Low Density Research Articles

Status assessment of a recently reintroduced eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in the Palatinate Forest, South-West Germany

To reinforce Eurasian lynx populations in central Europe, 20 lynx from Slovakia and Switzerland were translocated to the Palatinate Forest between 2016 and 2020. Using a systematic camera trapping array consisting of 80 camera trapping sites in a 1,000 km² study area located in the centre of the approximately 1,800 km² Palatinate Forest, we aim to describe the status of the population in the final stages of the reintroduction project in winter and spring 2019/20 and 2020/21. We also use our data to provide a first estimate of population density of the newly established population. With an estimate of 0.52 independent individuals per 100 km², population density in the Palatinate Forest was still significantly lower than the densities of well-established reintroduced populations. The number of independent individuals detected in the study area decreased from 15 individuals in 2019/20 to 11 individuals in 2020/21, thus significantly below the number of lynx translocated. The low abundance in the Palatinate Forest can be explained by the dispersal of several individuals to the Vosges (France), which, together with the Palatinate Forest, form a continuous area of suitable lynx habitat of approximately 8,000 km². Our results may thus reflect the status of a young population that can expand over a potentially large area. Nevertheless, in light of the low population density, we strongly recommend a synchronized and harmonized transboundary monitoring program to keep track of the development of this important Franco-German lynx population. In case population density remains low, supportive measures need to be considered.

Polymeric piezoelectric accelerometers with high sensitivity, broad bandwidth, and low noise density for organic electronics and wearable microsystems

Piezoelectric accelerometers excel in vibration sensing. In the emerging trend of fully organic electronic microsystems, polymeric piezoelectric accelerometers can be used as vital front-end components to capture dynamic signals, such as vocal vibrations in wearable speaking assistants for those with speaking difficulties. However, high-performance polymeric piezoelectric accelerometers suitable for such applications are rare. Piezoelectric organic compounds such as PVDF have inferior properties to their inorganic counterparts such as PZT. Consequently, most existing polymeric piezoelectric accelerometers have very unbalanced performance metrics. They often sacrifice resonance frequency and bandwidth for a flat-band sensitivity comparable to those of PZT-based accelerometers, leading to increased noise density and limited application potentials. In this study, a new polymeric piezoelectric accelerometer design to overcome the material limitations of PVDF is introduced. This new design aims to simultaneously achieve high sensitivity, broad bandwidth, and low noise. Five samples were manufactured and characterized, demonstrating an average sensitivity of 29.45 pC/g within a ± 10 g input range, a 5% flat band of 160 Hz, and an in-band noise density of 1.4 µg/Hz\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\sqrt{{Hz}}$$\\end{document}. These results surpass those of many PZT-based piezoelectric accelerometers, showing the feasibility of achieving comprehensively high performance in polymeric piezoelectric accelerometers to increase their potential in novel applications such as organic microsystems.

Local Variation in Feeding Ground Utilization of Dugongs (Dugong dugon) Across Two Intertidal Seagrass Beds in Talibong Island, Thailand

In this study, we describe the population characteristics and residency patterns of dugongs (Dugong dugon) across two intertidal seagrass beds in Talibong Island, Thailand: Site A, covering an area of 2.0 × 105 m2, and Site B, covering an area of 2.8 × 105 m2. Transect and individual identification surveys were conducted under clear water conditions using drones: 16 separate days over 11 months at Site A and 10 separate days over 3 months at Site B. Sixty-four individuals were identified from 180 videography sessions. The results confirmed at least two distinct patterns of seagrass habitat utilization among sites located approximately 5 km apart. Site A was characterized by a lower population density, higher year-round site fidelity, occupancy by relatively large individuals, and an absence of feeding aggregations. In contrast, Site B was characterized by a higher population density, lower site fidelity, occupancy by individuals with a wider range of body lengths, and the presence of feeding aggregations. The average population density at Site B was three to five times higher than that at Site A. Site A had a median nearest neighbor distance of 320 m with no significant bias in its distribution, whereas Site B had a median of 20 m with a significant bias. The mean site fidelity index for Site A (0.62 ± 0.08; n = 16) was significantly higher than that for Site B (0.39 ± 0.14; n = 10). Dugongs at Site A might have monopolized this site to some extent, while those at Site B might have benefited from increased opportunities for social interaction provided by aggregations. These findings highlight the importance of fine-scale monitoring of feeding ground utilization by dugongs, taking into consideration individual-specific details such as body lengths and resighting rates for a better understanding of their spatial distribution.

