Stability analysis of switched fractional-order continuous-time systems

Nonlinear Dynamics - In this paper, a class of switched fractional-order continuous-time systems with order $$0<\alpha <1$$ is investigated. First, an interesting property of...     

In-situ SiN combined with etch-stop barrier structure for high-frequency AlGaN/GaN HEMT

The etch-stop structure including the in-situ SiN and AlGaN/GaN barrier is proposed for high frequency applications.The etch-stop process is realized by placing an in-situ SiN layer on the top of the thin AlGaN barrier.F-based etching can be self-terminated after removing SiN,leaving the AlGaN barrier in the gate region.With this in-situ SiN and thin barrier etch-stop structure,the short channel effect can be suppressed,meanwhile achieving highly precisely controlled and low damage etching process.The device shows a maximum drain current of 1022 mA/mm,a peak transconductance of 459 mS/mm,and a maximum oscillation frequency(fmax)of 248 GHz.     

Analysis of variations in the contents of steroidal saponins in Fructus Tribuli during stir-frying treatment

Just as natural saponins transform into aglycones, secondary glycosides and their derivatives using biotransformation technology, steroidal saponins may also undergo similar transformation after stir-frying. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the variations and the reasons for these variations in the contents of steroidal saponins in Fructus Tribuli (FT) during a stir-frying treatment. Stir-fried FT was processed in different time–temperature conditions. An UHPLC–MS/MS method was established and fully validated for quantitative analysis. In addition, the simulation processing products of tribuluside A, terrestroside B, terrestrosin K, terrestrosin D and 25R-tribulosin were determined by qualitative analysis using UHPLC–Q-TOF–MS. The established UHPLC–MS/MS method provides a rapid, flexible, and reliable method for the quality assessment of FT. The present study revealed that furostanol saponins with a C22-OH group could transform into corresponding furostanol saponins with a C-20–C-22 double bond (FSDB) via dehydroxylation. Additionally, FSDB could be successively converted into its secondary glycosides via a deglycosylation reaction. The transformation of spirostanol saponins into corresponding aglycones via deglycosylation led to a decrease in spirostanol saponins and an increase in aglycones. The results of this research provided scientific evidence of variation and structural transformation among steroidal saponins. These findings might be helpful for elucidating the processing mechanism of FT.     

Comparative proteomic analysis of round and elongated spermatids during spermiogenesis in mice

Spermiogenesis in mammals is an exclusive process during which haploid round spermatids mature into spermatozoa in the testis. Any abnormality in the process of spermiogenesis may result in male infertility. The aim of the present study was to characterize the differentially expressed proteins between round and elongated spermatids in mice using label-free quantitative mass spectrometry. Of the 2411 proteins identified in this study, 333 were differentially expressed with a ≥10-fold change, including 208 upregulated proteins and 125 downregulated proteins in round spermatids relative to elongated spermatids. Gene Ontology analysis showed that these differentially expressed proteins were categorized into 10 types of subcellular localizations, 9 molecular functions, and were involved in 9 biological processes. All the identified proteins participated in 268 different pathways. In addition, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis and the proteasome pathway, autophagy, lysosome, and apoptosis pathways were involved in the mechanism of spermiogenesis. Our data may provide valuable information for a better understanding of spermiogenesis and help improve the diagnosis and treatment of male factor infertility.     

Efficient removal of oil pollutant via simultaneous adsorption and photocatalysis using La–N–TiO2–cellulose/SiO2 difunctional aerogel composite

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Nano-TiO2 photocatalysts doped with La–N(La–N–TiO2) were prepared by solgel method. The La–N–TiO2 was loaded on the cellulose/SiO2...     

Cobalt-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Hydroboration of Allenes

An efficient pincer-ligand-based cobalt-complex-catalyzed allene hydroboration affording Z-allylic boronates is described. The reaction demonstrates an excellent regio- as well as Z-stereoselectivity and a wide substrate scope that tolerates many functional groups. Based on solvent-assisted electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (SAESI-MS) studies, a rationale for the cobalt-catalyzed hydroboration involving the highly selective insertion of an allene into the Co−H bond to form Z-allylic cobalt intermediates is proposed.     

