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Weakly compressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is known to suffer from numerical pressure noise, posing challenges to simulation stability and accuracy. To address this, the present study introduces a novel density dissipation scheme aimed at suppressing such unphysical noise. The proposed solution overcomes the limitation of traditional density dissipation schemes being ineffective at fluid interfaces in multiphase flow simulations. The novel scheme is generally applicable to the entire computational domain, encompassing both single-phase flow and multiphase flow. This advancement is achieved through two key components. First, the traditional density dissipation is replaced with a density increment dissipation approach that enables dissipation to cross interfaces separating different fluids. Second, based on dissipation volume conservation, a dissipation volume correction factor is employed to stabilize simulations characterized by large density ratios. The accuracy, stability, and robustness of our method are demonstrated through direct comparisons with experimental data or numerical results in four three-dimensional benchmarks: sloshing under external excitations, the rising of single and double bubbles, Rayleigh–Taylor instability, and Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. Additionally, our study reveals the relationship between SPH utilizing density dissipation and the approximate Riemann solver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To evaluate the value of six tumor markers including squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), glycoconjugate antigen 125 (CA125), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), along with gastrin-releasing peptide precursor (ProGRP) in the diagnosis and pathological staging of lung cancer (LC) alone or in combination. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 300 patients of which 62 cases were diagnosed as small cell lung cancer (SCLC), 105 adenocarcinoma (LUAD), 41 squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and 92 large cell lung cancer (LCLC) by histopathology. Another 364 patients with benign lung disease in the same period were chosen for the benign lung disease group. Results: The detection results of 6 tumor markers in serum of LC, SCCA, NSE and ProGP patients with different pathological types were higher compared with lung benign lesions group (P<0.01). LC can be separated into SCLC along with non-Small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by NSE+ProGRP combination. The detection rate of lung squamous cell carcinoma by SCCA+ cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) was higher than that by CEA+CA125 combination for adenocarcinoma. The combined determination of NSE and ProGRP was highly sensitive to SCLC. In NSCLC, the combined detection of SCC-Ag and CYFRA21-1 showed high sensitivity to LUSC. CEA+CA125 combined detection was highly sensitive to LUAD. Conclusion: The combined determination of NSE and ProGRP was highly sensitive to SCLC. CEA+CA125 combined detection was highly sensitive to LUAD, and SCCA+CYFR21-1+CEA+CA125 was the best combined detection analysis of multiple indexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Residual stress development in precipitation strengthened aluminium foundry alloys has seen little attention, despite the prevalence of their use over a wide array of applications. Objective: This study aims at the evaluation of the residual stress in a cast aluminium benchmark that develops during precipitation heat treatment and determines the preferable stress relaxing techniques for such applications. Methods: The stress states in the as-cast, T4 and T6 tempers of the same AlSi7Cu0.5Mg (A356 with 0.5 wt% Cu) sample were determined through a novel application of the contour method, standard hole drilling, deep hole drilling and incremental deep hole drilling. Results: The results of all measurement techniques lie within approximately 40 MPa for all regions available for comparison, with the greatest differences occurring between the contour method and deep hole drilling for the T6 component. It is shown that the peak tensile residual stresses are almost identical between the heat-treated components (75 MPa), but the distribution and magnitude of compressive residual stress are found to be significantly different. Conclusions: Among the measurement techniques evaluated, the contour method and incremental hole drilling are found to be more suitable for T6 temper, while all techniques perform equally well for T4 temper due to its relatively low strength. It is hypothesised that the difference between the as-cast and heat-treated samples is due to solution heat treatment and quenching, while the difference in T4 and T6 tempers is attributed to the response to ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The φ -divergence-based moment method was recently introduced Abdelmalik et al. for the discretization of the radiative transfer equation. At the continuous level, this method is very close to the entropy-based MN methods and possesses its main properties, i.e., entropy dissipation, rotational invariance and energy conservation. However, the φ -divergence based moment systems are easier to resolve numerically due to the improved conditioning of the discrete equations. Moreover, exact quadrature rules can be used to compute moments of the distribution function, which enables the preservation of energy conservation, entropy dissipation and rotational invariants, discretely. In this paper, we consider different variants of the φ − divergence closures that are based on different approximations of the exponential function and the Planck function. We compare the approximation properties of the proposed closures in the numerical benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genotype data from dairy cattle selection programs have greatly facilitated GWAS to identify variants related to economic traits. Results can enhance the accuracy of genomic prediction, analyze more complex models that go beyond additive effects, elucidate the genetic architecture of a trait, and finally, decipher the underlying biology of traits. The entire process, comprising data generation, quality control, statistical analyses, interpretation of association results, and linking results to biology should be designed and executed to minimize the generation of false-positive and false-negative associations and misleading links to biological processes. This review aims to provide general guidelines for data analysis that address data quality control, association tests, adjustment for population stratification, and significance evaluation to improve the reliability of conclusions. We also provide guidance on post-GWAS strategy and the interpretation of results. These guidelines are tailored to dairy cattle, which are characterized by long-range linkage disequilibrium, large half-sib families, and routinely collected phenotypes, requiring different approaches than those applied in human GWAS. We discuss common limitations and challenges that have been overlooked in the analysis and interpretation of GWAS