Unique ice dendrite morphology on state-of-the-art oil-impregnated surfaces.

Due to its multifaceted impact in various applications, icing and ice dendrite growth has been the focus of numerous studies in the past. Dendrites on wetting (hydrophilic) and nonwetting (hydrophobic) surfaces are sharp, pointy, branching, and hairy. Here, we show a unique dendrite morphology on state-of-the-art micro/nanostructured oil-impregnated surfaces, which are commonly referred to as slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces or liquid-infused surfaces. Unlike the dendrites on traditional textured hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces, the dendrites on oil-impregnated surfaces are thick and lumpy without pattern. Our experiments show that the unique ice dendrite morphology on lubricant-infused surfaces is due to oil wicking into the porous dendritic network because of the capillary pressure imbalance between the surface texture and the dendrites. We characterized the shape complexity of the ice dendrites using fractal analysis. Experiments show that ice dendrites on textured oil-impregnated surfaces have lower fractal dimensions than those on traditional lotus leaf-inspired air-filled porous structures. Furthermore, we developed a regime map that can be used as a design guideline for micro/nanostructured oil-impregnated surfaces by capturing the complex effects of oil chemistry, oil viscosity, and wetting ridge volume on dendrite growth and morphology. The insights gained from this work inform strategies to reduce lubricant depletion, a major bottleneck for the transition of micro/nanostructured oil-impregnated surfaces from bench-top laboratory prototypes to industrial use. This work will assist the development of next-generation depletion-resistant lubricant-infused ice-repellent surfaces.

Realization of double uniform line self-focusing of elliptical Airyprime beams.

Double line self-focusing characteristics of elliptical Airyprime beams (EAPBs) with different elliptical vertical-axis factor ß are investigated by varying the main ring radius r0. Overly large or small r0 results in the inhomogeneous distribution of light intensity at one linear focus of the double line self-focusing. Only when r0 is appropriate and ß is within a certain range, can double uniform line self-focusing happen to the EAPB. Moreover, the self-focusing ability of the second line self-focusing is weaken than that of the first line self-focusing. Under the premise of our selected values of beam parameters, the EAPB can achieve double uniform line self-focusing when r0 = 0.3 mm and ß = 0.58∼0.71. The focal length of the first line self-focusing, the lengths of double linear focus, and the self-focusing abilities of the double uniform line self-focusing can be regulated by varying ß within the range of 0.58∼0.71. If ß is smaller than 0.58 or larger than 0.71, it will lead to nonuniform line self-focusing. An explanation of the physical mechanism behind the double uniform line self-focusing of the EAPB is proposed. Finally, the experimental measurements of the line self-focusing of the EAPB confirm the validity of the above conclusions. This research provides a new solution on how to generate double uniform line self-focusing and new insights into the practical application of elliptical self-focusing beams.

Realization of a circularly transformed Airyprime beam with powerful autofocusing ability.

The reported autofocusing ability of a ring Airyprime beam array reaches up to 8632.40, while the strongest autofocusing ability of a circular Airyprime beam (CAPB) is only 1822.49. How can the autofocusing ability of a single beam reach the autofocusing ability of a beam array? To achieve this goal, a circularly transformed Airyprime beam (CTAPB) is introduced by following two steps. First, a circular equation transformation on the two transverse coordinates in the electric field expression of a propagating Airyprime beam is performed. Then, the electric field expression of a propagating Airyprime beam is integrated over the angle. The intensity profile of a CTAPB on the initial plane changes significantly with varying the primary ring radius r0. With increasing r0, therefore, the autofocusing ability of a CTAPB undergoes a process of first increasing and then decreasing, while the focal length always increases. A CTAPB exhibits more powerful autofocusing ability than a CAPB. The maximum autofocusing ability of a CTAPB can reach up to 8634.76, which is 4.74 times that of a CAPB, while the corresponding focal length is 95.11% of a CAPB. A CTAPB on the initial plane can be approximately characterized by a ring Airyprime beam array with sufficient number of Airyprime beams. Due to the better symmetry, a CTAPB has a slightly stronger autofocusing ability than a ring Airyprime beam array and almost the same focal length as a ring Airyprime beam array. The CTAPB is also experimentally generated, and the experimental results indicate that the CTAPB has powerful autofocusing ability. As a replacement of a CAPB and a ring Airyprime beam array, this introduced CTAPB can be applied to the scenes which involve abruptly autofocusing effect.

