Solar Power Satellites Research in China

In its long-term vision, the responsibility for ensuring China\u27s food safety for its huge population, meeting its international obligations for environmental protection and providing the structure for its energy needs have determined that the direction of future development of low-carbon energy sources cannot be to sacrifice the inner earth. Thus, the state has decided that power coming from outside of the earth, such as solar power and development of other space energy resources, is to be China\u27s future direction. Space based solar power (SBSP), and the development of solar power satellites (SPS) to facilitate renewable energy production, is one of the outside approaches currently under development in China. Based on China\u27s future vision for energy development, this paper will present why SPS development is important for China. A brief introduction to China\u27s SPS project is given

Robust Nash Dynamic Game Strategy for User Cooperation Energy Efficiency in Wireless Cellular Networks

Recently, there is an emerging trend of addressing “energy efficiency” aspect of wireless communications. It has been shown that cooperating users relay each other\u27s information to improve data rates. The energy is limited in the wireless cellular network, but the mobile users refuse to relay. This paper presents an approach that encourages user cooperation in order to improve the energy efficiency. The game theory is an efficient method to solve such conflicts. We present a cellular framework in which two mobile users, who desire to communicate with a common base station, may cooperate via decode-and-forward relaying. In the case of imperfect information assumption, cooperative Nash dynamic game is used between the two users\u27 cooperation to tackle the decision making problems: whether to cooperate and how to cooperate in wireless networks. The scheme based on “cooperative game theory” can achieve general pareto-optimal performance for cooperative games, and thus, maximize the entire system payoff while maintaining fairness

Synthesis of core-shell fluorine-silicon containing polyacrylate latexes for water and oil repellent finishing of cotton fabric

A novel core-shell fluorine-silicon containing polyacrylate emulsion has been synthesized via semi-continuous seeded emulsion polymerization technique and then used to treat cotton fabric to achieve water and oil repellent properties in the latex coated fabrics. Structure of the resultant core-shell polyacrylate latexes has been characterized and the water and oil repellent properties of its coated fabrics are studied. Improved hydrophobicity and oleophobicity of the treated cotton fabrics are observed. The contact angle of a water droplet on the treated cotton fabrics is found up to 143.7°, and the rating of oil repellency and anti-soil properties are determined as 4.5 and 5 respectively. The changes in water and oil repellent properties of the coated fabrics after 20 cycles of standard washing are inconspicuous, while their physical and mechanical properties show a slight decrease

Gradient-index optical filter synthesis with controllable and predictable refractive index profiles.

The Fourier transform thin film synthesis method often results in solutions that call for indices that lie outside the range of values of the available materials. To make the resulting refractive index profiles always realizable in our meta-mode sputtering machine, a modified Fourier transform synthesis method is proposed with which the reflectance spectra can be accurately synthesized with controllable and predictable refractive index profiles. In our procedure, an optimal phase function is explored to yield acceptable refractive index profiles. Then the overall thickness is estimated using the Parseval theorem. Finally, several errors inherent to the Fourier transform method, including the imprecision of the spectral function, the truncation of the film and the apodization of the refractive index profiles, are compensated by successive corrections to the magnitude of the spectral function. An explicit iterative formula based on the derivative of the magnitude function is proposed for the compensation of the spectral mismatches. We show with a number of examples that, with the proposed method, it is possible to synthesize gradient-index optical filters with almost any desired spectral performance using experimentally realizable refractive indices

SunSat Design Competition 2014-2015 First Place Winner – Team CAST: Multi-Rotary Joints SPS

Space Power Satellite (SPS) is a huge spacecraft designed to collect solar energy in space for supplying electric power to the electric grid on the ground. The SPS concept was first proposed by Dr. Peter Glaser in 1968. Various studies on SPS in various countries have been produced over the past forty years. Today, there are multiple variations on this early concept, both in innovation and in optimization. Because of the huge size, immense mass and high power of these SPS installations, there are many technological difficulties. Here, a new Multi-Rotary Joints SPS (MR-SPS) concept is proposed. The large solar array is taken apart to illustrate the many small solar sub-arrays, and to show that each solar sub-array has two middle-power rotary joints. The extreme technical difficulty of high-power rotary joints is simplified by many middle-power rotary joints. The single-point failure problem existing in traditional SPS concept is also solved. At the same time, the modular solar arrays can be more easily assembled in GEO where the power can best be generated and continuously transmitted. Based on our new concept, a whole system full-life NPV analysis method has been developed to evaluate the economics. Our primary results show that the investment is near 30 billion US dollars, with development and transportation costs representing the main portions. When the price of power and the development and construction costs are fixed, the cost of capital becomes an important parameter in influencing the NPV. Click here to see the China Academy of Space Technology\u27s (CAST) video: Multi-Rotary Joints SPS - 2015 SunSat Design Competitio

Goal-Directed Processing of Naturalistic Stimuli Modulates Large-Scale Functional Connectivity

Humans selectively process external information according to their internal goals. Previous studies have found that cortical activity and interactions between specific cortical areas such as frontal-parietal regions are modulated by behavioral goals. However, these results are largely based on simple stimuli and task rules in laboratory settings. Here, we investigated how top-down goals modulate whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) under naturalistic conditions. Analyses were conducted on a publicly available functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) dataset (OpenfMRI database, accession number: ds000233) collected on twelve participants who made either behavioral or taxonomic judgments of behaving animals containing in naturalistic video clips. The task-evoked FC patterns of the participants were extracted using a novel inter-subject functional correlation (ISFC) method that increases the signal-to-noise ratio for detecting task-induced inter-regional correlation compared with standard FC analysis. Using multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) methods, we successfully predicted the task goals of the participants with ISFC patterns but not with standard FC patterns, suggests that the ISFC method may be an efficient tool for exploring subtle network differences between brain states. We further examined the predictive power of several canonical brain networks and found that many within-network and across-network ISFC measures supported task goals classification. Our findings suggest that goal-directed processing of naturalistic stimuli systematically modulates large-scale brain networks but is not limited to the local neural activity or connectivity of specific regions

RORγ is a targetable master regulator of cholesterol biosynthesis in a cancer subtype.

