Optimal Load Research Articles

Design and characterization of a wind-adaptable piezoelectric energy harvester utilizing a rigid-flexible compound blunt body

In response to the challenges posed by uncontrolled amplitude during galloping and narrow effective bandwidth during vortex-induced vibrations in current energy harvesters, a novel wind-adaptable piezoelectric energy harvester utilizing a rigid-flexible compound blunt body (W-APEH) is proposed. The rigid-flexible compound blunt body improves environmental adaptability and power generation capacity. During the transformation process of the rigid-flexible compound blunt body from a Y-shape to an r-shape, a vibration pattern changes from galloping to coupled vibration, then to vortex-induced vibration. The feasibility of the structure and principle of the W-APEH were proved through a series of simulations and experiments. The higher proportion of rigid wings within a blunt body increases the susceptibility to galloping. A larger windward angle will delay the occurrence of galloping in the W-APEH, shorten the time of coupled vibration, and reduce the output voltage. In the case of the flexible wing thickness remains below 0.3 mm, an increase in thickness leads to an extended galloping time, with vortex-induced vibrations occurring later. Specifically, the onset wind speed is only 3.5 m/s, and the working wind speed range is 5–21 m/s with appropriate structural dimensions. Furthermore, the W-APEH provides a maximum output power of 3.78 mW at an optimal load resistance of 250 kΩ.

Frost resistance of recycled aggregate concrete subjected to coupling sustained compressive load and freeze-thaw cycles

Recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) structures situated in cold regions are required to withstand the combined effects of mechanical load and environmental factors throughout their operational lifespan. The influence of sustained load introduces complexity to the degradation mechanism of RAC. This research examines the frost resistance of RAC across varying levels of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement (0, 50 %, 100 %) and sustained compressive loading (0, 0.3 fc, 0.5 fc). The frost resistance was quantified by the indices of macroscopic morphology change, mass loss, relative dynamic modulus of elasticity, and mechanical properties. Results show that 0.3 fc can effectively improve the frost resistance of RAC, a trend that becomes more pronounced with increasing replacement rates of RCA. Excessive stress (0.5 fc) was found to be unfavorable to the frost resistance of RAC and increase the compressive strength variability of RAC after freeze-thaw cycles. Analysis of meso/micro-structure characteristics using optical and scanning electron microscopes, along with the mercury intrusion porosimetry, reveals that optimal compressive loading (0.3 fc) enhances mortar integrity, reduces porosity, and improves compactness, thereby bolstering RAC’s frost resistance.

Antibacterial and Anticorrosive Hydrogel Coating Based on Complementary Functions of Sodium Alginate and g-C3N4.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4, CN) has emerged as a promising photocatalytic material due to its inherent stability, antibacterial properties, and eco-friendliness. However, its tendency to aggregate and limited dispersion hinder its efficacy in practical antibacterial applications. To address these limitations, this study focuses on developing a composite hydrogel coating, in which sodium alginate (SA) molecules interact electrostatically and through hydrogen bonding to anchor CN, thereby significantly improving its dispersion. The optimal CN loading of 35% results in a hydrogel with a tensile strength of 120 MPa and an antibacterial rate of 99.87% within 6 h. The enhanced mechanical properties are attributed to hydrogen bonding between the -NH2 groups of CN and the -OH groups of SA, while the -OH groups of SA facilitate the attraction of photogenerated holes from CN, promoting carrier transfer and separation, thereby strengthening the antibacterial action. Moreover, the hydrogel coating exhibits excellent antibacterial and corrosion resistance capabilities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa on 316L stainless steel (316L SS), laying the foundation for advanced antimicrobial and anticorrosion hydrogel systems.