Relationship between gut microbiome and bone deficits in primary hyperparathyroidism: A proof-of-concept pilot study.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) interacts with components of the gut microbiota to exert its bone-regulating effects. This study aimed to investigate the gut microbial composition in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Nine patients with PHPT and nine age-sex and body mass index-matched healthy controls were included. Gut microbial composition was assessed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing in both groups at baseline and 1 month after parathyroidectomy in the PHPT group. Data were imported into QIIME-2 and both QIIME-2 and R packages were used for microbiome analysis. Alpha and beta diversities were similar between the groups and remained unchanged after parathyroidectomy. The relative abundance of Subdoligranulum was significantly higher, whereas Ruminococcus, Alloprevotella, Phascolarctobacterium, and Clostridium sensu stricto_1 were significantly lower in PHPT than in controls (p < 0.001). After parathyroidectomy, the relative abundance of Subdoligranulum decreased, and Ruminococcus and Alloprevotella increased (p < 0.001). The PHPT group had lower total femoral and lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) than the controls (p < 0.05). At baseline, Alloprevotella abundance was positively correlated with serum phosphorus and Subdoligranulum was positively correlated with total lumbar BMD. Clostridium sensu stricto_1 was negatively correlated with serum calcium and positively correlated with femoral neck BMD. Postoperatively, Alloprevotella was positively correlated with baseline serum phosphorus and Phascolarctobacterium was positively correlated with distal radius BMD. This study demonstrated that the diversity of the gut microbiome was altered, possibly in response to electrolyte changes in PHPT, both before and after parathyroidectomy.

The potential protective role of vitamin D and calcium supplements in reducing cardiovascular disease risk among elderly patients with osteopenia.

Cardiovascular disease and low bone mineral density are major health problems in the elderly. These two conditions are considered independent of each other and age-related diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between low bone mineral density (BMD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidents, and the effect of vitamin D and calcium supplement on the incidence of CVD in patients with low BMD. A total of 1047 patients (597 females/450 males) with the age of 65years and more were diagnosed with osteopenia for 13years or more. The study also included 220 patients (107 females/113 males) with osteopenia who already took calcium and vitamin D continually since their diagnosis. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The incidence of any cardiovascular diseases in the study patients and the presence of corresponding risk factors were collected and analyzed. In both elderly Arab females and males, there was an association between total hip and femoral neck BMD and the possibility to have CVD. On the other hand, the results showed that patients who use calcium and vitamin D supplements showed a significant reduction in the incidence of CVD comparing to the non-treated patients. Low total hip and femoral neck BMD were associated with a higher chance to have CVD incidents in both elderly Arab males and females; moreover, calcium and vitamin D supplements have a possible protective role in reducing cardiovascular disease in elderly patients with osteopenia.

Square-planar Tetranuclear Cluster-based Alkaline Earth Metal-organic Frameworks with Enhanced Proton Conductivity.

