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The East Asian summer monsoon in Northeast Asia (NEA) has experienced an increase in summer rainfall and a delayed end to the rainy season after 2000, suggesting a trend of enhancement. Based on the data analyses spanning 1979–2022, our results show that the increased rainfall amounts are associated with a more pronounced Mongolian cyclone (MC) in July–August, a manifestation of a portion of the Eurasian barotropic Rossby wave train. Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the North Atlantic (NA) regulate this wave train, with SST increases leading to its amplification. Somewhat independently, a delayed end to the rainy season in September is related to an enhanced anticyclone over the Kuril Islands (ACKI) in the Russian Far East. This anticyclone originates in the Arctic region, possibly induced by the loss of sea ice in the East Siberian Sea, a condition that can be detected two months in advance. The stronger MC and ACKI jointly contribute to the observed enhancement in the East Asian summer monsoon in NEA since 2000 by facilitating ascending motion and moisture transport. Therefore, the SST anomaly in the NA, which is responsible for the intensified rainfall in the rainy season in NEA, coupled with the sea ice conditions in the East Siberian Sea, provides a potential prediction source for the retreat of the rainy season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effect of ultrasound combined with highland barley dietary fiber (HBDF) on the quality of reduced‐salt chicken breast myofibrillar protein (MP) gel. The molecular forces maintaining gel structure, the gelling formation process, and gel microstructure of different groups, two control groups (2% sodium chloride [NaCl] group, 1% NaCl group), and four treatment groups (0.3% HBDF+U5, 0.3% HBDF+U10, 0.5% HBDF+U5, and 0.5% HBDF+U10) were examined. Results indicated significant improvements (p < 0.05) in gel properties such as water‐holding capacity, textural characteristics, and color of the MP gel of the four treatment groups compared to Control 2 (1% NaCl) group. Furthermore, the second structural alterations were characterized by increase β‐sheet, β‐turn, and random coil structure contents in treatment groups, especially in 0.3% HBDF+U5 and 0.5% HBDF+U5 groups; in addition, the exposure of more hydrophobic groups and the formation of disulfide bonds and hydrogen bonds were promoted in treatment groups, thus enhancing protein aggregation and gel quality. Finally, compared to Control 2 (1% NaCl) group, more compact and uniform gel network structures and pores inside the composite gels were observed in treatment groups. In conclusion, the findings demonstrated that the application of ultrasound in combination with HBDF improved the gelling characteristics of reduced‐salt chicken breast MP gel, especially 0.3% HBDF+U5 and 0.5% HBDF+U5 groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the existence and stability of smooth solutions to the steady Navier-Stokes equations near plane Poiseuille-Couette flow in the absence of any external force in two-dimensional domain Ω = (0 , L) × (0 , 2). Under the assumption 0 < L ≪ 1 , we prove that there exist smooth solutions to the steady Navier-Stokes equations which are stable under infinitesimal perturbations of plane Poiseuille-Couette flow. In particular, if the basic flow is the Couette flow, then through a formal asymptotic expansion including the Euler correctors and weak boundary layer correctors with different scales near the rigid walls y = 0 and y = 2 , we can prove that for any finite disturbance o (1) of the Couette flow in horizontal direction, there still exist stable smooth solutions to the steady Navier-Stokes equations. Finally, based on the same linear estimates, we establish the zero viscosity limit of the solutions obtained above to the solutions of the steady Euler equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prompt identification of fracture healing is crucial for medical decision-making and clinical research. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the Radiographic Union Score for Hip (RUSH) in subtrochanteric fractures and determine the optimal scoring threshold for fracture healing. Methods: We obtained 94 sets of X-ray films from the postoperative follow-up of 35 patients who underwent intramedullary nail fixation for subtrochanteric fractures. Six orthopedic trauma surgeons evaluated the imaging data and determined fracture healing based on subjective judgment. They then scored the X-ray images using the RUSH form. After four weeks, the same observers re-evaluated 47 randomly selected sets of radiographs. Subsequently, the observers and study designer conducted a consensus meeting where they agreed on whether the fractures had healed. We used Fleiss kappa to evaluate agreement among observers based on subjective impressions, and the intraclass correlation coefficient assessed RUSH score consistency. Regression analysis examined the relationship between scores and fracture healing consensus using a receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: Based on overall impressions, the agreement level among orthopedic trauma surgeons for determining the healing status of subtrochanteric fractures was moderate (Kappa = 0.564, 95% CI: 0.511–0.616). However, utilizing the RUSH scoring system can improve the consistency to a substantial level of agreement (ICC = 0.748, 95% CI: 0.663–0.817). Regarding intraobserver reliability, there were significant differences among orthopedic trauma surgeons in judging fracture healing based on overall impressions. However, using the RUSH scoring form, the attending group achieved better intraobserver consistency than the resident group. Regression analysis and ROC curve analysis revealed a strong correlation between the RUSH total score, cortical bone score, cancellous bone score, and consensus on fracture healing. The AUC values are 0.769 (95% CI: 0.670–0.868), 0.779 (95% CI: 0.681–0.876), and 0.771 (95% CI: 0.674–0.867), respectively. Conclusions: Our study highlights the effectiveness of the RUSH scoring system in enhancing interobserver agreement and intraobserver consistency when evaluating subtrochanteric fracture healing in orthopedic trauma surgeons. We propose setting 21 points as the threshold for the simplified RUSH scoring system to determine fracture healing. This system includes only eight items related to cortical bone, with a total score of 24 points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the influence of electromagnetic (EM) effect and load change on the modal characteristics and dynamic response of gear transmission system driven by permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), a electromechanical coupling dynamic model is established. The composite air gap permeability coefficient is introduced, and the formula of permanent magnet flux linkage under the influence of space harmonic and cogging effect is derived. The variation laws of gear meshing stiffness and bearing support stiffness under the influence of load change are simulated and analyzed. The natural frequency and vibration modal under different load, flux linkage and PI controller gain are revealed. On this basis, the influence of EM effect and load change on the resonance domain is analyzed through frequency sweep analysis and time domain simulation. Results indicate that the 1st order natural frequency and resonance amplitude will increase with the load, and the influence of PMSM EM excitation will gradually dominate. The increase of the flux linkage and speed loop controller gain Kpω will reduce the 1st order natural frequency. When Kpω=123, a new mode appears, and there is a modal transition between the new mode and mode 1 when Kpω=161. The research results can provide theoretical guidance for improving the transmission performance and structure optimization design of the permanent magnet gear transmission system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the mechanical property prediction accuracy of AZ80 magnesium alloy, sparrow search algorithm (SSA) is optimized by the tent chaotic mapping (TCM) algorithm, yielding TCMSSA, and TCMSSA is employed to improve extreme learning machine (ELM) model for obtaining TCMSSA-ELM model. TCMSSA-ELM model, along with the traditional ELM model, are both utilized to predict the stress of AZ80 magnesium alloy in a temperature range of 523 K to 673 K and a strain rate range of 0.001s− 1 to 1s− 1. Comparative analysis is conducted to evaluate the performance differences between the two models. The results indicate that compared with ELM model, the predicted values of TCMSSA-ELM model are closer to the experimental data and the ideal 45° line, proving the higher prediction accuracy of TCMSSA-ELM model. In addition, through algorithmic improvements, the maximum reduction of MAPE is 85.422% and the maximum determination coefficient reaches 0.99956, implying that TCMSSA greatly improves the prediction precision of ELM model. The related results offer a new optimization strategy and model to predict the mechanical property of AZ80 magnesium alloy in each molding stage, and provide a technical reference for applying intelligent algorithms to alloy design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study chitosan (CS) films were prepared from a deep eutectic solvent (DES) composed of choline chloride and malonic acid by solvent casting, and the influence of DES content on the structure and properties of the CS films was investigated in detail. It was confirmed by the spectral data that hydrogen bonds and ionic bonds were formed between the CS chains and DES. Structural analysis demonstrated that the crystallization of the CS was greatly hampered and the CS chains were stacked disorderly in films with high DES content. