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• A model-based approach is proposed for the design synthesis of autonomous articulated vehicles. • The dynamically coupled subsystems of an autonomous vehicle are devised and evaluated simultaneously. • A prediction vehicle model for articulated vehicles is developed. • The effectiveness of the proposed approached is demonstrated by numerical simulations. • The results presented in the paper may be used as guidelines for devising autonomous articulated vehicles. In conventional autonomous vehicle designs, the mechanical system is first devised, and the automated driving systems are subsequently added. The conventional method can be categorized as a sequential design approach. An autonomous vehicle consists of the subsystems of mechanical assembles, automated driving, etc. There exist dynamic couplings among these subsystems, and the sequential design method may not be the most effective. This observation initiates the motivation of this research, and the objective of this paper is thus to explore a more effective design method for autonomous vehicles and, in particular, autonomous articulated vehicles. To this end, this paper proposes a model-based design synthesis method, i.e., a concurrent design method, for autonomous articulated vehicles. The autonomous articulated vehicle assumes to be composed of the subsystems of a mechanical unit, a trajectory tracking-controller based on a model predictive control technique, and a motion-planner. The design synthesis of the autonomous articulated vehicle is constructed as a bi-level optimization problem. With the proposed concurrent design approach, the subsystems are optimally devised simultaneously. To examine the proposed approach, it is applied to the design of a car-trailer combination with automated steering. The insightful findings attained from the study may be used as guidelines for developing autonomous articulated vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shanghai is one of the largest cities in China and has the highest proportion of inbound travelers in the world. The HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection status of this population can reflect the global HIV epidemic trend to a certain extent. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective epidemic survey to clarify the prevalence and characteristics of HIV-1 infection among inbound travelers applying for Shanghai residency. The retrospective cohort analysis included a total of 50,830 inbound tourists/travelers who applied for Shanghai residency from 2005 to 2016. HIV-1 infection rates were determined based on HIV-1 antibody testing. Among all the recruited inbound travelers, 245 were HIV-1 positive, with an infection rate of 0.48%. The detection rate of HIV in males was significantly higher than in females (χ2 = 62.584, P < 0.0001). Those aged 18–30 years, 31–40 years, and >40 years accounted for 34.3%, 39.6%, and 26.1% of the infected population, respectively. Although the annual detection rates were different, the trend analysis results showed no increase in HIV-1 prevalence rates among the sampling years (Cochran-Armitage Z = 2.543, P = 0.111). Proportions of individuals infected through homosexual transmission increased over the study period (Cochran-Armitage Z = 5.41, P < 0.001), while the proportion infected through heterosexual declined over time (Cochran-Armitage Z = 3.38, P = 0.001). The rate and characteristics of HIV-1 infection among foreign applicants for residency in Shanghai were identified in the study. The results provide the necessary epidemiological data for monitoring the HIV-1 epidemic among international entry travelers and contribute to establishing relevant policies and regulations for HIV control and prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis is a type of regulatory cell death, caused by excessive lipid peroxidation This study aimed to explore whether ionizing radiation could induce ferroptosis in glioma cells and whether carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) knockdown could enhance the killing effect of ionizing radiation on hypoxic glioma cells through ferroptosis. The protein levels of Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4) were detected by Western blot in glioma cells irradiated by different doses of X-ray. The relative mRNA levels of ferroptosis markers and intracellular iron-associated proteins were detected by Real-time qPCR. Lipid peroxidation of glioma cells was detected by oxidation-sensitive probe C11-BODIPY581/591 staining. CCK-8 Assay was used to detect cell viability after X-ray irradiation. Cloning formation assay was used to assess the radiosensitivity of glioma cells. The exposure of cell surface calreticulin was measured by immunofluorescence staining. X-ray induced lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis markers expression in U251 and GL261 glioma cells. Knockdown of CA9 in hypoxic glioma cells significantly altered the expression of iron regulation-related proteins and enhanced X-ray-induced ferroptosis and radiosensitivity. The ferroptosis inhibitor significantly improved the survival of cells irradiated by X-ray, while ferroptosis inducers (FINs) enhanced the lethal effect of X-ray on cells. Enhancing ferroptosis in glioma cells promoted the exposure and release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Ionizing radiation can induce ferroptosis in glioma cells. CA9 knockdown can enhance the radiosensitivity of hypoxic glioma cells and overcome the resistance of ferroptosis under hypoxia. Enhancing ferroptosis will become a new idea to improve the efficacy of radiotherapy for glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After irradiation, double-stranded DNA leaked into the cytoplasm activates the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, leading to the production of type I interferon (IFNI). In this study, we sought to probe the effect of ionizing radiation on activity of cGAS-STING-IFNI pathway in normoxic or hypoxic glioma cells and explore a more effective method to activate the signaling pathway, thereby activating the anti-tumor immune response and improving the therapeutic effect of radiotherapy for glioma. Human glioma cells U251 and T98G cultured in normoxia or hypoxia (1% O2) were irradiated with different doses of X-ray. The relative expressions of cGAS, IFN-I stimulated genes (ISGs), and three-prime repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1) were detected by qPCR. The expression levels of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and p-IRF3 proteins were detected by Western blot. The production of cGAMP and IFN-β in the supernatant was detected by ELISA assay. U251 and T98G cell lines with stable knockdown of TREX1 were established after transfection with lentivirus vectors. EdU cell proliferation assay was used to screen suitable metal ions concentrations. The phagocytosis of DCs was observed by immunofluorescence microscope. The phenotype of DCs was detected by flow cytometry. The migration ability of DCs was detected by a transwell experiment. We found that cytosolic dsDNA, 2′3′-cGAMP, cGAS and ISGs expression, and IFN-β in cell supernatant were all increased with the doses of X-ray in the range of 0–16 Gy in normoxic glioma cells. Nevertheless, hypoxia significantly inhibited the radiation-induced dose-dependent activation of cGAS-STING-IFNI pathway. Furthermore, manganese (II) ion (Mn2+) significantly improved cGAS-STING-IFNI pathway activation induced by X-ray in both normoxic and hypoxic glioma cells, thereby promoting the maturation and migration of DCs. The