The influence of heat treatment on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and wear behaviors of stainless steel 316L (SS316L) produced via selective laser melting (SLM) was investigated. The ...fabricated SLM samples were subjected to two different heat treatments: a typical furnace-type heat treatment conducted at 1100 °C for 0.5 h and hot isostatic pressing performed at 1100 °C and 100 MPa for 1.5 h. High-density SLM samples with low porosities were obtained by increasing the laser power and decreasing the scan speed. The heat treatments of the fabricated SLM samples induced the removal of porosity, cellular microstructure, and dense dislocation structures with a slight increase in grain size. In terms of mechanical properties, the fabricated SLM samples exhibited similar hardness and tensile strength properties to those of the conventional SS316L, while a significantly lower elongation was evident. The heat treatments of the fabricated SLM samples improved elongation, while the surface hardness and tensile strength decreased owing to microstructural evolution. During the pin-on-disk test, the conventional SS316L and fabricated SLM sample exhibited similar wear resistance values, which decreased after the heat treatments of the fabricated SLM samples owing to the heat treatment-induced surface softening.
Given that a considerably large population suffers from shortage of water, there are numerous on‐going efforts to turn seawater into freshwater, and electrochemical desalination ...processes—particularly capacitive deionization (CDI)—have gained significant attention due to their high energy efficiency and reliable performance. Meanwhile, carbonaceous electrode materials, which are most commonly used in CDI systems, have poor long‐term stability due to unfavorable interactions with oxygen in saline water. Herein, rapid and vigorous inversion of surface charges in heteroatom‐doped carbon electrodes, which leads to a robust operation of CDI with high desalination capacity, is reported for the first time. By carbonization of coffee wastes, nitrogen‐ and sulfur‐codoped activated carbon with hierarchical micro/mesopores are prepared in an environmentally‐friendly manner, and this carbon results in a significantly higher inverted capacity than that of various activated carbon counterparts in long‐term CDI operations, without any sign of drop in performance. Investigations on the changes in physicochemical properties of the electrodes during the inversion disclose the favorable roles of nitrogen and sulfur dopants, which can be summarized as enlarging the difference between the surface charges of the two electrodes by chemical interactions with oxygen in the anode and carbon in the cathode.
Heteroatom‐doped carbon electrodes undergo rapid inversion of surface charges during capacitive deionization, which leads to high desalination capacity and excellent long‐term stability. The roles of dopants in accelerated inversion are revealed as having a direct interaction with oxygen in the anode and carbon in the cathode, and this discovery provides important insights for design of carbonaceous materials for various electrochemical applications.
Bacillus genus produces several secondary metabolites with biocontrol ability against various phytopathogens. Bacillus velezensis AK-0 (AK-0), an antagonistic strain isolated from Korean ginseng ...rhizospheric soil, was found to exhibit antagonistic activity against several phytopathogens. To further display the genetic mechanism of the biocontrol traits of AK-0, we report the complete genome sequence of AK-0 and compared it with complete genome sequences of closely related strains. We report the biocontrol activity of AK-0 against apple bitter rot caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, which could lead to commercialization of this strain as a microbial biopesticide in Korea. To retain its biocontrol efficacy for a longer period, AK-0 has been formulated with ingredients for commercialization, named AK-0 product formulation (AK-0PF). AK-0PF played a role in the suppression of the mycelial growth of the fungicide-resistant pathogen C. gloeosporioides YCHH4 at a greater level than the non-treated control. Moreover, AK-0PF exhibited greater disease suppression of bitter rot in matured under field conditions. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of the AK-0 strain, which has a 3,969,429 bp circular chromosome with 3808 genes and a G+C content of 46.5%. The genome sequence of AK-0 provides a greater understanding of the Bacillus species, which displays biocontrol activity via secondary metabolites. The genome has eight potential secondary metabolite biosynthetic clusters, among which, ituD and bacD genes were expressed at a greater level than other genes. This work provides a better understanding of the strain AK-0, as an effective biocontrol agent (BCA) against phytopathogens, including bitter rot in apple.
