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Parametric level set method (PLSM) using interpolation method, such as radial basis function (RBF) interpolation, exposes high computational cost and poor stability when solving structural topology optimization (STO) problems with large-scale nodes. However, the quasi-interpolation method can approximate the level set function (LSF) and its generalized functions without solving any system of linear equations. With this good property, this paper utilizes multiquadric (MQ) quasi-interpolation to parameterize the LSF and innovatively introduces it into the STO problem. Moreover, the MQ quasi-interpolation is utilized to compute the element density, which makes the level set band method (LSBM) more rigorous. The proposed methods were compared with the PLSM based on compactly supported radial basis functions (CSRBFs). The results show that the approximation accuracy, computational efficiency and stability of the evolution process of the proposed methods are better than those of CSRBFs when the shape parameter takes a suitable small value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is difficult to achieve low-order harmonic tracking control without static difference when PI control is used in unified power quality conditioner (UPQC). What is more, the traditional PI parameter trial method has the problems such as low accuracy and anti-interference to meet the needs of real time control. Aiming at this issue, this paper proposes a UPQC harmonic control method based on the beetle antennae search (BAS) algorithm to optimize the parameters of quasi-proportional integral resonance (QPIR) controller. The harmonic current is detected by the i p – i q method based on the instantaneous power theory, and the detected signal is input to the QPIR controller. The controller parameters are optimized by the BAS algorithm to improve the dynamic response performance and control accuracy of the UPQC. Then, the MATLAB/Simulink software platform is used to build UPQC simulation models for PV and wind microgrids. Finally, the simulation comparison is verified between the optimized QPIR controller strategy based on by BAS method and PI control strategy based on neural network algorithm, respectively. The results show that using QPIR controller optimized through the beetle antennae search (BAS) method is more accurate and resistant to interference. So, the proposed UPQC control strategy has innovation and feasibility, and it can be applied in the practical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helium (He) tracer method is one of the common methods used to detect tube bundle leakage in the condenser. To improve the detection accuracy, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is considered a tracer gas instead of He. This paper combines the N-S equation, porous medium model, flow diffusion model and steam heat transfer model to develop the numerical model of tube bundle leakage in the condenser. The simulation results show that the transport of leaked gases (He and SF6) consists of flow and diffusion patterns. The existence of the diffusion process is confirmed further through theoretical analysis. The two gases have the same transport behavior in the pure flow process. When it involves the diffusion process, the flow rate of He is 6.67 times that of SF6. In other words, the time required for He to reach the same concentration difference is 1/6.67 times that of SF6. In addition, the influence of leakage intensity and gas species on the transport is analyzed. The study results provide a theoretical basis for SF6 to replace He as a tracer gas to detect tube bundle leakage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium (Li)‐metal batteries are promising next‐generation energy storage systems. One drawback of uncontrollable electrolyte degradation is the ability to form a fragile and nonuniform solid electrolyte interface (SEI). In this study, we propose the use of a fluorinated carbon nanotube (CNT) macrofilm (CMF) on Li metal as a hybrid anode, which can regulate the redox state at the anode/electrolyte interface. Due to the favorable reaction energy between the plated Li and fluorinated CNTs, the metal can be fluorinated directly to a LiF‐rich SEI during the charging process, leading to a high Young's modulus (~2.0 GPa) and fast ionic transfer (~2.59×10−7 S cm−1). The obtained SEI can guide the homogeneous plating/stripping of Li during electrochemical processes while suppressing dendrite growth. In particular, the hybrid of endowed full cells with substantially enhanced cyclability allows for high capacity retention (~99.3 %) and remarkable rate capacity. This work can extend fluorination technology into a platform to control artificial SEI formation in Li‐metal batteries, increasing the stability and long‐term performance of the resulting material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium (Li)‐metal batteries are promising next‐generation energy storage systems. One drawback of uncontrollable electrolyte degradation is the ability to form a fragile and nonuniform solid electrolyte interface (SEI). In this study, we propose the use of a fluorinated carbon nanotube (CNT) macrofilm (CMF) on Li metal as a hybrid anode, which can regulate the redox state at the anode/electrolyte interface. Due to the favorable reaction energy between the plated Li and fluorinated CNTs, the metal can be fluorinated directly to a LiF‐rich SEI during the charging process, leading to a high Young's modulus (~2.0 GPa) and fast ionic transfer (~2.59×10−7 S cm−1). The obtained SEI can guide the homogeneous plating/stripping of Li during electrochemical processes while suppressing dendrite growth. In particular, the hybrid of endowed full cells with substantially enhanced cyclability allows for high capacity retention (~99.3 %) and remarkable rate capacity. This work can extend fluorination technology into a platform to control artificial SEI formation in Li‐metal batteries, increasing the stability and long‐term performance of the resulting material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All facets of society's governance, economics, and culture have been impacted by networking. Network attacks have become more common as a result of the digital revolution, which has also facilitated major changes in worldwide communication and accelerated the development of human society. An unauthorized attempt to access a network with the goal of committing theft or other forms of damage is what we call a network attack. This article focuses on building a chain security model utilising the block chain concept in order to address the issue of inaccurate assessments of forged malicious behavioural methods for identification. It uses the NIK-256 hashing algorithm to identify valid users utilising time-dependent verification. Passwords and recorded times are maintained in a combined chain database, which combines blockchain technology and the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), improving data security and privacy. After that, we schedule users using the Whale optimisation algorithm (WOA), which decreases difficulty, and then a smart contract is developed that grants authorised users access control based on their level of trust and permission. The proposed approach, known as Hyb_chain_TPM, implements countermeasures in accordance with the attack risk level and stores the attack graph in a combined chain database for future attack forecasting. Utilising diverse attack datasets, extensive tests are run to validate this system. Additionally, the outcomes of privacy protection and AI processes are