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ABSTRACTN6-methyladenosine (m6A) is widely recognized as the predominant form of RNA modification in higher organisms, with the capability to finely regulate RNA metabolism, thereby influencing a series of crucial physiological and pathological processes. These processes include regulation of gene expression, cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, cell cycle control, programmed cell death, interactions within the tumour microenvironment, energy metabolism, and immune regulation. With advancing research into the mechanisms of RNA methylation, the pivotal role of m6A modification in the pathophysiology of reproductive system tumours, particularly cervical cancer, has been progressively unveiled. This discovery has opened new research avenues and presented significant potential for the diagnosis, prognostic evaluation, and treatment of diseases. This review delves deeply into the biological functions of m6A modification and its mechanisms of action in the onset and progression of cervical cancer. Furthermore, it explores the prospects of m6A modification in the precision diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer, aiming to provide new perspectives and a theoretical basis for innovative and advanced treatment strategies for cervical cancer.

Silicon (Si), as an ideal anode component for lithium-ion batteries, is susceptible to substantial volume changes, leading to pulverization and excessive electrolyte consumption, ultimately resulting in a rapid decline in the cycle stability. Herein, a new sodium carboxymethyl cellulose-epichlorohydrin (CMC-ECH) binder featuring a three-dimensional (3D) network cross-linked structure is synthesized by a simple ring-opening reaction, which can effectively bond the Si anode through abundant covalent and hydrogen bonds to mitigate its pulverization. Benefitting from the merits of the CMC-ECH binder, the electrochemical performance is significantly enhanced compared to the CMC binder. The CMC-ECH binder is applied to Si anodes, a specific capacity of 1054.2 mAh g–1can be maintained at 0.2 C following 200 cycles under an elevated Si mass loading of around 1.0 mg cm–2, and the corresponding capacity retention is 65.6%. In the case of the LiFePO4//Si@CMC-ECH full battery, the cycle stability exhibits a substantial enhancement compared with the LiFePO4//Si@CMC full battery. Furthermore, the CMC-ECH binder demonstrates compatibility with micron-Si anode materials. Based on the above, we have successfully developed a facilely prepared water-based CMC-ECH binder that is suitable for Si and micron-Si anodes in lithium-ion batteries.

Heat-resistant materials, applied to manufacturing high-temperature components, are pivotal for raising the steam temperature parameters of advanced ultra-supercritical power plants. Alumina-forming austenitic (AFA) stainless steel, a promising candidate material applied to manufacture high-temperature components in fossil-fired ultra-supercritical steam plants, has been concerned by researchers. In this review, the recent progress of AFA steels with considerations of precipitations, high-temperature creep properties, and oxidation resistance was summarized. The stability of precipitates at high temperatures was discussed along with their competitive precipitation behavior. Furthermore, the factors which affect high-temperature creep properties of AFA steels were discussed. Simultaneously, the oxidation behaviors of AFA steels in diverse settings were evaluated.

The lack of filler materials is the crucial issue that restricts the wide application of the advanced heat-resistance steel G115 in ultra-super critical (USC) power plants. In the present work, a new welding filler material with alloying system of 8.8Cr-2.7W-2.8Co was successfully developed to fabricate the G115 steel welded joint by the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), and post weld heat treatments (PWHT) involving different temperatures were proposed to tailor the mechanical properties. The filler material exhibited perfect compatibility with the base material (BM), and the manufactured welded joint displayed satisfactory appearance and defect-free weld section. After PWHT, full martensitic lath structure decorated with high density of dislocations and dispersed strengthening precipitates M23C6and MX formed in the weld metal (WM), which was similar with that of the BM. Meanwhile, the welded joint was sensitive to the PWHT temperature, and an optimal combination of hardness (∼240 HV), tensile strength (∼679.9 MPa at 25 °C, and ∼344.6 MPa at 650 °C), elongation (∼13.1% at 25 °C, and ∼15.6% at 650 °C) and impact toughness (∼73.8 J/cm2) could be achieved after PWHT at 760 °C for 240 min. Comprehensively considering the obtained results, the designed filler material was feasible and reliable for matching the novel G115 steel, and satisfied the service demands of the G115 steel pipes in USC power plants.

