Favorable Cost Research Articles

Fluorescence switching of natural fibers with in-situ formation of gold nanoclusters

Natural fibers are a class of thread-like bio-based materials with merits of favorable mechanical properties, low cost, and minimal environmental impact, etc. Endowing additional functionalities to natural fibers would further encourage greater utilization of these renewable materials. In this work, we present a new strategy to integrate ultrasmall (<3 nm) gold nanoclusters (AuNC) with coconut fibers (coir), which resulted in a unique fluorescence switchable composite material. Specifically, we demonstrate that the delignified, green-emissive coir can act as a heterogeneous reducing and nucleating agent to form luminescent AuNC. The immobilization of AuNC switches the intrinsic green emission of delignified coir into enhanced orange emission of the resultant composite material. Our further investigations suggest that the fluorescence switching is governed by the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) process despite their disparity in material type, morphology, and size. Several important parameters, such as the FRET efficiency (E), rate constant (kT), the Förster radius (R0) and the distance between donor-acceptor pair (RDA) were estimated to describe the FRET process. The distance-sensitive FRET process was also confirmed by varying the medium between the AuNC and delignified coir, which highlighted the potential uses in stimuli-responsive sensor applications. We expect that this strategy can be extended to rationally design functional nature-based materials from various sources.

Exploring the highly selective Fe(III) and Al(III) triggered “OFF-ON” ellagic acid based fluorescent sensor: Spectroscopic, structural elucidations and dual-response mechanism

Owing to the favorable efficiency and low cost, dual-response fluorescent sensors play critical roles in the development of fluorescence assay systems. In this paper, the dual-response fluorescent of ellagic acid was reported both turn-off to Fe3+ and turn-on to Al3+, as well as the effects of pH by UV–vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. The addition of Fe3+ changed the color of the ellagic acid solution from colorless to grey-green, and the fluorescence emission was quenched. In contrast, the addition of Al3+ changed the colorless solution to light yellow, and the fluorescence emission was significantly enhanced. The coordination constants of EA to Fe3+ and Al3+ were determined to be 3.42 × 104 M−1 and 2.83 × 105 M−1, respectively, according to Job's plot. By comparing the reaction with urolithin and its derivatives, the fluorescence emission mechanism of the ellagic acid reaction with Fe3+ and Al3+ was elucidated. The detection limits of EA for Fe3+ and Al3+ were 9.80 × 10−7 and 1.90 × 10−7 M, respectively.

Growth performance and economic impact of Simmental fattening bulls fed dry or corn silage-based total mixed rations.

Bull-fattening diets in Europe and most developed countries around the world have traditionally been based on corn silage, starch-rich, and high-energy/ high-protein supplemental feeds. The impact of climate change on crop yields feed availability, and price volatility, requires new and adapted feeding strategies, including for fattening bulls. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the growth performance and economic impact of a representative, conventional corn silage-based (CONVL) total mixed ration, and a dry (DRY) total mixed ration (TMR) fed to Simmental bulls. For nine months (272days), 24 bulls (215±10kg BW) were randomly assigned to one of two TMR feeding groups (n=12 per group). The DRY-TMR was primarily characterised by the nutrient fibre source, exclusively based on straw and other by-products. The diets were formulated and balanced based on the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. After 272days of fattening, bulls were slaughtered. Feed intake, average daily gain (ADG)/DM intake (DMI) ratio, and nutrient intake were affected by treatment, time, and their interaction (P<0.05). The treatment affected neither acid detergent lignin intake nor starch intake. Compared with CONVL bulls, animals fed DRY-TMR consumed more non-fibre carbohydrates and rumen undegradable neutral detergent fibre, showing lesser dry and fresh matter intake and less metabolisable energy and physically effective neutral detergent fibre intake. Despite differences in nutrient intake (P<0.05), particle size distribution between the two diets and growth performance were not different (P=0.45). Simmental bulls in both treatment groups reached target weight in a shorter time due to high ADG of 1.87kg (DRY-TMR) and 1.84kg (CONVL). Both treatments achieved a positive profit margin (598±28 €/bull). While total income per bull and dressing percentage did not differ between treatments, the substantially higher feed costs (P<0.01) of the DRY-TMR resulted in a higher (P=0.04) income over feed cost in favour of the CONVL treatment group. Despite the higher feed cost of DRY compared with CONVL diets, the better ADG/DMI ratio (P<0.01) of DRY-TMR contributed to lower absolute feed quantity requirements during the fattening period. Due to the positive profit margin and high ADG results, DRY-TMR solutions for fattening bulls based on straw and by-products can be considered a promising alternative feeding strategy.