Alkaline earth (AE) metal complexes have garnered significant interest in various functional fields due to their nontoxicity, low density, and low cost. However, there is a lack of systematic investigation into the structural characteristics and physical properties of AE-metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). In this research, we synthesized isostructural MOFs consisting of AE4(μ4-Cl) clusters bridged by benzo-(1,2;3,4;5,6)-tris(thiophene-2'-carboxylic acid) (BTTC3-) ligands. The resulting structure forms a truncated octahedral cage denoted as [AE4(m4-Cl)]6(BTTC)8, which further linked to a porous three-dimensional framework. Among the investigated AE ions (Ca, Sr, and Ba), the Ca4-MOF demonstrated good chemical stability in water compared to Sr4-MOF and Ba4-MOF. The N2 adsorption and solid-state UV-vis-NIR absorption behaviors were evaluated for all AE4-MOFs, showing similar trends among the different metal ions. Additionally, the proton conduction study revealed that the Ca4-MOF exhibited ultra-high proton conductivity, reaching 3.52×10-2 S cm-1 at 343 K and 98 % RH. Notably, the introduction of LiCl via guest exchange resulted in an improved proton conduction of up to 6.36×10-2 S cm-1 under similar conditions in the modified LiCl@Ca4-MOF. The findings shed light on the regulation of physical properties and proton conductivity of AE-MOFs, providing valuable insights for their potential applications in various fields.

Enzyme-assisted high throughput sequencing of an expanded genetic alphabet at single base resolution

With just four building blocks, low sequence information density, few functional groups, poor control over folding, and difficulties in forming compact folds, natural DNA and RNA have been disappointing platforms from which to evolve receptors, ligands, and catalysts. Accordingly, synthetic biology has created “artificially expanded genetic information systems” (AEGIS) to add nucleotides, functionality, and information density. With the expected improvements seen in AegisBodies and AegisZymes, the task for synthetic biologists shifts to developing for expanded DNA the same analytical tools available to natural DNA. Here we report one of these, an enzyme-assisted sequencing of expanded genetic alphabet (ESEGA) method to sequence six-letter AEGIS DNA. We show how ESEGA analyses this DNA at single base resolution, and applies it to optimized conditions for six-nucleotide PCR, assessing the fidelity of various DNA polymerases, and extending this to AEGIS components with functional groups. This supports the renewed exploitation of expanded DNA alphabets in biotechnology.

Rabies and the Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus): A Review.

The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is the primary infection reservoir of Arctic rabies, the dynamics of which are poorly understood and subject to significant spatiotemporal variation. Although rabies presence has been documented in the region since the mid-19th century, there is currently no evidence of rabies impacting Arctic fox population size. Under the influence of climate change in a rapidly changing Arctic ecosystem, changes in transmission dynamics are predicted, with implications for this species. Concurrently, the World Health Organization leads the United Against Rabies collective in the aim of elimination of dog-mediated rabies by 2030, and although efforts have justifiably been directed to tropical regions, elimination will require a good understanding of rabies in the Arctic. Therefore, this review aimed to provide an overview of current Arctic rabies understanding, while identifying the key knowledge gaps. The review covered spatiotemporal trends in rabies populations, population dynamics of the host species, and current theories about Arctic rabies persistence. It is still unclear how Arctic rabies can persist under low host densities, which has led to several hypotheses in recent years. Creation of high animal density "hotspots" caused by heterogenic fox distribution and multispecies congregations in response to food availability, extensive Arctic fox migration patterns, and the potential evolution to a less lethal variant of rabies may all be part of the explanation. Evidence for these theories by using recent genetic and modeling studies was evaluated within the review. There is currently insufficient evidence about the efficacy and feasibility of vaccines against Arctic rabies. Key knowledge gaps need addressing to enable future control campaigns.

Are immigrants migrating away from transit? Immigrant transit use trends in California

While patronage on most public transit systems around the world remains modestly to significantly depressed post-pandemic, transit ridership had mostly been declining across the US since 2014. Advocates, practitioners, and scholars have offered a range of explanations for pre-pandemic patronage decline. This analysis examines the demand-side of this phenomenon by focusing on high-propensity transit riders, and, in particular, immigrants in the most populous US state: California. Drawing on the California add-on to the 2009 and 2017 National Household Travel Surveys, we evaluate changes in transit use among Hispanic and Asian immigrants. We find that during the study period, transit trip frequency of Hispanic immigrants declined, converging toward the ridership patterns of US-born Hispanics. While this trend was largely the result of rising incomes, increased vehicle ownership, and lower residential densities among non-US-born Hispanics, all else equal, Hispanic immigrants continued to use transit more than their US-born counterparts. By contrast, transit trip making by Asian immigrants diverged from that of US-born Asians. Notably, this divergence was not the result of declining per-person trip making by Asian immigrants, which was relatively stable during the study period. Instead, the growing gap was due to increases in transit trip frequency by US-born Asians.

