Efficient Blocking Research Articles

Synthesis of Polyacrylamide Nanomicrospheres Modified with a Reactive Carbamate Surfactant for Efficient Profile Control and Blocking

Urethane surfactants (REQ) were synthesized with octadecanol ethoxylate (AEO) and isocyanate methacrylate (IEM). Subsequently, reactive-carbamate-surfactant-modified nanomicrospheres (PER) were prepared via two-phase aqueous dispersion polymerization using acrylamide (AM), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA). The microstructures and properties of the nanomicrospheres were characterized and examined via infrared spectroscopy, nano-laser particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and in-house simulated exfoliation experiments. The results showed that the synthesized PER nanomicrospheres had a uniform particle size distribution, with an average size of 336 nm. The thermal decomposition temperature of the nanomicrospheres was 278 °C, and the nanomicrospheres had good thermal stability. At the same time, the nanomicrospheres maintained good swelling properties at mineralization < 10,000 mg/L and temperature < 90 °C. Under the condition of certain permeability, the blocking rate and drag coefficient gradually increased with increasing polymer microsphere concentration. Furthermore, at certain polymer microsphere concentrations, the blocking rate and drag coefficient gradually decreased with increasing core permeability. The experimental results indicate that nanomicrospheres used in the artificial core simulation drive have a better ability to drive oil recovery. Compared with AM microspheres (without REQ modification), nanomicrospheres exert a more considerable effect on recovery improvement. Compared with the water drive stage, the final recovery rate after the drive increases by 23.53%. This improvement is attributed to the unique structural design of the nanorods, which can form a thin film at the oil–water–rock interface and promote oil emulsification and stripping. In conclusion, PER nanomicrospheres can effectively control the fluid dynamics within the reservoir, reduce the loss of oil and gas resources, and improve the economic benefits of oil and gas fields, giving them a good application prospect.

Ultra-broadband Photodetectors Based on Formamidinium Lead Iodide Quantum Dots

Near-infrared photodetectors were fabricated by incorporating formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) quantum dots (QDs) as the light-harvesting layer. Through systematic optimization of the device architecture, high device performance was achieved by utilizing PCBM as the electron transport material and a 50 nm-thick TAPC film as the hole transport layer. The energy level alignment between PCBM and the FAPbI3 QDs enabled efficient exciton dissociation and hole blocking, while the optimized TAPC thickness decrease current leakage pathways. The resulting photodetectors exhibited an impressive external quantum efficiency of 59.56 % at 750 nm, along with a high specific detectivity of 2.63 x 1011 Jones. A broadband photoresponse from 300–900 nm was observed, as well as a fast temporal response with 30.58/31.26 μs rise/fall times. A substantial linear dynamic range of 61.5 dB was achieved under 780 nm illumination. Furthermore, the low dark current densities facilitated by the judiciously selected materials and thicknesses contributed to the excellent overall device performance. The device performance of the PCBM/FAPbI3 QDs/TAPC system demonstrate its promising potential for near-infrared optoelectronic applications requiring high sensitivity, speed, and broad spectral response, opening up opportunities for further advances in photodetection as well as other relevant device technologies.

Assessing the efficiency and heritability of blocked tree breeding trials

Progeny trials in tree breeding are often laid out using blocked experimental designs, in which families are randomly assigned to plots and several trees are planted per plot. Such designs are optimized for the assessment of family effects. However, tree breeders are primarily interested in assessing breeding values of individual trees. This paper considers the assessment of heritability at both the family and tree levels. We assess heritability based on pairwise comparisons among individual trees. The approach shows that there is considerable heterogeneity in pairwise heritabilities, primarily due to the differences in both genetic as well as error variances among within- and between-family comparisons. Our results further show that efficient blocking positively affects all types of comparison except those among trees within the same plot.

