Precision tuning of highly efficient Pt-based ternary alloys on nitrogen-doped multi-wall carbon nanotubes for methanol oxidation reaction

The electrochemical methanol oxidation is a crucial reaction in the conversion of renewable energy.To enable the widespread adoption of direct methanol fuel cells(DMFCs),it is essential to create and engineer catalysts that are both highly effective and robust for conducting the methanol oxidation reaction(MOR).In this work,trimetallic PtCoRu electrocatalysts on nitrogen-doped carbon and multi-wall carbon nanotubes(PtCoRu@NC/MWCNTs)were prepared through a two-pot synthetic strategy.The acceleration of CO oxidation to CO_(2) and the blocking of CO reduction on adjacent Pt active sites were attributed to the crucial role played by cobalt atoms in the as-prepared electrocatalysts.The precise control of Co atoms loading was achieved through precursor stoichiometry.Various physicochemical techniques were employed to analyze the morphology,element composition,and electronic state of the catalyst.Electrochemical investigations and theoretical calculations confirmed that the Pt_(1)Co_(3)Ru_(1)@NC/MWCNTs exhibit excellent electrocatalytic performance and durability for the process of MOR.The enhanced MOR activity can be attributed to the synergistic effect between the multiple elements resulting from precisely controlled Co loading content on surface of the electrocatalyst,which facilitates efficient charge transfer.This interaction between the multiple components also modifies the electronic structures of active sites,thereby promoting the conversion of intermediates and accelerating the MOR process.Thus,achieving precise control over Co loading in PtCoRu@NC/MWCNTs would enable the development of high-performance catalysts for DMFCs.

Spatial Control of Lithium Deposition by Controlling the Lithiophilicity with Copper(Ⅰ)Oxide Boundaries

Spatial control of lithium deposition is the most important issue in lithium-metal batteries because of the considerable control of lithium dendrite suppression via the uniform distribution of Li^(+)flux.Although seed materials are crucial for the behavior of lithium deposition,in-depth studies on their physical and chemical control have not been conducted.Here,we describe a new design of seed structure comprising a wrinkled Cu/graphene substrate surrounded by copper(Ⅰ)oxide(Cu_(2)O)on a graphene grain boundary over a large area,which is fabricated by the oxidation of the Cu surface via graphene boundary defects by using chemical vapor deposition(CVD).Scanning and transmission electron microscopy results reveal that Cu_(2)O on the graphene boundary can render a preferential reaction with lithium during the first deposition and assist in the uniform deposition of lithium by preventing the agglomeration of lithium clusters during the second deposition.This two-step process is attributed to the degree of selectivity due to the difference in lithium affinity,which allows long-term electrochemical stability and a high rate capability via boundary effects.This study highlights the significance of the boundary effect,which can open new avenues for the formation of a large family of seed structures in lithium-metal batteries.

A review on the eco-geography of soil fauna in China

This review summarizes main research findings in soil fauna eco-geography in China in the past 30 years. The subject areas and main results were overviewed including biodiversity and eco-geological distribution of soil fauna communities. Studies of ecological distributions of soil fauna and dynamic ranges in space from tropical, subtropical to temperate regions, and in categories from forest, grassland, desert, wetland, farmland to urban ecosystems, the responses and indications of soil fauna to soil environments. Effects of intensive disturbance such as fire, grazing, farming, fertilization on soil fauna include sensitive （e.g. nematode） and rare groups and community indexes. The functions of soil fauna were discussed including environmental construction, environmental purification, litter decomposition and elements cycling. Interactions between soil fauna and other biota in soil ecosystems and linking between aboveground and belowground diversity and the effects of global change on soil fauna community in China were also included. Finally, the authors pointed out common interests in soil fauna eco-geographical studies, which include application of molecule biology into soil fauna taxa; function and mechanism of soil fauna community diversity; interaction between aboveground and belowground ecosystems; effects of disturbance, pollution, biological invasion, and global change on soil fauna community and function. The review is to provide a scientific basis for promoting soil fauna eco-geographical studies in China.