Silver nanowires/waterborne polyurethane composite film based piezoresistive pressure sensor for ultrasensitive human motion monitoring.

Flexible piezoresistive pressure sensors are gaining significant attention, particularly in the realm of flexible wearable electronic skin. Here, a flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor was developed with a broad sensing range and high sensitivity. We achieved this by curing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on sandpaper, creating a PDMS film as the template with a micro-protrusion structure. The core sensing layer was formed using a composite of silver nanowires (AgNWs) and waterborne polyurethane (WPU) with a similar micro-protrusion structure. The sensor stands out with its exceptional sensitivity, showing a value of 1.04 × 106kPa-1with a wide linear range from 0 to 27 kPa. It also boasts a swift response and recovery time of 160 ms, coupled with a low detection threshold of 17 Pa. Even after undergoing more than 1000 cycles, the sensor continues to deliver stable performance. The flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor based on AgNWs/WPU composite film (AWCF) can detect small pressure changes such as pulse, swallowing, etc, which indicates that the sensor has great application potential in monitoring human movement and flexible wearable electronic skin.

Effects of the excitation wavelength and temperature on the zero-phonon emission line of Cr:YAG.

In this work, a detailed study was conducted of the temperature and excitation wavelength-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the chromium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Cr:YAG) transparent ceramic. Focusing on the two sets of zero-phonon lines (ZPLs) of the 2 E→4 A 2 transition in this material, the PL spectra are discovered to evolve significantly with respect to temperature and be highly dependent on the excitation wavelength. Compared to the continuous variation behavior with temperature, an increase in the excitation wavelength leads to a blueshift of the peak position within the regions of 450 nm to 465 nm, 465 nm to 490 nm, and 490 nm to 500 nm, and a sharp change in the PL position at the excitation wavelengths of 465 nm and 490 nm. The electron-phonon coupling (EPC) effect is believed to be more sensitive to the excitation wavelength. Different excitation wavelengths involve different electronic levels participating in the light emission processes, which explains the evolution behavior of the PL peak position with respect to the excitation wavelength. Moreover, the emergence of weak peaks next to the ZPLs at particular temperatures and excitation wavelengths is also observed. This work compares the influence of the temperature and excitation wavelength to the PL properties of the Cr:YAG transparent ceramic, which promotes an advanced understanding of the luminescence behavior of the Cr:YAG transparent ceramics.

Bio-mechanical effects of femoral neck system versus cannulated screws on treating young patients with Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures: a finite element analysis.

INTRODUCTION: As a novel internal fixation for femoral neck fractures, the femoral neck system has some advantages for young Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures without clear biomechanical effects and mechanisms. Thus, the objection of the study is to realize the biomechanical effects and mechanism of FNS cannulated screws on treating young patients with Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures compared to cannulated screws which are commonly used for femoral neck fractures by finite element analysis. METHODS: Firstly, the model of young Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures, femoral neck system (FNS), and three cannulated screws (CS) arranged in an inverted triangle were established, and the internal fixations were set up to fix young Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures. Under 2100 N load, the finite element was performed, and the deformation, peak von Mises stress (VMS), and contact at fracture segments were recorded to analyze the biomechanical effects and mechanism of FNS and three-CS fixing young Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures. RESULTS: Compared to three-CS, the deformation of the whole model, internal fixation, and fracture segments after FNS fixation were lower, and the peak VMS of the whole model and the internal fixation after FNS were higher with lower peak VMS of the distal femur and the fracture segments. With a sticking contact status, the contact pressure at fracture segments after FNS fixation was lower than that of three-CS. CONCLUSIONS: FNS can provide better mechanical effects for young patients with Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures, which may be the mechanical mechanism of the clinical effects of FNS on femoral neck fracture. Although there is high stress on FNS, it is still an effective and safe internal fixation for young patients with Pauwels type III femoral neck fractures.

Simultaneously enhancing autofocusing ability and extending focal length for a ring Airyprime beam array by a linear chirp.

