This is MATE: A Multiple scAttering correcTion rEtrieval algorithm for accurate lidar profiling of seawater optical properties

Lidar has the capability to measure seawater vertical optical properties efficiently both day-time and night-time, though accurate retrieval is still challenging due to multiple scattering. Herein, we propose a Multiple scAttering correcTion and rEtrieval (MATE) algorithm suitable for shipborne, airborne and spaceborne lidars. The MATE algorithm provides the synchronous depth-resolved absorption, backscattering and diffuse attenuation co-efficients of seawater. A good consistency was obtained between retrieved results and the in situ data with a root mean square relative difference (RSMRD) of 6.36% for diffuse attenuation coefficient, corresponding to an improvement of 2 times over methods that neglect multiple scattering. These results indicate that the MATE algorithm has valuable application potential in the quantitative evaluation of marine biological parameters

Glass-ceramics and molybdenum doping synergistic approach for Nasicon-type solid-state electrolytes

Advancing energy density, enabling lithium metal anodes, and ensuring unparalleled safety and operational reliability in lithium batteries hinge on advancing inorganic solid-state electrolytes. To overcome current im-pediments, we present an innovative approach that integrates glass-ceramics with a pioneering new Nasicon strategy involving molybdenum doping. In the conducted study, a series of 14Li2O-9Al2O3-38TiO2-(39-x)P2O5- xMoO3 glasses, denoted as LATPMox, along with their corresponding glass-ceramics (LATPMox-GC), have exhibited a promising characteristic as solid electrolytes. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms the formation of the novel Mo-doped Nasicon phases in the glass-ceramics, as validated by Rietveld refinement. Examination of the crystallization kinetic behavior of the glasses reveals a three-dimensional nucleation process with spherical particle growth, featuring an activation energy of 165 kJ mol-1. Transmission Electron Microscopy TEM char-acterization aligns crystallization behavior with crystallite and distribution within the glass matrix, resulting in a compact and dense microstructure. The structural properties of the resultant phases are examined through FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy, and TEM-SEAD analysis. Vickers indentation tests were employed to assess the microscopic fracture toughness, and both the glass and glass-ceramics materials demonstrated favorable mechanical per-formance. Optical characterization using UV–visible absorption highlights the reduction of Mo6+ to Mo5+, likely occupying tetrahedral sites within the crystalline lattice. Impedance spectroscopy measurement showcases the effective promotion of ionic conductivity following Mo doping, reaching a total conductivity value of 5.50 × 10-5 Ω-1 cm-1 along with a high lithium transference number of 0.99 at room temperature for LATPMo2.6-GC glass-ceramic. This value is larger than that of many other glass-ceramics as well as that of the well-known lithium phosphorous oxy-nitride LiPON solid electrolyte whose ionic conductivity at RT is around 2 × 10-6 Ω-1 cm-1

The affinity towards the hydrophobic region of biomimicking bacterial membranes drives the antimicrobial activity of EFV12 peptide from Lactobacillus gasseri gut microbiota

The gut microbiota consists of a large variety of microorganisms, which interact with the immune system and exert essential roles for the human body health. Many of these microorganisms are also capable of producing various bioactive molecules, such as selective antimicrobial peptides, thus promoting the proliferation of only certain bacterial strains. These result in the shaping of the composition of the local microbiome and the co-evolution with a complex microbiome. Recently, a small peptide, named EFV12 and deriving from the bacterium Lactobacillus gasseri SF1109 regularly placed in the human intestine, showed a significant antimicrobial activity. Here we discuss a biophysical study on the structural changes induced by the peptide on lipid bilayers mimicking bacterial membranes with the aim of shedding light on the molecular features driving the biocidal activity against Gram(+) and Gram(−) strains. Supported Lipid Bilayers and liposomes composed of 1,2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1,2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-rac-phosphoglycerol, both in the absence and presence of cardiolipin and lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), were selected to investigate the peptide-lipid interactions through a combination of specular Neutron Reflectometry, Dynamic Light Scattering, Small-Angle X-ray Scattering and Circular Dichroism measurements. The obtained results indicated association of EFV12 peptide with the hydrophobic region of lipid bilayers, which caused their destabilization, and is thus driving the antimicrobial activity against bacterial cells

Comparative modeling of microwave and ultrasound assisted extraction of phenolics and berberine from Coptis teeta Wall. rhizomes