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In this paper, a Fe, Cr-rich multiphase Ni3Al-based alloy is joined through transient liquid phase bonding (TLP) technique. Different from typical γ+γ′ dual phase Ni3Al-based alloys, the joint can be divided into three distinct zones: isothermal solidification zone (ISZ), gamma prime zone (GPZ) and diffusion affected zone (DAZ). Interestingly, the massive fine grains with γ+γ′ dual phase are observed inside the ISZ, and the GPZ consists of blocky γ′ phase. The precipitation of Cr-rich borides in DAZ provides an advantageous compositional condition for the local coarsening of γ′ phase. In addition, hardness value of the bonded samples fluctuates from the centerline to the BM and reaches the peak at the DAZ. The bonded specimens share equivalent room-temperature tensile strength and elongation to failure with the parent metal after the weld thermal cycle. Moreover, the fracture path propagates along the base metal (BM), which indicates excellent tensile properties of the joint.

Knowledge acquisition and dissemination have been considered as two endpoints of knowledge management (KM) process. Knowledge management affects new product performance through the two endpoints on the knowledge value chain. This study attempts to find how the knowledge acquisition and dissemination are related to new product financial performance. Employing additivity and variance stabilisation (AVAS) analysis, this paper examines the relationship between KM and the new product financial performance, and identifies different hidden patterns in which knowledge acquisition and dissemination affect new product financial performance. These findings imply that if organisations fail to understand the subtle ways by which different dimensions of knowledge acquisition and dissemination influence new product performance, they may fail to harvest the full value of KM in developing new products. Keywords: knowledge acquisition; knowledge dissemination; new product performance; knowledge management; additivity and variance stabilising transformation.

The effect of solution temperature on the aging hardening behavior of Al-15%Mg2Si(-1%Cu) alloys was studied by characterizing the precipitation behaviors of nano-precipitates. After the solution temperature rises from 520 °C to 550 °C, more solute atoms are available for precipitation, and the formation activation energies of precipitates (β'' and S) decrease. So the formation of β''/β′ in Al-15%Mg2Si alloy and S in Al-15%Mg2Si-1%Cu alloy is accelerated at a solution temperature of 550 °C, which enhances the hardness and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the two alloys.

Deoxynivalenol (DON), which is known as one of the most harmful mycotoxins, has contaminated food and feed and attracted concerns worldwide. However, the effective adsorptive removal of DON to ensure food safety still is a challenge, which is ascribed to the poor planarity and larger steric hindrance of DON molecules. Here, a new Zr(IV)-based metal–organic framework, entitled BUT-16 with one-dimensional channels and N-atom-decorated pore surface, is designed, prepared, and utilized for the adsorptive removal of DON. It exhibits excellent adsorption ability with an adsorption capacity of 46 mg/g higher than all reported adsorbents until now and a rapid adsorption rate of 0.031 g mg–1min–1. DFT calculation and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results of the guest-loaded phase suggest that the record-breaking adsorption could be due to the cooperation of hydrogen bonding and Zr···O interaction between DON molecules and BUT-16 host. Most importantly, BUT-16 can effectively adsorb and remove DON in the simulated gastric fluid, but DON adsorbed on BUT-16 is hardly desorbed in the simulated intestinal fluid. The results demonstrate that BUT-16 has great promising application for the control of DON in foods and feeds.

[Display omitted] • The Mo-Y 2 O 3 powders of 54 nm were prepared by novel freeze-drying. • The Mo-Y 2 O 3 alloys possess Mo grains of 620 nm meanwhile its density is 99.6 %. • Nano Y 5 Mo 2 O 12 particles of <50 nm uniformly distribute within Mo matrix. • The hardness of alloys is as high as 487 HV 0.2. • The yield strength of alloys is as high as 902 MPa. The ultrafine Mo-Y 2 O 3 composite powders were successfully synthesized by innovative freeze-drying method. Consequently, the freeze-dried Mo-Y 2 O 3 composite powders with high sintering activities possess an average grain size of 54 nm. After low temperature sintering at 1600 °C, the Mo-Y 2 O 3 alloys maintaining a high density (99.6 %) have the finest grain size (620 nm) comparing with available literature about oxide dispersion strengthened molybdenum alloy (ODS-Mo). The oxide particles remain their small size (mainly <50 nm) within Mo grains and at Mo grain boundaries. Furthermore, the Y 5 Mo 2 O 12 particles were firstly observed within Mo matrix, and its formation can absorb nearby oxygen impurities, which involves the purification of Mo matrix. The mechanical properties show that Mo-Y 2 O 3 alloy possess a high hardness of 487 ± 28 HV 0.2 , a high yield strength of 902 MPa, a high compressive strength of 1110 MPa, respectively. Our work suggests that freeze-drying and subsequent low temperature sintering can shed light on the preparation of ultrafine ODS-Mo alloys with high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels with compositions of 9Cr-ODS (9Cr-ODS) and 9Cr-3Al-ODS (9Cr-ODS-Al) were fabricated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP). The microstructures and precipitates of the ODS samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the addition of Al could reduce the precipitation of coarse M23C6and optimized the size of carbides in ODS steels. Furthermore, it was found that the mean size of nanoparticles in 9Cr-ODS-Al is larger than that in 9Cr-ODS due to the formation of large-size Y–Al–O nanoparticles with Al addition. The tensile test results indicated that the addition of Al slightly decreased the strength of ODS steels, but substantially increased the ductility.

