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Exciton polaritons—quasi-particle excitations consisting of strongly coupled photons and excitons—present fascinating possibilities for photonic circuits, owing to their strong nonlinearity, ultrafast reaction times and their ability to form macroscopic quantum states at room temperature via non-equilibrium condensation. Past implementations of transistors and logic gates with exciton polaritons have been mostly realized using the spatial propagation of polariton fluids, which place high demands on the fabrication of the microcavities and typically require complex manipulations. In this work we have implemented the full set of logical gate functionalities (that is, temporal AND, OR and NOT gates) in localized exciton polaritons at room temperature, on the basis of precisely controlling the interplay between polariton condensate and exciton reservoir dynamics, using a two-pulse excitation scheme. The dynamics intrinsically covers the cascadability required by the logical operations, enabling efficient information processing without the need for spatial flow. The temporal polariton logic gates demonstrate advantages in ultrafast switching, universality and simplified compatibility with other dimensional controls, showing great potential for building polariton logic networks in strongly coupled light–matter systems.

The electrical conductivity of apatite single crystals along three main crystalline directions was measured in situ using a YJ-3000t multi-anvil apparatus and a combined system consisting of the impedance/gain-phase analyzer (Solartron 1260) and dielectric interface (Solartron 1296) at 973–1373 K and 1.0–3.0 GPa. The obtained results indicate that the relationship between the electrical conductivity and temperature conforms to the Arrhenius relation. At 2.0 GPa, the electrical conductivity of apatite with relatively high activation enthalpies of 1.92–2.24 eV shows a significant anisotropy with an extremely high anisotropic degree (τ = ~8–16) value. For a given [001] crystallographic orientation, the electrical conductivity of apatite slightly decreases with increasing pressure, and its corresponding activation energy and activation volume of charge carriers are 2.05 ± 0.06 eV and 9.31 ± 0.98 cm3/mol, respectively. All of these observed anomalously high activation enthalpy and positive activation volume values suggest that the main conduction mechanism is related to the monovalent fluorine anion at high temperature and high pressure. Furthermore, three representative petrological average schemes, including the parallel, Hashin-Shtrikman upper bound, and average models were selected to establish the functional relation for the electrical conductivity of the phlogopite-apatite-peridotite rock system along with the volume percentages of apatite ranging from 1 to 10% at 973–1373 K and 2.0 GPa. For a typical Hashin-Shtrikman upper bound model, the electrical conductivity-depth profile for peridotite containing the 10% volume percentage of apatite was successfully constructed in conjunction with our acquired anisotropic electrical conductivity results and available temperature gradient data (11.6 and 27.6 K/km) at depths of 20–90 km. Although the presence of apatite in peridotite cannot explain the high-conductivity anomalies in western Junggar of Xinjiang autonomous region, it may provide a reasonable constraint on those of representative apatite-rich areas.

We have investigated ozone treatment of as-made LTA zeolites under mild temperature conditions (175 °C) using experiments and periodic DFT as a method of energy savings and engineering defects such as silanol nests in comparison with conventional calcination at 550 °C. We have studied ozone treatment on LTA samples synthesized with 1,2-dimethyl-3-(4-methylbenzyl) imidazolium (denoted as “BULKY”) as the primary organic structure-directing agent (OSDA) and with various amounts of tetramethylammonium (TMA) as a secondary OSDA. Ozone treatment of LTA-BULKY at 175 °C was found to give defect-free, pristine LTA materials as determined by 29Si NMR, 13C NMR, Raman spectra, and DFT to assign the spectra. This represents a significant and unexpected finding: that fluoride ions can be completely removed from double four-membered rings (D4Rs) under such mild conditions. Ozone treatment of LTA-BULKY-TMA samples removed BULKY but left behind TMA/F, giving a new and more diverse structural landscape of Si environments in LTA. Ab initioMetaDynamics calculations provide pathways with relatively low barriers, explaining how fluoride ions can be removed from D4Rs, leaving behind defect-free LTA materials under mild conditions.

Coal plays a dominant role in China's energy production and consumption, which also serves as the cornerstone for energy security. The constitutive relationship of coal material is of great significance for the quantitative characterization and evaluation of mechanical properties of isolated coal pillars. From an energy perspective, coal failure is driven by energy, and the energy-based damage characterization provides a basis for the establishment of constitutive model. In this study, since the constitutive model based on the classical Lemaitre's hypothesis shows a significant error in presenting the nonlinear constitutive relationship of coal material, a correction coefficient considering the compaction effect of coal material is first introduced. Then, a novel damage constitutive model that can accurately describe the overall compression state of coal material is constructed. Finally, the theoretical model is compared with exiting models using the experimental data of five types of coal material from different mines. The results show that the evolution of energy dissipation damage variable is highly consistent with that of stress–strain relations. The established constitutive model considering energy dissipation and compaction effect can more accurately describe the nonlinear strength and deformation characteristics of coal material than the classical and existing models. Notably, this new model can be effectively extended to the single cyclic compression conditions to reproduce the loading-unloading-reloading process of coal material.

Triaxial cyclic compression tests with different confining pressures were conducted to explore the energy distribution characteristics of rock and their responses to confining pressure. The pre-peak input strain energy, pre-peak elastic strain energy, and pre-peak dissipated strain energy at different stress levels were computed based on the resultant stress−strain curves. The results indicated that under different confining pressures, both the pre-peak elastic strain energy and pre-peak dissipated strain energy were linearly related to the pre-peak input strain energy, and thus the linear energy storage and dissipation laws in triaxial cyclic compression were confirmed. The energy storage coefficient in triaxial compression of the rock was positively correlated with the confining pressure, whereas the corresponding energy dissipation coefficient exhibited an opposite correlation. Using the linear energy storage law, the peak elastic strain energy and peak dissipated strain energy of rock in triaxial compression were deduced. Furthermore, the damage evolution characteristics of rock under different confining pressures were analysed by considering the linear energy dissipation law.

In this paper, low-cost electrochemical processing and heat treatment were adopted to fabricate titanium alloy surfaces with switchable wettability. Meanwhile, surface structure, roughness, and oxide content were regulated by electrochemical processing voltage. The effects of surface structure, roughness, oxide content, temperature, and time of heat treatment on switchable wettability were investigated. In addition to suitable structural conditions, surface chemistry is also crucial to preparing metal surfaces with switchable wettability. The surface chemistry of electrochemical processed surfaces was changed by organic matter transfer during heat treatment. In a certain voltage range, suitable surface structure, high roughness, and surface oxide content by high voltage contribute to the organic matter transfer. In a certain range of heating temperature and time, the concentration difference of organic matter is the premise of organic matter transfer. Concurrently, the higher the temperature, the faster the speed of organic matter transfer. Different from other relevant studies, the hypothesis that the concentration difference promotes organic matter transfer is proposed and verified by interesting experiments. The difference concentration of organic matter between the environment and the samples, as well as between the two samples, was created to promote organic matter transfer. Therefore, the electrochemical processed surfaces with switchable wettability were obtained by organic matter transfer in two ways.