Coptis teeta rhizomes are a rich source of bioactive phytochemicals with significant applications in the food and nutraceutical industries. Standardized methods and solvent compositions are crucial to sustainably maximize bioactive yield while ensuring industrial feasibility. This study models and compares microwave (MAE) and ultrasound (UAE) assisted extraction of phenolics and berberine – the primary active alkaloid in Coptis teeta rhizomes. Previous studies on extracting phytochemicals from Coptis teeta have relied on the central composite design, which is limited in handling multiple independent variables. To address this limitation, a Box–Behnken design along with a response surface method was utilized, where independent variables included the solvent concentration (water[thin space (1/6-em)]:[thin space (1/6-em)]methanol), power level, extraction time, and solid–liquid ratio, and dependent variables were total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity. The results showed that for MAE, using 65% solvent concentration, 310 W power, 30 min extraction time, and 1[thin space (1/6-em)]:[thin space (1/6-em)]39 g mL−1 solid–liquid ratio resulted in a TPC of 210.04 mg GAE 100 g−1 and antioxidant activity of 98.57%. Whereas for UAE, 36% solvent concentration, 160 W ultrasound power, 10 min extraction time, and 1[thin space (1/6-em)]:[thin space (1/6-em)]78 g mL−1 solid–liquid ratio resulted in a TPC of 251.11 mg GAE 100 g−1 and 97.82% antioxidant activity. Berberine concentration in MAE extract was 212.18 ppm, whereas it was 162.96 ppm in UAE extract. While MAE yielded a higher berberine content, UAE was superior in extracting total phenolics. The findings provide a foundation for developing standardized methods and solvent compositions suitable for food and nutraceutical formulations

How to compute a special function with near machine-precision accuracy

Based on my experience as developer and maintainer of some numerical open-source libraries (libcerf, libkww, libformfactor), I will explain key concepts for writing code that computes a special function or integral with high accuracy and high speed.- Choose different numerical algorithms for different argument regions.- Don't be afraid of divergent series or ill-conditioned recursions. - Confine Chebyshev fits to small subregions. - Use code instrumentation and bisection to ensure continuity where the algorithm changes. - Beware of literature that is only concerned with truncation. Near machine precision, cancellation is the bigger problem. Visualization may reveal the difference. - Never rely on non-standard facilities. "Long double" makes no sense if it is not longer than "double"? Tell Apple. - Generate test references and hard-coded coefficients with high-precision scripts (e.g. mpmath based). - Be graceful with relative accuracy measures near zeros and for real or imaginary parts of complex numbers.- Don't trust any performance measure you haven't tweaked yourself. Take caching into account

Soft phonon and the central peak at the cubic-to-tetragonal phase transition in SrTiO3_{3}

The continuous displacive phase transition in SrTiO3 near ≈105 K features a central elastic peak in neutron-scattering investigations at temperatures above , i.e., before the corresponding soft phonon mode is overdamped upon cooling. The origin of this central peak is still not understood. Here, we report an inelastic x-ray scattering investigation of the cubic-to-tetragonal phase transition in SrTiO3. We compare quantitatively measurements of the soft phonon mode on two differently grown samples and discuss the findings regarding results from thermodynamic and transport probes such as specific heat and thermal conductivity. Furthermore, we use inelastic x-ray scattering to perform elastic scans with both high momentum and milli-electronvolt energy-resolution and, thus, are able to separate elastic intensities of the central peak from low-energy quasielastic phonon scattering. Our results indicate that the evolution of the soft mode is similar in both samples though the intensities of the central peak differ by a factor of four. Measurements revealing anisotropic correlation lengths on cooling towards , indicate that local properties of the crystals to which collective lattice excitations are insensitive are likely at the origin of the central elastic line in SrTiO3

A high-frequency artificial nerve based on homogeneously integrated organic electrochemical transistors

Artificial nerves that are capable of sensing, processing and memory functions at bio-realistic frequencies are of potential use in nerve repair and brain–machine interfaces. n-type organic electrochemical transistors are a possible building block for artificial nerves, as their positive-potential-triggered potentiation behaviour can mimic that of biological cells. However, the devices are limited by weak ionic and electronic transport and storage properties, which leads to poor volatile and non-volatile performance and, in particular, a slow response. We describe a high-frequency artificial nerve based on homogeneously integrated organic electrochemical transistors. We fabricate a vertical n-type organic electrochemical transistor with a gradient-intermixed bicontinuous structure that simultaneously enhances the ionic and electronic transport and the ion storage. The transistor exhibits a volatile response of 27 μs, a 100-kHz non-volatile memory frequency and a long state-retention time. Our integrated artificial nerve, which contains vertical n-type and p-type organic electrochemical transistors, offers sensing, processing and memory functions in the high-frequency domain. We also show that the artificial nerve can be integrated into animal models with compromised neural functions and that it can mimic basic conditioned reflex behaviour