assessed independently and contrasted using a variety of current techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the characteristics and sources of carbonaceous aerosols in an urban area (UA) and rural area (Guihua Township, GH) of Nanchong City, organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) were measured in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) samples collected from December 2014 to April 2016. The results showed that the average concentrations of PM2.5, OC, EC, and secondary organic carbon (SOC) in UA were 66.23±3.68 μg/m³, 13.34±0.93 μg/m³, 3.80±0.29 μg/m³ and 10.05±0.83 μg/m³, respectively, and those in GH were 60.13±4.28 μg/m³, 13.82±1.03 μg/m³, 3.92±0.44 μg/m³ and 10.23±0.90 μg/m³, respectively. The seasonal variations in PM2.5, OC, EC, and SOC in UA and GH were similar, with the order summer < spring < autumn < winter. The average OC/EC ratio in UA was 4.72±0.31, and that in GH was 5.14±0.38. In addition, K+, Pb, Zn, and As were positively correlated with OC and EC. This result indicated that biomass burning, fossil combustion, and motor vehicle exhaust within the Sichuan Basin were the main sources of PM2.5 in Nanchong City. The poor meteorological diffusion conditions prevalent for pollutants were the main reason for the high concentration of carbonaceous aerosols in Nanchong City. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical properties of pure glass fiber wet-laid felts with no adhesives are relatively poor and limit the using. The aim of this study is to analyze the hybrid effects of glass/wood pulp wet-laid felt (GWFF) via papermaking technology. The influence of wood pulp fiber weight ratios on the physical properties of GWFFs is studied. The results show that GWFFs can obtain excellent uniformity when wood pulp fiber weight ratios are less than 50%. GWFFs with 20% wood pulp fiber weight ratios exhibit optimum break elongation, flexural property, and bursting strength. It also finds that tensile strength and Young's modulus increase with wood pulp fiber weight ratios due to the effect of surface roughness of fibers and hydrogen bonds between fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the structural topology optimization (STO), the step-size of the parametric level set method (PLSM) using the explicit scheme must satisfy the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) condition to ensure numerical stability. However, much larger step-sizes are arbitrarily used to speed up the convergence. For this reason, a narrowband in the velocity field is defined, and the step-size adaptive parametric level set method (SAPLSM) is proposed, which multiplies different step-sizes for the velocity of different nodes. The SAPLSM satisfies the CFL condition not only on the narrowband, but also on the entire design domain. Furthermore, a narrowband annealing (NA) scheme based on "annealing" is proposed to dynamically adjust the maximum step-size during the iterations. Numerical experimental results of several benchmark problems in two-dimensional minimum compliance show that: (1) The SAPLSM is more stable than PLSM under large step-sizes and complex problems. (2) The NA scheme not only accelerates the convergence of SAPLSM but also alleviates mesh dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huangjiu, a traditional Chinese wine with low alcoholic strength, can easily develop rancidification upon microbial contamination in the long‐term storage process. In order to analyze the changes in key indexes in the rancidification process during the storage of Huangjiu, a laboratory simulation of microbial contamination changes was carried out. Changes in microbiological indexes, physicochemical indexes, and volatile flavor compounds in the rancidification process of Huangjiu can be divided into two stages. Test results demonstrated that within the early stage of the rancidification process, multiplication of contaminating microorganisms was in the adaptation phase with a slow OD600 growth value of Huangjiu, while physicochemical indexes such as the pH and amino acid nitrogen content changed relatively slowly. The contents of aldehyde compounds in the volatile flavor components of Huangjiu declined quickly to be lower than 1.0 mg/L, while the conductivity index increased by 6%. In the late stage, the OD600 value of Huangjiu increased rapidly and microorganism multiplication entered the logarithmic phase. Furthermore, changes in the physicochemical indexes are accelerated. Specifically, the histamine content increased by 457% and the content of aldehydes remains lower than 1.0 mg/L. The conductivity index continued to rise by 25% in this stage. This indicates that the two rancidification stages have different influences on the quality of Huangjiu. The conductivity value can be used as a staged representative index throughout the rancidification of Huangjiu to distinguish between different batches and evaluate the degree of microbial contamination. Additionally, the conductivity index can be used for long‐term online monitoring of large tank storage of Huangjiu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pentasacme malipoense C. Liu & Y.H. Tan and P. tubulosum C. Liu, X.J. Hu & Y.H. Tan are two new species from Yunnan, China, which are described and illustrated in this study. Molecular phylogenies using the nrITS, rps16 and trnT-F datasets support these two new species formed a clade in the genus Pentasacme, then as the sister to P. caudatum, which is the only Chinese species hitherto included in phylogenetic studies. Pentasacme tubulosum can be clearly distinguished from the other five recognized species of this genus by its tubular corolla and tube much longer than lobes. Pentasacme malipoense is characterized by having campanulate and deeply lobed corolla, tube much shorter than lobes, corolline coronas present and inverted conical style-head, which is remarkably different from its sister species P. tubulosum. In addition, P. malipoense differs from P. caudatum by the reddish pedicels and calyces, oblong-lanceolate corolla lobes, staminal coronas present and inverted conical style-head, and from P. wallichii and P. shanense by its lanceolate leaf blades, reddish pedicels and calyces, both corolline coronas and staminal coronas present, purple-red anther appendages and inverted conical style-head. Furthermore, for illustrating the two species, diagnostic characters, photographs, morphological descriptions, distribution, and habitat are also provided, as well as the geographical distribution and the diagnostic key to all recognized species of Pentasacme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cambial development in the stems of perennial woody species is rigorously regulated by phytohormones. Auxin and gibberellin (GA) play crucial roles in stimulating cambial activity in poplar (Populus spp.). In this study, we show that the DELLA protein REPRESSOR of ga1-3 Like 1 (RGL1), AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 7 (ARF7), and Aux/INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID 9 (IAA9) form a ternary complex that mediates crosstalk between the auxin and GA signaling pathways in poplar stems during cambial development. Biochemical analysis revealed that ARF7 physically interacts with RGL1 and IAA9 through distinct domains. The arf7 loss-of-function mutant showed markedly attenuated responses to auxin and GA, whereas transgenic poplar plants overexpressing ARF7 displayed strongly improved cambial activity. ARF7 directly binds to the promoter region of the cambial stem cell regulator WOX4 to modulate its expression, thus integrating auxin and GA signaling