Synergistic effects of Fe2O3 supported on dendritic fibrous SBA-15 for superior photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

Environmental pollution caused by dye effluent has attracted much attention, and thus developing photocatalysts with superior photodegradation performance is an imperative task. A series of Fe supported on dendritic fibrous SBA-15 (Fe/DFSBA-15) catalysts with various Fe contents were prepared using a microemulsion coupled with ultrasonic-assisted impregnation methods. The findings revealed that the structural stability of DFSBA-15 was unaffected by the amount of Fe loaded. As the Fe loading increased, the size of Fe2O3 nanocrystals increased while the catalysts’ surface area decreased. The bandgap energy of the catalyst decreased with increasing Fe loading and became constant after reaching an optimal Fe loading of 10 wt%. The one-factor-at-a-time study revealed that 10Fe/DFSBA-15 degraded 94.72 % of methylene blue (MB) within 180 min at 1.5 g/L catalyst dosage, pH 8, and 10 mg/L of concentration, owing to Si-O-Fe coordination, modest Fe2O3 crystallite size, homogeneous metal distribution, slower recombination rate, and low bandgap energy. The advantageous features of 10Fe/DFSBA-15 resulted in accelerating the photodegradation rate, where 10Fe/DFSBA-15 is found as the optimal catalyst. The addition of Fe particles to the DFSBA-15 largely improved their photocatalytic activity toward MB degradation, making it a potential candidate for removing pollutants from aqueous solutions.

Bioinspired Functional Composites for Enhanced Thermally Conductivity via Fractal-Growth CuNP Fillers.

Thermal conduction for electronic devices has attracted extensive attention in light of the development of 5G communication. Thermally conductive materials with high thermal conductivity and extensive mechanical flexibility are extremely desirable in practical applications. However, the construction of efficient interconnected conductive pathways and continuous conductive networks is inadequate for either processing or actual usage in existing technologies. In this work, spherical copper nanoparticles (S-CuNPs) and urchin-inspired fractal-growth CuNPs (U-CuNPs), thermally conductive metal fillers induced by ionic liquids, were fabricated successfully through the electrochemical deposition method. Compared to S-CuNPs, the U-CuNPs shows larger specific surface contact area, thus making it easier to build a continuous conductive pathway network in the corresponding U-CuNPs/liquid silicone rubber (LSR) thermally conductive composites. The optimal loading of CuNP fillers was determined by evaluating the rheological performance of the prepolymer and the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity performances of the composites. When the filler loading is 150 phr, the U-CuNPs/LSR produces optimal mechanical properties (e.g., tensile strength and modulus), thermal conductivity (above 1000% improvement compared to pure LSR), and heating/cooling efficiency. The enhanced thermal conductivity of U-CuNPs/LSR was also confirmed through the finite element analysis (FEA) overall temperature distribution, indicating that U-CuNPs with larger specific surface contact areas exhibit more advantages in forming a continuous network in composites than S-CuNPs, making U-CuNPs/LSR a promising and competitive alternative to traditional flexible thermally interface materials.

Evaluation of levetiracetam loading dose in adult patients with benzodiazepine-refractory status epilepticus