It is of great significance to solve the problem that improving autofocusing ability is always at the cost of shortening focal length. By introducing a linear chirp into a ring Airyprime beam array, an optimization scheme to simultaneously achieve the enhancement of autofocusing ability and the extension of focal length is proposed. The autofocusing ability can be enhanced by up to 72.28%, and the corresponding focal length is extended by 34.81%. The focal length can be extended by 110.28% at most, and the corresponding autofocusing ability is improved by 48.59%. To verify the feasibility of this scheme, we have carried out an experiment for the generation of a ring Airyprime beam array with a linear chirp, and the experimental results for autofocusing ability and focal length are in good agreement with theoretical results. Our findings have potential applications in many aspects, such as free space optical communication.

Key to an extension or shortening of focal length in the enhancement of autofocusing ability of a circular Airyprime beam caused by a linear chirp factor.

Researchers are puzzled whether the enhancement of the abruptly autofocusing ability caused by a linear chirp factor is accompanied by the shortening or the extension of the focal length. In this Letter, a circular Airyprime beam is chosen as the research object to reveal this mystery. Extension or shortening of the focal length in the enhancement of the abruptly autofocusing ability depends on the exponential decay factor a and the dimensionless radius of the primary ring. When a is small enough, there exists a critical value for the dimensionless radius. If the dimensionless radius is greater than the critical value, the focal length is shortened in the enhancement of the abruptly autofocusing ability. If the dimensionless radius is less than the critical value, the focal length is extended in the enhancement of the abruptly autofocusing ability. As a increases, the critical value for the dimensionless radius decreases until it reaches zero. The physical mechanism of extension or shortening of the focal length in the enhancement of the abruptly autofocusing ability is elucidated.

Synergistic Benefits of Micro/Nanostructured Oil-Impregnated Surfaces in Reducing Fouling while Enhancing Heat Transfer.

Liquid-liquid heat exchangers that operate in marine environments are susceptible to biofouling, which decreases the overall heat exchange between hot and cold liquids by increasing the conduction resistance. Recently, micro/nanostructured oil-impregnated surfaces have been shown to significantly reduce biofouling. However, their potential as a heat exchanger material has not been studied. Neither is it obvious since the oil used for impregnation increases the wall thickness and the associated conduction resistance. Here, by conducting extensive field and laboratory studies supported by theoretical modeling of heat transfer in oil-infused heat exchanger tubes, we report the synergistic benefits of micro/nanostructured oil-impregnated surfaces for reducing biofouling while maintaining good heat transfer. These benefits justify the use of lubricant-infused surfaces as heat exchanger materials, in particular in marine environments.

Development of a Prediction Score for Evaluation of Extubation Readiness in Neurosurgical Patients with Mechanical Ventilation.

BACKGROUND: There is no widely accepted consensus on the weaning and extubating protocols for neurosurgical patients, leading to heterogeneity in clinical practices and high rates of delayed extubation and extubation failure-related health complications. METHODS: In this single-center prospective observational diagnostic study, mechanically ventilated neurosurgical patients with extubation attempts were consecutively enrolled for 1 yr. Responsive physicians were surveyed for the reasons for delayed extubation and developed the Swallowing, Tongue protrusion, Airway protection reflected by spontaneous and suctioning cough, and Glasgow Coma Scale Evaluation (STAGE) score to predict the extubation success for neurosurgical patients already meeting other general extubation criteria. RESULTS: A total of 3,171 patients were screened consecutively, and 226 patients were enrolled in this study. The rates of delayed extubation and extubation failure were 25% (57 of 226) and 19% (43 of 226), respectively. The most common reasons for the extubation delay were weak airway-protecting function and poor consciousness. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of the total STAGE score associated with extubation success was 0.72 (95% CI, 0.64 to 0.79). Guided by the highest Youden index, the cutoff point for the STAGE score was set at 6 with 59% (95% CI, 51 to 66%) sensitivity, 74% (95% CI, 59 to 86%) specificity, 90% (95% CI, 84 to 95%) positive predictive value, and 30% (95% CI, 21 to 39%) negative predictive value. At STAGE scores of 9 or higher, the model exhibited a 100% (95% CI, 90 to 100%) specificity and 100% (95% CI, 72 to 100%) positive predictive value for predicting extubation success. CONCLUSIONS: After a survey of the reasons for delayed extubation, the STAGE scoring system was developed to better predict the extubation success rate. This scoring system has promising potential in predicting extubation readiness and may help clinicians avoid delayed extubation and failed extubation-related health complications in neurosurgical patients.