Assessment of OCT-Based Macular Curvature and Its Relationship with Macular Microvasculature in Children with Anisomyopia.

To evaluate the intraocular differences in optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based macular curvature index (MCI) among children with anisomyopia and to investigate the relationship between MCI and the macular microvasculature. Fifty-two schoolchildren with anisometropia > 2.00 D were enrolled and underwent comprehensive examinations including cycloplegic refraction, axial length (AL), and swept source OCT/OCT angiography. OCT-based MCIs were determined from horizontal and vertical B-scans by a customized curve fitting model in MATLAB R2022 at 1-mm-, 3-mm-, and 6-mm-diameter circles at fovea. Characteristics and topographic variation of MCI was analyzed, and the relationships with microvascularity and its associated factors were investigated. MCI achieved high reliability and repeatability. There were overall larger MCIs in the more myopic eyes than the less myopic eyes in 1-mm-, 3-mm-, and 6-mm-diameter circles at fovea (all p < 0.001). For the topographic variation, horizontal MCI was significantly greater than vertical MCI (all p < 0.001), and was the largest in 6-mm circle, followed by 3-mm and 1-mm circles. Stronger correlation of horizontal MCI with myopic severity than vertical MCI was found. Partial Pearson's correlation found MCI was negatively associated with deep capillary plexus (DCP) vessel density (p = 0.016). Eyes with a higher MCI in a 6-mm circle were more likely to have longer AL (p < 0.001), lower DCP vessel density (p = 0.037), and thinner choroidal thickness (ChT) (p = 0.045). Larger MCI was found in the more myopic eyes of children with anisomyopia and was significantly associated with smaller DCP density, suggesting that MCI was an important indicator of myopia-related retinal microvascularity change, and it could be a valuable metric for myopia assessment in children.

A pore scale model study of mass transfer and electrochemical reaction in cathode catalytic layer of high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

The mass transfer and related electrochemical reactions in the catalytic layer (CL) are crucial for the performance of high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs), but there is a lack of understanding of the optimal phosphoric acid content and Pt/C catalyst loading in the CL. In this work, we investigate the influences of Pt/C catalyst numbers (NPt/C) and phosphoric acid film thickness (δPA) on mass transfer and electrochemical reactions of the cathode CL using a pore-scale model (300 × 300 × 300 nm3). The results reveal that larger NPt/C and δPA can impede oxygen diffusion, while lower NPt/C and δPA lead to fewer reaction active sites and lower conductivity, both of which result in lower current density. Therefore, the balance of three-phase transport is extremely important for CL. There is a 3D volcanic relationship between current density, Pt/C catalysts, and phosphoric acid film. At NPt/C = 200 (7407 per μm3) and δPA = 4 nm (the volume fractions of 37.22 % and 17.87 %), the highest current density can be achieved at a potential of 0.5 V (vs. RHE), which increased with the decrease of potential. This work is valuable for understanding the optimizing the microstructure and three-phase transport pathway of the CL to improve the performance of HT-PEMFCs.

AZ31-calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA) composites produced by friction stir processing: controlling the degradation by enhancing the biomineralisation

