Locally Enhanced Flow and Electric Fields Through a Tip Effect for Efficient Flow‑Electrode Capacitive Deionization

Low-electrode capacitive deionization(FCDI)is an emerging desalination technology with great potential for removal and/or recycling ions from a range of waters.However,it still suffers from inefficient charge transfer and ion transport kinetics due to weak turbulence and low electric intensity in flow electrodes,both restricted by the current collectors.Herein,a new tip-array current collector(designated as T-CC)was developed to replace the conventional planar current collectors,which intensifies both the charge transfer and ion transport significantly.The effects of tip arrays on flow and electric fields were studied by both computational simulations and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy,which revealed the reduction of ion transport barrier,charge transport barrier and internal resistance.With the voltage increased from 1.0 to 1.5 and 2.0 V,the T-CC-based FCDI system(T-FCDI)exhibited average salt removal rates(ASRR)of 0.18,0.50,and 0.89μmol cm^(-2) min^(-1),respectively,which are 1.82,2.65,and 2.48 folds higher than that of the conventional serpentine current collectors,and 1.48,1.67,and 1.49 folds higher than that of the planar current collectors.Meanwhile,with the solid content in flow electrodes increased from 1 to 5 wt%,the ASRR for T-FCDI increased from 0.29 to 0.50μmol cm^(-2) min^(-1),which are 1.70 and 1.67 folds higher than that of the planar current collectors.Additionally,a salt removal efficiency of 99.89%was achieved with T-FCDI and the charge efficiency remained above 95%after 24 h of operation,thus showing its superior long-term stability.

Microstructural evolution during the progressive transformation-induced plasticity effect in a Fe-0.1C-5Mnmedium manganese steel

The microstructural evolution of a cold-rolled and intercritical annealed medium-Mn steel(Fe-0.10C-5Mn)was investigated during uniaxial tensile testing.In-situ observations under scanning electron microscopy,transmission electron microscopy,and X-ray diffraction analysis were conducted to characterize the progressive transformation-induced plasticity process and associated fracture initiation mechanisms.These findings were discussed with the local strain measurements via digital image correlation.The results indicated that Lüders band formation in the steel was limited to 1.5%strain,which was mainly due to the early-stage martensitic phase transformation of a very small amount of the less stable large-sized retained austenite(RA),which led to localized stress concentrations and strain hardening and further retardation of yielding.The small-sized RA exhibited high stability and progressively transformed into martensite and contributed to a stably extended Portevin-Le Chatelier effect.The volume fraction of RA gradually decreased from 26.8%to 8.2%prior to fracture.In the late deformation stage,fracture initiation primarily occurred at the austenite/martensite and ferrite/martensite interfaces and the ferrite phase.

Wafer‑Scale Vertical 1D GaN Nanorods/2D MoS_(2)/PEDOT:PSS for Piezophototronic Effect‑Enhanced Self‑Powered Flexible Photodetectors

van der Waals(vdW)heterostructures constructed by lowdimensional(0D,1D,and 2D)materials are emerging as one of the most appealing systems in next-generation flexible photodetection.Currently,hand-stacked vdW-type photodetectors are not compatible with large-areaarray fabrication and show unimpressive performance in self-powered mode.Herein,vertical 1D GaN nanorods arrays(NRAs)/2D MoS_(2)/PEDOT:PSS in wafer scale have been proposed for self-powered flexible photodetectors arrays firstly.The as-integrated device without external bias under weak UV illumination exhibits a competitive responsivity of 1.47 A W^(−1)and a high detectivity of 1.2×10^(11)Jones,as well as a fast response speed of 54/71μs,thanks to the strong light absorption of GaN NRAs and the efficient photogenerated carrier separation in type-II heterojunction.Notably,the strain-tunable photodetection performances of device have been demonstrated.Impressively,the device at−0.78%strain and zero bias reveals a significantly enhanced photoresponse with a responsivity of 2.47 A W^(−1),a detectivity of 2.6×10^(11)Jones,and response times of 40/45μs,which are superior to the state-of-the-art self-powered flexible photodetectors.This work presents a valuable avenue to prepare tunable vdWs heterostructures for self-powered flexible photodetection,which performs well in flexible sensors.

