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Direct collection, conversion and storage of solar radiation as thermal energy are crucial to the efficient utilization of renewable solar energy and the reduction of global carbon footprint. This work reports a facile approach for rapid and efficient charging of thermal energy storage materials by the instant and intense photothermal effect of uniformly distributed plasmonic nanoparticles. Upon illumination with both green laser light and sunlight, the prepared plasmonic nanocomposites with volumetric ppm level of filler concentration demonstrated a faster heating rate, a higher heating temperature and a larger heating area than the conventional thermal diffusion based approach. With controlled dispersion, we further demonstrated that the light-to-heat conversion and thermal storage properties of the plasmonic nanocomposites can be fine-tuned by engineering the composition of the nanocomposites.

A series of CsPbBrxI3-x NC glasses, showing tunable emission (523-693 nm) controlled by different ratios of Br- and I-, were successfully prepared. The CsPbBrxI3-x NC glasses exhibited excellent optical properties and outstanding stability towards ambient conditions, water and heat.

ObjectiveTo investigate the association of serum osteocalcin with carotid atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional community-based study in metropolitan area. Serum total osteocalcin was measured by radioimmunoassay in 382 men and 435 postmenopausal women. The carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid plaques (PLQ) were measured by B-mode ultrasound.ResultsThe crude mean of serum osteocalcin concentrations were 4.52±2.43 ng/ml for men and 5.75±2.92 ng/ml for postmenopausal women (P <0.001), respectively. Osteocalcin levels were associated inversely with age, fasting serum insulin, HOMA-IR, ALT, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL- cholesterol, CRP (all P<0.001) and positively with adiponectin and HOMA-B (all P<0.05). After multiple adjustment, the odds ratios (ORs) were substantially higher risk for carotid plaques (OR 1.77 for 1 SD decrease in osteocalcin, 95% CI 1.23-2.76, p=0.005). These associations remained significant after further adjustment for potential confounder.ConclusionsSerum osteocalcin levels is an independent risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Nitrogen solubility in the austenitic stainless steel melts was measured in the laboratory by bubbling nitrogen gas under different partial pressures of nitrogen and temperatures. A new thermodynamic model for the calculation of nitrogen solubility in molten stainless steel in a wide range of alloy concentrations, temperatures, and pressures has been successfully established by introducing a new term for the effect of pressure on the nitrogen activity coefficient. The calculation results were in good agreement with the measured values. The influences of temperature, nitrogen partial pressure and chemical composition on the nitrogen solubility in molten stainless steel are discussed based on the calculated results. It is possible to produce high nitrogen steels at normal pressure by optimizing the design of the alloy composition and controlling the lowest melting temperature from a thermodynamic point of view.