The axonal radial contractility: Structural basis underlying a new form of neural plasticity.

Axons are the longest cellular structure reaching over a meter in the case of human motor axons. They have a relatively small diameter and contain several cytoskeletal elements that mediate both material and information exchange within neurons. Recently, a novel type of axonal plasticity, termed axonal radial contractility, has been unveiled. It is represented by dynamic and transient diameter changes of the axon shaft to accommodate the passages of large organelles. Mechanisms underpinning this plasticity are not fully understood. Here, we first summarised recent evidence of the functional relevance for axon radial contractility, then discussed the underlying structural basis, reviewing nanoscopic evidence of the subtle changes. Two models are proposed to explain how actomyosin rings are organised. Possible roles of non-muscle myosin II (NM-II) in axon degeneration are discussed. Finally, we discuss the concept of periodic functional nanodomains, which could sense extracellular cues and coordinate the axonal responses. Also see the video abstract here: https://youtu.be/ojCnrJ8RCRc.

The reconstruction of fingertip injury by mini hallux toenail flap pedicled with the hallux transverse artery and toe pulp vein transplantation technique based on the equivalent design theory.

INTRODUCTION: How to reconstruct the damaged fingertip is a clinical problem. Our team propose the theory of equivalent design and use the mini toenail flap pedicled with the hallux transverse artery and toe pulp vein transplantation technique to reconstruct Allen's type II fingertip injury. Thus, we perform the retrospective study to evaluate the effects of this technique on fingertip injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 56 patients admitted to our hospital from January 2015 to January 2020 who used equivalently designed miniature hallux toenail flaps for the plastic repair of fingertip damage. We recorded the size of the miniature hallux toenail flap, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and complications and calculated the survival rate of the transplanted miniature hallux toenail flap. During routine follow-up after surgery, we recorded nail growth time and observed finger appearance. At the last time of follow-up, we recorded Semmes-Weinstein evaluating tactile sensation and Two-point discrimination testing (TPD). The efficacy was evaluated by Zook score evaluation. RESULTS: The size of the mini hallux toenail flap was 0.71 cm × 1.22 cm to 0.88 cm × 1.71 cm. The operation time was (3.54 ± 0.58) hours, the intraoperative blood loss was (20.66 ± 4.87) ml, and the survival rate of mini hallux toenail flaps was 100%. The postoperative follow-up time was (30.82 ± 11.21) months, and the total nail growth time was (9.68 ± 2.11) months. The average tactile sensation evaluated by the Semmes-Weinstein test was (0.32 ± 0.14) g, and the average TPD was (7.33 ± 1.02) mm. According to Zook score, the curative effect of fifty-six cases were all excellent or good with 100% excellent and good rate, and all patients had beautiful appearances and good function of damaged fingertips. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the equivalent design theory, the mini hallux toenail flap pedicled with the hallux transverse artery and toe pulp vein transplantation technique is an effective method to reconstruct Allen's type II fingertip injury with a beautiful appearance and good function. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

The Association between Burnout, Social Support, and Psychological Capital among Primary Care Providers in Togo: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and Objectives: Job burnout is prevalent among primary care providers (PCPs) in different countries, and the factors that can alleviate burnout in these countries have been explored. However, no study has addressed the prevalence and the correlates of job burnout among Togolese PCPs. Therefore, we aimed to examine the prevalence of burnout and its association with social support and psychological capital among PCPs in Togo. Material and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Togo from 5 to 17 November 2020 among 279 PCPs of 28 peripheral care units (PCUs). Participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Job Content Questionnaire, and Psychological Capital Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression. Results: We received 279 responses, out of which 37.28% experienced a high level of emotional exhaustion (EE), 13.62% had a high level of depersonalization (DP), and 19.71% experienced low levels of personal accomplishment (PA). EE had a significant negative correlation with the supervisor's support. In contrast, self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience had a significant negative correlation with DP and a significant positive correlation with PA. Furthermore, supervisors' support significantly predicted lower levels of EE. Optimism significantly predicted lower levels of DP and higher levels of PA. Conclusions: Burnout is common among Togolese PCPs, and self-efficacy, optimism, and supervisors' support significantly contribute to low levels of job burnout among Togolese PCPs. This study provided insight into intervention programs to prevent burnout among PCPs in Togo.

