Light Cycle Research Articles

First report of Apple bitter rot caused by Colletotrichum godetiae in Ontario.

Bitter rot is an emerging disease of apple (Malus domestica) fruit in Ontario in part due to changing weather conditions. The disease was mostly documented in warm and humid regions such as the southern USA, and Central and South America. Thirteen Ontario orchards in the fall of 2019 and 15 in 2020 were scouted for bitter rot based on their previous history of the disease. 100 fruit were collected from ten asymptomatic trees per cultivar and two susceptible cultivars, 'Empire' and 'Ambrosia' were scouted per orchard. If an orchard did not have either one of these cultivars, 'Honeycrisp' or 'Gala' were used. The fruit was stored at 4-5 oC for five months and then left at 22 oC for two weeks and assessed thereafter for bitter rot symptoms. Monoconidial cultures of Colletrotrichum spp. were established from the symptomatic fruit using potato dextrose agar media with antibiotics at 22 oC 14-hour light cycles. The fungal isolates were divided into two groups based on colony morphology observations seven days after culturing. The first group showed light grey, cottony, aerial mycelium on top and a pink to dark red color on the reverse of the plate. The second group showed light to dark grey, cottony mycelium on top and dark green colonies on the reverse of the plate. It is difficult to identify Colletrotricuhum species solely based on morphology, therefore the representative isolates from each group were used for multilocus gene sequencing and species identification. Genomic DNA was extracted using the Qiagen DNeasy Plant Mini Kit according to the manufacturer's protocols. The ITS region was amplified and sequenced using the primers ITS-1F (Grades & Bruns 1993) and ITS-4 (White et al. 1990). Primers T1 and T2 (O'Donnell & Cigelnik 1997) were used to amplify and sequence the 750 bp region of the TUB gene. Primers GDF1 and GDR1 (Guerber et. al. 2003) were used to amplify a 280 bp region of the GADPH gene. Following an NCBI nucleotide blast search, the isolates from group 1 were identified as C. fioriniae.The ITS sequences of group 2 isolates were matched 100% to the Colletotrichum godetiae type strain CBS133.44 and they were 99% matched to the closest species C. Johnstonii CBS128532. The TUB sequences matched 100% identity to 20 sequences belonging to C. godetiae, 99.59 % identity to C. godetiae type strain CBS133.44, and 97.75% to C. Johnstonii CBS128532. The GADPH sequences matched with 100% identity to C. godetiae ON241087.1 or MT816329.1 and 99-99.5% identity to the type strain CBS133.44 and 98.61-99% identity to CBS128532. Based on the blast results the group 2 isolates were identified as C. godetiae and their sequences were submitted to GenBank with ID OP702962 for ITS and OP972240 and OP972241 for GADPH and OP972242 for the TUB gene. Out of 50 isolates collected in this work, 94% belonged to group 1 and 6% belonged to group 2. Koch's postulates were performed on selected isolates by artificial inoculation of 5 healthy detached fruits of the cultivar, 'Empire.' Fruit surfaces were wiped with 70% ethanol, dried, wounded with a sterile needle, and then inoculated with a 10 µl of spore suspension containing 1x10^6 spores /ml. Inoculated fruits were incubated in a humid chamber at 22°C in dark. Symptoms started to appear at 5 days post-inoculation and looked like small brown circular lesions which developed orange spore masses as they grew into larger lesions. The non-inoculated control fruit did not develop lesions. Fungal colonies were established from the spores collected from the inoculated fruit and found to have identical morphological characteristics to the original isolates. C. godetiae has previously been reported to cause bitter rot in apples from various countries in Europe (Baroncelli et al. 2014; Munda, 2014; Wenneker et al. 2016). C. fioriniae has previously been reported as the dominant species causing bitter rot in apples although other species including C. chrysophilum and C. noveboracense have also been reported as causal agents from the Eastern USA (Khodadadi et al. 2020). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Colletotrichum godetiae causing the bitter rot of apples in Ontario, Canada.