Introduction:The aim of the study was to investigate biventricular structural and functional abnormalities in pre-dialysis patients across stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Methods:Fifty-one CKD patients with CMR exams were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups according to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): CKD 1 group (patients with normal eGFR≥90 mL/min/1.73 m2, n= 20), CKD 2-3 group (patients with eGFR< 90 to ≥30 mL/min/1.73 m2, n= 14), and CKD 4-5 group (patients with eGFR<30 mL/min/1.73 m2, n= 17). Twenty-one age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) were recruited. CMR-derived left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) structural and functional measures were compared. Association between CMR parameters and clinical measures was assessed. Results:There was an increasing trend in RV mass index (RVMi) and LV mass index (LVMi) with the occurrence and development of CKD from HC group to CKD 4-5 group although no significant difference was observed between CKD 1 group and HC group. LV global radial strain and LV global circumferential strain dropped and native T1 value elevated significantly in CKD 4-5 group compared with the other three groups (all p< 0.05), while RV strain measures, RV ejection fraction, and LV ejection fraction showed no significant difference among 4 groups (all p> 0.05). Elevated LV end-diastolic volume index (β= 0.356, p= 0.016) and RV end-systolic volume index (β= 0.488, p= 0.001) were independently associated with RVMi. Increased systolic blood pressure (β= 0.309, p= 0.004), LV end-systolic volume index (β= 0.633, p< 0.001), and uric acid (β= 0.261, p= 0.013) were independently associated with LVMi. Meanwhile, serum phosphorus (β= 0.519, p= 0.001) was independently associated with native T1 value. Conclusion:In pre-dialysis CKD patients, left and right ventricular remolding has occurred. RVMi and LVMi were the first changed CMR indexes in the development of CKD when eGFR began to drop. Because fluid volume overload was the independent risk factor for RVMi and LVMi increase, reasonable controlling fluid volume overload may slow down the progression of biventricular remolding and may reduce related cardiovascular disease risk.

To systematically assess the rockburst proneness considering specimen shape, multiple groups of laboratory tests were performed on 5 rock materials in cylindrical and cuboid shapes. The linear energy storage (LES) law of both cylindrical and cuboid rock specimens under uniaxial compressive load was confirmed, and the energy storage coefficient was found to be unrelated to specimen shape. On the basis of LES law, two rockburst proneness indexes, namely the strain energy storage index (Wet) and the potential energy of elastic strain (PES), were modified. Subsequently, the Wet, PES, peak‐strength strain energy storage index (Wetp)${W}_{\text{et}}^{{\rm{p}}})$, and peak‐strength potential energy of elastic strain (PESp) were used to assess the rockburst proneness of the cylindrical and cuboid specimens. In addition, the fragment ejection course of specimens under test was recorded by a high‐speed camera. Then, the rockburst proneness judgments obtained from the 4 indexes were compared with the qualitative data during rock destruction. The results show that, under similar stress conditions, specimen shape has an ignorable effect on the rockburst proneness as a whole. The judgment accuracy of the two modified indexes, especially that of the PESp, is favorably improved to evaluate the rockburst proneness of both cylindrical and cuboid specimens. However, misjudgment of Wetp${W}_{\text{et}}^{{\rm{p}}}$and PESpmay still occur in the assessment of rockburst proneness as these two indexes only consider the energy state before rock peak strength and the Wetp${W}_{\text{et}}^{{\rm{p}}}$is formulated in a ratio form. Rockburst proneness judgments from the four indexes were compared according to the qualitative information on rock failure. The results show that, under similar stress conditions, the specimen shape has an ignorable effect on the rockburst proneness as a whole. The judgment accuracy of the two modified indexes was favorably improved for the evaluation of rockburst proneness of both cylindrical and cuboid specimens, especially for the peak‐strength potential energy of elastic strain (PESp) index.

Background: Among confirmed severe COVID-19 patients, although the serum creatinine level is normal, they also have developed kidney injury. Early detection of kidney injury can guide doctors to choose drugs reasonably. Study found that COVID-19 have some special chest CT features. The study aimed to explore which chest CT features are more likely appear in severe COVID-19 and the relationship between related (special) chest CT features and kidney injury or clinical prognosis. Methods: In this retrospective study, 162 patients of severe COVID-19 from 13 medical centers in China were enrolled and divided into three groups according to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) level: Group A (eGFR &lt; 60 ml/min/1.73 m2), Group B (60 ml/min/1.73 m2≤ eGFR &lt; 90 ml/min/1.73 m2), and Group C (eGFR ≥ 90 ml/min/1.73 m2). The demographics, clinical features, auxiliary examination, and clinical prognosis were collected and compared. The chest CT features and eGFR were assessed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression. The influence of chest CT features on eGFR and clinical prognosis were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: Demographic and clinical features showed significant differences in age, hypertension, and fatigue among the Group A, Group B, and Group C (all P&lt; 0.05). Auxiliary examination results revealed that leukocyte count, platelet count, C-reactive protein, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, respiratory rate ≥ 30 breaths/min, and CT images rapid progression (>50%) within 24–48 h among the three groups were significantly different (all P&lt; 0.05). Compared to Group C (all P&lt; 0.017), Groups A and B were more likely to show crazy-paving pattern. Logistic regression analysis indicated that eGFR was an independent risk factor of the appearance of crazy-paving pattern. The eGFR and crazy-paving pattern have a mutually reinforcing relationship, and eGFR (HR = 0.549, 95% CI = 0.331–0.909, P= 0.020) and crazy-paving pattern (HR = 2.996, 95% CI = 1.010–8.714, P= 0.048) were independent risk factors of mortality. The mortality of severe COVID-19 with the appearance of crazy-paving pattern on chest CT was significantly higher than that of the patients without its appearance (allP&lt; 0.05). Conclusions: The crazy-paving pattern is more likely to appear in the chest CT of patients with severe COVID-19. In severe COVID-19, the appearance of the crazy-paving pattern on chest CT indicates the occurrence of kidney injury and proneness to death. The crazy-paving pattern can be used by doctors as an early warning indicator and a guidance of reasonable drug selection.

Two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials can be used to construct multifunctional electronic and spintronic devices attributed to their unique 2D restricted magnetic properties. However, some magnetic materials are non-van der Waals materials, and the substrate used in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is usually a van der Waals substrate like mica. This kind of substrate can cause transfer problems and increase the complexity of equipment fabrication or magnetic measurement. It is meaningful to further optimize the current production process for realizing good repeatability and simple fabrication. Growing materials on SiO2/Si can directly make electronic devices and measure magnetic properties. Herein, we use potassium hydroxide to modify a SiO2/Si substrate and succeed in growing Cr2X3(X = S, Se, and Te) directly on the SiO2/Si surface by a CVD method. OH–is attached to the surface of SiO2/Si, thereby inhibiting the growth of thin layered Cr2X3along the [001] zone axis. Through density function theory calculation, it is verified that the formation energy of Cr2S3and SiO2/Si heterojunction can be enlarged by introducing OH–, which is beneficial to the growth of Cr2X3on the SiO2/Si surface. At the same time, we have also achieved Cr2S3and Cr2Se3with controlled size and thickness. The thinnest thickness of the three materials on SiO2/Si can be close to 1 unit cell. Cr2S3, Cr2Se3, and Cr2Te3nanosheets exhibit ferrimagnetic, spin glass, and ferromagnetic behavior, respectively. This work can provide a new method for the growth of non-van der Waals 2D materials on SiO2/Si, and it is of great significance to the fabrication of spintronic devices.

