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Full waveform inversion (FWI) has difficulties in obtaining deep velocity models with high accuracy in practice. Thus, the authors propose a time-domain acoustic FWI method based on the first-order approximate exponential frequency to improve the deep inversion results. However, there is still a lack of partial low-frequency information. Therefore, this article used the time-domain acoustic FWI method with instantaneous amplitude low-frequency and amplitude preservation as the first-order approximate exponential frequency to solve the lack of partial low-frequency components and formed a set of multi-instantaneous attribute joint inversion processes. The tests proved the feasibility and effectiveness of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a size-dependent generalized thermoelasticity model is established to appraise the small-scale effect on thermoelastic vibrations of Euler-Bernoulli nanobeams. Small-scale effect on the structure and heat conduction is captured by exploiting nonlocal strain gradient theory (NSGT) and nonclassical heat conduction model of Guyer and Krumhansl (GK model). NSGT enables the model to account for both nonlocal and strain gradient effects on structure, and GK formulation empowers the model to incorporate both nonlocal and lagging effect into heat conduction equation. The normalized forms of size-dependent equations of motion and heat conduction are provided by introducing some dimensionless parameters. This system of normalized differential equations is then solved with the aid of the Laplace transform to determine thermoelastic responses of nanobeams. Through various examples, a complete parametric study is conducted to clarify the pivotal role of nonclassical scale parameters in thermoelastic behavior of nanobeams. Comparing the results extracted based on various relative magnitudes of nonlocal and strain gradient length scale parameters implies that NSGT is capable of expounding both hardening and softening phenomenon in nanoscale structures. The outcomes also reveal that GK model anticipates less energy dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a methanol production process with high thermodynamic efficiency and a low production cost is presented. The proposed process is based on steam methane reforming, in which carbon dioxide (CO 2) captured from a power plant flue gas is employed to improve the stoichiometric number, methanol efficiency, and carbon efficiency and increase CO 2 conversion. In addition to the sensitivity analysis, comprehensive technical, economic, and environmental analyses are performed. Furthermore, the obtained results of this paper are compared to those of previous studies. A parametric study showed that the optimum steam-to-methane ratio is 3.75, and the optimum flow rate for CO 2 utilization is 140 kmol/h. From the economic point of view, it is demonstrated that the total annual cost is 11,799,484 USD, and the total production cost rate is 0.1 $/kg. The environmental analysis showed that the total net CO 2 emission in this process is 6580.64 kg/h, and for producing 1 kg of methanol, 0.41 kg of CO 2 is emitted. • Proposal of a methanol production cycle based on steam-methane reforming. • Improving stoichiometric number, methanol efficiency, carbon efficiency, and CO 2 conversion using the proposed system. • According to the results, the optimum value of the steam to methane is obtained 3.75. • The total annual cost and production cost rate are estimated 1,179,948 $ and 0.1 $/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a baculovirus that selectively infects the domestic silkworm. In this study, six BmNPV strains were compared at the whole genome level. We found that the number of bro genes and the composition of the homologous regions (hrs) are the two primary areas of divergence within these genomes. When we compared the ORFs of these BmNPV variants, we noticed a high degree of sequence divergence in the ORFs that are not baculovirus core genes. This result is consistent with the results derived from phylogenetic trees and evolutionary pressure analyses of these ORFs, indicating that ORFs that are not core genes likely play important roles in the evolution of BmNPV strains. The evolutionary relationships of these BmNPV strains might be explained by their geographic origins or those of their hosts. In addition, the total number of hr palindromes seems to affect viral DNA replication in Bm5 cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A BmNPV Bacmid with the Bmvp80 gene disrupted was constructed using the ET-recombination system in Escherichia coli to investigate the role of Bmvp80 during the baculovirus life cycle. Disruption of Bmvp80 resulted in single cell infection phenotype, whereas a rescue BmBacmid restored budded virus titers to wild type levels; however, the homologous gene Ac104 (Acvp80) from AcMNPV could not complement the BmBacmid lacking a functional Bmvp80 gene. Electron microscopy of cells transfected with BmNPV lacking functional Bmvp80 revealed that the number of nucleocapsids was markedly lower. These results suggest that Bmvp80 is essential for normal budded virus production and nucleocapsid maturation, and is functionally divergent between baculovirus species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The current work is a study of electricity, hydrogen, and freshwater polygeneration system fueled by biomass fuel. Accordingly, innovative integration of a Rankine cycle, a multi-effect desalination, and a solid oxide electrolyzer cell has been considered utilizing