to regulate cambial activity. Furthermore, the direct activation of PIN-FORMED 1 expression by ARF7 in the RGL1-ARF7-IAA9 module increased GA-dependent cambial activity via polar auxin transport. Collectively, these findings reveal that the crosstalk between auxin and GA signaling mediated by the RGL1-ARF7-IAA9 module is crucial for the precise regulation of cambial development in poplar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This study was conducted to study the effects of whole-plant corn silage and whole-plant wheat silage on growth performance and economic benefits of beef cattle. [Methods] Thirty Simmental crossbred cattle were selected and randomly divided based on their weight into two groups, 15 cows in each group, with an average weight of 398 kg. Each group was fed the same concentrated feed, and the whole-plant corn silage and wheat silage were fed as roughage feed, respectively. The experimental period was 90 d. [Results] (J) There was no significant difference in the initial weight of beef cattle between test group 1 and test group 2 (P >0.05). Compared with group 2, group 1 had a higher final weight, average daily gain, and dry matter intake of beef cattle, without significant differences (P >0.05). Group 1 was 0.58%, 1.99%, and 1.43% higher than group 2, respectively. The feed-to-gain ratio of test group 1 decreased by 0. 54% compared with test group 2 (P > 0.05), with no significant difference therebetween. (J) The economic benefit of group 1 was 11.45 yuan/(day • capita), while the economic benefit of group 2 was 2.41 yuan/(day • capita), and group 1 was 9. 04 yuan/(day • capita) higher than group 2. [Conclusions] Whole-plant corn silage for feeding beef cattle has the advantages of good weight gain and low breeding cost, and can be popularized in beef cattle fattening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the Internet of things, the intelligent visual image is a high noise image. Because the fixed threshold (or block to get the threshold) used in the general fixed threshold segmentation and adaptive threshold in combination with the wavelet denoising algorithm can not achieve the target location when the transition "interference" between the targets to be segmented is too high and the brightness difference between the targets to be segmented is large. Aiming at the image features under the Internet of things, a feature location method for variable threshold segmentation image based on improved wavelet is proposed. In this paper, a variable threshold algorithm is designed, which uses the multi-scale shrinkage threshold in the new spherical coordinate domain, and uses the adaptive nonlinear shrinkage function to continuously separate image information and noise information at the threshold. At last, the simulation experiment of this method is carried out, and a large number of comparisons with similar algorithms are made. The experimental results show that under the high noise image of the Internet of things, the improved image location method in this paper has better effect. The experimental results show that under severe occlusion and high noise conditions in the Internet of Things, the proposed method has better image feature location and denoising performance. When the noise intensity increases to 60%, the PSNR of the proposed method is 28.8764 dB. When the wavelet decomposition scale is 7, the average running time of the proposed method is 25 ms, and the denoising accuracy is 73%. It can effectively improve the peak signal-to-noise ratio and denoising accuracy, and shorten the running time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six new species of Coelostoma Brullé, 1835 are described from China: Coelostoma bannanicum Mai & Jia, sp. nov., C. dactylopunctum Mai & Jia, sp. nov., C. fortunum Mai & Jia, sp. nov., and C. pseudomartensi Mai & Jia, sp. nov. from Yunnan; C. mixtum Mai & Jia, sp. nov. from Fujian; and C. nankunshanense Mai & Jia, sp. nov. from Guangdong. Coelostoma surkhetensis Hebauer, 2002 is a new record from China (Xizang). Coelostoma huangi Jia, Aston & Fikáček, 2014 is reported from Yunnan, C. hajeki Jia, Aston & Fikáček, 2014 from Hunan, C. jaechi Jia, Lin, Chan, Skale & Fikáček, 2017 from Guangdong, C. turnai Hebauer, 2006 from Fujian, Guizhou and Chongqing, and C. wui Orchymont, 1940 from Shanxi and Zhejiang, all for the first time. Coelostoma transcaspicum Reitter, 1906 is excluded from Chinese fauna. Coelostoma sulcatum Pu, 1963 is confirmed as a valid species and its variations of aedeagus are illustrated. The specimens treated as C. wui Orchymont, 1940 by previous authors possibly contain two species. The diversity and habitats of Chinese Coelostoma are discussed. A modified key to the species of Chinese Coelostoma is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little low-and-high frequency information on seismic data in seismic exploration, resulting in narrower bandwidth and lower seismic resolution. It considerably restricts the prediction accuracy of thin reservoirs and thin interbeds. This study proposes a novel method to constrain improving seismic resolution in the time and frequency domain. The expected wavelet spectrum is used in the frequency domain to broaden the seismic spectrum range and increase the octave. In the time domain, the Frobenius vector regularization of the Hessian matrix is used to constrain the horizontal continuity of the seismic data. It effectively protects the signal-to-noise ratio of seismic data while the longitudinal seismic resolution is improved. This method is applied to actual post-stack seismic data and pre-stack gathers dividedly. Without abolishing the phase characteristics of the original seismic data, the time resolution is significantly improved, and the structural features are clearer. Compared with the traditional spectral simulation and deconvolution methods, the frequency distribution is more reasonable, and seismic data has higher resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater explosion cavitation is generally simulated using a one-fluid model based on compressible multicomponent flows. Owing to the lack of mass and heat transfer between liquid and vapor phases, this model is incapable of extensively analyzing the cavitation mechanism in underwater explosion. In this study, we extend the phase transition model provided by Chiapolino et al. to the field of underwater explosion cavitation. The model presents a more accurate description of the thermodynamics of cavitation processes involving liquid–vapor phase transition. The numerical results show that the phase transition exhibits significant potential in the study of underwater explosion cavitation, and the likely occurrence of creation, development, and collapse of the cavitation can be captured. A vortex band composed of a large number of tiny cavitation bubbles can be observed in the numerical results, which is consistent with the experiment in underwater explosion near a free surface. The variation range of the cavitation domain calculated by the phase transition model is basically consistent with the experiment, which proves the reliability and accuracy of the calculation model. Meanwhile, the distribution characteristics of quantities such as density, pressure, and vapor phase volume fraction in the cavitation domain can be effectively obtained in simulation, which are usually difficult to capture in experiments. The creation mechanism of cavitation near a free surface and rigid wall is different. However, the collapse mechanism is similar. The results of this study could provide an in-depth understanding of the dynamic behavior of cavitation in underwater explosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2016, the government of Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China launched a free medication program for all non-registered permanent residents with severe mental disorders (SMD) within its jurisdiction, in efforts to reduce the relapse caused by intermittent medication or non-medication. Participation in the program has not been analyzed since its inauguration. This study aimed to evaluate the participation of non-registered permanent residents with SMD in the program from 2016 to 2020 and to explore its influencing factors. Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of 3760 non-registered permanent residents with SMD in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China (response rate: 78.64%). Data have been obtained from two sources: the Shenzhen Information System for Psychosis in 2020 and the free medication program's management files from 2016 to 2020. We employ descriptive statistics to analyze the participation rate of the free medication program among non-registered permanent patients. Logistic regression analysis is used to explore the factors affecting the patients' participation in the program. Results: The participation rate of the free medication program among non-registered permanent patients has shown an upward trend, rising from 28.83% in 2016 to 58.32% in 2020. High participation rates have been registered among the following patient subgroups: those aged between 30 and 39 (63.11%), those with high school/technical secondary school (62.33%), those from rural areas (61.62%), those living in poverty (67.79%), those suffering schizoaffective disorder (72.26%), those having SMD for less than 5 years (59.89%), and those with family history of mental illness (71.23%).Logistics regression analysis shows that age, patient-guardian relationship, place of residence, financial condition, types of disease, duration of illness and family history are the main factors affecting the patients' decision to participate in the free medication program. Conclusion: The steadily increasing participation rate of the free medication program indicates that the program has been gradually accepted and recognized by non-registered permanent residents with SMD. However, nearly half of the patients have yet to join the program. To further raise the participation rate, special attention should be given to patients who are financially secure, aged below 20, without guardians, intellectually disabled or suffering SMD for over 5 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional deconvolution methods based on single-channel inversion do not consider the spatial structural relation between channels, and hence, they yield high-resolution results with the existing transverse inconsistency or discontinuity. Therefore, in this study, the local dip angle was used to obtain the structural information and construct the spatial structurally constraint operator. This operator is then introduced into multichannel deconvolution as a regularization operator to improve the resolution and maintain the transverse continuity of seismic data. Model tests and actual seismic data processing have demonstrated the effectiveness and practicability of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-side welding platform is the ultimate actuator of micro crystal resonator packaging. The position accuracy of solder joint will directly affect the packaging quality. In order to optimize the tolerance grade of the long-side welding platform and reduce the manufacturing cost on the premise of ensuring the position accuracy of the solder joint, the optimal tolerance grade selection scheme of the long-side welding platform for micro crystal resonator packaging is designed. Based on the improved homogeneous coordinate transformation method, the solder joint error model of long-side welding platform is established. Based on the Monte Carlo simulation method, the position error of solder joint is calculated and the tolerance grade selection scheme is proposed. Based on orthogonal experiment method, the noteworthy factors in position error of long-side welding platform is analyzed, the optimal allocation scheme for the tolerance grade of parts is put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic dishonesty has remained high in Chinese college students. We examined Chinese college senior students' everyday academic practices, especially academic dishonesty, considering the contextual changes inside and outside higher learning settings in China. Data were collected from 120 college seniors from four universities and were analyzed using a qualitative content-based exploratory approach in NVivo 10. Three themes were identified, including college seniors' perceptions of academic dishonesty, contextual influences on academic dishonesty, and seniors' personal attitudes about academic misconduct. Interview results indicated that the contextual changes have reduced cheating both at the national level and at the college level; however, some contextual factors stubbornly remain unchanged, suggesting that the current, contextual climate on and beyond the Chinese college campuses should be restructured, not necessarily exclusively using top-down approaches. A theoretical model was provided to illustrate mechanisms associated with these students' academic misconduct. Suggestions are discussed regarding future research and implications made for university personnel practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parallel seam welding is the key process of micro crystal resonator packaging. The design of processing parameters mainly relayed on experience and a large number of experiments, resulting in high cost and low efficiency. In order to improve the design efficiency of parallel seam welding processing parameters of micro crystal resonator, the parallel seam welding experimental system for micro crystal resonator is designed, and the parallel seam welding current waveform is put forward by analyzing the welding defects. According to the weld morphology observation, the effective interval of processing parameter optimization was determined. Based on the quadratic regression orthogonal combination method, the micro crystal resonator air-tightness defective product ratio is used as the parallel seam welding quality evaluation index, and the regression equation about the processing parameter and the air-tightness defective product ratio are presented. The optimization scheme of parallel seam welding processing parameters of micro crystal resonator is obtained by solving the regression equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aggregation of α-Synuclein (α-Syn) into amyloid fibrils is the hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Under stress or other pathological conditions, the accumulation of α-Syn oligomers is the main contributor to the cytotoxicity. A potential approach for treating Parkinson's disease involves preventing the accumulation of these α-Syn oligomers. In this study, we present a novel mechanism involving a conserved group of disorderly proteins known as small EDRK-rich factor (SERF), which promotes the aggregation of α-Syn through a cophase separation process. Using diverse methods like confocal microscopy, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching assays, solution-state NMR spectroscopy, and Western blot, we determined that the N-terminal domain of SERF1a plays a role in the interactions that occur during cophase separation. Within these droplets, α-Syn undergoes a gradual transformation from solid condensates to amyloid fibrils, while