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Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a mild, environmentally friendly, and versatile oxidizer. The current main production process, the anthraquinone method, has high energy consumption and pollution. However, the photocatalytic production of H2O2 is considered to be a green and sustainable process. In this paper, the research progress of photocatalytic production of H2O2 was reviewed. Firstly, the basic principle of photocatalytic production of H2O2 and the three production pathways, namely, oxygen reduction, water oxidation, and dual-channel were introduced. Then, advanced photocatalysts for H2O2 production were introduced with emphasis. From the reactants and products, several new reaction systems and improvement strategies were introduced, including the construction of a spontaneous system without a sacrifice agent, a gas–liquid–solid three-phase system, and inhibition of H2O2 decomposition. The in-situ applications of photocatalytic H2O2 production in the environmental field, including in-situ disinfection and in-situ degradation of pollutants are discussed. Finally, the research progress and future research directions in this field are summarized and prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing technique known as investment casting has found extensive application in producing metal components featuring intricate geometries. The production efficiency of the wax patterns is an essential issue in the investment casting industry, especially for the mass production of wax patterns. A conformal cooling channel (CCC) performs the rapid uniform cooling process for injection molding. However, the significant pressure drop along the cooling channels is a distinct disadvantage of CCC. In this study, an innovative waterfall cooling channel (WCC) was proposed and implemented. The WCC cools the injected products by surface contact, replacing the conventional line contact to cool the injected products. The WCC was optimized using Moldex3D simulation software. Rapid tools with two kinds of cooling channels were designed and implemented. The cooling time of the molded part was investigated using a low-pressure wax injection molding machine. Considering a water cup characterized by a mouth diameter of 70 mm, a height of 60 mm, and a thickness of 2 mm, the experimental results confirmed that the use of WCC can save the cooling time of the product by about 265 s compared with the CCC. This result shows that the WCC can increase cooling efficiency by approximately 17.47% compared with conventional CCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium (Ti)-based alloys are eye-catching biomaterials extensively utilized in human implants due to their outstanding ability to facilitate cell growth. This research aims to propose a new approach to explore the ultrafast laser processing on alloy surfaces for achieving and regulating the proliferation of biological cells. The study is to directly use the polarization of ultrafast laser irradiation on the surface of chromium-titanium nitride (CrTiN) thin film to fabricate the periodic structures, which can promote cell proliferation. This improvement is accomplished by employing surface patterning and creating nanocrystalline structures. The nanocrystalline layer is treated with laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS), forming subwavelength ripples directly on the surface. The ripples are preferentially formed perpendicular to the direction of laser polarization by controlling the fluence. Through the straightforward technique of ultrafast laser treatment, the wettability transition is contributed to by the combination of LIPSS and modified surface chemistry. It is indicated by the findings that the laser-irradiated CrTiN alloy film exhibits surface ripples and a nanocrystalline phase. This work has the potential to enhance cell proliferation for biomedical engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key to intelligent fault diagnosis for transformer is to find relevant dissolved gas characteristics with the capability of representing different types of faults. However, the existing problem is that using a single traditional ratio method as the inputs of classification module cannot obtain high classification performance. Therefore, a fault diagnosis method for transformer based on neighborhood component analysis (NCA) and capuchin algorithm (CapSA)-regularized extreme learning machine (RELM) is proposed. Firstly, 21-dimensional features of the oil-immersed transformer are extracted based on the traditional ratio methods such as IEC three-ratio and Roger's ratio. Secondly, The NCA is used to select the feature to obtain an effective 6-dimensional feature. Then, these features are utilized as the input of the RELM model for training, and the parameters of model are optimized by CapSA. Finally, the feasibility and validity of the proposed method are verified by actual data sets collected from previous publications. The experimental results show that the proposed method has higher diagnostic precision and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2 nanoparticles doped with different concentrations of Rb were prepared by sol–gel method. The crystal structures of samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was confirmed by the Rietveld refinement method that the as-prepared samples crystallize in anatase phase and Rb doping induces expansion and distortion of the crystal lattice. Compared with the pure TiO2, the Rb-doped nanoparticles have smaller crystal size and better dispersibility. Degradation rate of methylene blue was used to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of Rb–TiO2. It indicated that doping Rb into TiO2 can effectively improve the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 and the mechanisms were discussed in detail. When using the sample doped with 0.20% Rb, methylene blue degraded with the fastest rate (97% within 60 min). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wideband dissipative soliton is generated in a passively mode-locked cavity by optimizing the distribution of chromatic dispersion and gain filtering in cavity. The maximal 3 dB bandwidth of 61.1 nm is obtained. The corresponding pulse width is compressed to 222 fs with chirp, which could be further compressed to 42 fs according to the Fourier transform limitation. The signal-to-noise ratio is 80.3 dB. The single pulse energy is 0.18 nJ. The dynamics process is investigated by dispersive Fourier transformation during the building-up. The simulation investigation on dissipative soliton formation is provided according to the modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation, which are relatively consistent with the experiment. The results demonstrate that a weak normal net dispersion close to zero and efficient gain bandwidth are critical to the formation of wideband dissipative soliton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is an additive manufacturing process that uses a continuous filament of a thermoplastic material. The FFF is able to fabricate physical models with sophisticated geometries. Unfortunately, the mechanical property of the fabricated physical models is limited. Therefore, this drawback will limit the application of the fabricated physical models made by FFF. To improve this drawback, this work demonstrates a simple method to increase the tensile strength of printed parts. This method combines filament preheating and ultraviolet (UV) resin reinforcement methods. The tensile strength of the printed tensile test piece with a filling density of 100% was soaked in UV resin and then cured with a wavelength of 405 nm for 30 min. The tensile strength was increased from 35.08 to 37.5 MPa with an improvement rate of about 6.9%. The tensile strength was increased from 35.08 to 43.97 MPa when the filling density was 100% and the filament was preheated at 50 °C with an improvement rate of about 25.34%. Combining filament preheating and UV resin reinforcement methods, the tensile strength was increased from 35.08 to 46.75 MPa. The improvement rate in tensile strength is up to 33.26%. The failure mechanism of the tensile test sample made by combining UV resin reinforcement and filament preheating method is also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In practice, the fused deposition modeling technique is widely used for producing various plastic functional components in the research and development stage. In particular, adhesive bonding is capable of bonding dissimilar materials quickly. However, the bonding strength is affected by human factors. In addition, bolts are also used to bond