a syngas production biomass combustion chamber. The waste heat and a part of the output electricity of the Rankine cycle have been employed to launch the desalination and electrolyzer units, respectively. The suggested polygeneration is analyzed from the thermodynamic and exergoeconomic viewpoints through developing a code in engineering equation solver software and a multi-criteria optimization via MATLAB software. Hence, the NSGA-II optimization method and decision-making TOPSIS technique have been implemented. The parametric study has been conducted based on the effect of biomass fuel mass flow rate, turbine inlet pressure, combustion chamber outlet temperature, and pinch point temperature difference of the steam generator on the thermodynamic and exergoeconomic variables of the whole system. Considering the total exergy destruction rate, exergy efficiency, and total unit exergy cost of products as objective functions, the suggested system achieved the optimum values of 17.64%, 7658.5 kW , and 26 $ / GJ corresponding for these variables. • An integrated cycle for power, freshwater, and hydrogen is devised. • Comprehensive energy, exergy, exergoeconomic analyses are performed. • Multi-objective optimization is developed for the optimization process. • For the optimization scenario, 17.16%, 7658.5 kW, and 26 $/GJ for exergy efficiency, exergy destruction, and unit exergy cost were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissipation in the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor circuit size range has become a challenge for designers seeking to create a circuit with low power consumption and significantly reduced size. As a result, there is a need for an alternative technology that may provide revolutionary results. The quantum-dot cellular automaton is now widely regarded as a viable alternative to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. This paper demonstrates a new circuit for constructing a quantum-dot cellular automaton-based programmable logic array. The programmable logic array is a promising, standard, and fully programmable architecture that can use redundancy to make circuits with nanoscale feature sizes more practical. The comparisons based on cell number, size, and clock phases were made between the proposed circuit and previous ones using the QCADesigner. These comparisons verified the efficiency of the proposed design. The suggested programmable logic array circuit consists of 26 cells and occupies 0.04 µm2. In addition, the quantum cost of this circuit is 2.08, and the area delay is 0.08. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In current context, applying multi tapes were recommended as promising technique for augmentation cross section flow. Type of carrier fluid was changed with adding copper oxide nano powders with fraction of 0.04. Residence time improves with applying tapes and nanoparticles pass longer path inside the pipe. Gravity has no impact in momentum equation due to high velocity and owing to presence swirl flow device; k-ɛ technique was applied. For verification, empirical formula for estimating Nu was involved. Recirculation zone augment as b increases and stronger secondary flow generates thinner layer near the surface and make it cooler. Greater pressure loss is an output of more interaction of nanomaterial with solid surfaces and this phenomenon occurs in existence of tapes. Owing to longer paths of nano particles, pressure loss augments with growth of b and Re. Cooling rate enhances about 3.77% and 128.9% with rise of b and Re. Growth of Re enhances the increasing trend of S gen,f. This function augments about 64.41% with rise of b at highest Re. Also, growth of b leads to reduction in S gen,th about 3.09%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enhancement of fuel distribution within the combustion chamber significantly affects the productivity of scramjet engine. In current effort, comprehensive efforts have been performed to investigate the impact of the upstream ramp on the diffusion and mixing of four hydrogen multi-jets at Ma>1. Current study employed CFD to model compressible flow of air and fuel in presence of an upstream ramp with two slopes of 20 and 30. The purpose of current study is to examine fuel jet and air stream interaction when an angled divergent ramp is located nearby injectors. The three-dimensional feature of the jet in these two configurations are fully investigated and mixing performance and jet circulations are compared to reveal important factors on fuel penetration in the combustion chamber. Our findings showed that presence of an upstream ramp sufficiently improves the fuel mixing downstream of injectors. The mixing performance analysis also shows that increasing the ramp slope to 30° could increase fuel mixing around 80% far downstream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial and commercial use of fuel cells as a source of clean energy production are two important goals of researchers in the field of energy today. Therefore, researchers in this science are always looking for new methods for industrial production and at a reasonable price for fuel cells. This study presents a new well-organized methodology for model identification of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) stack by providing optimal selection of the unknown variables in the model. The main objective here is to minimize the sum of squared error value between the designed model output voltage and the experimental data. Here, to provide an optimization process, a modified version of gray wolf optimization (MGWO) algorithm