Enhanced selectivity of catalytic hydrogenation of halogenated nitroaromatics by interfacial effects

The highly selective catalytic hydrogenation of halogenated nitroaromatics was achieved by employing Pd‑based catalysts that were co‑modified with organic and inorganic ligands.It was demonstrated that the catalysts contained Pd species in mixed valence states,with high valence Pd at the metal‑support interface and zero valence Pd at the metal surface.While the strong coordination of triphenylphosphine(PPh3)to Pd0 on the Pd surface prevents the adsorption of halogenated nitroaromatics and thus dehalogenation,the coordination of sodium metavanadate(NaVO3)to high‑valence Pd sites at the interface helps to activate H2 in a heterolytic pathway for the selective hydrogenation of nitro‑groups.The excellent catalytic performance of the interfacial active sites enables the selective hydrogenation of a wide range of halogenated nitroaromatics.

Novel Methodologies for Preventing Crack Propagation in Steel Gas Pipelines Considering the Temperature Effect

Using the software ANSYS-19.2/Explicit Dynamics,this study performedfinite-element modeling of the large-diameter steel pipeline cross-section for the Beineu-Bozoy-Shymkent gas pipeline with a non-through straight crack,strengthened by steel wire wrapping.The effects of the thread tensile force of the steel winding in the form of single rings at the crack edges and the wires with different winding diameters and pitches were also studied.The results showed that the strengthening was preferably executed at a minimum value of the thread tensile force,which was 6.4%more effective than that at its maximum value.The analysis of the influence of the winding dia-meters showed that the equivalent stresses increased by 32%from the beginning of the crack growth until the wire broke.The increment in winding diameter decelerated the disclosure of the edge crack and reduced its length by 8.2%.The analysis of the influence of the winding pitch showed that decreasing the distance between the winding turns also led to a 33.6%reduction in the length of the straight crack and a 7.9%reduction in the maximum stres-ses on the strengthened pipeline cross-section.The analysis of the temperature effect on the pipeline material,within a range from-40℃ to+50℃,resulted in a crack length change of up to 5.8%.As the temperature dropped,the crack length decreased.Within such a temperature range,the maximum stresses were observed along the cen-tral area of the crack,which were equal to 413 MPa at+50℃ and 440 MPa at-40℃.The results also showed that the presence of the steel winding in the pipeline significantly reduced the length of crack propagation up to 8.4 times,depending on the temperature effect and design parameters of prestressing.This work integrated the existing methods for crack localization along steel gas pipelines.

Cumulative effects of stress-sensitivity factors on depressive symptoms and suicide risk:A prospective study

BACKGROUND Sensitivity to stress is essential in the onset,clinical symptoms,course,and prognosis of major depressive disorder(MDD).Meanwhile,it was unclear how variously classified but connected stress-sensitivity variables affect MDD.We hypothesize that high-level trait-and state-related stress-sensitivity factors may have different cumulative effects on the clinical symptoms and follow-up outcomes of MDD.AIM To investigate how stress-sensitivity factors added up and affected MDD clinical symptoms and follow-up results.METHODS In this prospective study,281 MDD patients were enrolled from a tertiary care setting.High-level stress-sensitivity factors were classified as trait anxiety,state anxiety,perceived stress,and neuroticism,with a total score in the top quartile of the research cohort.The cumulative effects of stress-sensitivity factors on cognitive dysfunction,disability and functional impairment,suicide risk,and depressive and anxiety symptoms were examined using an analysis of variance with linear trend analysis.Correlations were investigated further using multiple regression analysis.RESULTS Regarding high-level stress-sensitivity factors,53.40%of patients had at least one at baseline,and 29.61%had two or more.Four high-level stress-sensitivity components had significant cumulative impacts on MDD symptoms at baseline(all P<0.001).Perceived stress predicted the greatest effect sizes of state-related factors on depressive symptoms(partialη^(2)=0.153;standardizedβ=0.195;P<0.05).The follow-up outcomes were significantly impacted only by the high-level trait-related components,mainly when it came to depressive symptoms and suicide risk,which were predicted by trait anxiety and neuroticism,respectively(partialη^(2)=0.204 and 0.156;standardizedβ=0.247 and 0.392;P<0.05).CONCLUSION To enhance outcomes of MDD and lower the suicide risk,screening for stress-sensitivity factors and considering multifaceted measures,mainly focusing on trait-related ones,should be addressed clinically.

