Topological plasma transport from a diffusion view

Recent studies have identified plasma as a topological material. Yet, these researches often depict plasma as a fluid governed by electromagnetic fields, i.e., a classical wave system. Indeed, plasma transport can be characterized by a unique diffusion process distinguished by its collective behaviors. In this work, we adopt a simplified diffusion-migration method to elucidate the topological plasma transport. Drawing parallels to the thermal conduction-convection system, we introduce a double ring model to investigate the plasma density behaviors in the anti-parity-time reversal (APT) unbroken and broken phases. Subsequently, by augmenting the number of rings, we have established a coupled ring chain structure. This structure serves as a medium for realizing the APT symmetric one-dimensional (1D) reciprocal model, representing the simplest tight-binding model with a trivial topology. To develop a model featuring topological properties, we should modify the APT symmetric 1D reciprocal model from the following two aspects: hopping amplitude and onsite potential. From the hopping amplitude, we incorporate the non-reciprocity to facilitate the non-Hermitian skin effect, an intrinsic non-Hermitian topology. Meanwhile, from the onsite potential, the quasiperiodic modulation has been adopted onto the APT symmetric 1D reciprocal model. This APT symmetric 1D Aubry-Andr\'e-Harper model is of topological nature. Additionally, we suggest the potential applications for these diffusive plasma topological states. This study establishes a diffusion-based approach to realizing topological states in plasma, potentially inspiring further advancements in plasma physics.Comment: This letter has been published on Chinese Physics Letters as an express letter.Comments are welcome

The strengthened Brou\'{e} abelian defect group conjecture for SL(2,pn){\rm SL}(2,p^n) and GL(2,pn){\rm GL}(2,p^n)

We show that each $p$-block of ${\rm SL}(2,p^n)$ and ${\rm GL}(2,p^n)$ over an arbitrary complete discrete valuation ring is splendidly Rickard equivalent to its Brauer correspondent, hence give new evidence for a refined version of Brou\'{e}'s abelian defect group conjecture proposed by Kessar and Linckelmann

Recent developments in biofeedback for neuromotor rehabilitation

The original use of biofeedback to train single muscle activity in static positions or movement unrelated to function did not correlate well to motor function improvements in patients with central nervous system injuries. The concept of task-oriented repetitive training suggests that biofeedback therapy should be delivered during functionally related dynamic movement to optimize motor function improvement. Current, advanced technologies facilitate the design of novel biofeedback systems that possess diverse parameters, advanced cue display, and sophisticated control systems for use in task-oriented biofeedback. In light of these advancements, this article: (1) reviews early biofeedback studies and their conclusions; (2) presents recent developments in biofeedback technologies and their applications to task-oriented biofeedback interventions; and (3) discusses considerations regarding the therapeutic system design and the clinical application of task-oriented biofeedback therapy. This review should provide a framework to further broaden the application of task-oriented biofeedback therapy in neuromotor rehabilitation

Expanded-plane bilayer thermal concentrator for improving thermoelectric conversion efficiency

Thermoelectric devices are pivotal in the energy sector, with enhancing their conversion efficiency being a longstanding focal point. While progress has been made, overcoming the inherent low efficiency and heat management issues remains challenging. The advent of thermal metamaterials, particularly thermal concentrators, holds promise for improved thermoelectric efficiency. The concentrator has the potential to amplify the temperature gradient within the working region without altering the temperature gradient of the background, thereby enhancing thermoelectric conversion efficiency through this concentrating effect. Nevertheless, the efficacy of this effect is contingent upon the structural parameters of the concentrator. Systematically investigating the impact of metamaterials on thermoelectric conversion efficiency, particularly in terms of quantifying the enhancement, presents a significant challenge. Additionally, the intrinsic thermal conductivity of the material imposes constraints on the applicability of the concentrator in this regard. In this context, drawing inspiration from the recently proposed passive ultra-conductive heat transport scheme, we have devised expanded-plane bilayer thermal concentrators. We substantiate the prospective performance of our design through analytical demonstration, further validated through finite-element simulations and experiments. Notably, through direct calculation, we illustrate an efficiency improvement of about 38\% when utilizing the expanded-plane concentrator comparing with not using expanded-plane structure. The expanded-plane geometrical configuration of the outer layer can also attain large-scale value. These findings not only present a novel avenue for the functional transformation of thermal metamaterials but also hold significant implications for the field of thermoelectrics

Convective meta-thermal concentration for ultrahigh efficient Stirling engine with waste heat and cold utilization

The Stirling engine, which possesses external combustion characteristics, a simple structure, and high theoretical thermal efficiency, has excellent potential for utilizing finite waste heat and cold resources. However, practical applications of this technology suffered from thermal inefficiency due to the discontinuity and instability of waste resources. Despite advances in energy storage technology, temperature variations in the heat-exchanging fluids at the hot and cold ends of the Stirling engine remained significant obstacles. In this work, convective meta-thermal concentration (CMTC) was introduced between the heating (cooling) fluids and the hot (cold) end of the Stirling engine, employing alternating isotropic materials with high and low thermal conductivities. It was demonstrated that CMTC effectively enhanced the temperature difference between the hot and cold ends, leading to a remarkable improvement in Stirling engine efficiency. Particularly, when the Stirling engine efficiency tended to zero due to the limited availability of waste heat and cold resources, CMTC overcame this limitation, surpassing existing optimization technology. Further analysis under various operating conditions showed that CMTC achieved a significant thermal efficiency improvement of up to 1460%. This work expanded the application of thermal metamaterials to heat engine systems, offering an exciting avenue for sustainable energy utilization