responses of cGAS-STING-IFNI pathway to ionizing radiation were mainly investigated under normoxic condition, but the experiments described here indicated that hypoxia could hinder the pathway activation. However, Mn2+ showed radiosensitizing effects on the pathway under either normoxic or hypoxic conditions demonstrating its potential as a radiosensitizer for glioma through activating an anti-tumor immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) possesses a harmful influence on quality of life. Numerous conservative management modalities with varying success have been proposed for patients with GTPS. However, it is not clear which treatment is more effective for reducing pain. The purpose of this Bayesian analysis was to assess the current evidence for the effectiveness of conservative treatments on improving Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scoring of GTPS and to determine the most effective treatment protocol. Methods: A comprehensive study search was performed from inception until July 18, 2022, via the electronic databases PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for potential research. The risk of bias assessment for the included studies was independently performed based on the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. Bayesian analysis was conducted by using ADDIS software (v1.16.5). The DerSimonian-Laird random effects model was used to perform the traditional pairwise meta-analysis. Results: Eight full-text articles with a total of 596 patients with GTPS were included in the analysis. In comparing ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma application (PRP-U) to ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection (CSI-U), patients who received PRP therapy experienced reduced pain as the VAS decreased significantly (MD, -5.21; 95% CI, -6.24 to -3.64). VAS score in group of extracorporeal shockwave treatment (ESWT) was significant improved than that in exercise (EX) group (MD, -3.17; 95% CI, -4.13 to -2.15). There were no statistically significantly different VAS scores between the CSI-U group and the CSI under landmark (CSI-B) group. The treatment efficacy rankings of the different treatments on improving VAS scores showed that the most likely efficacious treatment was PRP-U (99%) followed by ESWT (81%), CIS-U (58%), usual care (48%), CIS-B (54%), and EX (84%). Conclusion: Bayesian analysis revealed that PRP injection and ESWT are relatively safe and effective in the treatment of GTPS. More multicenter high-quality randomized clinical trials with large sample sizes are still needed in the future to provide further evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Natural monomer flavors can modify the taste of cigarettes. However, no report was published to establish the quality control method for their chemical compositions. Methods: In this study, licorice, a traditional natural monomer flavor used in tobacco aroma processing, was selected, and the fingerprint was developed by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Next, the chemical markers of samples from different places of origin were discovered by multivariate statistical analysis. Then, its chemical constituents were identified by combination of HPLC‐Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT‐ICR‐MS), direct infusion FT‐ICR‐MS (DI‐FT‐ICR‐MS), and the technology of isotopic fine structures (IFSs). Moreover, its characteristic constituents were quantitatively analyzed using HPLC. Results: The 14 common peaks were assigned in the fingerprint, and 8 of them were considered as qualitative markers by multivariate statistical analysis. A total of 42 chemical constituents were detected using HPLC‐FT‐ICR‐MS, and 13 of them were unambiguously identified by references. Meanwhile, the elemental compositions of other eight unknown chemical components were decisively determined using IFSs. Subsequently, the contents of five characteristic constituents in 11 batches of samples were determined. Conclusions: The integration strategy established here can discover and quantify the chemical markers for improving the quality control standard of natural monomer flavor of licorice. It is expected that the strategy will be valuable for further quality control of other natural monomer flavors in Chinese tobacco industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the attitude control of aircraft with multiple inertial measurement units under the influence of unknown gyro zero drift and external disturbance is studied. First of all, the observers are designed to estimate the zero drift biases based on the consensus algorithm. The angular velocity used for aircraft control is obtained by compensating the biases. Then, considering the external disturbance in the aircraft motion, this paper introduces a super-twisting sliding-mode algorithm to design the observer in order to compensate the disturbance. In addition, based on the proposed observers, a controller is designed to realize attitude control of the aircraft with the gyro zero drift and the external disturbance. Finally, the simulation results are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metrology of Coulombic efficiency (CE) is widely used for the qualification of rechargeable batteries particularly in assessing their state of health and the expected lifetime. The quantity of CE is conventionally defined as the ratio of the electric charge capacity in one round-trip cycle of discharge and charge of a battery. For better diagnosis of the health, failure and lifetime of rechargeable batteries, it is desirable to expand the traditional CE of the round-trip electric charge to including that of the round-trip CE of ionic charges as well as those of single trip CEs of ionic/electric charges for charging and electric/ionic charges for discharging. To enable such expansion, in operando ion metrology is needed. For the mainstream technology of lithium-containing batteries, neutron depth profiling is one of the techniques suited for Li ion metrology. In this report, we demonstrate the application of in situ neutron depth profiling to expanding the metrology of Coulombic efficiencies to include all four CEs. The methodology of expanded CE is exemplified using measurements and analyses on a model battery of LiFePO4 vs. Li. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles (MTAHVs) are increasingly used around the world due to their economic and environmental benefits. However, MTAHVs exhibit poor maneuverability and low lateral stability, which may lead to fatal traffic accidents. Given the safety risks, it is necessary to solve the steering and stability problems of MTAHVs before they are safely mass deployed on our roads. To this end, active trailer steering (ATS) based on the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) technique has been explored. The LQR-based ATS demonstrates improved maneuverability and enhanced lateral stability. In the ATS design, the vehicle and operating parameters are assumed constant. Thus, it is natural to question the robustness of the ATS in presence of vehicle and operating parameter uncertainties. To address the problem, this paper proposes a robust ATS system. The robust ATS controller is designed using a linear matrix inequality (LMI) based LQR method. In the design, both vehicle and steering actuator parameter uncertainties are considered; to enhance the robustness of the ATS, the weighting matrices of the proposed controller are optimized. The robust controller is applied to an A-Train Double, one type of MTAHV. The effectiveness of the robust ATS is demonstrated using numerical and hardware-in-the-loop