ABSTRACT In the present work, calcium deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA) was dispersed into the surface of AZ31 Mg alloy within the solid state by friction stir processing and the role of the refined microstructure and the presence of nano-CDHA on biomineralization and corrosion performance was investigated. Fine grains (1.6 ± 2.1 µm) have been produced in AZ31-CDHA composite compared with base alloy (41 ± 6.1 µm) and nano-CDHA was observed as reinforced into AZ31 matrix. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the texture change due to FSP in the composite. Wettability studies carried out by measuring contact angles on the surface of the composites indicated increased surface energy (37.27 ± 5.1 mJ/m2) compared with the base alloy (20.55 ± 3.4 mJ/m2) . From the potentiodynamic polarization studies, lower corrosion current density (1.69 ± 1.13 × 10-5 A/cm2) was observed for the composite. From the immersion studies in simulated body fluids, higher level of biomineralization on the composite helped to decrease the degradation rate as reflected from the lower weight loss (7.5 ± 1.1 %) compared with the base alloy (12.1 ± 1.3 %). The results demonstrate the promising role of enhanced biomineralization on controlling the degradation of AZ31-CDHA composite..

Plant, pest and predator interplay: tomato trichomes effects on Tetranychus urticae (Koch) and the predatory mite Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) recki Wainstein.

Trichomes are well-known efficient plant defense mechanisms to limit arthropod herbivory, especially in Solanaceae. The present study aims to evaluate the impact of trichome types on the development, survival and dispersal of Tetranychus urticae, and the phytoseiid predatory mite Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) recki. Six Solanum lycopersicum cultivars and two wild Solanum species, S. cheesmaniae and S. peruvianum, presenting contrasting densities and types of trichomes, were considered. Cultivars and species were characterized by counting each trichome type on leaves, petioles and stems. Mites stuck on petiole and stem and alive mites on the leaflet used for mite release and in the whole plant were counted three weeks after T. urticae plant infestation. Tetranychus urticae settlement and dispersal were differently affected by trichomes. Trichome types V and VI did not affect settlement and dispersal, whereas trichome types I and IV on the petiole had the highest impacton mites. Trichomes on leaves slightly affected mite establishment, there appears to be a repellent effect of trichome types I and IV. The low densities of both T. urticae and its predator detected for the cv. Lancaster could not be clearly associated to the trichome types here considered. The predator did not seem to be affected by plant characteristics, but rather by T. urticae numbers on the plant. The trichome traits unfavorable to T. urticae, did not affect the predator which showed high efficiency to control this pest on all the plant genotypes considered, but at a favorable predator:prey ratio (1:1). Altogether, these results are encouraging for the use of T. (A.) recki as a biological control agent of T. urticae regardless of the trichome structure of the tomato cultivars, but other conditions should be tested to conclude on practical implementations.

Pulmonary artery sarcoma affecting the pulmonary valve mistaken as pulmonary vasculitis: a case report and comparative literature review

Pulmonary arterial sarcomas (PAS) are rare aggressive tumours occurring mainly in the pulmonary trunk. We report a case of PAS involving the pulmonary trunk wall and valve, with uniform wall thickening which represents an atypical imaging manifestation of this tumour. A 63-year-old male presented with vague respiratory symptoms with rapid progression. CTPA showed low density filling defects in both pulmonary arteries and PET scan showed increased uptake in the pulmonary trunk, which along with raised ESR suggested Pulmonary Vasculitis. Echo imaging showed Right ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary stenosis. Response to steroid therapy was minimal and his symptoms worsened. A referral for second opinion was made and he was diagnosed with PAS. He underwent Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy with Pulmonary valve replacement. Post-operative histopathology confirmed the diagnosis. PAS is rare and frequently misdiagnosed. Surgical resection is not curative, but together with chemotherapy can prolong survival.

Golden lion tamarin metapopulation dynamics five years after heavy losses to yellow fever.