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that DES exerted a significant plasticizing effect. In the case of the plasticized film containing 80 wt% of DES it showed a low glass transition temperature (Tg) of 20 °C. With increasing DES content, the water content of the plasticized films also increased, evidenced by the TGA results. Meanwhile, a structural change from granular to lamellar structure was observed by SEM. In addition, compared with pure CS film, the DES plasticized CS films possessed good fracture toughness and hydrophilicity. These observations suggest that the structure and properties of the CS films can be controlled by changing their DES content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to construct a new numerical scheme for the nonlinear gray radiative transfer (GRT) equations, namely, the asymptotic-preserving (AP) $$H_N^T$$ H N T -based unified gas kinetic scheme (UGKS). The constructed scheme is obtained by combing the UGKS for spatial discretization with the hybrid $$H_N^T$$ H N T method for angular discretization. Since the $$H_N^T$$ H N T is a hybrid angular discrete method of both $${P_N}$$ P N and $${S_N}$$ S N methods, the current $$H_N^T$$ H N T -based UGKS can not only mitigate the ray effects of the $${S_N}$$ S N method largely, but also suppress the oscillations of the original $${P_N}$$ P N method. Furthermore, we show that the current $$H_N^T$$ H N T -based UGKS also inherits the AP property of UGKS. A number of one-dimensional and two-dimensional numerical experiments are presented that validate the performance of the current scheme in both optically thin and thick regimes, as well as in mitigating the ray effects. Moreover, it can capture the initial layer solution without requiring additional treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp is of paramount economic importance and has risen to prominence as a leading species in global aquaculture. Within its natural settings, Litopenaeus vannamei is subjected to a variety of environmental stressors that could negatively impact its survival, growth, and reproductive success. This study was designed to create specific lineages of Litopenaeus vannamei populations for resilience evaluation under stress conditions such as ammonia-N, pH, and salinity. Utilizing an exhaustive animal model that incorporates both genders, we performed a genetic parameter analysis to assess the heritability of stress tolerance traits in Litopenaeus vannamei. Concurrently, correlations among these traits were examined. Our findings lay solid theoretical groundwork for the selective breeding of Litopenaeus vannamei, providing valuable insights into enhancing varieties and improving economic yields. Furthermore, this research effort plays a crucial role in advancing the health and sustainable development of the aquaculture industry. Litopenaeus vannamei stands out globally in aquaculture for its fast growth, broad salt tolerance, disease resistance, and high protein levels. Selective breeding requires the precise estimation of the variance components and genetic parameters for important traits. This study formed lineages from 20 full sibling families of L. vannamei, with progenitors from Thailand and the USA. We then assessed the genetic resilience traits of juvenile shrimp from these families to high ammonia-N, high pH, and low salinity by performing a 96 h acute toxicity test. Mortality rates for the families under 96 h exposure to high ammonia-N, high pH, and low salinity were 19.52–92.22%, 23.33–92.22%, and 19.33–80.00%, respectively, showing significant variance in stress tolerance among families (p < 0.05). Survival heritability estimates, using threshold male and female models, were 0.44 ± 0.12 in high ammonia-N, 0.41 ± 0.12 in high pH, and 0.27 ± 0.08 in low salinity, respectively. Genetic correlations between growth and stress resistance traits varied from 0.0137 ± 0.2406 to 0.8327 ± 0.0781, and phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.0019 ± 0.0590 to 0.6959 ± 0.0107, indicating a low-to-high positive correlation significant at (p < 0.05). It was found that the survival rate of families No. 2 and No. 9 was higher under high ammonia-N and high pH stresses, while the survival rate of family No. 10 was higher under low salinity stress after comparing two selection criteria, the breeding values and phenotypic values. Thus, these three families are identified as potential breeding program candidates. Through the creation of a genetic parameter estimation model, the genetic variances across mating combinations for stress resistance traits were obtained and families with heightened stress resistance were identified, laying the groundwork for enhanced genetic selection of L. vannamei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elasticity is a critical measure of the eating quality of Udon noodles. To characterize the elasticity of Udon noodles, an instrumental method based on the cantilever beam bending test was established. Firstly, the optimum test parameters were determined. Then, texture profile analysis, compression, tension, and cantilever beam bending methods were used to measure the elasticity of 25 commercial Udon noodles with different shapes and sizes, and the correlations between elasticity obtained by the above instrumental methods and sensory evaluation were analyzed. Finally, how the shape and size of Udon noodles influenced their elasticity was discussed in detail. Within the deflection of 2.0 mm, the force increased approximately linearly with increasing deflection, and moderate loading speed (0.5–1.0 mm/s) should be used in the cantilever beam bending experiments to improve the accuracy of results. The bending stiffness obtained by the cantilever beam bending method exhibited a higher coefficient of variation and stronger correlation with the elasticity of sensory evaluation than other instrumental methods. Furthermore, the Udon noodle sample with a higher size, especially the thickness, had higher elasticity, and the Udon noodle sample with a rectangular cross‐section showed higher elasticity than that with a circular cross‐section. In conclusion, the bending stiffness determined by the cantilever beam bending method could be used to characterize the elasticity of cooked Udon noodles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of the partial substitution of fish meal with soybean products and chicken meal on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity and intestinal microbiota of Penaeus monodon. A total of 450 healthy, consistent shrimp were randomly divided into five groups, with three replicates per group and 30 shrimp per replicate. The proportion of fish meal substituted with soybean products and chicken meal in the five feed groups was 0% (FM), 40% (40SC), 60% (60SC), 80% (80SC) and 100% (100SC). The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. The results showed that, compared to the FM group, the 40SC and 60SC groups had a decrease in WG and SR, but there was no significant difference (p > 0.05). In contrast, compared to the FM group, the FCR in the 100SC group was significantly increased (p < 0.05), while there was no significant difference among the FM and 40SC, 60SC and 80SC groups (p > 0.05). Compared to the FM group, the ACP in the 80SC and 100SC groups significantly increased (p < 0.05), while the 40SC and 60SC groups had no significant difference (p > 0.05). The AKP in the 100SC group was significantly higher than that in the FM group (p < 0.05), while there were no significant differences among the other four groups (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in T-AOC and T-SOD among all the treatment groups (p > 0.05). The next-generation sequencing of the intestinal microbiota showed that Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in the five groups, accounting for 37.67%, 66%, 40%, 40% and 43.33%, respectively. Compared to the FM group, the Fusobacteriota in the other four groups decreased significantly (p < 0.05). The functional prediction of FAPROTAX indicated that no functional components were observed which are harmful to the body. Considering the effects on growth performance, antioxidant capacity and intestinal microbiota, it is feasible to use soybean products and chicken meal to replace 60% of fish meal in the feed of P. monodon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is mainly concerned with the global existence and asymptotic behaviour of classical solutions to the three-dimensional (3D) incompressible non-resistive viscous magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations with large initial perturbations in a 3D periodic domain (in Lagrangian coordinates). Motivated by the approximate theory of the ideal MHD equations in Bardos et al. (Trans Am Math Soc 305:175–191, 1988), the Diophantine condition imposed in Chen et al. (Sci China Math 64:1–10, 2021) and the magnetic inhibition mechanism in the version of Lagrangian coordinates analyzed in Jiang and Jiang (Arch Ration Mech Anal 233:749–798, 2019), we prove the global existence of a unique classical solution with some class of large initial perturbations, where the intensity of impressed magnetic fields depends increasingly on the H 17 × H 21 -norm of the initial velocity and magnetic field perturbations. Our result not only mathematically verifies that a strong impressed magnetic field can prevent the singularity formation of classical solutions with large initial data in the viscous MHD case, but also provides a starting point for the existence theory of large perturbation solutions to the 3D non-resistive viscous MHD equations. In addition, we also show that for large time or sufficiently strong impressed magnetic fields, the MHD equations converge to the corresponding linearized pressureless equations in the algebraic convergence-rates with respect to both time and field intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern omics technologies can generate massive amounts of biomedical data, providing unprecedented opportunities for individualized precision medicine. However, traditional statistical methods cannot effectively process and utilize such big data. To meet this new challenge, machine learning algorithms have been developed and applied rapidly in recent years, which are capable of reducing dimensionality, extracting features, organizing data and forming automatable data-driven clinical decision systems. Data-driven clinical decision-making have promising applications in precision medicine and has been studied in digestive diseases, including early diagnosis and screening, molecular typing, staging and stratification of digestive malignancies, as well as precise diagnosis of Crohn's disease, auxiliary diagnosis of imaging and endoscopy, differential diagnosis of cystic lesions, etiology discrimination of acute abdominal pain, stratification of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), and real-time diagnosis of esophageal motility function, showing good application prospects. Herein, we reviewed the recent progress of data-driven clinical decision making in precision diagnosis of digestive diseases and discussed the limitations of data-driven decision making after a brief introduction of methods for data-driven decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many engineering applications, repeated wetting and drying is one of the most destructive processes which can lead to continuous damage to in situ rocks. Worse still, the situation is exacerbated if the action is coupled with flowing water conditions. In this work, the effects of wetting–drying (W-D) cycles on the failure characteristics of tunnels excavated in the gypsiferous strata were investigated by using the particle flow code. The meso-mechanical parameters of gypsiferous rock models under different W-D cycles at different flow rates (0, 10, and 20 l/h) were determined by the trial-and-error method. A two-dimensional 1/180 scale model of the tunnel was established based on the working principle of centrifuge. The evolution characteristics of force chains and fractures in the excavation disturbance zone (EDZ) under different conditions of W-D cycles and flow rates were analyzed. Furthermore, the formation mechanism of the problems in the South Lvliang Mountain Tunnel was discussed, and some prevention measures were suggested. The results showed that with increasing W-D cycles and flow rates, the fractures and disappearance zones of force chains in the EDZ gradually increase, while the influence of flow rates on their distribution becomes significant. With increasing W-D cycles and flow rates, under the unsupported condition, the development characteristics of growth curves of fractures will gradually transition from “rapid growth to stability” to “rapid growth to slow growth.” Under the support condition, the development characteristics of growth curves of fractures will gradually transition from “rapid growth to stability” to “rapid growth to fluctuating growth, and then stability,” and then to “rapid growth to slow growth, and then rapid fluctuating growth.” The flow rates will greatly accelerate the deterioration of surrounding rocks caused by the action of W-D cycles, thus causing the lining damage in a shorter time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors are concerned with the sharp interface limit for an incompressible Navier-Stokes and Allen-Cahn coupled system in this paper. When the thickness of the diffuse interfacial zone, which is parameterized by ε, goes to zero, they prove that a solution of the incompressible Navier-Stokes and Allen-Cahn coupled system converges to a solution of a sharp interface model in the L∞(L2) ∩ L2(H1) sense on a uniform time interval independent of the small parameter ε. The proof consists of two parts: One is the construction of a suitable approximate solution and another is the estimate of the error functions in Sobolev spaces. Besides the careful energy estimates, a spectral estimate of the linearized operator for the incompressible Navier-Stokes and Allen-Cahn coupled system around the approximate solution is essentially used to derive the uniform estimates of the error functions. The convergence of the velocity is well expected due to the fact that the layer of the velocity across the diffuse interfacial zone is relatively weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) is considered a safe and feasible treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in recent studies. However, in elderly patients, application of LH still remains controversial, and the outcomes of LH versus open hepatectomy (OH) have not been fully evaluated. Our objective is to compare the short- and long-term outcomes of LH with OH in elderly patients with HCC. Materials and Methods: All studies comparing LH and OH in elderly patients with HCC were systematically searched in the databases of PubMed, EmBase, and Web of Science. Statistical analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.3 (Cochrane Collaboration, 2014). The last search was performed on March 20, 2022. Short-term outcomes include blood loss, operation time, blood transfusion, overall and major postoperative complications, mortality, hospital stay, tumor size, and surgical margin. Long-term outcomes include 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS); 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS); and 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results: Fourteen studies involving 1596 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The short-term outcomes of LH were a shorter postoperative hospital stay and fewer overall and major postoperative complications (all P < .00001). However, there were no significant differences in operation time, blood loss, blood transfusion rate, surgical margin, tumor size, and mortality. For the long-term outcomes, LH is comparable with OH in terms of 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS; 1-, 3-, and 5-year DFS; and 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS. Conclusions: Compared with OH, LH is a safe and feasible treatment for elderly patients with HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservative post-transcriptional modification in mammals and Drosophila is adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) deamination in double-stranded RNA, catalyzed by RNA-editing enzymes known as adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs). The traditional nuclear import pathway for ADARs involves the recognition of a putative classical nuclear localization sequence (NLS) by importin α4 and α5. In our previous research, ADAR in silkworm, Bombyx mori (BmADARa) was confirmed predominantly located in the nucleus. However, the location of the NLS in BmADARa and its impact on nuclear import and self-dimerization remained unclear. Utilizing NLS prediction software, we predicted the presence of a bipartite NLS within the amino-terminal, 85 amino acids of BmADARa (N85). This prediction was validated through point mutation, which demonstrated that the bipartite NLS could directly mediate nuclear import of BmADARa. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that BmADARa is mainly dependent on BmKaryopherin α3 (homologous to mammalian importin α4) for nuclear import, although both BmKaryopherin α3 and BmImportin α5 could recognize bipartite NLS. The N-terminal truncated mutants and the bipartite NLS mutants of BmADARa suggest that the bipartite NLS is the major nuclear import site and a crucial structure for self-dimerization of BmADARa. In conclusion, the N-terminal bipartite NLS of BmADARa is recognized by BmKaryopherin α3 and BmImportin α5, facilitating its nuclear import. This promotes BmADARa self-dimerization and maintains the stability of dimerization, thereby enhancing its editing efficiency on target substrates. The results of this research demonstrate the role of bipartite NLS in BmADARa editing and laying a foundation for further research on the regulation of BmADARa in the growth and development in B. mori. [Display omitted] • BmADARa harbors two distinct nuclear localization signals (NLS), a classical NLS (bipartite NLS) and a nonclassical NLS. • Nuclear import of BmADARa is mainly dependent on bipartite NLS recognition by BmKaryopherin α3. • The bipartite NLS can stabilize the self-dimerization of BmADARa and promote the editing efficiency on BmSytⅠ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A squaramide‐catalyzed asymmetric Michael/cyclization tandem reaction between 2‐isothiocyanato‐1‐indanones and 2‐arylidene‐1,3‐indanediones was developed. Under this strategy, the corresponding chiral bispirocyclic indanone compounds containing two contiguous stereocenters were obtained under mild conditions in moderate to excellent yields (up to 99 %) and enantioselectivities (up to 98 % ee). In addition, further transformation experiments were achieved through the oxidation and methylation reactions of the product, which also confirmed the synthetic practicality of this synthetic strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geological disasters on the slopes of open-pit mine dumps in energy extraction fall into the category of mine production process safety. For the mine safety, it is crucial to accurately predict the landslide risk of open-pit mine dumps. In order to prevent landslide geological disasters in open-pit mine dumps under the effect of heavy rainfall, this study establishes a fast and accurate landslide risk prediction model for open-pit mine dumps based on machine learning (ML). Given the actual geological conditions and rainfall of the slope of an open-pit mine dump in Shaanxi Province, Geo-Studio software is used to calculate the factor of slope safetyunder different states, and the gradient boosting regression tree (GBRT) algorithm model is used to predict the factor of slope safety. The comparison with the prediction results of different algorithms shows that the GBRT model has the highest prediction accuracy; meanwhile, the GBRT model predicts the factor of safety (FOS=1.283) for the bench slope of the dumps under the rainfall intensity (q=87 mm/d) of the "20-year rainstorm recurrence period", and its error is smaller than that calculated by the numerical simulation analysis (FOS=1.289). Therefore, the GBRT model has better applicability in predicting the safety factors of open-pit mine dumps slope under the effect of heavy rainfall, which is of great significance to realize the early warning of landslide risk in open-pit mine dumps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-k dielectric materials are indispensable as gate layers for micro- and nano-electronic devices. Using first-principles calculations and non-equilibrium Green's function simulations, we studied the electrical transport characteristics of p-type and n-type monolayer MoS2 field effect transistors (FETs) under various gate dielectric environments. We found that the intrinsic dielectric property of the gate insulator played an important role in the transport performance of nanodevices. For both types of MoS2 FETs, a high-k gate insulator enhances the current on/off ratio and reduces the subthreshold swing by properly shifting the valence (p-type) or conduction (n-type) bands around the bias energy window, which has benefits for the design of MoS2-based short-channel nanodevices in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrasound-assisted quinoa protein increased cooking yield, texture properties. • A more compact gel structure facilitated with ultrasound-assisted quinoa protein. • Ultrasound-assisted quinoa protein enhanced the thermal durability of meatballs. • Ultrasound-assisted quinoa protein improved the gel properties of the meatballs. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ultrasound treatment times (30 min and 60 min) and levels of quinoa protein (QPE) addition (1 % and 2 %) on the quality of Chinese style reduced-salt pork meatballs, commonly known as lion's head. The water-holding capacity (WHC), gel and rheology characteristics, and protein conformation were assessed. The results indicated that extending the ultrasound treatment time and elevating the quinoa protein content caused conspicuous improvements (P <0.05) in the cooking yield, WHC, textural characteristics, color difference, and salt-soluble protein (SSP) solubility of the meatballs. Furthermore, the structural alterations induced by the ultrasound treatment combined with quinoa protein addition included enhancement in β-sheet, β-turn, and random coil structure contents, along with a red-shift in the intrinsic fluorescence peak. Additionally, the storage (G') and loss modulus (G") of the raw meatballs significantly enhanced (P <0.05), indicating a denser gel structure in parallel with the microstructure. In conclusion, the findings demonstrated that ultrasound combined with quinoa protein enhanced the WHC and texture properties of Chinese style reduced-salt pork meatballs by improving SSP solubility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG), a live attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis, is the most successful microbial immunotherapy of cancer in current use. Intravesical treatment with BCG is recommended for most patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). In patients with NMIBC, treatment with BCG is associated with reduced risk of bladder cancer recurrence and progression compared to transurethral resection alone. Here, we summarize current data regarding the mechanism of BCG and review indications and recommended practice for BCG treatment of bladder cancer. BCG is a live attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis that is primarily used as a vaccine against tuberculosis. In the past four decades, BCG has also been used for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). In patients with NMIBC, BCG reduces the risk of tumor recurrence and decreases the likelihood of progression to more invasive disease. Despite the long-term clinical experience with BCG, its mechanism of action is still being elucidated. Data from animal models and from human studies suggests that BCG activates both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system eventually leading to tumor destruction. Herein, we review the current data regarding the mechanism of BCG and summarize the evidence for its clinical efficacy and recommended indications and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-temperature plasma water treatment technology has attracted more and more attention due to its nonselectivity and no secondary pollution. However, high energy consumption limits its further development. In this experiment, a three-electrode structure combining a needle-plate structure and a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) structure is proposed. The discharge characteristics of the three-electrode structure are studied under the matched all-solid-state pulsed power supply. The results show that three discharges are generated at this three-electrode load within one pulse period. It greatly increases the number of discharges per pulse. Under the same pulse voltage condition, the injected power of the three-electrode load is much higher than the power of the single DBD load. When the voltage is 13 kV, the input power of three-electrode load is increased by 70% compared to single DBD load. When the needle-plate gap is constant, with the increase of DBD air gap, the injected power of the three-electrode load has a maximum value. When the DBD air gap remains unchanged, the injected power of the three-electrode load decreases with the increase of the needle-plate gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated wetting and drying is one of the most destructive actions that can induce continuous damage to in-situ rocks in many engineering applications. The situation is exacerbated if the action is coupled with flowing water conditions. In this work, the wet–dry (W–D) deterioration characteristics of gypsiferous rocks surrounding underground excavations were investigated. A series of tests at different W–D cycles with different flow rates (0, 10, and 20 l/h) were conducted on gypsiferous specimens to reveal the deterioration behaviors. The change in rock pore structure was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method and the deterioration characteristics in its mechanical properties were investigated by the P-wave velocity test. Based on the disturbed state concept (DSC), a W–D deterioration model was established. The results showed that repeated W–D actions led to the formation of visible cracks which enhanced the dissolution of gypsiferous rocks, while the loose particles detached from the rock matrix were carried away by the flowing water, resulting in an uneven diameter reduction in the specimens. The damage of internal micro-porestructure and enlargement of internal pores