real-time simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional vehicle stability control (VSC) systems are designed for average drivers. For a driver with a good driving skill, the VSC systems may be redundant; for a driver with a poor driving skill, the VSC intervention may be inadequate. To increase safety of sport utility vehicles (SUVs), this paper proposes a novel driver-adaptive VSC (DAVSC) strategy based on scaling the target yaw rate commanded by the driver. The DAVSC system is adaptive to drivers’ driving skills. More control effort would be exerted for drivers with poor driving skills, and vice versa. A sliding mode control (SMC)-based differential braking (DB) controller is designed using a three degrees of freedom (DOF) yaw-plane model. An eight DOF nonlinear yaw-roll model is used to simulate the SUV dynamics. Two driver models, namely longitudinal and lateral, are used to ‘drive’ the virtual SUV. By integrating the virtual SUV, the DB controller, and the driver models, the performance of the DAVSC system is investigated. The simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the DAVSC strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meat products often consist of meat from multiple animal species, and inaccurate food product adulteration and mislabeling can negatively affect consumers. Therefore, a cost-effective and reliable method for identification and quantification of animal species in meat products is required. In this study, we developed a duplex droplet digital PCR (dddPCR) detection and quantification system to simultaneously identify and quantify the source of meat in samples containing a mixture of beef (Bos taurus) and pork (Sus scrofa) in a single digital PCR reaction tube. Mixed meat samples of known composition were used to test the accuracy and applicability of this method. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of this detection and quantification system were also identified. We conclude that our dddPCR detection and quantification system is suitable for quality control and routine analyses of meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to get the high photoelectric conversion efficiency a -Si:H/ c -Si solar cells, high quality intrinsic hydrogenated passivation layer between the a -Si:H emitter layer and the c -Si wafer is necessary. In this work, hot wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) is used to deposite intrinsic oxygen-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon ( a -SiO x :H) and hydrogenated amorphous silicon ( a -Si:H) films as the intrinsic passivation layer for a -Si:H/c-Si solar cells. The passivation effect of the films on the c -Si surface is shown by the effective lifetime of the samples that bifacial covered by the films with same deposition parameters, tested by QSSPC method. The imaginary part of dielectric constant ( ε 2 ) and bonds structure of the layers are analyzed by Spectroscopic Ellipsometry(SE) and Fourier Transfom Infrared Spectroscopy(FTIR). It is concluded that: (1) HWCVD method can be used to make a -SiO x :H films as the passivation layer for a -Si:H/c-Si cells and the oxidation of the filament can be overcome by optimizing the deposition parameters. In our experiments, the lowest surface recombination velocity of the c -Si wafer is 3.0 cm/s after a -SiO x :H films passivation. (2) Oxygen-doping in the amorphous silicon layers can increase H content and the band-gap of films, similar as the phenomenon of the films deposited by PECVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We carried out calculations based on density functional theory to investigate the electronic, vibrational, and dielectric properties of mixed halide perovskites CH3NH3 AI3-xClx with A = Pb and Sn. Computed free energies indicated that Cl mixed systems may be formed only for Cl concentrations not exceeding 1019 cm-3, and phonon calculations showed that the disorder induced in the host lattice by the presence of a smaller halogen is responsible for mechanical instabilities. However, we found that the presence of chloride may be beneficial to the electronic properties of the perovskites. Chloride anions cause the organic cations to be displaced from the center of the cage; such a displacement induces preferential orientations of the cation dipole, which in turn are responsible for notable changes in the dielectric properties of the material and possibly for the formation of local ferroelectric domains. The latter are instrumental in separating electron hole pairs and hence in contributing to long charge-carrier diffusion lengths, in spite of polarons being more likely formed in mixed perovksites than in CH3NH3AI3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cronobacter sp., an opportunistic foodborne pathogen, can cause high mortality in neonatal and premature infants because this pathogen is associated with powdered infant formula (PIF) contamination. Biofilm formation is recognized as the most effective means to help Cronobacter survive throughout the long shelf-life of PIF, thus promoting resistance to cleaning agents and disinfectants. Crystal violet (CV) staining and fluorescence microscopy analyses were used to compare the biofilm formation ability among different Cronobacter strains, and then the weak biofilm former Cronobacter sakazakii ATCC 29544 and the strong biofilm former Cronobacter dubliniensis DSM 18707 were selected for further proteomic analysis. Two-dimensional liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, which was coupled with isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) labeling, was employed to quantitatively identify the proteins that were differentially expressed in C . sakazakii ATCC 29544 compared to C . dubliniensis DSM 18707. In total, 1190 proteins were detected. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that these differentially expressed proteins are related to biological binding, cell structure, signal transduction, cell adhesion, and cellular interaction. Among these differential proteins, the expression levels of 177 non-redundant proteins were altered significantly by more than 5-fold, with 96 up-regulated proteins and 81 down-regulated. This study provides important information regarding the cellular requirements for the underlying mechanism of Cronobacter biofilm formation and its survival in harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Society of Automotive Engineers issued a test procedure, SAE-J2179, to determine the rearward amplification (RA) of multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles (MTAHVs). Built upon the procedure, the International Organization for Standardization released the test manoeuvres, ISO-14791, for evaluating directional performance of MTAHVs. For the RA measures, ISO-14791 recommends two single lane-change manoeuvres: (1) an open-loop procedure with a single sine-wave steering input; and (2) a closed-loop manoeuvre with a single sine-wave lateral acceleration input. For an articulated vehicle with active trailer steering (ATS), the RA measure in lateral acceleration under the open-loop manoeuvre was not in good agreement with that under the closed-loop manoeuvre. This observation motivates the research on the applicability of the two manoeuvres for the RA measures of MTAHVs with ATS. It is reported that transient response under the open-loop manoeuvre often leads to asymmetric curve of tractor lateral acceleration [Winkler CB, Fancher PS, Bareket Z, Bogard S, Johnson G, Karamihas S, Mink C. Heavy vehicle size and weight – test procedures for minimum safety performance standards. Final technical report, NHTSA, US DOT, contract DTNH22-87-D-17174, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, Report No. UMTRI-92-13; 1992]. To explore the effect of the transient response, a multiple cycle sine-wave steering input (MCSSI) manoeuvre is proposed. Simulation demonstrates that the steady-state RA measures of an MTAHV with and without ATS under the MCSSI manoeuvre are in excellent agreement with those under the closed-loop manoeuvre. It is indicated that between the two manoeuvres by ISO-14791, the closed-loop manoeuvre is more applicable for determining the RA measures of MTAHVs with ATS. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The neutron depth profiling technique based on the neutron activation reaction, 6 Li (n, α ) 3 H, was applied with two dimensional (2D) pinhole aperture scans to spatially map lithium in 3D. The technique was used to study model LiFePO 4 electrodes of rechargeable batteries for spatial heterogeneities of lithium in two cathode films that had undergone different electrochemical cycling histories. The method is useful for better understanding the functioning and failure of batteries using lithium as the active element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid organic/inorganic CH3NH3AI3(A = Pb and Sn) perovskites have beenrecognized as promising photovoltaicmaterials. Using ab initio calculations, we showed that these systemsmay also be promising materials for solar thermoelectric applications.We found that their large carrier mobilities mainly originate froma combination of the small effective masses of electrons and holesand a relatively weak carrier–phonon interaction. We proposethat by tuning the carrier concentration to values of the order of∼1018cm–3, the thermoelectricfigure of merit of Sn and Pb based perovskites may reach values rangingfrom 1 to 2, which could possibly be further increased by optimizingthe lattice thermal conductivity through engineering perovskite superlattices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using first-principles calculations,we investigated the thermoelectricproperties of a newly synthesized Si-based ternary clathrate K8Al8Si38, composed of ∼1 nm hollowcages with a metal atom inside. This compound contains solely Earthabundant elements. We found that, similar to other nanostructuredtype I clathrates, this system is a semiconductor and has a low thermalconductivity (∼1 W/mK). It was long believed that the merepresence of rattling centers was responsible for the low lattice thermalconductivity of type I clathrates. We found instead that the cagestructural disorder induced by atomic substitution plays a crucialrole in determining the conductivity of these materials, in additionto the dynamics of the guest atoms. Our calculations showed that thelatter is substantially affected by the charge transfer between themetal and the cages. Our results provide design rules for the searchof new types of promising nanocage structured thermoelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed nanowires with a tailored surface structure and composition and with specific core defects to investigate the microscopic origin of the reduced thermal conductivity of Si at the nanoscale. We considered a diameter (15 nm) comparable to that of systems fabricated in recent experiments and we computed the thermal conductivity using equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. We found that the presence of a native oxide surface layer may account for a tenfold to ∼30-fold decrease in conductivity, with respect to bulk Si, depending on the level of roughness. However it is only the combination of core defects and surface ripples that enables a decrease close to 2 orders of magnitude, similar to that reported experimentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We carry out a computational investigation to show how the exponential concentration dependence of hydrogen diffusion, which was recently verified in a combined experimental and analytical study, could affect the characteristics of hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of a vanadium-coated magnesium nanoblade. A reaction model is built that separates hydrogen surface sorption and interior diffusion during the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation process. For the hydrogenation process, the hydrogen surface adsorption is much faster than the hydrogen diffusion, resulting in high hydrogen concentration buildup at the surface at a relatively low temperature. With increasing temperature, the hydrogen diffusion time decreases more rapidly than the hydrogen surface adsorption time. This leads to a relatively low-gradient diffusion field in the nanoblade during most time of the hydrogenation process, and no shell–core structure with a finite hydride layer is observed. However, for the dehydrogenation process, when hydrogen molecules are released at the surface, a hydride core is formed inside the nanoblade and the interface recedes gradually. The receding rate of the hydride core is determined by the hydrogen molecule release rate. In a two-dimensional simulation with decorated vanadium catalyst islands on the surface, isolated interior hydride islands are sometimes observed before the hydride core entirely fades away. The hydride core boundary is sharper at lower temperature when the surface reaction rate is high relative to the interior diffusion rate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We investigate the anode performance of Si-based nanorods by tuning its composition using an oblique (co)deposition technique. Our results show that pure Si nanorods have a higher initial anodic capacity of 1500mAhg−1, but the capacity diminishes after 50 cycles due to the morphological change and pulverization. By introducing approximately 70at.% Cu into Si nanorods, the Si–Cu composite nanorods demonstrate 500mAhg−1 of capacity sustainable in 100 cycles, which is attributed to the flexibility and improved toughness of Si–Cu composite nanorods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A well-aligned composition-graded CuSi nanorod array structure has been fabricated by a simple oblique angle codeposition technique in a physical vapor deposition system. The Cu and Si graded composition distribution in the nanorods was confirmed by their elemental mapping and depth profiles. The crystal structure evolution with the nanorod length was revealed by both electron and X-ray diffractions. The size evolution of the CuSi nanorods followed a power law, which results from the combination effects of geometric shadowing and limited surface atomic diffusion. Such a graded composition distribution could relax the stress between the nanorods and the substrate, and is promising for applications where improved nanorod−substrate adhesion is required. A well-controlled and well-aligned composition-graded CuSi nanorod array has been fabricated by an oblique angle codeposition (OACD) technique through dynamically tuning the relative deposition rates of Cu and Si during coevaporation. The Cu and Si graded composition distribution, and the crystal structure and morphology evolution with the nanorod length have been investigated by SEM, EDX, XRD, TEM, and SAED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Using a glancing angle (co)deposition technique, ∼4.6at.