Enhanced hydrogen storage properties of Ti–Cr–Nb alloys by melt-spin and Mo-doping

Ti–Cr–Nb hydrogen storage alloys with a body centered cubic (BCC) structure have been successfully prepared by melt-spin and Mo-doping. The crystalline structure, solidification microstructural evolution, and hydrogen storage properties of the corresponding alloys were characterized in details. The results showed that the hydrogen storage capacity of Ti–Cr–Nb ingot alloys increased from 2.2 wt% up to around 3.5 wt% under the treatment of melt-spin and Mo-doping. It is ascribed that the single BCC phase of Ti–Cr–Nb alloys was stabilized after melt-spin and Mo-doping, which has a higher theoretical hydrogen storage site than the Laves phase. Furthermore, the melt-spin alloy after Mo doping can further effectively increase the de-/absorption plateau pressure. The hydrogen desorption enthalpy change ΔH of the melt-spin alloy decreased from 48.94 kJ/mol to 43.93 kJ/mol after Mo-doping. The short terms cycling test also manifests that Mo-doping was effective in improving the cycle durability of the Ti–Cr–Nb alloys. And the BCC phase of the Ti–Cr–Nb alloys could form body centered tetragonal (BCT) or face center cubic (FCC) hydride phase after hydrogen absorption and transform to the original BCC phase after desorption process. This study might provide reference for developing reversible metal hydrides with favorable cost and acceptable hydrogen storage characteristics.

Evaluating telehealth for the education and monitoring of lymphoedema and shoulder dysfunction after breast cancer surgery

The primary aim of this study was to compare the attendance rates at a group lymphoedema education and same-day individual surveillance appointment between telehealth (TH) and in-person (IP) care for participants following breast cancer (BC) surgery. Secondary aims included evaluating participant satisfaction and costs between the two service models, while also determining the extent of technical issues and clinician satisfaction towards TH. Participants following axillary lymph node dissection surgery attended a group lymphoedema education and same-day 1:1 monitoring session via their preferred mode (TH or IP). Attendance rates, satisfaction and costs were recorded for both cohorts, and technical disruption and clinician satisfaction for the TH cohort. Fifty-five individuals participated. All 28 participants who nominated the IP intervention attended, while 22/27 who nominated the TH intervention attended an appointment. Overall reported participant experience was positive with no significant differences between cohorts. All TH appointments were successfully completed. Clinicians reported high satisfaction for delivery of education (median = 4[IQR 4-5]) and individual assessment (median = 4[IQR 3-4]) via TH. Median attendance costs per participant were Australian $39.68 (Q1-Q3 $28.52-$68.64) for TH and Australian $154.26 (Q1-Q3 $81.89-$251.48) for the IP cohort. Telehealth-delivered lymphoedema education and assessment for individuals following BC surgery was associated with favourable satisfaction, cost savings and minimal technical issues despite lower attendance than IP care. This study contributes to the growing evidence for TH and its potential applicability to other populations where risk for cancer-related lymphoedema exists.