were induced also by the combined action of the W–D processes and water flow. The feasibility of using the pore structure parameters to characterize the deterioration in the mechanical properties of gypsiferous rocks due to W–D actions at different water flow rates was demonstrated based on the proposed deterioration model. This study can provide a useful reference tool to help the engineering design of tunnels under similar geological conditions. Highlights: A series of tests at different W-D cycles with different flow rates for the gypsiferous specimens were designed and conducted. The additional effect of groundwater flow on the cyclic W-D process and the W-D deterioration characteristics of gypsiferous rocks were revealed. A W-D deterioration model based on the disturbed state concept (DSC) was established to describe the damage of gypsiferous rocks caused by different W-D cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is still open whether the inhibition phenomenon of the Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) instability by a horizontal magnetic field can be mathematically verified for a non-resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) fluid in a two-dimensional (2D) horizontal slab domain, since it was roughly verified in the linearized case by Wang in [43]. In this paper, we show that this inhibition phenomenon can be rigorously verified in the (nonlinear) inhomogeneous, incompressible, inviscid case with velocity damping. More precisely, we show that there is a critical number m C , such that if the strength | m | of a horizontal magnetic field is bigger than m C , then the small perturbation solution around the magnetic RT equilibrium state is exponentially stable in time. Moreover, we also provide a nonlinear instability result for the case | m | ∈ (0 , m C). Our instability result reveals that a horizontal magnetic field can not inhibit the RT instability, if it's strength is too small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR), as a newly discovered and difficult-to-culture bacterium, accounts for the majority of the bacterial domain, which may be related to various oral diseases, including dental caries. Restricted by laboratory culture conditions, there is limited knowledge about oral CPR. Advances in metagenomics provide a new way to study CPR through molecular biology. Here, we used metagenomic assembly and binning to reconstruct more and higher quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of CPR from oral dental plaque. These MAGs represent novel CPR species, which differed from all known CPR organisms. Relative abundance of different CPR MAGs in the caries and caries-free group was estimated by mapping metagenomic reads to newly constructed MAGs. The relative abundance of two CPR MAGs was significantly increased in the caries group, indicating that there might be a relationship with caries activity. The detection of a large number of unclassified CPR MAGs in the dataset implies that the phylogenetic diversity of CPR is enormous. The results provide a reference value for exploring the ecological distribution and function of uncultured or difficult-to-culture microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nanosecond pulse generator, which works continuously at megahertz repetition rate, plays an important role in high-energy accelerators, electromagnetic biological effects, pulse laser modulation, and other fields. However, due to its own frequency limitation, a single SiC MOSFET switch cannot reach the required frequency. The use of multichannel MOSFET will make the drive control become more complex, thus facing more serious electromagnetic interference at high frequency. In this article, the method of pulse superposition is used to realize the output of megahertz pulse. At the same time, a delay driving circuit applied to the megahertz pulsed power supply is proposed. This solid-state hardware delay is carried out by using the deep saturation principle of the transistor, and multiple switches can be driven by only one signal. To verify its working principle, the experimental prototype is built which is composed of two modules. A single module contains two switches in parallel to achieve frequency superposition. Two modules are connected in series to increase the output voltage. The results show that the circuit can work stably at 1-MHz frequency. The repetitive pulse output with amplitude of 1.5 kV and pulsewidth of 320 ns can be obtained on the resistive load. Adding a truncated signal under a capacitive load, it can also achieve a voltage output with frequency of 1 MHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of partial replacement of fish meal with concentrated dephenolized cottonseed protein (CDCP) in feed on growth performance, feed utilization, nonspecific immune responses and gut morphology were studied in black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) using 8‐week feeding trials. Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated to contain five graded levels of CDCP (0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%). Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of 30 shrimp (0.80–0.84 g). Maximum weight gain rate (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), survival rate (SR), apparent feed dry matter digestibility and the number of intestinal folds were recorded at 10% dietary CDCP. Dietary CDCP levels had no significant effect on serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), (p > 0.05). Intestinal microstructures were positively affected by dietary CDCP at the optimal level of 10%, significantly increasing fold height and flod numbers (p < 0.05). Based on the growth performance, feed utilization, proximate composition, enzyme activities and gut morphology, the optimum dietary CDCP level for optimal growth of P. monodon was 10% of the dry diet, corresponding to the replacement ratio of fish meal 33.33%. The results provide a theoretical basis for the designing of feed formulation for black tiger shrimp (P. monodon). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large step-tapered hollow (LSTH) pile is an invented foundation solution for critical infrastructures overlying difficult geological profiles. In this paper, the time-dependent load-transfer model and the theoretical solution for calculating the long-term settlement of the new pile were presented. Using FLAC3D software, the time-dependent bearing characteristics of an LSTH pile were analyzed. A time-dependent load-transfer model (LTM) was employed to describe the time-dependent disturbance characteristics of pile–soil interaction based on the disturbed state concept (DSC). Using this LTM, the relatively intact state was defined by the Kelvin constitutive model, while the fully adjusted state was described by the perfectly viscoplastic constitutive model. Based on the LTM and the governing equations for the pile–soil interaction, an analytical solution for the long-term settlement of the pile was established. The proposed method was verified by means of a case study. The proposed model can be used to describe the time-dependent disturbance characteristics of pile–soil interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spatial second-order scheme for the nonlinear radiative transfer equations is introduced in this paper. The discretization scheme is based on the filtered spherical harmonics (F P N) method for the angular variable and the unified gas kinetic scheme (UGKS) framework for the spatial and temporal variables respectively. In order to keep the scheme positive and second-order accuracy, firstly, we use the implicit Monte Carlo (IMC) linearization method [7] in the construction of the UGKS numerical boundary fluxes. This is an essential point in the construction. Then, by carefully analyzing the constructed second-order fluxes involved in the macro-micro decomposition, which is induced by the F P N angular discretization, we establish the sufficient conditions that guarantee the positivity of the radiative energy density and material temperature. Finally, we employ linear scaling limiters for the angular variable in the P N reconstruction and for the spatial variable in the piecewise linear slopes reconstruction respectively, which are shown to be realizable and reasonable to enforce the sufficient conditions holding. Thus, the desired scheme, called the P P F P N -based UGKS, is obtained. Furthermore, we can show that in the regime ϵ ≪ 1 and the regime ϵ = O (1) , the second-order fluxes can be simplified. And, a simplified spatial second-order scheme, called the P P F P N -based SUGKS, is thus presented, which possesses all the properties of the non-simplified one. Inheriting the merit of UGKS, the proposed schemes are asymptotic preserving. By employing the F P N method for the angular variable, the proposed schemes are almost free of ray effects. Moreover, the above-mentioned way of imposing the positivity would not destroy both AP and second-order accuracy properties. To our best knowledge, this is the first time that spatial second-order, positive, asymptotic preserving and almost free of ray effects schemes are constructed for the nonlinear