SERF1a is excluded from the condensates and dissolves into the solution. Notably, in vivo experiments show that SERF1a cophase separation with α-Syn significantly reduces the deposition of α-Syn oligomers and decreases its cellular toxicity under stress. These findings suggest that SERF1a accelerates the conversion of α-Syn from highly toxic oligomers to less toxic fibrils through cophase separation, thereby mitigating the biological damage of α-Syn aggregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese government has acknowledged that in order to turn Chinese universities into world class institutions, it will have to grant them a greater degree of autonomy. However, the reforms that have been introduced to achieve this goal run counter to a long tradition of central government oversight. The question now presenting itself is how much actual control government has devolved to universities. The qualitative evidence presented in this paper, obtained through interviews with university presidents and Party secretaries, not only confirms that, as one might expect, Chinese universities continue to operate "in the shadow of hierarchy," but also and more importantly that formal efforts to devolve authority are being rendered ineffective by informal pressures and control mechanisms. Discussion reflects on the state of play in Chinese public administration studies, and urges public policy researchers examining devolution in China to account for both formal reforms and everyday "lived experiences." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslide hazard prediction is a difficult, timeconsuming process when traditionalmethods are used. This paper presents a method that uses machine learning to predict landslide hazard levels automatically. Due to difficulties in obtaining and effectively processing rainfall in landslide hazard prediction, and to the existing limitation in dealing with large-scale data sets in theM-chameleon algorithm, a new method based on an uncertain DM-chameleon algorithm (developed M-chameleon) is proposed to assess the landslide susceptibility model. First, this method designs a new two-phase clustering algorithm based on M-chameleon, which effectively processes large-scale data sets. Second, the new E-H distance formula is designed by combining the Euclidean and Hausdorff distances, and this enables the new method to manage uncertain data effectively. The uncertain data model is presented at the same time to effectively quantify triggering factors. Finally, the model for predicting landslide hazards is constructed and verified using the data from the Baota district of the city of Yan'an, China. The experimental results show that the uncertain DM-chameleon algorithm of machine learning can effectively improve the accuracy of landslide prediction and has high feasibility. Furthermore, the relationships between hazard factors and landslide hazard levels can be extracted based on clustering results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ethics-related beliefs of Chinese international graduate students are heavily influenced by their academic cultural background, and given the nature of that culture, they often face challenges when adapting to the U.S. academic environment. This qualitative study examines Chinese graduate students' perceptions of the differences between Chinese and American academic integrity practices and the effects of those differences on their ethical practices and adaptations in a graduate program in the United States. Data were collected via semistructured interviews in a public university in the United States. Findings suggest that perceptions of academic integrity in Chinese universities are influenced by Confucian philosophy, collectivist assumptions, and a resultant convenience mind-set. These cultural premises clash with academic expectations in the United States. Participants describe how they, and their Chinese peers, navigate U.S. integrity standards and provide recommendations for ways that U.S. schools can help them better adjust. We expand on those and provide recommendations for university personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolated power systems (IPS) are often characterized by a weak grid due to small power grids. The grid side voltage is no longer equivalent to an ideal voltage source of an infinitely big power grid. The conversion control of new energy sources, parameter perturbations as well as the load itself can easily cause the system voltage to oscillate or to become unstable. To solve this problem, increasing the energy-storage power sources is usually used to improve the reliability of a system. In order to provide support for the voltage, the energy-storage power source inverter needs an method to control the voltage source. Therefore, this paper has proposed the active damping control of a voltage source inverter (VSI) based on virtual compensation. By simplifying the VSI double closed-loop control, two feedback compensation channels have been constructed to reduce the VSI output impedance without changing the characteristics of the voltage gain of a system. This improvement allows systems to operate stably in a larger range. A frequency-domain analysis, and simulation and experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was conducted to estimate the genetic parameters and breeding values of breast meat related traits of Pekin ducks. Selection response was also determined by using ultrasound breast muscle thickness (BMT) measurements in combination with bosom breadth (BB) and keel length (KL) values. Methods: The traits analyzed were breast meat weight (BMW), body weight (BW), breast meat percentage (BMP) and the three parameters of breast meat (BB, KL, and BMT). These measurements were derived from studying 15,781 Pekin ducks selected from 10 generations based on breast meat weight. Genetic parameters and breeding value were estimated for the analysis of the breeding process. Results: Estimated heritability of BMW and BMP were moderate (0.23 and 0.16, respectively), and heritability of BW was high (0.48). Other traits such as BB, KL, and BMT indicated moderate heritability ranging between 0.11 and 0.28. Significant phenotypic correlations of BMW with BW and BMP were discovered (p<0.05), and genetic correlations of BMW with BW and BMP were positive and high (0.83 and 0.66, respectively). It was noted that BMW had positive correlations with all the other traits. Generational average estimated breeding values of all traits increased substantially over the course of selection, which demonstrated that the ducks responded efficiently to increased breast meat yield after 10 generations of breeding. Conclusion: The results indicated that duck BMW had the potential to be increased through genetic selection with positive effects on BW and BMP. The ultrasound BMT, in combination with the measurement of BB and KL, is shown to be essential and effective in the process of high breast meat yield duck breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian cancer is the second most frequently occurring cancer and the most fatal gynecological malignancy of all gynecological cancers worldwide. MicroRNAs (miR) have been reported to be downregulated or upregulated in a variety of human malignancies, and involved in the formation and progression of the majority of human cancers, including epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). miR-320 has been identified as a tumor suppressor in multiple human cancers. However, the expression levels, biological role and underlying mechanisms of miR-320 in EOC remain to be elucidated. In the present study, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to detect miR-320 expression in EOC tissues and cell lines. Following transfection with miR-320 mimics, Cell Counting Kit 8 and cell invasion assays were utilized to investigate the effects of miR-320 on EOC cell proliferation and invasion. Bioinformatic analysis, luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to explore the underlying mechanism of how miR-320 affects cell proliferation and invasion in EOC. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) 1 expression and its association with the miR-320 expression level was examined in EOC tissues. The role of MAPK1 in EOC cells was additionally evaluated by using a loss-of-function assay. The results demonstrated that miR-320 was markedly downregulated in EOC tissues and cell lines. A decreased miR-320 expression was significantly correlated with the Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage and lymph node metastasis of EOC patients. Additionally, reintroduction of miR-320 expression suppressed cell proliferation and invasion in EOC. Furthermore, it was verified that MAPK1 is a direct target gene of miR-320 in EOC. MAPK1 expression was markedly upregulated in EOC tissues and inversely correlated with miR-320 expression. Furthermore, silencing of MAPK1 by RNA interference inhibited cell proliferation and invasion of EOC cells. Overall, the present study demonstrated that miR-320 may act as a useful diagnostic and therapeutic target in the treatment of EOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an optimization model using a novel robust preference relationship| reference-based almost stochastic dominance (RSD). The concept of RSD addresses the two problems in utility-based decision making: (i) ambiguity and inaccuracy in characterizing the decision maker's individual risk attitude, and (ii) overconservativeness of stochastic dominance representing general properties of risk aversion. The RSD rule reveals the maximum dominance level quantifying the robustness of the decision maker's preference between alternative choices. We first develop an approximation model using Bernstein polynomials, show the asymptotic convergence of its optimal value and set of optimal solutions to their true counterparts as the degree of Bernstein polynomials increases, and analyze the convergence rate of its feasible region. We next develop a cut-generation algorithm to solve the approximation model. Finally, we further adapt this cut-generation algorithm to seek a valid option most robustly preferable to a random benchmark. The effectiveness and computational complexity of the model have been illustrated using a portfolio optimization problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological restoration can result in extensive land use transitions which may directly impact on water runoff and sediment loss and thus influence tradeoffs between multiple hydrological and soil ecosystem services. However, quantifying the effect of these transitions on runoff and sediment yields has been a challenge over large spatial scales. This study integrated and synthesized 43 articles and 331 runoff experimental plots in the Loess Plateau of China under natural rainfall to quantify the impacts of land use transitions on (a) runoff and sediment production, (b) runoff and soil loss reduction effectiveness, and (c) the tradeoffs between runoff and soil erosion. The effects of ecological restoration on runoff and sediment yields were quantified using a general mixed linear meta-regression model with a restricted maximum likelihood estimator on overall and individual ecological restoration types. The results showed that artificial grassland, forest, natural grassland, and shrubland had higher runoff and sediment reduction effectiveness. The annual runoff reduction effectiveness of the ecological restoration overall was 72.18% with the effects of artificial grassland, natural grassland, shrubland, and forest at 71.89%, 50.60%, 73.18%, and 73.08%, respectively. The annual sediment reduction effectiveness of the overall ecological restoration was 99.9% without a significant difference among the four land uses associated with ecological recovery. In addition, shrubland and forest significantly reduced sediment yields with relatively high runoff costs. Natural grassland was optimal for balancing water provisioning and soil conservation, and artificial grassland was second to natural grassland in this respect. Meanwhile, newly unmanaged abandoned land and cropland had relative weak functionality with regard to soil and water conservation. The implications of this study's findings are discussed along with their potential to contribute to an improved understanding of the effects of ecological restoration on water supply and soil retention for the water-limited terrestrial ecosystem at a regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: We aimed to characterize the effect of home enteral nutrition (HEN) on the nutritional status and the quality of life (QOL) of esophageal cancer patients who underwent Ivor Lewis esophagectomy for cancer.Methods and Study Design: Sixty patients with esophageal cancer were assigned to receive either HEN (n=30) or standard care only (n=30) from 1 week to 24 weeks following surgery. Nutritional status was evaluated using The Mini Nutritional Assessment at 1 week preoperatively and at 12 and 24 weeks postoperatively. QOL-related parameters were analyzed in all patients using the QOL-core 30 questionnaire and the supplemental QOL-esophageal module 18 questionnaire for patients with esophageal cancer from 1-24 weeks after surgery.Results: At 12 weeks after surgery, the incidence of malnutrition or latent malnutrition in the HEN group was lower than that in the control group despite the absence of a significant difference between the two groups before surgery. Compared to the control group, the HEN group achieved higher Global QOL scores, and most of their functional index scores were better. Most of the symptomatic index scores were more reduced at 4 weeks and 12 weeks postoperatively in the HEN group. However, at 24 weeks after surgery, the incidence of malnutrition or latent malnutrition and most of the QOL indexes did not differ significantly between the two groups.Conclusions: HEN can reduce the incidence of malnutrition or latent malnutrition and help restore the QOL in the patients with esophageal cancer in the early period (24 weeks) after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The torque-controlled motor servo system is widely used in many industrial applications. However, input saturation often occurs due to the limitation of the actuator output ability, which may worsen the system control performance. In this paper, in order to inhibit the impact of input saturation on the system, a single-hidden-layer neural network based observer is designed to estimate the value of input saturation, which could later be compensated in the proposed controller. In addition, an adaptive law is introduced to estimate the unknown parameters, and a nonlinear robust term is designed to overcome the time-varying disturbances and other compensation errors. The Lyapunov theorem is used to prove the stability of the proposed controller with the neural network-based observer. Extensive comparative experimental results are obtained to verify the high-performance of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A concise and highly enantioselective synthesis of colchicine (>99% ee) in eight steps and 9.3% overall yield, without the need for protecting groups, was developed. A unique Wacker oxidation was used for enabling