Life Cycle Assessment of Concrete Using Copper Slag as a Partial Cement Substitute in Reinforced Concrete Buildings

Cement, one of the main components of concrete, poses environmental risks, accounting for 7% of total global carbon emissions. To alleviate the environmental hazards related to cement manufacturing, supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) are employed to reduce the usage of cement in concrete. One SCM used is copper slag (CS). In this study, a life cycle assessment (LCA) is conducted by investigating the environmental impacts of concrete replacing different percentage of cement with CS. As a case study, the LCA was performed for low-rise and mid-rise structures designed with varying concrete strengths, and a cost analysis was performed for these structures when replacing different percentages of cement with CS. Based on the results, the usage of CS was established as being beneficial to the impact categories ADP (Abiotic Depletion Potential (Fossil)) and GWP (Global Warming Potential), but exerted damaging effects on ADP (Abiotic Depletion Potential) and HTP (Human Toxicity Potential). On the basis of the cost analysis, the use of CS as a partial cement replacement was found to reduce building costs by a maximum of 1.4%, which is statistically significant. When evaluating the risk in comparison to the benefit of using CS in buildings, it was found that the negative environmental influence outweighed the favorable influence and cost savings resulting from the use of CS as a cement alternative. However, when only considering GWP, which is the standard procedure for environmental assessment in buildings, the use of CS as a partial cement substitute in buildings was regarded as being beneficial, yielding a 12.80% reduction in carbon emissions.

Paliperidone Palmitate: A Breakthrough Treatment for Schizophrenia? A Review on Patient Adherence Levels, Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs.

International guidelines suggest long-term antipsychotic therapies for treating schizophrenia; however, medication compliance remains a critical issue in schizophrenia. Paliperidone palmitate (PP) is a second-generation antipsychotic long-acting injectable (SGA-LAI) approved for the treatment of schizophrenia. To date, the majority of studies on PP compliance patterns did not use specific instruments to assess medications' adherence, have been performed in not naturalistic samples and present partially overlapping populations. We conducted a systematic review in which we aimed to review the current knowledge on PP-LAI adherence levels and to describe healthcare resource utilisation and costs related to PP-LAI treatment. The evaluation has been conducted by searching in different databases (PubMed, Ovid, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) from inception to September 2022. Our findings suggest that paliperidone palmitate should be considered a good treatment strategy for patients affected by schizophrenia: PP showed both a good efficacy and tolerability and better adherence patterns and more favourable healthcare resource utilisation and costs, compared to OA.

Arithmetic circuit tensor networks, multivariable function representation, and high-dimensional integration

Many computational problems can be formulated in terms of high-dimensional functions. Simple representations of such functions and resulting computations with them typically suffer from the ``curse of dimensionality,'' an exponential cost dependence on dimension. Tensor networks provide a way to represent certain classes of high-dimensional functions with polynomial memory. This results in computations where the exponential cost is ameliorated or, in some cases, removed, if the tensor network representation can be obtained. Here, we introduce a direct mapping from the arithmetic circuit of a function to arithmetic circuit tensor networks, avoiding the need to perform any optimization or functional fit. We demonstrate the power of the circuit construction in examples of multivariable integration on the unit hypercube in up to 50 dimensions, where the complexity of integration can be understood from the circuit structure. We find very favorable cost scaling compared with quasi--Monte Carlo integration for these cases and further give an example where efficient quasi--Monte Carlo integration cannot be performed without knowledge of the underlying tensor network circuit structure.

Fluorescein Mapping in Vulvar Paget Disease.

Vulvar Paget disease often requires extensive and, in some cases, multiple resections to treat. A fluorescein-mapping procedure followed by a staged vulvectomy may be an effective technique to tailor resection and identify clinically occult lesions. We describe a two-step procedure; first, intravenous fluorescein sodium is injected, and the vulva is illuminated with a Wood's lamp. Representative biopsies are obtained and correlated on final pathology with the extent of disease to develop a final plan for excision. Second, using fluorescein to identify the confirmed areas of disease, the appropriate excisional procedure is performed once mapping biopsy pathology is known. We describe our experience with eight patients with vulvar Paget disease undergoing fluorescein mapping biopsies and staged vulvectomy. Using intravenous fluorescein sodium, all patients were found to have Paget disease beyond the visible margins of their gross lesions. No patients experienced a recurrence of Paget disease within a median follow-up time of 32 months, comparable with other directed methods of surgical resection. We report a technique for the injection of fluorescein sodium for the visualization of vulvar Paget disease capable of providing accurate surgical margins and identification of occult satellite lesions with a high degree of safety and a favorable cost profile. This staged approach to vulvectomy could offer improved accuracy of resection for vulvar Paget disease with few drawbacks.