has been utilized. This algorithm is then utilized to improve the algorithm efficiency and to get better results. To show the system reliability, two scenarios based on temperature and pressure variations have been utilized. The technique has been finally compared with several other techniques to verify its prominence. With considering the achieved results, it can be observed that the sum of square error for different temperature values based on the proposed method is too small, such that for the temperatures with values 553.4 °C, 652.3 °C, 669.8 °C, 754.6 °C, and 800 °C the SSE value is 5.27 e−4, 2.66 e−4, 3.91 e−6, 4.19 e−3, 2.07 e−4, respectively. Furthermore, the pressure value variations from 1 atm to 5 atm with 1.44 e−3, 3.20 e−3, 5.84 e−3, 3.36 e−3, 2.67 e−3, respectively indicate its higher efficiency toward the other studied methods. Final results designate that the proposed technique delivers outstanding efficiency toward the compared methods. • New well-organized methodology for model identification of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) stack. • Minimizing error between the designed model output voltage and the experimental data. • A modified version of gray wolf optimization (MGWO) is used for identification. • The technique has been finally compared with several other techniques to verify its prominence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current article aims to numerically scrutinize and compare the forced convection in three different configurations of a 3D heat sink. Two models of porous were designed aiming to evaluate the effects of nanomaterial and metallic foam to the conventional solid heat sink on thermal performance. In these two models, porous material with the same volume fraction was located in two different positions to have different contact areas with the solid. MWCNT-Fe 3 O 4 hybrid nanofluid has been utilized as coolant working fluid. Validations were carried out in the critical case of 47 W for pure water through comparison with previous experimental work in which the whole surface of the CPU is covered with porous media. According to the results, at the constant Reynolds number, the heat sinks, which are consist of metallic foam, have better cooling performance and are able to decrease the surface temperature of heat sink more. [Display omitted] • Microchannel heat sink performance has been studied. • Multi-wall carbon nanotube-Fe3O4 hybrid nanofluid has been utilized. • Validations were carried out with comparison with previous experimental article. • The thermal resistance of model 2 is 2% lower than that of model 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) can be widely utilized in civil engineering because of their helpful features like high corrosion resistance for aggressive surroundings and high strength to weight ratio. By providing a lateral confining pressure, the concrete compressive strength is increased. Giving an analytic model that can forecast the FRP strength is the purpose of this study. This model is according to the normalized AlexNet Extreme Learning Machine and the Advanced Red Fox Optimization Algorithm (AlexNet‐ELM‐ARFO). The AlexNet‐ELM‐ARFO algorithm's innovation includes a formulation of an analytic relation, which doesn't attend to the established effectiveness parameter that is in the models introduced in the literature. An extended empirical dataset is utilized for defining the suggested formulation's variables. The suggested model is applied to circular columns including continuous FRP. The predictions' validation is shown by parametric research and the precision is examined by an empirical against theoretic comparison. A supplementary comparison is demonstrated with consideration of the theoretic prediction gained from the given method and the formulations' results using significant design codes. Outcomes prove that the used method is adapted to the FRP‐confined concrete design and ensures an improved precision in comparison with respect to the available competitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Nilaparvata lugens is a monophagous insect that poses a significant threat to food security in Asia. At present, the control of N. lugens mainly depends on application of insecticides and cultivation of resistant rice varieties. However, N. lugens develops resistance quickly, which makes it difficult to control. Death-associated protein-1 (DAP-1) plays crucial roles in cell growth, migration, autophagy, and apoptosis in mammals. However, its function in insects remains unclear. In the present study, we cloned and identified N. lugens DAP-1 (NlDAP-1). NlDAP-1 was expressed during all developmental stages and in all tissues of N. lugens, particularly higher in the ovaries of female adults. RNAi of NlDAP-1 expression significantly inhibited its expression, leading to premature death, delayed ovarian development, and fewer offspring of N. lugens. Additionally, an immunofluorescence experiment showed that NlDAP-1 was highly expressed when yeast-like symbionts (YLSs) entered N. lugens oocytes, and inhibiting the expression of NlDAP-1 disturbed the process. These results indicate that NlDAP-1 plays a crucial role in the reproductive development of N. lugens and the transovarial transmission of its YLSs, making DAP-1 as a potential target for RNAi to control N. lugens. Death-associated protein-1 (DAP-1) plays a crucial role in cell growth, migration, autophagy, and apoptosis in mammals. However, its function in insects remains unclear. In the present study, we cloned and identified Nilaparvata lugens DAP-1 (NlDAP-1). NlDAP-1 