radiative transfer equations without operator splitting. Therefore, this paper improves our previous work on the first-order scheme [42] which could not be directly extended to high order, while keeping the solution positive. Various numerical experiments are included to validate the properties of the proposed schemes. • A spatial second-order FPN scheme with both AP and PP properties is developed for nonlinear radiative transfer equations. • The scheme is almost free of ray effects, and meanwhile can reduce the Gibbs phenomena in the PN approximation. • The IMC linearization method is used in the construction of the UGKS numerical fluxes to make the solution positive. • A simplified scheme with all properties of the non-simplified one is proposed in regimes ϵ ≪ 1 and ϵ = O (1) to reduce the computational costs. • Numerical experiments have validated the spatial second-order accuracy, AP, PP and almost ray effects free properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Metapenaeus ensis, valued in Chinese aquaculture for its salinity and temperature tolerance, has seen limited research on germplasm evaluation. This study compared M. ensis from Sanya, Zhuhai, and Raoping, China. A nutritional analysis showed no significant differences in ash, moisture, and protein across populations but did reveal variations in fat and sugar content, with Sanya and Raoping having higher fat and Zhuhai having higher sugar. Amino acid composition favored Sanya's population, while a fatty acid analysis highlighted Raoping's advantages. Physiological and biochemical characteristics were similar among populations, but genetic diversity was low, with notable differences between Sanya and Zhuhai populations. The study provides insights into regional germplasm advantages and genetic characteristics for future M. ensis research and breeding. Due to its high tolerance to salinity and temperature, as well as its strong adaptability, Metapenaeus ensis holds an important position in the Chinese aquaculture industry. However, studies on the evaluation of its germplasm resources remain insufficient. This research conducted an in-depth comparative evaluation of M. ensis from three representative farming regions in China: Sanya, Zhuhai, and Raoping. The nutritional analysis of muscle tissue showed no statistically significant differences in crude ash, moisture, and crude protein content among the populations (p > 0.05). However, significant differences were observed in crude fat and total sugar content (p < 0.05). The MeSY and MeRP populations had higher crude fat content than the MeZH population (p < 0.05), while the MeZH population exhibited the highest total sugar content. In terms of amino acid composition, the MeSY population had relatively higher total essential amino acid content and proportion, as well as higher total amino acid content, both of which were statistically significant (p < 0.05). A fatty acid composition analysis further highlighted the advantages of the MeRP population in several key fatty acids (p < 0.05). Physiological and biochemical analyses showed no significant differences among the three populations in total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase activity, or catalase activity (p > 0.05). A genetic diversity analysis indicated that M. ensis has relatively low diversity, with the MeSY population showing higher SNP density and nucleotide diversity. A genetic differentiation analysis revealed significant genetic differentiation between the MeSY and MeZH populations, while differentiation between the MeZH and MeRP populations was relatively smaller. This comprehensive assessment of nutritional components, amino acids, fatty acids, antioxidant capacity, and genetic diversity highlights the advantages of germplasm resources from different regions. These findings provide valuable insights for future research on the genetic characteristics and breeding potential of M. ensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cyclic wetting-drying (W-D) phenomenon, which is a part of weathering processes, plays a vitally important role in affecting rock materials' properties. In this paper, the gypsum breccia, an environmentally sensitive rock, was taken as the research object, which has the characteristics of high solubility. The deterioration behavior of gypsum breccia under W-D cycles with different flow rates was investigated. A one-dimensional water saturation test was conducted to study the coupling mechanism of water saturation-dissolution of gypsum breccia. A series of W-D cycle tests with different flow rates (0, 10, and 20 l/h) for gypsum breccia were conducted to reveal its deterioration behavior. Furthermore, the influence of these effects on the stability of the tunnel was discussed. The results show that gypsum breccia has a coupling behavior of water saturation and dissolution in the water environment. The effect of W-D cycles is the primary reason for the formation of visible cracks in gypsum breccia, while the flowing water will wash away the loose particles caused by the action of W-D cycles and accelerate the development of visible cracks and dissolution in gypsum breccia. The combination of these two actions gradually deteriorates the self-stability of the surrounding rock, which eventually leads to lining damage due to overload. The study can provide references for the engineering design of tunnels in gypsum breccia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the existence and uniqueness of global strong solutions to the equations of an incompressible viscoelastic fluid in a spatially periodic domain, and show that a unique strong solution exists globally in time if the initial deformation and velocity are small for the given physical parameters. In particular, the initial velocity can be large for the large elasticity coefficient. Our result mathematically verifies that the elasticity can prevent the formation of singularities of strong solutions with large initial velocity, thus playing a similar role to viscosity in preventing the formation of singularities in viscous flows. Moreover, for given initial velocity perturbation and zero initial deformation around the rest state, we find, as the elasticity coefficient or time goes to infinity, that (1) any straight line segment l 0 consisted of fluid particles in the rest state, after being bent by a velocity perturbation, will turn into a straight line segment that is parallel to l 0 and has the same length as l 0. (2) the motion of the viscoelastic fluid can be approximated by a linear pressureless motion in Lagrangian coordinates, even when the initial velocity is large. Moreover, the above mentioned phenomena can also be found in the corresponding compressible fluid case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of well‐ordered supramolecular self‐assembly based on cytosine and 4,4′‐bipyridine on Ag(111) has been investigated with subnanometer‐resolved tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) using a low‐temperature ultrahigh‐vacuum scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The co‐deposition of two molecules on the Ag(111) surface held at room temperature results in well‐ordered hydrogen‐bonded monolayer islands, which transform into well‐aligned double‐stranded chains after thermal annealing. Site‐dependent TERS spectra help to identify the packing structures of molecular assemblies. The changes of molecule‐specific vibrational fingerprints across the assemblies can be clearly monitored by combining high‐resolution TERS spectra with advanced multivariate analysis. Furthermore, the peak positions and relative intensities for characteristic vibrational modes of the two molecules are found to vary due to the changes of the local hydrogen bonding and interaction environment in different molecular samples. Our findings demonstrate that TERS is sensitive to the local molecular interactions, provides new potentials to monitor the functionality of molecular architectures on demand, and opens new opportunities to probe surface chemistry at the nanoscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of a "double‐layer" mode of super pulse fractional CO2 laser and a combined treatment of pinprick therapy with fractional CO2 laser for the treatment of atrophic acne scars. Methods: A split‐face and self‐contrast method was applied. A total of 20 patients with atrophic acne scars randomly received the above mentioned therapy on the left or right side of the cheek for 3 times with an interval of 3 months. ECCA scores, IVA scores, patients' satisfaction, VAS scores, and adverse reactions were evaluated. Results: Atrophic acne scars on both sides of the cheek were improved obviously. The ECCA scores showed a significant decrease, while IVA scores significantly increased. Compared with the super pulse fractional CO2 laser group, the decrease of ECCA scores, the increase of IVA scores, and the patients' satisfaction were significantly higher and improvement on V‐shaped and U‐shaped acne scars was significantly better in the combined treatment group. No patients had severe adverse reactions such as blister, infection, or hypertrophic scars. Conclusions: Super pulse