to identify candidate sequence variants in dairy cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigate the energy partition of four confined circular-ribbon flares (CRFs) that occurred close to solar disk center. The flares are observed simultaneously by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES), and the Ramaty Hight Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI). We calculate different energy components, including the radiative outputs in the ranges 1 – 8 Å, 1 – 70 Å, and 70 – 370 Å, total radiative loss, peak thermal energy derived from GOES and RHESSI, nonthermal energy in flare-accelerated electrons, and magnetic free energy before the flares. It is found that the values of energy components increase systematically with the flare class, indicating that more energy is involved in larger flares. The magnetic free energies ( E m a g ) are larger than the nonthermal energies ( E n t h ) and radiative outputs, which is consistent with the magnetic nature of flares. The ratio E n t h E m a g of the four flares, being 0.70 – 0.76, is considerably higher than that of eruptive flares. Hence, this ratio may serve as an important factor for discriminating confined from eruptive flares. The nonthermal energies are sufficient to provide the heating requirements including the peak thermal energy and radiative loss. Our findings impose constraints on theoretical models of confined CRFs and have potential implications on space weather forecast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), deconvolution analysis of oxy and deoxy-hemoglobin concentration changes allows estimating specific hemodynamic response functions (HRF) elicited by neuronal activity, taking advantage of the fNIRS excellent temporal resolution. Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is also becoming the new standard reconstruction procedure as it is more accurate than the modified Beer Lambert law approach at the sensor level. The objective of this study was to assess the relevance of HRF deconvolution after DOT constrained along the cortical surface. We used local personalized fNIRS montages which consists in optimizing the position of fNIRS optodes to ensure maximal sensitivity to subject specific target brain regions. We carefully evaluated the accuracy of deconvolution when applied after DOT, using realistic simulations involving several HRF models at different signal to noise ratio (SNR) levels and on real data related to motor and visual tasks in healthy subjects and from spontaneous pathological activity in one patient with epilepsy. We demonstrated that DOT followed by deconvolution was able to accurately recover a large variability of HRFs over a large range of SNRs. We found good performances of deconvolution analysis for SNR levels usually encountered in our applications and we were able to reconstruct accurately the temporal dynamics of HRFs in real conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has recently developed a Semi-Quantitative Seismic Risk Screening Tool (SQST) to supersede the 1993 NRC Manual for Screening of Buildings for Seismic Investigation. The proposed screening tool incorporates a methodology for estimating global seismic risk of existing buildings associated with failure of their non-structural components. The methodology assesses global seismic risk using a qualitative yet comprehensive scoring system. The scoring system consists of a global non-structural component score and acceptable threshold scores. The global score is based on the most critical components. It combines a basic score with score modifiers for key parameters affecting the seismic response of non-structural components. The acceptable threshold score is based on the building's consequence of failure, the building's importance category, and the component factor. The scoring system is calibrated to be consistent with the seismic risk acceptance criteria previously developed for preliminary seismic risk screening of existing buildings, based on Canadian seismicity, building age, remaining occupancy time, and consequences of failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive middle Cambrian evaporite platform dolostone represents a significant area for hydrocarbon exploration in the Tarim Basin with recent advances indicating promising exploration prospects. However, owing to its considerable depth and the limited exploration, the genesis and distribution of evaporite-related dolostone reservoirs from the middle Cambrian remain poorly understood. This study includes detailed field investigations along with petrological, mineralogical and geochemical analyses to characterise the secondary porosity of the middle Cambrian Shaelek Formation evaporite platform dolostone and to explore the origin of the diagenetic fluids responsible for these features. The results show that gypsum dissolution vugs are the main secondary porosity in the evaporite platform dolostone reservoirs, with their development and distribution strongly controlled by sedimentary facies. Meteoric dissolution during the penecontemporaneous period is responsible for this secondary porosity. The frequent fluctuation in sea-levels and the transient exposure of the dolostone reservoirs provide favourable conditions for the dissolution of unstable gypsum. The multiple stages of calcite filling in the vugs result from supersaturated precipitation from fluids during the late stage of meteoric diagenesis. Variations in δ13C, δ18O and rare earth element compositions between the two types of calcite reflect different stages of fluid evolution and varying degrees of water–rock reaction. The vug-filling fluorite is of non-hydrothermal genesis but results from the highly evaporative concentrated seawater and terrigenous input. The highly concentrated F– in evaporative seawater, combined with F– from fluvial input (if any) during subaerial exposure, most likely provides the F– necessary for fluorite precipitation. A model of reservoir formation and evolution has been established that will be beneficial for hydrocarbon exploration and prediction of the deeply buried Cambrian evaporite platform dolostone reservoir. KEY POINTS: Two types of vug-filling calcite represent the different stages of meteoric diagenesis. Non-hydrothermal fluorite occurs in the middle Cambrian evaporite platform dolostone. Meteoric dissolution, rather than hydrothermal dissolution, is responsible for the vugs in the evaporite platform dolomite. An evolution model for the middle Cambrian evaporite platform dolomite reservoir is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increase in power consumption in field effect transistors has been curtailed in recent years by introduction of mechanical stress to achieve device speed gain over and above the traditional speed vs. power tradeoffs achieved only by scaling gate lengths. Increasingly, the source-drain region of p-channel field effect transistors are etched and epitaxial SiGe re-grown in the cavity to enhance hole mobility. However, the addition of stress as a method to improve performance would add to the process variability beyond the traditional source of lithography, now related to structure and dimension of the cavity and