Fabrication of a versatile and efficient ultraviolet blocking biodegradable composite film consisting of Tara gum/PVA/Riceberry phenolics reinforced with biogenic riceberry phenolic-rich extract-nano‑silver

The demand for UV-protective and biodegradable packaging materials has been increasing with greater awareness about environmental sustainability and human safety. In this work, the effect of incorporating riceberry phenolic extract (RPE) as well as combined RPE and green synthesized biogenic nano‑silver (RPE-NS, into Tara gum/PVA (TP)-based matrix was evaluated on the physical, mechanical, functional, biocompatible and biodegradable attributes of the resultant composite films. Integration of RPE (2 wt%) and RPE-NS (0.8 wt%) resulted in nanocomposite (TP/RPE-NS) film with improved physical properties relative to the plain TP and TP/RPE films. The TP/RPE-NS film displayed a compact structure and homogenous distribution of the nano‑silver. Increased molecular interactions, crystallinity and thickness was also observed for the nanocomposite film. Compared to plain TP film, TP/RPE-NS film exhibited improved water vapor barrier properties and surface hydrophobicity due to the extract and nanoparticles. The tensile strength and elongation-at-break of TP/RPE-NS were markedly higher (41.76 MPa and 37.40 %) compared to that of plain TP film (36.07 MPa and 20.80 %). Whereas TP/RPE film provided good UV protection (UPF value of 31.85) compared to the minimal protection by TP film (UPF value of 2.72), combination of RPE/RPE-NS ensured that TP/RPE-NS availed an excellent UV-barrier performance (UPF value of 61.09). Furthermore, TP/RPE-NS film exhibited significant antioxidant activity relative to TP film. Besides, all TP-based films were found to be compatible with rat erythrocytes and biodegradable. Taken together, these findings indicate that TP/RPE-NS holds good potential for the development of UV-protective and biodegradable packaging material.

PNIPAM-based ionic hydrogels for enhanced privacy smart windows and flexible sensor

The thermochromic materials are widely used in the smart window field because they can efficiently regulate solar radiation with temperature changes. Currently, most smart windows switch back and forth between opaque and transparent states to control solar radiation, which is very disadvantageous for the visibility of enclosed environments. Herein, in a binary solvent of ethylene glycol-water (EW), we are developing a series of thermoresponsive ion hydrogels suitable for smart windows by in-situ free radical polymerization of the thermoresponsive monomer N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and ionic monomers (amphiphilic, anionic, cationic). These smart windows exhibit excellent one-way transparency for privacy protection, allowing observation from a relatively dark private space to a public space outside the smart window during the day, while preventing a view from the relatively bright public space into the private space. Furthermore, these hydrogels demonstrate efficient blocking of ultraviolet / near-infrared radiation, low temperature resistance (∼ −40 °C), wide temperature range thermal responsiveness (∼ −25–60 °C), enabling effective regulation of solar heat radiation. Additionally, the anionic-NIPAM complex hydrogel possesses a high diffusion coefficient of water and excellent conductivity of 13.38 mS cm−1, which can be expanded its application in the field of flexible ion-conductive sensors.

The Duration and Intensity of High Frequency Alternating Current Influences the Degree and Recovery of Nerve Conduction Block.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the persistence of nerve blockade beyond the duration of applying high frequency alternating current (HFAC) to thinly myelinated and non-myelinated fibers, also termed a "carry-over effect". In this study, we used electrically-evoked compound action potentials from isolated rat vagus nerves to assess the influence of 5 kHz HFAC amplitude and duration on the degree of the carry-over effect. Current amplitudes from 1-10 mA and 5 kHz durations from 10-120 seconds were tested. By testing 20 different combinations of 5 kHz amplitude and duration, we found a significant interaction between 5 kHz amplitude and duration on influencing the carry-over effect. The degree of carry-over effect was dependent on 5 kHz amplitude, as well as duration. Utilizing the carry-over effect may be useful in designing energy efficient nerve blocking algorithms for the treatment of diseases influenced by nerve activity.

Study on thermal runaway propagation inhibition of battery module by flame-retardant phase change material combined with aerogel felt

Phase change materials (PCMs) are susceptible to fire and may accelerate heat transfer when thermal runaway propagation (TRP) in lithium-ion battery (LIB) modules, requiring the design and safe use of insulation structures with excellent flame-retardant properties. In this work, the sandwich structure composed of flame-retardant phase change material (FRPCM) combined with aerogel felt (AEGF) is used to study the inhibitory effect on TRP of pouch battery modules (BMs). The structural materials are applied between cells, and the changes of temperature, voltage, mass and other parameters in the TRP process are analyzed by changing the thickness of FRPCMs and AEGFs, and the changes of heat flux of materials were also qualitatively analyzed. The results show that the increase of FRPCM and AEGF thickness can increase the interval time of TRP and reduce the overall thermal risk of the BMs. Compared to Test-1, the increase in TRP time between cells 1 and 2 in Test-2 to Test-5 ranged from 52.7% to 358.7%, and the longest thermal runaway interval reached 844 s. Both the structural materials in Test-6 and Test-7 block the TRP. Combining the thermal conductivity of PCMs and the thermal insulation properties of AEGFs, this work can effectively conduct heat to the environment and block the TRP when applied to BMs, which provides a valuable reference for efficient inhibition and blocking of TRP.