The golden lion tamarin (GLT) is an Endangered primate endemic to Brazil's lowland Atlantic Forest. After centuries of deforestation and capture for the pet trade, only a few hundred individuals survived, all in isolated forest fragments 85 km from Rio de Janeiro city. Intensive conservation actions, including reintroduction of zoo-born tamarins, increased numbers to about 3700 in 2014. The most severe yellow fever epidemic/epizootic in Brazil in 80 years reduced two of the largest GLT populations by over 90%. Herein we report the results of a 2023 survey of GLTs designed to examine the dynamics of population recovery following yellow fever. Results indicate that populations hard hit by yellow fever are recovering due in part to immigration from adjacent forest fragments. No local extirpations were observed. About 4800 GLTs live in the survey area. This represents a 31% increase since the baseline survey completed in 2014. Two factors explain most of the increase: four large areas that had no GLTs or very low-density populations in 2014 are now at moderate density (three areas) or low density (one area), explaining 71% of overall increase since 2014. Increase in forest area within our survey area may explain up to 16% of the increase in GLT numbers since 2014. Results of computer simulations suggest that strengthening forest connectivity will facilitate metapopulation resilience in the face of mortality factors such as yellow fever.

Multiscale Porous Architecture Consisting of Graphene Aerogels and Metastructures Enabling Robust Thermal and Mechanical Functionalities of Phase Change Materials

AbstractPassive thermal energy storage systems using phase change materials (PCMs) are promising for resolving temporal‐spatial overheating issues from small‐ to large‐scale platforms, yet their poor shape stability due to solid–liquid transition incurs PCM leakage and weak resistance against mechanical disturbance, limiting practical applications. While foam‐stable templates for PCMs have shown complement, they reveal massive leakage and collapse of liquefied PCMs under external loads or impacts. Herein, a multiscale porous architecture consisting of graphene aerogels (GAs) and meta structures enabling robust thermal‐mechanical functionalities of PCMs (3D‐MPGA) toward sustainable phase change thermal energy storage composites is reported. 3D‐printed mechanical metamaterials employing octet‐truss cells provide supportive strength and directionally‐assisted leakage reduction, while GAs serve as porous templates with surface‐interfacial contacts, thereby fixing paraffin wax as PCM inside their nano/micropores. The 3D‐MPGA shows intrinsic thermal characteristics of bulk PCMs, and improved thermal‐mechanical‐chemical stability, confirmed by long‐term heating‐cooling cycle tests over 10 h. Moreover, it exhibits highly reinforced strength (200–5000%) within a low density across ambient and melting temperatures, and maintains original shapes in the liquefied PCMs without severe leakage, against external loads. This work inspires rational strategies for advancing robust thermal‐mechanical functionalities for PCM‐based thermal energy storage systems.

Ion solvation in atomic baths: From snowballs to polarons

AbstractSolvation, the result of the complicated interplay between solvent–solute and solvent–internal interactions, is one of the most important chemical processes. Consequently, a complete theoretical understanding of solvation seems like a heroic task. However, it is possible to elucidate fundamental solvation mechanisms by looking into simpler systems, such as ion solvation in atomic baths. In this work, we study ion solvation by calculating the ground state properties of a single ion in a neutral bath from the high‐density to the low‐density regimes, finding common ground for these two, in principle, disparate regimes. Our results indicate that a single 174Yb+ ion in a bath of 7Li atoms forms a coordination complex at high densities with a coordination number of 8, with strong electrostriction characteristic of the snowball effect. On the contrary, treating the atomic bath as a dilute quantum gas at low densities, we find that the ion‐atom interaction's short‐range plays a significant role in the physics of many‐body‐bound states and polarons. Furthermore, in this regime, we explore the role of an ion trap necessary to experimentally realize this system, which drastically affects the binding mechanism of the ion and atoms from a quantum gas. Therefore, our results give a novel insight into the universality of ion‐neutral systems in the ultracold regime and the possibilities of observing exotic many‐body effects.Keypoints A global study of ion solvation in atomic baths from the high‐ to the low‐density regimes. The ion–atom short‐range interaction is critical to understanding the presence of many‐body‐bound states and polarons. The ion‐trapping potential drastically impacts many‐body‐bound states and polaron formation.