composition of SiGe. In this paper, compressive stress induced in the channel was directly measured using synchrotron x-ray diffraction. The samples were a set of gratings designed to map the transistor performance with varying design space. The x-ray beam was systematically stepped across the gratings at an interval of 200 nm and diffraction data collected to assess the extent of stress field. Diffraction space maps were created around the symmetric (004) and asymmetric (115) planes. Strain was deduced from Si peak shift and stress calculated from the Si elastic constants. Diffraction space maps around the asymmetric plane were used to deduce the mechanism and subsequent relaxation of strain. Diffraction data collected with x-ray beam placement close to the Si-SiGe vertical interface provided information from lateral SiGe epitaxy on the (110) plane. The presence of strained SiGe peak exhibiting tilt as well as 'relaxed' SiGe peak surrounded by diffuse scattering due to dislocations were observed. The use of non-selective etch process resulted in cavity formation with multiple crystallographic planes. The subsequent relaxation mechanism that was dependent on the formation of misfit dislocations was perturbed, possibly due to pinning of the dislocations at the intersection of two crystallographic planes and served as the source of variability. Measured stress variation from 90 to 220 MPa was seen that resulted in estimated drive current enhancement variability from 5% to 15%. The maximum strain was seen where the SiGe film saw no relaxation and the energy formed due to hetero-epitaxy was transferred elastically as channel stress. The elastic relaxation was also accompanied by formation of tilted boundary. Based on these findings, the design of an ideal cavity that would maximize strain and minimize variability with layout was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on wave measurements lasting three and a half years, typhoon wave characteristics in a lagoon of the South China Sea are discussed in this paper. According to the upper boundaries of wind speed and significant wave height Hs, the maximum wave height has a similar rate of change as the maximum wind speed. The peak frequencies decrease in the approaching stage and are concentrated with an average of 0.1415 Hz in the leaving stage. The distributions of the wind and wave directions indicate that the local wind waves and the waves from the open sea propagated to the site in the approaching and leaving stages, respectively. Wind waves generated inside the lagoon are fetch-trapped, and the spectra can be described by αf(−4) or βk(−2.5) when f > fp. In addition, the measurements show that the nondimensional maximum spectrum can be estimated by the nondimensional fetch. The spectra of the waves from the open sea can be described by a f p ⁡ (c − b) f ⁡ (b) . Parameters a and c are determined by the nondimensional peak frequency. In addition, it is found that the peak energy density S(fp) is a linear function of g − 1 / 2 H s 5 / 2 for all waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A surface preparation machine which can provide a controlled surface condition for mechanical test specimens has been developed. The apparatus includes mechanical and electrical systems that have been designed with a simplified manufacturing processes employing extensive additive manufacturing. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the capability and repeatability of this machine. It has been shown that the machine provides an effective methodology to prepare cylindrical specimens with a high level of automation. Specifically, the machine provides the ability to control four active axes, grinding time and speeds as well as levels of lubrication beyond what grinding media employed. The application of the machine on aluminum specimens is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An apparent local change in chemistry in shear-bands can be observed in a Zr-based metallic glass using correlative x-ray fluorescence and electron spectroscopy. Further analysis suggests that this finding is due to the local volumetric change of the shear-band structure. These results emphasize the importance of correlated analytical methods to unambiguously reveal structural and chemical changes caused by strain localization in metallic glasses. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3Cr23Ni8Mn3N heat-resistant steel was subjected to isothermal constant strain rate compression experiments using a Gleeble - 1 500D thermal simulator. The thermal deformation behavior in the range of deformation temperature 1 000 - 1 180 °C and strain rate 0,01 - 10 s-1 was studied. Based on experimental data, the stress-strain curves of 3Cr23Ni8Mn3N were established. And the constitutive relation of BP neural network (3 × 10 × 10 × 1) was constructed. The flow stress was predicted and compared by the ANN constitutive model. The correlation coefficient (R) is 0,999, and the average relative error (AARE) is 0,697%. The results show that the ANN constitutive model has high accuracy for predicting the thermal deformation behavior of 3Cr23Ni8Mn3N. The model can provide a good reference value for thermal processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the positive effects of potassium‐solubilizing bacteria and photosynthetic bacteria on the salt tolerance of maize. Methods and Results: We selected the maize inbred lines USTB‐265 (salt‐sensitive), USTB‐109 (moderately salt‐tolerant) and USTB‐297 (salt‐tolerant) to investigate their growth characteristics, enzyme activity and gene expression in response to inoculation with photosynthetic bacteria and potassium‐solubilizing bacteria under salt‐stress conditions. Conclusions: Photosynthetic bacteria and potassium‐solubilizing bacteria inoculation significantly enhanced the expression of antioxidant enzyme‐related genes and increased the activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase. In addition, inoculation with photosynthetic bacteria more efficiently improved maize salt tolerance than inoculation with potassium‐solubilizing bacteria. While the effects of these bacteria differed among the three maize lines, both photosynthetic bacteria and potassium‐solubilizing bacteria can enhance salt tolerance in maize. Significance and Impact of the Study: Soil salinization is one of the most critical factors affecting maize growth. These two types of bacteria (e.g. Bacillus mojavensis JK07 and Rhodopseudomonas palustris) have proven useful in salinized agricultural lands as bio‐inoculants to increase crop productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The method of moments is widely used for the reduction of kinetic equations into fluid models. It consists in extracting the moments of the kinetic equation with respect to a velocity variable, but the resulting system is a priori underdetermined and requires a closure relation. In this paper, we adapt the φ -divergence based closure, recently developed for rarefied gases i.e. with a velocity variable describing R d , to the radiative transfer equation where velocity describes the unit sphere S 2. This closure is analyzed and a numerical method to compute it is