Interspecies recombination, not de novo mutation, maintains virulence after β-lactam resistance acquisition in Streptococcus pneumoniae

As opposed to de novo mutation, β-lactam resistance in S.pneumoniae is often conferred via homologous recombination during horizontal gene transfer. We hypothesize that β-lactam resistance in pathogenic streptococci is restricted to naturally competent species via intra-/interspecies recombination due to invivo fitness trade-offs of de novo penicillin-binding protein (PBP) mutations. We show that de novo mutant populations have abrogated invasive disease capacity and are difficult to evolve invivo. Conversely, serially transformed recombinant strains efficiently integrate resistant oral streptococcal DNA, gain penicillin resistance and tolerance, and retain virulence in mice. Large-scale changes in pbp2X, pbp2B, and non-PBP-related genes occur in recombinant isolates. Our results indicate that horizontal transfer of β-lactam resistance engenders initially favorable or minimal cost changes invivo compared with de novo mutation(s), underscoring the importance of recombination in the emergence of β-lactam resistance and suggesting why some pathogenic streptococci lacking innate competence remain universally susceptible.

High-loading, ultrafine Ni nanoparticles dispersed on porous hollow carbon nanospheres for fast (de)hydrogenation kinetics of MgH2

Magnesium hydride (MgH2) is one of the most promising hydrogen storage materials for practical application due to its favorable reversibility, low cost and environmental benign; however, it suffers from high dehydrogenation temperature and slow sorption kinetics. Exploring proper catalysts with high and sustainable activity is extremely desired for substantially improving the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2. In this work, a composite catalyst with high-loading of ultrafine Ni nanoparticles (NPs) uniformly dispersed on porous hollow carbon nanospheres is developed, which shows superior catalytic activity towards the de-/hydrogenation of MgH2. With an addition of 5 wt% of the composite, which contains 90 wt% Ni NPs, the onset and peak dehydrogenation temperatures of MgH2 are lowered to 190 and 242 °C, respectively. 6.2 wt% H2 is rapidly released within 30 min at 250 °C. The amount of H2 that the dehydrogenation product can absorb at a low temperature of 150 °C in only 250 s is very close to the initial dehydrogenation value. A dehydrogenation capacity of 6.4 wt% remains after 50 cycles at a moderate cyclic regime, corresponding to a capacity retention of 94.1%. The Ni NPs are highly active, reacting with MgH2 and forming nanosized Mg2Ni/Mg2NiH4. They act as catalysts during hydrogen sorption cycling, and maintain a high dispersibility with the help of the dispersive role of the carbon substrate, leading to sustainably catalytic activity. The present work provides new insight into designing stable and highly active catalysts for promoting the (de)hydrogenation kinetics of MgH2.

A Compendium Of Two Decades Of Economic Evaluations In Dementia And A Critique Of The Implied Use Of Resources

AbstractBackgroundThis paper presents a unified source of all health economic evaluations related to four categories of resource allocation in dementia (identification, pharmaceuticals, non‐pharmacological interventions and management strategies) and, for health professionals (i.e. non‐economists), we provides guided critiques of implied trade‐offs across varying allocation decisions.MethodsTo take stock of the entirety of economic evidence, we systematically review, and quality assess, all peer reviewed cost‐effectiveness analyses published since 1999. We provides in‐depth expert guidance, and objective critical appraisal, through the variety of implied inferences related to potential allocation decisions and avoid sources of underlying biased. We explain how to interpret, and differentiate between, the two common forms of economic evidence (i.e., trial‐based or model‐based cost effectiveness analysis). We illustrate strengths and weaknesses of our included studies and, towards informing optimal resource allocation, we detail the opportunities and threats in relation to quality of evidence.ResultsSince 1999, we found 127 published economic evaluations (identification, 20%; pharmaceuticals, 45%; non‐pharmacological approaches, 18% and; management strategies, 17%). Internationally, the top five countries producing economic evaluations in dementia were: UK (33%); USA (19%); the Netherlands (10%) Canada (7%) and; (jointly) Germany/Sweden (5%). Over time, production of economic evidence appears relatively flat (averaging 1 to 2 publications per category) but significant upsurges in pharmaceutical‐related studies occurred in 2005 (n = 5), 2010 (n = 8) and 2012 (n = 8). Reporting is generally found to meet objective international standards, however, our critique of model‐based techniques raises concerns. Examining funding sources, industry‐funded pharmaceutical studies appear more likely to report more favourable cost effectiveness results, with these exclusively simulation‐based studies often purporting more cost savings (as compared to publicly‐funded studies). Notwithstanding concerns, the sum of evidence indicates that, compared to usual dementia care, alternative resource allocation can often result in increased quality‐of‐life, whilst also reducing costs.ConclusionIn contrast to competing disease areas, dementia research has experienced a relatively low production of economic evidence. Given the considerable economic changes created by dementia, and potential for economic benefit highlight here, increasing the inclusion of high quality economic evaluations alongside dementia‐related research is required.