The effect of different light wavelengths on the germination of lettuce, cabbage, spinach and arugula seeds in a controlled environment chamber

The rapid development of vertical farming techniques in recent years has accelerated the necessity for a more thorough investigation into the utilization of artificial lighting. Cultivation in controlled environment systems primarily relies on artificial lighting to provide energy to the plants. One food category that has surged in popularity in recent years is microgreens, which are seedlings consumed during their early stages of growth. Hence, enhancing seed germination and promoting rapid seedling growth can yield significant benefits in this field. The main aim of this study was to analyze how lettuce, cabbage, spinach, and arugula seeds respond under various light spectra and photoperiodic schemes. The selected spectra were UV-A, blue, red, far-red, blue+red, blue+red+far-red, cool-white LED, warm-white LED and darkness, under three different photoperiods: 4, 12 and 24 h. All lighting treatments presented different effects on both seed germination and the morphological characteristics of the seedlings. Lettuce and spinach seeds exhibited robust germination capacity in both darkness and light. However, significant increases in germination rates were observed for cabbage and arugula when exposed to light. In the case of lettuce, a 12 h photoperiod with a blue spectrum led to a 100% germination rate and a leaf area of 77.4 mm². For cabbage, the highest germination rate observed was 70%, which occurred under a blue-red spectrum with a 12 h light cycle. The corresponding leaf area was 44 mm². Spinach exhibited its highest leaf area, reaching 119.16 mm², and a 90% germination rate when exposed to a four h far-red spectrum. Arugula achieved its greatest leaf area, measuring 58.57 mm², and a germination rate of 70% when exposed to a 24 h photoperiod combined with blue-red-far-red lighting. The proper combination of spectra can significantly enhance seed germination rates and guide the plants’ growth towards the desired morphological characteristics.

A metaheuristic algorithm for model predictive control of the oil-cooled motor in hybrid electric vehicles

The current energy management methods for hybrid vehicles are primarily focused on matching the power flow between the engine and the motor. In order to further reduce overall energy consumption and extend the vehicle's lifespan, this paper utilizes model predictive control (MPC) in the energy management of hybrid vehicles to control the energy consumption and temperature of the oil-cooled motor, with a focus on studying the algorithm for solving the optimization problem in MPC. The main work includes: Establishing a simplified model for the oil-cooled motor and training the working condition prediction model based on the worldwide harmonized light vehicles test cycle (WLTC) conditions utilizing long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network technology. Furthermore, proposing a novel metaheuristic algorithm based on the temporal nature of the problem, multiple hierarchical clustering algorithm (MHCA). In comparison with typical metaheuristic algorithms, the MPC optimized using MHCA exhibits significantly reduced computation time, with an average time of 0.1967s, indicating that using MHCA can theoretically achieve real-time control and eliminate lag in actual control processes. Furthermore, compared to other optimization algorithms, the MHCA algorithm demonstrates the lowest correlation between computation time and operational conditions, highlighting its high robustness in ensuring the safety of practical control.

Hydrocracking of a HDPE/VGO Blend: Influence of Catalyst-to-Feed Ratio on Fuel Yield and Composition

The effects that the catalyst-to-feed ratio have on the yields of products and composition of the naphtha and light cycle oil (LCO) fractions in the hydrocracking of a blend composed of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and vacuum gasoil (VGO) using a PtPd/HY catalyst were assessed. The hydrocracking runs were carried out in a batch reactor fixing the following operation conditions: 420 °C, 80 bar, 120 min and an HDPE-to-VGO ratio of 0.2 gHDPE gVGO−1, varying the catalyst-to-feed mass ratio within the 0.05–0.1 gcatalyst gfeed−1 range. The obtained results exposed that a catalyst-to-feed mass ratio of 0.075 gcatalyst gfeed−1 provided the best results, since the conversion of the heavy cycle oil (HCO) fraction and of the HDPE offered quite high values (73.1 and 63.9%, respectively) without causing an excessive overcracking in the form of gas products (the yield of gases was of 25%). Moreover, an interesting yield of naphtha (37.0 wt%) with an RON within the commercial standards (92.5) was obtained. With regard to coke formation, not-so-developed structures were formed for a catalyst-to-feed mass ratio of 0.075 gcatalyst gfeed−1, easing their combustion and presumably extending the lifespan of the catalyst.