BackgroundStatus epilepticus (SE) is a neurologic emergency defined as continued seizure activity greater than five minutes or recurrent seizure activity without return to baseline. Benzodiazepine-refractory SE is continuous seizure activity despite treatment with a benzodiazepine. Treatment of benzodiazepine-refractory SE includes levetiracetam with loading doses ranging from 20 mg/kg to 60 mg/kg up to a maximum dose of 4500 mg. While levetiracetam has minimal adverse effects, there is currently a lack of studies directly comparing the safety and efficacy of various loading doses of levetiracetam. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of three loading doses of levetiracetam in the setting of benzodiazepine-refractory SE. MethodsThis was a single center, retrospective cohort study of adult patients with benzodiazepine-refractory SE who were treated with levetiracetam from April 1, 2016, to August 31, 2023. Patients with documented hypersensitivity to levetiracetam, those who were pregnant or incarcerated and patients who received an alternative antiepileptic drug (AED) prior to levetiracetam were excluded. Patients with other identifiable causes of SE including hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, hyponatremia or who were post cardiac arrest were also excluded. Patients were divided into three arms based on loading dose of levetiracetam administered (≤20 mg/kg [LEVlow], 21‐–39 mg/kg [LEVmed] or ≥40 mg/kg [LEVhigh]). The primary endpoint was the rate of seizure termination, defined as the lack of need for an additional AED within 60 min following levetiracetam administration. Secondary outcomes included the rate of intubation, and recurrent seizure activity 60 min to 24 h post seizure termination as defined by positive EEG results or need for an additional AED. Subgroup analyses were performed to assess the influence of adequate loading doses of benzodiazepines, and outpatient levetiracetam use. ResultsOverall, 740 patients were screened for inclusion, with 218 patients being included in the primary analysis. Patients were divided into three groups with an average levetiracetam loading dose of 14.5 mg/kg in the LEVlow group, 28.8 mg/kg in the LEVmed group, and 48.8 mg/kg in the LEVhigh group. There was no difference in rates of seizure termination at 60 min (92.9% LEVlow vs 89.3% LEVmed vs 84.7% LEVhigh; p = 0.377). Additionally, no difference was found in rates of recurrent seizure activity between 60 min and 24 h post levetiracetam loading dose (32.1% LEVlow vs 32.0% LEVmed vs 28.8% LEVhigh; p = 0.899). However, the LEVhigh group did have a higher rate of intubation (45.8%) compared to the LEVmed (28.2%) and LEVlow (26.8%) group (p = 0.040). ConclusionThe loading of levetiracetam did not result in a statistically significant difference in rate of seizure termination at 60 min nor did it appear to impact the rate of recurrent seizures at 24 h. However, we did find higher rates of intubation in patients who received levetiracetam >40 mg/kg. Further research is warranted to determine the optimal loading dose of levetiracetam in benzodiazepine-refractory SE.

Active and passive electronic interfaces adapted to a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) used in acoustic energy transfer

Wireless power transfer is a key feature in the field of biomedical engineering. It allows a reduction of the energy storage devices in medical implants. An efficient way to safely transfer energy to medical implants is to convey ultrasounds through the body to a Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT). For an application of ultrasonic energy transfer through skin, the present work compares the efficiency of two different electronic architectures to receive energy from an array of CMUT. The well known Synchronous Switch Harvesting on Inductor (SSHI) is compared in simulation to a simple impedance matching. Indeed, for an ultrasonic energy transfer, the high excitation frequency (1–8 MHz) allows the use of an inductor matching the CMUT’s clamped capacitor. The simplicity of an impedance matching circuit, its low volume and its efficiency makes it the best choice for an efficient energy transfer process to the targeted load. The CMUT model used in the simulations is a mason’s model which component values are extracted from the impedance measurement of a real device. In the end, the impedance matching is experimentally tested on this same device and compared to the simulation. A maximum 4,5 mW power is transferred to an optimal load for an input ultrasound pressure of 90 kPa.

Post-activation Performance Enhancement of Countermovement Jump after Drop Jump versus Squat Jump Exercises in Elite Rhythmic Gymnasts.

Drop jump (DJ) and squat jump (SJ) exercises are commonly used in rhythmic gymnastics training. However, the acute effects of DJ and SJ on countermovement jump (CMJ) performance have not been investigated. This study aimed to verify the post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) responses induced by DJ and SJ with optimal power load and evaluate the relationship between peak PAPE effects and strength levels. Twenty female rhythmic gymnasts completed the following exercises in a randomized order on three separate days: 6 repetitions of DJs; 6 repetitions of SJs with optimal power load; and no exercise (control condition). Jump height was assessed before (baseline) and at 30 seconds and 3, 6, and 9 minutes after each exercise. DJs significantly improved jump height by 0.8 cm (effect size (ES) = 0.25; P = 0.003) at 30 seconds post-exercise compared with baseline. Jump height significantly decreased by -0.14 cm (ES = -0.61; P = 0.021) at 9 minutes after the control condition. SJs significantly improved jump height by 1.02 cm (ES = 0.36; P = 0.005) at 9 minutes post-exercise compared to the control condition. Jump height and relative back squat one-repetition maximum were positively related after performing DJs (r = 0.63; P = 0.003) and SJs (r = 0.64; P = 0.002). DJ and SJ exercises effectively improved countermovement jump height. DJ improved jump height early, while SJ produced greater potentiation effects later. Athletes with a higher strength level benefited the most from these exercises.