Are intersectoral costs considered in economic evaluations of interventions relating to sexually transmitted infections (STIs)? A systematic review

Background/objectiveSexually transmitted infections (STIs) not only have an impact on the health sector but also the private resources of those affected, their families and other sectors of society (i.e. labour, education). This study aimed to i) review and identify economic evaluations of interventions relating to STIs, which aimed to include a societal perspective; ii) analyse the intersectoral costs (i.e. costs broader than healthcare) included; iii) categorise these costs by sector; and iv) assess the impact of intersectoral costs on the overall study results.MethodsSeven databases were searched: MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE (Ovid), Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EconLit and NHS EED. Key search terms included terms for economic evaluation, STIs and specific infections. This review considered trial- and model-based economic evaluations conducted in an OECD member country. Studies were included that assessed intersectoral costs. Intersectoral costs were extracted and categorised by sector using Drummond’s cost classification scheme (i.e. patient/family, productivity, costs in other sectors). A narrative synthesis was performed.ResultsTwenty-nine studies qualified for data extraction and narrative synthesis. Twenty-eight studies applied a societal perspective of which 8 additionally adopted a healthcare or payer perspective, or both. One study used a modified payer perspective. The following sectors were identified: patient/family, informal care, paid labour (productivity), non-paid opportunity costs, education, and consumption. Patient/family costs were captured in 11 studies and included patient time, travel expenses, out-of-pocket costs and premature burial costs. Informal caregiver support (non-family) and unpaid help by family/friends was captured in three studies. Paid labour losses were assessed in all but three studies. Three studies also captured the costs and inability to perform non-paid work. Educational costs and future non-health consumption costs were each captured in one study. The inclusion of intersectoral costs resulted in more favourable cost estimates.ConclusionsThis systematic review suggests that economic evaluations of interventions relating to STIs that adopt a societal perspective tend to be limited in scope. There is an urgent need for economic evaluations to be more comprehensive in order to allow policy/decision-makers to make better-informed decisions.

Effect of Process Parameters on Void Distribution, Volume Fraction, and Sphericity within the Bead Microstructure of Large-Area Additive Manufacturing Polymer Composites.

Short carbon fiber-reinforced composite materials produced by large-area additive manufacturing (LAAM) are attractive due to their lightweight, favorable mechanical properties, multifunctional applications, and low manufacturing costs. However, the physical and mechanical properties of short carbon-fiber-reinforced composites 3D printed via LAAM systems remain below expectations due in part to the void formation within the bead microstructure. This study aimed to assess void characteristics including volume fraction and sphericity within the microstructure of 13 wt% short carbon fiber acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (SCF/ABS). Our study evaluated SCF/ABS as a pellet, a single freely extruded strand, a regularly deposited single bead, and a single bead manufactured with a roller during the printing process using a high-resolution 3D micro-computed tomography (µCT) system. Micro voids were shown to exist within the microstructure of the SCF/ABS pellet and tended to become more prevalent in a single freely extruded strand which showed the highest void volume fraction among all the samples studied. Results also showed that deposition on the print bed reduced the void volume fraction and applying a roller during the printing process caused a further reduction in the void volume fraction. This study also reports the void's shape within the microstructure in terms of sphericity which indicated that SCF/ABS single freely extruded strands had the highest mean void sphericity (voids tend to be more spherical). Moreover, this study evaluated the effect of printing process parameters, including nozzle temperature, extrusion speed and nozzle height above the printing table on the void volume fraction and sphericity within the microstructure of regularly deposited single beads.