provided. Eventually, it provides the main desirable properties to the resulting system of moments: Similarly to the entropy minimizing closure (M N), it dissipates an entropy and captures exactly the equilibrium distribution. However, contrarily to M N , it remains computationally tractable even at high order and it relies on an exact quadrature formula which preserves exactly symmetry properties, i.e. it does not trigger ray effects. The purely anisotropic regimes (beams) are not captured exactly but they can be approached as close as desired and the closures remains again tractable in this limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To combine the advantage of density reduction and excellent performance, nanometer-sized B2 particles were introduced into the δ ferrite matrix of high-aluminium low-density steel by the addition of nickel (Fe-0.2C-11Mn-6Al-4/8Ni). Compared to Fe-0.2C-11Mn-6Al (0Ni) steel, the hardness and tensile strength of 4Ni and 8Ni steels are significantly improved. The improvement of tensile strength in 4Ni and 8Ni steels was primarily contributed by the precipitation strengthening or solution strengthening of B2 particles in δ ferrite. At the higher annealing temperature, the original dislocation density in δ ferrite is lower. However, dislocation multiplication during tensile deformation was more significant in the sample annealed at higher temperature, which was responsible for a higher work hardening rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We proposed a procedure for personalized fNIRS investigations. • We developed a method to estimate the optimal optode positions over target brain regions. • Optodes will be attached with a clinical adhesive. • Personalized fNIRS montages allowed accurate local reconstructions along the cortex. • The procedure will allow conducting studies under realistic lifestyle conditions. Abstract Background Application of functional Near InfraRed Spectroscopy (fNIRS) in neurology is still limited as a good optical coupling and optimized optode coverage of specific brain regions remains challenging, notably for prolonged monitoring. Methods We propose to evaluate a new procedure allowing accurate investigation of specific brain regions. The procedure consists in: (i) A priori maximization of spatial sensitivity of fNIRS measurements targeting specific brain regions, while reducing the number of applied optodes in order to decrease installation time and improve subject comfort. (ii) Utilization of a 3D neuronavigation device and usage of collodion to glue optodes on the scalp, ensuring good optical contact for prolonged investigations. (iii) Local reconstruction of the hemodynamic activity along the cortical surface using inverse modelling. Results Using realistic simulations, we demonstrated that maps derived from optimal montage acquisitions showed, after reconstruction, spatial resolution only slightly lower to that of ultra high density montages while significantly reducing the number of optodes. The optimal montages provided overall good quantitative accuracy especially at the peak of the spatially reconstructed map. We also evaluated real motor responses in two healthy subjects and obtained reproducible motor responses over different sessions. Comparison with existing methods We are among the first to propose a mathematical optimization strategy, allowing high sensitivity measurements. Conclusions Our results support that using personalized optimal montages should allow to conduct accurate fNIRS studies in clinical settings and realistic lifestyle conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of magnetic field on the nanohardness of monocrystalline silicon doped with phosphorous by ion implantation is studied. It is found that a magnetic field of certain parameters can increase the nanohardness of monocrystalline silicon doped with phosphorous by ion implantation, and this increase can be eliminated by annealing monocrystalline silicon doped with phosphorous by ion implantation at 800°C for 780 s. For the monocrystalline silicon doped with phosphorous by ion implantations that have not been exposed to a magnetic field, annealing them at 800°C for 780 s cannot affect their nanohardness, but exposing them to the magnetic field mentioned previously can no longer affect their nanohardness after annealing. The mechanism of all these phenomena is discussed. A possible mechanism that a magnetic field can promote the disbanding of vacancy clusters, and a possible mechanism of magnetically stimulated clusters’ disbanding and magnetoplastic effect are put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dramatic increase in anthropogenic reactive nitrogen (Nr) from agricultural activities negatively affects the environment. An additional challenge is to ensure food security while at the same time keeping the environmental impact to a minimum to prevent negative feedback effects on climate. To date, however, few studies have addressed the direct connection between soil N transformations, forms of N, species‐specific N preferences and climate, despite the fact that the fate of N and soil N biochemical cycling are known to be intimately linked. In this paper we review the connections between soil N transformation, species‐specific N preferences and climate, and explore how N‐use efficiency may be enhanced while minimizing the environmental effect. Gross rates of N mineralization and immobilization govern the amount of available N in soil, especially in natural ecosystems, while nitrification plays a central role in regulating the NO3− to NH4+ ratio. Plant species prefer either NH4+‐N or NO3−‐N, depending on the NO3−‐N to NH4+‐N ratio in their habitat. Thus, plant N uptake could be optimized (i.e. Nr losses reduced) if species‐specific N preferences are maintained by matching N sources applied with prevailing soil‐specific N transformations. Therefore, whether N management practices can optimize N‐use efficiencies hinges on the coupling of soil N transformation with climate and species‐specific N preferences. Highlights: We review the inherent connections between the soil N cycle, plant N preference and climate. Nitrification plays a central role in regulating the NO3− to NH4+ ratio in soil and soil solution. Soil N transformations regulate the composition of hydrological N export. Plant N uptake can be optimized if soil N cycle is well matched with plant N preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study was designed to investigate the clinical value of the bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR) and pudendal nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (PSEPs) in the differential diagnosis between multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Parkinson's disease (PD) in early stage. Materials and methods A total of 31 patients with MSA, 45 patients with PD, and 60 healthy participants were included in this study. A Keypoint EMG/EP system was used for BCR and PSEP measurements. Electrophysiological parameters were collected for statistical analysis. Results The BCR elicitation rates were significantly lower in the patients with MSA than in the patients with PD ( P<.05). Prolonged BCR latencies were found