small 3D printed parts for making a large 3D physical model. However, this locking method is not resistant to vibration. The feature of fusion bonding of thermoplastic materials is known for its weldability. Rotary friction welding (RFRW) has low energy consumption in the welding field. In general, the weld quality is affected by the process parameters of RFRW significantly. The Taguchi method was used to optimize the process parameters of RFRW of dissimilar polymeric rods to reduce random efforts by the trial-and-error method. The most critical control factor is the weld time. The contribution percentage for the weld time, feed rate, rotational speed, and preheating temperature is 35.21%, 27.85%, 24.84%, and 12.10%, respectively. The optimal process parameters of the frictionally welded parts with better bending strength are the feed rate of 0.05 mm/s, preheating temperature of 50 ℃, rotational speed of 950 rpm, and weld time of 20 s. The bending strength of the frictionally welded parts can be enhanced by about 1.29 to 1.538 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study considers a retailer's optimal endogenous demand information acquisition format decision in a dual-channel supply chain setting. Two information acquisition formats are examined, depending on whether the outcome of information acquisition is observable to the manufacturer. We explicitly characterize the manufacturer's optimal contract provision under each acquisition format, and derive the retailer's optimal endogenous information acquisition format choice. Two underlying driving forces for the retailer's preference for the observable acquisition are derived. On one hand, observable acquisition makes the retailer lose some informational advantage, which is detrimental to the retailer. On the other hand, observable acquisition may alleviate the ordering quantity distortions, which is beneficial to the retailer. In equilibrium, we show that the retailer with an inferior acquisition capability might be pleased to choose observable acquisition when the market dispersion is in the middle range. Although the manufacturer consistently obtains more profit under observable acquisition, the supply chain may still prefer unobservable acquisition because the observability of information acquisition may aggravate double marginalization under certain conditions. Moreover, the introduction of the direct sales channel may dampen the retailer's incentive to choose the observable acquisition format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent report of near-ambient superconductivity and associated color changes in pressurized nitrogen doped lutetium hydride has triggered worldwide interest and raised major questions about the nature and underlying physics of these latest claims. Here we report synthesis and characterization of high-purity nitrogen doped lutetium hydride LuH2±xNy. We find that pressure conditions have notable effects on Lu-N and Lu-NH chemical bonding and the color changes likely stem from pressure-induced electron redistribution of nitrogen/vacancies and interaction with the LuH2 framework. No superconducting transition is found in all the phases at temperatures 1.8-300 K and pressures 0-38 GPa. Instead, we identify a notable temperature-induced resistance anomaly of electronic origin in LuH2±xNy, which is most pronounced in the pink phase and may have been erroneously interpreted as a sign of superconducting transition. This work establishes key benchmarks for nitrogen doped lutetium hydrides, allowing an in-depth understanding of its novel pressure-induced phase changes. Near-ambient superconductivity and pressure-driven color changes were recently reported in nitrogen-doped lutetium hydride. Here, the authors synthesize LuH2±xNy and do not confirm the superconductivity. In addition, they find that the color changes likely stem from pressure-induced electron redistribution of nitrogen and vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) and laparoscopic central pancreatectomy (LCP) are two surgical methods that can remove pancreatic neck lesions. However, their benefits remain controversial. We aimed to compare the benefits and limitations of LDP and LCP. Methods: In total, 50 patients who underwent LDP (n = 34) or LCP (n =16) between January 2014 and November 2019 were retrospectively reviewed using our database. We analyzed their preoperative characteristics, operative data, pathological features, and postoperative outcomes. Results: The baseline features of patients did not differ significantly between the two groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the LDP group, the LCP group showed significantly prolonged operation time (392 ± 144 vs. 269 ± 130 min, P = 0.007), time to oral intake (3.8 ± 1.3 vs. 2.8 ± 0.9 days, P = 0.017), and hospital stay (19.6 ± 5.1 vs. 15.4 ± 4.1 days, P = 0.008) as well as increased hospital expenses (10.1 ± 6.2 vs. 6.6 ± 1.5 WanRMB, P = 0.023). However, no significant differences were observed in conversion rate (0/16 vs. 0/34), blood loss (154 ± 93 vs. 211 ± 170 mL, P = 0.224), postoperative white blood cell count (10.3 ± 2.7 vs. 11.1 ± 3.1, P = 0.432), first random blood glucose level after operation (8.2 ± 2.1 vs. 8.6 ± 2.6 mmol/L, P = 0.696), and ascites amylase level on day 3 after operation (5212 [3110–14,176] vs. 3142 [604–13,761] U/L, P = 0.167) between the two groups. Moreover, no significant differences were noted in the incidence of postoperative diabetes (1/16 vs. 5/34) between the two groups. However, LCP was associated with significantly higher incidences of pancreatic fistula grades B and C (P = 0.005) and postoperative hemorrhage (P = 0.031). Conclusion: Compared with the LCP, LDP is a useful and safer technique for benign or low-grade malignant tumors in the pancreatic neck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates an SIR model with nonlinear state-dependent feedback control. The saturation incidence rate is introduced into the classical SIR model, and the specific expression of the equilibrium point of the model without pulse control is derived, and the stability of the equilibrium point is analyzed. When the number of susceptible individuals reaches a threshold S h , comprehensive prevention and control strategies such as treatment, isolation, and vaccination will be implemented. The existence and global stability of the disease-free periodic solution (DFPS) of the model with state-dependent feedback control are discussed, and the properties of the Poincaré map are analyzed. Based on the bifurcation theory related to a one-parameter family of maps associated with the Poincaré map, we define the control reproduction number R c based on different parameters and observe the effect of these parameters on bifurcation. Numerical simulations show that transcritical and pitchfork bifurcations, as well as backward bifurcations, may occur under certain conditions. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis of R c is conducted, and the optimal control strategy for the SIR model without pulse control is discussed. These results can provide some suggestions for virus control and vaccine production, among other issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astrophysics and cosmology in the coming decades urgently need a large field-of-view (FOV), highly multiplexed spectroscopic survey telescope satisfying challenging image quality and stability requirements. The 6.5 m MUltiplexed Survey Telescope (MUST) proposed by Tsinghua University will be constructed on the Saishiteng Mountain of Northwest China to improve the spectroscopic survey capability of ground-based optical telescopes. In this paper, we demonstrate the conceptual design of the optical system of MUST. MUST will adopt a 6.5 m primary mirror, a 2.45 m secondary mirror, and a multiple-element widefield corrector (WFC) to ensure excellent image quality with an 80% encircled energy size of image spots less than ~ 0.6 arcsec in diameter for the entire 3° FOV and the whole 50° zenith angle range. Thanks to its compact 6.5 m Ritchey-Chretien system and 20,000 optical fibers on its Cassegrain focus, MUST will carry out state-of-the-art wide-field spectroscopic surveys with efficiency ~ 19 times higher than the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) using a measure proposed by Ellis et al. Upon completion around 2029, MUST will be one of the world's most advanced wide-field spectroscopic survey telescopes and a new essential reference for the future development of wide-field survey telescopes. It will enable significant advances in many fields in astrophysics and cosmology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neogene is an important