Advantage of populous countries in the trends of innovation efficiency

A flurry of studies indicates that population size has a positive effect on innovation, however, cross-country empirical evidence remains sparse. In this paper, we add to the literature by investigating the relationship between population size and innovation efficiency at the country level through constructing three relative indexes based on the datasets of patent applications and Research and Development (R&D) investment. Different from previous studies based on absolute innovation indicators, the relative indexes can reflect the core innovation efficiency of economies by excluding the impact from the difference of economic development level, with a view putting all economies into a comparable standard framework. For all of the three relative indexes, their long-term trends show significant correlations with population size, and the economy with a larger population usually has better and stable performance on the trends of innovation efficiency. In addition, we find that there is a critical population size, over which the economy would be more likely to have a spontaneous improvement on innovation efficiency. This study provides direct evidence in supporting the population size advantage on the trends of innovation efficiency at the economy level and provides new insight to understand the rapid development of innovation in a few populous countries.     

Efficient scheme for realizing a multiplex-controlled phase gate with photonic qubits in circuit quantum electrodynamics

We propose an efficient scheme to implement a multiplex-controlled phase gate with multiple photonic qubits simultaneously controlling one target photonic qubit based on circuit quantum electrodynamics (QED). For convenience, we denote this multiqubit gate as MCP gate. The gate is realized by using a two-level coupler to couple multiple cavities. The coupler here is a superconducting qubit. This scheme is simple because the gate implementation requires only one step of operation. In addition, this scheme is quite general because the two logic states of each photonic qubit can be encoded with a vacuum state and an arbitrary non-vacuum state |φ> (e.g., a Fock state, a superposition of Fock states, a cat state, or a coherent state, etc.) which is orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal to the vacuum state. The scheme has some additional advantages: because only two levels of the coupler are used, i.e., no auxiliary levels are utilized, decoherence from higher energy levels of the coupler is avoided; the gate operation time does not depend on the number of qubits; and the gate is implemented deterministically because no measurement is applied. As an example, we numerically analyze the circuit-QED based experimental feasibility of implementing a three-qubit MCP gate with photonic qubits each encoded via a vacuum state and a cat state. The scheme can be applied to accomplish the same task in a wide range of physical system, which consists of multiple microwave or optical cavities coupled to a two-level coupler such as a natural or artificial atom.     

Three-dimensional EHD simulation for point corona electrostatic precipitator based on laminar and turbulent models

The three-dimensional flow interaction for tuft or point corona for industrial electrostatic precipitators was investigated using both laminar and turbulent flow models. The secondary flow distribution based on laminar flow model forms a pair of organized donut-shaped rings generated from every corona or tuft points, while a pair of rings is less organized for turbulent flow model. When the primary flow exists, the organized spiral motion for turbulent model is further diffused in the direction of gas flow and increased N_EHD, which leads to turbulent flow. Turbulent model appears to be more appropriate for predicting the wire-plate ESP based on experimental investigation.     

Combined Dynamic Kinetic Resolution and C−H Functionalization for Facile Synthesis of Non-Biaryl-Atropisomer-Type Axially Chiral Organosilanes

Although asymmetric C−H functionalization has been available for the synthesis of structurally diverse molecules, catalytic dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) approaches to change racemic stereogenic axes remain synthetic challenges in this field. Here, a concise palladium-catalyzed DKR was combined with C−H functionalization involving olefination and alkynylation for the highly efficient synthesis of non-biaryl-atropisomer-type (NBA) axially chiral oragnosilanes. The chemistry proceeded through two different and distinct DKR: first, an atroposelective C−H olefination or alkynylation produced axially chiral vinylsilanes or alkynylsilanes as a new family of non-biaryl atropisomers (NBA), and second, the extension of this DKR strategy to twofold o,o′-C−H functionalization led to the multifunctional axially chiral organosilicon compounds with up to >99 % ee.     

High-intensity ultrasound modified the functional properties of Neosalanx taihuensis myofibrillar protein and improved its emulsion stability

This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-intensity ultrasound treatment on the functional properties and emulsion stability of Neosalanx taihuensis myofibrillar protein (MP). The results showed that the carbonyl groups, emulsification properties, intrinsic fluorescence intensity, and surface hydrophobicity of the ultrasound treated MP solution were increased compared to the MP without ultrasound treatment. The results of secondary structure showed that the ultrasound treatment could cause a huge increase of β-sheet and a decline of α-helix of MP, indicating that ultrasound induced molecular unfolding and stretching. Moreover, ultrasound reduced the content of total sulfhydryl and led to a certain degree of MP cross-linking. The microscopic morphology of MP emulsion indicated that the emulsion droplet decreased with the increase of ultrasound power. In addition, ultrasound could also increase the storage modulus of the MP emulsion. The results for the lipid oxidation products indicated that ultrasound significantly improved the oxidative stability of N. taihuensis MP emulsions. This study offers an important reference theoretically for the ultrasound modification of aquatic proteins and the future development of N. taihuensis deep-processed products represented by surimi.     

Small-scale properties of the KPZ equation and dynamical symmetry breaking

A functional integral technique is used to study the ultraviolet or short distance properties of the Kardar–Parisi–Zhang (KPZ) equation with white Gaussian noise. We apply this technique to calculate the one-loop effective potential for the KPZ equation. The effective potential is (at least) one-loop ultraviolet renormalizable in 1, 2, and 3 space dimensions, but non-renormalizable in 4 or higher space dimensions. This potential is intimately related to the probability distribution function (PDF) for the spacetime averaged field. For the restricted class of field configurations considered here, the KPZ equation exhibits dynamical symmetry breaking (DSB) via an analog of the Coleman–Weinberg mechanism in 1 and 2 space dimensions, but not in 3 space dimensions.     

文化遗产数字化展示与互动技术研究与进展

以计算机图形学、虚拟现实（VR)、增强现实(AR)、计算机动画等技术为支撑的数字文化遗产技术，为数字化记录、保存、展示和利用文化遗产提供了丰富的手段。结合笔者所在课题组近20 a在数字文化遗产方面的工作，对文化遗产数字化展示与互动技术的国内外发展现状进行了综述，对其中的关键技术，包括数字化建模、数字化呈现和人机互动进行了深入讨论，并介绍了笔者在京杭大运河虚拟漫游系统和清明上河图动画与互动系统实现中的经验。最后，讨论了面临的挑战和发展趋势。     

Advances and challenges of sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification (SDAD) for nitrogen removal

Sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification (SDAD), a process suited for the treatment of nitrogen and sulfur-polluted wastewater without extra supplement of organic carbon, is a promising biological nitrogen removal process. However, the SDAD process was affected by many factors such as various electron donors, organic carbon and exogenous substances (e.g., antibiotics and heavy metal), which prevent further application. Thus, we conducted a detailed review of previous studies on such influence factors and its current application. Besides, a comparative analysis was adopted to recognize the current challenges and future needs for feasible application, so as to ultimately perfect the SDAD process and extend its application scope.