Fine cellular subgrain structure was formed in the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) manufactured IN718 alloy via optimizing the processing parameters. During the subsequent homogenization heat treatment process, the Laves phase dispersed at the subgrain boundaries can be eliminated while the cellular subgrain structure is reserved in the printed samples after holding at 1080 ℃ for 50 min. With the prolongation of the holding time, the subgrain boundaries undergo low angle rotation via the motion of dislocation, which leads to the annihilation of the cellular subgrain structure. Moreover, during the subsequent double aging heat treatment process, the reserved cellular subgrain structure in the homogenized samples promotes the precipitation of γ" second phase nanoparticles, and these precipitated γ" phase nanoparticles prefer to distribute at subgrain boundaries. It was found that these unique subgrain boundaries with γ" phase precipitates can hinder but not fully terminate the motion of dislocation during the plastic deformation process, which contributes to increasing the strength as well as holding the stable plastic flow. Hence, the strength and ductility of final prepared IN718 alloy with cellular subgrain microstructure were improved simultaneously compared to the prepared alloy without cellular subgrain structure, which even exceed the mechanical properties standards (AMS 5662) of wrought IN718 alloy. These results in our work suggest that controlling the subgrain structure is a promising effective strategy to improve the mechanical properties of SLM manufactured nickel-based superalloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of Y2W3O12particle inclusions and content on damping capacity of Al–12Si composites have been investigated. The Y2W3O12, which is a kind of negative thermal expansion material, can generate high local strain in the composites. Thermal expansion testing shows that the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of Y2W3O12has obvious changes between 100 and 200 °C The Y2W3O12/Al–12Si composites show damping peaks and display higher damping capacities than the pure Al–12Si alloy. The damping capacities of composites strongly depends on the content of Y2W3O12inclusions. A thermal strain damping model is also established. Based on the model analysis results, there is a significant contribution of thermal strain to the damping capacity in the composites; the change in CTE of Y2W3O12could cause the generation of damping peaks. Moreover, dislocation damping and interfacial damping are also main damping mechanisms in the investigated composites.

W–Y2O3composite nanopowders prepared via wet chemical method exhibit unique morphologies and microstructures. The yttrium addition during chemical reaction process affects not only the composition of tungsten acid hydrate precursors, but also the reduction property of tungsten oxide transformed from precursors. In this study, the morphology evolution of the samples with and without yttrium during reduction process has been studied, and it is found that the addition of yttrium can exert a strong influence on the reduction route of tungsten oxide and the final morphology of tungsten particles. The cause of the difference of reduction route and tungsten particle morphology is also analyzed. It is suggested that the composition of the samples with yttrium at the beginning of reduction is pure cubic system WO3(c-WO3), and the c-WO3particles have c-WO3whiskers attached to the surface. This kind of whiskers is essential for c-WO3to be reduced directly to tungsten and also helpful to obtain W–Y2O3powders with small size and good uniformity.