The role of organic and inorganic substituents of roxarsone determines its binding behavior and mechanisms onto nano-ferrihydrite colloidal particles.

The retention and fate of Roxarsone (ROX) onto typical reactive soil minerals were crucial for evaluating its potential environmental risk. However, the behavior and molecular-level reaction mechanism of ROX and its substituents with iron (hydr)oxides remains unclear. Herein, the binding behavior of ROX on ferrihydrite (Fh) was investigated through batch experiments and in-situ ATR-FTIR techniques. Our results demonstrated that Fh is an effective geo-sorbent for the retention of ROX. The pseudo-second-order kinetic and the Langmuir model successfully described the sorption process. The driving force for the binding of ROX on Fh was ascribed to the chemical adsorption, and the rate-limiting step is simultaneously dominated by intraparticle and film diffusion. Isotherms results revealed that the sorption of ROX onto Fh appeared in uniformly distributed monolayer adsorption sites. The two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy and XPS results implied that the nitro, hydroxyl, and arsenate moiety of ROX molecules have participated in binding ROX onto Fh, signifying that the predominated mechanisms were attributed to the hydrogen bonding and surface complexation. Our results can help to better understand the ROX-mineral interactions at the molecular level and lay the foundation for exploring the degradation, transformation, and remediation technologies of ROX and structural analog pollutants in the environment.

Bifunctional Compounds as Molecular Degraders for Integrin-Facilitated Targeted Protein Degradation.

As effective ways to regulate protein levels, targeted protein degradation technologies have attracted great attention in recent years. Here, we established a novel integrin-facilitated lysosomal degradation (IFLD) strategy to degrade extracellular and cell membrane proteins using bifunctional compounds as molecular degraders. By conjugation of a target protein-binding ligand with an integrin-recognition ligand, the resulting molecular degrader proved to be highly efficient to induce the internalization and subsequent degradation of extracellular or cell membrane proteins in an integrin- and lysosome-dependent manner. As demonstrated in the development of BMS-L1-RGD, which is an efficient programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) degrader validated both in vitro and in vivo, the IFLD strategy expands the toolbox for regulation of secreted and membrane-associated proteins and thus has great potential to be applied in chemical biology and drug discovery.

Generation of finite energy Airyprime beams by Airy transformation.

In this paper, the lone generation of a new kind of beam named finite energy Airyprime (FEA) beam through the Airy transformation of the coherent superposition of four different elegant Hermite-Gaussian modes is reported for the first time. Analytical expressions of the centroid, the r.m.s beam width, the divergence angle, and the beam propagation factor of the FEA beam are derived in the output plane of Airy transformation, respectively. The effects of the Airy control parameters on the intensity distribution, the centroid, the r.m.s beam width, and the beam propagation factor are examined in detail through numerical examples. Unlike the Airy beam, the FEA beam upon free space propagation will be associated with an additional Airy mode, and the beam pattern of the FEA beams propagating in free space will evolve into a solid beam spot with two tails along two transverse directions, as well as the the intensity of main lobe of the FEA beam decays much slowly during free space propagation. Further, an experiment setup is established to generate the FEA beam via Airy transformation of four mixed elegant Hermite-Gaussian modes. The propagation characteristics such as the intensity distribution, the r.m.s beam width and the beam propagation factor are measured. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical predictions. Our study affords an effective and novel approach to generate the FEA beam, and is beneficial to expand the potential application of the FEA beam.

Abruptly autofocusing of generalized circular Airy derivative beams.

In this paper, we introduce a novel kind of abrupt autofocusing beams namely the generalized circular Airy derivative beams (CADBs) as an extension of circular Airy beam (CAB). The propagation dynamics of the CADBs is examined theoretically. Our results show that the CADBs exhibit stronger autofocusing ability than the CAB under the same condition. The physical mechanism of the abruptly autofocusing of the CADBs is interpreted by mimicking the Fresnel zone plate lens. Here, the abruptly autofocusing ability is described by a ratio K = Ifm/I0m where Ifm and I0m correspond to the maximum intensities in the focal and the source planes, respectively. As an example, the K-value of the circular Airyprime beam (CAPB, the first-order Airy derivative beam) is about 7 times of that of the CAB. In addition, the CAPB have narrower FWHM (full width at half maxima) in the focus position than the CAB, and the focal spot size of the CAPB is smaller than that of the CAB. Furthermore, we establish an optical system involving a phase-only spatial light modulator to generate the CAPB and measure its autofocusing characteristics experimentally. The measured K-value is about 9.4 percentage error between theory and experiment owing to the imperfection generation of the CAPB. The proposed generalized CADBs will find applications in biomedical treatment, optical manipulation and so on.