Background: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is an independent risk factor of major adverse cardiovascular events; however, the impact of CAC on in-hospital death and adverse clinical outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains unclear. Objective: To explore the association between CAC and in-hospital mortality and adverse events in patients with COVID-19. Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study enrolled 2067 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients with definitive clinical outcomes (death or discharge) admitted from 22 tertiary hospitals in China between January 3, 2020 and April 2, 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory results, chest CT findings, and CAC on admission were collected. The primary outcome was in-hospital death and the secondary outcome was composed of in-hospital death, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), and requiring mechanical ventilation. Multivariable Cox regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier plots were used to explore the association between CAC and in-hospital death and adverse clinical outcomes. Results: The mean age was 50 years (SD,16) and 1097 (53.1%) were male. A total of 177 patients showed high CAC level, and compared with patients with low CAC, these patients were older (mean age: 49 vs. 69 years, P&lt; 0.001) and more likely to be male (52.0% vs. 65.0%, P= 0.001). Comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) ([33.3%, 59/177] vs. [4.7%, 89/1890], P&lt; 0.001), presented more often among patients with high CAC, compared with patients with low CAC. As for laboratory results, patients with high CAC had higher rates of increased D-dimer, LDH, as well as CK-MB (all P&lt; 0.05). The mean CT severity score in high CAC group was also higher than low CAC group (12.6 vs. 11.1, P= 0.005). In multivariable Cox regression model, patients with high CAC were at a higher risk of in-hospital death (hazard ratio [HR], 1.731; 95% CI 1.010–2.971, P= 0.046) and adverse clinical outcomes (HR, 1.611; 95% CL 1.087–2.387, P= 0.018). Conclusion: High CAC is a risk factor associated with in-hospital death and adverse clinical outcomes in patients with confirmed COVID-19, which highlights the importance of calcium load testing for hospitalized COVID-19 patients and calls for attention to patients with high CAC.

Controlling defects in zeolites is crucial for tuning their adsorption and catalytic properties. We have performed an integrated zeolite synthesis, spectroscopy, and density functional theory study to test the limit of F–as a charge-balancing agent that mitigates defects in siliceous zeolites. We focused on the synthesis of siliceous zeolite LTA at 150 °C with 1,2-dimethyl-3-(4-methylbenzyl) imidazolium as the primary organic structure-directing agent (OSDA) and tetramethyl ammonium (TMA) as the secondary OSDA. By varying the amount of TMA in the synthesis gel, positive charges were titrated into the resulting as-made Si-LTA. Surprisingly, we found that greater TMA concentration does not induce more F–to enter into the zeolite. 29Si solid-state MAS NMR, Raman spectroscopy, and density functional theory suggest that this system has surpassed its capacity for F–to balance OSDA charge, and additional positive charge is balanced by Si–O–framework defects. The number of defects in the as-made Si-LTA can be precisely titrated by the amount of TMA in the zeolite structures. For the Si-LTA synthesized without TMA, framework defects formed in the early stage of crystal growth were found to heal during later crystallization, leading to defect-free Si-LTA. However, for the Si-LTA synthesized with TMA, the defects formed in early stages do not heal. A DFT thermodynamic analysis explains that crowding of Si-LTA pores by TMA impedes defect healing; this prediction is corroborated by synthesis experiments at an elevated temperature (170 °C). These results indicate that F–can have a limited capacity to balance OSDA charge in zeolite synthesis, opening up a third route to zeolite synthesis intermediate between the fluoride and hydroxide routes.

Fluoride (F–) has been essential for the synthesis of low-defect siliceous zeolites. It has been hypothesized that F–balances the positive charges from organic structure-directing agents (OSDAs) and stabilizes key building units during zeolite crystallization such as the double four-membered ring (D4R). However, due to the lack of characterization techniques for investigating medium-range structures, including rings and cages formed during zeolite crystallization, the roles of F–in stabilizing building units and maintaining local charge balance during zeolite assembly are not yet fully understood. Here, the crystallization of siliceous Linde type A (LTA) zeolite in the presence of F–was investigated using Raman spectroscopy and periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We have discovered that the F–-filled double four-membered ring (F–/D4R) and the empty D4R exhibit rather distinct Raman features. Both the F–/D4R and empty D4R are formed in the LTA zeolite synthesized in the presence of F–using 1,2-dimethyl-3-(4-methylbenzyl) imidazolium as the OSDA. Observed Raman bands of the F–/D4R and empty D4R, along with predictive DFT calculations on LTA supercells, reveal an ordered distribution of these two D4R units in the final as-made LTA zeolite. The discovery of these distinct Raman signatures of F–/D4R and empty D4R units opens an interesting new window for studying defects in the D4R during zeolite formation. In particular, we have observed variation in Raman intensities of F–/D4R and empty D4R bands during LTA crystallization; periodic DFT calculations indicate that the observed Raman behavior is consistent with empty D4R units containing one or two Si vacancies surrounded by Q3Si—consistent also with solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance measurement. These defects appear to heal during further crystallization, leading to the formation of defect-free LTA zeolite crystals. Overall, our results provide deeper understanding on the roles of F–in charge balancing and stabilizing intact D4R units during zeolite formation.

To evaluate the coal burst proneness more precisely, a new energy criterion namely the residual elastic energy index was proposed. This study begins by performing the single-cyclic loading-unloading uniaxial compression tests with five pre-peak unloading stress levels to explore the energy storage characteristics of coal. Five types of coals from different mines were tested, and the instantaneous destruction process of the coal specimens under compression loading was recorded using a high speed camera. The results showed a linear relationship between the elastic strain energy density and input energy density, which confirms the linear energy storage law of coal. Based on this linear energy storage law, the peak elastic strain energy density of each coal specimen was obtained precisely. Subsequently, a new energy criterion of coal burst proneness was established, which was called the residual elastic energy index (defined as the difference between the peak elastic strain energy density and post peak failure energy density). Considering the destruction process and actual failure characteristics of coal specimens, the accuracy of evaluating coal burst proneness based on the residual elastic energy index was examined. The results indicated that the residual elastic energy index enables reliable and precise evaluations of the coal burst proneness.