in the MSA group compared to the PD and control groups ( P<.05). Bulbocavernosus reflex latencies were significantly prolonged in patients with MSA compared with PD patients showing early urogenital symptoms ( P<.05). There was no significant difference in PSEP P41 latencies among the three groups ( P=.434 in males, P=.948 in females). Both BCR and PSEP amplitudes were significantly lower in the MSA/PD group than in the control group ( P<.001). Conclusions Pudendal nerve damage is more severe in MSA than in PD. Prolonged BCR latency may be valuable for distinguishing between MSA and PD in the early stages. BCR and PSEP testing may also contribute to localized and qualitative diagnosis of the distribution of neurodegenerative pathologies in these two disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We carried out a field experiment in order to study effects of fertilization in juvenile plants of three coffee ( Coffea arabica) cultivars in Yunnan, SW China. Fertilization treatments included a control without fertilizer (CK), combinations of three NPK fertilization rates [high fertilization (F), medium fertilization (F), and low fertilization (F) with 135, 90, and 45 g per plant per year, respectively], and at two N:PO:KO ratios (R, 1:0.5:0.8; R, 1:0.8:0.5). The growth in juvenile plants was not altered by fertilization, with two clear growth peaks being observed in both the height and stem growth rates (RGRs) throughout a year. Both F and F resulted in significantly higher RGRs in both height and stem diameter compared to F and CK in all three cultivars. At the same fertilization rate, the leaf area, branch number, longest branch length, internode number, and biomass of R were higher than those of R, and P significantly affected the root biomass and root to shoot ratio. Compared to the F treatment, both F and F treatments resulted in higher net photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance across seasons, and in higher intrinsic water-use efficiency during the dry season and at the middle of the wet season. Photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency at R was higher than that at R, but no significant differences were observed between the different fertilization rates. Among the three coffee cultivars, Caturra exhibited the highest height, stem diameter, longest branch length, and internode number. Our results indicated that the optimal N:PO:KO ratio was 1:0.8:0.5 for the juvenile growth of coffee plants. Both F and F could help optimize the growth and photosynthetic rate of coffee plants, but F is suitable for the ecological friendly agriculture and economic sustainability at coffee plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soils contaminated by copper (Cu) near a mine tailing are remedied via an enhanced electrokinetical (EK) method utilizing approaching anodes (AAs). The variations in the removal efficiency and soil pH as a function of treatment time are determined. The maximum Cu removal efficiency is as high as 61.98% under a voltage gradient of 1 V/cm for 48 h; in contrast to 38.97% when the conventional electrokinetic remediation with one fixed anode (FA) is employed. Several anodes were inserted as AAs in the treated soil. They were switched in turn from the anode towards the cathode allowing for high H+ ions concentrations and high redox potentials to quickly migrate towards the cathode. As a result, the soil remediation is accelerated. The mechanism of Cu electromigration behavior in soils during an enhanced EK method is described as the elution in an electrokinetically-driven chromatogram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has previously been observed experimentally and simulated numerically that when a thin film bonded to a much softer substrate is subjected to a uni-axial compression parallel to the interface, the initial buckled pattern will suffer a secondary bifurcation that doubles the period of the original pattern when the compressive strain reaches a critical value. This perioddoubling phenomenon is analyzed in this paper using an asymptotically self-consistent approach based on the exact theory of nonlinear elasticity. The predicted critical strain based on a fourterm expansion shows good agreement with that obtained using fully numerical simulations, and it is demonstrated that four is the minimum number of terms that should be included in order to give realistic predications. Although our illustrative calculations are conducted for neo-Hookean materials, the proposed approach can deal with any material models and can be extended to higher orders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study characterizes an IL-35-mediated regulatory role in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Plasma of SLE patients and healthy controls (HCs) was analyzed for the concentrations of IL-35 and soluble gp130 by using ELISA. mRNA expression of IL-35 subunit (p35 and EBI3) and its receptor (gp130 and IL-12Rβ2) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was assessed by RT-qPCR. Flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the number of CD4+CD25highCD127−Treg cells and the expression of IL-35 receptor on the CD4+ helper (Th) cells and CD19+ B cells. Plasma collected from SLE patients and HCs was assayed for cytokine and chemokine expression by Luminex multiplex assay. Results Plasma IL-35 and soluble gp130 levels positively correlated with each other and were significantly higher in patients with severe SLE compared with HCs. Significantly higher levels of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines CCL2, CXCL8, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-10 and IL-17A were observed in plasma of SLE patients than HCs. mRNA levels of IL-35 and its receptor were significantly positively correlated in PBMCs from SLE patients and their levels were higher in SLE than HCs. The increase significantly correlated with changes in SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) (all p < 0.05). In addition, the number of Treg cells in severe and moderate SLE patients were both significantly lower than HCs, where the ratio of CD4+CD25−effector T cell %/CD4+CD25highCD127−Treg % was found to be significantly higher in severe SLE patients. Furthermore, the expression of gp130 on CD4+ Th cells and percentage of Tregs were positively correlated with each other, and both were negatively correlated with SLEDAI. Conclusion Our findings indicate that high level of plasma IL-35 in active SLE patients expressed with low level of IL-35 receptor (gp130) on CD4+ Th cells. These data raise the possibility that the level of IL-35 expression in SLE patients is not sufficient to induce the production of CD4+CD25highCD127−Tregs, and subsequently suppress the release of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines upon inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immunological mechanisms mediated by regulatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-35 are unclear in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We investigated the frequency of CD4+CD25+forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3)+ regulatory T (Treg) and IL-10+ regulatory B (Breg) cells and related