Explore the vast range of titles available.

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) have emerged as a highly promising energy harvesting technology, attracting significant attention in recent years for their broad applications. Gel-based TENGs, with superior stretchability and sensitivity, have been widely reported as wearable sensors. However, the traditional hydrogel-based TENGs suffer from freezing at low temperatures and drying at high temperatures, resulting in malfunctions. In this study, we introduce an anti-freezing eutectogel, which uses a deep eutectic solvent (DES), to improve the stability and electrical conductivity of TENGs in harsh environmental conditions. The eutectogel-based TENG (E-TENG) produces an open-circuit voltage of 776 V, a short-circuit current of 1.54 µA, and a maximum peak power of 1.1 mW. Moreover, the E-TENG exhibits exceptional mechanical properties with an elongation at a break of 476% under tension. Importantly, it maintains impressive performances across a wide temperature range from −18 to 60 °C, with conductivities of 2.15 S/m at −10 °C and 1.75 S/m at −18 °C. Based on the excellent weight stability of the E-TENG sensor, motion sensing can be achieved in the air, and even underwater. Finally, the versatility of the E-TENG can serve as a wearable sensor, by integrating it with Bluetooth technology. The self-powered E-TENG can monitor various human motion signals in realtime and send the health signals directly to mobile phones. This research paves a new road for the applications of TENGs in harsh environments, offering wireless flexible sensors with real-time health signal monitoring capabilities.

The melanin produced by Aureobasidium melanogenum XJ5-1 obtained from the Taklimakan Desert can play an important role in adaptation of the yeast strain to various stress treatments. It is very important to know how the desert-derived yeast sense, respond and adapt to the harsh environments. However, it is still unclear how melanin is genetically controlled by signaling pathways and transcriptional factors. In this study, it was found that the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) Slt2 in the cell wall integrity (CWI) signal pathway could regulate activity of the transcriptional activator Swi4; in turn, the Swi4 could control the expression of the CMR1 gene. The melanin-specific transcriptional activator Cmr1 encoded by the CMR1 gene was specifically bound to the promoter with the sequence TTCTCTCCA of the PKS1 gene and strongly stimulated expression of the PKS1 gene and any other genes responsible for melanin biosynthesis, so that a large amount of melanin could be produced by A. melanogenum XJ5-1. Therefore, melanin biosynthesis in the desert-derived A. melanogenum XJ5-1 was controlled mainly by the CWI signal pathway among the cell wall-related signal pathways via a transcriptional activator Cmr and regulation of the melanin biosynthesis in A. melanogenum XJ5-1 was completely different from that of the melanin biosynthesis in any other fungi. This is the first time to show that melanin biosynthesis in the desert-derived A. melanogenum XJ5-1 is controlled mainly by the CWI signal pathway via a transcriptional activator Cmr1. This would provide the fundamentals for further research on the desert-derived yeast to sense, respond and adapt to the harsh environments.

The demand for energy is pushing operators to remote harsh offshore environments, which are characterized by extreme waves, wind, storms, currents, ice, and fog that hinder offshore operation and enhance structural degradation. Safety is a critical factor for oil and gas fields development in such harsh environments. Resilient design and operation of offshore facilities is one practical way to reduce the risks. Resilient design and operation require a comprehensive understanding of the static and dynamic behavior of the offshore system, the environmental constraints, and the associated risks. This paper presents a critical review of the harsh environments encountered during the exploration and development of hydrocarbon resources. A systematic review methodology is adopted in exploring the engineering challenges, potential risks, and models for the field development and support technologies. While presenting the current understanding, the study also highlights research opportunities. The study concludes that the current state of knowledge is inexhaustive and isolated, unable to provide an integrated solution for the design, operation, logistic support, environment, and safety challenges of remote harsh offshore operations. Digitalization provides an opportunity to fill some of the challenges. Research investments are needed to develop robust design and resilient technologies.

Desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (DAPCI) is implemented on a portable mass spectrometer and applied to the direct detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkyl substituted benzenes. The presence of these compounds in the environment poses a significant threat to the health of both humans and wildlife because of their carcinogenic, toxic, and mutagenic properties. As such, instant detection outside of the laboratory is of particular importance to allow in-situ measurement at the source. Using a rapid, high throughput, miniature, handheld mass spectrometer, several alkyl substituted benzenes and PAHs (i.e., 1,2,3,5-tetramethylbenzene, pentamethylbenzene, hexamethylbenzene, fluoranthene, anthracene, benzo[ k ]fluoranthene, dibenz[ a,h ]anthracene, acenaphthene, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene, 9-ethylfluorene, and 1-benzyl-3-methyl-naphthalene) were identified and characterized using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) from ambient surfaces, in the open air. This method can provide almost instantaneous information while minimizing sample preparation, which is advantageous in terms of both cost and simplicity of analysis. This MS-based technique is applicable to a wide range of environmental organic molecules. Graphical Abstract ᅟ