The Shanxi rift zone, located in the Trans-North China Orogen (TNCO) of the North China Craton (NCC), is wellknown for hosting large intraplate earthquakes in continental China. The TNCO is a suture zone formed by the amalgamation of the eastern and the western blocks of the NCC. After its formation, it was reactived and deformed by later tectonic activities, which result in complex lithospheric heterogeneities. Thus, the detailed crustal structure of the Shanxi rift zone is critical for understanding the tectonics and seismogenic mechanism in this area, which will shed new lights on the formation and dynamic evolution of the NCC. In this study, we applied ambient noise tomography based on 18 months continuous records from 108 seismic stations located in Shanxi and its surroundings, in order to constrain its detailed crustal structure. We measured 4437 Rayleigh wave phase velocity dispersion curves in the period of 5–45 s from the cross-correlation functions. Next, a surface wave direct inversion algorithm based on surface-wave ray tracing was used to resolve a 3-D S-wave velocity model in the upper 60 km with lateral resolution of ∼50–80 km. The tomographic images show that the sedimentary thickness of the Taiyuan Basin is less than 5 km. At depth of 0–10 km, we observe a good correlation between the imaged structural variations with geological and topographic features at the surface. For example, the center of rift shows low-velocity anomalies and the uplifting areas on both sides are characterized by high velocity anomalies. The western and eastern boundaries of the slow materials coincide with the faults that control the basin. The slow material extends from the shallow surface to depth of about 15 km but it getting smaller in shape at deeper depth. For the Taiyuan Basin, Linfen Basin, and Yuncheng Basin in the central and southern parts, the structure is dominant by slow materials in the upper crust but changes to strong high-velocity anomalies in the lower crust and the uppermost mantle at depth deeper than 25 km. We interprete these high-velocity anomalies to be associated with the cold remnant of the underplated basalt in the lower crust that were formed in early Tertiary before the basin was stretched. We also observe the low-velocity anomaly beneath the Datong volcanic area, which extends from the uppermost mantle to a depth of 20 km vertically and migrates from west to east laterally. It may reflect the upwelling channel of the magmatic material in Datong. Moreover, the strong low-velocity anomalies presented north of 38°N could be related to the heated crustal materials with paritial melting as a result of the intensive magmatic activities of the Datong Volcano since the Cenozoic. In our study region, seismicity mainly concentrates in the depth range of 5–20 km and we find that most earthquakes appear to occur in places where velocity changes from high to low rapidly, with slight higher concentration in the faster material areas. In summary, our high-resolution 3-D crustal velocity model provides important seismological constraints to understand the tectonic evolution and seismicity across the Shanxi rift zone.

In backfill mining, surrounding rock damaged by impact loading (e.g. blasting) is immersed in backfill water after backfilling, and the instability of the impact-damaged and water-soaked (IDWS) surrounding rock can occur under blasting loads. To study the dynamic mechanical properties and the size effect of rock under such working conditions, triaxial dynamic compression tests were conducted on four groups (four length-to-diameter ratios) of first impact-damaged and then water-soaked sandstone specimens using an improved split Hopkinson pressure bar device. The test results show that, at a similar strain rate (approximately 10 s−1), the peak strength and elastic modulus of IDWS specimens are lower than those of the intact specimens, whereas the peak strain is higher than that of the intact specimens. Both the peak strength and peak strain of the IDWS specimens increase with strain rate, exhibiting a strong strain rate dependency. The peak strength, peak strain, and elastic modulus all display a size effect. This size effect varies over different strain rate ranges. When the strain rate is approximately 10 s−1, the peak strength decreases as the length-to-diameter ratio increases. In contrast, at a strain rate of approximately 30 s−1, the peak strength increases with an increase in the length-to-diameter ratio. There is a linear relationship between the incident energy and absorbed energy of the intact and IDWS specimens. Under the same incident energy, the IDWS specimens show higher absorbed energy than the intact specimens. This relationship is independent of the length-to-diameter ratio of rock specimens.

Exertional heatstroke (EHS) is increasingly common in young trained soldiers. However, the prognosis marker in EHS patients remains unclear. To evaluate cardiac MRI feature tracking (CMR-FT) derived left ventricle (LV) strain as a biomarker for return to training (RTT) in trained soldiers with EHS in a prospective CMR cohort.

Total synthesis of simonsol C has been achieved, focusing on the postdearomatization transformations. Our methodology integrates an efficient combination of dearomatization and Zn/AcOH reduction to introduce an allyl group, followed by oxo-Michael addition, to construct the 6/5/6 benzofuran skeleton. It offers a novel method for synthesizing allyl-containing quaternary carbon atoms in a straightforward manner.

AbstractTo reveal the function of drilling pressure relief (DPR) in preventing rockbursts from the energy storage perspective, we investigated the rockburst proneness of red sandstone with different number and arrangement of prefabricated borehole via uniaxial compression tests. The experimental result revealed the failure intensity characteristics of specimen can be quantitatively described using the peak-strength strain energy storage index (PESI). The PESI of red sandstone specimens with boreholes decreased by 23.2%–70.2% compared with that of intact specimens, i.e. DPR can effectively reduce the rockburst proneness of rocks. Furthermore, the effects of the number and arrangement of boreholes on rockburst proneness were evaluated. The PESI decreased as the number of boreholes increased. When the arrangement angle with the loading direction changed from 90° to 27° and then to 0°, the PESI first decreased and then increased; when the arrangement angle with the loading direction was 27°, the efficiency of eliminating rockburst proneness and weakening peak compression strength was the best. The borehole arrangement angle affects rockburst proneness more than the number of boreholes does. This paper offers a novel approach of quantitatively evaluating the rockburst proneness of rocks after DPR and clarifies the effectiveness DPR in reducing the probability of rockbursts.

The Tan‐Lu fault zone is a large NNE‐trending fault zone in eastern China. Investigations of the structures of the fault zone and its surrounding areas have attracted much attention. In this study, we used dense‐array ambient noise tomography to construct a three‐dimensional shear wave velocity model of shallow crust in an area about 80km × 70km in Lujiang, Anhui Province, eastern China. For approximately one month we collected continuous ambient noise signals recorded by 90 short‐period seismographs in the region, and obtained the short‐period Rayleigh wave empirical Green's functions between stations by the cross‐correlation method; we also extracted 0.5–8 s fundamental mode Rayleigh wave group velocity and phase velocity dispersion curves. Based on the direct surface wave tomography method, we jointly inverted the group velocity and phase velocity dispersion data of all paths and obtained the 3‐D shear wave velocity structure in the depth range of 0–5 km. The results revealed important geological structural features of the study area. In the north region, the sedimentary center of the Hefei Basin — the southwestern part of the Chaohu Lake — shows a significant low‐velocity anomaly to a depth of at least 5 km. The southwestern and southeastern regions of the array are the eastern margin of the Dabie orogenic belt and the intrusion area of Luzong volcanic rocks, respectively, and both show obvious high‐speed anomalies; the sedimentary area within the Tan‐Lu fault zone (about 10 km wide) shows low‐velocity anomalies. However, the volcanic rock intrusion area in the fault zone is shown as high velocity. Our shallow crustal imaging results reflect the characteristics of different structures in the study area, especially the high‐speed intrusive rocks in the Tan‐Lu fault zone, which were probably partially derived from the magmatic activity of Luzong volcanic basin. From the Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary, the Tan‐Lu fault zone was in a period of extensional activity; the special stress environment and the fractured fault zone morphology provided conditions for magma in the Luzong volcanic basin to intrude into the Tan‐Lu fault zone in the west. Our 3‐D model can also provide important information for deep resource exploration and earthquake strong ground motion simulation.