A particle swarm optimization inspired global and local stability driven predictive load balancing strategy

In distributed systems and parallel computing, optimal load balancing is difficult. These abstract addresses load balancing in distributed situations, highlighting current solutions' flaws and emphasizing the need for new ones. Load balancing research includes centralized and distributed algorithms, heuristics, and predictive models. Despite various successful methods, workload adaptability, overhead reduction, and scaling to large systems remain unresolved. This study proposes a particle swarm optimization (PSO) load balancing method that considers global and local stability considerations. The proposed method uses PSO principles to balance exploration and exploitation and allocate resources among distributed nodes. Predictive components improve preventative load management by predicting workload changes. Global and local load balancing stability criteria distinguish this study. The recommended method considers global system-wide performance indicators, local node-level characteristics, and micro-level stability to maximize system efficiency. A dual-focus technique distinguishes the proposed load balancing strategy from others, solving dynamic distributed system challenges. The study examines load balancing system advances and suggests improvements and further research. More accurate prediction modeling, stability measures, and application-specific enhancements may be studied in the future. Experimental validation and real-world implementation of the recommended approach are necessary to determine its practicality and ability to handle modern distributed computing systems.

Assessment of performance and emission characteristics of CI engine using tyre pyrolysis oil and biodiesel blends by nano additives: An experimental study

In the current study, the diesel engine performance, emission, and combustion have been investigated using tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO) and biodiesel blended with nano-additives. The effect of the blending ratio on fuel combustion and emission was evaluated. The tyre pyrolysis oil was derived from scrap tyres through the pyrolysis process and biodiesel was synthesized from used cooking oil (UCO) through the transesterification process. Moringa oleifera-derived strontium oxide (SrO) nanoparticles were mixed into the fuel to provide extra oxygen for better combustion. Three blended fuels were formulated as: a) 5 % biodiesel and 95 % TPO containing 50 ppm SrO nanoparticles (B5TPO95SrO50), b) 10 % biodiesel and 90 % TPO containing 100 ppm SrO nanoparticles (B10TPO90SrO100), c) 50 % TPO and 50 % biodiesel without nano-additives (B50TPO50). Among the blended fuels, B10TPO90SrO100 showed the best brake thermal efficiency at 31.4 % and a brake-specific fuel consumption of 0.21 kg/kWh at full load. The B5TPO95SrO50 blended fuel showed reduced emission parameters such as unburned hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) by 2.05 %, 8.30 %, and 18.00 %, respectively, as compared to the conventional diesel engine at an optimum engine load (27.9 Nm). Hence, waste tyre oil and UCO biodiesel blended with biogenic SrO nano additive can be considered a promising fuel for a sustainable environment.

Optimal reinsurance design under distortion risk measures and reinsurer’s default risk with partial recovery

AbstractReinsurers may default when they have to pay large claims to insurers but are unable to fulfill their obligations due to various reasons such as catastrophic events, underwriting losses, inadequate capitalization, or financial mismanagement. This paper studies the problem of optimal reinsurance design from the perspectives of both the insurer and reinsurer when the insurer faces the potential default risk of the reinsurer. If the insurer aims to minimize the convex distortion risk measure of his retained loss, we prove the optimality of a stop-loss treaty when the promised ceded loss function is charged by the expected value premium principle and the reinsurer offers partial recovery in the event of default. For any fixed premium loading set by the reinsurer, we then derive the explicit expressions of optimal deductible levels for three special distortion functions, including the TVaR, Gini, and PH transform distortion functions. Under these three explicit distortion risk measures adopted by the insurer, we seek the optimal safety loading for the reinsurer by maximizing her net profit where the reserve capital is determined by the TVaR measure and the cost is governed by the expectation. This procedure ultimately leads to the Bowley solution between the insurer and the reinsurer. We provide several numerical examples to illustrate the theoretical findings. Sensitivity analyses demonstrate how different settings of default probability, recovery rate, and safety loading affect the optimal deductible values. Simulation studies are also implemented to analyze the effects induced by the default probability and recovery rate on the Bowley solution.