Technology advances in the field of small, unmanned aerial vehicles and their integration with a variety of sensor packages and instruments, such as miniature mass spectrometers, have enhanced the possibilities and applications of what are now called unmanned aerial systems (UAS). With such technology, in situ and proximal remote sensing measurements of volcanic plumes are now possible without risking the lives of scientists and personnel in charge of close monitoring of volcanic activity. These methods provide unprecedented, and otherwise unobtainable, data very close in space and time to eruptions, to better understand the role of gas volatiles in magma and subsequent eruption products. Small mass spectrometers, together with the world’s smallest turbo molecular pump, have being integrated into NASA and University of Costa Rica UAS platforms to be field-tested for in situ volcanic plume analysis, and in support of the calibration and validation of satellite-based remote sensing data. These new UAS-MS systems are combined with existing UAS flight-tested payloads and assets, such as temperature, pressure, relative humidity, SO 2 , H 2 S, CO 2 , GPS sensors, on-board data storage, and telemetry. Such payloads are capable of generating real time 3D concentration maps of the Turrialba volcano active plume in Costa Rica, while remote sensing data are simultaneously collected from the ASTER and OMI space-borne instruments for comparison. The primary goal is to improve the understanding of the chemical and physical properties of emissions for mitigation of local volcanic hazards, for the validation of species detection and abundance of retrievals based on remote sensing, and to validate transport models. Graphical Abstract ᅟ

Aim Habitat destruction causes “extinction debt” and is also thought to produce ecosystem function debt, but theory of their magnitude and nature is limited. Heterogeneous landscapes are fundamental to the maintenance of species richness and ecosystem function, while directed or undirected dispersal behaviour, such as dispersal of seeds by animals or by the wind, is also important, especially after habitat destruction. We therefore consider extinction and ecosystem function debt under different dispersal rates and behaviours in heterogeneous landscapes. Methods We use a classic heterogeneous metacommunity model to capture the dynamics of competing species in local patches linked by dispersal and varying in environmental conditions. We remove one patch at a time and measure extinction debt and ecosystem function debt by the number/proportion of delayed extinctions and the amount of biomass change, respectively. Results We reveal three species extinction regimes as dispersal increases: (1). species most adapted to the removed habitat are most at risk; (2). similarly adapted species are also at risk; (3). patch removal shifts competitive balance among the few species coexisting at high dispersal, where competition is strong. We find surprisingly that destruction of habitat can hasten the extinction of those species best adapted to harsh environments and that the proportion of diversity at risk from extinction actually increases with dispersal because competition is intense there. Finally, there can be a small ecosystem credit but extinction debt when dispersers reroute to potentially more favourable remaining habitats (directed dispersal), especially when harsh environments are removed. However, ecosystem debt occurs and can be large under undirected dispersal. Main Conclusions The magnitude and nature of extinction and ecosystem function debts depend on species dispersal rates and behaviours, as well as the environmental conditions of the disturbed habitats. Conservation actions will be more successful if they consider these factors.

Corrosion in harsh environments causes global economic losses exceeding 3 trillion US dollars annually. Traditional silicone epoxy (SE) coatings are prone to failure due to insufficient physical barrier properties and lack of active protection. In this study, cerium dioxide (CeO2) was in situ grown on the surface of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) mediated by polydopamine (PDA) to prepare BN-PDA-CeO2 ternary nanocomposites, which were then incorporated into SE coatings to construct a multi-scale synergistic corrosion protection system. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the successful preparation of the composites, where PDA inhibited the agglomeration of h-BN and CeO2 was uniformly loaded. Electrochemical tests showed that the corrosion inhibition efficiency of the extract of this composite for 2024 aluminum alloy reached 99.96%. After immersing the composite coating in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution for 120 days, the coating resistance (Rc) and charge transfer resistance (Rct) reached 8.5 × 109 Ω·cm2 and 1.2 × 1010 Ω·cm2, respectively, which were much higher than those of pure SE coatings and coatings filled with single/binary fillers. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed the synergistic mechanisms: PDA enhanced interfacial dispersion (adsorption energy of −0.58 eV), CeO2 captured Cl− (adsorption energy of −4.22 eV), and Ce3+ formed a passive film. This study provides key technical and theoretical support for the design of long-term corrosion protection coatings in harsh environments such as marine and petrochemical industries.

Submicron 4H-SiC MOSFETs are attractive for high frequency operation of 4H-SiC integrated circuits. However, the short channel effects, such as threshold voltage lowering, would be induced at the short-channel devices. In this work, short channel effects were investigated with planar and trench 4H-SiC MOSFETs, and the suppression of the short channel effect with the trench structure was achieved.

Low-parasitic-capacitance 4H-SiC pMOSFETs using pseudo-self-aligned process were demonstrated for high-frequency CMOS inverters. In these pMOSFETs, device characteristics including parasitic capacitances (gate-source, gate-drain capacitance) were investigated and low parasitic capacitance was achieved by the trench gate structure.

Honey bees have good thermoregulation and rapidly respond to any changes in the microclimatic conditions of their colonies. However, colony losses can occur during very cold or hot months. Honey bee colonies are often kept in modified beehives during such times to save the honey bees lives. In the present study, the abilities of four beehive types to enhance the performance of two honey bee races (Carniolan and Yemeni honey bees) were compared under hot and arid environmental conditions. The results indicated performance differences between the two races and between the selected beehive types. For the Carniolan honey bees, better results were obtained in colonies provided with insulated cover boxes (ICB) than in thermoregulatory beehives (TBH), insulated beehives with a back drawer (IBD), and normal beehives (NB) in that order. In contrast, better Yemeni honey bee results were obtained in the TBH, followed by ICB, NB, and finally IBD. Maintaining honey bees in a suitable beehive type is a promising method for saving honey bees lives and enhancing their performance under harsh environmental conditions.