period for studying the onset of subduction, with numerous subduction zones forming in the western Pacific, including the Ryukyu, Manila, Philippine, North Sulawesi, Halmahera, New Britain, Solomon, and New Hebrides subduction zones. However, studies on these subduction zones are relatively independent, so it is important to conduct systematic comparative studies. In this paper, we review the initiation models of Neogene subduction in the western Pacific, with the three typical types of subduction initiation models including polarity-reversal, induced subduction re-initiation, and non-inherited subduction initiation to form new ruptures. In addition, the parameters of different subduction zones are collated to form five categories: basic features, subducting plate features, upper plate features, kinematic features, and subsequent activity. The regularity of the subduction processes, the specificity of the different subduction cases, and the possible constraints between the subduction initiation types and the characteristics of the subduction zone parameters are discussed and analyzed. The compiled dataset of the subduction zone parameters can provide data support for related studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online education brings more possibilities for personalized learning, in which identifying the cognitive state of learners is conducive to better providing learning services. Cognitive diagnosis is an effective measurement to assess the cognitive state of students through response data of answering the problems(e.g., right or wrong). Generally, the cognitive diagnosis framework includes the mastery of skills required by a specified problem and the aggregation of skills. The current multi-skill aggregation methods are mainly divided into conjunctive and compensatory methods and generally considered that each skill has the same effect on the correct response. However, in practical learning situations, there may be more complex interactions between skills, in which each skill has different weight impacting the final result. To this end, this paper proposes a generalized multi-skill aggregation method based on the Sugeno integral (SI-GAM) and introduces fuzzy measures to characterize the complex interactions between skills. We also provide a new idea for modeling multi-strategy problems. The cognitive diagnosis process is implemented by a more general and interpretable aggregation method. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the model are verified on synthetic and real-world datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Fruit intake is beneficial to several chronic diseases, but controversial in diabetes. We aimed to investigate prospectively the associations of whole fresh fruit intake with risk of incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) in subjects with different glucose regulation capacities. Methods: The present study included 79,922 non-diabetic participants aged ≥ 40 years from an ongoing nationwide prospective cohort in China. Baseline fruit intake information was collected by a validated food frequency questionnaire. Plasma HbA1c, fasting and 2 h post-loading glucose levels were measured at both baseline and follow-up examinations. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for incident diabetes among participants with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and prediabetes, after adjusted for multiple confounders. Restricted cubic spline analysis was applied for dose–response relation. Results: During a median 3.8-year follow-up, 5886 (7.36%) participants developed diabetes. Overall, we identified a linear and dose-dependent inverse association between dietary whole fresh fruit intake and risk of incident T2D. Each 100 g/d higher fruit intake was associated with 2.8% lower risk of diabetes (HR 0.972, 95%CI [0.949–0.996], P = 0.0217), majorly benefiting NGT subjects with 15.2% lower risk (HR 0.848, 95%CI [0.766–0.940], P = 0.0017), while not significant in prediabetes (HR 0.981, 95%CI 0.957–4.005, P = 0.1268). Similarly, the inverse association was present in normoglycemia individuals with a 48.6% lower risk of diabetes when consuming fruits > 7 times/week comparing to those < 1 time/week (HR 0.514, 95% CI [0.368–0.948]), but not in prediabetes (HR 0.883, 95% CI [0.762–1.023]). Conclusion: These findings suggest that higher frequency and amount of fresh fruit intake may protect against incident T2D, especially in NGT, but not in prediabetes, highlighting the dietary recommendation of higher fresh fruit consumption to prevent T2D in normoglycemia population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25 V steel has been widely used to manufacture hydro-processing equipment operating under harsh environments for its good creep performance. Warm bending, a common fabricating process of 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25 V steel ring shells, inevitably changes the creep property of 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25 V steel, but its detailed effect still remains obscure. In this work, we experimentally investigated the impact of warm bending on the microstructure and creep behavior of 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25 V steel. First, a series of creep rupture tests were carried out at 482 °C and 350 MPa, in which test materials were extracted from an actually fabricated ring shell and its raw plate. Thereafter, the microstructures of test materials were semi-quantitatively analyzed by various characterization techniques, such as electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and three-dimensional high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (3D μ-XCT). Finally, warm forming induced microstructural degradation as well as their implication for creep was discussed in detail. Creep rupture tests showed that warm bending leads to a significant decrease in creep lifetime at the surface region of virgin plate but a slight decline at the central region of virgin plate. An inhomogeneous creep resistance distribution was thereby revealed along the thickness direction of the ring shell, which could not be completely eliminated by subsequent tempering at 705 °C for 8 h. Moreover, microstructural observations demonstrated that warm deformation leads to multiple microstructural deterioration, including carbide coarsening, ferrite matrix softening, void defect increasing, etc. Their combined action appears to accelerate the creep fracture behavior of 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25 V steel. This work will contribute to the long-term safety and integrity assessment of 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25 V steel structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza makes millions of people ill every year, placing a large burden on the healthcare system and the economy. To develop a treatment against influenza, we combined virucidal sialylated cyclodextrins with interferon lambda and demonstrated, in human airway epithelia, that the two compounds inhibit the replication of a clinical H1N1 strain more efficiently when administered together rather than alone. We investigated the mechanism of action of the combined treatment by single cell RNA-sequencing analysis and found that both the single and combined treatments impair viral replication to different extents across distinct epithelial cell types. We showed that each cell type comprises multiple sub-types, whose proportions are altered by H1N1 infection, and assessed the ability of the treatments to restore them. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study investigating the effectiveness of an antiviral therapy against influenza virus by single cell transcriptomic studies. When combined with interferon lambda, virucidal sialylated cyclodextrins inhibit the replication of a clinical H1N1 influenza strain in ex vivo human airway epithelia more efficiently than when delivered alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether underdilated transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) could reduce the risk of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and ameliorate impaired hepatic function in patients with a history of splenectomy. Methods: A retrospective case–control study was conducted with 96 patients who had prior splenectomy and TIPS placement from August 2016 to May 2022. All patients were divided into two groups based on the diameter of expansion balloon catheters, the underdilated group (6-mm balloon catheter, n = 60) and a control group (8-mm balloon catheter, n = 36). Following the 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), 33 patients in the underdilated group and 33 patients in the control group were included. Results: During a median follow-up of 36 months, a quicker recovery in liver function after TIPS placement was showed in the underdilated group. The mean TBIL content (16.562 ± 6.549 μmol/L vs 23.871 ± 11.609 μmol/L, P = 0.019) and the mean CLIF-C AD score (41.108 ± 5.223 vs 45.100 ± 4.429, P = 0.033) in the underdilated group were significantly lower than those in the control group during 6 to 12 months after the procedure. In line with the control group, the ability to reduce portal pressure gradient (PPG) and achieve a significantly clinical remission of PVT and ascites severity was showed in the underdilated group 3 months after TIPS creation (P < 0.001). The Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated that no statistically significant differences were found in the cumulative incidence of no overt HE (OHE) (log-rank P = 0.383), cumulative incidence without shunt dysfunction (log-rank P = 0.283), cumulative incidence of no variceal rebleeding (log-rank P = 0.696), and survival (log-rank P = 0.341) (log-rank P = 0.341) between the two groups during the follow-up period. Conclusion: For patients with prior splenectomy, it is safe to employ underdilated TIPS, as the stents will eventually self-expand to 8 mm. The present study has shown some degree of liver function preservation in the underdilated group, which may be related to slower progressive changes in the portal hemodynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the effects of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation using Fluency versus Viatorr stent-grafts on the long-term clinical outcomes.Materials and Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study from January 2010 to October 2021 in 213 patients receiving TIPS with Fluency (Fluency group, n = 154) versus Viatorr (Viatorr group, n = 59) stent-grafts. Inclusion criteria were: age > 18 years old and TIPS creation for variceal hemorrhage. Exclusion criteria were: age > 80 years old, concomitant chronic heart or lung disease, active tuberculosis or human immunodeficiency virus infection, extrahepatic malignancy, alcohol dependence, TIPS created outside of our hospital, without any follow-up data, or decline to participate. The primary outcome was primary patency rate and its associated risk factors.Results: The 5-year cumulative primary patency rate was significantly higher in Viatorr group than in Fluency group (89.0% vs. 19.6%, p < 0.001), whereas the 5-year cumulative transplant-free survival rate (62.3% vs. 62.2%, p = 0.636) was comparable between two groups. Cox-regression models revealed that group (hazard ratio [HR]4.029, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.486-10.927, p = 0.006), use of bare stents (HR 3.307, 95% CI 1.903-5.747, p < 0.001), and baseline portal vein thrombosis (HR 0.248, 95% CI 0.149-0.412, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with shunt patency. Incidences of adverse events were not significantly different between two groups (p > 0.05).Conclusions: TIPS creation using Viatorr stent-grafts is superior to using Fluency stent-grafts in terms of higher long-term primary patency rate but similar transplant-free survival rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geothermal heat flow, as a parameter characterizing the Earth's thermal state, records deep thermodynamic processes. However, measurements of heat flow (HF) in the oceanic crust are relatively sparse and susceptible to surface activity such as hydrothermal circulation. We propose a machine learning approach to predict marine HF (MHF). We apply the random forest (RF) regression algorithm to train predictors capable of mapping multiple geological and geophysical features to MHF, thus enabling HF prediction in the global oceanic crust. We generate three data sets with different qualities of HF measurements for training. The best predictor has an accuracy of ~ 0.13 (normalized root mean squared error) or ~ 0.07 (normalized mean absolute error), and the predicted global oceanic crust HF map reflects the basic pattern of the MHF distribution. We find by comparison that the quality of HF measurement affects the prediction results. Then, we use a cross-prediction scheme to screen out the "underestimated" measured HF cases, which are mostly located in tectonic environments such as mid-ocean ridges and back-arc basins and show high spatial correlation with hydrothermal circulation. Furthermore, we conduct experimental calculations for the extent and proportion of underestimated cases in the oceanic part of a new global heat flow (NGHF) database; for example, the proportion of records with the degree of underestimation greater than 50% is approximately 30.8%. These calculations can provide reference information for the selection and application of MHF records in the NGHF database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel bacterium, WQ 047T, was isolated from the faeces of Rhinopithecus bieti, a highly endangered primate endemic to China. The cells were aerobic, oval/rod-shaped, Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, catalase positive, and produced yellow pigmented colonies on Columbia Agar. The taxonomic position of WQ 047T was clarified by applying a polyphasic study based on 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogenetic analysis, extensive biological typing, and whole genome sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that stain WQ 047T belonged to the genus Sphingobacterium and its 16S rRNA gene sequence exhibited 96.47% pairwise similarity with that of the closest relatives Sphingobacterium nematocida M-SX103T. The calculated whole genome average nucleotide identity (ANI) value between strain WQ 047T and strain M-SX103 was 72.3%. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization value of strain WQ 047T and M-SX103T was 15.73%, which was obtained by calculating the genome-to-genome distance. The major fatty acids were C15:0 iso, C17:0 iso 3-OH, Summed Feature 3 (C16:1 ω7c/C16:1 ω6c) and Summed feature 9 (iso-C17:1ω9c and/or 10-methyl C16:0). The predominant polar lipids were PE, PL and APL. MK-7 was the predominant menaquinone. The G + C content of WQ 047T was 34.89 mol% according to genome analysis. All these characteristics were consistent with those of the genus of Sphingobacterium. Therefore, based on these results, we propose a novel species for which the name Sphingobacterium rhinopitheci sp. Nov. is proposed, with the type strain WQ 047T (= CCTCC AA 2020026T = KCTC82393T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nasal irrigation is an effective method for alleviating several nasal symptoms and regular seawater-based nasal irrigation is useful for maintaining nasal hygiene which is essential for appropriate functioning of the nose and for preventing airborne particles including some pollutants, pathogens, and allergens from moving further in the respiratory system. However, safety studies on seawater-based nasal irrigation are scarce. In this study, the safety and efficacy of a diluted isotonic seawater solution (Stérimar Nasal Hygiene, SNH) in maintaining nasal homeostasis were evaluated in vitro. Methods: Safety was assessed by measuring tissue integrity via transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER). Efficacy was measured by mucociliary clearance (MCC), mucin secretion, and tissue re-epithelization (wound repair) assays. All assays were performed using a 3D reconstituted human nasal epithelium model. Results: In SNH-treated tissues, TEER values were statistically significantly lower than the untreated tissues; however, the values were above the tissue integrity limit. SNH treatment significantly increased MCC (88 vs. 36 µm/s, p < 0.001) and mucin secretion (1717 vs. 1280 µg/ml, p < 0.001) as compared to untreated cultures. Faster wound closure profile was noted upon pre-SNH treatment as compared to classical isotonic saline solution pre-treatment (90.5 vs. 50.7% wound closure 22 h after wound generation). Conclusion: SNH did not compromise the integrity of the nasal epithelium in vitro. Furthermore, SNH was effective for removal of foreign particles through MCC increase and for enhancing wound repair on nasal mucosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AZ61 magnesium alloy metal matrix composites (MMCs) with different weight percentages (0, 1 and 2) of micro-silicon carbide particles (SiCp) were fabricated using stir casting method. Effects of SiCp on the microstructural distributions, mechanical and fatigue properties, and fracture surfaces have been investigated. The microstructural observations of as-cast MMCs unveil the existence of primary α-Mg phase and the