Objective: Alzheimer's disease (AD), also known as senile dementia, is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive impairment and personality changes. Numerous evidences have suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis and development of AD. However, the exact role of miR-335-5p in the progression of AD is still not clearly clarified. Methods: The protein and mRNA levels were measured by western blot and RNA extraction and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), respectively. The relationship between miR-335-5p and c-jun-N-terminal kinase 3 (JNK3) was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. SH-SY5Y cells were transfected with APP mutant gene to establish the in vitro AD cell model. Flow cytometry and western blot were performed to evaluate cell apoptosis. The APP/PS1 transgenic mice were used as an in vivo AD model. Morris water maze test was performed to assess the effect of miR- 335-5p on the cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. Results: The JNK3 mRNA expression and protein levels of JNK3 and β-Amyloid (Aβ) were significantly up-regulated, and the mRNA expression of miR-335-5p was down-regulated in the brain tissues of AD patients. The expression levels of miR-335-5p and JNK3 were significantly inversely correlated. Further, the dual Luciferase assay verified the relationship between miR-335- 5p and JNK3. Overexpression of miR-335-5p significantly decreased the protein levels of JNK3 and Aβ and inhibited apoptosis in SH-SY5Y/APPswe cells, whereas the inhibition of miR-335-5p obtained the opposite results. Moreover, the overexpression of miR-335-5p remarkably improved the cognitive abilities of APP/PS1 mice. Conclusion: The results revealed that the increased JNK3 expression, negatively regulated by miR-335-5p, may be a potential mechanism that contributes to Aβ accumulation and AD progression, indicating a novel approach for AD treatment.

A green and facial hydrothermal strategy is developed to synthesis N-doped carbon dots with a high green fluorescence and also a promising fluorescent probe for the detection of acetone and hydrogen peroxide.

Raman spectroscopy of network solids such as zeolites is critical for shedding light on collective vibrations of medium-range structures such as rings that exist in crystals and that form during crystallization processes. Despite this importance, assignments of Raman spectra are not completely understood, though it is often assumed that Raman bands can be assigned to individual rings. We report a systematic zeolite synthesis, spectroscopy, and periodic DFT study of several all-silica zeolites to test this assumption and to determine the fundamental structural motifs that explain Raman spectral features. We have discovered from normal-mode analysis that Raman bands can be assigned to tricyclic bridges—three zeolite rings that share a common Si–O–Si bridge. Furthermore, we have found that the vibrational frequency of a given Raman band can be correlated to the smallest ring of its tricyclic bridge and not to the ring that is actually vibrating. Finally, we have discovered a precise anticorrelation between Raman frequency and Si–O–Si angle. These discoveries open new ways to investigate structures of network materials made of corner-sharing tetrahedra and to study crystallization from amorphous gels where structural information is limited.

The Middle-Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt (MLYMB) is an important mineral resource region in China. High-resolution crustal models can provide crucial constraints to understand the ore-forming processes and geodynamic setting in this region. Using ambient seismic noise from 107 permanent and 82 portable stations in the MLYMB and the adjacent area, we present a new high-resolution 3D S-wave velocity model of this region. We first extract 5–50 s Rayleigh wave phase velocity dispersion data by calculating ambient noise cross-correlation functions (CFs) and then use the surface wave direct inversion method to invert the mixed path travel times for the 3D S-wave velocity structure. Checkerboard tests show that the horizontal resolution of the 3D S-wave velocity model is approximately 0.5°–1.0° and that the vertical resolution decreases with increasing noise and depth. Our high-resolution 3D S-wave velocity model reveals: (1) A V-shaped high-velocity zone (HVZ) is located in the lower crust and the uppermost mantle in the study region. The western branch of the HVZ passes through the Jianghan Basin, the Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt and the Nanxiang Basin. The eastern branch, which almost completely covers the main body of the MLYMB, is located near the Tanlu Fault. The low-velocity anomalies between the western and eastern branches are located in the area of the Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt. (2) High-velocity uplifts (HVUs) are common in the crust of the MLYMB, especially in the areas near the Tanlu Fault, the Changjiang Fault and the Yangxin-Changzhou Fault. The intensities of the HVUs gradually weaken from west to east. The V-shaped HVZ in the lower crust and uppermost mantle and the HVUs in the middle and lower crust likely represent cooled mantle intrusive rocks. During the Yanshanian period, fault systems formed in the MLYMB due to the convergence between the South China Plate and the North China Plate, the multiple-direction drifting of the Paleo-Pacific Plate and its subduction beneath the Eurasian Plate. The dehydration of the cold oceanic crust led to partial melting in the upper mantle. Temperature differences caused strong convection of the upper mantle material that underplated the lower crust and rose to near the surface along the deep fault systems. After mixing with the crustal materials, mineralization processes, such as assimilation and fractional crystallization, occurred in the MLYMB.

The paper presents the design idea of the portable vertical pendulum tiltmeter, based on in-depth understanding of the application situation of existing VP vertical pendulum tiltmeter in the field of precursory observation, in order to further broaden the scope of application and tap its market potential. A high precision capacitance micrometer was redesigned, at the same time, it also has an improved high reliability lock pendulum mechanism, automatic zeroing devices and Integrated low power circuit system, these designs make the vertical pendulum tiltmeter portable, but also has high reliability and stability. The portable vertical pendulum tiltmeter can be used for in situ observation with VP vertical pendulum tiltmeter in existing stations. It can be used for regular checking and troubleshooting of existing tiltmeters, and also can solve the problem of data loss during the maintenance of the tiltmeters. Through the experiments, the test results show that the portable vertical pendulum tiltmeter can record earth tide curve, the various performance index have reached or close to the expected design goals.

AbstractBased on ASP.Net technology, this paper designs a scientific research talent management system based on hospital LAN, and introduces the design idea and main features of the system. The application of this system can further improve the management level of scientific research talents in hospitals

AbstractDesign a emergency rapid triage expert software system for hospital by ASP.NET technology. The system established a good database so that emergency nurses can quickly determine the level of the patient’s condition and Polyclinic for treatment based on system criteria, which greatly improves the efficiency and accuracy of triage.