Experimental and numerical simulation of the attenuation effect of blast shock waves in tunnels at different altitudes

Traffic engineering such as tunnels in various altitudinal gradient zone are at risk of accidental explosion,which can damage personnel and equipment.Accurate prediction of the distribution pattern of explosive loads and shock wave propagation process in semi-enclosed structures at various altitude environment is key research focus in the fields of explosion shock and fluid dynamics.The effect of altitude on the propagation of shock waves in tunnels was investigated by conducting explosion test and numerical simulation.Based on the experimental and numerical simulation results,a prediction model for the attenuation of the peak overpressure of tunnel shock waves at different altitudes was established.The results showed that the peak overpressure decreased at the same measurement points in the tunnel entrance under the high altitude condition.In contrast,an increase in altitude accelerated the propagation speed of the shock wave in the tunnel.The average error between the peak shock wave overpressure obtained using the overpressure prediction formula and the measured test data was less than15%,the average error between the propagation velocity of shock waves predicted values and the test data is less than 10%.The method can effectively predict the overpressure attenuation of blast wave in tunnel at various altitudes.

Effect of ligamentum teres uteri preservation in laparoscopic high hernia sac ligation in children with indirect inguinal hernia

BACKGROUND Routinely separating the ligamentum teres uteri(LTU)intraoperatively remains an unresolved issue for female children undergoing surgery for indirect inguinal hernia(IIH).AIM To identify the effect of LTU preservation in laparoscopic high hernia sac ligation(LHSL)in children with IIH.METHODS The participants were 100 female children with unilateral IIH admitted from April 2022 to January 2024 to the Pediatric Surgery Department of Zhangzhou Municipal Hospital of Fujian Province.They were categorized based on LTU retention into the control group(n=45 cases),which underwent LTU ligation intraoperatively,and the experimental group(55 cases),which had the LTU preserved intraoperatively.All children underwent LHSL.RESULTS This study comparatively analyzed the operation time,hospitalization time,blood loss,postoperative recurrence rate,and complications(repeated pain in the inguinal region,foreign body sensation in the inguinal region,bloody exudation at the inguinal incision,and incision infection),which were all comparable between the two groups.CONCLUSION The above results indicate that LTU preservation during LHSL exerts certain therapeutic benefits for children with IIH.LTU preservation does not increase hospitalization time,blood loss,postoperative recurrence rate,and complications,which is safe and feasible,compared with conventional LTU ligation.LHSL with LTU preservation should be performed if conditions permit,which is worth popularizing.

Exploring alkali-source,pore-filling and cementation damage effects in cemented clay with typical industrial waste binders

Various industrial waste binders(IWBs)are being recycled in soil stabilization to save cement consumption.However,the coupled effects brought out by combined IWBs on stabilized soils are still unclear.IWBs are categorized into two typical categories(IWB-A and IWB-B)referring to their chemical role in this study.The alkali-source effect,pore-filling effect and cementation damage effect by IWBs in soil stabilization are explored.A series of mechanical and microscopic tests is performed on stabilized clay with different proportions of IWB-A and IWB-B.Moreover,initial water contents and cement contents of cement-stabilized clay are varied to examine the evolution of coupled effect with void ratio and cementation level.The results indicate that the alkali-source effect strengthens the cementation bonds and increases the early strength by 0.5e1.3 times,whereas the pore-filling effect improves the microfabric especially for the specimen with a large void ratio.The alkali-source effect increases soil cohesion cu at the pre-yield stage,and the pore-filling effect increases frictional angle 4u at the post-yield stage.The cementation damage effect is remarkable at a low void ratio,which may result in many extruded pores among soil aggregates.The strength evolution with IWB proportions can be well stimulated by considering the coupled alkali-source effect,pore-filling effect and cementation damage effect.The optimal proportion of IWBs corresponds to an optimal combination of coupled effect.