On the enhanced properties of composite asphalt via adding surface modified calcium sulfate whisker-SBR

With the aim of improving the durability and safety, erosion time, and cost-effective of asphalt road, a composite of modified calcium sulfate whisker-styrene butadiene rubber modified asphalt (MCSW-SBRMA) was prepared via thermal doping. Firstly, stearic acid and titanate coupling agent (NDZ-201) were used as a modifier to transform calcium sulfate whisker (CSW) into MCSW via wet modification method at 60 °C and anhydrous ethanol as a dispersant. What is more, the optimum loading of modifier (a mixture of 25% stearic acid + 75% NDZ-201) was found to be at 2% to prepare MCSW. Subsequently, a composite of MCSW-SBRMA was prepared with different loading of MCSW (i.e. 2% to 8%) to enhance the softening point of asphalt. In this study, it was found that 4% of modifiers was the best composition to improve the MCSW-SBRMA properties as elucidated in the orthogonal experiment table L16(42). The effects of MCSW and SBR addition on several properties of asphalt were studied by multiple routine tests including penetration, segregation test, and so on. The results show that: 2% to 8% MCSW can increase the softening point of SBR modified asphalt (SBRMA) by 7% to 8%. 4% MCSW increased the PG of SBRMA from 64 to 70, which greatly improved the high temperature characteristics of asphalt. The 5 °C ductility of MCSW-SBRMA is greater than 100 cm, which greatly improves the low temperature performance of asphalt. Through the application of fluorescence microscopy (FM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), it has been demonstrated that MCSW-SBR effectively alters asphalt in a highly uniform manner, with some MCSW still retaining large cross sections, thereby facilitating the dispersion of shear stress and enhancing the durability of asphalt.

Improvements in the Characteristics of Plant Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Plant Fiber is lightweight, has a high specific strength, and the ultimate elongation is high and can improve the shortcoming of concrete. Concrete is easy to crack and break, and its tensile strength and other mechanical properties are not high. The chemical composition and mechanical properties of some plant Fibers that are often used are analyzed first. The modification of plant Fiber will also be discussed. Firstly, the chemical composition and mechanical properties of some plant Fibers are analyzed, and the modification methods of plant Fibers are also discussed; then, the mechanical properties of plant Fiber-reinforced concrete, hydration properties, heat preservation properties, durability, and other properties of plant Fiber-reinforced concrete are analyzed and summarized in detail. The conclusions are as follows. When the strength of concrete is increased by plant Fiber, the long Fiber is the best tensile strength method, the short Fiber is the most practical, and the length and content of the Fiber. The influence of factors such as water-cement ratio; plant Fiber can delay the release of the heat of hydration of cement by changing the hydration characteristics of cement, thereby improving the anti-cracking ability of mass concrete; concrete plant Fiber can improve the thermal stability and durability, and the lyotropic effect of plant Fiber on concrete Affect the flowability of paste. Plant Fibers can improve the thermal insulation and durability of concrete and reduce the thermal cracking of concrete. The plant Fiber is used as a reinforcement in the concrete of the railway foundation, which can enhance its tensile strength, impact strength, and flexural strength. The optimal loading range is 0.6-0.9%, and the long Fiber lay-flat method is the best. In the mixed method, these five physical reverse effects can be prepared in the range of 1.2-2.0%. The single tensile squeezing capacity of 30 plants using the mixed method is up to 3.69 MPa, which is the only chemical evaluation capacity of 46.5%.