Energy Harvesting and Storage with a High Voltage Organic Inorganic Photo‐Battery for Internet of Things Applications

Integrated local energy harvesting and storage is a critical prerequisite for energy autonomy of distributed sensing arrays required for the implementation of the internet of things (IoT). In this context, the monolithic integration of solar cells with metallic lithium‐based batteries into stacked high voltage photo‐batteries allows to provide said energy autonomy, with the smallest possible footprint and the highest resource efficiency. However current photo‐battery designs require additional electronics to control and match power output like maximum power point (MPP) tracking and overcharge protection. Herein a novel and compact monolithic photo‐battery design is provided, advantageously combining an organic solar cell with a NMC 622 versus metallic lithium‐based battery, matched in terms of VOC and cut‐off voltage, thereby achieving photo‐charging without any control electronics and energy release on demand at a very compact footprint of only 2.5 cm × 2.5 cm × 0.2 cm. Additionally, by applying a power profile simulating a temperature and humidity sensor over the course of a 24 h light and dark cycle, real world applicability of the photo‐battery in this type of applications is demonstrated.

Light and Light Signals Regulate Growth and Development in Woody Plants

This review synthesizes the current understanding on the dynamic influence of light on the developmental morphology of woody plants. It explores the regulatory effects of photosynthesis and photomorphogenesis in response to varying light conditions including intensity, quality, and photoperiodicity, and their subsequent impact on plant growth and architecture. Additionally, this review elucidates the role of the circadian system in synchronizing internal rhythms with external light cycles, a process mediated by photoreceptors such as PHYTOCHROME A (PHYA) and PHYTOCHROME B (PHYB), which are pivotal for seasonal growth and dormancy in species like poplar. The molecular perspective is provided on the light-regulated transcription of genes, along with their influence on the plant’s growth cycles and seasonal adaptions. Furthermore, the interactive role of plant hormones, including auxin, ethylene, and abscisic acid (ABA), is explored in the context of light signal transduction and its subsequent effect on plant physiology. By providing a comprehensive view of the light-dependent mechanisms that govern woody plant growth, this review contributes to our understanding of plant adaptation strategies and informs approaches to enhance forestry production and biodiversity conservation in the face of climate change.

Farmed cricket (Acheta domesticus, Gryllus assimilis, and Gryllodes sigillatus; Orthoptera) welfare considerations: recommendations for improving global practice

Abstract Orthoptera, such as crickets, is currently the most reared group of hemimetabolous insects in the insects as food and feed industry, with over 370 billion individuals slaughtered and/or sold live annually. The most-farmed cricket species is Acheta domesticus, however there is growing interest in farming at least two additional species, Gryllus assimilis and Gryllodes sigillatus. Crickets are largely being explored for use as human protein, and exotic animal or pet feed – as well as, to a lesser extent, livestock and fish feed. Insect welfare is of growing interest to consumers who are considering incorporating insect protein into their diets, as well as to many producers. However, no studies have considered the welfare concerns of farmed crickets under current industry conditions. Using an established model for assessing farmed insect welfare, we assess potential welfare concerns for the three most-farmed cricket species, including: interspecific interactions (including parasites and pathogens), temperature and humidity, light cycles, electrical shocks, atmospheric gas levels, nutrition and hydration, environmental pollutants, injury and crowding, density, handling-associated stress, genetics and selection, enrichments, transport-related challenges, and stunning, anesthesia, and slaughter/depopulation methods. From our assessment of these factors, we make recommendations for improving cricket welfare now and as the industry continues to grow; in addition, we identify research directions that will improve our understanding of cricket welfare. We conclude by broadly discussing the importance of addressing the welfare challenges presented by the insects as food and feed industry for the animals and for the growth and health of the industry itself.