Mechanical Characterization of Hybrid Bagasse/Eggshell/E-glass Fiber-based Polyester Composite

Currently, numerous researchers, scientists, and industrialists are drawn towards utilizing natural fillers rather than synthetic ones because of their environmentally-friendly characteristics, lower density per unit volume and favorable mechanical attributes. Several studies have demonstrated that using organic filler in polyester matrix composites, instead of disposing of them in landfills, has various advantages. The current study focuses on the investigation of the mechanical characteristics of composite material made from a combination of bagasse, eggshell, and e-glass fibers exhibit characteristics such as strength under tension, strength under bending, resistance to indentation, and mass per unit volume. Different weight percentages of eggshell/bagasse were used to make the material using the hand lay-up technique (3wt%, 6wt%, 9wt%, and 12wt%), with 19wt% of glass fiber mixed in the resin. The use of inorganic fillers like calcium carbonate, a non-renewable mineral that may be expensive and environmentally hazardous to extract and process, is being reduced in favor of organic fillers like eggshell and bagasse, which are inexpensive and readily available. Specimens were generated by interposing fiber waste amidst chopped strand glass fiber mats, with variations in the bagasse, eggshell and polyester content, while keeping the amount of E-glass fiber constant. Afterward, the specimens were trimmed to the appropriate dimensions and subjected to analysis with a universal apparatus. The research showed that enhancing the quantity of bagasse/eggshell fiber within the hybrid composite resulted in an enhancement of its mechanical characteristics. The best reinforcement effect was observed in a hybrid composite with 6% bagasse/eggshell fiber.

The genotypic variation in the positive response of sorghum to higher sowing density is linked to an increase in water use efficiency

In semi-arid tropical areas, sorghum is sown at very low planting densities. Hence, increasing plant density represents an opportunity to improve productivity. However, assessing the expected increase in water needs is critical prior to testing higher densities under rainfed conditions. This was tested with a panel of elite cultivars in field and lysimiter experiments, and testing the effects of two density treatment, high (HD, 22 plants.m-²) and low (LD, 11 plants.m-²), on grain and biomass yield and on water use and water use efficiency (WUE). Doubling the conventional sowing density significantly increased biomass and grain yield, with a genotypic variability in the biomass response. No link was found between the response to density and the maintenance of the tillering capacity, whereas the response to density was somewhat explained by a differential increase in the leaf area index under high density (r=0.43 P<0.05). Lysimeter experiments showed that, compared with the conventional density, the high-density treatment had 62% increase in biomass vs a 38% increase in water use, resulting in a 17% higher WUE on average of the genotypes tested. There was an appreciable genotypic variability in this degree of WUE increase under high density. The most striking result was the very tight positive link between the biomass response to density and the differential increase in WUE in the dry season (r=0.91 P<0.0001), whereas in the wet season this link was negative (r=-0.48 P<0.02). This work shows that intensifying sorghum production by increasing sowing density is possible, in the short term using cultivars that show the largest WUE increase under high density, in the longer term by breeding high-density adapted cultivars, targeting plant traits that explain the tight link between higher WUE and higher yield under high density.

Electric Double Layer Oriented Eutectic Additive Design towards Stable Zn Anodes with A High Depth of Discharge.

ZnSO4-based electrolytes for aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) fail to meet practical application metrics due to hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and dendrite growth. In this work, we rationally designed a highly polarized eutectic additive, glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC), to regulate the EDL structure for stable Zn anodes with a high depth of discharge (DOD). On one hand, GPC molecules with abundant hydroxyl groups can precisely regulate the hydrogen bond network in EDL to suppress HER. On the other hand, the enrichment of GPC at the interface is positively responsible for the negative charge density on the Zn surface, which leads to the formation of a robust ZnxPyOz-rich solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) and terminates dendrite growth in the charge-rich sites. This EDL-oriented eutectic additive engineering enables highly reversible and selectively (002)-textured Zn anodes to operate for over 1450h at a high DOD of 45.3%. Meanwhile, a high-capacity (185.7 mAh g-1) aqueous Zn||VS2 full cell shows remarkable cycling stability over 220 cycles with an excellent capacity retention of 90.4% even at a low current density of 0.1 A g-1 (0.5 C). This work sheds light on electrolyte design and interface engineering for high-performance aqueous batteries. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.