Toxic gases have surreptitiously influenced the health and environment of contemporary society with their odorless/colorless characteristics. As a result, a pressing need for reliable and portable ...gas-sensing devices has continuously increased. However, with their negligence to efficiently microstructure their bulky supportive layer on which the sensing and heating materials are located, previous semiconductor metal-oxide gas sensors have been unable to fully enhance their power efficiency, a critical factor in power-stringent portable devices. Herein, an ultrathin insulation layer with a unique serpentine architecture is proposed for the development of a power-efficient gas sensor, consuming only 2.3 mW with an operating temperature of 300 °C (≈6% of the leading commercial product). Utilizing a mechanically robust serpentine design, this work presents a fully suspended standalone device with a supportive layer thickness of only ≈50 nm. The developed gas sensor shows excellent mechanical durability, operating over 10 000 on/off cycles and ≈2 years of life expectancy under continuous operation. The gas sensor detected carbon monoxide concentrations from 30 to 1 ppm with an average response time of ≈15 s and distinguishable sensitivity to 1 ppm (ΔR/R0 = 5%). The mass-producible fabrication and heating efficiency presented here provide an exemplary platform for diverse power-efficient-related devices.
In the Northwestern Pacific, the meridionally propagating Rossby waves, known as the Pacific‐Japan (PJ) pattern, is the dominant teleconnection pattern and is considered as a source of heatwaves in ...East Asia. In this study, the circulation and thermodynamic characteristics of these patterns were investigated based on daily timescale to evaluate their relationship with the likelihood of heatwaves in Korea and Japan. The investigations reveal that stations in Korea and Japan record approximately 90% increase in extremely hot days (Tmax > 35°C) during the positive PJ pattern events. According to thermodynamic budget, horizontal heat advection is a key factor for the observed near‐surface warming during the positive PJ. The circulation pattern during the positive PJ largely explains the enhanced warm advection and physical heating due to the increased insolation and adiabatic heating are secondary factors for near‐surface warming. This phenomenon is robustly observed regardless of the definition.
Plain Language Summary
In this study, the circulation and thermodynamic characteristics of these patterns were investigated based on daily timescale to evaluate their relationship with occurrence likelihood of heatwaves in Korea and Japan. The investigations reveal that stations in Korea and Japan record approximately 90% increase in extreme hot days during the positive PJ pattern events. According to thermodynamic budget calculations, horizontal heat advection is a key factor for the observed near‐surface warming.
Key Points
Summer temperatures and the likelihood of heatwaves increase significantly over Korea and Japan in the positive Pacific‐Japan (PJ) pattern
Horizontal heat advection from the subtropical ocean is a key factor for the observed near‐surface warming observed in Korea and Japan
PJ‐related near‐surface circulation explains the intense warm advection
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can cause cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and is therefore a serious public health problem. Infected patients are currently treated with ...nucleoside/nucleotide analogs and interferon α, but this approach is not curative. Here, we screen 978 FDA-approved compounds for their ability to inhibit HBV replication in HBV-expressing HepG2.2.15 cells. We find that ciclopirox, a synthetic antifungal agent, strongly inhibits HBV replication in cells and in mice by blocking HBV capsid assembly. The crystal structure of the HBV core protein and ciclopirox complex reveals a unique binding mode at dimer-dimer interfaces. Ciclopirox synergizes with nucleoside/nucleotide analogs to prevent HBV replication in cells and in a humanized liver mouse model. Therefore, orally-administered ciclopirox may provide a novel opportunity to combat chronic HBV infection by blocking HBV capsid assembly.
Recently, copper oxide (CuO) has drawn much attention as a promising material in visible light photodetection with its advantages in ease of nanofabrication. CuO allows a variety of nanostructures to ...be explored to enhance the optoelectrical performance such as photogenerated carriers scattering and bandgap engineering. However, previous researches neglect in-depth analysis of CuO's light interaction effects, restrictively using random orientation such as randomly arranged nanowires, single nanowires, and dispersed nanoparticles. Here, we demonstrate an ultra-high performance CuO visible light photodetector utilizing perfectly-aligned nanowire array structures. CuO nanowires with 300 nm-width critical dimension suppressed carrier transport in the dark state and enhanced the conversion of photons to carriers; additionally, the aligned arrangement of the nanowires with designed geometry improved the light absorption by means of the constructive interference effect. The proposed nanostructures provide advantages in terms of dark current, photocurrent, and response time, showing unprecedentedly high (state-of-the-art) optoelectronic performance, including high values of sensitivity (S = 172.21%), photo-responsivity (R = 16.03 A/W, λ = 535 nm), photo-detectivity (D
= 7.78 × 10
Jones), rise/decay time (τ
/τ
= 0.31 s/1.21 s).