Multiple-Step Predictive Control for Offshore Structures

Ocean wave propagation is slow, visible and measurable, so a wave theory can be used to approximately predict the imminnent wave force on an offshore structure based on measured, real-time wave elevation near the structure. This predictability suggests the development of a more efficient algorithm, than those that have been developed for structures under wind and seismic loads, for the active vibration control of offshore structures. The present study delveops a mutiple-step predictive optimal control (MPOC) algorithm that accounts for multiple step external loading in the determination of optimal control forces. The control efficiency of the newly developed MPOC algorithm has been Investigated under both regular (single-frequency) and irregular (multiple-frequency) wave loads, and compared with that of two other well-known optimal control algorithms: classical linear optimal control(CLOC) and instantaneous optimal control(IOC).

The Optimal Design of TMD for Offshore Structures

This paper presents the optimal design procedure of Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) for reducing vibration of an actual steel jacket offshore platform excited by random wave loading. In this study, a frequency domain is taken. The force on the structure is determined by use of the linearized Morison equation for an input Power Spectral Density (PSD) of wave elevation. The sensitivity of optimum values of TMD to characteristic parameters of random wave spectrum is analyzed. An optimized TMD design for the modeled platform is given based on design conditions and the findings of the study.

Seasonal movement of the American horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus in a semi-enclosed bay on Cape Cod,Massachusetts (USA) as determined by acoustic telemetry

American horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus were tracked using acoustic telemetry and traditional tagging in asemi-enclosed bay on Cape Cod (Pleasant Bay),Massachusetts,USA,to determine seasonal movement patterns.Fifty-five activelyspawning females were fitted with transmitters in 2008 and 2009 and were tracked using acoustic telemetry from May 2008through July 2010.Fifteen crabs with transmitters also had archive depth-temperature tags attached.In addition,over 2000spawning crabs (males and females) were tagged with US Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) button tags over the same period.Ninety-one percent of the crabs with transmitters were detected during this study.In the spring,crabs were primarily located inthe northern section of the bay near spawning beaches,whereas in the fall crabs moved towards the deeper portions of the bay,and some may have overwintered in the bay.There was evidence that a majority (58%-71%) of the females with transmittersspawned in two sequential seasons.One archive tag was recovered resulting in a year-long continuous record of depth and temperaturedata that,when integrated with telemetry data,indicated that the crab overwintered in the bay.The live recapture rate ofcrabs with USFWS button tags was 11%,with all re-sighted crabs except one observed inside Pleasant Bay.Eighty-three percentof recaptures were found within 2.5km of the tagging location,and 51% were observed at the same beach where they were tagged.This study provides further evidence that horseshoe crabs in Pleasant Bay may be philopatric to this

Optimal Active Control of Wave-Induced Vibration for Offshore Platforms

An obvious motivation of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of the lateral vibration control of a jacket type offshore platform with an AMD control device, in conjunction with H-2 control algorithm, which is an optimal frequency domain control method based on minimization of H-2 norm of the system transfer function In this study, the offshore platform is modeled numerically by use of the finite element method, instead of a lumped mass model This structural model is later simplified to be single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system by extracting the first vibration mode of the structure. The corresponding 'generalized' wave force is determined based on an analytical approximation of the first mode shape function, the physical wave loading being calculated from the linearized Morison equation. This approach facilitates the filter design for the generalized force. Furthermore, the present paper also intends to make numerical comparison between H-2 active control and the corresponding passive control using a TMD with the same device parameters.

Effects of Nitrogen Deposition on Tundra Vegetation Undergoing Invasion by Deyeuxia angustifolia in Changbai Mountains

In recent years, herbaceous species such as Deyeuxia angustifolia(Kom.) Y. L. Chang has invaded alpine tundra regions of the western slope of the Changbai Mountains. Because atmospheric nitrogen deposition is predicted to increase under a warming climate and D. angustifolia is sensitive to nitrogen addition, field experiments were conducted from 2010 to 2013 to determine the effect of increased nitrogen deposition on the mechanisms of D. angustifolia invasion. The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of increased nitrogen deposition on the changes in alpine tundra vegetation(consisting mostly of Rhododendron chrysanthum Pall. and Vaccinium uliginosum Linn.). The results showed that: 1) simulated nitrogen deposition affected overall characteristics and structure of R. chrysanthum and V. uliginosum communities and had a positive impact on the growth of tundra vegetation invaded by D. angustifolia; 2) R. chrysanthum was more resistant to invasion by D. angustifolia than V. uliginosum; 3) simulated nitrogen deposition could improve the growth and enhance the competitiveness of D. angustifolia, which was gradually replacing R. chrysanthum and V. uliginosum and might become the dominant species in the system in future, transforming alpine tundra into alpine meadow in the Changbai Mountains.