regioselective construction of the highly oxidized and synthetic challenging tropolone C-ring. Furthermore, asymmetric syntheses of β-lumicolchicine and N-acetylcolchinol-O-methyl ether (NCME) were achieved. Notably, NCME was synthesized from β-lumicolchicine by an unusual decarbonylation and electrocyclic ring-opening cascade reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of silent information regulation of transcription 1 (Sirt1) action on apoptosis in chondrocytes and degradation of the extracellular matrix. Cartilage tissue samples were derived from knee arthroplasty of patients with osteoarthritis (OA). The three groups were as follows: Control, resveratrol (Res) and Res+small interfering (si)RNA (Res+siRNA Sirt1). The level of Sirt1 protein expression significantly increased in the Res group (1.03±0.10) compared with the control (0.22±0.03) and Res+siRNA (0.18±0.01) groups (both P<0.05). Early and late stage cell apoptosis rates decreased in the Res group and increased in the Res+siRNA group (both P<0.05). B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expression levels were upregulated and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) expression levels were downregulated in the Res group compared with the control group. Protein expression levels of MMP1 and MMP13 and the phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 were downregulated in the Res group and upregulated in the Res+siRNA group. In conclusion, upregulation of Sirt1 expression may inhibit OA chondrocyte apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation by increasing Bcl-2 expression and decreasing Bax, MMP1 and MMP13 expression, via downregulation of p38, JNK and ERK phosphorylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The double-plated structure is extensively applied to the surface ships and submarines. Between the two plates there always exists liquid such as water or oil. When it is exposed to the attack by underwater weapon, the shock wave firstly hits the outer plates, and then it is transmitted into the internal liquid, subsequently to the inner plates. The mechanism in this process is so complex that has been a troublesome problem for a long time. In this paper, a numerical method is developed to solve this problem. The second-order doubly asymptotic approximations (DAA) is used to analyze the external fluid-structure interaction (FSI) effect for the outer fluid field with the outer plates, and cavitating acoustic finite element (CAFE) is used to model the internal FSI effect. Results obtained by this approach show good agreement with results of the excitation problem of 3D fluid-filled shell by a plane step wave. Last, two experiments are implemented to validate the method. From the comparative results, it shows that the simulation results coincide well with tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological transformation of production consumption is an effective channel of establishing ecological agriculture mechanism. In this paper, based on TPB (Theory of Planed Behavior), using factor analysis and regression analysis, empirical test on formation mechanism of farmer production consumption ecologization behavior transformation is conducted. Research results show that behavior attitude, subjective norm and control cognition of farmer production consumption ecologization have significantly positive influences on behavior response of farmer production consumption ecologization. Among them, power of behavior attitude is farmer's economic rationality and ecological rationality; power of subjective norm is system norm, government guidance and social pressure; power of control cognition is policy judgment and ability perception. Finally, for the analyzed conclusions, policy suggestions are proposed from many aspects, which could provide reference effect for guiding farmer production consumption ecologization and establishing rural eco-civilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minimally invasive techniques have been widely applied in general thoracic surgery. Compared with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), due to its theoretic superiority, robotic surgery is challenging the traditional position of VATS. With its unique advantages, including 3D vision and a high-freedom endowrist, it leads to easier lymph node dissection, more convenient blood vessel dissection, a shorter learning curve and competence for the completion of complex surgery. However, as a new surgical technology, the safety and efficacy of robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) still need to be further verified. Thus, in this article, we review and summarize the application of RATS versus VATS in general thoracic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses a new method of international oil price fluctuation warning using case-based reasoning (CBR). The aim of this work presented here is to provide effective warning knowledge for decision-makers. At first, we design the similarity calculation methods according to the different case feature, such as crisp number, interval number, crisp symbols and fuzzy linguistic variables. The similarity of each feature is calculated between target case and each historical case, which step gets a similarity matrix. The CBR system that employs relative distance measure model with the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) in the ensemble frame is named as relative distance case-based reasoning (RDCBR). At the same time, we introduce RDCBR in international oil price fluctuation prediction and analyze the obtained results of oil price fluctuation prediction, comparing them with those provided by the other two well-known CBR models with Euclidean distance (ECBR) and Manhuttan distance (MCBR) as its heart of retrieval. Empirical results indicate that RDCBR outperforms ECBR, MCBR, which can effectively improve the accuracy of CBR system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is configured by three braking models including pneumatic mechanical braking, energy regenerative braking and eddy current braking. In the process of Mechanical-Electric-Magnetic integrated braking, control network provides information for the sharing channel for coordinated control. In this article, the related information of large-scale HEV mechanical-electric-magnetic integrated braking is analysed. Based on controller area network (CAN) and SAE J1939, the integrated braking control network structure is designed and the application layer protocol is developed. Based on mathematical analysis method, the integrated braking control network real-time performance is analysed. Applying hardware in loop (HIL) method, the validity of the integrated braking control network is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new composite ZnO-coated SiC filter with photocatalytic and antibacterial properties was prepared via a simple sol-gel method. The crystallinity, grain size, and ZnO loadings played important roles in the photocatalytic and antibacterial properties of as-prepared materials. The high-efficiency photocatalytic and antibacterial properties resulted from the active oxidizing reagents and released Zn2+, respectively. The possible formation of an n-p junction between n-type ZnO and p-type SiC filter support is considered as another reason for enhanced photocatalytic performance (i.e., the effective degradation of methyl orange (MO) solution). Antibacterial activity of as-prepared samples against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus (without UV light) were also examined; after 30 min sterilization, the samples removed a maximum of 97.6 and 