A highly efficient blocking ELISA based on p72 monoclonal antibody for the detection of African swine fever virus antibodies and identification of its linear B cell epitope

Due to the absence of effective vaccine and treatment, African swine fever virus (ASFV) control is entirely dependent on accurate and early diagnosis, along with culling of infected pigs. The B646L/p72 is the major capsid protein of ASFV and is an important target for developing a diagnostic assays and vaccines. Herein, we generated a monoclonal antibody (mAb) (designated as 2F11) against the trimeric p72 protein, and a blocking ELISA (bELISA) was established for the detection of both genotype I and II ASFV antibodies. To evaluate the performance of the diagnostic test, a total of 506 porcine serum samples were tested. The average value of percent of inhibition (PI) of 133 negative pig serum was 8.4 % with standard deviation (SD) 6.5 %. Accordingly, the cut-off value of the newly established method was set at 28 % (mean + 3SD). Similarly, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was applied to determine the cut off value and the p72-bELISA exhibited a sensitivity of 100 % and a specificity of 99.33 % when the detection threshold was set at 28 %. The bELISA was also able to specifically recognize anti-ASFV sera without cross-reacting with other positive serums for other major swine pathogens. Moreover, by designing a series of overlapped p72 truncated proteins, the linear B cell epitope recognized by 2F11 mAb was defined to be 283NSHNIQ288. Amino acid sequence comparison revealed that the amino acid sequence 283NSHNIQ288 is highly conserved between different ASFV isolates. Our findings indicate that the newly established mAb based blocking ELISA may have a great potential in improving the detection of ASFV antibodies and provides solid foundation for further studies.

Computationally Efficient UE Blocking Probability Model for GBR Services in Beyond 5G RAN

Computationally Efficient UE Blocking Probability Model for GBR Services in Beyond 5G RAN

Graphene oxide coated functional separators as efficient metal chloride blocking layers for chloride ion batteries

A graphene oxide interlayer between the cathode and the separator could address the shuttle issue of metal chloride cathodes. The electrochemical performance of metal chloride cathodes was significantly enhanced.

Cu-MOFs@AuPtNPs nanozyme-based immunosorbent assay for colorimetric detection of alpha-fetoprotein.

Accurate detection of tumor biomarkers in blood is crucial for diagnosing and treating tumor disease. In this study, a metal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MeLISA) was fabricated for the ultrasensitive and naked-eye detection of tumor biomarker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in clinical serum samples. Herein, novel copper metal-organic frameworks and gold platinum nanoparticle composites (Cu-MOFs@AuPtNPs) were synthesized for the first time by an in situ method, which showed an enormous specific surface area and excellent peroxidase (POx) mimicking properties. Cu-MOFs@AuPtNPs linked with antibodies targeting AFP served as a signal nanoprobe to amplify the detection signal. Additionally, the specificity of MeLISA was significantly enhanced through a conventional antigen-antibody reaction and efficient blocking of non-specific sites with BSA. Under optimal conditions, the sandwich-type MeLISA exhibited a wide range from 0.001 to 1000 ng mL-1 (R2 = 0.997) and a low detection limit of 0.86 pg mL-1 (S/N = 3) with acceptable stability, selectivity, and reproducibility. It is noteworthy that the suggested MeLISA performed exceptionally well in detecting clinical serum samples, which were visible to the naked eye and did not require complex platforms. To sum up, the innovative MeLISA based on Cu-MOFs@AuPtNPs provides an alternative method for early cancer diagnosis, particularly in economically backward areas where simple diagnostic apparatus is extremely desirable.

Dynamically blocking leakage current in molecular tunneling junctions.