The assessment of extactable tidal energy and the effect of tidal energy turbine deployment on the hydrodynamics in Zhoushan

In this study, we construct one 2-dimensional tidal simulation, using an unstructured Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model （FVCOM）. In the 2-D model, we simulated the tidal turbines through adding additional bottom drag in the element where the tidal turbines reside. The additional bottom drag was calculated from the relationship of the bottom friction dissipation and the rated rotor efficiency of the tidal energy turbine. This study analyzed the effect of the tidal energy turbine to the hydrodynamic environment, and calculated the amount of the extractable tidal energy resource at the Guishan Hangmen Channel, considering the rotor wake effect.

The Status and Associated Factors of Successful Aging among Older Adults Residing in Longevity Areas in China

Objective This study aims to assess the status of successful aging （SA） in longevity areas in China and explore multiple factors associated with SA among the young-old and oldest-old. Methods A total of 2296 elderly people aged 65 and older were interviewed in the longevity areas sub-sample of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey （CLHLS） in 2012. Baseline assessments included a researcher-administered questionnaire, physical examination, and laboratory testing. A logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with SA. Results The prevalence of SA was 38.81% in the CLHLS in 2012. There were significant differences between ages groups, with SA compromising 56.85% among _〉65 years group and 20.31% among 〉100 years group （X2trend=126.73, P〈O.01）. The prevalence of SA among females was 33.59%, which was significantly lower than that among males （45.58%） （X2gender=33.65, P〈0.05）. In the regression analysis, having anemia ~OR=0.744, 95% CI： 0.609-0.910）, poor lifestyle （OR=0.697, 95% CI： 0.568-0.854）, poor sleep quality （OR=0.558, 95% CI： 0.456-0.682）, and central obesity （OR=0.684, 95% CI： 0.556-0.841） were the main factors associated with SA. The promoting SA rate decreased as age increased, and the group of 65-79 years had higher odds than the other age group. Conclusion Preventing central obesity, improving sleep quality and promoting healthy lifestyle may contribute to achieve SA among the elderly.

Comparison of the spatio-temporal dynamics of vegetation between the Changbai Mountains of eastern Eurasia and the Appalachian Mountains of eastern North America

The Changbai Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains have similar spatial contexts.The elevation,latitude,and moisture gradients of both mountain ranges offer regional insight for investigating the vegetation dynamics in eastern Eurasia and eastern North America.We determined and compared the spatial patterns and temporal trends in the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI)in the Changbai Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains using time series data from the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies 3^(rd) generation dataset from 1982 to 2013.The spatial pattern of NDVI in the Changbai Mountains exhibited fragmentation,whereas NDVI in the Appalachian Mountains decreased from south to north.The vegetation dynamics in the Changbai Mountains had an insignificant trend at the regional scale,whereas the dynamics in the Appalachian Mountains had a significant increasing trend.NDVI increased in 55% of the area of the Changbai Mountains and in 95% of the area of the Appalachian Mountains.The peak NDVI occurred one month later in the Changbai Mountains than in the Appalachian Mountains.The results revealed a significant increase in NDVI in autumn in both mountain ranges.The climatic trend in the Changbai Mountains included warming and decreased precipitation,and whereas that in the Appalachian Mountains included significant warming and increased precipitation.Positive and negative correlations existed between NDVI and temperature and precipitation,respectively,in both mountain ranges.Particularly,the spring temperature and NDVI exhibited a significant positive correlation in both mountain ranges.The results of this study suggest that human actives caused the differences in the spatial patterns of NDVI and that various characteristics of climate change and intensity of human actives dominated the differences in the NDVI trends between the Changbai Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains.Additionally,the vegetation dynamics of both mountain ranges were not identical to those in previous broader-scale studies.