Earthquakes induced by reservoir impoundment pose great risk to property and lives worldwide, but studies demonstrating relationships between reservoir water levels, specific faults, and the local geology are rare. Here we show that the 2013 M5.1 Badong Earthquake, the largest earthquake so far in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) region of China, occurred at a shallow depth on a right‐lateral south‐dipping strike‐slip fault. The fault is at least 15 km long and intercepts the TGR at the NS‐running Shennongxi River. We find that the earthquake and its foreshocks and aftershocks are confined to a fractured Triassic carbonate formation that crops out in the reservoir. The precise locations of earthquakes coupled with the local geology suggest that the sequence was induced by high pore pressure due to reservoir water infiltration in a specific rock type. The newly identified fault has the potential to generate earthquakes of magnitude approaching the designed seismic intensity limit of the Three Gorges Dam. Earthquakes induced by reservoir impoundment pose great risk to property and lives worldwide, but studies demonstrating relationships between reservoir water levels, specific faults, and the local geology are rare. In this study, we determined focal mechanism and depth of the 2013 M5.1 Badong Earthquake, the largest earthquake so far in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) region of China. We also obtained high‐precision locations of 205 events in this earthquake sequence. The results show that these earthquakes occurred at shallow depths between 1 and 5 km on a steep south‐dipping fault. The fault is at least 15 km long and intercepts TGR at the NS‐running Shennongxi River. A field survey indicates that the earthquakes are confined to a fractured rock formation that crops out in the reservoir. The precise locations of earthquakes coupled with the local geology suggest that they were induced by high pore pressure due to reservoir water infiltration. The newly identified fault is a seismic risk to the Three Gorges Dam. The findings are important because (1) they highlight the importance of understanding the detailed local hydrologic system in risk assessment, and (2) the fact that the seismogenic fault was missed before demonstrates the limitations of preconstruction risk‐assessment surveys. The 2013 M5.1 Badong Earthquake occurred at a shallow depth on a steep south‐dipping strike‐slip fault in the Three Gorges Reservoir regionThe results suggest that the earthquake was induced by high pore pressure due to reservoir water infiltration in a specific rock typeThe newly identified fault has the potential to generate earthquakes approaching the designed seismic intensity limit of the Three Gorges Dam

In this work, we have presented a detailed study on the effect of shot peening on anodization of medium carbon steel. Anodization has been conducted on both non-shot-peened and shot-peened steel. The results show that shot peening procedure facilitates the subsequent anodization significantly. The mechanism for promoting anodization by shot peening has been discussed. After anodization, the shot-peened steel forms an amorphous α-Fe2O3film with a geometric pattern. More importantly, the α-Fe2O3film and the shot-peened layer constitute an anodized shot-peened layer, which exhibits a multi-scale structure. Due to this multi-scale structure, the anodized shot-peened layer shows a controllable wettability. It can be used as a hydrophilic or a hydrophobic coating.

Dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in osteosarcoma (OS) progression. In the present study, we investigate the clinical significance of serum miR-491 level and the potential role of miR-491 in OS lung metastasis and chemoresistance. Clinical data show that the level of miR-491 was decreased in serum from OS patients compared with healthy control subjects, and that a decreased serum miR-491 level is correlated with increased metastasis, poor chemoresponse, and lower survival rate in OS patients. In vitro and in vivo experiments show that overexpression of miR-491 suppresses OS cell lung metastasis, whereas it enhances cisplatin (CDDP)-induced tumor growth inhibition and apoptosis. In contrast, inhibition of miR-491 stimulates OS cell lung metastasis and suppresses CDDP-induced tumor growth inhibition and apoptosis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that miR-491 exerts its role by directly targeting αB-crystallin (CRYAB) in OS. Our findings suggest that serum level of miR-491 has potential as a biomarker for predicting OS progression and prognosis of OS patients. Additionally, restoration of miR-491 may be a novel strategy for inhibiting OS lung metastasis and overcoming OS cell resistance to chemotherapy.

In this study, based on a two-potential approach, we systematically investigated the proton radioactivity half-lives of spherical proton emitters with 69≤Z≤81from the ground and/or isomeric state, choosing the nuclear potential to be a modified Woods–Saxon potential that contains the isospin effect of the daughter nucleus. It was found that the calculated half-lives could reproduce the experimental data well. Furthermore, we extended this model to predict the half-lives of 17 proton-emitting candidates whose radioactivity is energetically allowed or observed but not yet quantified in NUBASE2020. For comparison, the unified fission model, Coulomb potential and proximity potential model, universal decay law for proton emission, and new Geiger–Nuttall law were also used. All the predicted results are consistent with each other.

The Anninghe fault forms the eastern boundary of the Sichuan‐Yunnan block in Southwest China and has been identified as an earthquake gap zone. This study intends to construct the upper crustal shear wave velocity (Vs) structure beneath the Anninghe fault to understand its seismotectonics and potential large earthquake hazards. We deployed a dense seismic array along the southern central Anninghe fault valley. From the 3‐month continuous records, we calculated vertical‐component cross‐correlation functions (CCFs). However, the surface wave signals in the CCFs are intensely interfered by near zero‐time‐lag noise. We proposed a mode separation method based on the high‐resolution linear Radon transform, which suppressed the interfered noise and greatly enhanced the surface wave signals for ambient noise tomography of the Vsstructure. The fine upper crustal structure reveals a distinct narrow low‐velocity belt within a depth of 3 km beneath the Anninghe fault zone. At deeper depths (4.5–8 km), the narrow low‐velocity belt shifts to the east and correlates with the distribution of local earthquakes. Combining previous results with our new findings, we presented a seismotectonic model of the southern central Anninghe fault, which interprets the narrow low‐velocity belt as a water‐contained fracture zone that forms a seismogenic zone at deeper depths under transpression. In addition, we demonstrated through scenario earthquake simulations that fine structures play a significant role in the assessment of earthquake hazards along the Anninghe fault. As such, this study provides a typical window into seismotectonics and large earthquake hazards in the active southeastern Tibetan Plateau. The Anninghe fault is located in Southwest China, and it has experienced a series of large earthquakes (M≥ 7) during its history. However, the Anninghe fault has been silent for nearly 30 years; it has been suggested that there is a high risk of large earthquakes occurring there. To investigate the deep structural background and potential earthquake hazards associated with the Anninghe fault zone, we deployed a dense seismic array along this fault zone. During data processing, we proposed a method to eliminate coherent noise and enhance the signals considerably, which is essential for the subsequent tomography of the structures underneath. The final tomographic model shows that the Anninghe fault zone has a distinctively low seismic wave speed at shallow depths and dips to the east at deeper depths. As this observation agrees with the distribution of local earthquakes and previous findings, it may indicate the existence of a seismogenic zone capable of generating earthquakes. Additionally, we further demonstrated through simulations of large earthquakes that the high‐resolution model developed in this study is important for assessing earthquake hazards along the Anninghe fault. A mode separation technique is proposed to suppress near zero‐time‐lag noise in cross‐correlation functions for ambient noise tomographyThe fine upper crustal Vsmodel reveals an apparent low‐velocity belt consistent with local earthquakes beneath the Anninghe fault zoneScenario earthquake simulations highlight the significance of fine structures in assessing large earthquake hazards A mode separation technique is proposed to suppress near zero‐time‐lag noise in cross‐correlation functions for ambient noise tomography The fine upper crustal Vsmodel reveals an apparent low‐velocity belt consistent with local earthquakes beneath the Anninghe fault zone Scenario earthquake simulations highlight the significance of fine structures in assessing large earthquake hazards

Progress in multifunctional nanomaterials for tumor therapy mostly depends on the development of tumor-targeting delivery strategies. One approach is to explore a pH-responsive strategy to target the slightly acidic solid tumor microenvironment. A novel class of pH (low) insertion peptides (pHLIPs) with pH-dependent transmembrane activity can fold and rapidly insert into the lipid bilayer of tumor cells triggered by acidity, facilitating the cellular internalization of nanomaterials synchronously. Here, we innovatively decorated gold nanostars (GNSs) with pHLIPs (GNS-pHLIP) to improve their targeting ability and photothermal therapeutic (PTT) efficiency. The obtained GNS-pHLIP exhibited the excellent characteristics of uniform size and good biocompatibility. As compared to GNS-mPEG, the cellular internalization of GNS-pHLIP was 1-fold higher after a 2 h incubation with cells in media at pH 6.4 than at pH 7.4. Moreover, the tumor accumulation of the GNS-pHLIP was 3-fold higher than that of GNS-mPEG after intravenous injection into MCF-7 breast tumor animal models for 24 h. Furthermore, GNS-pHLIP exhibited stronger signals than the GNS-mPEG through computed tomography (CT) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging. Simultaneously, the desirable targeting efficiency significantly improved the PTT efficacy to tumors, with low side effects on normal tissues. The results clearly demonstrate that the GNS-pHLIP successfully took advantage of the tumor-targeting ability of pHLIPs and the good characteristics of GNSs, which may contribute to the study of tumor imaging and therapy.