The role of ambient temperature and light as cues in the control of circadian rhythms of Damaraland mole-rat

ABSTRACT Light is considered the primary entrainer for mammalian biological rhythms, including locomotor activity (LA). However, mammals experience different environmental and light conditions, which include those predominantly devoid of light stimuli, such as those experienced in subterranean environments. In this study, we investigated what environmental cue (light or ambient temperature (Ta)) is the strongest modulator of circadian rhythms, by using LA as a proxy, in mammals that experience a lifestyle devoid of light stimuli. To address this question, this study exposed a subterranean African mole-rat species, the Damaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis), to six light and Ta cycles in different combinations. Contrary to previous literature, when provided with a reliable light cue, Damaraland mole rats exhibited nocturnal, diurnal, or arrhythmic LA patterns under constant Ta. While under constant darkness and a 24-hour Ta cycle mimicking the burrow environment, all mole-rats were most active during the coolest 12-hour period. This finding suggests that in a subterranean environment, which receives no reliable photic cue, the limited heat dissipation and energy constraints during digging activity experienced by Damaraland mole-rats make Ta a reliable and consistent “time-keeping” variable. More so, when providing a reliable light cue (12 light: 12 dark) to Damaraland mole-rats under a 24-hour Ta cycle, this study presents the first evidence that cycles of Ta affect the LA rhythm of a subterranean mammal more strongly than cycles of light and darkness. Once again, Damaraland mole-rats were more active during the coolest 12-hour period regardless of whether this fell during the light or dark phase. However, conclusive differentiation of entrainment to Ta from that of masking was not achieved in this study, and as such, we have recommended future research avenues to do so.

Diel Cycle Proteomics: Illuminating Molecular Dynamics in Purple Bacteria for Optimized Biotechnological Applications.

Circadian rhythms, characterized by approximately 24 h cycles, play a pivotal role in enabling various organisms to synchronize their biological activities with daily variations. While ubiquitous in Eukaryotes, circadian clocks remain exclusively characterized in Cyanobacteria among Prokaryotes. These rhythms are regulated by a core oscillator, which is controlled by a cluster of three genes: kaiA, kaiB, and kaiC. Interestingly, recent studies revealed rhythmic activities, potentially tied to a circadian clock, in other Prokaryotes, including purple bacteria such as Rhodospirillum rubrum, known for its applications in fuel and plastic bioproduction. However, the pivotal question of how light and dark cycles influence protein dynamics and the expression of putative circadian clock genes remains unexplored in purple non-sulfur bacteria. Unraveling the regulation of these molecular clocks holds the key to unlocking optimal conditions for harnessing the biotechnological potential of R. rubrum. Understanding how its proteome responds to different light regimes-whether under continuous light or alternating light and dark cycles-could pave the way for precisely fine-tuning bioproduction processes. Here, we report for the first time the expressed proteome of R. rubrum grown under continuous light versus light and dark cycle conditions using a shotgun proteomic analysis. In addition, we measured the impact of light regimes on the expression of four putative circadian clock genes (kaiB1, kaiB2, kaiC1, kaiC2) at the transcriptional and translational levels using RT-qPCR and targeted proteomic (MRM-MS), respectively. The data revealed significant effects of light conditions on the overall differential regulation of the proteome, particularly during the early growth stages. Notably, several proteins were found to be differentially regulated during the light or dark period, thus impacting crucial biological processes such as energy conversion pathways and the general stress response. Furthermore, our study unveiled distinct regulation of the four kai genes at both the mRNA and protein levels in response to varying light conditions. Deciphering the impact of the diel cycle on purple bacteria not only enhances our understanding of their ecology but also holds promise for optimizing their applications in biotechnology, providing valuable insights into the origin and evolution of prokaryotic clock mechanisms.

Recent Advances in Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Systems.