In this work, W-Y 2 O 3 alloys are prepared by freeze-drying and subsequent low temperature sintering. The average size of reduced W-Y 2 O 3 composite powders prepared by freeze-drying method is only 18.1 nm. After low temperature sintering of these composite nanopowders, the formed W-Y 2 O 3 alloys possess a smaller grain size of 510 nm while maintaining a comparatively higher density of 97.8%. Besides a few submicron Y 2 O 3 particles (about 100–300 nm) with a W-Y-O phase diffusion layer on their surface distribute at W grain boundaries, lots of nano Y 2 WO 6 particles (<20 nm) exist in W matrix. Moreover, many Y 6 WO 12 (<10 nm) particles exist within submicron Y 2 O 3 particles. The formation of these ternary phases indicates that some oxygen impurities in the W matrix can be adsorbed by ternary phases, resulting in the purification of W matrix and the strengthening of phase boundaries. The combined action of the above factors makes the hardness of the sintered W-Y 2 O 3 alloys in our work as high as 656.6 ± 39.0 HV 0.2. Our work indicates that freeze-drying and subsequent low temperature sintering is a promising method for preparing high performance W-Y 2 O 3 alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-theoretical-capacity silicon anodes are critically hindered by huge volume expansion and poor conductivity. Silicon‑carbon composites can effectively enhance the electrode lifetime, but their preparation often suffers from particle aggregation issues. Here, the eco-friendly Tween 80 dispersant is introduced for the first time to assist in synthesizing Si/EG-C-TW80 submicron composites. The resulting Si/EG-C-TW80 exhibits well-dispersed and uniformly coated particles, effectively mitigating electrode expansion and maintaining structural stability. Meanwhile, the increased proportion of graphene-type carbon in the carbon layer effectively improves its conductivity. Batteries with the Si/EG-C-TW80 electrode demonstrate an excellent reversible capacity (1985.8 mAh g−1at 0.2 A g−1) and high rate capability (933 mAh g−1at 4 A g−1), in addition, deliver a high specific capacity of 566 mAh g−1after 500 cycles at 4 A g−1. Furthermore, the LFP||Si/EG-C-TW80 full cell shows superior specific discharge capacities of 140 mAh g−1. This easily scalable and environmentally friendly synthesis method offers great promise for the widespread application of silicon in energy storage systems.

Byline: Jie Yang, Liming Yu Knowledge acquisition and dissemination have been considered as two endpoints of knowledge management (KM) process. Knowledge management affects new product performance through the two endpoints on the knowledge value chain. This study attempts to find how the knowledge acquisition and dissemination are related to new product financial performance. Employing additivity and variance stabilisation (AVAS) analysis, this paper examines the relationship between KM and the new product financial performance, and identifies different hidden patterns in which knowledge acquisition and dissemination affect new product financial performance. These findings imply that if organisations fail to understand the subtle ways by which different dimensions of knowledge acquisition and dissemination influence new product performance, they may fail to harvest the full value of KM in developing new products.

Abstract The oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel with the nominal composition of Fe–14Cr–2W–0.3Ti–0.2V–0.07Ta–0.3Y 2 O 3 (wt%) was fabricated by mechanical alloying and hot isostatic pressing (HIP). In order to optimize the relative volume fraction of secondary phases, the as-HIPed ODS steel was annealed at 800 °C, 1000 °C, 1200 °C for 5 h, respectively. The microstructures and different secondary phases of the as-HIPed and annealed ODS samples were identified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The tensile properties of all the ODS steels at room temperature were also investigated. The results indicate that annealing is an effective way to control the microstructure and the integral secondary phases. The annealing process promotes the dissolution of M 23 C 6 particles, thus promoting the precipitation of TiC. No obvious coarsening of Y 2 Ti 2 O 7 nanoparticles can be observed during annealing. The tensile results indicate that the annealed ODS sample with the optimized secondary phases and high density possesses the best mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powder metallurgic Ti2AlNb alloys with W addition are sintered at 900, 1000, 1070 °C, and 1150 °C (i.e., in the O + B2, α2 + B2 + O, α2 + B2, and single B2 phase regions, respectively) for 12 h, followed by water quenching and furnace cooling. Comparisons of phase and microstructure between quenched and furnace-cooled W-modified alloys are carried out to illustrate the phase transformation and microstructure evolution during the cooling process. Furthermore, a comparison is also made between W-modified and W-free alloys, to reveal the function of the W alloying. W addition accelerates the solutions of α2and O phases during the high-temperature holding, and a Widmannstätten B2 + O structure, which contributes to the properties, is induced by furnace cooling from all the phase regions. The Widmannstätten structure includes a B2 matrix, primary O, and secondary O precipitates. However, W alloying refines the Widmannstätten structure only when the alloys are solution-treated and then cooled from the single B2 phase. Although the hardness of the W-modified alloys is lower than that of the W-free alloys sintered in the same phase region, an enhancement of hardness, 489 ± 18 HV, is obtained in the alloy solution-treated in the single B2 phase region for only 0.5 h.

