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In this work, for surface protection of NiTi alloy, an amorphous carbon layer was directly deposited onto it via a self-catalytic flame coating method. The effect of the flame coating time on the physicochemical structure and mechanical hardness of the products were investigated, as well as its friction and wear resistance performance. The Vickers micro-hardness of the carbon coated NiTi alloy decreased with the flame coating time, which was identified to be caused by the generally increasing grain size originated from the inherent thermal treatment during the flame coating process. The tribological test results indicated that both the friction coefficient (COF) and wear rate of NiTi alloy were significantly reduced after the flame coating of the alloy. After direct flame treatment of the alloy for 20min, 82.8% and 91.4% reduction in the COF and wear rate could be achieved, respectively. The wear mechanisms of the coated NiTi alloy was found to be involved with the oxidation wear, adhesive wear and the carbon transfer film, all of which had important influence on the friction process. The carbon layer prepared by the flame coating method as a protective layer of NiTi alloy will greatly promote its versatile applications.

ABSTRACT To improve the delamination resistance of the carbon fiber/epoxy composite (CF/E), the surface of the woven carbon fabric reinforcement was modified by in situ formed carbon fiber forest (CFF), [...]

We study positive solutions to the fractional semi-linear elliptic equation (−Δ)σu=K(x)un+2σn−2σinB2\{0}with an isolated singularity at the origin, where Kis a positive function on B2, the punctured ball B2{0} ⊂ ℝnwith n⩾ 2, σ∈ (0, 1), and (−Δ)σis the fractional Laplacian. In lower dimensions, we show that for any K∈ C1(B2), a positive solution ualways satisfies that u(x) ⩽ C∣x∣−(n−2σ)/2near the origin. In contrast, we construct positive functions K∈ C1(B2) in higher dimensions such that a positive solution ucould be arbitrarily large near the origin. In particular, these results also apply to the prescribed boundary mean curvature equations on Bn+1.

Effective electromagnetic interference shielding has become a focal point of concern for special construction and buildings. In this study, a novel cement-based electromagnetic shielding composite material was developed by the incorporation of both nickel-iron alloy powder (NF) and the partial replacement of the fine sand portion of ISO standard sand with iron ore tailings (IOTs). Experimental results indicate that the electromagnetic shielding performance of the cement/IOTs composites was improved with the increasing NF content at frequencies ranging from 8.2 to 12.4 GHz (X-band) while their mechanical properties changed little. With the incorporation of 5 % NF in the cement mortar, a maximum of 22.17 dB at 12.4 GHz could be achieved. Further analysis of the shielding mechanism of this composite material reveals that the enhancement of its electromagnetic shielding efficiency mainly results from the absorption loss rather than reflection loss.

ABSTRACTCo-infection of Marek’s disease virus (MDV) and reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) synergistically drives disease progression, yet little is known about the mechanism of the synergism. Here, we found that co-infection of REV and MDV increased their replication via the RIOK3-Akt pathway. Initially, we noticed that the viral titres of MDV and REV significantly increased in REV and MDV co-infected cells compared with single-infected cells. Furthermore, tandem mass tag peptide labelling coupled with LC/MS analysis showed that Akt was upregulated in REV and MDV co-infected cells. Overexpression of Akt promoted synergistic replication of MDV and REV. Conversely, inhibition of Akt suppressed synergistic replication of MDV and REV. However, PI3K inhibition did not affect synergistic replication of MDV and REV, suggesting that the PI3K/Akt pathway is not involved in the synergism of MDV and REV. In addition, we revealed that RIOK3 was recruited to regulate Akt in REV and MDV co-infected cells. Moreover, wild-type RIOK3, but not kinase-dead RIOK3, mediated Akt phosphorylation and promoted synergistic replication of MDV and REV. Our results illustrate that MDV and REV activated a novel RIOK3-Akt signalling pathway to facilitate their synergistic replication.