immunoregulatory mechanisms in a female Murphy Roths Large (MRL)/lpr mouse model of spontaneous lupus-like disease, with or without IL-35 treatment. A remission of histopathology characteristics of lupus flare and nephritis was observed in the MRL/lpr mice upon IL-35 treatment. Accordingly, IL-35 and IL-35 receptor subunits (gp130 and IL-12Rβ2) and cytokines of MRL/lpr and BALB/c mice (normal controls) were measured. The increased anti-inflammatory cytokines and decreased proinflammatory cytokines were possibly associated with the restoration of Treg and Breg frequency in MRL/lpr mice with IL-35 treatment, compared to phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) treatment. mRNA expressions of Treg-related FoxP3, IL-35 subunit (p35 and EBI3) and soluble IL-35 receptor subunit (gp130 and IL12Rβ2) in splenic cells were up-regulated significantly in IL-35-treated mice. Compared with the PBS treatment group, IL-35-treated MRL/lpr mice showed an up-regulation of Treg-related genes and the activation of IL-35-related intracellular Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription signal pathways, thereby indicating the immunoregulatory role of IL-35 in SLE. These in vivo findings may provide a biochemical basis for further investigation of the regulatory mechanisms of IL-35 for the treatment of autoimmune-mediated inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A coupled model for describing the air gap formation in a continuous casting mould was developed. In the model, the evolution of the shell and mould temperatures and the gap between them were predicted by a two-dimensional transient thermomechanical coupled finite element model, and the formation of the air gap was described by an interfacial heat transfer model. Based on these, the basic formation characteristics of the air gap in a slab mould during casting of peritectic steel and the influences of varying the casting conditions, such as casting speed, mould taper, molten steel superheat and mould flux solidification temperature on the air gap formation, were described. The results show that the air gap in the mould first forms in the shell corner and mainly concentrates in the regions of 0-20 mm and 0-10 mm from the wide and narrow face corners respectively under typical continuous casting conditions of peritectic steel. The air gap on the shell wide face grows continuously and increases in the low part of the mould, where it mainly forms in the range of 160-450 mm below the meniscus on the shell narrow face. Increasing casting speed reduces the air gap. Increasing mould taper promotes air gap formation on shell wide face but reduces it slightly on the narrow face. Higher steel pouring and mould flux solidifying temperatures result in a wider air gap formation on both the wide and narrow faces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a two-dimensional heat transfer model to describe the thermal behaviour of the wide thick slab during continuous casting process was developed, in which the boundary conditions for secondary cooling zone were calculated from the realistic water flux along the transverse surface of slab. The accuracy of the model calculation results were verified and calibrated by infrared thermography and nail shooting results. Furthermore, the slab temperature distribution under typical casting conditions were investigated numerically, and based on the hot ductility of microalloyed steel, the different arrangements of nozzles were optimized and designed to reduce the slab transverse corner cracks. The plant results showed that the defect rate of rolled plate corner and edge cracks were reduced from 12·6 to 3·5% with the optimised nozzles configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 10 wt % polyaniline/CuGeO nanowire modified glassy carbon electrode has been used for the electrochemical determination of L-cysteine. The electrochemical behavior of L-cysteine at the 10 wt % polyaniline/CuGeO nanowire modified glassy carbon electrode has been investigated. The intensities of the anodic cyclic voltammogram (CV) peaks of L-cysteine at the modified electrode increase linearly with the increase of the L-cysteine content in the range of 0.001-2 mM and scan rate ranging from 25 to 200 mV s. 10 wt % polyaniline/CuGeO nanowire modified glassy carbon electrode exhibits good reproducibility, stability and low detection limit of 1.7 and 0.44 μM for cvpl and cvp2, respectively. The polyaniline combined with the CuGeO nanowires can improve the electrochemical detection ability of L-cysteine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA interference ( RNAi) by introducing double-stranded RNA ( dsRNA) is a powerful approach to the analysis of gene function in insects; however, RNAi responses vary dramatically in different insect species and tissues, and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The migratory locust, a destructive insect pest and a hemimetabolic insect with panoistic ovaries, is considered to be a highly susceptible species to RNAi via dsRNA injection, but its ovary appears to be completely insensitive. In the present study, we showed that dsRNA persisted only briefly in locust haemolymph. The ovariole sheath was permeable to dsRNA, but injected dsRNA was not present in the follicle cells and oocytes. The lack of dsRNA uptake into the follicle cells and oocytes is likely to be the primary factor that contributes to the ineffective RNAi response in locust ovaries. These observations provide insights into tissue-dependent variability of RNAi and help in achieving successful gene silencing in insensitive tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation ( ATMT) is being increasingly recognized as an effective insertional mutagenesis tool in studies of filamentous fungi for gene discovery and functional analysis. We developed and optimized ATMT for 2 Colletotrichum species, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Colletotrichum acutatum, the causative agents of Colletotrichum leaf disease in rubber trees in Southern China. A. tumefaciens strain AGL-1 carrying an ILV1 gene and a green fluorescent protein gene were used to transform the conidia of these 2 Colletotrichum species. The transformation efficiency was correlated with the co-cultivation duration and bacterial cell concentrations, which reached 300-400 transformants per 1 × 106 conidia after optimization. Southern blot analysis indicated that about 60.0% of the C. gloeosporioides transformants and 46.2% of the C. acutatum transformants had a single copy of T- DNA in their genomes. Fungal genomic DNA segments flanking the T- DNA were identified in the transformants through thermal asymmetrical interlaced polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing. The flanking sequences from 4 C. acutatum and 7 C. gloeosporioides transformants showed moderate or weak homology to the NCBI database entries. Some sequences matching those reported virulence-related genes. The results suggest that the T- DNA inserted mutants banks constructed are useful for the discovery of new or important genes and to elucidate their function in the 2 Colletotrichum species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-crystal SiC