Finite-Bit Quantization for Distributed Algorithms With Linear Convergence

This paper studies distributed algorithms for (strongly convex) composite optimization problems over mesh networks, subject to quantized communications. Instead of focusing on a specific algorithmic design, a black-box model is proposed, casting linearly convergent distributed algorithms in the form of fixed-point iterates. The algorithmic model is equipped with a novel random or deterministic Biased Compression (BC) rule on the quantizer design, and a new Adaptive encoding Non-uniform Quantizer (ANQ) coupled with a communication-efficient encoding scheme, which implements the BC-rule using a finite number of bits (below machine precision). This fills a gap existing in most state-of-the-art quantization schemes, such as those based on the popular compression rule, which rely on communication of some scalar signals with negligible quantization error (in practice quantized at the machine precision). A unified communication complexity analysis is developed for the black-box model, determining the average number of bits required to reach a solution of the optimization problem within a target accuracy. It is shown that the proposed BC-rule preserves linear convergence of the unquantized algorithms, and a trade-off between convergence rate and communication cost under ANQ-based quantization is characterized. Numerical results validate our theoretical findings and show that distributed algorithms equipped with the proposed ANQ have more favorable communication cost than algorithms using state-of-the-art quantization rules.

Increasing latrine sales among poor households in rural Cambodia using targeted subsidies: a randomized control trial

Abstract Because improved sanitation can improve public health but is lacking in many rural areas, many organizations use sanitation marketing to increase latrine coverage. In rural Cambodia, iDE has facilitated the sale of more than 395,000 pour-flush latrines since 2011 but recognizes that market actors are not incentivized to sell to the poorest households. Using a randomized controlled trial, in which poor households in treatment villages were offered partial latrine subsidies, this study investigated how subsidies affected latrine sales and program cost-effectiveness. Results show latrine sales among poor households that were offered subsidies increased by 14–16% compared to those that were not offered subsidies. Also, no significant effect on latrine sales among non-poor households was found, although lower village-level latrine coverage can reduce latrine sales to non-poor households. Cost-effectiveness analysis shows the increase in sales and thus economies of scale from subsidies yield lower per-latrine program costs compared to non-subsidy costs ($38 vs. $54). Well-targeted latrine subsidies can significantly increase latrine sales among poor households with minimal impact on latrine sales to non-poor households and favorable program cost reductions. However, subsidies must not be introduced into a market before baseline sanitation coverage is achieved to avoid market distortion effects.

From coal phase-out to net zero: Driving factors of UK climate policy

In order to still be able to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement, global net greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to zero by the middle of the century. One decisive step towards this goal will be phasing out coal. The UK has led the way as one of the first countries to not only phase out coal by 2024, but also set a net zero target for 2050. Based on 22 expert interviews, we analyse which objectives, actors, and contextual factors were relevant for the two decisions, and which continuities emerge in UK climate policy. We find that the coal phase-out was not primarily driven by the decision to phase out coal in 2015, but by policies (e.g., the CO2 price) and other contextual factors (e.g., the old coal fleet) that were not initially associated with the phase-out. The recommendations by the Committee on Climate Change, a general political mood calling for more climate protection, and the Conservative Party’s desire to show climate protection ambitions played an important role in the net zero decision. Continuities driving both decisions can be seen in the relevance of scientific expertise in UK politics, strong social movements, favourable cost arguments, and a political consensus emerging among the relevant political parties. From a climate justice perspective, however, industrialised nations such as the UK should become carbon neutral sooner than 2050, given the historical responsibility for carbon emissions and economic preconditions that countries in the Global South do not have.