The endocrine and neuroendocrine systems exert powerful and broad control over the regulation of homeostasis in animals. Secreted hormones play significant roles in lifetime-related events such as germ cell development, sexual maturation, development, metamorphosis, aging, feeding, and energy metabolism. Additionally, hormones, particularly sex steroid hormones, are involved in reproduction, including sexual behavior and dimorphism. Changes in body color protect against external enemies, and circadian rhythms direct physiology and behaviors in synchrony with light and dark cycles. Water and electrolyte metabolism are essential for survival in land or seawater. Both aquatic and terrestrial animals have developed a variety of endocrine and neuroendocrine systems that exquisitely manage water and electrolyte metabolism to support survival. In zoological science, many animal species are investigated for their unique life history phenomena, and many researchers bring original and unique research approaches to understand these phenomena. Exploring such a variety of animal species leads to an understanding of diversity and unity, and contributes to the development of comparative endocrinology. This Special Issue contains 15 papers focusing on the endocrine mechanisms involved in the aforementioned life phenomena.

First Report of Colletotrichum fructicola Causing Anthracnosis on Glycine max in Brazil

Brazil is the largest producer of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill], cultivated in diverse environments and systems. This scenario can contribute to emergence of new diseases or increase the severity of secondary diseases. In March 2023, elliptical to circular, brownish lesions, 5.2–6.1 cm length and 1.1–1.5 cm width, with salmon-colored masses of conidia in the center of the lesions, were observed on the stems of soybean cultivar ‘CZ 16B17 IPRO’, in the municipality of Campos Novos, Santa Catarina, Brazil (27º25'19''S and 51º14'14''05W). The presence of 210–355 μm length and 210–232 μm width acervuli was rare, with arrows larger than the mass of conidia (Figure S1). Fragments of the infected tissues were cut, disinfected and placed in Petri dishes containing Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) or V8-agar medium and maintained at 23 ± 2ºC and a photoperiod of 12 h dark–light cycle. After 13 days, the development of grayish-white colonies was observed on both culture media, with the formation of a mass of septate hyaline, oblong, cylindrical conidia, 13.3–15.3 µm length and 2.9–3.5 µm width, with obtuse ends. One pure monosporic isolate was selected, isolate CF1. The presence of sexual structures was observed on PDA after 13 days and in V8 after 15–20 days. Perithecia were dark brown and globose, either immersed in the culture medium or on the surface between the mycelia. Inside of perithecia, unitunicate, clavate, and cymbiform asci, 39.1–61.0 μm length and 9.6–11.7 μm width were observed, containing eight spindle-shaped and slightly curved ascospores with rounded tips 13.8–18.3 μm length and 3.0–4.2 μm width (Figure S1). Pathogenicity tests were performed on young soybean plants at V1 phenological growth stage in four repetitions. PDA disks, 7mm in diameter, with growth mycelium were placed on stems while using uninfected PDA disks as a control. Plants were incubated in a chamber at 25 ± 2°C and 90% relative humidity. Anthracnose lesions were observed only on the stems of the inoculated plants. The same pattern of symptoms was observed on the stems, and the fungus were reisolated on PDA. The colony and morphological characteristics were identical to the previously isolated fungus. For molecular characterization, the growth mycelia were collected, macerated in liquid nitrogen, and DNA was extracted using the method Doyle and Doyle (1990) with CTAB. End-point PCR was performed using the GoTaq® Flexi DNA Polymerase (Promega, USA) and the primers, ITS-1F/ITS-4, T1/Bt2b, CL1C/CL2C, GDF/GDR, and SODglo2-F/SODglo2-R (Weir et al. 2012) for the amplification of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), β-tubulin (TUB2), calmodulin (CAL), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), respectively. Amplified fragments were sequenced and compared with the available sequences in the Genbank (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/). The sequences of all five-genes (Accession numbers OR883777, OR891749, OR891750, OR891751 and OR891752, respectively) of the isolate CF1 characterized in this study showed 99% nucleotide identities whith the stand isolate ICMP 18581 of Colletotrichum fructicola. A phylogenetic tree was constructed in MEGA X (Kumar et al. 2021), containing the amplified and concatenated sequences and representative species from the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides complex. The isolate grouped only with C. fructicola clade, confirming the identity of the fungus (Figure S2). To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the infection of C. fructicola in soybeans in Brazil, which has already been reported in China (Xu et al. 2023).