presence of large amount of β-Mg17Al12 secondary phase at grain boundary. The specimens are subjected to homogenization heat treatment at 410 °C for 24 h; the β-Mg17Al12 phases are significantly dissolved in the matrix grain boundaries which enhance the ductility and decrease the hardness compared with the as-cast materials. The addition of SiCp reinforcement led to improved yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of AZ61/SiCp composite compared to the unreinforced alloy. The maximum values of YS and UTS have been attained at AZ61/1wt%SiCp composites. The enhancement of YS and UTS was due to the presence of a uniformly distributed reinforced SiCp, which depends on grain refinement of the matrix and strong interfacial bonding between the matrix and reinforcement. In the case of fatigue test results, the addition of SiCp reduced the fatigue life and strength of AZ61 alloy composite. However, addition of 1wt%SiCp showed good mechanical and fatigue properties compared to pure AZ61 magnesium alloy and AZ61/2wt%SiCp composite. Furthermore, the effects of addition of SiCp on the mechanical and fatigue properties of the composite were confirmed by using the scanning electron microscope observation of fracture surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an effective method to influence end wall flow field, non-axisymmetric profiled end wall can improve the aerodynamic performance of compressor cascades. For a highly loaded low pressure compressor cascade, called V103, the study found the optimal non-axisymmetric profiled end wall decreases total pressure loss coefficient by 4.57%, 5.48% and 3.04% under incidences of −3°, 0°, and 3°, respectively, compared with those of the planar end wall. The optimal non-axisymmetric profiled end wall changes the structure of secondary flow in hub region, generating a corner vortex near suction surface, inhibiting the development of the passage vortex towards suction surface and reducing flow separation. When the inlet Mach numbers are 0.62 and 0.72, the total pressure loss coefficient decreases by 3.19% and 4.58% for optimal non-axisymmetric profiled end wall compared with those of the planar end wall. Though optimal non-axisymmetric profiled end wall increases total pressure loss near hub region in blade passage under different inlet Mach numbers, the peak value and region of high loss coefficient above 10% span in blade passage significantly decrease. In addition, different incidences affect the secondary flow streamlines and vortex structure near the cascade hub region, however, different inlet Mach numbers hardly change the secondary flow streamlines and vortex structure. In short, the optimal non-axisymmetric profiled end wall shows better aerodynamic performance than the planar end wall for the highly loaded compressor cascade in multi-conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible and free-standing thin films were fabricated and employed directly as working electrodes for the electrochemical reduction of CO2 in 0.5 N KHCO3 at 25 °C, in which, various sizes of Cu2O nanocubes (~ 27 ± 2, 37 ± 3, 62 ± 4 and 207 ± 3 nm) with different extent of surface oxidation (13, 20, 66, and 64% of Cu(II)) were reinforced on to polyvinyl alcohol/reduced graphene oxide matrix (PVA/rGO/(Cu2O/CuO_X, where, X = without halide, Cl, Br and I). The size of Cu2O nanocubes and their surface oxidation were systematically altered by the addition of 1 mL of 10 mM sodium halides (NaCl, NaBr, and NaI) during the synthesis. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping displayed the specific adsorption of Cl− ions over the Cu2O surface, whereas Br− and I− ions did not show such behaviour. PVA/rGO/(Cu2O/CuO_Cl) thin film exhibited a low overpotential of 20 mV for CO2 reduction reaction and, ~ 60 and ~ 7 times higher current density at − 0.80 V vs. RHE compared to that of the PVA/rGO/(Cu2O/CuO), PVA/rGO/(Cu2O/CuO_Br) ≈ PVA/rGO/(Cu2O/CuO_I), respectively. Gas chromatography and 1H-NMR analyses confirmed methanol as the single liquid product, with a faradaic efficiency of 63% at − 0.75 V vs. RHE on PVA/rGO/(Cu2O/CuO_Cl) thin film. Graphic abstrat: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) was suggested to exert an effect on renal function. However, the specific mechanism was still unknown. We try to find the association among OSAS, adiponectin, and cystatin C and the effect of adiponectin on renal function in OSAS patients. Methods: Seventeen healthy men and seventy-three men which only had OSAS were included in the end. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index (ODI), the percentage of total sleep time spent with SpO2 < 90% (T90%), lowest O2 saturation (LaSO2), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score, serum adiponectin, and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were detected in all subjects, and renal function was evaluated with creatinine, cystatin C, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Results: Demographic data, creatinine, and eGFR did not differ among the studied groups. Decreased serum adiponectin levels were associated with severe OSAS. OSAS patients had a higher hsCRP and cystatin C than those without OSAS. Serum adiponectin levels had a negative association with cystatin C. After adjusted for confounders, adiponectin, hsCRP, and ODI had a significant prediction on the cystatin C (β = − 0.218, p = 0.011; β = 0.226, p = 0.037; and β = 0.231, p = 0.029). Conclusions: Decreased serum adiponectin was associated with increased cystatin C in male OSAS patients. These results suggest that serum adiponectin might be a regulatory factor for renal function in OSAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of redundant driving system, vehicles' maneuverability and stability have great optimized potential. In this research, an electric off-road vehicle is served as controlled objective and a dynamic direct yaw-moment controller is proposed to realize the smooth accommodation of vehicle longitudinal-lateral motion under various transport conditions via controlling In-wheel motor (IWM) drive system. A data fusion technology is employed to enhance the control accuracy and responsiveness via amending the metrical data of INS and GPS primarily, and the discrete measured information are transmitted to a unscented particle filter with fine resampling (UPF-FR) that estimates the sideslip angle and yaw rate synchronously. Then, a feedforward-feedback control system is constructed to improves the controlled vehicle's maneuverability and stability based on the calculated active yaw moment. It is noteworthy that a nonlinear finite time feedback control system is utilized to acquire minimum error between the actual vehicle status and the desired vehicle status. After that, the IWM drive system execute the active yaw moment through modulating every motor's alternate current independently. In the end, some specific simulation and real tests are conducted to verify the performance of hierarchical control system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thick plate bending process (warm bending and tempering) has a profound impact on the material strength distribution (MSD) in hydrogenation reactor shells. To date, few studies have studied the thick plate bending process. In this work, an artificial neural network (ANN) combined with finite element analysis (FEA) was utilized to investigate the impact of thick plate bending on the MSD of reactor shells. First, tensile tests of 0-10% pre-strained 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25 V specimens were subjected to 390 to 510 °C. The results obtained from this experiment were used to develop ANN with two inputs (temperature and plastic strain) to predict the strength of pre-deformed steel. Subsequently, the plastic strain distribution of reactor shells after warm bending was obtained via FEA. We then inputted the FEA results into well-established ANN to predict the MSD of un-tempered reactor shells. The MSD of an actual tempered reactor shell was measured to study the synergic effect of warm bending and tempering on MSD variation. Results showed that the average absolute relative errors between the proposed ANN and tensile test results were below 4%. The absolute relative errors of the proposed prediction method varied from 0.24 to 7.88%. The proposed method is therefore reliable in the lightweight design of the hydrogenation reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many respiratory viruses cocirculate in the population and multiple infections are commonly reported. The clinical impact of coinfection is unclear and may vary depending on the viral couples involved. Using three-dimensional reconstituted human airway epithelia and clinical viral strains, we investigated the interaction between influenza virus (Flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and rhinovirus (RV). We showed that Flu and RSV interfere with RV replication, whereas RV does not interfere with either of these viruses. We then experimentally demonstrated that, when present, the interference is not related to a block of viral entry but rather to type I and type III interferon (IFN), the front-line antiviral defense of the respiratory mucosa. Consistent with this observation, we highlighted the differential sensitivity of each virus to IFNs, with RV being the only virus significantly inhibited by IFN-λ and the most sensitive to IFN-α. Finally, as type III IFN is of therapeutic interest due to its low proinflammatory profile, we also assessed and confirmed an inhibitory effect of IFN-λ in the context of persistent RV infections. The present work provides mechanistic clues concerning innate immunity involvement during respiratory virus interactions and confirms that IFN-λ is a promising candidate in the treatment of RV infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, magnesium alloy AZ31 reinforced with CNTs (0 wt.