This article describes a service that provides additional resistivity measurements to survey the formation in three dimensions (Fig. 1). This breakthrough in induction logging technology complements current openhole logging capabilities [...]

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

In the conventional cascade control structure of aerospace electrically powered actuators, the current (or electromagnetic torque) loop plays a critical role in realizing a rapid response for a digitally controlled BrushLess Direct Current (BLDC) motor. Hysteresis Current Control (HCC) is an effective method in improving the performance of current control for a BLDC motor. Nevertheless, the varying modulating frequency in the traditional HCC causes severe problems on the safety of power devices and the electromagnetic compatibility design. A triangular carrier-based fixed-frequency HCC strategy is expanded by relaxing the constraints on the rising and descending rates of the winding current to advance the capability of HCC to realize fixed-frequency modulation in the steady state. Based on that, a new flexible-bound-size quasi-fixed-frequency HCC is proposed, and the range feasible to realize fixed-frequency modulation control can cover the entire running process in the steady state. Meanwhile, a corresponding digital control strategy is designed, and four digitalization rules are proposed to extend the capacity to achieve fixed-frequency modulation control to the unsteady working state, that is, a novel fixed-frequency modulation is realized. Simulation and experimental results prove the effectiveness of this improved fixed-frequency HCC strategy.

Electromechanical actuators (EMAs) are becoming increasingly attractive in the field of more electric aircraft because of their outstanding benefits, which include reduced fuel burn and maintenance cost, enhanced system flexibility, and improved management of fault detection and isolation. However, electromechanical actuation raises specific issues when being used for safety-critical aerospace applications like flight controls: huge reflected inertia to load, jamming-type failure, and increase of backlash with service due to wear and local dissipation of heat losses for thermal balance. This study proposes an incremental approach for virtual prototyping of EMAs. It is driven by a model-based system engineering process in order to enable simulation-aided design. Best practices supported by Bond graph formalism are suggested to develop a model’s structure efficiently and to make the model ready for use (or extension) by addressing the above mentioned issues. Physical effects are progressively introduced, and the realism of lumped-parameter models is increased step-by-step. In particular, multi-level component models are architected to ensure continuity between engineering activities. The models are implemented in the AMESim simulation environment, and simulation responses are given to illustrate how they can be used for preliminary sizing, control design, thermal balance verification, and faults to failure analysis. The proposed best practices intend to provide engineers with fast, reusable, and efficient means to assess performance virtually and enhance maturity, performance, and robustness.

Electrohydrostatic actuator (EHA) is a type of power-by-wire actuator that is widely implemented in the aerospace industry for flight control, landing gears, thrust reversers, thrust vector control, and space robots. This paper presents the development and evaluation of position-based impedance control (PBIC) for an EHA. Impedance control provides the actuator with compliance and facilitates the interaction with the environment. Most impedance control applications utilize electrical or valve-controlled hydraulic actuators, whereas this work realizes impedance control via a compact and efficient EHA. The structures of the EHA and PBIC are firstly introduced. A mathematical model of the actuation system is established, and values of its coefficients are identified by particle swarm optimization. This model facilitates the development of a position controller and the selection of target impedance parameters. A nonlinear proportional-integral position controller is developed for the EHA to achieve the accurate positioning requirement of PBIC. The controller compensates for the adverse effect of stiction, and a position accuracy of 0.08mm is attained. Various experimental results are presented to verify the applicability of PBIC to the EHA. The compliance of the actuator is demonstrated in an impact test.

Abstract

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

By differential scanning calorimetry measurement and microstructural examination, the effects of cooling rates on the kinetics and microstructure of polygonal ferrite transformation have been investigated in a high strength low alloy steel. The peak temperature of ferrite transformation exhibits an evident dependency on cooling rate. With the cooling rate decreasing, the ferrite fraction corresponding to the maximum transformation rate is decreased, as well as the size of polygonal ferrite grains. More ferrite is nucleated at lower cooling rate. On the basis of the effects of austenite grain size and carbide precipitation on ferrite formation, it is suggested that carbide precipitation plays a more dominant role in the kinetics of ferrite transformation. During austenite–ferrite transformation, the ferrite nucleation still proceeds, and the nucleation would not be saturated by pre-existing nuclei.