Outlier detection technologies play an important role in various application domains. Most existing outlier detection algorithms have difficulty detecting outliers that are mixed within normal object regions or around dense clusters. To address this problem, we propose a novel graph neural network structure called the graph autoencoder (GAE), which is capable of handling the task of outlier detection in Euclidean structured data. The GAE can perform feature value propagation in the form of a neural network that changes the distribution pattern of the original dataset, which can accurately detect outliers with low deviation. This method first converts the Euclidean structured dataset into a graph using the graph generation module, then inputs the dataset together with its corresponding graph into the GAE for training, and finally determines the top- n objects that are difficult to reconstruct in the output layer of the GAE as outliers. The results of comparing eight state-of-the-art algorithms on eight real-world datasets showed that GAE achieved the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) on six datasets. By comparing GAE with the autoencoder-based outlier detection algorithm, it was discovered that the proposed method improved the AUC by 16.9% on average for eight datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACTIt is well known that non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a malignant tumor with high incidence in the world. We aimed to clarify a possible target and identify its precise molecular biological mechanism in NSCLC. NLR family CARD domain containing 5 (NLRC5) is widely expressed in tissues and exerts a vital role in anti-tumor immunity. We determined NLRC5 expression by RT-qPCR and western blot assay. The role of NLRC5 in the development of NSCLC was assessed by a loss-of-function assay. CCK-8, Annexin-V-FITC/PI Apoptosis Detection Kit, Transwell, and wound healing assays were used to determine the cell functions. Drug resistance-related proteins were analyzed by western blot assay. Furthermore, the modulation of NLRC5 on carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) expression and subsequent PI3K/AKT signaling was assessed. In this study, a hyper-expression of NLRC5 was found in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of NLRC5 suppressed cell viability, invasion, and migration, and furthermore promoted cell apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Moreover, under normoxia or hypoxia treatment, the upregulation of NLRC5 was related to carboplatin resistance. NLRC5 silencing increased carboplatin-resistant cell chemosensitivity, as evidenced by the increase in the cell inhibition rate and decrease in drug resistance-related protein expression. Mechanistically, NLRC5 knockdown inhibited the expression of CEACAM1 and subsequently blocked the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In conclusion, NLRC5 promotes the malignant biological behaviors of NSCLC cells by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway via the regulation of CEACAM1 expression under normoxia and hypoxia.

We synthesized a bidentate bispyridylhydrazone functionalized copillar[5]arene (BACP5A), which can self‐assemble through strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds. BACP5Aself‐assembled into size‐controllable vesicles, with the synergistic interactions of intermolecular hydrogen bonding and internal amphiphilicity, which are responsive to pH, temperature and solvent. BACP5Awas used to form a bidentate metal‐ligand coordinated complex with Zinc trifluoromethanesulfonate in which a new rectangular cavity containing hexacoordinated zinc ions occurred between two adjacent BACP5A. This type of coordinated complex may be employed for the development of new macrocyclic‐based artificial enzymes. In control! A new bisacylhydrazone functionalized pillar[5]arene, which was used to develop a size‐controllable self‐assemble and metallacycle, was fully studied.

A bisester-substituted copillar[5]arene was synthesized by a one-pot reaction presenting a symmetrical self-included conformation in solution and an asymmetrical structure with only one self-included side in the cavity of pillar[5]arene in the solid state. This compound was characterized by 1D and 2D NMR and X-ray diffraction.

Recent advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have been significantly driven by models such as generative adversarial networks (GANs), variational autoencoders (VAEs), and denoising diffusion probabilistic models (DDPMs). Although architects recognize the potential of generative AI in design, personal barriers often restrict their access to the latest technological developments, thereby causing the application of generative AI in architectural design to lag behind. Therefore, it is essential to comprehend the principles and advancements of generative AI models and analyze their relevance in architecture applications. This paper first provides an overview of generative AI technologies, with a focus on probabilistic diffusion models (DDPMs), 3D generative models, and foundation models, highlighting their recent developments and main application scenarios. Then, the paper explains how the abovementioned models could be utilized in architecture. We subdivide the architectural design process into six steps and review related research projects in each step from 2020 to the present. Lastly, this paper discusses potential future directions for applying generative AI in the architectural design steps. This research can help architects quickly understand the development and latest progress of generative AI and contribute to the further development of intelligent architecture.