%, 0.1 wt.%, 0.5 wt.%, 1 wt.%) was produced by a stir casting method followed by aged heat treatment. Composites were investigated using x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope techniques. The microstructure of the CNTs/AZ31 has been qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated. The results show that stir casting is a suitable method for uniformly distributing CNTs and maintaining the integrated structure. The concentration of CNTs and aged heat treatment affects the crystallite size, crystallinity degree, precipitates and phase composition of the CNT-reinforced AZ31 alloy. An increase in the concentration of CNTs results in a decrease in the degree of crystallinity and dissolution of the secondary phase. In 0.1 wt.% CNTs, the crystallite size decreases and then increases. The aged heat treatment affects the composition of the phase and creates a new secondary phase to refine the microstructure and grain size. The compressive strength is linearly related to the concentration of CNTs. Bramfitt disregistry and precipitation strengthening play an important role in qualitatively and quantitatively refining and altering the microstructure of CNTs/AZ31. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wurfbainia villosa, which belongs to the huge family Zingiberaceae, is used in the clinic for the treatment of spleen and stomach diseases in southern China. The complete chloroplast genome of W. villosa was sequenced and analyzed using next-generation sequencing technology in the present work. The results showed that the W. villosa chloroplast genome is a circular molecule with 163,608 bp in length. It harbors a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) of 29,820 bp in length, which separate the large single copy (LSC, 88,680 bp) region and the small single copy (SSC, 15,288 bp) region. After annotation, 134 genes were identified in this plastome in total, comprising of 87 protein-coding genes, 38 transfer RNA genes, 8 ribosomal RNA genes and one pseudogene (ycf1). Codon usage, RNA editing sites and single/long sequence repeats were investigated to understand the structural characteristics of the W. villosa chloroplast genome. Furthermore, IR contraction and expansion were analyzed by comparison of complete chloroplast genomes of W. villosa and four other Zingiberaceae species. Finally, a phylogeny study based on the chloroplast genome of W. villosa, along with that of 15 different species, was conducted to further investigate the relationship among these lineages. Overally, our results represented the first insight into the chloroplast genome of W. villosa, and could serve as a significant reference for species identification, genetic diversity analysis and phylogenetic research between W. villosa and other species within Zingiberaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MicroRNA-29b (miR-29b) has been suggested to possess pro-inflammatory activity, which can partially be explained by the repression of tumor necrosis factor alpha protein three antibody (TNFAIP3). Meanwhile, it also promotes thyroid cell proliferation via Smad signaling pathways. The present study aimed to elucidate the role of miR-29b in Henoch Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) and its underlying molecular mechanism in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced human glomerular mesangial cell (HGMC) activation. Methods: We evaluated miR-29b expression in 35 HSPN renal tissues based on crescent formation, glomerular sclerosis, interstitial fibrosis, thrombosis formation and capillary loop necrosis. Meanwhile, HGMCs were cultured, treated with Ang II and then transfected with LV-hsa-miR-29b-1 to induce miR-29b overexpression or LV-hsa-miR-29b-3p-inhibition to inhibit miR-29b expression. Finally, we examined the effects of miR-29b on cell proliferation and release of inflammatory mediators. Results: We observed that miR-29b expression was significantly higher in the crescent group than in the no crescent group. MiR-29b overexpression induced the release of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, the increase of CyclinA2, CyclinD1, and cell proliferation. It also could inhibit the expressions of TNFAIP3 and NF-kappa-B-repressing factor (NKRF). Correspondingly, miR-29b inhibition produced the opposite effects and increased the expression of TNFAIP3 and NKRF. Conclusion: MiR-29b expression is altered in crescent formation of HSPN and accelerates Ang II-induced mesangial cell proliferation and release of inflammatory mediators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research established half of the finite element model to investigate the thermal and stress field evolution of single track cladding deposited by the wide-beam laser. The proposed FE model is validated by the molten pool temperature measured by a pyrometer. And the characteristic of the cladding shows good agreement with the temperature profile. Based on the temperature data, the molten pool length, width, and depth are calculated. Meanwhile, the effect of process parameters including laser power and scanning speed on the molten pool dimensions, temperature gradient G, cooling rate ε, solidification rate R, and G/R are discussed. Three experiments under different process parameters are conducted to verify the simulation results. Furthermore, the thermal stress distribution of the cladding in different direction and different path are discussed. The results indicate that laser power and scanning speed have a significant influence on the thermal and stress field evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the detailed analysis of a pneumatic clutch actuator with an artificial intelligence control algorithm. The low cost of pneumatic actuator makes it an advantage in automotive applications, but fast and precise control is difficult on account of its time-varying and nonlinear character. In order to achieve good performance and save cost, the development of a fast, accurate, and inexpensive automatic pneumatic actuator clutch system for a single-axle parallel hybrid electrical is important. Targeted for the working principle of electric-drive automated mechanical transmission parallel hybrid system for shifting and clutch dynamic control during operation mode switch course, the design adopts single neuron-adaptive PID-based clutch operation process, proposed the clutch actuator piston non-contact cylinder lock control method to overcome time-varying and nonlinear characteristics' impact present in the pneumatic actuator closed-loop control, and through the effective control of segment displacement self-diagnosis during the clutch operation process, performs variable clutch control and improve the actuator fault tolerance. Experiments show that the proposed control algorithm is feasible, which has effectively reduced the torque shock and clutch friction work during clutch engaging process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Software defect prediction (SDP) plays a significant part in identifying the most defect-prone modules before software testing and allocating limited testing resources. One of the most commonly used classifiers in SDP is naive Bayes (NB). Despite the simplicity of the NB classifier, it can often perform better than more complicated classification models. In NB, the features are assumed to be equally important, and the numeric features are assumed to have a normal distribution. However, the features often do not contribute