A perturbed martingale approach to global optimization

A new global stochastic search, guided mainly through derivative-free directional information computable from the sample statistical moments of the design variables within a Monte Carlo setup, is proposed. The search is aided by imparting to the directional update term additional layers of random perturbations referred to as ‘coalescence’ and ‘scrambling’. A selection step, constituting yet another avenue for random perturbation, completes the global search. The direction-driven nature of the search is manifest in the local extremization and coalescence components, which are posed as martingale problems that yield gain-like update terms upon discretization. As anticipated and numerically demonstrated, to a limited extent, against the problem of parameter recovery given the chaotic response histories of a couple of nonlinear oscillators, the proposed method appears to offer a more rational, more accurate and faster alternative to most available evolutionary schemes, prominently the particle swarm optimization.     

Robust multilevel methods for quadratic finite element anisotropic elliptic problems

This paper discusses a class of multilevel preconditioners based on approximate block factorization for conforming finite element methods employing quadratic trial and test functions. The main focus is on diffusion problems governed by a scalar elliptic partial differential equation with a strongly anisotropic coefficient tensor. The proposed method provides a high robustness with respect to non‐grid‐aligned anisotropy, which is achieved by the interaction of the following components: (i) an additive Schur complement approximation to construct the coarse‐grid operator; (ii) a global block (Jacobi or Gauss–Seidel) smoother complementing the coarse‐grid correction based on (i); and (iii) utilization of an augmented coarse grid, which enhances the efficiency of the interplay between (i) and (ii). The performed analysis indicates the high robustness of the resulting two‐level method. Moreover, numerical tests with a nonlinear algebraic multilevel iteration method demonstrate that the presented two‐level method can be applied successfully in the recursive construction of uniform multilevel preconditioners of optimal or nearly optimal order of computational complexity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Specific interaction between fluorine atoms and thiol groups accounting for higher domain purity and photostability in narrowband BHJ systems

In order to explore the role of fluorine atoms on photostability as well as morphology control of active layer in the presence of 1,4‐butanedithiol (BT), the four polymers with or without fluorine atoms in the backbones including polythieno[3,4‐b]thiophene/benzodithiophene, poly[(4,8‐bis‐(2‐ethylhexyloxy)‐benzo(1,2‐b:4,5‐b9)dithiophene)‐2,6‐diyl‐alt‐(4‐(2‐ethylhexanoyl)‐thieno[3,4‐b]thiophene‐)‐2‐6‐diyl)], poly[4,8‐bis(5‐(2‐ethylhexyl)thiophen‐2‐yl)benzo[1,2‐b;4,5‐b′]dithiophene‐2,6‐diyl‐alt‐(4‐(2‐ethylhexyl)‐3‐fluorothieno[3,4‐b]thiophene‐)‐2‐carboxylate‐2‐6‐diyl)], and poly[4,8‐bis‐(2‐ethyl‐hexyl‐thiophene‐5‐yl)‐benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b0]dithiophene‐2,6‐diyl]‐alt‐[2‐(20‐ethyl‐hexanoyl)‐thieno [3,4‐b]thiophen‐4,6‐diyl] were selected for comparison. It is found that the specimens containing fluorine atoms in polymer backbones showed of higher stability after illumination for 1 h in the presence of BT additive, contributing to the higher domain purity. The specific interaction between fluorine atoms and thiol groups was demonstrated by the appearance of novel absorption peak at 2663.1 cm^?1, in addition to the broadening of peak at 2556.2 cm^?1 ascribing to S? H stretching vibration as confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The finding may guide the accurate use of thiols as effective solvent additive in morphology and stability optimization. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 941–951     

Influence of pyridine-based ligands on photostability of MAPbI3 thin films

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Bioprinting of Collagen: Considerations,Potentials, and Applications

Collagen is the most abundant extracellular matrix protein that is widely used in tissue engineering (TE). There is little research done on printing pure collagen. To understand the bottlenecks in printing pure collagen, it is imperative to understand collagen from a bottom‐up approach. Here it is aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of collagen printing, where collagen assembly in vivo and the various sources of collagen available for TE application are first understood. Next, the current printing technologies and strategy for printing collagen‐based materials are highlighted. Considerations and key challenges faced in collagen printing are identified. Finally, the key research areas that would enhance the functionality of printed collagen are presented.     