Two strategies for the design of new pillar[5]arene-based mechanically self-interlocked molecules (MSMs) are reported here. The first strategy is based on the construction of an intermediate pseudo[1]rotaxane followed by the desired bis-[1]rotaxane. The other one is based on the construction of the desired bis-[1]rotaxane directly viaa condensation reaction through host-guest interactions between a mono-functionalized pillar[5]arene and the axle. This compound has interesting self-assembly properties in methanol and some extended applications of this compound will be reported in the near future.

Dual-asymmetric supercapacitors (DASCs) with high capacitive performance were developed in this work through carefully design and configuration of all the capacitor components. Free-standing carbon aerogel was directly utilized as the positive electrode, which was fabricated by pyrolyzing bacterial cellulose (BC) aerogel. Its porous structure afforded it excellent interface with the redox active electrolyte. Redox active hydrogel electrolyte based on mixed-valence iron ions (PVA/H2SO4/Fe3+/2+) was prepared with a freezing-thawing method and combined with the carbon aerogel to form the positive compartment of the capacitors. Meanwhile, α-MoO3nanoplates were fabricated by hydrothermal method and used for the fabrication of negative electrodes, which were assembled with conventional PVA/H2SO4hydrogel electrolyte to form the negative compartment. The as-assembled DASCs showed a specific capacitance of 560.8 F g−1at 1 A g−1and energy density of 131.6 Wh kg−1, indicating its remarkable capacitive performance. Moreover, the optimized DASC displayed a remarkable long-term cycling stability. This work on the design and assembly of the battery-like supercapacitor with carbon aerogel electrodes combined with their corresponding hydrogel electrolytes afforded a new configuration to fabricate the devices with high performance.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus(V. parahaemolyticus) is a primary pathogen in crustaceans and causes acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease. Interferon regulatory factor-4 (IRF4) belongs to the regulatory factor family and plays a key role in the innate immunity of crustaceans. To better understand the IRF4 regulatory mechanism and its immunomodulatory role in response to challenge with Vibrioin crustaceans, the cDNA of Cherax quadricarinatus(C. quadricarinatus) IRF4 (CqIRF4) was isolated and the immune effect of this protein in the C. quadricarinatusresponse to V. parahaemolyticuswas studied. The length of CqIRF4was 2354 bp, with a 1251 bp open reading frame encoding 417 amino acids. After infection with V. parahaemolyticus, the expression levels of CqIRF4in the hepatopancreas and hemolymph of C. quadricarinatuswere significantly upregulated (P < 0.05), while no significant fluctuations were detected in muscle or gill tissues. Additionally, histopathological damage was detected in the hepatopancreas, such as loss of the stellate structure, significant vacuolization of cells, intercellular hemorrhaging, hypertrophy, and necrosis in some tissues. After injecting recombinant CqIRF4protein in vivo, colonization of the hepatopancreas by V. parahaemolyticusdecreased dramatically. The transcription levels of the interleukin-like genes IL-4, -6, -23, -12, and -15, as well as the lysozyme, AlP, ALF, SOD1, laccase, and C-type lectingenes,were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05). This study shows that the CqIRF4as an immunomodulatory factor, was highly activated by a Vibriochallenge, and inhibited V. parahaemolyticuscolonization in the hepatopancreas of C. quadricarinatusby regulating the corresponding immune genes.

A hard template method to prepare N-doped graphene foams (NGF) with superfast template removal was developed through a pyrolyzing commercial polyurethane (PU) sponge coated with graphene oxide (GO) sheets in an ethanol flame. The removal of the template was fast and facile, and could be completed in less than 60 s in an open environment. The synthesized graphene foams consisted of a unique structure of 3D interconnected hollow struts with highly wrinkled surfaces, and the morphology of the hollow struts could be tuned by controlling the GO dispersion concentration. The foams showed high hydrophobicity and were used as absorbents for a variety of organic solvents and oils. The unique NGF structure afforded a high absorption rate and capacity, and a remarkable 98.7% pore volume of the foam could be utilized for absorption of hexane, exhibiting one of the highest capacity values among existing absorptive counterparts. The N-doping brought higher capacitive performance than conventional graphene foams prepared by chemical vapor deposition on nickel foam templates. The NGFs also displayed high elasticity and could recover completely after 50% compressive strain. Owing to easy availability and reduction environment of the flame, complete thermal decomposition of the PU sponge and highly porous open-cell structure, and flame resistance of the graphene foam, the present flame method was demonstrated to be a simple, effective, and ultrafast approach to fabricate ultra-low-density NGFs with good electromechanical response, excellent organic liquid absorption, and high-energy dissipation capabilities.