Tumor subtype-specific metabolic reprogrammers could serve as targets of therapeutic intervention. Here we show that triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) exhibits a hyper-activated cholesterol-biosynthesis program that is strongly linked to nuclear receptor RORγ, compared to estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of RORγ reduces tumor cholesterol content and synthesis rate while preserving host cholesterol homeostasis. We demonstrate that RORγ functions as an essential activator of the entire cholesterol-biosynthesis program, dominating SREBP2 via its binding to cholesterol-biosynthesis genes and its facilitation of the recruitment of SREBP2. RORγ inhibition disrupts its association with SREBP2 and reduces chromatin acetylation at cholesterol-biosynthesis gene loci. RORγ antagonists cause tumor regression in patient-derived xenografts and immune-intact models. Their combination with cholesterol-lowering statins elicits superior anti-tumor synergy selectively in TNBC. Together, our study uncovers a master regulator of the cholesterol-biosynthesis program and an attractive target for TNBC

Hatchery-reared enhancement program for silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) in the middle Yangtze River: monitoring the effectiveness based on parentage analysis

Introduction A hatchery-reared silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) program has been intensively carried out since 2010 to enhance the rapidly declining fisheries production in the middle Yangtze River. However, only a little information regarding the effectiveness of the enhancement program has been reported. In this context, this study investigates on an enhancement program through monitoring the efficacy based on parentage analysis. Methods A total of 1,529 hatchery-reared fish and 869 larvae were sampled from the middle Yangtze River in 2016 and 2017 and were genotyped by thirteen microsatellite loci. Based on the results of parentage analysis the larvae were divided into three populations: (1) larvae population with both parents being hatchery-reared fish (=R), (2) larvae population with only a male or a female parent being hatchery-reared fish (=H), and (3) larvae population with no hatchery-reared fish parent (=W). The following analyses were also carried out: (1) assessing the contribution of hatchery-reared offspring to larval resources, and (2) evaluating the genetic effect of stock enhancement on the wild population. Results In total, 10.37% and 11.56% of larvae were identified as the offspring produced by hatchery-reared fish released in 2016 and 2017, respectively. In 2017, some of the larvae were assigned unambiguously to hatchery-reared fish released in 2016. In terms of the number of offspring produced, the hatchery-reared fish have shown significant variations. No significant differences were found among all the larvae populations concerning genetic parameters for diversity. High levels of genetic diversity of all larvae populations were obtained. Low FSTvalues obtained from pairwise FST analysis, as well as the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), revealed high genetic structural similarity among all the larvae populations. The genetic composition of the W larvae population in 2017 was different from that of all other larvae populations (all larvae populations in 2016, and R and H larvae populations in 2017), as demonstrated from the results of STRUCTURE and PCA analyses. Conclusion It was demonstrated that hatchery-reared fish are successful in producing the offspring in the natural environment during multiple years, which might assist in increasing the abundance of larvae. The hatchery-reared fish had variations in terms of the success rates on reproduction. Also, the hatchery-reared enhancement program had no significant effect on the genetic diversity or the genetic structure of wild populations. However, the genetic component of the W larvae population in 2017 was changed as compared to 2016, which was not due to the hatchery-reared enhancement program for silver carp. This could be due to flooding, but the specific causes need further studies. Our results clearly show the necessity to continuously inspect the genetic impact of the enhancement program so that historical information can be utilized for further research

Efficacy and safety of visually guided laser balloon versus cryoballoon ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundNewly developed catheter ablation (CA) techniques, such as laser balloon ablation (LBA) and cryoballoon ablation (CBA), have been introduced in recent years and emerged as valuable alternatives to conventional radiofrequency CA strategies for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) patients. However, evidence comparing LBA and CBA remain controversial. Thus, we conducted this meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety between these two techniques.MethodsScientific databases (PubMed, Embase) and relevant websites (the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov) were systematically searched from inception to March 2023. The primary outcomes of interest were the AF recurrence and the procedure-related complications. Secondary outcomes included procedural time, fluoroscopy time, and left atrial (LA) dwell time.ResultsSeven clinical trials with a total of 637 patients were finally enrolled. No significant differences were found between LBA and CBA in terms of AF recurrence [16.3% vs. 22.7%, odds ratio (OR) = 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.42–1.05, p = 0.078] or total procedural-related complications (8.4% vs. 6.4%, OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 0.71–2.51, p = 0.371). LBA had a significantly longer procedural time [weighted mean difference (WMD) = 38.03 min, 95% CI: 13.48–62.58 min, p = 0.002] and LA dwell time (WMD = 46.67 min, 95% CI: 14.63–78.72 min, p = 0.004) than CBA, but tended to have shorter fluoroscopy time.ConclusionsLBA and CBA treatment have comparable efficacy and safety for PAF patients. LBA was associated with longer procedural and LA dwell times compared with CBA. Further large-scale studies are warranted to compare these two techniques with the newest generations.Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=426513, identifier (CRD42023426513)