High‐efficiency polymer solar cells based on phenylenevinylene copolymer with BF2‐azopyrrole complex and CN‐PC70BM with solvent additive

Power conversion efficiency (PCE) of phenylenevinylene‐based copolymer with BF₂ azopyrrole complex (PB)/modified PC₇₀BM, that is, CN‐PC₇₀BM bulk heterojunction solar cells improves from 2.16 to 4.90% using a processing additive and drying condition. The results demonstrate that a processing additive and drying condition provides an effective means to control both the surface roughness and finer interpenetrating networks to enhance the exciton dissociation into free charge carriers, charge transportation, and collection. Taking into the account of simple device fabrication process without thermal annealing, the PCE of the polymer solar cell can further improved by chloronapthalene (CN) additive under the fast drying condition. The average carrier lifetimes extracted from the impedance spectra and found to correlate with measured PCEs. At short circuit conditions and illumination, the average charge carrier lifetime was found vary from 16.8 to 32 μs with power conversion efficiencies ranging from 3.0 to 4.9%. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

Hypercoal对不同炼焦煤炭化改质作用的显微镜研究

Hypercoal(HPC)被作为一种添加剂加入到两种性质不同的炼焦煤中,以探讨其对炼焦煤炭化的改质作用。通过偏光显微镜以及扫描电镜观测炭化产物的组织结构变化。结果表明,添加剂的用量以及粒径对炼焦煤炭化改质作用的大小与原料煤的煤质有关,对焦煤改质时要求添加剂颗粒的粒径较大;而对弱黏结性煤改质时,添加剂粒径较小且添加量较多更有利于黏结和熔融作用。通过添加HPC可改善焦煤因过度膨胀造成的不均匀孔隙结构,而且孔的数量与孔径减小,孔壁增厚;添加剂在炭化过程中产生的胶质体促进了弱黏结性煤的黏结和熔融,改善了炭化产物的结构。实验还考察了原料中水分、成型压力等因素对炭化产物结构的影响。结果表明,煤中水分会在炭化产物中产生特殊的孔隙结构,而成型压力对炭化改质作用则因原料煤质不同而不同。     

Coherence resonance in a noise-driven gene network regulated by small RNA

Small RNA has recently drawn more and more attention. In this paper, we concentrate on the influence of noises on gene network regulated by small RNA using chemical Langevin equation. It shows that the noise can cause oscillation when the oscillate does not occur in the corresponding deterministic system. The coherence of the noise induced oscillation reaches a maximum for an optimal intensity of noise, and the coherence resonance appears accordingly. The findings imply probably omnipresent importance of noise in the functioning process of living organism.     

Enantiomeric separations of four basic drugs containing N-alkyl groups by a RP-HPLC system using SBE-β-CD as chiral mobile phase additive

The chiral separations of four pharmaceutical racemates which contain N-alkyl groups were satisfactorily resolved using SBE-β-CD as a chiral mobile phase additive(CMPA)in a RP-HPLC system(the resolution is 2.701 for ondansetron hydrochloride,1.996 for sulpiride,1.293 for clenbuterol hydrochloride and 0.816 for omeprazole).In addition,the effects of different parameters such as CD type and CD concentration were investigated.The separation mechanism arises through the combination of several potential interactions,including electrostatic interactions as well as hydrogen bonding interactions and hydrophobic inclusion interactions,which allow for the SBE-β-CD–drug complexation with strong stereoselectivity and stability.The resolution also relates to the number and location of N atoms in the enantiomers.This method will be applicable to the isolation of various types of biologically important enantiomers containing N-alkyl groups.     

Copper(II)‐Catalyzed Tandem Synthesis of Substituted 3‐Methyleneisoindolin‐1‐ones

An efficient strategy for the synthesis of a variety of 3‐methyleneisoindolin‐1‐ones has been developed. The reaction proceeded from coupling of 2‐iodobenzamides (or 2‐bromobenzamides) and terminal alkynes via Cu(OAc)₂·H₂O/2,2′‐biimidazole catalyzed in DMF at 60°C and subsequent additive cyclization produced substituted 3‐methyleneisoindolin‐1‐ones in good to excellent yields.