The Tanlu Fault Zone (TFZ) is considered as a suture of the intra‐continental collision between the South and North China plates, and it has attracted considerable geological, geochemistry, and geophysical investigations. However, its deep structures still lack clear delineation and the related tectonic processes are still debated without a clear consensus. To better characterize the TFZ as a plate boundary in east China, a 2‐D land seismic survey extending 87 km was conducted across its southern segment to investigate the underlying complex structures. Acoustic full‐waveform inversion (FWI) is applied to the early arrivals of the land seismic data to reconstruct the high‐resolution P‐wave velocity model of the upper crust (above ∼3.5 km). Structures of the crust and the uppermost mantle are further constrained through deep seismic profiling (DSP). The integrated geological interpretation from the FWI and DSP results suggests massive magma upwelling activities, characterized by the reflection‐free zone revealed by DSP and the high‐velocity anomaly recovered by FWI. The TFZ in the study area is found to be a deeply seated fault system with a positive flower structure at its shallow part, which suggests it has undergone a transpression regime. Also, the DSP result provides evidence for the subduction of the South China plate under the North China plate. Finally, a three‐stage model including the compression, transpression, and extension stages is proposed based on the new seismic results to better constrain the tectonic evolution of the southern segment of the TFZ. The Tanlu Fault Zone (TFZ) is a transform fault between the South and North China plates. To better study its tectonic structures, we conducted a 2‐D active‐source seismic survey across its southern segment. We apply the full‐waveform inversion (FWI) method to early arrivals of the acquired data to invert for the P‐wave velocity model along the profile. Furthermore, we apply post‐stack depth migration to image the shallow crust (above ∼3.5 km) and use deep seismic reflections to image structures of the middle and lower crust. A high‐velocity zone in the shallow crust is reconstructed and a weak‐reflection zone is found beneath the TFZ. We suspect these structures are related to the magma intrusion activities. We also found that the southern segment of the TFZ extends deeply through the entire crust and includes multiple branches, assembling a positive flower structure. Besides, from our deep reflection imaging result, it seems that the South China plate subducted under the North China plate. Based on the new findings above, we suggest a three‐stage tectonic model including the plate convergence, the sinistral strike‐slip movement, and the extensional deformation to explain the evolutional history of the study area. Full‐waveform inversion is applied to the wide‐aperture land seismic data to reconstruct the P‐wave velocity of the upper crustA deep seismic profiling provides new constraints on the crustal structures at the marginal area between the South and North China platesA three‐stage tectonic model is proposed to explain the tectonic evolution of the southern segment of the Tanlu Fault Zone Full‐waveform inversion is applied to the wide‐aperture land seismic data to reconstruct the P‐wave velocity of the upper crust A deep seismic profiling provides new constraints on the crustal structures at the marginal area between the South and North China plates A three‐stage tectonic model is proposed to explain the tectonic evolution of the southern segment of the Tanlu Fault Zone

The Litang fault (LTF), located in the southeast of the Tibetan Plateau, is known for its high level of present-day seismicity, whereas its Pleistocene activity has been scarcely documented. This study focused on a tract of banded travertine deposits precipitated from thermal waters along the trace the NW–SE-trending LTF. The role of travertine deposits in recording neotectonic activity has been studied by identifying their internal structure. Typical soft-sediment deformation structures observed within the banded travertines include microfolds, liquefied breccia, and liquefied diapirs. These deformed structures, which are restricted to a single unit separated unconformably by undeformed layers, can be traced for tens of meters, indicating that they were formed by seismic shaking triggered by LTF activity. The deformation of the banded travertine layers is attributed to the combined effects of seismic shaking, liquefaction, and fluidization, and it can be related to a paleoearthquake event with magnitude of Ms > 5. The U-series ages obtained from the banded travertine deposits perturbed by the earthquakes are in the range of 130.59–112.94 ka, indicating an important fault-assisted neotectonic activity occurred during the Middle–Late Pleistocene. Analysis of such structures, in combination with the use of U-series dating methods, can yield a reliable timing of neotectonic activity and provide new evidence for understanding the seismotectonic setting of the Litang area.

Accurate prediction of rockburst proneness is one of challenges for assessing the rockburst risk and selecting effective control measures. This study aims to assess rockburst proneness by considering the energy characteristics and qualitative information during rock failure. Several representative rock types in cylindrical and cuboidal sample shapes were tested under uniaxial compression conditions and the failure progress was detected by a high-speed camera. The far-field ejection mass ratio (FEMR) was determined considering the qualitative failure information of the rock samples. The peak-strength energy impact index and the residual elastic energy index were used to quantitatively evaluate the rockburst proneness of both cylindrical and cuboidal samples. Further, the performance of these two indices was analyzed by comparing their estimates with the FEMR. The results show that the accuracy of the residual elastic energy index is significantly higher than that of the peak-strength energy impact index. The residual elastic energy index and the FEMR are in good agreement for both cylindrical and cuboidal rock materials. This is because these two indices can essentially reflect the common energy release mechanism characterized by the mass, ejection velocity, and ejection distance of rock fragments. It suggests that both the FEMR and the residual elastic energy index can be used to accurately measure the rockburst proneness of cylindrical and cuboidal samples based on uniaxial compression test.

The Anninghe fault is a major left-lateral strike-slip fault in southwest China and a seismic gap with a potential earthquake larger than MW7.0 lies in the Mianning-Xichang segment according to recent observations. The shallow structure of this region can offer a glimpse into the geometry of the fault, which plays an important role in earthquake hazard mitigation. To further investigate the sedimentary structure of the Anninghe fault zone, two dense linear arrays with a station spacing of around 80 ​m were deployed across the fault. In this study, the H/V spectral ratio (HVSR), together with its peak frequency at each station site, was obtained by applying the Nakamura method. Our findings demonstrate that the peak frequency behaves in high correlation with lithology and is controlled by topography. HVSR in foothills or regions with magmatic intrusion shows a single peak at about 2–3 ​Hz. In locations with abundant Quaternary sedimentation, such as Anninghe valleys and fracture zones, another low-frequency peak around 0.4 ​Hz can be noticed in HVSR. By using the empirical relationship, the thickness of the sedimentary layer around the fault fracture zone is estimated to be 300–600 ​m. Furthermore, the sedimentary interface shows a downward dip to the east, possibly influenced by the east-west extrusion stress. Considering the resonance effect, buildings with 6–9 stories in the valley area of the Anninghe require additional attention in earthquake hazard prevention.