fractional CO2 laser and pinprick treatment combined with fractional CO2 laser are both safe and effective therapy for the treatment of atrophic acne scars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the effect of pulsed electric field in cell electroporation attracts more attention, especially tumor ablation. This puts forward higher requirements for pulsed electric field parameters. The shape of the pulse waveform was also required in different electroporation applications. Based on this, a multilevel pulse generator with series capacitor structure was proposed in this article. Besides, it can also obtain the different shapes of the pulse waveforms by controlling the timing of semiconductor switches. The voltage amplitude, the number of pulses, and the pulsewidth are all adjustable. A ten-level test prototype with 11 switches was built. The structure was simple and was more compact. It can work stably under the simulated small resistance load. Finally, when the dc charging voltage was 1 kV, the system can achieve a maximum output voltage of ±500 V. The number of pulse in one pulse sequence was 1–500. The pulsewidth was adjustable from 1 to $10~\mu \text{s}$. By controlling the switch’s timing, it can also obtain the multilevel voltage output, exponential waveform voltage output, and composite waveform output combined narrow pulse with wide pulse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To better understand the risk of genitourinary malignancies in the renal transplant patient. Currently, no consensus exists regarding screening and intervention, with much of the clinical decision-making based on historical practices established before recent progress in immunosuppression protocols and in genitourinary cancer diagnosis and management.Methods: A database of all solid organ transplants performed at the University of Minnesota from 1984 to 2019 was queried for renal transplant recipients in whom development of subsequent urologic malignancies (prostate, bladder, renal, penile, and testicular cancer) was found.Results: Among 6172 renal transplant recipients examined, cumulative incidence of all cancers of genitourinary etiology are presented over an average follow-up time of 10 years. Kidney cancer (combined graft and native), prostate cancer, and bladder cancer each demonstrated respective 30-year incidence of 4.6%, 8.7%, and 1.5% from the time of transplant. By comparison, age-matched data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database demonstrated 30-year cumulative incidence of 1.1%, 11.1%, and 1.7% for kidney cancer, prostate cancer, and bladder cancer respectively. The predominant genitourinary cancer was renal cell cancer, both of the native and of the transplanted kidney (native, n = 64; transplanted, n =11), followed by prostate cancer (n = 63), and bladder cancer (n = 37).Conclusion: In this closely followed cohort of renal transplant recipients, renal cancer occurs at a higher incidence rate than in the non-transplanted population, while a lower rate of prostate cancer was found, with bladder cancer demonstrating a comparable cumulative incidence between transplant patients and the national age-matched population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a bootstrap instability method, we prove the existence of unstable strong solutions in the sense of L 1 -norm to an abstract Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) problem arising from stratified viscous fluids in Lagrangian coordinates. In the proof we develop a method to modify the initial data of the linearized abstract RT problem by exploiting the existence theory of a unique solution to the stratified (steady) Stokes problem and an iterative technique, such that the obtained modified initial data satisfy the necessary compatibility conditions on boundary of the original (nonlinear) abstract RT problem. Applying an inverse transform of Lagrangian coordinates to the obtained unstable solutions and taking then proper values of the parameters, we can further obtain unstable solutions of the RT problem in viscoelastic, magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) flows with zero resistivity and pure viscous flows (with/without interface intension) in Eulerian coordinates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of different feeding frequency (TA: twice/day, TB: 3 times/day, TC: 4 times/day) on the feeding, growth, reproductive performance, body composition and digestive enzyme activity of hepatopancreas of Penaeus monodon broodstock was compared. The living Nereis succinea were used to feed the P. monodon broodstock for 8 weeks to explore the most appropriate feeding frequency during the breeding period. The results showed that the daily feeding amount of P. monodon broodstock increased with the increase of feeding frequency, and the daily feeding amount of TA group was significantly lower than that of TB and TC group (p <.05), but the difference between TB group and TC group was not significant (p >.05). There was no significant difference on the spawning amount, the number of the nauplius I individuals, the hatchability of nauplius, the number of the zoaea larva I individuals, the metamorphosis rate, the gonadal index and the first spawning time when Penaeus monodon broodstock was fed in different frequency (p >.05). The relative fecundity of TA group was significantly lower than that of TB and TC group (p <.05), and the difference between TB and TC group was not significant (p >.05). The spawning interval of TA group was significantly higher than that of TB and TC group (p <.05), and the difference between TB and TC group was not significant (p >.05). The contents of moisture, crude protein, crude fat and ash of the P. monodon broodstock body were not affected by the increase of the feeding frequency (p >.05). The activities of trypsin and lipase in TA group were significantly lower than those in TB and TC group (p <.05), while the activities of pepsin and amylase in different experimental groups were not significantly different (p >.05). According to the results of this study and the actual situation of production, it is suggested that the suitable feeding frequency of nutrition enhancement period during the reproduction of P. monodon broodstock is 3 times/day in the condition of satiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the stability and instability of the magnetic Rayleigh–Bénard problem with zero resistivity. A stability criterion is established, under which the magnetic Bénard problem is stable. The proof is mainly based on a three-layers energy method and an idea of magnetic inhibition mechanism. The stability result first mathematically verifies Chandrasekhar's physical conjecture in 1955 that the thermal instability can be inhibited by a strong (impressed) magnetic field in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) fluids with zero resistivity (based on a linearized steady magnetic Bénard equations). In addition, we also provide an instability criterion, under which the magnetic Rayleigh–Bénard problem is unstable. The instability proof is mainly based on a bootstrap instability method by further developing new techniques. Our instability result shows that the thermal instability still occurs when the (impressed) magnetic field is weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SnO2(ZnO:Sn)m is a new phase recently found in the diagram of a ZnO–SnO2 binary system in the form of a one-dimensional nanowire, which is a new group of superlattice oxide besides the widely known M2O3(ZnO)m (M = trivalent elements, such as In, Ga, and Al, and m = integer). Thereafter, more comprehensive structural and physical properties of SnO2(ZnO:Sn)m are still quite lacking due to the difficulties in high purity synthesis. In this study, we demonstrate a rational design for the growth of SnO2(ZnO:Sn)m superlattice nanowire arrays using a home-built double-tube chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system for the first time. The atomic microstructure of the nanowire array was investigated by Cs-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and a phenomenon of unsaturated Sn occupation in Sn–O octahedral layers was observed. Two new vibrational modes at 276 cm−1 and 698 cm−1 were found in Raman measurement. The photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of SnO2(ZnO:Sn)m superlattice nanowires displays an interesting broad-spectrum emission in the range of around 380–570 nm. Kelvin probe force microscopy reveals that the average work function of SnO2(ZnO:Sn)m nanowires is in the range of 4.05–4.32 eV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anaesthetic effects of eugenol on Penaeus monodon were investigated at the different eugenol concentrations (60, 110, 160 and 210 mg/L), water temperature (21, 26 and 31°C), air exposure time (3, 6, 9 and 12 min) and body weight (2.62 ± 0.27, 6.34 ± 0.36 and 11.43 ± 0.33 g). The anaesthesia and recovery time were recorded. The results showed that the anaesthesia time of the shrimp decreased with the increase in the eugenol concentration and water temperature, and the recovery time increased with the increase of the eugenol concentration and