The strengthening of micro-sized phases and nano-precipitates to the Al–Mg2Si–Cu(–Ni) alloys was studied at 25 °C and 350 °C. In the Al–15%Mg2Si–5%Cu alloy, lots of nano-precipitates (θ″, θ′, σ and Q′ precursor) are formed with the dissolution of Cu-rich phases after heat treatment. The high number density of nano-precipitates contributes to the high strength of alloy (357 MPa) at 25 °C. For the Al–15%Mg2Si–5%Cu–1%Ni alloy, more micro-sized Cu/Ni-rich phases are retained and fewer nano-precipitates (θ″, θ′, σ and S phase) are formed after heat treatment. The existence of high-temperature stable micro-sized Cu/Ni-rich phases produce an enhanced strengthening effect (109 MPa) to the alloy at 350 °C, compared to that of Al–15%Mg2Si–5%Cu alloy (82 MPa).

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Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is a central mechanism that governs cell stemness, determination, commitment, and differentiation. It has been recently found that PHF8, a major H4K20/H3K9 demethylase, plays a critical role in craniofacial and bone development. In this study, we hypothesize that PHF8promotes osteoblastogenesis by epigenetically regulating the expression of a nuclear matrix protein, special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2) that plays pivotal roles in skeletal patterning and osteoblast differentiation. Our results showed that expression levels of PHF8and SATB2in preosteoblasts and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) increased simultaneously during osteogenic induction. Overexpressing PHF8in these cells upregulated the expression of SATB2, Runx2, osterix, and bone matrix proteins. Conversely, knockdown of PHF8reduced the expression of these genes. Furthermore, ChIP assays confirmed that PHF8specifically bound to the transcription start site (TSS) of the SATB2promoter, and the expression of H3K9me1 at the TSS region of SATB2decreased in PHF8overexpressed group. Implantation of the BMSCs overexpressing PHF8with silk protein scaffolds promoted bone regeneration in critical-sized defects in mouse calvaria. Taken together, our results demonstrated that PHF8epigenetically modulates SATB2activity, triggering BMSCs osteogenic differentiation and facilitating bone formation and regeneration in biodegradable silk scaffolds.

Abstract

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

The martensitic/ferritic steels have been used as boiler and turbine materials in power plants, and also been selected as potential materials for structural materials in nuclear reactors. In this paper, the kinetic analysis of the martensite formation and microstructural control of high-Cr martensitic/ferritic steels are reviewed. A modular approach, incorporating Fisher partitioning nucleation and anisotropic growth for impingement, was proposed to describe the martensite formation kinetics under different cooling rates. The kinetic analysis suggested a thermal-activated growth feature occurring during the martensitic transformation of martensitic steels. The microstructure can be tuned by composition optimization and various combinations of heat treatment parameters (temperature, time, severe and minor deformation). For the application in power plant, the potential of boundary-design, refinement of original austenite grain size and the final martensitic lath, pinning effect of stable carbides, in improving the performances of martensitic/ferritic steels at elevated temperatures should be investigated more thoroughly. Furthermore, efforts should be made to explore the effects of retained austenite on the improvement of high-temperature creep strength. For the application of nuclear plants, attempts should also be made to produce Fe powders with uniformly distributed oxide particles by chemical reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract

Adiponectin (APN) is an adipocyte‐secreted adipokine that exerts well‐characterized antidiabetic properties. Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are characterized by reduced APN levels in circulation and impaired stem cell and progenitor cell mobilization from the bone marrow for tissue repair and remodeling. In this study, we found that APN regulates the mobilization and recruitment of bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to participate in tissue repair and regeneration. APN facilitated BMSCs migrating from the bone marrow into the circulation to regenerate bone by regulating stromal cell‐derived factor (SDF)−1 in a mouse bone defect model. More importantly, we found that systemic APN infusion ameliorated diabetic mobilopathy of BMSCs, lowered glucose concentration, and promoted bone regeneration in diet‐induced obesity mice. In vitro studies allowed us to identify Smad1/5/8 as a novel signaling mediator of APN receptor (AdipoR)−1 in BMSCs and osteoblasts. APN stimulation of MC3T3‐E1 osteoblastic cells led to Smad1/5/8 phosphorylation and nuclear localization and increased SDF‐1 mRNA expression. Although APN‐mediated phosphorylation of Smad1/5/8 occurred independently from adaptor protein, phosphotyrosine interaction, pleckstrin homology domain, and leucine zipper containing 1, it correlated with the disassembly of protein kinase casein kinase 2 and AdipoR1 in immunoprecipitation experiments. Taken together, this study identified APN as a regulator of BMSCs migration in response to bone injury. Therefore, our findings suggest APN signaling could be a potential therapeutic target to improve bone regeneration and homeostasis, especially in obese and T2D patients. StemCells2015;33:240–252