% V has been coated on the surface of individual Mg nanoblades and doped into Mg nanostructures fabricated at different deposition angles. The hydrogen storage properties of the formed V-decorated and V-doped Mg nanostructures depend strongly on how the nanocatalyst V is surrounded by the host Mg. The V-doped Mg sample has lower activation energies for hydrogen absorption (E a a =35.3±0.9kJ/mol H2) and hydrogen desorption (E a d =38.9±0.3kJ/mol H2) than the V-decorated Mg sample when deposited at the same deposition angle of θ =70°. The activation energies of the doped samples increase gradually with the decrease of the θ angle. We also find that the porosity of the Mg nanostructures plays a secondary role. A phenomenological model based on a heterogeneous reaction is proposed to explain the different hydrogen desorption activation energies obtained for different V–Mg nanostructured samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A multidisciplinary optimization method is applied to the design of mechatronic vehicles with active suspensions. The method is implemented in a GA-A’GEM-MATLAB simulation environment in such a way that the linear mechanical vehicle model is designed in a multibody dynamics software package, i.e. A’GEM, the controllers and estimators are constructed using linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) method, and Kalman filter algorithm in Matlab, then the combined mechanical and control model is optimized simultaneously using a genetic algorithm (GA). The design variables include passive parameters and control parameters. In the numerical optimizations, both random and deterministic road inputs and both perfect measurement of full state variables and estimated limited state variables are considered. Optimization results show that the active suspension systems based on the multidisciplinary optimization method have better overall performance than those derived using conventional design methods with the LQG algorithm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The lateral stability of a rail vehicle is optimized using a combination of multibody dynamics, sequential quadratic programming, and a genetic algorithm. Several steps are taken to validate this integrated approach and to show its effectiveness. First, a hand-derived solution to a 17 degree of freedom linear rail vehicle model is compared to the simulation results from the A'GEM multibody dynamics software. Second, the calculation of the 'critical speed' (above which a rail vehicle response becomes unstable) using sequential quadratic programming is validated for a specific example. In the process, the existence of sharply-discontinuous 'cliffs' in the plots of critical speed versus suspension stiffnesses are identified. These cliffs, which are due to switching of the least-damped mode in the system, greatly hinder the application of gradientbased optimization methods. Two methods that do not require gradient information, a genetic algorithm and the Nelder-Mead's Simplex algorithm, are used to optimize the critical speed. The two algorithms and their results are compared. In recognition of the cliff phenomenon, the definition of critical speed is generalized to make it a more practical measure of lateral stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the oblique angle co-deposition of Si and Cu, the nanoculumn tilting angle β changes systematically with the relative composition of Si and Cu when the vapor incident angle θ is fixed. This result demonstrates that the β-θ relationship does depend closely on the material property and composition, which is very different from the predictions of the well-known 'universal' models, such as tangent or cosine rules. A statistic model based on the size, spacing, and stacking of Si and Cu atoms has been proposed and the predicted result agrees well with the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helical silver nanorod arrays with different arm numbers are designed by oblique angle deposition and their surface-enhanced Raman scattering properties are characterized. Assuming that the hot spots are located at the bends between the arms, and considering the optical absorbance of different layers, the SERS behavior can be predicted qualitatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deformation behavior and mechanical properties of a tilted Si nanorod array structure on Cu/Ti bilayer film coated Si substrate were studied for the first time by coupled atomic force microscopy and nanoindentation techniques. The individual Si nanorods fabricated by an oblique angle deposition technique are composed of many fine Si nanofibers with the diameter ranging from 10 to 50 nm. They are not brittle, but ductile. The ductile metallic Cu/Ti bilayer film roots contribute remarkably to the mechanical robustness of the Si nanorods. The toughening mechanism of such Si-based nanoanodes has been elucidated by experimental mechanics studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrogenation of Mg film and Mg nanoblade array fabricated on Ti coated Si substrates has been studied and compared. The nanoblades start to absorb hydrogen at a temperature between 250 and 300 °C, which is much lower than 350 °C for Mg film. However, the saturated total hydrogen uptake in nanoblades is less than half of that in the film, resulting from MgO formation by air exposure. The nanoblade morphology with large surface area and small hydrogen diffusion length, and the catalytic effect of Ti layer, are two main reasons for the nanoblade hydrogenation behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using an oblique angle codeposition technique, 0–8 at. % Ti has been doped into Mg and aligned nanostructure arrays, composed of hexagonal Mg single crystals with preferred orientations, are formed. Ti doping produces nanorod structures instead of the nanoblade structures that are formed from pure Mg deposition. This is due to the pinning effect of Ti for Mg adatom diffusion. There is a linear shift of the Mg diffraction peaks toward the higher 2θ angles with the Ti dopant concentration. This is possibly caused by the partial substitution of large Mg atoms by small Ti atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a method for quantifying drivers' driving skills using closed-loop dynamic simulations of articulated heavy vehicles (AHVs). Due to AHVs' multi-unit configurations, large sizes, and high centers of gravity (CGs), these large vehicles exhibit poor directional performance. AHVs require wide roads and large radii of path curvature for evasive maneuvers; these large vehicles frequently display unstable motion modes, including trailer sway, jackknifing, and rollover. The directional performance of AHVs is frequently evaluated in terms of maneuverability and lateral stability. There exists a trade-off between the performance measures of maneuverability and lateral stability. An AHV, its driver and the road constitute a unique closed-loop dynamic system. The unique dynamic characteristics of AHVs impose significant challenges for safe operations of these vehicles. However, little attention has been paid to the interactions of driver-AHV. This paper tackles the problem of quantifying drivers' driving skills considering the interactions of driver-AHV under simulated single lane-change (SLC) maneuvers. Based on two driver characteristic parameters, namely preview time (PT) and transport delay (TD), we propose two performance measures, i.e., path-following score (PFS) and combined stability score (CSS), as the indicators for assessing the driving skills of AHV drivers under the simulated maneuvers. The driver-AHV closed-loop dynamic simulation is implemented using the built-in driver model and virtual vehicles developed in TruckSim. The numerical simulation results for rearward amplification (RA) measures are validated using driver-in-the-loop (DIL) real-time simulation. The simulation identifies AHV drivers' driving skills in