The population growth model of electrostatic charges: A novel concept for engineering optimal performance triboelectric nanogenerators

Lateral sliding triboelectric nanogenerators LS-TENGs promise to combine low cost and high-efficiency mechanical energy harvesting at low frequency with the advantages of light weight and simple device architecture. To date, device power generation optimization has only been addressed on the framework of the optimal load resistance through the maximum power transfer theorem (MPTT). However, MPTT is a concept to optimize the power transferred from TENGs to loads, but not for optimizing the power generated by the TENG itself. In response, this work reports a concept that resembles the population growth model of species for designing enhanced performance LS-TENGs with optimal charge-generating rate. In this way, devices designed under the proposed concept possess a significantly enhanced optimal charge and power generation rate up to 3-fold and 8-fold respectively superior to those found for conventional rectangular TENGs with similar capacity, which allows us power up sustainably for hours low power consumption devices with a few minutes of mechanical energy harvesting. Thereby, this model aids in the development of enhanced performance LS-TENGs capable of collecting mechanical vibrations and optimally converting them into electrical energy by breaking the limits set by the MPTT, as well as opening a route towards batteryless power autonomy.

Research on an optimal load of sliding electrical contact based on the SSA-LS_SVM model

Research on an optimal load of sliding electrical contact based on the SSA-LS_SVM model

Facile construction of ZnWO4/g-C3N4 heterojunction for the improved photocatalytic degradation of MB, RhB and mixed dyes

This study presents the construction of binary ZnWO4/g-C3N4 nanocomposite via a facile hydrothermal approach to enhance the photocatalytic performance under the visible light irradiation. The proposed ZnWO4/g-C3N4 nanocomposite photocatalyst shows excellent photodegradation towards organic dyes, such as methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB). The optimal loading of ZnWO4 and g-C3N4 leads to the synergistic effect which plays a predominant role in inhibiting the fast electron-hole pairs recombination rate at the interface of ZnWO4/g-C3N4 photocatalyst. The degradation rates of MB and RhB is achieved around 92.9 % and 88.8 % under the visible light irradiation for 120 min. According to our findings, the radical quenching experiments suggested that the ●OH radicals played a positive impact in the photodegradation process. Since, our proposed photocatalyst exhibit superior photocatalytic activity towards the individual MB and RhB degradation. The ZnWO4/g-C3N4 photocatalyst were further applied to demonstrate the degradation of mixed dyes (MB and RhB) at an irradiation time of 180 min. In the mixed dye solution, the ZnWO4/g-C3N4 photocatalyst achieved a highest reaction rate of 0.010 min−1 for MB and 0.012 min−1 for RhB with the degradation rate of 87.8 % and 83.3 % for RhB and MB, respectively. For the mixed dyes, the radical quenching experiments confirmed that the ●OH radicals are responsible for the fast photodegradation. Additionally, the practicality of the proposed ZnWO4/g-C3N4 photocatalyst towards the degradation of MB, RhB and the mixed dyes were examined in the tap water samples. Furthermore, the plausible photodegradation mechanism of ZnWO4/g-C3N4 photocatalyst was proposed in detail. This study provides a new insight for the simultaneous degradation of mixed chemical pollutants using our proposed ZnWO4/g-C3N4 photocatalyst.

Dependability of Osstell ISQ's for measuring implant stability.

Determining the optimal loading schedule and measuring implant stability at different times are critical tasks. Numerous tools have been created to assess implant-bone stability as a sign of a well-treated implant. Thus, the objective of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the validity of the Osstell ISQ system for assessing implant stability. Osstell ISQ was used to complete implant stability registers for 60 implants across 18 patients. Two distinct SmartPegs (types I and II) were used to complete six measurements on each implant, or three measurements in a row with each transducer. In the 1st, 2nd, and 3rdmeasurements with SmartPegs I and II, the average ISQ was 71.36, 71.31, and 71.65, and 71.02, 71.58, and 71.76, respectively. For SmartPegs I and II, equivalent values or variations below three ISQ points were found in 46.3% and 58.6% of the cases, respectively. Both SmartPegs had an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.96, and they also had repeatability and reproducibility of 0.96. An intra-class correlation coefficient analysis reveals nearly excellent repeatability and reproducibility for the RFA system Osstell ISQ. Measurements of Osstell ISQ have excellent repeatability.