nanowires with controlled surface amorphous silicon oxide (SiOx) layers, including bare SiC nanowires, chain-like and cable-like SiC/SiOx nanowires, have been synthesized by a catalyst-assisted chemical vapor reaction approach, and the temperature-dependent morphology evolution of the surface amorphous layers is investigated in detail. Morphological, compositional and structural characterizations indicate that as-synthesized SiC nanowires consist of cubic phase single crystal cores with [111] growth direction and amorphous SiOx shell with varied morphology that can be tuned by temperature. The growth of the SiC nanowires is governed by the vapor–liquid–solid mechanism while the variation of surface SiOx amorphous layers is thought to be controlled by a surface migration process that is mainly dependent on temperature. The results would be helpful to achieve rational modulation of amorphous surface layers on semiconductor nanowires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degradation of ZJ0273, a recently developed pyrimidynyloxybenzoic-based herbicide, was investigated in five different soils under aerobic conditions. ZJ0273 degradation rate was strongly affected by soil physico-chemical characteristics and the inoculation of ZJ0273-degrading bacteria. Greater organic matter (OM) content, neutral pH and inoculation of ZJ0273-degrading bacteria can increase degradation rate and decrease the half-life value (DT50). At 30°C the biodegradation rate of ZJ0273 reached 41-85% in natural (unsterilized) soils. It ranged from 69 to 96% at 90 days after treatment (DAT) in five different types of soils after re-inoculation of Amycolatopsis sp. M3-1 and DT50 decreased by 34 , 81, 16, 20 and 32 days, respectively, in soils S1, S2, S3, S4 and S5. Furthermore, using the six metabolites (M1-M6) identified six metabolites (M1-M6) by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and their behaviour, a biodegradation pathway of ZJ0273 in soils was proposed. New metabolites, M5 and M6, were found in soils. Biodegradation of ZJ0273 involved continuous biocatalytic reactions, such as de-estering, hydrolysis, acylation, C-N cleavage, de-methyl and ether cleavage reactions. Finally, ZJ0273 was bio-transformed into M4 and M6, which could be degraded and oxidized into CO2 and H2O through the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) is known to naturally grow under a wide range of elevational gradients in South America. We assessed the combined effects of altitude (560,900,1200, and 1490 m asl) and season on leaf- and whole-plant traits and seed chemicals of sacha inchi plants in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China, to explore the optimum altitudinal zone for its cultivation. Leaf maximum net photosynthetic rate (Amax), stomatal conductance (gs), and dark respiration (Rd) were greatest in the wet season and lowest in the cool season. With similar values in the wet season between altitudes, the reduction in Amax and gs was greater in plants growing in higher elevations than in lower elevations in the cool season. Plant biomass and fruit production were highest at lower altitudes and dramatically decreased above 900 m, which can primarily be attributed to a C source limitation. Sacha inchi could be useful for cropping in cooler regions because the reproductive growth is adapted to high elevations. The oil and protein content and linolenic and unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) concentrations in seeds were highest in the cool season. With an increase in elevation, the linolenic and UFA concentrations in seeds increased. We concluded that lower altitudes (<900 m) could be the optimum zone for growth and yield of sacha inchi plants whereas seeds collected from plants growing at higher altitudes (>900 m) and in the cool season appear to have better quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical behavior of tartaric acid at the CuGeO nanowire modified glassy carbon electrode has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The results show that two pairs of semireversible electrochemical peaks are observed and can be assigned to the process of oxidation-reduction and adsorption-desorption of tartaric acid at the modified glassy carbon electrode, respectively. The intensity of the CV peaks increases linearly with the increase of the content of tartaric acid in the range of 0.01-5 mM and scan rate ranging from 25-200 mV s. CuGeO nanowire modified glassy carbon electrode exhibits good detection ability for tartaric acid in neutral solution with the detection limit of 8.9 and 7.7 μM for cvp1 and cvp2, respectively, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The CuGeO nanowire modified glassy carbon electrode has good reproducibility and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature anisotropies and polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation not only serve as indispensable cosmological probes, but also provide a unique channel to detect relic gravitational waves (RGW) at very long wavelengths. Analytical studies of the anisotropies and polarization improve our understanding of various cosmic processes and help to separate the contribution of RGW from that of density perturbations. We present a detailed analytical calculation of CMB temperature anisotropies αk and polarization βk generated by scalar metric perturbations in synchronous gauge, parallel to our previous work with RGW as a generating source. This is realized primarily by an analytic time integration of Boltzmann's equation, yielding the closed forms of αk and βk. Approximations, such as the tightcoupling approximation for photons a priori to the recombination and the long-wavelength limit for scalar perturbations, are used. The residual gauge modes in scalar perturbations are analyzed and a proper joining condition of scalar perturbations at the radiation-matter equality is chosen, ensuring the continuity of energy perturbation. The resulting analytic expressions of the multipole moments of polarization aEl and of temperature anisotropies aTl are explicit functions of the scalar perturbations, recombination time, recombination width, photon-free streaming damping factor, baryon fraction, initial amplitude, primordial scalar spectral index and the running index. These results show that a longer recombination width yields higher amplitudes of polarization on large scales and more damping on small scales, and that a late recombination time shifts the peaks of CXX' l to larger angular scales. Calculations show that aEl is generated in the presence of the quadrupole α2 of temperature anisotropies via scattering, both having similar structures and being smaller than the total aTl , which consists of the contributions from the monopole, dipole, quadrupole and Sachs-Wolfe terms as well. The origin [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survivin is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family and has an essential role in mitosis. Survivin is overexpressed in a large variety of human cancers and represents an attractive target for cancer therapy. Epidermal growth factor receptor and Her/neu-transformed human tumors in particular exhibit high levels of