Redox-Active Two-Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) for Selective Reductive Separation of Valence-Variable,Redox-Sensitive and Long-Lived Radionuclides

We report the first example of 2D covalent organic framework nanosheets (Redox-COF1) for the selective reduction and in situ loading of valence-variable, redox-sensitive and long-lived radionuclides (abbreviated as VRL nuclides). Compared with sorbents based on chemical adsorption and physical adsorption, the redox adsorption mechanism of Redox-COF1 can effectively reduce the impact of functional group protonation under the usual high-acidity conditions in chemisorption, and raise the adsorption efficiency from the monotonous capture by pores in physisorption. The adsorption selectivity for UO₂²⁺ reaches up to unprecedented ca. 97 % at pH 3, more than for any analogous adsorbing material.     

The first excited single-proton resonance in 15F by complex-scaled Green's function method

The complex-scaled Green's function(CGF)method is employed to explore the single-proton resonance in 15F.Special attention is paid to the first excited resonant state 5/2+,which has been widely studied in both theory and experiments.However,past studies generally overestimated the width of the 5/2+state.The predicted energy and width of the first excited resonant state 5/2+by the CGF method are both in good agreement with the experimental value and close to Fortune's new estimation.Furthermore,the influence of the potential parameters and quadruple deformation effects on the resonant states are investigated in detail,which is helpful to the study of the shell structure evolution.     

Computational Study on the Charge Transport and Optical Spectra of Anthracene Derivatives in Aggregates

A recent experiment [Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017 , 56, 722–727] found that a (1 : 9) blend film of two anthracene derivatives, 2-fluorenyl-2-anthracene ( FlAnt ) and 2-anthryl-2-anthracence ( 2 A ), exhibit both efficient white light emission and high hole mobility, thus promising for organic light-emitting transistors (OLETs). Employing quantum chemistry at the polarizable continuum model (PCM) and the quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) levels, we investigated the excited-state structures, optical spectra, band structure and the carrier mobility for FlAnt and 2 A from solution to aggregate phases. We suggest using the ratio of intermolecular excitonic coupling J and intramolecular excited state relaxation energy E to judge the bathochromic shift in optical emission in aggregates. For FlAnt , ρ=J/E is calculated to be less than 0.17, a critical value we identified earlier, and the spectra in solution and aggregate phases present quite similar features (blue emission). However, ρ is ∼0.5 for 2 A systems, and the calculated emission in the aggregate phase exhibits a remarkable bathochromic shift. In addition, the 0–0 emission is strongly suppressed in the herringbone stacking. These observations justify the experimental findings that (i) 2 A is blue emissive in solution but yellow-green in the aggregate phase, whereas FlAnt is always blue, and (ii) the blend of them show white emission. By using the “quantum nuclear tunneling” model we proposed earlier, we found the hole mobility for FlAnt and 2 A are 0.5 and 4.2 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively, indicating both are good hole transport materials.     

Modeling ExB drift transport in conceptual slot divertor configurations

At DIII-D, a slot divertor concept, called small-angle-slot (SAS), is under development, aiming to enable detachment at relatively low plasma edge density. We report on simulations using the SOLPS-ITER two-dimensional edge code to examine the performance of conceptual “SAS 2” slot configurations. The focus of the analysis is on E  ×  B drift effects on upstream density at detachment (UDD), with detachment marked by electron temperature T_e ≤ 3 eV at the outer strike point (OSP). With toroidal field such that radial E  ×  B drift carries particles from the OSP towards the private flux region (PFR), placing the OSP near the inner slot wall gives ≈20% lower UDD than having the OSP near the outer wall. The inner wall effectively traps the radial E  ×  B drift flux, resulting in low T_e and associated radial electric field in the PFR, and thus small losses from the slot to the inner target via poloidal E  ×  B drift flux. With toroidal field reversed such that radial E  ×  B drift is reversed, OSP placement near the inner wall gives ≈10% lower UDD than OSP placement near the outer wall. Although radial E  ×  B flux is from the OSP towards the outer wall, this flux largely escapes the slot, raising the UDD. A change in the slot shaping is suggested with the goal of eliminating such E  ×  B -driven particle losses from the slot.