terms of lateral stability, path-following, as well as balanced path-following and stability regions considering PT and TD properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we used the convolutional neural network (CNN) method to invert sea surface height (SSH) from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) delayed Doppler map (DDM) data during 2009–2017 and compared the CNN inversion data with those obtained from traditional simple random forest (RF) method. SSH observations from the OSTM/Jason-2 satellite were used to judge the merits of the two methods. The results show that both methods yield good SSH inversion results, but when the training set is 9000, the root mean square errors of the SSH inversion results based on the CNN and the RF method are 16.78 and 15.96 respectively; as the training set increases above 9000, the accuracy of the CNN method is significantly better than that of the RF method. This suggests that SSH inversion based on the CNN method will become more advantageous as more data become available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvothermal reaction of 4,4',4'-nitrilotribenzoic acid (H3TCA) with Ca(NO3)2·4H2O and Cd(NO3)2·4H2O successfully afforded a heterometallic compound, that is, [Cd2Ca(TCA)2(DMA)2(H2O)3]n·2n(DMA) (1, DMA = N,N'-dimethylacetamide). The structure of 1 was further characterized through EA, diffraction of single crystal X-ray, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) together with powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Moreover, complex 1's luminescent performance in solid state was also discussed at environmental temperature. The applications on the ischemic cerebral infarction therapy were evaluated, and the specific mechanism was investigated at the same time. Firstly, the hypersensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) content in human brain microvascular endothelial cell (HBMEC) was measured with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Then, interleukin-18 and interleukin-1β content released through the HBMEC was detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we describe an inter-laboratory collaborative ring trial validation of species-specific TaqMan real-time PCR assays for the detection of porcine- and chicken-derived materials in meat products. We comprehensively evaluated the performance of these assays in different environments and situations. This validation included the participation of thirteen laboratories across Europe and Asia. The results from the thirteen participating laboratories were analyzed to determine the specificity, accuracy, false positive rate, limit of detection (LOD), and probability of detection (POD) of the developed methods. These results indicated that the methods developed to detect porcine- and chicken-derived materials in meat products are robust and repeatable. The false positive and false negative rates were both 0%, and the LOD was determined to be five copies/reaction. The laboratory standard deviation (σL) was 0.30 for both detection methods, indicating that the developed methods are suitable for detection and identification of the porcine- and chicken-derived materials in meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MeNH3MI3 (M: Pb, Sn) perovskites are recognized as promising photovoltaic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly precise, quantitative method based on the droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) technique was developed to identify and quantify the goat and sheep content in meat products. A formula for calculating raw meat weight based on DNA copy number was established. Exclusive specificity was verified using samples from 24 different animal species, and inclusive specificity between goat and sheep was tested using five different breeds for each species. The limit of detection and the limit of quantitation for both goat and sheep were 1 and 5 copies/μL, respectively, using a cloned plasmid containing goat- and sheep-specific target DNA fragments as calibrators. The accuracy and applicability of the method were verified using mixed powder samples with known proportions of goat and sheep meat, simulate meatball samples, and commercially available products, respectively. The results confirmed that the developed ddPCR methods are highly precise for identifying and quantifying the goat and sheep meat, indicating their potential applicability in future routine analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we performed interlaboratory validation of a Taqman real-time PCR method for the identification of bovine and ovine material. The Bos taurus beta-actin gene (ACTB) and Ovis aries prolactin receptor gene (PRLR) were selected as the bovine and ovine species-specific amplifying target sequences, and primers and TaqMan probes were designed accordingly. The precision, efficiency, false positive rate, limit of detection (LOD 95% ) and probability of detection (POD) were determined, and the results demonstrated that both bovine and ovine detection methods performed well. The high homogeneity of the results indicates that the detection methods are suitable for a wide range of applications, and the tools developed herein could be applied by official and third-party detection institution to maintain quality in the food and feedstuff industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrodin (Gas) has exhibited protective activity in neurological disorders. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective effect and potential mechanisms of Gas against cognitive impairment via regulating gut microbiota. APPswe/PSEN1dE9 transgenic (APP/PS1) mice were treated intragastrically with Gas for 4 weeks, and then cognitive deficits, deposits of amyloid-β (Aβ) and phosphorylation of tau were analyzed. The expression levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) pathway-related proteins, such as cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), were detected. Meanwhile, gut microbiota composition was evaluated. Our results showed that Gas treatment significantly improved cognitive deficits and Aβ deposition in APP/PS1 mice. Moreover, Gas treatment increased the level of Bcl-2 and decreased level of Bax and ultimately inhibited neuronal apoptosis. Gas treatment markedly increased the expression levels of IGF-1 and CREB in APP/PS1 mice. Moreover, Gas treatment improved abnormal composition and structure of gut microbiota in APP/PS1 mice. These findings revealed that Gas actively participated in regulating the IGF-1 pathway to inhibit neuronal apoptosis via the gut–brain axis and that it can be considered a new therapeutic strategy against Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics simulations of a-Si:H/c-Si thin films annealing at different temperature have been carried out. An extended Tersoff potential is used to describe the Si-Si, Si–H and H–H atomic interactions. The results showed that, annealing treatment makes the structure of a-Si:H films more compact and orderly. The total hydrogen content decreasing persistently as the annealing temperature increasing just like theoretical prediction, however, the hydrogen content of interface region increases firstly and then decreases. The maximum H content is corresponding to the annealing temperature of about 500 K. This variation tendency of H content in the vicinity of the interface region can well explain the experimental results of minority carrier lifetime variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inactive myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D) and alpha-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation will cause neuronal death. MEF2D or α-syn degradation is also associated with macroautophagy, chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) and heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70). We found that β-asarone had positive effects on treating 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced rats, but mechanisms of β-asarone affecting on MEF2D and α-syn via regulating the HSP70/MAPK/MEF2D/Beclin-1 pathway remain unclear. Unilateral 6-OHDA injection into the medial forebrain bundle was used to create PD rats, which were divided into four groups and administered for 30 days: 6-OHDA model group, MEF2D inhibitor-treated group (SB203580, 0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), MEF2D activator-treated group (LiCl, 100 mg/kg, i.p.), β-asarone-treated group (15 mg/kg, p.o.). Expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), α-syn, heat-shock cognate protein 70 (HSC70), lysosome-associated membrane protein type 2a (LAMP-2A), MEF2D, HSP70, Beclin-1, light chain 3 B (LC3B) and p62 in the mesencephalon were measured after 30-day administration. α-syn, Beclin-1 and LC3 B levels were higher in the 6-OHDA model group, while TH, MEF2D, HSC70, LAMP-2A, p62 levels were lower compared to the sham-operated group. Our results also showed thatβ-asarone treatment reduced protein and mRNA levels of α-syn, Beclin-1 and LC3B, but increased HSP70, TH, MEF2D, HSC70, LAMP-2A and p62 levels compared to the 6-OHDA model group. Additionally, certain correlations among α-syn, TH, Beclin-1, LC3B, p62, HSP70, LAMP-2A and MEF2D were also discovered in this study. These findings suggested that β-asarone treatment could increase MEF2D and TH as well as reduce α-syn to protect against 6-OHDA induced damage in PD rat mesencephalon via modulating the HSP70/MAPK/MEF2D/Beclin-1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different CuSi composite nanorods with 0–100 at.% Cu were fabricated by an oblique angle co-deposition technique. The effects of increasing Cu during deposition on the morphologies, structures and properties were investigated. During co-evaporation, the addition of Cu decreases the nanorod width and height but increases the nanorod tilting angle. The polarized optical transmission spectra reveal that all the nanorod samples show a remarkable anisotropic response to visible light with an eccentricity e ≈ 1, whereas their optical response to NIR light depends strongly on the Cu composition, and the related eccentricity increases monotonically with the increase of Cu. The obtained amorphous Si film has a resistivity of approximately 4.9 × 104 Ω cm. The incorporation of 5–75 at.% Cu increases the electrical conductance from two to eight orders of magnitude. The improved conductance and the unique optical properties of the Si-based nanocomposites could have potential applications for Li-ion battery anode and optical design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important design decision for active trailer steering (ATS) systems for articulated heavy vehicles (AHVs) is the trade-off between maneuverability and lateral stability. This paper presents an automated design method for this trade-off. The proposed method has the following features: (1) a design framework for bilevel optimization of ATS systems is formulated; (2) design variables of ATS controllers and trailers are optimized simultaneously; (3) two controllers are designed for the ATS system for improving stability and enhancing maneuverability, respectively; and (4) a driver model is introduced in the virtual vehicle simulation for closed-loop testing maneuvers. The design framework allows automation of vehicle modeling, controller construction, performance evaluation, and design variable selection, and all required design processes are implemented in a single loop. The proposed method is compared to a previously published two-loop design method, showing that the new approach can effectively identify desired variables and predict performance envelopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic stability of long combination vehicles (LCVs) is an important part of vehicle safety. An LCV, its driver and the road constitute a unique closed-loop dynamic system. Assessing the dynamic stability is difficult due to the complex interactions of driver-tractor-trailers-road. Rearward amplification (RA) is an effective performance measure of the dynamic stability; various methods are applied for evaluating the RA. However, the measures from different methods may differ significantly. What are the root causes for the disparity of evaluation results? This paper tackles the problem by investigating the typical methods for evaluating the measure of two LCVs, i.e. an A-train double and a B-train double. To this end, simulations of the LCVs are conducted using TruckSim software. The study discloses the main causes for the disparity of the measures from different methods, and recommends the effective approaches to the assessment of the RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Levodopa (L-dopa) is widely considered as one of the most effective drug constituents in the treatment of Parkinson's disease ( PD), but the blood-brain barrier ( BBB) permeability of L-dopa is <5%, which causes low efficacy. Neuroprotective effects of β-asarone on 6-hydroxydopamine (6- OHDA)-induced PD rats were demonstrated by our previous studies. Co-administration of β-asarone and L-dopa has not been explored until being investigated on PD rats in this study. PD rats were divided into four groups: untreated, L-dopa-treated, β-asarone-treated and co-administered-treated groups. All of the treatments were administered to the rats twice per day for 30 days. The L-dopa, dopamine ( DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid ( DOPAC) and homovanillic acid ( HVA), S100 β and neuron-specific enolase ( NSE) levels were subsequently determined. The P-glycoprotein (P-gp), zonula occludens-1 ( ZO-1), claudin-5, occludin and actin expression was also assessed in cortex. Changes in BBB ultrastructure were observed using transmission electron microscopy. Our results showed that the co-administered treatment increased levels of L-dopa, DA, DOPAC and HVA in striatum, and S100 β in plasma, but down-regulated NSE, P-gp, ZO-1, occludin, actin and claudin-5 in cortex. Crevices were observed between capillary endothelial cells at intercellular tight junction of the striatum in co-administered-treated group, while the endothelial cells in untreated group were tightly jointing each other. In addition, the correlations of L-dopa or DA and P-gp or tight junction proteins respectively were significantly negative in co-administered- and β-asarone-treated groups. These findings suggest that co-administered treatment may enhance the L-dopa BBB permeability and attenuate brain injury, which may be beneficial to PD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Magnesium nickel hydrides (Mg2NiH4) are the prospective candidates for hydrogen storage and switchable mirror. The hydrides exist in two typical crystallographic forms, the low temperature (LT) phase in monoclinic structure, and the high temperature (HT) phase in cubic structure. LT has two modifications–untwinned (LT1) and microtwinned (LT2) structures. The electronic structures of the three polymorphs of Mg2NiH4 are investigated using ab initio calculations based on density functional theory. The calculated band gaps of LT1 and HT are in reasonable agreement with experimental observations and other theoretical predications, while the calculated band gap of LT2 is slightly lower than those of LT1 and HT. Electronic-structure analysis shows that strong interactions exist between Ni and H, whereas the interactions between Mg and H are negligible. The strong ionic character between Mg and NiH4 complex can be viewed as the origin of the semiconducting ground-state. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • DHA inhibited the tumor growth by inducing cell cycle arrest and promoting apoptosis in NSCLC cells. • DHA reduced the expression level of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1). • ROR1 played a crucial role in promoting the activity of STAT3 signaling. • ROR1 may serve as a crucial molecular target mediating DHA-induced STAT3 inhibition in NSCLC. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), identifying a component with certain molecular targets can aid research on cancer treatment. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a semisynthetic derivative of artemisinin which induced the anti-cancer effects via the STAT3 signaling pathway, but the underlying molecular mechanism is still elusive. In this study, we first proved that DHA prohibits the growth of tumors both in vitro and in vivo. Data from transcriptomics showed that DHA reduced the expression level of the genes involved in cell cycle-promoting and anti-apoptosis, and most importantly, DHA restricted the expression level of receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) which has been reported to have abnormal expression on tumor cells and had close interaction with STAT3 signaling. Then, we performed comprehensive experiments and found that DHA remarkably decreased the expression of ROR1 at both mRNA and protein levels and it also diminished the phosphorylation level of STAT3 in NSCLC cell lines. In addition, our data showed that exogenously introduced ROR1 could significantly enhance the phosphorylation of STAT3 while blocking ROR1 had the opposite effects indicating that ROR1 plays a critical role in promoting the activity of STAT3 signaling. Finally, we found that ROR1 overexpression could partially reverse the decreased activity of STAT3 induced by DHA which indicates that DHA-induced anti-growth signaling is conferred, at least in part, through blocking ROR1-mediated STAT3 activation. In summary, our study indicates that in NSCLC, ROR1 could be one of the critical molecular targets mediating DHA-induced STAT3 retardation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radioresistance inducing by hypoxic microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma is a major obstacle to clinical radiotherapy. Advanced nanomedicine provides an alternative to alleviate the hypoxia extent of solid tumor, even to achieve effective synergistic treatment when combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Results: Herein, we developed a self-assembled nanoparticle based on hemoglobin and curcumin for photoacoustic imaging and radiotherapy of hypoxic hepatocellular carcinoma. The fabricated nanoparticles inhibited hepatoma migration and vascular mimics, and enhanced the radiosensitivity of hypoxic hepatoma cells in vitro via repressing cell proliferation and DNA damage repair, as well as inducing apoptosis. Benefit from oxygen-carrying hemoglobin combined with polyphenolic curcumin, the nanoparticles also effectively enhanced the photoacoustic contrast and the efficacy of radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo. Conclusions: Together, the current study offered a radiosensitization platform for optimizing the efficacy of nanomedicines on hypoxic radioresistant tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is usually up-regulated to provide more ATP in response to starvation or OGD (oxygen-glucose deprivation), but the relationship between autophagy and ATP, [Ca2+]i (intracellular free Ca2+ concentration) or MMP (mitochondrial membrane potential) during reoxygenation is not yet fully clear. The role of autophagy is unknown in PC12 cells subjected to 2 h OGD with different time points of reoxygenation. In the present study, we showed that Beclin-1 was up-regulated beginning at 0 h reoxygenation peaking at 24 h and lasting for 48 h. Cell viability was decreased from 0 to 48 h reoxygenation, reaching its minimum at 10 h reoxygenation. ATP was decreased from 0 to 10 h reoxygenation, reaching its minimum at 4 h reoxygenation. A significant negative correlation was observed between ATP and Beclin-1 ( r = −0.61, P<0.05) at 0 h reoxygenation, but ATP was not significant related ( r = 0.24, P>0.05) to Beclin-1 at 24 h reoxygenation. Besides, Nimodipine, a calcium antagonist, significantly reduced [Ca2+]i and Beclin-1, but increased MMP in OGD/R-treated cells. At 24 h reoxygenation, Beclin-1 expression reached its maximum, cell viability continued to increase, and ATP was higher than that before OGD. These results suggest that energy metabolism dysfunction can induce autophagy during OGD in PC12 cells. Increased [Ca2+]i and decreased MMP may induce autophagy during reoxygenation in PC12 cells. Autophagy may be a protective effect on PC12 cells treated with different time points of reoxygenation after 2 h OGD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a closed-loop dynamic simulation-based design method for articulated heavy vehicles (AHVs) with active trailer steering (ATS) systems. AHVs have poor manoeuvrability at low speeds and exhibit low lateral stability at high speeds. From the design point of view, there exists a trade-off relationship between AHVs’ manoeuvrability and stability. For example, fewer articulation points and longer wheelbases will improve high-speed lateral stability, but they will degrade low-speed manoeuvrability. To tackle this conflicting design problem, a systematic method is proposed for the design of AHVs with ATS systems. In order to evaluate vehicle performance measures under a well-defined testing manoeuvre, a driver model is introduced and it ‘drivers’ the vehicle model to follow a prescribed route at a given speed. Considering the interactions between the mechanical trailer and the ATS system, the proposed design method simultaneously optimises the active design variables of the controllers and passive design variables of the trailer in a single design loop (SDL). Through the design optimisation of an ATS system for an AHV with a truck and a drawbar trailer combination, this SDL method is compared against a published two design loop method. The benchmark investigation shows that the former can determine better trade-off design solutions than those derived by the latter. This SDL method provides an effective approach to automatically implement the design synthesis of AHVs with ATS systems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Cobalt-doped disulfide nanotubes were fabricated by a technique of exfoliation–intercalation–hydrothermal adulteration. WS2 and MoS2 powder was used as primary materials and was exfoliated into single layer by n-butyllithium. Then Co2+ cations entered into MoS2 and WS2 matrix through a hydrothermal process with CoCl2 aqueous solution. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), respectively. XRD results indicate that multimetal disulfide can be prepared by this approach. TEM images show that the morphology of the products is bamboo-like nanotube with open-end, tip-end and joint. HRTEM images show that the tip-end, joint and wall of bamboo-like nanotubes are of inorganic fullerene-like (IF-like) nanostructures. EDX results show that the components of bamboo-like nanotubes are Co, Mo, W and S. A possible formation mechanism of bamboo-like nanotubes was suggested. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]