Optical, thermal and mechanical activation of spiropyrans enhanced by hydrogen bonding interactions and its application in time–resolved encryption

Here, a multi–stimuli–responsive spiropyran molecule with enhanced photochromic, thermochromic and mechanochromic properties was constructed by introducing hydrogen bonding interactions, which is highly sensitive to external stimuli, and its solution and powder change color after two seconds of ultraviolet irradiation. After short–term grinding (10 min) or heating (90 ℃ for 3 min), the powder can also show rapid and reversible fluorescence emission change. The molecule can withstand at least 5 reversible grinding–recrystallization cycles, 5 heating–white light cycles or 20 reversible UV– white light cycles. To our best knowledge, it is seldom reported that spiropyran compounds achieve multi–stimuli response by introducing hydrogen bonds, and there are also rare reports on the influence of hydrogen bonds on multi–stimuli performance. Hydrogen bond interaction makes the spiropyran molecule more sensitive to external stimuli to achieve the multi–stimulus response. Combined with this good photochromism, mechanochromism and thermochromism, a time–resolved multilevel information encryption was explored, which has the following advantages: (1) According to the actual demand, designing and adding the combination of numbers or letters can encrypt a lot of information. (2) The process involves three kinds of stimuli responses (photochromism, mechanochromism and thermochromism), and the complex information switching ensures that the real information is not easy to leak. (3) The encryption and decryption steps are easy to operate and can lower the application threshold. This work is a rare example of improving the photochromism, mechanism and thermochromism of spiropyrans by hydrogen bonding, which can also provide guidance for designing functional spiropyrans for multi–level information encryption.

Impact of Metal Impregnation of Commercial Zeolites in the Catalytic Pyrolysis of Real Mixture of Post-Consumer Plastic Waste

This work reports the study of the catalytic pyrolysis of rejected plastic fractions collected from municipal solid waste whose mechanical recovery is not plausible due to technical or poor conservation issues. The chemical recycling using catalytic pyrolysis was carried out over commercial zeolites formulas, i.e., HY and HZSM-5, in which Ni or Co metals were deposited at two different loadings (1 and 5%, wt.). The presence of these transition metals on the zeolitic supports impacted the total production of compounds existing in the liquid oil. The samples were characterized in terms of structural, chemical, and morphologic properties, and the production of different fuel fractions (gasoline, light cycle oil, and heavy cycle oil) was correlated with a combined parameter defined as a ratio of Acidity/BET area.

Circadian rhythm and whole gut transit in mice.

In preclinical studies whole gut transit (WGT) in mice is a gold-standard "leading-edge" approach that measures the time between orogastric gavage of carmine red and defecation of the first carmine red pellet. Transit studies in humans are performed during the active day because GI motility and transit are suppressed during the night. Since mice are nocturnal, WGT studies traditionally done during the day occur during their rest phase. How circadian rhythm affects WGT in mice is not known. We used an automated approach for high temporal resolution uninterrupted testing of mouse WGT and activity. We housed wild-type Bl6/C57 mice under the standard 12 h light-dark cycles. At 8 weeks, we performed carmine red orogastric gavage and assessed WGT during Light (rest) conditions. Then, we exposed mice to a reverse 12 h light-dark cycle for 2 weeks and tested them in the Dark (active) under red light conditions. Timelapse videos were analyzed to quantify activity and to timestamp all pellets, and multiple parameters were analyzed. When complementary light cycle reversal experiments were performed, we found a significant increase in mouse activity when mice were tested during their Dark (active) phase, compared to their Light (rest) phase. In mice tested in the Active phase compared to the Rest phase, we found a significant acceleration in WGT, increased rate and total number of pellets produced, and more pellet clustering. These data show that the mice tested in the Active phase have important differences in activity that correlate with multiple alterations in gastrointestinal transit. During the Active phase mice have faster WGT, produce more pellets, and cluster their output compared to testing in the Rest phase. Like in humans, circadian rhythm is an important consideration for transit studies in mice, and a simple reverse light cycle approach facilitates further studies on the role of circadian rhythm in GI motility.