An electrospinning method to obtain well‐aligned self‐assembled PVDF fibers in the form of yarn structures is presented. Post‐treatments such as stretching at 100 °C and annealing improve the tensile modulus and strength of the fibers by 17 and 41%, respectively. The results reveal that post‐treatment on fiber yarns induce crystallinity and β‐crystalline phase formation, which in turn impart a noticeable effect on the strength and stiffness of the fibers. An ≈10% improvement in the ferroelectric β‐crystalline phase fraction is estimated for the post‐treated yarns. Such yarn structures with improved strength and ferroelectric β‐phase content can be useful for nanoscale and microscale electronic devices.

Exfoliated poly(4, 4'-oxybis(benzene)disulfide)/vermiculite (POBDS/VMT) nanocomposites were successfully synthesized via in situ melt intercalation of cyclo(4, 4'-oxybis(benzene)disulfide) oligomers (COBDS) into octadecylammonium-exchanged VMT (organo-VMT). The POBDS/VMT nanocomposites were melt fabricated in a two-step process. First, the COBDS/VMT nanocomposite precursor was fabricated by melt delaminating organo-VMT with COBDS at a temperature slightly higher than its melting point. Subsequently, exfoliated POBDS-VMT nanocomposites can be prepared in situ via instant melt ring-opening polymerization of the COBDS-VMT nanocomposite precursor. The nanoscale dispersion of VMT layers within POBDS polymer was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. High molecular weight POBDS polymer was formed in a few minutes at the same time as the nanocomposite formation. The results of dynamic mechanical analysis showed that the storage modulus and glass transition temperature of the nanocomposites are much higher than those of the POBDS matrix, even with a very small amount of VMT addition. This methodology provides a potential approach to synthesize high-performance polymer/clay nanocomposites. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were coated onto glass fibres (GFs) using a one-step flame synthesis method. The GF/epoxy resin matrix interfacial bonding strength was investigated by fibre bundle pull-out tests. Results showed that, compared to the as-received GF/epoxy, significant interfacial bonding strength enhancement of ~33% was obtained for CNT-coated GFs/epoxy. Moreover, the wettability of CNT-coated GF by epoxy was increased significantly evidenced by the reduction of CNT-coated GF/epoxy contact angles. The flame synthesis method possesses the potential of efficient high-performance composites fabrication.

Generative models have significantly enhanced anomaly detection through their powerful ability to model data. However, many existing generative model-based anomaly detection methods prioritize refining the generative process while overlooking the importance of acquiring discriminative data representations, which is suboptimal. Furthermore, the intricate architectures of these methods contribute to poor model convergence, resulting in coarse data reconstructions and diminished performance. To address the above problems, we propose self-supervised enhanced denoising diffusion for anomaly detection (SDAD) to detect anomalies effectively. Specifically, SDAD acquires discriminative data representations through an auxiliary learning module with two pretext tasks, facilitating the distinction between normal data and abnormal data. Subsequently, a denoising diffusion module is used to accurately learn the normal data distribution, serving as a benchmark for anomaly detection. Extensive experiments on ten real-world datasets demonstrate the remarkable advantages of SDAD over nine state-of-the-art anomaly detection methods, as evidenced by significant improvements across various evaluation metrics. • Modeling normal data distribution serves as a benchmark for evaluating anomalies. • Discriminative data representation helps the model effectively detect anomalies. • Fine-grained data reconstruction provides a reliable baseline for anomaly detection. • Simplified model architecture provides enhanced model convergence. • Extracting valuable insights from limited training samples improving performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]