was expressed during all developmental stages and in all tissues of N. lugens, being particularly higher in the ovaries of female adults. RNAi with double-stranded NlDAP-1 RNA significantly inhibited the expression of NlDAP-1, leading to premature death (dying seven days earlier), delayed ovarian development, and fewer offspring (76.7% reduction in eggs with 77.4% reduction in egg hatching rate). Additionally, an immunofluorescence experiment showed that NlDAP-1 was highly expressed when yeast-like symbionts (YLSs) entered N. lugens oocytes, and inhibiting the expression of NlDAP-1 disturbed the process; the RNAi of NlDAP-1 caused a 34.9% reduction in the YLSs that entered oocytes. These results indicate that NlDAP-1 plays a crucial role in the reproductive development of N. lugens and the transovarial transmission of its YLSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hard‐shelled mussel (Mytilus coruscus) has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine and health food in China for centuries. Polysaccharides from mussel has been reported to have multiple biological functions, however, it remains unclear whether mussel polysaccharide (MP) exerts protective effects in intestinal functions, and the underlying mechanisms of action remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects and mechanism of MP on intestinal oxidative injury in mice. In this study, 40 male BALB/C mice were used, with 30 utilized to produce an animal model of intestinal oxidative injury with intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (Cy) for four consecutive days. The protective effects of two different doses of MP (300 and 600 mg/kg) were assessed by investigating the change in body weight, visceral index, and observing colon histomorphology. Moreover, the underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated by measuring the antioxidant enzymes and related signaling molecules through ELISA, real‐time PCR, and western blot methods. The results showed that MP pretreatment effectively protected the intestinal from Cy‐induced injury: improved the colon tissue morphology and villus structure, increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) activities, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content in serum and colon tissues. Meanwhile, MP also significantly increased the expression levels of SOD, GSH‐Px, heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1), and nuclear factor E2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) mRNA in colon tissues. Further, western blot results showed that the expression of Nrf2 protein was significantly upregulated while kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1 (Keap1) was significantly downregulated by MP in the colonic tissues. This study indicates that MP can ameliorate Cy‐induced oxidative stress injury in mice, and Nrf2‐Keap1 signaling pathway may mediate these protective effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), is a destructive insect pest of rice. It causes reductions in rice yield and great economic losses. In this study, we used RNAi to explore the function of the inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 4 (ITIH4) gene in the development and reproduction of the brown planthopper. Our results revealed that ITIH4 influences the survival, ovarian development, egg production, and egg hatching of this insect, indicating that ITIH4 plays important roles in development and reproduction. Considering the importance of ITIH4 in the brown planthopper, it may be a potential target for pest management. The brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, is a difficult-to-control insect pest affecting rice yields in Asia. As a structural component of the inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (ITI), the inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain (ITIH) has been reported to be involved in various inflammatory or malignant disorders, ovarian development, and ovulation. To reveal the function of ITIH4 in N. lugens, the gene encoding N. lugens ITIH4 (NlITIH4) was cloned and characterized. NlITIH4 contains a signal peptide, a vault protein inter-alpha-trypsin domain, and a von Willebrand factor type A domain. qPCR analysis showed that NlITIH4 was expressed at all developmental stages and in all tissues (fat body, ovary, and gut), with the highest expression in the fat body. Double stranded NlITIH4 (dsNlITIH4) injection clearly led to an RNAi-mediated inhibition of the expression of NlITIH4 and resulted in reduced survival, delayed ovarian development, and reduced egg production and egg hatching. These results indicate that NlITIH4 plays an important role in the development and reproduction of N. lugens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) ORF41 (Bm41), homologous to Ac52, is a gene present in most lepidopteran nucleopolyhedroviruses. Bm41 transcripts and encoded protein in BmNPV-infected cells can be detected from 3 and 6 h post-infection, respectively. Immunoassays have shown that Bm41 is not a viral structural protein and is detected in both the nuclei and cytoplasm of infected cells. A Bm41-disrupted virus (vBmDe) and a repaired virus (vBmRe) were generated to investigate the function of Bm41. The results showed that Bm41 was essential for viral replication, and the disruption of Bm41 resulted in a much lower viral titer. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that disruption of Bm41 affected normal nucleocapsid envelopment and polyhedra formation in the nucleus. The disruption of Bm41 might severely affect odv-ec27 and polyhedrin expression. The disrupted virus reduced BmNPV infectivity in an LD50 bioassay and took 18–23 h longer to kill larvae than wild-type virus in an LT50 bioassay. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The optimal planning of grid-connected microgrids (MGs) has been extensively studied in recent years. While most of the previous studies have used fixed or time-of-use (TOU) prices for the optimal sizing of MGs, this work introduces real-time pricing (RTP) for implementing a demand response (DR) program according to the national grid prices of Iran. In addition to the long-term planning of MG, the day-ahead operation of MG is also analyzed to get a better understanding of the DR program for daily electricity dispatch. For this purpose, four different days corresponding to the four seasons are selected for further analysis. In addition, various impacts of the proposed DR program on the MG planning results, including sizing and best configuration, net present cost (NPC) and cost of energy (COE), and emission generation by the utility grid, are investigated. The optimization results show that the implementation of the DR program has a positive impact on the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of MG. The NPC and COE are reduced by about USD 3700 and USD 0.0025/kWh, respectively. The component size is also reduced, resulting in a reduction in the initial cost. Carbon emissions are also reduced by 185 kg/year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CAR is a transmembrane protein that is expressed in various epithelial and endothelial cells. CAR mediates adenoviral infection, as well as adenovirus-mediated oncolysis of AxdAdB-3, an E1A/E1B double-restricted oncolytic adenovirus, in prostate cancer cells. This study further assessed the therapeutic efficacy of AxdAdB-3 with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-fiber modification (AxdAdB3-F/RGD), which enables integrin-dependent infection, in prostate cancer. Susceptibility of prostate cancer cells LNCaP, PC3, and DU145 to adenovirus infection was associated with CAR expression. All of the prostate cancer cell lines expressed integrin αvβ3 and αvβ5. AxdAdB-3 was more cytopathic in CAR-positive prostate cancer cells than in CAR-negative cells, whereas AxdAdB3-F/RGD caused potent oncolysis in both CAR-positive and CAR-negative prostate cancer cells. In contrast, AxdAdB3-F/RGD was not cytopathic against normal prostate epithelial cells, RWPE-1. Intratumoral injection of AxdAdB3-F/RGD into CAR-negative prostate cancer cell xenografts in nude mice inhibited tumor growth. The current study demonstrates that E1A/E1B double-restricted oncolytic adenovirus with an RGD-fiber modification enhances infection efficiency and anti-tumor activity in CAR-deficient prostate cancer cells, while sparing normal cells. Future studies will evaluate the therapeutic potential of AxdAdB3-F/RGD in prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trichoderma brevicompactum is the Trichoderma species producing simple trichothecenes-trichodermin, a potential antifungal antibiotic and a protein synthesis inhibitor. However, the biosynthetic pathway of trichodermin in Trichoderma is not completely clarified. Therefore, transcriptome and gene expression profiling data for this species are needed as an important resource to better understand the mechanism of the trichodermin biosynthesis and provide a blueprint for further study of T. brevicompactum. Results: In this study, de novo assembly of the T. brevicompactum transcriptome using the short-read sequencing technology (Illumina) was performed. In addition, two digital gene expression (DGE) libraries of T. brevicompactum under the trichodermin-producing and trichodermin-nonproducing culture conditions, respectively, were constructed to identify the differences in gene expression. A total of 23,351 unique transcripts with a mean length of 856 bp were obtained by a new Trinity de novo assembler. The variations of the gene expression under different culture conditions were also identified. The expression profiling data revealed that 3,282 unique transcripts had a significantly differential expression under the trichodermin-producing condition, as compared to the trichodermin-nonproducing condition. This study provides a large amount of transcript sequence data that will contribute to the study of the trichodermin biosynthesis in T. brevicompactum. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was found to be useful to confirm the differential expression of the unique transcripts. Conclusion: Our study provides considerable gene expression information of T. brevicompactum at the transcriptional level,which will help accelerate the research on the trichodermin biosynthesis. Additionally, we have demonstrated the feasibility of using the Illumina sequencing based DGE system for gene expression profiling, and have shed new light on functional studies of the genes involved in T. brevicompactum biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We investigated variations in the gene expression of Bombyx mori following infection with a nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV). Two B. mori strains, KN and 306, which are highly resistant and susceptible to BmNPV infection, respectively, were used in this study. The infection profiles of BmNPV in the B. mori KN and 306 larvae revealed that the virus invaded the midguts of both these strains. However, its proliferation was notably inhibited in the midgut of the resistant strain. By using the suppression subtractive hybridization method, two cDNA libraries were