Engineered streaky pork by 3D co-printing and co-differentiation of muscle and fat cells

Cultured meat has attracted widespread interest and research due to its sustainable meat production through innovative technologies. Recently, studies have been carried out on manufacturing muscle or fat tissue for application in cultured meat, but it remains a challenge to engineer and produce cultured meat integrating both muscle and fat tissues. Herein, it is aimed to simultaneously assemble porcine muscle stem cells (pMuSCs) and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (pAMSCs) by 3D bioprinting and to develop a co-differentiation approach to manufacture cultured streaky pork (CSP) with well-defined muscle and fat compositions. Previously, we have fabricated a collagen-chitosan composite hydrogel that efficiently supported the 3D proliferation and differentiation of pMuSCs. In this work, we first determined a composite hydrogel consisting of fibrinogen and sodium alginate for the 3D culture of pAMSCs. Next, for the two bioinks encapsulating pMuSCs and pAMSCs, respectively, we obtained the optimal cell loading number and printing parameters (pressure and speed) of an extrusion bioprinter and developed a co-differentiation approach that induced both myogenic differentiation of pMuSCs and adipogenic differentiation of pAMSCs. Furthermore, we fabricated meat-like 3D constructs by co-printing two bioinks and then induced both myogenesis and adipogenesis with the co-differentiation approach, thereby producing CSP containing both muscle and fat tissues. The textural and nutritional assessment demonstrated that the CSP possessed the cooking properties and eating qualities of meat products. This work provides innovative strategies and technical references for the production of cultured meat with tissue composition and spatial structure closer to real meat.

Magnetic transfer piezoelectric wind energy harvester with dual vibration mode conversion

Wind-induced vibration piezoelectric energy harvesters have garnered significant interest in recent years as a means to power autonomous wireless sensor systems. A magnetic transfer piezoelectric wind energy harvester (MT-PWEH) is proposed and its durability, power generation performance and environmental adaptability are improved utilizing dual mode conversion. This MT-PWEH incorporated a downstream rectangular baffle, which facilitated the transition of the hollow cylinder from a traditional single vortex-induced vibration to a coupled vibration involving both vortex-induced vibration and galloping (i.e., the first vibration mode conversion). Besides, the vibration direction of the hollow cylinder was perpendicular to the vibration direction of the transducer, which achieved the purpose of limiting the amplitude (i.e., the second vibration mode conversion). The feasibility of MT-PWEH was confirmed through theoretical analysis, CFD simulation, fabrication and experiments. The experimental results demonstrated that the working characteristics of MT-PWEH were significantly affected by position and size of the baffle. Specifically, the ratio of the maximum cut-in wind speed of 12.5 m/s to the minimum cut-in wind speed of 1.2 m/s reached 10.4. Additionally, a maximum power output of 0.78 mW was recorded at 10 m/s with an optimal load resistance of 800 kΩ and 10 LEDs were drove successfully.

Construction of BiVO4@ NiCo2O3 Heterojunction to Promote Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

AbstractConstructing a catalyst capable of reducing CO2 through photoreduction in aqueous environments presents a significant challenge. In this study, we present the synthesis of BiVO4@NiCo2O3 heterojunction using a straightforward hydrothermal method for CO2 photoreduction. The sample with the optimal loading ratio demonstrates a CO generation rate of 7.202 μmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ h−1, which is twice that of pure BiVO4 (3.626 μmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ h−1) and 1.5 times that of pure NiCo2O3 (4.726 μmol ⋅ g−1 ⋅ h−1). Analysis using XPS and EPR techniques suggests that electron transfer at the interface of the heterojunction facilitates the separation of photogenerated charge carriers, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the photocatalytic process. This investigation offers a viable approach for developing photocatalysts for CO2 reduction in aqueous environments.