How hypercholesterolemia invokes the vascular inflammation that is critical to atherogenesis is poorly understood. Sterol 27-hydroxylase (cyp27a1) converts cholesterol to 27-hydroxycholesterol (27HC), and we previously showed that 27HC is an estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) ligand. Here we determined how 27HC produced by monocytes impacts atherogenesis. In the absence of changes in circulating lipids, monocyte cyp27a1 deletion in apolipoprotein E-/-mice (apoE-/-) caused a 35% decline in atherosclerotic lesion severity; this was related to decreased macrophage accumulation due to a reduction in lesion monocyte recruitment, which likely occurred as a result of decreases in endothelial cell VCAM-1 and ICAM-1. Experiments in cultured endothelial cells revealed that 27HC liganding of ERα activates NF-κB by causing the disassociation of the cytoplasmic scaffolding protein septin 11 from ERα and resulting septin 11 activation of Jnk kinase signaling. Endothelial septin 11 deletion in apoE-/-mice phenocopied the impact of monocyte cyp27a1 loss, yielding a 37% decrease in lesion severity that was similarly explained by declines in endothelial cell VCAM-1 and ICAM-1, lesion monocyte recruitment and macrophage accumulation. In bone marrow transplant studies the reintroduction of monocyte cyp27a1 caused a 71% increase in lesions which was fully dependent on endothelial cell ERα and septin 11. Furthermore, in apoE-/-mice pharmacologic inhibition of cyp27a1 decreased lesion severity by 41% without altering circulating lipids, causing declines in endothelial cell VCAM-1 and ICAM-1, monocyte recruitment and macrophage accumulation. There was no additivity with monocyte cyp27a1 deletion and cyp27a1 inhibition, indicating that the treatment-related atheroprotection occurs via monocyte cyp27a1 inhibition. These cumulative findings reveal that through a unique pro-inflammatory mechanism involving endothelial cell ERα and septin 11, monocyte-to-endothelial cell crosstalk by the cholesterol metabolite 27HC promotes monocyte vascular recruitment to advance atherogenesis. Interventions attenuating the crosstalk may complement LDL-directed strategies in the battle against atherosclerosis.

The isochronal transformation behavior from martensite (a') to austenite (?) of modified high Cr ferritic heat-resistant steel was analyzed using the kinetic information extracted from differential thermal analysis results. The thus obtained a'?? transformation kinetic process has been described by a JMAK-like model including three overlapping processes: site saturation nucleation, diffusion-controlled growth, and impingement correction for random distribution of nuclei. It is found that both the diffusion of alloying components and the inhibition of carbide precipitates strongly affect the a'?? transformation kinetic processes. The a'?? transformation (at relatively low heating rates) is of diffusion-controlled nature, and the obstruction of carbides during the migration of the a'/? interface leads to a decrease in the pre-exponential factor of diffusion coefficient.

Abstract

The microwave absorption properties of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNCTs) and barium ferrite nanocrystalline (SWCNT/BaFe12O19) composites with different doping ratios are investigated in the frequency region of 2--18 GHz. The transmission line theory is used to calculate the reflection loss properties, and microwave absorptive mechanism of the SWCNT/BaFe12O19composites is discussed. The experiment results reveal that the microwave absorption properties of composite are very sensitive to the volume percentage of SWCNTs. Owing to the multiple absorptive mechanisms, the microwave absorption properties of composite are evidently improved. When SWCNTs are doped with 6 vol % of the sample volume, the maximum reflection loss of the SWCNT/BaFe12O19composite with a 3 mm thickness reaches 30.79 dB at 10.5 GHz, and the range of resonance absorption peak below $-10$ dB is about 6 GHz.

We describe a development of a novel high-throughput phagocytosis assay based on a pH-sensitive cyanine dye, CypHer5E™, which is maximally fluorescent in an acidic environment. This dye is ideally suited for the study of phagocytosis because of the acidic conditions generated in the intracellular phagocytic vesicles after particle uptake. Use of CypHer5E-labeled particles results in greatly reduced background from noninternalized particles and makes the assay more robust. Additionally, CypHer5E-labeled particles are resistant to fluorescence quenching observed in the aggressive and acidic environment of the phagosome with traditional dyes. The CypHer5E-based assay has been shown to work reliably in a variety of cell types, including primary human monocytes, primary human dendritic cells, primary human endothelial cells, human monocytic THP-1 cell line, and human/mouse hybrid macrophage cell line WBC264-9C. Inhibition of CypHer5E bead uptake by cytochalasin D was studied, and the 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) was determined. The assay was performed in 96- and 384-well formats, and it is appropriate for high-throughput cellular screening of processes and compounds affecting phagocytosis. The CypHer5E phagocytosis assay is superior to existing protocols because it allows easy distinction of true phagocytosis from particle adherence and can be used in microscopy-based measurement of phagocytosis.