Evidence for pore-filling gas hydrates in the sediments through morphology observation

To provide an evidence of natural gas hydrate occurrence state,a series of experiments on multiple growth and dissociation of 90.0%methane/10.0%propane hydrates at 1.3 MPa and 270.15 K were carried out in two sediments for morphology observation via a visible jacketed-reactor.The gas hydrate crystals were observed to form and grow on the surface of sediments at the initial growth.During the thermal decomposition,gas and liquid products had an unceasingly impact on the sediments,then gas/liquid–solid migration occurred,and a large number of cavitation appeared.In the later growth and dissociation experiments,the gas hydrate particles were in suspension or supporting states in the interstitial pore space between the sediment particles,indicating that the gas hydrate displayed a pore-filling characteristics.Through analyzing the distribution of gas hydrates and bubbles,it was found that the amount of gas hydrates distributed in the sediments was improved with multiple growth-dissociation cycle proceedings.Gas migration enhanced the sediment movement,which led to the appearance of the increasing quantity of gas bubbles in the sediments during cycles.Salts affected the growth of the gas hydrates and the migration of sediment grains,which also restricted the accumulation of gas bubbles in the sediments.According to the Raman analysis,the results showed that sII hydrates were formed for CH4 and C3H8 gas mixtures in different sediments and solutions with hydration number of 5.84–6.53.The Salt restricted the access of gas into the hydrate cages.

240 nm AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet micro-LEDs:size effect versus edge effect

240 nm AlGaN-based micro-LEDs with different sizes are designed and fabricated.Then,the external quantum efficiency(EQE)and light extraction efficiency(LEE)are systematically investigated by comparing size and edge effects.Here,it is revealed that the peak optical output power increases by 81.83%with the size shrinking from 50.0 to 25.0μm.Thereinto,the LEE increases by 26.21%and the LEE enhancement mainly comes from the sidewall light extraction.Most notably,transversemagnetic(TM)mode light intensifies faster as the size shrinks due to the tilted mesa side-wall and Al reflector design.However,when it turns to 12.5μm sized micro-LEDs,the output power is lower than 25.0μm sized ones.The underlying mechanism is that even though protected by SiO2 passivation,the edge effect which leads to current leakage and Shockley-Read-Hall(SRH)recombination deteriorates rapidly with the size further shrinking.Moreover,the ratio of the p-contact area to mesa area is much lower,which deteriorates the p-type current spreading at the mesa edge.These findings show a role of thumb for the design of high efficiency micro-LEDs with wavelength below 250 nm,which will pave the way for wide applications of deep ultraviolet(DUV)micro-LEDs.

Engineering Strategies for Suppressing the Shuttle Effect in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur(Li–S)batteries are supposed to be one of the most potential next-generation batteries owing to their high theoretical capacity and low cost.Nevertheless,the shuttle effect of firm multi-step two-electron reaction between sulfur and lithium in liquid electrolyte makes the capacity much smaller than the theoretical value.Many methods were proposed for inhibiting the shuttle effect of polysulfide,improving corresponding redox kinetics and enhancing the integral performance of Li–S batteries.Here,we will comprehensively and systematically summarize the strategies for inhibiting the shuttle effect from all components of Li–S batteries.First,the electrochemical principles/mechanism and origin of the shuttle effect are described in detail.Moreover,the efficient strategies,including boosting the sulfur conversion rate of sulfur,confining sulfur or lithium polysulfides(LPS)within cathode host,confining LPS in the shield layer,and preventing LPS from contacting the anode,will be discussed to suppress the shuttle effect.Then,recent advances in inhibition of shuttle effect in cathode,electrolyte,separator,and anode with the aforementioned strategies have been summarized to direct the further design of efficient materials for Li–S batteries.Finally,we present prospects for inhibition of the LPS shuttle and potential development directions in Li–S batteries.