Molecular tunneling junctions based on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have demonstrated rectifying characteristics at the nanoscale that can hardly be achieved using traditional approaches. However, defects in SAMs result in high leakage when applying bias. The poor performance of molecular diodes compared to silicon or thin-film devices limits their further development. In this study, we show that incorporating "mixed backbones" with flexible-rigid structures into molecular junctions can dynamically block tunneling currents, which is difficult to realize using non-molecular technology. Our idea is achieved by the interaction between interfacial dipole moments and electric field, triggering structured packing in SAMs. Efficient blocking of leakage by more than an order of magnitude leads to a significant enhancement of the rectification ratio to the initial value. The rearrangement of supramolecular structures has also been verified through electrochemistry and electroluminescence measurements. Moreover, the enhanced rectification is extended to various challenging environments, including endurance measurements, bending of electrodes, and rough electrodes, thus demonstrating the feasibility of the dynamic behavior of molecules for practical electronic applications.

Highly efficient and chemoselective blocking of free amino group by ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) for comprehensive analysis of protein terminome

Herein, we introduced ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) for blocking free amino groups and established a simple and robust method for comprehensive profiling of protein terminome based on strong cation exchange chromatography (SCX) fractionation. With the highly efficient and chemoseletive amine-group blocking, we identified 2271 canonical human protein N-termini, 1650 canonical human protein C-termini, as well as 645 protein neo-N-termini from HeLa cells.

High‐Performance Filterless Blue Narrowband Organic Photodetectors

AbstractModern image sensors necessitate three color‐selective photodetectors: red, green, and blue (RGB) sensing units. Among those, blue light‐specific photodetectors are comparably much less reported. Here, a fully thermal‐evaporated organic photodetector (OPD) with narrowband blue detection based on exploring the dual role of the hole‐transporting layer is elegantly demonstrated. By incorporating a MoO3‐doped underlayer, the narrowband OPD achieves high external quantum efficiency up to 50% at 0 V with thin‐film devices. By adopting an intrinsic underlayer in planar junction configuration along with efficient hole and electron blocking layers, an ultralow dark current (2.46 × 10−12 A cm−2 at −0.1 V) is achieved. The device has a calculated specific detectivity (D*) reaching a record‐high value of 6.35 × 1014 Jones, outperforming commercial silicon photodetectors, and an ultrahigh linear dynamic range of 205 dB. This work paves the way for high‐sensitivity narrowband organic photodetectors in the visible spectral region.

Edible coatings and films for shelf-life extension of fruit and vegetables

The execution of the edible coatings and films for food preservation; vegetables, fruits, meat, and dry fruits has been ladened in history. The study of literature portrays enough pieces of evidence dating back from centuries of coatings or films being utilized for the conservation of numerous fruits and vegetables to stretch their average shelf-life. The mechanism that remains operative in extending the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables beyond the normal shelf-life is the controlled entry and exit of moisture and gases. The non- biodegradable packaging which is also non-sustainable can be substituted with compostable and edible coatings and films made up of natural biopolymers. Therefore, keeping in mind the environment and consumer safety, a score of research has been going on from former decades for the development of edible coatings and films with efficient shelf life-extending qualities. The films composed of proteins exhibit a good mechanical strength while the polysaccharide composed films and coatings show efficient gas blocking qualities, however, both lack moisture shielding attributes. These shortcomings can be fixed by combining them with lipids and or some appropriate hydrocolloids. The edible coatings and films have been integrated with various food products; however, they haven't been completely successful in substitution of the total fraction of their non-edible counterparts. The implementation of edible coatings and films have shown to serve an immense value in extending the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables along with being a sustainable and eco-friendly approach for food packaging.

Light: A Compatible, high-performance and scalable user-level network stack

As the number of CPU cores and the speed of Ethernet NICs keep increasing on server machines, the network stack in the kernel has become the bottleneck for applications demanding very high throughput and ultra-low latency. Recently there is a trend towards moving the network stack out of the kernel. However, most kernel-bypass network stacks discard POSIX APIs that legacy applications have been built on, and the intricate work of transplanting applications brings the barrier to real-world deployment of kernel-bypass stacks. In this work, we propose Light, a novel user-level network stack, which not only gains highly scalable performance on multi-core server, but also achieves compatibility with legacy applications. For compatibility, Light realizes efficient blocking APIs in the user space, intercepts network-related APIs in a non-intrusive manner, and uses the FD space separation technique for proper API redirection. For high performance and scalability, Light adopts lock-free shared queue based inter-process communication and full connection affinity to reduce overheads of system call, cache miss, etc. Experiments demonstrate that many types of legacy applications could run on Light without modifying their source code. Compared with the latest kernel stack, Nginx on Light achieves up to 2.86× throughput and 78.2% lower tail latency (99.9th percentile) with 14 CPU cores.