equivalently to the classification, and they usually do not have a normal distribution after performing a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test; this may harm the performance of the NB classifier. Therefore, this paper proposes a new weighted naive Bayes method based on information diffusion (WNB-ID) for SDP. More specifically, for the equal importance assumption, we investigate six weight assignment methods for setting the feature weights and then choose the most suitable one based on the F-measure. For the normal distribution assumption, we apply the information diffusion model (IDM) to compute the probability density of each feature instead of the acquiescent probability density function of the normal distribution. We carry out experiments on 10 software defect data sets of three types of projects in three different programming languages provided by the PROMISE repository. Several well-known classifiers and ensemble methods are included for comparison. The final experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melastoma dodecandrum, the only creeping species in the Melastoma genus, serves as a medicinal herb in southeast China. It belongs to the huge family Melastomataceae, which contains over 5000 species worldwide. In this study, we used next-generation sequencing to determine the complete chloroplast genome sequences of M. dodecandrum, which is a circular molecule of 156,611 bp in length. After annotation, we identified 131 putative genes in total, comprised of 85 protein-coding genes, 38 transfer RNA genes and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. Genome structure, GC content, repeat sequences and codon usage were investigated to gain a comprehensive understanding of this genome. Furthermore, we conducted comparative genome analyses between the M. dodecandrum genome and that of four other Melastomataceae species. Additionally, a phylogenetic analysis was performed based on available chloroplast genomes of Melastomataceae species and several Myrtaceae species, revealing the taxonomic relationships between M. dodecandrum and related species. In conclusion, our study represents the first look into the complete chloroplast genome of M. dodecandrum, providing abundant information for further studies such as species identification, taxonomy and phylogenetic resolution of Melastomataceae species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the temperature field evolution of the single track clad in wide-beam laser cladding. By using the birth and death element technique, a 3D transient finite element (FE) model was established to study the temperature field evolution, temperature gradient (G), cooling rate (ε), and solidifying rate (R) of the molten pool. The temperature field results of the molten pool were also validated by the temperature measurement and characteristics of the clad. Meanwhile, the effect of main parameters namely as laser power, scanning speed, laser absorptivity, laser power efficiency, and preheat temperature on the peak temperature of the molten pool and temperature variation rate were discussed in detail. Then, the effect of laser power and scanning speed on G, ε, R, and G/R were also investigated and the corresponding microstructure was analyzed. The results show that from the top surface of the clad to the interface between the clad and substrate, G/R decreases slightly at first and then increases sharply while the cooling rate continues to decrease. Moreover, the peak temperature of the molten pool increases with an increase of laser power, laser absorptivity, laser power efficiency, and preheat temperature, while with the increasing of scanning speed, the peak temperature decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of hot bending forming process on the high-temperature mechanical properties and hydrogen damage of 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25V steel was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy-dispersive spectrum (EDS) and the slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) test in high-temperature hydrogen environment. The samples containing hot bending residual influence were extracted from a real hydrogenation reactor shell fabricated through hot bending-welding process. SEM images of the material demonstrated that the density and size of carbides in 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25V increased after forming. TEM and EDS results revealed that ferrite matrix of the formed material was purified. The mechanical properties measured by SSRT test manifested that 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25V was softened after forming. Moreover, it was observed that high-temperature hydrogen environment embrittled the material and the susceptibility to hydrogen damage increased after forming. The role of hot bending process on the evolution of mechanical properties and hydrogen damage susceptibility was discussed. Possible mechanism for the impact of hot bending process on the high-temperature hydrogen damage was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extraction and separation of Fe(III) from heavy metal wastewater generated in zinc smelting process were studied using solvent impregnated resin containing CL-P204. The influence of pH and temperature on absorbing heavy metal cations by static adsorption was investigated. The batch tests on adsorption equilibrium, kinetics and elution efficiency were carried out to evaluate the performance of CL-P204. Column operations for extraction and separation of Fe(III) by CL-P204 were performed for further optimization of process parameters and feasibility evaluation. The reaction mechanism of Fe(III) and CL-P204 was analyzed through saturation capability, slope analysis and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The results show that the separation of Fe(III) from heavy metal wastewater using CL-P204 can be achieved through process of adsorption and desorption at a flow rate of 1.53 ml·min−1·cm−2, pH 0.8 and temperature of 25 °C. The experimental data of Fe(III) adsorption by CL-P204 have a satisfactory fit with Langmuir adsorption equation and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. The probable molecular formula of extracted complex is Fe[R2(R2H)], and the adsorption reaction equation is concluded as following: Fe3++4RH⇔KexFe[R2(R2H)]+3H+ (Kex, extraction equilibrium constant). This study will supply the fundamentals for treatment of heavy metal wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to establish a correlation between the process parameters and geometrical characteristics of the sectional profile of the single track cladding deposited by high power diode laser with rectangle beam spot. By applying the genetic algorithm and back propagation neural network, a nonlinear model for predicting the geometry features of the single track cladding is developed. A full factorial design method is used to conduct the experiments, and the experimental results are chosen randomly as training dataset and testing dataset for the neural network. Three main input variables such as laser power, scanning speed, and powder thickness were considered. The performance of the genetic algorithm and back propagation artificial neural network was compared to that of the standard back propagation neural network. To improve the accuracy of the neural network, one-hidden-layer and double-hidden-layer neural network with different architectures were performed. Further, one-output and multi-output neural network are also trained and tested. The results indicate that, by using genetic algorithm, the prediction accuracy of the neural network is significantly improved. Meanwhile, the double-hidden-neural network has higher prediction accuracy than the one-hidden-layer-neural network, while the one-output-neural network has higher prediction accuracy than the multi-output-neural network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified shakedown theorem and its solving technique are presented to involve hydrogen embrittlement of steel into limit and shakedown analysis. Firstly, the shakedown theorem for hydrogen embrittled material is derived from a limited kinematic hardening shakedown theorem and hydrogen enhanced localized plasticity mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement. In the presented theorem, hydrogen’s effect is taken into account by the synergistic action of both strength reduction and stress redistribution. Secondly, a novel solving technique is developed based on the basis reduction method, in which the complicated constraints in the resulting nonlinear mathematical programming are released. At last, three numerical examples are carried