring that multiply to zero. The paper explores the development and implementation of algorithms in MAPLE for constructing these ZDGs. The comparative study aims to discern the strengths, limitations, and computational efficiency of different MAPLE algorithms for creating zero divisor graphs offering insights for mathematicians, researchers, and computational enthusiasts involved in ring theory and mathematical computations.

Wavelength-tunable organic semiconductor lasers based on elastic distributed feedback gratings

Wavelength-tunable organic semiconductor lasers based on mechanically stretchable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) gratings were developed. The intrinsic stretchability of PDMS was explored to modulate the period of the distributed feedback gratings for fine tuning the lasing wavelength. Notably, elastic lasers based on three typical light-emitting molecules show com-parable lasing threshold values analogous to rigid devices and a continuous wavelength tunability of about 10 nm by mechanic-al stretching. In addition, the stretchability provides a simple solution for dynamically tuning the lasing wavelength in a spec-tral range that is challenging to achieve for inorganic counterparts. Our work has provided a simple and efficient method of fab-ricating tunable organic lasers that depend on stretchable distributed feedback gratings, demonstrating a significant step in the advancement of flexible organic optoelectronic devices.

Experimental investigation on chaos generation in erbium-doped fiber single-ring lasers

In this paper,the chaotic behaviors in an erbium-doped fiber（EDF） single-ring laser（EDFSRL） are investigated experimentally by using the loss modulation method.An electro-optic modulator（EOM） made of LiNbO 3 crystal is added to the system.Thus,by changing the modulation voltage and the modulation frequency of the EOM,the freedom of the EDFSRL system is increased.The chaotic characteristics of the system are studied by observing the time series and the power spectra.The experimental results indicate that the erbium-doped fiber single-ring laser system can enter into chaos states through period-doubling bifurcation and intermittency routes.

The Some Properties of Skew Polynomial Rings

This paper mainly studies some properties of skew polynomial ring related to Morita invariance, Armendariz and (quasi)-Baer. First, we show that skew polynomial ring has no Morita invariance by the counterexample. Then we prove a necessary condition that skew polynomial ring constitutes Armendariz ring. We lastly investigate that condition of skew polynomial ring is a (quasi)-Baer ring, and verify that the conditions is necessary, but not sufficient by example and counterexample.

Nilpotent Elements and Nil-Reflexive Property of Generalized Power Series Rings

Let R be a ring and (S,≤) a strictly ordered monoid. In this paper, we deal with a new approach to reflexive property for rings by using nilpotent elements, in this direction we introduce the notions of generalized power series reflexive and nil generalized power series reflexive, respectively. We obtain various necessary or sufficient conditions for a ring to be generalized power series reflexive and nil generalized power series reflexive. Examples are given to show that, nil generalized power series reflexive need not be generalized power series reflexive and vice versa, and nil generalized power series reflexive but not semicommutative are presented. We proved that, if R is a left APP-ring, then R is generalized power series reflexive, and R is nil generalized power series reflexive if and only if R/I is nil generalized power series reflexive. Moreover, we investigate ring extensions which have roles in ring theory.

Stability of neodymium:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy in eyes with capsular tension rings

·AIM: To evaluate the stability of neodymium(Nd):YAG laser posterior capsulotomy in eyes with capsular tension rings(CTRs).·METHODS: A total of 60 eyes that underwent cataract surgery and laser posterior capsulotomy postoperatively were included in this retrospective cohort study. To evaluate the safety and stability of capsulotomy, changes in the size of posterior capsulotomy and anterior chamber depth(ACD) in three groups: the group without CTR, the group with 12 mm CTRs, and the group with 13 mm CTRs, at 1wk, 3, 12, and 15mo after capsulotomy, were compared. ·RESULTS: In the group without CTR and the group with 12 mm CTR, there was no significant change in ACD at every post-laser follow-up. In the group with 13 mm CTR, the ACD change was significant until 3mo after capsulotomy. In all groups, there was a significant increase in the area of capsulotomy between 1wk and 3mo post-laser. Between 3 and 12mo post-laser, only the group with 13 mm CTR showed a significant increase in the area of capsulotomy(P<0.01). ·CONCLUSION: Laser posterior capsulotomy is safe in all three groups. The capsulotomy and ACD become stabilized and have not shown significant changes since 1y postlaser, even with larger CTRs. The maintenance of centrifugal capsular tension can last longer with larger CTRs, and the stability of the capsulotomy site can be reached about 12mo after capsulotomy in pseudophakic eyes with larger CTRs.

Beam steering characteristics in high-power quantum-cascade lasers emitting at∼4.6µm

A beam steering effect of high-power quantum cascade(QC) lasers emitting at 4.6 μm was investigated. The continuous wave(CW) output power of an uncoated, 6-mm-long, 7.5-μm-wide buried-heterostructure QC laser at 25℃ was as high as 854.2 m W. The maximum beam steering angle was offset by ±14.2° from the facet normal(0°) in pulsed mode. The phenomenon was judged explicitly by combining the diffraction limit theory and Fourier transform of the spectra. It was also verified by finite element method software simulation and the calculation of two-dimensional(2 D)effective-index model. The observed steering is consistent with a theory for coherence between the two lowest order lateral modes. Therefore, we have established an intrinsic linkage between the spectral instabilities and the beam steering by using the Fourier transform of the spectra, and further presented an extremely valid method to judge the beam steering. The content of this method includes both three equidistant peak positions in the Fourier transform of the spectra and the beam quality located between once the diffraction limit(DL) and twice the DL.