Coral-like Sb2Se3/SnS2 photocathode co-optimized by bilayer Sb2Se3 structure and hole-storage layer for photoelectrochemical water splitting

Achieving high light absorption efficiency and low photogenerated carrier recombination rates is critical in the production of H 2 by photoelectrochemical water splitting. Antimony selenide (Sb 2 Se 3 ) has recently received much attention due to its favorable optoelectronic properties, low cost and unique nanorod structure. Herein, we constructed coral-like Sb 2 Se 3 /SnS 2 heterojunction by introducing SnS 2 with a nanosheet structure, which contributes to enhanced light absorption and provides more reaction sites. On this basis, synergistic optimization is carried out by the bilayer Sb 2 Se 3 structure and ferrihydrite (Fh) to effectively inhibit charge recombination at the interface and facilitate electron transport. Compared to monolayer Sb 2 Se 3 (1.54%), the IPCE value of bilayer Sb 2 Se 3 /SnS 2 /Fh can reach 20.56% (735 nm). The prepared bilayer Sb 2 Se 3 /SnS 2 /Fh has a maximum photocurrent density of approximately − 1.0 mA cm −2 at 0 V RHE , continuous testing for 1 h compared to monolayer Sb 2 Se 3 still maintains more than 4 times improvement. This work provides a basis for the development of high efficiency and low cost Sb 2 Se 3 -based optoelectronic devices. • The bilayer Sb 2 Se 3 structure was constructed by sequential deposition. • A combination between 1D Sb 2 Se 3 nanorods and 2D SnS 2 nanosheets has been achieved. • Surface modification using ferrihydrite as an interface engineering material. • Optimized photoelectrode current density is 50 times higher than original sample. • The PEC mechanism of bilayer Sb 2 Se 3 /SnS 2 /Fh photoelectrode was proposed.

Enhancing thermal robustness of a high-entropy nitride based solar selective absorber by the incorporation of Al element

Engineering a high-performance spectrally selective absorber (SSA) has been a long-standing effort to address the challenges of inferior spectral selectivity and thermal instability at high temperatures. High-entropy nitrides have shown distinct merits in solar absorption and thermal robustness simultaneously. It is highly desirable to elaborately choose element compositions and optimize absorber structure to enable outstanding solar harvesting ability even at extremely high temperatures above 700 °C. Herein, by modulating the Al element content through a co-sputtering system, a high-entropy nitride MoTaTiCr–Al–N based SSA with a simple double-layer structure is successfully fabricated. As-deposited SSA shows a superior solar absorptance of 92.3% and a suppressed thermal emittance of 7%, together with satisfactory absorption over incident angles up to 60°, ideal for solar-thermal applications. Furthermore, the absorber also exhibits attractive thermal robustness, retaining decent optical performance even after annealing at 700 °C for 168 h. More significantly, the solar-thermal efficiency could reach up to 80.5% at a working temperature of 700 °C under 100 suns, which equals or even outperforms those of state-of-the-art solar absorbers. The competitive performance of the MoTaTiCr–Al–N based SSA is accompanied by a favorable cost reduction compared with those of multilayer thin film structures. All these merits enable it with enormous potentiality for practical solar-thermal applications.

Let's flock in Cyberspace - human flocking in virtual environments

The evolution of group living transformed the history of animal life on earth, yielding substantial selective benefits. Yet, without overcoming fundamental challenges such as how to coordinate movements with conspecifics, animals cannot maintain cohesion, and coordination is thus a prerequisite for the evolution of sociality in nonstationary animals. Although it has been considered that animal groups must coordinate the timing and direction of movements, coordinating speed is also essential to prevent the group from splitting. We investigated speed consensus in homing pigeon, Columba livia, flocks using high-resolution GPS. Despite observable differences in average solo speed (which was positively correlated with bird mass) compromises of up to 6% from the preferred solo speed were made to reach consensus in flocks. These results match theory which suggests that groups fly at an intermediate of solo speeds, which suggests speed averaging. By virtue of minimizing extreme compromises, speed averaging can maximize selective benefits across the group, suggesting shared consensus for group speed could be ubiquitous across taxa. Nevertheless, despite group-wide advantages, contemporary flight models have suggested unequal energetic costs in favour of individuals with intermediate body mass/preferred speed (hence the 'Goldilocks principle').