out to verify the performance of the proposed method and to reveal hydrogen’s effect on the limit and shakedown load of structure. The numerical results are discussed and compared with those from literatures, which proves the accuracy and high efficiency of the introduced solving technique. It is concluded that the proposed theorem can predict the limit and shakedown load of hydrogen embrittled structure reasonably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important regulators for a variety of biological processes. Chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a crucial stage in chondrogenesis while chondrocyte hypertrophy is related to endochondral ossification and osteoarthritis. However, the effects of lncRNAs on chondrogenic and hypertrophic differentiation of mouse MSCs are unclear. To explore the potential mechanisms of lncRNAs during chondrogenesis and chondrocyte hypertrophy, microarray was performed to investigate the expression profiles of lncRNA and mRNA in MSCs, pre-chondrocytes, and hypertrophic chondrocytes. Then, we validated microarray data by RT-PCR and screened three lncRNAs from upregulating groups during chondrogenesis and chondrocyte hypertrophy respectively. After downregulating any of the above lncRNAs, we found that the expression of chondrogenesis-related genes such as Sox9 and Col2a1 and hypertrophy-related genes including Runx2 and Col10a1 was inhibited, respectively. Furthermore, the target genes of above lncRNAs were predicted by bioinformatics approaches. Gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genome biological pathway analysis were also made to speculate the functions of above lncRNAs. In conclusion, the study first revealed the expression profile of lncRNAs in chondrogenic and hypertrophic differentiations of mouse MSCs and presented a new prospect for the underlying mechanisms of chondrogenesis and endochondral ossification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To extract gold from a low-grade (13.43 g/t) and high-sulfur (39.94wt% sulfide sulfur) Carlin-type gold concentrate from the Nibao deposit, Guizhou, a bio-pretreatment followed by carbon-in-pulp (CIP) cyanide leaching process was used. Various methods were used to detect the low-grade gold in the concentrate; however, only time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) was successful. With bio-pretreatment, the gold recovery rate increased by approximately 70.16% compared with that obtained by direct cyanide leaching of the concentrate. Various attempts were made to increase the final gold recovery rate. However, approximately 20wt% of the gold was non-extractable. To determine the nature of this non-extractable gold, mineralogy liberation analysis (MLA), formation of secondary product during the bio-pretreatment, and the preg-robbing capacity of the carbonaceous matter in the ore were investigated. The results indicated that at least four factors affected the gold recovery rate: gold occurrence, tight junctions of gold-bearing pyrite with gangue minerals, jarosite coating of the ore, and the carbonaceous matter content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve the restoration of the sprocket, it is significant to repair or modify the damaged sprocket by using an advanced surface treatment technique, such as the laser cladding process. In this paper, the Taguchi method was applied to conduct the experiment to optimize the process parameters for repairing a sprocket in the laser cladding process. The dilution was chosen to evaluate the quality of the cladding layer and the effect of the process parameters, such as the laser power, scanning speed, and powder feeding rate, with respect to the cladding layer geometry, and the dilution was investigated systematically. Then, using the optimized parameters, the sprocket was remanufactured and its surface profile characteristics, microstructure, and microhardness of the repaired sprocket were analyzed. The results show that the optimal process parameters (1000 W, 2.81 g/min, 1200 mm/min) obtained by the Taguchi method could realize the lower dilution. With the optimal parameters, the repair accuracy of the sprocket could reach 2.973 mm, which offers the machining allowance for machining of the sprocket. A white bright band observed at the interface shows that the metallurgical bonding was realized between the cladding zone and base metal. The microhardness of the cladding zone is higher than that of the heat-affected zone and base metal. Furthermore, the results reveal that the Taguchi method can effectively acquire the optimal combination of process parameters, and the laser cladding process exhibits good feasibility and effectiveness for repairing the machinery components with complex shapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new anthraquinone, 7-( γ, γ)-dimethylallyloxymacrosporin ( 1), along with five known analogues, macrosporin ( 2), 7-methoxymacrosporin ( 3), tetrahydroaltersolanol B ( 4), altersolanol L ( 5), and ampelanol ( 6), were isolated from the mangrove endophytic fungus Phoma sp. L28. All of them were first found in Phoma sp. Their structures were established by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses and comparison with the published data. These compounds displayed in vitro antifungal activities against Colletotrichum musae (Berk. & M. A. Curtis) Arx., Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz) Sacc., Fusarium graminearum Schw., Penicillium italicum Wehme, Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht. f. sp. lycopersici (Sacc.) W.C. Snyder et H. N. Hansen, and Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn at different levels. Notably, compound 2 exhibited potent antifungal activity against Fusarium graminearum Schw. as compared with the positive control carbendazim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The insect pathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae is an important insect biological control agent commercialized for use worldwide. Fungal infection is percutaneous, and rapid germination and growth has been linked to virulence. Using a simple in vitro growth screen to isolate mutants with increased virulence, M. anisopliae SM04 conidia were exposed to UV radiation for 20, 40, and 60 min, and mutants were subsequently screened for more rapid growth on standard potato dextrose agar. From a screen of >6,000 colonies, mutants were selected based on larger colony diameters as compared to the wild-type parent. Insect bioassays using the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, revealed one mutant, designated as MaUV-40.1 as displaying both more rapid growth and increased virulence. The mean lethal time to kill (LT using 10 conidia/ml) was 57.6 and 115.4 h for the MaUV-40.1 mutant and wild-type strains, respectively. Total conidial production, UV and thermal tolerances of the MaUV-40.1 strain were increased, but a reduced secretome was seen for the mutant compared to wild type. Analyses of culture supernatants indicated significant shifts in secondary metabolite production in the mutant. The insecticidal activity of EthOAc extracts derived from MaUV-40.1 mutant cell-free culture supernatants were ~20 times more potent that wild-type extracts. These data indicate that mutagenesis coupled to a growth screen can be a simple approach to isolate strains with greater stress resistance and virulence and that cell-free extracts may hold promise as an alternative to the living organism for insect control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convergence stagnation is the chief difficulty to solve hard optimization problems for most particle swarm optimization variants. To address this issue, a novel particle swarm optimization using multi-information characteristics of all personal-best information is developed in our research. In the modified algorithm, two positions are defined by personal-best positions and an improved cognition term with three positions of all personal-best information is used in velocity update equation to enhance the search capability. This strategy could make particles fly to a better direction by discovering useful information from all the personal-best positions. The validity of the proposed algorithm is assessed on twenty benchmark problems including unimodal, multimodal, rotated and shifted functions, and the results are compared with that obtained by some published variants of particle swarm optimization in the literature. Computational results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm finds several global optimum and high-quality solutions in most case with a fast convergence speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]