Adenosine receptors belong to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors and are involved in a variety of physiologic functions. Traditionally, binding assays to detect adenosine 2a (A2a) antagonists and agonists have used filtration methods that are cumbersome to run and not amenable to HTS. We developed scintillation proximity assays (SPA™) utilizing HEK293 RBHA2AM cell membranes, either wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-coated yttrium silicate (YSi) or red-shifted yttrium oxide (YO) beads and the A2a-selective radioligand [3H]SCH 58261. Both beads gave windows (total binding/nonspecific binding) of >5 andKdvalues of 2–3 nMfor the radioligand, in agreement with results obtained by filtration. In contrast, WGA-polyvinyltoluene as well as other bead types had windows of <3 and significant radioligand binding to the uncoated beads. A 384-well WGA-YO bead SPA was optimized utilizing a LEADseeker™ imaging system and an automated trituration process for dispensing the dense yttrium-based beads. Signals were stable after 4 h, andZ′ values were 0.7–0.8. The LEADseeker imaging assay tolerated 2% dimethyl sulfoxide and generated IC50values of 3–5 nMfor the A2a antagonist CGS 15943, comparable to that obtained by the filtration method. A number of adenosine and xanthine analogues were identified as hits in the Library of Pharmacologically Active Compounds (LOPAC). This imaging-based A2a SPA enables HTS and is a major improvement over the filtration method.

First feed support system, which is one of the key technologies of Five hundred meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) was discussed in this paper. A 1:30 scaled model (20 m × 20 m × 6 m) has been built to make systemic research on the feasibility of the system. The root mean square of pointing error of moving cable car was measured and the displacements of cable car within the wind speed of 8 m/s, which is the maximal wind speed of the place where the FAST will be located, were evaluated. Then the total maximal pointing error of cable car was computed. Experimental results demonstrate that the total pointing error of the cable car is less than 50 cm, the required pointing accuracy error of the system.

The commonly used DNA polymerase assay is based on the detection of incorporated radiolabeled nucleotides in a DNA elongation reaction. It is laborious, radioactive, and can be highly variable. Here we report a nonradioactive fluorescence-based assay. The method consists of CydyeTM-labeled nucleotides, biotinylated primer, and a streptavidin-coated microplate. The assay is found to have sensitivity and dynamic range comparable to the classical radioactive method. Moreover, it has the advantages of being simple, stable, nonradioactive, and suitable for high-throughput applications. We have also found that, to ensure efficient measurement of the enzyme activity, the template DNA used in this method should have a sequence that avoids the incorporation of the fluorescence-labeled nucleotide in a consecutive way.

Research has demonstrated that cross-linguistic lexical similarities are generally positive for target language lexical acquisition, especially when the two languages in question are related. For example, Palmberg (1985) showed that Swedish-speaking learners with no experience of learning English at school could identify correctly more than half of 40 everyday English words, and that the percentages correct were especially high for words similar or almost similar in pronunciation to their Swedish translation equivalents. He also reported (Palmberg, 1987) that elementarylevel Swedish-speaking learners could successfully recognize and identify the meaning of unfamiliar words in English with the help of inferencing procedures. Ard and Homburg (1983) compared the responses of Spanish- and Arabic-speaking learners on the lexical items of a standardized test of English as a second language. Their study showed that the Spanish-speaking learners did better than their Arabic-speaking counterparts of comparable English proficiency, not only on items similar to their native language (NL), but also on those where there was no overt similarity involved. Ard and Homburg suggested that 'over-all closeness in lexical structuring' (1983, p. 171) between Spanish and English might be responsible for the results of their investigation. The facilitative role of linguistic similarity is succinctly summed up by Ringham (1987): 'Similarities, both cross-linguistic and intra-linguistic, function as pegs on which the learner can hang new information by making use of already existing knowledge, thereby facilitating learning' (p. 134).