99.9% of these bacteria, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to visualize the 2D spatial distribution of the structural change in the phase transition from crystal form II to I of isotactic polybutene-1 spherulite grown from the melt, the time-dependent measurement of the 2D polarized FTIR spectra has been performed. At a melt-isothermal crystallization temperature of 103 °C, the square-shape spherulite appeared from the melt and grew with time. When the isothermal crystallization occurred at 98 °C, the round-shaped spherulite was observed. In both cases, after the temperature jump to an ambient temperature, the 2D images changed clearly in the process of the phase transition from form II to form I, but the spherulite morphology itself was not changed detectably. The polarized IR imaging has revealed the preferential orientation of the crystallites in the spherulite. In the case of the spherulite grown at 103 °C, the ab plane is oriented in parallel to the spherulite plane and the molecular chains stand along the normal to the surface. On the other hand, in the spherulite grown at 98 °C, the chains were found to lie on the spherulite plane preferentially. Such a difference in the crystal orientation in the spherulite is related intimately with the outer shape of the spherulite and also with the growth mechanism of the spherulite. In this way, the polarized 2D IR imaging was found to be quite useful for the in situ detection of the time-dependently changing 2D spatial distribution of the crystallites in the spherulite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human 3α-HSD3 (3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3) plays an essential role in the inactivation of the most potent androgen 5α-DHT (5α-dihydrotestosterone). The present study attempts to obtain the important structure of 3α-HSD3 in complex with 5α-DHT and to investigate the role of 3α- HSD3 in breast cancer cells. We report the crystal structure of human 3α-HSD3·NADP+ ·A-dione (5α-androstane-3,17- dione)/epi-ADT (epiandrosterone) complex, which was obtained by co-crystallization with 5α-DHT in the presence of NADP+ . Although 5α-DHT was introduced during the crystallization, oxidoreduction of 5α-DHT occurred. The locations of A-dione and epi-ADT were identified in the steroid-binding sites of two 3α-HSD3 molecules per crystal asymmetric unit. An overlay showed that A-dione and epi-ADT were oriented upside-down and flipped relative to each other, providing structural clues for 5α-DHT reverse binding in the enzyme with the generation of different products.Moreover, we report the crystal structure of the 3α-HSD3·NADP+ ·4-dione (4-androstene-3,17-dione) complex. When a specific siRNA (100 nM) was used to suppress 3α- HSD3 expression without interfering with 3α-HSD4, which shares a highly homologous active site, the 5α-DHT concentration increased, whereas MCF7 cell growth was suppressed. The present study provides structural clues for 5α-DHT reverse binding within 3α-HSD3, and demonstrates for the first time that down-regulation of 3α-HSD3 decreases MCF7 breast cancer cell growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) is one of the most common membrane materials, but the intrinsic hydrophobic nature is a major reason for deteriorating performances in water purification. In this work, the influences of atomic layer deposition (ALD) seeding and subsequent ZnO nanorod (NR) growth on the surface morphologies and water permeability of ePTFE membranes was investigated. ZnO-ALD ePTFE membrane showed an order of magnitude increase in water permeation, owing to the substantial increase in surface hydrophilicity and surface area. The best-performing ZnO NRs membrane had a pure water flux (PWF) of 1764.3 L·m-2·h-1 (compared to 153.8 L·m-2·h-1 of the pristine ePTFE membrane). Suspension filtration experiments indicate that the ZnO NRs filter showed an increase of steady-state flux of more than 5 times and an increase of 29.7% in retention compared to that of the ePTFE membrane. Significantly, the novel ZnO NR filter exhibited good photocatalytic performance as demonstrated in the degradation of methyl orange (MO) solution. Therefore, the functionalized membrane can potentially overcome the inherent limitation in the trade-off effect and imply their superiority for controlling water quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical variable ratio steering gear can meet with the requirements of portability and sensitiveness for automobile steering gear. In order to design variable ratio gear pair, the digital design method of variable ratio gear pair for mechanical variable ratio steering gear is put forward based on enveloping principle in this paper. Based on variable transmission ratio, the macroprogram of Boolean subtraction operation is established with three-dimensional modelling software. The generating cutting process of tooth profile enveloping surface for variable ratio gear pair is simulated, and the three-dimensional model of variable ratio gear pair is obtained. After mending the curve surface of tooth profile and virtual assembling variable ratio gear pair, the simulation analysis for variable ratio gear pair is implemented. According to comparison of the transmission ratio curve obtained by simulation and the known design curve, the validity of digital design method is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recirculating ball variable ratio steering gear can meet the requirements of steering portability and sensitiveness for heavy duty vehicle. In order to design variable ratio gear for automobile recirculating ball variable ratio steering gear, the digital design method of variable ratio gear for recirculating ball variable ratio steering gear is put forward based on meshing theory in this paper. The calculation models of the tooth profile point for middle tooth, same section and any cross section are established, respectively. The calculation steps of curved surface point cloud for variable ratio gear are designed, numerical calculation method is presented, and the curved surface point cloud for variable ratio gear is obtained. The transmission ratio of the sample for variable ratio gear is tested under different load to verify the effectiveness of the design method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under urgent steering condition, the lateral force of automotive tire will easy reach saturation state, and result in steering out of control and yaw rate deviating from expectations. Differential braking control will lead to step change of yaw rate which is the disadvantage of driving. According to urgent steering condition, applying urgent steering intention identification and control in advance, the automotive yaw rate coordinated control in advance method is researched based on active front steering and differential braking. Aiming at yaw motion and lateral motion, the 2-DOF (2-degree of freedom) automotive steering dynamic model and tire model are established, the automotive steering saturation angle is calculated, and the urgent steering intention identification model is built. Using hierarchical control strategy, the automotive yaw rate coordinated control process based on active front steering and differential braking is proposed. Based on urgent steering intention identification, automotive information processing and yaw rate allocation control, the coordinated controller model is put forward. According to urgent double lane shift road condition and large curve obstacle avoidance condition, the control performance under urgent steering condition is analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]