constructed in order to compare the BmNPV responsive gene expressions between the two silkworm lines. In total, 62 differentially expressed genes were obtained. Real-time qPCR analysis confirmed that eight genes were significantly up-regulated in the midgut of the KN strain following BmNPV infection. Our results imply that these up-regulated genes may be involved in the B. mori immune response against BmNPV infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Considering the feasibility of geothermal wells employed worldwide in the energy sector, this study was motivated to examine a novel multi-generation system devised to enhance the feasibility of flash-binary geothermal systems through innovative heat recovery in five stages. Accordingly, the main system consists of a flash-binary geothermal cycle, an ejector refrigeration cycle, a Kalina cycle integrated with another ejector refrigeration cycle, a humidification dehumidification desalination unit, and a low-temperature electrolyzer. Due to the five stages of innovative heat recovery, this system achieved a cost-effective and efficient design framework, introducing it as a high-quality alternative for stand-alone flash-binary geothermal cycles. To study the feasibility of the proposed system, a sensitivity analysis based on energy, exergy, and exergoeconomic concepts was employed. Moreover, the genetic algorithm in different multi-objective optimization scenarios was implemented to reach stable and high-efficiency products. According to the obtained results, the capability of the system to produce electricity, cooling, freshwater, and hydrogen are calculated to be 782 kW, 881.6 kW, 0.286 kg/s, and 0.181 kg/h, respectively. Also, in the exergy-cost optimization scenario, the system's optimum exergy efficiency and sum unit cost of products were obtained to be 46.44% and 3.98 $/GJ, respectively based on LINMAP decision-making method. [Display omitted] • A novel multi-generation system devised based on a flash-binary geothermal system. • Five stages of heat recovery are considered for uttermost utilization of energy. • Energy, exergy, and exergoeconomic analyses were considered for system evaluation. • The system yielded 0.286 kg/s and 0.181 kg/h of freshwater and hydrogen, respectively. • In the exergy-cost optimization scenario, the optimum exergy efficiency was 46.44%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clip domain serine proteases play vital roles in various innate immune functions and in embryonic development. Nilaparvata lugens proclotting enzymes (NlPCEs) belong to this protease family. NlPCE1 was reported to be involved in innate immunity, whereas the role of other NlPCEs is unclear. In the present study, N. lugens proclotting enzyme-3 (NlPCE3) was cloned and characterized. NlPCE3 contains a signal peptide, a clip domain, and a trypsin-like serine protease domain. NlPCE3 was expressed in all tissues examined (gut, fat body, and ovary), and at all developmental stages. Immunofluorescence staining showed that NlPCE3 was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm and cytomembrane of follicular cells. Double stranded NlPCE3 RNA interference clearly inhibited the expression of NlPCE3, resulting in abnormal egg formation and obstruction of ovulation. These results indicate that NlPCE3 plays an important role in egg production in N. lugens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To study the outcome and experience of using metallic stents in treating patients with malignant ureteral obstruction (MUO). Methods: Seventy-six patients with MUO were assigned to the metallic stent group (MSG) or the ordinary polymer stent group (OPSG) according to the different materials. The success rate of the operation, duration of operation, patency rate serum creatinine values ,postoperative complications and QOL scores were compared between the two groups. Results: In the OPSG and MSG, the success rates of the operation were 95.5% and 96.9%, respectively, and the durations of the operation were 20.6 ± 2.2 min and 50.9 ± 10.3 min (P < 0.01), respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups in serum creatinine values at 3 days after the operation (P > 0.05); however, the creatinine values at 3 days after the operation decreased significantly compared with those before the operation (P < 0.01). In the OPSG, there was no significant difference in creatinine values between 3 days and 6 months after operation, while the creatinine values 1 year after operation were increased significantly compared to those at 3 days after the operation (P < 0.05). In the MSG, there was no significant difference among creatinine values at different intervals (P > 0.05). The total rate of post-procedural complication was lower in the MSG than that in the OPSG(P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the QOL score between the two groups before the operation (P > 0.05); however, the QOL scores at 6 months and 1 year after the operation were higher in the MSG than that in the OPSG(P < 0.05). In the MSG, there was no significant difference in the QOL score between preoperation and 6 months after surgery. Similarly, there was also no difference in the QOL score between 6 months after surgery and 1 year after surgery(P > 0.05). On the contrary, the differences of QOL score in the OPSG group were much significant between disparate time intervals (P < 0.05). Conclusions: For patients with MUO who require long-term retention of the stent, metallic stents with longer indwelling time are superior to ordinary polymeric stents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]