Protein–DNA binding mechanisms in a complex manner are essential for understanding many biological processes. Over the past decades, numerous experiments and calculations have analyzed the specificity of protein–DNA binding. However, the accuracy of binding free energy prediction for multi-base DNA systems still needs to be improved. Fis is a DNA-binding protein that regulates various transcription and recombination reactions. In the present work, we tested several methods of predict binding free energy based on this system to find a favorable prediction scheme and explore the binding mechanism of Fis protein and DNA. Two solvent models (explicit and implicit solvent models) were chosen for the dynamics process, and the predicted binding free energy was more accurate under the explicit solvent model. When different Poisson–Boltzmann/Generalized Born (PB/GB) models were tested for DNA force fields (BSC1 and OL15), it was found that the binding free energy predicted by the selected OL15 force field performed better and the correlation between predicted and experimental values was improved with the increasing interior dielectric constant (Dk). Finally, using Dk = 8, the GBOBC1model combined with interaction entropy (IE), which was calculated for entropic contribution (GBOBC1_IE_8), was screened out for the binding free energy prediction and analysis of the Fis–DNA system, and the validity of the method was further verified by testing the Cren7–DNA system. By performing conformational analysis of the minor groove, it was found that mutation of the DNA central sequence A/T to C/G and deletion of the guanine 2-amino group would change the minor groove width and thus affect the formation of the major groove, altering the interaction and atomic contact between the protein and the major groove, thus changing the binding affinity of Fis and DNA. Hopefully, the series of tests in this work can shed some light on the related studies of protein and DNA systems.

The low ductility of hypereutectic Al–Si alloys, which is attributed to the coarse primary silicon particles in the microstructure, limits their application potential. The mechanical properties of hypereutectic Al–Si alloys strongly depend on the size and morphology of the primary Si. This study focused not only on the effect of the primary Si content, but also on the ductile a-Al phase, which does not occur in the microstructure of hypereutectic Al–Si alloys when using traditional alloying methods. We propose a novel method which allows introducing the a-Al phase in order to improve the mechanical properties of hypereutectic Al–Si alloys, e.g., the hardness, tensile strength, and ductility. The formation of the a-Al phase and a refinement of the primary Si were simultaneously achieved via an unconventional method, which is based on mixing a high-temperature molten Al–Si alloy with low Si content into a low-temperature semi-solid Al–Si alloy with high Si content. The resulting alloy showed an improved ductility, hardness and tensile strength compared to a traditionally-cast Al–Si alloy with the same nominal Si content.

Patients with end-stage renal disease who were undergoing peritoneal dialysis showed more severe abnormalities in spontaneous resting-state brain activity than did those who were not undergoing dialysis, and those alterations in brain activity correlated with the degree of neuropsychologic impairment and clinical markers.

The goal of the present study is to explore the physiological effects of injected human immunoglobulin on patients with severe bronchiolitis before and after treatment. 86 young children with severe bronchiolitis were randomly divided into the observation group (43 cases) and the treatment group (43 cases). On the basis of conventional therapy, the children in the treatment group were given human immunoglobulin (400 mg/kg, 1–3 times) via intravenous injection. 60 healthy young children, as determined by a physical examination given at the Zhumadian Central Hospital, were enrolled as the control group. The T lymphocytes, cytokines, IgA, IgG, and IgM immunoglobulins in the peripheral blood of all 3 groups were measured. The clinical efficacy of the immunoglobulins to mitigate the effects of bronchiolitis and the amount of time for the reduction of symptoms to occur were observed. The serum Ca, Fe, and Zn levels of children with severe bronchiolitis were significantly lower than those of the healthy control group (p < 0.05). As such, the CD8, IgA, IgG, IgM and IFN-γ levels were also significantly lower in the children with severe bronchiolitis than in the children in the healthy control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the CD4, IgE, IL-4, and IL-4/IFN-γ levels and CD4/CD8 ratio were dramatically higher than in the healthy control group (p < 0.05). Serum levels of the aforementioned indicators either increased or decreased after IVIG treatment. The amount of time required for coughing, wheezing, and pulmonary rales to seize, and the duration of illness for the children with the severe bronchiolitis children was significantly shorter for those in the treatment group than for those in the observation group. Human immunoglobulin via intravenous injection showed active therapeutical effects on trace elements, T lymphocytes, and cytokines in patients with severe bronchiolitis.

To investigate detection of ischemic penumbra in stroke patients with acute cerebral infarction by susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in comparison with perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI).

High performance (>15%) organometaltrihalide based solar cells have been demonstrated in recent years to be a promising candidate for low cost photovoltaics and have attracted significant attention in the photovoltaic community. Planar thin film perovskite solar cells, which are more easily fabricated, provide a great platform to investigate the perovskite film properties. Until now, many of the properties of perovskite thin films remain unexplored and the link between film properties and device performances is in need of investigation to further boost the efficiencies of these devices. Here, film transformation of perovskite materials is demonstrated as a critical factor to reach high performance in planar heterojunction CH3NH3PbI3−xClxsolar cells. Reaction induced secondary phases can be observed and carefully controlled by tuning the processing conditions during film formation. The properties of CH3NH3PbI3−xClxfilms are investigated and a possible formation pathway is proposed. It is shown that the high performance devices are attainable with a small portion of secondary phases coexisting with CH3NH3PbI3film and power conversion efficiencies of up to 14% are achieved. The correlations between the phases present, device performance and physical properties are discussed to identify the role of the secondary phases in CH3NH3PbI3−xClxmaterial.

This paper presents a technique for processing Terahertz radar reflector by SPDT (Single Point Diamond Turning) based on LODTM (Large Optics Diamond Turning Machine). This technique applies single crystal diamond cutting tools for ultra-precision machining, and thus could obtain high-precision optical mirror, which could be used as the Terahertz radar reflectors. An experiment for aluminum sample had been done to demonstrate the availability of the technique, and a pair of Terahertz radar reflectors were obtained. The precision of the reflectors, detected through precision coordinate measuring technology, was better than the designed requirement. The experiment results showed that Terahertz radar reflectors generated by deterministic ultra-precision machining technique based on LODTM would have advantages in figure accuracy and roughness and so on, which could be helpful to improve the precision and low the cost of Terahertz radar system.

Hierarchical identity-based encryption (HIBE) introduces the concept of hierarchical identity in identity-based encryption (IBE) which eases the burden of key generation centre. Anonymous identity-based encryption is another extension of IBE in which the ciphertext leaks no information about the target identity. In this paper, we propose a new anonymous hierarchical identity-based encryption system. Unlike previous anonymous HIBE system, our system needs no key delegation in decryption, i.e., the user can decrypt the ciphertext directly if his identity vector is the prefix of the target identity vector. So it is not necessary for the user to know the target identity vector, which enhances the practicality of anonymous HIBE systems. Our system is constructed in composite order groups and proven adaptive security and anonymity from four static assumptions by using the dual system encryption technique.