Pore-filling Three-dimensionally Ordered Macroporous Polyimide Composite Proton Conducting Membranes

The silica opal templates were prepared from three silica colloids of different diameters of 230 nm, 500 nm and 1.5 mm by a filtration route. The large-scale stable opal template membranes after sintering the deposited SiO2 opal template can be successfully obtained by optimizing the pH value and NaCl concentration in silica colloidal solutions. The three-dimensionally ordered macroporous（3DOM） polyimide membranes without crack were fabricated by reproducing the structure of silica opal template. We prepared the pore-filling composite proton exchange membranes by filling the 3DOM structure with proton conducting organosilane sol. The result indicates that the composite membranes exhibit higher water uptake than pure filling organosilane gel. The proton conductivity increased with the increasing of pore cell in composite membranes.

Evaluation of the intracellular lipid-lowering effect of polyphenols extract from highland barley in HepG2 cells

Active ingredients from highland barley have received considerable attention as natural products for developing treatments and dietary supplements against obesity.In practical application,the research of food combinations is more significant than a specific food component.This study investigated the lipid-lowering effect of highland barley polyphenols via lipase assay in vitro and HepG2 cells induced by oleic acid(OA).Five indexes,triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol(T-CHO),low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),and alanine aminotransferase(ALT),were used to evaluate the lipidlowering effect of highland barley extract.We also preliminary studied the lipid-lowering mechanism by Realtime fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction(q PCR).The results indicated that highland barley extract contains many components with lipid-lowering effects,such as hyperoside and scoparone.In vitro,the lipase assay showed an 18.4%lipase inhibition rate when the additive contents of highland barley extract were 100μg/m L.The intracellular lipid-lowering effect of highland barley extract was examined using 0.25 mmol/L OA-induced HepG2 cells.The results showed that intracellular TG,LDL-C,and T-CHO content decreased by 34.4%,51.2%,and 18.4%,respectively.ALT and AST decreased by 51.6%and 20.7%compared with the untreated hyperlipidemic HepG2 cells.q PCR results showed that highland barley polyphenols could up-regulation the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes such as PPARγand Fabp4.

Rockburst criterion and evaluation method for potential rockburst pit depth considering excavation damage effect

Excavation-induced disturbances in deep tunnels will lead to deterioration of rock properties and formation of excavation damaged zone(EDZ).This excavation damage effect may affect the potential rockburst pit depth.Taking two diversion tunnels of Jinping II hydropower station for example,the relationship between rockburst pit depth and excavation damage effect is first surveyed.The results indicate that the rockburst pit depth in tunnels with severe damage to rock masses is relatively large.Subsequently,the excavation-induced damage effect is characterized by disturbance factor D based on the Hoek-Brown criterion and wave velocity method.It is found that the EDZ could be further divided into a high-damage zone(HDZ)with D=1 and weak-damage zone(WDZ),and D decays from one to zero linearly.For this,a quantitative evaluation method for potential rockburst pit depth is established by presenting a three-element rockburst criterion considering rock strength,geostress and disturbance factor.The evaluation results obtained by this method match well with actual observations.In addition,the weakening of rock mass strength promotes the formation and expansion of potential rockburst pits.The potential rockburst pit depth is positively correlated with HDZ and WDZ depths,and the HDZ depth has a significant contribution to the potential rockburst pit depth.

Experimental study on the effect of water absorption level on rockburst occurrence of sandstone

To investigate the mechanism of rockburst prevention by spraying water onto the surrounding rocks,15 experiments are performed considering different water absorption levels on a single face.High-speed photography and acoustic emission(AE)system are used to monitor the rockburst process.The effect of water on sandstone rockburst and the prevention mechanism of water on sandstone rockburst are analyzed from the perspective of energy and failure mode.The results show that the higher the ab-sorption degree,the lower the intensity of the rockburst after absorbing water on single side of sand-stone.This is reflected in the fact that with the increase in the water absorption level,the ejection velocity of rockburst fragments is smaller,the depth of the rockburst pit is shallower,and the AE energy is smaller.Under the water absorption level of 100%,the magnitude of rockburst intensity changes from medium to slight.The prevention mechanism of water on sandstone rockburst is that water reduces the capacity of sandstone to store strain energy and accelerates the expansion of shear cracks,which is not conducive to the occurrence of plate cracking before rockburst,and destroys the conditions for rockburst incubation.