survivin. The survivin protein forms dimers through a conserved region that is critical for subcellular localization and biological functions of the protein. We identified small molecules that target a specific cavity adjacent to the survivin dimerization surfaces. S12, a lead compound identified in the screen, can bind to the survivin protein at the intended target site. Moreover, S12 alters spindle formation, causing mitotic arrest and cell death, and inhibits tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Cell death occurs in premetaphase stage following mitotic arrest and is not a consequence of general toxicity. Thus, the study validates a novel therapeutic target site in the survivin protein and provides a promising strategy to develop a new class of therapeutic small molecules for the treatment of human cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), implicating amyloid-β (Aβ) production, neurofibrillary tangle formation, and neuronal apoptosis. The activation of 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been linked to aberrant processing of amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP), and AMPK signaling controls Aβ metabolism. It is possible that GSK-3β regulated the activation of the AMPK pathway. To test this hypothesis, the influence of GSK-3β on the expression of AβPP cleavage enzyme (BACE), Aβ, and AMPK in the SH-SY5Y and AβPP695 cells line through three inhibitors of GSK-3β was analyzed. Expression of Aβ, AMPK, and pAMPK172 was measured by Western blot, and BACE was tested by Western blot and RT-PCR. This study demonstrated that suppression of GSK-3β activity, through specific inhibitors, dramatically down-regulated Aβ generation in human SH-SY5Y and SH-SY5Y-AβPP695 cells by enhancing AMPK activity to down-regulate Aβ. These results suggest GSK-3β inhibitors may be promising agents in the prevention and treatment of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Our previous studies show that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) can either protect against or increase lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced damage in the developing brain, depending on the dose, when it is co-administered with LPS through intracerebral injection. To further explore effects of IGF-1 on central inflammation associated brain injury, IGF-1 was administered through intranasal infusion in the current study. Postnatal day 5 (P5) rats were exposed to LPS at a dose of 1 μg/g body weight or sterile saline through intracerebral injection. Recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-1 (rhIGF-1) at a dose of 50 μg/pup or vehicle was administered intranasally 1 or 2 h after the LPS injection. Neonatal LPS exposure resulted in oligodendrocyte (OL) and white matter injury in the P6 or P21 rat brain. The damages include dilatation of lateral ventricles, pyknotic cell death, loss of OL progenitor cells and mature OLs in the cingulum area, and impairment of myelination at the corpus callosum area. Neurological dysfunctions were observed in juvenile rats with neonatal LPS exposure. Intranasal IGF-1 treatment at either 1 or 2 h after LPS exposure significantly attenuated LPS-induced brain injury and improved some behavioral deficits. Intranasal IGF-1 treatment also reduced infiltration of polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes and activation of microglia in the rat brain 24 h after LPS exposure, but it did not prevent the elevation in concentrations of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) in the LPS-exposed rat brain during the first 24 h. This is an indication that direct anti-inflammation might not be the primary mechanism for the protection of IGF-1, and other mechanisms, such as anti-apoptotic effects, are likely involved in its protective effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It has been known that the changes in gonadal steroids are closely associated with adipose tissue metabolism. Domestic pigs have been a well recognized experimental animal in biomedical research because of their similarity to humans in body size and other physiological/anatomical features. The aims of this study were to investigate the infl uence of castration-induced sex hormone deficiency on serum lipid levels and the genes expression of key enzymes associated with lipogenic and lipolytic processes in male pigs. The experimental animals consisted of 2 groups slaughtered on 147 th and 210 th day, respectively. In each of the group, 7 full-sib pairs of castrated and intact male hybrids from Yorkshire dams sired by Landrace were contained. The results showed that castration of male pigs led to increased total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, and leptin levels in serum (p < 0.05). No differences in levels of the free fatty acid, insulin, and glucose were observed between boars and barrows (p > 0.05). Castration caused upregulation of fatty acid synthase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha genes expression at both 147 and 210 days of age (p < 0.05). No differences in expression of hormone sensitive lipase and adipose tissue triglyceride lipase genes were observed between boars and barrows at either 147 or 210 days of age (p > 0.05). It is speculated that higher body fat deposition in castrated male pigs might have resulted mainly from increased transcription of the lipogenic genes, but not from decreased transcription of the lipolytic genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An annular interfacial crack between dissimilar piezoelectric layers subjected to electroelastic loadings was investigated under an electrically impermeable boundary condition on the crack surface by using the Hankel transform technique and the Cauchy singular integral equation method. The stress intensity factors and energy release rates were determined. Numerical results reveal the effects of crack configuration, electric loads and material parameters on crack propagation and growth. The results should be useful for the design of piezoelectric composite structures and devices of high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of cracking dicyclopentadiene to produce cyclopentadiene using hydrogen as a carrier gas is investigated. This process has many advantages over using N2 or water vapor as a carrier gas for producing anhydrous polymerization level dicyclopentadiene. Factors, including cracking temperature, reaction time, and H2 to oil ratio, are studied. The conversion of dicyclopentadiene increases with the increasing of cracking temperature and reaction time; the yield of cyclopentadiene increases, and then drops a little with the increasing of reaction time. Optimal reaction conditions are as follows: suitable cracking temperature is 320°C, reaction time is 1 sec, and H2 to oil ratio is 50. Cracking temperature of the process is about 30°C lower than using N2 or water vapor as the carrier gas. At the optimal conditions, the conversion of dicyclopentadiene could reach 98%, while the yield of cyclopentadiene is 97%. The reaction kinetic model of the process is also studied, and the model could predict the conversion of dicyclopentadiene well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]