Inducing or enhancing superconductivity in topological materials is an important route toward topological superconductivity. Reducing the thickness of transition metal dichalcogenides (e.g. WTe 2 and MoTe 2 ) has provided an important pathway to engineer superconductivity in topological matters; for instance, emergent superconductivity with T c ∼ 0.82 K was observed in monolayer WTe 2 1, 2 which also hosts intriguing quantum spin Hall effect 3 , although the bulk crystal is nonsuperconducting. However, such monolayer sample is difficult to obtain, unstable in air, and with extremely low T c , which could pose a grand challenge for practical applications. Here we report an experimentally convenient approach to control the interlayer coupling to achieve tailored topological properties, enhanced superconductiv-1 arXiv:1911.02228v1 [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

Lettuce is an important vegetable in horticulture, but information about the interactive effects of light and temperature on its photosynthetic characteristics was inadequate. This work investigated the effects of three temperatures (15/10 (T15), 23/18 (T23), and 30/23 °C (T30)) and five light treatments (100 (P100), 200 (P200), 350 (P350), 500 (P500), and 600 μmol·m−2·s−1 (P600)) on the light–response curves, chlorophyll content, and yield of lettuce. The results showed that the maximum photosynthetic rate, light saturation point, chlorophyll content, and yield of lettuce were all the highest at T23 compared with T15 and T30 under different light intensities. Under the same temperature conditions, the photosynthesis capacity and yield of lettuce in the P350 and P500 treatments at T15, P350, P500, and P600 treatments at T23 and P500, and P600 treatments at T30 were larger than other light treatments. The results suggested that temperature play had a more pronounced influence on photosynthesis and yield in lettuce, but the appropriate levels of light intensity improved its potential photosynthetic capacity and yield under different temperature conditions.

Fruit biomechanics is needed for quality determination, multiscale modelling and engineering design of fruit processes and equipments. However, these determined fruit biomechanics data often have obvious differences for the same fruit or tissue. In order to investigate it, the fruit biomechanics based on anatomy was reviewed in this paper. First, the anatomical characteristics of fruit biomaterials were described at the macroscopic ‘tissue’ level and microscopic ‘cellular’ level. Subsequently, the factors affecting fruit biomechanics based on anatomy and the relationships between fruit biomechanics, texture and mechanical damage were summarised according to the published literature. Fruit biomechanics is mainly affected by size, number and arrangement of cells, quantity and volume of intracellular spaces, structure, thickness, chemical composition and permeability of cell walls, and pectin degradation level and turgor pressure within cells based on microanatomy. Four test methods and partial determined results of fruit biomechanics were listed and reviewed. The determined mechanical properties data of fruit are only approximate values by using the existing four test methods, owing to the fruit biomaterials being non-homogeneous and living. Lastly, further aspects for research on fruit biomechanics were proposed for the future.

Light and temperature are two crucial factors affecting plant growth. Light intensities vary considerably with season and weather conditions. Reasonable light regulation at different temperatures is a key issue in environmental regulation. In this study, we determined the effects of light intensity and temperature on crop growth and development. Furthermore, we determined an optimal light value and a suitable light range at different temperatures for producing the lettuce Lactuca sativa L. Artificial climate chamber experiments were conducted at five light intensities (100, 200, 350, 500, and 600 μmol·m−2·s−1), as well as at low (15 °C/10 °C), medium (23 °C/18 °C), and high (30 °C/25 °C) temperatures. In these experiments, we investigated the photosynthetic rate; chlorophyll fluorescence parameters; total N, P, and K uptake; and growth of lettuce plants. The results indicated that at a low temperature, the values of effective quantum yield of photosystem II photochemistry (ΦPSII), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gS), and transpiration rate (Tr) —as well as those of N, K, and P uptake—were the highest at 350 μmol·m−2·s−1, followed by 500 μmol·m−2·s−1, which resulted in higher values for leaf number (LN), leaf area (LA), dry weight (DW), and fresh weight (FW). At the medium temperature, the values of ΦPSII, Pn, gS, and Tr, as well as those of N, K, and P uptake were higher at 350, 500, and 600 μmol·m−2·s−1 than at other light intensities, resulting in high values for LN, LA, DW, and FW of lettuce plants. The LN, LA, and FW of lettuce plants were the highest at 500 μmol·m−2·s−1, whereas DW was the highest at 600 μmol·m−2·s−1. At a high temperature, lettuce plants exhibited the highest values of Fv/Fm, ΦPSII, Pn, gS, and Tr, as well as those of N, K, and P uptake for the 500 μmol·m−2·s−1 treatment; whereas LN, LA, FW, and DW were the highest at 600 μmol·m−2·s−1. In addition, the values of Fv/Fm indicated that lettuce plants were under stress under the following combinations: 600 μmol·m−2·s−1 at the low temperature, 100 μmol·m−2·s−1 at the medium temperature, and 100–350 μmol·m−2·s−1 at the high temperature. Based on these results, an optimal regulation strategy for light intensity at different temperature environments was proposed for lettuce cultivars similar to L. sativa L. in some regions, such as the subtropical regions of China. Specifically, for low temperatures, light intensities of 350 to 500 μmol·m−2·s−1are recommended for production, and an intensity of 350 μmol·m−2·s−1 provides optimal supplementary light during early spring and winter in greenhouses. For medium temperatures, light intensities of 350 to 600 μmol·m−2·s−1 are recommended, and 500 μmol·m−2·s−1 is the optimal value during the middle of spring and autumn. For high temperatures, light intensities of 500 to 600 μmol·m−2·s−1are recommended, and 600 μmol·m−2·s−1 is the optimal value of light intensity during late spring and early autumn.

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