Review on synergistic damage effect of irradiation and corrosion on reactor structural alloys

The synergistic damage effect of irradiation and corrosion of reactor structural materials has been a prominent research focus.This paper provides a comprehensive review of the synergistic effects on the third-and fourth-generation fission nuclear energy structural materials used in pressurized water reactors and molten salt reactors.The competitive mechanisms of multiple influencing factors,such as the irradiation dose,corrosion type,and environmental temperature,are summarized in this paper.Conceptual approaches are proposed to alleviate the synergistic damage caused by irradiation and corrosion,thereby promoting in-depth research in the future and solving this key challenge for the structural materials used in reactors.

High responsivity photodetectors based on graphene/WSe_(2) heterostructure by photogating effect

Graphene, with its zero-bandgap electronic structure, is a highly promising ultra-broadband light absorbing material.However, the performance of graphene-based photodetectors is limited by weak absorption efficiency and rapid recombination of photoexcited carriers, leading to poor photodetection performance. Here, inspired by the photogating effect, we demonstrated a highly sensitive photodetector based on graphene/WSe_(2) vertical heterostructure where the WSe_(2) layer acts as both the light absorption layer and the localized grating layer. The graphene conductive channel is induced to produce more carriers by capacitive coupling. Due to the strong light absorption and high external quantum efficiency of multilayer WSe_(2), as well as the high carrier mobility of graphene, a high photocurrent is generated in the vertical heterostructure. As a result, the photodetector exhibits ultra-high responsivity of 3.85×10~4A/W and external quantum efficiency of 1.3 × 10~7%.This finding demonstrates that photogating structures can effectively enhance the sensitivity of graphene-based photodetectors and may have great potential applications in future optoelectronic devices.

“Buckets effect”in the kinetics of electrocatalytic reactions

In this study,we systematically investigated the effect of proton concentration on the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)on Pt(111)in acidic solutions.Experimental results demonstrate a rectangular hyperbolic relationship,i.e.,the ORR current excluding the effect of other variables increases with proton concentration and then tends to a constant value.We consider that this is caused by the limitation of ORR kinetics by the trace oxygen concentration in the solution,which determines the upper limit of ORR kinetics.A model of effective concentration is further proposed for rectangular hyperbolic relationships:when the reactant concentration is high enough to reach a critical saturation concentration,the effective reactant concentration will become a constant value.This could be due to the limited concentration of a certain reactant for reactions involving more than one reactant or the limited number of active sites available on the catalyst.Our study provides new insights into the kinetics of electrocatalytic reactions,and it is important for the proper evaluation of catalyst activity and the study of structureperformance relationships.

Cumulative effects of excess high-normal alanine aminotransferase levels in relation to new-onset metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in China

BACKGROUND Within the normal range,elevated alanine aminotransferase(ALT)levels are associated with an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).AIM To investigate the associations between repeated high-normal ALT measurements and the risk of new-onset MAFLD prospectively.METHODS A cohort of 3553 participants followed for four consecutive health examinations over 4 years was selected.The incidence rate,cumulative times,and equally and unequally weighted cumulative effects of excess high-normal ALT levels(ehALT)were measured.Cox proportional hazards regression was used to analyse the association between the cumulative effects of ehALT and the risk of new-onset MAFLD.RESULTS A total of 83.13%of participants with MAFLD had normal ALT levels.The incidence rate of MAFLD showed a linear increasing trend in the cumulative ehALT group.Compared with those in the low-normal ALT group,the multivariate adjusted hazard ratios of the equally and unequally weighted cumulative effects of ehALT were 1.651[95%confidence interval(CI):1.199-2.273]and 1.535(95%CI:1.119-2.106)in the third quartile and 1.616(95%CI:1.162-2.246)and 1.580(95%CI:1.155-2.162)in the fourth quartile,respectively.CONCLUSION Most participants with MAFLD had normal ALT levels.Long-term high-normal ALT levels were associated with a cumulative increased risk of new-onset MAFLD.