Self-powered microbial blocking textile driven by triboelectric charges

Conventional methods of protecting against airborne pathogens, such as face masks, are typically associated with significant pressure loss and uncomfortable long-term wear. Alternative methods, such as antimicrobial textiles, can utilize nanomaterial-modified functional fabrics for effective microbial prevention, but suffer from limited treatment throughput, high cost, and potential toxicity from nanomaterial release. Herein, we develop a novel microbial-blocking textile using fabrics with opposite triboelectric properties of the outer and inner layers, which induces triboelectric charges by harvesting kinetic energy from human motion. The induced triboelectric negative charges at the outer textile layer achieve efficient airborne pathogen blocking based on electrostatic repulsion between the fabric and microbes. This self-powered, triboelectrification-induced microbial blocking system with optimized material (PTFE and nylon) and structure (rib knitted) achieves highly efficient microbial blocking (>95%) at a very high airflow rate of 2.0 m/s. In addition, the pressure drop for microbial blocking by this novel method is extremely low (<30 Pa). Our results demonstrate a promising method for rapid, self-powered blocking of airborne pathogens by incorporating triboelectric charges from human motion to meet vital public health needs.

Reverse Blocking Over Current Busbar Protection Scheme Based on IEC 61850 Architecture

Substation Automation System (SAS) is currently in a matured state of technology that shall facilitate transformational changes from conventional protection scheme. IEC 61850 protocol is considered as the crux of digital SAS due to its multifunction features that include seamless communication, ability to integrate various intelligent electronic devices, potential for improved real-time condition monitoring, reliable protection, and control of critical electrical assets. Because the application of IEC 61850 in SAS is relatively new and has not fully implemented in many substations yet, further feasibility studies using multivendor equipment to assess its performance under different operating conditions is imperative. In this article, a practical reliable and efficient reverse blocking over current bus bar protection scheme based on IEC 61850 is implemented and tested. Also, a comparison of digital SAS and conventional protection scheme is presented to highlight the superiority of the former one. Experimental results attest the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed digital protection scheme along with the accuracy and security of transmitting data packets using sampled values and generic objective-oriented substation event communication protocols adopted by IEC 61850.

Reduction-responsive dextran-based Pt(IV) nano-prodrug showed a synergistic effect with doxorubicin for effective melanoma treatment

Melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer with high metastasis potential, has posed a great threat to human health. Accordingly, early efficient blocking of melanoma progression is vital in antitumor treatment. Herein, a reduction-responsive dextran-based Pt(IV) nano-prodrug (PDPN) was synthesized and used for doxorubicin (DOX) delivery to combat melanoma synergistically. First, PDPN was prepared by one-pot chemical coupling of carboxylated methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG), dextran (Dex), and the crosslinking agent cisPt (IV)-COOH. PDPN had a spherical structure (Rh = 34 ± 11.3 nm). Then, DOX was encapsulated into the PDPN core to form DOX-loaded PDPN (PDPN-DOX). The obtained PDPN-DOX displayed reduction-responsive release of DOX and Pt, thus showing a synergistic anticancer effect in B16F10 cells (combination index, 0.46). Furthermore, in vivo experiments demonstrated that PDPN-DOX was effective for the synergistic treatment of subcutaneous melanoma. Collectively, the as-prepared PDPN could serve as a promising and versatile nano-prodrug carrier for the co-delivery of chemotherapeutics in tumor combination therapy.

Covalent netting restrains dissolution enabling stable high-loading and high-rate iron difluoride cathodes.

Metal fluoride conversion cathodes are promising for the production of cheap, sustainable, and high-energy lithium-ion batteries. Yet, such systems are plagued by active material dissolution that causes capacity fade and hinders commercialization. Here, a covalent netting strategy is proposed to overcome this hurdle. In a proof-of-concept design, polydopamine derived carbon-mediated covalent binding inhibited the dissolution, while the pyrolyzed bacterial cellulose netting structure furnished fast electronic and ionic transport pathways. We demonstrate high-capacity, high-rate and long-lasting stability attained at practical loading levels. Our investigations suggest that the covalent netting-enabled formation of a robust and efficient blocking layer, highly competent in suppressing the leaching, is key for a stable performance. The successful stabilization of metal difluorides in the absence of electrolyte engineering opens an avenue for their practical deployment in future higher-level but lower-cost batteries, and provides a solution to similar challenges encountered by other dissolving energy electrode materials.