Elemental phosphorus exhibits fascinating structural varieties and versatile properties. The unique nature of phosphorus bonds can lead to the formation of extremely complex structures, and detailed ...structural information on some phosphorus polymorphs is yet to be investigated. In this study, we investigated an unidentified crystalline phase of phosphorus, type‐II red phosphorus (RP), by combining state‐of‐the‐art structural characterization techniques. Electron diffraction tomography, atomic‐resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), powder X‐ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy were concurrently used to elucidate the hidden structural motifs and their packing in type‐II RP. Electron diffraction tomography, performed using individual crystalline nanowires, was used to identify a triclinic unit cell with volume of 5330 Å3, which is the largest unit cell for elemental phosphorus crystals up to now and contains approximately 250 phosphorus atoms. Atomic‐resolution STEM imaging, which was performed along different crystal‐zone axes, confirmed that the twisted wavy tubular motif is the basic building block of type‐II RP. Our study discovered and presented a new variation of building blocks in phosphorus, and it provides insights to clarify the complexities observed in phosphorus as well as other relevant systems.
The crystal structure of type‐II red phosphorus is investigated by various structural characterizations, including 3D electron diffraction, atomic‐resolution STEM imaging, and powder X‐ray diffraction. A triclinic unit cell with a large volume containing around 250 phosphorus atoms is identified via 3D electron diffraction. The twisted wavy tubular motif, a new variation of building blocks in phosphorus, is also revealed via STEM.
Organic/inorganic hybrid solar cells, typically mesoscopic and perovskite solar cells, are regarded as promising candidates to replace conventional silicon or thin film photovoltaics. There have been ...intensive investigations on the development of advanced materials for improved power conversion efficiencies, however, economical feasibilities and reliabilities of the organic/inorganic photovoltaics are yet to reach at a sufficient level for practical utilizations. In this study, cobalt nitride (CoN) nanofilms prepared by room‐temperature vapor deposition in an inert N2 atmosphere, which is a facile and highly reproducible procedure, are proposed as a low‐cost counter electrode in mesoscopic dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSCs) and a hole transport material in inverted planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs) for the first time. The CoN film successfully replaces conventional Pt in DSCs, resulting in a power conversion efficiency comparable to the ones based on Pt. In addition, PSCs employing the CoN manifest high efficiency even up to 15.0%, which is comparable to state‐of‐the‐art performance in the cases of PSCs employing inorganic hole transporters. Furthermore, flexible solar cell applications of the CoN are performed in both mesoscopic and perovskite solar cells, verifying the advantages of the room‐temperature deposition process and feasibilities of the CoN nanofilms in various fields.
CoN nanofilms prepared by room‐temperature vapor deposition are applied as electrocatalysts and hole transport materials in organic/inorganic hybrid solar cells. The CoN counter electrode in place of Pt manifests a comparably high performance, and power conversion efficiency achieved in perovskite solar cells employing the CoN hole transporter is among the state‐of‐the‐art results from inorganic hole transport materials.
Nucleocytoplasmic transport (NCT) defects have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as C9ORF72-associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (C9-ALS/FTD). Here, ...we identify a neuroprotective pathway of like-Sm protein 12 (LSM12) and exchange protein directly activated by cyclic AMP 1 (EPAC1) that sustains the nucleocytoplasmic RAN gradient and thereby suppresses NCT dysfunction by the C9ORF72-derived poly(glycine-arginine) protein. LSM12 depletion in human neuroblastoma cells aggravated poly(GR)-induced impairment of NCT and nuclear integrity while promoting the nuclear accumulation of poly(GR) granules. In fact, LSM12 posttranscriptionally up-regulated EPAC1 expression, whereas EPAC1 overexpression rescued the RAN gradient and NCT defects in LSM12-deleted cells. C9-ALS patient-derived neurons differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (C9-ALS iPSNs) displayed low expression of LSM12 and EPAC1. Lentiviral overexpression of LSM12 or EPAC1 indeed restored the RAN gradient, mitigated the pathogenic mislocalization of TDP-43, and suppressed caspase-3 activation for apoptosis in C9-ALS iPSNs. EPAC1 depletion biochemically dissociated RAN-importin β1 from the cytoplasmic nuclear pore complex, thereby dissipating the nucleocytoplasmic RAN gradient essential for NCT. These findings define the LSM12-EPAC1 pathway as an important suppressor of the NCT-related pathologies in C9-ALS/FTD.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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