Individualization of Data-Segment-Related Parameters for Improvement of EEG Signal Classification in Brain-Computer Interface

In electroencephalogram (EEG) modeling techniques, data segment selection is the first and still an important step. The influence of a set of data-segment-related parameters on feature extraction and classification in an EEG-based brain-computer interface (BCI) was studied. An auto search algorithm was developed to study four datasegment-related parameters in each trial of 12 subjects’ EEG. The length of data segment (LDS), the start position of data (SPD) segment, AR order, and number of trials (NT) were used to build the model. The study showed that, compared with the classification ratio (CR) without parameter selection, the CR was increased by 20% to 30% with proper selection of these data-segment-related parameters, and the optimum parameter values were subject-dependent. This suggests that the data-segment-related parameters should be individualized when building models for BCI.

Spreading rate dependence of morphological characteristics in global oceanic transform faults

We quantified the systematic variations in global transform fault morphology,revealing a first-order dependence on the spreading rate.(1)The average age offset of both the full transform and transform sub-segments decrease with increasing spreading rate.(2)The average depth of both the transform valley and adjacent ridges are smaller in the fast compared to the slow systems,reflecting possibly density anomalies associated with warmer mantle at the fast systems and rifting at the slow ridges.However,the average depth difference between the transform valley and adjacent ridges is relatively constant from the fast to slow systems.(3)The nodal basin at a ridge-transform intersection is deeper and dominant at the ultraslow and slow systems,possibly reflecting a lower magma supply and stronger viscous resistance to mantle upwelling near a colder transform wall.In contrast,the nodal high,is most prominent in the fast,intermediate,and hotspot-influenced systems,where robust axial volcanic ridges extend toward the ridge-transform intersection.(4)Statistically,the average transform valley is wider at a transform system of larger age offset,reflecting thicker deforming plates flanking the transform fault.(5)The maximum magnitude of the transform earthquakes increases with age offset owing to an increase in the seismogenic area.Individual transform faults also exhibit significant anomalies owing to the complex local tectonic and magmatic processes.

A Facile Synthesis of ZnCo2O4 Nanocluster Particles and the Performance as Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

ZnCo_2O_4 nanocluster particles(NCPs) were prepared through a designed hydrothermal method, with the assistance of a surfactant, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate. The crystalline structure and surface morphology of ZnCo_2O_4 were investigated by XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, and BET analyses. The results of SEM and TEM suggest a clear nanocluster particle structure of cubic ZnCo_2O_4(*100 nm in diameter), which consists of aggregated primary nanoparticles(*10 nm in diameter), is achieved. The electrochemical behavior of synthesized ZnCo_2O_4 NCPs was investigated by galvanostatic discharge/charge measurements and cyclic voltammetry. The ZnCo_2O_4 NCPs exhibit a high reversible capacity of 700 mAh g^(-1) over 100 cycles under a current density of 100 mA g^(-1) with an excellent coulombic efficiency of 98.9% and a considerable cycling stability. This work demonstrates a facile technique designed to synthesize ZnCo_2O_4 NCPs which show great potential as anode materials for lithium ion batteries.

Gamma ray absorption of cylindrical fissile material with dual shields

This work analyzed the gamma ray attenuation effect from the self-absorption and shield attenuation per-spectively. An exact mathematical equation was given for the geometric factor of the cylindrical fissile material with dual shields. In addition, several approximation approaches suitable for real situation were discussed, especially in the radial and axial directions of the cylinders, since the G-factors have simple forms. Then the space distribution patterns of the G-factor were analyzed based on numerical result and effective ways to solve the geometric informa-tion of the cylindrical fissile material, the radii and the heights, were deduced. This method was checked and verified by numerical calculation. Because of the efficiency of the method, it is ideal for application in real situations, such as nuclear safeguards, which demands speed of detection and accuracy of geometric analysis.

Stress Wave Propagation Analysis on Vortex-Induced Vibration of Marine Risers

To analyze the stress wave propagation associated with the vortex-induced vibration（VIV） of a marine riser, this paper employed a multi-signal complex exponential method. This method is an extension of the classical Prony＇s method which decomposes a complicated signal into a number of complex exponential components. Because the proposed method processes multiple signals simultaneously, it can estimate the “global” dominating frequencies（poles） shared by those signals.The complex amplitude（residues） corresponding to the estimated frequencies for those signals is also obtained in the process. As the signals were collected at different locations along the axial direction of a marine riser, the phenomena of the stress wave propagation could be analyzed through the obtained residues of those signals. The Norwegian Deepwater Program（NDP） high mode test data were utilized in the numerical studies, including data sets in both the in-line（IL） and cross-flow（CF） directions. It was found that the most dominant component in the IL direction has its stress wave propagation along the riser being dominated by a standing wave, while that in the CF direction dominated by a traveling wave.

