This paper investigates the effects of oil price shocks and policy uncertainty on the stock returns of clean energy companies. We use a structural vector autoregressive (VAR) model to separate demand ...and supply shocks in the global crude oil market from 2001 to 2018. We find that oil supply shocks and aggregated demand shocks have a positive effect on the returns of clean energy companies, while policy uncertainty shocks and oil-specific-demand shocks have a negative effect. The impacts of these shocks are shown to last relatively long. Moreover, the effects of oil shocks on the clean energy stock returns are amplified by adding policy uncertainty as an endogenously driven factor to the model. The impact of policy uncertainty is mainly transmitted through the uncertainty of inflation.
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) has great potential to revolutionize biomedical research and disease therapy. The specific and efficient genome editing strongly ...depends on high efficiency of delivery of the CRISPR payloads. However, optimization of CRISPR delivery vehicles still remains a major obstacle. Recently, various non-viral vectors have been utilized to deliver CRISPR tools. Many of these vectors have multi-layer structures assembled. In this review, we will introduce the development of CRISPR-Cas9 systems and their general therapeutic applications by summarizing current CRISPR-Cas9 based clinical trials. We will highlight the multi-layer nanoparticles (NPs) that have been developed to deliver CRISPR cargos in vitro and in vivo for various purposes, as well the potential building blocks of multi-layer NPs. We will also discuss the challenges in making the CRISPR tools into viable pharmaceutical products and provide potential solutions on efficiency and biosafety issues.
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Traditional WiFi positioning relies on a predefined radio map, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming for professionals. Recently, crowdsourcing has emerged as a promising solution for ...facilitating WiFi positioning. To crowdsense a radio map, traces collected from normal users are merged to recover the original walking paths. In this work, we design a robust iterative trace merging algorithm called WiFi-RITA based on WiFi access points as signal-marks. The algorithm formulates the trace merging problem as an optimization problem in which each trace is translated and rotated to minimize the limitation of distances among traces defined by WiFi access points. WiFi-RITA is further enhanced by removing outliers. WiFi-RITA is robust to the rotation errors of traces and efficient for a large number of short traces. According to the crowdsensed radio map, a sensor fusion approach based on particle filter by fusing inertial sensors and a multivariate Gaussian fingerprinting is proposed to enhance the accuracy of crowdsourcing indoor positioning. The experiment results in two large-scale environments demonstrate that WiFi-RITA positioning with zero-effort calibration achieves high positioning accuracy, which outperforms Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) and fingerprinting with K Nearest Neighbor.
Biochar is a carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative material produced through thermal decomposition of plant-and animal-based biomass under oxygen-limited conditions.Recently, there has been an ...increasing interest in the application of biochar as an adsorbent, soil ameliorant and climate mitigation approach in many types of applications.Metal-contaminated soil remediation using biochar has been intensively investigated in small-scale and pilot-scale trials with obtained beneficial results and multifaceted effects.But so far, the study and application of biochar in contaminated sediment management has been very limited, and this is also a worldwide problem. Nonetheless, there is reason to believe that the same multiple benefits can also be realized with these sediments due to similar mechanisms for stabilizing contaminants. This paper provides a review on current biochar properties and its use as a sorbent/amendment for metal-contaminated soil/sediment remediation and its effect on plant growth, fauna habits as well as microorganism communities. In addition, the use of biochar as a potential strategy for contaminated sediment management is also discussed, especially as regards in-situ planning. Finally, we highlight the possibility of biochar application as an effective amendment and propose further research directions to ensure the safe and sustainable use of biochar as an amendment for remediation of contaminated soil and sediment.
Adaptive changes in plant phenology are often considered to be a feature of the so-called 'domestication syndrome' that distinguishes modern crops from their wild progenitors, but little detailed ...evidence supports this idea. In soybean, a major legume crop, flowering time variation is well characterized within domesticated germplasm and is critical for modern production, but its importance during domestication is unclear. Here, we identify sequential contributions of two homeologous pseudo-response-regulator genes, Tof12 and Tof11, to ancient flowering time adaptation, and demonstrate that they act via LHY homologs to promote expression of the legume-specific E1 gene and delay flowering under long photoperiods. We show that Tof12-dependent acceleration of maturity accompanied a reduction in dormancy and seed dispersal during soybean domestication, possibly predisposing the incipient crop to latitudinal expansion. Better understanding of this early phase of crop evolution will help to identify functional variation lost during domestication and exploit its potential for future crop improvement.
A facile and metal-free visible-light-enabled three-component reaction of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, alkenes and CF3SO2Na has been developed under air at room temperature.
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A facile and ...metal-free visible-light-enabled three-component reaction of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, alkenes and CF3SO2Na has been developed under air at room temperature. This photocatalytic tandem reaction using 4CzIPN as the photocatalyst and air as the green oxidant, provides a mild and environmentally friendly approach to access a series of 3-trifluoroalkylated quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones.
A mild and efficient photochemical multi-component tandem reaction of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, alkenes and sulfinic acids is reported. This tandem reaction could be conveniently carried out at room ...temperature by employing 4CzIPN as the metal-free photocatalyst and dioxygen (air) as the environmentally benign oxidant. A number of sulfonated quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones were obtained in satisfactory yields with favorable functional group tolerance. Radical trapping experiment and fluorescence quenching experiments were performed to elucidate this visible-light mediated radical reaction process.
A mild and efficient photochemical multi-component reaction of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, alkenes and sulfinic acids was established for the synthesis of sulfonated quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones. This multi-component could be carried out at room temperature by employing 4CzIPN as the photocatalyst and dioxygen (air) as the environmentally benign oxidant. A number of sulfonated quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones were conveniently obtained in satisfactory yields. Display omitted
Water electrolysis for hydrogen production has long been regarded as an ideal tactic for renewable energy conversion and storage, but is impeded by the sluggish kinetics of both the hydrogen and ...oxygen evolution reactions, which are therefore in urgent need for high-performance but low-cost electrocatalysts. Herein, nanoframes of transition metal phosphides (TMPs) with the 3D framework carved open have been demonstrated as highly potent bifunctional catalysts for overall water splitting, reaching the benchmark performance of the Pt/C‖RuO
couple, and are much superior to their nanocubic counterparts. This excellent water splitting behavior can be attributed to the enlarged active surface area, less obstructed electrolyte infiltration, promoted charge transfer, and facilitated gas release. Further through in-depth activity analysis and post-electrocatalysis characterization, special attention has been paid to the fate and role of phosphorus in the electrocatalytic process, suggesting that despite the chemical instability of the TMPs (especially under OER conditions), excellent electrocatalytic stability can still be achieved through the amorphous bimetallic hydroxides/oxides formed
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