Effect of chirped factors on the abrupt autofocusing ability of a chirped circular Airyprime beam.

Recently, a new type of abruptly autofocusing beam called circular Airyprime beam (CAPB) has been reported. Its abrupt autofocusing ability has been proven to be approximately seven times that of a circular Airy beam under the same conditions. Further improving the abrupt autofocusing ability of the CAPB without changing the beam parameters is a concern in optical research. In this study, we investigated the effect of introducing first- and second-order chirped factors on the abrupt autofocusing ability of the CAPB. When the positive first-order chirped factor was below the saturated chirped value, the abrupt autofocusing ability of the chirped CAPB was stronger and the focus position was smaller compared with those of the conventional CAPB. Regarding the abrupt autofocusing ability, there was an optimal value for the first-order chirped factor. At the optimal value, the abrupt autofocusing ability of the chirped CAPB was the strongest. On the other hand, a positive second-order chirped factor promoted the abrupt autofocusing ability of the CAPB and shortened the focus position. The introduction of such value was more effective than the introduction of a positive first-order chirped factor in promoting abrupt autofocusing of the CAPB. The abrupt autofocusing ability of the CAPB was further improved by combining the optimal first-order chirped factor and a positive second-order chirped factor. Finally, the chirped CAPB was experimentally generated, and the corresponding abrupt autofocusing behaviors were measured, validating the theoretical results. Overall, we provide an approach for improving abruptly autofocusing CAPBs.

Interference enhancement effect in a single Airyprime beam propagating in free space.

An analytical expression of a single Airyprime beam propagating in free space is derived. Upon propagation in free space, a single Airyprime beam in arbitrary transverse direction is the coherent superposition of the Airyprime and the Airy-related modes, which results in the interference enhancement effect under the appropriate condition. The Airy-related mode is the conventional propagating Airy mode with an additional π/2 phase shift and a weight coefficient of half the normalized propagation distance. Due to the peak light intensity in the initial plane being set to be 1, the strength of interference enhancement effect is characterized by the maximum light intensity. The maximum light intensity of a single Airyprime beam propagating in free space is independent of the scaling factor and is only decided by the exponential decay factor. When the exponential decay factor is above the saturated value, the interference enhancement effect disappears. When the exponential decay factor decreases from the saturated value, the maximum light intensity of a single propagating Airyprime beam increases, and the position of maximum light intensity is getting farther away. With the increase of the scaling factor, the position of maximum light intensity of a single propagating Airyprime beam is extended. The intensity distribution and the transverse Poynting vector of a single propagating Airyprime beam are demonstrated in different observation planes of free space. The flow direction of transverse energy flux effectively supports the interference enhancement effect of a single propagating Airyprime beam. The Airyprime beam is experimentally generated, and the interference enhancement effect is experimentally confirmed. The interference enhancement effect is conducive to the practical application of a single Airyprime beam.

Dependence of autofocusing ability of a ring Airyprime beams array on the number of beamlets.

A ring Airyprime beams (RAPB) array, which consists of N evenly displaced Airyprime beamlets in the initial plane, is first introduced, to the best of our knowledge, in this Letter. Here, we focus on the effect of the number of beamlets N on the autofocusing ability of the RAPB array. With the given beam parameters, an optimal number of beamlets, which is the minimum number of beamlets to realize the saturated autofocusing ability, is selected. The focal spot size of the RAPB array remains unchanged before the number of beamlets reaches the optimal number of beamlets. More importantly, the saturated autofocusing ability of the RAPB array is stronger than that of the corresponding circular Airyprime beam. The physical mechanism of the saturated autofocusing ability of the RAPB array is interpreted by simulating the Fresnel zone plate lens. The influence of the number of beamlets on the autofocusing ability of the ring Airy beams (RAB) array under the same beam parameters with the RAPB array is also presented for comparison. Our findings are beneficial for the design and application of the ring beams array.