A Novel Approach for Evaluating Nonstationary Response of Dynamic Systems to Stochastic Excitation

The transient state of a dynamic system,such as offshore structures,to random excitation is always nonstationary.Many studies have contributed to evaluating response covariances at the transient state of a linear multi-degree-of-freedom(MDOF)system to random excitations,but a closed-form solution was not available unless the excitation was assumed to be a physically unrealizable white noise process.This study derives explicit,closed-form solutions for the response covariances at the transient state by using a pole-residue(PR)approach operated in the Laplace domain when the excitations are assumed to be stationary random processes described by physically realizable spectral density functions.By using the PR method,we can analytically solve the triple integral in evaluating the nonstationary response covariance.As this approach uses the poles and residues of system transfer functions,rather than the conventional mode superposition technique,the method is applicable to MDOF systems with non-classical damping models.Particular application of the proposed method is demonstrated for multi-story shear buildings to stochastic ground acceleration characterized by the Kanai–Tajimi spectral density function model,and a numerical example is provided to illustrate the detailed steps.No numerical integrations are required for computing the response covariances as the exact closed-form solution has been derived.The correctness of the proposed method is numerically verified by Monte Carlo simulations.

The driving factors and their interactions of fire occurrence in Greater Khingan Mountains, China

Fire is an important disturbance in terms of forest management.A comprehensive understanding of the relationships between the spatial distribution of fire occurrence and its driving factors are critical for effective forest fire management.To reveal biogeoclimatic and anthropogenic influences,this study introduced a geographical detector model to quantitatively examine the effects of multiple individual factors and their combinations on spatial patterns of fire occurrence in the Greater Khingan Mountains between 1980 and 2009.The geographical detector computes the explanatory power(q value)to measure the connection between driving factors and spatial distributions of fire occurrence.Kernel density estimation revealed the spatial variability of fire occurrence which was impacted by bandwidth.30 km might be the optimal bandwidth in this study.The biogeoclimatic and anthropogenic effects were explored using topography,climate,vegetation,and human activity factors as proxies.Our results indicated that solar radiation had the most influence on the spatial pattern of fire occurrence in the study area.Meanwhile,Normalized Difference Vegetation Index,temperature,wind speed,and vegetation type were determined as the major driving factors.For various groups of driving factors,climate variables were the dominant factors for the density of fire occurrence,while vegetation exerted a strong influence.The interactions between the driving factors had a more significant impact than a single factor.Individually,the factors in the topography and human activity groups exhibited weaker influences.However,their effects were enhanced when combined with climate and vegetation factors.This study improves our understanding of various driving factors and their combined influences on fire occurrences of the study area in a spatial context.The findings of this study verify that the geographical detector is applicable in revealing the driving factors of fire occurrence.

Shark scavenging behavior in the presence of competition

The distribution of organisms within a community can often be determined by the degree of plasticity or degree ofspecialization of resource acquisition. Resource acquisition is often based on the morphology of an organism, behavior, or a combinationof both. Performance tests of feeding can identify the possible interactions that allow one species to better exploit a preyitem. Scavenging behaviors in the presence or absence of a competitor were investigated by quantifying prey selection in a trophicgeneralist, spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias, and a trophic specialist, smooth-hounds Mustelus canis, in order to determine ifeach shark scavenged according to its jaw morphology. The diet of dogfish consists of small fishes, squid, ctenophores, and bivalves;they are expected to be nonselective predators. Smooth-hounds primarily feed on crustaceans; therefore, they are predictedto select crabs over other prey types. Prey selection was quantified by ranking each prey item according to the order it wasconsumed. Dietary shifts were analyzed by comparing the percentage of each prey item selected during solitary versus competitivescavenging. When scavenging alone, dogfish prefer herring and squid, which are easily handled by the cutting dentition ofdogfish. Dogfish shift their diet to include a greater number of prey types when scavenging with a competitor. Smooth-houndsscavenge on squid, herring, and shrimp when alone, but increase the number of crabs in the diet when scavenging competitively.Competition causes smooth-hounds to scavenge according to their jaw morphology and locomotor abilities, which enables themto feed on a specialized