MoonShine: A software‐hardware system for simulating moonlight ground illuminance and re‐creating artificial moonlight cycles in a laboratory environment

Abstract Moonlight exerts profound ecological, behavioural and physiological effects on animals. However, lunar cycles are characterised by complex changes in the illuminance and timing of illumination, making it challenging to re‐create and manipulate moonlight cycles in the laboratory using artificial lights. As a result, ecological experiments on the effects of moonlight cycles are uncommon, and existing studies often oversimplify the re‐creation of moonlight. This limitation extends to experimental studies of the effects of light pollution on nocturnal animals, which often fail to adequately represent natural nocturnal light. To address the lack of open‐source solutions for re‐creating and manipulating moonlight cycles, we developed the software‐hardware system MoonShine. This has two components: (1) MoonShineR, an R package with additional R scripts, which predicts moonlight ground illuminance (in lux) at defined intervals, for a specified location and time range; (2) MoonShineP, a Python program running on a Raspberry Pi computer, which uses the illuminance values from MoonShineR to gradually dim and brighten a diffused array of individually addressable LEDs, allowing realistic natural light regimes to be re‐created in a laboratory environment. MoonShine includes multiple features to re‐create and manipulate light cycles. It supports colour‐shifting of the LED light (by adjustment of RGBW intensity ratios) to approximate the spectrum of natural moonlight, and to mimic habitat‐specific conditions or certain types of light pollution. We tested the accuracy of MoonShineR's moonlight illuminance predictions by comparison to field radiometer measurements at equatorial and temperate latitude sites. We demonstrated the accuracy of MoonShineP's moonlight re‐creation, by comparing its measured LED illuminances to the intended values and its measured LED spectrum against natural moonlight. MoonShine allows researchers to re‐create a range of natural nocturnal lighting scenarios in the laboratory. It can be used to re‐create full natural moonlight cycles with a relatively realistic spectral composition, generate manipulated moonlight schedules, or simulate light pollution. Furthermore, the moonlight illuminance predicted by MoonShineR is useful for field ecologists who require moonlight as a quantitative model predictor. Finally, to provide laboratory‐housed animals with full diurnal light cycles, MoonShine allows researchers to re‐create natural twilight and sunlight regimes.

Cs and Br tuning to achieve ultralow-hysteresis and high-performance indoor triple cation perovskite solar cell with low-cost carbon-based electrode

With high efficacy for electron-photon conversion under low light, perovskite materials show great potential for indoor solar cell applications to power small electronics for internet of things (IoTs). To match the spectrum of an indoor LED light source, triple cation perovskite composition was varied to adjust band gap values via Cs and Br tuning. However, increased band gaps lead to morphology, phase instability, and defect issues. 10% Cs and 30% Br strike the right balance, leading to low-cost carbon-based devices with the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 31.94% and good stability under low light cycles. With further improvement in device stack and size, functional solar cells with the ultralow hysteresis index (HI) of 0.1 and the highest PCE of 30.09% with an active area of 1cm2 can be achieved. A module from connecting two such cells in series can simultaneously power humidity and temperature sensors under 1000 lux.

Co-processing of organic fraction from groundnut shell biocrude with VGO in FCC unit to produce petrochemical products

This research work explores the transformative potential of biomass leading to sustainable production of biocrude and its utilization in refinery and petrochemical sector for reducing reliance on fossil fuels. In this study, groundnut shell biomass was thermally converted in a customized continuous semi pilot auger reactor in temperature range of 400–700 °C. The optimum temperature for maximizing biocrude was studied, and detailed chemical analysis revealed that biocrude contains hydrocarbons and alcohols with a calorific value of 29 MJ/kg. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the performance of the FCC (Fluid Catalytic Cracking) catalyst and feedstock (H-T- VGO (Hydrothermal vacuum gasoline oil) & Biocrude) in a laboratory-scale utilizing ACE R + MM (Advanced Cracking Evaluation - Residue and Metals Management) unit under predetermined temperatures (515 °C, 525 °C) and a fixed cat-to-oil weight ratio (CTO = 6 w/w). The organic phase and FCC feedstock in different weight ratios from 5 to 20 wt % were blended. There are marginal changes in the yields of dry gas, LCO (light cycle oil) and HCO (heavy cycle oil), with significant increase in the yields of LPG (liquified petroleum gas) and gasoline. Bottoms have been reduced, and coke formation has been adjusted. However, this process requires prudent blending and temperature choices, with future recommendations including improvement in the quality of biocrude to enhance the yields of both LPG and gasoline along with reduced coke formation.

