All resonator based LTCC diplexer using substrate integrated waveguides

A compact diplexer is implemented in Low-Temperature-Cofired-Ceramic (LTCC) technology and consists of six coupled Substrate-Integrated-Waveguide (SIW) cavity resonators stacked in two layers. No transmission-line based junction is used. The couplings between the cavities are achieved through both SIW irises and slots placed in metal layers. The diplexer has two third-order filtering channels, centred at 2.7 and 3.3 GHz with 120 MHz bandwidths. The overall size of the diplexer is 27.74 mm (2.3 λg at 3 GHz) × 10.4 mm (0.86 λg at 3 GHz) × 0.84 mm, achieved by using an LTCC material of a high dielectric constant of 68. Simulations and measurements are in good agreement to demonstrate a compact diplexer based on an all resonator structure using high dielectric constant LTCC material

The antiparasitic drug ivermectin is a novel FXR ligand that regulates metabolism

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) has important roles in maintaining bile acid and cholesterol homeostasis. Here we report that the antiparasitic drug ivermectin is a ligand for nuclear FXR. We identify ivermectin using a high-throughput compound library screening and show that it induces the transcriptional activity of the FXR with distinctive properties in modulating coregulator recruitment. The crystal structure of ivermectin complexed with the ligand-binding domain of FXR reveals a unique binding mode of ivermectin in the FXR ligand-binding pocket, including the highly dynamic AF-2 helix and an expanded ligand-binding pocket. Treatment of wild-type mice, but not of FXR-null mice, with ivermectin decreases serum glucose and cholesterol levels, suggesting that ivermectin regulates metabolism through FXR. Our results establish FXR as the first mammalian protein targeted by ivermectin with high selectivity. Considering that ivermectin is a widely used clinical drug, our findings reveal a safe template for the design of novel FXR ligands

PIMT is a Novel and Potent Suppressor of Endothelial Activation

Proinflammatory agonists provoke the expression of cell surface adhesion molecules on endothelium in order to facilitate leukocyte infiltration into tissues. Rigorous control over this process is important to prevent unwanted inflammation and organ damage. Protein L-isoaspartyl O-methyltransferase (PIMT) converts isoaspartyl residues to conventional methylated forms in cells undergoing stress-induced protein damage. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of PIMT in vascular homeostasis. PIMT is abundantly expressed in mouse lung endothelium and PIMT deficiency in mice exacerbated pulmonary inflammation and vascular leakage to LPS(lipopolysaccharide). Furthermore, we found that PIMT inhibited LPS-induced toll-like receptor signaling through its interaction with TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) and its ability to methylate asparagine residues in the coiled-coil domain. This interaction was found to inhibit TRAF6 oligomerization and autoubiquitination, which prevented NF-κB transactivation and subsequent expression of endothelial adhesion molecules. Separately, PIMT also suppressed ICAM-1 expression by inhibiting its N-glycosylation, causing effects on protein stability that ultimately translated into reduced EC(endothelial cell)-leukocyte interactions. Our study has identified PIMT as a novel and potent suppressor of endothelial activation. Taken together, these findings suggest that therapeutic targeting of PIMT may be effective in limiting organ injury in inflammatory vascular diseases

Boosting Electrocatalytic Nitrate-to-Ammonia Conversion via Plasma Enhanced CuCo Alloy–Substrate Interaction

Electrocatalytic conversion of widely distributed nitrate from industrial wastewater into value-added ammonia was proposed as an attractive and sustainable alternative to harvesting green ammonia. Herein, CuCo alloys were facilely synthesized for nitrate conversion, while nonthermal Ar-plasma was employed to enhance the adhesion strength between the electrocatalyst and substrate interface via regulating the surface hydrophobicity and roughness. Based on Ar-plasma treatment, a high ammonia yield rate (5129.29 μg cm-2 h-1) was achieved using Cu30Co70 electrocatalyst -0.47 V vs RHE, while nearly 100% of Faradaic efficiency was achieved using Cu50Co50 electrocatalyst at -0.27 V vs RHE (reversible hydrogen electrode). Validated by in situ spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations, the high activity of the CuCo alloy was derived from the regulation of Co to weaken the strong adsorption capacity of Cu and the shift of the d-band center to lower the energy barrier, while Ar-plasma modification promoted the formation of *NO to boost nitrate conversion

City-level climate change mitigation in China.

As national efforts to reduce CO2 emissions intensify, policy-makers need increasingly specific, subnational information about the sources of CO2 and the potential reductions and economic implications of different possible policies. This is particularly true in China, a large and economically diverse country that has rapidly industrialized and urbanized and that has pledged under the Paris Agreement that its emissions will peak by 2030. We present new, city-level estimates of CO2 emissions for 182 Chinese cities, decomposed into 17 different fossil fuels, 46 socioeconomic sectors, and 7 industrial processes. We find that more affluent cities have systematically lower emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP), supported by imports from less affluent, industrial cities located nearby. In turn, clusters of industrial cities are supported by nearby centers of coal or oil extraction. Whereas policies directly targeting manufacturing and electric power infrastructure would drastically undermine the GDP of industrial cities, consumption-based policies might allow emission reductions to be subsidized by those with greater ability to pay. In particular, sector-based analysis of each city suggests that technological improvements could be a practical and effective means of reducing emissions while maintaining growth and the current economic structure and energy system. We explore city-level emission reductions under three scenarios of technological progress to show that substantial reductions (up to 31%) are possible by updating a disproportionately small fraction of existing infrastructure

Consumption-based emission accounting for Chinese cities

Most of China’s CO2 emissions are related to energy consumption in its cities. Thus, cities are critical for implementing China’s carbon emissions mitigation policies. In this study, we employ an input-output model to calculate consumption-based CO2 emissions for thirteen Chinese cities and find substantial differences between production- and consumption-based accounting in terms of both overall and per capita carbon emissions. Urban consumption not only leads to carbon emissions within a city’s own boundaries but also induces emissions in other regions via interregional trade. In megacities such as Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin, approximately 70% of consumption-based emissions are imported from other regions. Annual per capita consumption-based emissions in the three megacities are 14, 12 and 10 tonnes of CO2 per person, respectively. Some medium-sized cities, such as Shenyang, Dalian and Ningbo, exhibit per capita emissions that resemble those in Tianjin. From the perspective of final use, capital formation is the largest contributor to consumption-based emissions at 32–65%. All thirteen cities are categorized by their trading patterns: five are production-based cities in which production-based emissions exceed consumption-based emissions, whereas eight are consumption-based cities, with the opposite emissions pattern. Moreover, production-based cities tend to become consumption-based as they undergo socioeconomic development