Quantum Griffiths singularity (QGS) is among the remarkable phenomena induced by disorder in quantum phase transitions (QPTs). In recent years, experimental progresses have been made in ultrathin superconducting films. However, there is still lack of approaches to trigger QGS in bulk superconductors. Herein, we develop a charge-induced disorder introduction process to trigger QGS in organic-inorganic hybrid superlattices. Large-sized organic cations are intercalated into layered inorganic crystal, which leads to electron doping and thus quasi-two-dimensional superconductivity. The charge transfer between inorganic layers and interlayer cations introduces charge disorder into the hybrid superlattice without destroying lattice integrality. Consequently, QGS emerges in the bulk superconducting superlattice. Furthermore, deviation of phase boundary from the Werthamer–Helfand–Hohenberg theory indicates relatively strong spin-orbit coupling. The observation provides a new pathway to investigate QPTs in disordered systems and reveals universality of QGS in superconductors.
In recent years, urban resilience has attracted increasing attention from researchers and managers from the international community at the national, regional, and urban levels. Numerous multi-dimensional and cross-disciplinary investigations, campaigns, and outlines have significantly promoted the development goal of resilience in cities worldwide. However, the existing definitions and interpretations of urban resilience still call for a more comprehensive, systematic, and exhaustive analysis as urbanization accelerates and the complex risks of various safety events increase. To this end, we rethink the extension and connotation of urban resilience based on a review and analysis of critical hotspots, realistic demand, and development trends. A conceptual classification with three aspects and three typical tiers of urban resilience is proposed, which further promotes a new definition and interpretation by incorporating the resilience extension of urban systems. In addition, the six-dimensional characteristics are extracted to furnish the urban resilience connotation, and four-stage improvement measures are introduced accordingly. In addition, the newly developed urban resilience is applied to a case analysis of a large-scale disaster, which demonstrates the necessity and significance of this study. The new extension and connotation investigation will be helpful for the improvement and implementation of urban resilience, thereby guiding the construction of resilient cities.
Indoor heating methods may influence the prevalence of respiratory and allergic diseases among preschool children. However, limited research has explored the relationship between indoor heating methods and childhood illnesses over time or on a large urban scale, and particularly the relationship between heating methods and asthma or allergic rhinitis among preschoolers from 2010 to 2019. This study conducted cross-sectional investigations in two northern cities (Taiyuan and Urumqi) and two southern cities (Chongqing and Changsha) in China during two periods: Period I (2010) and Period II (2019). Using Pearson’s chi-squared tests, we analyzed the associations between four indoor heating methods—convective heating (CH), convective and radiant heating (CH&RH), radiant heating (RH), and polluting heating (PH)—and nine respiratory and allergic diseases. Logistic regression models were employed to explore the relationships between heating methods and disease prevalence. The results revealed substantial differences in heating method choices between northern and southern Chinese cities (p < 0.001). These differences were significantly associated with the prevalence of respiratory and allergic diseases in preschoolers. Heating behaviors may have contributed to a decrease in the lifetime prevalence of asthma, pneumonia, rhinitis, and the 12-month prevalence of eczema in preschool children. In southern households, CH was linked to a lower risk of lifetime asthma (AOR: 0.63) and 12-month wheezing (AOR: 0.53). However, RH in southern households increased disease risks (AOR: 0.53). This study provides insights into the associations between heating methods and the prevalence of diseases among preschoolers across two periods in China. The findings offer new perspectives and guidance for families in selecting appropriate heating methods.
Abstract KCNE1 is a single-span transmembrane auxiliary protein that modulates the voltage-gated potassium channel KCNQ1. The KCNQ1/KCNE1 complex in cardiomyocytes exhibited slow activated potassium ( I ks ) currents. Recently, a novel 47-residue polypeptide toxin SSD609 was purified from Scolopendra subspinipes dehaani venom and showed I ks current inhibition. Here, chemically synthesized SSD609 was shown to exert I ks inhibition in extracted guinea pig cardiomyocytes and KCNQ1/KCNE1 current attenuation in CHO cells. The K + current attenuation of SSD609 showed decent selectivity among different auxiliary subunits. Solution nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of SSD609 revealed a distinctive three-helix conformation that was stabilized by a new disulfide bonding pattern as well as segregated surface charge distribution. Structure-activity studies demonstrated that negatively charged Glu19 in the amphipathic extracellular helix of KCNE1 was the key residue that interacted with SSD609. The distinctive three-helix centipede toxin SSD609 is known to be the first polypeptide toxin acting on channel auxiliary subunit KCNE1, which suggests a new type of pharmacological regulation for ion channels in cardiomyocytes.
The ancient buildings of Ming and Qing Dynasties in China have great historical and cultural value. It is of great significance to explore and study the dig163ital modeling of Chinese ancient buildings, especially ancient architectural sites. In this paper, a method combining lidar technology with Chinese Fa-shi calculation of Ming and Qing architecture is proposed, which can quickly restore the severely damaged ancient architectural sites, and solve the problem of difficult and time-consuming reconstruction of ancient architectural sites to a certain extent. In addition, this paper takes the ancient architectural sites in the backyard of the Forbidden City of China as an example to verify the proposed method.
Research on climate change science communication began in the 1980s and is showing continued vitality and a wider interest at present. In order to track the development of global research on the communication of climate change hot topics and frontier progress since the 21st century, methods such as bibliometrics and co-word network analysis were used to analyze the publication of research papers in this field, and a total of 1175 valid papers published in 2000–2021 in the WOS core database were counted. Different dimensions such as temporal trend, spatial distribution, and author collaboration network were analyzed. The results show that, (1) climate change communication research has become a relatively independent research field and has entered a rapid development stage, and this field still has a broad research prospect in the new understanding of climate change and new international context. (2) At present, research in this field is still dominated by developed countries, but developing countries are actively building their unique climate communication discourse. (3) Public understanding and media information presentation have been hot topics in climate communication research in recent years. In the context of changing international situations and the development of global epidemics and new climate policies, changes in national actions will likely lead to new research topics and dialogues. Research shows that climate change science communication research is increasingly showing a trend of decentralization and differentiation.
Abstract Hydrogen is gaining tremendous traction in China as the fuel of the future to support the country’s carbon neutrality ambitions. The promising role of hydrogen for use as fuel is heavily reliant on platinum (Pt) and the interactions between hydrogen fuel industry and Pt supply constraints have been largely overlooked. In this research, we develop an integrated assessment model to explore China’s demand for hydrogen fuel and the associated Pt needs under different climate targets. The results indicate that China’s annual demand for hydrogen fuel would reach 20 million tons (mt) under the business-as-usual baseline scenario and 38 mt under the carbon-neutrality scenario until 2060, being 111–211 times the amount in 2020. This booming demand would lead China’s cumulative demand for Pt metal produced from virgin ore to reach 2,500-3,258 tons (cost of 86–112 billion USD), which is 38–50 times of China’s indigenous Pt reserve. Although reduction of Pt loading and enhanced recycling are identified as effective measures to alleviate the Pt supply constraint, their efforts alone are far from sufficient to fill the large demand-supply gap under both baseline and carbon-neutrality scenarios. Thus, joint efforts from global sustainable Pt sourcing as well as domestic material innovations are urgently needed so that China will be able to address Pt supply risks and achieve her hydrogen ambition towards carbon neutrality.
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