Low-cost, open-source device for simultaneously subjecting rodents to different circadian cycles of light, food, and temperature.

Exposure of experimental rodents to controlled cycles of light, food, and temperature is important when investigating alterations in circadian cycles that profoundly influence health and disease. However, applying such stimuli simultaneously is difficult in practice. We aimed to design, build, test, and open-source describe a simple device that subjects a conventional mouse cage to independent cycles of physiologically relevant environmental variables. The device is based on a box enclosing the rodent cage to modify the light, feeding, and temperature environments. The device provides temperature-controlled air conditioning (heating or cooling) by a Peltier module and includes programmable feeding and illumination. All functions are set by a user-friendly front panel for independent cycle programming. Bench testing with a model simulating the CO2 production of mice in the cage showed: a) suitable air renewal (by measuring actual ambient CO2), b) controlled realistic illumination at the mouse enclosure (measured by a photometer), c) stable temperature control, and d) correct cycling of light, feeding, and temperature. The cost of all the supplies (retail purchased by e-commerce) was <300 US$. Detailed technical information is open-source provided, allowing for any user to reliably reproduce or modify the device. This approach can considerably facilitate circadian research since using one of the described low-cost devices for any mouse group with a given light-food-temperature paradigm allows for all the experiments to be performed simultaneously, thereby requiring no changes in the light/temperature of a general-use laboratory.

Numerical study on the performance, combustion characteristics and energy flow distribution of gasoline-powered vehicle under synthetic actual driving test cycle

In order to meet the requirements of vehicle performance prediction and optimization under actual urban road conditions, a synthetic actual driving test cycle (ADTC) is proposed to accurately predict the performance and energy distribution characteristics of vehicles. Meanwhile, a multi-physical field vehicle energy management simulation model is built and verified carefully. Thus, numerical analysis was conducted on the performance of vehicles under ADTC and the characteristics of energy distribution were revealed. The results show that, the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) of the engine under ADTC varies in the range of 14.88 %–30.54 %, that is lower than worldwide harmonized light vehicles test cycle (WLTC) and new European driving cycle (NEDC). Besides, the proportion of combustion loss is WLTC, ATDC and NEDC from the largest to the smallest, which is mainly related to the complexity of speed variation. Based on this, unlike traditional testing cycles, ADTC synthesized from local actual road test data can more accurately evaluate the actual performance of vehicles under local characteristic road conditions and provide guidance for deep optimization, which is beneficial for energy conservation and emission reduction.

Attosecond electron microscopy by free-electron homodyne detection

Time-resolved electron microscopy aims to track nanoscale excitations and dynamic states of matter at a temporal resolution ultimately reaching the attosecond regime. Periodically time-varying fields in an illuminated specimen cause free-electron inelastic scattering, which enables the spectroscopic imaging of near-field intensities. However, access to the evolution of nanoscale fields and structures within the cycle of light requires sensitivity to the optical phase. Here we introduce free-electron homodyne detection as a universally applicable approach to electron microscopy of phase-resolved optical responses at high spatiotemporal resolution. In this scheme, a phase-controlled reference interaction serves as the local oscillator to extract arbitrary sample-induced modulations of a free-electron wavefunction. We demonstrate this principle through the phase-resolved imaging of plasmonic fields with few-nanometre spatial and sub-cycle temporal resolutions. Due to its sensitivity to both phase- and amplitude-modulated electron beams, free-electron homodyne detection measurements will be able to detect and amplify weak signals stemming from a wide variety of microscopic origins, including linear and nonlinear optical polarizations, atomic and molecular resonances, and attosecond-modulated structure factors.