the decrease of water temperature. Under the same eugenol concentrations, the recovery time increased with the increase of air exposure time and body weight. Under the eugenol concentration range of 60–210 mg/L, the recovered rate was 100%. The results indicated that eugenol is a safe and efficient anaesthetic for P. monodon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effects of different levels of vitamin E in feed on the spermatophore regeneration and quality of male Penaeus monodon. The experiment was carried out with the four following treatments: the basal diet no added vitamin E, the diet added 200, 600 and 1,000 mg/kg respectively. Spermatophore regeneration and quality were evaluated by spermatophore weight, sperm count and spermatophore absence rates, which male P. monodon were extruded spermatophore for feeding 20 and 40 days. In the experiment, the weight of the twice regenerated spermatophore of the males added to the vitamin E group was higher than that of the untreated control group. The weight of the first regenerated spermatophore with the addition of 1,000 mg/kg group was the highest and significantly higher than the control group (p <.05), but there was no significant difference among the three groups with different levels of vitamin E. The weight of the second regenerated spermatophore with the addition of 600 mg/kg group was the highest, followed by 1,000 mg/kg group, both of which were higher than the control group and the addition of 200 mg/kg group. Within the same group, the regeneration spermatophore weight showed overall upward trend as the feeding time, twice regenerate experiment spermatophore weight with added to the vitamin E groups were significantly higher than the initial value (p <.05), but three spermatophore weight of male shrimp at the control group had no significant difference. The sperm quantity and the percentage of normal sperm of the twice regenerated spermatophore of the males with added to the vitamin E group was higher than that of the untreated control group, and those of the addition of 200 mg/kg group was significantly higher than that of control group (p <.05). The total number of sperm and the percentage of living sperm of male shrimp in the experimental group decreased with the increase of vitamin E in the feed. Within the same group, the total number of sperm and the percentage of living sperm of male shrimp with added to the vitamin E groups showed overall upward trend as the feeding time and were significantly higher than the initial value (p <.05), but the control group was slightly down and had no significant difference. Comprehensive sperm weight, sperm quantity and living sperm percentage of three indicators, that adding 200 mg/kg of vitamin E in feed could effectively promote the spermatophore regeneration in the male P. monodon and improve the sperm quantity. The experimental results provide a scientific basis for the breeding of P. monodon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a new large step-tapered hollow (STH) pile used in a karst area and its construction method. To reveal the advantages of this pile type, a 15 m dia. STH pile in Ji'an Shenzhen Bridge was simulated using Flac3D software. The vertical bearing capacity was assessed by considering the influences of the width and number of the variable cross-sections and the soil characteristics around the pile. In addition, new large STH piles of two different forms were assessed to expand the practical application of such piles. The results showed that, for a large-diameter pile, the concrete utilisation rate and the vertical bearing capacity of the pile were improved by the design of hollow and variable cross-sections. The optimal range of the taper angle for the large STH pile was found to be 2·68–5·36° and the optimal number of variable cross-sections was found to be between two and four. The bearing capacity increased with an increase in the soil shear strength parameters and the pile was deemed suitable for stiff strata. The results of this work could facilitate design practice for large STH piles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amidation‐dominated re‐assembly strategy is developed to prepare uniform single atom Ni/S/C nanotubes. In this re‐assembly process, a single‐atom design and nano‐structured engineering are realized simultaneously. Both the NiO5 single‐atom active centers and nanotube framework endow the Ni/S/C ternary composite with accelerated reaction kinetics for potassium‐ion storage. Theoretical calculations and electrochemical studies prove that the atomically dispersed Ni could enhance the convention kinetics and decrease the decomposition energy barrier of the chemically‐absorbed small‐molecule sulfur in Ni/S/C nanotubes, thus lowering the electrode reaction overpotential and resistance remarkably. The mechanically stable nanotube framework could well accommodate the volume variation during potassiation/depotassiation process. As a result, a high K‐storage capacity of 608 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 and stable cycling capacity of 330.6 mAh g−1 at 1000 mA g−1 after 500 cycles are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amidation‐dominated re‐assembly strategy is developed to prepare uniform single atom Ni/S/C nanotubes. In this re‐assembly process, a single‐atom design and nano‐structured engineering are realized simultaneously. Both the NiO5 single‐atom active centers and nanotube framework endow the Ni/S/C ternary composite with accelerated reaction kinetics for potassium‐ion storage. Theoretical calculations and electrochemical studies prove that the atomically dispersed Ni could enhance the convention kinetics and decrease the decomposition energy barrier of the chemically‐absorbed small‐molecule sulfur in Ni/S/C nanotubes, thus lowering the electrode reaction overpotential and resistance remarkably. The mechanically stable nanotube framework could well accommodate the volume variation during potassiation/depotassiation process. As a result, a high K‐storage capacity of 608 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 and stable cycling capacity of 330.6 mAh g−1 at 1000 mA g−1 after 500 cycles are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) can produce a large amount of active particles and has many applications in the industry. In order to study the effect of different rising edges, falling edges, and waveform voltages on DBD, a novel all-solid-state bipolar multilevel high-voltage pulse generator is proposed. Compared with other topologies, the proposed system can achieve more levels of waveforms with fewer switches. This article introduces the structure and working principle of the system in detail. Through PSPICE simulation, it is found that the capacitance of the switch junction will generate prepulse for the output. To solve this problem, an improved control strategy is proposed. Finally, a nine-level test prototype is built, which can work steadily under different loads. Meanwhile, different types of output waveforms are allowed to be generated when the control is adjusted. Finally, the main circuit uses 20 power switches and nine energy storage capacitors and this system can achieve a maximum output voltage of ±4 kV, adjustable frequency, and a total of 19 level voltage output (including 0 level). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of long-term stability of rocks surrounding a tunnel considering rock weathering is a challenging topic in tunnel engineering. In this study, a new stability analysis model for wet-dry (W-D) sensitive rocks surrounding underground excavations is presented. Based on the disturbed state concept (DSC) theory, the excavation disturbed zones (EDZ) of a tunnel are defined and their evolution characteristics during the tunnel excavation stage and the operation stage are analyzed. Based on the characteristics of the damage and stress states of rocks at different deformation stages, the concept of disturbance in the DSC theory is extended and the concepts of elastic disturbance and plastic disturbance are proposed. Both disturbance functions are derived based on the Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion considering the W-D rock weathering deterioration. From these functions, a DSC-based stability analysis model for W-D sensitive rocks surrounding underground excavations is established. The proposed model is implemented in the finite difference software FLAC3D and verified using a simple numerical model. As a case study, the effectiveness of the mitigation measures for the problematic section of the South Lvliang Mountain Tunnel is evaluated by the proposed model. It has been demonstrated that the formation of EDZ around the tunnel is a dynamic process which gradually evolves with the tunnel excavation, operation and weathering deterioration of surrounding rocks. The proposed stability analysis model can better analyze the disturbance evolution characteristics of W-D sensitive rocks surrounding a tunnel over its full life cycle and is a more comprehensive evaluation tool for tunnel stability assessment considering rock weathering deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]